Addiction and Recovery

Denial a common problem that MUST be overcome

If you are a friend or a family member of someone who is either
abusing drugs and/or alcohol or already addicted, you’re probably
wondering what you can do to help.

The biggest problem you face is that the abuser or addict thinks
this is YOUR problem, or you’re making a fuss over nothing. “I
can handle it.” The last one in the room to know there is a problem
is the one who has it.

There is help if you decide to do an intervention

You’ve seen what’s going on and you are thinking of ways to
stop the behavior. Maybe you’ve decided to do an intervention for
that person you care about and “get real” with him or her.

Your motives are pure, but you are probably not equipped to help.
You probably need the assistance of an interventionist, someone who
is trained in drug and alcohol issues.

You’re not going to be left out of the room, as the
interventionist will work with the family and friends to plan the
best approach to the abuser or addict, based upon his/her history of
use.

The interventionist will plan according to the user’s drug of
choice, make the proper analysis and map out a specific strategy
based on the information gathered.

Each intervention can be different

Interventions will vary, depending on the user’s history. If the
person is already well into addiction or alcoholism, the
interventionist must make that adjustment to the strategy. That’s
where friends and family come in.

Moreover, the interventionist will understand the approaches to
handling addicts with addiction or alcoholism, cocaine abuse, heroin
addiction, or those who are abusing inhalants or methamphetamine.

Regardless of the drug, trained professional help is available for
an intervention. They are the ones who can give an accurate and
objective account of the user’s behavior. If someone has just moved
from being an occasional user to a frequent user, that requires a
different approach than the one for a person who is a long-time
abuser. Friends and family are vital to this process.

Many people completely under estimate their problem

People who are caught in addiction or alcoholism do not realize
the severity of their problem. The only thing that matters in their
life is getting the drug, regardless of the consequences. Health
problems are not considered. Legal problems are not considered.

The person who used to be rational and law-abiding has been
swallowed by alcohol. That’s why the intervention step is so vital.

Don’t enable

There is no room for enabling, no room for being the good guy,
because the life of the addict may be on the line unless something is
done on their behalf. It is sad when family and friends no longer
matter. It is even sadder when life does not matter.

Don’t be a hero. Get help from a trained professional. That
person knows what questions to ask and what information is necessary
to make a proper assessment and an effective strategy for battling
the problem.

An intervention can help!

Something else to keep in mind is that an intervention, however
brief, may make all the difference in the world to getting the person
back on track to restoring his/her health.

Even a short encounter with an addiction or alcoholism specialist
can prove instrumental in helping someone along. Those short visits
may lead to putting them into a rehab program, or at least getting in
to see a physician.

Once in the throws of addiction or alcoholism, addicts will no
longer be the person they used to be, and as a result, the
intervention stages may be difficult for you to witness. Our
affection for the person, our feelings get in the way and it is
difficult for the family member or friend to remain objective.

The interventionist is key to putting the addict back on the right
path to a healthy and successful life.

A Common questions about addiction and recovery

My best friend has a drug problem and I don’t know what to do.

My best friend (who is 15 years old) has been doing cocaine for the last
few months and it is getting pretty clear to me that she has a problem.
She doesn’t go to school and has been binging every single night til 5
in the morning. The only time she doesn’t binge is when she doesn’t have
the energy to do so.

I’ve had past cocaine problems myself so I’ve had to distance myself from her to prevent myself from doing it.

I’ve
been talking to her sister about this whole problem and it seems her
sister lost hope in her a long time ago and wants nothing to do with the
situation.

I even tried telling her mother via a Facebook
inbox. I know her mom knows she is doing it but she seems to be in shock
at the moment and not doing anything to help. I know her mom got my
message but she isn’t responding.

I’ve been able to get her to
admit she has a problem but at the same time she doesn’t seem to care
what direction her life is going in. I’m her only true friend and i try
to tell her what’s going to happen i try everything.

She has
made the decision to stop a few times but as soon as i lose contact with
her she’ll get a text from one of her coke buddies and go do it anyway.

What
should i do? I’m only 19 years old and the only person in her life that
cares enough to go to these lengths to help her. My last resort is
contacting her father about the issue but I’m not sure what will happen
if i do.

Seek Help for Guidance

by: Ned Wicker

You are in a very difficult spot. Your friend’s mother is
completely dropping the ball and not taking care of her daughter. From
what you have written, your friend needs to go into treatment and get
her life back on the right track.

To be 15 and doing cocaine is
a dreadful thing, because the adolescent brain just isn’t capable of
handling the drug, and even the fully-developed brain doesn’t handle it
well. She is in jeopardy of living a lifetime, however long, of misery
and addiction. She has to be stopped.

I suggest you give
Al-anon a call and talk to them. Al-anon supports those who are
concerned about people they care about and loved ones. You are not her
parent, her guardian or a family member.

Her sister is probably
very frustrated and not equipped to handle your friend’s illness. Mom
and sister do not understand that your friend has a brain disease and is
incapable of making good choices and should not be allowed to make
decisions.

Her family needs to rally around her and get her the
help that she needs. You are kind of on the outside looking in, only
you know what’s going on and the family doesn’t.

Is there an
aunt or uncle you can turn to, or grandparents? Somebody in that family
has to wake up and realize that unless this young person receives help,
there is likely to be a funeral in the not too distant future. You say
mom is in shock.

Mom needs to be mom, not a buddy, a concerned
bystander or a helpless observer. She needs to take action and get help
for her daughter. This is not a teenage phase, this is a serious
health threat.

If nothing works, if all fails, maybe she
needs to be arrested. The law enforcement professionals have dealt with
this before and they need to be considered a resource for you. I know
it’s drastic, but it might be needed to save her life. But make the
call to Al-anon, or a drug treatment center and get their take on it.

Is Drug Addiction a Disease or a Choice?

We firmly believe drug addiction is a DISEASE, but before you choose which Addiction and Recovery Treatment is for you; you may want to consider what YOU believe.

Selecting a Addiction and Recovery Treatment Program

There are several things to keep in mind when selecting a treatment program, or center. Foremost is the fact that everybody has an individual need and treatment programs must be tailored to meet that need. One size fits all does not apply.

Recovery needs to take place in the right setting, with the right services and treatments to best effect a positive outcome.

Even if a person does not voluntarily check-in to a treatment program, it does not mean the treatment will be ineffective. Many people present themselves for treatment by court order, not of their own free will, and can receive the same benefit as those who are there voluntarily.

When a person is ready for treatment it is important for that treatment to be ready for him/her. Services must be available, because if a person has to endure being put on a waiting list, or has to drive long distances to receive treatment, the odds are against them from the get go.

It’s easy for people to fall between the cracks if help is not readily available.

In many cases, people entering treatment need to go through medical detoxification. While it is an important first step in the treatment program, detox is not the whole answer to the problem. People need to get the drugs out of their system, but that does not address the long-term problems of addiction.

Must meet your needs!

Treatment programs need to meet the needs of people, beyond the physical and emotional addiction problem itself. We are body, mind and spirit. Intervention that does not include all of a person’s needs falls short of the minimum goal of the program.

Addiction is as much about the spirit as it is about the mind and body. Many addicts going into recovery has legal problems to sort out, job problems, social integration problems. Every aspect of the person’s life needs to be addressed.

Needs change and treatment programs need to change as those needs change. Progress or the lack of progress needs to be assessed on an ongoing basis. What was necessary in the first phases of treatment may need to be changed as time goes on. Perhaps a patient is on medication initially, but will later require counseling or psychotherapy. There may be family matters to work through, or vocational training.

Why 12-STEP?

We recommend that whatever treatment program you choose that you also enroll in a 12-step program. A 12-step program will help address your spiritual needs rather than just your medical needs.We have listed each step below and hope that you will take some time to review each step and consider what it would do for your/your loved ones recovery.

Choose a Addiction and Recovery Treatment Program that is Age-Appropriate

Treatment programs must be age-appropriate, and sensitive to the culture and ethnicity of the patient. Again, the individual’s need is the key to determining the most effective path of treatment.

Sticking with Addiction and Recovery Treatment Programs is KEY!

Patients need to complete their treatment programs. Treatment can be a long and difficult road, so patients need to be encouraged to stick with it. Research suggests that people reach a major milestone in recovery after 90 days, but additional treatment can be helpful in taking the patient farther down the road to good health.

The problem is people leave their treatment programs early, often without reaching a significant stage in recovery.

Patients cannot expect to recover if they have to do it alone. Connection to other people is necessary, and in the case of recovery, having sessions with a counselor or being part of a group is an important component of the program.

Many patients, who are addicted to opiates, such as heroin, benefit from Addiction and Recovery, using Methadone and LAAM (levo-alpha-acetylmethadol.

Naltrexone is used for patients addicted to opiates, but who are also dependent on alcohol. Smoking addiction is treated with bupropion.

Other medical problems, such as hepatitis B and C are associated with drug abuse and addiction. HIV/AIDS is another major concern and programs need to assess these conditions and provide training for patients to avoid infection.

Mental Health Needs to Be Considered

Patients with mental problems can be helped with a variety of behavioral drugs and treatments. Patients with both drug addiction and mental disorders need a program that works with both aspects. Assessment of these needs is critical in establishing a treatment program that will effectively restore the patient’s health and well-being.

Drug Use MUST Be Monitored!

While in treatment, patients must not be using drugs. Drug use needs to be monitored, and this can be accomplished in a variety of ways. Most commonly, a urinalysis or some other test is sufficient. If a relapse occurs, and the patient uses drugs during the treatment program, his/her individual treatment plan may require modification. It is important for the treatment program to have a steady, objective monitoring program to meet the needs of the patient.

Remember

Just as one size does not fit all patients, sometimes one Addiction and Recovery Treatment program does not completely rid the patient of the addiction problem. Therefore, many patients need subsequent Addiction and Recovery Treatment programs to win over the addiction. By nature, people like to do things their own way

They make mistakes They stumble and fall

Sometimes long-term programs are the answer, or many times through the program.

The important thing is to continue to try to stay clean.