Articles Archives - Page 72 of 138

Sep212017Apr252025

Free Apps That Can Help You Quit Drinking – Part 1

Articles, Australia, Education, International, Malaysia, United Kingdom, United States

Regular drinkers will at certain times feel they would like to either reduce their intake or quit drinking altogether.

This is the 1^st of a 2-part article on apps that are free to download on Android and iPhone devices or on both.

Temporary thoughts:

It must be said that these thoughts often surface after a particularly heavy session. Usually when those who have overdone their booze quota are feeling sorry for themselves. That “morning after” feeling is not something to be welcomed, nor are any embarrassing situation caused by too much drink.

These temporary thoughts usually fade and little, if any action is taken, but if you are worried that your drinking is getting out of hand try letting technology help.

Try technology:

As with most things today there are a host of apps awaiting download that can help those with a determined attitude to reduce or quit drinking.

Here are the 2 that are free and surely worth consideration.

Sober Grid:

Free on Android and iPhone:

This app takes sobriety global! Sober Grid has been designed to help those looking to get sober, or who are currently in recovery.

Sober Grid members are a mix of those looking for support, and those offering it.

This mix is highly effective for those in need of advice, support and help. One feature that can be particularly effective is the “Burning Desire” icon.

This allows a user to find sober acquaintances either locally or while they are away from home. The latter option can be particularly useful for those who are working away, on holiday, at an airport or in a particular town or city anywhere in the world.

It offers a news feed where members can post and read sobriety-related experiences. This app majors on tracking your progress and giving peer-support, both of which are vital initial steps on the road to sobriety.

Nomo

Free on Android and iPhone

This app certainly provides detail. It was created by 2 fathers who wanted an application to keep them motivated while going through recovery. Their intention was to design an attractive app with multiple clocks which kept them and others in their support group connected.

The detail to timing information has certainly been achieved. Nomo breaks down the time you have remained sober to the minute. This means you can track your sobriety down to minutes, hours, days, weeks, months and years.

Every milestone reached is rewarded with a recovery milestone chip aimed to help you remain motivated while celebrating your achievement.

Money saved can be calculated on the app and you can share your milestone chips on social media. Another useful feature is that your sobriety clock can be shared with an accountability partner. This will then allow them to check-in on you, check how long you have remained alcohol free and comment on your continued progress.

Benefits aplenty:

There are plenty of reasons to reduce or quit drinking altogether. These include feeling physically healthier, mentally more agile, likely weight loss, increased appetite with more desire to eat healthier meals and the potential to achieve considerable financial savings.

Social Circle - Addiction Recovery Group

Sep202017Apr252025

Why a social circle is so valuable during recovery? – DaraRehab

Articles, Australia, Education, International, Malaysia, Treatment, United Kingdom, United States

Life can be tough once you have completed rehab. There will be days when things go swimmingly, others will feel as if you are drowning.

The importance of staying strong:

Resilience is a key word for those progressing through recovery. There will be knocks and setbacks littering the way. Some may be half-expected, others will jump right out in front of you. This is why it is so important to stay strong and determined as you heal.

Things will get easier as time elapses, but the ups and downs can be far smoother and that much more manageable if you have a varied social circle.

An invaluable part of your support system:

Navigating recovery is a tricky business and there is little doubting that having a healthy social circle will do you the power of good. Friends from a variety of backgrounds, and with differing social skills can do wonders as part of your support system.

It will give options in terms of where to turn if a particular issue arises. Some of the circle will be better at addressing certain things than others. This means you have an all-important tool in your recovery locker: Choice.

You will be able to lean on those who can effectively keep you away from temptation, others to calm you, and those that are effective when reminders of your strengths are needed. This last point is very important when that necessary self-confidence goes missing.

Less time spent thinking about your own concerns:

It is vital that you are mindful and aware of the stresses and challenges that will be encountered throughout recovery, but dwelling on them for too long is not healthy.

By spending time with different sets of friends you will widen your view on things. Topics will be discussed that interest and invigorate.

Feeling far less alone:

During those drink or drug-fuelled days you will have had company all the hours god sends.

Making your way along the path of sobriety can leave you quite lonely. Loneliness is a major reason for relapse and relapse is not something to encourage.

A varied circle of social friends that are dedicated to sobriety can be very inclusive. You will feel part of the group you are with. This togetherness should also put you far more at ease.

Your outlook will improve no end:

Increasing your circle of friends with people who care, who have similar interests and who offer sound camaraderie will do your confidence and outlook on the future the power of good.

Feeling happy is an excellent tonic for strengthening your recovery determination. It should also help increase contentment with the way your progress is going.

Yes, of course there will be bad days, but with good friends on hand the problems or issues you face can be worked out to a positive end.

A solid circle of friends will help you, you will be keen to help them, and it is these partnerships that can form trusted, long lasting bonds that will make recovery that much more manageable.

Sep192017Apr252025

Is There Life Without Alcohol?

Articles, Australia, International, Malaysia, Understanding Addiction, United Kingdom, United States

Let’s get the answer to this question straight out…. YOU BET THERE IS!

Those whose lives revolve around alcohol really are missing out on a whole variety of things that can be enjoyed and achieved without needing to be constantly topped up.

For starters:

Regular or excessive drinking of alcohol leaves its mark. The morning after “one too many” there are not too many things you really feel like doing (apart from lying in a darkened room hoping to find the remote control that will stop it from spinning!).

If these “morning after’s” become a regular occurrence then less and less will be done and an alcohol dependence could begin to be formed.

Get out into the fresh air:

No matter what time of year it is, you are generally able to get out and about. So, don appropriate clothing, grab a loved one or some good friends and go for a woodland walk. Even if the countryside is a mite too far, there must be a choice of parks in your locality that you can stroll around.

This will not only give you good exercise, it will clear the mind and allow you to have meaningful (or meaningless!) conversations without having to shout over the hubbub of the bar or club you generally frequent.

A great addition to that fresh air:

Agree with whoever is joining you that you will make a picnic. Leave it to the individuals concerned as to what they decide to make and contribute.

The laugh you will have as you spread the blanket and hesitantly open the hamper will be a source of fun conversation throughout this fun-filled al-fresco dining experience.

And do not worry if the weather is not up to your feast, simply take it back home and spread the blanket in the living room. Food fights are optional!

Look for an unusual activity:

Scour the local ads and websites for activities that are new but sound fun. Rock-wall climbing will suit some, ice skating others, maybe there is a traditional public bowling green and if not hunt out the nearest bowling alley.

Assuming your health is up to it, don’t dismiss such sports as badminton or squash. Both will quickly wear you down, but should certainly put some colour in your cheeks.

A theatre outing:

This does not have to be a major production. Check out the amateur dramatic societies that are within travelling distance. The plays they put on are entertaining and can have you doubled-up with laughter at the regular innuendos that are all part of an excellent few hours.

The other ‘feel-good’ factor about supporting such a production is that the proceeds usually go to a local school, college or charity, so you will be safe in the knowledge that your entrance fee is going to a worthy cause.

Talking of worthy causes:

Donate an evening or a few hours each week to helping a local charity of your choice. These organistions are always in need of extra hands.

There is no need to over commit initially, but if you get into it then the pleasure will be all yours. You will also feel far better than those “morning after’s” in the knowledge that you have done your small part for an extremely worthy cause.

Sep182017Apr252025

Why Drug Withdrawal May Need To Be Managed

Articles, Australia, Education, International, Malaysia, Treatment, United Kingdom, United States

Withdrawal from your substance of choice is not a pleasant experience, but it is something that must be experienced if you are to free yourself from addiction.

How difficult is drug withdrawal?

There is no straightforward set of answers to this one. It depends upon many factors that include:

The type of substance a person is addicted to
The length of time consistent use has been present
The amount of the drug being used daily
How rapidly this use is increasing
The physical health of the person concerned
The mental health of the person concerned

Symptoms to be expected during drug withdrawal:

Ceasing drug use after a sustained period means that the body will react in a negative fashion. These effects will be felt in many parts of the body, particularly the nervous and hormonal systems.

This is why those suddenly ceasing heavy drug use feel:

Physical pain – aches and pains throughout the body are common.
Blood pressure – Rises in blood pressure or unstable blood pressure levels will occur.
Profuse sweating – A person will feel uncomfortably hot, even in rooms that are cool and well ventilated.
Severe nausea – Feelings of sickness are often accompanied by the person being physically sick.

If you have decided to go through drug withdrawal without professional help then these are symptoms that must be recognized. If any of these symptoms, a rapidly increasing heartbeat or breathing problems occur then professional help must be sought immediately.

Detoxification should be considered:

This point is particularly relevant for those users that have a long-term history of abuse. Professionally monitored detox can help to ease symptoms and ensure that withdrawal does not cause life-threatening issues.

Detox offers a set of medically supervised interventions that help manage acute intoxication and withdrawal. A successful detox will help to clear the substance from a person’s body while minimizing any physical harm.

Unique plans but 3 constant elements:

Dependent upon which treatment centre a person chooses for detox will depend upon the exact type of procedures involved, but there are 3 major elements all establishments will address. These are:

Evaluation: Your detox professional will test for drugs present in the user’s system. They should also establish any co-occurring physical or psychological conditions. This evaluation is important for withdrawal, but will also serve to define the type of treatment a user receives once withdrawal is complete.
Stabilisation: This is the core of the detox procedure. It involves the user being assisted to help overcome the various withdrawal symptoms. This can be achieved either by intensive counselling or through the use of medical therapy and medication. Another key factor here is making it clear to the user what their role and responsibilities are during detox, ongoing treatment and recovery.
On-going treatment: It needs to be made very clear that detox alone will not ensure a user remains drug free in the long-term. To achieve this recovery, they need to accept and embrace rehabilitation treatment. There are many different types of treatment available and decisions need to be made on which is most suitable for the individual.

Sep152017Apr252025

Grey Death – Russian Roulette With Your Life!

Articles, Australia, International, Malaysia, United Kingdom

Those who experiment with newly introduced street substances like Grey Death, are finding out that this one in particular is a potential killer.

Authorities have named the new designer drug ‘Grey Death’ due to the colour of this potentially lethal substance, and warned that its grainy mixture increases the risk of serious health issues with some users already paying the ultimate price.

Working around current drug bans:

Ruthless overseas drug labs will concoct any number of new chemical combinations in efforts to get around a country’s current drug bans, but what is known about Grey Death is that it contains the highly dangerous carfentanil.

Make no mistake, minute quantities of this drug can kill, and have already done so.

You do not know what you are purchasing:

Please do not believe the street drug sellers when they describe the ‘contents’ of the bag you are purchasing.

While there is a strong likelihood they will have added fillers of their own to make the stash go further and to increase profit margin, they will have as much of an idea as you do about what the original consignment of the substance they are selling contains.

Not knowing what you are purchasing can lead to serious reactions when a substance is taken. At best, it could send you fleeing to the Emergency treatment facility at your local hospital, at worst it will be an early and untimely journey to the morgue.

Widespread opioid abuse makes detection more difficult:

Due to the increasingly widespread problems of opioid abuse and addiction it is no easy task for officials to pinpoint exactly which chemical is the cause of serious reactions and the death of some users.

Tests on seized substances may well show only one substance as being present when in reality there are others that are as damaging, if not more.

Same, similar, but very different:

Drug enforcement units are aware of a similar street drug that has been around for over 5 years now. This comes by the name of ‘Pink’, but Grey Death is in a league all by itself due to the fact that traces of the potentially fatal carfentanil are contained.

The likelihood of heroin in the mix:

It is also very important for those who dabble in new designer drugs to understand that the chances of heroin being included are very strong indeed.

Heroin is dangerous enough on its own and for this reason many users purposely avoid it, but the underlying risks taken when using a newly introduced drug is that you are unwittingly introducing yourself to heroin.

The onset of heroin addiction can be rapid. If a person is looking for a fast-track to deep dependence and addiction then heroin is the perfect provider.

The amount of Carfentanil that can cause an overdoes is significantly smaller than most drugs.

Think long and hard before experimentation:

Those looking for highs from illegal substances would be well advised to think long and hard before they try Grey Death or any similar grainy substances offered.

What may appear to be the promise of a higher than high ‘high’ may well turn into a low that will stay with the user for the rest of their lives, or prematurely end it!

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