Category: Australia

Those who are hitting the bottle too hard or regularly taking illegal substances should be aware just how easy it is to step over the entrance of the addiction door.

I’m in control:

It is easy to convince yourself that you are in control of your drinking or drug use, but both habits can very easily sneak up on you. What starts as an occasional pastime, becomes more frequent and before you realise it your drink or drug of choice has become a daily habit.

This is all down to your body and mind. They like what they feel, but such pleasure comes at a price. That price is tolerance.

After a while you will need to increase the amount of alcohol or drug you are using simply to achieve the same high as previously experienced.

Continued and sustained use of drugs or alcohol leads to dependence. The result is that they take control of you, not the other way around.

Need to feed – Going to extreme lengths:

The password to unlock the addiction door is ‘MONEY’. This password is not case sensitive, any currency will do!

The problem is that those who begin to rely on drink or drugs to get them through a day find the expense of this ‘luxury’ does not come cheaply.

First, the vast majority of any salary will go towards keeping you topped up, then savings will be dipped into until the pot is dry, and from there things go downhill rapidly.

Any valuables you or close family members have will be sold, petty or opportunist theft becomes a chance you will take, and many of those who become really desperate for dosh will sell their body simply to keep that increasingly vital supply line flowing.

Please do not think prostitution is only a route for female addicts, many men will fall into this trap in the all-consuming desperation to feed their habit.

Not only is this a dangerous pastime in terms of personal safety and self-degradation, it leaves you wide open to sexually transmitted diseases. Some of these really do not bear thinking about.

The addiction door – the exit is not the ‘cold turkey’ route:

The relative ease with which increased use, dependence and addiction snowballs does not mean it is just as easy to find the exit. Indeed, it is far more difficult.

Your mind and body will not let go off their dependence easily. Trying to go cold turkey is, in the vast majority of cases unsuccessful.

This is not because the person concerned is weak, it is because their need is that much greater. To ‘help’ remind you of just how dependent you have become suddenly stopping use will be rewarded with some very unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.

These withdrawal symptoms will vary in length and severity dependent upon how long you have been dependent!

Factors such as your general health and state of mind are also huge factors as to what you will go through.

The pain and uncomfortable feelings ‘cold turkey’ offers generally means the only answer is to get back on the bottle or have another much needed boost, and so your dependence deepens.

The addiction door – Exit via inpatient rehab establishments:

This route is seen by many to be the most successful way to begin the long haul back to a life that is drug or drink free.

These professional establishments are there to assist you, they will help you to understand exactly why you find yourself in such a position. They will educate, encourage and counsel you during your stay.

You will be subject to routine and rules that have been fine-tuned over many years of helping addicts get ‘clean’, and just as importantly a respected inpatient rehab operation will give flexible options for aftercare once your stay with them has been completed.

Some of the more prestigious overseas rehab establishments also offer complimentary ‘tune up’ sessions that allow you to revisit them free of charge.

Obviously, such a generous offer has conditions attached, but the main one, and the one most important to you is that a revisit means that you have stayed away from drink or drugs after your initial rehab stay.

Whichever way you look at such an offer it clearly states ‘SUCCESS’. It means you have managed to find a way to unlock the addiction door.

What can you do about a relapse collapse? This is a valid, nagging thought for those who have taken the very brave step of confronting their drink or drug dependence issues, and who have committed to an inpatient rehab course of treatment and counselling upon return home.

Understandable thoughts about a reality:

Such thoughts are understandable. While a relapse is clearly seen as a setback to long term recovery it should not be something that defeats.

The truth is that many of those who have suffered from drug or alcohol dependence could well suffer a relapse during long term recovery.

While such a stumble is both unwanted and unneeded it should not, and cannot deter that person from redoubling their efforts to maintain a drug or alcohol free future.

Do NOT hide this temporary setback:

Yes, a relapse is regrettable. Yes, you may feel down and deflated after such an incident, but NO, do not hide the fact it has happened from yourself or from your aftercare councillor.

After all, what can you do about a relapse collapse if you try to brush such an incident under the carpet?

It will do you no good whatsoever, equally it will not allow those assisting with long term rehab the chance to discuss, listen and then explain exactly what steps need to be taken to avoid any future relapses.

A common statistic amongst those who do suffer a relapse and then attempt to hide such information from themselves and those assisting is a chilling one.

This fact is that they are very likely to relapse again and again and rapidly slip back into the deadly jaws of addiction.

Those who have abstained for a sustained period and then return to heavy drinking are greatly increasing their prospects of serious health issues, while those who return to reusing drugs are leaving themselves wide open to a fatal overdose.

What can you do about a relapse collapse – Positive steps:

Qualified aftercare counselling and treatment an addict is receiving during long term recovery will offer proven, helpful advice regarding how to overcome a relapse situation.

It will also show how the person in question should look positively at the gains already made. They will make it very clear that these gains have been achieved through hard work, determination and great effort by YOU.

You will be encouraged to remember such excellent progression, and you will be given pointers and guidance that will make one thing very clear.

One such setback does not mean you have to throw all of this dedication out of the window by giving up and continuing the relapse situation.

What can you do about a relapse collapse – Make it a new, determined restart:

It cannot be underestimated just how strong and brave you have been during your recovery.

This relapse may well be seen as a step in the wrong direction, but with advice, counselling and bags of self-determination you will come out of such a situation stronger and with more resolve to finally overcome your drug or alcohol issues for good.

If you have suffered from a relapse, please accept it for what it is. A temporary setback, it is not permanent. You need to be doubly determined to ensure such an occurrence does not resurface again.

We all understand that an ex-drug addict or ex-alcoholic should take each day as it comes, and they should clearly understand that tomorrow is a new day.

With heaps of willpower and an increased desire to stay ‘clean’, thoughts of what can you do about a relapse collapse will recede.

This is because the additional steps learned from such a ‘blip’ in your recovery process will strengthen your resolve. It will also ensure another relapse remains where it belongs; firmly in the distant past.

Coming off drugs or alcohol is no walk in the park. There are many elements to getting and staying clean, but a major obstacle and a topic we will address is; what’s with the fear of withdrawal.

Ignore increased use at your peril:

What starts out as a bit of fun and an occasional drink or drugs binge can quickly turn into a weekly event where you overindulge. From there it is easy to think that a couple of drinks each day or a little ‘toot’ will not do any harm.

In reality it is leading to great harm. Those couple of drinks will turn into a bottle, the little ‘toot’ will become large.

This is because you become dependent upon the lift and feelings given. Once dependency sets in you will not be able to do without that livener, and ensuring you have access to the alcohol or drug of your choice will become an integral part of your life.

Why not just stop?

So, what’s with the fear of withdrawal if you can simply stop this overindulgence when you please? If only!

Were it possible for each of us to simply turn the tap off after a sustained period of drinking and then turn it on when we fancied another session, or we could consume copious amounts of drugs for a while, stop for as long as we felt like it, and then start again at intervals to suit our mood then a lot of addiction specialists would be searching for something to do with their time.

The truth is, this profession is in constant demand, many are overworked and a good proportion of rehab centres in the west are overflowing with those in need of help.

Many have waiting lists that will immediately discourage an addict from marking time and patiently waiting for such help.

No, or minimal waiting lists is just one of many reasons that for those with addiction issues are opting to start their long term rehab recovery at quality overseas rehab establishments.

This ‘dream’ of controlling heavy drinking or constant drug abuse will never become a reality. Once addiction has its all-enveloping grip on you professional rehabilitation is your only way out.

Fear and Denial:

These two issues are exactly what’s with the fear of withdrawal.

Denial:

Those currently addicted to alcohol or drugs will deny they have a problem. This denial will be regularly reinforced to those closest to them and themselves.

If you are currently in denial then it must be made very clear that such a stance will only get worse. There is no magic wand to help you.

The reality is that deep down you are not fooling those around you and just as importantly you are not fooling yourself.

Fear:

The fear an addict has is very clearly understood by rehab councilors. They understand how fearful you are of not having access to that much needed bottle or ‘hit’, they understand how scary what’s with the fear of withdrawal. But they also have answers and solutions for you.

Through tried, tested and successful treatment and teaching they will help you understand why such fear is nowhere near as frightening as you think it is.

They will clearly explain the uncomfortable symptoms withdrawal brings, and that this tough, but relatively short period of discomfort will rise, peak and then subside.

Once you are through this trying episode their constant help, care and guidance will then assist you with progression and the ultimate aim of looking forward to a drug or alcohol free future.

Help awaits, do not be ashamed to seek it:

Those currently addicted to drugs or alcohol have a stark choice to make.

They can continue with their current lifestyle and face potentially life-threatening physical and psychological health problems.

They can keep drinking themselves into oblivion, or regularly get so out of it that days simply blur into one and bring with it social isolation. If so heartbreak, angst and the ruination of close relationships will be yours.

The answers to what’s with the fear of withdrawal and everything that surrounds addiction are readily available.

There is NO shame whatsoever in seeking professional addiction help. Indeed it is a very brave thing to do.

Those suffering with addiction need to stand up, be counted and contact a well-established inpatient rehab establishment. By doing so it will be the best decision you have made for a very long time.

As continual alcohol and drug use increases in amount, and the periods between each slug or that much needed hit reduces, fear drives addiction to the edge of self-destruction.

We will look at the different ways fear affects those dependent upon alcohol or drugs, but first let’s understand why the use of legal as well as illegal substances need to be regularly increased for ‘satisfaction’.

Tolerance torment:

During the early stages of drug or alcohol use no one expects addiction to become an unwanted companion.

Unfortunately what is not realised or understood is the hugely powerful effect substances such as alcohol, cocaine, its relative; crack, and heroin have on the mind and body.

The fact is, regular abuse of alcohol or drugs leads to a downward spiral. The more you have, the more you need, the more you need the more you want.

This is totally down to tolerance of the mind and body. They both accept your ‘poison of choice’ as readily as a duck takes to water, but this acceptance holds a double-whammy.

The mind and body demand to be fed on a regular basis and to achieve the same ‘high’ as previously experienced they demand more of the same.

To deny them these expectations is frowned upon in the form of withdrawal symptoms that quickly come knocking.

For many such feelings of unease, uncomfortableness and pain give only one answer. That is to quickly put things right by taking another ‘pop’ to soothe oneself.

Fear drives addiction and wears several disguises:

Those dependent upon their regular fix find fear comes upon them in a variety of different ways, here are just two that can devastate a normal lifestyle.

Fear of where your next ‘livener’ is coming from:

Once a user is dependent upon alcohol or drugs they live with thoughts of where and how their next bottle or drug stash is coming from. As this dependence increases so do these unwanted thoughts.

Although many non-users may see that alcohol is far more easily obtained due to is legal status, the fact is that illegal drugs are very often on tap and ‘friendly dealers’ are never in short supply.

Thus that downward spiral mentioned earlier spins rapidly out of control.

Fear drives addiction – The thought of coping without drugs or alcohol:

This really is the killer in more ways than one. Those with dependence issues will deny to themselves and those around them that they are fearful of having to cope without their regular fix.

In reality they are petrified that their supply will be severed. Their need is so deeply entrenched in almost every thought and action that it becomes all-consuming.

Whilst in denial this constant worry will lead only one way; deeper and deeper dependence.

Those who do not reverse such a denial will find this fear can turn into a real killer.

Alcohol kills:

Constant and excessive drinking does very nasty things to the brain and body. It rots the liver, destroys the kidneys and ensures your cardiovascular system has to work overtime to keep the body functioning.

Make no mistake, without facing up to and confronting this fear you are heading to an early grave. It is essential that you seek the assistance of qualified alcohol rehabilitation services if you are to avoid standing on death’s unwanted doorstep.

Drugs debilitate then you die!

Fear drives addiction to drugs in a direction that must be avoided. Tales of tragic overdose cases are all too common, contaminated batches of illegal substances lead to coma and death, shared needles give shared infections that kill.

Drug addiction is not a game. It is a very real and serious situation. It cannot be stressed strongly enough that the longer you continue to deny there is a problem, the more likely you are to die.

Don’t Deny – Be decisive:

Many currently suffering from alcohol or drug addiction feel the world is against them and that they are lost in a haze maze without exits. Please realise this really is not the case.

It is understandable that you are scared, it is fully understood that fear drives addiction, but you cannot and must not let this fear prevent you from taking positive action.

Inpatient rehab facilities have been established for a very good reason. That reason is to help those currently addicted to alcohol or drugs.

They will help an addict accept the unwanted situation they find themselves in, and then progress with proven methods towards a life that is free from the burden of drink and drugs.

If you are one of the millions of men or women who currently THINK you are hiding your drug abuse please reflect on the quotation below.

Abraham Lincoln famously stated “You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time”.

So, why do the vast majority of drug users invest a lot of wasted time and effort trying to hide their use from others?

Denial:

Without a shred of doubt, denial is a major factor in both hiding drug use and attempting to convince yourself that you are in control of your drug use and not the other way around.

It is denial that causes you to lie to others about the amount and regularity of your drug use.

It is denial that stops you from seeking help. Many feel ashamed at their reliance on drugs, many others wrongly think that if they ignore such dependence it will simply ‘get better’

Unfortunately those who think this way are wrong on both counts. Here’s why:

Feeling ashamed:

Hiding your drug abuse is a natural reaction to something that is taking over your life. It is very difficult to admit to yourself, let alone others that drugs have currently got the better of you.

While it may appear contradictory; feeling ashamed is nothing to be ashamed of! Yes, feel shame. Yes, feel regret, but NO do not feel sorry for yourself or wallow in self-pity.

It is vital for those currently dependent upon drugs to face up to the fact, admit they have a serious problem, and to seek professional rehabilitation assistance.

When you take such action it will not be shame you feel, but a positive, uplifting reaction in the knowledge that drug addiction can be beaten.

If I ignore it, my drug problem will go away:

If only that was the case! Many who are currently dependent upon drugs try to fool themselves that they can stop use ‘when they are ready’ or, that if they put such thoughts to the back of their mind, the problem will go away.

The reality is that hiding your drug abuse will NOT make it go away, indeed such actions will only lead to deeper dependence and the traumatic lifestyle that addiction offers.

Rather than ignoring your problem it needs to be faced head on, and this is not something you should do alone. There are caring, professional and fully qualified personnel at drug rehab centres that are there to help you overcome your problems.

Please understand that you are not the first, and will most certainly not be the last to fall into the addiction abyss that constant and increased drug use brings.

Telltale signs that tell others!

Let’s take a look at just some of the major signs that are clear to others even though you think you are successfully hiding your drug abuse. Please rest assured there are many more.

General health and appearance:

Your complexion and general health start to wane. Not only do you feel unhealthy, but your appearance takes a turn for the worse. This is often coupled with a disregard for how you dress and your personal hygiene.

The eyes say it all:

Extra-large or dilated pupils are an instant giveaway to others, and NO, wearing sunglasses while indoors does NOT lower suspicion!

As your habit heightens you will regularly excuse yourself to visit the ‘bathroom’. Once your fix has been taken you then bounce back into the room. Such mood swings along with the fact that one moment you are happy and genial, the next sullen and grumpy only add to the awareness of others.

Avoiding obligations:

Work, appointments and social engagements are regularly missed. This is because you either forget about them, or can’t face up to mixing with people who are ‘straight’. This sign is particularly obvious if in your ‘previous life’ you were a happy, outgoing and sociable person.

Things go missing:

Money or items of value mysteriously disappear when you are around. As this increases it will become apparent to those closest to you just exactly why you need additional money.

Take a very important step backwards:

While hiding your drug abuse fools no one but yourself, it is important to understand that your actions, attitude and state of health impact strongly on those around you. You are causing them anguish, despair, heartbreak and angst.

For those currently in the depths of drug dependence it is vital to take a step backwards, wake up and smell the roses, and realise just exactly what harm you are doing to yourself and those around you.

Once this is clear in your mind you will be able to take the first important steps towards drug rehabilitation and