Category: International

Relationships in Recovery

Relationships in Recovery

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

Addiction can damage every aspect of life. Homes can be lost, children taken, finances ruined, but almost universally in the world of addiction, relationships are destroyed. These are not just romantic relationships, though those are included, but relationships with friends, family, and others who are important in your life. These relationships are touched by addiction even when only one person is using. Friendships and alliances are often lost when active addiction is occurring and families may be separated or tied together in an unhealthy manner by that same addiction. Though these relationships are severely damaged or lost, they can be healed and regained when in recovery. The rest of this article will offer the basics of how that can be accomplished.

Addiction damages the mind and body. Proper treatment and counseling, paired with abstinence from drugs and alcohol can heal the body and help the mind, but the relationships that have been damaged will require a little more. It is funny that the irony of addiction is that those closest to the addict tend to suffer the most. Those closest have to slowly watch as the addict damages their life and health. They may have to watch as the addict slowly kills their mind, body, and spirit. These individuals may also suffer from the behavior of the addict as lying, stealing, and destruction is often commonplace for an addict. This could mean money has been stolen, property damaged, or possibly worse, mental anguish caused. If you choose to repair these relationships than much work will need to be done. There are only two basic steps, but these steps will not be simple.

First you must stop using and change your bad behavior. Second, you must allow time for the person to come back to you, to trust you again. Trust is very different from love or forgiveness. It may take someone much longer to trust you than to forgive you or offer their love. Read on as this is broken down further.

The first step of no longer using and changing your behavior starts the day you enter recovery. You must abstain from drugs and alcohol, not just those you previously used, but all that can lead to another addiction. Additionally you must begin changing your behaviors immediately. Addiction often leads to lying and stealing. This must stop. In fact, brutal honesty with yourself and others should be the ultimate goal. Be honest with yourself and others about what you have done and where you plan to go. If you have harmed someone in a way that can be corrected, then do so. This may include paying back loved ones if you have taken money. This is a good step toward earning trust and forgiveness. Just know that some people may never again be able to trust you, but if the relationship is worth the effort to you, than make the effort.

The second step is time. Recovery takes time, as does building relationships as yourself in recovery. People will expect the same behaviors you demonstrated as an addict, but you must prove to them that you are a new person in recovery. Get into a routine, learn to trust yourself, and be honest in all dealings, even if this is difficult. Over time your behaviors will be proof of your commitment to your new life. Two steps seem simple, but the truth is that it will be hard to wait for those you care about to truly trust your changes. Be patient and know that in the long run recovery is well worth the effort. Those that do come back into your life and show they care are the ones that will be meant to be a part of your life.

Stay strong, the first steps have been made and you can make it to long term recovery.

CLICK HERE to get a Free Confidential Addiction Rehabilitation Assessment.

LGBTQ Socialization, Marketing, and Addiction

LGBTQ Socialization, Marketing, and Addiction

Articles, Australia, Celebrity Rehab, International, LGBTQ, Malaysia, Understanding Addiction, United Kingdom, United States

LGBTQ Socialization, Marketing, and Addiction. Addiction can affect anyone at any time. Addiction does not discriminate based on gender, sexuality, race, or religion. However, the marketing of items that can easily lead to addiction is very much focused on specific populations. The first thing that may come to mind is whether or not this is legal, but as long as the population being targeted is of consenting age then products can be sold in the manner a company chooses.

Tobacco

The most obvious way in which products are marketed are through commercials and ads online or in magazines. One of the most prominent is that of tobacco. It seems that when someone is seen smoking in an ad they are at a party or bar or in some other way having fun with friends. Companies want to make tobacco use look fun or cool, the thing to do to fit into the world you want to be part of in life. Additionally, once someone tries something like tobacco, the substances in the actual tobacco make it highly addictive. Ask any smoker and they will tell you that smoking relieves stress and is simply a part of their every day like. Much like breathing, smoking or using smokeless tobacco becomes a part of life.

Alcohol

The same is true of alcohol. Alcohol ads always have attractive people having fun, meeting others, and smiling in every photo or advertisement. Drinking may be a way to unwind after a long day, but it too can quickly lead to problematic behavior. Alcohol is shown being served in every setting from yachts to backyard barbecues and inside dive bars. Alcohol is available in gas stations, big box stores, and grocery chains. Next to tobacco it is one of the easiest items to find that can lead to addiction.

While advertising may not apply to illegal drugs the culture remains the same. Anyone trying to sell drugs will offer the potential user a picture of happiness, serenity, and a pleasant experience. For some this may initially be true, but addiction can become an issue after the first time.

LGBTQ Advertising Tricks

This may seem like a trick of advertisers and users but this can be applied to a specific subculture, that of LGBTQ. Many ads are targeted at this culture and part of the population, promising that drinking, smoking, and much more will lead to a happy time in life. This enhances the draw to bars and social gatherings in which drug and alcohol use is acceptable and often expected. Many believe this allows those who are LGBTQ to relax and allow themselves to be who they are without judgment. Unfortunately, this form of relaxation can lead to addiction. If you or someone you know has been taken in by addiction then finding the right way to get treatment may take some research. This is especially true of those who consider themselves LGBTQ.

There are specific rehabs available for LGBTQ individuals that can meet the needs specific to this population. Know that addiction is not your fault, but moving beyond addiction is your choice.

CLICK HERE to get a Free Confidential Addiction Rehabilitation Assessment.

DARA Thailand

Why Choose DARA

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

Dara Thailand – Addiction is not typically a lifestyle choice. While using the first time may be a choice, addiction tends to take on a life all its own and ruin or take away what happiness the person may have been able to find. Addiction takes homes, children, family, friends, and sometimes lives. Addiction is all encompassing. It takes over every moment and every aspect of life even when people do not wish to admit to this truth. Addiction can turn a person into something that they never intended on being. This does not mean the real heart of the person does not exist, just that it is hidden from sight by the addiction. This can be seen in stories about all types of people. Loving mothers and fathers may abandon children. People may lose their jobs and homes because chasing the next good feeling becomes the most important goal. Friendships and families can be ripped apart by something that changes the chemistry of the brain.

While all of this sounds disheartening, and is for so many, no one is a lost cause. This is the number one belief in DARA recovery centers.

DARA Thailand does something that many rehabilitation centers do not do, they tailor make programs for each addict. This means that you are going to receive a unique program that is customized to meet the needs you have at the moment. Perhaps you are through detox, maybe you used today, but are ready to stop. Either way, DARA can help.

DARA Thailand was the first addiction facility in South East Asia and is still a premier international destination for addiction treatment. The facility offers internationally certified therapist in a resort style setting. In fact, the center was formerly a five star resort that has been converted. This means recovery in the heart of luxury. Do not be fooled though, the posh setting is still very recovery focused with individualized treatment. In fact, compassionate, effective, and comprehensive treatment is the main goal at the DARA rehab facility. Even with all the amenities and specialized treatment, DARA Thailand is highly affordable. This means it is the perfect option for those who wish to enter recovery, but price is something that is a concern.

So now a choice is to be made by you or the loved one you are researching for that is battling addiction. Do you prefer specialized treatment in a luxury setting or a more institutionalized approach? Would you rather have a team of specialist who focus on your personal needs or ones who use a one size fits all approach? The choice is completely up to the one entering treatment, but these are questions that deserve a realistic answer. If your choice is to seek help at a DARA Thailand facility than a simple phone call is all that is necessary. This phone call has the ability to forever change your life if you take advantage. Take a little time and make the choice that is best for you and your situation. The important thing is to stop letting addiction run your life.

CLICK HERE to get a Free Confidential Addiction Rehabilitation Assessment.

Codependent

Codependency Leads To Enabling

Articles, Australia, Education, International, LGBTQ, Malaysia, Treatment, Understanding Addiction, United Kingdom, United States

Being codependent Leads To Enabling. Which Is Devastating To An Addict Or Alcoholic. This is the second part of our series on Codependency.

When an addict or alcoholic’s family members and loved ones engage in codependent behavior, that behavior gives way to enabling. As it relates to substance abuse and codependency, when you enable someone, you are providing them with a means to continue to use alcohol or drugs. Your actions allow the addiction to continue, rather than putting it to a stop to it. Blurred boundary lines make it easy for the addicted person to continue to lie, manipulate, and continue drinking or drugging or engaging in abusive behaviors.

When you become codependent with a chemically dependent person, you may think you are helping them when you bail them out of the situations they have gotten themselves into, but you are actually hurting them. By not holding them accountable and forcing them to deal with the consequences they have created for themselves, you are playing an active role in the addictive cycle. 

Understanding How Enabling Shows Up In Codependent Relationships

Here are some examples of enabling behaviors:  

  • After a 25-year-old man has spent all his money on heroin, his mother pays his rent for him.
  • When a woman is involved in an alcohol-related hit-and-run accident, her husband lies to the police and tells them she has been home all night.
  • A teen is arrested for possession of methamphetamine’s. His dad bails him out of jail instead of allowing him to sit there.
  • After being beaten by her husband in a drunken rage, a wife lies to her friends about her bruises and says she was in a car accident.
How To Put An End To Codependent Enabling

When someone you care about is addicted to drugs or alcohol, it is very easy to slip into a codependent pattern and enable their behavior. Here are 5 ways to stop the madness:

  1. Recognize the situation for what it is. You are engaged in codependency and you have been enabling the addicted person in your life. Make the decision today that you are going to put a stop to it.
  1. Rally support. Talk to other people in the addict or alcoholic’s life and agree that, together, you are no longer going to engage in enabling behaviors. There is power in numbers. Consider staging an intervention to confront the addicted person to motivate them to go to treatment.
  1. Set boundaries. Decide that you are no longer going to lie for the addicted person, pay for their mistakes, or cover their tracks. Tell them so. Stick to what you say. Don’t waver in your commitment.
  1. Start taking care of yourself and show yourself some loving kindness. In the process of codependency, you lose yourself and you stop taking care of yourself. Start putting yourself first again.  
  1. Get some resources about codependency so you can learn more about the condition and find out how you can engage in healthy behavior patterns. The book “Codependent No More” by Melody Beattie is a great choice.

Remember, if you are engaged in a codependent cycle with an addict or alcoholic. You are enabling their behavior and you are not taking care of yourself. You simply must break the cycle if you hope to find healing for yourself and the addicted person.

CLICK HERE to get a Free Confidential Addiction Rehabilitation Assessment.

LGBTQ Culture and Addiction

LGBTQ Culture and Addiction

Articles, Australia, Education, International, LGBTQ, Malaysia, Treatment, Understanding Addiction, United Kingdom, United States

LGBTQ Culture and Addiction – Being gay, lesbian, bisexual, or trans gendered if often a tough lifestyle. Some believe it is a choice. Some believe it is a way in which you are born. Regardless of your feelings, if you are reading this it is likely that both LGBT culture and addiction is a part of your life in some manner. In case you are reading for someone else or just becoming more educated in the topic. Lesbians are women who are attracted to other women. Gay is often a term used collectively for someone seeking same sex relationships. More commonly though it is specific to men seeking other men. Bisexuals date and sleep with both genders. Trans gendered individuals feel that they are the opposite sex of what they are born. Perhaps you have someone who is questioning their sexuality and you are concerned about the LGBTQ culture.

Perhaps you are questioning your own sexuality and are worried about the lifestyle you are entering. Regardless of what brought you to this point there are some aspects of LGBTQ culture that are known but not discussed.

LGBTQ Culture – Drugs & Alcohol

LGBTQ culture often revolves around the use of legal and illegal drugs. Some believe this to help people move into a lifestyle that is considered unnatural or to be open to exploring new opportunities. Some feel this is because of a need to escape the often violent reactions and discrimination from the general population to being LGBTQ. In fact, the majority of those who use in the LGBTQ community cope with discrimination and prejudice through drug and alcohol abuse. It can be difficult to know you are discriminated against simply because of who you choose to share a bed with in life. Additionally, many in the LGBTQ community abuse drugs to deal with health problems, both mental and physical. Competent doctors are not always available to meet the specific needs of this community.

No matter the reason for this LGBTQ culture, it can be one that quickly leads to drug and alcohol addiction. When a person is addicted and it is considered part of the overall lifestyle, seeking help can be an issue.

LGBTQ Specialist Rehab Facility

Anyone, regardless of sexuality, who is an addict can struggle to ask for help or even realize help is needed. While some people can be confronted and will seek treatment once confronted, many must come to this decision on their own. Pushing someone into treatment before they are truly committed will likely result in failure and heartbreak. While no two people are exactly the same. Trying to force someone into treatment is not typically a great first step. If you know someone who is ready for help or who you would like to offer information to start the process, seek a treatment center that is LGBTQ specific for the best results.

Find a center like Dara Rehab in Thailand, that specializes in meeting the needs of those facing LGBTQ issues. Dara also meets any other needs the person may have. Best of luck in changing the life of yourself or someone you care about.

CLICK HERE to get a Free Confidential Addiction Rehabilitation Assessment.