Category: International

The first step to sobriety. It may be just the first step, but it is also one of the most important ones. What to expect? What is detox? Why is it necessary?

When an addict is admitted to a rehabilitation center, he will have to go through a period of detoxification. It is imperative for the addict’s well-being and ensures a much smoother overall experience in the rehab once detox is over. During detox, be it drug or alcohol related, patients are assisted through the first few days of withdrawal. These first days many rehab graduates remember as their most important part, as it marked their first step. A step that was the most dangerous and most painful of their recovery.

A common misconception is that a patient is essentially thrown in a padded cell with a vomit bucket and left there for a few days. Simply cutting off the supply of drugs or as it is commonly referred to – “going cold turkey”. This, however, cannot be further from the truth. First days of withdrawal, after prolonged use of addictive substances is extremely taxing on the human body, both physically and mentally. Simply stopping the use of some drugs is not only life-threatening, it’s also inhumane and prone to create deep-seated mental complications down the road.

The first order of detox process is a careful and thorough examination and risk assessment. A specialist will speak with the addict at length and with deep intimacy, honesty and hard truths are of utmost importance at this stage. Once a profile is established a detox plan is prepared and the patient begins it. No two detox procedures and plans are the same. Human beings are very different from one another, both mentally and physically. Such is the case with the detox plans as well. A heroin user and alcohol user will have drastically different approaches to detox.

There are a couple of addiction types that are potentially life-threatening. One of them is alcohol, the oldest drug in the world. It is considered a central nervous system depressant and once the supply of it is cut off, a possibility of delirium tremens to set in is very high. Another type of addiction that should never be kicked with a cold turkey approach is an addiction to benzodiazepines, most commonly in Valium and Xanax. These drugs also impair the normal function of nervous system and once suddenly removed can lead to a respiratory or cardiac arrest.

Most other substance addictions detoxification is not as life threatening, while still being extremely uncomfortable and often even painful. A sudden change in blood pressure, cold sweats, vomiting and tremors are common occurrences. The body is re-learning crash course on how to self-manage again, without external input and stimulus from various substances. It is not a pleasant process so the rehabilitation specialists and caretakers ensure the addict is safe, as comfortable as possible and mentally engaged.

Depending on each individual addiction profile, patients are sometimes prescribed medication to alleviate the withdrawal symptoms. Alcoholics are usually prescribed Ativan while Methadone is the choice of medication for meth addicts. People who are addicted to prescription drugs like OxyContin and Lortab are often prescribed Suboxone. These medications are prescribed with utmost care and very strict dosage and for a very brief period of time. They are meant to alleviate the withdrawal and detox process, not to replace one addiction with another.

When the detox procedure is deemed finished by the rehab specialists and the first nights of cold sweat and nausea have been endured,  the patient is placed in the regular inpatient facilities and begins their regular rehabilitation program.

Different drugs have different withdrawal symptoms. Some can be very dangerous and the “cold turkey” method should never be attempted without proper care and supervision.

Cocaine, the exceptionally strong and addictive stimulant is prepared and produced from the leaves  and plant matter of the coca plant. While this plant is originally native to Bolivia and Peru, its rise to fame assured its spread across most of central and south America – most infamously Colombia. Humans have been consuming cocaine in one form or another for a very long time, thousands of years in fact. First by consuming the pulp of coca plant leaves. The advent of industry made factory grade chemicals available at your local corner shop and the jungle cocaine laboratories were here to stay.

 

When German chemist Albert Niemann first produced cocaine by extracting it from the coca leaf, he probably had no idea of the chain of events he was about to set in motion. With help of Sigmund Freud, the “grandfather” of modern psychoanalysis, who was an avid user of the substance, it was popularized it in his book “Über Coca” (About Coke) which promoted the “benefits” of cocaine, calling it a “magical” substance. Even John Pemberton’s invention Coca-Cola contained a substantial amount of cocaine and grew very popular due to its euphoric and energizing benefits. It took many years until public opened their eyes to the detrimental and addictive properties of this drug. That still does not stop countless people overdosing or becoming dependent on it year after year.

Cocaine types

There are two commonly known cocaine types that are abused on a daily basis.  The hydrochloride salt and the so-called cocaine base or free-base, if you will. While hydrochloride salt is the cocaine we have all seen glamorized in movies and music videos, free-base cocaine is more commonly known as crack cocaine and gets attributed to lowlifes, prostitutes and homeless people.

Cocaine effects on the human body and mind

To begin, we must understand, that cocaine is a stimulant. It works by affecting the brain to produce increasing levels of dopamine. This neurotransmitter works in our brain as a natural reward system. It acts in human system as a regulator of pleasure and motor functions. When you see a friend who has been away for a while, kiss or eat delicious food – dopamine is released, usually in trace amounts. When it has done its job of imprinting in our memory that something we enjoyed is, well, enjoyable, the dopamine is routed back and absorbed by the very cells that produce it. A “bump” of cocaine is exceeding natural levels of dopamine in the human brain by stimulating the production of dopamine and hindering its recycle system at the same time. This causes the cocaine user to build up large amounts of dopamine in their brain and as a result, they feel this natural pleasure reward sensation from practically anything. Imagine eating your favorite food for the first time, the flavor, the sensation, the pleasure it gave you. Now multiply that by a thousand and for prolonged periods of time. This dopamine concentration is what causes the user to feel high and euphoric.

The drug also has more short term and immediate effects. Increase in blood pressure caused by constricted blood vessels. Dilation of pupils and sensitivity to colors and lights. Rapid rise in body temperature, mostly from physical activities since cocaine is a powerful stimulant and will put the user under impression that he can run a marathon, climb mount Everest and arm-wrestle Chuck Norris into submission. Unfortunately, a heart attack or a stroke is more likely.

Confirmed tactics in battling cocaine addiction

For cocaine addicts worldwide there are many treatments and methods to try. Not all will be effective for everyone, as is the general rule – no addiction is the same. Many users have reported great results from meditation, others stand by just going “cold turkey”, most popular and tried method, however, is the CBT or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. This form of therapy for cocaine addicts is very widespread and critically acclaimed as one of the best methods to combat cocaine addiction. It is usually combined with other treatments in most rehabilitation centers worldwide. The core of CBT is that knowledge is half the battle. Understanding oneself and the addiction is just as important as keeping oneself out of environment or company that is prone to trigger a craving in the addict. Study of coping mechanisms and techniques is pivotal in CBT approach to cocaine addiction. Inpatient rehabilitation centers provide the best chance at successful cognitive behavioral therapy due to their isolated nature and constant care from the facility staff.

Your road to independence from cocaine is paved and ready, all it takes is the first step to be made.

 

Most people have no clue how to identify an addict. A lot of people will object, saying that how could they know what some random person on the street is doing with their lives. Granted, but the problem is that an alarming amount of people are unable to notice huge red flags of addictive behavior in their closest friends and even family.

Trouble with the law

A very obvious sign that something is not right. If an otherwise law-abiding citizen suddenly takes risks of breaking the law, finds himself in aggressive confrontations or otherwise disruptive odds with the law, some eyebrows should be raised.

Risky behavior

Many illegal chemicals make people mellow, so this is not one to focus on too much. However, if suddenly someone you know is taking risks that go against their usual behavior, it could be a sign of drug addiction and use. It could be an indication hard drugs are involved since they may make the user feel invincible and ready to take on any challenge.

Irritability

Watch out for signs of drastically different mood swings in a relatively short time. If one day your friend is depressed and doesn’t want to see anybody and the next day throws a party and is the pinnacle of joy, pay attention and make a mental note to look out for him. Drug addicts suffer from severe depression when experiencing withdrawal symptoms. This feeling takes an immediate turn the moment they score their next hit or have meaningful supplies of their drug of choice.

Keeping secrets

A person suffering from addiction has to spend obscene amounts of money on their drug while hiding it from the law and their loved ones. Addicts lie through their teeth to support their addiction. Pay close attention to someone in your family or close friends that get caught in small lies. They often have lied for so long and with contradictory evidence, that they will slip up sooner or later.

Abandoning responsibilities

Depending on the person it can manifest in many different ways. Otherwise punctual and organized people start missing work, school or social activities. An addict will, of course, come up with excuses, but over time they get thinner and thinner as they cancel arrangements, blow off meetings and break other commitments.

Relationship issues

Addiction and the vast amount of lies, deception and hiding can make relationships with their loved ones and close friends very fragile. Drugs can drive a wedge between the closest of lovers and family members. Either directly, when it is known that the person has an addiction problem, or even worse when it’s being hidden and manifests itself through lies, and any number of other signs that we are covering this article.

Loss of interest in hobbies

A person who used to devote their free time to any number of hobbies out there, be it fishing, mountain climbing, video games or stamp collecting, but suddenly abandons them altogether or simply does not care for it anymore could be a tell-tale sign of addiction. They might be distracted from their choice of hobbies by more pressing matters, like scoring the next hit and making sure spouse or friend does not find out about it. Depression, anxiety and paranoia can get in the way of enjoying even the simplest of things.

Coordination impairments

Shaky hands, rocking back and forth, twitching and a general struggle to use basic motor functions can be a sign of the person going through drug withdrawal, is high at that very moment or experiencing the deflating effects of a come-down.

Strange smells

A new and odd smell on persons clothing, hair or even skin can be the sign of drug use. Most of these chemicals have very potent and unmistakable smells. They are untreated chemicals and not designed to look or smell good but to be effective and potent. Pay attention to recurring odd smells in the presence of your friends and loved ones.

Lacking hygiene

This sign works hand in hand with the strange smells and abandonment of responsibilities. This is a step forward in severity though, as dirty clothing, unkempt hair and clear signs that the person does not care for their personal hygiene can be a very prominent sign of addiction and drug use.

Financial issues

Drugs are expensive. Their illegality and strong demand hike their prices up very high and as a result, most people cannot sustain prolonged drug addiction without going broke. A person who is living from paycheck to paycheck, never has money for social gatherings and is always borrowing money could be a sign of addiction.

Sudden weight loss

Someone you know suddenly lost a lot of weight. Good for them, they must be going to gym or trying out a new diet, right? On its own, this sign could mean very little, but in conjunction with other signs, this is a big one. Most addicts would rather choose to pursue their next hit than to eat and look after themselves. Many hard drugs suppress appetite and increase the metabolism of the user. Someone high on cocaine and other hard drugs feel energized and on top of the world. This, sadly, comes at expense of the body literally cannibalizing itself, rapidly losing muscle mass and fat deposits.

 

It’s important to understand that one or two of these symptoms may mean very little. These signs, however, are very easily noted once you know what you are looking for. When a person suffers from a number of these signs, odds are the rest are just well hidden. Look after your friends and family and upon discovery of drug abuse and addiction, encourage them to get professional help.

Anabolic steroid use has exploded over the last decade. They are considered “performance enhancing drugs” and as such, most people don’t see the dangers they pose. They just choose to concentrate on the fact that they “enhance performance”. It does, there is no denying it, but at what cost?

The use of anabolic steroids as performance enhancement drugs became very popular among athletes who felt like they needed a “leg up” on their rivals. These clinically engineered chemicals are often prescribed to people with hormone imbalance and other legitimate health complications, however, illegal and unfounded use of these dangerous substances can be very dangerous because they are taken in much greater amounts than would be prescribed and deemed safe by a medical professional.

What are steroids

Our bodies produce various types of hormones, they control our bodily functions and growth. Anabolic steroids are synthetic versions of natural hormones like genadotropin, the human growth hormone, most often abused by bodybuilders and anyone looking to gain more muscle mass without the effort needed to achieve it naturally. There are also substitutes to such hormones as androstenedione, erythropoietin and of course, testosterone. Hormones regulate how our bodies operate, thus, by taking drugs that contain specific hormones, we can enhance that specific trait. Steroids can allow an athlete grow muscle mass, increase stamina and be able to train longer and harder than usual.

The dangers

Use of anabolic steroids destroys the natural balance of hormones in the body. It can hinder or halt natural production of them which leads to many long-lasting and irreversible problems. They affect more than just the users physique. Steroids can induce irritability, aggression and drastic mood swings. Some types of steroids can cause a rapid rise in cholesterol placing the user in danger of stroke or heart failure.

Side effects

Usage of anabolic steroids can be extremely disruptive in the human body. The equilibrium of hormonal balance is very easy to disrupt and usually with dire consequences. Use of such drugs affects men and women differently because our natural hormone composition is very different. It is, in fact, the very thing that determines our gender. Prolonged use of steroids for me can cause such issues as rapid growth of mammary glands, or in layman’s terms – breast enlargement. No less scary are other side effects, like testicle atrophy, impotence and general inability to have children. For women, the effects can be different but just as dangerous and long lasting. Rapid body hair growth, deeper voice irregular menstrual cycle and of course infertility. The same type of hormones affect men and women differently, but there are some side-effects that are shared between both genders. Skin gets very oily and severe acne has been observed. Liver damage, high blood pressure, depression and aggressive behavior are but few of the symptoms.

Most of these symptoms can reduce in severity or disappear altogether, however, there are those that never do. Infertility, breast growth in men, hair loss and impotence are few that usually are untreatable.

The battle

How to fight the use of these drugs? By education and full disclosure. Most people will never sign up for anabolic steroid use if they know the repercussions. Physically impressive men and women worldwide regret the use of these drugs once they have lost the ability to have children or been forced to use a dialysis machine on a daily basis due to their kidneys failing.

Teaching children at a young age about the dangers and caveats of these drugs is imperative in ensuring their healthy and prosperous future.

There are countless people who can claim that alcohol causes them significant problems. Statistically, more than 25% of young adults resort to binge-drinking and as such almost everyone has someone they know, that has the potential to be an alcohol abuser.

That said, most people don’t realise that there is a stark difference between alcohol abuse and addiction. It’s hard to identify the type of alcohol problem someone has because most people who suffer from it, don’t usually admit having a problem. Since most of us know someone who has an issue with moderate consumption of alcohol, it’s imperative, that we understand the fundamental differences between alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse, for they are not one and the same, contrary to what most people believe.

Abuse

Alcohol abuse can be told apart from addiction by examining their previous offences in this area. Is your friend or loved one spending every weekend in a drunken stupor? Do their binges usually, begin around payday? Perhaps there is something more obscure to be seen? Alcohol abuse is a pattern behaviour, meaning that it usually repeats itself when certain aspects align that allow, induce or justify alcohol consumption. It is not a dependency of alcohol that urges them to drink. If decided or forced to stop their binge-drinking cycle it would not send the patient into fits of withdrawal. Not yet anyway. That said, uncontrolled and excessive drinking can lead to a plethora of other problems.

• A drastic change of behaviour and personality when under the influence of alcohol.
• Inconsistent dedication to their professional or social obligations.
• Drastic mood swings, easy to anger.
• Alcohol becomes the focal point of social interaction and relaxation.

The main difference between a person addicted to alcohol and a person who just abuses it is that the abusers usually understand their issue and acknowledge the problem. This leads to themselves and others around them to believe that their problem is surely not that dire since it is a common misconception that a person with true alcohol problems will always deny ever having a problem in the first place. This enables the alcohol abuser to keep indulging their vice under the guise of being fully aware of their issue when in reality it is deliberately or subconsciously used as a “cop-out” or an easy way to ignore the root of the problem. These behavioural cycles can often become a rhythm that lulls the alcohol abuser into a full blown addiction.

Addiction

This is alcoholism in its true form – an addiction. This means that the withdrawal of their vice of choice might and most likely will damage their core bodily functions and make almost impossible to lead a normal life without it. The body has developed a hard dependency on alcohol to function and exhibit the following symptoms:

• Uncontrollable sweating
• Seizures and cramps
• Hallucinations
• Insomnia
• Anxiety and panic attacks

If two or more of these symptoms are observed its important to get the patient professional attention as soon as possible. These symptoms can evolve into life-threatening situations such as respiratory shock, stroke or heart failure if not treated and brought under control.

Telling the two apart

Abusive alcohol behaviour is very widespread and more common than most people give it credit for. It is the third largest preventable cause of death in the United States alone and biggest offender worldwide. On the other hand, alcoholism is not as widespread but by no means any less serious issue.

Alcohol abusers are much easier to identify in most situations. They are the soul of every social gathering, and usually set the pace of the festivities until they either black out from drinking or get asked by others to calm down, usually with little success. They are in most cases able to limit themselves to drinking in socially acceptable places and times. The main issue stems not from drinking all the time, but drinking too much when there is a reason or excuse to drink. They may drink themselves to a stupor in a three-day bender but will clean up nicely a day after and usually stay away from the drink for longer periods of time until ultimately returning to it and repeating this cycle all over again.

Alcohol addicts are much harder to identify. Their prolonged exposure and abuse of alcohol have made their bodies more tolerant than most drinkers and as such don’t usually appear drunk to others. Another rather counter-intuitive sign of an alcohol addict is exceptionally harsh-hangovers, thus making people around him think that he is simply inexperienced drinker when, in fact, it’s the other way around. They don’t over-drink often, however, they are drinking almost constantly, during working hours and when at home, most of the time alone. They have very poor self-control when it comes to staying sober in various social situations where drinking is frowned upon. There are many cases where alcohol addicts will go, for example, a job interview tipsy or even flat out drunk.

Similarities between abuse and addiction

The biggest and unfortunately the most complex similarities between alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse is the fact, that professional help is required to get these vices under control and steer back to the path of recovery. Both of these sides of the same coin can have a deep-rooted and extensive impact on their lives. Both of these problems have need of professional guidance to open their eyes and show them the magnitude of the problem they are facing.

As serious medical conditions, both addiction and abuse should be treated with utmost care and seriousness. Inpatient rehabilitation treatment is the perfect course of action when tackling these issues as they provide a safe and caring environment where under the careful guidance of psychologists and doctors, both addict and abuser can understand their own reasons for falling in this pit and show them the path to recovery.