Category: Understanding Addiction

Hyper Sexuality

Sex Addiction

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

While Sex Addiction is not officially recognized as a distinct addiction such as alcoholism or heroin addiction. It is quite real and it can be devastating. Experts and treatment professionals generally agree that there are a cluster of symptoms which constitute sexual addiction. Sex addiction, or hyper sexuality, is difficult to diagnose largely because the line between a healthy and active libido and problematic sexual behavior is hard to define. Essentially, if one is so preoccupied with sex and engages in sex to the extent that these thoughts and behaviors negatively impact one’s life or get in the way of normal daily activity, then one is in danger of being addicted to sex. The difficulty is that psychologists have been reluctant to use the term “addiction” for this type of issue. Just a few symptoms may help a person decide if they are wrestling with this problem:

If one experiences continual and prolonged sexual fantasies to the exclusion of other thoughts.

Time spent engaging in sexual thoughts and fantasies interferes with regular activities.

If sexual thoughts and urges come as the result of other problematic feelings (anxiety, depression, etc.)

Engaging in sexual behavior without regard for social and legal consequences.

Sex addicts are generally vexed with a constant and unrelenting preoccupation with sex. Their thoughts about sex and engaging in sex persist to the exclusion of nearly every other aspect of their lives. It is normal to have sexual fantasies, but for the sex addict, engaging in sexual fantasies is on the order of an obsession. Their thoughts about sex interfere with other activities.

While sex addiction can be treated the same as any other addiction, there are complications for those in the LBGTQ community. LBGTQ people are often the victims of abuse and bullying which the straight community does not deal with in the same way. For the straight community there are the issues of shame and guilt. But for LBGTQ people, these issues can be compounded by social and cultural mechanisms which refuse to treat them. They are shunned for being what they are in the first place. With the added difficulty of sex addiction they are prone to the abuse of others. And the isolation which comes with this abuse. Real fear of retribution forces them to hide their addiction and they tend to go untreated. This only compounds the addictive behavior and the problem become cyclical. 

DARA Thailand Treats Hyper Sexuality Addictions

DARA Drug and Alcohol Rehab in Thailand is fully equipped to treat hyper sexuality in LBGTQ people. The professional and state of the art treatment programs at DARA are well-aware of the particular needs of the LGBTQ community and the obstacles they face in finding the right treatment for sex addiction. As with other behavioral addiction, hyper sexuality at DARA is treated according to individual needs. While on the one hand, DARA has staff and programs especially suited for LGBTQ people, they also take each individual’s needs into consideration for treating their specific set of problems. Finding the right program of treatment for members of the LGBTQ community can come with its own set of complications. At DARA, these issues are anticipated and the right treatment is here.

CLICK HERE to get a Free Confidential Sex Addiction Rehabilitation Assessment.

ambien abuse

Ambien Abuse – What You Should Know

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

Ambien Was Introduced As A Remedy For Insomnia

Ambien (also called Zolpidem) is a medication prescribed by doctors to treat insomnia. It comes in a tablet form. If you have ever had insomnia, you know how disruptive it can be to your quality of life. Not being able to sleep is a miserable experience. This is why so many people consider Ambien a miracle drug.  

Ambien was introduced to the world in the 1990’s and insomniacs everywhere thought they finally had a miracle cure for their condition. The problem was that people reported doing strange things in their sleep and not remembering them the next day including eating, sleepwalking and even driving. This is a strange side effect of Ambien. Incredibly, one man even killed eight people while under the influence of Ambien and had no recollection of doing so.

As a result, Ambien has gotten a reputation for being a dangerous drug with bizarre side effects. However, that hasn’t stopped doctors around the world from writing millions of prescriptions for Ambien so people can get a good night’s sleep.

Many People Use Ambien To Catch A Buzz

Although Ambien is prescribed by a doctor for insomnia, many people have discovered that if they have taken Ambien and stay awake, they will experience a buzz. Many people abuse Ambien and take it to experience what is called the “Ambien high.” 

Ambien is a sedative-hypnotic. It is not a benzodiazepine like Xanax and Valium, but it produces the same kind of effect. Those who take the drug recreationaly say it makes them feel relaxed, calm, and somewhat intoxicated.

Although Ambien is not as addictive as other prescription drugs like opioids or benzodiazepines, it is habit-forming. Many people who take the drug find that they crave more of the drug and abuse it because they like the way it makes them feel.

Signs Of Ambien Abuse

Ambien addiction is a condition that can creep up on you. Many people are guilty of misusing the drug and not even knowing it. Keep in mind that you should only take Ambien if it has been prescribed to you by a doctor and you should only take it as prescribed.

Here are some signs of Ambien abuse:

Taking more of the medication than you are supposed to.

Taking it earlier and earlier than bedtime and staying awake instead of going to sleep.

Taking it during the day.

Taking someone else’s prescription.

Buying Ambien on the street.

Ambien Abuse Produces Withdrawal  

If you have taken Ambien for an extended period of time, and you stop taking the drug, you will go through the painful process of withdrawal. Withdrawal is what happens when you have been abusing Ambien and you abruptly stop using it. Here’s what you can expect for the first two to four weeks after quitting Ambien:

Insomnia

Cravings for more Ambien

Nausea or vomiting

Abdominal cramps

Irritability

Mood swings

Depression and uncontrollable crying

Chills

Difficulty with memory

Sweating

Anxiety and panic attacks

Tremors

Fatigue

Seizures (in extreme cases)

DARA Thailand Can Help With An Ambien Addiction

Many people admit themselves for treatment when they have been abusing Ambien because it is a powerful drug that brings about negative consequences. If you have a problem with Ambien, talk to one of our addiction experts here at DARA Thailand to find out what your treatment options are.

CLICK HERE to get a Free Confidential Ambien Addiction Rehabilitation Assessment.

gambling addiction

Gambling Addiction

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

While gambling for most people is a relative harmless indulgence, one which most people go into realizing they will lose something. For some it is on the order of an addiction. For some people, the urge to gamble is compulsive and they will indulge in gambling to extremes. Losing money, property, and destroying their family lives and relationships with friends.

Gambling can actually stimulate the reward centers in the brains and physiologically change the way a person thinks. In ways that are similar to drugs and alcohol.  People who suffer from a gambling addiction will squander all of their money. They can even resort to stealing and fraud to support their addiction. In this way, gambling addiction is no different than substance abuse and substance addiction.

One of the primary symptoms of gambling addiction is a constant preoccupation with gambling. Thinking about gambling to the exclusion of more important matters. Planning gambling trips and activities while one is doing things. Things that should keep their attention such as working or family, constantly thinking about finding the funds to support gambling. These are signs of a preoccupation with gambling which may signal an addiction.

When a person needs to keep upping the amount of money they gamble or needs to gamble more and more frequently, these are also sings of addictive behavior. Those who must increase the risk and frequency in their gambling activities are similar to a substance addict who must increase the dose to achieve the same effect.

If one is experiencing damage to relationships with family friends or employers, these too are signs of a gambling addiction. Lying to family members about gambling and the extent of ones gambling. Lying to employers and taking off excessively inn order to gamble, and avoiding home and work responsibilities are all signs of a gambling addiction.

Gambling in order to escape form stress, anxiety or depression is a sign of addictive behavior. When one uses gambling as a means of escape from personal stress and difficulty this is a sign of a pathological behavior.

Finally, if a person has resorted to stealing or some form of fraud in order to get money to support their gambling. Then they are almost certainly compulsive gamblers and gambling addicts.

In general, void-filling and thrill seeking are the types of behaviors most commonly linked to gambling addiction. People who are driven to fill the voids of loss and loneliness in their lives with unhealthy escapes rather than meaningful solutions. People who chase dangerous thrills for the same reasons are most likely to develop gambling addictions. Gambling provides a escape for those who need to fill a void. It certainly provides thrills for those who seek it. Relying on gambling excessively to meet these needs will lead to dependency in the same why that over-reliance on alcohol or drugs will lead to dependency.

Depression and anxiety can lead to gambling addiction. These conditions make sleeping and thinking more difficult and this in turn effects the way people process stress and other life management issues. Often, people with depression and anxiety turn to gambling as a means of escape. Because the problems that are driving their gambling are deeply psychologically rooted. The gambling becomes yet another problem they must deal with in addition to their other depression symptoms.

CLICK HERE to get a Free Confidential Gambling Addiction Rehabilitation Assessment.

Heroin Addiction Rehabilitation and Recovery

Heroin Rehabilitation and Recovery

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

Heroin seems to be the addictive plague of our time. Around the world, use of heroin has steadily grown and the devastating consequences of addiction and overdose are seen every place heroin is found. In fact, 1 in 3 overdoses in Europe have been in the U.K. and the majority of these overdoses have been from heroin and other opioids. The use and abuse of heroin is at epidemic proportions.

Heroin Addiction

Since heroin is so highly addictive there really is no such thing as a “casual user”. There emphatically is no safe way to use heroin and addiction will inevitably take over anyone who uses heroin more than once. As users “come down” from the high of heroin they often experience nausea, vomiting, dry mouth, and itching. In fact, general itching is sign of opiate and opioid use in general. This is the set of symptoms often referred to as being “dope sick”. After a period of time, a secondary set of symptoms will emerge. These include extreme drowsiness in which the user/addict will need to sleep for hours at a time. They will also feel a foggy mental state, unable to focus. Users will begin to ‘nod off,” falling asleep and waking up over a long period of time.

Heroin Withdrawal

Severe heroin withdrawal symptoms include muscle pains, inability to sleep, rapid heart rate and hypertension, depression, and a severe craving for the drug. Heroin addicts will crave the drug so badly that they will be driven to obtain it. In this way the cycle of addiction become firmly established and can be difficult to interrupt. To complicate this further, the more heroin users go through this painful cycle of withdrawal and getting high, the more they crave the drug. And the more of the drug they tend to use. Heroin users will use more and more of the drug to obtain the same effects. This will further increase the risk of overdose.

Heroin Rehabilitation

Heroin addiction requires treatment. Most heroin addicts will likely require in-patient treatment. The withdrawal form heroin is so difficult and pernicious that any attempt to stop using the drug seems to send the addict straight back to using. Dara offers the full range of professional treatment for heroin addiction. From medical detox to the a treatment program which heals the addictive patterns and underlying psychological problem which lead to and contribute to heroin addiction, Dara offers everything that current science can provide.

Heroin Recovery

One of the more insidious aspects of the current heroin addiction problem is the fact that so many users began by using prescription opioid pain medications. Opioids are highly addictive in the same way as heroin. Once a person is addicted, heroin can become an easy and cheap alternative to prescription medication. This too can be addressed in the recovery programs at DARA. The addiction treatment professionals at DARA have a complete understanding of the complexity of the current opioid/heroin problem. The recovery programs at Dara are made to fit this complex set of medical and psychological needs.

CLICK HERE to get a Free Confidential Heroin Addiction Rehabilitation Assessment.

Attitude of Gratitude

Having an Attitude of Gratitude

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

Attitude is everything in life. This seems like a broad statement, but it holds a great deal of truth. The same is true in addiction and recovery. Many addicts feel they are different from everyone else in life. They believe that their life has been especially hard or unfair and this allows for the destructive behavior of addiction to continue. This is simply not true. No matter how difficult a situation is, one can choose their attitude. This ability and choice is totally up to the person. This can be very useful in life, but imperative when in recovery.

If attitude is a choice than why not have an attitude of gratitude. Having an attitude of gratitude in recovery can change the way we interact and promote behaviors that are supportive of long term recovery. In order to have this attitude of gratitude you must first shift your mindset. This is something that must be done daily by choosing to see what recovery has opened up, not what addiction has taken away. This can be tough for the addict who may feel like everything was lost during addiction, but the positive spin is that you only have one direction to go, up. Every situation can have positive in it. There are people in jail who get clean. There are addicts who have been at death’s door who get into recovery and create an amazing, productive life.

You simply have to change your attitude to one of gratitude. Take for example an addict that has lost everything to addiction that can move into an apartment during recovery. This person can find the positive in having a consistent roof over their head, not worrying about the next hit, but thinking about what to fix for dinner. The apartment could be small and not well furnished, but it is a step in the right direction. Recovery gives you the opportunity to change the way you think and approach situations if you allow it to do so.

Learn to appreciate the small things by concentrating on what makes life great, not always worrying about the bigger picture. Make an attitude of gratitude journal. A great way to start is by starting one morning and every hour writing down one thing that you are grateful for in life. This can be something simple like a beautiful flower or a good friend. Truly take time to think about what you are grateful for as you move through your day and write it down. Keep this journal handy for days that are not feeling great and refer to the things that made you feel grateful before. It will become easier to find things you are grateful for with practice.

You can also have an attitude of gratitude by doing something for others without expecting anything in return. Take time to help someone with something they need. Fix a meal for a friend, help someone carry in groceries, or volunteer at a local shelter. Whatever you choose you will get the good feelings that come with helping others. This will have the added benefit of building your self esteem and possibly connecting you to others who can be friends. Addiction makes people self absorbed so the humility involved in helping others without expectation will promote good feelings and further the attitude of gratitude.

Finally, be gracious for the changes you are going through in recovery. Embrace the imperfection that is human and keep growing and changing. So this boils down to one thing, change your attitude, and change your life. You are learning about recovery or are in recovery or perhaps you have a loved one with an addiction, no matter the situation you are in control of your attitude and reactions, stay strong.

CLICK HERE to get a Free Confidential Addiction Rehabilitation Assessment.