Category: Understanding Addiction

travelling after rehab

Strategies to Help You Stay Sober When Travelling

International, Articles, Education, Understanding Addiction

Alcoholics and addicts who are in recovery will often feel that remaining sober is a matter of life and death. This may prevent them from returning to normal activates such as going travelling due to them associating drink or drugs with holidays in the past.

While disruption from normal routine can be a trigger for a relapse, there are some strategies that can help you through your holiday which ensure you can still enjoy yourself and have a good time, while more importantly – remaining sober.

Plan Ahead

Before you pack up and leave, find out about local support groups and clinics in the areas that you are travelling too. If possible, try and work some of these meetings into your schedule. Doing this as soon as you arrive will help to set the tone for the whole trip.

Make Local Contacts

When you arrive at your destination, try and seek out some contacts who are in the same situation as you. Maybe there are some local Facebook support groups that you can join to introduce yourself to people who are also recovering. Reaching out to people in a similar situation will make you feel less lonely; a feeling that can often lead to relapse. Local people who are in recovery can also offer support and recommend the best places for meetings.

Bring Your Recovery Literature

No doubt that you have lots of reading materials or recordings that you listed too whenever you feel that you need a boost in your recovery steps. Travelling often requires lots of transport journeys so make sure that you have your reading material with you to keep you in the right frame of mind. The AA’s “the big book” is a great read and includes lots of stories from people about their recovery. There is also an audio version available via a free app

Stay in Contact With People Back Home

In addition to making new contacts on your travels, it is just as important to remain in contact with people back home who have an influence on you, like those in your support group. If you have a sponsor for example, make sure that you contact them regularly and give them updates on your progress.

Remove the Booze

If you are staying in hotels it would be best to contact them beforehand and inform them of your situation. Make sure that they remove any alcohol from hotel minibars. If you are staying with any people you already know or local hosts, the same thing applies.

Stay Away From Certain Places

This is an obvious one, but stay away from anywhere that may trigger a relapse such as bars and nightclubs.

Keep to your Routine

Try and follow the same routine that you are used to back home. If you meditate in the mornings or go for a long walk, this same routine can easily be fitted in to your schedule while travelling. Although you are on vacation, don’t take a vacation from your schedule!

 

By following the above strategies you can be sure that you keep up the good work with your progress and avoid a relapse. Once you have managed it the first time, future trips should become much easier for you.

violence relationships

Drug Use and Violence in Relationships

Articles, Education, Understanding Addiction, United States

I think it would be hard to find a couple in a relationship who have never been in an argument. But how far an argument goes and whether it escalates into more than an argument, such as violence, can depend on a number of factors.

Some of these depending factors include:

  • The personalities of those involved
  • Where the argument takes place
  • If it involves other people
  • If one or both people are under the influence of drugs or alcohol

A previous study funded by NIDA at youths who had been admitted to the emergency room due to a violence-related injury. The study found that not all drug use will necessary lead to violence and not all drug use will lead to the same type of violence. The study specifically looked at whether the violence was between dating couples (dating violence) or those who were not in a relationship and also, what impact, if any, different drugs had.

Dating Violence can be described as a romantic relationship where there are signs of abusive, controlling and aggressive behavior. This can happen in all types of relationships – straight or gay, and can include physical, verbal, mental or sexual abuse, or a combination of these.

The team conducting the study found that of the people admitted to the emergency room for a dating violence related injury, the majority of them were females. The team also found a difference in the types of drugs that were taken before a dating violence incident, compared to a non-dating incident.

For example, there were many youths who had mostly consumed alcohol on its own or mixed with marijuana in non-dating incidents.  Alternatively, a lot of dating violence incidents were due to people using prescribed sedatives or opioids.

The study showed that there can be a wide range of drugs involved in violent relationship incidents and that women were more likely than men to be the ones on the receiving end. The types of drugs used may also differ depending on the situation. For example; being out in a bar or club compared to being at home.

More research is needed to find out how different drugs react differently and make a person more aggressive or less so.

Understanding more about this subject, and how substance use and gender factor into relationship violence will help health professionals to develop better programs for teenagers and youths who may be prone to end up in violent situations.

If you or someone you know is being hurt physically or emotionally, please refer to the resources below.

  • National Dating Abuse Helpline: 1-866-331-9474
  • National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-HOPE
  • National Sexual Violence Resource Center: 1-877-739-3895
  • Notalone.gov
  • Stopbullying.gov

 

alcohol and your brain

Alcohol Dependence Driven By Surprising Brain Change

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

A recent study which has been conducted by The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) might be able to help develop new treatments for alcohol misuse and dependence.

The study that took place surprisingly revealed an important difference when comparing the brains of rats who were dependant on alcohol with those of nondependent rats. Both groups, when consuming alcohol, showed an increase in activity in part of their brain known as the central amygdala (CeA), however, this was due to different brain signalling pathways.

Marisa Roberto, TSRI professor who conducted the study has said that findings will enable researchers to develop personalized treatment plans for those who are dependent on alcohol as they should be able to evaluate how someone’s brain responds when differing therapeutics are given.

Found! The Brains response ‘switch’ to Alcohol

This new research has built on a previous study carried out by the same team which found that neuronal activity is increased in a rats CeA when alcohol is consumed. The team saw increased activity in both dependant and non-dependant rats.

As this phenomenon was investigated further in their new study, the team were excited to discover the mechanisms involved in the increased activity were actually different between both groups.  

When a non-dependant rat was given alcohol, the team engaged a set of protons known as calcium channels which resulted in heightened neuronal activity. The calcium channels increased the release of the neurotransmitter GABA causing neurons to fire. Blocking these calcium channels reduced the voluntary alcohol intake amongst the rats.

However, in the rats which were dependant on alcohol, the team discovered a decreased amount of calcium channels on cell membranes therefore causing disruption to their usual capacity to drive alcohols effects on the CeA activity in the brain. Instead, the increase in activity was actually driven by the stress hormone known as corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and CRF-1, its type 1 receptor. The team discovered that when they blocked CRF1’s, alcohol consumption (voluntarily) in the dependant rats was reduced.

By studying both of these groups, a light has been shed on how alcohol can alter the brains functions.

Roberto Explained:

“There is a switch in the molecular mechanisms underlying the CeA’s response to alcohol (from LTCC- to CRF1-driven) as the individual transitions to the alcohol-dependent state,” she said.

The researchers who conducted the study hope that the findings will lead to increased and improved ways to treat alcohol dependency. There are many root causes of alcohol abuse, but this research suggests that health professionals could analyse symptoms or genetic markers and determine if a patient has CRF–CRF1 hyperactivation. If a drug is developed that blocks this activity then it could be a game-changer.  

Drinking Problem

Drinking Problem – What are the Signs?

Articles, Treatment, Understanding Addiction

Are you worries that your drinking has become a problem? Or maybe it is someone else that you are worried about? Either way, drinking problems usually manifest predictably.

Below we will detail some of the common signs that appear when someone has a drinking problem and also how you can deal with it.

The Warning Signs

Although there are many ways that the signs of alcohol addiction can show themselves, there is one main warning sign that appears in most situations. Regularly drinking more than 2-3 units of alcohol each day is the most common sign, however, most addicts will drink considerably more than this. Drinking this amount every day can be seriously damaging to a person’s health.

10 Common Signs of a Drinking Problem

Let’s take a look at some of the most common signs you can look out for.

  1. People around you are concerned about your drinking habits

Having others express their concerns can be far clearer than self-reflection. People addicted to alcohol will always make up excuses about their drinking habits, whereas their loved ones will see it much more clearly.

  1. Mood and concentration levels affected by cravings

If you are craving alcohol and becoming distracted easily it is a clear sign that your body is becoming dependant on alcohol and needs to find more to stave of withdrawal symptoms.

  1. Self-medicating with alcohol to deal with problems

Drinking as a coping mechanism for problems you face will often lead to a person drinking more and more. This is because it will only offer temporary relief, however, in the long run it will only make the problems worse.

  1. Trying to cut down on your drinking but failing

If you are trying to cut down on alcohol but failing; this is a sure sign of a drinking problem. The inability to cut down or stop completely is a strong sign of dependence.

  1. Lying about the amount you drink

Dishonest or secretive behaviour in relation to your drinking shows that a person is aware that they are drinking too much but feels the need to hide it from those around them.

  1. Physical changes and weigh loss

Physical deterioration and weight loss can occur from heavy drinking. Also a person’s attitude towards their appearance will likely change in that they care less about how they look.

  1. Drinking until passing out

Blackouts are a common feature of the “binge drinking” culture and are also a sign that too way much alcohol has been consumed which has in turn caused the brain to stop functioning its memory section. If this has happened to you then you are certainly drinking too much.

  1. Drinking first thing in the morning

When someone starts drinking in the morning it will soon become hard to stop this routine and you will find that you need alcohol just to start the day after a while.

  1. Spending too much money

Often, a person will start to suffer financially as they are spending all their money on the next lot of drinks.

  1. Drinking causes problems at home or work

Small accidents at home or frequent mistakes at work are likely to start occurring when someone has a drinking problem.

 

Knowing the above signs should allow you to help yourself or a loved one combat their addiction before it gets too out of hand. Early intervention is the best way to ensure that someone does not become a hardened alcoholic at which point it can become a very hard addiction to beat.

Rehab abroad

Overseas Drug Rehab Benefits

Articles, Alternative Treatment, Education, Treatment, Understanding Addiction

Anyone currently dependent upon drugs to help get them through the day must realise that the problem will not disappear on its own.

Indeed, continual denial that professional help is needed will simply send a person deeper into dependence. The more reliant a person become on their drug of choice the more difficult it is to let go.

A Clean Slate – A New environment:

There are several options to consider in terms of seeking drug rehabilitation assistance. These include your health practitioner as well as outpatient and inpatient rehab establishments in your own country.

While any assistance must be seen as a positive step in the right direction, many fail to consider the benefits of choosing a respected overseas rehab establishment to assist them through recovery.

One such country that offers sterling facilities, proven treatment methods and prices that knock those of your own country into a cocked-hat is Thailand.

Why consider overseas treatment:

We have touched on this briefly, but let’s give 7 reasons why this consideration is a must for anyone trying to beat a dependence that is currently ruining their life:

  • Well-established: The number of first class inpatient rehabilitation facilities in Thailand runs into double figures with many years of experience behind them.
  • Stunning locations: Whether your choice is a remote mountain setting, or an idyllic palm-fringed beach, Thailand offers beautiful settings in calm surroundings that are completely conducive to healing.
  • 1st Class accommodation & Facilities: The accommodation on offer is first class. Private, fully self-contained living with personal outdoor space blend perfectly with landscaped gardens, relaxation areas, communal dining sections and leisure facilities that include swimming pools and fitness areas. Many also provide yoga/meditation rooms.
  • Professional/Approved: Staff employed at these first rate facilities are qualified to international standards. They employ healing and treatment techniques that are internationally approved with the added benefit of some trademark treatments. In short, the treatment methods offered at home are yours in Thailand with additional benefits.
  • Individual/Focussed treatment: The fully qualified, committed staff at these luxury rehab resorts are there to ensure a comfortable, successful stay. The counsellors are fully aware that every individual is different and as such will tailor a recovery package specifically with you in mind.
  • Challenging but achievable: Whatever form of dependence treatment a person opts for it must be understood that it will not be an easy route to leave their drug dependence behind, but the methods, techniques and environment offered by professional rehab establishments in Thailand gives each individual an excellent chance of overcoming their issues.
  • Costs: This is surely the icing on the cake. The services and treatment offered for inpatient stay are far lower than those offered in your own country. In some cases a 4-week stay can cost just one-third of what you would pay at home. It must also be remembered that these establishments are approved by major health insurance companies.

Consider overseas treatment closely:

The rehab establishments in Thailand offer benefits galore to those seeking treatment and healing. Please take a close look at what is on offer. Deciding on this location for professional drug rehab assistance may be the best decision you ever make.

Feel free to contact one of our advisers to discuss rehab options with you.