Category: United States

alcoholic

The Bright Light Of Recovery – Let It Shine!

Articles, Australia, International, Malaysia, Treatment, Understanding Addiction, United Kingdom, United States
Addiction Thrives In The Dark. It Lives In The Night. It Keeps You Covered In The Shade. 

In your addiction, you did everything under the cover of the darkness. The nighttime became your friend. It’s where you felt the most comfortable.

When the sun came up, it mocked you. It exposed you for what you were. You were an alcoholic or a drug addict who, just the night before, had sworn to yourself that you were only going to have a few drinks. Or take one hit. Or do one bag. But, despite your most sincere efforts – once again – you had pulled an all-nighter. The sun knew it and you couldn’t hide from it.  

Not only did you take advantage of the nighttime hours to conduct the business of being an addict or an alcoholic (which is not to say that you didn’t drink or drug during the day too), you relied on the proverbial darkness to keep your secrets.

Chances are, you engaged in some weird and unusual behaviors. Your addiction or alcoholism forced you to do things you’re not proud of now that you’re clean and sober. You had to hide who you were. You lived in the shadows. You needed the shade to survive.

Today, things are different.  

In Recovery, You Have To Befriend The Light

Now that you’re in recovery from drug or alcohol addiction, you have to turn away from the darkness and allow your Higher Power to shine the Light on your spirit.

You have to be willing to reveal your secrets to your sponsor and the people in your support system or your secrets will keep you sick. You must practice a program of rigorous honesty and let people in. You simply must allow people to get to know who you are as a human being. It’s the only way to recover.

Where you once perceived the Light as your enemy, you must now embrace it as your friend. Of course, this is easier said than done. Being honest and open after closing yourself off from the rest of the world for so long can make you feel vulnerable and afraid.

At First The Light Is Blinding, But Then It’s Warm And Welcoming

It’s like when you sit in a dark room for an extended period of time and suddenly the lights get turned on. The experience is disorienting. You are momentarily blinded, and you can’t see. The light hurts, and it feels uncomfortable. You immediately want to turn those lights off and return to the darkness where it’s comfortable and safe.

But, after just a short time, you adjust to your new environment, which is warm and welcoming. Your vision is restored. You come to appreciate the light because it affords you the blessed opportunity to see things as they truly are. Although you didn’t like it at first, you become grateful for the light and all that it has to offer you.

If You’re Still Living In The Darkness, Let The Light In

If you’re still hiding in the darkness in your recovery, let the Light in. Start reaching out to other people and invite them to get to know who you truly are. Be honest about where you are at. Talk about what you are feeling and what’s really going on in your mind. Start sharing your true, authentic self. You will find freedom from the bondage of self that can only be found when you shine the Light on your dark places.

If you’re hiding in the darkness, you’re reserving a place for a relapse. That’s where addiction lives. Recovery only lives in the Light of Truth.   

Are you and alcoholic or drug addict that needs help? 

CLICK HERE to get a Free Confidential Addiction Rehabilitation Assessment.

Benzodiazepine Addiction

Understanding Benzodiazepine Addiction

Articles, Australia, Education, LGBTQ, Malaysia, Understanding Addiction, United Kingdom, United States
What Are Benzodiazepines?

Benzodiazepine Addiction – Millions of people around the world struggle with an addiction to benzodiazepines, also known as “benzos.” These are powerful, fast-acting tranquilizers used primarily to treat anxiety, panic disorders, and insomnia. People are often given benzos before a surgical procedure to calm or sedate them.

Although you are only supposed to take benzos if you have legal prescription for them from the doctor, many people obtain them illegally on the street. This is known as prescription drug abuse.

The Different Types Of Benzos

Here is a list of different benzodiazepines:

  • Riazolam (Halcion)
  • Midazolam (Versed)
  • Clorazepate (Tranxene)
  • Alprazolam (Xanax, the most commonly prescribed benzo)
  • Lorazepam (Ativan)
  • Temazepam (Restoril)
  • Oxazepam (Serax)
  • Estazolam (ProSom)
  • Diazepam (Valium)
  • Chlordiazepoxide (Librium)
  • Flurazepam (Dalmane)
  • Quazepam (Doral)
  • Clonazepam (Rivotril, Klonopin)
Benzodiazepines Side Effects

Like every medication, benzodiazepines come with known side effects. Here are a few of the most common side effects associated with benzos:

  • Depression
  • Fatigue
  • Physical Dependence
  • Cravings For More Benzos
  • Drowsiness
  • Mental Confusion
  • Tremors
  • Dizziness
  • Loss of Coordination
Developing a Tolerance To Benzos Ultimately Leads to Addiction

When you take benzodiazepines, you quickly develop a tolerance to them. This means that your body becomes used to them and the dosage you used to take is rendered ineffective. In other words, when tolerance takes hold, you will use more and more benzos to get the same effect you used to get when you took less. Before long, tolerance can become so great that the benzos can quit working altogether. Needless to say, this can be very frustrating.

When you take more benzodiazepines than you are supposed to, you develop a physical dependence on the stuff. Your body needs the drug in order to function. When you are addicted to benzodiazepines, and you stop taking them, you will be forced to go through withdrawal.

Symptoms Of Withdrawal From Benzodiazepine Addiction  

Withdrawal, also known as detox, is the process of removing an addictive substance from your body once your body has become dependent upon it. Withdrawal is a very unpleasant, very painful experience. Someone who attempts to quit using benzos without professional help will usually find that detox is so difficult, they will return to the drug to relieve the symptoms.

Here is what you can expect if you go detox from benzos:

  • Anxiety
  • Panic attacks
  • Tremors
  • Migraine headaches
  • Insomnia
  • Disruption to sleep
  • Nightmares
  • Depression
  • Loss of motivation
  • Lack of focus
  • Body aches
  • In extreme cases; seizures, coma, and death
Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Is Not Something You Should Attempt On Your Own

Make no mistake about it – you can experience seizures, coma, and a premature death when you detox from benzos. Withdrawing from benzos is not something you should do alone. You should never attempt to quit benzodiazepines cold turkey. First of all, the experience is extremely painful and profoundly uncomfortable. Secondly, it is life-threatening.

If you have been struggling with Benzodiazepine addiction, you need professional help. You need to undergo a professional medical detoxification where you can be monitored and evaluated around-the-clock. This way, you can safely and comfortably withdrawal from benzodiazepines.

CLICK HERE to get a Free Confidential Addiction Rehabilitation Assessment.

Opioid Addiction

A Quick Breakdown Of Opioid Addiction

Articles, Australia, Education, International, LGBTQ, Understanding Addiction, United Kingdom, United States
What Are Opioids?

Opioid Addiction – Opioids are powerful, painkilling narcotic drugs that are supposed to be prescribed by a doctor for severe pain. However; many people illegally purchase opioids on the street from drug dealers and use them to catch a buzz.

Opioids are highly addictive substances that wreak havoc on the individual, their families, and society at large. Opioids are a multi-billion-dollar business for pharmaceutical companies and drug cartels internationally. Millions of people around the world are addicted to opioids.

Opiates VS. Opioids? What’s The Difference?

For years, people only used the term “opiates.” Now, people are using the term “opioids.” What’s the difference?

To be clear, opiates are natural substances derived solely from the opium plant, which is grown in tropical climates around the world. Heroin, Codeine, and Morphine are all considered opiates because they are natural derivatives of the opium plant.

Opioids are synthetic substances, which means they are partially derived from opium and partially chemically manufactured. Oxycodone, Fentanyl, and Percocet are all examples of synthetic opioids because they have to made in laboratories.

In the past, people commonly used the word “opiates” to refer to heroin and other all-natural substances that came from opium. In recent times, people around the world have started referring to opiates as opioids. Now, everything that comes from the opium poppy plant is considered an opioid. It may seem confusing, but we hold that clears things up a bit.  

Types of Opioids

Here is a list of the most popular opioids:

  • Hydrocodone (Lorcet, Lortab, Norco, Vicodin)
  • Fentanyl
  • Codeine
  • Oxycontin (Oxycodone)
  • Methadone
  • Hydromorphone (Dilaudid)
  • Percocet
How Opioid Addiction Works  

Opioids create a euphoric and intoxicating effect that causes the user to want more of the stuff. They work by binding to opioid receptor sites in the brain. To put it simply, the brain loves opioids.

When someone takes opioids for an extended period of time, they quickly build up a tolerance. Tolerance is what happens when your body becomes accustomed to processing a certain chemical. When tolerance takes hold, more of the drug is required to get the same effect. Before long, someone who takes opioids will develop a physical dependence.

If someone tries to quit taking opioids, they will go through the process of withdrawal. Withdrawal takes place when your body is used to processing a chemical and you remove that chemical from your body. Opioid addiction is an incredibly difficult addiction to kick because of this excruciating and painful process, which is also known as detox.

Here are the symptoms of opioid withdrawal:

  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Head-to-toe body aches
  • Insomnia
  • Anxiety
  • Loss of appetite
  • Tremors
  • Seizure, Coma, Death (In extreme cases)

Opioid withdrawal is so uncomfortable, users will continue using opioids to avoid the pain of detox.

Medical Detoxification Is Highly Recommended To Anyone Who Wants To Quit Opioids

If you are addicted to opioids, you should not stop using the stuff on your own – and you don’t want to. Opioid withdrawal is extremely unpleasant. People who have quit opioids cold turkey compare the experience to hell on earth.

More importantly, you can have seizures, go into a coma, or die if you attempt to stop using opioids on without medical assistance. Medical detoxification is recommended for anyone who has an addiction to opioids. This involves the use of medication to safely and comfortably remove the opioids from your system. This takes place in the safety and comfort of in-patient rehabilitation center, detox, or medical facility.

CLICK HERE to get a Free Confidential Addiction Rehabilitation Assessment.

Dara Rehab Thailand

What DARA Rehab Thailand Has To Offer Those Who Are Considering Inpatient Treatment

Articles, Australia, Education, International, Malaysia, Treatment, Understanding Addiction, United Kingdom, United States
Congratulations On Taking The First Step Toward Recovery

If you have an addiction problem and you are ready to get help for your situation, we say, “Congratulations! Good for you! YES!!! You are making the right decision.”

By getting out of denial and getting real about your addiction, you have taken your first step on your exciting new recovery journey. You are headed in the right direction and you are on your way toward wholeness and healing.

Chances are, it’s been a long, hard road to arrive at the place where you are now. You have probably wrestled with this decision for quite some time. You have just fought (and lost) an exhausting battle with addiction and you have finally surrendered to the reality that you can’t do this on your own.

At Dara, we are here to help.  

DARA Rehab Thailand Delivers Results In A Resort-Style Setting At A Price You Can Afford

If you are considering checking yourself into a rehabilitation facility to get help for a problem with an addiction of any kind, you want to make an informed choice. There are a lot of rehabs out there that make lofty promises about what they can do for you, but not all of these places are on the up-and-up. They have fancy websites and guarantee results, but they won’t live up to your expectations once you arrive.

At DARA Rehab  Thailand, we deliver on our promises.  

Here are ten amazing reasons why DARA Rehab Thailand is an excellent choice if you are considering in-patient treatment:

  1. We are fully licensed and accredited. Our staff is comprised of the best and brightest professionals in Thailand.
  1. Located on the stunning island of Koh Chang, Thailand, we are nestled just off the Gulf of Thailand. We offer breath-taking views in a resort-style facility where you will have your own private quarters and luxury amenities.
  2. Dara does not promote the 12-Step philosophy and we don’t just treat addictive behaviors. We offer proven, evidence-based methodologies that focus on changing the negative thought patterns and defeating behaviors at the root of the addiction problem.
  1. We incorporate physical exercise into our treatment programs and offer you the services of a physical trainer. Unlike most inpatient treatment centers, we believe in promoting a program that teaches you about the mind-body connection.
  1. We have a highly qualified team of addiction experts here at DARA Rehab Thailand that will educate you about your condition and give you the tools you need to recover.
  1. You will receive one-on-one counseling sessions tailored to meet your unique situation and address your personal needs.
  1. Enjoy gourmet meals prepared by some of Thailand’s finest chefs.
  1. You will participate in activities like elephant trekking and Thai cooking classes to show you how much fun you can have in recovery.
  1. Receive Thai massages that relax the mind and body.
  1. Despite the luxury accommodations we offer, we are a very affordable rehabilitation center. Plus, we accept insurance from some of the world’s most common providers.
Don’t Delay, Call DARA Rehab Thailand And Get The Help You Need

If you are ready to get help for your addiction, call us. We are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to take your call and prepare for your arrival. Don’t delay. Addiction never gets better with time – it only gets worse.  

CLICK HERE to get a Free Confidential Addiction Rehabilitation Assessment.

opioid abuse

Donald Trump Proclaims a National Emergency

Articles, Education, International, LGBTQ, Understanding Addiction, United States

Opioid Abuse. Donald Trump Vows to Proclaim a National Emergency as Opioid Abuse Claims the Lives of 142 People on a Daily Basis.

The harrowing scale of the opioid epidemic is out. It has revealed that near 150 people die each day due to opioid abuse. However, President Donald Trump is set to take swift action, declaring a national emergency to control this shocking scenario.

It is perhaps ‘the’ deadliest drug overdose and epidemic recorded in US history. Trump’s panel has urged the Commander-in-Chief to address the situation as quickly as possible.

The recommendation to declare a nationwide emergency stems from a preliminary draft that is a part of the opioid commission report. The report itself comes from the horrifying statistics that went back to the death toll due to opioid overdose in 2016. Shockingly, more Americans lost their lives to this drug than the total US causalities reported in the whole Vietnam War.

In 2015, deaths reported from drug abuse and opioid overdose easily toppled the annual death toll from motor vehicle accidents, gang wars, gun violence and terminal diseases such as HIV/AIDS. You would also be surprised to know that the death toll from an opioid overdose in 2015 was more than the number of people who lost their lives succumbing to the 1995 HIV/AIDS epidemic.

According to a new report on the opioid crisis, approximately 150 people die every day due to drug overdose and the US is enduring a massive death toll each year. To put things into perspective. More people die due to opioid abuse every three weeks than the total number of people who lost their lives in the September, 11 tragedy.

The commission to combat the current tragedy in the US includes the following key members of Congress:
  • Chris Christie (R), governor of New Jersey
  • Charlie Baker (R), governor of Massachusetts
  • Roy Cooper (D), governor of North Carolina
  • Patrick Kennedy (D) (former Republican)
  • Bertha Madras
The commission contains some big recommendations – and mentioned below are some of the more important ones:
  1. Grant Approval for the entire 50 States to Extinguish Federal Barriers Pertaining to the Medicaid Programs. This act approval excludes all Federal Mental Institutes – As per the Social Security Act, government funds for Medicaid cannot fund or reimburse services and facilities from inpatient care that are designed to treat people with mental disabilities and illnesses – this includes addiction, with 16 or more beds.

This is a major barrier the government needs to break, and the Commission seeks to do just that. By eliminating this inhibition, all 50 states will be able to immediately start treating thousands upon thousands of US citizens held up in current facilities.

  1. Setting Up Immediate Funding for Federal Programs to Enhance Access to Patient Care in the Form of Medication-Assisted Programs – This is the highest standard when it comes to treating people with opioid addiction. Research indicates that immediate medical treatments and assistance can cut the death toll from drug addiction in half or maybe more.

However, the problem is inaccessibility. Only ten percent of modern and traditional treatment establishments and treatments offer this sort of drug abuse intervention and medication-assisted programs across the country. The commission seeks to greatly expand this method of treatments. It is even targeting prison systems and various other types of drug treatment institutions.

You or someone you know suffering from Opioid Addiction? CLICK HERE to get a Free Confidential Addiction Rehabilitation Assessment.