Interventions
It’s Harder If You Start Young
Jun 11th
Young and Loaded
A NIDA-funded study has demonstrated that the relapse rate for heroin addicts increases with time and that the probability of long-term abstinence depends on the age of first drug use. Those who start daily heroin use at a younger age are more likely to relapse than those who start later. Heroin is not the only type of drug that has ill effects if consumed at a young age.
Long-term studies of high school students and their patterns of drug use show that very few young people use other illegal drugs without first trying marijuana. For example, the risk of using cocaine is much greater for those who have tried marijuana than for those who have never tried it. Using marijuana puts children and teens in contact with people who are users and sellers of other drugs. So there is more of a risk that a marijuana user will be exposed to and urged to try more drugs. To better determine this risk, scientists are examining the possibility that long-term marijuana use may create changes in the brain that make a person more at risk of becoming addicted to other drugs, such as alcohol or cocaine. Therefore, if during the crucial developmental stages there are chemicals added to the brain chemistry evoking feelings of happiness, belonging, and/or excitement; the brain will be more likely to consistently resort to those methods (drugs) in order to experience those emotions due to the lack of practice in experiencing those feelings organically.
The Adolescent Brain and Addiction
Apr 14th
Drug user brain activity
The adolescent brain is different from an adult brain because it is not yet fully matured. According to NIDA’s Dr. Volkow, adolescent brains are more susceptible to drug abuse and addiction than fully developed adult brains. However, because it is still growing, the adolescent brain also under the right conditions have a better opportunity for greater resilience. Even though treatment can yield positive results, sadly families are unwilling to look outside the home for help due to concerns about the “shame” associated with treatment. The adolescent that uses drugs/alcohol in a regular and frequent manner is quickly affected more so than the adult who uses in the same manner and duration. The social and emotional skills ideally acquired during this period of rapid change often are not learned when the youth is abusing drugs/alcohol, which results in psychosocial stunting of development. Drugs and alcohol have been the cause of many teenage traffic accidents, school drop out rates, teen pregnancy, crime, and suicide. Understanding adolescent drug use and potential addiction is attainable once good grasp of reality and examination techniques are acquired. It is important to identify the signs of addiction in youth and be able to arrest the decent into drug and alcohol addiction.
Yoga And Recovery
Jul 20th
12 Step Yoga Therapy: Treatment for the Body, Mind and Soul
Yoga is an ideal recreational activity for those recovering from alcoholism, drug addiction, and other addictions. Yoga conditions the body, mind and soul. Recovering from an addiction takes physical, mental and spiritual strength, which can be developed by practicing yoga. Recreational activities are an essential part of recovery for residents at long-term alcohol and drug rehab centers. Although therapy, counseling, and 12-step meetings are tremendously effective, people in recovery still want to have fun – and it is crucial they learn to enjoy themselves without substance abuse. Many treatment centers offer yoga as a therapeutic tool which can have a dramatic impact on a person’s life.
Strengthening a Recovering Body
The practice of Yoga comes from India and the word can mean “union” or “control”. People must unify their body with their mind and spirit to successfully control their whole self if they are to master yoga techniques. The beauty of yoga is that you do not need a very strong body to begin learning it. Practicing yoga consistently will help a person to develop their core muscles and improve their balance and posture. Perhaps the greatest benefit is that each person learns about their body and increases their control over it. Building a physically strong body can help combat the physical dependencies that come with alcoholism or drug addictions.
Yoga and the Mind
When it comes to addictions, psychological dependencies are very common. Young adults may be in the habit of giving up or giving in mentally to their addiction. It takes time and perseverance to train the mind to become strong enough to change that behavior. Yoga helps improve mental concentration through various methods. Take deep breathing exercises as an example. In yoga, deep breathing is conducted slowly and consciously. There should be no day dreaming but instead a profound, internal attention on the quality of breathing. Not only does this practice assist in clearing the mind, but it also improves the mind’s ability to focus. After improving one’s mental abilities through yoga, it should be easier for the person to clearly make decisions that will lead to positive outcomes.
Developing the Spirit to Stop Substance Abuse
Unlike other physical activities and sports, yoga is performed slowly and quietly with a great peacefulness. The practice of yoga can even be said to resemble a kind of meditation and its effects can be described as spiritual. Since yoga is not a religious practice attributed to any one religion, people of any belief system can enjoy it.
The poses and techniques found in yoga vary in their degree of difficulty. Continuously working to improve and accepting the challenge to learn the more difficult poses takes a lot of determination, but the process fosters a resilient heart. A strong spirit is needed to successfully complete drug and alcohol abuse treatment. Deciding to stop making poor choices that are self-damaging can be a challenge, and a strong resolve to change is what will prevent relapse in the future.
28 Days Of Recovery Is Not The Magic Bullet…
Jul 19th
Research published in 1999 by Bennett Fletcher, a senior research psychologist at the National Institute on Drug Abuse, has shown that though 90 days isn’t a magic number, anything less than that tends to increase the chances of relapse. One study, of 1,605 cocaine users, looked at weekly cocaine use in the year after treatment. It found that 35% of people who were in treatment for 90 days or fewer reported drug use the following year compared with 17% of people who were in treatment for 90 days or longer. The study was published in the Archives of General Psychiatry.
Another study, part of a NIDA-funded project called Drug Abuse Treatment Outcome Studies, followed 549 patients who had several problems in addition to their drug use and who entered a long-term residential program. Clients who dropped out of treatment before 90 days had relapse rates similar to those who stayed in treatment only a day or two, after 90 days relapse rates dropped steadily the longer a person stayed in treatment. Following up residential Treatment with a form of outpatient treatment or an extended care program is much more beneficial for long term sobriety. At Recovery Hub our intake coordinators will discuss all the options available for you our your loved one, all you have to do is call.
Maybe you feel like wreck or a shell of your former self, the only way out is drug treatment….
Jul 15th
How important are drug treatment centers in the drug recovery process? The time you spend in one of Recovery Hub exclusive drug treatment programs will change your life. Maybe you’re a wreck, a shell of yourself, who cares about cocaine more than anything in the world. Our screened and researched programs can help you change all that. Drug and Alcohol Addiction are progressive diseases that effect the brain. Without treatment the disease will progress, entering treatment is your best investment for your future.
Drug and Alcohol treatment centers are not all the same. Don’t make the mistake of letting anyone ever tell you otherwise. The truth, simply stated, is that a drug treatment program can only succeed if it’s designed to meet the individual needs of individual clients. Drug treatment centers that don’t emphasize the intimacy of the drug treatment process can’t be effective. Our treatment centers, on the other hand, can give you everything you need to get better—all the support and luxury and expertise. Remember, drug treatment only works if it’s done right. With so much to lose, you can’t afford anything less than the best care you can get.