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  • Traveling While Sober: Will I Still Have Fun?

    Traveling While Sober: Will I Still Have Fun?

    Just as in everyday life, the biggest battle with alcohol while traveling is internal. But with some preparation, you can go anywhere and have a great time, sober.

    We arrived breathlessly at the Vedado home, a stately stone structure with a newly refurbished interior, ready to learn the secrets of Cuban cuisine. My new husband and I were famished in the way that happens when you travel, lost in time and space, not realizing we were hungry until the situation felt dire. We pulled up to the table, lovingly set with custom flatware and bejeweled napkin rings, ready to chop and dice our way into full. But first, Mojito time! 

    I should’ve known. 

    Alcohol as Social Lubricant

    From my very first international trip—a self-funded excursion to France at 15—drinking had always been a big part of traveling. At bars it was easier to meet people, I often said. Was it really a big deal if that occasionally involved throwing up on them? 

    I continued to believe that alcohol was critical to my so-called social life, even if, toward the end of my addiction, said life mostly involved knowing where Columbus’ most private bathroom stalls were located. Yet, I worried. Besides travel, I couldn’t imagine how I’d date/make friends/comport myself at fundraisers if I wasn’t able to drink, completely overlooking how the trajectory I was on did not include indoor plumbing. 

    When at last I did quit drinking and using, and the time to travel actually came, I wasn’t so worried. By then, I had the shelter of a husband who liked to drink. One look at us and it was clear somebody needed to stay sober. I didn’t realize the pressure this relieved. 

    Until our marriage ended. 

    Escape to Borneo

    That first summer as a divorcee, I was desperate to escape my life, at least for the duration allowed by my accrued vacation time. I wasn’t a fan of group travel, but then I found something called, “The Extreme Headhunters Tour.” Those days I wanted nothing more than to see some heads roll, and though I knew I wasn’t going to get to do any actual beheading myself, the idea that I would learn about others who had was intriguing. Better still, the excursion was billed as physically challenging, while also offering the rare opportunity to sleep overnight at a headhunters’ longhouse. I would meet real Borneans, and other travelers (i.e., men) with the physical stamina and means to book such a tour. 

    I signed on, only to realize the group was largely comprised of retired female librarians. That was the least of my concerns, however, once happy hour hit. 

    Our night with the headhunters consisted of playing a little game. I’m sure there was some food, but what I remember was the drinking. The evening’s entertainment was built entirely around tuak, a kind of coconut liqueur that’s popular in Borneo. The game went something like this: buy one for you, then buy one for me. The crowd was visibly disappointed that I didn’t drink, especially since the librarians were in bed. It was so uncomfortable—and then there was the whole divorce situation—that I briefly considered putting us all out of our misery and throwing back some tuak, but I was lucid enough to know I might not make it out of Borneo if I did.

    “You’re on Vacation, Live a Little!”

    Having traveled the world sober and not sober, I’ve learned that I take my addiction with me everywhere, whether I’m indulging it or not. So it would be an outright lie to claim that those Mojitos in Cuba held zero interest. The glasses had been chilled, crushed ice and fresh mint were on hand, and some beautiful amber liquid awaited my pour. Worse yet, the alternatives were Fresca sweetened with extra sugar and lime juice, or tap water. In my daily life, I pass on sugary drinks like soda. Begrudgingly, I took the water.

    I refuse to let fear keep me from traveling. Getting sober isn’t an event, it’s for the long haul, so I have to be able to do the things I love, such as meeting people whose lives are nothing like mine and coming together with them in an everyday way, like over a meal. The good news is: with some preparation, it’s increasingly possible to avoid these triggering episodes altogether.

    In the case of Cuba, I should’ve realized that cocktail mixing was part of the itinerary when I booked it. The activity was on the booking page, but at the bottom of the list. I have traveled enough to know how squeamish others can turn when faced with nondrinkers like myself. Over the years I’ve heard all the objections: “You’re on vacation, live a little!” Or the ever-popular, “Everyone must try this.” And my personal favorite, “Who will know?” Out of context they’re laughable, but I know how my brain can work. Or not work. Anyway, why test this the hard way?

    Managing My Ego

    For our first anniversary trip, I didn’t want to constantly deal with these objections so when I booked rooms or tours, I notified hosts that my husband and I didn’t drink. This was surprisingly difficult for me: My ego wasn’t so thrilled about drawing attention to the fact that there’s something I can’t handle. After a couple of decades without a drink, the terminally unique creature in me apparently decided that it wants to be just like everyone else. Fortunately, my centered self at home could spot and manage these mental objections. By the time I hit the streets of Paris, I was ready to ward off potential threats to my sobriety.

    “A cup of glass!” I blurted out in my best high school French. The server looked at me curiously. Just as I suspected, I thought, coolly repeating the phrase. She can’t even understand what it means to drink water with a meal instead of wine!

    I’d like to say I laughed and corrected myself, but that would be a lie. I was tweaked to the point of leaving the restaurant, only realizing my error when I reached the street. From then on, I fixed my phrasing to ask for sparkling water.

    Not ordering alcohol had no effect on the way I was treated. The servers did not care whether I drank or not, which is very different from the reception I receive in the U.S. Here, where tipping is a significant portion of pay, the check total matters. There, where tips are more nominal, they could care less. 

    The “worst” experience with alcohol was in another cooking class. The host, despite knowing ahead of time that we didn’t drink, had only tap water on the table. But I put that word in quotation marks because everything else was absolutely delightful. Our host turned out to be a TV personality who was having boyfriend issues. I was happily riveted to my chair for hours. 

    In Lisbon, I expected something less cosmopolitan and thought there would be less knowledge or acceptance of sober travelers. Yet there was a similar nonchalance from servers, tour guides, and everyone else we met. Best of all was the cooking class, where four of eight of us were non-drinkers. I took one look at the sober hipster newlyweds and said conspiratorially, “I assume you’re doing it one day at a time?” To which the wife replied, “What are you talking about?”

    The Freedom to Go Anywhere…Sober

    Just as in everyday life, the biggest battle with alcohol while traveling is internal. It helped enormously to pave the way ahead, letting guides and hosts know I wouldn’t be drinking. But the most valuable part of this practice was that it forced me to acknowledge my own roadblocks so that when my ego cropped up mid-travels, I didn’t have to believe what it was telling me. Unlike my experiences in Borneo and Cuba, I never felt trapped, which is a trigger. 

    Knowing what steps to take ahead of time, I can go anywhere.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • 10 Steps to Leaving Your Joyless Job and Finding Your True Purpose

    10 Steps to Leaving Your Joyless Job and Finding Your True Purpose

    I used to pray for a small enough car accident in which no one got hurt, but my car would need work and I’d get out of the office for a day.

    No Addiction Is Ever as It Seems 

    I’ve heard people say “the problem is never the problem.” No addiction is ever as it seems. In terms of my drug and alcohol addictions, the problem was an inability to cope with the realities of life: The smell of springtime, the first fireflies of summer, all of Earth’s elements struck me with the desire to drink and use. If avoiding “people, places, and things” was going to work for me, I’d have had to relocate to a new, less intense planet.

    Instead of avoiding life, I had to learn new skills to deal with it. I had to have new thoughts. I had to create new neural pathways that made my hand reach for my phone instead of a bottle. I learned to share openly and honestly about the way I felt instead of shoving my feelings down. The root of my drug and alcohol addictions was a fear of being open and vulnerable. By facing that fear, my need to drink and use dissipated. The problem was never the substances themselves.

    Through this process, I learned that I had other problems, with their own underlying problems! I learned that I am also a sex and love addict. Orgasms were never the problem. Sleeping with a married man is ethically unsound, but really wasn’t it more on him than on me? He’s the one who’s married! Morally wrong or not, the weight of the disgust I had for my actions brought me to my knees once again, wherein I learned the real problem: intimacy.

    After working on my intimacy issues, I uncovered another problem:

    I was staying in a job that I hated, and it was making me miserable both in and out of the workplace.

    When Your Job Negatively Affects Your Health

    Most of us have seen Office Space. The truth in life is that most people have to work, except for a few kids with trust funds who never seem all the better for it. But what happens when our work is affecting us negatively? How do we confront this beast while keeping a roof over our heads?

    Working itself is obviously not the problem. Working provides us with money for our homes, our families, our needs and hopefully some wants. Having a strong work ethic is a good thing. The name of the game at this level of recovery is self-worth, and not even so much in terms of money. Money comes and money goes, but how you value yourself, your time, your health, your emotions, and your priorities should remain constant.

    Pay close attention to the way you feel when you wake up in the morning on a workday. Are you looking forward to it? I used to pray for a small enough car accident in which no one got hurt, but my car would need work and I’d get out of the office for a day. It’s so obvious to me now that that was another subtle form of insanity. I thought everyone felt that way. I thought the daily grind was supposed to make you miserable, because if it wasn’t miserable, how would you be able to commiserate with people, and if you couldn’t commiserate with people, what would you even talk about?

    I had no idea that personal development, self-care, growth, fulfillment, and joy could be a part of a career path, or anything my friends would want to talk about. I realize now that constant complaints about hating work are boring, and banter about projects that light us up are a welcomed breath of fresh air.

    If you are stuck in the wrong job, your inner dialogue probably sounds something like the following:

    “I need this job. I’m not really good at anything. I’ve been here a while. I’m not qualified to do anything. I hate my boss, but where else am I going to go? Ugh, today sucks. I’m so over today. I bleeping hate this place.”

    How to Change Your Life

    If you want to make a change, you can, but it will require work, introspection, courage, faith, and, initially, some pain. The following steps got me out of a job I hated and onto a career path meant for me:

    1. Meditate every morning. Listen to your inner monologue from the witness seat. Hear the sounds around you and feel your full feelings as they bubble up in your body.
    1. Set an intention to check back into this quiet part of you three times during the workday. Set alarms on your phone to do it. Ask yourself, “Do I feel healthy? Does my body need anything? Am I happy?”
    1. Write a letter to your boss. Don’t give it to them, but write it. Write all the things you’ve never said but always wanted to, and read it every night for one week.
    1. Decide how you want to feel. For example, I wanted to feel respected, confident, creatively free, relaxed, and motivated. Decide how you want to feel and assess if your needs are met in your current workplace. (For help figuring out how you want to feel, I recommend The Desire Map by Danielle LaPorte)
    1. Journal. After you’ve gotten used to morning meditation, add journaling afterward as part of your morning ritual.
    1. Set a date—one that intuitively speaks to you, and on that day, write down what you really want. No limits, no judgment, no fear. Maybe you want to be able to work from home and raise a family. Maybe you want to be able to travel the world while you work. Maybe you want better health benefits and more beneficial perks. Whatever it is, get it down on paper.
    1. Let go. Affirm that the Universe has heard you, that it is an active forcefield of energy and working on your behalf. Create a ritual to do this. If you pray, say it in prayer. Write it down and burn it. Write it down and stick it under your pillow. Speak it out loud to an understanding friend. Whatever resonates with you, do it.
    1. Follow the clues. Signs will appear. You will be inspired to take actions that may seem crazy, weird, or out of your natural rhythm— you should probably take them anyway. I know you’ve heard that the magic happens outside of your comfort zone, and now is the time to get uncomfortable. For support in taking scary leaps of faith, I recommend reading The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, by Mark Manson.
    1. Listen to “9 to 5” by Dolly Parton. Sing it in your car at the top of your lungs. Actually, forget that—sing it at karaoke. This one’s not just for fun—singing and dancing release your heart vibes into the world and create feel-good chemicals in your brain. Plus, at karaoke, you’ll be uncomfortable, confirming your commitment to 8. Go. Sing.
    1. Continue following the clues and report back. Keep us posted. This process may take days, weeks, months, or years, but set it in motion now and see where you’re at in one year, five years, and ten years. Remember—the best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second best time is now.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Selecting the Best Rehab for Hydromet Addiction

    Selecting the Best Rehab for Hydromet Addiction

    Are you or someone you love struggling with Hydromet use? We can help you find a luxury rehab.

    Table of Contents

    1. What Hydromet is and What it is Prescribed For
    2. Slang and Street Names for Hydromet
    3. Side Effects Associated with Hydromet
    4. Deciding Whether You Need Hydromet Rehabilitation
    5. Detoxing from Hydromet
    6. Selecting the Best Hydromet Rehab for You

    What is Sublimaze and What is It Used For?

    If you or someone you know and love has an addiction to the prescription drug Hydromet, seeking out professional help is imperative. However, it can be time-consuming and challenging to go through the options and find the rehab program that will best fit your needs. This is why having access to information that helps you make an education experience is crucial.

    Understanding how Hydromet abuse can cause harm is one of the most important parts of the decision-making process. It’s also helpful to understand what rehab methods are available and the most likely to offer successful results. It can also be useful to understand the best way to identify programs that use those methods to provide the best results.

    Once you have all of this information available, you will be well on your way to make decisions that can take addiction recovery from a hope into something that is achievable and real.

    What Hydromet is and What it is Prescribed For

    Hydromet is the brand name of a prescription medication composed of hydrocodone and homatropine. This combination drug is prescribed to children and adults who are 6 years of age or older to relieve cough. The hydrocodone in this medication is a narcotic cough suppressant which reaches the couch center in the brain to make coughing stop. It is available as a syrup which is taken orally.

    If someone takes Hydromet for an extended period of time, it has the potential for being habit-forming and can cause mental and physical dependence. However, those who take the medication as prescribed have a low chance of mental dependence. If you become physically dependent on the medication, stopping use suddenly can lead to withdrawal side effects.

    Slang and Street Names for Hydromet

    As with other opioid prescription medications, Hydromet may be found sold and used in an illicit manner. There are several slang and street terms that may be used to refer to this drug on the streets. These can vary by location or even person, but some of the terms you might hear include:

    • Captain Cody
    • Dance Fever
    • Doors & Fours
    • Friend
    • Goodfella
    • Jackpot
    • Juice
    • Monkey
    • Pain Killer
    • Schoolboy
    • Tango and Cash

    Side Effects Associated with Hydromet

    Hydromet that isn’t taken as prescribed by a healthcare professional has the tendency to create more side effects than if taken as prescribed. Those who take the drug for a long time may experience increased tolerance, which means that it takes a larger amount of Hydromet to get the same results. If you are taking this medication and find that it no longer works, a medical professional should be contacted.

    If you take more than one opioid at the same time, this can also lead to more extreme side effects. The medication can cause you to feel dizzy or make you more drowsy than normal. Standing or sitting up quickly can make this side effort more likely to occur. Drinking alcohol can also interfere with the medication and exacerbate the side effects you experience.

    Constipation and dry mouth are other common side effects that you may experience. It is recommended that you visit a doctor if you do now have a bowel movement in more than three days or if your dry mouth is severe and does not go away after time. Drinking extra water or sucking on hard candy can also help with dry mouth.

    There are many other side effects that may occur when using Hydromet including:

    • Confusion
    • Dizziness
    • Hives
    • Itching
    • Lightheadedness
    • Nausea
    • Skin rash
    • Swelling of tongue, lips, or face
    • Tiredness
    • Trouble breathing
    • Vomiting

    In addition to alcohol, there are other medication that may interact with Hydromet. You should not take this medication with any of the following, unless it has been discussed with your physician:

    • Antihistamines for cough and cold or allergies
    • Some medications for anxiety or sleep
    • Some medication for depression including sertraline and fluoxetine
    • Some seizure medications including phenytoin and carbamazepine
    • General anesthetics including propofol, isoflurane, and halothane
    • Local anesthetics including tetracaine, pramoxine, and lidocaine
    • MAOIS including Nardil, Marplan, and Eldepryl
    • Other narcotic medications
    • Phenothiazines including thioridazine, mesoridazine, and chlorpromazine

    Deciding Whether You Need Hydromet Rehabilitation

    Hydromet addiction symptoms can give you insight into whether you are addicted to the drug and in need of rehab and treatment. There are 11 behaviors that opioid use disorders are based on. However, even if only a few apply, you may be addicted to the drug.

    • When not using the drug, you go through symptoms of withdrawal
    • Your tolerance level has built up where you need more Hydromet to feel normal or get high
    • You are using the drug in dangerous situations
    • The drug is harming you mentally or physically, but you continue to use it
    • Use of Hydromet is damaging relationship with people you care about
    • You are ignoring responsibilities in favor of using Hydromet
    • You spend less time engaging in enjoyable activities because of the drug
    • Most of your time is spent acquiring Hydromet or using it
    • You have extreme cravings for Hydromet
    • You increasingly take more of the drug than you planned to or wanted to
    • Your drug is out of control and you want to stop or slow down but cannot

    If you find yourself checking off more than two of these behaviors, you will be well-served by going through rehab. Professional treatment is the best way to get over your substance abuse before it creates more harm in your life and has even more long-lasting consequences.

    Detoxing from Hydromet

    It’s hard to say how long Hydromet will take to leave your system because it depends on how long you have been misusing the drug, your health status, and how much of the drug you last took. Most people, however, will experience the effects of withdrawal within 12 hours of their last dose. While the drug is leaving your brain and body, you are likely to go through many different withdrawal effects.

    The drug will largely leave your body in a couple of days, but it takes the brain a bit longer to adjust. Because of that, the withdrawal experience may last for a few days or even weeks. Withdrawal side effects that may be present include:

    • Abdominal pain
    • Elevated heart rate
    • Muscle pain
    • Nausea
    • Rapid breathing
    • Restlessness
    • Runny nose
    • Trouble sleeping
    • Vomiting
    • Watering eyes

    The experience of withdrawal is extremely negative and this is what leads to the risk of relapse. It is also why you should have professional medical support available while you go through withdrawal and detox from the drug.

    Detox is an important part of recovering from substance addiction and has to happen before you can focus on treatment. Many treatment programs will only access you if you have completely detoxing and are no longer using Hydromet.

    Some rehabilitation centers and treatment programs offer detox during intake service. This can be a great option if you are not sure you will be able to detox on your own without relapsing. Another option is to choose a facility that offers supervised detox services. After this part of recovery is complete, you can go on to a full treatment program.

    Selecting the Best Hydromet Rehab for You

    No matter what Hydromet addiction treatment you go with, you should select a facility that offers medical care. Opioids like Hydromet can create extreme dependence and medication may be needed through treatment before moving into recovery. There are several drugs that may be used to manage and treat an opioid addiction.

    One of the drugs, naltrexone, is called an opioid antagonist. What it does it stop the effects of drugs like Hydromet. This means if you relapse, taking the drug will not offer the effects you want. The other two medications, methadone and buprenorphine, are similar to opioids but at a lower strength. They can help you reduce cravings and manage withdrawal.

    Using these medications as a way to manage opioid addiction has been proven to help offer part of an effective treatment. A rehab that does not provide these medications may not be the right choice. However, medication alone is not enough to stop Hydromet addiction. Support and therapy are also crucial.

    The rehab facility that you choose should offer expert staff, medical care, and long-term therapy. Make sure any choice you consider offers those things. At that point you can delve deeper to find the program that will meet your specific needs.

    Many programs offer outpatient treatment options. This is an excellent choice for those who have home and work responsibilities or who prefer to live at home. However, many individuals with a severe addiction will prefer inpatient treatment. This offers you a safe place to prevent relapse while enjoying intensive treatment.

    Other things to consider are a price that is affordable, staff you get along with, and location of the treatment facility. You want to be sure you feel comfortable wherever you get treatment. Asking questions and meeting the staff before making a choice can be an excellent idea.

    The first step you need to take when dealing with Hydromet addiction is finding a source of help. Take the plunge and talk to someone you trust to decide what to do next or to get outside advice about which rehab is right for you. Getting quality treatment will give you a much better chance of recovery and the future you want for yourself.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Find the Best Rehabs for Dolophine Addiction

    Find the Best Rehabs for Dolophine Addiction

    Our guide can help you pick the best luxury Dolophine rehab.

    Table of Contents

    1. What is Dolophine and What is It Used For?
    2. Street Names for Dolophine
    3. How Long Does Dolophine Stay in the System
    4. What Effects Does Dolophine Cause?
    5. Adverse Side Effects
    6. Signs of a Dolophine Overdose
    6.Signs and Symptoms of Dolophine Addiction
    6.Treatment and Rehabilitation for Dolophine Addiction
    6.Choosing the Best Dolophine Rehab Center

    What is Sublimaze and What is It Used For?

    Dependence on Dolophine is dangerous and it is essential that treatment is sought as soon as possible. The drug is addictive, and abusing it has the potential to cause a host of problems in your life, up to and including death.

    If you feel that you, or someone you love, have developed an addiction to Dolophine, it can be a frightening time. Recovery is possible, but the first step that needs to be taken is for the addict to admit that there is a problem. By accepting that a problem with the drug is present, and by finding a Dolophine rehab facility that offers a range of treatments, the chance of recovery is improved. Top rehab facilities for Dolophine work t to help people deal with their addiction and get their life back to normal.

    What is Dolophine and What is It Used For?

    Dolophine is the brand name for methadone, an opioid that is used to provide help for patients who are undergoing opioid maintenance therapy and who are dealing with an addiction to another opioid, such as heroin. Dolophine can also be used to help patients better manage their chronic pain. However, because it is an opioid, there is also the potential for abuse.

    The drug changes the way that the brain and the nervous system respond to pain. It works on the pain center of the brain as a means to provide pain suppression, and it will generally be used for moderate to severe pain. Patients who are prescribed the drug will be those who would require long-term opioid treatment around the clock. It is used only when other treatment options are not effective for the patient.

    Doctors know there is a risk of addiction, abuse, and misuse with the drug, even when the patients are only using the recommended dosage. Therefore, the use of Dolophine is relegated to those patients that would not be able to use alternative treatments because they are either ineffective or not tolerated.

    The Schedule II drug can be taken via several different methods.

    • Injectable solution
    • Tablet
    • Dispersible tablet
    • Oral solution
    • Oral concentrate solution

    Street Names for Dolophine

    Dolophine has a range of street names whenever it is sold or obtained illegally. Because it is simply a brand name for morphine, you will find that the following street names refer to morphine regardless of the brand. When it is in the liquid form, some of the street names include the following.

    • Tango and Cash
    • TNT
    • Dance fever
    • Murder 8
    • Goodfella

    It also has other names that it is typically referred to when it is in tablet form. The most popular include the following.

    • M
    • Duramorph
    • Aunti Em
    • Aunti
    • White stuff
    • Morph
    • Drone
    • Monkey

    These are some of the known street names for the drug. However, the names can and do change over time.

    How Long Does Dolophine Stay in the System

    Knowing how long the drug can stay in the system will help to prevent overdose. Once a person takes a dose of the morphine, it will begin to take effect within 15 minutes to an hour, and the effects themselves will last for about four to six hours. There are also extended release options that will allow for longer lasting effects. In those cases, the effects might be present for 12 to 24 hours. The drug has a short half-life, and half of it will be metabolized in between 1.5 and seven hours. It will typically take only 72 hours for a single dose of Dolophine to be eliminated through the urine.

    The body will become tolerant to the use of Dolophine over time, which means doctors will typically have to adjust the dosages. The same is true for those who begin to take the drug illicitly. They become used to it and need to increase the amount they are taking to get the same feeling as before.

    What Effects Does Dolophine Cause?

    In addition to helping suppress pain and help with the withdrawal from other opiates, there are a number of other effects that are often felt by the users of the drug. There are feelings of euphoria, for example, which is one of the reasons that people start to abuse the drug. They continue to chase those feelings of euphoria. Some of the other common effects that can be found when taking the medication include:

    • Dilating pupils
    • Drowsiness
    • Dysphoria
    • Hallucinations
    • Delusions

    Adverse Side Effects

    In addition, there are a number of adverse side effects that could occur when taking Dolophine. Some of the most common include:

    • Agitation
    • Dizziness
    • Constipation
    • Faintness
    • Depression
    • Nausea
    • Weakness
    • Vomiting
    • Seizures

    Signs of a Dolophine Overdose

    Because people will often take more and more of the drug to get the same feeling, there is a chance of an overdose. Some of the most common symptoms of an overdose from the drug include:

    • Constricted pupils
    • Bluish color to the lips and fingertips
    • Cold and clammy skin
    • Slow heartbeat
    • Limp muscles
    • Loss of consciousness
    • Respiratory arrest
    • Myocardial infarction
    • Coma

    Abuse of the drug can lead to death, as well. Addiction and abuse is a very serious matter. Even though this drug might be utilized as a means to help people who are addicted to heroin and other opioids, it is still extremely dangerous and addictive on its own.

    Those who believe they have overdosed or who have a loved one who has overdosed need to get into contact with emergency services right away to get help.

    Signs and Symptoms of Dolophine Addiction

    How do you know if yourself or a loved one might be suffering from a morphine addiction? Those who are addicted will find that they no longer have the same interest in their old hobbies and the things that they used to enjoy. Their minds are preoccupied with Dolophine, and they are often looking for ways that they can find more of the drug so they do not run out. Some will also have problems at work or at school, and financial problems might manifest, as well. This is especially true if the individual no longer has a prescription and is resorting to buying drugs on the street.

    The sooner someone gets help with their morphine addiction the better. Finding a quality Dolophine rehab center that offers a range of treatment options can make a world of difference.

    Dolophine Detox

     

    The drug itself is used to help patients to stop taking other opioids, but those who become dependent will also need to detox from Dolophine. This will help to suppress the symptoms of withdrawal. Patients are gradually weaned off the drug. This should only be done with the help and guidance of a professional at a Dolophine rehab that can ensure safety for yourself or your loved one.

    The withdrawal symptoms from Dolophine and other opioids can be severe. The symptoms will often mimic those of a bad flu. Some of the common symptoms include:

    • Runny nose
    • Chills
    • Body ache
    • Nausea
    • Loss of appetite
    • Twitching muscles
    • Panic attacks

    Rather than trying to quit “cold turkey,” which can be dangerous and painful from a physical and mental standpoint, it is important to find a quality rehabilitation center for treatment and recovery. Typically, the facility will medically detox a person, which means the dosage will be reduced gradually over a period of time, which will let the body adjust to having less and less of the drug in the system. After the patient has tapered off the drug, they can then become a part of a Dolophine rehabilitation program.

    Treatment and Rehabilitation for Dolophine Addiction

    Typically a rehabilitation center will provide a range of different types of treatment options. There are inpatient options, which have patients living at the rehabilitation center and going through a range of therapies each day. One of the major benefits of inpatient rehab is that it will eliminate the potential for relapse since there will not be any drugs at the facility.

    In some cases, a patient might be better suited for outpatient treatment. They might have already completed an inpatient stay, and they want to continue with their treatment and support from home. Other times, a patient might have family obligations or work obligations, and outpatient treatment is the best solution for them.

    Those who are going through the rehab will find that there are many different types of treatment that are available. This includes individualized counseling, group treatment, and cognitive behavioral therapy, for example. When you enter a quality Dolophine rehab center, you can work with addiction counselors and mental health professionals that can provide a treatment plan that will help with all of the issues you are facing.

    Choosing the Best Dolophine Rehab Center

    Finding the right Dolophine rehab center is essential to your recovery, and it is one of the most important decisions you can make. The best treatment centers available today make use of evidence-based treatment methods, and they are able to provide customized treatment that can help meet the needs of each patient who needs help. Those who started out taking Dolophine as a means to control chronic pain can work with the facility to find other ways to treat that pain.

    Your situation is unique, and your recovery and treatment services should be unique, as well. Quality clinics know how to provide motivation for clients, and they know how to explain things simply to those who may be nervous or confused about what they are going through. Find a Dolophine addiction treatment center that provides you with hope and quality treatments.

    Resources: https://reference.medscape.com/drug/methadose-dolophine-methadone-343317

    https://www.pdr.net/drug-summary/Dolophine-methadone-hydrochloride-727

    https://www.drugs.com/pro/dolophine.html

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • How Do You Find Rehab for Oxycontin Addiction?

    How Do You Find Rehab for Oxycontin Addiction?

    Looking for help with oxycontin addiction? Read our guide to find out how to find the right luxury rehab.

    Table of Contents

    1. What is Oxycontin and what causes Oxycontin addiction?
    2. Oxycontin withdrawal side effects and timeline
    3. What are the Oxycontin slang names?
    4. What is the best Oxycontin addiction treatment?
    5. How to find the best rehab for Oxycontin addiction treatment?
    6. Location
    7. Facilities
    8. Services
    9. Reputation
    10. How important is the aftercare for Oxycontin addiction treatment?

    It’s tough to determine the exact reason why people get into addiction. There can be several factors contributing to addiction problems in individuals. Most substance abuse victims begin addiction due to stress, low self-esteem, relationship issues, medical issues or just for the sake of experimenting. Families can have a significant impact on people’s addiction as well. Some people grow up seeing their close relatives using drugs or alcohol and perceive substance abuse as a sensible thing to do. Youngsters often fall victim to substance abuse due to peer pressure. Addictive substances like drugs and alcohol offer an immediate sense of relief and satisfaction helping people leave their worries momentarily.

    Drugs and alcohol react with the brain to release a chemical called dopamine, which gives an instant pleasurable sensation. Most people consider this as an escape from their seemingly imperfect life and become highly dependent on it. Some people mix two or more drugs to create an even intense sensation. This is drug abuse, and the effects can be more dangerous than taking a single type of drug alone.

    Most substance abuse victims fail to realize that these substances are detrimental to the mind and body in the long run. Once a person stops using drug or alcohol, they experience intense cravings, and even though they don’t give in to those cravings, their body undergoes many side effects. The common side effects associated with most substance abuse are:

    • Headache
    • Nausea
    • Vomiting
    • Anxiety
    • Insomnia
    • Dry Mouth
    • Fever
    • Mood Swings
    • Depression
    • Hallucinations
    • Weakness
    • Slow Heart Rate
    • Loss of Appetite

    What is Oxycontin and what causes Oxycontin addiction?

    In recent years, the rate of prescription drug abuse is rising at an alarming rate. There is a high risk of addiction associated with drugs like Oxycodone. Oxycodone is an opioid analgesic used to subdue severe ongoing pain from cancer, arthritis, etc. It’s sold under the drug name Oxycontin and is only prescribed to opioid-tolerant patients. The maximum permissible dosage for Oxycontin is 40mg per tablet. The drug should be taken only once every 12 hours. Dependence on Oxycontin for a long time can lead to addiction or overdose.

    Legally, the sale of Oxycontin is only limited to patients who have cancer; however, Oxycontin abuse takes place by crushing the tablet to snort or swallow it. By doing so, they destroy the time-release mechanism of the drug and experience a high similar to the one produced by heroin. An overdose of Oxycontin can be lethal and can lead to coma or death.

    People who have been using pain killers for a long time often become dependent on them to the extent that they crave for pain killers even when the pain is controllable. Prescribing opiates for pain should be the last resort for any medical problem and also if they are put on opioid medication, the dosage should be monitored strictly to avoid cases of overdose or addiction. The initial sign of addiction is withdrawal from social life. If you notice someone in your family or friend circle who is constantly distancing themselves, please talk to them and support them as much as possible.

    Oxycontin withdrawal side effects and timeline

    Oxycontin withdrawal can start with 5 to 8 hours of the last intake. Within 12 hours of withdrawal, most victims experience flu-like symptoms which are accompanied by other withdrawal symptoms associated with Oxycontin intake. For most, the withdrawal effects last from 1 to 3 weeks. Seeking medical help is necessary in case of any discomfort or withdrawal symptoms like:

    • Anxiety
    • Restlessness
    • Muscle Cramps
    • Chills
    • Sweating
    • Diarrhea
    • Rapid Heartbeat
    • Blurred Vision
    • Nausea
    • Abdominal Pain

    What are the Oxycontin slang names?

    Oxycontin is available under various street names such as:

    • Hilly Billy
    • Blues
    • Kickers
    • OC
    • Oxy
    • Ox
    • OxCotton
    • 40 (for 40 mg pill)
    • 80 (for 80 mg pill)

    What is the best Oxycontin addiction treatment?

    Before looking for specific addiction treatments, every person suffering from addiction needs to undergo detoxification. It helps people decrease their dependence on drugs without facing any adverse side effects. Detoxification can last for months depending on the need of the patient. Oxycontin detoxification helps to lower the drug dependence and eventually stop its usage completely.

    Some people who are looking to overcome Oxycontin addiction avoid seeking medical help due to the fear of painful detox treatment. For such patients, rapid detox treatment can be beneficial. Rapid detox is carried out in a private facility where a medically induced detox treatment is used to overcome opioid dependence. For most of the rapid detox, patients are kept sedated to ensure that they experience minimum pain.

    Once the detoxification process is completed successfully, patients can move towards an active rehab program. The rehab program varies depending on the type of drug that is dealt with and also the needs of the patient. If your withdrawal symptoms are well in control, your doctor may recommend an Outpatient rehab program for you. In an Outpatient program, you don’t need to stay within the rehab facility for your treatment. Outpatient rehab programs give you the freedom to live your life freely while undergoing rehab sessions from time to time. However, you should be particular about your visit and never miss a session.

    For people who are still dealing with significant withdrawal symptoms, an inpatient rehab program will help them recover without any risk. Inpatient rehab facilities require patients to stay within their facility under strict observation and get regularly treated by an experienced team of doctors and medical professionals. Inpatient rehab treatment is also known as residential rehab. Other than Inpatient and Outpatient rehab treatment, there are a few different types of detox programs as well. A Partial Hospitalization program (PHP) is an intensive outpatient program where patients have to attend the rehab program 5-7 days a week and spend most of the day undergoing treatment. At night, they can return to their home and sleep.

    In addition to this, most rehab offers Dual Diagnosis support. It’s very common for people to suffer from mental health problems due to substance abuse. Issues like anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder are all mental health problems linked to addiction. When someone with an addiction problem also deals with mental health issues, it’s known as a dual diagnosis. This is a severe problem and needs to addressed alongside drug disorder.

    Rehab facilities along with treating drug problems also create awareness and educate patients about the harmful effects of drugs. They conduct regular counseling sessions and group therapies for victims of addiction and even involve their close friends and family to make the entire rehab process more effective. Rehab facilities are not just treatment centers for drug victims, but they have a holistic approach to healing.

    Whether you go for the conventional detox or rapid detox, the pain associated with the process cannot be entirely eliminated. To overcome the pain during Oxycontin addiction treatment,patients can try to exercise regularly, eat a balanced diet, and get enough sleep to prepare the body to sustain the detox treatment.

    How to find the best rehab for Oxycontin addiction treatment?

    Finding the right rehab is as tricky as getting out of an addiction. Proper research and recommendations can help you find the best rehab for your addiction treatment. Enroll in a rehab program that covers most of your treatment expenses so that you don’t have to face any financial struggle or stop your rehab treatment midway. If you know anyone who has been to rehab before, ask for their recommendation as well. Once you shortlist a few rehab facilities that have partnerships with medical insurance providers, you need to look out for these features:

    Location

    If you’re dealing with mental health problems along with drug addiction, signing up for Inpatient treatment that deals with multiple patients together within their facility might not be a wise choice. For them, private rehab can be more beneficial. Moreover, the environment around your rehab facility should be calm and pollution-free. Ensure that your rehab is located conveniently at a place where there’s not much crowd.

    Facilities

    Get the rehab facility information booklet and check out the facilities available for the patients. See whether they have a separate housing complex for the patients within the facility or if they are accommodated somewhere adjacent to the rehab facility. Also, inquire about the tools and techniques used for the treatment.

    Services

    Check the list of doctors and medical staff in the rehab and ensure they are well qualified to handle all types of addiction victims. Also, make sure that the services provided are on time and efficient enough.

    Reputation

    Finally, check out online reviews and ratings about the rehab facility. See what other people have to say about the services offered at the rehab. If possible, get in touch with former alumni and talk to them about the quality of services provided there. This will give you a clear idea about the rehab.

    How important is the aftercare for Oxycontin addiction treatment?

    Aftercare treatment for Oxycontin is as necessary as undergoing Oxycontin addiction treatment. People who have just completed their drug addiction therapy have a high chance to relapse with proper aftercare sessions. Aftercare sessions help people to stay away from substance abuse for a lifetime and control any cravings that may arise ever.

    Aftercare sessions focus on rigorous counseling and educating addiction victims, their family and friends on common issues and stigmas related to addiction. A lot of people cannot come clean about their addiction or find it hard to admit that they have an addiction problem because society generally perceives them as a burden.

    Only proper knowledge and openly discussing the problem can help change that misconception among people. By encouraging a lot of people to participate in aftercare services, the rehab centers ensure that there is always someone to provide immediate support when relapses happen.

    If you’re suffering from addiction, don’t delay your treatment. Get immediate help and start your recovery process soon. Continuous drug usage makes it hard to get rid of the addiction, and the path to recovery also gets stressful. Don’t move away from friends and family if you’re dealing with addiction; talk to them and tell them about your challenges to get the right support and supervision you’ve been looking for.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • What Are the Best Rehab Options for Kadian Addiction?

    What Are the Best Rehab Options for Kadian Addiction?

    Are you looking for help in quitting Kadian? Let us help you find a luxury rehab for treatment.

    Table of Contents

    1. What is Kadian and What is its Medical Use?
    2. Development of Kadian Addiction
    3. Detox Prepares You for Participation in Addiction Rehab
    4. Settings for Kadian Rehab
    5. Kadian Treatment Plans
    6. Picking the Top Kadian Treatment Facility for Your Needs

    If you’re dealing with the effects of Kadian addiction, you must receive specialized care if you hope to recover. Help is available from a wide variety of rehab facilities. However, not every program you see advertised meets modern guidelines for effective addiction treatment. In fact, many programs fail to come close to this rigorous standard.

    For the best Kadian rehabilitation programs, the use of proven frontline treatments is just the beginning. They also take the steps required to personalize your recovery and maintain safety and comfort throughout the process. By going the extra mile, these rehab programs do everything possible to help you achieve and maintain sobriety and a substance-free lifestyle.

    What is Kadian and What is its Medical Use?

    Kadian is an extended-release capsule with the active ingredient morphine (morphine sulfate). It’s intended for the treatment of moderate or severe pain, but only in certain circumstances. To qualify for appropriate use of the medication, you must have symptoms serious enough to call for long-term, 24/7 relief. In addition, your pain must require relief from an opioid rather than a less powerful analgesic option.

    Kadian is available in generic form. Additional brand-namemedications with morphine sulfate as their active ingredient include Arymo ER, MS Contin, Avinza, Duramorph and Oramorph SR.Street names for prescription products that contain morphine include:

    • Monkey
    • M
    • Miss Emma
    • White Stuff

    Development of Kadian Addiction

    Kadian has verified usefulness as a reliever of moderate and severe pain. However, since it contains morphine (a highly addictive substance that’s also the source of heroin), it can form the basis of a pattern of substance abuse. People who lack prescriptions for this medication participate in abuse even when taking it on a single occasion. Prescription-holders have two potential avenues of abuse: consuming too much of the medication at once and taking separate doses too often.

    Even legitimate users of Kadian can become dependent on the medication. In some cases, they may also transition from medically manageable dependence to uncontrolled addiction. Risks for addiction are higher for people who abuse the medication in any way.

    Kadian addiction and damaging, non-addicted abuse are forms ofa larger condition called opioid use disorder. To receive a diagnosis for this condition, you must have two or more symptoms of abuse/addiction within a period of 365 days. The list of 11 possible problems includes:

    • Taking excessively large doses of this medication
    • Taking this medication too frequently
    • Inability to regain control over your level of Kadian intake
    • Holding to a pattern of use that you’re aware damages you mentally or physically
    • Holding to a pattern of use that you’re aware damages any of your most important relationships
    • The appearance of morphine cravings when you’re doing other things
    • Taking up Kadian abuse as a preferred form of recreation
    • Using the medication multiple times in circumstances that risk your welfare or that of others
    • Developing symptoms of opioid withdrawal if your medication use stops or declines abruptly
    • Experiencing increased tolerance to your habitual dose of morphine
    • A pattern of medication use that leaves you unwilling or unable to live up to major life obligations

    A proper diagnosis of opioid use disorder must come from an addiction specialist or another medical expert.

    Detox Prepares You for Participation in Addiction Rehab

    Your journey to successful Kadian rehab starts with medical detoxification (i.e.,detox). This term describes a supervised process in which you halt your substance abuse and eliminate morphine from your system. Cessation of any opioid by an addicted person will lead to the onset of withdrawal. Basically, withdrawal symptoms are your brain’s way of signaling its distress at the changes in its now-accustomed chemical environment.

    Opioid withdrawal is well-known for taking place in two distinct phases. In the initial phase, the changes in your brain chemistry trigger symptoms such as feelings of anxiety and increased production of sweat, tears and mucus. Additional common effects include sleep disruption, frequent yawning and achy muscles. Second-phase withdrawal is accompanied by things such as pupil dilation, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. You may also experience goose flesh and cramps in your stomach or abdomen.

    To ease your rehab detox symptoms,your doctor may prescribe a medication called lofexidine (LUCEMYRA). This medication, the first of its kind, received the approval of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2018.

    Detox is widely recognized by experts as merely the first step in successful recovery from substance problems. To make further progress toward lasting sobriety, you must follow up detoxification with active treatment in a Kadian rehabilitation program. Unless you do so, you seriously increase the odds that you will lapse back into Kadian abuse. In turn, this increases your chances of experiencing a lethal or non-lethal overdose.

    Active addiction treatment rehab also helps you do two crucial things. First, it improves your knowledge of how addiction works and how it affects you. While participating in a rehabilitation program, you also learn how to protect yourself from future involvement with addictive substances.

    Settings for Kadian Rehab

    Unless your addiction puts you in immediate medical danger, you will undergo Kadian rehabilitation at either an outpatient or inpatient facility. Outpatient rehab care is suitable for many people with mild problems. This treatment model calls for you to make scheduled visits to your program while living at home. It’s often valued for its flexibility and limited impact on your ability to attend work or school.

    For most people, however, inpatient rehabilitation represents a superior option. By requiring you to live onsite throughout your treatment, it provides you with access to constant medical care and monitoring. At the same time, inpatient programs make it much easier to focus on recovering from addiction rather than other sources of stress in your life.

    It’s important to note that many people with mild addiction symptoms still choose inpatient rehabilitation over outpatient rehab. That’s true, in part, because they value the opportunity to make substance recovery their clear priority. You may also opt for an inpatient program if you don’t feel your home life is stable enough to support your efforts at sobriety.

    The presence of a non-substance-related mental illness can also make inpatient rehabilitation programs a must for people with mild addiction symptoms. That’s true because a co-existing mental health condition complicates the course of effective addiction treatment. Unfortunately, there’s a high degree of overlap between substance problems and illnesses such as depression and anxiety disorders.

    Kadian Treatment Plans

    The gold standard forappropriate treatment of opioid use disorder in a rehab program is a combination of evidence-based medication and evidence-based behavioral therapy. Medications used for this purpose include both opioid and anti-opioid prescription drugs. The opioids used in your rehabilitation program (buprenorphine or methadone) are not given in amounts large enough to get you “high.” Rather, you’ll receive them in amounts that help you avoid abusive intake and keep the intensity of withdrawal in check.

    The anti-opioid approved for Kadian rehab is called naltrexone. It produces its benefits by shutting off morphine’s access to your brain. Without this access, the medication can’t trigger its classic drug effects in your system.

    The behavioral therapies used in addiction treatment rehab all have one common goal: altering behaviors and thought patterns that help support your intake of addictive substances. Each specific therapy achieves this larger objective in its own way. Options that can play a part in your recovery plan include:

    • CRA (community reinforcement approach) plus vouchers
    • Motivational incentives and contingency management
    • Family behavior therapy
    • 2-step facilitation

    Picking the Top Kadian Treatment Facility for Your Needs

    Before deciding on where to seek treatment for Kadian rehabilitation, you should know something about the standards used to measure addiction treatment programs. To begin with, all worthwhile recovery facilities employ experts with verifiable expertise in their field. In addition, they follow current guidelines and provide care through the combination of behavioral therapy and medication.

    When you call a rehab program for help or advice, you should receive clear answers to any questions that you ask. Among the things you should check for is an enrollment process that begins with a complete health assessment. Such an assessment should take account of your addiction symptoms, as well as your mental status and any physical conditions that could affect your treatment. The results of your screening will help determine the most appropriate setting for you to receive care.

    As a rule, top-notch rehabilitation programs do more than provide direct treatment for your substance problems. They also offer supportive options that help promote your overall well-being throughout your enrollment. Additional elements of care may include offerings such as:

    • Stress management classes
    • Meditation
    • Music or art therapy
    • Yoga or other movement-focused exercises

    In addition, the best programs offer some form of follow-up care or aftercare. For example, a person who completes a stay in inpatient care may return periodically on an outpatient basis. Aftercare makes it easy for all program alumni to receive additional assistance once their primary enrollment comes to an end.

    All of these considerations can seem like a lot to handle at once. However, no matter which options you uncover, the goal remains your short- and long-term recovery from addictive substance use. As long as you keep this in mind, you’ll be well-positioned to make smart choices that support that goal.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Guide to Clorazepate Addiction Treatment

    Guide to Clorazepate Addiction Treatment

    Looking for the best Clorazepate addiction treatment? Read our guide for help in finding the best one for you.

    Table of Contents

    1. What is Clorazepate and What is it Used For?
    2. Development of Clorazepate Addiction
    3. Diagnosing Clorazepate Dependency
    4. Clorazepate Detox and Withdrawal Symptoms
    5. Inpatient and Outpatient Rehab Options for Clorazepate Addiction
    6. Personalized Treatment Services for Clorazepate Addiction
    7. Choosing the Best Clorazepate Rehab Facility for You

    Clorazepate addiction is a serious medical disorder. Left unaddressed, it can ruin your life or the life of your loved one.

    Once it develops, you must act quickly. Men and women struggling to overcome clorazepate addiction need trained professional assistance. They need a warm and supportive, healing-oriented environment. High-quality rehab facilities can offer just this type of specialized service, as they guide their clients along a sustainable path to recovery.

    What is Clorazepate and What is it Used For?

    Clorazepate (clorazepate dipotassium) is a prescription medication from the benzodiazepine family. It is a sedative that works by suppressing activity in the central nervous system, inducing a calm and relaxed state.

    The drug is most commonly sold under the brand name Tranxene. Other brand names for clorazepate include Gen-Xene, Novo-Clopate and Tranxilium.

    Among those who misuse clorazepate and other benzodiazepines for their intoxicating effects, clorazepate is often referred to by its street names, such as:

    • Benzos
    • Candy
    • Chill pills
    • Totem polls
    • Tranks
    • Downers
    • Blues
    • Sleeping pills
    • Z bars
    • Nerve pills

    Clorazepate is most frequently prescribed for the short-term treatment of anxiety. It may be given to people who’ve been diagnosed with anxiety disorders, or to those struggling with anxiety in specific situations.

    The drug may also be prescribed for the treatment of seizures, since it does have anticonvulsant properties. In addition, it may be used in detox to help people experiencing alcohol withdrawal manage their symptoms.

    Clorazepate is a potent medication and is generally quite effective against the conditions it is used to treat. It can be used safely in most instances, as long patients follow the instructions of their doctors.

    The problem comes when people use too much of it or take it for too long. Benzodiazepines are highly addictive when misused, and clorazepate abuse can have significant long-term effects.

    Development of Clorazepate Addiction

    Clorazepate addiction may develop suddenly, especially if the drug is used for more than a month.

    Benzodiazepines cause relaxed states by targeting receptors in the brain that normally bind with a neurotransmitter called GABA. Binding with clorazepate, or with naturally produced GABA molecules, will reduce the intensity of your anxiety. Naturally, this is experienced as something positive and will help you cope with disabling anxiety symptoms.

    But this process remains effective only if you take clorazepate in measured doses, and for a limited period. When you take the drug continuously, tolerance will build. You’ll need to take more and more clorazepate to achieve the same effects, signifying that your GABAreceptors are becoming less sensitive to the drug’s presence. This sets up a vicious cycle of ever-escalating Tranxene usage, until clorazepate dependence develops.

    At this stage, you’ll likely experience numerous clorazepate side effects, caused by the impact of taking so much of it for so long. This is inevitable when you become addicted to benzodiazepines of any type.

    Some of the more common clorazepate addiction symptoms include:

    • Daytime drowsiness
    • Chronic fatigue
    • Stomach cramps or queasiness
    • Slurred speech
    • Blurred vision
    • Dry mouth
    • Constipation
    • Dizziness
    • Headaches
    • Unexplained rashes
    • Mental confusion

    When the abuse turns to dependence, the effects of the drug begin to lessen. Cravings for the drug intensify, even though taking more clorazepate will no longer bring relief. Anxiety and agitation will actually increase as the drug loses it calming capacities.

    At this point, you might be at risk for a clorazepate overdose. More than 11,000 people die each year in the United States from the effects of a benzodiazepine overdose. The risks are especially high for those who mix drugs like clorazepate with alcohol or other mind-altering substances.

    Diagnosing Clorazepate Dependency

    Only a trained addiction specialist or medical professional can diagnose clorazepate addiction. To do so, they will search for the telltale signs of Tranxene dependency, which could include:

    • Strong cravings for the drug
    • Withdrawal symptoms experienced when usage stops
    • An inability to stop using clorazepate for more than a few hours
    • Taking the drug for longer or in heavier amounts than originally intended
    • Spending inordinate amounts of time using clorazepate, acquiring it or recovering from overconsumption
    • Increased tolerance for clorazepate, marked by increasing usage
    • Continuing to use the drug despite its negative impact on physical or psychological disorders
    • Continuing to use the drug despite it causing relationship problems
    • Neglecting important personal, professional or family-related responsibilities because of clorazepate
    • Abandoning favorite hobbies or activities because of your drug use
    • Continuing to take clorazepate even after your drug use put you in danger

    If these behaviors sound familiar, you should seek an evaluation for clorazepate dependency right away.

    When you’ve been diagnosed with clorazepate addiction, the time to seek treatment is immediately. Failing to do so will put your health in danger.

    Clorazepate Detox and Withdrawal Symptoms

    Benzodiazepine dependence causes significant changes in brain and body chemistry. It is these changes that cause cravings for the drug. Withdrawal symptoms will develop quickly if those cravings are denied.

    It is a mistake to quit powerful pharmaceutical medications like clorazepate cold turkey. Clorazepate withdrawal symptoms will only get worse, making it very difficult to preserve a commitment to stop using the drug.

    If you stop taking clorazepate suddenly, without gradually lowering your dosages, serious withdrawal symptoms are inevitable. These unpleasant clorazepate withdrawal effects may include:

    • Agitation and nervousness
    • Nausea and vomiting
    • Insomnia
    • Diarrhea
    • Memory loss
    • Disorientation
    • Uncontrollable tremors
    • Muscle aches or cramps
    • Heavy sweating
    • Seizures
    • Hallucinations
    • Delirium
    • Suicidal thoughts or actions

    These symptoms are highly unpleasant and can even be hazardous in some instances. If clorazepate addiction is complicated by the use of alcohol or other drugs, withdrawal effects may be even more intense.

    To facilitate a lasting recovery, people looking to overcome a benzodiazepine addiction should go through medical detox before they begin formal addiction treatment. This is the first step to healing, and top Tranxene rehab centers usually offer comprehensive clorazepate detox services onsite.

    During detox, you will gradually taper your doses of clorazepate. This gives your body a chance to regain its equilibrium while making sobriety much easier to sustain. Clorazepate withdrawal symptoms may still be experienced but in less severe form.

    Formal detox for prescription benzodiazepines generally lasts for up to 10 days. However, this can be extended if the addiction is severe or other medical complications arise. Detox facilities are designed to treat all existing physical or mental health conditions, in a hospital-like setting where 24-hour medical care is available.

    Clorazepate is a long-acting benzodiazepine. This means it stays in the body longer than many other drugs in its class. Consequently, its withdrawal symptoms often won’t peak until more than a week has passed. In most cases, this means the tapering process for this drug must be extended beyond the initial detox period.

    This shouldn’t delay the onset of addiction treatment, however. The purpose of detox is to help the patient safely manage the worst of their clorazepate withdrawal symptoms. Once stability has been achieved and withdrawal effects are under control, formal treatment for clorazepate addiction can begin.

    Inpatient and Outpatient Rehab Options for Clorazepate Addiction

    Top drug and alcohol rehab centers feature both inpatient and outpatient treatment programs. Diverse offerings are necessary to meet the diverse needs of clients.

    In most instances, inpatient treatment will be recommended for men and women addicted to clorazepate. Residential treatment plans provide round-the-clock supervision and access to vital healthcare services of all types. This can be essential if comorbid mental health problems have been diagnosed, as they frequently are in people who have substance use disorders.

    Some people who abuse Tranxene also develop other substance use disorders. In addition to putting themselves at higher risk for clorazepate overdose, they may also become addicted to alcohol, opioids or any other intoxicating substances.

    In these cases, recovery can be a long and complicated affair. Inpatient treatment programs offer the kind of comprehensive services that are usually necessary to achieve full sobriety.

    Inpatient treatment is an immersion recovery experience, and that is often ideal for people struggling with benzodiazepine dependence. If your home environment is chaotic, stressful or unsupportive, staying at a treatment facility full-time can help protect you from these negative influences. It can also keep you away from people or situations that may have triggered your drug abuse in the past.

    But some people simply don’t have time available to enter inpatient rehab programs. They have career, family or personal responsibilities that cannot be easily put aside. If inpatient rehab is their only choice, they might decide to forego treatment altogether.

    To avoid this contingency, top clorazepate addiction treatment centers feature outpatient options that let clients customize their recovery schedules according to their individual needs.

    Rehab services will still be provided on a daily basis, in a supportive environment where access to addiction specialists and peer support groups is guaranteed. But only a few hours a day will be spent at the rehab facility. The rest of the day will be left free for other activities. If you choose inpatient clorazepate addiction treatment, you will be free to return to your home to eat, sleep and interact with your family.

    Standard outpatient programs may involve less than 10 hours of treatment services per week. Intensive outpatient programs and partial hospitalization programs will involve longer time commitments. However, they may be recommended if your addiction is severe. What is most important is that you have the time you need to truly heal.

    Regardless of your choice of inpatient or outpatient treatment, your time in Tranxene rehab is likely to last for one to three months. Aftercare programs will be made available and will be included in your recovery regimen as well. This is necessary to keep you focused and on track to long-term sobriety.

    Personalized Treatment Services for Clorazepate Addiction

     

    Superior treatment for clorazepate abuse will be personalized to fit your medical and personal requirements.

    Every person is different, which is why recovery plans must be customized if they are to have maximum impact. The medical professionals employed by top addiction rehab centers understand this. They always work closely with clients to make sure they offer the right types of intervention, chosen carefully and with clear goals in mind.

    Your recovery plan will include a full and comprehensive menu of rehabilitation services. It will keep you busy at all times, completely absorbed in your quest for wellness. Should you carry a dual diagnosis for clorazepate dependency and another mental or behavioral health disorder, your plan will be designed to address all disorders at the same time.

    Your addiction treatment recovery plan will likely include some combination of:

    • Individual therapy. This is the foundation of your healing regimen. Daily sessions with trained addiction specialists and psychotherapists can help you confront any underlying issues that may have contributed to your drug dependency.
    • Group therapy. Regular interactions with peers working to overcome substance use disorders can be a source of moral support and constructive feedback.
    • Family therapy. Having the unconditional love and acceptance of family members can strengthen your resolve and assist you in the recovery process. Family therapy also gives you the chance to heal important relationships damaged by your drug use.
    • Holistic healing methods. Practices like yoga, meditation, massage therapy, art and music therapy, Tai Chi, biofeedback and acupuncture can increase your energy levels, improve your mood and help you achieve a more relaxed state of mind.
    • Life skills and coping skills classes. These types of classes can help people recovering from addiction gain greater understanding and perspective on their lives. In these courses you will learn how to avoid self-destructive traps that could derail your sobriety.

    The purpose of recovery is to equip you with the insights and strategies you need to resist the temptation to take clorazepate again. Recovery from addiction is a lifelong process, and you’ll only preserve your sobriety if you are prepared to handle each and every challenge involved.

    Top Tranxene rehab centers rely on evidence-based methodologies with a proven record of success. If you are diligent about your recovery program, and participate willingly with a positive attitude, your time in treatment can be the start of a whole new life.

    Choosing the Best Clorazepate Rehab Facility for You

    Before enrolling in an addiction treatment program, you should visit several facilities first. Ideally, you should do so in the company of family members and friends who can offer their input and guidance. As you tour the facilities and speak to administrators and staff members, you should ask a lot of questions and observe everything going on around you as closely as you can.

    The best clorazepate addiction treatment centers will welcome your feedback and be glad to answer all your questions. They will be open and honest about the challenges you’ll face during your recovery. But they’ll work with you to develop a clear and sustainable plan for recovery.

    The right Tranxene rehab facility for you is the one that makes you feel most comfortable. It is the one that leaves you filled with optimism and convinced that wellness is within your grasp.

    The ultimate goal of clorazepate addiction treatment is straightforward. It is to help you find lasting sobriety, free from clorazepate and any other substances you may have been abusing.

    Rehab for clorazepate dependency can renew your hope for a brighter future. Clorazepate addiction is a life-altering medical condition that will not get better on its own. If you take the initiative to overcome it you can find success. But the time to act is now, before you sacrifice another day or another hour to a drug that once helped but is now only causing you harm.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • How to Find the Best Rehab for Tranxene Addiction

    How to Find the Best Rehab for Tranxene Addiction

    Looking for a Tranxene rehab? Our guide can help you find the right treatment center.

    Table of Contents

    1. What is Tranxene and How is it Used?
    2. Possible Symptoms in Tranxene/Clorazepate Users
    3. Tranxene Dependence
    4. Tranxene Addiction
    5. Possible Symptoms of Tranxene Abuse and/or Addiction
    6. Detox Comes Before Active Treatment in Rehab
    7. Next Stop: An Addiction Treatment Program
    8. Outpatient Care and Inpatient Care
    9. Proven Treatment and Recovery Options
    10. Picking the Right Addiction Program

    If you or someone you know has a Tranxene addiction, your future well-being depends on your ability to find the appropriate resources for treatment. However, what do you do when you can’t tell quality programs from those that don’t meet accepted standards for care?

    First, you must increase your understanding of how substance abuse can turn into addiction. In addition, you must spend some time learning the basics of effective rehabilitation. And to receive the best possible care, you must also learn how to focus on programs that combine core addiction expertise with personalized plans suitable for even the most unique treatment circumstances.

    What is Tranxene and How is it Used?

    Tranxene is the branded trade name of a medication called clorazepate (i.e., clorazepate dipotassium). It belongs to a widely prescribed group of substances called benzodiazepines. Members of this group can be used as anti-anxiety treatments (i.e., anxiolytics), sedatives or tranquilizers. Each approved use is based on benzodiazepines’ ability to decrease the amount of activity generated in your brain and spinal cord (central nervous system).

    Tranxene and other members of this large family achieve an activity decrease by boosting levels of a natural chemical in your brain called GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid). When GABA levels rise, they essentially limit the maximum speed at which individual nerve cells can communicate. To a person who takes a benzodiazepine, this effect translates into feelings such as sedation (a reduced sense of irritation or agitation), calmness and relaxation.

    Given the similarities in the ways these prescription drugs work, it’s not surprising that they share large parts of their chemical structures. However, their impact is far from identical. While there’s plenty of overlap, any given benzodiazepine can differ from its family members in three basic ways. First, it can reach your bloodstream at a faster or slower rate. Once it reaches your brain, its effects can last for a shorter or longer amount of time. And once it loses its effectiveness, it can take a shorter or longer period of time to clear your system.

    The differences in how benzodiazepines act in your body are tied to the specific reasons that doctors prescribe them. Some medications of this type act as frontline treatments for seizure disorders. Others act as treatments for alcohol withdrawal or as temporary relief for severe cases of insomnia. In addition, benzodiazepines are often used as short- or long-term treatments for a group of mental illnesses known as anxiety disorders.

    Tranxene’s most common use is as an anxiety disorder treatment. Your doctor may prescribe it for either short-term symptom relief or ongoing control of long-term symptoms. Doctors also sometimes use it to ease the symptoms of both seizure disorders and alcohol withdrawal. The prescription drug comes in the form of a standard, non-extended-release tablet. Three dosage strengths are available.

    When you take Tranxene,its effects take hold quite rapidly. In fact, it will begin to alter your brain function in as little as half an hour. The medication is also short-acting. Depending on your level of intake and other factors, it takes only three to eight hours for an individual dose to wear off.

    In the U.S., clorazepate is also available under the brand name Gen-Xene. In addition, you may receive a generic equivalent labeled as clorazepate dipotassium. When used illicitly, prescription drugs are sometimes identified by specific street names. But Tranxene does not appear to have a commonly used informal name. Benzodiazepines in general, however, may be referred to by street names such as:

    • Benzos
    • Tranks
    • Blues
    • Chill Pills
    • Downers

    Possible Symptoms in Tranxene/Clorazepate Users

    If you take Tranxene or generic clorazepate, you may develop any one of a range of side effects. Specific symptoms you may experience include:

    • Lightheadedness
    • Fatigue
    • Sleepiness
    • Headaches
    • A confused mental state
    • A nervous mental state
    • Lack of normal saliva production

    Medical attention is only required if these symptoms persist over time or take a severe form.

    Use of the medication can also trigger side effects that always require immediate evaluation by a doctor. This list of symptoms in this more serious category includes:

    • The appearance of a rash on your skin
    • Blurry vision
    • Double vision
    • Slurring of your speech
    • Involuntary muscle tremors
    • Loss of your normal sense of balance

    You should also contact your physician if any other unexpected symptoms appear.

    Long-acting benzodiazepines are known for their potential to trigger an overdose. This power is due, in large part, to the amount of these substances that can build up in your bloodstream over time. Since your body eliminates Tranxene rapidly, its use does not come with the same degree of overdose concern. Despite this fact, an overdose is still possible if you use this prescription drug in excessive amounts.

    You can seriously increase your chances of life-threatening problems if you ever combine the use of clorazepate with the use of opioid drugs or medications. The same fact applies if you drink alcohol while taking the medication. Why?

    Opioids and alcohol both slow down your central nervous system, just like Tranxene and other benzodiazepines. When you take these substances together, they have an additive effect. This means you will experience more of a system slowdown than you would if you took any of these substances by themselves. The effect can easily exceed your body’s limits for normal, safe function. The end result can be a medical emergency with symptoms such as extreme drowsiness, intense lightheadedness, slowed breathing or other breathing problems, and unresponsive loss of consciousness.

    The combination of opioids and benzodiazepines is of particular concern. That’s true because many people who hold prescriptions for Tranxene or similar treatments also hold prescriptions for opioid painkillers. In these situations, even small errors in dosage or increases in consumption can have major negative consequences. In fact, nearly one-third of all Americans who overdose on an opioid also have a benzodiazepine circulating in their systems.

    Tranxene Dependence

    Dependence is a possibility even if you take Tranxene at dosages prescribed by your doctors. Doctors and other health experts use the term dependence to describe certain changes in your normal brain function. These changes make your brain reliant on continued medication use in order to maintain a stable chemical environment. Dependence may be more likely if you take this prescription drug as a long-term treatment for seizures or anxiety.

    If you bring your intake to a quick halt after dependence sets in, you stand a high chance of developing a significant case of Tranxene withdrawal. The same issue can also appear if you abruptly switch from a high dosage of the medication to a low dosage. Potential withdrawal symptoms you may experience include:

    • Seizures or convulsions
    • Memory disruptions
    • A nervous or irritable mental state
    • Insomnia
    • Abdominal cramps
    • Achy or cramping muscles
    • Unusual sweating
    • Uncontrollable body tremors
    • Diarrhea
    • A confused mental state
    • Vomiting

    If you take high dosages of a short-acting benzodiazepine like Tranxene, your symptoms may take a severe form.

    Despite the potential for withdrawal, clorazepate dependence is not synonymous with addiction. If you become dependent, your doctor can alter your dosage or take other steps to manage your health and help you remain functional. In stark contrast, the hallmark of addiction is an unstable state of health that disrupts your ability to avoid serious, substance-related harm.

    Tranxene Addiction

    Some people may become addicted even when using the medication appropriately. However, addiction is more often associated with some form of prescription drug misuse or abuse. You can misuse or abuse clorazepate in three ways. First, if you don’t have a prescription for it, intake of even a single dose of Tranxene is illicit and improper. You can also engage in misuse/abuse if you hold a prescription but fail to follow the terms of that prescription. In these circumstances, consumption of individual excessive doses qualifies as abuse or misuse. You also meet the same standard if you consume normal doses at intervals that are too close together.

    Tranxene addiction falls under the larger heading of an officially defined mental health condition called sedative, hypnotic or anxiolytic use disorder. Doctors and addiction specialists can also apply this diagnosis to cases of non-addicted abuse that are serious enough to disrupt key aspects of your life.

    Possible Symptoms of Tranxene Abuse and/or Addiction

    You can have a maximum of 11 separate symptoms of sedative, hypnotic or anxiolytic use disorder. At the low end, you must suffer from at least two of these symptoms in a 365-day timespan to receive a diagnosis. In moderately affected people, four or five symptoms are present. At least six symptoms affect the health of severely impacted people. When making a diagnosis in Tranxene users, doctors and other experts check for:

    • Repeated use of excessive single doses of the prescription drug
    • A recurring pattern of taking it too often
    • The appearance of strong substance cravings during various times of the day
    • Reliance on medication misuse/abuse as a favored leisure activity
    • Tolerance to the drug effects of typical doses of Tranxene
    • Use of the medication that repeatedly endangers your own physical safety or that of others
    • Refusing to change your habitual use after it produces obvious signs of harming your mental or physical well-being
    • Refusing to change your habitual use after it produces obvious signs of disrupting your most meaningful relationships
    • Scheduling your day around your need to obtain the medication, use it or recover from its drug effects
    • Shirking or otherwise failing to meet important obligations as a result of your prescription drug use
    • Appearance of the same withdrawal syndrome that affects dependent users of Tranxene

    Detox Comes Before Active Treatment in Rehab

    Before you can undertake active enrollment in a substance program, you must go through a course of medical detox (also known as medical detoxification). Detox is designed to provide proper support while you break away from your habitual pattern of substance abuse/misuse. It can take months to go through this process if you’re addicted to a long-acting benzodiazepine. However, it takes far less time to detox from a short-acting product like clorazepate.

    Benzodiazepine detox differs from many other forms of medical detoxification. To begin with, it does not involve the use of other types of medications to ease the intensity of your withdrawal symptoms. Instead, effective treatment is provided by gradually lowering your level of benzodiazepine consumption. This approach aims to stabilize your system while keeping you as free as possible from any withdrawal-related problems. At this stage, you may undergo a switch to a less powerful option from the same prescription drug family. Diazepam (Valium) is the common treatment choice in these circumstances.

    During detox, your doctor may aim to completely halt your medication intake. This abstinence-based approach prepares you for a life in which benzodiazepine use does not play a role. However, if you have ongoing problems with an anxiety disorder or seizure disorder, your doctor may decide to take another approach. Instead of halting intake use altogether, you may taper down to a lower level of intake. In this way, you will still receive the help you need for your anxiety or seizure symptoms.

    Next Stop: An Addiction Treatment Program

    The efforts you make to complete detox can quickly go to waste if you don’t continue on to enrollment in addiction treatment. For this reason, rehab is considered an essential component of any recovery process. There are several reasons why rehabilitation plays such a vital role.

    Perhaps most importantly, detox does not provide you with an opportunity to understand how and why addiction has become part of your life. It also doesn’t help you address the underlying behaviors and attitudes that help keep a pattern of substance abuse alive. In contrast, these important objectives are at the core of effective rehab programs.

    Rehab addiction treatment also supports your recovery in other ways. For example, while you’re enrolled in treatment, your care team will help you avoid relapsing back into active substance abuse. During participation, you can also reduce or eliminate your exposure to places or situations that make abuse more probable.

    Outpatient Care and Inpatient Care

    In consultation with your doctor, you can choose the best setting for receiving required care. If you only suffer from two or three symptoms of addiction, your doctor may recommend that you enroll in outpatient treatment. This form of care gives you the freedom to live at home while still receiving the help needed to support your recovery. To gain access to that help, you make regular visits to your program’s main location.

    If you suffer from more than three addiction symptoms, your doctor may instead recommend that you seek help by enrolling in inpatient treatment. This form of care requires you to reside onsite for the duration of your rehab program. While in residence, you receive ongoing oversight from your care team.

    This ready availability cuts down any risks for unforeseen treatment complications. And if complications do occur, you’ll have prompt access to medical assistance. Inpatient addiction treatment also simplifies the process of modifying or updating the specifics of your recovery plan. If you’re severely impacted by addiction, you may go through a period of hospitalization before continuing on to an inpatient facility.

    Even if you only experience two or three symptoms of Tranxene addiction, inpatient care may be better for you than outpatient care. That’s especially true if you have an anxiety disorder, personality disorder (PD) or any other life-disrupting mental health condition. When they overlap, substance issues and separate mental health issues can make a successful recovery much more difficult to achieve. Residential treatment may be essential for providing the needed level of help.

    You may also decide to enter residential rehabilitation for a couple of other reasons. For example, your home life might not be stable enough to support your recovery needs. In addition, you may want to purposefully isolate yourself so you can avoid any harmful influences in your daily life. Conversely, you may choose outpatient care over inpatient care if you lack the funds or scheduling flexibility for residential treatment.

    Proven Treatment and Recovery Options

    Unlike some types of substance treatment, benzodiazepine-related care does not focus on the use of medication. Instead, most of the assistance you receive will come in the form of behavioral psychotherapy. This modern school of treatment uses active methods to help you address the deep-seated habits that provide support for abuse and addiction.

    If you’re addicted to a benzodiazepine, you have three evidence-based options for behavioral psychotherapy. Perhaps the most common choice is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT starts by helping you realize how your typical behaviors and thoughts can bind you to a cycle of addiction. It follows up on this insight by helping you make changes that break that cycle and promote short- and long-term sobriety.

    Programs may also use a motivation-based therapy designed to help you come to grips with the need for addiction treatment rehab. A specific approach called motivational enhancement therapy is often used for this purpose. In addition, you may receive something called psychoeducation. This family-centered approach to therapy helps you and your loved ones improve your knowledge of addiction and its widespread impact. It also helps you learn how to speak up for yourself during treatment and voice any concerns.

    Picking the Right Addiction Program

    Now that you’ve improved your understanding of how programs for Tranxene addiction treatment work, you can begin choosing the right program for your needs. For starters, you should exclude any option that does not follow the accepted model for proper treatment. That model is based on medical detox followed by active recovery techniques proven to produce benefits.

    Any program you consider should be staffed with experienced experts who know how to deal with addiction in its many forms. A call to that program’s hotline should provide you with ready answers to all your questions. If necessary, the person you speak to should also be able to direct you to additional resources.

    At the start of treatment, the first thing you should expect is an intake interview that includes a complete health assessment. That assessment should cover all topics that have an impact on your odds for effective rehabilitation. In addition to your addiction symptoms, that includes the presence or absence of PD, anxiety disorders or other notable mental illnesses.

    Be aware that the best programs do much more than cover the basics in a competent way. They take a wider perspective that views addiction as just one part of your unique personal situation. By doing so, they make it much more likely that you will make effective progress on your path to sobriety. Specific things to look for in exemplary programs include supportive care options (e.g., stress management, yoga) and advanced treatments like EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing).

    Bear in mind that the right facility improves your odds for success, but it won’t do the work for you. The main factor in your recovery remains your commitment to the process. But without a doubt, it’s best to maximize your chances by choosing your treatment destination wisely.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • How To Love Yourself the Way You Love Your Addicted Child

    How To Love Yourself the Way You Love Your Addicted Child

    Our mission in life became to fix our son, get his life on track, keep him safe, and stop the madness. We became addicted to fixing our addict. In the meantime, my life was circling the proverbial drain and it was all my son’s fault… or was it?

    Stories are the cornerstone of living and loving—from oral traditions to New York Times best sellers, tales written by others and those we make up inside our minds. They help us make sense of our existence like nothing else can. Good stories tether us to life and help us transcend into new ways of being.

    There is a story rattling around in my head—a story for myself and perhaps for you. It whispers to me with prompts and questions like: What would I say to you? But then I wonder who you even are. Are you my beloved or a friend I’ve yet to meet? Someone I embrace or a ghost from whom I run? Would we pass each other on the street without a second glance or might we sit and chat over coffee for hours on end? What would I tell you if we were one and the same? No separation, no delineation. Not the stranger or the ally. Not the sober one or the drunk, but rather you, me, we. What would I tell us?

    We’re All Addicted to Something

    Those of us who’ve lived with people who have addictions—oh wait … who am I kidding? We’re all addicted to something. No one is immune. We each have the places we run when we’re feeling vulnerable, scared, or confused. We create our lives so we have our fix of choice within reach at all times. When life feels excessive or news in the broader world is crazed, we grasp at something to ease our rage, sooth our aloneness, and calm the overwhelm. We eat, we shop, we drink, we gamble or easier yet, we try to fix someone else.

    We point a finger away from ourselves and toward them. They are the one with the problem. If only he or she would stop drinking, agree with “the right” viewpoint, pay more attention to me then surely I’d feel better.

    I can’t begin to tell you the number of hours and ways I’ve spent over the last 30 years trying to improve my husband. Lucky guy, the pressure eased for him when our 13-year-old son turned to drugs and alcohol. Together, our mission in life became to fix our son, get his life on track, keep him safe, and stop the madness. We became addicted to fixing our addict.

    We tried inpatient and outpatient treatment, therapeutic boarding school, and a wilderness program. We were all in except, of course, our son, who did his best to skirt the therapy sessions, game the system, and do the bare minimum to figure out how he could get out of our fix and carry on with his agenda. In the meantime, my life was circling the proverbial drain and it was all my son’s fault… or was it?

    Hitting Rock Bottom as a Parent

    They say that true addicts must hit rock bottom before they’ll change, but what’s the rule of thumb for concerned family members? Do we have to hit rock bottom too? It doesn’t really seem fair.

    I recently met a woman who was ensnared in her 40-something-year-old daughter’s cycle. (My son is almost 30 now.) I watched this woman wring her hands and spend precious time trying to figure out how to wire money to her daughter on the other side of the world. I wondered about the difference I felt between us until I realized that that mother hasn’t hit her bottom. Some people never do. They value their child’s life more than their own. That’s what society has told us we should do. Sacrifice for others. Family first. Give to the death.

    When I hit my bottom, I began to wonder if there was another way. What if sacrificing for my son wasn’t the solution? Please don’t get me wrong, I adore my son. In fact, he has been my greatest teacher and I am deeply indebted to his role in my personal journey. I would indeed give my life for him, but I was giving him my living. I was disintegrating into my own form of insanity and it was helping no one. Not him, not my husband, not me. We were each in our own way following addiction into the darkness.

    What if love others as you love yourself looked different than I’d been taught? What if that’s exactly what I was doing? Loving him as I loved myself which turned out to be not very well at the time.

    How to Love Yourself

    I don’t recall if it was the third or fifth or nth incident with the police or treatment when I realized I had a choice. I could go into that dark hole of despair and stay there, or I could find a way to bring myself back into the light. If I could continue to love my son without joining him in the madness, then maybe I could shine a beacon for him when or if he chose to return to a healthier way of living. So in service of myself and family, I chose to light my own candle while continuing to literally light candles and offer prayers of love for all of us.

    I began to develop a journaling practice. I poured my thoughts, fears, worries, and internal and external stories onto the page every day. I wrote and wrote and wrote until I exhausted the dialogue, covered all of the what ifs, and landed at a moment of rest. Then I got up and did it again and again and again. As my practice deepened, so did my sense of peace and ability to be present to others and the world around me. I started to heal. I learned how to draw appropriate boundaries and managed to send love and light to my son even when we were estranged for months at a time. I developed empathy and compassion, regardless of whether I understood or condoned my son’s choices. And somewhere along the way, the chaos quieted. Our legacy gave way to the promise of a brighter ending.

    I remembered that authentic stories untangle us from lies, tether us to truth, and help us transcend into new ways of being.

    May it be so for you and yours.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • How to Get a Job If You Have a Felony Drug Charge on Your Record

    How to Get a Job If You Have a Felony Drug Charge on Your Record

    When someone in recovery from addiction has a felony conviction on their record, rejoining society as a normal functioning member can be daunting and far more difficult than anticipated.

    People in recovery from drug addiction who are trying to rebuild their lives with criminal records hanging over their heads now have more options than ever. For instance, they can find employment with one of the hundreds of felon-friendly companies nationwide, or take necessary steps toward getting their records expunged.

    If you are part of the ex-drug using community, you will have heard one or more of the following phrases, possibly many times:

    “I have a disease that has me breaking out in handcuffs.”

    “We’ll be signing court-cards after the meeting.”

    “What are you in for?” 
    “Felony possession of narcotics.”

    It’s no surprise when people suffering from various substance use disorders land in jail, and once you’re part of the criminal justice system, it’s difficult to ever truly be free of it. One of many unfortunate symptoms and side effects of addiction is incarceration, because although addiction is classified as a disease, the possession of narcotics is a punishable offense that often results in a misdemeanor or felony charge. Once someone is convicted of their first charge and entered into the system, a cycle is initiated. After the person is released from jail or court-mandated treatment, they are often placed on probation, which means they will either be subject to check-ins and drug tests or can be searched when pulled over or stopped. If a police officer driving behind you runs your plates and your name comes up with probation or past convictions, you are far more likely to be pulled over. Because you are now more visible and increasingly vulnerable to searches and random drug tests, it is easier to get yet another drug charge. This can go on and on until someone becomes clean, or changes their identity (just kidding, don’t do that).

    When someone in recovery from substance use disorder has a criminal record, trying to rejoin society as a normal functioning member can be daunting and far more difficult than anticipated. In addition to working on your recovery and learning to live your life in an entirely new way, you also have to worry about the wreckage of your past, including your rap sheet. Your résumé may have some random “holes” in it, which could raise questions with potential employers. And of course there are the background checks: If 30 people apply for the same job, and 29 of them don’t have heroin possession or paraphernalia charges, the employer is likely to go for one of the 29 without the rap sheet. Recovering addicts aren’t starting over with a clean slate; they have a tarnished slate and have to work that much harder and fill out that many more applications to try to catch a break. Because of this struggle, the vicious cycle of relapse, crime, and convictions is perpetuated and thus harder to break.

    Although struggling people in recovery may feel like they’re lugging around heavy baggage and a bad reputation that can be discovered in just a few minutes via Google—there is hope! There are companies that hire people with felony convictions and an abundance of resources out there to help connect job seekers with their felon-friendly potential employers. In 2016, President Obama launched a call-to-action for companies to eliminate barriers for convicts trying to rebuild their lives and gain legitimate employment. The Fair Chance Business Pledge has been signed by over 300 companies, including Google, Facebook, Uber, Starbucks, American Airlines, and The Coca-Cola Company. Several websites are designed specifically to help felons find employment, such as professional and personal development specialist Eric Mayo’s site jailtojob.com. It features links to companies that hire felons; information about his book which is designed to help convicts rejoin the workforce; and his blog and email, where he answers specific questions from people struggling with criminal pasts. Second Chance Jobs For Felons is another site designed for this purpose, and it links to hundreds of companies’ information, stats, ratings, and job openings.

    In addition to the Fair Chance Business Pledge, an initiative known as “ban the box” has been adopted by 33 states nationwide, with over 150 cities and counties. Ban the box encourages companies to ditch the check box asking applicants if they have a criminal history on their hiring applications. The goal is for ex-offenders to have an equal chance at making an impression and nailing an interview. Companies are still free to perform background checks, but it occurs later in the hiring process rather than before a candidate is fairly considered.

    Recovering addicts with criminal histories might find it frustrating to be restricted to a fraction of companies, having to track down employers that are felon friendly and then plead their case. Not all felons have to stay felons—in many states, drug-related convictions can be cleared with time and by showing a judge you’ve worked toward a better life. Ex-offenders can also take steps to have felonies expunged from their records completely.

    However difficult rebuilding a life may feel now, it doesn’t always have to feel this way. Recovering addicts with criminal records have more options than ever, including landing good jobs, getting their records expunged, and taking the necessary steps toward a brighter future. If you take these steps today, maybe you’ll be the one doing the hiring tomorrow.

    View the original article at thefix.com