Prescription Drug Addiction

If you’re like most people, you probably don’t even attempt to decipher the warning labels that come with a prescription or medicine bottle. But if you’re a recovering addict, you need to pay close attention to what you’re taking so you won’t be caught unaware. The hard work of rehab and the progress of recovery could be at risk depending on the medications your doctor prescribes.

Know What You’re Taking

Whether it’s a cough syrup for bronchitis, a pain killer for an injury, or a pill for insomnia, inform your doctor and pharmacist of your history with addictive substances before taking anything. If it’s a drug you’ve never heard of before, look it up. Most prescriptions are filled with generic equivalents that have different names than what you might have come to recognize.

Consider the Side Effects

According to a News Inferno article from July 2008, “a recent Canadian and American study found that people taking dopamine agonist drugs…which help control movement problems, were two-to-three times more likely to have at least one of four common impulse control disorders: Pathological gambling, compulsive buying, compulsive sexual behavior, and binge eating.”

Take five minutes to read those patient info cards that come with your medicine. Educating yourself about potential side effects might mean the difference between life and death. (Yes, there are medications that list death as a side effect.) Ask yourself how far you are willing to go in order to find pharmaceutical relief.

Get A Second Opinion

What if you have to see a specialist who doesn’t know your medical history or an emergency room doctor prescribes something you’re not sure about? If there’s any hesitation, for any reason, make an appointment with your regular doctor and explain your concerns again. Ask for an alternative medication if necessary and stand your ground if you’re concerns are not taken seriously.

You are the only one who has final say over your health and emotional well-being and you’ve worked so hard to get where you’re at. Don’t let a little pill knock you off the wagon.

Prescription Painkillers Versus Chronic Pain

This is a huge debate and one that has no answer as far as I can tell. It’s such a personal struggle when you’re stuck between debilitating physical pain and an equally debilitating prescription drug addiction. Is this a struggle for you? How do you make it work?

Suicide is one of the highest risk factors for a diagnosis of depression. When depression is coupled with drug or alcohol addiction, this risk worsens greatly. Chronic depression and anxiety can also be a lethal combination for someone who doesn’t feel they can go on anymore. Alcohol and drugs can seem like an answer, but they really just make a person more vulnerable to suicide. A person’s judgment becomes impaired more often and it deepens their emotional pain.

Dual Diagnosis A Double-Dagger for Suicide Risk

Just imagine – someone already believes that life is worthless and they are powerless to make anything better. Toss in some “liquid courage” or a drug that distorts reality or sends a buzzing burst of energy. A drunk person bent on suicide runs into oncoming traffic, not aware enough to reconsider their actions. Someone who feels intense despair every day allows themselves to use ever higher amounts of drugs, knowing and hoping that one time it will finish them off – the suffering can finally end.

Bipolar Has High Risk of Suicide

People with bipolar disorder are particularly prone to suicide, even without drugs or alcohol. The cycling of their mood, constantly up and down between extremes, it can all be so exhausting. The middle range doesn’t exist, or not for very long. The constant adjustment, the consequences of the impulsivity during manic episodes and the despair agitation of depression – all of it can make life feel too painful to go on. The only answer seems to be to end it all. When the distorting, numbing, isolating, and overstimulating effects of addiction go along with bipolar, a person can really be in danger if they don’t get into a solid treatment program.

Statistics show that as many as 15% of people with bipolar disorder may take their life. A person with bipolar is not most at risk when they are at rock bottom. It is instead somewhere between rock bottom and a balanced mood. They still have despair, but they also have more energy to make an attempt.

Research Reflects High Dual Diagnosis Suicide Risk

One study from 1993 examined the histories of 1400 people who had attempted suicide. Most of them had a mood disorder (some form of depression or bipolar) and about half also had drug or alcohol abuse in their life. About half of those who have a serious mental illness also have an addiction. And only a small percentage of people with dual diagnosis actually receive treatment for their problems. There are many untreated people out there that pose a greater risk for suicide than they may understand. This fact alone ought to be a high-alert for loved ones who may have seen the patterns going on and on.

Dual Diagnosis Treatment At The Canyon

Do you know someone who’s had chronic depression or anxiety and who also abuses drugs and alcohol? Hope comes from your loved one getting the proper treatment. The ticking time bomb is diffused and they gain control of their life again. The Canyon is one of the foremost experts on dual diagnosis treatment. They are second-to-none when it comes to research-based drug rehab in combination with a holistic environment.

Drug Abuse Among Medical Professionals

Doctor shopping and liberal use of internet pharmacies are just two signs of prescription drug abuse, but when it comes to the doctors or pharmacists who have easier access to these addictive substances, how can you tell if there’s drug abuse involved? Frequent drug screenings, quality control measures, and drug abuse awareness training for all employees are good places to start. Zero tolerance policies involving police reports for theft of medications are further deterrents for potential abusers.

Coming Clean Versus Getting Caught

Obviously, the best thing to do when you realize the pills are consuming you is to admit it. Supervisors, licensing boards, patients and colleagues are much more forgiving if you can muster up the courage to speak out and ask for help. Some states even provide both privacy and immunity while you take a leave of absence to enroll in rehab. There is such a thing as a second chance.

When drug abuse is discovered through other means, however, reactions aren’t nearly as supportive. Complaints from patients or co-workers, allegations of theft, police investigations… these things get messy and can ruin the reputation of not only the addict but also the health-care facility and other colleagues to boot.

Drug Rehab for Medical Professionals

While you may get to keep your job without license suspension as a reward for coming clean, the best route for treatment is intensive inpatient rehabilitation. You need to be able to focus on the work of detox and recovery before you can take on the responsibility of administering care to others.

“The success with physicians is higher than the standard population, partly because they have more at stake,” notes Paul Anderson, who runs a treatment program for professionals in Chicago. “There are also very tight monitoring and support systems, and they do very well.”

So don’t despair if you’re struggling with an addiction you can’t control. It might feel like the end of the world, but there is help out there if you’re willing to reach out. It’s a frightening feeling to realize you’re out of control, but a necessary step in order to get back to where you were.

Are you a medical professional struggling with drug and alcohol addiction? Are you in another profession where addiction of any sort is taboo? How did you handle it? What do you recommend to others in the same position?

Social relationship networks help you get through tough times in their life – a rough day at work, an argument with your sister, or even health problems. But what happens to these emotional safety nets when a person has an untreated dual diagnosis problem? Romantic relationships, friendships, family, and coworker connections can all become difficult and distant. Just when you need support the most, the very problem you have causes everyone to step back from you. Left untreated, addiction and mental illness can completely isolate someone in their darkest hours.

Lost Romantic Relationships

When people have a love relationship in their life, they often give of themselves to their partner and can expect support in return. It isn’t always 50-50, but it is generally reciprocal. Unfortunately, addiction and mental illness makes a person mostly a relationship “taker”. They need so much reassurance for their emotions, but disconnect when their partner needs support. They may refuse to do fun couple things like they used to, choosing to spend time with bottle alone or with drinking and drugging buddies. They may completely take themselves out of parenting activities, leaving the other parent unable to count on them for much. For many spouses or significant others, it may seem like they have lost an adult partner and gained a needy child. This frustrating dynamic brings on a much higher chance of divorce or break-up.

Friendships Become Strained

A friend is a great thing – they can pick you up when you are low and they’ll laugh with you when things are great. But what if life is always bad, and you complain about the trouble you find yourself in, and you forget you promised to hang out with them or you dump them because you got word about a good drug supply? They are enduring the lack of reciprocity, a lot of emotional drama, isolation, and maybe even some nasty words from you (when you were high or in the pit of depression). Or, perhaps you are slowly isolating yourself from your friends. After a few years of not making it back to town anymore or not going to any social gatherings nearby, the depth of friendships can really change. You may only be left with a few people who have the courage to face what’s really going on. Everyone else has drifted away, leaving you with many years of time on Earth with few lasting friendships to speak of.

Family Gets Frustrated

Blood is supposed to be thicker than water, thicker than anything else in the world, right? Well, even family can get highly stressed when someone they love has an untreated addiction and mental illness. Sometimes, family members have been dealing with your problem longer than anyone else. And some people can’t handle as much before that addicted person has “crossed the line”. So even a sister or brother that was close during childhood may decide they have just had enough of the worry, arguments, excuses, and stress. They can’t be around you, and they won’t let their kids be around you. That can be a heartbreaking choice for the addict and the rest of the family. If you are lucky, you have at least one family member with an extraordinary amount of patience and devotion.

Drug Rehab Can Heal Relationships

When your social, relationship, and family life becomes almost non-existent, it’s time for drug rehab. Don’t let drug and alcohol addiction or untreated depression and anxiety rob you of any more time with the people you love the most. Get drug rehab now and start your life in a new direction.

drug addiction triggers

When you least expect it, the urge to use your favorite drug can sneak up on you as furiously as a tornado. You can feel it coming, and you know it will be a horrible outcome, but you feel powerless to stop it. That’s the nature of addiction. As soon as the familiar routine kicks in, all bets are off. Afterwards you might feel failure, shame, or a sense of self-loathing strong enough to jump start the cycle of abuse all over again.

The trick is to cut it off at the pass. Pay attention to the people, places, and things that activate your urge to use. The easiest way to deal with these situations is to avoid them at all costs. Sometimes, though, that’s easier said than done.

The People That Trigger Drug Addiction

The first hurdle most addicts encounter during rehab is the suggestion that they need to cut off contact with their friends who are drug users. Understandably, resistance to this idea is strong, because it means burning bridges with those who have helped you out and been loyal to you in the past. It also means you’ll be totally alone, and that can be much more frightening than the chronic effects of long-term drug addiction.

The Places That Trigger Drug Addiction

Avoidance also means steering clear of the places you used to frequent to buy drugs. Nightclubs, bars, and private parties are out. The risk is just too great that you’ll encounter someone you know that has drugs available. And if it’s available, are you strong enough to resist the temptation? In the beginning, probably not, but after years of sobriety… maybe.

The Things That Trigger Drug Addiction

When you think about the lifestyle that revolves around drug use, what comes to mind? Music, clothing, pipes, bongs, needles, even trippy toys can conjure up the anticipation of getting high. What’s the point in keeping these items around when you’re trying to stop? They become painful reminders of what you are giving up and only serve to keep you tied down to your old habits.

So when you’re ready to leave rehab and face life with renewed clarity and courage, clean out the clutter when you get home and make a statement to yourself that it’s not the way you want to continue living your life. There are better hobbies out there that can bring you much needed relaxation and a boost of self-esteem while encouraging new friendships and discoveries. The old adage “there’s a whole wide world out there just waiting to be explored” has never been truer than when you complete your stay at rehab.

What are your triggers? How do you fight them?

Medical Marijuana Rehab

You’d think that medical marijuana would—by virtue of being medication—be inherently, if not healthy, at least safe, right? Well, apparently, the results of research focused on whether or not marijuana is good for your health or another problem needing treatment are mixed.

According to the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) and Medical News Today, a review of studies done on medical marijuana over the last 40 years was recently published and found that “short-term use appeared to increase the risk of non-serious adverse events.”

More research is definitely needed on the topic, especially on the effects of long-term use of the drug. But here’s what we know:

Smoke is Smoke is Smoke

Smoke it for a physical health issue or smoke it for recreation: the fact remains that you are still smoking. Like cigarettes, it’s not just the toxins associated with tobacco or marijuana that are dangerous but the smoke itself. Marijuana smoke is just as harmful to your lungs, throat and mouth, opening you up for breathing problems and cancer risk just like cigarettes.

Marijuana Use and Psychological Health Issues

Your body doesn’t know the purpose of marijuana use. Whether you use the drug to help you relax after work or with the hopes that it will help ease a physical health symptom, marijuana is still linked to the development of certain mental illnesses.

Weighing the Risks

Like all medical measures, there are residual effects and side effects associated with marijuana use when used to treat a medical problem, just like there are with a number of drugs. Maybe your nausea will be eased, but now you’re too tired to get out of bed.

And then there’s the matter of dosing. Most who have a medical marijuana card are not prescribed a certain amount of the drug each day. The variances in different kinds of marijuana make this almost impossible. Patients are left to figure out how much they need and when on their own. Addiction is almost a guarantee under these circumstances. And when there is addiction present, a new medical need for marijuana addiction treatment arises.

Medical Treatment for Medical Marijuana Addiction

Are you addicted to marijuana? If you need help treating your addiction to the drug, even if you also need treatment for mental illness associated or not with your marijuana use, you can find that help at The Canyon.

Have you used medical marijuana to treat an illness? What was your experience? How did you feel? What facts did you use to weigh the risks and what did you eventually discover in your personal experience?

Women with a dual diagnosis such as bipolar disorder and drug or alcohol addiction have a greater chance of being involved in the criminal justice system than women without a dual diagnosis. That’s a lot to swallow – in essence, bipolar and addiction can set women up for a criminal record. Men with this diagnosis combination have yet a greater risk for criminal activity. Nonetheless, untreated bipolar and addiction is a nasty combination – a ticking time bomb for disaster.

Reports on Women and Dual Diagnosis in Prison

In a 2005 workshop from a Women’s Mental Health conference in the UK, Marcia Rice reports some startling statistics. While working in the US, UK, and Europe for 15 years, she found that over 60% of women in prison receive treatment for mental illness. Also, many women in prison have experienced trauma and abuse in their past. Interestingly, she also reports that creative therapies such as art therapy, singing, drama, and music were needed to meet women’s mental health needs.

According to another report about a Midwestern US jail from 1999, women make up only 10% of the prison population but have over twice the rate of mental illness as men. A stunning 75% of women with mental illness also had a co-occurring addiction.

Women generally acquire an addiction through emotional pathways. This helps to explain the high rate of overlap between mental illness and addictions among women in prison. Overall, women tend to have more mental health needs than men while in prison, and are not likely to be placed in facilities that can meet these needs.

After Prison for Women With Dual Diagnosis

The concern becomes re-entry into the community. What happens to the women who’ve been in prison for several years, getting hit-or-miss mental illness and addiction treatment? When they return to their hometown, how many have really had the kind of dual diagnosis drug rehab that treats the whole person, especially for a woman?

Certainly, many prisons and jails are trying to make the experience more of a rehabilitation than strictly punishment. And with women-only prisons and detention centers, there are now more opportunities than ever before to focus on the needs of women. However, studies in women’s addiction are a more recent phenomenon. Putting this important research information into practice takes time.

Studies in women’s addiction has been a more recent phenomenon. There are certainly many fine drug rehab facilities all over the United States. However, the holistic drug treatment approach is still somewhat of a unique option. It is therapeutic for both men and women alike, but this approach speaks especially well to the needs of women. The sense of community and connection fostered in a holistic healing environment is of particular importance for women.

Holistic Dual Diagnosis Drug Rehab Helps Women

The Canyon is a holistic dual diagnosis drug rehab well-suited for women. Finding excellent dual diagnosis treatment can be challenging enough. When a woman needs residential treatment, she needs to look no further than The Canyon. Contact The Canyon now to ask questions and begin the journey of holistic addiction recovery.