Archive for December, 2009

Resolve to Get Drug and Alcohol Addiction Treatment in 2010

Thursday, December 31st, 2009

It’s a new year, a new decade and it could be a new phase of your life if you are currently living with drug and alcohol addiction and you’re ready to get clean and sober. Drug and alcohol addiction treatment can provide you with medical treatment for physical and emotional drug dependence. There’s no better time than the present to make the change you’ve been wanting to make for years.

Drug and Alcohol Addiction Treatment: The Opportunity of a New Start

You open up a world of opportunities for yourself when you choose to enroll in a drug and alcohol addiction treatment center. Holistic addiction treatment especially provides more than just medical detox. You also get a number of different therapies and treatments that provide recreation and exercise. From hiking and beach walks to swimming and equine assisted therapy, you will have the opportunity to create new habits, get involved in new hobbies and build a life for yourself outside of drug and alcohol addiction.

Drug and Alcohol Addiction Treatment Options

The number of drug and alcohol addiction treatment options available means that no one need walk away without the help they need this year. There inpatient crystal meth rehabs, outpatient heroin detox, short-term alcohol detox, methadone clinics, sober living homes, long-term cocaine addiction treatment… the options and combinations are almost endless.

Your options are increased by the fact that for every type of drug and alcohol addiction treatment services available, there are different styles of providing that service. You can find high end or luxury drug rehabs or public, basic options. You can find religion-affiliated detox and addiction treatment programs for almost any religion or non-religious rehabs. You can find non-profit organizations offering treatment or private companies offering more of a resort-style option. From seven-day detox programs to year-long inpatient treatment, you can find a drug and alcohol addiction treatment center to suit your needs.

Drug and Alcohol Addiction Treatment: Take Back the New Year

New year’s resolutions are usually great intentions and nothing more. At best, they’re promises that are kept for a week or even a month before they are broken. Don’t be one of the masses. If you are living with heroin addiction, prescription drug addiction, cocaine addiction, crystal meth addiction or addiction to a combination of drugs and alcohol, then resolve to get clean at a drug and alcohol addiction treatment center this year and make it happen right now. Call The Canyon to get started.

Addiction and Depression Q and A

Wednesday, December 30th, 2009

Depression and drug addiction are both complicated issues. The complexity goes up dramatically when both occur at the same time.  Naturally, people have lots of questions when they find out they or someone they care about has these diagnosed together. The following is a list of a few questions you may or may not have thought about when considering drug addiction and depression.

Psychotropic Medication and Drug Addiction

If I have a drug addiction, aren’t I supposed to be completely drug free all the time?  Won’t medication for depression be against that recommendation? Medications for depression are usually non-addictive. As you do with anything, be sure you check with your doctor to be sure they know you also have a drug or alcohol addiction. There are many choices for depression medication, so as long as you doctor is aware of the whole situation, you should have very few problems with this form of treatment.

Depression and Addiction Together

When you are treating depression and addiction, does it matter which came  first? No, it doesn’t matter which came first. Up through the 1990’s, a person with both disorders were usually made sober for a while before their depression (or other mental illness) was ever addressed. The theory was that a person needed to be sober before they worked on their mental illness. Now, research supports better results when these two problems are treated at the same time, no matter what order they occur in.

Depression and Together Throughout Life

If I get through this depression and addiction now, could I have these problems again in the future? Yes, once you have been through an episode of depression, you are generally more vulnerable to it in your lifetime.  Maybe not for a few years, ten years, twenty years, or ever. But so many changes can occur over a person’s lifetime, so it’s best if they are aware of this risk. They can develop good self-care habits and awareness of any symptoms coming on.

Likewise, once someone has become addicted to a substance, they must make lifestyle changes for their entire life. They are at risk for relapse unless they stay on top of it. Depression is very treatable, so the outlook for someone who’s had depression once is still good. Also, drug treatment centers and support groups are in practically every community around the world. Having depression and an addiction may seem like a dismal lifetime risk. But with proper drug treatment and support, a person’s outlook can still be very good.

More Questions About Drug Addiction and Depression

What are your questions about drug addiction and depression? Did this list have one or two that were new to you, or did you think of a couple of questions that still need answers? Put your questions here at the end of this post, or call your local drug rehab center for more personalized answers.

4 Drug Detox Safety Tips

Monday, December 28th, 2009

When you are physically dependent upon any drug, including alcohol, detox can be an extremely difficult experience. More than just a physiological response to the lack of drugs in your system, drug detox is emotionally and psychologically exhausting as well.

If you are about to enter drug detox or if you are currently detoxing off of your drug of choice, here are a few safety tips to help you make sure you are detoxing healthfully and effectively.

Drug Detox Safety Tip #1: Medical Supervision

Of primary importance is your health as you go through drug detox. The only way to ensure this is to begin and end your drug detox under medical supervision. At inpatient drug detox or drug rehab facilities, you will have onsite medical supervision as you begin your drug detox all the way through until your withdrawal symptoms are gone. Should you experience any complications due to underlying or co-occurring medical disorders, you will be protected.

Drug Detox Safety Tip #2: Don’t Binge

Many are tempted to overindulge in their drug of choice right before entering a drug detox program. They view it as a “last hurrah” before getting clean and sober. Unfortunately, this will only make your detox experience worse. It also increases your chance of drug overdose, which may ultimately mean that you never make it to drug detox at all. It’s just not a good idea.

Drug Detox Safety Tip #3: Don’t Relapse

One of the biggest risks during drug detox is relapse, yet another reason why it is important that you enroll in a medically supervised drug detox program before you begin. The risk of relapse is highest during detox due to the intensity of withdrawal symptoms. Unfortunately, the largest percentage of drug overdoses occur after a period of sobriety and relapsing during detox is significantly more dangerous than regular drug use. The chances of death or coma due to overdose after abstinence is much higher.

Drug Detox Safety Tip #4: Positive Support

The support of people who love you and want the best for you as well as from people who have been through what you’re going through is invaluable. For many, this is the only thing that keeps them involved in the program and fighting through the hard parts of each day. If you feel like relapsing or if you find yourself wondering why you started this in the first place, if you can’t seem to remember what it is that you’re getting clean and sober for, then calling a supportive friend, counselor, a 1-800 hotline or a sponsor will help you get back on track.

Drug Detox

If you’re ready to get started on building a new life without drugs and alcohol, then The Canyon can help. Give us a call or contact us by email for more information about our drug detox program today.