The Canyon

Are you watching someone you love struggle with drug and alcohol addiction? Have you been trying to figure out the best way to intervene and help your loved one get the medical treatment they need at a drug rehab center? Even if you can’t afford to pay for the full bill or even half of their treatment, there are ways you can help the addict in your life get treatment: a drug rehab intervention is often the catalyst that gets people the help that they need to stay clean and sober. Can you think of a more useful gift or a better way to start the new year?

Drug Addiction Treatment: Talking to Your Loved One

Chances are, the person you care about living with drug and alcohol addiction is well aware of that fact, at least on some level. Depending upon how long they have been abusing drugs and alcohol, they may not feel that their abuse has risen to the level of addiction. They may also claim that they are merely recreational users or looking for a good time. If you’re catching them in lies about how much or when they are using or if you find paraphernalia laying around that is used for deadly street drugs, then talking to them is the first step. Try and point out specific incidents in which their drug use has caused them big problems or hurt your personally. Explain that you are not judging them but that you want the best for them and that the life they are living now isn’t it. In many cases, just talking to your loved one is enough to get them to understand that they need help.

Drug Addiction Treatment Intervention

If talking to them doesn’t work, or if your loved one becomes belligerent when confronted, an intervention may be an effective and safe next step. By gathering together a group of people who care about the addict you love, you may have strength in numbers. Just like when you spoke to your loved one on your own, the focus of what everyone says to him or her should be on how their addiction is hurting them and others. Making them understand that without help, they will kill themselves with drugs is essential. When they fully grasp the severity of this concept, they will be more likely to get treatment.

Drug Addiction Treatment: Don’t Let Them Wait

The other goal of a drug addiction intervention is for them to accept help at a drug rehab immediately. To help them do this, you can find a drug rehab for your loved one ahead of time and pack a bag for them so that they can literally leave immediately for treatment if they accept your offer for help. Not tomorrow and not next week—right now. You should be prepared with transportation as well as an escort should they accept your offer and if they refuse treatment, you should be equally prepared to levy the consequences (i.e., they will have to move out or they will lose their job or their relationship).

If you would like assistance setting up an intervention or if you would like to pre-enroll your loved one in treatment at The Canyon, call us today.

If you have ever tried to get a family member or close friend into a drug rehab center against their will, you know how deeply frustrating and scary it is when they refuse to go. Even though their life is falling apart left and right, somehow they can’t see what you see — they need drug treatment now before something awful happens. For families in this situation, it may be time to get a drug rehab interventionist on board. Here’s what you need to know about finding a good drug rehab interventionist.

Drug Rehab Interventionist

Choose An Experienced Drug Rehab Interventionist

Be sure the professional you choose has had direct experience conducting interventions. If you find someone who has only watched or supported from the sidelines, you need to keep looking. Even a drug addiction specialist with no experience doing an intervention may not be your best choice. If your family member’s life is in their hands, you’ll want to feel confident that your interventionist has managed all sorts of intervention situations.

Drug Rehab Interventionist Leader For the Family

Second, choose someone who appears to be a clear leader. You, your family members, and anyone else involved in the intervention or all personally involved with the drug or alcohol addict needing help. It’s possible and even likely that someone in the group will be overcome by their emotions.

You will need to know that a more objective, clear thinking leader is running the show. The addict needs to know that the lines are firm, and the family will need a confident leader to follow.

Well Organized Drug Rehab Interventionist

Choose someone who appears to be well organized and clear with their communication. As it was stated earlier, the family needs good clear guidance in an emotionally turbulent situation. When interventionist and layout a simple direct plan of action, each person involved can feel more confident in their role.

Since no one knows what the outcome will be before the intervention starts, a well-organized interventionist can plan for a number of possibilities and ease the families worries about what to do.

Drug Rehab Interventionist

Just thinking about doing a drug rehab intervention can be stressful for a worried family. But if it is the last shred of hope, some families are willing to do whatever it takes. If you need to find a good drug rehab interventionist, look for a well organized leader with experience. With the right professional, a family can feel confident that they are doing whatever they can to help and addicted person they love.

Eminem, the rapper, has been speaking out about Michael Jackson, Michael Jackson’s addiction to drugs, and his own struggle with prescription painkiller addiction. He says his issues with prescription drug addiction were almost as bad as Michael Jackson’s and says he related to the pop star’s problems and recognizes how close he, Eminem, came to suffering the same death by drug overdose.

According to an interview in the December 4 issue of Celebrity Health & Fitness, Eminem had a reminder of how close he came to death due to addiction and felt the need to speak out about it.

Insomnia and Drug Addiction

Michael Jackson died after a Propofol injection combined with other drugs in his system and pushed him into overdose and precipitated his death due to cardiac arrest last June. Eminem relates to the pop star’s struggle with insomnia “100 percent” as he often took pills just to get to sleep at night.

Says Eminem: “When you read things about Michael Jackson it’s hard to decipher what the f**k is true, but there’s the story of how he woke up at whatever time and he needed something to go back to sleep because he had this or that and it didn’t work. That’s exactly what used to happen to me: I would take a couple of pills and I would be up an hour later and I’d want more.

“Then I’d take more and that would be enough to maybe get me back to sleep for two more hours. Then I’d be wide awake again. So I definitely can relate, and it’s a shame if he didn’t have anybody there to just say, ‘Michael, you’re an addict, you need help.’ ”

Intervention and Drug Addiction

Michael Jackson’s family say they did attempt to help Michael, telling him that he was hurting himself with his addiction. Unfortunately, it didn’t work for him.

Eminem credits a number of people for his own recovery. Among them: Sir Elton John. Elton John assisted Eminem not only in getting help but in staying in recovery and has been vocal about his dedication to helping celebrities break free from drug addiction.

Fame and Drug Addiction

Many have blamed enablers for the deaths of Michael Jackson, Anna Nicole Smith, DJ AM and others who overdosed on doctor’s prescriptions. Celebrities often develop drug addiction more rapidly than others due to their easy access to medications and drugs of addiction.

Says Eminem: “It’s one of the pitfalls of fame. I could just say, ‘Yo, I need this and this and this,’ and they’re going to give me whatever I want.”

Prescription Drug Rehab

Eminem has been clean and sober for about two years now and feels better than before. He says: “I feel better. I feel like a human being again.”

If you or someone you love is addicted to prescription painkillers or anti-anxiety medication, you can find assistance at a prescription drug rehab like The Canyon. Through detox and addiction counseling, we can help you get back on track and alleviate your fears of drug overdose. Call today.

The societal view of drug addiction makes a difference with a person’s recovery process. People would think nothing of going to an emergency clinic for heart palpitations or an injured finger. But if someone shows symptoms of alcoholism, the response from others can be mixed. An addict may not get the helpful attention they need because of how their problem looks. It all has to do with how each person perceives drug and alcohol addiction as a problem.

Drug Addiction Seen Is Criminal Issue

Drug Addiction Often Seen As Criminal Issue

Some people see addiction as more of a criminal issue. Drug addicts tend to get this rap more because addictive drugs are largely illegal and violence is often involved. Users sometimes end up being drug dealers to support their habit. To the addicted mind, aggression and illegal activity could be seen as reasonable ways to get what they need to survive. To the outside world, these addicts look like lawless thugs who enjoy creating trouble. The general public often forgets that beneath the violence and illegal behaviors, these human beings are being gripped by a drug addiction.

Even if an addict doesn’t partake in any assaults or robberies, their addiction drives the drug dealing market and all that comes with it. Would these people behave differently if they weren’t living an addiction lifestyle? It depends – some may already live in dangerous neighborhoods. Other drug addicts may keep to themselves, or they would have lots of support and a safe place to go if they were to get sober.

Drug Addicts in Legal System Dont Always Get Drug Treatment They Need

Unfortunately, some of these addicts in the legal system don’t the drug treatment and follow-up support they need. They are funneled into the legal system more than into the drug treatment system. All levels of government make drug violations and task forces well known to the public. The perception of drug addicts as thugs remains the dominant viewpoint. The general public tends to have little empathy or tolerance for that, despite the fact that these people have real physical and psychological needs.

Alcoholics can certainly get into legal trouble, but not because they are drinking heavily. They can sometimes get away with the facade that they are the “fun person” who parties and always has a good time. But when an alcoholic starts to pay the long term physical and mental price for their addiction, they tend to be seen more negatively. People think of them as washed up, out of it, or cantankerous.

When someone has a physical injury or syndrome like high blood pressure, people just see bodily symptoms. It’s assumed that you don’t always have control over physiological or physical problems within your body, so people tend to have more understanding and compassion. Most of the obvious symptoms for alcoholism are behavioral. Behavioral symptoms tend to be seen in a moral perspective. Since arguing in a bar or getting into a car accident are bad things, that makes the person somewhat bad and even stupid for doing them. Irresponsibility and poor judgment as a symptom of addiction is not seen the same way as a broken finger starting to swell up.

Drug Addiction Needs To Be Understood

It can be difficult to remember that much emotional pain and physical dependence are within each alcoholic. Mental health advocate groups are trying to change the perception of drug addiction as a mental and medical problem, not just a legal or behavioral issue. It may take a while for people to really understand drug addiction in a more compassionate way.

Your parents have hounded you, your sister has begged you, and your girlfriend says she wants the old you back. You know, they are worried about you and want what’s best for you. But you know they don’t understand why you refuse to go to drug rehab. You can’t disappoint them, because that would hurt worse than what drugs are doing to you. So you just keep saying no.

Fear Of Failure Avoiding Drug Rehab

Fear Of Failure Can Keep Your Drug Addiction Going

The addict speaking in the above paragraph is have a deeply set fear of failure. They would rather let their drug addiction continue instead of trying getting sober with the risk of relapse. This is just a choice between the lesser of two evils. Drug addiction might be pretty bad, but failure at getting better could be even worse.

Addiction thinking can read or its ugly head at the worst possible moments. Just as a person is getting encouragement and support they need to take the first step towards drug rehab, their addiction thinking cranks up the fear. Since a person with addiction has poor emotional control, this fear can easily take over important decisions.

Addiction Thinking Interferes With Decisions

For a person with this much fear, drug rehab can seem like a test. You either pass it or fail, and there really isn’t any point in trying it more than once. If you can’t pass it the first time, you’ll probably never pass it. Black and white, all or nothing, win or lose – this is the structure of addiction thinking. The addicted mind can have so much trouble seeing drug rehab as simply one step of a long process.

Having a relapse sometime after being at drug rehab is not uncommon. For some, it may be within a year. For others, it may be several years. Relapse is not failure, and relapse is a reality of having an addiction. Avoiding drug rehab so you don’t “fail” will almost guarantee bigger problems than any relapse might cause. With a good recovery plan, a temporary relapse can be managed. You can get back on your recovery path and learn from what happened. When a person allows their drug addiction to go on untreated, they paint a dim future for themselves.

Take The First Step Of Drug Rehab

You may feel like you are avoiding the pain of failure by not starting drug rehab. But what you really do is set yourself up for more painful life. Drug rehab can seem like an uncomfortable place to start, but your discomfort can be a small price to pay for the chance at a better life.

Oxycodone is a commonly prescribed prescription painkiller that is one of the predominant drugs of addiction across the country. Often prescribed for moderate to chronic pain, oxycodone (otherwise known as oxy, OC, and hillbilly heroin among other things) is highly addictive. Just a short period of regular use can result in an oxycodone addiction that will require treatment at a prescription drug rehab.

Here are a few things you should know about oxycodone.

How is Oxycodone Administered?

Oxycodone is should only be taken orally and as directed. If you are prescribed a solid form of this medication, you should not break, crush or alter the pills in any way, especially extended release tablets. Taking too much of this drug may cause serious respiratory depression or other overdose related illnesses. Never take this medication for other conditions unless it is prescribed to you, and do not share your prescription with anyone else for any reason.

What Drug Interactions Should I Avoid When Taking Oxycodone?

Your oxycodone prescription may cause serious medical problems if taken with certain drugs. If your doctor is aware of all your other prescriptions and medications you take regularly, you will be monitored for any potentially harmful reactions. If you have ever had an allergic reaction to opioids or other painkillers, you should tell your physician before using oxycodone as it is an opioid-based medication. Oxycodone is known to cause drowsiness; this side effect may become more pronounced if taken with antihistamines, sedatives, psychiatric medicine or anti-anxiety medication. Notify your doctor if you are taking medicine for lowering your blood pressure or other painkillers. Some lab test results may be affected by oxycodone, so make sure that lab personnel are aware that you are taking this drug before the tests are administered.

What are the Side Effects of Oxycodone?

Your physician or pharmacist may give you a list of expected side effects that accompany oxycodone use. The majority of patients will experience vomiting, nausea, mild itching, drowsiness, lightheadedness, constipation, dry mouth, weakness or loss of appetite. Tell your doctor if your experience with these side effects do not diminish over time or if they become too much for you to handle.

What Else Should I Know When Taking Oxycodone?

Naltrexone should not be taken with oxycodone. Patients who have a history of breathing problems may find that oxycodone increases the inability to breathe well. Tell your healthcare professional if you have ever had a brain disorder, adrenal gland issues, difficulty urinating, or a history of alcohol or drug abuse. If you are taking oxycodone on a dosing schedule, do not skip your dose or double up on your medication should you inadvertently miss a dose. Geriatric patients may have side effects that are more severe in intensity. This drug is not recommended in the last trimester of pregnancy or for women who are breastfeeding. Consult your doctor if you become pregnant while using oxycodone. If while taking oxycodone you have any concerns or questions, speak to your pharmacist or physician.

Oxycodone Addiction Treatment

If you or someone you love is addicted to oxycodone, don’t wait to get help and do not attempt to stop taking the drug on your own. Contact The Canyon today for more information about our oxycodone detox and oxycodone addiction treatment program.

A lot of drug addicts try to avoid starting drug rehab. There are so many unknowns about drug rehab, they are at least familiar with their drug lifestyle, and many people can’t endure the physical pain when they stop taking drugs. These concerns are very normal when you are trying to go from a drug lifestyle to a sober lifestyle. Take a closer look how addicts can overcome various obstacles when considering drug rehab.

Asking Questions About Drug Rehab

You Want To Avoid The Pain And Terrible Memories

Getting sober may mean that you won’t be in trouble so much and you might have a more normal life. But you’ve been covering up those feelings and bad memories for a reason – they are immensely painful. You don’t want to face the music, and you know when you get sober, you won’t be able to get away from them. Maybe you’ll just keep away from treatment a while longer.

It’s true, many alcoholics and drug addicts develop an addiction because they are eager to escape something awful inside. It may be feelings of self loathing, worthlessness, memories of abuse, fear of being useless or a failure. At drug rehab, you’ll be with others facing very similar fears and emotional pain. You aren’t alone in your struggle. Drug treatment counselors will help you learn to live a good life in spite of those things.

Going Through Drug Withdrawal Symptoms Can Be Awful

Narcotic drugs like Oxycontin and Heroin can have brutal withdrawal symptoms like muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, agitation, depression, and anxiety. It’s not hard to figure out why many people struggle to get sober with some drugs. Even alcohol has withdrawal symptoms. Many alcoholics start drinking at odd hours of the day so they can feel better after they’ve had a heavy binge. Even when an addict genuinely knows they need to be sober, withdrawal symptoms can be a huge barrier.

Professional detox services can help an addict through their symptoms. No, it may not be a vacation. Even with medication, professional staff, and a relaxing atmosphere, going through detox can still stink. However, a professional detox center can get you through the worst of it so you can get on with treatment. you don’t have to consider withdrawal symptoms an insurmountable obstacle.

You Are Afraid Of Failing At Sobriety

You’ve got to do sobriety right and keep it that way, or what’s the point of even trying? Maybe you can’t even get sober to start with. You’ll never stay sober – you’re too weak. Does this tone sound familiar inside your mind? That’s the black-and-white addiction thinking going to work on you.

Sobriety is hardly perfect for anyone, even for someone who hasn’t had a relapse in a long time. You don’t know how many close calls a person may have despite not taking a drink or a hit. Each person’s struggles and triumphs with sobriety are unique. There is no failure or success with sobriety – only courage to keep on going.

Just Get Started With Drug Rehab

Starting is usually the most difficult part of doing anything. You have to let go of what you are doing and go in a different direction. The situation is the same for a person needing to start drug rehab. Once a person decides to go and actually gets to the facility, everything else can begin. The unknowns become known, symptoms come and go, fears are faced and lived with. Starting may be a challenge, but fear doesn’t have to stop you from doing drug rehab.