That’s right! It’s official: September is National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month. That means that the focus this month by many local organizations and groups is on raising awareness of drug addiction and its effects on the individual as well as the community.

What is National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month?

According to the official website, National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month is “ an annual observance that takes place during the month of September. The Recovery Month observance highlights the societal benefits of substance abuse treatment, lauds the contributions of treatment providers and promotes the message that recovery from substance abuse in all its forms is possible. The observance also encourages citizens to take action to help expand and improve the availability of effective substance abuse treatment for those in need.”

Every year there is a different theme and the website is like a central hub where people from across the country can get ideas, downloads and see what others are doing to promote awareness and lobby for more access to drug and alcohol rehab programs for those who need it.

National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month: Celebration

For those who have successfully completed drug and alcohol rehab and are living a life of abstinence as a result, this is a month to speak out. At rallies and special programs across the country, those in recovery are asked to talk about their experience, their difficulties and their successes. September is a month to celebrate the good that comes of drug and alcohol rehab treatment, all the saved lives, relationships and families that come with getting the medical treatment you need.

It’s also a celebration of the people who are building drug addiction treatment programs, who work in outreach, who are substance abuse treatment counselors and others who give their lives to helping those who are struggling with drug and alcohol addiction. Drug treatment centers often celebrate this month and honor the counselors and substance abuse treatment professionals who serve those who require treatment.

National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month: Awareness

Education is another key goal and focus of National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month. It’s not just about making it clear that drug and alcohol treatment are available but lobbying for more access to treatment and laws that offer drug rehab in prison and as an alternative to prison sentences. Disseminating information to the community about the dangers of drug abuse and drug addiction as well as information that serves to break the stereotypes surrounding drug addiction and those who are addicts is also a priority.

Go on the website and find out what’s happening in your community and get involved!

I was watching a Celebrity Rehab Sober House rerun the other day and, done with the relentless relationship and relapse drama, I found myself far more interested in one of the topics of a group meeting: parenting. The guys all seem to have kids—I don’t know if the girls do—and they expressed some guilt over not being a part of their kids’ lives. My initial impulse is that, in light of how they’ve been spending the years since their children was born, it’s probably a good thing that they cut out when they did.

No Judgment on Parents Struggling with Drug Addiction

Now this may not be a popular opinion, but I have no problem with those who have biologically contributed to the production of a child and choose to continue getting loaded. It’s their choice. It may not be what I would choose or what I would hope for in a partner, but let’s be honest: it is far better that the parent take that life as far from the child as possible. Staying and “trying” to get or stay clean with constant relapses helps no one, not the addict and not the kid. So though these guys—Andy Dick, Rodney King, Seth Binzer—may feel some guilt about their choices, I applaud their moment of clarity and self awareness. They knew they weren’t done getting loaded and they didn’t bring their kids down with them.

Kids and Parents Who Get High

This is not to say that I advocate fathering or mothering children while under the influence, that I condone unprotected or irresponsible sex that results in a child, or that I think that it’s good for a child to have a parent who is actively using. However, things happen. Pregnancies happen unexpectedly. Abortion isn’t always an option or it may not be the option that the mother wants. Good intentions are not enough to keep you clean and neither is a baby. If you’re not done, you’re not done. The trick is being objective and assessing your desire to get and stay clean and be a parent against your addiction.

Personal Experience with Parenting and Drug Rehab and Recovery

So what has been your experience in this area? Do you have a parent or parents who continually chose to get loaded? Were they a part of your life? What about your kids? Do you have a partner who tries to stay clean but can’t do it and it’s affecting your child? How have you handled these situations? Do you have any advice for others who are going through it?

The other day, we talked about 5 characteristics of successful drug addiction treatment and today we continue with five more characteristics to look for on your hunt for the right drug rehab for you.

1. Master’s level, credentialed staff – If you don’t have professional doctors, psychologists, and counselors properly trained to implement the latest cutting edge treatments or know the latest on traditional treatments, then you won’t benefit. It is important that you know whether or not the counselors and medical professionals at your drug rehab of choice have the certifications and understanding they need to help you succeed. If you are addicted to opiates and require specialized detox medications, then this is even more important.

2. Drug testing during treatment – To ensure that you or your loved one are protected from temptation, it is important that you choose a facility that includes spontaneous drug testing. Knowing that there is a chance that you could be caught is a solid deterrent to relapse in those crucial first 30 days of drug and alcohol addiction treatment. Though it is sad that some may manage to smuggle drugs and/ or alcohol into treatment, it can be protected against with impromptu drug testing.

3. Dual diagnosis – If you or your loved one struggle with a psychological disorder in addition to drug and/ or alcohol addiction, the only successful drug treatment for you is one that incorporates treatment for that psychological disorder at the same time. The treatment of two disorders at once is called dual diagnosis treatment. In most cases, the one disorder tends to exacerbate the other, making it impossible to isolate and treat one first even if you feel that one is the primary disorder. Whether you started out with depression or anxiety issues and self medicated with drugs and alcohol, ultimately developing an addiction or whether you first abused drugs and alcohol and subsequently developed psychological issues, you must treat both problems at the same time in order to experience a successful drug addiction treatment.

4. Effort matters – Though it has been shown that drug and alcohol addiction treatment can be successful for those who don’t initially want to enroll in drug rehab, it is also true that the more you focus during treatment and put forth effort in your therapy, the more likely that you will succeed in sobriety when you return home. Like anything, the more you put into it, the more you will get out of it.

5. Follow up – Just because you successfully complete your drug rehab program does not mean that your drug addiction treatment is over. Your drug and alcohol rehab should offer aftercare options and/ or sober living facilities. Aftercare can include check-in meetings or phone calls on a regular basis after your return home. Sober living means a protected place for you to live that has a less rigid schedule but still offers the safety of a drug-free home and certain expectations.

The Canyon offers all 10 of the characteristics for successful drug addiction treatment. If you have any questions, contact The Canyon today.

If you are looking for a drug addiction treatment for yourself and your loved one, your primary focus is likely finding the most successful drug and alcohol rehab that you can. It may be close to home or offer a schedule or price that suits your needs, but if it won’t be successful, it’s just a waste of time and money. Here are 5 essential characteristics of any successful drug addiction treatment:

1. Personalized treatment – It can’t be stressed enough: there is no one treatment that will work for everyone. If a facility is telling you that their way is the one and only way that works and offers no opportunity to customize the treatment to fit your needs and experience, then it’s not the right one for you. Also, along the same lines, make sure that your drug rehab offers a variety of therapeutic options so that you can better optimize your time there to include therapies that speak to you.

2. Medical detox – If you are physically addicted to drugs or alcohol, then your drug and alcohol treatment center must incorporate a medical detox into the program. This means that there should be medical professionals who can supervise your progress and prescribe medications as necessary as well as medical facilities and equipment to stabilize you should you run into trouble. If you are addicted to opiates, you may also wish to make sure that your rehab offers opiate maintenance and has doctors who are certified to prescribe medications like buprenorphine and methadone, should you need it.

3. Option for long-term inpatient treatment – Even if you start out by enrolling in a short-term treatment program for 30 days or fewer, your drug and alcohol rehab should offer the option to extend your time in treatment if you so choose. Some drug addiction treatment facilities offer only drug and alcohol detox, which lasts three to seven days and others offer only outpatient treatment, which is usually fewer than 30 days long. However, you may not necessarily realize how much treatment you need until you enroll and since continuity is important, make sure that the drug rehab you start off with is the one you end with as well.

4. More than just detox – Your drug and alcohol addiction treatment must address more than just physical addiction. Though dealing with physical addiction must come first, it is not enough to keep you clean and sober for any length of time. Drug addiction treatment that speaks to the psychological, mental and spiritual aspects of addiction is essential in order to achieve long-term sobriety when you return home.

5. Therapy is essential – Many dread it, but one-on-one psychotherapy sessions are an essential part of any successful drug and alcohol addiction treatment. An in-depth examination of the motivations behind drug and alcohol addiction, the skills you’ll need to fight cravings and triggers to use later, and replacement activities that will help you avoid drug use is a crucial part of treatment. It also gives you an opportunity to check in, update your treatment goals, monitor your progress and make changes to your schedule as needed.

Stay tuned for 5 More Characteristics of Drug Addiction Treatment….

Because state budgets are pressed to the limit under the constraints of an economy on a downward trajectory, they are demanding that every organization receiving state funds stand up and declare how well they are using the funds they are requesting. Drug and alcohol rehabs are no exception. In an effort to determine how much they’ll invest in drug addiction treatment programs next year, states are demanding more evidence that treatment works.

Does Drug Treatment Work?

We’ve all heard the personal testimony of those who have undergone drug treatment. And in the absence of any other option in terms of breaking drug and alcohol addiction and moving forward in life as clean and sober individuals, those who have opted for drug rehab and succeeded will tell you that it works… if you’re ready to quit. However, if it worked for everyone, there wouldn’t be anyone who needed drug rehab more than once, and that is not the case. Drug and alcohol addiction are chronic in nature, and while we have medical treatments that can break physical addiction, there are a number of variables that will come into play when a person enters drug rehab in the hope of changing their life purposely.

Easier Said Than Done

It makes sense to ask for proof when annual spending on drug and alcohol addiction treatment is more than $20 billion. Unfortunately, it’s easier said than done. Because drug addiction is a chronic disease, it would take following people for a lifetime to get accurate data on how long they stay clean after rehab; if they relapse, how long that relapse lasts; the number of relapses thereafter and how long those last, as well as how many people returned to addiction.

Though there are studies that point to the effectiveness of drug and alcohol treatment for the first year or so after rehab, there aren’t too many long-term studies. Why not? Because funds are tight everywhere and no one has been spending the money on the research. Another reason is that there are no standards for this research. There are so many different types of treatment facilities—detox only, addiction treatment only, traditional rehab, alternative therapies, combinations—that it’s like comparing apples or oranges.

Is There Any Such Thing as Evidence-Based Practice?

Yes. Though it is hard to find studies that address drug rehabs across the board, some drug rehabs have research to show that some of the techniques and therapies they utilize are effective. The Canyon is one such example. Each of the therapies and treatments they employ have been proven effective on multiple levels in the treatment of drug and alcohol addiction as well as certain psychological dual diagnosis disorders like anxiety or depression. If you have any questions about the efficacy of these programs, contact The Canyon today.

By now, everyone knows—at least, on the most basic level—what the 12 steps are. The basis of almost every traditional drug and alcohol rehab, it is an approach to recovery that requires the person struggling with addiction to begin by admitting that they are powerless over their addiction and continue through another 11 steps until they are prepared to pass along what they have learned to others. Some attend 12-step meetings for just a little while at the beginning of their recovery. Others stay “in the rooms” for decades, even the rest of their lives, working on the principle that since it seems to be working, why change it?

Some, however, find the 12 steps overwhelming just because of the sheer number of steps in the process. So John Cloud at Time.com poses the question: are 12 steps too many?

12 Step Drug Addiction Recovery Approach: The Basics

Alcoholics Anonymous was the first and over the last century this has evolved into a number of spin-off groups, not only for different drugs of addiction but for other addictions and still other groups for the friends and family members of people who are addicted. Each group shares the same idea: addiction is a medical disease with a spiritual solution, one that is achieved by “working” the steps with a sponsor or mentor who shares the same disease and has already worked the steps.

Some say, however, that the spiritual steps in the 12 steps are unnecessary. Without them, the program would be far more streamlined and more effective.

Spiritual Versus Secular Drug Rehab Approaches

Research has shown that when groups who undergo secular psychotherapy or non-spiritual 12 step are compared to spiritually-based therapy or 12 steps there are differences in outcome according to Cloud’s Time.com article:

“While both groups eventually benefited relatively equally from their treatment — abusing substances on fewer days — it took longer to see improvement among those in the spiritual group. What’s more, those who received spiritual guidance reported being significantly more anxious and depressed after four months than those who got secular help. Those problems abated at about the eight-month point, but because substance abusers are at high risk for suicide, some worry that it may not be a good idea to put them through demanding spiritual calisthenics in the early months of their recovery.”

How To Stop Drinking and Using Drugs

The studies say that about one in five people or 20 percent of those who have a problem drinking can stop without alcohol addiction treatment. For those who have tried to do this and failed and for those addicted to other drugs, the other 80 percent, is the 12 step model of treatment the most effective? Is a spiritual component to treatment the most beneficial for a long lasting abstinence? So far, it looks like just a medical detox alone or a solely spiritual regimen will not work for long. Cloud says, “The answer almost certainly lies deeper inside ourselves.” The combination of self discovery and self discipline with medical treatment and a spiritual development still seems to be the best way to a life without drugs and alcohol.

Trying to Fix the Problem of Alcoholism

The World Health Organization is extending an open invitation for all interested parties and persons to voice their ideas for combating the negative effects of alcohol abuse.

Suggestions are being taken throughout the month of October, 2008 and will become a part of the official documentation presented to health officials, industry representatives, non-governmental organizations, and member states during round table discussions in November.

The Need for Open Communication about Solutions to Alcohol Abuse

“The harmful use of alcohol is a leading risk factor for premature death and disability in the world. Every year at least 2.3 million people die from alcohol-related causes,” says Assistant Director-General of the WHO’s Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health Cluster, Dr. Ala Alwan. “This web-based public hearing is broad and inclusive and will provide an opportunity for everyone, including the public, to present their views on effective strategies to reduce the burden resulting from the harmful use of alcohol.”

The Importance of Participating in Government Decision-Making

Friends and loved ones who have witnessed firsthand the harmful effects of alcohol abuse and addiction are far better qualified to propose grassroots strategies for combating this deadly disease than most wealthy politicians who might be far removed from its influence. Hearing what the people have to say about the situation also makes decision making much fairer to those who will be affected by the decisions in the long run.

“We are particularly interested in getting views on integrated approaches that can protect at risk populations, young people and those affected by harmful drinking by others,” says Dr Benedetto Saraceno, Director of the WHO’s Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse.

How to Get Your Voice and Suggestions Heard

If you’ve ever thought to yourself, “If only there weren’t so many liquor stores on this block, the men around here might come home at night to see their children and wake up in the morning to go to work,” then you would be the perfect candidate to suggest a limit to the number of alcoholic retailers in a given location.

Once you’ve pinpointed a problem – in your neighborhood, your family unit, your town or county – and reframed it into a viable, workable solution, the next step is to log on to the WHO’s website and follow the instructions on how to log your suggestion.

Submissions can be composed in any of the UN’s six official languages (English, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, French, and Russian) and should be no longer than 2000 words. Participants can also utilize up to 500 words to outline their viewpoint on alcohol and the related health crisis.

Tell Us: What ideas, viewpoints, and suggestions can you contribute to the discussion?