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  • Posts Tagged ‘alcohol-treatment’

    Charlie Sheen: White Knuckling It Through Addiction Recovery?

    Wednesday, February 16th, 2011

    Charlie Sheen has been undergoing an at-home drug rehab program of late, famously texting all former associates in the porn industry to let them know that he is no longer open for business. Though it has been less than two weeks since the 36-hour spree reportedly involving cocaine abuse, porn stars and copious amounts of alcohol that landed him in the hospital, Sheen says he’s just fine – and ready to go back to work.

    His network, however, is not so sure. They have suspended shooting for Sheen’s show, Two and a Half Men, pending his recovery, which they feel should probably take a little time.

    Sheen heartily disagrees. According to Us Magazine, he unexpectedly called into the Dan Patrick Show and said: “I just figured I was supposed to go back to work because I’m ready. They said, ‘You get ready. We’ll get ready.’ And I got ready.”

    Sheen seems to view the wait to return to shooting as meddling in his personal life. Though there is a morals clause in his contract, Sheen said: “Nitpick, nitpick, but I don’t think [the contract] covers, ‘Let us totally dominate and interfere with your personal life.’ I have a contract. They said, ‘Get your act together,’ and I did.”

    But even though Sheen adamantly disagrees with the network’s decision, he also said: “I heal really quickly, but I also unravel pretty quickly. So get me right now, guys. Get me right now!”

    It’s understandable that those investing a huge amount of money in the star’s performance would not be heartened by such statements. Sheen is reportedly uninterested in long-term recovery options or even working toward a clean and sober lifestyle despite all the problems he’s experienced in his life due to his behavior under the influence.

    The term for those who are currently trying to keep their alcohol and drug abuse under control but have little interest in long-term addiction treatment measures? ‘White knuckling’ it. It’s not a pleasant or desirable place to be. The white knuckles one gets when gripping their chair arm due to discomfort to force themselves through an unpleasant situation is what the term implies – and it’s almost always followed by relapse. Most who recognize that they are white knuckling it to stay sober see this is a red flag letting them know that it’s time to get help and make sure that they are protected from relapse.

    According to Us Magazine, Sheen says he drinks and parties out of “Boredom. Wanting to make things better – whether it’s real or imagined. I was sober for five years a long time ago and was just bored out of my tree.”

    And he says that to call himself sober would be “inauthentic – it’s not who I am.”

    Despite drug rehab, a recent hospital visit, issues with his ex, and the discussion between him and his network, Sheen still has a great outlook. His view on his life right now? Sheen says: “I’m having a ball. I am enjoying every moment.”

    Sad Tales of Rock n’ Roll Alcoholism

    Sunday, November 28th, 2010

    “Rock Music – Premature Death of Rock Stars” is one page of a website that calculates averages – based on various statistics that interest the general population. This particular page lists the causes of death for 231 rock stars. Heart attack and drug overdose are the top two leading causes of death. They trump suicide, cancer, and many other seemingly popular ways to kick the bucket. The net average life span for rock stars (who rarely make it past 60 years of age) was a mere 36.9 years. Compare to this to the “average age at death” of typical americans, which is 75.8 years.

    It looks like rock ‘n roll isn’t as glitzy and enticing a lifestyle as we may have romanticized it to be via our imaginations. Not being able to celebrate a 40th birthday is certainly not worth the attention from groupies and adrenaline rush that accompanies live performances.

    Ozzy Osbourne beat the odds and addressed his problem before alcohol could take his life. For many years, Ozzy used drugs as a creative “enhancer” through which he wrote songs and performed. Like many alcoholics, his deep-set insecurity about being successful without drugs as the medium for his “creative juices to flow” precluded him from getting sober in the beginning. I’m sure the excitement that came with being a part of a heavy metal band was also not exactly a catalyst for sobriety. Since Ozzy’s glory days, his lifestyle has dramatically shifted. We’ve been given a window into his home life with the reality TV show, “The Osbournes”. Whether or not you’d like to admit it, I can guarantee you’ve seen at least one episode. Although Ozzy Osbourne may stumble around his house and mumble things in a seemingly foreign language, the man deserves a big round of applause. He’s still making music even after a chaotic career of drugging and drinking – and doing it while he’s sober.

    The realm of rock’n roll is notorious for involving an excess of of booze, scantily clad women, drugs and over-the-top parties. For the person who is genetically predisposed to the disease of alcoholism, being thrown into the land of rock ‘n roll is the ideal breeding ground for alcoholism to grow and thrive. The “environmental component” of alcoholism is certainly accounted for when rock ‘n roll artists find themselves surrounded by screaming groupies, free drugs left and right, and fellow rockers who have long since passed the tipping point.

    We can quickly think of the “cause and effect” debacle for reference. Does a “normal” drinker become immersed into the rock ‘n roll scene and subsequently evolve into an alcoholic? Or did the alcoholic self that was brimming underneath the surface from day one gravitate toward a profession in which drinking and getting stoned on the job are acceptable behaviors? I tend to believe in the latter. As Ozzy says, “It’s part of the job, you know. I suppose for an alcoholic or drug addict, it’s the perfect job, you know.” Whether or not people choose the occupation as a conscious extension of their inner alcoholic, or whether the progression occurs subconsciously, probably differs on a per-person basis. Ozzy continues on in his interview with Bravewords, November 3, 2010; “I don’t think you can ever think of another job where you would turn up stoned,” he said. “People would go, ‘(Bleeping) hell, you’ve got to do surgery today.’ ” Bravewords writes, “Of course, rock ‘n’ roll isn’t brain surgery — or so the saying goes. And what Osbourne has discovered is that he can function and be creative without the help of alcohol and drugs. This is the exact opposite of what he believed for most of his career, which stretches back to 1968, when he joined Black Sabbath, the band that helped pioneer heavy metal in the 1970s on albums such as Paranoid and Sabotage.” Ozzy’s realization that drugs and alcohol are not the answer kept him motivated to stay the course of sobriety. He’s not only abstained from drugs and alcohol, he’s taken a personal risk and made two albums since 2007 — untainted by mind-altering substances.

    Led Zeppelin is a musical legend – and if you haven’t heard the band name before, you should probably crawl back under that rock.

    The band was in its heyday in the 1970’s and has since sold over 200 million records worldwide. Unprecedented fame didn’t keep John Bonham from experiencing the heavy cloud of depression however. No amount of fans could shake him of the hole he felt in his heart. He tried to fill it with alcohol; in futile attempts to “feel OK” his toxic habits eventualy caught up with him on October 17, 1977. When you kick off your morning with four quadruple vodkas at 450 mililiters each you can anticipate a rocky day. By the time night fell, Bonham was passed out in bed and suffered the same fate as Jimmi Hendrix – asphyxiation from vomit. He choked and died, and the band’s members dispersed. It’s disappointing that it takes his death to point out to the lethal consequences of alcoholism.

    Up until the day Bonham gulped down 40 shots of vodka and died, he was known as a “hell raiser” and admired by fans for his “ability” to party. If society keeps rewarding alcoholic behavior, it’s going to be exponentially more difficult for active alcoholics to reach out when they’re already reticent about seeking treatment. In the case of Bonham, “The Drunken Prophet” dedicates a page “in honor” of his infamy regarding the booze; “Bonzo was a hell raiser and the boozer of the band. But his drinking antics never got in the way of his playing. No matter how much drink, no matter how many women he indulged in, drugs he consumed, or hotel rooms he trashed, he would always turn up to rehearsals and performances on time. Even more surprisingly he would always be able to play. His intricate rock rhythms were a driving force for the band. For a man larger than life it is only fitting that he played with the largest drum sticks available (called tree’s in drummer jargon.)”

    I don’t see anything about the toll alcohol took on his body – progressively over time – or the demons he struggled with behind closed curtains. The rock ‘n roll culture is what it is. My heart goes out to the alcoholics who deny their disease and cover it up underneath a sea of fans. My condolescenes to the alcoholic rock stars who keep their alcoholism under wraps and tune out pangs of inner pain with an electric guitar, because despite the flourescent stage lights, a life of sobriety is much brighter.

    7 Stages of Alcohol Addiction

    Monday, October 25th, 2010

    Alcohol addiction is a process that begins before the first drink and often ends in death. The seven stages of alcohol addiction development can be subverted at any time with alcohol rehab and addiction treatment. Don’t let your alcohol addiction get to a crisis point before you call.

    Alcohol Addiction Stage 1: Abstinence

    Yes, alcohol addiction can begin well before you take your first drink. If you have a genetic predisposition to develop addiction or if you have attitudes and perceptions consistent with what addicts typically exhibit, your alcohol addiction can start before you begin drinking.

    Alcohol Addiction Stage 2: Initial Use

    This can mean experimental use, occasional use of alcohol or very occasional binge drinking (i.e., once or twice a year). Initial use of alcohol is not necessarily problematic for the user or those who love him or her. Though the occasional drinking experience may cause problems while he or she is under the influence or the next day during a hangover, it isn’t yet at the stage of addiction.

    Alcohol Addiction Stage 3: High Risk Use

    High risk use of alcohol means lots of drinking and bad choices made under the influence. The pattern and frequency of alcohol abuse is high enough in this stage that it is dangerous for the drinker and those around them.

    Alcohol Addiction Stage 4: Problematic Use

    Problematic use of alcohol is when the negative consequences of drinking begin to be evident. The first health effects are noticed including issues with liver function or sexual transmitted diseases. DUI charges may occur or other legal issues due to drinking and making poor decisions. This is often the first time that those close to the alcoholic begin to notice that there is a problem.

    Alcohol Addiction Stage 5: Early Stage of Dependency

    The early stage of alcohol addiction is characterized by noticeable issues with the drug. Missing work starts to happen as do fights with family members while under the influence. Occasionally the alcoholic will choose to drink despite negative consequences. This stage is the best time for alcohol rehab because early treatment is most effective.

    Alcohol Addiction Stage 6: Middle Stage of Dependency

    During the middle stage of alcoholism, negative consequences begin to compound themselves. Missing work multiple times results in losing the job. Too many fights due to alcohol abuse results in the end of the relationship. The consequences of alcoholism begin to pile up and the negative effects are irreversible.

    Alcohol Addiction Stage 7: Crisis Stage of Dependency

    When alcohol addiction has reached a crisis point, the effects of alcoholism are clear to everyone, including the alcoholic. Serious health problems are at issue and the alcoholic is rarely without a drink. He or she will usually believe that no one can tell that they are drunk, but few are fooled. The end of this stage is almost always an alcohol-related death if alcohol rehab is not chosen.

    Alcohol Addiction Treatment at The Canyon

    The only way to break free from alcohol addiction is to choose alcohol rehab. You do not need to wait until you or your loved one is living in stage 7 of alcohol addiction. Rather, the moment you know that alcohol addiction has reached a crisis point, the alcohol rehab at The Canyon is a medically appropriate choice. Don’t let alcohol destroy your body, your mind and your life for another day. Call now.

    Sobriety Means Changes For Social Life

    Monday, August 2nd, 2010

    When a person gets sober, they make a lot of big changes in their life.  They change the way they spend time, the way they handle stress, and the way they view the world.  They also have to change the social group they spend time with.  If you are newly sober, this may be a difficult adjustment.  Take a look at why social changes are necessary and how they you can manage them.

    Get A Change Of Scenery

    You may have had some memorable times with your drug using or drinking friends.  But now that you are sober, you’ll need to really think twice about being around them again.  The biggest risk is potential relapse.  Relapse is always going to be more likely when you are faced with direct temptation or an obvious reminder of your active addiction days.

    My drinking wasn’t really wasn’t that bad, was it?  Did I really have to go to drug and alcohol rehab?  Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to just sit with them while they had a drink, just this once.

    Those kinds of thoughts are the slippery slope that can bring you face-to-face with relapse.  The temptation can be almost too powerful to resist.  Even if your friends say it’s OK for you to just “hang out” while they drink or use drugs, that’s not good enough.  Your sobriety is at risk unless you steer clear of your old social life.

    Staying Committed To A Sober Lifestyle

    You probably learned a few things about social interactions when you were in drug or alcohol rehab.  Other recovering addicts may have already been through the temptations of being around old friends.

    If your old friends still make plans around drinking, using drugs, being at parties, and maybe even scraping with the law, they aren’t for you.  It can be painful to back away from people who have been a big part of your life.  But if you are committed to sober living, this is one of the more important changes you’ll ever make.

    Positive Social Choices Support Sobriety

    The right social choices can make a big difference for your sobriety.  People who live a sober life are thinking and living in healthy ways.  They will support your sober lifestyle by doing what is best for you, not just for themselves.  They will spend time with you in positive ways, helping you relieve stress, and help you have fun again.  They will also model healthy living with their words and actions.

    You can find these people in your support group meetings, rehab alumni activities, churches, your neighborhood, and possibly among people you already know.  Your community will have positive activities and social opportunities all year round.

    Making Social Changes With New Sober Life

    Old friends can feel comfortable and familiar, but they may not be healthy for you.  If you have just started a sober lifestyle, you need to be very mindful of who you spend time with.  Positive people will make a big difference with your sobriety every day.  If you need help finding support groups or other positive social gatherings, call us today for more information.

    Alcoholism Is Messy – Just Like Real Life

    Saturday, June 26th, 2010

    Alcoholism is a mess, sloppy and chaotic. The alcoholic believe they have everything under control and just how they want it. But if they could look in from the outside, they may wonder how they ever thought that. It can be tough to convince an alcoholic that their life is spinning out of control. Unless, however, it becomes a mess in their own minds.

    Life Is Messy And Tough To Control

    It’s funny, we humans spend an awful lot of time trying to control things in our life. We try the hardest to control things we have little to no power over. We want that person to finally love us, we want that thing to make us happy, we want to never feel pain or heartbreak again. Sorry, but those are just the normal messy parts of life.

    An alcoholic wants control over their life. That’s all, not too much to ask, right? They have felt so powerless for so long, they have often felt like they have no purpose. If their dad hadn’t run off, if their brother hadn’t died, if they’d never moved from their old town, if their uncle hadn’t abused them, if they hadn’t been bullied as a kid, etc. If those bad things hadn’t happened, they would’ve had a better life.

    Forgetting About The Mess Of Real Life

    And when they want to forget about it for a while, alcohol seems to do the trick. For a while. When they sober up, reality seems to come right back. But when they get the opportunity for more alcohol, they can look forward to a blissful escape. And heck, while were at it, why not escape just a little more? Why not escape as much as possible? There, they finally have it. Control over how much reality comes back in their face. And the more drunk they can be, a less reality they will face.

    Everything Is Under Control

    Since they have everything under control, they needn’t pay any attention to people who disagree with their Drinking. Who are those people to tell the alcoholic what to do? They know what they need, and it’s to keep reality out of the way. And they are doing a fine job of it, thank you very much. The main plan is to simply drink as much as possible. If they can’t see the mess or hear the mess that is real life, everyday is an escape. Why would anyone want to give this up?

    Hiding From Reality Gets Messy

    As you can see, and alcoholics who wants to hide from the mess will just stay drunk. as long as this works, they’ll see no reason to change. When the mess starts cutting through the cloud of intoxication, that’s when things may change. When the mess gets messy all over, maybe – just maybe the alcoholic will finally see it and go to alcohol rehab.

    Strange how life is messy anyway, and the alcoholic creates a mess while trying to hide from it. They end up with a bigger mess than they ever started with. If they keep their eyes closed, the mess may bury them. But with eyes wide open, an alcoholic can start picking up the pieces one at a time. Alcohol rehab can help them.

    Creative Commons License photo credit: Jean Pichot

    Meeting People In Bars – What Are You Looking For

    Wednesday, May 12th, 2010

    When it comes to relationships, location matters. By that I mean the location of where your relationships starts. Where and how you need a person can be a sign of how likely the relationship is the last and how healthy it may be. If you find yourself searching for the perfect boyfriend or girlfriend in a bar, you may need to ask yourself some questions. What are you really looking for? what do you expect to find here? How already are you to be a mature person in a relationship? with relationships, you often get what you ask for.

    Looking For Love In All The Wrong PlacesBlack heart and triangle scribbled on wall

    Let’s imagine that you or someone who hangs out at the bars on a regular basis. Sometimes you go with friends, sometimes you may end up there alone. Now, imagine that you started thinking about finding a relationship. The one you just got out of ended badly. Too much fighting, not much in common, and way too much work. You now avoid the bar you found that person in because you know they still go there and you want to avoid drama. But now you find yourself surveying the field, seeing who you might like to approach next.

    What Happens When You Meet A New Person In A Bar

    Of course, many kinds of people go to bars for different reasons. Just because they are in a bar doesn’t mean they have an unhealthy life or are incapable of being a good relationship partner. However, you may want to reconsider this is your main source for potential relationships. Take a close look, a real close look at how your relationships start at the bar. Do you do most of your talking before anyone has much to drink, or do you hook up when you were both drunk and looking for sex or companionship for the night? If you find that you’re doing a hookup most of the time, you may be choosing the most unhealthy people in the bar.

    If you can’t talk to someone unless you’ve had a lot to drink, you may not honestly be ready for a relationship. You in the other person may not be comfortable talking to healthier people. Two people with the risk for alcohol addiction won’t make good relationship partners for each other. Even if one drinks very little, the heavier drinker is likely to be less committed were bought in the relationship. This is a set up for disappointment and heartbreak.

    Reconsider Meeting People Where They Drink Excessively

    Does this sound like you? You may need to consider this as a sign that you may have a problem with alcohol. If you have never been to alcohol treatment, this might be the time to go. Before starting a new relationship at another bar, you need to consider what a sober lifestyle would be like and what a healthy lasting relationship would be like. Alcohol treatment might seem like the last thing you want to consider when you are lonely and uncertain about yourself, but you can avoid a lot of heartache and disappointment by getting yourself in the right direction. Call today to learn more about alcohol addiction and drug treatment near you.

    Alcoholism Hurts For Generations

    Tuesday, April 20th, 2010

    Alcoholism – definitely a family problem. If you’re alcoholic, you probably already know this. Growing up with an alcoholic or drug addict made you learn how to survive, parent yourself, and do without much loving attention from your family. The pain from alcoholism is usually passed from generation to generation.

    Seeing Old Pain In Your Family Members Eyes

    It’s not just you – you have seen something bitter and ancient in your parents eyes when you grew up. Their dulled expression when they were drunk, their uncontrolled anger, and their illogical rants. Something wild and untamed was there in the way they look at you and others. This is the generational gift of alcoholism – old pain from generations past.

    No one ever went to addiction treatment, they refused support groups, or claimed that all that counseling stuff never worked. Or worse yet, the elder generations of alcoholics in your family didn’t have alcohol treatment available to them. Help wasn’t offered, and help wasn’t asked for.

    Don’t Ask For Help With Alcoholism

    Unfortunately, your family also passed down this distrust of anyone prying into their business. And that includes you, as the child trying to understand your world. So in your innocent efforts to understand the chaos of your family, you are left with but a few conclusions. Any sort of help you need isn’t going to come from your family. Or, you can succumb to the chaos and cope like everyone else does – with alcohol.

    You might be the first generation in your family to actively seek help for your alcoholism. Awareness is better than it used to be, and alcohol rehab is far more available than ever. But other problems have plagued you. Chronic health problems, not unlike your relatives have faced. Trouble connecting with others, also similar to your family situation.

    So when the chips are down and you are backed into a corner, alcohol may seem like your only refuge. At least it’s familiar. You know you shouldn’t, but what’s the use? Everything hurts, just like it does with everyone in your family. They hurt, you hurt, and it doesn’t seem to be anything different for the future.

    Hope For Sobriety Still Exists

    As a person with generational alcoholism, you might feel that the cards are stacked hopelessly against you. Each and every day you have the chance to make a change. If you can step out and start alcohol treatment, go to just one AA meeting, or just talk to someone you trust, there is always hope for sobriety. Always.