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Is there a higher risk of substance abuse for teenagers who visit social networking sites? In a recent report released by Columbia University’s CASA, there appears to be an association between social networking and substance abuse in teenagers. If the findings are to be believed, it can also be assumed that a good proportion of these social network savvy teenagers will need to undergo addiction recovery sooner, rather than later. read more »
Many addicts don’t realize how drug use has affected their lives. The continual yearning for the next fix and reduced brain activity make it hard for a serious addict to reason or think logically. Perhaps, you are using drugs now and you think that you have everything under control so it’s understandable that you don’t think too much about addiction recovery. If you don’t feel the urge to stop now, then it’s only likely that you will discover the long-term effects of drug use for yourself. read more »
We found a group called “Clean and Sober, Not Dead“, who tell us that being clean and sober is a way of life–a fun, exciting, purposeful life that is a result of working some simple steps. They are dedicated to carrying the message to other alcoholics and addicts while also sharing the multi-faceted adventure and daily journey of those in recovery who have found this way of life — being clean and sober while living life to the fullest. Because they may be clean and sober, but they’re not dead!
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A recent Miss Manners column tackled a question from a person who labels him or herself as a “nondrinker” that could have just as easily come from someone who had been through an alcohol abuse recovery program. Maintaining sobriety is not easy and when one is out trying to be social, it is not help to have people draw attention to the fact that you are not drinking.
The letter writer talks about people asking about that person’s choice to abstain from alcohol and feels that people ” are not aware that the question is inappropriate. I do not want to discuss my reasons with casual acquaintances, but I also do not want to make anyone feel embarrassed at having inadvertently asked an impolite question.” read more »
No parent wants to see their child struggle with addiction recovery, no matter what their age, but it can be very difficult for parents of teenagers to confront their child’s substance abuse, especially if they conclude that their child needs the assistance of a drug and alcohol rehab facility.
We have noted before that even though teens like to act as if the don’t care what their parents think, parental involvement goes a long way towards preventing teen substance abuse.
An article on PCWorld.com disputes the conclusions of a study from the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University (CASA Columbia) on the connections between teen drug and alcohol abuse and social media, saying “Sorry, You Can’t Blame Social Networks for Teen’s Drinking and Drugging”. After gathering data from a survey CASA Columbia concluded “American teens who spend any time on social networking sites are more likely to drink, smoke, and take drugs.” Reality shows like Teen Mom, Jersey Shore and 16 and Pregnant, as well as cyber-bullying were also pinpointed as factors in teen substance abuse.
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At Transitions we offer lifetime aftercare for patients who stay at our Miami drug rehab and those who take advantage of our assistance with addiction recovery on an outpatient basis. We know that transitioning to a new life takes work and an initial stint in rehab in just the beginning. It can be devastating for an individual suffering from drug or alcohol addiction and their family if relapse prevention is not addressed thoroughly upon completion of a drug treatment program. What may help is thinking of addiction recovery as a continuing journey and not as a one-time program to be completed within a certain time frame.
Seeking support
You will need a lot of support, perhaps more than you think is necessary. Even people with a very caring circle of family and friends can still benefit from joining a support group with people who have similar experiences.
You will need help in recognizing which relationships are healthy and which ones are not. If you have a place to go and talk to people about what is going on in your life, you will not feel that you absolutely must rely on old friends and acquaintances. Feedback from others can also help you see which people in your life, be they family or friends, are helping you move forward and which people may be holding you back.
Examining what lead to addiction
Choose a rehab faulty that will help you address underlying issues that may be contributing factors to your addiction. One of the best ways to prevent relapse is to examine all of the issues surrounding addiction. There are some things you are aware of and may not want to face and there may be other things that you do not even realize have played a role in your addiction.
At Transitions, all patients receive focused treatment to address their symptoms and achieve an understanding of disorders and the changes they can make to prevent further dual diagnosis disease behaviors.
If you think that as long as you and your family members remain free of addiction, then issues of substance abuse do not pertain to your life, think again. Addiction will not happen to every person in every family or community, but it is a possibility but it is good to know that help with addiction recovery is available. We all have points in our lives when we are vulnerable and can find ourselves in unexpected situations.
A man in Virginia Beach robbed two pharmacies because he needed to feed an addiction to prescription drugs. In one case, he entered a pharmacy, handed a pharmacist a note declaring that he had a gun and that he wanted, among other things Oxycontin, Methadone and morphine.
Sadly, he told authorities that he turned to robbing pharmacies after becoming addicted to prescription medications after he had surgery.
Finding that you have fallen prey to addiction can happen in unexpected ways. The idea that people who engage in substance abuse do so because they want to experiment or because they just have no regard for the law is deceptive. Some people, such as a person who is given painkillers after surgery, do not intend to become addicted. Often people who come to rely on painkillers do not even know that they are addicted until they run out of their prescription.
Experts recommend that you do not try to end an addiction to painkillers on your own. And anyone who wants to “help” by telling you to just get rid of your stash could do you more harm than good. Weaning yourself off of prescription painkillers with the help of medical professions is the way to go. There is no shame in it asking for help. Painkillers are powerful drugs (which is why they are prescribed in the first place).
Depending on the severity of your dependence on prescription painkillers, your doctor may recommend that you seek treatment on an outpatient basis or at an in-patient drug rehab facility. Again, do not feel bad if you need this kind of help. It is better to get the assistance you need to end an addiction to prescription drugs than to resort to drastic measures to feed an addiction.
According to a report by the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry in March 2011, teens may start to consume alcohol before age 12 and they may begin experimenting with marijuana around age 14. In high school, the use of alcohol and marijuana is considered normal. For parents whose children are abusing drugs, it’s very painful to send them to an in-patient drug rehab facility. If you suspect that your kid is using drugs, make plans to talk to him or her before things get out of hand.
Firstly, it’s important to establish an open communication about drugs. This is not so tough because drug use is discussed in schools, churches, the media, and so on. Why not talk about it in the family? Many teens start to use drugs because they feel too lonely. As they grow older, they have to deal with such issues like insecurity, school work, career choices, peer pressure, love, and other aspects of life. This is why it’s essential for parents to build strong a relationship with their children. When there’s a strong relationship, it will be much easier to talk to them about drugs.
Though it’s easy to get emotional as you talk to your kid about drugs, you have to be calm, and keep an open mind. Take time to learn about your teen’s activities and behavior. It helps to find out what they are doing everyday and who they hang out with. In setting up boundaries, you can ask for input from your kid but when it’s time to enforce the boundaries, you have to be firm. Explain that you love and care deeply about them. Always reinforce your teen’s faith and trust. Try to have small casual talks about drugs regularly rather than long lectures. The conversations are to be positive, and two-way. It makes a great difference when they realize that you are listening to them respectfully. Explain how drug use can have a negative impact on their appearance, health, and physical fitness.
In case you discover that your teen is addicted to drugs, you have to encourage him or her to enter drug rehab. Stress to your teen that they have to turn their lives around and there’s really no shame in signing up for addiction recovery.
People who drink may not be aware of the fact that extreme alcohol abuse can kill. Just as it’s important to realize that a person who drinks excessively should be going to an alcohol abuse recovery program, it’s equally important to know the dangers of alcohol poisoning. Alcohol poisoning refers to the state when a person’s body functions like breathing, blood pressure, and heart rate are severely impaired as a result of alcohol consumption. A person who is intoxicated by alcohol can lose consciousness or even die.
When a person consumes alcohol, the nerves that control the gag reflex and breathing are inhibited. The gag reflex is a body mechanism which prevents choking. At a certain level, extreme alcohol abuse can cause these functions to stop. A person who has consumed too much alcohol will usually vomit which is hardly surprising because alcohol irritates the stomach. What’s more worrying is the danger of death by asphyxiation which can be triggered when a person chokes on the vomit. Do not think that a person will recover after a few hours of sleep. From the time the person has consumed the last drink, alcohol in the intestine and stomach still go into the bloodstream, causing the BAC to rise even if the person is unconscious.
Symptoms of Alcohol Poisoning
• Vomiting
• Slow breathing
• Seizures
• Mental confusion, state of unconsciousness
• Hypothermia, paleness or bluish skin color
• Irregular breathing
Do not wait for all the symptoms to manifest when you come upon a person who’s suffering from alcohol poisoning. You should know that there’s a chance that the person who has passed out will die. There’s a danger that the person will choke on his or her own vomit and the victim’s breathing or heartbeat may stop. Seizures can occur as a result of hypoglycemia or extreme dehydration from vomiting. In some cases, victims may even suffer permanent brain damage or death.
If you have a friend who is fighting with an alcohol addiction, make a real effort to explain the importance of addiction recovery to him or her. A leading South Florida addiction recovery center, we have helped thousands of people overcome their problems, and, we can certainly help you or your friend.
At Transitions South Florida drug rehab, we work to help people find their way back to sobriety, but we know that if they could have done more to prevent the need for drug rehab, they would have.
Reuters reports that a Canadian study found: “People who drink or use drugs to calm down anxious nerves are at increased risk of developing full-blown substance abuse disorder down the road.”
This was the first study to try to get to the bottom of which comes first–substance abuse or self-medication? Some people who are anxious may self-medicate to the point that they find themselves addicted. On the other hand, there are people who self-medicate with alcohol and drugs because they are already addicted.
The researchers think that while it is possible to doubt their findings, overall their findings indicate that people who are full of anxiety and use drugs or alcohol to calm down, are more likely to find themselves dealing with addiction down the road.
Studies of the habits that lead to drug and alcohol abuse are just that–studies. They are not a guarantee that at person will succumb to addiction, but if you or someone you care about exhibits the signs of falling into the temptation to engage in substance abuse, it is worth your while to pay attention.
If you, a friend or a relative frequently turns to drugs or alcohol to relieve stress, calm down or just to get through the day, then you or that person are at risk. Continuing to deal with life’s challenges by turning to drugs or alcohol means that you are not developing your own coping strategies. Soon one can start to see drugs or alcohol as the thing that keeps you doing and this kind of dependency on substances is dangerous.
“Of those who had anxiety disorder at the outset of the study and said they self-medicated with alcohol, 13 percent developed alcoholism…
After taking income, age and other factors into consideration, self-medicating people had 2.5 to 5 times the odds of becoming dependent on alcohol or drugs compared to people who stuck with their doctor’s prescription.”
