Power of journaling during addiction recovery

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Power of journaling during addiction recovery

Journaling refers to penning down the thought processes on a daily, weekly or a monthly basis. Going over them develops a better understanding of the self and gaining insights. Many addiction treatment specialists encourage their patients to maintain a journal as it can be helpful give vent to thoughts regularly and in the process, decrease one’s susceptibility to get overwhelmed with stress. Journaling can help a person to lay bare the feelings on a piece of paper if interacting with counselors or mingling with fellow sufferers seem like a tedious task. It can also help a person to determine his/her progress qualitatively (in terms of learning better coping mechanisms, detaching from addictive substances, etc.) and quantitatively (number of days, weeks, months and years of sobriety).

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How to convince a person dependent on drugs to get help

How to convince a person dependent on drugs to get help

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People falling into the trap of alcohol or drugs often struggle hard to detach themselves from the grip of addiction. While stigma is a major factor that restrains users from seeking help from others, numerous underlying causes inhibit them from choosing the path to recovery. After getting neck-deep in substance abuse, it becomes immensely difficult for any person to break away from any kind of drug-seeking behavior. Read more

Unearthing personal strengths during recovery

Unearthing personal strengths during recovery

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When a person resolves to break free from the shackles of an addiction, he or she sets the stage for a new start. Picturing a life free of an addiction is easy, however, the journey leading toward complete recovery could be hard for some. Recovery is not just a summation of detoxification, medication and counseling, it is much more than this. When one enters an addiction recovery process, after a while, the reins of an addiction start loosening up, the brain fog starts disappearing and one restores the lost mental clarity. This mental clarity, if put to constructive use, can help a person live a productive life. Read more

Helping a friend who relapsed during rehab

Helping a friend who relapsed during rehab

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An unfortunate and painful part of recovery is a situation in which someone from rehab relapses. Besides affecting the individual concerned, such an event can have an impact on the people around them, especially friends in recovery, who may start doubting their own chances of recovery. Friends may also feel disheartened that a co-recovering individual has lost the fight against sobriety. It may also be possible that the friend relapsing was an inspiration to others due to his/her determined approach during recovery. In addition to feelings of sadness and despair, relapse of a friend in rehab can lead to other emotional responses such as anger, concern and jealousy among mates. Read more

Role of general physicians in preventing substance abuse and maintaining sobriety

Role of general physicians in preventing substance abuse and maintaining sobriety

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In the process of recovering from substance use disorders, an often overlooked entity is the general physician (GP). Various constituents of the recovery process, including therapists, sponsors, support groups, family and friends have an important part to play; however, GPs can provide a critical level of support in preventing substance abuse and maintaining sobriety during withdrawal. People who abuse substances usually suffer from one or more medical issues such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, liver disorders, lung disorders and cancer. In such a situation, GPs can play a vital role in ensuring the health and well-being of patients. Read more

Insight into detoxification - 3: Difference between inpatient and outpatient detox

Insight into detoxification – 3: Difference between inpatient and outpatient detox

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Addiction to a substance does not develop by choice. Also, a person trying drugs for the first time does not aspire to develop an addiction. For any addiction to develop, it undergoes several stages starting from habit, dependence and tolerance that eventually leads to addiction. Although it is hard to realize the development of an addiction, recognizing it can be the first alarm. Ideally, this should be the immediate stage to undergo a detox program and prevent the development of the addiction. Read more

Detoxification-eliminating toxins left by drugs and alcohol

Detoxification-eliminating toxins left by drugs and alcohol

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According to the 2015 data released by the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), in 2014, nearly 22.5 million Americans aged 12 years or older needed treatment for drug and alcohol addiction, however, only 4.1 million people received treatment for substance use disorder during the same period. Thus, there continues to be a large treatment gap in the country, despite a significantly high rate of substance use, abuse and dependence among Americans. Read more

Importance of aftercare post recovery from addiction

Importance of aftercare post recovery from addiction

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Getting addicted can be quite easy, but kicking an addiction is not. Developing addiction takes less time than quitting it. So, it is better to avoid taking any addictive substance in the first place. However, if one has fallen into the trap of abusing any substance, he must undergo proper detoxification at a rehabilitation center to get rid of the addiction. However, mere detox doesn’t ensure complete cure. Even after completing detox therapy and rehab program, a person under recovery still bears the risk for relapse.

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The harmful risks of including alcohol in diet

The harmful risks of including alcohol in diet

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When a bartender tells you to “pick your poison,” he or she is being fairly accurate about your intentions to drink. In addition to its manipulation of one’s mental capacity, alcohol directly interferes with a number of important nutritional processes in the body. Recent research illustrates the substance’s relationship with malnourishment and other medical health concerns.

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Unofficial stress relievers: Alcohol

Unofficial stress relievers: Alcohol

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Although many individuals use alcohol to self-medicate their own stress, substance use is generally unreliable for achieving peace of mind and tends to lead users to dependency.

In “Does Drinking Reduce Stress?,” an article written in 1999 by Michael A. Sayette, Ph.D., he summarized an effect classified as stress response dampening (SRD) that drinking alcohol can produce. However, Dr. Sayette detailed that since the 1980s, previous studies had found inconsistent measurements of an SRD effect associated with intoxication. Over subsequent years, multiple factors have been identified that fluctuate the stress-relieving impact of alcohol. They include individual differences, such as one’s family history of alcoholism, personality, level of self-consciousness, cognitive functioning and gender. Situational factors like distractions during a stressful situation and the timing of drinking and stress can also mediate alcohol’s effects. Read more