Tag Archives: alcohol abuse

Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms

Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms

Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms

Similar to withdrawal from prescription or street drugs, alcohol withdrawal comes with a lot of unpleasant symptoms. Though these alcohol withdrawal symptoms are uncomfortable, in most cases, they are not life-threatening. The physical and mental effects of alcohol withdrawal are mentally and physically taxing for someone attempting to overcome alcohol addiction.

Millions of Americans are dealing with an alcohol use disorder. In fact, a study published in JAMA Psychiatry stated that about 1 in 8 adults in the United States meet the diagnostic criteria for an alcohol use disorder. These statistics are alarming and according to the CDC, approximately 88,000 people die annually from alcohol-related causes.

When it comes to alcohol withdrawal, it doesn’t matter if you or a loved one has been drinking for a few weeks or several decades, the results are likely the same. To successfully and safely withdraw from alcohol it’s important to understand the process.

What Causes Alcohol Withdrawal?

Like any other controlled substance, alcohol produces intense symptoms once it’s discontinued. The question is: What causes alcohol withdrawal? In terms of physiology, alcohol dependency begins in the liver. Alcohol – like anything else we consume – is broken down by liver enzymes then is released from the body through urine. The problem with alcohol is, once a person drinks too much or too often, the liver cannot effectively break it down and the unmetabolized alcohol begins to affect other parts of the body.

The brain is most often affected by alcohol addiction, as alcohol causes extreme fluctuations in brain chemistry. This is also where psychological alcohol dependence starts. People who are addicted to alcohol feel happier and more relaxed when they drink and if a person is dealing with a lot of stress or trying to repress negative emotions, they will likely drink more to improve their mood. As consumption increases in amount and frequency, the body begins to crave alcohol and tolerance gets higher, meaning it takes more alcohol to produce the same happy effect.

If you or a loved one exhibits signs of alcohol dependence, it’s important to seek treatment. Signs that indicate alcohol dependence include:

  • Behavioral changes like increased aggression and self-destructive tendencies
  • The inability to limit alcohol consumption
  • Shunning social or professional obligations to drink instead
  • Mood changes including feelings of intense euphoria or apathy, loneliness, or guilt
  • Problems with coordination like slurred speech, disturbed gait, tremors, blackouts, and/or sweating

Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms: What to Expect

Alcohol withdrawal takes place in various stages and those embarking on it for the first time can better adjust if they know what will happen and when. Although the timeline of alcohol withdrawal is fairly linear, the withdrawal experience will vary from person to person. It’s important to remember that the withdrawal symptoms won’t necessarily happen at the same exact time but will occur in what are called stages.

The first stage of alcohol withdrawal begins several hours after a person drinks for the last time. With onset from 8 to 12 hours after the last drink, a person withdrawing from alcohol may begin to experience abdominal pain, headaches, nausea and vomiting, fever, and changes in blood pressure. As withdrawal progresses to the second stage, the symptoms become markedly more uncomfortable.

Second stage alcohol withdrawal typically begins between 12 and 24 hours after the last drink. Though second stage symptoms include both intense mental and physical symptoms, these symptoms are not life-threatening. Symptoms at this stage include, but are not limited to, heart palpitations, anxiety, tremors, hallucinations (auditory, tactile and visual), and confusion.

The third stage of alcohol withdrawal is the most critical and happens anywhere between 24 and 48 hours following a person’s last drink. At this stage, the person will experience intense symptoms that may be better managed in a controlled environment, such as a treatment facility. Even for someone who knows what to expect, stage three symptoms of alcohol withdrawal can be pretty scary. Common stage three symptoms include hallucinations, tremors, and even seizures. In addition, delirium tremens (DTs) commonly develop in stage three alcohol withdrawal.

Exactly what is DTs? Delirium tremens is a potentially life-threatening occurrence that is marked by psychological symptoms such as powerful hallucinations and intense seizures. DTs is fatal in about 3-5 percent of people who develop it. Though not everyone who withdraws from alcohol will experience delirium tremens, the possibility of its development is one of the reasons why it is not recommended to attempt alcohol withdrawal on your own. By using medically assisted detox, people withdrawing from alcohol can do so in a controlled environment and decrease the likelihood of mortality caused by DTs.

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Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms

What to Expect Next?

Though it is still up for debate, some addiction treatment professionals believe there is, in fact, a fourth withdrawal stage. Following stage three, it’s common to experience purely psychological symptoms, including depression. Other common post-withdrawal symptoms include insomnia, weight gain due to metabolism changes, and lack of energy.

The severity of alcohol withdrawal symptoms will largely depend on how often a person drinks, how much they drink, as well as overall health. Those who have co-occurring disorders also may experience alcohol withdrawal differently.

Get Help with Safe Alcohol Withdrawal

Managing the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal alone is not recommended. Aside from generally uncomfortable symptoms, there are some potentially life-threatening side effects that are best managed at an addiction treatment facility. By seeking professional help from qualified staff at a rehab facility specializing in alcohol dependency, those dealing with alcohol addiction can safely detox, learn and manage triggers, and prevent relapse.

At Desert Cove Recovery, our professional staff is there to help you or a loved one safely detox from alcohol. With a whole-person approach, we work to identify the underlying causes of alcohol dependence and give individuals the tools they need to prevent relapse. We specialize in both traditional 12-step programs as well as forward-thinking treatment approaches that include medically-supervised detox, holistic treatment, outdoor therapy, individual and group therapy, and comprehensive extended care services.

alcohol's impact on sleep

Alcohol’s Impact On Sleep

Alcohol’s Impact On Sleep

It’s a common occurrence; you have a hard time falling asleep and think a small drink before bed will help calm you down and help you fall asleep. You’re not wrong; having an alcoholic drink or two may likely induce sleep more quickly, as it’s sedative properties take your body over. But you may not know about alcohol’s impact on sleep once you’ve drifted off, and how harmful the overall impact can be.

Alcohol’s sedative effect doesn’t last for long as our bodies quickly build a tolerance for the sedation of alcohol and we find ourselves needing to consume more alcohol for the same ‘get-to-sleep,’ effects. Before you know it, you’re relying all too heavily on alcohol to get you to sleep, and that’s just the start of problems for your brain and body.

Not only are you relying on the sedative effects of alcohol to put you to sleep (or too often, help you pass out), you are damaging the quality of your sleep as well. Research has shown that even small amounts of alcohol in our systems as we go to sleep have a tremendous impact on our sleep cycles and restorative sleep properties, and our entire night’s sleep is affected. Alcohol’s impact on sleep is multi-faceted and affects our bodies and our brains.

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alcohol use disorder's impact on sleep

How Does Alcohol Impact Our Sleep Rhythms?

When we drink alcohol before bed, even a glass, research shows that our brains have more slow-wave sleep patterns. This Delta activity is important for sleeping deeply and soundly while your brain is imprinting memories and committing learned things for later access. That sounds great in theory, but the problem is that alcohol before bed also brings with it Alpha activity.

Alpha activity doesn’t typically happen during sleep as much as when you’re resting but acting together, the alpha and delta activity can hinder your sleep and the restorative properties your brain gets from sleep. The alpha wave intrusion has also been linked with fatigue, sleep disorders and major depressive disorders. In essence, alcohol before sleeping can mimic those degenerative conditions.

Our bodies also work on sleep and circadian rhythms. You might have heard the term and thought it nothing more than a pattern your body goes through daily, and at the core, that’s accurate. That said, circadian rhythms are physical and mental changes and they primarily respond to darkness and light. This is why we tend to sleep at night and be awake during day hours.

How Do Circadian Rhythm Disruptions Affect Our Health?

Experts believe that alcohol before bed affects the production of chemicals in our body that triggers our circadian rhythms to do their jobs. Yes, the production of sleep-inducing adenosine helps us fall asleep more quickly, but it doesn’t last long, and we tend to wake up more in the middle of the night. This means that we aren’t getting fully restorative sleep, and over time, this has a major impact on our brain and body functions.

It’s important that we maintain our body’s natural circadian rhythms as best we can. When we don’t, we can affect everything from our liver to our gut flora and microbiome. Our gut and microbiome are what many call the body’s second brain. When we affect our body’s circadian rhythms with alcohol consumption, we are also affecting our gut and could even lead to developing leaky gut syndrome. Our bodies and our brains depend on restorative sleep for overall health and wellness.

What Is Restorative Sleep and Why Is It So Important?

Perhaps you’ve heard of REM (Rapid-Eye Movement) Sleep and know it to be important to a good night’s rest. But do you know how important REM sleep is? It’s the truly way sleep ‘feeds’ one’s brain at night and is considered the most restorative type of sleep.

When one is in REM sleep, their brain activity is rapidly increased and restoring the taxation of the day’s events on the brain so that you can get up refreshed and ready to tackle the next day with vim and vigor. The problem with alcohol before bed, though, and particularly increasing amounts to help one fall asleep, is that alcohol blocks REM sleep.

And while at the surface, that feeling of grogginess and exhaustion the next day can leave one feeling miserable, repeated interruption of REM sleep can have other physiological effects too. When we sleep uninterruptedly, our brains take the opportunity to remove the neurotoxins we’ve encountered through the day. Interrupted sleep that brings about less REM sleep means our brains can’t efficiently clean those toxins out, and this can set them up for higher risks of diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Excessive Alcohol Consumption Destroys Sleep Patterns

No, a glass of wine or a beer here or there before bed will not be a deal-breaker for good sleep habits for the rest of your life. But as is often the case with consuming alcohol for sleep induction or other physiological or psychological pain, our bodies need more and more alcohol to bring about the same effects. Initially, a glass of wine or a beer will be all we need to ‘put us to sleep.’ But over time, our tolerance will build and we’ll find ourselves struggling to get to sleep with the same amount. Before we know it, addiction sets in.

Sleep deprivation itself is a form of torture because we know how not getting restorative sleep can affect our entire lives. When alcohol use disorder is thrown into the mix, it’s a vicious cycle of can’t-win, exacerbated by conditions like sleepwalking, obstructive sleep apnea, exhaustion and insomnia. Sadly, sleep deprivation can make alcohol recovery even more difficult and daunting.

This is where the caring and compassionate staff at Desert Cove Recovery comes in.

Recovering Your Sleep and Your Life

While alcohol’s impact on sleep is tremendously multi-faceted, the staff at Desert Cove Recovery knows that alcohol’s impact on your life is even greater. And, because they know sleep disturbances can hinder addiction recovery, they work with you through the process of recovery in a caring and individualized way that takes all of your concerns into account.

One of the most difficult things one has to do to begin recovery is to admit that addiction exists. When you’ve not been getting restorative sleep, you see things at a different angle, and this admittance can be even more grueling.

Desert Cove Recovery understands this and wants to help you recover not only a good night’s sleep, but your best life—the one you were meant to live before alcohol became dominant in your life. The rehab programs at Desert Cove were designed to help clients overcome addiction and lead happy and healthy lives, and this includes helping you learn to get through things in this life without relying on alcohol to do so.

There is hope for better sleep, better health and happiness without alcohol and you just need to take the first steps of contact with Desert Cove Recovery to start that path. Make the call; you deserve it.

quit drinking for good

You Can Quit Drinking for Good

You Can Quit Drinking for Good

Many alcoholics may have trouble admitting they have a drinking problem because alcohol is socially accepted as opposed to other drugs that lead to addiction. But, statistics show that one in eight Americans is an alcoholic. That amounts to more than 12 percent of the U.S. population. Knowing that excessive drinking is a problem many people face can help someone get the help they need to quit drinking for good. Admitting there is a problem is the first step; one that can be the most difficult to face.

Why It Can Be Difficult to Quit Drinking for Good

Once you admit you have a drinking problem, the next step is to seek help. If you think you can do this alone, you may want to reconsider. Many people try it on their own and run into one or more of these issues that prevent them from quitting drinking.

Long-term alcohol use affects brain chemistry

When you decide you want to stop drinking, it’s not as easy as just making a conscious decision. When you use alcohol for a long period of time, your brain chemistry changes leaving you feeling as though you need alcohol to function. Professionals know how to safely handle withdrawal symptoms as you detox from alcohol.

You may experience severe withdrawal symptoms

When people try to quit drinking on their own, they may experience withdrawal symptoms they can’t handle on their own. These can include nausea, vomiting, trembling, anxiety, and much more. At an alcohol rehab program, professionals can determine how to help you detox from alcohol and deal with withdrawal symptoms in a safe way so that you’re not tempted to drink again.
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Alcohol is socially accepted

Unlike drugs, which are illegal, alcohol is legal and socially accepted. If you’re out with friends or at a party, you may be offered a drink or two by people who don’t realize you have an addiction. While they may be able to stop at that point, it’s different for you. If you are trying to quit on your own and are offered alcohol while you’re out, quitting can become increasingly difficult.

How Rehab Can Help for Long-Term Recovery

If you have realized you have an alcohol problem and are ready to seek the help you need to live a sober life, extended care rehab can help. Many people have the misconception that alcohol rehab programs solely consist of AA meetings. While meetings can be part of the recovery process, they are not the entire process. Since everyone’s addiction is treated differently, so is everyone’s recovery.

When you seek help, you will first be evaluated to see if detox is necessary. No other therapy can begin until your body is free from the substance you’ve become addicted to. Professionals at the rehab facility will assure that your detox is medically monitored and that any withdrawal symptoms are dealt with safely by a medical team.

From that point, the course of your treatment will be determined. Some people do well in shortened programs, depending on their level of addiction, while others need more time to sort through their issues and start living a sober life. Whichever category you fall into is perfectly fine. The important thing is that you are now seeking the help you need. Everything else will begin to fall into place as long as you are following the steps of your program and putting in the work that is necessary to succeed.

In order to help you recover, you will likely go through therapy sessions to help you determine what led to your addiction. This is an important part of the recovery process because you need to learn what triggers to avoid, or how to deal with those triggers should you not be able to completely avoid them, in order to get well.

Often times hearing other people’s stories through group sessions can help people recover because they realize they are truly not alone. Knowing that there are other people who are going through the same thing at the same time can be comforting. It can also help to build new friendships and bonds with people who have the same goals.

How Extended Care Rehab Can Help

For some people, short term programs are enough, but for others, extended care rehab is needed. This will be determined by your clinician. The benefits of extended care rehab are that you can work on physical and body issues to help with your recovery. These areas may not be entirely addressed during a regular rehab stay.

At Desert Cove Recovery extended care recovery programs are available to those who need it. During this program, you can expect individual therapy sessions where a therapist will address your issues one-on-one. There are also group therapy sessions available as well as a relapse prevention program that will focus specifically on how to maintain your sobriety.

The final part of the process relies on the transition process to help you succeed out in the world once you leave the program. Once you do leave, you may still attend meetings from time to time on an outpatient basis.

If you’re ready to start your path to recovery, contact Desert Cove Recovery today. One of our caring staff members will answer your call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can also fill out an online form to get in contact with our team. They will help you to begin living a sober life.

Substance Abuse vs Addiction

Substance Abuse vs Addiction

Substance Abuse vs Addiction

All too often, the phrase “substance abuse” is used interchangeably with the word “addiction.” Abuse and addiction take similar physical, psychological, and social tolls for those who are suffering. However, it is important to understand the difference between substance abuse vs addiction. Learning about each will help you identify if an individual is casually abusing drugs or alcohol or in serious need of assistance to break an addiction.

Recognizing Substance Abuse

Substance abuse and addiction are not actually the same thing. On the surface, substance abuse may not look like extreme or dangerous behavior. In fact, it may not stand out as abnormal at all. If drinking or recreational drug use has become normalized in your social circle, you could even be abusing substances without knowing it. 

Substance abuse involves using a substance, whether it be alcohol, prescription drugs, or illicit “street” drugs, to a point that becomes a hazard to your health. This includes using medications in ways other than prescribed.

When Substance Use Starts to Affect Your LIfe

Substance abuse also includes using substances to a point where doing so starts to affect your ability to live your life as you had prior to using. This point can come far quicker than many people realize. As soon as you start using your substance of choice to cope with emotions, thoughts, stress, or living situations, you are abusing that particular substance. This is true even if you have not experienced any consequences yet as a result. 

For example, consider alcohol consumption. According to the USDA, a safe and moderate level of alcohol consumption is no more than one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men. Someone who drinks more than this is abusing alcohol by definitions, even if their consumption does not appear excessive to others. It has been shown drinking past the recommended daily limit increases the risk alcohol will affect your health, put at risk for DUIs, and other undesirable outcomes. 

Most individuals who abuse substances but are not yet addicted, feel like they can stop whenever they want to. Some people abuse substances intermittently instead of regularly. This can mask the fact that there is a problem. Substance abuse is still a widespread issue causing problems in many people’s lives. The CDC notes that more than 10 percent of people over the age of 12 have used some type of illicit drug in the past month. While not everyone who abuses drugs will go on to develop an addiction, many will. 

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Substance Abuse vs Addiction

When Substance Abuse Becomes Addiction

Addiction is a more serious problem than substance abuse. While substance abuse can be situational, addiction is a pervasive problem affecting every aspect of a person’s life. Substance abuse is a negative behavior that a person chooses whereas addiction is a disease of the brain. Many people are able to stop abusing substances on their own, but recovering from addiction is a significantly more complex task usually requiring outside help. 

The main hallmark of addiction is physical dependency. After a person abuses drugs or alcohol for a long enough period, their brain starts to change physically, making it difficult for the person to feel normal without their substance of choice. Drug or alcohol use causes a rush of dopamine in the brain. Eventually, the brain acclimates to the euphoria and begins to demand more, building a tolerance and creating an addiction.

When an addicted person does not have drugs or alcohol in their system, the lack of dopamine beings to show ill effects. Addicted individuals will start to experience withdrawal symptoms like tremors, nausea, and hallucinations (withdrawal symptoms vary from substance to substance). Essentially the person loses their ability to function normally when not drunk or high. 

Is Addiction a Choice?

Substance abuse may be a choice, but addiction rarely is. One of the defining traits of addiction is the inability to stop using drugs or alcohol, despite the negative social or health consequences. To an addicted person, seeking out and using their substance of choice is the most important thing in life.

Addiction will cause users to lie, steal, and sneak around to use drugs or alcohol. It is not that they are inherently bad people. It is simply their illness has hijacked the decision-making parts of their brain, leading them to take actions unfathomable prior to developing an addiction. 

Addiction is widespread with more than 15 million adults in the United States addicted to alcohol, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Further, addictive behaviors cost the U.S. more than $740 billion every year in health care costs and lost productivity. The good news is addiction is treatable, although only about. Unfortunately, only about 10 percent of those addicted actually receive treatment. 

Are You Dealing With Substance Abuse or Addiction?

If you are wondering whether you or a loved has a problem with drugs or alcohol, the odds are likely that you may indeed have a problem. Whether or not the substance abuse has progressed to the level of addiction, it is important to seek help as soon as possible before the problem gets worse.

You or a loved one may be addicted to a substance if any of the following are true: 

  • You use drugs or alcohol alone.
  • You lie to friends or loved ones about your substance use.
  • You feel out of control and cannot stop drinking or using even when you want to.
  • You experience physical withdrawals when you cannot use your substance of choice.
  • Your drinking or drug use is affecting your relationships, job, or academic performance.

Seeking Help and Getting Sober

It is never too late to seek professional guidance when it comes to substance use. Substance abuse versus addiction is indeed an important question. However, most important is finding the help you or your loved needs.

If you or someone you know may be struggling with either substance abuse or addiction, let them know specially trained professionals are here to help, in addition to their friends, family, and the community they live in. Contact a professional at Desert Cove Recovery today for more information.

 

detox on your own, arizona detox

Why It’s Dangerous to Detox on Your Own; Arizona Detox Centers Provide Professional Assistance

Why It’s Dangerous to Detox on Your Own; Arizona Detox Centers Provide Professional Assistance

It is commendable to take the first steps towards overcoming an addiction. However, it can be very dangerous to detox on your own, which is why it’s important to use an Arizona detox provider that has medical professionals on hand to assist with the process.

Those who have become addicted have been experiencing dopamine hits to the brain provided a relief from the stresses of their lives. However, what ended up happening was so much worse than what they had been trying to avoid. Now, their primary concern is getting the brain and the body used to sober living again.

However, the process to get there involves reversing what occurred, pulling away from the effects that caused the addiction to take hold. This time is generally filled with quite a bit of anguish and discomfort. Of course, it is very much worth it in the end, but getting there is not easy, and it should not be done alone for comfort and, more importantly, safety reasons.

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So, Why Is It Dangerous to Detox on Your Own?

In many cases, not checking into an Arizona detox center during this part of the recovery process results in dangerous physical symptoms such as seizures without any professional help nearby to assist. It should also be noted that delirium tremens, which consist of a rapid heartbeat and a sense of confusion, occur in many who are recovering from alcohol addiction and in some cases results in death.

Physical Discomfort

Other possible withdrawal symptoms that provide physical discomfort include aches, constipation, diarrhea, fever, headaches, high blood pressure, increased heart rate, memory problems, nausea, panic attacks, seizures, tremors and vomiting. These vary depending on the substance that was being used but an individual will experience a variety of these symptoms.

The main reason why detox can be such a shock to the body is because, when alcohol or drugs were introduced to the brain, it started being flooded by certain chemicals, which caused the brain to produce more countering ones to balance it out. However, once the substance is removed, the brain is still sending all of those countering chemicals in high numbers, and the situation is out of balance again.

Mental Side Effects

The mental side effects of detoxing should not be discounted as experiencing those at home are much more apt to result in an end to the detox and a return to the substance that was being used. The desire to resume regular use is extremely high during this step of the recovery process, and it’s important to be able to push past this point, and assistance is often necessary for this to occur.

Specific withdrawal symptoms related to the mental side of the recovery process include agitation, anxiety, depression, hallucinations, insomnia, lack of interest in things that used to be viewed as important, mood changes, nightmares and oversleeping.

Lack of Support

It’s also of benefit to simply have others around during this trying time as detoxing at home often leaves that person completely alone during one of the most difficult times of their lives. This type of setting, detoxing at home, can exacerbate withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety and depression.

Possible Overdose

It’s important to also point out that those who do relapse while detoxing at home are much more apt to experience an overdose, which can be deadly as the body is often not ready for the dosage that it’s being provided. This is due to the person returning to previous dosage amounts, which may be too much for the body to handle once the detox process has started. The odds of this situation occurring increase the longer the detox period has lasted, but it can still take place during the early stages of the process.

What Can Detox Centers Provide?

One of the most significant benefits of being in a professional environment during this challenging time is simply having medical professional nearby who can help should a dangerous situation develop suddenly and unexpectedly. This immediate medical intervention can and does save lives. For example, should a seizure occur, someone would be there to intervene and help, which would not be possible if detoxing at home.

Another reason why detoxing without the assistance of qualified Arizona detox professionals doesn’t lead to sustained recovery is the failure to address any underlying issues that caused the substance abuse to begin. Addiction is a complex disorder that requires not only a safe detox but also treatment options that will help set the individual up for success.

Desert Cove Recovery has trained medical professionals who are willing to walk you safely through detox. We will work to uncover the underlying issues through therapy sessions and other treatment options.

Probably one of the most important things to consider is that detoxing is not easy. If it was, there would be significantly fewer people addicted to drugs or alcohol, and detox centers would be few and far between. It’s difficult to jump over this significant hurdle of the recovery process, and it becomes so much more difficult and dangerous when attempting to do so on your own.

If you or a loved one is looking to take this important first step on the recovery path, contact Desert Cove Recovery today. We will provide a safe place and medical professionals on hand to ensure that the detox process is done safely and get you started on your road to recovery.

12 step rehab vs non 12 step rehab

12 Step vs Non-12-Step Rehab

12 Step vs Non-12-Step Rehab

For those suffering from addiction, it can seem like there is no hope for recovery. The prevalence of alcohol, prescription, and recreational drug abuse & addiction has continued to rise for years, making the illness affect more people than ever. As one of the leading causes of preventable death in the United States, it’s clear that getting those in need the help they deserve is crucial to the well-being of the nation.

Fortunately, with the help of trustworthy and reliable rehabilitation facilities, there is hope. Rehabilitation programs are available that help sufferers to kick their addiction, recover from the damage it caused, and move on to a healthier drug-free life. However, rehab isn’t a one-size-fits-all kind of treatment – you will have to find the right approach for your situation.

There are a wide array of addiction treatment centers nationwide, each with their own personal philosophy, procedure, and treatments. There are two main treatment methods – 12-step rehab programs or non-12-step rehab programs. While sorting through all the possible rehab centers is not easy, perhaps the best way to begin is to decide which methodology best suits you and your personal circumstances.

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12 step rehab arizona

How Do the 12-Steps Work?

Easily the most common approach to addiction treatment, the traditional 12-step program focuses on self-help and community-driven treatment through meetings, peer counseling, and other social forms of therapy. Depending on whether the program is being administered in a rehab center or through a public venue meetup, the specifics of the treatment will vary but most programs emphasize 3 things: acceptance, social responsibility, and commitment.

The 12-step program is not necessarily a scientific approach to treating addiction, but rather a spiritual or philosophical approach that focuses on accepting that you have a problem you cannot control alone, being willing to accept help from others, and committing to improving your situation through regular participation. They leverage social responsibility and emphasize the community as a whole as a motivator to help yourself to help those around you.

Many 12-step programs are often religious in nature and those who are religious themselves may more greatly benefit from the approach, but nonreligious users have had success as well.

What Does 12-Step Rehab Offer?

While traditional 12-step rehab follows a specific set of teachings, you’re more likely to find hybrid programs that are influenced by the 12 steps instead of following them exactly. Treatment centers like Desert Cove Recovery often employ an array of treatment options to supplement the 12 steps, including one-on-one therapy sessions with an addiction therapist, mental health treatment to address underlying causes of addiction, and other holistic approaches while helping you to find acceptance, peace, and love with the guidance of the 12 steps.

Desert Cove Recovery 12-step rehab program teaches patients that nobody is perfect, and everyone makes mistakes. Addiction can make the user feel powerless, but self-improvement and salvation are always possible with the courage & motivation to admit your faults and resign yourself to a higher power. Once you’ve achieved acceptance, you can proceed to make amends with those you have wronged and continue your healthy habits to lead a sober lifestyle, encouraging others to do the same by guiding & sponsoring others who are struggling.

What Are the Alternatives to 12-Step Rehab?

Many treatment programs move away from a social therapy focus and implement individualized evidence-based treatments along with group-based options to support them. They focus on the individual while sometimes incorporating the community, emphasizing personal responsibility for your actions and working to improve yourself as a whole. Some of these programs may be religious, while others are not. 

One of the primary examples of alternative treatment options is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which focuses on addressing what thoughts or feelings cause the need to abuse drugs or alcohol. Another is pharmacotherapy, which uses medication to curb the withdrawal effects of kicking an addiction to make the recovery process safer and easier. Both of these treatments are conducted by trained medical professionals, making them both safe.

Comparing Rehab Program Options

As stated previously, there are a variety of different treatment approaches available for treating addiction. Most facilities will have their own unique implementation of the 12 steps, incorporating their personal philosophies to offer more comprehensive care. 

Treatment Focus

The 12-step program is community-driven treatment that focuses on group therapy, building a community, and helping yourself through helping others. The program itself implements an overarching set of guidelines that can be applied to many cases of addiction in order to begin healing. Rather than addressing the cause of the addiction, users are encouraged to resign to their addiction, make amends for their wrongdoings, and start over by living a clean life. Some programs will include other therapies, as is the case at Desert Cove Recovery, however, some other 12-step based rehabs rely solely on the 12 steps as a basis of treatment. The focus upon community, acceptance and primary interaction with other people in a similar situation can be a great source of comfort and strength for many sufferers who feel that they cannot fight their illness alone.

Non-12-step program treatments usually focus on the individual, emphasizing self-care, addressing flaws, and improving on any shortcomings directly rather than starting over. Many programs may also take a holistic approach to treatment, treating the body, mind, and spirit of the individual based on their specific needs and situation. The focus upon the ‘root’ of a person’s is designed to find a way out of the addictive cycle by addressing the fundamental personal, mental and physical circumstances that lead to an individual’s illness. This can be a longer, less uniform approach to recovery that requires fundamental changes in a person’s life and relationships.

Level of Care

The standard 12-step program does not prioritize formal individualized therapy. Instead in many cases they will assign a sponsor or partner to each member, with their partner acting as their primary support system. These sponsors and partners are often recovering or have recovered themselves, and don’t necessarily have professional experience or qualifications. They do however often have an affinity and understanding of the trials and obstacles that must be faced and overcome in the journey from addiction to recovery. Many people in rehab find a great deal of solace and comfort in this relationship.

Non-12-step programs usually include heavy individualized therapy treatment, often with group therapy as a secondary point. Patients in these programs will likely meet with a therapist or psychiatrist to address their personal situation, address any triggers for the addiction, and build a personalized treatment plan.

Effectiveness

As they are not unique to the individual, 12-step programs have had their effectiveness questioned. Dr. Lance Dodes, a retired assistant clinical professor of psychiatry estimates that 12-step programs only have a 5-10 percent success rate (source). This is because programs like Alcoholics Anonymous – the most famous implementation of the 12-step process – are one-size-fits-all in their approach. Such programs do however have a large volume of participants across the US and have been helping people with addiction since the 1930s. Their positive impact upon individuals and communities is difficult to ignore.

Due to the wide variety in different non-12-step programs, it is hard to calculate the success rate of treatment. However, cognitive behavioral therapy – one of the most popular non-12-step forms of treating addiction, was shown to be 60% effective at keeping patients who abused cocaine clean over a 1-year period, according to a study by RA Rawson of the University of California. (source)

Cost & Availability

Traditional 12-step rehab programs like Alcoholics Anonymous are volunteer-run and open to the public, making them entirely free and relatively easily available. Hybrid 12-step rehab programs are often offered at addiction treatment facilities and need to be paid for, making them not free, but usually available depending on your location.

Non-12-step programs are often run by licensed professionals and individualized, primarily requiring an appointment or reservation to be seen or admitted. They can be costly depending on the specifics of the individual program, but many insurance plans cover treatment like cognitive behavioral therapy and others to a certain degree. The availability of these programs depends on the type of program you are seeking and your location, but they are usually available enough that you will likely be able to find treatment near you.

Choosing a Rehab That Offers the Best of Both Worlds

The key to addiction treatment is comprehensive and versatile care. Both 12-step and non-12 step methodologies provide routes to recovery. Recently there has been a growth in programs that combine the communal benefits of 12-step programs with targeted individual treatment methods such as CBT. Studies have shown that combining the 12-steps program with newer target methodologies such as CBT can lead to much higher recovery success rates.

At Desert Cove Recovery, we seek to utilize the benefits of both these processes. Our licensed treatment facility offers specialized treatment with a holistic approach that allows us to treat your body, mind, and spirit by integrating the 12-step program into our proven techniques and treatments. We’ve been helping people to beat their addictions and live happier, healthier lives drug-free. If you’re struggling with addiction but are ready to change your life for the better, we’d love to be your guides on the path to recovery. To learn more, give us a call.

 

 

high functioning addiction

Treatment for High Functioning Addiction

Treatment for High Functioning Addiction

Those who are suffering from high functioning addiction are often the most difficult to help. This is partly because they hide their addictions so well, even from themselves in many cases. However, it’s reasonably common as it’s estimated that a fifth of alcoholics have been defined as “functional.”

As the phrase implies, these individuals are high functioning members of society as that relates to their jobs, relationships and otherwise and have continued to be so while in the process of becoming addicted to alcohol or drugs. In other words, they do not present the stereotypical image of someone who is suffering from an addiction. This is often problematic as it results in both the person suffering from the addiction and his or her family, friends and co-workers often denying that an addiction exists when it really does.

In many cases, those with this type of addiction work and experience success in high-profile positions in society and continue to do so while using a considerable amount of alcohol or drugs. Unfortunately, those in these situations are also less apt to get help for it. For example, some may believe that they are too valuable at work to take the time away from it that is necessary to get that help.

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Signs of High Functioning Addiction

One of the toughest things about addiction of this type is that those who care about the person are oftentimes hesitant to say anything when it appears that the addiction is not impacting the person’s life. But it is important to do so as this will, in most cases, only worsen as time passes.

What are some of the signs to look out for?

As far as alcohol goes, simply drinking a considerable amount on a regular basis is cause for concern even if the person appears to not be affected by it as far as family or work goes. For example, a man consuming at least 14 drinks a week or a woman having seven drinks in that time frame are both significant developments that should be disconcerting.

Acting defensive or joking about it when asked about how much is being consumed or hiding it should be noted as well.

Focusing on the substance instead of taking care of themselves in ways such as eating and personal hygiene is another warning sign to consider. Other ones include not socializing as much as had been the case before and accomplishing less at work, doing closer to the minimum expected and not going above and beyond if the latter had been the norm. A decreased interest in hobbies and other activities is another sign.

The Need for Rehab

Many who are in need of rehab do not take advantage of it because of fears of what spending one or more months in rehab might do to their place of employment as well as to themselves in relation to their jobs and reputations. However, if someone is addicted, that person needs to overcome that addiction now, before it worsens. The rehab experience may not be an enjoyable one, but it is one that is very much for the best in the long term.

It should also be considered that, in most cases, family is an especially important element. Oftentimes, someone who is addicted will only consider getting rehab if they realize that sacrificing their substance use is for the good of their family.

Perhaps the biggest warning sign that rehab is necessary occurs when someone defends to himself or herself the need to continue to work by saying that it is necessary in order to continue to receive access to alcohol or drugs. Alcohol/drugs should never be the focus.

If someone you care for is suffering from this, it will likely not be an easy conversation to have, discussing the importance of rehab, but it’s important to stress that need.

How Can Rehab Help?

There are two primary ways that those with a high functioning addiction will be helped by rehab. One is that the addiction is real even if it may not appear so by them or those around them. In other words, the impact on the brain has occurred, and this needs to be reversed for the health of the individual. The other is that somebody who is high functioning while suffering from an addiction today may be non functioning tomorrow. Even if everything appears to be going fine for someone who is high functioning, the possibility of the addiction worsening quickly and significantly is very much there.

If you or somebody you know is suffering from an addiction, whether that’s as a high functioning person or as a low functioning one, please contact Desert Cove Recovery, and we will ensure that help is provided so that short- and long-term recovery can start taking place.

changes in alcohol abuse

Physiological Changes in Alcohol Abuse

Physiological Changes in Alcohol Abuse

When it comes to all of the addictive substances available in the United States, alcohol is the one that is most commonly used. Statistics from the National Council of Alcoholism and Drug Dependence show that one in every 12 Americans suffer from alcohol abuse.

When someone is dealing with alcohol abuse, he or she is also dealing with the physiological changes in alcohol abuse. These can have devastating effects on different parts and functions of the body. Statistics show that 88,000 deaths a year are attributed to excessive alcohol abuse.

The effects alcohol can have on the body over time can impair everyday functions and impact vital organs. These include damage and functions involving the:

  • Liver
  • Pancreas
  • Brain
  • Heart

Let’s take a closer look at the physiological changes in alcohol abuse when it comes to these vital organs.

Changes in Alcohol Abuse & Your Liver

The liver helps to break down and remove harmful substances from the body. This includes alcohol. When someone abuses alcohol, the liver can become inflamed, leading to disease. This inflammation leads to scarring on the liver referred to as cirrhosis. This destroys the liver, making it more difficult for the body to rid itself of toxins. When toxins and waste build up in the body, the consequences can be life-threatening.

Changes in Alcohol Abuse & Your Pancreas

Alcohol abuse can also have damaging effects on the pancreas. The pancreas helps to regulate the body’s insulin levels and how it responds to glucose. When someone drinks too much alcohol, it can lead to an abnormal activation of digestive enzymes that the pancreas produces. This can cause an inflamed pancreas or a condition called pancreatitis.

When the pancreas isn’t working properly it can also prevent the body from making enough insulin to use sugar. This can cause extremes in blood sugar levels that range from levels either too high or too low. Either case harms the body and can lead to diabetes or other medical conditions.

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changes in alcohol abuse

Changes in Alcohol Abuse & Your Brain

Excessive drinking and alcohol abuse impair a person’s judgment and reasoning. But, the effects on the brain go much deeper. Over time, excessive alcohol use can lead to frontal lobe damage in the brain. This is the part of the brain that controls emotions, short-term memory, and judgment, among other things. When there is chronic alcohol abuse, there is also the risk of permanent brain damage.

Change in Alcohol Abuse & Your Heart

Alcohol abuse also puts life-threatening pressure on the heart. When a person drinks too much they put themselves at greater risk for:

  • Stroke
  • High-Blood Pressure
  • Irregular Heartbeats
  • Cardiomyopathy (stretching & drooping of the heart muscle)

Long-term alcohol abuse weakens and thins the heart muscle. This prohibits the body from pumping blood effectively, leading to the problems mentioned above which can be life-threatening.

Other Physiological Changes in Alcohol Abuse

Besides the impact alcohol can have on the organs, it can also lead to other health issues because excessive drinking lowers the immune system. This impacts your body’s ability to fight off disease and makes it more susceptible to illnesses like tuberculosis and pneumonia. Drinking excessively even just one time slows your body’s ability to fight disease, even 24 hours after being intoxicated.

The effects of alcohol abuse can also be seen in reproductive health. Alcohol abuse in men can lead to erectile dysfunction and a lowered libido. Women may experience irregular menstruation cycles or may stop menstruating altogether, leading to fertility problems.

Alcohol abuse can also increase the risk of developing certain types of cancers like:

  • Breast cancer
  • Liver cancer
  • Oral cancer
  • Throat cancer

It can also take its toll on bones in the body, making bones even more fragile and at greater risk for fractures in the event of a fall. Muscle weakness, cramping, and even muscle atrophy can occur with long-term excessive drinking.

Seeking Help from Arizona Alcohol Treatment

For those who may be abusing alcohol, realizing the need for help may be most difficult.  Desert Cove Recovery, Arizona alcohol treatment facility, is here with a variety of treatment programs. For more information, contact us and one of our highly trained staff members will contact you. Let us help you get on the path to recovery and better overall health.

friends don't believe you are addicted

What to Do When Your Friends Don’t Believe You’re Addicted

What to Do When Your Friends Don’t Believe You’re Addicted

It can be easy to hide the truth from people we love the most. Perhaps you are partaking in drugs and your friends don’t believe you’re addicted. Many times, our closest friends want to offer support when no one else does. Other times, they offer insight and perspective that is needed the most. When you hide your addiction from those friends, you are creating a wedge in your relationship that can be hard to rebuild.

Your friends honestly care about your welfare and if they knew all the facts, they would encourage you to seek help. But people struggling with addiction are very adept at concealing their problems. They hide drugs, alcohol, and other addictive substances from others. Or, if the conversation makes an uncomfortable turn, they are very skilled at redirecting things. If all else fails, those struggling with addiction will continue to deny any sign of dependence on a substance.

As a result, even close friends, spouses, or roommates may not know there is a problem at all. Or, they may not know how bad things are.

Even if your friends don’t believe you are addicted, no one knows you better than yourself.

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A Brief Self-Assessment: “Do I Need Rehab?”

Admitting you have an addiction is the first step in addiction recovery. You are in the driver’s seat, and no one else will be able to go to addiction rehab for you. So, even if friends don’t think you are addicted, you are in the best position to make this important decision.

Before starting this assessment, it is important to be honest with yourself. Many addicts have practiced denial so much before others that they are in denial themselves. No one else will know the outcome of this assessment, so there is every reason to be honest with yourself.

Driving While Under the Influence

Some people know they are not in full possession of their mental or physical abilities before they get behind the wheel. Perhaps they respond by taking the back-way home or driving well below the speed limit. Or, perhaps they drive home from bars, parties, or other places and do not remember the route they took.

If you have driven under the influence more than once or twice, regardless of whether you got caught or anyone got hurt, you may have a problem.

Substance-Related Health Issues

Alcohol use is a good example. After even a short period of abuse, many people begin experiencing liver problems, blackouts, and anemia.

Typically, addiction is the only cause for issues like these. There may be some element of genetic predisposition, but not very much of one. So, health problems are one of the clearest signs that you may need rehab regardless of what your friends say.

Legal Problems

Many legal issues may be directly related to substance abuse, such as DUI, drug possession, or public intoxication. You are the only one who can accurately say whether the issues was a one-time mistake or the sign of something more serious. These are the only two possible interpretations.

Other times, the relationship is indirect. Most people make very bad decisions when they are under the influence of alcohol or drugs. These substance-related legal problems are much harder for anyone, including your friends, to detect.

Harming Yourself or Another

Before you skip past this part of the rehab assessment, think it through. The harm does not have to be physical and does not have to put anyone in the hospital. Emotional outbursts hurt others, and hurt yourself, just as much as physical violence. Furthermore, even if the act did not cause visible injury, it is still a violent act.

Why You Use the Substance

Many people start using drugs to experiment or to get through a difficult patch of life, such as a relationship break-up. After you know how the substance affects you or long after your boyfriend left, are you still using alcohol or drugs?

On a related note, take stock of the amount you use. If it has increased significantly and you still have basically the same high, you might very well be an addict.

If the results of this assessment disturbed you in any way, even if your friends don’t think you’re addicted, you should reach out to a professional for guidance. The next step could be a low-key session with a nearby counselor, inpatient substance abuse rehab, or something in between. Whatever that next step is, we are here to help. The trusted staff at Desert Cove Recovery will work with you to start your recovery from addiction. You do not need to face this alone.

sharing addiction story, breaking anonymity

Breaking Anonymity and Sharing Your Addiction Story

Breaking Anonymity and Sharing Your Addiction Story

When life’s circumstances don’t go as we originally intended, it’s easy to feel guilty about choices we’ve made leading us to where we are today. Many people who file for divorce, declare bankruptcy, or have a substance abuse issues blame themselves for their problems. Harboring that guilt and embarrassment may make sharing your addiction story very difficult.

Very few worthwhile endeavors are also easy, and that includes telling others about your battle through addiction. Just remember that you are not the only person who has been down this road. Some twenty million Americans are addicted to a non-tobacco substance, and only about 10 percent of them seek treatment for their illness. If your story inspires one of these people to make the call, sharing your addiction story was more than worth it.

Talking about abuse is important to recovering addicts as well. Statistics vary widely, but there is no doubt that serious relapse is a problem. Once again, if your story keeps just one person in recovery, you should tell it.

Some Reasons Sharing Your Addiction Story is Important

Your recovery story is not just about a personal journey. Elements of your long, hard journey resonate with many other people in the recovery community. Understanding these facts makes it easier to overcome guilt, embarrassment, or whatever else is holding you back. If you need some specific reasons, here are just a few:

Making it Real

Your recovery story is not really a story until you share it with others. Once you open up and share it, the whole experience becomes more real to you and to them.

Organizing Your Thoughts

Funeral eulogies are not just for broadcasting nice things about the departed. Many people have multiple and confusing feelings about their lost friends and loved ones whom they lost to addiction. Only preparing and telling the story helps them make sense of everything.

Making a Contribution

These shared experiences help us find strength in times of great need. When you share your story, you are creating an atmosphere where others feel comfortable to tell theirs as well.

Strengthening Your Resolve

Sharing your story gives you more of a stake in your recovery. If we know people are watching, we tend to watch our steps a bit more closely. Furthermore, as mentioned, your story could well be the catalyst which drives someone to seek help.

Note that some of these reasons are about other people, and some of them are about you. Your story has the power to impact more people than just yourself.

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How to Share Your Addiction Story

For some people, speaking or writing in front of an audience is second nature. But for many others, such actions may be harder than rehab. Desert Cove Recovery staff is here to help you share your story.

Many people start with anonymous online comments on addiction-related blogs or news stories. Or perhaps, you can start by liking recovery stories online. By using social media, sharing your addiction story can be safe and anonymous. Such comments have a cathartic effect for you, and they may have an inspiring effect on others.

Posting a comment or blog on our Facebook page may be the next step. People who are interested in addiction and recovery issues will see the post. It is like preaching to the choir. These public comments in a non-threatening environment are a good way to not only help yourself and inspire others, but also help build community.

When you are ready, post on your own blog site, Facebook page, or other social media account. People outside the addiction/recovery community will hear what you have to say. There may be some negative feedback, because people are not always empathetic. But such posts enable you to connect with your circle of friends in a very meaningful way. And truthfully, some people post negative comments on anything they see! Try not to focus on the naysayers, and instead remember what you have accomplished by beginning your recovery.

If you need help finding your voice or getting the words right, reach out to us or find fellow recovering people in recovery for help. Remember, you are not the only one who has problems in this area.

Finally, consider an informal speaking engagement at a local support group. Sometimes, that just means speaking up when you have the chance. Other times, that could mean being a guest speaker for a group. These things can be very intimidating for many people, but you have already come this far. Taking this next step will complete this part of your recovery.

Recovery is not easy and is not limited to your activities at a treatment facility. Recovery is hard and requires lifelong effort. For both yourself and for others, recovery should include sharing your addiction story. If you are struggling with any aspect of a substance abuse problem, you can always count on Desert Cove Recovery for help.