Showing posts with label addiction treatment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label addiction treatment. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Top 3 Celebrity Steroid Use Cases

Steroids have been in use for many years, and have been used by a number of different celebrities. In the United States, prescription is the only way of getting most steroids. In spite of this, many sports players have often turned to steroids in order to help with their strength and endurance. This is in spite of the negative effects that the steroids can have on a person's body. If you are going to use steroids, then it is a good idea to consider the options and understand that they need to be used in balance with exercise and a healthy diet. For those who want to find out more, it is a good idea to speak to your general practitioner. Below is a list of some of the most well-known cases of where celebrities have taken steroids and performance enhancing substances.

Maron Jones

Many people may know Maron Jones as being a champion when it came to track and field. One of her greatest achievements was in 2000 at the Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia. At these Olympics, Jones won five different medals and had a colorful career in sports before that.

Maron Jones was eventually caught in what was known as the BALCO scandal. After this, all of her titles were stripped after 2007. BALCO was a specific group that had helped in the supply of anabolic steroids to numerous different athletes. Maron Jones was of course not the only one to have had her titles stripped, but she is the one that many people in the United States would remember. When Jones admitted that she had indeed taken steroids, it also came out that she had lied to two different juries. As a result of this, Jones was sentenced to six months in jail.

Tim Montgomery

Tim Montgomery is also known as being one of those athletes who were involved in BALCO. Like Maron Jones, he was a champion when it came to the area of track and field. He trained and associated closely with Maron Jones. Montgomery is now retired from sports, but when the case came to light, he was banned from professional sports for two years.

Ken Caminiti

A lot of people these days are aware of anabolic steroids as performance enhancing drugs thanks to what happened to Ken Caminiti. Caminiti was well-known around 1996. He played for the Atlanta Braves and won a variety of different awards. Just some of his awards include the Golden Gloves.

In the world of baseball, Caminiti was one of the first players who eventually admitted that he had used steroids in order to enhance his performance. It was thanks to Caminiti's admission that people began to take a closer look at things like anabolic steroids.

All of these cases have left their mark on sports people around the world. The use of steroids and other drugs are still banned in professional sports to this day. Many places will require athletes to take drug tests.

Author Bio:
Tess young writes in her blog post about harmful effects of steroids and suggests to visit our online anabolic store. She suggests the need to view our injectable products to gain more insights about steroids.

Monday, April 8, 2013

The Truth About Being Addicted To Chocolate

Does the thought of chocolate make you swoon? Do you feel woozy with hunger just by catching a whiff of chocolate? You might just be addicted to chocolate. Don't think you are alone. When I was young and started working my first job, I would spend the majority of my earnings on the stuff. I ate so much in fact that even my skin started to suffer. At the time, there wasn't a true diagnosis for chocolate addiction; thankfully times have changed and it is recognized right along with an addiction to internet, television and other things.

In my practice I came across a client who termed herself a chocoholic. She was regularly hypoglycemic and admitted to getting high from eating chocolate. It's hard to image that the stuff can have that effect, but it's a proven fact that chocolate contains natural ingredients the effect serotonin levels. During our sessions, it came to light that she gorged on chocolate when faced witemotih situations that caused her stress. Like many people facing addiction, her eating mass amounts of chocolate was her body's response to anxiety. Granted it's much better than smoking or drinking, but it still holds long term negative side effects. As a child, her rewards and punishments were based on food. The more extreme end of that would be when her mother would weigh her before each meal to determine if she would be allowed to eat that day.

This abuse turned her to a cycle of adult binging and purging which destroyed her self esteem. Food had become the controlling factor in her life preventing her from looking at situations in a normal way. During our sessions, we worked though a lot of these issues to help discover and limit the effect of the emotional triggers that caused her to binge on chocolate.

I am sure you are wondering how this may relate to you. Chocolate addiction, like any other addiction is more than a simple habit in most cases. Some clients are able to apply hypnotherapy to assist in removing the habit, but in cases where the issue stems from emotional pressures additional help is needed.

Another one of my clients admitting to being addicted to sugar; specifically chocolate, and he heard that I might be able to help him via hypnotherapy. After speaking with him at length I discovered a deep dissatisfaction in his home life. He and his partner though living together had not been intimate over the last five years. I told him that he most likely has an addiction to chocolate rather than simply a sugar habit. After receiving that bit of information he wanted to stop attending our sessions. Instead of dealing with the issue he requested that we not focus on that. I informed him that we could work on other parts of his life, however without working on the main issue, his habit would remain.

At the time he wasn't ready to deal with the real issues which I had to respect as a professional. My role is to suggest treatments that may help a person with their stress, but not to force a person into dealing with an issue before they are mentally ready. He wanted to work only on getting rid of his chocolate eating habit and nothing else. It's entirely possible that he has gotten rid of that habit, but more likely than not it has been replaced by another one.

If you are addicted to chocolate and the root cause is some form of emotional stress, only working to get rid of the habit won't prevent you from replacing it with another habit. The human mind is a pro at creating loopholes. This is the same reason many people who stop smoking or drinking turn to other habits such as eating. This all leads to weight gain in the end. If you want to lose weight, feel better, or just increase your self esteem treating the cause is the only way to cure the symptom.

Author: Sonia Devine

Friday, April 5, 2013

5 Side Effects of Drugs

Drugs are not to be messed around with and can be genuinely damaging to your health if not used as prescribed. The indiscriminate usage of medicines or substance abuse possesses its own negative effects, and some are either because of incorrect application, not taking the preventative measures or over using the medicines. A few of the recognized side effects of substance abuse as a result consist of:

1. Over dosage: although the individual does not have any inclination to increase the dose of the medication to be able to create a preferred effect, he might unintentionally take more than the required dosage either because he fails to realize what dosage he should take or due to the fact he thinks that the greater the dosage he takes the quicker the drug heals his ailment. Some over dose produce slight symptoms while some could be deadly.

2. Under dosage: another side-effect of substance abuse is under dosing. The individual might want to take the medication to be able to deal with or get rid of his condition however eventually ends up using a dosage insufficient to manage the condition or the offending organism. This means that the condition may advance unchecked because the medication taken is not really sufficient to prevent its improvement, and at the final resources and time period are lost. Death might at the same time result should the rate of acceleration of the illness is quick.

3. Drug resistance: One significant problem associated with drug under dosage is the organism that the person looks for to eliminate gets subjected to a low dosage of the medication and finally builds up resistance to it so even the usage of a greater dose of the identical medication later on will not take care of the disorder. This is actually the same reason treating malaria is becoming difficult since the plasmodium keeps building resistance to brand new suitable medicines because of under dosage. This over time means that many people wind up losing their lives to some illness that could have been healed by basic adherence to the correct medication dosage.

4. Potentiating illness: a few micro-organisms are normally safe to people even while they habit several areas of the body. These types of microorganisms that are referred to as commensal organisms can be possibly pathogenic or trigger illnesses when their organic state is changed by the indiscriminate usage of antibiotics specifically for a very extensive period of time. Because of this, antibiotics must not be mistreated or used without having a physician's prescription.

5. Drug reaction: a number of drugs can trigger serious toxic responses when used without the guidance of a doctor who must make sure that specific medicines are given at the same time with them or just before their administration to reduce their responses. However with substance abuse these types of preventive steps might not be taken prior to giving the drugs therefore increasing the likelihood of serious reactions. A few of the serious reactions are anaphylactic response, asthmatic attack, serious diarrhea, ringing in the ears, deafness, severe hypotensive response, wheal, vomiting, and so on.

John is a professional blogger writes interesting articles about Health and Rehabilitation and this article was researched and written with the help of Utah Drug Rehabilitation

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Women's continued meth use

Women are more likely to use meth than other drugs and often have a harder time getting free of the drug than men.

Why Women Continue to Use Meth

Methamphetamine is a highly addictive drug that forms a quick, strong dependency, even with limited use. Once a methamphetamine addiction has begun, it is a very difficult dependency to break, and women face unique challenges in this area. Many women in turn to meth to help them lose weight and have more energy to keep up with the demands of life, including child care, work, and home care.

Many women are unwilling to seek treatment for their meth addiction because they are afraid of having their children taken away from them when their problem is revealed. Many female meth addicts are single moms with no constant father figure in the lives of their children. Addiction is an isolating disease and these women have no one to care for their children while they're in treatment, leaving them with only the option of turning their kids over to the state until they can get clean. Many women feel that it would be better to try to get clean on their own in order to stay with their children.

For those women who do manage to enter a treatment program to address their addiction, the road to recovery is a particularly difficult one. Many women who are being treated for meth leave treatment early because they are worried about their kids. Even those who do finish have a very hard time staying clean at home. The demands of raising children, attending treatment, going to work, and caring for their home cause a level of exhaustion that they feel they can only relieve by returning to meth use. Out of all of the Utah women who have managed to get clean after a meth addiction, most have failed at treatment at least once and returned to using the drug. Many of these women have lost custody of their children and even been to jail, but they still continue to use the drug.

One of the answers to the increasing meth problem in Utah is to make treatment more available to those suffering from addiction, especially women. Treatment programs tailored specifically to meet the needs and address the concerns of women can encourage moms to complete their program. Sober houses where women can live with their children during recovery have been shown to increase the success rate of staying clean after inpatient treatment is completed. Making support groups for women dealing with addiction more available and visible in our communities may also help decrease the rate of relapse.

John is a professional blogger writes interesting articles about Rehabilitation and this article was researched and written with the help of Las Vegas alcohol rehab

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

The Effects of Drugs on the Brain

narconon.ca
By Roger Pahuriray

There are a lot of people who are asking this same question about drugs: what happens next when a drug enters the body and makes its way to our brain? There have been recent studies about how the brain works, and the complex relationship between electrical and chemical activity, but we still have a long way to go.

How Drugs Change Personality and Behavior

Addictive drugs have the ability to activate the pleasure circuit of the brain known as the mesolimbic dopamine cortex. According to some health experts, drug addiction is a biological process which alters the way our brain's pleasure circuit functions. It is important to examine the effects of drugs on the brain's neurotransmission to understand how it works.

All drugs have the capability to change the way our brain works. This is done by affecting chemical neurotransmission. Heroin and LSD for instance, can mimic a natural neurotransmitter's effects. PCP, on the other hand, can block the receptors, thus, preventing neuronal messages from getting through. Cocaine interferes with molecules which are responsible for transporting neurotransmitters back to the neurons that initially released them. With prolonged drug use, the brain changes in long-lasting and fundamental ways. These changes are a major part of addiction.

According to statistics, parents who abuse substances are more likely to be physically violent in the home and neglect their children emotionally. What's more, violence inside the home usually manifests as physical abuse. Plus, children of drug addicts are likely to suffer from anxiety or become depressed. They are also more likely to suffer from eating disorders and make more attempts to commit suicide.

Studies on Drugs and Addiction

Drug abuse is one of the widely studied subjects in the medical field today. More and more studies are being conducted on how drugs have an effect on one's personality and behavior. With these studies, the effects of common prohibited drugs such as LSD, cocaine, ecstasy, and heroin are beginning to be uncovered. There are a number of people who once lived in sober living homes who have participated in research about the effects of drug addiction in their overall lives.

As a result of scientific studies, we are now gradually being enlightened on how addiction is a disease which affects both a person's brain and behavior. There were many biological and environmental factors identified by researchers about drug addiction. Today, they are beginning to look for some genetic variations that can contribute in development and further progression of the disease. These researches will then be beneficial in discovering effective prevention and treatment for the said disease. And sober living homes as well as rehabilitation programs will be able to fine tune their approach to ensure more successful treatment.

What is Drug Addiction?

doctortipster.com
The term addiction is identified as a relapsing brain disease, usually characterized by a compulsive drug seeking use, despite awareness of harmful effects. Addiction is considered a brain disease because drugs used and abused can change the brain's structure, and how the brain functions.

There are several reasons why people take drugs. Some of which are as follows:
  • People use drugs to make them feel good. Drugs that are most abused can produce an intense feeling of pleasure. The initial sensation of bliss and euphoria will then be followed by other effects which differ from one drug type to another.
  • People use drugs to feel a boost in self-esteem. There are some people who suffer from social anxiety and stress-related disorders. Because of these behavioral disorders, they tend to begin abusing drugs to lessen feelings of being distressed.
  • They use drugs out of curiosity and peer pressure. Because almost everybody in their circle of friends uses drugs, they might as well use it too. This is the common mentality of most adolescents today. They enjoy engaging in daring behavior that can make them look "cool."
Effects of New Designer Drugs

People use new designer drugs because they supposedly produce better and faster highs. Studies indicate that they have the same effects as ecstasy. But while some new designer drugs are possibly semi-legal in a sense, they do have the same destructive effects on the brain as illegal drugs and cause even greater personality and behavior changes. Face-eating incidents have been attributed to the use of bath salts, though experts refute these claims. With prolonged drug use, the brain changes in long-lasting and fundamental ways. These changes are a major part in the addiction per se.

The use of drugs has a profound impact on the brain. And since the brain is the command center that controls everything we do, drug use also has a huge, debilitating impact on our personality and behavior. It is important to treat drug addiction as early as possible. Otherwise, prolonged drug use can cause long-lasting or even permanent damage to the brain, and consequently, alter behavior.

Author's Bio

Roger Pahuriray is an SEO Specialist who's had extensive experience in the Outreach Program. This time he brings his extensive SEO expertise to Casa Nuevo Vida Sober Living Homes where he tackles addiction and sobriety issues. The articles he posts will surely be informative and comprehensive especially for individuals who are in dire need of these resources. As an SEO Specialist for PinAgency.com, he works full-time catering to an impressive pool of clients like CasaNuevoVida.Com, SweetSweat.com among many others.

By Roger Pahuriray

Saturday, November 3, 2012

In Thailand, prepare a strict anti-smoking law to protect teenagers

The age limit for the sale of cigarettes to be raised to 20 years, and teenagers up to 18 years will be punished for selling tobacco products

Before the end of this year the Thai health experts are planning to submit to the government a new anti-smoking law, which will replace the relevant legislation in 1992.

How to tell the bill's authors, scientists from Mahidol University, Thailand, in the new edition of the strict limits laid addressed primarily to local teens. In particular, it will be totally banned trade in tobacco products by persons under 18 years of age, and the age limit on the sale of cigarettes to be raised from 18 to 20 years. Appears and the ban on online sales of cigarettes over the Internet.

For offenders in the law will be clearly spelled out the penalties, however, exactly what the author does not specify.

Director of the Centre to organize controlled studies of tobacco products in Thailand Sirivan Pitayarangsan said that in recent years the Thai teenagers started smoking significantly more than in the past. Thus, according to the center for the past year, 9.2% of teenagers between the ages of 15 and 18 are regular smokers. Moreover, the number of adherents of this habit in the country is growing annually by 300 thousand people.

According to another study conducted by the Thai social scientists, about 56% of the two thousand respondents sophomore who formed a task force, acknowledged that the school bought cigarettes from their underage friends. Another 79% of them claim that bought cigarettes in a store near their schools. In this case, according to 74% of teenagers, no one had ever asked them, proof of age.

Mahidol University representatives expect that the proposed measures in the bill will help reduce the number of smokers among teenagers, especially taking into account the fact that adolescents are more likely to buy cigarettes just from their peers. "This ban on the sale of tobacco to minors in any way will not violate their rights" - they say.

However, as experts admit, even such a serious intensification of restrictions may not be sufficient for the southern provinces. Now the number of smokers in this part of Thailand reaches a "record" 26 percent of the population. The root of the problem, experts say, lies in the fact that "adolescent smokers here have too easy access to the abundance of cheap cigarettes smuggled goods."

Recall, now in Thailand smoking is banned in all public places, including government offices, shops, rooms of bars, restaurants and cafes. For smokers, the streets are special ashtray with sand, and at the entrances to some of the larger supermarkets have smoking rooms with extractors. In this case, on packs of cigarettes sold in Thailand, require manufacturers to print horrifying pictures related to smoking illnesses psychological impact on the adherents of this bad habit.

By Alexander Semenov

Friday, September 21, 2012

Meditation: A Journey Towards Peace

Meditation is soothing tool for everyone and thus it help to reduce stress, boast your physical health and helps to eradicate chronic pain which makes you feel better, sleep better and helps your concentration more stronger than earlier. Meditation is a doorway in the deeper level and helps us get the deepest understanding of the surroundings.

You mind will get unruly whenever you will start meditating. Be very quiet and you will feel sensation of silence all around you and your mind will be over the place. In the beginning, it's not easy to concentrate as you will notice that your mind will run here and there and will start calculating your daily objectives rather than concentrating on what you are going to focus on. Rehabilitation centers also provide such facilities to drug addicts to recover from the addiction

Don't beat yourself if you are starting with meditation. It's a natural situation. With the passage of time, you will become familiar with kindly working with the barrage of thoughts and you'll a few clarity as well as peacefulness.

Here are a few easy tips about how to begin meditating. Perhaps people that currently exercise deep breathing might make sure you include your own remarks associated with exactly what did for you personally.

1. Position

Regardless of whether a person take a seat on chair or even cross-legged on the ground, ensure that your own backbone is actually erect along with mind upward. If you're slumped the mind may float. Body and mind tend to be intertwined. In case you are well-balanced, the mind may also be within stability. In order to straighten upward, suppose your face is actually coming in contact with the actual skies.

2. Eyes

Try to keep your eyes open. Open eyes make you much more existing. Simply decrease your eye as well as allow your own look end up being kind. If you near your own eye you'll be prone to float aside upon ideas as well as stories. Nevertheless, it's vital that you perform what's comfy for you personally. Many people discover shutting their own eye a lot more efficient. It's great in order to test and find out exactly what seems greatest for you personally.

3. Concentration

Within regular awareness we seldom exist. For instance, For example, sometimes we drive the car on autopilot whilst becoming preoccupied along with ideas. All of a sudden all of us get to the location as well as don't keep in mind about the drive!

5. Counting your breath

If you're struggling settling, you can test keeping track of the breath -- that is an old deep breathing exercise. In your out breath, quietly depend "one", after that "two', or more in order to "four". After that it go back to "one". If you discover your ideas possess strayed far or even you are keeping track of "thirty-three", merely go back to "one". In this manner, "one" is much like arriving house to the present moment. It's great to come back with no backward look.

Author Bio: Anna is a person with a passion for writing. She has written many articles on various topics as rehabilitation centers, for more information you can check her other blogs.

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Largest-ever tobacco study finds 'urgent need' for policy change

About half the men in numerous developing nations use tobacco, and women in those regions are taking up smoking at an earlier age than they used to, according to what is being called the largest-ever international study on tobacco use.

The study, which covered enough representative samples to estimate tobacco use among 3 billion people, "demonstrates an urgent need for policy change in low- and middle-income countries," said lead researcher Gary Giovino, whose report was published in the British medical journal The Lancet.

The figures bolster statements by the World Health Organization that while much of the industrialized world, including the United States, has seen a substantial reduction in smoking in recent years, the opposite trend is under way in parts of the developing world.

Australian tobacco packaging laws misguided
This week, Australia's high court upheld a rule that tobacco products must be in plain packaging without logos and bear graphic health warnings.

Other success stories include New Zealand, Ireland, and Britain, said Tusan D'Espaignet. Two of the countries in the new GATS study Turkey and Uruguay are also showing improvement due to such measures, he said.

The study got some of its funding from New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's philanthropy, as well as the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation.

Bloomberg Philanthropies says that in 2007, it supported the WHO's efforts "to package and promote six proven policies to reduce tobacco use worldwide. These strategies including protecting people from tobacco smoke, offering help to quit, raising awareness about the dangers of tobacco through warning labels and public education campaigns, enforcing tobacco advertising bans, and raising the price of tobacco products are proven to reduce smoking rates. "

Since that initiative began in 2007, "21 countries have passed 100% smoke-free laws, the percentage of people protected from second-hand smoke has increased 400%, and almost four billion people worldwide are now protected by at least one of the six proven tobacco control policies," the group said.

By Josh Levs, CNN

Monday, August 6, 2012

Depression And Substance Abuse

Substance abuse disorders (including alcohol and prescription drugs) frequently co-exist with depression. Substance abuse must be discontinued in order to clarify the diagnosis and maximize the effectiveness of psychiatric interventions. Additional treatment is necessary if the depression remains after the substance use and withdrawal effects have ended.

Individuals or family members with concerns about the co-occurence of depression with another illness or chemical dependency, should discuss these issues with the physician.

Many factors can contribute to depression. Some people become depressed for a combination of reasons. For others, a single factor appears to trigger depression. Some become depressed for no apparent reason. Regardless of the cause, depression needs to be diagnosed and rated.

Check any symptoms experienced for more than 2 weeks. If four or more of the symptoms for depression or mania have been checked, physical and psychological evaluation by a physician and/or mental health specialist should be sought.

Symptoms of Depression:
  • A persistent sad, anxious or "empty" mood
  • Loss of interest or pleasure in ordinary activities, including sex
  • Decreased energy, fatigue, feeling "slowed down"
  • Sleep problems (insomnia, oversleeping, early-morning waking)
  • Eating problems (loss of appetite or weight, weight gain)
  • Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
  • Feelings of hopelessness or pessimism
  • Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness
  • Thoughts of death or suicide; a suicide attempt
  • Irritability
  • Excessive crying
  • Recurring aches and pains that don't respond to treatment
It is estimated that up to 80% of peolple with chemical dependency or addiction also have a co-occurring mental health problem such as anxiety or depression.

By BILL URELL

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Chemical Dependency

There are definite phases of recovery from chemical dependency, and several different models that have been put forward. In my never ending quest to simplify things let's look at these three phases of recovery: early recovery, middle recovery and late stage recovery.

Each stage of recovery has certain tasks and signs of growth that are appropriate to that particular stage. Chemical dependency is a disease that causes a person to lose control over their use of mood altering drugs or alcohol. This loss of control not only affects their use of the substance, but affects the user holistically causing physical, psychological, spiritual and relationship problems. Let's take a look at the three stages of recovery:

Early Recovery: The necessary task to be accomplished in early recovery is abstinence. It is only after we have stopped taking the substance that Sobriety is abstinence in addition to a return to a healthy physical, psychological, spiritual and social lifestyle. In early recovery we want to learn the skills needed to become comfortable abstaining, not just hanging on by our fingernails.

Middle Recovery Stage: We have become comfortable in abstinence, now our task is to continue to change our lives for the better. We want to adjust our thinking and feeling so that a return to using is simply not an option. We also want to examine and start to repair damages caused by our addiction and attain a balanced lifestyle. We want to make it a priority to get relationships with ourselves, family, spiritual and our social environment in order. If something needs to be done we admit it and take some action to make it right. Middle recovery ends when we achieve "balance". We move on to the next stage when a good degree of stability and peace has returned.

Late Stage Recovery: Having a stable and secure recovery foundation under us here we may want to look at and resolve long standing issues or obstacles to health and happiness. These may be childhood issues such as abandonment or the development of low self esteem. Perhaps we came from a "dysfunctional" family system and got very mixed messages growing up that need to be addressed. This stage is marked by growth and challenge to become more than we had limited ourselves to previously.

Movement through these stages is not so much a function of how long you may have been abstinent, but rather what you accomplish in the phases of recovery.

By BILL URELL

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Types Of Drug And Alcohol Treatment

There are several levels of drug and alcohol treatment. Before we look for a drug rehab or alcohol treatmentalcohol treatment program, we have to look at the level of care needed for the severity of the problem. Just as there are various levels of use of mood altering drugs, there are various levels of treatment. Here are some levels of care and examples of what may be appropriate for a situation.

Brief Therapy/Intervention - This is usually a very short duration program, but can be very effective. Perhaps a person who really is not involved with alcohol over does it one time on a birthday or New Years and is caught on their first DUI. They may be mandated to attend alcohol classes where education is provided for a few weeks.

Detoxification - The idea that this is treatment is a common misconception. The purpose of a 'Detox' is to safely monitor and de-escalate an incident of intoxification. Generally, as soon as you are medically stable (which is not recovery treatment) you are dismissed from the hospital or facility. Supervised detox is recommended for long term alcohol or benzodiazepine (Xanax, Ambien etc) users as the risk of seizures exists. This may be a required first step before entering treatment.

Outpatient Program - This is non-residential treatment usually consisting of attending a therapy group and/or individual counseling once or twice/week. This may be appropriate for a person' whose use is starting to cause problems, but is not yet dependent

Intensive Outpatient Program - This is non residential but generally consists of 16-20 hours of group and individual therapy per week. Insurance is more likely to cover this form of treatment rather than inpatient treatment. This is less costly than residential, but is appropriate for a person with full dependency. Outpatient programs may be used as a 'step down' after completing residential treatment

Inpatient Treatment - This is your classic drug rehab. It is residential and the programs generally consist of a full day of activities and may last from 4 weeks to a year. It is the most intense form of treatment and these facilities are usually equipped to handle additional global problems associated with addiction such as mental health, physical, emotional and spiritual areas.

I am definitely biased. That being said, I would recommend inpatient treatment for anyone with addiction and chemical dependency. One disadvantage is that it can be costly and insurance generally does not cover it. The reality is that insurance companies will pay out as little as possible for addiction treatment.

The important thing is to get a proper assessment so you can be matched with an appropriate type of drug and alcohol treatment.

By BILL URELL