Non Traditional Rehab

Drugs are just another one of those “talks” you have to have with your teenager…

Between puberty, sex, and drugs there seems to always be something to talk to them about. And while it can be awkward at first, it is vital to their safety and your ability to protect them.

Unfortunately, drugs are a major part of our society today and the effect it has on our youth is no different. Drugs are becoming more and more easy to obtain and less and less kids are afraid of them. As teens learn to drive and become more independent, the potential for drug abuse can become even more prevalent as they have several opportunities where no one is watching them.

Just talking to your teen about drug usage isn’t enough. However, periodic drug tests can let you know not only if they are using drugs, but it can also tell you a few other valuable things:

• What substance they are ingesting.
• Their level of risk for addiction.
• What risk they have for physical harm.

Oftentimes, denial is the easiest route, however, it does nothing to solve the problem. You should consider drug testing your teenager periodically because:

Peer pressure is unbelievable.

The pressure young adults feel from their friends and classmates is unreal – it can be so strong they will do things they would have never even imagined themselves doing. Even if they don’t want to participate, the temptation can be incredibly strong.

When they are surrounded by it, the participation almost becomes involuntary as they really see no other option.

Drugs are readily available.

Until you have walked the halls for a day in your child’s shoes, you might never realize how incredibly easy it is for young adults to obtain drugs without anyone ever knowing. Your own home could even be a drug source for them thanks to the prescription medication in your medicine cabinet.

Whatever the source, students are ready to pay and will buy regularly.

It is viewed as the “cool” thing to do.

Even if you don’t think it sounds very “cool” your teen and their friends might disagree. Back in the day, smoking was the cool thing to do…

Now, it is drugs – especially marijuana among young students.

Furthermore, students will often go as far as to mix drugs and alcohol because it is the cool way to party.

By regularly monitoring your child – both by talking to them and testing them – you might be able to protect them from some of the potential dangers of drugs. Addiction can start at a very young age, so it never hearts to use a few precautionary measures to help ensure it doesn’t take hold of your child.

Have you ever considered that addiction does not just fit into one tiny box?

Addiction does not just encompass drugs and alcohol – while those are the two most common types of addiction people generally think of, addiction can include other areas such as food or pornography.

There is no doubt that an addict has an addictive personality – or they have at least grown to have one with their addiction. So, oftentimes, even after they have recovered from whatever substance it is they were abusing, it can be hard to not become addicted to something else…

On top of already still trying to avoid the substance, they were previously addicted to.

But, sometimes, addicts do this as a way to cope – instead of going back to the pills or the bottle, they find a substitute addiction.

A substitute addiction is just a new activity that they began participating in and become just as strongly addicted to as they were to the last thing.

Here are a few of the most common things people substitute for their previous addiction:

1. Sex

   Especially for those who might have suffered previous relationship issues, they can turn to more and more sex as a relief. It is very easy for an addict to quickly become obsessed with the physical release and emotional attachment that sex provides. While it is a natural behavior, and one that should be appropriately enjoyed, it can become a compulsive behavior.

   How to avoid it: Look for patterns in each romantic partner. Try to recognize red flags of an unhealthy relationship and put your focus into building long-lasting, strong and positive relationships. In the beginning stages of sobriety, focus on getting and staying clean. Try to avoid looking for a sex partner for the first year of sobriety to ensure you are emotionally stable.

2. Food

   What you eat during addiction recovery is important – both to the nourishment of your body and to the avoidance of another addiction. People generally turn to sugary foods, greasy foods, and fatty foods as they cause surges in dopamine which make people enjoy them.

   How to avoid it: Meet with a nutritionist to find a good meal plan that works for you. Focus on how good you feel when you eat healthy rather than the cravings for the bad food. Also, search for the cause of the void you have rather than just trying to fill it with anything you can find.

3. Shopping

   Shopping is a compulsive behavior as well – you feel compelled to purchase things you don’t really need often through rationalization of the cost. However, this can cause serious financial trouble or lead to other issues such as hoarding.

   How to avoid it: Only carry small amounts of cash or use a prepaid card with limited funds. Steer clear of triggers, such as shopping when you are already upset. Before heading to the store, make a list and commit to sticking to it.

   

Addiction is a disease and it can eat away at your entire life if you aren’t careful. Just because you have gotten clean from the substance does not mean you don’t have to protect yourself from other addictions.

Once you are beginning to get into recovery from drugs and alcohol, it is important to rid your body of toxins – drugs and alcohol included.

However, other bad toxins that get into our body can also still linger causing you to feel sad, tired, or even sick.

As you recover and after recovery, it is important to continue to detox your body. Detoxification is like giving the inside of your body a makeover. It helps clean it out and rejuvenate it, giving your body the best chance at fighting other illnesses and diseases.

To detox, follow this simple guide:

Rid your body of the addictive toxin.

The first step to detoxification is to rid your body of the initial toxin causing the issues in the first place. This is what you accomplish by going to rehab – you are cut off from the initial source of a majority of your toxins.

Continue to focus on avoiding sobriety, allowing your body to rid itself of all the remaining toxins.

Incorporate new habits.

An addictive personality is a real thing – you can have traits that give you a predisposition for addiction. So, once you have cut yourself off from the source you might still find yourself craving something else.

Try to turn this craving into a good habit – pick up a new skill or a new hobby and learn to do that instead when you are feeling weak.

Re-hydrate your body.

Once your body is getting rid of all the toxins, it needs to be re-hydrated to function properly. The toxins literally suck the water right out of you – for example, alcohol literally dehydrates you.

By drinking a lot of water, you can aid your body in getting rid of toxins and illness. The more water you drink, the more you flush out of your system.

Put good nutrients in.

After focusing on getting all the bad substances out, it is time to focus on getting the good stuff back in. Try incorporating a healthier diet into your new lifestyle.

A few foods that are great for boosting a healthy immune system are kale, avocados, salmon, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and chia seeds – among quite a few other fruits, vegetables, and other foods.

Get more toxins out.

Toxins are always getting in our body, so just by ridding your body of the drugs or alcohol does not mean you will not have to focus on getting the toxins out anymore.

Activities such as running or jogging are great ways to get out toxins – as you sweat, the toxins leave your body. Exercising will also boost your mood.

 

 

 

 

Following a long struggle with drugs or alcohol, your body becomes very worn down. The chemicals found in the substances you are abusing begin to take a toll on your body – affecting your organs and your body’s general ability to function properly…

This leaves you feeling lethargic and tired.

So, once you have begun your addiction recovery and are on the path to sobriety, how do you restore your body back to a comfortable state?

Just like recovery is a continuous process, healing your body will also be a continuous process. Especially if you have spent years abusing the substance of your choice, that is quite a bit of damage that will need to be repaired. You will most likely spend the next few months and even years attempting to regain your health…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJS0s4CbISE

But, once you do it will make staying sober even that much easier as your body thanks you for restoring it back to a healthy state.

Below we address a few ways to help your body heal after addiction recovery:

Focus on your nutrition.

Eat regular and healthy meals. Someone who was addicted to stimulants might experience the urge to over eat, but instead, try to focus on eating smaller portions and a few snacks throughout the day.

Try to focus on the nutritional value of everything you eat…

Does it have a lot of protein, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals?

The whole point of eating is to nourish your body. Since eating is a low priority for those suffering from addiction, your body has probably been lacking the nutrients found in healthy foods for a while.

However, while trying to eat healthily, try to avoid making any major changes that could be harmful to your physical or mental health. It is best to consult a health professional for advice or a new diet regime that will be best for you.

Add exercise into your recovery routine.

Exercise is not only beneficial to your physical health but to your mental health as well. As you exercise, chemicals are released that can aid in the relief from anxiety, stress, and depression.

Exercising will also help improve your physical appearance – giving you more self-confidence – and your overall physical health which will make you feel much better.

Once you are ready to start incorporating exercise into your life, start out slow and then work your way up. Even starting out with a short walk in the park or around your neighborhood a few times each week is very beneficial. Remember, every little bit counts.

Addiction recovery is a long and thorough process – it truly takes work in every aspect of your life. Apply these tips as you are continuing your sobriety to help you stay on the right path.

Addiction is a disease that can grab a hold of you quickly, pulling you into its wrath, with no intentions of letting go…

Sometimes, addiction could even grab you just with your first use of certain drugs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ahVlwIuEjw

With influential factors such as family history, prior drug use, biological and psychological features, among other things, the risk of addiction can pose a threat to just about anyone.

Because of the diverse range of experiences that could lead to addiction and the intensely personal qualities of addiction, no two people will follow the same recovery path.

Below we discuss the five common stages of addiction recovery:

1. Awareness and Early Acknowledgment

   Addiction recovery begins with the growing awareness that you have a problem. This could be a result of family members or coworkers bringing it up, or it could be a result of health, work, or legal troubles as a result of your addiction.

   Following awareness comes early acknowledgment – this entails acknowledging that you are willing to make a change. These two stages are combined because typically in addicts you see them go from denial of the entire situation to realizing they have a problem and deciding they need help.

2. Consideration

   The second stage occurs when you actually begin taking action. So, there is a difference between deciding to take action and actually taking action.

   In this stage, addicts make their first move toward recovery by learning more about their addiction, the impact it is having on their lives and how their choices negatively affect those around them.

3. Exploring Recovery

   Once an addict has moved past the denial stage and began making steps toward recovery, the next step is to actually explore recovery. So, first comes realization, then comes considering that they might need recovery and wanting to make a change, followed by actively looking into options.

4. Early Recovery

   Early recovery is a time of great significance but it also is a time of significant risk. During this stage of recovery, addicts have stopped using drugs. They are beginning to heal and are in the process of doing away with friends and activities that are relative to their addiction.

   However, because sobriety is so new during this stage in life, there is also the significant risk of relapse.

5. Active Recovery and Maintenance

   By this stage, the addict has made a great deal of progress. They have learned they will have to continue to work hard at this for the rest of their lives, but can appreciate how far they have come.

Although recovery is not easy to go through, by the last stage, recovering addicts realize how important their recovery is. They begin to see that the new life they could have never imagined while addicted is worth the continued effort.