Addiction

Prescription Drug Addiction

Certain prescription drugs can be as dangerous as street drugs and can cause severe addiction if taken regularly. Prescription drug addiction menace has increased to such a large extent that it is important to raise awareness of the problem and be on the lookout for loved ones that can become an addict if not properly monitored.

That said, prescription do not always cause addiction. However there are certain prescription drugs that can increase addiction or dependency on the medication and soon turn into a full blown addiction. Pain killers are the most abused form of prescription drugs and can be very dangerous if taken in multiple quantities and over a longer period of time. Many cases of coma and death are reported daily due to the abuse of prescription drugs.

It is important to monitor a patient that has been prescribed medication that is know to cause addiction. Warning bells must go off if the patient is continuously asking for refills and if the medication seems to run out more quickly than expected.Extra care is to be the norm if the person has a history of drug addiction.

If you are a recovering addict and are prescribed medication that is known to cause addiction it is best to avoid them or speak to your prescribing physician about it. It is particularly important even if you have been clean for years as this medication could weaken your defenses. You might not have a choice but it is important to take your doctor into confidence.

Prescription drug behavior

Common effects and behavior of a prescription drug abuser are

Severe trembling and shaking if you do not get your fill of the drug.
Inability to function normally if you do not take the pill.
Taking increasing amounts of the medication in order to feel good.
Hallucinations and even loss of memory.
Wild mood swings.

Overcoming prescription drug addiction can be quite difficult especially without support. With prescription drug addiction comes increased tolerance for the drug and as a result the user will need to use more and more quantities of number of the drug to feel the same previous effect caused from the drug. This is very dangerous as you could be one step away from overdosing on the drug.

It is vital to get help and qualified help can go a long way in treating drug addiction. Talk to a qualified health professional to help manage withdrawal symptoms in a safe manner and get on the road to recovery from prescription drug addiction.

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Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms

Alcoholism is a slow disease, doctors call it a progressive disease because it may take years for someone to turn into a full alcoholic. The unfortunate side of this progression is that getting out of alcoholism is also a slow process. There are no wonder drugs that can stop the problem overnight. In many cases, acceptance by the victim that he or she is in the grip of alcoholism itself takes considerable effort and time.

The nature of alcohol is that it can create physical dependence to anyone who consumes it for a sufficient period of time. Alcohol falls in the category of sedative and hypnotic drugs. These drugs are capable of creating a strong carving after prolonged consumption of the drug. That does not mean that people who are moderate to mild drinkers experience withdrawal symptoms when they stop drinking. Withdrawal symptoms are for those that have been drinking for a long period of time and in continuously increasing quantities. There is no uniqueness in these withdrawal symptoms, different people exhibit different withdrawal symptoms.

Types of Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms

Withdrawal symptoms appear through psychological and physical problems. These symptoms start appearing from mild to moderate depending on the drinking nature of the alcoholic.

Mild then moderate psychological symptoms – Psychological symptoms may vary from sleep disorder to excessive fatigue. Anxiety, nervousness, emotional volatility, problems with judgment and decision making are common complaints experienced by aggressive drinkers.
Mild then moderate physical symptoms – Headache, vomiting, loss of appetite, sweating, enlarged or dilated pupils etc. are the common physical withdrawal symptoms.
Severe symptoms – Constant black outs, complaints of fever and body ache, living in a state of confusion are the severe withdrawal symptoms.

All these symptoms may appear separately or together depending on the biological and psychological nature of the victim and may vary from person to person.

Alcohol withdrawal symptoms treatment

While recent studies and evidences show that everyone who undergo withdrawal symptoms need treatment, in the majority of the cases there is no need for hospitalization. 90 to 95 % of mild to moderate symptoms can be treated on a case to case basis without hospitalization. Since the withdrawal symptoms are physical as well as psychological, many withdrawal symptoms need custom made doses of emotional as well as drug based treatment.

Non-drug detoxification treatments use both social and emotional support techniques to address the symptoms. Techniques like intervention where a group of interested parties approach the patient in a non accusing manner is often used.

Drug based treatments help to reduce the excessive carving for drinking in the patient. They also help to reduce the damage done to brain as well as other internal organs in the body of the patient. The success of many de-addiction treatments depends on how long the patient can abstain from consuming alcohol again to cope with his or her withdrawal symptoms. Self effort on the behalf of an alcoholic is seldom enough to stop alcohol addiction especially in the face of severe withdrawal symptoms. Treatment under a qualified physician along with emotional support by family and friends are most important foot notes of any successful alcohol detoxification treatment.

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Identifying Alcohol and Other Drug Dependency

Jimmy quit drinking back in 1999. He had been a heavy drinker since late adolescence—before he married his high school sweetheart. Rita had fallen in love with his happy-drunk cheerfulness. He liked beer; she liked Chardonnay. After five years of marriage, however, Rita decided she “wanted to be a grown-up.” She quit, but Jimmy kept it up. Her perspective about Jimmy’s drunken cheerfulness changed as well—she now saw it as immature and irresponsible.

“How can he keep spending so much money on beer, when he has two children and a mortgage?” she would ask herself. The resentment inside grew a little stronger every day. Over the next fifteen years of marriage, Rita threatened to leave many times. She stayed in the marriage however, hoping that he would see how unhappy she was and change. The arguments would start every night when he pulled his first beer out of the fridge. Her agenda was always, “stop drinking!” His agenda was, “You can’t make me.” Two days before their twentieth anniversary, Jimmy came home from work to find that Rita, the kids, their clothing, the furniture were gone. The only thing left in the house was the refrigerator and the twelve-pack inside.

Jimmy drank the twelve-pack and then checked himself into Detox. He was in Detox five days, where he was introduced to Alcoholics Anonymous. After Detox, he went to Rehab at a Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) The PHP met six days a week, 8 hours a day for a month. Family sessions were a part of the rehab, and by the end of the month, Rita and the children were back in the house. Jimmy attended AA every evening for 90 days and had a sponsor. He attended at least twice weekly for two years, at which time he thought he had too much to do to go to meetings.

Jimmy was able to stay sober for the next year—except for a couple of times, when he had a few beers over the weekend. But the third time he relapsed, he went on a binge. He drank until he got drunk. He hid the beer cans in his garbage can at work. He could not, however, hide that he was drunk—not from Rita, and not from the cop who pulled him over as he drove down the interstate.

His first DUI, in 2002, cost him Ten Grand, by the time he paid his ticket, legal fees, and increased insurance rates. He went back into Detox for two days, back to rehab at the Partial Hospitalization Program, and back to AA. Rita was so angry that she refused to go to the family meetings this time. Jimmy could tell she was angry and that made him mad. Three months later, Jimmy relapsed again. He told everyone it was Rita’s fault that he relapsed because she didn’t trust him.

The struggle to recovery from Alcohol or Other Drug Dependency (AOD) frequently involves years of sobriety with intermittent relapse and need to start over in treatment. Relapse brings feelings of shame to the person who relapses and frustration and anger to their family. The Alcohol or Drug Dependent person or his or her family often feels like giving up—and many do.

Treatment for Alcohol and Other Drug Dependency is effective—in spite of the possibility of it requiring several starts. People who recover often have family, friends, and sober support groups who are willing to make an extensive investment in the recovering person. Very few people are able to recovery on their own, without strong support.

The first step in recovery is identifying if you or someone you love is dependent on alcohol or other drugs. The medical definition of “dependency” or “addiction”, according to the American Psychiatric Association (DSM-IV) and the World Health Organization (ICD-10), include meeting any three of the following criteria:

Tolerance. Has your use of drugs or alcohol increased over time?

Withdrawal. When you stop using, have you ever experienced physical or emotional withdrawal? Have you had any of the following symptoms: irritability, anxiety, shakes, sweats, nausea, or vomiting?

Difficulty controlling your use. Do you sometimes use more or for a longer time than you would like? Do you sometimes drink to get drunk? Do you stop after a few drink usually, or does one drink lead to more drinks?

Negative consequences. Have you continued to use even though there have been negative consequences to your mood, self-esteem, health, job, or family?

Neglecting or postponing activities. Have you ever put off or reduced social, recreational, work, or household activities because of your use?

Spending significant time or emotional energy. Do you spend a significant amount of time thinking about using or how to not get caught?

Desire to cut down. Have you sometimes thought about cutting down or controlling your use? Have you ever tried to quit or cut down on your own, but couldn’t?

Jimmy demonstrated all seven criteria of dependency. He required four episodes of treatment before he was able to enjoy five years of sobriety. He lost two jobs, had three DUIs (one of which involved some jail time); and was separated from Rita for over two years before he finally was able to consolidate his recovery skills into maintaining a five-year sobriety.

What did Rita do when Jimmy tried to blame her for his problem drinking? How do moxie spouses and family members react when their loved with Alcohol or Other Drug (AOD) Dependency—or any other mental illness—try to guilt them into allowing the problem behaviors to take them or the family as emotional or financial hostages?

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Do I Love an Addict?

So in these two blogs I am trying to paint the picture of what addiction might look like if it shows up in your life. And I have made the point that it can look a whole lot of different ways, and most of them are not the stereotypical way that we ‘think’ addiction looks. And this, my friends is what will get you in trouble.

One of my readers recently made the point that addictions, all addictions, are enough to drive a sane person quite nearly mad. One of the things that causes this is the atmosphere of lies. This is especially true when you are not expecting it- or when the person you love does not look addicted, and is not naturally a lying kind of person. When you meet with these lies, and incongruities, you begin to question your very sanity. Now sometimes the addict literally does not remember what you remember because he or she was high or drunk at the time- but she will try to cover up her doubt and place the blame on you. In my personal experience, my husband Dave could tell me the sky was green. But he did it with such believability, such assurance, and such ease that you might soon find me looking at the sky thinking “By golly, that sky may just be green today”.

One recurring trait of an alcoholic is a self assurance that literally repels doubt. As time goes on this self assurance often becomes arrogance, and a common AA term is that alcoholics are actually egomaniacs with an inferiority complex. My husband epitomized this saying. He was always 100% sure that he was right in all things. But if you knew him really well you could see, there was not a lot of self-love there. Now on the flip side we who love addicts tend to have equally low self-esteem. Life experience has generally created us to be malleable, tending to doubt ourselves, and more than willing to put our faith in someone else. This was generally how it was with Dave and I, so when he said his own version of ‘the sky is green’ my first thought as I looked up was always and inevitably “I must be crazy.” So if you find yourself in a relationship that looks like these two polar opposites co-existing in doubt (We’ll call them the self-centered and the selfless)-and if it seems like insane things are being said, argued, and justified- and if you question your own sanity inside of all of this. You may be living in an addictive relationship. In Alanon it is said that we, the spouses of alcoholics, are addicted to ‘mind altering, mood-changing men’… or women.

So addicts lie, or they simply don’t remember what they said in some alcoholic or drug induced blackout. But they are supremely adept at making others think that they are the crazy ones. Addicts will also cheat, steal, threaten, intimidate, dominate and even use physical force. But when they have pushed you to their limit, they will throw out the hook and bait that will reel you back in. Now keep in mind when I say addicts, I am speaking of the sickness of addiction, and not of the native nature of the human being under the drug. This nature is generally good, and often supremely so- but when 10 trillion cells are addicted, the good person you love does not show up very often.

But at any rate there is a high level of manipulation in addiction- and addicts will use every trick in the book to get you to stay when you are ready to leave. There will be sweet words, gifts, tears, loving gestures, remonstrances, and any other means to tug at your heart strings. And all of these are quite believable, and most likely heart-felt by the addict- who truly does love us, I believe. So whenever I was near a breaking point, the tenderness that came out of my ex-husband was palpable. So another sign of an addiction being present is that you may see a pattern of arguments and upsets that come to a near desperate breaking point. And they may be followed by loving sweetness that you almost can’t resist. Most addicts are not fully grown up, and most people who love them are quintessential caretakers. So with Dave and I the little boy or that I loved to take care of would also come to the forefront at this point of desperation, and I would always succumb.

There are other signs of addiction. I believe I spoke of addicts hiding their stash as it becomes a problem. At this point the craziness really begins. Dave used to swear he was not drinking. In those days I was beginning to see the signs- but there was no alcohol anywhere. Again I was thinking ‘I must be crazy.’ Until one day I went into the far corners of the garage and found 2 months worth of old bottles hidden under some tarp, and the junked up old college-sized refrigerator was being used for the fresh, cold supply of beer. Drug addicts will hide their pot, and put their prescription drugs into vitamin bottles, sex addicts will hide their porno-magazines and videos, gamblers will hide the house bills so you won’t know they are not being paid.

Addicts will go to all extremes to be sure no-one sees the amount of drugs, alcohol, or sex they are consuming. Dave used to drive 2 towns over to get his alcohol, and he would vary his suppliers. This is another sure sign of a problem. He didn’t even want the store owners to know how much he drank! Another thing he did was to only bring out half of his recycling. He wanted the can only half full so the garbage man would not know how much he drank! Now I never understood why he did this at the time. He didn’t tell me until years later. But it is something to look for. Is your loved one doing weird, inexplicable things around his drinking, drugs, or addictive behavior. If he is, then he knows he has a problem and is trying to cover it up.

And if he knows there’s a problem, then there’s a real problem. Because we loved ones, living in the confusion, the lies, the manipulation, and our own low self-esteems- are often the last to know. And if you think there may be addiction, but you can’t find the source, that doesn’t mean it’s not there. It just means that you can’t find it. And if you ever do find a stash hidden somewhere, you can be sure, there’s addiction at play.

But the biggest sign, and I do mean the biggest sign, bar none, of loving someone with an addiction is your own state of mind and behavior. It is a little known fact that

people who love addicts often act crazier than the addicts themselves. We are driven to the brink of insanity by the lies, manipulation, the questioning of self, and the constant play on our emotions. I remember one time with Dave getting into an argument over a submarine sandwich. This was the insanity of our lives. We could argue for an hour or more over a sandwich. So we were driving on the highway and I took the sandwich and flung it out the window, bag, napkin and all. Another time I nearly got out of a moving car myself. Another time I flung my engagement ring into the tall weeds, and once a patio chair went flying across the porch. All of this happened at my hands and I wasn’t even the drinker!

There were other crazy things I found myself doing. Jagged hour-long crying attacks on the bathroom floor, hiding in the shrubbery of my house for half an hour to get away from him, a panicked pacing of the floor for hours when he did not show up, locking myself in the bathroom with the shower running to drown him out. Fortunately my ex was a home-drinker, or you might also have seen me scouring the bars to find him. I did however contemplate the feasibility of veering the car into the guardrails, and I wondered how I could do that and not harm anyone else.

So your crazy behavior that is simply not how you know yourself to be, is the single biggest clue that you may have someone else’s addiction on your hands. And if you think you’re crazy, the question is, who or what is driving the car that got you there?

It’s probably some kind of addiction that has the wheel of that car, and the car is aimed straight for that guardrail- whether you know it or not.

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Recognizing The Signs Of Alcohol Abuse

Alcohol abuse, or alcoholism, is a serious illness that often requires immediate treatment. Not everyone knows what to look for in terms of alcohol abuse, but the truth is that there are very definitive signs that can quickly confirm the need for treatment.

Many alcoholics drink because they are angry or sad, but often end up feeling guilty either while they are drinking or after the effects wear off. Emotional drinking is a very likely sign of alcohol abuse and should not be overlooked. If the feeling of needing to reduce the level of alcohol consumption begins to occur or when friends and family start to express their concern, it is often time to seek counseling for alcohol abuse.

A large number of alcoholics find themselves lying about their behavior, which is usually an indication of shame. This may be a clue that he/she knows their actions are excessive and they wish to hide it from those closest to them, which means that they realize their actions are unhealthy and there may be a good chance for recovery.

If alcohol becomes a way of dealing with stress, the drinker has an undeniable addiction. Stress is a part of everyday life and, if alcohol is how a person chooses to deal with that stress, drinking too will become an everyday activity. For this reason, anyone that drinks alcohol as a way of coping with stress should consider an alcohol abuse treatment program.

There is no universal definition for alcoholism because it masks itself in a variety of ways. For some, it involves a physical dependency on alcohol while others lose their control over how much they drink. For many, the use of alcohol continues with the knowledge that it harmful to their health. There are many reasons that alcoholism may occur, including links to hereditary genes, stress, the addictive nature of alcohol and even the family environment.

The good news is that alcoholism is treatable and, once the signs of alcohol abuse are noticed, a remedy can often begin immediately. Whether it be via an inpatient or outpatient care facility or simply the willingness to stop drinking with the support of family and friends, alcohol abuse can be a thing of the past. Regaining the control over a life that was once consumed by alcohol is not a process that can happen overnight, but it is one that will be worth the effort. The most important step in working toward a life that is free of alcohol is actually wanting that life.

This article is to be used for informational purposes only. The information contained herein is not intended to be used in place of, or in conjunction with, professional medical advice or recommendations regarding alcohol abuse. Before deciding on the most effective method of treatment, the patient must consult a licensed medical doctor for advice and/or to determine the best course of action for his/her individual situation.

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The Background and Basics of Benzodiazepine Addiction

The Background and Basics of Benzodiazepine Addiction

Originally developed for medicinal use as a tranquilizer, anticonvulsant and muscle relaxant, benzodiazepine soon became infamous for its addictive properties and problems associated with withdrawal. Benzodiazepine addiction is now internationally rampant, and benzodiazepines are classified as Schedule IV controlled drugs. They are commonly prescribed for treatment of insomnia and anxiety. However, their classification under the least restrictive schedule makes them more appealing to some addicts, and increases their potential as gateway drugs to other, more dangerous substances.

Additionally, poly-drug users that also abuse benzodiazepines have a higher mortality rate. Their combination with legal drugs and substances such as antibiotics, contraceptives and anti-fungal agents can lead to excessive drug accumulation.

Withdrawal symptoms can appear in as little as three weeks of continuous use. Symptoms of withdrawal commonly associated with this type of drug include insomnia, tremors, muscle spasms, fearfulness, and more. In some cases, it leads to depression and suicidal behavior.

Benzodiazepine addiction has many other side effects such as violence, impulsivity, irritability as well as memory loss that can induce complete anterograde amnesia, which is the loss of the ability to create new memories. Long-term effects include the loss of sex drive, agoraphobia, anxiety and depression.

The main problems with this type of drug are the developments of tolerance and dependence. However, tolerance only builds against the beneficial effects of drugs as tranquilizers, anticonvulsants and muscle relaxants. Tolerance does not build against memory loss and the paradoxical effects.

Dependence can present itself as a psychological or physical condition. Around 23% of users become addicted to benzodiazepines after just three months of use. Those that take even just the prescribed doses and don’t increase their usage, make up the largest category of people addicted to benzodiazepines.

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Dealing with An Alcoholic Husband

We’ve been together 4 years, have an almost 2 year old son, and have been married almost 3 months. I love him very much, he is one of the greatest guys I’ve ever met. However, he goes in these spurts where he will be drinking a lot and seem to completely not care about me at all. He’ll say mean things whens he’s drunk, which I know he doesn’t mean but it still hurts. He’s gone to rehab once last year, it helped…he was sober 73 days until a buddy of his passed away and through him right back into the drinking.

Since then he’s been drinking. Sometimes not much, sometimes way too much. He had a sober 3 weeks this last month and then wanted to go out to dinner (our son going to grandma’s for the night) and I knew that meant trouble…he’s going to drink. Well, sure enough he did…and I can’t lie…I had a couple beers myself, but I’m not the one with a drinking problem. I feel like our marriage is all of a sudden unimportant to him.

Even though he loves me and would do anything for my son and I, it’s making me very bitter. I feel like I’ve been told I won the lotto, then, “oh wait, there’s been a mistake. you didn’t win” kind of thing. I was SO happy when he quit drinking again, I thought something finally clicked and he was going to shape up. Then BAM right back to drinking full force. Now, he’s gone all the time and I’m alone with our 2 yr old son who’s constantly asking me, “daddy home soon?” and I have to be there when Daddy doesn’t show up to do things that were promised to our son. Sometimes I think I hate him, and other times I think…How lucky am I? Cuz he can be a wonderful person! And he is a good dad, until his recent broken promise.

I have realized throughout my life that me wanting somebody to change is not enough for them to change (my dad is also an alcoholic). He went to rehab, went to AA meetings, and has recently considered it again. I just can’t find the words of encouragement without them being my own selfish reasons…or without sounding like I”m begging him.

I just felt this would be a way to talk to women/men who deal with this on a day to day basis. I can’t go to al-anon because times are tough and sadly, the only person who does extra driving in our family is my husband when he goes out drinking.

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Living With An Alcoholic

Living with an Alcoholic

In this ever moving and fast paced world, people are so busy that they merely depend on alcohol for their relaxation, which makes the situation worse when they go home to their families. Living with an alcoholic is not easy, as people that are addicted to alcohol can barely show signs of change and transformation, unless they are taken to a counseling session. Living with such addicts may cause embarrassment and pettiness. Alcoholic people are kind of introverted and that is what makes the addiction grow. Living with an alcoholic spouse has several consequences like; children may be under a bad impression because parents are the only ones who show them the right way to lead life, and one of the major disadvantages of drinking alcohol is that it results in several medical hazards. Many people are trying to reform their spouses and make them free from this bad habit, but do not succeed eventually. There are, however, certain ways to do that. Some of them are:

Let the natural consequences happen while your spouse is under the influence, like for instance, do not pick them up when they fall or do not help them, this will make the person realize their mistake more quickly and easily. Repeating this process again and again can help your life attain an ease while living with an alcoholic. Most of the alcoholics are introverts and they do not want to mingle with the society. Help them become extroverts and mix up with people who do not drink or smoke. A good company always helps people reform their habits.

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