What Kinds of Healthcare Professionals Practice at Rehabs in West Palm Beach?

Providing addiction treatment services for people who are suffering from addiction diseases is a serious business, very serious. It’s not something that’s typically entrusted to people who don’t have the proper training to provide such services.

As an addiction sufferer who wants help, you have every right to expect the highest level of care possible. This is your health and even life we are discussing. There is a direct correlation between the results of your treatment and the qualifications of the people who are providing you with that treatment. For that very reason, it’s incumbent on you to make sure the people you are going to be working with have the expertise to lead you to the promised land of a long-lasting recovery.

In the West Palm Beach area where our facility resides, we have the privilege of being part of one of the most elite addiction treatment communities in the world. South Florida has a stellar reputation as the “rehab capital of the world.” With our standing in this elite community, we are able to recruit some of the best addiction treatment talent in the country. As a prospective client, this is exactly what you should be looking to get from any rehab facility you decide to choose.

To give a better idea of what kind of professionals you can expect to encounter in a West Palm Beach treatment facility like ours, we thought it would be prudent to tell you about the kinds of people us and other Palm Beach facilities will typically employ.

What Kinds of Healthcare Professionals Practice at Rehabs in West Palm Beach?

Before we discuss the qualifications you want to see in your addiction treatment specialists, there’s one thing they all need to have in common. It goes a long way if they have legitimate hate for drug abuse and an unquestioned desire to help people combat their addictions. These are the qualities that drive addiction treatment professionals to give their clients everything they have to offer them. This is what you deserve and exactly what you have the right to demand.

With that said, You can expect to encounter four types of treatment professionals during your time in a West Palm Beach addiction treatment center. We are going to work under the assumption a viable treatment facility like ours will be offering a full slate of treatment options, from detox all the way through aftercare. The four types of professions you will likely encounter include:

  • Psychologist and Psychiatrists
  • Licensed Therapists and Counselors
  • Professional nursing staff members
  • Medical Doctors

Before discussing what role these people will play in addiction treatment, let’s not forget the support staff that does a great job making sure everything runs smoothly.

Psychologists and Psychiatrists

It’s not always necessary for a treatment facility to maintain psychiatric help on a regular basis. However, there are clients that enter rehab with mental health issues as well as their addiction. The existence of co-occurring conditions requires some level of psychiatric care, something a therapist might not be licensed to do.

Licensed Therapists and Counselors

While this particular group might not have PHDs or MDs behind their titles, they do have significant training in dealing with clients who have addictions. They are trained to identify the issues surrounding a client’s addiction. They are also trained to educate clients on how to build better coping skills that will be important for relapse prevention.

Professional Nursing Staff Members

The forgotten soldiers of rehab. These are the professionals who are responsible for monitoring the health of clients during detox and into treatment. They are also responsible for making sure clients get the proper prescription medications as per doctor instructions.

Medical Doctors

If a rehab facility employs a medical doctor, there’s a good chance the facility provides medical detox support. The role of the doctor is to make sure the client’s health in maintained while they go through the detox process. If prescription medications are needed, it’s the doctor’s job to prescribe the right medication. That also applies to clients while they are going through therapy.

Obviously, this a very elite group of professionals to which you can entrust your well-being. We are proud to provide this level of care for all of our clients. If you would like to benefit from the care of some very elite professional West Palm Beach staff members, please call us at 800-737-0933.

What Are Some Tips to Make My Drug Rehabilitation in Florida As Successful As Possible?

A stay in inpatient rehabilitation isn’t something that anyone plans on, but it can be a critical first step in recovering the life lost because of substance abuse. Addiction takes so much away from its unfortunate denizens. It robs people of their ability to choose, love, work, and live as they want. When it gets bad enough, and it’s obvious that something must be done, how can you make the best of a bad situation and be successful in inpatient rehabilitation?

You might start by seeing inpatient rehabilitation as your second chance instead of just a bad situation. While living with many other people can be uncomfortable at first, and you might be nervous about the new environment and restriction of freedom, it’s important to note that drug addiction itself has limited your choices as well. If you’ve lost homes, friends, and work because of addiction, you might feel freer than you’ve ever felt before the first day you wake up in inpatient rehab and don’t have the urge to use. It’s a new lease on life. Here’s how to make the most of it.

Tips For Physical Comfort

The basics in inpatient rehab will matter. Before heading off to rehab with your luggage, make sure that you’re taking everything you’re supposed to take. If it’s a residential rehab, you’ll pack heavier than if it’s a short-term program. Either way, here are just a few things you might want to bring along:

  • Pen and paper
  • Makeup
  • Books to read
  • Music player (if allowed)

Pack clothing for all the days you will need clothing instead of just pajamas. Don’t leave anything behind, as it can be difficult to have anyone bring you things while you’re in an inpatient program. Make a list of everything you need and then pack those things religiously!

Be Clear About Inpatient Rules

Inpatient rules are often one of the things people worry most about. Will you be able to talk on the phone to anyone you want? Will you be able to have a cellphone during your stay? How about a computer tablet to keep you busy with games? What time will you need to be in bed every night, or are you going to be allowed to be a night owl? All of these questions are important to people who want to make the most of their time in rehab.

Accepting the rules of the rehab will be important to your success. By abiding by the rules, you’ll benefit more from therapy in rehab, you’ll get along better with your other rule-abiding peers, and you’ll make more solid bonds during your stay. People in rehabs must be respectful of each other, even though everyone is going through one of their most difficult times in life. By being respectful, everyone wins. Patients need to respect other patients and their right to privacy and compassion, and staff members also need to respect patients as they go about their jobs.

Following the Plan

During your stay, you’ll likely talk to an inpatient drug and alcohol rehabilitation counselor, someone who has experience treating the type of addiction you want help for. Two policies reign in the patient-therapist relationship: honesty and respect. The patient must be honest, and the counselor and patient must respect the relationship they have and work together to find solutions to problems. You’ll want to be honest at all times with rehabilitation staff. Hiding anything or failing to seek help for problems that are at the forefront of your addiction will only hurt you. Make sure you stay honest in therapy.

Honesty during group meetings is also important. Not everyone in early recovery will share during group meetings, but if you don’t share, make sure you listen. Listening in early recovery can save your life from substance abuse. Everyone speaking in group meetings has gone through things in addiction that it might benefit you to hear. If you’re lost about speaking, don’t worry about it. Many people in early recovery never talk in meetings or group therapy sessions. However, make sure you have your ears open, ready to receive the messages that might save you from a lifetime of substance abuse. The meetings and counseling sessions are very important and will lead to your ongoing success.

If you’re ready for a successful stay in rehab or just need to talk to a substance abuse counselor who wants to help, just call us today at 800-737-0933.

Is Christian Alcohol Rehab Better than Secular Rehab?

Belief in a Higher Power has been a part of addiction recovery since Alcoholics’ Anonymous was founded in 1935. In modern times, rehab centers for addiction have emerged. Certain types of rehabs exist to cater to specific populations. One of those certain types of rehabs is Christian rehabs. If you are considering a Christian alcohol rehab, you may be questioning if a Christian alcohol rehab is better than a secular alcohol rehab. The simple answer is it depends on each person and his or her personal belief system.

There are no general differences in quality between Christian and secular rehabs. Both types of rehabs must meet the same standards by law and most likely offer the same types of therapies. The only difference is a Christian rehab will be providing tools for recovery that are based in the Christian perspective. If you are a strong practicing Christian or the Christian ideology simply sits well with you, a Christian alcohol rehab may certainly benefit you because it will be centered around the Higher Power of Your Understanding. However, if you are an agnostic, atheist, or non-practicing Christian, a Christian rehab might not be the best fit. Which type of rehab is better for you will vary upon what you are comfortable with. While many of the principals taught in a Christian rehab are universal and apply to different faiths and levels of religiosity, the Christian concepts may be hard to ignore for those who do not possess that worldview.

The Elements of a Christian Alcohol Rehab

If you have decided that a Christian rehab is better for you than a secular rehab, here is what you can expect:

• Medical Detox and Evidence-Based Therapy
A myth about Christian or faith-based rehabs is that they only use religion and no scientific-based treatments. For most Christian rehabs, that myth is not true. Most of them use medical detox and evidence based psychological therapies in conjunction with Christian principals. For example, staff may pray over you during the detox process or your counselor will talk about turning childhood traumas over to Jesus during cognitive-behavioral therapy.
• Religious Services
Christian rehabs may host religious services one to several times a week in the rehab center or provide transportation to a local church. Whether or not attending some or all of these services is mandatory depends on the rehab center.
• Biblical Principals
Since the Bible is the basis for Christian principals, it will often be quoted and read in group sessions. Your counselor may also use it during individual sessions.
• Christian-Based Policies
Christian rehabs may have certain policies that are aligned with Christian beliefs (e.g. certain clothing, literature, or makeup being prohibited; mandatory attendance of religious services, or affection between opposite sexes being prohibited). The policies will vary upon Christian rehab. Some may have more traditional rules while others will have less rules and only use universal Christian principles in treatment.
• The 12 Steps in a Christian Perspective
In a regular 12-Step Meeting, each member is allowed to have the Higher Power of His or Her Own Understanding. However, in a Christian rehab, the Higher Power being discussed will be strictly focused on God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.

How Belief in a Higher Power Aids in Recovery

Even if a Christian rehab is not for you or you do not have any religion at all, belief in a Higher Power of Your Understanding is beneficial for recovery. Recovery is a difficult process that is full of uncertainty. Having faith in a Higher Power (e.g. God, Jesus, the Universe, nature, Allah, the recovery program itself, etc.) can help put some of your fears about the future to rest. A saying that many people have in recovery is “Ask for help every day, and do not worry about who you are asking.” Instead of thinking of a Higher Power as someone who is taking control over your life or sitting on a throne judging you, think of your Higher Power as a best friend to walk with you and provide loving guidance on your journey through sending you the right people, places, things, and events at the right time. Belief in a Higher Power can also help you put your past in perspective to help you heal from traumas.

Twelve-Step Programs are spiritual, not religious programs, which means they are about having an awakening to your own personal spirit. Their focus is not on worshiping a particular Higher Power or making you adhere to a certain religious doctrine. Because they are a spiritual program, they are designed to help you find the Higher Power of Your Understanding. When you take a look within yourself, you will be able to find your personal Higher Power and build a bridge to that Higher Power as you see fit. For some people, religion may play a major role in their spiritual journey while others may do better without it.

Both Christian and secular rehabs exist in the South Florida region. Contact us at 800-737-0933 today.

Will a Christian Treatment Center Accept Me if I Don’t Go to Church?

Christian treatment centers treat drug and alcohol addictions among people of the Christian faith. They also treat people who are willing to accept a Christian outlook on recovery, even if those people don’t go to church or as yet have a strong faith in God. Many people who enter recovery have a newfound faith that they want to explore. A Christian approach to treating drug and alcohol addiction is more about the approach than the current faith of the patient. As treatment proceeds, faith may blossom.

First things first, though. If someone has a substance abuse problem, inpatient treatment centers are often the first thought to cross their mind in terms of getting help. It’s a safe, quiet place where no physical temptation, such as the presence of drugs or alcohol, is around the recovering person. Medical treatment may be an option in some cases. There’s a friendly, compassionate staff on hand 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to make sure the person is recovering.

How Christian Treatment Centers Work

All addiction is a disease where a person loses things that are vitally important to them. A lot of people find that they lose friends and treasured family relationships over the course of using. They might lose jobs or have to drop out of school. As all of the good things in life are replaced by the drug, the sufferer begins to feel alienated from all they held dear. A Christian outlook on life might have at one point been present. Losing that outlook can leave an emptiness that’s painful.

Christian treatment centers work to restore the good things of life to sufferers. Instead of drugs, you’ll find yourself learning about the Christian faith and how it brings healing and goodness to the lives of people who’ve gone astray. You might participate in prayer sessions or be asked to privately pray for strength. You’ll learn about how your disease affected you and altered your life and how you can use a Christian outlook to get that faith back.

What if I don’t go to church?

Church is only one part of the Christian faith. Yes, most Christians choose to participate in church services, but not all Christians go to church or go to church regularly. That’s okay. You might say that the most important people to the church are the people who aren’t there, the ones who have gone astray and might benefit from the healing messages that church has to offer.

Because church is only one part of having a strong faith, it’s okay to enter a Christian treatment center even if you haven’t gone to church in years. It’s okay even if you’ve never gone or don’t particularly believe in God at the moment. Church is for non-believers, too, and its healing messages can reach those who have so far closed their eyes and ears to that message.

A Christian outlook on Recovery

When stripped of its historical context, the Christian faith embodies all of the principles of recovery: courage, perseverance, belief in something greater than what’s weighing you down, and hope. Just about anyone in recovery can take hold of that message of hope and have it apply to their situation, even if they’ve moved away from faith in the past because of life circumstances. Don’t assume that just because you don’t go to church or don’t have a strong faith in God that a spiritual approach to recovery won’t work for you.

In recovery, the goal is to work just as hard to stay off drugs as you did to stay on them. You’ve believed in and used drugs to solve problems in your life, and it has turned into an unhealthy addiction. That same belief you had in drugs is a belief you can use just as strongly in recovery. Instead of believing in the power of a drug to solve problems, you can believe in the power of a Christian recovery and throw all your strength into getting and staying well. Christian treatment centers welcome people of all kinds into their fold. They want to help you see that there is a better, healthier, and more fulfilling way to live your life, free of the chains of drugs and alcohol. Even if you don’t go to church, their doors are open to you, waiting to help.

If you believe a Christian treatment center can help you get well from substance abuse, please call us today at 800-737-0933 to see how we can help.

Is a Drug Rehab in South Florida Able to Provide Resources for Other Areas?

South Florida drug rehabs operate either privately or through the state’s resources, but they aren’t confined to a single area in terms of how they refer people to other resources out there. For example, if you’re from South Florida and got help in a rehab here, you don’t need to remain in this area to be referred to resources in another area you might move to. Drug rehabs in South Florida are capable of helping you find help through a large network of recovery resources.

Before addressing the chief question, let’s take a look at all of the resources you might need in your beginning recovery. If your addiction was very severe, many areas of your life may have been affected, and if that’s the case, it’s likely you’ll need much more help outside of the rehab you go to. Rehabs are vitally important in orchestrating help for recovering addicts who are about to re-enter their communities. Help is always welcomed in those early days.

Resources for Relapse Prevention

Relapse prevention is first and foremost the #1 goal of recovering addicts who are leaving treatment centers. You want a solid plan that’s going to address any therapy, group meeting, and medical needs you might have. So many people who find themselves mired in the pitfalls of substance abuse neglect important medical and mental health matters. One thing your treatment center will do is refer you for individual counseling and/or group meetings in your area, even if that area isn’t South Florida. Thanks to great communication in a nationwide network, treatment centers are able to find help for you nationwide.

Residential treatment centers are one place where you might find help after an initial short-term detox. If you choose to go to a sober living facility, your detox is capable of finding residential treatment centers in the area you plan to live after being released, not just South Florida. They can search their databases and find a residential treatment center for you anywhere.

Social Resources

Substance abuse takes its toll on people’s lives in so many ways. For example, some people will have legal problems. Others may not have enough food to eat in early recovery. Still others may have a disability but were unable to apply for any benefits due to neglecting everything during active addiction. For these people, treatment centers often employ social workers who can help you tap into the rich resources of the community. You might find food banks, agencies to help you apply for state assistance, or rental assistance to help you find a stable place to live again.

Employment assistance is another area where drug rehabs can help to refer you after you’re done with treatment. If you need to find a job after treatment, or want to go back to school, they can point you in the right direction. Even if you’re not from the South Florida area but go to a drug rehab here, that rehab is going to be able to use their own online resources and experience to help you find the places that can help you most.

Resources To Stay Clean

Both social resources and resources directly related to relapse prevention are going to be helpful to you in recovery. Since recovery is an ongoing venture, you can never really have enough resources to tap into. On some days, one resource might help you get through a rough patch of craving. On other days, when things seem bleak, you might find hope in a social resource that helps you have enough food to eat for that day. All resources are something that you can explore with your caseworker as you near the end of your stay in a South Florida rehab.

Even if you’re from an area on the other side of the United States, South Florida rehabs are able to help you find the resources you need in your own local hometown community. Relapse prevention plans will partially be a mix of these resources that will help you deal with life on life’s terms. Each resource is a part of the overall plan to live your best life sober, without drugs or alcohol. Once you’re free of the chains of addiction, you can start using the resources that are out there to help you stay sober and more stable.

If you’re ready to get started, call us today at 800-737-0933. Our devoted team of caring professionals is always here to help you find a resource that will keep you safe and sober.

Can I Find a Dual Diagnosis Treatment Center in Florida That Can Treat Bipolar Disorder?

Substance abuse alone is difficult to deal with, but throw in a mental illness like bipolar disorder into the mix and you have a lethal combination that needs additional treatment options. Dual diagnosis has been one of the central focuses of attention for addiction researchers in recent years, as they’ve discovered a high occurrence of mental disorders alongside addiction disorders. As many as 50% of people with a mental illness also have a co-existing mental disorder.

Dual diagnosis is the clinical term applied to people who have both substance abuse and mental disorders. Bipolar disorder is one of the most severe forms of mental illness and is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. Both substance abuse disorders and bipolar disorder are very serious conditions and need treatment alongside each other.

Treatment Centers and Dual Diagnosis

Today’s Florida treatment centers are highly trained in dual diagnosis. Even if you haven’t been diagnosed yet with a mental disorder, a substance abuse treatment center may be the first place that you learn about the existence of both disorders and finally get help for them. They can monitor bipolar disorder that’s already been diagnosed or evaluate for a case of suspected bipolar disorder.

When someone has bipolar disorder, they often have frequent mood swings and episodes alternating between “mania” and “depression.” During manic episodes, a patient tends to have a grandiose view of themselves and feel invisible, but this eventually swings back to periods of depression that includes loss of interest in activities or even friends. Bipolar patients tend to have chaotic lives because of the effects of their mood swings, risky behavior during manic episodes, and sometimes suicidal behavior during depressive episodes.

Many patients with undiagnosed bipolar disorder self-medicate with drugs or alcohol. Eventually the self-medicating behavior leads to progressive addiction that grows worse over time. The bipolar disorder makes the substance abuse disorder more severe, and the substance abuse disorder exacerbates the mental illness and makes it more severe, leading to sometimes dangerous, risky, or even criminal behavior. Problems with friends, family, and even the legal system might become an issue.

Finding Dual Diagnosis Treatment

Finding a dual diagnosis treatment center in Florida is easier than ever before. Because of the prevalence of dual diagnosis in substance abuse cases, almost every rehabilitation center is trained to spot these co-existing disorders and treat them simultaneously. The result is a more well-rounded approach to treatment and more effective relapse prevention plans.

When you call a Florida rehab center to inquire about treatment programs, be sure to ask if they have a team that is qualified in dual diagnosis. In other words, if they need to administer bipolar medication to a patient, are they qualified to do so? Do they have a licensed psychiatrist on hand who can treat bipolar disorder as well as the substance abuse disorder the person is seeking treatment for? If so, you’ve found a dual diagnosis center and can trust that facility to help you.

There’s Help Now

Years ago, before people knew the link between mental illness and substance abuse, it could be difficult to decipher instances where both were existing at the same time. Someone with a substance abuse disorder might have been written off as mentally ill, or someone with a serious mental illness might have been written off as just someone with a substance abuse problem. Now professionals know that there is a higher likelihood of mental illnesses in people with substance abuse disorders, and they’re trained to spot the signs and treat both at once.

It’s natural for someone with a mental illness to want to get help from a dual diagnosis facility because you have to make sure that the facility can treat all of your medical issues, not just the substance abuse disorder. Thanks to a staff of licensed psychiatrists and highly qualified counselors and caring people, we’re able to provide dual diagnosis facilities in Florida. All of our staff can evaluate and treat for mental illnesses and addictions at the same time so that you don’t have to neglect one condition in order to treat the other. All of your needs are met right here with us in our safe, well-equipped facility in Florida. It’s a great place to get help and get well.

If you have or suspect you need dual diagnosis care, we’re the people to call. Just pick up the phone when you’re ready and call us at 800-737-0933.

What Are the Main Benefits and Potential Drawbacks of Christian Treatment Centers?

A Christian treatment center is a type of drug and alcohol rehabilitation center that uses Christian principles as a foundation for recovering from substance abuse. Each one of these treatment centers takes a different approach. For example, some Christian treatment centers still use medical personnel like doctors to provide relief during the early stages of withdrawal, but they will turn to more Christian-focused principles once the initial physical withdrawal is over. Before going into a Christian facility, it’s wise to learn the pros and cons of choosing this type of treatment.

If you’re strong in your Christian faith, then a Christian treatment center might already be something you know you’re interested in. You should still learn the kind of approach this type of treatment entails though. Let’s have a look at some of the major benefits and drawbacks of the Christian mode of recovery.

Benefits of Christian Recovery

Christian rehabs focus on a relationship with Jesus and the tenants of the Christian faith in order to help people get well. Prayer, meditation, Christian lessons, and even bible study might be a part of recovery in these types of rehabs. The goal isn’t to just get the patient sober. It’s to help them reestablish their faith in God. When you’re in a Christian rehab, you’re going to meet other like-minded people who also have or want to have a strong faith in God.

Naturally, people who have a strong connection to the Christian faith will find it easier to recover in this type of environment. If you’ve had faith in the past but lost it, you may find that a Christian approach to recovery:

  • Gives you strength
  • Makes you feel comforted
  • Helps you meet others to share your faith with

Just like in other rehab centers, you will probably have available counselors who can discuss your issues with you, but the psychiatrist or counselor will have a background in the Christian faith and be both educated in college and likely the ministry as well, giving you an educated, spiritual approach that is doubly helpful if you’re a Christian.

Drawbacks of this Approach

If you aren’t a Christian or have another faith, it may be difficult to benefit from just about anything from the Christian approach, although you will be able to remain sober in this environment because like all other centers, this one will be free of drugs and alcohol. Even if you can’t appreciate the approach in an ongoing way, it’s entirely possible to recover in a Christian substance abuse program.

You don’t have to necessarily even believe in God to get something out of this approach, although if you are an atheist, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to go into a Christian program. If you’re open-minded enough, though, the spiritual aspect alone could give you solid principles for recovery, and you wouldn’t be the first person who went in an atheist and came out a believer.

A Different Way to Recover

If you want to get sober badly enough, you can recover in just about any kind of treatment center that offers you a drug and alcohol free environment, no matter what the approach is. Sometimes people will go to a Christian program because all other programs are full, and there are many people who didn’t believe they’d benefit who actually came out feeling ready to recover on their own terms and stuck with a Christian approach.

Christianity is a loving, understanding way to look at the world, a compassionate way to view other people and the universe we live in. The very fundamental aspects of the treatment approach may reach a lot of people who didn’t think at first that they’d be able to handle a spiritual program. Even if it’s not for you, you might want to learn more about the Christian way of recovery. Many people aren’t ready for it early on, but as they go to more group meetings and talk to other people, they find that in some ways, faith plays a part in all recovery, and so does love, compassion, and belief in something greater ahead, something better.

If you have a strong faith and want to recover from substance abuse, the Christian approach might just be your ticket to freedom. Whenever you’re ready to get started, just give us a call at 800-737-0933. Our knowledgeable and compassionate counselors are always standing by ready to help another person recover.

Why Is Long Term Drug Treatment a Good Idea Even if You’re Sure You’re Better?

After the initial detox period, there’s a period of enormous relief. The physical withdrawal symptoms subside. Alienated friends and family are relieved to hear you’re sober, and they might begin speaking to you again and reestablishing lost relationships. You might even feel like a million bucks, even if you’re only a month or two into your journey. Some people even start feeling better two weeks into recovery. Every day is a new day, and it seems like you’ve learned your lesson.

Curiously enough, many alcoholics and drug addicts relapse during this period of reprieve. It’s the moment that the pain is in the past, that they start feeling better, that they are most tempted to believe they’ve defeated the problem and can now safely have a drink or two, or maybe they believe they can have a pill or two. Before they know it, they’re right back in the cycle, wondering how they went from feeling so good to being stuck right back in the place they were in before.

Early Recovery Basics

Early recovery is tough during the detox stage, but it’s a period of extreme relief and hopefulness after the initial physical symptoms wear off. Because of this, it’s a dangerous period for some alcoholics and drug addicts. More than a few have gone through this cycle a few times before finally deciding that the seemingly overnight recovery a month in are but an illusion. Recovery is a long-term deal, and you’re never able to safely go back and have a drink or drug or two.

Long term drug treatment is a good idea for a number of reasons. The dangerous 1-2 month period where you think you’ve conquered addiction is a good example. No, you’re not having withdrawal symptoms, but that’s because you haven’t used. If you relapse, you’ll surely go right back where it all started, and so many addicts and alcoholics fall into that trap of using after only a short time sober. Long-term treatment facilities and sober living communities give you the chance to establish long-term sobriety in a safe environment. The longer you’re sober, the better.

Long-term Treatment Means Long-term Sobriety

When you enter a long-term treatment facility, you’re committing to learning the principles of recovery that are so difficult to grasp on the outside sometimes. Temptations lurk around every corner in the real world, from the happy beer commercial to the friend who calls you up for a toke or two. Someone once said that freedom is a prison of its own, and there’s no better example of this. Sometimes you want to give up some of your freedom for the safety of a sober living environment.

Long-term residential programs allow you to work on the outside, too, but they hold you accountable for staying in the program. For example, they let you go to work and come back to the residence, but they will also randomly drug test you to make sure you’re following the rules of the program. For many addicts and alcoholics, this overseeing and holding accountable is a blessing that keeps them sober longer. Yes, one day they’ll have to get back out there, but for now, they’re learning how to live life on life’s terms, with the help of trained counselors and staff.

Long-term Resources

The final reason that long term programs are so helpful is because there are some people in recovery who lost their entire lives to addiction. They may not have food, a home, or a job. Starting over from scratch wouldn’t be easy for anyone, but it’s especially trying for someone who’s dealing with real life without drugs for the first time in a long time. A sober living facility provides some measure of financial, occupational, and food support to people rebuilding their lives.

Don’t get sober for a month or two and assume “that’s that!” Recovery is a lifelong adventure, and it only gets better as time goes on. By staying in a long-term residential program or by staying in for another longer-term program for a couple of months, you’re going to increase your chances of learning the basic principles of recovery and life on life’s terms. You’ll also have access to greater community resources that can help you rebuild a life that’s not just drug free, but happy, too.

If you’re interested in a long-term drug treatment program, just call us when you’re ready to get started at 800-737-0933. Our team will show you how great life in long-term recovery can be.

Opioids and Constipation: How Does One Affect the Other?

Opiates cause constipation so much that the condition actually has its own name: opiate induced constipation (OIC). Just as the name implies, it’s constipation caused by the use of opiates. As a side effect, constipation is one of the most unpleasant ones surrounding opiate abuse, but it’s by no means the only side effect. For today, though, we’ll take a look at how opiates cause constipation.

Interestingly, the same mechanism that makes opiates work also cause the constipation you experience when you take them. Opioids attach to something called mu-receptors, and that’s what allows them to block pain signals. There’s another place that mu-receptors live, though: the bowel. When opiates block receptors there, constipation is the result.

Symptoms of OIC

Many people think of constipation as just the inability to go to the bathroom, and that’s definitely part of it. Unfortunately, it’s much worse than just that. You’ll experience times where you can go to the bathroom, but stools will be dry and hard, and the bowel movement will be extremely painful. There may be visual cues that you’re suffering from OIC, such as a distended abdomen or bulging in the abdomen. Pants may fit tighter, and you may have a general feeling of unwellness, discomfort, or even nausea.

Opioids have long had a reputation for causing constipation, and it’s scientifically proven that they do cause some of the worst cases of this ailment known to man. People who abuse opiates are certain to have experienced this unpleasant side effect, and it’s worthwhile to enter treatment just to end the sometimes dangerous side effects like this. Ceasing opiate use will eventually clear up OIC.

Getting Treatment

Unless you’re using opiates for a chronic pain condition or other condition, it’s possible to abstain from opiate use, but because of the severity of withdrawal, it’s not as easy as it sounds. One reason inpatient detoxes are so preferable as a means to get off opiates is because they are capable of dealing with the many health conditions caused by opioid abuse. A withdrawal from opiates can include the opposite problem: diarrhea. Medical detoxes can help with this issue, too. When you enter a detox or inpatient facility for help with opiate addiction, you take a very small step in coping with the things that opiates have done to damage your life and your body.

Opioids have a lot of devastating side effects even when used for legitimate reasons in a medical setting or hospital. For drug addicts, they get all the side effects, too, but often don’t realize that it’s the medication causing them because a doctor wasn’t the one who prescribed the opiates. In time, most users figure out that the culprit for constipation is opioids. Over the counter laxatives perform very poorly for opiate abuse. You can have constipation when you take them regularly, as prescribed, but people who abuse them get cases of constipation that can even lead to blockages, something that can in time become life threatening.

Getting Well

Whether you’ve been using opiates for a little while or a long time, you’ll find that you’re suffering from a host of symptoms both when you take them and when you don’t take them. Side effects like constipation are from use. Side effects like diarrhea are the result of trying to quit. An inpatient detox center can help you deal with both of these effects and more. Thanks to a caring staff, medical doctors there to supervise detox, and other peers who can relate to your experiences and help you cope with them, there’s a place where you can feel safe during the time you’re recovering from opiate use.

Some patients may have started using opiates for medical reasons but found themselves addicted in a short period of time. If this is the case, the answer is still the same: cessation. Inpatient detoxes and intensive outpatient programs are the best methods of helping people quit opiates. Their withdrawal symptoms are severe, and the side effects of taking them are often severe, too. The longer you go on, the more severe the side effects will be, and we all know that the major side effect, addiction, can be life altering at best and life threatening at worst.

Anyone who wants to learn more about opiates and addiction is welcome to call us at 800-737-0933. We’re always here to provide information to those who want to get help for drug and alcohol addictions. There is always help here.

What Happens if I Fail a Drug Test at a Heroin Treatment Center?

Heroin is one of the most addictive substances known to man, and it’s a source of turmoil, both physical and emotional, for those people who become addicted to it. Treatment centers get their fair share of heroin addicts. The physical withdrawal from heroin is full of unpleasantries:

  • Sweating
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Chills

That’s only the physical withdrawal symptoms. Emotional and psychological withdrawal from heroin is also more than just unpleasant. It’s often described as hell. For most heroin addicts, an inpatient medical detox is the best place to get well. During the detox period, there will be intense withdrawal sensations and cravings, something that no addict in this day and age should have to endure alone.

Treatment for Heroin Addiction

New treatments for heroin addiction have come along in recent years, including use of a drug commonly known as Suboxone. Available in strips or sublingual pill form, Suboxone can help to curb the cravings for heroin by introducing an opiate to the system, but there is another part of Suboxone that blocks the effects of opiates. The result is that the heroin addict gets a small dose of the opiate to prevent major withdrawal symptoms, but they don’t feel the euphoric sensations of the opiate, thus reducing craving and allowing them to slowly cease using an opiate on a daily basis.

Like all other people with substance abuse disorders, heroin addicts go through their share of ups and downs in rehab, and sometimes they fall from grace. In other words, they may fail a drug test while in a treatment center because they’ve snuck the drug into a rehab and used it. Failing a drug test in rehab is extremely serious, and it won’t be shrugged off by staff who “understand.” In a detox or residential facility, there is no room for drug or alcohol use.

What Happens If You Fail a Drug Test?

If you’re in a heroin treatment center and fail a drug test, there are wide discretion that the treatment center can use. If the heroin addict is in treatment on court or employer related orders, the results of the drug test may actually have to legally be reported to the court or employer. If no court system or employer is involved, it’s more within the rehab’s rights to determine the course of action.

In almost every case, testing positive for drugs will result in expulsion from the program. Drug use in the environment of rehab can affect other patients and even cause them to relapse or crave a drug, both very unpleasant consequences. Because of that, rehabs must be drug free environments. While there is some discretion on the part of therapists and those who run the rehab, more often than not, the patient will be removed from treatment and the grounds.

Preventing a Positive Test

Recovery is important to the people who are brave enough to tackle it. They want to get well, Despite this, heroin addiction is a very powerful addiction, and relapse remains a possibility for all recovering individuals. We wish it weren’t so, but it is. The best way to prevent being expelled from a rehab program on the grounds of a failed drug test is to not do drugs at all while you’re on the grounds of the rehab or while you’re in a program to get well. Without any drug use at all, you won’t get positive test results and lose your place among the recovering population.

That’s easier said than done sometimes, especially when there is such a strong craving to use in the early going. Speaking with your therapists and other friendly staff can help you avoid relapse. Speaking with your fellow recovering peers can also help, as they have the exact same cravings as you do and often struggle to contain them. When you first start having a craving, speak with a trusted peer or a counselor so that you can learn ways to cope with triggers when they come along. By doing this, you increase your chances of preventing a relapse that could cost you your valued place in treatment. Detoxes and residential homes must stay clear of drugs and alcohol. There are tools there that can help you abstain even when the toughest cravings come upon you.

If you’d like to learn more information about this subject, please call us today at 800-737-0933. We’ll be happy to tell you about our drug testing policies.