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One of the major obstacles to recovery for addicts, whether they are hooked on drugs, alcohol, or both, is handling the cravings that come with not using. In some cases, the cravings are so strong that they outweigh the desire to stop using, making it nearly impossible to live a clean and sober life. However, some doctors are prescribing medication that could effectively reduce – or even eliminate – cravings for alcohol and opiate drugs, like prescription drugs and heroin. 

In clinical trials of the opioid blocker naltrexone, marketed under the names Revia, Depade, and Vivitrol, patients saw a significant reduction in cravings for alcohol, and the effects of opiates were completely blocked by the drugs. Although naltrexone has been used to treat alcohol and drug dependency for some time – it was approved for alcoholism in 1995 – it wasn’t until October 2010 that the FDA approved the use of Vivitrol to treat opiate addiction.

While scientists do not completely understand how naltrexone blocks alcohol cravings, studies have indicated that patients who take the drug report fewer cravings, fewer drinking days and fewer relapses. It does not block the effects of alcohol, though – meaning that if a patient does slip and drink while taking the drug, he or she will still experience some of the effects of alcohol, although the desire to keep drinking will be significantly reduced.

Studies do show, however, that naltrexone effectively blocks the effects of opiate drugs, making cravings for the drugs nearly nonexistent. Opiate addicts can only take the drug after going through withdrawal, and have gone at least 7-10 days without any opiates in the system. If the patient has opiates in the system, potentially harmful side effects could occur.

It's no Superpill

Naltrexone is not a “magic pill” though. Simply taking a dose will not end chemical dependency forever, without going through the rest of the recovery process. Naltrexone medications are most effective when administered in conjunction with additional physical and psychological treatment, including therapy and rehabilitation services.

The drug also works best when it’s administered in a controlled environment, such as a rehabilitation center or in an outpatient clinic setting, as studies have shown that when addicts attempt to self-administer the drug, they have a higher risk of relapse.

The amount of naltrexone prescribed, and the frequency of doses, varies according to the patient and the addiction being treated.

Studies indicate that alcoholics who take 50mg per day for about three months have the highest level of success. In the case of those addicted to opiates, a more flexible approach to dosing has been proven effective; most patients receive an average of 50mg of naltrexone each day, either administered daily, or in intervals of 100 or 150 mg every 2-3 days. The length of treatment varies according to the individual patient’s rehabilitation progress.

Unlike other drugs used to treat addiction, naltrexone is not habit forming, and stopping the medication suddenly will not cause withdrawal symptoms. In fact, other than the changes in addictive behavior, patients rarely know that they are even taking a drug – and it does not prevent the patient from experiencing pleasure outside of their addiction. Some patients do report side effects, including nausea, headache, fatigue or sleepiness, insomnia and anxiety, and the drug can cause liver damage. Patients considering taking naltrexone undergo extensive medical testing before beginning treatment to rule out liver or kidney problems that could be worsened with treatment. Naltrexone is also unsafe during pregnancy.

Naltrexone is only an effective treatment for – and approved to treat – alcoholism and opiate addiction. It is not an effective part of a treatment plan for addiction to narcotics such as cocaine or methamphetamines.

Battling a drug or alcohol addiction is not an easy fight. No matter how the addict chooses to get sober, the process is long and challenging. Drugs like naltrexone are simply a part of the treatment plan, one designed to improve the chances of success and long-term recovery. Combined with a comprehensive plan to address the psychological issues associated with addiction, proper physical care and behavioral modification and a strong support system, naltrexone-based treatment can help an addict stay on the road to lifelong sobriety.

Gregg Gustafson is a freelance writer and consultant for Drug-Rehab.org. Gustafson works with individuals who suffer from alcohol abuse, in turn referring them to some of the most prestige alcohol addiction centers active today.

When parents make the decision to place their teenager into some type of treatment, it can be a time of relief from what has been happening, but it can also be a time of grief and loss. Once things have settled down at home what is left for the parent is feelings of intense guilt. These feelings can become extremely painful.

Parents have time to start thinking of all the “should have, could have, and wish I would have” done this instead of that.

"If I would have been there more maybe they wouldn’t have needed treatment”. Parents start thinking of all the reasons this has to be their fault.

After the first few months the memories of how out of control your teenager was usually fades. This is when parents begin sending a lot of “stuff” to their teen. Most treatment facilities allow certain items to be sent to the teenagers. This is usually hygiene products, books, shoes, games, and puzzles. Some parents will send items that are approved but when the guilt is extreme the parent will send items that are not approved by the program. This can cause tension between the program and the parents when your teen is not allowed to have these items. When this happens the teenager benefits because teens have a way of figuring out that this can make the program and the parent begin to disagree and then the teen will continue to exploit this type of problem because it could lead to an early discharge. There are also those parents who begin to design their teens’ program. By this I mean, planning hotel and home visits before it’s planned, planning how long each phase of treatment should take their child instead of allowing the professionals to make these decisions. This is when parents will begin to complain about the treatment, staff or therapist.

Once parents begin to see their teenager listening and speaking to them in a civil manner, other thoughts begin to creep in. They tend to go like this, “I don’t know why they need to be there so long”, or “Why does my child seem to have such a hard time with the staff”? Parents begin to question the professionals they hired to help their teen. The memories of their teen fighting, using drugs, failing school, punching holes in walls, and running away or just staying out until they felt like coming home has faded. Parents begin to criticize the facility and the program. Some parents begin to tell the professionals how to do their job even though they have been trained as professionals on how to help at-risk teenagers. Some parents begin to second guess everything the program is doing. One of the hardest parts about sending your teenager to treatment is learning to trust the process. It took many years for your teenager to take on their behavior and it takes time to teach them the tools to live a healthy life.

One of the worst things a parent can do is take their teenager out of treatment before they have finished the program. Generally after a few months parents forget about the chaos and turmoil they were living with while their teen was at home and they start missing them and feeling guilty for sending them away. When this happens parents begin to think about bringing their child home. Parents begin to come up with reasons as to why they need to come home, Some of the reasons are; school is going to start again, summer vacation, holidays, or a family gathering. These reasons feel like valid reasons but generally the root cause is guilt.

Hopefully, your teens’ therapist has been teaching you the phases that happen to a teenager in treatment. In the beginning of treatment we see the disrespect, defiance, attitude, and other behaviors that you as a parent were seeing prior to sending them to treatment. About the middle of the program (4 months), you will begin to see and hear the child you remember, the one you actually liked. They begin to be motivated, have more energy, they can express their goals and dreams, and they are listening and talking more. During the end part of treatment is for practicing and teaching it to newer peers in the program. This allows the teen to internalize these changes, feel comfortable with them self, and gain the self confidence it takes to go home and face old friends.

When a teen is pulled in the middle of their program we generally see them self-destruct. This happens over and over again. When parents see the progress and then decide to bring them home for school, family vacation, or a holiday, generally you will see the teenager do OK at first but generally speaking the teen is not strong enough emotionally or mentally and they begin to spiral out of control usually within the first few months. Generally, the structure from treatment is what is holding your teen together and it takes time for your teen to practice these coping skills and feel confident in continuing these skills when they go home. Teens need time to know they can do this on their own at home.

I have worked with many parents that have pulled their teen before they were clinically ready to go home. Many of these teens were not able to stay strong enough to resist the temptations of their friends. Parents call to find out what else they can do for their teen or end up sending them back to a treatment facility. There have been times when the consequence for the teen ends up in detention or death. These consequences are the extreme.

Part of the process is allowing teenagers’ to work through their issues and learn how to fix their own problems. Parents need to remember that by taking your child early from treatment you have just sent them backward in their progress. Teenagers’ need to learn to solve their problems, and as parents’ you are not helping them by giving them an out. Teens need to take ownership of their life and realize they can achieve what they set their mind too.



As parents’ the best thing you can do is support their decisions whether they are bad or good choices. If your teen is in treatment the best thing a parent can do is let the teen know, you got yourself into treatment now get yourself out of treatment. This allows the teenager to take full responsibility for their life, learn and grow into healthy young adults and regain the confidence they lost. For parents you get to begin to let go and regain the relationship with your child that was lost by their choices and your reactions.

Written By: Kelly Miller

If you would like more information you can purchase my book, When Should You Send Your Teen To Treatment? A Parent Guide, by Kelly Miller MS, on Amazon Kindle or visit my website at www.repairnlife.com to learn more. 

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A recently published study has revealed the dark side of social media could be attracting certain narcissistic personality types.

If you have too many friends on sites like Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, the hot new Pinterest, or similar social networks, you could be a self-absorbed exhibitionist tending toward narcissism. 

Christopher Carpenter, a professor of communication at Western Illinois University, in his study “Narcissism on Facebook: Self-promotional and Anti-social Behavior,” suggests social media sites like Facebook offer a lot of opportunities for individuals to reveal their dark side, trying to self-promote and assuage wounded egos.

Facebook “offers a gateway for hundreds of shallow relationships and emotionally detached communication”, as does other social media shown in the study, Carpenter says.

He defines narcissism as “a pervasive pattern of grandiosity, need for admiration and an exaggerated sense of self-importance.” 

Narcissistic behaviors

For most narcissists, Facebook "offers a gateway for hundreds of shallow relationships and emotionally detached communication," the professor continues. More importantly, social networking in general allows the user a great deal of control over how he or she is presented to and perceived by peers and other users.

“If Facebook is to be a place where people go to repair their damaged ego and seek social support, it is vitally important to discover the potentially negative communication one might find on Facebook and the kinds of people likely to engage in them. Ideally, people will engage in pro-social Facebooking rather than anti-social me-booking”, Carpenter said.

The study showed grandiose exhibitionism correlated with self-promotion, entitlement and exploitativeness correlated with anti-social behaviors on Facebook and similar social sites. Self-esteem seems to be unrelated to self-promotion behavior. In fact, self-esteem was related to less of these anti-social behaviors.

More study is needed to understand that good, the bad and the ugly of social media, particularly how they contribute to aggressive and narcissistic behavior. This study is the first to show a direct correlation between social networking and any narcissistic personality disorder.

Thought the results of the research show that a recent study from the American Psychological Association showing young adults today are more materialistic and care little about the environment or politics than past generations was on target, it is still to early to draw a connection between the two studies.

"In general, the 'dark side' of Facebook requires more research in order to better understand Facebook's socially beneficial and harmful aspects in order to enhance the former and curtail the latter," Carpenter concluded. 

Social media has also been linked to addiction. Especially people who have had problems with alcoholism, drug addiction, gambling problems and the like have been found to be extremely susceptible to developing social media addiction. This may very well be associated with obsession, as most addicts have obsessive personalities and easily develop a compulsive preoccupation and fixation with social networking. This could be seen as an other dark side of social media. 

Even though social media has armed activists and reformed governments, it does have its downsides, so that its full implementations remain to be seen.

Written By: Tom Retterbush

Email: tomretterbush@gmail.com

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The active addict is generally depressed, feelings of worthlessness, loneliness, anxiety, fear, and anger leading to the absolutely over-powering and overwhelming need to escape their world. I know. I am one. Shame is the biggest contributor to this depression, being born of the others, and also the precursor to them. A dichotomous irony.

The general reasons for escaping to alcohol and drugs are the everyday problems of life allowed to become so large in the addicts' mind that they can see no way to solve them. Dealing with employers, lovers, friends and family often entails complicated and unclear remedies which are very hard to deal with, especially if their best efforts have produced no resolution. Powerlessness over these situations leads to feelings of shame, which in turn leads to low self-esteem, anxiety, and anger. These lead to a choice to escape, many times using substances as the vehicle.

Substance abuse deepens depression by magnifying the inadequacies and insecurities the addict already feels.These are also reinforced by the horrible and despicable actions we choose while using, and add immeasurably to the feelings of worthlessness and shame.We as addicts become hopelessly depressed by the very act of addiction, and continue this vicious circle by continuing to choose substance abuse, escape, as our answer. We all know this does not work.

Addicts have been taught that they are "diseased", incapable of making rational choices, and unable to understand themselves. This fallacy adds to the addicts depression and brings the pendulum full-swing. We cannot make right choices, therefore we make the choice to keep using. This is the control factor. We as addicts cannot control our emotions, our circumstances, our actions, so we make the choice about the one thing we can control. We choose to use.

Addicts are not "diseased". Addiction is a choice, made consciously to escape the problems we feel we cannot solve or control. We allow ourselves to become unable to deal with life by choosing to give up.

We are responsible for that choice, and are wholly and unequivocally responsible for the choices we make after.

We are Responsible.

We make our choices, and arguing that we didn't understand what we were getting into is no excuse. We cannot excuse ourselves form our responsibility by using a "disease" as our fall guy. We relapse, which is just another conscious decision to use instead of stand up and face our problems, and we are told this is part of recovery. Relapse is NOT part of recovery. Relapse is part of using. Plain and simple.

All of these factors cause depression to spiral out of control until the depressed state is the only state in which we feel comfortable, and substance abuse is the means by which we refill the depressive coffers and therefore continue in our new comfort zone. My conclusion is that substance abuse becomes secondary as the primary driver of our actions, and therefore I conclude, in my experience, that substance abuse is separate from the problems which caused us to look for escape in the first place.

I realized that I needed to understand I was wholly and totally responsible for my choices and my actions.

I needed to take responsibility for my emotions and own them. I had made the choice to use, and in making that choice I also took on the entire responsibility for all that happened after. I came to realize that once I had reconciled myself to that responsibility, and understood that it was mine wholly, I needed only to make one choice to recover from addiction. I made the choice to stop using. Detox for 12 days and rehab for 6 months cleared my mind enough to allow me to think deeply about my choices, and I understood for the first time that the addiction and the problems that drove me to escape were separate entities, and that the problem lay in the intermingling of the two.

I made the choice to stop using, and have not used in 10 years. I was free, after making that choice, to revisit the problems which caused my feelings of shame, inadequacy, and insecurity in the beginning and start the work of dealing with them. I could not have done this had I subscribed to the "disease" model and the "relapse is part of recovery" fallacy. My addiction was a choice I made, consciously, by making the choice to use and continue using. These choices caused the depression which led to my believing myself hopeless and helpless, therefore creating deeper depression, the circle continuing ad infinitum. Choosing not use was my recovery from addiction. That simple.

I work very hard these days at making good choices, understanding that I am responsible for each one. I do not think about using or escape. I have made the choice to deal with my life as it comes and to understand there may not be an answer every time. The work that makes this possible does not include reliving my addiction. Taking responsibility for all I have done precludes allowing myself to place any responsibility on my substance abuse. Two separate issues. Choosing not to use solved the substance abuse issue. Choosing to work hard on dealing with life as it comes is alleviating the depression I felt before I used, and choosing not to use has alleviated ALL the deeper depression the shame of using brought with it.

Addicts suffer from depression because they use, much more than they use because of depression. The reasons for escape are separate from the substance abuse. Choose not to use and you have solved the problem of addiction. The work may then begin on dealing with the original problems. 

Written By: Mark

Mark is a regular guy interested in helping addicts recover and reclaim their lives. He was an addict for over 20 years, a liar, a cheat, a thief. He destroyed relationships with family, friends, employers. He spent those years mired in the hurts of the past, unwilling to face them. Mark finally came to realize that he could choose to recover and has been in recovery now for 10 years. He is still repairing those relationships and working out those hurts. Life is not perfect, but he is happy. Mark believes that if he can do it, anyone can. Cliche? He doesn't think so.

I Want to Change My Life
How to Overcome Anxiety, Depression and Addiction
Discover a five-point plan for overcoming anxiety, depression, and addiction. Learn the symptoms, causes, treatment, and relapse prevention strategies. Learn new coping skills including a new approach to stress management and cognitive therapy and how they can help you. The book includes a one-month step-by-step program to get you started. Dr. Melemis is a leading expert in addiction and mental disorders who has helped thousands of people improve their lives.
Get I Want to Change My Life directly from Amazon, HERE

   

     

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Many believe the Laws of their Home Country apply

When going on a fun holiday, it can be tempting to pack drugs for your stay. 

Many people are found in possession of drugs abroad each year and arrested, yet the real danger lies with the fact that many of these travelers don’t know about the possible punishments of being caught in possession of drugs in a country other than their own.  

Many people wrongly believe that the laws and punishments of their home country apply overseas; this is simply not the case – the law of whichever country you are caught in possession of drugs applies, regardless of your native country's laws.

Written By: Steph Staszko

Steph Staszko writes for Just Motor Law, who are motoring offence solicitors specializing in drinking while driving.

Families Behind Bars
What would it be like if you got a phone call to say your child has been arrested for smuggling drugs into an Asian country and they are now on death row? Family Behind Bars is about the real life stories of several families from the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and United States who bear horrendous burdens having loved ones detained in foreign prisons, their experiences and how they have coped during these times. Kay writes from her own experience of being imprisoned in Laos under false charges and includes her own story in this collection.
Order Families Behind Bars directly from Amazon, HERE

There is nothing more painful than to see a family member or loved one start down the path of drug abuse and addiction, especially cocaine. The result is often death from overdose, a disease like hepatitis or AIDS, or ending up on the wrong end of a firearm. 

Many of us know the problem, but can we understand, use and apply the solutions? Only those who have been on both sides of life and death of cocaine addiction and disease really understands what it takes for prevention, not to mention complete recovery. This is my story. Many people say that I'm a dead man walking.

In fact, I stopped going to my high school and college reunions years ago because too many of my old friends and classmates had that "deer in the headlights" look when they saw me walk in! People would say things like, "I thought you were kidnapped in Guatemala," or "The last I heard you were on a sailboat that did not make it the Canaries." 

In short, the thought that my family and friends, I would never stop using cocaine or survive life-threatening hepatitis C. But in 1991, when I operated a lab in Dallas, a family intervention ended with me in a hospital for my last treatment of cocaine addiction - which may have saved my life, as I have been free of all mood-altering substances since then. At the time I was dying of hepatitis A, B and C as well as cirrhosis of the liver. Doctors had given me eight months to live - if I had the chance - and they wondered why I was still alive at the time. They said a liver transplant was my only hope for survival, but I opted out of the transplant and treatment protocol. The doctors further diagnosed me as "delirious." Delirious and near death, I found my own way of recovering from hepatitis. Although over the past 20 years my sobriety had never lasted. Everyone thought that I would relapse and start doing cocaine again. You see, this was not my first intervention. There were many others. Except for my brother, my family had abandoned all hope several years ago. Everyone always said I did not have a prayer of staying clean of cocaine or surviving hepatitis. BUT, I am now clean and sober since 1991 ... and since 1994 I have no viral hepatitis A, B or C without antibodies or markers! Today I am a man of 58 years of age at the peak of health, according to experts, "I have the liver of a 20 year old."

My father was a Tulane graduate with a medical clinic that was very familiar to me growing up. As a kid, I loved going to the lab and using the microscope where the lab tech would enjoy showing me the tests he was doing, how it all worked and what disease looked like in blood and urine under the microscope and the centrifuge, My mother would drop me off at the lab from time-to-time when she could not watch me. To her, I was okay and it was better than a babysitter. To me, it was an adventure!

I continued the work of analysis as a professional, then as chairman of the laboratory for more than 8 years, even becoming a thought leader throughout the nutritional supplement industry for more than 24 years. Collecting in-depth knowledge of nutrition, addictions, and the improvement of the human body, together with my natural recovery from hepatitis A, B and C, and cocaine addiction, I have come to focus in particular on the development of liver health and well prevention solutions. My goal is to help the world achieve a healthy liver, and all for free would be a terrible trap of addiction to cocaine. Many programs now offer health and social work for young people, helping them get the right mindset early on in order to avoid dependency and disease. Prevention is the key! Still, unfortunately many do not consider a healthy liver an integral part of the restoration of self-sufficiency for our young people to prevent illness and addiction.

One of the things we agree on is that depression and low self-esteem are the precursors of youth turning to drugs as an escape, as well as a way to cope. Peer pressure and emotions promote the desire to consume psychoactive substances regularly. I know for a fact that good liver health will to correct chemical imbalance in the blood to counteract depression and low self-esteem at an early age. The fast food generation x, y and z are overweight and not exercising enough and many live their lives in a virtual world of computer games, movies and television. If there were a way of making liver health fun, children today would have a good chance of being drug free in our world. I have a plan that will encourage young people to make wise choices in food and activities in which the liver is imposed to maintain the correct chemical balance in the blood to counteract depression and low self esteem.

The result is a strong-willed and determined the goals of young people to become self-sufficient, and the utility of intentional life. This is my vision that the shapes of universities and skills, because children just want it. 

Johnny Delirious today

My recovery from cocaine and hepatitis work! Why? I have found a better way to see life without it. My path may be a method of prevention of drug abuse and disease in our society. From my point of view, there are alternatives that can be easily implemented. With my professional background, combined with two unique recoveries, I have insight to a unique new approaches to prevention programs. My real life story of drug addiction and hepatitis can be more convincing than the virtual world, children want to live, especially if they have a chance to hear my story. My vision is to help any organization that helps our young people, because the young people of today are the leaders of tomorrow.

My real life story of drug addiction and hepatitis can be more convincing than the virtual world kids choose to live in today, especially if they have a chance to hear my story. My vision is to help any organization that helps our youth of today, become the leaders of tomorrow

Written By: Johnny Delirious

About the Author: Johnny Delirious has a master's degree in natural health with an emphasis on how to recover from Clayton College of Natural Health, Birmingham, AL and is an expert in alternative medicine in multiple networks. He lives in Texas and enjoy a fruitful and healthy life. Read more at JohnnyDelirious.com and cokefreeamerica.com.



This article has been edited from "New Hope with Cocaine Addiction" for Addicts NOT Anonymous by Tom Retterbush

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