Drug Abuse Treatment

Drug addiction treatment typically involves several steps to help an addict to successfully withdraw from using the drug. The treatment must be followed by counseling and attending self-help groups to help the recovering addict to resist any crave for using the addictive drug again.



The first step of drug addiction treatment is the withdrawal therapy. Withdrawal therapy is a step by

step detoxification plan which helps the recovering addict to stop taking the addicting drug as quickly and safely as possible. The detoxification is a gradual process that involve reduction of the dose of the drug or temporarily substituting the drug with other substances that have less severe side effects.

The second step begins after a successful detoxification. The goal of the second step is to help the ex-addict stay sober and keep resisting drugs. The second step involves therapies such as counseling, addiction treatment programs and self-help group meetings.

Counseling - Individual or family counseling with a psychiatrist, psychologist or addiction counselor may help an ex-addict resist the temptation to return to using the addicting drugs. Behavior therapies can help the ex-addict to develop ways to cope with his drug cravings, suggest strategies to avoid drugs and prevent relapse, and offer suggestions on how to deal with a relapse if it occurs.

Counseling also can involve talking about the ex-addict job, legal problems and relationships with family and friends. Counseling with family members can help them to develop better communication skills and to be more supportive.

Treatment programs - Treatment programs generally include educational and therapy sessions focused on establishing sobriety and preventing relapse. This may be accomplished in individual, group or family sessions.

Self-help groups - Self-help groups call upon the individual addict to take responsibility for his or her life and lifestyle, at the same time fostering self-acceptance and self-esteem. While most experts in the field of drug addiction view addiction as a medical problem, because of its effects on both brain and body, some see it as a behavioral problem to be solved through the development of self-knowledge, behavioral changes, and coping techniques. There are self-help groups that embrace both views and others that lean toward the behavioral model. Each type of program encourages the individual to understand not only the reasons to refrain from using drugs but the underlying emotional causes of his or her addiction

The road to recovery is far from being easy and it can sometimes feel overwhelming. From a medical standpoint drug use affects your brain chemistry. Once the drugs have been cleansed from the system, it takes time for the body to readjust. Feelings that were masked by the drugs will resurface, and when they do, they will have to be faced because the drug which helped in ignoring them, is gone. Relapse prevention includes identifying triggers to using drugs, learning more adaptive coping skills, and making better decisions when dealing with life's challenges.

The chances of staying clean improve if the ex-addict participates in a social support group like Narcotics Anonymous, have a sponsor, and is involved in an Intensive Outpatient Program or individual therapy. If he chooses not to seek help from a treatment support group, chances are he will revert back to his old habits and relapse becomes more likely. An important thing to think about during the treatment process is how the ex-addict perceives a relapse. If relapse occurs, it is more helpful to look at it as a normal part of the process, rather than a personal failure.

Additional changes in social routine will probably become necessary as well. There are people, places and things that represent a slippery slope for the ex-addict and it's in his best interest to stay away from them. Surrounding him with people who can support his recovery makes things easier.
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Effects of PCP Drug Abuse

Phencyclidine (phenylcyclohexylpiperidine) commonly initialized as PCP is a disseminative drug, which means that by consuming this drug mind feels separated from the body. PCP was illegally manufactured in labs and sold out in form of tablets from 1950s. According to survey conducted by National Drug Control, more than 187 million children age 12 and older have abused PCP at least once in their past life. PCP abuse causes many negative psychological effects and due to these effects, it was never approved for human

Effects of PCP drug abuse
Due to the overdose of PCP, the drug abusers have unpleasant psychological effects. Their behavior will be unpredictable and often violent behavior is associated. Sometimes the abusers can even commit suicide. Under the influence of PCP, the following are the effects on health of drug abuser.

Effects on Brain

The abuse of PCP distorts perceptions of sight, sound and produces feelings of detachment from the environment and from them-selves also. These effects are caused by disruption of the interaction between nerve cells and neurotransmitter serotonin. This is distributed throughout the perceptual and regulatory system, results in changes in mood, increases the hunger and body temperature etc.

Effects on abusers

Mostly if once the drug abusing becomes habit it may become very difficult for the abuser to leave it. This abuse can also lead to craving and compulsive PCP seeking behavior, despite of severe adverse consequences. During this process, there are many effects both long term and short term effects depending upon the quantity and usage of the drug.

Long term effects

Many long term effects are found due to the regular abuse of the PCP for a long time. This includes negative effects on respiration system and respiration stops within minutes, which lead to sudden death of the person. Vomiting, hazy vision, flicking up and down of eyes etc are few effects caused by abusing. About 90% of PCP drug abusers are brought into emergency rooms with severe psychological effects. With high dose of the drug abuse the central nervous system is affected and the abuser can even go into state of comma.

Short term effects

Most casual effect is mood disturbances for 48 hrs from the use of drug with significant elevators like anxiety symptoms. Breathing rates gets slightly increased and pronounces into rise in blood pressure along with rise in pulse rate. Breathing becomes shallow, blushing along with copious sweating and many other extremities are generalized with regular abuse of PCP drug and loss of muscular coordination may also occur. These drugs can disturb the ability to think and communicate because of the abuse.

Parent should talk about the dangerous effects of PCP drug abuse with their children. Always prevention is better than cure, so better to take necessary steps for not going for any drug abuse. Free Article on Drug Abuse

Abuse Treatment - New Techniques Revealed

Unfortunately, many people worldwide suffer from an addiction. The most common addictive substances are alcohol and drugs and an addict needs these substances just to function day-to-day. Often, substance abuse masks deeper problems within the sufferer such as mental or physical health problems, and their addiction simply helps them to feel numb and to forget. However, the danger is that there are also many physical and mental health risks associated with substance abuse. Thus, it is important that an addict gets the correct treatment and support in order to beat their addiction and tackle any underlying problems. It is a sad fact that addictions not only affect the sufferer but those around them, such as family and friends.



Alcohol Abuse is frighteningly common in the western world. People often turn to drink to escape the pressures of modern life and then develop an addiction, becoming alcoholics.

Drug abuse is also a common addiction. People become addicted to drugs for reasons similar as to why others become addicted to alcohol. In fact, it is not unusual for sufferers to be addicted to both alcohol and drugs.

The first step to treating and beating substance abuse has to begin with the sufferer. Acknowledging they have a problem is the first step on the long road to recovery. People who wish to be free of their addictions cannot simply stop- the body becomes addicted to the substance and withdrawal causes violent symptoms which can be dangerous or even fatal. This is why sufferers need expert medical help and assistance to beat their addictions.

Some addicts are treated with medication on an outpatient basis, but treatment usually involves a residential stay. Residential treatment centres can help people overcome their addictions, no matter how severe they may be. Treatment is tailored towards the individual and consists of medication to help with withdrawal symptoms as well as practical and emotional support to help the sufferer as their body adjusts to being substance-free. Usually, no friends or family are allowed to visit; the patient needs to devote all their time and energy to beating their addiction.

Counseling is an important part of the treatment program, as it forces the patient to deal with any underlying issues they may have: if these are not dealt with, the addict may relapse. Some patients may shy away from counseling as they may be afraid to confront their problems but it is important they are encouraged to do this in order to work through and solve them.

Residential treatment aims to prepare the patient fully for the return to society. It is very important that the patient has ongoing support at home, both from family and friends and professionals, in order to reduce the chances of a relapse occurring.

Finally, it is important to remember that some forms of abuse are not the sufferer's fault, as in the case of sexual or domestic abuse. Sufferers of these types of abuse may benefit from counselling in order to work through their feelings as a victim and it may also help to join a support group where they can meet others who have been in the same situation. Free Article on Drug Abuse

Prescription Drug Abuse Deaths

Prescription Drug Abuse deaths far out number the deaths caused by street or illegal drugs. The movies would have us all believe that cocaine is the drug most used and the cause of the major number of fatalities. A report released by the Florida Medical Examiner states that three times the number of deaths are the result of prescription drug abuse than a combination of all other narcotics. These numbers do not include deaths by accidental overdose, just the use of prescription drugs for non medical purpose.



Prescription drug abuse deaths are watched closely in the state of Florida due to the lack of a state wide monitoring system. Legislation to implement such a system has lost favor due to privacy concerns. A report conducted by The Substance Abuse an Mental Health Services Administration states 7 million persons ages 12 and up have used prescription drugs for reasons other what that drug was prescribed. The report goes on to say that 2. 2 million young adults ages 12 to 25 show the greatest increase in abuse of pain relievers.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement looked at 170,000 deaths and found that less than a 1,000 were the result of illicit street drugs, alcohol was to blame in the deaths of another 500 cases and 6,142 were as a result of non-medical use of a prescription drug. Free Article on Drug Abuse

Why You Should Put Your Teen in Rehabilitation - Teenager Drug Addiction

There are also other treatments aside from reduction of use and then completely stopping it, as is the common approach. There is also a medical method, in which medical centers specializing in rehab focus on treating the patient's medical concerns while stopping the addiction entirely.

There are also pharmaceutical treatments for drug addicts, like ibogaine, extracted from the Tabernathe iboga plant. This drug treatment is an example of immunotherapy that uses the power of medicine to prevent drugs from reaching the brain and triggering physical processes to fulfill the addict's craving. Depending on the type of treatment, checking up and reapplication of the medicine may be done weekly or monthly, just to keep things in check. This type of treatment is particularly focused on opioid treatment, to combat such drug types as methamphetamines, cocaine, and nicotine abuse from cigarettes.



Drug abuse, whether it is to enhance the performance of the body or using a recreational drug to get high, needs to be stopped for the drug user's own good. It creates a physical and/or psychological dependence, and the body will crave the effects that the drug gives whenever the drug's effects wear off.

The physical, mental, psychological, and social capacities of the drug abuser will also suffer from the effects of the drug. In essence, being withdrawn from the real world and putting the drug in the center of one's universe is the effect of taking drugs. Drugs take away the life of the user, and destroy that person so that all that remains is an empty shell, filled only by the desire to use more drugs. Free Article on Drug Abuse

Teenage Drug Abuse - 3 Methods That Teenagers Can Easily Be Infected With AIDS

Recreational Drugs Can Increase Risks Of Acquiring HIV

Teenagers who are using drugs for recreational use are prone to acquiring HIV since most, if not all, of the drugs can alter the neurotransmitters in the brain and increase the sexual drives and urges of an individual. Over consumption of several drugs and substances such as methamphetamine, cocaine and alcohol may increase teenagers' risk of acquiring the dreaded human immunodeficiency virus.



Tattoos Can Put Teenagers At Risk

Teenagers who like to have tattoos on their body should take great care in choosing a tattoo parlor because HIV can easily be acquired through infected needles. A lot of HIV cases have been reported due to the misuse of needles in tattoo parlors. Teenagers should make sure that the tattoo parlor that they go to is clean, hygienic and has sterile gadgets and needles.

Contamination by injection

Most drugs and substances are administered to the body through inhalation or through oral methods. However, there are also drugs that are infused into an individual's body through the use of needle injections. These drugs are referred to as injectable drugs and individuals who prefer injectable drugs over non-injectable drugs open the doors for HIV contamination through the risks of improper needle use.

There is no lesser evil between injectable or non-injectable drugs. Injectable drugs increase the risks of teenagers acquiring HIV by increasing their sexual urges that can lead to unsafe sexual behavior. On the other hand, teenagers who use injectable drugs increase their risk of acquiring HIV by the use of needles.

Group drug sessions are very popular among teens and the danger of HIV transmission is increased during group drug sessions because needle sharing takes place.
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Types of Drug Rehabilitation For Teenager Drug Abuse Patients

Finding help on how to combat drug addiction is hard to come across - whether it is for parents looking out for the welfare of their children, or troubled teens wanting to kick their addiction, or anybody in between.



If you want to seek treatment for yourself if you are a teen or for your child if you are a parent, then drug rehab centers would be the first stop you should make for treatment. At some point you may ask why, because you or your child might be strong enough to combat addiction using sheer willpower and abstinence. But you should remember addiction is not some shirt that you take off and throw in the hamper.

There is a physical and psychological dependence on the drug, so going cold turkey isn't going to be a walk in the park for somebody who is suffering from addiction. Someone who is an addict would need professional help to monitor progress, ensure that the victim is keeping true to his or her goal to kick the habit, and to make sure as well that the victim doesn't suffer from a relapse.

The most common type of rehab treatment is the support group method of treatment. Here, victims interact with other victims and are guided by a counselor in scheduled meetings.

This is to show to the drug victims that they are not alone, that they have others as well that are also going through the same thing as them. With this knowledge, the challenge of stopping addiction is a little easier, because they have friends who can relate, offer support, and go together through treatment.

Another type of rehab is being treated at rehabilitation centers. Here, patients can either be in-patient or out-patient. Options also depend on the severity of addiction.

Specialists, no matter which treatment you choose for your child, closely monitor patients. Psychological, physical, and even social aspects of their recovery are closely observed to make sure that all needs of patients are addressed.
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