Questions and Answers on Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Centers

Q: My husband has admitted that he has a problem with Vicodin; however, he refuses to go to a drug and alcohol rehab center. He says he can just quit. He’s been saying this for six months, and he is still using Vicodin daily. He’s on the verge of losing his job, and we’re behind on our mortgage. What should I do?

A: This is your husband’s addiction, not yours, but there are certain steps that you can take to help your husband reach the point where he is willing to get help for his Vicodin addiction.

1. Educate Yourself
Research drug and alcohol rehab centers. There are many key elements to consider when choosing a drug program such as the success rate of the program, the location, length, and price. What methods do they use? What services and follow-up do they provide? Remember, the better educated you are on drug rehab centers that are available, the more likely you are to convince your husband regarding the right treatment option for his addiction.

2. Intervention
This doesn’t mean flush his Vicodin down the toilet, or make him sleep on the couch. This means organize an intervention. Use a professional who is trained in this field. Unite the family and make sure that everyone has the same common goal in mind – to get your husband to the right drug and alcohol rehab center. Remember that you are already a step ahead since your husband has already admitted that he has a problem. Now, it’s simply a matter of becoming educated about what drug rehab center is right for him and intervening so that he can get the help he needs and your marriage, your home, and ultimately his life can be saved and restored.

Q: I’m thirty-four years old and have been addicted to crystal-meth for 4 years. I keep trying to go to meetings, but I always relapse. My parents said that they would pay for a drug and alcohol rehab center, but they want me to go to some rehab that lasts for like 3 months. I keep telling them that I have a job that won’t wait that long. Isn’t 28 days enough?

A: The answer is simple. 28 days is rarely enough to combat a crystal meth addiction. 28 day drug and alcohol rehab facilities have extremely low success rates. Remember this is your life at stake and perhaps your last chance. A 90 day program or longer will give you the time that you need to reevaluate your life and overcome your addiction. Ask yourself this: Would you sacrifice your life to spare your job?
Almost all 28 day programs recommend NA or AA meetings as a follow-up. Since you have already tried meetings and have found that you continue to use meth, a different approach to drug treatment would be more appropriate for you. Research different types of drug and alcohol rehab centers and find one that uses an alternative method. A good place to start is an effective Drug Rehab Program. You are well on your way to breaking free from your meth addiction. It can be done. Don’t give up.

Q: My husband keeps telling me that I smoke too much pot and that I should go to drug rehab program. I probably do smoke a little too much, but I’m no drug addict. Besides, a drug and alcohol rehab center would cost too much and my husband is not thinking about who will take care of the children while he is at work. I’ve heard that there’s a pill or something that I can take that will reduce my cravings for marijuana. With so much to do every day, isn’t this a better option than taking the time to go to rehab?

A: Unfortunately, many people fall into the “quick fix” trap that is associated with drug and alcohol addiction. Yes, there may be medications available to decrease your cravings for marijuana, however as appealing as this may seem, there is still no pill to deal with the reasons why you started smoking marijuana to begin with. Addiction is deceiving, and although you may not see yourself as an addict, your husband was concerned enough to bring it up in the first place. Attending a drug and alcohol rehab center may take time away from your children, but what has your addiction cost you already? How much more will it cost you if your “magic” pill doesn’t quite do the trick? Drug addiction can be beaten; however, it is more than just a craving that led you to become addicted to marijuana, and you must deal with all the issues that surround your addiction to live a sober and productive life.

Opiate Withdrawal Effects

It is a fact that drugs and yes even alcohol have withdrawal effects. The most commonly used and abused street drug from the opiate family is heroin. Lots of narcotic pain killers are opiates as well, and are widely abused. Opiates are dangerous, highly addictive, and if used for an extended period of time can leave the user experiencing withdrawal effects if a dose is missed.

Contrary to popular belief you cannot die from opiate withdrawal. The only drugs that you can die during withdrawal from are alcohol, and benzodiazepines. Opiate withdrawal does cause the person to experience flu like symptoms, cramps, and mental health problems. The flu like symptoms usually consist of but are not limited to a runny nose, cold sweats, chills, and diarrhea.

These physical symptoms are very uncomfortable, but will usually only last between 48 to 36 hours. The cravings for opiates should be fewer at this point as well. Mental health symptoms such as anxiety or depression can be ongoing and should be evaluated by a licensed doctor or psychiatrist.

There is good news though. Modern advancements in medicine have produced drugs to help minimize the withdrawal effects. Some common medicines used are suboxone, methadone, librium, catapres, and the recently approved Vivitrol.

Most hospitals have a detox unit available to help one get through the withdrawal process from opiates. Typically once admitted you will be monitored for a period of about 5 days. This great service is very effective but does not come cheap. You should expect to be billed roughly $5000.00 for your stay. Upon discharge they will usually suggest following up with an in-patient or out-patient drug and alcohol rehab facility.

What to Consider While Choosing Drug Treatment Centers

Addiction or so called drinking habits affect approximately 30 million families in USA every year and the destruction that comes from this addiction is huge. In order to get rid of this there are many drug treatment programs running but you need to search the best one in your locality. There are various different locations where you can see rehab programs functioning from the hospitals to private facilities.

Some work out of homes, whereas others work in personal clinics. All the services either they are private or public offering assistance. Most of the drug treatment programs are operated absolutely independent. You have to know what to look for when you are choosing a program. One of the most important considerations while selecting one among the various drug rehab centers is whether you are duly diagnosed.

Dual-diagnosis is nothing but double problem; it means that you endure from a mental disorder other than your drug addiction problem. If you also the one who is suffering from dual-diagnosis, then you should strongly think about those rehab centers that are linked with psychiatric services. This is one of the best way in which you will get the extra help where you have to manage both your mental difficulties and your drug addiction trouble.

Nearly all the programs give a secure and safe platform for you to fight against your drug addiction problem. Though, all the drug rehab programs are different from each other by some or the other way and each and every center follow special treatment modalities. A number of drug rehab centers are particular for some kinds of facilities but they are not limited to those who connected to full service hospitals and chase a therapeutic model. In this type of program you will be given prescriptions to help out with the physical indications of detoxification.

If the particular medicine is not available then you may also be given a medicine alternative for the same remedy. Nowadays most of the centers are using natural medicines to get rid of addiction, hence natural drug treatment programs are also getting very popular. These natural programs are making use of various private services and natural products to give confidence and encourage patient(s) so that they can come out from drug problems. Natural therapy not only includes herbal medicines but also natural workout such as breathing exercise, and many other physical exercises.

This natural method is getting more popularity because it is not using other medicine or using very less quantity to treat addiction problems. Rehab centers strictly follow their rules and regulation where patients do not have any access to get the stuff which they have abused. Moreover patients are being monitored by drug testing, thus being in a center make sure that patients stay free from drug for the complete treatment period as well later.