by Sally Rosa | Dec 9, 2013 | Addiction Articles, Recovery
Well, Does It?
I often wonder if there’s quality, effective, and impactful substance abuse and mental health treatment. What I’m asking is – do clinical philosophy and client-centered treatment count more than money?
People are dying left and right from overdoses, driving while intoxicated, and a whole host of other drug-related causes. People are being thrown into jail everyday for minor drug crimes! Addicts, and their families, scramble through a seemingly indecipherable web of personal recommendations and sleazy marketing techniques, desperate for someone, ANYONE!, to help.
To put it another way, our country’s in dire need of quality addiction treatment. How can we tell if a facility is worth sending our loved one to? How do we know if a treatment center has a client’s best interest at heart? How do we know if someplace is capable of providing quality and comprehensive addiction treatment? These are tough questions for any family to answer! Let’s see if we can’t figure them out!
What Does Quality Addiction Treatment Look Like?
People need to learn what factors make a good addiction treatment center. At Sobriety For Women, we want to start that conversation! We hope that this article prompts a discussion on what makes a facility the right fit for addicts and their families.
So, what makes a good treatment center? Well, first and foremost, the focus should be on clients and their families. The bottom line should be secondary. You want someplace that’ll treat you, or a loved one, with respect and dignity, not like a breathing dollar sign.
What else? Any treatment center worth their salt will have a quality, experienced clinical team. If you talk to them and the focus isn’t on programs they offer, you should probably stay away. Treatment centers should offer more than one main focus. While the twelve-step model of addiction treatment is great, scientific and medical resources need to be taken into consideration. While scientific and medical resources are key, a twelve-step approach should be taken to sustain long-term recovery.
Recently, I had the pleasure of touring a drug and alcohol treatment center that meets the above criteria. I feel confident about recommending their services.
Lakeview Health
Lakeview Health, located in Jacksonville, FL, is an addiction treatment facility that specializes in treating individuals with dual-diagnosis disorders. This means they suffer from addiction and mental health issues.
I met with their impressive clinical staff, including: case managers, the clinical director, primary therapists, and behavioral/mental health technicians. I was also able to meet some of Lakeview’s executive staff, including: the VP of Marketing, the VP of Client Services, and the CEO/President, Roy Serpa. Both the clinical and executive staff had no problem taking time from their busy schedules and explaining the various aspects of their programs. They expressed an overwhelming desire to put clients’ needs first. The energy every staff member gave off was contagious and I soon found myself smiling and nodding.
Lakeview Health put their clients’ first. They offer personalized treatment, which encourages clients to focus on an individual recovery program. In turn, this strengthens their chance of long-term success. Lakeview provides a variety of treatment paths, which allow any client to find their place in recovery. Strong clinical care, twelve-step practices, LGBT tracks, Christian programs, and an in-depth family program are offered to all that attend their facility. Simply put, Lakeview has it all!
With a range of care from detox, to residential treatment, to intensive outpatient programs, Lakeview Health easily passes the test of having quality clinical care. They also boast a supportive and innovative team and beautiful location. Lakeview’s campus sits next to the water in sunny Jacksonville, Florida. They provide everything a client could want during their stay,
Lakeview offers numerous addiction support services, including: a 24/7 nurse staff, multiple doctors, primary and secondary therapists, and recreational activities (group and individual exercise classes, music therapy, yoga, and much more).
The staff is always available (with a smile!) to answer any question or concern you have. If you want more information about Lakeview Health, please contact their admission department or visit their website.
by Sally Rosa | Nov 28, 2013 | Addiction Articles, Sobriety For Women
The holidays are stressful for a lot of people, especially those in recovery!
Here are some great tips to make it through the holidays stress free and sober!
1) Don’t Test Your Willpower
Get rid of all the alcohol in your house, including bottles “for guests.”
Don’t put yourself in uncomfortable situations. If you’re not ready for them, then you’re not ready for them. Don’t sweat it.
2) Live In The Now
You can’t change yesterday or control tomorrow. You CAN do your best right now. After all, today’s a gift, which is why we call it the present!
3) Help Others
When you help others, you feel better about yourself. Keep it simple!
4) Stay Away From the First Drink
If you don’t start drinking, you won’t have to worry about stopping.
5) Be Grateful
Be thankful for your sobriety and your accomplishments. The holidays are a time to celebrate loved ones and enjoy your time together.
by Fiona Stockard | Nov 24, 2013 | Addiction Articles, Drug Addiction
Meet Kratom a.k.a. Legal Heroin
Illicit drugs like crack and heroin have been problems for years. Addicts are flooding into detoxes, treatment centers, and halfway houses all over the country. The substance abuse industry is flooded with people battling deadly addictions. The War on Drugs isn’t anything new. The police and the government have been fighting drugs for decades. They’re always on the lookout for new ways to combat the increasing number of illegal drugs. Well, it looks like the number of illegal drugs may soon increase by one.
A new drug, Kratom, is being found all over south Florida. Hell, it’s being found all over the country for that matter. It’s sold in smoke-shops and Kava bars. It’s hotly sought after for its euphoric effects. Kratom is a member of the opiate family and shares many similarities with its cousin, heroin. It sedates users, causes strong feelings of relaxation, and depresses central nervous system functions.
Just Because It’s Legal Doesn’t Mean It’s Safe
Kratom is sometimes said to be stronger, more addictive, and more dangerous than illegal drugs! Kratom is sold as a powder or, in some cases, as a liquid. This legal powder has sent people to the ER, detoxes, and treatment centers.
“I enjoyed taking the substance because it’s easily available. I could walk right into the local shop and purchase Kratom. There was no waiting around or drug dealer,” states Randy, a twenty-five year old former Kratom abuser. He goes on, “it got to a point where I’d choose to do Kratom over eat food that day. I was heavily addicted to the substance, and entered rehab for the second time in my life. The first time was for cocaine and alcohol use.”
Unfortunately, stories like Randy’s aren’t all that rare. More and more, people are seeking an easy way to deal with the anxiety and stress of the world. New substances, like Kratom and “spice,” may seem like safer alternatives than illegal drugs. However, they often turn out to be just as dangerous as any illegal substance.
We need to educate ourselves about the dangers of legal highs! We need to learn what we’re putting into our bodies! We need to stop thinking just because something’s legal, it’s safe. Look at alcohol. It’s legal and causes far more deaths each year than all illegal drugs put together!
For information on Comprehensive Addiction Treatment, please visit Lighthouse Recovery Institute
by Fiona Stockard | Nov 22, 2013 | Addiction Articles, Drug Addiction
What Happens When Heroin First Enters the Brain?
After heroin enters the body and crosses the blood-brain barrier, it’s converted back to morphine. This morphine binds to cells called opioid receptors. There are a bunch of different types of opioid receptors, but getting into all that is for another article.
Opioid receptors are located all over our brains, and our bodies for that matter. They’re especially prevalent in areas involved with the perception of pain and reward. That’s why opioids make such good pain relievers. Opioid receptors are also located in the brainstem. This controls automatic processes like blood pressure, respiration, and sexual arousal.
Once heroin is injected, users get a feeling of intense euphoria. This is commonly called “the rush” among us junkie folk! This feeling comes over the entire body and doesn’t last for very long. After the rush, the user goes into a drowsy, half-conscious state. This is called nodding out. Over time, the brain demands the same levels of heroin for the body to feel normal. When this happens, tolerance and physical addiction have set in.
If the brain doesn’t get the needed level, it goes into a sort of panic state. This is withdrawal. Our bodies all react to withdrawal differently, but some common symptoms include: nausea, cramps, aching, pain, diarrhea, runny nose, sensitivity to light, and headache. Basically, think of a bad flu. Also, after receiving heroin the brain produces large amounts of dopamine. After a heroin addiction, it’s hard for the brain to learn how to produce dopamine in a natural way. This leads to ex-heroin addicts being severely depressed.
How Does Heroin Affect the Brain?
The pleasurable effects of heroin come from neurons in the brain which use dopamine. Dopamine is one of several key neurotransmitters, or message carriers, in the brain. When heroin enters the brain, it releases a ton of dopamine and then blocks it being absorbed back into the cells.
Our brains naturally produce endorphins, which are opioid like molecules. These endorphins are used as natural painkillers by our brain and body. Think about running for a long period of time. Afterwards, you get that “runners high.” This is caused by a release of endorphins, which causes dopamine to release, and then block the dopamine being absorbed back into the cells.
Recent studies have shown that long-term heroin addiction actually changes our DNA! This affects the production of protein and how our brains function. Hopefully, these new studies will give insight into the disease of heroin addiction and offer new methods of treating it.
Short Term Effects On the Brain
- Analgesia (Reduced Pain)
- Euphoria (“Rush”)
- A Feeling of Well-Being
- Sedation (“Nodding Out”)
- Reduced Vital Signs (Blood Pressure, Respiration, Heart Rate)
- Relief of Withdrawal Symptoms
Long Term Effects on the Brain:
- Impaired Memory
- Impaired Cognitive Ability
- Impaired Decision Making
- Physical Tolerance
- Mental and Physical Addiction
