The article, “Addiction Recovery: Getting Clean At 22”, by Christina Huffington states
“I was having trouble breathing. “Am I going to be okay?” I asked the nurse who was monitoring my heart rate. “I don’t know,” she said.”
American Institute Health Care Professionals’ insight:
Addictions can dominate our lives and ruin friendships. They can harm us both mentally and physically. Addiction recovery is never an easy process. Good thing no one has to do it alone. There are support groups and counselors out there willing to help anyone in need. Also hearing stories about how people have succeeded in defeating their addictions helps as well. It is good to hear about the methods and struggles they went through. Here is a great story about someone who overcame their addictions.
For more on addiction counseling feel free to visit our website.
addiction counseling advice – Sometimes we need a little help. No shame in asking for it.
The article, “Rejecting Addiction Over and Over Again”, by Therese Borchard states
“It’s been 24 years since I used vodka like aspirin — to numb my pain. In fact, I’ve been sober 22 years more than I drank, since I quit before I was old enough to buy the stuff.”
American Institute Health Care Professionals’ insight:
Fantastic addiction counseling advice! I like hearing stories about people who can break away from their addictions. 24 years since a drink is a huge accomplishment. It is stories like these that can give addicts hope in knowing that it has been done before and with a little help they can reach that milestone too. Everyone who suffers from addiction deserves sobriety. It can be in your grasp. If you or someone you know suffers from an addiction, please get help. It makes a world of a difference to some.
For more substance abuse counseling advice like the type that is found in this article, please feel free to go to our webpage. If you are interested in courses in addiction counseling, then we have those as well. They are available online and are self paced. You can even take them anytime year round. So if you are in the market for substance abuse counseling education then please check out our site.
Addiction Counseling can help you drop that bad habit! Start your path to quit smoking today. Trust me you will feel better and notice a difference in a week.
The article, “Understanding the Addiction”, by By Judson Brewer states
“I had a patient who had come in to my clinic to quit smoking. He was smoking 30 cigarettes a day and had tried to quit before but to no avail. On the first night of our smoking cessation class, I taught him a simple practice.”
American Institute Health Care Professionals’ insight:
Good article on smoking, addictions in general and how addiction counseling can help. Many times we might not think of smoking as a serious addiction but it can be just as addictive as some illegal drugs. Just because something is socially acceptable does not mean it is right. Smoking kills! Smoking causes cancer, in not only the smoker but others around them as well. Plus smoking stains your teeth and makes you smell really bad. That is why we need good Substance Abuse Counseling. By using the same techniques as they deploy with illegal drugs, a trained substance abuse counselor can help you put down those cigarettes for good!
Looking for information on substance counseling? We have an excellent certification program designed for it. All courses are available online and are self-paced. For more Addiction Counseling Advice please visit our site.
The American Association of Pediatrics recently did reviews on the effects of substance abuse on the fetus. Prenatal Drug Abuse is a serious issue. Many children while still developing are subjected to drugs and illegal substances. This leads to growth defects, developmental problems and sometimes death. If you know someone who is pregnant and still using, speak out! Even if it is cigarettes and alcohol. You could be saving a young life. Get out there and help education!
The article, “AAP Reviews Effects of Pre-Natal Substance Abuse On Fetus”, by Behnke M. of Healio states
“Prenatal substance abuse continues to be a problem and poses important health risks to the developing fetus, according to results of a technical report recently published in Pediatrics.”
Do you think you could make a difference in an addict’s life? Maybe you should look into becoming a substance abuse counselors? By learning about substance abuse you can pass that knowledge along to others suffering from addiction. Sometimes all someone needs is someone willing to listen.
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Do Our Veterans Need Better Drug Abuse Counseling?
The article, “Substance Abuse Continues to Be An Issue for Vets” by LFN states
“The National Household Survey on Drug Abuse found that alcohol use remains high for the 30 million veterans in the U.S. Twenty-three percent of male veterans admit to regularly binge drinking, as do 14 percent female veterans.”
As you can see there is a need for more drug abuse counseling within the armed forces. These brave men and women sacrifice themselves for the good of the country. They help us everyday, don’t you think it is about time we help them? Become a substance abuse counselor and help start the road to recovery.
If you are interested in becoming a drug abuse counselor and would like to learn more please visit our website.
As society continues to decline morally, as the homes become less stable, then the children suffer. This is what we are seeing as the turn of the century continues forward. Children are falling prey to substance abuse. Children and substance abuse is not a “new” problem. Children use alcohol and drugs to deal with their problems the same way adults can.
The article, “Substance Abuse is Norm for Kids”, by Neha Das states
“Alot of school-going children (read aged between 10-15) are falling prey to substance abuse. At an age when they should be atop swings, playing games, learning computers and languages, they are passing time indulging in substances like thinner, charas, smack, cough syrup, iodex and whitener, etc.”
Substance Abuse Counseling: The Psychological Effects of Using Cocaine
AN ОVERVІEW: Substance abuse counselors today are seeing more cases of cocaine abuse. The coca plant is a native to South America which has been cultivated for centuries and then refined into a substance called cocaine. This popular recreational drug is also a powerful central nervous system stimulant apart from being a mild topical anesthetic. The most popular method of consuming cocaine is to insufflate it in a powder form. It can also be injected intravenously into the bloodstream. Yet another method of consuming cocaine is to smoke crack or freebase cocaine. This allows a far more intense high that only lasts a short while.
What substance abuse counseling techniques do you have for someone with a cocaine addiction?
PSYCHОLОGІCAL EFFECTS:
Cocaine causes a myriad of psychological effects. Such effects are dependent on the user and his/her tolerance to the drug. Cocaine is often used as a party drug because it causes euphoria and extreme happiness. Other effects of the drug increase its popularity with party goers. One of these effects lowers fatigue and weariness making cocaine perfect for dancing throughout the night. Like amphetamines, some use cocaine as a fuel for their work. It helps them to concentrate and stay awake and therefore work more productively for longer periods of time.
An individual’s behavior may change in many different ways after consuming significant amounts of cocaine. People on high doses of cocaine are often irritable and irrational. Hallucinations can occur as well as intense feelings of paranoia. These factors all lead to aggressive, violent and antisocial behaviors. In addition to its adverse psychological effects, cocaine takes quite the toll on the human body. The circulatory system undergoes serious adverse effects. As cocaine is introduced to the body, pupils begin to dilate and perspiration may take place. A loss of appetite and decreased desire to sleep is also common. The heart rate as well as the blood pressure increases rapidly. The risk of stroke, heart attack and seizures increases when consumption of cocaine is coupled with the rigorous physical activity.
Compared to opiate withdrawal, withdrawal from cocaine is not nearly as dangerous to the user. The neurotransmitters involved with producing the highs associated with cocaine use include norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine which also play a role in psychological function. To learn more detail regarding these effects you can seek out the consultation of a professional who has achieved substance abuse counseling certification.
WITHDRAWAL EFFECTS:
Withdrawal symptoms for cocaine include depression, anxiety, fatigue, chills, aches, pain, tremors, increased cravings, and even suicidal thoughts. Panic attacks are much more pronounced as soon as a man or woman undergoes withdrawal due to the fact there is no longer the psychologically “stabilizing” effect of the drug. Men and women undergoing withdrawal are so addicted to having “crack” on hand that they are almost mentally incapacitated by being deprived of it. This means that once the high wears off, users report feelings of sadness and depression which makes them anxious to consume the drug again or they will start experiencing withdrawal symptoms. Insomnia is also an acknowledged side effect when one is forcibly withdrawn from cocaine abuse as cocaine prevents the user from being able to sleep. Nevertheless, insomnia encountered for the duration of withdrawal has a shorter variety of impact compared with typical cases of insomnia.
Mild headaches and occasional periods of extreme fear and anxiety are also achievable signs and symptoms of prolonged abuse although they are not deemed widespread. Such symptoms can be very powerful and frightening for both the person experiencing them and those around them. Therefore, it is best to undergo withdrawal or detox under medical supervision. Cessation of cocaine abuse can also lead to paranoid thoughts, loss of sexual drive, suicidal tendencies and an overall sense of apathy. These symptoms are enough to tempt users to use cocaine just to get rid of them and such self-medication often leads to a cycle of abuse, addiction and eventually a prolonged dependency on the drug.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
The long-term risks of using cocaine are basically more serious versions of the short-term psychological effects. Extreme restlessness and anxiety can lead to a barrage of paranoid thoughts and violent mood changes. Insomnia over a longer duration of time combined with the other effects of cocaine can lead to dangerous weight loss while on the drug. A host of health problems (such as lung damage, blockage of arteries etc.) associated with insufflation can occur when cocaine is used by snorting it into the nose.
It is to be kept in mind that cocaine is indeed a dangerous drug. Ironically, the risks of consuming cocaine are downplayed significantly by its reputation as a feel-good party drug. In reality, cocaine can not only cause death after one usage but the psychological effects it imposes on addicts can certainly lead to a violent lifestyle full of paranoid delusions. Enrolling into a substance abuse education courses will help health care professionals stay on top of the new information related to cocaine abuse.
If you are interested in learning about substance abuse counseling then you might want to review our site.
Understanding the Signs and Symptoms of Substance Abuse
Substance abuse is a big problem. A surprising number of people use narcotics for recreation . While heroin is the most popular illicit narcotic drug, there are a number of legal narcotic drugs that people experiment with. Here are some signs and symptoms of narcotic drug abuse:
Doctor Shopping
When someone becomes addicted to a prescription narcotic drug, he or she often starts “doctor shopping” in order to increase his or her supply of the drug. The term “doctor shopping” refers to looking for doctors that are willing to prescribe more of a given drug. Doctor shopping is a sign that something is seriously wrong. It is not normal behavior and almost always indicates that some kind of drug addiction is involved.
A lot of narcotics abusers engage in doctor shopping. When they discover that their primary doctor is no longer willing to prescribe as much of their drugs as they want, they resort to looking for doctors willing to prescribe them what they want. Unfortunately, there are unscrupulous doctors out there that take advantage of this behavior. Many are not trained and have not had any type of substance abuse counseling education.
Everyone suffers with substance abuse.
Craving the Narcotic
Often the first sign that someone is starting to abuse their prescribed narcotic medication is that he or she starts to crave it. Craving indicates that the person prescribed narcotics needs to talk to his or her doctor immediately in order to change his or her medication.
Almost always, a different (non-addictive) drug can be substituted in place of the currently prescribed drug. If this is not enough to deal with the problem, some kind of professional counseling may be needed.
Feeling a Need to Take the Narcotic to Feel Normal
Narcotics are powerful drugs that do play a useful role in pain management. Problems develop when people prescribed narcotics inadvertently become addicted to them. One of the earliest signs of this is feeling a strong need to take the narcotic in order to feel normal.
As dependence on the narcotic develops, addicts feel the need to take the narcotic drug more and more frequently. At first, escalating the dose brings relief. Then, inevitably, after a period of time addicts feel like they need to escalate the dose again. This leads to a never-ending cycle of increasing the dose, feeling comfortable with the new increased dose, and then feeling the need to increase the dose yet again.
Persistent Euphoria
Narcotics abusers often feel unusually euphoric. They may appear to be exceptionally elated (or “high”) much of the time. Ultimately, the persistent euphoria a lot of narcotics users experience greatly interferes with their ability to function well in everyday life. They find that they can no longer hold down a job, and they are incapable of functioning well in society. Of course, some narcotics abusers are able to hide their euphoria and more or less blend into society. But these abusers are the exception, not the rule.
Shallow Respiration
Ultimately, narcotics abuse often leads to respiratory problems because narcotics sedate the muscles involved in breathing. A narcotics overdose often leads to death through this mechanism. Persistently shallow respiration is a very worrisome symptom of narcotics abuse. Narcotics abusers that develop it are often quite close to dying as a result of their drug abuse habit.
Constipation
The overuse of narcotics tends to mess with normal elimination. Narcotics abusers typically become constipated as a result. The degree of constipation is usually tied to the degree of narcotics abuse. The more the narcotics abuser abuses narcotics, the more constipated he or she becomes.
Slurred Speech
Narcotics abusers sometimes exhibit slurred speech, which may cause people to assume they are drunk. Slurred speech frequently occurs in narcotics abusers because heavy narcotics use tends to interfere with normal thinking and the ability to communicate clearly.
Small Pupils
While a lot of drugs tend to dilate pupils when they are abused, narcotics are unusual in that they contract pupils. This sometimes gives narcotics abusers the appearance of having “beady” eyes. (Of course, lots of other things besides narcotics abuse can temporarily diminish pupil size.) Narcotics abuse is a big problem in many industrialized countries. Abusers often start abusing narcotics after accidentally becoming addicted to narcotics prescription medication. Doctors who prescribe narcotics need to be especially careful to look for signs and symptoms of narcotic drug abuse in the patients they have prescribed narcotics.
If you want to learn how to stop substance abuse or if you are interested in becoming a certified substance abuse counselor then you might want to visit our webpage.
Substance Abuse Counseling and Detecting Teen Drug Abuse
Substance Abuse Counseling and its counselors can detect teen drug abuse through various signs. In the article below are listed eight tips to see if your teen is possibly abusing drugs.
Sair Harrar of Philly.com writes about ways parents can detect or be better prepared to prevent their teens from falling into substance abuse. In her article, “Teen Prescription Drug Abuse: 8 Tips for Parents” she outlines suggestions from a family who dealt with their teen and his drug abuse.
“Previous posts told the story of Tim Rader, a high school football star from Ashland, Pa., who became addicted to prescription pain pills while undergoing cancer treatment at age 17. He is now in recovery after a 10-year battle with addiction. Yesterday his parents, Lou and Patty Rader, talked about their own struggle as their son sunk into addiction.”
Substance Abuse can start from the early beginnings especially when parents unknowingly allow their children to drink under their supervision. Instead of removing the temptation to drink later, studies show it enhances the temptation. The European model of younger drinking ages just does not fit with America’s culture.
Meredith Bennett-Smith of the Huffington Post writes on this subject in her article, “Parents (Mistakenly) Believe Lettings Kids Drink Alcohol Early Discourages Later Use, Study Says” about the growing problem of early age drinking that is connected with parents who drink with their children.
“A surprising number of parents believe that early exposure to alcohol will discourage children from drinking in adolescence and help prevent alcohol abuse later on, according to a new study from the RTI International and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.”
This alarming trend is another thing Substance Abuse Counselors must deal with when counseling parents and teens about the addictive nature of drinking.
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