How To Find A 3/4 House After Leaving Drug Rehab?

Posted on October 9, 2015October 9, 2015 by dr-admin

When you finish drug rehabilitation, finding a stable place to recover is vital. If you have nowhere to turn when you finish, staying at a 3/4 house may be necessary. Understanding what these homes are, how they can help you, and how to find one can help you take control of your life again.

What Is A 3/4 House?

A 3/4 house is a transitional living center that is very similar to a halfway house. Both are sober living homes designed to help you transition back into the rigors of your life. And both serve as shelters for people who have lost their home or have nowhere else to turn after finishing rehabilitation.

However, the environment of a 3/4 house is considerably less structured and rigorously controlled than a halfway home. Generally speaking, you’ll have later curfews, the ability to go out on overnight passes, and even start going to work or school.

Essentially, they create a stable and non-restrictive environment in which you can grow as a person and adapt to a drug-free life. They are a useful resource for somebody who needs a little structure in their life, but who would buckle at the strict rules of a halfway house.

Think of their name literally: 3/4 houses are for people who are just about finished with their transitional period, but whom need a guide to get them all the way through the process.

What Support Will A 3/4 House Offer Me?

People who stay at a 3/4 house are offered a wide range of benefits that will help them continuing recovery from their addiction. Typical benefits of a 3/4 house include:

Increased structure and rules that help keep you sober
A safe environment, including a place to sleep, fire alarms, and locked doors
Regular drug testing to help ensure everyone in the home is sober
Fully-trained support staff members that help keep you focused on recovery
Mandatory requirements, such as attending 12-step meetings, part time work, or volunteer work

Although many of these benefits seem like negatives, they are designed to help you succeed. For example, drug testing often helps people fight away dangerous relapse cravings. And attending recovery meetings or reentering the workforce gives you a focus and a drive that can break through “lack-of-focus” depression you may feel.

How Strict Are 3/4 Houses?

The people who run 3/4 houses understand that their residents have finished rehabilitation and are looking to transition to a drug-free life. However, they also understand the difficulties of that process and work hard to prevent you from having a relapse. Typical rules that dictate behavior in a 3/4 house include:

No drugs of any kind are allowed
Fighting and gambling are banned
Visitors of the opposite sex cannot spend time in your room without prior approval
No sexual activity of any kind
Smoking cigarettes must be done in designated areas at specific times
Possession of weapons of any kind is prohibited
Television must be off around 11 at night while all lights must be out at midnight

These rules are just a few set down in a typical 3/4 house. Some will have stricter rules, while others will be more lenient. Usually, breaking one of these rules is grounds for dismissal. But if you’re serious about your recovery, following these rules shouldn’t be a challenge.

How Can I Find A 3/4 House?

Finding a 3/4 home near you is often as simple as talking to the experts at your rehabilitation center. They are used to helping people like you find a place to live and should know the names and numbers of 3/4 homes in your area. They may even be able to help set you up to stay at one.

However, if you’re looking for a 3/4 home on your own, you should be able to find one utilizing free online transitional housing finders, or by reaching out to us at DrugRehab.org.

Transitioning To A Drug-Free Life

If you need help finding a 3/4 house or any other kind of transitional home, please contact us today to talk to one of our helpful counselors. We can help you find the living situation you need to recover from your addiction and return to a healthy and drug-free life.

Is Detox Always Required Before Entering A Drug Rehab?

Posted on October 8, 2015October 8, 2015 by dr-admin

Recovering from drug addiction should always begin with detoxification: it provides a light that can guide you through what may feel like an impossible path to recovery. Understanding the importance of detoxification and the overall process is crucial for beginning your recovery on the right foot.

Detoxification Is A Vital Step In The Rehabilitation Process

It’s hard to imagine tackling drug rehabilitation successfully without detoxification: in fact, it may be impossible. Cleansing your body of those dangerous chemicals helps to eliminate your physical dependency and improve your physical health. It will also boost your mental focus, meaning the process of psychological and emotional healing can progress without distraction.

But more importantly, detoxification manages your withdrawal symptoms. The dangerousness of withdrawal will vary depending on the drug and the severity of your addiction. For example, severe alcohol withdrawal can cause jumpiness, severe trembling, and even seizures, while people withdrawing from opiates often experience extreme abdominal pain, terrible sweating, nervousness, hallucinations, extreme anger, and seizures.

Medically-assisted detoxification decreases the severity of these symptoms by slowly weaning you off your drug. Replacement medicines, such as methadone, are often used to manage your symptoms during this weaning process.

Importantly, any physical problems that occur during detoxification will also be treated. Essentially, detoxification is designed to ease you through withdrawal and keep you physically and mentally as strong a possible for your upcoming rehabilitation.

Types Of Detoxification Available

If you are reluctant to stay in a rehabilitation center, ambulatory detoxification is available. This treatment offers you the freedom to recover at home under the care of medical professionals. This decreases your risk of health complications, but doesn’t offer rehabilitation care. As a result, relapses are common.

Meanwhile, detoxification in a rehabilitation center does restrict your freedom, but also gives you the social and medical support you need. You will be surrounded by friendly faces and, more importantly, you’ll have the medical assistance you need to stay healthy.

That’s why detoxification is so essential to drug rehabilitation: it improves your mental and physical health and gives you the best chance at rehabilitation success.

Detoxification Stages

Medical detoxification moves through three specific stages: evaluation, stabilization, and entry into treatment. Understanding each of these stages can help you prepare emotionally and physically for the demands of each stage in the process.

During the evaluation stage, specialists will evaluate the seriousness of your dependency and the mental and physical health problems from which you may suffer. The last step is more important than you may think: it helps avoid any complications that may occur during the detoxification process.

Sometimes, these problems are rather minor, but others are more severe. Common issues that may interfere with your detoxification or complicate your withdrawal include:

Heart problems
Physical weaknesses
Emotional instability
Psychological dependency

Once you’ve been properly evaluated, the meat of the detoxification process occurs in stabilization. It is designed to carefully eliminate substances from your body, decrease severe intoxication, and slowly lead you to soberness. Essentially, it stabilizes your health and your sober state to prepare you for the rigors of rehabilitation.

After you’ve gone through detoxification, you will then enter rehabilitation treatment. Unfortunately, detoxification alone is rarely enough to beat addiction: while it successfully treats physical addiction, untreated psychological and emotional problems may drive you back to addiction.

Learning More

If you or someone you know is currently suffering from a debilitating addiction, please contact us today. Our helpful addiction counselors here at DrugRehab.org will help you find a detoxification and rehabilitation center near you. They can also offer you important information about other aspects of addiction rehab. Contact us today and get back on track.

Who Pays For Court Ordered Drug Rehab?

Posted on October 7, 2015October 7, 2015 by dr-admin

When the court steps in and orders you to attend drug rehabilitation, you may feel small and helpless, especially if your life is also plagued by money concerns. After all, somebody has to pay for your treatment and unfortunately, it’s most likely going to be you. But understanding why and how you can pay for court-ordered drug rehabilitation is a crucial step in successfully planning and executing your rehabilitation visit.

Payment Depends On The Circumstance

In most cases, court-ordered drug rehabilitation will fall on the shoulders of the plaintiff, i.e., the person suffering from addiction. In fact, the court is never required to pay for your treatment. This may seem a little harsh or unfair, but it can’t be avoided. Remember: court-ordered rehabilitation is usually the result of a serious criminal case or a concerned petition by family members.

However, in states that have passed “Casey’s Law” (Ohio and Kentucky), anyone who petitions for your treatment must find ways to pay for it. In fact, they must sign a legally binding agreement assuring how they will pay.

A similar law, “Jennifer’s Act,” was passed in Indiana, hoping to eliminate the strain of the personal monetary investment required for successful drug rehabilitation treatments, such as reducing petition filing fees.

Average Cost Of Drug Rehab

On average, most private drug rehabilitation programs cost thousands of dollars. That investment can be hard for many people to stomach. No matter that these centers are the best way to beat their habit: they often simply resent having to spend that much money.

Thankfully, there are free drug rehabilitation centers available across the country, centers designed to help people like you get the care you need. For example, some religious groups offer sober house living, soup kitchens, and simple, inexpensive rehabilitation.

Petitioning the court to attend one of these centers is advisable, especially if you are struggling financially. Unfortunately, your request may be denied for a variety of reasons. For example, they may not believe that a free alternative, such as a sober house, is best for your needs.

Insurance May Help

If you have health insurance, you may be in luck, because there’s a good chance that it covers your rehabilitation. After the passage of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act in 2008, insurance providers could no longer create harsh benefit limitations on people suffering from mental health or addiction disorders.

The problem is that this act focuses primarily on large group health plans, such as those provided by employers. Although the MHPAEA does cover individual policies, it can be harder to find ones that fully cover rehabilitation. Sometimes, they may cover only a percentage of your expenses.

If you anticipating court ordered drug rehabilitation, it may be a good idea to call up your insurance company and discuss your coverage options. They may be willing to work with you to find a plan that at least partially covers your treatment.

Sliding Fee Services Are Also Available

Even if insurance lets you down and free rehabilitation options are denied, low-cost rehab options are still available. For example, the Bureau of Drug and Alcohol Services offers a variety of non-profit programs that are designed to help people struggling to finance their recovery.

BDAS service centers offer residential inpatient and outpatient services on a sliding fee. This fee is based on your personal income and savings, meaning you’ll never have to pay more than you can afford. And if you lack a source of income, you may not have to pay at all.

Thankfully, the likelihood of getting access to one of these centers is relatively high, because they are usually set up for crisis intervention, such as court-ordered rehab. Judges are likely to be more inclined to send you to a sliding fee center, as they will offer a more comprehensive rehabilitation program than free religious services.

Take Charge Of Your Court-Ordered Rehabilitation

Court-ordered drug rehabilitation is often a wake-up call for people suffering from a severe addiction. Nevertheless, it can be a scary proposition and we at DrugRehab.org understand your concern. We want and are here to help or your loved one overcome addiction and start a healthy life. So please contact us if you are facing the possibility of court-ordered rehabilitation to learn more about funding options and possible treatment plans.

How Can The Substance Abuse And Mental Health Services Administration Help Me?

Posted on October 5, 2015October 5, 2015 by dr-admin

When you’re recovering from addiction, you may feel lost and confused. There’s no shame in needing help and thankfully, there are groups like the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) that offer assistance. This group strives to help people recover from addiction in a successful and caring manner. Understanding how they can help may make all the difference in the world.

Helps You Find The Best Treatment Method

SAMHSA is designed to help foster and create a nationwide system for treating substance abuse and mental health disorders. They help find a treatment method that works best for specific addictions. Common SAMHSA treatment options include:

Peer support groups
12-Step programs
Medication
Inpatient therapy
Counseling
Cognitive-behavioral therapy
Contingency management
Motivational enhancement
Recovery support services

The latter point is especially crucial, as it can meet some of the logical difficulties of rehabilitation, such as transportation to centers, employment and educational support.

Understands The Dangers Of Co-Occurring Disorders

SAMHSA understands that drug addiction is a sickness and that the physical symptoms are often just the tip of the iceberg. That’s why they focus heavily on treating people with co-occurring disorders, i.e. simultaneous mental and substance abuse problems.

The statistics surrounding co-occurring disorders are alarming: SAMHSA estimates that 8.9 million Americans have co-occuring disorders and that only 7.4 percent ever receive treatment for both. SAMHSA is working to change that by implementing “integrated treatment.”

Integrated treatment diagnoses your co-occurring disorders, assesses how they interact, and works to eliminate them from your life. Successful treatment will reduce substance abuse, eliminate psychological problems, lower the risk of hospitalization, and create a stronger support group.

The end result of treating co-occurring disorders if often immediate: once you’re physically clean of your substance and the psychological compulsions behind it have been treated, addiction can often quickly become a distant memory.

Promotes Trauma Care Approaches

People often turn to drugs when suffering from psychological or emotional problems as well as severe trauma. SAMHSA’s unique “trauma care” approach is designed to identify past traumas and to help you work through them to heal emotionally.

SAMHSA’s trauma care approach allows rehabilitation centers to diagnose trauma in individuals, family members, and even staff members of the care facility and guides them towards modifying care plans to include trauma treatment options. In this way, the chance of “re-trauma” during rehabilitation decreases dramatically.

Working in a trauma care-centric manner requires creating a safe and transparent environment that helps you feel respected during your difficult recovery process. It may even provide you with the motivation you need to quit for good.

Learning More About SAMHSA

SAMHSA is a vast organization with multiple treatment methods that may be right for you. If you’re interested in learning more about how they can help you beat your addiction, please contact us at DrugRehab.org. Our addiction specialists are highly knowledgeable about them and are more than happy to give you the information you need.

Why Do Some People Become Addicted To Drugs And Alcohol While Others Don’t?

Posted on September 18, 2015September 18, 2015 by dr-admin

Why do some people become addicted to drugs and alcohol while others don’t? There is no single definitive answer to this question as it depends on many factors, including genetics, environment, and development. Some may even argue that a factor that may attribute to addiction depends on the individual’s personality. For example, some people are born risk-takers and may be more prone to engaging in risky behaviors such as abusing drugs or alcohol. Regardless of a person’s personality, whenever anyone uses drugs or alcohol, they are putting themselves at risk to changing the reward system in their brains, and thus developing an addiction.

Genetics

Genetics can play a large role in determining why someone may develop an addiction. Neuroscientists arrange people on a spectrum from very low to very high risk for addiction. Individuals that have histories of multi-generational addiction are at very high risk of developing an addiction. Neuroscientists also note that genetics can account for 40 percent to 60 percent of our addiction risk. Keep in mind, however, that there is no concrete evidence that suggest genetics alone will determine whether an individual will develop an addiction or not. Many factors go into whether an individual develops an addiction or not.

On the other end of the spectrum, individuals without a family history of addiction may have a lower risk than others. Other factors that may affect a person’s addiction risk are gender, ethnicity, and the existence of other mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, or mood disorders. Those suffering from a mental illness may seek to self-medicate which can lead to addiction.

Environment

We all have different environments that we grew up in or to which we were exposed. Many environmental factors can contribute to addiction. Environmental influences such as family and friends, peer pressure, socioeconomic status, physical or sexual abuse, parent involvement, and stress can all factor into addiction. If a child grew up in a home environment that abused drugs or alcohol, they are at more risk to develop their own addiction later on in life. Or if a teenager is shy and desires to fit in, they may be more likely to cave to peer pressure and experiment with drugs or alcohol. In fact, studies show that teens who abuse drugs or alcohol before age 14 are at a greater risk to develop an addiction than those who are in their late teens or twenties.

Development

Environment and genetics can also interact with a person’s development. For example, adolescents are still developing the judgment, decision making, and self-control parts of their brains. Because these areas of their brains are not fully developed, they may be at more risk for developing an addiction. Abusing drugs or alcohol can turn into an addiction regardless of age, but the earlier one abuses drugs or alcohol, the more likely it is for them to develop an addiction.

Many Factors, One Individual

Many factors go into why some people develop drug or alcohol addictions while others do not. We are all unique individuals who have different genetics, environments, and developmental stages. What none of us can escape, however, is how drugs and alcohol can affect us. Abusing drugs and alcohol is a serious problem that needs immediate professional attention.

You do not have to struggle with your addiction a minute longer. You do not have to suffer alone. We’re here for you. Contact us at DrugRehab.org and our friendly and knowledgeable staff will answer any questions you might have or guide you in the next steps towards your recovery. It’s the age of technology and many of you reading this blog post have a smartphone in your hands or nearby. Call us today at 833-473-4227. Start a new life. Start the new you.

What Is The Difference Between Suboxone And Subutex?

Posted on September 16, 2015September 16, 2015 by dr-admin

Are you struggling with an opiate addiction? Perhaps suboxone and subutex can help you on your journey to sobriety. One way you could think of this method is that doctors are basically fighting your drug addiction, with other drugs. Both drugs (suboxone and subutex) are used to treat opiate addiction by taking away the opiate’s “grip” on the brain and they also can help you stop your drug abuse. Suboxone and subutex are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to help opiate abusers regain a sober lifestyle. By taking either suboxone or subutex, recovering individuals will not have withdrawal symptoms or cravings. But, the drugs must be taken as prescribed in order to achieve the desired effects. Both drugs share a similarity and they also have one main difference.

The Similarity

Both suboxone and subutex contain buprenorphine. Medically speaking, buprenorphine is an “opioid partial agonist.” Translation: buprenorphine interacts with the same receptors in the brain that affect other drugs (like heroin), but it fools the brain into thinking that it is taking an opiate, when in reality you are not. This is why you do not experience withdrawal symptoms or even cravings. In contrast, heroin is a “full agonist” drug and can create intense highs. Partial agonist drugs are much more difficult to become addicted to and do not create a high when used properly.

Buprenorphine works by being a “sticky” agent to your brain’s receptors. Just like many other substances, abuse of an opiate changes how your brain functions and also its physical characteristics. For non-opioid abusers, there are a set amount of opioid receptors in the brain. When a person abuses an opioid, such as heroin, the drug is able to attach itself onto their opioid receptors, and they are able to receive a high. The high creates euphoria, and the user wants to repeat that feeling again and again.

Over time, however, a person builds up tolerance to the drug. During this time when tolerance is built up, the opioid receptors in the brain increase, which causes the user to seek out more of the drug to achieve more of a high. The original dosage of the opiate they took is no longer effective because they have increased their number of opioid receptors.

Taking the same amount of the drug only fills up some of the receptors, so they seek more of the drug so all receptors can be full and satisfied. Increased levels of opiate receptors, means that the normal levels of brain chemicals can’t function (fully activate the receptors), so more of the drug is sought out. Inactivated opioid receptors are craving the drug and if left inactivated this leads to withdrawal symptoms. This is why a person abusing a drug must constantly seek out a high or they will feel sick or begin to experience withdrawal.

As mentioned before, buprenorphine is a “sticky” agent. When taken properly, the buprenorphine sticks to the increased opioid receptors. It shoves the opioid out of the way and sticks or binds to all the receptors, but without the feelings of a high. If heroin and buprenorphine are taken at the same time, buprenorphine pushes the opioid away from the brain’s receptors, and fills all of the receptors. Buprenorphine fills the receptors up and prevents withdrawal, but it is not strong enough to get the person high and will not let them experience euphoria.

The Difference

The main difference between suboxone and subutex is that one of the two also has naloxone and the other doesn’t contain that substance at all. Subutex only contains buprenorphine while suboxone contains both buprenorphine and naloxone. Naloxone is mixed with the buprenorphine to prevent misuse. An example of this would be that if you were currently high on heroin, taking naloxone intravenously would almost immediately cause a person to tumble into withdrawal symptoms.

Buprenorphine, as mentioned before, fills the receptors of the brain and activates them. Naloxone, on the other hand, is an opiate antagonist. Like buprenorphine, it fills the receptors of the brain (and also blocks other opiates from filling the brain’s receptors), but it does not activate the opiate receptors. Full but inactivated opiate receptors mean that the abuser will feel the pains of withdrawal very quickly.

Taking Subutex vs. Taking Suboxone

By now you might be thinking that taking suboxone sounds horrible and you would definitely pick subutex over the other drug. But in reality, there is no functional difference between the two drugs (unless you abuse suboxone). Subutex may be prescribed for the first few doses under a doctor’s care, but when you go home, a doctor will most likely prescribe suboxone to you.

The doctor will explain to you that suboxone must be dissolved underneath the tongue. By taking the pill this way, the tiny amount of naloxone will have no effect on you. In other words, it won’t hurt you and you won’t feel a thing if taken properly. By letting the pill dissolve under your tongue, the buprenorphine will go to your brain, and your withdrawal symptoms are relieved.

If you decide to abuse suboxone and inject it into your veins, that will be a bad choice because it fully activates the naloxone. After injection, the naloxone will hit you with full force and you will crash into withdrawal. If you think that you can take another opiate to reverse the effects of the naloxone, you are sadly mistaken. Once the naloxone has hit full force, you cannot get high even if you were to take more opiates.

Choosing to have a buprenorphine treatment to help your opiate addiction could be a good option for you, but talk to a doctor first. As long as you do not abuse suboxone to get high and use it as prescribed, you will get the same results and the medication will work just as well as if you were using subutex.

Take Control Of Your Life

Abusing opiates and other substances is a serious situation and at any time it can cause serious complications or even death. Take control of your life today and seek help. If you have tried other methods of recovery, but are still struggling with an addiction, perhaps a treatment of either suboxone or subutex (under a doctor’s supervision) will help. But only do so under direct care of a doctor or other trusted professional. Talk to your doctor or contact us at DrugRehab.org for more information on seeking help for addiction. A drug addiction is not who you were meant to be, so don’t let it control your life. Contact us today to get your life back.

How To Find A Drug Rehab Center Near Me

Posted on September 14, 2015September 14, 2015 by dr-admin

It may have taken a while to come to the recognition that you are facing a problem that’s bigger than you can handle on your own, but dependency on alcohol or another drug is too consuming to ignore forever. Whether you are the one who is facing the paralyzing struggle of addiction or you are a family member watching a loved one’s life deteriorate before your eyes, you know that help is needed.

The stifling darkness that people often find themselves in due to the destruction that drugs and alcohol have caused does not have to be a lasting darkness. Finding the right type of treatment can shed a penetrating light on the areas that need healing. A drug rehabilitation center that can offer quality assistance is certainly available to you, and probably closer than you might realize.

Others Have Been Through This Too

The National Survey on Drug Use and Health determined that 23.1 million people needed treatment for an alcohol or drug problem in 2012. This statistic includes people 12 years of age and older. Unfortunately, out of this group of people, only 2.5 million actually sought professional treatment at a rehab facility. Why is this the case?

The Cost of Rehab

When drug addiction strikes, it does not have a preference of age, sex, or income level. As a result, one person dealing with dependency on a drug might be able to easily enter treatment due to quick access to money, while another may be concerned about his or her expenditures.

No matter the situation, many insurances actually cover drug addiction treatment services. Since the Affordable Care Act has been implemented in 2014, addiction is now widely recognized as a problem requiring high-quality treatment as a covered, health-insurance benefit.

Factors That Determine Treatment Plans

Addiction is not always an easily treatable illness. Sometimes a person has been struggling for many years with depending a drug as a source of comfort or as a release. Another situation might involve a person who has fallen quickly and hard into the drug scene. Every person is different, and requires a customized plan of treatment.

The story behind the use of a drug matters too. Drugs may have begun to be used in order to cope with emotional trauma, whereas some might have started a drug simply for fun. These “behind-the-scene” factors also come into play when determining what type of treatment is right for each individual.

Narrowing Your Search

When researching drug rehab options, you might prioritize the following in order to help refine your search:

Effectiveness of methods offered for treatment at the facility
Whether or not the facility is licensed within the state it’s located
Relapse prevention services offered (if any) by the rehab

Types of Rehabilitation Facilities

Although it is impossible to categorize treatment centers into specific groups, the reality is that some offer activities, settings, and/or services that another might not. This is because one facility might have a different philosophy or plan of action than another. Finding treatment that is the right fit for you is crucial to the recovery process. Some of your options will include:

Outpatient treatment
Residential treatment
Hospitalization
Counseling
Drug-abuse education and prevention

Allowing An Expert To Help

Nothing is wrong with educating yourself about treatment options. In fact, doing so means that you are serious about the choice you are about to make. However, sometimes people feel as if they must do it on their own in order for the recovery process to be lasting. This concept is not fully true.

Although you must be the one to take a step in the right direction and seek treatment, you do not have to do everything on your own. There are professionals whose experience and expertise will focus specifically on your needs and how to make your recovery process a successful one.

Help Is Here For You

There is no better time than now to achieve the healthy lifestyle that you deserve. If you know that your drug or alcohol use has gone too far and you would like a helping hand, then it is simple; don’t wait any longer. Assistance is available to help you move forward into the future you want to have. Contact us at DrugRehab.org now that will help you find a drug rehab near you.

Will I Lose Custody Of My Child If I Go To Drug Rehab?

Posted on September 11, 2015February 9, 2017 by dr-admin

If you are a parent about to enter rehab, you are probably worried about what will happen to your child/children. Who will take care of your child while you’re away? Will you lose custody of your child if you go to drug rehab? Having an idea of what might happen before entering rehab can help calm any fears you may have. You are entering a rehab facility because it’s time to start a new life. While it is absolutely understandable to be concerned about your child/children, you need to focus on your recovery first. Without recovery, things can spiral out of control fast.

Will I Lose Custody?

A drug addiction is a serious problem that needs to be addressed immediately. If it helps to calm any fears, the Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS) aims to keep families together if at all possible. They recognize that a child needs their parents. However, DCFS also realizes that the child’s best interests take primary importance. When you are using drugs, you are not being the best parent to your child because you are putting your life and your child’s life at risk. What happens if you overdose and your child is left unsupervised while you are passed out or needing serious medical attention? Examples like this point to negligence or child endangerment and you could lose custody. Seeking help for your addiction now will be one of the best things you can do for you and your child.

Are You or A Loved One Worried About Losing Custody Of Your Child? Let Us Help At (833) 473-4227

Entering rehab can help show the courts that you are committed to getting better. It will allow you a chance to prove to the court that you are capable of raising your child responsibly. Most children and teens are very aware of situations. They can tell if mom and/or dad are doing behaviors that are harmful and unhealthy. You are entering a rehab because you recognize that you need help. Young children and even teenagers are often watching what their parents do. Be a good role model and show them it’s time to take control and seek help for your addiction. You want to be the best person and parent possible. That means you need to attend rehab.

So, will you lose custody of your child? It’s a tough question to answer because it will depend on your specific situation. The short answer is that you may or may not lose custody of your child. Or you may lose custody temporarily until you finish a rehab program and prove to the courts you are committed to staying sober and getting better. Each case is unique.

How You Could Lose Custody

Losing custody of your child/children can be scary for any parent. And unfortunately, it could happen. If you have been arrested for a substance abuse problem (drugs or alcohol) you could lose custody of your child or you could lose custody temporarily. If there are no criminal charges against you, there is still a chance you could lose custody if someone reports to DCFS that your drug use has caused child negligence. A third way that custody could be taken away is if you are going through a divorce and your spouse accuses you of drug abuse. This third case is the hardest for courts to determine the validity of such accusations by your ex-spouse because it may or may not be grounded in reality.

In all cases, the child’s best interests are the first concern. The courts will try their best to keep families together, but it could be determined that you are unfit to care for your child. Each case is different, so do not let this information scare you. Going to rehab is going to help your situation, not hurt it.

Who Will Take Care Of My Child While I’m Away?

There are very few inpatient facilities out there that offer daycare for your child. You could arrange for your child to attend a local daycare during the day and have trusted friends or relatives care for the child during nights and weekends while you are at rehab. Or maybe your child is old enough to attend school during the day while being watched by a trusted adult during nights and weekends. Or if you have a spouse that does not have a drug addiction, your child may be in their care. Sometimes the courts may determine where the child can stay.

If you are concerned that you are leaving your child for a few months to attend rehab, you are not a bad parent. It is much better that you seek help now instead of continuing with your addiction and something terrible happens to you or your child. In fact, by attending a rehab, you are a parent that realizes you are human. No parent is perfect. By attending rehab, you are showing your child and the court that you want to get better and that you want to be the best version of yourself as possible. The commitment to attend rehab and stay sober for you and your child is something you should be proud of.

Can I Regain Custody?

Again, each situation is unique. However, if you have lost custody of your child, there are some steps you must do to prove to the court you are capable of raising your child. You must show the court that you have successfully completed your drug rehab treatment, prove you have successfully recovered, and you must be currently drug free. How long this process takes depends on your individual case, how severe it was, and if there was an arrest involved. Many factors go into whether the court determines you are able to regain custody of your child or not.

Seek Help Today

Seeking help for a drug addiction is not a weak thing to do. In fact, asking for help is a very strong thing to do. Too many people suffering from an addiction are afraid to ask for help. Be brave and reach out to someone today. Choosing to attend rehab is a great decision. And it’s a decision both you and your child will be proud of. You may even be a hero in your child’s eyes. It’s not too late to start your new life. Contact us at DrugRehab.org today. We can answer any questions you have regarding child custody or help you find a rehab that’s right for you. We can help you become the person and parent you were meant to be.

Should I Tell A Friend’s Parents That They Have A Drug Problem?

Posted on August 28, 2015August 28, 2015 by dr-admin

From the outside looking in, it is pretty easy for you to see. It is because you are around your friend more than everyone else—at parties, outings, shopping, or just relaxing at home; and you have noticed that your friend has a drug problem. Maybe he or she was once a truly happy person with a positive outlook on life and had an overall upbeat attitude that has now turned sour. Or you might have always known that your friend was the type of person who could easily fall into the trap of dependence on drug or alcohol use. No matter the scenario, you have recently come to terms with the extent to which he or she is struggling with addiction, and it is weighing on you.

While experiencing the turmoil of knowing you are a close friend who needs to step in and help your friend get the help he needs, you may have asked yourself, What can I do to help? Should I tell anyone? How do I break it to his parents?

Your Role

Before we explore options about who you should turn to, there is a positive thought to establish in your mind. You are reading this article because you have taken the time to do some research, so please know: You are not blowing the situation out of proportion by seeking information and by staying informed. Just the fact that you are taking the time to read about options for your friend who keeps turning to drugs, makes you a good friend. However, this is just the first step to a necessary, three-step process outlined below:

1. Recognize that drug addiction is a real problem that affects real people
2. You are responsible to help
3. Contact a professional, and parent (if available)

Your Friend, Your Responsibility

It might sound harsh, but here is the truth: you know—at least a little—about what your friend is going through. The struggle he or she is facing is not in your imagination, and the friend needs help. Most people who struggle with addiction to alcohol and/or drugs do not seek treatment on their own. Unfortunately, they are often in too deep and cannot see a way out of the dark tunnel of dependence on drugs. Fortunately, they have you.

Who Can I Trust?

Step two: The worst thing to do next would be to keep your insight a secret. You should definitely tell someone who can be trusted and who you know will be able to help. If you have met the person’s parent(s), discretion must be used as to whether or not you go directly to them about the problem. Many parents care deeply about their child, but some might be caught off-guard at hearing such serious news. Others could be in denial, or even react defensively about the problem at hand.

If you know that your friend has loving and supportive parents, then going to them immediately and sharing your thoughts honestly is definitely an option. Otherwise, you might decide to wait a day or two until after you have done your research and talked to a professional.

How Experts Can Help

Even if you decide to share this intimate information with the person’s parents, you should talk to someone who is familiar with offering treatment to those addicted to a drug. Your friend might not have a consistent and positive environment at home, or maybe you do not feel comfortable going directly to his or her parents. Having someone knowledgeable, stable, and trustworthy to give advice during the process of seeking help is essential.

Get Help While Giving Help

Have you ever heard the saying, “It’s the thought that counts”? Well, those words are not true in all situations. In the case of recovery from addiction, it is the action—your action—that counts. If you know someone who is experiencing hardships due to addiction, then time is of the essence. The earlier you contact a trusted professional, the earlier that your friend or family member can receive treatment. An expert is available to assist you immediately in giving you more information about getting your friend help, so contact us today at DrugRehab.org and get your friend the best help available.

Can Parents Force Their Child Into Drug Rehabilitation?

Posted on August 25, 2015August 25, 2015 by dr-admin

A perpetual cycle of drug or alcohol use has caused a family to be disrupted. Addiction, which casts its snare on vulnerable and unsuspecting individuals—many of them young—has trapped an adolescent in your family, or a young person who you know and care about. However, that individual cannot see how destructive his or her drug use is. The addiction has the person seemingly blinded to how emotionally, physically, and mentally taxing that alcohol or drug use can be; and he or she does not comprehend that the addiction problem is also causing utter turmoil for loved ones. So, if the youth will not opt to receive treatment on his or her own, can parents force their child to be admitted into a drug rehab facility?

The Answer

Yes, a person under the age of 18 within the United States can be put into a drug rehab program without his or her permission. As long as a parent or guardian has legal custody and a right to protect that person, the parent is able to take drastic action, if necessary. With this said, would forcing a young person to do what parents decide is best be a good idea? The remainder of this article will convey information about how to best to approach drug treatment options for the person you care about, and here is what the process will involve:

Be informed about drug use among youth
Talk with an expert
Talk with your child

It’s Okay To Have Questions

Discovering crucial details about drug addiction, how to get treatment, and the type of drug and alcohol rehab centers that are available for a young person is a wise move to make. When seeking rehabilitation with a specific center in mind, it is valuable to understand the magnitude of the problem that is being tackled. Many people struggle with addiction worldwide, including teens.

Youth Drug Use

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) gathers information from surveys taken by 8th, 10th, and 12th graders and draws conclusions about young people’s perceptions of drugs and drug use. Although the NIDA notes that teens’ interest in drugs has waned in recent years, drug and alcohol use is still a detrimental problem among adolescents that should not be pushed aside. Many people of all ages struggle with an addiction to a drug or alcohol; addiction is now recognized as a disease that plagues many, it is not a problem that should be associated with shame and embarrassment. Addiction is a struggle that requires first-rate treatment, beginning with addressing the issue carefully and considerately.

Talk With The Child

You might remember what it is like to be a young person who sees the world through a limited number of experiences involving certain situations, environments, and people. In most cases teens really believe to know what is right for them, but that does not mean that you cannot appeal to a person’s thoughts. Talking to a young person respectfully and with great sensitivity to what he or she is going through is key to opening the door to good communication. Calm conversation helps to build a bridge even through the chaos that is threatening to divide a family. If conversations regarding drug rehab do not go as smoothly as planned, peace of mind can be achieved because you did not stifle the young person’s voice regarding the serious problem he or she is dealing with.

Get Help By Involving Experts

Although it is good to be informed, doing research on your own can be daunting. Therefore, it is extremely important that you set aside time to talk to a professional who can help direct your actions. There are experts available who deal with individuals and families that are seeking a form of drug or alcohol treatment for a loved one. Please do not carry a burden on your shoulders that can be easily alleviated by turning to effective, professional assistance. Drug addiction is a problem that should be given proper care.

Call To Action

Help is not far away. All it takes is a few moments of effort from you to begin the process of establishing a life of freedom from addiction for yourself or someone you know. Please give yourself the opportunity to get the best care possible for a loved one stuck in the darkness of addiction. Contact us today at DrugRehab.org

What To Do If A Friend Or Loved One Overdoses

Posted on August 4, 2015August 4, 2015 by dr-admin

If you have a loved one that suffers from drug addiction, the thought of overdose is always in the back of your mind, and you pray everyday that it doesn’t happen. Unfortunately, drug overdoses are a rising problem, so you must be prepared to take control of the situation, should it ever occur.

First, Don’t Panic

If you suddenly find yourself in a situation involving a loved one who has possibly overdosed, keep a cool head. Panicking will do neither of you any favors: panic and anxiety will kick you straight into survival mode, which will make it hard for you to think straight. As a result, you may make mistakes in critical decisive moments.

More importantly, you need to keep them as calm as possible. Panic and anxiety are contagious and if your loved one is overdosing, they are either on the threshold of those emotions or may develop them if they see you panicked. Being a stoic loved one can give them the anchor they need to stay calm.

Call Medical Emergency Responders Immediately

The moment you see a loved one suffer from overdose symptoms, call local emergency services as quickly as possible. They are going to need a variety of information from you, such as the age, weight, height, and gender of the person who is overdosing.

The operator may give you some instructions on how to care for the overdose victim. For example, if your loved one is still conscious, they may ask you to help them feel comfortable. If they are unconscious, they may want you to turn them over on their side in case of vomiting. Most importantly, they are going to want to know what kind of drug was used. Sometimes the person overdosing can tell you. Other times, they may be too confused or paranoid to talk or may even be unconscious.

Quickly Diagnose The Overdose Symptoms

When your loved one can’t identify the drug causing their overdose, you have to do it for them by assessing their symptoms. Symptoms often vary slightly depending on the drug type used. But identifying the exact symptoms can help you prepare the attending medical experts use the right emergency treatment procedure.

Symptoms for the following drugs include:

Opiates – Constipation, nausea, vomiting, spasms, difficulty breathing, decreased pulse rate, low blood pressure, confusion, drowsiness, seizures.
Alcohol – Blue skin, poor breathing, confusion, slurred speech, anger, low temperature, inability to wake.
Cocaine – Increased heart rate, high blood pressure, light-headed, dehydration, uncontrollable muscle twitching, panic attacks, aggression, vomiting.
Prescription Drugs – Symptoms vary depending on the drug, but irregular heart beats, agitation, drowsiness, and uncontrollable movements are seen in many prescription drug overdoses.

Try To Find The Paraphernalia

Though a quick diagnosis of overdose symptoms can give you a clue as to the drug used, you need to find the actual paraphernalia as quickly as possible as well. This is especially true if they use more than one type of drug, such as cocaine and alcohol, on a regular basis.

Remember, though, that you aren’t a drug expert. What looks like cocaine to you may in fact be heroin. Your identification of the drug is just a tip for medical experts to help them treat the overdose properly.

Common Drug Hiding Spots

Sometimes the drugs which your loved one overdosed on are right near them or right out in the open. Other times you may not. Overdoses aren’t always the immediate and explosive situation that Hollywood and television portrays: often it takes an hour or more for symptoms to appear.

As a result, your loved one may have successfully hidden their paraphernalia. Common hiding spots for illicit substances include:

Dryer lint vents
Cosmetic items
Gaming consoles
Posters
Pringles cans
Difficult-to-reach closet spaces
Back of the toilet
Pens
CD/DVD/Game cases

Don’t spend more than a few minutes looking for these items, especially if you are alone. After all, your loved one’s overdose symptoms could become life-threatening while you’re rifling through hand bags.

Discover The Reasons For The Overdose

Once your loved one has been treated, you need to find out what led to their overdose. If you’re lucky, your loved one was a first time user who underestimated the drug and may never use again. However, illicit drug overdoses are more common in long-term sufferers: their body often demands larger doses as it acclimates to its effects.

However, there’s another potential cause of overdose that often gets overlooked: suicidal tendencies. This cause is especially prevalent in instances of prescription drug overdose in people who don’t otherwise use illicit substances.

Identifying suicidal thoughts isn’t easy because people often hide these feelings successfully for years and seem to live a happy life. Watch out for these common suicide symptoms:

Extended periods of depression
Thoughts of inappropriate shame
Direct suicide threats
Personality changes
Sudden focus on death and dying
Hopelessness
Loss of interest in life

If you believe your loved one overdosed due to suicidal tendencies, talk to a therapist or doctor, or contact us at DrugRehab.org as soon as possible and try to get them into therapy.

Talk To Them About Rehab

After an overdose, you need to perform an intervention and try to get your loved one to a drug rehabilitation center. But you can’t come in with excessive judgments: screaming, threatening, and cajoling will only create more anxiety and is likely to drive your loved one away from treatment.
Instead, calmly talk to them about their overdose and how worried the family is about their health. Express your acceptance and care repeatedly to make them feel comfortable and loved. Often, generating feelings of acceptance and compassion is enough to get your loved one back on track.

If you have any questions about overdose, intervention, or drug rehabilitation, please don’t hesitate to contact us as soon as possible. We can give you the guidance you need to help your loved one reclaim their life.

What To Do After Leaving A Drug Rehab Facility?

Posted on July 23, 2015July 23, 2015 by dr-admin

If you or a loved one has recently finished treatment or is close to wrapping up their time in a rehabilitation center, then it’s time to start thinking about how to make the transition from treatment to the regular world easier. The world can be familiar to a patient, and trying to blend in memories with current goals from treatment can be difficult in the beginning. Here are several steps you can take to help make the transition a little less stressful:

Find Sober Friends

According to the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, addictions often form through the influence of other people, such as friends or even family members. Peer pressure and the need to feel like part of the group is a potent motivator for drug use. Those who have friendships that are built solely on drugs find it difficult to interact and stay sober, since the temptation to use grows.

Having sober friends can be vital, since they’re willing to engage in fun activities that don’t involve substance abuse; temptation dissipates when people are surrounded by others who are sober.

Evaluate Your Neighborhood and Move If Necessary Find Sober Friends

For many, the old neighborhood can hold dark reminders about past substance abuse. Dark memories of finding their dealer on street corners, local bar fronts, and even parks can trigger addiction cravings and can often lead to relapse. For others, even their home can be unsafe. The Substance Use and Misuse journal found that many female substance users often lived with a current or former user. Returning to a home that’s filled with drugs, a person who had just left treatment could quickly find themselves regressing to their old habits.

Moving to a new area can help push aside temptation, providing new landscapes and opportunities to explore. Whether the neighborhood has fewer available drugs or just proves to be safer, the entire process of relocating can be just enough to push the old memories away.

Keep Follow-Up Appointments

Most drug rehabilitation programs sometimes work as a stair-step model, which means that follow-up appointments with a doctor or therapist are necessary until the person can handle sobriety by themselves. These appointments can help patients by:

Processing feelings regarding work
Dealing with family transitions
Handling relapse triggers
Setting goals for the future
Strengthening their skills they obtained in treatment

Understandably, life can get hectic and demanding, but skipping follow-up appointments isn’t wise. Each follow-up appointment should be considered necessary towards the long-term success in sobriety.

Help Someone Else

By helping others, many are able to share their experiences and remember what it’s like to struggle for sobriety, thus reducing the risk of relapse. Helping could take on many forms and some don’t have anything to do with addiction at all:

Mentoring/Tutoring a child in need
Participating in community events
Volunteering at an animal shelter
Visiting seniors at an assisted living facility
Volunteering at a soup kitchen

The gesture of giving back and doing good for the community gives off a great feeling of happiness and accomplishment. Additionally, volunteering is a great activity to help a person maintain sobriety, learn new skills, and help others in need.

Focus On Mental Health

The stress of returning to an old routine after treatment can be intense, especially if there is a constant urge for regressing back to old habits. It’s easy to just focus on the negativity, but this can lead to depression and ultimately, relapse. The key is to find a time each day to do something positive, either through meditation, writing, or volunteering for a few hours.

Sometimes even physical exercise can play a role; the Mayo Clinic reports that depression and anxiety levels seem to decrease when a person engages in regular physical activity. These actions, whether it’s taking a walk or riding a bike, can help a person feel a little bit stronger and a substantially healthier in the long run.

Find A Support Group

Many drug rehabilitation programs utilize support groups, since it can boost a feeling of affiliation and help people achieve and maintain sobriety. After treatment, it can be tempting to skip your follow-up appointments and meetings altogether, but attending these groups can provide great benefits that casual talks with family and friends cannot. Meetings give the opportunity for the person to say things that family and friends just might not understand unless they’ve been in the same situation themselves. Attending meetings can be inspirational, and possess a strong roster of people to talk to about their journey towards a healthier life.

Stay Alert For Signs Of Relapse

The National Institute on Drug Abuse states that addiction is a chronic illness, and nearly 40 to 60 percent of people who have been diagnosed relapse at least once. People with addictions will need to adjust their lives and be on alert if they expect to keep the problem from surfacing.

The key is finding out where their triggers are, such as a feeling of sadness or loss or missing the sensation of happiness or invincibility. When these thoughts build and the emotional weight gets heavier, a relapse is bound to take place, but being able to capture and identify these thoughts is vital. When such thoughts do occur, there are a few things a person can do to rid of the negativity, such as going back to therapy, catching a support group meeting, visiting a sober friend, or engaging in a healthy activity.

Supportive friends and family members can also be helpful, since they might know what a relapse looks like and how it can be triggered. Speaking up when they sense trouble can help get the affected person more intensive treatment before they harm themselves or use again.

Let Us Help You Stay On Track To Sobriety

At DrugRehab.org we are committed to helping individuals suffering from addiction by getting the assistance and support they need to forge a path towards sobriety. If you or a loved one needs additional assistance or advice on how to make the transition out of treatment easier, contact us today.

The Difference Between Hair And Urine Drug Testing

Posted on July 2, 2015July 2, 2015 by dr-admin

Many people who are concerned that a relative or loved one has fallen prey to substance dependence may be curious about drug tests. At the same time, there’s often a hesitation involved in asking one to take such a test. The fear is that the addicted individual may react aggressively and accuse the concerned loved one of betraying them or going behind their back. In such moments, it is important to remember that a person in the grips of addiction is in a fragile mental and emotional state, and that in a very real sense it’s the addiction doing the talking, not the person him or herself.

Despite the short-term turmoil they may cause, drug tests can be a useful way for objectively getting the news of an addiction out in the open. To that end, what follows is some advice regarding two of the most popular forms of drug testing: urine drug testing and hair drug testing.

Urine Drug Testing

Urine drug tests are by far the most common testing option currently available. They’re fairly inexpensive (some at-home kits are as cheap as $1 for testing for marijuana use, and $25 for testing for opiate use), and are able to detect a wide range of substances. Moreover, they’re noninvasive and relatively easy to perform—they don’t require any sort of needle penetration (as in blood tests) or cutting above the scalp (as in hair tests).

Despite these advantages, urine tests have some notable cons. To begin with, it’s sometimes fairly easy for the tested individual to cheat or skew the results. For instance, because urine tests only detect drug use from the past 1 to 3 days, it’s possible to flush a substance out of one’s system by drinking an excessive amount of water shortly before the test (although one risks deadly water intoxication, or overconsumption of water, by doing so). Other cheating techniques involve diluting the sample with bottled water, or purchasing someone else’s urine from the black market. For these reasons, urine tests are most effective in combination with strict monitoring, or when administered in a randomized, “surprise” fashion.

Hair Drug Testing

The main advantages of hair tests are that they are able to detect prior drug use over a much longer time period than urine tests and are virtually impossible to cheat or trick. Usually for a hair test, the lab will try to collect a 1.5-inch strand of hair. On average, a person’s hair grows about a half an inch every month. Taken from the root at the scalp, 1.5 inches of hair thus offers a detection window of around 3 months back in time.

Of course, if the patient’s hair is shorter than 1.5 inches, that window is smaller—and if the patient is bald, the test may be impossible to perform altogether, at least in the short term. Additionally, hair tests tend to be on the expensive side, with at-home kits ranging from around $50 to $80 and labs charging well over $100. Nevertheless, for some, the price may be worth it: hair tests offer an effective and virtually cheat-proof alternative to urine tests.

The Right Option for You?

A positive result on a drug tests doesn’t always mean addiction. Still, a drug test may be the wake up call someone needs to admit that they have a problem or are addicted; or, it could be a useful deterrent for stopping an addiction before it even develops. If you’re wondering whether a drug test may be useful for one of your loved ones, contact us today at DrugRehab.org for a free consultation.

The Affects of Co-Dependent Partners Struggling With Addiction

Posted on July 1, 2015July 1, 2015 by dr-admin

Co-dependency is, according to Mental Health America, “An emotional and behavioral condition that can affect an individual’s ability to have a healthy, satisfying relationship.” Co-dependent people often have good intentions, but can take things too far. As parents, they may smother their children, placing a child’s happiness over their own to an unhealthy degree. They can make excuses for behavior or let the child have their way in everything, all because they are afraid of losing the child’s love. In romantic relationships and marriages, the pattern of co-dependency is similar. Letting one person make all household decisions, putting oneself aside in order to focus exclusively on the dominant spouse, and defending the behavior of the dominant person to anyone who questions it are all symptoms of co-dependency.

Co-Dependency And Addiction

When addiction enters the picture, co-dependency becomes at once, worse and more significant. The co-dependent becomes an addict of sorts as well, often obsessing about the behavior of the addict.

Say there’s a couple, Spouse A and Spouse B. Spouse A is struggling with addiction, but in denial about the situation. Spouse B, seeing the household and family situation deteriorating because of this, decides to step in. The kids are taken care of, the home is kept up, and few in the outside world are any wiser because Spouse B does such a good job. While Spouse A spirals more out of control, Spouse B ups the game even more, taking on extra responsibilities whenever needed. In time, Spouse B’s entire life revolves around the addiction of Spouse A, as much as A’s does.

Feelings Of Shame

Among co-dependents, feelings of shame are very common. They may not want anyone knowing about the addiction of those they care for, and may have addiction issues themselves, further complicating things. They often don’t acknowledge the shame and accompanying anxiety, but these feelings are very powerful, all the same. A co-dependent may think of themselves as helpless, unable to change the situation. This can lead to even lower self-esteem, and continue the cycle.

How Does This Affect Recovery?

An addict going back into a situation where someone is doing everything for them can easily slip back into bad habits. In the previous example, what motivation does Spouse A have to change if Spouse B is doing everything that needs doing? In that case, Spouse B does indeed have a relationship problem—but with themselves. A co-dependent person suffers from low self-esteem, and needs to figure themselves out before they can help anyone else. In our example, B needs to step back and let A take place in the household life again. A co-dependent person needs to recover from their situation, then focus on awareness and acceptance. Understanding the current situation is key, as is not judging it. Only after the situation is identified can action be taken—on the parts of both Spouse A and B. Once they focus on healing and re-discovering themselves, the issues of co-dependency and addiction can be addressed.

Help Is Here To Get You Out

If you find yourself in a co-dependent relationship with an addict or are struggling with addiction yourself, contact us today. We can help you find treatment for both issues. Addiction is a complex thing, and rarely affects just one person in a situation. Let us assist you in discovering how to best care for everyone touched by addiction in your life.

The Effect Environment Has On Addiction

Posted on June 30, 2015June 30, 2015 by dr-admin

Addiction is a family disease often with deep roots in genetics, trauma, mental and behavioral issues, relationships and family history. Studies have found that one of most significant influences on an individual’s addiction is environment.

The home, school, and work atmospheres – as well as the availability and acceptance of drugs and alcohol can all affect a person’s drug use, abuse and addiction.

The Family And The Home Environment

Some of a person’s earliest interactions in life can contribute some of the biggest factors in his or her development. Because of this, the home in which an individual grows up may have a strong influence on his or her use of drugs or alcohol. Children raised in homes that are disrupted by certain factors, including trauma, are more likely to become addicted later in life. These factors include, but are not limited to:

Mental and behavioral illnesses such as bipolar disorder or schizophrenia
Domestic violence
Verbal, emotional, or sexual abuse
Criminal behavior
Divorce
Neglect

These household disruptions can amplify stress, and may cause some family members to seek an escape through drugs and alcohol. Children who are exposed to family members who abuse or are addicted to substances are at a greater risk for developing their own addictions later in life. It’s possible that living in homes with drug and alcohol abuse normalizes the behavior – and as a child grows up seeing parents use alcohol and drugs to cope, the child learns to also use substances to cope. Happiness levels and the overall strength of family relationships can also affect substance abuse in young adults.

The home environment may also influence addiction in adults, as well. For example, an adult may be influenced by a spouse who uses drugs – hoping to experience and understand the allure. Instead of fighting about the drugs, once-sober spouse might use in order to make and keep peace within the household.

Peers: School Or Work Environments

Peer groups including friends and acquaintances can also play a large role in a person’s substance addiction, especially in young adults. Peers that use painkillers, alcohol, and even heroin can sway friends to try drugs for the first time. A person with low self-esteem, poor social skills, or academic or professional failure may be at further risk for becoming addicted to drugs.

Working in an environment in which drug, such as amphetamines or cocaine, run rampant – may also can contribute to addiction. People may see or hear of their co-workers using stimulants on a daily basis in order to sustain their work output. This behavior can normalize drug use, and make the person feel as though using substances is both common and harmless.

Availability And Acceptance In The Environment

Living or working in an environment where alcohol and drugs are readily or often available can increase vulnerability to developing an addiction. Exposure to substances on a regular or semi-regular basis normalizes drug use and can make individuals more liable to drug seeking-behavior, and as a result – addiction.

In environments, communities, cultures or societies where drugs and alcohol are seen as acceptable – substance use, and eventually addiction, are more prominent. For example, in communities where people may regularly see neighbors buying drugs on the street or waiting on drug deals, or are exposed to any type of drug paraphernalia. Living in a crime-laden community that is accepting of illicit drug-use like this can also be stressful – and some people may turn to drugs or alcohol in order to calm their nerves.

No Set Rules

Just because an individual is exposed to these types of environments doesn’t guarantee he or she will develop an addiction to drugs or alcohol. Each person has a unique, genetic component and experience that can mold their development. While these environments are general patterns that increase the chances for developing a substance addiction, there are no set rules that people that determine specifically who will, and who will not – eventually become addicted to drugs or alcohol.

We Can Help Change Your Environment

Drug and alcohol addiction is difficult enough without facing it on your own. A program that gets you out of an unhealthy environment can help you develop an ability to cope without the need for drugs or alcohol. If you or a loved one needs to start a substance abuse program that offers inpatient or long-term therapy as part of their overall treatment plan, DrugRehab.org provides the information to help you pick the right facility for your needs. Take your first step forward toward recovery and contact us today.