Tag: Best Rehabs In Arizona

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How to Help a Loved One with Cocaine?

Help a Loved One with Cocaine

When Drug Abuse Runs in The Family

It can be a hopeless feeling to have a loved one dealing with drug abuse. I’ve dealt with addiction firsthand, as well as within my own family. My own addiction nearly killed me, but Best Rehabs In Arizona gave me my life back. When I witnessed a family member dealing with a similar situation, I knew that I had the tools to help a loved one with cocaine. The primary hurdle was getting to the point where they could hear and accept my advice.

I struggled with cocaine addiction in my twenties but was able to get a handle on it and now I have been sober for ten years. My cocaine abuse never led me to a life of crime or homelessness, but I know plenty of people who went down that path. When I noticed the signs of addiction within my own family, I had to jump into action.

I’ve had several family members struggle with addiction. Alcoholism and mental illness run in my family, so I have had plenty of experience with that situation. A little bit of education and compassion goes a long way.

Keep reading to find out how to help a loved one with cocaine or other addictions, and how the story played out in our case!

Help a Loved One with Cocaine: Identifying Addiction

Because I had my own history of cocaine addiction, I learned what to look out for when it comes to cocaine use. I have several siblings, a couple of which have never drank or tried drugs. I knew that my oldest brother drank occasionally, so I was always afraid that he might fall into substance abuse of some kind or another. It wasn’t long ago that I began to notice the signs of potential cocaine addiction.

Cocaine users have a tendency to alternate between high highs and very low lows. I began to notice this trend with my older brother after he started going to college. There were times that I would see him where he would seem on top of the world. Full of energy, talking a mile a minute, and then other times when he would barely be able to hold a conversation without showing signs of irritation.

The red flags were pretty obvious for me having dealt with my own cocaine use in the past. Drug use is often hard to identify at first, as users can do a pretty good job of hiding it from the people they want to hide it from. After a while, the signs of drug abuse become too hard to control or hide. Being addicted to cocaine myself, I had learned how to pick up on the subtle clues left by cocaine users.

The Mental And Physical Effects Of Cocaine Abuse

The Mental And Physical Effects Of Cocaine Abuse

When you abuse cocaine, the warning signs will present themselves eventually. Because cocaine has such a great effect on your brain chemistry, a cocaine addict will often always present the signs. Cocaine makes your entire body speed up and it’s very difficult to control your impulses. Abusing cocaine can make you feel intense feelings of happiness and excitement, but once those effects wear off, you feel the exact opposite.

Common physical symptoms associated with cocaine addiction include restlessness, not getting enough sleep, dilated pupils, and increased heart rate. There are many more physical symptoms, but these were the ones that stood out to me the most when trying to identify my brother’s addiction. Common mental effects include depression, anxiety, mood swings, and risky behaviors.

Drug use of most types will lead you to engage in risky behaviors as a result of lower inhibitions. Cocaine addiction can easily lead to a life of crime as it did for me. When I didn’t have the money for cocaine, I would do whatever I needed to do to get out, including pawning my things or stealing from people to support my habit.

When A Cocaine Addiction Gets Out Of Control

It was increasingly obvious to me that my brother was dealing with a worsening cocaine addiction. When he dropped out of college and began living with my parents, he was unable to hide his addiction any longer. The signs were all there, and we all knew it. Despite his denials, I would find little bags of white powder and my parents would notice valuables missing. When finally confronted with all of this evidence, my brother freaked.

Cocaine use can cause you to say and do a lot of horrible things, even to family members. When we finally had an intervention with him, he stormed out and we didn’t see him for two weeks. We were terrified that we would get a call from the police that he was found dead. There’s a great unknown associated with drug addiction, and things can spiral out of control very easily.

Your brain is not your own. Prolonged cocaine use changes your mental makeup and just about turn you into an entirely different person. When your brain chemistry is altered so vastly, your mental health suffers a great deal. When we finally found my brother, he was living in a crack den and beginning to freebase cocaine. There wasn’t much we could do other than let him make his own choice.

Getting A Family Member Into Addiction Treatment

Getting A Family Member Into Addiction Treatment

 

It would be another year at least before my brother finally entertained the idea of addiction treatment. We waited around that whole time wondering if he would ever see the light, or if his cocaine addiction would lead to an early death. He continued his drug use until he was arrested for shoplifting and placed on probation. He couldn’t pass a drug test to save his life. With prison time hanging over him, he finally made the decision to seek therapy and look into drug rehab centers.

When he finally decided to give recovery a shot, he asked me to help him navigate it and be his support. It was a task I had waited my whole life for. I was more than ready to try and save him, but I made it clear that he needed to save himself. I could help guide him along the way, but ultimately his sobriety was his choice. I can’t take the straw or crack pipe from someone’s hand and tell them not to do it.

Knowing that Best Rehabs In Arizona was one of the best rehab centers around, I encouraged him to give it a try. I didn’t know if he was fully ready to get clean. Sometimes it takes people multiple tries. There are addicts that never get clean even after going to treatment over and over again. It’s an extremely difficult process to commit to, and I know from experience that the intense struggle to not go back to cocaine is brutal.

What are the Withdrawal Symptoms Of Cocaine?

Because of my past history of cocaine addiction, I was able to let my brother know what he was in for as far as the withdrawal is concerned. Cocaine withdrawal is unlike many other forms of drug withdrawal. It isn’t so much physical as it is mental. To treat cocaine addiction, you have to do a lot of mental gymnastics. The intense high from cocaine is a tough one to let go.

Withdrawal from cocaine includes a lot of agitation and restlessness. Fatigue, intense cravings, and depression are very common. I assured him that these uncomfortable feelings were nowhere near as bad as the discomfort associated with lifelong cocaine use. You can’t lose track of the possibilities that are in your future. Every addict has the ability to get clean and do great things with their life, even if it seems impossible to the addict.

My brother went through the same inpatient treatment that I did, and luckily for all of us, he navigated his withdrawal symptoms with as much grace as possible. In order to get effective treatment, you have to be prepared to deal with a lot of your demons when you come out on the other side of withdrawal. Once you’ve passed that initial hurdle, the real work can begin.

Treatment And Recovery Requires Lasting Support

Treatment And Recovery Requires Lasting Support

The first step to ensuring a long-term recovery is support. Although addiction requires a lot of individual effort in order to overcome, we all need a helping hand from time to time. Family support is very important, and my family has done a great job not just in supporting me in my recovery, but my brother as well in his newfound sobriety.

We attend support groups together and are open about the family struggles that we endure. It’s helpful to hear from others who are also navigating their own recovery. There’s something very powerful about being able to connect with others who are in similar situations as you. It isn’t just about your success in recovery. My approach to sobriety is to celebrate other people’s success just as much as my own.

Reaching Out for Effective Cocaine Addiction Treatment

I play the main role in my recovery, but there are a lot of supporting players as well. When I go to meetings and group therapy, I feel a sense of comfort that I could never find during my own addiction. It’s important to look out for each other.

Drug addiction is a massive thing to overcome in life, but with the right attitude and a positive mindset, there’s no reason it can’t work for you. When I talk about my recovery with others, I feel like I am paying it forward. I want others to know that no matter how bad it gets, there can be light at the end of the tunnel with effective help.

I know I found just such a source of support at Best Rehabs In Arizona. For me, it made all the difference, and I bet it can for you as well. Why not reach out today, and at least get options for a different tomorrow?

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Best Ways to Regain Custody After Drug Abuse

Regain Custody After Drug Abuse

Dealing With Substance Abuse as A Parent

Substance abuse is an all-consuming situation. Even if you are a good parent or come from a good family, the power of drug addiction can tear it all apart. I have been there before, and I’ve nearly lost my family several times. Today, with the help of Best Rehabs In Arizona, I am sober and have my family back. It took a lot of work and child custody battles to regain custody after drug abuse, but the power of forgiveness can’t be understated.

First, you have to forgive yourself. Even though I am clean, I still have moments where I am hard on myself for putting my children through my drug abuse. I try not to be too tough on myself, but I know that I lost precious time that I can’t get back. I dedicate my entire life now to making new memories with my children, and not taking anything for granted.

Parental substance abuse creates deep wounds that take a long time to heal, if ever. The children of addicts are often at risk of becoming addicts as well. My parents struggled with drug and alcohol addiction, and I had to grow up fast in order to fend for myself. This created a lot of resentment as a young adult, and it led me to become an addict myself.

Keep reading if any of this sounds familiar, because I’ll tell the depths of how far my addiction took me and how our family finally found help and a way out!

Losing Child Custody Because Of Drug Or Alcohol Addiction

I was in a codependent relationship with the mother of my children. We were both alcoholics and dabbled a bit with opiates. When we had our first son, we assumed that the love for our child would help us get our act together. We were both prepared to give it our all and be the best parents we could be. We both got sober briefly, but it didn’t take long before the stress of being new parents got to us.

I’ve suffered from alcohol abuse since my teenage years. My parents drank, as well as many of my other family members. I have cousins who were subjected to child abuse as a result of their parent’s addictions. One of my cousins was emancipated, and another cousin was put in child protective services multiple times before they were ten years old.

I Never Thought it Could Happen to Me

Child custody

Losing custody of my own children never crossed my mind. It seemed like a foreign concept that only happened to other people. Although my wife and I suffered from alcohol abuse, we were functioning alcoholics. We both had jobs and paid our bills. After our son was born, she became pregnant again with our daughter. The stress of having one child was bad enough, and my drinking continued.

My wife was able to quit drinking during her pregnancy, but she continued using opiates. When our daughter was born, the doctors knew immediately that there was an issue. We ended up losing custody of our daughter, and child protective services were also trying to take our son away from us. The stress of the whole situation made my drinking worse, and I was drunk during an interview with CPS. This led to our son being taken away from us as well.

When Child Protective Services Take Your Kids

When I was finally living with the reality of losing my kids because of my addiction, I had a huge decision to make. I could wallow in my sorrow and let my addiction kill me, or I could fight with everything I had to save myself and get my family back. Even though I still loved my wife, it was necessary for us to separate at the time. We had enabled each other’s addictions for so long that we didn’t know how to even approach getting clean.

When I lost custody of my kids, it was the wake-up call that I needed. My substance use disorder had finally taken every last thing I cared about. Why would I continue to feed my habit, knowing that it ruined my entire life? I had my moment of clarity one morning after a night of heavy drinking. I thought of my son and realized that if I didn’t start trying to get clean immediately I would miss years of his life, if not the whole thing.

I entered substance abuse treatment at Best Rehabs In Arizona and began the long process to rebuild my family. Thinking about my children ending up in foster care was terrifying, but I knew that ruminating on this would not help my mental state. I worked very hard to keep myself in check and not get too low thinking about my children’s situation. I tried to keep my mind on getting better one day at a time.

How To Regain Child Custody After Drug Abuse

Regaining child custody following drug rehabilitation can be a long, drawn-out process, but if you chip away a little at a time it will be to your benefit. Attending a treatment program and sticking to it is a good way to show the courts that you are committed to your recovery. When I began seeking custody of my children, I made sure that I went to alcoholic support groups several times a week.

When I finally began working on my substance abuse problems, I began to understand what I had been putting my children through. For a long time, I assumed that I was capable enough of having physical custody of my children. Sure, I was an alcoholic, but they weren’t starving or suffering. Little did I know there was a lot of internal suffering.

Children pick up on everything their parents do. Every little mistake or outburst, they see it, and it affects them silently. Parental addiction can have long-lasting effects on a child’s safety and mental health. I finally began to understand why once I began going to meetings and hearing from other children of addicts.

Honesty and Transparency: What a Judge Wants to Hear About Custody

Honesty and Transparency in Court

I was able to use this knowledge in court and give myself an advantage. I admitted my mistakes, I talked about what I was doing to address them, and I did not make it all about me. I made it about my children. A selfless approach will go a much longer way than talking to the court about yourself and your own needs. I went in there and talked about the needs of my children.

At first, the Judge was reluctant to award joint legal custody, but over time and many appearances, I was able to get back my kids and rebuild our family. When my wife continued using, I was even given sole custody, which never

Is Parental Addiction Child Abuse?

No parents want to believe that their addiction is in some way linked to abuse, but there are many cases where this is true. A parent’s substance abuse never happens ‘in a vacuum.’ When you are an addict, the addiction is number one. The needs of the child are put on the pay-no-mind list. Even though I provided for my children, and they were in good physical condition, my wife and I were creating developmental problems and mental health issues within them.

My alcohol abuse often led me to be irritable and prone to outbursts. It never got physical when my wife and I would argue, but our son witnessed all of it and it created fear in him. He was afraid of us at times and would withdraw from normal activities. I didn’t realize this was because of our addiction until I finally began learning about the complexities of substance abuse.

When Child Protective Services take your children away, they are not trying to punish you. Their number one concern is child safety. They know that the children of addicts are oftentimes at great risk. Anything can happen, and the damage can be deeper than just the affect child custody services might be concerned with.

You can be driving drunk with your kid in the back seat and cause them great bodily harm or (I never let myself consider it when drinking) even death. You can easily lose them in a mall if you aren’t in your right mind. There are many scenarios that can happen that often lead to great danger.

Sharing Joint Legal Custody Following Rehab

My wife and I did not get back together following my addiction treatment. She continued abusing drugs but eventually got clean. During her time in recovery, I was given sole custody of my children. It felt like a gigantic weight was lifted, and we could continue our lives again. There was no better feeling and the reason I stay clean today is because of how magical that feeling was and still is.

After my wife was clean for several months, we entered into a custody dispute. I was completely fine with her seeing the kids, but I needed to know that she was on the right path before I allowed her to regain custody. She soon proved that she was capable of taking care of them, but it did take a while. I was very nervous to allow for joint custody, but I personally saw the strides that she made in her recovery.

Sharing physical custody still gives me certain concerns, as I’m sure it does for her. What if one of us relapses? What if one of us is hiding it? I often wonder if my kids are safe when they are with her. It’s not that I don’t trust her, I just know the power of addiction and what it can make people do. I try to give her the benefit of the doubt, as she does me. We check in with each other and often talk about our recovery journey together, which eases both of our concerns.

Being A Parent Again

Being A Parent Again

Dealing with family court, custody disputes, and constantly meeting with lawyers and CPS investigators was grueling, but every step of the process was worth it now that I have my children back. A child’s life is precious and requires a parent with a stable mind. Having one parent addicted to drugs is bad enough, having two almost gives the child no chance.

There aren’t a ton of success stories when it comes to drug addicts losing child custody. I continue to submit to drug testing randomly and I am totally ok with it. You can’t be too careful with a person who has a history of drugs or alcohol. At any time, you can slip back into your old ways if you aren’t actively working on your recovery.

You don’t realize what drug abuse will make you do until you are deep into it. No matter how much love you have for your children, a substance use disorder will make you throw it all away for one high. This is why I talk openly about my drug use and attend as many meetings as I can. I don’t take my sobriety for granted. Drug rehab helped me, but lasting recovery takes continued effort.

Forgiving Yourself So You Can Thrive

You won’t thrive in your recovery unless you are kind to yourself. We all make mistakes in life, sometimes huge ones. Living in the past is an easy way to fall back into your old habits. Being mindful of the present and taking things day by day is a good mindset to have in order to continue your sobriety and be a good parent along the way.

I set goals for myself and put a big emphasis on relapse prevention. Recovery allows me to keep myself in check and understand the warning signs of relapse. I know that I am not immune to relapse, as no one in recovery is. It’s always right there, but you don’t have to be terrified of it. Giving in to the fear of relapse can often make you put off the work required to stay clean, never mind regaining custody of your children. Don’t give in to fear.

Reaching Out for the Opportunity at Best Rehabs In Arizona

I treat my situation as if I have an active addiction right below the surface. My substance use doesn’t define me, but it is a part of my makeup. I accept that now and don’t try to hide it or run from it. I let people know that everything I have now in life is because I am sober. I try to remind myself of that every day I get to wake up with my children under my roof.

If you are struggling with alcohol or drugs, or both, and you want your kids to be a part of your life again, I would recommend seeking help at Best Rehabs In Arizona. I know it made a world of difference to our family and made me realize just how close I had been to losing them.

Don’t wait as long as I did to get support for staying sober, why not reach out to Best Rehabs In Arizona now and get options? All calls are confidential, and it will never affect your custody rights to find out how to get help!

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How Long Does Cocaine Stay in Urine?

How Long Does Cocaine Stay in Urine

The Duration of Cocaine in Drug Test Methods

Cocaine is extracted from the leaves of the coca plant. Possession of cocaine is a crime in the United States since it is a Schedule II controlled substance. A schedule II controlled substance can cause severe psychological or physical dependence and have a high potential for abuse. Medical uses of cocaine are limited and only permitted under tight guidelines from doctors.

Cocaine is an exceptionally potent stimulant drug with a high addiction potential. The National Institute on Drug Addiction (NIDA) reports that about 1.7% of Americans aged 12 or older used cocaine in 2021.

The intoxicating effects of cocaine effects wear off quickly. Therefore, users frequently re-dose or engage in bingeing to maintain the high. This destructive pattern usually leads individuals to develop a dependency on the drug. If you have been using cocaine and face a drug test, you may be wondering how long does cocaine stay in urine?

Keep reading to find out more about the timing to test positive for cocaine, and how to find cocaine addiction treatment if you would prefer to have fewer worries in the future!

The Effects of Cocaine Addiction

The method of use affects the time it takes for cocaine effects to kick in:

  • The effects of snorting cocaine might kick in within a few minutes and linger for up to half an hour.
  • The effects of smoking cocaine can be felt within 10 seconds and last 5 to 15 minutes.
  • Cocaine use by injection yields a more intense and immediate high at the expense of shorter duration compared to other administration routes. The time of the effects is 5 minutes to 15 minutes.
  • Cocaine ingestion has the same onset time as snorting the drug.

 

Most cocaine users snort the drug. This route of administration increases the rate at which the drug’s effects kick in. Users may experience a powerful and rapid high within minutes. Cocaine has a rapid onset but a short duration of about 20 to 30 minutes.

Cocaine’s immediate effects include:

  • Boosted energy
  • Reduced hunger
  • Lack of sleep
  • Anxiety and agitation
  • Taking unnecessary risks
  • Increased body temperature
  • Hypertension and rapid heartbeat
  • Sweating
  • Stroke
  • Convulsions

 

After the effects of cocaine have worn off, the psychological damage it caused may still be evident. Cocaine abuse can have long-term consequences such as:

  • Anxiety
  • Panic attacks
  • Psychosis
  • Insomnia
  • Emotional instability
  • Paranoia
  • Addiction

 

Cocaine use is associated with a potential “crash” the next day. The signs of a cocaine comedown might vary from person to person and depend on how much cocaine was consumed. However, excessive exhaustion, melancholy, and anxiety are the most often reported side effects.

Drinking alcohol with cocaine can also be fatal, as it produces a specific metabolite called cocaethylene that can be quite damaging to the liver and body.

After How Long Does Cocaine Stop Being Detectable During Drug Tests?

After How Long Does Cocaine Stop Being Detectable During Drug Tests

Cocaine rapidly stimulates the release of dopamine, a reward-related neurotransmitter, in the brain. Cocaine’s temporary high from dopamine releases triggers a positive feedback loop that promotes further usage and leads to dependence.

How long the effects of cocaine persist may change based on factors such as the user’s age, the health of their liver or kidneys, and the presence or absence of any contaminants substances. Because the kidneys and liver are responsible for flushing cocaine out of the system, problems with either organ can extend the drug’s effects.

The half-life of cocaine is approximately one hour. This means that the average human body needs about an hour for the body to eliminate half of the cocaine in the bloodstream.

It is essential to note that long-term use may cause longer elimination times, enabling some tests to detect cocaine in the system for extended periods.

Cocaine usually stays in the system for about 1 to 4 days in a urine drug test, but it is detectible for up to weeks or months in some individuals. Detection timeframes for cocaine vary widely depending on the type of test.

Average Cocaine Detection Times

Below are some of the most typical detection times:

  1. Urine Test: Up to 4 days
  2. Blood Test: Up to 2 days
  3. Saliva Test: Up to 2 days
  4. Hair Tests: Months to years

 

Cocaine or its metabolites can still be found in blood and saliva at least two days after the last dose, while it may be detectible in a hair sample months or even years after quitting.

Metabolites of cocaine are detectible in urine for about three days, but they can last for up to 2 weeks in repeated cocaine users.

While there are other options for testing, the most common form of testing is a urine toxicology test.

To avoid a positive cocaine test, users should weigh the risks of continuing to use cocaine against the benefits of abstaining. You may be suffering from a cocaine use problem if you feel that you are unable to quit the drug.

Factors that Can Affect How Long Cocaine Remains in Your System

Factors that Can Affect How Long Cocaine Remains in Your System

The length of time that drugs like cocaine stay in your system could be affected by the following factors:

  • Dosage
  • Use frequency
  • The last dose
  • pH of urine
  • Urine concentration
  • Kidney or liver damage
  • Total body mass

Common Tests for Cocaine Use

Some employers regularly use drug tests to detect cocaine use. Cocaine testing is usually a prerequisite for entry into several industries and professions.

Once a candidate has been offered and accepts a position, the employer may request a drug test before the candidate starts working. The job offer will be rescinded if the applicant doesn’t pass the test.

Failing to pass a drug test may signify that it’s time to seek treatment at a cocaine addiction treatment center. If you cannot pass a cocaine drug test, you should consider getting help for cocaine addiction.

Medical experts use different methods for detecting cocaine in samples. The tests are sensitive enough to pick up benzoylecgonine, a chemical marker for cocaine.

Urine Testing

Testing urine samples is the most affordable test for cocaine use. Urine drug tests are sensitive enough to detect recent cocaine use within the past week and chronic use longer than seven days. The cutoff concentration for a positive test result is 300 ng/ml. You may need to take another test to confirm after a positive test.

However, the cutoff for a positive test result is 150 ng/ml for subsequent samples. Some people have tested negative for cocaine after using minimal amounts of the drug. Many people drink a lot of water or try to swap urine samples with someone else before taking a drug test.

Saliva Testing

Companies often use saliva testing for drug detection. Saliva tests for cocaine are faster than urine tests and produce results faster.

Since these tests can detect whether or not someone has injected, smoked, or eaten an illicit substance within up to 72 hours before testing, professionals consider a saliva test is more reliable than others. One drawback of saliva testing is that it can only detect use during the past 72 hours.

Hair Drug Testing

Only a little snip of hair is needed from near the scalp area. Standard hair follicle screening usually covers about 90 days. But this time frame might vary greatly depending on hair growth.

You can still collect hair from other body parts if no hair is found on the head. Many people consider hair testing more reliable than urine testing for detecting chronic, low-level drug usage.

Drugs enter the hair through cocaine metabolites produced by the human body. Drugs and metabolites enter the hair follicles as they enter the body.

Blood Testing

Blood Testing

Blood tests are among the most invasive method of cocaine testing. It entails performing blood tests in a lab setting. Blood tests can detect trace quantities of cocaine up to 48 hours after usage.

Many users try to fool these tests, but they usually work. Cocaine abusers frequently struggle with addiction or drug abuse. Dismissal from employment is among the many unfavorable outcomes that might result from cocaine use.

Detoxing from Cocaine

Cocaine detox should be done in a medically supervised setting to ensure maximum safety and comfort throughout the process.

People who develop a dependency on cocaine often struggle with withdrawal symptoms when they try to quit using the drug. Cocaine dependency happens when someone takes cocaine regularly, to the point where they need it to carry on with daily life.

Most people get dependent on cocaine at different rates, and a person’s genetic makeup significantly affects how quickly dependence develops after one’s first experience with the drug.

Cocaine’s effects on the brain’s dopamine neurotransmission explain some of the events associated with both dependence and withdrawal. Cocaine usage has been linked to significant dopamine activity levels in brain regions associated with motivation and reward.

What are the Signs of Cocaine Withdrawal?

Below are some of the signs of acute cocaine withdrawal may display the following symptoms:

  • Anxiety
  • Irritability
  • Depression
  • Unable to focus
  • There was a slowing of both mind and action
  • Fatigue
  • Disruptions to regular sleeping habits
  • Augmented hunger
  • Urge to use cocaine
  • Paranoia

The Dangers of Depression During Cocaine Detox

The Dangers of Depression During Cocaine Detox

Although most people do not have severe physical symptoms during stimulant withdrawal, those who are particularly sensitive to the drug are at risk for experiencing severely debilitating dysphoria.

Suicidal ideation or attempt, and relapse to cocaine use, have been linked to this profoundly dysphoric stage in certain patients.

Some persons have a more protracted or lengthy withdrawal course and have withdrawal symptoms for several weeks after stopping cocaine. However, many withdrawal symptoms diminish within a few days after quitting.

When withdrawal symptoms from a particular substance continue for far longer than expected after the person has stopped using, this is known as protracted withdrawal.

Withdrawal symptoms can vary significantly in intensity from one person to the next. A person’s age, general health, the quantity and frequency of their cocaine usage, and the length of their addiction all play a role in the severity of these symptoms. Additional elements to consider are how the drug was administered and whether or not other medications were mixed in.

Those experiencing withdrawal may be tempted to start using again to alleviate their distress.

How Long Does Withdrawal Last?

The severity and length of cocaine withdrawal may vary depending on the type of cocaine used. The average duration of acute cocaine withdrawal symptoms is three to four days. But some people may experience continued withdrawal symptoms for up to four weeks.

A higher likelihood of relapse is associated with more severe episodes of cocaine withdrawal. High scorers on a test measuring the intensity of cocaine withdrawal were found to be four times as likely to repeat drug usage as low scorers.

A person’s risk of relapse during and after withdrawal from cocaine can be reduced by receiving medical and social assistance as part of a medically managed withdrawal program.

Find Effective Cocaine Addiction Treatment at Best Rehabs In Arizona

If you or a loved one have a cocaine use disorder, the substance abuse professionals at Best Rehabs In Arizona can help you get your life back on track. We offer many detox and cocaine addiction treatment programs to match your requirements.

Contact us today for professional medical advice about cocaine detox and rehab services. All calls are strictly confidential, so please reach out now!

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Does Cocaine Cause Hair Loss?

Does cocaine cause hair loss concept pic

Investigating the Side Effects of Cocaine

Many people are already familiar with the side effects that often accompany a cocaine addiction. They know how to look for the physical symptoms or withdrawal and the mental health disorders that can sometimes accompany drug use. However, there are also several lesser-known side effects of cocaine that you should be on the lookout for: namely, does cocaine cause hair loss?

Best Rehabs In Arizona is determined to help you combat drug addiction. If you or a loved one is experiencing some of the symptoms associated with illegal drugs, we can customize a treatment plan specifically for you.

Cocaine and Hair Loss: What’s the Connection?

The truth is that you might experience hair fallout from extended cocaine use. Drug abuse can impact the body in unexpected ways, and this is often one of them. Cocaine can halt hair growth in a number of different ways as well as contribute to hair that falls out before it is truly ready.

Let’s take a closer look at what you can expect from the hair growth cycle when you use substances like cocaine. These lesser-known side effects can take a real toll on your body and here’s how they work.

Lack of Nutrition Leads to Hair Loss

Lack of Nutrition Leads to Hair Loss

In order to understand hair loss with cocaine addiction, it is important to note some of the other symptoms you will experience. The physical repercussions of drug abuse are serious. Perhaps one of the easiest symptoms to spot is a lack of appetite or rapid weight loss. When you stop consuming a well-balanced diet, you are depriving your body of needed nutrients.

Of course, there are other issues that stem from cocaine use as well. For example, your body is unable to absorb the nutrients that you do take in, however minimal these may be. Combined, these nutritional deficiencies make it less likely that your body will be able to generate healthy hair growth.

The body will prioritize its most important functions when nutrition is ignored. That means that it goes toward repairing the body, keeping organs functioning, and more. The last place that these precious nutrients will go is your hair growth. It simply is not a necessary function, and your recreational drug use is to blame for the hair loss you experience.

Stress-Induced Hair Loss with Substance Abuse

While lack of nutrition makes hair growth a challenge, hair loss is just as common due to the stress of cocaine use. Hair loss is common following a radical change to the body’s system, such as that caused by cocaine usage. Any time you use crack cocaine or other recreational drugs, you start to induce stress-related hair loss.

Combine this stress to the bodily systems with your poor nutrition and you have a recipe for disaster when it comes to your hair.

Unfortunately, you might struggle with even more hair loss when you decide to give up your crack cocaine usage. Getting the drug out of your system is equally stressful, both mentally and physically. As a result, you might find that your hair loss gets a little bit worse before it starts to improve.

If you notice that your hair is thinning or you have difficulty with hair regrowth, it could be a sign that your cocaine use is taking a toll on your body. It moves from invisible to visible fairly quickly, especially as far as your temporary hair loss is concerned. Reach out for help if you want to get through the early days of sobriety and start to get your hair healthy again.

Prioritizing Important Body Systems Means Hair Growth Takes a Backseat

One of the hallmarks of cocaine addiction is an interruption to normal and healthy sleep patterns. You may spend very little time asleep, and even the quality of that sleep is minimal. You need certain stages of sleep to keep the body functioning at its best.

During the rapid eye movement (REM) stage of your sleep, your body is primed to repair itself. Disrupted REM sleep means that you body has less time to focus on making the necessary repairs to important body systems. In turn, it will focus on the most important systems first.

This often means that your body will relegate hair growth or hair loss to the bottom of the list. Hair, while it may be beautiful, is not the most important thing for your body to focus on repairing when REM sleep is at a premium.

As a result, the less sleep you get, the more likely it is that you will experience substantial hair loss and have difficulty when it comes time to regrow hair.

Lack of Proper Hair Care Leads to Hair Loss

Taking hair care

One of the issues with cocaine addiction is that you tend to neglect some of the daily care activities that your body needs to be fully functioning and healthy. Personal appearance and hygiene tend to be the first things to go when you are coping with a substance use issue. To this end, you will find that your haircare routine is likely lacking.

When you stop taking care of your hair, it is only normal to find that you have hair loss or issues with regrowth of the hair follicles.

Perhaps the easiest way to minimize hair loss from taking illegal drugs is to reprioritize the daily care of your hair. Purchase quality shampoo and conditioner, making every effort to wash and care for it on a regular basis.

Will You Suffer Permanent Hair Loss Due to Cocaine Use?

If you are concerned about the connection between cocaine and hair loss, you might be wondering if anything can be done about it. Maybe you are ready to conquer your addiction once and for all but are concerned that your hair may never recover. Fortunately, most of the hair loss is only temporary.

It will take some time for your body to catch up and move toward healthy hair growth once more. You will need to maintain good nutrition, healthy sleep habits, and decrease the overall stress in your life. Taking care of your hair will also help to restore hair follicles and make it more likely that you can regrow hair that you have lost.

Cocaine use allows the body to transition into a constant state of shock where hair is the least of the body’s priorities. You can help it reestablish equilibrium by stopping your substance use and seeking treatment with a qualified rehab center.

What Does Cocaine Addiction Treatment Do for Hair Loss?

Cocaine Addiction Treatment

Through treatment for cocaine use, we will help you establish healthy habits once more including both eating balanced meals and sleeping. Both of these can have a dramatic impact on stress-induced hair loss and make it more likely that you hair will regrow. Residential treatment also keeps you sober and away from substance abuse, guiding you along the path toward healing.

In some instances, a doctor may even be able to prescribe a medication aimed at helping hair regrow. Be sure to ask your doctor if you would qualify for one of these treatments if your hair loss is particularly significant.

Getting Help for Hair Loss and Cocaine Use

Many people find that the health of their hair suffers when exposed to illegal drugs. The good news is that you can combat this lesser-known side effect with treatment at Best Rehabs In Arizona. We will start with a medical detox, allowing you to rid the body of leftover cocaine and helping you to step into your recovery.

Addressing the root cause of your hair loss is essential. Allow our team of experienced medical professionals to create a customized treatment plan that will have you looking and feeling your very best. Contact Best Rehabs In Arizona today to learn more about our treatment programs!

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How Much is a Gram of Cocaine?

How Much is a Gram of Cocaine

Understanding The Financial Impact of Drug Abuse

Drug abuse creates a lot of self-inflicted issues for the addict. In this article, I will help you understand the emotional, physical, and financial damage done by addiction. Through my cocaine addiction, I threw away relationships and opportunities that I will never get back. I also threw away a lot of money, which you will better understand when you know the answer to how much is a gram of cocaine.

My cocaine use was so drastic, that by the time I entered recovery at Best Rehabs In Arizona, I was nursing a three-hundred-dollar-a-day addiction. I found that even though I was stealing from other people to fund my drug abuse, I didn’t feel bad about it. The only thing I cared about was the drug, and I would get it by any means necessary.

Drug use is a crippling scenario no matter what addiction you have. I began smoking crack cocaine in my late teens and continued using cocaine through my entire twenties. When you have an addiction to a drug like cocaine, the purity levels will always vary. I’ve had cocaine that was so cut it barely had any cocaine in it.

Keep reading to find out more about my own descent into cocaine addiction, and how Best Rehabs In Arizona Recovery can help you launch your own recovery journey!

How Drug Prices Shape Your Addiction

When you have as fierce of a crack cocaine addiction as I did, you will do anything to finance it. The street prices for drugs can change depending on the drug. Some drugs are much more expensive. The street prices of opiates have skyrocketed in recent years, but drugs like crystal meth, heroin, and crack cocaine are usually much cheaper.

One of the reasons crack cocaine became such a popular drug in the 1980s is because of the price. Powder cocaine is typically a more luxurious drug. People will pay big money for a single gram of coke. A common price for one single gram of cocaine is around a hundred dollars these days. The market is different depending on multiple factors.

Depending on where you live, availability plays a big role in street prices. Cocaine prices can be hard to determine based on multiple factors. If you live closer to a country like Mexico, cocaine is usually cheaper. If you live further north, you will probably be paying a bit more because there is less supply.

The Varying Degree Of Cocaine Prices

The Varying Degree Of Cocaine Prices

The quality is also something to consider. Because cocaine is normally sold in powder form, it’s easy to cut with other drugs. Depending on the source, you won’t be able to know what you’re ingesting until you ingest it. The supply is always deceiving.

When you have a high level of cocaine addiction, you’re typically not getting it from one place. I had multiple dealer numbers on my phone, and they were all my lifeline. When I began using crack cocaine, the street price was around forty of fifty dollars for one gram.

Sometimes, if there was less crack available on the street, the price would be between sixty and eighty dollars a gram. Because an addiction to crack cocaine is so intense, you will pay whatever you need to. I’ve overpaid for cocaine at many points and didn’t even think twice about it.

The Relationship Between Crack Cocaine and Crime

Because cocaine prices can vary, you will do whatever you have to do to get high. I can remember a long period during my addiction when there was less availability of cocaine in my neighborhood. The law enforcement officials in my town had really cracked down on the amount of cocaine coming in, so it was harder to attain.

The sources that I had were arrested and taken off the street. By this point, I was already spending several hundred dollars a week to fund my habit. I was taking crack cocaine every hour. I was using it with more frequency, but I wasn’t getting any higher. My tolerance level was so high that I needed more and more crack to get the feeling I required.

When you have a bad drug addiction, you are only thinking in the short term. Long-term consequences don’t come into play. Very often you will engage in petty crime to fund your addiction. I began committing burglary in order to fund my crack habit. Life on the streets is cutthroat. I was willing to risk decades behind bars in order to continue to get high on a regular basis.

How To Curb Drug Addiction

How To Curb Drug Addiction

I finally had a moment of clarity when I was arrested. I had stolen over a thousand dollars of merchandise from a nearby business over the course of a year, and I was caught red-handed. I was given the opportunity to go to recovery or face years in prison. I considered my options and realized that this could end up being an effective way for me to get clean.

My crack addiction had destroyed me financially. I would spend up to fifty dollars for one gram of crack, and smoke it all within two hours. When your addiction is at a level as high as mine, it isn’t crazy to smoke three hundred dollars worth of crack in one day and still want more. Inflation, demand, high tolerance, and other factors will make you spend whatever you need to spend to get high.

The percentage of people who recover from crack addiction is low. It’s such an intense drug that it takes extreme methods to get clean. My crack addiction continued to increase even when I knew it was ravaging my body and mind. I overdosed multiple times, yet the drug still had a massive grip on me. In the USA, cocaine is responsible for one in five overdose deaths.

Relapse Doesn’t Have To Be The End Of Your Story

When I finally entered recovery, I was still in crack mode. I didn’t really want to involve myself in treatment. All I wanted to do was break out and call my dealer. I already knew the dangers associated with my drug abuse, but I did not care. I wasn’t making any progress.

I didn’t want to give up my drug use. In the past year, I made the decision that I was going to use crack until I died. I didn’t have any interest in getting clean. I relapsed soon after my initial treatment, and it would be another six months before I gave recovery another shot. I got to a point where I finally couldn’t stand it anymore.

The increase in the price of the drug, my high tolerance, and the overall hopelessness of my situation finally made me break. My cocaine use had broken my mind and my spirit. I finally decided to seek help, and at this point, I was actually doing it for myself. I wasn’t doing it so I could avoid jail time. I wanted to get clean once and for all.

This is the mindset you must have when you try to get clean. You aren’t going to get clean for anyone else but yourself. You have to make up your mind that you are sick and tired, and you are ready to put in the work required to achieve sobriety.

Embrace Your Journey of Cocaine Recovery

Embrace Your Journey of Cocaine Recovery

The cost of my habit had led me to do unthinkable things to other people. I truly felt like I had sold my soul in order to continue my addiction. It was a horrible feeling when I finally came to this realization. Drugs are always going to be a part of your past, and it’s wise to embrace that and use it in your recovery journey. You can’t shy away from the past.

I’ve since run into a couple of law enforcement officials who had at one time arrested me, and it was a unique reunion. They told me they didn’t think I would live to see forty. They told me I was one of the worst users they had ever encountered, and it gave them a lot of hope to see my work through recovery.

It’s moments like this that make it all worth it for me. I now speak to groups of young people about the dangers of addiction, and I take this position very seriously. I can’t prevent someone from using drugs. It’s up to the individual to make that choice. What I can do, however, is let people know the consequences. Doing that makes me feel like my journey was all worth it.

Save Money on Cocaine the Right Way: Choose Treatment

If you are getting sick of the highs and lows, not to mention how expensive supporting a cocaine habit is, consider attending treatment with Best Rehabs In Arizonas. Beyond the cost of the drug itself, I found myself paying for coke and crack use in so many ways that I didn’t even realize until I got some clean time.

I know for myself, the team at Best Rehabs In Arizona was able to help me find a new life. If you or a loved one are struggling too, give them a call. In a few minutes of a confidential consultation, they can and will give you options and resources for recovery. Why not reach out now?

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Hiding Alcohol: What Does It Mean?

Hiding Alcohol

Why Does My Loved One Hide Alcohol?

Hiding alcohol is a very common sign of alcohol use disorder, also called alcohol addiction. If your loved one hides alcohol, you may find it around the house in the bottle it came in, in a water bottle, or in other drink containers.

When you discover that your loved one is hiding alcohol, it is often a scary time. Perhaps, you knew your loved one engaged in excessive drinking already, and discovering hidden alcohol around the house was the moment you could no longer ignore the problem. Alternatively, hidden alcohol could be one of the first signs of alcohol addiction you see.

Either way, your loved one deserves help and a judgment-free space to land. In this article, we’ll talk about alcohol use disorder and what to do if you discover that your loved one is drinking alcohol in private.

Keep reading to learn more about how to help a loved one with alcohol, and about the effective programs for recovery at Best Rehabs In Arizona in Colorado and Arizona!

Understanding Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)

Alcohol Use Disorder

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a mental illness, just like other substance use disorders. It could be that your loved one experiences alcohol addiction alone, or it could be that their alcohol consumption occurs alongside the use of other drugs.

While multiple risk factors increase the risk of an alcohol use disorder, the fact of the matter is that anyone can face alcohol addiction. Substance abuse has become increasingly prevalent throughout the years. The good news is that AUD is a treatable disorder.

Signs And Severity of an Alcohol Use Disorder

While hiding alcohol is one sign of a problem, understanding the other symptoms of alcohol addiction can help you identify it in yourself, family members, friends, or someone else you know, like a partner. Alcohol use disorder can be mild, moderate, or severe. Mild alcohol use disorder is marked by two to three of the signs below, whereas moderate alcohol use disorder is marked by three to five and severe alcohol use disorder is marked by six or more.

Signs of alcohol abuse include but aren’t limited to:

  • Drinking alcohol in large amounts or over a longer period than intended.
  • A persistent desire to stop drinking paired with unsuccessful efforts to reduce or control alcohol use.
  • Cravings or a strong desire to drink alcohol.
  • Spending a large portion of time on activities required to obtain, use, or recover from the effects of alcohol.
  • Continued alcohol use that results in failure to attend to obligations at work, school, or home.
  • Continuing to drink despite negative effects in the form of ongoing social or interpersonal problems caused or exacerbated by alcohol consumption.
  • Giving up or reducing time spent on important social, occupational, or recreational activities due to alcohol use.
  • Recurrent alcohol use despite getting into physically hazardous situations due to drinking.
  • Continued drinking despite recurrent or persistent physical or mental health issues that are likely caused or worsened by alcohol.
  • Tolerance is marked by either a need for higher drinking levels (a larger quantity of drinks) to achieve desired effects or a markedly reduced level of intoxication from drinking the same amount of alcohol.
  • Withdrawals marked by either withdrawal syndrome or consuming alcohol or a closely related substance, like benzodiazepines, to avoid or relieve withdrawal symptoms.

 

Regardless of severity level, getting professional help is crucial. Friends and family members are often an important part of a person’s support system, so the fact that you are reading this is already an excellent first step. Now, what are the treatment options?

Treatment Options For Alcohol Addiction

Residential Treatment For Alcohol Abuse

Everyone with a substance use disorder will have different treatment needs. Thankfully, there’s more than one treatment option for AUD. Treatment options for alcohol addiction include but aren’t limited to:

Residential treatment

Residential treatment involves staying at the treatment facility for the duration of care. In other words, individuals attending residential treatment will sleep and eat at the facility to which they are admitted.

You or your family member attending treatment will typically engage in various therapies (such as individual, group, and family therapy), creating a relapse prevention plan, and other helpful activities while in a residential treatment program.

Long-term rehab

It takes a lot of work and courage to manage addiction. Long-term rehab is ideal for those who require a longer duration of treatment than residential programs provide.

Residential treatment stays are usually around one to three months, whereas long-term rehab allows someone to stay in treatment for more than three months. While it depends on the person and their needs, some stay in long-term rehab for six months to a year.

Partial hospitalization programs

Partial hospitalization program

A partial hospitalization program (PHP) is more intensive than an outpatient program but less intensive than inpatient treatment. Like with outpatient programs, you do not sleep at the facility when you attend PHP. However, PHP usually requires a time commitment of around twenty hours per week.

Intensive outpatient programs

An intensive outpatient program (IOP) for mental health concerns like substance use disorders is exactly what it sounds like. Rather than sleep and eat at a treatment facility, intensive outpatient allows someone to live at home or otherwise outside of a facility while in care. IOP requires a time commitment of between nine to nineteen hours per week.

Medical detox

Withdrawals are uncomfortable. Medical detox is a safe space to go through the initial withdrawal and detoxification process while supervised by medical professionals. Some people, though not all, attend medical detox prior to treatment.

The Myth Of The “High-Functioning Alcoholic”

High-Functioning Alcoholic

You may or may not have heard the term “high-functioning alcoholic.” Usually, the term high-functioning alcoholic is used to describe a person who continues to engage in society through maintaining a job or their family life despite heavy drinking or an otherwise notable drinking problem. This may represent your loved one who attempts to hide alcohol.

Loved ones hiding drinking problems sometimes feel that they “have it under control” and may initially resist treatment. That said, a drinking problem is always serious enough to get help. Take a deep breath and know that your loved one can get to a better place.

Get Help For Yourself Or A Loved One

If your loved one is hiding alcohol or shows other signs of alcohol addiction, there is hope. Best Rehabs In Arizona is here to help. Best Rehabs In Arizona has many locations and levels of care in Arizona and Colorado. The levels of care we offer include residential, outpatient, partial hospitalization, detox, and long-term rehab.

Our hotline is available 24/7 for people with substance use disorders and their loved ones. When you contact Best Rehabs In Arizona, we will help you verify insurance coverage for treatment and find a placement at one of our facilities.

Call Best Rehabs In Arizona to speak with an addiction counselor today or fill out the Contact Us form on our website now!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Hiding Alcohol

Why do people hide their alcohol?

If someone hides alcohol in their own home, it is usually because the person knows that they have a problem. A person may hide alcohol out of shame or so that others do not know how much alcohol they drink.

Where do people usually hide alcohol?

If you find alcohol hidden by a loved one once, you may wonder where else they’re hiding alcohol. Common spots to find hidden alcohol include dresser drawers, closets, or containers typically used for other drinks, such as water bottles.

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How to Help Someone into Rehab

Help Someone into Rehab

Guiding a Loved One Toward Addiction Treatment

Getting clean was never on my radar. I was pretty far gone. At the darkest point in my substance abuse, I thought that I never even wanted to be clean. I wanted to do drugs until I died. Because of my family members, I finally sought treatment at Best Rehabs In Arizona and it saved my life. This can work for you too if you have even a little bit of fight in you. Keep reading for my hard-earned experience on how to help someone into rehab!

If you want to get help for a loved one with a drug or alcohol addiction, there are a lot of hurdles. Ultimately, getting sober is up to the individual. Substance use disorder tricks you into thinking you can never get clean. You think that your addiction will last the rest of your life. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of hope.

We tell ourselves a lot of things when we are in despair. To get over your substance abuse, it’s going to take an entire attitude change. Addiction recovery is possible if you are ready to give it a shot. When you finally get sick and tired of being sick and tired, an addiction treatment center like Best Rehabs In Arizona can save your life.

Stay tuned here for my own story of being helped to rehab, and how Best Rehabs In Arizonas helped me do what I could never manage on my own!

How Do You Leave A Drug Or Alcohol Addiction Behind?

Substance abuse therapy

I began using drugs in high school and was a regular users into my thirties. My brain was wired to need drugs. Substance abuse treatment was the last thing on my mind. My family members tried to convince me to get help, but I was dead against it. The idea of drug treatment never entered my mind.

My substance abuse completely changed my brain and my personality. Drug addiction will do a lot of things to your body, but the mental aspect of it is the most difficult thing to get past. Getting clean requires a lot of emotional support and an emphasis on your mental health. If you’re not mentally prepared, substance abuse seems impossible to get over.

Even if you are at your weakest point mentally, recovery from drug and alcohol addiction is still possible. One of the biggest things to keep in mind is that you can change your perspective whenever you want. You don’t have to always be a victim to your substance use. I finally realized this when I began the recovery process.

Substance Abuse Hurts More Than Just You.

I put my family through a lot of agony because of my substance addiction. I had multiple addictions that ruined my life and made me a shell of myself. I engaged in alcohol abuse and heroin addiction for so long that I was sure I would die. What finally made me decide to go to a treatment facility? A big part of it was for my family.

This sounds great, but it can also be the wrong approach sometimes. Ultimately, you have to get sober for yourself. You want to do it for your loved ones, but you’re the one that has to live with yourself. I finally was ready to face my drug abuse when I overdosed and nearly died. A family member found me after I overdosed and because of their quick thinking, I was able to get medical help quickly enough.

When finally came out of it, I was ashamed of what I had subjected my family to. It finally dawned on me that I needed to find a way to repay this relative for literally saving my life. That is where my recovery journey began. My family members set up an addiction intervention, and luckily I was willing to listen to them.

Embracing Drug And Alcohol Addiction Treatment

Drug And Alcohol Addiction Treatment

Addiction treatment seems terrifying when you first try it. If you find the right rehab program that works for you, you will find that you can greatly benefit from it. These days, there are many different treatment options depending on your specific addiction. The treatment program at Best Rehabs In Arizona offered me the ability to work on my issues head on and develop a treatment plan tailored to my addiction.

When you make the decision to accept treatment, you’ve already done more than many others. The success rate in recovery is unfortunately not very high. A lot of addicts never make the decision to get professional help. A lot of addicts get clean for a short period, but long term recovery is very tricky.

The rehab program that I went into didn’t just help me. There are many benefits for the people around you as well. I had many loved ones who attended family therapy around the same time that I was in addiction recovery. I had no idea that I had put them through so much pain until I finally started to clear my head of the drugs.

Warning Signs Of An Active Addiction

I was able to fool people for a long time. A few people close to me knew that I engaged in substance misuse, but most of my family had no idea that I was using drugs regularly. An addicted person is an expert in lying. Not just to others, but to themselves. You begin to believe your own lies after a while.

I was sure that I didn’t have a problem. No professional intervention or involuntary commitment was going to convince me otherwise. At this early point in my struggle, I was able to hide my addiction issues. This usually never lasts. The longer your addiction goes on, the more signs of addiction you begin to show.

The withdrawal symptoms can’t be hidden. Especially if you have a heroin addiction. Withdrawal symptoms from heroin include paranoia, stomach issues, agitation, and extreme cravings. If you go without heroin for too long, you become physically ill like you’ve never felt. At first, I was able to convince my family that I had chronic stomach issues, but they eventually saw through it.

How Do You Get Someone Into Rehab?

This is a question that family members of addicts struggle with mightily. Getting someone into rehab is more involved than just taking them to a rehab facility and dropping them off. Helping a person suffering requires a lot of care and patience. Building a support system around an addict is the first step. You have to let them know they are loved and supported.

It’s very hard to get clean if you have no support system. Some people have no family support. Luckily, once you get into the rehab process, you can find a lot of like-minded individuals who will take you under their wing. I had a lot of family support, but I also had a lot of support from the people in my treatment program. I stay sober because I have built great relationships with others in recovery.

You can encourage a loved one to get help, but you can’t force them. Being impatient with an addict will only push them away. Having a positive attitude and not passing judgment is the best option. Figuring out your loved one’s needs can be tricky, but you want to try and understand their struggle as much as possible.

How To Speak To An Addict

Support Groups For Substance Use

Most people struggling with addiction don’t want to talk about it with outsiders. It’s easy to confide in a fellow user because they have first-hand experience. You aren’t going to get an addict to open up to you if they sense any judgment. You’re not going to guilt anyone into getting clean. You can encourage them to seek treatment, but you have to be careful how you choose your words.

Identifying what kind of tone you use is also very important. Offering support to someone suffering requires a high level of understanding and a calm demeanor. There is so much denial in addiction, that just getting an addict to open up and be honest is rare. A lot of family members of addicts choose tough love.

Sometimes you will get so fed up that you will cut someone off and not allow them back into your life until they are clean. This can be a tricky approach to take with an addicted loved one. Cutting someone off with a substance abuse problem can go either way. With some people, it’s just the push that they need. With other people, it can be the end of a relationship.

Support Groups For Substance Use

Staying sober is just as hard as getting sober. Whether you have a drug or alcohol addiction, the day-to-day recovery process is a combination of highs and lows. Drug use changes the brain. That is one of the clearest signs of addiction. All you care about is the drug. When you have to retrain your brain to go through each day without the drug, you have to find different ways to cope.

The treatment center at Best Rehabs In Arizona had some really incredible group therapy sessions that completely changed my attitude. I had an intervention plan put in place to set me up for success, and I followed it as rigidly as possible. During my early days in recovery, I attended group therapy as well as individual counseling.

There is no step-by-step guide for everyone struggling with addiction, or even for the ways to prevent drug abuse in the first place, but if you find yourself in the right rehab center, you can develop a plan that will help you find the most effective way to get and stay clean. Excuses don’t hold much weight in recovery. You are expected to take personal responsibility for your actions, and develop the knowledge and skills that you’ll need to face your addiction head-on.

Mental Illness and Addiction

Family Support

A very challenging aspect of recovery is how you discuss your mental health. A lot of individuals who are suffering from addiction are also suffering from some type of mental illness. How you approach these issues in recovery charts the course of your future. Substance misuse can greatly affect the way that we participate in talking about our struggles.

Many rehab programs offer dual diagnosis, so that you can work on your mental health issues and your addiction simultaneously. It may sound like a lot to take on at once, but it’s been proven effective in many situations. Committing to the process is the first step. If you commit to seeking help, you will find your confidence built as you work through the process.

When you’re in a group setting, it can be scary to discuss the issues that you never wanted to admit to yourself, let alone to a group of strangers. Putting yourself out there in this way may be uncomfortable, but this discomfort is what helps you grow. I was terrified to talk about what I was struggling with. When I finally opened up and started doing it, I found it to be the best way to begin healing.

The Basic Needs of A Recovering Addict

Once you get someone into rehab, it’s up to them to figure out whether they will make it work. We all have basic needs as human beings. For people struggling with addiction, those needs include support, compassion, and love. Every family member that I wronged was still there for me, even though they were fed up with my antics.

It’s important to set up healthy boundaries in addiction recovery. You still have to be yourself, and you can’t try to be something someone else wants you to be. I had family members who thought that I would be a flawless person once I treated my addiction. We are all still flawed, no matter what challenges we overcome. When you set boundaries, you maintain your individuality.

A Treatment Center with a Program Built Around You

Treatment begins and ends with you. It takes a lot of help to get and stay clean, but ultimately it’s up to you to make it work. When you go to rehab, there is a lot of unexpected outcomes. The best approach is to stay in the moment.

Respect the process and embrace the struggle. This approach will very likely save your life, and it’s one I learned at Best Rehabs In Arizona. If you or someone you love is struggling as I did, give yourself (or them) a fighting chance and reach out to their Admissions team. I know I’m more than glad I made that call, and that if I had not I might never have been able to claim sobriety or even still be alive.

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Moment of Clarity Meaning

Moment of Clarity Meaning

A Defining Moment in Overcoming Drinking and Drugs

Having a moment of clarity during an addiction is a life defining moment. It’s hard to describe to anybody, even fellow addicts in recovery. My spiritual awakening began when I arrived at Best Rehabs In Arizona, and it felt like a true miracle. If you are ready to have your moment of clarity, keep reading to find out what it takes to reach that point.

Having this moment is intensely personal and hard to forget. I truly believe this moment is possible for every person who has dealt with an addiction. It was one of the greatest moments of my life. When I began to meet people in recovery, many of them pointed to this moment as also being the best thing to ever happen to them.

What does it take to make this moment of clarity happen? To put it bluntly, it takes a lot of soul searching and self reflection. When you realize you want to change, you realize that it’s going to be a fight. If you are prepared for that fight and everything that comes with it, it will all make sense.

Keep reading to find out more about my moment of clarity meaning, and how it helped me find lasting recovery with Best Rehabs In Arizonas!

Your Spiritual Awakening Is Right Around The Corner

My drug addiction began when I was in college and quickly led me to a life of crime, uncertainty, and selfishness. I pushed loved ones away, friends, and anybody who tried to steer me in the right direction. I didn’t want to talk about it, I just wanted to continue getting high and never answering for my misdeeds.

The only thing that made sense was getting high. Everything else seemed like a hurdle. Basic every day tasks seemed challenging and unrealistic. I gave up on living my life and pushing myself in any way. It’s hard to look back at my life then and make sense of it. I had gotten to a point where nothing mattered but the drugs.

Feeling this way all the time takes a huge toll on your mental health. Drugs change your behavior and turn you against everyone who doesn’t enable you. My relationship to drugs and alcohol felt like it would be life lasting. I had no hope and the idea of living my life to the fullest didn’t matter. Some people truly need to hit rock bottom to get better. That’s what happened to me.

Having An Epiphany During Addiction

Woke up in jail - Epiphany During Addiction

It’s hard to pinpoint how, when, and why the moment of clarity occurs. For me personally, it was when I woke up in jail with no idea how I got there. I had been drinking heavily, and apparently assaulted a police officer. Sitting in that jail cell and looking at the dried blood on my hands made me feel like such a failure.

It was in that moment that the epiphany happened. I realized I was slowly killing myself. I was hurting my body, my mind, and my soul. It finally occurred to me the reality of my situation. I was completely enslaved to my addiction. My brain was not my own. For once in my addiction, I was finally aware of what I had become.

This feeling was overpowering. I sat there and cried for a long time, but something was different. I didn’t feel hopeless. For the first time, I questioned myself. I discovered the truth of my situation. I thought about seeking help, the first time I had ever had that thought. I embraced the idea of getting better. How great leaving my addiction behind would feel. It could be a great story.

Making The Moment Of Clarity Happen

It’s uncomfortable to question yourself and realize your life is unfulfilling. It’s a hard lesson to learn. I decided in that moment, sitting in that cell, my life was worth living. I was ready to try new things I had never tried. I was ready to confront my behavior and talk myself through the struggle.

When I got out of jail, I called a family member and asked if they would take me to recovery. They were stunned. I had never tried recovery. I never wanted to. It was another incredible moment in my step toward getting better. For the first time in a long time, I felt human. I felt all the feelings rush over me. It was time for me to embrace the idea of giving up my drinking and drug use.

When I went into detox, I was proud of myself for taking that first step. It was very uncomfortable, but as they say in recovery, I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. At Best Rehabs In Arizona, I gained new insights into myself and my personality. I learned about how my past trauma had led me down this dark path. I began to seek the light.

When The Moment Passes, The Fight Begins

Moment of Clarity during group therapy

A moment of clarity doesn’t last forever. Once you begin your recovery journey, your not going to feel one hundred percent great the whole time. There will be times of doubt. But the insight I gained through this process taught me to embrace these feelings of doubt just as much as the hopeful feelings. I had my epiphany, now it was time for me to do the work and understand that it wasn’t going to be easy.

Every step of recovery is a challenge. Addiction is all consuming. Being under the influence feels safe and comforting when your in the thick of it. You don’t see how terrible it is until you take a step back and look at it with a different mindset. It’s frightening how much you can lull yourself into continuing your habit. You feel like you have no control.

When I began to recover from my addiction, group therapy helped a lot. Meeting other supportive people going through such a complicated process such as recovery pushed me to confront my fears and my anxiety. I knew that I could potentially relapse, but I accepted this possibility and didn’t let the fear control me.

Living Your Best Life In Recovery

Clarity teaches you a lot about yourself. We all have moments where we question ourselves and our path. This is especially true when you become sober. When you are newly sober, you are feeling all sorts of feelings that you were avoiding before. Gaining insight into yourself allows you to not only help yourself, but help others too.

When you accept that you are an addict, it’s easy to welcome in new ideas. You may not have all the answers, but you have a good blueprint to work from. Understanding this part of the process gives you strength. Being in a group setting with other former addicts gives you a sense of familiarity and kinship. When I hear others talk about their struggle, it makes me want to keep moving forward in my own battle.

I lead by example these days, and I tell my story to whoever is open to hearing it. My objective is to help others while also helping myself. I can’t ignore the fact that I need supportive people around me. I spend a lot of my time now talking to others in recovery and learning about their experience. It’s important to talk about your experience, whether it’s with a friend, loved one, or a fellow recovering addict.

Expect The Unexpected

Seek help during recovery

In sobriety, you have to keep in mind that your addiction isn’t too far in the distance. The essence of sobriety is embracing tough moments. We all have them. Being sober doesn’t mean your going to be in a great mood all the time. Recovery can prepare you for this, but when your alone with your thoughts, it can still be hard to hang on. Painful moments may come, but they can be balanced with moments of joy.

When you seek help, it works if you are ready to make it work. There’s no better feeling than putting a priority on your mental and physical health. The answer to getting clean and staying clean is to constantly work on yourself. You don’t get sober and then not have to do anything else. You must accept that it’s an ongoing process.

When you get to a point where you decide to be the best person you can be, you’ll notice that your behavior will start to change. When you put in the work, you will notice it very quickly. When I think of where I came from, it’s hard to imagine that I was ever comfortable living that lifestyle. It doesn’t help that the stigma attached to addiction makes a lot of people not seek help.

Epiphanies Aren’t The Same For Everyone.

The way you experience your moment of clarity is very personal to you. The decision to get clean looks different for everyone. As different as it may be from person to person, there are similarities. Acknowledging your addictive behavior and how it affects the people around you is a universal truth. Taking a look in the mirror is a big part of it.

My loved ones see the progress that I have made, and they make sure to tell me what a great job I’ve done. I don’t let this go to my head either. I know that I’ve enriched my life and the lives of those around me, but I try to remain humble. Moments of weakness still occur, but I don’t let myself be a prisoner of those moments. I feel them and I let them go.

Giving Yourself a Chance at Clarity

When you put your heart and soul into anything, you will often see the benefits come back to you. Making changes in your life is hard, but having a plan in place guides you in the right direction. I enjoy every day and every moment that I am clean, even if I’m not in the greatest mood. The months and years that you stay clean add up. Being sober can not just feel good, it can be the greatest feeling you’ve ever had.

If you’re struggling, or seeking that moment of clarity, why not give yourself a chance a sobriety and the support to sort things out with Best Rehabs In Arizona. Give them a call, I know I’m glad I did!

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How Does Fentanyl Kill You?

How Does Fentanyl Kill You

Answers About Fentanyl Lethality and Overdose Potential

Struggling with a fentanyl addiction is a life-threatening condition and can be extremely dangerous. More so than even opioid addiction. Illicit fentanyl has become much more common on the street and it has caused overdoses to skyrocket. But how does fentanyl kill you, exactly?

Despite the dangers, there are ways to address a fentanyl addiction and get the help that you need.

I entered Best Rehabs In Arizona for treatment after multiple overdoses and coming as close to death as one can with fentanyl. Drug abuse is a brutal condition to combat, but dealing with a drug like fentanyl requires a whole different level of addiction treatment.

Pharmaceutical fentanyl and illicit fentanyl are both deadly and can be abused just like any other drugs. With the rise of opioid abuse in this country, drug dealers have found new ways to cut these drugs, and fentanyl typically is used in this process. A lot of people who ingest fentanyl don’t even realize they are taking such a deadly drug.

Keep reading to find answers to how does fentanyl kill you, and how Best Rehabs In Arizona Recovery can offer you the same sort of foundation for sobriety that I found with their help.

The Rise Of Fentanyl Use and Fentanyl Overdoses

How long fentanyl stays in your system depends on your level of addiction and your body mass. Pharmaceutical fentanyl in pill form can take minutes before you feel the effects, while a fentanyl patch can one to two days to take effect. Fentanyl is usually only prescribed to people with severe pain associated with cancer and other extreme illnesses.

Many drug tests don’t detect fentanyl, and a separate test may be required to detect it. With a drug that’s manufactured to treat severe pain, it’s no wonder that when taken recreationally it can be dangerous. Because it’s used to treat chronic pain, it is easily abused. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is fifty to one hundred times more powerful than morphine.

Because of the rise of fentanyl, many addiction treatment programs are designed to treat that specific addiction. Because fentanyl is such a potent synthetic opioid, intervening in a fentanyl addiction is a life or death situation. The world of drug abuse changes over time, and new substances make their way onto the market all the time. No one has ever seen anything like the rise of fentanyl.

Fentanyl Withdrawal Symptoms

Fentanyl Withdrawal Symptoms

A fentanyl withdrawal is very similar to opiate withdrawal symptoms. Fentanyl withdrawal symptoms include flu-like symptoms, muscle aches, nausea and vomiting, and respiratory changes. These withdrawal symptoms vary in severity depending on a multitude of factors. Fentanyl withdrawal symptoms can persist for up to two weeks.

Plenty of other drugs come with very uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms, but opioids and synthetic opioids like fentanyl are particularly rough. I used heroin for a number of years and dabbled here and there with fentanyl. Even though I knew how dangerous it was, my fentanyl abuse continued and led me down the darkest path I’ve ever been down.

My fentanyl use messed with every part of my body. My liver function was affected, and I suffered from respiratory depression and shallow breathing. Even heavy users of opioids don’t experience the difficulty that fentanyl abuse causes. When I began taking fentanyl, my body was already in a rough spot because of my heroin abuse.

How To Detect Fentanyl Through Drug Tests

Fentanyl has led to new developments in drug testing technology. Fentanyl test strips are a way to test for fentanyl and can tell you how long fentanyl can stay in your system. Fentanyl is not easily detected in urine tests, hair tests, or saliva tests. Fentanyl test strips have revolutionized the way that we test for fentanyl.

Before my fentanyl abuse, I dealt with long-lasting opioid dependence. My drug use began in my early twenties and continued until I was in my late thirties. Even though I was a substance abuse veteran, nothing could prepare me for what fentanyl did to me. Powder fentanyl is what I became addicted to, but it didn’t start there.

My first experience with fentanyl was through counterfeit pills. These are fentanyl-laced prescription drugs that are very much responsible for the rise in overdose deaths associated with this drug. It’s extremely difficult to prevent people from ingesting these pills, because, on the black market, drug users are going to do what they’re going to do.

Fentanyl can come in many different forms. There is the powder form, but there are also nasal sprays and a transdermal patch. Fentanyl powder can also be cooked down into an injectable solution. There aren’t many other substances that come in so many different forms.

When To Seek Help

Seek help for fentanyl detox

Even though I was able to hide my addiction from my loved ones, it was eating me alive inside. I suffer from a variety of mental health disorders, namely bipolar depression. This was very tricky when it came time for me to seek help. I had a lot of issues to work through beyond just my substance use.

Because I had such a severe addiction, I needed medical supervision during my detox. Getting fentanyl out of a person’s system takes a rather brutal detox process. Anyone who has been addicted to any powerful opioid will tell you how uncomfortable it is to ween yourself off of it. The side effects are crushing and can make you want to give in very easily.

When I entered rehab, I was facing potential prison time because of where my drug addiction took me. Every drug test they gave me through probation I would fail. I was given a lot of chances, but the drug testing always told the truth. I couldn’t be trusted to get help on my own.

How Does Fentanyl Kill You?

There’s no handbook for how to overcome an addiction to fentanyl. I never imagined that addiction treatment would do anything for me. Because I was so highly addicted, it seemed like it would take an act of god for me to not go back to my old ways. Drugs stay in your system longer the more you take them. It took nearly three weeks after my last dose for the drug’s half-life to dissipate.

When I finally took the last drug test that showed that I had rid of the drug from my body, it was a unique feeling. It felt like there would always be something that would come back. When you’ve quit using the drug and it still shows up in standard drug tests, it can feel like it will never go away.

There are a lot of things that got me through that initial phase of recovery. The behavioral therapies I engaged in were extremely helpful, and all the other recovering addicts I’ve met along the way have helped me stay the course. Using fentanyl as long as I did made me realize how damaged my body and my soul had become. No matter how much damage is done, you can always heal.

How To Overcome Such A Highly Addictive Drug

Overcome Fentanyl Addiction Through Group Therapy

I got used to taking drug test after drug test when I was a fentanyl addict. Through probation and jail, I was given every type of drug test you could imagine. After taking so many blood tests, urine tests, and the occasional hair test, it really makes you feel like a human experiment.

Now that I am clean, I have a much different appreciation for forensic medicine. All of the advances in drug testing and screening for other opioids have saved many lives. I consider myself a part of this process as well as I continued my sobriety journey. I’ve met all kinds of people through group therapy who have inspired me.

These groups are a wonderful collection of folks who have overcome many different addictions, from opioids to alcohol. A lot of these people are at many different stages of their recovery as well. Some of these people are still close enough to the beginning of recovery that they still experience withdrawal symptoms. The best thing that I can do is be there to support them and let them know they aren’t alone.

Finding Lasting Recovery From Fentanyl

Individual therapy as well as family therapy has worked wonders for me in my sobriety. Gone are the days when I would pray before drug tests, hoping nothing would be detected in my urine. The respiratory arrest, insomnia, and body chills are no longer there. I am no longer looking up on the internet how I can beat a drug test. I am no longer searching for how does fentanyl kill you, as I found out firsthand.

When I go to meetings, I bring a positive attitude with me. I focus on solution-based thinking as opposed to problem-based thinking. I am no longer all doom and gloom in my personal life. It’s been a long road, but I have traveled it willingly and am open to addressing whatever issues may arise in the future.

Put Worries About Drug Testing in Your Past

I am open and willing to talk about my struggle and am aware that I’m not invincible to it. I can still slip up and go back to my old routine of using drugs, getting in trouble, and being subjected to hair tests and saliva tests. Fentanyl will stay with me forever, but in a different way than it used to.

If you are struggling with fentanyl, give yourself a chance at sobriety with the program for recovery found at Best Rehabs In Arizona. They helped me, and I am willing to bet they will give you solid options for a different outlook on life as well!

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Alanon vs AA

Alanon vs AA Therapy

AA and Al-anon as Recovery Support Groups

Alcohol addiction was my downfall and led me to not only let myself down but all of my family members as well. I’ve struggled with alcoholism and substance abuse for much of my adult life, and by the time I sought treatment at Best Rehabs In Arizona, I was willing to do anything to get my life back. My family suffered greatly as well until they discovered Al-Anon.

Having a drinking problem is one thing, being a full-blown alcoholic is a whole other world. I started drinking when I was in high school, and by the time I reached the legal drinking age, I was already suffering from serious alcohol abuse. My family had no idea what to do with me, and it tore them apart inside.

My first time going to Alcoholics Anonymous was scary, and I learned quickly about AlAnon vs AA. Going to any alcoholism support group for the first time is nerve-wracking. I didn’t want to feel judged. I initially started going to private meetings, but I was led to believe that group-based meetings would give me a lot of good perspective from others going through addiction treatment.

Keep reading if you too did not know about Al-anon vs AA, and if you or a loved one are struggling with substances and alcohol, you can find the same sort of help I did with Best Rehabs In Arizona Recovery.

What Can You Expect From Sober Support Groups

Although I expected to be judged, I had a completely opposite experience going to Alcoholics Anonymous. Alcohol addiction affects people from all walks of life. It doesn’t discriminate. I met people from all across the social spectrum. Going to AA meetings gave me the strength to speak up and share my story with others, no matter how awkward it was at first.

A typical AA meeting is fairly simple. You go around in a circle and discuss your alcohol problems. Going to AA meetings slowly gave me the confidence to open up about my substance abuse and also my mental health disorder. I’ve struggled my whole life with my mental health, which has led me to drug abuse and alcohol dependence.

AA focuses on what led you to where you are at and how you can avoid succumbing to alcohol use disorder. I first began going to open meetings, and once I joined the program, I switched it up between open meetings and closed meetings. Open meetings refer to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings that are open to anybody. Closed meetings are for people who have been in the Alcoholics Anonymous program for a longer period of time.

Al Anon Meetings Vs AA Meetings

AA Meetings

There are many different types of AA groups. Your average Alcoholics Anonymous meeting is for the alcoholic. The main difference is that Al Anon meetings are directed specifically toward the family members of alcoholics. My substance abuse and alcohol use disorder put a great strain on my family members. My parents, siblings, and other family members were greatly affected to the point where they needed to seek treatment for themselves. Al-Anon gave me the space to deal with these issues.

We don’t often talk about the effects of drug addiction, and alcoholism on our family members. Substance use is a community issue. There are more people struggling than just the drug abuser themselves, everyone around them gets affected as well. Once my family began going to Al-Anon meetings, I could see the strain lifted off of them almost immediately.

They always questioned if my addiction was because of something they did wrong. This question tormented my parents especially. I had one family member in particular who was skeptical of support groups. They wanted to try and deal with it on their own. Once they began going to Al-Anon meetings, I noticed it was very beneficial for them in their own healing.

Treatment Programs For Family Members

It was vital for my family’s well-being that they attend Al-Anon meetings. As I began the process of going to regular meetings, so did they. The other Al-Anon members were extremely supportive and uplifting, much like they are in AA and NA meetings. It’s roughly the same concept across each group. The focus is on learning what you can do to apply the same principles that alcoholics use in their own treatment.

I was so much more driven to stop drinking permanently when I saw the work my own family was putting into their recovery. My drinking problem was something that I needed to fix on my own, but I was much more inspired to do so when I saw them putting in their own work.

Alcoholics Anonymous taught me that there is only one way to stop drinking. You must recognize that there is a higher power, and you yourself are powerless against your disease. The circumstances may differ from person to person, but that higher power aspect is a big part of recovery.

Although Alcoholics Anonymous is thought of as a faith-based program, you can benefit no matter what your religious affiliation is. The religious aspect may be part of it, but it doesn’t have to be the entire focus. AA refers to itself as ‘spiritual and not religious’ and there is truth to the fact you can define your own Higher Power in the program. The main objective of these support groups is to help you get better, however, that process may look.

Al Anon Support Groups And Other Meetings

The families of alcoholics suffer just as much as the alcoholic. My alcohol problems led my family members to a lot of their own problems. Stress, anxiety, you name it. My drinking problem affected everyone around me. It’s a very helpless feeling for families to watch a loved one suffer without knowing how to stop it.

Al Anon Support Groups

AA and Al-Anon make it possible for everyone to get better together. These days, the treatment options for the alcoholic and the family are abundant. AA is an international support group. AA and Al-Anon meetings seek to provide treatment programs to everybody affected by this disease. The two groups work in conjunction to offer support and recovery across all meetings.

When my family first began going to these Al-Anon meetings, it gave them the tools to better support me in my own recovery. I had to learn how to be self-supporting on my own, but having your family in your corner gives you the extra push that you need. A lot of alcoholics aren’t lucky enough to have family members rooting for them. I feel that my recovery from alcohol is directly related to my family going to Al-Anon meetings and knowing how to better deal with my addiction.

Continuing Support For Alcohol Recovery

Recovery from alcohol addiction is an ongoing process. There is no magic cure for addiction. There is a lot to be said about the term ‘one day at a time’. If you think you are cured at any point from your addiction, you certainly need to take personal inventory and be honest with yourself.

You can have all the support in the world, but it doesn’t matter if you don’t recognize that your addiction is right there beneath the surface. In my experience, recovery is only possible if you work on it every day. It’s more than just going to support groups. You need the right attitude. If you attend a meeting or engage in support groups, you give yourself a much better chance.

Either way, there is work that is required outside the group setting. AA and Al-Anon meetings give you a great base from which to work, but you need to also be self-supporting. The great thing about AA and Al-Anon is there are no age or education requirements. If you are directly affected by addiction, you automatically qualify. There is no gatekeeping in these groups.

Recovery Through Al Anon Groups

My family greatly benefited from Al-Anon. Their recovery from my addiction has been very inspiring for me to watch. As they go through their own personal recovery, I do as well. Going through recovery together makes us push each other to be at our best every day. When I attend a meeting, I feel like I’m doing it’s mutually beneficial to all of us, and I know they feel the same way when they attend meetings.

Recovery Through Al Anon Groups

My addiction used to be a hush-hush situation in my family. It was always too painful to talk about. When you find the right support group such as AA and Al-Anon, you learn to talk about it without feeling shame. Al-Anon taught my family that they are not unique. Countless families deal with these issues and many of them benefit from Al-Anon. Unfortunately, some don’t ever take that leap and give al anon a shot.

Finding Your Path to Recovery

I’m proud to have such a supportive and encouraging family, and I certainly have Al-Anon to thank for that. These days there is much more support for families of addicts. Al-Anon groups make it possible for families to heal the right way. Everyone in my family learned from Al-Anon, and they try to put what they’ve learned into practice every day. It’s a wonderful thing to witness.

If you or a member of your family is struggling with alcohol and needs help, reaching out to Best Rehabs In Arizona is a solid first step. Give them a call and let them provide options, so that you or a person you love does not have to battle booze any longer. I know picking up the phone for treatment made a world of difference for me and my family, and it can for you and yours too!

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