A Town Full Of Crystal Meth Addicts

I am from a small town in the state of Massachusetts and it's shocking how many people in this area are using crystal meth.  I am not totally naive to drugs, but before I moved here I had never heard of crystal meth nor had I seen the effects it can have on a person.  However, living in this town and seeing all these things has made me re-evaluate my perspective of drug addiction entirely.

The side of town where I reside has only a few users dotted around the place - some here and there; but if you take a short drive across the city you'll find yourself surrounded by addicts.  It's not unusual to come across users begging for money while picking at the scabs they have on their faces and arms.  I had no idea what the cause of those scabs were at first, but now I know all too well.

It's really unbelievable, and I'm talking mind-blowing unbelievable, that you can transform from a healthy individual to undernourished and riddled with scabs in only a couple of months.  With the majority of drugs this transformation would take years, however on crystal meth the detrimental changes are almost instantaneous.  I remember seeing a picture of one guy who was using for only three months.  He looked horrible and was completely unrecognizable when compared to previous 'pre-drug' pictures.  It's quite a disturbing thought.

The town I live in is a rather small one with few grocery stores; however, the ones we do have are burgled constantly and each time crystal meth users are the culprits.  The reason I know this is because the burglars are generally caught in the act.  It's just evidence that when on this drug you don't have much common sense and aren't able to function properly.

Nowadays I try to remain indoors as much as possible because of the growing amount of crystal meth users that are found in my town.  Right now, all I am doing is saving money and hoping I can move to a new town soon.

Why Cocaine Use Is So Popular

There are many people out there that want to believe that pop culture has nothing to do with the surge of drug use in this country, but I beg to differ. If you listen to many of the most popular songs on the radio, many of them have references to the use of cocaine. While many people can listen to these songs without allowing it to lead to drug use, there are others that are not as strong-willed.

Music is not the only pop culture reference people have when it comes to cocaine. There are films all over the place that glorify the use of the drug. People see their favorite actors on film having a ball using cocaine and sometimes that piques a natural curiosity. You would think that the ravaging effects this drug has on the human body would be enough to deter people, but they choose to focus on the feeling they will receive from using it.

A few years ago I decided that I wanted to try it for myself. I cannot say that it was pop culture that made me curious, but it had an indirect impact on my decision. One of my closest friends listens to music that discusses how great you will feel after a few lines, so she decided to try it. She was hooked and listening to her talk about the good feeling made me want to try it.

While on vacation I talked to the aunt of one of my friends and I have to say that her brain was absolutely fried. When I asked her what her issue was, she told me that she was "high as a kite off of some blow." Looking at the way that her body looked and her inability to have a coherent conversation, I decided to nix the idea of me giving it a try. The feeling you receive will never be worth all the damage it can do.

The Basics of Alcohol Abuse

 

Alcohol is often advertised as a vital component of celebrations and parties. Popular commercials often feature various beers and liquor. Alcohol use is acceptable in the mainstream, and many people never experience issues with it. So what is alcohol abuse?

The darker side of alcohol occurs when the party is over and the drinking continues. Some people have a genetic or environmental predisposition to alcohol abuse or alcohol addiction. The signs of alcohol abuse tend to escalate until they are no longer deniable.

Signs of alcohol abuse may be as obvious as someone who regularly gets so intoxicated that they black out and don't remember anything. But alcoholism can also remain hidden as the alcoholic tries to maintain their family life along with work or school, while drinking secretly. The users may drink on a daily basis but are able to mostly hide the effects and evidence of their drinking. But in the end, the only people that alcoholics are fooling is themselves (and even they aren't really fooled,  but are just in denial).

Alcoholics often end up in denial and say that they can stop drinking any time that that choose (but simply choose not to stop drinking). But then they always have a good reason to have a drink. They begin to need alcohol just to function on a daily basis. Their body begins to depend on the presence of alcohol. A severe, chronic alcoholic can get severely ill or even die if they quit abruptly, so professional treatment is always advisable.

Alcohol abuse treatment centers have great success. There is the initial medical aspect so that withdrawal doesn't put the user in medical danger (and to ease the withdrawal symptoms). The aftercare is mostly psychological support in a community of others who are dealing with the same issues. With proper care like this, alcoholics have a greater chance of recovery and even being able to one day help others who fall into alcoholism to recover.

What is IOP in Addiction Treatment?

 

 

Explaining Intensive Outpatient Treatment

In the space of behavioral health treatment, mental health treatment, in addiction treatment and addiction recovery, the term "IOP" refers to Intensive Outpatient Treatment. This is an outpatient form of addiction treatment that is done in a very intensive, or "heavy" fashion.

In most cases, this form of therapy is chosen for those that need intensive addiction treatment, but are not in a position that would allow them to seek treatment for their addictions in a traditional residential treatment facility. The intensity of the treatment and counseling is meant to enforce the basics of outpatient treatment.

 

Are You Searching For Intensive Outpatient Treatment for the Following Addictions:

Marijuana | Cocaine | Alcohol | Methamphetamine | Heroin | Rx Drugs

Summit Behavioral Health Offers Intensive Outpatient Treatment for Those Who Are Looking To Leave Their Addictions Behind For Good:

Overcoming Binge Eating and Other Overeating Disorders

 

Food addiction includes compulsive overeating, binging or eating excessively large portions. In order to over this addition professional help is needed because  this is not something a food addicted person can correct on their own.

Compulsive over-eaters may have episodic bursts of uncontrollable eating. During these times they feel like they have no control and eat in a frenzy. These episodes may be planned but can also be triggered by emotions or stress.

Binge eaters are people who eat past the point of feeling full. They consume large amounts of food even though they are no longer hungry. When binging a person might consume 5,000 to 15,000 calories at one sitting. For some binge eaters this one meal may be several times more than their normal daily caloric intake.

Binge eaters often feel a sense of guilt after their binge. In order to compensate for their large intake of food they fast, take laxatives or vomit. People with these overeating disorders are food focused. They constantly think about food, fantasizing about what they'll eat and planning their next meal.

Compulsive Grazing

Compulsive over-eaters can also be grazers. They may pick at food and snack all day. While this may not seem serious at first, in time it can lead to serious weight gain and health problems.

Adverse Health Effects

The weight gain can lead to problems with cholesterol, blood pressure, bone and joint deterioration, arthritis, kidney disease, heart attack and stroke. While some of these are worst cast scenarios, all of them are a possibility.

Eating Disorder Intervention

Professional intervention is often needed to overcome these disorders. A health professional can help structure a healthy diet, eliminate between meal snacking and help the over-eater deal with the emotional and mental issues that may be leading them to food.

A health professional can also provide mentor-ship and accountability. With these things in place a food addicted person can develop the skills and knowledge needed to change their overeating habits and change their lives.

Should I Stop Using Tobbacco In Drug Rehab?

 

"I am going into rehab for my addiction problems... Should I stop smoking cigarettes?" 

This is actually one of the most common questions from recovering addicts who are entering into a drug rehab facility, chemical dependency treatment program, or residential addiction treatment program. This question also stirs up a debate -- nicotine addiction is real, and just as dangerous as drug addiction, so should the recovering addict also be tackling his/her addiction to tobacco while in rehab as well?

While there are two separate fields of belief on this topic, the traditional answer has been to allow the continued use of tobacco products during treatment for addiction in a recovery program and drug rehab facility. This may be because some believe that trying to tackle too many addictions at one single time will result in failure, but the fact remains that continued addiction to one product, while treating an addiction to another product/substance, will usually result in a lopsided view of addiction-recovery.

An addiction to dangerous chemicals that could kill an addict within days, should be treated immediately, and if that addict has to put-off treating his/her addiction to tobacco until later, it is for the greater good of that individual. Though, if you have the means and the will to quit smoking while confronting your other addictions, this will greatly improve your chances of a full and successful recovery from both.

Painkillers Can Be Extremely Addictive

Addiction to Painkillers is a disease that can be controlled with a little professional help and a lot of personal motivation. Have you ever been around a person who is addicted to Painkillers? I grew up in a household where my mom was a major hypochondriac and abuser of Painkillers. She consumed at least 10 Painkillers each and every day. Needless to say, she was in and out of hospital for years because of this terrible abuse. She later died because of major complications to her health. She was only 45 years old when she passed away.

It is a terrible thing when someone tosses their life away so needlessly. It is even sadder when it happens at an early age. I used to think that maybe she would recover and become a normal mom. I would get mad at myself for thinking bad thoughts about how she was depriving me of a happy life. I was extremely angry that she only was concerned about herself and showed little concern for me.

It is hard for to understand the feelings that a son goes through with living with a parent who is addicted. If you have never experienced it yourself, it is hard to imagine. For me, it is even harder to explain. The pain and the suffering that it causes to all members of the family and to the addicted person themselves is horrible. It is an addiction that I would not want anyone to experience.

Everyone who suffers with such an addiction deserves our pity. For them it is something that seems impossible to change. However, change can be accomplished by three things. Love, professional help and a self-motivation to succeed. Never give up on your family who have these ugly additions to Painkillers.

You Don't Have to Live in Pain.
You Don't Have to Live as an Addict.

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