Exclusive Content on Bad Effects of Drugs | Forward Recovery

Best Ways to Prevent Substance Abuse In 2021

admin — Mon, 22 Nov 2021 13:42:17 +0000

Drug addiction causes changes to the brain, making it harder to control impulses and make decisions. Addiction also negatively impacts your health in a variety of ways. Substance abuse can indirectly impact your friends and family, but there are ways to avoid this. There are many Ways to Prevent Substance Abuse which will be discussed below including information on substance abuse programs and the Best Substance Abuse Treatment Programs for young adults. Some of the proven ways are following:

A healthy fulfilling schedule
Spending Quality time with friends and family
Keeping up with work, school
Positive hobbies
Learning new art forms such as guitar and cooking
Ignoring peer pressure

Preventing substance abuse involves many factors such as how you handle stressful situations, who you involve yourself with in your daily life, what you do during your free time, how you think of yourself, and the prescriptions you take.[1] A Great Way to Avoid Substance Abuse is to not use drugs at an early age, because when you use illegal drugs before your brain has fully developed, it makes addiction much higher. If substance abuse has already started to affect you, the best thing to do is to get help. Going into treatment can save your life and will allow you to get your life back. Developing an aftercare plan for substance abuse is also very important to continue your recovery.

Substance Abuse is Most Accurately Defined as

What is substance abuse? Substance abuse is most accurately defined as when you are using to the point where it affects every aspect of your life including those around you. Substance Abuse becomes a form of self-soothing and as a way to cope with anxiousness, anxiety, depression, trauma, etc. Abusing prescription medication or using illegal drugs recreationally and frequently are how drug addictions start out. When you start using illegal drugs for recreational purposes, you will start to use more and want to be intoxicated more often.

How Can We Avoid Substance Abuse?

There are many ways to avoid and prevent substance abuse including having a healthy fulfilling schedule.[2]Spending time with friends and family, keeping up with work, school, and positive hobbies are all great ways to how we can avoid substance abuse. Another way we can avoid addiction is by not giving in to peer pressure, and this may be more difficult for people who may struggle with low self-esteem. Taking care of yourself mentally and physically can help boost self-esteem, as well as doing things that make you feel more confident. It’s important to know how low self esteem can lead to substance abuse and how you can work on boosting your self-esteem. It’s also very important to be aware of the many risks involved with abusing drugs as well as the risk factors of what leads individuals to abuse drugs including:

Aggressive behavior (usually starts early in life)
Lack of parental supervision/ lack of parental care
People around you are using drugs
Poverty
Access to drugs

It’s also crucial to manage your mental health, because many drug addictions are also co-occurring meaning there is addiction and mental health problems. There may be signs of substance abuse in the workplace, and if you are equipped with the skills to recognize these situations, it is best to look for other employment. Substance abuse in the workplace can lead to forms of peer pressure and can be potentially harmful to everyone’s health.

How Long is a Substance Abuse Program?

There are Different Treatment Programs in place to fit the needs of the individual and their related drug use. How long is a substance abuse program? There really is no predetermined length of stay when it comes to the individual. It is all based on an assessment according to your withdrawal and tolerance levels. Studies have shown though that long term treatment is more effective towards recovery.[3] Residential and outpatient treatment typically require 90 days but will recommend more time as for better effectiveness. When given methadone, treatment is normally about a year or more and methadone has been shown as very effective with long term care.

Ways To Prevent Substance Abuse

Here are five of the best ways we can avoid substance abuse.

Ignoring peer pressure, standing up to peer pressure. This is vital because peer pressure can be a starting point to drug addiction. Maybe your friends or even your family have encouraged you to do drugs with them. Saying no to drugs may seem embarrassing in the moment but can truly save your life in the end. This may mean choosing different groups of friends to surround yourself with.
Managing mental illness is so important. There are many forms of therapy used today to help alleviate mental health symptoms as well as to help you change your way of thinking. You will also learn new skills to use in your daily life calling coping mechanism. Coping mechanisms that are healthy and constructive can help keep you away from drugs.
Keeping a balanced healthy lifestyle can benefit not only you but those around you. Make goals for yourself and write them down, diving short term goals and long-term goals and work towards completing them. When you are focusing on healthy life plans, you will have a brighter future to look forward to. Having a healthy balanced and structured life also brings in more positive people into your life.
Know the risk factors of drug abuse and what leads to addiction. Understanding your personal situation can help you avoid drugs. Maybe the people closest to you struggle with addiction or your parents, which can cause generational addiction. By being aware of risk factors, you will have a better advantage to breaking that generational cycle of addiction in the family.
Knowing how to identify drug abuse and how it develops can also benefit you in many ways. Drug use becomes problematic when you are using constantly to get high. It will affect all aspects of your daily life.

Aftercare Plan for Substance Abuse

There are many benefits of substance abuse counseling and treatment including aftercare programs and ongoing support. Developing an aftercare plan for substance abuse is a great way to stay in recovery, and therapists as well as support groups can help you create an aftercare plan. What is an aftercare plan? Aftercare is what happens after rehab, it generally involves 12 step meetings, continued therapy, continued outpatient care, and sober living.[4] Forward Recovery offers clinical detox, residential and outpatient treatment, intensive outpatient programs, outpatient and aftercare plans. You can reach Forward Recovery today by visiting their website here Best Alcohol and Drug Rehab Residential Treatment Program or by calling them at (844)387-6889.

Best Substance Abuse Treatment Programs for Young Adults

Adolescents are at an increased risk for giving in to peer pressure which can lead to the use of illegal drugs. If you are seeking treatment as an adolescent or are a parent looking for the best substance abuse treatments for young adults, you are in the right place. If you are experiencing withdrawal symptoms and wish to detox, know that it is never a good idea to try to self-detox at home. Self-detox without the help of professionals can be potentially life threatening. Know that help is out there, and you have the choice to seek treatment and go into recovery. Addiction is a chronic disease, and you should not feel at fault for becoming addicted to substances. The best thing you can do is enroll into rehab and start your road to recovery with Forward Recovery.

Citations

Treatment Solutions. 2021. 5 Ways to Prevent Substance Abuse | Treatment Solutions. [online] Available at: https://treatmentsolutions.com/blog/top-5-ways-to-prevent-substance-abuse/. American Addiction Centers. 2021. Addiction Aftercare Programs, Activities & Support Groups Near Me. [online] Available at: https://americanaddictioncenters.org/addiction-treatment-aftercare. American Addiction Centers. 2021. Can You Prevent Substance Abuse?. [online] Available at: https://americanaddictioncenters.org/blog/five-tips-help-prevent-substance-abuse. National Institute on Drug Abuse. 2021. How long does drug addiction treatment usually last? | National Institute on Drug Abuse. [online] Available at: https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/principles-drug-addiction-treatment-research-based-guide-third-edition/frequently-asked-questions/how-long-does-drug-addiction-treatment-usually-last. HelpGuide.org. 2021. Overcoming Drug Addiction – HelpGuide.org. [online] Available at: https://www.helpguide.org/articles/addictions/overcoming-drug-addiction.htm. National Institute on Drug Abuse. 2021. Preventing Drug Misuse and Addiction: The Best Strategy | National Institute on Drug Abuse. [online] Available at: https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugs-brains-behavior-science-addiction/preventing-drug-misuse-addiction-best-strategy. Staff, C., 2021. How to Prevent Substance Abuse. [online] Casa Palmera. Available at: https://casapalmera.com/blog/how-to-prevent-substance-abuse/. Addictionresource.net. 2021. Top 5 Teen-Only Alcohol And Drug Rehab Centers. [online] Available at: https://www.addictionresource.net/best-drug-rehab-centers/teen/. Gateway. 2021. What is Substance Abuse? Treatment, Prevention in Illinois. [online] Available at: https://www.gatewayfoundation.org/faqs/what-is-substance-abuse/. [1]Overcoming Drug Addiction – HelpGuide.org [2]How to Prevent Substance Abuse (casapalmera.com) [3]How long does drug addiction treatment usually last? | National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) [4]Addiction Aftercare Programs, Activities & Support Groups Near Me (americanaddictioncenters.org)

The post Best Ways to Prevent Substance Abuse In 2021 appeared first on Forward Recovery.

Exclusive 10 Most Addictive Drugs List to Make Sure You Stay Away from Them

admin — Tue, 26 Oct 2021 11:36:50 +0000

Drug use has rapidly increased in the past decade, and according to a 2017 study, over 19 million Americans struggle with substance abuse. Psychoactive drugs trigger the brain’s reward system by releasing dopamine in large amounts giving a euphoric or high-like feeling. This reinforces repetitive use for pleasure but causes adverse effects over time, especially with the 10 Most Addictive Drugs. However, there are Holistic Drug Rehab Centers in California that offer treatment and help heal addicts from all forms of substance abuse. We have compiled an exclusive 10 Most Addictive Drugs’ List to make you aware of them and how they are destructing a generation as a whole. The list is given below:

Heroin

Heroin use has risen drastically since 2002 and now more than 681,000 people in America have used it at least once. Heroin is considered one of the most dangerous and addictive drugs today. Typically, heroin is smoked or injected and hits the blood stream within seconds.

So, what makes heroin so addictive?

Heroin is easily obtained on the street at a low cost, and when it’s used it changes your brain chemistry and focuses on your brains reward pathway. Heroin goes straight from your blood to the brain and changes your mood and relaxes you. Your brain will start to connect heroin use to happiness, but this comes at a cost.   With prolonged use, it’s very hard to get off the drug without certified addiction professionals and inpatient treatment. Heroin high does not last very long, so you will start to feel withdrawal faster, which reinforces use.   Heroin causes physical dependence and harm to your body and brain. There is also psychological dependence which changes the way you think and make decisions. The more and more heroin you use, the higher risk you are for an overdose and possibly death.

Alcohol

Alcohol is considered one of the world’s most popular legal drugs used today. More than 14 million Americans have reported consuming alcohol at some point in their life.   Excessive consumption of alcohol begins to affect a person’s abilities to function in society and maintain their normal life. Short Term Effects of Alcohol:

High Blood Pressure
Vomiting
Mood Swings
Irritability
Concentration Problems
Loss of Coordination
Loss of Ability to Critically Think

Long Term Effects of Alcohol:

Memory Loss
Risk of Stroke
Diminished Attention Span
High Blood Pressure
Risk of Several Types of
Cancers (throat, mouth, liver, etc.)
Fatty Liver

When you Consume Alcohol in Excess over time, you affect several parts of the body including your liver, brain, pancreas, digestive system, reproductive system, and more. Alcohol use is generally tied in with many co-occurring disorders such as anxiety or depression and many may try to use alcohol to self-medicate. Using addictive psychoactive substances or alcohol to cope may feel good in the moment, but there are many harmful side effects to alcohol and drug abuse and the best way to treat mental illness and substance abuse is to get treatment.

Nicotine

Nicotine is a highly addictive substance that is legal and considered to be one of the world’s most popular drugs similar to alcohol. There’s an estimated 1.27 billion people worldwide that use nicotine. When you smoke nicotine or tobacco products, your brain releases dopamine in excess which gives off a relaxing high for a short period of time. This dopamine release creates an addiction to pleasure and smoking tobacco regularly causes tolerance so you will want more and more of the drug. When the high wears off, you may start to feel withdrawal effects, this feeling creates a drive to use the substance again. Therefore, nicotine is one of the top addictions in America.

Nicotine’s Effects to the Body

Burning or Irritation to Mouth
Increased Saliva in Mouth
Abdominal Pain
Nausea
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Increased Heart Rate
Damage to Respiratory System
Damage to Central Nervous System
Weight Loss
Risk of Lung Cancer
Risk of Gastrointestinal Cancer
Pancreatic Cancer
Breast Cancer

Cocaine

Cocaine or crack, is another dopamine releasing drug that directly affects the limbic system in the brain so when it’s smoked, injected, or snorted, it will give off a short term, pleasurable and euphoric high. Crack cocaine is considered to be one of the most highly addictive drugs in the world, and it comes with a cost. Not only is crack cocaine more expensive on the streets than heroin, it also comes with many damaging long-term effects to the brain and body.

Cocaine’s Feel-Good Effects:

Increase in Energy
Warm Sensations
Increase in Focus
Feel more happy/excited
Increase in Self-Confidence
Feeling good overall

Cocaine’s Damaging Effects:

Nosebleeds
Seizures
Brain Shrinks in Size
Smaller Attention Span
Weight Loss
Stroke
Mood Disorders
Loss of Memory
Coordination Problems
Risk of HIV Infection
Overdose
Hepatitis B and C
Problems with Respiratory System
Possible Risk of Cardiovascular Disease or Gastrointestinal Disease

According to AAC (American Addiction Centers), there had been about 500,000 hospital visits for cocaine use in 2011, and in 2013 there were more than 5,000 reported deaths from overdose due to cocaine used. This is why cocaine is on the 10 most addictive drugs list.

Caffeine

One of the world’s most widely consumed substances is caffeine, which is why it’s considered one of the top ten addictions in the USA. Coffee, teas, energy drinks, and more contain caffeine.  Caffeine may not be considered harmful due to the fact that more than half of America’s population consume caffeine every single day, but prolonged excessive use can come with some potentially harmful effects to the mind and body.

Why do people use caffeine?

People around the world consume caffeine as a way to start their day and feel energized. When you drink a caffeinated beverage, you may find yourself feeling more alert, more productive, and ready to complete your day-to-day tasks. It may even decrease headaches in some people.

What are the risks involved with caffeine consumption?

Caffeine users are at risk for increased anxiety, agitation, excessive tiredness panic attacks, high blood pressure and more when withdrawing and this usually makes you want more caffeine so you can stay on top of your day.  These risks are higher with adolescent use as well as pregnant mothers. One study shows that adolescents consume up to 100 milligrams of caffeine each day which can create a higher addiction rate as well as higher risk of adverse effects. Pregnant mothers should avoid caffeine intake to reduce risk of low birth weight in babies, which can be potentially deadly.   It’s important to understand the benefits and risks of caffeine consumption and to not use this drug in excess. A deadly dose of caffeine would be about 100 cups of coffee within a four-hour span.

Video Games

Almost half of the population plays video games, a large percentage being adults. Video games may seem harmless and may even be safe in moderation, but excessive video gaming comes with a variety of negative affects physically as well as psychologically.

Physical Effects of Gaming

Inflammation in Wrist
Inflamed or Swollen Thumbs
“Trigger Finger” (Finger becomes stuck in bet position)
Inflammation of the Elbow
Obesity Risk
Eye Strain
Headaches
Poor Concentration
Seizures

Psychological Effects of Gaming

Tolerance & Withdrawal
Emotional Problems (Due to Subjection to Violence)
Anxiety
Depression
Aggression
Insomnia
Interpersonal Relationship Problems
Playing to Cope with Stress/ Anxiety
Loss of Interest in Other Activities

Crystal Meth

What is the most addictive drug?

Crystal Meth is a dangerously addictive drug that can be smoked, swallowed in pill form, snorted, or injected. Meth’s high lasts for a very short period which makes you want to continue to use and repeat the behavior.   Prolonged use of crystal meth comes with detrimental health problems such as risk of hepatitis or HIV, extreme weight loss, severe dental problems, severe itching of the skin that can lead to sores, anxiety, brain changes, memory loss, sleeping problems, paranoia, hallucinations, violent behavior and more.   Crystal meth addiction can be treated with cognitive behavioral therapy as well as Inpatient and Outpatient Detoxification.

Prescription Opioids/ Street Opioids

Opioids are prescribed to patients by doctors for a variety of ailments, one being chronic pain. Not only are prescription opioids highly addictive, they are sold for a large profit on the streets, making them one of the most expensive illegal drugs around.   What is the most expensive illegal drug in the world? An example of the most expensive illegal street drug would be OxyContin, ranging between $50-$80 per pill.   Opioid withdrawal can be extremely harmful to your health. Withdrawal may look like: agitation, muscle aches, excessive tiredness, anxiety, panic attacks, sweating, fever, or a racing heart.

Methadone

This opioid agonist is one of the most dangerous drugs today due to the fact that it can be abused by patients and is highly addictive. Methadone is prescribed during detoxification treatment to help combat withdrawal symptoms from opioid addiction.   Generally, methadone is safe when used appropriately but when abused, can lead to possible overdose. Methadone comes with side effects such as slower breathing, sexual problems, itchy skin, restlessness, nausea, and vomiting.   Extreme side effects include: hives or rash, chest pain, fast heartbeat, hallucinations, confusion and more.

Fentanyl

More than 50% of opioid deaths have involved fentanyl in 2017. Fentanyl is usually prescribed to patients in severe pain, and it’s administered by injection, patch, or lozenge form.   On the streets, fentanyl is sold illegally in a powder form and is often mixed with other harmful addictive drugs such as heroin or meth which can create a more powerful high that is more likely to lead to an overdose.   If you or someone you care about is in need of professional help for a drug addiction listed above, know that there is help and you are not alone. It is never a good idea to try to self-detox at home. The first step to recovery is detoxification, and this will require inpatient treatment at a drug and alcohol treatment facility. Holistic Drug Rehab Centers in CA are here to help.

The post Exclusive 10 Most Addictive Drugs List to Make Sure You Stay Away from Them appeared first on Forward Recovery.