Legal Highs: the New Face of Drug Addiction

The Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) released a report in September 2013 showing that alcohol and drug addiction in the UK costs the country some £36 billion annually. Some believe that legalising certain drugs would help by allowing regulation and taxation to take place. However, that only solves one aspect of the problem. Raising money from the drug trade does not put an end to the human toll of abuse and addiction.

For evidence, one needs look no further than the new face of drug addiction: legal highs. The same CSJ report from last year suggests just over 8% of young people between the ages of 15 and 24 have used legal highs, also known as ‘new psychoactive substances’. Rehab clinics are seeing a steady increase in the number of patients they are treating for addiction to these products.

A Shade of Grey

The UK has long had difficulty dealing with the flow of illicit drugs like heroin and crack. The CSJ report claims that the UK has the highest rate of opiate addiction in Europe and the highest rate of lifetime amphetamine use. Legal highs are only making the problem worse by occupying a grey area of the law that makes them much more difficult to control. That grey area can be found in the term ‘legal highs’ itself.

The substances we are talking about here are synthetic drugs that are manufactured to mimic the effects of illicit drugs while still being chemically different. The differences allow them to be legally sold on the open market because they are not classified has controlled substances. Nevertheless, there is a catch: the drugs cannot be sold for human consumption.

Manufacturers get around the restriction by labelling their products as plant food or bath salts. Head shops and other retailers operate the same way. Unfortunately, the nation’s drug rehab clinics do not have that luxury. They are dealing first-hand with the effects of the new psychoactive substances on a daily basis.

Manufacturing and Sales

Getting a handle on the legal high problem requires us to address the manufacture and sale of the substances. This includes a robust online market that has made the postal service and unwitting partner in drug trafficking. Once again, the UK leads Europe in the online trade of legal highs. Yet one must ask, where are the financial benefits?

It is all well and good to say we should legalise parts of the drug trade in order to reduce the financial cost of abuse and addiction. However, if new psychoactive substances are any indication, legalisation only stands to make the problem worse. If we are going to legalise some illicit drugs, we should be prepared for drug and alcohol rehab clinics to need more funds for treatment – and that could wipe out any financial gain realised from legalisation.

Addiction: Count the Cost before You Start

What do nearly all drug addicts and alcoholics have in common? They did not start out with a desire to become addicted. Rather, addiction is a gradual process that occurs without the individual even understanding what happening. The truth is that any of us could end up being the next client to check into the local drug rehab clinic if we are not careful.

Before you take that next drink or swallow that next pill, count the cost associated with addiction. If that cost is too high, and it is, do not use. Find something more productive to do with your time than taking drugs or drinking. If you need help coping with your problems, it is available all across the UK.

So, what is the cost of addiction? Consider the following:

1. Poor Health – Even the most socially acceptable drugs, like alcohol, can have devastating effects on personal health. Long-term alcoholics are likely to wind up with liver damage. Long-term cannabis users are at a higher risk for depression, memory loss, and cognitive issues. Cocaine users have a higher propensity for heart attack, stroke, and respiratory failure.

2. Premature Death – Along with all of the health issues of substance abuse comes the very real possibility of premature death. How many beds at UK rehab clinics remain empty because alcoholics and drug abusers die before they get treatment? The fact is that premature death associated with drug and alcohol use is a greater risk the longer you use.

3. Financial Ruin – The dirty little secret about addiction is that users can never get enough. They constantly need a higher volume of drugs or alcohol to feel satisfied. Moreover, more drugs or alcohol means more money. Addiction could mean the loss of your job; it could mean a total financial ruin that destroyers everything you worked so hard to build. You might even have to resort to stealing to supply your habit.

4. Broken Relationships – The worst of the consequences is that of broken relationships. Be mindful of the fact that addiction does not just affect the individual using drugs or alcohol; it affects the entire family. That is why drug and alcohol rehab clinics tend to offer family counselling services. Without treatment, you could destroy every personal relationship that is important to you. You could lose your spouse, your children, your extended family and every friend you have ever had.

Now that you know the cost of addiction, you must ask yourself whether it is truly worth taking the risk. We suggest it’s not. Do not fool yourself into thinking you are the type of person who can drink or use drugs indiscriminately without ever becoming an addict. Lots of others have thought the same thing – and they were wrong.

Addiction Recovery: Conquering the Fear

For someone who has never personally dealt with a serious drug or alcohol problem before, it is hard to understand why an addict cannot simply quit using. Truth be told, it is not as simple as that. The long-term use of mind-altering substances physically affects how the brain works. In turn, this also affects how the addict thinks.

Almost every addict is riddled with fear. Some are terrified they will fail in recovery and find themselves in a worse place than when they started. Others fear disappointing family members and friends. By and large, many of them are terrified of life itself. The reality is that complete recovery requires overcoming fears in a way that prevents them from coming back. Detox alone usually does not suffice in this area.

Psychotherapeutic Treatment

Today’s most successful rehab clinics take advantage of a number of effective psychotherapeutic treatments to deal with issues of fear. One of the more common treatments is something known as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). It is a therapy originally designed to help patients coping with certain types of mental illness come to grips with what they are dealing with. However, researchers soon discovered it was effective for drug and alcohol treatment as well.

CBT is different from other counselling therapies inasmuch as it is not open-ended. It is a goal-oriented therapy with a definite conclusion. Goals are set by the therapist during the first session, and then gradually worked through with each successive session. Achieving one goal leads to working on the next. The average CBT programme can be concluded in 12 to 15 weeks.

The goal of the therapist is to help the client identify those things that trigger fear and the individual’s response to it. Then the therapist teaches the individual how to deal with those fears in ways that do not involve drugs or alcohol. It is a very effective strategy that helps many of the residents attending drug and alcohol rehab clinics.

Other Treatments

CBT is but one tool at the disposal of addiction recovery therapists. Other tools include group support and counselling, life skills training, and therapies that challenge recovering addicts both physically and mentally. The key for alcohol and drug rehab clinics is to design bespoke treatment plans for each client. Customising treatment increases the chances of permanent success significantly.

If you are living with someone struggling with drugs or alcohol then it is important for you to understand that fear is a big part of what they are dealing with. Overcoming that fear will be necessary for complete recovery. As for how you can help, that is determined by doctors and therapists. Nevertheless, if you are willing to help, you can provide some of the support and assistance your loved one needs to conquer his fears.

When Alcohol Abuse Becomes Addiction

Alcoholism, alcohol dependence, or addiction; no matter what term is used to describe it, the condition is one that devastates both the individual drinker and his family. The good news is that it can usually be avoided by understanding the signs of alcohol abuse and how it progresses to a state of addiction. When alcohol abuse is recognised, proper intervention can prevent it from progressing to the next stage.

There are three types of alcohol-related problems generally recognised at the clinical level:

1. problem drinking
2. alcohol abuse
3. alcohol dependence (alcoholism, addiction).

The key to preventing dependence is to intervene while the individual is still in one of the first two stages. Unfortunately, today’s alcohol rehab clinics are dealing with far too many individuals classified as long-term alcoholics.

Problem Drinking

The NHS recommends men limit their alcohol consumption to 3-4 units of alcohol per day; women should limit themselves to 2-3 units. Units are calculated by dividing the strength of an alcoholic beverage by its total volume, then multiplying that number by 1,000. The formula dictates that a small glass of wine with an alcohol content of 12% is equal to 1.5 units.

The problem drinker exceeds the recommended limits on a regular basis without necessarily getting drunk. He may adhere to the limits during the week, and then consume more on the weekends. Problem drinkers tend to drink in order to help them relax or deal with problems.

Alcohol Abuse

Alcohol abuse is defined as exceeding the recommended limits persistently and without worry. Alcohol abusers tend to be binge drinkers with a tendency to spend several days every month in a drink induced haze. As alcohol abuse continues to develop, it eventually leads to alcohol dependence. Unfortunately, the abuser who has been at it long enough may be just one or two drinks away from alcohol rehab.

Alcohol Addiction

Alcohol abuse becomes addiction when an individual reaches a point of being controlled by alcohol. The addict is a person who constantly thinks about alcohol; he is a person who is worried he will not have enough alcohol to get through the day; he is someone who will go to extraordinary lengths to get a drink.

Rehab-clinic.com is one of the many organisations helping alcoholics overcome their issues by way of residential treatment. They say that it is common for clients to call them looking for help without knowing the extent of their problem. Many simply do not understand they are addicted.

The reality is that alcohol abuse will usually become addiction if left untreated. As a casual drinker, the best thing you can do is learn the signs of problem drinking, abuse and dependence, so that you are not caught off guard. If you recognise yourself as a potential problem drinker, get help now.

Three Things You Need to Know about Addiction Intervention

Family members and friends living with addicts often find themselves at a loss as to what they can do to help. They certainly cannot force a drug or alcohol addict to get treatment, yet they also have to be very careful not to be an enabler of addictive behaviour. It can be a difficult balancing act at times.

One of the strategies recommended by organisations like Rehab-Clinic.com is that of conducting an intervention. An intervention is a scenario in which a group of concerned family members and friends confront the addict about his problem. The idea is to motivate the individual to agree to treatment. An intervention can be conducted completely independently or under the direction of a professional counsellor.

Here are three things you need to know about the intervention if you are considering conducting one yourself:

1. Results Vary

An intervention is no different from the treatments offered in rehab centers in the sense that results will vary from one situation to the next. In other words, no one can force an individual to recover from addiction. That choice rests with the addict himself. Therefore, you may conduct an intervention only to find out that nothing changes. As good a motivational tool as intervention might be, sometimes you come up short. However, do not be discouraged. Wait a little while and try again. Sometimes it takes two or three interventions in order to get the addict’s attention.

2. Different Approaches

Professional counsellors approach intervention from one of two angles. One group believes it is best to focus on the addict and the harm he is doing to himself. The idea is that making him aware of self-destruction will motivate change. The other group believes it is best to focus on family members and friends, and the harm the addict is causing them. They believe shifting the focus from the addict to those he is unintentionally harming is a better motivator. Neither approach is necessarily right or wrong; it is best to follow the advice of your counsellor.

3. Immediate Action

When an intervention is successful, family members and friends may have a small window of opportunity to act. That means they must be ready to admit their loved one to treatment right away. If they wait too long, he may change his mind. Getting information about available alcohol and drug rehab clinics ahead of time is a good idea.

Information about conducting an intervention is available from a number of online resources including counselling organisations, drug and alcohol charities, medical websites, and government portals. Individuals living with drug addicts or alcoholics should take advantage of the free information. It may turn out that conducting an intervention is the most helpful thing they can do for their loved one.

The Differences Between 12-Step and SMART Rehab

The 12-step approach to alcohol rehab has been around since the establishment of Alcoholics Anonymous back in the 1930s. It is an approach that has proved successful for not only recovering alcoholics, but also those recovering from drug and compulsive behaviour addictions. Yet it is not the only approach that works.

Another approach, known as self-management and recovery training (SMART) looks at the rehab equation from a slightly different perspective. Since its development in the 1990s, the SMART approach has given birth to more than 1,000 support groups around the world.

There are two primary differences between the 12-step and SMART approaches. The first can be found in the way the two approaches view addiction. The second is one of personal responsibility. Let us look at both differences in a little more detail for better understanding:

View of Addiction

The 12-step approach to alcohol and drug rehab sees addiction as a lifelong disease requiring a lifelong commitment to recovery. As such, this approach equips recovering addicts with certain tools and strategies they can use to avoid relapse permanently. The SMART approach sees things differently.

Rather than seeing addiction as a lifelong disease, advocates of the SMART approach see it as a personal problem that can be permanently solved by finding and applying the right solutions. Moreover, just like any other problem, once solved the former addict can move on with his life. Those who employ this approach do not expect to see the same people in support meetings for years on end.

Personal Responsibility

The area of personal responsibility is another one where the differences between 12-step and SMART programmes are stark. The 12-step approach is built on the belief that the recovering addict is responsible to a higher power. That higher power is not necessarily identified as any particular religious deity; rather, each recovering addict relates with the higher power as he understands it.

In the SMART approach, the only personal responsibility is to oneself. This view lays all of the responsibility for success or failure directly at the feet of the addict. As such, it is also the responsibility of each addict to find a solution that will work best for him. That’s not to say he doesn’t receive support and good ideas from others, it’s simply to say that the ultimate responsibility for finding and applying solutions rest on him.

It is interesting to note that both approaches work fairly well. That should be no surprise, given the fact that addiction is a very personal struggle that cannot be defined as concretely as some would believe. In the end, it comes down to whatever approach works for the individual. As long as the demons are conquered, it matters not how one gets there.

For more Information visit http://www.rehab-clinic.com/

What One Can Expect From Detox?

You may have heard detox mentioned when reading about drug or alcohol rehab and are wondering what exactly detox is. Well simply put, it’s the process by which the addict gets all of the dangerous substance(s) out of their body.

Detox has to be carried out before rehab can begin; this goes for every type of drug addiction. The addict cannot go through rehabilitation with the drug still in his or her system; they must become completely drug free before moving on to rehab. Detox should almost always be carried out by professionals, for a host of different reasons.

Experts carrying out detox on a patient can monitor their health throughout the whole process, this is especially critical when dealing with drugs like heroin which can cause death from withdrawal. The patient must be kept safe throughout the whole procedure to avoid any complications that could arise. This leads onto the next important point which is that professionals can give the patient medication to ease the pain and symptoms associated with withdrawal.

The body gets so used to a substance being present that it will panic in a response to not having the drug. This can often be symptoms like nausea, headaches, hallucinations, delusions and more which can be hard to deal with. Professionals offering medication can make or break someone overcoming their physiological dependence, so it’s naturally a better idea to detox in a qualified detox centre.

With the support of friends and family, along with everyone in your detox centre, you or your loved one can definitely get through detox; many do it in less than a week! After that it’s straight to rehab to begin counselling where you or your loved one will come to understand that they do not need drugs or alcohol to enjoy a fulfilling life. Many don’t actually know what detox involves and that can drive people away from it, this is something that needs to be addressed with more available information.

Detox can be difficult; we certainly know that, however it is not a place to scared or cynical about, quite the opposite. Know that detox is a very important part of the process of overcoming a drug addiction; it flushes out all the toxins in the body and liberates it from the clutch of drug addiction. We want drug rehab and alcohol rehab addicts to live a life completely free of the substances and to do that we must first get them to break off of the drug completely, only then can a rehab clinic get to the root cause of the drug addict’s problem behaviour.

Are You Drugs Or Alcohol Addicted? Do Join Rehab Clinic Today

Rehab clinics are where vulnerable people who have an addiction to something like alcohol or drugs come to overcome their addictive behaviour and prepare to re-integrate into everyday life without abusing drugs. With enough effort and determination, anyone can enter a good rehab clinic and come out a success.

Private Residential rehab clinics are generally considered the best option for an addict looking for help. This is somewhere they can stay overnight while receiving treatment which means they will have less outside distractions that may make them want to go back to drugs or alcohol. Also if anything was to go wrong there would be experts on hand to help the addict in any way they need, whether it be medication to ease the symptoms of withdrawal or psychological issues they need to work through like depression. There is much a rehab clinic can offer their patient.

One-On-One counselling is a large part of an addict’s stay at a rehab clinic. A drug counsellor will help the patient work through the root of the addiction, why it began and how to deal with feelings that normally would’ve been blocked out by taking drugs. Through this process, it is hoped that the patient will see that they do not need their drug of choice to enjoy life again.

Group Counselling is another important part of attending a rehab clinic. Hearing other people’s stories will show you that you’re not alone in finding treatment for your addiction, quite the contrary. Many people find themselves stuck in the rut of drug addiction but it’s certainly not impossible to get out, especially with the help of the experts in our rehab clinics.

Activities and workshops exist in most rehab clinics, these offer the patient a chance for recreation and skill-building to prepare for leaving the rehab clinic into the real world again. Overcoming addiction is a personal growth process within the individual and thus working on one’s self in all manners is part of the process.

Some rehab clinics offer more luxury facilities such as gyms, swimming pools or spas, however these tend to be the minority. Rehab is primarily focused on the individual overcoming their addiction to dangerous substances and that is exactly what can be achieved in the majority of residential rehab clinics.

We urge to take a look at some of the rehab clinics near you to see what facilities and services they offer an inpatient. We’re sure most, if not all, will meet your requirements. Ridding your life or the life of loved one, of drugs should be your top priority and residential rehab can help you achieve just that.

What Is the Difference between Public and Private Rehab?

If you are familiar with the idea of alcohol and drug rehab, you are probably also aware that there are both public and private treatment options available. However, do you know the core differences? Do you know what each one has to offer and why one might be more advantageous then the other? In this article, we will endeavour to explain the differences between public and private rehab, in the hope that you will come away with a better understanding.

For starters, we must establish that the two types of rehab we are talking about involve the NHS and private rehab clinics. We are not specifically referencing professional counsellors, support groups, or charitable organisations, even though the NHS makes use of them.

Public Rehab

The public rehab arena is the domain of the NHS. As such, any UK resident can freely access it in the same way other healthcare services are accessed. An individual suffering from an alcohol or drug problem would begin the recovery process by making an appointment with a GP. That doctor would examine the patient, offer a diagnosis, and develop a recovery plan accordingly.

When detox is necessary, it can be offered on an outpatient, inpatient, or home basis. If the GP believes detox is not necessary, the individual will immediately be referred to third-party organisations that can offer counselling. The doctor may prescribe medication to help control cravings.

The primary benefit of public rehab is the fact that it can be accessed free of charge. It is the first line of treatment most substance abusers in this country follow. Some succeed; others do not. Unfortunately, the free services offered by the NHS have some inherent weaknesses that sometimes lead to failure:

– they are oversubscribed most of the time

– long waits are not uncommon

– follow-up is virtually non-existent

– prescription medications are overused.

We should mention that the NHS no longer offers residential rehab except in extreme cases. The money is just not there to provide that sort of care anymore. When extenuating circumstances do dictate residential care, that care is still provided by a private clinic and billed to the NHS.

Private Rehab

Private rehab comes by way of independently owned drug and alcohol rehab clinics operating as businesses. These organisations have set up residential houses were recovering addicts can stay during the course of their treatments. Everything residents need is provided for them including food, accommodations, medical treatment, and rehab therapies.

A typical private rehab programme lasts between 4 and 12 weeks and involves bespoke treatment plans developed by clinic therapists. After release from the clinic, the individual takes advantage of several months of aftercare services.

The primary disadvantage of private rehab is that it is not free. However, it is more affordable than may think. Having said that, the main advantage of private care is that it generally produces better results than public treatment does. For those who can afford it, residential treatment at a private clinic is a much better option that increases the chances of permanent recovery.

For advice about which kind of rehab is more suited to your circumstances, feel free to contact one of the many referral services available online. Their experts can evaluate your situation and offer you the best recommendation possible. The important thing is that you get the help you need, regardless of where it comes from.

Do all Rehab Clinics Operate the Same Way

You may have noticed that there are a fairly large number of addiction recovery referral services operating online. These services specialise in offering free counselling and referrals to private rehab clinics located throughout the UK. Some of them even have connections with clinics overseas. The reason these services are so vital to addicts and their families comes down to one simple thing: not all rehab clinics operate the same way.

 

 

 

In the old days, drug and alcohol experts believed it was possible to develop a ‘one-size-fits-all’ treatment applicable to every addiction. And for several decades, clinics operated under that assumption. However, it turns out that there is no treatment solution that works for everyone. Therefore, different clinics operate in different ways. The organisations offering referral services take the time to learn about the various alcohol and drug rehab clinics – how these operate, and what they offer. They can then make referrals based on matching up a client with the most suitable clinic.

 

Different Rehab Approaches

 

Looking into rehab clinics reveals how differently they approach the recovery process. For example, there are a number of Christian-based organisations offering drug and alcohol rehab from a Christian perspective. One does not need to be a professing Christian to enrol at one of these clinics, but all of the therapies and treatments used will be from a Christian perspective. Someone attending a Christian clinic would likely be involved in exercises like organised prayer, Bible study, and counselling with a Christian counsellor.

 

For every religious-based approach, there is also a secular approach. Secular drug and alcohol rehab clinics still approach the issue with the understanding that addiction involves both the body and the mind, but they tend to leave off spiritual component. Their psychotherapeutic treatments include things like cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and interactive group therapy.

 

It is interesting to note that a large percentage of the clinics in the UK use some form of the popular 12-step approach regardless of their philosophy on religious versus secular recovery. The 12-step programme was developed by Alcoholics Anonymous in the 1930s and focuses on one’s responsibility to a higher power, whatever that might be. Various adaptations of the original 12-step programme now exist to serve the needs of organisations with different rehab approaches.

 

Different Accommodation Levels

 

One of the other big differences we see in private rehab clinics is a level of accommodations offered by each one. For instance, a budget-sensitive clinic may offer dormitory accommodations and only a few, necessary amenities on site. The other end of the spectrum would be a luxury clinic providing private accommodations and a full range of amenities including swimming pools, fully equipped gyms, and so on.

 

Some argue that different levels of accommodations separate recovery according to financial class and status. Others say that offering different levels of accommodations is the only way to serve the greatest number of those in need. In the end, it comes down to whether or not a clinic is devoted to helping clients achieve complete recovery.

 

The differences between drug and alcohol rehab clinics suggest individuals and their families need to look at every available option before deciding on a clinic. However, because there are so many choices, looking around can quickly become overwhelming. Referral services make the job easier by doing all of the legwork ahead of time. Today, an addict or concerned family member can make one phone call to get the necessary help. And that’s a good thing.