Southeast Addiction Center in Georgia and Tennessee

Have you ever found yourself constantly making excuses for someone’s behavior or bailing them out of difficult situations? Do you find it hard to say “no” when asked for help by the same person over and over again? If so, then you might be an enabler.  Enabling behavior is not always easy to recognize in yourself, but it can have serious consequences for both the enabler and the person they are enabling. In today’s blog post, we’ll explore what it means to be an enabler, how to identify if you’re one, and most importantly— how to stop being one.

What Is An Enabler? Being an enabler is a term that’s commonly used in the context of addiction. An enabler is someone who perpetuates or supports another person’s addictive behavior, often without realizing it. They may provide financial support to help the individual buy drugs or alcohol or make excuses for their behavior. Enablers can also be found outside the realm of substance abuse and addiction. For example, parents who constantly bail out their adult children from financial troubles instead of letting them learn to stand on their own two feet are enabling them. In essence, an enabler is someone who allows harmful behaviors to continue by providing support and making excuses for those behaviors. While they may believe they’re helping the person in question, they’re actually harming them in the long run by preventing them from facing consequences and addressing underlying issues. It’s important to recognize when you might be enabling someone so that you can take steps toward being more supportive in healthy ways rather than encouraging destructive patterns.

How Do You Know If You Are An Enabler?

Enabling others can be a tricky thing, as it often stems from good intentions. However, enabling someone can actually do more harm than good in the long run. So how do you know if you’re an enabler?

One common sign of being an enabler is constantly making excuses for someone’s negative behavior or actions. For example, if your friend always shows up late to events and you consistently make excuses for them like “they just have a lot going on right now,” then you may be enabling their lack of responsibility. More seriously, another sign is taking responsibility for another person’s problems or mistakes, especially with addiction. If your partner or loved one is often getting in trouble with the law, but you always step in and take care of it for them, that could be seen as enabling their irresponsibility. 

If you find yourself sacrificing your own needs and well-being to cater to someone else’s wants and desires, then that could also indicate enabling behavior. It could also be a sign of co-dependence as well. 

It’s important to recognize these signs in oneself in order to avoid falling into patterns of enabling others. By setting healthy boundaries and encouraging accountability, we can help ourselves and those around us grow and improve.

The Dangers Of Enabling

Being an enabler might seem like a selfless act of helping someone you care about, but it can actually be quite dangerous for both parties involved. Enabling behavior can lead to enabling addiction and other harmful habits, which can ultimately hurt the person you are trying to help.

When you constantly enable someone, either through financial support or emotional validation, they become dependent on that support. This dependency leads to a lack of motivation and self-reliance, as the person doesn’t feel the need to take responsibility for their own actions.

Additionally, enabling behavior often comes from a place of codependency. The enabler may feel like they need to be needed in order to feel valued or loved. This type of codependent relationship is unhealthy and can have negative effects on both individuals involved.

Enablers also run the risk of being taken advantage of by those they are trying to help. When a person becomes reliant on another’s enabling behavior, they may begin to manipulate them in order to get what they want without taking any personal responsibility.

Finally, addiction destroys families and relationships. When harm is eventually done by the addict, that harm is almost sure to harm the enabler as well. The sooner someone can get into treatment, the sooner everyone is safe. 

Being an enabler is not a sustainable way of helping someone in need. It perpetuates harmful patterns and behaviors while hindering personal growth and development for all parties involved.

How To Stop Being An Enabler

If you’ve recognized that you might be an enabler of someone’s addiction, it’s important to take steps toward stopping this behavior. Here are some tips on how to stop being an enabler:

Set boundaries: One of the ways in which people enable others is by not setting clear boundaries about what they’re willing and unwilling to do for them. Learn how to say “no” when necessary and establish healthy limits in your relationships.

Stop making excuses for others: Enablers often make excuses for their loved ones’ problematic behaviors or actions instead of holding them accountable. Start acknowledging these behaviors as unacceptable and don’t justify or excuse them anymore.

Practice tough love: Sometimes, showing tough love is necessary in order to help someone change their harmful behaviors or habits. This means being firm but kind with consequences if they continue down a destructive path.

Seek support from others: It can be challenging to break out of enabling patterns without support from friends, family members, or even professionals like therapists who have experience dealing with codependency issues.

Stop Enabling: Find Addiction Help For A Loved One Today

Being an enabler may seem like a selfless act, but it often leads to codependency and resentment, and ultimately harms everyone involved. If you suspect that you have been an enabler yourself of someone’s addiction, take action immediately by calling us at 888-981-8263.

Our Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) focuses on providing a smooth transition from a high level of care to a more calmed environment. Allowing each client to utilize the skills they’ve learned with a sense of freedom, Southeast Addiction’s IOP program still provides the same structure and support in a more relaxed setting. Visit southeastaddiction.com/iop/ or call (888) 981-8263 for more details.

Art is a powerful way to deliver a message. Whether it’s an oil painting, a 1960s soul song, a great novel or a film that pulls at your heartstrings, art has a way of reaching the spirit and conscience in a way that mere words and statistics can never match. Over the years there have been some great films that do a fine job of capturing what it’s like to live with addiction. Both from the perspective of the person with a substance use disorder (SUD) and from the people who love them. There is rarely a dull moment when active addiction is in play and sometimes laughter is the best medicine. At other times, we may need to be reminded of the tragic possibilities and feel the weight of what’s at stake. Movies about addiction can do all of that and then some. Lets explore the 5 Movies About Addiction You Need to See.

Here are 5 movies about addiction that you really must see:

Beautiful Boy (2018)

Beautiful Boy was based on the memoirs of Nicolas Sheff and chronicled his years of battling drug addiction. It depicts the personal nightmare of active addiction and the impact it has on the soul, while also doing a great job of showing how it impacts the people who care about us most.. Steve Carell plays David Sheff, Nicolas’ father, who spends years trying to make sense out of what his son is experiencing as an addict and why and desperately trying to save him. It hits close to home for anyone who has been through addiction, but also for the loved ones who have tried desperately to save them. Timothee Chalamet delivers a brilliant performance in it too. 

Rocketman (2019)

Rocketman tells the true story of a man named Reggie Dwight and how, against all odds, he became the internationally, multi-generationally famous rock star, Elton John. It’s a wild ride with some spectacularly choreographed musical scenes and poignant emotional moments. It delivers some powerfully resonant lessons about self-realization and self acceptance. Elton John’s battles with drugs and alcohol are a prominent theme throughout the film, as they were in his real life. It’s an emotional rollercoaster at times, but a truly fascinating story. Even if (somehow) you don’t know Elton John or his music well, he is a fascinating character and this movie about alcoholism, addiction, fame and triumph is well worth 2 hours of your time. 

Walk the Line (2005)

Another rock and roll biography in film, Walk the Line opens a window into the life of Johnny Cash. Based on two autobiographies written by the eponymous Man in Black, it covers his early life, his 30+ year relationship with singer June Carter, all the way through the peaks and valleys of his wild career and rockstar life. If there was ever a musician who embodied the torment of alcoholism, it’s Johnny Cash. The man was practically the poster child for hard living. There are few things as uniquely American as a Johnny Cash tune. To this day, his distinctive baritone voice is immediately recognizable. This movie about alcoholism and the rise, fall and rebirth of an American icon will give you food for thought and we think maybe a little inspiration too. If you’re not already a Johnny Cash fan, chances are you will be before the film is over.  

Drugstore Cowboy (1989)

Based on the autobiography by James Fogle, Drugstore Cowboy isn’t about a celebrity, but ordinary, garden variety addicts. This makes it more accessible in some ways than the celebrity stories perhaps. Drugstore Cowboy is the story of a band of heroin addicts in the 80s who rob pharmacies to fuel their spiraling habits. But the heists are more than a means of staying high for them. They are a part of the ritual of getting high, a part of their culture, almost like a religion that only they share and a pact that keeps them all sick and in almost constant danger. It can be hard to watch in parts, but the truth in it is undeniable and that’s probably part of why. A young Matt Dillon gives a staggering performance as Bob Hughes. There’s some dark humor in it as well that people in recovery (or active addiction) are likely to appreciate. 

Ray (2004)

Sticking with our music theme, the 2004 film, Ray, is the story of legendary rhythm and blues artist Ray Charles. Lots of people know Ray Charles’ music and he’s one of the most famous blind musicians of the 20th century, if not all time. The pain, struggle and passion of Ray Charles’ life runs throughout the soulful crooning, strings and percussion of every record he ever recorded. What a lot of people don’t know about Ray Charles though is that early in his career he battled heroin addiction which almost destroyed him. 

Help for Addiction in Real Life

Suboxone Has Downsides, Like Any Drug. But It Clearly Saves Lives

Opioid addictions to drugs like heroin, Oxycontin, Fentanyl, and Vicodin are powerful addictions, which are as much chemical as medical. Many times these addictions require “replacement therapy” or other medical means to keep addicts from using drugs and beat their addictions for good. Luckily, there are many drugs approved by the FDA and other national medical bodies that can help to treat opioid and other addictions. 

While there are many drugs available to treat opioid addiction with medication, there is a fairly new drug called Suboxone that is showing promise to help addicts break their addictions. Subxone is relatively new on the market and becoming more popular for opioid treatment. Studies have shown that Suboxone can be an effective treatment for opioid addiction. 

The opioid crisis is still raging in the United States. Many people are dying from overdoses and other complications of Opioid use. Is Suboxone a solution to this crisis? 

The short answer is, it’s one (powerful) tool in our arsenal against opioid addiction and overdose. But there are many misconceptions around the drug and its use. What is it and how does it work? Is Suboxone addictive and can it be abused?

Below, we’ve tried to answer some of these questions in plain English so you and your loved ones can have a more clear idea if Suboxone might be right for you, or those you love who are addicted to opiates. We caution: any decision to take medication for an opioid or other addiction must be undertaken with a physician or other medical professional. This is simply a primer on the medication so you can understand more about what treatments are available. 

What Is Suboxone In Plain English? 

Suboxone is a drug used for treating addiction to opiates like heroin, Vicodin, Fentanyl, and Oxycontin. It is a combination of drugs (in one dose) that studies show may be more or just as effective as other medical methods for treating addiction to opiates. It is an interesting development in the medical field because it potentially has fewer side effects and is potentially less addictive than other alternatives. 

It is a combination of the drugs Naloxone, also known as NARCAN, and buprenorphine. You may know Naloxone as a drug used to revive people experiencing opioid addictions administered via a nose spray. Buprenorphine is a drug used to treat addiction. Both of these drugs are also used separately, but Suboxone is a recent combination. 

Suboxone works to relieve symptoms of withdrawal from heroin and other opiates. It does this through a partial “replacement” method, where a patient’s brain receives signals like they were taking an opiate, but they don’t get “high”. This is the effect of the Buprenorphine. Mixed with Naloxone, it’s likely a safer option than Buprenorphine alone. 

Can Suboxone Be Abused?

Doctors believe Suboxone has less potential to be abused than some other drugs. While it may still be possible to abuse this drug, further studies need to be done to understand the long term effects. However, benefits need to be weighed against potential costs. As the Harvard Medical Center puts it, “The vast majority of physicians, addiction experts, and advocates agree: Suboxone saves lives.”

NARCAN is what’s called an “antagonist” to opiates, which means it blocks the opiate reception in the brain. By adding Naloxone to Buprenorphine it results, doctors and researchers think, less potential for it to be abused and for a user to become addicted. 

Is Suboxone Addictive?

Suboxone can be misused, like many other drugs, but when taken as prescribed by a medical professional, it is safe. There are differing opinions to how long Suboxone might be taken, with some doctors and researchers saying it may be beneficial to take over the long term and others only recommending it for short periods of time. 

But while there are many drugs used to treat opioid addiction, Methadone is one of the most common replacement therapies. This drug, while it saves lives, is sometimes referred to as “liquid handcuffs” because of its potential for the need to be taken over long periods of time.  

Because of this and other factors including decreased potential for misuse, Suboxone might be preferable. 

Does Suboxone Work For Treating Opioid Addiction?

The short answer is, yes. There is no silver bullet for treating addiction. No pill you or your loved ones can take can “cure” anyone of addiction. But Suboxone is a powerful tool in the arsenal in becoming a non-user of opiates and staying that way. 

In the words of one study, “Despite substantial evidence for its efficacy and well-developed models of care, buprenorphine [and Suboxone] remains underutilized.”

How Can I Get Care For Opioid Addiction?  

As we mentioned above, there is no silver bullet to kill addiction. A combination of therapies is almost always necessary to help users stay drug-free. But If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, help is available.

Alcohol addiction is the most common form of addiction faced by Americans. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, nearly 15 million Americans struggle with alcohol use disorder.  However, only around 7% of those with AUD will receive any form of treatment. Every year, an estimated 95,000 people die from alcohol-related causes, with only tobacco and poor diet causing higher preventable deaths in the United States. For those who are looking to beat their addiction to alcohol, the first step is alcohol detox.

What Happens During Detox?

Most people who want to overcome their alcohol use disorder will need to take alcohol detox as the first step of their treatment. There are three steps to detox:

Intake – A licensed and trained medical professional will perform a comprehensive interview to know more about a client’s alcohol use history and medical history. A psychiatric exam will also be conducted to assess the person’s mental health status.

Detoxification – A period of around 48 hours where all traces of alcohol will be flushed out of the client’s body. This is typically when alcohol withdrawal symptoms will manifest.

Post-detoxification – a stabilization period when the client may need to undergo further medical or psychological therapy to recover from alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

The Detox Process

Whether the client is doing their detox at home or in a facility, the first 48 hours are the most crucial. Here is a timeline of what to expect during this period:

First 48 Hours

The first 48 hours is known as the acute withdrawal phase. This is usually when the most severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms occur, such as:

Nausea

Vomiting

Convulsions

Whole body tremors

Auditory and visual hallucinations

Anxiety

Hypertension

Profuse sweating

Inability to regulate body temperature

Rage

More Than 48 Hours

After 48 hours, the client enters the early abstinence phase of their detox. The brain slowly readjusts to the loss of alcohol, and the body begins to regulate itself. Some of the symptoms include:

Anxiety

Depression

Insomnia

Diminished appetite

Mood swings

Restlessness

What Is Post-Acute Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome?

After early abstinence, people who have severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms can experience post-acute alcohol withdrawal syndrome (PAWS). This period includes prolonged side effects such as:

Slurred Speech

Consuming excessive amounts of alcohol regularly rewires a person’s brain. One of the things that can happen is that the connections between the neurons are disrupted, resulting in slurred speech. Slurred speech can manifest in difficulty forming coherent sentences, or speaking in a slow and affected manner. This side effect can last for days or month during PAWS.

Impaired Brain Function

As the brain and body are trying to return to normal, various health issues can manifest. The person can have difficulty maintaining balance while walking, as well as lose their train of thought. Cognitive functions can also be impaired, which can make doing daily tasks difficult.

Other common psychological side effects include short-term memory loss and fugue.

Can Alcohol Withdrawal Kill You?

The short answer is yes, alcohol withdrawal can kill you. People who experience severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms can experience life-threatening conditions such as cardiac arrest and stroke. This is why medically-assisted detox in a facility is recommended for people who are heavily addicted to alcohol.

Types Of Alcohol Detox

There are two types of alcohol detox: inpatient and outpatient. Inpatient detox and outpatient detox.

Who Is Inpatient Detox For?

Inpatient alcohol detox involves staying at a detox facility throughout the duration of the process. Patients will be given medical supervision 24 hours a day, as well as a strict daily schedule. A patient will undergo various therapies that will help them during their detox, as well as counseling sessions to create new coping strategies. Most facilities also offer outdoor physical activities to help a patient regain their physical health. During a patient’s intake assessment, a licensed professional will recommend inpatient treatment if they feel that detox can be too dangerous or difficult for a patient to do on their own. Typically, inpatient detox can take 7 to 14 days to complete.

Who Is Outpatient Detox For?

Outpatient detox is for people who can manage their alcohol withdrawal symptoms at home. This is generally for those who have mild alcohol use disorder. Patients who undergo outpatient detox only need to travel to the facility to receive therapy, counseling, or medication. Afterwards, they will be allowed to leave so that they can rest and recover at home. Outpatient detox is usually shorter than inpatient detox, with the average treatment lasting around seven days. However, it is not uncommon for treatments to last up to 14 days depending on the needs of the patient.

Medically-Assisted Alcohol Detox

When a person is experiencing severe and life-threatening alcohol withdrawal symptoms, medication can help ease these symptoms. Some of the medications used to treat alcohol withdrawal symptoms include:

Benzodiazepines – these are the most commonly used drugs to help treat alcohol withdrawal symptoms. They are used to lessen the severity of the symptoms.

Anticonvulsants – used to treat seizures and tremors caused by withdrawal. Includes divalproex sodium (Depakote).

Barbiturates – used in cases of severe convulsions. Phenobarbital is the most common drug used, typically in addition to benzodiazepines.

Beta blockers – helps regulate the patient’s heart rate and blood pressure if they are too high.

Medically-assisted detox is only done in inpatient settings under the supervision of a medical professional.

Finding The Right Alcohol Detox Facility For You

Heroin is a highly addictive opiate that is obtained from the opium poppy. Heroin addiction has been a recurring problem in the United States and has ravaged communities affected by it. The addictiveness of heroin can affect nearly anyone and overdose deaths are highly common. Heroin is often the drug that people turn to once they can no longer obtain prescription opioids.

Heroin is an opiate that is created from processing morphine. Morphine is a natural painkiller that is obtained from the opium poppy. Heroin was first made in 1874 in the hopes that it would be a weaker form of heroin that could serve similar medicinal purposes of pain management. Morphine addiction has always been an issue that affected communities that were using it for medical purposes.

Unfortunately, heroin is just as addictive as morphine and has since been a banned substance in the United States. Drugs often have a reputation for who uses them and for what. Heroin addiction has for a long time had a reputation of being a drug that was favored by the poor. However, this could not be further from the truth as heroin addiction affects many different communities and is not limited by socioeconomic class.Heroin Use Statistics And Economic Impact

According to druabuse.gov, heroin use is in on the rise. Part of this increase in heroin usage is the crackdown on the prescription of opioids. In 2018, nearly 15,000 people died from a heroin drug overdose in the United States according to the CDC. Heroin is often a carrier drug for the more deadily fentanyl which is often mixed into heroin to give it extra potency. This indirectly gives heroin an even more dangerous reputation due to the number of overdose deaths from heroin as well as those from fentanyl.  In 2015, the cost of horin use disorder was estimated at a staggering $51.2 billion dollars. This was based on the number of heroin users, the cost of HCV treatment, as well as costs of incarcerating heroin users for related crimes. The great amount of interest in the damage and cost the heroin epidemic has waged on the nation as well as on the infrastructure was largely fueled by the explosion in number of heroin users between 2000 and 2013. Between those years, heroin users had doubled. Overdose deaths related to heroin had also tripled since 2002, culminating in a record breaking year in 2014 in which the number of drug overdose deaths hit an all time high of just over 47,000.Short And Long Term Heroin Use Risks

Heroin is dangerous regardless of the length of period it is used. However, heroin addiction symptoms and damage do differ depending on how long a person has been using heroin.Longer term use sees even more severe consequences to the health of the user such as:

·         Lung issues and increased vulnerability to illnesses such as pneumonia

·         Cognitive impairment/damage

·         Further deepening of depression/anxiety

·         Liver and/or kidney damage due to the strain of processing toxic compounds

·         Heart disease/damage

·         Circulatory system problemsShort term risks include:

·         Blacking out or going in and out of consciousness

·         Slowed respiratory function

·         Low blood pressure

·         Mental illness such as anxiety and depression

·         Arrythmia of the heart and palpitations

·         Inability to focusHeroin Treatment

Southeast Addiction understands the link between prescription opioid use and heroin use. Opioid/opiate addictions in general are highly dangerous and difficult to extricate oneself from without assistance. We are here to help. Much has been said about heroin addiction in the United States for the past 30 years. The economic impact, the burden on the healthcare system, the lost productivity that results from people being down and out. All of these things are certainly terrible, however the worst aspects of heroin addiction and drug addiction as a whole is the damage it wreaks to the community, to the family and friends, and of course, to the individual. If you or a loved one are suffering from a heroin addiction, call now before it’s too late. Heroin overdoses are highly common, and it is best to act as quickly as possible to detox from the drug.

Southeast Addiction’s individualized cocaine addiction treatment in Norcross, GA offers a comprehensive look at cocaine addiction and dependence, along with other commonly abused substances. Our staff has the experience, training, and compassionate perspective required to assist those who are stuck in a cycle of abuse and dependence. We offer a range of cocaine addiction treatment options depending on your time available and what would suit your own personal needs best.

Signs And Symptoms Of Cocaine Usage

Cocaine is notoriously one of the most highly addictive street drugs on the market. While synthetic opioids such as heroin and fentanyl have received a great deal of attention due to the opioid epidemic the country has been facing for the past 30 years, cocaine has always been a near constant source of turmoil as well. Cocaine can be referred to as blow, snow, coke, rock, etc. It is administered by either snorting it nasally or injecting it intravenously. Like many drugs, there are warning signs for those who are using cocaine on a consistent basis. Signs may range from physical to emotional to behavioral or simply all three simultaneously.

Physical signs of cocaine usage include but are not limited to:

Tremors or muscle spasms

Persistent runny nose

Irregular heartbeat 

Sudden weight loss

Cocaine use can be most easily inferred from the behavioral changes that are a result of sustained cocaine use. Keeping razor blades, spoons, small plastic bags are just small tell-tale signs of the persistent need to have access to cocaine. A typical cocaine high lasts only 15-30 minutes, making the cycle of abuse for this drug incredibly short. Tolerance can quickly climb and so the items listed above will be found on or near many people who use cocaine frequently. 

Long Term Effects Of Cocaine Use

Besides causing shifts in brain neurochemistry, cocaine can also wear the body down from the repeated sharp effect it has on various factors such as heart rate and blood pressure as well as their cascading effects on the body. Because of these effects on the brain and body, long term use can see the rise in likelihood of suffering from strokes, persistent gastrointestinal issues, eating disorders, and heart attacks, as well as many other issues depending on the method of administration. Because of the relatively short lived effects of this drug, the comedown arrives quickly and this crash easily leaves the user feeling down, depressed, discontent, fatigued, and sometimes angry. Apart from the general mental and bodily harm that comes from chronic and sustained cocaine use, there are also an acute series of symptoms in the form of

Reduction or loss of smell

Nosebleeds, runny nose, and difficulty swallowing

Increased risk of Hepatitis C and similar blood-borne infections

Southeast Addiction Cocaine Addiction Treatment In Norcross, GA

Fentanyl belongs to the class of drugs known as opioids. Fentanyl and Fentanyl addiction responsible for a large number of opioid related deaths and drug overdoses due to the potency of the drug. Another danger to fentanyl is that many people who die due to fentanyl overdose had no idea they were using fentanyl as this drug is commonly mixed together with other opioidal drugs such as heroin.

Fentanyl has been commonly named the most dangerous drug in America. Pharmaceutical fentanyl is a synthetic opioid pain reliever which is used for treating severe pain in end-stage scenarios such as late-stage or terminal cancer. Morphine—another commonly abused pain drug, is significantly weaker than fentanyl. For comparison, fentanyl is 50 to 100 times more potent than that.

In the past decade, large quantities of illegally made fentanyl entered the United States. It hit many communities throughout the US—potentially starting in Ohio, where the daily death toll in 2015 was breaking all manner of records. These deaths were at first thought to be because of heroin, but upon further inspection they were soon found to be fentanyl.

Fentanyl is so deadly because of chain of addiction that follows from prescription opioids to heroin and then to fentanyl. Because fentanyl is so potent, it is significantly easier to miscalculate the dosage and overdose on it.

Our Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) focuses on providing a smooth transition from a high level of care to a more calmed environment. Allowing each client to utilize the skills they’ve learned with a sense of freedom, Southeast Addiction’s IOP program still provides the same structure and support in a more relaxed setting. Whether you are seeking outpatient alcohol treatment or for other substances, within our IOP program, clients can choose from a range of options including gaining employment, volunteering, or attending support groups in the area. In our Georgia rehab facility, this level of care is essential for those struggling to overcome their addiction.

Why Is IOP So Important? 

While treatment can separate the patient from the real world, when they immediately return back to the same environment with no support or structure, they are at risk for relapse. At Southeast Addiction Center in Georgia, an Intensive Outpatient Program IOP program is critical to bridge the gap between the real world and treatment. By reinforcing the tools and skills each client receives in intensive treatment, each client has a better chance at sustaining long-term recovery.

Patients also work with their therapists individually on a weekly basis. While patients are not attending group therapy meetings, they are free to go to meetings of their choice and to seek employment or volunteer. Intensive outpatient alcohol treatment and IOP for other substance abuse disorders provides patients with a smooth transition from a treatment setting to continuing their journey of recovery and living a happy and sober life. Family members can rest assured that their loved ones are getting the drug and alcohol treatment they need in order to make a change.

Our IOP program in Georgia provides opportunities for you to develop communication skills and participate in socialization experiences; this is particularly useful for individuals whose socializing has revolved around using drugs or alcohol

IOP establishes an environment in which you help, support, and when necessary, confront one another

IOP introduces structure and discipline into the often-chaotic lives you or your loved one have lived.

IOP provides norms that reinforce healthful ways of interacting and a safe and supportive therapeutic milieu that is crucial for recovery

IOP also continues to advance individual recovery; group members who are further along in recovery can help other members

IOP provides a venue for group leaders to transmit new information, teach new skills, and guide clients as they practice new behaviors

IOP is a time where the client is reintroduced to working and learn to balance time between recovery and work

Long-term sobriety requires a strong support network and ongoing personal growth to acquire healthy skills for developing relationships and decision-making. Our intensive outpatient program advances recovery through proven therapies that help individuals cope with cravings and the compulsion to use; identify and cope with anger, resentment, stress, and other triggers; and develop and maintain healthy relationships.

Treatment programming is designed to address individual risks for relapse and current environmental stressors. It allows clients the opportunity to put into practice the recovery skills they’ve learned and to process their successes and challenges in a supportive, safe space. Clients are also encouraged to participate in 12-step meetings and to further develop their sober support network while in treatment.

Unfortunately, drug abuse is becoming more and more common. It can be difficult for anyone who has to live with or deal with the addict. It can also break down every ounce of respect, self-care, mental health and belief one has in themselves. If you are worried about addiction in you or someone you care about or love, please reach out to our Southeast Addiction team for treatment today.  If you are just wanting to know whether someone has a drug abuse disorder that can impact their mental health, read more here today. 

Do You Have A Substance Abuse Problem?

If you are looking over this guide, you may be wondering what all you are going to learn. Well, let’s jump straight to the point. The first step in helping anyone to overcome drug abuse is to see if they have an addiction in the first place. Some signs Alcohol addiction that you or a loved one may have a substance abuse problem include: 

Keep taking the drug after you no longer need it

Needing more of the drug to get the effects you were getting

Feeling strange when the harmful substances start to wear off

Feeling as if you can’t stop using drugs and/or alcohol, even if you badly want to

Spending a lot of time thinking about harmful substances

Losing interest in doing things that were once enjoyable to you

Losing all your motivation

Becoming more and more irritable with people

Moderate to severe agitation and aggressiveness

Bloodshot eyes

Regular bloody noses

Slurred speech when they are talking to you

Tremors in the hands and/or legs

Not sticking to their daily routine like they used to

Not showing concern for themselves or others

Keeps asking for money or other types of help

Stopped showing up for others who they looked up to in the past

Do you know someone who has some of these issues? If so, do your best to hold an intervention with other people who care about this person. Hopefully, they will see that their drug abuse is affecting their physical and mental health and treatment should come very soon.

The Brain And Drug Abuse Related Information

Have you been noticing there is a change in your behavior or the behavior of someone you know? If so, it could be due to drug abuse. This is especially the case if you are experiencing negative mental health changes. For example, someone who is abusing alcohol may develop depression or suicidal tendencies. Someone who is getting high may not be able to focus or concentrate. 

To sum it up, drugs work on the brain like this:

Copying the brain’s naturally-based chemical messengers

Overstimulating the brain’s reward circuit

Overloading the brain with extra chemicals

Binding those chemicals to the brain’s receptors

Basically, any type of drug can change the way the body and brain think or work. If you or someone you care about have a problem with drug abuse, don’t let it get any worse. Take your time to call our Southeast Addiction team of professional drug rehab agents today. We want to help you get the life you deserve. Alcohol And Drugs – Their Mental Health Effects

There is psychological distress that is associated with drug abuse. The distress can range from very mild to extremely serious. There is one problem though, it isn’t always clear as to what started first – the mental health issue or the addiction. The good thing is that you or your loved one can get co-occurring disorder treatment if you struggle with mental health and drug abuse issues. Nonetheless, it has been found that those who struggle with anxiety, mood swings, stress, trauma and other mental health issues are much more likely to get drunk or high than those who don’t have mental health issues.  

If you are at a higher risk of developing these issues, it would be a good idea to get ahead of the issue. This means that you even if you don’t drink or do drugs now, you can save yourself a lot of mental health issues and other disasters in your life, if you take action. You can start by going to an Al-Anon meeting which is a meeting for people who have someone in their life who suffers from addiction. Moving Forward In Recovery

Now that you read through this guide and found out how drug chemicals attach to the brain and alter mental health, you can decide what to do next. Are you the one who has drug abuse issues or is it someone that you know? Either situation is important to our team. We want to ensure that everyone is going to get the help they need – whether they have an addiction, mental health disorder or both. With this being said, moving forward into a recovering lifestyle is possible. Some of the tips to help you get going on this path include: 

Signing up for and going to a professional detox center (there are many facilities that offer detox and then outpatient or inpatient drug rehab services)

After detox, you can go to outpatient, intensive outpatient, partial hospitalization, or inpatient programs (if you have questions about each one of these treatments, don’t hesitate to let us know)

Receiving co-occurring disorder treatment (for the drug abuse and mental health issues)

Continuing through with your aftercare plan

Going to addiction recovery meetings to lower your risk of relapsing

Building your support network

Keeping up with routines

Having fun, substance-free hobbies to participate in

These are some of the best things you can do to start living a recovering lifestyle. If you want more information about how our team can help with these, speak with a member of our team as soon as possible. Drug Abuse Affects Mental Health – Get Help With Both Today

Now that you know drug abuse does affect mental health, you can start receiving help in treating both these issues together. If you still have more concerns or questions about different types of addiction or treatment options, our team is ready to discuss these with you, too.