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Understanding the Root Source of Heroin Addiction

The moment a person becomes an addiction to something, it becomes extremely difficult to change them! If that something is “heroin”, things reach a whole different level. It is quite interesting to note that a lot of people wonder how their heroin addiction began in the first place. What were the initial signs of addiction? Did someone guide them down this lane?

Unlike many other addictions, your bond with heroin begins from a single point.

Before you figure out how heroin addiction begins, you must accept the fact that one in three gets addicted to the drug after using it. In general, heroin is highly addictive. It is much more powerful than alcohol or smoking. The body develops a dependency on heroin easily.

Understanding the Facts!

“Opioids” is a major reason behind heroin addiction. The addiction always begins with the use of opioids. According to a study between 2002 and 2012, the use of heroin is high amongst people who are prescribed opioids. Figures reveal that opioid increases heroin addiction by 19-times.

Another research focused on young heroin users. The injectable drug was common amongst 86% of opioid users. Most of them relied on opioid pain relievers before becoming an addict. This study is different from what was seen and believed several years ago.

Here are few stats about heroin addiction:

In the year 1960 heroin addiction began with the drug itself!

In the 2000s, more than 75% of heroin users became addicts with the use of opioid. They consumed opioid through prescription drugs.

Today, 80% of heroin addicts are exposed to this drug through prescription opioids. Common prescriptions with opioids are OxyContin, Vicodin, and

It takes few weeks for a person to become addicted and dependent on these drugs.

This where the addiction starts!

A major starting point for all heroin addictions would be prescription painkillers. Of course, there are few other gateways drugs too! All gateway drugs result in heroin addiction.

Here is a quick example: If a person is addicted to cocaine, they are likely to use heroin in the next few years.

The use of poly drugs is not unusual. However, a combination of several drugs will be dangerous.

The Scientific Component

Irrespective of how the addiction begins, there is a common scientific component.

Just like prescription opioids, heroin binds with important brain receptors. The moment this bonding happens, excess dopamine is released into the blood. Dopamine is responsible for a variety of emotions. When your intake heroine, the amount of dopamine released in blood increases by 10-times.

Here is a simple analog: Dopamine gets released with you make love. Because dopamine gets released you are triggered to make love again. This concept holds good for heroin too!

The moment you use drugs like heroin, your brain’s overall functionality gets influenced. The pleasures offered by this drug will make you ask for more. This outlines the reason behind your cravings for heroin. The craving can begin after an hour or a day! But, it takes just a single dose of heroin to do the trick.

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What are Some of the Major Causes of Drug Addiction?

Often times, people view drug addiction as a social problem and that the addict can simply wake up one day and stop using as long as he is willing. What many fail to understand is that drug addiction is a chronic and compulsive disorder that makes an individual rely on drugs to achieve a certain level of satisfaction. Drug addiction is a brain disease that makes it heavily rely on substance and hence stopping is not determined by willpower but a lot of help. A person who is trying to stop drug abuse goes through a tough withdrawal stage and such a person doesn’t receive enough help might end up relapsing.

What happens when your brain gets used to drugs?

When you start using drugs, they release chemicals that either imitate the functionality of your brain communication system or overstimulate the system. As a result, you start failing to send, receive, and process information in a normal way. For example, drugs such as heroin and marijuana produce the same transmitters as the brain cells. However, unlike the brain cells, these transmitters activate the brain cells to send wrong messages. Cocaine, on the other hand, causes the brain nerve system to produce a high amount of neurotransmitters which end up shutting off the signal between the neurons.

Reason why some people are addicted to drugs while others are not

Millions of people around the globe abuse drugs on a daily basis. However, only a small percentage become addicted to their use. Unfortunately, you cannot tell whether you are going to become an addict in the long run or not. However, whether a person becomes addicted to drugs or not depends on the following factors;

An underlying mental disorder– if someone starts using drugs as a way to cope with a psychiatric disorder such depression, anxiety, stress or mood swings, there are high chances the person is going to become addicted. This is because the condition is already making the person have overwhelming feelings which drive him to rely on drugs to calm himself down. In the process, the person ends up becoming a daily user.

Genetics– a persona can inherit drug addiction behaviors from his parents. For instance, if a child has parents who heavily use drugs, he is more likely to become addicted than a child whose parents never used drugs.

Social environment– the kind of environment a person grows up in or the type of people he associates with can greatly influence his behavior. This happens due to peer pressure, social norms, and ease to access drugs and alcohol.

Going through a traumatic event– if a person goes through a traumatic event such as rape, abusive childhood or loss of loved ones, he turns to drugs to help wipe away the memories. In the process of feeling high, he might get deeper into drug use that he initially intended.

Although having one or more of the above factors increase your chances of becoming an addict, there is no guarantee that a person how doesn’t have any of them won’t be addicted too. In addition, not everyone who has experienced the above can become an addict, some people come back to their senses before it’s too late.

Other drug abuse risk factors

In addition to the above factors, there are other drug abuse risk factors and these include;

Poor parenting- if parents are not concerned about what happens in their kid’s life, he might end up joining the wrong company that will introduce him to drug abuse. By the time the parents come to realize that the child is abusing, it might be too late.

Lenient attitude toward drug abuse– if parents show their kids that they have no problem with drug abuse or don’t take stern action if the kid is caught with drugs, that kid will indulge deeper in drugs as he feels his parents have no problem with him using.

Poor relationship with the parents– sometimes when there develop a poor relationship between parents and kids, the kids try to confide in older friends who are willing to listen to them. Unfortunately, most “friends” who give a hearing ear are the ones that end up introducing kids to drugs.

Peer pressure– if your kid hangs out with people who use drugs, there are high chances he is going to be introduced to the behavior. Unless you are very stern on the kind of people he associates with, he might end up becoming an addict no matter how careful you have been.

Approval of drug use in the community– if you kid attends a school that has no strict rules against drug abuse, he might end up in the wrong crowd that will introduce him.

Signs of drug addiction

If a close family member or friend is abusing drugs, he needs immediate professional help before the problem deteriorates. You can tell if someone is using drugs from the following symptoms:

Cravings– as someone becomes addicted, he starts to develop cravings for the drug and is willing to do anything in order to get it.

Drug tolerance– as a person continues to use the drug, it reaches a point where he needs to use more in order to feel its effect.

Irresponsible behavior– as the person becomes addicted, he can do anything to acquire the drug and that includes stealing, lying or even selling household items.

Withdrawal signs– it might reach a point that the individual tries to wean himself from drug abuse. This can lead to withdrawal symptoms which may include persistent headaches, nausea, and anxiety among others. The person may also start skipping his job or even leaving office before closing hours in order to go seek for drugs.

Negligence– if the person has a family, he starts ignoring them and their needs and al his focus is on getting drugs. He can do anything without caring whether he is hurting other people or not as long as his carvings are met.

Isolation– when the addiction becomes too much, the person starts to isolate himself as he tries to hide his drug use from his friends and family.

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Crack Addiction, God’s Unfathomable Plan, and Finding Strength in Faith

Terri Jones’ is journey from crack addict to drug counselor was not an easy one. However, since rediscovering her faith and conquering her own addiction, she has a lot to say about what works and what doesn’t.

Even though she’d successfully completed college, she was still addicted and found herself in prison at the age 31, having spent 14 years in active addiction. Growing up in Racine County, she had met her husband, also a crack addict. Together they engaged in various criminal activities, a time in her life she is proud to have put behind her.

An Education Is No Barrier to Addiction

One thing people may find surprising is her college education even while addicted. Most people assume once you complete college, you move on to a better life, get a good job and all of that. Terri actually found her addiction got worse after graduation.

People often think of drug addicts living on the streets, perhaps poor and without any education. But this is only part of the story. It has, of course, been well-documented that college is also the place where excessive drug abuse happens, but it’s often thought people will leave this behind. As Terri’s story illustrates, this is not necessarily the case.

Addiction can affect any level of education, life stage, or income level. It may just reveal itself in different ways.

Faith Was Her Savior

While Terri understands that different people find recovery in different ways, for her, it was all about Jesus. She says, “I’m strictly spiritually based. I went through a 12-step program in 93 and 94. I went, but it really started to come through me in my church. I was raised in church and went to Catholic schools all my life. Jesus and my Bible were my answers.”

She continues, “Drug addiction was an aspect of me being spiritually bankrupt. I had my kids and my college degree, but something was missing. When I conquered this, I humbled myself and opened myself up to God and let the strength within me shine. I have a very good relationship with my higher power.”

For Terri, finding a path to spirituality is an absolute must if you want to stay in recovery. “I see people, as individuals, need to find their own path to spirituality. That is what’s going to save their ass. I know there is only one way to stay sober. The common denominator of a good recovery program is a spiritual foundation,” she states bluntly.

For her, that higher power is definitely God, but she admits it doesn’t have to be. Each person has to find their own way as recovery must be part of your own personal journey.

The Path To Saving Others

After rediscovering her faith and the saving power of Jesus, her sponsor came to her and suggested she become an alcohol and drug counselor. So she started applying for jobs from social worker to counselor.

As with most choices in her life, she listened to her higher power, which resulted in her working for Genesis on a Department of Corrections contract from 1995-2002. She worked at the House of Shears with women coming out of prison who were dealing with addiction. It was a perfect fit given her previous experience of walking in their shoes.

Then the DOC ended that contract, so she found herself laid off in ’02, after which she went to work at a methadone clinic for 3 years. While working there as Director, she also went back to school and got her Masters in psychotherapy. A few years later, she got a 2nd Masters in mental health counseling.

She fell in love with psychotherapy and realized addiction was so much more than addiction, it was part and parcel of a whole host of other issues. So, with that background she went on to work at Renew Counseling in Milwaukee for 10 years.

God Works in Mysterious Ways

Terri and her husband decided to make a move to warmer climes, down to Orlando, Florida.

After only 9 months there, they went back to Wisconsin for a family reunion and the unexpected happened, changing their life course once again.

Her husband was involved in a bad car accident and became disabled. He’s now in a wheelchair. This changed everything.

As she explains, “That was February of this year (2017). I just prayed about it. God, do you want me to stay here or move back to Florida? My higher power said we had to stay here in Milwaukee.”

At first, she started back with her old employer, Genesis. But that’s when she met Peter and heard about SALS Recovery and Housing. She knew it was a good fit and started with us in January.

What Trends Has She Seen with Addiction in the Waukesha and Milwaukee Area?

She says, “In 95 it was only crack and cocaine. However, even back then, I did start to see the shift in prescription drugs to opiates and drugs on the street.”

Her first experience with drugs, and for most of those around her, were their early 20s. But she says she’s seeing addicts at much younger ages nowadays, even as early as middle school.

She sees our reliance on drugs for a whole range of mental health issues and behaviors as an important element in this shift. She explains, “I’m hearing a lot of the stories about young adults now using ADHD drugs. I can see an evolution of children, 2nd and 3rd grade, on this ADHD medication and then moving into high school and starting on something else.”

She’s even heard of teachers who refuse to accept children back into their class without some kind of proof of a prescription. That’s a big part of the issue, Terri says. Kids start selling their ADHD or whatever medication in junior high and high school.

With drug use, even if it’s legal drug use, becoming normative for many children, it’s easy for them to shift to illicit use. As a licensed psychologist, she takes a very serious look at which kids actually need medication and which could just benefit from some counseling or different structures at home and school.

So How Do We Solve This?

Terri says it needs to start at the physician level. “A lot of these doctors don’t have substance abuse training,” she says. She knows many doctors were given incentives to hand out medications, but were not educated on the consequences of sustained use. From her perspective, this is one of the first things that needs to change.

She also sees a cultural shift with more and more children actually being born into addiction. As she puts it, “We’re birthing a whole generation of children into the addictive world because they were addicted before they were even born.”

Of course, poverty is always a strong predictor of addiction as well. With its toxic stress, lack of access to resources or support, and a culture where witnessing drug use can be more regular, it’s usually the number one factor in driving addiction.

However, she says that, while this was a big part of her experience at many of the places she’s worked in the field, it’s not what she sees mostly at SALS.

Adult Children with Addictions Coming from Families of Comfort is a New Trend

SALS has many more “adult children” coming from a family of comfort, generally middle to upper-class. They somehow disengage from the family unit, usually starting drugs or alcohol in junior high. Most have started before the age of 13. By the time they’re 19 or 20, they’ve progressed to heroin.

“One of the most familiar stories I’ve heard is kids stealing medication from parents.” Mollies and K2 are very popular now. Maybe parents are using or, more often, the parents are using some form of prescription meds, then they try it from parents.

So many families are supportive, but also enablers. They didn’t intervene in teenage years and then addiction progressed too far. A lot of times you get caught up with parents enabling children. This is one way she sees addiction existing within a family and why family involvement is so essential for strong recovery.

Everyone suffers from addiction when one member of the family is addicted, even if the others aren’t using themselves. It really needs to be a holistic healing process for everyone, and this is something SALS takes very seriously.

A big difference from my previous roles is that many suffering from addiction here have families who are well off, so they have opportunity to get money for drugs rather than steal and get involved in criminal activities. Or stealing is confined to their family, so usually doesn’t get reported.

In the end, addiction is a multi-faceted problem that needs to be addressed at multiple levels. There’s no one overarching cause, but a whole host of interrelated issues that need to be addressed to both treat current addicts and prevent others from becoming addicted.

Looking to connect with Terri or see how SALS Recovery and Housing can help you? Get in touch through the confidential form on our website or just give us a call.

The post Crack Addiction, God’s Unfathomable Plan, and Finding Strength in Faith appeared first on SALS Recovery.

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How to Choose a Drug Rehab Center Near You

Getting into the habit of drug addiction is no laughing matter, as it could end up being a matter of life or death, with the latter being more often than not the sad conclusion if nothing is done about it. While only those with an iron will are able to overcome their drug addiction by quitting cold turkey, the majority of the others would require the assistance provided by a drug rehab center. SALS Recovery is a non-profit organization that has its fair share of recovery houses to help those experiencing drug dependency issues to overcome this form of addiction, in order to live a healthy, fulfilling and drug-free life.

With different kinds of drug and alcohol rehab centers offering their own version of programs and treatment, it would be in the patient’s best interest to know what exactly should one look out for in a particular program. This will not only help cut down recovery costs in the long run, it will also minimize the destructive pattern of dropping out from a rehabilitation center that could lead to depression and lapsing into old habits, resulting in a seemingly never-ending downward spiral. The search for the right kind of drug rehab center is a very important decision to make, so here are some pointers on how to choose a drug rehab center close to where you live that will tick off most, if not all of the checkboxes on your list.

List down your expectations from the rehabilitation center

No two programs are the same when it comes to drug rehab, although some of them might be similar in many aspects. Just like how varying factors in an experiment will ultimately affect the results, so too, will the variety of programs deliver results of their own. With individual interpretations of what success constitutes in a rehab center, I would want to choose a drug rehab near me that makes me feel comfortable. Knowing my expectations is the perfect way to select the right kind of rehabilitation center. It should be a decision that ought to be made collectively, including other stakeholders like the family to determine whether the ultimate result is acceptable or not. It is in your best interest to ask the rehab program on their definition and measurement of success, along with their historical success rate before a decision can be reached.

Know how long the rehab program will last

Everything needs to have a beginning and an end. It really depends on the seriousness of the situation as well as the viability of the program’s length. Do ask whether the rehab program will be a short-term one or is it one that lasts for the long haul. The longer a particular program runs, the more expensive it will be, which makes sense to reduce commuting time if it is located close to home. Many drug rehab programs stick to a 28-day schedule but do be aware that this might not be adequate enough for certain patients to achieve a level of stability and drug-free lifestyle. After all, addiction is not something that can be cured by popping three pills a day before meals, as there is a very high chance that mental damage has also occurred. Fixing the mind and healing the body can be a long and tough road, so do consider exploring programs that last longer than 28 days.

Is drug substitution part of the treatment program?

One of the most common forms of drug treatment programs includes drug substitution, relying on the likes of Suboxone, methadone, or buprenorphine to the patient who is on the path to recovery. This includes addicts of prescription painkillers, something more serious like heroin, or even other kinds of drugs. Such a program is usually implemented as part of the harm reduction process with the ultimate aim of lowering the amount of harm to a person’s body as opposed to going through wanton drug abuse.

There are also other rehab programs that do lean towards a pharmaceutical solution that rely on medication that falls within the level of benzodiazepines, such as Valium or Xanax. The logic behind that is to help relieve any possible distressing symptoms so that the patient will have an easier time through the entire process. Anyone who experiences a serious case of alcohol withdrawal might require the assistance of benzodiazepines, but it is imperative to take note that this is not the sole solution when it comes to rehab treatment.

There is always a risk that the patient might end up relying on the substitute medications that make up the treatment itself. Xanax, for instance, carries the risk of someone being dependent on it after a mere 12 weeks of usage at the certain dosage. One should be even warier of prescription opioid substitutes since those can be far more addictive within a short span of time.

Do take note that the prescription substitute method is not recommended as a long-term solution, as it is essentially nothing more than trading one particular addiction for a different one. Assuming that the ultimate aim is to be weaned off totally from drug addiction, then steer clear of any programs that have drug substitution as the primary form of treatment.

As most prescription drug rehab centers also deal with alcoholic patients, there are selected programs that will prescribe drugs such as Antabuse which will make a person feel nauseous upon consumption of alcohol. The big danger of Antabuse is, it opens up the door to liver problems that range from severe to potentially fatal situations. One’s sex life will also be impacted negatively as impotence is another possible side effect, and this could lead to a despairing situation that will not be a positive experience for the patient in any way.

Get familiar with the methodology used to overcome cravings

Sit down and ask just what kind of method is used, if any, to help a person overcome the cravings that are all too common in cases of drug dependency and alcoholism. Any addict who is going through the recovery process will have to grapple with cravings for the drug that one has been so dependent on all this while. We understand that most rehab programs do not offer a direct way of combating these cravings, but rather, resort to prescription medications that will suppress such cravings as a form of the chemical solution. Without an effective or suitable method to address the intensity of such cravings directly, one might end up with a far greater desire to resort to one’s old ways.

Hence, do see whether there are other kinds of components or techniques in the program which will prevent any kind of backsliding from happening. These can comprise of a potent combination of a well balanced, nutritious diet, a properly planned exercise program, and even a detox session to help one’s journey on the road to full recovery.

Diet plays a key role

You are what you eat, and there is wisdom in that saying. It is wise to pay close inspection to the nutritional aspect of the drug rehab program. Normally, an addict who wants to be helped tends to be in very poor shape, normally suffering from gastrointestinal issues due to serious opiate abuse over the course of time that results in being malnourished. The other twin terror of addiction, alcoholism, often ends up causing anemia and brain disease in its victims due to the lack of proper nutrition. By making sure that the drug rehab program is backed by proper nutrition support, it will greatly help the patient return to the pink of health.

Just like how the drug addiction problem did not develop in one day, patience is required while the patient is on the mend. It will take time for the body to absorb all of the nutrients from a proper diet as the body begins to heal. Symptoms such as insomnia, depression, a lethargic feeling all the time, and is easily irritated, among others, should go away after a while.

Reintegration into society upon graduation

Nobody likes to experience uncertainties in life, but one unavoidable fact upon checking in to a rehab facility is equivalent to taking a hiatus from everyday life itself. The longer one takes to recover, the more detached a person would be from the real world. This might prove to be a far more difficult step to take for professionals as it can be a huge mental and emotional blow to the ego. More importantly, do find out whether the rehab program does provide relevant life skills to a patient in order to ease the transition when one makes a return to a sober lifestyle.

The mountaintop experience at a rehab program will not last, where tough and challenging times will come. Such stress levels associated with everyday life will test a recovered person’s will to the limit, offering temptation to return to the old lifestyle. There will be old associates and places that might trigger a relapse, or other kinds of challenges that life offers such as being made redundant, losing a spouse or family member, deteriorating health, or other reasons.

Being equipped with leaving the rehab center to cope with the upcoming challenges is an essential factor to be able to face such stress triggers and emerge victorious without turning to drugs. The relevant life skills imparted during the recovery process are crucial in keeping one on the straight and narrow. It will also be able to show the recovering addict that the old self-destructive patterns are a thing of the past and that it is possible to overcome temptations and triggers in a positive manner. Hope is a very powerful driving factor for any person to move on, and with each victory in overcoming temptations and stress, it will be a stepping stone to future victories.

How the rehab program views addiction

The way a particular rehab program views drug addiction will ultimately shape the way the program is designed. If the drug rehab program flows along the lines of drug addiction being a curable chronic disease, then there is every possibility that episodes of relapses are going to be expected on the road to recovery. On the other hand, there are particular rehab programs that believe relapse episodes need not happen as long as there is a well structured and thorough program to guide the addict through tough times. How the drug rehab center thinks should be aligned with the patient, as a common goal and vision make for a very potent combination. Otherwise, there might be resistance experienced by the patient or a defeated mindset right from the very beginning that will surely not help the situation in any way.

There is no instant or miraculous cure

If there is a drug rehab program that promises a miraculous, instantaneous cure, avoid that at all costs. Anything that is too good to be true probably is. It is contrary to common sense and logic that a patient is able to overcome a long period of sustained addiction through a simple injection, or worse, being subjected to painful electric shocks.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the decision lies in being comfortable with the philosophy, ideas, and people running the drug rehab center. It is a human life at stake here and not an inanimate object, so the best possible step for the well-being of the patient is of the utmost importance. All the best in picking the right drug rehab center near you!

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Local Recovery Story: Vanessa D.

My relationship with alcohol has always been a bit tumultuous. I can admit that I had some fun in my early days. The appeal, for me, was suddenly feeling confident and pretty, laughing a little harder with friends and finally feeling like I fit in; but I never drank like other people did. In retrospect, I knew I was different from the very start. From that first drink, I knew I wanted more. And it wasn’t the same “want” as my friends, who just looked forward to drinking again on the weekend. I wanted MORE! While my friends simply craved a good buzz and an exciting atmosphere, I was two drinks ahead of them, and already thinking about the next one.

The buzz was just foreplay for me – a brief moment in time where I could feel the sensation of warmth moving through my entire body, from my flushed cheeks to the tingle in my toes, but it was the apathy that I was really after. That moment when my mind stopped racing a million miles a second and that voice in my head, the one that told me I wasn’t good enough, was finally silenced. I just wanted everything to stop; to just pause for a moment. I never intended to end up like this. It was never my intention to become an alcoholic. It was never my intention, until the alcohol was all I had left.

Some days I still miss that apathy…

This type of black and white thinking transferred to a lot of different areas in my life. If I wasn’t good at something, what was the point in trying? If I couldn’t be the center of attention, what was the point of showing up? And if I wasn’t drunk, what was the point of drinking?

I mean, it’s not like I was drinking alcohol for the taste. I hated the taste of alcohol. I didn’t like the taste of any of it, and believe me, I tried it all. This realization later lead to drinking hard liquor straight from the bottle because that would get me from point A to point B that much faster. It was cheaper too, so I thought I was pretty economical about it. Not to mention, I never liked fruity drinks so I didn’t want to waste my time sipping something fancy. I could hide it just about anywhere, and even resorted to hiding mini bottles in my clothing. You would be amazed if I told you how many of those little bottles I could carry on me without so much as a second glance.

To me, alcohol had a single purpose, to transform me into someone entirely different. It started coming with me everywhere I went. To make the “me” I despised disappear, and the “me” I thought I liked emerge. It was my friend, my lover and my confidant.

It made me the me that didn’t have to think, or worry or care too much. I always cared a little too much, just not about the things a young girl should care about. I never even gave myself a chance, and that goes back to that faulty black and white thinking; if I have to work at liking myself, what’s the point of trying to like myself anyway?

What I didn’t realize at the time, was that I would one day wake up and be the person who has to avoid the liquor aisle at the grocery store, or look away from billboards advertising my drink of choice, fast forward through beer commercials, or leave my friends weddings right after dinner. I didn’t realize that the one thing I loved so much, more than anything really, would be the cause for my demise; and like a bad breakup, it still hurts sometimes.

Here’s the thing about alcohol. It is accessible; acceptable even. Society almost encourages binge drinking, bar hopping and Happy Hour. I didn’t have to find a dealer, because mine was on almost every street corner within a 10 block radius of my house; the bar, the liquor store, the gas station, the grocery store. I didn’t have to sell my body or my things in order to obtain it. I never had to send discrete text messages or hide in a bathroom stall with my drug. I didn’t have to stick a needle in my arm, snort it or smoke it. I didn’t have to, but eventually, I would have. I would have, because at the end of my using days I was willing to go to any lengths to alter my state of existence…

It was like living in a nightmare I could never wake up from. I would pinch and scratch and slap myself across the face, but I would never wake up. And before I knew what was happening, the choice was no longer a choice, the want was no longer a want; it was a MUST and a NEED. And there was no turning back.

I identify as both an addict and an alcoholic, because both are part of my story. Alcohol was the relationship that nearly killed me, because what they don’t tell you in those commercials is that alcohol is one of the only drugs out there that can be fatal when you are withdrawing from it.

Alcohol was my drug of choice because it was easy; quite simply a relationship of convenience. But don’t let that fool you, because I had become a master manipulator by that time. If I couldn’t have alcohol, because my liver was failing me or I was on the verge of being kicked out of my house, I would convince my doctor to prescribe anxiety medication because “my problem” was never with pills. Coincidentally, a person can die while withdrawing from benzodiazepines as well. So, what was once given to me to help combat my alcohol withdrawals now became a habit…and what did I turn to when I needed to combat that habit? Alcohol, of course!

The cycle was endless; a hamster wheel of constant substitution and disappointment. And all the while, my body was slowly deteriorating from all of the poison I was consuming. It didn’t matter anymore, I HAD to have something, and once I had something I wanted more of that something. And this story brought me to exactly where they told me it would; jails, institutions and (near) death.

I was blessed with something a lot of alcoholics and addicts pray for, a family that refused to give up on me no matter how shitty my actions were. Yes, they were often angry and, more often than not, didn’t want me around, but it wasn’t me they didn’t want around, it was the alcoholic. They didn’t want to be around the one who would show up and drink all of the wine, slur her words, pick fights and pass out on the couch. Somehow they were gifted with this amazing ability of separating the healthy me from the sick one; separating Vanessa from the addict.

A real life Jekyll and Hyde.

My mom is this fierce, courageous, Superwoman. I am not sure I have ever met anyone quite like her, so I can only imagine God sent me to her because he knew she would be ok in the end, whether I was still walking this earth or not. He knew she would love me through it, even when she found it too difficult to even look at me.

Along with watching me self-destruct, my mom was fighting her own battle. While I was slowly deteriorating, she was diagnosed with breast cancer, went through chemotherapy and radiation, and survived! She survived cancer!

Guess who wasn’t there eating popsicles with her at those treatments? Or talking to her at night about her fears? Or helping her wrap scarves around her balding head? Me! And that still hurts me today, and it had to have hurt her too, but if it did she never let it show.

At the same time, my dad had a stroke that left him with a traumatic brain injury and limited mobility. He lost the ability to play his guitar; his baby. It was one of my fondest memories growing up; the sound of my father’s guitar coming from the basement. Stairway to Heaven is #1 on the soundtrack to my life. After his stroke, I could only pull myself together long enough to visit the hospital for one night out of the many nights he stayed there. And as the story goes, one night he could still talk, and the next night a second stroke stole his voice and right hand forever.

Guess who wasn’t there to hear his voice one last time? Me! And that still hurts me today, and it had to have hurt him too, but if it did he never let it show.

While my parents were conquering one crisis after another, they were constantly losing sleep over me. My mother has told me that the only time she could ever find peace, was when I was in the hospital, at one of my multiple residential treatments or jail. And I will never know what that did to her. I will never know her pain, because all I could think of at the time was my own.

My heart breaks for the family members of addicts. We never intended to hurt you in this way. It was never my intention to cause my mother so much pain, but I did and I can’t take it back. She detached with love when she needed to, and she stepped in when she couldn’t bear it anymore.

There are some situations where an apology just isn’t good enough, no matter how sorry you are. And quite frankly, the words “I’m sorry” lose all of their power when the behaviors that made the apology necessary are repeated. In these situations, I’ve learned to make amends in other ways. I am dependable, I honor my commitments and I tell the truth today. I don’t make promises I cannot keep, and I don’t say I am sorry if I have no intention of changing my behavior. This is what recovery has taught me, and recovery hasn’t steered me wrong yet.

I am often told how lucky I am to have found recovery. How recovery is so much better than the alternative. And although I cannot disagree with this and I would never trade any day in recovery for a day using, coming face to face with the wreckage of my past has been the most painful experience of my life.

You see, we can numb the pain for a while, years even, but we can’t make it go away forever. If we are lucky, and the day comes that we find recovery, all of that despair, regret, embarrassment and shame hits us all at once. For me, it was like being pushed in front of a train or being knocked out by Floyd Mayweather.

Recovery is the road less travelled for many reasons, mainly because it is a brain disorder that is hugely misunderstood, but also because it is work. I get that today. Had I truly understood just how difficult recovery would be, I don’t know if I would have had the strength within me to commit to my recovery the way that I have.

What I can tell you though, is that because I honored my commitment to my recovery, to simply avoiding that first drink or drug no matter what, my life has been transformed in ways that I still find difficult to put into words.

To the newcomer, should you stumble upon this story and you have found yourself at a crossroads, keep coming back, just put one foot in front of the other. Try for one more day, and then wake up and try again for the next. Sooner or later the TRY will become a DO and the pain will subside. Have patience with yourself and others. Vigilance is the key, I can assure you that walking through your pain will someday become one of the most profound experiences of your life. And all you have to do is just stay.

Vanessa Day –

Milwaukee, WI

Vanessa Day bio: Woman in long-term recovery. Recovery Advocate, blogger and writer on all things related to addiction and recovery. Sober Mom! Free To Be V blog

The post Local Recovery Story: Vanessa D. appeared first on SALS Recovery.

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Unraveling Opioid Addiction

It wasn’t too long ago when addiction wasn’t taken seriously, even within the scientific community. For years, the inability to control one’s habits were reduced to nothing more than a lack of willpower. Now, more research is being conducted that leave scientists and doctors alike singing a new tune. They’re finding a common thread between other kinds of addiction, like drugs and alcohol, with food addiction.

Gene-Jack Wang, MD, clinical head at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory in New York, insists that addiction has more to do with a lack of adequate dopamine receptors in the brain than lack of willpower. “Dopamine is the chemical that makes you say ‘aah’,” he said. “It gets us to go over and grab something that will make us feel good.”

People who are potentially born with fewer dopamine brain receptors, which is part of the brain’s motivation and reward system, appear to be more driven to consume the things that trigger a dopamine release when the normal everyday interactions fail to do so. This can be in the form of illegal drugs.

The Deal with Narcotic Drugs

Drugs are essentially naturally occurring substances in nature that are chemically altered to produce a substance in our systems that tend to have opiate or narcotic properties. It’s not just chemically produced drugs, but also food. Milk, wheat, and gluten, for example, have been found to work like the body’s own narcotic.

Even a person who has no previous addictive behavior can become addicted to opioids, triggered by their narcotic effects and the lack of dopamine receptors in their brain.

“If you have someone who is not responsive to natural reinforcers, that person may be more vulnerable to taking drugs,” said Nora Volkow, MD, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse. “If you get stimulated only by food, guess what happens? You can easily fall into patterns of compulsive eating.”

That is exactly how it happens with other drugs. People with a lack of dopamine receptors in the brain seek out the one thing that makes them feel good and they keep going back to it. It’s how addicts in all shapes and sizes are made, whether it’s a heroin epidemic or obesity.

Overcoming Addiction

Since all forms of addiction are similar and impact the same areas of the brain (the same neurotransmitters), and even share the same symptoms, the treatments are also the same. Research has revealed that people who have a family history of alcoholism are more likely to be obese, as both conditions have a tendency towards addictive behavior.

If all of this sounds familiar to you, and you think you might have an addiction, there are ways to overcome it. Many people have tried to quit an opioid addiction, but the dependency is so strong that they go through withdraw symptoms, get sick, and find themselves back on their drug of choice.

To beat the addiction, you must rewire your brain. It will require help from family and friends, just like with any other addiction. Here are a few ways to do just that:

1) Admit to your closest family and friends you have a problem. They can help you shop better, do proper research on ways to overcome the withdrawal so you can stay on the right path. Friends and family can often be guilty of enabling bad behavior, but if you explain to them you have an addiction and need help to break it, they will be less inclined to tempt you.

2) Learn different ways to cope with your need for pleasure. As mentioned above, this is part of what turns people into addicts. We need to stimulate the feel-good centers of our brain. That’s when opioids become a part of our lives when they shouldn’t be. We then turn to drugs to perk us up when we’re sad, to celebrate when we’re happy, and it becomes an emotional crutch.

3) Going cold turkey. This is where you’ll need some support. Going cold turkey effectively means 3-7 days of hell. There will be shakes, cold spells, fevers, diarrhea, and vomiting. It’s essentially getting the flu without the harmful virus. Knowing this, be prepared ahead of time to treat all the symptoms of going cold turkey to make the time pass easier.

4) Learn a new routine. Sometimes addictions will actually cause you to develop a new pattern and routine of your day. If you can look back and see how your life has changed and what you used to do before, maybe change the bad habits that perpetuate the addiction and either develop new, healthy ones or go back to your way of life before the addiction.

5) Therapy. Nothing is going to get to the root cause of your issue(s) better than sitting down with an expert and talking about your life. Why are you in pain? Why do you need that extra release? A doctor and/or therapist will be able to help get you the treatment you need.

Once you determine if you have an addiction and can have a better understand of how drugs trigger those ‘feel good’ sensors, you can take the first step in achieving better health by ridding them from your life. For every craving you have, there’s an underlying need that needs to be addressed. They say it takes about 22 days to develop a new habit. Go hardcore for one month and change your life. After about one month, those addictions will be easier to overcome and your body will go through some amazing changes for the better.

The post Unraveling Opioid Addiction appeared first on SALS Recovery.

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Peter Brunzelle: A Story of Addiction and Crime to Recovery and Success

Peter Brunzelle, director at SALS Recovery Centers, knows from personal experience the pain and difficulty addiction can cause. But he also understands the importance of support from those close to him. His story is that of hardship, and heartbreak as well as grace and recovery.

Peter started experimenting with alcohol at around 12 years old. He found out quickly that he liked it. Not the taste, but the effects. For the next several years he bounced from boys’ homes and detention centers in Wisconsin. He always felt that he didn’t fit in. He didn’t belong anywhere. So Peter looked for any way or any place he could, to find belonging. He escalated into drugs and began to steal to pay for his addiction, even getting into auto theft. He was arrested, charged with 7 felonies and 6 misdemeanors.

During his hearing, Peter’s social worker said, “Peter has no regard for himself or what he does to anybody in society.” The judge then waived 17 year-old Peter over to adult jail. But since he was still a minor he couldn’t be put in with the general population. So he sat in solitary or “the hole” for 90 days. “For long periods of my life, I looked up to people in jail,” says Peter. He got in fights and stole because he thought that is what you had to do to get respect. During his time in “the hole” he started to reflect on what was actually important to him.

To talk to others in solitary you have to lie on the ground putting your face up to the crack beneath the door. He remembers listening to others talk about what they would do when they got out. It was all talk about doing drugs and screwing over people that they didn’t like. “These people that I was looking up to were more afraid of life,” says Peter, “I saw that maybe I could live life differently.” Instead of going back to what he knew, Peter wanted to do something different with his life. He wanted to change.

Many people that cared about him began to reach out to him, such as his foster mom. “She looked at me like I was a good person, even though I didn’t feel like one,” Peter remembers, “So I made a pact with myself that I would do whatever I needed to do to live differently.” But he still had a lot to overcome. He faced up to 60 years for his crimes. A sentence that would guarantee a good majority of his life would be spent locked up.

When the time finally came for sentencing, he was shown grace from the judge, who sentenced him to only 10 years, 2 of which he would serve behind bars and then 6 months of probation. In prison he lived up to his promise to change. “I went to AA meetings when I was in there and I listed to the people. They told me to read the Big Book and start working the steps,” recalls Peter. Having a network of people on the outside that cared made a huge impact as well. There were a couple people that would visit him. One was Russ, a man that looked like a cowboy, with the big cowboy hat and big belt buckle the size of a dinner plate, who was his sponsor while he was in jail.

When Peter got out, at age 20, Russ said that he could live with him. His wife had 2 conditions in the household, she cooked all the food, and she did all the laundry. Peter said, “I was OK with those rules.” While he was here he had a few different jobs. Worked at Subway for a while. He had a need to serve. So he started working for a home for mentally ill. He was there for about 2 years and became a morning shift manager.

As time went on, Peter learned to develop his own businesses. “I saw that I wasn’t dumb at all,” said Peter, “I realized how much therapy and meetings helped me. That support saved my life.” He understood that he wasn’t stupid, but just learned things differently. “If you sit me in a school classroom, I don’t get anything out of it.” But if he applied himself in the right way, he could be successful.

Peter got to travel a lot through his business. He wanted to see the world and help as many people as he could. “I still love to give and want to be part of the recovery world.” He wanted to know, “How can we do that here in what I’m doing now? How can I help them do it faster than I did?” He worked at SALS for a couple years, before moving on to set up other programs across the US in California, Arizona, Colorado, etc. “I just want to be able to live my life and give.”

Then John Arneson, founder of SALS, crossed paths with Peter and asked if he could come back to help him and Dan Bater set up SALS Recovery and Housing as it is today. In 2015 they developed structured programing to better assist those in recovery. Peter found that there were different therapies that helped; trauma-based, dealing with ADHD, learning disabilities, DBT, CBT. These all help cope with different issues people have to better understand why they turned to substance abuse. “We have to find out what the trauma is before we approach it. Each therapist approaches each person individually,” says Peter. To really recovery you have to deal with the underlying cause as well as the wreckage you may have caused as an addict. “What I see is that when people take ownership of their addiction and their life, all the help they need is present for them.”

SALS approaches people individually to find out where they’re at cognitively, how they learn, cultural history, to help them learn new coping mechanisms. We promote community by involving them in all of the 12 steps – activities, social life, recovery-based incentives. We bring in their families very quickly.

As for the future Peter and SALS are always looking for better ways to help people in their recovery, such as a more holistic approach in overcoming addiction. With the Opioid epidemic getting worse, there is an even greater need for people like Peter and those at SALS. Peter believes this is different from other epidemics for a few reasons.

According to Peter, Opioids seem to fast track someone’s addiction. It is a drug that can kill and fast. Crack was something that people took for years relatively safely. It didn’t kill as quickly. That is why there is an elevated urgency to treat people. Also there are cultural aspects that we need to understand when treating people. There have been stigmas of different drugs and addiction in the past. We need to overcome those and get more people involved.

Community and family need to be a part of treatment for it to be successful. There are a lot programs and funding going to stop this epidemic, but Peter believes it isn’t enough yet. To him $10 million wouldn’t even scratch the surface. You would need a number more like $500 million to begin to turn the tide. There has been a lot of discussion lately of what is the best way to approach this new epidemic; continue treating people or funnel resources into prevention. His focus is on treating people first. That should be the goal right now according to Peter. Community building and teaching is important, but we have to top the deaths first.

Peter has been proud of Waukesha and their embrace of community services. Other communities have not been as proactive in facing this epidemic, but as a whole we all can do better to help others on the path of recovery.

    The post Peter Brunzelle: A Story of Addiction and Crime to Recovery and Success appeared first on SALS Recovery.

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Opioids: An Epidemic

There doesn’t seem to be an end in sight for the opioid epidemic. “The opioid problem has yet to peak as overdose deaths remain at all-time highs and the number of addicts needing treatment continues to grow,” said Peter Brunzelle, director of SALS Recovery Center, in a recent interview.

Opioids are a class of drugs including heroin, pain relievers, which are available by prescription, such as oxycodone (OxyContin), hydrocodone (Vicodin), codeine and morphine and synthetic opioids such as fentanyl.

These drugs work by attaching to opioid receptors on nerve cells easing pain.

Peter believes that thousands of more substance abuse counselors would be needed to catch up with this epidemic in Wisconsin.

Some of the numbers from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services tell the story. There has been a 29% increase in prescription drug overdose deaths and 869% heroin overdose deaths from 2006 to 2014 in Wisconsin.

“We can’t get the problem moving the other way because we don’t have the workforce in place,” Peter said. “We need double or triple the amount of people to handle what’s happening to serve that community.”

The health care system in Wisconsin is being stressed by this epidemic. Substance abuse professionals are in high demand as the numbers of those affected increase.

State officials are doing what they can to fight the issue, such as the task force Governor Scott Walker set up and the legislation that John Nygren, Wisconsin representative, has led in response to the epidemic since 2013. John’s daughter struggled through a heroin addiction prior to his involvement in fighting this epidemic.

“There’s still a stigma with heroin, but not with prescription drugs like OxyContin,” John said. “That bottle in your medicine cabinet is just as dangerous as shooting yourself up with heroin.”

Legislature that recently went into effect has already seen decreases in the amounts of pain medications being prescribed by physicians.

Many attribute the current epidemic to the rise of opioid prescriptions from physicians in the 90s. On the flip side, those with addictions are seeking cheaper and easier to obtain opioids, such as heroin, because of these new restrictions.

Treating the Problem

Putting more restrictions and making opioids harder to get may help curb the issue, but it doesn’t solve it. Increases in treatment also need to be made. Governor Walker has a bill on his desk to fund $1 million dollars per year that would go toward creating new private treatment centers. Another bill would help provide funding to train physicians in treating those with addiction. The new centers will be located based on the need seen by the Department of Health Services.

Pete Carlson, president of behavioral health at Aurora Health Care, said, “This has been like nothing we’ve seen — even when crack cocaine came in. It seems to me that the patients are younger. It seems there’s less of a maturity level. The addiction is so strong.” Pete pointed out that many of those they treat for opioid addiction are in their teens to 20s.

Medical director for Rogers Memorial Hospital, Dr. Jerry Halverson says that the majority of drug addiction patients are being treated for opioid addiction and that the disappointing reality is they aren’t “seeing the numbers fall. Unfortunately, the amount has generally stayed the same over the past couple years.”

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Side-Effects of Cocaine

Cocaine is one of the most dangerous and addictive substances on the planet. That usually a result of the powerful kick that happens the very first time you use it. The high comes on quickly, especially if it’s injected into the bloodstream.

Outside of the strong high, most cocaine users do not think about the consequences. There are numerous short-term and long-term issues and side effects that happen with cocaine use.

Most people do not try cocaine once and they’re satisfied. It often results in a prolonged addiction that many never break.

As a result, the side effects can vary in intensity and cause many psychological and physical ailments that, in many cases, are permanent. The damage done to the brain and other organs often lead to mental disfigurement and even an early death.

Breaking Down Cocaine

The side effects that result from cocaine use are often instantaneous. Regardless of how a user takes the substance, either through snorting, injection, or in her inhaling it, it’s often very rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream, resulting in a quick and intense high.

Once the cocaine hits your bloodstream, it triggers the brain to release high quantities of the ‘feel good’ chemical known as dopamine. It also increases the user’s energy levels, makes them talkative, decreases their sleep, lowers their appetite, and increases mental alertness.

These all happen because of the different chemical reactions that take place in the brain. Other than dopamine, cocaine also releases serotonin and norepinephrine, impacting the mental awareness, sleep patterns, appetite, and energy level of the user.

Short Term Effects of Cocaine

The increased levels of the above-mentioned chemicals do more than give the user a high.  They impact the rest of the body in a way that feels good, but also causes damage.  That’s especially true with long term use.

Here are some of the short-term. side effects of cocaine:

Increased heart rate

Increased blood pressure

Headaches

Chest pain

Seizures

Stroke

Cardiac arrhythmia

Tremors

Twitching

Vertigo

Cocaine restricts the blood vessels, so it does a number on your heart, elevating blood pressure and often resulting in a headache. If you already have a headache, cocaine will intensify it.  A lot of cocaine users end up having heart issues with prolonged use.

Long Term Effects of Cocaine

When you consider all the damage a single dose of cocaine can do, imagine doing that to your body repeatedly, day-after-day.  Or worse, going on a cocaine binge and taking higher doses in a short amount of time.

For those reasons, cocaine users typically have lasting lifelong complications due to the regular damage done to the body.

Brain swelling

Damage to the nasal membrane and other tissues, like the lungs.

Liver damage

Impaired cognitive function

Stroke

Seizure

Kidney damage

Gastrointestinal damage

Death

The signs of drug abuse and addiction are all around us.  We may even know someone who has battled with an addiction to cocaine.  The best advice is to never even take that first hit.  It’s not worth the short or long-term damage you’ll do to your body.

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Side Effects of Heroin

Heroin is a highly addictive substance that causes quick dependence in users. Addiction to this drug is a severe medical disease that grows progressively worse with time and often leads to death or overdose. The best way to prevent this is to spot use early before dependency develops.

Recognizing the risks involved in heroin use is crucial for preventing addiction and staying safe from harm. Or perhaps, you suspect a loved one is using heroin and need to know for sure. Whether their addiction is new or has already been going on for a while, finding them treatment is absolutely necessary. Let’s look at some of the signs that someone is using heroin.

Common Side Effects of Heroin Abuse:

Heroin causes a “downer” reaction in the user that leads to euphoria and relaxation. Similar to other opiates, the drug blocks your brain’s pain-perceiving ability. At first, hiding the symptoms of use may be possible for the user. However, over time, co-workers or relatives could recognize these symptoms:

Small (constricted) pupils.

Sudden behavioral changes.

Disorientation.

Dry mouth.

High energy followed by “nodding off.”

A weighed down or heavy appearance.

The signs listed above don’t only apply to heroin use. More positive signs of abuse are, of course, related paraphernalia, such as burned spoons, syringes or needles, gum wrappers or foil with burn marks, shortened straws, and small, empty bags. Signs and symptoms of heroin use or abuse should never be ignored.

Behavioral Symptoms of Heroin Use:

There are also some behaviors that are telltale signs of heroin use to watch out for. These are:

Deception or lying.

A sudden increase ours spent asleep.

Incoherent or slurred speech.

Trouble holding eye contact.

Less concern with hygiene.

Apathy about goals.

No interest in activities or hobbies.

Stealing or borrowing cash.

Unexplained hostility.

Eventually, a user of heroin will build up a tolerance, requiring higher doses of the drug. This will lead to physical dependence and eventually, addiction and withdrawal. The symptoms of this include weight loss, a gaunt appearance, a runny nose, and track marks. Women will also stop having their menstrual cycle, oftentimes, once addicted.

The Side Effects of Dependence on Heroin:

Someone going through withdrawal from heroin is in danger of some serious complications and death, though the specific side effects can vary from addict to addict. These can lead to liver disease, serious bacterial infections, tissue death or blood clots from injecting the drug, and heart problems. They are also at risk for seizures. Since heroin users never know how strong the drug they are purchasing is, they are always at risk of death or overdose.

Getting Professional Assistance:

Stopping longer term abuse of heroin suddenly often leads to serious health problems and possible death. For this reason, detox from the drug shouldn’t be done at home without supervision from a medical professional with experience treating withdrawal. If you suspect that your loved one is suffering from withdrawal or heroin dependence, contact the proper support right away to prevent any complications.

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Understanding the Crystal Meth Epidemic

Crystal meth is short for crystal methamphetamine, and this stimulant has already reached epidemic proportions in many places. After all, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime roughly estimated the world has hit a whopping 500 metric tons annually in terms of amphetamine-type stimulant production, resulting in 24.7 million abusers globally. To get a better grasp of the situation a little closer to home, the U.S. government has reported back in 2008 that around 13 million people who are aged 12 or older have tried out methamphetamine before, with 529,000 of those being regular users. It remains to be seen whether the latest information would have seen a decline in abuser figures, or would it have maintained an upward path.

It is a drug widely abused in the Czech Republic, where crystal meth goes by the moniker Pervitin. Over there, tiny and secluded secret laboratories would complement a far lower number of larger laboratories to produce crystal meth. While the majority of the crystal meth produced is meant for domestic consumption, there is also a small amount which is exported to various territories in Europe and all the way to Canada. Apart from the Czech Republic, the likes of Sweden, Finland, Slovakia and Latvia have also reported that amphetamine as well as meth addiction to make up anywhere from 20 percent all the way to 60 percent of people who seek out drug abuse treatment at meth rehab centers.

Moving to Southeast Asia, meth addiction is also no laughing matter, where it is normally found in the form of a tiny pill. In Thailand, the people in the Land of Smiles tend to refer to it as ‘Yaba’, while over in the Philippines and Malaysia, it is commonly called ‘shabu’ or ‘syabu’. This just goes to show how widespread the crystal meth addiction epidemic can be, and it does not discriminate against the abuser’s social economic background.

Meth side effects can be particularly crippling to the abuser, even more so after many years of usage. Since crystal meth can dissolve in water or alcohol easily, far higher levels of meth will make its way to the abuser’s brain, which is what makes it so potent. From there, it remains longer in the body, having more serious negative effects on the body’s central nervous system.

Several notable physical side effects include tooth decay without having to gorge on large amounts of sugar while having poor dental hygiene practices – meth practically does a brutal number on the abuser’s teeth. As the body experiences an upsurge in dangerous chemicals from meth intake, hair loss is another common side effect. The ladies might want to avoid meth at all costs if they would like to maintain their crowning glory.

The central nervous system is not spared either, with symptoms of psychosis such as paranoia, hallucinations, repetitive motor activity, memory loss, sudden and violent behavior or aggressive action without being provoked, depression, and having mood swings are surefire signs that someone is heavily addicted to meth.

SALS Recovery is a tranquil place of peace and quiet, where those who acknowledge that they are struggling with crystal meth addiction issues are more than welcome to give its meth rehab program a try. We do know that concerned family members and friends would like to see the abuser return to a normal life and ditch dependency on the drug after the telltale signs of drug addiction start to show.

Our experience in offering treatment for heroin addiction places us in good stead to ensure that we are able to walk side by side with our patients as they go through this particularly challenging and painful moment in their lives.

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A Story of Local Recovery, Simone Guetchidjian

Disclaimer: The following article contains some mature language and content. 

 I had many goals in my life that I wanted to achieve and had a strong certainty of what I wanted my world to look like.  I was certain, without a shadow of a doubt, that my future would be very different than that of my father’s.  At the age of 33, one year into a new job at a hospital, the world at my fingertips, my father suddenly passed away.  I turned to alcohol to cope.

I wasn’t very concerned about this because I had never been a big drinker to begin with.  I didn’t care for the hangovers.  In a short time, though, I knew how to fix a hangover and what I thought was a phase was an endless path of self-destruction.  I attributed my drinking to depression, the loss of my father, and a recent break-up.  But as time went on, the drinking grew worse and the bad consequences were beginning to pile up. I was getting into accidents on my moped, concussions, missing work, growing more and more out of control and more reliant upon alcohol.  It has been 17 years since my father passed, 6 stints in treatment, homeless, jail, loss of a career, and the list goes on. For most of us “hardcore alcoholics”, as I considered myself, this is not unique.

Unfortunately, it is a common story.  By the way, Hello.  My name is Simone G.  and I am an alcoholic.  I was given this news in the year 2005, the year I took 3 Family Medical Leaves, and the year I tried to commit suicide.  The psychiatrist told me I was always an alcoholic, my dads death triggered my disease, and I would never be able to drink like a normal person again.  My response: “BULLSHIT.  I AM DEPRESSED.  I AM NOT AN ALCOHOLIC.”  I honestly didn’t think it could be true.  This definitely was not on the list of things to achieve in life.  I truly do not believe anyone wakes up and says I am going to be an Alcoholic and wreak havoc on the world and have fun doing it.  I wouldn’t wish this disease on my worst enemy.

Like most of us, I did not want to admit defeat.  Things like this do not happen to people like me.  They happen to the one down the block or the one on the television set.  Not me.  No way.  So I set on a mission to prove the doctor wrong.  I tried everything they talked about in the Big Book of AA, to try to control and change my drinking.  I even moved to Massachusetts with a man I knew for a week to prove to myself the city I lived in was at fault.  In my suitcases I packed my denial, hatred, self-pity, blame and all my insecurities to bring with me.  Within a few weeks after securing a Radiological Technologist position at a local clinic, I was back to drinking and quit my job.

Drinking was my only priority, nothing else.  Now we all have stories to tell. I say some of us just have a few more lines.  They say you have to hit rock bottom to come back up.  I was living at the bottom.  And no matter how bad I got, if I could only muster up enough strength to get some confidence back I would be okay.  I have relapsed more times than I care to remember.  Damaged many relationships, careers, etc.  It got so bad looking for employment I didn’t think McDonalds would even hire me.  I was unreliable, a horrible track record.  And now the days of detoxing on my own had gone.  I couldn’t handle the sickness I would get when I would try to quit.

At this point I had to be hospitalized.  Which made me even more angry.  Most times I would never finish detox . I would usually sign myself out against medical advice.  A sponsor once said to me,  “Simone do you want to live or do you want to die?”  That is the question that I am posed with today.  My last relapse I overdosed on Ambien because I was tired of the demons inside me pulling me back and forth.  I survived another attempt of ending my life later on, and am lucky to even be able to write about it today.  For me, this time, I want to live.

I was dual-diagnosed PTSD/Alcoholism and have learned to slow down and never, not for one second, forget who I am. At my last treatment, I was introduced to the appropriate medication to stop my cravings.  With the right prescription, and weekly counseling, I am doing very well. I have learned to have gratitude.  Like being able to type without the shakes.  I am not bitter and angry like I used to be.  Because honestly, an alcoholic of my nature is lucky enough not to be in prison, or an insane asylum, or dead.  So I count my blessings everyday, putting my sobriety before everything else.  It is the only way.  My sobriety used to be based on the material things I had.  And honestly, they were just things. “Things” never kept me sober.  I would bargain with my sobriety only to realize I was merely talking to the devil, trying to cut deals and find the easy way out.

I have made a lot of mistakes in recovery, trying to do it alone was one.  I learned this disease is way too deadly to try to conquer alone.  I stopped trying to achieve perfection too. I have learned to love me for who I am.  Now, even if it seemed I’ve had a bad day, if at the end of the night I can put my head on my pillow and know that I didn’t have a drop that day, then to me it was another great win.

About the author:

Simone Guetchidjian is a local resident to our community here in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She has spent 17 years on her journey through recovery and is living a healthy, active, inspirational, and addiction free lifestyle today. She loves sharing her motivation and words of wisdom with her followers on Twitter, spreading awareness and advice everyday to help combat the addiction epidemic we see in our community. You can follow her on Twitter here, and  keep up with the amazing  life she lives today, addiction free. 

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The Side Effects of Crystal Meth

Addiction is a layered social issue that continues to plague society, from destroying the future of curious teenagers to controversially taking the life of celebrities. It can affect anyone, whatever their drug of choice is.

Some drugs are harder to source, like specific mixes which are often more expensive and are sometimes exclusive to particular events or clients. The more popular ones, like cocaine, heroin and meth, are more accessible and often cheaper than their customized counterparts.

These drugs are so easily bought that the US alone spends $700 billion every year to help those who have been addicted to it. One of the biggest contributors to that drug problem is crystal meth, a substance derived from what should be a therapeutic drug. The effects of crystal meth on this county are staggering.

What is crystal meth?

Before that, you need to know what crystal meth is from – methamphetamine. It’s a highly addictive stimulant which can have severe and long-term effects on the user. Methamphetamine is a synthetic substance that was first developed to treat diseases. Since the creation of alternatives with less side effects, it’s therapeutic use is now limited to obesity and ADHD.

Crystal meth, from the name, is a crystal-looking version of that drug. It’s either a translucent white or blue, and has no other purpose apart from getting the high and, eventually, being the object of addiction.

In this form, the drug is and always was illegal. Crystal meth is heated, then smoked through a glass pipe. It can be also crushed and snorted, but that’s avoided, considering the telltale signs like sporadically getting nosebleeds. Besides that, smoking crystal meth allows the body to absorb it faster in comparison to snorting it.

The abuse of this substance is so rampant that the National Institute on Drug Abuse reports 1.2 million people abused the drug at least once annually. In 2011, the Drug Enforcement Administration revealed that there are at least 12 million people in the US who are lifetime users of the drug.

What you can conclude from these statistics is that crystal meth is both readily available, enough to affect 1.2 million people, and severely addictive, with 12 million people dependent on it for life.

What are the short term effects of crystal meth?

To better understand what addiction from this substance looks like, here are some of the earliest and most visible crystal meth symptoms.

While under the influence, it creates a false sense of well-being and energy – which is also something other legal stimulants can provide but not to the same degree. This will push a person’s body to move faster and more than it should or could.

When the drug wears off, you will go through a severe crash, where you either have a physical or mental breakdown, or you can experience both. This crash is often what fuels addicts to smoke meth again, and this cycle will continue because the more you consume, the shorter the highs are.

Most users have decreased feelings of hunger, and therefore, go through extreme weight loss. That, coupled with insomnia, disturbed sleeping patterns, nausea and hyperactivity makes for a very unhappy and unhealthy person.

What makes it worse is that indirect effects of meth, like a person being irritable because he has not slept for days, is worsened by the direct of substance to a person’s mental health.

The drug causes you to be aggressive, irritable, confused and paranoid. It even convinces you that you’re more powerful than you are, and causes you to hallucinate. Apart from all these being a risk to people in your immediate surroundings, it’s also a massive risk for you because, in some cases, crystal meth use quickly ends in convulsions, causing death.

What are the long term effects of crystal meth?

If you are lucky to survive the short term effects of crystal meth, then you will have it much worse after continued use. Over time, the damages done to your body will be irreversible. Your cravings will be more erratic, and the doses you require each time you smoke will be higher.

The whole time you’re taking it, you will be chasing the high that you had the first few times, but you can’t. That’s your brain’s trick. It builds a cycle by playing on every human’s insatiability, but each high will be less satisfying than the last, encouraging you to up your dose and lessen our body’s recovery time.

Months and years of this will take a toll.

Most long term meth addicts suffer from severe memory loss and lack of comprehension because the blood vessels in the brain have been permanently damaged. Eventually, this can cause aneurysms and other severe brain injuries. In some cases, crystal meth can even cause depression and psychosis. They are now more susceptible to the object of their paranoia, which they would have known, but still be able to reason with during a short term use.

Even their bodies will begin to give, with meth causing permanent damage on their lungs, liver and kidneys. What’s worse is, their body cannot handle these diseases because it’s severely malnutritioned and weak, brought about by months of bad eating habits.

As you can see, crystal meth addiction is a very serious illness. The sooner that a person can get help from this debilitating addiction the better.

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The Senator’s Panel

 The Opioid Problem

Opioid overdose deaths within Waukesha County, our county, have more than doubled within the past five years — from 144 in 2012 to the 290 confirmed cases in 2016.

Opioid overdose deaths in Milwaukee County

2012 — 144

2013 — 181

2014 — 220

2015 — 231

2016 — 290 (tentative)

Source: Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office

According to more data from the medical examiner’s office in 2015, their count for drug-related deaths was 49, 39 of which were accidents, seven suicides, and another three were undetermined. The year 2014, prior, included 50 drug-related death cases in which 40 were considered an accident.

The office completed 59 drug-related cases in 2012— highest amount it had encountered for four years (2008).

The growing threat of opioids, heroin, and other dangerous drugs posed in our community has been broadly announced in recent years. Nonetheless, the number of deaths continues to climb.

Senator Tammy Baldwin Facilitates Forum at SALS

This month, February 4th, we were honored as U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison reached out and facilitated a forum held at our facility in conjunction with our Director, Peter Brunzelle and Waukesha Mayor Shawn Reilly at SALS Recovery Houses and Coaching in downtown Waukesha,.

Senator Baldwin said she organized the panel discussion, in part, to gather people from disparate backgrounds and help generate meaningful solutions, including state and federal laws, to eradicate or at least properly combat the epidemic.

Our panel included respected local lawmakers, a representative of law enforcement and the professionals working on the front lines of addiction recovery treatment. The list of attendees included:

Carrie Boisvert, SALS Recovery Center

PeterBrunzelle, SALS Recovery Center

John Arneson, SALS House

Dorothy Chaney, Wisconsin Community Health Alliance

Rachael Cooper, AIDS Resource Center

Paul Farrow, Waukesha County Executive

Christine Howard, Waukesha County Supervisor District 11

Erik Kehl, Delafield Police Chief

Laura Kleber, Waukesha County Department Health & Human Services

Reese K

Joe Muchka, ARC Addiction Resource Council

Shawn Reilly, Mayor of Waukesha

Antwayne Robertson, Waukesha County Department Health & Human Services

Julie Schuller, Sixteenth Street Community Health Center

At the forum, Senator Baldwin pointed to some of the legislative steps she has taken toward our effort. She was one of three federal lawmakers to write to President Donald Trump in arguing that abolishing the Affordable Care Act without a replacement would wipe out $5.5 billion currently allocated toward addiction services all over the U.S.

A variety of topics were covered over all during the meeting, including but not limited to;

Current opioid dependence statistics in our county and need for more treatment and options for opiate detox

Medicaid reimbursement

Medication assisted treatment

The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA)

Ramifications if the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) is repealed

What happens to all the people with Pre Existing conditions if not appealed

Lack of credentialed professionals in field

The Continued frustration of Addiction professionals, Mental Health professionals, and facility licensure process due to slow processing, congestion, and outdated Regulations at the state level

The Need for more Extended Care Treatment, Recovery Housing and Transportation.

What’s Next

Joe Muchka, director of our Addiction Resource Council in Waukesha, said that from his view, his organization and others like it are at risk of losing staffing in the coming years. In part, this is because certified personnel who specialize in addiction are aging out of the profession.

Many professionals, including our own, noted that one of their greatest challenges is resources. The point that state and federal funding is as important now as ever definitely was pointed out, because the epidemic is not fading.

Christine Howard, County Supervisor, has lost her brother to drug addiction. She added that one of the simplest changes is in the hands of society, explaining how the stigma surrounding the condition can be an inhibition toward treatment.

Panelists agreed that an ultimate solution to the epidemic, as of now, remains indefinable. Though many speakers also agreed that strong collaboration, partnerships, and multiple plans of attack are what’s needed to bring meaningful solutions.

According to a report publicized this month by the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services,  the fourth quarter of 2016 dispensed more than 10 million fewer opioid prescriptions than the prior year’s quarter.

A second report, conducted by the Controlled Substances Board on the success of the Wisconsin Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, found that the number of opioid doses dispensed between October 1 and December 31, 2016 decreased by more than 11 million compared to that time frame in 2015.

As seen, some changes are being made, but the resolution is not yet apparent. We continue to do all we can here at SALS, and we appreciate the attention and help this cause now has with the efforts and fortitude that Senator Baldwin, the City of Waukesha, and our legislature has put forth.

 Alternate Source: gmToday

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What are the Symptoms of Drug Addiction?

Drug addiction is a very real issue in society these days. More often than not, it begins in a social setting where one takes drugs just “for fun”. This can easily spiral into an addiction issue over the course of time. Certain drugs do come with a higher risk of developing dependency on it, while other factors such as stress levels and situations in life could also push one towards drug use in order to gain some temporary relief from reality. Given enough time, symptoms of substance abuse will start to show. It is imperative to catch these symptoms early in order to get the appropriate treatment from SALS Recovery.

We are one of the leading Waukesha Inpatient Centers and are armed with a wealth of experience in treating patients who are addicted to drugs. Drug abusers who attempt to hide their usage on their own will normally experience some symptoms that would be better handled at a proper rehabilitation center or program. Here are some symptoms of drug abuse that are easily identifiable.

Drugs Lead to Criminal Activity

One major symptom of drug abuse would be acting irrationally, or exhibiting behavior patterns that are out of the norm. One of it would include stealing out of desperation for money to maintain the habit, or even performing other risky activities such as driving while under the influence.

Addictions Breeds Irresponsibility

Being addicted to drugs would ultimately affect your professional performance at the workplace regardless of what job one specializes in. Intense urge for the drug of choice will kick in at more frequent intervals than ever, and it might even cause the patient to skip work or cut corners in order to administer or get some drugs into the system. It might even cause one to spend more than usual, often involving borrowing money from friends and relatives. This money tends to go unpaid and worse, the sum asked would eventually be higher than before.

Drug Addiction is Very Unhealthy

One of the most common symptoms of drug addiction would be a loss of appetite or perhaps overeating, with the latter being a common sign that one is smoking marijuana. The lack of appetite can easily be reflected in the rapid weight loss of the drug user. It might even result in a lack of energy to get work done, including the most mundane tasks at home and at the office. Another recognizable symptom would be neglecting the appearance, turning up at social functions while shabbily dressed without any sense of grooming at all. Tempers and emotions might also flare, as family members could be prevented from entering his or her room in order to keep the substance abuse habit a secret.

It is important to be able to identify the symptoms of substance abuse so that early intervention can be done in order to prevent any further deterioration of the situation. Give us a call today in order to find out how we are able to assist you or your loved ones on the journey to recovery.

References:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/drug-addiction/basics/symptoms/con-20020970

https://salsrecovery.com/finding-understanding-treatment-heroin-addiction/

https://www.ncadd.org/about-addiction/signs-and-symptoms/signs-and-symptoms

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Exploring Alcoholism Treatment in Waukesha, WI

Alcohol addiction is a condition that can be heartbreaking not only for one experiencing it, but also for the supporting family. SALS Recovery understands that guests go through difficult and challenging times in their journey to recovery. This is why we are able to offer the right kind of encouraging support, a holistic experience, and a range of alcoholism treatment options to aid patients at our SALS Recovery Center.

A hands-on approach is taken with our patients in exploring alcoholism treatment. We are aware that there is no single treatment option suitable for everyone, and our experience has allowed us to provide diverse treatment options for alcoholism and blend a number of outpatient services alongside supportive social and community based platforms. This will ensure the transformation process engages the entire human being as opposed to targeting just particular components of the psyche.

Family Programming

Familial ties are important for the progress of alcohol addicts, and there are many instances in a patient’s life where family has influenced the decision making process -for better or for worse. SALS Recovery will look into such behavioral and pattern causes which occur within the confines of familial relationships. Old cycles of destructive patterns may be explored and deconstructed, as the patient and his/her family members embark on a whole new journey to creating positive, healing beliefs and values.

Individual Therapy

The idea of individual therapy comes into play when a patient has a trained therapist to walk alongside him/her. All interaction will happen in a safe and caring environment, and we cannot highlight the importance of maintaining a high degree of trust and confidentiality in such a setting. This will provide the opportunity for the patient to open up, allowing the trained therapist in the patient’s world. From there, we are able to work out the different feelings experienced, belief systems, or behavioral patterns, exploring the negative effects of certain challenging or influential memories. It will allow us to better identify the different aspects of our patients’ lives, guiding them on a path that will let them understand themselves better -and in the process, the struggles they face with alcoholism. This is where the various alcoholism treatment options are come most valuable to our patients. The individual journeys towards change will aid in setting positive personal goals, resulting in a sense of achievement and determination that will hold and inspire them in good stead down the road. 

Group Therapy

Having a group of people to journey alongside our patients can be a strong catalyst in any patient who is journeying along the recovery process. An understanding group plays an important role in supporting one’s weak moments, doubling up as a sounding board. Having an accountability partner can be a source of strength when patients waver, while ideas that bounce back and forth will help each other face a challenging or difficult situation head on with confidence.

Follow up care

SALS Recovery’s style is distinct in assisting patients in their re-integration with their communities once their journey to recovery is stable. The explorations in alcoholism treatments ensure that each patient is given the proper care needed. Such a seamless transition is not limited to a specific time period as everyone goes through a different process. The whole treatment, coupled with the integration of clinical therapies and involvement from various stakeholders will open up new opportunities and paths in the future.

References: https://salsrecovery.com http://salsrecovery.com/treatment-program/ https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh334/295-299.pdf

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