After a difficult day at work or a busy week taking care of the family, many people de-stress by sipping a glass of wine or going to the bars with friends for a round of beers. But why does alcohol have this type of relaxing effect on our bodies? Surprisingly, despite all the research surrounding alcoholism and its treatment, scientists are only now beginning to understand how drinking affects the brain at a cellular level.

A recent study from the University of California, San Francisco that was published in Science Translational Medicine is one of the first to explain why alcohol brings us pleasure. It turns out that drinking causes the release of endorphins in the brain. Endorphins are chemicals naturally found in the human body that have a powerful “feel good” effect. These are the chemicals responsible for the experience of a “runner’s high” and, from a molecular level, that high is similar to that provided by opioid drugs such as morphine. For decades, researchers have theorized through animal studies that alcohol was related to an endorphin response but until now have not been able to observe it.

Researchers Mapped the Brain for Receptors Related to Pleasure

The researchers first created a map of all the opioid receptors in the brain. To do this, 13 heavy drinkers and 12 average drinkers were injected with naltrexone, a drug that is drawn to opioid receptors in the brain. The naltrexone had radioactive tags placed on it and a map was generated using PET scan technology when the naltrexone bound to the opioid receptors in the brain.

From here, the researchers had the participants drink alcohol and then re-injected them with the drug. Naltrexone was not able to attach itself to as many opioid receptors, proving the alcohol had caused a release of active endorphins.

Heavy Drinkers Experience a Different Pattern of Endorphin Release

Each subject reported an increased experience of pleasure when endorphins were active in an area of the brain known as the nucleus accumbens. This region is a reward center of the brain, so it is primed to produce good feelings when stimulated. On the other hand, only heavy drinkers experienced elevated levels of pleasure when the orbitofrontal cortex was stimulated. This is evidence that individuals who drink to excess do so because they experience more pleasure from alcohol than the average person.

Do you think heavy drinkers are created because they experience a more pleasurable sensation from drinking? Or do you think this response in the brain develops as a tolerance to alcohol? Let us know your opinion below.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) supports the

National Survey on Drug Use and Health each year to monitor statistics and trends in substance abuse. Recently, SAMHSA averaged data from the last five years and discovered that 7.5 million minors in America are living with parents who currently have an alcohol problem – nearly 11 percent of the population under 18 years of age.

The survey found that the vast majority of the parents of kids living with an alcoholic were married. In fact, 6.1 million – more than 80 percent of the parents struggling with alcoholism – remained with their partner. Among the one-parent families dealing with alcohol abuse, 78 percent were single mothers.

Nearly Half of American Children Are Aware of Alcoholism in Extended Family Members

The SAMHSA survey also discovered that 43 percent of adults in the US report that during their childhood they were conscious of the fact that a member of their extended family had an issue with alcohol. Over half of these same individuals now realize, as adults, that a blood relative is an alcoholic. This shows that a huge number of American kids are being exposed to alcoholism and its side effects every day at very young ages.

There Are a Wide Variety of Long-Term Consequences for Children of Alcoholics

Experts worry that the children of alcoholics face a number of problems as they grow because they are getting less guidance and attention from their parents as they face difficulties in life. When their parents’ focus is on alcohol and struggling to cope with their own stresses, they do not have the same energy to provide their kids appropriate care as parents who are not dependent on alcohol.

The neglect experienced by children of alcoholics is most likely, in part, responsible for the higher rates of the following issues:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Decreased verbal ability
• Lower IQ
• Parental abuse
• Alcoholism later in life

If a parent leaves their alcohol issues unresolved, the impact on the child will also remain unsettled, causing untold damage – there’s no better reason to seek help. When a parent leads by example and deals with his or her own issues, this can only benefit the children and their future mental and physical health.

If you or someone you care about is a parent with a drinking problem, help is available. Contact us and let us match you with treatment programs that provide family counseling and treatment services. You and your children deserve to start down the road to healing today.

Often a rise in addiction rates for a specific drug like crack or heroin is connected to an increase in crime. The result? A crackdown on that particular drug, usually in the form of stricter distribution and possession regulations. With increased news coverage that connects alcohol to deadly accidents and violent crime, a new study suggests that stricter laws controlling the distribution and possession of alcohol may be the next step.

The Effect of Alcohol on Accidents

According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, about 33 percent of all deaths and violent crimes are touched by alcohol abuse in some way. However, according to the authors of the study published in the March issue of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, the role of alcohol in these events is not always reported by the media.

Michael D. Slater is a study author from Ohio State University in Columbus. He said in a journal news release: “People have some awareness of the social cost that alcohol can have, but only a small fraction of news stories on violent crime and non-motor vehicle accidents acknowledge the contributing role of alcohol.”

Since there isn’t a widespread awareness of the impact of alcohol in accidents and violence that don’t happen on the road, there may not be much support for a stricter enforcement of current alcohol laws like the ban on underage drinking or the law against selling alcohol to visibly drunk customers.

The study surveyed almost 800 adults, finding that those who read news stories that mentioned the involvement of alcohol in non-car, alcohol-related accidents were more likely to support legislation that was tougher on alcohol.

Said Slater: “I think this buttresses the idea that media coverage does matter. Alcohol, as a public-health issue, is not as front and center as it might be if there were more news coverage.”

Getting the Word Out

It’s not an easy thing to influence how the media portrays events, and few who are involved in the accidents are concerned with publicity and how the incident is viewed, with the possible exception of the surviving victims and the victims’ families. What are some other options that may help to reveal just how damaging alcohol can be?  Perhaps commercials, workshops in the schools and other governmental organizations, booths at fairs and other community events would help. What do you think? How can we help people to recognize the effects of alcohol and alcohol abuse, and help those who need it to get help to quit drinking?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP) recently reported that 11.7 percent of deaths for both Native Americans and Alaska natives over a four-year period were a direct result of excessive alcohol consumption. Advocates for Native American tribal health are taking these numbers as a “call to action” for an issue that has long been ignored and swept under the rug on reservations around the US. These statistics were discovered after the CDCP’s epidemiologists undertook an exhaustive study of Native American death certificates.

The Exact Alcohol-Related Causes of Death Were Varied

During the period of study, 1,514 individuals lost their lives to alcohol use on tribal lands. The researchers believe this number is likely lower than the actual number of untimely deaths due to alcohol, as only the death certificates were used and certain diseases that may be caused by drinking were not able to be counted without further information. The highest figures were seen in the Northern Plains and the lowest were in Alaska.

The researchers ascertained that the top causes of alcohol-related death were car accidents and cirrhosis of the liver. These two factors added up to more than 25 percent of all the deaths due to drinking. Surprisingly, almost seven percent were murders and just over five percent were a result of suicide.

Genetics May Play a Large Role in the Propensity for Native American Alcoholism

Scientists at the Indiana University School of Medicine have been on a search for the genetic variables that influence the development of alcoholism and those that help prevent its progression.  They have identified two genes that actually may provide protection against someone engaging in excessive drinking and these two genetic components are found in high numbers among those of Asian descent. Turns out these mutations for an enzyme called “aldehyde dehydrogenase” are missing in the Native American population.

When aldehyde dehydrogenase is not present to break down the alcohol properly, the person’s skin will quickly turn red, their heart rate increases, and possible nausea and extreme tiredness ensue. All these physiological reactions stop someone from wanting to continue drinking, thus, protecting the individual from abusing alcohol. Dr. Li, one of the head researchers states, “We have shown that Native Americans, who have a high rate of alcoholism, do not have these protective genes.”

This does not mean Native Americans are destined to abuse alcohol by any means; it is just evidence that they are at a greater risk for developing a drinking problem, if the mental and emotional factors are there.

If you are struggling with a dependence on alcohol, contact us immediately. We can connect you with quality treatment and rehabilitation programs that will assist you on your journey back to a healthy, sober life.

Binge drinking is a common habit among Americans, as the latest research demonstrates. It’s as dangerous as full-blown alcoholism, thanks to the health effects and dangers associated with drinking more than four or five alcoholic drinks in a sitting – the definition of binge drinking. About one in six Americans indulges in the practice, according to reports by the Associated Press, and the consequences are no mystery. So why is it that Americans still can’t get their drinking under control? What is so addictive about alcohol?

How Alcohol Functions in the Brain

According to new research out of the Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center, at the University of California, San Francisco, when you drink alcohol, endorphins are released in the brain – happy chemicals. Endorphins are responsible for making you feel pleasure, but it’s actually where they are released that is important – the nucleus accumbens, the part of the brain that has been linked to addictive behavior and decision making. Experience pleasure and reward in relation to a particular decision – like drinking alcohol – then you’re likely to want to repeat the experience. This desire to repeat a behavior can develop into cravings, one of the key components of addiction.

Heavy Drinkers’ Response to Alcohol

The release of endorphins in the brain and the compulsion to drink more to recreate that feeling is even more pronounced in those who drink heavily. The more they drink, the more endorphins are released, the happier they feel and the more likely they are to crave alcohol. When cravings meet physical dependence, binge drinking or alcohol abuse turns into alcohol addiction.

Other Factors

It may not just be the endorphins. A study reported by BBC News says that drinking alcohol causes a release of dopamine, another happy chemical, as well. Again, the issue is that drinkers feel good when they drink – the more they drink, the better they feel – and they want to replicate that feeling when they can. This makes binge drinking especially attractive to those who are functional (e.g., maintain a job, have a family, etc.), but binge drinking can quickly turn into alcohol addiction – or be the cause of an accident that can be dangerous or deadly to the drinker or someone they care about.

Treatment

Alcohol abuse, binge drinking and alcoholism are all treatable issues. When do you know it’s time to find addiction treatment services? When any one of those issues becomes a problem in your life and you are unable to quit drinking even when you try. If this describes you or someone you care about, contact us today. We can help you find the right addiction treatment services for you.

According to a new study published in the American Journal of Public Health, it may actually be a move in the direction of sobriety to allow heavy drinking homeless people to drink when they stay in shelters. Sound counterintuitive? If you think so, you’re not alone. But the results of the study were clear: The amount of drinking by alcoholic homeless participants in the study actually decreased by 35 percent by some counts (50 percent by others) over a two-year period when they were allowed to drink and provided with housing.

Counting the Drinks

So which is it? Was the drinking decreased by 35 percent or 50 percent? By one count, the average number of drinks indulged in by participants was 40 per month when they began and 26 by the end of the two-year period. However, the median drinks went from 22 on a typical day for each participant down to 11 per day. According to the National Institutes of Health, the researchers say that the 50-percent accounting is more accurate, making this study even more phenomenal in outcome. Who knew?

The numbers get even more interesting when the effects of alcoholism are taken into effect. Some may think that 11 drinks is still too many – and certainly, it’s an unhealthy number by most accounts – but when compared to 22 drinks per day, the effects of alcohol are actually diminished in some cases. For example, participants who reported experiencing delirium tremens dropped from 65 percent to 23 percent by the end of the two-year period, which may bolster evidence that shows the effectiveness of harm reduction. Reducing intake by just half is enough to make a significant difference and help patients get one day closer to the treatment they need to stop drinking completely.

Susan Collins is the lead author on the study and a research assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences. She said in a university release: “A lot of people believe in the ‘enabling hypothesis’ – that allowing homeless, alcohol-dependent individuals to drink in their homes will enable them to drink more, and their drinking will spiral out of control. But instead what we found are across-the-board decreases in alcohol consumption and problems.”

Anyone Can Change

Perhaps the most significant result of the study is the fact that a group of people often considered the most lost managed to create significant changes in their lives with just a little bit of help. Imagine if they had received treatment in addition to housing. Where would they be in two years?

Where would you be if you had the treatment you needed to stop drinking? Call us today to discuss your options in alcohol rehab and get a step closer to enacting the change you want for your life.

Your head is pounding like a punk rock drummer is living inside your brain, your mouth is as dry as the desert in summer and the room hasn’t stopped spinning from the moment you opened your eyes. Worst part is you’re not sure you’ll be able to make it to the bathroom in time if you need to irreverently bow to the porcelain gods. Then you remember with a sinking feeling that you have to go to work today. All your sick days have been used up by mornings like this already.

Most people will probably experience some level of hangover at one point or another in their life, but the frequency and the impact on important areas of their life will differentiate someone who accidentally overdid it with friends from someone who has a serious problem. If, like the scenario above, your job or relationships are being adversely affected, it’s time to take a look at the issue of alcohol in your life.

What Is a Hangover?

We can first start by looking at the physical toll drinking takes on your body when you are experiencing a hangover. You are in no uncertain terms poisoning your body if you drank enough to have one. Your body is sending you the following clues:

• “Breaking the Seal.” This is the general term for the floodgates that open after the initial bathroom trip during a night of heavy drinking. It occurs because alcohol signals your body to stop producing the hormone vasopressin that keeps your body well hydrated. Liquids no longer are sent into circulation, but instead head straight to the bladder. This causes your organs to pull water from the brain, shrinking the brain and causing it to pull on tendons in the skull causing a splitting headache.

• Production of Toxic Chemicals. When alcohol is broken down in the liver, it produces a poisonous byproduct called acetylaldehyde. The body has an enzyme to detoxify this chemical, but if too much alcohol is consumed it can’t keep up and we experience nausea, confusion, a flushed face, sweating and, for some, difficulty breathing.

• Congeners Make It Worse. All alcohol contains congeners, which are contaminants produced by the fermentation process. The darker the alcohol or liquor, the more impurities it contains and the nastier the hangover symptoms will become.

Seeking Help If You Are Concerned

If hangovers have become a routine part of life for you or someone you care about, it is time to understand why your drinking is out of control. We can help you find an alcohol treatment program to fit your individual needs that uses an evidence-based approach in their therapies. Don’t allow excessive alcohol and the ensuing hangover to compromise your physical and emotional health one more day. Call us now.

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Everyone’s heard about drug and alcohol rehab, but there are dozens of rehab types that usually go under the radar. While some address addictions, others work to help people repair physical, emotional, or mental issues as a result of life events. Here are 4 types of rehab you may not know much about.

Sex rehab

People like Tiger Woods and Anthony Weiner have indirectly called the public’s attention to sex rehabilitation, a type of treatment that helps people with their addiction to sex.  Not surprisingly, any sort of sexual activity is prohibited in sex rehab, but the rules take it a little further — many of these rehab centers don’t permit romantic relationships or even flirting. This is because sex rehab is about becoming strong as an individual and not having to feel dependent.

About 14 million people in the U.S. say that they have a sex addiction, but some question the addiction’s legitimacy. The Psychiatric Diagnosis Manual doesn’t recognize sex addiction, but treatment centers usually identify other disorders that may be part of the cause of the addiction. Some people say sex addiction is one of the hardest to overcome, because unlike alcohol rehab, for example, a sex rehab patient isn’t expected to give up sex altogether; he or she must learn how to cut out the addiction without cutting out the act.

Brain Injury Rehab

Because of the trouble celebrities have been getting into lately, people generally associate the word “rehab” with drugs, alcohol, and more broadly, addiction. However, not all types of rehab deal with addictive behaviors and habits. Brain injury rehab is a prime example of this. People who suffer from the effects of traumatic brain injury (TBI) need treatment for physical limitations or cognitive impairments, which is where rehab comes in.

Brain injury rehab is intricate in that each person needs his or her own personalized treatment plan, as no two injuries are the same. There are several different options for rehab, including home-based rehab, impatient rehab centers, hospital outpatient rehab, supporting living programs, and more. Some rehab centers like Kessler offer treatment programs that involve Body Weight Supported Treadmill Training, brain-mapping technology, and even robotic therapy to help its patients.

Internet Rehab

The first rehab program in the United States designed to help people suffering from Internet addiction opened in 2009. The Heavensfield Retreat Center began reSTART, a program that lasts for 45 days and strives to help “tech dependent youth” make their connection with the real world once again. The treatment doesn’t just address the Internet addiction on its surface — it also helps people cope with other issues that may be causing the Internet addiction in the first place, like depression, ADHD, or family problems.

Even kids and teens ages 12 to 17 can get help from programs like reSTART, who offer outpatient services in a couple of cities. Some of the symptoms that qualify a person as having an Internet addiction are using the Internet to escape problems, having an impaired social function, and increasing the amount of time spent on the Internet in order to achieve satisfaction.

Child soldier rehab

This type of rehab has recently been used as a response to the children in the Democratic Republic of Congo who were forced to join armed groups and fight. Tens of thousands of children had to participate in this violence, the United Nations estimates. The fighters are often times even younger than 10 years old. Children are either enlisted by their family members, join in order to protect themselves, or are snatched up by soldiers.

To help the children who have made it out of this nightmare, the U.N. Children’s Fund sponsored a rehabilitation center that works to help kids transition into peaceful lives. One of the main objectives is to try to aid kids in establishing an ability to trust once again. They typically face issues of abandonment, so the treatment center workers show the children love and help them gain back their health to make them feel more at ease.

Conclusion

Every type of rehab has its unique challenges. Regardless of what people are struggling with, whether it be physical, emotional, or mental in nature, there will almost always be a rehab center out there that can address their problems and help them overcome their issues.

What is it about fame that causes people to go over the edge? Excessive drinking, drug use and self-destructive behavior seem to go hand in hand with those who get even a small dose of popularity. Does fame cause it? Do famous people begin their own press and decide they don’t need to follow the same rules as everyone? Or, is fame just another drug and people need a fix?

Celebrity Deaths

Whatever the reason, celebrities self-destruct in a spectacular manner. Celebrity deaths, especially those of young stars, are very public and very fascinating. But are all the deaths of those who have burned out and died young as accidental as we have been led to believe?

It seems odd that people who lived life in the spotlight sometimes find death in the dark and in secret. And the causes of death remain suspicious and not as simple as we’ve been told.

1. Anna Nicole Smith

Former Playboy Playmate of the Year, reality star darling and oil mogul widow, Anna Nicole Smith seemed to have the world in the palm of her hands. A high school dropout, Smith used her body and brains to climb the American fame ladder. Smith rode the celebrity train to go beyond the status of Playmate. She was a successful model for Guess jeans, a spokeswoman for Trim-Spa weight loss, and an actress in several big Hollywood films. She met, married, and soon buried a multi-millionaire husband, then and fought vigorously for her share of his fortune.

Why Would She Do It?

At the time of her death she was riding high as a reality TV star and had just given birth to a daughter. Reports said she overdosed on prescription pills in her hotel suite in Hollywood, Florida. Early speculation suggested she may have killed herself because she was distraught over the recent death of her 20-year old son, Daniel. But there are still too many questions. Her personal life was working out. She had love, money, and a new baby girl. Perhaps there is a clue in the immediate struggle after Anna’s death for control of the baby and of the fortune she inherited. Many of the drugs found in her system were prescribed to her boyfriend and others, perhaps showing that they weren’t something she normally took or that she was being given them without her knowledge.

While the cause of her death is known, it still isn’t known if she ingested any or all of those drugs willingly.

2. Kurt Cobain

Officially the cause of death was suicide by a self-inflicted shotgun blast to the head. But rumors persist that it was not suicide at all. Kurt’s rise to fame was meteoric. The success of his band, Nirvana, and album, Nevermind, started the musical movement known as Grunge. Kurt was no stranger to drug problems. The battle that he and his wife, Courtney Love, had with heroin was public knowledge and well publicized. Attempts at rehab failed, and even the birth of his daughter didn’t get him to clean up. An intervention with family and friends finally convinced him to check into a rehab clinic; where he simply climbed the wall and left.

Smells Like a Cover Up

The biggest concern with Cobain’s death seems to be the amount of drugs in his system at the time of the fatal gunshot. The amount of heroin in his system wouldn’t allow anyone to operate a firearm or properly position himself to be in harm’s way. Cobain also had no gunpowder burns or residue on his hands. The accompanying note near him seemed to have an addition referring to suicide written in different handwriting.

After his death, there were scores of fans left in mourning as well as a huge increase in Nirvana album sales. His widow, Courtney Love, inherited Cobain’s valuable copyrights and soon became a bestselling musician and award-nominated actress.

3. Marilyn Monroe

Perhaps one of the most mysterious celebrity overdoses is that of film legend and sex symbol Marilyn Monroe. Monroe was the “it” girl of the 1950s. She was the star of such classics as “Some Like it Hot” and “The Seven-Year Itch”. While popular in the spotlight, Monroe never seemed to find true love. She was married and divorced three times and is rumored to have had countless love affairs with actors and politicians, both while single and married.

Was Being Blonde Her Only Bombshell?

Her death was attributed to a fatal mixture of barbiturates and alcohol resulting in “probable suicide”. While Monroe did have a prior history of talking prescription medication to help her sleep, she had no known drug or alcohol problem. There were many inconstancies about the final hours of her life and who she saw and spoke with on the phone. Was she the victim of a scorned lover? Some have suggested ties to the mafia who had interest in Monroe based on her relationship with President John Kennedy and his brother, Attorney General Robert Kennedy. Her final call on the night she died was reported to be to the White House. Some suggested that it was the relationship with the Kennedys that caused her death. Did she plan to tell about her relationship with one or more of the Kennedy brothers? Was she a threat to the President’s marriage that needed to be removed?

Despite her on-screen persona of the stereotypical dumb blonde, Monroe was known to be quite intelligent. Perhaps she knew or loved too much.

Celebrity drug addict news floods the media, and there have been entire shows dedicated to the topic of Hollywood’s darlings’ drug use. But what about politicians? Election time usually sparks more revelations about people in politics, and while some politicians have been open when questioned about previous drug use, other’s pasts have gone under the radar. Many accusations or assumptions have not been confirmed nor denied. Here’s a breakdown of what we really know.

Presidents

Barack Obama has been one of the most straightforward politicians about admitting he’d used drugs in his youth. In his book Dreams From My Father, he mentions using marijuana and cocaine while he was in high school. Granted, this book was out before he ran for president, but when questioned about it, he confirmed the information.

George W. Bush’s past drinking problems aren’t a secret; former First Lady Laura Bush even spoke about it on Oprah. However, when the former president has been asked about drug use, his answers have been vaguer. He made a comment to the media about how he could have passed an FBI background check even when his father was in office, which his campaign later clarified meant he’d been drug-free ever since he was 28. When asked directly if he’d used drugs before then, he typically answered something that included, “I made mistakes.”

Bill Clinton admitted to trying marijuana but without breaking U.S. law. He was in England when he tried it and has been teased for having said he didn’t inhale the marijuana when he experimented with it.

Senators/Governors

John Kerry, Howard Dean, and John Edwards admitted during a 2003 Democratic presidential debate that they used pot in the past in response to the question, “Which of you are willing to admit you’ve used marijuana in the past?” The question was emailed in toward the end of the forum, and while Dean said at first that the question was probably going to go unanswered, he ended up admitted to the use.

David Paterson, the former governor of New York, admitted that he smoked marijuana when he was younger and used cocaine when he was in his early 20s. He pointed out that he hasn’t smoked marijuana since the 1970s and already admitted to his use in his youth when speaking to a TV journalist in 2006, but because he was running for lieutenant governor at the time, the revelation didn’t get as much attention as it did in 2008.

Sarah Palin, like Bill Clinton, tried marijuana in a way that didn’t break U.S. law — pot was legal in Alaska when she tried it. Palin said she didn’t enjoy smoking pot and doesn’t do it anymore. A recently released biography about Sarah Palin written by Joe McGinniss alleges that the Palins have used cocaine in the past, but the book is lacking in many sources. Todd Palin accused the book of being full of “disgusting lies.”

Conclusion

It could very well be the case that many accusations are unfounded and based solely on the intention of trying to ruin certain politicians’ reputation. It could also be the case that politicians are struggling to keep their pasts a secret. In some cases, we might never know the truth, and many people debate if this information is even important enough to be such.

What can $80,000 buy you…? a Porsche, 80 weeklong cruise vacations, or one month at a rehab center. That last option doesn’t sound very glamorous, but people are shelling out the money to break their addictive habits. How can these rehabilitation programs cost so much and still get business? Well, we’re going to show you that there are plenty of reasons why. You can decide if they’re worth it.

Privacy/location

When trying to quit drinking or using drugs, you might want to escape the temptations and feelings of hopelessness in your daily life and leave everything behind. This is especially true for celebrities who are constantly trying to avoid paparazzi during vulnerable times, and they definitely have the money to get away for a while.

One of the main reasons these facilities can charge tens of thousands of dollars is that they’re located in some of the most beautiful locations in the country and are often completely secluded. For example:

• Promises Treatment Centers has a Malibu location that’s nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Monica Mountains.

Basically, these locations could double as prime vacation spots without the surrounding tourist traps. Not only can people who enroll enjoy the scenery, they can feel completely disconnected from the rest of the world and ready to tackle their addictions. That’s why they charge the big bucks — we could only afford rehab like this if we never took another trip for the rest of our lives (and that includes trips to the mall).

Constant assistance/attention

When you’re paying more than $10,000 a week for rehab, you can expect not to be grouped with 100 random people during the program. Most of these elite rehab centers limit the number of people who’re admitted at any given time. Many also promise a low professional-to-patient ratio. For example:

• Privé-Swiss, a facility that helps people address a wide range of psychological and emotional issues, boasts one-to-one treatment and only serves 1 to 4 clients at a time.
• Passages Malibu says most treatment is performed through one-on-one sessions and that each patient has a personal team of 10 therapists.

Exclusive, individual treatment like this comes at a high cost. The program websites say a main motivation is to be attentive, but on top of that, the professionals personalize the care for each person so that it’s more effective. This all makes sense, because for that much money, clients might be pretty upset to find themselves in a facility as crowded as a Britney Spears concert. (Coincidentally, she’s likely to be at any of these rehab centers.)

Beneficial services and activities

Paying so much probably prompts the facility founders to keep up with the latest addiction treatments (whether they’re effective or not). Many programs offer a variety of strategies to curing addiction, including psychotherapy, hypnotherapy, equine-assisted therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing.

To be honest, we don’t know what half of those therapies even entail, but we’re pretty sure typical rehab facilities don’t have horses roaming around to be used in a therapeutic manner. Those therapies all sound legitimate and cutting edge, but these facilities offer a variety of other, unconventional activities that are supposed to raise participants’ spirits and help them get rid of their vices.

• Commonly offered indoor activities include massages and other spa treatments, yoga, acupuncture, and art therapy.
• Outdoor activities include mountain meditation (naturally), archery, and rope course challenges.

We originally thought rope course challenges were solely created for company team-building exercises. You learn something new every day.

Dining/lodging

Going back to the rehab-centers-set-up-like-vacation-getaways theme, not only are the facilities located in different versions of paradise, they also offer pretty incredible lodging and dining. If the “retreats” as they like to call them are located in the north, you can probably expect large fireplaces and structures made of fine wood. In the more tropical locations, you’ll find refreshing pools and beautiful, large windows.

You won’t be getting cafeteria-style food, either. Professional chefs cook up homemade meals and are generally willing to accommodate eating preferences. Paying to have great chefs constantly available probably costs a lot for the rehab facilities. We can’t forget that every cost ends up factoring into the price. Here are examples of how rehab centers go above and beyond:

• At Passages, every room has a plasma TV, and the land surrounding the facility is full of statues, tennis courts, gardens, and pools.
• The Canyon has professional chefs creating gourmet meals on a daily basis.

We admit it — the amenities at all of these luxurious rehab centers look great, but surprisingly you don’t always get your own room. That comes at an extra cost, which we didn’t think was possible with starting prices ending in so many zeros.

Conclusion

While the websites of these facilities post about their amazing amenities and rehab programs, they’re so private and secretive that it’s hard to always tell how effective they are. Also, because these can be for-profit organizations instead of not-for-profit like rehab facilities usually are, people are more skeptical about whether they’re still getting their money’s worth. Regardless, these places are clearly expensive and arguably over-the-top, but they do seem to try to be luxurious and provide the best.

A recent study by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAA) has found that general practitioners in the United States are failing on a wide scale to screen for problem drinking in young adults. Young people age 18 to 25 are the most likely to engage in binge drinking and their physicians are a non-judgmental source of health information on this topic. Doctors are a unique resource who, unlike family or friends, can deliver the message about responsible drinking from a position of authority without the emotional ties that can sometimes cause tension.

Many Doctors Missing the Opportunity to Prevent Problem Drinking

Ralph W. Hingson, Sc.D., director of epidemiology and prevention research at the NIAA, surveyed over 4,000 people. The questionnaire inquired about the subject’s alcohol drinking patterns and about discussions with their doctor within the last 12 months. In particular the questions probed to understand exactly if their doctors broached the subject of alcohol consumption and whether information on responsible drinking habits had been discussed during their visit.

According to the survey results, doctors are allowing an extraordinary opportunity to help their patients both mentally and physically just fall by the wayside. Of the patients who reported excessive drinking patterns, only 14 percent were advised by their doctors about what constitutes problem drinking and instructed about potential health effects. Although higher than average across all ages, only roughly one-third of the 18-to-25 group who drank excessively were provided any alcohol education by their doctor. Experts say this high-risk group should be receiving guidance across the board, but especially when they admit to unhealthy levels of alcohol intake.

Can a Doctor’s Brief Intervention Really Impact Alcohol Consumption?

Some might think, “So what?” It’s pretty well-known that drinking too much isn’t good for your health; what is a doctor going to say in such a short time that will make a difference? Well, a study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine demonstrated that just a 10-minute chat with a physician helps nearly 20 percent of patients reduce their alcohol intake for six months to two years. Research shows that a doctor systematically engaging in screening and counseling for problem drinkers is in the top five most economically worthwhile preventative services they can provide. From these findings, many experts believe alcohol screening and counseling should be placed in the same class of prevention as mammograms, pap smears, and colon and prostate cancer screenings.

Why do you think doctors are neglecting to discuss problem drinking? Do you think they are overloaded with patients and don’t have time, are tired of giving out the same info, think everyone already knows or some other reason? Let us know what you think below.

When considering some of the greatest historical figures and their contributions to the world, we rarely let our minds wander to their personal lives and trials. Like every other human being, these talented people had strengths and weaknesses in their character, and they fell into addictive habits, as well. Here’s a list of some of famous people from history who weren’t immune to vices.

F. Scott Fitzgerald – alcohol

The famous author of The Great Gatsby produced great American literature and drank — a lot. He drank when he was disappointed, and he drank when he was proud. It didn’t matter what the occasion was, because Fitzgerald believed that alcohol only intensified current emotions; he probably used drinking as a way to feel especially good or to drown out feelings he despised. His liquor of choice usually involved gin.

He tended to write soberly, however, at least in the beginning. Regardless, he declined psychiatric treatment and typically showed no embarrassment to being known as an alcoholic. He got into domestic fights with his wife, Zelda, which were probably sparked by a night spent drinking. Having about four breakdowns due to alcohol consumption, Fitzgerald probably would have been a little better off with some help curbing his alcoholism.

Sigmund Freud – cocaine

While it’s difficult to know for sure how often and why some people in history engaged in substance abuse, it’s well known that Freud — the father of psychoanalysis — used to do cocaine quite often. He didn’t even think that cocaine was habit-forming. Eventually, a professional peer pointed out cocaine’s addictive qualities, and Freud realized that he was correct.

What most people don’t know, however, is that Freud wasn’t doing cocaine recreationally— he was studying its medical values. He believed it worked wonders and consumed it to fix some of his own pains for at least 12 years. He hoped this would be the panacea he was looking for, but eventually discovered this would not be the case. Freud probably could have benefitted from someone going back and telling him that cocaine was both addictive and not all-healing.

Marcus Aurelius – opium

For the purposes of full disclosure, because Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius lived in second century CE, it’s pretty difficult to determine to a certainty whether or not he was addicted to opium. What we do know is that at one point, Aurelius was prescribed a medicine with opium in it, and although he stopped taking it because it made him drowsy, he started taking it regularly because he had difficulty sleeping after that point.

Many people suggest this indicates his addiction, but no one knows for sure. People who believe he developed an addiction point to his supposed detachment from everyday life and his weird use of imagination in Meditations as evidence. However, those with the opposite opinion say his visions were strictly due to creativity and imagination, not opium. Either way, the emperor probably could have done better with a medicine that isn’t generally used to produce heroin.

Vincent van Gogh – alcohol

The famous painter was an alcoholic, but he seemed to be specifically addicted to absinthe. A lot of the theory about his drinking problem stems from his own artwork and the paintings of others who knew about him. For example, the van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam displays an oil painting by van Gogh of a glass of absinthe sitting on a table.

Not every piece of artwork is so obvious. Art critics analyze other works to read into van Gogh’s personality and fears. Paintings showing people socializing around bars and in cafés supposedly suggests his fear of loneliness and his desire to be included in social environments. These feels potentially be the reason he turned to alcohol, but a lot of it is speculation.  If it is true, most can’t help but feel sympathetic and wish they could have helped him deal with the anxiety in a healthier way.

Billie Holiday – alcohol/heroin

Holiday was one of the best jazz singers in history, but her famous days weren’t free of trials. Throughout her life, she struggled with poverty and got arrested for prostitution and drug use. She was addicted to both alcohol and heroin, both of which got her into major trouble, especially toward the end of her life. She died at the age of 44 in the hospital, where she had been under arrest for drug possession.

A little while after reaching the top of her singing fame in the late 1930s and finding out about the death of her mother, her heroine use grew much worse. She had been using the money she was making from her music career to buy drugs, and it was getting so bad that she tried to check herself into rehab to break the addiction. However, she continued abusing alcohol and never fully gained control of her addiction. If she’d gotten the help she needed, she might have had more time to grace the world with her beautiful voice.

Conclusion

Drug abuse and alcoholism can really hinder your life, even if you’re successful and talented. Having an addiction takes away your will power and control, often times leaving you helpless. Some of the most influential people in history suffered from these habits, and people continue to experience the downfalls of addictions today.

We’ve all witnessed someone when they have had too much to drink appear as though every muscular movement in their body is out of sync. They stagger as they walk, slur their speech when they talk and fall over easily; in other words, they are a motor skills mess. It was always assumed that these effects of alcohol were due to the drug’s interference with nerve cells both in the central nervous system and at the muscular level.

However, scientists still know a relatively small amount of information about how alcohol affects our brain and our body and the mechanism behind these results. Although the human race has been drinking alcohol for thousands of years and modern science has been researching it for decades, it is far from clear the means by which alcohol produces the typical group of intoxicated behaviors we have come to relate to excessive drinking.

Researchers Found Blocking Immune Receptors Blocks Alcohol’s Effects

The British Journal of Pharmacology recently published the results of a study performed at the University of Adelaide. The research examined how manipulating toll-like receptors, a part of the immune system, affected the behaviors associated with alcohol intoxication.

The scientists gave mice the equivalent of a shot of alcohol and blocked the toll-like receptors in their immune system. They blocked the immune receptors by two different methods:

1.)    Drugs that would prevent the receptors from functioning

2.)    Mice that genetically were missing receptors that worked

After observing the effects of alcohol on the mice with manipulated immune receptors, the researchers reported their surprising findings. They discovered that blocking the immune receptors either with genetically selected mice or with drugs both produced the same result – a reduction in the effects alcohol generally has on animals.

Study Outcomes May Provide an Aid in the Treatment of Alcoholism

These results are some of the first to show how to diminish the consequences alcohol has on the body. The mechanism came from an unlikely source in the immune system rather than nerve cells in the brain as previously presumed.

With further investigation, these outcomes may very likely be the same in humans. If this is found to be true then development of medications to target these immune receptors could provide an extremely helpful tool in treating alcohol addiction and in hospitals to help lessen the impact on the body from alcohol poisoning. These findings may very well help people to achieve sobriety and potentially save lives.

If you know someone struggling with alcohol addiction, then give us a call. We can simply answers to your questions or help you find an alcohol treatment program that best fits your individual needs. All calls are confidential so don’t hesitate to contact us today.

Having an addition can really negatively affect someone’s life, and celebrities are no exception. It can impact your career, your relationships, and your daily life, and for the rich and famous, these influences are documented by the media. Here are some of the most recent and most notable losses celebrities have faced because of their addictions.

Celebrity: Lindsay Lohan

Addiction: Alcohol and drugs

What was lost: Her innocence

The girl who started as a lovable child star and even a respectable teenage actress is now known for her crazy partying and drug use.  Lohan was quoted as saying, “It is clear to me that my life has become completely unmanageable because I am addicted to alcohol and drugs.”

She’s been in an out of rehab, but there’s one instance that highlights her problems:  after checking into rehab for 45 days, she was arrested on suspicion of DUI and possession of cocaine a little over a week after checking out. Nowadays, people watch “Parent Trap” with nostalgia as Lohan’s suddenly lost all of her innocent charm.

Celebrity: Charlie Sheen

Addiction: Alcohol and drugs

What was lost: His TV show

Charlie Sheen has been most recently popular for his starring role in the award-winning comedy Two and a Half Men. He’s had a history with addictions, and he checked himself into rehab in January of 2011 after a night of excessive partying that left him with severe abdominal pains.

However, he got fired from his show a few months later due to his behavior during many bizarre interviews. Some of his quotes include that he was “bangin’ 7-gram rocks and finishing them because that’s how I roll.” While we don’t know if his addictions are returning, his antics definitely generated a lot of suspicion, a lot of viral content, and a lot of backlash: he lost his show and his longtime manager.

Celebrity: Mel Gibson

Addiction: Alcohol

What was lost: His reputation

Mel Gibson, who was a well-admired actor starring in many movies like Braveheart and The Patriot, caused a general loss of respect from the general public a couple of years ago. After being pulled over for going 87 mph in a 45 mph zone, he started shouting anti-Semitic remarks at the officer, who is Jewish.

After news broke out about the tirade, Gibson’s career began to decline and started struggling with his use of alcohol and his resulting personal issues. He’s been in and out of rehab for his issues.

Celebrity: Whitney Houston

Addiction: Alcohol and drugs

What was lost: Her career

Whitney Houston was nothing short of a star — she won dozens of industry awards and was greatly admired by the general public for her singing talent. But rising rumors about drug use with her husband and several accounts of strange behavior (missing shows, acting unusual, etc.) led people to believe she was abusing illegal substances.

She’s checked into rehab in 2004, 2005, and most recently in May 2011 for alcohol abuse. Her career halted because of her addictions. In 2009, she told Oprah, “I had so much money and so much access to what I wanted. I didn’t think about the singing part anymore.” Her career never picked up the same momentum again.

Celebrity: Amy Winehouse

Addiction: Alcohol and drugs

What was lost: (Possibly) her life

Amy struggled with many addictions throughout her life, which led her to cancel concerts, go to rehab, and be hospitalized. It’s unclear how many times she actually checked into rehab, but it appears that she didn’t remain sober for a very long period of time.

Despite this, there were no illegal substances found in her body at the time of her death, according to Winehouse’s family. The cause of her death is still inconclusive, but there were apparently traces of alcohol in her system when she died. Some people theorize that her lifestyle could have indirectly contributed to her death, while others think alcohol withdrawal may have done it. Either way, we won’t know until October when more reports are released.

Conclusion

Alcohol and drug addictions aren’t rare in the media, nor are the losses suffered when addictions aren’t addressed. Everyday people and celebrities alike experience a lot of pain because of their drug and alcohol abuse, and while people’s losses may fall under the radar, we should learn from the coverage of celebrity loss and help those in our own lives make positive, lifelong changes.

In a recently completed study, researchers found that alcohol actually disrupts an individual’s ability to get quality sleep. The findings, which may be counterintuitive to many, will be published in the journal of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research later this year, where they demonstrated that alcohol actually creates insomnia over time. Most believe a nightcap (and for some perhaps more than one) is a good way to prepare for sleep. The research showed for some this may be true when a very small amount of alcohol is ingested, but larger quantities actually disrupt an individual’s ability to reach the most restful and restorative stages of sleep. The impact for heavy drinkers is not just feeling tired; it leaves their bodies unable to do the very necessary work of rest and repair each night which can lead to a whole laundry list of health problems.

What Defines Restorative Sleep?

This study actually used an individual’s heart rate variability (HRV) during the sleep process to understand alcohol’s relationship with sleep. Each individual’s heart rate varies between high and low frequencies depending on which part of their nervous system is active.

A person’s nervous system has two different modes:

• The Sympathetic Nervous System is responsible for “fight-or-flight.” It is most active during the day, especially during stressful or vigorous activity, and is correlated to the low frequency component of HRV during sleep.

• The Parasympathetic Nervous System is responsible for “rest and digest” functions in the body. It is most active during sleep and any time someone is in a state of relaxation, allowing the body to focus on resting and repairing. It is correlated to the high frequency component of HRV during sleep.

Increased frequency and duration of parasympathetic activity during sleep is associated with the body’s ability to rest and recuperate at night.

How Researchers Correlated Alcohol’s Effect on Sleep

In the study, male university students were given alcohol at particular intervals over a period of three weeks, 100 minutes before going to sleep. Then each individual’s HRV was monitored and the data was analyzed for rate of occurrence and duration of the low and high frequency components of HRV. The results showed that as the dosage of alcohol increased the number of interruptions in the restorative high frequency HRV that occurred.

Furthermore, many alcoholics suffer from insomnia and hypertension. If the parasympathetic nervous system (responsible for the body’s ability to rest and relax) is constantly being inhibited by alcohol, it is no wonder these and many other health issues arise in chronic drinkers. This information is one more piece of the puzzle in helping alcohol rehabilitation programs understand and provide the best help to their patients.

If you or someone you know is struggling with alcohol dependency or addiction, help is available. We can answer any questions you have about the process of alcohol rehabilitation and treatment. Don’t allow your physical and emotional health to deteriorate one more day. Pick up the phone and contact us today.

There is often some confusion among those who drink heavily and family members who want to see them stop as to whether or not alcohol abuse requires treatment – or if a diagnosis of alcoholism or alcohol addiction is required. Determining whether or not treatment is necessary when alcohol abuse and not addiction is the issue is a case-by-case decision. Not everyone is alike. Not everyone needs treatment. But almost everyone who struggles with controlling their alcohol intake or finds that too much alcohol is causing them constant problems in their lives will benefit from treatment.

What Is Alcohol Abuse?

Alcohol abuse is generally defined as an unhealthy relationship with alcohol that causes problems in everyday life. This can mean the development of health problems, getting fired from your job, losing a romantic relationship, or losing your drive and energy to take part in your own life. Abusive use of alcohol usually means multiple drinks (more than five) at a time, multiple times per week. For some, more or fewer drinks will constitute alcohol abuse given a person’s metabolism.

Those who have a “normal” relationship with alcohol will experience the effects after a single drink. Those who are regular alcohol abusers will need multiple drinks to feel the effects of relaxation. In fact, many who abuse alcohol seek it out specifically for stress relief or in an attempt to put themselves in a good mood. As tolerance develops, they need to drink more and more to experience those effects – and in many cases, bypass the “good” feelings and end up feeling angry, violent, sad or tired instead.

When Does Alcohol Abuse Require Treatment?

Alcohol abuse is a continuum disorder, which means that there are people who struggle with a milder version while others abuse alcohol more frequently, in larger amounts or experience extreme consequences. If you or someone you care about abuses alcohol regularly and cannot stop drinking despite the negative consequences, then alcohol treatment is necessary. Here, you can make the break away from alcohol and learn how to make more effective choices, discovering the needs that you are trying to meet with alcohol and learning instead how to meet those needs with more positive choices.

If you are choosing alcohol to deal with stress, to have a good time, to escape or to deal with a traumatic event, then alcohol treatment can help. Contact us today to learn more about the types of programs available to help you break free from chronic alcohol abuse.

There are a number of things one shouldn’t do while abusing alcohol. Drive. Have unprotected sex with a stranger. Operate heavy machinery. Care for young children. Make life changing or financial decisions. Enter into contracts. The list goes on. In New York, one pet store has decided that you should add something to the ever-growing list of taboo choices when you imbibe – buying puppies.

Le Petite Puppy in Greenwich Village is surrounded by bars and store owner Dana Rich is done with drunken patrons stumbling into her shop, oohing and aahing over the cute little puppies, and taking one home – just to return a few days later and want to return the little guys. It’s not just a no-buy policy that Le Petite Puppy has instituted; drunk patrons are not even allowed to pet or hold the puppies because they may drop them and hurt them accidentally in their inebriated state. When the store owner or employees see customers come in who are clearly drunk, they are asked to come back the next day.

The new rule is to protect the puppies more than the drunken puppy buyers. Those who are under the influence of alcohol may or may not be able to provide safe homes for their new little dogs. Employees would rather lose a sale than risk sending a puppy home with someone who is unable to care for it properly.

Buying a puppy is definitely a decision that should be made with a clear head – one of many decisions that are better made with a clear head – and alcohol abuse can certainly get in the way. Similarly, when chronic alcohol abuse or alcohol addiction is an issue, it’s difficult to ever feel clearheaded. Many patients in alcohol rehab report that they often feel “fuzzy” or as if everything is “surreal” even in between alcohol binges. It can be a scary place to live and a big part of the reason why many who have a chronic alcohol abuse problem or are living with alcohol addiction continually make poor decisions that make their lives more difficult.

If you are living with an alcohol abuse problem or active alcohol addiction, don’t wait to get the help you need to heal. Contact us today for more information about the alcohol rehab programs available to you and how you can get started on your own personal path to healing today.

It was a drunk driving accident that ended the life of Jackass star Ryan Dunn. Always a fan of fast driving and alcohol, the combination of the two proved deadly.

About a month ago, Dunn died while driving a Porsche 911 GT3 in West Goshen, Pennsylvania. According to police who reconstructed the accident, he may have been going as fast as 130 to 140 miles per hour when he hit a guardrail on a 55 mile-per-hour road. He apparently went into a ravine and then hit a tree before his car exploded into flames.

Unfortunately, toxicology reports show that Dunn’s blood alcohol levels were at 0.196 at the time of his death. In Pennsylvania, the legal limit is .08, which means that Dunn’s levels were more than twice the legal limit.

Dunn was a big fan of driving fast, according to Pennsylvania police records. There were no fewer than 23 driving-related infractions on his record incurred over the last 13 years, including driving an unregistered car, speeding, parking issues, driving without a license, careless driving and the one that sounds most like Dunn – criminal mischief damage to property. According to records, Dunn pled guilty to almost all of these citations.

According to E! News, it wasn’t Dunn’s first DUI, either. Back in 2005, he was arrested for driving under the influence, but the charges were dropped when he finished his probation and had a suspended license for a year.

Dunn wasn’t the only one who lost his life in the accident. His friend, Zachary Hartwell, was in the car and died as well. Due to the state of the accident when they were found, authorities had a hard time determining whether or not Dunn and Hartwell died due to trauma from the accident or from the fire.

The manager of the bar where the pair had been drinking before the accident said: “It’s an absolute tragedy. Both men were well respected and had many friends in this community. Our thoughts and prayers go out to their family.”

The bar manager said that neither Dunn nor his friend appear intoxicated when they left the bar.

Said the manager: “That’s why we are cooperating fully with local and state police. We’ve handed the surveillance video over to police, and every one of our staff has given statements to police about what happened that night.”

Friends on the show, fans and family are mourning the loss of Dunn, and if anything good could possibly come out of a tragedy like this, hopefully the reality of what can happen when someone drives under the influence will serve to help others from making the same mistake.

In traditional alcohol rehab programs, patients have the opportunity to begin 12-step treatment as part of their treatment plan. Meeting regularly with peers in the program and learning how to work the 12 steps and remain sober with the sponsor and share system, created by Bill W. in 1935, can help patients to take advantage of 12-step meetings out in the community after completing alcohol rehab. Here’s how.

Alcohol Rehab: Goals and Options

Whether you choose holistic alcohol rehab that includes the 12-step option in addition to a variety of other treatments or opt instead for a traditional addiction treatment program that is based upon the 12 steps and traditions, you’ll be able to get a taste for the program and see if it’s a fit. The goal of treatment is, first, to help you stabilize in alcohol detox and, second, to help you learn new coping skills to fight off relapse when you return home. Part of relapse prevention is developing a personal treatment plan that you maintain after alcohol rehab, one that provides you with the support and guidance you need to work through temptations and hard times.

How 12-Step Treatment Fits into Alcohol Rehab Goals

There are a number of reasons why 12-step treatment works well with alcohol rehab. Some of these reasons include:

• 12-step programs are everywhere. You can find a 12-step meeting in almost any city, in most countries anywhere in the world. This means that you can travel or move and you’ll always be connected to this resource of support. In some major cities, you can even find 12-step meetings at all hours of the day and night every day of the week.
• 12-step programs are free. There is no charge to be involved in a 12-step program or to attend meetings.
• New friends, support and a place to vent. All of these benefits are available to those who attend 12-step meetings regularly. In many cases, even newcomers can find a safe place to vent or keep themselves protected from relapse and make a new friend who will go have coffee with them so they can stay sober another day.
• Continuity. When you experience 12-step meetings during alcohol rehab, you learn the basics of the program and how it works. It makes it much easier to find and attend meetings after you return home, making your transition into sobriety an easier process.

What are the benefits that you’ve found in 12-step programs? How did meetings help you transition into your new life of recovery after alcohol rehab? Leave us a comment and let us know.

When Miss Teen USA 2002 Kari Ann Peniche showed up on Dr. Drew’s Sober House and didn’t exactly do a bang-up job of staying clean and sober, the spotlight turned to the problem of teen drug addiction. One of the pertinent questions that has punctuated the discussion of teen drug rehab and treatment is this: Can a teen who is jaded do well and benefit from a teen alcohol addiction treatment program?

Rebellion, an obsession with individuality and a general snubbing of all traditional values that could be deemed as conformist characterize the attitudes of many teens in America. Many are concerned that that cynicism puts many teens at risk for developing drug and alcohol addiction as they act out and assert themselves by breaking the rules.

For kids diagnosed with ADD or ADHD, the problem worsens with the issue of stimulant medication – especially when the drug of choice for these kids is a stimulant drug like crystal meth. Peniche is a perfect example, jaded and diagnosed with ADHD, she seemed to be doing very well for herself – and ended up addicted to meth. She famously smuggled the drug into Dr. Drew’s Sober House in her teddy bear, while Dr. Drew was trying to help her determine which of her meds was actually treating her ADD and which were exacerbating the addiction issue by acting as a stimulant.

Because ADD medications having a calming effect on children with ADD and a stimulating effect on adults, many teens with the diagnosis go through a period where their medications begin to shift and the effect changes – many develop a dependence upon stimulants as a result, especially if they like the manic feeling and high energy that comes with abuse of the drugs. When ADD is misdiagnosed, the resulting prescription medication can actually kick-start a stimulant addiction that makes life far more difficult for kids who are already agitated, irritated and high energy.

The other issue with stimulant addiction is that it creates a false sense of confidence and empowerment in teens. This can cause problems when they need to “pay their dues” in their first jobs or take the role of student at school or at home. Teens who think they are in control are not uncommon but teens on meth often take it to the next level, believing that those who would advise them in any capacity are doing so in an effort to control them or steer them wrong. This can be highly problematic in terms of getting them the treatment help that they need.

If your teen is struggling with meth addiction or is abusing other drugs, including alcohol, contact us today. We can help you find the right drug rehab program for your child.

Drug and alcohol addiction almost always means malnutrition of some kind. Whether it’s because the drug decreases the appetite or because the cost of the drug sucks up the food budget, few active drug and alcohol addicts get the nutrients they need through food. Dehydration is also a common issue. Without enough water, the body can’t properly process food and absorb the nutrients necessary to function. It becomes very important during drug and alcohol rehab for patients to get nutritional counseling and focus on eating the right foods as they undergo drug detox and addiction treatment.

How Alcohol Interferes with Nutrition During Addiction

Each drug behaves differently in the body and causes malnutrition and associated disorders in different ways. For example, alcohol generally makes up more than 50 percent of the calories ingested by alcoholics, and few who drink regularly eat enough of their calories to get the nutrients they need. Additionally, alcoholism impairs the liver and the pancreas, making it difficult for the body to process toxins out of the system and destroying these two organs. Alcohol also depletes the body’s stores of vitamins B, A and C, and without the right foods to replenish these essential nutrients, other health problems develop.

How Opiate Addiction Interferes with Nutrition

Those who are living with a heroin addiction, OxyContin addiction, Percocet addiction and addiction to other painkillers will experience an extreme slowdown in their gastrointestinal system. Many opiate-addicted patients have constipation during addiction and then diarrhea when they attempt to stop using their drug of choice during opiate detox. Any disturbance to the gastrointestinal system means that nutrients are not absorbed properly – even when the addicted patient eats properly, which is rare.

How Stimulant Addiction Interferes with Nutrition

Crack, cocaine, meth amphetamine and stimulant prescription medication all work to decrease the appetite. In fact, that’s a common reason for abuse – hope for weight loss. Unfortunately, not eating enough means not getting enough nutrients or calories for the body’s organ systems to function properly. Just like anorexia, stimulant addiction can kill its victims through malnutrition as the body shuts down.

How Marijuana Addiction Interferes with Nutrition

A common issue among those living with marijuana addiction is a craving for carbohydrates. Nutritionally speaking, this can cause a lot of problems. Issues that come with being overweight or obese are not uncommon and though more than enough calories are being consumed, they often aren’t the right kinds of calories. Foods that contain necessary antioxidants, vitamins and minerals are often overlooked in favor of high-calorie, high-carb foods. The problem of malnutrition strikes in this type of addiction as well.

Every drug rehab program should include at least a cursory look at the nutritional effects of addiction on the body. Learn more about drug detox and drug addiction treatment options near you by calling us today.

Reports are coming in that the rate of drug and alcohol addiction among older adults is on the rise, and family members and caregivers are having a hard time figuring out how to deal with the problem.  Prescription drug addiction and alcoholism are the biggest culprits for this age group due to the easy access that most have to both. Family members are concerned as they watch their loved ones slip into addiction and miss out on interactions with grandchildren and the enjoyment that should characterize the “golden years” of life.

Why Seniors Are Abusing Drugs and Alcohol

There are a number of different reasons why older adults are abusing prescription drugs and alcohol or developing addictions. Everyone is different, but some of the most common reasons include:

• Depression. As friends and families pass away and extended family scatter across the country, it can be lonely to get older in this country.
• Easy access. It’s not difficult for a senior adult to get prescription painkillers. It is expected that old age brings with it a variety of ailments and these medications are expected.
• Boredom. The issue of passing friends and family means that some seniors feel that their schedules are full of nothing but TV and card games.
• Pain. Even if prescription drug addiction or alcoholism is an issue, it doesn’t mean that pain isn’t as well. Many older adults prefer to live without the pain even if it means other problems.

The Problem with Identifying and Treating Senior Drug and Alcohol Addiction

Many older adults grew up during a time when free experimentation with substances was common but the need for treatment was a family issue that should be kept quiet. Few want to admit that they are having a problem with drug and alcohol addiction, and deny it when concerned family members attempt to intervene. Irritated at the intrusion and scared of losing their independence, many older people would prefer to be left alone on the matter.

The fact that they spend so much time alone if they live independently creates its own issues with nailing down a diagnosis. Family members may not know whether a failing memory or advancing age are to blame for the changes they see in their loved ones or if it is addiction that is causing the mood swings, confusion and other issues. In the case of prescription drug addiction, it can be hard to tell when someone is overmedicated when they are living with chronic pain due to multiple ailments and have no interest in admitting to addiction.

Fighting Senior Drug and Alcohol Addiction

How do we fight a problem that is so hard to nail down? The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) projects that the number of senior adults living with alcohol and drug dependence issues will increase by 150 percent by the year 2020. What do you think should be done to handle the situation?

Caffeine and cigarettes – they are the mainstay of tens of thousands in recovery. During 12-step meetings, coffee is always available and breaks are given during meetings so everyone can go outside and smoke. The problem is that both caffeine and nicotine can cause serious problems in the long and short term. On the other hand, many in recovery feel like quitting their drug of choice was hard enough. To quit cigarettes and coffee too? It just sounds like too much. What are the pros and cons, and should you consider walking away from coffee and cigarettes in your recovery?

Pros of Quitting Coffee and Cigarettes During Recovery

Both caffeine and nicotine cause sleep disturbances. Smoking or drinking caffeine any time in the hours before bed can make it more difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep. For some, any use at all can cause these problems. When you’re not getting good sleep, it’s harder for you to make positive decisions. Also, getting keyed up on caffeine and nicotine may put you closer to the edge in terms of tolerance for irritation and emotional upset. Though some view a cup of coffee or a cigarette break as “relaxing,” it unfortunately provides the opposite response in your body, making it more difficult to handle stressors and potential triggers to get high or drunk.

Difficulties Quitting Coffee and Cigarettes During Recovery

Nicotine addiction can cause withdrawal symptoms just like any other addiction. These withdrawal symptoms can be difficult to deal with in the best of times – add the stresses that come from trying to rebuild a life without drugs and alcohol after addiction and it can be too much to handle. If coffee and cigarettes have been the crutch to help you through the hard times and you are suddenly without them, it makes hard times that much harder.

Replacing Coffee and Cigarettes with Healthy Choices During Recovery

If you choose to stop drinking coffee and/or smoking cigarettes, arm yourself with everything you’ll need ahead of time. Make sure that you have replacement behaviors available. Instead of smoking, chew gum. Consider getting a nicotine patch. Eat carrot sticks. Instead of coffee, drink tea – green tea, if possible. Or start with replacing regular with decaf. Take slow steps and step down if you have to and definitely don’t get down on yourself or give up if you slip. You may have headaches or not feel well for the first week or so. Take care of yourself, start taking yoga, make sure to eat right and get lots of sleep, and you’ll soon be feeling better than you ever have before.

Police misconduct is a common cause of dropped charges of all kinds – police don’t follow procedure when making arrests or taking statements or they mishandle evidence. It happens in every part of the country, and can often mean that those who need help or treatment for drug addiction are being released without that care.

Recently, one such incident in the San Francisco Bay Area meant that a man was released of felony marijuana charges. San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi released a video of SFPD officers, revealing that they failed to display their badges before entering a man’s home and accusing him of committing felony sale of marijuana. To make matters worse, the officers attempted to lie about their failure to display their badges, a lie that was revealed by the tape. As a result, the judge dismissed the charges. The DA says an appeal is pending.

The Problem with Police Misconduct and Untreated Drug Addiction

This isn’t the first case that has been dropped due to a videotape brought into evidence by SF Public Defender Jeff Adachi. It’s actually the 83^rd video that has revealed poor choices made by SFPD officers. While it’s not a good thing that police officers are making so many mistakes – and how many are they making that aren’t caught on video? – the biggest problem is that the people who would have been charged with drug-related offenses are released as a result and left without the help they need. Without drug treatment, those who commit crimes in service of their addiction will only be left to commit more crimes if there is no intervention.

Drug Rehab Instead of Prison

Non-violent offenses in California that are related to drug addiction are often handled in drug court. Here defendants may be court ordered to attend a drug addiction treatment program that will speak to the core issue behind their actions. Without an active drug addiction, they will be less likely to commit crimes in service of their addiction – no longer risking their lives with drugs and alcohol or endangering themselves and others with their actions under the influence.

What do you think? Is drug court a viable option for those who are living with drug addiction and committing crimes as a result? Does it help them or give them leave to make more poor choices? What about the issue with police conduct? How can this be better controlled and stopped?

Dual diagnosis means pretty much exactly what it sounds like – the patient is diagnosed with two, or dual, disorders at the same time. If you or someone you love is that patient, this can be a pretty scary, especially when alcohol addiction is one of the two disorders – but you are not alone. Millions of people have the same issue and more than half of those living with an active alcohol or drug addiction are also diagnosed with an emotional or psychiatric disorder like depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and others. Though dealing with two serious disorders isn’t easy, it is possible – as long as you find a Dual Diagnosis treatment center that can provide you with the kind of care you need to address both issues at the same time.

How Dual Diagnosis Affects Alcohol Addiction Treatment: The Bad News

The bad news is that both alcohol addiction and any emotional or psychological disorder are serious brain disorders, each requiring significant and intensive treatment. Get treatment for one while ignoring the other, and neither issue will be effectively addressed. It in the past, psychologists have preferred to treat first the addiction issue and then follow up with treatment for the psychological or emotional disorder. Unfortunately, the psychological disorder is often a big part of the patient’s drug abuse, making it impossible to treat the addiction without also addressing the co-occurring disorder. Too often, patients who go through drug rehab without getting the help they need for their emotional or psychological disorder will relapse before they have time for medications and psychological treatment for the second disorder to begin to work.

How Dual Diagnosis Affects Alcohol Addiction Treatment: The Good News

The good news is that Dual Diagnosis treatment exists with the sole purpose of aiding those who are living with alcohol addiction as well as another disorder, and countless people have successfully healed, going on to live lives without addiction and with their co-occurring disorder well under control. It is key to find a Dual Diagnosis treatment center that offers medical detox if you need it, psychological care on multiple levels and family therapy for those who are ready to begin the process of mending relationships that were broken during active addiction and untreated psychological disorders.

If you would like to learn more about the type of help you can expect from a Dual Diagnosis rehab, contact us at the number listed above. We can answer your questions and help you locate the right Dual Diagnosis treatment center for your needs.

After you have lived through drug and alcohol addiction, healing from the damage starts with learning a few key facts about the nature of addiction and the nature of treatment. Here you can read about some of the most common drug dependence FAQ. By knowing what you’re dealing with, you give yourself a head start on creating a new life for yourself in recovery. Here are just a few of the most important drug and alcohol addiction facts that will help you get started:

• Addiction is a chronic medical illness that requires an initial intensive treatment up front followed by long-term follow-up care.
• Statistically speaking, about 20 to 30 percent of those who undergo drug rehab will go on to be successful in recovery. Some drug rehabs have higher results and others have lower results. Chances of remaining relapse-free increase when patients take part in aftercare services like sober living, 12-step meetings and addiction counseling.
• It is estimated that 75 percent of those who are living with an active alcohol addiction are not getting the treatment they need.
• Many believe that addicts have one problem: willpower. This is a myth. Because addiction is a chronic medical illness, it requires medical treatment and ongoing follow-up care – neither of those things have anything to do with willpower.
• There is no cure for addiction. This is an important concept to get early on so you don’t fall victim to the many “quick fix” scams that abound. There is no pill, no specialized diet and no set of movies or books that is going to wipe away your drug abuse and addiction issues. Medical treatment, therapeutic care, a network of support and hard work are the only things that will make active addiction a thing of your past.
• The brain is deeply damaged by chronic drug and alcohol abuse, specifically the frontal cortex and many of the 40 major neurotransmitter systems. This damage can take years to deal with and manage effectively. Though it is possible to reverse some changes and health problems that occur due to addiction, most will only slow or stop progression, giving you a chance to get it under control before it takes over.
• Medications are not always necessary for an effective treatment, though in some cases they can be extremely beneficial. Discuss the pros and cons with your doctor.
• Drug detox is only the first step in addiction treatment. Psychotherapeutic addiction treatment is where the real work – and real progress – happens.

What information helped you create change in your life and walk away from drug and alcohol addiction?

Maine is having a serious budget crunch and it looks like state officials are thinking about cutting one of the most essential health services they have: inpatient substance abuse treatment programs. Forget that Maine has a drug and alcohol addiction rate that is eight times the national average; in a move that is typical of the “save a penny, lose a pound” government mentality, Maine officials may be closing down 10 of the 13 inpatient drug rehab facilities.

Paul Le Page, governor of Maine, wants to cut $5.6 million from Maine’s drug and alcohol abuse treatment programs. These cuts are so harsh that the treatment providers who depend upon the funds are saying that they will have to close if the legislation goes through.

It doesn’t make a lot of financial sense though, and the proposal has many substance abuse treatment center staff members frustrated. Those who receive drug rehab services by court order cost the state half as much as those sentenced to a corrections facility. The concern is that those who no longer have the option of treatment due to the budget cuts will end up in jail or in the emergency room – neither one an inexpensive prospect for the state.

The private drug rehabs that depend upon the state for financing often get 40 to 100 percent of their budget from state funds. These facilities will be unable to make up that amount from other sources.

The Need for Inpatient Drug Rehab

Those who need inpatient or residential drug and alcohol addiction treatment are among those most seriously hit by the disease of addiction. They often need the residential aspect of treatment as much as the medical help itself because their addiction has separated them from their families and their home. Unfortunately, the Maine’s Office of Substance Abuse reports that including the state cuts and the federal funds that match state funds means an overall cut from $37 million to $24 million. Outpatient rehab programs will still be funded as well as three emergency detox centers. Those who require more assistance will need to find 12-step meetings and personal therapy.

Finding Drug Rehab Elsewhere

If you need inpatient rehab, no outpatient program will work. Outpatient programs just don’t provide the care and intensive treatment that many patients need. There is hope for Maine residents who need inpatient drug rehab. Choosing a residential facility out of state can mean a break from the environmental stressors that perpetuated drug addiction and provide patients with the space they need to get a jump on their recovery. Contact us today to find an inpatient drug rehab that can help you fight addiction and start again.

If you’re considering 12-step treatment after – or before – drug rehab but have been avoiding going to a meeting because you’re thinking it might be a waste of time, consider this: those who attend and continue to attend 12-step meetings like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) in addition to drug and alcohol addiction rehab programs are successful in their recovery. Why? Because 12-step treatment provides a number of benefits to those trying to beat drug and alcohol addiction. Here are 10 of those benefits:

1. All 12-step meetings are about self-help. They don’t do it for you. They don’t convince you that a certain pill or diet will take care of your addiction issues. They introduce you to principles that will help you to prioritize your recovery every day, all on your own.
2. Twelve-step meetings are a great complement to drug rehab. Though they do not provide psychotherapeutic treatment that you will find in a formal program, they do surround you with people who can support you as you work on your sobriety.
3. Twelve-step meetings give you a place to vent since you can no longer find stress relief through drugs and alcohol.
4. Twelve-step meetings help you make new friends and meet new people who are also living without abusing any illicit substances – unlike the old friends you spent time with before drug and alcohol rehab.
5. When you choose a sponsor, you have a personal guide through recovery and someone to call when you feel tempted to get high or drink.
6. While working the steps, you have the opportunity to take an honest look at the choices you made prior to treatment and how those choices affected other people. You also get the chance to make it up to those you hurt.
7. Attending meetings allows you to hear the stories of others. It serves two purposes: letting you know that you’re not alone and, often, giving you tips on how to manage the rough spots in your own recovery that may tempt you to relapse.
8. The availability of meetings and many different types of 12-step meetings means that you shouldn’t have a problem finding a meeting any day of the week. In metropolitan areas, you should be able to find a meeting almost any time of day – even the middle of the night and on holidays.
9. Personal responsibility for actions, feelings and behaviors are a big focus during 12-step treatment. This is a great for those in recovery because too many ex-addicts and ex-alcoholics prefer to continue the “blaming behaviors” that characterized – and fueled – their active addiction.
10. When you speak at a 12-step meeting, you have the option of total anonymity. You don’t have to share your personal information with anyone, so you can feel free to vent openly.

What benefits have you experienced in 12-step meetings?

According to a press release on PRWEB, “Michael Lohan [is] alarmed with our nation’s growing rate of adolescent drug use and the subsequent tragedies occurring as a result of teen drug abuse. Michael Lohan [is] fulfilling [his] mission to speak about the dangers of teenage substance abuse and reach out to parents who are desperately seeking direction on how to approach this current trend of teen prescription drug addiction and risky teen behaviors.”

Wow. With the recent announcement that Michael Lohan would be one of the “celebrity” cast members on Season 5 of Celebrity Rehab, this seems a little… off. He’s already made quite a few comments to the press expressing his concern for his daughter, actress Lindsay Lohan, and in light of the current revelations that he needs drug and alcohol rehab himself, it’s no wonder that she responded negatively.

Lohan’s move to speak publicly to teens about drug addiction may or may not be a ploy to put himself in the media spotlight and highlight his connection to Lindsay indirectly, but the result could be very positive indeed for the teens he talks to. Anyone remotely connected to a young adult starlet will at the very least have the attention of the teenagers in the audience. As long as the message is a positive one – and it appears that it was – then that can’t be a bad thing.

Teen Drug Addiction: What’s Happening Now

The rates of teen drug abuse, in general, have always been relatively high in the United States. Over the past decade, however, the number of teens seeking treatment at a drug rehab center has increased exponentially. The good news is that more kids who need it are getting the help they require to avoid a lifetime of drug abuse and addiction. The bad news is that teens are still experimenting with marijuana, alcohol, prescription drugs and even heroin and crystal meth in large numbers.

Parenting a Teen Away from Drug Addiction: Be the Example

For parents who have a drug addiction problem, it can be difficult to hide it from kids, especially older teenagers. You won’t have a lot of luck convincing them that they shouldn’t do drugs when they know that you do it. Even parents who binge drink occasionally should be concerned about the impression their behavior is giving their kids about drug and alcohol abuse. It’s hard to tell someone not to do something when you turn around and do it yourself.

Parents: Get the Drug Rehab Help You Need

If you are a parent, it is essential that you seek drug rehab immediately. Many parents postpone getting the help they need because they feel like they need to be present for their children. However, they could be causing their kids more problems in the long run by avoiding treatment and continuing with an active addiction in front of them.

If you would like help finding a drug rehab before your kids begin following in your addiction footsteps, contact us today. Call now.

The biggest problem that many recovering alcoholics have with alcohol rehab, support groups and 12-step meetings is attitude. Whether it’s the drama at meetings – one person says something that another doesn’t like or one member consistently whines about the little things like getting cut off in traffic – or personal issues at work or home, many recovering alcoholics end up feeling like there are too many little things stacked against them to continue progressing in their recovery.

The saying is “keep coming back.” Whether it’s personal therapy, group sessions, 12-step meetings or experiential group therapy that you incorporate into your treatment plan after alcohol rehab, stopping simply is not an option in early recovery. You need to be around people who are also clean and sober and you need the support they can provide you when you feel like you want to drink. Rather than allowing the irritations that come up to tear you down, use them to bolster your recovery. Take charge of your own attitude and make that your responsibility above everything else.

Let It Be a Reminder: Whining During 12-Step Meetings

When you go to a 12-step meeting and hear someone complain about a seemingly small problem (small compared to your own issues or past issues), rather than continuing the cycle by complaining about them – after all, it is just a small problem, right? – use it as a reminder. Let it remind you to focus on the beauty in life, the things you are grateful for and the people you love.

Who Do You Want to Be?

One of the most exciting things about recovery after alcohol addiction are the myriad opportunities you have to become the person you want to be. No small irritations or worries should stop you from being the kind of person that you respect. If you discover that you have anger management issues, codependency issues or an addiction to eating or gambling during alcohol addiction recovery, get help. But if it’s not that serious, then simply making a conscious effort to remind yourself who you are and who you want to be can help you rise above the little things and keep progressing forward.

Finding the Help You Need in Alcohol Addiction Recovery

If you need more than just 12-step meetings to get you through or if you feel like an outpatient alcohol addiction treatment program or addiction counseling group may be helpful to you, contact us at the phone number listed above today. We can help you find some options that will help you stay on track during your recovery. Call now.

From eating couch cushions to obsessive tanning to wearing fur suits in public, there is no behavior too bizarre for The Learning Channel’s show My Strange Addiction. Most of each episode highlights the behaviors of each individual: how it started, how it developed, the severity of the addiction and the dangers associated with continuing the behavior without treatment. Very little is said about the treatment itself and few comments are made about the outcome – though there is an occasional tagline noting that someone continued in their behavior or attempted treatment. But more and more people every week tune into to see the latest “strange addiction.”

The Value of My Strange Addiction

Those with “strange” addictions may find it difficult to talk about something that they are embarrassed by. They may not realize that certain behaviors would even be classified as an addiction, and they certainly don’t know that they can get treatment. Most of the addictions are centered on eating things that most would find inedible: couch cushions, hand soap, laundry detergent, toilet paper, etc. Few with an addiction to compulsive eating along these lines will ever tell anyone their secret, much less walk into a therapist’s office and explain the nature of their problem. Most will continue to indulge in their behavior behind closed doors and never seek the help they need. The unfortunate result is often gastrointestinal dysfunction, chronic diseases and early death due to the dangerous substances they eat on a regular basis.

Underlying Issues that Spur or Spawn Addiction

Almost every person on the show has an issue that occurred during their childhood or teen years that deeply affected them and spawned their addiction. For some it was the death of a parent, for others it was their parents’ divorce. Others describe verbal abuse and derision from a previous partner, and all say that they have self-esteem issues and feel like they don’t fit in with many people. Many indulge in their addiction as a way to escape and to comfort themselves – just like any other addiction.

These underlying issues are addressed in any effective addiction treatment program. Through personal therapy, group therapy, experiential therapy, family therapy and alternative treatments like yoga and meditation, the patient is helped to discover the underlying issues feeding their addiction and discover balance and contentment within themselves. It’s easier than it sounds and takes quite a bit of work to achieve. Most will remain in at least one form of therapy and addiction counseling for years after an intense treatment.

If you would like assistance finding a treatment program that can help you fight your addiction, contact us today. We can assist you in finding the addiction help you need.

There is no shortage of movies and television shows devoted to the topic of drug and alcohol addiction, and everyone has their favorite. From celebrity drug addiction to literary and historical figures with addiction issues, if you’re looking for a drug addiction movie you only have to hit up Netflix or turn on the TV.

The six movies listed below all have one thing in common: they tell the story of normal people who ended up addicted to drugs. A teenage girl, a mother, teenage boy, 20-somethings, and 30-somethings – no one is immune to drug addiction in these movies.

1. Thirteen. Tracy Freeland, played by Evan Rachel Wood, is 13 years old in this film and struggling to be cool enough to hang out with Evie Zamora, played by Nikki Reed. Even though this means drinking, using drugs and damaging her relationship with her mother, played by Holly Hunter, she’s dead-focused on her friendship with the damaged Evie. Parents and teens can take this one as a warning.
2. When a Man Loves a Woman. This one is more than 15 years old now but it still resonates with couples in which one partner is living with an active addiction. Meg Ryan and Andy Garcia star as a married couple dealing with Ryan’s character’s (Alice Green’s) alcohol addiction and its effects on their daughter, played by Tina Majorino.
3. Trainspotting. This is one was a book first, written by Irvine Welsch, but the movie was a huge hit. Chronicling a group of friends and their heroin addiction, this was Ewan McGregor’s breakout hit. The events that happen to these characters as a result of their addiction – loss of a child, HIV and death, loss of friendship – are all starkly real but cinematically portrayed.
4. The Basketball Diaries. This one is a biography based on an autobiography by Jim Carroll, but it’s included here because he, too, was just a regular kid who ended up getting strung out.  Even well-adjusted teens on the basketball team with a solid group of friends can end up doing drugs and stealing to support their habit – and then begin a rapid spiral downward as a result.
5. Blow. While this is based on the life of George Jung, a cocaine dealer who did a lot to create the cocaine market in the United States in the 1970s, it’s also the story of a young guy who wandered out to California with no direction in mind. He ended up with a cocaine addiction, lost contact with his daughter and caught a 15-year prison term.
6. 28 Days. Starring Sandra Bullock, this one is pretty standard viewing among those in recovery. This 30-something women is forced to reevaluate everything in her life from her fiancé to her focus to her family relationships as she undergoes 28 days of inpatient drug rehab.

What’s your favorite drug addiction or drug rehab movie? Leave us a comment and let us know!

Throughout history there have been brilliant men and women who seemed incapable of balancing the demands of their personal lives with their contributions to history. Today, we are able to recognize that many of history’s most fascinating figures were in fact in need of professional help.

Many of these historical figures self-medicated themselves in order to fight their personal demons. Some chose drugs or alcohol, while others engaged in dangerous behavior that put their health at risk. If they were alive today, they would definitely need to spend some time in treatment to overcome their issues. Here are seven of the most fascinating people in history and their chosen vices.

1. Vincent Van Gogh

VICE: Absinthe

DISORDER: Epilepsy & Bipolar Disorder

“I’m sorry, you’ll have to speak into my good ear. It’s in my pocket”

Few people know that Vincent Van Gogh, tortured artist and earless legend, suffered from a case of the crazies. Years later, it would be revealed that “the crazies” was actually a misdiagnosis of epilepsy, which he aggravated through absinthe abuse.

Van Gogh used absinthe as a way to manage his condition. Thujone, the toxin in absinthe, made his epilepsy and manic depression far worse than if he hadn’t medicated at all. While it is unclear as to which came first, the epilepsy or the absinthe, Vincent Van Gogh definitely could have benefited from at least a brief stint at a rehab center.

2. Ulysses S. Grant

VICE: Alcohol

DISORDER: Hypocrisy

Grant, posing for an old-timey baseball card

The biggest alcoholic to ever be put on money (except maybe the guy on the Wyoming quarter), U.S. Grant had been drinking long before he made it to the White House.

What is ironic about Grant is the fact that he was, in fact, a “Son of Temperance.” Actively fighting the fight against alcohol abuse, U.S. Grant did what he could to abstain from the bottle. That is until he quit the Sons of Temperance, and resumed drinking like a fish. While history will remember him as a man who helped win the Civil War, his friends will remember him as a mean-ass drunk.

3. Adolf Hitler

VICES: Methamphetamines & Cocaine

DISORDER: Little Man Syndrome, Anti-Semitism

The mustache hides the coke bump…

Let’s table the obvious sensitivity training needed by Hitler, as most people are generally aware of it. What fewer people are aware of is the fact that he also abused methamphetamines and cocaine while running Nazi Germany.

While it is amazing to think that a leader hopped-up on amphetamines and coke could have the presence of mind and charisma needed to lead an entire country to war, Hitler was able to do it. Granted, he lost that war and is generally regarded as the worst human being ever to walk the face of the planet, but it’s still quite the historical legacy for a man who was high for much of his time in power.

4. Princess Diana

VICE: Bulimia

DISORDER: Borderline Personality Disorder

The crown adds 10 pounds…

Princess Diana was bulimic for almost four years before she sought treatment. Once she made her condition public, the number of bulimia cases rose dramatically.

At first this was written off as copycatting, since throwing up seemed to be the only thing Princess Diana did that normal women could do just as well. However, it was later revealed that these cases were long-standing, and that Diana’s admission made women comfortable seeking treatment.

5. Edgar Allan Poe

VICE: Alcohol

DISORDER: Bi-polar Disorder & Schizophrenia

Quoth the Raven: I’ll have one more.

Edgar Allan Poe, a master Gothic literature, was also a bit of a drunk. Had he gotten that problem taken care of, perhaps he could have thought of an additional line for that stupid raven to say.

While it is up for debate as to whether or not his boozing influenced his writing, most people seem to agree that Poe was rather fond of the bottle. Since most of his literature was written from the point of view of a first person narrator, and since most of Poe’s first person narrators ate opium and drank, he is often misunderstood to be far worse off than he was. Nevertheless, he was pretty bad, and a short stint at Betty Ford would have served him well.

6. Emperor Nero of Rome

VICE: Sex

DISORDER: Megalomania

The fiddling fool, himself.

The Roman emperor Nero, famous for playing music while Rome burned, was a complex man. Though he was the greatest emperor of a generation, he also appeared to be a bit of a sex addict.

In fairness, it would be hard to not be a sex fiend back on those days, particularly if the statues bear any resemblance to real life. Not only are you the emperor of Rome, but everyone around you is hot and covered by only the smallest of leaves. Ancient Rome, for the wealthy classes, was a city of sexual excess, and it’s not hard to understand why Nero was so frequently tempted.

7. F. Scott Fitzgerald

VICE: Absinthe

Drunk as a skunk

When your drinking problems are so bad that developing a case of TB is actually an improvement to your health, you know you are in rough shape. Although the creator of The Great Gatsby will always be remembered as a terrific writer, his death at age 44 could have been prevented had he lived a life of moderation.

Conclusion:

Although rock stars and Hollywood actors tend to be who we think of when we hear the word “rehab,” the reality is some of the greatest and most influential figures in history could have used some as well. Although they are primarily remembered for other reasons, many of their legacies will forever be tarnished with memories of abuse.