Tag Archives: alcohol

Subtle (and not-so-subtle) Signs that You May Need Alcohol or Drug Rehab Treatment

“Admitting that you have a problem and may need alcohol or drug rehab treatment is very difficult for most people. It’s hard enough to admit it to yourself – and even harder to let others know you need help. But, unless you take that courageous first step, you’ll continue down a path of self-destruction that may have dire consequences for yourself – as well as for those you love.” –Elements Behavioral Health

Chances are if you are asking yourself the question you may have a problem. It is important to have an accurate assessment of your alcohol and drug use in order to determine if some sort of substance abuse treatment is indicated.  The first step in addiction recovery is the hardest to take. If you think you or a loved one is abusing alcohol or drugs please give as a call we can help you determine what kind of help would be best. -Debbie Bayer, BHH

Read the full article here.

Al-Anon Can Help Alcoholic Families!

This entry was posted in Alcohol Addiction and tagged , , , , on by .

Family members need to realize that they did not cause the addiction. They also need to allow professionals to help the addict. Alcoholism and Drug addiction is a brain based disease. If your family member was doing crazy things that seemed out of character and was causing chaos in your home, you would take them to the Doctor to find out what was wrong.

With addiction we tend to enable by covering it up, or not allowing the addict to suffer the consequences of the addiction related behaviors. Many times pain is the only thing that can get the addicts’ attention.

Great video on how Family Members can help an alchoholic through Al-Anon meetings. I hope you will take a moment to watch! http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=1XGrH7XY9X4

Your Brain on Drugs

Substance Abuse affects our Brain's Neurotransmitters

http://www.drugrehab.us/news/how-substance-abuse-changes-the-brains-basic-thought-processes/
It is important to understand that addiction is a problem with brain functioning. Addict/Alcoholic’s do terrible things but the are almost never terrible people. Once the person gets off the drugs and in recovery you start to see the real person emerge. It takes several months for the brain to heal. The addicted individual needs to be actively involved in some sort of treatment, sober support, or 12-step program.

18 Facts About Drugs and Addiction

Drugs and addiction tend to go hand in hand.  Although not everyone who tries it will become addicted, many do and most of these will find it very difficult to stop using.  Everywhere we look, there is information about it, some saying why is it bad for you, while others give people a reason to use.

Here are some facts about drugs and addiction:

  1. Substance abuse in the USA accounts for around $180 billion dollars each year.  That is not counting the cost of alcohol or tobacco, just drugs usage.
  2. Children of addicts are 4 times more likely to become addicts than those whose parents are not users.
  3. Whilst one in ten people who drink will become hooked to alcohol, one or two uses of a drug such as Heroin can leave the user wanting more.
  4. Drug addicts who need cash for their next fix carry out 90% of muggings and thefts from property.
  5. Back in the 1890’s, when instances of Pneumonia and Tuberculosis were rife Heroin was marketed as a non-addictive cough suppressant.
  6. The term “Cold Turkey” is derived from the fact that detoxification can lead to the addict feeling cold and clammy.
  7. The term “kicking the habit” may come from the muscles spasms and jerky leg movements suffered by the person in detox.
  8. It is a disease, despite what many people think, and requires the correct treatment.
  9. Most people cannot just cut back or give up when they feel like it.  The very nature of the substance dictates that in the way that repeated use changes the function and the structure of the brain. Only around 2% of individuals actually seek help.
  1. It is as easy to become addicted to prescription drugs as it is to illegal substances – and these are pills that are prescribed daily by doctors and members of the medical profession. Learn more about prescription drugs and addiction
  2. Around 50% of US College students have used drugs or been binge drinking – 25% are medically classified as addicts.
  3. Around 25% of all Americans will suffer with this problem sometime in their lives.
  4. 16% of the total population of America meet the medical requirements for being classed as an addict.
  5. Out of more than 2 million US prison inmates, more than 1.5 million meet the medical requirements for addiction.
  6. Of the above only 11% receive treatment for their addiction whilst being in prison.
  7. Women and girls take less time to become addicted to drugs, illegal or prescription, and with less usage than males.
  8.  Teenagers that start drinking before the age of 15 are more likely to move on to drugs at some point.
  9. Around 85% of websites that advertise and sell controlled prescription drugs do not ask for a prescription, which just goes to show how easy it is to get hold of them.
  10. Addictions cannot be cured. The person can only be given help and support to cope with and manage this illness.

Credit to Hawaii Island Recovery.

Teen narrowly escapes death after smoking synthetic marijuana

My heart goes out to this family and other individuals and families whose lives have been impacted by drugs and alcohol. A common mistake parents make is minimizing adolescent marijuana use, as if it is “just marijuana.” Statistics show that early use of drugs and/or alcohol increases the odds of becoming an addict/alcoholic. Parental attitudes about drug use has a huge impact on whether or not kids use and continue to use drugs and/or alcohol.  If you know your child is a regular user, get them assessed by an addictions professional. Get them and the family into counseling. Educate yourself about adolescent addiction signs and symptoms. Start with the information at this link to a National Institute on Drug Abuse informational brochure.

Photo Credit: Fox 8 WGHP

For more about this Fox 8 WGHP news story, visit here.

Effective Addiction Treatment

At BHH, we have a Masters Level Therapist overseeing and treating the clients. Treatment is truly individualized to meet the needs of the client.

“Countless people addicted to drugs, alcohol or both have managed to get clean and stay clean with the help of organizations like Alcoholics Anonymous or the thousands of residential and outpatient clinics devoted to treating addiction.

But if you have failed one or more times to achieve lasting sobriety after rehab, perhaps after spending tens of thousands of dollars, you’re not alone. And chances are, it’s not your fault.

Of the 23.5 million teenagers and adults addicted to alcohol or drugs, only about 1 in 10 gets treatment, which too often fails to keep them drug-free. Many of these programs fail to use proven methods to deal with the factors that underlie addiction and set off relapse.”

Read more of this article from The New York Times here.

Maui teen dies from apparent prescription drug & alcohol combo

The majority of the calls I receive are from the family member of adolescents and adults addicted to opioid type drugs like Oxycodone. We did such a great job of getting behind the “Ice Epidemic” here on Maui. My hope is that we do the same for what is now a “prescription drug addiction epidemic.” We are losing too many young people to this epidemic. My heartfelt prayers go out to the family of this young man. I posted this in hopes that people realize the seriousness of this issue.

–Debbie Bayer

KHON Covers Maui Teen Overdose Death

 

 

The Dangers of an Alcoholic Mother

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“When you hear the words ‘alcoholic mother,’ you already have a mental image that’s disconcerting and confusing. It’s actually a dichotomy. Mothers are supposed to be nurturing, caring individuals, not falling-down drunks. How can the two possibly go together?” Read the rest from Promises Treatment Centers here.

If you are currently drinking and are unable to stop, please do yourself and your family a favor and get help. You are not alone please contact BHH today at (808) 234-9838

mothers-alcohol

Betty Ford Center Children’s Program Explains Addiction to Kids

Betty Ford‘s children’s program is hands down the best in the country. They offer scholarship’s and try not to turn any child away.  Children are the collateral damage of addiction. They need just as much help and support as the addict.

Betty Ford

What is evidence based addiction, anyway?

Behavioral Health Hawaii is proud to say that we offer evidenced based treatment. Debbie Bayer attends conferences regularly to stay up on the most effective ways to treat the disease of addiction. Learn more in the below article from PsychCentral.

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Last month, The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University released a five-year study assessing the state of addiction treatment in the U.S. Among other findings, CASA reported that only one in 10 people in need of addiction treatment get it, and of those who do, most “do not receive anything that approximates evidence-based care.” Evidence-based care does exist in a minority of treatment centers, but how does one go about finding it? What exactly is evidence-based care? In short, evidence-based care is treatment that is backed by scientific research.

Read the rest of the article and learn more from PsychCentral.