Detox Need Not be Frightening

Addicts may avoid seeking help because they fear what detox will be like. The body and the mind feel a dependence on the narcotic and imagining what it will feel like to deny themselves the drug can be truly frightening for some. However, detox doesn’t have to be painful or frightening. Keep in mind that reputable detox and rehab facilities are staffed by people who understand the process better than you do and whose sole purpose is to be there to make detox as painless as possible.

Common Prescription Painkiller Withdrawal Symptoms

People who have been taking drugs like OxyContin, Vicodin, Percocet or Lortab long enough to become physically and emotionally dependent can expect to experience withdrawal symptoms such as:

• Low energy
• Flu-like symptoms
• Tremors or shaking
• Anxiety
• Achiness
• Nausea
• Poor appetite
• Trouble sleeping
• Sweating
• Moodiness
• Confusion
• Headache

These symptoms may become evident soon after the person stops taking the drug(s), usually worsening for several days and then remain somewhat constant for as long as a few weeks. Detox treatment centers understand just how the process works and stand ready to help patients feel as comfortable as possible throughout.

Making Detox as Comfortable as Possible

During detox there are medicines which can ease the discomfort. Methadone is one such medication which may be used to lessen the pain of withdrawal. In addition there are medications like Suboxene which can help to control drug cravings during detox, rehab and beyond. For those who want to give going "cold turkey" a try, most detox and rehab facilities offer a program for treating withdrawal symptoms individually as they arise.

When You Suspect a Loved One May be Addicted to Prescription Painkillers

If you suspect a loved one may be becoming or is already addicted to prescription painkillers, don’t stand by and do nothing. Start keeping watch over how often the person takes the medication. Say something gently remonstrative such as "did you forget that you only needed this three times per day?"

If the person is taking more medication but complains that their pain has only gotten worse, this could be a sign that they are developing a tolerance for the drug and could signal addiction. Don’t be afraid to mention the potential for addiction. If needed, contact the physician.

It is not unloving to show concern over misuse of prescription pain medication. In fact, ignoring the problem is just the opposite.

Some people believe that overeaters should simply stop eating and that they can control these behaviors. What people fail to realize is that people with food addictions have the same mental and physical responses as people who crave cocaine or other illegal substances.

Those who suffer from food addictions suffer the hardest addiction of any because our bodies need food for survival. We cannot live without food and when we eliminate food altogether we are faced with anorexia which is another disorder.

Mental disorders that are linked with food addictions can also be detrimental to your health. When someone is trying to stop overeating they are faced with many obstacles to overcome.

They are confronted with their addiction each day, at least three times daily. People addicted to drugs are forced to keep the drugs away from them altogether in order to overcome their addiction. They also have the opportunity to stay away from the things the cause them to use their addictive substance.

Food addicts don’t have the same benefit because they still have to eat in order to live. Food addicts are still faced with the same behaviors as a drug addict, justification, lying, lack of control, and zero coping skills. Once you can identify your addiction, whatever it may be, it is easier to get over it.

Whatever addiction you suffer from, know you can overcome your addiction and that there is help. If you know your triggers and develop a plan to stay away from them, that is your best defense against your addiction.

First, it is imperative you remember you are truly never alone. As you have moved through the process of your recovery and had your spiritual awakening, you have come to terms with this concept. No matter where you go, you have faith in the fact that your Father will always be with you. Do not hesitate to take every opportunity to continue and deepen that relationship. Spend time in prayer and daily devotion with God. Search out other groups that will be a support system for you but will also help to deepen your faith. Small groups, such as Bible Studies, Sunday school classes, or other discipleship classes are perfect examples of this.

You also spent time throughout your recovery making new connections. Perhaps you created new relationships with some others in your small group sessions. Maybe your sponsor has helped you make acquaintances. However these associations have been made, one of the best things you can do now is keep them going. Make sure you seek out other support groups as well. By keeping these connections alive, you are reminding yourself of the world outside of your addiction.

Finally, you may just have to give your family members time. If you think back and can remember some of the times of your addiction, you will recognize how deep the emotions may be running in your family. There were probably times your actions caused your family members pain. Some of them may still be struggling with those moments. Others may be trying to handle their own emotional scars of anger, guilt, pain, and abandonment. You also have to keep in mind that while you may not remember every action you made while battling your addiction, your family members probably do. For them, those memories are still extremely vivid in their mind. Over time, as they see the changes you now you have made, those emotions and memories may heal and they may reach out to you again. No matter what, you have to put the ball in their court and give them the opportunity.

Your family may have turned their backs on you while you battled your addiction and moved through recovery but that does not mean you are facing a future completely alone. Your faith will carry you farther than you ever imagined. When you combine that with the new relationships you have made and the regular support groups you have, both spiritual and addiction based, you can easily picture a future surrounded by people who care about you. Only you can make the choice of the kind of future you might want to have with your family and only you can choose to leave the door open for potential healing and future relationships, knowing that if they choose to stay away, you will still have a clean and fulfilled life.

The co morbidity of eating disorders with other mental health problems creates a challenge for those treating individuals with eating disorders. When an individual is admitted to a treatment center or hospital for an eating disorder, they may not be screened for additional disorders. To effectively treat the patient, information about co morbid disorders must be included in treatment strategies.

A new study conducted by researchers at Penn State College of Medicine provides evidence that when a person meets criteria for binge eating disorder, they have an increased risk for other addictive disorders.

The study, conducted with animal models, provides new information that may help in treating the different aspects of eating disorders. Binge eating disorder is characterized by the consumption of a large amount of high-calorie food and drinks in a relatively short period of time. Individuals diagnosed with the disorder say that they feel a loss of control in their binge eating.

Binge eating disorders differs from bulimia nervosa, in that there is no cycle of purging with binge eating disorders. Those with bulimia will engage in self-induced vomiting or the use of laxatives to prevent the absorption of calories.

The researchers examined a connection between binging on high-calorie, fatty food and the risk of developing an addiction to cocaine. In order to assess the level of the risk, rats were divided into four groups. One ate normal rat food, the second had unlimited access to fat, the third had one hour each day of access to fat and the fourth were given access to fat for one hour on three days per week. The rats were all given continuous opportunity to eat normal rat food and drink water.

The rats were given tasks by the researchers that were optional. The reward in the tasks was cocaine, and the rats were monitored for their attempts to obtain cocaine. The group of rats that had the most restriction when it came to obtaining fats was more likely to seek out cocaine. They were also more likely to try to get it after the researchers had removed it.

Patricia Sue Grigson, Ph.D., lead author of the study, explained that the probability that the rats developed a cocaine addiction was increased to about 50 percent in rats that had been allowed to eat unlimited amounts of fat.

The research team at Penn State hopes that the information gained by the study will be helpful in detecting effective treatment options for those with addiction problems, including not only eating disorders but also substance abuse problems.

The amount of money that a person loses does not constitute whether or not they have a gambling problem. Money is not the root of the problem. The problem is when the act of gambling consistently interferes with or hurts family life, work, or the individuals themselves.

Any type of gambling can lead to a problem, whether it is the lottery, slot machines, bingo, sports, horse racing, card games, or casino table gambling.

Developing an Addiction

A person who buys a lottery ticket once a week or enjoys trips to a local casino isn’t necessarily a problem gambler. Gambling only becomes a problem when it becomes out of control and begins to affect an individual’s life in negative ways.

A gambling addiction grows in a similar sequence to a drug or alcohol addiction. A person harmlessly gambles for fun. Next, the person spends more time and money gambling. The more they gamble, the more they tend to crave the excitement and the chance. Just as drinkers can develop a tolerance to alcohol, gamblers can develop a tolerance to gambling. While the craving keeps growing, the individual spends less time focused on family and friends.

Signs of Problem Gambling

Gambling can cause both physical and psychological problems. Compulsive gamblers can develop intestinal disorders and suffer from severe migraine headaches. Anxiety and depression are common psychological problems found in gamblers. In severe cases, gambling has contributed to individuals taking their own life.

The American Psychiatric Association lists criteria that would define compulsive gambling. If an individual meets at least five out of ten of the following criteria, it meets the criteria for a pathological gambler.

• Cannot control or stop gambling
• Neglects personal relationships
• Preoccupied with constant thoughts of gambling
• Lies about gambling activity
• Gradually increases gambling risks
• Escapes from other problems by gambling
• Resorts to illegal activity to keep gambling
• Cannot emotionally handle restricting themselves from gambling
• Expects that they can always get more money for gambling
• Feels compelled to keep playing until they win

What Can Cause Problem Gambling?

Multiple internal and external influences can start an individual’s gambling problem. Some individuals start gambling during the boredom of retirement, others while in the midst of a stressful job, and others to escape memories of a traumatic experience.

Genetics influence some individuals. If a family member suffered from an addiction, it is more likely for an individual to develop one. Habits acquired from family members also raise the risk for addiction. A parent who has a drinking or gambling problem puts their child at greater risk for the same problems.

Research shows that many individuals who have compulsive gambling problems actually started gambling when they were adolescents. This news raises awareness that teens should be watched for any signs of gambling that becomes too serious or out of control. Problems treated in youth will benefit the adult.

Some red flags to watch for in your child are:

• Obsession with weight, such as intense fears of gaining weight, feeling fat when normal sized and if overweight, they become fixated on it.
• Sneaking or hoarding food, watch for discarded wrappers in their room or you notice shame over what they’ve eaten.
• Making excuses for lack of eating with some lines being: ate a big lunch or ate before getting home. Also, may prefer to eat alone.
• Eating and exercising habits go to extremes and they may refuse foods unless they are low-calorie options. They may also alternate between binges on favorite unhealthy foods.
• Appearance may begin to change even if they don’t lose weight. If the child is not receiving enough calories their energy level will drop and their skin and hair will become dry.

If you suspect any of these symptoms and see a problem with your child you should reassure them they are beautiful. Never belittle them or their behavior but do ask why they are feeling insecure.

You can brainstorm healthy living together without putting bans on particular foods. Suggest a weekly dessert night in place of a regular or daily supply of sweets and unhealthy foods. Help them find ways for successful living such as sports or clubs and nurture their friendships, too.

Scientists believe due to previous research that different types of disorders affect drinking in distinct ways. Those with "internalizing" disorders drink in order to deal with overwhelming negative emotions. Those with "externalizing" disorders tend to drink more in response to positive feelings.

A recent study look at how externalizing and internalizing disorders affected the behaviors of first-time DUI offenders, specifically looking at high-risk drinking and their perception of their ability to maintain control over alcohol consumption (Schlauch, O’Malley, Rounsaville & Ball, 2012).

The researchers evaluated 292 first-time DUI offenders, using a questionnaire to assess internalizing and externalizing disorders, in addition to measuring coping self-efficacy. Self-efficacy refers to an individual’s perception of their control over drinking behaviors when placed in different types of high-risk settings.

The internalizing disorders evaluated by the research team included anxiety, depression and other diagnoses centered on negative emotionality. The externalizing disorders evaluated were, for example, antisocial personality and conduct disorder.

The self-efficacy was focused on the participants’ ability to choose not to drink in both negative and positive situations. A negative situation might be when the individual is feeling a sense of failure in the professional realm. A positive situation could be when an individual is having fun at a party but wants to drink to increase the fun.

Problematic alcohol behaviors were measured using the Time Line Follow-Back tool, in addition to the Addiction Severity Index. To analyze the data, the researchers used the ASI score in addition to the number of days the participant drank heavily over the past month. The researchers also incorporation a structural equation model to measure the direct and indirect relationships observed between the variables.

The results showed that there was a strong connection between internalizing behaviors and a persons ability to handle not drinking in negative situations. There was not a connection observed between internalizing disorders and coping efficacy in a positive setting. The researchers also found that there was a connection between externalizing disorders and coping self-efficacy in both negative and positive situations.

The study also showed that those with a high score on internalizing were more challenged when it came to avoiding alcohol consumption in negative settings. The reverse was true for those with high scores on externalizing disorders.

The authors note several limitations on the results of the study. For instance, the study was designed to be correlational, and does not provide evidence for causality between the variables involved. In addition, the use of self-report in the Time Line Follow-Back may result in different measurements than what actually occurred.

In the course of interviewing the subjects, researchers identified six thematic events which stood out as triggers for development of an eating disorder.

1. School Changes
   Leaving grammar school for middle school or junior high school meant dealing with new independences. For some patients being faced with independence apart from a strong family undergirding and family guidance proved very difficult to navigate. Other subjects mentioned that going off to university where they felt suddenly lost and responsible for their own self-affirmation became a trigger. In each case, the lack of regular love and support was mentioned.
2. Relational Changes
   In some instances it was the loss of their own partner which led to an eating disorder, but in other cases it was the impact of parental divorce which proved pivotal. More than one female said her disordered eating started when her father began to ignore her in favor of a new girlfriend.
3. Death
   Death is always traumatic for everyone. However, for young people the loss of a dear friend or family member brings a grief that they do not understand how to process. With sufficient support and caring from the family during such events, young people looked for some way to regain control through eating.
4. Home/Work Changes
   When families moved into a new area either due to job changes or simply to change homes, kids and young adults who felt alone, afraid and unsupported during the transition turned to disordered eating as a way to cope. Some mentioned the stress of being unable to connect with new co-workers and others talked about the loss of longtime friends and the need to re-establish new relationships, but it was the sense of aloneness in the challenge that proved too much for them.
5. Health Changes
   Several subjects reported that weight loss due to illness or hospitalization elicited positive comments which led into their eating disorder. Others said that their unhealthy eating was directly related to a health problem over which they had no control. Lack of healthy outside perspective during these periods allowed them to become habituated in disordered eating.
6. Abuse
   Sexual abuse from family members led some to use food as an escape – either to make themselves unattractive to their abuser or to numb the pain of silent suffering.

As this interview-based study shows, traumatic events of many kinds can lead a young person to choose a life of disordered eating. Though the trauma may differ, each subject referred to a common theme of feeling alone and unsupported during such times. The lack of sufficient support appears to be the real trigger behind eating disorders according to the nursing journal study.

A new study has found that young women with a nucleus accumbens that reacts strongly to photos of appealing foods are more likely to experience weight gain as compared to women with more low-key responses. At the same time, when their nucleus accumbens reacts more strongly to pictures with sexual imagery, the women are more likely to engage in sexual activity in the next six months, as well.

Study researcher at Dartmouth College, Bill Kelley, says the study was nice because it was one of the first to actually link the brain response to more long term events of behavior, according to Huffington Post.

Kelley noted that in the long run, the reward system in the brain is likely to be just a piece of a puzzle. He added that a person’s willpower and how good they are at overriding their system will matter also.

There are certain health situations like bulimia that have already been tied to high nucleus accumbens action with response to cues that are food related. Kelley and his team aimed to determine if there was such predictive power to these types of linkages.

They discovered the people’s reactions were behavior specific meaning that weight gain was only linked to the response of the food photos in the nucleus accumbens and likewise the sexual photos only increased sexual activity and desire.

Kelly noted that these specific temptations trigger these kinds of behaviors and not just the overactive nucleus accumbens. Knowing your brain’s triggers can help you avoid the unconscious desires to want something and you can self regulate those desires by your own willpower.

Storytelling Through Music

Growing up, music was always one of Jeff’s passions. A Texas native, he moved to Tennessee to pursue a music career. He became a staff writer/artist for a publishing company on music row and now incorporates creative songwriting into his group, “The Music in Me,” at The Ranch. Clients write and play songs and record their music on a CD that they can take home. Through music, clients are able to let down their guard and begin to explore their emotions in a new way.

“In the music business, I’d be put in a room with different writers I’d never met,” Jeff recalls. “What could’ve been an awkward situation turned into an instant connection through music. Before I knew it, I’d written a great song with a complete stranger.”

In recovery, clients make the same type of connection with the part of themselves that has been lost or invisible, says Jeff. They write their ideas down and record their song in first person, but then they listen to it as an outsider looking in and realize, “That’s me telling my story, and my story matters.”

Through the Eyes of a Horse

Equine therapy is another simple but powerful experience at The Ranch, according to Jeff. Using metaphor to draw comparisons between the way clients interact with the horse and the way they interact with themselves and others, clients gain helpful insights into their way of living.

“If you have a round pen, a horse and a person, you can do therapy – often without even knowing you’re doing therapy,” says Jeff. “Horses don’t lie or play mind games. They react to people the way nature tells them to, which can help clients see themselves more clearly.”

Working with horses also gives clients a chance to decompress between education and therapy sessions. On trail rides, they don’t have to chase skeletons or reveal secrets, Jeff says. They can just ride up the hills and look back over the beautiful scenery and the valley where they do their therapeutic work and gain a new perspective.

“As you walk across the ranch, you may see a therapist and client talking down by the river or a group in the round pen working with horses,” Jeff explains. “There’s something about being in nature that helps people lower their guard. Hearing the trees blowing or the horses eating grass, it’s a very different experience than sitting in a room with four walls.”

A Safe Place to Ask Life’s Biggest Questions

The Ranch’s natural setting is an ideal place to begin asking the big questions that drive so many people to escape with drugs, alcohol or other destructive behaviors. “Is there a god? Who is it? What do they want to do with me, if anything?” These are the three most universal questions presented to Jeff by clients at The Ranch.

In spiritual coaching sessions, Jeff provides a safe place for people to ask the tough questions. Rather than focusing on specific religious principles, Jeff believes Christianity is not about a religion but rather a relationship with God. Clients don’t have to agree with his perspective. After all, he doesn’t have, or pretend to have, all of the answers. Rather, he helps set their own personal path of inquiry in motion – a process that is enhanced by knowing there’s a person in their corner who will go into those dark places of questioning alongside them. After formal treatment ends, Jeff invites clients to keep in touch with updates and additional questions.

There is no particular religious or spiritual prerequisite to coaching sessions with Jeff. Sessions are strictly voluntary and give clients an opportunity to talk about their spiritual questions or core beliefs. Some clients already have strong religious beliefs, some are opposed to religion and others are confused about what they believe. Regardless of their belief system, many clients have found the spiritual coaching sessions thought-provoking and in some cases life-changing, so much so that Jeff has started small-group roundtable talks to accommodate the high level of interest.

“There are common questions most all human beings have pondered at some point in their lives,” Jeff says. “I grew up in church, but I had big questions as a teenager. Because of my own struggle to get answers, I have great compassion for our clients.”

Like many of his clients, Jeff was turned off by the self-righteousness and inauthenticity he observed in religion at an early age. While some of his fellow churchgoers honored God in their words, their deeds told another story. What he discovered is that it wasn’t church or religion, but human beings doing what they sometimes do. Instead of running from God and living for himself, he embarked on a lifelong journey in pursuit of truth.

“Eventually I learned to never judge a philosophy by the abuse of the philosophy, but to always go to the founder. People do things in the name of Jesus, but that doesn’t mean He would do it that way,” Jeff explains. “This realization led me to go outside my comfort zone and question what there was beyond what my church and denomination had to say.”

Jeff tells his clients, “Don’t cheat a choice just because of your beliefs from the past.” Those who have never believed in God – or who have never believed in themselves – find that those choices don’t have to define their futures.

“Treatment largely revolves around healing psychological wounds, but there are also philosophical underpinnings that often get overlooked and end up keeping people in the cycle of addiction,” Jeff says. “My goal is to help clients open up to investigating their own philosophies and decide, ‘Is this really working for me?’”

In investigating their deeply held beliefs, many clients come to think of themselves, their lives and their spiritual beliefs in a new way. Jeff calls these “a-ha” moments. For example, those who have been resistant to having a relationship with God may look at their background and realize that they are running from any type of authority figure. Perhaps they had one or more adults in their lives that hurt or disappointed them and they’re afraid God will turn out to be like everyone else. Jeff walks clients through this process of evaluation so they can decide if they want to continue holding onto those beliefs or start making changes.

Finding Answers Together

“When I tell people I’m a Christian, they assume I fit a certain stereotype,” Jeff says. “But when they get to know me, they realize I’ve really thought about my beliefs and have worked hard to find answers. I’m not a religious freak; I’m a regular guy sharing my story and letting my heart be known to the world.”

Because of his own belief system and his inherently skeptical nature, Jeff does not pressure his clients to adopt any particular way of thinking. He meets them where they’re at, with a unique blend of seriousness and humor, and asks them to consider, “Is spirituality right for me?”

“Speaking the truth in love can never be forced or coerced. It must come from a place of want to, not have to,” Jeff says. “Clients are welcome to disagree with me and, at the end of the day after all of the intense discussions, each client knows I care deeply about them.”

Most sessions start out on a lighthearted note. Jeff may ask, “How are you feeling” or “Where are you at with the Big G this week?”

“There’s a time to get serious, but this should also be a fun journey,” Jeff says. “I’m not just a person who works at a treatment facility. I’m one human being connecting with another human being, laughing a lot and crying a lot based on a real friendship that has been built. Getting to know the clients, not just the reason they’re at The Ranch but as human beings, is the real reward of my job.”

Discovering Self-Worth

Many clients at The Ranch struggle with low self-worth because of the mistakes they’ve made in the past. They get stuck in the belief, “I’m a bad idea,” says Jeff. Whether or not they believe in God, he asks them to consider his perspective for a moment: “If God already knows all of my mistakes, the mere fact that I exist suggests that in spite of those mistakes, He believed I was a good idea to create.”

“The only person who can tell us the intention of a work of art is the creator,” Jeff continues. “If there is a God and He created us with a purpose, mistakes don’t mean we’re not worthwhile; they’re a sign we have some adjustments to make.”

At The Ranch, Jeff spends a lot of time helping clients find their voice by speaking their truth – and then realize that their voice matters.

“It is my belief that every person has been created by God with something special to offer, not just on an individual level but to the story of human history,” Jeff says. “This brings a different context to why each individual should have a voice – what they have to say is truly worth hearing.”

Reconnecting Head and Heart

Whether through spiritual coaching, equine therapy or music therapy, Jeff guides clients through an experiential process designed to help untangle their thinking and reconnect their heads and their hearts.

“What often happens is that clients disconnect and try to find something – anything – to fill the void. Their thinking keeps them stuck,” Jeff says. “But when their heads and hearts start working on the same team, the smile I see on their faces lets me know they’re on their way.”