One of the best and most convenient methods for treating your addiction to drugs or alcohol is a peer group in your area.  In most cities, Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meet multiple times per week.  This is a great way to find a support group to help you get through a difficult time in your life. These groups have a proven program of well-defined steps that can help addicts like your through a substance addiction.  It’s also helpful that most of these programs are anonymous ad that you should feel no pressure to use your real name.

Another great option to treat your addiction is a residential treatment and rehabilitation facility.  Typically you will spend multiple weeks living in a treatment facility that has nice rooms, delicious food, as well as many of the other amenities of a nice vacation, but you will spend your day doing activities and working with addiction treatment specialists in a dedicated effort to quell your addiction.  It can be helpful to deal with your addiction in the unfamiliar but comfortable new circumstances of a residential treatment center.

The main downsides of working on your addiction at a treatment center are the cost and the time.  It’s no coincidence that you often hear about celebrities treating their addictions at residential treatment centers: sometimes it seems like they are the only ones who can afford it.  For most places, it’s not uncommon for each week of treatment to cost $ 1000.  This may be worth it if you or your family are wealthy, or it may be worth it to keep your high-paying job. In many cases, the dedicated time required for success in a residential treatment center is the most difficult aspect.  During your multiple week stay, you won’t be able to attend your normal job or school. 

You’ll find that there are many types of treatment centers.  Some people opt for a center which is in a nice location far from their home to not only enjoy a new place, but also to make sure you don’t embarrassingly run into any friends while you are there!  There are facilities for particular addictions such as alcohol, heroin, meth, etc.  There are even Christian Drug Rehab centers with a focus on addiction and faith.

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Question by Liza Shevchuk: Natural Remedies For Brain Damage After Drug Abuse?
My older brother has done many drugs from about 16-21. Its been a year since his last use, and he’s been having some serious problems. He has high anxiety and he’s been having frequent episodes of “weird” (as he calls it) feelings. He doesn’t label it as feeling sick. During these episodes he feels jittery, emotional (even cry’s sometimes) out of control, his heart rate goes up. This also causes him to have insomnia. Maybe they’re panic attacks, but the thing is, what triggers it? This occurs randomly on a normal day. We believe its typical withdrawal symptoms, because he abused quite a few drugs. (Marijuana, cigarettes, ecstasy, crystal meth, shrooms, hookah, cocaine, inhalants, “uppers” (as he calls them))
He has gone to see his doctor several times to get treatment, and his doctor said he has migraines.
-____-
He prescribed him anti depressants and that didn’t help my brother AT ALL.
He does this herbal drop treatment (echinacea, other oils, etc) That help him sleep.
Now we’re trying to find him herbal remedies that would help repair his brain damage from all of the abuse he has done to it.
Thank you very much.

Best answer:

Answer by jannsody
I’m not sure that there will be repairing of the brain damage (presuming that he has that as I’m not a medical doctor :), but researchers believe that the brain is very “plastic” and may form new nerve pathways to *help* compensate for the injured areas.

With regard to inhalant use, my friend actually has a severe Brain Injury from huffing at the age of 12, now in her 30s. The chemicals in products used for huffing are actual *poisons* that were never meant to go through the bloodstream.

Please be *very* careful with herbal supplements or “remedies” (e.g., echinacea, ginkgo biloba, chamomile) as they can result in side effects and/or drug (medication) interactions. It’s best to check with a licensed pharmacist before taking any of them. Not everything that is “natural” is safe 😉

Regarding the panic attacks, some people have generalized anxiety (to know specific event) or other types of anxiety. The antidepressants may help to lessen the intensity and/or frequency of the anxiety symptoms. Such medications tend to take about 6-8 weeks before possibly noticing results. A caveat (warning) is that some antidepressants may cause insomnia (trouble getting to and/or staying asleep). However, there are medications that one may take to help counteract the insomnia.

Even though benzo’s (e.g., ativan, valium, xanax, klonopin) may be prescribed to help with sleep, they’re not always recommended as a medication due to their physical addictiveness. (Some withdrawal symptoms from benzo’s may include seizures, psychosis/mental break from reality, or even death.) Some psychiatrists (it’s best to get medication for mental health issues from a board-certified psychiatrist as opposed to “just” a family doctor) prescribe seroquel (or other medications), which is classified as an antipsychotic but in smaller dosages may help with sleep.

You’d mentioned that he’s gone to the doctor several times, and I’m wondering if he’s gone to a neurologist which is medical dr who can help rule out disorders of the nervous system – brain, spinal cord, nerves. I’m just thinking that to help “cover all the bases” (not trying to give false hope though, know what I mean).

I’m not sure that he’d still be going through withdrawal symptoms a year after stopping the drugs, but it’s a good idea to ask a doctor about that as well.

Pertaining to the anxiety, please show him this government site which may have some local counseling agencies: http://findtreatment.samhsa.gov/ and can click the second link. Then one can click “near you” on the left-hand side of the page under “find facilities” and can type one’s city and state of residence into search. Their toll-free 24/7 referral helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357). Just an fyi that the first link is for those looking for substance abuse counseling/treatment, and that may be an option if he’s still “using” or having cravings for substances.

A 12-step program, such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), may have some local support groups. The only requirement is having a desire to get sober. One may attend an “open” AA meeting if there is no drinking problem: http://www.aa.org

This site has some common mottos pertaining to those 12-step programs, including “One day at a time”, “First things first” and “People, places and things”: http://www.royy.com/toolsofrecovery.html

Al-Anon is a 12-step program for the *friends and family* of the problem drinker, but one may attend an “open” Al-Anon meeting if the loved one doesn’t have a drinking problem: http://www.al-anon.alateen.org

Give your answer to this question below!

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For several folks who are struggling with serious or chronic booze use, there are alcohol treatmentprograms~applications~software programs which can assist them on their road to healing.  Listings for accredited alcoholic beverages remedy facilities can aid the addicted person in choosing how to have treatment and exactly where to go. These accredited services are staffed with licensed personnel who’re specially trained to handle the numerous facets surrounding the issue of alcoholism.

Alcoholism is characterized by the dependence of a person about the outcomes brought about by drinking.  This dependence might be physically induced and may likewise be a kind of psychological dependency.  Regardless on the nature of alcoholic beverages abuse, alcohol treatment programs normally initiate the healing procedure having a process referred to as alcoholic beverages detoxification.

The procedure of detoxification might include the utilization of anti-anxiety and anti -convulsion medications to combat the withdrawal symptoms which accompany the cessation of ingesting liquor.  Alcoholic beverages detox cleanses the entire body from the damaging toxins and assists to get rid of the liquor residue in the bloodstream.  These procedures are typically performed by medically educated specialists.

Furthermore, a regular characteristic of alcohol treatment programs is assistance groups.  The most well-known group, Alcoholics Anonymous, is definitely an example of a assist set for recovering alcoholics, however other alcoholic beverages treatment facilities also type their very own peer assist party within the center in the course of residency period.

Aside from having a help set which supplies an avenue for your person to sense a sense of belongingness and also the knowledge that he or she isn’t alone within the struggle to break free from the dependancy, assist groups can likewise be the source of finding out distinct coping tactics which have verified to become productive for some alcoholics.

Alcohol treatment programs like the program provided at Hawaii Island Recovery also employ therapeutic approaches to address the root reason on the person’s psychological dependency in the direction of booze.  This is extremely crucial simply because an integral element with the treatment is in finding out what brought about the booze addiction and so manage to present the necessary processing through the therapist’s intervention.  This could be by way of personal treatments sessions for severe situations or by means of group remedy sessions or a combination of both techniques.  Counseling needs to be exhaustive and deep-seated troubles will need to become resolved in order for your system to be productive in its objective.  Behavioral and cognitive methods are already verified to successfully function in alcohol treatment programs.

In society, liquor abuse generally begins with curiosity or because of stress.  Environmental elements, specially parental neglect and peer pressure play a main role inside initial stage of consuming for youngsters.  Social consuming can also be launched and when the feeling turns into pleasurable right after alcoholic beverages consumption, the cycle starts.  Whilst some are in a position to control their alcoholic beverages intake and may regulate the amount of alcohol they ingest, others, specially individuals with private difficulties, sooner or later turn to booze for escape or for temporary happiness.

For people who take it upon themselves to voluntarily find treatment for booze dependancy, progress towards healing becomes much less hard.  Nonetheless, in almost all circumstances, therapy is usually as a result of the encouragement or at times even coercion on the considerable individuals around the person.

What gets a pivotal moment for alcoholics is when they finally accept that they have to have guidance.  There is no immediate fix or instant transformation mainly because sustaining a existence totally free of booze is generally a lifetime commitment.  On the other hand, with support, knowing and dedication, alcoholics can reside a balanced, productive living.

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