Monthly Archives: May 2016

Treatment After Detox: Long-Term Sobriety

What Is Detox?

Detox on its own is a period of time where you abstain from a toxic substance. Or, you can define detox as a process in which you rid your body of unhealthy or dangerous substances.

While detoxification can be done at home or in a facility; it’s safest to go through detoxification at a clinic familiar with detoxing people from drugs or alcohol. During your stay in detox, you’ll rid your body of the substance you abuse, and you’ll begin to work on recovery.

What Treatments Take Place After Detox?

Immediately after detox, some patients move on to an addiction rehabilitation program. The program works on the emotional recovery needed more than the physical, although some physical assistance is still provided.

For instance, patients who enter treatment after detox may begin treatment with a strict therapy regimen. That may be private therapy with a psychologist or psychiatrist, group therapy sessions, or other kinds of therapy, like animal-assisted therapy or equine therapy.

Alongside therapy, there are other kinds of treatments to help balance the body and mind. These may be tried:

Massage therapy, which can help release muscular tension and allow the individual to relax and unwind
Acupuncture, which can reduce tension in the body and increase circulation
Sauna therapy, which can help further eliminate toxins from the body
Cognitive-behavioral therapy, which focuses on helping individuals learn new behaviors that are positive instead of rehashing old, negative behaviors when triggers take place.
Yoga therapy, which allows individuals to focus on meditation, self-reflection, and physical stretching and exercising.
Nutrition therapy, which can encourage the correct nutrition to replace lost nutrients and amino acids lost during detox and through a poor diet.

These are some of the possible therapies that could be provided in rehabilitation programs. There are, of course, many others that may also be available depending on the program.

Do All Patients Receive Treatment After Detox?

Not all patients receive treatment after detox. In fact, some patients in outpatient programs may decide not to enter a recovery program at all. This can be a concern because detox without recovery is simply abstaining from drugs or alcohol, not becoming sober. To remain sober, you need to balance your mind, body, and spirit; you need to understand your body and recognize your triggers. Without therapy to address mental health conditions or triggers that affect you, it’s much harder to avoid things that could cause you to relapse.

What Can I Do To Help Myself Recover in the Long Term?

Remember that there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to drug or alcohol addiction treatment. Different kinds of programs will work for different people. For instance, if you don’t believe in using traditional medications, then you may not want to be in a long-term recovery program focused on a medicated recovery. Instead, you may do better in an alternative or holistic program that focuses on spirituality or alternative therapies like working with animals or nutrition to control cravings and avoid or face triggers.

Effective long-term treatment plans often hold you accountable for your actions through monthly, bi-monthly, half-yearly, or yearly meetings with your therapist or medical provider. You may also work with a forum of individuals in a 12-step program or live in a sober-living community. Long-term sobriety is most often achieved by those with strong support systems, so building a support system while you’re in a recovery program is vital. This support group could be your family, your medical care team, your friends, or people you know from a 12-step program. You may have a sponsor or become a sponsor to someone else to keep yourself accountable for your actions.

Is Long-Term Sobriety Achievable?

Long-term sobriety is achievable if you have the willingness to keep on a sober path. If you are eager to live without substance abuse and want to work toward a life without the influence of drugs or alcohol, there are dozens of programs you can be part of that can help you balance your life. From physical activities sponsored by your recovery facility to mental-health programs in the community, there is no lack of information and support for people like yourself.

Whether you need support after years of sobriety or want to start an aftercare program the day you leave rehab, it’s important to know that long-term sobriety can be achieved with a balanced mind and body.

Where Can I Learn More About Long-Term Sobriety?

If you’re ready to start a detox program or want to know more about long-term sobriety and the community groups that can help, learn more by dialing 1-866-802-6848 and speak with one of our helpful specialists now. You can also visit us online at www.CoastalDetox.com. We can help you find a program to help balance your body, spirit, and mind.

Dangers of Detoxing Cold Turkey

What Is Detoxing “Cold Turkey”?

Detoxing cold turkey is a phrase that essentially means you’re self-detoxing. Self-detoxing is normally a process in which you simply stop taking your medications, stop drinking, or stop taking drugs without any help with withdrawal symptoms and without a detoxification program in place.

Why Is Detoxing Cold Turkey Dangerous?

Detoxing cold turkey is dangerous for a few reasons including:

The potential for life-threatening side effects
The potential for relapse
The risk of overdose

The first and most important reason to get help with withdrawal symptoms and detoxification is the risk of life-threatening side effects. Not all drug or alcohol cessation situations will be life-threatening, but it’s hard to tell what kind of situation you’ll be in until you’re in it. With help from a professional, you can have your symptoms monitored and treated as they arise, making the withdrawal process easier to manage.

The next reason to seek help during detox is the risk of relapsing. For instance, if you stop taking an opiate drug, you may make it four or five days without before the symptoms become overbearing and too bothersome to ignore any longer. In a detoxification program, those symptoms could be mitigated to help you through the remaining time of detox. However, if you’re at home or alone, you don’t have the help and are more likely to go back to the drug you were taking to relieve those symptoms.

When you do that, you have a high risk of overdose. Trying to get rid of withdrawal symptoms quickly may mean you take a higher dose of drugs or drink more than you normally would, and that means you’re at a higher risk of overdosing and landing in the hospital or worse. Because of these risks, it’s important to always work with a medical professional when you want to detox; it’s safer for you mentally and physically, and you are in the hands of those who can help if there are complications that you need to overcome.

Can Detoxing Cold Turkey Be Life Threatening?

Depending on the kind of substance you use, detoxing cold turkey can be very dangerous and even life-threatening. For example, sudden alcohol cessation can cause these symptoms:

Tremors
Seizures
Delirium tremens
Anxiety
Irritability
Agitation
Shaking
Insomnia
Headaches

Of course, there are many other symptoms as well. These symptoms, for alcohol cessation, normally arise within 12 to 24 hours after the last drink you’ve had. At that point, you may suffer some visual, tactile, or auditory hallucinations. They tend to end within 48 hours. Don’t confuse these sensations with delirium tremens, though, since DT is a life-threatening condition.

In a typical withdrawal situation, seizures are possible. They tend to strike within 24 to 48 hours after your last drink. They can begin as soon as two hours after your last drink. If you’ve detoxed in the past, you’re more likely to suffer a seizure if you stop drinking suddenly.

If you suffer these symptoms, you may be suffering from delirium tremens and need medical help immediately:

Profuse sweating
Disorientation
Severe anxiety
Hallucinations that can’t be distinguished from reality
Seizures
High blood pressure
Irregular heartbeats
Low-grade fevers
Severe tremors

The symptoms of DT tend to peak within five days of cessation. These symptoms need to be monitored in a medical facility because they can lead to death.

What Happens If I’m In Alcohol or Drug Withdrawal from Detoxing Cold Turkey?

Depending on the kind of substance you use, your medical doctor will prescribe medications and therapies to help you through withdrawal in a safe manner.

For example, if you’ve detoxed from alcohol cold turkey, then your doctor may prescribe these drugs to get you back on track and to treat withdrawal:

Clonidine, which helps manage blood pressure
Phenytoin, which is an anticonvulsant
A beta-blocker, which can help relieve a fast heart rate and reduce high blood pressure related to withdrawal
Antipsychotics to reduce or relieve agitation and hallucinations
Benzodiazepines, which can be used to sedate a patient in some cases and will treat shakiness and anxiety

How Can I Get More Help With Substance Abuse and Withdrawal Symptoms?

Alcohol and drug abuse can be difficult to deal with, but stopping cold turkey is a recipe for withdrawal. Instead of struggling through a painful withdrawal process, you can work with a medical team to overcome those side effects in a controlled environment. To learn more about the programs that can help you, call us today by dialing 1-866-802-6848 to speak with someone about substance abuse and detoxification. If you’re online, visit us online at www.CoastalDetox.com to read more about the programs available today. We can help you learn more about the programs in your area and find one that suits your needs as an individual.

Amino Acid Replenishment

One of the things your body needs to function properly is amino acids. These are chemicals that help transport and store nutrients in the body. A large proportion of the cells in the body, the muscles, and tissues are made up of amino acids. They help give cells their structures and focus on carrying out important functions in the body.

Are Amino Acids Important?

Amino acids are very important to the body. They influence almost every aspect of your health. For instance, they transport and store nutrients, influence the glands and influence the tendons and functions of the organs. They help heal the body when you’re hurt, repairing tissue and closing wounds. They remove waste deposits in the body to help the body’s metabolism.

How Many Are in the Body?

There are around 120 to 130 grams of amino acids in the amino acid pool in the adult male body. Nearly every issue within the body can be explained by an imbalance in the body’s metabolism and amino acids.

The entire pool of amino acids is broken down and altered around three to four times daily. The body has to receive more, which may be broken down from protein in protein biosynthesis, either through your diet or your use of dietary supplements.

What Foods Contain Amino Acids?

Most of the time, you can get the amino acids you need by eating meats like turkey, chicken, or beef. Eggs are also high in protein, which is needed to synthesize some of the amino acids your body craves. By switching to a protein-heavy diet, you can often jumpstart your body’s amino acid production, helping you balance the side effects of a body lacking in these necessary components. Dairy products such as milk and cheese also contain essential amino acids.

What Depletes Amino Acids?

As your body is unbalanced from addiction, you may not be eating properly. Certain amino acids may be lacking or depleted since your body doesn’t have the nutrients needed to create them.

Why Is It Important to Replenish Them?

When your amino acids are low or unable to be accessed properly by the body, you struggle in many ways. You may not feel awake, could struggle with mood swings or depression, or could have other problems with your metabolism. Low blood sugars, cravings, and other issues can be a result of an unbalanced system.

How Can You Balance Your Amino Acids?

To balance your amino acids, you need to work on your diet. Some of the amino acids you should replenish include:

L-Tryptophan, which is necessary for the production of serotonin. This is the body’s natural anti-depressant, so if it can’t access the correct amino acids, your mood could be affected negatively. When your serotonin levels aren’t right, you can suffer from problems like panics, sleep disorders, cravings, compulsive thoughts, and irritability.
L-Glutamine is a brain balancer. It helps you regulate your blood sugar levels and helps you think more clearly and with energy. If you miss this amino acid, you might feel shaky and dizzy, especially if you have to wait too long between meals. You likely crave things like sweets and alcohol in this case, because your body wants to boost a low blood sugar level.
DLPA D-Phenylalanine, which encourages a longer life span for endorphins in the body. These are pain-relieving chemicals in the body. If you don’t have enough endorphins, you may feel sad, have crying spells, have fragile emotions, and be sensitive to pain. If you are deficient, you may crave sweets, nicotine, or alcohol.
GABA, which is an anti-stress chemical. When it’s lacking in the body, you suffer from physical tension, emotional tension, and anxiety. You may crave carbohydrates and alcohol, marijuana, and nicotine if you’re missing GABA chemicals.
L-Tyrosine, which helps your body produce catecholamines, which include things like epinephrine, dopamine, and norepinephrine. These are always neurotransmitters your body needs to focus, concentrate, and feel clear. If you are fatigued, lack motivation, are apathetic or struggle with depression, this could be an amino acid missing in your body. People with this deficiency tend to choose to participate in risky behavior, unsafe sex, or may gamble to feel more awake.

How Can I Get Help With My Addiction Recovery?

If you want to learn more about working with nutrition, your recovery center can help. Call us today by dialing 1-866-802-6848 to speak with someone now about how altering your diet and nutritional supplements can help you with your recovery, or visit us online at www.CoastalDetox.com. We can help you find the kind of nutrition replacement you think you need and work with you until you find a program that works for your needs.

Detoxing from Ambien

What is Ambien?

Ambien is also known as zolpidem. Zolpidem is a sedative drug also known as a hypnotic. It affects the chemicals of the brain in a way that allows those who struggle with sleep problems to overcome those issues and get over insomnia.

Ambien is an immediate-release form of zolpidem. The first layer dissolves quickly, allowing the patient to fall asleep quickly. The second layer takes longer to dissolve, giving the body more of the drug to keep the patient asleep longer.

It can cause feelings of sleepiness, and those who take it may still feel tired in the morning after it’s been taken. After a patient wakes up from taking the prescription, that patient should wait at least four hours before doing anything that requires them to be alert or awake. Drowsiness should wear off after that amount of time.

The problem with Ambien is that some people participate in activities and later have no recollection of them. For example, the patient may eat, take a walk, make phone calls, or even go out with someone and have no memory of the event later in the day. If the drug is abused, these effects can be more pronounced and may result in other side effects.

Ambien is only meant to be used in the short term. Long-term use can result in addiction, which has been well-documented by medical professionals. Even taking the drug as prescribed over a long period of time can result in addiction, which then may require a long detoxification program to eliminate.

What Are the Side Effects of Ambien?

There are many serious side effects as well as many normal and common side effects. These include:

Daytime drowsiness
Weakness
Dizziness
Feeling lightheaded
Feeling tired
A stuffy nose
Constipation
Diarrhea
Upset stomach
Muscle pain
Headaches
Dry mouth
Throat irritation

To avoid these common side effects, take the lowest dose of Ambien possible. Some more serious side effects include:

Chest pain
Irregular heartbeat
Trouble breathing
Nausea or feeling sluggish

What Are Signs of the Withdrawal?

There are several signs of Ambien withdrawal. They include:

Gastrointestinal distress
Skin flushing
Crying/mood swings
Insomnia
Anxiety

Each of these reactions is caused by the lack of sedation that Ambien usually provides. When it’s used over time, the brain learns to need these chemicals to feel balanced. The brain becomes accustomed to working at a slower rate, being calmer and less active. When the body no longer has access to Ambien, these symptoms may manifest and affect you.

Usually, the withdrawal effects last only a few days. However, that’s likely only the case if you’ve taken the drug for only a short time and at the recommended dosage. If you have taken it for a long period of time or strayed from the dosage you were told to take, then you may suffer from much more severe withdrawal and for a longer period of time.

How Long Does It Take to Detox From?

To detox from Ambien, you’ll need to speak with your detoxification facility or medical professional about your dosage and how long you’ve taken the drug. Your timeline may vary from the average, but since Ambien can cause life-threatening side effects if you stop it without a tapering program, it’s likely that you will cut back on the drug for several days or weeks before you’re completely free of it.

When you’re in a formal detoxification program, your withdrawal can be managed and monitored. You’ll potentially be moved from Ambien to a similar medication over the course of several weeks. You’ll start taking lower dosages slowly, and over time, you’ll get to the point where the drug is no longer needed for your body to function normally.

While you may not feel that taking additional drugs to get off a drug is a productive approach, it can help you balance the potentially dangerous side effects of withdrawal. Taking longer to get off the drug causes fewer side effects to your body, so you can focus more clearly and struggle with fewer long-term side effects. Stopping cold turkey can be life-threatening for some people, so it’s never advised.

How Can I Get Help With Ambien Withdrawal?

If you’ve been taking Ambien and are struggling to quit, you may need to work through a detoxification program. Call us today by dialing 1-866-802-6848 to speak with someone about the kind of program you want to get involved with now, or visit us online at www.CoastalDetox.com to learn more about the programs available in your area. We can work with you to find a program to help you with prescription drug addiction, so you can quickly get back on track to the life you enjoy. You don’t have to struggle with addiction alone, and you can recover.