Alcohol
Drug Detox Library
The
authors (who wish to remain anonymous) wrote these articles based
on their own experiences that they acquired while struggling with
drug and alcohol addiction and withdrawal themselves. Their experiences
as treatment providers after recovering from their addictions
delivers a unique perspective into the world of addiction and
recovery that doesn't exist in many places.
Find
an article that interests you and then click on the link below
the desired article or the photo to the right of each article.
Please choose
an article...
The
Effects Of Crack Cocaine
 The
effects of cocaine normally occur immediately after ingestion
and can last from a few minutes to a few hours. The duration of
the drug's effects depends on how it is ingested. Snorting cocaine
produces a slow onset of effects that can last from 15 to 30 minutes,
while the effects of smoking cocaine last from 5 to 10 minutes
and produce a more intense high. Cocaine produces euphoric effects
by building up dopamine in the brain, causing the continuous stimulation
of neurons.
CLICK
HERE to read The Effects Of Crack Cocaine.
Alcohol
Detoxification Symptoms
 Alcohol
detox or withdrawal symptoms that are experienced by people who
have stopped drinking alcohol abruptly ("cold turkey")
can range from mild to life-threatening if not properly treated.
The severity of these alcohol withdrawal symptoms is usually dependent
upon how "alcohol dependent" the chronic drinker has
become. Those who drink heavily on a daily basis of course have
developed a high level of dependency on alcohol and will almost
certainly experience at least some severe withdrawal symptoms,
but even those who drink alcohol daily, but not heavily and those
who drink alcohol heavily but not daily, can also be chemically
dependent upon alcohol.
CLICK
HERE to read Alcohol Detoxification Symptoms.
Locating
Reputable and Ethical Treatment Facilities
 Last
but not least. Please, shy away from drug treatment centers
that boast what seems to be an unusually high success rate. They
are probably beginning your relationship by being less than honest
with you. These inflated success rates are impossible for a drug
treatment center to accurately calculate. What are they basing
it on? The number of clients that complete the program? The success
of a drug treatment center should be based on what happens to
the client after he or she leaves the program and when they are
scattered all around the planet it is just impossible to state
any success rate, high or low with any real certainty. A more
honest response from a drug treatment center
when ask about their success rate might be "We can't collect
accurate statistics, so we don't want to mislead anyone."
or "I can tell you that if one puts 100% into his or her
recovery, it's about 100%.
CLICK
HERE to read Locating Reputable and Ethical Treatment Facilities.
The
Many Different Types Of Rehabs
 Most
of the more than 10,000 alcohol and drug rehabs in the United
States are 12-step oriented and Social Model (they emphasis learning
through "doing and experiencing" while providing positive role
models) in nature. Other philosophical differences might be 12-Step
vs non 12-step, Gender Specific, Christian Based or Christ Centered,
Holistic, Dual Diagnosis with treatment for Co-occurring Disorder
and Court or Probation Approved Rehabs to name a few.
CLICK
HERE to read The Many Different Types Of Rehabs.
A
Guide To Intervention
 The
turmoil caused by practicing alcoholics and drug addicts can be
considerable and it tends to get worse rather than better over
any period of time. Addiction causes people who are not naturally
that way to become progressively more self-centered, inconsiderate,
dishonest, defensive and suspicious as time passes. They may experience
unpredictable mood swings, outbursts of emotional and sometimes
physical violence and make major decisions without any consideration.
They begin to act like the proverbial loose cannon and can cause
a great deal of destruction not only in their own lives but in
the lives of those close to them. Such people are correctly said
to be out of control and those who care about them often do not
know what to do but stand helplessly by and watch as they create
more chaos for themselves and everyone around them, praying that
the outcome will not be legal problems, an institution, injury
or death and that sooner rather than later he or she will hit
bottom, come to his or her senses and either stop on their own
or seek professional help.
CLICK
HERE to read A Guide To Intervention.
Managing
Heroin Withdrawal Symptoms with Suboxone
 There
are three basic routes of administration used by heroin addicts.
Injection, often called "shooting up" or "slamming"
in the illegal drug world, is by far the predominant method used
by heroin addicts. Smoking is a distant second and snorting or
sniffing is rarely a heroin addicts method of choice. Some prescription
opioids such as Oxycontin or Dilaudid can be injected even though
they come in tablet form. However, the manufacturers of newer
opiates like Methadone and Suboxone have gone to great lengths
in making it nearly impossible to inject them, thereby minimizing
abuse.
CLICK
HERE to read Managing Opiate Withdrawal Symptoms With Suboxone.
Crystal Meth
 Injection
is a popular method for use, but potentially carries quite serious
risks. The hydrochloride salt of methamphetamine is soluble in
water; injection users may use any dose from 200mg to over a gram
in one I.V. dose using a small needle. In methamphetamine research,
injection users often do not experience severe tooth decay, presumably
because there is no residue left as there is through smoking it.
But injection users experience greater jaw-clenching than users
who snort or smoke it, since injecting methamphetamine has a much
more powerful effect. This can cause loose teeth, so injection
users still do lose their teeth. Also, this method of ingestion
brings the risk of infection; injection users often experience
skin rashes (sometimes called "speed bumps") and all
kinds of infections due to the methamphetamine damage to the skin.
As with any injected drug, if a group of users shares a common
needle without sterilization procedures, very grave blood-borne
diseases such as HIV or hepatitis can be transmitted as well.
CLICK
HERE to read About Crystal Meth.
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