New Years Resolution : Stop Taking Prescription Drugs

January 1, 2009 and you are thinking of quitting prescription drugs for good?  It is your New Years Resolution?  Follow these quick tips and get yourself off those nasty prescription drugs and start a new year fresh!

Often times people are prescribed drugs for a problem or injury and don’t realize the prescription addiction that may follow.   It is best to consult with a doctor or rehab facility if that is required but many times it just takes you putting down the medicine – and stop getting the medicine refilled if you feel a dependency towards the prescription.

If you are a victim of prescription addiction it is best to consult with a doctor for the best results for YOU – but overall you know you can do it!  You are stronger then the addiction – we know it.  We’ve seen it a thousand times and we know that humans have the capability to overcome addiction with determination.
This New Year’s Resolution is up to you and we know that if you feel  you have a prescription addiction or are in need of a drug rehab – YOU WILL GET BETTER!
Here is some tips to sticking with your New Year’s Resolution:

-    Be Realistic.
-    Do it with a friend or family member.
-    Set a calendar and track your progress.
-    If your New Years Resolution involves drug addiction, consult a doctor for the best path for you.  Often times they will personalize a program for you to wean you off a prescription medicine.

*This is not medical advice and we are not your professional doctor.  If you are interested in professional medical help that is familiar with your medical history please consult your doctor.*

TV Shows about Drug Rehab / Addiction

It is a fact that television is bring more attention to drug rehabs then ever before. It is without a doubt that you can turn on many of the popular television shows and witness the realities that people live with everyday. Shows such as INTERVENTION or CELEBRITY DRUG REHAB are two prime examples. Do these shows do justice and show us what really is going on?

In a recent article released 12/15/2008 from a prominent rehab facility in Malibu, California says

The success or failure of a rehab program is ultimately a function of the environment in which it’s administered. A treatment center that fails to maintain an atmosphere conducive to the healing process will generally fail to help its clients get where they need to go. A treatment center that aims to preserve the privacy and dignity of its residents while ministering to their individual needs, on the other hand, will typically affect real and lasting recovery.

Therefore, if the success is determined by the enviornment is a TV-show a good enviornment to seek rehabilition for your drug addiction - experts would easily say no.  But - in all fairness if it changes just 1 person - in our opinion at Drug Rehab Costs.com is that it did its justice.

Myths about Rehab

There are many misconceptions and myths surrounding rehab. Some of the most common ones are that there is only one right way to treat addicts, drug rehab doesn’t work, involuntary rehab is a waste of time and that if you have been to one rehab, you have been to them all. While some of these myths may hold a grain of truth, they are largely false. We will discuss each one in more depth below.

1. There is only one right way to treat addicts: This is patently untrue. Because people are different and the situations that have contributed to their drug or alcohol abuse is likely different, the help they require to get off drugs will likely be different for each person. A program that may be very effective in treating 30% of addicts, may fail miserably treating the other 70%. This is one reason why it takes individuals several attempts at rehab before they find one that works. Because ultimately, to free themselves from the addiction, they will need to find a program that speaks to them and helps uncover why they started taking drugs and continue to do so.

2. Drug rehab doesn’t work: People become addicted to drugs for both psychological and physical reasons. Because drug use affects the brain, it becomes very difficult to stop without help. Sometimes this even requires medical intervention. Because there are also psychological and social factors that contribute to why a person takes drugs, it may take the more than one try before they figure everything out and they are able to break the ties that keep them using.

3. You have to be desperate in order for rehab to be effective: While this is true in some cases, it’s not true in all of them. Some people recognize early on that if they continue their behavior they will end up having long-term problems with drugs. Therefore, they check themselves into rehab so that they can do the work necessary to stop taking drugs. This can be very effective and people can successfully turn their lives around. A person doesn’t have to hit rock bottom, although it is necessary for some people, before they finally get the help that they need and respond to rehab.

4. Involuntary rehab is a waste of time: This is also another myth. Some people are forced into rehab by family and friends and others by the courts. If they find a good program and if somewhere deep inside they’re ready to stop drugs and then they can do so. It doesn’t necessarily have to be their idea to enroll into rehab program. But if they have the opportunity to and they respond, then they can get off drugs.

5. If you have been to one rehab then you have been to them all: This is another huge myth. There are different types of rehab with a variety of philosophies. It is very important that when a person is looking into rehab for themselves or a family member that they really take the time and see what’s out there. It is best to find a program that will best fit themselves or their loved one’s personality and temperament.

Drug Addiction

When most people begin to experiment with drugs they never think that they will one day be addicted to them.  However, emotional, psychological and physical factors can make some individuals more susceptible to drug addiction then others.

Some symptoms of drug addiction include a dependence on a particular drug or drugs, going to great lengths to obtain drugs and get high, physical cravings and the willingness to take risks to obtain the drugs even with there are negative consequences.  Persons who become addicted to drugs have constant cravings and thoughts about buying and taking drugs.

Persons can be addicted to both legal and illegal drugs. The number of individuals who are taking legal drugs, those prescribed by their doctors and over-the-counter, to get high is growing at an alarming rate.

When there is long-term use of drugs, pathways in the brain become altered. It is at this point that the drug addiction becomes a disease.  When the pathways and nerve cells in the brain become changed, physical addiction occurs. The brain reacts differently to the types of drugs that are taken and will be altered accordingly.

Drug addiction can be influenced by both genetics and the environment in which one lives. A person can be pre-disposed to drug addiction based on their family history.  The environment can also play a major role in drug use and drug addiction.  Individuals who have a lot of life stressors or who are around people who abuse drugs may be more tempted to use them themselves.  Some drugs are also much more addicting then others. Heroine and cocaine are two such drugs that often quickly entrap the persons who try them.  Others are less so such as marijuana.

One’s personality type may also influence whether or not they become addicted to drugs.  Individuals who have problems with depression or anxiety may use illegal or legal drugs to self medicate and may become addicted in the process.

It is believed that nearly 20 million people in the United States over the age of 12 have taken some sort of illegal drug.  24% of men and 16% of women in the U.S. have used drugs, with marijuana being the one most commonly taken. Drug-Rehabs.org reports that one in four Americans between the ages of 26-34 have tried cocaine. According to the Mayo Clinic 19,000 deaths from drug use occur every year in the United States.

Most people recognize that drug addiction can take a serious and even deadly toll on an individual.  It can cause them to lose the things that are most important to them such as their family, friends, job and money. Some people are more susceptible to drug addiction and everyone who takes drugs does not become addicted to them. There are individuals that are able to only take drugs socially. The problem is, one doesn’t know until after they have become addicted if they are one of those individuals. By then, it is impossible to turn back the clock.

Whether or not an individual becomes addicted to drugs depends on several factors.  A person’s genetic makeup, their environment and what is going on in their lives will either contribute to or insulate one from drug use. Drug addiction is very serious and can be a very ugly disease because it robs the individual, the people that they love and those who love them of a whole and healthy human being.  Family and friends suffer because they have to watch, often helplessly, someone that they care about deteriorate right before their eyes. Drug addicts suffer because they often alienate and hurt those people closest to them.