Top Questions to Ask Before Enrolling in a Drug Rehab Center

Once you’ve come to the decision that you must enroll in a drug rehab center to combat your addiction, it’s time to get serious about finding the right facility for your recovery.  Many factors come into play when finding the specific facility that will best suit your needs.  Some drug treatment programs offer only inpatient services while others are exclusively outpatient.  Some rehab centers offer traditional and alternative therapies while others are strictly traditional.  There are holistic clinics, facilities that include luxury accommodations and lifestyles, and facilities that are more of a medical or hospital environment.

In order to determine which drug rehab center is right for you prior to enrollment, you may want to ask a few questions.

• What kind of services do you offer to recovering addicts?
  This is one of the most important questions to ask of a potential rehab center. You will need to make certain that the treatment styles and services offered will match with your personality, and your ability to utilize them. For instance, if you are not a fan of horses, paying for equine therapy from which you will not benefit may not be your best option. On the other hand, if you respond well to touch therapy but the facility does not offer therapeutic massage to help with the effects of withdrawal, you may be cheating yourself out of a tool that can help you succeed.
• How long is the recovery program you offer?
  The length of programs varies from one facility to another. Determining how long each program is can help you choose the right one for you, based upon how long you can realistically afford to be away from your family. This is especially true if you happen to be the sole wage earner in your family or a single parent.
• Can I stay longer if I feel I need to?
  At the end of the treatment cycle, you may or may not feel as though you are prepared to leave. There are many cases where fear plays a part in this decision; however, there are other times when it is in the best interest of the addict to remain in treatment for a few extra weeks. It’s a good idea to determine, in advance, if additional time in treatment is a possibility.
• Does your facility accept insurance or bill my insurance company for me?
  Nobody likes to think about the cost of rehab treatment for drug or alcohol addiction. Unfortunately, most people must consider the financial impact that treatment will have on their family. Many insurance companies now provide at least some benefits for drug addiction recovery services. Make sure you find out if the facility in question can bill your insurance directly, and if not, can help you file for your reimbursements on a regular basis while you are residing at the facility. Having these regular reimbursements or disbursements to the facility will help to reduce the amount of stress associated with the early recovery process.

How Cocaine Rehab Can Save Your Life

Cocaine addiction is a serious illness that can have far-reaching effects on everyone who suffers from it. Not only are the risks of long-term health issues very real, but the risk of death is also something to consider. Cocaine can cause death in anyone who uses it, regardless of the frequency or amount of use.

The danger of sudden death from the use of cocaine comes from the cardiovascular effects of the drug. A cocaine user often needs to take more of the drug in order to reap the euphoric changes they are looking for, which can also contribute to the chances of sudden death. However, an individual can also take less of the drug than they have previously and still suffer a heart attack or stroke.

In addition to heart attack and stroke, cocaine use can also cause several life-threatening problems, such as:

• Malnutrition
• Severe nosebleeds
• Erratic behavior that leads to unsafe choices and a disregard for safety
• Driving under the Influence of drugs or alcohol
• Intravenous drug use increasing the risk of HIV/AIDS

Behaviors and Choices Can Cost an Addict Their Life

An individual operating under the influence of an addiction will take grave risks to obtain more of the drug they crave. He or she may find they are placing themselves in situations that are inherently dangerous as they frequent places they would otherwise not choose to visit. Generally, where there are large amounts of drugs, there is a greater chance of violence, for instance.

When an addict’s drug of choice is not available, they may engage in additional drugs, like opiates and alcohol, to make due until they can find access to their preferred drug. This can lead to even more addiction issues as well as the risks of death.

Driving under the influence of drugs is just as dangerous as driving under the influence of alcohol. Such a choice can put not only the addict’s life at risk, but the lives of anyone else he or she comes into contact with.

Finally, there is the issue of quality of life. A drug addict’s most important goal is to obtain drugs so they can get high. They will often choose to use drugs over working, spending time with their own children or family members, and they will allow their financial security to fall into ruin. This can have a devastating emotional effect on the addict and their family, causing a kind of “living death.”

Rehab Is Necessary to Make a Fresh Start

When an addict is ready to stop using cocaine, finding a rehab center is important to success. Quitting a drug as powerful as cocaine is difficult. In order to obtain the fresh start to life that they desire, the addict will need medical support, emotional support, and the ability to cut off contact with those individuals who have helped them in their drug-seeking and using activities.

It is difficult for an addict to make the choice to enter a proven rehab program. Any attempt to give up a drug like cocaine is going to mean making huge changes in lifestyle that can bring apprehension and fear. However, once a rehab program has been started, the successful application of the skills and treatment can save the addict’s life.

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.

Types of Drug Rehabs

There are several types of drug rehab programs and facilities available.  The most common ones are short stay, residential and outpatient facilities.  Drug rehabilitation philosophies run the gamut as well.  There are some that focus on the spiritual, others which place a strong emphasis on the psychological and others that will focus on the medical aspect of the disease. The latter are known as medical rehab facilities.  They help drug users with the physical withdrawal symptoms that occur when they are first getting off of drugs. This may include the administration of medication or simply treating the patient while they are going through the detoxification process.

Typically, the drug rehab options that a person has will depend on how much money they have available to spend on treatment and whether or not their health insurance provides coverage.  Persons with a great deal of money are able to afford drug rehab programs that are very intensive and holistic.  While this may have its advantages, in most cases it doesn’t matter how many or what types of perks a drug rehab program has. Recovery essentially boils down to if an individual is ready to quit. Persons with a lot of money often need more than one rehab stay just as addicts with less money.  While it may be assumed that there are obvious advantages to being able to afford more expensive rehab programs, whether or not one is able to kick their habit will come down to if they are ready and if the program that they choose is right for them and is able to address the issues relating to their addiction.

Inpatient treatment programs are one type of drug rehab facility.  Addicts stay in the treatment center and their actions are tightly regulated.  Individuals receive meals and often times counseling.  There may also be some type of medical component when the person is first admitted to the program. Inpatient drug rehab typically requires only a short stay. Generally, 4-6 weeks is the most time that individuals will spend in these types of facilities.

Outpatient drug rehab is another alternative for drug addicts.  This type of rehab allows individuals to continue to work and live with their family. There are meetings and classes that they will attend that address both the psychological and environmental triggers of addiction.  Individuals will learn ways to navigate their environment and also to handle stress without using drugs. One such popular program is Narcotics Anonymous (N.A.).  This program is very similar to Alcohol Anonymous. N.A. uses spirituality as a foundation for overcoming drug addiction. Consequently, an individual has an opportunity to incorporate their faith while getting clean.

Lastly, there are long-term drug rehabilitation centers. These types of rehabilitation facilities typically require that an individual stay for a pretty good length of time, even up to a year.  It may very well be longer then that. Individuals leave when they complete the program or believe that they are able and strong enough to return to their environment without relapsing.  They may also offer job-training and counseling. Their goal is to give addicts the tools that they will need to be successful once they leave the facility.