A Solid 12 Step Program In LA

Twelve Step recovery programs are well known for use in recovery from addictive or dysfunctional behaviors. The first 12 step program began with Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) in the 1930s. The 12 Step approach has since grown to be the most widely used approach in dealing with not only alcoholism, but also drug abuse and various other addictive or dysfunctional behaviors.

In addition to working all of the Steps with their mentor, residents will be taught numerous life skills and practices crucial to their recovery, including: money, career, goal setting, organizational skills, nutrition, physical exercise, meditation, impulse control, communication skills, giving back to the community and their families, and spiritual laws which impact how they have been living their lives. And last, but most importantly, they will develop a personal relationship with their Higher Power, a relationship which promotes inner peace and a sense that all is well.

The programs designed by Above It All Drug Rehab start off with an inpatient detox followed by residential treatments. A Sober lifestyle then begins in one of the Oxford homes. Diagnosis is known as one of the most important parts of recovering and that is exactly what sets Above It All Drug Rehab apart from the rest of the pack.  A 12 step adaptation program is the key to the success of their clientele. If you are looking for an LA Drug Rehab Center, give Above It All a call.

What Are Bath Salts?

We hear a lot of talk these days about bath salts and the most common two questions that I hear are “what are bath salts “ and “I thought you used those in bathwater”.  The confusion comes in the name. There are bath salts that are used in bath water; however, these are not the bath salts that you are hearing about today.  The bath salts you here about today is a drug that is formed from methylenedioxypyrovalerone, although newer pyrovalerone derivatives are being made by illegal street chemists.

Bath salts can usually be found in mini-marts and smoke shops sold as Ivory White, Bolivian Bath and other names and are usually labeled “not for human consumption” which allows them to avoid being labeled as illegal.  Most law enforcement officials believe that eventually all of these chemicals will become illegal.  Being illegal, however, does not mean that they will disappear.  Cocaine, marijuana and heroin are illegal but they are all still out there for consumption, which leads to addiction problems.  Bath salts will likely follow that trend.

Bath Salts are very scary in that when using them you experience agitation, paranoia, chest pains suicidal feelings an increased pulse and high blood pressure.  Some of the suicidal feelings have resulted in suicides several days after bath salt use.  As for being addictive, they have not been around long enough to know if they are or not but that may be a moot point if the suicidal feelings enter your mind after the first use.

Will bath salts stay around?  The answer is probably because as with any new drug, they are under the radar like most designer drugs and are constantly changing as drug makers will keep creating new combinations at home and in illicit drug labs.

What Is Oxycontin?

Oxycontin is a pain reliever that was introduced in 1995.  Its main ingredient is Oxycodone.  Oxycontin is specifically meant to treat moderate and severe pain but can also be used to treat several other conditions including constipation, anxiety and cough symptoms.  Within a few years of the introduction of Oxycontin the many cases of Oxycontin misuse and abuse began, especially among teenagers.

Most abusers of Oxycontin are seeking the rush and the feeling of euphoria that it creates along with the feelings of lightheadedness, release from inhibitions, stress and pain relief.  Oxycontin produces the same effects that heroin produces. 

Oxycontin addiction is a physical dependence that is unavoidable when a person is taking a high dosage for a long period of time.  The body adapts and develops a tolerance for the drug and it becomes so powerful that it actually produces cravings for it.  Cravings for Oxycontin result from its impact on an individual’s memory of the feelings of euphoria and pleasantness that it associates with the ingesting of Oxycontin.

Like other addictive drugs, Oxycontin is able to short circuit your survival system by artificially stimulating the reward center, or the pleasure center of your brain without anything beneficial happening to your body.

There are a number of effective options to treat a dependence on Oxycontin and other prescription opioids and to help manage the severe withdrawal symptoms that accompany sudden cessation of drug use.  They include treatment programs using methadone along with behavioral approaches.  Once the patient completes detoxification, the treatment provider must then work with the patient to determine which course of treatment would best suit the needs of the patient.

Rapid detox is the most recent entry into the field of opiate detoxification.  It treats opiate dependency at the receptor level, blocking opioid receptors and precipitating the withdrawal syndrome, while controlling it. This is achieved through use of medications, including anesthetic agents that allow withdrawal to occur, while the patient is unconscious.

Kicking Substance Abuse and Getting Help

"No one has ever regretted getting sober" ~ McKay

via Above it All Treatment