One of the fastest growing types of drugs abused by teenagers and young adults today is prescription medications. More and more kids are sneaking into their parents’ medicine cabinets and bedside tables and taking whatever they find there in the way of prescription narcotics and opiate painkillers. These medications are readily available, inexpensive, and perceived by many teens to be perfectly safe.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has been increasingly concerned with the high rate of prescription drug abuse, especially among adolescents and young adults. NIDA’s most recent Monitoring the Future study found in 2008 that nearly one in 10 high school seniors reported abusing Vicodin within the past year, and nearly one in 20 reported abusing OxyContin. Moreover, of the top 11 drugs most commonly abused by high school seniors, seven are either prescribed or purchased over the counter.

Both Vicodin and OxyContin are now more popular among high school seniors than Ecstasy and Cocaine. Ritalin and Adderall, used most often to treat Attention-Deficit-Disorder, are also being abused at an alarming rate. Even drugs you might not associate with “getting high,” such as those used to treat Anxiety Disorders such as Xanax or Valium, are prime targets for teens.

Many teenages think these drugs are safe because they have legitimate uses, but taking them without a prescription to get high or “self-medicate” can be as dangerous - and addictive - as using street narcotics and other illicit drugs.

Many of the same environmental problems that contribute to high-risk alcohol use also contribute to the abuse of prescription medication. Students are unable to find healthy ways to deal with stress and other mental health issues and believe that using prescription drugs inappropriately is socially acceptable and safer than the abuse of other illicit substances.

Despite studies showing that abuse of prescription drugs can lead to addiction, paranoia, seizures or even death, many teenagers mistakenly believe that taking prescription and over-the-counter drugs is safer than using illicit drugs. As a result, they are increasingly raiding their home medicine cabinets in search of the next high.

Prescription drug addiction is affecting teenagers across cultures, gender, and class. This epidemic is on the rise, and will continue its upward trend until both teens and parents realize the devastating effect these drugs can have. If you have a loved one or family member who is struggling with prescription drug abuse, please contact us at Creative Care for more information.

Labels: Adderall, Anxiety-Disorders, Attention-Deficit-Disorder, Cocaine, Ecstacy, Oxycontin, Prescription-Drug-Abuse, Prescription-Medications, Ritalin, Vicodin, Xanax

Addiction invades every region and demographic in the United States, affecting more than 23 million Americans and putting families though a heartbreaking cycle of recovery and relapse. Many people give up and never find the right treatment that will enable them to break free of their addiction forever.

Offering a radical new approach, clinical psychologist Dr. Morteza Khaleghi argues that the vast majority of drug and alcohol addiction is driven by an emotional trauma. A pioneer of the dual diagnosis recovery program, he treats the body for chemical dependency while simultaneously ministering to the emotional block that serves as a trigger for relapse. A regular advisor on the Dr. Phil show, Dr. Khaleghi has mapped out recovery plans for thousands of patients and their families. Well-known facilities such as Hazelden, Sierra Tucson, and the Betty Ford Center refer their toughest cases to him, looking to his vast experience and high rate of success. In this groundbreaking book, he teaches you the methods that have made him the therapist that other therapists turn to for advice.

Families will learn how to:

•Recognize addictive behavior
•Plan and stage effective interventions
•Work on the family dynamics that enable addiction

Patients will learn to:

•Become self aware about addictive behavior
•Identify the emotional trauma that is at the heart of nearly every addiction
•Detect early signs of relapse and take preemptive measures

Drawing on over 20 years of experience healing patients, Dr. Khaleghi’s insightful, nurturing and-- above all--breakthrough book is geared to anyone looking for help with dependency and to the spouses, parents, children, and friends who bear the brunt of this damaging disease. Free from Addiction will redefine addiction treatment and provide new hope to all those embarking on recovery.

Learn more about treating dual diagnosis and what's involved in the treatment of a co-occuring addiction and mental illness.

Labels: Addiction, Addiction-Treatment, Chemical-Dependency, Co-Occurring-Addictions, Dr.-Morteza-Khaleghi, Dr.-Phil, Drug-And-Alcohol-Addiction, Dual-Diagnosis, Emotional-Trauma, Free-From-Addiction

It’s not always easy to tell when someone is addicted to alcohol or drugs. Like any disease, the sooner addiction is identified and treated, the better. Recognizing the warning signs in your loved one or family member suffering from chemical dependency is often the first step to uncovering their addiction and getting them the help they need.

Here are several common warnings signs to watch for if you suspect your loved one is addicted to alcohol or drugs:

• Drop in performance at school or work
• Lack of interest in personal appearance
• Withdrawal, isolation, depression, fatigue
• Physically abusive, aggressive, punching holes in walls, etc.
• Hostility and lack of cooperativeness
• Deteriorating relationships with family including passive attitudes toward or withdrawal from family activities and discussions
• Change in friends and/or secrecy about new acquaintances and their activities
• Loss of interest in hobbies and/or sports
• Change in eating/sleeping habits
• Radical fluctuation in weight, appetite or thirst
• Sudden health problems – recurrent nosebleeds, vomiting, seizures
• Finding drug paraphernalia hidden in the home, pipes, rolling papers, eye drops, butane lighters, soft drink containers made in to pipes, etc.
• Borrowing excessive amounts of money or cash and other items missing from home

If someone in your family is exhibiting any of the characteristics above, they may have an alcohol or drug addiction and need your help. Let us help you learn how to deal with this situation and how to get your loved one onto the road to recovery. Don’t wait, give us a call. Help is available.

Labels: Addiction, Alcohol, Chemical-Dependency, Drug-Addiction, Drugs, Warning-Signs-Of-Alcohol-And-Drug-Addiction

You drink, you drive, and you get arrested. But you go on to drink and drive again. And you get arrested again, and again, to the point that you face jail or prison time. Alcohol dependency is the hidden cause behind many drunk driving offenses. For some alternative sentencing, such as court-approved placement at a treatment center, may be the best outcome.

Drunk driving is a menace in California. According to the California Department of Motor Vehicles, most Driving Under the Influence (DUI) or Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) statistics have risen since 2004. The numbers are staggering. In 2004 there were 183,560 DUI arrests in the state; that number jumped to 203,866 in 2007.

The consequences of a DUI conviction can be grave. However, many courts have developed alternative sentencing programs that give authorities greater flexibility in meting out punishment. Sentencing alternatives are typically designed to help as well as punish the guilty driver. Alternative sentences allow DUI offenders to retain their jobs and seek treatment for alcoholism, if needed - opportunities that are rarely available in county jail or prison.

Alternative Sentencing is a viable legal option instead of incarceration. If you, your client, or someone you love has criminal charges pending against them, we may be able to help in minimizing jail time exposure while providing appropriate alcohol, drug, and/or behavioral health treatment. Please don't hesitate to contact us today for more information.

Labels: Alcohol, Alcohol-Dependency, Alcoholism, Alternative-Sentencing, Behavioral-Health-Treatment, California, Drug, Drunk-Driving, DUI, DWI, Sentencing-Alternatives

Many studies have shown that the roots of addiction and substance abuse often reach much deeper than most people assume, with traumatic early childhood abuse and family dysfunction laying the foundation for more troubling behavior later in life.

Adult survivors of childhood physical, emotional, or sexual abuse are not only at increased risk for addiction, but they are increasingly more likely to suffer from a host of physical and mental health disorders, including depression, anxiety, self-destructive behavior, poor self-esteem, difficulty in trusting others, tendency toward re-victimization, substance abuse, and sexual maladjustment.

Many therapists and psychiatrists consider untreated childhood trauma and abuse, as not just one possible factor, but the primary risk factor for later addictions. Trauma and addiction can be an unending cycle: feel bad, use drugs or alcohol to self medicate, numb the pain, feel bad for the drug or alcohol abuse, continue self medicating, so on and so forth. In order to help someone overcome their addiction, the underlying trauma needs to be addressed and treated in conjunction with the drug, chemical, or alcohol abuse.

Early childhood trauma and abuse are rarely overcome alone and, even then, the emotional problems still linger. If you or a loved one is suffering from early childhood trauma or abuse call us at Creative Care in Malibu, CA today. With help, you can overcome your past.

Labels: Addiction, Alcohol-Abuse, Anxiety, Childhood-Trauma-And-Abuse, Depression, Drug, Malibu, Mental-Health, Poor-Self-Esteem, Self-Destructive-Behavior, Sexual-Maladjustment, Substance-Abuse, Trauma

Self-Injury has become a major concern in America. Self-injury or self-harm is when someone intentionally harms their own body. It is usually the result of someone’s inability to deal with the mental pain they are experiencing. The physical injury can distract you from the mental pain and causes you to feel a sense of control. This can bring a temporary sense of calm and release from the negative feelings someone feels, but is only followed by more negative feelings.

Researchers have offered some reasons for this behavior. Self-injury is usually done impulsively and is not a suicide attempt, so it can be followed by guilt, shame, and magnification of original painful emotions. Often, researchers say, self-harm may be a way to feel control over the helplessness and anger resulting from abuse, neglect or other negative experiences. It becomes a coping mechanism for deflecting your distress by turning it into pain that seems understandable and controllable.

The most well-known form of overt self-injury is cutting, the practice of using some form of sharp edge (whether razor blade, knife, scissors, or some other object) to draw blood. There are several alternatives to this practice, including burning or hitting oneself and pulling out hair. Other persons find ways to harm themselves through being in relationships that are abusive to them or in creating “accidents” for themselves.

It is important to get help for these destructive behaviors before they control you and cause you to act impulsively. Though you may be embarrassed or ashamed to get help, self-injury is a sign of way bigger issues that need to be addressed, and there are people who will not be judgmental and help you. Self-harm also can be addictive; therefore it is imperative to get help because it is hard to overcome on your own. With help you can find other ways to cope with your problems that will not leave permanent scars on your body.

If you or loved one participates in self-injury we encourage you to reach out and get help. You are not alone; help is available. For more information on self-harm and other destructive behaviors please contact us today. A healthier way of life is possible.

Labels: Cutting, Self-Harm, Self-Injury, Suicide

Alcohol abuse and depression can be a deadly mix. Health experts have long believed in a link between alcohol abuse and depression. However, it has previously been unclear whether one disorder causes the other, or whether a common underlying genetic or environmental risk factor increases risk for both.

There is a clear connection between alcohol consumption and depression because alcohol alters the chemistry in our brains. A recent study has shown that those who are dependent on or abuse alcohol are almost 2 times more likely to meet the criteria for depression as well. Almost 70% of suicide victims were drunk while doing so, and almost 40% of men who have attempted suicide have some sort of alcohol dependency problem. Alcohol can also cause problems in our relationships and work performance, which could further enhance depression.

Depression and alcohol may feel like a chicken and egg situation; in that you aren't certain which is the cause and which the effect. There's a very good chance that the two are interlinked, but what seems absolutely clear is that depression is never helped by alcohol; which may lead to suicidal thoughts and actions.

To get help for your depression you may first need to tackle alcohol. People who are depressed and who abuse alcohol have more frequent and severe episodes of depression, and are more likely to think about committing suicide.

Whether you realize it or not, concurrent disorders such as alcoholism and depression have a major impact on life. If you or a loved one is struggling with alcohol abuse or depression and would like a program that specializing in the treatment of co-occurring diagnosis; please contact us today.

Labels: Alcohol, Alcohol-Abuse, Alcoholism, Co-Occurring-Disorders, Depression, Suicide

Don’t relapse after rehab. Sober living usually serves to help those individuals, who are in the process of transitioning from a residential drug and alcohol rehab, back into their daily lives. For some individuals, returning home to their old environments would be stressful and a trigger old habits. Sober living serves as a way to help those individuals transition back into daily life while helping them to maintain their sobriety and recovery.

Sober living homes provide a more seamless transition to the real world. The individual will live, side-by-side, with other individuals going through the same process as they are. This support structure provides encouragement and a sounding board for one another during the period when relapse is still a very real concern.

Alcohol and drug addiction studies have shown that the chances of achieving long-term sobriety are greatly increased by an extended stay in a sober living home. If a client forgoes a sober living home, the result is all too often a return to the same self destructive behaviors that landed them in drug and alcohol treatment in the first place.

A sober living environment provides the opportunity for a recovering addict to move on to the next step in creating the life that they are meant to be living. This, over time, will help to build up the self-esteem and confidence needed to go into the world, and continue to live a drug and alcohol free life.

Are you or a loved interested in finding more information on sober living homes in Los Angeles, CA? If so, please don't hesitate to contact us today.

Labels: Addiction, Alcohol, Alcohol-And-Drug Addiction, Drug, Drug-And-Alcohol-Rehab, Los-Angeles, Rehab, Sober-Living, Sobriety