addiction
The realities of addition; the truth about living under, above and beyond the influence of drugs and alcohol.
Addiction- What is Addiction?
Addiction can strike in many different ways, losing finances can be one consequence. Dr. Tedd Levin who has been a physician in family medicine was telling me a story about 2 people who spent $ 50,000 a year to support their cocaine addiction, and lost everything they had, including their home. He also describes a lot of overlap between mental illness and addiction. He had a lot of experience working with youth. Working as a center physician for Job Corps youth for 17 years he has seen lots of young people between 16–25 years old who have been in multiple rehabs for treatment of addiction, and multiple psychiatric hospitalizations. He describes that it is difficult to figure out if it is a drug induced psychosis or a primary mental illness that the patient is going through such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Dr. Tedd Levin feels that all type of addictions are very tough to treat. We had a conversation about smoking and how smoking has been declining, but now a new thing coming up like vaping. There is always something new comes up. We discussed obesity and the consequences related to obesity. Addictions are tough no matter what the choice is alcohol, drugs, smoking or food.
By Gabriella Korosi4 years ago in Psyche
Addiction- What is Addiction?
Ron talks about addiction in the little town he lives in now and asserts that for such a small rural touristy town there is a lot of addiction that can be found here. Ron works as a nurse at a clinic. He has never seen a small town with so many heroin and meth users. He supports marijuana use. He saw a lot of opiate addiction. It keeps surprising him how much is going on in a small town. He has a lot of friends from south Florida who used meth, cocaine and alcohol. He talks about a guy he lived with that he knew for decades. They were social friends. They ended up moving in together for a while. Everything was great for a while, then his friend started to get into the meth crowd. It was very popular then. This was around 2008–2009. Things started to go very "wonky". As time went by and his friend was doing more clubbing and using meth, he started to do very weird things. He started to get paranoid. He thought people are watching him and getting signals through the appliances in the house and the neighbor next door is one of "them". (whoever they are). Consequently, Ron said he found a way to get into the wall space between the two condos and he would spy on the neighbor. The neighbor could hear him walking in the space between the condos. One day he took the electric pencil sharpener apart and was showing Ron proof that "they" came into the house and reconfigured the electronics of the pencil sharpener. He was showing Ron how they are transmitting signals through it. Ron told him it looks like a pencil sharpener that was taken apart. He would get very frustrated with Ron because Ron did not see what he saw. His friends did not see it. He slowly thought his friends were watching him and doing things because they did not play along in his fantasy. It became more and more bizarre and less rational and stable; he began to have financial problems because he spent money on meth but not paying bills. Ron came home one day, and his friend handed him a battery charger that was Ron's; it was wet. Ron asked why is it wet? His friend said he had to throw it into the toilet, it was the only way they would stop sending signals. Ron was like, oh, this is bad. All this happened in south Florida where air conditioning is essential. It is hot and humid. Ron thought "we are on a roller-coaster now". He would come home and find his friend covering up the windows and doors with black tarp and plastic taped on. His friend thought that "they are" in the parking lot watching him. It was dark in the apartment. Ron, at this point started to plan to escape. Ron was one of the last one's he was not one of them yet. The circle of friends was getting smaller and now the inner circle of friends was even getting smaller. He was at the deep end. The friends tried interventions, but it did not work. He elected to keep doing meth. One-night Ron's date was afraid to stay over, because his friend was getting very weird. Ron was planning to move out as soon as he could. At night Ron when was sleeping his friend barged in woke him up and asked him who he was talking to. Ron said he was sleeping. He insisted Ron was talking to somebody. He told Ron: "I know that you are talking to them now". At that point Ron become one of them, he was fearing for his safety. He came home the next day, and his key wouldn't open the door. His friend locked him out and told him he cannot come back there anymore. He allowed him to come back on Saturday between 9–11 to get his stuff. Ron was actually glad to be out of there. This event made him move sooner than later. He went from a very good friend to a mentally disturbed person. His friend ended up selling the condo. He moved away and eventually got into rehab and got sober. Ron said we will always be fine. He had not heard from his friend now for about 7–8 years. He was one of those people who got wrapped up in this destroying lifestyle. Ron witnessed this transformation from someone normal with a lot of friends and being popular to this "monster". It was very sad. His friend took the refrigerator and the oven apart, took the air conditioner apart. Ron would tell others these stories and it sounded fictional, but it was not. He would go home and there was no air conditioning. Ron was glad he did not become one of "them" until the end. Ron was telling me a lot of people were dying at this time in South Florida from using meth, overdosing, committing suicide. Ron would talk to other people who confirmed what was common in meth use: voices in the walls, signals from appliances. Ron calls this story: "My roommate from hell". He can laugh about it now, it was sad, but also funny, the things he did was crazy, sad and funny at the same time. The recovery was very hard for his friend from being a meth addict to become a normal person again. It cost a lot of money. All his resources went to getting sober. He got so caught up in the addiction that he did not realize what was going on. He got into it because of the social community around him. It was a party scene town especially in the gay community. Coming from non-acceptance in family or the community. That group become a chemical community, sense of belonging, become a social activity that sucked people in. Ron felt that people got really wrapped up in the party drugs and sex. Sex was a big focus too.
By Gabriella Korosi4 years ago in Psyche
I Lived a Double Life for 19 Years
The thing about living a double life is that there is always a moment that you fear- a singular moment you know is bound to happen that will cause the two worlds to collide. I did not know exactly what my moment would be, but I knew it would be cataclysmic. Let me paint you a picture of what my life looked like 26 months ago, at least from the outside looking in. I had a successful career, drove a shiny new car, was engaged to a wonderful man whom I loved more than anything, and had a small circle of friends I knew I could count on. I was dependable and reliable at work, funny and outgoing to my friends and family, successful and ready to settle down with my fiancé. I paid my bills on time, voted, and was a model citizen. I had never even been pulled over. My life was perfect, or so it seemed. What no one knew, was that I was harboring a secret that if discovered, would cause my world to implode. Well, twenty-six months ago, the lie that I had been living for nineteen years completely blew up, ruining the perfect persona that I had worked so hard to maintain. It destroyed me, but it also saved my life.
By Hollie Ann4 years ago in Psyche
Causes of Drug Abuse
Often, drug rehabilitation treatments can provide some answers as to what causes of drug abuse are under such situations. In many instances, the causes for adolescent girls and boys who use drugs are intertwined with their environment and experiences at this time. Other times, however, there are underlying reasons that are less well known. Understanding those can help you address the problem more effectively.
By Rolland Leif4 years ago in Psyche
Affordable Sober Living in Kannapolis, NC
There are a number of facilities that offer the best possible treatment for substance abuse and addiction. One such rehab center in Kannapolis is located at Emerald Isle. The location of the center is ideal for those seeking the best substance abuse treatment in North Carolina. If you are looking to find a center that offers high quality addiction treatment, try Emerald Isle. They have been offering effective treatment for those suffering from addiction for over fifteen years.
By Maryann Gularte4 years ago in Psyche
Long Term Effect of Drug Addiction
The long term effect of drug addiction depends largely on the type and intensity of drug use. It can be described as either short term or long term effects. The long term effect of drug addiction is characterized by either physical symptoms or psychological ones. It includes drug withdrawal symptoms and feelings such as anxiety, depression, irritability, restlessness, insomnia, dizziness, nausea, paranoia and shakes.
By Mandy Patenaude4 years ago in Psyche
All About Alcohol Detox
Alcohol detox is not something that is done very often. Withdrawal from alcohol is very difficult and not everybody can accomplish it on their own without professional help. That problem is why most alcoholics are given alcohol detoxification treatment and detox at rehabilitation centers across the country.
By Ravi Kumar4 years ago in Psyche
Am I still Sober?
My first post here on Vocal was about my journey to sobriety from alcohol. It's called "55 days Sober." I realized that i wrote that article six months ago and never made an update. The question that everyone asks when they see sober posts is "Are you still sober?" The short answer for me is technically no i have had drinks since I've last wrote. But I want to share my story, what I've learned along the way, how I've healed, my future goals etc. This could be a very long post, but I hope that it will help at least one person in their journey of sobriety. One thing I want to note is sobriety does look different for every person, what works for one person may not for another. And that is perfectly okay.
By Kimmiekins44 years ago in Psyche
Affordable Sober Living in Florida
Sober Living in Florida - What is Sober Living? Simply put, sobriety is about being comfortable with your problems and having an understanding of why you need treatment for them. A Sober Living in Florida rehab is your place to go if you are ready to face your problems and turn them around. In Sober Living in Florida you will find warm supportive people who know what it's like to be in your shoes.
By Spencer Rentas4 years ago in Psyche
Hungry for More – Eating to Fill the Void Inside
The other day we decided to go ahead with some home renovations and booked in a builder to refurbish our bathroom. As soon as we hung up the phone, I felt the need to reach for celebratory ice cream. After all, this was exciting, and we needed to honor the occasion with a treat. I realized that I didn't really need the ice cream, but I felt I just had to have it.
By Nicole Y. Adams4 years ago in Psyche
Addiction treatment center in Oxnard, CA
If you or a loved one needs help with substance abuse and addiction, Inpatient drug rehab in Oxnard, CA might be the right choice for you. The medical facility at Oxnard is known for its quality treatment programs that can help patients overcoming their addiction and return to their lives normal lives in a matter of weeks. There are 12 treatment options for those who need rehabilitation. They offer one on one counseling, group therapy, group support, and detoxification programs that can help patients break the cycle of addiction.
By Theron Ivey4 years ago in Psyche
