A Guide To Drug Rehab: What To Expect

For years, there was a stigma surrounding mental health issues such as drug abuse and addiction. Thankfully, that stigma is starting to fade. Now, there is a new attitude surrounding addiction and the treatment of those who suffer from it. This includes the development of effective drug rehab programs that specialize in addiction. At the same time, some people might be nervous about starting the drug rehab process, particularly when it involves an extended stay. Fortunately, there are plenty of people who are willing to lend a helping hand to those in need. Before enrolling in a drug rehab program, there are a few important points to keep in mind. Understanding some of the information below will help individuals and their families prepare for the road to recovery that is ahead. With the right preparation, everyone will be able to get the most out of their stint in drug rehab.

What is Drug Rehab?

First, it is important for everyone to understand what drug rehab is and what it entails. It is important for people to know that the stay in drug rehab can vary from person to person. Some people might be there for a few weeks while other people might end up staying for a few months. The exact length of rehab will depend on someone’s progress as well as their insurance and financial statuses. The nice thing about drug rehab is that it can be tailored to meet the individual needs of the person. There are lots of different groups and therapies that might be used to help someone during his or her stay in rehab.

For example, some people might start off with one on one sessions with a professional counselor. This is a great way for someone to understand exactly what drove them to drug abuse and addiction in the first place. Understanding the root cause of the issue can help someone get started on the road to recovery.

Then, that person might start participating in some group sessions. This is a great way for people to learn that they are not alone. There are lots of other people who have gone through similar circumstances. This is a chance for people to learn more about other people and discover ways to tackle drug abuse and addiction. Individual therapies will be employed to help people recover in a more efficient manner.

Who Needs To Go to Rehab?

One of the most common questions involves who exactly needs to go to rehab. The good news is that a drug rehab is a great option for anyone who suffers from drug abuse and addiction and would like the help of trained professionals. Of course, some people might need to go to rehab more urgently than others.

  • First, anyone whose addiction has placed them in the hospital should strongly consider going to rehab. This is a sign that someone is losing control of his or her addiction and is placing themselves and others in harm’s way.
  • Second, those who are having trouble maintaining employment should also consider going to rehab. This can help someone make sure they maintain their professional relationships and can hold down a job in the future.
  • Finally, anyone who is losing control and/or sabotaging his or her personal relationships should also go to rehab. This will help someone refocus his or her priorities on what matters most.

What To Expect In Drug Rehab

When someone arrives in rehab, there are a few different things that people should expect. First, everyone should be expected to be treated with the care and compassion they deserve. There are trained professionals who are there to provide expert care without reservations or judgment. People should be expected to be treated as people and not as a disease.

Next, people should expect that rehab is going to be a challenge. If breaking an addiction was easy, drug rehab wouldn’t be needed. Therefore, people shouldn’t expect to shy away from this challenge. They should be ready to meet it head-on with the assistance of those around them.

Finally, everyone at rehab should expect to get better. There are professionals who are willing to lend a helping hand to those in need. With the help of others, everyone has a chance to overcome their addiction through addiction treatment.

Let Us Help You Today

At Soba Recovery, we are a luxury detox and drug rehab program with locations in Mesa, AZ, and San Antonio, TX. Our professionals are always here to help individuals and families beat drug abuse and addiction. We blend traditional, proven therapies with an innovative approach to make sure that we can address everyone’s needs. If you would like to learn more about our services, please contact us today. We would be honored to help you beat addiction and regain control of your life.

Drug Addiction and Depression: How They Intertwine

woman struggling with depression and drug addiction

Drug Addiction and Depression

Did you know that approximately 20 million Americans have drug addictions that are not being treated? This often leads to their condition getting worse and sometimes lethal. Drug addiction and depression are popular patterns that go hand in hand; where the person will have psychological disorders, as they age the condition of their mental state sharply declines. In a lot of cases, they will develop substance abuse or alcohol abuse issues. Studies show that women were more likely to be diagnosed with mental illness than men. Substance abuse among women is growing at an alarming rate where a 2009 survey reported that women 6.6% of women aged 12 and older had confessed to using an illegal drug.

The Catastrophic Effects of Alcohol, Depression & Substance Abuse

Many people who are alcoholics and heavy drinkers are in danger of liver cirrhosis which is when the liver does not perform properly due to excessive and long term abuse. Cirrhosis can eventually lead to the liver failing completely which ultimately can lead to death.

Depression and substance abuse come with their myriad of negative effects as well. Depression not only weakens your immune system leaving you susceptible to colds and viruses but can cause insomnia, difficulty focusing which is especially problematic in academic environments, inability to preserve healthy personal relationships, and in some occasion’s chronic pain!

Substance abuse is even worse with the effect varying on the substance.

Inside the Psychology of Depression, Alcoholism, & Drug Addiction

couple trying to cope with depressionThe reason why many people with depression turn to opioid substances is because of the chemical Dopamine that is released when the drugs are taken. Dopamine affects our emotions, movement, and recollection and since the brain remembers the feeling of being “high” an increased level of pleasure is released which in turn becomes addictive due to the brain craving the activity.

When someone is depressed and cuts themselves, several people have reported that the motor response that is released is similar to shooting heroin. It is also reported that this behavior is self-reinforcing and gives the user a sense of power and a sense of control.

Now alcohol, on the other hand, is slightly different as alcohol for many is solving a problem. The underlying primary problem for alcohol abuse could have started in your adolescence, teen years or your adulthood. From those times onward there will be some bad feelings, bad relationships and bad situations that were experienced which leads to alcohol becoming the coping mechanism and, thus the cycle begins.

Other cases that have led to alcoholism are peer pressure and the want for social acceptance. In a lot of social situations, many may find it hard to turn down their friends who are offering them drink after drink. It is human nature to want to be accepted by our peers and loved ones, many would say that it is fundamental to humans. Getting rejected is actually not good for your health; some symptoms from rejection are not sleeping well, weakened immune system, depression, and a shortened life span. All of these side effects can lead to peer pressure drinking.

Warning Signs of Substance Abuse and Depression

Here are some warning signs and symptoms of depression and drug use that you want to pay attention to. If you see your loved one doing these consistently then they may need treatment.

  • Loss of appetite or constant binge eating
  • Shying away from their usual activities and behaviors
  • Sleeping a lot and lacking energy
  • Loss of hope, feeling numb and feeling like nothing matters
  • Drinking, smoking and abusing more drugs than they were before
  • Feeling unusually moody usually angry, sad, worried, on edge, or fearful
  • Hostility and fighting between their close family and friends
  • Hearing thoughts and believing things/events that are not true
  • Thoughts of self-harm
  • Lack of motivation to do daily necessary tasks (example: bathing)

Depression and Addiction Recovery

In addition to receiving addiction treatment, some methods that may help improve the mental state of those with depression and substance abuse disorders are:

  • Reaching out and connecting with others in the church, participating in community services, and engaging with positive influences in their lives
  • Utilizing healthy outlets such as painting, drawing, singing, exercising, cooking, writing
  • Helping to improve others’ lives
  • Receiving professional help through a rehab service

In order to solve the issue of the person’s attachment to the substance, you have to find out what led to the substance abuse and the underlying reason why the user is abusing alcohol or other substances. After the root cause is discovered the next step is to find a healthier replacement so that the user can gradually and safely let go of the substance/substances.

When the right issue is addressed we can begin to reach a solution so that many more people will have a better quality of life and healthy lifestyles not dependent on substances.

8 Signs Someone You Love May be Using Drugs

Drug addiction doesn’t happen overnight. It generally starts with occasional, recreational use and gradually with repeated use; it progresses into the need for regular use regardless of the risk to your relationships, your health, your career, and your finances. Addiction is the psychological and physical need to continue use, regardless of the effects. The amount of time it takes before substance abuse takes hold on someone’s life varies from person to person, but eventually, the individual feels compelled to seek out their substance of choice due to strong cravings. It’s important to keep in mind that most people with a substance abuse problem tend to keep their addiction a secret and it’s unlikely that they admit to the problem. Learning the signs that someone you care about is abusing drugs and/or alcohol may be the difference between life and death. Here are 8 signs that someone you care about may be using drugs.

1. Physical Changes in Appearance

Changes in appearance are the most common sign of drug abuse. Some of the most common changes in appearance may include:

  • Weight loss or gain
  • Pale skin
  • Changes in dental health
  • Hair loss
  • Fatigue

Keep in mind that these changes may be gradual, but in many situations, the changes are relatively sudden and often times very drastic. The person may also have bloodshot or glassy eyes, their pupils may constrict or dilate, they may have a constantly runny nose, and/or they may have sores on their skin, which are often caused by scratching, injections, and/or picking at the skin.

2. Personal Hygiene

It’s also common for someone with a substance abuse problem to have a decline in their personal hygiene. If the person appears unkempt, such as not showering, brushing their teeth, and wearing the same clothes daily, they may have a substance abuse problem and should start addiction treatment as soon as possible.

3. Missed Work or School

Although people who have a substance abuse problem do their best to manage their everyday life, unfortunately, their addiction generally wins in the end. They often miss a lot of work or school, which is often the result of all-night binges or simply losing interest in anything but their substance of choice. Substance abuse changes the way people look at their responsibilities. Their priorities shift and typically in ways that aren’t admirable. For instance, someone that is typically dependable will begin to forget appointments, miss deadlines, and be just generally unreliable.

4. Money Problems

An addiction is an expensive habit, one that can cost hundreds, even thousands of dollars weekly in order to maintain daily use of substance supply. Individuals with a drug abuse problem often spend large, unexplained amounts of money, drain their bank account, and go outside their budget in order to supply their habit. Unfortunately, once they have depleted their personal finances, people with a substance abuse problem often turn to steal money and/or items that can be sold. If the person is constantly in need of financial assistance because they “lost” their money or their money is “missing”, it may be a sign of drug abuse. It is important to not enable the person by giving them money to buy their drugs. It is essential that you stand your ground, even if they become angry or try to put pressure on you – enabling does not help them.

5. Poor Judgment

Individuals that have a drug abuse problem will usually do anything to obtain their substance of choice, including participating in risky, dangerous behaviors, such as lying, stealing, selling drugs, and engaging in unsafe sexual activity. These behaviors often result in the individual being arrested and spending time in jail; however, this generally doesn’t deter them and once they are released from jail, they will continue participating in these risky behaviors.

6. Unhealthy Friendships

Changes in friendship may not be uncommon, but some changes may be drastic. For instance, a newly abandoned longtime friend will have no idea why the person stopped being friends with them. People with a drug abuse problem may change friends by simply changing the crowd they hang out with; this is because they want to spend time with others who have similar habits.

7. Change in Behavior

One of the most common signs of a substance abuse problem is that the person becomes defensive, secretive, and isolated. They tend to refuse to answer questions with a straight answer. For instance, when asked where they have been, the answer is typically something like “why do you care” or it may be as simple as “out”.  Their mood is generally unpredictable and may include sudden outbursts, acting erratically, and may shift suddenly from positive to negative.

8. Denial

Someone with a drug abuse problem will not only deny they have a problem, but they will deny anything and everything they are confronted with. In many situations, the denial isn’t only for your benefit, but for theirs as well. It’s typically difficult for someone with a drug abuse problem to admit they need addiction treatment and it’s because they really do not think they have a problem. Many people with an addiction will not reach out for help or quit using drugs/alcohol on their own.

It’s important to remember that addiction is a disease that affects everyone. The individual with the addiction is affected physically, psychologically, and emotionally as are their family and friends. People with an addiction problem often need loved ones to step in and help them get the help they need, so by knowing the signs of addiction, you can address the situation as early as possible and encourage them to get the life-saving help they need.

If you are concerned that someone you care about may have a substance abuse problem, contact Soba recovery for information about how we can help.

Top Ten Ways to Kick Cocaine

Kicking the cocaine habit is difficult due to the mental and physical effects it has on the body. You need both medical and psychological help to get you through the withdrawal effects of this drug. When it comes to quitting, though, you are not alone. Evaluate these ten ways to see which can help you the most to kick coke to the curb. You may need to try several to get over your addiction.

1. Stopping Cold Turkey or Detoxing

Generally, stopping cold turkey is the least preferable way to quit cocaine because doing so can cause serious side effects. These side effects can include severe drowsiness, agitation, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, depression, and paranoia. The mental effects of stopping coke may be serious enough to require a doctor’s intervention to keep you from hurting yourself.

If you want to stop cold turkey, consider checking yourself into a medically supervised detox facility. The doctors and nurses on hand will ensure that you get the support you need as your body goes through withdrawal.

3. Social Support Groups

While you go through withdrawal, you will need help to work through the emotions that emerge during quitting. Talking about your feelings and experiences with others who are going through the same steps may help you to power through the withdrawal stages and after.

3. Find Replacements for Cocaine

Because substance abuse no longer holds your life hostage, you will have more time on your hands. Unless you find something to fill that time with, you may go back to using drugs. Take the time during recovery to try out new hobbies, such as playing an instrument, knitting, or volunteering. Working with your hands can distract you when you experience cravings.

4. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a psychological technique that helps patients to change how they respond to specific situations. For addiction treatment, if you used cocaine in certain situations, by going through CBT, you will learn to do other things than turn to drugs. If you choose a formal counseling program or therapist, most use this therapeutic technique. Even 12-step programs integrate elements of CBT into their methods.

5. Motivational Incentives

For some people, motivation helps. Create rewards for yourself that correspond to times without coke. For example, you may use the money saved on drugs to buy yourself a new video game or jacket if you go for a week without using drugs. You may also increase the incentives to encourage yourself to extend the length of time you go cocaine-free. Perhaps you invest in the down payment for a new car after lasting a year of living cleanly.

6. Balance Your Life

Your life will get turned upside down when you stop using cocaine. The parties you once went to will no longer be options for you because you may feel too tempted to use drugs again. Part of getting over substance abuse is discovering how to keep yourself balanced.

Get regular exercise, develop good sleep habits, and eat a healthy diet. These activities will keep your body and mind healthy. They will also replace some of the time you once devoted in your schedule to drug use. If you used coke to improve your mood or energy levels, healthier living will replace it to give you more energy.

7. Unfriend Some People

Carefully examine your life, and if you have friends who encouraged you in your addiction, break ties with them. People who push you toward self-destructive behaviors, like substance abuse, are not friends.

To keep yourself from feeling lonely, look for activities in your area that do not require drugs where you can make friends. Sign up for a softball league, visit a house of worship, or volunteer your time. Making friends outside drug-use activities can make quitting easier.

8. Identify and Eliminate Triggers

Triggering events, feelings, locations, and people can be difficult to avoid, especially if you retain your old routine while trying to quit. You need to assess your life and identify times when you would use coke. If you only used it as a party drug, you should avoid going to parties for a while. For some people, the trigger may have been stress in their life. Getting more exercise or meditation to reduce stress can help remove that trigger. Talk to your therapist about possible triggers and how you can get those out of your life.

9. Check Into an Intensive Treatment Facility

If you have a serious addiction, check yourself into a substance abuse treatment facility. Though in 2013, only 6% of people in rehab centers had a cocaine addiction, 68% of those use more than one drug.

The advantage of professional treatment facilities is the access you have to a variety of services, such as CBT, intensive individual therapy, family therapy, psychodynamic group therapy, and more. At addiction recovery facilities, you can detox from coke, begin therapy, and discover ways to stay drug-free for life.

10.  Keep Trying

Unfortunately, those who recover from reliance on coke may experience a relapse. In fact, between 40% and 60% of those who recover once will relapse. Don’t let this discourage you because it reflects the recurrence rate of serious medical issues like asthma or high blood pressure, which can have a recurrence of 50% to 70%.

Get the professional addiction treatment you need to recover from your problem in a relaxing, luxurious setting. Contact us at SOBA Recovery today for more information on our cocaine and other substance addiction recovery programs.

How Your Eyes Look on Drugs

Substance abuse impacts your eyesight and vision.

Alcohol and Cocaine, THC, hallucinogens and a myriad of synthetic drugs have been scientifically documented to cause nausea, moodiness, sleepiness, unsteadiness, and aggression. They are also harmful to your eyes too. The abuse of these substances has scientifically proven to cause eye strain, cataracts, vision blurriness, in addition to temporary and permanent blindness, induce nausea, moodiness, sleepiness, unsteadiness, and aggression.

Cigarette Smoking

Cigarette smoking can injure your cataracts which affect the crystalline lenses of your eyes. Your Cataracts is a space of your eye that makes up 1/3 of the images that the brain develops by focusing light onto the retina.

How your eyes look on Dextromethorphan

The abuse of Dextromethorphan can cause you to display symptoms of drunkenness. The extended abuse of this drug can cause sporadic eye movements known as nystagmus. Dextromethorphan is an ingredient commonly used in cough, cold and flu medicines.

How your eyes look on Cocaine

Physicians can utilize cocaine in a medical facility as an eye anesthetic.  On the contrary, if someone offers you cocaine outside of a medical facility you should not take it; you should decline on the grounds that they are not a licensed physician. Cocaine abuse artificially affects your eyes react to light for abnormal periods of time. There are many ophthalmic side effects relating to the improper use of cocaine; you might be unable to sense any extensive injuries right away. However, over time, lesions on the retina and corneal ulcers can occur. Prolonged abuse of cocaine can also cause pain, fuzzy vision and permanent blindness.

How your eyes look on Heroin

Individuals who experience heroin addiction and drug abuse may display symptoms of having hard and constricted pupils. Typically their pupils will not react properly to lower levels of light, which can impair their vision. In addition, prolonged constriction of their arteries or blood vessels can lead to temporary blurred vision or permanent vision loss.

How your eyes look on Benzodiazepines

Benzodiazepines, chemicals within alcohol and drugs can produce a subtle misalignment of your eyes.  This can enhance the feeling of nauseousness and lightheadedness; which could also lead to vomiting.

Red or Bloodshot eyes are a prevailing symptom of intoxication from Alcohol abuse. Blood vessels spread from the ophthalmic artery curving in a pattern to cross over the optic nerve. They penetrate the back of the eye and run medially near the  Choroid and Sclera Blood vessels which can swell and become enlarged. There are around 6 to 12 Blood vessels for each eye. Symptoms of nausea in the eyes can include variation in the eyes, abnormal pupil diameter, irregular eye movement, and the discoloration of the iris can be used to help one gauge whether another person is inebriated.

Inhalants that cause brain and eye damage

Paint thinner, glue, or nitrous should not be inhaled. These substances can cause brain damage as well as eye deterioration. Abusing these inhalants can cause you to feel intoxicated and light-headed. The inhalation of these substances will cause the eyes to water and change to a reddish color.

Methamphetamine and eye damage

Methamphetamine abuse can cause the eyes to move in irregular motions. In fact, the movements can be almost ten times faster than your normal eye movement. These irregular movements can damage and strain your eye muscles over time.

How your eyes are affected using legal and illegal narcotics

The abuse of legal narcotic drugs such as hydrocodone, fentanyl, and morphine has the potential to damage your eyes at high doses because they can constrict the pupils. Illegal narcotic drugs such as crack cocaine can also constrict the pupils. As extended abuse occurs symptoms of an overdose will be evident because the pupils will not properly respond to changes in light.

How your eyes look on Phencyclidine or PCP

Phencyclidine, otherwise known as PCP, has a pungent chemical taste. PCP can be ground into a white crystalline powder that can be dissolved into alcohol or water. In this form, the drug can easily be applied to leafy plants like mint, marijuana, parsley, and oregano. The powdery form makes it easier for the body to quickly absorb the substances into the bloodstream. Phencyclidine or PCP can cause a user to experience rapid eye motions that the user cannot control.  On the other hand, a person who uses PCP can develop an expressionless stare for 4-6 hours. During this time they might not respond to direct visual cues. The tablet forms can be mixed easily with colors. The idea is to make the drug look like legitimate medicine. If it looks like a tablet it will be easier to distribute.

In conclusion.

The chemicals in the aforementioned drugs can cause addiction because they will compel you to feel carefree, elated or just upbeat; they manage the neurotransmitters in your brain. These chemicals have the ability to affect several physiological functions in your body including the muscles in your eyes. Vision is a crucial role in our ability to balance, adjust our bodies in space, and observe the pattern or movement of variables within our surroundings. If you are taking any of the aforementioned drugs, you should seek medical assistance right away. The prolonged usage of these drugs can ultimately cause you to lose your sight.

Why Group Therapy is Essential in Addiction Treatment

Fighting drug addiction on your own can be a difficult, if not impossible task. Addiction is real and its impact on your health, relationships, career, and more cannot be underestimated. Kicking your drug habit isn’t merely a matter of will and strength. Plenty of mentally strong people succumb to drug addiction.

Fortunately, you don’t have to face your addiction alone. Group therapy can be an immensely powerful tool for combating addiction and getting your life back on track. Group therapy can provide support, will nurture you, and will also help you stay accountable.

At Soba Recovery, group therapy is one of the regular tools we use to help people fight and overcome addiction. Let’s look at some of the many benefits and why it’s so important to the recovery process.

The Benefits of Group Therapy in Addiction Recovery

Be with Others

A sense of community is a powerful feeling. When you take part in a drug rehab group therapy session, you’re joining a community of like-minded folks who want to kick their bad habits. Most if not all of the people in your group therapy session are interested in addiction treatment.

This comradery will help provide emotional support as you go through withdrawals and suffer cravings. Those who have successfully kicked the habit can be a positive inspiration and can help you set goals. Emotional encouragement can help you when times get tough as well.

Learn from Others

Group therapy is a learning experience. You can learn about other people and their shortcomings, including when and where they struggle with substance abuse. It’s hard to see your own flaws and shortcomings. We develop blind spots.

Group therapy makes it easier to recognize your own blind spots and to develop a more objective understanding of yourself, other drug users, and addiction in general. This will help you find a clearer path forward.

Eliminate Isolation

Many drug users become isolated from family, friends, coworkers, and more. Some drug users rarely come into contact with anyone who’s not an active drug addict. This can make it very difficult to kick your habits. When you’re surrounded by temptation, you’re more likely to give in.

Being isolated can leave you emotionally vulnerable as well. Group therapy will provide an environment in which you can enjoy the company of other people. Importantly, while these people will be drug users, they are also actively seeking addiction treatment.

Reduce Bad Peer Pressure

Group therapy will encourage good peer pressure and help you stay accountable. While other addicts will be in the room with you, they won’t be pressuring you into drug use. Far from it, they’ll be on the same path to recovery with you and can often hold you accountable.

Meanwhile, if you spend a lot of time around active drug users, there will be constant pressure to use drugs again and to join the crowd. This can make it impossible to stay clean.

Get Peer Advice

Your fellow drug addicts have walked many of the same roads as you. They know the many pitfalls and shortcomings. They know of many of the dangers. And they often know when to debunk poor excuses. Your peers can be a vital source of information. Learn to lean on it.

Get Professional Advice Too

At Soba Recovery, many of the group therapy sessions are mediated by trained drug counselors and psychologists. These professionals will be able to offer neutral, insightful advice and can leverage their years of experience in addiction treatment. Professional insights can go a long way when it comes to drug abuse.

Our professional drug treatment experts are not judgmental. Many know people personally who have suffered from drug abuse. Addiction is a health problem and requires medical and psychological treatment. Fortunately, we can provide that.

Get Your Life Back on Track with Group Therapy

Finally, and most importantly, group therapy will help you get your life back on track. Your career, personal relationships, family, and peer groups have almost certainly suffered as a result of addiction. There’s no point in beating yourself up over it, instead, you should work hard to break the cycle of addiction.

Group therapy in combination with individual therapy sessions and detoxing will help you restore your body to its normal physical and mental state. Beating addiction is hard, which is why it’s best to utilize multiple methods to fight addiction.

Soba Recovery has helped numerous people fight and beat addiction. No treatment approach is ever the same and we all face our own demons. Yet with perseverance and effort, you can combat and overcome your addiction.

Group therapy is available to both the patients in our live-in clinic and also outpatients. Soba Recovery’s trained professionals can help you uncover and address the root causes of addiction. You don’t have to fight substance abuse alone, let us help you and take your life back!

The Top Five Signs of Drug Addiction

Drug abuse and addiction are among the most significant problems facing the modern healthcare system today. Those who have watched a loved one struggle with drug addiction know just how quickly this problem can tear someone’s life apart. On the other hand, the problems related to drug abuse and addiction tend to start slowly and insidiously. They are typically easy to overlook. It might start with someone who struggles to battle a simple injury and illness. Then, it balloons into a tremendous problem that can take someone’s entire life down with them, impacting family members and friends along the way.

Therefore, it is critical for everyone to know about the common signs that indicate drug abuse is a serious issue. Knowing these signs ahead of time will help everyone get the help they need as early as possible.

1. The Cravings and Relapses are Real

One of the most significant signs of serious drug abuse is the development of cravings that will lead to a relapse. For example, anxiety and depression are common side effects that come with cravings for an addictive substance. Difficulty concentrating is another common sign. At first, people will promise to give up drugs and say they can do it on their own. Then, when the going gets tough, the cravings start and these symptoms start to set in. That is when the drug use is going to abandon all promises and go off in search of drugs again. Even though someone might say that he or she can quit anytime, this simply isn’t the case. He or she will need help to quit for good.

2. Tolerance Begins to Develop

Another common sign of drug abuse and addiction is the development of something called tolerance. This is the term used to describe the body getting used to having drugs in its system. At first, someone might not need a lot of the substance to achieve the intended effect. People can get high with a relatively small amount.

Then, as someone uses drugs more and more often, they are going to need more drugs to achieve the same effect. This is because the body is getting used to the substance and is developing something called tolerance.

When someone needs more of the drug, this is going to lead to bigger changes in someone’s life. This is going to impact that person’s appearance, eating habits, finances, and more.

3. The Lifestyle Begins to Change

As tolerance sets in, someone’s lifestyle is going to change. This is going to lead to risky behavior. This is because the person is going to place anything and everything else second to drug use. They might even engage in activities that they wouldn’t otherwise. This is going to include activities such as using drug paraphernalia, stealing from others, sharing needles with people, and more. This is going to impact both personal and professional relationships. Their physical health is going to be in jeopardy. This is where others are going to have to step in and help their family member or friend.

4. Motivation is Going to be Impacted

Gradually, someone who is addicted to drugs is going to start to ignore life’s other responsibilities. This might mean dropping out of school. This could mean ignoring work responsibilities. Motivation is going to be at a minimum and is going to strain relationships with family members and friends as well. All of this is going to be sacrificed at the altar of drug use. For this reason, everyone needs to keep an eye out for a drop in motivation or changes in someone’s memory. These are hallmark signs of drug abuse.

5. The Development of Withdrawal

When someone goes for any length of time without having drugs in the body, withdrawal symptoms are going to set in. This is going to come as a result of detox symptoms. The symptoms are going to vary from drug to drug; however, there are a few common themes. For example, sweats, shakes, and irritability and going to be common. Someone is going to have trouble sleeping as he or she goes through withdrawal. These symptoms can be unbearable and some might even lead to seizures. Those who are going through withdrawal are often going t to be begging for drugs. This is where the help of trained professionals is going to be needed.

Rely on the Professionals from Soba Recovery for Addiction Treatment

Anyone who has a loved one dealing with drug abuse knows that this is a serious problem that requires help from trained professionals. That is where Soba Recovery can be of assistance. We are a professional drug and alcohol treatment program with locations in Texas and Arizona. Combining proven methods with an innovative twist, Soba Recovery offers detox and inpatient assistance for those in need. To learn more call us today.

The Benefits of Going to Drug Detox

Unfortunately, tens of thousands of Americans die due to drug abuse each year. Illicit drugs are now a leading killer in the United States and families have been torn apart by addiction. However, help is available. The right drug rehab problem can help addicts break the cycle of addiction and allow people to get back on their feet. Attending a drug detox program carries many benefits with it.

Most importantly, a drug detox program will help you or a loved one address their addiction. Drug addiction can be very difficult to overcome. A detox program will provide support, encouragement, resources, and more. This will make it easier to kick addiction permanently. Let’s take a closer look at the many benefits of seeking addiction treatment.

Be Physically Strong

The initial stages of drug detox can be physically difficult. Withdrawal symptoms can be extremely hard to cope with and you may find yourself desperately craving drugs. It can be hard to quit drugs if you still have easy access to them as the addiction itself can be overpowering.

Fortunately, a detox program will help put distance between yourself and drugs. At the same time, the staff and medical professionals on hand will be able to help you cope with withdrawal. Over time, your brain will recover and will start to function like a normal, healthy brain.

As this happens, the hold the drug has on you will lessen. Eventually, you’ll regain your appetite for food and other simple pleasures. You’ll be healthier and will be able to enjoy a normal life once again.

Be Emotionally Prepared

While the physical ailments associated with drug abuse may be the most immediate, the emotional trauma can be every bit as debilitating. Many drug addicts feel immense amounts of guilt and/or struggle to process their emotions in a normal, healthy way. Many addicts are also dealing with burdensome personal relationship issues.

A detox program will give you space from these relationships, allowing you to come to terms with your addiction on your own. Detox and recovery will help you realize who your true friends and loved ones are.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, the staff at the drug detox program will be able to provide support and comfort. Kicking a drug habit is every bit an emotional challenge as it is a physical one. Trained professionals can prove invaluable.

Getting to a better place emotionally will make it easier for you to break your addiction. Just as importantly, emotional strength and health will provide a bulwark against future cravings.

You don’t have to combat your addiction alone. In a detox program, you’ll be surrounded by people who care and who will provide emotional support.

Get Your Career Back on Track

Drug addiction can disrupt your career, schooling, and more. Unfortunately, many people who become addicted to substances struggle to focus on work, studying and otherwise advancing. By seeking addiction treatment, you’ll be able to break the hold addiction has over you. In time, this will allow you to focus on and advance in your career.

Drugs ruin countless lives each year. Drug addiction can spark a cycle of defeat. Eventually, your cravings will strain your work and personal relationships. You may find yourself struggling to maintain a normal quality of life.

Detoxing will help restore your quality of life. You’ll be able to focus on your career again, study, and otherwise excel.

Get Your Finances in Order

Drug addiction can have a huge impact on your personal finances. Not only can addiction derail your career and earnings, but what money you do have is often wasted on your substance of choice. By seeking addiction treatment, you’ll break the cycle and won’t spend money on drugs. This way, you can save for a home, car, or whatever else is important for you.

Detox and Defeat Addiction

Breaking the cycle of addiction isn’t easy, but the benefits are exceptional. By seeking addiction treatment, you can get your life in order. You’ll be more successful in professional and personal affairs. Yet beating addiction is easier said than done.

Often, it’s all but impossible to break addiction on your own. However, by enrolling in a drug detox program, you can remove yourself from harmful situations and rely on professional, trained staffers who can help you fight and eventually overcome your addictions.

Soba Recovery is Here to Help

Drug addiction is a serious health problem and is often associated with various mental and physical ailments. Fortunately, by working with drug treatment experts, such as those at Soba Recovery, you can craft a customized addiction treatment plan that suits your needs. No two cases are alike and what works for one recovering addict won’t necessarily work for you.

What’s important is identifying the root causes of your addiction and treating your specific issues.

Why Heading to Texas for Addiction Treatment Is a Wonderful Idea

Overcoming an addiction can be the toughest challenge you will ever face in your life.

When you’ve grown to rely on an addictive substance, whether it’s drugs or alcohol, it can be nearly impossible to break free from their hold and take ownership of your life again. The good news for people is that they don’t have to struggle against their addictions alone.

In recent years, more and more treatment facilities have emerged and they are offering their services to individuals who need help overcoming their demons.

But where should you go if you want to be rehabilitated? The state of Texas is one place that is well worth considering.

The Lone Star State may not be the first place that popped into your head when you were trying to think of the best location for addiction treatment, but as you’ll soon learn, it has qualities that make it an ideal spot for recovery.

The Unique Locales in Texas Can Be Beneficial to Recovery

All kinds of factors can play a role in the development of an addiction. This 2018 article posted on Psychology Today highlights some of the factors that have the strongest influence. Among the factors is the learning environment, better known as the physical environment that an addict dwells in.

Per the article, when people start to develop a pattern of behavior, they also tend to associate a place with what they are doing. That is the learned behavior in question and it can become incredibly difficult to stop or even just control.

What’s also worth pointing out is that addicted individuals may be able to use or consume more of their preferred substances when they stay inside that familiar setting. Studies indicate that the body is better equipped to handle those substances when they’re taken in a recognizable setting, and thus, the addict may also end up drinking or using more than usual.

You can weaken the effect that a familiar location has on you by changing elements of it, but it would be even better if you could get settled somewhere even more unfamiliar as you try to recover.

That’s why Texas stands out as a great location for addiction treatment. Some of the locations there are so unique that you won’t be able to associate them with any of your old habits.

Once you enter a rehab facility there, it’s almost like a clean slate. You can’t connect anything to it so you can just start making memories as you go through the recovery process.

Even if you are a resident of Texas, their treatment centers will still be foreign to you. In this case, that’s more than welcome.

Sometimes, getting the chance to start over in a place you don’t know is exactly what you need to get your recovery on track.

Texas Offers Peaceful Environments to Recovering Addicts

An often-overlooked factor that can cause people to fall deeper into their addictions is stress. As pointed out by VeryWell Mind, stress by itself is not going to be the reason why you become addicted to drugs and alcohol. However, it can be a compounding factor.

The site further notes that addicts may use drugs and alcohol to cope with the stressful situations they are experiencing. Because the addictive substances only provide a temporary reprieve from the stress, many people tend to use them over and over again in order to continually keep the unpleasant feelings associated with stress at bay.

It’s easy to see how addicts can fall into a vicious cycle. Their desire to break free from the problems they encounter in daily life can wind up just making them dependent on substances truly harmful to them.

Again, it’s worth reiterating that stress alone will not be the reason why you end up addicted, but it certainly can be pointed to as a contributing factor.

If you’re in a rehab facility in Texas, you don’t have to deal with stress. They are typically located on isolated stretches of land, which is a good thing. Being in an isolated facility means that the people recovering there can experience some badly needed peace and quiet.

You can simply focus on your recovery and follow all the steps included in your treatment program.

Some addiction treatment centers may even allow their residents to take part in recreational activities that can help them further relax and unwind. Recovering individuals will not need to rely on substances to escape stress because that is nowhere to be found in the place they are currently staying in.

Conclusion

Recovering from addiction is like climbing up a mountain. It can be intimidating, frightening, and just seem downright impossible to pull off at times.

What you can do to improve your chances of succeeding is to set up base camp on the right spot, which in this case means going to an addiction treatment center in Texas. Contact Soba Texas today to get more information about our program. If you or a loved one are in need of help with addiction, don’t hesitate.

4 Benefits of Quitting Opioids: An Addiction Needing Caring Treatment

These powerful painkillers are extremely rampant in today’s society and need to be addressed more than the simple facts thrown around for addicts to digest. There has to be an intervention between primary care physician and addiction treatment centers that offer guidance and care for each person suffering from the throes of opioid addiction.

SOBA Recovery Center has a wealth of hope to offer each person who enters their doors in search of addiction treatment for opioids. An initial message of positivity alongside the beautiful facility and surroundings give the addiction specialists a chance to share their healing secrets and tools of recovery.

What happens when the body undergoes detox?

Because succumbing to addiction is a real fact in our world and with the aid of the pharmaceutical industries and vulnerabilities of personas, it’s no wonder that the body has to go through stages of detoxification after the willingness to quit altogether is acknowledged.

When a person ceases taking the drugs the body requires time to recover. However, there are withdrawal symptoms that can occur at any time when long-term opioid usage is stopped altogether or cut back. The following symptoms of detox include:

  • Anxiety
  • Agitation during daily activities
  • Muscle tension, aches, and pains
  • An increase in crying and emotional outbursts
  • Insomnia and difficulty falling asleep
  • Yawning and basic fatigue
  • Sweating
  • Inability to concentrate
  • Runny nose, similar to cold and flu symptoms

While the above noticeable signs of detox are prevalent, there are also symptoms during late-phase withdrawal worth noting, which include persistent goosebumps, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, dilated pupils, nausea, and in extreme cases, violent vomiting. These are not life-threatening signs, yet can cause severe discomfort if not addressed properly by an addiction expert or a physician.

Receiving a comprehensive medical history and background information of each person is vital at SOBA Recovery Center. It is of their utmost concern to listen, offer support, heal with proper tools and alternative therapies that bring about resounding results and successes for patients undergoing the decision to quit opioids.

The 4 benefits of total abandonment of opioid addiction

There are phases to treatment and subsequent recovery during addiction treatment. Group counseling sessions, cognitive and mental treatments, and support, specific detoxification modalities that create a peaceful transition are all highlighted at SOBA in San Antonio, Texas.

The biggest challenge of opioid treatment lies in the overall paradox of how to help those who are suffering from the addiction. Researchers are still flummoxed by what actually goes on in treatment centers and what connections there are with respect to the highest quality of treatment an addict needs to receive. SOBA is aware of the gold standard and abides by every protocol necessary to remedy and heal, no matter the length of stay at their idyllic center.

If the person willing to quit opioids understands the complications from addiction treatment and possible withdrawal symptoms, the wellness benefits are astounding once they pass over the hump of significant brain changes that occur during opioid usage.

Following are the 4 most beneficial rewards of abandoning opioid addiction:

  1. Health – A significant improvement over time begins to appear, as the addict manages their symptoms by making informed choices that support their overall physical and emotional well-being.
  2. Home – Securing stability in their lives by having a roof over their heads is progress and alleviates stress.
  3. Purpose – Participating in society by involving oneself in community activities and daily communications and connections through financial independence and proper income elevate a reason to live.
  4. Community – Maintaining active awareness, friendships, love, and social networks brings about the hope within the person undergoing recovery.

Recovery is a lifelong process of change through which the opioid user improves their health and well-being, living self-directed lives, and striving to reach their full potential. It doesn’t happen overnight, yet the possibilities are endless, something SOBA Recovery Center wholeheartedly believes in. They empower their patients and it shows.

Each dimension and phase of supported recovery is evident during addiction treatment, and the uniqueness of each individualized plan is that it shows just what normalcy looks like for the opioid user.

The key to success lies in feeling hopeful and having support

Having drug-free days is within reach for every person involved in the support and recovery efforts. Whether it be family members or best friends, a network of healing therapies is key to success and wellness. Active listening, jotting down moments of weakness in a diary, remaining busy during vulnerable moments, and steering clear of people who encourage drug usage are meaningful measures to remaining clean and drug-free.

Ask for support! Having consistent strategies outlined by a qualified counselor and physician are primary in receiving the proper support to a full recovery.