Mark Perlman

Back in 2010, I was a mess. I was heavily addiction to drugs & alcohol, I couldn't hold down a job, I had been arrested for selling prescription pills and I couldn't imagine that I would be alive more than a few months. I had a reached "rock-bottom" and I didn't see a way out. I reached out for help and, within 2 days, I had been sent across the country to a rehab facility where I began my journey in recovery. 10 years & thousands of AA/NA meetings later, I decided to put together this blog about addiction and withdrawal, featuring information on getting and staying sober. My hope is that the information published here can help at least one person regain their ability to live a long, happy and healthy life.

Is It Safe To Detox From Alcohol At Home?

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Alcohol detox at home safety

When a person decides to stop drinking, it is a big deal. Making the choice to stop and recognizing that you have a problem is a gigantic step. But the biggest battle is yet to come. Ending a relationship with alcohol isn’t as easily said as done. That feeling that a person got from using alcohol is a tough feeling to break. The chemical dependence that a person can have is even worse. But not everyone recognizes how hard this is going to be and tries to detox from alcohol at home. But is it even safe to detox from alcohol at home? In many cases, that isn’t a good idea.

What Can Happen During Detox From Alcohol

The first step to completing an alcohol detox is to stop drinking. When an addicted person stops taking any kind of drug, legal or illegal, they will experience withdrawal symptoms. In some people, those symptoms can appear within a few hours of ceasing consumption. A person suffering from alcohol withdrawal symptoms they could experience the following side effects:

High fever
Nausea
Anxiety
Tremors
Hallucinations
Seizures
Headaches
Agitation

Depending upon the person and their level of alcohol dependence, these side effects can be anywhere from mild to severe. Individuals of experience severe symptoms could require hospitalization. Withdrawal symptoms can be life-threatening.

Alcoholism and Addiction Issues on College Campuses

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College Student Binge Drinking

College is supposed to be one of the best times of a student’s life. It is a time to learn, explore, be independent, and try new things. Regrettably, one of the things that college students try is drugs and alcohol. This exploration leaves this group vulnerable to drug and alcohol issues. In addition to testing new boundaries, other issues arise in college students which can trigger additional substance abuse problems.

What Can Trigger Alcohol & Other Addiction Issues In College Students?

Freedom

For many students, college is the first time they are without parental supervision. Being on their own for the first time can trigger anxiety in these students. Alcohol and drugs become a way that these students cope. Turning to activities like drinking or drugs can lower inhibitions and also make socializing easier.

Peer Pressure

Another reason students turn to alcohol and drugs during college is peer pressure. College is a mixing pot of experiences. Some college students were not exposed to substances of any kind during their high school years. But they don’t want to be ostracized for abstaining, so they start using to blend in with their peers.

Stress

Stress is also a trigger for many college students. As mentioned earlier, this is the first time many students have been away from home. For the first time, they are the ones in charge of managing their own lives. Once in college, some students may realize that their course load is too much, they lack the motivation to do their work, they don’t enjoy their classes, they are homesick, etc. Any one of these could lead to a student taking alcohol or drugs to cope with their stress levels.

5 Most Common Reasons People Relapse in Addiction Recovery

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Common Reasons for Relapse in Addiction Recovery

Recovery from addiction can be very challenging. Relapse is sadly a very common occurrence. According to some statistics nearly half relapse at some point and according to other studies the vast majority do.

What is a relapse?

A relapse is a medical term that refers to a worsening in a condition that had shown a significant amount of improvement in the past. About addiction, it is a situation where an addicted individual had ceased partaking in the behavior to which they were addicted but have since renewed it.

It is equally important to note what relapse is not. It does not mean that all of the previous work done in recovery was wasted and it does not mean that the addict’s life has automatically reverted to the bad state it was in before the relapse. It merely means that the addict has reverted to some of the adverse habits they engaged in previously.

Relapse is also not a failure. Instead, it is a call for help and an indication that something needs to be recalibrated on the road to recovery.

Are You Or A Loved One Currently In Active Addiction? Here Are Some Tips On How To Break Free

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Happiness from Being Sober

It can be difficult to figure out just where to begin when realizing you or your loved one is on a path of destructive addiction. You may have noticed something was off without being able to place your finger on it, or you’ve watched that control over it slowly slipping away. Whatever the case may be, I’m here to give you the good news that there is a solution and addicts can recover.

Pathway to Getting & Staying Sober

Addiction has been proven to be a disease of the brain and, like any disease, it must be treated. Believe me when I say, this is intimidating. It’s downright terrifying. Our drug of choice has been our coping mechanism for over a span of months, years, sometimes a lifetime. To completely rearrange one’s life and abandon that drug or drink that has actually become more of a friend, is a daunting task. I’ve faced this decision multiple times and it’s never been anything less than overwhelming. However, these are all feelings and as I’ve learned in recovery, feelings are not facts. It may seem too much, too big with too many unknowns but as anyone living in long term recovery will tell you, it’s as simple as one day at a time, sometimes even just a minute at a time. It can be done and it is so worth it.

Take the time to talk to someone you trust. Whether this be for you or a loved one, this realization can be a lot to take on, emotionally and mentally. Find a friend, a parent, grandparent, therapist…anyone you feel comfortable talking with openly and honestly. Maybe even find an Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous meeting in your area- they’re free to attend and you’ll find yourself in genuine company. No judgements, and your fears that you are unreachable will undoubtedly fade away.

Start looking at treatment options. Determine what treatment option is right for you or your loved one. Depending on drug of choice, frequency of use and length of use, there are different options when weighing out which path you will take.

Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS) – What it is, Symptoms & Treatment

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Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome

When people repeatedly use drugs or alcohol, they may become dependent upon these substances and develop an addiction to them. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, one of the criteria for an addiction is the experience of withdrawal, which involves uncomfortable symptoms that occur when a person abruptly stops using drugs or alcohol.

When most people think of drug and alcohol withdrawal, they probably imagine the unpleasant side effects that occur right after a person stops using drugs or drinking. While this is one form of withdrawal, there is a second presentation, called post-acute withdrawal syndrome, which lasts longer.

What is acute withdrawal?

Acute withdrawal involves the initial withdrawal side effects that begin rather quickly after a person stops using drugs or alcohol, and pass after a few days. The symptoms of acute withdrawal will vary depending upon the substance a person was using.

For example, as the World Health Organization has reported, withdrawal from opiates like heroin begins 8 to 24 hours after a person stops using and involves the following side effects:

Understanding the Blurred Lines Between Abuse and Addiction

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Abuse vs Addiction

What is Addiction?

Not everyone who uses a drug will become addicted. Addiction is the process in which the brain and body become reliant on a substance. Addiction is classified as a brain disorder in the DMV. The most recent edition only 2 criteria are required for a diagnosis. Drug use is not the same for everyone. Many people who try drugs never become addicted. Yet, some will become instantly hooked. They are consumed with seeking out the next high.

Fighting the Stigma of Drug Rehab

Drug addiction is a growing epidemic in America. The public is desensitized to the medical and psychological needs that are necessary to treat addiction. Addicts who hit rock bottom are often without support. The American Medical Association agrees that addiction is a progressive and complex brain disorder. Educating the public regarding addiction is a critical step to destigmatize drug treatment programs. However, little progress has altered the minds of the public. The stigma and shame of addiction continue to prevent many people from seeking the care they require. The constant blame for their disease only promotes shames. There is no shortage of information proving that addiction is a progressive brain disease. Still, this doesn’t stop many from condemning addicts. Addiction is still considered as a moral failing.

What is Spectrum Addiction Abuse?

Spectrum abuse encompasses everything from mild concerns to advanced addiction. By viewing drug consumption on a spectrum, we see problems sooner. People can be struggling long before they would have traditionally been labeled an addict. On one end of the spectrum is experimentation and, on the other, someone in the grips of advanced addiction. Between those two extremes, there is plenty of grey area. While these do not always indicate an issue, they can provide a way to make a clear assessment.

How I Kicked My 20+ Year Addiction To Drugs by Hunter F.

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How I Kicked My 20+ Year Addiction To Drugs

I had been high for almost three weeks straight. Unless I was sleeping or en-route to the dope man’s house, I was high. If I wasn’t high, I was absolutely miserable. I’m going to skip all the back story; for a 36 year old guy, I had been stuck in a revolving cycle, with addiction ruining me every single time. This had been going on for 20 years. Now, I was screwed. People wanted to kill me and not just one person. Three. I was homeless, broken and wanted by the police for almost a dozen charges, half of which were felonies, all from one situation in which I had been entrusted to do the right thing. Instead, I robbed them blind.

Not having quite literally anywhere to go, anything to do, nowhere to sleep, no food to eat, water to quench my dying thirst, or anyone I could call, I was feeling really hopeless. There was not one available resource for those in need, and I could not find anywhere for me to lay low and try to carry on using. All the shelters were full and I could not be seen on the street. Not one person, family or friend, wanted to speak to me or deal with me. They’d stopped answering their phone the first week I relapsed. I was about to break down mentally and physically.

It was all sinking in, my world closing in on top of me. In spite of all the issues, I was so thirsty and had the worst cotton mouth from the drugs; it was hard to even swallow. Thankfully, about to choke on my tongue from thirst, I found a bottle of what was hopefully clean water on the ground, next to a trash dumpster. So, I picked it up. Since I had spent all my money on drugs, why not. It was par for the day. I drank it all.

Understanding Heroin Addiction – the ugly truth behind the syringe

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Understanding Heroin Addiction

Many people who talk about opioid addiction think of prescription medications. That’s certainly what I thought. Prescription narcotics are more readily available, easier to access, and more prevalent; or so I thought. Heroin, aka. Smack is the end of the line for addicts. It’s incredibly hard to break free from this addiction. You’re both physically and mentally addicted. The withdrawal symptoms can be deadly and at times, last for weeks or even months.

History of heroin

Heroin was originally derived from poppy seeds. The poppy seeds are taken, refines and the resin is turned into morphine. Then with the addition of other substances, it’s purified and turned into heroin. Developed in 1948 the Bayer Pharmaceutical it was originally pushed is as a tuberculosis treatment. It can cost almost $200 per day for a long-time addict to keep up with his needs.

Life as an addict

When we imagine what the life of an addict looks like, we often think of disgusting trap houses filled with junkies. Though this can be the case, the truth is far more sinister. Anyone can become an addict. One injury. A few bad choices have a domino effect, quickly overtaking someone’s life. Once heroin has its hooks in all you can think about is the next score. You stop eating, sleeping, and taking care of yourself.

A high functioning addict can appear, for a while, to have their life together. On the outside, they might look like a successful salesman or a quirky bus driver but internally they’re struggling with the “monkey on the back” They go home, and the darkness takes over. The duality of these 2 realities is impossible to maintain. The drug eventually takes over relationships, affects job performance, and mental health.

As addiction takes its toll, you’ll notice the “heroin addict look”. They’ll get dark circles permanently under their eyes, sunken cheeks, and a blank stare as if they’re not truly there. If you know someone with a heroin addiction let them know they are not alone but they must get help. It’s not a choice, it is a sickness that you must fight or end up losing everything. People become unrecognizable while in the grips of addiction and loving patience is necessary on the path to recovery. The road to healing is a long one.

Alcoholism (AUD) vs. Drug Addiction (SUD): Are they the same thing?

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Drugs & Alcohol

Society tends to treat alcohol and drugs as separate categories, the starkest difference being the issue of legality. Alcohol is generally treated as a more acceptable substance, while the vast majority of drugs (with marijuana being a very partial and recent exception) are stigmatized. The legality of alcohol has contributed to it becoming by far the most common addiction in the United States.

The difference in social attitudes can make a significant difference in the trajectory of recovery. A heroin addict may experience rejection by society, while the alcoholic may enjoy support or at least lower levels of stigma. These dynamics mean that a hard drug user is more likely to experience devastating social consequences as a result of their maladies, such as losing careers or families. All these elements put together, mean that a drug addict (especially one dependent on “hard drugs”), may face a more difficult road to recovery than an alcoholic with a comparably severe habit.

The social stigma can also adversely affect drug addicts. Believing their problems are more serious, drug users may believe that overcoming addictions will be a more serious undertaking than it would be for their alcohol-dependent counterparts. Besides, drug users may be more concerned over the fallout of publicly admitting their addiction, due to the intense social stigma. For these reasons, social stigma may hamper the recovery of drug addicts.

How I Got Sober from Drugs & Alcohol by Cass H.

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How I Got Sober from Drugs & Alcohol by Cass H.

When I was growing up, I wanted to be a police officer. As I got a little bit older, I changed my mind and wanted to work with children, maybe as a school teacher. When I reached the age of 16, I decided what I really wanted to do was write; whether it was to be a famous novelist or write for a newspaper, I knew that was exactly what I wanted to be when I grew up. As I moved forward from an outstanding high schooler to a tuition-paying collegiate student, I assumed I was just like everyone else. I did my share of partying, drinking and smoking weed – it was 2006, who wasn’t doing these things? It wasn’t until the overwhelming college experience brought me back home to my old stomping grounds that I realized I wasn’t average and all of my dreams were slowly going to crumble away.

It wasn’t long before my days of marijuana smoking and drinking caught up to me, catching my first drinking and driving arrest around the age of 18. While the experience was expensive, I played the game, went to the sobriety classes, attended meetings and took the tests to get through the mess I had gotten myself into. Since I wasn’t able to drink or smoke, I decided to find ways around their rules by taking prescription drugs on a regular basis. I always held down a job so I was able to support my pill habit until my probation had finally ended when I had decided to embrace my freedom and venture into whatever else I could get my hands on.

I was forced to attend NA and AA meetings, so I had made quite a few friends in the program that I still visited regularly, despite still using drugs and alcohol during my visits. Close friends knew what I was doing and tried their damndest to talk me off the ledge but to no avail, had failed. After having received enough grief from my friends in the fellowship, I went off to do what I do best without their approval.

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