After an addict leaves rehab, he needs to become involved in an aftercare program and build a support system with other addicts while building a support system with friends and family in order to stay clean after treatment. One of the best predictors of success after drug or alcohol rehabilitation is involvement in aftercare. When a recovery addict or alcoholic is overconfident and feels that he does not need an aftercare program, the probability of relapse increases drastically. In addition, building a support system with friends and family will help to increase the chance of success. This is because if a person talks to friends and family about his feelings or when he has a craving, they are going to be supportive and help the addict stay sober. Also, if friends or family are not supportive, an aftercare program can help the recovering addict or alcoholic learn how to cope with loved ones.

Getting involved in a program such as Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous right away will help to build that support system. AA and NA are designed to help give the recovering addict or alcoholic a place to talk about feelings, triggers and problems. The people in these meetings are also recovering addicts and they offer a vast amount of wisdom.

There are numerous reasons why people relapse. Some of the major obstacles to addiction recovery include:

• Denial. Many recovering addicts do not accept that they have an addiction/dependence problem.
• Not changing lifestyle. Many addicts continue to hang around the same people and places that they did when they were using.
• Idle time. After treatment, addicts often find that they have an access of time and they begin to use again.
• Overconfidence. Some addicts feel that they have changed and start to believe that they can not become addicted again, when addiction never goes away.
• Effect of the drug. Addicts often relapse because they miss the “high” feeling that comes from doing drugs.
• Social effect. Addicts will miss the interactions they had when using and will miss the social effects of drugs.
• Daily stressors. Problems with family and friends can influence the decision of the addict to start using again. They want to escape the confrontation.
• Aftercare. When the addict participates in too little aftercare or no aftercare, the addict does not build a support system and is more likely to relapse.
• Personal issues. The addict stops working on psychological issues such as anger or sadness and begins to use again.

A new article from MSNBC.com has reported that the "super pills" that doctors have been very excited about might actually increase the risk of suicide and depression among many of the addicts that take them. New pills have flooded the market for smoking and obesity in the past year and the manufacturers are both spending more time and money testing these drugs because of this risk.

Pills for cocaine addiction and alcoholism are also in the works but doctors are finding similar results. These pills block  pleasure centers that provide the good feeling that one experiences when doing something that person likes, whether that is eating, drinking alcohol, using drugs or smoking cigarettes.

The studies are showing that these pills are working too well and perhaps blocking too much pleasure, causing some to become suicidal and others to develop depression. One of the pills being studied caused 43% of patients to develop psychiatric trouble versus 28% on the placebo. Some doctors feel that this is a shame because they will not be able to prescribe  these types of pills to people with a history of depression, and depression is common among addicts (dual diagnosis).

However, many researchers feel that these drugs could be made to be even more specific and shut down only very specific pleasure centers, such as for cocaine.

Designer drug addiction refers to the physical and/or psychological dependence that develops from the use of specific drugs. Designer drugs are synthetic compounds that were created or marketed to get around existing drugs laws by modifying molecular structures to varying degrees. Designer drugs include Ecstasy, amphetamine drugs and hallucinogenics.

The signs and symptoms vary from drug to drug but according to the Mayo Clinic, they include: feeling that you need the drug regularly, making certain that you maintain a supply of the drug, failure at attempts to stop using, doing things to obtain the drug that you normally wouldn’t do such as steal, and you feel the need to use the drug in order to deal with your problems.

Another sign of addiction and/or abuse is driving or engaging in other activities that place you and others at risk for physical harm while under the influence.

These drugs are created to be heroin-like and to be addictive. It is never safe to even try designer drugs, not even once.

Many people often wonder how drugs effect the community. Here are just a few of the ways:

* Drug-related crime disrupts neighborhoods with violence between dealers, threats to residents and the crime of the addicts themselves

* Teens between 12 and 17 that use alcohol and/or drugs have much higher rates of violent behavior

* Many (around 50%) of the homeless have a drug or alcohol problem

* 513,000 people are injured in alcohol-related crashes every year

* In 2000, $161 billion:

–$110 billion in lost productivity

–$12.9 billion in healthcare costs

–$35 billion in other costs, such as agencies that work to stop drug use

* Drugs spread infectious diseases such as HIV and hepatitis C

* Drug use affects the unborn by causing birth defects and health problems

* Children of drug users are often neglected or abused

People that use meth often times have sores on their faces. One reason for this is because users often feel like they have bugs under their skin and they obsessively pick at their skin until a sore forms. Also, acne appears on their skin because of poor hygiene and because blood is restricted from the vessels. Along with picking on these acne spots and the hallucination of bugs, sores take longer to heal.

Also, meth users end up with what is called "meth mouth." This is because meth causes extreme dry mouth and users have an intense craving for very sugary drinks and food. The lack of saliva leaves the mouth free to produce bacteria that eats away at the teeth and gums leaving weak spots that are extra prone to cavities and infections. Many times all of the user’s teeth have to be pulled out–even young users and those that have only been using for a short time.

Meth is extremely addictive and should not be used even once. Many of the health effects are irreversible and depression and anxiety follow the high that meth gives its users.

There can be lots of personal reasons why people start drugs, and even more reasons why people get caught up in a drug addiction. It causes some to wonder about the common causes for people to take drugs, and if there is a scientific resolution. A new U.S. News and World Report article talks about a research study at The Wake Forest University School of Medicine. Researchers found that when under the same amount of stress, monkeys of a lower social standing were more likely to choose cocaine instead of food; whereas, monkeys of a higher social standing were more likely to choose food over cocaine.

Usually, stress and peer pressure are considered common reasons for taking drugs. It’s more of a challenge to tackle something subjective, like social status. Research like this is a great way to uncover new drug intervention techniques and innovative drug prevention methods. Breaking an addiction is a unique challenge for every individual. Discovering why people take drugs can help reveal how to help them stop.

MSN has recently posted a brief article on the myths about prescription drugs. The main interest point shows that the vast majority of people that are prescribed pain killers and other prescription drugs that follow the doctor’s directions to not become addicted. The article states that most of the people that become addicted have "significant" drug histories and have had addiction problems prior.

What this means is that when someone chooses to ignore what the doctor said and take prescription drugs when they are not needed or take too much or abuse them in any way, that person is on the road to addiction. This article also says that some people become addicted when they followed the directions so it is always best to watch yourself and to pay attention when taking a prescribed drug.

During the late 1990’s and early 2000’s Robert Downey Jr became better known for his drug and alcohol fueled legal issues than his work as an actor. In 1999, the once promising television and film actor had hit rock bottom, ultimately spending a year in a California prison. After a relapse in 2001, Downey spent a year in an extended residential treatment center and has maintained his sobriety ever since. This Spring, Downey will be starring in the much anticipated “Iron Man”, based on the Marvel comic books of the same name. There is something much different about Iron Man, aka Tony Stark, than other comic book heroes. All heroes seem to have their own demons, but Mr. Stark is a recovering alcoholic. This overtly human defect is largely what has made the “Iron Man” series so popular and what makes Downey so perfect for the role. The article below gives a glimpse into the film.

“The best and worst moments of Robert’s life have been in the public eye. He had to find an inner balance to overcome obstacles that went far beyond his career. That’s Tony Stark. Robert brings a depth that goes beyond a comic-book character who is having trouble in high school, or can’t get the girl. Plus, he’s simply one of the best actors around.”

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Gatehouse Academy is an extended care treatment center for young men and women in need of long term drug rehab or alcohol rehab. We offer the opportunity for young adults from the ages of 17-25 to learn life skills, continue formalized education, enhance physical well-being, and recover from the detrimental effects of chemical dependency.

If you have any questions please contact us.