Category: Malaysia

LGBTQ Socialization, Marketing, and Addiction

LGBTQ Socialization, Marketing, and Addiction

Articles, Australia, Celebrity Rehab, International, LGBTQ, Malaysia, Understanding Addiction, United Kingdom, United States

LGBTQ Socialization, Marketing, and Addiction. Addiction can affect anyone at any time. Addiction does not discriminate based on gender, sexuality, race, or religion. However, the marketing of items that can easily lead to addiction is very much focused on specific populations. The first thing that may come to mind is whether or not this is legal, but as long as the population being targeted is of consenting age then products can be sold in the manner a company chooses.

Tobacco

The most obvious way in which products are marketed are through commercials and ads online or in magazines. One of the most prominent is that of tobacco. It seems that when someone is seen smoking in an ad they are at a party or bar or in some other way having fun with friends. Companies want to make tobacco use look fun or cool, the thing to do to fit into the world you want to be part of in life. Additionally, once someone tries something like tobacco, the substances in the actual tobacco make it highly addictive. Ask any smoker and they will tell you that smoking relieves stress and is simply a part of their every day like. Much like breathing, smoking or using smokeless tobacco becomes a part of life.

Alcohol

The same is true of alcohol. Alcohol ads always have attractive people having fun, meeting others, and smiling in every photo or advertisement. Drinking may be a way to unwind after a long day, but it too can quickly lead to problematic behavior. Alcohol is shown being served in every setting from yachts to backyard barbecues and inside dive bars. Alcohol is available in gas stations, big box stores, and grocery chains. Next to tobacco it is one of the easiest items to find that can lead to addiction.

While advertising may not apply to illegal drugs the culture remains the same. Anyone trying to sell drugs will offer the potential user a picture of happiness, serenity, and a pleasant experience. For some this may initially be true, but addiction can become an issue after the first time.

LGBTQ Advertising Tricks

This may seem like a trick of advertisers and users but this can be applied to a specific subculture, that of LGBTQ. Many ads are targeted at this culture and part of the population, promising that drinking, smoking, and much more will lead to a happy time in life. This enhances the draw to bars and social gatherings in which drug and alcohol use is acceptable and often expected. Many believe this allows those who are LGBTQ to relax and allow themselves to be who they are without judgment. Unfortunately, this form of relaxation can lead to addiction. If you or someone you know has been taken in by addiction then finding the right way to get treatment may take some research. This is especially true of those who consider themselves LGBTQ.

There are specific rehabs available for LGBTQ individuals that can meet the needs specific to this population. Know that addiction is not your fault, but moving beyond addiction is your choice.

CLICK HERE to get a Free Confidential Addiction Rehabilitation Assessment.

DARA Thailand

Why Choose DARA

Articles, Australia, International, Malaysia, Treatment, Understanding Addiction, United Kingdom, United States

Dara Thailand – Addiction is not typically a lifestyle choice. While using the first time may be a choice, addiction tends to take on a life all its own and ruin or take away what happiness the person may have been able to find. Addiction takes homes, children, family, friends, and sometimes lives. Addiction is all encompassing. It takes over every moment and every aspect of life even when people do not wish to admit to this truth. Addiction can turn a person into something that they never intended on being. This does not mean the real heart of the person does not exist, just that it is hidden from sight by the addiction. This can be seen in stories about all types of people. Loving mothers and fathers may abandon children. People may lose their jobs and homes because chasing the next good feeling becomes the most important goal. Friendships and families can be ripped apart by something that changes the chemistry of the brain.

While all of this sounds disheartening, and is for so many, no one is a lost cause. This is the number one belief in DARA recovery centers.

DARA Thailand does something that many rehabilitation centers do not do, they tailor make programs for each addict. This means that you are going to receive a unique program that is customized to meet the needs you have at the moment. Perhaps you are through detox, maybe you used today, but are ready to stop. Either way, DARA can help.

DARA Thailand was the first addiction facility in South East Asia and is still a premier international destination for addiction treatment. The facility offers internationally certified therapist in a resort style setting. In fact, the center was formerly a five star resort that has been converted. This means recovery in the heart of luxury. Do not be fooled though, the posh setting is still very recovery focused with individualized treatment. In fact, compassionate, effective, and comprehensive treatment is the main goal at the DARA rehab facility. Even with all the amenities and specialized treatment, DARA Thailand is highly affordable. This means it is the perfect option for those who wish to enter recovery, but price is something that is a concern.

So now a choice is to be made by you or the loved one you are researching for that is battling addiction. Do you prefer specialized treatment in a luxury setting or a more institutionalized approach? Would you rather have a team of specialist who focus on your personal needs or ones who use a one size fits all approach? The choice is completely up to the one entering treatment, but these are questions that deserve a realistic answer. If your choice is to seek help at a DARA Thailand facility than a simple phone call is all that is necessary. This phone call has the ability to forever change your life if you take advantage. Take a little time and make the choice that is best for you and your situation. The important thing is to stop letting addiction run your life.

CLICK HERE to get a Free Confidential Addiction Rehabilitation Assessment.

Codependent

Codependency Leads To Enabling

Articles, Australia, Education, International, LGBTQ, Malaysia, Treatment, Understanding Addiction, United Kingdom, United States

Being codependent Leads To Enabling. Which Is Devastating To An Addict Or Alcoholic. This is the second part of our series on Codependency.

When an addict or alcoholic’s family members and loved ones engage in codependent behavior, that behavior gives way to enabling. As it relates to substance abuse and codependency, when you enable someone, you are providing them with a means to continue to use alcohol or drugs. Your actions allow the addiction to continue, rather than putting it to a stop to it. Blurred boundary lines make it easy for the addicted person to continue to lie, manipulate, and continue drinking or drugging or engaging in abusive behaviors.

When you become codependent with a chemically dependent person, you may think you are helping them when you bail them out of the situations they have gotten themselves into, but you are actually hurting them. By not holding them accountable and forcing them to deal with the consequences they have created for themselves, you are playing an active role in the addictive cycle. 

Understanding How Enabling Shows Up In Codependent Relationships

Here are some examples of enabling behaviors:  

  • After a 25-year-old man has spent all his money on heroin, his mother pays his rent for him.
  • When a woman is involved in an alcohol-related hit-and-run accident, her husband lies to the police and tells them she has been home all night.
  • A teen is arrested for possession of methamphetamine’s. His dad bails him out of jail instead of allowing him to sit there.
  • After being beaten by her husband in a drunken rage, a wife lies to her friends about her bruises and says she was in a car accident.
How To Put An End To Codependent Enabling

When someone you care about is addicted to drugs or alcohol, it is very easy to slip into a codependent pattern and enable their behavior. Here are 5 ways to stop the madness:

  1. Recognize the situation for what it is. You are engaged in codependency and you have been enabling the addicted person in your life. Make the decision today that you are going to put a stop to it.
  1. Rally support. Talk to other people in the addict or alcoholic’s life and agree that, together, you are no longer going to engage in enabling behaviors. There is power in numbers. Consider staging an intervention to confront the addicted person to motivate them to go to treatment.
  1. Set boundaries. Decide that you are no longer going to lie for the addicted person, pay for their mistakes, or cover their tracks. Tell them so. Stick to what you say. Don’t waver in your commitment.
  1. Start taking care of yourself and show yourself some loving kindness. In the process of codependency, you lose yourself and you stop taking care of yourself. Start putting yourself first again.  
  1. Get some resources about codependency so you can learn more about the condition and find out how you can engage in healthy behavior patterns. The book “Codependent No More” by Melody Beattie is a great choice.

Remember, if you are engaged in a codependent cycle with an addict or alcoholic. You are enabling their behavior and you are not taking care of yourself. You simply must break the cycle if you hope to find healing for yourself and the addicted person.

CLICK HERE to get a Free Confidential Addiction Rehabilitation Assessment.

LGBTQ Issues in Addiction

LGBTQ Issues in Addiction

Articles, Australia, Education, LGBTQ, Malaysia, Treatment, Understanding Addiction, United Kingdom, United States

LGBTQ Issues in Addiction – Addiction is an all too common issue for many people. This is even more true for those in the LGBTQ community. There are numerous reasons that addiction is more prevalent in the LGBTQ community. Many of those reasons will be discussed in the following article.

LGBTQ Issues – Minority Stress

One main reason that addiction is a problem for LGBTQ individuals is minority stress. Minority stress is the negative effects associated with social conditions considered adverse and experienced by a group that is marginalized socially. This is unfortunately something gay and trans gendered people have to deal with on a daily basis.

The stress triggered by this social prejudice also comes across in discriminatory policies and laws. Often anti-gay and anti-trans gendered social prejudice comes from the belief that this lifestyle is wrong or bad. Prejudice is often expressed in roundabout ways like a secretary or receptionist asking the members of a gay or lesbian couple who the ‘real’ parent is of a child.  The threats may be more direct such as bullying or physical assault of a same sex couple. Stress can be damaging regardless of the way in which it is caused. Continued stress in this form can lead to a need for escape.

Many LGBTQ individuals escape through addiction.

LGBTQ Issues – Discrimination in Employment

Another common issue is discrimination in employment. It is still legal in some areas to refuse to hire someone based solely on sexual preference. Some areas also allow the firing or other forms of discrimination based on sexual preference. While this is becoming less common, the stigma of being LGBTQ is still prevalent. This leads to employment instability or the need to lead a double life to hide sexual preference. Additionally, if someone cannot find steady employment then housing and the meeting of basic needs may also become problematic. If basic needs being met and employment cannot be found then addiction may be a way to cope with the stress that becomes every day life.

LGBTQ Issues Discrimination & Housing

To further expound on the issue, numerous gay and lesbian couples have reported some issues with gaining housing simply based on sexual preference. Being denied housing makes stable employment more difficult and a horrible cycle can be created. Though it is changing, some states or areas also do not recognize same sex marriage meaning the relationships are not legally recognized. This can cause issues with children and gaining access to health care, among other things.

These are just some of the stresses that LGBTQ individuals face daily. The levels of stress are often higher than the general population and often drugs or alcohol are an outlet for such stresses. Drugs and alcohol can then lead to an addiction and at some point a need for recovery. This means finding a recovery center that understands and meets the needs of those who are LGBTQ. This should be taken into account if you are searching for a recovery center for yourself or someone you love. Life is hard, there is no need to waste time with a recovery center that is not going to help deal with the real issues you face.

Make sure to do your homework and find one, like Dara Rehab in Thailand, Dara will meet the majority of your individual needs and start you on the road to recovery.

CLICK HERE to get a Free Confidential Addiction Rehabilitation Assessment.

LGBTQ Culture and Addiction

LGBTQ Culture and Addiction

Articles, Australia, Education, International, LGBTQ, Malaysia, Treatment, Understanding Addiction, United Kingdom, United States

LGBTQ Culture and Addiction – Being gay, lesbian, bisexual, or trans gendered if often a tough lifestyle. Some believe it is a choice. Some believe it is a way in which you are born. Regardless of your feelings, if you are reading this it is likely that both LGBT culture and addiction is a part of your life in some manner. In case you are reading for someone else or just becoming more educated in the topic. Lesbians are women who are attracted to other women. Gay is often a term used collectively for someone seeking same sex relationships. More commonly though it is specific to men seeking other men. Bisexuals date and sleep with both genders. Trans gendered individuals feel that they are the opposite sex of what they are born. Perhaps you have someone who is questioning their sexuality and you are concerned about the LGBTQ culture.

Perhaps you are questioning your own sexuality and are worried about the lifestyle you are entering. Regardless of what brought you to this point there are some aspects of LGBTQ culture that are known but not discussed.

LGBTQ Culture – Drugs & Alcohol

LGBTQ culture often revolves around the use of legal and illegal drugs. Some believe this to help people move into a lifestyle that is considered unnatural or to be open to exploring new opportunities. Some feel this is because of a need to escape the often violent reactions and discrimination from the general population to being LGBTQ. In fact, the majority of those who use in the LGBTQ community cope with discrimination and prejudice through drug and alcohol abuse. It can be difficult to know you are discriminated against simply because of who you choose to share a bed with in life. Additionally, many in the LGBTQ community abuse drugs to deal with health problems, both mental and physical. Competent doctors are not always available to meet the specific needs of this community.

No matter the reason for this LGBTQ culture, it can be one that quickly leads to drug and alcohol addiction. When a person is addicted and it is considered part of the overall lifestyle, seeking help can be an issue.

LGBTQ Specialist Rehab Facility

Anyone, regardless of sexuality, who is an addict can struggle to ask for help or even realize help is needed. While some people can be confronted and will seek treatment once confronted, many must come to this decision on their own. Pushing someone into treatment before they are truly committed will likely result in failure and heartbreak. While no two people are exactly the same. Trying to force someone into treatment is not typically a great first step. If you know someone who is ready for help or who you would like to offer information to start the process, seek a treatment center that is LGBTQ specific for the best results.

Find a center like Dara Rehab in Thailand, that specializes in meeting the needs of those facing LGBTQ issues. Dara also meets any other needs the person may have. Best of luck in changing the life of yourself or someone you care about.

CLICK HERE to get a Free Confidential Addiction Rehabilitation Assessment.