Category: Articles

When offered, this new rehabilitation technique usually raise a few eyebrows. Few could ever guess, that animals have more than a few ways of helping a recovering addict.

To begin, there are very empathic animals on this beautiful planet. Few species, like dogs and horses, for example, are very open about their emotions. They do not lie, they do not deceive. If scared, they show fear. If angered, they will not think twice about expressing this emotion. These animals are completely honest and open about themselves. That is something that does not come easy to an addict.

Not only are they open for input and have no issues showing their inner emotions, they are also very empathic and literally soak up the energies around them and reflect them backwards. If a person near the horse is unsettled or anxious, it will be skittish and cautious. Most first time riders will tell you that being nervous about getting in the saddle is the worst thing you could do. The animal literally feels your reluctance and fear and becomes very hard to control and form a bond between the rider and the animal.

Negative feedback, of course, is not what therapy animals are for. They show the addict how to communicate without words, using emotions and feelings alone. Gestures, intentions, thoughts even. All this allows the addict to get in tune with himself and come to terms with the emotions that flow through him. Very often people think they are calm and relaxed but their demeanour and energy is conflicting this. A therapy animal would feel this during interaction and reflect it backwards. This allows the addict to utilize this emotional honesty to detect issues he might have beneath the surface, allows the therapy animal to gauge it and guide it.

Horses are generally large and, more often than not, very intimidating animals. Just by the way an addict interacts with such an animal gives a lot of information to the therapist about the patient. If a person is energetic and often aggressive in their relationships to his peers and family, usually his approach to interacting with the horse will be similar.

On the other side of the spectrum, if the patient has a shy and submissive personality, the therapy horse will reign supreme and will rarely submit to direction or even interaction. To earn the horses respect one must be able to sternly state and clearly show what it is, that they want to say or do. Being assertive, the middle ground between being passive and aggressive, is what horses respond to the most.

Animals have been helping us cope with stress and emotional issues for as long as we domesticated our first pets more than 12,000 years ago. Modern animal research and studies show tangible evidence that having a pet like a dog or a cat can reduce the owners blood pressure. Simply petting an animal can lower your breathing rate, calm your hands and allows you to focus almost instantly. A happy dogs wagging tail is often enough to make most of us forget a bad day in the office or a fight with a friend. When we feel unwell or emotionally drained, your cat often seeks you out and curls up on your chest or stomach and purrs until your woes melt away and energy comes rushing back.

Stress being one of the most important things to manage in a life of a recovering addict, having a pet can be a huge help. This help goes both ways, as the addict also has to care for his pets, feed and groom them. They learn to care and love the animal, teaching compassion while fortifying the feeling we all get when someone is depending on us, that someone cares.

Most addicts have forgotten what its like to be happy and content, stress free and in company that unanimously accepts and understands them. Animals can bridge that gap, remind them what its like to feel unconditional love, both given and received.

Many parents blame themselves, when they find out their child is abusing drugs. After all, we have all been reminded by the society, that if you raise your children right, they will not use any drugs and will stay out of trouble. That, however is not true. Herding children like sheep does not work, they have their own dreams, thoughts, goals and aspirations. Their scale of values is drastically different, than that of an adult. Unfortunately, this rebellious nature of our offspring is one of the likely causes that contribute to the harrowing teen drug abuse statistics of twenty first century.

When surveyed, our youth paints a pretty shocking picture.  More than 70% of teens participating in this survey had used drugs within the last year, and 30% of them had used marijuana. What is even scarier, is the fact that nearly 10% of them had used some type of stimulant and another 10% have dabbled in opiates.

What is not so shocking, is what we already know – drug abuse can be critically detrimental to both teens and adults. Drugs and their effects do not discriminate by age, race or ethnicity – the damage is real and plain to see for all of us. A common manifestation of teen’s runaway problem with drug abuse are falling grades and failed classes. Skipping classes altogether seems a much better alternative to studying when it comes to chasing the high and putting in the work to find your next fix. As a result, dropping out of school is a very common occurrence among troubled teens. Sadly, this is not where the cause and effect loop ends. Skewed list of priorities and ruined future prospects due to sub-par education, sadly, are not the only negative effects of drug abuse. They are more prone to mental problems, physical altercations that often end in homicide, illness or suicide.

If you find yourself in a role of a parent that is facing his child abusing drugs, it’s imperative, that you understand the possible causes and reasons for it. There are a number of factors that contribute to drug abuse among young adults and children.

Curiosity

Increasing amount of teens turn to drug use because they are simply bored and curious of new experiences. That drive every parent puts in their child, to learn and seek out new sources of knowledge and experience is seldom controlled. The sword of curiosity can cut both ways and the idolization of drugs and drug use in modern media is sending our children the wrong message. A study performed by American Academy of Paediatrics show that advertisement may be responsible for nearly 30% of teen drug, alcohol and tobacco use. The latter two still being advertised vigorously on billboards, in magazines, in movies and music culture. Nearly 25% of music videos and just as big of a percentage of R rated movies show tobacco use. Alcohol falls in very similar margins of percentages.

These sources of information and influence rarely explain the detrimental effects of substance abuse, not to mention that the ability to make rational and logical decisions is still developing during the teens of a young adult life. This contributes to children being highly susceptible to influence and subliminal messaging. They are easily swayed by what they see and hear and it should be every parent’s top priority, to be aware of what is your child watching and listening to. Most of these sources if bad influence are disguised as regular adverts and movie scenes. Being able to identify potentially troublesome source of media that your child is absorbing can mean the difference between a stern talking with your child and visiting him in a juvenile detention centre. It’s important your child understands the difference between real life and what is being depicted in movies and music videos.

Fitting In

Every teen has the desire to be part of something, belonging to something. Most teens find the need to fit in with their peers. They spend much more time with their peers than their own parents so their influence on each other must not be underestimated. Many children will do and say things they would not normally do – just to fit in. What is even more troubling, is that the polar opposite can have the exact same effect. Teens who feel like outcasts and have low self-esteem are just as likely to succumb to drug abuse to alleviate the negativity they encounter on a daily basis and generally feel better about themselves.

This need to belong and share similar interests often result in drug abuse epidemic in some schools. Most teens when surveyed have admitted that school is the easiest environment to acquire illegal substances or make acquaintances that would allow them to do so. More than 80% of surveyed teens admitted to knowing someone in their class who had a substance abuse problem, while 17% admitted to using themselves.

Inform your child that it is not necessary to use substances just to fit in. A strong sense of individualism and pride in one self should be taught to your child from an early age. Understanding of cause and effect should make it clear to them that socializing with people who do not abuse drugs is preferable to those that gamble with their future and lives.

Stress and Pressure

School in any of its forms, can be a very stressful and tiring part of any young adults life. They are under constant pressure to perform – have good grades and be active in extracurricular activities. For many, this time also means their first work-experience as a summer job or part time work commitment. They are preparing for their future, as is reminded to them by all the adults in their lives, often on a daily basis. Is it any surprise then, that our children turn to things that can help them cope with this onslaught of information, peer-pressure and the inherent need to make parents proud with their achievements? A simple survey performed by the Partnership for a Drug Free America shows that nearly 75% of teens partake and abuse substances to cope with the stress and pressure in their lives. That is countered by their parents, only 7% of whom, believe that their child would use drugs to deal with stress.

It’s important your child learns of various ways to alleviate stress and negative emotions. They need to understand what stress is, that it’s a normal part of everyone’s life and is what makes them unique as a personality. Explain, that we are all stressed out by many different factors and being able to identify the triggers is a path towards a happy and stress-free life. Show them alternatives to drug abuse as a means to an end.

Rebellion and Individualism

Most children will seek out approval of their parents until one day they decide they are adult enough, know what’s better for themselves and generally feel like their parents are just holding them back. Just as kids have an inherent need to fit in, they also feel like their parents are out of sync with their train of thought and are not qualified to pass judgement. Sudden interest in drugs and alcohol is a direct contradiction to what most parents wish for their kids and therefore is a justified means to an end – rebellion. Standing up for one self and being an individual who can make their own decisions. This, more often than not, is direct result of parents teaching their child a sense of self-reliance and individualism we already spoke about earlier in this article. Kids take that idea and just run with it, feeling suddenly betrayed by their parents who have been teaching them all this time to cultivate their sense of individuality and strong personality.

One of the most important part of any parent’s responsibilities is to stay involved in the lives of their children, know where they are and what they are doing. Be aware that this goes in direct contradiction to what the child is trying to achieve and might feel like you are deliberately standing in their way of growth. Communication is the key here, let them know that your intentions are only for their own benefit. This is one of the situations where you have to be careful how strict of a parent you are. Trying to counter their rebellious nature might make them resent you even more and is very often the cause for bad blood between parents and their child, long after they have already grown up and might have a family of their own.

Rushing Adulthood

In a life of a troubled teenager, under constant peer and parental pressure, drug use can make them feel as if they have already passed through this stage in their life. They strive to become adults as soon as possible, because in their eyes adults have everything permitted and none of their current troubles would matter if only they would be an adult. Adults don’t go to school where there are bullies and groups of children that are mean to each other. Adults surely don’t have relationship issues, since mom and dad are so happy together and that’s because they are adult, right? This kind of thinking is rife among young adults and they feel like substance abuse is something that would propel them into adulthood and rid them of their personal issues. Furthermore, teens that are in company of adults that use various substances to augment their life, are more prone to succumbing to such vices themselves. Therefore, it’s imperative that you set your child a positive role model, an example to strive for.

Being a parent is never easy, even more so when your child is abusing illegal substances. There are millions of parents that are in the exact same situation, for better or worse. There is a lot of help out there, excellent rehabilitation programmes and trust groups willing to help. Whatever you do, don’t be passive, your child’s future is at stake.

Cocaine: Glamourous, used by the rich and famous, loved by the masses, and still at the top of the drugs tree for those supposedly ‘in the know’.

The highs offered by this drug may be enticing, but as many have found to their cost, the lows can be far more harrowing.

We will consider these highs and lows along with the addictive qualities of ‘Coke’ later in the piece, but first let’s have a brief look at its origins and the different types available on the street:

Powder, Freebase or Crack?

Cocaine is derived from the leaves of the coca bush which is native to the Andes region of South America. It is offered for sale by dealers in the following forms:

Powder: This is the most common form of the drug and while the majority of users will snort it, it is also injected.

Freebase and Crack: This is basically the same thing although many state Freebase is a far purer version than Crack due to the different ‘washing’ process and chemicals used. Both forms are smoked.

How does it ‘work’?

Almost instantaneous effects are offered to those who smoke or inject the drug. Those who snort it are not far behind. This is due to its fast acting absorption via the nasal tissues.

Whichever way you choose to use, cocaine rapidly enters your bloodstream and has a one-way express ticket for the brain.

Once there it works by interfering with neurotransmitters. These are chemical messengers used by your nerves. Cocaine blocks norepinephrine, dopamine, serotonin and other messengers from being reabsorbed and this in turn causes a chemical build-up between nerves leaving the user feeling high.

What’s with the high?

There has to be something fairly special about cocaine for so many to crave it. While many claim the high’s offered are memorable, it must also be stressed that they are also very short lived.

So short lived that many need another line or injection every 30-60 minutes to keep chasing their initial feeling of euphoria. On top of this euphoria is a strong energy boost and increased confidence.

Any thoughts of sleep or food are put firmly on the back-burner while very strong cravings for more mean cocaine binges continue for days on end.

Another ‘benefit’ seen by users is that large quantities of alcohol can be consumed without having too much effect. This makes it is easy to see why so many find cocaine the ideal party drug.

What’s with the low?

Many find that the strong cravings they have for cocaine quickly lead them to heavier more regular use. It goes without saying that the longer cocaine is used the harder the comedown.

There are a whole host of negative feelings waiting such as anxiety, irritability and paranoia. Some are prone to panic attacks while others display erratic behaviour.

The downside doesn’t end there:

Because of the serious pressure cocaine use is putting on your body there are also some potentially serious physical health effects to consider.

Sustained and heavy use can affect your heart, brain, kidneys, lungs and respiratory system in a whole variety of ways. While many of these conditions will respond to treatment this is certainly not a given.

Aphrodisiac or embarrassment?

One major reputation that cocaine carries with it is the fact it is a potent aphrodisiac. While this may be true in the early stages of use, ultimately it can have the opposite effect.

Consistent use and abuse of the drug will have the brain working overtime with sexual thoughts and deeds, but the body is unable to follow through to completion. This is true for both men and women, while potential ejaculation problems are an added issue for men.

Please do not start something you will find difficult to stop:

It is clear that no one begins using illegal drugs with the intention of becoming addicted, but it needs to be understood just how addictive cocaine is. Those one or two lines ‘every now and then’ can quickly turn into a daily occurrence.

Your body and brain like what you are feeding it and a tolerance builds up. This tolerance means that you require more of the same to reach the same state as previously achieved.

Once you get onto the treadmill of regular and heavier use it is a very difficult thing to simply step off and walk away from.

Cocaine can ruin your relationships, finances and physical as well as mental health. It really is a drug best left alone.

Viewing porn raises temperatures in more ways than one. There are millions of liberal men and women who see nothing wrong at all with watching pornography. The fact that this is a multi-billion-dollar industry tends to bear this out.

On the other side of the fence are those who believe it is wrong, immoral and either should not be allowed or severely restricted.

We will take the liberal viewpoint, but rather than focusing on occasional viewing will look at how pornography can become an unhealthy obsession.

Is porn addiction a recognized condition?

The straight answer is “No”. There is no official diagnosis. Those who have an obsession for pornography come under a subset of Sex Addiction which is a recognized condition. This covers a range of sexual behaviours that are deemed excessive and negatively impact a person’s life.

If you are finding that pornography is becoming all-consuming it is important to seek professional help. Failure to do so could lead to serious consequences.

Causes of excessive porn viewing:

Anyone who develops an unhealthy interest in any substance or thing is heading towards addiction.

In this case that unhealthy interest is watching porn. Those who enjoy this pastime find that their brain delivers a feeling of reward that encourages you to watch again and again. For some it is not possible to restrict viewing to a sensible, spaced level.

Watching porn can be particularly rewarding because it taps into a natural and basic instinct – sex. This enjoyable experience gives you urges to increase viewing. It also has to be said that for many this is a far easier way of achieving sexual fulfilment than trying to find a partner to help them meet these needs.

Signs you have an unhealthy obsession with porn:

There are several pointers that indicate your porn viewing is heading towards an obsession:

• Affecting your daily life: If you find that watching porn is interfering with normal daily behaviour, responsibilities or duties you need to carry out.
• Building a tolerance: Those who regularly spend longer periods in search of porn that stimulates are building a tolerance to it. Acts and positions that used to excite do not do it anymore. This leads to the need for more extreme sexual activities to be searched for and viewed.
• Reluctance to stop: Those viewing sessions seem to get longer, and when you do have to stop your emotions are include regret and feelings of emptiness.
• Negatively affecting relationships: If you begin to find that pornography is affecting your arousal when with a partner, that your sexual actions are becoming more aggressive, or emotionally you are feeling less and less, this is a certain sign that professional help is required.
• Compulsive masturbation: It cannot be denied that many view porn because it helps and enhances masturbation. This is not seen as a problem when kept to sensible levels, but if you find viewing is increasing in regularity and you are compulsively masturbating, this along with other excessive actions are strong signs that obsession with porn is becoming all-consuming.

An understandable reluctance to seek help:

Those men and women who are finding that pornography is taking up more of their time and have increasing feelings of ‘emptiness’ when not viewing are understandably reluctant to seek help. This is due to the perceived embarrassment factor.

While this is understandable it is very important that you do not allow things to get out of hand. If you do so, it can result in searching and viewing more extreme forms of pornography to satisfy your needs.

This behaviour will eventually have damaging effects from a psychological point of view. It is very likely to cause conflict in any relationships, and viewing material which is against the law can lead to serious trouble with the law enforcement authorities.

Potential embarrassment is not an excuse for delaying help:

A doctor or a qualified counsellor will see no embarrassment when approached by a person who feels their porn viewing is a problem. They will freely discuss this issue and your associated behaviour.

Once they understand the situation and your feelings they will be in a position to help. This help will be on a completely confidential basis and while it may not result in a short term or easy fix, there are a range of treatment methods available. These include counselling, therapy or opting for a stay as an inpatient at a rehabilitation establishment.

The important thing to bear in mind is that treatment is necessary in order for you to come to terms with this excessive interest in pornography. You can then work with the chosen method of treatment rather than resisting help in the belief that the problem will go away on its own. The straight fact is that it will not.

The term ‘addictive personality’ is a fairly wide brush often used to describe anyone who over-indulges in drugs or drink, but how accurate is it, and is it possible to have a personality that means you stand a greater chance than your next door neighbor of suffering from one type of addiction or another?

What defines a personality?

Personality is a very complex subject and while a fair amount is now understood about personalities, science and medical professionals still have some way to go in terms of having all the answers.

Your personality sets you apart from other people. It is a set of individual differences that each person displays. Personality is judged by your attitude, thoughts and actions on a wide range of characteristics such as attitude, habits, natural skills, what values you have and your approach to social relationships.

A personality trait refers to major characteristics displayed in the behavior and reaction a person demonstrates during different situations.

Many of us simply accept the personality we have been labelled with and get on with things without too much concern, but to think you may have an addictive personality is surely something most of us would look into.

This would be to understand if such a personality really exists, and if so what are the chances of falling foul of one addiction or another.

Are you prone to addiction?

There is no individual diagnosis that labels a person as having an addictive personality. There is also no particular type of personality that is more prone to addiction than another, but there is a combination of factors that can increase the likelihood of a person becoming addicted:

Let’s take a look at some of these factors and start with the major one:

Look at your family history:

As research continues into personalities comprehensive studies have proved that there is a genetic link to addiction.

Experts state that the risk of a person becoming addicted to alcohol or drugs is significantly affected by genetics. If there is a family history of addiction the chance you will become addicted contributes to 50 % of the risk.

While this is a significant factor it must be made clear that genetics alone do not mean you will become addicted. Indeed, many with a family history of addiction show no addictive tendencies and live normal lives.

Your environment:

Dependent upon the environment you are brought up in, your parents attitude to drink and drug taking, and general expectancies of the social circles you move in regarding the regular use of drink and drugs goes a long way to dictating addiction possibilities.

If you have grown up in an environment that readily accepts the consequences of excessive drink or drug use, then the chances that you will try addictive substances are enhanced. Regular exposure to alcohol or drugs strengthens your need to continue use.

Tolerance can lead to dependence:

Tolerance to both alcohol and drugs comes relatively easily. Your body and mind like what you are feeding it and hanker more.

If the environment you are in offers easy access to one or both, and the community you mix with have liberal views as to the use and abuse of these substances the chances are you will be tempted to use more often than you should.

As your tolerance for these substance increases it means you need more of the same to achieve similar results. Put simply; the more you use, the more you need, the more you need the more you use.

If you allow this never-ending, constantly increasing circle to go unchecked then the next step is dependence. Once a person is dependent upon a substance this means they need it simply to function.

Addiction personality traits:

There are no tests to tell whether a person will develop an addiction or not, but certain traits point to an increased possibility.

Need for excitement:

If you take pleasure at the thrill of fast driving, get excited when taking risks, or savour the thoughts of risky sexual flings then using illegal drugs may well be in your make-up. These substances provide the brain with a rush of the chemical dopamine. Amongst other things dopamine is responsible for pleasure.

Impulsive:

If you have an impulsive streak, get a thrill out of doing things ‘off-the-cuff’, and don’t dwell too much on the long-term consequences of your actions this is another trait that can contribute to an addictive personality.

Unable to stop:

You realize that the amount of alcohol you are drinking, or the level of drug use you are at needs addressing and have tried to quit, but failed to do so. If you continue to use a substance regardless of the personal physical and psychological problems it is causing, or how it is affecting those closest to you then this is a trait that spells:

Warning: Addiction Issues Ahead.