Category: Australia

Ice Addiction And Luxury Rehab Resorts They Need

Articles, Australia, Education, International, Understanding Addiction

The effects of ice abuse have been felt by millions, and it is a given that millions more will feel its full force for the foreseeable future.

While the latter part of the above sentence may seem negative it is the truth. Thankfully a growing number of users affected by this highly addictive drug are beginning to understand that decisive help is on hand.

This is in the form of overseas addiction recovery resorts. We will touch on the services and advantages offered by such establishments later in the piece, but let’s first look at the drug with a short name and a long history of abuse.

ICE – The most destructive and dangerous drug of all time?

This is quite a statement when you consider the hordes of other illicit drugs out there, however, there must be something to such a statement if many observers and the very real effects of ice abuse are to be believed.

ICE – What is it?

It is a form of the highly potent stimulant drug methamphetamine. Other forms include base and speed, but what makes ice stand out is that it is the purest, most potent form of methamphetamine.

ICE – How is it taken?

Ice comes as a powder or in crystals. The most common methods of consumption are to snort, smoke, swallow or inject it. Whichever way users choose to take this highly addictive drug one thing is assured; once tried it will not let go easily.

ICE – So what is there to rave about?

Those who choose to smoke, snort or inject will feel an instantaneous hit while those choosing to swallow it will feel the effects after around 20 minutes.

Users state immediate effects include intense feeling of pleasure and stark clarity. Boundless energy and the ease at which they think clearly are on offer, and a greatly heightened confidence is yours.

It is little wonder that such effects are felt. This is because the drug dramatically increases your body’s levels of dopamine. This hormone is responsible for many things including pleasurable reward.

When we say a dramatic increase, this is no exaggeration: The use of ice can increase dopamine levels up to 1,000 times (one thousand, it is not a misprint!) the normal level. This is far more than any other drug or pleasure activity can achieve.

Effects of ice abuse – Part 1:

Such a powerful substance should tell you that ice abuse is common amongst users. This is because users quickly become dependent upon the drug.

It is claimed that many users are hooked after just a couple of hits. This is because the brain not only needs, but demands more of the drug. These feelings become all-consuming and such dependence quickly leads to addiction.

Not being able to ‘score’ is something that cannot be tolerated and reason often goes out of the window to feed an ice users habit.

Those who have succumbed to ice addiction and have sought the help of professional rehab services often claim that they felt powerless to stop use.

Any thoughts of being unable to secure a regular hit were certainly never entertained, and a supply would be secured by hook or by crook thus the rapid downward spiral to addiction.

Effects of ice abuse – Part 2:

Let’s now consider how regular abuse of ice affects the user. This is by no means a comprehensive list, but hopefully it will show some of the devastating effects that await those who dabble with this drug.

As with other drugs from the methamphetamine family many users report that their attention span is reduced, their diet goes downhill and sleep patterns are erratic to say the least.

Progressing such use often leaves users feeling overly anxious and/or depressed. They become confused far more easily, suffer insomnia which only adds to their negative feelings, and many suffer mood disturbances. Just as worryingly, violent behaviour is far more prevalent amongst ice users than those taking other illicit substances.

While such symptoms can be managed over a reasonable amount of time with the help of drug addiction rehabilitation services, the more serious psychotic symptoms can stay with addicts far longer.

These include delusions; a common delusion that is often cited by ice addicts is the sensation of insects creeping under their skin. Then there is paranoia, and hallucinations which can be visual, auditory or both to contend with. Such effects on the mind can last for months or years after a person has stopped use of the drug.

These psychotic symptoms are a major reason that those who seek help from an inpatient rehabilitation centre should choose an establishment that takes aftercare as a priority.

Inpatient rehab treatment is a must:

Make no mistake, the effects of ice abuse can rarely be overcome on your own. This highly addictive and destructive drug requires the assistance of professional rehabilitation services.

Many ice addicts are beginning to understand the huge advantages that luxury overseas rehab resorts can offer, and the fact that qualified treatment comes at a pinch of the cost it would be in their home country.

These establishments are there to serve addicts who are searching for the long term road to recovery.

Coming off ice is no walk in the park, but it is certainly achievable. Staying off ice is a bigger mountain to climb.

A responsible rehabilitation resort will combine the two in a program that is designed specifically with you in mind.

They completely understand that no two individuals are exactly alike. They will discuss the methods of treatment and care with you to ensure they are right for you.

This will incorporate psychological, physical and spiritual aspects which will initially help you withdraw from ice in the least distressing way possible, and will then continue with aftercare options that best suit your circumstances.

The effects of ice now do not need to lead to a bleak future:

If you feel ice is closing its shivering grip around your life please seek professional rehabilitation services NOW. Do not keep putting it off in the belief things will simply “get better”.

By contacting a reputable overseas residential rehab establishment you will be giving yourself the best possible chance to make sure things WILL get better.

Helping a Friend Stop

Articles, Australia, Education, International, Understanding Addiction

If one of your friends is in need, you would be there to help him, right? Then why is is so hard to step up and help a friend when they have an addiction problem? When friends are abusing drugs, it is hard to stand up and tell them they are harming themselves. Here are some suggestions to help talk to your friends, who you think may have a substance abuse problem.

Many times we view a friend’s substance abuse problem as their problem and not ours to deal with. We see ourselves crossing a line if we bring up their problem and ask them to examine themselves. We tell ourselves they do not want us involved in this part of their life. We think we would not want someone else telling us what to do and bringing up painful realities. However, think about it this way: what if it was any other life threatening problem our pal was dealing with? Would you not want to help them then? Would you not want to get them help; the best care possible? You would ask them how they are doing, and you would want to know if there is any way you could help them. You would want someone to help you if you were in their shoes, right? Drug abuse is no different. Drug addiction is a life threatening illness like any other. So we need to put away pride and shame that surround this subject and talk to our friends about their substance abuse problem. In reality, it affects your life as much as it affects their life. Your friendship suffers and often so do other aspects of your life while your friend is using.

Sometimes, we assume we do not have the right words to say to our friends, so we choose to just keep our mouths shut. What if I do not know what to say? What if I make them mad? We tell ourselves they might never be our friend again! What if I hurt his feelings? Then, he will never forgive me! It is always hard to talk to our friends about this topic because it is personal. However, when you address the addiction, do not talk about the person; attack the problem,  not your buddy. Also, do your research to find out as much as you can about drug abuse and addiction to aid you in your conversation.

We think if our friend’s drug issue is bad enough, she would notice it, she would talk to us about it first or she would do something about it. At the very least, someone would have already said something to her. You can tell yourself you do not need to be the one to tell her. Sometimes our friends just need someone to be honest with them and talk them through the issues. Speak up and offer your thoughts in a supportive manner with your buddy if you believe she has a substance abuse problem.

Make sure you are not conversing with your friend about this matter when he has been using. It will not be effective, and you will only be wasting your breath. The situation could possibly escalate as well. Make sure to express when they have not been using and have a clear head where they are in a state of mind to listen effectively.

When you are talking to your friend, make sure you are being specific. If you are talking about certain situations, make sure to bring up definite instances that back your arguments. Remember, not to attack the person, but focus on the addiction.

Do not be surprised if your friend still is not ready for help after you approach them. Express your love for your friend and let her know you care about her. Explain this reason is why you wanted to have a conversation with her. Even if they are not responsive to your help, you can still encourage her to seek professional services for an assessment for her substance use behaviors.

Know whatever happens, you did the right thing by talking to your friend about the signs of addiction you notice in her life. By talking to your buddy, you could potentially save her life. At the very least, you have put thoughts in her head to think about in the future when she uses drugs, and, hopefully, she will begin to think of the consequences moving forward.

Make sure you are taking care of yourself too. Do not hold onto your friend’s problem as your own, and do not allow yourself to feel responsible for their behaviors, actions or reactions. You cannot make them change, and, ultimately, you cannot fix them. Find support for yourself and even talk to a professional if needed.

 

 

Party Goers Unintentionally Consuming Bath Salts

Articles, Australia, Education, Understanding Addiction

Hair samples reveal party goers are unintentionally consuming bath salts

New research reveals those who use the ‘party drug’, MDMA, are often unwittingly consuming potentially lethal synthetic drugs.

A recent study published online in Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 2016, claims MDMA or ecstasy is commonly contaminated with highly dangerous substances, known as “bath salts,” which are new or novel psychoactive substances (NPS) that mimic the effects of illegal drugs.

In 2015, a team of researchers from New York University Langone Medical Centre (NYULMC), USA conducted an online pilot survey of people aged between 18-25 who attended night clubs and festivals in New York, to examine their consumption of MDMA. A quarter of the respondents provided hair samples, 50 per cent of whom tested positive for MDMA, with NPS detected in 41 per cent of the participants who reported using no “bath salts.”

In a recent media release, the study’s lead researcher, and an assistant Professor of Population Health at NYULMC, Joseph J. Palamar said “Users need to be aware that what they are taking may not be MDMA.”
The findings are cause for concern for Australia, with the Australian Drug Foundation citing the rising trend of MDMA use, which follows the 2015 music festival season, that saw four suspected ecstasy deaths between September and December, including the loss of Sydney pharmacist, Sylvia Choi.

Although the findings are US-oriented, they are highly applicable to Australia, and reinforce the importance of not trusting illicit drugs, regardless of their country of origin.

The take-home message is simple – Don’t take the risk, don’t abuse drugs.  

To learn more about the risks of drug and alcohol addiction, head to https://www.dararehab.com/ or call a DARA Thailand therapist today on +661 800 011 193.

 

What You Need To Know About Drugs

Articles, Australia, Education, Understanding Addiction

A drug is considered anything that alters the way one’s brain functions. Drugs can be absorbed, consumed, inhaled, injected, or smoked. People choose to use drugs for numerous reasons. Different categories of drugs have a wide range of effects. All drugs have many different dangers when using them as mentioned above as well. Mixing drugs together also add increased dangers. To seek help with drug use, there are many places one can turn to for help. This article will look at all the topics discussed above to try to help educate you on drug use and how to find help for a drug abuse problem.

 

What types of drugs are there?

There are two different types of drugs: legal drugs and illegal drugs. Legal drugs include ones that are sold and obtained legally, such as alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, and medications sold at a drugstore. Even though the drugs are legally sold, they often have restrictions by law on how they can be sold and in what quantities they can be sold. They are regulated because if used inappropriately, they can cause serious side effects. These substances are used improperly in order to feel good or get high.

 

There are also illegal drugs, which are substances sold without having legal permission to do so. Illicit drugs can include cannabis, amphetamines, ecstasy, LSD, cocaine and heroin as well as numerous others. Not only are these drugs not permitted to be legally sold, they also do not have regulations put in place to safety guard the amount of drug placed in each batch. Potentially, each batch bought could have differing levels of the drug in it, sometimes less and sometimes more frequently, which could be potentially life threatening. Laws prohibit people from using, selling, possessing, making, or driving under the influence of any of the aforementioned substances.

 

Why do people use drugs?

Some people begin using drugs because they want to experiment with them to see what they are like. Sometimes they try it once and never try it again, but at other times they try it and continue using for long amounts of time. Others use drugs because their friends use them. Some others may use drugs because they have become addicted to them. Occasionally, individuals take drugs to feel more grown up or more powerful than they are. Others use drugs to rebel against some situation they are in as well. Some others use drugs because they are bored. Some use because they like the way it makes them feel; it might enhance their mood or make them feel different. Other people use drugs to cope with stress they may be feeling. There are a variety of factors that can play into why people choose to use drugs.

 

Effects of Different Types of Drugs:

Depressants (alcohol, cannabis, heroin):

  • Slow down the messages one’s brain sends and receives
  • Can cause severe muscle aches
  • Can lead to fever
  • Can cause vomiting
  • Can make one pass out
  • Can make one stop breathing
  • Can initiate insomnia
  • Can lead to anxiety
  • Can cause depression
  • Can bring about hallucinations
  • Can lead to paranoia

 

Stimulants (caffeine, nicotine, amphetamines, ecstasy, cocaine):

  • Speed up the messages one’s brain sends and receives
  • Increases body temperature
  • Can prevent one from feeling hungry
  • Can cause heart problems
  • Can give rise to feelings of paranoia
  • Can lead to insomnia

 

Hallucinogens (LSD, ecstasy):

  • Leads to anxiety
  • Makes one take risks you normally would not take
  • Changes one’s perception of reality
  • Can cause one to lose sight of reality

 

Mixing drugs together, even with alcohol, can lead to serious health dangers. Mixing drugs alter one’s body chemistry and can even be life threatening.

 

Addiction is a complex problem and there are many ways one can seek help for a drug abuse problem, and there is no one method that is right for every individual. To have effective treatment, it is critical to address the needs of each person. Individual counseling is an effective mode of treatment as is group counseling. Detox or a rehabilitation center are also effective treatment strategies for those dealing with drug addiction issues. Treatment methods can include either inpatient or outpatient modes of rehabilitation also. Relapse prevention is also crucial step to one’s treatment program. Finding some mode of help and education about their situation is the most important thing for each individual seeking to free himself of a drug abuse problem.

 

Drug use can impact many aspects of one’s life-physically, mentally and socially. If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction, please contact a professional who can help you to your journey of freedom from your drug habit.

 

Understanding The Australian Vulnerability To Gambling

Articles, Australia, Education, Understanding Addiction

Australians are the world’s biggest losers per capita, when it comes to gambling.

In 2011-12, Australians lost more than AUD$20 billion through gambling, placing us head and shoulders above the rest of the world. Singapore is ranked a distant second, with other countries trailing much further behind.

Between 0.5 and 1.0 per cent of Australian adults experience significant problems with gambling, while a further 1.4 to 2.1 per cent experience moderate risks that heighten their vulnerability to gambling.

On average, problem gamblers lose upwards of AUD$21,000 each year, which equates to almost one-third of the average Australian salary.

This begs the question, what is it about our Australian culture that makes us so vulnerable to gambling?

We can’t simply attribute this addictive behaviour to the broad availability of electronic gaming machines (EGM), for this further compounds the question as to what is it, about our Aussie culture, that has allowed the popular acceptance of gambling saturation?

According to clinical psychologist and DARA Thailand Treatment Director, Dr Phil Townshend, “the saturation of gambling in Australia is not only associated with EGMs, but with the high rates of sports betting advertising, widespread availability of mega casinos, and now the inexorable movement towards legalising widespread online gambling (so we can have a safe trustworthy local alternative to offshore providers). It’s this acceptance in our community that allows a legislative environment that enables saturation gambling.

“I don’t know the answer to this, but here’s a little factoid about gambling and the Australian psyche that illustrates the difference in our attitude towards gambling,” said Dr Phil.

According to Dr Phil, after the Second World War, the richest and most powerful countries invested their resources into developing weapons of mass destruction, particularly chemical weapons. One of the difficulties with doing this was that the human subject, or “observers” as they were called, were required to test weapons on. Many countries, including Australia, used military personnel in experiments that involved placing individuals into gas chambers, squirting in nerve gas and seeing what happened in a bid to measure the effects, dose response dissipation, and speed of onset.

“Australia performed these tests at the chemical warfare experimental research centre on Innisfail Island, just off the North Queensland coast. However, something completely unique happened in the Australian tests that had not been seen in any similar experiment, in any other jurisdiction worldwide.

“Overall, the ‘observers’ were quite naïve about what they were doing, and when the bad effects began, they started screaming to be let out,” Dr Phil said.

“However, in the Australian tests, the observers started a sweepstake, all throwing in money, and agreeing that the last one out took the pot.

“They were encouraged by female staff making blokie comments, singing Australian folk songs and gesturing through the windows,” said Dr Phil.

“As a result, some of the volunteers ended up with severe and permanent disfigurement and lifelong health issues.”

To conduct a sweepstake and make staying in the gas chamber “a manhood issue” was a uniquely Australian response that did not occur in any other jurisdiction.

No observers in any other country thought it would be a good idea to make a gas chamber into a random number generator and bet on the result, and consequently sacrifice their own health.

“There’s something about the Australian culture and gambling. I don’t claim to understand it, but I think we need to see our gambling culture as unique, and to gain a better understanding of what drives it,” Dr Phil said.

If you, or a loved one is battling an addiction to gambling, contact DARA Thailand on +66 87 140 7788 or email [email protected] for information and support.