As parents, we want to protect our kids. We do all we can to keep them healthy, we talk to them about drugs and alcohol, and we encourage them to try hard and be all they can be. But for many parents, the realization that their child suffers from a mental illness can be devastating.

Hard to Diagnose

Many children and adolescents have been diagnosed with some form of mental illness in our country. Many more, however, go unnoticed. Children with mental illness often show symptoms such as irritability, aggression,and disobedience. Because of this, many children with mental illness are treated as if they had a behavior problem, which may or may not help the underlying problem.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most commonly diagnosed mental disorder in children, but it is not the only one that affects young people. There is also generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, depression, autism, and even schizophrenia. Left untreated, these disorders can get worse and lead to other mental illnesses.

Research on Mental Disorders

Research is still somewhat lacking in the field of childhood mental illness. We still don’t understand what causes these disorders, and most forms of treatment center on managing symptoms, rather than fixing the root of the problem. Education about mental disorders in children is also scarce, so that roughly half of adolescents with mental illness go undiagnosed. Parents are not educated about these disorders, and often the symptoms go unnoticed for what they really are. These kids are treated as rebellious, disobedient, or unruly, when they have little control of their outbursts and aggression.

Treatment

Treatment can be effective with many of these illnesses, especially if diagnosis occurs early. There are many success stories of children that were able to recover to a good point from mental disorders. Behavioral therapy, counseling, and a family approach to treatment are the most effective, although medication is sometimes also needed to keep things under control.

Mental Illness and Substance Abuse

If left untreated, however, mental illness in children can lead to a life of suffering. The mental illness will most likely get worse, and they may develop other disorders as well. Lack of function in society, depression, and suicide can be a result of untreated mental disorders. Finally, substance abuse can become a part of these kids’ futures, as they search for something that will help ease their mind. These children may never feel that they fit in and because their life is such a struggle, they may self-medicate with drugs or alcohol that take their cares away.

Scientists must continue to study childhood mental disorders and work with treatment professionals and parents to educate them on the latest research. One day, we hope to find more realistic cures to these disorders in order to help these children lead normal, healthy lives.

Sources

Reaching Children Who Live in a World of Their Own

Study links autism and schizophrenia

Nearly Half of America’s Youth Have Untreated Mental Illness

Researchers have been studying addiction for years now, and many of them would agree that if we could pinpoint an exact moment when an addiction starts, like a light going off in someone’s head, things would be easier. Maybe then we could do more to prevent an addiction from starting. But addictions begin gradually, usually with behavior that isn’t always wrong or necessarily dangerous. We don’t wake up one morning and say, “I think today I’m going to become addicted to something.” Rather, it starts as something about us or our lives that we aren’t satisfied with. Maybe it’s our family life that we try to get away from by drinking or doing drugs. Maybe an injury has left us relying on prescription medications to deal with the pain. Maybe it’s a stressful job that we escape by spending hours on the computer, or maybe it is our weight that has caused us to worry and be anxious.

Addiction is a Gradual Process

Usually when people become addicted to something, they feel like they can manage it on their own at first; that they will be the one person that can partake of these activities over and over and not become addicted. Young girls that binge and purge do so because they think they can do it for a short time and then quit. The same goes for drugs. No one tries drugs thinking that they will one day be the drug addict alone on the street. But compulsive behaviors can quickly take over a person and before they realize how strong the compulsion is becoming they are caught up in a full-blown addiction.

It is important that we learn other ways to cope with our problems. Sometimes a little alone time to think, take a walk, or rejuvenate is what helps keep an addiction away. Sometimes it is a nice, long talk with a good friend or family member. For those that really see the danger looming ahead, a talk with a counselor will be very beneficial. Just don’t think you can do it on your own.

An Unhealthy Mindset

Our society today has an attitude that makes us think we are too rushed, too pressured, or suffering too much, and that we need to do something to reward ourselves, or make ourselves feel better. Drugs help at first and the high that people get makes them forget their problems. Other addicting behaviors like shopping, binge eating and purging, or excessive internet use, help people feel they are in control, or escaping their unhappy life.

But addictions take over people’s lives and those that are addicted become miserable. Then their problems are even more serious, and what once helped them feel better fast, now is ruining their lives.

Treatment

Treatment for addiction can be very effective and many Americans are learning to heal their addiction and live a normal life. We shouldn’t think we can get over an addiction on our own. Professional help is necessary to provide people with the counseling, skills, and support necessary to recover.

Sources 

Addiction: “Drugs, Brains, and Behavior – The Science of Addiction”

Avoid Addiction

Net Addiction

Another young star has died, and again rumors of drug abuse are swirling without any solid evidence. Brittany Murphy died Sunday in her Hollywood Hills home. The cause of death was cardiac arrest, but toxicology reports are being done to determine if drugs played a role in her death. Being so young, many have assumed that drugs must have been a cause of her cardiac arrest, but so far those reports aren’t confirmed.

The Public Life of a Celebrity

Our society today tends to treat celebrities as public property, printing pictures and reports about stars as if it is our right to see or read them. All too often the stories are made up or exaggerated, and to do so when an actor dies can cause much heartache for the family. Instead of jumping to conclusions that Brittany Murphy was a cocaine addict and suffered from anorexia, we would do best to wait for the results from professionals.

Substance Abuse and Celebrities

However, plenty of Hollywood stars have died at a young age because of substance abuse. Michael Jackson, Heath Ledger, and Anna Nicole Smith all died a premature death because of their interaction with drugs. Whether it was prescription pills, street drugs, or a combination of drugs, alcohol, and a wild lifestyle, substance abuse has claimed too many lives. Celebrities often get caught up in drug abuse for a number of reasons. Their busy lives can be stressful with the lack of privacy and long hours. Sometimes they start with drug abuse to calm frazzled nerves or to relieve anxiety. Other times the stars get caught up in the partying-it-up lifestyle, where many others are doing drugs, getting drunk, or doing other harmful things. It is very much like the peer pressure that kids in high school face – “everyone’s doing it, so why shouldn’t I?” Celebrities also usually have enough money at hand to buy drugs, and their personal assistants and connections can make the purchasing process even easier.

We don’t yet know why Brittany Murphy died, but instead of speculating about her, maybe we should focus on the many other celebrities that are struggling with substance abuse or alcoholism. These people are just like the rest of us and need to get treatment for their addiction, like the rest of the population. There are many luxury drug rehab facilities that specialize in treating the “rich and famous”. With treatment from a good facility, there is help for those willing to accept it.

Sources

Brittany’s ‘crash course’

Brittany Murphy, 32, dies of cardiac arrest

Brittany Murphy’s Hubby Promises Death was no Overdose

Christmas is upon us again, and once again there are many of us that need to fake our way through the holidays. We might not feel so jolly or loving, and maybe seeing others have a good time makes things even worse for us. Maybe this is the year that we need to just get by, and start working toward a better next year. Or maybe the time to get help is now, today, and we shouldn’t even attempt to make it through the holidays without treatment.

We’ve all had our struggles this past year, whether it was because of finances, our health, the passing of a loved one, or something like alcoholism or drug abuse. Some people are able to see past the bad times and enjoy themselves with family at Christmas. But for those that deal on a daily basis with substance abuse, holidays can be very difficult.

Get Help Now

If you or a loved one is addicted to something, it is important first of all, to get help. Just because we’ve got holidays coming up doesn’t mean we should put off treatment. In fact, with all the stress that holidays bring, it is even more important to get help.

There are probably some people that won’t check themselves into a treatment facility on Christmas day. While that might be the wisest thing to do, the second best thing to do is to keep the addiction in check and get help as soon as you can after that. Just because you’ve resigned yourself to the fact that you won’t be able to overcome your addiction before Christmas doesn’t mean you should let yourself go. Keep the celebrations simple this year. Get together with family or friends as long as it doesn’t cause anxiety or embarrassment. Don’t expose yourself to work or family parties where people will be getting drunk or taking part in risky behavior. It’s actually ok to have a quiet Christmas or New Year’s celebration with one or two close friends that won’t temp you to do something you’ll regret or that will harm you.

As you go through the end of this year, keep things low key, but look forward to seeking treatment as soon as possible. Start planning out where and when to go for treatment, and even work on setting appointments up to meet with treatment professionals. Treatment can happen anytime, even during the holidays. It’s never a bad time to admit the problem and get help for an addiction. By working through an addiction problem this year, you can look forward to a more enjoyable Christmas next year, and for many years to come.

Sources

Substance Abuse Treatment During the Holidays – Better to Go Now or Wait?

“Holiday blues” can be serious, experts say

Therapists Slammed with Holiday Depression Cases

If only we could prevent substance abuse. The problem is that it has become such an all-encompassing crisis that affects millions in our country alone. It is amazing to think how far substance abuse has come and how big of a problem it has become. We need to do more to prevent it.

Avoiding Addicting Substances

Preventing addiction is possible, but it involves complete abstinence from the addicting substances. The only way to keep from feeling the intense, uncontrollable cravings is to never experiment with the substance in the first place. Without that first taste, that first high, that first feeling of euphoria, we don’t really know what we are missing. Or, rather, maybe we do know what we are missing – the pain, the struggle, and the feeling of helplessness when the substance abuse takes over our lives.

Prevention through Education

Real prevention techniques involve several components that take into account what kind of people the prevention is geared toward. The main form of prevention is education. Subjects need to know all about the dangers of substances. It’s not enough to tell them to “just say no”, because the unknown sometimes is what draws people in. Most young people that start getting involved with drugs or alcohol do so just to see what it’s like.  But if we educate people enough about the risks and dangers, they will be more likely to avoid them.

Prevention should be tailored toward the age group or demographics of the subjects. While education should be broad enough to cover all forms of substance abuse, it should focus on higher risk areas for the target audience.

Prevention should also be carried on long-term, as people tend to forget what they’ve learned. Everyone needs to be reminded about the risks and why they should say no. Prevention techniques have a way of motivating and empowering people to stay away from drugs and alcohol. But they can quickly be lured into trying drugs once the information is not fresh in their minds.

Another way to make prevention methods more effective is to make them available to a group of people, such as a classroom of children. There is power in numbers and if a group of peers all vow to abstain from drugs and alcohol, they will be able to positively encourage each other.

While prevention techniques should be made available to everyone, it is most effective to target high-risk individuals for extra support. These are the people that have a family history of substance abuse, or are part of a high-risk age group or demographic. These individuals should receive more education more frequently in order to help them stay clean.

Sources 

Hope for Addiction: A Brain Not on Drugs

How To Prevent Alcohol And Drug Addiction

One of the worst fears that recovering addicts often face is that of relapse. It has been enough of a struggle to get through admitting to the problem, telling family and friends about it, going through detox, and getting treatment, and now there is no guarantee that they will be able to stay clear of drugs. Of course, a good treatment facility with the right kind of follow-up care is the best way to ensure sobriety in the long run, but many people do end up relapsing, even with some of the best help there is. However, there are things people can do to help prevent relapse:

Support groups: Support groups for recovering addicts are the best ways for someone to stay sober. These meetings give people a chance to share their story and gain strength from connecting with others in the same situation. 

Changing lifestyles: A recovering addict will need to change their way of life and avoid triggers and old drug buddies or drinking pals in order to avoid relapse.

Staying busy: Someone that has nothing to do will learn to occupy themselves somehow, often by obsessing about going back to drugs. An active mind that is doing something constructive will avoid those thoughts and temptations.

Accepting help: People often find that when they have gone through something like rehab, they have family and friends around that want to help out, but don’t really know what to do. Accept the help that people are willing to give, even if it is just a listening ear.

Learning to cope: Stress and anxiety can increase a person’s risk of relapse. A recovering addict should learn and apply techniques to help them get through life’s problems without turning back to drugs.

Family members of recovering addicts must also worry about relapse. They can help their loved one avoid it by making sure they are staying active with their support group, and living a healthy, happy lifestyle. Those close to the patient can watch for warning signs that their family member is about to relapse:

• Withdrawal
• Isolation
• Depression
• Overconfidence
• Avoidance
• Obsessive behavior
• Changes in eating or sleeping patterns

It isn’t easy when someone relapses, but it is important for both the patient and their loved ones to remember that relapse happens in many cases of recovery and it doesn’t mean that there is no hope. People are able to get back up after relapse, get additional treatment, and try again. It may not always seem like it, but recovering patients benefit from the support and love of family and friends. These people are vital to the recovery process and should be ready to be supportive and encouraging, rather than judgmental and critical. While the road to recovery is not easy and there are often setbacks, with some hard work and encouragement, sobriety is a goal worth fighting for.

Sources 

Preventing Relapse of Drug Abuse

Relapse Prevention

Preventing relapse

Once an alcoholic has taken steps to become sober and has received treatment for their disease, many think the hard work is over. While the act of getting someone to admit to a problem and start treatment is usually very difficult and emotional, the work is not completed simply because treatment has begun. Both the alcoholic and their family will most likely face years of difficult times when it comes to alcoholism.

Recovery for Life

Alcoholism is a disease that affects people for life. An alcoholic cannot get sober with treatment and then expect everything to be fine. There is always the temptation to drink. Most treatment professionals will stress that total abstinence from alcohol is important. Even with counseling and therapy, it is very difficult to not take a drink again, especially when alcohol has controlled someone’s life for so long. Recovering alcoholics will also struggle with family relationships. They may have had marriages that failed or were hanging on by a thread. Most likely, roles will change a bit as an alcoholic goes from typically out-of-control to a more passive role in the family. Recovering alcoholics may need to relearn how to function in society. If they were out of work because of their disease or out of touch with reality in general, this is something they need to reconnect with. Alcoholics Anonymous is a very helpful resource for recovering alcoholics, as they gain strength and knowledge from others going through the same thing.

Recovery for Family

Alcoholism is also a disease that affects the whole family. Children and spouses of alcoholics learn to tread carefully around them, or to ignore them when they get aggressive. Resentment is often a big part of family members’ feelings. Once the alcoholic in the family is sober, the family may want to breathe a sigh of relief, but sometimes things don’t go back to a normal way of life. Maybe the recovering alcoholic will become withdrawn and want to be left out of family functions. Maybe the alcoholic feels like their family is critical of them and this causes conflict. Maybe the recovering alcoholic’s personality itself seems to be different after going through recovery. Other family members of alcoholics have experienced all these concerns. Families can get help through Al-Anon and Alateen, which provide support to spouses and children of alcoholics.

It is important for both the recovering alcoholic and their family to get help. Family members can learn how to be encouraging rather than resentful, and the recovering alcoholic can learn how to reconnect with their family. Family togetherness and family therapy will help aid in sobriety.

Sources

Spouse’s Attitude Can Affect Alcoholic’s Relapse

The Female Partner of the Recovering Male Alcoholic

Al-Anon

No Intimate Relationships During the First Year of Sobriety!

It’s often hard to point fingers when an addiction gets out of hand, because it is the person with the addiction that ultimately is controlled by it. But sometimes we just have to stop and wonder how some people can stand by and watch or even encourage the addiction, as someone wrecks their lives.

A recent news story tells of the 52 year old Nebraska man, Terrance Watanabe, who gambled away $127 million at Las Vegas casinos last year. We could say that Terrance had a gambling addiction (which he obviously did), and that no one was making him gamble; he was just being irresponsible. But if we take a look at the whole story of his addiction, and at the gambling industry, we may be amazed that no one stepped in to help him with his problem.

Encouraging Gambling Addictions

There is often a fine line between marketing your service or product by encouraging people to make use of it, and enabling those that have become addicted to it. For example, the life of the high rollers at casinos are luxurious, filled with special perks. Private jets, complimentary suites, choice of bartender and meals; these are all things the casinos are willing to offer those that spend a lot of money. Terrance was certainly one of those people. He alone contributed 5.6% of the casino’s gambling revenue for the year, and these casinos actually depended on his gambling to make their money. So even though he was gambling for 24 hour periods and that he was falling asleep drunk at the tables, they still catered to his wishes and encouraged him to keep betting.

Help for Process Addictions

Other industries are very much the same. Bartenders have often been criticized for continuing to serve beer to alcoholics. Video game companies seem to prey on those that are addicted to the games. Shopaholics are constantly bombarded by the ads and commercialism of stores trying to make a bigger profit.

What should be done to help those suffering from these process addictions? The problem won’t be fixed by a sweeping decision or policy. It will take little steps to come up with solutions that help the many addicts out there. Casinos can put measures in place that require dealers to turn away those that are unable to control their gambling. Compulsive gamblers should be able to put their name on a list which would ban them from all casinos. Bartenders can follow protocol that says they should stop serving intoxicated patrons.

However, it’s hard to punish companies that are just trying to make a profit, and even with these policies in place, people are going to find ways around them. That’s why treatment is so important. With the right treatment, there is hope for these individuals to overcome their addiction. And it doesn’t hurt to have a little help from those around us. Concerned workers can keep an eye out for those struggling with addiction and do all they can to stop taking advantage of them.

Sources 

The Gambler Who Blew $127 Million

Gamblers Anonymous

Gambling addicts apply for ban

Wow, I never thought I’d see the day when America’s golden boy Tiger Woods would go zero to bottom overnight. I’m still reeling from this one and just when I think I’ve got a handle on the story, out pops some new porn star from Portland that not only says she too had sex with Tiger, but she also had unprotected sex with Tiger…wow!

This country was practically built on scandal and shame so this is nothing new to the masses; however, this is Tiger Woods for God’s sake, I was still coming to grips with the fact that the guy was having sex. They say people reveal themselves in their opposites, which can only mean that we are dealing with one sick cub. Is it wrong that I actually find him more interesting?

Ok, before the hate mail starts pouring in, let me explain what I mean. I am not saying I condone what he did or respect his choices, but we are dealing with a MASSIVE ADDICTION that has personified Tiger Woods and I am interested in watching him now more than ever. I am certainly impressed when a human being can put a ball in a cup with one swing from 300 yards out, but I am absolutely captivated when I have the privilege of watching a human being face and embrace the truth for the first time.

Addiction is so powerful that even those we perceive to be superheroes behave the same way when faced with the truth…they lie! Tiger is about to bounce off the bottom at any second but as it stands, I get the sense he is still a pitching-wedge away from the absolute truth. I watch this process daily and it isn’t pretty when it happens behind closed
doors but to see it unfold on the global stage is downright brutal. Everyone is in pain watching the truth emerge – especially his family and that is horrific; however, I will say that as this plays out and if Tiger has any self respect, he will find the humility he needs, connect with his higher power and come completely clean.

He is one of us and that means that if he gets into a program of recovery and takes the necessary steps, the man we will meet on the other side will not only be the greatest golfer of our time, but he will also be a man capable of looking into a mirror and loving the reflection. That in itself will overshadow the golfer and let the sun shine brightly on the great man, father and husband he has become by getting honest.

Good luck to the entire Woods family. We are here if you need us.

Jim Bevell

One of the things that make drugs so harmful is that they completely take over a person’s life. The “high” that an addict feels makes them physically and mentally addicted and wanting more. After a short time people become dependent on the drug, doing whatever it takes to get more of it.

Desperate to Get Drugs

There are so many stories of the lengths people will go to in order to get their hands on their drug of choice. A large percentage of crimes are committed over drugs. People will steal money or things they can sell to buy drugs. Drug dealers kill people over arguments about drug supplies or costs. People high on drugs lose their sense of judgment and commit random crimes simply because they are too stoned to know what they are doing.

Other people, still trying to hold their lives together, will find other ways to get a hold of drugs. Prescription drugs are frequently ordered online, or patients will hop from doctor to doctor to get additional refills. There are countless websites that give step-by-step directions on how to make drugs like meth or ecstasy. Many drug addicts are so desperate to get drugs that they are willing to take the risk of making their own. Many meth labs have been set up in recent years, putting residents and neighbors at risk for explosions or harmful fumes.

Desperate to Not Get Caught

Drug abuse is bad anytime, but it seems especially sad when it involves children. Drug abusing parents are in no position to take care of their children, and the abuse or neglect that has happened to kids because of drug abuse is shocking. For example, a woman in Michigan was recently sentenced to prison after using her child to help her pass a drug test. The woman was being monitored for drug use after being caught a year before for drug trafficking. Knowing she would have to submit a sample to be tested and that she should be taking methadone as a treatment for heroin addiction, the woman made her daughter take the methadone and give the urine sample. Other drug addicts know their school, work or the court system will test them and so they go to great lengths to cheat on drug tests.

Help for Lives Ruined by Drug Addiction

Drugs have a way of totally encompassing the lives of those that use them. There are few addicts that are able to hold their lives together for long. There are many that can fool family and friends for some time, but pretty soon the drugs take over and the person loses the ability to function in real life. The only solution is to get help from a treatment professional. Treatment facilities that specialize in detox and therapy are able to help a person get their life back. It’s not necessary to stand by and watch the drug addiction completely take over. Recovery is easier if the help comes sooner rather than later, but getting treatment at any stage of drug addiction can help.

Sources

Drugging daughter lands mom in prison

Accused bank robber says drug addiction drove him to rob a bank and he’s sorry

For paralyzed meth addict, worst is over