Legal Drugs making a Profitable Illegal Business

There is no good reason to take drugs illegally but there are reasons that make people think it might be an alternative for them. The world can be a scary place sometimes. The fast pace of life in general, the pressures we deal with on a daily basis and perceived dangers of everyday life are enough to put the most stalwart person on edge. Add medical issues and/or emotional issues as well as social economical status adds to the mix.

It’s no surprise some people seek illegal drugs to help escape. In earlier times, about the only escape available was found in a bottle of alcohol. Today’s desire for instant escape has drug manufacturers scrambling to come up with better and faster acting chemical cures for anxiety and insomnia. There are dozens of new drugs to tranquilize us, making our problems appear trivial, at least for a while. These drugs on the market are the new illegal drugs on the street. Sold without prescription is no different than buying weed on the street and are just as dangerous and addictive as if you were purchasing crack on the streets. Still, prescription drugs have become the new escape drug for many.

You hear about the War on Drugs and how the government is trying to end the drug supplies coming into the States, but how do they curtail the abuse of prescription drugs? Where does prescription drugs fit in, if at all in the War on Drugs when the drugs are legally manufactured here or brought into the States legally? Anyone can get prescription drugs, any one can abuse them, and anyone can get addicted to them just as badly as if one was addicted to heroin. Like the saying.. when one door closes another one opens.. problem being one door hasn't even closed and a new door has opened. Illegal drugs being brought into the States has never stopped, and now legal drugs being used illegally is making a huge hit on the drug scene and unfortunately becoming a very profitable illegal business.

If you need help, are struggling with an addiction, or know of someone who is, please contact A Better Tomorrow Treatment Center today. We are here to help.
http://www.abttc.net/
Phone: 800.971.1586
Fax: 800.401.8464
24 Hour Addiction HelpLine
Tel. (800) 396-9389 (7 days 24 hours)
e-mail: info@24houraddictionhelp.com
http://www.24houraddictionhelp.org/

Feel free to follow us on Facebook and Twitter too!
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ABTomorrow
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ABTomorrow

Lesser of Two Evils? Is there such a thing?

The majority of drug users have someone who cares about what they are doing to themselves. Should you be more concerned about one drug as opposed to another? Is it a case of the lesser of two evils? That would be a difficult question to answer because addiction is based on a complicated mix of biological, social and psychological factors. One person may get hooked on marijuana after using it a few times because it helps them to relax. Another person may have no interest in the high that marijuana produces, preferring the effects of methamphetamine.

When determining the addictiveness of a drug, there are specific things that may have an impact. Look at the degree of intoxication produced by using the drug. Will the drug induce users to take it repeatedly? Will the amount of the drug fix have to increase for the user to achieve the same results? How hard will it be to quit using the drug, and stay away from it? What withdrawal symptoms will be encountered by stopping the use of the drug and how severe will they be?

The level of dependence is the common denominator for determining the addictiveness of a drug. Nicotine is probably the highest in dependence. Ask any smoker who has tried to quit. Heroin and Cocaine are pretty much neck and neck in the race. The body builds up a tolerance for both of these drugs, requiring ever increasing amounts the get the high it is seeking although Cocaine would have the highest reinforcement value for the feelings the drug causes. Alcohol would be the highest in intoxication and for an alcoholic the withdrawal symptoms are more severe than the rest of the drugs discussed. Caffeine ranks pretty high in more than one area. Certainly dependence would be an issue. Consider how many people don’t want to face a day before they’ve had at least one cup of coffee or a soda. It is something that is used over and over again. There are some withdrawal effects when you quit using it. Some days you crave more than others, depending on the stress of the situation. Marijuana, still a drug, probably ranks lowest in most areas.

If we had control over those we love, we would opt for no drug use at all. Unfortunately, not many people have that kind of control or influence over another. If someone you love has a drug or alcohol problem, there is help available. A Better Tomorrow can give your loved one back the life they enjoyed before the addiction began. They’re waiting for the call.


If you need help, are struggling with an addiction, or know of someone who is, please contact A Better Tomorrow Treatment Center today. We are here to help.
http://www.abttc.net/
Phone: 800.971.1586
Fax: 800.401.8464
24 Hour Addiction HelpLine
Tel. (800) 396-9389 (7 days 24 hours)
e-mail: info@24houraddictionhelp.com
http://www.24houraddictionhelp.org/

Feel free to follow us on Facebook and Twitter too!
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ABTomorrow
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ABTomorrow

Steroid Abuse

You hear about it on the news, from school officials, and not just on the college level – steroids. The scientific name for this class of drugs is anabolic-androgenic steroids but that is usually shortened to anabolic steroids. On the street they are referred to as steroids, ‘roids’ or ‘juice’. The common users of the drug include bodybuilders, athletes and those overwrought with fitness. They believe the use of steroids improves their physical performance and therefore gives them a competitive edge. It has been reported that their use will increase lean body mass and strength and provide aggressiveness. Some believe that they can train harder because the steroids reduce their recovery time between workouts. Non athletes may take the drug in the belief that it will increase endurance, muscle size and strength and reduce body fat, thus improving their personal appearance.

If steroids are abused by teens they run the risk of stunted growth through early skeletal maturation and accelerated puberty changes. Short stature for life is a possibility if the drug is taken before the body has finished growing. Other side effects might include jaundice which is yellowish coloring of the skin as well as tissues and body fluids, fluid retention, high blood pressure, severe outbreaks of acne and trembling. In rare cases tumors may develop on the kidneys or liver. There are also some side effects that are gender specific. The guys might experience testicle shrinkage resulting in reduced sperm count, infertility, baldness, breast development and an increased risk of prostate cancer. The girls could develop facial hair, suffer from male-pattern baldness, changes in menstrual cycles, enlargements of the clitoris and a permanent deepening in their voice.

Behavior can be affected also by the occurrence of severe mood swings, including manic like symptoms that can lead to violence. Steroids can also cause depression and irritability, paranoia, jealousy, delusions and impaired judgment stemming from feelings of invincibility. Some users may become addicted to the drug. Steroid users can experience withdrawal symptoms that include mood swings, fatigue, restlessness and depression. If left untreated some depression symptoms can persist for a year or more after the abuser stops taking the steroids.


If you need help, are struggling with an addiction, or know of someone who is, please contact A Better Tomorrow Treatment Center today. We are here to help.
http://www.abttc.net/
Phone: 800.971.1586
Fax: 800.401.8464
24 Hour Addiction HelpLine
Tel. (800) 396-9389 (7 days 24 hours)
e-mail: info@24houraddictionhelp.com
http://www.24houraddictionhelp.org/

Feel free to follow us on Facebook and Twitter too!
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ABTomorrow
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ABTomorrow

Your Thoughts: Addiction or Habit?

I am going to list a few scenarios and would love to hear your thoughts on if the scenario is an addiction, habit, or something totally different.

1). You drive the same way to work/store/friends/family/etc. never wavering off your track. When you do have to take a different route you become irritated or uncomfortable.

2). Every morning you have to have coffee before you start your day. When you don’t have it you are irritable and extremely crabby to those around you until you have had your coffee.

3). After meal cigarette is a must have regardless of where you are at. If dinning out at a restaurant, you will step out to have a cigarette regardless if you have other guest with you.

4). Avoid movie theaters because you cannot smoke while watching the movie. You use excuses like “I will wait for it to come out in the stores.”

5). Always chew your food on the same side of your mouth and a certain amount of times before swallowing.

6). When faced with having to attend a non-drinking gathering, regardless if it work related or not, you will have a few drinks before heading out and possibly even bring a bottle with to keep in your vehicle or you will avoid the gathering completely, or attend for just a brief moment to make an appearance and then immediately afterwords drink – using it as an excuse to “award” for even attending at all!

7). Must always sleep on the same side of the bed when sharing a bed however, when you have the bed to yourself side doesn’t matter.

8). Cannot go to sleep at night unless everything is in its place. Will check more than once to make sure nothing was overlooked before retiring for the night no matter what time it is.

9). Must use something (drug or alcohol or even natural remedy) to help you fall asleep every night no matter how tired you are.

10). Check your email, Facebook, or other social outlets numerous times a day when it is not work related. When you are unable to you become anxious or irritated.


If you need help, are struggling with an addiction, or know of someone who is, please contact A Better Tomorrow Treatment Center today. We are here to help.
http://www.abttc.net/
Phone: 800.971.1586
Fax: 800.401.8464
24 Hour Addiction HelpLine
Tel. (800) 396-9389 (7 days 24 hours)
e-mail: info@24houraddictionhelp.com
http://www.24houraddictionhelp.org/

Feel free to follow us on Facebook and Twitter too!
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ABTomorrow
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ABTomorrow

Moderation or Not..?

For most people, drinking in moderation is not harmful, however if your drinking is above the level of two to three drinks per day, or if you are drinking in situations where impaired function is dangerous, you are not a moderate drinker, and alcohol is clearly harmful.

For those with a severe alcohol problem, treatment can be frustrating and can even be unsuccessful. Moderation seldom works for the true alcoholic and complete abstinence is necessary for people with this illness. Some self-help organizations, especially Alcoholics Anonymous, enjoy a success rate that is at least equal to that of any medical treatment. Associated organizations such as Al-Anon, which work with the families of alcoholics, are also effective. These programs work best with motivated individuals who truly wish to change, and the program continually reinforces the subject’s desire to remain free of alcoholic influence. They are very worthwhile.

However, not everyone does well with just support groups alone. Many require entering a treatment center to get more intense help with their addiction. Here are some strong signals that you need professional help: a drunken driving citation, an automobile accident after two or more drinks, missing work because of a hang over, a pattern of work absences, a hospitalization for alcohol-related problems such as gastritis or upper bowel hemorrhage, inability to function at top efficiency in the afternoon because of a two-martini lunch or equivalent. These signal are not subtle; if you recognize that your situation must be changed, you have become a good candidate for successful treatment.


If you need help, are struggling with an addiction, or know of someone who is, please contact A Better Tomorrow Treatment Center today. We are here to help.
http://www.abttc.net/
Phone: 800.971.1586
Fax: 800.401.8464
24 Hour Addiction HelpLine
Tel. (800) 396-9389 (7 days 24 hours)
e-mail: info@24houraddictionhelp.com
http://www.24houraddictionhelp.org/

Feel free to follow us on Facebook and Twitter too!
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ABTomorrow
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ABTomorrow

Taking Responsibility for your Choices

Part of taking responsibility for your choices is being honest with yourself first and then honest with others around you. The honest part seems to be the hardest thing to tackle when you have become accustomed during your addiction to hide everything with lies. Part of taking responsibility of ones choices is taking owner ship of the choices made in ones life. Ultimately, our choices in life are just that – OUR choices and no one else’s regardless if they are good or bad. It is easy to point fingers blaming others for our bad choices in life and only taking ownership of the good.

By staying honest with yourself in your recovery, you can make healthier choices. If you cannot be honest with yourself, there is no way you can be honest with others. Taking responsibility for your choices in life becomes a much easier thing to do if those choices can be backed up by the fact that you were just being true to yourself.


If you need help, are struggling with an addiction, or know of someone who is, please contact A Better Tomorrow Treatment Center today. We are here to help.
http://www.abttc.net/
Phone: 800.971.1586
Fax: 800.401.8464
24 Hour Addiction HelpLine
Tel. (800) 396-9389 (7 days 24 hours)
e-mail: info@24houraddictionhelp.com
http://www.24houraddictionhelp.org/

Feel free to follow us on Facebook and Twitter too!
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ABTomorrow
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ABTomorrow

See it, Believe It

Quiet some time ago, I recall an episode of “Rosanne” where Jackie (Rosanne’s younger sister) attended a self-help seminar that was titled something like “See It, Believe It”. (Feel free to correct my wording if you have also seen it and recall it. I believe it had to be in season one.. that was back in 88 I believe!) Anyhow, the theory behind the seminar was that if a person imagines something, they can become it by simply seeing themselves doing it, saying it, and they will become it. Recovery is similar in that is some instance (times when you would rather close down) that if you simply act as if you could do something that made you uncomfortable and do it, that eventually any fear you had will eventually subside and you would be fine with whatever task was at hand. For example, if you are nervous speaking at an AA or a NA meeting, simply act as if you are not and do it, and eventually you will be fine with it.

Some may say this is faking self-confidence, but how else can one build it unless they take the first step. Acting as if you can and doing so is merely a tool to help start the process of building ones self-confidence. Eventually you will start to see that those things that made you uncomfortable before no longer make you uncomfortable. You will begin seeing the positive changes in yourself and with that your self confidence naturally builds. The more self-confidence builds, the more you can tackle and the stronger you become in your recovery. So if you have to act as if to get the job done initially, do it! In time, it will be natural.


If you need help, are struggling with an addiction, or know of someone who is, please contact A Better Tomorrow Treatment Center today. We are here to help.
http://www.abttc.net/
Phone: 800.971.1586
Fax: 800.401.8464
24 Hour Addiction HelpLine
Tel. (800) 396-9389 (7 days 24 hours)
e-mail: info@24houraddictionhelp.com
http://www.24houraddictionhelp.org/

Feel free to follow us on Facebook and Twitter too!
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ABTomorrow
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ABTomorrow

Illusion of Recovery

A common denominator with all addicts is a sense of low to no self-confidence. The illusion gaining that self-confidence as soon as they enter a treatment center is just that. It doesn’t happen over night!

Like many who enter into addiction recovery, the thought is as soon as they stop using their drug of choice there was to be some sort of huge change in their life. That with recovery they would immediately become “normal” again.

The reality of it is, the only thing that has really changed is that you made the decision not to use drugs any longer and nothing other than that is going to change unless you actively seek to make those changes happen. The same internal and external problems you had before your addiction started are still there and it is up to you to realize that in order to make improvements in your life you need to begin to modify bad behaviors and work through issues.

Things that you may been oblivious to during your addiction can be rearing their ugly head such as habitual lying, stealing, procrastination, bad work ethics, financial irresponsibility, poor hygiene, lazy sloth behavior, self-absorption, etc. These are just a few of the bad behaviors that can develop quickly while addicted and unfortunately carry through even after no longer using. Facing that you have any of these bad behaviors can quickly dimension any of the self-confidence you may have built up during treatment.

If you are not careful, this line of thinking can lead you into a viscous circle of self-mental abuse, which leads to even lower self-confidence, which will lead to you not doing anything to make the necessary changes for improvement. When you see yourself exhibiting a bad behavior, take charge of it like you did you’re your addiction. Use your support people to help you if they see you displaying such behaviors to redirect you. Talk to a therapist and work through issues that may still be present. Just because you worked with counselors and therapist during treatment does not mean everything has been worked through. Some may require therapy for years afterward to get to a health emotional balance.

If you need help, are struggling with an addiction, or know of someone who is, please contact A Better Tomorrow Treatment Center today. We are here to help.
http://www.abttc.net/
Phone: 800.971.1586
Fax: 800.401.8464
24 Hour Addiction HelpLine
Tel. (800) 396-9389 (7 days 24 hours)
e-mail: info@24houraddictionhelp.com
http://www.24houraddictionhelp.org/

Feel free to follow us on Facebook and Twitter too!
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ABTomorrow
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ABTomorrow

Recovery or Addiction? Which do you think?

Along your road of recovery, you may ask yourself “Am I still in recovery or am I just kidding myself?”

A 50-year old woman started using drugs when she was 13. She partied her childhood away and by the time she was 20 she was using needles mainlining heroin, morphine, etc that she could get her hands on. Quaalude's became a big part of her drug rapport. He was hooked on opiate and then was introduced to Oxycontin. As her age increased, she found she just couldn’t “do it” any more and found a methadone clinic. That was 10 years ago. To date, she is still relying on meth to make it through each day and feels she will be on it till the day she dies. Now the question is, is she an addict or is she in recovery? I would like to hear what you all have to say.

If you need help, are struggling with an addiction, or know of someone who is, please contact A Better Tomorrow Treatment Center today. We are here to help.
http://www.abttc.net/
Phone: 800.971.1586
Fax: 800.401.8464
24 Hour Addiction HelpLine
Tel. (800) 396-9389 (7 days 24 hours)
e-mail: info@24houraddictionhelp.com
http://www.24houraddictionhelp.org/

Feel free to follow us on Facebook and Twitter too!
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ABTomorrow
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ABTomorrow

Online Recovery Support Groups

When your circle of support is limited, or access to them is upon schedules, it is great to have another outlet – another form of contact to be able to reach out at any hour. Online support groups is a great way to broaden your support of your recovery.

For some in recovery it is hard to express exactly what they are going through with someone who has never dealt with an addiction personally. Support groups are based on that fact that others there have the “been there done that” knowledge making it a great outlet for others in recovery. Online support groups work on the same basis. The key is finding those that are supported and or moderated by people who know what they are talking about with the “been there done that and am here to help, listen etc.” Not only are online support groups great for reaching out, but also for being able to give solid advice to someone who is struggling with addiction or a part of recovery that you have already gone through. However, keep in mind that others in the online support group as well as your self are not experts but do have valuable information that can help.

Another really good thing is just like at an NA or AA meeting people who are really struggling are sharing with you and it drives home the fact that you never want to be in that position again. It can be that reminder of where you were compared to where you are at today. Recovering addicts need to never forget just how bad we can get.

When your outlets are limited, you may want to consider joining a online support group so no matter what time of day, you can find someone who can relate or help someone struggling.


If you need help, are struggling with an addiction, or know of someone who is, please contact A Better Tomorrow Treatment Center today. We are here to help.
http://www.abttc.net/
Phone: 800.971.1586
Fax: 800.401.8464
24 Hour Addiction HelpLine
Tel. (800) 396-9389 (7 days 24 hours)
e-mail: info@24houraddictionhelp.com
http://www.24houraddictionhelp.org/

Feel free to follow us on Facebook and Twitter too!
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ABTomorrow
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ABTomorrow

Warning signs are there ~ Relapse

If you have a friend or loved one who is in recovery, relapse is a real issue and a common thing. Many stumble along their recovery road but along those stumbles there are warning signs there.

There is a period of time during recovery where a person will feel impending dread, dread that they will no longer be able to experience that euphoric high once experienced while in their addiction. They may feel like all of the positive thinking they had done in their early recovery wasn’t a reflection on their true feelings towards sobriety, as if they are lying to themselves when they say they are grateful for their new found clean and sober life.

When these feelings come on, it can be very overwhelming and last for many days. The recovering addict may isolate themselves from anyone and everyone who may very well been the same people who could help them through these feelings. This can be their biggest mistake and a huge step towards relapse.

When you begin to believe that no one else could possibly understand how you are feeling and don’t reach out and ask for help – relapse is just seconds away. When you notice a loved one or friend in recovery beginning to pull away, stop attending support meetings, isolating themselves, that is when it is even more important to pull them back in. For the person in recovery – force yourself no matter how uncomfortable it feels at first, to reach out for help. It is the times when you don’t feel like you need anyone else that are the most important times to surround your self with others. Every day a person in recovery can face struggles making a strong support network essential in a healthy recovery.

If you need help, are struggling with an addiction, or know of someone who is, please contact A Better Tomorrow Treatment Center today. We are here to help.
http://www.abttc.net/
Phone: 800.971.1586
Fax: 800.401.8464
24 Hour Addiction HelpLine
Tel. (800) 396-9389 (7 days 24 hours)
e-mail: info@24houraddictionhelp.com
http://www.24houraddictionhelp.org/

Feel free to follow us on Facebook and Twitter too!
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ABTomorrow
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ABTomorrow

Addiction Recovery - More Than Just Not Using

Addiction recovery is about way more than just not using your substance of choice. It is about healing your addictive thinking, addictive behaviors, and dealing with life in a different way – a more positive and direct manner.

Once the concept of what addiction recovery is grasped is when the real journey of recovery begins. It will always be a work in progress with its highs and lows.

Addiction recovery is not just the cessation of addiction behaviors and abuse. It is about human development, growing, learning what was stunted in ones life while in an addictive downhill spiral. It is about learning how to deal with life’s ups and downs without abusive or addictive crutches. It is about being able to be proud of how far you have come and how much more yet you can grow.

If you need help, are struggling with an addiction, or know of someone who is, please contact A Better Tomorrow Treatment Center today. We are here to help.
http://www.abttc.net/
Phone: 800.971.1586
Fax: 800.401.8464
24 Hour Addiction HelpLine
Tel. (800) 396-9389 (7 days 24 hours)
e-mail: info@24houraddictionhelp.com
http://www.24houraddictionhelp.org/

Feel free to follow us on Facebook and Twitter too!
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ABTomorrow
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ABTomorrow

The Fork In The Road

When you reach a fork in the road, are faced with a decision or life situation that is either new to you or uncomfortable to you, do you run and hide or deal with the situation? You may do as you have always done in the past, run and hide with from the situation – live in denial, but is that really healthy? Does it solve anything, or does it just make matters worse? Your past experience will tell you it only makes matters worse.

Rather than run and hide or deny there is even a problem, if you have been in through a good treatment recovery center you can use the life skills and coping skills that you were taught to get through those trying times or when you come to a fork in the road to know a safe direction to proceed.

Since you are no longer using mood-altering substances you are going to find that living in denial of a situation is not as easy as it once was. There is nothing to fall back on to numb those feelings of anxiety, guilt, etc. There is no safe alternative escape other than dealing with situations that come your way. When you actually decide to face what you fear, you will begin to heal yourself. You will know there is no need for your previous addictive behavior patterns. Although your addictive behaviors are the ones that are second nature to you now, the more you work on dealing with life the more your improved behaviors will be the ones that happen without thought.

If you need help, are struggling with an addiction, or know of someone who is, please contact A Better Tomorrow Treatment Center today. We are here to help.
http://www.abttc.net/
Phone: 800.971.1586
Fax: 800.401.8464
24 Hour Addiction HelpLine
Tel. (800) 396-9389 (7 days 24 hours)
e-mail: info@24houraddictionhelp.com
http://www.24houraddictionhelp.org/

Feel free to follow us on Facebook and Twitter too!
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ABTomorrow
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ABTomorrow

Time for a Change?

Are you tired of being a slave to a drug? Are you tired of suffering? Are you tired of hurting yourself and the ones you love? Do you want to get rid of your addiction? If you are suffering from an addiction, rehabilitation is the best solution. By attending a rehabilitation treatment, you will rid yourself of your addiction and receive the tools needed to help you stay on a clean road. You will receive the consoling needed to help you discover your triggers and the underlying reasons for your addiction.

A Better Tomorrow Treatment Center is able to help you achieving your permanent recovery through their drug and alcohol rehab. There is aftercare support that enables you to receive lifetime support. This aftercare support will be very useful for patients as they usually have difficulties to face the world without using drug or alcohol.

A Better Tomorrow Treatment Center offers personalized treatment not a one treatment fits all base. This personalized treatment enables every patient to get the most out of their treatment. If you or a loved one is fighting an addiction and are ready to start a better tomorrow, let A Better Tomorrow Treatment Center help you make the change in your life for the better.

If you need help, are struggling with an addiction, or know of someone who is, please contact A Better Tomorrow Treatment Center today. We are here to help.
http://www.abttc.net/
Phone: 800.971.1586
Fax: 800.401.8464
24 Hour Addiction HelpLine
Tel. (800) 396-9389 (7 days 24 hours)
e-mail: info@24houraddictionhelp.com
http://www.24houraddictionhelp.org/

Feel free to follow us on Facebook and Twitter too!
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ABTomorrow
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ABTomorrow

Self-Harm

Self-harm or deliberate self-harm was previously referred to as self-mutilation. The act includes intentional self-injury or self-poisoning without suicide intent.
The most common form of self-harm is skin cutting but can also include burning, scratching, banging or hitting body parts, interfering with wound healing, hair pulling (Trichotillomania), ingestion of toxic substances or objects, and a wide variety of other self injurious activity. Behaviors associated with substance abuse and eating disorders are usually not considered self-harm because the lack of visible tissue damage however, a broader definition of self harm may also include individuals who inflict harm on their bodies by means of disordered eating.

Suicide is not the intention of self-harm however the self-harming behavior may be potentially life threatening. However, suicide is a risk with 40 to 60% of suicides having some form of previous self-harm behaviors.

Self-harm is considered a symptom of borderline personality disorder. However, patients with other diagnoses may also self-harm, including those with depression, anxiety disorders, substance abuse, eating disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, and several personality disorders. Self-harm is also apparent in high-functioning individuals who have no underlying clinical diagnosis.

Self harmers' do so to fulfill a number of different functions – as a coping mechanism for temporary relief of intense feelings such as anxiety, depression, stress, emotional numbness and a sense of failure or self-loathing. Self-harm has been associated with a history of trauma and abuse including emotional abuse, sexual abuse, drug dependence, eating disorders, or mental traits such as low self-esteem or perfectionism.

Self-harm is most common in adolescence and young adulthood, usually first appearing between the ages of 14 and 24. However, self-harm can occur at any age, including in the elderly population. Drug and alcohol abuse, dependency, and withdrawal is also associated with self-harm.

Self-harm is treated through various methods, both psychosocial and physical treatments.

Medication: Many people who self-harm suffer from moderate or severe clinical depression and therefore treatment with antidepressant drugs may often be effective in treating these patients.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Used to assist those with diagnoses, such as depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder.

Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT): Can be very successful for those individuals exhibiting a personality disorder, and could potentially be used for those with other mental illnesses who exhibit self-harming behavior.

Other approaches involve avoidance techniques, which focus on keeping the individual occupied with other activities, or replacing the act of self-harm with safer methods that do not lead to permanent damage.


If you need help, are struggling with an addiction, or know of someone who is, please contact A Better Tomorrow Treatment Center today. We are here to help.
http://www.abttc.net/
Phone: 800.971.1586
Fax: 800.401.8464
24 Hour Addiction HelpLine
Tel. (800) 396-9389 (7 days 24 hours)
e-mail: info@24houraddictionhelp.com
http://www.24houraddictionhelp.org/

Feel free to follow us on Facebook and Twitter too!
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ABTomorrow
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ABTomorrow

Trichotillomania

“Trichotillomania (TTM, also known as trichotillosis, or more commonly as trich) is defined as "hair loss from a patient's repetitive self-pulling of hair" and is characterized by the repeated urge to pull out scalp hair, eyelashes, facial hair, nose hair, pubic hair, eyebrows or other body hair, sometimes resulting in noticeable bald patches. Trichotillomania is classified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) as an impulse control disorder, but there are questions about how it should be classified. It may seem, at times, to resemble a habit, an addiction, a tic disorder or an obsessive–compulsive disorder.” (Wikipedia)

Trichotillomania leads to severe and noticeable hair loss, distress, and social or functional impairment", and is "often chronic and difficult to treat". Trich can present as early as infancy but peaks between the ages of 9 to 13. Depression, anxiety, obsessive–compulsive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, and stress are common triggers for Trichotillomania. Many with Trichotillomania hide their disorder due to the social implications and embarrassment so it is hard to give a reportable prevalence of this disorder.

Part of the criteria in diagnostician Trichotillomania is an increasing sense of tension before pulling the hair and gratification or relief when pulling the hair. However, some people with Trichotillomania do not even realize they are pulling their hair, that after time it becomes habit or ritual.

Trichotillomania is usually "confined to one or two sites", but can involve multiple sites: "the scalp is the most common, then eyebrows, eyelashes, face, arms, legs, and pubic hairs". Children are less likely to pull from areas other than the scalp. It has been noted that the higher the stress level of a person with Trichotillomania, the more pulling they do.

Psychological effect can be low self-esteem, increased isolation, and increased depression. Medical complications that can result from Trichotillomania are infection, permanent loss of hair, repetitive stress injury, carpal tunnel syndrome, and gastrointestinal obstruction as a result of trichophagia. Trichophagia is when people with trich also ingest the hair that they pull.

Treatment is approached based on the age of the patient. Parents are counseled to ignore the behaviors in pre-school age children, as these children frequently outgrow it. In pre-adolescents to young adults, establishing the diagnosis and raising awareness of the condition is an important reassurance for the family and patient. Non-pharmacological interventions, Habit Reversal Training, including behavior modification programs, may be considered; referrals to psychologists or psychiatrists are considered when other interventions fail. When Trichotillomania begins in adulthood, it is often associated with other psychiatric disorders, and referral to a psychologist or psychiatrist for evaluation or treatment is considered best. The hair pulling may resolve when other conditions are treated. Medications may also be used, especially when there is dual diagnosis.


If you need help, are struggling with an addiction, or know of someone who is, please contact A Better Tomorrow Treatment Center today. We are here to help.
http://www.abttc.net/
Phone: 800.971.1586
Fax: 800.401.8464
24 Hour Addiction HelpLine
Tel. (800) 396-9389 (7 days 24 hours)
e-mail: info@24houraddictionhelp.com
http://www.24houraddictionhelp.org/

Feel free to follow us on Facebook and Twitter too!
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ABTomorrow
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ABTomorrow

Pyromania

Pyromania is a type of impulse control disorder, again not looked at as a addiction base but treatment has many aspects of addiction treatments.

Pyromania is an impulse to start fires deliberately to relieve tension and typically includes feelings of gratification or relief afterward. Unlike arsonists, pyromaniacs start fires to induce euphoria, and often fixate on institutions of fire control like fire stations and firefighters. They will often remain at or near the scene of the firs just to watch the fire fighters get the fire under control.

Pyromaniacs are treated mostly through behavioral modification therapy. The prognosis for treatment is generally fair to poor. Treatment appears to work in 95% of children that exhibit signs of pyromania, which include family therapy and community intervention. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are also used to treat pyromania.

Pyromania is a rare disorder. Pyromania can occur in children as young as age three, but it is rare in adults and rarer in children. Only a small percentage of children and adolescents arrested for arson have pyromania. Pyromania is primarily a male disorder with 90% diagnosis male.


If you need help, are struggling with an addiction, or know of someone who is, please contact A Better Tomorrow Treatment Center today. We are here to help.
http://www.abttc.net/
Phone: 800.971.1586
Fax: 800.401.8464
24 Hour Addiction HelpLine
Tel. (800) 396-9389 (7 days 24 hours)
e-mail: info@24houraddictionhelp.com
http://www.24houraddictionhelp.org/

Feel free to follow us on Facebook and Twitter too!
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ABTomorrow
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ABTomorrow

Problem Gambling

Problem gambling, clinically known as “ludomania”, is an urge to gamble despite the harmful consequences it can have or desire to quit. Gambling is considered a problem when by the action of gambling causes harm to the gambler or others. There are two distinct levels of gambling issues – pathological gambling and gambling addiction. Pathological gambling is considered to be an impulse control disorder therefore does not fit the criteria for the American Psychological Association for addiction.

Diagnosis of gambling addiction has to meet at least 5 or more of the following symptoms:
1. Preoccupation. The subject has frequent thoughts about gambling experiences, whether past, future, or fantasy.
2. Tolerance. As with drug tolerance, the subject requires larger or more frequent wagers to experience the same "rush".
3. Withdrawal. Restlessness or irritability associated with attempts to cease or reduce gambling.
4. Escape. The subject gambles to improve mood or escape problems.
5. Chasing. The subject tries to win back gambling losses with more gambling.
6. Lying. The subject tries to hide the extent of his or her gambling by lying to family, friends, or therapists.
7. Loss of control. The person has unsuccessfully attempted to reduce gambling.
8. Illegal acts. The person has broken the law in order to obtain gambling money or recover gambling losses. This may include acts of theft, embezzlement, fraud, or forgery.
9. Risked significant relationship. The person gambles despite risking or losing a relationship, job, or other significant opportunity.
10. Bailout. The person turns to family, friends, or another third party for financial assistance as a result of gambling.

The Illinois Institute for Addiction Recovery stated after various research findings that pathological gambling is similar to that of chemical addiction. Reseearch has shown that some pathological gamblers have lower levels of norepinephrine than normal gamblers. Norepinephrine is secreted under stress, arousal, or thrill, so pathological gamblers gamble to make up for their under-dosage. In a study done by the Harvard Medical School Division on Addictions, when a gambler wins a monetary award the brain activity is similar to that of a cocaine addict getting a fix.

Most treatment for problem gambling involves counseling, step-based programs, self-help, peer-support, medication, or a combination of these. However, no one treatment is considered to be 100% successful and no medications have been approved for the treatment of pathological gambling by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Gamblers Anonymous (GA) is a commonly used treatment for gambling problems. Modeled after Alcoholics Anonymous, GA uses a 12-step model that emphasizes a mutual-support approach.

One form of counseling, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has been shown to reduce symptoms and gambling-related urges. This type of therapy focuses on the identification of gambling-related thought processes, mood and cognitive distortions that increase one’s vulnerability to out-of-control gambling, and utilizes skill-building techniques geared toward relapse prevention, assertiveness and gambling refusal, problem solving and reinforcement of gambling-inconsistent activities and interests.


If you need help, are struggling with an addiction, or know of someone who is, please contact A Better Tomorrow Treatment Center today. We are here to help.
http://www.abttc.net/
Phone: 800.971.1586
Fax: 800.401.8464
24 Hour Addiction HelpLine
Tel. (800) 396-9389 (7 days 24 hours)
e-mail: info@24houraddictionhelp.com
http://www.24houraddictionhelp.org/

Feel free to follow us on Facebook and Twitter too!
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ABTomorrow
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ABTomorrow

Kleptomania

Kleptomania is an irresistible urge to steal items of trivial value. People with this disorder are compelled to steal things, generally, but not limited to, objects of little or no significant value. Some kleptomaniacs may not even be aware that they have committed a theft. It is usually thought of as part of the obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) spectrum, although new evidence suggests that it may be more similar to addictive and mood disorders.

Kleptomania strongly differs from shoplifting or ordinary theft. Shoplifters and thieves generally steal for monetary value or gain. There is usually forethought intent while kleptomaniacs do not consider the value of an item or even contemplating theft until they are compelled without motive. Kleptomania can also demonstrate with hoarding symptoms that resemble those with OCD.

The onset of this illness generally begins during puberty and, in some cases last throughout the person's life. Kleptomania can present after traumatic brain injury or carbon monoxide poisoning. People with Kleptomania generally have dual diagnosis with specifically paranoid, schizoid, or borderline personality disorder and or substance use disorders. It is common for individuals with kleptomania to have first-degree relatives who suffer from a substance use disorder. Kleptomania can also present after traumatic brain injury or carbon monoxide poisoning.

Treatment of kleptomania typically involves medications and psychotherapy, perhaps along with self-help groups. However, there is no standard kleptomania treatment and researchers are still trying to understand what may work best. Medications may include Antidepressants, Mood stabilizers, Benzodiazepines, Anti-seizure medications, and Addiction medications. Psychotherapy treatment generally has a strong Cognitive behavioral therapy base and may include techniques such as Covert sensitization, Aversion therapy, and Systematic desensitization. Other forms of therapy, such as psychodynamic therapy, family therapy, or marriage counseling, also may be helpful.


If you need help, are struggling with an addiction, or know of someone who is, please contact A Better Tomorrow Treatment Center today. We are here to help.
http://www.abttc.net/
Phone: 800.971.1586
Fax: 800.401.8464
24 Hour Addiction HelpLine
Tel. (800) 396-9389 (7 days 24 hours)
e-mail: info@24houraddictionhelp.com
http://www.24houraddictionhelp.org/

Feel free to follow us on Facebook and Twitter too!
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ABTomorrow
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ABTomorrow

Intermittent Explosive Disorder

Intermittent explosive disorder (abbreviated IED) is a behavioral disorder characterized by extreme expressions of anger, often to the point of uncontrollable rage, that are disproportionate to the situation at hand. It is currently categorized as an impulse control disorder.

Some have reported that they have emotional changes prior to an outburst which could lead one to think that a person is aware when an outburst is about to occur.

Prevalence is higher in men than in women. The disorder itself is not easily characterized and often exhibits with dual diagnoses with other mood disorders, particularly bipolar disorder. Individuals diagnosed with IED report their outbursts were brief (lasting less than an hour), with a variety of bodily symptoms such as sweating, chest tightness, twitching, palpitations. The violent acts were frequently reported accompanied by a sensation of relief, and in some cases, pleasure, but accompanied by remorse after the fact; similar to that of an addict getting a fix.

The DSM-IV criteria for IED include:
• Occurrence of discrete episodes of failure to resist aggressive impulses that result in violent assault or destruction of property.
• The degree of aggressiveness expressed during an episode is grossly disproportionate to provocation or precipitating psychosocial stressor.
• Diagnosis is made only when all other mental disorders and all general medical condition that may cause violent outbursts have been ruled out.

Intermittent Explosive Disorder is treated through both cognitive behavioral therapy and psychotropic medication. Therapy goal is to help patient recognize the impulses that lead to the outburst with the reasoning, if they can recognize and are aware of the changes, they can take necessary action to control the outburst. It also aims to treat the emotional stress that comes with these violent outburst. Medications have shown effective in alleviating some of the pathopsychological symptoms.


If you need help, are struggling with an addiction, or know of someone who is, please contact A Better Tomorrow Treatment Center today. We are here to help.
http://www.abttc.net/
Phone: 800.971.1586
Fax: 800.401.8464
24 Hour Addiction HelpLine
Tel. (800) 396-9389 (7 days 24 hours)
e-mail: info@24houraddictionhelp.com
http://www.24houraddictionhelp.org/

Feel free to follow us on Facebook and Twitter too!
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ABTomorrow
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ABTomorrow

Are Recurring Compulsions A Type of Addiction?

The term addiction does not just apply to alcohol or drugs; it is also applied to compulsions such as problematic gambling, computer addiction, sex, shopping, food addictions, kleptomania, pyromania, intermittent explosive disorder, and the list can go on. However, not all doctors look at each of these and many other types of recurring compulsions as a addiction. A recurring compulsion is an act by an individual to engage in some specific activity, despite harmful consequences, as deemed by the user himself to his individual health, mental state, or social life. Do you think the recurring compulsions sound a lot like the clinical description for drug or alcohol addiction?

Many psychology professionals and others now feel that there should be adjustment made to the addiction module to include psychological dependency so these types of behaviors count as 'addictions.' Psychological dependencies cause some of the same symptoms associated with drug or alcohol addiction such as guilt, shame, fear, hopelessness, failure, rejection, anxiety, and humiliation along with other medical conditions such as depression.

In the next several blogs I will be looking at some of those recurring compulsions that are seen by some professionals as a form of an addiction. You judge for yourself if they sound strikingly similar to that of addictions.


If you need help, are struggling with an addiction, or know of someone who is, please contact A Better Tomorrow Treatment Center today. We are here to help.
http://www.abttc.net/
Phone: 800.971.1586
Fax: 800.401.8464
24 Hour Addiction HelpLine
Tel. (800) 396-9389 (7 days 24 hours)
e-mail: info@24houraddictionhelp.com
http://www.24houraddictionhelp.org/

Feel free to follow us on Facebook and Twitter too!
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ABTomorrow
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ABTomorrow

Desiderta

In closing about self-esteem, I would like to take this opportunity to share the poem that a reader had commented about. I felt it just as fitting as the commenter did. Desiderata (Latin for "desired things") is a prose poem by Max Ehrmann about attaining happiness in life. Please enjoy.

Desiderta

Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant, they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love, for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is perennial as the grass.

Take kindly to the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

Max Ehrmann c.1920


If you need help, are struggling with an addiction, or know of someone who is, please contact A Better Tomorrow Treatment Center today. We are here to help.
http://www.abttc.net/
Phone: 800.971.1586
Fax: 800.401.8464
24 Hour Addiction HelpLine
Tel. (800) 396-9389 (7 days 24 hours)
e-mail: info@24houraddictionhelp.com
http://www.24houraddictionhelp.org/

Feel free to follow us on Facebook and Twitter too!
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ABTomorrow
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ABTomorrow