Bipolar disorder is a mental disorder that causes distinct changes in mood, energy, and the ability to function normally, experiencing mania or depression. These are often intense changes that cause uncharacteristic behaviors that last every day, for most of the day, for several days or weeks.
The purpose of an intervention is to essentially hold up a mirror to your friend or loved one who is struggling with addiction and their behaviors, revealing the need for them to accept that they need help, and to offer support. This is an important event in a person’s life and needs to be planned carefully. Staging an intervention can be emotionally taxing and may result in a variety of responses from the individual with the substance use disorder, and they may or may not accept treatment in the end.
Sex addiction is a process addiction disorder (addiction to a behavior) in which a person cannot control repeated sexual impulses, resulting in brain changes that lead to addiction. Symptoms of sex addiction include:
Substance abuse can cause a strong chemical dependency in some, meaning their body does not know how to function without the drug or alcohol they were abusing and experiences withdrawal symptoms. Certain drugs and alcohol can cause serious and dangerous withdrawal symptoms that can even be fatal, which require a medical detox center. Medical detoxification treatment programs provide around-the-clock medical supervision and medication-assisted treatment to make sure the withdrawal process is safe and comfortable. Even when withdrawal symptoms are not dangerous, some people choose to enter a medical detox center in order to complete their drug or alcohol detox successfully and more comfortably.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental illness that develops when a person is exposed to a traumatic or shocking event or high level of stress that creates changes in the brain. The “fight or flight” response is triggered and experienced for over a month, interfering with day-to-day life with stress symptoms, flashbacks, anxiety, hypervigilance, and other uncomfortable or frightening psychological and physical symptoms.
Insomnia is one of the most common symptoms of drug and alcohol withdrawal, especially during early recovery. Drugs and alcohol can negatively impact several neurotransmitters in the brain that are essential for good mental health and for getting a good night’s sleep. There are several substances that can also mess with circadian rhythms which are known for causing insomnia. Chronic pain due to substance abuse and withdrawal can also cause sleep disorders. Many in long-term recovery also report chronic insomnia, and taking sleeping aids may risk their sobriety, causing many to suffer from a sleep disorder.
Sleep quality is essential for healing from addiction and co-occurring disorders that may have resulted from long-term substance abuse. Insomnia causes several health conditions as well, including increased risk factors for congenital heart disease, and increased blood pressure, and affects mental health. However, there are several natural ways to help you fall asleep and get a good night’s sleep.
Vaping is similar to smoking cigarettes as you heat up a substance to then inhale the fumes that come from the burning substance. The difference between smoking cigarettes and vaping is that when you are smoking cigarettes you are burning tobacco and inhaling whereas, when you are vaping you are using a device such as a vape pen or mod which is an advanced vape pen that resembles a flash drive. Individuals will heat up vape juice which is a liquid that turns into vapor when you heat it in the vape pen.
Percocet is a prescription drug that is a combination of the opioid drug oxycodone and analgesic acetaminophen also known as Tylenol. Percocet is considered to be an opioid which means it has similar effects and properties of other opioids such as heroin, fentanyl, or morphine. Percocet provides users with feelings of euphoria and pain relief. Many individuals will be prescribed Percocet to manage any ongoing pain or serious health concerns. However, due to Percocet being a powerful opioid, the risk of developing a Percocet addiction is serious. Â
When you hear the term Nonalcoholic beer, many would say that it is safe to assume that it is a beer that has zero alcohol content. While the marketing for this beverage would say that this is the case, there are some nonalcoholic beers that will actually have a content of .05% alcohol content within them. While there is a significantly lower percentage of alcohol within a nonalcoholic beer, there is still in fact alcohol content within the nonalcoholic beer.Â
For many individuals that have attended rehab for an alcohol use disorder, once you return home and back into your day-to-day life, you will begin to navigate what life will be like in sober living. While you want to remain true to your goals of abstaining from alcohol abuse and living in sobriety, there are often questions surrounding whether it is appropriate for someone living in addiction recovery to drink nonalcoholic beer. Although nonalcoholic beer does not contain alcohol, there are still concerns and debate over whether the nonalcoholic beer is supportive to a person’s long-lasting recovery and acts as a good sober alternative. There have been many concerns about how nonalcoholic beer can become a trigger for alcoholics living in addiction recovery due to the fact it tastes and smells like alcoholic beer. However, there are some that may argue that they are able to drink nonalcoholic beer without being triggered, and provides an option that will allow you to be within a social setting and eliminate the concerns of peer pressure by having a non-alcoholic alternative. The decision is ultimately up to you and your comfortability and self-security to be able to remain true to your goals of living in addiction recovery.Â
After a long day of feeling stressed, many people use wine or other alcohol to relax and release tension. However, drinking alcohol every day is not the healthiest way to relieve stress. Using alcohol to cope with stress and anxiety not only just masks the symptoms, but it can also lead to alcohol dependence over time. Other healthier ways to treat your stress and anxiety include exercise, guided meditation, and yoga for stress relief. Yoga is an all-natural way to relieve stress, instead of putting a harmful substance in your body that can actually make your symptoms worse. For those in addiction recovery, finding ways to relax and destress without the use of substance is an important coping skill for relapse prevention.