Just because your wife used crack cocaine doesn’t mean she needs a detox center. However it does mean that she should seek out counselling or even enter a drug and alcohol treatment center, if the usage, frequency, and behaviour warrant it.
Many families who are first faced with their loved using any substance, including crack cocaine, think that a person needs to go to a detox center before the drug and alcohol treatment centre.
A Detox center is only necessary for substances that create physiological sickness, when the person stops using the drug.
>h3>Drugs that DO require a Detox Center, are as follows
1. Benzodiazapines. Like Valium or Ativan.
2. Alcohol.
3. Opiates. Any painkiller. Like heroin. Oxycontin. Fentanyl.
4. Mental Health Medications. Any mental health medication that has been used for more than 3 months, including anti-depressants, should be detox or taper supervised by a Medical Doctor.
The reason this list does require a detox center before the drug and alcohol treatment centre is when a substance abuser stops usings these drugs, there is a serious, negative physical and mental health reaction. The body reacts with a sickness, what we call withdrawal symtoms. Withdrawal sympotns vary in this list above, but to give you a general idea of withdrawal symptoms, here are some to consider. Keep in mind, many of these symptoms are or can be life threatening.
1. Flu like aches.
2. Vomiting
3. Diarrhea
4. Insomnia
5. Suicidal Ideation
6. Body Trembling. DT’s
7. Dehydration
8. Loss of Appetite.
9. Confusion
10. Irritability
With Crack Cocaine, the reason she does not need a detox center, is the withdrawal symptoms for crack cocaine are very different. Crack cocaine is a stimulant that works on the Dopamine receptors the brain. So when you discontinue this drug, the body isn’t necessarily so dependant that it will get sick and the symptoms are rarely life threatening.
Just because crack cocaine does not require a detox center before attending counselling or a drug rehab center, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be concerned. Be very concerned.
If your wife used crack cocaine for the first time, if if your wife used crack cocaine for years, the effects, financially, mentally, emotionally and relationally can be devastating.
I highly recommend considering a drug and alcohol treatment center and if your loved one is doing more than crack cocaine and using substances from the detox list provided, please consider searching drug detox centers near me; or just click the link provided.
My Wife Used Crack Cocaine. Does She Need Detox? ℗
]]>Canadian drug rehab services provide an exceptional alternative for U.S. patients seeking residential drug and alcohol treatment programs, for a fraction of the expense a U.S. patient would pay in the U.S.
Due to the weakness of the Canadian Dollar, there is an opportunity for drug rehab patients from the U.S. that require world-class addiction treatment services to gain access to quality addiction programs and save money.
For instance the average cost of a 90 day stay, at a private residential drug rehab program, in the U.S. will run residents around $30,000 USD. Based on current exchange rates, that would provide access to the same level, if not better level, in some cases, of addiction rehab care for $23,000. That’s $7,000 in savings from seeking drug rehab in Canada versus seeking care in the U.S.
For most families struggling with addiction, finding the best drug rehab centers is one things, affording the best drug rehab center is another thing altogether.
Based on our research, the drug rehab success rate in Canada is marginally higher in most Provinces versus success rates found State by State.
We still suggest and recommend the same level of research you would conduct in the U.S. Use Google to find the best drug rehab centers in Canada. At this point short list at least, 3 options for you to consider. Keep in mind, if you are interested in co-ed versus no co-ed to short list accordingly.
The Canadian drug rehab landscape has options for both co-ed drug rehab and non co-ed drug rehab. So if you are seeking addiction treatment for women’s only drug rehab, then search; best drug rehab centers for women in Canada and the same goes for men.
All of the same addiction services are provided in Canada. Medical detox, 12 step programs, non-12 step programs, Integrative addiction medicine, CBT, along with length of stay. The average length of stay at a Canadian drug rehab center, runs between 60 and 90 days.
Many U.S. residents have the illusion that the climate in Canada is much colder, and who would want to do addiction treatment by an igloo when they can do it pool side in Santa Monica. This is not true.
Although many eastern Provinces are much colder, the Western Province of British Columbia, the main city being Vancouver, is quite warm, and matches climates of Washington, Oregon, and Northern California. So we suggest seeking drug rehab programs in B.C.
Drug rehabilitation is not easy, it can be a mental and emotional struggle. At least, if you consider drug rehab options in Canada, the struggle on the wallet won’t be as much of a challenge.
If you are considering drug rehab in the U.S. and you are faced with a bill of say; $50,000.00 if you consider drug rehab options in Canada, the bill would be $38,5000.00 – That’s $11,500 U.S. in savings, just for choosing a Canadian drug rehab center over a U.S. drug rehab center.
U.S. Patients Save Money on Canadian Drug Rehab Services ©
]]>In the beginning, there was light but what precedes light, is darkness. Point being, everything has a beginning. Drug rehab and recovery may seem like the beginning but the true beginning is mixed in a cauldron of hopelessness, despair, disease, disgust, shame and guilt. This is the point every addict must face before they can face drug rehab and recovery.
Drug rehab and recovery is definitely the light, the beginning of a course correction. A new path out of the darkness.
Working with countless addicts in drug rehab and recovery, over the years, primarily at a drug rehab for women, I’ve seen every addict and even their families lost in hopelessness. This is a very trying time. It causes greif, anxiety, and panic, just to name a few mental, emotional reactions.
What I’d like to convey to the reader today is, this is exactly where you are supposed to be. George Chakiris said it best; No matter how dark the moment, love and hope are always possible.
I repeat; Love and hope are always possible!
Many addicts sitting in hopelessness look at drug rehab and recovery as a destination but it is not. Drug rehab and recovery are both steps on the ladder. The ladder of enlightenment.
When I speak of enlightenment, i’m not speaking necessarily from a Buddhist Monk’s perspective but rather one’s own unravelling story.
Each step up the ladder, we have lessons, and we must learn those lessons before we move on.
I say this today because too many addicts facing that first spark of light put all their stock in drug rehab. Like that is the end.
As if, once a child completes Elementary, they are prepared for the workforce. Every step towards recovery has phases, and every great journey is based in solid foundation.
This is what drug rehab is. It is, if done correctly, a solid foundation. The bedrock of which a person’s recovery can flourish and prosper.
Everyone in recovery needs a solid foundation, and no better place to intensively establish it, than through a solid drug rehab program.
Selecting a drug rehab program, can be a daunting task itself. So how does one choose? Call around. You will be faced with a few options.
1. Co-ed or not co-ed?
2. Private or Government Funded?
3. 12 step or non-12step?
4. Cost consideration.
That’s about it. Search online. Call a few drug rehab centre’s, speak with the admissions department and get a vibe for what feels right for you or your loved one.
It might seem like an insurmountable task at the beginning, but just chip away at it. Short list three different drug rehab centre’s, then call those three. It will take you maybe the better part of an hour. Then review their literature or curriculum online, study their credentials, and make a decisions.
The only time drug rehab is a bad place, is when the person really doesn’t want to change or they are kicking and screaming every step of the way, however mind you, I have seen many addict’s start with complete resistance and then miraculously change in the end. Sometimes, these are the greatest drug rehab stories I could ever tell you.
Just remember, if you are desperate and hopelessness, this is good. This is the starting point. Without it, there is no drug rehab or recovery to begin, and once again remember; no matter how dark the moment, love and hope are always possible.
Hopelessness can lead to hope and drug rehab leads to recovery. It’s not always pretty. It doesn’t always manifests the way we expect, but if the foundation is laid properly, the recovery will happen, it’s just a matter of time.
Drug Rehab and Recovery ©
]]>There seems to be this trend of late. A trend to categorize or put a new stamp on what addiction is or how addiction should be treated.
The recent stamps – A Ted talk; Everything You Think You Know About Addiction is Wrong and a recent Vice article; This Neuroscientist Argues That Addiction Is Not a Disease and Rehab Is Bullshit, crystalize this need to stand out.
These link bait headlines certainly grab attention. The Vice article was shared on Social Media over 67,000 times. People were interested.
The reality is, the article is nothing more than a Press Release for Marc Lewis’ book; The Biology of Desire: Why Addiction Is Not a Disease
To me, the article is a touch irresponsible but it’s neither right or wrong. It’s simply one journalist’s view. A journalist trying to stand out from the pack.
These days, anyone can take a counter a claim and make fan-fare about it. They will get attention and they will sell books, but this is addiction. We are dealing with people’s lives. It’s not about selling books.
With addiction, there is already enough uncertainty around it. When a person is first faced with tacking an addiction, they are confused where to start, and I understand why but the biggest mistake is trying to figure out which approach is right.
I propose we focus less on making ego driven stamps and labelling it, and rather accept what has worked for people before the new addict facing recovery because there are many ways that in fact; work.
It’s not about who is right or wrong but what has worked in the past and what future research and work can we do to improve the recovery process.
I am not saying Marc Lewis or Johan Hari are wrong about addiction, I am saying the definition doesn’t matter.
It’s a disease! It’s not a disease! Who cares!
We find addiction professionals like Dr. Stanton Peele duking it out with addiction Doctor Gabor Mate, best selling author of The Realm of Hungry Ghosts. Mate, whose approach to addiction is rooted in childhood trauma. He claims the first five years of life determine addiction at the neuro-chemical level. He theorizes that abuse and lack of love lead to dopamine deficiencies – a neuro-transmitter necessary for feeling good. These deficiencies lead to an addict seeking other sources of feeling good, mainly through chemical abuse or obsessive compulsive conditions like over shopping.
I’ve read some blogs by Stanton Peele that outright attack Gabor Mate on his beliefs. Really?
I can guarantee you, Dr. Gabor Mate has helped an infinite number of addict’s in recovery and I can guarantee you, so has Dr. Stanton Peele.
So who is right? For me, both, are right.
Truly, everything you think you know about addiction is right. You can build a claim on either side of the fence, and either side has good principles that can help an addict recovery.
There was a recent documentary; Wasted on The Nature of Things by Mike Pond, a psychotherapist and recovering alcoholic that featured that the brain of an alcoholic is different than the brain of a non-alcoholic. Was it a genetically abnormal brain or just a different brain, altered by substance? That, to me, was not conclusive.
It’s easy to look at this study through the chicken and the egg lens. My first instinct was, we would need to study the brain in adolescence prior to the alcoholism forming to determine if the brain is abnormal versus studying a post alcoholic brain, in a 50 year old man. Of course it would be different, since a long-term alcoholic brain has undergone certain neuro-trauma.
My point being, here I am evaluating Mike’s study, and projecting my own assumptions and beliefs onto his findings. It’s after all, my ego that is saying; Hey, wait a minute. I don’t think so, but that doesn’t mean I am right.
Mike Pond, in his clinical practice discusses a non-punitive approach to addiction. He also refers to relapses as recurrences, a much softer approach to addiction than say the AA model of recovery, which has helped millions of suffering substance abusers stay sober but in my experience, that model is very hard on the person and soft on the problem, where as Mike Pond’s narrative approach is more soft on the person, hard on the problem.
Again, we are back to the main question. Who is right and if I’m suffering from addiction, what approach do I follow?
With 15 years of studying recovery under my belt, with many recurrences, (Yes, I prefer that term.) Taking those recurrences and placing them under the spot light of every conceivable healing modality in addiction. What I can say with absolute confidence is; addiction recovery is a preference.
I have studied and undergone treatment through the 12 steps, completed 3 sets of steps in my life, in fact, 16 Steps, yes there are 16 steps, I have experienced the Narrative approach, countless hours of talk therapy, timeline therapy, hypnosis, infrared sauna therapy and Orthomolecular medicine. I have seen Naturopathic Doctors, Addiction Doctors, Psychotherapists, Shamans, Medicine Men and Sound Healers. I have tried Ayahuasca – a glorious and deeply profound experience that brought new meaning to my outlook on life.
Did any of these approaches make me any more sober versus the next? Conclusively, no! For me, each method, each definition, each program, each approach has brought me closer and closer to new meaning of my self and accessed higher levels of conciousness. It has been an eye opening journey that has led me to know that Everything You Think You Know About Addiction is Right. All of these approaches work in greater and lesser degress but it’s ultimately what YOU make of it.
We must stop fighting over who is right and who is wrong and embrace all of the wonderful lessons we can take from all of these incredible teachers, gurus and mentors our world has to offer.
Stop trying to be right. Let’s just all ask ourselves; what has worked from each of these approaches, so that we may apply it to our fellow man or women struggling with addiction. What tools can we offer the addict struggling next to you?
For me; I don’t give a shit if it’s a disease or not and I’ve come to learn that having more tools in the shed to help overcome self destructive abuse is better than being right.
Attention: Marc Lewis, Johan Hari, Stanton Pelle, Gabor Mate, and Mike Pond. Everything You Think You Know About Addiction, is Right!
Everything You Think You Know About Addiction is Right ©
]]>If you are a women struggling with drug addiction, you have a handful of options to choose from including a variety of Maple Ridge Womens Residential Rehab Facilities.
Before deciding on Maple Ridge Womens Residential Rehab Facilities, there is some information you should be equipped with. The more information you have on addiction treatment programs through you are considering will help give you the confidence in your addiction treatment program. Keep in mind NOT ALL rehab facilities are appropriate for every person, and condition. Careful consideration needs to be taken before any decision is made. We would like to help you with making that decision easier. Here is the information you need before deciding on a Womens Residential Rehab Facility.
The first decision is whether you should choose outpatient addiction services or residential rehab facilities.
The decision is ultimately yours or your families but the best way to assess which option is appropriate is based on the risk of your addiction.
Some preliminary questions you may want to ask yourself are? (Drug addiction definition includes pharmaceutical addiction and alcohol addiction.)
Drug Addiction Self Assessment Questions
1. Can you stop your drug addiction, on your own?
2. Have you tried to stop your drug addiction on your own in the past as failed?
3. Have you experienced a steady decline in your life?
4. Does your drug addiction affect your life and the life of those around you?
5. Do you miss work because of your drug addiction?
6. Do you find yourself struggling with mood, like anxiety, depression, anger etc.?
7. Do you find yourself often exhausted or unable to cope with life?
8. Do you find yourself frustrated with your current situation?
9. Does your drug addiction take away your pain temporarilty, either mentally or emotionally?
If you have answered yes to 4 or more of these questions, we strongly recommend considering a residential rehab facility.
Once you have decided on a residential rehab facility, you have two options.
Womens Residential Rehab Facilities – Options.
1. You first option is to consider government funded treatment centres. In order to be eligible to receive funding through the government, you must be on Income Assistance or receiving Disability. If you are not on income assistance or receiving disability, you can still access addiction services on an outpatient basis through Mental Health and Addidcitons, or you can pay for a bed at one of our Womens Residential Rehab Facilities. Please be advised, government funded rehab facilities have long wait periods. So if your case is urgent and your require access to womens residential rehab facilities immediately, then this option may not be for you.
2. Your second option for Womens Residential Rehab Facilities is to consider a fully private Womens Residential Rehab Facility. If your drug addiction case is considered server and in need of urgent care, there are beds available at the private level. When considering a Womens Residential Rehab Facility, at the private level, there are some questions you should have answered.
Private Womens Residential Rehab Facilitates – Assessment Questions
1. Is the facility licenced by the Province? Typically, at this level, the private rehab facility is required to be licence through Assisted Living, which is a Provincial Regulatory body. If the rehab centre os NOT licenced and accredited through the Province, then we strongly suggest you report the centre to Assisted Living, in your designated Province.
2. Is the facility accredited by the Province?
3. What credential does the staff have? A minimum Master Degree is required for a residential rehab facility to be licenced?
4. What other qualifications does the staff have?
5. How long has the rehab facility been in operation?
6. Is there medical supervision, if required?
Please have these questions answered by any private Womens Residential Facility Admissions Department before you proceed with payment.
Whether you choose a government funded womens residential rehab facility or a private womens residential rehab facility, some of the best treatment centres happen to be located in Maple Ridge B.C.
Maple Ridge Womens Residential Rehab Facilities offer both government funded and private treatment options for addiction. We strongly recommend that you research both options and depending on your needs, select the drug addiction program that is best for you. Speak with the Admission Department, understand the program curriculum and conduct standards and what to expect from the experience. Once you have all the facts together, selecting Maple Ridge Womens Residential Rehab Facilities will be that much easier and you can feel confident in your decision.
We would like to help you. West Coast Wellness Centre for Women is the only VIP, licenced and accredited through Assisted Living, B.C., fully private, 10 bed centre in Western Canada. All other options are either Provincially funded by Income Assistance or are not properly accredited through the Province.
Please contact: 1-800-801-8354 to discuss our Maple Ridge Womens Residential Rehab Facility as an option for your recovery.
Maple Ridge Womens Residential Rehab Facilities ©
]]>This article covers addiction and rehab centers in Leduc, Alberta, Canada. Topics covered include regional information, addiction statistics, rehab centers and rehab treatment resources in Leduc.
Leduc is a city in the province of Alberta, Canada and is located 21 miles south of the provincial capital of Edmonton. It is part of the Edmonton Capital Region metropolitan area.
Leduc was first established in 1899, when Robert Telford, a settler, bought land near a lake which would later bear his name. It was on that piece of land that the new settlement would take root. Telford previously served as an officer for the North-West Mounted Police, and later became Leduc’s first postmaster, first general merchantman and first justice of the peace. The establishment of the Calgary and Edmonton Railway, later acquired by the Canadian Pacific Railway, opened the region to settlement. The first train stopped at Leduc in July 1891.
Leduc was first incorporated as a village in 1899, and went on to become officially a town in 1906. It became a city in 1983. By that time its population had reached 12,000. The town continued to grow quietly over the decades and Alberta’s historical oil strike on February 13, 1947, was made near the town at the Leduc No. 1 oil well.
Leduc Statistics
Population according to 2014 municipal census is 28,583, a 4.9% change from its 2013 municipal census population of 27,241.
In the 2011 Census, the City of Leduc had a population of 24,279 living in 9,290 of its 9,789 total dwellings, a 43.1% change from its 2006 population of 16,967. With a land area of 14.27 square miles, it had a population density of 1,700.9/square mile in 2011. The 2011 census also indicated that Leduc was ranked as the municipality with the ninth-highest population growth between 2006 and 2011. Following its 2014 annexation, Statistics Canada adjusted Leduc’s 2011 population by an additional 25 people to 24,304.
According to the 2011 municipal census, males and females each accounted for 50% of the population. The average age was 35, while residents aged 19 or younger represented 27% of the population.
In 2006, Leduc had a population of 16,967 living in 6,718 dwellings, a 12.9% increase from its 2001 population of 15,032. The city has a land area of 14.27 square miles and a population density of 1,189/square mile.
In Canada $21.4 billion worth of alcoholic beverages were sold during the fiscal year ending March 31, 2013, $2.4 billion in Alberta
76.2% of Albertans reported drinking alcohol in 2012
Among people who consumed alcohol over the past year in Alberta 11.9% exceeded the guideline for chronic effects and 8.8 % exceeded the guideline for acute effects
Cannabis use among Albertans aged 15 years and older was 11.4% illicit drug (Cocaine/Crack, Speed, Methamphetamine/ Crystal meth Hallucinogens, Ecstasy, and Heroin) use in Alberta for the previous year was 11.6%
$4.4 Billion – The overall cost of substance abuse for Alberta ($1,414 per capita)
Female addicts are 54% more likely to die prematurely because of their drug use Addiction in Leduc.
The Leduc Community Drug Action Committee (LCDAC) strives to create and support a drug-aware and drug-resistant community. Meeting monthly, their vision is to take a prevention-focused approach, in the City of Leduc, by means of education and awareness, advocacy, community engagement, and by building partnerships with schools and agencies.
The committee is comprised of members from the Leduc City Council, Alberta Health Services’ Addiction and Mental Health, RCMP, Probation/Community Corrections, Boys and Girls Club of Leduc, Leduc Ministerial Association, FCSS (City of Leduc and Leduc County), regional schools and concerned citizens.
Rehab Centers and Treatment Resources in Leduc
Although perhaps not as plentiful as some of the other large cities in the Alberta region, rehab centers do exist in Leduc.
The Leduc Community Drug Action Committee (LCDAC) is an initiative operating under the City of Leduc FCSS. LCDAC is a diverse group that includes concerned citizens and professionals from the education, health, enforcement and community services sectors. Committee members meet monthly to discuss local drug- and alcohol-related issues, and to formulate plans that address these issues through prevention, intervention and advocacy-based programs and projects.
The LCDAC Committee also works to educate and provide informational opportunities to learn more about substance use and abuse with the goal to create a drug-aware and drug-resistant community in Leduc. LCDAC partners with many community businesses and organizations on projects and programs.
Normally, available data doesn’t break down statistics or remedial actions into gender, but we believe this is a particularly important factor, especially based on evidence that women are more easily addicted in the first place and require specific tailored treatment to solve their addiction problems.
The National Institute of Drug Abuse has researched the differences of addiction among women and men and found that different factors formed the reasoning behind their use. Possibly because of women’s metabolisms, their bodies react differently to certain drugs such as cocaine for example. Another theory is that women develop addictions because they are psychologically more dependent.
Very few people understand just how scary and difficult it can be to fight an addiction, but the good news is that it’s totally possible with the right help, advice and guidance, and you’ll come out of it as a much stronger person.
If you or a loved one requires immediate addition for addiction or substance abuse, please call the 24/hr addiction and rehab centers hotline: 1-800-801-8354
Rehab Centers – Leduc, Alberta, Canada ©
]]>This article covers addiction and rehab in Airdrie, Alberta, Canada. Topics covered include regional information, addiction statistics, rehab centers and rehab treatment resources in Airdrie Region.
Airdrie is a city in Alberta, Canada within the Calgary Region. It is located north of Calgary within the Calgary–Edmonton Corridor at the intersection of Queen Elizabeth II Highway (Highway 2) and Highway 567.
The City of Airdrie is part of the Calgary census metropolitan area and a member community of the Calgary Regional Partnership (CRP). The city is surrounded by Rocky View County.
Airdrie was first established as a railway village in 1889 during the construction of the Calgary and Edmonton Railway, named for Airdrie, Scotland. Only railway buildings existed until 1901 when the first farmhouse and barn was built, followed by a post office and store in that same year.
Today, Airdrie is a bedroom community and industrial center.
The population of the City of Airdrie according to its 2015 municipal census is 58,690, a 6.9% change from its 2014 municipal census population of 54,891.
In the 2011 Census, the City of Airdrie had a population of 42,564 living in 15,024 of its 15,638 total dwellings, a 47.1% change from its 2006 population of 28,927. With a land area of 12.8 square miles, it had a population density of 3,330.5/square mile in 2011. The 2011 census also indicated that Airdrie was ranked as the municipality with the eighth-highest population growth between 2006 and 2011. Following its 2011 annexation, Statistics Canada adjusted Airdrie’s 2011 population by an additional 707 people to 43,271.
Airdrie Statistics
Population 58,690, a 6.9% change from its 2014 municipal census population of 54,891
In 2014, the largest age group was 35-64 year olds, accounting for 40.1% of the overall population. Children 17 and under comprised 27.2% of Airdrie’s overall population, compared to 22.2% for Alberta. In addition, residents 65 and older accounted for 7.1% of Airdrie’s overall population, 4.2 percentage points lower than the corresponding provincial proportion.
In Canada $21.4 billion worth of alcoholic beverages were sold during the fiscal year ending March 31, 2013, $2.4 billion in Alberta. 76.2% of Albertans reported drinking alcohol in 2012
Among people who consumed alcohol over the past year in Alberta 11.9% exceeded the guideline for chronic effects and 8.8 % exceeded the guideline for acute effects
Cannabis use among Albertans aged 15 years and older was 11.4% illicit drug (Cocaine/Crack, Speed, Methamphetamine/ Crystal meth Hallucinogens, Ecstasy, and Heroin) use in Alberta for the previous year was 11.6% – $4.4 Billion – The overall cost of substance abuse for Alberta ($1,414 per capita) Female addicts are 54% more likely to die prematurely because of their drug use
Addiction in Airdrie
As a small city, a widespread drug-related problem is not significant; however, there is as always the danger of escalation occurring if the city is within a metro area, and Airdire is so close to Calgary, a city which undoubtedly has its fair share of drug problems, that a sudden drug problem could potentially erupt in Airdrie. Like many other communities across Canada, the problem would most likely stem from the teenage and student population.
Rehab Centers and Treatment Resources in Airdrie, Alberta
With its fairly small population and relatively low drugs problem, Airdrie’s drug rehab centers are fairly limited, but of course are served also by the Calgary regional facilities.
Most available data doesn’t break down statistics or remedial actions into gender, but we believe this is a particularly important factor, especially based on evidence that women are more easily addicted in the first place and require specific tailored treatment to solve their addiction problems.
The National Institute of Drug Abuse has researched the differences of addiction among women and men and found that different factors formed the reasoning behind their use. Possibly because of women’s metabolisms, their bodies react differently to certain drugs such as cocaine for example. Another theory is that women develop addictions because they are psychologically more dependent.
Very few people understand just how scary and difficult it can be to fight an addiction, but the good news is that it’s totally possible with the right help, advice and guidance, that you’ll find rehab centers that are appropriate for your needs and you’ll come out of it as a much stronger person.
If you or a loved one is in need of help locating a rehab center, please call the National addiction hotline: 1-800-801-8354
]]>“Empower” has become the new buzzword that is banked on by advertisers and marketers across social media. However, what does “empower” mean? “Empower” is defined as giving power, authority or the ability to.
What does it mean when we say that she is empowered? It means that: She has the power, authority or the ability to.
…To do what?
This is precisely the question that you need to ask yourself on your journey of overcoming addiction. What do you want to have the power, authority and ability to do? The activities that you undertake to become an empowered woman will need to align with what you are seeking to do and achieve.
An empowered woman…
1. Controls her life
An empowered woman does not let circumstances, emotions, people or other factors control her life. Rather, she is in control of her life and makes every decision that has an impact upon her life. Regaining control of life may seem daunting, but gaining control over simple daily activities can provide the strength and confidence to pull yourself together and regain control of your life.
a) Make sure you get enough sleep, wake-up early and on time, every day.
b) Take control of your banking. Create budgets and schedule payments.
c) If you have children, help them with getting dressed for school, packing lunches and homework.
d) At work, create to-do lists and cross off every task that you complete.
e) Plan your week and all the errands that you need to run.
f) Every week, challenge yourself with a new choice. Be it wearing a new outfit, a restaurant that you’ve wanted to go to, a hike or doing something that is fun and will force you to make new decisions.
2. Honors her body
An empowered woman knows that her body is precious, she respects her body and makes positive choices to take care of her body. When an empowered woman looks in the mirror, she doesn’t see her flaws. Rather, she celebrates the woman that is rising above addictions and is actively facing each challenge. Activities that can help you honor your body include:
a) Nourish your body. Provide your body with food that will revitalize and fuel you with energy. Make healthy choices.
b) Drink lots of water.
c) Go for a daily walk and invigorate yourself with fresh air.
d) Learn yoga and meditation. These activities will help you think clearly and appreciate the beauty of your mind and body.
3. Treasures her passion
An empowered woman values her passion, her creativity and inspiration. She allows her passion and creativity to evolve with time, but does not abandon them. She treasures her passion and allows it to infuse happiness into her life.
a) Celebrate your passion. Be it art, writing, singing, cooking, stitching, etc. Whatever your passion is, find and schedule time for your hobbies.
b) Meet kindred spirits. Find groups or clubs that you can join to learn more about what you are passionate about.
c) Share your passion with the world. Feel comfortable to share what you are passionate about with your friends, family and on social media such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Have pride in your talent.
4. Actively chooses to surround herself with positivity
People around us can have an impact on how we feel and our happiness. When we surround us with judgemental, critical or hurtful people, we begin to absorb their negative views and cloud our thoughts and emotions with these. The same is true when we surround ourselves with people who are unhappy. An empowered woman makes an active choice to decide who she surrounds herself with.
a) Let go of toxic relationships. Actively decide for yourself that you choose happiness and release those who invite unhappiness and negativity into your life.
b) Remove yourself from negative discussions. You have the choice to decide whether you want to engage in a discussion. For example, if your colleagues at work are complaining at the water cooler about other staff, you can choose to walk away from this.
5. Lives a life with purpose
An empowered woman not only wants to lead a positive life, but she also wants to make a positive impact in her community. She takes a stand for issues that she believes in. She actively gets involved in causes that she believes in. If she was involved in overcoming addiction herself, then she may want to contribute back to her community and help other women begin their own path over overcoming addiction.
a) Channel your past. Living your life with purpose allows you to channel and transform your past, into a beautiful creation for the future. For example, if the source of your addictions lies in losing a loved one due to an illness, then you need to channel the loss and your pain into supporting causes to spread awareness about the illness. Dedicate our time in supporting fundraising initiatives that support victims and research so that the illness will one day become treatable.
b) Find a cause that you believe in. Be it environmental causes such as recycling, preservation, sustainability, medical causes, advocating literacy or anything that speaks to your heart and soul. Lend your voice, time and effort into spreading awareness about your cause. Challenge yourself by taking an initiative and creating positive change.
6. Empowers others
An empowered woman supports and helps others live to their fullest potential. Whether it is her own children, friends, family or strangers, an empowered woman supports others by inspiring them to realize their full potential and finding the confidence to pursue their dreams and ambitions.
a) Share your experience. Share your experience of overcoming addiction with others who might be at risk for developing an addiction, or who may be battling an addiction themselves. Talk about your struggle, what worked for you and what didn’t. When we share our insight with others, not only are we teaching them, but we also learn from them.
b) Lift others. You words can be very powerful to another person. Just a sincere compliment or a few words of encouragement can make a big difference in another person’s life. Use your words to reach others and lift them.
As you begin to embody and manifest empowerment into your life, you find the determination, courage and conviction to beat the addiction.
Remember:
“Nobody said that it’d be easy. They just promised it would be worth it” – Anonymous.
Becoming an Empowered Woman & Overcoming Addiction ©
]]>Before we discuss modernizing treatment centers for women in Canada, we must first understand the state of addiction for women.
State of Addiction for Women
Substance abuse and trauma for women is a relevant and pressing issue facing society as a whole. As the problem continues to grow the benefits of treatment centers for women provide support to assist in the rebuilding process to provide a new sense value and purpose for the individual women. This article will cover the state of addiction for women, how treatment centers can benefit women, how family can help and why the treatment centers are important.
In society today, women continue to develop their role as the obstacles and oppression of women remains a constant. But as women have gained a progressive role in society the high rates of violence and abuse have enabled women to pursue substance abuse as a coping mechanism. Women of college years and growing older can be the most susceptible to substance abuse and trauma, thus needing assistance from treatment centers. College women can be faced with the encouragement of recreational use of drugs and alcohol as a way to fit in with the crowd thus sprouting the abuse of such substances. As well, as women grow older they are faced with exiting the workforce, the loss of loved ones and decreasing health. All of these issues can create an increased exposure to substance abuse. Analyzing these two age groups can demonstrate how substance abuse and trauma are prevalent with women and the need for treatment centers to handle this societal issue.
Women’s Treatment Centers and Their Benefits
The continued support for women’s treatment centers for substance abuse and trauma can be rooted in the ability of these facilities to offer a wider range of services in order to meet the needs of women. This broader range of services offered to women can assist in the overall process of healing by providing additional support through services that help women with other responsibilities, such as; childcare and aftercare. Women can also benefit from these types of gender specific treatment centers by the type of service that is administered. Women’s treatment centers will use an empowerment and support focus on healing of substance abuse and trauma cases whereas a treatment center for both men and women may use more of an approach that is focused on helping both genders, for example a confrontational approach to help the patients. The empowerment approach allows women to grow their value and purpose through the process and to rebuild. This ability to gain value and purpose can provide women with the necessary skills and tools to be successful in their journey to recovery. Furthermore, empowerment and support focused program for women provides for a higher success rate in completing a treatment center program which can be directly related to a gender specific women’s treatment center.
Family Role for Women during Treatment
When discussing treatment for substance abuse and or trauma an important aspect is to consider the family role that women have and how this role can affect the treatment process. While there can be an effective treatment program initiated at a women’s treatment center the overall outcome could be changed depending on the family role and expectations. The difference of gender does have an impact on the successful completion of a treatment program. Thus in order to receive the most advantageous treatment, women should seek facilities that focus on women to have the best chance for a successful process of treatment and continued care. Due to the apparent difference of familial roles women have to men, for women the program for their treatment should have a focus on women which makes the case to use a women’s treatment center. Understanding this fact is imperative for women to not only seek help but to receive such help and the family is there to support this process. For substance abuse and trauma patients having the familial support allows for engagement of the treatment and an effective participation within the women’s treatment center.
Importance of Women’s Treatment Centers
As discussed, women’s treatment centers can be a tremendous advantage to help women through substance abuse and trauma by providing empowerment, support and emotional stability. We feel that it is important to begin to modernize women’s treatment centers, in order for women from all walks of life to accept the help and have access to the help.
The empowerment comes into the treatment to develop a women’s purpose to move forward in their everyday life. This purpose can lead to progress of understanding their value in all aspects of their life. The support of the women’s treatment center provides for a specialized approach to treatment for women which can be described as a treatment program that understands what women need, how they accept the support and why they encountered the substance abuse and trauma. These three aspects provide a framework for women to comprehend the importance of a women’s treatment center. Lastly, the emotional stability of a women’s treatment facility can be overwhelmingly more effective than a normal treatment facility due to the specialization found in women’s treatment programs. This type of treatment center plays an important role is helping society resolve an issue that affects the gender of women. More importantly, women’s treatment centers have helped to identify how women need a different type of care and process to heal from their substance abuse and or trauma.
Women’s treatment centers have developed programs and initiatives that can be directly applied to help women through trauma and addiction. These women’s treatment centers understand the current issues facing women’s treatment of substance abuse and trauma, the benefits the treatment centers offer, how the women can deal with their issues and the importance of the treatment centers designed just for women.
Modernizing treatment centers for women means opting out of co-ed treatment options and finding women’s only solutions that are sensitive to the needs of a women, a place she can feel safe to share and recovery. This is the future of addiction recovery for women in Canada and these luckily, these resources are on the rise.
]]>1.You Are Not Alone
Each year, more than 570,000 people die from drug addiction. Think about this for as moment. That is 65 lives lost to drug addiction each and every hour. This is a devastating figure and what it means for you is that you are not alone on the path of recovering from the loss of a loved one. Reach out to support groups in your community and online to meet others who are also grieving the loss of their loved ones. You don’t have to grieve alone.
2.You Did All That You Could Do
During the stages of grief, you may experience emotions of blaming yourself, feeling ashamed or guilty that you could not do more for your loved one.
It is unfortunately normal to experience thoughts such as: “Maybe if I hadn’t said that…”; “Maybe I shouldn’t have done that…”; “Maybe I could have gotten them help”. What you need to remember and hang onto is the fact that all of the decisions and actions you took were based on the combination of circumstances and situations that you were experiencing. The decisions that you made at that time and in that situation, were made in the best possible interest of your loved one. These were the right choices, the right decisions. You need to accept that you did all that you could to reach to them and help them. There is not more that you could have done for them.
If you still find that you cannot move past self-blaming, then speak with a grief professional. A grief professional can help you with understanding your emotions about losing your loved one to a drug addiction.
3. Take Care Of Yourself
Losing a loved one to drug addiction can feel like falling into an ocean of grief. As you make your way to the shore again, it is important for you to not lose yourself in the process. Your loved ones and relationships will suffer if you are unable to separate yourself from the grief.
Make an effort to wake-up and rise each morning. Start the day by doing activities that help you focus and feel good. Take an early morning walk or do some yoga or stretches in your lawn. Try deep-breathing or relaxation exercises as you watch the sunrise. These exercises will help you beat the stress that is wearing you down.
Focus on your nutritional intake as well. You cannot stop eating and when you do eat, you need to eat a healthy, nutritious meal. If you feel that you cannot eat or don’t have the appetite to eat, then visit your doctor to discuss this.
Sleeping is very important when trying to cope with losing a loved one from a drug addiction. If you are experiencing trouble falling asleep, then cut back on caffeine, going to bed hungry and taking naps during the day. You also have to avoid self-medicating or taking alcohol as a means to temporarily escape from reality. Such behaviour can lead to addictions, which have already led to the loss of your loved one. Moreover, alcohol and medications taken against the advice of a medical professional can amplify the grief that you perceive, resulting in feelings of depression and helplessness. If you have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep then visit your doctor and discuss this. It is important for you to practice healthy sleeping habits so that you wake up feeling refreshed and empowered to meet the challenges of each and every day.
4. Let The Tears Fall
We are emotional beings and everything that we experience, every single moment that we perceive is related to our emotional self. It is natural to cry at the loss of a loved one. It is also natural to grieve. Yet, our culture has affiliated tears with weakness, and grieving with negative connotations so people shy away from grieving and crying.
It is not healthy to avoid grief by immediately returning back to work, or following destructive behaviours such as drinking or drug-use to temporarily mask feelings. Even by following such behaviours, those feelings will not disappear. As a result of shying away from your own emotional-self, you may notice that your perform at work or school is markedly reduced. If you resolve to alcohol or drug addiction, you may develop a dependency and your personal life will begin to suffer.
Rather, you need to let your grief surface. You need to let the tears fall to wash away your grief. This process will help you in taking ownership of your emotional-self and overcoming the loss of your loved one.
5. Raise Your Voice Against Drug Addiction
The pain that you feel at the loss of your loved one will unfortunately become a reality for many others, whose lives are also impacted by drug addiction. You can transform your grief and recovery into creating a positive impact onto the lives of others.
You can direct and focus your energy towards initiatives such as:
a. Campaign for changes to drug policy. Use your voice for creating and supporting drug and addiction policy reforms.
b. Empower and educate others. Actively participate in your community to educate others are what drug addictions are and how they can prevent losing their loved ones to drug addiction.
c. Host a vigil for those who have also lost their loved ones to drug addictions. Help yourself and others heal collectively.
d. Commemorate the life of your loved one. Within your home, you can commemorate your loved one by placing their photographs, planting a tree in their honour or creating a scrapbook of photographs and memories.
e. Give back. Give back to the families and victims of drug addictions.
Losing a loved one to a drug addiction can feel like an emotional roller coaster. While it may seem that the emotions and pain of losing someone are unbearable, remember to turn to your loved ones during times of need. Let your loved ones help you and accept their support.
If you are religious or spiritual, then let your faith guide you on the path of healing. Make the effort to reach out to grief support groups, addiction counsellors and substance abuse advocacy groups to help you cope.
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