Laws needed to help treat drug addiction
HB 240 gives greater power to family members seeking involuntary treatment by adding the definition of "incapacitated by alcohol and/or drug abuse" to the statutes. Opiate use changes brain chemistry and abusers cannot make rational decisions about …
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Groups urge Tennessee governor to veto prenatal drug use bill
"We all want to promote healthy pregnancies by providing pregnant women struggling with a drug or alcohol dependency with the opportunity to seek the best possible prenatal care and substance abuse treatment," Hedy Weinberg, executive director of the …
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Question by Adamismyname: Is this common for an alcoholic to recover the way I describe below?
I am wondering if it is common that an alcoholic, in the case of the neighbor a severe alcoholic, can just get better on their own as this neighbor of my parents did. The neighbor just died of cancer (unrelated to her past alcoholism) and was much better in her last 10+ years of life to the point of being sober for about 6 years or so. She did not go to AA or therapy and just on her own seemed to get better. The son of hers who told my parents this at the funeral was very open about her drinking so he seemed sincere in saying that for unknown reasons it just got better. He credits prayer and I wondered if this happens sometimes. She had been an alcoholic for about 20-25 years before getting better.
So I was just curious if this happens or if it almost always requires detox and therapy?

Best answer:

Answer by zeldaslexicon
No, “detox” is not necessarily a requirement for an alcoholic (or anyone with an addiction problem) to “get better”. Some people deal with alcohol or drug addiction without the help of a doctor, AA, counseling, or similar. While detoxing off alcohol is perhaps more dangerous than detoxing off other drugs of abuse, it can and has been done.

It’s not uncommon for those with an addiction to “transfer” their addiction to something else while in recovery. Many find that religion works well for this, and become, in effect, “addicted” to religion or prayer instead of alcohol or drugs. Others may become “addicted” to exercise, or food, or some other coping mechanism that is a bit less damaging to their physical health and more socially acceptable. So it may be that your neighbor found prayer to be an acceptable substitute for alcohol.

Some people actually become “addicted” to therapy. But it’s not required. Many have kicked a bad habit on their own.

Yough drug symposium attracts full house
Drug abuse is a public health epidemic and people need to become aware of the problem – both illegal drugs and prescription medications – and educate themselves to the dangers of drug abuse, speakers said last week at a drug symposium at Yough High …
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Remarks as Prepared for Delivery by U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman at the …
With roughly 700,000 people coming out of our state and federal prisons every year, plus the millions that flow through jails at the local level, recidivism has terrible consequences for the lives of offenders and their families. … As the Director of …
Read more on Insurance News Net (press release)

Forum is for addiction workers
The session, sponsored by the Housatonic Valley Coalition Against Substance Abuse, is for professionals involved in drug abuse education, prevention and enforcement programs, as opposed to a recent meeting to which the public was invited, according to …
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Tribes launch multi-faceted offensive to combat substance abuse
The decision was successful and the number of drug-addicted parents seeking assistance dropped off drastically, Lankford said. The Salish Kootenai … “The levels were off the charts,” Adams said of chemical testing results in the home. Increased costs …
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Don't Cry Etta James … Don't Cry, Baby!
Her childhood struggles set the stage for a life of alcohol and drug abuse. There was a quality about James' voice that made you cry. To this day I can hardly listen to “I'd Rather Go Blind” without welling up as singer/actress Beyonce did in her …
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Question by georgia t: I’m looking for a long term drug rehab. that takes children of drug users.?
in new york state

Best answer:

Answer by TweetyBird
Are the children also substance abusers???

You might want to check with your county mental health department or just run a search for “long-term drug rehab in New York”. I found several sites for private facilities. You will, too.

Answer by Cammie
The children of drug abusers do not need rehab.

Aldon Smith puts Jim Harbaugh's “above reproach” stance to the test
Last year, 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh took notice of the rival Seahawks having players suspended for violating the NFL's performance-enhancing drug policy, and Harbaugh used the Seahawks' troubles as an opportunity to explain his own philosophy about …
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Aldon Smith released from custody after posting 000 bail
49ers CEO Jed York said last month that the team thought Smith was doing well after his rehab stint and that the team didn't want to “make it more stick than carrot” when it came to making sure he remained out of trouble in the future. The team said it …
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A Freewheeling Pursuit of Spontaneity on Film
Reviewing the film for The New York Times, Jeannette Catsoulis described it as “a profoundly awkward riff on dysfunction that's uneventful but not unrewarding,” adding, “It's the small moments that win you over.” Photo. Sheila Etxeberría and Ed Ryan in …
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Kentuckiana faces rising problem of drug abuse and addiction
Because only 20 percent of its funding comes from the public sector and the rest from various partnerships and private donations, it is able to offer a six- to eight-month program free of charge. The program is not specifically designed to treat heroin …
Read more on IU Southeast Horizon

Specialists Join Call for Veto of Drug Bill
At a time of rising concern about narcotics addiction, the bill was passed last week by bipartisan majorities in both houses of the Tennessee legislature. It received crucial support from the district attorney in Memphis, Amy Weirich, who said the …
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Question by tcahh12: how much does a typical 30 day inpatient rehab cost?
Any suggestions for a good treatment center in the southeast?

Best answer:

Answer by older
the state i live in has a state hospital with a rehab center and it is free. call the “AA” they can tell you

Answer by raysny
Far too much for what you get.

You don’t mention what you “need” rehab for. If you are physically addicted to alcohol or some other drugs, you may need detox or medical attention, see a doctor.

Rehabs are basically a place to get away from the people you used with and the places where you used. They are indoctrination centers for AA/NA and have only a slightly better success rate than “free” AA/NA meetings.

“There is a high rate of recovery among alcoholics and addicts, treated and untreated. According to one estimate, heroin addicts break the habit in an average of 11 years. Another estimate is that at least 50% of alcoholics eventually free themselves although only 10% are ever treated. One recent study found that 80% of all alcoholics who recover for a year or more do so on their own, some after being unsuccessfully treated. When a group of these self-treated alcoholics was interviewed, 57% said they simply decided that alcohol was bad for them. Twenty-nine percent said health problems, frightening experiences, accidents, or blackouts persuaded them to quit. Others used such phrases as “Things were building up” or “I was sick and tired of it.” Support from a husband or wife was important in sustaining the resolution.”
Treatment of Drug Abuse and Addiction — Part III, The Harvard Mental Health Letter, October 1995.

“What works? A summary of alcohol treatment research” in R. K. Hester & W.R. Miller (Eds.), Handbook of alcoholism treatment approaches: Effective alternatives:
http://www.behaviortherapy.com/whatworks.htm
(notice #37 in effectiveness is rehabs, #38 is Alcoholics Anonymous, out of the 48 treatment methods listed.)

I’m a veteran of 5 rehabs and many years of bouncing in and out of AA/NA. It wasn’t until I stopped trying to force myself to work an unworkable program, took responsibility for my addiction and my recovery that I was able to stay stopped.

There are many books on quitting, check your local library. One of the best is “Rational Recovery: The New Cure for Substance Addiction” by Jack Trimpey. Jim Christopher (founder of SOS) has several.

I found autobiographies helpful, no matter what kind of problems a person had, they got over them by not giving up.

There are support groups on the web:

SOS:
http://www.sossobriety.org/
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/sossaveourselves/

SMART:
http://www.smartrecovery.org/
http://smartrecovery.org/SMARTBoard/

LifeRing:
http://www.unhooked.com/index.htm
http://forums.delphiforums.com/lifering/start

RR (a method rather than a group):
http://www.rational.org/

Personally, I feel that all those groups are great for those who have
been through AA and have had it pounded into their heads that they NEED a group in order to quit. That’s nonsense, but AA has been very successful in getting people to believe that piece of misinformation.

Being around others for support can be a good thing, but ultimately, it
is up to the individual to use or not.