Chapman House Inc. Drug Rehab

Depression

What is depression?

Depression is an illness that very common in today’s world. It impacts over 10 million adults every year. Women are twice as likely to suffer from depression than men. Left untreated, depression interferes with daily functioning and can have severe impact on family relationships and on one’s physical health.
Depression not only affects a person emotionally, but may lead to physical ailments as well. A person who shows signs of one or more of the following symptoms may be experiencing depression:

Emotional Symptoms of Depression :

• Difficulty concentrating
• Fatigue
• Lack of motivation
• Feelings of worthlessness
• Worry or guilt
• Suicidal thoughts

Physical Symptoms of Depression :

• Low Energy level
• Unexplained pain, frequent headaches
• Physical pain
• Crying spells
• Insomnia
• Loss of appetite

Depression also has different classifications.

Some examples are:

Clinical Depression - Clinical depression is serious enough to require clinical (professional) and possibly even pharmacological intervention. In cases of clinical depression, the symptoms must have been professionally observed by a medical practitioner and last for more than two continuous weeks at a time.

Teen Depression - Teenage depression is becoming more and more common in our society, affecting millions of teens nationwide. Teen depression can be identified by numerous symptoms including: difficulty coping with anger, problems in school, weight loss, weight gain, difficulty sleeping, a desire to use drugs or drink alcohol and an interest in violence. If left untreated, teen depression can often lead to more severe symptoms and last months or years.

What is the cause of Depression?

Depression may be caused by a combination of factors, and over time can lead to a chemical imbalance in the brain. Over the last two decades, extensive scientific and clinical study indicates that the most common cause of anxiety and depression related symptoms originates with an irregular distribution of neurotransmitters in the brain, such as Serotonin and Norepenephrine. These chemicals, along with other neurotransmitters are thought to be essential to cell-to-cell communication in the brain. A chemical imbalance of these key neurotransmitters causes a disturbance within specific receptor sites in the brain. An event such as being laid off, a financial loss, a medical illness or a death in the family can trigger this sort of imbalance and can eventually lead to depression. A person may also experience symptoms of depression suddenly and for no apparent reason.

Bipolar Disorder (Manic Depression)

Bipolar disorder, or BPD, is experienced in extreme highs (mania) followed by, and without warning, periods of extreme lows (depression). Symptoms of mania may include rapid idea changes, intense irritability and decreased sleep. Bipolar Disorder is treatable and manageable under appropriate care.

ADHD

What is ADHD?

ADHD is a diagnosis applied to children and adults who consistently display certain characteristic behaviors over a period of time. The most common behaviors fall into three categories: inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity.

Inattention.

People who are inattentive have a hard time keeping their mind on any one thing and may get bored with a task after only a few minutes. They may give effortless, automatic attention to activities and things they enjoy. But focusing deliberate, conscious attention to organizing and completing a task or learning something new is difficult.

Hyperactivity.

People who are hyperactive always seem to be in motion. They can’t sit still. They may dash around or talk incessantly. Sitting still through a lesson can be an impossible task. Hyperactive children squirm in their seat or roam around the room. Or they might wiggle their feet, touch everything, or noisily tap their pencil. Hyperactive teens and adults may feel intensely restless. They may be fidgety or they may try to do several things at once, bouncing around from one activity to the next.

Impulsivity.

People who are overly impulsive seem unable to curb their immediate reactions or think before they act. As a result, they may blurt out inappropriate comments. Or, they may run into the street without looking. Their impulsivity may make it hard for them to wait for things they want or to take their turn in games. They may grab a toy from another child or hit when they’re upset.

Some scientists believe drugs such as Cocaine and Methamphetamines seem to affect the normal development of brain receptors. These brain cell parts help to transmit incoming signals from our brain to the rest of our body and help control our responses to the environment. Current research suggests that drug abuse may harm these receptors. This damage may cause or lead to symptoms of ADHD.

Anxiety

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

The essential characteristic of Generalized Anxiety Disorder is excessive uncontrollable worry about everyday things. This constant worry affects daily functioning and can cause physical symptoms. Generalized Anxiety Disorder can occur with other anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, or substance abuse. Generalized Anxiety Disorder is often difficult to diagnose because it lacks some of the dramatic symptoms, such as unprovoked Panic Attacks, that are seen with other anxiety disorders; for a diagnosis to be made, worry must be present more days than not for at least 6 months.

The focus of Generalized Anxiety Disorder worry can shift, usually focusing on issues like job, finances, health of both self and family; but it can also include more mundane issues such as, chores, car repairs, and being late for appointments. The intensity, duration and frequency of the worry are disproportionate to the issue and interfere with the sufferer’s performance of tasks and ability to concentrate. Physical symptoms include:

• Muscle tension
• Sweating
• Nausea
• Gastrointestinal discomfort or diarrhea
• Cold, clammy hands
• Difficulty swallowing
• Jumpiness
• Feeling like your life is spiraling out of control
• Irritability
• Insomnia

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During addiction recovery, the body and mind undergo specific changes as a result of the medicinal treatment that is needed to free the patient from their addiction. These changes are experienced in different ways according to the receptivity and personality of the patient involved. There are good and bad experiences involved during the addiction rehab process, as with all aspects of life. Of most importance is that the patient sticks to the addiction recovery program, regardless of how friends and family may react to what they see and how low at times they may feel themselves.

The inpatient drug treatment process may begin with a detoxification program where the body is cleansed of any toxins or substance abuse by-products that may have accumulated during the course of the drug abuse. During this period of detox, the patient can expect to feel some withdrawal symptoms as not all will be subdued. They will also feel healthier and may wish to participate in exercise or other activities that the addiction rehab center may offer. A healthy, vitamin and mineral enriched diet will also be provided to enhance the beneficial effects of the detox process. It is often the case that the patient may feel drained and exhausted during this detox process as the body is being encouraged to flush the toxins from its system. This flushing process consumes a lot of energy resulting in these feelings of exhaustion.

Following detox, there will often be a course of medicinal treatment as part of the addiction recovery process. Depending on the particular treatment that is deemed suitable for the particular case, the patient can expect to feel tired, depressed, anxious, aggressive or experience varying amounts of discomfort. They may also feel confused as the brain is aided in returning to its previous functional abilities and chemical pathways. It is important to realise that these symptoms often do not last very long. It is common to experience rapid changes in emotions during the course of a single day. The doctors and nurses of these addiction rehab centers are well aware of the different stages of the addiction treatment process and are trained in how to deal with them quickly and efficiently.

There may be times during the course of the addiction recovery process where the patient may feel the need to talk about his experiences or any questions he has about the treatment process. There are always counsellors on hand to help the patient with these issues, which in turn will provide a better understanding of the addiction recovery process they are going through. These counselling sessions can be extremely important for the well being of the patient as they can prevent emotional or nervous breakdowns or feelings of isolation in the patient, which may inhibit the effects of treatment.

Ongoing inpatient drug treatment is a necessary and very effective part of the addiction rehab process as it can provide the stepping stones that the patient needs to make a successful transition back into normal society and a drug free lifestyle. There may be times that the patient feels especially weak or tempted to return to the drug abuse. This is where ongoing treatment can be particularly effective, analysing why the patient feels they wish to return to abusing drugs and what can be done to prevent it. A large part of the success of addiction recovery is down to some form of ongoing treatment or the participation in voluntary counselling sessions.

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Drug and alcohol addiction treatment has one purpose: to release the patient from the abusive and addictive behavior patterns that have taken over their life and distorted their view of the world. What are not so clear-cut are the methods and processes that are used to treat drug and alcohol abuse problems. So what exactly can one expect from a drug and alcohol addiction treatment program?

Initially, the drug addict can expect to be diagnosed by a highly trained professional. This is necessary to determine the individual and unique traits and habits of the patient in order to make a correct choice as to the addiction treatment program that will be used. The patient will be asked a variety of questions concerning his social interaction habits, influences, character and other important factors. This information will determine the success of any addiction treatment that may be administered.

Once a full diagnosis has been made, a detoxification program is commonly used to prepare the patient’s body for medical treatment. This involves cleansing the body of toxins and the by-products of drug abuse that have accumulated in the body over the course of the addiction. Detox is necessary for a number of reasons. The release of these toxins in the future, if they are not dealt with effectively, can trigger relapses or possibly harm the body as a relapse would. These toxins can also damage the organs of the body if left untreated. Detox is usually in the form of dry sauna or a swift medical detox.

After diagnosis and detox, the process of medically treating the patient can begin. The methods and treatment used depends very much on the information obtained during the diagnosis and the type and severity of the substance that is being abused. Some treatment methods require a full time stay for a certain period of time in a drug and alcohol addiction treatment center whilst other methods may only need a certain number of visits for medical treatment. Treatment methods may vary from mild with no side effects, to intense, some of which may produce more noticeable and sometimes uncomfortable side effects. Staff of addiction treatment centers will strive to make the patient as comfortable as possible during their stay. They will also offer therapy in the form of counseling sessions and social activities to enhance the treatment process and take the patient’s mind off any discomfort or negative feelings they may experience.

The final part of the addiction treatment process involves ongoing treatment. This will require the patient to visit a certain number of times a week for progress reports and to discuss any issues that may be bothering them. This can be a crucial time for a drug addiction recovery patient as situations they were used to before must be dealt with accordingly to prevent any relapse back into the substance abusing habit.

Drug and alcohol addiction recovery centers strive to not only treat the patient effectively but also to provide them with as much support and advice as possible to give them the best chances of making a successful and permanent recovery from substance abuse.

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During the initial stages of alcohol and drug treatment, a diagnosis of the individual’s circumstances must be made. This will encompass every aspect of the patient’s life. Personality, social interactive behavior patterns, disposition, severity of the addiction, length of time of the drug abuse, type and common dosages of the drug being abused and many other factors must be thoroughly examined to make a full diagnosis and choose the right course of action to treat the patient. One matter that is extremely important to consider is the particular personality of the patient. The susceptibility of the patient to personality disorders is important to address as it can have a massive impact on any alcohol and drug treatment that may be used.

The presence of or susceptibility to a personality or brain disorder when combined with alcohol and drug abuse is known as dual diagnosis. The alcohol and drug treatment that is chosen for cases of dual diagnosis will be slightly different than in the case of solely drug or alcohol abuse. The importance of a correct diagnosis in these cases is of utmost importance.

If the patient being analyzed is susceptible to, or has had in the past, a personality disorder or similar brain dysfunction, it could have serious consequences as to the type of alcohol and drug treatment that is used. For example, someone who is susceptible to acute depression will not be suitable for treatment using medicines that produce depression as a side effect. Such treatment could result in the patient becoming severely suicidal. If the patient is schizophrenic, alcohol and drug treatment involving drugs that cause confusion would be most unsuitable.

If such a dual diagnosis is ignored or missed, it could have severe repercussions for the patient. The drugs used to treat alcohol and drug addictions could trigger a psychotic episode, mental or emotional breakdown, or the return, often with a vengeance, of a previous disorder. Such effects could result in permanent damage to the health of the patient or, in some cases, even death.

It is extremely helpful to all those involved in an alcohol and drug treatment program that the patient be honest and open in these situations. Hiding any information that may seem irrelevant could cause serious problems down the road. If the individual considering or about to begin an alcohol and drug treatment program can recognize what determines a dual diagnosis, this can help the treatment process immensely. If one suspects they may have, or had, any kind of personality or other brain related disorder, it is imperative that this information is passed on to the doctor or nurse involved in the alcohol and drug treatment diagnostic process.

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