Healthy Life

If you’re a recovering addict, re-entering the world of employment is more than just a welcome return to normalcy. It may also have a direct bearing on the long-term success of your recovery. Having a steady job gives life structure and a higher purpose. It gives you a reason to set your ego-centric thoughts aside and occupy your time with truly productive activities, and it may also connect you to a whole new set of people with whom you can make a fresh start. In short, work is healing.

However, even in good economic times, it’s never easy for a recovering addict to find a job or transition back into work. That’s why returning to work is a precarious step in the process. Recovering addicts who can’t find work are much more likely to relapse or return to old patterns of thought and behavior. If you’re having trouble getting hired, you may be tempted to take your difficulties personally. Your may wrongly interpret job-related rejections as painful signs that the world doesn’t want you, or that trying to go straight is a lost cause.

In poor economic times, these difficulties can have a huge bearing not only on individuals, but on society as a whole, which magnifies the importance of employer understanding and of programs designed to help former addicts return to the workforce.

Returning to an Existing Job
A recovering addict returning to an established career faces a special set of challenges. You may be worried that opportunities for advancement have been closed off, that co-workers will gossip and look over their shoulders, or that you’ll be the first to go in the event of downsizing. The bad news is that, depending on how much your boss and co-workers know, these fears may not be far from reality.

At first, it’s understandable for your co-workers to have misgivings about your return, particularly if your addiction directly affected your job performance. The sad fact is that some addicts have trouble staying sober in the long term, and most people are aware of this, so you may need to give your co-workers some time to discover that your old problems aren’t coming back. Try to sympathize with them, and understand that their feelings aren’t malicious.

But there is also good news. Now that you’re getting better, any addiction-related problems that used to affect your job performance will no longer be a factor. You can now prove to the world what you’re capable of. If you’ve been around other addicts, you probably know that they tend to be passionate, bright, energetic people who just happen to be troubled. Once they learn how to direct their energies toward productive ends such as work, nothing in the world can stop them. Approach your job as if you have something to prove. Don’t be ashamed to take pride in your work and go above and beyond the call of duty.

Taking this approach to your work will be a positive use of your energies, and it will also be an investment in your future. If you can prove over the long term that your co-workers and employers have nothing to worry about, any doors that may have been half-closed to you before will be flung wide open.

Finding a New Job
If you’ll be looking for a new job, you may be worried that potential employers are going to find out about your past and discriminate against you. Even if your situation doesn’t require you to disclose your history of substance abuse, addicts are often hampered by spotty work histories, criminal records or a lack of good references, any of which can be sufficient reason for a potential employer to pass.

Because of these difficulties, other aspects of the job-hunting process, such as applications, cover letters and interviews, take on added importance. Even if your work history and references aren’t great, you can earn points by outshining your competition in all other respects. Put all of your energy into creating application cover letters that are tailored specifically to the job while showing off your enthusiasm and unique personality traits.

Come interview time, present yourself as the sober, responsible and productive person you wish to be. This is a time of new beginnings, and your past work history doesn’t have to haunt you. In your former life, did your problems stop you from doing the things that a responsible adult is expected to do? If so, now is the time to make amends.

That being said, there are organizations specifically designed to place recovering addicts in jobs, and there are plenty of employers out there who understand, first-hand or through a loved one, the difficulties that addicts experience. Treatment professionals working with you may take it upon themselves to connect you to one of these organizations, but it never hurts to ask. Also, check for helpful resources online or in the local papers.

Tips for Everyone

• Talk to your therapist about your fears and anxieties about returning to work or looking for a job. Often, these fears are closely related to the deep-seated issues that caused your addiction. Your therapist can help you work through all of these feelings.
• Avoid employment-related triggers. If your addiction was brought about or perpetuated by job-related feelings, avoid employment that will lead to the same circumstances. This may limit your options, but even if you have to start over in a new career field, the most important thing is to be healthy.
• Learn skills to cope with stress. Teach yourself about meditation techniques to calm down during high-pressure situations at work. Also, learn how to let the small things go. Work wouldn’t be work if there weren’t unpleasant things about it. Accept these as part of life, and know that it’s all worth it in the end.
• Set a good example. Each day that you live a healthy and successful post-addiction life, you’re creating a positive example for other recovering addicts who doubt themselves.

Source : www.drug-rehab.com

Most employers don’t want to retain a worker that uses illegal substances. At work, substance abuse pose a major concern for everyone on the job. Every employee is affected by the problem because it increases the risk of mistakes and accidents.

Substance abuse in the workplace can also hamper productivity. It was president Ronald Reagan who made drug and alcohol testing in the workplace legal. The former president is famous for his war against drugs and substance abuse. During his presidency, Reagan instituted an anti-drug program with the slogan “Just Say No.”

More companies are beginning to say “no” to the hiring and employment of workers who use drugs. Thousands of companies have instituted drug and alcohol policies that attempt to remove substance abuse from the workplace. One of the main ways this is done is through a drug and alcohol screening process.

Random Testing
For many companies, the process of screening for drugs is random. Random drug testing is in the best interest of employers who want to know for certain that an employee is abusing substances. Random drug testing is not allowed in every state.

Professions that involve machinery or operating equipment (such as a car) are especially likely to have drug and alcohol screening policies. People who work in these particular professions have the capacity to endanger others, and employers want to ensure that their workers are sober at all times. By conducting random drug testing, a company can shield itself from any potential liability if a drug-impaired employee causes damage.
Companies have a professional reputation to maintain. This reputation can be threatened by individuals who misuse substances in the workplace. Financial damage can also ensue when a company employee misuses or damages property because they are not sober.

Legal Considerations
Companies must make sure that their drug screening policies are in compliance with United States law and do not infringe on the legal rights of their employees. When employers are not fully compliant with the law, the result is often litigation. Many lawsuits are often in favor of the employee rather than the employer.

Disciplinary Action
When individuals fail a drug test in the workplace, the employer has the right to take some type of disciplinary action. The action could be a refusal of hiring, probation or outright termination. If an employer doesn’t want to fire an employee, they can reassign the person to another position that poses less risk to others.

If a person is caught red-handed with drugs in the workplace, the problem can go beyond employment and fall into criminal liability. Companies have the right to call the police, which could result in an arrest. If the employee is fired and arrested, the consequences for that individual are normally dire.

People who are fired because of drug and substance abuse are denied the opportunity to get employment benefits. In addition to a lack of employee benefits, it may also be difficult for the individual to find new work in the future. Most employers want to stay informed about a potential employees’ past. Revealing a past termination because of a substance abuse problem could cost an individual a job or opportunity.

When considering drug and alcohol screening in the workplace, employers and employees should work together to solve the complex issue of substance abuse. The drug problem is not going away in the near future, and employees and employers must protect themselves and their work ethic from substance abuse.
It’s important to remember that random drug testing doesn’t solve the root issue of a substance abuse problem. Workplaces that conduct random drug and alcohol testing are encouraged to provide programs for employees who have an addiction problem. If the company is unable to offer this type of support, they can allow the employee the chance to seek help elsewhere, such as a residential treatment center or outpatient drug rehab. This is beneficial to the company and the employee, and being flexible can help companies support affected employees instead of punishing them.

Source : www.drug-rehab.com 

The first days and weeks of recovery can be tough. You have to deal with drug cravings and withdrawal symptoms and a new way of thinking. It’s a time of significant change, and change is rarely easy.

A lot of us think we can break free from addiction on our own, and most of us try at least once or twice - and fail - before realizing we need help to quit drinking or using drugs for good.

One of the many reasons we need addiction treatment is that during the initial period of sobriety, we aren’t at our best. We aren’t ready or able to stay focused and committed to the battle that lies ahead. Depressive symptoms, for example, are very common during early recovery, and it’s hard to work up the resolve to fight for your sobriety when you can barely drag yourself out of bed.

Fortunately, depressive symptoms are generally transitory, especially when you get appropriate counseling and encouragement along the way.

Through participation in an addiction treatment program, you can access services that will help you manage and overcome depressive symptoms as they arise, so they don’t cause you to relapse.

Because depressive symptoms in early recovery are so common, it is important that you seek addiction treatment at a facility that employs licensed and trained mental health professionals that can help get you through the tough first weeks.

The Difference Between Sadness, Depressive Symptoms and Clinical Depression
Depressive symptoms include sadness, guilt, hopelessness, low self-esteem and confusion, as well as physical symptoms such as tiredness, insomnia, aches and pains.

While feelings of sadness or guilt are normal in some situations, a person with depressive symptoms will feel this low mood without legitimate cause. People who have depressive symptoms may or may not meet the criteria for a diagnosis of clinical depression. It depends on the number of symptoms experienced and how severe they are.

Why Depressive Symptoms Are Common in Early Recovery
There are a number of reasons why people feel symptoms of depression during the initial period of abstinence, such as:

• People abusing drugs or alcohol often face significant life challenges that stem from their behaviors while using. They may have lost a job, have legal problems or face family separation. These challenges can create a lot of stress, and stress can increase the likelihood of depressive symptoms.
• The use of drugs or alcohol can sometimes obscure an underlying depression. With the sudden cessation of drug or alcohol use, these symptoms can emerge.
• Withdrawal from substances like alcohol, opiates, cocaine and methamphetamine can cause enduring depressive symptoms

How Depressive Symptoms Affect Your Recovery
Symptoms of depression during initial recovery are not only unpleasant, they also diminish your ability to participate effectively in an addiction treatment program and increase the odds of relapse.
People with depressive symptoms:

• May feel hopeless, like treatment cannot work
• May have trouble concentrating during therapy sessions
• May miss (skip) therapy sessions
• May have trouble interacting socially, such as in group therapy sessions
• May have little motivation to participate actively in recovery activities

Interventions Used to Treat Depressive Symptoms
Since substance abuse treatment and depression treatment work best when they are integrated, drug rehab counselors can address both problems simultaneously.

Some typical interventions offered in a drug rehab for those with depressive symptoms include:

• Education about the nature of depression
• Behavioral interventions that help people with depressive symptoms change behaviors that perpetuate negative moods
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), a type of counseling that helps people take control over negative and maladaptive thought patterns
• Motivational interviewing, which helps people focus and sustain the effort needed to overcome addiction and depressive symptoms

The Importance of Qualified Mental Health Professionals
Because depressive symptoms are a common experience among the newly sober, you should ensure that you get care at a facility that employs trained and licensed mental health professionals. These professionals can:

• Spot depressive symptoms
• Intervene with counseling and other therapies
• Provide referrals for a formal diagnosis and medication, if warranted

Addiction is a disease that commonly co-occurs with mental health issues. For this reason, people require integrated dual diagnosis treatment for any chance of success. When selecting a drug rehab program, be sure to select a licensed and accredited facility that is able to deliver the care you’ll need to get, and stay, better.

Source : www.drug-rehab.com

There are a lot of reasons people resort to prostitution, but drugs and alcohol are often the primary motivator. People who are addicted to drugs or alcohol may turn to a life of prostitution in search of fast money to fund their drug habit. Those who are involved in prostitution may turn to drugs or alcohol to escape the reality of their lifestyle and cope with the trauma and abuse they encounter.

Addiction and prostitution often go hand in hand, yet very few programs exist to help men and women stuck in a lifestyle of prostitution. In most communities, these individuals end up in jail without any attempts at rehabilitation.

But this is not the case in Pittsburgh. Thanks to a collaborative effort between Cove Forge Outpatient Recovery Center, local police, and the district attorney and courts in Allegheny County, individuals convicted of prostitution are sentenced to one year of probation and participation in a unique program called PRIDE, rather than being sent to prison.

About PRIDE
The PRIDE program (or Program for the Re-Integration, Development and Empowerment of Exploited Individuals) works with men and women of all ages who have engaged in various types of prostitution, including escort services, strip bars, massage parlors, Internet services and street prostitution.

When individuals are first assigned to the PRIDE program, they are sometimes resistant to receiving help. Thus, the first challenge is getting them engaged in the treatment process.

“Education is key because it helps these individuals realize that there’s another way,” said Johnna Zacharias, the PRIDE program coordinator. “From there, it’s about building trust by always following through on what you say and never making a promise you can’t keep.”

Individuals participate in the PRIDE program as long as it takes to successfully complete all group sessions, graduate from drug rehab at Cove Forge/White Deer Run and get involved in work or school. The program is self-paced, and usually lasts between nine months and two years.

A Unique Population with Complex Needs
Individuals who have engaged in prostitution have complex needs. The significant trauma they have experienced makes them reluctant to change, accept help or trust others. Because they are likely to have been betrayed repeatedly by virtually everyone they ever trusted, many former prostitutes are guarded, defensive and living in survival mode.

“When they come to us, they have been so beaten down,” said Zacharias. “They often have intense feelings of inadequacy; they are addicted, mentally ill and sometimes homeless. They don’t trust anyone, which is understandable because everyone in their lives has betrayed them – in some cases, even their own parents and siblings.”

In addition to trauma, many who fall victim to prostitution struggle with substance abuse and mental illness, which can be exacerbated by exposure to street life, lack of education, unemployment, homelessness, criminality, and physical, emotional and sexual abuse. The result is a complex person who has built up layers of defense mechanisms and is often resistant to treatment.

Integrated Treatment for Dual Disorders
Research has shown that dual disorders require integrated treatment that addresses all diagnoses simultaneously. For this reason, individuals in the PRIDE program undergo holistic dual disorder treatment for both their addictions and prostitution, as well as any co-occurring mental health disorders. They participate in drug treatment in the morning and prostitution-specific groups in the afternoon.

The addiction treatment program at Cove Forge/White Deer Run offers individuals in the PRIDE program care at all levels, from outpatient to inpatient to partial hospitalization, though inpatient drug rehab is usually necessary. White Deer Run has a large network of addiction treatment programs, so the patients in the PRIDE program have the opportunity to receive treatment at any number of rehab facilities.

For example, pregnant women can undergo drug rehab at the Bowling Green Brandywine facility in Kennett Square, Pa., and individuals can transition back into daily life at White Deer Run’s halfway house in Johnstown, Pa.

A Compassionate Approach to Trauma, Abuse and Post-Traumatic Stress
Rather than being judged for their choices, the PRIDE program approaches patients with compassion using a post-traumatic stress model. Participants attend support groups that address the lifestyle of prostitution and the problems associated with that lifestyle, including trauma, trust issues and interpersonal conflict. They also attend group therapy sessions designed to help them understand the history of prostitution and their own motivations for turning to the lifestyle.

“We don’t view our patients as criminals or blame them for their choices,” explained Zacharias. “Many are victims of vicious rapes, domestic violence or sexual abuse as children. We can’t even fathom the things they’ve seen – stabbings, shooting, rapes. There’s no judgment here.”

As part of treatment, Zacharias invites outside speakers, including the local rape crisis center and law enforcement personnel, to educate the patients about legal issues, coping skills, women’s health and other topics. Patients receive free HIV and hepatitis C testing, and consultations with medical staff about sexually transmitted diseases and related issues. PRIDE also has a clothing closet where participants can get clean clothes and hygiene supplies.

To help patients reintegrate into society, the program provides vocational rehab and consultations with an employment specialist who helps them look for jobs or go back to school, and offers advice on resume-writing, job interviews, and handling questions about their criminal record and prison time.

Putting an End to the Exploitation
There are a lot of misperceptions about prostitution. Prostitution happens in every community, and is not a lifestyle that most people choose because they “love sex” or are savvy businesspeople. Though many mistakenly believe that prostitution is a “victimless” crime, the staff at PRIDE knows better.

“Prostitution turns women into a product,” said Zacharias. “What people forget is we’re talking about human beings.”

Fortunately, the PRIDE program is making a real difference in the lives of people who have been exploited, and word is spreading fast. Women on the street know about the PRIDE program and know it’s a safe place where they won’t be turned away. Of more than 70 individuals who have successfully graduated from the program, only three have been re-sentenced. Those who need to come back for additional treatment are welcomed with open arms.

“We give everyone several chances,” Zacharias noted. “Thirty to 40 years of betrayal sometimes can’t be erased in just a few months.”

While Zacharias has many hopes for the graduates of the PRIDE program, her primary goal is for them to become strong and independent so they never have to rely on anyone in that manner again.
“I want them to understand the impact prostitution has on their mind, body and spirit, and to never resort to that kind of behavior again,” she said. “My biggest hope is to see them emerge from their cocoon and be able to fly on their own.”

Source : www.drug-rehab.com 

The 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA) are commonly introduced to recovering addicts and alcoholics during a stay in drug rehab.

Some people react to the 12 steps with skepticism, and although the 12 steps are not an evidence-based program or a scientific method of addiction treatment, they do offer a lot of value to people new to recovery and are a worthwhile inclusion in any drug or alcohol treatment program.

Benefits of 12 Steps Support Groups
Some of the benefits of a 12-step support group include the following:

• 12 steps groups offer community-level support to those in recovery. Self-help and support groups can offer long-term assistance and sober social camaraderie to those new to recovery, and this sober fellowship can provide a backbone against temptation. The National Institute on Drug Abuse calls 12 steps programs, "groups that can help support healthy lifestyle behaviors over a lifetime."
• Studies show that people who participate in AA or other types of self-help group meetings have lower rates of relapse than those that don't, and the benefits of these programs extend to people who are not religious and to those who have mental health problems. (Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, August 2006.)
• Studies show that people who get both professional addiction treatment and who participate in AA or other 12 steps programs are most likely to stay abstinent. (Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, October 2005.)
• 12 steps groups offer free continuing addiction recovery support in the community. There is no cost barrier to entry, and since these group meetings can be found in most communities throughout the country, accessibility is rarely a problem.

People who are introduced to the 12 steps while receiving professional addiction treatment and who continue their participation in AA or other self help groups once back in the community have a higher than average likelihood of maintaining sobriety. This fact alone more than justifies the inclusion of 12 steps programs into more comprehensive addiction treatment programs.

Source : www.drug-rehab.com

All drugs contain chemicals the body simply cannot use. Unfortunately, due to the toxic environment and the lifestyle many people have adopted, sickness and diseases are more prevalent than at any time throughout history. Part of the blame rests on the drugs that are routinely prescribed to alleviate the symptoms of ill health.

The toxic environment and the lifestyle many people have adopted have created sickness and diseases that were unknown a hundred years ago. While drugs are used to treat the symptoms, they create more health problems, some of which are very serious.

Many doctors refuse to take certain drugs as they are aware of the serious side effects those drugs pose to the health of their patients. Still they are willing to prescribe them to their patients. So it's up to the patient to ask the doctor if he'd take the drug he is prescribing and if not should ask the doctor why. If the doctor won't take it, the patient shouldn't either. If the doctor insists, finding a new doctor would be the better course of action.

(NaturalNews) Assuming you're eating well, sleeping well, exercising and tending to your relationships, the next best optimal health step you can take after the age of fifty is to avoid prescription drugs. All prescription drugs - without exception - have side effects. The most common cause of side effects is the simple fact that prescription drugs are highly concentrated and usually not found in nature, so they're hard on the liver. Once your liver is chronically stressed by taking a drug every day, any other stress you put on it, such as exposure to toxins (think car exhaust, paint fumes, pesticides, excess alcohol etc) can compromise your health. As we age, the liver loses some of its efficiency, so prescription drugs add insult to aging. Once you start mixing drugs the side effects multiply and magnify. Side effects can be subtle at first, and you may not attribute them to the drug you're taking. Common examples include mild symptoms of:

• Fatigue
• Muscle weakness
• Forgetfulness
• A bit of dizziness when you first stand up
• Trouble thinking clearly
• Uncharacteristic depression

I'm convinced that millions of Americans over the age of fifty are tired, weak, depressed and mentally dulled out because of prescription drug side effects, and yet are blaming it on aging. Yes, aging can have all those effects on us, but prescription drugs can advance and accelerate the process. There are times in all our lives when we need a quick patch or remedy for a few days or a few weeks, but the minute your doctor suggests that you need to be taking a drug every day indefinitely, the hairs on the back of your neck should stand up. Drugs that can Cause Osteoporosis A perfect example of how prescription drugs can ruin your health without you or your doctor even realizing it, is drugs that cause osteoporosis. We've known for decades that certain medications can contribute to bone loss. They include steroids such as prednisone, and calcium-channel blocking drugs for hypertension such as Procardia and Norvasc.

Now we can add two other drugs to the list: acid-suppressing drugs used for heartburn, such as Prilosec, Prevacid and Nexium; and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants such as Celexa, Zoloft, Prozac and Paxil. Heartburn or Hip Fracture?  The heartburn drug study examined the medical records of 13,000 people who had suffered a hip fracture, and compared them with 135,000 similar people who had never had a hip fracture. Those who had used the family of heartburn drugs known as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) for more than a year had a whopping 44 percent higher risk of hip fracture. Those taking the drugs at the highest doses for the longest period of time had the highest risk of hip fracture. Critics of the study point out that so-called "retrospective" research looking back at medical records tends to be less accurate, but even if the PPI users had a 22 percent risk instead of 44 percent risk, it would still be a very high number. It's theorized that the PPIs probably cause bone loss that leads to hip fracture by interfering with the absorption of nutrients that build bone, such as calcium and other minerals. The PPIs can be a very useful short-term solution for stopping heartburn, but it's important to make the lifestyle changes that can prevent heartburn and get off the drugs. For more information on preventing heartburn, here's an article by Dr. John Lee and myself: What Your Doctor May Not Tell You about Heartburn.

The Antidepressants The research on SSRIs and bone loss is smaller but still important. This was a Canadian study done at McGill University that began with a pool of 5,008 randomly selected people over 50 and followed them for five years. Of that group, 137 were taking SSRIs, and they were found to have 2.1 times the risk of bone fractures. Although this was a relatively small group taking the SSRIs, the researchers took into account many other risk factors for bone fractures and still got the same result. Some critics argue that people who are depressed fall more often, but the study showed that the SSRI users had "fragility" fractures, meaning broken bones caused by relatively minor incidents like falling out of bed - in other words, it didn't take much for their bones to break. The Prescription Drug Triple Bone Whammy It's not uncommon at all to find senior citizens on multiple prescription drugs. Some of the most common include prednisone, calcium channel blockers and proton-pump inhibitors - all now linked to bone fractures. There are many reasons to avoid prescription drugs in general, and now we can add bone loss to the list.

(NaturalNews) The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced yesterday that several ADHD drugs must now carry information on the labels warning consumers of the risk of heart problems and psychotic behavior associated with taking the drugs.

FDA spokeswoman Susan Bro says GlaxoSmithKline's Dexetrine drug and Novartis AG's Ritalin must now include warnings about risks of serious heart problems and sudden death. ADHD drugs act as stimulants and can raise blood pressure, possibly triggering heart trouble. Users of the drugs are also at risk of displaying behavioral problems -- which the drugs are often prescribed to treat -- such as aggression and mania.