Differences Between Alcohol and Drug Addiction Rehab
Both alcohol and drug addiction take over the mind and inhibit individuals from leading a fulfilling, healthy, and long life. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s 2014 National Survey, approximately 21.5 million people, aged 12 and older, had a Substance Use Disorder (SUD) in the past […]
Benefits of Drug Rehab in Orange County, California
Orange County, California is the ideal community to successfully for drug rehab, and to recover from drug addiction. Covenant Hills Treatment in Orange Country is recognized as having one of the best drug rehab facilities in the world, offering multiple options to clients to reconstruct their identity in a supportive […]
Fentanyl Abuse: Signs and Symptoms
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is extremely dangerous, and is only intended to be used for extreme pain after surgery or from a medical ailment. Individuals should only use fentanyl if prescribed from their medical doctor. You may see it in its prescription form labeled as Actiq, Duragesic, or […]
Mindfulness: Can it Help In Addiction Treatment?
Life is filled with a multitude of difficult and stressful situations. When individuals do not know how to respond to situations that elicit high levels of stress, anxiety, or despair, they may turn to drugs to cope with their painful emotions, thoughts, and behaviors associated with these tough moments.
When individuals […]
Do I need a Gender Specific Addiction Treatment Program?
The journey towards fully recovering from addiction is a very personal experience that must be aided and enhanced with a strong network of support. It is important to know that even though you have experienced individual suffering from your addiction and the difficult moments in your life, you are not […]
Early Childhood Red Flags That Can Lead to Drug Addiction
Experiences in early childhood are the biggest indicators of what the future will hold for children in their teen and adult years. Their cognitive, physical, social, and emotional states are being developed and are easily influenced and affected by their environment. Because the earliest stages of child development sets the […]
The Difference Between Hemp and Marijuana
At Covenant Hills, we are frequently asked to explain the difference between hemp and marijuana. Many people associate the word ‘hemp’ with marijuana and are confused to see consumer products labeled with ‘hemp’ in grocery stores. Understanding the difference between hemp and marijuana can help you or someone you love […]
4 Keys to Overcoming Prescription Drug Addiction
Millions of Americans struggle with overcoming prescription drug addiction every day. Life can be especially challenging at times and many individuals turn to prescription drugs to cope. If you are struggling with prescription drug addiction, it is important to note that you are not alone. You can overcome your addiction […]
Key Components of DBT
Addiction steals the mind, body, and soul from individuals and inhibits them from reaching their full potential. For individuals suffering from addiction, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) is used to give recovering addicts the tools needed to remove their negative cycles of thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Immersing individuals in a Dialectical […]
Dangers of Taking Xanax and Adderall Together
When individuals take Xanax and Adderall together, it can be extremely harmful to their health and can ultimately cause damage to the central nervous system. Both of these prescribed medications have addictive properties and, if abused or taken for prolonged periods of time, can lead to a chemical dependence on […]
The importance of Detox prior to Drug Rehab Treatment
For individuals suffering from drug addiction, making the paramount decision to go to a drug rehab treatment center is a powerful step towards a full recovery. Addiction is a disease that makes people physically, emotionally, and mentally dependent on a substance to cope with everyday life. Detoxification must occur before […]
Three Lies a Heroin Addict Believes
Heroin addiction is at epidemic level across the United States, wreaking havoc on individuals, families and communities. It’s one of the most popular drugs on the black market, with most heroin coming to the US from South America and Southeast Asia. Heroin isn’t just popular, it’s also highly addictive.
Made from […]
What to Expect During Drug and Alcohol Detox
You have committed to fully recovering from your addiction and have made the decision to live a healthy life again in mind, body and spirit. Quitting a highly addictive substance, such as drugs or alcohol, can be extremely difficult but can be accomplished with the support and guidance from the […]
Characteristics of a Drug User. Do You Know The Signs?
Do you think you might know someone who is suffering from drug addiction? You may find it difficult to confront someone you love about their drug use. Yet for many people suffering with drug addiction, they often feel alone and neglected and may not know that someone is willing to […]
How Does Your Environment Affect Your Chances of Drug Addiction?
The debate surrounding nature versus nurture is ongoing, especially for individuals suffering from drug addiction. Are you a product of your genetics or are you a product of your environment?
For individuals suffering from drug addiction, environmental factors play a tremendous role in influencing the individual to engage in destructive drug […]
Gateway Drugs: Express Lane to Serious Addiction
Gateway drugs is a phrase that typically refers to substances that lead to more addictive and harmful drugs. Gateway drugs such as alcohol, nicotine, and marijuana may seem like potentially harmless substances, but in fact, often lead to a pathway towards serious addiction.
Addiction is a chronic disease that impacts an […]
Physical Effects of Prolonged Alcohol Abuse
Excessive use of alcohol can have devastating physical effects on the user. When an individual continuously drinks alcohol in excess, has difficulty controlling their behavior, and develops a tolerance to its effects over time, the individual often is diagnosed with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). If individuals do not seek treatment, […]
Making the Call. Why Calling Covenant Hills Can Change Your Life
According to the American Society of Addiction Medicine, drug overdose is the leading cause of accidental death in the U.S., with 52,404 lethal drug overdoses in 2015. Drug addiction remains an epidemic in the United States, and several sources indicate a resurgence of “hard drug” use. For too many struggling […]
4 Facts About The Benefits of Residential Drug Treatment
For individuals suffering from drug addiction, a comprehensive residential drug treatment recovery program is the only way to fully restore the mind, body, and soul from addiction. Drug addiction is a psychological and physical disease that steals the individual’s ability to live a meaningful and healthy life. A residential treatment […]
4 Things You Can Do To Help a Friend Who Is Addicted
How can you help a friend who is struggling with addiction? What role should you play in your friend’s life?
It may seem difficult to immerse yourself in your friend’s addiction recovery process, but it can be not just effective but important that you play an active role to ensure that […]
Transitional Care at Covenant Hills Treatment
At Covenant Hills, clients who have completed the residential inpatient program move to the next stage in the treatment process, transitional care. Transitional care at Covenant Hills is intended to support individuals as they begin integrating back into daily life. The goal of transitional care is to provide clients with […]
5 Tips to Maintain Your Recovery in 2017
With a brand new year, you have been given a fresh start to make more strides on the path towards lifetime addiction recovery. You should be extremely proud of yourself for overcoming addiction and this should motivate you to continue with the healthy lifestyle you have created. Although you may […]
The Role of Sleep in Drug Addiction Recovery
Millions of Americans suffer from sleep problems on a daily basis. Heightened levels of stress and anxiety from social and environmental pressures can cause disturbances in normal sleep patterns and can make it difficult to complete life’s daily tasks. Sleep is intended to be a restorative process that helps individuals […]
Why Some People Become Addicted More Easily
Addiction is a disease that inhibits the mind, body, and soul from functioning in a normal and meaningful way. Some individuals become extremely mentally and physically dependent on drugs to cope with a wide range of stressors in their everyday lives.
But why do some people fall victim to addiction and […]
Living a life of Integrity. How an Addict Got There
Integrity is defined as the “quality of being honest and having strong moral principles that you refuse to change.” If you have suffered from drug addiction, leading a life filled with honesty and morality is not an impossible goal. In fact, when you determine that your goal is to live […]
The First 30 Days Clean
The first 30 days clean are absolutely critical for individuals recovering from drug addiction. The first 30 days set the foundation for the remainder of the recovery journey and become the true testament of the individual’s ability to remain abstinent.
If you or someone you love is experiencing difficult moments during […]
The Role of a Spiritual Counselor in Drug Addiction Treatment
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, in 2014 alone, approximately 21.5 million people, aged 12 and older, had a Substance Use Disorder (SUD) in the past year. Many individuals who are suffering from drug addiction may go unrecognized and untreated. They may feel lost on the […]
Alcoholism: Is there a Difference Between Beer, Wine and Hard Liquor?
Alcoholism remains an epidemic in the U.S. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism says 16.3 million adults were diagnosed with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) in 2014. Whether alcohol is used to battle the symptoms of a psychological disorder, cope with work or relationships, or to ease pain or […]
What is a “High Functioning” Addict? Why is it so Dangerous?
When people typically think of drug addicts, they usually imagine broken people who can’t keep a stable job, have volatile relationships with family and friends, and who may even be in and out of jail. Media often depicts drug addicts as beaten down people who only live in the inner […]
Adderall and Xanax Addiction: Common Myths, Truths
Adderall and Xanax are well known and commonly prescribed medications, but when abused separately or taken together, they can have devastating health effects on individuals. Dispelling the myths and understanding the truths surrounding these drugs can help to encourage you or someone you love to seek a comprehensive treatment plan […]
3 Steps to Help in Your Drug Treatment Recovery
You have already made the life changing decision to fully recovery from your drug addiction. You have committed to a lifelong journey now full of self-fulfillment and resilience. Your will power against your addiction will grow stronger and its power against you will grow weaker every day as you move […]
Do I need Transitional Care after Drug Addiction Treatment?
You have completed the residential inpatient program. You should be extremely proud of your efforts to overcome your addiction. Making a commitment to lead a substance-free life is an empowering and uplifting process.
But you have an important decision to make. You are anxious to go home, spend time with family […]
Anxiety and Addiction: Common Co-Occurring Disorders
Everyone experiences normal levels of anxiety on a daily basis. Stress from the day’s events can build up and leave people feeling anxious or worried. However, when feelings of anxiousness persist and individuals do not know how to cope with stressful moments, it can often lead to an anxiety disorder. […]
Does Covenant Hills Offer a Faith-based Addiction Treatment Track?
For those who desire a faith-based treatment program, Covenant Hills offers a 12-step Christian-based treatment program that uses faith as the foundational component for individuals recovering from alcohol or drug addiction. Addiction is a disease that destroys a person’s mind, body, and soul. The goal of a faith-based treatment program […]
Marijuana: Gateway to Hard Drug Abuse
Marijuana, a common illicit drug used among all age groups, has increasingly been linked to hard drug abuse. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, “more than half of new illicit drug users begin with marijuana.” Illicit drugs, such as heroin and cocaine, are extremely dangerous and powerful substances […]
All About Christian Drug Rehab Centers in Texas
There are many factors to consider when choosing a Christian drug rehab center that is right for you. Choosing the perfect location for a rehab center that offers a Christian based approach is an essential factor to consider when searching for the best center to fully help you recover from […]
Whole Person Approach to Drug Rehab Treatment (Mind, Body and Spirit)
It is not enough to cure the physical body from addiction. Healing the mind and the spirit at the same time ensure a complete recovery experience. Covenant Hills Treatment in Orange County, California, and San Antonio, Texas, offers both Christian and Traditional 12-step programs to help restore the mind, body, […]
How to Find the Best Drug Rehab Programs and Rehab Centers
Finding a drug and alcohol treatment program that aligns itself with your worldview and convictions is a huge undertaking. Making the pivotal decision to seek help for your addiction is life-changing. The right rehab program and center that truly fits all of your needs, and cares about you as an […]
The Power of Faith in Drug and Alcohol Treatment
The power of faith in drug and alcohol treatment is a foundational piece for many in fully recovering from chemical dependence. Faith helps you cleanse your mind, body, and spirit of all abuses, guilt and doubt and helps you establish a greater purpose in your life. Faith allows you to […]
The Resurgence of Heroin Addiction
Heroin addiction has become a nationwide epidemic. The highly addictive opioid drug causes a powerful physical and mental chemical dependence and has devastating effects on the user. The rates of heroin users have drastically increased among both men and women, young adults, and across all racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. The […]
The Importance of Early Treatment for Heroin Addiction
One of the best solutions to the rising heroin addiction epidemic is seeking early treatment. Seeking early treatment will not only benefit the person’s health, but can also provide a supportive community and an aftercare program that helps the patient fully recover from heroin addiction. Seeking early treatment will aid […]
Characteristics of the Best Addiction Rehab Facilities
Recovering from addiction is a very difficult process, but it can also be a productive and meaningful journey if treated by one of the few best addiction rehab facilities. With a multitude of treatment options, it is essential to find the perfect rehab facility that fits all of the needs […]
Benefits of California-Based Addiction Treatment
Choosing a facility that is right for you or a loved one suffering from an addiction to drugs or alcohol is essential in ensuring a successful recovery. Individuals suffering from substance abuse and addiction should choose an environment that fosters self-growth and a spiritual connection to the beauty of the […]
Seven Things You Can Do To Avoid a Relapse
You have successfully made it to the “light at the end of the tunnel.” You found your inner strength to overcome chemical dependency and should be very proud of what you have accomplished! You know that recovery from chemical dependency is a difficult and life-long process, but one that can […]
How Addiction to Opiates is Treated
Addiction to opiates has been defined as a chronic, relapsing brain disease with a wide range of serious medical consequences. Types of opiates include heroin, morphine, and prescription drugs. In August of this year, 14 heroin overdoses occurred in one evening in Louisville.
The human suffering felt by individuals addicted to […]
The 4 Biggest Mistakes Men Make During Post Addiction Treatment Recovery
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS) notes over 1.1 million men were admitted into treatment for substance abuse in 2013. This overwhelming number does not begin to cover the men who did not seek out professional services for addiction. Recovering from addiction is […]
The 4 Biggest Mistakes Women Make During Post Addiction Treatment Recovery
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS), over 580,000 women were admitted into treatment for substance abuse in 2013. Yet that number underestimates the amount of women who need treatment but have not been able to access the proper recovery program. Research […]
Recognizing The Mental and Physical Signs of Addiction
People with addiction “lose control of their actions.” That is according to the National Institute of Health. Addiction inhibits a person from successfully engaging in and completing everyday tasks. For example, an addict may have difficulty holding a job, taking care of a family, or staying in school. Addiction affects […]
Understanding Levels of Care: Inpatient Hospitalized Care, Residential Treatment, Partial Hospitalization, Transitional Care, and Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP)
It is time. You are ready to get healthy and have made the decision to seek treatment for your addiction. But what is the right level of care for you, and how do you make sense of the vernacular of treatment levels? Let’s sort it out, starting with the most […]
The Case for Gender Specific Treatment for Substance Abuse
While all humans have similar wants and needs, some experiences and challenges are shared primarily by members of the same gender. For this reason, many individuals choose gender-specific treatment. Gender specific treatment (also known as gender responsive treatment) is an approach to mental health and substance use disorder recovery that […]
A Christian Approach To Drug Rehab Treatment
One’s Relationship With God is Vital To Their Drug Rehab Treatment Success
Drug addiction rehab treatment is serious business. Lives have the opportunity to be restored, strengthened and reborn. But with inadequate treatment, the results can be devastating: a financial investment with no return, excessively high relapse rates and an unsettled […]
Heroin vs. Prescription Opioid Abuse
Prescription opiate abuse, as well as heroin abuse, is on the rise. Is one really more dangerous than the other or are both dangerous? Here is a summary breaking down the opiate addiction problem and what can be done about it.
Heroin vs. Prescription Opioid Abuse
Many college students have the viewpoint […]
Nutrition vs Pharmaceuticals: A Treatment Perspective
Nutrition vs Pharmaceuticals: A Fresh Look at Treatment
Can we honestly suggest that nutrition be a “prescription” over stimulants and other pharmaceuticals as a primary form of treatment for addiction and mental health?
Let us do a quick review of our historical approach to mental and behavioral health treatment.
Prior to the 1990’s, […]
Benefits of Gender Specific Treatment Programs
The process of healing in treatment is different for everyone, and programs can vary greatly in how they are structured. For addiction treatment and recovery, one size does not fit all, and you should seek a program that is tailored to your specific needs including gender. Making the decision to […]
Recovery Success Includes Aftercare
The Importance of Aftercare in Addiction Treatment
“The first step to getting somewhere is to decide that you are not going to stay where you are.” –Unknown
Your recovery journey has been long, but worth every brave step you took. You have owned your story, faced your fears, and are well on […]
Drug Use Trends in College-Aged and Young Adults
Drug use among college students is on the rise, and in the case of marijuana, it is rising rapidly. Alcohol and cocaine are also being used daily by more students than twenty years ago.
Marijuana Use – On the Rise
Marijuana use among full-time college students is increasing notably. It is […]
Drugged Driving vs Drunk Driving
For several decades, our society has become acutely aware of the adverse effects of drunk driving. Field sobriety tests, breathalyzers, MADD, steering wheel locks, designated drivers and random police checkpoints were all born from heightened public awareness and anti-DUI campaigns.
The result has been a mainstream understanding of the dangers of […]
6 Things to Know About Cocaine Addiction Treatment
In the past decade, cocaine use accounted for about 13 percent of all admissions to drug abuse treatment programs. The majority of cocaine abusers who seek treatment – 72% – smoke the freebase form of cocaine, crack. Crack users are also more likely to be multi-drug abusers. As with any […]
Is Meth Still a Problem?
With an unprecedented rate of busting meth labs in the U.S. over the past decade – in Oklahoma alone, one-pot lab busts went from over 900 in 2012 to about 150 in 2015 – the public may be sensing the issue of meth use has waned. After all, fewer meth […]
What Are The Chances I will Relapse?
You made the bold decision to go to drug or alcohol treatment – or maybe you mustered the strength and were able to quit cold turkey – and are rightfully feeling much better about yourself. You’re back in control, the future looks bright, your friends say how proud they are […]
Understanding Binge Drinking
If the title of this article grabbed your attention, chances are you suspect you or a loved one might be a “binge drinker.” But what defines binge drinking? And even if we understand what qualifies as binge drinking, does it mean you have a serious drinking problem? Does it mean […]
Am I Genetically Predisposed To Drug or Alcohol Addiction?
When a person takes their first drink, or makes the decision to use drugs for the first time, they are influenced by social, societal, familial and biological inputs. But once the alcohol or drug enters the person’s system, their risk of becoming addicted varies considerably. Even among seemingly like individuals […]
Clinician’s Corner: The Warning Signs of Suicide
Did you know that Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States? The most frequent mental health emergency is the threat of suicide, and although female attempt suicide more often than males, males are three times more likely to die from suicide.
But perhaps most disconcerting is […]
Some depressing numbers: antidepressants and type-II diabetes
46.7 million prescriptions were issued in 2011 in the UK. In the United States, it is the third most widely prescribed group of drugs. And researchers are now saying there are concerns that they may be having an adverse effect on glucose metabolism—putting those eligible at even higher risk of […]
Another reason to avoid medication-based treatment?
“Non-drug interventions would be an enormous step forward in drug abuse treatment, which currently relies on replacing one drug with another and has an extremely high rate of relapse,” said press conference moderator Barry Everitt of the University of Cambridge, an expert in drug abuse research.That high rate of relapse, […]
Cocaine toxicity discovery opens new doors for research
This may come as surprise, but despite a history which extends thousands of years into the past when South American indigenous peoples would chew on the leaves of the Erythroxylon Coca for “strength and energy”, one could very easily deduce that there is little we actually know about the effects […]
Gene for alcoholism discovered, may lead to addiction prevention
What makes an alcoholic an alcoholic? Most of us know the answer, but from a clinical standpoint the official scientific criteria is a little bit more ambiguous, notably the efforts on the part of researchers when it comes to identifying underlying genetic factors that lead most at risk to over-consumption […]
Clinician’s Corner: the Psychological Science of Self-Control
Often family members of our patients will be frustrated and confused over the perception of free will and the inherently bad choices made by their loved one while “in their addiction.” So let me explain how the brain of an addict, if functionally high-jacked in the mid-brain, works. It is […]
Harder policies on Rx abuse could be issued soon
When it comes to Rx drug abuse, one could safely hypothesize that we’ll never entirely wipe out the problem. For one reason, it’s simply too big of an issue, and second, when it comes down to it nothing is impossible to acquire these days—but that doesn’t mean officials can’t make […]
Teens: “marijuana isn’t harmful”
If you haven’t already heard, Colorado and Washington have begun the process of selling marijuana recreationally. Analysts, scientists, government agencies, and the public within these states (not to mention the rest of the nation) prepare themselves for an onslaught of data to be used for future fine-tuning, or, if things […]
Pharmacology aims to stymie cocaine cravings
In a recent article, we talked about how researchers had discovered a protein which stayed in cocaine users’ biofluids up to months at a time. This not only meant that abusers could very well find themselves on the backend of the “job hunting” line, but that the effects (long-term and […]
Mixing energy drinks with alcohol: more buzz, more risks
“Wide-awake drunk” isn’t a phrase you hear all too often. Sure there’s the functioning alcoholic, and blacking out (mentally, as opposed to physically), but only just recently have researchers begun to note how serious the problem of young adults mixing alcohol with their favorite energy drink really is. The effect […]
Binge-drinking in youths could lead to generations of alcoholism
Partying on the weekend just got a whole lot more sinister. Well, for those who drink, anyway. The idea of alcoholism is nothing new, but the ‘when’ has continued to be a gray motley collection of vagueries and assumptions. The truth of the matter is that for many of us […]
A future with more alcohol-compliance checks?
When it comes to drugs and underage alcohol consumption, is a higher risk of police intervention a stronger incentive to keep from abusing? The answer, you might have guessed, is a resounding ‘yes.’ What we’re not entirely sure about is exactly how effective, and does the effectiveness dissipate the further […]
Neuroscientists ‘see the light’ with the help of Optogenetics
What if controlling your addiction were as simple as flipping a light switch? Well, we’re not there quite yet, but if Evgeny A. Budygin, Ph.D., an assistant professor of neurobiology and anatomy at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, has anything to say about it, we will be soon. The good […]
38 million problems, but an empty glass ain’t one
Of the 38 million Americans who “drink too much”, most aren’t even alcoholics says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Let’s start with what is considered a standard “drink.” According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), one drink amounts to 12 ounces of beer […]
Clinician’s Corner: Living the twelve steps
The gift of a life worth living is magnified when we practice the steps, but we are truly filled beyond measure in the practice of being of service to others. In fact, the rewards one can expect actually penetrate into the deepest layer of our most primitive area of the […]
Data reveals drunk driving starts with the first drink
Who here has heard the phrase “buzzed driving is still drunk driving”? It’s one that that we all believe on some level does hold weight, but fail to give it the reverence it deserves for whatever reason (most likely that it just about nixes 75% of weekend dinner plans for […]
Co-Dependence: a business-dependent model?
Whichever side of the fence you’re on, we can all agree that there is undoubtedly a stigma attached to the person who finds him or herself abusing alcohol or drugs. We all do it; the homeless person sitting outside a 7-11 asking for change, the man whose teeth have decayed past […]
That fickle thing we call memory
If you’ve been following our blog but can’t remember the title of the last article you read (this one doesn’t count—nice try), there might be a reason for that. Researchers have recently confirmed that heavy drinking in midlife can lead to a slow cognitive burn whereby a man aged 50 […]
The end of legalized marijuana in sight?
Marijuana has been oft-referred to as a “gateway” drug, but for whom exactly? Many of us accept that we will probably fail to outlive the constant stream of studies claiming to have debunked, or proven, that Marijuana will lead a user to go on and abuse harder illicit drugs such […]
Prevention Paradox at work on college campuses
A college is hardly the first place that comes to mind when one considers which institutions would find it in their best interests to stymie on-campus drinking. After all, the students need something to take off the edge of classes, finals, student debt, and a fledgling education system, right? Not […]
Synthetic Drugs sending abusers to the emergency room
In fall of 2013, an unusual increase in the number of men and women finding themselves in Colorado hospitals did not go unnoticed by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment after over 19,000 individuals in the Denver Metro area began experiencing symptoms ranging from irregular heart patterns, altered […]
Serotonin Syndrome: Prescription Meds responsible
It influences mood, appetite, sleep, memory, and learning, and can be found in your gastrointestinal tract as well as your central nervous system: Serotonin. Most commonly recognized as a neurotransmitter in the brain that balances a host of pleasure centers, this naturally secreted chemical substance will release itself in great […]
Have your Driver’s License ready, please
DUI checkpoints. We’ve all been through at least one—the orange cones, the ominous “have your Driver’s License Ready” marquee, the spotlights. The first question you ask yourself might be: “have I been drinking tonight?” And that’s the kicker, that drinking and driving has become so prevalent in our community, on […]
Russian men drink too much?
In a recent blog post, we discussed how there were approximately 38 million Americans, most not even alcoholics, who “drank too much.” This meant they were consuming, on average, about fifteen or more standard “drinks” per week, or even binging on five or more “drinks” at any given time. We […]
Abusers of cocaine and heroin play deadly game
You’ve heard the adage that you’re more likely to die from an oblivious bovine than from a shark attack, or that perishing via vending machine can be a more sinister notion than your being struck by lightning… but did you know that if you are a person who abuses cocaine […]
Clinician’s Corner: Recovery is a Victory!
The month of May is so often celebrated with triumphant victories of Graduations and celebration. What parent hasn’t been proud to watch their child be acknowledged for these great accomplishments? So how much MORE important is it that family give the same respect and honor to their loved one’s success […]
Relationship between ischemic strokes and Cocaine
Researchers are uncovering data left and right on cocaine and its devastating consequences, the most recent being a study centered on the cause of ischemic strokes in young adults. An ischemic stroke, according to the Stroke Association’s website, is what occurs as a result of an obstruction within a blood […]
Designer Drugs flooding Canadian market?
In a market flooded with designer label products ranging from purses to shoes, to sunglasses, and even babies, it’s very little surprise that designer drugs are likewise finding their niche. And although today you can purchase many of these “legal” drugs online with the click of a button, unlike something […]
Are Needle-Exchange programs the answer?
Government-funded needle-exchange programs have always been a topic of contention. On the surface, it’s exactly as it sounds: when implemented, abusers of narcotics—in this case, we’re mostly talking about heroin—can walk into any clinic or over-the-counter drugstore, and trade out used needles for clean ones. The reaction most of us […]
Clinician’s Corner: We are renewed by His grace
“A profound and crushing sense of emptiness” is one of the most common experiences in the early phase of recovery, and typical of our patients. This presents as anxiety or depression and is often described as “…feeling a dark and frightening void inside me…” or “…feeling like an empty shell […]
1993 to 2010: Driving under the influence ‘then’ and ‘now’
When it comes to driving ‘under the influence’, the go-to reaction is to immediately conjure up a mental image of some person behind the wheel of a car, beer can in hand, racing through stop lights and signs. But of course we all know that a resulting DUI doesn’t necessarily […]
Putting down that last glass of the day
We’ve all seen the headlines, whether in the form of a link to an online magazine, or maybe the hook from a particular news station: ‘Drinking Moderately Helps the Heart.’ But does it really? We as alcoholics have made a choice to live our lives without the drink, to seek […]
Sipping away at the truth behind energy drinks and alcohol
Energy drinks have always seemed to go hand in hand with alcoholic beverages, and the reason might have something to do with the results exacted from a recent study by the Australian National University’s Center for Research on Aging, Health, and Well-being in Canberra. After recruiting 75 individuals—ages ranging from […]
Clinician’s Corner: Shattering the paradigms of perfectionism
“We don’t claim shame.” You can’t believe how many times I’ve heard that! I know “shame” is a daunting word, but the problem is that when we don’t claim shame, it claims us: one of the ways it sneaks into our lives is through perfectionism. As a recovering perfectionist—notwithstanding the […]
Smart phones and alcoholism
According to recent studies, more than half of each day’s 50,000 ER patients aged 18-25 are in for alcohol and hazardous drinking-related crises. More than a third of these will report that they have an alcohol abuse or dependence problem. So what do we do about it? Well, thanks to […]
Study sets sights on ‘painkiller baby’ epidemic
Thanks to a $472,500 grant, courtesy of the National Institute of Health’s National Institute of Drug Abuse, Florida state researchers may very well have the means by which to finally curtail rampant use and abuse of prescription drugs such as oxycodone, as well as more illicit substances such as heroin, […]
On-the-go breathalyzers key to diminishing DUI numbers?
In the past we talked about how former ER patients (as a result of intoxication) were less likely to continue harmful binge-drinking behavior after receiving specially-tailored text messages following discharge from the hospital. But what if it didn’t have to go that far; what if there was a way the problem […]
Matter over mind: a reversal in the role of peer pressure within our schools
One of the largest tenets of drug abuse in high schools and colleges is the idea that students are being corralled into trying opioids for the first time due to fellow peers pushing them into it—in a word: peer pressure. Many of us remember the videos screened in health classes, […]
Marijuana vs Alcohol: is there a ‘lesser of two evils’?
The legalization of marijuana in Colorado and Washington has had what some might describe as a ‘gray-scaling’ of our nation, with proponents and opponents alike finding themselves stuck in a “sifting” of the times as cannabis’ green tape is pulled ever more taut. While many of us in the treatment […]
The road to alcoholism, through one’s stomach?
Most of us know the feeling—you’re at a restaurant with friends, a significant other, or co-workers, and somewhere between taking your seat and paying the check before heading out, you’ve gobbled up half the menu. You’re bloated, gassy, full… perhaps the way one feels after sucking down one too many […]
We are Faithful. We are Experienced. We are Covenant Hills.
Dear Friends, Stakeholders and Partners,
Twenty-three years ago we, the co-founders of Pacific Hills Treatment Centers, Inc., made a promise to God that we would help every individual that called us for help, regardless of whether or not they entered one of our treatment programs. In turn, we asked for His […]
Should Treatment Facilities crack down on inpatient smoking?
When signing up for recovery, there are certain expectations that must be met by any one individual, including the willingness to “admit we were powerless over alcohol–that our lives had become unmanageable.” It’s tricky—after all, who wants to admit defeat in a struggle the person doesn’t even realize is occurring […]
Rx drug abuse warrants substance abuse assessments for at-risk teens
“The public often thinks that nonmedical use of prescription drugs is driven by doctor shopping and drug dealers, but it isn’t,” says Carol J. Boyd, PhD, a professor at the University of Michigan School of Nursing. “It is driven by people with prescriptions who divert their pills to other people, […]
Social media sheds light on substance abuse addiction
When it comes to the global village that makes up our social media interactions, the idea that millions, perhaps even billions, of teens are addicted to this form of communication has always been close behind. Take, for instance, the PC-based mmorpg World of Warcraft – a game which for the […]
TV advertising puts pressure on youth drinking… in all the wrong ways
Whether we know it or not, advertising affects us all—yes, even those of us who claim it doesn’t. Television shows, billboards, a commercial, or one of those brief, annoying ads between games of Words with Friends and Tetris: we all find ourselves battling (and oftentimes losing) that inner struggle between […]
Gasp: a World in Which ‘Just One’ Means Just ‘One’
“Maybe just one more.”
We’ve all been there—you’re craving that next slice of pizza, another cookie, maybe another bowl of kettle chips at a friend’s get-together. For those in the recovery community, a past life of pints of beer, another “hit” or “drop”, or perhaps another plunge of the syringe is […]
Study on youth drug testing puts narcolepsy findings to bed
With marijuana still in the spotlight as it becomes increasingly available throughout the U.S., we find ourselves amidst a culture-feud of commentary, studies, and opinion highlighting or betraying the benefits of the drug. Of these, an interesting correlation was recently uncovered whereby researchers found that traces of marijuana abuse by […]
Disparities in drinking habit rates across county lines, men versus women
In a first of its kind study, researchers from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington have begun examining alcohol use—specifically the effects of binge and heavy drinking—across county lines, in an effort to help respective lawmakers and health officials produce effective, tailored policies […]
2016, a new year, a new war on drugs?
Will 2016 kick off the start of a new type of War on Drugs? Candidates in the upcoming elections seem to think so, with none other than Hillary Rodham Clinton leading the charge in an effort to curb what many representatives—and, indeed, organizations around the world—are calling an “epidemic.” They […]
Alcohol Use Disorder, awareness, on the rise
To have a predisposition towards alcoholism doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll go through life running from a looming death sentence, or some kind of prescient threat that will always manage to find you. Indeed, many individuals live natural, healthy lives without ever having to face an Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), the […]
Paying Attention to Trends of ADHD Medication Abuse at a Young Age
A common trend when chasing the numbers of abuse with regards to prescription medication is to focus too closely on teens and students who are already in the midst of abuse. Oftentimes preventative efforts are wielded ineffectively because the abuse is early enough that negative consequences haven’t yet precipitated out […]
Treatment centers versus prison-internment: the debate continues
The recent pardon granted by the President of the United States to nine inmates interned at various of prison facilities once again brings to the spotlight the issue of harsh sentences for nonviolent drug offenders. Perusing a press release posted on the White House’ web page, a list of commutations […]
A Stroke of Good Luck: the Silver Lining of a Debilitating Condition
Some of history’s most influential discoveries started out as accidents: trivial, mundane actions leading to other trivial, mundane actions, occurring and reoccurring every hour of every day until a slight variation in time’s chain of events creates a significantly different result than the norm. For example, when scientists and doctoral […]
Commercial Ads Depicting Romanticized Drinking Met with Strong Opposition
“Alcohol was my friend, actually more like an unfaithful lover, but it helped me to be somebody; it gave me a new person to become and a newfound confidence. It helped me to be free, to be my new self. You might say that I had been borne again, not […]
Rising Awarness of Alcohol Use Disorder
To have a predisposition towards alcoholism doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll go through life running from a looming death sentence, or some kind of prescient threat that will always manage to find you. Indeed, many individuals live natural, healthy lives without ever having to face an Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), the […]
ADHD Medication Abuse Among Young People
A common trend when chasing the numbers of abuse with regards to prescription medication is to focus too closely on teens and students who are already in the midst of abuse. Oftentimes preventative efforts are wielded ineffectively because the abuse is early enough that negative consequences haven’t yet precipitated out […]
How can we find a Good Drug Rehabilitation Center?
If someone is having an addiction problem, asking for help might be difficult for them. They may feel embarrassed, rejected, or ashamed of discussing their addiction with family or friends. Sometimes it is better for some people to search for a good drug rehabilitation center to help them recover from […]
Drug Addicts Can Avail Dual Diagnosis Treatment
The fact that drug abuse has become a global concern cannot be ignored. The majority of the people who become the victim of drug or alcohol addiction are teens. Even after the introduction of so many drug recovery treatment programs, many people get into substance abuse to overcome their loneliness, […]
The Positive Guidelines: Drug Rehab Programs
According to last year’s report of the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crimes, over 200 million people throughout the world use drugs on a regular basis. Although this is a rough number, there are more people who fall under the same category left unrecorded. There are an increasing number […]
Depressed Teens May Prevent Future Drug Abuse with Prozac
Researches say that young people who use Prozac for the treatment of depression are considerably less expected to abuse drugs in the future. But the medicines and prescriptions did not lessen the chances of alcohol abuse.
It has been found that out of the 192 teenagers whose depression retreated after 12 […]