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As incredible as it may seem, almost 400,000 Texans that will struggle with the disease of addiction this year and there are thousands more — family and friends — that will be directly affected. Here at The Right Step, we see first hand the devastating effects and the remarkable healings that come from providing compassionate treatment and ongoing support for our clients and their family members. To help us continue this mission, The Right Step has joined forces with the Betty Ford 5-Star Kids program at our Dallas / Fort Worth campus.

The 5 Star Kids program will be offering a Family Dynamics group for our adult and adolescent IOP clients, as well as weekly support services to our residential clients and their families. The program offers free workshops for children 7-12 that have an addicted family member, and will also be available to clients’ younger siblings. By using games and storytelling, children learn how to deal with the effects of addiction, identify feelings, and take care of themselves. We know that early intervention helps break the addictive cycle and also gives a voice to the youngest victims. We are excited about this opportunity and will keep all of you posted on our progress!

RS

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How much money would you say you spend on something like coffee? My boyfriend used to be an ardent coffee drinker. One day, we were talking about ways in which to save money and I brought up the fact that he consumed so much coffee. Whether or not it was the direct result of our conversation about saving money or simply the fact that he wanted to cut back, he stopped drinking coffee. We estimated that since he’s curbed his coffee drinking habits, he’s saved himself a heck of a lot of money. Now compare this to someone who drinks alcohol. How much do you think it costs to support an alcoholic lifestyle?

Addiction, Alcoholism, Rehab & Coffee

When my boyfriend stopped drinking coffee, it may sound silly, but he had to really build up a tough mentality. Every time we went to the grocery store, he would have to quickly walk past the coffee aisle so he wouldn’t be tempted by the aroma. Sometimes, we would simply avoid the aisle. But coffee seems to be the staple beverage for many Americans. That being said, it’s not really avoidable. So what to do? Well, the same can be said of alcohol. If you’re a recovering alcoholic who is seeking treatment for your addiction and is now on the path to recovery, it is often difficult (as hard as you may try) to remove all forms of alcohol from around you.

You are Stronger Than You Think

The long road to recovery can sometimes be painful. You will always be tested, and sometimes (for an addict) all it will take is one step to bring you right back to the beginning. Practice self talk. Know that you are stronger than you think. Surround yourself with positive people who will help guide you through. In your personal life, remove all forms of temptation. For example, do not keep any alcohol in your home. Close friends and family should know about your condition and try not to offer you any alcoholic beverages. It’s the little things that you need to practice every day, which will have the greatest long-term impact in your life.

For more information about drug and alcohol treatment, please visit The Right Step today!

[photo credit: Victor Bezrukov]

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When you or a loved one has struggled with drug and alcohol abuse or drug and alcohol addiction, it is important to remember that recovery isn’t just something that takes place while you’re at the treatment center. You can’t expect to check into a drug treatment center and check out automatically cured. Rather, the recovery process is something that you have to live with each day of your life from then on out.

The True Test Begins

The true test of drug and alcohol recovery comes once you step foot outside of the doors. At that point, it is up to you and you alone to ensure that you do not fall back into a destructive pattern of drug and alcohol abuse. You will have the support and the help from loved ones, but at the end of the day you must have the fortitude and strength of character to overcome your addiction.

Many drug and alcohol treatment centers have some sort of outpatient program which simply helps the recovering addict adapt to everyday life as a sober person. For example Right Step has an intensive outpatient program in which the recovering addict spends 10 hours per week with a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor. Also included in the program:

• Group counseling
• Individual counseling
• Educational classes
• Spirituality awareness
• and More!

Know that your life means something to others, but most of all, realize that it needs to mean something to you. Recovery is a lifelong process, but with practice you or someone you know who is struggling with drugs and alcohol, can have a normal life as well.

For more information about drug and alcohol treatment, please visit The Right Step today!

Tags: Alcohol and Drug Treatment // 1 Comment »

It’s just an endless road where it keeps taking you farther and farther down that road…When you make a decision to take that step that way, instead of one step it’s like jumping off a cliff. [source: USA Today]

This is what premier jockey, Garrett Gomez said as he recounted his battle with drugs and alcohol. As we have too often seen, fame comes with its share of ups and downs. At the top of his game, Gomez was doing well, earning all sorts of accolades as an accomplished rider during the day…but at night, he partied hard. As often happens with young people who come across fame and more money than they know what to do with, the partying soon got out of control, and before long, Gomez developed a serious problem battling both drug and alcohol addiction.

In 1998, Gomez married his second wife and started a family, but life wasn’t easy. Gomez’s wife, Pam, soon realized she had a lot on her hands when she had to deal with both an addict as well two children to care for. Soon, Pam couldn’t take it and took out a restraining order against her husband. Any time Gomez violated the restraining order, she had him arrested, claiming that it was the only time when she could get some rest.

Facing the Problem

After being arrested multiple times, his career on the blink as well as risking losing his family, Gomez was ordered to attend a drug and alcohol rehab center to get help for his problems, otherwise he would face a much stiffer sentencing should he get in trouble again. He took off 21 months from everything else in his life to go through the drug and alcohol recovery process and is a much better person for it. Gomez claims that the problem with drug addicts is that they tend to put the blame on everyone else, never realizing that they’re the problem. If it wasn’t for the help of others as well as Gomez admitting he had a problem, he might not be here today. This is definitely a lesson learned as well as a testament to those addicts who seek drug and alcohol treatment.

For more information about drug and alcohol treatment, please visit The Right Step today!

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Statistics on Substance Abuse Among Women:

• 6 million women in the U.S. abuse or are dependent on alcohol
• Frequent binge drinking in women’s colleges increased by 124% between 1993 and 2001
• Alcohol is involved in as many as 73% of all rapes and up to 70% of all incidents of domestic violence
  
• More than 7.5 million girls/women misuse or abuse prescription drugs
• Women are up to 48% more likely than men to be prescribed a narcotic or anti-anxiety drugs
• Women who use sedatives, anti-anxiety drugs, or hypnotics are almost twice as likely as men to become addicted
• More than 2.5 million women abuse or are dependent on illegal drugs
• Two out of three AIDS cases in American women are associated with drug abuse

Supporting Not Enabling

It is extremely important to offer support to loved ones who are going through drug treatment or drug rehab.  Addiction comes in many forms and affects millions of people each day, not just women.   In fact, trends in alcohol addiction alone have shown that while the percentage of teenagers suffering from alcohol abuse has gone down, there are still approximately 14 million Americans today who are still considered alcoholics.  It seems that the only real way to tackle the problem of drug and alcohol abuse and continue to reverse the trends in drug addiction is to recognize when someone is abusing drugs or alcohol and intervene.  The worst thing that we could possibly do for those that we love is nothing.

For more information about women and addiction, contact The Right Step today!

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An intervention is an arranged meeting between the addict/alcoholic and their close family members, friends, and possibly a neutral party like a therapist where the addict is lovingly confronted about their addiction or substance abuse problems. The key word and idea here is “lovingly” - there are a few different ways to conduct an intervention, but to do it with love and care is the most important consideration.

Help With Interventions

Drug abuse can affect all types of people, from teenagers to men and women.  Having an intervention isn’t always easy; in fact,  it can often be emotionally difficult for all of the parties involved. Drug and alcohol addiction is an illness, and one that can be extremely difficult for family and friends of addicts to understand if they haven’t gone through it themselves.  Therefore, it is important to keep this in mind when speaking to them.  Having said that, here are five helpful tips for having a successful intervention:

1. Stay Calm: The last thing your loved one needs to see is how anxious you are.  Keeping calm will enable you to think more clearly and deal with the emotions that he/she may have.
2. Avoid Using “Alcoholic” or “Addict”: Keep in mind that your loved one may feel cornered or put on the spot during the intervention. Avoid using trigger words that will make him/her feel singled out.
3. Show Concern: It is important to emphasize that you are not there to put him/her on the spot, but rather, to show your concern.  It is important to let him/her know that you are having the intervention because you care about them and want to support them in their recovery.
4. Use “I” Statements: It is important that you let your loved one know how their addiction has affected you.
5. Wait until He/She is Sober: Avoid confronting your loved one when they are under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

For more information about drug and alcohol treatment, please visit The Right Step today!

[Photo Credit: Arbron]

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Addiction, alcoholism and rehab are three words that most people don’t want to hear, especially if they are drug addicts or relatives of someone who is struggling with addiction.

When we go out to bars or restaurants, we usually don’t think too much about the possible consequences when we order an alcoholic beverage. For many people, having just one or two alcoholic beverages isn’t a big deal. But for an alcoholic, the mere sight of a glass of wine or a can of beer is enough to send them into a tailspin of disaster.Perhaps part of the problem with drug and alcohol addiction is that we don’t take it seriously enough.

Creating a Sober Living Environment

When someone is recovering from alcohol addiction, it is important to create a sober living environment. Right after rehab, the temptation to relapse into old habits is great. Many times, people only spend about 30 days in a rehabilitation program, which often isn’t enough time to fully address all aspects of addiction. The period right after completing a treatment program is the most critical period during one’s journey toward sober living, and having sobriety incorporated into all aspects of the person’s life is essential. However, prevention is better than cure.

If you know someone who is struggling with alcohol addiction or who you think may have a problem with it, do something about it; you may just save their life. Interventions are a great way to reach those who need help and show them that you care.

For more information about affordable drug recovery and free addiction aftercare services, contact the Right Step today!

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What is an Intervention?

An intervention is a facilitated meeting with the addict/alcoholic, friends, family members and other concerned parties. During the intervention process, the addict/alcoholic is lovingly confronted by people who care about them. You will be led in a frank discussion about using behavior and the consequences focusing on the feelings and experiences of friends and family members. We use a proven intervention process which may include one or more preparatory meetings including family “coaching sessions”.

It can be emotional

Interventions, while they are generally good to have, can be extremely emotional for all of the parties involved, especially the person for whom the intervention is directed at. Telling someone you love that you think they have a serious problem with drugs and/or alcohol is never easy. And certainly, it is not easy for the person who is struggling with drugs or alcohol to accept the fact that they do have a problem and that their family and friends are there to help.

Often times (though not always), interventions can turn ugly with people pointing fingers. Also, many times, the person for whom the intervention is targeted will feel just that: targeted. This, however, is not the intention of having an intervention. Keeping all of this in mind, it is extremely important to plan how and where the intervention will take place as well as who will be involved. The last thing you want to do is push those who are struggling with addiction further away from you.

Have you ever attended or been the target of an intervention? If so, how did it go? What happened? Do you think that interventions are a good idea when discussing and addressing drug/alcohol addiction?

For more information about drug and alcohol treatment, please visit The Right Step today!

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How much worse off would the world be if drugs like Marijuana and Cocaine were legalized? Some economists (such as Milton Friedman) have pointed out the link between unnecessary government involvement and the unforseen impact on the drug market. Because the government gets involved with drug control, punishing those who use drugs by throwing them in jail, they are disrupting the lives of people who aren’t really hurting anyone else but themselves.

Friedman brings up a great point, explaining that the government intervenes with those who abuse drugs by saying that it’s “bad” for them. As a result of people doing something that is “bad” for their bodies, they are taken to jail. The threat of being punished with jail time makes drugs more expensive, which causes those who use drugs to seek alternative means of getting them, thereby increasing the crime rate, etc. It seems to be a vicious cycle, perpetuated by the government sticking its nose where it doesn’t necessarily belong. After all, there are other things, Friedman points out, that people do which are bad for them. He gives the example of the obesity epidemic in the United States. More people die from overeating than from drug use, and overeating is just as bad, if not worse, than using drugs. Therefore, why aren’t people being arrested for it?

Watch the video below to see exactly what Milton Friedman’s thoughts were on drugs and whether or not they should be legalized. What do you think?

For more information about drug and alcohol treatment, please visit The Right Step today!

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When we think about drug and alcohol recovery, the first thing that often comes to our minds are the hallowed hallways of some drug and alcohol treatment center or a newly released, recovered drug addict being embraced warmly by waiting family and friends.

What we don’t think about or really take the time to consider is how that person is going to continue their recovery once he or she is outside of the facility and back in their respective communities. As with most recovering addicts, it can be extremely easy to fall back into the same pattern of drug abuse and drug addiction. But what sort of a role does the community you live in play? Do you live in an area where there is a lot of crime and drug use? How easy or difficult is it for you to acquire drugs?

We need to take a closer look at these issues and find answers to these tough questions. Do you know someone who recovered from drug and/or alcohol abuse and was successful. Was it you? What sorts of odds are those who abuse drugs playing with once they are released from treatment?

For more information about drug and alcohol treatment, please visit The Right Step today!

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