Painkillers: Beyond Epidemic

Newly released analyses from the Associated Press show that the epidemic of prescription drug abuse in the United States is now off the charts. From 2000 to 2010, the rates of prescription drug use and abuse have increased as high as sixteen-fold. While sales of prescription drugs rose only moderately in California, drug rehab facilities and drug rehab programs have seen a surprising trend of heroin, cocaine, and meth addicts switching over to prescription drugs because of their availability. Other states have seen dramatic increases in sales, with sales in New Mexico rising 500%; about the average gain seen in most states.

Originally, the increase in prescription drug abuse centered around the national borders and in and around the Appalachians.  Since 2010, the problem as grown outward from these two centers and have engulfed nearly the entire country. In Fact, 12 step treatment centers have seen such a large increase in those checking in for oxycodone and hydrocodone, that they are having to devote more resources to these specific types of addictions rather than traditional illicit drug addictions.

Do you, or someone you know, have a a problem with prescription drugs and/or painkillers? Above It All Treatment offers 12 step addiction recovery programs that effectively treat the chemical dependency of painkillers such as Oxycontin. Visit us online today, to find out more about treatment options.

www.aboveitalltreatment.com/

Cutting Down on Unnecessary C-Sections

 For the past three decades, pregnant mothers -- especially first-time moms -- have been opting for C-Section birth rather than natural birth. Experts attribute the large rise to mothers making the personal choice to give birth via Cesarian for a number of personal reasons. The reasons mothers may give for their choice often times can be for vanity reasons, but the majority of optional cesarians are performed due to the mothers apprehension for the birthing process.


Anxiety cause by the though of giving birth naturally can leave some new mothers completely paralyzed with fear. In these instances, doctors often plan for a C-section early on in the pregnancy, in order to ease the mother's fears, allowing her to complete gestation without stress and anxiety negatively affecting the fetus.

Though the choice of a doctor to approve C-Sections based on this fear seems a very caring decision, some doctors take advantage of this opportunity and perform unnecessary cesarians simply because it is a significant increase to the final bill. Not all doctors opt for cesarians strictly for financial gain, but it does happen, and C-Sections are the most performed operation in the United States.

Today, there is a movement gaining steam, a movement of women aiming for a return to a greater number of natural births. Therapy groups are popping up all around the country in hospitals, community centers, and health clinics; these therapy groups look to ease the fear that women have, not by the promise of a cesarian, but with care and support in a group environment or 1 on 1.

With the rise of these new support groups, health officials are lobbying for a stricter criteria on approving this operation, and offering young mothers more viable options for delivery, if they have worries about the process.

Kickboxing for Health

There are many physical activities that one can participate in for a strengthening of muscles, toning of the body, and sharpening of mental health. Karate, and other martial arts teach life lessons and mental techniques that can be used outside of the realm of self defense, and work in other aspects of life as well.

Elite Defense Systems, offering their Rockford Kickboxing classes, tout the benefits of kickboxing for men and women alike. Mental and physical stability is a core focus in the program, and mental focus and control go hand-in-hand with eachother as physical and mental benefits.

To learn more about kickboxing classes, contact Elite Defense Systems at 1-877-337-1877, or online at:
http://www.freeself-defense.com/

The First Few Hours of Rehab

Drug counseling programs and drug rehabs are programs designed to help individuals with chemical dependencies to detox from drugs and/or alcohol, and then to teach them skills and ways to keep from using these substance anymore. It sounds like a simple enough task, but there are many complexities to detox and sobriety.

First off, when an individuals stops using these substances, withdrawal symptoms can start as early as within a few hours. Depending on the type of substance involved with the addiction, these symptoms can range anywhere from mild to severe enough to cause cardiac arrest and death. Heroin rehabs deal with some of the most severe withdrawal symptoms, and usually have a full medical staff observing over the initial detox to ensure that the detox procedure is performed safely. Alcohol rehabs also staff a medical team to observe patients in the initial detox, as alcohol withdrawal can be just as severe.

While other drugs may not cause the extreme side effects of withdrawal that heroin and alcohol often produce, the best drug rehabs will still have medical staff on stand-by at all times, as cessation from any type of drug can cause a variety of physical and mental side effects. Also within the first hours of entering rehab, patients will begin participating in drug counseling programs to help fight any cravings or symptoms they might be having.

Social gathering, communications, and activities are commonplace in inpatient rehabs, as fellow program participants will all be living together in a residential treatment environment. This is opposed to outpatient drug rehab programs, where attendees are allowed to leave the facility and return at will.

All of these things make up the first few hours, and much of the time spent in a rehab; but when separating from a drug addiction, nothing is set in stone, and incidents can come up that may not have been expected.

Easing Into a Life of Sobriety

The prospect of lifelong sobriety can be a daunting prospect for a recovering drug addict or alcoholic; this is why counselors often insist that patients take things, "one day at a time." This approach helps individuals ease into the lifelong commitment that sobriety requires. 12 step recovery programs also reiterate this throughout treatment to contend with the extreme cravings that come with detox.

"Easy does it" is the key to successful recovery; yet a successful recovery is quite possible. Drug rehabs often utilize certain amenities within their facilities in order to slow down the patient's thinking and get them to relax. A relaxed patient with a clear and calm outlook on sobriety has a much better chance for success.

12 Steps to Sobriety

Originally created as a guideline for abstaining from alcohol in order to battle alcoholism -- which was not yet recognized as a disease -- the 12 steps in the 12 step recovery program have withstood the test of time. Decades after their inception, the 12 steps are helping individuals battle addictions to chemicals and drugs that didn't even exist when the steps were first created.

The reason this approach has been so successful is because of the clear path to sobriety that they illustrate. By giving an individual a direction that they can visualize, then showing them the rewards of the journey, they are more apt to continue on to the finish.

It is for these reasons that so many interventionists and addiction counselors refer individuals seeking help to a 12 step treatment center. There are many recovery centers throughout the country that offer various treatment programs that utilize the 12 steps within their structure. Above It All Treatment is an addiction treatment center just northeast of Los Angeles that offers many 12 step programs at its facility high in the mountains. To learn more about the 12 steps, programs that utilize them, and Above It All's numerous other treatment programs, visit:

www.aboveitalltreatment.com/

Chemical Dependency Programs Re-teaching Life Lessons

A quality chemical dependency treatment program will not only help a patient to abstain from drugs and alcohol through the initial "hardest" times of cessation, but will also teach techniques and strategies for continuing success that the patient can take with them after the program time-period comes to an end.

This is essential to the well-being of the patient, as the underlying conditions that originally led to addiction can still linger after treatment. Being able to successful contend against the temptations to once again use drugs and/or alcohol is the key to a successful long-term recovery.

New Dawn Treatment Centers in Northern California understands the responsibility a chemical dependency treatment center holds in instilling and fortifying values of healthy living into all of its guests. Through programs promoting expressive arts, holistic nutrition, and healthy exercise, New Dawn Recovery suggests alternatives to drugs and alcohol that can lead former addicts to -- when confronted with possible relapse -- choose engaging in a healthy activity, rather than the use of drugs and alcohol.

For more information on New Dawn Recovery's treatment options and locations, visit their official website at:

http://www.newdawnrecovery.com/