Addiction Healing, Throughout the Family

Risk for addiction to drugs and/or alcohol can be handed down from parents and anyone else in your genetic line, and if you do have problems with addiction, it is very possible that many of the affects of this are shared throughout the family.

This is why it is so important for addiction treatment and counseling to involve the addicted individual and their family as well. Above It All Treatment Center is a California drug rehab that offers treatment options for alcohol, opiates, cocaine, prescription drugs, and other substances through its family-oriented drug rehab options.

First Sober Christmas

I feel good today. I can say that today, but I couldn't say it only a few short months ago. For several years, I woke up every day of my life and noticed: "I feel really bad today." Every day was the same, addiction left me feeling terrible all the time. When you feel like that all the time, you really don't care if some traumatic and unforeseen event ripped at you at left you dead. In-fact, when you are addicted, you sometimes pray for death.

Earlier this year I made the decision to quit drinking and doing drugs, and check myself into a drug rehab near Los Angeles. The decision to do this was the best decision I have ever made. My life has changed in so many ways the past few months, and it has all been a change for the better. I feel great every day that I wake up, and I am happy to be alive.

All of this joy and happiness is very wonderful, let me tell you, but that doesn't mean that my struggle with addiction is completely over. There are many times when, even though I have successfully made it through my drug rehab program, I still get uncontrollable urges to throw away the teachings of my 12 step recovery program, and simply use drugs and alcohol.

This is a strange feeling, because even though I know that it will only lead me to feeling terrible all the time, I still crave it. Even though it will ruin all I have worked for, I still crave it. Even though I know that it will make things very bad, and has no good to offer, I still crave it. This -- in my eyes -- is what makes drugs and alcohol so dangerous; even though we realize drugs and alcohol are 100% pure evil, we are still intrigued by, and strive for them.

As I am set to endure my first sober Christmas in years, I am trying to remain calm, happy, and healthy. I am both hesitant and confident, but I think that with the strength and support from my family, this Christmas will be a very happy and sober time that I can enjoy and remember throughout my life.

Treatment for Teen Drug and Alcohol Use

Abuse of drugs and alcohol is a dangerous thing in individuals of any age, but is even more dangerous for teenagers, as they are still in the cusp of the developmental years. During this time, the brain is still hard-wiring itself, and the possibility of teens being hard-wired for chemical dependency is a very real and frightening possibility.

Kids in the 13 - 18 year old range have an unusually high risk of addiction to drugs and alcohol that can develop within a very short amount of time. The age group may become addicted to a substance after use of a drug or alcohol only once. This is why seeking treatment for teens -- at an early stage -- is so important.

12 step treatment centers are seeing an increased number in teens entering rehab in the past few years. The frightening thing about this, is that they are entering rehab for extremely dangerous chemicals, such as methamphetamine, heroin, and Oxycontin.

If you suspect that your teens are using drugs and/or alcohol, it is essential to seek the help of a drug counselor in order to verify whether or not the problem is advanced enough to necessitate a 12 step addiction recovery program.