Addiction Is Out Of Your Hands
Are You Concerned About Your Loved One
Have questions about how our addiction treatment programs work? Please contact us as soon as possible.
At the Harm Reduction Center, we realize and acknowledge that each persons recovery narrative and experience is unique. Dont jeopardize your loved ones health any longer contact us straight now.
What Are The 3 Cs
Al-Anon Family Groups is a 12-step program and fellowship for friends and family members of alcoholics. Al-Anon members work their own program for their own good. The literature states the belief that changed attitudes can aid recovery. Many a person entered their first Al-Anon meeting in the hopes of finding a way to get the alcoholic in their life to stop drinking. Instead, many discover that their own peace and serenity is available independent of the alcoholic in their life. It is independent of anyone else, for that matter. They learn that happiness is possible when the focus changes from others to themselves. And this change can bring serenity and even happiness, regardless of whether the alcoholic is still drinking or not. Not long after entering, new members are introduced to a novel concept that both exhilarates and terrifies them. They did not cause this behavior, they cannot cure it, and most importantly, they cannot control it.
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Managing The Disease Is Possible
Science has not yet figured out how to stop a person from becoming addicted or cure it once it begins. It is important to simply do your best to support them through their recovery. A comprehensive and individualized addiction treatment program is the only path to begin to manage the disease. At Footprints, our aftercare, outpatient program, virtual IOP, and relapse prevention programs are the best ways to remain addiction-free after rehab is complete. Once youre ready to take the next step, contact us to start the journey to recovery.
Addiction in the Family, Helpful Articles
After falling victim to heroin addiction, Beverlys 23-year-old daughter and her boyfriend, who was also struggling with addiction, were evicted from their apartment from failing to pay their rent. As a result, the couple now found themselves living out of their car with only some bedding and a few items of clothing.
Beverly was truly sickened about her daughters situation and confronted her many times about seeking drug rehab treatment for her addition but it wasnt until much later that she was able to make an important realizationher daughter inhabited a different mental state than her own. They no longer shared common ground and it became impossible for them to communicate as her daughter had lost touch with everyday reality.
Her daughter had essentially become a stranger, and Beverly was left wondering, What did I do wrong?
The Five Rules Of Recovery
This section is based on my experience of working with patients for more than 30 years in treatment programs and in private practice. Experience has shown that most relapses can be explained in terms of a few basic rules . Teaching clients these simple rules helps them understand that recovery is not complicated or beyond their control. It is based on a few simple rules that are easy to remember: 1) change your life 2) be completely honest 3) ask for help 4) practice self-care and 5) dont bend the rules.
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The Three Cs Of Dealing With An Addict
One of the most difficult challenges for anyone struggling with the issue of a loved one suffering from is trying to connect with them. It is imperative to stay connected in a positive way that can help to lead your loved one away from the emotional dysfunction of addiction to a more fulfilling and rational lifestyle.
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Physical Warning Signs And Symptoms Of Addiction
After chronic use of drugs or alcohol, the body has a hard time adjusting to the abrupt discontinuation of the substance. Every drug is different, however, and some drugs may cause more emotional than physical withdrawal symptoms. Other symptoms may also manifest as a result of withdrawal, such as insomnia, appetite changes, and irritability.
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The 3 Cs Of Addiction Test: Are You Addicted
When families call our drug rehab and alcohol treatment center for help, they often struggle with being uncertain whether or not their loved one has an addiction. Even professionals in the field sometimes confuse addiction with substance abuse, so its not surprising when families have trouble telling the difference. While there are a number of tests out there, we recommend a very simple test we call the 3 Cs of Addiction.
Basically, the 3 Cs stand for 3 characteristics that must be present in order for a bad habit to be considered an addiction. An addiction can be to a substance such as drugs or alcohol, or to a process like gambling or sex.
Unfortunately, the word addiction has become part of pop culture and is increasingly being used to describe anything that brings so much pleasure that one cant help themselves. Chocolate and coffee are common examples, neither of which meet the criteria for true addiction. This can be better understood with a review of the 3 Cs as follows:
Ignoring Known Consequences Of Continued Use
For the majority of us, our moral code tells us to stop doing something if we know it will have negative consequences however, for struggling addicts, knowing the consequences, and sometimes even suffering through them, is not enough to stop using. Some common consequences can include work issues, financial crisis, unnecessary and increased amount of conflicts, hospital visits, jail time and even death.
If you notice that you or your loved one are dealing with these four factors, contact us at The Farm to discuss how our addiction rehab program can help. Call us today at 1 353-2777 or send us a message here .
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The 4 Cs Of Addiction
Addiction is a chronic dysfunction that involves the reward, motivation and memory systems in the brain. To separate addiction from other neurological disorders, experts say that four factors must be present. These four factors, compulsion, craving, consequences and control, are unique to addiction alone and are classified as the 4 C’s.
The behaviors of most addicts are very similar. This is why the 4 C’s of addiction apply to any type of addiction including, but not limited to, drugs, alcohol, gambling, video games, sex and caffeine.
1. Compulsion
Compulsion means that an individual has an absolute and overpowering urge to fuel their addiction. The behavior may start impulsively, but as the addiction grows, it becomes a compulsive habit. By not partaking in the habit, agonizing anxiety occurs, affecting all other behaviors.
2. Craving
The urge to fuel the addiction becomes as demanding as hunger pain, mimicking a physical need. It feels like it is vital for survival. This urge often manifests as restlessness, insomnia and lack of appetite.
3. Consequences
Even when negative consequences become apparent, the behavior continues. Consequences of addiction include relationship, work, legal and money problems.
4. Control
Control of when or how the individual fuels their addiction is lost. Oftentimes, in the early stages of addiction, an individual will try to cut down or eliminate the behavior. This is impossible when the lack of control stage of addiction is reached.
The Dos And Donts Of Dealing With An Addict
At this moment, there are 23 million Americans who struggle with addiction. This means there are also millions of friends and families that are suffering along with them, making substance addiction one of the countrys most pervasive diseases.
Surveys show that 64% of people had known someone close to them who had or is still currently suffering from addiction. Parents, teenagers, aunts or uncles, cousins or siblings, or close friendsits not rare to be close to someone suffering from addiction. Therefore, it is imperative to know and understand the guidelines when dealing with an addict. To help you in this predicament, here is a list of some dos and donts.
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Three Cs Of Addiction Recovery
Living a life freed of the agony and suffering caused by drugs is the goal that keeps us all committed to change and growth. Addiction alters a persons order and values by leading them to pursue an empty promise rather than a future of meaningfulness. The three Cs of addiction recovery are: I didnt cause it, I cant cure it, and I cant control it.
For starters the recovery process, you must undertake: Courage, Clarity, and Confidence. Treatment options, 12-Step programs, and family and friend support all contribute to the establishment of a new life. Recovery requires fortitude, whether it be extensive outpatient, inpatient, or any other treatment.
This article is your guide to giving your family a more meaningful and sensible lifestyle. One that will bring them to the care they require for rehabilitation from active drug abuse.
The Most Important C: Consequence
It is important to note that having one 2 out of 3 of the characteristics would suggest that an individual is only abusing a substance or a process. Typically, the C that separates most people with dependencies from those that only abuse is consequences. For most individuals, when the consequences of continued abuse get bad enough, they typically stop or cut back. This is not the case for people with addictions.
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The 3 Cs Of Addiction: What Family Needs To Know
Addiction to alcohol and other drugs is a disease that impacts both the substance user as well as their entire family network. When we think of recovery, it can be easy to feel that the process is only applicable or crucial for the suffering alcoholic or addict. However, a critical component of combating the disease is the recovery of the family.
When a loved one is struggling, we may find ourselves in a state of tunnel visiononly focused on the needs, wants and feelings of the one we care about instead of our own. As the disease progresses, the added stress and turmoil continues to build atop our familys foundation, and if not tended to, our foundation can crumble.
Family recovery begins when we admit and understand that our loved one is powerless over substances and that subsequently, their family life has become unmanageable because of their disease.
As family members, we can gain insight from the 3 Cs of Addiction:
- You did not Cause the addiction
Nothing you did or didnt do caused your loved one to become chemically dependent.
- You cant Control the addiction
The alcoholic/addict is the only one who can take responsibility for managing their disease.
- You cannot Cure the addiction
There is no cure for the disease of addiction, only treatment.
Once we understand the 3 Cs, working to improve our own healing can begin.
- You can take Care of yourself
- You can Communicate your feelings
- You can Celebrate who you are
Set aside time to heal
Set boundaries
The Second C: I Cant Cure It
Addiction is not just a physical problem. Addiction is a powerful physical and mental phenomenon. It is both biochemical and psycho-voluntary in the required coping mechanisms and lifestyle that the addict must construct so that they can maintain the means and methods for fulfilling their substance or alcohol addiction.
You have to acknowledge, to yourself, as a loved one or family member that, I Cant Cure It. That doesnt mean that you should give up or that addiction cant be cured. Still, it may mean that the issue has reached the point where proper professional rehabilitation is necessary. Once the addict creates a harmful lifestyle and coping mechanisms, it is tough to address the problem without an intentional intervention strategy and proper rehabilitation.
Proper rehab is typically necessary in order to recover from active addiction. Physical addiction demands a lifestyle that validates only the addictive substance and nothing else. As such, it requires a mental lifestyle that then accompanies that physical lifestyle for a full and successful recovery and treatment.
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The Stages Of Relapse
The key to relapse prevention is to understand that relapse happens gradually . It begins weeks and sometime months before an individual picks up a drink or drug. The goal of treatment is to help individuals recognize the early warning signs of relapse and to develop coping skills to prevent relapse early in the process, when the chances of success are greatest. This has been shown to significantly reduce the risk of relapse . Gorski has broken relapse into 11 phases . This level of detail is helpful to clinicians but can sometimes be overwhelming to clients. I have found it helpful to think in terms of three stages of relapse: emotional, mental, and physical .
The Three Cs Of Al Anon
- I didnt CAUSE it.
- I cant CURE it.
- I cant CONTROL it.
These simple statements help addicts and their loved ones understand addiction and how to recover from it in a new light. Specifically, they work to help loved ones overcome their feelings of guilt and grief. Al-Anons three Cs are reminders to loved ones in family recovery that help them realize that they are not the cause of the addiction that their friend or family member is having difficulty with. Through this education, families will be better suited to help their loved ones in their journey to sobriety.
People who are close to addicts usually fall into one of three categories:
- Feeling guilty because they are the cause of the addiction
- Thinking if only they could do X, Y, and Z, they could help their loved one stop using
- Thinking if only they could completely separate their loved one from drugs and alcohol, they could get them to stop using
All of these beliefs are misconceptions and can hinder a persons ability to recover. There are proper actions to take to support someone going through addiction, but healing them or stopping their usage is not anyone elses responsibility but the addict themselves.
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Your Loved One Needs You After Treatment
For as much trepidation as your friend or family member may have in entering rehab, the fear of leaving treatment may be even stronger.
When in rehab, clients learn that they are protected from temptation. They know they can get support from staff or other clients at any time and that they are surrounded by positive, supportive people who understand what theyre going through.
After treatment, your loved one must face stresses that could lead to relapse. For example, they may be concerned about how other friends or family members will judge them. They will need to face the stress of getting back into the workforce. They may feel lonely as they try to distance themselves from old acquaintances who continue to use drugs and alcohol.
Studies show that many people who develop dependencies to drugs and alcohol initially started using to cope with their emotions. With so many strong emotions facing recovering addicts all at once, its no surprise that relapse is most likely to occur within the first three months after treatment has ended.
As someone who is trying to help a loved one get better, its important to understand that recovery is more than getting the person to stop using. Its also important to understand that you play a key role in helping the person responsibly cope with the difficult emotions that come with addiction.
What Makes Fentanyl So Dangerous
Fentanyl is a dangerous drug because:
- It is 20 to 40 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. This makes the risk of accidental overdose very high.
- It is odourless and tasteless. You may not even know you are taking it.
- It can be mixed with other drugs such as heroin and cocaine. It is also being found in counterfeit pills that are made to look like prescription opioids.
You increase the risk of overdose if you use fentanyl with:
- cold, clammy or bluish skin
- severe sleepiness or loss of consciousness
If you do use opioids or drugs that may be contaminated with fentanyl:
- do not use alone
- carry naloxone and know the signs of an opioid overdose
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Protecting Kids From Addiction
addicted to drugs or alcohol, mom frequently feels guilty and ashamed not by the childs behavior, but for her own inability to help and protect.
In addiction, questions such as, What can I do? How can I help? often have unsatisfying and discouraging answers for parents. In truth, helping rarely works, which leads to feelings of hopelessness, despair and self-blame.
As we celebrate Mothers Day and reflect on all that mothers do, it is important to remember that there are plenty of mothers out there struggling through a childs addiction. To offer some solace and support, lets take a look at the three Cs of addiction.
