The following is an article featured on familydoctor.org.

Fiction #1

“Smoking isn’t any more of a problem for people in recovery from alcohol abuse than it is for anyone else.”

Fact: Almost 85% of people who are in recovery from alcohol are also smokers, compared with 21% of the general public. Compared to smokers who aren’t in recovery, smokers in recovery from alcohol abuse may be more addicted to nicotine and often smoke more cigarettes.

Fiction #2

“Quitting smoking will threaten my sobriety.”

Fact: Smokers who are in recovery from alcohol abuse can stop smoking without starting to drink again. Because smoking and drinking often go together, smoking can lead to a stronger craving for alcohol. So quitting smoking during or right after treatment for alcoholism can actually increase your chances of staying sober.

Fiction #3

“Alcohol addiction was the biggest threat to my life and my health, and I’ve quit drinking. Smoking won’t hurt me that much.”

Fact: Smoking is an addiction. It’s as likely to kill you as any other addiction — maybe even more so. People who have been in treatment for alcohol problems are more likely to die from tobacco-related diseases than from alcohol-related problems. In fact, recovering alcoholics who smoke are more likely to get heart disease, lung disease and cancers of the head, mouth and throat. They are also likely to die earlier than people in the general public.

Fiction #4

“I’m too addicted to quit smoking. I tried to quit before and failed.”

Fact: You may be more addicted to nicotine than other smokers, but very few people succeed the first time they try to quit smoking. Part of the problem may be that you tried to stop smoking on your own. Lots of resources can help you quit. They include: your doctor, friends and family members, stop-smoking support groups, nicotine replacement therapy, and organizations such as Nicotine Anonymous, the American Cancer Society and the American Lung Association. All you have to do is ask for help.

When you stop smoking, you may experience withdrawal symptoms like irritability, nervousness, difficulty concentrating and constipation. Counseling, medicine or both may help you handle the withdrawal symptoms. Ask your doctor what treatment is right for you.

Fiction #5

“I’ll fail–I know I will. Quitting smoking will be harder for me than quitting drinking was.”

Fact: There’s a good chance you felt this way, at times, about recovering from alcohol abuse. Feeling powerless and admitting you need help is the first step to kicking your smoking addiction. You need to approach quitting smoking the same way you approached quitting drinking–one step at a time. What gave you the strength and courage to give up drinking? The same tools such as treatment, therapy, group support, spirituality, and friends and family can help you quit smoking.

Fiction #6

“I could never quit. Most of my family members and friends smoke.”

Fact: Being around smokers can make quitting harder. But giving up any addiction is hard and requires you to make your own choice about what’s best for you and your loved ones. Asking family members and friends not to smoke around you gives them the opportunity to be supportive. At first it may help to stay away from other smokers.

Fiction #7

“I have too much stress in my life to quit right now.”

Fact: Your body is addicted to nicotine, so it feels better with the drug than without it. If you are under a lot of stress, maybe another time would be better to quit smoking. But remember that, like all other people, you will always be under some kind of stress. Waiting to be stress-free before you try to quit smoking may just be an excuse to avoid facing your nicotine addiction.

Fiction #8

“I can’t quit smoking because I’ll gain weight, and that’s bad for my health too.”

Fact: Most people gain no more than 5 to 10 pounds when they quit smoking, which is much less of a health risk than smoking. Exercising regularly and eating low-fat foods can help you avoid gaining too much weight.

The following is an article found on alcoholicsvictorious.org about the importance of eating healthy and how what you are eating could have a positive or negative impact on your recovery.  After the article is also a “Recovery Diet” for suggestions about what to eat, when to eat and vitamin supplements.

The Impact of Diet and Nutrition on Recovery

Many addicts find that after taking the first step in admitting that they have a problem, the choice of different treatment programs is baffling and knowing where to turn is all but impossible. There are, however, some things that can be done to try to separate the outstandingly good addiction treatment programs from the mediocre.

Firstly, it is wise to consult with your family doctor or other doctor who has been seeing the patient about their drugs issues to see what they would recommend as the best course of action. Doctors often have a vast network of contacts, and will hear from other medical professionals and associates about which treatment programs are good and which ones have a poor success rate. Doctors may also be able to help secure a place on a hard to get into treatment program by pulling strings or using their influence as a medical professional.

Addiction Treatment Program

Another good starting place for finding a good addiction treatment program is by calling the volunteer run helplines dedicated to speaking to people with the same specific issues. The volunteer counselors who staff the helplines or run the self-help groups will have spoken to many dozens of other people in similar circumstances and will know which programs have had good success rates and which ones have not been able to help users break their cycle of drug use.

Another important factor to consider is the level of insurance cover held by the individual. Some insurance policies will cover treatment in most types of program, whether that be residential, out-patient, or by seeing a doctor or psychologist for regular appointments. These sorts of programs can be costly, especially programs which involve staying in a center as an inpatient. If insurance cannot cover the costs of the treatment either in whole or in part, it is important to try and work with these facilities for discounts and to determine other forms of payment.

The Right Addiction Treatment Program

When evaluating the different sorts of addiction treatment programs on the market, it is important to find out what sort of qualifications and accreditations the health professionals running them have. Although most treatment programs and centers are reputable and are run by properly qualified and well-meaning professionals, there are some which are not and at first glance it is easy to be seduced by a glossy website promising the answer to all of your problems. It is always wise to spend time asking about the training and methods used.

The individual should also consider what sort of program is best suited to their personality and likes and dislikes. Most treatment programs are a combination of group and individual treatment offering the opportunity to learn to open up as well as to work on individual issues that lie at the core of the problem.

In the United States, the most commonly used illegal drug is marijuana.  More than thirty percent of seniors in high school halve already tried this drug at least once and more than half of them say that they could obtain marijuana easily if they wanted it. Decision making and memory are impaired by marijuana use and teens who take this drug are more likely to develop anxiety disorders, depression or risky behavior.  You can prevent your teen from using marijuana by knowing the facts about this drug as well as the signs and dangers of taking it.

Teens and Marijuana

Marijuana use and some of the signs that your child could be taking it

• Use of deodorizers and incense to disguise the odor
• Odor in the child’s bedroom and on their clothes
• Eyes that are red or bloodshot
• Trouble concentrating
• Trouble remembering things that have just happened
• Paranoia
• Use of smoking supplies such as rolling papers or pipes
• Giggling and other silly behavior for no reason
• Increased appetite
• Anxiety
• Fatigue
• Impaired coordination
• Poor personal hygiene
• New friends
• Depression
• Changed sleeping patterns
• Loss of interest in activities previously enjoyed
• Poor school performance
• Increased truancy or absenteeism from school

How do teenagers use marijuana?

Marijuana looks like dried and crushed leaves, seeds, flowers or stems and can be either green or brown.  The smoke emitted from marijuana has a strong, distinctive odor.  The main way that marijuana is used is by smoking in either a cigarette (called a ‘joint’) or in a pipe (can be called a ‘bong’).  Some people will choose to mix their marijuana with food or they will brew it in tea.

What else is marijuana known as?

• Hash
• Pot
• Weed
• Grass
• Blunt
• Dope
• Reefer
• Skunk
• Herb
• Chronic
• Ganja
• Boom
• Aunt Mary
• Mary Jane

The Dangers of using marijuana

Short term memory is damaged by those who use marijuana.  Long term users can develop learning and memory problems later in their life.  There have also been links to cancer, respiratory damage and changes in the reproductive organs.  Chronic users of marijuana can develop suicidal tendencies, schizophrenia, as well as increased levels of depression and anxiety.

Those who use marijuana will probably tell you that it is not addictive but using it long term can lead to addiction.  Withdrawal symptoms have been reported by long term users including anxiety, irritability, drug craving, sleeplessness and decreased appetite.  Many people will also find that marijuana was the gateway that led to other illegal drugs and alcohol.

Marijuana use in teens: facts and statistics.

• According to NSDUH, in 2006, 25 million people over the age of twelve in America had used marijuana at least once in the year prior to that.
• Teenagers that take drugs are five times more likely to have sex than those teenagers who abstain from drugs.
• According to MTF, in 2008 10.9 percent of those in 8^th grade had already tried marijuana at least once as well as 23.9 percent of those in 10^th grade and 32.4 percent of those in 12^th grade.
• Of those who died or were injured in traffic accidents, 4 to 14 percent tested positive for THC.
• Teenagers are doubling their risk of developing anxiety or depression if they use marijuana every week.
• Half of all teenagers have claimed that they would find it very easy to get their hands on marijuana if they wanted to.
• Around 25 percent of teenagers have claimed that they could get their hands on cocaine easily if they wanted it.

How can I prevent my teenager from using marijuana?

• Be familiar with the warning signs.
• Speak to your child about the dangers of marijuana use.  A report by the Partnership for a Drug Free America claims that if children learn about the risks of drug taking from their parents, then they will be less likely to use drugs.
• Get to know your teenager’s friends and their parents and make sure you know where your teenager is when he or she goes out.
• If you see any signs of drug use then take action immediately before things get out of hand and the drug use becomes drug addiction.

Choosing a teen drug rehab

There are a number of drug rehab facilities out there for teenagers.  There are a few things you need to consider when making your choice such as credentials of the staff, the types of treatment that they provide, the licensing that they have and the types of after care programs on offer.  You have to think about whether your child needs to be kept in for treatment or whether an out patient facility will be better.  You could also consider whether he or she needs to be treated for a dual diagnosis of co occurring disorder or whether assisted detox is the better option.  A medical professional is the best person to speak to regarding symptoms in order to find out what type of treatment will work best.

For more information on how to get you or your teen help, call us toll- free: 877-686-6751.