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Author Stephanie Maitner Categories Uncategorized

Long-Term Health Problems Related to Binge Drinking

For many, there is a fine line between binge drinking and alcohol use disorder (AUD). However, if it goes unchecked, binge drinking can often lead to struggles with alcohol addiction.

According to the World Health Organization’s fact sheet on alcohol, about 5% of annual deaths are related to alcohol misuse, proving that alcoholism continues to be a growing concern across the United States.

Individuals can recover from alcohol addiction if they seek treatment. At Excel Treatment Center, we offer clients several services, including individual therapy, withdrawal management, and aftercare support. However, the first step starts with you reaching out for help

Binge Drinking Culture

Some may theorize that alcohol addiction is so prevalent because alcohol use is so prominent in our culture. Think about it, when was the last time you attended a family barbeque or an office party where alcohol was not present? The concepts of having fun and enjoying ourselves are attached to drinking alcohol.

While there is nothing wrong with consuming alcohol, everything is best in moderation. Unfortunately, when it comes to alcohol consumption, many people forget about drinking moderately.

Binge drinking culture typically begins in high school. During our teen years, there is excitement around the idea of doing everything we are not supposed to do. Plus, peer pressure plays a huge part in how much we are willing to experiment in high school.

Beyond high school, college is yet another time associated with partying and drinking. Again, on the surface, harm is minimal. However, when young and impressionable individuals become accustomed to so much alcohol consumption, it quickly opens the door to other problems. Additionally, excessive drinking in our youth can cause many unfortunate decisions that are sometimes hard to recover from.

Developing Alcohol Use Disorder

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), alcohol use disorder (AUD) “is a medical condition characterized by an impaired ability to stop or control alcohol use despite adverse social, occupational, or health consequences.” As a chronic brain disorder, the brain of people with AUD changes and makes stopping alcohol consumption challenging, in addition to increasing the risks of relapse. Despite this, it is treatable.

There are many potential causes of AUD. NIAAA also states the risk of developing AUD depends on “how much, how often, and how quickly they consume alcohol.” So, while not everyone binge drinking develops AUD, it could increase your chances.

How much and how often you consume alcohol is just one potential factor. Genetics, environmental, and social factors also play a part. Research also shows that people who start drinking early can be at a greater risk of developing AUD.

While there are several treatment options for AUD, you must first acknowledge that there is a problem. Unfortunately, individuals who are binge drinking or who have AUD may not always recognize the signs within themselves. People can recover, but they have to seek treatment for themselves and have the desire to change.

Defining the Line Between Moderation and Binge Drinking

Excessive alcohol consumption is not just a concern among youth. Many adults have difficulty drawing the line between moderate drinking and binge drinking.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines binge drinking as the consumption of five or more drinks for men or four or more for women. According to the CDC, it is the “most common, costly, and deadly pattern of excessive alcohol use in the United States.” Not everyone who binge drink develop alcohol addiction, but binge drinking is still harmful.

Short-Term Effects of Binge Drinking

Excessive alcohol consumption over an extended period of time can be harmful and life-threatening. Some of the potential short-term effects of binge drinking, according to the CDC, include:

  • Alcohol poisoning
  • Driving while under the influence can lead to accidents, death, and legal trouble
  • Violent behaviors, such as homicide or suicide
  • Engaging in risky behaviors, like unprotected sex, which may lead to sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), unintended pregnancy, or other complications, including fetal alcohol spectrum disorders

These issues can cause long-term consequences. For instance, in most states, if someone dies when you commit a felony DUI, you can be charged with felony murder.

Long-Term Health Concerns

There are also many long-term effects and health concerns of binge drinking. Binge drinking wreaks havoc on many different areas of the body. Heavy alcohol consumption is known to cause adverse problems to the liver, but it can lead to other concerns.

Common long-term effects of binge drinking include:

  • Chronic conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and liver disease
  • Cancer, including cancer of the mouth and liver, to name a few
  • A weakened immune system
  • Impaired cognitive function, memory problems, and dementia
  • The development of other mental health disorders

Untreated AUD or binge drinking can lead to these complications in your life. That is why drinking moderately and seeking treatment for AUD are vital.

Binge drinking is a common phenomenon, more common than some may realize. In general, alcohol consumption has a heavy presence across many cultures. The heavy presence of alcohol may make it hard for you or a loved one to draw the line between moderate and excessive alcohol consumption. While not everyone who drinks heavily develops alcohol use disorder (AUD), it is a potential consequence of excessive drinking. If you struggle to control your alcohol consumption or fear you have AUD, it’s important that you reach out to Excel Treatment Center for help. We provide inpatient, partial hospitalization, and outpatient programs to ensure people get treatment that matches their schedule. When you’re ready to heal, call (833) 883-9235. 

Author Stephanie Maitner Categories Uncategorized

What Does a Heroin Detox Look Like?

Are you avoiding treatment because you fear going through a heroin detox? Detox is a necessary first step for individuals in the treatment process.

Excessive substance use causes your body to rely on that substance of choice, and recovery requires your body to purge itself of that harmful substance. Thankfully, there are many ways to manage withdrawal symptoms during detoxification. There are dangers associated with detoxing alone. For that reason, seeking professional help is vital for individuals looking to detox safely and healthily.

In this blog, we’ll discuss substance use disorder (SUD), what heroin addiction does to the body, and the heroin detox process.

Substance Use Disorder

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in seven individuals aged 12 years and older in the United States struggles with SUD. The National Library of Medicine states that SUD “occurs when a person’s use of alcohol or another substance (drug) leads to health issues or problems at work, school, or home.”

Unfortunately, there is no singular cause of SUD. Biological, social, and environmental factors all play a part in the development of addiction. Many individuals begin using alcohol or drugs out of peer pressure, curiosity, or as a way to self-medicate mental illnesses.

Individuals struggling with substance use and mental disorders must seek treatment for all illnesses. You may develop anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) because of substance use or begin using substances to cope with these disorders. These are co-occurring disorders.

Heroin is just one of many substances out there wreaking havoc on the people of this country, in addition to marijuana, opiates, depressants, and stimulants.

Heroin Addiction

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) describes heroin as “an opioid drug made from morphine, a natural substance taken from the seed pod of the various opium poppy plants grown in Southeast and Southwest Asia, Mexico, and Colombia.” It resembles a “white or brown powder, or a black stick substance known as black tar heroin.”

Heroin is an extremely dangerous and addictive drug. One of the reasons so many individuals are addicted to heroin is that it is inexpensive. People using heroin do not always start with heroin use. Some individuals are often addicted to prescription opioids or other substances, and when their access to more expensive drugs is cut off, they turn to heroin. Unfortunately, because of this progression, heroin use has skyrocketed during the U.S. opiate crisis.

Short-Term Effects

Some short-term effects of heroin, according to the NIDA, include:

  • Dry mouth
  • Warm flushing of the skin
  • Heavy feeling in the arms and legs
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Severe itching
  • Impaired mental functioning
  • Being in and out of consciousness

Long-Term Effects

Common long-term effects, also according to the NIDA, are as follows:

  • Insomnia
  • Collapsed veins for those who inject
  • Damaged nose tissue for people who sniff or snort it
  • Heart lining and valve infection
  • Abscesses
  • Constipation and stomach cramping
  • Liver and kidney disease
  • Respiratory issues
  • The development of other mental disorders, such as depression and antisocial personality disorder

Seeking treatment is necessary because symptoms and effects such as these can lead to further complications in the body. While the heroin detox process may seem daunting, you can get through it.

Heroin Detox

Due to its addictive nature, heroin use is challenging to stop alone. That is why intervention, therapy, and professional detox services are integral. There are, however, several withdrawal symptoms you may have to face during detox and early treatment.

Withdrawal Symptoms During Heroin Detox

When you detox from drugs and alcohol, you will feel physical and mental symptoms when you stop trying to use. These are withdrawal symptoms, and their length and severity range depending on the substance.

Common withdrawal symptoms individuals experience during heroin detox include:

  • Restlessness
  • Difficulty sleeping or insomnia
  • Intense vomiting
  • Muscle spasms or severe muscle and bone pain

These are just a few potential withdrawal symptoms, but professional detox services and medication-assisted treatment (MAT) can help you manage the withdrawal symptoms.

Seeking Treatment

Trying to quit heroin cold turkey can be dangerous and ineffective. Many who attempt this can not handle withdrawal alone. However, there are other concerns around detoxing alone. Detoxing can be an emotional rollercoaster. Because of intense emotions and withdrawal symptoms, people turn to self-destructive behaviors, including the risk of suicide.

While you may avoid treatment because you fear the detox process, facilities can make the whole experience easier. Clinical staff can monitor, provide medication, and perform other interventions to help you manage your symptoms. Seeking professional services offers the chance to detox in a safe and controlled setting.

As discussed, if left untreated, heroin addiction will cause several long-term effects on your mind and body and can lead to death. Reach out to your doctor, therapist, or medical professional if you are struggling with heroin addiction. Recovery is possible should you seek treatment today.

Attempting to detox from heroin without professional help can be dangerous. The detox process is an emotional rollercoaster. The inability to handle these intense emotions may lead to self-destructive behaviors or even death by suicide. While the potential withdrawal symptoms are intimidating, it is vital that you seek treatment. Untreated heroin addiction wreaks havoc on other areas of the body, causing a number of complications that can potentially lead to death. To learn more about heroin detox, call Excel Treatment Center at (833) 883-9235. Understanding the benefits of professional detox services and treatment may help motivate you to seek help today. It may not seem it now, but there is a better way. 

Author Stephanie Maitner Categories Uncategorized

Seeking Treatment for Co-Occurring Disorders

It is common for individuals struggling with addiction to develop other mental illnesses. People with mental illnesses may also self-medicate, causing a substance addiction to form. In fact, most people with an addiction or substance use disorder (SUD) struggle with co-occurring disorders.

Whether a person’s struggle with mental illness has led to substance use or vice versa, achieving recovery requires treatment for all disorders involved. Treatment for a mental and substance use disorder occurs in a dual-diagnosis program. When considering treatment options, individuals should question whether or not a program can accommodate a dual diagnosis.

Substance Use and Co-Occurring Disorders

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) describes a SUD as a “mental disorder that affects a person’s brain and behavior, leading to a person’s inability to control their use of substances such as legal or illegal drugs, alcohol, or medications.”

As mentioned previously, individuals who experience SUD tend to experience a co-occurring mental disorder, which may include:

  • Anxiety
  • Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD)
  • Bipolar disorder
  • Major depressive disorder (MDD)
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
  • Gambling addiction

Just as biological, environmental, and social factors influence the cause of addiction, so are the causes of mental and substance use disorders in these situations. Understanding the complex connection between these disorders can hopefully help individuals see the importance of dual-diagnosis treatment.

How Are Substance Use and Co-Occurring Disorders Connected?

In a dual diagnosis, it is hard to determine if one disorder is causing another or which developed first. The National Library of Medicine indicates three possible reasons why substance use and mental disorders occur together. Those reasons include:

#1. Risk factors – genetics, stress, and trauma – can contribute to developed mental and substance use disorders.

#2. People with mental disorders may use drugs and alcohol to cope with their symptoms. Doing this is known as self-medicating.

#3. Excessive substance use can physically alter the body and brain, affecting their functions. So, when these changes occur, it can increase the chance of developing a mental disorder.

In truth, knowing which disorder came first is not as important as creating an individualized treatment plan that helps all co-occurring conditions. If one disorder is treated as primary and the other as secondary, the treatment may not be as effective. All disorders must be treated as equally impactful. It’s crucial to find a treatment center that understands this.

Diagnosing Co-Occurring Disorders

Before treatment for addiction and co-occurring disorders can begin, there must be a diagnosis. Making a dual diagnosis can be a challenge. That is because symptoms of mental illness and addiction can be identical. There are, however, some indications that help identify dual diagnosis, including:

  • Individuals using substances to handle negative feelings or past trauma
  • Experiencing adverse effects on mental health because of substance use
  • A family history of mental illness in addiction

Any reputable doctor will ask about this information to ensure they’re making a proper diagnosis. If a medical provider doesn’t do this, the patient should seek out a different doctor.

Treating Co-Occurring Disorders

Upon reaching out to a doctor or treatment professional, a successful diagnosis can be made, and treatment can begin. Multiple forms of treatment exist that can help with co-occurring disorders. Additionally, many treatments used in addiction recovery are similar to those utilized when treating other mental illnesses. Two primary approaches to treatment include behavioral therapies and medication-assisted treatment (MAT).

Behavioral Therapies

NIMH indicates a few behavioral therapies that can effectively treat substance use and mental disorders. Those therapies include:

#1. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) helps people learn to cope with difficult situations by changing their behavior and challenging harmful or negative thoughts.

#2. Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) teaches skills that help control intense emotions, reduce self-destructive behaviors, and regulate emotions.

#3. Assertive community treatment (ACT) is community-based, emphasizing outreach to communities and individual therapy.

#4. Therapeutic communities (TC) are long-term residential treatments concentrating on helping individuals develop healthy behaviors.

#5. Contingency management (CT) fosters health behaviors in people through a type of reward system dependent on positive behaviors.

These group and individual therapies teach coping skills, alter unhelpful behaviors, and develop a strong support system.

Medication-Assisted Treatment

In addition to behavioral therapies, medications can help people cope with addiction and co-occurring disorders. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) defines MAT as “the use of medication, in combination with counseling and behavioral therapies, to provide a ‘whole-patient’ approach to the treatment of substance use disorders.” Certain medications, under medical supervision, can be beneficial during detox and withdrawal. Other medications can help maintain sobriety during rehabilitation.

A combination of medication, individual counseling, group therapy, and even family-based treatment can help individuals recover from their struggle with SUD and mental illness. To live a life of recovery, you must consider a program that can treat a dual diagnosis.

Substance use disorders can be difficult to treat depending on the type of substance, the potency, and the longevity of use. Unfortunately, the majority of individuals struggling with addiction are also struggling with a mental illness. Some people experience symptoms of mental illness as a symptom of addiction, while others turn to substance use to cope with their mental disorder. In either scenario, if you hope to live a life of recovery, you must seek treatment for both substance use and mental health disorders. At Excel Treatment Center, we provide comprehensive psychiatric evaluations to ensure our clients receive the right care. If you or someone you know is ready to heal from addiction and co-occurring disorders, call us at (833) 883-9235. 

Author Stephanie Maitner Categories Uncategorized

What to Do When Both You and Your Spouse Struggle With Addiction

Do both you and your spouse struggle with addiction? Are these struggles affecting your relationship — or other areas of your life – making it difficult for either of you to discover a life beyond active addiction? Many people fall into vicious cycles of toxic relationships with their significant others, especially when addiction is involved.

Marriage Counseling for Couples With Addiction

Let’s face it, relationships are tough. Couples, regardless of struggles with addiction, benefit from marriage counseling, couples therapy, or other professional services. You may struggle with a lack of communication or sometimes a general loss of connection.

When addiction is involved, professional services are sometimes inevitable. Some mental health professionals most often see relationships where one partner struggles with substance use or mental health disorders. However, it is common for both you and your partner to develop an addiction. In these scenarios, addiction affects you both and your relationship.

If you and your spouse struggle with addiction, recovery is possible. You can enter treatment on your own or attempt to achieve sobriety together. In fact, attending counseling together can benefit your recovery and your ability to support each other in recovery. A harsh reality to remember is that your partner may not want to seek treatment. If so, the relationship must end if you hope to achieve recovery for yourself.

Why Do You and Your Spouse Struggle With Addiction?

There is not a single reason why you and your spouse struggle with addiction. The cause of addiction in any person remains unknown, though research indicates that biological, environmental, and social factors impact the development of addiction.

With that in mind, relationships sometimes form from one commonality – addiction. It is common for two people to meet through mutual acquaintances associated with substance use. When that happens, substance use becomes the toxic foundation of your relationship.

Of course, relationships founded on substance use are not the only scenarios professionals encounter. You may develop an addiction for other reasons, such as work stress, financial struggles, or having kids before you’re ready.

The chances of you and your spouse both developing an addiction may seem slim, but it is possible. Unfortunately, couples who want to achieve recovery together must do some individual work. To understand why you and your spouse struggle with addiction, you must both dive into your past to unveil the root cause of the problem.

The Harm of Toxic Relationships

Toxic relationships filled with substance use have many harmful effects, and recognizing the signs of addiction is imperative. Any unhealthy relationship is dangerous. They can lead you or your partner to addiction, depression, anxiety, and other mental health disorders. Recognizing the warning signs can be integral in your treatment journey. Avoiding toxicity is vital for recovering from a substance use disorder (SUD).

Staying in a toxic relationship may also make it harder to seek treatment. If untreated, addiction causes long-term damage to your major organs, leads to other mental disorders, and puts you at risk of death by overdose. Couples using together may not want the same thing. If your partner refuses to recognize the problem, you must walk away if you hope to live a life free from active addiction.

Seeking Treatment Together

As mentioned, couples can embark on their recovery journey together – but individual treatment is still necessary. Behavioral couples therapy (BCT) may be an option if you and your spouse seek sobriety. According to an article published in the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, BCT is “designed for married or cohabitating individuals seeking help for alcohol or drug abuse.” This method will aid in your recovery journey and improve the functionality of your relationship.

Post-treatment, you may consider continuing couples therapy as part of your relapse prevention plan. Couples therapy is often a helpful tool for your relationship, but you should also continue individual therapy post-treatment.

Why Individual Treatment Is Important

Despite seeking treatment together, you must not ignore individual therapy as you and your partner work toward sobriety. Earlier, we discussed how achieving recovery requires you to understand the root cause of the problem. Getting to the root cause of your addiction may be best practiced as an individual journey since it will require diving into your past or potential trauma. Many therapy options can help you discover the root, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) or eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (EMDR). You will feel empowered to take control of your treatment and recovery when you focus on the individual aspects of the journey.

Seek Treatment Today if You and Your Spouse Struggle With Addiction

Do not hesitate to speak with your medical provider if you fear you and your spouse are struggling with addiction. There are several options to consider whether you embark on your recovery journey alone or together.

However, keep in mind that the worst thing an individual can do is not seek treatment for themselves. Your spouse may not be willing to recognize the dangers of untreated addiction. That does not mean you should suffer alone. If your spouse is opposed to treatment, seek it for yourself today.

Toxic relationships cause harm to individuals. Partners can develop depression, anxiety, addiction, and other disorders. Some relationships are founded on the commonality of substance use. Seeking treatment is imperative if you and your spouse struggle with addiction. Unfortunately, your spouse may not want to seek treatment. In that case, you must realize that the relationship will continue causing harm. You both can, however, embark on your journey to recovery together at Excel Treatment Center. We offer a variety of therapies that can help you and your spouse, including individual therapy, group therapy, and holistic therapies. To learn more about the options available at Excel, call us at (833) 883-9235 today. 

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