In early recovery, many individuals might experience post acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS), which often occurs two or so weeks after detox. One of the symptoms of this malady is insomnia. Many alcoholics and addicts tend to use their drug of choice to help them sleep. And often, those who are caught in the throes of addiction will find themselves collapsing in bed or even falling asleep on the floor, after a night of heavy drinking or using. (That often happened to me during the end of my drinking career).

Insomnia can be a real problem, but it can be avoided if a person checks into a comprehensive drug rehab like Cycles of Change Recovery Services in Palmdale, California. Addiction and alcoholism are diseases. While its wonderful to get support from a 12-step program, which helps alcoholics and addicts work on building a strong spiritual foundation, its crucial to deal with other issues that will surface during early recovery like co-occurring disorders, and trauma. Take away the alcohol and drugs, and the newly clean and sober person will find their minds often spinning.

Before I got sober, I felt like I was the eye inside a tornado. After I got sober, I felt like the tornado disappeared, but when I looked around I saw that there was a lot of wreckage I had to deal with. That caused much stress in my life, and coupled with anxiety and depression, I became very nocturnal, which can be even more depressing, because I would stay up for nights on end.

I mean, seriously, who wants to be a vampire, while the rest of the world is asleep?

I honestly wish I had gone to a great rehab like Cycles of Change, which employs evidence-based treatment, a strong 12-step approach, and experiential therapy. This is all designed to treat the body, spirit and mind. When these are treated, in early recovery, clients get a second chance at living a life filled with peace and happiness.

If you are looking for a place to get help for your alcoholism and/or drug addiction, Cycles of Change Recovery Services is a high end substance abuse and addiction treatment center that not only offers comprehensive services, but provides beautiful gender-specific facilities that will make you feel serene, safe and secure. They also utilize bio-sound therapy and psychodrama, all conducted in a safe atmosphere, that will help deal with trauma, which can also cause insomnia.

A chef prepares nutritious and delicious meals that will help your body become healthy. Exercise will help you relax, make you feel good about yourself, and will help you sleep.

It’s almost the start of a brand new year. Make your New Year’s resolution of getting clean and sober happen. Call Cycles of Change Recovery Health Services. The compassionate and highly qualified staff, many who are in recovery themselves, will be there waiting. It’s time for a brand new year, and a second chance at life!

 In a nutshell, what do these two terms mean?

Well, inpatient treatment is when a person who suffers from substance abuse and addiction is admitted into a residential treatment facility that provides a comprehensive primary care program. Clients choosing to undergo inpatient care commit to a certain length of time within that residential treatment facility, and they live there during that time. This stay is often between 30 and 90 days. Some drug rehabs offer a longer stay that could last up to 18 months, and usually those rehabs also offer transitional care, which provides clients with recovery tools, such as life skills and coaching. These important tools help ease the transition between being in a drug rehab and going back into society.

Some drug rehabs provide dual diagnosis support, which treats co-occurring disorders like depression, anxiety and other mental health disorders. Many inpatient drug rehabs include detox, which is provided at a separate facility. Sometimes the detox takes place in a separate unit inside the residential treatment facility. Detox is best served on an inpatient basis, because acute withdrawal can present life-threatening symptoms like delirium tremens. During detox, clients are provided with around the clock, medical care and some clients receive medication-assisted treatment, which helps them deal with the painful withdrawal symptoms.

An outpatient substance abuse and addiction treatment facility allows clients to participate in daytime treatment and then go home at night. This type of treatment works best for those who can’t commit to over nights at a drug rehab. This absence of commitment can be due to many legitimate reasons including being single parents who can only get a daytime babysitter, or those who have to work or even those clients who can’t find a pet sitter to take care of Rover, the scary pit bull or Cleo the mean cat. Outpatient offers various levels of care including partial hospitalization programs (PHP), intensive outpatient programs (IOP) and outpatient. Some outpatient programs offer ambulatory detox.

Before participating in any form of primary care in an outpatient or inpatient program, it is mandatory that the client has undergone detox. During the initial assessment process, the intake coordinator will discuss detox to appropriate clients. Also, prior to admittance, potential clients have to undergo drug and alcohol screenings.

PHP often includes a 25-hour weekly curriculum. At times, the curriculum varies per client, but usually treatment includes comprehensive group and individual therapy, experiential therapy including yoga, equine therapy and biosound therapy (offered at high end rehabs), and attendance at recovery support group meetings. Drug rehabs that provide dual diagnosis support for co-occurring disorders will hook up clients with a psychiatrist, who might prescribe non-addictive medications like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI’s) for depression and anxiety. Most psychiatrists avoid prescribing benzodiazepines (benzos) to newly clean and sober clients, because of their nature and highly addictive properties.     SSRI’s include Celexa, Zoloft, Paxil, and Prozac. Clients who are diagnosed with bipolar disorder are prescribed medications like Lamictal and other mood stabilizers. Sometimes when a client is newly clean and sober, it’s hard to make an accurate mental health diagnosis because many clients, especially those who have been drinking and using for a long time, experience sub acute withdrawal syndrome, which manifests symptoms of depression and anxiety in clients.  Also, alcoholism and drug addiction has effects on the brain and its chemistry.

That’s why group and individual therapy is so important to newly clean and sober men and women. Therapy gets to the root of problems, and many times clients are able to figure out why they started drinking or using in the first place.

Besides PHP, outpatient drug rehabs offer IOP, which is less time intensive. This typically provides nine hours of weekly group therapy, and individual therapy is scheduled per client’s needs. Some outpatient facilities encourage or mandate that clients attend a certain number of weekly recovery support group meetings, usually AA/NA meetings. They must get sponsors and work their steps. This helps them connect with a Higher Power, and by going to meetings, they are able to build a peer support network.

The outpatient schedule is less time intensive, and usually includes one group therapy, as well as one individual therapy session per week. For those who are trying to get clean and sober, outpatient is a good option to pursue as an aftercare protocol, or after primary care has been completed in either an outpatient or inpatient program.

Some inpatient programs, as well as outpatient programs offer a SMART Recovery protocol instead of the traditional 12-step approach. Faith-based programs mandate that clients attend Church, or go to Celebrate Recovery meetings. These non-12-step options are gaining wide popularity, as there are many people who seek alternatives to the 12-step approach.

There are also Buddhist-based programs that encourage clients to participate in mindfulness and meditation practices, and clients attend Refuge Recovery meetings.

Despite all these alternatives to AA/NA, the 12-step approach is the most popular recovery support group protocol offered today.

So which is the better option for attendance? Should an alcoholic and/or drug addict receive inpatient or outpatient care?

Ideally, inpatient care is the way to go. Clients are in a safe and secure environment that helps them focus on their recovery. They are also away from many triggers that might cause potential relapse. Sometimes the home situation can be very stressful, and it’s really hard for a person to stay clean and sober when they are in an old familiar environment where they are used to drinking or using. If a single parent can get a responsible family member to watch their child, or if the employee can get some time away from work or if Rover’s and Cleo’s owners can possibly put their fur babies in kennels or get some experienced house sitters to watch Rover and Cleo, the long term results for these people will be very beneficial. And chances are if they are willing to get help for their alcoholism and/or drug addiction, people will want to help them, too.

And in the long run, once these individuals get grounded in recovery, they will have healthier relationships with their loved ones, work associates and maybe get good pet trainers for Rover and Cleo.

But some people can’t commit to inpatient care, and as long as they uphold the responsibility of attending their IOP or PHP protocols, then an outpatient program might be the way to go.

Additionally, attendance at 12-step or other recovery support meetings will help them maintain their recovery.

Also, while health insurance can offset the costs of going to a drug rehab, outpatient programs tend to be more economical so that is another factor that often comes into play.

But sometimes they have no choice as to what option they can pick. This is usually the case with people who get DUI’s, or get into another legal issues while they are drinking. Often it is up to the courts to determine what substance abuse and addiction treatment program they will attend. Additionally, many DUI clients are also mandated to attend 12-step meetings, and get attendance cards signed by the meeting’s secretary.

But whether they are ordered by the courts to get help or have decided to go into treatment on their own, they are on the right track, as long as they stick to their program, whether it’s an inpatient or outpatient program.

When a person gets hooked on hydrocodone, and then decides to suddenly quit cold turkey, withdrawal symptoms can be horrible.

What is hydrocodone exactly? Hydrocodone is an opioid painkiller, which is derived from the opium poppy, the same flower that is responsible for heroin and other opiates. Opioids are often referred to as “controlled substances” or narcotics.

Hydrocodone is included in many painkillers including Vicodin.  It is also sold under the brand names, Hysingla ER and Zohydro ER. Vicodin includes acetaminophen, which actually works to increase the effects of hydrocodone. Acetaminophen is the same ingredient that is found in Tylenol. (And by the way, too much acetaminophen can cause liver damage.)

Hydrocodone is very powerful, and does its job, which is to eliminate pain. Besides pain relief, hydrocodone provides a sense of euphoria, which lasts for several hours. After that sensation wears off, many people want the feelings of bliss back, along with the pain relief.

Even though some will take hydrocodone as prescribed by their doctor, others will increase or frequent their dosage. In both cases, the chance of becoming addicted to hydrocodone is extremely high.

Individuals who suffer from chronic pain are often prescribed painkillers, including hydrocodone on a long-term basis. This is done because the doctors are at a loss as to figuring out the source of their pain. Many chronic pain sufferers also become addicted to painkillers, and hydrocodone is one of those painkillers.

Once a person gets addicted to hydrocodone, they might become obsessed about obtaining the drug. For those who can’t get refills from their primary doctor, well, they become very creative and manipulative. These addicts will move from doctor to doctor, alter prescriptions or steal from relatives or even beg friends, families and even foes for their meds. If those alternatives don’t work, they will find a way to get a hold of hydrocodone.

Addicts can be quite imaginative when it comes to acquiring hydrocodone. They will walk through fire and brimstone to get this drug.

Sadly, when they decide to quit, withdrawals can be as bad as walking through fire and brimstone! They will find themselves in a situation that is dangerous to undergo without proper medical care.

Since both are from the opiate family, hydrocodone withdrawal is similar to withdrawing from heroin. The withdrawal process can take anywhere from one week to one month. For an addict who suddenly stops taking this medication, the experience can be quite disturbing and the withdrawal period can feel like spending an eternity in purgatory.

Withdrawal symptoms begin between six and 48 hours of the last dose. Initially, addicts begin to experience pains in their muscles, or joints. Their bones literally hurt. Some people become extremely nauseous, and others feel cramping in their abdomens. Some addicts feel both cramping and nausea. Sweating is profuse. Some people have chills and the shaking can become uncontrollable.

Then, things get worse.  By the third day, they start vomiting, and experience diarrhea. This happens because the body is trying to remove toxins that have accumulated from hydrocodone addiction. The sweating might get worse.

Other physical symptoms include night sweats, fatigue, headaches, lack of concentration, goose bumps, and runny noses, as well as tearing in the eyes.

This stage lasts between three and five days.

Between the sixth and seventh day, many of the physical maladies begin to diminish. But there is no rest for the weary. Just when the individual starts to feel a little better, emotional issues rise up to the surface, like the shark out of the movie, JAWS. This includes depression, anxiety and/or strong cravings for the drug.

Other addicts become extremely agitated and restless. They might start beating themselves up, remembering some of the stupid things that they might have done or said while they were high. Feelings of remorse, guilt and shame are common during this period. Some people have even darker thoughts, which include suicide.

After this time, anxiety, depression and other negative feelings might linger with the addict. These feelings are hard to go away by themselves. And sometimes the depression and anxiety can get worse.

And that’s not the end of it.

During withdrawals, many people can become extremely dehydrated, and lose many precious electrolytes. Others can choke and asphyxiate during vomiting. They can become dizzy and lose consciousness. And the last thing they want to do is eat but they need nutrition, as well as water or Gatorade. Unless they are in a proper treatment facility, the chances are high, that they are not eating or drinking the appropriate amounts of required food and water.

As depressants, hydrocodones reduce heart rates, blood pressure, breathing and body temperature. The body itself has become used to this pattern where basic functions have slowed down. Take the hydrocodone away, and the body reacts to this sudden change.

People might feel their hearts suddenly racing, or their blood pressure shoots up. Having a fever or flu like symptoms is not uncommon.  And others might start hyperventilating.

Withdrawing from hydrocodone cold turkey is not a good idea. The best solution is for an addict to check into a qualified residential treatment facility that offers detox. Hydrocodone withdrawals can cause serious complications if the individuals are not in a medically supervised setting.

During detox, the client will be made comfortable. Medication-assisted treatment, including suboxone, is often used to help with withdrawals. These drugs ease the sweating, muscle pain, and vomiting. During detox, other services will be provided, including counseling, therapy, as well as nutritious food.

While making the decision to give up a drug addiction is wonderful, going through hydrocodone withdrawals without being in the proper medical setting is not a risk worth taking. Once a person decides to give up an addiction, its not the best time to become a martyr. The key to recovery is asking for help. It’s also about becoming involved in the recovery process.

There is nothing healing in going through a horrible withdrawal process. There is no reason to suffer anymore, and going through hydrocodone withdrawals can be pure anguish. The best way to deal with this is by getting professional help.

According to a December 28, 2016 New York Times article, the drug Fentanyl, has surpassed heroin in being the largest cause of death resulting from drug overdoses on Long Island. In this past year, over 220 people overdosed and died from Fentanyl, which is normally used as an aesthetic for surgery or for severe cancer pain. The Long Island death toll is indicative of a terrifying pattern that is spreading across the country, particularly in regions including the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Appalachia. And Fentanyl is starting to make a deadly impact on the Midwest.

Most deaths are a result of addicts obtaining Fentanyl illegally, but in 2015, U.S. physicians wrote about 6.5 million legal prescriptions for the drug. The truth is that there are probably more Fentanyl-related deaths out there than known because a majority of coroners’ offices don’t keep Fentanyl-related deaths on record.

And, Fentanyl was the same drug that killed Prince, a talented musician who accidentally overdosed from the drug.

Some users love Fentanyl because the high is more intense than the euphoria achieved from injecting heroin. Other addicts are fooled to believe that they are buying Vicodin or heroin from their dealers, when in fact, their pills or powder are laced with Apache or Murder 8, which are two of Fentanyl’s many street names, according to the National Institute of Drug Abuse. And illegal Fentanyl is cheap. Fentanyl, by itself, is used through patches, lollipops, injection and smoking.

On a national scale, death from drug overdoses, including Fentanyl, heroin and opiate painkillers, has undulated across the country. According to Robert Anderson, the Chief of Mortality Statistics Branch for the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this terrifying trend parallels the HIV epidemic that rippled across the nation in the late 1980’s and in the early 1990’s.

So what does this mean?

Many individuals in our country, particularly, our youth are falling prey to drugs like Fentanyl, heroin and opiate painkillers like Vicodin and OxyContin. Besides the addicts who are not aware of how deadly opiates are, there are addicts who are aware that they might die from their drug abuse, but have reached a point in their addiction, where achieving a chemical high is more important to them than their lives. Perhaps they do want to live, but the dark voices of their addiction tell them otherwise. It’s as if they have fallen to the bottom of a dark well, without realizing that there is a rope hanging right by their side and that there are licensed addiction professionals holding that rope ready to pull them out.

At Cycles of Change Recovery Services, we are holding the rope and will help you get out of the dark well of addiction. Many of us in recovery have been there ourselves, and we can teach you that there is a way out.

Our social model detox will help clients withdraw safely and comfortably, while being surrounded by a professional detox team, which includes licensed therapists.  With detox being the first stage of treatment, inpatient care comprises the second stage. Our beautiful Mediterranean-style residential treatment homes will provide you with serenity. While in our care, you will be safe and secure. You will realize that the difference between addiction and recovery is as clear as the distinction between darkness and light. And you will heal from the damages of addiction, as well as other co-occurring disorders including depression, trauma and anxiety. Our holistic approach treats not only the mind, but also the body and spirit.

And you will come to believe that your life is worth living and that you deserve happiness, peace and serenity. We are here to help, and look forward to your call.

Drug detoxification (or detox) is the eradication of any alcohol or drug substances from the body. Drug detox is the first stage to substance abuse and addiction treatment. It’s crucial for an addict or alcoholic to undergo detox prior to receiving primary care at a drug rehab but detox should not be conducted alone or at home.

The detox process can involve serious withdrawals symptoms if attempted in a solitary fashion or being around people who have no medical expertise or any clue about substance addiction. At-home detox can be deadly, especially to those who have been using or drinking for a long period of time. Those attempting to withdraw from alcohol and/or benzodiazepines might experience intense symptoms, which include tremors, muscle pain, psychosis, seizures, delirium tremens (DT’s), insomnia, anxiety, hallucinations, and panic attacks.

Delirium tremens (DT’s) are the most intense symptom of alcohol withdrawal. While undergoing DT’s, the alcoholic can experience a rapid heart rate, hallucinations, heavy perspiration, agitation, anxiety, fever and high blood pressure. Some alcoholics who experience DT’s have a sensation of being extremely cold.

DT’s surface between 48 and 72 hours after the alcoholic took his or her last drink. The longer period of time that the alcoholic drank, the worse the symptoms can be.

When addicts detox from opiates, which include heroin, morphine, and prescription painkillers such as Vicodin and OxyContin, they are also in for a dangerous physical and emotional rollercoaster ride.  Opiate withdrawal can lead to intense symptoms, which include sweating, muscle aches, diarrhea, abdominal cramping, nausea, and vomiting.

One of the dangers of attempting solitary drug detox is that some addicts have died from choking on their own vomit. Other complications can include lung infections and cardiac arrest.

And most addicts undergoing cold turkey detox literally want to die. Going at it alone, without proper care can be an extremely lonely, if not debilitating experience.

Withdrawing from stimulants like cocaine and amphetamines can be horrible. Besides a sense of paranoia, symptoms of stimulant drug detox include anxiety, tremors, a depressed mood, suicidal ideations, or heart problems.

And often do-it-yourself-detox can lead to relapse.  After a short period of abstinence, the bodies of addicts and alcoholics lose tolerance for the previously abused chemical substance. What’s scary is that if they relapse, there is a high risk of overdose, which can lead to death.

Many drug rehabs offer drug detox. This usually takes place in a separate location from the residential treatment facility. There are different types of detox available. The social model detox is usually conducted in a highly supportive locale. Instead of providing medication, the individual receives ample counseling and therapy, as well as proper nutrition. The client is heavily monitored, around the clock. The therapy focuses on treating any potential co-occurring disorders that might be present, as well as offering education on substance abuse and addiction. Additionally, clients participate in recovery support groups, which often include 12-step meetings. During these gatherings, clients learn that they are not alone with their addiction. These meetings provide them with opportunities to develop a peer support group network, which is crucial to maintaining abstinence in recovery.

However, the social model detox program is not for everyone. Those who have a history of severe drug abuse or alcoholism should be referred to an acute detox facility as they may require medication-assisted treatment, as well as around-the-clock medical monitoring.

Medication-assisted treatment is administered on a short-term basis with complete abstinence being the goal. It’s also the first stage of treatment, prior to inpatient or outpatient care. The medications vary, depending on what drug the individual is detoxing from.

Buprenorphine is often for opiate addiction. Buprenorphine is also known as Subutex and Suboxone. On a short-term basis, buprenorphine can ease symptoms of withdrawal.

Clients detoxing from benzodiazepines (benzos) including Xanax and Valium, which have short-term effects, are often administered other benzos like Clonipin, which has longer-acting effects.

Benzodiazepines including Librium, Ativan, Serax, and Valium are prescription medications that are used to treat alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Besides experiencing DT’s, many alcoholics are terrified as they go through withdrawals. Some are at risk for seizures, and in those cases, doctors will prescribe Tegretol.

And then there is methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) for opiate addicts. Methadone maintenance treatment for opiates is not a form of drug detox. It’s basically replacing one opiate for another.

The way MMT works is that the addict will go to a methadone clinic, usually on a daily basis, to receive methadone, which is a long-acting opioid and needs to be administered once a day, as opposed to heroin that is injected several times daily. MMT only treats the dependency but does not allow the addict to detox from opiates. In certain specialized MMT programs, doctors work closely with counselors so that clients receive therapy, in addition to the medication. But addicts who were once addicted to opiates are still dependent on drugs. There are many pros and cons to MMT, but the treatment itself is probably the lesser of two evils.

But to reiterate, drug detox should NEVER be conducted at home, alone, or around people who have no medical expertise. Many suspects that an attempted cold turkey detox might have been the cause of the death of British singer Amy Winehouse in July 2011. Winehouse, who was a renowned alcoholic/addict, wrote a song called, Rehab, and sadly, the lyrics summarize Winehouse’s feelings about drug detox and inpatient care.

“They tried to make me go to rehab I said, “no, no, no”

What’s so tragic is that Winehouse was so caught up in her addiction and probably believed in the myth that she had to be an alcoholic/addict in order to be an artist. Perhaps if she had properly undergone detox at a residential treatment facility and had received proper primary care, along with behavioral therapy for her depression, she might have realized that being a creative artist did not mean that she had to be drunk or loaded. Having clarity and recovery can be an amazing experience for an artist.
If Winehouse had gone to rehab and stayed clean and sober, perhaps this talented young woman would have been a source of inspiration for other addicts and alcoholics who are often terrified to take the first step, and go to treatment and get the care that they so desperately need.