Addiction | devo digest

3 Reasons I’m Grateful For The Home Drug Test at Walgreens Kit

On 06.27.11, In Addiction, By Stevie Wonder

It’s not that I enjoy having to conduct such tests in my home, but it’s 2011 and the reality is that drug use is as widespread as ever. This include not just the drugs we had growing up but the growing threat of painkillers, attention deficit disorder medicines, and other prescribed drugs being traded at school like it was chocolate milk and cookies. As a parent, it was important to me to protect my kids from this junk and it’s why I’m grateful for the home drug test at walgreens and all the different kits they sell that allow me to operate my own in house tests.

1. The threat of the test allowed me to alter my kids behavior.
After my son tested positive, I immediately realized that the threat of future tests modified his behavior. Just as importantly, it also had a strong effect on his younger brothers. They transitioned from young kids to teenagers in a home where they knew they might have to take a urine cup sample at any time. The threat of being accountable to that scared them straight. It’s amazing and some say mean but the bottom line is it worked to keep them drug free.

2. Despite what my kids think, I pay very little for these tests.
I like to drop hints that these tests are very expensive but I pay for them no matter what because it’s just that important to me. And while it is “just that important to me”, obviously, to raise them free of drugs and alcohol, I personally am grateful I’m able to do so for so little money. I typically buy 100 strips of marijuana tests all once and these are just so cheap it’s unbelievable. If you thought buying toothpaste at Target in bulk was cheap, just wait until you see how cheap bulk drug tests get!

3. I found a way to ensure they remained drug free without spending money on doctors, clinics, or drug rehabilitation facility fees.
Everyone knows it’s expensive to go to the hospital or to do just about anything involving a doctor or healthcare. Can you imagine how pricey it would be if I had to book an appointment at a drug testing clinic every week for 3 sons? Frankly, it wouldn’t be affordable. But with these kits bought and sold at Walgreens over the counter, I can afford to test and enforce a drug free home without adding a dime to my health insurance bills. And that’s something I’m definitely grateful for!

Tagged with: home drug test

Enduring Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome

On 04.15.11, In Addiction, By Stevie Wonder

For the average person, quitting the habit of alcoholism might seem like a trivial task. After all, a person who is truly determined should be able to restrain his compulsions to hit the bottle and just quit at any time, right? This is a fallacious assumption however because the individual making it is probably unaware of the real effects of alcohol on the human body. Alcohol is actually classified as a drug because it directly affects the central nervous system when it is taken in. In fact, alcohol also has addictive properties, which would help explain why hardcore alcoholics are drawn back to the bottle time and again even if they are aware of its debilitating effects on the human body.

For an alcoholic with a real and sincere desire to quite the habit, there is a seemingly trivial but almost insurmountable obstacle known as alcohol withdrawal syndrome. Alcohol withdrawal symptoms will manifest themselves within a few hours after the alcoholic’s last intake of alcohol. Withdrawal syndrome is a medical condition that affects both the mind and body of the alcoholic. In fact, it has been observed by medical scientists since the 1800s and is known to affect both alcoholics and non-alcoholics. Of course, the individual’s amount of exposure to alcohol plays a huge role in determining the alcohol withdrawal symptoms duration as well as the intensity of the symptoms he will experience.
Typically, alcohol withdrawal syndrome is less common in young people due to their limited access to alcohol. Of course, this also depends on your particular locality.

Alcohol withdrawal syndrome may be considered a long-term effect of habitual alcohol abuse. The symptoms can vary in intensity from mild to severe but are usually non-fatal. People who are expected to undergo alcohol withdrawal syndrome should be well-advised to seek professional medical assistance from a rehabilitation center prior to undergoing any alcohol detox program.

How to suboxone treatment to quit opiates with a painless suboxone detox

On 02.28.11, In Addiction, By Stevie Wonder

I am writing this post for anyone who may be hooked on opiate drugs here’s the catch in order to recover one must be detoxed first that they are through using and need help. Today I am going to give you the heads up on a tried and proven way to beat an opiate addiction; with a relatively new method is called suboxone treatment.

If you have decided that you have had enough of using opiates then the first thing you need to do is locate a physician who is licensed to prescribe suboxone for people who wish use the stop at home with a suboxone treatment with a painless suboxone detox.

Once you have accomplished this give them a call and tell them of you plans to stop using opiates and make an appointment to see the Dr. One thing you need to do before hand is decide how you want quit opiates. I mean do you want to stop using with suboxone in 14 days or would you rather be on suboxone maintenance? When you do meet with the Dr. ask if they have any suggestions on how to stop using opiate drugs with a suboxone detox. The final decision will be yours.

Home suboxone detox

When you start taking the medication and if you find you are still sick a little bit from opiate withdrawal and the medication is not holding you like you thing it should then you need to give the Dr. a call and get your dose regulated a little.

I have met some people who have used this method to quit opiates one big draw back of going this route is that suboxone is not covered by insurance so it will be expensive. Sometimes if you check with the Red Cross they more than likely pay for your prescription for one month and this will be enough to get through your withdrawal.

If you do make up your mind that you want to detox this way then you still must do other things for your recovery unless you plan on being on suboxone the rest of your life.

Maybe you would like to attend 12 step meetings like NA or perhaps see a drug addictions therapist what ever you choose it will take action if you want to be free of addiction. If it were me I would go see the addictions therapist and continue to go to my NA meetings. To me this would be like doubling your recovery foundation and when it comes to beating addiction one can never do to much to help themselves stay clean and sober.

Good luck

Heroin detox is a good step towards heroin addiction recovery

On 02.23.11, In Addiction, By Stevie Wonder

There are many drugs to be found out there that are super addicting like cocaine and heroin. Today I decided to share with a little bit about heroin addiction. Heroin has to be considered one of if not the most addicting drugs known to man.

Addiction to this drug can shatter a person’s life and pretty much all those they come in contact with; for instance, it will take all their savings, family members will reject them, and if you are married it will more than likely end in divorce.

There are other things it can destroy as well like your health not to mention dying of a heroin overdose; in fact addicts that inject or as they refer to as shooting the big H is to me this is pretty much the same as playing Russian roulette. The reason for this is the addict never knows what the drug is cut with or how pure it is. This is why it is so dangerous and just like playing Russian roulette because when play that game you never see the bullet the kills you the same can hold true for heroin overdose.

Ok do not be discouraged because there is plenty of places where and addict can go for addiction recovery. All one has to do is take the time and effort to locate a heroin rehab. If you have been using this drug for a long time or use it in large quantities you may want to find one that has a heroin detox unit.

What happens there is a trained staff member will administer medication to help you to be more comfortable during your withdrawal from heroin. This process takes 4 or 5 days but it is extremely important that you do not stop there because those who do not continue with residential treatment are soon to relapse. This is a proven fact so take heed you have been warned.

It is important to also have an after care heroin addiction recovery program in place for when you leave the drug rehab center. One thing a lot of people do is continue going to one on one drug addiction therapy because in residential treatment they only reach the surface of what is really going on. I would defiantly set up my first appointment before leaving treatment.

Good luck

Marijuana Addiction Info And Advice

On 09.07.10, In Addiction, By Stevie Wonder

Smoking cannabis can quickly develop into a habit that is hard to break. Though when we first start using the drug we may believe it to be relatively harmless, the long term impact can result in serious mental health problems as well as physical illness. Of course there is also the chance of being arrested and prosecuted as it is still a prohibited substance in most countries. If you are contemplating giving up once and for all then you should take a moment to check out the following marijuana addiction info.

An addiction to marijuana results in an overwhelming urge to consume the drug. A pot addict is likely to have a long list of reasons, or excuses, why they continue to use the narcotic. Unfortunately many millions of people have found themselves unable to find the willpower to break the habit permanently.

Over the last two decades the potency of the drug has increased dramatically. This has only increased the number of people who develop serious health issues from being addicts. The widespread availability of marijuana in society has resulted in more young people becoming hooked.

As the brains of teenagers are still developing, using strong varieties of cannabis can lead to permanent neural damage. It is often suggested that it is easier for a teen to get hold of cannabis than alcohol.

The actual characteristics of marijuana addiction are similar to those felt when hooked on alcohol, tobacco, and caffeine. A user will often become obsessed by consuming the drug, going to all ends to ensure they have a large enough stash to keep their cravings under control. As like other drugs, a regular use of marijuana will result in an increased tolerance and a tendency to consume more and more.

When marijuana usage is stopped it can result in a wide range of negative feelings. During the first seventy hours it is likely that the addict will feel an overwhelming compulsion to smoke. This will result in serious anxiety and irritability. It is also common to have problems sleeping at night as well as a loss of anxiety. Though the detoxification process is not as prolonged as with other drugs, it is still an unpleasant and uncomfortable experience.

If you are determined to give up using marijuana then first of all you will need to focus on the positive aspects of breaking the habit. Mental clarity, increased lung capacity, and less paranoia are just a few of the benefits. Then there is the financial angle. Using cannabis on a regular basis is not exactly cheap. By quitting you will have a lot more money left in your wallet which you can then spend on more pleasurable and less destructive activities.

At the end of the day it is essential to understand that smoking marijuana is not a harmless activity. It can lead to major problems in social and work life. Try reading teeth whitening tips to reward yourself for succeeding at your new life. Though giving up is not going to be easy, you will feel immense satisfaction and a new lease of life if you are successful.

Tagged with: marijuana addiction • marijuana addiction info

Why Aren’t More Smokers Using The E Cigarette?

On 03.01.10, In Addiction, By Stevie Wonder

Have you seen anyone using an e cigarette yet when you are out at the pub? I’ve been using my electronic cigarette for a couple of years and it still surprises me how few people I see using this great device in public. I’m not exactly sure what the reason for that is, as every time I take mine out I get a load of people fascinated with it, asking me where they can get one for themselves. If there is one thing that is for sure, its the fact that the vast majority of smokers want to quit, and when you show them something that might make it easier to get of the tobacco you can be confident that they are going to be all ears.

There is of course the concern that e cigs might be bad for your health, but I thing the majority of people with an ounce of sense are going to realize that inhaling a little nicotine laced Propylene glycol is going to be far less dangerous than the real thing. Burning tobacco after all is crammed full of toxins that we already know are deadly. Most of us are willing to take the chance with the e cigarette, if we could only get our hands on one.

I think the major problem most people have is that its still not all that easy to purchase e cigarettes and the refill cartridges. Sure, its not difficult to find a retailer online, but the hassle of trying to time it so you always have cartridges at the ready and never run out, is a challenge.

There’s also the problem that many of the devices that are on the market currently asre not all that reliable. If the only friend you have who has used one had a negative experience with a dud battery then you are far less likely to give it a try for yourself.

My feeling is that once the technology becomes more efficient and they start to become more widely available on the high street, we are going to see far more people using electronic cigarettes. I can’t think of any reason why this wouldn’t be the case.

If you are interested in trying one out for yourself and are willing to buy online, I suggest you for the Green Smoke E Cigarette, which seems to be the best quality device available at the moment.

Tagged with: e cig • e cigarette • electronic cigarettes • green smoke e cigarette • stop smoking

Should We Be Concerned About E Cigarette Safety?

On 02.15.10, In Addiction, By Stevie Wonder

Anything new and innovative causes people to wonder about safety issues, and the e cigarette is no different, perhaps even more controversial than other things that have been introduced to the public. The question of e cigarette safety has caused quite a stir amongst smokers and nonsmokers, legislatures and laymen, and everyone has an opinion and a theory, while there are few facts of any kind to make a solid statement.

The Safety of Tobacco Cigarettes

The question is valid: Should we be concerned about e cigarettes safety? And the answer is simple. Of course. If you are contemplating switching from tobacco to an electronic cigarette you’ll want to be sure that the scary warnings on the packages of cigarettes you are buying, that say Smoking Kills, will not be even worse should there ever be such a thing on the e cigarette starter kits – perhaps warning like “vaporizing kills faster than smoking”.

The Facts:

Although there are few clinical tests that have been conducted, and none that show conclusive results either totally positive or totally negative, the facts we do have are fairly clear for those who do not expect a seal of approval from lawmakers or an endorsement from the FDA. Here are the raw facts:

1. Tobacco Cigarette – If you’re a daily smoker of tobacco cigarettes you inhale the following ingredients which I will read off the box of cigarettes I have in front of me. It’s a pack of Camel Filters and they contain, 0.8mg of nicotine, 10mg of tar, 10mg of carbon monoxide, and that’s just what’s published on the cigarette package. So if you light up a cigarette you are poisoning yourself with carbon monoxide and tar, plus getting your nicotine fix.

2. E Cigarette – Lets compare what you’ll inhale when you puff a little vapor from an e cigarette. The e-liquid is comprised of between 65% to 90% propylene glycol or vegetable glycerin, which is also used as a food additive. The second ingredient is nicotine, diluted between 0.1% to about 6% in the strongest liquids. There are other things like flavor, and about 10% water in some cases where the propylene glycol is only 65% and there is also about 10% glycol in those formulas. There are traces of citric acid and in some formulas have other trace elements that are pertinent to the specific flavor, but there is 0% carbon monoxide, and 0% tar.

So I ask those who are questioning the safety of e cigs if inhaling vegetable glycerin mist with nicotine is worse than inhaling carbon monoxide, nicotine and tar?

Tagged with: e cigarette • E Cigarette Safety • e cigarette starter kits • e cigs • tobacco replacement

How Not to Drink Alcohol

On 02.14.10, In Addiction, By Stevie Wonder

The greatest mystery that plagues alcoholics and drunks everywhere is how not to drink alcohol. It is a baffling problem due to the nature of addiction, and the fact that booze does such a good job of medicating the alcoholics internal problems. It is said that the alcohol consumption is not really the disease itself but more just a symptom of a deeper problem, and any alcoholic who has spent real time in recovery can see the truth in that.

The key to passing your first sobriety test, therefore, is not to simply abstain from alcoholic beverages and other addictive drugs–though of course this is a necessary baseline. The key really is to get down to the root of who you are and what pushed you to self medicate, and then to find a way of life that can rise above those problems so that you do not have to self medicate in recovery. In traditional recovery that relies heavily on 12 step programs, this is done through the bringing about of a spiritual experience, so that the alcoholic can find a higher power and come to rely on a spiritual lifestyle in order to maintain sobriety. However, there are other paths to recovery that do not rely exclusively on the God concept.

For example, one recovery movement that teaches how not to drink alcohol focuses on physical exercise as a method of recovery. The idea is to get fit, get in great shape, and keep pushing yourself to achieve new levels of fitness. Some would argue that this is trading one addiction for another, and they may have a point. But the same can easily be argued about traditional recovery, where many people become addicted to 12 step meetings or they become dependent on the spiritual quest itself. There is no perfect method of recovery that does not involve some level of sacrifice.

Therefore, one of the best techniques that you can employ in early recovery is to keep trying until you find a solution that works for you. It does not good to simply relapse and give up, as it takes most alcoholics at least 3 tries at recovery before they can make it stick. Explore new methods of recovery and you will achieve a new life at some point in your journey.

Tagged with: Alcohol Addiction • Alcoholism • how not to drink alcohol • sobriety test • stop drinking

Embracing Addiction Recovery and Sobriety

On 01.22.10, In Addiction, By Stevie Wonder

How can you embrace recovery and take your new life of sobriety to the next level? How can you really change your life in a major way when trying to overcome drug and alcohol addiction, and make real strides that result in lasting change, rather than driving you back to relapse? What are the real secrets to achieving this sort of success in recovery?

The first key to alcohol addiction recovery is surrender. If you are still struggling to control things in your life, then you are not going to do well in recovery, nor are you even likely to break free from the denial that keeps you trapped in addiction. You have to surrender in order to move forward and learn new things in your life. Without this level of surrender, you will not become open to the new ideas that have the potential to change your life.

Now if you want to take your sobriety to the next level, then you need to go a step beyond surrender and start actively creating with real purpose in your life. This is the point at which you form positive goals and start chasing positive action in your life so that you are always moving forward and building healthy self esteem. Without this positive action, you will tend to get sucked back into negative thoughts and the threat of relapse becomes more and more real.

One way to embrace this creative action in addict recovery is to help other people. This can be counter-intuitive because we would think that it is more important to help ourselves in early recovery. On the contrary, helping others with their problem insures that you are doing what you need to do in order to help yourself as well. Thus it becomes a powerful tool for insuring your own continued success in alcohol addictions recovery.

Tagged with: addict recovery • addiction recovery • addictions recovery • alcohol addiction recovery • sobriety

devo digest