How to Guide a Loved One to Seek Alcohol Detox

Posted on November 1, 2022November 3, 2022 by cmspresident

How to guide a loved One to Seek Alcohol Detox

Addiction is difficult to live with, as it disrupts life and makes it dysfunctional. Oftentimes individuals suffering from substance use disorders are in denial that they have a problem. They feel they are in control and can stop abusing alcohol or drugs whenever they choose to. A minority of those afflicted by the disease of addiction, whether to alcohol, opiates or benzos, face the reality that they have an addiction problem. Given this, it is easy to see why most people suffering from addiction fail to access addiction treatment in a timely manner.

Usually, it is a challenge for the loved ones of people suffering from addiction to convince them to enter addiction treatment. The fact that most treatment facilities adhere to the outdated inpatient detoxification or residential rehab model for addiction treatment only adds to the resistance to enter substance use disorder treatment, as it conveys the message that people suffering from addiction are somehow anti-social and need to be isolated from their own communities. Also, people suffering from addiction view inpatient alcohol detoxification in New Jersey or residential treatment programs as punishment for suffering from a disease.

To sum it up, there are primarily three challenges to helping a loved one to enter treatment for alcohol addiction or to other substances: their own denial, stigma associated with treatment that removes them from their own communities and insensitive addiction treatment models that condemn individuals suffering from addiction. Here are some ways how you could try to deal with these issues.

Denial:

This is not easy! Loved ones of those suffering from addiction find this to be a huge challenge. However, it can be done. The first step is to arm yourself with facts before you have a conversation with a loved one about their addiction to substances. Google is your friend! Google facts about signs and symptoms of addiction. Unkempt appearance, loss of interest in hobbies, absences/tardiness at school/work, unwarranted irritation, negative impact on job or academic performance, etc. are telltale signs. Log ones that you observe with date and time. Besides Google can also educate you about the negative impact on one’s health from excessive abuse of drugs or alcohol. For alcohol, there are official guidelines that establish mild, moderate and excessive consumption benchmarks for men and women.

Repeated presentation of facts should help to reduce denial and increase willingness to explore treatment options.

Reduce Stigma – Suggest Outpatient Addiction Treatment Options:

Most individuals suffering from addiction dread the fact that they will be removed from their living environment and sent away to an inpatient or residential facility in order to access treatment. Remember that outpatient treatment options, including ambulatory detoxification for alcohol, opiates and benzos, have become available over the past few years. Presenting outpatient treatment options to the individual afflicted by the disease of addiction could help reduce resistance to engaging in addiction treatment.

Eliminate Negative Labeling – Addiction is a Disease:

Science has proven that addiction is a chronic brain disease due to changes in the brain caused by even moderate abuse of substances over a short period of time. Research facts about addiction and avoid attaching negative labels to the person suffering from addiction. Remember that addiction is not a behavioral problem or a moral issue. So, it would not be productive to engage in a blame game that serves to alienate the person addicted to a substance. Changes in the brain trigger cravings that, unless satisfied, inhibit normal functioning. In other words, only the continued use of substances helps the person who has become chemically dependent on the substance feel normal enough to function optimally.

Basing the conversation on the fact that addiction is a disease will help lower resistance and create a positive environment for fruitful conversations. Keep the conversation objective and goal oriented, “We have a problem. How do we solve it together?”

Getting Help:

Firstly, seek medical help in treating the disease of addiction. Not only is it more effective, it is also safe. Believe it or not, even coming off of alcohol, which people believe to be benign, can be dangerous unless attempted in a medical detox facility. Alcohol withdrawal Management can cause seizures or stroke, which needs to be prevented and, therefore, safe Alcohol Detox in New Jersey can only be done in a medical detox facility. There are many treatment options for alcohol dependence in New Jersey, but remember that outpatient alcohol detox is not only a safe and effective option, it is also likely to be more acceptable to the individual affected as it lowers stigma and treats addiction to alcohol as a disease and not as a behavioral issue.

Can Giving up Alcohol Reduce Anxiety?

Posted on December 9, 2021December 21, 2022 by cmspresident

Can Giving up Alcohol Reduce Anxiety?

Anxiety: An Overview
You may be tempted to drink a glass of wine or a beer to calm your nerves when coping with hectic days or anxiety provoking events. However, excessive drinking of alcohol, especially over a lengthy period, can make you feel more anxious.

If you’re being treated for anxiety, drinking alcohol can have catastrophic repercussions. While it may appear that having a drink will help you relax, you may be doing more damage than good.

The use of alcohol to relieve anxiety-related stress is a prevalent habit among both youth and adults. While the near-term feelings of relaxation and relief may provide the desired respite, alcohol is addictive and repeated use at sequentially higher quantities can lead to physical and psychological dependence on alcohol over time.

Anxiety is a very common mental health condition that can be treated with a variety of drugs and therapies. Unfortunately, many people still choose to self-medicate with alcohol while facing life stressors instead of seeking professional help.

How does alcohol consumption make anxiety worse?
Serotonin and other neurotransmitters in the brain are affected by alcohol, which can exacerbate anxiety. Once the alcohol wears off, you may likely feel much more anxious than before, as you just lost a coping mechanism. This anxiety may continue to intensify until more alcohol is consumed to numb yourself to your feelings.

It’s not optimal to use alcohol to cope with social anxiety. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) estimates that roughly 7% of Americans suffer from this type of anxiety.

You may find it difficult to cope with social situations if you suffer from social anxiety. Drinking alcohol to ease social interactions is prevalent among people with social anxiety disorder. This can lead to an addiction to alcohol when socializing, which can exacerbate anxiety symptoms.

Other indicators of dependence, aside from the need for alcohol to feel at ease when socializing, are:

1. needing a drink at parties
2. an inability to stop drinking multiple alcoholic beverages in one day
3. needing a drink to get going in the morning
4. drinking heavily four or more days every week.

Eliminate Alcohol from Your Diet to Reduce Anxiety
Given how alcohol contributes to the cycle of anxiety and problem drinking, it stands to reason that eliminating alcohol from your life can help you manage your anxiety. This isn’t to say you shouldn’t go out with your buddies; rather, it means you should avoid situations where drinking is the main attraction.

Because stress levels are frequently fed by endless obsessive thoughts, it is important to be able to control your thoughts. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, can help.

Take time to analyze your current relationship with alcohol while you flush your liquor down the kitchen sink. When was the last time you didn’t drink alcohol, and how did you feel during that time? If you’ve been drinking for a long period of time, withdrawal symptoms are likely to be difficult to deal with.

When your body has grown used to the presence of alcohol, it is hard to function normally after you stop drinking. The following are the most common signs and symptoms of alcohol withdrawal:
● Anxiety and paranoia
● Increased heart rate
● Insomnia
● Having trouble concentrating
● Headaches
● Vertigo
● Perspiring
● Nausea
● Tremors, shakes

Liquor is not an anti-anxiety medication
Moderate drinking is not the same for men and women of all ages. In the United States, “moderate” refers to two drinks per day for adult men and one drink per day for women. Because older folks metabolize alcohol more quickly, restrict yourself to one alcoholic beverage each day if you’re in this age range. Consult your physician to see if moderate alcohol drinking is safe for you.

The advantages of drinking alcohol are occasionally overshadowed by the hazards, which include:

● Depression
● Obesity
● Liver damage.
● Injury to the cardiovascular system

Everyone is affected differently by alcohol. It might make you feel more relaxed or brighten you up after a long day. First, talk to your doctor about your worries to discover if alcohol is safe for you.

It’s important to remember that you shouldn’t drink alcohol because:
● Anxiety reduction is possible through lifestyle changes
● Anxiety is treatable. You can, however, adopt lifestyle changes to help you live with your anxiety and reduce it
You can minimize your anxiety by making some simple daily modifications.

How to reduce your anxiety levels?
● Sleep for at least 7 hours every night
● Caffeine and alcohol can both make you feel more anxious, so limit your intake of both.
● Eat healthy
● Focus on relaxation techniques like meditation or yoga.
● Listening to music or paint

When withdrawal symptoms appear, it’s critical to get medical help right away to ensure you do net suffer seizures, or stroke. Many alcohol rehab facilities in NJ are available to help with dependence on alcohol.

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Alcohol Withdrawal Management

Posted on February 20, 2019December 22, 2022 by admin_cnt

Alcohol Withdrawal Detox Management

If you are unable to stop consuming alcohol despite wanting to, or despite negative consequences, you may have become dependent on alcohol.
Alcohol withdrawal syndrome can develop when you suddenly stop drinking alcohol after a period of frequent and substantial consumption, be it vodka, whiskey, wine or beer.

If you try to stop consuming alcohol and experience alcohol withdrawal symptoms, it is chemical dependence. Dependence on Alcohol can develop even after just a few months of intense use. Drinking more alcohol than intended, or drinking alcohol at odd times of the day may negatively impact your relationships, social functioning and work performance.

Alcohol is a disinhibitor and the chances of indulging in risky behaviors increases after alcohol use. If you cannot stop consuming alcohol despite a visible increase in risky behavior, you may have a hard time quitting. Many individuals suffer from a dependence on alcohol – as per the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, more than 15 million adults in the United States suffered from an alcohol use disorder in 2015. That number has only increased sharply in 2020 due to stress and isolation related to Covid-19.

Understanding the dangers of alcohol abuse and the dangers of quitting cold turkey can help you make informed treatment choices. Alcohol is one
of the most commonly consumed beverages in the world and it may not be perceived as a “dangerous” substance when compared to, say, heroin,
which conjures up a host of negative images.

However, alcohol withdrawal can be much more dangerous than withdrawal from heroin, as it can cause seizures. Consequently, it is important to seek medical assistance at a detoxification facility when trying to quit alcohol.

What Causes Alcohol Withdrawal?

Alcohol is considered as a ‘sedative hypnotic’ – it depresses the central nervous system, but people benefit from the feeling of relaxation it delivers. In limited quantities, alcohol stimulates good conversation and reduces social anxiety. However, when consumed in large quantities, defined as more than 4 drinks for a man and more than 3 drinks for a woman in a day, could lead to drowsiness, impaired motor function, difficulty breathing and blackouts.

As a depressant, alcohol has an effect on the brain and the nervous system. It also slows down brain function and changes the way nerves communicate with each other. Your body actually works hard to keep the brain in an “awake” state and nerves communicating with each other. It is
used to having alcohol around all the time and is now always in this high alert state.

When you stop using alcohol, the brain keeps going at this 90 miles per hour speed which causes the withdrawal. Alcohol withdrawal symptoms include anxiety, insomnia, shaky hands, headache, nausea, vomiting, and sweating. Some may also develop delirium tremens, hallucinations high blood pressure, and memory loss. Alcohol withdrawal can also bring on seizures, stroke or even death. That is why alcohol detox needs to happen in a medical setting with appropriate monitoring.

Luckily there are many alcohol detox centers in New jersey that can effectively address the problem. Whether you are located in Ocean county, or Morris county, in Short Hills or in Toms River or in Edison, there is always a treatment center near you. Alcohol withdrawal in New Jersey can be treated through outpatient detoxification or inpatient detoxification. While Inpatient detoxification has been the norm for alcohol detox to address alcohol withdrawal symptoms in New Jersey, the new, innovative model is outpatient, ambulatory detoxification. Ambulatory Detox centers in New Jersey can address alcohol withdrawal as effectively and safely as inpatient detoxification, while providing the added advantage of integrating the home environment into treatment. Because the patient has the convenience of going home to their family at the end of each day in detox, they can test the skills learned in therapy and find out what works and does not work. This flexibility delivers better results to the patient because when they finish treatment they have adapted a set of coping skills that is best suited to their own living situation, not a generic one.

Safety is Important in Managing Alcohol Withdrawal

At New Jersey-based Center for Network Therapy NJ, our clinical team is highly experienced in managing withdrawal from alcohol. Customized medication protocols are adopted to ensure that the detox process is safe and smooth.

If you are looking for a safe and highly effective alcohol treatment program, please contact us for a smoother road to recovery. Call a treatment expert today if you or a loved one is experiencing alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
Personalized and safe rehabilitation is extremely important for us at the Center for Network Therapy. If you experience the alcohol withdrawal
symptoms listed below, please don’t hesitate to contact us for a consultation at no cost to you. The Center for Network Therapy has 3 locations: West Orange, New Jersey, Middlesex, New Jersey and Freehold, New Jersey.

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New Jersey’s Lt. Governor, Kim Guadagno, visited the Center for Network Therapy to understand the ambulatory Detox model and find out how CNT is able to address the needs of individuals suffering from opiate withdrawal, benzo withdrawal and alcohol withdrawal. She was impressed by the efficacy of the program.

The Many Types of Alcohol Detox and Rehab Centers to Choose From

Posted on August 13, 2016December 21, 2022 by admin_cnt

The Many Types of Alcohol Detox and Rehab Centers to Choose From

If you have an issue with alcohol and have decided to address the issue, it is a courageous decision and it represents a big step forward. You feel that a large load has been lifted off of your shoulders and you are now ready to move forward and obtain the addiction treatment you need to get better. The next important step is to enter treatment and help yourself find the resources and the support to safely detox off of alcohol and enter long-term recovery. The good news is that there are plenty of options for alcohol withdrawal in New Jersey.

The first job is to establish the level of care you need. Alcohol detox is the most acute level of care and involves medication assisted treatment, or MAT, to address alcohol withdrawal symptoms and mitigate alcohol cravings. The next level is Partial Care, if you are not experiencing any severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms, but still need an intense level of care through supporting medications and intense therapy. The lowest level of facility-based care in intensive outpatient, or IOP. In this level of care, group therapy is provided but less frequently and integration with work begins. Fortunately, whether you are in Bergen county, Somerset county, Hunterdon county, Union county, or Mercer County in New Jersey you have access to a alcohol detox facility in New Jersey, Only a thorough evaluation can establish the level of acre you need.

Alcohol detoxification and alcohol withdrawal management in New Jersey can be obtained on an inpatient basis or on an outpatient basis.
Traditionally, inpatient was the only option as alcohol detox was deemed risky due to the risk of seizures and stroke. However, the increased availability of medications for alcohol detox have made outpatient detox as safe as inpatient detox. Outpatient alcohol detox in New Jersey is available in Freehold, Middlesex and West Orange and it can actually deliver better results due to the integration of the home environment into treatment. Alcohol withdrawal can be dangerous, as it can lead to seizures or even stroke, so alcohol detox should be undertaken only in a medical setting under clinical supervision. Safe alcohol treatment with individualized medication protocols and titration can take anywhere between 10 and 14 days.

Alcohol detox involves the utilization of medication to address withdrawal symptoms, cravings and the risk of seizures and stroke. Group therapy and individual therapy is also needed to move the patient from pre-contemplation to contemplation stage and get them involved in therapy in order to effect the lifestyle changes needed to keep on the path to long-term recovery.

Outpatient alcohol detoxification delivers better results because skills learned in treatment can be applied in the patient’s real living environment and what does not work can be adjusted in treatment. Also, the family can be involved in treatment and can be educated by the treatment program about how they can elevate the support for the patient at home and help stay abstinent. Inpatient treatment is only necessitated if the support system for the patient in the home environment is not conducive to recovery or if the patient suffers from a medical condition requiring 24-hour monitoring.

The role of self-help groups such as AA and NA cannot be discounted. While therapy in the facility provides relapse prevention and coping skills, self-help groups provide support, a sense of community, crisis interventions over the long-term and a sense of community and social belonging.
Holistic therapy also helps. It is a meditative therapy that is designed to treat the patient’s mind, body, and spirit. Holistic therapy is becoming increasingly popular due to its ability to help patients stay sober. Holistic therapy also comes with alternative activities including massage, yoga, and acupuncture.

Dual-diagnosis therapy treats a person’s alcohol addiction as well as a disorder that may have caused it in the first place, such as anxiety or depression. Sometimes. patients turn to alcohol to cope with inner demons and do more harm to themselves. What dual-diagnosis therapy does is
treat the person’s problem at the root so that long-term sobriety is more likely.

Sober living is a special home for people in recovery – whether from alcohol, opiates, benzos, or other drugs. Patients will live with other people in recovery and are tasked with helping and supporting one another in times of need. Sober living is ideal for patients who have completed formal medical treatment and have a chance of relapsing in the future or returning to their unhealthy addiction due to a less-than-optimal home environment.

As you can see, there are many ways to get treated for alcohol addiction, whether you need medical detoxification or just talk therapy. If you aren’t sure which kind is the best for you, you can talk to a medical doctor for professional advice. Please go to RecoveryCNT.com or call 732 560 1080.

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