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Rehab for College Students

Rehab for College Students

Transitioning into college is a significant life milestone. A student’s life in college or university helps shape the person they become in the future. Going to college usually means separation from home and independence. But living in a new social environment can challenge a person’s values and beliefs.

University and college students in the U.S. face immense pressure to succeed and build a career. Most students get concerned about their academics and experience the stress of meeting new people and trying new things. Striking a balance between all the new events can be difficult, and some students turn to drinking or drug use as a coping mechanism.

Keep reading to find about the reasons why students turn to unhealthy drinking and drug use, and the most effective ways of getting help!

Get Help with Drinking and Drugs on Campus

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), over a third of all American full-time college students between 18 and 22 binge drink regularly. The unique circumstances of college students make it necessary for customized addiction treatment programs tailored to meet their needs.

Substance use is among the most severe public health issues for the young American population, causing adverse health and socio-economic impacts for adolescents and their families.

Read on for more info about rehab for college students, and to get help if you are struggling while in college, or have a loved one that might be!

Drug and Alcohol Abuse in College Students

Although some college students abstain from use, most are of legal drinking age and have more independence on campus. This increases the need to set personal goals and boundaries. You might want to unwind from the school week with a pint with your pals to help you relax in social situations. But for many students, the burden of expectations from their families, educators, peers, society, and even themselves only grows heavier during their time at university.

Over 6 million young adults have substance use disorders (SUD). Under competing pressures, college students must learn to live a new lifestyle around factors that can predispose them to college drug abuse. Alcoholic beverages are readily available on college campuses, and students sometimes use drugs to relieve stress or enhance performance. Prolonged drug use may cause the students to develop substance use disorders or alcohol addiction.

One in every five American adults experiences mental health disorders annually. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), 75% of mental health illnesses develop by 24 years. Students may experience symptoms of conditions like depression, bipolar disorder, or PTSD for the first time in college. Survivors of traumatic events like sexual assault are at a high risk of a mental illness diagnosis. Students with mental illness may turn to alcohol and drug use to cope with the symptoms.

Commonly Abused Drugs in College

Commonly Abused Drugs in College

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) explains that drinking alcohol is a ritual that students consider an essential part of college or university life. Although alcohol is the most commonly abused drug by young adults, most students also use:

 

  • Marijuana
  • Ecstasy, LSD, and other psychedelics
  • Study drugs and stimulants such as Adderall
  • Cocaine
  • Prescription painkillers
  • Opioids
  • Prescription or opiate painkiller abuse can cause injury, overdose, and death

Marijuana

Also called marijuana or weed, cannabis is among the most popular drugs on U.S. college campuses. Most marijuana users smoke it, while others incorporate the drug into edibles, like baked products and confectionery. Marijuana’s psychoactive and hallucinogenic effects vary by strain.

Nearly half the college student population reported using marijuana in 2018. Marijuana may not be as harmful as other illicit drugs, but occasional use might become problematic and aggravate a student’s anxiety. Addiction can develop with prolonged usage of this substance. If you suffer from a marijuana use disorder, call us at +1 (855) 728-4363 for confidential advice on getting help.

Cocaine

Despite cocaine’s popularity as a party drug on many universities and campuses, its stimulating effects are not worth the risks involved in using the drug. To feel more energized or productive, some young adults may opt to snort, inject, or inhale the white powdery substance. Others smoke it as crack cocaine.

Cocaine is lethal on its own, but when combined with other drugs commonly found on college campuses, such as Adderall or marijuana, it becomes exceedingly dangerous. Using cocaine has severe effects on mental and physical health. Given these potential long-term effects, helping someone addicted to cocaine could save their life.

“Study Drugs” and Prescription Stimulants

College students often use prescription stimulants like amphetamines to improve focus. Doctors prescribe drugs like Adderall and Ritalin to treat hyperactive issues, major depressive episodes, and irregular sleeping patterns. Some students use these drugs without a prescription as study aids, even though doing so is illegal and dangerous.

College students widely use stimulant tablets because of their ability to increase wakefulness and attentiveness momentarily. Examples of other study drugs include Modafinil and Concerta. Stimulant use disorders that involve study drugs require professional addiction treatment. Call Pathfinders for more information on study drug misuse.

Benzodiazepines

Also known as “benzos,” benzodiazepines are prescription drugs commonly used to treat anxiety, panic disorders, and seizures. Addiction professionals also prescribe these drugs to relax muscles and promote sleep. They are among the most often prescribed medications in the United States, and college students frequently abuse them for their sedative properties. Examples of benzodiazepines are:

 

  • Xanax
  • Valium
  • Ativan
  • Klonopin

 

Benzodiazepines like Xanax are highly addictive and have some of the most dangerous and life-threatening withdrawal symptoms of any form of drug.

The Effects of Drug Abuse on College Students

Substance misuse can have severe implications for college students that extend beyond their academic careers. The following are some of the short- and long-term consequences of drug and alcohol use disorder in college students:

  1. Poor academic performance: Substance misuse can result in reduced study time, missing class, and a lower GPA. Drug use can also lead to falling behind on assignments, dropping out, or being expelled.
  2. Risky behaviors: Drug abuse also leads to risky behaviors like driving under the influence, being involved in an alcohol-related sexual assault, getting into fights, indulging in dangerous sexual practices, and date rape.
  3. Health issues: Substance abuse can cause many physical health problems, including hangovers, sickness, and effects on your immune system.
  4. Social ramifications: Substance abuse can cause losing friends and vital relationships. You may become socially isolated if you spend a lot of time drinking or using drugs.

What are the Warning Signs of Substance Abuse?

Substance Abuse

Signs and symptoms of drug abuse among college students may include the following:

  • Poor personal hygiene
  • A decline in grades and absenteeism  from school
  • Needing drugs or alcohol to unwind or enjoy oneself
  • Avoiding social interactions
  • Mood changes
  • People stop engaging in activities they used to enjoy
  • Falsely denying the usage of drugs or alcohol
  • Spending a lot of time using and recovering from the effects of drugs
  • Physical and mental illness
  • Withdrawal symptoms such as headaches and cravings
  • Using drugs or alcohol while knowing the risks
  • Legal issues like arrests
  • Substance abuse in potentially dangerous settings like while driving
  • Engaging in potentially harmful activities while under the influence of alcohol or drugs

 

Talking about a drug abuse problem might be a difficult conversation to have with someone who doesn’t believe they do. This conversation is more beneficial in the presence of someone trustworthy, like a professor or counselor.

When talking to a friend or loved one, let them know you’re worried about their health, happiness, and academic progress. If they are unwilling to listen, don’t criticize or blame them; instead, back off and try again later.

It is best to keep the conversation specific and inform them of scenarios you deem detrimental to their health. You don’t have to say everything all at once, but you might want to offer them a list of valuable resources and then follow up with them periodically.

Rehab treatment can help prevent the adverse effects of substance use on your health, academic career, and overall well-being, and there are various ways to get help. These include consulting with the campus health center, speaking with a counselor at your campus counseling center, or checking into a hospital or rehab center.

Treating Addiction in College Students

Some young adults in higher education refuse treatment for substance abuse because they don’t believe they have a problem. Students often avoid discussing therapy because of the stigma associated with drug abuse.

Accepting to get addiction treatment shows that you care about your health and your future. According to research, the sooner someone seeks addiction treatment, the more likely they will recover fully. Most rehabilitation centers cater to the needs of students without interfering with their studies.

Detoxification

Detoxification is often the first step in the rehabilitation process after assessment. During detox, substances like alcohol and narcotics are eliminated from the body. In this period, many addicts suffer from unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. Many of these symptoms are avoidable through medical detox.

Since quitting cold turkey can be fatal, medically supervised detox is essential when detoxing from benzodiazepines or alcohol. The average withdrawal periods for various drugs include:

  • Cannabis        – 2 weeks or more
  • Alcohol           – 5 to 7 days
  • Tobacco          – 2 days to 2 weeks
  • Cocaine          – 2 to3 days
  • Opioids           – 1 to 4 weeks
  • Benzos            – 10 to 14 days

 

Detox from opioid use disorders varies widely depending on the length of use and method of delivery. Opioid detox patients experience unpleasant withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety, depression, and insomnia. But they lose tolerance to opioids within days of abstinence.

Overdosing is a potential risk during relapse, which is, unfortunately, rather often. Relapse is avoidable with the help of medication in a Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) program. Those with severe opioid addiction may benefit from starting on MAT for an extended time before attempting to wean themselves off the drugs.

Some recovering addicts think that withdrawal is the most challenging aspect of the process, while others say overcoming cravings after detox is the most difficult.

Behavioral Treatment

Mental health therapy and counseling help treat psychological and behavioral challenges that may have contributed to addiction. Counselors can assist college students in learning how to cope with drug urges and the challenges that might lead to drug usage.

Anxiety

Many college students have a co-occurring disorder that has led to drug use. Treating underlying mental health issues is critical to a successful addiction recovery process.

Common co-occurring disorders that students confront include:

  • Depressive disorders.
  • Eating disorders.
  • Anxiety.
  • Bipolar disorder.

 

Most higher learning institutions have on-campus mental health counselors. These counselors assist pupils in coping while keeping confidentiality. At Pathfinders, our comprehensive dual diagnosis treatment programs handle co-occurring mental health problems.

Outpatient Rehab vs. Inpatient Rehab

College students who are addicted to drugs usually require the assistance of a drug rehab facility to recover. Many inpatient and outpatient addiction treatment centers can help college students achieve sobriety without interfering with their studies.

Inpatient treatment centers provide a distraction-free environment away from campus temptations. College students in rehabilitation improve their grades and overall health. Many inpatient rehab facilities also cater to college students by being close enough to campus for residents to attend class during the day.

For a college student with milder addiction, outpatient rehab is a suitable treatment option. These outpatient centers offer withdrawal medication and counseling while not interfering with the student’s daily routine. Mental health counselors and support groups can help break down addictions psychologically.

How Long Does Rehab Take?

The length and intensity of rehabilitation can change depending on whether you choose inpatient or outpatient care. If you are worried about attending rehab for college students because you don’t want your grades to suffer or you don’t want to fall behind in your education program, consider what will happen if you don’t get help.

If you have to leave school for substance abuse treatment, various mental health resources can help you during and after the process. They include counseling programs, medical leaves of absence, or transition plans that involve modified programs of study. It takes courage to get help for a substance use disorder before your life completely unravels, but it’s admirable that you’re ready to do so.

The average time spent in inpatient treatment is between three weeks and ninety days, while some programs may need a longer commitment. If you choose outpatient care, you may be able to keep up with your daytime classes while receiving therapy in the evenings. Look for a rehab center, such as our programs at Pathfinders, that will work with you to identify the best treatment alternatives for your specific situation.

Rehab can seem daunting or intimidating, but if you don’t want your family or friends to know, no one has to. Taking charge of your life can set you up for a more peaceful, prosperous, and successful tomorrow.

Maintaining Sobriety as an Undergraduate

Rehab for College Students

The next step after finishing addiction treatment is to remain sober while pursuing higher education. Some college rehab programs include sobriety and behavioral contracts to encourage sobriety. The students have to agree to things like going to 12-step meetings, staying away from drugs and alcohol, not engaging in risky behavior, and keeping up with their schoolwork.

Some educational institutions even provide rehabilitation housing for students who are experiencing substance abuse issues. Students in recovery from addiction may benefit from additional peer support from campus-sponsored events.

After finishing a college student rehabilitation program, the next step is to receive aftercare support. This is of utmost importance for those in recovery while attending college. Most universities provide their students access to outpatient treatment and recovery support groups. Getting sober takes effort, but it’s feasible to maintain that effort for the rest of your life.

Get Help Now and Keep Pursuing Your Degree

Pathfinders Recovery Centers are addiction and dual diagnosis treatment centers that offer cutting-edge drug addiction treatment services. If you are battling substance use, connect with us for a solid foundation for starting the journey to recovery.

Reach out now to our Admissions team and discuss the process of Admission and how we can best help you to get sober and get to the podium to celebrate your graduation!

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Al-Anon 12 steps

Al-anon 12 steps

Al-Anon is a fellowship of relatives and friends of alcoholics that was established in 1951. Sixteen years after her husband created Alcoholics Anonymous, Lois Wilson (often known as Lois W.) created Al-Anon. She founded the group after experiencing firsthand the challenges faced by those who care for a family member or friend with an alcohol use disorder.

Support for Al-Anon comes solely from member contributions. Even if the addict in your life hasn’t yet found sobriety, you may still find support and learn how to best assist them by attending a meeting. Al-Anon’s goal is to help its members feel less alone by showing them they aren’t facing their problems alone.

Keep reading to find out more about the steps involved in Al-Anon and what you can do to help both yourself and a loved one who is struggling with alcohol and/or drug use.

Addiction and Alcoholism as a Family Disease

Because of the devastating effects, alcoholism can have on both the alcoholic and their loved ones, Al-Anon approaches the problem as one that affects the entire family. Recuperating successfully requires a strong network of loved ones and friends.

Some loved ones may place the blame for their alcoholic relative’s drinking on themselves, or they may not comprehend why their relative isn’t making recovery a top priority. These topics are discussed at meetings, along with the concept of alcoholism as a genetic disease and its effects on family members.

While technically Al-Anon is centered only around those whose loved ones have issues with drinking and does not encompass drug use, in reality there is not a clear distinction for most Anon groups.

If your loved one tends more toward drug use, and your area has Nar-Anon meetings, these can be another helpful resource for support, while still firmly based on the twelve step philosophy.

What Happens at a Meeting?

Anyone who another person’s drinking or drug use has harmed is welcome to attend Al-Anon sessions. Al-Anon is there to support you if you are concerned about an alcoholic or an alcoholic’s lifestyle affecting you.

Due to uncertainty about the nature of the initial gathering, some potential attendees may be unwilling to show up. Here are a few things to keep in mind if you’re thinking about going to a meeting:

  • Firstly, Al-Anon is a completely confidential organization.
  • Every individual attending an Anon meeting has been directly or indirectly impacted by drinking or drug use by a loved one/
  • It is recommended, but not needed that everyone stands out and shares their struggles.
  • Various kinds of gatherings exist. It’s possible that some will be more useful to you than others.
  • The fellowship as a whole, known as Al-Anon, has no religious affiliations. However, the basis is on a type of spiritual awakening or acceptance of a higher power being in control. There is certainly a primary spiritual aim regarding the 12-Step Program.
  • The meetings are based on Al-Anon’s twelve steps.

Participants in Al-Anon sessions are encouraged to “take what you want and leave the rest.” Instead of lecturing attendees on what they should do, meetings become opportunities to reflect and commiserate on how best to remain healthy while dealing with a loved one’s drinking.

What Are the 12-Steps?

What Are the 12-Steps

These are the steps, word-for-word, from the original and official 12-Steps of Al-Anon:

  1. “We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable.” —You must learn that alcohol abuse is a disease that ran your life.
  2. “Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.” —Participants drive themselves to the breaking point trying to change something in a loved one’s personality. When you admit you’re powerless, your higher power will bring you back to sanity.
  3. “Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.” —You must learn to let go and accept in order to heal.
  4. “Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.” —You must make a list of things you’ve done to harm family and friends. This is done through a deeply personal self-assessment.
  5. “Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.” —Each member must dive into their memory bank and analyze every act of wrongdoing.
  6. “Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.” —This step is very important, as it is the full acceptance of the recovery process supported by a Higher Power.
  7. “Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.” —This part of the 12 Steps helps members understand how they may have been controlling or judgmental toward an addict and how that is counterproductive.
  8. “Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.” —Oftentimes, making amends starts with yourself. Many people blame themselves for their loved one’s addiction. They must be willing to forgive themselves and make amends. In the future, when wrong, promptly admitted mistakes and slipups lead to less damage.
  9. “Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.” —After you are willing to make amends, the next step is to take action.
  10. “Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.” —Going through the 12 Steps is a process that takes time. Although members have already made an inventory, slipping up is normal. Step 10 recognizes this is an ongoing process.
  11. “Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.” —This is a personal, spiritual step that encompasses acceptance and comfort amid the stress of recovery.
  12. “Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to others, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.” —The last step is a realization that the member’s journey is not over. Members are then encouraged to support other members with what they’ve learned by passing their knowledge on during future alcoholics anonymous meetings.

Other Al Anon Groups

Additional Al Anon Groups exist that practice Al Anon’s twelve steps or focus on addiction treatment. Through these al anon meetings, family members and other individuals, such as the children of those going through alcohol abuse, may participate and maintain personal anonymity.

Meetings are also crafted for adolescents, known as Al-A-Teen, are al anon meetings for teenagers and young people to take personal inventory of where they stand in addiction treatment and gauge the exact nature of their alcohol abuse challenges. These additional al anon entities are a part of a broader family known as Al Anon Family Groups.

What can you expect from an al anon meeting? In the section below, you’ll find example topics of discussion during a normal al anon meeting.

All Our Affairs: Topics of Al Anon Meetings

Topics of Al Anon Meetings

Topic discussions are the norm in Al-Anon Family Group and standard Al-Anon sessions. This implies the meeting’s chairman will select a subject matter linked to their own personal experience coping with an alcoholic loved one. It is not uncommon for the chairman to solicit ideas for topics from the audience.

Participants in the meeting can then share their knowledge, courage, and optimism about the chosen topic.

The Reasons For and Causes of Alcoholism

Realizing that alcoholism is a disease helps shed light on the alcoholic’s repeated attempts to kick the habit, only to relapse a few days later. Learn more about it.

Dealing With Anger at an Alcoholic

You and your family members may receive conflicting messages on handling rage. Do certain family members get to let off steam, while you’re admonished to keep your cool? At Al-Anon, you learn that anger is a natural and normal emotion. It’s fine to feel rage; the important thing is to figure out how to channel it constructively.

Altering Perspectives on Alcohol

In the Al-Anon meeting’s opening statement, “So much depends on our own attitudes, and as we learn to set our issue in its real perspective, we discover it loses its ability to dominate our thoughts and lives.” Which mindset is ruling your daily activities?

Enabling Alcoholic Behaviors

It’s possible that your well-intentioned attempts to aid the alcoholic instead encourage the person to keep up their destructive patterns.

Confronting Uncertainty

The ideas discussed and practiced in Al-Anon Family Groups can be useful for adapting to the inevitable and, at times, dramatic shifts that occur in everyone’s lives. You may not be able to change the conditions much, but you can change your attitude about the problem.

Detachment with Compassion

It might be challenging to master the art of detachment. Do you want to be the one to step in and rescue the day when a person with alcohol use disorder has a crisis? This could be the last thing you should do if you want that individual to finally ask for assistance.

Unrealistic Expectations and Managing Them

When dealing with a loved one with an alcohol use issue, are your expectations too high? If you don’t learn to adapt your expectations to be more aligned with reality, you may end up feeling disappointed and frustrated.

Powerlessness Over Alcohol

Powerlessness Over Alcohol

You may have joined Al-Anon believing the entire time that there was something you could do to make the alcoholic realize there was a problem and seek help. The first step is realizing you can’t control your drinking.

Mind Your Own Business

In Al-Anon, members are reminded that they are not responsible for the drinking habits of their loved ones. Embarrassment and humiliation are not yours; they are theirs to bear because of their actions. It is not a reflection on your worth as a parent, friend, husband, or sponsor if they make “poor” decisions.

They should be allowed to learn from their own errors. You can only contribute effectively by speaking up and sharing your wisdom, fortitude, and optimism when the time is right.

Day by Day: The Only Way to Live

The tagline “one day at a time” may sound like just another overused adage, yet it has a lot of insight in its reminder to focus on the now rather than dwelling on the past or imagining the future.

Find Lasting Addiction Recovery at Pathfinders

If you are looking for a treatment center that can support your loved one in addition to getting help from a 12-Step Al Anon program, look no further than Pathfinders Recovery Centers in Colorado and Arizona.

Pathfinders takes a different approach to healing and believes that alcohol and other substance abuse issues are best treated through evidence-based avenues, the treatment of underlying mental health disorders, and a holistic healing environment.

Contact a member of our warm and welcoming Admissions team today to learn more about how we can help your loved one begin a lasting recovery journey of their own!

 

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How to Pay for Rehab

How to Pay for Rehab

Even though our country extends options for insurance to every man, woman, and child who resides here, thousands of people struggle daily to figure out how they’ll pay for rehab. Many of them either haven’t taken the time to sign up for insurance or lack the resources or know-how to make it happen.

These things happen, especially when you have a substance abuse habit that remains your number one priority. The sad part is the fact that most of these people are a phone call away from earning the opportunity to receive coverage for rehab, and most of them are completely unaware.

The following article provides information regarding the actual rehab cost, with different financing options. Hopefully, by the conclusion, you’ll be armed with more resources to help yourself or someone else entering treatment.

How Much Does Rehab Cost?

Even though drug and alcohol addiction treatment costs vary by program, inpatient rehab facilities will likely cost between $30,000 and $50,000 for a 30-day program, and outpatient rehab facilities will cost from $250 to $500 per session. Medically assisted detox ranges anywhere from $700 to $1,200 or more per day.

Most addiction treatment centers offer basic rooms. These accommodations often have a comfortable bed, a bathroom, and space for personal items. The cost of a non-shared room may be a bit higher. Swimming pools and on-site gyms are found in some locations, and certain facilities might even allow visits from children or the admittance of pets.

Even if you have insurance, your provider may not cover the specific rehab you’re looking to attend. They might only pay a portion, or they could possibly not over any of your stays, depending on the type of insurance you have. Certain providers require anywhere you attend to be within their network of physicians and practitioners.

In these cases, you’ll be required to come up with a significant amount out of pocket. In the section below, we’ll discuss ways to get the funds together to cover the cost of rehab.

How to Pay for Rehab: Making It Work

When you’re scrambling to find a source for funding, things can get pretty stressful. Getting into treatment for substance abuse disorder as quickly as possible is critical for avoiding any further risk or damage done to the mind and body.

Depending on your resources and how hard you’re able to work, multiple options exist for getting the funds together. We’ll look at a few different options you have for accomplishing this goal.

Paying with Private Insurance Policies

Paying with Private Insurance Policies

Paying with private insurance companies can be an option, depending on if you have access to enroll. This option is one of the most difficult if you’re winging it or don’t have anyone to assist you, but it’s still possible to make it happen.

If you’re working, you could ask your employer if they offer a private insurance program for employees. Alternatively, assuming you have a source of income, you can always sign up for private insurance on your own.

However, many providers require that you’re a member for a certain amount of time before they cover any significant type of treatment or procedure.  Contacting a private insurance company that deals specifically with substance abuse treatment is always possible.

These providers typically only provide coverage for clients seeking substance abuse or behavioral health treatment. Generally, these organizations make it a point to secure insurance for their clients because of the urgent need to receive coverage for substance abuse treatment.

One final option regarding private insurance companies is to inquire about your parents’ or a family member’s insurance policy. Their provider may offer coverage if your family member/spouse/parent lists you as a dependent.

General Insurance for Rehab Guidelines

Your best bet for receiving coverage for treatment most likely lies in signing up for some form of Medicaid or using a provider from the ACA marketplace.

The Affordable Cares Act, signed into legislation during President Barack Obama’s term, allows every American to purchase affordable insurance through the ACA marketplace. The costs are broken down based on your income – so regardless of your financial status, there’s a plan to accommodate everybody.

Medicaid is available for individuals who have little to no source of income. Regardless of your situation, some type of insurance is available to relieve you of the monetary stress of paying for rehab.

With these plans in place, one of the only reasons you should have to cover a significant amount out of pocket is if you have the goal of attending a treatment program your insurance won’t cover. If you purchase a plan through the ACA market or have Medicaid, this would typically be an issue. Sometimes these insurance programs don’t cover services at a high cost, mainly if lower-priced alternatives exist.

Can I Use the ACA Marketplace for Rehab?

The ACA marketplace is a great place to obtain insurance for rehab. After the Affordable Cares Act was signed into legislation, President Obama required any insurance policy purchased through the ACA marketplace to provide alcohol and substance abuse treatment for its clients.

If you’ve exhausted all other private insurance options, relying on a provider through the ACA marketplace could be your best bet. There’s no guarantee regarding the specific provider you’ll receive, but you are guaranteed to obtain insurance coverage for rehab.

ACA Marketplace For Rehab

Are Medicare and Medicaid Used for Rehab?

As alternatives to the ACA marketplace, Medicaid and Medicare provide rehab options for customers. Medicaid even backdates their coverage, so if you paid out of pocket for anything in the months before signing up, they would potentially reimburse you for the costs.

Medicare can be a bit more complicated, as multiple types of insurance cover different things. If you’re familiar with Medicare, you’ve probably heard of terms like “Medicare Part A” or “Medicare Part B.” These different “parts” provide different levels of coverage, which can get confusing at times.

However, Medicare agents can help you obtain the specific coverage you’re looking for. These agents act as brokers between clients and different Medicare insurance providers and assist with enrollment to ensure the process is done correctly.

Cash Pay and Private Pay for Rehab Costs

Cash pay and private pay for rehab costs are potential options. However, this is probably one of the most challenging routes for obtaining coverage.

If you do have to go this route, it might be in your best interests to participate in outpatient services until you receive coverage. Outpatient rehab services are usually much lower in price than inpatient residencies, and most of the time, you can pay for single sessions during treatment.

This helps to avoid paying a significant portion upfront in the case of inpatient treatment. Generally, most organizations require the entire residency is covered pretreatment. However, some facilities do allow you to set up payment plans. You would need to contact someone from the rehab’s financial and billing department to inquire about setting up payment arrangements.

In addition to the options listed above, specific charities, non-profits, and local government offices provide grants and other assistance to cover the cost of substance abuse treatment.

How to Pay for Rehab: Sources of Help

Researching sources of help in your area will potentially offer alternative financial assistance options. Grants from charitable organizations sometimes provide a hand covering all or a portion of rehab.

Contacting offices at your local city hall or county administrator’s building could uncover promising alternatives. Because of the opioid epidemic, many cities and counties provide some assistance programs for residents who need treatment. In addition, accessible rehab facilities exist for community members who cannot obtain funding sources for costlier forms of treatment.

Finding Affordable Rehab Made Easy

If you’ve researched all the options listed above and found little to no relief, certain substance abuse treatment programs have some affordable care programs for clients in distress. Pathfinders Recovery works with thousands of clients yearly, and not all are in the best financial situation.

Because of a wide range of options for treatment, rehabs like Pathfinders can provide an assortment of options to fit almost any budget. Some even offer payment plans similar to the ones we mentioned earlier in the article.

A Foundation for Sobriety You Can Afford

Anyone suffering from substance abuse challenges should have access to some form of treatment. Arriving at the point of understanding you need help is a big step and capitalizing on this realization in the shortest amount of time possible is critical.

Contact a member of the Pathfinders Recovery Centers staff today to learn more about our program s and the types of financing options we have for covering the cost of treatment.

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Men’s Only Rehab

Mens Only Rehab

Alcohol And Drug Rehab Basics

For persons struggling with alcohol or substance abuse and dependency, a rehab facility can be essential in their journey to sobriety and recovery. Rehabilitation facilities can be thought of as safe spaces with trained medical and psychological staff that offer services to persons trying to overcome addiction. At Pathfinders Recovery in Arizona, we offer a men’s only rehab that allows men to focus on their recovery in an environment specifically designed for success.

These services are all focused on navigating the process of withdrawal from the substance in as safe a way and environment as possible and treating the psychological conditions that may have led to the addiction in the first place.

Substance Use and Abuse Statistics Among Men

Substance abuse affects all genders, but there are genuine distinctions regarding the divide. According to the NIDA, Men and boys over the age of 12 are 11.5% more likely to fall prey to substance abuse than women and girls over the age of 12, who experience this issue at a rate of 6.4%.

When it comes to Alcohol Use Disorder, it is estimated that up to 20% of men struggle with it, versus around 7-12% of women. What does this tell us? There is a not insignificant divide between how “at-risk” men are to substance abuse compared to women. This is not said to diminish the suffering of women or to remove attention from that issue but rather to highlight those men are empirically more at-risk in certain regards, and the problem must be tackled at the root cause.

What are the Risk Factors for Addiction for Men?

Many factors can result in substance use and abuse. There is a misconception that falling prey to substance abuse is a moral failing or a character flaw. It is not. Some of the more common factors that put one at risk of falling into a substance abuse habit are:

Genetics

The literal DNA that makes up your body. Suppose you have a history of substance abuse in your family. In that case, there is a statistically higher probability that you may fall into a habit of substance abuse to some degree or another.

Environment

The surroundings you live within, what you are exposed to, the trauma inflicted upon you in adolescence or at any time really, the coercive influence that may or may not exist upon you. These things make up your environmental experience and can put you at risk for addiction.

Dual Diagnoses

Certain psychological conditions lead to substance abuse as the patient tries to “self-medicate.” Conditions like depression and anxiety are good examples of this particular phenomenon. Dual Diagnosis can also apply to neurodivergent persons. Persons with innate dopamine deficiencies and deficits caused by ADHD are at risk for substance abuse.

Why Choose an All-Male Rehab Center?

Why Choose an All-Male Rehab Center

All-male rehab centers are simply what they sound like – drug and alcohol rehabilitation facilities that cater exclusively to helping men. You might be asking yourself, “Why choose a men’s-only rehab?” We are going to examine some of the benefits of single-gender rehab settings.

  • There is an inherent expectation for men to be “tough” or “resilient” in everyday life. This is rooted in toxic masculinity and is one of the core reasons men are more at risk for certain types of addiction than women. Difficulty in being vulnerable and expressing emotions are two of the core things that make addiction rampant among men. Men-only rehab facilities foster an environment that allows men to be vulnerable and, thus, work through their trauma.
  • Staff at these facilities are specifically trained to manage how men experience addiction and, therefore, rehabilitation. Because men tend to be more goal-oriented and motivated, treatment plans and communication may be tuned more in line to take advantage of this inherent quality to help ensure the success of the treatment.
  • Because the way men specifically experience the world and society is a huge factor involved in their psychological trauma, the methods and practices utilized when delivering therapy would be specifically aware of how difficult emotional vulnerability is for men. Therapists may conduct sessions while walking, for instance, to both burn calories and allow the client to avoid eye contact while expressing emotions and dealing with painful trauma, a thing that, for many men, the world has not prepared them to be able to do.
  • Without the presence of women, you erase the potential of romantic distraction (for heterosexual males seeking treatment in the facility). Aside from this, the company of women may prevent men from being genuinely vulnerable, a critical component for treatment. Reframing emotional vulnerability and therapy as an act of strength and not a sign of weakness can be more difficult if women are around. This might make it more inherently tricky for some men to put down their guard.
  • All-male rehab centers tend to focus on a results-oriented approach. These facilities can help a man open up about himself and become comfortable with others of their gender. It allows them to head in a unique and necessary way that other approaches cannot manage.

These are just a tiny sample of the techniques and considerations that are a part of men-only rehab facilities that specifically cater to treating men going through addiction. The male experience of the world is inherently unique and requires targeted treatment that keeps that unique experience in mind.

What are the Types of Programs Offered at Men’s Rehabs?

At Pathfinders in Scottsdale, our men’s rehab facilities offers a range of services; Addiction is not a one-size-fits-all ailment, so the treatment would not be either. We will detail the various options, but here are some factors to consider. Firstly, there are evidence-based/medical-focused treatments AND what could be holistic treatments. Secondly, treatments or sessions may be individual OR group-based.

Thirdly, as we said earlier, each person and their needs are unique. Finally, treatment can be inpatient for persons who need the round-the-clock observation and support, especially in the early stages of withdrawal, and outpatient, where people don’t stay at the facility but come in regularly for the sessions. Because of this, treatment almost always involves some combination of all of these things.

Evidence-Based Treatments

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

How clients develop and allow negative thinking and poor self-image to dictate their actions inevitably, cognitive-behavioral therapy moves away from harmful thinking toward positive thinking. By doing this, clients typically feel empowered to make more healthy decisions moving forward in their life.

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy

This is very similar to CBT. These techniques examine how a client’s actions can be changed for the better through talk therapy.

Experimental Therapy

Talk therapy is sometimes not enough to address the needs of some clients. Experiential therapy can be helpful in these cases; clients may engage actively outdoors with others, building their team skills, interpersonal dynamics, and problem-solving.

Motivational Interviewing

Clients struggling to overcome indecision and uncertainty can sometimes be helped by these methods. It can significantly aid in being motivated to take action by establishing and accomplishing positive goals.

Trauma Therapy

Psychological trauma is one of the significant contributors to men using and abusing substances to escape mental and emotional pain. A key component of proper recovery is learning healthy ways to process and identify the trauma’s effects on their lives. By working with compassionate counselors and therapists, clients can learn to identify triggers and deploy healthy coping mechanisms.

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy is the basis of nearly all talk therapy. With this method, clients work one-on-one with a counselor or therapist to discover the underlying issues that have impacted the client and led to their fall into abuse and addiction, to begin with. Substance use disorder is often a symptom of deeper psychological issues that have yet to be addressed. These issues are consciously or unconsciously being ignored or self-medicated in an attempt to deal with them and cope. In a comfortable and safe setting, clients can develop a personal relationship with their therapist and work through the issues to overcome substance abuse and improve their overall mental health.

Holistic Treatments

Yoga Therapy

As a practice, yoga offers many unique therapeutic advantages. The techniques help clients engage in the yoga therapy that teaches them how to control their bodies and be capable of expelling stress, anxiety, and other negative emotions when they are confronted by them.

Mindfulness and Meditation

Meditation focuses the client’s attention on being as present as possible at the moment. By enhancing one’s awareness of themselves as an intimate part of the world around them, clients can better understand their motivations and actions and those of others. As a practice, meditation teaches clients to limit dwelling negatively on the past or becoming too obsessed with the future.

Art and Music Therapy

Art and music therapy allows clients to explore their creativity and experience the healing aspects of these practices. Metaphor is a highly effective tool for working through issues. Journaling is a well-noted practice with many benefits. Learning new hobbies and skills is inherently fulfilling for humans. Simply consuming and appreciating works of art can allow clients to develop positive psychological perspectives of themselves and their issues.

Massage Therapy

Massage Therapy

Touch therapy can be beneficial in managing overall health and wellness. As the body’s soft tissue is manipulated, many clients find that there is a release of tensions in their body and that this goes quite a long way towards aiding in reducing stress and anxiety. Thus, they are in a better position to explore and progress through the work of treatment.

Privacy And Confidentiality at Men’s Treatment Programs

For anyone struggling with substance abuse, one of the worst aspects is the shame, stigma, and judgment attached to both being an addict and, paradoxically, seeking treatment. Patients may be concerned about whether or not the fact that they are being treated would be in danger of being publicly disclosed.

Fortunately, HIPAA laws exist and are enforced to protect citizens’ information. Rehab centers must comply strictly with this standard. All staff at men-only rehabs must follow the same rules and regulations as any family doctor. No one on the team is allowed to share information about your case unless your express consent is given or unless the situation necessitates the release of information, such as in a medical emergency where providers need certain information to treat you.

Does Insurance Cover Men’s-Only Rehab Treatment?

Rehabilitation can be an expensive process. If the client needs complete inpatient care, the out-of-pocket costs can skyrocket even higher. However, many clinics accept insurance to completely or significantly cover treatment costs. Medicaid and Medicare are two national options that many facilities do accept. Keep in mind, though, that this is a thing that differs from center to center, and it is essential to check with the individual facility to ensure that the insurance you (or a loved one) are interested in using is accepted.

Searching for ‘Men-Only Addiction Treatment Near Me’

The internet has changed how people discover resources. One of the top Google searches around the particular topic of getting help for substance addiction is “finding men-only treatment near me in Arizona.” This tells us that many people are trying to find help AND that the internet is an incredible tool for delivering that information. A quick search will give you many options to explore for treatment. It is a matter of finding facilities with high success rates where their reputation precedes them, such as the programs for men at our facility in Arizona.

Find Lasting Addiction Recovery for Men at Pathfinder’s Arizona

At Pathfinders Recovery Center in Scottsdale, AZ, we have over two decades of experience treating and rehabilitating persons struggling with substance abuse and addiction. Our expert medical team works with you to help you navigate the entire process of detoxing through to healing from the psychological trauma that led to the addiction in the first place.

A truly sober, happy, and fulfilling life is the ultimate goal for every client that comes to us for help, and our results speak for themselves. If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse issues, please know that there is hope. Contact us today for more information or a consultation.

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What Happens When You Mix Adderall and Weed

Mix Adderall and Weed

You may know Adderall as a medication that’s used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). While it is used by adults, Adderall is most frequently used to treat ADHD in children. Children usually present the first symptoms of ADHD around the age of seven. What Happens When You Mix Adderall and Weed?

Sometimes the disorder goes away but up to 60 percent of children continue to experience symptoms in adulthood. Therefore, some adults have prescriptions for this drug.

Adderall is also used to help people with narcolepsy to stay awake. However, like many other prescription drugs, it’s also used recreationally by people who don’t have prescriptions.

Often, it’s combined with weed in an attempt to negate some of the negative side effects. Even people who have prescriptions may mix Adderall and weed.

In this article, we’ll look at the effects of mixing these two drugs. If you or someone you love is engaging in this practice, you need to talk to a medical professional.

The Effects of Adderall and Cannabis

Effects of Adderall and Cannabis

Before we get into what happens when these two substances are combined, we first need to understand the side effects of each drug when taken separately. This sets the stage for understanding how they may interact.

Adderall is a central nervous system stimulant that’s made up of four amphetamine salts:

  • Dextroamphetamine saccharate
  • Amphetamine aspartate
  • Dextroamphetamine sulfate
  • Amphetamine sulfate

Adderall increases the levels of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain. It helps to improve attention, focus, listening skills, and organizational skills while also controlling behavioral challenges.

While this drug is intended to make people with ADHD more focused, some people who don’t have this condition use it for pleasure or to improve their performance. Many of these individuals are college or high school students who want to stay awake for long periods while they cram for exams or work on large projects.

However, professionals who want to improve their job performance and athletes who want to do better on the field may also use it.

Like other stimulants, Adderall can cause cardiovascular and psychological distress. Some of the side effects include:

  • Anxiety
  • Insomnia
  • Depression when coming down
  • Loss of sex drive
  • Headaches
  • Dry mouth
  • Weight loss
  • Diarrhea

Cannabis

Effects of Adderall and Cannabis

Weed or cannabis is a psychoactive drug that is often smoked or consumed in an edible form. Many people see it as a harmless and even highly therapeutic drug.

However, the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content today is a lot higher than it was in the 1970s and this makes it more dangerous than some people realize. THC is the main psychoactive component in cannabis and it creates the high for which cannabis is typically known.

Some individuals who have ADHD use marijuana as a way of self-medicating. There are people who advocate for the use of weed as an ADHD treatment.

They say that it helps individuals to manage severe symptoms like irritability, agitation, and lack of restraint while causing fewer side effects than the usual prescription medicines.

While many people find cannabis beneficial, it can have serious side effects for some individuals. These side effects vary depending on how strong the weed is and how high the individual’s tolerance is.

Effects can include:

  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Paranoia
  • Hallucinations 
  • Brain fog
  • Increased appetite
  • Blood pressure spikes
  • Increased heart rate
  • Laziness and inactivity

 

Chronic use of marijuana can also lead to long-term issues such as:

  • Problems breathing
  • Increased heart rate
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • A decline in IQ if started as a teenager
  • A decline in verbal ability and general knowledge
  • Decreased life satisfaction
  • Problems with fetal development in pregnant women

People often believe that weed can’t be addictive. However, between 9 and 30 percent of people who use marijuana will go on to develop a substance use disorder. Individuals who start using when they’re under the age of 18 are more likely to become addicted

Marijuana can also be harmful for people with mental health conditions. For example, individuals who have schizophrenia are more likely to develop psychosis. Smoking marijuana can also make respiratory conditions worse.

What People Who Combine Adderall and Weed Experience

Combine Adderall and Weed Experience

While Adderall and cannabis have benefits when used separately, mixing them is a cause for concern. It can be difficult to answer the question “what does mixing Adderall with weed feel like?” since marijuana can have such varying effects.

We know that Adderall is a stimulant but marijuana can be a stimulant, depressant, or hallucinogen depending on the strain used. Therefore, weed can either enhance the effects of Adderall or balance them out.

Some people who have ADHD say weed reduces the agitation and distress that Adderall often causes.

Meanwhile, some people who use marijuana say Adderall helps to relieve side effects such as fatigue and reduced cognitive function. This may seem like the ideal combination for people who use either drug for therapeutic purposes. However, not everyone will have the same experience.

Dangers of Adderall Abuse

The long-term abuse of Adderall can lead to irregular heart rhythms, increased blood pressure, and even addiction. People are most likely to become addicted to Adderall when they take more than the prescribed dose, take doses more frequently than prescribed or use the drug for longer than prescribed

Adderall can become more addictive when taken with other substances and people who struggle with substance abuse disorders are among those at the highest risk.

Students, people with stressful jobs, athletes, and individuals who struggle with bulimia or anorexia are also more likely to become addicted to Adderall. Even after individuals quit using Adderall, they may continue to face irreversible health issues.

Dangers of Combining Both Drugs

Dangers of Combining Both Drugs

Depression is one of the possible outcomes when people use both Adderall and weed. Long-term Adderall use can make it difficult for the brain to release dopamine and serotonin on its own. The brain comes to rely on Adderall to produce these chemicals.

As a result, the user may experience depression and anhedonia, which is an inability to feel pleasure without using drugs. Heavy marijuana use can also cause the brain to release less dopamine so combining Adderall and weed over a long period can lead to depression.

Another danger of combining Adderall and weed is that the risk of abuse increases. Some people experience an even more desirable high when they take both drugs. This euphoria can drive them to use these substances again. This can lead to addiction.

People who abuse Adderall and weed regularly may need to undergo a medical detox process to get the drugs out of their bodies. Taking combinations of drugs that haven’t been prescribed is often dangerous. If you’re mixing substances and you’re finding it hard to stop, seek professional help.

How Long Do Weed and Adderall Stay in the Body?

Adderall has a half-life of about ten hours. This means it takes about ten hours  for half the dosage to leave the body. Generally, it’ll take around two days for the drug to leave your system.

Meanwhile, the effects of marijuana peak around ten minutes after use and last for one to three hours in most cases.

However, the effects can last for up to eight or ten hours. A lot depends on:

  • The individual’s tolerance
  • The individual’s body weight and metabolism
  • How much weed they took
  • How much THC the weed contained
  • Whether they ate beforehand 

Can You Overdose on Adderall?

Overdose on Adderall

The simple answer is yes. While people often associate overdoses with opioids and other depressants, stimulant overdoses can and do occur. They are different in that they result from an overstimulation of the parasympathetic nervous system.

Therefore, symptoms of an Adderall overdose include:

  • Heart attack
  • Aggression
  • Panic
  • Hallucinations
  • Tremors
  • Fever 

It takes a lot of Adderall to cause a fatal overdose. A lethal dose is somewhere between 20 and 25 milligrams per kilogram of body weight and it’s not likely that a person would take that much.

However, using weed can mitigate some of the side effects of Adderall. This may lead the person to use even more Adderall, thereby increasing the risk of a dangerous overdose. If you think you or someone else is experiencing an

Adderall overdose, call the emergency services and let them assess the situation. 

How to Tell If You’re Addicted to Adderall or Weed

Addiction is complicated and people who struggle with their drug use often aren’t sure about if they’re addicted or not. Given that it’s relatively easy to legally source both weed and Adderall, the lines may be even more blurred.

However, it’s important to note that any substance can be abused and even if you have a prescription for Adderall, you may be misusing the drug. If you’re worried about your drug use or your loved ones have raised concerns, you should talk to an addictions professional. 

Signs of drug addiction include:

  • Difficulty stopping or reducing your drug use
  • Needing more and more of a drug to get the effects you once did
  • Experiencing strong cravings for the substance
  • Thinking about ways to acquire more of the drug
  • Prioritizing the substance over hobbies and other things you enjoyed
  • Developing increased tolerance
  • Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when you stop taking the drug
  • Repeatedly using the substance in dangerous situations
  • Continuing to use the substance even though it is negatively affecting your health
  • Continuing to use the substance even though it is negatively affecting people you love
  • Neglecting your responsibilities in favor of drug use

How Treatment Can Help

How Treatment Can Help Adderall Addict

Misusing Adderall and weed is considered polydrug abuse. If you’re abusing two or more substances, treatment will need to address all of them along with any co-occurring disorders like anxiety or depression.

Any kind of substance abuse can have life-altering effects and your health can suffer in both the long and the short term. While mixing Adderall and weed may not be as dangerous and combining Adderall and alcohol, it is still unsafe.

The sooner you seek help, the better it will be for you. You may be able to reverse some of the damage caused by your drug use and prevent additional problems from occurring in the future.

By enrolling in a recovery program, you can detox from the substances in your body and learn how you can achieve long-term sobriety. It is highly recommended that you undergo medical detox.

You’ll have 24/7 medical supervision and you’ll be provided with medications to help you manage nausea, vomiting, and depression that may accompany withdrawal.

Making it through the detoxification process is the start of recovery. Getting the drugs out of your body is essential but you also need to take care of your mental and emotional needs.

It’s important that you identify what caused you to abuse drugs in the first place and then learn how to handle those triggers.

Treatments vary from one facility to another but people struggling with substance abuse problems typically benefit from one or more of the following interventions:

  • Cognitive-behavioral therapy
  • Dialectical behavior therapy
  • Group therapy
  • Individual therapy
  • Family therapy
  • Motivational interviewing
  • Stress management
  • Relapse prevention planning

Get Addiction Treatment from Pathfinders Recovery Center

Now that you’re aware of the dangers of mixing Adderall and weed, you may think that you have a drug problem. Given the long and short-term dangers of substance abuse, you need to make it a priority to find a reputable rehab facility. At Pathfinders Recovery Center, we provide individuals with the tools they need to live a life free of addiction. We don’t only focus on detox. We offer a variety of customized evidence-based treatments that cater to the mind, body, and spirit. If you’re ready to start your recovery journey, call us to discuss the available treatment options. We offer fast insurance verification.

 

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Can You Die from Alcohol Withdrawal?

Can You Die from Alcohol Withdrawal

When your body becomes dependent on alcohol, cravings and other withdrawal symptoms appear after you stop drinking or significantly reduce your intake. In many cases, alcohol withdrawal can be mild. 

But in others, it can be more severe, even life-threatening. Because alcohol is a central nervous system depressant, its side effects are achieved by slowing down the brain.

As your body and brain get used to this effect, changes in your drinking patterns throw you off balance. 

Your central nervous system becomes overexcited as it tries to restore balance.

This imbalance shows through in the form of withdrawal symptoms ranging from mild to severe.

Alcohol withdrawal deaths are usually attributable to a condition called delirium tremens. 

Death may occur in up to 5% of delirium tremens patients.

But the risk of death is reduced for those who receive adequate medical support and medication. 

What is Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome?

 

Alcohol withdrawal syndrome is what we call the wide range of symptoms that appear when alcohol-dependent individuals stop drinking.

Those with alcohol withdrawal syndrome will experience a combination of emotional and physical symptoms. 

Alcohol withdrawal syndrome symptoms range from minor, like insomnia and tremors, to severe, like withdrawal seizures and the condition we mentioned before, delirium tremens.

No two people experience addiction or withdrawals the same way. 

But we can give you an idea of what to expect by evaluating the most common side effects of alcohol withdrawal, outlining the detox stages, and detailing your treatment options. 

Common Side Effects of Alcohol Withdrawal

Common Side Effects of Alcohol Withdrawal

If you have tried to stop drinking and found that overwhelming cravings or other uncomfortable physical or emotional symptoms brought you right back to the bottle, you may already be more familiar with withdrawals than you realize.  

Some of the most common side effects of alcohol withdrawal include:

  • Restlessness 
  • Insomnia
  • Excessive sweating
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Tremors or shakes, particularly in the hands
  • Headaches

Troubling Symptoms of Alcohol Withdrawal: Seizures

The most common symptoms of alcohol withdrawal are not the most concerning ones.

Seizures, high blood pressure, high fevers, and confusion are some of the more troubling symptoms of alcohol withdrawals. 

While these may not be the most common symptoms, they can be the most detrimental when they occur.

Dangerous withdrawal symptoms are not a risk you have to take. Choose a better way with a supervised detox. 

Other Dangerous Physical Symptoms of Alcohol Withdrawal

Seizures and delirium tremens are two of the most dangerous complications of alcohol withdrawals.

These physical symptoms of alcohol withdrawal can be life-threatening. Delirium tremens can cause vivid delusions and hallucinations. 

It can also cause confusion, shaking, fever, and high blood pressure.

The sudden and severe mental or nervous system changes associated with delirium tremens can be fatal.

But it doesn’t have to be. Delirium tremens is treatable by a medical professional. 

The average onset is approximately three days into withdrawals. If you or someone you love needs to detox from alcohol, we recommend doing so in the comfort and safety of a certified addiction treatment facility. 

During a supervised detox, you will benefit from the 24-hour care, support, and guidance of a dedicated medical team.

They will ensure that you stay properly hydrated, monitor your progress, and guide you through the appropriate next steps. 

Alcohol Detox Stages

 

Alcohol detox symptoms vary depending on the stage you are in, how long you have been drinking, how often and how much you drink, and other individual factors.

The average alcohol detox lasts between three and seven days. 

The length and severity of your detox can vary based on the details of your addiction and mental health.

But one thing that is true for everyone is that remaining patient and accepting the help available to you is crucial. 

Recovery is possible for anyone. And recovery from alcohol dependence occurs in three distinct stages.

When you attend a detox program like the ones we offer at our Pathfinders Recovery Centers, these stages become significantly safer and easier to manage.  

Stages One, Two, and Three

Treatment for Alcohol Withdrawal After Detoxification

Stage one is often characterized by mild withdrawal symptoms that appear within eight hours after you stop drinking.

These stage one symptoms can be mild enough to feel like a hangover.

Nausea, sweats, insomnia, and anxiety are some of the most common symptoms in this stage.

Stage two starts around 12 to 24 hours after your last drink and typically involves moderate symptoms, like high blood pressure, fever, confusion, and irritability.

Finally, stage three usually involves the most severe symptoms you will experience. 

This stage starts between 48 and 72 hours after your last drink.

High fevers, seizures, confusion and agitation, and hallucinations can occur during stage three of withdrawals.

Delirium tremens can also occur during this stage. 

This condition is the one we are the most concerned with. Roughly 3-5% of alcohol-dependent patients experience this condition during detox.

This is one reason why many experts deem supervised, professional detoxes crucial rather than recommended.  

Medical Detox for Severe Alcohol Withdrawal

Severe addictions and withdrawals may warrant medical detox rather than a traditional one.

Medical detoxes offer a higher level of support. During medical detox, an experienced professional will safely prescribe or administer medication to ease your withdrawal symptoms. 

There are several different medications they may choose.

These medications may help you get through the crucial stage of early sobriety in several different ways.

For example, one of the most common of these medications reduces alcohol and drug cravings. 

In a traditional or social detox, there are many of the same benefits, including a safe and comfortable space where you can focus on your sobriety and access to a dedicated medical team.

The biggest difference is the medication. Not every case will need it. 

But we will work with you to determine which path will be better for you.

And both social and medical detoxes are significantly safer than quitting cold turkey and withdrawing alone at home.

After your detox, we have a range of continued care programs available. 

Treatment After Detoxification

Treatment for Alcohol Withdrawal After Detoxification

 

Alcohol is one of the hardest addictions to recover from. But people do it every day.

Experts recommend attending treatments for a minimum of three months.

While these treatments can take place in different forms and settings, the timeline is what is more important in this regard. 

Longer treatment programs and plans are associated with better results.

That’s why we make it easy to get the help you need – where, when, and how you need it.

From full-time residential programs to part-time intensive outpatient programs, we offer every opportunity you need to change your life. 

Whether full-time or part-time, our personalized treatment programs feature many of the same proven, research-based, and holistic treatments.

Behavioral therapies, support groups, and exercise classes are some of the most common.  

Getting Help for Alcohol Addiction at Pathfinders

Building a better, happier, healthier life starts here. With luxury-level facilities in Colorado and Arizona, help is always right around the corner.

Our addiction specialists are on call to answer your questions, guide you through the next steps, and verify your insurance. 

You do not have to face your recovery alone.

Call them today, day or night, at (866) 263-1820 to get started. From detox through aftercare, help is waiting for you here at Pathfinders.

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Lean Addiction and Abuse (Purple Drank)

Lean addiction, as shown by cough syrup being poured into spoon

What is Lean Addiction?

While it may not be one of the most well-known drugs of choice, lean addiction is a growing problem in the United States.

Lean is an illicit substance that combines codeine cough syrup with soda and hard candy.

Lean contains codeine, which can be highly addictive, and it is especially abused by young people.

A bottle of cough syrup being poured into a cup, illustrates the dangers of lean addiction

Understanding Lean

When lean was first invented, it was mixed with beer.

Later, lean was instead made with soda with a hard candy for added sweetness.

The drink gained popularity after being mentioned in many popular rap songs in the 1980s and 1990s.

Many rappers have since died after developing a lean addiction. Lean is also called “purple drank,” “dirty sprite,” and “sizzurp.”

Lean’s main ingredient codeine is an opioid. This drug is made from the opium poppy plant.

When you take an opioid, it affects areas in your brain that control your “reward system.” This means that it makes you feel relaxed, happy, and euphoric.

Opioids are also highly addictive. Once you begin abusing lean, your brain very quickly becomes dependent on it and makes you crave it.

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What are the Effects of Lean Addiction?

When taken for short periods of time, codeine cough syrups help you by blocking the urge to cough.

They also make you feel relaxed. However, they can have negative effects even when taken correctly.

These can include drowsiness, confusion, constipation, depression, nausea, vomiting, and slowed breathing.

If you have a lean addiction, these symptoms can become worse over time.

Frequent lean abuse can have even more serious side effects.

One of these side effects called hypoxia is especially dangerous.

Hypoxia is a condition where not enough oxygen reaches the brain and can happen when codeine makes your breathing slow too much.

Hypoxia can cause both short-term and long-term health problems, including brain damage, coma, and even death.

Learn More About Alcohol Rehab at Pathfinders Call Today

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How Can You Abuse Lean?

Lean is a drug that has no medical purposes. Taking it just once counts as drug abuse.

If you take it frequently or for long periods of time, it is very easy to develop a lean addiction.

If you are not sure whether you are addicted to lean, here are some questions that you can ask yourself:

  • Are you taking larger amounts of lean or using it more frequently than you used to?
  • Have you tried to cut down or stop taking lean but find that you cannot?
  • Do you spend a lot of time getting codeine cough syrup to make lean, or dealing with the side effects?
  • Do you crave lean when you are not taking it?
  • Are you having issues at work, school, or home?
  • Have you stopped doing things you used to enjoy so that you can take lean?
  • Do you need to take lean in order to feel happy or relaxed?
  • Do you experience withdrawal symptoms if you stop taking lean?

If you can answer “yes” to any of these questions, there is a good chance that you have a lean addiction.

Now may be the time to consider getting in touch with Pathfinders Recovery Center to learn about our lean addiction rehab options.

Mental Illness and Lean Addiction

Because lean contains codeine, it can have the same negative effects on your mental health that any other opioid causes.

People who have a lean addiction are twice as likely to suffer from at least one mental health condition.

The most common issues are aggression, anxiety, depression, hallucinations, and mood swings.

If you had a mental health issue before your lean addiction, you will most likely find that taking lean makes them worse.

People who already have depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder are at a higher risk of abusing drugs like lean.

This often happens because a person tries to treat their mental health symptoms with lean.

In the short term, this can trick your brain into thinking that you feel better.

In the long run, it just makes your mental health symptoms worse.

No matter when your mental health problems first appeared, it is important that you discuss them with the team at Pathfinders Recovery Center.

Having both your lean addiction and mental health symptoms treated is going to be key to helping you overcome your addiction.

Rows of cough syrup and empty cups show the reality of lean addiction

Withdrawal from Lean Addiction

Having a purple drank addiction means that your brain is dependent on the codeine in this drug.

If you try to take less or stop taking it entirely, you can experience withdrawal symptoms. Much like any other opioid addiction, these symptoms usually come in two parts.

The first part will usually start within a day of stopping purple drank, though for serious purple drank addictions it may start within just a few hours.

The first symptoms can include anxiety, agitation, insomnia, muscle aches, watery eyes, runny nose, or sweating.

The second part of withdrawal then begins in another day or two, and is usually more severe.

They can include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, dilated pupils, and goose bumps.

Purple drank addiction withdrawal symptoms usually peak about three days after stopping, and then slowly go away.

The entire withdrawal process usually takes about a week. For people with a very serious purple drank addiction, it can take a little longer.

These symptoms are very rarely life-threatening, but they can still make you feel extremely uncomfortable.

That is why Pathfinders offers a medical detox program. This allows us to help our clients be more comfortable during detox by providing medications to make the symptoms less noticeable and easier to deal with.

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Treatment Options for Lean Addiction

When it comes to getting treatment for your lean addiction, we have a number of different program options for you.

For people who are abusing opioid drugs like lean, our medication-assisted treatment program (MAT) is one of the most effective options.

MAT uses both medications and behavioral therapy to help you get through detox and treat the underlying reasons behind your lean addiction.

The medications we use help to both make withdrawal more comfortable and reduce your cravings for lean.

Therapy, both in individual and group sessions, helps you better understand why you ended up with this addiction.

It also helps give you tools to avoid drug use triggers, and ways to better manage your stress.

Both of these things help you to avoid using lean, and reduce your chances of experiencing a relapse.

Behavioral therapy will also help address any mental health symptoms you have been experiencing.

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Getting the Help You Need at a Quality Rehab Center

We know that no one starts using purple drank with the idea of becoming addicted to it.

Just because you have developed a problem does not mean that you have to live with it.

At Pathfinders Recovery Center, we know exactly what it takes to get your life back from the difficulty of addiction.

Our premier addiction treatment centers are located in upscale areas throughout the Scottsdale, Arizona area.

Our luxury locations provide you with a comfortable and home-like atmosphere so that our clients feel safe and secure throughout their treatment program.

We help to ensure your success by using only scientifically researched, cutting edge, and effective drug and alcohol addiction treatment programs.

We have over 25 years of experience in helping people with addictions and co-occurring disorders to overcome their addictions.

Many of our clients wonder whether they will be able to take advantage of their health insurance benefits to help cover their treatment.

That is why we accept most major insurances through our free insurance verification.

Simply give us a call, and one of our addiction specialists can check to see how much of your treatment program will be covered by your insurance before you begin treatment.

You can trust us to communicate with your insurance provider to ensure that you receive every benefit that you are entitled to.

A lean addiction is nothing to be ashamed of and seeking help does not have to be a difficult process.

Let us use our years of experience to help you get on the path to a meaningful and lasting recovery.

Contact us today and see the difference stopping your drug abuse can make in your life.

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Codeine Addiction and Abuse

What is Codeine?

Codeine is a type of opioid that originally came from the opium poppy plant.

Some opioids are still made from this plant, and others are created in labs.

It can come in the form of capsules, tablets, and even liquids such as cough syrups.

Codeine helps to relieve pain and is also used to treat coughs.

It can also make you feel relaxed and give you a “high,” which is what can make opioids addictive.

At Pathfinders Recovery Center, we know how difficult it can be to deal with codeine addiction.

Let us help you understand more about this drug, as well as ways we can help you if you are addicted to codeine.

Codeine Addiction and Abuse and How to Treat This - Pathfinders - An image of bottles of codeine that often lead to codeine addiction and abuse.

What is Codeine Used for?

Like all opioids, codeine is used to help treat moderate to severe pain.

It can also be used to help treat coughs.

It works by blocking pain receptors in your brain and body, or by decreasing the activity in your brain that makes you cough.

When used appropriately for short periods of time, codeine is a safe and effective treatment for these issues.

It is sometimes combined with acetaminophen for more severe pain since acetaminophen helps to make codeine even more effective for pain management.

When it is abused, however, it can be dangerous to your health.

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Understanding Codeine Abuse

Many people think that codeine abuse only happens when someone takes it without a prescription. But this is not the case. Codeine abuse is broader than that.

Anytime you take it in higher doses or more often than you are supposed to, it counts as abuse even if you have a prescription. Abusing this drug is dangerous because of the way that it affects your brain.

It makes your brain release a flood of dopamine, a chemical that helps you feel happy and relaxed.

This makes it difficult for your brain to release dopamine naturally, which makes your brain crave codeine to make you feel better. This is what leads to codeine addiction.

Many of the people who end up addicted to this drug started taking it under a doctor’s care.

If you are not sure whether or not you’re abusing codeine, here are some questions that you can ask yourself:

  • Are you taking larger amounts, taking them more often, or taking them for longer than you were supposed to?
  • Have you tried to cut down or stop taking it but find that you cannot?
  • Do you spend a lot of time getting it, or dealing with negative side effects?
  • Do you crave it when you are not taking it?
  • Are you having issues at work, school, or home?
  • Have you stopped doing things you used to enjoy so that you can take drugs instead?
  • Do you need to take more in order to feel its effects?
  • Do you experience withdrawal symptoms if you stop taking it?

If you can answer “yes” to two or more of these questions, there is a good chance that you are abusing codeine and may have an addiction.

Now is the time to consider speaking to Pathfinders about our drug rehab options.

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How Codeine can Affect Your Body

While codeine has the ability to create positive feelings through treating pain, it is the negative effects that need to be worried about.

Codeine can cause confusion, constipation, depression, drowsiness, nausea, vomiting, and slowed breathing.

The longer you abuse this drug, the worse these symptoms can get.

The most dangerous effect is slowed breathing. All opioids carry the risk of causing something called hypoxia.

This is a condition where not enough oxygen gets to your brain because of slowed or stopped breathing.

Hypoxia can cause both short and long term health problems, including brain damage, coma, and even death.

Codeine Addiction and Abuse and How to Treat This - Pathfinders - A young man sits with an addiction therapist to discuss his codeine addiction and abuse.

Mental Illness and Codeine Abuse

Like many addictions, codeine addiction can have a negative impact on your mental health.

People with opioid addictions are twice as likely to have at least one mental health issue. The most common issues are anxiety, depression, aggression, mood swings, and even hallucinations.

If you had a mental health issue before you began abusing opioids, taking this drug will only make these issues worse.

Some people try to treat their mental health symptoms by taking codeine in order to feel happy and relaxed. While it may have this effect in the short term, in the long term it only makes it harder for your brain to regulate your emotions.

No matter when you began having mental health issues, it is important to have them addressed while you are in a drug rehab program. This will help reduce the chances that you will suffer a relapse. This allows us to give you medications that make withdrawal symptoms easier to deal with and your detox process smoother.

Getting Treatment for Codeine Addiction

If you’re suffering from a codeine addiction, there are treatment options available that can help you overcome the addiction.

The most common type of treatment is called medication-assisted treatment (MAT). This type of treatment uses medication in combination with behavioral therapies.

There are currently three approved medications for people with opioid addiction, which work to reduce cravings and relieve withdrawal symptoms.

These medications include:

  • Methadone
  • Buprenorphine
  • Naltrexone
  • Lofexidine

These medications work by blocking your body’s ability to get high by taking opioids and reducing or eliminating withdrawal symptoms.

This helps to overcome your brain’s dependency on codeine and return your brain chemicals to normal levels.

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Behavioral Treatment Options

There are many behavioral treatment options available to you to help you overcome your addiction. Three of the most common include:

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): which helps learn about the thoughts and behaviors that led to their drug use. Then you are given tools to help you avoid things that trigger your drug use, and to better cope with stress.
  • Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET): This type of therapy rewards good behavior, like attending and participating in your therapy sessions, with small gifts. This helps you to teach your brain to associate being drug-free with positive emotions.
  • Motivational Interviewing (MI,): This type of therapy helps a patient recognize how their drug use affects their goals in life, and give them tools to help overcome their drug habits.

At Pathfinders Recovery Center, we find that most patients benefit from both individual and group therapy sessions.

This allows you to discuss things in private that you may not want to share with others, and to build a supportive community with people who understand what you are going through.

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Seek Help from a Trustworthy Drug Rehab

Codeine abuse can happen to anyone at any time.

Even if you had a prescription for it, codeine abuse can have serious effects on your health.

That is what makes it so important to get the help that you need.

At Pathfinders Recovery Center, we know exactly what it takes to get your life back from the difficulty of addiction.

Our premier addiction treatment centers are located in upscale areas throughout the Scottsdale, Arizona area.

Our luxury locations provide you with a comfortable and home-like atmosphere so that our clients feel safe and secure throughout their treatment program.

We help ensure your success by using only scientifically researched, cutting edge, and effective drug and alcohol addiction treatment programs. We have over 25 years of experience in helping people with addictions and co-occurring disorders to overcome their addictions.

Many of our clients wonder whether or not they will be able to take advantage of their health insurance benefits to help cover their treatment. That is why we accept most major insurances through our free insurance verification. Simply give us a call and one of our addiction specialists can check to see how much of your treatment program will be covered by your insurance before you begin treatment. You can trust us to communicate with your insurance provider to ensure that you receive every benefit that you are entitled to.

You do not have to keep living with your codeine addiction. Let us use our years of experience to help you get on the path to a meaningful and lasting recovery. Contact us today and see the difference we can make by helping you to become healthy once again.

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The Cost of Drugs: The Steep Price of Addiction

What is the Cost of Drugs?

When someone brings up the cost of drugs, you may think they are talking about the monetary cost.

The real cost of drugs lies in the number of people they harm and the overall economic burden they cause.

Today, it is estimated that the cost of drugs across the nation is over $740 billion each year.

From increased healthcare costs to increased crime to lost productivity, the cost of drugs affects many aspects of society.

One of the biggest costs of drugs is in the number of lives they take.

In the last twenty years, nearly one million Americans have lost their lives to a drug overdose and that number is only increasing.

The Cost of Drugs: The Steep Price of Addiction - Pathfinders - An image of a man laying on the ground surrounded by pills and holding a needle, as he thinks about the cost of drugs in various aspects.

Understanding the Cost of Addiction

When talking about the cost of addiction, there are many different drugs that affect our society.

In recent years, one of the costs of addiction that has grown enormously is from opioid misuse.

Almost two-thirds of all overdose deaths in the United States were from opioids.

One of the biggest causes for these deaths was the huge increase in opioid prescriptions being given by doctors in the early 2000s.

This made opioids easier for people to get, easier for them to misuse, and easier for them to get addicted to.

The cost of opioid abuse is estimated to be $78.5 billion each year.

Money is not the only thing that drugs and addiction cost us each year.

The cost of drugs also includes workforce loss, crime, domestic abuse, and the spread of diseases like HIV and hepatitis.

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The Cost of Drugs on Healthcare & the Workplace

According to The National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC), the cost of drugs on our healthcare system is more than $11 billion each year.

This includes costs from inpatient drug rehab treatment, medical interventions, addiction prevention, and addiction-related research.

Emergency department costs for addiction issues add up to more than $161 million on their own.

Addiction also costs our workforce money every year.

Each year, addiction costs the United States more than $120 billion each year in lost productivity.

This is caused by the many different aspects of drug addiction that make people miss work.

This includes when people are too ill from drugs to go to work, when their drug use puts them in the hospital or in jail, or when they die from an overdose.

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The Cost of Drugs on the Criminal Justice System

The cost of drugs also has a major impact on our criminal justice system.

From the cost of arresting these people to the cost of the court system, to the cost of imprisoning them, there are many ways that drug use adds to this cost to the criminal justice system.

The NDIC estimates that the cost of drug-related time in the United States each year is more than $61 billion.

Studies have found that anywhere from 62 to 83 percent of the people arrested each year test positive for at least one illicit drug.

Upwards of 50 percent test positive for more than one drug.

Cocaine and meth are the two most common drugs found in the systems of people who have been arrested.

Heroin use has been found to be very common in people who commit property crimes.

The Cost of Drugs on Health

One of the biggest costs of drug use and addiction is on your health.

People who abuse drugs deal with many negative health effects that require treatment.

Often, these people ignore their health until their conditions are far advanced and need more serious treatment.

People that inject drugs are at a higher risk of getting HIV or hepatitis.

Both of these conditions can cause life-long health problems that require daily medication and frequent doctor visits.

People who experience a health crisis or overdose from drug use need emergency services.

This means we need more ambulances to be able to answer these calls.

Emergency room visits for drug-related health issues have grown considerably in the last twenty years.

Opioid overdoses especially account for a lot of this increase.

These must be treated immediately to save a person’s life, and require a stay in the hospital to make sure that they are out of danger.

The cost of drugs also plays a part in the roads.

Many people who abuse drugs driving under the influence.

This leads to increased accidents on the road, accident-related injuries, and deaths.

The Cost of Drugs: The Steep Price of Addiction - Pathfinders - A group of individuals in residential rehab is discussing the cost of drugs.

Mental Illness and the Cost of Addiction

Another cost of addiction is the toll it takes on peoples’ mental health.

Studies have found that about half of all people with a drug addiction also have a mental health disorder.

It is estimated that less than 40 percent of people with a mental illness seek help.

For people who also have an addiction, that number is even smaller.

Untreated mental health problems add to the problems that drugs create, including lost work productivity, increased healthcare costs, and increased criminal justice costs.

Drug users with a mental health issue have less healthy personal relationships, have a hard time performing at work or school, are more likely to have health issues, and are more likely to be victims of suicide and overdose.

Without treatment, both mental health issues and addiction only get worse.

Managing both of these conditions is the only way to find lasting sobriety and stability, and to lower the cost of addiction.

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Treatment Options for Drug Addiction

The cost of addiction is much more than the economic ones.

It is also the cost that it has on your health and the quality of your life.

Pathfinders Recovery Center is here to help you with both your addiction and any mental health problems you may be facing.

We offer different levels of care so that we can help get you into a program that is going to work for you.

Our programs include intensive outpatient treatment, partial hospitalization programs, residential treatment, and long-term rehab.

Within these programs, we can tailor your treatment to your needs.

For clients that need to detox, we have medically assisted detox.

This allows us to help make your withdrawal symptoms manageable so that you can detox more comfortably.

Afterward, we can start on your behavioral therapy treatment.

By spending time with a licensed counselor, we are able to help you work through the things in your life that led to your drug use, and give you ways to deal with stress and avoid a relapse.

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Get the Help You Need to Stop the Cost of Addiction

We know that no one tries drugs with a plan of becoming addicted to them.

Just because you have a drug addiction does not mean you have to live with the consequences for the rest of your life.

At Pathfinders Recovery Center, we know exactly what it takes to get your life back from the difficulty of addiction.

Our premier addiction treatment centers are located in upscale areas throughout the Scottsdale, Arizona area.

Our luxury locations provide you with a comfortable and home-like atmosphere so that our clients feel safe and secure throughout their treatment program.

We help ensure your success by using only scientifically researched, cutting edge, and effective drug and alcohol addiction treatment programs.

We have over 25 years of experience in helping people with addictions and co-occurring disorders to overcome their addictions.

Many of our clients wonder whether or not they will be able to take advantage of their health insurance benefits to help cover their treatment.

That is why we accept most major insurances through our free insurance verification.

Simply give us a call and one of our addiction specialists can check to see how much of your treatment program will be covered by your insurance before you begin treatment.

You can trust us to communicate with your insurance provider to ensure that you receive every benefit that you are entitled to.

Addiction is a difficult thing to deal with both mentally and physically, but there is no reason you have to try and get clean by yourself.

Let us use our years of experience to help you get on the path to a meaningful and lasting recovery.

Contact us today and see the difference we can make by helping you to become healthy once again.