WHAT IS BINGE DRINKING?

Binge drinking is the consumption of alcohol that raises a person’s blood alcohol concentration to 0.08 or above. For men, this usually takes five or more drinks in two hours, and for women, it usually takes four or more drinks. In contrast, the recommended amount of alcohol consumption for women is no more than one drink a day and no more than two for men. Why is it Dangerous? Most people who binge drink do not have a substance use disorder. However, the consequences of binge drinking are still severe, and extended periods of binge drinking can lead to alcohol dependence. There are a lot of health risks associated with alcohol consumption, such as an increased likelihood of contracting certain cancers and difficulty with memory and learning. With excessive alcohol consumption, additional risks such as unintentional injury like blackouts, alcoholic coma, and alcohol poisoning are higher than with moderate use.

 How Common is It? Binge drinking typically evokes images of college students in fraternity houses and, in fact, young drinkers consume more than 90 percent of their alcohol by binge drinking. However, they are not the only ones. One in six adults in the United States engages in binge drinking four times a month. Over 50 percent of those who binge drink are between the ages of 18 to 34. It is also most prevalent among men, as men are twice as likely as women to binge. However, in the past couple of years, studies show women have begun to close the gap in alcohol consumption.

 What Should I Do if I am or Someone I know is Struggling with Binge Drinking? Attempts to quit without professional help are mostly unsuccessful, and they can also be fatal. Seeking professional help is the safest and most reliable way to stop drinking.

TEEN DATING VIOLENCE AWARENESS

If you’re an adolescent in a romantic relationship, you might not know what’s normal and what isn’t. Maybe you come from a dysfunctional family. Codependency could mark the interactions of the adults in your life. When it comes to your own relationships, you draw from these examples. Signs of childhood trauma can be at the root of unhealthy dynamics. For example, the relationship may include name-calling, hair-pulling, and controlling tendencies. One person might be stalking the other one in person or on social media. There’s also a fair amount of emotional blackmail that keeps the other person from leaving.

POSSIBLE OUTCOMES            

Teens in unhealthy relationships become young adults in problematic personal settings. Signs of childhood trauma follow you throughout your adult life. Inappropriate actions that you or the other person takes can affect your performance in school and later at work. You start to look for ways to escape from feeling angry, sad, and frustrated. It’s a small step to drug abuse. You want to get away from the reality but can’t leave the relationships. You drink or do other drugs that numb you. Doing so heightens your risk of suffering abuse or abusing others. Similarly, adolescents who abuse drugs become adults who do so. Unless you get help at a teen rehab center Illinois trusts, you’ll have to do so at an adult facility. By then, the substance abuse will have taken a toll on your health. Besides that, psychological problems make a recovery more difficult.

 HOW TO REACH OUT FOR HELP

If the messages of teen dating violence awareness month resonate with you, get help. Work with specialists who understand the signs of childhood trauma. Most importantly, don’t be afraid to pursue healing even if your romantic partner doesn’t. You owe it to yourself to get well.

If you’re already struggling with chemical dependency, you can find help for that, too. Most good-quality rehab centers for teens also feature mental health care. They’ll offer the Trauma Therapy Illinois residents can rely on. Other modalities include:

 ·         Cognitive Behavioral Therapy as a way to swap out dysfunction for healthy ways of coping

·         Group Therapy, which encourages positive peer interactions with others in the same situation

·         Psychotherapy as a way to deal with co-occurring mental health conditions

·         Medication-Assisted Treatment that helps you deal with cravings and post-acute withdrawal symptoms

12 Step program

 participation as a way to work with support groups after discharge.

WHAT IS TRANSITIONAL HOUSING?

What takes place in rehab is all in support of one feat, the pursuit of recovery. The entire treatment process seeks to prepare the client for a lifetime without drugs or alcohol. After treatment, the client then heads out to begin life anew. Unfortunately, not all exiting clients are completely ready to take on all the necessary responsibilities. For those people, transitional housing is a viable option. What is transitional housing? We will answer that question below.

 What is Transitional Housing? By definition, transitional living is a living option that allows the resident to slowly transition into another kind of living. As it pertains to recovery, the term would be sober living transitional housing. Literally, the resident will spend time living in a sober environment until they feel capable of safely living life on life’s terms. Remember, relapse is the enemy of someone in recovery. If they feel unsure about how they will handle triggers and temptation on the outside, then they can spend time gathering confidence in a transitional home.

How Sober Living Works? Once the resident enters a sober living environment, they usually start out with a lot of restrictions. They have to follow house rules and also handle an assortment of responsibilities in support of the facility. Over time, the resident should start showing signs of stability and confidence. Slowly but surely, the residence manager will decrease the restrictions and allow the resident more access to outside responsibilities. When the resident’s recovery seems to be on a strong footing, they should then be able to transition back into a normal life. There’s no real time table, though most people will move through sober living in one to three months. Hopefully, that answers the question, what is transitional housing?

Gateway Foundation is a nonprofit addiction treatment organization with facilities in Illinois and other parts of the country. After 50 years of serving millions of people suffering from addiction, we are proud of our status in the industry. The secret to our success is an absolute focus on our clients, using cutting edge treatment modalities and resources. Depending on the facility, we offer the following treatment services:

·         Inpatient and Outpatient options

·         Certified Dual Diagnosis Treatment

·         Withdrawal Management programs

·         CBT, MAT and DBT treatment modalities

·         Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

  As you contemplate your options after addiction treatment, don’t be afraid to ask questions like what is transitional housing. What you will find out is Gateway Foundation fully supports the notion of aftercare options like sober living. Remember, no expects you to fly solo until you feel confident enough to stave off the possibility of relapses.

SIDE EFFECTS OF MARIJUANA ABUSE

In spite of what countless Facebook memes claim, there are adverse side effects of marijuana abuse. The drug isn’t as harmless as many people believe. Most importantly, it can create a use disorder that’s on par with other chemical dependencies. Here’s what you need to know. Smoking is dangerous to your health. That’s true whether you choose tobacco or weed. The chemicals in the smoke irritate your lungs and may damage them. It’s not unusual for long-time users to have the typical smoker’s cough.

If you use edibles, the side effects of marijuana abuse may include heart problems. They typically affect people with pre-existing heart issues. You may be more susceptible to seeing heart rates spike and developing related emergencies. Effects of marijuana abuse also involve psychiatric health. It’s possible for the drug to boost the severity of a co-occurring condition such as schizophrenia or anxiety. Most importantly, you can develop a dependency. Before long, you believe that you need weed to deal with life’s struggles.

AVOID ADDING TO THE EFFECTS OF MARIJUANA ABUSE BY ENDING THE HABIT

The psychological and social side effects of marijuana abuse are worrisome for many people. Frequently, they don’t realize that this drug could be the culprit for making them feel so bad. Similarly, they believe that weed is basically harmless. When they learn the truth, they’re often upset. Many feel that others lied to them. They want to quit using. However, by now they’re dealing with a full-fledged psychological addiction. Marijuana addiction treatment centers Illinois can trust have programs for successful intervention.

Treatments include:

·         Cognitive Behavioral Therapy that helps you recognize triggers and develop healthy coping skills

·         Mindfulness-Based Sobriety as a way to examine situations rationally and without judgment

·         Dual Diagnosis Treatment for underlying anxiety, schizophrenia, depression, or other conditions

·         12-Step integration as a way to begin relapse prevention training

·         Teenage rehab program that introduces age-appropriate therapeutic interventions to mitigate the side effects of marijuana abuse

 DEALING WITH BOREDOM AND PEER PRESSURE

Most people begin using weed as a peer activity. Friends introduced them to the drug. Similarly, they feel bored and are more willing to try something new. Therefore, peer pressure and boredom are potential relapse triggers. Dealing with them in rehab is vital. Group Therapy, role-playing, and Experiential Therapy settings can be instrumental in helping you overcome the urge to go along. You learn how to wave off suggestions for drug use. Besides that, you determine who will be among your new peer group. Many people in rehab find that making some changes to their peer group is essential for continuing recovery. Moreover, they restructure their days to include new hobbies with new peers. Doing so reduces the risk of boredom.

Stop using marijuana today. You don’t have to continue worrying about the harmful effects of marijuana abuse. It’s easy to quit using today, even if you’ve had the habit for a long time.

HOW TO STOP DRINKING ALCOHOL

For many, drinking alcohol is a way to celebrate and have fun. Generally, sipping on wine at dinner or throwing back a shot with friends isn’t a problem. However, excessive alcohol use will harm your health. Specifically, the powerful liquid will change your brain chemistry over time. As such, your body will demand more and more alcohol to function. Presently, the number of Americans dependent on alcohol is growing. In fact, the CDC has linked binge drinking to around 88,000 deaths each year. Putting down the bottle could save your well-being, or even your life. After all, drinking too much hurts your loved ones, career, finances, and organs. Quitting isn’t a simple process though. Below, we’ll outline how to stop drinking alcohol successfully.

How to stop drinking alcohol? First, reflect honestly about how severe your drinking problem has gotten. Admitting that you’re dependent on alcohol is a big step. Second, build an intervention team of close friends and family. You’ll need people to support you and hold you accountable. Third, make an appointment to see your doctor. During the physical exam, discuss your drinking habits and your desire to quit. Next, he or she will determine your risks for severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Usually, people who drink excessively suffer illness when they stop. For example, you might experience pain, nausea, anger, tremors, and cravings. Further, you could develop dangerous seizures and breathing troubles. Given that, medical withdrawal is how to stop drinking alcohol safely. Ultimately, programs suggested by your doctor will guide you through withdrawal.

How to stay sober long term?  Eventually, your alcohol Withdrawal Management treatment will end. Thereupon, you’ll need real-life strategies on how to stop drinking alcohol for good. For instance, remove all temptations to drink again. Have a friend pour all your alcohol down the drain. Likewise, feed your body wholesome foods. Trade sugars for whole grains and vegetables. Choose water and coffee over sodas that can make your energy crash. Get at least eight hours of sleep and 30 minutes of exercise each day. Frequently, the benefits of not drinking alcohol include getting in better physical shape. Above all, find a loving support system. Look for local AA groups and aftercare programs to keep recovering alongside your peers.

Give up or gradually reduce your drinking? If you want to stop drinking alcohol as part of a move towards a healthier lifestyle, cutting down on the amount of alcohol you drink as opposed to giving up alcohol completely can help bring lots of health benefits, and can be easier to stick to.