Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Domestic Violence
By Sean Winter

Alcohol and drug abuse can have serious tolls on the physiological and psychological health. Not only for the addict buy for family and friends as well. The situation becomes something beyond control, especially when things get abusive for everyone. The addict can't break free from the addiction for the obvious reasons.

When this happens you will need to get help, you probably can’t do this on your own. Unless your Superman or Wonder Woman.

Drugs and alcohol are directly related to domestic violence. Addicts often find themselves without their drug. When this happens they can get very irritable, and many times abusive. They also become abusive when using their drug of choice. Most likely if you’re reading this, someone you care about is addicted to something. Have you ever tried to come in between an addict and their drugs? Not a pretty sight. They will argue with you, tell you they hate you, and of course abuse is also a major factor.

Why do they need help?

These reasons alone are enough to get this person some help, and not to mention you. This will continue until someone takes initiative, and you know an addict won't do this. A lot of times it seems that this person does not care about you, and that they would choose their addiction over you. They will but that is just the drugs talking. You have to jump over or push through the obstacles to handle this situation, it will take some time but it is worth it. Don’t you think?

Sean has been a writer for 10+ years and is knowledgeable in many different areas.
Sean Winter is also webmaster of http://www.findaddictiontreatment.com

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Pain Pill Addictions
By S. Wagner

Probably one of the worst addictions to have is an addiction to pain pills. In this article I am going to tell you my own story of pain killer addiction and how I personally got over it. Hopefully, this will give you the courage and the strength to do the same.

First of all, I am speaking from personal experience. This isn't something I got from a medical journal. Many years ago I had terrible sinus problems. Well, they got to the point where one morning I woke up with such a blinding headache that I had to take 2 extra strength Bufferin to rid myself of the pain. Little did I know, that was the start of a 10 year addiction to pain killers.

The next morning I woke up, same headache, but not as bad. I decided to run for the pain killers before my headache got any worse. Instead of going to a specialist for sinus problems, and getting to the root of the problem, I decided to just treat the symptoms.

Well, over time, I started to notice that even though the headaches were not as bad, and sometimes even ever so slight, I would immediately run to the pain killers at the slightest hint of pain, even if it was almost non existent. I was starting to wonder if the pain itself was in my head, no pun intended.

Long story short, I was on these pills for 10 years until I had become so anemic from them, due to internal bleeding from them, that I had to stop cold turkey or I would have died. Oddly, the fear of death literally killed the "phantom" pain that was in my head. It was then that I realized that I was indeed addicted.

It has now been quite a few years since I have taken an aspirin. It wasn't easy at first. My allergy symptoms, which were under control because of the aspirins, became quite severe, to the point where I had to start taking allergy shots. Over time, however, the shots began to work, which was something I should have done long ago, and the allergy symptoms were gone as well as the headaches.

Combining that with a healthy new way of living, new diet, and new outlook on life, I have been pain free and pain killer free for years now. By simply saying no to pain killers, you can lick this terrible addiction. It won't be easy, but it just may save your life.

To YOUR Health,

Steve Wagner has been pain free for many years now because of a clean way of living. Why not visit his website at http://www.natures-healing-remedies.com/ and get your free report on how the drug companies are killing us. You will also get a weekly series on a number of natural treatments for a number of ailments.

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Addiction - When Gambling Becomes a Problem
By Jack Reider

While most people enjoy casino gambling, sports betting, lottery and bingo playing for the fun and excitement it provides, others may experience gambling as an addictive and distractive habit. Statistics show that while 85 percent of the adult population in the US enjoys some type of gambling every year, between 2 and 3 percent of will develop a gambling problem and 1 percent of them are diagnosed as pathological gamblers.

Where can you draw the line between harmless gambling to problem gambling? How can you tell if you or your friend are compulsive gamblers? Here you can find answers to these questions and other questions regarding problem gambling and gambling addiction.

What is the Meaning of Problem Gambling?

Problem gambling or compulsive gambling is defined as an uncontrollable urge to gamble despite the destructive effect of gambling on the gamblers life and despite feelings of guilt and remorse. Problem gambling tends to have a negative effect on the gamblers financial state, relationships and daily life. Severe cases of problem gambling can be defined as pathological gambling.

Am I a Compulsive Gambler?

1) Do you gamble until your last penny runs out?

2) Do you gamble to win back your former losses or debts?

3) Did you ever had to borrow money to continue gamble?

4) Did your gambling habit ever made you lie to your friends or family?

5) Did you ever skip work or other obligation to gamble?

6) Do you tend to gamble to forget about your personal problems or to celebrate happy occasions?

7) Does gambling have a negative affect on your daily life or relationships?

If you have answered yes on at least one of the questions listed above, then you have a problem.

Can Anyone Become a Compulsive Gambler?

Theoretically, yes. Any gambler can develop gambling problem regardless to the type of gambling he is occupied with, the amount of money and time he is spending on gambling. Researches show that slot machines that can be found in bars and convenient stores are the most addictive type of gambling activity, while lottery draws and bingo games are located on the other end of the scale. Gambling addiction is an emotional problem; its symptoms, causes and treatments are similar to any other form of addiction.

How Can I treat Gambling Addiction?

1) Group Therapy:

Gamblers Anonymous offers a 12 step self help program similar to the one offered to alcohol addicts in Alcoholics Anonymous. Group therapy also offers gambling addicts advice and support from professional counselors and other gambling addicts in different phases of their recovery process. Gambler Anonymous centers are available in more than 1,200 locations statewide.

2) Individual Therapy:

Cognitive or behavior therapy can help gambling addicts to identify their unaware thinking and acting patterns, which led them to gamble compulsively, and to replace them with controllable and healthier ways of thinking.

3) Psychiatric Medication:

It has recently been proven that antidepressant medications from the family of SSRIs, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors can be affective in treatment of gambling addicts.

As the editor of a guide to online casinos Jack Reider has had to deal with gambling addictions in all forms. He has helped users and Gamblers Anonymous organizations connect.

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What You Should Know About Dealing With Addiction, Part 1
By Gabriel J. Adams

Whether you love chocolate or can’t stop watching reality television shows, there are certain addictions that bring danger to your health, livelihood, or emotional stability. When one gets into the habit of abusing substances, displaying caustic behavior, and/or following negative lifestyle patterns, they will need extra support and help to break the cycle of self-destruction. Below you will find a variety of signs that arise when one needs help dealing with addition.

Different Types of Addiction

When the word “addiction” is mentioned in a conversation, many people tend to think of drugs and alcohol as the main source of the problem. There are plenty of other factors that can lead to the loss of control over substances, behavioral patterns, or habits. When addicted, an individual feels as if they have to possess, use, or take advantage of whatever circumstance or substance is consuming their life. Addiction can take over the psychological stability of a person or attack their physical well being. In many cases, both instances are involved.

Physical addiction encompasses the body’s dependency on a specific substance (whether it is cocaine, alcohol or heroin). Over time, a person may build up a tolerance to this substance, making smaller doses obsolete. In turn, an individual needs to consume or intake larger quantities of the drug to continue feeling the same high they are accustomed to. When a physically addicted person ceases the use of their drug of choice, they may undergo withdrawal symptoms. For this reason, quitting their physical addictions becomes even harder.

Psychological addiction occurs when one displays a craving for a drug or activity that affects their emotional stability. It is the desire to have the drug or participate in an act that moves one to continue, which often leads to desperate actions, such as lying or stealing. Eventually, the need for the drug or activity begins to surpass the initial longing to have fun. A dependency develops and quitting the habit becomes very hard.

Physical and psychological addiction may occur when one becomes dependent on alcohol, cigarettes, gambling, sex, food, and other illegal drugs. Dealing with addiction is rather difficult to master, but recognizing and knowing the signs will help immensely in eradicating the dependency. Drug addicts may use illegal substances to forget their daily problems and relieve stress. Sex addicts may place themselves in dangerous situations to bring someone home with them. Gambling addicts may steal money from family and friends so they can visit casinos or play the lottery. Those addicted to food may display the signs of eating disorders, such as bulimia. Alcoholics may exhibit anxiety, anger, depression, and/or mood swings.

Opinions in this article do not necessarily reflect the view of Addiction Help which the author would like for you to visit.

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Instant Advantages Of Quit Smoking Why is It Necessary To Curb On Your Smoking Addiction?
By Charles Greg

Eager to know the benefits of smoking cessation! Ask someone who had remained a smoker for a pretty long time and is now successfully out of the grip of cigarettes. A wealth of people fall in the grip of cigarette addiction on a daily basis due to their happy-go-lucky attitude to life and also for the reason that they are utterly oblivious to the drastic consequences that addiction to cigarettes unleash in the life of a person!

And when the quit smoking brigade achieves success, they experience a plethora of positive changes in their health and hygiene. It is a plain truth that once a person successfully gets rid of smoking addiction, within 15 minutes the high blood pressure that he was suffering from on account of smoking addiction reaches the normal stage. And dear buddy, this is not the only benefit to be derived from cigarette addiction!

There are other striking advantages also which are equally beneficial. To inform you on some of them, here is a brief glimpse on the instant benefits which you can avail of once you quit smoking effectively:

- After you succeed in inducing smoking cessation, the nicotine remnants are ejected out of your body in 10 days.

- Just within 70 minutes, the oxygen level in the blood improves drastically and as it happens; your health condition significantly develops.

To add to this list, after you are out of the shackles of cigarette addiction, erectile dysfunction, cancer and other smoking induced ailments would remain far distant from you. So, isn’t it a necessity to pile up all your resources and get rid of smoking addiction at the earliest?

The author writes articles on smoking related issues, especially on the causes, consequences and cure of smoking addiction. For more tidbits on these matters, visit the website http://www.chantixhome.com

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Coping Emotionally With Overcoming Addiction
By Serhat Pala

Overcoming addiction, particularly drug addiction (like the one mentioned in the recent HBO documentary Addiction), is perhaps one of the most difficult physical challenges we as humans can surmount. Our body's dependency on a substance can lead to physical side effects from withdrawal, as our organs become used to life without addiction. The repercussions are multi-dimensional, and can be physical torture. Invariably it's will power and professional help that's needed to rectify the situation. But seldom when we think about overcoming addiction do we consider the mental and emotional impact of giving up. Arguably addiction is as much a physical dependency as a mental dependency, and it can be particularly hard to find the mettle to live in the face of addiction.

In order to have the first chance of success in overcoming an addiction (like in the documentary HBO Addiction), the addicted (the patient) must be personally willing to do so. The single most common reason for post-rehabilitation lapses is a lack of appreciation for the end goal. It is absolutely imperative that the patient understands the consequences, and actually wants to give up. Without that personal determination, the best medical and professional drug addiction treatment in the world wouldn't stand a chance. With this hurdle out the way, its important to make sure the patient understands the process, and never loses sight of the aim. Demonize as far as possible, but understand that drug addiction is a lot more than lack of will. Regardless of the subject of a given drug addiction, the process is the same – gradual and awkward. It is therefore important for healthy recovery to present a balanced appreciation for the patient's circumstances. Keep them busy, and give them a shoulder to cry on when they need it. Tough love is good, but it’s also essential you provide support and guidance.

If you're addicted, or you think you might be addicted (to any substance including drug addiction), the first thing you should do is come to terms with the fact that you are indeed physically and mentally reliant on the subject. You need to stop, and put your life into perspective – understand the damage addiction can do, and understand your body's needs throughout your treatment program. Try to ignore what your body tells you in the early days. for Addiction can cause biological confusion, so don't worry about cravings. In fact, many recovering addicts find they gain weight rapidly as they try to compensate for their lack of the subject with food and drink. If this applies to you, take comfort in the fact that your health will significantly improve without addiction over time, and remember that your weight gain should level out soon enough. Keep your eye on the ball, and make sure you cry when you feel like it, laugh when you feel like it, and talk when you feel like it. Indulge yourself socially and talk about your problems. Others might get sick of listening, but at the end of the day social, hence mental reassurance is pivotal to a successful drug recovery, even more so than the best of drug abuse recovery programs.

This article is prepared by Christy Berger who writes for Drug Addiction as in HBO's Documentary - Addiction. A longer version of this article can be found at Overcoming Drug Addiction. Main resource of this article is Drug Testing Kits: Urine Test Kits - Home Hair Drug Testing.

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