Abusing drugs and alcohol can really hurt your brain – Drug Rehabs in British Columbia and Alberta – Options Okanagan Treatment Centers in Kelowna, British Columbia treating drug, opiate, fentanyl, heroin and alcohol addiction and recovery.

Drug Rehabs In Alberta And BC

Most people learn early in life that drugs have the power to alter both the function and chemistry of the brain, in particular impacting the areas that control hearing, sight, logic, and inhibition, as well as thought process itself.

Most students attending middle and elementary schools are used to hearing how drugs have devastating impacts on the brain, and how the side effects of using drugs can wind up having an impact that lasts a person’s entire life. When someone understands just how much drugs can influence the brain, it should make it a lot easier for someone to say no their temptations to use them.

How Drugs Relate To The Brain

The human brain is quite a complicated organ, and it’s made up from quite a few different parts that collectively work together as one. The National Institute on Drug Abuse says that drugs are able to alter portions of the brain which are responsible for the coordination and performance of specific functions. That includes many life-sustaining functions that can drive a person’s brain towards addictive behaviors.

The areas of the brain that get most frequently impacted by the abuse of drugs include but are not limited to the following:

1) Brain Stem: This is responsible for sleeping, breathing, and heart rate

2) Cerebral Cortex: This controls senses, thinking, decision making, and problem-solving

3) Limbic System: This is the reward center of the brain which can be activated by both drug abuse and healthy life choices.

The communication system of the brain uses neurotransmitters to send out messages to various portions or regions. When the human brain gets exposed to drugs, then the neurotransmitters don’t function as they were intended any longer. If a person is in pain, that can be a good thing, as prescription pain medication changes how the brain responds to such pain. However, medications used more than prescribed or for too long can mean the brain stops producing the neurotransmitters on its own, so the drug is needed just to feel normal. That’s a form of substance abuse that can lead to an addiction.

The Brain And Cocaine

Cocaine is one particular drug that can really hurt a healthy brain and how it functions. Brain scans that have been taken of people who didn’t use cocaine show quite a bit of activity. On the other hand, a brain scan of cocaine addicts usually indicates nearly no function. Even if those addicts stop their cocaine use for 10 days, another brain scan still indicates minimal brain activity.

Brain scans only show returning functions after consecutive and multiple months of abstinence. Also, based on how long the person was addicted to cocaine and how much cocaine they used, their brain still might not function at a full and normal capacity.

Alberta & BC Rehabs From Cocaine Addiction

In terms of treatment for cocaine addiction or just trying to stay sober following stimulant addiction, there is a combination of several intense physical withdrawal symptoms with even more severe psychological withdrawal. The first few weeks of recovery are really hard, and then another rough spot several months later. The patterns of both cravings and the compulsive behavior that comes with cocaine addiction, addiction to crystal meth, or prescription stimulant medication addiction means that the best move is usually a long-term cocaine residential rehab program.

Opiate Treatment in Alberta and BC

With inpatient treatment, you get a physical barrier put between yourself and the drug. If you’re not able to get cocaine, then you can’t use it. This fundamental truth gets held for a while so that you can build up some time without the actual drug, and this is crucial to recovery from your drug addiction. You start meeting new people, experiencing new things, and learning how to make it through your day without drugs of any kind. Reintegrating back into the so-called real world is a lot easier on anyone who has more time being sober and clean in drug rehab.

If you’d like to learn about the sober living programs we offer for long-term residential cocaine rehab, contact us right away.

Drug Addiction Rehabs in Alberta and BC

Opiate Rehab in Alberta and BC

Options Okanagan Opiate and Alcohol Treatment Centers in Kelowna, Salmon Arm and Vancouver, British Columbia – Men and Women are recovering and healing from Alcohol and Drug Abuse at our treatment center here in the Okanagan right now.

Our unique and distinctive Opiate Drug and Alcohol treatment program allows men and women to come in from Calgary as well as Edmonton as we offer airport pickup.

Numerous clients come to us from Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton and other locations in Alberta and even other provinces for Opiate addiction treatment, heroin drug treatment, many other drug and alcohol addictions for rehabilitation because of the uniqueness of our treatment center.

Our Opiate Treatment Location:
Options Okanagan Drug and Opiate Treatment Center
551 Sherrydale Crescent, Kelowna, British Columbia, V1V 2E6
Toll Free Phone Number : 1-855-335-0331

Why does the use of drugs lead to addiction? Alcohol and drug rehabs in British Columbia and Alberta – Options Okanagan Treatment Centers in Kelowna, British Columbia treating drug, opiate, fentanyl, heroin and alcohol addiction and recovery.

Opioid Addiction In Alberta And BC

Vital Things To Remember Concerning Drug Addiction

Drug addiction is a chronic disease characterized by the compulsive use of drugs despite the health risks. The use of drugs will alter the functions of the brain over time thus impeding self-control and affecting the addicted person’s ability to resist the substance they desire to take. It is this impact on the use of drugs that also makes drug addiction a relapsing disease. Relapse is the act of returning to the use or indulgence of something after attempting to quit, having been successful at it for some time. Relapsing bears testament to the need for more or different treatment and approach to dealing with the addiction.

What Leading To Drug Addiction?

The brain has a reward circuit that is affected by drugs to produce a high amount of dopamine. The surges of this chemical messenger (dopamine) into the reward circuits is what triggers that immense, short-term pleasurable feeling when taking drugs. It is this outcome that is linked with reinforcing such activities that turn into the compulsive behavior that is drug addiction.

The continued use of the substances, over time, causes the brain to adjust the production of dopamine resulting in a reduced high feeling compared to that felt when taking the drug for the first time. Such an effect is known as tolerance and as a result, causing the user to take higher amounts of the substance to achieve the desired high.

Becoming an addict to drugs cannot be an affirmed outcome since no one factor can predict such a thing. It is more or less an outcome that is subject to a combination of genetics, environmental, and developmental factors. The more the risk factors, the higher the chances of abusing illegal substances are and becoming addicted.

Since drug addiction is regarded as a disease, it can be treated and managed. Drug use and the subsequent addiction are preventable. Everyone in the societal setting, the parents, teachers, leaders, and health care providers should take an active role in educating the youth about the dangers of drug use and addiction.

Seeking Treatment For Addiction

Addiction to drugs has been a severe problem in many societies and has continued to be a thorny issue across North America. Fortunately, the drive to create awareness has started to bear a positive impact. But even then, a lot still needs to be done to help the millions of individuals affected by this social scourge.

Suffering due to addiction is there, and it is attributed to the low rate of the users to want to seek help and treatment. However, sobriety is not unattainable; it only needs the addicts to get the appropriate assistance and guidance via the right treatment programs. It is hard for an addict to admit to having such a problem. But it is best to have the addiction identified and treated as soon as possible for quicker sobriety.

Drug Opiate Addicts in BC and Alberta

The best treatment program is one that has an individualized approach that identifies and addresses the specific needs of each person. Options Okanagan is there to help. Get in touch with one of our professional counselors to know more about the steps to take towards recovery from drug addiction.

Opiate Addiction in Alberta and BC

Opiate Rehab in Alberta and BC

Options Okanagan Opiate and Alcohol Treatment Centers in Kelowna, Salmon Arm and Vancouver, British Columbia – Men and Women are recovering and healing from Alcohol and Drug Abuse at our treatment center here in the Okanagan right now.

Our unique and distinctive Opiate Drug and Alcohol treatment program allows men and women to come in from Calgary as well as Edmonton as we offer airport pickup.

Numerous clients come to us from Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton and other locations in Alberta and even other provinces for Opiate addiction treatment, heroin drug treatment, many other drug and alcohol addictions for rehabilitation because of the uniqueness of our treatment center.

Our Opioid Treatment Location:
Options Okanagan Drug and Opiate Treatment Center
551 Sherrydale Crescent, Kelowna, British Columbia, V1V 2E6
Toll Free Phone Number : 1-855-335-0331

Drug addiction in entertainment – Education Or Glorification – Drug Opiate interventionists in British Columbia and Alberta – Options Okanagan Treatment Centers in Kelowna, British Columbia treating drug, opiate, fentanyl, heroin and alcohol addiction and recovery.

Opioid Rehab In BC and Alberta

All types of media capitalize off drug addiction. The television, film and music industries are all in on it and even theater is starting to exploit this scourge on society. Studies have been conducted into how often drug abuse and addiction are mentioned in certain music genres.

Parent protest groups have been established purely with the intent to object to the mention of drugs, drug abuse and addiction and the amount of times it is mentioned both in music and on screen. It can be concluded that references to drugs such as marijuana, heroin, cocaine and alcohol can lead to children believing that taking drugs is the norm and open the gate to experimentation. However, the case can also be made that this type of exposure can be a beneficial educational tool as it opens the problem up to discussion.

Glorification of Drug Addiction in Entertainment

It cannot be denied that seeing drug use on screen that makes a character look tough and cool can lead to some people imitating the actions of their favorite actor in a movie or television series. People who are famous are often idolized by the general public and are unaware of how their actions have consequences and can influence others. Actors, musicians, performers, athletes and even song and screen writers need to see themselves as the role models that they have become and be more responsible about the decisions they make and their actions both on and off stage, camera or the sports field.

Education and Drug Addiction in Entertainment

There is the opinion that the attention that is paid to drug addiction in the media provides the ideal medium for education. The fact that drug addiction is an extreme problem in society is already pretty well known by the general public. It also cannot be denied that for every negative depiction of drug addiction there are just as many positive depictions where the difficult recovery process and losing everything due to addiction is shown. It is up to parents to use these depictions as a seamless and intuitive tool to educate their children rather than allowing them to emulate their movie, TV or music heroes. References to the struggles that actors and other people in the public eye go through due to drug abuse as well as the death of many celebrities resulting from addiction, may also go a long way towards providing adults with the knowledge to make better decisions. It is up to each and every person but especially parents and teachers to take advantage of drug exposure in the media and in entertainment and turn it into a powerful drug prevention and education tool.

Opiate Rehab in Alberta and BC

So is drug addiction in entertainment glorification or education?

Do you believe that references to substance abuse in entertainment provides a solution or is part of the problem? Or do you think that both play a role? Maybe you feel that apart from the fact that parents have the means to censor exposure of their children to drug related media, each person is ultimately responsible for their own actions? On the other hand, perhaps the entertainment industry is glorifying drug abuse for profit and should be held liable?

Drug Addiction in Alberta and BC

Alcohol Interventions and Treatment in BC and Alberta

Options Okanagan Opiate and Alcohol Treatment Centers in Kelowna, Salmon Arm and Vancouver, British Columbia – Men and Women are recovering and healing from Alcohol and Drug Abuse at our treatment center here in the Okanagan right now.

Our unique and distinctive Opiate Drug and Alcohol treatment program allows men and women to come in from Calgary as well as Edmonton as we offer airport pickup.

Numerous clients come to us from Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton and other locations in Alberta and even other provinces for Opiate addiction treatment, heroin drug treatment, many other drug and alcohol addictions for rehabilitation because of the uniqueness of our treatment center.

Our Opioid and Drug Treatment Location:
Options Okanagan Drug and Opiate Treatment Center
551 Sherrydale Crescent, Kelowna, British Columbia, V1V 2E6
Toll Free Phone Number : 1-855-335-0331

How to healthfully replace alcohol and drug addiction – Drug and alcohol rehabs in British Columbia and Alberta – Options Okanagan Treatment Centers in Kelowna, British Columbia treating drug, opiate, fentanyl, heroin and alcohol addiction and recovery.

Drug Rehabs In Alberta And BC

When a majority of people stop using drugs, they discover that they have some extra free time. All of that time that was spent finding drugs, getting high, or working to pay for all of the drugs turns into free time. When that free time is combined with the early sobriety stages, it is quite normal to feel overwhelmed and scared. If you remain isolated, then you may easily get bored. Boredom then can lead to being anti-social and could even result in going back towards addiction.

Your first year of recovery is a critical time of change and healing. That is why it is particularly important that you stay far away from new vices as acceptable ways for spending your time.

Time Fillers That Are Unhealthy During Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery

Unfortunately, not everybody makes the healthiest choices when it comes to filling their schedules up. Some individuals really struggle when they don’t have ideas. Other people take new vices up such as gambling which may turn into a new addiction. Even some activities that seem quite innocent like going to the movies or watching TV might not be very good choices and they can be quite isolating. You want to select activities that give you the chance to interact with other people who are sober, clean, and healthy.

Gambling is often a gateway back into drug and alcohol addiction. At casinos alcohol is always readily available. That combined with stress from losing can make it very difficult to avoid the temptation of going into a relapse.

Time Fillers That Are Healthy During Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery

There are numerous areas for you to choose from when it comes to filling your time during the early stages of your alcohol and drug addiction recovery. The following are a couple of key questions to ask yourself that can help you narrow down your choices:

1. Does it in any way trigger you wanting to use? If drugs or drinking are involved in the activity, or results in you being surrounded with individuals who use then you could be susceptible to relapse.

2. Is the activity isolating? It is definitely fine to spend some time by yourself for reflection, but if you are spending all of your time alone, it is just a matter of time until you end up relapsing.

3. Are you enjoying yourself? If you don’t like what you are doing, then it won’t hold your interest for very long. Of course you should try out new things. However, if you do end up trying something out and then decide it isn’t for you, it’s okay to drop it. Simply find something new the next day that isn’t a trigger for you. Try to find an activity where you can make new friendships that are positive.

Your hometown will always have a wide range of activities that are available to do, no matter where you happen to live. Join a book club or gym. Enroll in a free class at the library. The most important thing to do is get out so you can make connections with other people. It may take time to find the right activities that suit you the best. That’s fine. Just don’t give up and continue to try out activities that are healthy and support your sobriety and recovery.

Opiate Addiction Treatment in Alberta and BC

Opiate Rehabs in Alberta and BC

Next Steps In Your Addiction Recovery Process

If you are finding yourself in a situation where you are considering using again, talking to someone is one of the very best things that you can do. Don’t try fighting it by yourself. The ability for making sound decisions is eroded by drug addiction>. Join a support group. Call a family member. Call a friend. You can also call us here at Options Okanagan. Get the help and support that you truly need so that you don’t fall back. It is possible to live a sober and healthy life. You are not alone. So take the necessary step today so that you can continue moving forward with your recovery.

Alcohol and Drug Interventions in Alberta and BC

Options Okanagan Opiate and Alcohol Treatment Centers in Kelowna, Salmon Arm and Vancouver, British Columbia – Men and Women are recovering and healing from Alcohol and Drug Abuse at our treatment center here in the Okanagan right now.

Our unique and distinctive Opiate Drug and Alcohol treatment program allows men and women to come in from Calgary as well as Edmonton as we offer airport pickup.

Numerous clients come to us from Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton and other locations in Alberta and even other provinces for Opiate addiction treatment, heroin drug treatment, many other drug and alcohol addictions for rehabilitation because of the uniqueness of our treatment center.

Our Drug Opiate Treatment Location:
Options Okanagan Drug and Opiate Treatment Center
551 Sherrydale Crescent, Kelowna, British Columbia, V1V 2E6
Toll Free Phone Number : 1-855-335-0331

Mental health and opiate addiction: A specialized drug treatment for those who need it. Opioid addiction treatment and rehab in British Columbia and Alberta – Options Okanagan Treatment Centers in Kelowna, British Columbia treating drug, opiate, fentanyl, heroin and alcohol addiction and recovery.

Drug Rehabs in Alberta and BC

When a person is abusing drugs, it is not always easy to tell if they were feeling depressed and decided to use drugs to get relief from their emotions or if they turned to drugs and eventually ended up feeling depressed because of the substances they were using. No matter which one starts first, it is obvious that the combination of addiction and depression can lead a person on a downward spiral that causes them to suffer immensely. Someone with an addiction who is also depressed is going to need a major intervention to overcome everything that is going on in his or her life.

A large percentage of people who use drugs or drink alcohol are depressed. Nearly 60% of current drug users are suffering from underlying mental health conditions, some of which have not been properly diagnosed yet. A person could suffer from depression, borderline personality disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and even anxiety. Such mental health conditions can make it difficult for individuals to make the right decisions and could be one of the main reasons these individuals are choosing to use different substances in the first place.

When a person is depressed, they tend to feel hopeless. They may cry quite often, have no energy to do the things they used to do, and may no longer have an interest in spending time with their family or friends. Depression can make it difficult for a person to get out of bed and go to work. If a person is missing work because of his or her depression, he or she will start to stress even more due to the lack of money coming in and the number of bills that are piling up.

The stress and depression in a person’s life could lead them to use alcohol or take drugs in an attempt to conceal what they are feeling. People often seek a high to forget about the pain and suffering they are enduring in their daily lives. A person might feel depressed because they are in an abusive relationship, feel like they have no one to talk to, or even suffer from an illness. Regardless of the reason for the depression, someone who is feeling so low should seek help instead of trying to self-medicate.

If someone is depressed and they have already started abusing drugs and alcohol, they should go to a rehabilitation center that offers specialized treatment to patients who are looking to beat their addictions while addressing their mental health issues. The right rehab center for someone with depression or other mental health issues would be a center that offers dual diagnosis treatment. The treatment involves getting to the bottom of those mental health issues and finding ways to treat the issues to keep the individual from seeking drugs again.

Painkiller Addiction in Alberta and BC

We have experienced staff members working at our center where we are offering dual diagnosis treatment< to patients who need the help. Our clients will receive the best care while they go through the steps that they need to take to get clean and healthy. If you need help or if someone you love needs help, you can reach out to us to get more information on this specialized type of treatment.

Addiction and Aftercare in Alberta and BC

OxyContin Deaths and The Sackler Family Creator

Drug Addicted in Alberta and BC

Options Okanagan Opiate and Alcohol Treatment Centers in Kelowna, Salmon Arm and Vancouver, British Columbia – Men and Women are recovering and healing from Alcohol and Drug Abuse at our treatment center here in the Okanagan right now.

Our unique and distinctive Opiate Drug and Alcohol treatment program allows men and women to come in from Calgary as well as Edmonton as we offer airport pickup.

Numerous clients come to us from Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton and other locations in Alberta and even other provinces for Opiate addiction treatment, heroin drug treatment, many other drug and alcohol addictions for rehabilitation because of the uniqueness of our treatment center.

Our Drug Opioid Treatment Location:
Options Okanagan Drug and Opiate Treatment Center
551 Sherrydale Crescent, Kelowna, British Columbia, V1V 2E6
Toll Free Phone Number : 1-855-335-0331