Brain injury rehabilitation

FSHC is a major provider of health care across the UK. Four Seasons' origins date back to the late 1980's.The company has developed through both the acquisition and construction of care facilities and has firmly established a reputation for professionalism in all aspects of its care operations. The customer's Care Homes Division comprises approximately 250 homes in England, 50 in Scotland and 60 in Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man. Many types of care are provided in the divisions' high quality facilities including care for people who are elderly and either frail or mentally infirm. In addition, there are dedicated services for respite care, rehabilitation, intermediate care, terminal and palliative care as well as care for younger persons suffering from chronic conditions. The emotional, social and behavioural consequences of brain injury can be enduring and can lead to Neurodisability. FSHC offers assessment and brain injury rehabilitation for moderate to severe brain injured patients who may be going through a temporary phase, or have long term intractable behavioural or cognitive disabilities. The condition of Neurodisability and brain injury rehabilitation is treated by our well established Specialised Services Division, The Huntercombe Group. Brain damage or brain injury is the destruction or degeneration of brain cells. It is caused by a brain bleed in prematurity, trauma, infections, or other events that affect functioning in various ways. Any brain or head injury resulting from the negligence of another party, resulting in serious physical conditions, which may include speech and language difficulties, balance and movement problems, and the inability to care for one's self. For further details and information about FSHC care homes and brain injury rehabilitation centers, browse through the website, http://www.fshc.co.uk/specialist/neurodisability.asp

Drug Rehab-A Family's Help Can Make The Difference

To have a drug addict in a family, can be very depressing for the members, and they may go through a number of emotionally, physically, socially, and mentally, painful situations. The ones closest to the person may feel drawn towards drug addiction, and may experience anxiety, anger, or fear and then ultimately, exultation, as the person begins dealing with the problem or begins drug rehab.

The affected members of the family may need advice and counseling, to make them aware of the best way to handle the circumstances. The most significant role of a family in the process of rehabilitation could be to show understanding and give support to the person. The positive steps taken by the loved ones at rehab must be encouraged.

There are various support groups that provide assistance to the families while dealing with the feelings such as confusion that they could be having about themselves, or the other family members. These support groups and counseling help to understand the process and educate the families on how to be a positive influence for the drug rehab treatment.

Effects on families

The problem of having drug abuse in a family can have a huge influence on the other members. There may be divorce, financial loss, communication breakdown, child abuse, negligence or accidents, stress, depression and loss of self esteem.

The members may go through a large range of emotions and, in some cases, illness related to stress during and after the drug rehab process. For instance, they may blame themselves for the addiction problem of the loved one, or may become too anxious regarding the actions and the moods of the addict. They may even stop caring for themselves, giving first priority to the needs of the addict.

Families must know that they can look for a compassionate ear, to help them let out their emotions and get encouragement and advice during the drug rehab. For example, group meetings can offer support to the families and the patients, and make them feel that there is help to be found.

Various types of groups, providing such services are:

* Multi- family groups: these groups provide the addicts and their family members the opportunity to go to large group meetings, where they can listen to other similar experiences, or simply watch movies for encouragement and support.

* Family support groups: these are groups of people who need to talk about their experiences during and after one of their family members have been to a drug rehab. However, the patient is never allowed to attend these meetings.

* Individual therapist sessions: these are for the seriously affected families and help the family members with the private healing processes. It is mostly meant for those who have been greatly affected while the patients have suffered under the influence of harsh drugs.

So what do we conclude?

Drug addiction can devastate families and leave ever-lasting scars on them. Families must offer support to the patients at the drug rehab centers, while taking care of themselves and going for counseling so that it helps with their own emotions and confusions.

Summary:

Drug addiction is no doubt very devastating for the family. A person close to the addict may even try using drugs to escape from the situation. To deal with this harsh situation, the family members must seek counseling and try seeking advice that could be helpful. The families must be made aware that their support is essential during the process of drug rehab.
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Selecting The Right Alcohol & Drug Rehab Facility

When you are searching for an alcohol and drug rehab program, it is important that you select a facility that will best suit the needs of the person in need of treatment. Whether it's you, a family member or friend, the most important part of the selection process is ensuring that the facility will be able to offer not only a quality treatment program, but also a professional counseling and support system throughout the entire rehabilitation process.

One of the best ways to find a quality alcohol & drug rehab facility is through the referral of a physician, many of whom will offer a recommendation as to the best treatment options for an individual following a determination as to his/her level of alcohol and/or drug dependency. Without the recommendation of a physician, individuals will have to search for a treatment facility on their own. One way of doing this is by looking through the yellow pages of a local telephone book or searching the web for local treatment facilities.

While each alcohol & drug rehab treatment program is different, the basic fundamentals are the same. Most facilities have a strict list of guidelines that every patient must adhere to including which items can and cannot be brought onto the premises. This is especially true of an inpatient treatment facility, which offers housing to patients. Most programs begin with a detoxification process, often referred to simply as 'detox,' which is followed by a treatment program customized to the patient's needs. During this time, counseling sessions and various activities will be participated in by the patient in order to show them the benefits of living a drug and alcohol free life.

According to their level of dependency, patients may be required to attend an inpatient program. As mentioned previously, this entails the patient actually residing on the property during the treatment process. During this time, there is 24-hour supervision with inpatient care. Outpatient treatment, on the other hand, is for individuals who are able to continue living their life, attending school or work and everyday functions without the concern of substance abuse. An outpatient treatment program allows for an individual to live at home and attend regular counseling meetings, such as AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) or other treatment program. The decision between an inpatient or outpatient treatment program will depend heavily on the level of addiction and the patient's ability to resist alcohol and drugs without constant supervision.

This article is to be used for informational purposes only. The information contained herein should not be used as, in place of or in conjunction with professional medical advice regarding the treatment for alcohol and drug abuse. Prior to selecting a quality alcohol & drug rehab facility, individuals should consult a licensed medical doctor for a proper diagnosis and recommendation for treatment.

The author is a regular contributor to A&D Rehab where more information about alcohol and drug rehab programs and options is available.

Rehabilitation Therapy Schools

Seeking a professional and personally rewarding career? Perhaps becoming a qualified rehabilitation therapist might be an option for you. Rehabilitation therapy schools offer educational programs that prepare students in becoming licensed occupational, rehabilitation and physical therapists; and applicable fields of work.

Prior to enrolling in a rehabilitation therapy school, (term is commonly interchanged with physical therapy and occupational therapy schools) individuals should take high school courses in art, biology, chemistry, health, physics and social sciences; as these are often prerequisites for rehabilitation therapy school entry.

Accredited rehabilitation therapy learning institutions provide comprehensive curriculums that cover behavioral and social sciences; biology; computer science; human anatomy; medical terminology; physics; relevant electives; and other related continuing education coursework.

According to the US Department of Labor '...122 master's degree programs offered entry-level education...' with '...65 programs offering a combined bachelor's and master's degree, and 5 offering an entry-level doctoral degree.' [1] Based on this information, rehabilitation therapy school students will have to attain a minimum of a bachelor's degree in an accredited occupational or rehabilitation therapy school program in order to become a practicing therapist. In addition to successfully completing and graduating from an accredited rehabilitation therapy institution, candidates must pass a national certification examination to attain professional license.

Because the professional field of rehabilitation, occupational and physical therapy is expected to rapidly increase, students who wish to attain an education for this particular career can anticipate long term and stable employment opportunities.

Ref.

1. US Department of Labor

C. Bailey-Lloyd in association with Media Positive Communications, Inc. for SchoolsGalore.com

C. Bailey-Lloyd is the Public Relations' Director for Media Positive Communications, Inc. in association with SchoolsGalore.com. Find Rehabilitation Therapy Schools at SchoolsGalore.com; meeting your needs as your educational resource to locate schools.

Mortgage Note Buying versus Rehabbing Homes

As any seasoned real estate investor knows, just because you acquire property that is cheap does not mean it won't become expensive. Things happen that are not conducive to our investment timetable or budget, and often they are beyond our control.

Sometimes rehabbing a home takes longer than anticipated. Or the cost of materials and labor can rise unexpectedly, local ordinances can change, or other scenarios can come into play to make a project run longer than scheduled or over budget - or both. And many of the circumstances dictating how things unfold may be impossible to foresee. Weather can play a critical role, for instance, especially if you are doing roof repairs, concrete work, or exterior painting and need the help of sunny skies. When hurricanes and other natural disasters strike, even on the other side of the country, construction materials can suddenly become more expensive - the price of plywood can jump 20 percent overnight.

Many projects are now on hold simply because of a rise in gasoline prices, which adds to the cost of all materials delivered by truck to the local lumberyard or home improvement store. It can even add to labor costs, because if your contractors are commuting, they expect to be compensated for the cost of getting to and from the job site. If you are working on a slender margin, a few cents per gallon at the gas pump can be enough to erase your potential profits while you work to rehab and "flip" a property.

And any delay in a real estate project leaves the investors open to vulnerability from shifting economic factors. If the housing market cools off and interest rates spike before you get your house on the market and sold, for instance, you can be left holding the bag through the downturn, with expenses like mortgage payments, insurance premiums, and property tax added to your balance sheet.

To find an alternative way to invest in real estate - without the day-to-day logistical headaches - many investors turn to paper investment, either as a way to supplement their portfolio or as a full-time business in lieu of actual physical ownership of properties. By buying the debt that finances real estate, they participate without having to roll up their sleeves and deal with the nitty-gritty details of rehab work. And without financing, you aren't a buyer, you're just a browsing looker, so those who invest in the loans that fuel projects will always be in demand, as long as there is a market for buying and selling property.

Especially in times like these - when the real estate market is challenged by steadily rising interest rates - mortgage note investors can earn substantial yields, taking advantage of the higher rates. And those who have prior experience as real estate investors can use their knowledge of property to help choose sound, secure, credit-worthy investments. If the building that serves as collateral on the note is valuable, then the debt carries less risk, and those who are accustomed to rehabbing property usually have an eye for what constitutes solid and problem-free construction.

As with any debt instrument, when investing in real estate mortgages there are different rates of return, yields, timetables to maturity, and degrees of risk versus potential reward. To learn more about investing in mortgage notes, contact a broker who specializes in them. They can explain how it works and how it can serve as a practical alternative to rehab projects to help you stay invested in real estate, during both bull and bear markets.

Troy Fullwood, self made millionaire, nationally known investor, real estate guru, speaker and coach; would like to share with you creative ways to building your own "Money Tree." In 1997, Troy founded a company called Pinnacle Investments. The main focus is buying first lien performing and non-performing commercial and residential real estate notes.

Do You Want To Sell Your Rehab Fast?

That's an obvious question - we all do! So what is the trick? So much time and money is spent on systems updates, roofs, and structural issues, that many times there's nothing left for what really makes the sale: what your potential buyers see. And more importantly, what they fall in love with.

People don't walk into your house, and say, "Wow, they have all new electric. Let's buy." That's just a core expectation. The trick to selling houses fast is to seduce your customers to fall in love when they walk through. It has to feel like a home to them.

The two most inexpensive yet surefire ways we have found to create this atmosphere is through color and through decorating.

A tastefully decorated house really stands out from the others. New house builders learned this a long time ago. Why do you suppose they hire interior decorators? But they have the advantage of creating one masterpiece to sell many. Rehabbers don't have that luxury. But we discovered that a house can be "staged" to feel like a lived in home. Staging is the art of artistically placing d?cor items around the house. Perhaps a colorful place setting on the kitchen counter along with open coffee beans for aroma, and an open recipe book turned to a colorful picture. Bathrooms dressed up with beautiful towels, sweet smelling soaps, and window treatments as shower curtains. Finally, fireplace mantels decorated as if the family was already living there.

But even staging doesn't create the ambience you need. It is the warmth that comes from color. You may have heard to use a white-on-white color scheme to remain neutral and not turn anyone off. The truth is - no one is turned ON either. Buyers aren't attracted to all white houses. At best, there's no emotion. With the use of contemporary designer colors, however, these same people fall in love with the home. That's the emotion that sells. When they love, they buy. And they fall in love with houses that are brought to life with full color.

Best of Success & Abundance,

Lou Castillo

Yours Free: 6 Full Months Of Specialized Real Estate Investing Strategies - Delivered To You By e-Mail, Audio and Teleseminar - All At No Cost To You... Go here right now--> http://www.freerealestatestrategies.com

Lou Castillo has been successfully investing in real estate since the early '90's, and now shares his vast experience with investors around the country. Unlike many of the speakers and mentors in real estate, Lou has both an undergraduate and a Master's Degree in Business and Marketing, and for 12 years he worked managing a 50 million dollar business for American Express.

He was on his way up the corporate ladder until he recognized that real estate offered a greater opportunity for financial freedom, and for the lifestyle he desired. Using his powerful formulas Lou was able to retire from his corporate job at age 37 and follow his passion - his first love - which is investing in real estate.

Lou has developed proven systems that create massive wealth through real estate investing. He has authored more than 7 books and courses on the subject focusing on the implementation of his techniques. His latest development 'The Investor Riches System' has been helping investors world wide achieve financial freedom through real estate. If you wish to talk to Lou you can e-mail him at Lou@InvestorRiches.com

How Long Should It Take To Rehab A Sprained Ankle?

It depends on the serverity of the sprain, but a level 1 or mild level 2 sprain should reasonably be rehabbed in a maximum of 2-3 weeks. It all depends on how fast you heal.

Years ago, when an athlete would tear his ACL it was a career ending injury. Then surgeons started repairing ACL damage through surgery. The injury was no long career ending, but just delayed the career 12-18 months.

Now, with the advent of arthroscopic surgery a large number of athletes with knee injuries are able to return to competition within the same season.

Why is it that with the advancement of medicine most people still believe that an ankle sprain should take 2-3 months to heal?

I just read an article in a respected running magazine that stated an ankle sprain would take 2-3 months to heal.

I have personally experienced much faster recovery than that. In fact, with an aggressive physical therapy regimen, I was able to rehab a severe level 1/mild level 2 ankle sprain within 5 days. By rehab, I mean that I was able to compete at NCAA division 1 level basketball within 5 days of a severe ankle sprain.

Don't fall for the wait and it will all work out approach! You are letting life pass you by!

Get a program that is proven to rehab ankles quickly and that will strengthen them as well.

Check out the Accelerated Sprained Ankle Rehab program at the following link:

http://www.fastrehab.com.

The program has a guarantee. It will work for you or you get 100% of your money back.

I'll talk about re-calibrating your balance after spraining your ankle, its really simple.

Click here to go to Sprained Ankle Rehab Lesson #7: How to remove stiffness from an ankle that has been riddled with sprains

Bret Mundt is a former NCAA Division I basketball player who suffered with recurring sprained ankles throughout his highschool and most of his college career. He went on a quest to find a way to rehabilitate a sprained ankle that would allow him to eliminate future sprains. After 8 years, he finally stumbled onto a rehab program that reduces swelling quickly and rehabs a sprained ankle fast.

How to Tell if Someone in Your Life Needs Drug Rehab

Drug rehab is definitely not one of those subjects people like to discuss, but if you believe someone you love is having problems with drugs or alcohol it is important to act fast. Drugs, both legal and illegal, can have a devastating effect on work, family and lives, and it is important to take the steps necessary to get the individual into a quality drug treatment program.

There are many signs of drug and alcohol abuse, of course, and many addicts become quite good at hiding those effects and thus avoiding drug rehab. If you notice a change in behavior patterns, including keeping new hours for no apparent reason, being easily irritable, having unexplained absences from the house and from family events, etc., you may be looking at a potential drug treatment situation. And of course things like bloodshot eyes, bad breath and lack of personal hygiene are always a red flag that drug rehab may be in the future.

If you have determined that a problem exists, the next step is to seek out a quality and reliable drug rehab program. There are many drug rehab programs out there, and some have a better track record of success than others. When doing your research be sure to look at the level of success former clients have had at getting clean, and most importantly staying clean for the long term.

After you have found the perfect drug treatment program, your battle is only half over. No drug rehab program can work without the participation of the addict, and it can be extremely difficult to convince even the most serious user that he or she has a problem and is in need of drug treatment services. It may take a full scale intervention, in which the addict's friends and family members confront him, to finally convince him to enter the drug rehab program you have found.

Dealing with drug rehab is never a pleasant experience, but it can be a life saving one. It is important to be aware of potential problems with those you love, and not to be afraid to suggest drug rehab when it is warranted. There are few things in life which are harder to deal with than a drug or alcohol addiction with someone you love. An addiction to alcohol or drugs can be a serious and even life threatening problem, and it is important to overcome your fear and let your love of the person involved get them the treatment they need.

For more information on drug rehab go to http://www.drugrehabgroup.com

How to profit from real estate by rehabbing and retailing

Buying houses low and selling them high is called retailing. This is the most easily understood method of investing in real estate. It's the art of buying at a low price, often doing some repairs, and then selling at retail price and usually cashing out. A lot of money is made through this method. Some people do it part-time, turning 2 or 3 houses a year, and make more money at it than they make on their regular jobs. Others do it full-time and turn 40 to 80 houses a year with an average profit from $20,000 to $35,000 per deal.

Rehabbing and retailing houses is very profitable, but it is's also the hardest way to make money in real estate and is layered with costly entanglements. A lot of satisfaction comes from rehabbing. Following is a list of tips for rehabbing and retailing:

1. Buy in areas where qualified buyers want to live.

2. Never close your purchase without confirming your assumptions, that is, after repaired value and repair estimates. Do your due diligence and get the purchase appraised as completed; buy title insurance; have a termite inspection; get repair estimates from qualified contractors; and get estimates to fix any other traps you can avoid.

3. Always borrow more than you need to buy and repair. The job will always cost more, take longer, and yield less profit than you expect. You better have a cash reserve.

4. Keep a tight leash on contractors. They'll play you like a yo-yo, which can - and probably will - be one of your biggest learning experiences in The School of Hard Knocks. But hey, don't worry; I graduated from that same school top of my class, and I survived.

5. Don't tie up your cash. Tying it up is a good way to become a motivated seller. The greater your need to sell, the longer it will take.

6. Do a nice renovation job. It'll pay handsome dividends in saved holding costs and in satisfied customers who'll send you more buyers.

7. Find a good loan processor or mortgage broker to get your buyers financed. It's the difference between success and failure. This person has your paycheck in his or her control,, so make sure the person you find knows his or her business and follows up.

8. Master the art of selling houses as fast as humanly possible. Slow selling is the biggest weakness for most yet one of the easiest to fix. If you sell houses the way most untrained investors do, it'll be a while before you get paid.

9. Never do your own repairs. If you do, you're working as a laborer, not an investor. You make money by locating and buying good deals, not swinging a paint brush. If you adhere to tip 3, it won't be a problem; you'll have the money. Some people tell me fixing houses is their therapy. I say if you lay hands on a house, you need therapy.

10. Get trained at this craft of quick turning real estate before you have to pay an ugly price for your education. Education is a lot cheaper than ignorance.

Tony Reed is the author of " How to profit from real estate by rehabbing and retailing", please visit his website Real Estate Investment for more information.

Drug Rehab Treatment Centers as an Experience, not a Punishment

Choosing a drug rehab treatment center is a decision that calls for both negative and positive emotions. Nobody wants addiction to overtake their life to the point that rehab is the necessary step. However, the decision to go to one is something to look forward to, as it is the decision to rebuild a healthy life. It is the conscious realization of a problem, and it is the first conscious step towards healing. Understanding what drug addiction entails and how it affects the user is important for healing substance abuse. As well as understanding addiction, knowing what rehabilitation is will help the patient understand what he is going through and the purpose of the treatment. Lastly, the type of rehabilitation program is of vital importance for the patient. Understanding that a rehabilitation program is as personal as the patient's problem will certainly help to ascertain the treatment needed for the specific patient. Rehabilitation must be a positive program motivating the patient by his successes and discouraging him from relapses. To reach the stage of being in a rehab center that positively works to heal addiction, the patient and all concerned must understand three things: what addiction is, what rehabilitation is, and what treatment can and should be like.

Drug addiction is much more complex than merely 'too much drug use'. Drug and substance dependence is beyond the control of the user - he is no longer in control and does not have much choice in the matter of continuing use. In the short term, drug use affects the brain's reward system, flooding the brain with dopamine, otherwise termed 'a high'. While the high is a short term effect, long term effects are to follow, which cause the addiction. When our brain's reward system is working, proteins activate which teach us to pursue the behavior which causes us to feel so good. Naturally, this reaction is in response to food, exercise, and sex. Due to the larger amount of dopamine released due to drugs, the protein reaction is stronger than normal. As a result, drug use is quite addictive, and once the moment is reached that a person cannot control his use of drugs, this is termed addiction, or substance dependence. While willpower is important to controlling anything in one's life, in drug addiction a lack of willpower is not to blame. Willpower is at play at the first stages of drug experimentation, but at a certain point in addiction, it loses its function. Drug addiction is an illness, and rehabilitative treatment is the only means of curing this behavior.

Rehabilitation, then, is the path that leads to an effective treatment of drug use. Research has shown that addiction is treatable. Research has not shown, and will not show, that treatment is easy. Rehabilitation is the recovery of diminished capacities due to injury or illness. The word itself comes from the latin prefix re meaning 'again', and root habilitar meaning 'to inhabit'. Thus 'rehabilitate' literally means to inhabit yourself again - and that is the aim of rehabilitation: to return former capacities to the inflicted person. This is especially true in drug addiction. Freeing oneself from addiction is a type of homecoming to a life of control.

Rehabilitation aims at more than ending drug use. As previously mentioned, rehabilitation cannot be a punishment for drug use. It must be the gradual process of ending dependence while also rehabilitating the patient into society. This is often the most difficult aspect of rehabilitation. It is important that the patient realistically understand that the future will consist of effort to reintegrate and rejoin society. The patient is assisted by counselors throughout the treatment, but the patient himself is the main catalyst in rehabilitation. The family and friends of the patient must also go through aspects of rehabilitation, for life after rehab will not be a continual sunny day. The forecast predicts many rain clouds at first, with occasional storms down the road. The family must know how to be supportive and helpful throughout the stormy weather.

The rehab treatment center can be considered the umbrella in the stormy weathers. It cannot control the weather, but does shield and help the patient and family on their way through the tempest. While there is no one correct rehabilitation treatment, as each treatment must be tailored to the particular needs of the patient, there are means of ensuring that the rehab center chosen is one that will provide a positive environment to optimize the long term results of rehabilitation. The personal treatment for the patient must be continually checked and improved, as different steps throughout the treatment call for different measures, and each patient needs a different length of time for treatment. The personal treatment must also take into account the various problems beyond drugs which the patient faces. Drug addiction is often the result, and not the core of the problem - this core must be dug up through various therapies, counselors, and activities, which all should be readily available through the treatment center. A forced treatment is not necessarily a bad thing - again, depending on the treatment center. With a good treatment center, a person who initially will not admit to his problem or the need for a solution can be fully rehabilitated. Extremely beneficial are experiential therapies, which, through their communion with nature help the patient gradually reintegrate into life, which will eventually ease reintegration into society. A rehab treatment center must be rigid in its aims to help the patient, but cannot be rigid in its process.

Understanding what addiction is and why it happens is vital for the patient and the chosen treatment center. Once this is established, there can be a mutual respect, in lieu of distrust and judgment. The next step is to understand what rehabilitation is. It is a dedication, again, on the part of both the patient and treatment center, to heal a drug problem and, more importantly, rebuild a life - to bring the patient home in the spiritual sense. With these two concepts well understood and looked after, the patient has great chances of succeeding to overcome the addiction. The treatment center that fully understands addiction and rehabilitation will be the center that offers a full and varied program that will be created and recreated for the particular needs of its patient, and that will guide the patient not only through his addiction, but through his reintegration into life and society.

This article was written by Marina Petroni, sponsored by http://www.cirquelodge.com/. Cirque Lodge, located in Sundance, Utah, is a world-class residential drug rehab facility providing a private, effective and serene pathway to sobriety. Reproductions of this article are encouraged but must include a link pointing back to http://www.cirquelodge.com/

Drug Rehab: Do You Need It?

Do you have an addiction? The question shouldn't be hard to answer. There are fairly clear lines between an addiction and a casual behavior.

According to substance abuse experts Chris and Pax Prentiss, founders of Passages Malibu, a drug program with residential treatment, addiction is caused by underlying problems in a person's life that they are unable to cope with. When someone is unable to cope with their circumstances they sometimes turn towards drugs and alcohol for relief. In essence it is not the drugs that are the problem it is rather the underlying problems that need to be addressed and healed in order to cure the addiction. When the underlying problems are no longer present the person will no longer need the drug.

People who don't have the individual therapy it takes to become healed will most likely continue taking the drugs.

Tolerance. When you take a habit-forming substance regularly, your body eventually accommodates the substance. You don't get the same feeling you originally got, or at least not the same strength of feeling. This does not mean that you are getting stronger and can handle the drug. Instead, your body is becoming dependent on the drug. Some people addicted to certain drugs may even die if they stop taking the drug suddenly. Withdrawal symptoms. Different addictions have different withdrawal symptoms. The list of possible withdrawal symptoms is very long, stretching from watery eyes to delirium and even death, depending on the substance, the length of the addiction, and the user.

In short, if you're not sure if you're addicted your best bet may be to ask yourself these three questions:

-Do I get the same experience from the substance I got when I first started on it? -When I stop taking the substance on a regular basis, do I feel worse, emotionally or physically? -Is there anything in my life that is causing me pain that I might be self medicating? -If you can answer yes to any of those questions, you are probably addicted.

So, you're addicted. Now what?

Abstention and the Risk of Relapse According to Chris and Pax Prentiss, one of the biggest misconceptions about addictions is that they're a disease. Through years of research they have figured out that addiction is definitely caused by underlying problems in a person's life that they are self-medicating. The addiction will usually continue if the underlying problems are still present. In order to get sober and stay sober it is of utmost importance that the underlying problems be treated.

Every day, addicts everywhere decide to stop. That is, they abstain. But unfortunately, most of those people will relapse. Why is relapse so common? The Prentisses have a few insights:

Habit. Without realizing, you worked your addiction into the everyday rituals of life. Dependence. The physical and emotional withdrawal symptoms can be brutal. In some cases of addiction, simply abstaining from a substance suddenly, without medical supervision, may cause the individual serious harm, even death. Yet many addicts who abstain are able to get past the withdrawal symptoms--and still end up relapsing. Why? Underlying causes. Addictions usually have an underlying cause. There was a reason you took the substance in the first place. Once you are done fighting withdrawal symptoms, you will be back fighting whatever problem led you to addiction in the first place. Finding the underlying cause of your addiction will be the most important step in ending it forever. Ultimately, then, the hardest part of overcoming an addiction may not be stopping, but not starting again. To do that, you need to find and resolve the underlying problems in your life.

Residential Rehab: Do You Need It? According to the Prentisses, some people can get over an addiction without a drug program with residential treatment. But given the challenges of overcoming an addiction, the support of a residential rehab program is invaluable. Have you tried to end your addiction without residential rehab? It might be what makes the difference this time.

Why Do So Many People Fail after Residential Rehab? You've heard of all the people who went to residential rehab and then relapsed--even went and relapsed several times. According to Chris and Pax Prentiss, there are some common causes of residential rehab failure, causes you can avoid.

-Quality of the program. If your rehab program wasn't great to begin with, you won't be in good stead to avoid relapse. Before signing up, find out the success rates of past participants. -Group rather than individualized therapy. Post-rehab relapse is so common largely because most rehabs don't have offer any individual counseling. When someone sits in group meetings all day they don't get the therapy they need in order to get better. When they check out of a rehab like that they usually still have the underlying problems that they checked in with. -Lack of aftercare services. When you leave residential rehab, the whole web of support that kept you out of addiction suddenly falls away. Only choose a residential rehab that provides aftercare support to make the transition easier. -Need to change everything. Without realizing it, you wove your addiction into the fabric of your life. You need to pluck the threads of addiction out of your life, or reweave the fabric completely. If you can't transform your everyday life, you will likely relapse.

Regardless of the difficulties present in the rehab process, the experience can absolutely be a success unlike any other. Please consider the rehab option if you think you or your loved one may be in need. There is always someone there to help.

Abhilash Patel wrote this article with Chris and Pax Prentiss, founders of Passages Malibu, a drug rehab, which also has an alcohol and drug rehab program offering.

Drug Rehab Treatment Healing Ideas

Drug Treatment Recovery Healing

My friend Susan was going on vacation for a month and asked me to substitute for her at the local drug rehab center at her Wednesday yoga and meditation class.

It truly was an experience I'll never forget as I watched people's bodies and minds relax.I was struck by the strong determination that was applied towards learning the different forms of breathing as well as various meditations. I think the residents found it helpful to see they could channel the same drive they had used to locate drugs to their own healing.

It's always good to use try and direct the natural tendencies you have for a higher purpose. For instance, an "addictive" personality can redirect this to areas such as meditation, exercise or writing a journal. This I have found is much better than fighting with oneself and trying to "stop" one's tendencies. This is one's passion and it should be used for one's evolution.

If you are taking yoga please keep in mind it's not about competing with others but in "stretching " yourself inwardly further than you thought you could go. If you can be patient when you hold a posture, that quality will also carry into daily life as well.

You also will develop tools you can use for stressful situations such as deep breathing, visualizations of your true potential and inner joy. Even if you only feel good for an hour
after doing some yoga or meditation , it is a center that grows and you can remember it when you become agitated around other residents or towards your parents.

Robin, a 20 year old, fighting prescription drug addiction said to me that she just wanted to ease the pain but realized that pain is a feeling she could watch. It really was wonderful to see the ability to watch one's mind that the residents developed with a little practice. In the east they return to the mind as a drunken monkey-not just wandering from thought to thought, but a drunken monkey stung by a scorpion. Sometimes it seems so restless and jumpy, plus out of control. Take a few moments to watch it and discover some true jewels.
Dee Cohen is a licensed social worker and yoga teacher. For more tips on healing visit Healing Ideas

The Biggest Key to Rehabbing an Ankle Sprain Fast

There is normally only one thing that keeps an athlete from starting rehab and it is...swelling at the ankle joint.

So in order to start rehab right away (after the doctor has confirmed that you do not have any structural damage such as torn ligaments or broken bones) you must get the swelling down.

Most doctors push the RICE program - Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation.

This method is fine if you are a couch potato, but most people who are active want to take action to get their ankle rehabilitated.

Ice is critical to reducing swelling and using an ice whirlpool definitely has advantages over just ice in a bucket because heat is taken away from the ankle so much faster.

But ice is not enough...you must use the muscles and a biomechanical movement to force the swelling out of the ankle joint.

The problem with moving your ankle to reduce swelling is the pain that you are experiencing as a result of your injury.

The "Accelerated Sprained Ankle Rehab Program" describes a unique method you can use to reduce the swelling in your ankle quickly and with minimal pain.

You can check out the sprained ankle rehab program by copying the following link and pasting it into the address bar on your browser.

http://www.everythingankles.com

Its amazing to me how many doctors take the conservative RICE route with no consideration for getting the patient back into life as fast as possible.

This rehab program will get you back to normal in as short a time as possible.

Good luck and fast rehabbing...Bret Mundt is a former NCAA Division I basketball player who suffered with recurring sprained ankles throughout his highschool and most of his college career. He went on a quest to find a way to rehabilitate a sprained ankle that would allow him to eliminate future sprains. After 8 years, he finally stumbled onto a rehab program that reduces swelling quickly and rehabs a sprained ankle fast

Understanding Drug And Alcohol Rehabilitation

For many years, when people thought of alcohol and drug rehab, the image that almost immediately came to mind was most likely a group of people, sitting in a circle in folding chairs in a big vacant room. Its true that group programs still aid many people in their quest to stop drinking and using illegal substances but most who have fell too deep into their addictions do not find relief this way. There is good news for those who need help getting over their addictions - slowly, there has been a proliferation of alternative therapies to alcohol and drug rehab. These methods may prove useful when traditional rehabilitation methods fail.

1. Why Do People Get Addictions?

The reasons for addiction are complicated and vary with each and every individual. These same reasons may be difficult for us to understand, and even a lot more difficult to resolve. Drug and alcohol rehab in recent years has taken a hard and diverse approach to the problem of addiction. Taking in consideration are the physical, emotional, and even nutritional factors that may be causes. Whether you're seeking help for yourself or whether you are a concerned friend or family member of someone who is in a very dangerous grip of addiction, be confident that you are not the only one. Addictions come in varied forms, some are dangerous and some are not.

2. The Physiological Approach

It doesn?t mean that just because you are encountering a dangerous addiction it?s alright to think that you are different from everyone else. It only means that you'll need to seek out specially qualified help. Many physiological and chemical imbalances that occur in our bodies and brains may contribute or cause our feelings of depression, that can lead us into addiction as we try to self medicate to compensate for our emotional distress. We are living in an era where many problems like chemical depression and blood sugar imbalances are easily diagnosed and treated. Often, addicts who treat these underlying problems will experience great relief from the urge to feel better by drinking.

3. Blood Chemistry

The best and most popular idea we have of drug rehabilitation is the old 12-step group therapy that we so often see on television shows and movies. The fact is, science has a lot more to tell us about how our bodies and brains respond to all kinds of substances. A lot of evidence suggests that when a physiological or chemical imbalance is occurs in the brain no matter what the cause, that individual will try to compensate for the imbalance he is experiencing by self-medicating with drugs. Modern drug rehab programs often use this approach to look for chemical brain imbalances to help their patients recover. In addition to this, imbalances in blood chemistry can also lead to drug and alcohol addiction. Having problems such as low blood sugar can lead someone to self medicate so that he can cure any fatigue or anxiety that he may be feeling. A balanced nutritional intake and exercise have shown themselves to be aids in the process of drug rehab.

4. Social Theory

Usually people who are deeply addicted often have neglected themselves, so by finding a diet and exercise program, it can really lift their self image. Another advantage of exercise to anyone who is an addict is that it also provides a natural high that can help an addict to get through the rough periods in his rehabilitation. Some individuals may be comfortable with the idea of group counseling while some may have difficulty in comprehending it. An option for these kinds of people is one on one therapy, where a therapist can reach out to the deepest and most personal aspects of an addict?s life. Looking for answers for addiction and possible recovery is an extremely difficult task to anyone. It takes a lot of devotion and time to even see the smallest of developments. Being able to find the right place to do the work toward recovery is an important step. The wants needs of each and every addict are different from each other, and the process of finding a place to fully recover can be a very deep, difficult, personal and intense process.
For more great drug rehabilitation related articles and resources check out http://www.rehabplace.com

Stroke Rehabilitation: A Novel Treatment Pays Off

In a landmark study, researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham used a randomized controlled trial -- the gold standard method for evaluating the effectiveness of a treatment -- to show that immobilizing the good arm of stroke patients and intensively exercising the weakened arm actually improved recovery, even when performed long after the stroke occurred. At one level, randomized controlled trials in the field of rehabilitation medicine have been so rare that the publication of each and every one should be applauded. At another level, the outcome of this study is so satisfying in terms of what we think we know about brain physiology (function) that even if the results turn out not to be true, they ought to be.

A controlled trial is one in which there is a comparison group of patients that is either untreated or is treated differently. When a controlled trial is also randomized, it means that upon entering the study, participants agree to be assigned to one group or the other based on the equivalent of a coin-toss. Randomization eliminates bias that might otherwise come from (knowingly or unknowingly) assigning more promising patients to one group and less promising patients to the other.

Publishing their results in the March 2006 online issue of Stroke, a medical journal, Edward Taub, PhD, and co-workers studied 21 patients treated with "constraint-induced movement therapy" (CI) and compared their outcomes to another 20 stroke patients who received placebo treatment.

In strokes a loss of circulation damages a portion of the brain, resulting in impairment of whatever mental or bodily function that part of the brain controls. Strokes often cause weakness in an arm with or without concurrent numbness. Strokes are the leading cause of long-term disability in the U.S.

The researchers included stroke victims in their study who had mild to moderate impairment in use of their affected arms, but excluded those with severe impairment. The research subjects varied widely in age, averaging in their fifties. The investigators selected patients whose stroke had occurred a minimum of one year earlier with an average interval between stroke and treatment of 4.5 years. Patients with concurrent numbness were included, but those with poor walking or balance were excluded, as were patients with excessive confusion or too much additional impairment caused by other medical conditions.

The CI treatment was administered over a 2-week span, during which the good arm was immobilized about 90% of the time with an arm-sling and a hand-splint. CI patients had 10 weekday sessions with therapists, lasting 6 hours each. During those sessions, patients received one-on-one therapy that was individualized to their needs and abilities and involved specific, practical tasks of gradually increasing difficulty. The therapists praised patients each time their performances improved even just slightly. By contrast, placebo-treated patients received a more general program of physical fitness, cognitive and relaxation exercises over the same schedule.

The abilities of CI and placebo-treated patients were compared in two main ways. In one, the research subjects were videotaped in the laboratory while attempting specific tasks like holding a book, picking up a glass and brushing teeth. Their performances were rated by viewers who were purposely not told which treatment the subject received. The other rating, called the "real world outcome," came from structured interviews of the patients and their caregivers concerning performance outside the treatment facility.

The researchers found significant improvements in CI-treated patients compared with both their own initial abilities and those of patients receiving placebo treatment. The CI patients showed a moderate improvement in their laboratory skills and a large improvement in use of the affected arms in their daily lives. Improvement was still evident 4 weeks after treatment, and even after 2 years in the 14 of 21 CI patients who could be retested at that time.

The researchers interpreted the improvement as due to two factors. The first factor, probably more important for faster gains, was in overcoming "learned non-use" of the weaker arm. The idea is that after a stroke, patients quickly learn to avoid using the weaker arm to a greater extent than its impairment might warrant, and CI training forces them to put it back into action. The second suspected factor, developing more slowly, was "neural plasticity" or actual rewiring of the brain. In neural plasticity surviving brain cells -- previously uninvolved or less involved in controlling use of the arm -- attempt to make up for the lost brain cells either by creating new contacts with other brain cells or by modifying the effectiveness of existing links.

In 1992 researchers at the Hammersmith Hospital in London used positron emission tomographic (PET) scans to examine patterns of brain use in stroke patients. PET scans are good at showing which parts of the brain are most engaged by specific tasks. Investigators compared PET scans in 10 patients who recovered from a stroke to those of 10 patients who never had a stroke. In this study subjects repeatedly moved one hand (which in the stroke patients was the affected hand) while their brains were being scanned. Compared to non-stroke patients, stroke patients used more areas on both sides of the brain to perform the requested movements, as if the surviving brain cells were trying to fill in for their fallen comrades.

Taub and collaborators at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke used similar methods to compare patterns of brain activation in 9 CI-treated stroke patients with those in 7 less-intensively treated stroke patients. In this 2003 study, CI-treated patients showed a shift in the extent to which different parts of the brain participated in moving the fingers of the weakened hand. Thus, CI treatment seemed to modify the brain pathways responsible for the finger movements.

Gary Cordingley, MD, PhD, is a clinical neurologist, teacher and researcher who works in Athens, Ohio. For more health-related articles see his websites at: http://www.cordingleyneurology.com and http://www.neurologyarticles.com

Begin a Cardiac Rehabilitation Program For a Heart Healthy Lifestyle

Two months after my open-heart surgery, through my cardiologist's referral, I was cleared to begin a physician-sponsored cardiac rehabilitation program - a program of exercise and risk-factor education for individuals recovering from serious heart procedures and heart disease.

Some patients are healed enough to begin sooner, some later. The gym facility where I live in Santa Fe, NM, called the Center for Living Well, is spaciously housed in the basement of our one hospital. In the last thirty years, thousands of cardiac rehabilitation programs have sprung up far and wide in the U.S. alone, all featuring similar characteristics.

In my book, The Open Heart Companion: Preparation and Guidance for Open-Heart Surgery Recovery (Open Heart Publishing, 2006) I advise, "systematically increase your walking every day, to the point where you can visualize and look forward to the strength retraining and aerobic stamina offered in a good cardiac rehabilitation program. Once your doctor finally approves you for cardiac rehab, you will discover what may be a new experience, or the reawakening of an old pleasure -- going to the gym!"

Beginning a cardiac rehabilitation program is truly an exciting moment. I was finally up to moving my body for real. I knew I had made tangible progress or I wouldn't be there. I was assigned an exercise physiologist, or case manager. After a general orientation (completing a detailed questionnaire, learning to take my pulse, oxygen usage and rhythm monitoring guidelines) I was given a personal exercise worksheet. Preferably three times a week for one hour, I was to track my gentle progress forward in a customized program -- using the treadmill, bike, stairs, UBE machine (aerobic ergometer), and so on. Adding weight training to the regimen was to come later, at the discretion of my case manager. In addition, numerous classes (stretching, therabands, free weights) and support groups (smoking cessation, stress management, osteoporosis and diet education) were all available in the package. Once a month there was an "Ask the Cardiologist" Q&A hosted by one of the New Mexico Heart Institute cardiologists. Most of all, the staff were caring, devoted, highly attentive, good-humored professionals. There was a palpable air of camaraderie and developing friendships that evolved into a memorable support group experience for me.

I was accepted into the program provided I agreed to wear a wireless heart monitor during exercise. What a good thing! My heart was still ricocheting in and out of irregular rhythm (atrial fibrillation). There was always someone at a computer screen monitoring my rhythm. If, as is more likely with exertion, my a-fib returned, even if I didn't notice, a nurse or exercise physiologist would check in with me. How was I feeling? Did I feel lightheaded? Did I need to slow down? Maybe end my session for the day? Your pulse is x, let's check your blood pressure.... Since a patient's inclination may be to push through (my common approach in the past), the permission to simply stop, give yourself a break, can be welcome. I felt completely taken care of. With so many dedicated professionals around me, and the new friends I was making, I could never run too far into trouble. Although physically challenging at times, the cardiac rehab environment made for a positive, confidence-returning experience.

In the book, Heart Attack: Advice for Patients by Patients (Yale University Press, 2002), most of the eleven contributors go out of their way to rave about their cardiac rehab program experience. "The highlight of my day...", "I credit the program with getting my life back on track...", "I've been a member now for ten years and I know it is keeping me healthy...", "My wife is now in the program with me. We've made some great friends...." The social and emotional support received can be priceless. Rather than returning to one's previous gym or yoga class, many heart patients take advantage of ongoing membership in their cardio-directed program.

Maggie Lichtenberg, PCC, a recent open-heart surgery thriver, is an open heart coach to heart patients and their loved ones, a professional speaker, and frequently published author. To subscribe to her free online newsletter, Heart To Heart, send a blank email message to HeartToHeart-On@zines.webvalence.com. To learn more about Maggie's free phone support group and other programs go to http://www.openheartcoach.com. Article is free to repr

Drug Rehabilitation; The Key Component

Drug and alcohol use can be traced back to 4000 B.C., in Egypt. By the 19th century, active substances were being extracted from the raw materials, and these psychoactive substances were being sold without any regulations. By the early 1900s there were an estimated 250,000 drug addicts in the United States. The anti-war upheaval of the 1960s brought with it a dramatic increase in drug use and increased social acceptance. The 1980s saw a decline in most drug use, with a slight increase in Cocaine use. Despite this overall decline, most Americans still regard illegal drug use as one of the nation's most serious problems. Opinion polls show the public favors a variety of different approaches to the drug problem. In addition to strict laws, it is vital to effectively treat individuals already suffering from drug dependence and substance abuse, through education, therapy, medicine, and group support. Drug rehabilitation is a key component to a successful campaign against the use of illegal drugs.

At its fundamental level, humans use substances such as alcohol and psychoactive drugs because these substances give the user a feeling of pleasure. Pleasure is a very powerful force. Our brains are wired in such a way that if you do something that gives you pleasure you will probably want to do it again. All drugs that are addicting can energize and enhance the brain's pleasure circuit. Addiction is a chronic disease that affects ones brain, and ones behavior. Addicted individuals abuse drugs without regard to the consequences of health, relationships, money, work etc. It is a consuming disease that not only effects the individual directly, but others indirectly. If left untreated, this disease can lead to the social death, as well as the actual death of the inflicted individual. Proper management must be instituted immediately to return the individual to a life that is more manageable, and drug free. A program of drug rehabilitation best achieves this goal.

Drug rehabilitation is the process of medical or psychotherapeutic treatment for substance abuse. The goal of any drug rehabilitation program is to provide comprehensive drug treatment and alcohol rehabilitation services, and introduce individuals to a new lifestyle free of chemicals. Successful treatment of substance abusers depends upon the severity and nature of the addiction, as well as motivation. Some treatment programs use medicines that neutralize the effects of the drug. Acupuncture has also been successful in treating the cravings that accompany drug withdrawal. Comprehensive substance abuse counseling and education is another component for a successful plan. Evaluating the efficacy of any treatment plan is difficult because of the chronic nature of drug abuse, and the fact that the disease is usually complicated by personal, social, and health factors.

Statistics show that getting sober is easy; staying sober is the hard part, and the first year of recovery is the most difficult. It may take a number of attempts before success is achieved. Nobody chooses to become a drug addict or alcoholic, this disease cannot be wished away, it has to be treated.Jay B Stockman is a contributing editor for Drug Rehab Programs Visit http://newdrug-rehab-center.com/ for more information.

How you can use Rehab, Refinance and Cash Out as a long term wealth building Real Estate Investing strategy.

Today we are discussing a somewhat advanced strategy for you to use after you have been in the creative real estate investing business for a while. I call this "Rehab, Refinance, and Cash Out". This strategy can lead to true long term wealth and financial independence. This works very well in a buyers market like Memphis where prices have been quite flat for some time. You need to use this to augment your wholesaling for immediate income and retailing for bigger short term profits. Rehab, Refinance and Cash Out is a long term wealth building strategy and will be something you will be glad you did as it is a long term buy and hold strategy, and those are the strategies that lead to true wealth accumulation and financial independence. Let me explain how this works. You find a good middle to low end 3 bedroom home that you are able to buy from an out of state owner or other motivated seller that needs a little work and you buy at 60% of after repaired value. You buy the house using a hard money lender like http://www.pleaseclose.com/memphistrading and do your fix up and have a property management firm manage the property and put a renter in the house. The hard money lender will typically loan you up to 65% of the after repaired value to purchase the house which you use to buy the house and then repair it. Now that the home is repaired you obtain an investor friendly mortgage and cash out by refinancing at 80-90% of after repaired retail value and you should be doing this with properties where this strategy gives you back at least $10,000 at the refinance that you can use in your business any way you need. Do not use this money to live on, use it solely to grow your real estate business. Once you have done this strategy on 10 homes you should be able to keep finding better and better deals because you can close quickly as you have cash in hand to make things happen. More cash equals better deals and more opportunities.

By the time you repeat this strategy 20 times you should have at least $200,000 cash plus about $200,000 equity and 20 homes giving you at least $2000 per month positive cash flow whether you decide to work this month or not since you have a property management company handling things for you. With average annual rent increases, within five years that $2,000 a month should grow to $4,000 a month. In 30 years you should have $2 to 3 million plus in paid off real estate. It's a good solid long term strategy to add to your immediate selling from wholesaling, retailing and lease options that the extra $200,000 in cash will help grow tremendously.

The rent minus the management fees and all loan and other costs must leave you with positive cash flow or this strategy should be avoided. If you cannot cash out on the property I don't recommend holding it long term as you want to be able to use your best mortgages to cash out.

You can purchase using http://www.pleaseclose.com/memphistrading if your Equifax credit score is above 550(which is bad credit) or you have a co-borrower who has an Equifax score over 550. A good investor friendly mortgage company will give you good rates if you are at 660 middle score or above and the very best rates if your middle score is 720 or above. Your first 10 investor mortgages in your name and 10 in your spouses name are the easiest to qualify and get the best deals. After those you really need a good investor mortgage company to work with. Take the time to find the real investor friendly mortgage companies that can help you get loans for 100 properties and not just the first ten and let them have the easy ones and the tougher ones. I do recommend having more than one good lender available though, but stick to the ones that specialize in investor loans. Find out from other investors who the most investor friendly mortgage companies are to use to refinance the repaired home.

I do not advocate becoming a landlord as I do not believe this is a valuable usage of your time and energy. I highly recommend asking around and finding a good property management company that will charge you 10% or less to start out with and gradually lower that % as you add more and more properties.

I feel this is an advanced strategy as you won't see any cash in your pocket from this strategy for 4-6 months after you find the deal which is a long time to work and not see any pay. If you are wholesaling and making consistent money each month then it shouldn't matter. This strategy will magnify the profits you make in your investing business in ways you might not have imagined. This strategy is a natural progression from wholesaling as you are already helping others find these kinds of deals, now you will be able to get the cash out typical of probably 2 wholesale deals, just paid slower, and at the same time building a nice future nest egg.

David Neese is a real estate investing author who offers a free course for real estate investors delivered by email, audio and teleseminar which you can get for free at: http://www.FreeRealEstateInvestingCourses.com You can find more information about David at http://www.DigitalSuccessCoach.com

Drug Rehab: Outpatient vs. Inpatient - What's The Difference?

When an addict finally decides to seek out the help they so desperately need, they will have two primary types of addiction treatment programs to choose from: inpatient and outpatient. Understanding the differences and similarities of these two programs will help make it easier for the addict and their loved ones to identify which is best for their individual needs.

Similarities Between Inpatient and Outpatient Addiction Treatment Programs

Inpatient and outpatient addiction treatment programs have many characteristics in common. For instance, both types of programs generally utilize individual and group therapy. Because addiction has an effect on the entire family, most provide couples and family therapy. Inpatient and outpatient programs also educate the addict and the family about the nature of addiction while guiding the addict through goal setting and monitoring of those goals.

Differences Between Inpatient and Outpatient Addiction Treatment Programs

The most obvious difference between an inpatient and outpatient addiction treatment program is the location of the patient during treatment. As the name implies, those who receive help through an inpatient treatment program remain at a treatment facility 24 hours per day. The exact number of days the patient remains at the inpatient treatment facility depends on the policies of the rehab center and the individual needs of the patient. In general, these programs last three to six weeks. After the intensive inpatient treatment is complete, it is generally suggested that the patient receive extensive outpatient treatment.

An outpatient program, on the other hand, allows the patient to remain at home while undergoing treatment. This makes it possible for the addict to continue working and to be with his family while undergoing care. In an outpatient program, the patient attends treatment during the day. As with inpatient treatment, the number of days the addict attends treatment per week and the length of the program depends on the rehab center policies and the individual needs of the addict. 85% of people participating in an addiction recovery program opt for outpatient treatment.

Another option some addicts choose to follow is partial hospitalization. With this type of treatment, the patient remains home at night, but attends treatment more frequently than a person undergoing standard outpatient treatment. Generally, a person in a partial hospitalization program attends the program three to seven days per week for three to twelve hours per day.

Advantages of Outpatient Treatment

When it comes to choosing the right addiction recovery program, there are many factors to consider. For example, an outpatient treatment program may be best for a person that:

* Needs to continue working every day while undergoing treatment
* Cannot afford to pay for inpatient treatment, which tends to be quite costly
* Needs to remain near to family
* Has a supportive household that will ensure he attends treatment programs and carries through with program goals while at home

It is important to note that a person utilizing outpatient treatment needs to be able to deal with the real world while recovering from addiction. For some, this is too much to bear, while for others the daily tests they encounter can help to strengthen their commitment and their methods of coping with addiction.

A partial hospitalization program has many of the same advantages of an outpatient addiction treatment program. It does, however, provide more structure and more intensive programming than outpatient treatment. Partial hospitalization is usually more costly than outpatient treatment, but less costly than inpatient.

Advantages of Inpatient Treatment

There are many reasons to consider inpatient addiction treatment rather than outpatient. These reasons include:

* The addict has already undergone outpatient or partial hospitalization treatment and it was unsuccessful
* The addict has other medical problems, such as digestive problems, liver problems, infections, heart problems, anxiety, or intense depression that requires a greater amount of attention
* The addict lives too far away from the drug rehab center to make outpatient treatment feasible
* The home situation of the addict is chaotic and unable to provide the support necessary

Despite its advantages, inpatient treatment can be difficult to undertake. Perhaps the hardest aspect is the difficulty patients have reconnecting with their community, family, and friends after being away for a period of time. It can also be difficult to provide after care services to a patient that lives far away from the treatment facility.
The California Rehab Guide lists and reviews drug rehab and alcohol rehab facilities, lawyers and interventionist and has articles on addiction recovery and addiction treatment.