The Hills Treatment Center

How Family Members Are Affected by Addiction

Drug rehab centers see first-hand how addiction damages everything it touches. It wreaks havoc on the bodies of abusers. It warps the minds of addicts. It also destroys relationships with others. Drug abuse and addiction creates a detrimental situation for family members. Regardless of whether the abuser is a child, parent, sibling, or spouse, the addiction that takes hold of them affects their loved ones as well. The following explains some of the ways that family members may respond to addiction.

Family members go into denial

For some, the idea that a loved one may be addicted to drugs or alcohol is too much to bear. That’s why many family members refuse to address the addiction in their homes. Instead, they ignore the signs and hope that the problem will go away on its own. However, addiction cannot be remedied without professional drug treatment. As long as family members continue to ignore the issue, it will only persist and worsen.

Family members exhibit erratic behavior

Some individuals try to hold their addicted family member accountable for his or her actions, but cannot keep their ultimatums because they desperately hope that the abuser will change. For example, a parent or spouse may declare that an addict will be thrown out of the house if caught with drugs again, but they fail to maintain their word when it happens once again. This behavior only emboldens abusers to continue their ways, as they believe that no consequence will come of them.

Family members begin to medicate themselves

In many situations, the addiction of one family member leads directly to that of another. In an effort to relieve the pain that comes from addiction, a parent or spouse may begin to drink heavily or take sleeping pills. When this occurs, the situation becomes even more dire, making the need for drug treatment intervention all the more urgent.

If your family is shouldering the burden of drug addiction alone, contact The Hills Treatment Center at (323) 319-5507 for more information about our treatment options. Our Los Angeles-based drug and alcohol rehab facilities provide comprehensive outreach services for addicts and their families.

Experiencing Heroin Withdrawal in Jail

As strong as heroin addiction is, its withdrawal effects are equally intense. This video provides a first-hand portrayal of one man’s withdrawal experience in jail.

Craig Knapper found himself in jail when he failed to report to his probation officer. A longtime heroin addict, Knapper now prepares himself for what will be a difficult withdrawal. As he notes, going through heroin withdrawal is similar to getting the flu, but much worse. Your bones ache. You get the chills. You feel like vomiting. Nothing can alleviate the symptoms of withdrawal, especially within the inhospitable confines of jail.

The Hills Treatment Center offers drug treatment services for those in the greater Los Angeles area. If you or a loved one is addicted to heroin, don’t try to break its grasp on your own. Call us today at (323) 319-5507 to speak with a drug and alcohol rehab specialist.

Exploring the Most Abused Prescription Drugs in America

When someone mentions drug abuse, many people conjure up images of addicts getting high in alleyways or parties. On the contrary, many drug abusers get their fix while sending their kids off to school or preparing for an afternoon business meeting. Prescription drug abusers can be found in all walks of life, from homemakers to CEOs. For many, the path to drug addiction is long and winding. Few intend to abuse their prescriptions, but eventually drugs begin to take over their lives. The following provides an in-depth look at the types of prescription drugs that are most frequently abused in the United States.

Stimulants

With so much to do, and not enough time to do it, many Americans turn to stimulants to keep them on the go. Stimulants provide the energy boost that countless people believe they need to accomplish everything they need to do. Drugs such as Dexetrine®, Adderall®, and Ritalin® can be found in the cabinets, desks, and purses of millions. When work, family, and other responsibilities become overwhelming, stimulants become powerful aids that become necessary just to get through the day.

Depressants

Because so many people deal with an increasingly high amount of stress at home and work, they become anxious and seek depressants for help. Depressants such as Xanax® and Valium® are highly effective at taking off the edge that many Americans experience on a daily basis. Once these drugs prove just how powerful they can be, those who use them feel helpless to function without them, and their addiction begins.

Painkillers

Painkillers such as Demerol®, OxyContin®, and Vicodin® are important drugs in medicine. When a patient is in pain from sudden trauma or chronic illness, these drugs can provide relief. Unfortunately, as many drug rehab centers can attest, painkillers are also among some of the most addictive prescription drugs. The opiates found in these drugs prompt an extreme sense of exhilaration that many people refuse to do without.

Have you become addicted to prescription drugs? If so, The Hills Treatment Center can help. Call our Los Angeles drug treatment facility at (323) 319-5507 to learn more about our drug and alcohol rehab programs. 

Check Out These Addiction Recovery Resources For More Of What The Hills Has To Offer You Or Your Loved One

Recovery from addiction and sober living is possible. At The Hills Treatment Center, we can make sobriety a reality for you or your loved one. Learn more about addiction by reading the information in these links. When you’re ready to start your recovery process, call us at (323) 319-5507 to schedule an appointment. Be sure to ask about our approach to addiction recovery and our transitional living program to ensure your smooth adjustment to sober living.

Recovery Magazine details how your drug abuse can cause anger and depression in your loved ones. 

Find out why drug use is linked to depression in this article from the Depression Support Group.

Learn which drugs are the most addictive in this HealthGuidance post.

This HBO blog from the makers of their popular show Addiction dispels some common myths about drug and alcohol abuse.

Get advice on telling your friends and family you have a drug problem from Columbia Health’s Go Ask Alice blog.

Escape the Grips of Addiction with these Article Resources on Abusing Drugs

Addiction is a powerful disease, but at The Hills Treatment Center in Los Angeles, we have the tools to help you beat it for good. Explore the information in these links to learn more about addiction. When you need help coping with your drug use, call The Hills at (323) 319-5507. We’re here to answer your questions and develop a treatment plan that is right for you, so you can get your life back.

Avoid these enabling behaviors if your spouse is using drugs.

Learn about the dangerous synthetic drug Smiles that may have played in a role in the death of actor Johnny Lewis in this CBS News article.

Get the story behind bath salts, a group of designer drugs that have been blamed for a number of incidents of violent crimes, from WebMD.

This reference guide to addiction terminology from the World Health Organization will help you understand the language your addiction treatment specialist may use.

Which drugs are the most addictive? Find out in this slideshow from The Fix.