Understanding Cross Addiction and its Risks to Prevent RelapseBlogBy The Ranch PAJune 21, 2012Did you know the leading cause of relapse for those in recovery is cross-addiction? In other words, once you’ve dealt with one addiction, there is a much greater likelihood you’ll experience another one, whether to a substance or behavior. To avoid cross addiction, it’s important to be vigilant in your lifestyle habits and maintain a…
What Every Parent Should Know About Bath SaltsHelp BlogBy The Ranch PAJune 19, 2012What Every Parent Should Know About Bath Salts You may have heard of the new drug “bath salts” due to the high profile and horrific stories covered by the media recently. It’s obvious bath salts aren’t what we put in our baths, so what are they? Bath salts are a group of synthetic drugs primarily…
Five Ways to Determine Your Loved One has a Painkiller AddictionHelp BlogBy The Ranch PAJune 14, 2012Addiction to painkillers has become prevalent, particularly for teenagers. Today, 1 in 8 teens misuse prescription painkillers, surpassing all illicit drugs except for marijuana. In some cases, the pain medicine is given for a surgery or legitimate reason, and the addiction begins without the user truly realizing it. Take precautions if anyone in your home…
New DSM Guidelines May Label Millions More as “Alcoholics”BlogBy The Ranch PAJune 12, 2012What if a night of heavy drinking was enough to diagnose you as an alcoholic? That may not be too far off following the American Psychiatric Association’s proposed redefining of “alcoholism” in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Mild and Moderate Cases are Now Included Currently the DSM distinguishes…
Substance Abuse and Social EnvironmentHelp BlogBy The Ranch PAJune 9, 2012It’s believed the causes and triggers of drug and alcohol abuse can be found within the person’s immediate environment, whether it’s home, school or work. While the concept of peer pressure is something more usually associated with teenagers, it is a phenomenon that operates in any setting and can affect anyone, regardless of age or…
Rehab Doesn’t Always Require Complete IsolationHelp BlogBy The Ranch PAJune 8, 2012Perhaps one of the more common objections or reservations that a client may feel towards in-patient treatment in a drug recovery center is the perceived isolation during treatment. There are definite advantages to temporarily transferring to a safe and controlled environment that can increase chances of recovery. For example, most of the triggers or complicating…
Long Term Drug Rehab for Long Term ResultsHelp BlogBy The Ranch PAJune 5, 2012An effective rehabilitation program is one that offers individualized treatment. Every case of addiction or substance abuse is unique because every afflicted person comes with his or her own social background, family and personal history, medical needs … and all the other factors relevant to addiction. There is no one pre-determined or set remedy. The…
Addiction and Eating Disorders – A Dual DiagnosisHelp BlogBy The Ranch PAMay 31, 2012Eating disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia, and addiction used to be considered unrelated. When both were present in a patient, mental health professionals used to focus more on the substance abuse as it was deemed the primary and more dangerous affliction. Recent studies, however, have revealed a direct connection between the two. In fact,…
Alcoholism Can Affect AnyoneBlogBy The Ranch PAMay 19, 2012Drug addiction and alcoholism doesn’t discriminate. Rich or poor, young or old, famous or obscure – substance abuse has been called an equal opportunity destroyer. You may have read studies that present statistics showing women as more susceptible to alcoholism, or drug addiction rates reported higher for certain age groups. While the research is likely…
Drug and Alcohol Treatment Centers in PA and the Importance of LocationBlogBy The Ranch PAMay 15, 2012When looking for and evaluating rehabilitation centers, some of the things you naturally first assess are what kinds of treatment they offer, how their programs are designed and who are the professionals that run the facilities. Another important point of consideration is of course location. This is relevant when you have to decide between going…
