Archive for April, 2010

Rocks near Big Island Recovery

Maintaining comprehensive bio-behavioral understanding of addiction also speaks to what needs to be provided in drug treatment programs.
At Hawaii Island Recovery we are careful not to pit biology against behavior.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse recently published Principles of Effective Drug Addiction Treatment provides a detailed discussion of how we must treat all aspects of the individual, not just the biological component or the behavioral component.
As with other brain diseases such as schizophrenia and depression, the data show that the best drug addiction treatment approaches attend to the entire individual, combining the use of medications, behavioral therapies, and attention to necessary social services and rehabilitation.
These include such services as family therapy to enable the patient to return to successful family life, mental health services, education and vocational training, and housing services.
That does not mean, of course, that all individuals need all components of treatment and all rehabilitation services. Another principle of effective addiction treatment is that the array of services included in an individual’s treatment plan must be matched to his or her particular set of needs. Read the rest of this entry »

Diving at Big Island Recovery

There is at least one genetic test for an allele that is associated to alcoholism and opiate addiction. Though this allele is more common in individuals with alcohol addiction, there is no conclusive evidence that the presence of this gene is necessary for alcohol addiction. Some researchers argue that the evidence for such alleles is contradictory. There is a theory that alcohol was discovered and utilized as a replacement for polluted drinking reservoirs in urban society. In this case, death from liver disease was preferred to death by waterborne disease. Over time, this resulted in a selection process of genes that were able to handle more alcohol. Essentially the population changed from being a predominately hunter-gatherer society to more urban. This theory explains why certain groups like Aborigines or Native Americans have a higher alcohol tolerance.
Alcoholism can be a lifelong struggle. Though behaviors are changed, relapse is always a possibility and often occurs. Relapse does not mean an individual is doomed to alcoholism.
Call Hawaii Island Recovery at  866-515-5032 today and talk to Michael Larroque for more information.

Sea Shells - Big Island Recovery

As of 2003, 77 alcohol treatment and drug rehabilitation centers in Hawaii served more than 3,000 patients. State-funded institutions and private centers administer various drug rehab programs such as behavioral and cognitive therapies, long-term and short-term treatments, the 12-step program, and confinement to residential facilities. However, majority of patients with drug dependence and alcoholism problems still prefer programs for an outpatient course of treatment.

The initial phase of most treatments is known as the detox program. Through alcohol or drug detox, the patient is relieved from accumulated toxins. The process usually results in physical discomfort but in due time, may help the body adjust from the withdrawal symptoms. Interventions and counseling are also recommended. The patients are normally advised to join support groups to sustain the progress. Meanwhile, after-care treatments are also available to avoid relapse.

The success of any rehabilitation program lies on active participation of the patient and his family. Although full-recovery is not an absolute guarantee, professional treatments help patients be more prepared to lead a normal life. Call Hawaii Island Recovery today for the help you deserve from people that are dedicated to your health and recovery.