Monthly Archives: February 2014

Marijuana Awareness Month Perfect Time For A New Beginning

With February being Marijuana Awareness Month, it was a perfect time to think about our attitudes toward marijuana. While the majority of people who smoke pot may not end up developing symptoms of marijuana addiction, there are some users who do develop the signs of an addiction after long-term use.

Signs Of Marijuana Addiction

Marijuana Awareness Month Perfect Time For A New Beginning | IOPSomeone who is addicted to marijuana will continue to use the drug in spite of negative consequences, such as poor performance in school, losing a job, or getting arrested. For some people, a single one of these events is a wake-up call to make some lifestyle changes and make different choices going forward.

In the case of someone who is a true addict, the drug has taken over his or her life and the element of choice is no longer present. Feeding the addiction takes on a major role in the addict’s life and he or she will start to display some of these classic behavior symptoms associated with addiction:

  • Will need larger amounts of the drug to achieve the same effect
  • More time will be spent thinking about using
  • Substance abuse becomes a focal point in the addict’s life
  • Experiences mood swings and/or personality changes
  • Spends more time and/or money acquiring marijuana
  • Becomes irritable or agitated if they run out of marijuana
  • Continue to use even as negative consequences increase

Drug Addiction Treatment For Marijuana Abuse

People who have become addicted to marijuana and who cannot or do not wish to go to a residential program for treatment have the option of getting help from an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP). This treatment model allows clients to get the help they need while being able to go to work, school, or fulfill family obligations. It includes group therapy as well as drug abuse therapy where clients have the opportunity to discuss concerns with trained counselors on an individual basis.

Are you looking for a way to break free from the hold that marijuana has over your life? Don’t wait another day to start your own new beginning when help is available to you right now. Call us today 888-840-5189!

Read About Mental Awareness Month

Celebrity Addiction – Philip Seymour Hoffman Dies From Drug Overdose

Philip Seymour Hoffman, who won an Academy Award for his role in the film “Capote,” was recently found dead in his Manhattan apartment. New York Police described his passing as an apparent drug overdose.

Celebrity Addiction - Philip Seymour Hoffman Dies From Drug Overdose

Courtesy of www.oracletalk.com

When the actor’s apartment was searched, two small plastic bags containing a substance suspected of being heroin were recovered. Police later discovered several more bags in Hoffman’s home.

Reaction to Hoffman’s death was swift and profound. Friends and colleagues expressed shock and grief over the loss, praising Hoffman’s acting abilities and saying that he will be sorely missed.

Hoffman Was Open About His Addiction

Hoffman had not made an effort to hide his addiction. He was open about the fact that he had lived with this chronic disease for a number of years. Hoffman spoke of it in a 2006 interview with CBS, where he said that he had abused “anything I could get my hands on. I liked it all.”

In Hoffman’s case, he started using drugs while in college. This is a time when a number of young people experiment with substances and may be looking for ways to deal with stresses in their lives. Drug and alcohol addiction doesn’t exist in a vacuum; it is linked to emotional pain due to stress, loneliness, anxiety depression, guilt, unresolved feelings about a childhood trauma, or some other personal difficulty.

The addiction can take on a life of its own, and the cycle creates difficulties in personal and professional relationships. It also leads to financial and legal problems can be overwhelming for the addict, and some people have thoughts of suicide. Whether an overdose was an accident or intentional it is simply one more example of fallout from this disease.

Effective Treatment for Addiction is Available

Addiction is a serious matter, and left untreated it can have life-threatening consequences. Addicts can get help from drug rehabilitation center where they can get caring, supportive treatment on an outpatient basis. An outpatient detox program is the first step to a new, sober life that does not include the influence of chemicals. Once this phase of treatment is complete, the work of dealing with the underlying cause for the addiction can start, and clients have the advantage of being able to put the strategies they are learning in treatment to work for them right away.

Life is too precious to spend it looking for ways to numb out on drugs and alcohol. Take your first step toward a new beginning today and contact New Beginnings Recovery Center at 888-840-5189!