Calming Music Can Help You Get Over Addiction

Posted on June 4, 2013 by Ken Nersten

Scientists are beginning to discover that music has a much more powerful effect on people’s life than previously realized. One of the reasons music is now seen as having healing properties is because it involves both sides of the brain. The left brain processes the emotional aspect of music while the right brain processes the logical and numerical aspect of music. Mood can be effectively transmitted through music based on tempo, texture and message. This is why relaxing music can help people overcome addiction.

One of the core reasons people become addicted to something is because it either becomes comfortable or fills a void in someone’s life and becomes part of a routine. Many people don’t realize it, but anyone who listens to the radio is being programmed to hear a certain playlist in which the songs repeat in a series of rotations. The result is that people become conditioned to accept a certain amount of music they hear through mass programming. This same principle can be applied to music as a healing agent.

Instead of a person’s music being programmed by radio stations, who strive to keep listeners addicted to their tight repetitious playlists, a person can program their own music on their own computer using iTunes or another online music service. Instead of listening to the same commercial songs over and over, people can slow down the cycles of addictive behavior by listening to calmer music with more meditative qualities. A type of meditative music that puts people in a dream state and helps people feel better is called “binaural beats.”

Right Key Body is a British organization that promotes music as a healing agent and has seen amazing results. They have found that music elevates a person’s sense of well being, especially when they sing positive lyrics with others. According to Dr. Julie Sutton of Belfast Health Trust music acts as a vitamin that feeds the brain. The best thing about using music as a drug to overcome addiction is that music presents no harmful side effects. Music is an excellent tool that can replace any vice.

About Ken Nersten

Ken Nersten is the founder of Orange County Detox, which employs a medically supervised and carefully planned nutrition based detoxification program combined with a relapse prevention treatment program. Founded in 2002, it is a center for addiction treatment in California, providing professional, confidential and humane detoxification services. Follow US Here

World No Tobacco Day: 4 Gifts You Can Give

Posted on May 29, 2013 by Ken Nersten

Tobacco-smoking is responsible for six million deaths annually (including deaths among non-smokers who inhale second-hand smoke) and is one of the leading preventable causes of death.

May 31 is World NO Tobacco Day and exists to make people more aware of the harms caused by tobacco. Giving a gift on this day may help you to spread the word of the dangers inherent in tobacco smoke. Consider the following gift ideas:

Posters

Posters can be tasteful but dramatic reminders of tobacco’s dangers and the necessity of quitting. You can purchase pre-made posters or opt to have your own custom poster printed up.

T-Shirts

Like posters, these provide visual reminders to the smoker as well as to those around them. A t-shirt may include a reminder of the dangers of tobacco, or it may have a URL for a website that provides help to smokers who want to quit.

Bottled Water

Bottled water helps to flush nicotine from a quitting smoker’s system as they go through withdrawal. The act of drinking from a bottle can also curb the oral fixation. A case of high-quality water may make a useful gift for smokers trying to break the habit.

Help with Quitting via a Treatment Program

The addiction to nicotine is a notoriously difficult one to kick. While cold turkey quitting methods may work in a handful of cases, they are not effective for most people. The gift of treatment in an addiction program that provides professional care and therapy for long-term addiction recovery is also worth considering.

When Do You Know That Your Occasional Use Has Become an Addiction?

Posted on May 21, 2013 by Ken Nersten

There are many people who experiment with drugs and alcohol when they are with friends or in a party and they continue using drugs or alcohol because it makes them feel good or stops them from feeling unhappy or sad. In many cases, there is a very fine line between occasional use and drug and alcohol addiction. Very few people realize that they have crossed the line.

While different drugs and alcohol tend to have different effects on the body, the symptoms of addiction are the same. Here are some signs to watch out for that will tell you that your occasional use has turned into a drug and alcohol addiction:

Over time, your body has built tolerance towards the drug and/or alcohol. As a result, you tend to use more of the drug or consume more alcohol to experience the same effects and feelings that you used to experience with smaller amounts.

You begin taking drugs or alcohol to avoid experiencing withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms occur when you go for a long period without the drug or alcohol and include restlessness, nausea, sweating, anxiety, depression, shaking and insomnia.

You have completely lost control over your drug or alcohol use. In other words, you take drugs or consume alcohol more often. You keep telling yourself that you are going to stop, but you feel completely powerless when the urge takes over.

You have given up activities that you used to enjoy before, such as sports, socializing with friends and family and hobbies. All you can think about is when can you do drugs or take a sip of the alcohol. Your entire life is all about your drug and alcohol addiction and you cannot stop pondering over how to get your next fix or how to recover from the drug’s effects.

About Ken Nersten

Set Your Party Theme Without Getting Your Drinks On!

Posted on May 13, 2013 by Ken Nersten

The key to throwing a successful party is focusing on what is available and not what isn’t. Almost any type of party can be a success without having alcohol. A smart party planner can take any theme and find fun ways to celebrate any occasion. Creating the perfect party theme can be easy once guidelines have been established and everyone understands the goal is to have fun and stay sober at the same time.

Once the theme has been chosen the next step is invitations. Make sure everyone invited knows the theme of the party and if they are supposed to dress a certain way or contribute something in the way of food. It might be a good idea to make a list of foods already on the menu so nothing is duplicated. Also stress in the invitation there is will be no alcohol at the party.

Make sure the place where the party is being held knows that no alcohol is to be served. This will eliminate a server from inadvertently asking anyone if they want an alcoholic beverage. If the party is being held in a home, the problem may not generally arise, but otherwise, it is a necessary precaution to prevent party-goers from being put in an awkward position.

Just because there is no alcohol being served, it doesn’t mean the beverage menu has to be boring. Research recipes for “mocktails”. They look and taste like their alcoholic counterparts, but have absolutely no alcohol content. In fact, some mocktails are actually quite healthy because they are made with several different types of fruit juice. With a little research, a good host can come up with several versions of non-alcoholic drinks and can even have a few of them made up ahead of time. Don’t forget to include the cute little umbrellas!

Choose the right foods. Know the crowd and stay within the theme of the party. For example, parties with a tailgate theme normally have a variety of finger foods and snack trays. If it’s a long event, sub sandwiches or pizzas may be offered. Include foods that can be used as decorations as well. A sheet cake can be made to look like a football or baseball field. Cheese balls can be shaped to represent footballs or football helmets. The options are only limited by the host’s creativity.

Decorate the area where the party is being held. Remove any signage that promotes alcoholic beverages and use decorations that stand out. Hand out party favors the guests can take home with them. Many party favors and decorations serve dual purposes and can be used as game pieces. If games are to be played make sure to include everyone. This prevents people from losing interest.

Having a fun party means the focus stays on the people, not the alcohol or lack of it. Any party can be a success if the right people get together and learn to enjoy themselves. No matter what the theme or where the party is held, its success lies in the host and the people who attend.

About Ken Nersten

Injection Drug Use and HIV Transmission in US

Posted on May 6, 2013 by Ken Nersten

The connection between HIV transmission and injected drug users is undeniable. Studies performed over the last three decades have shown the steady increase in reported HIV cases is due to the using and sharing of needles between intravenous drug users.

The Center for Disease Control estimates that almost 28 percent of the AIDS cases reported in 2000 were directly linked to injected drug users and their habit of sharing used needles. It is believed that over one third of all cases of HIV/AIDS reported in the United States can be linked in some way to using or sharing needles among addicts.

Injected drug users not only risk their own health but that of the lives of family members as well. Even though their partners are not drug users, they can contract HIV through sexual contact. HIV men who give their partners the virus, can also cause it to be passed to their children if the spouse carries a child after she has been infected.

The incidence of risk associated with injected drug users is extremely high. Because needles are used to introduce the drug directly into the bloodstream, both the drug and the virus are inserted into the body itself. Contacting HIV through an infected needle is much more likely to occur than just having unprotected sex with a partner who is known to be HIV/AIDS positive.

Some studies estimate that up to 20,000 new cases of HIV/AIDS are possible each year. It is also believed that getting injected drug users to stop the sharing of needles may be one possible way of reducing those numbers. The ideal goal would be to stop the use of illegal drugs, but even with the best of intentions it is unlikely that it will occur.

We’re All Responsible for Secondhand Smoke

Posted on April 23, 2013 by Ken Nersten

Smoking, by now, has been established as one of the leading causes of death worldwide, second only to heart disease. For some, smoking is a personal choice. But that is until it starts affecting someone else.

Family members are most commonly the first group to be affected, but they are not exclusive. Up until recently, evidence supporting the impacts of second-hand smoke, though comprehensive and accurate, went unnoticed.

A 2010 study found conclusive evidence, gathered from 192 countries, linking second-hand smoke to lung cancer, respiratory illness and heart disease. This comprehensive study estimates that approximately 600,000 people die worldwide each year as a direct result of second-hand smoke. Nearly a third of the deceased are children, who didn’t have a choice.

A fact that many parents wish they didn’t know: Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is more prevalent among infants whose parents smoke in the house.

As of right now, smoking at home is protected under the law, but with the mortality rate of those affected by second-hand smoke, shouldn’t be smoking in the presence of a non-smoker be illegal? If it is a personal choice, keep it personal. Exposing your loved ones to second-hand smoke is just as much a crime as buying a pack of cigarettes for a minor.

Drug Reduction Program: An Overview

Posted on April 16, 2013 by Ken Nersten

The Drug Reduction Program is a government initiative by the DEA that aims to reduce the demand and eventual use of drugs and alcohol. This initiative works through a three tier system namely, law enforcement, prevention and treatment of drug users. This system has seen a successful outreach to many drug users ant the eventual treatment of addicts. Through the combined efforts of families, law enforcement officers and the community at large, this program has seen a decline in drug use and demand in the targeted areas.

Among the strategies employed by the DEA Initiative is community outreach and sensitization. This has seen the successful holding of open forums in schools and communities to sensitize the youth especially on the effects of drug and substance abuse. It is the belief of the DEA Initiative that the longer one delays exposure to drugs, the lesser the chances of addiction. This is why this initiative has targeted schools.

The DEA Initiative also sensitizes parents and caregivers to look out for their protégés to ensure they do not get exposed to drugs. This outlook has been implemented through open community forums and online mechanisms. The initiative has created a website: www.GetSmartAboutDrugs.Com that targets parents and caregivers. This site has a myriad of information and ideas that would assist such adults in monitoring and even counseling of recovering drug addicts.

Drugs abuse need not cause a standstill to the victim or his family’s life. This initiative also targets addicts who want to stop their addiction. To educate yourself better on this initiative by DEA, log on to http://www.justice.gov/dea/prevention/overview.shtml

Effects Of Alcohol Abuse On Your Kids

Posted on March 25, 2013 by Ken Nersten

If you abuse alcohol, you should realize that you are affecting the quality of life of your children. Your children may end up with many problems that could affect them right through their childhood and into adulthood. Some of the problems that your kids can face due to your alcohol abuse include the following:

As your kids will not experience normal family relationships, they will not know what normal means. They will be unable to distinguish between good and bad role models. They will find it difficult to be around other families, as they will not know how to react.
Children of alcoholics tend to feel inadequate. They judge themselves harshly and have low self-esteem and self-worth. As a result, they can suffer from depression and anxiety, and they can also get angry with themselves for making a minor mistake.
Your kids will be scared of angry people if you resort to domestic violence due to your alcoholism. Your kids will avoid all kinds of conflicts and confrontations, as they will be constantly afraid that these situations could turn violent.
If you are an alcoholic, you will deny your children a normal childhood. This could result in your kids having trust issues due to broken promises that they experienced because of you. They will feel that they cannot trust anyone as trusting would backfire at some point just like it did when they trusted you.
Children of alcoholics are emotionally vulnerable and they constantly worry about abandonment. This can cause them to become clingy in their relationships, as they are afraid of being left alone. At the same time, the low self-esteem can have an opposite effect, with such kids finding it difficult to maintain intimate relationships as they grow older and turn into adults. They will be afraid of becoming close to another person, as they will worry that the person may abandon them or break their trust and promise.
Your kids will constantly look for approval and try and become people-pleasers just to make others happy. They will not take criticism well and may get angry or even violent if they are criticized.

If you are a parent and have alcohol-abuse problems, it is time to seek professional help. You should consider the effect your alcoholism is having on your kids and take measures to rectify the damage you have caused. It is never too late.

What Are Impacts of Alcoholism on Your Social Life?

Posted on March 18, 2013 by Ken Nersten

Many people consume alcohol in social settings or even when they are alone. Alcohol can pose a problem when a person begins to rely on it or wants to consume it to avoid experiencing stress or negative feelings. Alcoholism can have a profound effect on a person’s life and work. Some of the effects of alcoholism on your social and work life are as follows:

Work-Life

Many alcoholics deny that they have a problem. But the fact remains that it is a problem which can affect a person’s work life adversely. You can develop interpersonal problems with your co-workers and colleagues; your absenteeism rate will increase due to habitual heavy drinking; and there are higher chances of accidents and injuries at the workplace, especially if you are working with machinery. Due to alcoholism, you will find it difficult to focus and concentrate on your work and this could result in errors, not finishing an assignment by the deadline and poor performance evaluation.

Social-Life

Many alcoholics suffer from low self-esteem, anger, depression, anxiety and even mental disorders, such as bipolar disorder. To overcome these issues, the person has to admit that he has an alcohol problem and seek professional help. If you are an alcoholic, you will find it difficult to keep friends; you will display inappropriate behavior, such as starting arguments and fights; you will not be able to have normal friendship with people which could result in social isolation. This, in turn, will make you feel worse about yourself and compound your alcoholism. Furthermore, alcoholics are more prone to drinking and driving which endangers not only their lives, but others as well. Research and several studies have shown that alcoholism is associated with petty theft, fraud, violence and many other crimes.

Family-Life

Alcoholics often hide their drinking problem behind the walls of their home. Alcoholism is associated with domestic-violence, child-abuse and divorce. Even family members of alcoholics are profoundly affected, as they can develop co-dependency and alcoholic’s behavior becomes a normal part of their lives. Children are highly vulnerable, as the emotional and psychological scars can stay with them their entire lifetime. If you are an alcoholic, you are not only drinking and harming yourself, you are also harming your loved ones.
Seek professional help today to overcome your alcoholism and you will be amazed what a difference it makes to your social life, work life and family life.

Alcohol and Your Life

Posted on March 11, 2013 by Ken Nersten

If you think you have a problem with alcohol, chances are you probably do.

No one should know better than you; however, sometimes when your drinking has elevated from moderate use to excessive abuse, you may be the last to know.

Many people use alcohol to cope with or avoid situations that they perceive to be troublesome or uncomfortable. Because alcohol is so prevalent in society, it can be difficult to know when you have begun to rely on alcohol and are treading into dangerous waters.

Alcoholism is cunning and baffling, and can sneak up on you when you least expect it. That is why it is so important to understand when alcohol is beginning to take over your life. Recognizing that you have a problem is the first step toward solving it.

Chronic craving and consumption are the trademarks of alcoholism, typically stemming from environmental, psychological, cultural and genetic factors. Left untreated, alcohol abuse can destroy your life.

Early stages of alcoholism can chip away at your emotional stability, finances, career, school and your personal relationships with family, friends, co-workers or classmates.

Your body, too, will begin to react. You may begin to experience frequent upset stomachs, diarrhea, poor coordination and judgment, headaches and trouble sleeping.

If your drinking continues in excess, serious health complications can surface over the long-term and affect every organ of your body. These problems may distinguish themselves at any time in heart disease; cancer; liver damage; stomach, kidney, skin, muscle and bone ailments; infections; mental disorders; insomnia; malnutrition; and impotence and infertility. Most of these problems can culminate in death.

Women who abuse alcohol when they are pregnant can take on the increased burden of miscarriage or bear babies that are malnourished and with physical, mental or behavioral problems.

Problem drinking can also damage the lives of those you touch. This tremendous emotional strain on loved ones can be magnified in separation, divorce, neglect of family and financial responsibilities that lead to poverty, added medical liabilities or in acts of domestic violence. Furthermore, abusive drinking is at the root of half of the deaths related to serious automobile accidents.

If you have a drinking problem or know of a loved one who does, alcoholism has already hit close to home. The good news is that it no longer has to affect every aspect of a your life. The important thing is to get help.