Stonewall Institute Treatment Center

Drug and Alcohol Treatment Center in Phoenix, AZ

Extended-Release Opioids: Dangers, Differences, Precautions

Posted on October 18, 2018 by Stonewall Institute Treatment Center

Extended-release or sustained-release opioids tend to contain higher doses. They’re formulated to gradually release into the patient’s body over an extended time, typically either a 12-hour or 24-hour period.

However, this time-release mechanism can be bypassed depending on the technology used. Crushing, snorting, and injecting extended-release tablets greatly increases the risk of life-threatening overdose.

The Current Opioid Overdose Crisis

As of 2015, an estimated 1 6 million people worldwide have been affected by opioid use disorders. A majority of heroin users begin taking opioids as legally prescribed pain-relieving tablets. In 2016, the United States recorded over 42,000 deaths due to opioid overdose.

This number grows every year. Many of the deaths are attributed to recreational use. The illegal manufacturing of the potent synthetic opioids like fentanyl are largely to blame. Fentanyl is 80 to 100 times more potent than morphine. It is commonly mixed in illegally pressed pills and sold as Xanax or various other street drugs.

However, many of the deaths are due to recreational users who take legally manufactured synthetic opioids in ways that are not recommended by physicians.

A Safer Extended-Release Oxycodone

Efforts are being made through the coordinated efforts of pharmaceutical companies and the FDA to reformulate extended-release tablets to reduce the likelihood of overdose. Collegium Pharmaceutical’s Xtampza ER is a sustained-release version of oxycodone. Xtampza ER is used to treat moderate to severe chronic pain in opioid-tolerant patients. It’s made in sustained-release capsules of 9 mg, 13.5 mg, 18 mg, 27 mg, and 36 mg. The pills are designed to release a percentage of the drug immediately upon ingestion, with the majority of the drug being released gradually over a 12-hour period.

The patient takes two pills a day for around-the-clock pain relief. Taking more than 36 mg in a single dose or exceeding 72 mg in a 24-hour period dramatically increases the risk of overdose.

According to a recent study presented at PAINWeek 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada, Xtampza ER’s new formulation has a lower abuse potential than immediate-release oxycodone. Typically, extended-release opioids have a higher abuse potential due to their higher drug content. When crushed, the total drug content is released into the system all at once, increasing the risk of overdose.

The opposite proved to be the case with Xtampza ER. Researchers evaluated the pharmacokinetics of crushed and intact extended-release oxycodone compared to crushed immediate-release oxycodone.

Participants were asked to rank the euphoria of the high along with its pain-relieving effects. Researchers used various metrics, including pupil constriction to determine the strength of the drug’s effects. In general, the smaller the patient’s pupils, the higher the intensity of the effects. When all the numbers were crunched, immediate-release oxycodone had an overall higher risk of drug abuse and overdose.

This is a great accomplishment, considering that sustained-release opioids tend to have a significantly higher abuse potential, especially when crushed.

A Safer Version of Opana ER

In similar fashion, Endo Pharmaceuticals came out with a reformulation of their extended-release oxymorphone hydrochloride tablets in 2012. Opana is derived from morphine but is significantly more potent. Opana ER was first approved in 2006. Just like Xtampza ER, it’s intended for the management of moderate to severe chronic pain that requires 24-hour pain relief.

In 2012, Endo Pharmaceuticals changed the formulation of Opana ER to make it more difficult to manipulate for snorting or injecting. The new formulation met the FDA’s regulatory standards for approval. Following the drug’s release, the FDA determined that the new formulation did not meaningfully reduce Opana ER’s abuse potential.

Endo suggested adding additional warnings to the Opana ER’s label to highlight the potential of drug abuse. However, since the drug’s 2012 release, more evidence has surfaced indicating additional risk factors.

FDA Requests Removal of Opana ER

The 2012 reformulation of Opana ER is significantly more difficult to take via injection. However, taking it through this route is still possible, and severely opioid-dependent users continue to crush, dissolve, and inject the substance.

Common side effects of Opana ER include nausea, vomiting, heart palpitations, sedation, drowsiness, and respiratory depression. When Opana ER is taken intravenously, these adverse effects can become intensified.

Clinically significant respiratory depression is more likely to occur when Opana ER is injected. This can lead to carbon dioxide toxicity, oxygen-deprivation, coma, critical organ failure, irreversible paralysis, brain damage, and death.

In 2015, state officials in Indiana to emergency action following an epidemic of HIV in Austin, Indiana. The epidemic was spread primarily by drug users who were injecting oxymorphone intravenously. This event was one of the final strikes against extended-release oxymorphone tablets like Opana ER. Following this event, the FDA formally recommended the removal of Opana ER from the market.

In 2017, Endo Pharmaceuticals voluntarily removed Opana ER from the market due to the high rates of overdose and risk factors associated with recreational drug use.

How to Take Opioids Safely

All opioids carry with them a high potential for misuse, addiction, and overdose. Substances like oxycodone, oxymorphone, morphine, codeine, and fentanyl are classified as Schedule II controlled substances by the FDA. The manufacturing and distribution of these drugs are tightly regulated. Most have limits as to how much can be produced each year.

The North American opioid overdose epidemic began in the late-1990s and has been growing exponentially ever since. In response, hospitals and physicians have taken the initiative to reduce the rate at which opioids are prescribed.

Patients should only be prescribed opioids when milder, non-opioid pain-relievers are ineffective. The minimum effective dose of opioids should always be prescribed. Doses can be gradually increased every few days until the minimum effective dose is achieved. In general, only opioid-tolerant individuals should be prescribed extended-release versions of opioids.

When it’s time to stop taking opioids, doses should be reduced gradually to minimize symptoms of opioid withdrawal. Discontinuation of opioid use should always be conducted under medical supervision for the best possible outcome.

If you or someone you love is struggling with opioid dependency, Stonewall Institute Treatment Center is more than happy to answer any questions you may have. Call us today at 602-535 6468 or email us at info@stonewallinstitute.com.

Supplements to Reduce Anxiety in Recovery

Posted on September 21, 2018 by Stonewall Institute Treatment Center

Supplements to Reduce Anxiety in Recovery

Being clean and sober from alcohol and drugs doesn’t mean you can’t take natural, homeopathic supplements to improve your mood and reduce anxiety. A wide variety of natural anti-anxiety remedies are out there to try. They’re non-addictive and non-habit forming. Some impact the brain in ways similar to alcohol, but without the addictive effects. You won’t feel intoxicated, but you may feel relaxed and ready to take on the day.

Stonewall Institute supports holistic and natural recovery, but understands that every patient is different. Proper medication, supplements, and intensive therapy are important for a successful recovery. Please consult with your doctor before taking any of the supplements mentioned below.

Theanine

Theanine is an amino acid that has anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) effects. It’s found in high quantities in green tea leaves. When you’re recovering from addiction to drugs or alcohol, the brain may need a little encouragement to return to normal neurotransmitter production. Theanine is an amino acid analog of two critical neurotransmitters: L-glutamate and gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA).

When glutamate activity in the brain is high, and GABA activity is low, anxiety can become worse. Taking theanine as an oral supplement can promote the expression of GABA in the brain by suppressing the expression of glutamate.

Theanine also increases levels of nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the brain (BDNF). BDNF is critical for rebuilding damaged neurons, something that’s often desperately needed in the brain of someone seeking substance use recovery.

Theanine increases alpha waves in the brain. Alpha waves are one of several ranges of frequency that characterize the brain depending on whether you’re sleeping, feeling energized, or in a state of calm. Alpha waves are present during meditation and REM sleep.

5-HTP

Before there was serotonin, there was 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP). 5-HTP is an amino acid that serves as a primary building block for the production of the neurotransmitter serotonin. Rave culture is familiar with 5-HTP as an ecstasy (MDMA) hangover cure. MDMA (3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine) induces feel-good effects by triggering the brain to produce serotonin in large quantities.

Serotonin has many functions throughout the body and is closely involved in digestion. The majority of the serotonin produced in the body is made by bacteria deep in the intestinal tract. In the brain, serotonin is responsible for producing a feeling of peace and general well-being.

Supplementing with 5-HTP can help you sleep better. Recovery from addiction can make it hard to sleep at times. Poor sleep can further throw off neurotransmitter and hormone levels as you try to recover. While you’re awake, the brain converts 5-HTP into serotonin. While you sleep, it converts it into melatonin. Without adequate melatonin, the brain doesn’t know to shut off and get some rest.

By promoting restful sleep and increasing serotonin expression during the day, 5-HTP can be an excellent addition to your recovery toolkit.

GABA

GABA, full name gamma-Aminobutyric acid, is a non-essential amino acid that functions as a neurotransmitter in the brain. GABA’s job is to calm overactive brain activity and reduce anxiety. When you drink alcohol, you can thank increased GABA production for the relaxation component of the alcohol buzz.

GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter of the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate. Gaba reduces anxiety by decreasing glutamate activity.

GABA supplements don’t work for a large percentage of the population. For some, it can be very useful at inducing feelings of calm without being sedative. Individuals with anxiety tend to be low on GABA.

B-Complex Vitamin

If you’re deficient in GABA, it can be helpful to stock your body up on B-vitamins. The vitamin-B family includes all the essential water-soluble vitamins besides vitamin C. You have to get them through diet because the body can’t make them on its own. B-vitamins include thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, biotin, folic acid, and the cobalamins. Pyridoxine, also known as B6, and the cobalamins, also known as B12, are especially helpful for treating anxiety and depression.

B6 and B12 are cofactors in many of the body’s metabolic processes. Being deficient in these essential nutrients can cause a host of cognitive problems, including anxiety and brain fog. It’s important that your body’s vitamin B profile is balanced. Taking a B-complex multivitamin is a safe way to restore optimal brain activity following addiction. B-vitamins help balance hormone production, increase energy, support the adrenal gland, and maintain the health of nerve cells.

Valerian Root

Valerian root is one of several herbs that achieve their anxiolytic effects by increasing GABA production. This is another good one to take if you’ve been having a hard time sleeping at night. Valerian is a common ingredient in many herbal sleep tinctures along with kava, lemon balm, passionflower, and chamomile. Many of these share valerian’s GABA-promoting effects.

Xanax reduces anxiety by dramatically increasing the expression of GABA. If you’re recovering from addiction to Xanax, supplements like valerian that boost GABA may be especially helpful. Because valerian can be so sedative, it’s best to avoid taking it during the day.

Studies indicate that valerian root may slow the reuptake of GABA in the brain, thereby increasing its effects. This is the same way the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI’s) treat depression by slowing the reuptake of serotonin.

Magnesium

Several recent research studies have linked magnesium deficiency to increased rates of anxiety. In animal studies, test subjects display reduced anxious behavior when administered magnesium. Researchers believe that magnesium achieves its effects by modulating the HPA-axis, the body’s stress response system.

Being deficient in magnesium can have widespread negative effects on overall health. It’s involved in over 600 different processes in the body and brain. In addition to increasing anxiety, magnesium deficiency can contribute to low energy, brain fog, and depression.

Magnesium is used by the mitochondria in your cells to turn food into energy. It also helps repair damaged strands of DNA and RNA.

Although supplements can be helpful in your recovery, seeking proper treatment for substance use is also essential. Stonewall Institute’s 10-week Intensive Outpatient Program allows for holistic recovery in a comfortable and flexible environment.

As a recovering addict, your brain has most likely been through a lot of stress. As you progress in recovery, your brain chemistry will stabilize and mood will improve. Along the way, the supplements covered in this article can help manage symptoms of anxiety. If you or someone you know is struggling with drug or alcohol abuse, Stonewall Institute Treatment Center is more than happy to answer any questions you may have. Call us today at 602-535 6468 or email us at info@stonewallinstitute.com.

Stigma and Addiction: The Undesired Truth

Posted on September 29, 2017 by Stonewall Institute Treatment Center

There are many myths and misconceptions about alcoholism and who alcoholics are. Those who are not in the recovery community contribute to the perpetuation of these myths via stereotypes and being generally unaware of what addiction actually consists of. These myths may also contribute to the stigmatization of alcoholism.

The truth is that society has shaped itself to shame anyone who finds themselves suffering from mental health issues, especially when it comes to addiction. When you consider the fact that many believe addiction is a “chosen path”, the shame and guilt felt by these individuals can grow exponentially.

With this stigma so common in society, those with substance use issues are put in a difficult position. Those who want to get sober must go through recovery, followed up by a reentry into the world outside treatment. Although stigma surrounds the individual pre-treatment, there’s also a stigma during and after treatment as well.

This stigma may have to do with the fact that many decades ago, it was forbidden to discuss mental health issues within the United States. The reasons for this are rather vague. Some will defend that people suffering from mental health issues are simply leaning towards an excuse, while others find that people “overreact” to very common emotions.

It can be said that in today’s society, we are witnessing more public understanding in terms of mental health issues. We are in the progression of becoming more open about the topic and people are discovering much more sympathy for those affected by mental health.

But even still, the problem of addiction seems to reign stigma hard. More often than not, it’s for the simple reason that the disease comes off as though it were a choice. Because of this, society disregards the idea that addiction is a mental health problem at all.

This is the undesired truth: the idea that people just don’t understand addiction. With it comes a stream of emotions – guilt, fear, and shame – that cause individuals to avoid treatment. Even though it’s been statistically proven that, at least, one member of every family experiences some sort of mental illness, the stigma continues to create boundaries.

Understanding the Creation of the Emotion

Being that treatment is seen as a sort of meditative period, medical carers are responsible for more than just physically getting somebody sober. They also find themselves accountable for getting their patients to a fulfilling emotional state so they can live their happiest life. With society’s stigma towards addiction, this isn’t an easy task for both patients and medical carers.

This only furthers the proof that there’s a taboo placed on substance abuse rather than disorders such as depression or anxiety. Surveys have confirmed that there is a distinct difference in those will accept addiction and those who won’t. Generally, people who are affected or are close with someone suffering from mental health issues are more likely to comprehend those suffering from addiction.

With this survey, 709 people were asked a few simple questions about how they felt about individuals suffering from mental health issues and/or substance use issues:

A little more than half claimed they’d work with an individual suffering from mental health issues while less than a quarter were willing to work with a substance abuser.

A little less than three-quarters pronounced employers have every right to disregard employment from addicted individuals.
A quarter believed employers had a right to deny employment from anyone with any type of mental disorder.
A little less than half said health insurance companies had their right for disapproving indivduals suffering from substance use seeking treatment.
About a fifth opposed health insurance companies from offering their benefits to those with any type of mental disorder.

These statistics clearly outline the stigma with addiction. Thinking about these statistics with regards to those seriously looking for treatment should give an idea of the intense emotions they experience. Shame, guilt, and a fear that others around them won’t comprehend why they want to change their lives.

Reasoning for Addictions Stigmatization

To put it simply, people are afraid of what they don’t know. When something is an absolute mystery to us, we tend to avoid thinking about it. When the time comes to think about it, we get the notion to retaliate. Why? Because we are unaware of how to properly react. There is no sense of understanding within it.

This is exactly the case with addiction. People don’t look into such a topic when they have no necessity to witness and/or experience it. However, this doesn’t give us an explanation as to why other mental health issues are slowly finding an acceptance while ones like addiction still receive backlash. Unfortunately, the explanation is often ignored even though it’s in clear sight.

There are individuals who are in a position where taking drugs doesn’t feel so much like a “choice”, rather, they are affected by something called Substance Use Disorder. The effects of this disease cause the brain to have strong urges of intaking some sort of chemical. Even if it’s unknown to the body, there’s the intention of making it known. This inevitably leads to addiction.

It should be noted that individuals affected by substance abuse disorder often experience this compulsivity even after treatment. This makes sobriety all the more difficult to accept. Even if a person doesn’t suffer from this disease, there’s still the chance for this sort of behavior. Reason being, the thrill of a high is so permanently locked into the brain.

In order to properly understand all this, we need to know that what affects a person’s substance abuse is more than just the thrill of the high. It’s vital to consider their genetics, environment, and the way in which they were raised. With these in mind, it becomes more clear as to why people can’t just “shake off” an addiction, even after going through treatment.

With this might come a relapse. This is another part of addiction that many others look down upon. In order for the public to truly understand, we must push the notion that addiction is very much a disease, not a simple choice. People with this disease struggle with finding their own groundings in life and often fall back into the cycle due to a lack of discovery.

This is why people going through treatment are often taught to look for other areas in which to take their lives. With the proper distraction, recovering from addiction becomes all the more easier. Mainly because it opens individuals up to other ways in which to spend their time. With this, there’s the hope that a person will blossom into a happy, fulfilled, and productive member of society.

How Does Stigma Impact Individuals?

There is certainty that due to these negative attributes associated with the word “addiction”, individuals are avoiding treatment altogether. This may only fuel drug addiction further. If a person entering treatment feels that he/she will be labeled with the term “addict” for the rest of their lives, they cease to seek out the necessary care.

The term overdose is, likewise, a deadly term which people avoid. If any individual has gone through such fate, they understand nobody wants to be labeled with an overdose. This has to do for two distinct reasons:

Overdoses only happen in concerns with hard substances.

It’s generally considered a “low life” scenario when someone has had the experience of an overdose.

For this reason, those who have experienced an overdose often prefer to avoid telling their doctors. For one, there’s this unspoken notion that a doctor isn’t going to trust a patient if the term is attached to them. Secondly, there’s the risk of it reaching someone of importance (i.e. a family member). Therefore, medication such as naloxone – what is used to reverse the effects of an overdose, saving many lives – often doesn’t reach the people it’s intended for.

The stigma of addiction is real. Those suffering from alcohol and/or drug use can use denial in order to avoid the challenges of accepting they have a problem. By bringing awareness to alcohol abuse, alcoholism, and substance use, we as a society can reduce the stigma often associated with addiction and ultimately get those individuals the help they need.

If you or anyone you know is suffering from substance abuse or if you would like more information on the above subject; please, give us a call at 602-535-6468 or email us at info@stonewallinstitute.com. You are not alone. We are here to help.

What Causes Drug Abuse?

Posted on July 7, 2017 by Stonewall Institute Treatment Center

Everyone grows up in this world differently. Therefore, not everyone’s drug abuse is triggered by the same causes. In fact, the causes for drug abuse can be so versatile, it’d be impossible to pinpoint every single source. Yet, there are common cases we have noticed amongst a good sum of addicted individuals. Likewise, these individuals also hold common aspects that sustain and fuel their addiction.

Genetic Susceptibility

It’s been scientifically stated that a person’s genetic makeup is accountable for half of their exposure to addiction. If your mother or father has suffered from addiction, there’s the tendency for the children to, likewise, experience similar sufferings.

This explains the commonality of families facing addiction together. Though it’s usually not the only probable cause for drug abuse, it remains a key factor in an individual’s decisions and behavior.

Personality Traits

Going off genetic susceptibility, there are certain personality traits people are born with that makes them more vulnerable to drug addiction. For example, if an individual feels experimental in terms of socializing, they may end up experimenting with drugs in a social regard.

It should be noted that though these personality traits come from one’s DNA, it’s not to say that the DNA held the trait of addiction. Rather, the DNA held traits that can lead to addiction if not disciplined properly.

Mental Health

In recent years, one of the biggest contributors to drug addiction has been mental health disorders. There are two reasons for this:

1. People suffering from mental health issues usually end up receiving prescription they become dependent on.

2. People suffering from mental health may seek out substances as a way of relief.

Another probability we’ve been noticing is there are occasions where non-mental health individuals develop mental health problems after addiction.

The Age When You Begin

Due to the fact that a teenager’s brain is still developing, if they take drugs at a young age, they are more likely to be dependent on them.

When an adult intakes drugs for the first time, after their brain has developed, they are less likely to be addicted. Reason being they didn’t allow their brains to grow while under the influence.

Environment

If you find yourself surrounded by other addicts on a daily basis, it’s going to be hard to avoid addiction within yourself. As the saying goes, we are a product of our environments. These surroundings are that of the following:

● Poor relations with family

● Lack of parent supervision

● Easily accessible drugs within community

● Being close with other addictions

Conclusion

Stonewall Institute Treatment Center is here to answer any questions you have on drug abuse. If you or a loved one is abusing drugs and are seeking out treatment, give us a call for more information on our facility at 602 535 6468 or email us at info@stonewallinstitute.com.

How to Stay Motivated Through Treatment

Posted on June 30, 2017 by Stonewall Institute Treatment Center

More often than not, people check into a treatment facility with the intention of staying for the average rehabilitation length; 28 days. To think that the recovery process only lasts a month is underestimating the journey you’re about to take. Usually, rehabilitation under supervision lasts up to around 90 days. Yet, it continues throughout the rest of your life.

Maybe you have a loved one entering treatment for their addiction. Or maybe you’re addicted yourself and are looking for a way to handle the process. There are three separate factors that all correlate to help influence addicts stay motivated through treatment.

● Individual engagement

● Facility engagement

● Intensive interventions

Through these three factors, your treatment process will not only be successful but also reassure the motivation behind such a life changing decision.

Individual Engagement

There are instances where addicts are forced into treatment and, in the end, don’t recover. This has much to do with their lack of individual engagement.

One of the most important steps in recovery is an individual making the decision to quit themselves. If you desire to change your life in this regard, there’s more of an inclination to carry out the steps that proceed.

Addicts who find themselves in a full recovery are often self-motivated by their own ambition. This is why individual engagement is so important.

To ensure a successful treatment, here’s a list of some ways in which an individual can stay engaged:

● Support from loved ones

● Motivated to make a change

● Pressures from outside sources (work, relationships, criminal justice system)

Facility Engagement

Though an individual can’t necessarily be held responsible for a facility’s engagement, the facility in question is still your choice. This is why it’s vital for you to pick the right facility for your treatment.

Without the right engagement, an addict may lose faith in their abilities and never recover. When deciding upon a facility, look out for these key factors:

● Cooperative treatment plan

● Clear and concise treatment expectations

● Positive and promising therapeutical relationships with the staff

● Professional resources available (medicinal, social service, psychiatric)

Intensive Intervention

One of the most difficult aspects of addiction is an individual is forced to change direct areas of their personality. To go from high to sobriety may be a change in itself, but that change carries along with it a load of minor changes. With this, some individuals get unmotivated to make the change and end up dealing with intensive interventions.

When these situations come into play, those around the individual must know to step up and say something. Whether it be a family member, a faculty staff, a friend, a counselor, or even a co-worker, everyone in the individual’s life must remind him/her that he’s/she’s not on this journey alone. This gives off the impression of care in one’s life and care alone has the ability to motivate someone.

There have been instances where addicts attempt to get out of treatment, even if they had put themselves into it. Often, the change seems too radical for them to handle. It is important that we never let an individual feel undetermined about themselves and to lift them up in times of desperation.

If you or anyone you know has the desire to make this change, please feel free to call Stonewall Institute Treatment Center at 602-535-6468 for more information on treatment. You may also email us at info@stonewallinstitute.com.

How to Properly Determine if a Loved One Needs Help

Posted on May 25, 2017 by Stonewall Institute Treatment Center

Have you noticed any changes in your loved one’s behaviors? Are their physicalities slowly changing without explanation? These are the two general questions to ask when someone in your life is acting in a way that’s unfamiliar to you.

Be careful of misguided beliefs. A person’s behavior is viable to change with or without the use of substances. There are many forces in our lives that can control our behaviors and physical appearances. The goal of this blog is to pinpoint the forces related to drugs and alcohol and to clear up those questions you’re asking for the sake of helping the person you love.

The Physical Signs

Due to the fact that each drug works differently on the body, it’s going to be difficult to accurately determine the exact substance you may be skeptical of. The information below is based upon what common physical impacts the majority of drugs have.

Addicts commonly have irregular schedules. Since drugs cause an internal physical change, the way one’s daily agenda goes tends to circle around when they’re high or not. For example, an individual most likely isn’t going to sleep unless the high’s over. Likewise, with their appetite, a person might not eat if the substance helps them ignore hunger. If you find any irregularities in your loved one’s sleep and/or eating patterns, you have reasonable superstition.

To follow this up, you can observe their physical health. Though it tends to take some time before these signs have their impact, there’s a variety of hints you can monitor.

● A change in the eyes; a redder tone, watery, enlarged or decreased pupil size.

● Unable to properly coordinate average physical movements.

● Poor hygiene and/or health (as if one’s sick with a virus).

● Overly active or underly active.

These changes may or may not be noticeable unless one is under the influence while you’re making the observations. You’re going to want to keep a keen eye out for this because when an individual is high, their behavior will usually show it.

The Behavioral Signs

An intoxicated person will often show off differences in their mood. However, even when an addict is sober, there are indications to look out for. First, there are changes usually made in their private lives (though this may depend on the person’s age).

● More often taking to solitude (secretive) or frequently trying to stay away from home.

● A fall in school grades or work performance.

● A change in outfits and/or styles.

● A decline in one’s self-esteem and/or motivation.

Secondly, you’ll want to observe the way this person interacts with others. Whether it be you, other loved ones, friends, or even strangers.

● Are relationships damaging around the individual?

● Are they often asking for money?

● Are they noticeably forgetful or dishonest?

● Have they lost interest in other loved ones?

● Have they become oversensitive and/or sporadic?

We understand that it may seem more convenient to sit down with your loved one and properly talk out any concern. Or, better yet, have them take a drug test for safe measure. Although these tactics may give us peace of mind, many individuals struggling with addiction are unwilling to admit to their habits and will go great lengths to hide it.

This has a multitude of reasons. The prime cause being guilt. That’s why we at Stonewall Institute Treatment Center make it our goal to give you all the information sustainable for handling addiction and properly caring for it.

If your concern has discovered an addiction in a loved one, we encourage you to call us for assistance at 602-535-6468 or email us at info@stonewallinstitute.com.

Best AZ Alcohol and Drug Rehab

Posted on November 30, 2016 by Stonewall Institute Treatment Center

Stonewall Institute is best Arizona alcohol and drug rehab you can find. It offers a drug and alcohol treatment program that addresses issues that accompany addiction and substance abuse. If you or a loved one needs help with alcohol or drugs during this holiday season, call 602-535-6468 today to schedule an appointment for a drug and alcohol evaluation. For more information, visit the website at www.stonewallinstitute.com