Month: April 2009

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Health Day News reported on April 21, 2009 that teen binge drinking damages white matter in the brain, which helps to relay information. The MRI study showed that the effects of binge drinking impair memory and the negatively affect performance in school. With the current rate of adolescent binge drinking in the US, at least one in four teens are at risk for this type of damage. I know that my alcohol abuse negatively affected my performance in school, and the effects reached far beyond my memory and ability to concentrate. The disease of addiction consumed all areas of my life. The constant obsession of when I was going to get my next pill, fix, or drink kept me completely preoccupied. My obsession with getting drunk and high made me put aside the things I really cared about, like my family. I damaged a lot more than my white brain matter. I didn’t think I could ever repair the damage I had done to my family, and didn’t think I would ever get their trust back. I pretty much resigned myself to living with my parents in Los Angeles and just squeaking by. Fortunately, my parents weren’t in on this plan.
As my life at school and at home deteriorated, I was forced to make some tough decisions: flunk out of school and hit the mean streets of the LA, or take the help that was offered to me and try to find another way to live. I decided to go with the latter and give recovery a shot. I didn’t have much to lose. At Visions, I had an opportunity to participate in family sessions. In multi-family groups, all of the families got a chance to share in each other’s challenges and celebrations. I got to hear not only from my own family, but from other families, to see how much our addictions hurt and scared them, and how much our little successes made them happy. In individual family sessions at the treatment center, my family and I began the process of healing some of the damage done. I started to see how much my actions affected my family, and they got to see me growing and changing. Visions also offered guidance to my family on how to best help me and deal with me. I am so grateful for the help that Visions gave my family and me. We have our challenges, as every family does, but now we all have new tools to help love and understand each other.

Help for teen binge drinking

Mission Hospital of Orange County has found a way to help prevent teen drunk driving accidents by providing South County Safe Rides, a program that gives intoxicated Orange County teens a safe ride home. The program enlists high school students who travel in pairs to pick up intoxicated callers and deliver them safely to their destination, thus reducing the number of intoxicated teens on the road. In 2008, the program had over 700 callers. One of the volunteers, a San Clemente High student, argues that teens will continue to get drunk and high, and that this program at least helps to alleviate the dangers of teens drinking and driving. The attention this harm reduction program has garnered also calls attention to the growing number of teens in Orange County abusing alcohol and drugs. In Southern California, where drinking and drug abuse is often portrayed as glamorous, more light must be shed on this very real problem.
As Orange County begins to take notice of this issue, the next step is looking at solutions. Some teens need serious help when it comes to dealing with their drug and alcohol problem. Residential treatment offers a safe place for teens and their families to begin the healing process. In the therapeutic community, teens are given the support and structure needed to help rebuild. I was initially threatened by the idea of structure, but found that it was actually very helpful. Coming from the chaos of my life of addiction, the structured program at Visions made me feel calm, like I could relax and let other people take the reins for a bit. As I learned more tools for self care, I gradually gained more privileges and felt more qualified to make healthy decisions for myself. The periodic field trips and weekly dinner/movie/meeting trips made me realize how much fun can be had in recovery. It was the first time I really felt alive in a long, long time. As I bid farewell to residential treatment and moved along to outpatient, I began to see the huge difference in the person walking in the doors to the person walking out.

The United Kingdom recently reported that the number of people admitted to treatment for cannabis addiction doubled since marijuana was downgraded from a “C status” drug to a “B status” drug. Most doctors, anti-drug campaigners, and law enforcement officials believe that this was due to the fact that people began to see the drug as less harmful since it was legal. As the legality of marijuana is beginning to be questioned again in states across the US, I believe that it is imperative that we continue to take this drug seriously. Many teens don’t think of marijuana as a big deal, but the effects of this drug can have devastating effects on a teenager’s life. When I was in my addiction, I sometimes rationalized my drug use by saying, “It’s just weed,” or, “It’s just alcohol.” Since the prevailing attitude in society is that marijuana and alcohol are socially acceptable, I didn’t think that my addiction was “bad enough” to ask for help. When you hear about addicts in school, they often highlight the heroin addict living on the street, or the PCP user who jumps out of a window because they think they can fly. They don’t talk about the teenage marijuana addict, who scrapes together enough lunch money for marijuana. They don’t talk about the feelings of desperation, isolation, and loneliness that every addict at some point feels. They don’t talk about what an oppressive force drugs- any drug- can be in your life.
Because of the attitude I had about marijuana when I was an adolescent, it took me a long time to feel like I deserved help. I made increasingly worse choices and got myself into more and more pain, and into more and more trouble. I didn’t think anyone would take me seriously because I was a teenager and I couldn’t stop smoking pot. In treatment, I learned that it doesn’t matter what kind of drugs we did. Addiction isn’t as much about the substance as it is about the feelings that drive us to use. It didn’t matter what substance I used or how long I used it. The issue was that I was using an ineffective tool to help me cope with the world and I needed help learning new tools. I think that if society had taken marijuana abuse more seriously, I might have too, and I might have asked for help sooner. Today I know that no matter what substance someone abuses, they’re right to help and treatment is equal. The pain of addiction doesn’t discriminate between drugs. I am so glad that I finally reached out for help.

Click here to contact us about Marijuana addiction treatment

I can’t stop thinking about 17 year old Josh Anderson, the West Virginia high school student who killed himself a couple of weeks ago, on the eve of his high school discipline hearing after being caught with marijuana on campus. Whenever I hear about a death surrounding drug use, it hits me in my very core. In his suicide note, Josh wrote, “Why does it have to be like this?” I wish I could tell him that it doesn’t. I have met countless addicts, myself included, who at the bottom of their addiction have asked that same question. No one will ever know exactly why Josh did what he did, but I know that suicide had crossed my mind a million times when I was struggling in my addiction. I didn’t think I could be anything but an addict. I didn’t think I would feel anything but misery. I didn’t know that another way of life was even possible for me. I remember asking myself, “Why does it have to be like this?” every single day.
Obviously it’s not uncommon for a teenager to feel misunderstood, but there is a profound sense of isolation, depression and desperation that comes from being a teen struggling with addiction. When drugs were once the only solution, they too began to fail me and I felt absolute hopelessness. I felt like a loser so I did drugs, and then I felt like a loser because I couldn’t stop doing drugs. There were times that I thought that I would have to kill myself because I couldn’t stand what my life had become. People think that teenagers are overly dramatic, (and often we are) but teenage drug abuse is a serious issue, and teens feel hopelessness like everyone else. In treatment, I began to see that a new way of life was possible for me. I didn’t always have to believe it. All I had to believe was, “maybe I can.” With the power of, “maybe I can,” I was able to sit back and listen in treatment, and to start to talk about what was going on, and became willing to make some changes. I am so glad that I got this second chance. I wish I could answer Josh Anderson and tell him, “It doesn’t have to be like this,” but I can’t. The thing I can do though, is tell my story to other teens, so that there will be more of us who made it through the dark times than those who didn’t.

Click here if you are a teen struggling with addiction or depression, or a parent of a struggling teen- It doesn’t have to be like this; help exists

This is art produced by one of our recent graduates from new york city during an art therapy session at Visions Adolescent drug Treatment Centers

Click here to contact us for more info on adolescent rehab in new york

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Not to stay stuck on a Lindsay Lohan kick, but experts are reporting that Lohan has reached a dangerous weight, dipping below 100 pounds and entering a hazardous Body Mass Index (BMI) of 16. A healthy BMI for Lindsay would be 18-25. It makes me think of how vigilant I have to be in order to keep my own weight at a healthy level. Eating disorders have an insidious way of creeping up on you without immediate notice. A while back, I had to recommit myself to my own eating disorder recovery as I had slowly begun to eat less and was becoming less aware of making healthy food choices. In Adolescent treatment, where I dealt with not only my substance abuse, but also my eating disorder, I learned how to make healthy food choices and to see the warning signs of when I begin to slip back into old habits. I don’t consciously go back to my old ways, but under emotional and physical stress, I lose my appetite. It wasn’t long before I recognized that I was slipping into unhealthy eating patterns and that “losing my appetite” was no excuse for not eating dinner .
In treatment I learned to pay special attention to the stresses that trigger my eating disordered behavior, and when I’m under stress now, I make an extra effort to eat when and what I’m supposed to, and I check in with my support group. Sometimes I make goals for the week and let someone in my support system know what they are and check in with them on my progress. Recovery from my eating disorder is not as black and white as not using drugs. It is a very strange process…you have to eat to live! As I stay clean and continue to use the tools I first learned in treatment, like writing and using my support system, the process gets easier. I used to feel badly that I still struggled with my eating disordered feelings and reactions, but I have realized today that it is a process, and my continued vigilance and effort in that area is great. I feel good about the enormous amount of progress I have made, and positive about the work I will continue to do. In treatment, I learned not to give up on myself just because there is a bump in the road. I have come a long way and I look forward to the road ahead.

Click here to contact Visions for adolescent eating disorders

Rapper DMX will be checking into Dr. Drew’s 3rd season of Celebrity Rehab. The troubled rapper has been plagued by numerous drug-related run-ins with the law. Celebrity Rehab chronicles celebrities attempts at achieving long-term sobriety. Dr. Drew has long been an advocate of residential treatment and 12-step based programs, bringing his latest efforts at Pasadena Recovery Center to the public through his shows, Celebrity Rehab and Sober House. Residential treatment is an excellent choice for anyone struggling with addiction. Many parents may worry about sending their teens to treatment, but I am so glad that my parents and I made the difficult choice. The time I spent at Visions, away from my life in Los Angeles allowed me to focus 100% on my recovery, without the distractions and temptations that I faced at home and at my school. It was like I got to put my life on hold and face what was really going on.
At first, I thought that the suggested 45 days in treatment was going to be the longest time ever. I had no idea how I would live without face book for that long, much less not using drugs! I am so glad I went. Having the chaos of my everyday life taken away from me ended up being an incredible relief. I could calm down and focus on me. Through a highly structured program, I was able to learn new coping skills and ways to deal with my feelings. I began to make friends and saw that I wasn’t alone in how I was feeling. The other residents and I formed bonds of support. At the AA and NA meetings they took us to, I began to see that a life of sobriety was entirely possible- and actually enticing! With the support of my counselors and treatment staff, I began to work on my core issues- the things that kept me using. It wasn’t always easy, but the result is who I am today, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

Click here to contact us for more info on rehab in Los Angeles

One of the ways my addiction manifested itself was through my eating disorder. It was a difficult thing to tackle my substance abuse and eating disorder at the same time, but my counselors helped me see how the same feelings that led me into my eating disorder also led me into substance abuse. I just read in People magazine that American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi went to treatment for her binge eating disorder when she was younger, and that finding a creative outlet like music helped her to put an end to such a self-destructive behavior.
.My counselors in treatment helped me to identify some of the motivations behind my using and my eating disorder and my drug abuse, most of them tying in to my need to control the world around me. I felt that if I could control everything, I wouldn’t be so afraid. As I continued in my recovery, I began to build up my self esteem by arguing against my defective logic and replacing the negative self talk with positive affirmations. I felt like a big dork doing it at first, but reluctantly recited my affirmations in the mirror anyway. I finally got to where I could look in the mirror and say, “I love you,” and mean it. Kara’s idea about finding an outlet for feelings is right on. I found that painting and drawing was a great outlet for me to express my feelings. When I paint and draw, it is meditative. All of the people I know in recovery have a creative streak, and developing mine has been a wonderful tool in battling both my addiction and my eating disorder.

Click here to contact Visions for help with eating disorders

Lindsay Lohan appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show today, talking about the challenges of getting herself back together after her breakup with Samantha Ronson. She emphasized the importance of her support group and talked about her goals of getting to know herself better and developing her personal strength. This led me to think about the various relationship challenges I’ve dealt with in recovery. Breaking up is hard to do, and it can be even harder when coupled with the massive self-esteem deficiencies addicts and alcoholics seem to deal with.

My first big breakup in recovery ended up being the best thing for me because I really did get a chance to get to know myself better and to analyze what I really wanted from another person. I waited a long time after getting clean to even try testing the relationship waters, and when the first one finally did end, I had a strong foundation underneath me to get through it. Although the breakup wasn’t the worst thing that could have happened to me, I still had to step up the amount of meetings I went to and surrounded myself with other recovering people. I also learned how to enjoy time with myself, like taking myself to a movie or out to dinner. This time I spent with myself allowed me to really feel good about who I am, and over time it really amped-up my feelings of self-worth. Instead of being lonely, I learned how to enjoy solitude. Maybe Lindsay should try going on dates with herself for awhile. It certainly helped me find myself.

Tom Seibel was interviewed on Forbes.com today regarding the Meth Project, a campaign aimed at saturating the adolescent market, focusing solely on meth use prevention. It’s a noble and productive cause to try and prevent teen drug abuse, but what if you’re the teen who’s already tried meth? I had a compulsion to use drugs that reached beyond common sense; in fact, that is one of the factors that I use to define myself as an addict. I learned all about how bad drugs were for me when I was in junior high. I had friends overdose. I overdosed. But something in me kept me using.javascript:void(0)
Through the help of my friends and family, I was able to get help and go to treatment. I learned in treatment that my addiction sometimes defied logic, which is one of the reasons my parents were so frustrated with me and why I felt so crazy when I was using. I’d always been a smart kid, and the choices I made when I was using were anything but smart. My drug problem didn’t make me a bad teen, or a teen with no willpower- it made me a teen that needed help, simple as that. In rehab I learned to give myself a break and learned to care for myself. So for those of us that didn’t heed the warnings, there’s hope. Rather than spend all of our efforts on prevention, an ample effort towards treatment should be made as well.

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