For individuals who are in the early stages of recovery, clear thinking may be a challenge. Thinking and even existing without substance abuse can be drastically different as the body and brain both learn to operate without those foreign toxins in the way. For those who have just recently detoxed, emotions and feelings may seem erratic and unexplainable at times. Although the helpful technique of mindfulness meditation is often introduced to clients in the early stages of recovery, it is a highly effective positive coping mechanism for every level of sobriety. This type of meditation is deal for increasing control over one’s emotions and gaining mental clarity. The purpose of mindfulness meditation is to pay attention to the moment at present. There are three main aspects to the exercise: awareness, attention, and remembering. Those who are practicing must be aware of what they are choosing to focus on, concentrate their attention on the object, and remember to keep it there. For those who practice mindfulness, it has a positive effect on managing stress, which is a main contributing factor to many physical and mental diseases, including addiction. Not only does it allow people to gain freedom from their typical negative thought patterns, but it also conditions people to become much more aware of what is happening within their own bodies and minds. When it comes to mindfulness meditation, there are four common techniques that are often practiced by those who…

What is Crystal Meth? Medically known as methamphetamine, crystal meth is a recreational drug that originates from weight loss prescription medication. The weight loss medication goes under multiple alterations until crystal meth is created. From there, those who abuse crystal meth can choose from three different forms: crystals (original form), powder, or liquid. Those who chose powdered meth can snort it through their nasal passage. The liquid form can be injected anywhere on the body. Both forms enter the bloodstream, almost instantly causing effects much faster. Crystal meth has many street names including Tina, speed, ice, and the Poor Man’s Cocaine. Many chose to abuse crystal meth because it has longer lasting effects than cocaine. According to studies within 2013 done by the NSDUH, about 60% of emergency hospital visits were patients who had been abusing crystal meth. In the same year, 595,000 people admitted to abusing crystal meth within a one month period. Side Effects Crystal meth has been put into two categories: physical and mental. Physical side effects include rapid weight loss, nausea, vomiting, tremors, nosebleeds, skin lesions and welts, and dental decay. Because crystal meth causes the saliva in your mouth to diminish (dry mouth) and malnutrition, it leads to meth mouth, which is a common side effect of decaying teeth that eventually will be lost or will need to be removed. The abuse of meth can also lead to transmitted diseases such as HIV and AIDS…

Right Path Drug Rehab and What We Do Right Path Drug Rehab is a luxurious rehab center that is designed to care for those who struggle with alcohol and drug addiction. Our staff consists of experienced individuals who are are compassionate about what they do. The staff at Right Path Drug Rehab is also sympathetic towards your needs and understands the importance of support. It is our goal to see that you have a full and well rounded recovery. Addiction Recovery: Part 1 The dual diagnosis process is a valuable part of your customized addiction recovery program. The dual diagnosis treatment is a two part process in which you get treated by both physicians and therapists. The first part of your addiction treatment involves an evaluation with a case manager to determine how much support you will require throughout detox. Our clinically managed detox method allows clients to undergo the process in a safe and comfortable manner. Detoxification releases the harmful toxins left in your body without experiencing painful withdrawals that are usually associated with addiction. Addiction Recovery: Part 2 Once staff members feel that you have completed your detoxification then they will transfer you to our luxurious facility where you will work with therapists, who will be available for one on one sessions, group therapy, and family therapy. Within your therapy sessions, therapists will establish what your triggers and temptations are. Next, you and your therapists will discuss positive…

Worried About Addiction Recovery? There is no need for you to fear addiction treatment with our unparalleled network of providers. Right Path Drug Rehab operates as a dual diagnosis facility where our experienced staff works together in order to identify and assist the physical and psychological side effects of your addiction. We firmly believe in the importance of treating both the mental and physical aspects of prolonged substance abuse, because this produces a higher rate of recovery. Detoxification is a very important part of the beginning of your treatment because it triggers the brain to let the body know that it is no longer dependent on drugs and alcohol. Our luxurious housing accommodations offer you access to our time tested tools such as relapse prevention practices and positive coping techniques. Positive practices include 12 step programs, exercise, yoga, meditation, art, group therapy, and one on one counseling. These should be used in place of substance abuse during times of temptation and stress, as they restore self-control and awareness to the individual. Exercise, especially, is an important component of recovery. Why Exercise? According to Smart Recovery, there are five main reasons as to why incorporating regular exercise or workouts into your maintenance of sobriety is very important: Exercise helps with providing structure to your day. When living in recovery, structure is very important. Set workout plans, attending classes on specific days at certain times, and trying new activities takes the place…

What Is Marijuana? Marijuana is a form of hemp plant. The plant colors commonly have green and greyish tones. The hemp plant is also more popularly known as cannabis sativa. Marijuana carries many names such as weed, pot, ganja, Mary Jane, and bud. It can have other names depending if the drug is being abused with other illicit drugs. People usually use marijuana to smoke in a joint or blunt, or they consume it in the form of edibles. Edibles can be anything like baked goods, such as brownies. Marijuana can even be consumed as a tea. The Side Effects Marijuana is often associated with side effects such as relaxation, laughter, increased appetite, an altered perception of time, and a sense of euphoria. There are also opposite effects such as acute psychosis, delusions, paranoia, a loss of identity, and hallucinations. Depending on how you take marijuana, the side effects can take up to one hour to appear. Effects are almost immediate when smoking marijuana due to its instant contact with the lungs and blood stream. Thus, the high from consuming marijuana takes longer, since it has to digest within the body. Marijuana Is Addictive? Many have the misconception that marijuana is not addictive; however, it is. Surveys and studies conducted in the year 2013 by NSDUH proved that 4.2 million out of 6.9 million people who abused drugs and alcohol were addicted to marijuana. About 9% of people who began…

Right Path Drug Rehab is not only concerned with facilitating the complete and total recovery of each of our clients, but we are also committed to preparing our clients with the necessary tools and skills to maintain their sobriety after their addiction treatment program ends. In her research paper, “The Role of Recovery Support Services in Recovery-Oriented Systems of Care,” Linda Kaplan defines recovery as, “a process of change through which an individual achieves abstinence and improved health, wellness, and quality of life” (5). Each of our clients receive an individualized and fully customizable addiction recovery program that is tailored to their specific needs, severity of addiction, and history of substance abuse. Toward the end of each client’s stay at our drug rehab center, they are encouraged to take full advantage of our professional preparation services, to help ready them for responsibilities in home life and the work force. What Are Professional Preparation Services? Kaplan writes that professional preparation services, “offer a comprehensive menu of services and supports that can be combined and readily adjusted to meet the individual’s needs and chosen pathway to recovery.” She adds that they, “encompass and coordinate the operations of multiple systems, providing responsive, outcomes-driven approaches to care” (6). Clients are able to choose what they personally need help with from a long list of services that includes: Relapse prevention practices Job training and employment services Legal services Housing assistance and services Sober support networks…

Rejection and Isolation as the Root of Substance Abuse In her article, “How the Family Unite Can Impact the Outcome of Substance Use Treatment in the LGBT Community,” Marni Low writes that, “psychological distress caused by early family and childhood experiences of rejection and isolation rooted in gender and sexual identity, can lead to mental health and substance abuse issues into adulthood.” At Right Path Drug Rehab, our licensed counselors and therapists are passionate about working with clients to help them dig to the root of their addiction. We know that everyone has had a different experience with drug and alcohol abuse, therefore we create individualized addiction recovery programs for each of our clients. Treatment is always tailored to each individual’s specific needs and history, both with substance abuse and also personal life trauma. Family Therapy as an Integral Aspect of Recovery In Low’s article, she further explains that, “family therapy can provide a supportive environment to address maladaptive communication, relationships patterns and boundaries. Therapy can also provide a platform to educate family members around the substance users’ sexual and gender identity, which may assist in fostering connection, identification, and acceptance.” Family support services at Right Path Drug Rehab are designed to support both the client and their family unit. Our network of providers has two points of focus when it comes to family therapy: To enable productive and effective conversations between the client and their family members in regards…

What You Experienced At Right Path Drug Rehab, you were admitted into a 30, 60, or 90 day addiction recovery program. This program was customized, based on the history and the severity of your drug and alcohol addiction. Once you and an intake coordinator went over your program, you were then taken to our medical facility. You then met with a case manager who performed an evaluation to determine how much support you required for your clinically managed detox. When you completed your detox, our staff sent you to our luxurious housing facility where you spent the remainder of your addiction treatment program with a therapist. You were able to meet with your therapist within one on one, or group therapy sessions, or family sessions. Your therapists taught you how to use positive coping mechanisms and how to identify your triggers and temptations. You Had Fun Too! Part of your addiction recovery program from was to relax and have a little fun. When you were not at detox or in a therapy session, Right Path Drug Rehab provided a number of services for you to enjoy. Our network had a 24 hour fitness center, yoga, art, or meditation classes. We also had group activities such as bowling, hiking, trips to the local movie theater, and much more. Not only was your stay at Right Path Drug Rehab a time to recover, but it was also a time to rejuvenate and…

What stresses in the work force contribute to alcohol use? In his paper entitled, “Work Stress and Alcohol Use,” Michael R. Frone, Ph.D. discusses the two major causes of employee alcohol use. He breaks these two causes down into categories: The alienation paradigm occurs when employees are not enriched by their jobs, have no control over content, and are unable to contribute to any decision making as a whole. The stress paradigm occurs when an employee is subject to aversive work conditions, such as: a dangerous work environment, interpersonal conflict, heavy loads, unfair treatment, and job insecurity. For quite some time, alcohol literature addressed these two paradigms as separate concepts, but Frone calls on a study by J.K. Martin to make an argument that these two paradigms should not be considered separately. He calls for the work alienation paradigm to be subsumed by the work stress paradigm because, “theoretical and empirical research suggest(s) that individual difference in the psychological importance of work may be important in explaining when work stressors will be related to alcohol” (285). In layman’s terms, this means that work alienation factors are just more work stressors. All of these stressors could potentially drive an individual to drink. What happens during treatment? At Right Path Drug Rehab, we are dedicated to working with you in order to create a customized addiction recovery program that is tailored specifically for your substance abuse history and severity of addiction. Because…