We have a friend who comes from a very wealthy family, grew up in a privileged neighborhood, went to an exclusive high school and was surrounded by friends of substance. He also picked up a nasty little cocaine habit, but at that time, even cocaine was a pretty classy drug of choice.

Unlike some of us who had to buy cocaine in quantity and then sell part of it off in order to support our own habit, our wealthy friend didn’t have that particular inconvenience to contend with. If he bought a couple of eightballs or a half-ounce, they were pretty much for his own personal use, and maybe a toot or two for his closest friends.

When he needed money to buy more drugs, he’d go to his walk-in closet, open up his wall safe, and pull out a couple of shares of stock that he had inherited from his grandparents. He’d sell them off, not even bothering to see if the stock happened to be up or down that day.

Talking about it years later, after he’d decimated his stock holdings and finally become clean and sober, our friend remarked, “If I’d just quit taking those daily trips to the closet five years earlier, I’d still be a rich man.”

A lot of us in recovery or fresh out of drug abuse facilities talk about “the last three years” or “the last five years” of our addiction, and how things would be different had we quit using drugs at a more opportune moment.

Truth be told, we quit when we’re finally ready to quit and lamenting our timing or decision-making skills is nothing but a waste of time. Of course, the important thing is, we’re clean and sober. But it might be worthwhile to explore what led to our addiction, not only so we don’t fall into that trap again, but in order to possibly teach others how to avoid our mistakes.

When talking about drug addiction, we hear the words “abuse” and “dependency,” and it’s pretty easy to use these words interchangeably, when in fact, they are two completely different animals.

Drug abuse refers to those of us who continue to use drugs even though we’ve got a pretty good inkling that it’s taking a toll on our health, finances, social standing, employment status and our relationships with, say, the local police. In other words, our life is beginning to become unmanageable. In fact, it’s unraveling before our eyes.

Initial signs include poor grades in school or troubles at the workplace; the use of drugs in situations where it could harm others, such as driving or babysitting; or strained relations with family and friends.

Drug dependence, on the other hand, is kind of an advanced course in drug abuse, wherein we have built up a tolerance to our drug of choice and we find we need more and more of that substance in order to maintain the same “high” we used to enjoy with less of the drug.

In addition, we lose the “take it or leave it” decision we had when we were just experimenting or “socially” using addictive substances. We find that we experience intense withdrawal symptoms if we’re deprived of our favorite illicit substance. What has happened is, we’ve developed a tolerance to the drug, and there’s no going back to the “occasional use” mode.

You try to cut back on your drug use, but you find you are unable to do so. And you continue to use drugs even though it is harming your relationships and causes you to develop physical problems.

In addition, the addict finds himself or herself completely involved in finding the drug, purchasing the drug and using the drug, to the detriment of everything else. It is at this stage that alternate means of obtaining funds for the habit begin to surface – taking cash from parents or grandparents, dipping into the children’s college fund, borrowing money from friends. And in the ugliest scenario, shoplifting or breaking into homes or businesses for items you can hock for dope money.

When it comes to drug abuse or drug dependency, sometimes it becomes the task of the family or close friends to take the next step. The recovery process can include drug interventions, drug abuse facilities – with or without the detoxification process – counseling and aftercare. The most important thing is to get help before abuse turns into dependency.

Morningside Recovery in Newport Beach, California, specializes in the treatment of alcoholism, drug abuse and mental disorders. For more information, call .

If Cocaine’s Not Addictive, Why Can’t I Quit?

One of the most popular excuses for justifying an occasional recreational hit of cocaine is the myth that you can’t get addicted to the powdery substance. Here’s how the argument goes: Cocaine lacks the physical withdrawal symptoms of other drugs like heroin, benzodiazepines and alcohol. Therefore, no painful withdrawal, no addiction.

This all sounds good in theory, but it begs the question: “If coke’s not addictive, why the hell can’t I quit using it when I want to?” Truth be told, cocaine has powerful psychological addictive properties, creating an obsession and then a craving that will have us doing incredibly stupid and desperate acts to obtain more.

The fact that the physical withdrawal from cocaine is less traumatic than the dope-sick terrors of getting off heroin or the shaking-and-baking experience of alcohol detoxification, doesn’t negate the fact that coke is indeed psychologically addictive.

Most everyone who has had a cocaine habit also has a horror story to tell. The least dramatic of these tales revolves around the sudden discovery at midnight that you’re out of nose candy and it’s time to get more. You make that phone call, then drive to your drug connection’s house in a bad part of town. Your dealer isn’t there, but someone at the house tells you to go outside and sit in your car. You hang around in the alley for a half hour, slipping deeper into the car seat each time you see a patrol car pass by.

Finally, someone taps on your window, scaring the hell out of you, and tells you to meet your connect outside the liquor store a mile away. You show up, make a furtive purchase in the parking lot and leave, a couple of eight balls stuffed down the front of your trousers. Paranoia sets in and you drive 5 miles per hour back to your favorite bar. The tavern is closed, of course, because it’s after 2 a.m.

You think to yourself, “If I do any of this blow now, I’ll be up all night. I think I’ll just save it for tomorrow.” This logic goes out the window when your head tells you, “Well, maybe just one hit to get home.”

Next thing you know, it’s afternoon and you’re squinting your eyes out your bedroom window watching your neighbor mow his lawn in the bright sun. You shake your head and say, “I guess my life could be worse.”

So the argument that cocaine is not addictive isn’t only delusional, it pretty much falls out of the realm of logical, except in our own minds. The American Psychological Association (APA) has identified symptoms that determine whether a person has an addiction to cocaine, which should help put this myth to rest.

The APA report claims that dependence on cocaine – as well as other mind-altering substances – is threefold. There’s a biological portion that refers to developing a tolerance to the drug, which means you need more and more of the substance in order to be satisfied.

The psychological part of the disease refers to the thought process that keeps you obsessively thinking about the substance, constantly contemplating when you’ll get your next eight-ball, where you’ll get it and how you’ll pay for it this time around.

And the third leg of this unstable table is the social consequences of the drug, which includes the pain you’re causing your spouse or family or friends as a result of your obsession.

The APA also lists seven symptoms of addiction or dependence to cocaine, and the group suggests that if you meet just three of these symptoms, you’re most likely addicted to and in need of the professional help available from cocaine rehab programs.

These symptoms include:

- Showing excessive or inappropriate use of cocaine.

- Preoccupation with obtaining and using cocaine.

- Demonstrating either more or less tolerance to cocaine.

- Difficulty in stopping or cutting back, or using again after an unsuccessful effort to stop.

- Experiencing psychological withdrawal symptoms when you quit or cut back on cocaine use.

- Continue to use, even when the drug causes problems in your life.

- Missing important events or losing relationships due to your cocaine use.

Morningside Recovery in Newport Beach, California, offers one of the most comprehensive cocaine rehab programs in the country. Morningside also treats those suffering from alcoholism, addiction to other substances, and mental disorders. For more information, call .

One of the most frustrating things about getting clean or sober is the speed at which we recover. A couple of weeks into a treatment center and we think we’re well. We’re fully detoxed, we’re looking a whole lot better, we’re thinking more clearly and we have a firm resolve that this time, it’s going to work.

And then we start making plans. We begin to rethink our priorities. With two and a half months remaining in rehab, we’ve already got our ducks lined up for when we graduate from treatment. We’re going to get our girlfriend back, we’re going to move into an apartment by ourselves because we’re sick of roommates, we’re going to find a “get well” job until we finish college or we’re going to find employment that is suitable for someone of our ilk.

What’s missing in this scenario that we’ve painted in our heads is the fact that we have yet to establish a foundation for our recovery. Our drug and alcohol addiction should be proof positive that we can’t manage our own lives. Not only must we “get back to basics,” but also we must put aside any advanced planning until our other priorities are met.

Our No. 1 job is to build on our sobriety or clean time and that task supersedes anything else we might set our minds to. Truth of the matter is, without sobriety or clean time, we cannot successfully have a good game plan for our futures. It’s impossible. Our experience shows that once we’ve reached the stage where we need help to overcome our addiction, we have lost any semblance of fixing things all by ourselves.

So, stop the wedding. Slow down. It’s time to regroup. Those lofty goals must be put on hold until we’ve got a solid foundation for our recovery. First off, we have to realize that the process of recovery is a lifetime proposition. We don’t just “get well” and move on with our lives.

One of those priorities is going to meetings. Lots of meetings. When the counselors at your recovery center suggest you supplement your program with Twelve Step meetings, they aren’t just talking about while you’re in treatment. In recovery, we often say “One day at a time,” but what we really mean is for the rest of our lives. It’s comforting to say one day at a time, but it’s not realistic if we want to maintain long-term and comfortable sobriety or clean time.

Slacking off on meetings and not calling your sponsor are the top reasons why those in recovery end up drinking or using again. Go to any meeting anywhere and listen carefully to those who are returning to the rooms of recovery after a run. Almost to a man – or a woman – they will say things were going along just great and then other priorities absorbed their time and they started to miss meetings. Pretty soon they were only going to one meeting a week and maybe calling their sponsor just about as often.

Then they quit even going to that meeting and somehow they misplaced their sponsor’s phone number. Besides, if they called her, she’d just complain that they never called. And we quit calling the friends we’ve made it recovery. Without that “picket fence” of friends, we start thinking that a drink or a little hit of cocaine won’t hurt us, and we’re off to the races.

We believe the only way to successfully combat drug and alcohol addiction is to remain active in recovery. That means become active in the meetings by being of service. Set up the chairs, make the coffee, get a literature commitment – do something to make yourself useful and to take yourself out of yourself.

You’ve got a sponsor; learn to use him or her. Willingly go through the steps of whatever Twelve Step program you’re endorsing. Go to book studies, retreats and speaker meetings. And surround yourself with those who share your addiction and are trying to get better. These are the folks who will have your back when the urge to drink or use strikes. They’re just a cell phone call away and more than willing to go out for a cup of coffee and talk about your problems or cravings.

The result of all this “action” is that we slowly begin to replace our old selfish, self-centered, destructive habits, with a new way of life. We find ourselves becoming honest, despite ourselves. No longer are we looking for red flashing lights in the rear mirror of our car. We’re more patient, we’re kinder to others, and we’ve even picked up a little humility in the process.

But none of this comes about unless we build a firm foundation. We find a God of our understanding who is able to help us prepare the ground floor for our new, improved selves.

Morningside Recovery in Newport Beach, California, treats those suffering from alcoholism, drug abuse and mental disorders. For more information, call .

One thing certain about chronic alcoholics is this: They drink all the time. On a daily basis. Hard-core alcoholics drink when things are bad and they drink when things are good. They even drink when they’re sick – and they justify that action by quoting their doctors who tell them to drink lots of liquids. To a full-blown alcoholic’s way of thinking, vodka is a liquid.

So when everything comes crashing down around them – and it does – one of the first concerns is whether or not the patient requires an alcohol detox program. To make that determination, the intake staff at a recovery treatment center might ask the alcoholic what happens when he or she goes a day without alcohol. The problem is, many chronic alcoholics don’t have an answer to that question. They can’t remember the last time they went a whole day without a drink.

Most problem drinkers who reach the point where they or their families are inquiring about treatment probably require alcohol detoxification as the first step in achieving a lifelong abstinence from alcohol. Detox is an important part of any alcohol treatment program, and that applies to chronic alcoholics as well as those drinkers whose lives are still in one piece, but are beginning to show cracks around the edges.

A truly comprehensive alcohol and drug recovery treatment center includes a fully staffed detoxification program. For those seeking treatment for alcoholism, detoxification is normally the first step in that process. Those who suffer from alcoholism often need a brief detox, in conjunction with medication before a residential treatment program can even begin.

Detox admissions begin with a mental and physical examination by medical professionals. They will ask how the patient feels, and this self-assessment will be backed up by close observation of their condition by the medical staff. It’s at that point where a recommendation will be made for medications to ease withdrawal symptoms and stabilize the patient’s condition.

Many factors must be taken into account, including the patient’s drinking history, age, and any medical issues they might have in addition to alcohol abuse. Once admitted to a detox unit, they will almost certainly begin experiencing the discomfort of alcohol withdrawal. Symptoms can include nausea and vomiting, hallucinations and disorientation, sweats, gastrointestinal upset, diarrhea, sleeplessness, tremors and shakes, and in extreme cases, a risk for seizure.

Unlike procedures practiced decades ago, those undergoing alcohol detox today don’t have to experience the absolute horrors of “drying out.” The days of locking a patient in a dark room equipped with a single bed and a concrete floor are ancient history. Today, most detox units feature comfortable rooms, well-stocked kitchen areas and, best of all, patients have the benefit of medications that can greatly minimize and nearly eliminate many of these symptoms.

Among the medications often available to detox patients are Valium, Librium, gabapentin, Vistaril, Inderal, omeprazole and B complex (thiamine, folic acid.) Many of these medications are related to symptoms, so each patient is assessed and placed on his or her own detoxification management plan. This plan is closely monitored and reassessed as the detox continues.

The time required for alcohol detoxification – like everything else – varies from individual to individual. But a normal stay for a patient undergoing alcohol detox is five days for most and from seven to 10 days for those who are heavy drinkers and chronic alcoholics.

A good detox program will put the emphasis on removing doubt and fear from the patient’s mind, enabling them to receive answers to all of their questions. Health professionals know that a patient is much more likely to successfully complete the process if they are kept abreast with the procedure and their progress.

In addition, a good alcohol detox program also features a professional nursing and counseling staff that constantly monitors patients’ progress. Patients are told that when the craving for alcohol raises its ugly head, or they are experiencing discomfort, let one of the counselors know immediately. The goal is to get patients through this process as uneventfully and painlessly as possible.

Other frequent emotions experienced by those in alcohol detox include bouts of depression and despair. Confusion, disorientation and hallucinations can also be a part of early detox and again, telling a member of the staff about their experience is addressed with medication or therapy.

Once the symptoms associated with alcohol withdrawal are relieved and the patient has been treated for any physical or psychiatric conditions, the next step is admission to a residential treatment program, an outpatient program and/or attendance at Twelve Step meetings.

Morningside Recovery in Newport Beach, California, features a fully staffed alcohol detoxification program, as well as detox programs for a number of drug-related addictions. Morningside also offers treatment programs for those suffering from alcoholism, drug abuse and mental disorders. For more information, call 866.725.8565.

 
Evolving into a sober and productive member of society doesn’t happen overnight.  It’s a process.  You can’t commit yourself to a decade or two of alcohol-induced or drug-fueled mayhem and expect everything to be normal and back on track on your own timeline.  

It’s like they say in recovery, “If you walk 10 miles into the forest, you have to walk 10 miles to get out.”

Nothing about the addiction recovery process is set in concrete, because the timing is going to be different for each person who finally chooses to trudge the road of happy destiny. There’s no book somewhere that says you should be finished with this phase by now, so begin on this phase of recovery tomorrow morning. Some people “catch” sobriety their first time out, others relapse, but keep coming back until they get it. Unfortunately, many of those addicted to drink or drugs don’t make it back.

Some parts of the recovery process take longer than others. Let’s take, for example, the first step in recovery, which is overcoming denial and admitting your life is unmanageable. For many of us, surrender doesn’t happen until we’ve run out of options.  Some in AA say that “Pain is good, and extreme pain is extremely good.”  That means you can’t start the addiction recovery process until you hit bottom, either through the court system, a family intervention, a health issue, or you lose your job because of your addiction.

The road to recovery begins with the admission that you have not done that great a job managing your life. Once you’ve admitted there’s a problem, you need to seek help.  That requires action on your part. And there are plenty of options available, some more effective than others.

Among these options are residential alcohol or drug treatment programs. There are literally thousands of such centers throughout the United States and they provide many advantages. Top among those is getting you out of an environment that encourages continued use of your drug or drugs of choice. Other recovery options you might explore include intensive outpatient treatment.  And many alcoholics and drug addicts find a sober lifestyle when they start attending 12-step meetings, church programs or receiving individual counseling or therapy.

The next step for those seeking recovery is to complete a detoxification program, if necessary. You must be physically healthy and clear of mind to attend to your own sobriety, and some people need to go through a medical detoxification before starting treatment. It’s a process of eliminating harmful substances from the body. 

Morningside Recovery in Newport Beach, California, has a staff of medical professionals that specializes in the detoxification process. Of paramount importance is safety, and Morningside has comprehensive detox programs for those suffering alcoholism as well as withdrawal from opiates, benzodiazepines, cocaine, methamphetamines and methadone. Because of modern-day pharmacology, these medically supervised detoxifications are much more comfortable than in years past. 

Next on the list is actually entering or participating in an addiction recovery program. The program should be staffed by professional medical personnel, clinicians, therapists, counselors and case managers who know their way around the recovery process. It is through the efforts of these skilled professionals that an alcoholic can work through their issues and gain long-term sobriety. 

Treatment should last 30 to 90 days or more and include all the tools necessary to gain – and hold onto sobriety. These include physical and mental assessments of each client, individual counseling, group sessions, counseling with the family, lectures about addiction, educational programs, and individual meetings on a regular basis with psychologists, psychiatrists and caseworkers. 

Last, and doubtless the most important step on this short list of recovery tips, is maintaining sobriety after you’ve left the rehab center, or after you’ve got a little sobriety under your belt through counseling and other recovery options.  Sobriety is not a goal, it’s a destination. It’s a lifelong process that doesn’t end with a diploma or a 90-day chip.

For one thing, you should pretty much make up your mind that 12-step meetings are going to be a way of life for you. You desperately need to stay in constant contact with other recovering alcoholics and addicts. We call this building a picket fence of support around you to protect you from that next drink or drug.

Here you are, looking all over the place for a treatment center that matches your background and belief system and for the most part, all you’re finding are rehabs that support a 12-step philosophy. As if facing your own drinking and drugging problems weren’t enough, now you’re thinking you have to deal with a bunch of chanting religious zealots.

Some people seeking help for their addiction don’t particularly care for the idea of Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous or any of the other “anonymouses.” They fear these organizations are determined to cram religion down their throats.  And they certainly aren’t that happy with the notion of never being able to take a drink or drug again. Never is a long time.

These are understandable concerns. But if you take a closer look at the philosophy behind 12-step programs, you’ll discover that, first off, they don’t require that you believe in anything.  And second, although it is strongly suggested that you don’t drink or use drugs, the reasoning is sound.  If we are truly addicted, one drink is too many and 10 drinks aren’t enough.  

It’s time to put the plug in the jug and start leading productive, responsible lives. That’s probably why you’re shopping around for a rehab in the first place.  It’s been a long time since you’ve been able to smoke crack cocaine like a gentleman. Or like a lady.

All of those who enter treatment arrive from different cultures with different religious beliefs – or no particular religious belief at all.  And therein lies the beauty of a 12-step program:  It fully supports your own upbringing and background by allowing you to explore spirituality and find your own definition of a higher power. In fact, the entire basis of this philosophy is reliance on a power greater than oneself.

Almost anything can be a higher power other than you – because we all know how self-reliance has worked out for us in the past.  Truth of the matter is, most of us have been relying on our drug of choice as our higher power for years now.

A lot of those who enter an addiction treatment rehab center or join a 12-step program eventually come to rely on the group or fellowship itself as a higher power, realizing that these folks seem to have a firmer grasp on maintaining sobriety or staying clean than they do themselves.

The bottom line is this: The only requirement for membership in a 12-step program is a desire to quit using your drug of choice. Religion, age, race, sexual preference and nationality are not factors in the equation. Oh, and by the way, we don’t chant.

One of the big reasons most treatment centers embrace the 12-step philosophy is that it works. Twelve-step recovery programs are among the most effective and least expensive for anyone seeking long-term sobriety or freedom from drug abuse.  The philosophy addresses almost all of the issues that face an alcoholic or drug addict. 

And, even more important, once a person leaves an addiction treatment rehab center, they are encouraged to attend AA or NA or CA meetings in order to maintain their sober time and get the support they’ll need to stay clean one day at a time.  Let’s no forget that these meetings are free. No dues, no fees.  You might want to toss a buck or two in the basket when it’s passed around, but again, that’s entirely up to you.

The best treatment centers realize that this 12-step philosophy is just part of the recovery process. They don’t put all of their emphasis on a 12-step program as a cure-all for alcoholism or drug abuse.  If addiction truly affects the mind, body and spirit, a good rehab can’t ignore the first two elements.  Treatment centers like Morningside Recovery in Newport Beach, California, offer comprehensive recovery programs that include a professional staff of psychologists, psychiatrists, therapists, counselors and case managers.

The staff at Morningside Recovery places major emphasis on educational classes and individual and group therapy session that concentrate on teaching coping skills and the advantages of a sober lifestyle.  It’s not just a bunch of people sitting around reading the Big Book of Alcoholics all day.

For more information, call Morningside Recovery at    

Depending on who’s counting, there are between 11,500 and 13,000 licensed addiction treatment providers currently offering their services throughout the United States.  With that many options, you’d think it would be an easy thing to find a treatment center that is a perfect fit for yourself or a loved one who suffers drinking or drug abuse issues.

The problem is, when you start shopping for a recovery center that meets all your requirements, you can become stymied by a lack of published standards to serve as a guide to effective treatment.  What are the criteria?  How do you know which operation is best?  Without guidance, you’re pretty much working in the dark.  Any treatment facility can claim to be the most effective. And some will give you an impressive recovery rate with percentages based, in many cases, on their own juggling of internal statistics.

Most government resources recommend looking for a program that has good results for permanent recovery from substance abuse over time.  The National Institute on Drug Addiction (NIDA) outlines standards for treatment in its publication called “Principles of Drug Addiction Treatment: A Research Based Guide.”

In this guide, NIDA claims the best recovery programs provide a combo plate of services tailored for the individual. The guide says it is critical to locate addiction treatment providers that can handle the specific needs of the individual. The best programs provide a combination of therapies and other services to meet an individual patient’s needs. Those include age, race, culture, sexual orientation, gender, as well as physical and sexual abuse history.  Other issues to explore include dual disorder treatment, comorbid conditions (the presence of one or more disorders in addition to a primary disease or disorder), pregnancy, parenting, housing and employment.

NIDA has come up with a list of key principles – a checklist of sorts – for anyone shopping for an effective treatment program. The government organization cites scientific research confirming the fact that a structured, well-run addiction treatment facility can ensure constructive changes in a person’s life.

NIDA suggests finding rehab treatment centers that help their clients “change destructive behaviors, avoid relapse and remove themselves from a life of substance abuse and addiction.”  Listed below are the key elements for any recovery treatment program as suggested by NIDA:

- No single treatment program is appropriate for all individuals.

- Treatment needs to be readily available.

- Effective treatment attends to multiple needs of the individual, not just his or her drug addiction.

- An individual’s treatment and services plan must be assessed often and modified to meet the person’s changing needs.

- Remaining in treatment for an adequate period of time is critical for treatment effectiveness.

- Counseling and other behavioral therapies are critical components of all effective treatments for addiction. For certain types of disorders, medications are an important element of treatment, especially when combined with counseling and other behavioral therapies.

- Addicted or drug-abusing individuals with coexisting mental disorders should have both disorders treated in an integrated way.

- Medical management of withdrawal syndrome is only the first stage of addiction treatment and by itself does little to change long-term drug use.

- Treatment does not need to be voluntary to be effective.

- Possible drug use during treatment must be monitored continuously.

- Treatment programs should provide assessment for HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B and C, tuberculosis, and other infectious diseases, and should provide counseling to help patients modify or change behaviors that place themselves or others at risk of infection.

The National Association of Addiction Treatment Provides (NAATP) is a trade association that represents about 300 organizations across the nation that deliver addiction treatment health care. That association also says treatment facilities need to emphasize recovery-oriented systems of care that promote long-term recovery.  NAATP establishes three services that are at the core of recovery management:

- Intervention and detection

- Stabilization and treatment

- Disease management services

When anyone enters an addiction treatment center, the goal of the provider must be to diagnose the disease, stabilize the client, provide a range of treatment options and manage their disease after they leave the facility so they can maintain sobriety for the rest of their lives.

Morningside Recovery in Newport Beach, California, offers comprehensive alcohol and drug abuse treatment programs as well as treatment for those with dual disorders and mental issues.  For more information, call

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For many folks who are addicted to marijuana, the idea of checking into a rehab to help them curtail their pot smoking habit is like using a .357 Magnum to kill a housefly. Talk about overreacting, they say. Besides, who says marijuana is even addictive?

Well, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) does, for one. This government agency claims that long-term marijuana use leads to addiction. It describes that addiction as the need to find the drug, buy the drug and use the drug, despite the documented harmful effects to the user.

And while it’s true that those long-term effects might not be as harmful as, say, an addiction to heroin or crack cocaine, heavy marijuana use does interfere with day-to-day life and social functions. That interference comes in the context of your family, your schoolwork, your employment and your recreational activities (and watching endless reruns of “Law and Order” does not count as a recreational activity.)

The problem with pot – as with most drugs – is that it can become the focal point of your life. What started out as an experimental toke or two in the backyard becomes a weekend activity with friends, then escalates to a joint after work every day, and maybe an eye-opener in the morning with your coffee. Pretty soon, your life revolves around getting high. And since it’s still pretty much socially unacceptable to show up stoned at work and at formal functions, you’re going to miss work and skip all but the most mandatory formal functions.

Frequent use of weed promotes warped perceptions, impaired coordination, difficulty in concentrating, and problems with learning, retaining what it was you did learn and lapses in memory. Even if you take a short break from smoking marijuana, that mental “fog” can last for days or weeks after the acute effects of pot wears off. The bottom line to all of this – and it’s a huge understatement – is that your brain has ceased functioning at its best.

Another thing about marijuana use is that it’s subtle. It sneaks up on you. Some people can take it or leave it. These people might be considered “social smokers,” except that, unlike alcohol, nobody smokes marijuana to be sociable. They smoke pot to get high. But for those with “dependency tendencies,” smoking weed becomes a daily occurrence, and that’s when it becomes an addiction.

In spite of these purported drawbacks to habitual use, there’s certainly no denying that pot smoking is a popular addiction for substance abusers. NIDA says its latest data indicate that marijuana was the most common illicit drug of abuse in 2006. In fact, marijuana addiction accounted for nearly 16 percent of all admissions to addiction rehabilitation facilities in the United States that year.

So how do you go about treating someone with an admitted marijuana addiction? First off, there are really no medicines or pharmacology to help with withdrawal and relapse prevention. Addiction rehabilitation for pot dependency falls into the categories of behavioral therapy, group meetings and regular attendance at 12-step meetings such as Narcotics Anonymous or Alcoholics Anonymous.
Seeking professional help at a residential treatment center can serve several purposes. For one thing, many who say marijuana is their primary drug of choice also drink or use some other substance. And a residential setting – away from using friends and temptations – can provide a respite for those having a difficult time putting down the pipe.

One of the most effective tools used in treatment centers for those recovering from marijuana abuse is cognitive behavioral therapy. With CBT, the patient is taught to replace unhealthy thoughts and actions with constructive ideas and behaviors. It teaches you why you have such cravings and what you need to do to cope with those cravings. Thus, you learn a new way of living – of finally growing up – in a safe, comfortable setting.

Morningside Recovery in Newport Beach, California, offers treatment for those with a marijuana abuse problem. For more information, call Morningside at

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Whenever the discussion turns to alcoholism or drug addiction, the word disease is often included in the conversation.  Addiction is a life-threatening illness that, left untreated, can lead to disability or death.  The American Medical Association (AMA) endorses the proposition that drug dependencies – including alcoholism – are diseases and that their treatment is a legitimate part of medical practice.

There is, however, considerable controversy over whether alcoholism and drug addiction can actually be described as diseases, including one point of view that claims substance abuse is a choice, not a disease. Their research claims that applying the drug-as-disease concept to substance abuse strips the abuser of any responsibility for his or her actions.

These opponents claim a disease cannot be cured by willpower, and that by playing the disease card, the medical community is just transferring the responsibility from the abuser to others.  They believe that drug addiction and alcoholism are simply the results of a lack of strength or character. In other words, they say, it is a moral disorder, not a brain disorder.

The National Institute on Drug Addiction (NIDA) is willing to admit that drug abuse, in its infancy, might be a voluntary action. But by the time addiction arrives on the scene, changes in the brain circuitry are already beginning to interfere with a person’s ability to make good decisions and perform appropriate actions. This, in turn, leads to compulsive cravings and bad behavior.  In other words, addiction is a brain disease that develops over time as a result of what is initially a self-initiated behavior – that of picking up drugs in the first place and using them to excess.

The AMA says there are five criteria that must be met in order to consider drug abuse as a disease. These include a pattern of symptoms – which alcoholism and drug addiction certainly demonstrate. Other patterns are chronicity (it doesn’t go away, heal spontaneously or go into remission on its own), progression (over time it gets worse), relapse (most addicts can attest to this experience), and ability to be treated (pharmacology and lifestyle changes result in the ability to live without the abused substance).

Regarding alcoholism in particular, the medical association says it is a chronic, lifelong disease and in most cases, the patient is never able to regain the ability to drink in moderation.  However, by not consuming alcohol – by means of addiction treatment, 12-step programs or even old-fashioned willpower – the patient can limit and even prevent further complications.

Joining the AMA in the substance abuse-as-a-disease club are the American Hospital Association, the American Public Health Association, the National Association of Social Workers and the American College of Physicians. In addition, the National Institutes of Health and its National Institute on Alcohol and Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) have declared alcoholism as a “chronic, life-long disease.”

What about the argument that alcoholics and drug addicts bring this predicament upon themselves and that substance abuse is no more a disease than train robbery? For one thing, we are all accountable for our actions and we are responsible for our own recovery.

Recognizing addiction as a disease of the brain doesn’t mean the addict is just a victim and is not at fault.  On the contrary, substance abusers must participate in their own recovery and must take big-time responsibility for their actions if they are to maintain long-term sobriety.

Having a brain disease does not absolve them of the responsibility for their behavior.  That doesn’t mean they are bad people or that they have no morals. Let’s face it, the majority of drug addicts and alcoholics didn’t have addiction in their original game plan.  No one who uses cocaine or methamphetamine for the first time expects to become addicted to it.  Just like nobody sets out to have a heart attack when they eat fast food.  Or establishes a goal to contract lung cancer when they light up their first cigarette at the age of 11.

The outcome is not intentional. The original intent of smoking that first marijuana cigarette wasn’t expected to lead to a tragic full-blown addiction to drugs, but that’s what happened, so let’s move on beyond the disease/not a disease discussion and work on a solution.

And many find the solution is to enter to addiction treatment program, receiving professional counseling or begin attending 12-step meetings.  Morningside Recovery in Newport Beach, California, recognizes alcoholism and drug addiction as diseases and has programs that are specific to the addiction you suffer.  For more information, call <script type=”text/javascript”>// <![CDATA[

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You’re pretty sure you’ve got all your ducks in a row. A couple of months ago you admitted that you did indeed have that drinking or drugging problem that everyone had been telling you about for years. You checked into a residential treatment center and here you are, three months later. You’ve got 90 days clean and sober and now you’re back home, vowing to never drink or use again.

Hopefully, the staff at your treatment center set you up with an aftercare program to ensure your continued sobriety. If so, they told you that one of the biggest factors in that plan is to get yourself a support group – people who share the same addiction as you and are giving each other the support they need to stay clean. They probably also told you that your chances of relapse are greatly increased when you return home without a plan or regular attendance in a 12-step or group setting.

Think of your support group as a picket fence. It’s actually a pretty good visual when you picture it as a circle of friends who surround you and protect you from taking that first drink or drug. They share the same interest as you in maintaining their sobriety. It’s a way of becoming accountable to someone other than yourself, because you already know how things usually work out when you rely on your own best thinking.

One advantage of having an addiction support system is that you are not alone. A support group provides you with a place where you are not only accepted, but you feel safe enough to talk about your misgivings or the trials and tribulations of maintaining sobriety. And when that support group is made up of people with similar problems and cravings, it’s all the more easy to communicate. Best yet, they understand what you’re going through because someone in the group will have undergone the same experience.

It’s one alcoholic talking to another alcoholic, or one drug addict communicating with another drug addict. Who else on earth can relate to our situations and experiences? We can talk about cravings that make us want to crawl into a hole and die. Or we can relate our futile efforts to get a loved one to trust us again. We need to hear our peers tell us that the cravings will go away, and that maybe it’s too early in sobriety for the family member to trust us. These are issues that a so-called “normal” person has trouble relating to.

Accountability is a huge factor in the addiction support scenario. Your new friends in sobriety call you during the day, just to see how you’re doing. This serves a couple of purposes: They’re checking up on you, and they’re ensuring their own sobriety. When you were drinking, how many of your bar buddies called you on a regular basis to inquire as to your well-being? That’s right. Not many and not often.

Your new friends in sobriety meet you for coffee after a meeting or maybe a bite to eat before a speaker meeting. And many groups organize retreats, fishing trips, days at the beach, cookouts and barbecues that are all inclusive to their members. One of the reasons many of us become alcoholics or addicts in the first place is because we’re lonely. Now we’re actually participating in activities with friends instead of just talking about things we’re going to do some day, all the while perched on a barstool.

So now that you’re home from rehab, get on the phone and find a meeting. Get there early and leave late. And when you arrive, help set up chairs. Make the coffee. Stand by the front door and greet people. Stick out your hand. Remember names. Listen to the sharing and when you hear something you can relate to, go up to that person after the meeting and talk with them.

Don’t like the meeting you’ve been going to? Find another one. Shop around. Find one where they don’t just share about their truck breaking down or their girlfriend leaving them. Find a meeting that puts an emphasis on the solution, not the problem. What you’ll end up with is a new set of friends who have no agenda other than improving their own lives and helping you to live comfortably in sobriety.

Face it. How many of your former drinking buddies or drug connections will meet with you at 7 in the morning specifically to talk about gratitude? Or about being open minded? Or how to handle resentments? With group support, you’ve opened the door to making new friends and learning once again how to have fun without a drink or drug in your hand.

Morningside Recovery in Newport Beach, California, provides its residential clients with a comprehensive aftercare program. For details, call

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