What are Heroin Withdrawal Symptoms?

What are Heroin Withdrawal Symptoms?

An opioid is a broad term for various prescription and illicit drugs. Opioids include prescription painkillers and “street drugs” such as heroin. Without Southern California addiction treatment, many with a heroin addiction succumb to overdose due to its powerful effects.

 

How Addictive is Heroin?

Heroin is a dangerous and highly addictive drug. Its effects on the body quickly appear, and tolerance to its effects can develop after a short period of regular use. Once tolerance occurs, they require larger or more frequent doses of heroin to achieve the “high” they remember from the first time they used. In recent years the rates of heroin use and overdose have increased dramatically. As with many substances, the rate of those seeking treatment to help conquer heroin addiction has not increased as rapidly.

 

In 2020, more than 13,000 people lost their lives to heroin overdose. Because prescription opioids like Vicodin and Oxycontin have similar effects on the user as heroin, research indicates that some prescription pain medications may serve as a gateway drug to heroin use. Recent studies suggest that some people who misused prescription opioids switched to heroin when they could no longer obtain opioids.

 

How Does Heroin Affect the Body?

Heroin can be taken into the body in various ways, including snorting, smoking, and injection. Each method produces its specific side effects and risks. When snorted, heroin creates an intense, euphoric high followed by feelings of sleepiness and deep relaxation.

 

Regardless of how it is used, heroin is still highly addictive, leads to significant damage to the brain and body systems, and has a high potential for overdose. Many who use heroin believe it is less addictive when snorted, but this is a dangerous misconception as heroin is no less harmful or addictive no matter the route of use.

 

The short-term effects of heroin use often include flushed (warm) skin, dry mouth, drowsiness, pinpoint pupils, a euphoric rush (or high), and a feeling of heaviness in your arms and legs. As the initial high wears off, most users experience reduced mental function, slowed heart rate, and reduced respiratory rate. Sometimes, their breathing rate can be slow enough to be life-threatening.

 

As with most drugs, chronic or regular use of heroin can lead to dangerous physical and psychological consequences. Repeated, habitual heroin use leads to structural and functional changes in the brain. These changes lead to alterations in vital body functions that can be very difficult to reverse, even with comprehensive heroin addiction treatment.

 

Without help from a heroin detox program, these effects will worsen over time. Some of the most common long-term effects of heroin use include nose bleeds, loss of sense of smell, kidney and liver damage, difficulties swallowing, reduced immune function, malnutrition, gastrointestinal problems, decreased cognitive function, damage to the nasal cartilage, overdose, and death.

 

What are the Heroin Withdrawal Symptoms?

If you are addicted to heroin and have developed a tolerance to its effects, you will experience withdrawal symptoms if you reduce or try to stop using. Heroin withdrawal symptoms can vary from person to person, but there are common symptoms to watch for. Examples include diet changes, changes in sleeping patterns, jitters, shaking, uncontrollable leg movements, and stomach problems such as nausea and vomiting.

 

 In more severe instances, withdrawal symptoms from heroin (as well as other opioids) could include severe and life-threatening withdrawal symptoms. These may include abnormal heart rate, abnormal respiratory rates, and seizures. Withdrawing from heroin is different for everyone. While some may experience mild symptoms, symptoms for others may be intense and potentially dangerous. The unpredictable nature of heroin withdrawal makes it crucial to start your sobriety journey in a safe and supported heroin detox program.

 

How to Find Heroin Detox in Southern California

Recovering from heroin addiction is a journey best done with support and guidance. No two people experience the same challenges as they take their first steps toward putting dependency on heroin in the past. At our Southern California heroin detox, the team at Laguna view detox can help you safely and successfully overcome heroin addiction. 

Each of our Los Angeles detox programs is uniquely designed around your specific treatment needs and goals. Let us help you achieve lasting sobriety. Contact a member of our admissions team today to learn more.

How Can a Luxury Rehab Improve Recovery Outcomes?

How Can a Luxury Rehab Improve Recovery Outcomes?

Addiction rehab programs vary in many ways; each location and facility may offer benefits and amenities unique to the rehab itself. When choosing the best treatment program in Southern California to help you achieve your sobriety goals, you will want to research and learn more about the differences between the programs each rehab offers. The differences in benefits (such as holistic or alternative therapies) offered, levels of care, or services available at a particular may guide you to choose one program over another. You will also want to consider the type of treatment environment where you believe you can get the most out of treatment.

 

While researching addiction treatment options, you may come across programs that provide luxury drug rehab and addiction treatment services. When a program advertises its services as luxury, it might cause you to wonder why choosing a luxury drug rehab over another type of rehab program might help you reach your sobriety goals. There are several characteristics of a luxury drug and alcohol rehab that set these programs apart from the rest.

 

What is Luxury Addiction Treatment?

State and federal regulations impact many things about the addiction treatment environment. All addiction treatment centers must provide the vital therapies and services necessary to help you safely detox, get sober and learn how to maintain lasting recovery. Where luxury rehab differs is in how they achieve this goal. The type of care offered at a luxury rehab like Laguna View Detox differs from what is generally expected at a traditional rehab. 

 

At a luxury drug and alcohol rehab in Los Angeles, CA, we provide our patients with a more individualized, luxurious, private treatment experience. While the level of care and evidence-based therapy services are equivalent to those offered in a traditional rehab, a luxury drug rehab provides certain benefits and amenities that enhance the treatment experience and ensure a more “luxury” treatment process.

 

How Can a Luxury Rehab Improve Recovery Outcomes?

Luxury rehabs can be of benefit to anyone looking to overcome addiction in a luxury environment. For some, the addition of luxury amenities and alternative treatment options that are typically not part of the traditional treatment environment can help to improve treatment outcomes.

 

Because the luxury rehab setting allows patients to maintain immersion in their day-to-day responsibilities, they are a popular choice of treatment for those who cannot take time away from work or family obligations to seek addiction treatment in a residential program. Examples of patients frequently served in a luxury rehab include corporate executives, working professionals, and more. Luxury rehabs also offer a high level of privacy, with many having gated entries or secluded locations. These characteristics of many luxury rehab ideal for celebrities, entertainers, and anyone else who wants to get help to overcome addiction without interference from outside triggers.

 

While luxury rehab facilities are a popular choice among the specific demographics listed above, it does not mean attending a luxury rehab is restricted to particular portions of the population. If you want to get sober and learn how to avoid relapse but are looking for a luxurious, private program with amenities and services above and beyond what is often found in traditional rehab, a luxury rehab in Los Angeles, CA, may offer the most significant opportunity for positive treatment outcomes.

 

How to Find Luxury Treatment in Los Angeles, CA

If you or a loved one has a drug or alcohol addiction and want to learn more about how luxury rehab may help you achieve lasting sobriety, the team at Laguna View Detox is here to help. Members of our caring and compassionate treatment team at our luxury Los Angeles area rehab understand your treatment goals, and the reasons for choosing luxury rehab are unique to you. We also understand the vital importance of developing individualized therapy plans that focus on your specific needs and goals as you begin your sobriety journey.

 

If you are ready to take the first steps towards overcoming addiction, our luxury Los Angeles rehab can help. Contact a member of our admissions team at Laguna View Detox to learn more about how luxury addiction treatment in Los Angeles, CA, can help you achieve lasting sobriety and freedom from addiction.

What are the Signs You Need Inpatient Addiction Treatment?

What are the Signs You Need Inpatient Addiction Treatment?

Seeking help to overcome drug or alcohol addiction at an inpatient rehabilitation center allows for more significant opportunities for positive treatment outcomes. The levels of care and treatment models offered at an inpatient treatment program often differ from those in other levels of care, such as outpatient or private office settings. This allows people with all types of addictions at all levels of severity to receive the treatment they need to achieve lasting sobriety. Read further to learn about the signs you need inpatient addiction treatment.

 

What Causes Addiction?

Addiction is a disease; however, unlike many disease processes, there is no single cause for addiction. Ongoing research into the root causes of addiction continues to uncover new potential risk factors contributing to developing a substance use disorder. Currently, known risk factors for addiction include trauma history, early experimentation with drugs or alcohol, mental health concerns, physical health problems, environmental factors, social factors, and biology (or genetics).

 

What are the Signs You Need Inpatient Addiction Treatment?

There are several reasons why inpatient care may be more beneficial to you as you work towards achieving sobriety. First, it is essential to consider your addiction severity, substance use, and addiction treatment history. When choosing the best treatment program for you, it is important to understand the level of care and type of treatment you need to heal and overcome addiction. There are many reasons to choose an inpatient treatment program.

 

Particular circumstances almost always call for )or are better served by) an inpatient level of care. These include experiencing symptoms of a co-occurring mental health condition, having completed treatment previously and experienced relapse, and having severe addiction symptoms requiring medically managed detox service. In addition, other factors unique to your specific situation could make inpatient rehab a better fit for your needs. 

 

If you lack sober support at home or within the community, have concerns about exposure to relapse triggers, or have tried a lower level of care with limited or no success, a Southern California inpatient or residential treatment program might be ideal for helping you achieve lasting sobriety.

 

What are the Benefits of Inpatient Treatment?

You can expect many benefits and amenities as part of an inpatient treatment program to overcome drug or alcohol addiction at an inpatient rehab center. Although the benefits of each program vary from the next in some way, there are specific benefits you should look for when choosing an inpatient treatment program. The first of these is medically supported or medically managed detox and withdrawal. When someone begins detoxing from drugs or alcohol, the early days of withdrawal can be the most complex and most challenging.

 

During withdrawal, physical and psychological symptoms of varying severity occur as the body cleans itself from the toxic effects of drugs or alcohol. These can be painful, unpleasant, and for some, dangerous. For this reason, it is best to detox in an inpatient program with access to medically supported care. In medically-assisted detox, medical providers can provide assistance to help manage unpleasant and potentially dangerous detox symptoms.

 

Another benefit to inpatient addiction rehab is individually designed therapeutic care. Because the symptoms each person experiences while using and when trying to get sober will differ significantly, each therapy program must focus on the needs of the individual seeking help, not the addiction they are ready to overcome. Most inpatient treatment programs provide multiple therapy options. Most programs approach addiction treatment from a holistic perspective, meaning they strive to heal the mind, body, and spirit.

 

Examples of therapy models offered at drug and alcohol treatment programs include cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), trauma therapy, motivational interviewing (MI), and other therapeutic models in addition to alternative (holistic) treatment models.

Inpatient rehab programs not only offer multiple therapeutic options, but they also offer more frequent interaction with your providers. This can help provide the support and guidance addicts in early recovery need to overcome addiction.

 

Inpatient Rehab Options in Laguna Beach, CA

If you or a loved one are ready to take the first steps toward a future free from drug or alcohol addiction, inpatient rehab in Laguna Beach, CA, can help. Contact a member of our admissions team at Laguna View Detox today to learn more about Laguna Beach detox and inpatient rehab.

What is Withdrawal Management?

What is Withdrawal Management?

With detox, withdrawal can be excruciating. In fact, for many people, the idea of getting clean is inhibited by the fear of painful withdrawal symptoms or the potential failure of not succeeding. In fact, only 13% of people with addiction problems get any form of treatment, usually because of fear. However, there are medically managed withdrawal programs today that make it much to overcome your symptoms, no matter what they are.

 

Understanding the mechanisms behind withdrawal and how medical withdrawal management can help will go a long way toward preparing you to find the right withdrawal management programs.

 

What is Withdrawal?

Withdrawal is a physiological response when you slow down or stop using something your body has become dependent on. We often think of withdrawal symptoms as associated with drugs and alcohol. Still, realistically you can experience withdrawal symptoms if you suddenly decrease your sugar intake or cut back on your caffeine dramatically.

 

The emotional, mental, and physical symptoms of withdrawal will vary depending on what it is you are using. If, for example, you are taking opioids for pain management and you become addicted, when you stop taking opioids, the amount of pain you were in the entire time, which was masked by the opioids, comes back in full force. If you were taking sedatives for anxiety and became addicted when you stop taking sedatives, your brain activity increases immediately and causes severe physical and psychological discomfort.

 

What Causes Withdrawal?

When you use drugs or alcohol, eat a lot of sugar, or drink a lot of caffeine, your brain adjusts to those substances. The same can be true of simple over-the-counter medications. If you take an antacid every day, your body will stop naturally producing the same levels of stomach acid that it’s supposed to. So at some point, if you stop taking those antacids, you won’t have the right level of stomach acid on your own. 

 

This same concept applies to any substance. Using drugs and alcohol can bring some of the most significant withdrawal symptoms and necessitate withdrawal management to overcome.

 

You cannot avoid withdrawal. Withdrawal is an inevitable response as your body tries to reach a new balance without any chemical influences.

 

So what options are available for withdrawal management? That depends on your common symptoms.

 

What are Common Withdrawal Symptoms?

Common symptoms include elevated heart rate, sweating, insomnia, anxiety, headaches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, insomnia, and muscle pain. If you are withdrawing from alcohol, you might also experience tremors or hallucinations. If you are withdrawing from opioids, you might have hot or cold flashes, flu-like symptoms, and excessive yawning. Withdrawal from benzodiazepine can cause seizures and agitation, while withdrawal from cocaine can cause depression, paranoia, increased appetite, and problems with concentration.

 

With medically managed withdrawal, doctors can give you over-the-counter medications like anti-diarrheal medications, ibuprofen, muscle relaxers, sedatives, or FDA-approved medications for more severe things like opioids and benzodiazepines withdrawal. 

 

What is Withdrawal Management?

Proper medical withdrawal management pairs you with over-the-counter and FDA-approved medications that can be used to reduce or manage your symptoms. 

 

Withdrawal management is very important because if you withdraw from certain substances like benzodiazepines, alcohol, or opioids, your symptoms can be severe and, in rare cases, lethal. Severe alcohol withdrawal results in delirium tremens, which can progress to seizures and death. Opioid withdrawal can be incredibly uncomfortable to such a degree that it makes it next to impossible to stop on your own. But that is where medically managed withdrawal is so useful.

 

How to Find Withdrawal Management Programs in Los Angeles

Suppose you are ready to get help managing your symptoms. In that case, medical withdrawal Management Programs provide a team of doctors and nurses who can help alleviate your discomfort, minimize the risk of dangerous complications, and manage your withdrawal symptoms early in your recovery. This helps you alleviate any of the remaining toxins from your body before you transition into an inpatient or outpatient rehab program.

 

Laguna View Detox offers withdrawal management programs in Los Angeles. With our state-of-the-art detox program in Southern California, our team is on standby to help you be as comfortable as possible while you undergo the initial detox process. It’s common to experience withdrawal symptoms like increased heart rate, vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, sweating, and seizures. At our Los Angeles rehab center, we can help stop things like nausea, use an IV if necessary to make sure you stay hydrated and get the right nutrients your body needs to continue its fight.

When you are ready to find withdrawal management programs, reach out to Laguna View Detox for more information about inpatient treatment in Laguna Beach.

What is Couples Rehab?

What is Couples Rehab?

When you start a relationship, you learn a great deal about the other person, but no matter how much you learn, you still uncover new information the longer you stay together. You might be shocked to learn that your partner struggles with drugs and alcohol, especially when they are skillful at concealing their addiction. There might be circumstances where you get married and only find out that your spouse has been hiding an addiction to drugs or alcohol since before you stood at the altar. There might be other times when both partners were hiding something. In a third group, you might both have married or begun a relationship with no addiction but over time developed addiction concurrently to things like drugs and alcohol, especially when social activities centered around drug and alcohol consumption.

 

So what can you do when you reach the point where you and your spouse or partner recognize that you have an addiction? One solution is attendance at couples drug rehab centers.

 

Can Couples Go to Rehab Together?

Yes, in some situations, couples rehab is an option where people can get treatment at the same time. Contact Laguna View Detox today to learn more about our Southern California rehab center.

 

What is Couples Rehab?

Couples rehab is a type of rehab where you and your partner get help at the same time, and you both focus on soberly rebuilding your lives. Usually, rehab for couples can be either inpatient or outpatient treatment.

 

Generally, couples drug rehab centers offering inpatient or outpatient programs are almost exactly the same for individuals and couples, with a few exceptions. There are many facilities that allow rehab for couples where both individuals are struggling with addiction. In these situations, you might share a room and participate in your social activities together. Certain facilities might even allow you to bring your pets or have your children attend things like social activities or family counseling sessions together.

 

With outpatient programs, you might say in your home with your partner, but you both attend rehab together.

Is Couples Rehab Beneficial in Treatment?

Yes, couples rehab can be very beneficial. At Laguna View Detox, we offer several treatment options in Orange County that can benefit couples.

Individual Treatment

At couples rehab centers, you still get individualized treatment based on your specific needs and your specific addiction, even if you are both addicted. You get a treatment that starts with a medical detox and then subsequent individual therapy, group therapy, relapse prevention classes, holistic therapy, and more. Individual therapy you would still do individually, but other therapies you would likely do with your partner.

Relationship-Focused Treatment

In addition to your individual treatment, you also get a chance to focus on your relationship. You will get access to addiction treatment that helps you deal with relationship issues that might have previously been obscured by the drug and alcohol abuse. You’ll learn how to cope with those issues, especially if they are a trigger for a relapse. You’ll also learn how to better communicate with one another and be a more supportive partner, especially as you transition into a path of sobriety.

Educational Resources

Understanding how addiction works can make it easier for you to understand what’s driving certain behavioral changes in your spouse and yourself. In some cases, couples rehab centers offer educational resources so that both partners can learn about addiction and how it impacts their bodies and brains. You and a partner can use these resources or classes to learn more about the way addiction changes the body and the brain.

 

Some centers offer rehab for couples with outpatient programs where you both attend rehab even if only one of you is an addict. This process gives the non-addicted partner insight into the recovery process while also serving as a stabilizing influence for the addicted partner. What’s more, you don’t necessarily both have to struggle with addiction to utilize couples rehab.

 

How to Find a Rehab Center for Couples

When you are ready for couples rehab, you must find a facility that helps you work together toward recovery. Look for a facility with inpatient or outpatient programs based on your preference or need. Make sure the facility you choose is in a supportive environment, particularly a natural environment. You don’t have to live in Southern California to appreciate how an inpatient stay at a rehab center along the beach could afford you a great deal of peace and relaxation as you focus on yourself and your relationship.

 

At Laguna View, we offer a range of addiction therapy services that can be designed for you and your partner. We help you understand addiction so that you can appreciate the way it changes the brain and how addiction can lead to destructive behavior. We can also help you identify what factors in your relationship might result in a relapse to work together to remain sober.

 

Laguna View Detox offers inpatient treatment in Los Angeles, CA. Let Laguna View help you rebuild your relationship today.

How Long is Inpatient Rehab?

How Long is Inpatient Rehab?

If you are considering an inpatient or residential rehab program, the first question you might ask is: how long is inpatient rehab? Other people ask: how long are inpatient rehab programs, and what is the maximum I can stay?

 

It is easy to want to live at a rehab facility long-term because of the structured and safe environment. But inpatient rehab is designed to be short-term for a reason: it is merely a stepping stone along your recovery journey. 

 

What is the Length of Rehab Treatment?

The length of rehab depends on your circumstances. It can range between one month or a few months. When you meet with a rehab center, a professional will sit down with you to go over your history, mental health, physical health, and current addiction. This evaluation serves an important role: determining how long they recommend you remain at the facility based on your personal needs. 

 

How Long is Inpatient Rehab?

How long are inpatient rehab programs for people with moderate addiction to one substance? Comparatively, how long are people in rehab if they have a mental health condition? Or, how long is inpatient rehab if you have an addiction to more than one drug?

 

For the most part, the more substances or co-existing disorders you have, the longer you might be encouraged to stay in an inpatient rehab program. This is because treating multiple addictions or addictions with an underlying mental health problem takes longer than treating someone who only struggles with moderate alcoholism and has a safe, supportive home environment. 

So how long is inpatient rehab in general?

It is divided into monthly programs. So, you can choose:

  • 30-day programs
  • 60-day programs
  • 90-day programs

 

Recovery is divided into segments: inpatient and outpatient, and aftercare. Your goal with inpatient rehab isn’t to take up full-time residency for years at a time but rather to be there long enough to get clean and start your recovery. While you should always begin your recovery with inpatient care for severe drug addiction, the program you undergo should provide you with skills and support that can help you flow into outpatient programs within a couple of months. Outpatient programs can last much longer than inpatient because they contain many of the same therapies and lifestyle skills, but you presumably don’t need medical supervision for detox and can be trusted to return to a safe home environment. 

 

What Length of Treatment is Best?

The best length of treatment is really contingent on what you need most. For example:

  • If you have a supportive home environment and a job that allows you to take time off, you might be able to stay at an inpatient rehab program that’s only 30 days in length. Assuming you only struggle with addiction to one substance and have only been addicted for a short amount of time, a 30-day program might be the best option.
  • If you have no employment or school requirements that inhibit your schedule, you might be able to afford a longer length. A longer option like a 60-day or 90-day program could be better suited for people who have struggled with addiction for many years, people who have already tried rehab and failed to complete it in the past, or people who are struggling with addiction to multiple substances. 
  • If you have underlying mental health conditions that you want to address at the same time as your drug or alcohol addiction, you might choose a longer treatment program, assuming you can afford the time off and the cost. Longer treatment programs allow you access to ongoing therapy during your stay that might include medication management, where you get the appropriate prescription medications to manage symptoms like bipolar disorder or severe anxiety.
  • Longer stays at an inpatient facility can give you more time to learn and practice things like coping skills for stressful situations or social skills. You can also network with other individuals staying at the same rehab center so that when you eventually leave the facility, you have a group of sober friends with whom you can maintain contact.

 

How to Find Inpatient Addiction Treatment Programs to Fit Your Needs

With our residential rehab program, you can get treatment plans that fit your needs. We work with you to provide customized rehab plans with lengths appropriate to your situation. 

 

When you reach out to an inpatient addiction rehab center, they can talk with you about your situation and circumstances, help you work out what level of coverage you get with your insurance plan, and how you can go about taking a more significant amount of time off of work. This will help you decide what plan is best for you and your schedule.

Contact Laguna View Detox for comprehensive addiction rehab in Southern California.

How to Maintain a Job While in Rehab

How to Maintain a Job While in Rehab

Many people are concerned about how they can work during rehab, how they can continue to provide for their family, or explain to their employer that they need to go to rehab but still want to maintain a job while in rehab. Many people are concerned about reaching out and getting the help they need for substance abuse or mental health conditions, and forgo getting the care they deserve because they are worried about how they will work or maintain their current standard of living while also paying for rehab.

 

Can You Work During Rehab?

Avoiding getting the help you need just because you don’t want to risk issues with your employer is not the answer. Many people use their work as an excuse for not getting the help they need, but there are legal protections in place that allow you to maintain a job while in rehab, so you don’t need those excuses anymore.

 

Yes, you can work during rehab. There are two laws that protect you if you want to go to rehab for an alcohol abuse disorder or substance abuse disorder.

 

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) 

This law was passed in 1993 and guaranteed people a leave of absence if they have to take care of themselves for a health problem, take care of a spouse, parent, or a child. Undergoing rehab for drug or alcohol addiction is considered a health problem which means as an employee, you can use FMLA leave to get treatment for your addiction or take care of people who are getting treatment for addiction. 

 

Your qualified* employer cannot fire you, refuse to promote you, demote you, or refuse to give you FMLA leave.

 

This allows you 12 weeks of unpaid leave and access to any group health care benefits to cover your treatment cost. As such, if you need to undergo inpatient or residential rehab, you can still maintain a job while in rehab at a facility like Laguna View Detox and return to work at the end of your 12 weeks of leave.

 

* Qualifications include an employer that is a public agency or a private company that has over 50 employees, and in order for you to use this leave you have to have worked with the company for at least one year and at least 1,250 hours.

 

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) 

This legislation prevents discrimination by employers against people who get help. Your employer cannot fire you for getting addiction treatment or for having gone to rehab in the past. They cannot refuse to hire you or refuse to promote you because of any history of drug or alcohol addiction. 

 

How to Maintain a Job While in Rehab

If you need to maintain a job while in rehab, there are a few things to consider:

 

Get the right help. If you need help with substance abuse, make sure you arrange the best type of help with your employer. 

 

If you need detoxification in Los Angeles, you might be able to take a few days off in addition to the weekend in order to give you enough time for medically supervised detoxification before you transition to an outpatient program that you can work around your employment schedule.

 

There are many different treatment options that include inpatient and outpatient services. Outpatient treatment lets you get the therapy you need at a rehab facility but sleep at home. This means you have the flexibility to go to work but still undergo counseling and education as needed.

 

How to Talk to Your Employer Before Entering Treatment

If you already have a job and are wondering whether you can work during rehab, you are not alone. When you are ready to talk to your employer, have the conversation sooner rather than later. Addiction can worsen the longer it goes untreated, so having an upfront conversation as soon as possible is most helpful. 

  • Make sure you read through your hiring paperwork or any information about company policy. You can also check with human resources. 
  • Make sure you know what laws are on your side so that you can facilitate an honest discussion with an employer who might show some reticence. 
  • Don’t tell anyone prior to directly speaking with your boss. You don’t want your boss to hear it third-hand from other coworkers. 
  • Be upfront with your boss about how much time you need to take off, what treatment plan you are going to, and how this treatment will help you to be a better employee. 

It is always recommended that you have a rehab center available, one that you have talked to, like Laguna View Detox, ahead of time. If you have more questions about how to maintain a job while in rehab, Laguna View Detox has answers. Call us today

What are the Symptoms of Cocaine Withdrawal?

What are the Symptoms of Cocaine Withdrawal?

If you or someone you know is showing symptoms of cocaine withdrawal, it might be time to get help. Thankfully with the right detox center and medical staff, coke withdrawal does not have to be done alone. 

 

What is Cocaine?

 

Cocaine is a highly addictive stimulant. It comes from coca leaves, a natural plant that is indigenous to South America. It is not a new drug, but rather one that has been used for thousands of years as a stimulant by the local populations in and around many South American countries. 

 

Since the 1990s, however, it has been purified into the form most people recognize today. Historically, the leaves of the plant were chewed. Today, people ingest purified cocaine with a water-soluble salt injected or snorted in the form of a powder. It can also be smoked in a water-insoluble form.

 

Is Cocaine Addictive?

 

Cocaine impacts your central nervous system, so it produces a lot of energy when you ingest it in any form and causes a euphoric feeling. However, once that dies down, you typically feel worse than before and need even more cocaine to reach the same level of energy and euphoria.

 

Yes, cocaine is highly addictive. Cocaine addiction can lead to serious symptoms of cocaine withdrawal. Your brain naturally produces a happy chemical called dopamine. Dopamine is associated with your reward structure and is known for producing pleasurable experiences in the brain. Cocaine increases the amount of dopamine your body gets to a substantial level, all at once. So you feel incredibly happy or stimulated all at once. Still, with time, the amount of dopamine your body naturally produces diminishes significantly, so you feel worse more often than before. This feeling of euphoria only lasts between 15 minutes and 30 minutes if you snort cocaine and between 5 minutes and 10 minutes if you inject or smoke cocaine, so the good feelings are short-lived.

 

This is what drives many people to abuse cocaine and develop an addiction.

 

What are the Symptoms of Cocaine Withdrawal?

 

The symptoms of cocaine withdrawal vary. There are a few things that influence the symptoms you experience with coke withdrawal and how severe they are:

 

  1. How long you have been addicted to cocaine
  2. How much cocaine you take regularly
  3. Whether you have other drugs you abuse at the same time
  4. Whether there are underline mental health problems that have led to or been caused by a cocaine addiction

 

Symptoms of cocaine withdrawal can include:

  • Increased appetite
  • Anxiety
  • Nightmares
  • Restlessness
  • Agitation
  • Depression
  • Fatigue
  • Suicide

 

Withdrawal symptoms start within a few hours, and the worst of your cravings are withdrawals typically happen within the first month. It can be very difficult to quit cocaine on your own because of how long these withdrawal symptoms last.

 

  • First 3 Hours: In the first few hours your symptoms will emerge. You will start to feel irritable, anxious, Maybe with a great deal of fatigue and an increased appetite. At the end of these first few hours sometimes the cravings decrease
  • First Week: During the first week intense cravings arise. You might have significant mood swings, depression, nightmares, and significant trouble sleeping.
  • Weeks 2-4: For the next few weeks it’s common to have a great deal of irritability and find it difficult to concentrate while also dealing with strong cravings for more cocaine and depression
  • Weeks 5-10: Over the course of the next few weeks your body and mind will start to heal with some bouts of anxiety and cravings for more cocaine but to a diminished degree

 

Given how long the symptoms of coke withdrawals can last, inpatient rehabilitation centers with good detox programs can help you overcome the initial signs and the long-term symptoms.

 

Finding a Cocaine Detox Center in Laguna Beach, CA

 

If you are dealing with coke withdrawal, we can help. At Laguna View Detox, we offer a comprehensive detox program in a safe, supportive environment. 

 

Finding a good cocaine detox center in Laguna Beach means you don’t have to travel far from home. You can get the help you need with a short detox process. You get complete privacy and security knowing that medical staff will be on hand to help monitor your symptoms and alleviate their severity if necessary with other medications. The symptoms can last for a few days or even a week, depending on your body, and that is why our professionals will walk you through an initial evaluation to determine just how long your detox should be and what measures should be taken to ensure success. We are here to help.

At Laguna View Detox, we are here to help. Let us guide you as you withdrawal from cocaine.

How Long Does Valium Stay in Your System?

How Long Does Valium Stay in Your System?

If you have ever been given a prescription for anxiety, it was probably a benzodiazepine like Valium. But after you take it, how long does Valium stay in your system? Valium can remain for quite some time, and that means it is easier for someone to become addicted. Thankfully you can get help. 

 

What is Valium?

 

Valium is a medication, called diazepam which is used to treat seizures, muscle spasms, alcohol withdrawal symptoms, and anxiety. Sometimes it is used as a calming agent for people right after invasive care or surgery. 

 

How is Valium Used?

 

It is part of a class of medications called benzodiazepines which work by calming the brain and the nerves. 

 

Is Valium Addictive?

 

How long does Valium stay in your system? A long time, depending on how often you use and how much you use. Addiction to Valium is serious and can happen quickly with regular use. 

 

Benzodiazepines serve a good purpose when taken selectively and in limited amounts, but addiction can occur. For many people, a prescription for Valium starts harmlessly, helping to quell serious anxiety disorders or get through alcohol withdrawal. However, as individuals increase the amount they take, they become more dependent on Valium. This dependency increases the amount required to achieve the same effect, which eventually leads to an addiction to Valium. 

 

The symptoms of an addiction to Valium are similar to that of being drunk. Someone with a serious addiction might show:

  • Slurred speech when on Valium
  • Impaired coordination
  • Changes in appetite
  • Irritability or mood changes
  • Withdrawal shaking
  • Dilated pupils

 

Can Valium Be Dangerous?

 

Yes. Valium can be very dangerous because it slows down the nervous and respiratory systems. This, in small amounts, is what calms people during anxiety attacks, but in larger doses or several days’ worth of compounding, doses can be dangerous. Valium, especially when mixed with depressants like alcohol, can cause you to stop breathing, can lead to coma or death. Other side effects of valium addiction include:

  • Blurred vision
  • Slowed breathing
  • Dizziness
  • Irregular heartbeat
  • Weakness
  • Drowsiness
  • Seizures

 

Another way in which Valium is dangerous is how it changes the brain. Almost any substance you take regularly, which is meant to alter a natural process in your body, can change the degree to which your body functions normally. 

 

For example: If you take antacids to help you with a stomach ache after a big meal, this increases antacid in your body because the amount your body naturally produces was insufficient to tackle the big meal. But if you take antacids regularly, your body becomes dependent on it, and it stops producing as much, which means your normal production levels drop so that you become dependent on the antacid.

 

This exact same process happens with anything you regularly use. In the case of Valium, the brain would normally regulate stress, but Valium helps. That means the brain stops regulating stress to the same degree it normally would and becomes reliant on the volume to compensate. Without regular Valium, an addicted brain is imbalanced, increasing anxiety and depressive disorders.

 

The longer you are addicted to Valium and the more Valium you take, the worse this dependence becomes and the more severe your preexisting anxiety or other disorders become. 

 

How Long Does Valium Stay in Your System?

 

Knowing how long does Valium stay in your system can help you identify when the Valium you have taken over several days has compounded and can be dangerous. 

 

  • Once you ingest Valium, it can stay active in your body for between 30 and 56 hours. 
  • It takes up to 10 days for all of the Valium in your body to leave your system. 

 

How long Valium stays in your body is dependent upon your liver health, body fat, weight, age, amount of Valium you take, and other drugs you take at the same time. 

 

Valium Detox Treatment Center in Los Angeles, CA

 

Thankfully, you can get help. In Los Angeles, Laguna View Detox is here to help you with your valium detox. The only way to get over the imbalance in your brain and take control of your anxiety is to first detox from Valium, removing any residual compounds from your body, and then learning life skills to better manage stress and anxiety. In a comfortable and supportive environment, our staff can offer evidence-based practice and holistic treatment to aid your path to recovery after a Valium detox

At Laguna View Detox, we can help you live a healthy, sober life.

How to Find Luxury Sober Living in Los Angeles, CA

How to Find Luxury Sober Living in Los Angeles, CA

If you or someone you love has struggled with completing a rehab treatment program is a tremendous step, but it can be 

complex to go from a detox and rehab program straight back into your regular life. And this is where sober living, sometimes called recovery residents programs or transitional living, can give you a safe place to have supervised recovery as you transition back to complete dependence and sobriety.

 

What does Sober Living mean?

 

Sober living means a facility where you live and where you maintain your sobriety. Sober living is a transitional place where you can go from intensive rehab treatment back to complete independence. With sober living facilities, you live on-site, and you get to practice complete independence while being supervised by reputable staff who can help you not only maintain your sobriety but begin to implement the coping skills you have learned during your rehab program. 

 

Sober living is meant for people who:

  • Need longer transitions between a rehab program and going back to a fully independent life.
  • Need accountability during their sobriety.
  • Need help transitioning from an intensive inpatient program or an outpatient program.
  • Need to move into an independent but structured environment that is safer and more supportive than their current living situation.
  • Are currently sober with no drugs or alcohol in their system.

 

Is Sober Living Right for Me

 

Sober living gives you structured independence. You are not required to have undergone formal rehab, and you are not restricted in terms of how long you stay there. In order to stay in a sober living facility, you simply need to maintain your sobriety and, of course, pay the necessary fees. There are plenty of situations where people undergo detox or an inpatient program and then transition.

 

Sober living might be right for you if:

  • You need prolonged support, and you know that while you are sober now, you will not be able to maintain that on your own just yet.
  • You need stable housing that won’t be taken out from under you because of a landlord’s decision or cuts to government funding.
  • You want a facility that is more affordable and an alternative to formal therapy.

 

If you decide that sober living is the right choice for you, know that not all facilities are created equally. Consider luxury sober living in Los Angeles, CA, when you make your choice. 

 

Benefits of Sober Living

 

Using luxury sober living in Los Angeles, CA, comes with many benefits. 

 

  1. The most significant benefit of sober living is continual guidance and support. Learning new skills to handle stress is only part of complete rehabilitation. You have to be able to practice applying those skills in your everyday life rather than falling back on old addictions. Not everyone is able to do this on their own, or their self-doubt gets in the way. In a sober living home, you are surrounded by people who will hold you accountable every day, not just the staff but the other tenants. You can get help with any potential issues you have, like finding a job, stress, or cravings. People who work and live in sober living understand what you are going through, and they can give you advice while helping you avoid drugs and alcohol, maintain a curfew, and ensure your sobriety with regular drug tests.
  2. Sober living allows you the opportunity to bond with other people in a meaningful fashion. You get to live alongside people who have also dealt with recovery and understand what it feels like to disappoint loved ones, lose control, or struggle with addiction. You can reduce loneliness and have good ties with people who love you and support you no matter what your past might have.
  3. You can restore healthy life skills like doing laundry, finding a job, maintaining good hygiene, or eating healthy. Similarly, you get to enjoy independence. A big part of your sobriety and recovery is getting your life back into your own hands, finding a job, taking steps to enter back into society, making friends, cooking for yourself, making good choices, and undergoing therapy.
  4. Finally, sober living is an easier transition back to your everyday life. It serves as a bridge between an intensive rehab or detox program and mainstream society.

 

Luxury Sober Living in Los Angeles, CA

 

If you are ready for luxury sober living in Los Angeles, CA, let Laguna View Detox help. Our location gives you access to an emotionally and physically supportive environment in a tranquil setting. With staff on hand, we can help you transition into sober living and utilize new life skills that help you cope with stress down the line. We understand that no single program is the right fit for every person, and that is why we work hard to customize the amenities and programs to which you have access when you choose luxury sober living in Los Angeles, CA

 

Let us help you transition safely back into independence and sobriety.