Alcohol And Drug Addiction Help; How To Help Teenagers

It’s not an easy task to find alcohol or drug addiction help for your young kid or teenager. Nevertheless this is an important task and as a parent you have no choice but taking care of it. A teenager’s life is full of contradictions and extremes, as young people are struggling to find out who they really are as well as wondering what their identity as adults will be, this is just normal. Due to teenagers particular mental stressors, it is a very easy way for youngsters to get caught up in an alcohol or drug addiction problem. Because of these stressors, they will almost always be in need for drug addiction help to get rid of their cravings for their drug of choice. Facts about alcoholism and drug addiction show that the highest rates of success occur with inpatient drug rehab.

Treatment, in terms of drug or alcohol addicted teenagers, must be tailored specifically to their needs. In grown-up cases, generic addiction treatments often do the trick. With teenagers however, the mind is still being shaped and the addiction treatment options must address the changing chemicals inside the teen. Make an informed decision and do your homework when it comes to picking drug addiction assistance facilities.

Of special concern to parents of teenagers with a drug or alcohol addiction problem is the issue of schooling. Many teens who have a drug or alcohol addiction problem have dropped out of school or have missed so much school that they have been suspended or expelled. In drug or alcohol rehab centers, teenagers will be required to attend school. The quality of education varies from program to program, but your teenager will have to attend classes. A drug or alcohol rehab center’s schedule is tight, incorporating academic classes as well as psycho-educational classes, group therapy, personal counseling and similar activities.

Parents should expect to be significantly involved with their teen’s drug addiction help, whether the teenager is in inpatient drug or alcohol rehab or outpatient counseling. Family sessions are required by many rehab facilities and highly recommended anyway. While it is surely not your "fault" that your teenager has a drug or alcohol addiction problem, family dynamics may play a contributing part in the underlying causes. Additionally, you and your teen have probably grown apart and may fight frequently. Your faithful attendance at family sessions will show your teenager that you love and care for him or her and are willing to commit to the teen’s recovery effort.

After your teen completes his or her inpatient drug or alcohol rehab program, you will need to make provisions for aftercare drug or alcohol addiction help. Your teen will most likely receive a referral to an outside therapist or psychologist and information about twelve step programs and peer counseling services as well. Make sure that your teenager performs all appropriate follow up work, as relapse is very common. Work with your teen and allow him or her to take some progressive responsibility for making his/her own aftercare decisions.

Do not punish or guilt trip your teenager about his or her drug addiction problem but rather encourage him or her in the fight for recovery. Recovering from a drug or alcohol addiction brings forth many feelings, some of which will be quite mean for both you and your kid. Provide a loving and supportive environment in which your teenager can heal and be prepared to do the necessary work on your side of the relationship. Alcohol or drug addiction help can assist you both in becoming closer and more trusting of each other.

No matter how old the addicted person is, facing the need of drug addiction recovery can be a real nightmare. For a person questing for identity like teenagers normally do, getting rid of an alcohol or drug addiction on top of all these other issues issues must be felt like a disaster. Fortunately, there are methods to handle addiction in teenagers successfully however, it requires professional alcohol or drug addiction help together with the teenager as well as the parents. Only then the treatment will be successful.

By: Dave Richards

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

David Richards is a publisher of alcoholism facts. You can go to alcoholism treatment for more.

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Prescription Drug Addiction: What Does It Take To Keep Your Family And Friends Drug-free?

Years ago, when parents thought their kids weren’t the type to take drugs, they were probably right. Now there’s about a one in five chance they’re wrong. What’s really fuelling prescription drug addiction, and what can we do about it?

Prescription drug addiction is a societal ill - while each individual has their reasons for abusing or becoming addicted to drugs, not much is going to change until taking drugs is no longer accepted as a way of life. Drug companies advertise directly to the consumer on TV, magazines, on the Internet. The ads show people who, basically, aren’t happy. Then they take the drug and, voila, their lives change.

People watching the ads go to their family doctor, tell him how they feel (just like the person in the commercial - they don’t even need to describe their symptoms really), and tell him that they think they would feel better taking X drug and would like a prescription. And the doctor gives it to them.

There’s nothing strange about that, right? It’s just like buying Pepsi so you can become part of the Pepsi generation. Well, this is the prescription drug generation. But it’s not just affecting the current generation - everyone from kindergarteners to pensioners are taking them. But, unlike Pepsi drinkers, many are also ending up with a prescription drug addiction, and in hospital emergency rooms and morgues. In Florida alone about 8,000 people died last year from prescription drugs. And that’s just the ones who were autopsied.

As a parent, and a spouse, and a friend, the way you can protect your loved ones is to teach them the truth: That prescription drug addiction can be a consequence, that further consequences can include ruins lives, shattered dreams and, sometimes, death, and that the only certain way to avoid those consequences is to avoid the drugs.

If someone you care about needs prescription drugs - which many of us do at times - make sure they take them for a short period of time and as directed. And don’t mix them with other drugs. If things go further than that, or already have, find a drug addiction treatment center where they can get help. And, whatever you do, don’t assume that your kids are not the type to take drugs.

By: Gloria MacTaggart

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Gloria MacTaggart is a freelance writer that contributes articles on health. info@drugrehabreferral.com www.drugrehabreferral.com More on drug rehab

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Steps For Drug Addiction Treatment - How To Get Free

Strictly speaking, an addiction is a chronic strain and need on that the body develops towards a substance, drug, food or chemical in order to feel normal again. At times this is not as simple as it sounds; what the body deciphers as necessary for life may itself be the very thing that destroys it. Take for instance; drug addiction (which sometimes clinically differs from drug dependency) happens when the body craves the ingestion of a drug in order to diminish its heightened sense of anxiety and when this drug of choice is ingested, inhaled or injected into the blood stream, a sense of calm and serene satisfaction blankets the body and the craving subsides. Drug addiction to such potent drugs as heroin, opium, cocaine and methamphetamines, is one of the most dangerous and potent killers in today’s society and there are various ways in which it can be treated but before we examine that, let us explore why it starts. There are both physical and psychological reasons.

Most drug addicts get into drug use after experiencing some traumatic experience such as the death of a loved one, an accident, the loss of an important relationship or even after learning of the existence of a terminal illness. The addict then goes into a state of denial where he or she needs an additive in order to "cope" with life. Initially, the addict rationalizes that he or she is able to keep the drug usage under control. Sometimes the drug, such as methamphetamine, will promise the user an ecstatic high that blankets the present pain of living and offers a thrill that surpasses all else that the addict has ever known and in so doing attempts to numb reality. Once the addict has solidly settled into regular drug use, the body chemical balance is altered to where it needs the drug in ever increasing amounts in order to produce the same high. At this point, the addict is overwhelmed by feelings of helplessness and no longer has any control. It is at this juncture that he or she needs immediate help. Let us examine the treatment for drug addiction.

Social treatment

There are those of the school of thought that in order to transition the addict to full recovery, the root cause of the addiction has to be tackled. In other words, the hurt, pain and disappointment that caused the addict to fall into addictive behavior has to be addressed. This is where family and friends come in handy in loving and supporting the addict back to life. It is at this point that the addict needs a support system. Attending an addicts’ recovery group such as the 12-step program also serves the same purpose.

Anti-addictive drugs

The same way there exists drugs which induce an addiction, doctors and pharmacists have also formulated drugs that combat that same addiction. These drugs such as methadone, attempt to restore the body’s original chemical balance so that the addictive drug loses its hold on the addict. One downside to these anti-addictive drugs is that they are themselves addictive if taken without a prescription. These need to be taken with caution and intelligently.

By: Dee Cohen

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Dee Cohen is a licensed social worker and writes at Treatment for Drug Addiction where you can visit and learn more about taking care of yourself at www.drug-and-alcohol-rehab-info.com

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The purpose of this article is to help individuals learn how to choose the right drug treatment center for themselves or their loved ones. Reading this article will allow you to develop a basic understanding of:

The Different Types of Facilities
The Different Levels of Care
The Different Treatment Services

This article is by no means a comprehensive picture of all the different types of drug treatment centers or drug treatment services. This is because in Southern California alone, there are 500+ facilities located within 100 miles of Los Angeles. So there is no way to outline all of these centers or their treatment capabilities. What this article will assist you in accomplishing is to determine the following:

What type of facility you want to attend
What level of care you initially feel is most appropriate based on need
What types of treatment services you want the facility you attend to offer

This article is designed to help individuals, or their loved ones, who are experiencing:

Addiction
Alcoholism
Substance Abuse
Chemical Dependency
Prescription Drug Addiction

If you or your loved one is experiencing any of the following it is best that you seek a free evaluation by calling (877) 415 4673:

Depression
Sex Addiction
Panic Disorder
Dual-Diagnosis
Eating Disorder
anxiety Disorder
Bipolar Disorder
Trauma Disorder
Gambling Addiction
Acute Withdrawal; or
Immediate Need for Crisis Intervention

Step 1 ‘Choosing the Appropriate Type of Facility’

Residential drug treatment centers basically break down into three categories. These are:

Adolescent Facilities
Young Peoples Facilities
Adult Facilities

Each of these categories treats a certain age group. These are:

Adolescent Facilities- typically meet the needs of individuals ages 13-17.
Young Peoples Facilities- typically meet the needs of individuals ages 17-25.
Adult Facilities- typically meet the needs of individuals ages 18+.

So the first step in choosing the right drug treatment center is to determine which category of treatment you or your loved one falls into based on age.

Step 2 ‘Choosing the Appropriate Level of Care’

The different levels of care offered within the three types of facilities basically break down into 5 categories. These are:

detoxification Services (Residential)
Primary Care Services (Residential)
Extended Care Services (Residential)
Partial Care Services (Non-Residential)
Outpatient Care Services (Non-Residential)

Each of these levels of care offer different types of support. Here is a basic description of each level of care:

Detoxification Services typically assist individuals in withdrawing from alcohol and/or drugs through the aid of medications prescribed by a physician. (NOTE: Detoxification Services are not usually considered a complete treatment for addiction. These services are specifically designed to help individuals establish a clean and sober baseline so that alcohol and/or addiction education and clinical treatment can be initiated; both which help to prevent the possibility of relapse in the future.)

Primary Care Services typically introduce educational concepts of alcohol and/or addiction recovery and provide different types of recovery-related activities including; individual counseling, individual therapy, group therapy and alumni support groups, all of which are designed to be supportive while creating awareness of the issues that have contributed to developing chemical dependency and/or substance abuse tendencies. (NOTE: Many centers offering primary care services also offer relationship counseling and/or a Family Program.)

Extended Care Services typically are residential but less structured than primary care services and usually serve individuals transitioning from Primary Care. These services represent a platform to further assist people who have limited life experiences or an extensive alcoholism and/or addiction history in living clean and sober while developing an independent daily routine. Extended Care Services include individual counseling, individual therapy, group therapy and alumni support groups. It’s often a place where individuals can learn basic life-skills while practicing recovery principles in a safe environment and still receive the clinical support needed to further a personal understanding of their own substance abuse and/or chemical dependency issues.

Partial Care Services typically are non-residential and usually represented by 2-5 hours of treatment related services per/day. Individuals in attendance have the opportunity to attend group therapy and receive limited individual counseling and/or individual therapy. Because this level of care is non-residential, people attending can embrace their free time by attending school or maintaining employment. This level of care represents a safe place for individuals to process some of the feelings and emotions that are coming up during day-to-day activities as they directly relate to their recovery process.

Outpatient Care Services are non-residential and allow individuals to shore-up an ample self-supporting daily routine (of school or work) with nightly groups and limited individual counseling and/or individual therapy. This level of care represents a safe place for people to process recovery-related feelings and emotions on an intimate group basis and typically serves to create a positive-peer group and sense of community away from the stressors of living clean and sober in early alcohol and/or addiction recovery.

So the second step in choosing the right drug treatment center is determining what level of care is most appropriate for you.

Step 3 ‘Choosing the Appropriate Treatment Services’

Once you have determined the type of facility your age makes you eligible for and once you have basically decided what level of care appears most appropriate, it is time to determine what type of treatment services you want the drug treatment center to offer. Treatment services offered in drug treatment centers basically break down into three categories. They are:

Medical Services
Clinical Services
12 Step Services

Medical Services typically encompass acute detoxification services, post-acute detoxification services and psychiatric services. (NOTE: Not all drug treatment centers offer medical services.)

Clinical Services typically encompass the types of clinical therapy offered during treatment. These include psychological evaluation, individual therapy, experiential therapy, group therapy, couples therapy and/or family programs. (NOTE: Not all drug treatment centers offer a full array of clinical services.)

12 Step Services typically encompass recovery related individual counseling, recovery groups, trigger identification and relapse prevention, 12 Step meeting attendance and education/introduction to a 12 Step Program. (NOTE: Most drug treatment centers offer 12 Step services.)

So step three is determining what sort of services you want the drug treatment center to offer. Some centers offer medical, clinical and 12 Step services while others may only offer limited clinical services and 12 Step services.

Step 4 ‘Deciding on Cost’

Now you should have a basic idea of the following:

The type of facility you want to attend (based on age)
The appropriate level of care (based on need)
The types of treatment services you want your ideal facility to offer (based on need)

In the United States in 2004 the least expensive treatment center was $0 for an indefinite stay. That center primarily focused on 12 Step Services and vocational activities. (In other words, clients worked to pay for their stay while attending daily 12 Step meetings) The most expensive drug treatment center in 2004 was located in Southern California and was $120,000 for a 2-week stay. This center primarily focused on exclusive medical treatments, psychiatric evaluations and psychologically supportive therapeutic measures.

An Important Fact:

A study conducted by the NIDA determined that 30-day treatment centers were approximately 30-35% successful in treating addictions. The same study found that if clients transitioned from primary care into some form of aftercare for 6 months or more that the success rates increased to 65-70%. (Success was defined by 5 years of continuous recovery) Aftercare for the purposes of this study was defined as: Extended care services, partial care services, outpatient care services or individual therapy.

So what does this mean?

It means that money won’t buy recovery. But the amount of money you spend may allow you or your loved one to receive treatment services that are more in line with their belief systems and historical experiences than perhaps say, a drug treatment center that only focuses on vocational activities. It also means that the longer you or your loved one can afford to stay in treatment, or if you can pay a certain amount for primary care services but still leave a reservoir of funds available for aftercare services the more likely it will be you or your loved one will achieve lasting recovery success.

Here are some helpful tips for deciding on the amount you want to spend for enrollment in a drug treatment center:

If you need detoxification services and primary care services then find a drug treatment center that offers detox as a component of primary care. This allows you to spend one amount and still cover both needs.
Leave yourself a reservoir of funds available for aftercare services once you conclude primary care. In other words, don’t put all your eggs in one basket.

If the NIDA has determined that 6 months of various aftercare services will increase the likelihood of success, then be sure you have funds available to secure these future services.

Strong clinical services usually increase the cost of treatment. For example; a program that only offers 12 Step services is usually cheaper than a program that offers both 12 Step services and clinical services.

Be realistic. The best approach is to find a program that offers a multitude of services under one roof. This allows you to cover all your bases with one expenditure and prevents costly enrollment fees if you were to say, enroll in four different facilities to receive four levels of care.

Step 5 ‘Asking the Right Questions’

To protect yourself or your loved one take the time (Probably not more than 10 minutes) to ask a few very pertinent questions of the center you’re thinking of enrolling with. Even in a time of crisis, which is often the case when researching a drug treatment center, a few crucial questions may help you to secure your decision to enroll or to continue your research to find a better suited facility.

Remember to ask the drug treatment centers representative whether they meet the criteria you have already determined you may need.

For Example:

‘Do you provide treatment for adults?’
‘Do you offer primary care?’
‘Do you provide medical, clinical and 12 Step services?’

If the representative answers these questions to your liking then here are some important additional questions to ask. (NOTE: Below each question is also the preferred answer.)

Question 1- May I have a copy of your daily schedule?

Answer: Yes

Question 2- Are you licensed by the State to provide drug and alcohol treatment?

Answer: Yes

Question 3- How many individual session’s will I (Or my loved one) receive per/week?

Answer: ‘The facility representative should say at least 4 per/week’

Question 4- Are those individual sessions conducted by a certified counselor or licensed therapist and related to addiction recovery or dual-diagnosis?

Answer: Yes

Question 5- What is the cost of your facility?

Answer: ‘The facility representative should state the cost’

Question 6- Does that cost cover all expenses?

Answer: Yes

Question 7- If a psychiatric evaluation is necessary, is that also included in the cost?

Answer: Yes

Question 8- Do you provide onsite medical detoxification services?

Answer: Yes

Question 9- Does a physician oversee the onsite detoxification services?

Answer: Yes

Question 10- Do nurses help with the hour-to-hour needs of each person needing onsite detoxification services?

Answer: Yes

Question 11- Do you provide 24 hour supervision of clients?

Answer: Yes

Question 12- Do you offer a Family Program for friends and/or loved ones?

Answer: Yes

If the representative answers all the previous questions satisfactorily then here are some questions that will amplify your understanding of the facility. Once you ask these questions you will have a comprehensive picture of the complete scope of services offered by the facility. (NOTE: These answers will vary from facility to facility)

Question 1- What sorts of individual clinical therapy do you offer?

Question 2- What sorts of groups do you offer?

Question 3- Do you offer daily or weekly outdoor activities? What sorts of activities do you offer?

Question 4- Do you offer experiential therapy? What sorts of experiential therapy do you offer?

Question 5- Do you offer spiritually based activities? Are they mandatory?

Question 6- Do you offer yoga, meditation or any holistic treatment?

Question 7- Do you offer individualized treatment?

Question 8- How do you individualize a person’s care?

Question 9- What if I or my loved one leaves treatment early? Do you offer refunds?

Question 10- Have you had any complaints filed against you? What was the basis for these complaints?

Question 11- Are you a Co-Ed facility?

Question 12- How many people do you treat at one time?

Question 13- What is your staff to client ratio?

Question 14- How many clients are assigned to each counselor/clinician?

Question 15- What are the living arrangements like? How many people are assigned to each room?

Question 16- Do you offer private counseling offices?

Question 17- Do you have space for people to have private time?

Question 18- Do you allow visitation?

Question 19- What makes your facility unique?

Question 20- What is the general age group currently being treated at your facility?

NOTE: These questions are not unrealistic to ask. Use your intuition wisely during this process. If you begin to feel the representative is telling you what you want to hear ask to have his/her statements put in writing. If the representative refuses, it is probably wise to continue your research and to find another facility.

Step 6 ‘The Red Flag Questions’

There are a few questions that you may ask that are considered ‘Red Flag Questions.’ If a facility representative answers ‘yes’ to these questions you have great cause to be alarmed. Below each question is an explanation of why a ‘yes’ answer is alarming. These questions are:

Red Flag Question 1 - Do you have the cure for addiction?

Alarming Because: There is no documented cure to addiction.

Red Flag Question 2 - Can you guarantee my success?

Alarming Because: Only your actions can guarantee your success, once you leave the center the responsibility to make healthy choices lies with you.

Red Flag Question 3 - Are you the best drug treatment center?

Alarming Because: There are a multitude of great drug treatment centers and people are getting clean and sober in centers all across the United States. Of these quality centers none are better or worse than the other, and ethical facilities are cognizant of this fact and willing to be vocal about it.

Conclusion

This article is intended to serve as a helpful tool only. If you have additional questions or are in need of a free evaluation to assist you in determining what level of care is most appropriate to meet your needs then call (877) 415 4673.

Remember that there are numerous resources available to help individuals struggling with substance abuse or addiction related issues. This article does not describe them all. If you have questions about how to find these resources, or you would like a comprehensive picture of all the differing types of drug and alcohol treatment related services available in your area call (877) 415 4673.

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How Many Different Stds Are There?

From the moment we become sexually active, we start to be at risk from sexually transmitted diseases. there’s a wide range of sexually transmitted diseases that can place us at risk & we intend to use this std guide to tell you more about them, as well as tips on how you can protect yourself from them & access treatment.

Please do not use this sexual health guide instead of visiting your doctor or sexual health clinic. If you’ve got any concerns about any aspect of your sexual health, ensure you visit one of these places immediately.

STDs and sexually transmitted infections are diseases or infections that are transmitted via through sexual contact, including vaginal intercourse, oral sex, and anal sex. some stds and sexually transmitted infections can also be transmitted via needles after their use by an infected person, in addition to childbirth or breastfeeding.

You can discover more about the vast range of stds and sexually transmitted infections below, because we have listed numerous practical info about a number of the most widespread.

Chlamydia is one of the most widespread stis in the uk. Chlamydia sometimes has no symptoms, so it can often go undiagnosed. However, once diagnosed, the infection can be treated.

If it is left untreated, chlamydia could lead to pelvic pain, pain during sexual intercourse, & bleeding in between periods. Men may suffer from inflammation of the tube that leads from the bladder to the tip of the penis, in addition to inflammation of the tube leading from the testes to the penis.

Gonorrhea is a really widespread std, which is caused by the Neisseria gonorrhoeae virus.

In addition to genital areas, the virus also thrives in the rectum, throat & the eyes. infected women can also pass gonorrhea to their babies during delivery, which causes eye infections in their babies & can eventually cause blindness if left untreated.

Gonorrhea can generally be treated well with antibiotics, which can be got from your dr.

For many more help & help on sexually transmitted diseases and stis, go and see your regional sexual health centre. they will be able to test you, as well as offering treatment.

You can also try visiting your doctor for many more advice. don’t be embarrassed about visiting your dr, they frequently see sensitive problems.

The only way to be 100% safe from stds and stis is abstinence. although, if you’re sexually active, you can protect both you & your partner by enduring regular sexual health checks. in addition to this, you should make sure you use condoms for any sort of sexual activity. this’ll also help to protect you against pregnancy.

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Male Sexual Health Tips

Male sexual health pertains to his reproductive life that whose proper working leads to the good functioning of his sexual organs.

Below are mentioned some points that are co related to male reproductive problems that also interferes in his sexuality as well as his reproductive life.
Male sexual health no. 1 - Testicular trauma. Even a mild injury to the testicles can cause a severe pain, bruising, or swelling. Most testicular injuries that happen when the testicles are struck, hit, kicked, or crushed, typically during sports or due to other trauma. Testicular torsion, when one of the testicles twists around and cutting off its blood supply, is also a difficulty that some teen males experience, although it’s not ordinary. Surgery is actually needed to untwist the cord and save the testicle.

Male sexual health no. 2 - Varicocele. This is a varicose vein (an uncommonly swollen vein) in the network of veins that run from the testicles. Varicoceles commonly develop while a boy is going through puberty. A varicocele is typically not damaging, although it can damage the testicle or decrease sperm production. Take your son to see his doctor if he is totally concerned about changes in his testicles about changes in his testicles.

Male sexual health no. 3 - Testicular cancer. This is one of the most common cancers in men younger than age of 40. It actually occurs when cells in the testicle divide abnormally and form a tumor. Testicular cancer can actually spread to the other parts of the body, but if it’s detected early, the cure rate is excellent. Teen boys should be then confident to learn to perform the testicular self-examinations.

Male sexual health no. 4 - Inguinal hernia. When a portion of the intestines that pushes through an abnormal opening or weakening of the abdominal wall and into the groin or scrotum, it is then known as an inguinal hernia. The hernia may look like a bulge or swelling in the goring area. It can be corrected with surgery.

Sexual Intercourse

Sexual intercourse, or coitus, refers in a exacting biological sense to the insertion of the male’s penis into the female’s vagina for the purpose of reproduction. Sexual intercourse is found among all the mammalian species.
Intercourse has generally been viewed as the natural endpoint of all sexual contact between a man and a woman. Though, the meaning of the term has been broadened in the new years to include a wider range of behaviors and a wider set of motivations and intentions.

In both well-liked and professional usage, interc
ourse now labels at least the 3 different sex acts, 2 of which are not directly tied to conceiving a child. These three types of intercourse are: vaginal intercourse, involving vaginal penetration by the penis and possibly to the point of male ejaculation and female orgasm; oral intercourse, connecting oral caress of the sex organs (male or female), possibly to the point of orgasm; and anal intercourse, involving insertion of the male’s penis into his partner’s anus. The latter two of these behaviors may be the defined endpoints of a sexual encounter or that they may be the acts of foreplay
leading to each other or to vaginal intercourse.

Furthermore, intercourse is not limited to the partnerships between the individuals of opposite genders. Same-sex or homosexual encounters, involving oral or anal penetration or stimulation, and are also referred to as the sexual intercourse. Some also include digital (use of fingers or hands) intercourse or mutual masturbation as yet one more form of intercourse.

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Am I Married To A Sex Addict?

In my private practice, I get a lot of questions about sex addiction. Unfortunately, it is an increasingly popular topic. Here’s a recent scenario that one client shared with me: “My boyfriend and I have been together for about 3 year’s now. At the beginning the sex was great, now it’s almost non-existent, but we still love each other very much. A while back we started having 3-ways with other guys, and that was cool. But, in the last few months, he told me he’s not into those anymore and he wants to have an open relationship where each of us does our own thing sexually. This isn’t my preference, but I went along with it (I’m not very assertive). Now he’s never home; when he’s not at work, he’s almost always out having sex. On weekends, he’s on the computer for 3-4 hours a day looking to hook up. He goes to bathhouses once or twice a week too. It feels like our relationship is falling apart. Am I married to a sex addict?”
.
I told my client: “You have not one, but several problems: (1) It’s hard for you to be assertive, (2) your boyfriend’s having sex with other people and you’re not thrilled about it, (3) your relationship feels like it’s falling apart, and (4) you wonder if you’re married to a sex addict”.

I define sex addiction as sexual behavior that habitually interferes with a person’s well-being. Any sexual activity that ‘runs’ us can be an addiction. And let’s dig a bit deeper here folks: it’s not sex outside of a relationship that is destructive, it’s WHY the person is having sex with (so many) other guys. It’s not the behavior so much as the motivation behind it. If two people are happy with their non-overlapping sex lives, then great. But, what if you’re not?.

With the easy availability of Internet sex (photos, videos, websites) and hook-up sites, many a gay guy has allowed himself to be tempted away from his main man. And, you may ask, why not? If you’re horny and alone and your boyfriend’s asleep so early (again!) or at work, is there harm to getting off over the Internet? Look at your motivation and the frequency of the behavior: if your boyfriend can’t ignore the desire for sex and feels like his dick is telling him what to do (and not vice versa), then he may h ave a sex addiction. Here are some questions to ask him:

1. Can you turn down sex or do you have it any time you can get it?
2. Do you spend large amounts of time looking for sex?
3. Do you need to have sex or is a choice, e.g., can you take it or leave it?
4. Do you obsess about sex?
5. Do you panic when you think that you may not have sex today/tonight?
6. Do you put yourself at risk as a result of your sexual activities, e.g., having unsafe sex?
7. Does your sex life interfere with your job, our relationship or being with friends?

How do you approach your boyfriend if you think he has a sex addiction? Very gingerly. Imagine that your roles were reversed and he was confronting you with upsetting behavior: how would you like to be approached? What would turn you off or make you defensive? The same is probably true for him. If you are going to talk with him about your concerns, be honest, loving and respectful. Tell him your concerns about him, you and your relationship.

If your boyfriend is willing, he might consider groups and/or individual therapy to help him regain control of his sex life. He can Google ’sex addiction’ and choose from a lot of options, or find out about local meetings of ‘Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous’ (aka SLAA) or contact them on the web. SLAA uses a 12-step model to help people who have sex addictions; their meetings are free and visitors/guests are not allowed.

If it’s hard to be assertive, you can work on this in individual psychotherapy or with the help of a good book like ‘When I Say No, I Feel Guilty’ by Manuel J. Smith (a classic in assertiveness training). Whether your boyfriend has a sex addiction or not, find a way to talk with him about your sex life. Be assertive: tell him what you would like. See if the two of you can find mutual satisfaction and keep your relationship from ‘falling apart’ (your words). Whether you’re married to a sex addict or not, your relationship may need a tune-up. Either talk it out yourself or get support from friends or a mental health professional. If your relationship is worth working for, now’s the time. Don’t be shy!

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Proposing a New Diagnosis and Theory for Patients with Multiple Addictions By James Slobodzien, Psy.D., CSAC

Experts in the field of addictions are presently purporting that between 3 and 6 percent of the world’s population (193 to 386 million people) are presently affected by a sexual dependency or compulsivity (Carnes, 2005). Sexual dependency is a diagnosable and treatable disease, which today is generally, regarded in about the same way that alcoholism and drug addiction (chemical dependency) was regarded 40 years ago. Even so, there still exists a wide range of understandable misunderstandings about compulsive sexual acting out, created out of ignorance about the nature of sexual addiction, and supported and perpetuated by the multibillion dollar pornography industry.

Sexual Dependency - is a global term that covers a wide range of maladaptive and self-defeating behavior patterns and relationships such as:

1. Love Addiction - a disorder in which individuals repeatedly become involved in enmeshed, intense, codependent relationships, even when those relationships or partners are destructive;

2. Romance Addiction - a disorder in which individuals become obsessed with the intrigue and the pursuit of romance and thrive on the thrill of the chase, but find it impossible to sustain a committed, intimate relationship with another person;

3. Sexual Anorexia - a disorder in which individuals become dominated and obsessed with the emotional, physical, and mental task of avoiding sex; and

4. Sex Addiction - a disorder in which individuals become obsessed with sexually-related, compulsive self-defeating maladaptive behavior.

But can one really be addicted to love as the popular 80’s song proclaims? In a recent research study, (Aron, A. 2005) published in the June issue of the Journal of Neurophysiology, researchers used functional MRI to watch the real-time brain activity of 17 college students (10 women, seven men), all of whom were in the early weeks or months of new love. These researchers concluded that, love may vie for the same real estate in the brain as drug addiction. ‘Early love, rooted as it is in the caudate nucleus, is all about addiction.’ “It is a drug addiction.” “It’s certainly got some of the main characteristics of drug addiction — as with drugs, once you fall in love you need that person more and more, so much so that, after a while, you have to marry them. There are other things, too — real dependence, personality changes, withdrawal symptoms.” ‘And just like the need for cocaine or heroin, love can make people do crazy, sometimes dangerous things.’ According to Aron (2005), the findings help explain instances where people fall in love with people they aren’t even sexually attracted to; or why others can feel equally strong, sudden emotion for a newborn child or even God.

So does this mean that all people who are newly in love have an addiction? Are all men who look at pornography addicted? Are all women who read romance novels addicted? Are all people who avoid sex considered sexual anorexics? No, no, no, and no. Then how can we differentiate between addiction and healthy relationships? Like other forms of addictive diseases and lifestyle disorders such as chemical dependency, pathological gambling, eating disorders, and religious addiction -

Sexual dependency is characterized by an addictive cycle of:

1. Obsession or preoccupation;

2. Ritualization;

3. Compulsive behaviors;

4. Loss of control and despair; and

5. Shame and guilt that perpetuates a maladaptive belief system of impaired thinking and unmanageability.

Typically, sexual addictive patterns are considered pathological problems when issues concerning sexual behaviors become the focus of life, causing feelings of shame, guilt, and embarrassment with related symptoms of depression and anxiety that cause significant maladaptive social and/ or occupational impairment in functioning. Addicts don’t use sex for affection or recreation, but for the management of anxiety and/ or emotional pain.

We must consider that some people develop dependencies on certain life-functioning activities such as sex that can be just as life threatening as drug addiction and just as socially and psychologically damaging as alcoholism.

Sexual addiction takes many forms with various levels of severity to include:

1. Controversial behaviors (obsessions with pornography, and sex with strangers to engaging in cyber-sex);

2. Unacceptable behaviors (exhibitionism, voyeurism, indecent phone calls); and

3. Profound Sex offender behaviors (rape, incest, and child molestation).

Though solitary forms of this addiction may not be overtly risky, they can be part of a pattern of distorted thinking and identity conflict that can escalate to involve harming the self and others. An example of a Sexual Disorder (NOS) or Not Otherwise Specified in the DSM-IV-TR, (2000) includes: distress about a pattern of repeated sexual relationships involving a succession of lovers who are experienced by an individual only as things to be used. (It should be noted that the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders has never used the word ‘addiction’ to describe any of its disorders). The defining elements of this kind of addiction are its secrecy and escalating nature, often resulting in diminished judgment and self-control (Carnes, 1994).

Brief History of Sex Addiction

In 1976, a suburban hospital administrator asked Dr. Patrick Carnes to start an experimental program for chemically dependent families. The theoretical constructs of the program originated in general systems theory, especially as it applied to families and the 12-steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. One of the many factors which stood out from a family perspective was that the addictive compulsivity had many forms other than alcohol and drug abuse including overeating, gambling, shoplifting, and sexuality. Members of groups like Overeaters Anonymous and Gamblers Anonymous had already pioneered in applying the 12-steps to other addictions so the Family Renewal Center extended its programming based on the 12-steps, to sexual addiction.

In 1983, Dr. Patrick Carnes formally introduced the concept of sexual addiction to the world in a text entitled ‘Out of the Shadows.’ Since then the field of sexual addiction and compulsive sexual behavior has developed dramatically. Terms such as addiction, compulsivity, hyper-sexuality, and ‘Don Juanism,’ all have been used to describe what generically could be called “out of control sexual behavior.” Regardless of its name, clinicians from all fields agree that a syndrome exists in which individuals have a sense that they have lost control over their sexual behavior.

According to the Society for the Advancement of Sexual Health (SASH), sexual addiction is a persistent and escalating pattern or patterns of sexual behaviors acted out despite increasingly negative consequences to self or others. The fundamental nature of all addiction is the addicts’ experience of helplessness and powerlessness over an obsessive-compulsive behavior, resulting in their lives becoming unmanageable. The addict may be out of control. They may experience extreme emotional pain and shame. They may repeatedly fail to control their behavior. They may suffer one or more of the following consequences of an unmanageable lifestyle: a deterioration of some or all supportive relationships; difficulties with work, financial troubles; and physical, mental, and/ or emotional exhaustion which sometimes leads to psychiatric problems and hospitalization. Addictions tend to arise from the same backgrounds: families with co-dependency including multiple addictions; lack of effective parenting; and other forms of physical, emotional and sexual trauma in childhood.

The Society for the Advancement of Sexual Health (SASH, 2005) report that the symptoms of sexual compulsivity often accompany other addictive behaviors:

Alcohol and Drug Addiction - Alcohol and drugs alter libido, enhancing it early in drug addiction and inhibiting it later. There is a pattern in cocaine addiction of selling sexual favors for cocaine. As the cost of drug addiction increases, the drug addict usually can’t afford the drug from ordinary job income, and must resort to (either/or) stealing, drug dealing or prostitution to support their habit. Alcohol and many drugs cause blackouts or amnesia during the drug using experience, and if sex is coupled with that drug using experience then the details of the sexual experience may not be remembered.

Food Addiction - Sexual anorexia or pathological self-denial of healthy sex is a frequent accompaniment of overeating and anorexia nervosa.

Pathological Gambling - The lifestyle of the gambler often includes hyper-sexuality, where both compulsions feed the false sense of self-esteem of the addict.

Religious Addiction - Compulsive religiosity sometimes accompanies sexual addiction as the sex addict is seeking religion to lessen guilt and shame. The beginnings of compulsive religiosity may signal the onset of a period of sexual anorexia.

Multiple Addictions

Since it is impossible to expect treatment for one addiction to be beneficial when other addictions co-exist, the initial therapeutic intervention for any addiction needs to include an assessment for other addictions. National surveys revealed that a very high correlation exists between sexual addiction and other substance abuse and behavioral addictions. Sexual addicts who have reported experiencing multiple addictions include sexual addiction and:

* Chemical dependency (42%)

* Eating disorder (38%)

* Compulsive working (28%)

* Compulsive spending (26%)

* Compulsive gambling (5%)

* Poor Prognosis

We have come to realize today more than any other time in history that the treatment of lifestyle diseases and addictions are often a difficult and frustrating task for all concerned. Repeated failures abound with all of the addictions, even with utilizing the most effective treatment strategies. But why do 47% of patients treated in private addiction treatment programs (for example) relapse within the first year following treatment (Gorski, T., 2001)? Have addiction specialists become conditioned to accept failure as the norm? There are many reasons for this poor prognosis. Some would proclaim that addictions are psychosomatically- induced and maintained in a semi-balanced force field of driving and restraining multidimensional forces. Others would say that failures are due simply to a lack of self-motivation or will power. Most would agree that lifestyle behavioral addictions are serious health risks that deserve our attention, but could it possibly be that patients with multiple addictions are being under diagnosed (with a single dependence) simply due to a lack of diagnostic tools and resources that are incapable of resolving the complexity of assessing and treating a patient with multiple addictions?

Diagnostic Delineation

Thus far, the DSM-IV-TR has not delineated a diagnosis for the complexity of multiple behavioral and substance addictions. It has reserved the Poly-substance Dependence diagnosis for a person who is repeatedly using at least three groups of substances during the same 12-month period, but the criteria for this diagnosis do not involve any behavioral addiction symptoms. In the Psychological Factors Affecting Medical Condition’s section (DSM-IV-TR, 2000); maladaptive health behaviors (e.g., unsafe sexual practices, excessive alcohol, drug use, and over eating, etc.) may be listed on Axis I, only if they are significantly affecting the course of treatment of a medical or mental condition.

Since successful treatment outcomes are dependent on thorough assessments, accurate diagnoses, and comprehensive individualized treatment planning, it is no wonder that repeated rehabilitation failures and low success rates are the norm instead of the exception in the addictions field, when the latest DSM-IV-TR does not even include a diagnosis for multiple addictive behavioral disorders. Treatment clinics need to have a treatment planning system and referral network that is equipped to thoroughly assess multiple addictive and mental health disorders and related treatment needs and comprehensively provide education/ awareness, prevention strategy groups, and/ or specific addictions treatment services for individuals diagnosed with multiple addictions. Written treatment goals and objectives should be specified for each separate addiction and dimension of an individuals’ life, and the desired performance outcome or completion criteria should be specifically stated, behaviorally based (a visible activity), and measurable.

New Proposed Diagnosis

To assist in resolving the limited DSM-IV-TRs’ diagnostic capability, a multidimensional diagnosis of ‘Poly-behavioral Addiction,’ is proposed for more accurate diagnosis leading to more effective treatment planning. This diagnosis encompasses the broadest category of addictive disorders that would include an individual manifesting a combination of substance abuse addictions, and other obsessively-compulsive behavioral addictive behavioral patterns to pathological gambling, religion, and/ or sex / pornography, etc.). Behavioral addictions are just as damaging - psychologically and socially as alcohol and drug abuse. They are comparative to other life-style diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease in their behavioral manifestations, their etiologies, and their resistance to treatments. They are progressive disorders that involve obsessive thinking and compulsive behaviors. They are also characterized by a preoccupation with a continuous or periodic loss of control, and continuous irrational behavior in spite of adverse consequences.

Poly-behavioral addiction would be described as a state of periodic or chronic physical, mental, emotional, cultural, sexual and/ or spiritual/ religious intoxication. These various types of intoxication are produced by repeated obsessive thoughts and compulsive practices involved in pathological relationships to any mood-altering substance, person, organization, belief system, and/ or activity. The individual has an overpowering desire, need or compulsion with the presence of a tendency to intensify their adherence to these practices, and evidence of phenomena of tolerance, abstinence and withdrawal, in which there is always physical and/ or psychic dependence on the effects of this pathological relationship. In addition, there is a 12 - month period in which an individual is pathologically involved with three or more behavioral and/ or substance use addictions simultaneously, but the criteria are not met for dependence for any one addiction in particular (Slobodzien, J., 2005). In essence, Poly-behavioral addiction is the synergistically integrated chronic dependence on multiple physiologically addictive substances and behaviors (e.g., using/ abusing substances - nicotine, alcohol, & drugs, and/or acting impulsively or obsessively compulsive in regards to gambling, food binging, sex, and/ or religion, etc.) simultaneously.

Conclusion

Considering the wide range of sexual behaviors in our world today, one should always take into account an individual’s ethnic, cultural, religious, and social background prior to making any clinical judgments, and it would be wise to not over-pathologize in this area of Sexual Dependency. However, since successful treatment outcomes are dependent on thorough assessments, accurate diagnoses, and comprehensive individualized treatment planning - poly-behavioral addiction needs to be identified to effectively treat the complexity of multiple behavioral and substance addictions.

Since chronic lifestyle diseases and disorders such as diabetes, hypertension, alcoholism, drug and behavioral addictions cannot be cured, but only managed - how should we effectively manage poly-behavioral addiction?

The Addiction Recovery Measurement System (ARMS) is proposed utilizing a multidimensional integrative assessment, treatment planning, treatment progress, and treatment outcome measurement tracking system that facilitates rapid and accurate recognition and evaluation of an individual’s comprehensive life-functioning progress dimensions. The ARMS hypothesis purports that there is a multidimensional synergistically negative resistance that individual’s develop to any one form of treatment to a single dimension of their lives, because the effects of an individual’s addiction have dynamically interacted multi-dimensionally. Having the primary focus on one dimension is insufficient. Traditionally, addiction treatment programs have failed to accommodate for the multidimensional synergistically negative effects of an individual having multiple addictions, (e.g. nicotine, alcohol, and obesity, etc.). Behavioral addictions interact negatively with each other and with strategies to improve overall functioning. They tend to encourage the use of tobacco, alcohol and other drugs, help increase violence, decrease functional capacity, and promote social isolation. Most treatment theories today involve assessing other dimensions to identify dual diagnosis or co-morbidity diagnoses, or to assess contributing factors that may play a role in the individual’s primary addiction. The ARMS’ theory proclaims that a multidimensional treatment plan must be devised addressing the possible multiple addictions identified for each one of an individual’s life dimensions in addition to developing specific goals and objectives for each dimension.

Partnerships and coordination among service providers, government departments, and community organizations in providing addiction treatment programs are a necessity in addressing the multi-task solution to poly-behavioral addiction. I encourage you to support the addiction programs in America, and hope that the (ARMS) resources can assist you to personally fight the War on poly-behavioral addiction.

For more info see: Poly-Behavioral Addiction and the Addictions Recovery Measurement System (ARMS) By James Slobodzien, Psy.D. CSAC at: http://www.geocities.com/drslbdzn/Behavioral_Addictions.html

National Council on Sexual Addiction & Compulsivity
P.O. Box 725544
Atlanta, GA 31139
(770) 541-9912

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Addiction is an attempt to make emotional sense out of life. Addicts believe on an emotional level that they are being fulfilled. The trance created by acting out an addiction is .. a time in which they feel alive and complete.

Over the years, addiction has been described in many different ways - as a moral weakness, a lack of willpower, an inability to face the world, a physical sickness, and a spiritual illness. However, addiction can be more accurately described and defined in the following way:

Nearly all human beings have a deep desire to feel happy and to find peace of mind and soul. At times in our lives, most of us find this wholeness of peace and beauty, but then it slips away, only to return at another time. When it leaves us, we feel sadness and even a slight sense of mourning. This is one of the natural cycles of life, and it’s not a cycle we can control.

To some extent, we can help these cycles along, but for the most part they are uncontrollable - all of us must go through them. We can either accept these cycles and learn from them or fight them, searching for elusive happiness.

Addiction can be viewed as an attempt to control these uncontrollable cycles. When addicts use a particular object, such as a substance or an event to produce a desired mood change, they believe they can control these cycles, and at first they can. Addiction, on its most basic level, is an attempt to control and fulfill this desire for happiness.

Addiction must be viewed as a process that is progressive. It needs to be seen as an illness that undergoes continuous development from a definite, though often unclear, beginning, toward an end point.

Whether it is an addiction to drugs, alcohol, or shopping, all addictions and addictive processes have the same thing in common: the out-of-control and aimless searching for wholeness, happiness, and peace through a relationship with an object or event. No matter what the addiction is, every addict engages in a relationship with an object or event in order to produce a desired mood change, state of intoxication, or trance state.

For example:

The alcoholic experiences a mood change while drinking at the local bar.
The food addict experiences a mood change by binging or starving.
The addictive gambler experiences a mood change by placing bets on football games and then watching the action on television.
The shoplifter experiences a mood change when stealing clothing from a department store.
The sex addict experiences a mood change while browsing in a pornographic bookstore.
The addictive spender experiences a mood change by going on a shopping spree.
The workaholic experiences a mood change by staying at work to accomplish another task even though he or she is needed at home.
Although all of the objects or events described are very different, they all produce desired mood changes in the addicts who engage in them, and they all have core similarities.

Addiction is an attempt to make emotional sense out of life. Addicts believe on an emotional level that they are being fulfilled. The trance created by acting out an addiction is often described by addicts as a time in which they feel alive and complete. This is especially true in the earlier stages of the addiction process.

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Addictive logic is summed up in the phrase “I want what I want and I want it now.” Emotional needs often feel very urgent and compulsive. Such emotional logic works to satisfy this urgency even if it is not in the best interest of the person.

At the very heart of the addictive psyche is the false belief that the objects or events associated with the addiction can bring genuine spiritual and emotional satisfaction. Becoming an addict is a gradual process in which the addict becomes emotionally seduced into believing that he or she can find satisfaction through the object or event - be it sex, gambling, alcohol, work etc.

The truth is that we only get temporary relief from these objects and events, but we don’t get real long-lasting satisfaction from them.

All of us have issues, pains, frustrations, and memories we would rather not have to face. At times, we have all used objects or events to avoid facing these. Addiction, however, becomes a lifestyle in which the person loses control of the use of these objects and events and gets locked into an emotional avoidance of real life. Addicts keep delaying life issues as a way of nurturing themselves.

All of us have the potential to form addictive relationships with any number of different objects or events, especially during stressful times when we would welcome a promise of relief and comfort. However, avoiding reality and responsibility by the addictive use of objects and events is ultimately an ineffective way of healing pain and anxiety. The mood change created by acting out an addiction is very temporary, and only creates an illusion of real satisfaction.

For example, the food addict binges after a fight with his partner and finds the illusion of peace. For the moment, he feels full, both physically and emotionally instead of empty. During such moments, there is an intense sense of comfort. In a similar way, the compulsive gambler gets lost in the action and feels excited, confident, and sure of herself. This time she knows she has picked a winner.

Slowly, addicts start to depend on the addictive process for a sense of well-being and personal identity. Their lives become ruled by the pursuit of their addiction.

Addiction starts out as an emotional illusion that is entrenched in the addict before others around the addict or even the addict himself realizes that an addictive relationship has been formed. The addict starts to build a defense system to protect the addictive belief system against attacks from others, but only after the addiction is well established on an emotional level. On a thoughtful, intellectual level, the addict knows that an object cannot bring emotional fulfillment. Alcoholics have heard the old saying “You can’t escape into a bottle.” Workaholics know “there’s more to life than just work.” Addictive spenders understand “money can’t buy happiness.”

The illness of addiction begins very deep within a person and his or her suffering takes place on an emotional level. Intimacy, positive or negative, is an emotional experience that is not logically evaluated. Addiction is an emotional relationship with an