It’s extremely important for drug and alcohol abusers to be able to understand what an addiction to these substances can hold in store for them. An excellent way to for current abusers to be ‘scared straight’ is to actually witness what the life of an extreme addict is like, and the A&E show Intervention has done an extraordinary job of not only profiling the lives of substance abusers and addicts, but helping those being profiled to get the recovery they need to stay sober.

Intervention profiles people whose dependence on drugs and alcohol or other compulsive behavior has brought them to a point of personal crisis or estranged them from their friends and loved ones. Each episode ends with a surprise intervention that is staged by the family and friends of the addict, which is conducted by one of five intervention specialists. The episode profiling Jacob focuses on his struggle with alcohol abuse. Jacob is an alcoholic whose mother was a major drug dealer when he was a young man. Jacob, normally a calm and friendly guy, has a darker side that comes out when he drinks; he has been thrown out of multiple bars for fighting, including fighting with bouncers. Now living with his mother (who has recently returned after serving two years for drug dealing), Jacob and his mom are constantly butting heads, driving Jacob even further into the bottle. There is a complicated tangle of multiple familial addictions and dysfunctional relationships that Jacob needs to get through before agreeing to accept help.

Being able to witness the downfall of these people’s lives is very surreal and saddening, but it can also serve as a wake-up call for current substance abusers and a good example for what friends and family should expect when it comes to an intervention. It’s highly recommended that friends and family consult professional help before actually putting together and intervention, but it’s nonetheless helpful to at least witness one to see how it goes. There are highly trained professionals in the addiction field that can not only help families prepare unique and safe interventions for their addicted loved ones, but they can also then administer the treatment required to get the patient on the road to recovery. Seabrook House is an internationally recognized inpatient drug rehab and alcoholism detox treatment center that can create unique and individually inspired interventions, detoxification treatment, and rehabilitation programs for alcoholics and substances abusers. All Seabrook House programs are grounded in the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA). The Seabrook House Model® of treatment includes a multifaceted medical approach to alcohol and other drugs including opiate detoxification, gender-specific therapy with special emphasis on relapse prevention, and family intervention services. Seabrook House has rehab facilities located in New Jersey (NJ) and Pennsylvania (PA) and also an outpatient office in New York (NY). Contact Seabrook House today if you think your loved one is in need of professional help for their substance abuse problems.

It can be hard for someone to tell exactly how much they normally drink. Accustomed drinkers are less aware of feeling drunk, so it may be a good idea to keep a diary of alcohol consumed over a period of time and make a note every time you have a drink. Present advice on safe drinking is no more than two units of alcohol per day for women, no more than three units per day for men, and you should have at least two drink-free days a week.  This may seem very cut and dry, but many people do not understand what a unit of alcohol is.

What counts as a unit of alcohol?

• Half a pint (250ml) of average strength beer.
• 125ml glass of wine 8 per cent ABV.
• One standard pub measure of spirits (25ml).
• 25ml of fortified wine, such as sherry or port.

When drinking at home, people are almost always more generous, so it’s a good idea to get into the habit of using a spirit measure in order to keep your alcohol consumption at a healthy level. Consuming more than these recommended units of alcohol on a consistent basis is a path that can lead to alcoholism and the consequential damages that accompany it. Many people feel that even though they consume above the recommended healthy amount of alcohol, they still keep their drinking under control. But most of the time it’s the people that are closest to an alcoholic that will realize when the drinking has gotten out of control—diagnosis of alcoholism is rarely a self realized one. Treatment options exist for those who do drink too much alcohol, and the sooner you admit that you have a problem, the sooner you can get on the road to recovery.

Seabrook House is an internationally recognized private and exclusive inpatient drug rehab and alcoholism detoxification treatment center who has achieved an elite CARF accreditation status, ensuring that rehab patients receive the highest quality treatment. Alcohol and drinking programs at Seabrook House are structured and molded to cater to the individual in order to obtain the most successful rehabilitation. Each person has their own unique reason and path to why they over-consume alcohol.  It’s because of this that the treatment team at Seabrook House works with the patient individually to achieve their own unique recovery from alcoholism. Seabrook House has rehab facilities located in New Jersey (NJ) and Pennsylvania (PA) and also an outpatient office in New York (NY). Contact Seabrook House if you have any questions concerning your own drinking habits, because bad drinking habits lead to bad lifestyles.

The decision for some people to go through with surgery is a difficult one, but then again some people don’t have a choice. But whether you decide to or are required to have surgery done, either way you will most likely be dealing with high levels of post-surgery pain. And to offset this pain, it has become very common for doctors to recommend or prescribe painkillers. Though the medical and rehabilitation benefits of painkillers are very useful, sadly it has also become very common for people to enter into an addiction of painkillers after their surgery.

The pills become a part of your routine and it becomes harder and harder to wean off of the pills because you think that you need them in order to feel normal. The scary fact is that the most commonly prescribed drugs including OxyContin, Vicodin, Methadone, Darvocet, Lortab, Lorcet and Percocet, while offering relief from pain, can also cause individuals’ bodies to start “needing” the drugs in order to feel normal, and the result is the new, even more challenging situation of chemical dependency. People addicted to pain pills often show changes in personality, they spend significant time and money on pills, they change their habits and appearance, they neglect responsibilities, and they become increasingly sensitive and defensive about their situation.

If you or a loved one exhibits any of these signs of prescription painkiller addiction, the treatment team at Seabrook House can put you or your loved one on the road to recovery. Individuals who abuse or are addicted to prescription medications can be treated. Initially, they may need to undergo medically supervised detoxification to help reduce withdrawal symptoms—however that is just the first step. Behavioral treatments combined with medications have proven effective in stopping short and long term use of prescription painkillers. In addition to medical supervision during withdrawal, counseling in an inpatient or outpatient setting can help people who are overcoming addiction painkillers. For example, cognitive-behavioral therapy has been used successfully to help individuals in treatment. This type of therapy focuses on modifying a patient’s thinking, expectations, and behaviors while simultaneously increasing their skills for coping with various life stressors. The expert treatment team at Seabrook House designs programs based on the individual patient, so the recovery process is more successful. Seabrook House has rehab facilities located in New Jersey (NJ) and Pennsylvania (PA) and also an outpatient office in New York (NY).  If you or a loved one is in need of help because of addiction to painkillers, it’s time to contact Seabrook House to get on the road to recovery.

Ryan Leaf is one of millions of Americans who has an addiction to prescription drugs. It’s become a very for those addicted to prescription drugs to common crime and break into people’s homes to steal their pills—and Ryan Leaf’s addiction to pain killers led him to do this as well. Leaf was arrested on Friday March 30^th after police found oxycodone pills which he stole from a home, and he posted $76,000 bail. Just three days later he was arrested again for burglarizing a home in Montana to steal prescription pills. Leaf’s chemical dependency was out of control, and like many Americans today he needs help recovering from a very powerful prescription pain addiction.

On May 8^th 2012 Leaf pleaded guilty to charges in Montana and he reached a plea deal that involves nine months in a secure drug treatment facility. A court mandated treatment after a crime isn’t the ideal way to enter drug rehab, but nevertheless Leaf appears to be accepting of the challenge ahead– “I’m very much looking forward to the opportunity presented,” Leaf said. “An intensive nine-month rehab facility is presently needed.” Leaf exemplifies what a serious addiction to prescription drugs like oxycodone can do, and unfortunately many today are faced with the same addiction. If you fear that you or a loved one has a serious addiction to prescription pain killers, take action before the addiction leads to crime—where the consequential action is forced.

Individuals who abuse or are addicted to prescription medications can be treated. Initially, they may need to undergo medically supervised detoxification in order to help reduce the withdrawal symptoms—however, that’s just the first step. Options for effectively treating addiction to prescription pills are drawn from research on treating heroin addiction. Behavioral treatments combined with medications have proven effective. Finding the right treatment center can make all the difference for a patient because certain standard programs may not work. At Seabrook House, patients can take comfort in knowing that we structure individually inspired detox and rehab programs in order to fit the needs of each unique patient. All Seabrook House programs are grounded in the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA). The Seabrook House Model® of treatment includes a multifaceted medical approach to alcohol and other drugs including opiate detoxification, gender-specific therapy with special emphasis on relapse prevention, and family intervention services. Seabrook House has rehab facilities located in New Jersey (NJ) and Pennsylvania (PA) and also an outpatient office in New York (NY). If you or a loved one has a problem with prescription pills, contact Seabrook House today to get answers you need.

For those that struggle with an addiction to drugs, alcohol, gambling, or any other compulsion, motivation to get clean can come in many forms—and seeing a movie that can be relatable to an addict’s life can be the right motivation to kick-start a successful recovery. Though some people think that movies can often be a bit fabricated, their messages can be very powerful and convincing. The movie Less Than Zero starring Andrew McCarthy and Robert Downey Jr. is a drama film that can be potentially moving for those who struggle with drug abuse. Here’s a quick synopsis of the movie:

Clay, an eighteen-year-old freshman, comes back from his first term at a college in New Hampshire to spend his Christmas vacation with his broken-up wealthy family in Los Angeles. His former girlfriend, Blair, is now involved with his ex-best-friend, Julian. She warns Clay that Julian needs help: he is using a lot of cocaine and has huge debts. What follows is a look at the youth culture of wealthy post adolescents in Beverly Hills with a strong anti-drug message.

It’s unfortunately common for people to fall into an addiction to try and cope with their problems, but substance abuse is never the right way to go, and unfortunately sometimes people learn the hard way. But in order to recover, it’s extremely important to first become conscious of your problem, or make your loved one conscious of their problem, and then find that burning motivation to change the addictive ways. It can be very difficult for a drug addict or an alcoholic and their family to accomplish these things on their own, so that’s where Seabrook House can help. Seabrook House is an internationally recognized inpatient drug rehab and alcoholism detox treatment center with rehab facilities located in New Jersey (NJ), Pennsylvania (PA), and an outpatient office in New York (NY). At Seabrook House, we are committed to providing quality addiction treatment for the physical, emotional and spiritual illness of chemical dependency. Our structured, nurturing programs, along with the principles grounded in the Twelve Step philosophy of recovery, combine to foster the kind of change necessary for a clean and sober life. If a film like Less Than Zero motivates you to change, then the professional treatment team at Seabrook House can help you get on the road to recovery!

The United States has had a long history with cigarettes. The government has always had battles with tobacco companies and it wasn’t too long ago that you could smoke on airplanes and even in hospitals. Even though our awareness of the damaging effects of cigarettes has grown over the years, the reality is that people still continue to smoke and become addicted to cigarettes. If you are a smoker, giving up could be the single best action you have ever done for your health. For many people quitting can be extremely difficult because they have a strong physical addiction to a substance found in tobacco smoke – nicotine. If manufacturers of cigarettes, cigars and pipe tobacco were not allowed to include any nicotine in their products, most experts agree that the number of smoking addicts would plummet.

The vast majority of regular smokers fail in their first attempt to give up. Even after developing serious smoking related diseases, a considerable number of individuals find it so hard to quit that they continue puffing away. It now becomes evident that in order to kick the bad habit of smoking, a smoker must truly have the desire to stop smoking. The majority of current ex-smokers managed to break free without any help – either by gradually tapering off, cutting down and stopping, or going cold turkey. There are programs in place for addicts that can teach healthy alternatives to smoking that become a part of your post-addiction routine.

But if your addiction to nicotine is particularly severe, you may find that a steady release of nicotine into your bloodstream helps take the edge off those powerful cravings and bouts of anxiety and irritation. Nicotine Replacement Treatment (NRT) provides you with nicotine, but spares you all that smoke which contains poisonous chemicals, tar and carbon monoxide. Anyone who is looking for ways to help quit cigarettes should connect with Seabrook House to find a treatment program that works best for the individual.  Seabrook House is an internationally recognized private and exclusive inpatient drug rehab and alcoholism detoxification treatment center who has achieved an elite CARF accreditation status, ensuring that rehab patients receive the highest quality treatment. Seabrook House has rehab facilities located in New Jersey (NJ) and Pennsylvania (PA) and also an outpatient office in New York (NY). Quitting cigarettes is something that you must be fully committed to, and with the help of Seabrook House you could be on the road to recovery today!

Attention Red-Bull Vodka Drinkers–you are drunker than you think! Red bull is a very popular heavily caffeinated energy drink spiked with additional stimulants, and when mixed with vodka or other liquor, ‘red bull vodkas’ help counter the effects of alcohol—leaving people feeling the energy of red bull and not the intoxicating effects of the alcohol. But the problem is that although you may feel more alert, more coordinated and generally more sober, your reflexes and motor skills are just as impaired as people drinking regular cocktails. The effects of alcohol intoxication are not countered by the effects of red bull. A false self awareness of intoxication presents a couple of problems. First of all, people who are not truly aware of how intoxicated they are tend to drink more alcohol. They are more at risk for alcohol poisoning, and intense intoxication. They are more at risk of getting drunker than they would normally, and acting in possibly risky and unsafe ways. Secondly, a sizable percentage of people do not plan for a designated driver prior to a night out, so the person who drives the car home is simply the person who seems least drunk at the time. With people on red bull vodkas feeling a lot less drunk than they actually are, this may lead to more intoxicated people behind the wheel.

Mixing red bull and vodka has gained popularity over the years as a popular drink for the younger crowd, which makes the false sense of intoxication even more dangerous because inexperienced drivers and even minors could end up behind the wheel. Parents and community members should be aware of the risks that come with drinking Red Bull Vodkas and act accordingly. If you are out at a bar with some friends and you notice one of your friends is continuously getting red bull vodka refills, advise them to switch drinks or stop drinking all together. If the problem is deeper and a friend, loved one, or family member might have a problem with alcohol and red bull vodka is a trigger for them, counseling or rehab might be the safest option.

People who struggle with alcohol problems and are looking for help should look no further than Seabrook House. Finding the right treatment center can make all the difference for a patient because certain standard programs may not work. At Seabrook House, patients can take comfort in knowing that we structure individually inspired alcoholism and drug detox and rehab programs in order to fit the needs of each unique patient. Seabrook House has rehab facilities located in New Jersey (NJ) and Pennsylvania (PA) and also an outpatient office in New York (NY). If you drink red bull vodkas as a part of an uncontrollable alcohol problem, then consult the expert team at Seabrook House today.

In an interview with Amanda de Cadenet, Lady Gaga revealed some darkness from her past. At the age of 19 Gaga— at the time simply known as Stefani Germanotta— struggled with depression. In the interview she describes a typical day as a 19 year old… “I would go back to my apartment every day and I would just sit there. It was quiet and it was lonely. It was still. It was just my piano and myself. I had a television and I would leave it on all the time just to feel like somebody was hanging out with me.”

It was because of this loneliness and depression that eventually led Gaga to start using cocaine. She opened up to de Cadenet and admitted that… “I started doing cocaine because it was like the drug was my friend. I never did it with other people. It’s such a terrible way to fill that void, because it just adds to that void, because it’s not real.” It took a sudden realization for her to stop using cocaine and to get her life back on track. She credits her father Joseph with setting her straight and getting off of cocaine. Gaga is obviously very successful now and is living proof of how getting past a drug problem can lead to unlimited possibilities.

Gaga has displayed a few admirable characteristics that people who struggle with addictions or other personal issues can take notice of. By publicly sharing her story it will give girls her age a positive example of a healthy lifestyle after going through similar problems and treatment, but most importantly Gaga set an example by first seeking help. Rehabilitation programs have proven to help patients find the strength to overcome issues like drug and alcohol abuse, chemical dependency, eating disorders, and depression through various treatments and therapies. Seabrook House is an internationally recognized drug rehab and alcoholism detox treatment center that offers individually inspired programs that focus on each patient’s unique recovery needs. At Seabrook House we believe in a holistic approach offering a multitude of rehab services, including yoga, EMDR, psychodrama, music therapy, equine assisted therapy and adventure based counseling. Seabrook House has rehab facilities located in New Jersey (NJ) and Pennsylvania (PA) and also an outpatient office in New York (NY). If you or a loved one struggles with substance abuse or alcoholism, contact Seabrook House today in order to get on the road to recovery!

Typically Major League Baseball is the professional sport league that has the dark steroids cloud hanging over it. Everything from the huge scandal involving Mark McCgwire and Sammy Sosa in the early 2000’s to the 2011 MVP Ryan Braun failing a drug test makes MLB look like the only league with steroid problems. The sad truth is that almost every professional league has players who fail their substance abuse policies, but in early May 2012 a San Francisco Giants pitcher was added to the list of MLB players to fail a drug test.

Guillermo Mota has been suspended for testing positive for the performance enhancing drug clenbuterol. Clenbuterol causes an increase in aerobic capacity, central nervous system stimulation, and an increase in blood pressure and oxygen transportation. This is the second time in his career that Mota has failed a drug test, also testing positive for Clenbuterol back in 2006. It’s difficult to understand how players in professional sports continue to fail drug tests when there are clear and concise banned substances that if found in urine samples will result in suspension. Professional leagues have taken extreme measures in recent years to prevent the use of performance enhancing drugs in sports, but some players still feel that they need them to keep an edge. But when it comes down to it and you consider the consequences, there really are no positive effects from using or abusing steroids—from a physical and professional standpoint.

Steroid abuse can lead to serious, even irreversible health problems. Some of the most dangerous among them include liver damage, jaundice (yellowish pigmentation of skin, tissues, and body fluids), fluid retention, high blood pressure, increases in LDL (bad cholesterol), and decreases in HDL (good cholesterol). Other reported effects include renal failure, severe acne, and trembling. Supportive therapy combined with education about possible withdrawal symptoms is sufficient in some steroid addiction cases. Sometimes, medications can be used to restore the balance of the hormonal system after its disruption by steroid abuse. If symptoms are severe or prolonged, symptomatic medications or hospitalization may be needed. Steroid abuse can have an adverse effect on the physical, emotional, and financial aspects of one’s life, but treatment is available. Seabrook House is an internationally recognized inpatient drug rehab and alcoholism detox treatment center that creates unique and individually inspired programs for patients with a myriad of abuse problems. Seabrook House has rehab facilities located in New Jersey (NJ) and Pennsylvania (PA) and also an outpatient office in New York (NY). If you or a loved one is affected by steroid abuse, contact Seabrook House to get more information on treatment options.

It’s extremely important for drug and alcohol abusers to be able to understand what an addiction to these substances can hold in store for them. An excellent way to for current abusers to be ‘scared straight’ is to actually witness what the life of an extreme addict is like, and the A&E show Intervention has done an extraordinary job of not only profiling the lives of substance abusers and addicts, but helping those being profiled to get the recovery they need to stay sober.

Intervention profiles people whose dependence on drugs and alcohol or other compulsive behavior has brought them to a point of personal crisis or estranged them from their friends and loved ones. Each episode ends with a surprise intervention that is staged by the family and friends of the addict, which is conducted by one of five intervention specialists. The episode profiling Lauren focuses on his struggle with heroin abuse. Lauren is a former gym teacher who is now a major heroin addict. She lives at home with her mother and holds her family hostage, almost literally, with her volatile temper. Her best friend Déa has become her addiction partner and each woman fuels the others addictive tendencies. And to top everything off, her boyfriend Mike, a former cocaine addict, recently relapsed and was kicked out of his home the day before the intervention, giving Lauren yet another reason to refuse to change her behavior.

Being able to witness the downfall of these people’s lives is very surreal and saddening, but it can also serve as a wake-up call for current substance abusers and a good example for what friends and family should expect when it comes to an intervention. It’s highly recommended that friends and family consult professional help before actually putting together and intervention, but it’s nonetheless helpful to at least witness one to see how it goes. There are highly trained professionals in the addiction field that can not only help families prepare unique and safe interventions for their addicted loved ones, but they can also then administer the treatment required to get the patient on the road to recovery. Seabrook House is an internationally recognized inpatient drug rehab and alcoholism detox treatment center that can create unique and individually inspired interventions, detoxification treatment, and rehabilitation programs for alcoholics and substances abusers. All Seabrook House programs are grounded in the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA). The Seabrook House Model® of treatment includes a multifaceted medical approach to alcohol and other drugs including opiate detoxification, gender-specific therapy with special emphasis on relapse prevention, and family intervention services. Seabrook House has rehab facilities located in New Jersey (NJ) and Pennsylvania (PA) and also an outpatient office in New York (NY). Contact Seabrook House today if you think your loved one is in need of professional help for their substance abuse problems.