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The coming age has brought with it numerous new pathological addictions, one of them being addiction to gambling. Pathological gambling was conferred with the status of a disease by the American Psychiatric Association back in 1980s. Robert L. Custer, M.D., is a pioneer in this field of problem gambling.

People who fall prey to this addiction are usually those who secure an income by means of blackjack, poker or other gambling activities. They are professional players who visit casinos not for fun sake, but to employ their skills and earn.

Based on their way of playing and the driving force behind it, gamblers can be categorized. For example, while professional gamblers are skillful and good in their game a casual gamblers plays merely for recreation.

The symptoms of gambling addiction are usually hard to identify. Since this disease is different from other substance related addictions like drug or alcohol abuse, the indications of this sickness are subtle. The nearest possible way in which the symptoms of this addiction can be stated is through the “Custer three Phase Model”. According tot his model, the gambling addiction can be characterized by three phases: the wining phase, the losing phase and the desperation phase.

In the wining stage, the compulsive gambler is ecstatic and overexcited with this earnings and is unwilling to quit gambling. Therefore, the addict usually increases his intensity of gambling . However, losing being the other half of gambling, his wining streak is short-lived. Nonetheless, recurrent losses do not deter him as he wants to win again and get his money back. Addicted gamblers suffer from financial stress, loss of sleep, and mental fatigue in this phase. They face problems at the family front. The patient also tends to borrow huge amounts or avail some money making schemes. As the gambler continues to face loss on every alternate day, he finds it difficult to stay away from gambling. Compulsive gamblers may resort to any means to raise funds for their obsession. They become desperate, with their debts becoming unmanageable. Loss of jobs, fight with friends and family, committing crimes or suicidal tendencies define this phase.

The question as to why does one gamble, can not be answered in definitive terms. One of the dominant reasons is the mental health of the gambler. For some people gambling serves as a n escape route from their lives. A compulsive gambler plays for kicks. He is just unable to stay away from it. Many researchers also blame the easy accessibility to casinos. The government and its lottery fund is also widely condemned.

Treatment programs and centers exist to treat this disease. Regular therapy and counseling is an effective and a widely used technique to cure this disease. Various support groups have also cropped up, where the addicts share their experiences and strengthen each others desire to quit gambling. Some groups that fund such programs include casinos and state lotteries. Some casinos lay stress on responsible gambling and have taken steps to make the people aware about his addiction.

However the first step, before undertaking nay treatment would be to acknowledge this disease. With very slight symptoms and effects this addiction is difficult to catch and acknowledge. Hence it helps to be aware to act wisely.

It is said that addictions are a disease. In reality, addictions are life changing for many facets in the addicts life. According to the Cleveland Clinic, 22 percent of the general population in the U.S. can expect to have significant problems with substance misuse or abuse at some point in their lives.

Most common addictions are:

Alcohol Drugs Sex Food Gambling Most generally, an alcoholic will have many additions. It is not uncommon to see the alcoholic addicted to all common areas of addictions.

Statistics for Alcohol Related Addictions:

In 2009, the population of the United States was over 300 million people. There are 76 million people affected by alcohol disorders. That is 25 percent of the United States population that suffers from the affects of alcohol related disorders.

33% of all suicides, and more than 50% of all homicides and incidents of domestic violence are alcohol-related

Up to 40 percent of industrial fatalities and 47 percent of industrial injuries can be linked to alcohol consumption and alcoholism.

In 1995, there were 51,737 federal prisoners and 224,900 state prisoners who were incarcerated because of alcohol or drug abuse

One hundred thousand Americans die of alcohol problems each year.

One of every 130 licensed drivers in the United States has been arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics.

Individuals with alcoholism and drug abusers are at increased risk for HIV/AIDS, as well as other infectious diseases like hepatitis and tuberculosis.

More than 40% of separated or divorced women were married to or lived with a problem drinker.

The River of Denial

Addicts become so entrenched within their addiction that they become master manipulators and chronic liars. The lies start small, and as time passes, the addict believes that everyone else is lying and they are the only ones who know the truth.

Medical Affects of Alcohol and Drug Addictions

Addicts commonly suffer from depression, panic behavior, paranoia, strong anger, auditory and visual hallucinations, and obsessive behavior. In recent years prescription drug abuse and addiction has been on the rise but denial around the issue of addiction also continues to persist. As a result, it is not unusual for an addict to be treated for symptoms so that they can get their next fix. Many doctors are unable to detect the addictions therefore, actually add to the problem.

Drug Abuse statistics show that drug addiction cost Americans over $484 billion annually. Included in this figure is health care and the abuses of the system, lost job wages, traffic accidents, crime and criminal justice system costs. The National Institute on Drug abuse reports that Alcoholism costs taxpayer $67 billion dollars every year.

Effects on The Family

Children

Children raised within a family that suffers from addiction grown up with a different set of what is normal. In the instances of a single parent, children take on the roll of the care giver at a very early age. Many instances, children are abused or end up in the custody of the state due to neglect.

Where there has been a drug or alcohol related death, children suffer from lifelong humiliation of an either dead or incarcerated parent. That is a scare that many children take years to recover from, if they ever do.

Domestic Violence

With over 40 percent of separated or divorced women, many have been victims of domestic violence. Many also leave with the clothes on their back to escape the crazy vicious cycle that have plagued them from living with an addict.

Depression is not uncommon among wives, husbands, or significant others that are involved with an addict. With some however, the depression spirals into suicide. Addictions affect the lives of many innocent people, financially, emotionally, and physically. It is an epidemic that lasts a life time unless the cycle is broken.

Cocaine..let it roll off your tongue and ring in your ears for a second. Why do highly addictive substances all sound so.. “cool”. Cocaine and its derivatives, such as crack cocaine, are highly addictive substances.

Cocaine – or coke is smoked, snorted, injected, and probably even stuffed in places you don’t want to know about. The user receives almost instant gratification and may feel euphoric, alert, powerful, or even sensual. Often times these “symptoms” are mixed with anxiety and or restlessness..or maybe just all out disregard. Eventually (usually sooner than later) the high wears off and the users either uses more cocaine or “crashes”.

Cocaine is a highly addictive drug, hence cocaine users will frequently go to extreme lengths in order to get another “hit” or “fix”. Cocaine addicts are not limited to bums or teenagers, people of all statures are liable to become addicted to cocaine – no one is perfect. Cocaine addiction often effects not only the user, but people around the user as well. Friends, family or even jobs may be neglected, lied to and mislead in order to hide or satisfy the addiction. The user may go to extremes and concoct grand schemes in order to get the drug. This is one of the reasons addiction to cocaine or crack cocaine is often considered to be serious.

Signs of cocaine abuse include:

Change in mood, unusual appetite, altered sleep cycles, depression, absence at work and at home, running/sniffly nose, new group of friends and a drop in school grades. Loss of interest in hobbies and other activities are also common signs of cocaine use or other substance abuse.

People without their own money source (such as teenagers) may also have a frequent need for money, without good reason. Confronting the suspected user is the best solution. Cocaine addiction should not go overlooked and rehab options should be discussed and reviewed as soon as possible. Long term effects of cocaine use can include: irritability, mood swings, restlessness, paranoia, possible auditory hallucinations, heart palpitations, increased blood pressure, social ineptitude, financial problems, liver and kidney problems, respiratory problems, and many other physical and mental health problems. And of course, addiction and dependence on cocaine.

The good news is that treatment options are available for cocaine addicts. Rehab centers are located all over North America and are designed to give recovering addicts a safe and healthy atmosphere in which they can overcome their addiction and conquer withdrawal. Many of these facilities are top-notch but I still recommend you research each facility thoroughly before committing a loved one. Rehab centres offer a variety of comforts for recovering addicts, some of these include drug detox sessions, group and private therapy, positive reward systems, limited opportunities to buy drugs, supervision, sports and games, and a self-contained environment. Some rehab centers even offer yoga, volleyball and other fun activities to keep their occupants..well occupied.

Cocaine users who intend on quitting should expect to go through withdrawal. This can last from days to weeks and may feel horrible, but will be well worth it in the end. Withdrawal can include nausea, vomiting, disorientation, dizziness, numbness, cold sweats, fever, diarrhea, restlessness and many other mostly mild symptoms. With proper care and attention withdrawal can be managed without any major concerns.

Cocaine users must be confronted and pointed (but not forced) towards therapy and hopefully rehabilitation. Even after a drug addict has quit using the drug, the cravings and or habits may stick around for a long time. Some suggest that habits take about 7 months to fade entirely when not in use, however many drug addicts report craving their favored drug many years later. Only knowledge and experience keeps them from giving in.

Although there may be a lot of different types of addictions which we may have, pain pill addiction is one that many individuals have to deal with. In fact, you would probably be surprised with the number of individuals who have an addiction in this area. This is not only because they are easy to get addicted to, it is also because they are used regularly and prescribed freely. How does pain pill addiction began?

Typically, we begin to become addicted to pain pills whenever we have to take them for a long period of time. It doesn’t really have anything to do with our enjoying the way that they make us feel, it actually has to do with our taking them regularly and becoming accustomed to them. If the pain is persistent that we are experiencing, it may take stronger and stronger medication for us to overcome the problem. This is generally at the root of pain pill addiction. We continue to take more and stronger pills in order to overcome the problem and eventually, we feel as if we cannot do without them.

Fortunately, many individuals who have a pain pill addiction are able to successfully overcome it with treatment. At times, it is simply a matter of getting rid of the pills and not taking them any longer. At other times, you may actually have to go into a clinic for help with your pain pill addiction. Either way, it is a treatable addiction and one that you can fully recover from. It can sneak up on you and you may rationalize it away but with honesty you can face the truth and change.

The real suffering of addiction can not be better understood by anyone, like it’s understood by all those people who are alcohol and drug addicted and the near-dear ones of those people. There was a time when people used to search the appropriate addiction treatment programs perfectly suited for the patients, but such time is over. Presently, there are hundreds of addiction treatment centers in the U.S. that are offering different kinds of modern addiction treatments to the patients.

A contemporary addiction rehab center offers all those modern treatments which are required to cure a patient in fastest way. These healing procedures include both medical and psychological treatments. The advanced processes used in these treatments are the perfect ways to recover a patient from the curse of addiction in permanent basis. Follow up is must for a true addict and that is perfectly performed by the addiction treatment centers.

Many drug addicted people think that once they have stopped consuming drugs or alcohol, they would get complete relieve from it. But, this is an absolute misconception. Addiction treatment should be carried out until and unless the patients get complete cure.

Another very fruitful addiction rehab treatment is log-term residential drug rehab. This treatment removes the patients from the external environment for providing them freedom from all the usual influences. This type of addiction treatment is also very beneficial for patients in achieving good physical health.

To summarize, the addiction rehab treatments are the best solutions for getting complete freedom from addictions, which will give you the joy of happiness in life.

Drug addiction is basically a case of compulsive over dosage of certain drugs over a prolonged period of time. It usually leads to severe complications, with most of the patients even giving up their lives. This article looks at how to treat drug addiction.

The drugs that cause addiction can be broadly classified into illegal ones and prescription or the over-the-counter ones. You would be glad to know that not everybody who end up using these drugs get addicted to them. It is only a few who succumb to their side effects.

Latest research from scientists around the world show that a drug addiction case is actually a complex result of a malfunctioning social system, coupled with the personal emotional, psychological and physical dysfunction in the patient itself.

In other words, scientists now think that although the drug abuse gets triggered by the physical and psychological needs of the patient itself, it gets aggravated by the wrong attitude and behavior shown by the friends and relatives.

Hence, the treatment of for drug addiction and abuse is not one of simple prognosis. As the onslaught of the condition varies from individual to individual, so does the diagnosis.

The treatment procedures, therefore, depend upon a number of factors. The drug type, amounts used, the duration of use, other medical complications if any and the social needs of the patient are the key factors considered when designing the rehab program.

Some other factors, which are of a more personal nature, such as the personality of the patient, the concept of spirituality and religion, mental or physical illnesses and the local availability and affordability are also considered when considering the right rehabilitation program.

The first step, however, is detoxification. The excessive amounts of the drug are removed from the patient’s blood. In this process, a patient is cleansed of all the impurities within his body. In cases of addiction to drugs such as alcohol, which require a prolonged exposure for getting addicted, mere abstinence is sufficient. However, in cases of cocaine or LSD, small amounts of the drug are continuously recommended and gradually decreased to build up physical resistance.

This is followed by an appropriate rehab, in the form of therapy, self-help groups and counseling. The right rehab helps fight the drug craving and thereby keeps the patient sober. It can only be designed by experts on an individual patient-to-patient basis.

As treatment for drug addiction is a very complex procedure, it is always advisable to approach a reputed institution for help. They would not only work towards ridding the patient of drug abuse but would also bring an entire change in their life style.