Category Archives: Heroin Addiction Treatment In BC

Aftercare For Alcohol Addiction In Alberta, Aftercare For Alcohol Addiction In BC, Aftercare For Drug Addiction In Alberta, Aftercare For Drug Addiction In BC, Alcohol Addiction Treatment in Alberta, Alcohol Rehab Treatment in Vancouver, Continuing Care In Alberta, Continuing Care In BC, Continuing Care In Calgary, Continuing Care In Vancouver, Drug Addiction Treatment In Calgary, Drug Rehab in Vancouver, Family Aftercare in Alberta, Family Aftercare in BC, Family Aftercare in Calgary, Family Aftercare in Vancouver, Fentanyl Addiction Treatment in Vancouver, Heroin Addiction Treatment in Alberta, Heroin Addiction Treatment In BC, Opiate Addiction Treatment in Vancouver, Opiate Drug Treatment for Alberta

Leading Common Causes Of Drug Triggers In Vancouver, BC – Options Okanagan Treatment Centers

December 16, 2016 admin

Leading common causes of drug addiction triggers in Vancouver, Victoria and Kelowna, British Columbia. – Options Okanagan Treatment Centers in Kelowna, British Columbia treating opiate and alcohol addiction and recovery.

Relapse is a lot closer than you may think it is. Whether you have been sober for many years or are new to recovery, the temptation for using is always there. Addiction is a very complicated disease that requires a lot of effort and time to control. Drug triggers are at the very root of relapse. In order to get the most from your recovery, it is important for you to understand how your recovery is impacted by these triggers. In this post I will be outlining the leading triggers of drugs.

What is a Drug Trigger?

Referred to commonly as a relapse trigger, this is an event that provides the recovering individual with a justification for returning to substance use. Although may people view these as sudden events, they are actually long-standing issues that the addict has not addressed. In many cases, triggers offer the excuse for justifying going back to actively using drugs.

Drug triggers have a major impact on your recovery. Following a relapse, you will need to have greater motivation and energy to pursue recovery. Second of all, when you become a victim of a relapse trigger, it leads to your self-esteem being eroded. A return to substance use also deeply effects your family as well as other loved ones. You will ultimately fall into addiction even deeper and things will become even worse than they were before.

What are the main Causes of Drug Triggers That Result in a Relapse?

It is important to safeguard your sobriety, and in order to do this you need to learn why relapse triggers develop in the first place. The most common causes of triggers in your recovery are the following:

Wild Emotional Swings

A major reason why your sobriety is impacted by trigger is due to you lacking the necessary coping skills for keeping your emotions in check. The recovery process – and early recovery in particular – can be a real emotional roller coaster. The way your brain functions is changed significantly by addiction. As you become weaned off of alcohol and drugs, you often feel overwhelming emotions. If you don’t realize that wild mood swings are actually part of your recovery process, you may start to get impatient. If you haven’t developed healthy coping skills, you might return to using alcohol and drugs in order to feel “normal.”

Lacking Acceptance

In the recovery world, acceptance is a common word that is used. Unless you accept your current circumstances as well as your past, you won’t move forward with your sobriety. At times “non-acceptance” can be healthy for your recovery process. That is especially true when it comes to eliminating individuals from your life and breaking unhealthy habits.

However, when you put too much energy into trying to change that you can’t change, it can doom your sobriety. If you do not have the energy necessary for changing the things you need to change, the temptation for using substances will be too much for you to resist.

Relationship Problems

It is frequently stated that relationships – including intimate ones – tend to cause individuals in recovery a lot of problems. When you initially get sober, you will soon realize that many of the relationships that you have with people need a great deal of repair. In fact, restoring and repairing relationships with your loved ones and family members is critical to making your recovery stronger. However, trying to start a new intimate relationship while trying to recover is frequently disastrous.

As stated previously, frequently your recovery is marked by wide and significant mood swings. When you invest your energy and time into new relationships, it increases your vulnerability if they fail. When those kinds of relationships do fail, your moods might become uncontrollable. This will result in your thoughts and decision making becoming clouded and you will be tempted to return to substances to help you figure out what you are feeling.

Holding onto your Resentments

Resentment is frequently the strongest emotion you experience during your recovery. Resentment is basically the feeling of anger and bitterness towards other people because of feeling you are treated unfairly by them. Whether it is a specific remark or event, individuals in recover focus on other people as causing their addiction.

If you allow your life to be ruled by resentments, the focus of blame falls on you and not upon others. No matter what your specific circumstances are, you are solely the one who is responsible for your actions and feelings. You need to hold yourself accountable for your own actions and take responsibility for yourself. If you keep on focusing on what other people have done instead of what you have done to yourself, then eventually you will end up going back to using substances for coping with your pain and anxiety.

Abandoning 12-Step and Other Kinds of Recovery Programs

In your recovery, it is essential to be active in a recovery program. Whether it is an alternative recovery program like SMART Recovery or a 12-Step group, they offer you the much needed support and structure for sustaining your recovery. It is key to stay active in helping others and attending meeting to build a meaningful, long-term recovery. It is very gratifying to achieve success in those kinds of programs. However, it can also turn into a trap to have those feelings.

If you work your recovery program successfully, you might think you have your addiction beat. This could result in you becoming complacent and you might start cutting back on your involvement in your groups. Although scaling your involvement back is normal as you continue to progress with your sobriety, it can cause problems to completely abandon these programs.

It is frequently said that addiction is a powerful, confusing and cunning disease. If you let down your guard, your old addictive thought patterns will grow stronger. Without the guidance and support form those who are on the same journey as you, you’ll end up falling victim to common drug triggers – and your cycle of abuse will worsen.

Options Okanagan Opiate and Alcohol Treatment Centers in Kelowna, Salmon Arm and Vancouver, British Columbia – Men and Women are recovering and healing from Alcohol and Drug Abuse at our treatment center here in the Okanagan right now.

Our unique and distinctive Opiate Drug and Alcohol treatment program allows men and women to come in from Calgary as well as Edmonton as we offer airport pickup.

Numerous clients come to us from Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton and other locations in Alberta and even other provinces for Opiate addiction treatment, heroin drug treatment, many other drug and alcohol addictions for rehabilitation because of the uniqueness of our treatment center.

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Our Treatment Location:
Options Okanagan Drug and Opiate Treatment Center
551 Sherrydale Crescent, Kelowna, British Columbia, V1V 2E6
Toll Free Phone Number : 1-855-335-0331

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Aftercare And Continuing Care In Vancouver, BC: How Drug Addiction Relapses Can Be Avoided

December 10, 2016 admin

Aftercare and continuing care in Vancouver, BC and how relapses can be avoided in Vancouver, Victoria and Kelowna, British Columbia. – Options Okanagan Treatment Centers in Kelowna, British Columbia treating opiate and alcohol addiction and recovery.

In a number of different ways, the hardest part of establishing and maintaining a long-term recovery process takes place after the initial, intensive part of the treatment process is complete.

To avoid relapse from occurring, most people need the warm support of their loved ones – whether that is biological family members they are close to or new chosen “family” comprised of other recovering people they believe they can turn to whenever they think they are in danger of having a relapse.

One study identified five factors that contribute most frequently to relapse occurring:

a) Low motivation for making changes
b) Negative thinking
c) Failure to follow through with the recommendations made by doctors and counselors
d) Interpersonal conflicts with members of the family and other individuals
e) Being unable to to manage stress levels or negative emotions

These are similar factors that affect relapse when needing to deal with diabetes as well as other types of chronic disorders:

a) Failure to stick with diet, medications or behavior changes
b) Poverty
c) Inadequate family member support
d) Co-occurring mental health disorders

Among the many things that addicted individuals need to learn is how to avoid being exposed to triggers that may set their brains into motion to want and need drugs or alcohol. There are times when it is unavoidable to come into contact with triggers, so people need to develop the right skills to help them prevent their cravings from taking over completely. One core element of a good treatment program needs to be learning those skills; being able to maintain them needs to be part of an aftercare program or long-term recovery plan.

According to a well known and reputable aftercare counselor, who assists fellow AA and NA members, aftercare is a kind of continuing care that people need to stay involved in to survive. He says that if an individual just leaves their 30 day, or 60 day treatment program and does not participate in a group or attend meetings or have any commitment or a sponsor, that very quickly the person will go back. They will be unable to resist the temptations of Drugs or Alcohol.

A leading counselor, who is in charge of a confidential addiction assistance program at a major Canadian College of Medicine for helping employees, says that experts can’t emphasize the role aftercare contacts plays strongly enough in addition to the aftercare program. He states it is the key to succeeding.

Another counselor, who leads a recovery center in Vancouver, where participants can gather for friendships, mutual aid, job training and other kinds of tangible assistance for helping people in recovery get on their feet again, and remain committed to their recovery and starting a new life, says that a critical component of the recovery center is peer support. However, the focus of this organization are solution-oriented efforts and it doesn’t limit itself to only specific issues that emerge from 12-step program addiction-focused dialogue. Instead of the focus being on the problem, aftercare looks for a solution instead.

Many people think they are attempting to replace AA. However, their intention isn’t to replace 12-step. People who are involved in a long-term recovery process are in a very different stage and have very different needs as well. Recovery commitment plans have been developed by the counselors for their clients. These plans have the goal of getting clients to the place where they can prepare themselves to lead a lifetime of recovery.

Services such as recovery centers, mentoring, peer counseling, educational services and skill training all play key roles in helping addicted individuals rebuild their lives, avoid relapse and sustain recovery that is long-term in nature . A small federal program called the Recovery Community Services Program (RSCP), funds community-based and faith-based programs that provide these services, and connects people with housing, jobs and/or educations, in addition to alcohol-free or drug-free social activities.

Our unique and distinctive Opiate Drug and Alcohol treatment program allows men and women to come in from Calgary as well as Edmonton as we offer airport pickup.

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Our Treatment Location:
Options Okanagan Drug and Opiate Treatment Center
551 Sherrydale Crescent, Kelowna, British Columbia, V1V 2E6
Toll Free Phone Number : 1-855-335-0331

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Why Aftercare And Continuing Care Is So Important For Rehab Treatment Patients In Vancouver, BC

December 6, 2016 admin

Why aftercare and continuing care is so important for rehab treatment patients in Vancouver, Victoria and Kelowna, British Columbia – Options Okanagan Treatment Centers in Kelowna, British Columbia treating opiate and alcohol addiction and recovery.

A Long, Long Road To Recovery

Aftercare has never been a more important part of the recovery process. First year relapse rates are as high as 80% nowadays – certainly something to take seriously. The more we understand addiction, the more we know that patients struggle particularly during the first year of treatment. Economic hardship, family matters, or plain inability to resist the temptation and break some old patterns are enormous obstacles that all patients face when leaving residential treatment, often rendering them unable to reintegrate into society, or worse, having them relapse as a direct result.

Life May Get In The Way

An aftercare plan needs to address each and every aspect a patient is likely to face once they’re through inpatient rehab. This should include relationship dynamics, family interaction, vulnerability to temptation and more practical concerns such as overall health and financial stability. This sort of issue has to be addressed very early during the treatment. Every patient has an unique background, so they face different circumstances that may trigger relapse. It’s the therapist’s job to identify the issues of an individual patient and help them manage concerns throughout the process. If they get a nice head start, it’s going to be a lot easier for them to face the world.

A Family Matter

Stress related to one’s family is one of the most prominent causes of relapse. When patients have trouble rejoining their family, they’ll often feel as if they’ve lost their support system. Common causes for tension include the patient refusing to accept boundaries set by the family, or a family’s inability to provide the support the addict needs. Unrealistic expectations and general confusion will often lead to harmful interactions – but this can be fixed if they go through family therapy education beforehand. When both parties are clear on what they need to reconnect successfully, the transition tends to be a lot smoother.

Surviving The First Year

The good news is relapse rates tend to decrease significantly after one year out of treatment. After this time, lots of patients have successfully set up a routine in place, plus designated resources that they can depend on if they feel they’re going to relapse. They are free to call their sponsor, contact their therapist or reach out to the doctor who took care of them at the treatment facility. After five years, relapse rate is even lower – there’s no certain guarantee, of course, but patients tend to stay clean after that time has passed. The first year out of treatment is the most critical part to determine a patient’s long term success, since it’s the time when they’re learning to live a new life. There will definitely be some roadblocks throughout the way – the reason why treatment facilities need to offer support networks to lower their vulnerability after rehab.

Staying In Touch – Aftercare And Continuing Care

On a level or another, aftercare should be tied to a patient’s discharge plan. Whether it takes place in form of a referral to NA or AA meetings, regular patient follow-up, or at least transition to supportive housing, a patient should never lose their lifeline to the facility once they’re done with treatment. The first year is extremely important for the patient’s success – we have a much larger responsibility with our patients than merely being there to admit them if they become addicted another time. We believe in making an effort to protect patients from becoming yet another tragic statistic in such a time when they’re so prone to relapse.

A Resource Lacking

Despite the need for patient follow-up and after care, many facilities do not properly offer them these important recovery resources. In many, communication ends as soon as the patients exit the building, creating a social vacuum in which they’re forced to figure out their way throughout a new life. At Options Okanagan, we offer comprehensive follow-up services which make sure our alumni stay on the right track to recovery. We are committed to each and every patient, well after they leave the premises. Contact Options Okanagan at 1-855-335-0331 right now if a loved one is struggling with substance abuse – or if you’re going through that yourself.

Our unique and distinctive Opiate Drug and Alcohol treatment program allows men and women to come in from Calgary as well as Edmonton as we offer airport pickup.

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Our Treatment Location:
Options Okanagan Opiate Treatment Center
551 Sherrydale Crescent, Kelowna, British Columbia, V1V 2E6
Toll Free Phone Number : 1-855-335-0331

Aftercare For Alcohol Addiction In Alberta, Aftercare For Alcohol Addiction In BC, Al-Anon or Alateen Group meetings, Al-Anon or Alateen Groups, Alcohol Addiction Treatment in Alberta, Alcohol Rehab Treatment in Vancouver, Continuing Care In Alberta, Continuing Care In BC, Drug Rehab in Vanouver, Drug Treatment in Alberta, Family Aftercare in Alberta, Family Aftercare in BC, Fentanyl Addiction Treatment Center in Alberta, Fentanyl Addiction Treatment in Vancouver, Heroin Addiction Treatment in Alberta, Heroin Addiction Treatment In BC, Opiate Addiction Treatment in Vancouver, Opiate Drug Treatment for Alberta

Following The 12 Step Recovery Model For Addiction Treatment In Vancouver, BC

December 4, 2016 admin

Following the 12 Step Recovery Model for alcohol and drug addiction treatment in Vancouver, Victoria and Kelowna, British Columbia – Options Okanagan Treatment Centers in Kelowna, British Columbia treating opiate and alcohol addiction and recovery.

As of right now, the 12 Step Program happens to be the model that is the most widely used when it comes to addiction and recovery. This is a model that is used at a number of treatment facilities, detox clinics and certain community based networks for support like Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous.

Alcoholics Anonymous was the very first 12 Step Program, which was developed in 1938. Today, there are well over 80 other fellowships that are using this very same model. The 12 Steps are a process where an individual is guided through a number of phases/steps with a sponsor. The sponsor is a member that has already been through the entire process and is now willing to help with mentoring someone new as they navigate the steps.

Such a program can be vital in a number of areas for addressing the treatment of addiction, and all of the meetings should have a primary purpose, which is to carry the message for recovery to all of the participants. While carrying the message is one aspect, the process of effectively and actively working on recovery will be another. One piece of the program that falls short happens to be the ability to offer constant, professional guidance all through the recovery process. Depending on who gets selected as sponsor or mentor, it can greatly impact and shape the experience of the person looking for success in the program.

Even though the meetings are filled with people who mean well, it never means that they are going to be qualified to completely facilitate the recovery process. Such people will usually not have any sort of formal training for addition treatment, and may be basing the approach that they take on strategies for recovery that are flawed. Because of this, doctors, health professionals and other agents tend to be hesitant in giving a referral to a client that is looking for a 12 Step Program.

With all of that aside, 12 Step Programs do have a great deal to offer when there is the right level of direction and guidance from the start. Anyone who is in early recovery will find that such a program could be hit or miss if there is inconsistent direction or inconsistencies in the level of support they receive. Those who recognize this shortcoming, and the recovery community, have worked to offer people with consistent guidance and direction that had been lacking throughout the previous years. This is a new approach that includes a professional coach for recovery that will help through all of the very critical early steps in the program.

It is known that it is a life long journey to stay on the road to freedom from addiction. The first steps are crucial, which means that having a good recovery coach right from the start will make a good bit of difference for the success of anyone who is navigating their way through the 12 Step Program.

Our unique and distinctive Opiate Drug and Alcohol treatment program allows men and women to come in from Calgary as well as Edmonton as we offer airport pickup.

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Our Treatment Location:
Options Okanagan Opiate Treatment Center
551 Sherrydale Crescent, Kelowna, British Columbia, V1V 2E6
Toll Free Phone Number : 1-855-335-0331

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Aftercare And Continuing Care Treatment Options For Drug Addiction In Vancouver, BC – Options Okanagan

December 2, 2016 admin

Various aftercare and continuing care treatment options for drug and alcohol addiction in Vancouver, Victoria and Kelowna, British Columbia – Options Okanagan Treatment Centers in Kelowna, British Columbia treating opiate and alcohol addiction and recovery.

What Is Aftercare?

When it comes to the process of treating addiction or basically any mental health issue, aftercare is a very important step. It is the process that takes a patient from primary treatments, for example residential drug addiction treatment onto maintenance treatments. There are various types of aftercare and in order to plan the best and most successful path of recovery, understanding each one is important.

Although most kinds of aftercare treatments for drug addiction are structured, there are also things that you can try on your own. For example, creating a strategy that helps to prevent relapse and adhering to it at all times, is important. You should also always have a list of emergency contact information on you. It is also helpful to keep a journal along with a gratitude list.

That being said, here are a few things that formal aftercare treatment for drug addiction may include:

1. Step-down Residential Care

Residential care is the first kind of aftercare. This form of treatment tends to be beneficial for individuals who have struggled with extreme drug use, do not count on much support and whose social circle revolves around the use of drugs. This type of aftercare allows addicts to have more freedom while in a rehab center, this means that they are allowed to go to work, receive more social visits as well as have control over their personal schedules.

The high level of support that is available every second of every day is where the benefits of this kind of care system stem from. That being said, the step down care programs are a bridge to greater responsibilities and, even though they are structures, more privileges are included that in residential treatment for drug addictions.

2. Daycare aka Outpatient Addiction Treatment

Daycare is another form of aftercare. This provides individuals with access to resources, for example therapy groups, addiction counselors and doctors while their evenings and nights are spent with their families. People, who have a great support system yet feel as if they would benefit from treatment that is more intensive, are the best candidates for this type of treatment.

The great thing about outpatient drug addiction aftercare is that it provides individuals with the most amount of flexibility with a schedule for their own while offering the highest amount of benefits that a residential care facility has to offer.

3. Halfway Houses

A recovering addict could greatly benefit from residential stays for six months and even as long as a year. This form of aftercare treatment for drug addiction happens in a privately and independently owned residence. The best way that halfway houses are managed is with the use of rules and guidelines, for example house rules, regular drug testing and curfews. When living in halfway houses, recovering drug addicts are able to get support, make new friends and live in an environment that is drug free prior to moving out on their own again.

4. Support Groups and Psychotherapy

The last type of aftercare consists of attending support groups and citing counselors on a regular basis. This form of care is generally detailed in a treatment plan and is a part of weekly regimen of treatment. Those who benefit from his kind of aftercare are individuals who are ready to handle most of their recover however still require some regular help and guidance.

What any kind of aftercare is all about is helping individuals to be able to gradually ease back into their regular lives without experiencing feelings of being out of control or turning to their destructive habits. It also provides individuals with the opportunity of working on themselves on any other issues or perhaps on a recovery that was not completed after their first treatment.

Anyone who is searching for aftercare support should know exactly what they want to get out of it and be sure of the king of care they would benefit the most from. Many times a doctor or a primary care facility can help with making this decision. By choosing the best form of treatment, those suffering from an addiction can begin their recovery from a strong point and avoid any doubt or fear which may lead to a slip up or relapse.

If you have any doubts or questions regarding drug addiction aftercare treatment, please get in touch with Options Okanagan at 1-855-335-0331. It would be our pleasure to answer your question personally and promptly.

Our unique and distinctive Opiate Drug and Alcohol treatment program allows men and women to come in from Calgary as well as Edmonton as we offer airport pickup.

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Our Treatment Location:
Options Okanagan Opiate Treatment Center
551 Sherrydale Crescent, Kelowna, British Columbia, V1V 2E6
Toll Free Phone Number : 1-855-335-0331

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The Latest Drug Epidemic In Vancouver, BC: Synthetic Opioids Like Fentanyl, W-18, And Krokodil

November 25, 2016 admin

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA: The Latest Drug Epidemic: Synthetic Opioids Like Fentanyl, W-18, And Krokodil in Vancouver, Victoria and Kelowna, British Columbia – Options Okanagan Treatment Centers in Kelowna, British Columbia treating opiate and alcohol addiction and recovery.

Throughout North America, demand for opioids is troublingly high. Illicit usage is rampant, from classic heroin abuse to non-medical use of strong prescription painkillers. This problem has gotten worse over time. Years 2014 and 2015 saw all-time highs for drug overdose deaths in North America, with more than 83,000 people dying. Opioids were the drugs responsible for 64 percent of those cases. Seeking the source of the continent’s strange obsession with these drugs leads one to consider irresponsible behavior in the healthcare industry, a record high number of chronic pain cases (over 110 million), or the slippery slope leading from pharmaceutical painkillers to illicit drugs like heroin.

As though our relationship with opioids wasn’t scary enough, the latest news on the subject reveals a rising tide of brand-new synthetic opioid drugs that might well make the situation worse. Like other synthetic drugs, synthetic opioids are chemical mixtures designed to reproduce the euphoric and anesthetic effects of naturally-based opiates (e.g. morphine and codeine). One distinction to this new class of drug is that it breaks down into two sub-families: the synthetic opioids and the semi-synthetic opioids.

Synthetic Opioids Defined

Opiates are drugs that originally come from the resin harvested from opium poppies. It’s the plants’ natural alkaloid ingredients that give the drugs their potency. Only codeine, opium, and morphine are considered to be truly natural opiates. Drugs that have been derived from these opiates – both pharmaceuticals like Oxycodone and narcotics like heroin – are called “semi-synthetic” due to the processing required to create them.

Synthetic opioids are those drugs that owe none of their effects to compounds that originally come from poppies or the natural opiates. The particular chemicals used to imitate the effects of natural opiates vary widely; specifics can vary from drug to drug and even from chemist to chemist. It is this extreme diversity of recipes that make illicit synthetic opioids so dangerous. Without the sort of strict quality controls employed in a pharmaceutical setting, the potency of a given opioid is virtually always an unknown. Today the three most common synthetic opioids being abused are fentanyl, W-18, and krokodil.

More On Fentanyl

Semi-synthetic opioids like oxycodone and heroin are dangerous enough on their own; when they’re combined with fentanyl their potency and risk increase exponentially. Fentanyl is an extremely strong prescription drug that’s usually prescribed to treat the extreme pain that comes after the completion of surgery. Healthcare professionals describe it as being 100 times as strong as morphine and 50 times stronger than heroin. Nonmedical usage of fentanyl is on the rise, and law enforcement personnel have seen fentanyl turn up in seized heroin and other illicit opioids. This growing problem has government agencies and experts extremely alarmed.

The issue of fentanyl abuse first came to light in the 1980s. In recent years the drug has undergone what can only be described as an explosion in popularity. The National Forensic Laboratory Information System (NFLIS) tracks drug analysis requests across the nation. In 2013, state and municipal drug labs tested 950 different samples of fentanyl. In just one year, that number rose to 3,500 sample submissions in 2014.

Fentanyl is being used by illegal drug dealers to up the potency of heroin and other opioids while also decreasing the wholesale cost of the drugs. This has led to a significant number of serious medical complications when unsuspecting users dose themselves with far more potent drugs than they were expecting. This is frequently life-threatening. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) issued a special alert to law enforcement agencies across the nation in April of 2015 regarding the rising tide of fentanyl abuse.

W-18 And Krokodil

Krokodil is a street drug that earned its name in the grimmest possible fashion: It turns the skin of habitual users green and eventually causes it to rot.

Though fentanyl is still the most pressing synthetic opioid problem the nation is facing, krokodil and W-18 are coming right behind it. W-18 is still a very mysterious drug, and its very classification as an opioid is not entirely assured. It does have extremely potent analgesic effects, delivering an experience 100 times stronger than fentanyl and 10,000 times stronger than natural morphine. This is another synthetic drug which has been around since the 1980s. It was never entered into the clinical testing process for development as a legitimate medication. So far very little W-18 has made it into the United States, but it is showing up more frequently in Canada. This proximity is making many law enforcement officials nervous.

Krokodil is formally known as desomorphine. It’s actually a semi-synthetic opioid which is created by combining adulterants with codeine. Examples of the kinds of chemicals used include iodine, paint thinner, red phosphorous, gasoline, hydrochloric acid, and lighter fluid. Krokodil got its start in Russia as a bargain-basement alternative to heroin, and today it’s come to North America.

An Industry Of Constant Change

The rogue chemists who feed the nation’s demand for illicit opioids are always busy. Law enforcement agencies are constantly scrambling to shut down specific drugs and formulas, but this does not stop the creators from inventing new mixtures and new opioid analogs.

Our unique and distinctive Opiate Drug and Alcohol treatment program allows men and women to come in from Calgary as well as Edmonton as we offer airport pickup.

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Our Treatment Location:
Options Okanagan Opiate Treatment Center
551 Sherrydale Crescent, Kelowna, British Columbia, V1V 2E6
Toll Free Phone Number : 1-855-335-0331

Comprehensive Recovery From Alcohol And Drugs In Vancouver, BC – Options Okanagan Treatment Centers

November 19, 2016 admin

Comprehensive recovery from alcohol and drugs in Vancouver, Victoria and Kelowna, British Columbia – Options Okanagan Treatment Centers in Kelowna, British Columbia treating opiate and alcohol addiction and recovery.

Addiction disorders bring a lot of difficulties into a person’s life. One of the biggest such difficulties is the idea that an addict can resolve their troubles simply by getting a change of scenery, having different relationships, or being involved in situations other than their current ones. This is further compounded by a general societal attitude of immediacy, and that need for fast results often interrupts the long-view attitude that recovery necessitates. A far-horizon perspective is essential to anyone trying to recover from an addiction disorder, considering that such disorders are often progressive as well as chronic. When attempting recovery from anything, addiction or otherwise, there are no hot patches or first aid remedies that cure the ailment immediately.

Getting treatment for any addiction disorder dictates getting treatment for more than just the physical symptoms. Our psyches have serious undertows of both attitudes and underlying behaviors. Individuals attempting recovery must have their needs met on multiple levels, so any approach must be made in a multifaceted manner that incorporates the spiritual, mental, and emotional aspects of the patient in addition to the physical. Recovery must not revolve solely around alcohol and drugs, but must also help the individual create their entire system of operation. With increasing and fresh awareness, individuals learn to identify their specific cycles of addiction as well as learn their maladaptive coping techniques so that they can start establishing new connections with their genuine emotions.

Recovery is not something that happens for a little while; it is in fact a lifelong journey that mandates a regular regimen of constructive and positive actions. Any treatment for addiction disorder must make a goal of transmitting these tools so that recovering addicts can start making good decisions not just in terms of addiction-related matters, but across life in general. When someone invests in themself, they can make the changes that lead to lifestyles which prove happier and healthier. Fresh starts help individuals find the new paths they can take, especially ones where they get encouragement from love, serenity, connection, and meaningful relationships. The more time someone can spend free of addiction’s dark corners, the better they are going to be. There is a world larger than addiction, a world worth living in, a world free of loneliness, despair, guilt, rage, and worthlessness.

Our unique and distinctive Opiate Drug and Alcohol treatment program allows men and women to come in from Calgary as well as Edmonton as we offer airport pickup.

Google+ Options Okanagan

Our Treatment Location:
Options Okanagan Opiate Treatment Center
551 Sherrydale Crescent, Kelowna, British Columbia, V1V 2E6
Toll Free Phone Number : 1-855-335-0331

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The Dangers of Fentanyl Laced Heroin or Cocaine In Vancouver, BC – Options Okanagan

November 17, 2016 admin

The Dangers of Fentanyl Laced Heroin or Cocaine in Vancouver, Victoria and Kelowna, British Columbia – Options Okanagan Treatment Centers in Kelowna, British Columbia treating heroin, fentanyl and alcohol addiction.

A heroin epidemic has swept across the US and Canada, faster than with any other substance the amount of North American’s abusing this drug is rapidly increasing. In the United States, the estimated amount of heroin addicts range between 350,000 to 550,000, from only five years ago, this is a 75% increase. The harsh and devastating consequences associated with heroin addiction, have affected many people from the suburban housewife to celebrities and the endless individuals in between.

The ‘SuperDrug’ Sudden and Catastrophic Emergence of Fentanyl in Heroin

Although there is a greater awareness about this heroin epidemic, underground there is another type of drug abuse growing, it could be far more dangerous than a heroin addiction. There is new drug mix called ‘SuperDrug’, fentanyl laced heroin which has killed quite a large amount of people in many cities across Canada and the USA, including: Toronto, Vancouver, Philadelphia, Detroit, Chicago, Pittsburgh and St. Louis.

What Is Fentanyl and Why Is This Drug Combination So Lethal?

Originally fentanyl was manufactured in the 1960s and in the 1990s was when it was first introduced on the consumer market for palliative reasons. The painkilling powers that this drug contains are eight to one hundred times more potent than those in morphine, in hospital settings, fentanyl is commonly used as an anesthetic, for example in operating rooms or intensive care units.

Fentanyl is also used to manage long-term pain in chronic conditions, for example cancer. This powerful drug is opiate based and works by binding itself to the opiate receptors in the body´s brain this increases the dopamine levels and provides a feeling of euphoria and relaxation.

The “Ultimate High” With Fentanyl

When a physician gives fentanyl as a prescription drug, it is administered via various forms, for example a transdermal patch, a lozenge or an injection. However when fentanyl is used recreationally, it is generally synthesized in illegal laboratories, here they are often mixed with heroin or cocaine in a powder from.

Heroin or cocaine that is laced with fentanyl, which means the drugs are combined is a popular item that addicts search for on the black markets hoping for that “ultimate high” even though when taken together, these drugs are probably the most lethal. When combined, the dangers of fentanyl laced with heroin or cocaine can result in consequences that are deadly, for example:

a) Cardiovascular Complications
b) Drowsiness, Disorientation or Confusion that ins Increased
c) Respiratory Depression or Arrest
d) Gastrointestinal Distress
e) Disruption of Normal Mental Functions
f) Unconsciousness, Sedation or Coma
g) Death

A Drug That Is Unpredictable

Perhaps what makes fentanyl laced cocaine or heroin so dangerous is the it is highly unpredictable. There are no rules or regulations when it comes to illegal drug combinations which have been synthesized on the black markets. Those who actually consume these mixtures of drugs, have no real idea of what they are putting in their bodies.

On the black markets, fentanyl may also be sold as heroin, this often causes the individuals to use it to overdose. A single overdose episode could be an incident that is fatal and costs a life. Though due to the amplified euphoric effects, addicts are drawn to this combination, they could be paying the ultimate price which is their lives.

Across the United States and Canada, many health care officials are concerned that heroin abuse which is problematic and a trend seen in North America will result in epidemics of overdose as more drug abusers start to combine these dangerous substances together.

It is Critical to Seek help

If someone you love or if you are abusing fentanyl or a combination of cocaine or heroin with fentanyl, it is crucial that you immediately seek help. The intensity of this kind of addiction which could result from abusing drugs can be extremely overpowering and without professional guidance, recovery will not be possible.

If you have become addicted to heroin, cocaine, fentanyl or any combination of these drugs, you will have to safely detoxify from them, this way withdrawal complications can be avoided. This means the assistance of drug addiction specialists such as a physician, therapists and psychiatrists who can help you to address the various factors which are involved.

It Is Important To Be Aware of The Risks

Combining prescription medications with illicit street drugs, for example fentanyl, is lethal, it can cause your life to turn for the worse. Whether you, yourself are searching for it to satisfy your personal addiction or if you are being pressured by others into taking these substances, it is important to be aware of the risks that you are taking.

Although one of the most difficult task you will ever take on is the recovery from an addiction, this is the path that can help you in overcoming the dangerous addiction to fentanyl laced cocaine or heroin.

Our unique and distinctive Opiate Drug and Alcohol treatment program allows men and women to come in from Calgary as well as Edmonton as we offer airport pickup.

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Our Treatment Location:
Options Okanagan Opiate Treatment Center
551 Sherrydale Crescent, Kelowna, British Columbia, V1V 2E6
Toll Free Phone Number : 1-855-335-0331

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Continuing Care And Sustaining Recovery After Treatment In Vancouver, BC – Options Okanagan

November 13, 2016 admin

Sustaining Recovery After Treatment; Aftercare and continuing care in Vancouver, Victoria and Kelowna, British Columbia – Options Okanagan Treatment Centers in Kelowna, British Columbia treating opiate and alcohol addiction and recovery.

Formal treatment administered by professionals to addicts seeking to recover from drugs and alcohol can prove a great start down the path to recovery, but just a month or so of rehab shouldn’t be assumed to be a permanent solution.

If you suffer from serious drug or alcohol problems, then you need to know that in order to recover successfully, you have to invest in making substantial changes to your life over the long term. They include:

a) How you identify personally as well as your individual beliefs
b) Your social and familial relationships
c) Your day to day lifestyle

It boils down to things like where you physically live, how you play and work, what individuals are a part of your life and which ones are not, and how exactly you deal with daily stresses in life. Recovery isn’t just avoiding drugs and drinking; it’s about manifesting a meaningful existence that has no room for drugs or drinking. Recovering from addiction isn’t like recovering from an infection, where you lay up for a week or two and then just go back to normal. Those who treat rehab like that go back to their normal addictions. Addiction recovery is more like how sufferers of heart disease adapt to their condition or how people learn to live in peace and health with diabetes. These conditions demand constant decision and certain actions to maintain life.

Good News Regarding Continuing Care And Aftercare Following Addiction Treatment

a) Addiction treatment has positive effects, and they are notable. A full third of those that get treatment achieve sustained sobriety, with the rest seeing decreases in their use and abuse of drugs and alcohol.

b) You can boost your life expectancy and quality of life, as well as general chances of recovering permanently if you participate in aftercare support like AA.

c) Recover support groups and professional treatment are both options for addiction recovery, but a combination of the two is the more effective than either one on its own.

d) The lifetime rates of recovery for addicts who seek treatment are over half of all individuals. Millions of people have recovered from substance abuse, even at severe levels, only to see fulfilling and productive lives.

e) There are a variety of ways and paths to pursue permanent recovery, be they secular, religious, or spiritual.

f) Recovered individuals often go on to lead lives of service and achievement within their communities.

Why Continuing Care Or Aftercare?
Sobering Statistics About What Happens To Addicts Following Rehab Treatment

1) Most individuals that complete addiction treatment programs are at a fragile balance, having an equal chance of landing in permanent sobriety or lapsing or relapsing within a year of their treatment discharge.

2) The first 90 days are the period of greatest vulnerability of lapse or relapse following treatment.

3) Up to a third of those that finish addiction treatment are going to be readmitted within the next year, and half get readmitted within five years.

4) Recovery of any individual is not considered fully stable for almost half a decade of sustained recovery. Fully stabilized recovery is defined as the point in which the risk of future relapse drops under 15 percent likelihood.

5) Sustained addiction can kill. Relapses after professional treatment can create high rates of death thanks to problems like homicide, AIDS, cancer, unintentional overdose, accidental poisoning, liver disease, cardiovascular disease, and suicide.

Five Steps Addicts Can Take To Improve Chances Of Aftercare Recovery With Continuing Care

1) Never use drugs or alcohol under any circumstances.
2) Pick a treatment regimen that gives you a diverse spectrum of continuing care options, and then actively use them.
3) Locate a recovery support program or group, and then get involved. Meetings should be a priority, and you should find a sponsor. Establishing a sober social network and application of recovery program principles into your daily lifestyle work in great conjunction with involving your loved ones in your recovery.
4) If your current living circumstances are not conducive to your recovery, look into the budding network of available recovery homes.
5) Be an authority and expert about your individual recovery, and then own it.

Five Things Your Family And Loved Ones Can Do To Support You

Addiction strains and stresses families. There are a number of things your loved ones can do for you if you are recovering, so share these with them to see if they can help.

Authorities in the field have known for a while that addiction is a negative influence on entire families and the relationships within a family. However, recent research has also indicated that addiction recovery is also quite stressful on families right when a recovering addict could use some help as everyone adjusts to a recovery reality.

These are five things families can do speed things up:

1) Loved ones of an addict should get educated about the recovery program and process that someone is going through.
2) If you live with a recovering addict, make the environment a sober one.
3) Get support from both professionals and peers through options like Al-Anon so that you can be mindful of your own health, physically and emotionally. Support your loved one in their own meetings and support groups.
4) Help your loved one find sober housing, transportation, employment, and child care or other needs.
5) Assert yourself and intervene in any potential or actual episode of lapse or relapse.

Our unique and distinctive Opiate Drug and Alcohol treatment program allows men and women to come in from Calgary as well as Edmonton as we offer airport pickup.

Google+ Options Okanagan

Our Treatment Location:
Options Okanagan Opiate Treatment Center
551 Sherrydale Crescent, Kelowna, British Columbia, V1V 2E6
Toll Free Phone Number : 1-855-335-0331

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Learn 5 Reasons You Should Have Continuing Care After A Drug Rehab Program In Vancouver, BC – Options Okanagan

November 11, 2016 admin

Finished a Drug Rehab Program? Learn 5 Reasons you should have Continuing Care in Vancouver, Victoria and Kelowna, British Columbia – Options Okanagan Treatment Centers in Kelowna, British Columbia treating opiate and alcohol addiction and recovery.

Have you recently finished an addiction treatment program? If so, then congratulations to you and good job! You have given yourself the chance to start over fresh and create a new lifestyle for yourself. Did your therapist recommend enrolling in any continuing care program? You might assume that your therapy is finished, but continuing care is named appropriately as it is for after a primary program of treatment. If you are wondering more about it, then you are not the only one.

A lot of the clients we serve have a serene sense of peace and even gratitude once they finish a residential treatment program for addiction, and that is a good first step. However, the world after is much different. You might have begun altering your behaviours, but the rest of your world is likely just as you left it. A lot of folks are intimidated by the idea that they must face people they have hurt or strained relationships at work due to addiction. It is critical that any recovering addict keep working on freshly developed coping skills acquired through treatment, so that the ongoing challenges can be faced with dignity and poise. Having an appropriate support network can also prove a good foundation for anyone wanting to remember why they are in a state of recovery as well as to find the strength to remain sober.

Continuing care can happen a lot of ways and take many different forms. Either alone or in combinations, you might use outpatient services, sober living houses, group therapy, and online aftercare. Group therapy often provides the strongest element of continuing care. Here, you can work through issues and then flesh out an action plan to cope with the very real and risky circumstances that fresh sobriety can challenge you with.

As a great number of addiction counselors will tell you, keeping with continuing care if critical to keeping sobriety maintained properly. People are able to find many things within their primary treatment, including perspective, self-esteem, efficacy, self-worth, knowledge, and awareness. On the other hand, these can all suffer once they are put back into their usual surroundings and face their old stressors. Without the consistent support of co-clients and a treatment team of professionals, then it is easy to let those gains slip away. Individuals quickly find themselves back in familiar ground, doing familiar things.

There are not one or two but in fact five huge reasons why continuing care is so very essential for individuals that have already completed a residential-based treatment program for addiction. Keep reading to learn what they are:

1) Get Some Support: If your pre-residential life did drive you to addiction, it might have been short of emotional and personal support you could rely on. Continuing care programs give you environments that are supportive and safe where you can talk about the difficulties and rewards that recovery bring. This setting is often free of judgement since everyone else involved is also going through recovery.

2) Keep A Spark Of Hope: There will be times that recovery gets tough, and relapsing might seem like the easier and even better option at times. Continuing care is not just a maintaining strategy but a source of hope and motivation that keeps you moving in a positive direction. Listening to the stories of others can be an inspiration as well as a reminder of just why you decided on recovery to start with.

3) Personal Accountability: A lot of recovering addicts find continuing care to be a step back from the rigid structure of residential care. This transitional phase helps you move from a very structured environment to the total chaos that life can seem like. Continuing care is a support network that engenders honesty and accountability. Random drug testing and weekly group therapy often make for a good program. Group setting help keep people stay inspired and in check with their feelings, as honesty and self-awareness are critical to coping with the daily rigors of life. Counselors and fellow recovering addicts in group therapy can call you out on anything you say that is not honest or appropriate and give you a dose of cold water medicine and honesty that you might need in order to stay grounded. Sober associates and acquaintances can rub off on you in a very good way, as well as help you learn, avoid, and managed warning signs for relapse.

4) Boost Your Self-Efficacy: Keeping regular participation in a continuing care program means you get growing confidence and a strengthening commitment to your sobriety as well as an overall healthier lifestyle. When you see that others around you and before you have faced similar circumstances and kept their sobriety up, you can find the mettle to do it yourself too. Every week that you go back to a group session is another week that you pay attention to the growth you have already undergone and a chance to see where you still need to grow, but you’ll also face what’s left with increasing determination.

5) Coping Mechanisms When Faced With Higher-Risk Circumstances: Knowing your own personal behavior and patterns guides in you making wiser decisions, and this is something you learn in residential treatment. However, you do not really practice it until released back into the world when you only have continuing care to rely on. Here is when you learn how to both identify and then manage circumstances that might drive you to relapse. Work concerns, health issues, and divorce are all common triggers for anything from fatigue to stress to mood swings. Having an appropriate and robust plan of action for managing your triggers helps you to be sensitive to your own feelings so that you can be prepared for what the future throws at you.

Our unique and distinctive Opiate Drug and Alcohol treatment program allows men and women to come in from Calgary as well as Edmonton as we offer airport pickup.

Google+ Options Okanagan

Our Treatment Location:
Options Okanagan Opiate Treatment Center
551 Sherrydale Crescent, Kelowna, British Columbia, V1V 2E6
Toll Free Phone Number : 1-855-335-0331

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