Drug Addiction

The inclination towards substance abuse

According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 21.5 million American adults (aged 12 and older) battled substance use disorder in 2014. While 4.2 million American adults (over the age of 11) battled marijuana use disorder in 2014, (according to NSDUH), approximately 586,000 Americans aged 12 and older struggled with substance use disorder involving heroin. One cause may be excessive release of dopamine, which is a chemical produced by nerve cells which creates a feeling of happiness and reinforcement to instigate an individual to proactively play out specific activities. This is precisely why we have an overwhelming number of people falling prey to drug abuse.

Symptoms of drug addiction

Chronic drug use symptoms include:

• Feeling that you need to take drugs daily day by day or even more than once each day.
• Having extreme urges to use drugs.
• Needing more quantity of drugs with time, to get the usual effect.
• Taking bigger measures of drugs for longer than you anticipated.
• Making sure that you keep up a stock of drugs, to give in to last minute cravings.
• Spending a lot of money on drugs.
• Not meeting commitments and work obligations, or reducing social or recreational activities on account of drug use
• Proceeding to use the drug, despite the fact that you know it’s causing issues throughout your life or causing you physical or mental damage.
• Erratic driving or doing other dangerous exercises under the drug’s influence.
• Investing a decent amount of energy getting the drug, using it, or recovering from its effects.
• Failing in your attempts to quit drug abuse.
• Dealing with withdrawal symptoms when you endeavor to quit taking the drug.

Effects of drug addiction

Drug use can have damaging short term and long term impacts. Methamphetamine, opiates, and cocaine are very addictive for a person, which can cause death due to overdose. Individuals who are dependent on drugs are more likely to get diseases like HIV, either through unprotected sex or by sharing needles. They are also driven towards the idea of committing suicide more often than individuals who aren’t addicted. Moreover, drug addicts spend a lot of money to satiate their thirst for drugs, which leads to debt and legal or unethical behaviors.

Recognizing the early symptoms of drug addiction

It is difficult to be able to come to terms with addiction. So here are a few physical warning signs or early symptoms of drug addiction. If you or someone you know is experiencing these, consider it as an indication that the person is inclining towards substance abuse.

• Bloodshot eyes, pupils larger or smaller than usual
• Changes in appetite or sleep patterns
• Deterioration of physical appearance, personal grooming habits
• Runny nose or sniffling
• Sudden weight loss or weight gain
• Tremors, slurred speech, or impaired coordination
• Unusual odors in breath, body, or clothing
• Appearing fearful, anxious, or paranoid, with no reason
• Lack of motivation; appearing tired or “spaced out”
• Periods of unusual increased energy, nervousness, or instability
• Sudden mood swings, increased irritability, or angry outbursts
• Unexplained change in personality or attitude

If you see these prominent signs in yourself, it is important that you seek help from a holistic coach to overcome the addiction.

The acknowledgment

The most difficult part before getting addiction coaching is acknowledging that you have a problem. Most people find it overwhelming to accept the fact that their leisure activity has turned into a never-ending addiction. But it’s never too late to cut loose of this substance that is trying to take you over. The fight against drugs is never pleasant. It takes a lot of commitment, motivation, and dedication to overcome the obstacles in this journey and keep moving in the right direction. It is a difficult task to restore your lifestyle, get back to your principles, and give-up something that allowed you to forget about your hardships temporarily.

What is holistic coaching?

Holistic coaching focuses on the overall wellness of the person in question and adopts strategic techniques to establish a harmony between mind and body. The coaches use alternative holistic healing such as meditation, yoga, nutritional interventions, Somato Emotional Repatterning (SER), etc. to improve the degrading health of individuals. The coaching sessions will allow individuals to deal with the loneliness through a step-by-step approach that will help them overcome the addiction.

The methods of holistic coaching

Traditional techniques for treating different kinds of addiction act almost like a band-aid on the wound, i.e. they only act as temporary relief. They don’t generally heal an individual. Holistic coaching has a present day approach for starting the recovery process. According to the reports by Academy of Integrative Health and Medicine, holistic methodologies have shown a propensity to successfully allow an individual to recover from drug addiction. Some of the holistic methodologies employed are:-

• One on one coaching – The empty chair technique

This strategy gives a voice to an individual’s feelings and emotions that they may find hard  recognize. By tending to these feelings and issues, they gain a more profound understanding with respect to why they are acting the way they are. This type of coaching can be helpful for individuals who are battling with drug addiction.

• Somato Emotional Repatterning (SER)

Somato Emotional Repatterning is a procedure that utilizes mind-body strategies to endeavor to recognizing uneven patterns in the meridian (or energy stream) system of a person. These characteristics can lead to physical side effects emerging in the individual and can likewise result in unaddressed traumatic or other mental issues, which cause him/her to move to drug abuse.

• Shadow work

Shadow work is a term used to depict a specific reflective, remedial coaching that urges an individual to steer deep inside themselves to disconnect, distinguish, and eliminate with their ‘shadows’ (the negative attributes). It is possible to do your very own shadow work, however one reason that a coach is essential is on the grounds that shadow work requires a level of honesty and brutality with yourself. A decent coach will be able to relate better and provide compassion to calmly control you through this challenging procedure.

• 12 steps programs

The 12 Steps were made by the authors of Alcoholics Anonymous to set up rules for the ideal approach to conquer a dependence on drugs. Despite it relying heavily on spiritualism, several non-religious people reported that they found it to be immensely helpful during their difficult times. Here are the basic 12 steps.

1. Admitting that one is powerless due to drug addiction.

2. Agreement to the fact that a greater Power can help regain sanity.

3. Deciding to combine will power and faith in God to overcome drug addiction.

4. Making a fearless inventory of oneself.

5. Admitted to God who has the correct idea of our wrongs.

6. Being completely prepared to have God remove every one of these imperfections.

7. Modestly requesting that He remove the inadequacies.

8. Making a list of people that have been hurt and getting ready to offer some kind of amends to them all.

9. Making direct amends to such individuals wherever possible.

10. Consistently taking individual inventory and admitting one’s wrongs.

11. Meditating to enhance cognizant contact with God, praying for the information of His will for us and the ability to overcome drug addiction.

12. Having gained spiritual awakening as a result of these means and attempting to convey this message to other drug addicts.

Benefits of holistic coaching

Alternative methods and holistic coaching are gaining popularity. Here’s why:

• The most important factor is that the coaches take the addict and help him overcome the addiction by investing time in understanding the root cause of the problem that led them to drug addiction. They then work on ways to eliminate it and bring back the real self.
• Since it involves eliminating the problem itself in its gradual phases using various methods, and not just the elimination of symptoms, you can be sure that there’s no underlying issue left inside your body or mind anymore.
• The focus is on channeling positive energy in your body and ways to unleash it. The coaches believe that most of the sessions have more to do with how you feel. So they help you relax better to relieve feelings of anxiety to make you feel more positive.
• Holistic approaches are natural and lack any uses of toxic substances. This makes them clean and really fresh, thus making you, too, feel the same.
• In this approach, you will feel important. Your coach will be there to listen to you to guide you better. He/she will invest time in your recovery period. Letting go of the pain and scarring will get far easier when you have someone to talk to. The feelings of shame and regret will only become parts of a temporary phase.
• Another key feature of holistic coaching is that coaches not only focus on your present, but also help you make your future better.

How can we help?

Getting holistic coaching by Certified Addictionologist (C.Ad), Michael Roth, who specializes in the areas of sex addiction recovery is going to prove to be beneficial. Michael is a Certified Sexual Addiction Recovery Coach (SRC); Certified Intimacy Anorexia Coach, and a national Certified – life Coach and recovery coach. His experience in the field has helped multiple clients overcome addiction and regain control over their lives. He has devoted the last thirty years of his life practicing and continually learning new, cutting-edge modalities to help his clients in times of distress and establish the much needed mind/body connection.

Regaining your early life

Once the process is over, you will feel like a newer, fresher person. Your will power is what is going to play a significant role in helping you fight substance abuse. Recognizing the issues that drove you to addiction will be essential in helping you pursue the path to recuperation. When you figure out the real issue that you’ve been ignoring all along because of drug abuse, I can enable you to make a positive change that will significantly help you advance towards beating it.

If you or someone you love is struggling with an addiction, please don’t wait. Help is available! Call my office now at (805) 256-0372. Let’s begin working together to break this vicious cycle of addiction.