VistaTaos

In a recent national survey for drug use and health, Oklahoma is reported to have over 170,000 people years 18 and older that have alcohol addiction problems lasting one year or more.  Alcohol addiction may be harder to define for some, as it is a legal substance.  But there are signs that you or someone you care about is suffering from alcoholism. Hiding alcohol around the home and drinking while alone are two large indicators that someone has a problem. Treatment for drinking problems is just as important as narcotic or other drug treatment.  Both addictions can lead to a dire end.   

Alcoholism often comes with baggage.  A person may drink because of chronic pain or sadness.  Their drinking may lead to missed work and in time, they can withdraw from their family and friends, especially if these people have brought it to their attention that they may have a problem.  They may not feel like themselves unless they have alcohol in their system.  Like narcotics, if taken away, the person may not be able to function.  Detoxification from alcohol is a process taken just as seriously at rehab clinics as detox from heroin.  Alcohol treatment is much like treatment for other drugs; it helps the person to realize that there is a life for them outside of their addiction. 

Alcohol treatment can take many forms.  Some people find comfort in support groups and can break their habits through the help of willpower and support of a sponsor.  Others need specialized help.  Residential alcohol treatment is beneficial to those who need more consistent treatment and counseling services.  Vista Taos Renewal Center has become a haven for those with an alcohol addiction in Oklahoma to seek treatment.  We all know how detrimental it can be to your health when alcohol is abused.  Located in New Mexico; it’s a healing place.  Experience a 12-step based program that helps build you up as a person who can live a better life without relying on alcohol.  When alcoholism is brought on because of a lack of coping mechanisms, the Vista Taos Renewal Center staff will make sure your alcohol treatment helps you move toward a better, brighter future.

According to the story that the Albuquerque Journal reported earlier this month, a drug treatment center that was to house homeless women and their children in two locations was placed on hold because neighbors brought their concerns to the table.  The city commissioner says extra research is in order.  The center was to be in Bernalillo County.  The community has voiced their opinion that they do not want to co-exist with the drug treatment center in the South Valley location.

The project had been called “Renee’s House,” named after a woman who had died of a drug overdose.  It would have offered women and their children a place to stay, 24- hour supervision, drug treatment, alcohol treatment and would have provided valuable job skills and educational training to prepare them to enter the working world after about six to eight months in treatment.  There would have been two locations.  One in South Valley would have been for women on probation.  The women who were not on probation would have been in the Heights. 

The Mountain View Neighborhood Association made a comment that they’re not against services for women who are in need of drug treatment, but “this is not the place for a pilot program. If this was a tried and true program with a proven track record, it might be a different story.” –Patty Grice, President.

However, not all hope is lost; the home in the Heights can still go through with some renovations and be ready to open within the year.

The South Valley location is not only facing problems from neighboring homeowners associations, but also lacks proper public transportation, which would make simple tasks like grocery shopping and finding a job difficult for the women.

Addiction takes many forms.  Users often do not comprehend the hold their habits have on them.  Waves of denial blind addicts, thinking they are in control of the situation, but they are in fact, very wrong.  The steps towards recovery seem difficult or almost impossible for them to reach.  If you or a loved one are battling addiction and are in the Texas area, consider residential drug treatment as the best choice for recovery.

It’s usually only a matter of time before the addiction catches up to the user.  Drug abuse often leads to legal problems.  You don’t have to let it put you behind bars.  As reported by the U.T Center for Social and Behavioral Science:  drug use (specifically heroin and other opioids) is “increasing 61 percent and admissions of persons in their twenties has increased 71 percent between 2005 and 2009.”  These shocking numbers are just reporting about the Dallas metro area.  Texas drug problems are escalating quickly.  Residential drug treatment for Texans struggling with addiction may be the only way to save these young peoples’ lives. 

It is certainly understandable how going through heroin or other Opioid detoxification in jail can be a lot less desirable than if you entered a residential drug treatment program.  Detoxification from heroin or other opioids can be very difficult. Side effects from the drug leaving the body can be painful and it is advised to be under good medical care during the process. Users may experience seizure activity during the detox phase.  Detox can be safe and rather comfortable in the care of a compassionate staff with medical expertise. 

Texas residential drug treatment programs may be available, but none can offer the same healing environment that Vista Taos can, located in beautiful northern New Mexico.  Successful primary treatment, a traditional 30-day program and extended care programs will help users end their addiction and start anew.  Extended care treatment will continue to build upon the knowledge received in primary treatment and further enhance daily living and coping skills.  Ongoing treatment can help by making the stress of returning to your home environment a little less anxiety provoking.  Before your addiction or your loved one’s addiction ends up putting them behind bars, get help quickly.  You don’t have to fight the battle alone.  Vista Taos Renewal Center’s residential drug treatment program is here to help you through the journey.

When substance abuse finally brings a user to drug rehabilitation, many things have to happen in order for treatment to be a success.  One of these things is self-forgiveness.  Until you learn to love and forgive yourself for your mistakes, you cannot move on.  Forgive yourself and allow your mind and spirit to begin the healing process.  Then you can move forward and patch relationships that were damaged by addiction.  Forgiving yourself may also mean giving permission to leave some relationships behind you. 

Just a few short months ago, Houston Texas police interrupted a major drug ring.  Coming from Mexico into Texas and then to pre-determined routes all over the rest of the United States, methamphetamine and cocaine dealers were finding buyers in the state of Texas all too easily.  Because of its location to Mexico, drugs often make their first stop in Texas.  It’s no surprise that the drug problems in Texas are growing at alarming rates.  This drug bust took two tedious years to plan and execute and yielded a graveyard of garbage bags filled with drugs taken off the streets.  However, it’s just a drop in the bucket to stopping the drug rings that provide an ongoing supply to addicts in Texas.  Drug rehabilitation centers have been working hard to develop sincere and successful treatment options for those battling an addiction to drugs.  Drugs, alcohol and the ever-growing prescription drug problem that is taking the country by storm are being looked at by professionals who are determined to present a solution. 

Just a state away, Vista Taos Renewal Center located in Taos, New Mexico, provides drug and alcohol addiction treatment services to those seeking a new start.  If you’re in Texas and are ready to begin the path to forgiveness and recovery, please contact the expert staff at Vista Taos.  Drug addiction does not go away by itself.  It habitually has a very unhappy ending.  Seek treatment at a reputable drug rehabilitation facility.  ‘To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.’ ---Lewis B. Smedes

The SAMHSA, Office of Applied Studies released a national survey map showing drug and alcohol abuse numbers in Texas.  According to the 2006-2007 (most current) survey posted, Texas is reporting that 5.2% - 6.99% of persons aged 12 and older have used illicit drugs within the recent months of the survey.  For binge alcohol drinking, Texas ranks higher at 22.8% - 24.3%.  Because of the recent recession, many Texans are still facing unemployment.  General studies show that alcohol and drug use will increase in times of struggle.  With financial stability being an issue, many find it difficult to enter drug and alcohol treatment centers to receive help.  The cost and lack of payment plans available often drive those who need help away and back into their world of addiction.

Drug and alcohol treatment centers should be willing to work with patients who need help.  Money should be something that can be discussed and comfortable payment arrangements should be a possibility.  It’s important that people know they have options for entering addiction therapy.  Options are the path recovery. 

Where Can You Go?

If you live in Texas, you’re in close proximity to one of the best drug treatment centers, just a short distance away in Taos, New Mexico.  Vista Taos Renewal Center is a short plane ride from the Dallas area, located about 85 miles north of Santa Fe.  Vista Taos uses a variety of educational, therapeutic techniques and holistic approaches to help patients begin their recovery. Patients will receive exceptional service and compassion, as well as a meaningful treatment experience.  Drug and alcohol treatment centers like Vista Taos are helping patients move beyond their addiction and begin a new life.

Having more than 3 million people residing in Oklahoma makes it a populous and exciting place.  The darker side of this state is the drug abuse that is running rampant.  Methamphetamine is taking over many parts of Oklahoma, and the dangers associated with making the drug are following closely behind.  However, there are many drugs making their way to users all over the state.  While some are being overtaken by addiction, many are looking for answers.  Drug rehabilitation in Oklahoma is available, and those who need it most likely know who they are.

There is no easy end to addiction.  It is a fight, a lifelong battle that someone must be willing to wrestle with until their last breath.  Years of sobriety make it easier, and positives changes that come with it lighten the spirits of those who were once weak.  A step away is Vista Taos, a drug rehabilitation center in New Mexico.  They’re ready to create a new way of life for the fallen. 

We often have a mental picture of rehab being a cold, sterile place.  How can you heal in such an environment?  Vista Taos’ renewal clinic is a breath of fresh air.  Bring Oklahoma drug rehabilitation next door.  Away from the uncomfortable environment, the compassionate care from the staff and a peaceful healing process will show you that addiction can be a thing of the past.  Step away from the addictive life you’re living in Oklahoma and find your cure at Vista Taos…a new way to look at drug rehabilitation.

Since 2002, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) has provided data on national and state-level rates of substance abuse, highlighting trends in drug and alcohol use and showing us where states like Oklahoma stand in relation to the rest of the country. If you’re struggling with drug or alcohol abuse in Oklahoma, the NSDUH results show that you aren’t alone.

In fact, rates of dependence on illicit drugs in Oklahoma tend to be the same or higher than the average rate for the United States. These illicit drugs include marijuana, cocaine, heroin, hallucinogens, inhalants, and prescription drugs, and this kind of drug abuse is a real problem in Oklahoma. Darrell Weaver, director of the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, has been quoted as calling prescription drug abuse “the silent cancer in Oklahoma.”

On the other hand, a look at past survey years shows that when it comes to alcohol abuse, Oklahoma has consistently ranked at or below national levels of alcohol abuse among people in all the age groups surveyed. Still, the most recent data estimates that 188,000 residents of Oklahoma who are 18 and over have a problem with alcohol abuse or dependence--certainly not an insignificant number.

If you’re one of the many Oklahomans suffering from a drug or alcohol abuse problem, you don’t need to travel far to receive effective, professional drug rehab services. Vista Taos Renewal Center, located just over the border in New Mexico, strives to provide residents of Oklahoma with easy access to its patient-centered, holistic drug treatment program. Vista Taos’ beautiful New Mexico location distances you from the surroundings you associate with past drug use, while allowing you to remain comfortably close to home, family members, and familiar surroundings.

Cocaine addiction is one of the most difficult addictions to treat--there just aren’t a lot of effective treatment methods or medications available for cocaine addicts. Two groups of researchers recently published a report of their study on cocaine addiction, with an interesting discovery on the biology of why some people become addicted to the drug while others don’t.

The article contains a lot of technical information, but the bottom line is that some people’s brains are more “plastic” than others--they have a flexibility that allows them to adapt to the changes caused by chronic drug use. Chronic cocaine use causes a loss of brain plasticity in all users, but some are able to adapt and recover their plasticity. People who suffer from cocaine addiction aren’t able to do this, which causes their drug-seeking behavior to become compulsive and out of control.

There will always be people who say that cocaine is nonaddictive, and it can be tempting to believe them. However, research like this shows that drugs can affect people quite differently. Even if you know someone who has used cocaine without becoming addicted, that doesn’t mean that it is not an addictive drug. And if you have been addicted to cocaine in the past, you likely have an increased susceptibility to cocaine addiction that means you cannot simply use recreationally without becoming addicted.

If you’re wondering how a horse can help you on your journey to addiction recovery, you aren’t alone. Many people find the concept of equine therapy--in which you work with horses as part of your treatment plan--a little strange at first. More and more drug and alcohol treatment centers are offering equine therapy as part of a comprehensive, holistic rehab program, and their clients are quickly discovering the remarkable benefits of working with horses.

Benefits of Equine Therapy:

• One of the greatest benefits of equine therapy is that you have the opportunity to work closely with a creature who is not judging you. Your horse does not care about your past, only about how you act in the present.
• Taking care of a horse helps you to relearn the importance of responsibility.
• Interacting with your animal is like looking into a mirror--your horse will react immediately and honestly to your behaviors and emotions, teaching you about yourself and how your actions and state of mind affect others.
• Riding and caring for a horse is a positive and soothing activity that can take the place of your former negative activity of drug use.

If you think equine therapy sounds like something that can help you, look for drug and alcohol treatment centers that offer complementary therapies in addition to more traditional addiction treatments.

There are all kinds of factors that influence a person’s susceptibility to drug abuse and addiction. We know, for instance, that there are genetic factors that play a role. Certain genes predispose some people to alcoholism or other addictive behaviors, and many people who struggle with addiction can name several family members with similar problems.

In addition to genes, environment can play a substantial role in determining whether a person develops a substance abuse problem. It seems only logical that being surrounded by drug users will increase a person’s likelihood of developing a substance abuse problem. These two strong influences on addiction development--genetics and environment--also have a surprising influence on each other, as shown by a recent study on peer drug use.

This Washington University study looked at more than 2,000 female twins, comparing information on the women’s own substance use and that of their friends. What the researchers found was that a woman’s genetic tendency to use drugs was linked to her exposure to drug-using friends. In fact, associating with friends who use drugs seemed to increase the genetic influences on substance abuse.

Studies like these point to the importance of a residential drug treatment center like Vista Taos. At Vista Taos, people struggling with addiction have a safe and supportive environment in which to heal and regain control of their life. It is obvious that peer groups have a tremendous influence on our behavior, and a stay at a residential drug treatment center removes the negative influence of drug-using peers. At a residential drug treatment center like Vista Taos, recovering addicts are surrounded by a supportive group of peers who understand the difficulty and importance of the recovery process. Substituting the negative influence of drug-using peers with the positive influence of recovering users can have a hugely beneficial impact on one’s journey of recovery from drug addiction.