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If you’re thinking about seeking help for abuse or addiction, you may be wondering if you’ll have to participate in group therapy in a rehabilitation center. What’s it like? Will you be forced to reveal your innermost personal feelings? Can you do it?

Group Is Just a Group

Treatment professionals advocate the use of group therapy as a valuable modality in addiction treatment.  If that seems scary, consider this: Whenever two or more people sit and talk about common goals or problems and they realize that they share commonalities, they become a group. It is this emotional attachment that forms the basis for a therapeutic group. If you’re in a rehabilitation center, you may feel relieved to know that participating in group therapy simply means you will be sitting down with a bunch of people who have problems and struggles very similar to yours.

That being said, however, it’s important to know that there are different types of groups, organized by the clinical professionals who want to make your treatment experience a success.  Most rehab centers offer the following five types of groups:

Support Groups.  People in a support group listen to one another’s stories, critique their behavior, and offer ideas for change. If you offer some half-baked excuses as reasons for your abuse, the other people in the group will likely call you out for it—they keep each other honest.

Psycho-educational Group. This type of group provides education about substance abuse. For example, you could learn about specific substances that are abused, or you could learn about the chemical changes in your brain when you use. These groups provide nuts-and-bolts understanding of what happens to you from the substances you’re ingesting.

Skills Development Group. Here you will learn about triggers, the things that make you want to use. If you give a smoker a cup of coffee, for example, he will want to light up a cigarette. The coffee is the trigger. You cannot achieve recovery if you do not understand the things that make you want to use such harmful substances.

Cognitive Behavioral Groups.  These types of groups offer support for behavior modification. What patterns of thinking have been destructive for you? How can you change them?

Therapy Groups. This is the type of group that you’re worried about the most:  The groups where you’ll end up baring your soul for everyone else to see.  They serve as a valuable tool for helping people to recognize the problems in their lives and in their relationships that led them to use. Rest assured that these types of groups take place in rehabilitation centers only when they are run by licensed, degreed, certified professionals who know the road they’re taking you down. You can also talk about these very personal issues in individual one-on-one sessions between you and your counselor.

All Groups Serve a Purpose

You can’t just pick one type of group and avoid the others. You must experience all these types of discussion in order to recognize effective ways to reach recovery.  Nobody walks into a rehabilitation center on Day One and knows how to integrate himself into a group, however. Helping you to find your role and purpose in group will be the job of your alcohol or drug counselor. You can lean on him or her in order to learn the ropes.

In another posting, we’ll be talking about specific behaviors that are common in therapy groups—the rules of group as well as common group behaviors that you will recognize as you move forward.

When she collapsed and was hospitalized on January 23rd, 2012, the first reports of Demi Moore’s health indicated that the actress suffered from exhaustion. As the weeks went by, though, it became clear that Moore, 49, suffered from drug abuse and an eating disorder.

Moore sought help for both at a residential treatment center. She checked in to the center two weeks after being hospitalized.

At the January 23rd party that led to her hospitalization, Moore overindulged in nitrous oxide, also known by the street name: whip-its. She also reportedly smoked a substance similar to incense. Party attendees called 911, and Moore was immediately hospitalized.

Since late 2011, the actress has become more emaciated as well; she has battled an eating disorder since she announced her plans to divorce her unfaithful husband, Ashton Kutcher, in November 2011. The couple had been married six years and when Moore discovered Kutcher’s unfaithful behavior, she announced, "[T]here are certain values and vows that I hold sacred."  

As Moore now struggles to regain her footing in life, the residential treatment center will hopefully help her battle the addiction to drugs and her eating disorder.

Residential treatment centers work with individuals to identify underlying causes to addiction and to disorders. Treatment for the underlying causes coupled with detox and therapy can all help people suffering from many forms of addiction overcome the holds of drugs, alcohol, prescription medications and other addictions. Vista Taos Renewal Center is a residential treatment program located in Taos, New Mexico; it’s just 85 miles north of Santa Fe. Catering to many in need from big cities like Dallas, Austin, Denver, Albuquerque and more, their inpatient treatment program can bring hope and change to those who have lost themselves within addiction. Please seek help today; don’t let addiction ruin your life.

Tragically, a man driving drunk killed his entire family on Wednesday, November 9, in Valencia County, New Mexico. Possibly, and more tragically, the father will not release the remains of the children to their grandmother for burial.

James Woolbert was driving drunk with the mother and the two children as passengers on Wednesday when he crashed the car in Meadowlake. The children were not in the car seats, and they were thrown from the vehicle. They were 2 years old and 4 years old. The mother, Dawn, also suffered fatal injuries.  

The children’s grandmother, Pauline Jaramillo, has requested the remains of the children be released to her for burial, but Woolbert has been uncooperative with her request. Jaramillo, who helped raise the children, is heart stricken and has sought the assistance of a lawyer in the matter.

To complicate matters, Woolbert is currently recovering from his own injuries at the University of New Mexico Hospital. As soon as he has recovered, he will be arrested and await trial. The matter of the releasing the remains may be drawn out even more for these reasons.

Sadly, this tragedy may end in more tragedy, with the burial delayed and the father sentenced to prison. On a positive note, Woolbert may receive the alcohol rehabilitation he needs to prevent future lives from being lost.

While alcohol rehabilitation often takes place in rehabilitation centers like Vista Taos Renewal Center in New Mexico, Woolbert may receive his treatment while in prison. Jail is never the ideal environment for detoxification from drugs or alcohol, as the reoccurrence rate is high. Before you or someone you love is behind bars, get to an alcohol addiction center and seek proper treatment, outside of prison walls.

Not one, but three healthy young adults experienced heart attacks in the Dallas Texas area after smoking the synthetic marijuana: K2/Spice. Doctors are curious if there was something particularly dangerous in that specific batch, though all synthetic drugs are showing a high rate of illnesses associated with using them. These drugs are legal to purchase, but the FDA has been working hard to stop the production of these cannaboids. It seems as soon as one is outlawed, the makers manufacture another one to take its place.

Emergency rooms all over the United States have been reporting side-effects from these products, including nausea, convulsions, elevated blood pressure and many more. Now they can add heart attacks to the already long list of health issues associated with synthetic marijuana. Thankfully, the three young men who suffered the heart attacks in the Dallas area are healthy, and are lucky the heart attack didn’t bring about any other problems; they’ve all made a full recovery.

Doctors are warning people to stay away from these drugs and if needed, seek help for addiction at a drug treatment center. Spice and K2 may seem appealing because they are able to be obtained easily, cheaply and won’t show up on common drug screening tests, but the side-effects are not worth the risk. Though no reports link K2 to deaths in Texas, there have been reports in other parts of the country, such as Iowa.

Vista Taos Treatment Center is located in New Mexico, and able to assist those in the Dallas Texas community who need help with substance abuse. Let these stories be a warning to you; addiction does not end well for those who do not hurry and get on the right path to wellness. Please let Vista Taos show you the path to sobriety.

Prescription drug abuse is on the rise in seniors and disabled beneficiaries who use the Medicare program. It was recently reported that this abuse cost the program nearly $150 million in 2008. In the report, it shows that some patients went to at least five doctors in order to receive multiple prescriptions for drugs that are often misused or abused. These are drugs on the FDA “Controlled Substances” list. They are prescription drugs like: Oxycontin, Vicodin, Percocet, Xanax and Valium.

About 170,000 individuals enrolled in the Medicare Part D prescription program were found to be “doctor shopping” for drugs ranging from oxycodone to hydrocodone. That means that approximately 1.8 percent of the total 43 million Medicare patients had these prescriptions. The study was started in 2010, using the data obtained in 2008.

One shocking example shows a patient who received prescriptions from 87 different doctors in a single year. That means some patients have gone to great lengths to have the government feed their drug addiction and need for these medications. Not only are these patients taking advantage of the system, but they are also fueling an addiction to medications that will ultimately land them in trouble.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have also been receiving many complaints lately regarding this type of drug abuse. When CMS receives these complaints, they then notify doctors about patients who could be abusing prescription drugs in order to stop abuse on their end. Prescription drug abuse is very dangerous and many people believe just because a doctor writes a prescription that it makes it okay to for them to ingest. This is far from the case and can lead to deadly consequences.

If you or a loved one needs help with prescription drug abuse, please contact Vista Taos Renewal Center today. They are a holistic drug abuse treatment center located 85 miles north of Santa Fe in New Mexico that can help anyone and everyone get their life back on track. Now is the time to get help and live a better life.

Many health and drug agencies in the United States are doing their best to warn people about the dangers of prescription drug abuse. Vicodin addiction, in particular, has almost tripled since 2001.  Reported police seizures of hydrocodone pills are coming in second to the amount being confiscated containing OxyContin.  According to a study by the National Institutes of Health, 8% of surveyed 18 year olds still attending high schools have abused Vicodin within the past year.

Many people who suffer from Vicodin addiction do not know the specific risks involved with the drug. They may realize that too much of the drug can cause a fatal overdose, as 910 people in the state of Florida in the past year died because of a narcotic overdose. But they may not be aware of the other risks. Vicodin, when used for its stated and prescribed purpose, is a safe and effective way to treat moderate pain. It’s widely used to treat people who have suffered broken bones or had surgery. It is a blended drug, meaning that hydrocodone is not the only ingredient in pill. It contains a moderate level of acetaminophen. Many people know acetaminophen by its brand name: Tylenol. When these two drugs are combined together, they make the pain pill more effective at doing its job. The problem is: acetaminophen can be risky with long-term use.

Stopping Vicodin addiction as soon as possible means you can give your body a chance to heal. Vista Taos Renewal Center is a drug treatment facility located in Taos, New Mexico. Staffed with experts in the field of substance abuse, they can work with you to break the cycle of addiction. Years of Vicodin addiction can cause severe damage to your liver. There will become a point where the damage is beyond repair. Your body deserves better than to suffer degeneration because of Vicodin addiction. Please let Vista Taos educate you more about narcotic substance abuse and get you on the road to recovery. Visit www.VistaTaos.com to learn more.

Most people know Cory Monteith as one of the stars of the hit TV show Glee, which is based on a group of eccentric teenagers who are inspired by song and taking Glee club to the top. On the show, Cory plays a football player with a heart of putty who all the girls adore and fight over throughout the season.  But Cory’s real life experiences during his teenage years don’t quite compare to the role he portrays on TV.

Cory recently opened up to the media about his own past struggles with alcoholism and drug addiction. Why did he feel the need to open up about his past now? Cory felt it was important for him to voice his own story and show that, even though he had his own struggles with addiction, he was still able to overcome it with drug abuse therapy and a commitment to a healthy life.

Cory explained in recent interviews that he would often cut class in order to go get high on marijuana or drink alcohol. He even admitted to dropping out of school at the age of 16, after being admitted to various different schools for troubled teens. At this time, Cory was spiraling out of control and his friends and family were frightened for his life. It was at the age of 19 that his family held an intervention in order to get him into drug abuse therapy.

Even though he went to rehab, Cory reluctantly fell back into his old ways. He ended up stealing a significant amount of money from a family member before he was given a choice: get help and get sober, or charges would be pressed on grounds of theft. Cory finally decided it was time for a permanent change for the better and decided to get help.

After moving to a small town to live with a family friend, he quit using drugs and focused on working hard at something instead of continuing to throw his life away. Now Cory lives an alcohol and drug-free life and could not be happier with how his life has turned out. If you or a loved one is suffering from an addiction, don’t hesitate to help get them the drug abuse therapy they need. At New Mexico’s highly-rated and exceptional drug rehab center, Vista Taos, patients are able to work through the struggles of addiction and learn how to live a healthy drug-free life.

Of the many vast treatment programs there are for problems regarding addictions, the one tried and true program that still makes the most significant impact is the Twelve Steps Recovery Program. The program’s best selling point is that it ultimately states that the program works as long as YOU work it. A lot of people believe that if they get treatment, then their problem will just go away and they will be all “better”. Unfortunately, this is usually never the case as addiction is a lifelong battle.

With the help of the Twelve Step Program and assistance from an inpatient drug treatment, a person can turn their life around for the better and learn how they can be successful in their fight against substance abuse. The Twelve Steps, first published in 1939, focuses on the constant working of the program’s steps with someone who is going through the same process too. This helps build a support system and veers people away from relapsing and going down another rocky path in life.

The Twelve Steps are designed to provide personal discovery and reflect on your past choices. With reflection and support from others going through the same struggle, individuals are able to make connections and realize they are not in this addiction fight alone. Vista Taos’ inpatient drug treatment program is designed not only to work the Twelve Step Program, but also provide the best possible care to re-enter the world a positive, enlightened and healthy individual.

If you or a loved one is suffering from an addiction, don’t hesitate to reach out and get the help you deserve and need. Vista Taos Renewal Center, located the peaceful village of Taos, just  north of Santa Fe, New Mexico provides the serenity needed to become a better you and to make smarter, healthier life choices.

Jeff Gilbert was conducting research for his doctorate in psychology when he discovered an interest in helping United States veterans with drug and alcohol addiction. He founded U.S. VETCare, part of a nonprofit service that helps people deal with substance abuse and mental health disorders.

One residence exists for veterans currently, with another one being renovated. Once accepted to the VETCare program, veterans must work together in the household. They undergo drug and alcohol screenings and must complete general chores. So far, the organization has helped 24 men. They must also complete 5 counseling sessions a week as part of their required drug treatment regimen.

For those who need drug treatment in the New Mexico, Texas or Oklahoma areas, Vista Taos Drug Treatment Center in Taos, New Mexico provides compassionate staff and proven inpatient drug treatment techniques to help people work through any sort of substance abuse. They are also equipped to handle behavioral addictions and other “non-drug related” problems such as co-dependency.

Call today on your behalf, or on behalf of a loved one to learn how their expert medical staff combine successful drug treatment practices with “combined therapies” like massage and acupuncture. Many of the successful drug rehabilitation facilities emphasize the importance of inpatient and 12-step treatment programs and Vista Taos believes in these practices. They also have a strong belief in holistic, secondary treatments to aid the patient in the stages of detox or to just bring about a better sense of well-being through the entire inpatient drug treatment program. Sobriety is a lifelong process that a person never stops working on, get a solid foundation to a lifetime of wellness at Vista Taos Renewal Center in Taos, New Mexico.

With acceptance and legality of medical marijuana on the rise, use among mainstream society is increasing. Because it is deemed for “medical” use, many believe that it is healthy and safe for their bodies. Unfortunately, the risks associated with medical marijuana are very real, and have been largely undisclosed as the prominence of use has dramatically increased. Because of the lack of public education regarding use of these substances, instance of drug rehabilitation due to marijuana addiction will likely increase in the near future. Already, episodes of emergency hospital care related to marijuana abuse more than tripled between 1993-2000, even before the recent burst of popularity among the mainstream public.

The financial market related to medical marijuana is booming, even in the currently weak economy. With only 15 states providing medical marijuana services, the market is estimated at $1.7 billion, expected to increase to $8.9 billion by 2016. This is estimated based on the assumption that another 20 states will legalize medical marijuana, which is the expected course of action.

While financially, medical marijuana seems like a promising venture, little attention is paid to the health risk factors associated with continued use. Short-term effects include memory loss, distorted perception, trouble with thinking and problem solving, loss of motor skills, decrease in muscle strength, increased heart rate, and anxiety. In addition, it was found that occasional users had lower white blood cell counts, averaged at 39% lower, than non-users. Considering that many use medical marijuana as symptomatic treatment for cancer, the benefits seem debatable.

The common popularity of medical marijuana seems a danger, especially to the adolescent and young adult market. More teens seek treatment through drug rehabilitation centers for marijuana than any other drug. Teen admissions for marijuana rose from 43% to 60% between 1994-1999. Because marijuana is a gateway drug, it can be assumed that many seeking treatment for other drugs also have or have had issues with marijuana abuse.

Addiction to marijuana led more than 200,000 adults to seek treatment in a drug rehabilitation center in 1999. This will continue to increase as it becomes more available to the public. Contact Vista Taos Renewal Center, located in serene Taos, New Mexico, today to learn about treatment programs available to assist those with addiction to marijuana.