Do I have Alcohol Poisoning or a Bad Hang Over

Do I have Alcohol Poisoning or a Bad Hang Over

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After a night of excessive drinking the morning brings with it the unpleasant effects of a hangover. The intensity of the hangover will be directly related to the amount of alcohol consumed, so symptoms can range dramatically from mild to those that mimic alcohol withdrawals. The hangover may last for one day or up to three days, again, depending on various factors such as the amount of liquor consumed, the age, sex, and size of the individual, and whether that person drinks regularly or only over-indulges occasionally.

As you sit there shivering next to the toilet you might wonder Do I have alcohol poisoning or a bad hangover? As horrible as one might feel after a night of heavy intoxication, the hangover pales in comparison to alcohol poisoning. People don’t die from a hangover, but alcohol poisoning takes six lives every single day, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Alcohol poisoning is a serious health emergency that requires immediate medical intervention. A hangover is basically the body punishing the individual for over burdening it with toxins related to excessive alcohol consumption the night before. So, the answer to the question, “Do I have alcohol poisoning or a bad hangover?” is simply, it’s a hangover.

What Is a Hangover?

A hangover is not a life-threatening event, even if it may feel like one while experiencing one. As the body attempts to expel the toxins associated with ethanol the individual will experience several highly unpleasant physical and psychological effects. As the alcohol consumption incrementally increased over a period of several hours the night before, the alcohol level will eventual plummet by the next morning, sending the body into mild withdrawal symptoms that are exacerbated by dehydration.

Hangover symptoms may include:

  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Fatigue
  • Headache
  • Excessive thirst and dry mouth
  • Sensitivity to light and sounds
  • Shakiness
  • Dizziness or a sensation that the room is spinning
  • Muscles aches
  • Irritability
  • Mental confusion
  • Decreased concentration
  • Sleep disturbance
  • Feelings of anxiety

Alcohol overuse can trigger a variety of physiological responses, such as the inflammatory response, dehydration, irritation of the stomach lining, expanding of blood vessels, and a decrease in blood sugar. These responses then cause the physical symptoms experienced in a hangover.

Treatment for a Hangover

Although there is no silver bullet for surviving a hangover, there are some simple steps to take that can aid in mitigating the symptoms somewhat. Drinking lots of water, as well as Gatorade or Pedialyte to help replace electrolytes is said to help. Some people swear by high carbohydrate foods if one can bring themselves to eat, Pepto-Bismol for aiding stomach distress, and ibuprofen for headache and muscle aches. Time is the most effective cure for a hangover.

What is Alcohol Poisoning?

Alcohol poisoning occurs while the individual is still in the process of excessive drinking. Alcohol poisoning is caused by binge drinking, or consuming a large quantity of alcohol in a short period of time. This equates to more toxins than the body can adequately metabolize, overwhelming the liver.

Symptoms of alcohol poisoning may include:

  • Mental confusion or stupor
  • Profuse vomiting
  • Slowed or irregular breathing
  • Low body temperature and chills
  • Decreased blood pressure
  • Increased heart rate
  • Pale skin or blue-tinged fingertips
  • Seizures
  • Unconsciousness

One of the most common causes of death due to alcohol poisoning involves the loss of the gag reflex allowing the person to suffocate on their vomit.

Treatment for Alcohol Poisoning

When someone exhibits some of the symptoms of alcohol poisoning after engaging in binge drinking, it is imperative that they receive immediate medical help. Once they are admitted into the emergency department, the individual will be carefully monitored to assist with breathing and prevent choking. Oxygen therapy is given and I.V. fluids are administered to prevent dehydration, along with glucose and vitamins. In some cases, the individual will have their stomach pumped to evacuate excess alcohol from the system.

Alcohol Use Disorder Treatment

If you have to ask the question—Do I have alcohol poisoning or a bad hangover?—you may have an alcohol use disorder. If that is the case, you may benefit from an inpatient or outpatient alcohol treatment program. These programs can help you examine your drinking behaviors and motivations, and help you make significant changes in those thoughts that trigger addictive behaviors. If there is an underlying emotional issue involved that is driving the alcohol abuse, that can also be identified and processed, helping you to overcome that pain and find healthy methods of managing emotions.

If the alcohol abuse has been longstanding, medical detox will be the first step of the treatment program. During a medical detox, a team of trained detox professionals will supervise your withdrawal symptoms and offer medical interventions to ease the withdrawal symptoms, helping to successfully guide you to the other side of detox.

Once detox is completed, the active treatment phase of recovery begins. During this phase, there will be a multi-pronged treatment approach that offers a comprehensive menu of therapeutic activities to help make constructive behavioral changes. These therapies can be accessed in either an outpatient program, allowing you to reside at home while going through the program, or an inpatient program, which involves a period of living at the treatment center.

Following treatment, ongoing weekly therapy sessions and involvement in a local recovery support group can help sustain recovery long-term.

Capo By the Sea Provides Effective Treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder

Capo By the Sea is an elite addiction treatment program serving Southern California, nestled in a quiet coastal community. Capo By the Sea offers the highest grade of treatment interventions for individuals struggling with alcohol abuse or alcoholism. The tranquil seaside setting provides the perfect setting for healing and therapy, and the luxury amenities cater to every creature comfort. Call our friendly admissions staff to ask “Do I have alcohol poisoning or a bad hangover?” and they will be happy to assist you. For more information about the program, please contact Capo By the Sea today at (888) 529-2114.

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Alcohol Withdrawal Hallucinations and Psychosis

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Even knowing all the serious consequences that accompany alcohol addiction, many alcoholics will persist in their compulsive drinking just to avoid the detox and withdrawal experience. Understandably, alcohol detox is highly unpleasant and can become a serious medical emergency if not managed by a trained team of detox specialists who can quickly intervene. Serious health risks, such as alcohol withdrawal hallucinations, seizures, psychosis, and delirium tremens are possible for individuals with a long history of regular high alcohol consumption, but these complications are difficult to predict.

Detox and withdrawal should not deter someone from pursuing recovery from addiction, as alcoholism is a chronic relapsing disease that, if left untreated and unmanaged, will take one’s life eventually. Instead of avoiding recovery out of fear of detox, locate a sound detox plan that provides a supportive, and supervised environment that will help you safely launch your recovery from alcohol dependence.

Importance of Medically Monitored Alcohol Detox

It is a fact that alcohol detox can present some serious health risks as withdrawal symptoms intensify on days 2-4. In the event of severe alcohol withdrawals, these risks include alcohol withdrawal hallucinations, delusions, psychosis, grand mal seizures, and the delirium tremens (DTs). Unfortunately, some individuals attempt to conquer detox on their own without any medical supervision, which can land them in the emergency department at the local hospital.

The safest route to achieving a successful alcohol detox is through a medical detox program. This can be obtained at a freestanding detox center, but detox alone will not lead to a sustained recovery from the actual addiction, and relapse will swiftly follow. The best scenario is to go through a medical detox within a comprehensive addiction treatment program, so therapy and rehabilitation will immediately follow the detox and withdrawal phase of recovery.

The benefits of undergoing detox under medical supervision are many. The client’s vital signs will be monitored throughout, as heart rate, blood pressure, and respiratory rates can fluctuate dramatically. Highly unpleasant withdrawal symptoms are likely to present themselves and a medical detox team will provide medications to help minimize them. These typical withdrawal symptoms include:

  • Tremors
  • Sweating
  • Fever
  • Nausea
  • Retching
  • Irritability
  • Mood swings
  • Confusion
  • Insomnia

Should withdrawal symptoms become severe, the medical detox team is equipped to respond appropriately.

Severe Alcohol Detox

Alcohol withdrawal symptoms vary from mild to severe according to various factors. These factors include the acuity of the alcohol dependency, length of history of heavy alcohol consumption, age, general health status and whether there are any medical conditions, and if there is a co-occurring mental health disorder. Certain risk factors can alert the medical detox team of potential complications, such as hallucinations or seizures, that arise as the detox proceeds.

Alcoholic Hallucinosis

Alcoholic hallucinosis is a situation than begin at about 24 hours following the last alcoholic drink, persisting for a few days, and causing distress to the individual. During alcoholic hallucinosis, also referred to as alcohol-related psychosis, the client experiences things that are not really there, including auditory, tactile, and visual hallucinations. This is an uncommon event, usually only present with individuals who have a history of many years of consistent heavy drinking.

Delirium Tremens

The most serious alcohol withdrawal symptoms is the delirium tremens, or DTs as it is commonly referred to. The DTs usually appear 2 to 3 days after the last alcoholic beverage is consumed and is difficult to predict. Tremors that may have begun in the hands now progress to the head and the body. The individual will become highly uncoordinated and experience extreme mental confusion along with hallucinations, terrors, and delusions. Sweating becomes profuse, blood pressure spikes and the heart rate dramatically increases.

The DTs occur in about 5% of the individuals undergoing alcohol detox, and if not treated by a medical profession can prove fatal to 15% of those individuals. Complications include over-sedation, cardiac arrhythmias, respiratory arrest, and aspiration pneumonitis. Some risk factors for the DTs include age (middle age or older), history of seizures during alcohol withdrawal in the past, abnormal liver function, a co-existing mental health disorder, or extreme alcohol cravings.

Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS)

In most cases, alcohol detox is completed within 5-7 days. This means that the majority of the pain and discomfort associated with withdrawal have subsided by week’s end. However, some individuals continue to struggle with protracted withdrawal symptoms that can persist for weeks or months. This collection of both physical and psychological symptoms is referred to as post-acute withdrawal syndrome, or PAWS.

Prolonged symptoms are common among alcoholics in recovery, often complicating the recovery process. It is important to have realistic expectations in early recovery, and understand that these symptoms too shall pass in time. PAWS symptoms might include:

  • Intense cravings for alcohol
  • Ongoing tremors
  • Nervous system hyperactivity resulting in sweating, rapid heart rate, and nausea
  • Mood swings
  • Brain chemistry still returning to normal dopamine production
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Sleep disturbance
  • Lack of sexual desire
  • Cognitive impairment

Most clients will not experience all of the PAWS symptoms, but instead may experience a few of them intermittently over the first few months of recovery. Understanding that PAWS is a common after effect of detox and withdrawal will help the individual accept this temporary condition and look forward to feeling increasingly better as recovery progresses.

Capo By the Sea Manages Alcohol Withdrawal Hallucinations

Capo By the Sea is an elite alcohol and drug recovery program serving Southern California. Capo By the Sea employs an extensively trained medical detox team who will monitor and manage severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms should they emerge. These detox professionals provide the highest level of comfort possible and are prepared for any medical emergency that could arise. Following successful completion of the medical detoxification, the client will be introduced to the therapeutic rehabilitation that follows. Capo By the Sea offers upscale accommodations, private rooms, and deluxe amenities in addition to its top tier addiction treatment program. For more information about the program, please contact Capo By the Sea today at (888) 529-2114.

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Do Relationships Get Better after Rehab

Do Relationships Get Better after Rehab

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One of the most tragic outcomes of active addiction is the damage it does to your primary relationships, especially the one with your partner or spouse. Addiction can take a serious toll on a couple, leaving a long trail of broken promises, broken trust, anger, and frustration behind. Whether a relationship can mend following detox and treatment is highly individual, based on whether there is enough good left in the relationship to salvage and nurture back to health. Some relationships will simply not survive addiction, but many will. Do relationships get better after rehab? Why yes, they absolutely can.

Working on Relationship Issues in Rehab

Chances are a marriage or significant other suffered much torment at the hands of one’s addiction to drugs or alcohol. Addiction strains even the strongest of relationships, as the addict’s priorities shift toward nursing their active addiction instead of enriching the relationship. Dysfunction replaces normal relating, and with that dysfunction comes disappointment, resentment, and widespread emotional damage.

While in treatment, the recovering addict will begin to stabilize and think clearly again, allowing for the therapy sessions to provide new insights about what a healthy relationship should look like. In therapy they will acquire the tools to make vast improvements in their relationship post-rehab, including reestablishing trust bonds and making amends for any damage inflicted. Family counseling or couples counseling within the rehab framework of services can help couples practice these new skills. These tools might include:

  • Conflict resolutions skill building
  • Anger management
  • Effective communication skills
  • Cognitive behavioral therapy

Couples Rehab:  Some rehabs offer a couples rehab option for both partners to receive addiction treatment at the same time, in the event both struggle with addiction issues. Couples rehab allows the couple to learn the relating skills that will become the foundation of their new life as a couple in recovery, while providing each other the mutual support that can make a real difference in the recovery outcome.

Rebuilding Relationships After Treatment for Addiction

When the recovering individual re-enters their regular life after rehab it can include a phase of adjustment for both partners. While both parties would like for their relationship to immediately return to what it was before addiction disrupted it, this process of reestablishing the marital bond of trust and intimacy takes time and patience.

It is an excellent idea to include ongoing outpatient couples counseling for at least a few months following rehab, just to help smooth out the predictable bumps in the road as the partners learn to relax and trust again. Finding new ways to socialize that does not involve using drugs or alcohol, sifting out friends that do not support one’s recovery, and placing recovery above all else will help the couple rekindle their relationship.

Damage Done While in Addiction

Addiction involves a lot of secrecy: lying to a partner about drug or alcohol use, lying about where the money went, lying about who they are with and where they are going. This secrecy compounds the problems in a relationship because, without transparency, the sober partner is often managing their feelings of fear, anger, disappointment, and resentment. Trust bonds are broken, and a couple will drift apart.

To overcome this fallout, a couple must be committed to the marriage or partnership, willing to be supportive and patient as recovery stabilizes and the recovering spouse slowly but surely puts their life back together. Many times the recovering spouse, or both spouses in the event both are recovering addicts, have lost their job due to the addiction. Restoring financial stability is a key development in early recovery, helping to foster renewed feelings of self-worth.

Support for One’s Partner After Rehab

There are some specific things that a spouse can do to help support a partner in recovery, or that both can do if the partners are in recovery together. These might include:

  • Be supportive of their efforts to find work. Assisting with updating a resume, brainstorming potential jobs or industries to explore, or helping them practice interviewing can all be helpful to the partner in recovery.
  • Help the partner in recovery develop new healthy habits. Encourage them to establish a regular bedtime and rising time to get back into the routine of a workday. Plan healthy meals and get outside and hike, job, walk, or cycle together.
  • Plan new sober activities with other like-minded couples who will be supportive of socializing without substances. Plan date nights instead of going to the bar scene. Plan short road trips where you can bond again in a positive, stress-free setting.

What Not to Do After Partner Comes Home from Rehab

Do relationships get better after rehab? Well….they can if couples avoid these mistakes:

  • Avoid rehashing every single thing the recovering partner did while in his or her addiction. While it may be tempting to throw these at someone’s face in the heat of an argument, it will only serve to set the couple back. What happened is past and cannot be changed, so focus on the now and remain hopeful for the future instead of constantly reminding them of their failures and bad behaviors during addiction.
  • Do not expect your partner to fail. If you resume the relationship after rehab with an expectation that the recovering spouse will fail, you may just set up a self-fulfilling prophecy as your attitude and negativity will only cause strife. Adding new stress to a relationship can trigger relapse in someone fresh out of rehab.
  • Refusing to trust your partner. While understandable that trust issues will likely taint a relationship for awhile, you must allow them to prove that they can now be trustworthy. Allow yourself to trust your partner again, until he or she gives you reason not to.

Capo By the Sea Offers Couples Rehab Option

Capo By the Sea is an elite inpatient drug and alcohol treatment program in Southern California. Capo By the Sea includes a couples rehab option for couples who both struggle with addiction issues in addition to the individual treatment programming. This leading program emphasizes a comprehensive menu of customized treatment elements that work together for a successful recovery outcome. Do relationships get better after rehab? Indeed they can, as Capo By the Sea incorporates teaching new healthy communication skills, conflict resolutions methods, anger management techniques, and couples counseling to make that happen. For more information about the program and for answers to your question, “Do relationships get better after rehab?”, please contact Capo By the Sea today at 888-529-2114.

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Addiction Free

Become Addiction Free at Capo By the Sea

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At some juncture while in active addiction you might close your eyes and allow yourself to recall an earlier time in life when you felt authentically happy.  In that mental image of the former you joy and peace radiate from your being. Sadly, you may feel you have fallen so far away from that earlier version of you that he or she is no longer representative of your reality.

These wistful feelings are not at all surprising when taking stock of the changes in our lives, especially the negative changes.  We may even grieve for who we once were before addiction grabbed hold, wishing we could rewind the tape and start over. The good news is that it is absolutely possible to reclaim that happier version of yourself and live an addiction free life once again.  There is always hope for a fresh new start, and that hope can indeed become a pleasant reality.

How Addiction Happens

The process by which the brain becomes dependent on a substance is complex.  Each person has unique brain chemistry, genetics, and life history that can all influence the speed and severity of the addiction process.  Generally, however, there is a predictable pattern that occurs involving the brain’s reward system and dopamine production. Addictive substances have the power to remap the brains neuropathways over time, changing the brain’s structure and chemistry.

When someone begins to use drugs or alcohol there is a purpose behind it.  Whether it is to induce relaxation, experience a buzz or euphoria, or relieve physical or emotional pain, these are what originally prompt initial use of a substance.  As the brain adapts to the chemicals that are produced by the substance, trying to retain chemical balance in response to a flood of dopamine for instance, the individual will notice that they need more of the drug or alcohol to continue to get the same effects.  This sets up a vicious cycle where the body demands increasingly higher doses at more frequent intervals, which lead to further disruption in the brain. Eventually chemical dependence can take root, making the individual basically a slave to the substance.

When Do You Need Treatment?

Some may mistakenly assume that treatment should be reserved for the point at which the addict “hits bottom” and is then ready to accept treatment.  While true that most addicts are not anxious to give up their substance of choice until consequences become markedly disruptive in their life, waiting for the individual to hit bottom may actually be too late.  The bottom could be death.

The earlier one disrupts the addiction process with treatment interventions the better.  Of course, there is always hope for recovery no matter how long a history one has with a drug or alcohol addiction.  But the more entrenched the disease, the more difficult it is to extricate oneself from its clutches. For this reason, it is best to get treatment as soon as it becomes obvious that addictive behaviors are developing, including:

  • Increased tolerance
  • Obsessing about the next drink or dose and planning to obtain the substance
  • Secretive behavior, lying about the drug or alcohol use, denying you have a problem
  • Continue to use the substance in spite of mounting negative consequences
  • Trying to quit but unable to

How to Reclaim Who You Really Are

While in treatment, compassionate therapists will help you identify any unresolved emotional issues or traumas that may be fueling the addiction.  Doing this work in therapy, examining one’s life and motivations, is essential in reclaiming yourself in recovery on the journey to becoming addiction free.  During therapy sessions you will likely explore aspects of your life that you want to change for the better, and then set some short and long-term goals for reaching those aspirations.  

Many upscale treatment programs incorporate certain experiential therapies into the treatment plan that can enhance the psychotherapy by sparking new insights.  Activities such as mindfulness meditation, art therapy, journaling, and massage therapy allow the individual to connect deeply with their spiritual self and delve into their hopes, dreams, and passions, seeing themselves as addiction free and happy again.  These activities all work in tandem to help the individual in treatment to gradually rediscover the essence of who they really are—or who they want to become—once the fog of addiction lifts.

Capo By the Sea Is a Premier Addiction Treatment Program in Orange County

Capo By the Sea will partner with you or your loved one in helping them reclaim the person inside who has been hidden and suppressed while in active addiction.  Offering a beautiful and tranquil healing space, the expert therapists at Capo By the Sea will guide you out of destructive addictive behaviors and teach you new ways to think, react, relate, and behave in an addiction free new life of recovery.  For more information about the various treatment elements and wonderful amenities provided at Capo By the Sea, please contact us today at 888-529-2114.

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Luxury Rehab for Men

Luxury Rehab for Men and Women

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When you imagine what a luxury rehab is like most likely thoughts of women enjoying massages, yoga, and spa treatments may pop into your head.  Not so fast!  Luxury rehab for men is a growing niche in this segment of the addiction treatment industry.  Women aren’t the only ones who desire the most enjoyable, relaxing rehab experience possible—men also enjoy such creature comforts.

In the event that both partners in a relationship or marriage are in need of treatment for drug or alcohol addiction, there are luxury rehabs that offer couples rehab.  This allows each partner to receive treatment at the same time, becoming each other’s biggest cheerleader in recovery.  This is the best bet for couples both struggling with addiction, as recovery will be difficult if only one party gets into treatment.  A luxury rehab for men and women is an excellent option for couples.

What Exactly Is a Luxury Rehab?

When you think of rehab you might picture a drab, depressing facility where cafeteria-style food and boring, uninspiring therapists help you pass the time.  Well, that might be an unfortunate reality for some rehabs but thankfully the addiction recovery industry is increasingly responsive to creating a positive, edifying experience for clients getting the help they need.  The luxury treatment program represents the premium level in the rehab hierarchy, with lots of extra amenities and pampering that can make the experience satisfying as well as life-saving.

A luxury rehab offers a myriad of special services and activities in addition to their basic treatment elements.  The things that define the luxury rehab include such amenities as:

Treatment Programs at a Luxury Rehab for Men and Women

Although all the special touches at a luxury treatment center add to the healing experience of recovery, the emphasis should always be on the quality and expertise of the clinical staff.  Many luxury programs employ psychiatrists and masters and doctorate level therapists to provide the essential treatment elements.  Better yet are the rehabs that will customize treatment plans according to the specific needs of each client, including dual diagnosis treatment.

In general, drug and alcohol addiction treatment programs include a variety of therapies and activities that, when combined, create a holistic multi-disciplinary approach to treating the individual.  Using individual psychotherapy sessions, group therapy, family programs, 12-step programming, and an array of experiential activities that will augment the therapy, luxury rehab programs strive to treat all aspects of the individual, not just the diagnosis.

Aftercare Following Rehab

It is a mistake to believe that once the rehab program ends all is fixed and good to go.  Recovery is indeed a lifelong effort that cannot be completed in a month or two.  During the early phase of recovery, the individual is adjusting to utilizing the new tools acquired in rehab, as well as adopting a sober lifestyle.  This is a critical period in recovery and should be planned into the larger recovery picture.

Aftercare, or continuing care, involves ongoing outpatient therapy sessions that act as a tune-up or reinforcement of sobriety, helping the individual avoid relapse.  Aftercare can also include a few months of sober living where a drug and alcohol-free living zone can also provide an excellent transition experience.  Weekly meetings and involvement with a 12-step or non-12 step program can offer social support and peer accountability.  All of these work together to help secure sobriety for a lasting recovery.

Capo By the Sea Offers Luxury Rehab for Men, Women, and Couples

Capo By the Sea is an upscale, beachside rehab that provides treatment for men and women in Dana point, California.  Capo By the Sea offers expert addiction treatment and therapy, as well as being pet-friendly, offering a couples program, yoga, acupuncture, golf, private rooms, and massage therapy.  For more information, please contact Capo By the Sea today at 888-529-2114

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Alcoholic Hepatitis Treatment

Alcoholic Hepatitis Treatment

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Things to Know About Alcoholic Hepatitis Treatment

One of the most serious physical health conditions that can result from long-term excessive alcohol consumption is alcoholic hepatitis.  Alcoholic hepatitis is an inflammatory condition that causes damage to liver cells due to alcoholism. If the condition is caught early, and the patient ceases consuming alcohol, the liver can regenerate enough that the individual can enjoy a good prognosis.  However, if the condition is not discovered until serious liver damage has occurred, a liver transplant may be recommended. Either way, the patient must stop drinking, which will involve alcoholic hepatitis treatment for both the alcohol dependency and replenishing nutritional deficiencies and restoring overall health.

About Alcoholic Hepatitis

About one third of individuals who drink heavily will develop a condition called alcoholic hepatitis, an inflammatory condition of the liver caused by the toxins associated with excess alcohol consumption.  It is unknown why these individuals acquire the condition while the other 65% of heavy drinkers do not, but it may be due to genetics or other liver disorders. If the condition is allowed to progress by continued alcohol abuse, it could lead to cirrhosis of the liver or liver failure.

In addition to the damaged liver, someone with alcoholic hepatitis will likely have nutritional deficiencies and other health issues related to the condition.  To help restore health patients are provided thiamine, folic acid, and vitamin supplements as needed. Patients will be encouraged to eat three healthy meals daily and to drink adequate amounts of water.

Diagnosing Alcoholic Hepatitis

The symptoms of alcoholic hepatitis are generally absent until the condition has progressed significantly.  Symptoms of alcoholic hepatitis may include:

  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Swelling of the abdomen
  • Abdominal pain
  • Dry mouth
  • Fever
  • Change in appetite, weight loss
  • Weakness
  • Mental confusion
  • Jaundice
  • Bruising or bleeding more easily
  • Fatigue
  • Mood changes
  • Fluid retention in upper body

The symptoms of alcoholic hepatitis are shared with a host of other health conditions so diagnosing it will depend on certain specific measures.  After a physical exam where a physician checks to see if the spleen or liver are enlarged, a complete blood count and liver function test will be ordered, as well as an abdominal ultrasound.  If the ultrasound shows an enlarged liver then an abdominal CT scan and/or a liver biopsy will be ordered, depending on the liver function test results. The liver biopsy is used to confirm the diagnosis, as well as to provide details about the liver disease.

Detox and Alcoholic Hepatitis Treatment

When diagnosed with alcoholic hepatitis the individual must cease to consume alcohol.  This change in lifestyle habits will likely require a professional detox and addiction treatment program.  Rehab can help the individual learn how to live a sober lifestyle by teaching coping skills to assist with recovery.

During treatment for alcoholic hepatitis, the individual will first complete the detoxification phase of recovery.  Alcohol detox and withdrawal, especially in someone with a long history of excessive alcohol consumption, can present some risks, so should only be attempted under the supervision of medical personnel.  Detox specialists will provide medical interventions to help reduce the withdrawal symptoms and make the individual as comfortable as possible. Alcohol detox takes about one week to complete.

Addiction treatment involves various treatment elements and therapies that help the individual emotionally overcome the addiction to alcohol.  Individual therapy and group therapy make up the bulk of the treatment, with participation in a 12-step group and classes that teach relapse prevention planning and techniques round out a basic treatment program.  Following completion of the treatment program it is recommended that the individual continue to participate in outpatient counseling as well as a recovery group such as A.A.

Capo By the Sea Offers Luxury Alcoholic Hepatitis Treatment

Capo By the Sea is a premium drug and alcohol addiction program located in sunny Dana Point, California, the perfect place to receive alcoholic hepatitis treatment.  At Capo By the Sea, our team of professionals will guide you through detox and treatment for alcohol dependence, and assist you in restoring your physical health.  Capo By the Sea offers premier accommodations and amenities, evidence-based therapies, and holistic spa services to make your stay as comfortable as it is productive.  For more information about our program, please contact Capo By the Sea at 888-529-2114.

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Opiate Dependency

Opiate Dependency

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Treating Opiate Dependency

No matter how badly someone wants to quit using opiates, getting free from opiate dependence will take much more than willpower alone.  As the drug epidemic in the U.S. continues to ratchet up, addiction programs strive to meet the demand and provide various treatment measures that will offer hope.  

Since 2013 there has been a rapid increase in overdose deaths related to opiates and prescription opioids, with fentanyl presenting the most recent spike in deaths.  In fact, in 2016 alone, a total of 35,000 Americans lost their lives due to opioids, including heroin, fentanyl and prescription analgesics, according to statistics from the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Thankfully, new pharmaceutical interventions continue to enter the addiction recovery landscape, known as medication-assisted treatment.  This involves using certain drugs that help curb intense drug cravings that can lead to relapse as an adjunct treatment measure to psychotherapy and peer-based recovery support groups.  This has been shown to increase the effects of treatment and improve the overall recovery outcome.

What is Opiate Dependence?

Becoming chemically dependent on opiate drugs takes very little time.  It is estimated that a person can become dependent on heroin or prescription painkillers in as little as two weeks.  Addiction sets in quickly as the body becomes dependent on the chemicals the drug produces in the brain and struggles to function normally without the drug, inducing withdrawal symptoms.   Opiates spark the dopamine pathways of the brain, the neurotransmitter that regulates the brain’s reward and pleasure responses.

There are warning signs that someone may be abusing opiates.  As dependence to the drug deepens, serious long-term symptoms emerge.  Symptoms of opiate dependence can possibly include:

  • Slowed breathing
  • Constricted pupils
  • Drowsiness
  • Confusion
  • Constipation
  • Nodding off or losing consciousness
  • Euphoria
  • Social withdrawal
  • Financial problems
  • Doctor shopping
  • Mood swings
  • Compromised immune system
  • Localized abscesses or systemic infection due to injection of drugs
  • Bowel perforation
  • Significant respiratory distress

Treatment for Individuals Chemically Dependent on Opiates

Getting professional help for an opiate addiction at an inpatient treatment program for a minimum of 3 months is the appropriate level of treatment intervention.  Overcoming opiate dependence takes a certain length of time as well as much patience and commitment by the individual.

Treatment for an opiate addiction will involve a combination of therapeutic elements that is defined in a customized treatment plan.  The plan is created based on the history of the addiction, the severity of the addiction, whether there is a co-occurring mental health disorder, the client’s age, and the client’s general health.  Generally, treatment for opiate dependence includes psychotherapy, both individual sessions and group sessions, family therapy, 12-step programming, recovery support involvement, and adjunct therapies such as biofeedback, neurofeedback, mindfulness training, yoga and meditation, and other holistic activities.

New Drugs For Treating Opiate Dependence

Recently, some new medications have come to market that compliment the traditional methods of addiction treatment in what is referred to as medication-assisted treatment, or MAT.  The new drug, Zubsolv, combines buprenorphine and naloxone. Another new drug, Probuphine, is buprenorphine in an implant form, which delivers a constant low-dose of the drug for a six-month period.   In addition, another drug, lofexidine hydrochloride, is the first non-narcotic, therefore non-addictive drug in the MAT family that suppresses the release of adrenaline, which reduces withdrawal symptoms but not drug cravings.

Other drugs that are used in MAT include naltrexone, and opiate receptor antagonist that blocks the effects of opioids.  Naltrexone can help diminish the individual’s desire to use opioids as a result, but cannot reduce drug cravings themselves.

Also, Suboxone, a sublingual narcotic comprised of buprenorphine and naloxone, acts as a partial opioid agonist that can reduce the opioid’s effect.

Capo By the Sea Offers Medication Assisted Treatment for Opiate Dependence

Capo By the Sea is a luxury inpatient treatment program located in the coastal communities of Southern California.  Capo By the Sea specializes in treating opiate dependence and uses MAT as part of the addiction treatment plan when warranted.  Capo By the Sea features a beautiful treatment setting, premium accommodations, as well as highly trained addiction professionals who will design a custom treatment plan for each individual client.  For more information about the program, please contact Capo By the Sea today at 888-529-2114

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What is Dual Diagnosis Treatment

What is Dual Diagnosis Treatment?

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What is Dual Diagnosis Treatment?

Imagine the difficulty of living with not only a substance use disorder, but suffering with a mental health disorder at the same time.  Just one or the other is a difficult cross to bear, but put them together and daily life can be severely impacted.  Increasing numbers of people are being diagnoses with these two concurrent disorders.  Whether that is because the mental health crisis is worsening or that people are being more carefully evaluated when entering a treatment program remains to be seen.  But anyone who is living with these co-occurring disorders should explore dual diagnosis treatment.

About Dual Diagnosis

A dual diagnosis exists when an individual is experiencing both a substance use disorder and a psychiatric disorder.  According to statistics provided by the National Alliance on Mental Health, about 8 million adults in the U.S. have a dual diagnosis.  The symptoms of a dual diagnosis will vary according to the specific combination of disorders involved.  In general, individuals with a diagnosed mental health disorder are about twice as likely to also suffer from a substance use disorder.

It is often unknown which disorder appeared first, the mental health disorder or the substance use disorder.  A dual diagnosis can evolve either way.  For example, an individual suffering from social anxiety may begin abusing marijuana for relief, then acquiring an addiction to it.  Or, the marijuana use disorder became severe enough to cause feelings of paranoia that led to social anxiety.

Symptoms of a dual diagnosis disorder are diverse, depending on which disorders are present.  However, there are some signs and symptoms that an individual is struggling with dual diagnosis, such as:

  • Erratic behaviors, impulsivity, high risk behaviors
  • Cognitive impairments
  • Declining performance at work or school
  • Neglecting hygiene
  • Inability to maintain healthy relationships
  • Sudden personality changes
  • Difficulty managing responsibilities and daily obligations
  • Avoidance of social events, isolating behaviors
  • Financial chaos and mismanagement
  • Obsession with suicide and death
  • Mounting legal problems
  • Extreme mood swings
  • Non-compliant with treatment

What is Dual Diagnosis Treatment?

You may wonder what is dual diagnosis treatment exactly?  How is this type of treatment different from standard addiction treatment?  Treating dual diagnosis is a specialty niche within the addiction treatment space.  This is because dual diagnosis is complex, requiring psychiatrists on staff who actively help shape the treatment plan alongside the addiction specialists and clinical staff.  An integrated approach is the most effective way to treat dual diagnosis, meaning that both disorders are treated simultaneously, versus one after the other.  A deep understanding of pharmacotherapy and psychiatric disorders is intrinsic in effectively treating dual diagnosis.

When asking what is dual diagnosis treatment you may receive various descriptions of it.  Generally, however, dual diagnosis treatment involves psychotherapy, group therapy, medication management of psychotropic drugs for the mental health disorder, and various adjunct therapies such as biofeedback, mindfulness exercises, yoga, guided meditation, and exercise programs.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an essential treatment element for dual diagnosis.  Using CBT a therapist can guide the individual toward discovering new ways to think and behave.  Using an immersive style of therapy, CBT involves continuous homework where new sober habits and more rational thought patterns can be practiced and learned until they become reflexive.  CBT teaches the individual the difference between perceived reality and reality, with regard to how they think people view them, and their responses to that eventually become based on reality.

Common Dual Diagnosis Combinations

There are certain combinations of the two disorders that are more prevalent.  These common dual diagnoses include:

  • Marijuana use disorder and social anxiety disorder
  • Alcohol use disorder and depression
  • Benzodiazepine use disorder and anxiety disorder
  • Alcohol use disorder and PTSD
  • Opioid use disorder and PTSD
  • Cocaine use disorder and anxiety disorders
  • Heroin use disorder and depression

 Dual Diagnosis Patients High Risk

Since the co-occurring disorders tend to exacerbate each other’s usual symptoms the results can be very serious.  When a substance use disorder becomes severe in a person with depression it can have very dire consequences.  In fact, the suicide rate among alcoholics is extremely high, and major depression is often a co-occurring disorder.  The disorders can enhance the negative aspects to a more serious degree when they coexist.

Capo By the Sea Premier Integrated Dual Diagnosis Provider

Capo By the Sea is a leading inpatient dual diagnosis provider located in beautiful Dana Point, California.  This luxury treatment center specialized in treating the dual diagnosis client, with extensively skilled doctors working alongside addiction specialists.  For more questions about what is dual diagnosis treatment, please contact Capo By the Sea today at 888-529-2114

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Rehab Private Rooms

Rehab Private Rooms

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The Benefits of Rehab With Private Rooms

Most people who are ready to seek help for a drug or alcohol addiction are in a pretty bad way.  At this point, amid a mountain of negative consequences that resulted from the substance use disorder, the person is probably not feeling social….at all.  If anything, the idea of spending a month or more with a bunch of strangers at rehab can be intimidating.

When deciding which treatment program is the best fit for not only your treatment needs but also your state of mind, it is important to consider the accommodations offered by rehabs.  For many people entering treatment, selecting a rehab with private rooms can offers a comforting respite from the activities that will surround them during their stay.

Why Choose a Rehab Private Rooms?

Going through treatment for a drug or alcohol addiction requires dedication, energy, and focus.  A luxury rehab that offers private rooms allows the individual going through the demanding process of early recovery a much-appreciated space of privacy and peace.  Like a little oasis, a private room can provide solace and quiet time to reflect, mediate, pray, or just rest.

Some people are simply not social types, or may even struggle with social anxiety.  For this reason a private room can actually motivate them to go to rehab in the first place, just knowing they will have a place to retreat when needed.  Privacy is very important to people who aren’t “roommate types,” so the private room option can be the ideal answer to the search for getting treatment while also maintaining some sense of privacy.

Advantages of Rehabs that Offer Private Rooms

In most cases, a private rehab that offers high-end accommodations, including private bedrooms, will also provide many other special services.  These luxury centers usually provide a smaller treatment venue, offering an intimate environment versus a large-scale rehab. This allows for a more focused and customized treatment plan that is individualized for the client’s particular needs.

In recent years, some luxury rehabs are now pet-friendly, so imagine how nice it would be to have your beloved dog or cat right there in the private room with you during rehab.  Rehabs with private rooms feel more like a home versus that of a facility, so a pet-friendly one only augments that feeling.

Luxury Addiction Treatment Amenities

Along with the private rooms there will likely be many other premium amenities provided at a luxury rehab center.  There may be a private gourmet chef who creates meals from organic, clean, locally sourced foods. Because of the intimate rehab client-to-addiction specialist ratio, this can also translate to meals that are fully adapted to specific dietary requests, such as gluten-free, vegetarian, or Paleo diets.

In addition, luxury treatment centers offer highly desirable geographic settings, such as beach communities, mountain resorts, or lakeside retreats.  Being in such beautiful surroundings can significantly enhance the treatment experience. Taking advantage of the natural beauty, these luxury rehabs offer resort-like outdoor retreats with beautiful views, grounds, pools and spas that are conducive to promoting the healing process and feeding the soul.

Spa-type services are also a standard benefit of a luxury rehab private rooms.  In addition to the private rooms, a menu of holistic and experiential treatments and activities can elevate the therapeutic effects of rehab.  These activities may include sauna, massage therapy, mindfulness exercises, guided meditation, yoga, music therapy, art therapy, and even acupuncture.

Capo By the Sea Luxury Drug and Alcohol Rehab Private Rooms

Capo By the Sea is a luxury treatment center located in the beautiful beachside community of San Juan Capistrano, California.  This premier treatment center is CARF certified, meaning it adheres to the industry standards dictated by a global commission to certify that addiction treatment facilities offer the highest quality.  Capo By the Sea provides resort level accommodations and amenities, including private rooms, holistic therapies, and recreational golf and beach activities. More importantly, the compassionate, expert clinical staff will guide you or a loved one toward a new healthy, sober life.  For more information, please contact Capo By the Sea today at 888-529-2114

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Executive Rehab Centers

Executive Rehab Centers

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Executive Rehab Centers for Drug and Alcohol Addiction

Even though someone may be quite successful in his or her business or career does not necessarily mean these professionals are exempt from developing a substance use disorder.  When it becomes apparent that a drug or alcohol problem has taken hold, one glance at the crazy work schedule can keep many from even considering getting help. The loss of a month’s productivity while in rehab is just not feasible for many high level executives.

In response to this need, some addiction treatment centers have developed a specialty niche in the industry, one that caters to the busy professional who can only enter treatment if the tools needed to continue engaging at work are provided.  While the individual may have to drastically modify their work schedule to accommodate detox and treatment, they will have the ability to stay connected at work to some degree at the executive rehab centers.

Signs and Symptoms of a Substance Use Disorder

No one sets out to become addicted to a substance.  Chemical dependency on drugs or alcohol sneaks up on a person, no matter how successful one might be.  What might have started as a way to decompress from the demands of work can lead to increased tolerance for the substance, resulting in pouring those extra drinks or taking one more Ativan than prescribed.  There are classic symptoms that indicate a substance use disorder has developed. If you recognize having some of these symptoms it is best to seek out help at an executive rehab center. The symptoms might include:

  • Try to cut down or quit and can’t
  • Continue to use the substance even with mounting negative consequences
  • Loses interest in activities once enjoyed
  • Begins to isolate from friends and family
  • Obsessed about obtaining and using more of the substance
  • Engaging in risky behaviors
  • Becomes secretive
  • In denial about having a substance use disorder
  • Withdrawal symptoms begin when you try to quit

Inpatient Executive Programs

If it is becoming clear that a substance use disorder is present, the next step is to locate an executive treatment program that will be able to provide essential work accommodations. Executive rehab centers for drug and alcohol addiction will offer office space and technology needed for conducting business while in treatment.  After the initial interview and evaluation, a medical detox will begin. Detox and withdrawal will be monitored by a detox team that manages the withdrawal symptoms as the body rids itself of the toxins associated with the substance. The detox phase usually takes 5-7 days to complete.

After detox, the treatment phase of recovery begins.  The executive treatment programs will allow time each day to conduct any business related activities, but outside of that the days will revolve around therapeutic activities.  Individual psychotherapy sessions and group therapy, using cognitive behavioral therapy, can help teach the executive new ways of responding to stress instead of reaching for a substance.  

Most programs will offer exercise activities or gyms, as well as spa-like amenities such as massage therapy, yoga, infrared sauna, guided meditation, and other experiential therapies.  In addition, many executive treatment programs offer high-end resort like accommodations that are in line with the lifestyle they are accustomed to.

Aftercare for the Executive in Recovery

Following the completion of the executive rehab program, continuing care is an essential component of a successful recovery.  This entails ongoing counseling in an outpatient setting where one can receive continued emotional support and guidance in early recovery.  Relapse is a real threat in the first few weeks following treatment, so active participation in a recovery community such as A.A., N.A., or SMART Recovery can offer peer support and fellowship.

Sober living is another good aftercare option.  A few months in sober living can help the newly sober executive become more secure in sobriety within a living environment that is free from drugs and alcohol.  Sober living also offers the social support that helps reinforce a new sober lifestyle.

Capo By the Sea Offers Executive Rehab Centers for Drug and Alcohol Addiction

Capo By the Sea is an inpatient rehab located in a beautiful Southern California coastal locale.  Our executive rehab center offers private rooms with luxury accommodations. Enjoy rounds of golf at three exclusive local golf courses, enjoy massage, food prepared by a professional chef, and an intimate staff-to-patient ratio that ensures the highest level of care.  For more information about our executive rehab program, call Capo By the Sea today at 888-529-2114

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