Showing posts with label alcohol rehab. Show all posts
Showing posts with label alcohol rehab. Show all posts

Monday, 3 October 2016

MARIJUANA

“It is only a herb” “It is all natural”” It is not addictive” “ It is being legalized across the world now” “Even Lord Shiva is said to have used it always” These are some of the justifications I hear from people who use or are addicted to using the products of the innocuous plant Cannabis also called, pot ,hash weed, marijuana etc. “I have an emotional connect with pot , Charlie(cocaine) I can do without, but not pot“ said one of our clients . This clearly indicates how it had him in its grip .People who wish to justify its use like to compare its effects with the harmful effects of alcohol and other drugs.The effects of  marijuana are multifarious . It is a psychoactive drug, currently illegal in India .It is seen that a lot of teens from the age of even as low as 13 start using them, many well into their adulthood . Weed is said to be a gateway drug to other drugs as it is seen to  enhance the  effects of some of the other drugs especially opioids . Using one drug also enhances the curiosity and willingness to try other drugs.
Methods of consumption – as rolled up joints , in blunts ( in emptied cigars) , dabbing (Pure THC in wax form called budded, dab where it is placed on a cool and heated by a butane lighter and inhale the fumes).The effects of marijuana are more psychological than physical.Out of the over 400 chemicals in weed the most potent is delta-9 THC. Which is psychoactive . More the content of THC as in skunk, the more the damage and addictive potential. In teens whose brains are still being developed weed usage causes impairment in recall, listing things, short term memory, long term cognitive impairment. One in 6 people who try weed get addicted to it. Possibilities of addiction to it are higher when usage is begun in the teen adolescent years. It is also seen to reduce the IQ by an average of 8 points when used in adolescence.We had a client who smoked so many joints a day that he had stopped going to college, had lost all interest in anything , including personal hygiene, upkeep, was apathetic to his surroundings and and severe mood swings as a consequence.Immediately after use it increases the heart rate . Some people experience a sense of calm . however, depending on the extent of use and strength of weed some users experience anxiety, fear, distrust, or panic.In initial stages of limited usage it reduces anxiety . As duration and extent of usage increases it creates anxiety, it causes paranoia, at times hyper acuity of sounds which can be mistaken for auditory hallucinations, hallucinations etc. The effect of marijuana usually lasts from 1-3 hours . if consumed in the form of cookies its effects last for several more hours. THC can be detected in the urine for even 6 weeks after stoppage of ue.Short term memory is affected. There is an apathy that develops to everything .Amotivational syndrome surfaces wherein the person loses motivation to do anything constructive . This usually happens when weed is smoked in a substantial quantity for a substantial duration of time.Cannabis psychosis -heavy use of cannabis over a long period of time can result in psychoses.Driving after using cannabis has been seen to  cause more fatal car crashes than alcohol as it impairs judgment, motor coordination and reaction time .
On discontinuing weed there can be withdrawals –  Common symptoms include:
Anxiety,Depression ,Changes in mood, Irritability, Stomach pains, Loss of appetite, Nausea,Headaches, Sweating, Chills, Cravings,Restlessness

Treatment involves Counseling , behavioral therapy and with us at AH meditation too that enables one to develop interest in and grow a life that is enjoyable and fun away from the substance

Tuesday, 30 June 2015

CRYSTAL METH

Ice, glass, speed, hot ice, quartz, blade,cristy, batu crank,chalk… heard of these names ? they are all street names for Methamphetamine/ crystal meth .
Methamphetamine  is an old drug which has come back with a bang with easier methods of manufacture.

History
It was first manufactured in Germany in 1888. During the second world war it was discovered that the crystalline from was water soluble to make it injectable. it was given to soldiers on both sides of the war to stay awake ad focused. Large quantities were given by the Japanese to their Kamikaze soldiers before their suicide bombing missions. In the 1950s it was used to treat depression and as an aid to dieting as it kills the appetite ; students began using it to focus on studies and by the 1960s easy availability of the injectable form then made the abuse more rampant and has reached alarming proportions globally. in 1970 US declared it an illegal substance. in the 1990s the Mexican mafia established huge meth labs in California then spread to Europe and across the world.

In India crystal meth has entered the drug scene since 2years and addictions to it has increased by leaps and bounds.In Asia it is now produced mainly in Thailand, China and Myanmar.

Crystal methamphetamine is methamphetamine in a crystalline form . It is consumed orally , or as an injectable drug or chased.

It is highly addictive in nature probably from the very first use  and has become a cheap substitute to cocaine.
Long term use and addictive use results in several changes physically and psychologically.
Physically
Acute effects
It gives a rush a strong sense of happiness euphoria  confidence hyperactivity and energy. The effects last for 6-8 hours Upto 24hours
The physical effects of methamphetamine can include loss of appetite, hyperactivity, dilated pupils, excessive sweating, restlessness, dry mouth and teeth grinding (leading to "meth mouth"), headache, irregular heartbeat, rapid breathing, high blood pressure, low blood pressure, high body temperature, diarrhea, constipation, blurred vision, dizziness, twitching, numbness, tremors, dry skin, acne, and pale appearance.
Chronic physical effects
Premature aging , wrinkles, skin ulcers, tooth and gum decay ,  alopecia areata , rapid weight loss, insomnia, brain damage, stroke, heart ailments, chronic fatigue, muscle wasting , it is toxic to the nerves, sensations as if something is biting from within, crawling under the skin resulting in picking of skin  etc.

Psychological effects
Acute - paranoia, aggression, suicidal thoughts and ideations, hallucinations , increased libido resulting in risky sexual behaviors resulting in sexually transmitted diseases and HIV , obsessive behaviors, restlessness,methamphetamine psychosis etc.

We at Anatta have had consecutive crystal meth users coming into treatment in the past several months from the younger age group of early 20s . For us that is a very sombre indication that  addiction to this drug is on the rise and also in combination with alcohol at times with other drugs. Some users drink alcohol to cut the high of meth but due to the  euphoria of meth the alcohol consumed is much more in quantity and the polydrug addiction makes things worse.
Internationally it is known as a very difficult addiction to treat.
The treatment of meth addicts takes longer , the detoxification period is longer due to the severe physical and psychological withdrawals. Following that the emotional swings the person undergoes takes longer to settle down. we have however found meditation to be a fantastic tool along with counseling and homoeopathic medications to enable a faster healing  process.

There is a solution available and that is Anatta Humanversity. It is an alcohol rehab as well as a rehab for drug. Take help of this addiction treatment center and get treated quickly. Now help is only a phone call away.

Monday, 19 January 2015

MEDITATION

In life if we zoom in closely all crises are emotional crises...we do not see reality as it is but always tend to colour it with emotions that results in ”stress” or distress. In addiction too, once the person is in rehabilitation treatment centres and the substance is stopped and in the treatment process the real issues that crop up are all of emotional unmanageability.
We assume that over the years we have “dealt with” past injuries or incidents that have affected us. Then why does illness strike us? Why is it that we react untowardly to a situation that does not call for such a reaction? This is because the emotions that we thought we have dealt with have only been suppressed or worse, repressed for they have been stored in the cells of our body. Cellular memory has been discovered by science today.
Today it has been proved that the ancient eastern sciences of meditation enable one to attain a balance which is the result of actual structural and biochemical changes that take place in the brain due to meditative practices proved by the advent of advanced CT and functional MRI machines and other technical devices..
Meditation techniques are a bridge towards actual meditation. They are very scientific and developed over centuries by those who have attained.
They have been developed based on pure experience and observations of being aware and taking us beyond emotions.
Effects of Suppression of Emotions
Once any emotion is triggered, if the flow is impeded by suppression of the same, the energy that has resulted in the release of so many biochemical actions on the body and brain is unable to retract these changes. As a result, the chemicals bring about a change at the cellular level and can come up eventually with physical ailments like hypertension, migraines and even cancer in the long run. Psychological ailments like anxiety neuroses, depression, personality disorders might result. In the current scenario of society, meditation might not be directly possible due to these various suppressions and repressions that block the flow of natural energy. Hence the process of catharsis is very essential.
Active meditations enable this catharsis to take place in a guided manner making way for an experience of a meditative state.
What is meditation? Meditation is not sitting with closed “concentrating” on the breath or something. Let us try an experiment—close your eyes and be “aware” of the breathing that is happening in your body.. it is an involuntary process..be aware of it through the rise and fall of your abdomen for a few moments..open your eyes.. Were there any thoughts in your mind for that time? No? You just experienced a state of meditation. This state of ‘no mind’ is the state of meditation .Regular practice of different techniques takes us to that state and eventually we realise that we take life moment to moment and respond instead of reacting.
Current Scientific Studies on Meditation
Researchers at Harvard, Yale, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have found the first evidence that meditation can alter the physical structure of our brains. Brain scans they conducted reveal that in experienced meditators increased thickness in parts of the brain that deal with attention and processing sensory input & associated with memory, sense of self, empathy and stress is seen. Likewise, the area of the brain that is responsible for emotional reactions-the amygdala is seen to reduce in size. Thus, though the stressors in the environment remain the same the responses to them change. Thus meditation is also very psychotherapeutic!

Conclusion
Science is still in a fledgling stage to discover the actual Meditative state. However, the individual experience of the state is the only proof required. But for a person with addiction, Anatta Humanversity being a drug & alcohol rehabilitation center will get a person out of the addiction in the best possible manner. Moreover, this alcohol rehab center has branches all over India.

Tuesday, 25 November 2014

ARE YOU LIVING A NIGHTMARE THAT IS NOT YOURS?

A person starts to drink in the company of friends, at a party, or with one’s father, as an “introduction to manhood”. One feels good, on a high, inhibitions reduced. It becomes easier to say things you would otherwise have not said; talking to the girls becomes much simpler and fun; suddenly one becomes the life of the party.
The desire to feel the same high continues but the same intake of the substance does not achieve this, as the body has developed a tolerance. The quantity of consumption increases.
At the job deals are closed over “entertaining “with alcohol. Problems at work lead to increased consumption. Managing home and work becomes stressful.  The same “high” is not attained, hence the quantity increases. At this stage the family, whether, the wife or the parents start feeling alarmed and start admonishing and asking the person to cut down on the drinks. This is a stage of problem drinking.
Slowly ,  the weekend consumption  becomes daily; from 2-3 pegs it becomes 5-6 or more. Social meetings, family dinners and work meetings are arranged around the availability of alcohol.  Instead of using alcohol, abusing it begins. Sexual desire increases and risk behaviours increase. This happens insidiously. This is Alcohol Abuse.
Then the nightmare unfolds for the person. The thought processes change. Incidents get colored by emotions that are exaggerated, like watching a movie on a 100mm screen. Identification develops with the personality that has changed due to the alcohol. Suspicion and paranoia set in.  He wants to have only 4/ 5 drinks but loses count after that and before he knows it, he is a bottle down. He decides, he will not drink today but in 5 minutes or 5 hours, he finds himself with a glass in hand. He has just gone for a walk after an entire day of not drinking eating healthily, having a nice time with family, before he realizes he finds himself in a bar 4 drinks down. The mornings are terrible, the body unsteady shaking, tremors, a mind befuddled with last night’s hangover, and no memory of how he reached home, whom did he meet, or has he gotten his car back [ “Blackouts” – the person has absolutely no memory of  his words and actions , of what has transpired while he was drunk ] This increases the terror that arises within, giving a sickening sinking feeling – which is then appeased with another drink to stabilise.. Or, months can go without drinking [untreated] and suddenly without warning he finds himself drinking again. This is Addiction to alcohol, the drink consumes he person, and he loses control of the drink and his life.  Thus, he is living a nightmare that he is unable to wake up from.
 The family pulls themselves into this nightmare trying to control his drinking without understanding that treatment is essential at this stage in the form of residential, voluntary, rehabilitation. They lose their identity and identify themselves with his nightmare; [Co dependency] they require as much help.
On reading the above do you identify with the experience of the nightmare that the person drinking is going through? Then,You need to visit drug & alcohol rehabilitation centre.
Or, do you identify living with a nightmare that is not yours?  Then,You need help too.
AH provides a voluntary, residential care in an exclusive ambience, with non –medically, with meditation and counselling techniques as cornerstones of therapy along with other alternate life therapies. It is one of the best alcohol addiction treatment centres.
Help is available through addiction treatment centres, which is just a phone call away.

Tuesday, 28 October 2014

ADDICTION AND SOCIAL OSTRACISM

Addiction to alcohol/drugs is one of the oldest ailments known to mankind as intoxicating substances have always been around since time immemorial used for recreation, celebration, religious, ritualistic shamanic practices etc.
 There was a time when people were ostracized for being part of a particular race, caste, creed or disease across the world.
Addiction to alcohol/drugs is such a disease that the person afflicted is ostracized by immediate family apart from society at large.
A client’s daughter shared that friends were not invited home as she was ashamed of her drunken daddy. Most times the alcoholic in a blackout says and does things that he has no memory of the next day ... he realizes this by the look on his wife’s face. The addict at least has the excuse that he is under the influence of the substance. What is the excuse of the families who shout, scream and treat them as though they were lepers / untouchables?
People avoid family members of addicts as they do not want to “get involved”. There are sniggers behind their backs and bullying and insults to their faces.
Till even the first part of the 20th century those addicted to substances were relegated to “mad” houses. Today too they land up at psychiatric offices wherein they are given medication for behavioral issues resultant to substance use- further damaging the individual, as many consume both, the substance and the medication. 
Social invitations decline once an alcoholic gets repeatedly drunk and creates ruckus at functions....  the employee is sidelined for promotions and loses his job over a drinking problem.
The family hides the addiction even from doctors resulting in progression of the illness and sure death.
The person is looked upon in disgust disdain and as a discard... hastening his journey to the grave.
Do we treat someone with any other illness like this – would we treat a family member or friend who is a diabetic or hypertensive like this? Or do we look at treatment options for them? Would we not help a family who has a member suffering from any of these illnesses with knowledge of doctors we know or Treatment facilities we are aware of?
Why this ostracism? Just as anyone with any illness does not ask for it, neither is addiction a disease that is asked for- the substance controls and consumes the person afflicted... if left untreated will be 100% fatal and result in Death.. like any other systemic disease.
As a society, let us wake up to the awareness of this disease and realize there is help available… let us arm ourselves with the knowledge of the same. Treatment that is seen to work the best is Residential, Non medical, Voluntary, using Counseling and alternative healing methods like Meditation ,Yoga etc.
We at AH facilitate this process to enable the individuals afflicted /affected by Addiction to alcohol/ drugs go beyond them and towards a fulfilling life!  We have doctors who are specialized in drug & alcohol rehabilitation.
Share the solution- the problem is known to all- awareness of the solution is what is required-  be socially responsible- someone somewhere might find help and You might be instrumental in saving Lives..  AH is one of the best alcohol addiction treatment centers.

Thursday, 25 September 2014

PROHIBITION

-By Dr. Sujatha Nair
Mahatma Gandhi was the primary advocate of prohibition in India considering alcohol as a social evil. Prohibition exists in Gujarat, Nagaland; parts of Manipur; and Lakshadweep.
It is not the person who controls his drinks – it is the drink that controls and consumes the person.  
Gujarat
Let us take state Gujarat as a model for the results of prohibition.
Since 1958 Gujarat has a law in force that prohibits the manufacture, storage, sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages. The only Indian state with death penalty for makers and sellers of homemade liquor where fatalities are caused. And yet there is rampant Alcoholism prevalent there.
Smuggling and illicit liquor trade flourishes. 'Folder' is the local slang for the person who provides alcohol on demand. The Union Territory of Daman that is an hour away from Gujarat has a flourishing liquor trade thanks to the tipplers from there. Liquor is smuggled in from neighbouring States, manufacture and sale of spurious liquor still goes on and so do the related deaths, the last being of 148 people in 2009 indicating that the authorities are in cahoots with the bootleggers.
All the other states with prohibition allows production of local brews and also IMFL (Indian made foreign liquor)
Kerala
Kerala is planning to implement prohibition in a phased manner, by the next decade. The liquor business forms 22 per cent of the state’s revenue. As a first step to total prohibition, the government decided to close down 730 bars out of 752.  Increase in retail prices have never been a dissuading factor for drinkers.
Is alcoholism and Kerala meant for each other? There are queues since early morning outside liquor shops that resemble the lines outside a temple. Kerala has the highest per capita consumption of alcohol in the country. The drinking age has dropped from 19 years to 13.5 years. The per capita consumption is 20l/person amongst those who drink. Today there is not a celebration there that does not begin with popping of the proverbial cork. Children are watching a generation of parents coming home drunk or getting drunk at home or drinking in the day at home/outside and growing up to think that this is “normal.”

There have been numerous talk shows on the subject with people baying for shutting down bars in villages and towns to curb the menace of alcoholism. This only reflects the abject lack of awareness amongst the people and sad to say even the medical fraternity in Kerala regarding the actual nature of the disease of addiction and myths abound.

The primary aim of prohibition has been to curb alcoholism, and this has failed miserably. There is instead increased consumption of spurious liquor, local brews, perfumes, after shaves etc. Alternate addictions set in and rise which tend to affect the health of the addict, even further.

Banning alcohol will not result in an end to alcoholism

Awareness about the nature of addiction and primarily awareness regarding the solutions to go beyond it needs to be propagated in every village, town and city.

It is very essential to treat the Addiction in the person in a residential,++ non-medical facility, as left untreated addiction is fatal .Treatment of the family becomes as essential for co-dependency as consequently it destroys families. For the same purpose the government has now established Alcohol Rehabilitation Treatment Centres all over India. Indian government has come up with Drug Addiction Treatment Center as well.

True lasting change has to happen from within outwards...never only with a change in the external milieu.

Wednesday, 27 August 2014

MYTHS AND FACTS ABOUT ADDICTION AND TREATMENT

Among the hundreds of myths surrounding addiction and treatment, the following are especially relevant to individuals who are beginning to question the true nature of their relationship with addictive substances and are considering the possibility of seeking treatment.
•    Myth: Addiction is a bad habit the result of moral weakness and over-indulgences.
•    Fact: Addiction is a chronic, life-threatening condition, like hypertension, and diabetes.
•    Fact: Addiction has roots in genetic susceptibility, social circumstance, and personal behavior.
•    Fact: Certain drugs are highly addictive, rapidly causing biochemical and structural changes in the brain. Others can be used for longer periods of time before they begin to cause inescapable cravings and compulsive use.
•    Myth: Bad, stupid, and crazy people are most susceptible to becoming addicted to alcohol and drugs.
•    Fact: Addiction is an equal opportunity disease. It does not discriminate in any way against any class of people. It strikes equally among individuals in all ethnic, socio-economic, intelligence, and emotional wellness categories.
•    Myth: If an addict has enough willpower, he or she can stop abusing alcohol and using drugs.
•    Fact: Few people addicted to alcohol and other drugs can simply stop using them, no matter how strong their inner resolve. Most need at least one course of structured substance abuse treatment or drug and alcohol rehabilitation to end their dependence on alcohol and other drugs. Some achieve sobriety through participation in community-based support organizations (e.g., Alcoholics Anonymous), but relapse rates under this condition are very high. The most effective approach is one that combines residential treatment, community-based support and rehabilitation treatment centers.

•    Myth: Many people relapse, so treatment obviously does not work.
•    Fact: Like every other treatment, addiction treatment cannot guarantee lifelong recovery. Relapse is often a part of the recovery process; it is always possible--and treatable.
•    Myth: Once sobriety is achieved, whether with or without the benefit of treatment, most individuals can eventually return to social use of alcohol and/or drugs.
•    Fact: Addiction is a chronic condition that does not disappear, even after extended periods of sobriety. This is caused by neuroplasticity wherein a pathway is formed in the brain due to repeated use of a substance which is triggered everytime the substance is used. This is true regardless of the individual's drug of choice, level of self-control, or length of abstinence.
•    Myth: An individual who is addicted to one drug or family of drugs can undergo treatment for and recover from addiction to that particular drug and still use other drugs with impunity.
•    Fact: Cross-addiction nearly always occurs when an addict tries to switch drugs, regardless of the reason. Cross-addiction invariably takes the form of one or the other of two possible outcomes: 1) The individual quickly becomes addicted to the second substance, or 2) The individual returns to the original drug of choice while under the influence of the second one.
•    Myth: We have reached the limits of what we can do to treat addiction.
•    Fact: Treatment of addiction is an ever progressive field. Today's treatment providers are being challenged to stretch their knowledge base and find more effective approaches to prevention, intervention, and alcohol addiction treatment. 


We at Anatta Humanversity offer a Client specific , non medical, voluntary treatment process that incorporates Meditation , Counseling processes as cornerstones .

It is our experience that true recovery happens only in freedom.

Sunday, 6 July 2014

ADDICTION TO PRESCRIPTION DRUGS


Addiction to alcohol and illicit drugs has always been spoken about, prescribed medication has remained silent but IS also a frontline addiction..
Addiction to prescription drugs is on the rise in India and across the world.
There are drugs to sleep, there are drugs to wake up, there are drugs to perform, there are drugs for pain , there are drugs to focus in exams , there are drugs to treat various physical ailments which are being abused on a large scale-pain medications, cough syrups etc etc..
There is a chemical maelstrom brewing  in the brain and body of a large population of humanity addiction to which is as life threatening as addiction to alcohol and illicit drugs . Even more so as, because as they are “ prescription meds” they are thought to be “ safe” and far less harmful.
In the west addiction to prescription drugs are rampant amongst teenagers who hold  “Pharm parties” wherein a punch bowl is filled with medicines  pinched from the medicine cabinets of  their parents. The kids then take turns going to the punch bowl grabbing  a fistful of tablets and eating them most times with alcohol. Several times due to the ignorance of the kind of medicines consumed and the drug interactions between them or side effects and the combination with alcohol proves fatal.
Several times Psychiatrists and some Drug rehab centres prescribe medications for various disorders and the patient continues on them without a follow up and ends up getting addicted to them.
In Prescription medications addictions the most common classes of drugs involved are:
Opioids [for  cough,  pain] eg Oxycodone ,Hydrocodone,  Codeine cough syrups etc
Central Nervous system depressants [ for anxiety ,sleep disorders] eg alprazolam, diazepam, pentobarbital sodium etc
Stimulants [ ADHD medication etc] eg Methylphenidate[ADHD med] , Amphetamines etc.
Medical consequences of prescription drug abuse include the following.
   Opioids  can cause an increased risk of choking , low blood pressure, a slowed breathing rate and potential for breathing to stop as they suppress the respiratory center in the brain, or a coma.
Eg.When abused, promethazine-codeine cough syrup presents a high risk of fatal overdose due to its effect of depressing the central nervous system, which can slow or stop the heart and lungs. Mixing with alcohol greatly increases this risk. 
Withdrawals from opioids-  Restlessness, muscle and bone pains, Insomnis, diarrhea, vomiting, involuntary leg movements.
          Sedatives and anti-anxiety medications (anxiolytics)  can cause memory problems, low blood pressure and slowed breathing. Overdose can cause coma or death.
Abruptly stopping the medication may be associated with withdrawal symptoms that can include hyperactivity of the nervous system and seizures.
Stimulants can cause dangerously high body temperature, heart problems, high blood pressure, seizures or tremors, hallucinations, aggressiveness, and paranoia.
We at Anatta provide drug & alcoholrehabilitation and  have come across several clients who have been treated with psychiatric medications for their addiction wherein the person afflicted finally uses both the substance of their choice and the prescribed medications thereby ending up with multiple addictions.
We are one of the best rehab centres in India who treat these clients non medically after tapering off all their medications incorporating various meditation techniques that are psychotherapeutic along with Counselling and other techniques that take the person within allowing healing to happen.

Tuesday, 4 February 2014

Substance Abuse and Women

Across the centuries the status of women has improved from being treated as Adam’s rib or the weaker sex to receiving equal rights to being at par with men on all fronts. The woman of today is thus a Superwoman managing home and work with élan and going beyond all conditionings - except a very deep rooted conditioning of emotional dependency. This rarely leaves room for her to develop as an individual ; thus making her vulnerable to dependency and co-dependency.

There are growing economic instabilities due to which both spouses have to work or in the upper class the woman feels emotionally neglected by an over occupied spouse. In all instances the woman feels under appreciated.

Thus, despite financial and educational independence they turn out to be emotionally challenged.

 All these factors result in leaning towards addictions. The disadvantage in the case of women substance abusers is that they have an easier access to money and places of hiding the substance. Hence the abuse is detected after a longer period of time and still remains hidden many times due to fear of social stigma.

Physiological effects of Substance abuse on Women

Women are affected physically quicker and in a worse manner as compared to man owing to their shorter stature, metabolism and hormones.

Long-Term Consequences: Women experience negative physical consequences and complications from alcohol sooner and at lower levels of consumption than men. Evidence suggests that women progress significantly faster in developing dependence, organ damage, and diseases with much lower levels of alcohol/drug consumption. Women are more likely to die many years earlier from alcohol abuse and dependence.

For eg – cirrhosis of liver, Diabetes, Hypertension, cardiac conditions, malnutrition, painful or irregular menses, amenorrhoea [absence of menses] at times, various cancers,  fetal abnormalities, Alzheimer’s ,Dementia etc

The loss of inhibitions and rationality owing to the substance abuse makes women also more vulnerable sexually and to sexual abuse.

The very roles she plays- mother ,daughter, spouse, friend etc are all affected by her usage .

In the bargain, the woman is ridden by guilt, resentments and fears which isolate her from her own true self and her loved ones

 However the woman can be trained to access her inner potentials - to learn to love and esteem herself - make herself not just financially independent but also free herself emotionally and be her own person.

Treatment
For a woman to recover – she requires an intimate and therapeutic setting where her confidentiality is maintained and she can regain her dignity, independence and find fellowship within and around her. Women thus experience living a life away from substance in a conducive and loving environment.

We at AH provide such an environment.
It is a most beautiful experience to see a woman learn from her own experiences, realize her own inner potential and individuality to blossom into the human being she is meant to be without finding the need to go back to the Substance.