The Common Signs of a Drinking Problem

What are the common signs of a drinking problem?

Drinking alcohol does not affect everyone the same way based on factors as simple as body composition and gender. Other more complex factors like genetics and mental health also play a huge role in the impact that alcohol has on the human body.

By learning about alcohol’s addictive nature, it’s causes, and common signs, we can help you determine if you or a loved one are experiencing an alcohol use disorder. Here at Starbridge Recovery, our goal is to see you well.

Is Alcohol Addictive?

Yes. Alcohol is an addictive substance that impacts the brains from the first drink. While people can consume alcohol and not become an addict, how you consume alcohol, how much and how often, play an important role.

Based on the standard, from the first drink, alcohol can cause a relaxed feeling in the body, by releasing additional endorphins in the brain. By two drinks, alcohol impairs your response time, impairing your ability to drive. By five drinks speech is slurred and movement and vision are impaired. More than that, blackouts and alcohol poisoning are possible.

Alcohol is addictive because of the endorphins released and the subsequent withdrawal (aka hangover). Through either chronic drinking or binge-drinking, the brain can become accustomed to the additional depressant and cause changes in mood or personality. Additionally, withdrawal symptoms include cravings for more alcohol and another release of endorphins, creating the addiction cycle.

Additionally, because alcohol is fashionable, going out and having a drink with friends can perpetuate a potentially dangerous situation.

What Are the Causes of Alcoholism?

While there isn’t a clear-cut answer as to who will or won’t become an alcoholic, there are some staggering statistics that indicate who may be more at risk. 

Those with an alcoholic parent may be more genetically inclined towards alcoholism. Studies have shown that children of alcoholics are four times as likely to develop an alcohol use disorder than those who do not. 

Additionally, men are more likely to struggle with alcoholism than women based on body composition. However, women that do have an alcohol use disorder often have more serious physical issues related to drinking, including more noticeable impairment of motor function when drinking and fertility issues with chronic abuse. 

What Are the Common Signs of a Drinking Problem to Look Out For?

Addiction is a unique disorder. It impacts everyone differently; but there are some common questions you can ask to see if you think that you or a loved one is suffering from an alcohol use disorder. 

These questions range from, “Do you need to drink more to have the same “drunk” feeling?” to questions about risky behaviors you’ve engaged in and if you’ve been arrested. Another crucial factor is whether or not this is impacting your work and home life. If you are continuing to drink, regardless of the impact it is having on your home and family, it may be time to seek help.

Starbridge Recovery can be that support.

How Can Starbridge Recovery Help?

Starbridge Recovery is a luxury detox and addiction treatment center in Los Angeles. Our boutique, state-of-the-art rehab center focuses on treating the clients’ individual needs. Through our specifically curated treatment programs, our clients can experience traditional and alternative therapies that encourage holistic healing.

We believe that the best treatment is a combination of evidence-based therapy with creative-arts therapies in a relaxing luxury setting, so that’s what we’ve made. Our experienced staff is expertly trained to support you through withdrawal and rehabilitation at our modern and comforting setting.

Our facility offers medically supported detox, residential inpatient care, and aftercare in a small exclusive setting. Through individual and group therapy sessions, our clinicians will work with you to develop coping skills and stress management skills that will be useful in supporting a sober lifestyle.

Rediscover sobriety with Starbridge Recovery today.

Are Los Angeles Mental Health and Addiction Rates Related?

Are Los Angeles mental health and addiction rates related?

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, mental illness impacts over 51.5 million people in the United States – That’s 1 in 5 adults or just over 20% of the adult American population.

Women are more likely to be impacted with a mental illness than men, and young adults aged 18-25 have a 30% likelihood of having any mental illness. Additionally, those of 2 or more races are nearly 10% more likely to have a mental illness. 

Of the 20% of people that have a mental illness, over 5% of those people have a serious mental illness indicated by an inability to function in everyday life. 

In California, the number is 1 in 6 for a mental illness, and 1 in 24 for a serious mental illness that impacts their ability to function in daily life. Over 60% of those individuals with a serious mental illness never seek treatment.

In Los Angeles mental health rates are 1 in 24. 4.3% of adults and 7.8% of children have a serious mental illness. LA County has the lowest suicide rate in the state 7.7/100,000 due, in part, to the LA County Department of Mental Health. The largest mental health department in the country, LA County works with over 80 programs and contracts with over 700 providers. 

Are Los Angeles Mental Health and Addiction Related?

8% of Californians have a substance use disorder, and 3.9% of those people also have a serious mental illness. When seeking treatment, it is important to consider both the addiction and mental illness.

Originally thought to be best treated individually, medical professionals found that many mental illnesses increased the likelihood of addictive behaviors and self-medication, while substance abuse could cause an onset of serious mental illness symptoms. Their radical idea was to treat the comorbid occurrence through a new treatment program.

Dual diagnosis treatment is the process through which clinicians see both the addiction and the mental illness as equally co-occurring and causing difficulty in the life of the client. Through this type of therapy program, the root causes of addiction and mental illness can be examined, and true healing can occur. 

Serious mental illnesses that have high comorbidity with substance use disorders include, ADHD, anxiety, bipolar, depression, mood disorders, personality disorders, and schizophrenia. 

Approximately 50% of addiction treatment centers also treat mental health in Los Angeles, California. LA County’s department of mental health has over 250 inpatient hospital beds for patients with mental health concerns. 

But a clinical hospital setting might not be the best for you. 

 How to Treat Mental Health and Addiction at the Same Time

Starbridge Recovery is a leading dual diagnosis treatment facility in the Los Angeles area. With all the support and experience of a hospital, our highly trained staff is equipped to support your dual diagnosis treatment in our luxury facility.

At Starbridge Recovery, our exclusive boutique treatment center, caters to the needs of our clients. Through evidence-based traditional therapies and unique alternative therapies, our individualized treatment programs are created to support our clients through the rehabilitation process and mental health management. 

Our goal is for each client to learn the skills necessary for developing positive mental health strategies to deal with the outside world after the completion of our program. Through detox, behavioral therapy, and group and individual therapy, our clients are able to identify triggers and develop an exit strategy for stressful situations.

Our premier facility offers high-end amenities and alternative therapies to increase relaxation and allow the client to solely focus on rehabilitation. Our spacious rooms and spa-like bathrooms offer individual space, while our equipped common areas allow for comfortable and safe interaction.

At Starbridge Recovery, we offer medically monitored detox, residential inpatient care, and aftercare to support your dual diagnosis treatment plan. 

See how Starbridge Recovery can help you manage your mental illness and addiction today.

Signs Your Loved One Needs Heroin Addiction Treatment

Signs my loved one needs heroin addiction treatment

While heroin has been illegal for nearly 100 years, it is still a common problem for many Americans. Just in the last 20 years, heroin addiction and overdose deaths have quadrupled their previous numbers and taken hundreds of thousands of lives. 

Are you concerned that your loved one is addicted to heroin? Do you know the signs of a heroin addiction? Do you know how to get treatment for them? Let us help you. 

Starbridge Recovery is a premier heroin addiction treatment center in Los Angeles, California.

What Is Heroin? 

Heroin is a white or brown powder or a tacky black goo. Originally used from the 1800s to the 1920s, it worked like morphine to relieve pain before its highly addictive qualities were noted. Heroin became illegal in the 1920s and is now considered an illegal drug.

Heroin causes the body to release increased amounts of dopamine and numbing pain sensors, giving a “rush” to the user. Heroin can be injected, sniffed, snorted, or smoked causing variations in the immediacy and length of the high. The short-term effects of heroin include dry mouth, itching, nausea and vomiting, and going “on the nod” where a person nods on and off between consciousness and subconsciousness. 

When used in combination with stimulants, heroin can decrease the impact of the jitteriness and balance the effects of it. However, this combination of stimulant and sedative, can also cause the body to stop functioning correctly causing a heart attack and even death.

When used in combination with other sedatives, heroin becomes lethal through the process of slowing down too many body functions causing death. 

What Are the Signs of Heroin Addiction?

Heroin addiction can be obvious for those who know what to look for. Aside from finding paraphernalia, like syringes, pipes, spoons, lighters, or medical tubing, you can also learn to look for signs of impairment. 

Visually, you might be able to see track marks on an addict. These are most commonly on the arms, legs, between the fingers and toes.  You may also notice pinpoint pupils, excessive itching, or an addict “on the nod.”

Additionally, an addict is likely impaired. They may have slow or slurred speech or delayed processing. This is obvious when you ask a question, and it takes them a long time to think through the answer or they answer a simple question incorrectly.

There also may be medical concerns to look and listen for. Long-term heroin addiction can cause miscarriage or irregular cycles, weakening and infection of the heart, constipation, collapsed veins, insomnia, etc. 

If you are concerned for a loved one, Starbridge Recovery can be their heroin addiction treatment program.

What Is Starbridge Recovery and How Can They Help?

Starbridge Recovery is a leading heroin addiction treatment center in Los Angeles. Our expert staff are specifically trained and prepared to deal with heroin addiction and recovery. With medically supervised detox, residential inpatient, and aftercare available, our facility offers support through every step of the process. 

Our state-of-the-art facility offers a multitude of traditional evidence-based therapies in combination with our alternative creative arts therapies that support holistic healing of the body, mind, and spirit. Through individual, group, and family therapies, clients are able to better understand themselves by learning where their addictions stem from, coping-strategies, and developing a support system that will keep them strong through life-long sobriety.

By choosing Starbridge Recovery, you are choosing staff that will create an individualized treatment plan to meet your unique needs. Within our luxury heroin addiction treatment center, we are able to offer spacious housing, spa-like amenities, and modern living. 

Starbridge Recovery can support your loved one through the difficulty of heroin addiction treatment and the rehabilitation process.