In some of Milwaukee’s poorest neighborhoods, nearly half of all adults are addicted to cigarettes, despite the fact that prices are nearing $9 a pack while many household incomes are below $15,000.
According to the Institute for Research on Gambling Disorders, anywhere from 2 to 7 percent of adolescents have a gambling problem, compared to about 1 percent of adults. Natalie Bailey of Chicago’s Medill Reports writes that this could mean that an estimated 500,000 teens nationwide are caught in a gambling web.
In the first episode of the late DJ AM’s intervention program “Gone Too Far,” we learn that from age 19 until his mid-20s, the celebrity DJ was addicted to heroin. When he met 23-year-old Amy on the first episode of the show, he knew exactly what she was going through.
For years, Ginger Logan-Cannon said she didn’t know why she was a shopaholic—an addiction that racked up $280,000 in debt. But after ABC News connected her with a therapist, Logan-Cannon discovered that the source of her addiction could be linked to a violent day that occurred more than 40 years ago.
Melanie Griffith has checked into a rehab facility in Utah, her third rehab stint in recent years. “She is there to reinforce her commitment to stay healthy,” her rep Robin Baum told People Magazine. “This is part of a routine plan that was designed between her and her doctors years ago.”
America’s first Internet addiction treatment center has opened in Fall City, Washington, not far from Microsoft’s headquarters. The 45-day program at the 6-bed, family style retreat costs about $14,500 and is not yet covered by insurance. However, there are some scholarships available.
The bottom is different for everyone. What constitutes the absolute last straw in one person’s life is not the same as someone else. One thing is constant, though: it feels the same. You feel as though you’re worthless, untrustworthy, a liar, a cheat, unloveable. You hate that you’ve let your loved ones down, maybe even destroyed your relationships with friends, family, co-workers and others. Perhaps you’ve brought financial ruin or social disgrace on the family. You may have spent time in jail or are facing felony or misdemeanor charges for your actions committed while you were under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
By Leslie Thompson
When struggling with addiction, an individual is faced with an enormous amount of stress. From trying to cope with the physical detox of a substance to reprogramming one’s mental processing to avoid the addictive cycle, even the most minute task or chore may seem daunting and unattainable. Choosing an appropriate therapy or treatment program should not add to this nerve-racking period. Upon evaluation from a physician or clinical therapist, a patient should be informed about several different types of treatment programs based on their needs, goals, and diagnosis. One such program is Intensive Outpatient Treatment.
