Drug Abuse Treatment

Twenty-five years in the making, Serenity By the Sea is hosting the Ventura County Round-Up at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center in Oxnard, California from April 23 -25, 2010. We love to let our graduates from our alcohol and drug abuse treatment facility know about round-ups like this.

What is an AA Round-Up?

I know September 2010 is six to seven months away but there is no better time than the present to plan to take part in this month long event. Recovery Month is a time when sober events will be happening from one end of the continent to the other. The month will once again highlight the societal benefits of drug abuse treatment, and living sober in all forms possible.

Some people think marijuana drug abuse treatment programs are a waste of time because you can't get addicted to marijuana. Well, that's not true. A recent study from the National Institute on Drug Addiction states that of the twenty-six million people abusing drugs in the US, four million of them identify as having an addiction to marijuana.

Being a 'high bottom drunk' is not a reason to stay away from drug abuse treatment. These are addicts who have real problems, rarely catastrophic but always harmful.

Understanding that drug abuse treatment is a two step process; one physical, and the other behavioral is helpful to the overall quality and length of the individual's sobriety.

A key component of drug abuse treatment is teaching the addict there is a fundamental biological element that enables them to remain sober. Many try to stay sober without a drug abuse treatment program but fail due to work stress, family problems, psychiatric problems, pain from medical issues, and both social and environmental cues.

Creating a safe environment for someone unsure if they need help from a drug abuse treatment center isn't the biggest challenge. Convincing yourself or a loved one that you need drug abuse treatment is the biggest challenge.

This past Halloween, I headed back east to see some friends and family. Although my main purpose was to see family, I decided to visit a drug treatment facility I worked at years ago in Somerville, Massachusetts, and with Salem within thirty minutes from where I was staying, I had to attend their Halloween event, which is called Salem’s Haunted Happenings. And, since I’d lived in the area for many years, it was always one of those, “I can do this next year,” and then never got around to it. So, I was determined to do it this year.

My mobile phone rang while I was at work today. I couldn’t pick it up because I can’t answer personal calls while dealing with patients. I didn’t recognize the number but I knew who it probably was.
Two nights ago, a friend of mine, Shawn, who now lives in Seattle, called to ask if it was okay to give a friend his, Ken, my telephone number. It seems Ken is in need of some assistance. Shawn didn’t give me any particulars but since I work in the alcohol and drug treatment field, he thought I might be able to help.