Monthly Archives: March 2021

• on 24 Mar 2021
• By admin
• Sober living

6 Common Myths About Drug and Alcohol Use Sharp HealthCare

One nontraditional form of treatment for alcohol use disorder is moderation management. This approach involves limiting alcohol consumption, specifically for people who aren’t physically dependent on alcohol. Alcohol use disorder is a complex medical condition affecting the brain. It involves an inability to control your alcohol consumption, regardless of its negative effect on your life or health. If you’re like many shift workers, alcohol may be a way to unwind after a tough shift or relax on your time off.

Drinking Is Popular Among The People You Know

Among the different subtypes of alcoholism, functional alcoholics drink an average of 181 days per year, the equivalent of every other day. Chronic, severe alcoholics drink, on average, 247.5 days per year, which is also less than daily. In some cases, alcohol withdrawal can lead to serious and potentially fatal complications, such as seizures or delirium tremens. People often must complete a medical detox program to keep them safe as they manage withdrawal symptoms. But as recent research has shown, alcohol likely has zero health benefits, and the studies that purported that it does used flawed data. Here we explore ten common myths or misconceptions concerning alcohol and alcohol use disorder (AUD).

• Once it enters your system, it triggers immediate physiological changes in the brain, heart, and liver, among other organs.
• This myth can especially be harmful if it causes you to drink more than you can handle — so always pay attention to the alcohol content in your drinks and be honest with what your body can manage.
• Due to the nature of addiction, it is unlikely that casual or occasional drinking will remain under control.

The Truth:

Alcohol also interferes with this zone, making the hormone-driven changes worse. “Alcohol is also inflammatory and increases your risk of cancer and other diseases,” he says. If you use alcohol as a way to numb your symptoms of anxiety, this can also make the symptoms worse down the line — due to the fact that you’re not learning how to cope with your emotions properly. Normally, your body cycles through light and deep phases of sleep. Alcohol inhibits refreshing REM (rapid eye movement) sleep and later on causes “REM rebound,” with nightmares and trouble sleeping. Some believe that completing a rehabilitation program is a definitive and permanent solution to addiction.

• While flavonoids do support heart health, you can get them from healthier sources like fruits and vegetables.
• They’re also more likely to experience or participate in violent acts, from fist-fights to sexual assault and homicide.

Myth #8: Once You Develop Alcohol Addiction, You’ll Never Overcome It

But while alcohol can make you drowsy, it also messes with your sleep cycle, leading to poor-quality sleep. For others, they may experience daily cravings, which is an indication of a substance use disorder. Alcohol and substance use is problematic when it affects a person’s relational, occupational or mental functioning. It’s important to look for any changes in a person’s behavior and identify if this is due to their alcohol or substance use. While all types of alcohol can be addictive, the serving sizes can differ based on the type. For instance, one serving of beer is 12 ounces, with 5% alcohol by volume.

You can’t become an alcoholic by drinking only beer.

Bedrock Recovery Center, located in Massachusetts, offers plenty of addiction treatment programs. Many people might think that the body can never recover from addiction even after you stop drinking alcohol, however, this isn’t necessarily true. Though drinking occasionally may not be a possibility, it is possible to overcome alcohol addiction and live a normal life after developing this disease. This may include alcohol withdrawal symptoms like headaches, nausea, vomiting, or mental health repercussions like anxiety or depression. Instead, the habits or patterns you adopt when drinking alcohol are more indicative of whether you are struggling with alcohol addiction. Furthermore, combining caffeine and alcohol can lead to poor decisions due to the contrasting effects of the substances on the nervous system.

Myth #6: Confrontation and shaming are effective strategies to stop drinking

In reality, people who have an alcohol use disorder may be able to hide their addiction and continue to function quite well at work. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a lot that people still misunderstand about drinking alcohol, which has deep roots and a complicated history in the U.S. No matter how much a guy drinks, if you drink the same amount as your male friends your blood alcohol concentration will tend to be higher, putting you at greater risk for harm. It takes about 2 hours for the adult body to eliminate the alcohol content of a single drink, depending on your weight. Nothing can speed up this process—not even coffee or cold showers. With all of these myths cleared up, you may be wondering where to seek out treatment for alcohol addiction.

Common Misconceptions About Alcohol: Myths About Drinking

In fact, a massive study on the global burden of disease, covering 195 countries over more than 25 years, recently determined that there is myths about alcoholism no safe amount of alcohol. It’s common for people to have a casual relationship with alcohol. However, this attitude may contribute to many myths about alcohol and alcohol use disorder. But there’s still a lot of misinformation about alcohol and alcohol use disorder. As shift workers, we face unique challenges when it comes to managing stress, sleep, and health.

Myth: I’m ok to drive in the morning after drinking.

While the sleep-inducing effect of booze can help you drop off at first, alcohol suppresses Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep which can make for a less restful slumber overall. Drinking alcohol before bed also means trips to the bathroom are inevitable, as alcohol is a diuretic. Another side-effect you’ll experience is sweating more, adding to the dehydration. This is the perfect cocktail to have you waking up feeling sleepy and with a sore head and might leave you wondering if that night cap was really worth it. Cultural norms would have you believe that drinking is integral to certain activities, like a wedding reception, football game, brunch or night out on the town. It’s important to be aware that alcohol doesn’t have to be a part of those things, Dr. Oesterle says.

Myth: Alcohol really just impacts your liver.

If you do decide to drink, stop at least four hours before bedtime to minimise its impact on your sleep. But remember, no matter how early you stop, alcohol will still affect your sleep quality. A drink before bed might seem like an easy solution to fall asleep, especially after a long shift.

• on 23 Mar 2021
• By admin
• Sober living

Common Misconceptions About Alcohol: Myths About Drinking

For ways to seek support, you can visit Psych Central’s guide to mental health help. And if you’re taking medication for your pain, there could be drug interaction risks. Taking acetaminophen with alcohol, for instance, increases your risk of liver failure. A common myth around teens and young adults is that it’s more responsible to give minors alcoholic drinks with adult supervision. This myth is based on the idea that kids will drink anyway, so they might as well be in the presence of a responsible adult. To help prevent hangovers during a night out, drink slowly and on a full stomach, and try to have a glass of water for every alcoholic beverage you consume.

All it takes to stop being addicted to alcohol and drugs is willpower.

There are plenty of treatment options for alcohol addiction available to myths about alcoholism you at any point in your journey. Though this may work well for other personal struggles, it is a myth that nothing will happen when using this approach for alcohol addiction. Hard liquor, beer, and wine contain the same amount of alcohol when consumed in standard amounts, so it doesn’t matter what kind you choose. Contact The Recovery Village Palmer Lake if you have questions about treatment or if you’re ready to get on the path to recovery and end your addiction to alcohol.

• For years, research and popular culture have said moderate alcohol intake is safe.
• According to data from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), 21.5% of people aged 12 and older binge drink within a given month.
• But even people with a clean bill of health, or who are not carrying a child, should think twice before having a drink.

The Health Benefits of Daylight: Why Shift Workers Should Soak It Up

Critical decision-making abilities are already diminished long before a person shows physical signs of intoxication. However, there are countless addiction treatment options that can be tailored to each individual to help you live a life without alcohol. Once you struggle with alcohol abuse, it may feel as though you’ll never be able to get past this addiction. Due to the nature of addiction, it is unlikely that casual or occasional drinking will remain under control.

I don’t have an addiction because I don’t drink or use substances every day or have major consequences.

The direct action of alcohol causes a drop in the internal body temperature by the following process. The blood vessels are opened (dilated) on the skin surfaces and the blood is cooled by greater exposure to the outer environment. As the cooled blood circulates, the core temperature is lowered gradually, but significantly. This process is continued as long as alcohol is present in the body. An alcohol use disorder can manifest in multiple ways, and a person does not always drink all day, every day. There are 11 criteria for an alcohol use disorder; if a person meets just two criteria, they can be diagnosed with a mild disorder.

Mixing Alcohol Makes You Drunker

If you or your loved one is ready to embrace sobriety, American Addiction Centers can help. With treatment centers scattered across the U.S., AAC offers all of the aforementioned care plus special programs for unique populations (e.g., Veterans, members of the LGBTQ+ population, etc.). Contact AAC at to explore treatment options, verify your insurance/explore other payment options, and take your first steps toward recovery today.

Contrary to popular belief, not all alcoholics guzzle booze 24/7. Many alcoholics may have periods of sobriety or only drink on certain occasions. It’s because tackling addiction requires a comprehensive recovery plan that addresses the underlying factors contributing to it.

• on 22 Mar 2021
• By admin
• Sober living

How Long Does Cocaine Stay in Your System? Blood & Urine

However, they can still test positive on a drug test due to these cocaine metabolites. The half-life of cocaine determines how quickly a person will stop feeling high or begin feeling withdrawal symptoms. New cocaine users may find that the high weakens within a couple of hours, while habitual cocaine users may already begin feeling withdrawal within a few hours after their last dose. This means that a person will enter withdrawal shortly after stopping cocaine and that a blood, saliva, or urine test will only show the presence of cocaine for a few days. Because cocaine can linger in the hair longer, a hair test may be positive for months or years.

Testing for Crack (Blood, Urine, Saliva, & Hair Screens)

• Read on to learn more about how long cocaine stays in the system, including some risks and dangers of cocaine use and how to seek help for drug misuse.
• Due to the way the body functions, the first pee of the day should contain the highest concentration levels of the metabolite.
• A person’s weight, individual metabolism, liver function and level of hydration can also affect drug test results.
• Most drugs are undetectable in the blood after five half-lives have passed, approximately 7.5 hours for cocaine.
• When consumed, cocaine quickly enters the bloodstream and is transported throughout the body, including the brain, where its effects are most pronounced.
• Drug tests detect crack via the same methods used to detect powder cocaine.

The purer the cocaine, the more potent its effects and the longer it will stay in the system. You, nor your loved one, are under any obligation to commit to a Legacy Healing Center treatment program when calling the helpline. If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please contact at how long does cocaine stay in your system Cocaine is a dangerous drug of abuse that can lead to chronic issues with health, employment, relationships, and psychological well-being when misused.

Addiction and mental health therapy tailored to your needs

While a blood test may be useful to confirm a cocaine overdose or a cocaine-related accident, the drug remains in the blood for about one day. The short detection window of blood tests makes them a poor drug screening method for employers, courts and others. Drug tests detect crack via the same methods used to detect powder cocaine. While blood, hair, saliva, sweat and urine can all be tested for signs of crack use, urine tests are the mostly commonly used.

How the Body Processes Cocaine

The World Anti-Doping Agency regulates the use of performance-enhancing substances in many global sports events. Making sure that all athletes are performing without these drugs ensures fair competition. If you’re unable to control your crack use, this can be a sign of crack dependence and addiction.

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy is a treatment for cocaine abusers that can be taken at rehabilitation or separately.
• Drug tests can detect the presence of cocaine and its metabolites in various biological specimens, including blood, urine, saliva, and hair.
• AddictionResource aims to present the most accurate, trustworthy, and up-to-date medical content to our readers.
• With the love and support of your family, and loved ones, we make sure to treat your addiction by understanding the root reasons behind it.
• However, during that time, your hair has grown, and trace amounts of the substance have likely penetrated your hair.

Confirmatory tests are both highly accurate and highly specific and have a significantly lower likelihood of providing false results. With either type of test, the sensitivity is largely determined by the cutoff concentration chosen by the testing facility. The factors previously mentioned will affect the detection times. However, the only way to ensure that you will receive a negative result on a cocaine urine test is to stop using the drug.

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Many drug tests will just screen for benzoylecgonine or cocaethylene, but there is another metabolite that gets formed when either cocaine of benzoylecgonine mixes with alcohol in the liver. To minimize the risk of false positives, urine drug screens have cut-off levels. This means that a result is only positive when the test detects an amount of a drug that is above a certain level. Cut-offs also reduce the likelihood of testing positive due to only passive exposure to a drug.

Former footballer Anthony Stokes sentenced to 15 months over €4,000 cocaine seizure

This type of testing is expensive and hard to perform, so it is less common. The cocaine screen results are usually reported as positive, which means cocaine or its metabolites were found, or negative, meaning no evidence of cocaine was found in your body. These results are based on a cutoff number that shows the concentration of the substance found in your urine, saliva, blood, hair, or sweat. It requires medical treatment, including support to deal with withdrawal symptoms and manage any issues such as depression or relationship concerns that contribute to a person’s cocaine use. Whether a person tests positive for cocaine depends on several factors, including the type of drug test. The metabolite cutoff level will also determine the odds of a positive test.

The length of time cocaine stays in a person’s system depends on the dosage, how often a person uses it, and other factors. Gardaí brought his car to Crumlin station and Cocaine worth €3,700 was found in wraps inside a sock, kept in the air vent on the driver’s side. The court heard he also provided a urine sample, which was over the alcohol limit, but he was “fully co-operative” and “a pleasure to deal with”. Order one of our home drug tests today and get the answers you need.