Symptoms of Cutting in Self Harming Individuals

If you suspect that someone you know or love may be engaging in self harming behaviors like cutting, kindness and compassion are essential if you choose to broach the subject. Regardless, recognizing the signs and symptoms of self harm can be the first step in treating individuals engaged in cutting or other forms of self harm. Here is a list of common symptoms that those who cut or self harm may display.

• Unexplained Cuts
  People who are cutting usually have small linear cut marks on the forearm, legs, and torso. These marks are often straight lines that run parallel to each other. Additionally, they may have unexplained bruises or scars, with frequency and lifestyles that do not support theories of chance.
• Covering Up Marks
  Sometimes, individuals who are cutting or self harming will cover up the marks by wearing loose fitting clothing. Often they will wear long sleeved shirts when the weather is inappropriately warm. Other cutters or self injurers will refuse to change clothing for fear of being found out—avoiding activities like swimming, athletics, or sexual encounters. Additionally, they may wear a large quantity of bracelets or rubber bands to cover marks in the lower wrist area. When sitting, cutters or self injurers may cover their legs with a pillow or blanket in order to cover the marks.
• Presence of Sharp Objects
  Be aware it someone you suspect of cutting or self harming has access to or regularly carries sharp objects. Pay attention if sharp objects such as razors, scissors or knives often go missing around the house. If this occurs, pay special attention to the individual and their emotional state.
• Mood Shifts
  Those inflicting self harm upon themselves through cutting may show signs of depression and anxiety at intense levels. Others may demonstrate a great deal of stress, erratic behavior, or exhibit sudden changes in their communication styles.
• Behavioral Changes
  Some lifestyle choices may indicate that cutting or self harm has become a pattern of behavior. Pay attention if someone you love frequently claims to have accidents or provides inadequate reasons for injuries. Additionally, know that individuals who are cutting or self-harming may withdraw to avoid interaction or detection, spending a lot of time alone and isolated. While these are not definitive signs of cutting self harm, avoidance when coupled with other signs can indicate a problem with self injury.

The Importance of Self-Honesty in Recovery

One function of self-honesty is to come to the place of admitting that alcohol or drug abuse has become a major problem in your life. Self honesty enables us to see those actions we have committed out of the desperation of chemical dependency, and how it has affected our lives, jobs and relationships. Self honesty also allows us to see our drug or alcohol usage for what it is, without minimizing our intake, or laying blame on circumstances or other people. Whether in an intervention with a professional addiction counselor, or at the moment we break through during our stay at a holistic recovery facility, the moment of true self honesty is when the real work for sobriety can begin.

Secondly, self honesty becomes central in understanding our drug or alcohol addictions. As we approach the chemical dependency treatment process, self honesty leads us to evaluate our lives so far, and brings us to a greater understanding of who we are. With the guidance of a dedicated therapist, we can find the traumatic events, negative self beliefs, or personal philosophies that led us down the road of dependency. This becomes exceedingly important in removing the “psychic need” that drives addiction to drugs and alcohol. As we deal with underlying psychological root causes, we find greater freedom and empowerment. We see ourselves for the wonderful, capable human beings we are, and we realize our potential to overcome chemical dependency.

Finally, self honesty brings us to a place where we can establish better relationships with others as we recover. Denial and dishonesty only serve to isolate us, shackling us with secretive behavior, self-conscious images, and avoidance of personal conflicts. The self honesty we achieve in alcohol or drug recovery becomes a part of our lives that we can bring to relationships for years to come. We can better advocate for our needs and desires, and change any patterns of behavior or interaction that we choose to. Private rehab centers will pair you with a personal therapist that can help guide you through the process of achieving this measure of self honesty, helping you take the fear out of truth—and empowering you to live a life of freedom and peace.

The Importance of Honesty With Your Dependency Team

Upon entering a private recovery program, many people are hesitant to be fully honest about past drug and alcohol use. Because of the societal stigmas around chemical dependency, the forces of denial inherent in alcohol or drug addiction, and the shame that so often accompanies dependency, many newcomers feel the need to downplay their usage. However, addiction professionals have worked with incredibly long-lasting and high-usage level addictions before, and take a compassionate, nonjudgmental stance towards patients. Because luxury and private rehab programs are specially tailored to each individual, their effectiveness can be limited by a lack of honesty in the individual attempting to recover.

Furthermore, methods of effective mental health therapies often depend on the nature and level of your chemical dependency, as well as your personal history. Because many times emotional or psychological root causes lie at the root of drug or alcohol addiction, it becomes increasingly important to discuss issues honestly in individualized therapy. An attitude of honesty and disclosure with your therapists can mean a speedier, more lasting recovery as you uncover the events and beliefs in your life that may have led you to believe you needed drugs or alcohol to survive.

Honesty is important for medical reasons as well. Different drugs cause stress on different systems in the body, and your personal allergies or even drug experiences can give important information to your inpatient medical staff. Knowing what combination of drugs or alcohol you have regularly ingested allows your dependency recovery team to adjust your treatment plan accordingly. Depending on how long you used drugs or alcohol, your inpatient recovery team may want to incorporate various herbal or mineral supplements to augment your treatment course. As you begin to build trust with your inpatient drug and alcohol recovery team, you will find that the more honest feedback you can give them, the more powerful and healing their assistance will become.

Steps to Taking an Honest Inventory of Your Life

As we take an honest inventory of our lives, we begin to pinpoint problem areas, past hurts, and traumas that have led us to use drugs and alcohol. This honesty with ourselves will allow us to heal, bringing true and lasting change to our lives through drug or alcohol recovery. Counselors at inpatient recovery facilities can provide individuals with important skills in coping with drug addition. Here are four simple steps that can help you combat denial and find the honesty you need to recover.

• Accept Your Weaknesses
  Facing struggles can be a difficult thing for many of us, especially when it seems to threaten our self esteem. Many of us have been trained to think that weaknesses should be denied and eliminated, rather than embraced and accepted and addressed. By realizing which behaviors add to your life and which derail your progress, you can then set out to overcome them. Make a list of traits or habits you would like to change, and speak with a therapist or counselor about how you can go about making these changes in an actionable, direct way.
• Take an Honest Picture of Your Life
  Ask yourself what your life is truly like at the present moment. Do you have everything you could wish for and want in this life? Don’t worry—many of us have unrealized dreams we want to pursue, and relationships that can be further improved. An important step to recovering from drug and alcohol recovery is to take an honest snapshot of your life and compare it to your desires. Reality becomes your starting point—your blank slate on which you will paint the full picture of your dreams and desires. If you don’t like what you see, private rehab can help individuals reconnect to their better selves through individual therapy and drug or alcohol recovery.
• Eliminate Pretense in Your Self Image
  So often, we find ourselves pretending to be someone we’re not. We tell ourselves that we do not have a problem with alcohol or drugs, in attempt to avoid the stigma of the lifetime “alcoholic” or “addict” that society places on those who encounter dependency issues. The truth is that you are a whole person—a unique individual who does not need to pretend or offer a false picture of who you are. As you find yourself embracing your identity, you will encounter plenty of wonderful truths about yourself that will serve to bolster self-love, acceptance, and recovery.
• Examine Your Actions Towards Others
  Make a list of the actions you wish you could take back or avoid in the future towards others. Learning to live a life without regret begins by confronting actions or patterns in yourself that you want to change. By taking an honest inventory of your actions, you can strengthen your relationships and act out of greater dignity. Private rehab facilities help individuals overcome the unhealthy reaction patterns and relationship cycles, as well as find greater peace and intimacy in interactions with others.

How Honesty Can Affect Your Spiritual Growth

Drug and alcohol dependency is fraught with dishonesty. In fact, the denial that endeavors to keep us using thrives on self-deceit. We must keep our drug and alcohol use a secret, hidden from others (for fear of judgment and abandonment) and from ourselves (out of a fear of change, or because we lack the self-esteem to believe that we can experience true recovery). As a result, this veil of denial and dishonesty separates us from our true experience of ourselves. We become so afraid of confronting our drug or alcohol dependency that we block off the road to recovery. Professional counselors at a private inpatient rehabilitation program can help repair your self esteem while confronting your drug or alcohol addition.

Self Acceptance Through an Honest Spirit

As we begin to embrace the honesty of our chemical dependency problem, we find ourselves with a higher measure of self-acceptance. We find that we can seek out and obtain the recovery we need, whether from an outpatient alcohol and drug recovery program or an inpatient alcohol and drug rehab center. We become motivated to seek out the emotional and psychological root causes that have compelled us to drink or use drugs. We embrace honesty—both about the negative behaviors we want to change, and regarding the wonderful, powerful people we are.

Finding Spiritual Truths Through Honesty

Honesty becomes a road to freedom, compelling us to act with greater integrity, to forge compassionate and tender relationships, and to finally chase our dreams. We finally become able to seek out the truths the Universe lays before us, and we become hungry for more truth in our lives, as well. We open ourselves up to an experience of the world that does not need deceit, unfairness, or competition with others, allowing us to realize the potential in ourselves and our relationships.

Five Ways to Develop Self-Honesty in Your Life

Honesty with others can sometimes be a challenge, but the greatest obstacle for many of us is the preliminary honesty we need to cultivate in and with ourselves. Here are five, simple ways to develop a higher degree of self-honesty in your everyday life.

• Eliminate Excuses in Your Life
  Out of stress, worry over outcomes of our actions, and guilt, we find ourselves justifying behaviors by offering excuses for them. While excuses seem to offer a way to elicit empathy from others, most people will respect you more for simply owning responsibility and telling the truth. Additionally, when you stop excusing your own behavior (even to yourself), you will find greater self-acceptance of your problems—the first step towards solving them.
• Deal With Conflict Effectively
  Many people find themselves less than honest when they run into conflict with others. Sometimes, the pressure cooker of an intense interaction causes us to view our behavior towards others in a more favorable light, focusing solely on the hurt we feel. As we learn to calm ourselves during disagreements and think logically, we can find better measures of self-honesty as we approach our interactions. We experience less need to “be right,” fewer justifications for our behavior, and a better perspective on others’ needs and wants.
• Overcome Self-Consciousness
  Sometimes, our level of self-honesty lowers simply because we are afraid of admitting to our flaws. Realize that we all are on a journey guided by the Universe towards completion, and none of us has yet achieved total flawlessness. As we learn to accept ourselves, we will have greater empathy for others’ struggles, as well. Furthermore, as we stop worrying about the opinions of others, we are better positioned for self-honesty and unfettered pursuit of our hearts’ desires.
• Eliminate Your Inner Judge
  Often, to combat feelings of low self-esteem, we fall into denial, using justification, minimization of negative behaviors, and blame-shifting in order to retain our self-image. We can attain a higher level of self-honesty by eliminating the harsh, judging voice inside of us that crumbles our self-esteem. Where there is acceptance of ourselves, there is no room for denial. By removing the inner judge’s voice, we eliminate the urge to deceive ourselves or avoid the reality of where we are at in our recovery. During private alcohol or drug rehab, the feedback from your personalized team of addiction experts can help provide a base for this nonjudgmental self-honesty, as your team shares honest appraisals of progress—as well as sincere encouragement—with you as you heal.
• Give Yourself Permission to Need
  Many of us drift away from self-honesty largely because we have not learned to speak with an unapologetic voice, and accept that we have valid needs. We might find ourselves agreeing with others outwardly when we inwardly disagree, or deferring our opinion to others in a way that betrays our true voice. Give yourself permission to have needs, as the valuable human being you are. You will find that your truthful, centered voice will grow stronger as you do not fear acknowledging your needs.

The Physiology of Marijuana Use

The active ingredient in marijuana is an organic chemical compound known as tetrahydrocannabinol—commonly referred to as THC.  THC enters the blood stream rapidly when smoked through the lungs’ alveoli, hitting the brain within seconds. When marijuana is eaten, the THC is transferred from the stomach and then is transferred to the blood stream in a slower, but longer lasting, process than occurs with smoking. During the period where the marijuana user experiences a “high,” THC begins to actively affect the body. However, the chemical remains in the body for several weeks, due to its storage in fat within the body.

The initial high begins as marijuana triggers the physiological responses to THC within the body. Usually this period lasts roughly one to two hours, but repeated usage or high quantity consumption can create a longer altered state. The marijuana user begins to experience sedative effects, once THC binds with cannaboid receptors in the brain. Marijuana’s psychoactive properties begin to manifest, causing altered perception, increased heart rate (tachycardia) and decreased blood pressure. Additionally, the central nervous system begins to experience changes, including difficulty forming and retaining experiences in short-term memory, problems with coordination and dexterity, and lowered concentration abilities.

Over time, marijuana smoke can begin to take a toll on the lungs, due to dangerous chemicals contained in its smoke. With short-term use, marijuana smoke can irritate the mucous membranes, leading to congestion, steady coughing, and even wheezing as the lungs, throat, nose and eyes become taxed. These effects can lead to long-term respiratory problems, such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Repeated exposure can cause long-term changes the body’s physiology, as well, by creating lung and cardiac damage. Over time, prolonged marijuana use can also create imbalances in the brain, with links found between chronic usage and clinical depression.

Overcoming Marijuana Addiction in Rehab

While the physically addictive properties of marijuana remain hotly debated, many people find themselves with a heavy psychological dependency on marijuana. What might begin as recreational pot smoking often leads to a daily use that interferes with social engagements, goals and even work. Fortunately, many luxury and private rehab facilities specialize in helping people overcome their dependencies on marijuana. With expert, individualized and confidential counseling, and a team of physicians, alternative medicine practitioners, and life coaches, marijuana users can find freedom through holistic rehab centers. Once the psychological root cause of the marijuana dependency has been found, users can return to a life of sobriety with better health, greater levels of ambition and increased peace of mind.

Six Physiological Effects of Cocaine on the Body

There are many long term and potentially fatal effects of cocaine on the body and its organs. Here are six of the most common physiological effects of cocaine on the body.

• Heart Problems
  Cocaine use increases the pulse and constricts the heart’s arteries, thereby elevating blood pressure to unhealthy levels and decreasing the supply of blood to the heart.  This is a potentially lethal combination that can result in arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat), tachycardia (rapid heartbeat) or even sudden cardiac arrest. For this reason, full medical examinations, as well as supervised medical detox at an inpatient rehab center become highly important when dealing with cocaine dependency.
• Brain
  Once ingested, cocaine increases blood pressure and constricts the blood vessels in the brain, creating the potential for strokes even in healthy individuals.
• Respiratory System
  The inhalation of cocaine causes damage to the mucous membranes of the nose and sinuses, leading to nasal perforation.  Additionally, both snorted and smoked cocaine can cause lung irritation and damage to the mucous membranes.
• Kidneys
  Cocaine use can cause rhabdomyolysis, which is the medical term for spontaneous kidney failure. Furthermore, elevated blood pressure can also result in long term kidney damage.
• Stomach
  Cocaine dependency causes blood vessels to constrict, which reduces the flow of oxygen to the stomach resulting in ulcerations.
• Sexual function
  Chronic cocaine dependency often results in sexual dysfunction, leading men to experience delayed ejaculation. Supervised medical detox and individualized therapy conducted in a private inpatient drug treatment center can help treat this condition in both the mind and body.

Physiological Changes Caused by Tobacco Smoke

Nicotine crosses the blood-brain barrier just a mere 10 to 15 seconds after a nicotine dependent individual takes the first puff from a cigarette. As cigarette smoke is inhaled, it becomes absorbed by the alveolar membrane in the lungs, which then transfers the nicotine itself to the bloodstream. As soon as the nicotine in tobacco smoke reaches the brain, adrenaline floods the body, resulting in increased heart rate, raised blood pressure, and shallow or rapid breathing.

Additionally, physiological changes caused by tobacco smoke include an increase in blood glucose concentration. This occurs for two reasons—more glucose being released into the blood, and insulin release experiencing a decrease. Because the metabolic rate in nicotine dependent individuals also increases, nutrients are converted into energy at a faster pace, leading to a suppression of appetite.

Nicotine also interacts with your central nervous system when it enters the brain, acting in ways similar to the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. This allows nicotine to bind to acetylcholine neurons, forcing the release of higher levels of the neurotransmitter. Smoking essentially floods the brain with this chemical, activating its reward centers. This results in a euphoric, pleasant or satisfied feeling.

How Physiological Changes Create a Cycle of Tobacco Dependency

As nicotine leaves the brain, activity levels lower and begin to rapidly decline. This leaves the nicotine dependent individual craving another dose of nicotine in order to regain the same pleasant feeling he or she experienced with the first cigarette. In fact, it can take up to a month for the brain to readjust to pre-nicotine dependency levels of acetylcholine. This physiological change in the brain is one of the reasons that approximately only 10% of people who attempt to quit smoke succeed in a given year. Thankfully, qualified drug detox programs can help stop the cycle of nicotine dependency, allowing your body to return to its natural, homeostatic state.