Nearly 1/3 of people with major depression also have an alcohol problem, according to one study conducted by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. In many cases, depression may be the first to occur. Research shows that children who are depressed are more prone to develop alcohol addiction problems once they reach adolescence. Teens who have had an episode of major depression are twice as likely as those who aren’t depressed to start drinking alcohol.

Roughly 12 million American women suffer from depression some of which may also be suffering from an alcohol addiction. Many women tend to say, “It’s best not to burden others with my problems.” The truth is talking to friends in addition to a therapist will help considerably when it comes to beating depression. There’s a stigma with depression especially among older women. Older women may feel ashamed and vulnerable, which is why they need a team of social support.

“How long should I expect her to be in drug and alcohol rehab?”

The answer varies from client to client.  Research has shown that the length of time in alcohol and drug rehab treatment is directly correlated with better outcomes of maintaining sobriety. 90 day residential or outpatient drug rehabs are suggested as the minimum length of time. However, withdrawing from heavy narcotics with the use of Methadone treatment should continue for at least 12 months.
Detox, the first phase of drug rehab, can last as little as two to three days. This procedure cleanses the body of drugs and alcohol and should be overseen and managed by medical professionals or nurse as the withdrawal symptoms can be uncomfortable and even dangerous. The substance used will determine the length of the detoxification process; alcohol can last a few days where heroin or meth can require a week. Generally, the length of stay in a drug rehab varies from person to person taking as long as it takes to gain balance and a foundation in recovery.

Short-term residency programs such as The Rose, usually have a set amount of time- 30, 60, or 90 days. After this time, patients are encouraged to discharge and usually recommended to an outpatient drug rehab program and/or sober living environment. For many, insurance coverage determines a patient’s length of stay. For a drug rehab to be as successful as possible, it is recommended to receive support for 3-6 months in a structured, drug-free environment.

Long-term drug rehab programs can last anywhere from nine months to a year. These programs are recommended for those who have gone in and out of jail on drug charges, struggle with keeping a job or house, are in danger of becoming homeless or re-incarcerated, or chronic relapsers.

Individuals progress through drug addiction treatment at various speeds, so there is no predetermined length of treatment. However, research has shown unequivocally that good outcomes are contingent on adequate lengths of treatment. Many people who enter treatment drop out before receiving all the benefits that treatment can provide. Successful outcomes may require more than one treatment experience. Many addicted individuals have multiple episodes of treatment, often with a cumulative impact.

Generally, for residential or outpatient treatment, participation for less than 90 days is of limited or no effectiveness, and treatments lasting significantly longer often are indicated. While over a year of treatment can be detrimental to some clients who start to see themselves as permanently sick with their addiction.

We introduce the clients of The Rose to a healthy routine very quickly. We have a schedule that starts at 7:00 am with a beach walk. The importance of introducing our women to a routine is one of the building blocks of alcohol and drug recovery. A healthy routine our clients can take home helps remove them from temptation. One of the hardest things for an alcoholic or drug addicts is helping them to redirect their free time to places that don’t tempt them to relapse. Steering clear of bars, shopping malls or friends who encourage the addiction is a completely new lifestyle for our clients and takes time.e that starts at 7:00 am with a beach walk.From there the day is scheduled around therapy, meals, meditation, recovery meetings, exercise and rest. People with addictions usually have unhealthy routines or have absolutely no routine established at all, making choices out of impulse.

Many struggle in establishing a new routine. While the women are still discovering themselves, their interests and opinions we encourage them to redirect their behaviors to healthy ones. We offer many healthy activities including art therapy, beach walks, exercise and volunteering in the community.

Focusing individual care for each client and her needs is what distinguishes the Rose from other recovery programs. We have created our own support group for clients who are struggling with eating disorders. This group is led by Case Manager and Alumni Coordinator, Mary Lisa Patton, BA, CADAAC.

Mary Lisa Patton, BA, CAADAC

Mary joined the Rose team in 2007 as she was finishing her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at Vanguard University of Southern California.  Mary Lisa just earned her degree as a certified, California Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor with an emphasis in eating disorders.  Mary enjoys building relationships with the woman and encouraging spiritual growth as a necessary part of recovery.

The Rose is proud to offer eating disorder support in our facility. However, if a client shows signs that they are in need of more in depth eating disorder treatment, we refer them to our sister facility, The Victorian.

The Rose is a women’s drug and alcohol rehab that accepts clients over the age of 18. Our clients are a variety of ages. Most recently we have seen an increase of older clients. Which explains this recent report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration which states that the number of U.S. adults age 50 or older needing substance abuse treatment is expected to double from 2.8 million to 5.7 million by the year 2020.

A 2010 report by the Drug Abuse Warning Network said drugs used for pain relief, anxiety or insomnia were involved in almost a quarter of adverse drug reactions among other adults. “Oxycontin is the number one problematic drug right now. But also older people tend to deal with more feelings of loneliness and sadness and are prescribed anxiety and anti-depressants that can be abused as well.” Said Chip Hobbs, Residential Services Manager at South Miami Hospitals Addiction Treatment Center. The problem is the drug itself can promote pain in the patient making the client addicted to the drug for relief.

The addiction to pharmaceutical drugs like Oxcontin has been a problem on the rise in recent years among affluent communities. Now the drug seems to be seeping into the hands of affluent elderly.

“It’s clear that this study shows that late adolescent alcohol drinking drives up the risk of these preliminary benign changes in the breast,” said Dr. Graham Colditz, a professor of surgery and associate director for prevention and control at the Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

“The risk is substantial,” Colditz said. So what’s the good news? Young women who are aware of the link can change their behavior, he said.

A link between alcohol and breast cancer has already been established in recent years.  Adult women who drink two to five alcoholic drinks a day have 1.5 times the risk of breast cancer compared to nondrinkers, according to the American Cancer Society.

If a young woman you know may have an alcohol problem, please don’t delay in getting her the help she needs before it’s too late. Call The Rose today with any questions you may have: (888) 471-0435

Nurture vs Nature in Addiction

It’s often a question asked during Family Week and in families struggling with addiction around the world, “How can two people who are raised in the same home come out so differently?” A recent study of twins asks the big question, “Is it nurture or nature that determines addiction?” The answer is found in the study.

The study was done on sets of twins. Twin pairs essentially come in two types: identical (or monozygotic) and fraternal (or dizygotic). Identical twins share 100% of their genes, while fraternal twins share only around 50% (the same as full-siblings). Because of these differences in genetic similarity, if identical twins are more alike than fraternal twins on a characteristic of interest (which could be almost anything, like height, personality, or schizophrenia), then that characteristic is at least partly heritable.

Of course, heritable or genetic influences make up only part of the picture. If something were 100% heritable, identical twins would be 100% truly identical on it. This is rarely the case. For the vast, overwhelming majority of characteristics that vary among people, it is a matter of both nature and nurture. The dynamic of nature and nurture is complex, sometimes overlapping, and often interacting with one another. In regard to drug addiction, twin studies find that around 40% of the variation between people is due to heritable factors, while the remaining 60% is due to environmental influences.

The most frequently used method for estimating the relative influence of genes and environment on a characteristic is known as the “ACE model”.

• A, additive genetic effects: factors (that is, genes) that identical twins share 100% and fraternal twins share 50%**;

• C, common or shared environmental effects: factors shared 100% between twins, which make a pair of twins more similar to one another regardless of whether they are identical or fraternal.
• E, unique or non-shared environmental effects: factors unique to each individual, which make twins less similar regardless of whether they are identical or fraternal.

In the ACE Model, 2/3 or the effect are environment (nurture). This gives great support to the nature theory which in this study gave 60% to environmental influences. This evidence isn’t to say that parent are to blame for a child’s addiction. An environment is not only a home life, but also geography, community, friends and media influences.

Childhood Trauma linked to Alcohol Addiction

Therapy is a huge part of recovery at the Rose. Often times addictions are formed as a coping mechanism for unresolved trauma in one’s life. In particular, abuse in childhood appears to be a particularly strong risk factor for developing alcoholism. Alcohol dependence is linked to many risk factors — including genetics, drinking in adolescence and having other mental disorders. A history of physical, sexual or emotional abuse in childhood is known to be another large risk factor. The new study, however, shows how strong this link could be in the development.

Researchers at the National Institute on Drug Abuse surveyed 196 men and women who were inpatients being treated for alcohol addiction. Almost ¼ of men and 33% of women reported a history of childhood physical abuse while rates of sexual abuse were 12% for men and 49% for women.

In addition, the study found that sexual abuse raised the risk of also developing anxiety disorder and emotional abuse increased the risk of developing depression. People who were physically abused in childhood and became alcohol dependent were more likely to have a history of suicide attempts. Alcoholics who experience more than one type of childhood abuse were more likely to develop another mental disorder or attempt suicide at some point.

To learn more about the services, therapy and treatments offered by the Rose of Newport Beach please call: (888) 471-8835. We would be happy to answer any questions you may have!