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Article By: admin 0 Comments Therapy

How to help a loved one into Addiction Treatment

Witnessing a person you care about struggle with an addiction to Drugs  or Alcohol or Gambling,   can be a heart-breaking experience. As you watch your friend or family member slowly begin to prioritise their substance of choice above all else, you will see a steady decline in their health and well-being, but you may feel powerless to stop their addictive behaviours.

Additionally, you may feel hurt, angry or frustrated if your loved one’s substance misuse has negatively affected your life. Perhaps you have had to compensate for their lack of ability to meet their obligations at home, school or work because of their substance misuse concerns. Or maybe you have had to miss opportunities or jeopardise your own financial stability because of your loved one’s drinking or drug addiction. Often, the negative consequences of a person’s addiction will spill over into all areas of their lives, even damaging relationships with the people they love.

But in spite of the frustration you will likely still wish to do all you can to help your loved one regain control of their life, and to see them overcome the addiction that has caused them so much harm.

Addiction treatment: first steps

Before you can begin a conversation about treatment with your loved one, there are some preliminary steps you must take to familiarise yourself with a few important aspects of the process. As you prepare to encourage your loved one to enter a programme to address their addiction, please consider the following:

  • Consider what substance(s) your loved one is misusing and research the ways that these substances impact the mind and body. In doing so, you will gain valuable insight into your loved one’s experience.
  • Engage others in your efforts to support your loved one. Perhaps there are other close friends or family members who share your concerns and who wish to help. By uniting these individuals, no one person will feel solely responsible for convincing your loved one to enter treatment

Talking about addiction treatment

Having some anxiety  or uncertainty prior to your first conversation about treatment with your loved one is an entirely normal experience. The decision to enter residential care can be life-altering, and the suggestion to do so may be met with some initial resistance.

For individuals who have become trapped within the cycle of substance misuse, entering treatment represents the unknown, and the unknown is often regarded with fear. When drugs and/or alcohol have become primary coping tools for stress, these individuals understandably worry what life will be like once those are no longer available.

Before you sit down to speak to your loved one and encourage them to seek treatment, please reflect on the following:

  • No matter what hardships you have had to endure as a result of your loved one’s substance misuse, keep the focus on your loved one’s needs throughout the conversation
  • Expect some resistance to the idea of treatment, but maintain a tone of compassion and empathy and reassure your loved one of your sincere desire to see them overcome their addiction
  • Remember to listen reflectively; no one understands your loved one’s experience of substance misuse better than they do.

For further details on how Villa Paradiso  can provide you with further assistance regarding helping a loved one into addiction treatment, please call us today on 0808 164 6848. If your looking to make a referral, please Click Here

Article By: admin 0 Comments Villa Paradiso

DRUG AND ALCOHOL DETOX – IT WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE

Most drug and all alcohol addictions require a phase of detoxification at the start of the rehabilitation process.

At Villa Paradiso we strongly believe this is a vital and safe way to begin your journey into recovery.

This stage of detox is designed to remove all traces of drugs and alcohol from the body. In some cases, maintenance medication may be given to ease the withdrawal symptoms associated with certain drugs, including cocaine, prescription drugs and heroin

The severity of the Detox Process varies according to:

  • The individual’s unique body composition and metabolism.
  • The particular drug and dosage that was being used.
  • How long the drug has been taken.
  • If there are any other addictions involved.

Detoxification at Villa Paradiso is a safe process under experienced medical supervision with our specialist medical team led by our Doctor Dr Hallin.

Since detox for certain individuals and substances can be potentially very severe — and in some cases, deadly — it’s not advised for individuals to detox on their own at home. 

Article By: admin 0 Comments Villa Paradiso

The Growing Problem of Prescribed Drug Addiction

Is it possible that you or someone you love is addicted to prescription drugs.Most of us take prescription drugs only for the reason the doctor intended. Nevertheless, an estimated 48 million people (aged 12 and older), according to the National Institute on drug abuse have used prescription drugs for nonmedical reasons in their lifetime. That figure represents approximately 20% of the Uk population.

In recent years, there has been a dramatic increase in prescription drug misuse or abuse. This increase has led to a corresponding increase in A & E visits because of accidental overdoses as well as admissions to drug treatment programs for drug addictions.Medication abuse is not always some thing people expect after a long period on medication.

Here at Villa Paradiso we will look at the medication and reason for long term prescription and find a none addictive medication to treat the medical problem.

Our team will do a full medical review as well as therapy looking at the affects of the medication and any underline addiction issues.

Addiction is a chronic, often relapsing brain disease It causes compulsive drug seeking and use despite harmful consequences to the addicted person as well as the people around that person. The abuse of drugs — even prescription drugs — leads to changes in the structure and function of the brain.

For most people, the initial decision to take prescription drugs is voluntary. Over a period of time, however, changes in the brain caused by repeated drug abuse affect a person’s self control and ability to make sound decisions. While this is going on, the person continues to experience intense impulses to take more drugs.

Here at Villa Paradiso we focus on the person and not the addiction,looking at there coping skills and new ways to manage pain safely.we will do full medication reviews and assess pain management drugs.

Supporting people to not abuse any prescribed medication and feel confident to challenge long term prescribing.

Mathew Idle
Lead Therapist
Villa Paradiso

Article By: admin 0 Comments Villa Paradiso

Spanish rehabilitation centre adopts Karify platform

Original Article from: Karify – https://www.karify.com/blog/spanish-rehabilitation-centre-adopts-karify-platform/

 

We are proud to announce a new international collaboration with the Spanish drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre Villa Paradiso. Karify will support the alcohol addiction treatment of Villa Paradiso online, for instance by means of a customised Intake program. The implementation process has already started and the first patients are being invited to start off soon.

We spoke with Geraldine Darby, Clinic Manager of Villa Paradiso about their choice for digital care.

Villa Paradiso

Why did you choose Karify’s platform?

“Here at Villa Paradiso, we believe in strong aftercare and continuous work on each client’s recovery.

With Karify from the minute we discussed our working relationship between our two companies, it was soon apparent we had the same attitude and belief in how important ongoing support for our clients is. We were very pleased to be informed that Karifyhase implemented a system to allow us to input our own personal online support modules and work with us to platform our recovery model and onward support.”

Villa Paradiso has many years of experience in the field of addiction treatment. Their professional treatment takes place in a marvellous villa in the beautiful Marbella. Privacy and discretion, together with personalised care, are, after all, the central elements of their treatment.

What is, according to you, the added value of telepsychiatry/eHealth?

“Recovery is a lifelong process and ongoing aftercare is important for re-enter into social circles and community.

Different challenges can come up in someone’s recovery and be able to connect and get some new tools via Karify will support an ongoing recovery process.”

Flower Villa Paradiso

How do clients of the Centre for Telepsychiatry encounter Karify during the intake process?

“We will use Karify at the beginning of the assessment process, letting clients use it and identify some of the issues or triggers that have brought them to want to engage in treatment, letting them feel comfortable and understand the work we do. This helps to add extra vital support and build up a connection ready for them to feel comfortable to enter treatment.”

What could be the biggest challenge of implementing the platform/eHealth in your opinion?

“Here at Villa Paradiso, we have worked closely with Karify on every step of the process to set up our online support network.

We have worked closely together on developing the programmes which can be accessed. We are confident that this will support the work we do at Villa Paradiso.”

Article By: admin 0 Comments Villa Paradiso

Your family and friends love you.

“Your family and friends love you, and they just want the best for you and don’t want to lose you.” If you can relate to this or know someone who may be please contact us we are here to help with the contact details on please.

You can reach us on + 34 689 806 769 or call our helpline on 0808 1646848.

Our email is: info@villaparadisospain.com.

Original Article by: Huffington Post – https://t.co/janLOeG3Qi

The loved ones of a Montreal woman made space in her obituary to encourage people suffering from addictions to seek help.

Catherine Soful died on Dec. 20, 2017 at the age of 34. Described as a bartender and waitress with a passionate spirit and love for the colour yellow, Soful also struggled with addiction and depression.

The obituary, published online by Kearney Funeral Services, states that Soful’s recreational drug use quickly became an addiction, leading to an accidental, fatal overdose on fentanyl-laced cocaine.

“Catherine was a great person and didn’t deserve this. Her addiction defined her death, but it will not define her memory,” the obituary says. “Her family hopes that others like Catherine can learn from this.”

The obituary goes on to ask others who are struggling to reach out to their loved ones and local support groups, and take safety measures if they can’t stop using.

“Your family and friends love you, and they just want the best for you and don’t want to lose you.”

Canada is currently in the midst of an opioid crisis that claims lives every day. In 2016, 2,458 people died of opioid overdoses.

Your family and friends love you, and they just want the best for you and don’t want to lose you.
“The growing number of overdoses and deaths caused by opioids, including fentanyl, is a public health emergency,” the federal government’s website says.

Anyone who uses drugs can be at risk of overdosing, according to the government. This includes addicts and recreational users, as well as first-time users and people who don’t follow medical instructions in taking their prescriptions.

Naxolone kits can temporarily reverse overdoses until medical help arrives.
The federal government is working to improve how they track overdose numbers. They’ve approved 29 new safe injection sites and increased access to naloxone kits, which can temporarily reverse overdoses until medical help arrives.

Individuals can help loved ones with addictions by getting their own emergency naloxone kits and carrying them at all times.

Soful is survived by her parents and sister. Her memorial will be held on Monday.

 

Article By: admin 0 Comments Villa Paradiso

The Christmas period is a time of fun families and sharing the good times.

Addiction Rehabilitation Treatment Centre

The Christmas period is a time of fun families and sharing the good times.

It’s also a time when people feel most alone and revalue their lives and consider making those January changes. It can be the hardest decision of a persons life to face their fears and truly look into the mirror and ask themselves is this what I want for the next year and so on.

Being lost in a place you truly don’t belong and longing for that freedom to change. Here at Villa Paradiso, we are here to support you to achieve your goals and become that person. We can support you to make that decision and give you the understanding and tool to maintain the life you truly want.

Maybe it’s time to give yourselves that special gift of recovery let this be your time to shine and bring happiness to everyone, but most importantly to yourself.

You are worth recovery.

We are open all over the Christmas period our support. Our helpline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for those in need of support and connection. We are here to listen and talk with you – do not ever feel alone. If you just need someone to talk too our qualified members of the team are at the end of the phone. We offer our clients a personal, professional, friendly, discreet and completely confidential service at all times.

You can reach us on + 34 689 806 769 or call our helpline on 0808 1646848.

Our email is: info@villaparadisospain.com.

Article By: admin 0 Comments Villa Paradiso

What is the true cost of alcohol at Christmas?

The festive period is here again, with a full diary of Christmas events and office parties. The time of year when you can let your hair down and speak freely and simply blame the alcohol.

If we do we actually take a moment to think of the bigger picture and really understand the risks and damaging effect this period can have on your health and well being.

Do we support friend and work colleges who may struggle during this festival period? Ask yourself would you wish any of the below on to anyone?

Alcohol-related hospital admissions can skyrocket over Christmas when excessive drinking costs the NHS millions. An estimated 1.8 million married couples and cohabiting partners will consider splitting up, with drink-fuelled rows often finally bringing things to a head.

An average of 30,000 people die each year from alcohol misuse-related illnesses and incidents, with many of these fatalities occurring between mid-December and early January.

Interestingly, 3.18pm on Christmas Day is the specific time when the majority of family drink-driven arguments start behind the front doors of Britain over the festive period, which proves that alcohol-related incidents are not solely night-time events!

Extreme alcohol consumption (and related behaviour) makes Christmas a time when domestic abuse peaks; this can be both physical and emotional abuse committed by both sexes
According to the Association of Chief Police Officers, drink- (and drug-) driving arrests over Christmas and New Year in 2017 amounted to over 7000 across England alone. That is 7000+ potentially deadly law-breaking acts in about a fortnight

That last statistic is particularly alarming, isn’t it? With the celebrations seeming to start earlier and earlier each year, police forces everywhere are now forced to launch and enforce month-long drink-driving monitoring campaigns (which often extend into early January, when New Year revelry can sometimes last an entire week).

Maybe make this Christmas one to remember and celebrate it responsibly with your loved ones.

And always think of the people who might be struggling and offer them support. Maybe give them the gift of recovery and support them to begin their journey.

If you feel that you, a friend or loved one are affected by any of these issues please do not hesitate to reach out to us for support. Our team is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week including over the festive period. Call our helpline on freephone number 0808 1646848 or +34 689 806769.
Email info@villaparadisospain.com. All calls and emails are completely confidential.

Be safe and have a peaceful Christmas from the team Villa Paradiso.

Article By: admin 0 Comments Studies , , , , ,

An unlikely hero? Challenging stigma through community engagement.

According to Goffman, stigma extensively discredits a person, reducing them “from a whole and usual person to a tainted, discounted one” (p. 3). The current paper shows how an innovative partnership model to employing excluded and vulnerable populations has not only provided hope and purpose for participants but has, through the resulting social enterprise, challenged stigma and exclusion. One particular incident is described as part of a broader process of challenging exclusion and stigmatisation, in this preliminary analysis of a recovery project that attempts reintegration through community improvement.

There is considerable evidence that stigma is a major problem for alcohol and other drug users and their families, with the World Health Organisation (2001) reporting that illicit drug use is the most stigmatised health condition in the world with alcohol dependence as the fourth most stigmatised. The UK Drug Policy Commission (2010) define stigma as “an indelible mark or a stain, and the term is generally applied to an attribute that makes a person unacceptable in other people’s eyes” (p. 1). The UKDPC goes on to suggest that stigma goes beyond stereotyping in that it often leads to prejudice and active discrimination. In a recent study on public attitudes to stigmatised behaviours, Phillips and Shaw (2013) not only demonstrated that substance misuse was more stigmatising than either obesity or smoking, but also that the general public have limited faith in recovery or desistance. Thus, participants retained a preference for social distance even towards those substance users who were described as being in recovery.

To read the full article please Click Here

Article By: admin 0 Comments Studies , , , ,

Recovery, Ambitions, and Aspirations: An Exploratory Project to Build a Recovery Community by Generating a Skilled Recovery Workforce

A fundamental barrier to recovery is “negative recovery capital” in the form of barriers to access to housing and paid employment. Stable recovery rests not only on overcoming acute dependence, but also subsequently on developing supportive social networks, a safe place to live, meaningful activities, and a sense of purpose and hope. In the United Kingdom, the recovery movement has faced a huge challenge in translating early recovery into stable recovery because of limited access to housing and employment, and because of stigmatization of those in recovery. This article reviews a social enterprise model for engaging recovering people with an addiction in a building program linked to recovery housing, which also provides employment. The article is based on observations, in-depth qualitative interviews, and focus groups with participants in the program, and describes the social contagion of hope and the elevated aspirations associated with working and generating recovery housing. This model offers inspiration about personal transformation and aspiration that also contributes to the development of a therapeutic landscape of recovery.

To View the Full Article: Click Here

Article By: admin 0 Comments Testimonials

David P – Marbella, Spain

I started looking for help for my long-term cocaine use problem after realising i couldn’t just stop stop using on my own. I had been using for around 18/19years with the last 5 years or so being what I think anyone would describe as heavy use.

I was not sure what I was Looking for but as | Live in the Marbella area I wanted somewhere in Spain that I could go for treatment 24/7 for a bit as hourly sessions occasionally (like a dentist appointment)  just don’t work.

I emailed four places initially to find out availability and costs etc. Three emailed me back a PDF with costs and ways to pay. two within in an hour, one within 4 hours. Villa Paradisio was not one of the three that emailed me back.

Instead Charlotte called me on the phone. My initial response was not to answer but let it ring. Then I realised that maybe that meant I was not tackling my problem. I asked her to call back on txt. She did and I am VERY glad she did.

She asked me what was wrong and what could she do to help me, she didn’t talk to me about costs and she didn’t try and force anything on me, she listened and instantly I knew this was where I needed to go. 1 Day later I checked in and it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. The villa, the setting and all the staff made me feel at ease and not embarrassed to be there.

Over my time there the treatment I received from Charlotte has allowed me to leave there and not only not use Cocaine again but I can genuinely say I don’t want to anymore. I was not sure what to expect from this experience as I have never done it and hopefully thanks to everyone there I will never have to in the future. It is not an exaggeration to say Charlotte saved my Marriage and I will be forever grateful. I didn’t think ‘therapy’ would be for me and I am not the type to talk about my feelings or problems. I wanted to get better though and thanks to the way the sessions were with Charlotte I made great progress and got to the bottom of a lot of things.

Chris the Operations Director is one of there most genuine and stand up guys I have met in years and I was frankly taken aback but the way he looked after me and how much he genuinely cares about helping people. This is not some throwaway glib comment about nice staff,  too be clear  I mean the rare thing of someone who has actually decided to try and help other people and gives his focus and time on helping you what ever it takes.

I couldn’t not mention my friend Ricardo who took take me walking in the Hills and on the beach. The man makes a mean Brazilian barbecue and is one of the nicest guys I have ever met.

In conclusion if your reading this and think you need help then you do. If you are not sure were to go then I wasn’t either but trust me this is the place if you want to change your life.

Over a month now since I left and life is good. I don’t want to use and I don’t think I ever will again. THAT is down to my time here. Simple as that. Good Luck.