James Davis
CAS, Interventionist
Free
Addiction and Post Acute Withdrawal Expert
James Davis Quick Facts
- Main Areas
- Addiction, Post Acute Withdrawal, Kindling Effect, Drug Treatment
- Career Focus
- CEO, Founder, Author
- Affiliation
- Recovery First
I'm not just a CAS and Board-Certified Interventionist - I am an addict with more than 30 years in recovery. If you're an addict or someone you love is, I've been right where you are now and have dedicated my life to saving the lives of people who simply can't do it on their own.
Addiction is a progressive, potentially fatal disease that can strike anyone. My hope is that the articles and books I write will educate and empower so that we may one day end the War on Drugs and stop looking at addicts as combatants and crooks. They are our brothers, mothers, sisters and fathers, and we owe it to ourselves to get the facts straight, share those facts accordingly and develop treatment options based upon the reality that addiction is an intrinsic human problem.
Articles by this expert
SelfGrowth articles and saved writing connected to this expert.
Article
The War in Your Brain - Understanding Drug Tolerance and Addiction
One neglected battlefield of the War on Drugs is the one that occurs inside an addict's head. This is because the physiological mechanisms responsible for our survival in the event of chemical infiltration are a seemingly double edged sword that may be more dangerous than beneficial in the long run. This survival mechanism is called drug tolerance - an addict's most wearisome enemy - but not for the reasons you might think.
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Types of Drug Detox
There are 4 primary types of drug detox available for addicts and alcoholics to achieve the initial stages of sobriety. This includes the cold turkey method, specialized detox centers, medical detox facilities and rapid detox centers. Each type of drug detox has its own benefits and pitfalls that people seeking to recover from addiction should understand before they decide which treatment option is right for them. Cold Turkey Drug Detox
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Why Going Away for Drug Rehab Works
Attending a treatment program or a drug rehab center located down the street from where you once used drugs is probably not an effective way to achieve sobriety. There are many convincing arguments to attend treatment in another city or state, not the least of which is the fact that if you attend treatment locally, you'll likely be airing your "dirty laundry" to other locals - people you know and encounter on a regular basis. The following are a number of other reasons why going away for drug rehab can be much more effective than staying near home. Fewer Triggers and Cues
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The Paradox of Drug Abuse and Euphoria
One of the most significant reasons that people abuse drugs is for the euphoric effects they provide. While many might argue that people use substances to escape reality, to cope with stress and an unlimited number of other reasons, the fact of the matters is that euphoria makes these things possible: drugs cause people to feel good, even if they weren't necessarily feeling bad to begin with. Unfortunately, the neurological nature of addiction tells us that substance abuse actually makes it more challenging for people to feel euphoria, happiness and contentment.
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How Opioid Replacement Therapy during Drug Detox Can Help You
Opioid Replacement Therapy is a powerful tool to help people who are addicted to opiate-based drugs like heroin, morphine or Oxycontin detox safely. While the ultimate goal of opioid replacement therapy is an eventual complete abstinence from all opioid drugs, it has a number of other features that benefit drug addicts and the communities where they live. This includes fewer instances of disease transmission, a reduction in crime related to drug-seeking behavior and fewer overdose deaths and suicides. Opioid Replacement Therapy: How it Works
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The Most Difficult Drugs to Detox From - and Why
The hardest drugs to detox from depend on your perspective. If by "difficult" you're referring to the severity of dangerous medical symptoms that occur during withdrawal, then the obvious answer is alcohol and benzodiazepine. Both of these drugs could kill you during detox. But if you're referring to the severity of emotional, mental and spiritual symptoms that affect a person during drug detox, then most addicts will agree that opiates are the most difficult; especially opiates like Methadone that are designed to help wean an addict from other opiates like heroin.
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Understanding the Differences betwee Acute and Post Acute Withdrawal
In simple terms, the primary difference between acute and post acute withdrawal is the severity and potential consequences of related symptoms. As the key words indicate, acute withdrawal is generally more severe than post-acute withdrawal. However, both conditions are in actuality different stages of the disease of addiction: first comes active addiction, followed by cessation and acute withdrawal and finally transitioning to post acute withdrawal. Although part of the same disease, these conditions should be made distinct to addicts and those in recovery and the people who support them.r
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Understanding Support Networks in Recovery from Addiction
Support networks must be made a critical component of an addict's recovery plan in order to prevent relapse and maintain and improve emotional, mental and spiritual health. Recovering addicts that do not have a support network often become depressed, withdraw from social interactions and eventually return to using drugs in order to self-medicate their emotional pain. Consequently, understanding how support networks can benefit a recovery program and what types of networks are available is essential for people who are battling the disease of addiction or alcoholism.
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7 Habits of an Addict about to Relapse
Many addicts in recovery that are nearing a relapse episode exhibit predictable and identifiable habits and behaviors before the actual relapse occurs. Recognition of these habits is critical in order for people in recovery and their loved ones to take decisive and immediate action to prevent the relapse. This is especially important considering the potential consequences of each new relapse episode: prison, violence, bankruptcy, death. Relapse prevention isn't just about stopping someone from using again; it's about saving a life.
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Living with Dry Drunk
Dry drunk is a troubling condition that many people assume to be urban myth or legend. However, dry drunk is very real and for some recovering alcoholics it causes severe disruptions in their lives. Because many of these disruptions are related to the misunderstandings and assumptions of other people and poor outward appearance caused by dry drunk, creating awareness about this condition is critical to fostering an environment that no longer persecutes or harasses people with this symptom of post acute withdrawal syndrome.
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Post Acute Withdrawal: When will it End?
Many addicts in recovery wonder when symptoms of post acute withdrawal will end. In fact, it's the most common question related to this condition, but the answer is different for every person. Fortunately, there are a number of factors that a person can successfully influence that will help to reduce both the severity and duration of symptoms. This is especially important to learn considering that many addicts report post acute withdrawal symptoms for more than 2 years. The following will influence how long symptoms last, among other factors. *Type of Drug
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Post Withdrawal: Do I Need Medication?
Medication for Post Withdrawal (also referred to as protracted withdrawal or PAWS) is one of the most useful tools for people in recovery. Post withdrawal often comes with debilitating symptoms for some addicts, and considering that symptoms can last for as long as two years, medication can play an important role in the management of this condition. If you're suffering from post acute withdrawal symptoms and you think you need medication, ask yourself the following four questions to determine if pharmaceutical treatment is your best option:
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Favorite Quotes & Thoughts from James Davis
It's a lifeboat; we're all in this together.