Challenges Can Help

Challenges Addiction and Relapse Prevention Center is nationally known for its success with addiction treatment, as well as prevention and treatment of addiction relapse.

Mental illness and addiction often occur together and understanding this fact is a critical element in treating addiction.

This condition is called dual diagnosis or co-occurring disorders.

Addiction and mental illness are both brain diseases. A person susceptible to one type of brain disease (addiction) may also be vulnerable to another. They involve the same pathways, molecules and chemicals in the brain.

The Challenges treatment program uses highly individualized treatment plans to combat two of the biggest issues in addiction treatment:

1) The high rate of relapse for clients struggling with addiction.
2) The fact that mental illness and addiction often occur together.

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Understanding Teenage Addiction

December 19, 2011

Teenagers are often the target demographic of drug abuse and underage drinking awareness campaigns. They represent a vulnerable population that’s dealing with a variety of emotional and social pressures, and may also have easy access to potentially addictive substances like prescription pills. A research study, Monitoring the Future, follows the trends of behaviors and attitudes [...]

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The Differences Between Alcoholism And Addiction

December 15, 2011

At AA meetings across the country, alcoholics and drug addicts struggle with how they define addiction. Their sponsors tell them that one must choose how they classify themselves—but are alcoholics and addicts that much different from each other? As quoted in a story published on The Fix, an Alcoholics Anonymous member said, “There’s almost an [...]

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Prescription Drug-Induced Accidental Deaths Continue To Rise Among Children

December 13, 2011

As prescription drug abuse continues to grip the nation, law enforcement and legislative efforts typically focus on the addicts, doctors and pill mills. The sad truth, however, is that prescription drug abuse affects others, too, including children. Unfortunately, Americans are being falsely comforted by the fact that these drugs are prescribed to them and are [...]

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Alcoholism: A Disease Without A Cure

December 7, 2011

The simple truth — that there is no known cure for alcoholism — is not one that a lot of drinkers like to hear. There is always some story floating around the news about a ‘magic pill’ being developed that could provide a cure for alcoholism. But for now, those stories are mere fantasies. For [...]

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The Three Phases Of Addiction Recovery

December 5, 2011

Through each stage of addiction recovery there are lessons to be learned, growth opportunities, and tasks that must be completed before moving to the next stage. A defining characteristic of addiction is that a person loses control over the use of alcohol and drugs. This causes negative consequences in their lives, psychologically, physically, spiritually, and [...]

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The Signs Of A Heroin Addict

November 30, 2011

Heroin use produces several common signs of heroin addiction, which can help you identify if someone you know is using heroin. Signs of heroin use include: Contracted pupils Needle marks Sleeping at unusual times Sweating Coughing Vomiting Loss of appetite Twitching Disorientation Poor memory Shallow breathing You may also notice physical, behavioral and psychological signs [...]

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Common Signs Of Alcoholism

November 28, 2011

Alcohol dependence is both mental and physical. Those affected by this dependence have lost every ounce of control they have when it comes to consuming alcohol. They feel as if they must drink and they usually don’t stop until they have actually passed out from drinking too much. Eventually, it gets to the point where [...]

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Common Treatments For Heroin Addiction

November 23, 2011

Heroin addiction is most commonly treated through medications and/or behavioral therapies. Regardless of the treatment type, the program begins with a medically supervised detox to help heroin addicts overcome their withdrawal symptoms, which can last for up to a week. Once treatment begins, one of several medications may be used to help prevent a relapse. [...]

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Inheriting Alcohol Addiction

November 21, 2011

If you are among the millions of people in this country who have a parent, grandparent, or other close relative with alcoholism, you may have wondered what your family’s history of alcoholism means for you. Are problems with alcohol a part of your future? Is your risk for becoming an alcoholic greater than for people [...]

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