Thursday, May 17, 2012

What is the intent of rehabilitation?


Rehabilitation services do not try to undue peoples' sickness or sorrows, but rather intent to keep individuals alert on the future and defeating existing hindrance of physical, mental or emotional ability. Rehabilitation centers are based on goals, and help people build up modified objectives that they desire to achieve. The main intent of any rehabilitation service is to provide mental as well as physical support until they get out of the trauma safely and become comfortable with the family and society. Individuals who go for rehab services get benefited from different rehabilitation therapies like stroke rehab therapy to regain their skills and talent.

Drug rehabilitation

Drug addiction is considered very bad in society and it’s not acceptable. Hence it’s been found that individuals who are addicted to drugs are scared to take rehabilitation program and lead a normal life. But generally all the drug rehab centers keep your information confidential. They do not disclose your actual identity to the world. It helps to keep your social life secure

Positive and negative aspects of private drug rehabilitation
  •     The drug rehabilitation is not just about overcoming your addiction. It   helps you to get rid of the problem and recover your health.
  •     It would help you to avoid the associated embarrassment of being a drug addict and undergoing the rehabilitation program
  •     It also helps you to face the embarrassment that you may face in the society as a drug addict
  •     There is no negative aspect about drug rehabilitation. It is very advantageous as it support and help you to overcome the embarrassment and addiction and supports you to lead a normal life.
Addiction of anything beyond the limit is bad. We wish and pray that you do not require taking rehab services in your life. May God bless you with peaceful and healthy life ahead.

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Rehabilitation Psychologist - Roles and Career Prospects


Rehabilitation psychologists support people with troubled background to reorganize their lives and lead a positive, healthy and meaningful life. Psychology is a diverse field and involves studying theories and doing extensive research. As the research brings out hidden truth to the fore the information is further added to the body of knowledge and is made use of while dealing with a particular type of patient. A career in rehabilitation includes getting associated with communities and organization, diagnosing and treating people. They also work independently or team up with professionals from varied fields such as, engineers, school personnel, managers, policy makers, lawyers, scientists and physicians. Thus they contribute to every sphere of the society. Many rehabilitation psychologists job responsibilities make them to work in corporate offices, schools and universities, court rooms, laboratories, prisons, hospitals and community health care centers.

There are varied field of specialization one can specialize in. The graduates can join an acute care hospital and treat patients with problems like, depression, anxiety, pain and other health concerns. They may also choose to serve at physical therapy centers, long term rehabilitation centers etc.

The salaries for rehabilitation psychologists range from $45,000 to $100,000 as per individual experience, expertise and knowledge. Rehabilitation psychology as a career has many more opportunities today as compared to past. Greater life expectancy and effects of aging have resulted in incidences of disability, injury, pain and other chronic illness. According to Disabled in Action, New York based advocacy groups nearly 20% of Americans are disabled and more than 10.7 million of them have conditions severe enough to be need of help with their daily chores and day to day living. Situations such as these have led to an increase in the demand for good rehabilitation psychologists. In the meanwhile the field itself is growing fast and has opportunities galore for the ones specialized with doctoral degree in rehabilitation psychology (click here http://www.rehabilitations.org/rehabilitation-psychology.html).   

Monday, March 5, 2012

5 Important Factors of Alcohol Addiction Rehab Process


Alcohol addiction makes a person physically and psychologically weak and miserable. In the long run it not only harms the victim’s life but his family’s future as well. It’s better to take the corrective measures and get back on track to a normal life. There are different alcohol rehabilitation centers and programs one can go for depending on the severity of addiction. The following is a list of 5 factors that are the most important in order to get rid of alcohol addiction.
  • First be committed to stop drinking. Set yourself a goal and prepare for this change.
  • The primary consideration for the one seeking alcohol rehabilitation is whether to go for inpatient or outpatient program. Some rehabilitation centers offer gender and age specific service as well.
  • Some patients can stop and control their addictions on their own while others need medical support. When a person drinks heavily, his body becomes dependent on alcohol and goes through withdrawal if you suddenly stop consuming alcohol. The alcohol withdrawal symptoms include headache, sweating, anxiety and restlessness, nausea or vomiting, high blood pressure and increased heart rate. These symptoms start showing within hours and these may be mild or severe or even life threatening.
  • Develop new interests and activities, build your support network, have a social life and give a new meaning to your life. There should be no place for alcohol in your life. You should also start activities like exercising, meditation and yoga to distress yourself. Rehabilitation centers will help you in finding such activities.
  • Take your alcohol addiction rehabilitation therapies and programs seriously. Initially, you will feel the craving for alcohol but it’s up to you to decide what you want get out of your life. Medical treatment would differ as per individual problem and severity of condition.
Alcohol addiction can ruin a person’s life, relationships, career, health and well being. Recovering from addiction is not easy process but if you are determined enough you will find a way. The steps for alcohol rehabilitation will differ from patient to patient depending on age, gender, alcohol abuse history and other medical conditions. The treatment program varies from weeks to months and as long as it takes to recuperate. So, choose the best program that suits your condition, add new meaning to your life and change for the better.  

Monday, January 16, 2012

Giving Up Alcohol: The Risks and After-Effects

When a person stops taking alcohol after being a habitual drinker for a much longer duration, he experiences certain health related issues commonly known as alcohol withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms may be mild as well as severe depending on the duration of alcoholism, quality of alcohol consumed and the general health of the alcoholic. The symptoms occur as the body becomes addicted to alcohol, so when alcohol is not present in the blood, the system does not function properly.

Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms

The severity of alcohol withdrawal symptoms depends upon the duration for which the person has been consuming alcohol. This situation is also called alcohol withdrawal syndrome and includes:

  •     Headache
  •     Fever
  •     Hallucination
  •     Fear
  •     Gastrointestinal upset
  •     Depression
  •     De-realization
  •     Depression
  •     Confusion
  •     Catatonia
  •     Anxiety
  •     Anorexia
  •     Weakness
  •     Tachycardia
  •     Tremors
  •     Sweating
  •     Palpitations
  •     Migraines
  •     Irritability
  •     Insomnia
  •     Hyperthermia
  •     Seizures
  •     Euphoria
  •     Agitation
  •     Delirium tremens
  •     Blackouts
  •     Death

What happens in the Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome?

When a person has excessive alcohol for a prolonged period of time, his body becomes physically dependent on the alcohol. In such situation, without the presence of alcohol in the blood, the body system cannot function normally leading to the withdrawal syndrome. During this state the central nervous system goes in a hyper-excitable state which can be fatal at times. The person may have delirium tremens and seizures which may lead to excite-neurotoxicity.

Risk involved in the Withdrawal Syndrome

Longer the duration of alcohol addiction longer will be the duration of alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Some withdrawal symptoms can be very dangerous and may lead to seizure, strokes and even death. These symptoms are seen in those patients who have been habitual drinkers for a very long period of time. These patients are at a high risk and must get treated from a good rehabilitation center. A good rehabilitation center will have all the advanced treatments that will heal the patient from this stage of alcoholism.

Such high risk withdrawal symptoms includes

    Hallucination
    Strokes
    Heart attack
    Grand mal seizures
    Delirium tremens


Alternative Alcohol Rehab Treatment

Alcohol rehabilitation is usually a 12 step rehabilitation program but some people do not react well to this traditional method treatment. For them here are some alternative alcohol rehab treatments (refer here  http://www.rehabilitations.org/alcohol/alternative-alcohol-rehab.html).

  •     Outpatient Treatment

Some alcoholics do not get healed completely when they are admitted in the hospital and they go through the traditional way of treatment. It could be because they cannot adapt to the hospital’s atmosphere and therefore cannot react properly to the treatment. For them outpatient classes are a great way to get healed. Support of family and friends in this outpatient class helps them a lot.

  •     Religious Based Treatment Program

Some treatment programs are based on religious grounds. People who have immense faith in their religion can enter into such treatment programs. Such programs include a counselor and the priest of the respective religion.

  •     Therapy Classes

Some people can not work in a group so that they can attain therapy or counseling classes where they will be treated on one on by the therapist. There will also be a dietician who will prescribe special diet to suit the patient's health.

Apart from all the advanced treatment, a patient must have dedication and will power to stop drinking alcohol and move towards a better and healthy life.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Stroke Rehabilitation Therapies and Techniques

After stroke rehabilitation, the prime concern of a patient is to get back to his feet and do the daily activities like he/she had been doing before the stroke. Stroke affects certain parts of the brain due to which a patient loses much of his motor skills and has to re-learn them again to improve the quality of his life.
Rehabilitation from the stroke can begin as soon as a patient stabilizes. Doctors assure that there is no possibility of re-occurrence of any further stroke and only after this they prescribe the rehab therapy. The rehabilitation after stroke includes some basic steps which are as follows:
  • Communication disorder therapy- This is the basic therapy given in every kind of stroke rehabilitation. In this therapy the person is taught to re-learn basic skills like reading, writing, speaking, listening and comprehension.
  • Mobility training- This includes teaching the patient to walk with the help of a walking aid like cane or a walker. Initially these aids are used so that the patient can stabilize and learn how to balance his own body weight. In the later part of the therapy the patient is taught how to walk without the use of these aids.
  • Co-ordination and strengthening motor skills- In this, the patient is taught to co-ordinate his movement of hands and legs. Special exercises are also included in the program so that the muscles strengthen and can facilitate co-ordination.
  • Motion therapy- Motion therapy accompanies the above therapy. This therapy includes exercises and other treatments which reduces muscle tensions and helps in easy movement of arms and legs.
  • Psychological evaluation- This includes evaluation of patient's present psychological condition. Mental health professionals participate in the evaluation and based on the patient's mental state, designs programs that will help in fast and better recovery. Group counseling and medicines are also prescribed if required.
  • Robotic technology- This is the latest technique used in the rehab therapy where robotic devises are used to strengthen weak muscles, by performing repetitive motions.
Most of the leading stroke rehab centers have all these facilities that help patient recover from serious strokes. The family of the patient should realize the importance of stroke rehab and support him along the way, since family support fastens the pace of recovery.