If you’re ;ing to a rehab centre in Mumbai, you may feel a little nervous. After all, you’ll be detoxing from all the substances you have been using for so long. And you’ll be in a new environment, surrounded by people you don’t know.

We’re here to tell you: you needn’t worry. As long as you’re ;ing to a professional rehab centre, you’ll be well looked after and will get all the support you need to make your experience as easy as possible.

And to make it even easier, we’ve compiled this guide of exactly what you should do to get ready for your rehab centre. By the end of this blog, you’ll have all the information you need to prepare for rehab. This will mean you’ll be at ease and will make the most out of your experience.

Prepare Yourself Mentally for a Rehab Centre in Mumbai

Rehab can be a daunting prospect, and ;ing to a rehab centre in Mumbai is no different. But you will be well looked after, as long as you choose a quality rehab.

That being said, there are some ways that you can prepare your state of mind so that you can stay relatively calm.

Remind Yourself of Why You Are ;ing

Before you ; to the centre, spend some time thinking about the reasons why you are ;ing. These are different for everyone. You might have decided to ; to rehab because your health is getting worse and only quitting substances will help. You may be ;ing because you are heading for a dire financial situation if you don’t quit. Perhaps you have agreed to ; to treatment because you don’t want your children to see you high anymore.

Whatever the reason, make sure it is clear in your head before you ;. Doing this will help you keep ;ing when things get tough during your stay.

Clarify What You Want To Get Out of the Experience

If you are ;ing to rehab, you probably want to stop taking the substances that you are addicted to. This is the first ;al you want from rehab. But perhaps you have some insight into other ;als you should address while you are there.

If you are ;ing for a long stay, you might want to work on your health. Drugs and alcohol are incredibly destructive to the body, and taking them for long periods of time impacts health severely. Rehab is an opportunity to become more robust physically. This is particularly easy to do if you are ;ing to a centre that has ;od quality food and facilities for you to exercise with.

Another reason people ;ing to rehab often cite for their stay is to work on trauma. Attending a rehab centre in Mumbai is a fantastic opportunity to do this, as you will have access to therapists who can help you work through your trauma alongside your addiction issues. This can be key for maintaining long-term sobriety from alcohol and drugs.

Get Ready For Challenges You May Face

Rehab is never a complete walk in the park. There will be hurdles that you need to overcome. Preparing yourself for these hurdles will make it much easier for you to meet them when it comes to it.

If you decide to come to Samarpan Recovery for rehab, we will be happy to speak with you about any concerns you may have before you join us and make a plan so that you can be comfortable with your decision.

Pack Well for the Rehab Centre

Carefully packing for your stay in rehab can help keep you level-headed. Depending on the centre you head to, you might be allowed to bring some home comforts with you. You may be allowed to bring items like your favorite pillow, photos of your loved ones, and perhaps some snacks to eat.

You should also take several changes of clothes with you, swimwear if your rehab has a swimming pool, indoor footwear, toiletries, books, and chargers for your electronics.

Make sure that you do not take any prohibited items to the rehab centre. These include obvious items like alcohol, drugs, and drug paraphernalia, but you are also likely to be prohibited from taking mouthwash that contains alcohol, weapons, and pornography. You should give any medications that you have to staff when you first arrive so that they can give you the medicine at the right times.

Note that most ;od rehabs will provide you with a list of items that you can and can’t bring to the rehab way before you set off.

Take Care of Family and Financial Arrangements Before You Leave

The last thing you want to be doing while you are at rehab is worrying about what is happening in the outside world. Make sure that you have people to look after necessary issues related to the family. And you should also make sure any financial obligations are taken care of.

Doing this will leave you to be able to focus on yourself during your stay. This will reduce stress and will maximize the effectiveness of your stay in rehab. This will also have the knock-on effect of increasing the chance of achieving long-term sobriety from drugs and alcohol.

Come To Samarpan Recovery Rehab

For someone addicted to alcohol or drugs, the thought of rehab is understandably anxiety-provoking. At Samarpan Recovery, we understand this. This is why we make every effort to ensure that your stay with us is as relaxed as absolutely possible.

We will make sure that everything around you is taken after so that you can be at ease and can make the most of your stay. If you’d like more information on how we do this, please contact us today.

If you’re looking for a rehabilitation centre in Pune for your loved one, you only want the best. With so many options on offer, knowing which to choose from can be difficult. To help you make an informed decision, we’ve put together this guide that gives you a list of seven non-negotiables for addiction treatment.

Expectations for a Rehab Centre in Pune

When you’re deciding which rehab centre to go to, you should absolutely expect these. If you speak with rehab and they don’t have them, look elsewhere for treatment.

1. Safe and Secure Environment

The most basic factor you should consider when finding a rehab for your loved one is that the rehabilitation site is well protected. A facility that has staff 24/7 means that you do not need to worry about the safety of your loved one, and they are assured that their well-being is taken care of around the clock.

There should be absolutely no drugs or alcohol on the site. This can be ensured by any clients who come to the facility being searched before they begin their stay.

Rehab centres should also be equipped with CCTV, which will provide additional safety for everyone staying at the centre.

2. Medical Detoxification

When someone is addicted to drugs and alcohol and stops using them, they go into withdrawal. This is a collection of symptoms that range from mild chills and body aches to suicidal thoughts and potentially fatal seizures. Going through this alone is notoriously challenging, and is the reason why many people with addiction refuse to stop drinking or using drugs. They simply feel like they cannot go through the physical and emotional pain involved in quitting.

This is why doing a medical detox is so important. Rather than facing the agony of “cold turkey”, patients who go to a well-equipped rehabilitation centre in Pune are given medications that will keep them safe and comfortable while they are in withdrawal. These medications are administered by medical professionals who make every effort to keep the patient at ease during this challenging stage of treatment.

3. Nutritious Food

People hooked on alcohol and drugs don’t tend to look after themselves very well. Keeping unusual hours, living stressful lifestyles, and of course using substances can all wreak havoc on the bodies and minds of these addicted people. Addicted people also don’t often eat high-quality food, which can do plenty of damage itself.

Not getting the right nutrients can accelerate deterioration in substance-dependent people. It is absolutely crucial that when these people get to rehab they are given food that will nourish them and correct any deficiencies they may have. This will drastically speed up the healing process.

4. Exercise Facilities

Having somewhere to work out is absolutely instrumental when it comes to recovering from alcohol and drugs. During substance abuse, the supply of endorphins in the brain becomes depleted, which means that people who are newly sober often face low moods.

In the short term, exercise stimulates the brain to produce endorphins, which can give people in rehab a much-needed lift when they have just stopped using substances. In the long term, exercise rewires the brain so that it will be easier to stay sober in the future.

While any exercise is useful, having a well-equipped gym and other exercise facilities makes exercise seem far more inviting, which encourages rehab clients to exercise more.

5. Supportive and Experienced Staff

All staff at your rehab center should have plenty of experience helping people with addiction. Counselors should, at the very least, have university qualifications in a course related either to psychiatry or addiction treatment.

But it is not enough to just have the necessary qualifications and experience. All staff should also have a caring attitude that will help rehab clients feel welcome and at home while they are receiving treatment. This will aid the addiction treatment process to no end.

6. Evidence-Based Treatment Approaches

Modern rehabs use treatments that have been rigorously tested by modern science. The gold standard of addiction treatment includes talk therapies such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). These methods of treatment yield the best long-term results for treating addiction.

Treatments like CBT and DBT can also be used to treat mental health problems, which are frequently seen in people who have issues with addiction.

7. Aftercare Planning and Support

After treatment is completed, you don’t want your loved one to be left in the lurch. The first stages of recovery from addiction can be challenging, and it is common for people leaving rehab to relapse in the first couple of months. Having the support of addiction professionals can prevent this from happening.

Good rehabs tend to offer aftercare as one of their services. This means that rehab clients can speak with their counselor over the phone, or go in for therapy sessions in person. It is also often possible for families to go into the center to talk about how the client has been progressing in their addiction recovery.

Samarpan Recovery Rehabilitation Centre in Pune

Samarpan Recovery Center is located just one hour outside of Pune, in the Mulshi area. We offer our clients everything that is expected from a premium rehabilitation facility and feel that the addiction treatment service we provide is among the very best that India has to offer.

If you feel like Samarpan Recovery may be able to help your loved one with their addiction problems, please contact us today.

Reading books on addiction is a fantastic way to enhance your recovery. Gaining insight into the underlying causes of addiction and hearing about other people’s experiences can cause shifts in perspective that will bolster your sobriety. In this blog, we’ve selected a few of the best books about addiction. Whether you are new to addiction recovery or have been clean for decades, these books are sure to prove interesting, useful, and thought-provoking.

In The Realm of Hungry Ghosts

“The greatest damage done by neglect, trauma or emotional loss is not the immediate pain they inflict but the long-term distortions they induce in the way a developing child will continue to interpret the world and her situation in it.”

This fascinating book on addiction by renowned physician and addiction expert Gabor Maté is one the most compelling books of its type in recent years. In it, Maté draws from his experiences working with addicted people in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, ground zero for addiction in Canada.

He presents the idea that drugs themselves are not the cause of addiction. Instead, he tells us that the causes of addiction are the underlying problems that make drugs so inescapably addictive for people with addiction problems. He tells us that “Drugs, in short, do not make anyone into an addict, any more than food makes a person into a compulsive eater. There has to be a pre-existing vulnerability.”

In saying this, Maté challenges the dominant discourse which implies that addiction is a moral failing that can be solved by increasing willpower. Instead, he suggests that people use substances to escape the terrible weight of psychological pain. In the 12 years that he worked at the Portland Hotel in the Downtown Eastside, all of his patients, bar none, had suffered abuse as children.

Maté goes on to state that society often views these people as subhuman, and that we need to move towards a more compassionate way of viewing people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol.

Recovery: Freedom from Our Addictions

Russell Brand has spent the past 20 years reinventing himself from a hopeless drug addict, to a media icon who was married to Katy Perry, to now a wise thought-leader, whose podcasts highlight controversial social issues. Brand is also a recovery advocate, having been a member of Narcotics Anonymous for the entire length of his sobriety.

In his book, Recovery, he talks about his own experiences of drug addiction:

“There were terrible, terrible moments of loneliness in a flat where all I had were drugs. That was all I needed. I had a job at MTV. It went. I had a radio show. It went. Everything was going. My friends left me. Girlfriends left me. It was very scary.”

He also dives into what he believes are the solutions to addiction. Namely, self-reflection, self-awareness, and taking responsibility for one’s actions. He encourages people struggling with addiction to seek support, whether it’s through therapy, twelve-step programs, or other forms of community.

The book is laid out in Brand’s catchy and easy-to-read conversational style and is replete with funny anecdotes and insights into the human soul.

Scar Tissue

“Scar Tissue” is an autobiographical book on addiction written by Anthony Kiedis, the lead vocalist of the band Red Hot Chili Peppers. This book on addiction provides an intimate and honest account of Kiedis’ life, delving into various aspects, including his struggles with addiction.

Keidis writes vividly about the allure and escapes drugs initially provided him, but also the chaos, pain, and loss that accompanied his addiction.

Kiedis shares his numerous attempts at getting clean, the relapses he experienced, and the emotional toll it took on him. His narrative provides a glimpse into the difficult process of breaking free from addiction, emphasizing the importance of perseverance and the support of loved ones.

An honest and eye-opening look at the insanity of drug addiction.

Trainspotting

This novel, written by Irvine Welsh, documents the dark and gritty lives of a group of heroin addicts trying to survive amongst the urban decay and struggles of late 1980s Edinburgh.

It deals with the main character Renton’s attempts at getting clean, and the difficulties of doing this in a bleak and alienating environment that is rife with heroin addiction.

Trainspotting is splatted throughout with big dollops of dark humor, which make this book a much easier read than it might otherwise have been.

It was adapted into a film of the same name, which starred Ewan McGregor as Renton. Since being released, Irvine has written three more books set in the Trainspotting universe.

Codependent No More: How to Stop Controlling Others

This book, written by Melody Beattie, focuses on codependency, a behavioral pattern where people rely on others for validation, self-worth, and a sense of identity.

People with codependency place other people’s health, welfare, and safety before their own, which can cause them to lose touch with their own needs and desires.

Beattie’s book dives into the roots of codependency and details how to move from codependency to having healthy relationships.

Codependency is common in the family members and partners of people with addiction. If you feel like you may have a codependent nature, this book is for you.

Samarpan Recovery: Addiction Education and More

If you have addiction problems, getting all the information you can on addiction will be absolutely crucial for you to live a healthy lifestyle. Reading is a good start, but it may not be enough to stay in recovery.

If you would like more information on what it takes to maintain long-term recovery, please contact Samarpan Recovery today.

Do you get the overwhelming urge to drink when you stop drinking alcohol? If so, you are experiencing alcohol cravings. These sensations are felt by people who have been drinking alcohol over a period of time and have become dependent on it.

In this blog, we will look at what causes cravings for alcohol and will help you to understand how to stop craving alcohol so that you can live life without it. For more information on reducing alcohol cravings, contact Samarpan Recovery.

What Causes Cravings for Alcohol?

When you use alcohol to reward yourself or relax, your brain forms connections that then associate drinking alcohol with reward and relaxation. Over time, as you drink more, this connection is strengthened.

If you continue to drink, even thinking about drinking alcohol can cause dopamine levels to increase. When you drink, even greater levels of dopamine are released.

Changes in the brain occur, and you begin anticipating alcohol to the extent that your brain craves it. Eventually, you experience withdrawal symptoms when you stop drinking, as your brain effectively needs alcohol to function “normally”. At this point, the effects of drinking alcohol are diminished, and you need more alcohol to get the same effect.

Once these brain changes have occurred, it can take an extended period of time for the brain to return to its previous state.

What Reduces Cravings for Alcohol?

Now you know what causes alcohol cravings, let’s take a look at what can help you take the edge off your cravings.

Exercise

When you experience cravings for alcohol, one of the best things that you can do is go for a run or lift some weights (or whichever your preferred style of exercise is). Exercise helps to flood your brain with endorphins, which significantly reduces cravings.

Exercise also involves movement, which can be really helpful. The old idiom “move a muscle, change a thought” applies here.

Eat or Drink Something

Alcohol craving is worse when you are hungry. Getting a bite to eat is likely to reduce your alcohol cravings.

You can also consider drinking a sugary drink. While doctors would not usually recommend you eat or drink anything that will spike your sugar levels, you can make an exception here. The reason why this can be so effective to reduce cravings is that sugar acts on the same brain circuitry as alcohol does.

Practice Relaxation Techniques

When you have cravings, consider using a method that can help you feel calmer. Meditation, yoga, and qigong can all regulate your nervous system, which in turn reduces cravings.

Deep breathing is also effective and requires less effort than all of the above. Try breathing in for 4 seconds, holding the breath for 7 seconds, and then exhaling for 8 seconds. A simple technique that can prove very effective when cravings crop up.

Speak With a Loved One

When your stress levels are high and you feel like drinking, the best thing you can do is talk to someone who you are close with. Just sharing your problems can reduce cravings massively.

It is even better to talk with a person who has been through alcohol cravings themselves. Someone who can tell you what they did when they were going through it.

Sleep

Cravings for alcohol get worse when you are tired. Make sure that you get a decent amount of good quality sleep each night. To do this, go to bed at a reasonable time, turn electronics off an hour before you want to sleep, and make sure you are in a dark room where you won’t be disturbed by any noise.

In the early days of stopping alcohol, you may find that you get tired quite often. If this happens during the day, it can be useful to take a nap to refresh yourself and allow your body and mind time to rejuvenate.

Avoid Triggers

You may find that certain people, places, and activities make you want to drink alcohol. If this is the case, try avoiding these, at least for a while. If you have only recently stopped drinking, cravings may cause you to start drinking again.

If you are unable to avoid these people, places, and activities, make sure that you are prepared. If you know that a member of your family makes you want to drink, talk through beforehand what you will do if you experience triggers before you see this person.

Keep a Journal

Keeping a journal can help you release some of the thoughts and emotions that may be causing cravings. It can also let you see patterns in your behavior that might be leading to more cravings.

Get to the Root Cause of Alcohol Cravings

All the above tips are fantastic ways that you can reduce alcohol cravings. But if you have stopped drinking for a long time and cravings crop up frequently, or you find you just cannot stay quit whatever you do, it may be time to look at addressing the underlying issues of your alcohol addiction.

Mental health problems and trauma are both reasons that cravings for alcohol can occur. Often, someone who experiences cravings for alcohol is not even aware of this. But when this person works with an addiction professional, it becomes clear that one or both of these issues were the main cause of their cravings.

Once this is discovered, it is a great opportunity for this person to work closely with this mental health professional to heal their ailments. Professional guidance can play a massive role in helping this person achieve long-term recovery, even if they struggled with frequent relapses in the past.

Samarpan Recovery Can Help With Your Alcohol Cravings

If you have tried all the tips in this blog and still experience cravings that cause you to drink, you should consider going to rehab. At Samarpan Recovery, we can help you get to the underlying problems that are causing you to drink and will support you every step of the way.

Our team has a wealth of experience in helping people with alcohol problems deal with how to stop craving alcohol, quit drinking, and stay quit for good. If you’d like to know more about how we do this, contact us today.

For someone with an addiction, any drug can be addictive. But some drugs have the potential to be more addictive than others. In this blog post, we look at the most addictive drug that someone can take and find out why these drugs are so addictive.

If you have become addicted to drugs and need support, give Samarpan a call today. We can help you recover from your addiction, no matter what drug you are addicted to.

The Most Addictive Drugs in The World

Below is a list of the most addictive drugs. These are the drugs that are most likely to cause dependence in someone who begins using them.

Heroin

Heroin is certainly one of the world’s most addictive drugs. It is made using the opium poppy, which is grown predominantly in Afghanistan but also in Burma. While opium itself is an addictive drug, when it is refined into heroin it becomes far more potent and addictive.

Users usually take this drug for the drowsy euphoria and anxiety reduction that comes from taking it. After a period of taking it consistently, though, the pleasant feelings from taking heroin are reduced, as tolerance kicks in. When someone takes heroin for a long period of time, they develop withdrawal symptoms when they do not have it.

Heroin withdrawal causes vomiting, diarrhea, anxiety, depression, restless leg syndrome, and many more unpleasant symptoms. These symptoms can be bad enough that heroin users will continue using the drug despite wanting to quit. This is why medication-assisted treatment found at rehabs can be so useful. It helps wean heroin users off heroin slowly so that they won’t feel withdrawal symptoms so acutely.

Research conducted by eminent addiction specialist Doctor David Nutt in 2007 found that dependence potential from opioids like heroin was the highest of any drugs. It is perhaps opioid-type drug’s ability to block out symptoms of trauma that cause this dependence, and a reason why it is so important to deal with trauma when stopping all drug use.

Fentanyl

In the past twenty years, fentanyl has replaced heroin in some parts of the world as the most commonly abused non-prescription opioid. This drug has a similar effect to heroin, but while heroin is manufactured using opium poppies, fentanyl is synthesized in a lab. By weight, it is far more potent than heroin.

Fentanyl can be considered the most addictive drug, but it is also perhaps the most deadly drug. Overdoses from fentanyl have been the driving force behind the massive increase in opioid deaths in the United States for the past two decades.

Crystal Meth

This synthetic drug causes users to feel elated, with high energy levels. Users often take this drug by repeatedly smoking, snorting or injecting in long sessions that can last for days. During these sessions, users do not sleep and often do not eat either. This places tremendous stress on the body and results in a several-day comedown.

While crystal meth does not have a withdrawal profile that is as severe as the opioids listed above, users do feel depleted for a long period of time following cessation. Crystal meth, like other addictive drugs, can cause Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS). This is a period following acute withdrawal where some withdrawal symptoms can still be felt.

When someone has PAWS from crystal meth, it is common to feel depressed, bored, and have cravings for meth. This may last for up to two years after drug use stops. This is why crystal meth can be thought of as the most addictive drug, as during this period it is common for users to relapse.

Crystal meth use can also cause changes in the brain that lead to greater impulsivity, which makes it even more challenging for people recovering from this addictive drug to stay clean.

It is absolutely vital that someone stopping long-term meth use goes through a rehab program that involves relapse prevention, as it can be particularly difficult for former meth users to stay clean during this initial PAWS period.

Cocaine and Crack Cocaine

Cocaine is a stimulant drug that is made from the leaves of the coca plant. It causes users to experience feelings of extreme confidence and high energy. Repeated use is followed by a crash. The high from powder cocaine lasts from between 30 minutes to an hour, which means that users must repeatedly use the drug to maintain their high.

Crack cocaine is cocaine that has been cooked with baking soda to make it easy to smoke. The high from crack cocaine is more powerful and short-acting than cocaine, as crack cocaine floods the brain with even more dopamine than cocaine. This also makes crack cocaine more addictive than powder cocaine. The initial rush from crack cocaine lasts only a couple of minutes.

Both of these forms of cocaine are incredibly addictive and can cause severe damage to the cardiovascular system when used over a period of time.

Benzodiazepines

Benzodiazepines, also known as benzos, are drugs that are most commonly prescribed for anxiety. However, many drug users take these drugs to get high. Like opioids, benzos are downers, which cause sedation when used in high doses.

The most common benzos are Valium (diazepam) and Xanax (alprazolam). These may come in prescription boxes that have been diverted from pharmacies or in bags of single tablets that have been made in clandestine labs. In more recent years, some benzodiazepines have been laced with fentanyl, which makes them incredibly dangerous.

The withdrawal from benzodiazepines is said to be one of the worst withdrawals that someone can go through. Users experience extreme anxiety, panic attacks, restless legs, and sometimes psychosis. Benzos are also one of the few substances that can cause death from withdrawal, due to seizures.

Because of the long length of time that some benzos act on the body and mind, the acute withdrawal stage can be particularly protracted, which causes many Benzo users to revert back to using again. This is one of the key reasons that make Benzo one of the most addictive drugs.

Alcohol

Alcohol is a depressant drug that can function as a stimulant when used in small doses. While some people do not consider alcohol to be a drug, it certainly is. It is also one of the most addictive drugs.

In the United States, a full one in eight American adults, or 12.7 percent of the population meet the criteria for alcohol use disorder. In India, this figure is one in twelve.

Of all drugs, alcohol is the one that does the most harm according to research by Doctor David Nutt. Chronic alcohol use leads to severe liver damage, amongst many other ailments. This type of alcohol use often causes drinkers to harm those around them, too.

When someone has been drinking large amounts of alcohol for long periods of time, they may experience Delirium Tremens. This incredibly severe collection of withdrawal symptoms can cause people to experience delusions, and can also cause death by convulsion. The risk of death can be reduced or eliminated when the proper medicines are administered during this time.

Cannabis

Many people consider cannabis to be a “mild” drug, but cannabis IS addictive. People who are prone to addiction can get hooked on cannabis very easily. Users smoke, vape, or consume cannabis in food. It is a stimulant, depressant, and hallucinogen.

Cannabis addiction follows the same pattern as other addictions. A user may start smoking recreationally on weekends, before moving on to weekday use. Before they know it, they are using it every day.

After a period of use, cessation results in withdrawal symptoms. Users who go through withdrawal report depression, anxiety, and insomnia.

Cannabis is becoming more dangerous as levels of THC, which is one of the active ingredients in cannabis, are steadily increasing. In many countries, THC levels have tripled in the past three decades. This is causing far higher rates of psychosis in users in recent years.

Getting Help for the Most Addictive Drugs

According to research, opioids like heroin cause the highest levels of dependence, but all drugs can cause addiction, particularly for people who are predisposed to addiction. Once someone is hooked on drugs, it is incredibly difficult for them to stop using.

Whichever drug or your loved one has been taking, we can help. Our team has experience treating every addictive substance there is, and is dedicated to bringing all our clients back to wellness. For more information on how we can support you, contact Samarpan Recovery today.

In most countries, Mandrax abuse is a thing of the past. But in India and some countries in Africa, Mandrax abuse is still rife. In this blog, we look at exactly what Mandrax is and go into depth on everything you need to know about this drug.

If you are suffering from Mandrax addiction, you are not alone. Samarpan Recovery has the expertise and experience needed to help you overcome this affliction. For more information, please contact us.

What is Mandrax?

Mandrax is a highly addictive sedative drug that was originally prescribed as a sedative, sleep aid, and muscle relaxant. Its active ingredient is methaqualone, which is a member of the quinazolinone class of drugs. When Mandrax is used, it increases the activity of the GABA receptors within the brain and nervous system. This causes blood pressure, breath rate, and pulse rate to slow, which causes relaxation in users.

Methaqualone is no longer available legally, meaning that all usage of Mandrax is now illicit.

History of Mandrax

Mandrax was first synthesized in India in 1951 by Indian Kishore Kacker and Syed Husain Zaheer. It soon became the most commonly prescribed sedative in many countries around the world. The public believed that this new drug was less harmful than barbiturates, which had previously been the most popular sedatives and were banned due to their addictive potential and risk of death through overdose.

Mandrax was mainly marketed under the brand names Quaalude, Sopor, and Mandrax, and was usually manufactured in preparations that contained either 300mg of methaqualone or 250mg of methaqualone and 25mg diphenhydramine. This medication was marketed heavily and was readily prescribed by doctors, carrying no stigma with use.

In the 1960s and 1970s, large swathes of people began finding that if you took large doses of Mandrax and resisted the urge to sleep you would get high. Levels of abuse soared, and governments began to impose tighter regulations to limit illicit misuse. At that time, Mandrax was known as “ludes”, “soapers” and “disco biscuits” in the United States and Canada, while it was called “mandrakes” and “mandies” in the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand.

The drug became popular among musicians like The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, and Frank Zappa. The last of these featured “ludes” in his song “Pygmy Twylyte”, which spoke of “hurtin’ for sleep in the Quaalude moonlight.”

Widespread illicit use continued, and as a result, the United States and other countries banned Mandrax for sale in any form in the early 1980s. The DEA then began a campaign that encouraged any manufacturers of methaqualone to stop making the drug, a course of action that successfully put a stop to the world’s legal supply of Mandrax.

Mandrax continues to be popular in South Africa and India, where it is now manufactured in clandestine labs.

Mandrax features in the 2013 film “The Wolf of Wall Street”, where the main character, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, becomes heavily addicted to Mandrax. In one memorable scene which outlines some of the risks involved with Mandrax, Leo causes havoc in his neighborhood, totaling several cars including his own, while believing that he got home unscathed.

In November 2016, police conducted the largest seizure of illicit Mandrax ever found, when they uncovered 23,320 kilograms of the drug in the city of Udaipur in Rajasthan. The drug was destined for African countries including Mozambique, Kenya, and Malawi.

How is Mandrax Used?

While Mandrax was originally manufactured in tablets that were intended to be swallowed, most users now crush the tablets and smoke them in a “white pipe”, which allows for quicker onset. This practice can lead to emphysema and other chronic lung disorders.

Some users inject Mandrax, which creates a risk of infections such as HIV and Hepatitis C. Intravenous Mandrax users also run the risk of damaging veins, which can sometimes lead to amputation.

Effects of Mandrax

The effects that drug users take this drug for include:

• Reduction in anxiety
• Happiness
• Calmness
• Euphoria
• Increased libido
• Deep relaxation

Side Effects of Mandrax

Side effects of Mandrax include but are not limited to

• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Fatigue
• Itching
• Sweating
• Dry mouth
• Seizures
• Reduced heart rate
• Slowed breathing
• Diarrhea
• Rashes
• Death

Dangers of Mandrax

Like all illicit drugs, Mandrax use comes with a variety of dangers. Here are some of them.

Risk of Addiction

Mandrax is an addictive drug, which over time will create dependence in users. If someone continues to take Mandrax regularly for a long period of time, it will become difficult to stop. Mandrax comes with a withdrawal profile that includes anxiety, depression, and fatal seizures when its use is ceased.

Because of this, users should not attempt to stop using Mandrax by themselves. Always consult the guidance of a trained professional, who can help you to understand the withdrawal process. Medication may be necessary to help stabilize those who stop using this drug.

Risk of Injury

Mandrax causes motor coordination to become seriously impaired. It also causes inhibitions to be lowered. This is a dangerous combination, as it can cause users to believe that they have more control over their bodies than they actually do while under the influence.

Users of this drug regularly hurt themselves either by stumbling around or by attempting to operate a vehicle high. Incidents like these have sometimes proved fatal.

Risk of Long-Term Harm to Body and Mind

Repeated misuse of Mandrax can cause damage to the body and mind. This includes liver damage and permanent brain damage. Note that much of the brain damage caused by Mandrax is reversible, following an extended period of abstinence.

Risk of Overdose

If you take Mandrax, you run the risk of overdosing. Overdose of Mandrax can prove fatal. You do not know how your body will react to this drug.

Risk of Unknown Dosage and Adulterated Mandrax

As methaqualone is no longer manufactured in factories legally, all Mandrax that you find is now illicitly made. This means that you cannot be sure of the dose of Mandrax that you are taking. Even if someone who gives you Mandrax claims to know how much methaqualone is in the tablet they give you, you cannot be sure. This poses an increased risk of overdose.

There is also the danger of being given Mandrax which contains ingredients other than methaqualone. Mandrax has been found to contain other sedatives, such as alprazolam or diazepam. Even more worrying, opioids such as fentanyl have also recently appeared in Mandrax. Synthetic opioids like fentanyl are incredibly dangerous, particularly when combined with other downers.

Risk of Dangerous Sexual Practices

As Mandrax increases libido and decreases inhibitions, users often end up having unprotected sex, putting themselves at risk of STDs like chlamydia, herpes, and HIV. This is particularly dangerous in regions where these STDs are prevalent.

Getting Help for Mandrax Addiction

If you or a loved one has become addicted to Mandrax, it can be difficult to know where to turn. This drug can turn someone you once knew into a person you no longer recognize. It can all seem pretty hopeless.

Fortunately, there is help available, and it is possible for anyone who is addicted to Mandrax to make a complete recovery. At Samarpan, we understand that the key to addressing Mandrax addiction is getting to the root of the issue. Please give us a call if you would like to know more.

Drugs and alcohol are the addictions that get the most recognition in society. However, it is also possible to become addicted to behaviors such as watching pornography. And while porn addiction is not talked about as much as substance addictions, it can be incredibly destructive.

If you have an addiction to porn, you are not alone. Porn addiction rates have been increasing rapidly in recent years and it is estimated that 5% to 8% of the world’s adult population currently suffers from addiction to pornography.

At Samarpan, our advice for anyone suffering from porn addiction is that it is nothing to be ashamed of and that porn addiction recovery is possible if you get professional help.

What is Porn Addiction?

Many people use porn from time to time without any issues. But for others, their porn use can become a problem. Someone with an addiction to porn uses it to change the way they feel, so they do not have to deal with difficult thoughts and emotions.

People who are addicted porn may try to quit using it, but feel unable to. They feel compelled to watch porn. Someone addicted to porn faces withdrawals after they stop using it, in the same way, that a person quitting drugs or alcohol would.

How Do I Know If I Am Addicted to Porn?

If you believe you are addicted to porn, the best way to get a diagnosis is to speak with an addiction professional who has experience treating porn addiction. An addiction expert will be able to tell you for sure if you have a problem. In the meantime, take a look at this list. If you relate to one or more of these, it is possible that you have a porn addiction:

• You engage in risky behavior to view pornography, like at work or in another public setting.
• Porn has created problems with your partner
• Porn has made you feel less satisfied with your partner
• You have begun watching more extreme pornography to try to get the feeling the less extreme pornography once gave you
• You have spent large sums of money on porn
• You use porn to cope with your mental health issues
• You want to stop watching porn but feel unable to stop

What Causes Porn Addiction?

The roots of porn addiction are much the same as other addictions. Underneath almost all porn addiction is trauma and abuse. Often, this trauma comes from childhood experiences.

These experiences may lead to feelings of worthlessness and low self-confidence. They may also lead to a sensitivity to thoughts and feelings. If someone has not learned healthy coping mechanisms for dealing with these as they come up, they may turn to porn as a way to escape.

This can be exacerbated by having difficult ongoing life issues. Relationship problems, difficulties with work, and high-stress situations, in general, can cause addiction to pornography to worsen.

Starting Porn Addiction Recovery

Being stuck with a porn addiction can be a terrible feeling. You want to quit and may have made attempts to quit, but it never lasts. You always go back to using porn, no matter how hard you try. Fortunately, there are some ways of dealing with pornography addiction that can help you start porn addiction recovery today.

• Psychotherapy. Getting to the root cause of why you are addicted to porn can untangle your addiction, and make it much easier for you to spend your time engaged in healthier pursuits.
• Lifestyle changes. If you have a mild pornography addiction, you may just need to make some alterations to the activities you do during the day. You can try making a schedule that will keep you out of the house and doing things that don’t involve porn. Note that this is unlikely to work for someone who has a heavy porn addiction.
• Medication. If your pornography addiction is partially caused by an underlying mental health issue, medication can help you to quit by stabilizing your mood. Some people use psychotropic medication in the short term while they are making positive changes in their lives, while others take medication as more of a long-term strategy.
• Rehabilitation. If you have tried the other ideas on the list and were not able to stop using porn, it may be time to consider porn rehab. Going to rehab to start porn addiction recovery is much like going to rehab for any other addiction. You will receive individual and group therapy in a supportive environment that will guide you to move away from your addiction to porn.

Samarpan Recovery for Porn Addiction Recovery

Living with an addiction to porn is something no one wants. The shame of destroyed relationships, and loss of control that can come with porn addiction can feel too much to bear.

We want you to know that you can get better. While your addiction to porn may be something that you do not want to talk about, please feel assured that our team at Samarpan is here to care for you and kickstart your porn addiction recovery, without judgment.

Once someone is clean from drugs and alcohol, they have to stay clean. Doing this is not always an easy process, and there will be many hurdles to overcome. Sometimes these hurdles prove too much, and people relapse.

So the key is figuring out strategies to prevent relapse. This is why all good rehabs run rehab prevention classes, which help clients stay clean. Not all relapse prevention classes are the same though, as they follow different models. In this blog, we look at some of the best relapse prevention models available, so you can decide which will work best for you.

What Is A Relapse?

Relapse is when someone who is in recovery from addiction goes back to using drinks or drugs. Many people find it very difficult to get back to sobriety once this has happened, and it can take months or years before a person is able to give recovery a chance again.

Relapse is not one event, but instead can be thought of as three distinct stages. The first stage is an emotional relapse, where someone might begin bottling up their feelings, not going to recovery meetings, becoming defensive, and not asking for help.

The next stage is a mental relapse, which involves thinking about using, hanging out with old friends, coming up with ways of controlling using, and minimizing the consequences of past use.

The last stage of relapse is physical relapse, which is where the person drinks or takes drugs again.

What Is Relapse Prevention?

Relapse prevention is a cognitive behavioral approach that helps people recovering from substance use disorder identify and prevent situations where they may relapse back to using substances again.

When relapse prevention is learned and applied successfully, it plays an enormous role in keeping the person in recovery clean from alcohol and drugs.

Most Common Relapse Prevention Models

There are many different relapse prevention models used at rehabs around the world. At Samarpan, we use the Gorski-CENAPS model of relapse prevention as we believe it to be the most effective, so we have covered it in greater detail within this blog. We also list a few other relapse prevention models here.

Marlatt’s Model

Marlatt’s Model helps patients to identify specific high-risk situations and enhance their coping skills for these situations. It also seeks to increase the client’s self-efficacy, manage relapse and restructure the client’s perceptions of what the relapse process involves.

Dynamic Model of Relapse, Witkiewitz & Marlatt

According to this relapse prevention model, there are six driving factors to relapse: Emotional state, distress tolerance, craving, confidence in abstinence, outcome expectations, coping and self-regulation, and the severity of substance use when treatment begins.

The Matrix Model

The Matrix Model believes that there are five stages of relapse. These are withdrawal, honeymoon, the wall (where relapse is most likely to happen), adjustment, and resolution. The Matrix Model usually involves Intensive Outpatient Treatment (IOP) and follows a six-month program.

Gorski-CENAPS Model of Relapse Prevention

The Gorski-CENAPS Model of Recovery and Relapse Prevention (The CENAPS Model) is a system designed for diagnosing and treating substance use disorders, co-occurring mental disorders, personality disorders, and life problems. It uses addiction treatment methodologies combined with other state-of-the-art therapies.

Stabilization

The first stage of the Gorski-CENAPS relapse prevention model is stabilization. This stage involves detoxification and “focusing on today”. At this early point in the recovery process, it can be counterproductive to focus too much on therapy, as this can actually turn people away from sobriety.

Assessment

The next stage of this relapse prevention model has participants look at painful memories and past relapses. This is a period where therapists will help clients identify recurring patterns which may cause relapse.

Relapse Education

Here, relapse prevention techniques are introduced. Clients will explore prevention techniques and warning signs of relapse. At this stage, it is possible for the client’s family to become involved. Clients will also be helped to understand that relapse is not a cause for shame and embarrassment. This is important, as some people with substance use disorder can struggle to come back to sobriety due to these emotions.

Warning Sign Identification

During the warning sign identification stage, clients will look at triggers for their relapses and will learn to take responsibility, rather than blaming the triggers for their relapse.

Strategy and Options Development

Clients will develop strategies to address high-risk situations, such as attending weddings or seeing friends or family they drank or used with. Irrational thinking, self-defeating behaviors, and strategies for managing painful feelings before relapse will all be looked at during this stage of the relapse prevention model.

Recovery Planning

Looking at which activities can support relapse prevention, including participation in 12-step programs.

Inventory Training

Discuss the importance of a morning and evening inventory that will aid recovery.

Support Systems

During this stage, clients will find a supportive circle of friends, and where applicable, family.

Follow-Up

Aftercare treatment involves revising the relapse prevention plan. Usually, this is done monthly for three months, quarterly for the first two years, and then yearly after the third year.

Factors That Increase Risk of Relapse

There are a number of variables that cause relapse risk to be greater. The amount of time someone in recovery needs to dedicate to relapse prevention to stay safe from relapse depends on a few different factors.

Time in Recovery

A person in their first few weeks of addiction recovery will need to do more to stay clean than someone who put down substances 20 years ago. This is first because the brain of someone who is newly clean is wired for addiction. Part of the recovery process involves rewiring the brain to reduce compulsion to alcohol and drugs.

Also, someone who is in long-term recovery will have a recovery toolbox that they can use that helps them stay clean. They are likely to have a schedule that supports their recovery, friends that they can turn to when the going gets tough, and an overall lifestyle that is made for recovery.

A person in the embryonic stage of recovery will have relatively few coping mechanisms. Perhaps they know that they need to stay away from pubs and stop talking to old-using buddies, but that’s about it.

This is why at Samarpan, we take relapse prevention so seriously. We incorporate relapse prevention classes into our schedule for all our clients, meaning that every person who goes through the Samarpan program will be assured of having plenty of relapse prevention know-how.

Level of Addiction

While all substance addiction is serious, some addictions are considered more likely to cause relapse. When someone has been using for many years, the habit of using can become so ingrained that it can be more difficult to leave behind.

Addiction to certain substances also carries a higher risk of addiction. People in recovery from crystal meth use tend to relapse more than someone in recovery from cannabis might. Length of use and amounts of a substance used are also driving factors in relapse. When someone has been drinking or using larger amounts for a longer period of time, relapse becomes more likely.

Trauma

Sometimes, people with substance abuse problems struggle to stay clean, no matter what they do. They may have done everything they could to stop drinking or using: avoiding places where they got inebriated, making a new group of friends, or even going to rehab. These people can face a great deal of frustration and even shame, believing that they are doing something wrong.

When a person is caught in a cycle of relapse, it is often trauma that is causing them to fall back into addiction. This person may have been the victim of sexual abuse as a child, have experienced or witnessed acts of violence, or have been bullied at some point.

There are many ways of dealing with trauma, however, the gold standard is usually considered to be talk therapy. Of these therapies, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) are two of the most effective.

Mental Health Problems

Mental illness, like trauma, can cause people with addiction problems to be stuck in addiction. Depression, anxiety, and borderline personality disorder can all be stumbling blocks to staying clean. We consider addressing mental illness a key aspect of relapse prevention. Once mental illness has been addressed, it is much easier for the addicted person to stay substance free.

CBT and DBT are also very effective at helping people to deal with their mental health problems. It’s crucial to note that co-occurring mental health issues must be addressed at the same time as the addiction, otherwise addiction treatment is unlikely to be effective.

Samarpan Recovery to Stay Quit

Stopping taking drugs and alcohol is a fantastic achievement, but it is not the end of the road for addiction treatment. Once you stop taking substances, you have to stay committed to remaining quiet for the rest of your life. After all, addiction is a progressive illness that can cause relapse, even after years of sobriety.

Knowing how to do this can be challenging. Most people who have recently stopped taking substances have no understanding of how to remain clean. This is why at Samarpan, we have relapse prevention classes that give our clients the best possible opportunity for long-term recovery. Contact us to talk about how we can help you get clean and stay clean.