MY GRATITUDE SPEAKS.......

Hi ,,, my name is Manish and I’m an addict, clean and serene in the Therapeutic  Program.

Just for today, I will try and share for the still suffering addict. The newcomer is the most important person.
First things first: these program works and an addict like me has fond answers to everything within the therapeutic program. And what do I mean by that?
Simply stated, when recovering addicts first shared with me about therapeutic program, they kindled a fire in me which had died long ago. The Fire of Life had died as a result of addiction; the drugs and withdrawals leading to lost ambitions and dreams and a sense of despair that I never thought Id experience. Gone were the friends, gone was the ambition and gone was any remaining sanity.

My addictive personality lead me to use from age 14. It was alcohol, then grass and later opiates and smack and morphine. In between were phases of LSD and dexidrine and mushrooms and downers. I got into lot of trouble with the law too, and the only reason I did not go to jail was because the cops were lenient. My father always bailed me out. Moreover, India at that time in the 70s and 80s had no narcotics control laws yet. Everything was available. Playing music and influence from hippies and yogis had us lot enjoy life. It was one big, happening party.

Then came stark reality, and as addiction and withdrawal distorted rational thought, I found myself in the midst of strange, unwelcome experiences. Having had a history of disturbed sleep, coming from a disturbed family and with sibling abuse issues, the drugs had worked to keep me at ease. But only long enough to have me addicted and then the ugly side became apparent. I headed for hospital for addicts for the first time. Before I started using regularly, I had been in the mental institute for sleep disorder and earlier on had been counselled for bad behaviour and restlessness. The drugs gave me release. Now as i lay on the hospital bed, i dreaded what was coming next.

The chief psychiatrist came the next morning, looked very severely at me and said "Manish, you gave us a terrible scare. Your blood pressure dropped to very critical levels. This is the first time in my long career that I've encountered this situation".

See, I was again the bad boy, the unmanageable teen and the centre of attention for all the wrong reasons. And I hated it. I closed my mind. I got counselled; I tried to run away and finally got discharged much against the doctors and my family's wishes. Fact is, I did not think I had any problem at all, so why all this fuss, attention and money being spent?

I passed time for a few days at home, thinking what I could do with my life. In the hospital they had recommended that I complete my studies. But that wasn’t attractive. I got bored thinking and went back to an old hangout, met a buddy and in no time was smoking a joint again.

This became a pattern for the next decade or so of my life; hospitalization, agonizing withdrawals, staying clean for a while and relapses that carried me deeper into drug use and trouble with my family, friends’ law and society. I also tried geographical and ashrams but with no real results.

And one night, I’m listening to jazz on the radio and fondly chasing smack, already nice and numb on downers. I’m fully possessed by the spirit of intoxication I go into a real deep trance. After sometime, I’m in the midst of a very supernatural and frightening experience. I’m actually seeing my soul leaving my body and settle in one corner on the room. As I’m looking on, a voice says very clearly "You are going to die very shortly". It may have been the spirit of my alcoholic uncle who had died recently or it may have been God, I can’t tell. But I got the message and was screaming "noooooooo,,,,,,, i don’t want to die".

That, I believe, was the first of my awakenings in recovery.

And then it happens few weeks later that I’m sitting chasing smack with some guys and I suddenly start praying to a Personal Deity, a thing I had not done for very long. Then I got lucky. I got the number of a rehab, that too from a using friend. She had stayed clean for 10 months and had relapsed but that held some hope for me. And after I cleaned up in this rehab, i never have had to use again, for 25 years now. In the rehab, one very disturbing and insane night, I had my second awakening. I was lying down in the isolation room, no lights, in solitary confinement and very scared and in very painful withdrawal. I was very unmanageable. My soul cried out for a Higher Power to help. Then I start to breathe easy, and go into a trance and have an experience of the Great Light of the Universe!

We need to have Spiritual experiences; else an addict like me cannot sustain recovery. After the Experience at the rehab, I’ve had Experiences that are more informational/ educational in nature. That's the Power of the Therapeutic Program.

Not to say I've not had problems and failures, trials and tribulations but this Program has shown me success in family, career and society, solutions to the darkest problems and the Great Joy of Living. Really, I can feel that the therapeutic value of one addict helping another is without parallel. Abstinence in close association and identification with others in Therapeutic Program is the best ground for growth.

M.I.P has been a Recovery Source for nearly 10 years now. I’m truly a Miracle in Progress. I’m also reminded that M.I.P also stands for Most Important Person, the newcomer. Indeed, we can keep what we have only by giving it away. My gratitude speaks when I care and share.

And having said all of that about myself, I truly believe that any addict can stop using, lose the desire to use and find a new way to live, in the Therapeutic Program WAY ! God Bless y'all and keep coming back, no matter what happens in life or however you're feeling.

Remember to say to yourself "

Just for today, my thoughts will be on my recovery, living and enjoying life without the use of drugs" 

SHAFA IN LIMELIGHT...............

Aayojan School of Architecture, Jaipur Rajasthan deputed two students as ‘Interns’ to Shafa. College authorities were so impressed by our concept of “Optimum Utilization of Space” that they send students to understand this concept.

People from different fields are showing interest in Shafa’s work, our treatment, our dedication to this field and arranging visits for others to follow it. We are in a way becoming torch bearers and trend setters for others.

kudos to shafa!!!!!!!!!!!!

And now it is 2555 days of sobriety:-

Rakesh Ji completed his 2555 days in sobriety. He still remembered his day one, when he asked help from Shafa, that he wants to live an alcohol free life. His family was not ready to help, so finally Shafa had to decide for him. This gesture of seeking help was infact his surrender, which finally yielded fruits. Besides other things, he started living a quality life, took up a good job, started a small business to enhance his earning capacity, renovated his house, entered into a positive, stable relationship and finally got married to the same girl recently.  As in ‘TC’, they say “re-entry” into the actual world, re-establishing himself back in the society...................

Isn’t that what sobriety means ???????????

Interested in knowing more about "Recovery" from addiction ???????????

STAGES OF RECOVERY

The milestones in recovery from addiction are both similar to and different from the process of recovering from almost any chronic, life-threatening illness. Each individual has unique amounts of protective features, risk factors, and resilience for recovery. Treatment and aftercare ideally combine to improve outcome by changing a relapse-prone individual into a recovery-prone person. 

The needs of every recovering physician change over time. Without appropriate problem-solving strategies, the willingness to reach out for help and respond appropriately to feedback, and the ability to successfully cope with  stuck points and stressors, relapse is likely. A thorough recognition of the stages through which the recovering physician must pass and ways to overcome stuck points  in the journey of recovery is essential.

Recovery is a process with clearly defined stages . It requires changes that are perceptible to those around the recovering physician. It is a long-term process that requires: 

·         Abstinence from mood-altering substances.

·         A conscious decision to take those specific actions that increase the likelihood for success in recovery (including changes in values, perception and behaviors).

·         Knowledge about the natural history of the illness (87) and its recovery.

·         Knowledge of the skills to begin and continue.

·         The ability to identify strengths and weaknesses in their current recovery program.

·         The willingness to accept feedback from others who are skilled at monitoring continued personal growth.

·         The ability not to deny and evade problems, stresses, and behaviors (when unopposed) frequently lead to relapse.

Although the recovery time course is unique for each individual, Gorski (88) has defined the recovery stages as follows:

Ø  Transition: Starts when the individual begins to believe they have a problem with alcohol or drugs. It ends when the individual becomes will to reach out for help.

Ø  Stabilization: The patient completes the physical withdrawal and p' acute withdrawal. Both physical and emotional healing begins. The obsession from drug and/or alcohol use subsides. The physician-patient begins to feel hope and develop motivation for recovery.

Ø  Early Recovery: A time of internal change when the recovering physician begins to let go of painful feelings about his or her disease (guilt shame, fear, resentment, etc.). The compulsion to use alcohol and drugs vanishes. The reliance on nonchemical coping skills to address problems and situations, which previously triggered chemical use, strengthens.

Ø  Middle Recovery: Balance begins to be restored. The wreckage of the past is cleaned up. Relationships are developed that positively reinforce learned skills that ensure continued personal growth.

Ø  Late Recovery: Resolution of painful events and issues related to growing up in a dysfunctional family must occur.

Ø  Maintenance: The recovering physician begins to practice the principles of successful recovery in all daily activities.

For further details or queries, please feel free to contact our doctor.

We are organizing Google hangout on 15-8-2013   between 10AM to 5PM if you want to ask some question or having some query. Feel free to contact our Psychiatric Doctor B. S. Arora.

Skype    bsarora67.

Gtalk and Google hangout     bsarora1@gmail.com

Anybody who is having problem related to drugs addictions/psychiatric problem can contact him directly.

Do You Have A Question For Our Doctor ???

OUR DOCTOR IS READY TO MEET YOU THROUGH TELE-CONFERENCING 

Drug and Alcohol counseling

For patients involve in drug and alcohol counseling, tele-psychiatry sessions enable critical monitoring and therapy during and after the treatment. Private and continuous care from home can have a significant impact on compliance and rehabilitation success.

What Is Tele - psychiatry?                         

The majority of doctor visits are just that: visits. Patients schedule appointments and go to a physical location, like the doctor’s office, to discuss their symptoms with and be examined by their physicians. Computers and the internet, however, have changed that need. 

Telemedicine is the broader term to describe the use of technology to facilitate communication between patients and their health care providers. Telemedicine includes services such as monitoring a diabetic patient’s glucose levels or a cardiac patient’s heart rhythms remotely, with specialty medical devices. 

Tele-psychiatry in particular involves the use of video-conferencing software such as Skype, or Google Talk Video to enable an interaction between the patient and psychiatrist. 

Who Can See a Psychiatrist This Way?

The most common scenario for tele-psychiatry is a patient living in a remote location where access to psychiatric services is limited.  Tele-psychiatry can be used to manage medications, provide psychotherapy, and follow up with patients as part of the normal course of treatment.

The Advantages of Tele-psychiatry?

Perhaps the biggest benefit of tele-psychiatry is the opportunity to provide quality and timely health care to a much larger population than was previously possible. All that’s needed is a computer with internet access. It enables doctors to treat patients all over the world without any travel or office expenses. Patients also receive more options for treatment; instead of being limited to their local physician, or having to drive hours to a medical center in a major city, patients can select from any of the physicians who practice telepsychiatry.

Skype    bsarora67 .

Gtalk and google hangout     bsarora1@gmail.com

Anybody who is having problem related to drugs addictions, psychiatric problem can contact us on above given details.

We are organizing Google hangout on 15-8-2013   between 10AM to 5PM .If you want to ask some question or having some query. Feel free to contact us.

5475 days of Sobriety

Can you believe this ????????

 5475 days away alcohol...........

15 yrs away from alcohol.......

 and that too one day at a time?

I am Sandeep, even I can’t believe myself that I have made it possible. And on this day, I just want to share my hope & happiness with you. I want to say that it is not impossible. Yes it may have been little difficult. But isn’t that how life is, not a bed of roses. I want to say that, if I can do it, so can you. Don’t make big goals, keep it simple, “One day at a time”.

On this day i wish to thanks God, for giving me the wisdom; my family, who stood by me in everything and finally my second family at “Shafa”, who showed me that way and guided me at every step.

OUR DOCTOR SPEAKS

Dr. B. S. Arora (Neuro Psychiatrist) at Shafa shared his view on Alcoholism............................as he sees it

Alcohol-Related Disorders

Alcohol use disorders are common, lethal conditions that often masquerade as other psychiatric syndromes. The average alcohol-dependent person decreases his or her life span by 10 to 15 years, and alcohol contributes to 22,000 deaths and two million nonfatal injuries each year.

At least 20 percent of the patients in mental health settings have alcohol abuse or dependence, including individuals from all socioeconomic strata and both genders.

Prevalence of Drinking

At some time during life, 90 percent of the population in the United States drinks, with most people beginning their alcohol intake in the early to middle teens . By the end of high school, 80 percent of students have consumed alcohol, and more than 60 percent have been intoxicated.

Alcohol Abuse or Dependence

The lifetime risk for alcohol dependence is approximately 10 to 15 percent for men and 3 to 5 percent for women. The rate of alcohol abuse and dependence combined may be as high as 20 percent for men and more than 10 percent for women, and the 1-year prevalence of abuse and dependence that are clinically significant is estimated at 6 percent or more.

Alcohol Intoxication—

A. Recent ingestion of alcohol.

B. Clinically significant maladaptive behavior or psychological changes (e.g., inappropriate sexual or aggressive behavior, mood lability, impaired judgment, impaired social or occupational functioning) that developed during, or shortly after, alcohol ingestion.

C. One (or more) of the following signs, developing during, or shortly after, alcohol use:

(1) Slurred speech

(2) Incoordination

(3) Unsteady gait

(4) Nystagmus

(5) Impairment in attention or memory

(6) Stupor or coma

D. The symptoms are not due to a general medical condition and are not better accounted for by another mental disorder.

Alcohol Withdrawal-

A. Cessation of (or reduction in) alcohol use that has been heavy and prolonged.

B. Two (or more) of the following, developing within several hours to a few days after Criterion A:

(1) Autonomic hyperactivity (e.g., sweating or pulse rate greater than 100)

(2) Increased hand tremor

(3) Insomnia

(4) Nausea or vomiting

(5) Transient visual, tactile, or auditory hallucinations or illusions

(6) Psychomotor agitation

(7) Anxiety

(8) Grand mal seizures

C. The symptoms in Criterion B cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.

D. The symptoms are not due to a general medical condition and are not better accounted for by another mental disorder.

TREATMENT

The elements of treatment appropriate for patients with severe alcohol problems are fairly straightforward. The core of these efforts involves steps to maximize motivation for abstinence, helping alcoholics to restructure their lives without alcohol, and taking steps to minimize a return, or relapse, to substance-using behaviors.

Three general steps are involved in treating the alcoholic person once the disorder has been diagnosed: a)intervention,

b)detoxification,

c) rehabilitation.

Intervention

The goal in this step is to break through feelings of denial and to help the patient recognize the adverse consequences likely to occur if the disorder is not treated. Intervention is a process aimed at increasing to as high a level as possible the levels of motivation for treatment and for continued abstinence.

Reaching out to the Family

The family can be of great help in the intervention. Members must learn not to protect the patient from the problems caused by alcohol, or else the patient may not be able to generate the energy and the motivation necessary to stop drinking

Detoxification

Most people with alcohol dependence have relatively mild symptoms when they stop drinking.

Mild or Moderate Withdrawal

Withdrawal develops because the brain has physically adapted to the presence of a brain depressant and cannot function adequately in the absence of the drug. Giving enough of a brain depressant on the first day to diminish symptoms and then weaning the patient off the drug over the next 5 days offers most patients optimal relief and minimizes the possibility that a severe withdrawal will develop.

Severe Withdrawal

For less than 1 percent of alcoholic patients with extreme autonomic dysfunction, agitation, and confusion—that is, those with alcoholic withdrawal delirium, also called delirium tremens—no perfect treatment has been found.

Rehabilitation

For most patients, rehabilitation includes three major components:

(1) continued efforts to increase and maintain high levels of motivation for abstinence,

(2) work to help the patient readjust to a lifestyle free of alcohol,

(3) relapse prevention.

The treatment process in either setting involves intervention, optimizing physical and psychological functioning, enhancing motivation, reaching out to family, and using the first 2 to 4 weeks of care as an intensive period of help. Those efforts must be followed by at least 3 to 6 months of less frequent outpatient care.

Counseling

Counseling efforts in the first several weeks to months should focus on day-to-day life issues to help patients maintain a high level of motivation for abstinence and to enhance their levels of functioning. Psychotherapy techniques that provoke anxiety or that require deep insights have not been shown to be of benefit during the early phases of recovery and, at least theoretically, may impair efforts at maintaining abstinence.

Relapse Prevention

The third major component of rehabilitation efforts, relapse prevention, begins with identifying situations in which the risk for relapse is high.

Importance of the Family

Most treatment efforts recognize the effects that alcoholism has on the significant people in the patient's life, and an important aspect of recovery involves helping   family members and close friends to understand alcoholism and how rehabilitation is an ongoing process that lasts for 6 to 12 months or more.

Medications

If detoxification has been completed, and the patient is not one of the 10 to 15 percent of alcoholic people who have an independent mood disorder, schizophrenia, or anxiety disorder, there is little evidence in favor of prescribing psychotropic medications for the treatment of alcoholism

Self-Help Groups

Clinicians must recognize the potential importance of self-help groups such as AA. Members of AA have help available 24 hours a day, associate with a sober peer group, learn that it is possible to participate in social functions without drinking, and are given a model of recovery by observing the accomplishments of sober members of the group.

Learning about AA usually begins during inpatient or outpatient rehabilitation. The clinician can play a major role in helping patients understand the differences between specific groups. Some are comprised only of men or women, and others are mixed; some meetings are comprised mostly of blue collar men and women, whereas others are mostly for professionals; some groups place great emphasis on religion, and others are eclectic. Patients with coexisting psychiatric disorders may need some additional education about AA.

        !!!! Watch out for the next date.....   

  Dr. Arora will be available for video conferencing to address all your problems !!!!