Sobriety Coach – Is Hiring One Worth It?

August 22, 2020 by c_ferry Leave a Comment

It’s hard to see someone you love slipping into drug addiction. You might feel helpless in such a situation, but there are several things you can do to help. The support of loved ones makes a huge difference to recovering addicts. But oftentimes, family members, friends, and colleagues are ill-equipped to deal with the challenges of a substance use disorder. If someone you love is battling addiction and you feel overwhelmed, it might be useful to get in touch with a sobriety life coach.

A sobriety coach helps people quit drugs and recover from substance addiction. Sober coaches have the experience and empathy that is necessary to help addicts navigate through every stage of recovery. Ultimately, the goal is to help clients achieve long-term sobriety and return to a productive, fulfilling, drug-free life.

What are some of the things you can expect from a sobriety coach?

First, a sobriety coach is someone who helps people progress through recovery toward an addiction-free life. Remember, the coach cannot do the work for you. You’ll have to lift the weight yourself. But the coach will help you be better prepared to deal with the challenges of the recovery process.

Second, a sobriety coach is not a therapist, counselor, or physician. He or she is more like a guide or friend with a great deal of experience in substance abuse recovery. Someone who is willing to help you overcome addiction.

If you’re considering seeking the help of a sober coach, ask them the following questions:

1. How long have you been doing this?
2. Can you provide any references?
3. What kind of approach do you have to sober coaching?
4. How much do you charge for your services?

Christopher Ferry is a sobriety coach with extensive experience in helping recovering addicts achieve long-term sobriety. Based on his own battles with addiction, Christopher is aware of how incredibly difficult it can be to quit drugs. He is passionate about helping others achieve the same success as he did.

Having himself battled drug addiction, Christopher relies on his experiences to guide you through recovery. He doesn’t just dish out theoretical knowledge obtained from books. He uses practical approaches and insights based on his own journey to recovery.

In addition to his work as a sobriety coach, Christopher Ferry is a motivational entrepreneur, professional coach, addiction recovery advocate, and internet personality.

Christopher founded the Boca Recovery Center, where he works with a dedicated team of experts to help people struggling with addictions. Christopher believes everyone deserves the chance to get better. Boca Recovery Center offers scholarship programs for addicts who are motivated to get clean but cannot afford to pay full price for treatment.

Christopher co-founded “We Insure Florida” and runs a popular social media group called “Clean and Sober”. Through these various endeavors, Christopher makes a wealth of useful information accessible to recovering addicts on topics like how to use Narcan.

To learn more about sober coaching with Christopher, visit his website Christopherferry.me

How to use Narcan?

March 16, 2020 by c_ferry Leave a Comment

Questions like, “What is Narcan?,” and “What is naloxone?” are common from people who don’t know about these lifesaving drugs, so today’s post will focus on helping you understand how these drugs work and why they’re effective.

The United States is in the middle of an opioid crisis, and this means that it’s important for you to know that relapse and overdose are common occurrences in the recovery process. Fortunately, there are safe, lifesaving drugs that can be administered to someone who overdoses on opioids.

Breaking the addiction cycle is difficult for both the person on a journey of sobriety as well as the friends and family members who are witnessing the struggle.

What is Narcan?

Narcan is the brand name of a special class of drugs that are labeled as “opioid antagonists.”

Drugs like heroin, fentanyl, morphine, oxycodone, and other similarly addictive opioid substances work by binding to specific receptors in the brain and spinal cord. When opioids bind to these receptors, they block pain signals and trigger a release of the chemical dopamine, which controls feelings of pleasure. This combination of blocked pain signals and flooding of pleasure sensations is a major part of why opioid drugs can so easily become addictive.

In contrast, opioid antagonists counteract the pain-blocking properties of these drugs. They do not allow the opioids to bind to those receptors, and this effectively negates the positive aspects of taking the drugs.

This is different from drugs like methadone because those drugs mimic the effects of an opioid in order to lessen cravings and withdrawal symptoms. Opioid antagonists remove all of the pleasurable aspects of taking the narcotics, and they can also be used to rapidly reverse the effects of an overdose.

What Are the Different Names For It?

Narcan is a specific brand name, so it is common to see different names for the same type of drug. Some of these names are simply generic, and others are brand names for drugs that are in the same class of opioid antagonists.

Below are the most common names you will encounter when talking about opioid antagonist drugs that are used to reverse an overdose or help with a sobriety program.

– Naloxone
– Naltrexone
– Vivitrol
– Nalorphine

How Can Naloxone Be Administered?

There are a few different ways that these overdose reversal drugs can be administered.

1. Injection

Injections are typically only done by people like paramedics who have been professionally trained on how to use Narcan. Administering injections requires skill and practice, so this is not an ideal method for anyone without medical training.

2. Auto-injection

There are special, prefilled injectors that are safe for anyone to administer. They can be used by friends or family members as well as paramedics to give a quick, lifesaving dose of the drug directly into the thigh muscle. These injectors also have prerecorded verbal instructions, which means that you do not have to be trained on how to use naloxone in order to safely give this type of injection.

3. Nasal Spray

The nasal spray is the easiest and most convenient method for anyone who has not been formally trained on how to use Narcan or is uncomfortable with needles. The nasal spray formula is intended to be quickly sprayed into the nostril of someone who has overdosed.

Regardless of which formulation you give someone, it’s important to note that more than one dose might be required, especially if the person has stopped breathing before the initial dosing. The effects of these drugs typically only last for 30 to 90 minutes, so you should keep a close watch after administering the first round of medication.

It’s also critical to read all of the package instructions and become familiar with how to use naloxone treatments beforehand so that you’re ready if an emergency happens.

How Should These Drugs Be Used?

You may still have questions like, “What is naloxone able to be used for?,” or, “Can these drugs be used for other types of overdoses?”

There are some cases where doctors will prescribe opioid antagonists like these alongside pain medications in order to lessen the risk of developing an addiction. However, the primary use of these drugs is to rapidly reverse a potentially fatal overdose until the person can receive proper medical care and recovery treatment.

If you live in an area with high levels of opioid abuse, or you know someone who is struggling with addiction, it can be helpful to keep doses of these drugs on hand. They are a short-term solution that can save a life and help to put an addict on the path of sobriety.

Learn How To Use Narcan To Save a Life

The opioid crisis isn’t likely to be resolved anytime soon, so it’s critical to arm yourself with knowledge. Becoming comfortable with how to use naloxone now will help you be able to act appropriately if you ever have to deal with a time-sensitive overdose situation.

Medication-Assisted Treatment

August 10, 2019 by c_ferry 3 Comments

Medication-assisted treatment (MAT), involves the use of certain FDA-approved medications to treat people with substance use disorders. The meds generally aren’t used on their own, but in conjunction with counseling and other traditional forms of addiction treatment.

Studies indicate that medication-assisted treatment is a safe and effective treatment for drug addiction and alcoholism, and may increase the chance of long-term recovery.

How Medications Help with Addiction

Thanks to scores of research studies conducted over the last few decades, we know that addiction is a chronic disease that makes very real changes in the brain. Like any chronic disease, addiction is treatable.

Similarly, we no longer believe that addicted people deserve a difficult withdrawal from drugs and alcohol, or that the miserable symptoms such as chills, sweating, cramps, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, and anxiety are a necessary part of recovery. In fact, withdrawal makes getting clean more difficult.

SAMHSA (the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration), explains that medication-assisted therapy helps “normalize brain chemistry, block the euphoric effects of alcohol and opioids, relieve cravings, and normalize bodily functions without the negative effects of the abused drug.”

In simple terms, medications replace dangerous drugs with safer alternatives. By stopping cravings, MAT buys time for addicted people to concentrate on therapy and other treatments. Once drugs or alcohol clears the body, people can think more clearly and benefit from treatment.

People benefit from medication-assisted therapy in several ways. Most importantly, they are less likely to die from a fatal overdose, to be injured by violence or accidents, or to be involved in criminal activities. There is also evidence that MAT may decrease the risk of developing HIV and Hepatitis C.

In short, the overall quality of life is improved. People who stay in treatment longer have a better chance of long-term recovery and a reduced risk of relapse.

Commonly Used Medications

Several different medications are used to treat alcoholism and addiction to heroin and other opioid drugs. So far, no medications have been developed to treat addiction to cocaine, meth or marijuana, although medications may be prescribed to ease the symptoms of withdrawal.

The most commonly prescribed drugs for the treatment of addiction include the following:

Alcoholism

Disulfiram (Antabuse) is prescribed for people who have completed detox and have been free of alcohol for at least 12 hours. It is taken in pill form once every day. Disulfiram shouldn’t be used if a person is intoxicated, as even a very small amount of alcohol combined with disulfiram may result in headache, nausea, vomiting, difficulty breathing, and chest pains.

Naltrexone (Vivitrol, Revia), approved by the FDA for treatment of alcoholism in 2006, helps by reducing the urge to drink. A person who drinks alcohol while taking naltrexone won’t become sick, but they won’t experience the usual “high” or feeling of relaxation generally provided by alcohol.

Acamprosate (Campral), approved in 2004, is generally prescribed after five days of total abstinence. The medication is usually taken in pill form three times per day. It doesn’t prevent most withdrawal symptoms, and it doesn’t help people who continue to drink. It is useful for people who have managed to stop drinking but continue to struggle with cravings.

Opioids

Methadone is a well-known drug used as a treatment of opioid addiction for decades. It works by blocking the “high” produced by heroin and other opioid drugs, and also minimizes painful withdrawal symptoms. If used properly, it reduces cravings and helps people return to more normal lives. Methadone is tightly regulated and administered by specialized clinics.

Buprenorphine, approved for opioid addiction in 2002, is a weak type of opioid drug. It is intended to help people gradually get off drugs such as heroin and oxycodone by minimizing cravings and withdrawal symptoms. It is available in various forms, often in combination with Naloxone, and marketed by brand names such as Suboxone, Subutex, Butrans, and several others. Buprenorphine can be prescribed in a doctor’s office.

Naltrexone (Vivitrol) doesn’t decrease withdrawal symptoms but works by blocking the “high” produced by heroin and other opioid drugs. Naltrexone is prescribed after a person has stopped using opioid drugs for at least a week to ten days. Severe withdrawal symptoms may result if naltrexone is used while opioids are still in the system.

The Controversy: Replacing one Addiction with Another?

Although medication-assisted therapy is supported by the medical community, some people argue that medication only swaps one substance for another. Many claim that total abstinence is the only way to full recovery.

It’s true that the medications are powerful, and some, such as methadone and buprenorphine, are in the same drug family as heroin and morphine. It’s also true that some may present a risk of addiction. Some people continue to use the medication for months or even years.

On the other hand, proponents view medication-assisted treatment as a type of harm reduction. Abstinence is always the ultimate goal, but some people may never be completely drug-free.

When appropriately used, medication allows these people to reach the highest possible level of functioning, and to lead relatively normal lives with a reduced risk of dangerous results, including fatal overdose.

Is Medication-Assisted Treatment Right for You?

If you’re struggling with addiction to alcohol or opioid drugs, consider checking into a drug and alcohol treatment or rehab that specializes in medication-assisted treatment.

You can also talk to your doctor about MAT. If she isn’t willing to consider the idea, you may need to speak to another medical provider. Each of the medications mentioned above presents both benefits and risks. It’s critical that your medical provider understands how each drug works and how it can benefit you.

Medication-assisted treatment isn’t a magic cure or a quick fix. Getting off drugs and alcohol is a slow process that requires commitment and a lot of hard work. However, when used with standard treatment, MAT may significantly improve your quality of life and increase your chances of long-term success.