Addiction is most commonly linked with alcohol, cocaine, methamphetamine’s, PCP and heroin. Hidden
behind all of that is another demon which affects individuals from every demographic imaginable,
prescription medication. The Office of Applied Studies (OAS) has findings an influx of individuals with
addiction to pharmaceuticals or other types of medications that affect the central nervous system such
as pain relievers, anxiety medication such as Xanax, Valium and Clonazepam as well as medication used
to treat insomnia. Surprisingly, more than half of the emergency room visits for such addictions or
adverse reactions are from adults ages 65 or older.

Continuing on the path of surprise, OAS shows a combined data from 2004 through 2008 indicating
that there was an average of 178,423 visits per year for drug-related suicide attempts by individuals
ages 12 or older! Shockingly children at the age of 12 have access to substances which could kill them,
and annually estimated 709,000 children ages 12-14 get alcohol from their family or home! Where is
the justice in that? Those children are still learning how to interpret reality from pretend! They are
learning right from wrong and finding their place in this world and their growth is being stunned through
substances provided by the parents that are supposed to be protecting them.

Drug and alcohol addiction obviously has many faces so no one person is better than the next. Addiction
is a disease, just like diabetes or cancer and it cannot be taken lightly. However there is hope as
addiction is a disease that is manageable with the right mindset and support system. It does not matter
if you are 12 or 65; substance abuse is everywhere and does not favor any one demographic more than
others.

Finally, addiction commonly runs hand-in-hand with mental illness or dual diagnosis. Many times
individuals with depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia or other non-treated behavioral patterns
lead to substance abuse as a form of self-medicating. Individuals with such disorders may not know they
suffer from a mental health related illness and believe that the drugs are what keep them stable. In fact
the drugs are only an additional barrier between the addiction and recovery. When individuals are seen
for treatment of substance abuse, they should also have a psychological evaluation to determine if the
substance abuse was caused by the mental illness or if the mental illness was caused by the substance
abuse.

There are options for men and women of all backgrounds and for children and elderly individuals as
well! Treatment, like addiction wears many faces thus it is important to find a rehabilitation center that
fits the individual’s needs. There are co-ed facilities and there are centers that provide drug rehab for
women or men only. No matter what shape or size you are, treatment is the first step to challenging the
disease of addiction!

But are they worth the price? Critics of these ritzy rehabs complain that too many amenities distract from the real purpose behind the stay: getting clean and sober. But pundits of the newly emerging evolution in recovery argue that those accustomed to a “comfortable” lifestyle would never seek admission to one of the more strident recovery clinics available. Thus, like a fancy automobile or private school, the new Drug Rehab California, has an important market value.

Certainly, the hope is that anyone choosing recovery – which is a good thing – would either investigate (or have an advocate do so on their behalf), with as much due diligence as they would an expensive car or academic institution, the best rehab “fit.” Although it is certainly true that California drug rehabs are enjoying a tremendous boon in the number of facilities offering treatment for chemical dependency, with that explosion also comes greater choice for the addict or alcoholic seeking treatment. Gender specific treatment has become the most praised by professionals, in this new wave of California recovery, with many established top drug and alcohol rehabs jettisoning their co-ed structure to offer more specialized treatment for men and women individually. A top Malibu rehab, Harmony Place, for years established and recognized as one of the best rehabs in the world, was the first of the Malibu rehabs to recognize the importance of gender specific dual-diagnosis treatment. They launched their Harmony Place Exclusively For Women program in early 2007 to great success.

Whether the cutting edge drug rehab California philosophy will spread, seemingly like all things Californian, to other parts of the nation and world, still remains to be seen. But one thing is for sure: at these new “Hotels California,” there may be “mirrors on the ceiling,” but there sure ain’t no “pink champagne on ice.”