When former England football star Paul Gascoigne reached out for help April 10, his friends and doctors put him on a plane the same day to a rehabilitation clinic in United States to be treated for his alcohol addiction. He has tried many times in the past to break the cycle of addiction, but this time, his friends say, he is serious about getting healthy and staying healthy.

A  Much Needed Detox for Paul Gascoigne

Gascoigne entered a hospital unit close to the clinic where he will be in rehabilitation in order to go through the detox phase of his treatment. Professionals say this is one of the most important steps to rehabilitation for any drug or alcohol dependency. Ridding the body of the substance that keeps it dependent and addicted should be monitored by health professionals. The detox phase last from a day to several days, depending upon the dependency and how the body reacts. Once Gascoigne completes this first phase of rehab, he will go to the clinic where he will continue to be treated and can be expected to return to a healthier, alcohol-dependent free life.

Struggles with Alcoholism

Gascoigne, 45, has struggled with alcoholism since early in his football career with the Lazio, Rangers and Tottenham. He made the decision to travel to the United States for treatment because the facility he chose offers excellent services and he had confidence in their ability to help him break his cycle of addiction for good. His team mate and close friend, Gary Lineker tweeted February 10 that Gascoigne is struggling and his friends are hoping he hangs in and completes the rehabilitation successfully.

Health professionals treating the football star say it is not unusual for people who have a deep dependency to alcohol and who drink heavily to experience detox conditions that require careful monitoring within a hospital setting. While doctors say that detox is not life-threatening for the athlete, he will be monitored in a hospital ICU department for a short time before returning to the clinic for treatment.

Former Team Mates “Lend a Hand”

News reports indicate that former team mates have formed a support group and are raising funds to help the football star through this important time in his life. He has suffered several relapses over the years in his fight with alcohol addiction and his friends close to him told news agencies in England that it was another relapse that prompted Gascoigne to reach out for help that came immediately in the form of a transfer to the facility the same day.

Raising Funds for Recovery

According to the Football Association of England Footballers Foundation and Club England, about 40,000 British pounds has been donated to help the star in his fight against alcoholism. He rose to fame at the 1990 World Cup in Italy and the mid-fielder served as ambassador for the football association and English football through international development work in Botswana. Many professional football players in England have spoken out in support for Gascoigne’s efforts and say it was because of the player’s influence on their lives that caused them to seek professional careers.

Looking to the Future

Gascoigne has won 57 international caps and was part of the Three Lions when they reached the semi-finals of Euro in 1996. Those who know him say he is a true inspiration and hope his fight against alcoholism will be another win for Gascoigne, who after completing the rehabilitation treatment, can have a fuller, healthier and better quality of life.

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In a heartfelt Facebook post, Ozzy Osbourne recently confessed to suffering a drug and alcohol relapse. The rocker says he is now clean after seeking treatment. Osbourne confessed to being in a very “dark place” and apologized for his “insane behavior.”

“I would like to apologize to Sharon, my family, my friends and my band mates for my insane behavior during this period………and my fans,” said Osbourne in his Facebook post.

The former Black Sabbath singer, also well known for his family’s MTV reality show “The Osbournes” also denied rumors of an impending divorce from his wife, Sharon. “”Just to set the record straight, Sharon and I are not divorcing,” said Ozzy Osbourne.

Osbourne and his Family Have Struggled with Substance Abuse in the Past

While Osbourne did not address what triggered the relapse, it is not the first time that the rocker has struggled with sobriety. Osbourne has been open in the past about his addiction struggles.

Nearly a decade ago when wife Sharon was diagnosed with colon cancer, Osbourne turned to alcohol and drugs to cope with the diagnosis. His children, Jack and Kelly, have also struggled with substance abuse.

Kelly Osbourne first began experimenting heavily with prescription painkillers and alcohol following her mother’s diagnosis. In and out of rehab for the last decade, Kelly suffered a relapse last summer following her brother Jack’s diagnosis with MS.

Ozzy Osborune Asks Fans for Forgiveness, Apologizes for Poor Behavior

A return to rehab helped Kelly get back on track, and it seems to also have helped Ozzy Osborune. Ozzy’s latest stint in rehab is a “fresh start” to help him get healthy before kicking off his Black Sabbath reunion tour. The worldwide tour will see the rocker performing in Australia, North America, South America and Europe.

While maintaining sobriety on the road may be a challenge, with the right support system, Ozzy can stay focused on performing, rather than be distracted by drugs and alcohol. The Osbourne family is famous for its tight-knit support system and helping family members seek substance abuse treatment.

Freedom Center Can Help

If someone you know has struggled with substance abuse in the past like Ozzy, you can help them stay focused on their sobriety by recommending a rehab treatment facility. An additional stay in rehab may be just what a loved one needs to recommit to living a sober life.

The post Rocker Ozzy Osbourne Admits to Drug Relapse, Now 44 Days Sober appeared first on Freedom Treatment Center.

Could a loved one be suffering from addiction or substance abuse? Learning to identify the signs and symptoms of substance abuse are essential to helping a loved one in need. This list of the top 7 warning signs of substance abuse can help:

#1: Change in behavior. Your loved one may seem withdrawn or lose interest in the activities and hobbies they once enjoyed. As drug dependency worsens, your loved one may make up excuses or constantly lie about why they neglect friends and family.

#2: Change in friendships. Rather than socializing with friends and family, your loved one will exclusively spend time with other individuals who share or enable their addictive behaviors.

#3: Inability to stop using drugs or alcohol. Your loved one may promise to stop experimenting with drugs or drinking alcohol, but because they are addicted, they are unable to stop abusing these substances. They may claim that they can stop at any time, but fail to do so despite repeated promises.

#4: Engaging in risky behavior. Individuals who are addicted to drugs are more likely to engage in dangerous or risky behaviors. Your loved one may drive while drunk, share needles or have unprotected sex.

#5: Frequent mood swings. Your normally happy or easy-going loved one may suddenly experience significant mood swings. These mood swings include being uncharacteristically violent or aggressive, being moody or depressed, and being very defensive of their drug use.

#6: Being late for work or school. Your loved one may constantly be late for work or school due to withdrawal symptoms from substance abuse. Your loved one may abandon work and school responsibilities in order to get high or drunk, or frequently ask you to “make excuses” as to why they are late or unable to fulfill their responsibilities.

#7: Change in appearance. Individuals who abuse drugs or alcohol frequently have an unexpected change in their physical appearance. For example, individuals who abuse meth may have a pock marked face and signs of rapid aging. Individuals who abuse heroin may wear long sleeves even in hot weather to cover track marks.

Get Help for Substance Abuse

If your loved one shows any of these signs of substance abuse, the best thing that you can do is help them seek treatment. Every day matters; seeking treatment for substance abuse is the best way to stop or reverse serious physical damage to the body and help your loved one live a sober life. Contact Freedom Drug Rehab and we can help you and your loved ones today.

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Prescription drug traffic and health care fraud are on the rise in Michigan and Ohio, says the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The U.S. Attorney’s Office indicted dozens of alleged drug traffickers in late March for a scheme that included money laundering and prescription drug fraud.

Health Care Fraud and Trafficking

“The merger of health care fraud and drug trafficking is a disturbing trend that is not only robbing taxpayers, but all fueling addictions to prescription drugs,”said Barbara L. McQuade, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan.

According to McQuade, the recent drug smuggling charges involved:

• Oxycontin
• Vicodin
• Xanax
• Cough syrup with Codeine

Pharmacists and a home health care agency were allegedly making false claims to Medicaid, Medicare and private insurers to obtain the drugs. They were then selling the prescription painkillers in exchange for financial kickbacks.

Recent Detroit Indictments

Last year, ten Detroit and Ohio residents were indicted and convicted in a similar prescription drug smuggling ring. The prescription drugs are moving from Detroit to Portsmouth and into neighboring communities as far as Huntington, West Virginia.

McQuade stressed that the recent case is just one example of how prescription drug smuggling is on the rise not only in Ohio and Michigan, but throughout the United States.

“Prescription drug abuse has become a national epidemic with more Americans dying from overdoses than from gunshot wounds,” says McQuade.

The Numbers Don’t Lie

An estimated 7 million Americans abuse prescription drugs each year, according to the Drug Enforcement Agency. Prescription drugs are just as dangerous and harmful as street drugs like heroin and cocaine. Drugs like OxyContin, Xanax and Vicodin are habit forming and highly addictive. More than 120,000 Americans end up in the emergency room each year from prescription drug overdoses, according to the American society of Intervention Pain Physicians.

A Serious Problem in Michigan, and Across the Country

The latest prescription drug trafficking and health care fraud case is another example of how organized crime and drug abuse are still a serious problem facing Michigan, Ohio and states across the country. Many individuals who are addicted to prescription drugs rely on “doctor shopping” in order to obtain multiple prescriptions. Individuals who are addicted may crush or snort pills in order to obtain a faster rush.

Freedom Drug Rehab Can Help

If a loved one is struggling with prescription drug addiction, willpower alone is not enough to overcome this addiction. Since prescription drugs can be obtained legally, it is difficult to prevent a loved one from obtaining and abusing drugs.

Treatment at a rehabilitation center like Freedom Drug Rehab is the best way to successfully overcome addiction and live a sober life.

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