Etta James, the legendary singer, passed away this month, leaving behind a library of incredible music and a success story to inspire any woman in recovery. The 73-year-old singer infamously struggled with dependence upon multiple drugs during her career but ultimately overcame addiction. Unlike most who live through what she experienced with drugs, James did not die of an overdose or a health problem related to drugs but of complications of leukemia. Her story is a shining example of what can be accomplished with a life saved from drug addiction.

Drug Abuse and Women in the Workplace

Etta James’ fight is one that many women can relate to. The music business was one that did not value the contribution of women when James was first starting out. Perhaps in an effort to deal with some of the injustices she came up against in her career, James may have turned to drugs, particularly heroin, to escape.

In 1998, another female artist who came up during the same time, the late Ruth Brown, said: “No one who wasn’t there could understand how hard someone like Etta had to fight.”

Though her R&B hit, “At Last” hit #2 in 1961, it only hit #47 on the pop charts. The wider public didn’t notice James until her song was used in a Jaguar car commercial in the early 90s. When Beyonce played a character that was loosely based on her and sang her hit song, “At Last,” in the 2008 movie Cadillac Records, she again was in the spotlight.

Heroin Addiction: An Obstacle to Success

Though it can be theorized that James’ experience in the music business may have had something to do with her addiction to drugs like heroin, it may also be said that her struggle with the drug may have caused her to have more problems making progress in her career.

It’s a combination of hard work and luck that brought Etta James back into the public eye after her initial success on the R&B charts. For women who are currently struggling with heroin addiction, what can be learned from James’ story? If nothing else, had James not beaten her issues with heroin, she would have been unable to enjoy the renewed success of her song in the ‘90s and again in 2008, performing again and again for huge crowds who appreciated her talent and music.

If you are struggling with heroin addiction, don’t let it stop you from showcasing your talent to the world. Contact us today at The Orchid and learn more about our woman-centered rehabilitation programs. Call now.

Mindy McCready lost custody of her five-year-old son to her mother due to issues with illicit substance abuse, according to CNN. However, she made headlines recently when she took her small son from her mother’s Florida home and fled, refusing to return him for days and asking that he be returned to her custody because she feared for his safety with her mother.

Though the judge in the case made no decision about who should have custody of the child (the hearing was continued), it will be up to the judge whether or not McCready’s son is returned to his grandmother, given to his mother, or put into foster care. An emergency pickup order was given for McCready’s son and mother and child were found hiding in a closet a few days later; McCready’s son was then taken into custody by the Arkansas Division of Children and Family Services.

McCready’s mother and stepfather have legal custody of her son, but she has visitation rights. Her very public struggle with addiction played a huge part in that development; the country singer took part in the 2009 season of Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew on VH1.

Fighting Addiction and for Custody

Though many women struggle with issues of child custody and volatile family relationships after drug addiction, it’s not an easy road to travel. The emotional stress of being without a child, the guilt involved with losing them in the first place, and the physical issues that come with drug addiction detox and treatment can make it seem like an overwhelming experience. The good news is that, though many women will fight the battle with addiction, many will win. The challenge then becomes proving to the courts that you are ready to regain custody of children who were placed elsewhere during your treatment – again, not a simple task, but one that can be managed with the right perseverance.

Staying Focused

Just like in the achievement of any goal, both drug addiction and navigating through the legal system and child protective services takes focus and commitment. There will be setbacks and surprise obstacles, as well as unexpected twists and turns – some positive, some negative – throughout both experiences. Staying focused on the goal of peace in recovery with your family around you is the only thing that will help you to get to the other side of the experience successfully.

If you would like to start your road to recovery with a comprehensive drug rehab program here at The Orchid, contact us today.

The pending closure of important Georgia drug treatment programs aimed at helping women break free from drug addiction has a number of people worried. Because the need for addiction treatment has not lessened, many are concerned about the impact to the community when help is no longer available – as well as the impact to the women themselves and the wellbeing of their families.

The good news is that private rehabilitation is available and can provide an even more comprehensive level of care and treatment for women who are ready to stop drinking and abusing drugs.

Federal Funding Cuts

Federal funding provides the backbone of support to a number of treatment facilities in Georgia and with the revocation of those funds, many will be unable to keep their doors open. The ones that advocate for female addicts and their children are in the spotlight right now because their far-reaching programs extend beyond the addict herself to the family she supports. Such programs offer long lasting results and could potentially save the state – and the country – hundreds of thousands of dollars in the future when mother and children get the help they need early on.

In total, about 14 outpatient programs and 80 openings in residential treatment programs may be cut from Georgia rehabilitation centers.

Neil Kaltenecker is the executive director of the Georgia Council on Substance Abuse. Kaltenecker says: “Nationally, we know that about 13 percent of all state costs are because of addiction, whether that’s crime, whether that’s emergency room visits, healthcare, kids in foster care, unemployment, homelessness, all of those sort of social costs. That safety net just [will not be] there for these folks.

“We know that addiction is a family illness, it affects the families. So what we do in these programs is have therapeutic childcare where you’re teaching kids [and] kind of shoring up their strengths so they don’t have to go down the same road [of addiction].”

The Private Drug Rehab Option

Many who qualify for treatment at facilities that rely heavily upon federal funding may not think that they would be able to afford care at a private drug rehab. The fact is, scholarship programs are available as is sliding scale treatment for those with middle to low incomes. There are also financing options for those who can afford some now but prefer to make payments on treatment later.

If you are interested in traveling to The Orchid and experiencing our drug rehabilitation programs for women here in Florida, contact us today for information about how you can get started on the enrollment process.

It’s not an uncommon scenario: a woman addicted to heroin realizes that she is pregnant. Unable to stop abusing heroin on her own and in fear for her baby’s life, mother seeks help from doctors. Because of the great deal of knowledge we now have about the nature of opiate addiction and its effects on the baby, doctors can easily help addicted mothers-to-be to switch from heroin addiction to methadone maintenance during their pregnancy and avoid the risk of overdose as well as limit the risk of miscarriage.

The problems start when baby is born addicted to methadone. This is a known factor when the mother is addicted to heroin or methadone throughout pregnancy and its one that is planned for. Babies generally stay in the hospital to make sure that they detox correctly and safe under the care of medical professionals.

In one case, however, the addicted newborn was released with her mother and this proved problematic. The mother was given methadone both for herself and for the baby and told to slowly wean the child off the drug over three months’ time. Unfortunately, mother didn’t follow doctor’s orders. She continued to give her baby the methadone – not maliciously, but because she wanted to ease her baby’s withdrawal symptoms – using portions of her own doses and keeping the child on the drug for 14 months total.

Despite her intent, it was still a dangerous thing to do. The mother has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and other mental health issues in addition to her long-time battle with heroin addiction, and that is being taken into consideration. She won’t go immediately to jail for her actions but because she admitted to a felony charge of reckless endangerment, she will spend five years on probation and will end up in prison if she doesn’t make better choices in the future – i.e., avoid heroin and other drugs of addiction, care well for her baby, and avoid engaging in any other criminal acts.

The mother also had her baby removed from her by social services. However, because she was so cooperative with her caseworkers and did everything asked of her including completing parenting classes, she now has supervised contact with her child and is moving closer to being able to regain custody.

If you are pregnant and heroin addiction is an issue for you, seek help immediately. Getting the drug treatment you need – including methadone maintenance – can save you and your child. Ready for serious heroin rehab? Contact us at The Orchid today to find out how we can help.

Kristie Constantinoff was recently arrested on multiple charges of fraud – she pleaded guilty on all counts because, according to her attorney, her crystal meth addiction drove her to it.

The woman’s fraud of choice was to find receipts in the parking lot of major stores like Wal-Mart, then go in and steal some of the items on the receipt and return them for a refund. She defrauded more than $2000 in 2010 using this method.

Crime to Pay for Crystal Meth

According to Constantinoff, her crystal meth addiction cost her about $100 each day and the money she got from her fraudulent dealings went toward the support of that addiction. It’s not an uncommon reason behind crime; in fact, many communities notice a rise in the rate of drug addiction that parallels the rise in rate of drug dependence and abuse. The down side is that it can ultimately mean incarceration for people who would better benefit from drug rehab. The up side is that, in cases where the penalty is small or where drug courts are available, arrest can help those who need it get into addiction treatment and walk away from both crime and addiction forever

Repaying Debts Incurred During Active Addiction

Since the time of her arrest, Constantinoff has undergone drug rehab and gotten back on track. She is even employed now and would like to repay her debt. Her ability to pay was a big part of how her sentence was determined and her rehab experience as well as her demonstrated ability to remain sober and employed are likely what will keep her out of jail.

The ability to repay debts incurred during an active addiction is a healing act on many fronts. It can help the addict to assuage feelings of guilt or regret and give the victim an opportunity to heal as well. In some cases, it can even kick start the process of repairing broken relationships. At the very least, the person in recovery can learn how to have positive interactions with others, and going through the act of apologizing and making amends can be a good practice of humility that will benefit the patient going forward.

The Process of Healing

When crystal meth addiction is causing life changing problems, patients can begin the healing process by enrolling in a crystal meth rehab. Contact us at The Orchid today to learn more about the drug addiction treatment program options we have available for women. Call now.