Mary Bono Mack, a congresswoman from California’s 45^th District, headed up a C-SPAN televised hearing with the purpose of analyzing the ever-expanding prescription drug problem inside the United States. Bono Mack, the Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, gathered together experts in their respective fields to discuss substance abuse and prescription drug diversion onto the black market. The legislators felt this hearing was of the utmost importance as the abuse of prescription medications is now directly responsible for nearly 30,000 deaths a year and has surpassed car crashes as the number-one cause of accidental death.

Challenges Faced by Law Enforcement and Legislators

Joseph Rannazzisi, Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), spoke about the issues feeding the prescription drug epidemic and clarified the challenges members of law enforcement are up against.

He explained that the rise in prescription drug abuse may be caused by:

• The constant design, development and aggressive marketing of new pharmaceuticals containing addictive substances
• Steadily evolving methods of drug diversion such as Internet pharmacies and illegitimate pain clinics
• Pharmaceutical traffickers continually adapting their methods to elude the laws and/or law enforcement techniques
• The entrenched belief that prescription medications are safer to abuse than other illicit drugs because they are used by medical professionals

Successes in the Nationwide Fight to End Prescription Drug Abuse

During the hearing, participants looked at the tactics that were most successful nationwide for lowering prescription drug abuse. By analyzing which approaches work and which ones do not, they were able to pick the most effective strategies to use throughout the country.

The officials felt that the following methods have the best chance to turn prescription drug abuse rates around:

• Florida passed legislation that outlawed physicians and pain clinics from selling prescription pain medications. After the law was instituted, the number of oxycodone pills prescribed statewide plummeted by 97 percent.
• Florida, considered one of the biggest prescription drug abuse offenders, has been making great strides through legislation. Prior to instituting new laws, 90 percent of the top oxycodone prescribers nationwide resided in Florida. They have now seen the numbers fall to 13 percent.
• Currently, 48 states have Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMP); however, funding and proper usage need to be evaluated.
• Educating the public on proper storage and disposal of unused prescription medications can potentially reduce instances of abuse.

When the hearing was said and done, the take-home message was that there is still a huge amount of work to do. Deputy Rannazzisi from the DEA did make the point that despite successes in states like Florida, the numbers of abuse and diversion are steadily growing across the country.

If you have a prescription drug problem, you don’t have to deal with it alone. Contact us for information on quality evidence-based treatment programs around the US. Pick up the phone and take the first step down the road to sobriety.

The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) is one of the leading agencies in the field of substance dependency and abuse. Though this field is slowly growing, the number of people in need of treatment is rapidly outpacing available spots in rehab programs. Without more addiction treatment specialists, a “bottleneck” in treatment will be created, leaving many patients wanting immediate treatment but with nowhere to turn. ASAM recognizes that, if this is allowed to continue, patients who can’t get the help they need may end up overdosing, contracting a deadly illness or dying while they wait. It’s a serious problem and one that ASAM is working to fix.

In What Ways Can ASAM Meet the Need for Quality Addiction Specialists?

ASAM wants to solve this issue before it becomes a reality. There is currently debate over the best avenue or avenues to meet the growing demand for addiction specialists around the US. ASAM’s plan?  The Affordable Care Act. This bill would increase the number of specialists while saving money by training nurses and nurse practitioners. Nursing education is less expensive than medical training for doctors and, as a result, the available dollars can go further. Therefore, ASAM is looking at the ways to best incorporate nurses into their organization and exploring the possibility of a separate nursing group that works in tandem with ASAM.

In addition, there are a good number of other professionals, such as social workers, psychologists and physicians assistants, who already deal with addiction and its mental and physical consequences every day. Specialized addiction training for these professionals and admittance to ASAM or a newly formed subsidiary would also increase the number of available consultants for individuals struggling with addiction.

Referrals Also Remain a Hurdle in the Access to Addiction Specialists

The sheer number of addiction specialists doesn’t matter at the end of the day if patients don’t know they are available or, in some cases, that the specialty exists. Doctors are taught specific guidelines for referring patients to a specialist for more in-depth diagnostic procedures and treatment. Unfortunately, in the arena of substance abuse, these policies are not often followed because of a variety of hurdles, one of which is obviously the lack of specialists. However, if the number of healthcare providers is increased for drug and alcohol abuse then primary care doctors would need to be retrained in the referral process for this particular specialty.

What ideas do you have for increasing the number of knowledgeable healthcare professionals in the arena of addiction? Are there professions that are being missed by ASAM that could provide support for individuals struggling with addiction? Leave us a comment and tell us what you think.

According to the Ohio Department of Health, during a five-year period, an average of three to four Ohioans died each day due to unintentional prescription drug overdoses. These numbers are high but still escalating – not just in Ohio but nationwide. In an effort to stem the overwhelming tide of prescription drug abuse in the state, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) has developed a new strategy: the Stop Trafficking of Pills Act (STOP Act). The bill targets a variety of sources of illegally diverted prescription drugs, including:

• Pill mills. These clinics prescribe medications knowingly to addicts or dealers for use on the black market or to feed an addiction.
• Doctor shopping. This occurs when patients visit multiple doctors and complain of the same symptoms, in order to receive multiple prescriptions for the same addictive medications.
• Pharmacy shopping. This is the use of multiple pharmacies to fill the same addictive prescriptions so the high rate of use will go unnoticed.

Medicaid Lock-in Program Is a Large Part of Brown’s Proposed Legislation

Brown’s STOP Act also calls for a national Medicaid lock-in plan. This is legislation targeted at Medicaid recipients to prevent individuals with a prior history of addiction or high-risk patients from abusing prescription drugs at the cost of the taxpayer. This would be accomplished by limiting these individuals to the use of one doctor and one pharmacy when obtaining addictive prescriptions.

Brown points out that Ohio’s Medicaid program alone bought $820 million worth of prescription drugs in a single year. While he in no way implies that the majority of medications was used for abuse and addiction, stopping those who do abuse the system could mean a huge savings in tough economic times. In fact, there’s a solid precedent: South Carolina piloted a Medicaid lock-in program and saw the abuse of prescription drugs plummet by 43 percent. Maybe Ohio could benefit as well.

STOP Act Legislation Attempts to Target All Aspects of Prescription Drug Abuse

In addition to the components above, Brown’s comprehensive legislation attempts to tie up the many loose ends pertaining to the use and abuse of addictive prescription medications including:

• Placing regulatory restrictions on pain clinics and pharmacies
• Putting a ceiling on the amount of pills doctors may dispense in their offices
• Amend Ohio’s ineffective prescription drug database
• Provide clarification for doctors on any gray areas in the laws surrounding the prescription of controlled substances in Ohio

Prescription drug abuse, at present, is the fastest growing and deadliest form of addiction in America. This type of substance abuse problem can escalate rapidly and should be treated at the first sign of a problem. It is never too early to get help. Contact us and let us match you with the most effective treatment program for your needs. Don’t hesitate to call today.

Doctors practicing medicine and dispensing prescription painkillers in Massachusetts may be required to register with the state board designed to monitor who’s taking what opiate painkillers, how many, and under whose care. A new law written by state Sen. John Keenan, D-Quincy would improve the efficacy of the statewide prescription drug monitoring system and require all prescribing medical professionals to register and take part.

MA Statewide Prescription Drug Monitoring System

Massachusetts is already one of many states with a statewide prescription drug monitoring database. Designed to catch patients who have two or more doctors giving them overlapping prescriptions for similar addictive drugs, getting fraudulent prescriptions from emergency rooms, or otherwise procuring fake prescriptions, the database was designed to assist medical professionals in identifying addicted patients so they can help those patients get treatment. It was a voluntary program under the law originally instituted in 2010 but of the 14,000 doctors in Massachusetts, only 1,700 signed up. This new law would make all 14,000 get on board with the program.

More Healthcare Legislation = Better Care for Patients

The idea is not to be more intrusive in patients’ lives but to help identify the devastating issue of prescription drug dependence before it culminates in an overdose. In many states, more people die due to prescription drug overdose than in car accidents. It’s a serious issue, and lawmakers are trying to figure out a way to get the necessary care to the people who need it.

Massachusetts State Senate President Therese Murray, D-Plymouth, was in support of the new legislation. She said: “This is an important next step in getting a handle on the crisis.”

Why Lawmakers Are Fighting Prescription Drug Addiction

Why are lawmakers getting involved? Ostensibly, the cost. When patients are addicted to painkillers, they often lose their jobs and end up living off the system. Those who are on Medicare may even have their addiction subsidized by government prescriptions. Plus, there’s the cost of healthcare when prescription drug addiction causes accidents or health problems, or the costs that occur when addiction triggers criminal behavior that requires police time, court time and jail time.

Prescription Drug Rehab

There’s also the personal side; because prescription drug addiction has reached epidemic proportions in this country, it’s rare to meet someone who has not been touched by the issue. In fact, you may be struggling with dependence upon your prescription – or it could be someone you love. If so, we can help you get the treatment you need before it’s too late. Contact us today to locate a prescription drug rehab that can help you heal.

Prescription drug addiction has been a huge problem in Ohio in recent years, and every year, it is getting worse. Recently, the rate of prescription drug dependence has been linked to increased emergency room visits, crime, and greater rates of heroin addiction – and the state government is no longer sitting by and letting it happen. Their newest endeavor? A program called Don’t Get Me Started that reaches out to youth and young adults, as well as those who love them, in an effort to help them understand the dangers of prescription drug abuse and the signs that treatment is necessary.

Don’t Get Me Started

The Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services (ODADAS) is working together with the Ohio Association of County Behavioral Health Authorities (OACBHA) to put together Don’t Get Me Started. The state has launched a website dedicated to the project that helps Ohio residents find out more about the epidemic of prescription painkiller abuse in the state, learn more about getting help, and watch videos about people who have successfully come back from addiction through treatment. They will also have a Facebook page that will keep those who “like” it updated on new additions and provide an opportunity for those who have been affected by opiate addiction to engage with others and share their stories.

Prescription Drug Addiction in Ohio

In 2007, accidental drug overdose beat out car accidents for the most common cause of death in Ohio, according to the Ohio Department of Health Bureau of Vital Statistics. Most of the accidental overdoses are attributed to prescription drugs, not illicit street drugs. In fact, in the 10 years between 1999 and 2009, there was a 335-percent increase in deaths caused by drug overdose. Between 2006 and 2009, that amounted to 1,377 drug overdose deaths. The Ohio Board of Pharmacy estimates that about 776 million doses of opiates were dispensed illegally in Ohio and may have contributed to the high number of overdoses in 2010.

Get Help Now

Governor John R. Kasich said about the Don’t Get Me Started campaign: “Prescription drug abuse has besieged communities across the state, destroying the lives of young people and adults. We’ve made tremendous strides to improve access to treatment, shut down illegal pill mills, go after doctors over-prescribing prescription painkillers, and educate young adults statewide about the dangers of prescription opiate abuse. This lifesaving effort will grow even stronger through this campaign.”

If you or someone you care about is living in Ohio or anywhere in the United States and interested in finding a prescription drug rehab that can help you heal, contact us today at the phone number posted and speak to a representative about your needs.

We’ve all heard the saying, “Men are from Mars, and women are from Venus.” This statement could also be used to describe the difference between the genders when it comes to cocaine treatment. It is becoming increasingly clear, as further research is completed, that what motivates men and women to abuse a substance, seek treatment or experience a relapse can be vastly different. Although there are of course many similarities between the sexes during the incidents surrounding drug abuse, understanding where the differences occur can have far-reaching implications in providing effective prevention, treatment and aftercare services.

What Factors Between the Genders Cause Cocaine Relapse

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania analyzed the data from nearly 100 subjects with a cocaine dependency surrounding their feelings and behaviors associated with relapse. They found relapse affected each gender in the following ways:

Women:

• Had more issues in interpersonal relationships prior to relapse
• Relapse in a more impulsive manner
• Reported fewer positive life experiences before relapse
• Sought help more often after first use

Men:

• Found more excuses for their cocaine relapse
• Demonstrated stronger cravings for the drug

The Yale School of Medicine took the study of cocaine relapse between genders one step further attempting to understand the areas of the brain affected. They found from analyzing the brain that women were at a higher risk for relapse when they were under stress. On the other hand, men have the greatest temptation when they come across something that reminds them of their cocaine use.

Using Gender to Your Advantage to Avoid a Cocaine Relapse

Knowledge is power and the findings from each university provide plenty of information that rehab centers can use to their clients’ benefit.  The conclusions of each study demonstrate that gender should be considered when determining the best route for cocaine rehabilitation treatment. Especially when it comes to relapse, if an individual knows where their strengths and weaknesses are, they are better armed to deal with the realities of drug cravings and the stresses of daily life.

For these reasons, there are gender-specific rehab programs available to cater to the specialized needs of each of the sexes for initial treatment or additional assistance after a relapse. If you think someone you love would prefer to experience rehab that focuses on their gender’s particular needs, we can help. Give us a call and we can discuss all the available options for gender-specific addiction treatment services. Contact us today and find the treatment that is right for your loved one.

Benjamin Lukeski had no criminal record as an adult or as a juvenile – not even a speeding ticket – before his arrest in 2010. At the age of 35, however Lukeski found himself standing in front of a Superior Court judge trying to explain why he robbed a pharmacy for prescription drugs.

Said Lukeski: “It’s almost unfathomable what I did.”

Lukeski said that, looking back, the robbery was like a bad dream. Addicted to drugs and at the end of his rope, Lukeski walked into a Rite Aid pharmacy and handed the clerk behind the pharmacy counter a note that mentioned both his need for OxyContin and the fact that he knew where the clerk lived. He reportedly told her: “Don’t test me right now. I have nothing to lose. I will pull this gun out and shoot you.”

Consequences for Poor Choices

After Lukeski was arrested for the robbery, he went to jail for three months and detoxed from his 15-year drug dependence. When they let him go home, he checked himself into a one-month intensive drug rehab program and then into a six-month program designed to help him stay clean. He had multiple drug tests throughout the programs and each one was clean.

Unfortunately, the judge felt that he had not repaid his debt to society for the crime and decided to sentence him to a year in prison for the robbery. This decision was likely due to the gun and the threats he made on the life of the pharmacy clerk; no violent crime can be handled with drug rehab even if an underlying addiction was the primary instigator.

Staying Clean, Staying Out of Trouble

Though Lukeski will now have a criminal record for the rest of his life, he has the opportunity to stay on the straight and narrow. Now that he has a record, any relapse and resulting criminal acts will likely go far worse for him in the courtroom and mean a more significant punishment. However, staying clean and sober as he has since 2010 means that he’s on the right road and making choices that will sustain him in recovery when he gets out of prison.

If you’ve had legal issues due to drug addiction, now is the time to take the steps necessary to stop abusing drugs and alcohol for good. Contact us today at the phone number above to find out more about the addiction treatment services that are available and which ones are right for you.

Addiction to prescription painkillers can be so overwhelming that it caused one woman in Concord, NY to push her luck to such an extent she landed back behind bars just a few weeks after becoming a new mother. Chandra Zittel-Tucker was in jail for dealing prescription pills out of her house and released just days before having a new baby a few weeks ago. Zittel-Tucker, still under probation, arrived at the family courthouse for a scheduled meeting with her probation officer, but first met up with Kimberly Kloc, a friend she had made while in jail.

Unfortunately, the women were not catching up over a cup of coffee, but instead were exchanging drugs outside the courthouse. Officers caught the women in the act. After losing custody of her other four children last spring, Zittel-Zucker had her brand new infant with her as she made the drug deal. When they did a search, the police found both cocaine and prescription opiates on the two women. Each was arrested and is in jail once again pending a hearing.

Zittel-Zucker’s Story Illustrates Many Aspects of Addiction

Zittel-Zucker’s story highlights many issues involved in maintaining and overcoming an addiction, such as:

• Your social network matters. The people someone associates with can have a large influence on whether they will be able to maintain long-term sobriety. Friends can encourage a recovering addict, and serve as a model for how to live a sober and fulfilling life. A recovering addict must surround themselves with individuals who support them in getting and staying clean for the long haul.

• Jail does not solve addiction. Jail is a punishment for the behaviors revolving around drugs, not a treatment option. Even if someone is clean while in prison, once released, if no efforts are made to change, most individuals will go back to their past behavior patterns.

• Without treatment, addiction continues – no matter the consequences. Some people may be horrified the woman in the above story was willing to lose her children rather than stop using drugs. However, without effective treatment, an addict almost always will choose their drug of choice over anything else, including the needs of their own children.

• Risk-taking is part of addiction. Individuals who are prone to risk-taking behaviors are more likely to get caught up in addiction.

If You Know Someone Suffering From Addiction, There Is Help

Whether someone you care about is developing a dependency on drugs or alcohol, or is in the depths of addiction, treatment can turn the tides back in their favor. Rehab programs will address all the issues discussed above, so individuals can start making consistent choices with positive results. Contact us and we can discuss all the options available to you today.

Buyer beware! It’s a lesson learned by those who purchase drugs online quite often, but in this case, buyers learned a lesson about the dependability of online pharmacies that was highly visible – and hard to forget.

In a recent case study, it was reported that two men who thought they were buying amphetamines online got more than they bargained for. Instead of the stimulant drug they were expecting, both men were poisoned by the pharmaceuticals they purchased – and their skin turned blue. According to the February 10th issue of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the two men bought a product advertised as “research chemicals” (a term often used to sell stimulant drugs to avoid laws limiting distribution) that they believed to be an amphetamine derivative called 2C-E but instead received aniline, an industrial chemical that is highly toxic.

It should be mentioned that the aniline had a label that warned that it was “not for human consumption.” Of course, amphetamines are not safe for use without the medical supervision of a doctor, so these men were unlikely to heed any warnings.

So why did they turn blue? The drug turned the hemoglobin in their blood to methemoglobin, which prevents red blood cells from transporting oxygen to where it needs to go. With little oxygen in their blood, their skin turned blue and one of the men passed out.

Treating Amphetamine Addiction and Abuse

These men were lucky; poison center and health department officials identified the chemical and managed to give them the treatment they needed to survive the poisoning.

While the close call demonstrates how untrustworthy online pharmacies can be and the need for medical prescriptions for regulated substances, it does little to address the underlying issue of amphetamine abuse and addiction – the real problem that caused these men to risk ingesting drugs they purchased on the Internet.

The only thing that will effectively help them to avoid repeating the mistake in the future – or avoid taking the similar risk of purchasing unknown chemicals off the street – is to enroll in a treatment program that will help them to leave drugs of all kinds behind forever. Abusing the drug for entertainment, escape, social “lubrication” or to self-medicate mental health issues can mean a lifetime of drug abuse and addiction – issues that can be deadly. Call now to find out how we can help you locate a drug rehab that can help you heal if amphetamine addiction is your problem.

Adam Blumenkranz has a prescription for marijuana, a prescription that he assumed was like any other medical prescription. When he boarded a flight from Florida to New Jersey, he packed his prescription – and everything he needed to use the drug – in his carry-on bag rather than checking it in his luggage, just as most travelers would do with any medication. No one stopped him as he went through security, but when he got on the plane and his bag of marijuana dropped out of his luggage, flight crewmembers took notice.

When Blumenkranz went to the bathroom on the flight, he took his glass pipe and marijuana with him. When he exited the bathroom, it was reported that attendants “smelled a strong odor of pot.”

Albert Della Fave is a spokesman for Port Authority. He said: “You just can’t do that on a commercial airline. You cannot smoke anything, regardless what the issue is.”

Medical Marijuana: Is It Really Legal?

So was it the smoke or the substance being smoked that was the issue? When Blumenkranz was arrested, it wasn’t for smoking in a non-smoking area. Clearly, those who have a prescription for medical marijuana do not have the same rights to use their medication as those who have a prescription for other controlled substances like codeine or Percocet. Blumenkranz was charged with two counts of possession – one for the marijuana and the other for the paraphernalia. However, no one found on a flight with a bottle of benzodiazepines prescribed to them would have been arrested.

So what is the benefit of having marijuana prescribed to you if you are unable to use the drug to relieve symptoms? Is it really legal? That’s the ongoing debate. The federal government has one opinion, states have various opinions, and the public has opposing views as well. It’s the patient who gets a mixed message and often isn’t sure how to respond.

Dealing With the Risks of Marijuana Abuse

Another issue that comes with the use of marijuana for medical purposes is abuse of the drug. Few patients walk out of a doctor’s office with a prescription that tells them what type of marijuana to purchase, how much to use, how to use it, and how often. Instead, most patients are told to use the drug on an as-needed basis, which can lead to psychological and physical dependence upon the drug.

What do you think? Is medical marijuana a viable medical treatment? Or should those who use it be arrested? Leave a comment with your opinion below.

Grey County in Ontario has long had a reputation for being a hot spot for crystal meth abuse and addiction, and a recent crime spree allegedly committed by one 40-year-old meth addict last month strengthened that reputation.

Detective Sergeant Jeff Beselaere is the head of West Grey Police Service’s crime unit. According to The Sun Times, he said about the alleged thief and addict: “He was involved in five different incidents during the period from Dec. 25 up until the day before yesterday [Jan. 2]. And that was one individual.”

Beselaere believes that this one man’s action is only the tip of the iceberg, a single example among many that the crystal meth abuse and addiction problem in the region is out of control and causing a great amount of damage.

Linking Crime to Crystal Meth

In some cases, officials are claiming that the number of crystal meth addicts in the area is actually going down, but law enforcement is dubious. Says Beselaere: “I’m certainly not seeing a decrease in it.”

However, linking a crime to a specific addiction can be a difficult thing to do officially unless the person arrested admits to being under the influence of the drug, doing the crime in order to buy the drug, or has crystal meth in their possession at the time they are arrested.

Another problem is that the rate of crimes committed by those addicted to crystal meth may remain stable while the number of addicts living with that particular dependence could fluctuate. An addiction doesn’t always result in criminal behavior (beyond the criminal act of buying and using an illegal drug, of course), and some addicts who commit crimes may not get caught.

One Thing We Know for Sure…

Though it is impossible to get exact numbers when it comes to how many crimes are committed by crystal meth users, the problems seen in Grey County and other areas are clear; crystal meth addiction leads to bad choices – choices that can hurt others and mean years of repayment in terms of jail time and fines as well as a lifetime of regret.

If crystal meth addiction is a problem for you – even if your use is currently at the level of experimentation – the best thing you can do for yourself is to stop. If you are unable to quit on your own, contact us today. We can help you to find a crystal meth rehab that can give you the medical and psychiatric care you need to heal for good. Call now.

Both sex and drugs affect similar chemical pathways in the brain and both can superficially seem to fulfill similar emotional needs. However, part of the recovery process from addiction is ultimately realizing that, in the long run, your drug of choice (including sex) does not satisfy the emotional hole you are trying to fill and, in fact, creates more psychological turmoil.

In addition, for some individuals in recovery their substance abuse history was intimately tied with sex. The addiction process interlinks the two behaviors in the brain. When this happens then one of these behaviors, or the lack of one behavior, can trigger a craving for the other behavior. An individual may have done drugs with sexual partners or picked up people in clubs and bars while they were using. Or an addict might just understand that drugs and sex both produce similar highs. No matter the conscious connection made between drugs and sex by the individual with the addiction, the tie is there biologically. Understanding this link can help some individuals in recovery prevent an avoidable relapse.

The Biology of Sex-Linked Drug Relapse

Those with any addiction (e.g., drug, sex, gambling, etc.) are looking to alter their state of mind for any number of reasons. With drugs, a user can make this change in their emotional state in three different ways depending on the substance they choose. Narcotics can create:

• Arousal when using stimulants (e.g., cocaine, Ecstasy or meth)
• Satiation with the help of depressants (e.g., alcohol, sedatives or pain pills)
• Fantasy when taking hallucinogens (e.g., LSD, marijuana or mushrooms)

Other addictions work with these same chemical pathways in the brain. Each of the emotional changes discussed above is also related to the following potentially addictive behaviors:

Arousal:

• Sex
• Gambling
• Shoplifting
• Sports
• Work
• Crises

Satiation:

• Sex
• TV
• Shopping

Fantasy:

• Sex
• Mystical Experience
• Infatuation

Sex Stimulates the Pathways Associated With Substance Abuse

As you can see, sex is able to create any of these changes to an individual’s mental state. Therefore, sex is affecting the same pathways as any drug to which someone may be addicted. This is why sex can lead to relapse so easily. Whether it is getting into a relationship, leaving a relationship, or any number of situations where sex may be given or taken away during an unstable time in someone’s recovery, the individual may respond by craving their drug of choice. Understanding this connection may help you or someone you care about avoid this pitfall as you work to make healthy decisions that sustain sobriety.

If you know someone who has relapsed and needs additional support, we can help. Our evidence-based treatment programs can help you achieve a lasting recovery. Give us a call today.

Josh Hamilton has come a long way in his struggle against drug and alcohol addiction, and while the Rangers are welcoming him back with open arms, they expect him to stay on track, too. To that end, he intends to have an “addiction accountability” partner with him to help him make good choices no matter how tempted he becomes. It’s not an uncommon choice for those who return home after treatment. An addiction accountability partner can be with you all the time to help you determine which situations are “safe” for your sobriety and which aren’t. The uncommon part of this story is who Hamilton’s addiction accountability partner would be – his own father-in-law.

Close Ties, Positive Accountability in Sobriety

Hamilton is close with his father-in-law. He reportedly talks to him often when stressed or in need of guidance. He was a good choice to be Hamilton’s accountability partner and will likely help him to stay on track as he returns to work. Officially hired by the Texas Rangers, he’ll be able to do the job fulltime, which will help to ensure that Hamilton does well in his recovery. It’s a situation that promises to be a positive experience for everyone.

The Role of an Addiction Accountability Partner

Also known as a “sober companion,” an accountability partner is exactly what it sounds like – someone who lives with you day and night and helps you to stay sober. This person becomes a part of your “entourage,” an honorary member of the family. They are trusted with your strengths, weaknesses, worries, and the details of your personal relationships so they can identify potential triggers and aid you in staying strong when you are in dangerous situations.

A sober companion is not something that everyone needs. But for patients who cannot avoid situations in which drugs and alcohol abound, it can be helpful to have someone there reminding them of their goals and priorities. Executives who must entertain clients, musicians who go on tour, actors who must travel to sets – anyone with a high-stress job that often involves drugs and alcohol will benefit from a sober companion.

For others, aftercare services like sober living may be more appropriate. At a sober living home, patients can have the support and structure they enjoyed in a residential rehab setting but with the freedom to begin to set down roots in the community by attending 12-step meetings, finding a job, looking for an apartment, and building a support system.

If you would like to learn more about your aftercare options or if you need a rehab that can help you through the initial stages of detox and treatment, contact us today.

No matter what the story or end result, every addict’s story starts with a single use of an illicit substance. In most cases, that use was voluntary and experimental and enjoyable enough to lead to a second use, and a third and a fourth until chronic abuse was the order of the day. When the drug user decides that it’s time to quit, he or she is surprised to find that they experience withdrawal symptoms and cravings for the drug – often too overwhelming to ignore. When they end up using again to fend off these symptoms, the cycle continues; addiction is a serious problem and one that requires rehab.

How does that process occur? How does someone interested in nothing more than experimenting with drugs or alcohol ultimately develop a debilitating addiction that requires treatment.

Experimental Drug Use

Experimental use may be occasional but use any addictive substance too often, or in too large of an amount, and something can flip in the brain, changing how you think and view drugs. Some patients even report that they were instantly psychologically dependent the first time that they abused a certain drug, especially if they used needles to ingest it. Unfortunately, there’s nothing experimental about emotional or mental dependence upon a substance.

But it’s not just a mental attachment in most cases; dependence can be physical as well. For example, physical dependence can happen in as few as three days when you abuse heroin or prescription painkillers regularly. For other substances, it can take a few weeks or longer for physical dependence to develop, and when it happens alongside psychological dependence, addiction is an issue.

Addiction Is a Brain Disease

When addiction becomes a problem, it changes the wiring in the brain. Chemicals are released differently and the pleasure pathway is triggered, causing a specific response. Your brain adjusts to those changes and ceases to create certain chemicals without the impetus of your drug of choice. Should you stop using the drug, your brain does not adapt immediately and you experience withdrawal symptoms as a result – symptoms that are both physical and psychological in nature.

Treatment Is the Only Way to Safely Beat Addiction

Due to the withdrawal symptoms and changes in the brain, it is important that you seek medical help when you try to stop using. At a reputable drug rehab, you will receive the detox and addiction treatment you need to stop abusing your drug of choice and start living a life of sobriety. Contact us today for more information.

In Illinois, the rate of heroin addiction is on the rise. Some theorize that it’s because the new laws meant to limit the abuse of prescription drugs have caused prescription painkiller addicts to turn to other sources – namely, heroin – for a similar high. Unfortunately, both the narcotic painkillers and heroin are equally deadly. In fact, the opiate addiction epidemic is sweeping Illinois, creating unprecedented numbers of overdose victims and patients in need of treatment.

In order to fight the rise of addiction in the state, one church is holding a vigil. With the hope of increasing awareness and getting out the message that hope exists, the church intends to light candles and pray for the recovery of those already living with addiction as well as the prevention of further cases of drug abuse in the area.

Preventing New Cases of Drug Addiction

Some organizations are working along similar lines to increase the awareness of rampant drug addiction and hoping that the awareness serves its preventative purpose. If people have a better understanding of just how dangerous it is to experiment with the nonmedical abuse of prescription drugs or to try to replace those medications with heroin, they may be less likely to try those substances in the first place. A candlelight vigil can call attention to educational workshops and other measures put in place to educate the community.

Treating Current Cases of Addiction

A candlelight vigil could also be effective to draw a spotlight toward the addiction treatment options available. Though it is important to stop abusing heroin and other opiate drugs as early as possible, it is never advised to attempt to do so alone. Treatment that offers a medicated detox as well as a complete array of therapeutic options is the only evidence-based treatment for extended recovery for opiate addiction.

Attempting to stop abusing heroin or prescription painkillers at home can be very dangerous. A number of overdoses happen when patients are unable to withstand the severity of the withdrawal symptoms without relapse. Additionally, in some cases, medical complications can arise causing serious issues that require immediate medical treatment; without medical supervision, these complications can be deadly if no one is there to call 911.

If you are struggling with opiate addiction and ready to find a rehab that can give you the treatment you need to heal, contact us today at the phone number listed above.

There’s an ongoing debate about cocaine withdrawal symptoms – do they or do they not exist? Some people say that cocaine is not addictive like heroin or prescription narcotics, that stopping use of the drug won’t result in the same level of withdrawal symptoms. Others say that cocaine withdrawal symptoms can be devastating and are often an obstacle to long-term abstinence. Which group is right?

Cocaine Withdrawal Symptoms

According to Medline Plus, not only do cocaine withdrawal symptoms exist when a patient stops chronic abuse of the drug, but these symptoms are both physiological and psychological in nature – the dictionary definition of addiction. These symptoms include:

• Cravings for more cocaine
• A “crash” or cessation of the high associated with cocaine abuse
• Overwhelming fatigue
• Irritability
• Anxiety and paranoia
• Few happy emotions

Though these symptoms don’t look as dramatic as those experienced by recovering heroin addicts or alcoholics, they are real and they can be difficult for patients to go through on their own without risk of relapse. For this reason, it is recommended that cocaine addicts undergo medically supervised detox and treatment just like patients dependent on any other drug.

Risks of Avoiding Cocaine Detox

For some, cocaine withdrawal symptoms can mean thoughts of suicide. The depression can be steep and long lasting and, without medical assistance, it can end tragically for those who attempt to stop taking cocaine without assistance when they have been abusing the drug chronically for years.

For others, the issues of fatigue and paranoia, the inability to feel happiness, and the increased anxiety and irritability can push patients to relapse despite their best intentions to walk away from addiction forever. The risk, in these cases, is an inadvertent overdose when the patient uses too much cocaine or goes overboard and mixes cocaine with other drugs, including alcohol. In fact, relapse after an unsupervised detox is one of the most common times for overdose to occur.

Treating Cocaine Addiction

Detox is the first step in a comprehensive cocaine addiction treatment program. In order to avoid relapse for the long term, those addicted to cocaine are encouraged to enroll in a program that offers a number of different therapeutic options including 12-step meetings, personal therapy, holistic treatments, aftercare services and more.

If you or someone you care about is ready to take on cocaine detox and addiction treatment, contact us today to locate a rehab that can provide you with the help you need.

In Maine, a rare occurrence has happened in the state legislature; a task force has taken shape that includes members from both parties and they have a common goal in mind – a formalized attack on prescription drug abuse and addiction in the state.

Based on a new report that called for an organized and aggressive government plan to stop the abuse of prescription drugs in the state, lawmakers rallied recently in support of coming up with a plan to fight the problem.

Said Rep. Meredith Strang Burgess, R-Cumberland: “This issue is so critical to what ails our state. The sooner, better, more efficiently and more effectively we deal with this, the state will be better off all the way around.”

Fighting Prescription Drug Abuse at the Top Levels

In the report were 33 recommendations that could serve to help fight prescription drug abuse in Maine. These included:

• Educational workshops on the dangers of over-prescribing medication for medical professionals
• Educational workshops for the public, especially patients
• Improved statewide databases meant to increase the ability of medical professionals and pharmacists to track who is getting what prescriptions filled and how often
• New requirement for patients to show ID when they pick up prescription painkillers

Maine’s Problem With Prescription Drugs

Maine is number one in the country when it comes to patients seeking help for painkiller addiction. About 1,400 people have died in Maine in the past 10 years due to prescription drug overdose. Though these numbers are not lost on lawmakers, it is perhaps the increased cost of state healthcare and law enforcement due to higher rates of crime and accidents that are related to prescription drug use that has made them finally sit up and take notice with the intent to do something about it.

The problem is money. Maine, like most states and the federal government, is struggling financially. There isn’t a lot of room for new programs. Though many of these ventures will save money in the long run, it’s not easy to find the money to pay for education and statewide databases up front.

What’s their first step? Committee members have voted to request the appointment of a Drug Disposal Task Force whose main function will be to provide methods of safely disposing of unwanted and unused medications, one of many ways in which prescription drug abuse gets started. Currently, that waste is shipped out of state at great expense.

So what do people in Maine living with a prescription drug addiction do if they are ready for treatment? Private rehabs are often a great choice – they allow the patient the opportunity to put space between themselves and their addiction and provide them with the care they need to heal.

If you would like to locate the right prescription painkiller rehab for your needs, contact us at Rehab International today and learn how we can help.

Herbal amphetamines are a class of drugs that are currently unregulated in most parts of the world. They create a high much like crystal meth and cocaine, but because they are plants or plant-based, many users believe that they are safer to use. Unfortunately, learning just how dangerous these herbal drugs can be is a deadly lesson for many. A new study published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association confirms that use of herbal amphetamines can be fatal in certain circumstances.

Khat

Khat is a plant-based herbal amphetamine and the subject of the recent study. Users chew the drugs to experience stimulant effects similar to those experienced by users of cocaine and amphetamines, a practice common among certain populations in the Arabian Peninsula and East Africa where the plant is most often found. The study discovered that this use of the drug not only contributed to the development of heart disease but to stroke and death in patients already living with heart disease.

Effects and Usage

Effects of the drug include a euphoric high, weight loss, restlessness and increased rates of activity – much like cocaine and crystal meth. Americans, especially teens, are using this drug and others like it in higher and higher numbers, and authorities are concerned about the increase of accident and health problems related to use and abuse of the drug. Users can purchase the drug online and in some head shops since there is little in the way of regulation of the drug in the United States. The rate of heart disease and death due to stroke increased significantly with time spent in active addiction.

Treating Stimulant Abuse and Addiction

Whether the drug of choice is khat, crystal meth, amphetamine or cocaine, stimulant drugs have been proven time and again to contribute to serious heart problems, stroke, seizures and death. When the drug is mixed with alcohol, the rate of overdose skyrockets, especially among young people who like to abuse stimulants so that they can drink longer.

When addiction becomes an issue, risk of health problems worsen. Users often suffer from malnutrition due to decreased appetite, which in turn leads to a multitude of problems, including kidney failure and liver failure.

If stimulant abuse of any kind is a problem for you, help is available. Residential and outpatient addiction treatment programs can help you learn how to stop abusing the drug and learn new ways to deal with stressors in your life. Call now to learn more about how available programs can help you avoid the health effects of continued drug abuse.

The question of what defines sobriety is a hot topic of debate in the sober community. For example, some people questions whether or not it’s okay to be on methadone or Suboxone if you’re in recovery for heroin addiction treatment. Others argue that recovering addicts risk relapse if they take painkillers after surgery or for the treatment of chronic pain. Some even say that antidepressants or over-the-counter cough medications can trigger a relapse and should therefore be avoided at all costs.

So what’s the right answer? Do you need to shun all medications in order to truly remain clean and sober? Or are some medications okay?

The Risks of Taking Medications in Recovery

The risk that most people fear when it comes to taking medication of any kind in recovery is relapse. A major focus in sobriety is learning how to be self-sufficient, to avoid depending upon substances of any kind to make it through the day. Doing so is considered a crutch. Some follow the school of thought that says that depending upon anything (other than a higher power) risks relapse because, when that substance fails, a stronger one or a higher dosage may be sought, triggering a domino effect that could end with the patient abusing drugs and alcohol in an attempt to self-medicate whatever is ailing them, from pain to depression.

The Risks of Avoiding Medications in Recovery

On the opposite side of the spectrum are those who are concerned that not taking medication when it is legitimately warranted can lead to relapse via a different road. They say that those who struggle with pain or depression without medication and the supervision of a medical professional are more likely to reach a breaking point and turn to illicit substances, feeling as if they have no other recourse to heal. This school of thought says that by telling your doctor that you are an addict in recovery and asking for the minimum dosage and frequent check-ins, you are increasing your chances of remaining sober and safe as you get through your acute illness while also staying safe from relapse due to your chronic ailment of addiction.

What Do You Think?

Is it necessary to tell your doctor if you are in recovery? Should you request not to have any medications under any circumstances? Are there some circumstances under which it is appropriate? Leave us a comment below and let us know your thoughts.

Salvia is a plant that is most often found in Southern America and Central America, one whose main ingredient is triggered when users of the drug chew the leaves or drink the juices extracted from the leaves. It can also be smoked in a cigarette paper, used in a water pipe, or vaporized before being inhaled.

The drug has been making headlines recently as certain celebrities were photographed using it and then as others have had accidents – some of which have been deadly – while under the influence of the drug. More and more often, hospitals are reporting an increase in admissions related to abuse of the drug, and the increasing list of issues associated with abuse of the drug have caused many parents, authorities and medical professionals to be concerned.

Effects of Salvia

Users of salvia report that the drug results in an experience in which they have episodes of hallucinations that are similar to those experienced by people in a psychotic state. Anecdotal evidence says that these episodes usually last fewer than 30 minutes and begin as quickly as one minute after ingesting the drug.

The drug affects the body, vision and emotions. One of the most significant effects is the user’s break with reality in relation to them personally, which leads many to believe that they are capable of inhuman acts – the cause of many accidents of those who are under the influence.

Legal Status of Salvia

As of this writing, salvia has not been banned in the United States across the board and is not currently controlled under the Controlled Substances Act. However, there are a number of states that have banned use of the drug or regulated its sale, purchase and/or possession. Also, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has put salvia on its list of substances to watch and may ultimately classify it as a Schedule I drug, which means it has a high potential for abuse and is currently not accepted for medical use in the United States.

Treatment for Dependence Upon Salvia

The Monitoring the Future Study published annually by the National Institute on Drug Abuse first investigated the abuse of salvia among middle school and high school students in 2009. It was found that about six percent of high school seniors, four percent of high school sophomores, and 1.5 percent of eighth graders had abused the drug in the past year.

If you are concerned about the abuse of salvia by someone you care about, don’t wait to get them the help they need to heal. Contact us today to find out about your loved one’s options in salvia dependence treatment. Counselors are standing by to take your call.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), there are 17.2 million Americans who abuse drugs and, of these, 12.9 million of them or almost 75 percent were employed. This means that every day, most Americans are dealing with drug and alcohol abuse at work, even if it’s not their own. Is drug abuse a problem in your workplace?

Bringing Drug Abuse and Use to Work

The larger portion of drug and alcohol abusers come into work almost every day (when they aren’t dealing with the aftereffects of their drug abuse) and, when they do, they often bring their issues with drugs and alcohol with them. OSHA says that research shows that between 10 and 20 percent of those who die on the job test positive for drugs and alcohol. The industries cited for the highest rates of drug and alcohol abuse have death rates as high as those cited for high-risk occupations like construction and mining. This means that the issue of drug abuse and addiction is not just a personal matter. It’s something that every employer must address.

Avoiding a Workplace Hazard

Protecting all of your employees, including the one struggling with drug abuse and dependence, is a priority in the workplace and employers must focus on the goal rather than the discomfort of addressing a sensitive and personal situation publicly. Here are a few pointers to make that interaction as effective and minimally stressful as possible:

• Institute a clear anti-drug policy. This can be a no-tolerance policy characterized by termination of employment or it can make it clear that those who struggle with drug and alcohol abuse and want help can find it through certain channels at work. Depending upon the resources available to you at your company, this will vary, but any new announcement that random drug tests may be implemented will require a signature of agreement from each employee. It is important that all employees’ rights to privacy are respected and protected.
• Verify that there is a problem. If you suspect that drugs and alcohol are an issue for an employee, have them take a drug test if they have agreed to it.
• Intervene early. The earlier you intervene, the more likely that the employee will benefit from treatment, be able to return to work and be more effective in the process.
• Consider re-hiring a treated employee. With the right care, your employee could end up back at work and more effective than ever in their old position.

Helping Employees Find Treatment

If you would like to find a drug rehab program for your employee, contact us at the phone number listed above today. We can help you determine the best course of treatment for your employee quickly and efficiently, allowing you to return your focus to running your business. Call now.

It’s a new year, and this means a new beginning for every part of your life including your recovery from addiction. Whether you are a seasoned veteran of recovery or new to staying sober, developing a plan for yourself that’s based on where you are in your recovery will help you to avoid relapse in 2012 and stay committed to getting better. Here are some ideas to help you get started:

• Write down your goals for recovery. This list can be short or long, but once you’ve decided what you want for yourself, arrange them according to priority. Some can be accomplished simultaneously (e.g., improved nutrition and working on relationships at home) while others may be consecutive (e.g., first attending vocational classes and then finding a new job).
• Set a deadline. Giving yourself a deadline for different parts of your goals will help you to accomplish them in small steps.
• Make a list of what you will need to accomplish that goal. Breaking down your goals into smaller steps will make them more manageable and help you to determine a course of action to follow over the coming weeks and months.
• Organize the list according to what you need to do first. For example, if you are trying to get healthier, you might put on your list things like see a nutritionist, look up healthy recipes, join a gym or borrow workout DVDs from the library.
• Set mini-deadlines. As you accomplish each step in the process, cross it off and celebrate!
• Do something on the list right now. The best-laid plans mean nothing if they aren’t executed. Don’t let procrastination stand between you and your recovery goals.
• Do something on the list daily. Even doing something small that contributes to your goal will get you closer to it. Do that every day and you’ll be surprised by how quickly you make your recovery goals a reality.

Remember, this is a personal plan based on your experience with addiction and your experience thus far in recovery. If you have not yet enrolled in a drug addiction treatment program, then that should be your first step. If you have been graduated from an effective drug rehab but relapse is a chronic issue for you, then an outpatient treatment program can help you get back on track. Contact us today to find the right addiction help for your needs.

It’s a stereotype that drug abuse is the problem of the poor, that those in low-income neighborhoods and countries are far more likely to struggle with the abuse of illicit substances than those who have more money. According to the US National Library of Medicine, a new study reports that this is not the case; more than 200 million people around the world abuse drugs and alcohol every year and that use is most prevalent in the wealthier nations.

Dr. Jeffrey T. Parsons is a professor in the department of psychology at Hunter College. He says that the study “serves to confirm something addiction experts have known for some time – that the extent of illicit drug use and abuse in developed countries like the United States has reached epidemic proportions.”

The focus, according to Parsons and other medical professionals in the United States, should be on treating the issue, getting help to those who are living with an active drug dependence and helping others to avoid falling into the trap of addiction.

It sounds simple, but it’s a pretty tall order. Drug dependence across substances is at epidemic proportions, according to the new study. Currently:

• As many as 203 million people abuse marijuana
• Between 12 million and 21 million people abuse opiates
• Between 14 million to 56 million people abuse amphetamines
• Between 14 million to 21 million people abuse cocaine
• Between 11 million and 21 million people are injection drug users

The UN Office on Drugs and Crime estimates that the highest rate of marijuana abuse was found in Australia and New Zealand with as much as 15 percent of the population between the ages of 15 and 64 abusing the drug. Amphetamine use was also highest in New Zealand and Australia, but cocaine use was highest in North America, and heroin and opiate addiction was highest in the Middle East.

The biggest concerns of these high rates of drug abuse and addiction are the health problems that result. The World Health Organization estimates that a quarter of a million deaths were caused by the abuse of illicit drugs in 2004, the year the data for the new study was taken. That adds up to about 2.1 million years of life lost due to illicit drug abuse and addiction.

Is drug abuse or addiction something that has taken over your life or the life of someone you care about? If you’re ready to take the next step and enroll in drug rehab, contact us today. We can find the right program for you and help you avoid becoming a statistic. Call now.

An undercover operation in 2010 revealed a drug distribution ring at Columbia University based out of a fraternity house. Two students have pleaded guilty to involvement in the ring and, last month, a third pled guilty to a charge of fifth-degree attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance, agreeing to serve 300 hours of community service at the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence.

It has yet to be determined whether or not the students will be reinstated to Columbia when (and if) they complete their community service and get the charges dropped from felonies to misdemeanors. With additional volunteer work with an anti-drug message, some of the students are hoping to impress their former alma mater and secure an invitation to return.

Said a lawyer for one of the students: “[Columbia University] are going to do their own investigation and come up with their own resolution.”

Changing Direction

Charged with selling everything from LSD and cocaine to marijuana and prescription drugs, the students will have a lot of work to do if they are going to regain entrance to school and clean up their record. One of the students failed a drug test during the proceedings and was approved for a yearlong residential drug rehab program instead of jail. Other students are considering voluntarily entering a private drug rehab in order to impress upon the court and Columbia their sincerity in making real changes in their lives.

It’s probably one of the best choices they can make. While it’s noble to do volunteer work and speak about the dangers of drugs in the community, it is far more effective to undergo the treatment necessary to make sure that you don’t slip back into old behaviors as soon as you are no longer under a microscope. Treating the personal issues that may drive a predilection to abuse drugs while also learning practical strategies to avoid drug and alcohol abuse when tempted will help you to create for yourself a life that you can be proud of.

What Do You Think?

If the Columbia students perform their community service and/or enroll in drug rehab, do you think they deserve a second chance at their Ivy League education? Are second chances really possible after drug addiction? Or do you think that it would serve as a more positive example to other students if they were expelled permanently?  Leave us a comment below with your thoughts.

As the past year closes and a new year begins, it is human nature to take stock of the events of the previous year and recognize our hopes for the coming 12 months. The beginning of a new year holds the promise of a clean slate to do what we wish. For many of those struggling with addiction, the feeling of renewal as the noisemakers sound and Auld Lang Syne plays in the background is not part of the current reality in which they live.

Those We Lost to Addiction In 2011

Remembering those who have died in the past year can be a sobering and painful experience for anyone. However, when the deceased individual was lost to addiction, the pain can be magnified for those left behind because they know their loved one did not have to die. They are left to pick up the pieces and wonder if there is something they could have done or said to create a better outcome.

This year, we lost a number of celebrities to their battles with addiction including:

• Amy Winehouse. Singer-songwriter.
• Mike Starr. Former bassist for the band, Alice In Chains.
• Ryan Dunn. Cast member from the Jackass franchise.
• Mikey Welsh. Former bassist for the band Weezer.
• Jeff Conaway. Actor from Grease and the TV series Taxi.
• Derek Boogaard. Professional NHL player.
• Jani Lane. Lead singer for the rock band Warrant.

Finding the Way to a Healthy 2012 for You and Your Loved Ones

Each year, we see these lists of needless celebrity deaths due to drug and alcohol abuse and hope that this year will be different. We wish the celebrities the best and hope 2012’s list has no one on it.

On the other hand, we do have influence over our own actions and those we care about. We can decide it’s time to start having aspirations for this year beyond just trying to feel normal each day because our drug of choice has lost its exhilarating high and it has become a monotonous struggle to avoid painful withdrawal symptoms. Or we can let go of the denial we’re living in and offer help to someone we care about who is battling their own substance abuse problem.

If you are ready to take control over the part you play in perpetuating addiction in either yourself or someone you love, then contact us today. We can connect you to the highest-quality evidenced-based drug and alcohol treatment programs available. We are here for any questions you may have about the addiction recovery process from detox and treatment to aftercare. Take the first step away from becoming a statistic and towards a sober, balanced life in 2012.

Numerous studies have confirmed the fact that cocaine abuse is often linked to and intertwined with risky sex and, often, sex addiction. So when Senator Tom Coburn (R-Oklahoma) pointed out that the government was wasting money on a number of scientific endeavors including funding a study that will investigate how cocaine affects the sex habits of quail, many questioned right along with him. What is the value of studies like these and how do they help those struggling with drug and alcohol addiction to better fight the disease.

The Sex Habits of Japanese Quail

More than $356,000 has been awarded to the study that will be conducted at the University of Kentucky. The hope is that this study will verify the conclusions found by other studies that link cocaine abuse and addiction to risky sexual behavior in humans. Why use quail? Because the birds will readily engage in sexual behaviors in a lab setting and are an alternative to the usual animals used in such studies, like rats.

Studying Cocaine Addiction

More importantly, why continue to study the effect of cocaine on sex habits when we already have relatively conclusive evidence that shows a detrimental link? While we know some things about the connection between the two, we don’t know everything and it could be that this study – or the next one – that helps us to understand the nature of cocaine addiction and how it develops so we can better learn how to treat the disorder at rehab centers.

Studying Sex Habits

The focus on sex expands the impact of the findings of this study, as well. While addicts may benefit from researchers learning how better to treat cocaine addiction, those who sleep with them will also benefit from learning more about the connection between the drug and sex. Since those who engage in risky sexual behaviors are more likely to contract hepatitis C and/or HIV, it is more likely that those who sleep with them will contract the illnesses as well.

Studying the Brain

Both sex and cocaine abuse trigger the pleasure pathway in the brain. Learning more about how the two work together and their cumulative effect on the brain can help researchers better understand the nature of addiction and the function of the brain in general.

Building on What We’ve Learned

There will always be new studies that build upon old studies so that we can learn more about addiction. Though some may argue that the funds invested in these studies may be better spent elsewhere, there are certainly benefits to learning as much as possible about cocaine addiction.

What do you think? Is this a good government investment? How do you think the money should be spent? Leave us a comment below.

The pleasure pathway, or the part of the brain that processes happiness and reward, is a tricky thing indeed. Only recently has it been discovered that triggering this part of the brain with drugs and alcohol is a big part of the appeal of drug abuse and a stepping stone to drug addiction. Even more recently, however, it’s been discovered that this same part of the brain is triggered by and responds to other activities as well – and one of those activities, according to a new study, is using the Internet.

The Brain and Addiction

To be specific, the pleasure pathway is not only triggered by using the Internet for fun things like playing games but it has been shown to be larger in those who regularly play a lot of video games as compared to those who don’t. According to the MRI scans taken of 154 study participants, those who were online playing video games often had more neurons in the part of the brain responsible for motivation and reward, and increased dopamine production, one of the chemicals that creates a “high” in users of drugs and alcohol when released in large amounts by the drug of abuse. Those with larger areas of the brain dedicated to pleasure and reward were more likely to find playing online more rewarding and thus more likely to develop habits that could be classified as an addiction.

Is Internet Addiction Real?

There’s an ongoing debate as to whether or not online use or video gaming can actually be classified as an addiction. In the case of drug and alcohol abuse, there are two factors that must occur simultaneously in order for the diagnosis of addiction to be given – psychological dependence and physical dependence. When psychological dependence is an issue, patients feel unable to get through the day without their “drug” of choice and often obsess about the next time they’ll be able to “use.” Physical dependence often means physical withdrawal symptoms when the patient attempts to stop abusing the “drug” or is for some reason unable to indulge.

But there are a number of other signs that use of a drug or overindulging in a particular action or behavior may have reached the heights of addiction. For example, do you see mood changes related to internet use and gaming? Are you unable to get to work regularly or perform well on the job due to gaming on the job or staying up late to play video games? Do you opt out of social events that stop you from playing online? Do you have financial problems because you spend all your money supporting your online activities? If so, internet addiction may be a problem for you.

What do you think? Is internet addiction a real problem? Is it something that can be treated? Leave us a comment below and share your thoughts.

It’s nothing that is likely to ever make the law books here in the United States, but it’s a concept being introduced and enforced in a number of other countries and it’s a hot topic of debate: forced drug rehab.

Cambodia has adopted a new measure to fight their ongoing problem with drug addiction and drug trafficking in hopes of quelling the tide of problems related to the dual issues. The new law passed with an overwhelming landslide vote of 79 to 1.

Different Approaches to Criminal Issues Related to Drug Abuse and Addiction

Though Russia is in talks to provide the choice of drug rehab rather than criminal penalty and the United States has a long history of offering drug courts that deal only with drug-related crimes, there are a few differences in these programs. Where they vary is in the details. For example, in the United States, drug courts are not available everywhere and only those whose offenses are nonviolent in nature and directly related to their drug dependence are even allowed a chance at addiction treatment through drug court. In Russia, offenders have the option of choosing the criminal penalty if they, for any reason, prefer not to enter rehab. In the US, the focus is on the addict specifically – and not on the criminal who is mercenary in their relationship with drugs of addiction and harmed others as a result. In Russia, choice is still an option.

Not so in Cambodia – on either count. If the criminal charge is at all related to drugs – whether or not the crime was violent or even caused by an addiction – the offender is forced to go to rehab. Depending upon the drug of choice, the penalty may be more harsh and the sentence longer, as well – another difference in the legislation that is under debate. The forced time spent in residential rehab may last as long as two years if they are believed to be “capable of harming themselves or a danger to society,” which is a distinction that is hard to standardize and apply across the board. Many say that these differences are too harsh and somewhat negate any benefits that may befall the few who actually find healing in their mandatory rehab experience.

Rehab Is Rehab?

What these programs have in common is the offering of addiction care and treatment when the crime is related to drug addiction. Some say that, under any circumstances, rehab is better for someone living with addiction than anything else and that healing can occur even if the patient has no interest in being in attendance.

What do you think? Is forced rehab as effective as chosen rehab? Is it a good idea to provide addiction treatment to everyone with a drug-related cause no matter what the specifics are? Leave us a comment below and tell us what you think.

A new law is being developed in Russia, one that would require those who are convicted of drug-related charges like possession or abuse to attend drug rehab as part of their sentence. Very much like the drug courts here in the United States that allow nonviolent offenders the opportunity to receive treatment in lieu of a sentence, some have concerns about the feasibility of such a program in Russia given the high rates of drug and alcohol abuse in the country and the correlating high rates of court cases generated by those under the influence.

One of the primary concerns about the new law, that may go into effect as early as the spring of 2012, is the increase in patients that would flood Russia’s already overrun addiction treatment clinics. The number of patients in treatment is expected to double or triple if this new law goes through, according to Yevgeny Bryun, the Russian Ministry of Health’s chief alcohol and drug abuse specialist.

Viktor Ivanov heads Russia’s Federal Drug Control Service and says that those who find themselves in front of judge for drug-related issues will have the choice of criminal penalties or drug addiction treatment. The assumption is that most will choose rehab rather than go to jail.

Bryun also said that, despite the increase, he didn’t view that rising number of patients as overwhelmingly high: “I don’t think it will be a very large increase, the number of patients will rise two to three times. I don’t see any problem here,” Bryun said. “We have enough psychologists, doctors and social workers in each of the federal subjects, but these resources are currently not fully used.”

Financially, no one is talking specifics and Bryun is unsure what the exact figures will look like should the law go into effect. He says: “I can’t name the figure in terms of the whole country. In Moscow there are about 600 such court rulings on compulsory treatment.”

From what we’ve learned here in the United States, addiction treatment is almost always less expensive than incarceration and, if the treatment is successful, it can end up costing the government less money in other areas as well, such as health care, court costs, law enforcement and more.

What do you think? Are drug courts and the proposed new rehab legislation in Russia a good idea? Will they work to help people avoid returning to drug abuse or addiction and associated criminal behaviors? Leave us a comment below and let us know what you think.

In the final of a three-post series on drug scheduling and the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), we’ll explore the criteria for each schedule included in the law, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration. Depending upon the results of an extensive investigation by the DEA, drugs are put into one of five categories called schedules. They include:

Schedule I

The most stringently controlled classification under the CSA, Schedule I drugs have a high potential for abuse and there is no accepted use for the substance in terms of medical treatment in the United States – even if it is approved for some medical purpose in other countries. Some examples of drugs currently classified as Schedule I substances include heroin, LSD and GHB.

Schedule II

Just below Schedule I drugs in terms of their strict classification, this class of medications have a high potential for abuse but they are approved for certain medical uses in the United States as long as patients and prescribing physicians are mindful of a certain protocol as determined by the DEA. When a Schedule II drug is abused, it can mean debilitating dependence that can be physical and/or psychological in nature. Some examples of Schedule II drugs include cocaine, methamphetamine, and a variety of prescription narcotics like oxycodone and hydrocodone.

Schedule III

Schedule III drugs are less dangerous in terms of their potential for abuse than are drugs classified under Schedules I and II. Used for medical purposes in the United States, abusing a Schedule III drug can lead to some level of physical dependence or an intense level of psychological addiction. Examples include prescription narcotics that are combined with aspirin and anabolic steroids.

Schedule IV

When compared to other drugs and substances, Schedule IV drugs have a very low potential for abuse and are used for medical purposes – though, in certain circumstances, they can lead to a limited addiction issue for those who abuse them or combine them with other substances of abuse. Examples of drugs that fall into this category include Xanax and Klonopin.

Schedule V

The least restrictive classification for drugs and medications, Schedule V substances have an exceedingly low potential for abuse and are often used for medical purpose in the United States, but can result in addiction or dependence if abused in large amounts regularly. Some common examples of Schedule V drugs are cough medicines with codeine or ephedrine.

If you would like more information about how drugs become controlled substances under the CSA or what characteristics are looked at to determine which schedule a drug should belong to, check out our earlier posts, What Is Drug Scheduling and the Controlled Substances Act? Part I and What Is Drug Scheduling and the Controlled Substances Act? Part II.

In a recent post, What Is Drug Scheduling and the Controlled Substances Act? Part I, we talked about the definition of drug scheduling and how it is accomplished for new drugs as well as changed as new research appears. This time, we’ll get into specifics of how drugs are judged and studied to determine their classification, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Criteria for Scheduling

Not every drug is classified according to the Controlled Substances Act. Though those drugs that have a potential for abuse are monitored closely, according to Section 201 (c), [21 U.S.C. § 811 (c)] of the CSA, the ones that are included are judged by criteria including:

• Potential for abuse (relative and actual). Even if the drug is not addictive or cannot cause the patient to get high when taken in small amounts or in a specific way, if it can be abused by being taken in larger doses, ingested in a specific way, or combined with other drugs, then it’s potential for abuse may be a supporting factor for scheduling.
• Scientific studies supporting the pharmacological effect of the drug. The effects of the drug are extremely important in the decision-making process. In what amounts do certain effects occur during usage? Hallucinogenic effects, for example, would most likely mean a more restrictive scheduling classification. Documentation in a controlled environment is required.
• Current scientific knowledge about the drug. Everything, including the pharmacological effects of the drug, is taken into consideration.
• Drug history. How it is manufactured and distributed as well as its place in the international politics may affect its classification.
• Current patterns of abuse. Criminal behavior, hospital admissions, chronic health problems related to its use – these are considered as well.
• Specifics about its abuse. How long do the drug’s effects last? How many emergency room admissions are caused by abuse of the drug? How many people are dying due to accident, suicide or homicide because of the substance? How widespread is its usage in the population? These factors will affect its classification as well.
• Public health risks. Public health issues may be caused by a substance’s abuse and if that’s the case, it could affect its classification. For example, abuse of heroin through needles contributes to the incidence of HIV and hepatitis C in the population, which contributes to the drug’s strict classification.
• The drug’s shared similarities with other drugs already classified. Many underground drug-makers work to create substances that are similar to currently illegal drugs; when this is identified, it can mean a more rapid classification as a banned substance.

Once these issues are all taken into consideration, the DEA determines whether or not a drug should be recommended for control and under which scheduling classification. For more information on the specifics of those schedules, stay tuned for the next post!

The federal government categorizes different drugs according to their effect, potential for abuse, safety and medical uses. This system helps patients to understand the risks involved in taking certain medications and reminds doctors to provide the right amount of guidance and education to patients when they prescribe certain drugs. This is called drug scheduling and each schedule or classification requires different levels of control and regulations according to the US Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The five schedules and each of their designations as well as the federal regulations and enforcement specifics are contained under the Controlled Substances Act. The ability to change the classification of different drugs and add new ones is also provided for under this law [Section 201 of the Act (21 U.S.C. § 811)].

Who Can Make Changes to Drug Scheduling?

There are number of different organizations that can change the Controlled Substances Act by petition. These include:

• Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
• Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
• Drug manufacturers
• Medical associations and professional societies
• Pharmaceutical professional associations
• Public groups working toward drug abuse prevention
• Government agencies at the state or local level
• Individuals

How Petitions Work

All petitions are turned into the DEA. The DEA then begins an investigation into the substance based upon available scientific, medical and legal information. A medical evaluation follows and, from there, a recommendation as to whether or not the petition should be granted or a recommendation for any other changes that should be made to a classification of a drug is done – this is sent to the Assistant Secretary for Health of HHS. The Assistant Secretary makes their own recommendation as to the changes that should be made and then the DEA Administrator will evaluate everything and make a final decision on the petition.

Turning Legal Drugs Into Controlled Drugs

The specifics of how drugs are controlled are important in the current climate due in large part to the vast number of new drugs identified each year as dangerous. These are legal in the United States until they are fully studied, documented and categorized according to the Controlled Substances Act – and that can take years.

In the meantime, Americans are left to fend for themselves, making proactive decisions when abuse of new synthetic drugs becomes an issue. Rehab can help. If you need an inpatient or outpatient addiction treatment program to help you fight drug abuse and dependence, contact us today – let us help you locate the right program for your needs.

It’s quickly becoming common knowledge that prescription painkillers are dangerous. The increased education in schools, at doctor’s offices, and in communities promoting safe disposal of unwanted prescription drugs are slowly making patients aware of the risks that come with experimentation and abuse of these drugs. According to the latest Thomson Reuters-NPR Health Poll, more than 75 percent of Americans believe that receiving a prescription at the doctor’s office is a link to addiction – and a number of them are refusing to utilize these drugs as treatment for pain as a result. Is this decision a smart one?

Opinions Based on Experience With Prescription Drugs

These are not entirely uninformed opinions. Given the rampant rate of prescription drug abuse in the country, it’s likely that many respondents have personal experiences with prescription drug abuse and addiction – either in their own lives or the life of a family member. In fact, just under 50 percent of respondents say that they have used narcotic painkillers in the past. Of this 50 percent, about 33 percent reported taking the drugs despite their concerns about the possible development of an addiction. Whether or not they have taken the drugs in the past, about 77 percent of respondents said that the use of drugs like OxyContin and Vicodin could lead to drug abuse.

Refusing Painkillers

Another 30 percent of respondents said that they refused to take narcotic painkillers when offered them by their doctor because they were concerned about the dangers associated with their use, dangers that include addiction, drug abuse and overwhelming side effects.

Raymond Fabius, M.D. is the chief medical officer at the healthcare business of Thomson Reuters. He says: “With such a significant number of responders having been prescribed a narcotic painkiller, our results suggest that these drugs are relatively easy to access despite the need for a physician’s prescription. It’s encouraging to see a healthy understanding of the addictive properties of narcotics among our survey population, but refusing to use them when they can be helpful may cause people to experience unnecessary pain.”

What Do You Think?

Do you think that prescription painkillers are to be avoided? What are your concerns about the abuse of prescription drugs? Have you experienced issues related to prescription drug abuse and addiction in your own life? Leave us a comment below and let us know what you think.

Across the board, marijuana is the most commonly cited drug when it comes to international trafficking incidents and associated crime, according the annual report of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction. However, in a few countries, other drugs are surpassing marijuana – specifically, cocaine.

Established Drugs

Considered to be “established” drugs, the recently released report shows that marijuana and cocaine are still major import/export commodities but somewhat stable in terms of their use among the regular population. In some cases, teen use of these drugs is even lower than in past years. However, the major threat is the fact that the trafficking and abuse of these and other “established” drugs are stable while the use of synthesized drugs is on the rise, signifying a rise in overall drug abuse habits among the European population.

Synthetic Drugs

Synthetic drugs are often created in underground labs to mimic the effects of naturally occurring or mass-produced drugs. Because the chemical makeup of these new drugs is unique and untested, they are also unregulated, allowing dealers to sell them without fear of legal repercussions. When one drug is identified, tested, and shown to be harmful then goes through the process of banning or regulation, underground chemists simply create a new version that is slightly different in its chemical makeup and therefore unregulated but similar in effect.

Poly Drug Abuse

These new drugs mean that some drug users are becoming “poly drug” users. That is, they still abuse established drugs like marijuana and cocaine, but they also experiment with and begin regular abuse of the new synthetic drugs as well. Unfortunately, the result is often disastrous, including:

• Overdose
• Concurrent drug addictions
• Increased difficulty in finding effective treatment
• Increased chance of problems associated with drug abuse (e.g., HIV due to needle use, chronic health problems, legal and financial problems, etc.)

Dealing With the Threats of Drug Abuse

Drug law offenses reported in Europe during 2009 were related to marijuana abuse and distribution at a rate of between 50 and 75 percent, according to the new report. Cocaine surpassed marijuana in Malta, accounting for 36 percent of charges. About 14.5 million Europeans have used cocaine in their lives and about four million abused the drug in the last year while 78 million Europeans have abused marijuana  and 22.5 million did so in the past year.

If you or someone you love is living with marijuana addiction or cocaine dependence, treatment is available. Call us now to be matched with a drug abuse treatment center that can supply you with the care and help you need to heal.

Though it would be nice to attend nothing but sober holiday parties this season, the fact is that most of the country uses this (and any other holiday) as an excuse to overindulge in alcohol and other drugs. Family and friend parties, work functions, neighborhood gatherings – continuous temptation can make it difficult to say “no” over and over and over again. Here are a few tips to help you stay on track and avoid relapse and still be social during the holiday season:

• Bring a friend. If you have someone with you who knows that you are clean and sober and you feel comfortable with them, you’re less likely to feel awkward – one of the biggest reasons cited for relapse at holiday functions. Make sure your friend is sober as well and that they’re committed to hanging out the whole time.
• Have a friend on standby. If you can’t find someone to go with you, find a friend who will commit to being available to you by phone and/or text. This way, you can get an immediate response if you feel uncomfortable or tempted – and you can even fake a reason to leave after you get off the phone, if you feel unable to make it through without relapse.
• Schedule an obligation for after the party. If you have somewhere to go immediately after the party that is important, you will feel more accountable and be less likely to relapse – no matter how tempted.
• Bring your own beverage. Energy drinks, your favorite coffee drink, a big bottle of water – carrying something in your hand to drink can help you avoid walking by the refreshment table and continually coming in contact with beer and wine.
• Give yourself a task. While you’re at the party, you can busy your hands if you feel unfocused or agitated by asking the host if there’s something you can do. Some may ask you to help refill snacks or make the punch, direct people where to put their coats or make sure that the music doesn’t stop. Keeping busy can help you avoid taking a drink or indulging in other substances in order to feel more relaxed.

If you would like to find addiction treatment services that will provide you with ongoing outpatient addiction treatment support or if you are ready to enter inpatient treatment and undergo the comprehensive care that you need to learn how to remain clean and sober for the long term, contact us at the phone number listed above today.

The healthcare system in New York State as well as the rest of the country is under high scrutiny these days, and many are lobbying to make significant changes, specifically in the area of prescription drug dispensation as it relates to abuse and addiction. One of the biggest epidemics to sweep this country in its short history, millions of narcotic prescriptions are handed out each year, resulting in increasingly higher rates of physical and psychological dependence among Americans. In fact, overdoses caused by prescription painkillers outnumbered deaths caused by overdoses of heroin and cocaine combined.

The addiction itself is debilitating, but the cost of treating acute responses like overdose, related health issues, and underlying problems of chronic pain are creating a financial crisis for communities across the country. Some new legislation being presented in New York may address some of these financial issues by providing for better and explicit regulations that protect patients from developing a dependence upon their prescriptions in the first place.

Earlier this year, Avi Israel’s son, Michael, committed suicide when he became overwhelmed with his prescription drug dependence and he was unable to get the care he wanted to beat his issues with pain management.

Avi Israel recently spoke in support of the new NY legislation – named after his son, Michael – saying: “Michael can’t be here today, because he committed suicide, on June 4th of this year. Michael took his life 20 feet away from my wife and I. I lost my son because of a flawed health care system in this state.”

New York State Senator Tim Kennedy has proposed the changes that will alter how prescription painkillers are dispensed and managed among patients. He says: “The Michael David Israel Laws include: the Doctor’s Training Law, the Patient Information Act, the Addiction Transition Law and the Controlled Substance Registry Reform Act.”

Each one of these propositions addresses a different aspect of patient care that is currently lacking in regulation. With better doctor training on different avenues of pain management and better ways to dispense medications, better education for patients while they’re taking painkillers, and a registry that tracks prescriptions as they are prescribed and filled to ensure that patients are not “double dipping” or “doctor shopping” to support their addiction, more patients will be able to get the help they need to fight pain without developing a chronic dependence to the drugs.

If you or someone you love is fighting prescription painkiller addiction, contact us today. We can match you with a drug rehab that will be able to help you learn how to manage your pain without narcotic painkillers. Call now.

Rob Blagojevich, the former Illinois governor, who was convicted of federal corruption charges, requested a rehab stay prior to the start of his prison sentence. His lawyers made this request on his behalf, the Associated Press reports.

In response to his lawyers’ request, Judge James Zagel, a US District Court Judge, agreed to recommend Blagojevich for rehab; however, it will ultimately be up to federal prison officials whether or not Blagojevich is granted this request.

It is uncertain whether Blagojevich legitimately has addiction issues or if this request is a legal move to reduce the amount of time he will actually serve in prison. If an individual is granted a rehab stay prior to a prison sentence, he will often live in separate quarters from other inmates, something obviously preferred by most. Sometimes a rehab stay can also help to shave time off a sentence.

Federal prison guidelines, which reduce sentences after successful completion of a rehab program, serve to motivate addicted inmates to get clean. Generally, prisoners are granted a rehab stay if there is evidence of addiction in their life (e.g., prior drug arrests, medical records that indicate drug use, etc.). With the enticement of a potential sentence reduction, inmates are more likely to enter and complete a rehab program and ultimately maintain a sober life.

Inmates who opt to participate in a rehab program will have to participate in addiction treatment therapy and meet all requirements of the program. If an inmate fails to complete the program, no reduction in their sentence will be made.

There is no current public information on a potential addiction in Blagojevich’s present or past. It’s ultimately up to prison officials to determine if he would benefit from an addiction treatment program.

What do you think? Should inmates be offered the incentive of less time served as a motivation to complete rehab? Or is it unfair to “reward” addicted inmates for achieving a sober lifestyle that other inmates may already lead?

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Everyone’s heard about drug and alcohol rehab, but there are dozens of rehab types that usually go under the radar. While some address addictions, others work to help people repair physical, emotional, or mental issues as a result of life events. Here are 4 types of rehab you may not know much about.

Sex rehab

People like Tiger Woods and Anthony Weiner have indirectly called the public’s attention to sex rehabilitation, a type of treatment that helps people with their addiction to sex.  Not surprisingly, any sort of sexual activity is prohibited in sex rehab, but the rules take it a little further — many of these rehab centers don’t permit romantic relationships or even flirting. This is because sex rehab is about becoming strong as an individual and not having to feel dependent.

About 14 million people in the U.S. say that they have a sex addiction, but some question the addiction’s legitimacy. The Psychiatric Diagnosis Manual doesn’t recognize sex addiction, but treatment centers usually identify other disorders that may be part of the cause of the addiction. Some people say sex addiction is one of the hardest to overcome, because unlike alcohol rehab, for example, a sex rehab patient isn’t expected to give up sex altogether; he or she must learn how to cut out the addiction without cutting out the act.

Brain Injury Rehab

Because of the trouble celebrities have been getting into lately, people generally associate the word “rehab” with drugs, alcohol, and more broadly, addiction. However, not all types of rehab deal with addictive behaviors and habits. Brain injury rehab is a prime example of this. People who suffer from the effects of traumatic brain injury (TBI) need treatment for physical limitations or cognitive impairments, which is where rehab comes in.

Brain injury rehab is intricate in that each person needs his or her own personalized treatment plan, as no two injuries are the same. There are several different options for rehab, including home-based rehab, impatient rehab centers, hospital outpatient rehab, supporting living programs, and more. Some rehab centers like Kessler offer treatment programs that involve Body Weight Supported Treadmill Training, brain-mapping technology, and even robotic therapy to help its patients.

Internet Rehab

The first rehab program in the United States designed to help people suffering from Internet addiction opened in 2009. The Heavensfield Retreat Center began reSTART, a program that lasts for 45 days and strives to help “tech dependent youth” make their connection with the real world once again. The treatment doesn’t just address the Internet addiction on its surface — it also helps people cope with other issues that may be causing the Internet addiction in the first place, like depression, ADHD, or family problems.

Even kids and teens ages 12 to 17 can get help from programs like reSTART, who offer outpatient services in a couple of cities. Some of the symptoms that qualify a person as having an Internet addiction are using the Internet to escape problems, having an impaired social function, and increasing the amount of time spent on the Internet in order to achieve satisfaction.

Child soldier rehab

This type of rehab has recently been used as a response to the children in the Democratic Republic of Congo who were forced to join armed groups and fight. Tens of thousands of children had to participate in this violence, the United Nations estimates. The fighters are often times even younger than 10 years old. Children are either enlisted by their family members, join in order to protect themselves, or are snatched up by soldiers.

To help the children who have made it out of this nightmare, the U.N. Children’s Fund sponsored a rehabilitation center that works to help kids transition into peaceful lives. One of the main objectives is to try to aid kids in establishing an ability to trust once again. They typically face issues of abandonment, so the treatment center workers show the children love and help them gain back their health to make them feel more at ease.

Conclusion

Every type of rehab has its unique challenges. Regardless of what people are struggling with, whether it be physical, emotional, or mental in nature, there will almost always be a rehab center out there that can address their problems and help them overcome their issues.

A silent epidemic has arisen in the medical community – nurses caught devising methods to pilfer prescription medications. A plethora of nurses have been caught with intricate and not-so-intricate systems of siphoning off medications under the radar. Where there’s smoke there is almost always fire, so we have to wonder the numbers of nurses, doctors and other medical professionals who may be doing the same thing and just haven’t been caught.

What Happens When Healthcare Professionals Become Suspect?

Prescription medication addiction is the fastest growing in America and some may think that medical professionals are somewhat immune to it because they are schooled in the dangers of the drugs. To the contrary, substance abuse is the number one reason nurses are reported to their state board and recent research has estimated nearly seven percent of nurses are misusing prescriptions.

Entire divisions of police departments are now being developed to solely deal with prescription drug diversion, which occurs when the medications are channeled from a legal to an illegal use. And although few like to think about it, healthcare workers who have easy access to these types of drugs may be tempted to divert drugs for themselves or to make a profit. The Cincinnati Police Department has a Pharmaceutical Diversion Squad that arrests a healthcare worker on average every seven days with a 98-percent conviction rate.

Opportunities for Abuse Arise From Improper Disposal Methods

Some drugs are diverted through theft or fraudulent prescriptions, but some are obtained by healthcare workers with a burgeoning addiction who have access to partially used or discarded medications. Jim Kaju knows this game all too well, as a former police officer and nurse’s aid who suffered an addiction to OxyContin after being legitimately prescribed the drug for two years by an oncologist. He took a job at The University of Minnesota hospital while trying to wean himself from OxyContin. He was even honest with a supervisor about his problem and was sent to an outpatient treatment program.

However, with a drug that targets similar pathways in the brain as heroin and being newly sober, the temptation to use the drugs for which he had easy access was too great. Although hospital staff was supposed to discard any unused medications down a drain in view of another staff member, he said in the hectic environment of the E.R. this rarely happened. Prescription meds were frequently just thrown in the garbage. Kaju could simply rifle through the trash to get his next high. In Minnesota, in the past year, eight nurses have been caught stealing drugs, sometimes from their patients.

What actions do you think need to be taken to reel in the runaway prescription drug problem? What do you think about the temptation drugs pose to healthcare workers? Let us know your thoughts below.

Dr. Nora Volkow is the director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). She has studied how drugs affect the brain extensively and uses that research to inform her work in drug addiction treatment and recovery.

The neural pathways of addiction in the brain are some of the foci of her research. With her findings, she is attempting to break through some of the myths that surround addiction and its progression. Some of the most common myths that neural pathway information helps destroy include:

• The idea that marijuana is a non-addictive substance.
• The concept that prescription medications are safe because they are prescribed by a doctor.
• The belief that addiction is an issue of willpower and not a disease.
• The thought that addiction can be conquered at home without medical treatment.

The central discussion of Dr. Volkow’s work is based upon the issue of dopamine. When patients take drugs of any kind, it triggers a release of dopamine into the brain, the chemical that makes people feel happy, content and even euphoric or “high.” Though this “happy” chemical is naturally released during different activities, it is not naturally reabsorbed when it is released by different drugs of addiction. Instead, it builds up rather than recycles itself, causing a high that is difficult to replicate – with or without drugs and alcohol. In fact, many patients end up “chasing” their first high, taking higher and higher doses of their drug of choice in hopes of feeling like they did the first time.

This same chemical also dictates a patient’s behavior and mood with a direct effect on the compulsions that often define addiction. It’s a big motivator in a patient’s life. Dr. Volkow believes that this happens when overuse of a specific drug leads to a decreased sensitivity of the reward system, and the patient’s need to stimulate it effectively.

In addition to learning more about the effects of drugs on the brain, Dr. Volkow also wants to educate the public on her findings. One of her newest projects is called Drug Facts. It is dedicated to helping teenagers understand the risks they accept when they choose to experiment with drugs and alcohol. The hope is that it will delay first-time use of drugs of addiction and help teens learn better coping skills and ways of finding enjoyment that will keep them safe and healthy.

If drug addiction is a problem for you, a medical detox and addiction treatment program is the only way to make real change in your life. Contact us today to learn more about your options in treatment.

The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction recently released its annual report for 2011. The findings show that opiate addiction (or the dependence upon prescription painkillers and/or heroin) is a huge issue in the European Union and Norway. Interestingly, though there are more than 1.3 million opiate addicts in the EU, the abuse of heroin using needles is declining.

The 2011 Annual report from European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction also shows that heroin abuse is responsible for the largest number of deaths and diseases caused by or related to drug abuse and addiction in the EU – despite the fact that needles are less often the method of ingestion chosen by addicts.

About half of patients seeking treatment for drug and alcohol dependence in the EU report that heroin or opiate prescription drugs are their choice drugs.

The cause may be the rise of synthetic opiate painkillers, according to the report. For example, in Estonia, about 75 percent of patients entering drug rehab say that Fentanyl is their drug of choice. Far stronger than heroin and highly associated with opiate overdoses, it is manufactured in labs believed to be hidden in the countries right around the European Union.

The Commission has proposed a plan to respond to the problem of new drugs on the market and created guidelines to help substance abuse treatment professionals fight the problem of opiate addiction – about 140 of these guidelines were identified in 23 European languages.

In the United States, there are a number of federal guidelines in place to help patients who are ready to fight opiate addiction and dependence upon other drugs as well. Some of these guidelines include assistance for patients who don’t know what to look for in an effective program. Here are a few tips:

• Appropriate medical care. Detox is a huge part of opiate addiction treatment and it’s important that you choose a program that can provide you with round-the-clock care.
• Comprehensive psychological treatment. No treatment is complete without group therapy, personal therapy, family therapy and more.
• Qualified staff members. It’s important to be treated by those who are specialists in drug addiction treatment.
• Extensive aftercare options. Rehab is solidified by aftercare services that allow patients to check in and get the support they need.

If you would like to learn more about your options in heroin addiction treatment, prescription drug dependence, or drug and alcohol addiction of any kind, contact us today.

What is it about fame that causes people to go over the edge? Excessive drinking, drug use and self-destructive behavior seem to go hand in hand with those who get even a small dose of popularity. Does fame cause it? Do famous people begin their own press and decide they don’t need to follow the same rules as everyone? Or, is fame just another drug and people need a fix?

Celebrity Deaths

Whatever the reason, celebrities self-destruct in a spectacular manner. Celebrity deaths, especially those of young stars, are very public and very fascinating. But are all the deaths of those who have burned out and died young as accidental as we have been led to believe?

It seems odd that people who lived life in the spotlight sometimes find death in the dark and in secret. And the causes of death remain suspicious and not as simple as we’ve been told.

1. Anna Nicole Smith

Former Playboy Playmate of the Year, reality star darling and oil mogul widow, Anna Nicole Smith seemed to have the world in the palm of her hands. A high school dropout, Smith used her body and brains to climb the American fame ladder. Smith rode the celebrity train to go beyond the status of Playmate. She was a successful model for Guess jeans, a spokeswoman for Trim-Spa weight loss, and an actress in several big Hollywood films. She met, married, and soon buried a multi-millionaire husband, then and fought vigorously for her share of his fortune.

Why Would She Do It?

At the time of her death she was riding high as a reality TV star and had just given birth to a daughter. Reports said she overdosed on prescription pills in her hotel suite in Hollywood, Florida. Early speculation suggested she may have killed herself because she was distraught over the recent death of her 20-year old son, Daniel. But there are still too many questions. Her personal life was working out. She had love, money, and a new baby girl. Perhaps there is a clue in the immediate struggle after Anna’s death for control of the baby and of the fortune she inherited. Many of the drugs found in her system were prescribed to her boyfriend and others, perhaps showing that they weren’t something she normally took or that she was being given them without her knowledge.

While the cause of her death is known, it still isn’t known if she ingested any or all of those drugs willingly.

2. Kurt Cobain

Officially the cause of death was suicide by a self-inflicted shotgun blast to the head. But rumors persist that it was not suicide at all. Kurt’s rise to fame was meteoric. The success of his band, Nirvana, and album, Nevermind, started the musical movement known as Grunge. Kurt was no stranger to drug problems. The battle that he and his wife, Courtney Love, had with heroin was public knowledge and well publicized. Attempts at rehab failed, and even the birth of his daughter didn’t get him to clean up. An intervention with family and friends finally convinced him to check into a rehab clinic; where he simply climbed the wall and left.

Smells Like a Cover Up

The biggest concern with Cobain’s death seems to be the amount of drugs in his system at the time of the fatal gunshot. The amount of heroin in his system wouldn’t allow anyone to operate a firearm or properly position himself to be in harm’s way. Cobain also had no gunpowder burns or residue on his hands. The accompanying note near him seemed to have an addition referring to suicide written in different handwriting.

After his death, there were scores of fans left in mourning as well as a huge increase in Nirvana album sales. His widow, Courtney Love, inherited Cobain’s valuable copyrights and soon became a bestselling musician and award-nominated actress.

3. Marilyn Monroe

Perhaps one of the most mysterious celebrity overdoses is that of film legend and sex symbol Marilyn Monroe. Monroe was the “it” girl of the 1950s. She was the star of such classics as “Some Like it Hot” and “The Seven-Year Itch”. While popular in the spotlight, Monroe never seemed to find true love. She was married and divorced three times and is rumored to have had countless love affairs with actors and politicians, both while single and married.

Was Being Blonde Her Only Bombshell?

Her death was attributed to a fatal mixture of barbiturates and alcohol resulting in “probable suicide”. While Monroe did have a prior history of talking prescription medication to help her sleep, she had no known drug or alcohol problem. There were many inconstancies about the final hours of her life and who she saw and spoke with on the phone. Was she the victim of a scorned lover? Some have suggested ties to the mafia who had interest in Monroe based on her relationship with President John Kennedy and his brother, Attorney General Robert Kennedy. Her final call on the night she died was reported to be to the White House. Some suggested that it was the relationship with the Kennedys that caused her death. Did she plan to tell about her relationship with one or more of the Kennedy brothers? Was she a threat to the President’s marriage that needed to be removed?

Despite her on-screen persona of the stereotypical dumb blonde, Monroe was known to be quite intelligent. Perhaps she knew or loved too much.

One of the biggest issues reported by patients in recovery who are struggling to stay dedicated to their program is that nagging belief that they just don’t deserve good things to happen to them – including the good things that come with a successful recovery after addiction.

Why Do Some Feel That They Don’t Deserve a Good Life?

There are a number of different reasons why someone may feel as if they don’t deserve to be happy. Many patients report that their reasons may include:

• Guilt. During addiction, most people do and say things that they are not proud of. The guilt from how these decisions hurt those they care about or made them look in the eyes of others can make them feel as if they should continue to suffer in addiction as a punishment for their past choices.
• Shame. Looking back on poor choices made during addiction can cause many patients to feel a sense of shame that they find overwhelming. They often feel that the quickest way to squash that feeling is to get high or drunk, rather than do the work of processing through those feelings.
• Depression. It’s not uncommon to deal with some level of depression in early recovery, and both these patients and those who are diagnosed with the co-occurring disorder of clinical depression may find that they have a low opinion of their value during treatment.
• Low self-esteem. Many patients report that they began abusing drugs and alcohol as a result of low self-esteem. Since they have not been working toward goals or learning how to feel better about themselves during addiction, they still may not feel that they are deserving of a good life in treatment.
• Fear. Fearing success can be a huge obstacle in recovery. Many want to be happy but fear that they will be unable to achieve this goal or that they will lose that happiness and feel even worse in the long run. Many content themselves with the status quo of suffering that goes with chronic addiction rather than working toward a happy and balanced life in recovery.

Learning to Love Oneself First

Succeeding in recovery starts when you learn to love yourself and prioritize your mental and physical health above all else. Sacrificing either of these two things can start you down the road to relapse. Instead, learning how to forgive oneself for past misconduct, attempting to make amends to those wronged in the past, learning how to make better choices in the future, and spending every day being the person you wish to be can help you learn how to accept that you, too, deserve a good life without drug and alcohol dependence.

The points most often targeted in acupuncture treatment to fight drug addiction are around the ears. Tiny acupuncture needles are inserted painlessly into the top layers of skin and patients relax for anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes, depending upon the number of treatments per week

Researchers are currently exploring the efficacy of different holistic methods of drug addiction treatment – methods that include acupuncture. The sessions themselves are relaxing and many patients report feeling calmer when they’re done, but do they offer any further assistance in the healing of addiction-related issues and compulsive behavior?

One recent study in effectiveness was held at one facility and run by an acupuncturist certified by the National Certification Commission of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. The procedure used in the study was developed by the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association and effectively used to treat prison inmates as well as those in trauma after natural disasters.

The goal of acupuncture specifically is to enhance drug addiction treatment and increase the long-term success rates in recovery after rehab is over. Because it has been called an effective care option in the treatment of more than 40 medical issues by the World Health Organization (WHO), many believe that there are a number of benefits to be had by those who incorporate acupuncture into their rehab program.

The drawback of this particular study is that it was too short to concretely determine whether or not participating patients exhibited any substantial benefit. Held for a short period, it ended at the end of August, and there has been no time to check back in with patients. Also, patients attended on an outpatient basis, which means that their outcome may be different than those who included acupuncture sessions in an inpatient program.

Kathy Murphy is the deputy director of outpatient services at the trial facility. She says that positive results were seen from the limited trial but that more time was needed to better determine what should be included in a formal acupuncture drug addiction treatment program.

Other research shows that the inclusion of holistic treatment methods can round out an addiction treatment program characterized by Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and support group sessions. As patients have the opportunity to explore the spiritual side of recovery and get in tune with their bodies, they become more in control of their minds and bodies, learning to make better choices in recovery that can lead them away from relapse and toward a life of balance.

If you would like to learn more about the treatment options available at different drug rehab programs, contact us at the phone number listed above today.

Celebrity drug addict news floods the media, and there have been entire shows dedicated to the topic of Hollywood’s darlings’ drug use. But what about politicians? Election time usually sparks more revelations about people in politics, and while some politicians have been open when questioned about previous drug use, other’s pasts have gone under the radar. Many accusations or assumptions have not been confirmed nor denied. Here’s a breakdown of what we really know.

Presidents

Barack Obama has been one of the most straightforward politicians about admitting he’d used drugs in his youth. In his book Dreams From My Father, he mentions using marijuana and cocaine while he was in high school. Granted, this book was out before he ran for president, but when questioned about it, he confirmed the information.

George W. Bush’s past drinking problems aren’t a secret; former First Lady Laura Bush even spoke about it on Oprah. However, when the former president has been asked about drug use, his answers have been vaguer. He made a comment to the media about how he could have passed an FBI background check even when his father was in office, which his campaign later clarified meant he’d been drug-free ever since he was 28. When asked directly if he’d used drugs before then, he typically answered something that included, “I made mistakes.”

Bill Clinton admitted to trying marijuana but without breaking U.S. law. He was in England when he tried it and has been teased for having said he didn’t inhale the marijuana when he experimented with it.

Senators/Governors

John Kerry, Howard Dean, and John Edwards admitted during a 2003 Democratic presidential debate that they used pot in the past in response to the question, “Which of you are willing to admit you’ve used marijuana in the past?” The question was emailed in toward the end of the forum, and while Dean said at first that the question was probably going to go unanswered, he ended up admitted to the use.

David Paterson, the former governor of New York, admitted that he smoked marijuana when he was younger and used cocaine when he was in his early 20s. He pointed out that he hasn’t smoked marijuana since the 1970s and already admitted to his use in his youth when speaking to a TV journalist in 2006, but because he was running for lieutenant governor at the time, the revelation didn’t get as much attention as it did in 2008.

Sarah Palin, like Bill Clinton, tried marijuana in a way that didn’t break U.S. law — pot was legal in Alaska when she tried it. Palin said she didn’t enjoy smoking pot and doesn’t do it anymore. A recently released biography about Sarah Palin written by Joe McGinniss alleges that the Palins have used cocaine in the past, but the book is lacking in many sources. Todd Palin accused the book of being full of “disgusting lies.”

Conclusion

It could very well be the case that many accusations are unfounded and based solely on the intention of trying to ruin certain politicians’ reputation. It could also be the case that politicians are struggling to keep their pasts a secret. In some cases, we might never know the truth, and many people debate if this information is even important enough to be such.

“LA Ice” is a slang term for crystal meth, and it’s also the name of a new novel by Kathleen Ready Dayan that depicts one patient’s story in recovery from her own addiction and her love for someone fighting dependence on crystal meth.

Stevie is 20 when she heads off to a 60-day drug and alcohol addiction treatment program in an attempt to fight off alcoholism. It’s here that she meets Michael, a guitarist in a band, who is fighting his own addiction battle against crystal meth. Michael is unsure that he will be able to conquer his crystal meth addiction and Stevie encourages him in his pursuit, while also finding inspiration to move forward in her own recovery.

Knowing that those new to recovery should avoid serious romantic relationships if possible, the two are graduated from treatment with plans to one day move in together when they both are stable and independent. However, when Michael reunites with his band, he comes across a few complications in his recovery, and the reader gets to see how both he and Stevie make choices that will change their lives and their relationship with each other.

Kathleen Ready Dayan is a graduate of Suffolk University Law School and practiced law in New England for nine years before choosing to write full time. She has been published in a number of magazines and one of her poems was nominated for the Pushcart Prize.

She says: “Alcoholism and drug addiction are hugely prevalent in our society, but there is a way out. I am a recovering alcoholic who has been sober for 22 years. I was inspired to write this story to raise awareness about the impact of addiction on people’s lives. And methamphetamine has hit epidemic levels in many states, particularly on the West Coast and the Midwest. It is aptly known as ‘the world’s most dangerous drug.’ The average meth addict lives only five to seven years.”

The story resonates with patients in recovery and with those who love people who are fighting addiction. It can be a long road back to a life of stability and emotional balance, and romance can create a number of complications for those who are fighting addiction and those who love them. Reading about the stories of other in novels or in biography form can help patients and loved ones to feel less alone.

Have you read any good books about recovery lately? Leave us a comment and let us know.

In Saginaw, Michigan, many still refer to the heroin epidemic of the 1970s as the “heroin wars.” Characterized by heroin addiction, intense heroin trade, violence and crime, Saginaw was ranked as the first or second most violent city of its size for years. The “war” wound down in the 1980s; federal crackdowns on drug smuggling decreased heroin supply to the state – which served to decrease the residual violence, crime and addiction along with it. However, in the past few years, police are reporting that rates of heroin abuse, addiction, and associated criminal activities and violence have been creeping up again.

Saginaw Police Sgt. Kevin Revard said that he noticed the start of heroin’s comeback in the area back in 2005, when it became more popular than crack cocaine.

Says Revard: “In (the early 2000s), there was maybe one (heroin overdose) per year. Now there’s five, six a year. Predominantly, it’s young people, between 16 to their mid-20s, mostly white kids.”

“Flint and Detroit have the same problem, I think, but we’re probably the farthest north where you can get it in Michigan. So we get a lot of people coming down here looking for it.”
Some experts estimate that the increase in opiate addiction in the area has increased by 80 percent of the last decade, including heroin addiction and opiate painkiller addiction, and that four out of 10 patients seeking treatment for addiction are fighting heroin addiction.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency reports that about seven million Americans are addicted to prescription drugs, equaling more than the number of Americans addicted to all other drugs combined. Some experts report that the rise in prescription drug addiction may be responsible for a correlating rise in heroin addiction.

Patients undergoing methadone maintenance treatment is another indicator that heroin abuse is on the rise. In 2000, about 8,700 people across the state were taking the drug but by 2010, that number was over 19,800.
Rich Isaacson is a special agent with the DEA’s Detroit office. He says: “(Prescription drug use) has really been the driving force behind the increase in the heroin problem we’ve seen here and across the country. The way Vicodin and OxyContin affects the body is the same way heroin affects it.” And heroin is much cheaper than either medication.

If you or someone you love is fighting prescription drug addiction or heroin addiction, the best way to handle the situation is with medical detox and comprehensive addiction treatment. Contact us today to learn more about your options in rehabilitation.

What can $80,000 buy you…? a Porsche, 80 weeklong cruise vacations, or one month at a rehab center. That last option doesn’t sound very glamorous, but people are shelling out the money to break their addictive habits. How can these rehabilitation programs cost so much and still get business? Well, we’re going to show you that there are plenty of reasons why. You can decide if they’re worth it.

Privacy/location

When trying to quit drinking or using drugs, you might want to escape the temptations and feelings of hopelessness in your daily life and leave everything behind. This is especially true for celebrities who are constantly trying to avoid paparazzi during vulnerable times, and they definitely have the money to get away for a while.

One of the main reasons these facilities can charge tens of thousands of dollars is that they’re located in some of the most beautiful locations in the country and are often completely secluded. For example:

• Promises Treatment Centers has a Malibu location that’s nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Monica Mountains.

Basically, these locations could double as prime vacation spots without the surrounding tourist traps. Not only can people who enroll enjoy the scenery, they can feel completely disconnected from the rest of the world and ready to tackle their addictions. That’s why they charge the big bucks — we could only afford rehab like this if we never took another trip for the rest of our lives (and that includes trips to the mall).

Constant assistance/attention

When you’re paying more than $10,000 a week for rehab, you can expect not to be grouped with 100 random people during the program. Most of these elite rehab centers limit the number of people who’re admitted at any given time. Many also promise a low professional-to-patient ratio. For example:

• Privé-Swiss, a facility that helps people address a wide range of psychological and emotional issues, boasts one-to-one treatment and only serves 1 to 4 clients at a time.
• Passages Malibu says most treatment is performed through one-on-one sessions and that each patient has a personal team of 10 therapists.

Exclusive, individual treatment like this comes at a high cost. The program websites say a main motivation is to be attentive, but on top of that, the professionals personalize the care for each person so that it’s more effective. This all makes sense, because for that much money, clients might be pretty upset to find themselves in a facility as crowded as a Britney Spears concert. (Coincidentally, she’s likely to be at any of these rehab centers.)

Beneficial services and activities

Paying so much probably prompts the facility founders to keep up with the latest addiction treatments (whether they’re effective or not). Many programs offer a variety of strategies to curing addiction, including psychotherapy, hypnotherapy, equine-assisted therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing.

To be honest, we don’t know what half of those therapies even entail, but we’re pretty sure typical rehab facilities don’t have horses roaming around to be used in a therapeutic manner. Those therapies all sound legitimate and cutting edge, but these facilities offer a variety of other, unconventional activities that are supposed to raise participants’ spirits and help them get rid of their vices.

• Commonly offered indoor activities include massages and other spa treatments, yoga, acupuncture, and art therapy.
• Outdoor activities include mountain meditation (naturally), archery, and rope course challenges.

We originally thought rope course challenges were solely created for company team-building exercises. You learn something new every day.

Dining/lodging

Going back to the rehab-centers-set-up-like-vacation-getaways theme, not only are the facilities located in different versions of paradise, they also offer pretty incredible lodging and dining. If the “retreats” as they like to call them are located in the north, you can probably expect large fireplaces and structures made of fine wood. In the more tropical locations, you’ll find refreshing pools and beautiful, large windows.

You won’t be getting cafeteria-style food, either. Professional chefs cook up homemade meals and are generally willing to accommodate eating preferences. Paying to have great chefs constantly available probably costs a lot for the rehab facilities. We can’t forget that every cost ends up factoring into the price. Here are examples of how rehab centers go above and beyond:

• At Passages, every room has a plasma TV, and the land surrounding the facility is full of statues, tennis courts, gardens, and pools.
• The Canyon has professional chefs creating gourmet meals on a daily basis.

We admit it — the amenities at all of these luxurious rehab centers look great, but surprisingly you don’t always get your own room. That comes at an extra cost, which we didn’t think was possible with starting prices ending in so many zeros.

Conclusion

While the websites of these facilities post about their amazing amenities and rehab programs, they’re so private and secretive that it’s hard to always tell how effective they are. Also, because these can be for-profit organizations instead of not-for-profit like rehab facilities usually are, people are more skeptical about whether they’re still getting their money’s worth. Regardless, these places are clearly expensive and arguably over-the-top, but they do seem to try to be luxurious and provide the best.

The steady rise in prescription drug addiction and deaths caused by prescription painkiller overdose over the past decade is well chronicled, and as the public becomes more aware of the issue, outrage is growing. Who do we blame for this problem? The patients who abuse their prescriptions? The doctors who prescribe the pills? The pharmacies and government agencies that are largely ineffective at controlling or stopping fraudulent or duplicate prescriptions?

More and more often, people are turning the blaming finger in the direction of the pharmaceutical companies who create the drugs in question. Some even say that they should be responsible for stopping the raging tide of prescription drug addiction. How can they take responsibility and what can they do to address the problem?

Lawsuits

There have a few cases brought against manufacturers of prescription painkillers – usually by family members of overdose victims – but in general, these suits are usually brought against the prescribing doctor. Because the drugs are FDA-approved for medical purposes, it’s difficult to hold the companies liable for accidental overdose issues. Few families in crisis are going up against the huge companies in court to contest the status quo.

Taking Preventative Measures

Perhaps in an effort to circumvent future issues, pharmaceutical companies have begun to speak out on the issue and voice their concern.

Sharon Brigner is the Deputy Vice President for Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America. She says that pharmaceutical companies are working with law enforcement to fight prescription drug addiction by educating patients as well as their doctors and by creating new formulas for often abused drugs so they are more difficult to snort or inject.

Kevin Wiggins works for Endo Pharmaceuticals, the company that makes the painkiller Opana. He says that prescription drug abuse is taking away from the fact that many patients are getting the pain relief they need from these medications.

Says Wiggins: “As a drug company, our first priority is patient safety and that products are used as prescribed.”

What Do You Think?

Whose responsibility are the rising rates of prescription drug overdose? Is it the fault of the patients who use these drugs non-medically or keep unused drugs, which may help put them in the hands of those with addiction issues? Is it the doctors who prescribe too many pills for acute injuries or don’t realize that they are writing prescriptions for trumped up pain or on top of another doctor’s prescription for addictive drugs? Or is it the fault of the pharmaceutical companies who market so aggressively to doctors? What do you think? Leave us a comment below and let us know your thoughts.

Cocaine addiction has a few physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms associated with detox, but for the most part, the important issue is the cravings that make cocaine difficult to leave behind. For this reason, outpatient cocaine addiction treatment is often a good fit, especially if you have only been living with cocaine addiction for a short period and have no co-occurring mental health issues – and you feel confident that you can avoid relapse without 24-hour monitoring and care

Here are some of the benefits of outpatient cocaine rehab:

• The ability to keep up at work or school. Many people begin abusing cocaine in an effort to keep up or get ahead at work or school. If you managed to stop your cocaine abuse before it affected your performance at work or school – or before the addiction got you fired or expelled – then outpatient cocaine rehab will allow you to get treatment while also maintaining your employment or education.

• Maintaining the support of family. If your family or roommates are supportive of your recovery (e.g., not abusing drugs or alcohol around you, keeping you accountable for your actions, etc.), then it can help you stay sober to go home to that environment every night. Additionally, if you have children or dependent elders, you can continue to be a part of their lives and provide a portion of their care as you attend treatment.

• “Trial by fire.” There’s nothing like practicing avoiding relapse while living your life. It’s one thing to stay clean and sober when you’re in treatment and quite another to do so when you’re out in “the world,” working, living and interacting with people. Emotions come up, things are stressful, tempting situations present themselves – but when you’re in outpatient cocaine rehab, you have the support of your peers and counselors to help you through.

• Ongoing therapy and treatment. If there is not a co-occurring mental health issue (and sometimes when there is), most people abusing drugs and alcohol have experienced a traumatic event or series of events in their history that contributes to their abuse of drugs. Cocaine may serve as an escape or a way to ease the pain or discomfort related to those events, but therapy can help you to process those issues so that the need to self-medicate lessens.

If you would like to learn more about your options in cocaine rehab, contact us today. We can help you determine which type of treatment will best serve you and match you to the best program available. Call now.

When considering some of the greatest historical figures and their contributions to the world, we rarely let our minds wander to their personal lives and trials. Like every other human being, these talented people had strengths and weaknesses in their character, and they fell into addictive habits, as well. Here’s a list of some of famous people from history who weren’t immune to vices.

F. Scott Fitzgerald – alcohol

The famous author of The Great Gatsby produced great American literature and drank — a lot. He drank when he was disappointed, and he drank when he was proud. It didn’t matter what the occasion was, because Fitzgerald believed that alcohol only intensified current emotions; he probably used drinking as a way to feel especially good or to drown out feelings he despised. His liquor of choice usually involved gin.

He tended to write soberly, however, at least in the beginning. Regardless, he declined psychiatric treatment and typically showed no embarrassment to being known as an alcoholic. He got into domestic fights with his wife, Zelda, which were probably sparked by a night spent drinking. Having about four breakdowns due to alcohol consumption, Fitzgerald probably would have been a little better off with some help curbing his alcoholism.

Sigmund Freud – cocaine

While it’s difficult to know for sure how often and why some people in history engaged in substance abuse, it’s well known that Freud — the father of psychoanalysis — used to do cocaine quite often. He didn’t even think that cocaine was habit-forming. Eventually, a professional peer pointed out cocaine’s addictive qualities, and Freud realized that he was correct.

What most people don’t know, however, is that Freud wasn’t doing cocaine recreationally— he was studying its medical values. He believed it worked wonders and consumed it to fix some of his own pains for at least 12 years. He hoped this would be the panacea he was looking for, but eventually discovered this would not be the case. Freud probably could have benefitted from someone going back and telling him that cocaine was both addictive and not all-healing.

Marcus Aurelius – opium

For the purposes of full disclosure, because Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius lived in second century CE, it’s pretty difficult to determine to a certainty whether or not he was addicted to opium. What we do know is that at one point, Aurelius was prescribed a medicine with opium in it, and although he stopped taking it because it made him drowsy, he started taking it regularly because he had difficulty sleeping after that point.

Many people suggest this indicates his addiction, but no one knows for sure. People who believe he developed an addiction point to his supposed detachment from everyday life and his weird use of imagination in Meditations as evidence. However, those with the opposite opinion say his visions were strictly due to creativity and imagination, not opium. Either way, the emperor probably could have done better with a medicine that isn’t generally used to produce heroin.

Vincent van Gogh – alcohol

The famous painter was an alcoholic, but he seemed to be specifically addicted to absinthe. A lot of the theory about his drinking problem stems from his own artwork and the paintings of others who knew about him. For example, the van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam displays an oil painting by van Gogh of a glass of absinthe sitting on a table.

Not every piece of artwork is so obvious. Art critics analyze other works to read into van Gogh’s personality and fears. Paintings showing people socializing around bars and in cafés supposedly suggests his fear of loneliness and his desire to be included in social environments. These feels potentially be the reason he turned to alcohol, but a lot of it is speculation.  If it is true, most can’t help but feel sympathetic and wish they could have helped him deal with the anxiety in a healthier way.

Billie Holiday – alcohol/heroin

Holiday was one of the best jazz singers in history, but her famous days weren’t free of trials. Throughout her life, she struggled with poverty and got arrested for prostitution and drug use. She was addicted to both alcohol and heroin, both of which got her into major trouble, especially toward the end of her life. She died at the age of 44 in the hospital, where she had been under arrest for drug possession.

A little while after reaching the top of her singing fame in the late 1930s and finding out about the death of her mother, her heroine use grew much worse. She had been using the money she was making from her music career to buy drugs, and it was getting so bad that she tried to check herself into rehab to break the addiction. However, she continued abusing alcohol and never fully gained control of her addiction. If she’d gotten the help she needed, she might have had more time to grace the world with her beautiful voice.

Conclusion

Drug abuse and alcoholism can really hinder your life, even if you’re successful and talented. Having an addiction takes away your will power and control, often times leaving you helpless. Some of the most influential people in history suffered from these habits, and people continue to experience the downfalls of addictions today.

Meth labs are often hidden in unexpected spots all over the country, such as apartment complexes, suburban homes, trailer parks, barns, vans and more. Law enforcement must be specially trained and wear protective suits and masks. According to MethNet, some of the dangers associated with crystal meth labs include:

• Hazardous chemicals. Though the ingredients to make crystal meth are easily found, the drug is made using dangerous substances. When stored or disposed of incorrectly, these can cause problems for neighbors, groundwater and more.
• Fires and explosions. Chemicals used to make crystal meth are highly flammable as are the vapors and fumes created during production of the drug. Because most seal up meth labs in order to avoid releasing telltale fumes, improper ventilation increases the number of fires and explosions.
• Child endangerment. Toxic fumes, fires and explosions are a danger to children who live in the meth labs and those who play nearby.
• Environmental threat. There is no regulation of illegal meth labs or of how the chemicals are stored or disposed of. Every pound of meth produces six pounds of toxic waste – too many of these chemicals end up in the ground and groundwater, creating toxic water supplies for miles around.
• Illness. Even when fires and explosions don’t occur, exposure to the fumes can cause coughing, chest pain, skin irritation and inflammation, chemical burns, headache, dizziness and more. Chronic exposure can mean organ damage, birth defects in pregnant mothers, and cancer.
• Death. Those who make the drugs and live in or near meth labs are in danger of serious injury and death – so, too, are law enforcement officials and first responders who arrive on the scene to assist.

Identifying a Meth Lab

It’s not always easy to recognize a meth lab, even when it’s set up in your neighborhood. You may notice late night – or all night – comings and goings at a particular house or a strange smell in the neighborhood. If you see a suspect house that keeps its windows closed up tight and shades drawn 24 hours a day, even when the weather has most people opening their windows and airing out their homes, this can be a sign too – this is done in an attempt to keep the vapors and fumes from leaking out into the neighborhood.

If you suspect that a meth lab is in your neighborhood, contact local authorities and make sure that you keep small children away from the home or building at all times.

If crystal meth addiction is an issue for you or someone you care about, take measures to fight the problem by finding a crystal meth rehab that can help. Contact us today for assistance.

Adding fuel to a contentious debate over reform for social programs such as Medicare and Social Security, an investigation launched by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has found a great number of people possibly abusing medical benefits in order to maintain a dangerous prescription drug habit.

Prescription drug addiction has been skyrocketing in the US in recent years and government agencies have been slow to monitor this problem that taxpayers may be inadvertently funding. The GAO’s inquiry into Medicare prescription drug benefits uncovered the following:

• 170,000 Medicare recipients obtained medications from five or more doctors for commonly abused prescriptions.
• Medicare Part D, which covers medications, provided coverage for these questionable prescriptions.
• Prescription painkillers, such as OxyContin and Percocet, were the most often abused drugs by Medicare beneficiaries.
• Medicare has supplied over 57 million opiate painkiller prescriptions in the last calendar year, which is nearly a 25-percent increase over the last three years.
• Physicians in most cases were unaware their patients were receiving prescriptions from other providers.

Potential Solutions to Prescription Drug Benefit Misuse

The GAO made a number of recommendations that they feel could help solve the problem of abuse of the Medicare system by those with a prescription drug addiction. In their report, they advise Medicare officials and federal government legislators to make the following changes:

• Limiting Access. Patients with a history of drug addiction should be limited to one doctor allowed to prescribe medications through one pharmacy.

• Utilizing Database Technology. Wider use of prescription drug databases to allow doctors and pharmacists to see all medications being taken by a patient.

• Review of Claims. More frequent assessments by insurers to detect patients engaging in gross abuse of the Part D benefits.

Reasons Legislators Are Slow to Close Medicare Prescription Drug Loopholes

Despite the GOA’s recommendations, Medicare officials are hesitant to overhaul the system. They do concede some individuals may be taking advantage of the system, but they do not want to reduce access to care for the majority of people based on what a minority is doing.

Medicare administrators point out in a letter to the GOA that the high number of prescription painkillers is not necessarily due to addiction, but could be from “poorly coordinated care.” In addition, they said even if claims were reviewed more closely to stop patients from abusing their Part D benefits, they could simply change to another insurance drug plan.

With prescription drug abuse on the rise in the private sector and now being funded by taxpayers, we’d appreciate your ideas about how to solve the problem. Feel free to leave your thoughts and opinions below.

When people are addicted or even casually using narcotics, they can’t fully hide it — both physical and emotional signals tend to signal others. Each drug has its own reaction on the body and can serve as indicators of whether someone is using illegal substances. Here are the signs that result from five common drugs.

Cocaine

On a physical level, bloodshot eyes, large eye pupils (normal size ranges from 3 to 4 mm, but a cocaine user will have pupils that dilate from 6 to 8 mm), and nose bleeds — especially if the user is snorting the drug — can be signs that someone is a cocaine user.

On an observable behavioral level, a cocaine user might be irritable, sleep less (because they experience less fatigue), exhibit frequent mood swings, and be frequently late for work or for important events. A loss of appetite can also be an indicator, as well as a rapid loss of weight. While these signs may point to drug abuse, they also might be signs of something else, so make sure you don’t jump to conclusions.

Meth

Meth users can experience many physical reactions, including acne, twitching, and dilated pupils. They can also experience a lot of oral effects, from discolored teeth to brittle and chipped teeth (signs that have been referred to as “meth mouth”). Because meth use can cause blood vessels to die, users can appear much older than they actually are and might have cuts and sores that take a while to heal (or in extreme cases, don’t heal at all).

Behaviorally, meth users are general alert and more likely to be agitated and paranoid. They tend to experience decreased fatigue, short-term memory loss, and a decrease in appetite. The longer someone uses meth, the more intense some of the psychological symptoms can get, from hallucinations to acts of violence to self-destructive behavior.

Marijuana

While an increase in pupil size is an indicator of potential cocaine or meth use, this doesn’t apply for marijuana. However, people who smoke pot can exhibit bloodshot eyes. This is really the only main physical indicator — most other signs are behavioral.

Some of the more indirect indicators include an increased appetite, especially for sweets. Users also tend to have a bad sense of time, drowsiness, uncoordinated motions, difficulties in thinking, and an elevated mood. Some of these signs are especially prevalent in people experiencing “burnout,” or people who have been smoking marijuana for an extended period of time. These people sometimes are extremely non-responsive to their environments.

Heroin

Heroin users can experience any of the following physical effects: chills, runny nose, sneezing, constricted pupils, shallow breathing, a dazed look, and slurred speech. Needle marks on the arms can be a sign that someone is using — even though it’s not a result from the drug itself.

On a less-obvious level, heroin addicts may have less motivation, display hostility toward others, withdraw from their friends and family, act especially reckless, feel depressed, express apathy, and lie about their behavior. Heroine is a highly addictive drug, and family members can generally pick up on changes in behavior and physical signs.

LSD

The reactions to LSD are more unpredictable. Because a person using LSD will probably have a higher body temperature than normal, this will most likely lead to sweating and dehydration. LSD addicts might exhibit physical symptoms like trembling, rapid reflexes, dilated pupils, and sometimes even seizures. Another indicator is if the person is laughing uncontrollably at something that isn’t generally funny.

Other effects can be pretty severe, including a distorted sense of time, less control over thought processes, terrifying thoughts and feelings, intense fear, and flashbacks. Many of these signs are intensified when someone has a “bad trip.”

Conclusion

If you’re concerned about someone and think he or she might be using drugs, discuss the issue with a loved one. If you feel comfortable confronting the person about his or her potential addiction, make sure you do it in a way that isn’t confrontational in order to allow for openness — it’s only then that you can really offer help. You might be the person who saves the individual from a lifetime of addiction, so never let this stuff slip by.

When you choose an all-inclusive drug rehab, the psychological aspect of addiction to any drug or alcohol is addressed after detox during therapy. This portion of care takes up the bulk of your time in treatment and provides you with the opportunity to really dig into the root causes of addiction and work through problems until they are less of threat to your recovery. You will be able to talk about trauma, stresses and events that make you feel like getting high or drinking. If those issues are recurring, you can learn coping skills that will help you to avoid feeling “triggered” to get high when they occur after rehab.

Though you may come across a number of different alternative and holistic therapies, there are three basic types that are a core part of almost every therapeutic drug addiction treatment program:

• Individual Therapy. Personal therapy sessions should happen once or twice a week during drug addiction treatment, providing you with the opportunity to meet privately with your therapist and discuss how your addiction treatment is progressing, work on treatment goals, and address the more difficult aspects of events that occurred before and during recovery. Many patients feel safer talking about issues like sexual abuse, assault and trauma, chronic illness, co-occurring mental health disorders, and even stress or boredom in private sessions.

• Group Therapy. Meeting in groups for therapeutic sessions provides you with a chance to share your experiences, support others as they talk about their issues with drugs and alcohol, and create positive peer relationships. Just realizing that you are not alone in your fight against addiction is a huge boost in recovery. Developing supportive relationships at group therapy means that you have someone to call when you feel tempted to use, gain confidence when you are able to help others avoid relapse, and avoid isolation that can trigger addictive behaviors.

• Family Therapy. If you live with your family or have a close relationship with specific family members, family therapy can be a crucial part of your success in recovery. Including important members of your family in treatment can provide you both with the opportunity to work through issues of trust and other problems that cropped up during your active addiction while also learning how to better communicate in the future.

Enrolling in Therapy

When combined with drug detox when necessary and included in a well-rounded program that addresses the many different effects of drug addiction, these therapeutic processes can be extremely productive in helping you to build a new life for yourself. Call now to find a drug rehab that offers what you need for drug addiction treatment.

A huge public health and safety problem has now developed when potentially life-threatening drugs are as easy to purchase online as books, clothes and music. The touch of a button and a credit card can get you just about any type of mind-altering substance you’d like sent right to your front door. This bizarre phenomenon is due to an explosion of illegal Internet sites over the past few years selling synthetic and designer drugs that are totally unregulated for content, purity, dosage and safety.

Often the products are being marketed falsely as bath salts, incense, potpourri, organic plant products and one company in England had them labeled as eyelashes. Any product that can help these companies fly somewhat under the radar of law enforcement may be used.

Online Synthetic Drug Dealers Mislabeling Can Have Deadly Consequences

Many of these drugs are packaged with misleading labels. The misinformation may be false ingredients, incorrect directions for use or both. And some of these drugs have a complete absence of any type of attempt at labeling whether inaccurate or otherwise.

A recent investigation by the Star Tribune in Minnesota and federal authorities involved ordering from a variety of 30 synthetic drug dealers both domestic and abroad. The goal was to analyze the chemical content and potential health consequences of the drugs that arrived. The drugs were examined by the independent agency, MedTox Laboratories.

The inquiry found deceptive labeling practices and a wide range of illegal chemical compounds including:

• Cannabinoids
• Hallucinogens
• Stimulants
• Psychoactive compounds

Some of the most alarming findings were erratic active drug concentrations with extreme differences between doses in the same package. This creates a high risk of overdose with fatal consequences because users are guessing at how much to take and do not necessarily have any idea what the drug actually contains. In fact, over the past year 20 deaths and thousands of calls to 911 and poison control have been caused by online synthetic drug use.

Legality of Purchasing Online Synthetic Drugs

At least 31 states have legislation against certain compounds contained in synthetic drugs, while the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has outlawed five components used to make synthetic marijuana. Nonetheless, online retailers continue to sell these dangerous products either illegally or by claiming their product contains chemicals that have not been outlawed. Many of these companies employ chemically savvy individuals who can replace banned substances with compounds that act similarly in the body, but are technically operating legally.

The legal system, unfortunately, moves much slower than the speed of online synthetic drug dealers. So, oftentimes, educating the public on the potential dangers of the synthetic drug trade may be the only defense we currently have in place to protect the community.

Do you know of anyone who purchases online synthetic drugs? We would like to hear any thought or opinions you may have on this controversial topic below.

When we think of people headed towards retirement or perhaps already enjoying their golden years, generally images of golf courses, RVs traveling the US, Bermuda shorts, trips to see the grandkids and shuffle board on cruise ships may come to mind. Although these generalizations may be outdated as the Baby Boomers start to redefine what senior citizenship looks like, I don’t think any of us expect that revised picture to include drug addiction with stints in rehab and possible overdose for dear old Dad and Mom.

Of course, there have always been people 65 and older with drug or alcohol abuse problems, but generally these issues have been carried over from their younger years. However, with the new crop of prescription drugs that has hit the market over the past few decades, we are seeing brand new addicts being created over the age of 65 at astronomical rates. Frighteningly, prescription drugs are changing the face of drug addiction and, unfortunately, the relaxation and enjoyment of retirement for many.

What Factors Are Leading Increased Numbers of Seniors to Drug Addiction

A variety of reasons are contributing to the current escalation in prescription medication abuse for those 60 years and older including:

• Seniors usually are dealing with chronic conditions that require sustained use of medications. Most prescription painkillers and sleeping pills were never designed for long-term use and carry a high risk of addiction if used in this manner.
• Often seniors are seeing multiple doctors for different conditions. They may fail to remember all their medications and receive prescriptions for drugs that interact in harmful ways.
• The aging process causes more physical issues that may involve chronic pain than those in younger generations.
• Seniors may suffer from psychological problems due to the loss of close family and friends or from isolating themselves as children and grandchildren often may live a significant distance away.

Senior Drug Abuse Statistics Indicate Change Is Needed

The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that while seniors are just over 10 percent of the population, they currently comprise a third of all prescription drug users. The most commonly abused drugs for those 65 and older are prescription medications and the numbers have increased at an astronomical rate in the past 10 years. In fact, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration is predicting that twice as many rehab programs specializing in senior prescription drug abuse will be necessary by 2020.

If you know of a senior in trouble due to prescription drug use, we can help. Give us a call and we can discuss any questions you may have about rehab and treatment for your loved one.

Drugs, alcohol, sex, gambling, food – addiction comes in many forms. Any behavior that a person engages in repeatedly despite negative consequences, in any or all areas of their life, could arguably be considered an addiction. We are all aware that genetics plays a role in someone’s tendency towards developing a dependency on something in their life. Nevertheless, research has shown repeatedly that genetics are not the whole story. What other factors internally and externally about a person drives them towards addictive behavior?

The “27 Club” Is an Iconic Example of Creative Addicts

With the death of Amy Winehouse, the infamous “27 Club,” a group of rock stars who have all died as a result of addiction in their 27^th year, has been brought back into the public consciousness. Members belonging to the ill-fated club were highly innovative and changed the way the world viewed music. The club includes Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison. Each of these individuals was lost due to addiction with more inventive, world-altering music still in them. It is hard to look at this group and not wonder if creativity might not be one component of the addiction puzzle.

Science Shows Link Between Mental Illness and Creativity

In the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Harvard researchers associate creativity with a low level of something known as “latent inhibition.” Latent inhibition is defined as a person’s ability to unconsciously block out incoming stimuli that past experience has demonstrated to be unnecessary. The results of their study showed creative individuals were seven times more likely to have low levels of latent inhibition. In other words, creative people are consciously noticing more things than the average person. They are reflecting more on the world around them.

Experts explain that creativity is not the cause of mental illness or vice versa, but the personality trait of over-thinking is common for both issues. The characteristic of ruminating on life and its experiences seems to be the common thread according to researchers. A reflective mindset may spur someone on to creative pursuits, depressive tendencies or both.

The members of the “27 Club” would have most likely fallen into the category of experiencing both, but with addiction to boot. However, this is where addiction may be related to creativity. It is well documented that over 50 percent of those with a substance abuse problem also have a co-occurring mental illness. Since evidence suggests mental illness is strongly related to both creativity and addiction, then it would logically follow a connection between creativity and addiction may exist as well.

What Do You Think?

Do you know anyone who is highly imaginative, but suffers from addiction? We’d like to hear your thoughts, anecdotes and/or opinions. Leave us a comment below!

Approximately 6,000 doctors in the Medical Association of Georgia (MAG) are spearheading the charge in the battle against prescription drug abuse that has increased at an exorbitant rate over the past decade. These doctors recognize that whether they are aware of it or not, the supply for many people with a prescription drug addiction may start with a script from a legitimate and well-intentioned doctor.

In order to combat this problem, the MAG has developed a program entitled Think About It. This plan addresses multiple areas contributing to the prescription drug abuse issue that is reaching epidemic proportions in the United States today. The MAG doctors created the Think About It program in order to accomplish the following goals:

1. Develop legislation to guide doctors and pharmaceutical companies and protect patients
2. Establish a statewide prescription drug database to track an individual’s prescriptions from all doctors they are seeing
3. Educate doctors, pharmacists and the public on safe prescription drug guidelines
4. Create strategies for safe storage and disposal of excess prescription drugs

What Is Causing Concern for Doctors In Georgia?

The establishment of the Think About It campaign is in response to the continuing rise in prescription drug addiction both in Georgia and around the US. Georgia is third in the nation for the number of painkillers sold with only Florida and Ohio ahead of them. The bulk of drug overdoses in the state last year were from prescription medications with a 10-percent increase in deaths in just one calendar year. And lastly, statistics from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration show that emergency room visits from prescription medications have doubled over the last four years. These are powerful trends that do not seem to be leveling out, but increasing at an incessantly rapid pace.

Ramifications of the Think About It Campaign

Georgia is one of the first states where doctors are banding together and tackling the prescription drug dependency problem head on. Thanks to MAG’s vision and implementation of the Think About It program, the “pink elephant in the room” is finally being talked about openly in the medical community. Doctors nationwide involved in the American Medical Association (AMA) are hoping to follow in Georgia’s footsteps. At a recent AMA conference, the idea was discussed of imitating the Think About It program in a number of others states.

What are your thoughts on doctors finally coming forward and addressing the prescription drug problem? What role do you think pharmaceutical companies should play in safety and education about their product? Any thoughts or opinions on this topic are welcome below.

A recent study showed that older Australians are at high risk for the development of an addiction to alcohol and illicit drugs, especially prescription medications. The Victorian Alcohol and Drug Association (VAADA) ran the study and reported that those over the age of 60 were more likely than those under the age of 60 to drink every day or to take prescription drugs in a nonmedical, or abusive, fashion.

Simon Ruth is the VAADA chairman. He said: “Older people are far more likely to take prescription medication for pain management, which can have adverse health reactions with alcohol.”

Ruth also said that those over the age of 70 are far less likely than younger adults and teenagers to seek out the medical treatment they need to fight drug and alcohol addiction.

Little Help for Older Adults Living With Addiction

Though there’s a big push for awareness and education about the dangers of drugs and alcohol, their effects, and how to get help for teens and young adults, there are few resources along these same lines for older adults.

Says Ruth: “The key here is not to abandon youth-targeted services, but to resource and equip services to target older alcohol and drug users, with programs that suit their needs and encourage them to seek and receive treatment.”

Older Americans and the Problem of Prescription Drug Addiction, Alcoholism

It’s an issue that those in the United States are very familiar with. Older adults are just as prone to the development of alcohol addiction and prescription drug abuse issues in this country; however, they have just as few resources for diagnosis and treatment. Part of the problem is that it isn’t always easy to tell when the problem causing forgetfulness, irritability, accidents, and other signs of drug addiction and abuse are actually caused by alcohol or prescription medications or if they are signs of old age or other chronic ailments. Older adults, as noted above, are less likely to invite intrusion into their personal lives by admitting an issue with drug and alcohol abuse, either, which makes it even more difficult to pursue the issue. Even if medical professionals and family members can verify that a drug and alcohol abuse issue is the problem, getting the patient to agree to enroll in rehab or addiction treatment services is extremely difficult.

Addiction Treatment for Older Adults

If you would like to learn more about the addiction treatment services available for older adults living with drug and alcohol abuse and addiction issues, contact us today. We can discuss the issues facing your loved one and help you determine the best course of action to help them get the medical care they need to heal.

Having an addition can really negatively affect someone’s life, and celebrities are no exception. It can impact your career, your relationships, and your daily life, and for the rich and famous, these influences are documented by the media. Here are some of the most recent and most notable losses celebrities have faced because of their addictions.

Celebrity: Lindsay Lohan

Addiction: Alcohol and drugs

What was lost: Her innocence

The girl who started as a lovable child star and even a respectable teenage actress is now known for her crazy partying and drug use.  Lohan was quoted as saying, “It is clear to me that my life has become completely unmanageable because I am addicted to alcohol and drugs.”

She’s been in an out of rehab, but there’s one instance that highlights her problems:  after checking into rehab for 45 days, she was arrested on suspicion of DUI and possession of cocaine a little over a week after checking out. Nowadays, people watch “Parent Trap” with nostalgia as Lohan’s suddenly lost all of her innocent charm.

Celebrity: Charlie Sheen

Addiction: Alcohol and drugs

What was lost: His TV show

Charlie Sheen has been most recently popular for his starring role in the award-winning comedy Two and a Half Men. He’s had a history with addictions, and he checked himself into rehab in January of 2011 after a night of excessive partying that left him with severe abdominal pains.

However, he got fired from his show a few months later due to his behavior during many bizarre interviews. Some of his quotes include that he was “bangin’ 7-gram rocks and finishing them because that’s how I roll.” While we don’t know if his addictions are returning, his antics definitely generated a lot of suspicion, a lot of viral content, and a lot of backlash: he lost his show and his longtime manager.

Celebrity: Mel Gibson

Addiction: Alcohol

What was lost: His reputation

Mel Gibson, who was a well-admired actor starring in many movies like Braveheart and The Patriot, caused a general loss of respect from the general public a couple of years ago. After being pulled over for going 87 mph in a 45 mph zone, he started shouting anti-Semitic remarks at the officer, who is Jewish.

After news broke out about the tirade, Gibson’s career began to decline and started struggling with his use of alcohol and his resulting personal issues. He’s been in and out of rehab for his issues.

Celebrity: Whitney Houston

Addiction: Alcohol and drugs

What was lost: Her career

Whitney Houston was nothing short of a star — she won dozens of industry awards and was greatly admired by the general public for her singing talent. But rising rumors about drug use with her husband and several accounts of strange behavior (missing shows, acting unusual, etc.) led people to believe she was abusing illegal substances.

She’s checked into rehab in 2004, 2005, and most recently in May 2011 for alcohol abuse. Her career halted because of her addictions. In 2009, she told Oprah, “I had so much money and so much access to what I wanted. I didn’t think about the singing part anymore.” Her career never picked up the same momentum again.

Celebrity: Amy Winehouse

Addiction: Alcohol and drugs

What was lost: (Possibly) her life

Amy struggled with many addictions throughout her life, which led her to cancel concerts, go to rehab, and be hospitalized. It’s unclear how many times she actually checked into rehab, but it appears that she didn’t remain sober for a very long period of time.

Despite this, there were no illegal substances found in her body at the time of her death, according to Winehouse’s family. The cause of her death is still inconclusive, but there were apparently traces of alcohol in her system when she died. Some people theorize that her lifestyle could have indirectly contributed to her death, while others think alcohol withdrawal may have done it. Either way, we won’t know until October when more reports are released.

Conclusion

Alcohol and drug addictions aren’t rare in the media, nor are the losses suffered when addictions aren’t addressed. Everyday people and celebrities alike experience a lot of pain because of their drug and alcohol abuse, and while people’s losses may fall under the radar, we should learn from the coverage of celebrity loss and help those in our own lives make positive, lifelong changes.

According to the New York Times, there are more than a few drug detox facilities in Russia that no longer handcuff their patients to the bed during the tough part of opiate detox – but they do cage them in bunk beds with no exit option until they get through the worse of the withdrawal symptoms. It’s a rough approach to drug detox, but it’s one that is gaining approval in Russia and has the support of family members of the patients.

Sergei Shipachev, a staff member at one such treatment center, says: “We know we are skirting the edge of the law. We lock people up, but mostly we have a written request from their family. The police couldn’t do this, because it’s against the law.”

NYT describes one detox room of 37 trapped, recovering patients as silent. After detox, these men can only hope to join about 60 other men who have been through the same process and will spend the next year in an isolated but uncaged recovery center where they can work out, perform basic labor tasks and cook.

Says Shipachev: “To put someone in handcuffs, it calms them psychologically. Now, it’s the old-timers who calm the new ones. A guy shouts, ‘I’m going to die now!’ and everyone just laughs at him, because they’ve been there themselves. It would be much worse for him if he was alone. The best thing is to just go to sleep.”

These harsh detox centers have one piece of advice: “tough it out.” After they go through initial detox then allow the drugs to completely leave their system over the course of a year or so, they are allowed to go home. The hope is that the memories of what they went through will be enough of a deterrent to keep them from relapsing and ending up back in treatment.

Some believe this is a great way to address the problem – including, reportedly, many of the participants themselves. Others believe that the treatment process is barbaric and ineffective and that mre needs to be done to address the psychological aspect of addiction that often prevails no matter how harsh or terrible the physical consequences of continuing to abuse drugs and alcohol.

Diederik Lohman is a senior researcher at the monitoring group Human Rights Watch and not a fan of treatment policies at the Russian detox centers described above: “What they present as drug treatment has absolutely no basis in evidence. What [they do] has little in common with international best practice standards based on research and is unlikely to have any beneficial effect on patients.”

What do you think? Is the tough love approach that forces an addict to stop abusing their drug of choice an effective option or is it just another form of torture that does little to stop the patient from returning to an active addiction? Leave a comment and let us know your thoughts.

Stimulant drugs include amphetamines and methamphetamines like Adderall, Dexedrine, Ritalin and others; they are drugs that increase energy, focus and attention as well as the heart rate and blood pressure. They were once prescribed for respiratory ailments like asthma because of their ability to open up pathways in the respiratory system or for weight loss in the case of obesity because they can also increase blood glucose. Even some neurological disorders were treated with stimulant medications – until it became clear to the medical community just how easily abused these medications are. Now, stimulants are usually prescribed for ADHD, narcolepsy and occasionally for depression when antidepressants don’t work.

Why Stimulant Drugs Are Abused

Methamphetamine addiction and amphetamine addiction are increasingly common in the United States. Patients not only develop a dependence upon the prescription medications in this category but upon crystal meth, a street drug that offers the same effects. Teens and adults alike abuse the medications in an attempt to increase their productivity, lose weight, stay awake and do other drugs longer, or perform better in their sport of choice. Stimulant drugs may be abused by crushing extended release pills before snorting or swallowing them or injecting or snorting street drugs like crystal meth.

Teens and Stimulant Drug Abuse and Addiction

Many teens are prescribed the drug for ADHD in childhood but do not get their prescription altered as they grow older and their body chemistry changes, turning the once sedating effects of the drug into the stimulating effects experienced by adults. Many in high school and college seek out drugs like Adderall and Ritalin in an effort to improve their performance on standardized tests, school projects and other activities. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), almost five percent of 8^th graders, seven percent of 10^th graders, and seven percent of high school seniors reported abusing stimulant medications in the past year.

How Stimulant Drugs Affect the Brain

The chemical structure of stimulant drugs is similar to the structure of a number of different neurotransmitters that produce chemicals like dopamine in the brain. They, like the neurotransmitters, trigger the release of dopamine and norepinephrine or “happy chemicals” that create a high. When taken in therapeutic doses, stimulant drugs have this effect in a slow and controlled pattern. When abused, large amounts of these chemicals are released, causing the patient to get high. When the patient abuses stimulant drugs repeatedly, he or she can permanently alter the natural production of these chemicals in the brain, making it more difficult to feel happy without taking the drugs.

Stimulant Drug Addiction Treatment

Addiction to stimulant medications is a treatable issue, but it can take time and perseverance on the part of the patient as well as the utilization of a number of long-term addiction treatment services. If you would like to learn more about your options in stimulant addiction treatment, contact us today to locate one of the top rehabs in the country that can assist you in starting your own journey to a naturally happy and healthy life.

Prescription drug addiction is an epidemic in the United States and one of the most quickly growing health problems in the country and around the world. Along with the increase in prescription drug addicts, studies have shown a similar but smaller increase among heroin addicts. Is there a connection between these statistical increases? And if so, what?

How Prescription Drug Addiction Starts

Prescription drug addiction most often starts with a prescription – either for you or for someone in your family. There are a number of different scenarios in which a legitimate prescription received from a doctor for a legitimate illness can turn into a deadly addiction. Here are a few.

• Short-term prescription for a prescription painkiller. Medications like Vicodin or Percocet are often prescribed after a surgery or injury. Unfortunately, they are often prescribed for too long a period or in too large a dose. Patients who take the medication for a month when they only need it for a week can end up with an addiction when the pills run out.
• Leftover pills. If you or someone you care about is given a prescription as defined above and someone else in the house gets a hold of the medication and takes it recreationally, the results can be disastrous. Overdose and addiction are exceedingly common.
• Long-term prescription for anxiety. It’s not uncommon for patients with panic disorder or anxiety disorder to be given a prescription for an anti-anxiety medication like Xanax or Valium to be used “as needed.” Depending upon the frequency and intensity of the attack, the patient can choose to take the pills or not. Unfortunately, because the nature of a panic attack means high stress for the patient, their choice can often be twice as much of the drug as prescribed, leaving them with an empty bottle long before it’s time to refill and a dependence upon the medication.

The Link Between Prescription Drug Addiction and Heroin Addiction

Heroin, like prescription painkillers, is an opiate and provides many of the same effects. It also offers a form of escape, a high that allows the user to “zone out” and feel calm, much like anti-anxiety medications. Heroin is a lot cheaper than any prescription drug and, because it is illegal, it is in some ways more accessible than prescription medications. Many patients begin to buy heroin because it’s less hassle than trying to come up with new stories for why they need an early refill or find another doctor to duplicate their prescription. Plus, even with health insurance, heroin is often far less expensive than prescription drugs.

If you are interested in finding out more about prescription drug rehab or heroin rehab due to an addiction in your life or in your family, contact us today. Let us help.

In the cover story of a recent publication of the Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA), experts in the field of dentistry, pharmacy and addiction called awareness to the issue of painkiller abuse and addiction. In the article, the role dentists play in writing the prescriptions that often end in abuse and can lead to a full-blown addiction was called into question.

One of the authors, George Kenna, an assistant professor at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, points out that most dentists aren’t even aware there is a skyrocketing problem of addiction to opioid painkillers such as hyrocodone and oxycodone.

Dentists are third in the medical field for number of opioid prescriptions written each year. However, according to the article, many dentists are not educated in a number of factors contributing to the rise in painkiller abuse. Dentists and any medical professionals prescribing these highly addictive medications should know the following information:

• The suitable dose to reduce their patient’s pain
• Know how many doses are really needed to get the job of pain reduction done
• Learn what patients are doing when they have leftover pills
• Understand unused prescription painkillers in the home are one of the main ways teens are initiated into abusing them

Dentists Can Play a Part in the Solution to the Painkiller Addiction Problem

The article makes the point that dentists and other healthcare professionals are an unexploited source in the war on drugs. It encourages healthcare providers to seek more education in the area of addiction to pharmaceuticals, which is not a topic currently that receives much attention during medical school. So, until that changes, it is a subject healthcare professionals must seek out on their own.

Ideas for Reducing Addiction to Prescription Painkillers

Because 70 percent of individuals who abused painkillers got them from the medicine cabinet of family or friends, leftover painkiller prescriptions are a large source of potential addiction. The JADA cover story put forth many suggestions for dentists to solve this problem including:

• Putting prescription pads under lock and key
• Creation and or improvement of prescription drug databases to monitor patient’s medication history
• Counsel patients to get rid of extra prescription painkillers
• Use caution when prescribing painkillers to any patient on the first visit, especially if they assert their prescription was lost for an addictive medication
• Discuss whether a patient needs a prescription for their pain
• Write scripts for small amounts with a limited ability to refill it

If you know someone who has become addicted to prescription painkillers, they are not alone. Contact us today and we can connect them with rehabilitation treatment programs experienced in recovery from prescription painkillers. The road to sobriety is a phone call away.

There are a lot of opinions about whether or not those who are under the influence of drugs should be prosecuted for their crimes like any other accountable citizen. On both sides of the issue, there are some very opinionated people arguing valid points. Which way do you lean?

Pro: Crack Addicts Should Be Prosecuted for Murder

On the pro side are those who believe that if the individual chose to, for example, smoke crack, then they are responsible for their actions while under the influence. Whether they were under the influence or not, people on this side of the issue believe that addicts and non-addicts alike should be tried equally for the same charges. Some reasons include:

• No special treatment. Addiction starts with a choice to abuse drugs. Why should someone who has already been breaking the law by buying illegal substances be allowed to get away with breaking the law further under the influence?
• Encourages false claims. If consideration was given for committing murder while under the influence, it might encourage others to either use drugs with the intent to commit crimes in hope of a lighter sentence or to claim an ongoing drug addiction for the purposes of court.
• It’s disrespectful to the victims. Basically, those who believe crack addicts should be prosecuted for murder believe that to do anything else would be disrespectful to the victims and their families.

Against: Crack Addictions Should Not Be Prosecuted for Murder

On the opposite side of the fence are those who say that crack addiction – or any drug addiction – is a disease and that those who are controlled by it are not in control of themselves. Just like there are those who plead insanity saying that their crimes were a result of their illness, some believe that those who commit murder spontaneously while under the influence of crack are similarly debilitated. The hope is that:

• Treatment will be received. If the person on trial receives treatment for crack addiction, then he or she will receive rehabilitation help that will assist them in making better choices in the future.
• Fewer death sentences. The penalty for murder in many states is death – unless a debilitating disorder is an issue for the perpetrator. Proponents hope that rehabilitation will save a life rather than allowing a crack addiction to take two lives – the life of the victim as well as the life of the addict.
• Increased awareness. If drug addiction is widely understood to be a brain disease and mental health issue, then increased awareness and increased services may be made available. The more options for help, the less likely that others will fall victim to the disease in the future.

What Do You Think?

Should addiction be taken into consideration for the perpetration of violent crimes like murder? Leave us a comment and let us know your thoughts.

Prescription painkillers are opiate drugs and there are multiple ways to address the withdrawal symptoms that accompany painkiller detox. Outpatient medicated painkiller detox utilizes cutting-edge drugs approved by the FDA for the treatment of opiate detox. Inpatient medicated painkiller detox may or may not use these meds. They may instead use other non-addictive medications for the treatment of withdrawal symptoms associated with quitting a chronic addiction to an opiate medication while providing you medical monitoring and holistic methods to help you more quickly shed yourself of the physical dependence upon prescription drugs like OxyContin, Vicodin, Percocet and others.

Outpatient Medicated Painkiller Detox

The drugs buprenorphine and methadone have both been approved by the FDA for the treatment of painkiller addiction. Both heavily regulated by the federal government, patients will need to follow a certain set of rules in order to get and keep their prescription for the drug that is best suited to their needs for the duration of their detox.

If you opt for an outpatient medicated painkiller detox, it is important that you augment the detox program with an addiction treatment program that addresses the psychological dependence on opiates that characterizes your addiction. Without it, it won’t be long until most patients relapse and ultimately need yet another medicated outpatient painkiller detox program.

Inpatient Medicated Painkiller Detox

An inpatient medicated painkiller detox may not take advantage of buprenorphine or methadone, but may instead help you through detox with non-addictive medications designed to address the specific symptoms you experience during withdrawal. For example, if you are vomiting excessively, you may be given a medication to combat severe nausea. If you are unable to sleep, you may be prescribed a non-addictive medication to help you get your rest during detox. Headaches, bone and muscle pain, sweating, shaking, muscle twitches – not all of these can be medicated, but there are also holistic measures you can take (e.g., saunas, hot tubs, hot packs, walks, lots of water, gentle exercises, rest, etc.) that can help you move through the discomfort associated with these symptoms more quickly and effectively.

Which Type of Painkiller Detox Is Right for You?

Which type of painkiller detox will work best for you? Depending upon your drug of choice, the dose you are at when you go through detox, and the symptoms of other psychological issues that may be a problem, a certain type of painkiller detox may be a better choice for you. Contact us today to discuss your options and get connected to a painkiller rehab that can help you start the healing process.

It happens all the time: those heavily involved with drugs and living a life of addiction end up in the wrong place at the wrong time and get hurt or killed as a result. One recent victim of addiction was scheduled to go to a recovery meeting the night he was fatally shot, according to his pastor. It’s his story and stories of others like him that serve as a reminder to those in recovery: sometimes just showing up to your recovery is enough to save your life.

What It Means to Show Up for Your Recovery

It’s impossible to see the future, and there’s no way to know when a simple decision can ultimately put you in harm’s way due to the negligence or poor decisions of others. However, when those in recovery opt to skip therapeutic meetings and other appointments that could serve to further their recovery in pursuit of activities that are related to drugs or are dangerous, the stark contrast between the two decisions are, at the very least, highly symbolic. Choosing to go to a 12-step meeting, to see a therapist or go to group therapy instead of meeting friends when you know they will be under the influence or head to a bad neighborhood where you know there are drugs is paramount to saying “I choose to stay sober today.”

Planning Your Recovery: Which Services Are Right for You?

Creating your own treatment plan for the months after drug rehab can actually start while you are still in treatment. Meet with your counselor before you head home and ask for help finding treatments, classes and groups in your community that are similar to the ones you felt most drawn to during rehab. If you’ve already left drug rehab and are currently in recovery, discuss the issue with your personal therapist and ask about nearby resources that you can incorporate into your weekly schedule that will help you stay on track. Here are some options:

• 12-step meetings
• Personal therapy
• Group therapy
• Yoga
• Acupuncture
• Massage and bodywork
• Nutritional counseling
• Personal training

Balancing Recovery With the Rest of Your Life

As you move further and further into your new drug-free life, your schedule will start to fill up. It will be more and more difficult to prioritize your recovery. Don’t lose sight of the goal! Remember that everything you have now is because you went through rehab and worked hard in early recovery to stay clean and sober. Keep showing up!

Prescription drug overdoses and deaths caused by chronic prescription drug addiction are increasingly more common in the United States and, along with those numbers, the number of babies being born to women who are living with an active prescription drug addiction is on the increase as well. Whether the child is born addicted or stillborn due to the mother’s addiction, it’s a serious problem that many medical professionals and authorities are concerned about.

Prescription Drug Addiction and Florida

Florida especially is noticing a much higher rate of prescription drug addiction, prescription drug overdose, and babies born to addicted mothers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that deaths due to prescription overdose have increased by 265 percent since 2003. In 2010, Florida’s state health records report that about 1,400 babies were born addicted to prescription drugs, four times as many as recorded in 2003. Though the specific medications that the babies are addicted to are not recorded, most medical professionals agree that the cause is likely the increased number of women who are addicted to prescription medications, either in the treatment of chronic pain, anxiety or opiate addiction (in the case of methadone-addicted babies).

Mary Osuch is the head nurse at Broward General Medical Center’s neonatal intensive care unit. She says: “They go through withdrawal symptoms. They’re crampy, miserable. They sweat. They can have rapid breathing. Sometimes, they can even have seizures.”

Though crack-addicted babies were once the most common in Florida neonatal units, in 2009, the numbers began to shift and prescription drug addiction issues among babies became a larger issue than crack.

Why the Increase in Babies Born to Mothers Addicted to Prescription Drugs?

There are a number of reasons why there are more and more mothers giving birth to drug-addicted babies, but some of the most common include a lack of education about the effect  of prescription medications on an unborn fetus and fear of losing their child if they tell authorities that they are living with an active prescription drug addiction. Some women are genuinely unaware that their medication can hurt their baby. Others are embarrassed or worried that it will cause them and their child more problems to admit they need help.

Pregnancy and Prescription Drug Addiction

If you or someone you care about is pregnant and living with drug addiction, help is available. Contact us today to find a prescription drug rehab that will be able to give you the addiction treatment you need to heal.

In the ongoing search for preventative measures and pharmacological help fighting drug addiction, there has been a potential breakthrough: The Scripps Research Institute may have discovered a vaccine that will help them fight heroin addiction. Specifically, the new drug is a vaccination against the high provided by heroin and may benefit heroin addicts as they go through the process of learning how to fight cravings and temptation to relapse naturally.

How Does the New Heroin Addiction Vaccine Work?

According to the new study forthcoming in the American Chemical Society’s Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, the vaccine produces antibodies that stop heroin and other psychoactive drugs from reaching the brain, thereby eradicating the high the substance creates when it binds to receptors in the brain.

Dr. Kim D. Janda is the principal investigator on the study. He says: “In my 25 years of making drug-of-abuse vaccines, I haven’t seen such a strong immune response as I have with what we term a dynamic anti-heroin vaccine. It is just extremely effective. The hope is that such a protective vaccine will be an effective therapeutic option for those trying to break their addiction to heroin.

George F. Koob is chair of the Scripps Research Committee on the Neurobiology of Addictive Disorders and a co-author of the new study. He concurs with Janda: “We saw a very robust and specific response from this heroin vaccine. I think a humanized version could be of real help to those who need and want it.”

How the New Heroin Addiction Vaccine Can Be Incorporated Into Treatment

Currently, heroin rehab focuses first on the stabilization of the patient during heroin detox as they stop abusing the drug. Medications like buprenorphine and methadone have been used during this process to help mitigate the withdrawal symptoms associated with heroin. Once stable, recovering addicts can begin to “step down” their dose of these medications as they learn natural ways to fight the urge to get high through psychological addiction treatment, 12-steps help, alternative therapies and more.

The new heroin addiction vaccine could potentially bolster the addiction treatment methods already in place by serving as a deterrent to heroin relapse. If the patient is aware that any efforts expended to get high on heroin will essentially be fruitless due to the action of the vaccine, they may be better equipped to avoid relapse. Similar to the effects of the “blocking dose” of methadone, the vaccine could put patients in a better psychological mindset to avoid seeing relapse as an option and focus instead on the work of recovery.

What Do You Think?

If you are in recovery, would you take advantage of the new heroin vaccine? Do you think it will work in practice? Or are you skeptical about the benefits of vaccination use during addiction treatment?

Cocaine has a reputation as being the party drug that defined the 1970s and 1980s, especially here in the United States. The stimulant, “feel good” effects of the drug made it easy for users to stay up later, party longer and be more social at the same time. Over time, though, cocaine became one of the main foci in the War on Drugs. Educators began to fight cocaine addiction through preventative education in the school. They held seminars that showed the effects of the drug on the brain and on the body, or brought in speakers to talk about how they lost someone young to cardiac arrest caused by cocaine overdose or how they barely survived an accident caused by the drug. Slowly, new drugs began to arrive on the scene – drugs like crystal meth that are cheaper and stronger but offer the same stimulant effect as cocaine.

Does this mean that cocaine addiction has been replaced with crystal meth addiction?

Why Crystal Meth Addiction Has Risen in Popularity

Cocaine comes from the coca plant, generally grown in South America and processed there into “bricks” that are then transported by boat, plane, courier or mail into the United States. Just getting the drug to the United States can take a great deal of time, energy and money so cocaine is a very expensive commodity, costing cocaine addicts in the US a large sum of money for a small amount of cocaine.

Not so with crystal meth. In fact, meth labs are often found in rural homes, traveling campers and apartment buildings all over the United States. Because the drug is made close to the distribution point using chemicals that are commonly found in any household and drugstore, it’s a lot easier to produce and a lot less expensive for both the manufacturer and buyer.

Cocaine Addiction Is Still a Problem for Higher Income Addicts

The difference in price and easy accessibility has increased crystal meth’s popularity and decreased the popularity of cocaine addicts – among a certain population. Those with large amounts of disposable income may still buy and become addicted to cocaine. In fact, businessmen and other professionals may even utilize the drug to increase their performance at work or their sociability at work functions.

If cocaine addiction or crystal meth addiction is a problem for you or someone you love, contact us today to find out more about how different types of cocaine rehab or crystal meth rehab can help you get your life on track. Call now.

Artie Lange, comic and sidekick on Howard Stern’s radio show since 2001, survived a suicide attempt via drug overdose last year and ultimately entered drug addiction treatment to deal with the many issues that led up to the incident. He’s completed his treatment now and is more than ready for another shot at Stern’s show.

Says Lange: “That would be the greatest thing ever. I was on the greatest show of all time for nine years but I put them in a very awkward situation to say the least. But I love all of them.”

Drug Overdose and Drug Addiction

It’s not uncommon for a drug overdose to result when chronic drug addiction is an issue. In most cases, it is accidental. Many wrongly assume that those new to abusing drugs are more likely to overdose than those who have been living with an addiction for years – this is not true. Though newbies to drug abuse can take too much and overdose as a result, many more overdoses occur when:

• Users mix narcotics or prescription benzodiazepines with alcohol and other drugs.
• Users take their “usual” dose of their drug of choice after a period of abstinence, not realizing that their tolerance has changed since their last use.
• Long-term users often exhibit body chemistry that varies significantly from day to day, causing yesterday’s “normal” dose to turn into today’s overdose.
• Users inadvertently take their next dose of prescription drugs or other narcotics too quickly after their last dose.

Drug Overdose and Suicide

More than half of those in drug rehab seeking treatment for drug addiction are also diagnosed with a co-occurring psychological disorder like depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, eating disorders and more. When these kinds of issues are present with addiction, it can make addiction issues so much worse and increase the chances of overdose. When patients can’t successfully use recreational drugs to escape the symptoms or feelings related to their psychological disorder, they often take more and more and more of their drug of choice in search of the relief they’re looking for. In some cases, the resulting overdose is accidental. In others, patients use drugs as a way out of dealing with the issues related to their mental illness.

If you or someone you care about has exhibited a dangerous abuse of drugs in the past or has narrowly escaped a drug overdose and you are concerned about the threat of suicide, don’t wait to get help. Contact us today to find a program that can help you or your loved one avoid drug overdose and find the healing they need.

Figuring out how to cover the cost of a high ticket item like crystal meth rehab can be so daunting that many patients who are fully aware that they or someone they love needs treatment will put off the process indefinitely. It can be tedious, but it doesn’t have to be tricky. Here is the easiest way to find the funds you need to pay for crystal meth addiction treatment:

1. Contact your state board of insurance. Most states require that health insurance providers offer a certain amount of coverage for drug and alcohol addiction treatment – everything from medical detox to psychotherapy to aftercare. How much and which procedures and the amount of coverage provided will vary from state to state so start by knowing how much you are entitled to.
2. Contact your health insurance company. If you have health insurance, contact them directly and have someone go over your policy with you so there is no misunderstanding about what coverage you have purchased. In some cases, it will be more than the state minimum, but if your state has updated their requirements since you purchased your health insurance plan, you may be entitled to more, so make sure to compare your plan to the state board’s requirements and ask questions.
3. Talk to your family. Crystal meth rehab is a significant medical expense and even with the assistance of health insurance, you will likely still need to come up with some funds to cover the remainder of the cost. In some cases, your immediate family may have some savings or investments that can be tapped for this purpose. In other cases, extended family members may be able to assist by providing a loan.
4. Talk to an accountant. Depending upon your financial situation, it may not be advisable to liquidate emergency funds or retirement funds for the purpose of paying for crystal meth rehab. The losses caused by early withdrawal penalties or lost interest may outweigh the benefits. An accountant can help you go over your financial situation and help you to decide how best to pay for crystal meth addiction treatment.
5. Consider financing. Financing options are often available to help you cover the cost. Unsecured loans, secured loans, no interest loans, low interest loans – it depends upon your financial circumstance, but in most cases, the money can be available within days and with a repayment period in place that is feasible for your budget.

If you would like to find a crystal meth rehab that will be able to work with your financial situation, contact us today. We can link you to an addiction treatment program that will work with your insurance and/or offer financing options to get you started on the road to recovery. Call now.

One of Britney Spears’ old bodyguards, Fernando Flores, has a lot to say about his experience while working for the pop star. He’s accused of her of trying to force him into bed, of disregard for personal hygiene, and of drug abuse. Court documents have been filed by Flores that state, among other things that:

“Based on his former experience as a police officer, Plaintiff (Flores) is informed and believes and alleged thereon that Defendant Spears was often under the influence of illegal prescription and non-prescription drugs, such as Ritalin, Narcon (Naloxone) and methamphetamines.”

Flores is hoping to get $10 million for psychological damages incurred during his period of employment between February and July of 2010. For Spears’ part, she denies the allegations and has had her people file motions in response. She told TMZ: “He’s a liar.”

When It’s Not True: Handling Accusations of Drug Abuse When You’re Staying Clean and Sober

It’s not uncommon for those who are in drug addiction recovery to be accuse of abusing drugs – whether or not there is any proof. Some people just assume that it’s impossible for you to get clean and sober. Others honestly believe that erratic choices on your part or sudden changes are due to drug abuse. Still others may have more malicious intentions. No matter what the reason, if you are not abusing drugs and alcohol but are still dealing with the mistrust of others, do nothing. Simply stay the course. No need to get mad, make accusations back or cause a scene. The best thing you can do is to continue doing what you’re doing, stay focused on your recovery, agree to any drug tests, and don’t allow anyone or anything to throw you off track.

When It Is True: Dealing With Drug Abuse Accusations That Are Correct

Drug addiction is a chronic disease characterized by relapses and slips. Though your goal should be to avoid them at all costs, when they do happen, it’s important that you get back to your treatment plan as soon as possible. In some cases, people will find out – whether or not you tell them. When this happens and rumors start to circulate or people blow things out of proportion and believe that you are back to an active addiction, don’t bother to lie. Admit that you slipped, make it clear that you made a mistake, and if people are doubtful that you are refocused on your recovery, all you can do is renew your energy in your treatment plan, maybe add a new treatment or therapy to your schedule, and keep forging ahead.

Whether or not you slip, you always have the opportunity to get your head back in the game and recommit to your recovery goals – no matter what anyone else says.

A prescription drug addiction intervention is one of the most effective ways to encourage a family member who is living with an OxyContin addiction, Percocet addiction, Valium addiction or addiction to other drugs to get the drug rehab help necessary to create change in their lives. By sitting down with others who are concerned for your loved one, you increase the chances that your addicted family member will hear what everyone has to say, recognize that he or she has a serious addiction, and that prescription drug rehab is the next best choice.

Prescription Drug Addiction Intervention: When’s the Right Time?

The sooner your loved one gets the help he or she needs to fight prescription drug addiction, the better. Every day someone you care about continues in addiction is a day that he or she risks death by overdose or accident. Unfortunately, most who are struggling with addiction don’t want to hear that they need help. Sometimes, it can help you to increase the chances of success (a “successful” intervention is one that results in your loved one agreeing to go to treatment) if you opt to hold an intervention after a significant event, such as an overdose, a near overdose, an extreme illness due to withdrawal symptoms when your loved one ran out of the drug, an accident caused by negligence under the influence, the death of a loved one, or the overdose of someone else. The recent serious event can point out more effectively than any words just how deadly prescription drug addiction can be.

Another note about timing for prescription drug addiction interventions: hold them when your loved one has a clear head and is not under the influence of his or her medication. This may mean that you and other participants have to wait a few hours until he or she is no longer high, but it’s necessary in order for your family member to be able to listen and participate.

Prescription Drug Addiction Intervention: Do You Need Help?

Not everyone feels comfortable with planning and staging an intervention. You may feel that you just don’t have time to plan it properly and learn everything that you need to do. Or you may feel too emotionally close to the situation and too invested in the outcome to remain objective. Either way, if you feel unprepared, you can hire a professional interventionist to come to you, plan the intervention, run it, and then escort your family member to drug rehab.

Would you like more information? Contact us today to find out more.

The other day we talked about some of the topics of discussion that are big in the world of drug abuse treatment these days: whether or not drug addiction should be classified as a medical illness or a spiritual issue, the benefits of traditional treatment as opposed to experimental treatment, and whether or not the effects of drugs on the brain should be addressed during treatment.

Here are a few more top arguments that are causing a stir among medical professionals. What do you think?

• Is addiction only about drugs and alcohol? Some in the addiction treatment community believe that the term “addiction” is applicable only to those who struggle with the abuse of substances like heroin, cocaine, alcohol, prescription drugs, etc. Others say that it’s possible to be addicted to other things like gambling, sex and love – and that those things are also treatable at a rehab center through psychological care and, in some cases, medication. What do you think?
• Pharmacological help methods: good or bad? A great deal of the new research on drug and alcohol abuse and addiction is dedicated to testing medications that are meant to either serve as vaccines against the development of addiction or medications to treat the cravings and withdrawal symptoms that occur during detox and addiction treatment. Many think this is a great way to spend time and money while others think it is a waste. There is no pill that can magically fix drug addiction because no pill can provide the psychotherapy necessary to work through the psychological issues that cause and compel escape through drug addiction. There are drug rehabs that rely heavily on medication, some that provide only medical detox and still others that refuse to prescribe any sort of medication, saying it only adds more toxins to the body for no good reason. What do you think?
• Legal repercussions for drug abuse and addiction – are they necessary? Abusing drugs, possessing drugs and selling drugs are all illegal in the United States. Those who get caught breaking these laws generally face a hefty sentence and fines. Some agree with this consequence while others believe that it’s pointless to waste time and money on incarceration when the cause of the behavior is a medical illness and drug addiction treatment would be far more helpful in curbing future behaviors. Some say the system should stay as is while others say that drug rehab should be the “sentence” when the “crime” is drug-related. What do you think?

The study of addiction treatment at universities is rapidly developing into a specialty at many top medical schools. While more research can only lead to a better understanding of the subject of drug and alcohol addiction, it also means that there will be a number of arguments under heated debate over the coming years. Here are some arguments that are affecting drug addiction treatment now as well as a few that may be appearing as more research develops:

• Medical disease or spiritual ailment? There is still an ongoing debate about whether or not drug and alcohol addiction can be more accurately classified as a medical illness that requires medical treatment or a spiritual deficiency that requires willpower to defeat. Most drug rehabs hedge their bets by offering therapies and treatments that address both issues, while some focus on either one or the other. Addicts seeking recovery right now who are unsure as to what kind of treatment they would prefer will find that their best option is a holistic drug rehab, offering traditional treatments that feature spirituality as a guide as well as a range of other therapies that address psychological, mental and physical issues as well.
• Traditional care or experimental treatment? Another issue that seems to divide the substance abuse treatment community is whether or not the traditional 12-step approach is the most effective way to go (i.e., patients are expected to “work” the steps and adopt a certain view of addiction and their relationship to it) or if experimental, new therapies that are tailored to the patient’s personal experience and needs are more effective.
• How exactly does drug addiction affect the brain – and does it matter? Another common discussion among substance abuse treatment specialists is whether or not the changes that occur in the brain due to chronic drug addiction should be addressed medically during treatment. Research shows that changes in the brain caused by drug addiction are apparent on brain scans, and some epidemiological studies support the idea that there are differences in perception and craving control after regular abuse of an addictive drug. But should this be addressed through medication or some other form of treatment during drug rehab? The votes are mixed.

If you or someone you care about is living with drug addiction, it is still clear that treatment at a drug rehab facility that offers medical as well as psychological care is the best choice. Contact us today to find out more about your choices in drug addiction treatment and choose a drug rehab that will work for you.

More than a decade ago, Portugal’s government decided to decriminalize drug addiction and possession. No longer would those buying illicit drugs be put under arrest and sent to jail for their addictions. Instead, when caught doing something drug-related, those who weren’t dealing drugs would get the treatment they need instead of prison time. According to the latest research and reports, that decision is really working – both for Portugal’s government and her residents, including those formerly living with an active addiction.

Joao Goulao is the president of the Institute of Drugs and Drugs Addiction. He says: “There is no doubt that the phenomenon of addiction is in decline in Portugal.”

The numbers tell the story best. In the early 1990s when the laws first changed, it was estimated that about 100,000 people in Portugal were living with an active drug addiction to “hard” drugs. That number has decreased by about half over the last 10 years since the decriminalization of drug addiction, according to Goulao.

But drug addiction treatment and its efficacy deserve just as much, if not more, credit for the incredible drop in active intravenous drug user and addicts in Portugal.

Says Goulao: “This development cannot only be attributed to decriminalization but to a confluence of treatment and risk reduction policies.”

To be clear, drug use and abuse are not legal in Portugal. The penalty has changed by law, however, and those caught owning or using certain banned substances will stand in front an addiction panel group to receive treatment and care if necessary rather than stand before a judge in criminal court. Each case is determined based on the patient and their history with the law and with drugs.

The hope is that improvement will continue and other countries will take note. In the United States, many states and/or cities have implemented Drug Court to manage the cases of those who get caught doing non-violent offenses that are in some way related to an ongoing drug addiction that requires treatment. These programs, too, have proved successful, helping many patients to get the help they need at a drug rehab center and avoid returning to the courtroom.

If you are looking for a drug addiction treatment program that can help you fight drug addiction or alcoholism before you find yourself facing criminal charges, contact us today. We can match you with one of the top drug rehab programs in the country. It just takes one phone call.

“I use marijuana to relax after work.”

“I use marijuana to calm down when I’m stressed out.”

“I use marijuana when I’m hanging out with my friends.”

“I use marijuana as a baseline – morning, noon and night.”

Learning how to relax after marijuana addiction is often one of the hardest things for many former addicts to do. Whether the drug is used primarily as a stress reliever, to self-medicate extreme emotions or becomes a habit throughout the day, one of the biggest struggles that many patients experience during marijuana rehab

is learning how to restructure their time and learn how to have fun or handle things without the “assistance” of marijuana.

Learning How to De-Stress Without Marijuana Abuse

Instead of opening a beer and lighting a joint after work or when stress hits, those in recovery must learn how to find other, more positive stress relievers after marijuana rehab. This can be different for everyone, and it’s important to experiment until you find something that works for you reliably. If you find that one option was calming at first but then stopped working for some reason, try something new. If you’re at a loss for possible solutions to the stress and relaxation issue after marijuana addiction, here are a few options:

• Call clean and sober friends.
• Watch a movie.
• Take a yoga class.
• Take a walk or find new hiking trails nearby.
• Go for a drive or bike ride.
• Read.
• Walk the dog.
• Take up a new hobby that is relaxing, such as gardening, painting or photography.

Learning How to Have Fun Without Marijuana Abuse

Just like you’ll need to experiment to come up with new ways to relax or deal with stress after marijuana drug rehab, so too will you need to spend some time coming up with new hobbies. If you liked movies, music, concerts and other forms of entertainment during marijuana addiction, there’s no reason why you would not still enjoy these things. If you find, however, that these activities no longer hold your interest without marijuana, try out new things – anything – until you find something that you like.

Learning How to Handle Day-to-Day Tedium Without Marijuana Abuse

After marijuana rehab, many former addicts learn just how productive they can be when they aren’t hindered by marijuana. When the haze clears, they find new energy, they can breathe easier, they don’t eat as many carbohydrates, and they have a new sense of motivation and focus. Others feel overwhelmed with boredom and feel that they still need marijuana in order to endure the tedium that comes with daily work and home tasks. If that describes you, take initiative. Find work that is more interesting. Enroll in a school program. Decide what you want your life to be and take steps to make it happen.

Using crystal meth during sex is a popular reason that many patients begin abusing the drug – and one of the bigger reasons that some continue to abuse it and end up developing an addiction as a result. In recovery, it’s natural for these patients to feel concern about their sex lives, especially if it was a big part of their focus during crystal meth addiction. What if sex won’t be as interesting or satisfying as it was before? How do you handle that part of your life and how do you fill your time when your major focus during addiction was sexual in nature?

How Crystal Meth Abuse and Addiction Affects Sex

Crystal meth stimulates the “pleasure center” in the brain, stimulating the release of chemicals like dopamine, a neurotransmitter. It can increase the pleasure experienced while doing any activity – especially sex, an activity that stimulates the same area of the brain.

Dr. Steven Lee is a psychiatrist and the author of a book on crystal meth addiction and recovery called Overcoming Crystal Meth Addiction. Dr. Lee says: “What happens with crystal and the dopamine is that one particular aspect of sex gets very exaggerated, which is the aggressive, sort of animalistic kind of sex.”

While the drug increases the sex drive and can, accordingly, create a more overwhelming experience in terms of the senses, it also changes the connection to your partner. Many patients report experiencing a great deal of enjoyment while having sex under the influence of crystal meth at first– but zero connection with their partner. Over time, they even lose the pleasurable aspect of sex altogether if they don’t seek treatment for crystal meth addiction – the act becomes nothing more than rote and routine with no real joy or pleasure.

How Crystal Meth Abuse and Addiction Affects Love

It’s difficult for those living with crystal meth addiction to experience love and intimacy in connection with their drug-influenced sexual exploits because though it stimulates dopamine, an aggressive chemical, it does nothing for the stimulation of serotonin, a chemical that increases bonding and closeness and is often naturally released during sexual experiences not performed under the influence of crystal meth.

Says Dr. Lee: “Dopamine is the aggressive brain chemical and serotonin is the intimacy chemical, so all of that sensual experience really gets drowned out with the crystal.”

After crystal meth addiction, patients have the opportunity to explore deeper connections in their relationships, with or without sex, and gain more fulfillment from their involvements – fulfillment that lasts beyond the bedroom and improves a healthy, balanced relationship with another person. Redefining your relationship with sex after you’ve redefined your relationship with crystal meth is an incredible opportunity to open up a whole new chapter in your life and a whole new depth of experience in the bedroom.

Dr. Oz tackles a number of health problems on his show, and on a recent episode, he tackled prescription drug addiction and focused on one town where the problem is especially rampant – Portsmouth, Ohio.

According to the show, Ohio has a prescription drug problem that is one of the highest in the country with reported addictions to OxyContin and hydrocodone at five times the US average. Though the number of prescription drug addicts is high in this little town, so too is the national average. According to a DEA special agent interviewed on the show, the number of people who die due to prescription drug overdose is often higher than the number of people who die in car accidents in some states.

How Prescription Drug Addiction Starts… and Continues

Where are people getting the pills to feed this rapidly growing epidemic? Few buy their prescription drugs on the street. Most get them from doctors or from walk-in clinics or pain clinics that specialize in nothing but prescribing pain relievers to those who come in claiming to have pain. Real or phantom, the report of this pain is not always verified before the patient receives a prescription. The doctor may or may not check the database to find out whether or not the patient already has an active prescription with another doctor in the state – if such a database exists.

Risks of Continued Prescription Drug Addiction

If painkillers are the prescription of choice, then the patient runs the risk of being unable to create natural pain relievers. Over time, the body adjusts to the initial dosage of the painkiller and requires more of the drug in order to fight pain. In time, this amount is no longer enough either and more of the same drug or other drugs are needed. This physical dependence can quickly lead to a psychological dependence as well and when that happens, everything in life falls to the wayside as the patient focuses on prescription drug addiction and nothing else.

When this happens, there’s no telling what will follow. Risks of continued prescription drug addiction include:

• Drug overdose
• Lethal accident
• Neglect of children
• Violence at home
• Divorce
• Bankruptcy and/or foreclosure
• Lost jobs
• Destroyed reputation
• Chronic health problems

Fighting Prescription Drug Addiction

If you or someone you care about is living with a prescription drug addiction, don’t wait to get the necessary help to heal. Contact us today to be matched with one of the top rehabs in the country. Call now.

One of the many reasons that patient report that they were attracted to cocaine and ultimately developed an addiction is because they enjoyed the “assistance” it gave them, allowing them to stay up later, play harder and drink more. After cocaine rehab, this issue of stamina and energy becomes a problem in recovery. How do you continue to play as hard as you did during addiction when you are no longer abusing drugs and alcohol like cocaine?

Is It Possible to Play as Hard During Recovery as You Did During Cocaine Addiction?

It depends. There are energy drinks and caffeinated beverages like coffee and soda that can give short bursts of energy – but they’re usually followed by a significant crash and are nothing to depend on. Drink too much of these drinks and your body will develop a tolerance to the active ingredients, requiring that you drink more and more of them to experience a lesser result.

For more natural stamina and sustained energy, you can adjust your nutrition intake and exercise output. The more working out you do, the more fit you’ll be and the better equipped to play as hard as you like. You may find, however, that the more involved you become with a regular workout regimen and eating well, the more your “playing” will turn to fun activities like organized sports, outdoor activities and more.

New Ways to Play During Cocaine Addiction Recovery

You may find that your idea of what’s fun and what isn’t changes significantly in recovery. Many patients say that they try to go to parties and clubs where drugs and alcohol are present like they used to only to get a whole new view of the scene when they’re sober. When they begin to walk away from those events feeling empty rather than relaxed and enjoying themselves, it’s a crucial moment. What you do with this moment is important in recovery; those who can find a new way to play and enjoy themselves during recovery will have an easier time avoiding relapse. Those who are unable to move on and find new ways to entertain themselves will find it much more difficult to stick to their recovery goals post-cocaine addiction recovery.

How do you enjoy yourself now that partying and getting high on cocaine are not options? What did you change in your life so that you could find enjoyment in recovery? New interests? New friends? New goals? Leave a comment and let us know!

There is often a stigma attached to those who have received treatment at drug and alcohol rehab, and for those who are just coming out of treatment, it can be a big decision – to tell or not to tell. Many fear that if they tell, they will be denied opportunities or ostracized during a period when they already feel vulnerable and self-conscious. Many also fear that if they don’t tell, people will judge them when they find out or that they aren’t working an honest program and thus compromise their sobriety. What should you do?

Do You Have to Disclose Time Spent in Drug Rehab?

No. Drug and alcohol addictions are medical disorders and the treatment you received for that disorder is a private matter. Just like you don’t need to tell people if you have undergone surgery of any kind or that you take a heart medication, your medical history is your personal business and completely confidential. You are completely within your rights to keep that information to yourself.

What Are the Risks of Not Telling Someone About Drug Rehab?

In some cases, it can cause you problems if you don’t disclose your medical history. For example, if you are applying for a job in the medical field, they will likely need to know that you had an issue with drug addiction in the past because it could affect your ability to do your job. Hospitals and private doctors’ offices may also ask you to disclose this information when applying because they fear lawsuits. If you lie and you get the job, they may be able to fire you immediately with no other cause because you lied on your application.

If you choose not to tell a lover and your brief affair turns into a long-term relationship, when the details of your past come out later, it could cause serious issues with trust. Arguments and a potential breakup are no better for your recovery than getting fired just as you’re starting to make headway – all over a secret that shouldn’t be an embarrassment but a badge of honor that shows how dedicated you are to your own health and well-being.

The Freedom that Comes with Honesty, the Fear that Comes with Secrets

There are always going to be people who judge your for choices – whether it’s your hair color, your clothes, the way you talk, the things you say or the things you do – judgment is everywhere. When you are honest about who you are and where you’ve been and disclose personal stuff like drug history and drug rehab to appropriate people at appropriate times, you can stand tall. When you are honest, you are free, and when you keep secrets, you live in fear that you will be found out.

Which do you choose for yourself?

Exercise can be the key to kicking up your metabolism, increasing your mood and providing structure that helps you fight relapse during recovery. Eating the right foods will get you the nutrients you need for healthy organ function and a strong immune system, and exercise will help you process that food and keep everything moving in your body. If you’ve got a schedule that’s left wide open now that you’ve removed drug and alcohol abuse, then finding time to incorporate exercise into your day won’t be a problem. But if you’re hitting the 12-step meetings, going to therapy, attending alumni meetings, looking for work or working, going to school and/or taking care of kids, finding time to exercise can be a bit more difficult.

Before You Begin Exercising After Drug Addiction Treatment

A prior drug addiction is a risk factor in itself, but if you haven’t exercised in years, if your weight is higher than average or if you have co-occurring medical conditions, you should definitely speak to a doctor before you get started. Find out what your goal weight should be, get pointers on healthy eating and working out, find out your target heart rate and get the okay before you begin. He or she may let you know some warning signs to look out for

Start Small… Especially in Early Recovery

You don’t have to begin a heavy cardio and weight lifting schedule right out of the gate. In fact, it’s not recommended. If you don’t feel comfortable starting with a regular daily walk and working up from there, then make tiny changes to your regular habits. Here are just a few ways to get started incorporating exercise into your schedule:

• Bike or walk to the store or to see friends – anywhere that’s less than a mile away.
• Walk in place while watching TV. Try to do it for an entire 30-minute program, but if that’s too long, just do it during the commercial breaks or while the show is on.
• Park at the far end of the parking lot when shopping.
• Take the stairs instead of an elevator or escalator.
• Go online and find a free, short yoga video or stretching video that’s under 10 minutes. Do the first five minutes if you can’t complete the whole thing.

Before you know it, you’ll be increasing the amount of time that you spend walking or the intensity of the online or video workouts. When you feel ready, join a sports team that interests you, take a physical class, get an exercise buddy – anything to keep it interesting. Good physical health is key to balanced mental health and will make all the difference in your recovery.

During painkiller addiction, your focus is singular – get more pills at any cost, no matter who you hurt, including yourself. When you go through painkiller detox and addiction treatment, many struggle with filling their time in a positive way. Too much focus on yourself can lead to self-pity, depression, anger and frustration. A common suggestion in these cases is to turn your attention outward, toward those who need help and assistance. When you give to someone else, you not only feel better about yourself but you get to see how good your life is when compared to the misfortune of others.

Helping Others in Painkiller Addiction Recovery

Sometimes reaching goals like “helping others” is easier said than done. It isn’t always easy to find volunteer work that fits into your schedule. Not a lot of opportunities are obvious to those who are looking to get involved and it’s important that you find something – if you do choose volunteer work – that you enjoy or speaks to your interests in some way.

Helping others, though, does not necessarily have to mean volunteering a ton of hours to a charity or non-profit work. You can find benefits to your recovery in just reaching out and expressing interest in those around you. Here are a few simple things you can do to get started finding the peace that comes with helping others during painkiller recovery:

• Call a friend or family member when you don’t need anything.
  If you know that he or she is going through something in their lives, ask how it’s going for them. Ask about their family or their job or how they enjoyed their vacation. Just keep the conversation off you – it’s likely been about you a lot recently – and let them vent or share, as they like.
• Pay someone a genuine compliment.
  Whether or not it’s someone you know, you can change the course of someone’s day by telling them that you like their dress, their hair color or some other unique detail about them. When you put positivity out to others, it comes back to you.
• Take a moment to say “thank you” or “I’m sorry.”
  During the course of your addiction, you likely hurt those close to you or needed quite a bit of extra care and attention. In your recovery, consider a few of those times when someone you care about came through for you – or you didn’t come through for them – and let them know that you’re thankful for their support and that you’re sorry for hurting them.

How else can you add a little bit of attention to others into your daily life and find peace in your painkiller addiction recovery?

One of the biggest priorities in 12-step meetings and groups is anonymity. Privacy of attendants and confidentiality about what is said in meetings is extremely important to most who attend. There are a number of benefits that are provided to patients as a result, but a number of problems can arise if that anonymity and the expectation of anonymity are threatened. The question is this – is anonymity a necessity in recovery or is it a luxury?

Anonymity as a Necessity in 12-Step Treatment

A great number of patients who take part in 12-step programs before, during or after drug rehab would not do so if anonymity was not guaranteed. The promise that those in “the room” will keep your secrets – including the secret of your presence at the meeting – can make many feel safe enough to attend and to share their thoughts. Without that, many would forego participation in this valuable resource and more people would relapse in recovery.

Another benefit of anonymity is the freedom to speak your mind in any meeting. Saying what you feel no matter how angry, petty, depressing or inconsequential can allow you to vent frustrations in a positive manner before they build up and trigger a relapse. No one wants to think that those innermost private thoughts are going to be shared out in public, but a 12-step meeting is often thought of as a safe and secure environment full of understanding people who have not only been where you are but want to support you through the recovery process.

Anonymity as a Problem in 12-Step Treatment

The problem of anonymity arises in a number of different ways. For example, members of 12-step programs are not supposed to admit publicly that they go to meetings, or in some cases, even share their last names at meetings. This can make 12-step treatment feel like a shameful secret – and secrets that cause guilt or shame can cause problems for those in recovery. Additionally, it creates an isolation that is never recommended in recovery. How close can you be to those you attend meetings with and how comfortable can you feel sharing your innermost struggles when you aren’t even able to divulge your last name?

Another big issue is being able to admit that drug and/or alcohol addiction was a problem for you but that you have sought treatment at drug rehab and are following up that treatment responsibly by attending 12-step meetings. Not divulging attendance at 12-step programs can make potential employers, friends and others in the community weary of giving you a chance to prove yourself, especially if your addiction was well known before you attended drug rehab. Attendance at 12-step meetings should be a positive thing, not a secret, and many who are active members want to drop the anonymity issue altogether.

What Do You Think?

Is anonymity an important part of any 12-step program or should it be optional? For example, should some meetings uphold the anonymity of its members, should the rules remain unchanged or should it be dropped completely?

The United States isn’t the only country to crack down on the sharing and selling of drugs by making it a felony to give someone any drug if they end up overdosing and/or dying after using it. A recent case in Belfast found that Conor McVeigh was guilty of manslaughter when his friend, Gareth Douglas, died after McVeigh gave him a heroin injection. The penalty for the charge is five years.

This wasn’t the first time that McVeigh gave Douglas drugs. A week earlier, McVeigh smuggled marijuana into Douglas’ drug addiction treatment program. When he later gave Douglas a heroin injection that ultimately killed him, McVeigh did not fight the manslaughter charge in court. Instead, he admitted to smuggling both drugs into the facility.

In other cases, friends who gave others their prescription painkillers or supplied street drugs to those who ended up overdosing and dying as a result have been convicted of manslaughter as well. What makes this case a little bit different is that McVeigh didn’t just supply Douglas with heroin but actually injected the drug into his friend – Douglas was found dead the following morning. One of the biggest arguments against serious legal penalties like prison time for this kind of charge is the fact that the victim, as long as they are of age, made the choice to purchase or take the drug and ultimately to ingest it. In this case, Douglas did not take the drug himself; it was McVeigh who did the injecting, which makes him more culpable.

It is clear, however, from accounts of others who were present that Douglas was complicit in the act. Douglas apparently did not verbally request that McVeigh inject him with heroin but did hold his arm out to McVeigh in a nonverbal request that he inject him. Another person also present was injected with the same heroin solution by McVeigh at the same time. They went to lie down on couches in a nearby room. The other person woke up. Douglas did not.

A long history of criminal counts of drug possession and active drug use did not help McVeigh’s case, either. Though he initially pleaded not guilty, he ultimately changed his plea to guilty a week before the trial – both to manslaughter and to supplying the drugs. The judge noted that both McVeigh and Douglas were responsible for Douglas’ death because both took part and Douglas wanted the heroin as he was an active drug abuser. The sentence that McVeigh received came to five years total – four years for manslaughter and one year for supplying the drugs.

What do you think? Was it a good decision by the judge or is Douglas’ death solely his responsibility?

Ever since Charlie Sheen calmly stated on The Today Show that he had cured himself of his drug addiction by saying, “I closed my eyes and made it so with the power of my mind,” the question of whether or not it truly is possible to cure one’s own drug addiction without medical treatment has been a hot topic of discussion.

When taken in context with all the other bizarre statements made by the actor, the veracity of the statement is immediately called into question. Consider this – the same guy who professes to have “tiger blood” and to be “winning” despite getting fired and having to sell his home also claims to have cured his own drug addiction. But if the negative drug tests can be trusted, it does appear that he is no longer abusing drugs and alcohol. So what are we to believe?

The National Institute on Drug Abuse and Alcoholics Anonymous and most who provide substance abuse treatment agree that drug addiction is a disease and, as such, requires medical treatment. Someone who is truly addicted to drugs will have psychological cravings and a physical dependence – the physical dependence may or may not require treatment depending upon the drug of choice, but if the patient is to remain drug-free for any period of time, psychological addiction treatment is essential.

Drug addiction treatment is necessary because changes happen in the brain when the patient abuses drugs regularly and in large amounts. More and more of the drug is needed in order to achieve the sought after “high” and, as a result, patients risk overdose and permanent changes to cognitive function and neurotransmitter production. In some cases, patients are unable to feel happy or mitigate pain on their own after years of drug addiction. Others have become dependent on the drug to make them feel calm when they encounter stressful, irritating, depressing or upsetting situations. It’s important for these patients to get the psychological addiction treatment help they need to learn better and more effective coping skills that don’t include drugs and alcohol. Without learning how to deal with the changes that occurred in addiction, they will eventually relapse and likely fall back into their addictive behavior.

In short, no, it isn’t possible to truly cure oneself of drug addiction without the aid of medical and psychological treatment. While it is possible for some patients to stop using their drug of choice for a period of time, a true addict will eventually return to their addictive behavior without some form of support and treatment.

If you or someone you care about is living with drug and/or alcohol addiction, contact us today. We can help you find a treatment program that can speak to your drug history, secondary diagnoses, and medical and psychological issues. Call now.

Drug and alcohol addiction almost always means malnutrition of some kind. Whether it’s because the drug decreases the appetite or because the cost of the drug sucks up the food budget, few active drug and alcohol addicts get the nutrients they need through food. Dehydration is also a common issue. Without enough water, the body can’t properly process food and absorb the nutrients necessary to function. It becomes very important during drug and alcohol rehab for patients to get nutritional counseling and focus on eating the right foods as they undergo drug detox and addiction treatment.

How Alcohol Interferes with Nutrition During Addiction

Each drug behaves differently in the body and causes malnutrition and associated disorders in different ways. For example, alcohol generally makes up more than 50 percent of the calories ingested by alcoholics, and few who drink regularly eat enough of their calories to get the nutrients they need. Additionally, alcoholism impairs the liver and the pancreas, making it difficult for the body to process toxins out of the system and destroying these two organs. Alcohol also depletes the body’s stores of vitamins B, A and C, and without the right foods to replenish these essential nutrients, other health problems develop.

How Opiate Addiction Interferes with Nutrition

Those who are living with a heroin addiction, OxyContin addiction, Percocet addiction and addiction to other painkillers will experience an extreme slowdown in their gastrointestinal system. Many opiate-addicted patients have constipation during addiction and then diarrhea when they attempt to stop using their drug of choice during opiate detox. Any disturbance to the gastrointestinal system means that nutrients are not absorbed properly – even when the addicted patient eats properly, which is rare.

How Stimulant Addiction Interferes with Nutrition

Crack, cocaine, meth amphetamine and stimulant prescription medication all work to decrease the appetite. In fact, that’s a common reason for abuse – hope for weight loss. Unfortunately, not eating enough means not getting enough nutrients or calories for the body’s organ systems to function properly. Just like anorexia, stimulant addiction can kill its victims through malnutrition as the body shuts down.

How Marijuana Addiction Interferes with Nutrition

A common issue among those living with marijuana addiction is a craving for carbohydrates. Nutritionally speaking, this can cause a lot of problems. Issues that come with being overweight or obese are not uncommon and though more than enough calories are being consumed, they often aren’t the right kinds of calories. Foods that contain necessary antioxidants, vitamins and minerals are often overlooked in favor of high-calorie, high-carb foods. The problem of malnutrition strikes in this type of addiction as well.

Every drug rehab program should include at least a cursory look at the nutritional effects of addiction on the body. Learn more about drug detox and drug addiction treatment options near you by calling us today.

Ever notice how those in recovery spend a lot of time talking about things that happened while they were living with an active addiction? The war stories told by survivors both during treatment and long after drug rehab is over are the subject of a recent study that shows that addictions – and their effects – are often hard to forget for recovering addicts. The study supports the notion that anything that triggers those memories can push patients closer to a relapse – an idea that makes sense given the admonition often given to those in recovery to avoid the people, places and things that were a part of their active addiction.

According to the study, the reason for this trigger response to certain memory-inducing stimuli is that the brain forms enduring and persistent connections between their drug of choice and the place in which is what bought and/or used. These mental connections may be how addictions maintain a strong grip on the individual, creating a chronic rather than an acute illness that must be dealt with regularly over the course of a lifetime.

Hitoshi Morikawa is a neurobiologist at the University of Texas at Austin. He says, “There’s a growing consensus in the addiction field that addiction is a learning and memory disorder. We learn behavior associated with these drugs too well.”

Reward-based associations with drugs make it more difficult for the patient to avoid relapse when he or she is continually exposed to events, people or places where they formerly indulged in their drug of choice. In layman’s terms, the study says that the brain produces a “feel good” chemical called dopamine when the patient uses an addictive drug. Because it is so pleasurable, the brain imprints as much information about the context of the experience as possible in order to more easily replicate it in the future.

Morikawa is quick to point out that this memory and imprinting, though it sounds like a drug-induced improvement of brain function, should fool no one into thinking that the brain gains any positive assistance from drug and alcohol abuse. In fact, to the contrary, drugs and alcohol cause both acute and chronic damage to the brain and its function. In other words, drug and alcohol addiction don’t improve your memory in any way. Rather, it knocks out your ability to remember important things and increases negative associations that are hard to break with all the drug-related events and things in your life.

If you are living with an addiction to any illicit substance, psychological addiction treatment is one of the best ways to effectively deal with these drug-related memories and triggers. Contact us today to learn more about the types of programs available and which one will work best for you.

Prescription drug abuse and addiction are problems across the United States and around the world, but in this country, Maine has one of the highest per capita prescription drug addiction rates, according to the latest research and numbers.

Social workers, law enforcement, drug addiction counselors and drug rehabs that provide treatment for those struggling with alcoholism and addiction are reporting that they are encountering more and more patients who need help for prescription drug addiction. It was reported that 42 percent of the arrests made in Maine in 2010 were due to the illegal sale, possession or abuse of prescription drugs – compared to six percent of arrests that were made due to sale, possession or abuse of heroin.

Prescription drug addiction is a costly problem in Maine – not just for the patient struggling with addiction but for everyone in the state. Families pay emotionally and financially, taxpayers cover the cost of the uninsured who seek treatment as well as the cost of law enforcement officials and court costs, and patients often pay with their lives.

How Prescription Drug Addiction Starts

A large percentage of those who have sought help for an active prescription drug addiction say that the problem started the day they received their first prescription for narcotic painkillers, sedatives or stimulant medications. Legal prescription don’t always lead to addiction but if the patient is predisposed to addiction or abuses the prescription by taking more than prescribed, crushing the pills before ingestion, or augmenting their effect with alcohol and other drugs, then it’s likely that addiction will be the end result. Others report that experimental use of others’ discarded prescriptions, buying pills on the street or attending parties where the focus is sharing prescription meds kicked off their lifelong drug addiction.

How Prescription Drug Addiction Stops

The only way to stop prescription drug addiction is to get the treatment you need at a prescription drug rehab. Only in a medical venue will you be able to get the medical assistance you need to stop taking your prescription medication with as few withdrawal symptoms and complications as possible but you will also be able to experience the psychological addiction treatment necessary to address the other half of addiction – cravings

If you would like more information about prescription drug rehab, contact us today at the phone number listed above. We can assist you in finding a drug addiction treatment facility that can give you the help you need. Call now.

When heroin addiction is an issue in a family, most try to cover it up and keep it a secret. This does nothing but enable the family member’s addiction and set up everyone else in the family for a lifetime of problems and mental health issues. The best way to deal with heroin addiction within a family is to address and solve the problems that come up openly and honestly. Never sweep an incident related to heroin addiction under the rug. Instead, develop a set of problem-solving skills that have the goal of helping your loved one get into heroin addiction treatment, and helping you and the rest of your family move forward in your life.

Here’s a common example: A family event like a birthday party, Christmas or Thanksgiving takes place and everyone is gathered together to celebrate. The addicted family member is high as usual and nods out at the table, jerking awake and claiming that they are very tired. Everyone knows that they are high, but no one says anything, going on as usual as if it didn’t happen.

Another example: A spouse goes to pay the bills and finds that all the rent or mortgage payment money is no longer in the bank. After looking over the bank statement, the spouse realizes that their addicted partner withdrew the money incrementally over the last week. When confronted, the addicted family member either denies it or justifies their behavior, saying they deserve to spend that money any way they like.

The best way to handle these situations is to first take precautions to protect the family. If any paraphernalia or drugs are in the house, they have to go. The addicted family member must no longer have access to bank accounts or credit cards in order to ensure the family’s financial safety. Privately, family members should discuss how to handle it if the addicted family member refuses to go to treatment and plan an intervention to help that happen quickly.

One of the most effective ways to help an addicted family member get the heroin rehab help they need to get better is to find a program and enroll them before confronting them about the problem. If everything is all set up and ready to go, your family member will be more likely to accept the offer of help rather than deny that treatment is needed. If you would like help finding a heroin rehab near you, contact us at the phone number listed above today. We can help you help your family member by matching you and your family with a heroin addiction treatment program that’s right for all of you.

Reports are coming in that the rate of drug and alcohol addiction among older adults is on the rise, and family members and caregivers are having a hard time figuring out how to deal with the problem.  Prescription drug addiction and alcoholism are the biggest culprits for this age group due to the easy access that most have to both. Family members are concerned as they watch their loved ones slip into addiction and miss out on interactions with grandchildren and the enjoyment that should characterize the “golden years” of life.

Why Seniors Are Abusing Drugs and Alcohol

There are a number of different reasons why older adults are abusing prescription drugs and alcohol or developing addictions. Everyone is different, but some of the most common reasons include:

• Depression. As friends and families pass away and extended family scatter across the country, it can be lonely to get older in this country.
• Easy access. It’s not difficult for a senior adult to get prescription painkillers. It is expected that old age brings with it a variety of ailments and these medications are expected.
• Boredom. The issue of passing friends and family means that some seniors feel that their schedules are full of nothing but TV and card games.
• Pain. Even if prescription drug addiction or alcoholism is an issue, it doesn’t mean that pain isn’t as well. Many older adults prefer to live without the pain even if it means other problems.

The Problem with Identifying and Treating Senior Drug and Alcohol Addiction

Many older adults grew up during a time when free experimentation with substances was common but the need for treatment was a family issue that should be kept quiet. Few want to admit that they are having a problem with drug and alcohol addiction, and deny it when concerned family members attempt to intervene. Irritated at the intrusion and scared of losing their independence, many older people would prefer to be left alone on the matter.

The fact that they spend so much time alone if they live independently creates its own issues with nailing down a diagnosis. Family members may not know whether a failing memory or advancing age are to blame for the changes they see in their loved ones or if it is addiction that is causing the mood swings, confusion and other issues. In the case of prescription drug addiction, it can be hard to tell when someone is overmedicated when they are living with chronic pain due to multiple ailments and have no interest in admitting to addiction.

Fighting Senior Drug and Alcohol Addiction

How do we fight a problem that is so hard to nail down? The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) projects that the number of senior adults living with alcohol and drug dependence issues will increase by 150 percent by the year 2020. What do you think should be done to handle the situation?

No one walks away unscathed when a family member suffers from cocaine addiction. Whether or not they acknowledge the behaviors that happen under the influence of cocaine abuse and addiction, each family member develops their own issues in response. It’s impossible to simply ignore or absorb something so devastating happening to a close family member without repercussions. Here are a just a few ways that those who live with and love a cocaine addict are harmed by their loved one’s disease:

• Poor self-esteem. Many spouses and children feel that they have to lie to cover up their loved one’s addiction. This can lead them to isolate themselves, avoid having people over or letting their family know about special events in their lives.
• Addiction problems. Those with close family members who struggle with cocaine addiction are genetically predisposed to develop addictions of their own.
• Other disorders. It’s common for those who live close to an addicted family member to develop disorders that include eating disorders, depression and other psychological issues.
• Anger management issues. A lot of resentments build up during a loved one’s active addiction. It can be hard to separate the actions that are related to or a direct result of cocaine addiction from the person who does them. Forced to accept a great deal of injustice at the hands of the disease but still attached to the addict despite the illness, family members often experience a difficult inner struggle that erupts in angry outbursts.
• Health problems. In addition to eating disorders like anorexia or bulimia, other health problems can result. It is not uncommon for people to manifest difficult emotions or traumas physically when there is no appropriate outlet or help processing the situation.
• Problems forming and maintaining relationships. Those who grow up with an addicted family member often have a hard time developing appropriate attachments and relationships with others. This can mean rushing too quickly into relationships destined to fail or being unable to commit to a relationship or friendships that can be positive. Later, marital problems and divorce can become an issue for children raised by a cocaine addict.

The best way to mitigate the harm done by living with a cocaine addict is to get into therapy. Whether or not the addicted family member seeks drug rehab for their addiction, it is important for family members to learn how to set and maintain boundaries, and learn how to build and maintain a positive relationship.

If you would like to find a cocaine rehab for your addicted family member, contact us at the phone number listed above today.

Another shocking case in which a teacher’s misconduct led to the corruption of students has happened in Texas. One teacher was recently sentenced to more than three years for selling drugs to her students.

Deborah Suzanne Morton, 56, was a debate teacher at Midland High School in Texas. She recently pleaded guilty to the charge of distributing narcotics to her students. Though she was not alone in this drug distribution ring, she did receive the harshest sentence – 37 months in prison, 500 hours of drug counseling while incarcerated and a $7,000 fine. Her response to the charges and sentence? Gratefulness that she was no longer addicted to drugs.

Said Moron: “I’m grateful for the intervention of the federal government because I would probably be dead otherwise. I had fallen deep into my addiction.”

Though Morton’s attorney, Jeff Nicholson, requested a less severe sentence due to his client’s attempts to fight her drug addiction since she was arrested last October, the judge denied the request, saying that the crime was just too severe and that her contribution to the prescription drug abuse problem that plagued their community was too much to ignore.

Said the judge: “A drug addiction is not an excuse for a teacher to be involved (in drug transactions with a student).”

Apparently, Morton wasn’t always a drug dealer to her students. She was something of a drug barterer as well – court documents state that it was reported to Midland police that the debate teacher was trading hydrocodone pills for methadone and marijuana. When she was arrested, she was found to be in possession of marijuana and methadone. A search of her cell phone revealed text messages that confirmed her involvement in a drug ring that moved hydrocodone, marijuana, oxycodone and methadone, according to records.

The others who were charged were ordered to attend counseling and pay fines, as well as remain clean and sober for their probation. A few of the others charged were students of Morton’s. Their parents do not necessarily view the case and the sentencing as a hardship. In fact, some even called it a “DEA intervention” and were happy that their child was now clean and sober. All involved in the case were active in their own recoveries and intended to remain so.

Do you think that the teacher’s sentence was too harsh? Not harsh enough? Should there be special circumstances when someone is living with an addiction and they commit a crime of this nature? Should the fact that the woman was a teacher make any difference in her sentence? Let us know what you think!

Caffeine and cigarettes – they are the mainstay of tens of thousands in recovery. During 12-step meetings, coffee is always available and breaks are given during meetings so everyone can go outside and smoke. The problem is that both caffeine and nicotine can cause serious problems in the long and short term. On the other hand, many in recovery feel like quitting their drug of choice was hard enough. To quit cigarettes and coffee too? It just sounds like too much. What are the pros and cons, and should you consider walking away from coffee and cigarettes in your recovery?

Pros of Quitting Coffee and Cigarettes During Recovery

Both caffeine and nicotine cause sleep disturbances. Smoking or drinking caffeine any time in the hours before bed can make it more difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep. For some, any use at all can cause these problems. When you’re not getting good sleep, it’s harder for you to make positive decisions. Also, getting keyed up on caffeine and nicotine may put you closer to the edge in terms of tolerance for irritation and emotional upset. Though some view a cup of coffee or a cigarette break as “relaxing,” it unfortunately provides the opposite response in your body, making it more difficult to handle stressors and potential triggers to get high or drunk.

Difficulties Quitting Coffee and Cigarettes During Recovery

Nicotine addiction can cause withdrawal symptoms just like any other addiction. These withdrawal symptoms can be difficult to deal with in the best of times – add the stresses that come from trying to rebuild a life without drugs and alcohol after addiction and it can be too much to handle. If coffee and cigarettes have been the crutch to help you through the hard times and you are suddenly without them, it makes hard times that much harder.

Replacing Coffee and Cigarettes with Healthy Choices During Recovery

If you choose to stop drinking coffee and/or smoking cigarettes, arm yourself with everything you’ll need ahead of time. Make sure that you have replacement behaviors available. Instead of smoking, chew gum. Consider getting a nicotine patch. Eat carrot sticks. Instead of coffee, drink tea – green tea, if possible. Or start with replacing regular with decaf. Take slow steps and step down if you have to and definitely don’t get down on yourself or give up if you slip. You may have headaches or not feel well for the first week or so. Take care of yourself, start taking yoga, make sure to eat right and get lots of sleep, and you’ll soon be feeling better than you ever have before.

Police misconduct is a common cause of dropped charges of all kinds – police don’t follow procedure when making arrests or taking statements or they mishandle evidence. It happens in every part of the country, and can often mean that those who need help or treatment for drug addiction are being released without that care.

Recently, one such incident in the San Francisco Bay Area meant that a man was released of felony marijuana charges. San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi released a video of SFPD officers, revealing that they failed to display their badges before entering a man’s home and accusing him of committing felony sale of marijuana. To make matters worse, the officers attempted to lie about their failure to display their badges, a lie that was revealed by the tape. As a result, the judge dismissed the charges. The DA says an appeal is pending.

The Problem with Police Misconduct and Untreated Drug Addiction

This isn’t the first case that has been dropped due to a videotape brought into evidence by SF Public Defender Jeff Adachi. It’s actually the 83^rd video that has revealed poor choices made by SFPD officers. While it’s not a good thing that police officers are making so many mistakes – and how many are they making that aren’t caught on video? – the biggest problem is that the people who would have been charged with drug-related offenses are released as a result and left without the help they need. Without drug treatment, those who commit crimes in service of their addiction will only be left to commit more crimes if there is no intervention.

Drug Rehab Instead of Prison

Non-violent offenses in California that are related to drug addiction are often handled in drug court. Here defendants may be court ordered to attend a drug addiction treatment program that will speak to the core issue behind their actions. Without an active drug addiction, they will be less likely to commit crimes in service of their addiction – no longer risking their lives with drugs and alcohol or endangering themselves and others with their actions under the influence.

What do you think? Is drug court a viable option for those who are living with drug addiction and committing crimes as a result? Does it help them or give them leave to make more poor choices? What about the issue with police conduct? How can this be better controlled and stopped?