Drug Addictions and Substance Abuse – The Myths and Facts

Myth.
Drug Addiction is a bad habit, the result of moral weakness and over-indulgence.

Fact
Drug Addiction is a chronic, life-threatening condition, like hypertension, atherosclerosis and adult diabetes.

Fact.
Genetics and substance abuse – drug addiction has roots in generic susceptibility, social circumstance and personal behavior.

Fact.
Certain drugs are highly addictive, rapidly causing biochemical and structural changes in the brain. Others can be used for longer periods of time before they begin to cause inescapable cravings and compulsive use.

Myth
If an addict has enough will power, he or she can stop abusing alcohol and using drugs.

Fact.
Few people addicted to alcohol and other drugs can simply stop using them, no matter how strong their inner resolve. Most need one or more courses of structured substance abuse treatment to reduce or end their dependence on alcohol and other drugs.

Myth.
Many people relapse, so treatment obviously does not work.

Fact
Like virtually any other medical treatment, addiction treatment cannot guarantee lifelong health. Relapse, often a part of the recovery process, is always possible, and treatable Even if a person never achieves perfect abstinence, addiction treatment can reduce the number and duration of relapses, minimize related problems such as crime and poor overall health, improve the individual’s ability to function in daily life and strengthen the individual to better cope with the next temptation or craving. These improvements reduce the social and economic costs of addiction.

Myth
We have reached the limits of what we can do to treat drug addiction.

Fact
The more we learn about addiction, the more effective substance abuse recovery programs become. Matching clients to the services they most need, while supporting continuous and focused engagement in treatment is imperative. Today’s treatment providers are better able to do this than ever before.

Tips on substance abuse treatment

Substance abuse adds substantially to the nation’s health care bill. Studies show that adequate and accessible treatment is the most effective method to improve the health of drug abusers and relieve the burden of drug-related health care costs.

Substance Abuse and Health Care Costs.

About one-third of AIDS cases are related to intravenous drug use, and 90 percent of pedantic AIDS cases are related to maternal exposure to HIV.

Untreated alcoholics incur general health care costs that are at least 100 percent higher than those of the non-alcoholic. More than 5 percent (221,000) of the 4 million women who give birth each year use illicit drugs during their pregnancy, with expenditures ranging from $48,000 to $150,000 for each delivery.

Substance abuse treatment reduces hospital admission rates by 38 percent. Hospital admissions for drug overdose decreased by 58 percent among those treated.

All Races Could Use a Good Online Drug Class

There is no such thing as too much education. The more kids know and are physically made aware of the dangers of drugs and alcohol the better. You cannot bombard them too much. Drugs and alcohol are so socially-acceptable and pervasive in society that we must educate, educate, educate our children about the dangers of alcohol and drug abuse!

When it comes to substance abuse and addiction no race of people is safe. African American, Caucasian, European, Asian, Hispanic and Arabic – all are subject to addiction and substance abuse.

As a counselor for both in class and online drug classes I can assure you that in my classes and counseling sessions there certainly is ethnic diversity. For some reason, in some cities, race most certainly comes up as a topic of conversation among my students.

Ethnicity in the Deep South

Recently I help an alcohol awareness class in the Deep South. The racial diversity of the students may surprise you. I had 50 students in the class. What do you think the ethnic makeup was of this class?

I had 14 Caucasian students (28%). I had 19 African American students (38%). I had four American Indian students (2%). Hispanics comprised 15% of the class with seven students and the 6 Asian students made up 12% of the class.

Was this an anomaly? No, I researched the last three courses I taught in that region and the statistics seem to show the same results. One difference was that in two of my classes there were no American Indian students.

Overall, for the past five years the breakdown is as follows. Caucasian students are the majority with an average of 38%. Second is African Americans at 35%. Third is Hispanics with 13%, followed by Asians (12%) and all others 2%.

Are There Racial Stereotypes?

This is a common topic of interest with my students. A good percentage of my African-American and Hispanic students feel that they are given extra attention when it comes to racial profiling. Almost 25% of my students feel that police have approached them for no reason more than their race. Have you ever felt that way?

Some of my white, male students like to argue that they too are persecuted. Because of affirmative action they are singled out and it is harder for them to get into college, land a job or a myriad of other reasons why they too feel racially slighted. Are you a white male who feels racially slighted?

Don’t Put Yourself in a Bad Situation

Profiling is a concept used by most law enforcement officials. Let’s face it – there are good and bad parts of town. There also are good and bad times to be out. If you are out in a bad time, in a bad place, you certainly are increasing the likelihood that you may be approached by law enforcement officials.

So do yourself a favor. Regardless of your race or ethnicity or religious background – stack the deck in your favor and do not put yourself at unnecessary risk.

Drugs and alcohol are serious addictions that need to be addressed for those suffering from them. If you or someone you love suffers from addiction issues, I urge you to seek help immediately. If you prefer to maintain total anonymity there are online drug classes as well.

ADHD Drugs For Kids – Good News And Bad News!

It is always better to start with the good news which has just been published in the New England Journal of Medicine. It was a joint study sponsored both by the FDA and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

This reports on a very large study which confirms that the common ADHD drugs for kids do not put them at increased risk of having a heart attack or having other cardiac events. The research also included the likelihood of strokes or sudden death and the conclusions were the same. The study could not find any difference in those kids taking the drugs and those who were not taking them. It seems that the only problem is for those children who are already suffering from some cardiac problem.

The bad news is about possible conflicts of interest in some of the studies done on ADHD which are sponsored by the pharmaceutical companies. Is there a conflict of interest? Can the results be totally unbiased? This is a very difficult area. The recent news concerns three Harvard professors who are psychiatrists and have worked on ADHD and are widely respected.

They are suspected of having a conflict of interest in having received large sums of money over the years and not having disclosed this. This is a violation of the Harvard rules on conflicts of interest. However, the issue may be only about reporting their funding and may be of course a mere bureaucratic fly in the ointment.

But this points up the fact that very often, the pharmaceutical companies are doing everything in their power to discredit the natural remedies for ADHD, especially the homeopathic remedies. We know that they have actually sponsored studies to show that homeopathy supposedly does not work or is totally ineffective. They should look at figures for the cholera epidemic in London last century when homeopathy saved thousands of lives!

Then there are people employed by them to act as Facebook characters who are there simply to praise their drugs to the skies. As we can see it is very often difficult to see the wood for the trees.

The fact is that ADHD drugs for kids are controversial because their side effects and long term health risks are not at all clear. There is a lack of research in this area or at least it is not readily available.

This is why the ADHD homeopathic remedies are so popular now because there are simply no side effects and there is no chance that your child will be approached to sell his meds either. These are just some of the advantages of choosing an alternative to ADHD drugs for kids. Why not check out what the others are by visiting my website.

Substance Abuse Treatment Programs – Mental Health Terms and Most Likely Victims

The World Health Organization defines mental health as “a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community”. Mental health is a widely used term that includes a number of mental health disorders.

As you read the above definition it may leave one to think that there is no concrete definition of who is mentally healthy and who is not and why. However, we do suspect that the definition is subjective and there are components that play a huge role in the assessment of ones mental health. In this article, we will make references to a few different kinds of mental health disorders and who is a more likely candidate to experience unhealthy mental health behaviors.

Depression: is a term that the medical professionals uses to describe the way that you feel at that moment of time about yourself

Here are a few signs of depression E.g. despair, sadness, emotionless. Depression can be a suffocating experience. It can also leave you feeling hopeless, like there is no tomorrow. It is a lonely and low emotion. Who does depression affect, it can affect the most aggressive individual down to the timid and shy. It crosses color, age, social economic, or fame boundaries.

There are two terms that best explain the levels of depression; diathesis-stress model and biopsychosocial model. Psychiatric hospitals or community centers are where most services are treated. The individuals there are diagnosed by medical professionals.

Mental Abuse: What is mental abuse? Mental abuse is exactly what is sounds like, however, there are non-verbal forms of mental abuse. I am pretty sure we have all heard that old adage; sticks and stones may break your bones but words will never hurt you… well that is only partially true. Verbal abuse can be just as detrimental as physical abuse. If you are hearing degrading comments like you are “stupid”, “too fat” “unattractive” or “worthless” chances are you are a victim of mental abuse. Additionally, if you are constantly walking on egg shells to get along with friends and family members that is another sign of mental abuse.

Physical Abuse: is also brought on by persons that are suffering from mental illness. Many times it is encouraged when drinking excessively, high on drug or if that person was a victim of past physical abuse. Unlike mental abuse that may go unnoticed by friends or family members, physical abuse is often times detected mainly because of the evidence of the attack. Physical abuse often times leave its victims seriously wounded or dead. Here are a few commonalities of persons that may have a higher increased chance of being physically abused:

1. If you are in a relationships with a substance abuser or alcoholic

2. If you have been molested as a child or adult

3. If you come from a family of abusers

4. If you have low self-worth or low self-esteem

5. If you are unemployed and strapped for money.

There you have it, a few of the most recognized mental health disorders. Substance abuse and mental disorders comes disguised in many forms. Be sure to get educated and informed. There are medical health facilities that can assist any persons that are experiencing any of the above symptoms.

How Substance Abuse Services Can Help You

Substance abuse services are custom designed to help addicts kick their drug and alcohol addictions. There are many different types of drugs, and because of this, there are particular treatment programs for specific drugs like over the counter medications, heroin, and cocaine.

Options with Substance Abuse Services

Some abuse services are related to the 12 Step Program. This program involves twelve tasks that a person must do in order to recovery from behavioral problems and addiction. Although many help groups now use the 12 Step Program, when it began in 1935 it was used solely for AA (Alcoholics Anonymous).

In 1939, the book, Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism revealed the steps for the first time. Since then, many groups such as Narcotics Anonymous, Overeaters Anonymous, and Co-Dependents Anonymous have utilized the program as well.

By using the twelve steps, addicts learn to recognize that they are powerless over their addictions, and they call upon a higher power to give them strength to abstain. This program also insists that recovering members look at their past mistakes and make amends to those they have hurt. Twelve Step members follow their own code of living, and because of it, they try to help others become and stay clean and sober.

Other options you might explore with substance abuse services are drug and alcohol rehab programs. The treatment could be long-term, short-stay, outpatient, inpatient, or residential or a combination of several. One of the goals of substance abuse services is to make sure the program meets the addict’s needs..

In order to get the best results when working with substance abuse services, the addict and the person helping the addict in his recovery program search should be quite honest with the people at the service facility. Not telling the truth will only get the addict in an ineffective program, and this will be a mistake that could be deadly if the addict does not receive the help he needs.

Will Your Community Have Good Mental Health

The community mental heath team are there to help people who are littered with mental health problems. The primary port of decision for anyone who thinks that they’re stricken by some reasonably mental health drawback is your doctor who will be ready to recommend the correct type of help.

The community mental health team consists of a number of pros who are trained in their specific areas and will embody psychiatrists, psychologists, occupational therapists, social employees, and after all the community psychiatric nurse or CPN. Some specific problems or problems that can arise in addition to existing mental health problems or which will exacerbate or trigger mental health problems and that may need further consideration include:

o Money problems
o Physical disabilities
o Housing problems
o Divorce or relationship problems
o Childcare issues

Sure kinds of mental health problems might lead to completely different needs and could therefore need some specialist help to house and these will include:

o Elderly depression and dementia
o Kid or Teen depression
o Postnatal depression
o Bipolar disorder
o Schizophrenia

Obviously, finding one person absolutely qualified and skilled in all of these areas just is not doable therefore the community mental health team work together in order to confirm that the most effective advice and support is offered as several of the professionals concerned will be trained in specialist areas that enable them to supply a better service to people full of specific problems.

Therefore who is seemingly to be concerned within the community mental health team?

Psychiatrist
Patients can be spoken a psychiatrist by their doctor.

Once an initial assessment, the psychiatrist can recommend a appropriate course of treatment and medication. If a mental health drawback is notably severe then they’re also able to suggest that the individual be detained in hospital for a period of time. But, this can be a last resort and conjointly needs the approval of another doctor and a social employee who all agree that this is often the best option for an individual involved either for the individual’s safety or for the security of others.

Psychologist
Psychologists have an understanding of human behaviour, emotions and how the mind works and though they can not prescribe medication they’ll offer varied sorts of psychological therapies. Patients will be stated them by the doctor or other members of the community health team.

The Key Worker
People suffering from mental health problems will typically be assigned a key worker, that will be anyone in the community mental health team. The key employee ensures that the individual gets the proper quite facilitate that they need. They will regularly assess the progress of a private and report back to the rest of the team.

Community Psychiatric Nurse or CPN
The key worker will typically be a CPN who will sometimes create regular visits to folks with mental health issues in their own homes. They provide an vital lifeline for individuals who are feeling isolated and alone with their mental health issues or who are experiencing explicit difficulties. They are alert to the various problems surrounding mental health and will listen furthermore facilitate people speak through their problems in a very setting in which they feel comfortable.

The CPN can liaise with and work closely with alternative members of the team to create positive that any practical support and assistance is offered when needed. They monitor medication, make positive the individual knows how to require their medication and that they also look out for additional symptoms or side effects of that medication. The family and loved ones of an individual littered with mental health issues usually need further support so as to perceive mental illness and to be able to cope with it, the CPN will supply sensible advice and guidance.

Occupational Therapists
Occupational therapists help people to address sensible issues on a day after day basis in areas like dressing, toileting and feeding themselves and will help individuals regain some management of their lives.

Social workers
Social staff can ensure that a private gets access to varied social services that can improve their quality of life and that they may be entitled to like home help, respite care and maybe admission to day or residential centres. They’ll conjointly supply assistance in addressing housing desires, monetary difficulties or different social problems.

The most effective care
Several other people can be concerned in the community mental health team together with various support workers, therapists, counsellors, and after all loved ones. Along all of them make sure that the individual plagued by mental illness gets the most effective care possible. Every team member can make a valuable contribution to the individual’s quality of life and will help them not only to cope with their illness on a usual basis but to regain management over their lives and integrate with the remainder of the community in a very positive and productive way.

ADHD Natural Treatment: Water

We always tell our children about the importance of drinking eight glasses of water a day. Yet many of our kids don’t do it, especially since colorful, artificially-flavored drinks and sodas are far more enticing and pleasant-tasting. Yet when it comes to ADHD natural treatments, water is an important part of any treatment plan. In fact, water is essential to maintaining overall good health; after oxygen, it is the second most important nutritional element.

The body is made up of 60-70% water, and the brain requires adequate hydration in order to function well. Do you recall how neurotransmitters – the chemical messengers of the brain – travel from neuron to neuron to trigger cognitive processes like attention and learning? They use the water in the brain as their means of travel.

Can you imagine what would happen to a child’s brain function if he or she does not have enough water to carry information? Imagine that a raging, white-water river is one of the brain’s neural pathways. Now picture a boat traveling through this river, carrying a messenger with vital information. A white-water river has a swift current that allows the messenger to reach his destination without delay. This is a brain that functions at its best, capable of generating new ideas, learning new concepts, and accomplishing great things. Now, picture this river during a drought. The water’s levels are low, and the current moves slowly, if at all. Traveling on a dry river will take a long while for the boat to reach its destination. Worse, the boat might end up drifting aimlessly or getting beached onto a sandy cove. This is the brain of a child with ADHD who drinks nothing but sodas and sugary juice.

While researchers have yet to explore the link between ADHD and dehydration, there are some studies that illustrate what happens to brain function after severe water loss. A small study in the Journal of the Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts looked at children who experienced dehydration due to diarrhea. They had slower reaction time, delayed visual-motor maturation, and more neurological problems compared to children who are well-hydrated.

Drinking more water is no magic bullet against ADHD, but there’s certainly no harm in making sure that your child stays well-hydrated each day – especially if he or she leads an active lifestyle. The average child is awake 16 hours each day, and spends 8 hours of this at school or doing extracurricular activities. During the “working” part of the day, make sure your child drinks 4-6 8-ounce glasses – 1 at breakfast, 1 or 2 at lunch, and 1 during afternoon snack. This will help optimize his or her brain function.

Substance Abuse and Oral Health

Abusing drugs and/or alcohol has its side effects, which are not much to be desired, physically, emotionally and/or mentally.  Although, with respects to oral health, drug and alcohol abuse can take quite the toll.  The affects of addiction can not only cause visual deterioration of the mouth and its workings, but may also cause further illness and/or diseases within the body.

Research was conducted on a group of individuals that were drug and/or alcohol addicts.  Some of the drugs that the individuals were addicted to, included that of cocaine, marijuana, meth and opium.  When comparing their oral health to that of their lives prior to their addiction, the results were devastating.  Most all participants had lost teeth, or were on the verge of severe infections.  While others were suffering from heart issues, directly relating to the poor condition of the health of their mouth.

Of all individuals tested, those that were addicted to meth suffered the worst deterioration of all.  The ingredients in manufactured meth may include but are not limited to acids, lithium, ether and lye.  All of which can be detrimental to the oral, and overall health of a meth user.  Some of the common oral health issues that arise with the abuse of meth may include but are not limited to:

Gum Disease:
When blood vessels break down or are blocked by using meth, the teeth and gums lack the blood that they need to clean themselves efficiently.  This can result in tooth decay, teeth falling out, rotting gums and/or heart illness.

Drying of the Mouth:
When abusing meth and/or alcohol, less saliva is produced within the mouth.  Blockages of the salivary glands are also commonly evident.  As saliva is a natural neutralizer for acidic foods such as soda, citrus and plaque – when there is less of it, the mouth suffers.  Teeth begin to break down, and form cavities.  It is also often the case, that if not treated, or if the abuse of meth or alcohol does not cease, an individual may lose their teeth over time.

Cracked or Worn Teeth:
It has been reported that over eighty percent of meth users will continually grind their teeth, in and out of sleep.  With this consistent clenching and grinding, the teeth begin to wear down.  Some meth abusers have even experienced cracks in their teeth from this behavior.

Although the affects that drugs and/or alcohol have on the mouth are often seen, many are unclear as to what the direct causes are.

If you or someone you know is suffering from an unhealthy drug or alcohol addiction, contact a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center at earliest convenience. Serious oral health issues can develop into even more severe illnesses and diseases throughout the body. It’s never too late to improve the health of a friend, family member, or yourself, today.

Substance abuse: a killing machine!

Methamphetamine is a drug usually known as Meth, by the substance abusers. One of the early inventions shows that it was first synthesized by a Japanese chemist in the year 1893. This drug is used for the treatment of narcolepsy. It was commonly used during the II World War. It was used by the axis and allied forces. This drug was commonly used and distributed amongst the top army officials to basic grade army men. methamphetamine addiction can be a serious problem due to its psycho-stimulant properties. This drug causes euphoria, anxiety, aggression, self confidence etc. physically it has many adverse effects such as memory loss, aggression, psychotic behavior, heart damage, malnutrition, and severe dental problems to name a few.

Initially only limited to Hawaii and western parts of the country, methamphetamine abuse continuously spread towards east and it affected the rural and urban areas increasingly. According to one national survey, approximately 10 million people in the United States have tried methamphetamine at least once in their lifetime. This drug can be taken intravenously or smoked.

Marijuana addiction is another type of addiction which is commonly found among any age. This drug has special properties. Marijuana releases serotonin which is a chemical in the brain that triggers a feeling of pleasure. The most common method for using this drug is to place the dried leaves, stems, and flowers of this plant onto rolling paper and make it into a cigarette, to be smoked. It can also be smoked in a water pipe or other metal or glass pipe. This drug can also be put in food products or be mixed with coffee or tea.When someone smokes Marijuana regularly the brain gets used to higher amounts of serotonin production than normal , so when these addicts try to quit smoking this drug, then the production drops , followed by which they experience a mild mental withdrawal from the dependence on the previously increased levels of serotonin and the pleasure it brought along with. When one gets used to the high, it becomes very difficult to refrain oneself from smoking it. The addicts try to find new ways to justify their addiction. marijuana drug rehab follows a holistic treatment for recovery separately for every individual.

Any type of addiction is characterized as killing if not detected or treated at earliest. It can be very fatal and take life!

Substance Abuse – Effects on Society

Substance abuse is one of the most prevalent issues that the current generation is forced to face. It has been around for centuries and has afflicted millions of people around the world. It is mainly a health concern but over the past decades, it has escalated into one of the worst social ills.

Drug and alcohol addiction does not only affect the individual himself but everyone around him. Ultimately, the society is largely affected by his predisposition for substance use even when he’s just one person. It is a social ill because practically every country in the world is compelled to come up with legislation, policies and other ideas geared at addressing the problem.

Most experts agree that addiction has a ripple effect. It brings discord not only into the home but to the society as well.

Effects on the family

Parents who abuse drugs or alcohol tend to neglect their children leaving them to their own devices. Because they are preoccupied with their addictions, they fail to provide the proper guidance that children need especially during their growing years. Teenagers who grow up in homes where a respected adult or parent uses alcohol or drugs have a higher tendency for developing the addiction later on mainly because the household is more lenient in terms of substance use.

The community

According to statistics, drunk driving results to an injury every minute and one death every 32 minutes. In the United States, about 40% of traffic-related casualties are linked to alcohol use. Crime rates go up because of addiction related incidents. In 1992, over 25% of violent crimes and property crimes were attributed to drug and alcohol abuse. Three to four percent of social welfare cases in the country were caused by substance abuse. Income maintenance, cash assistance, foster care and other social welfare programs had to spend a lot on households affected by substance abuse.

Substance abuse impairs the individual’s productivity. It can affect his ability to maintain a full-time job. In cases where addicts are even able to maintain employment, the people around them are placed at risk.

Economics

Substance abuse causes the government to spend a lot of money that could otherwise be spent on education or other channels. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism in the US, the total economic cost of substance abuse has reached to a whopping $245 billion. This was spent on treatment and prevention costs, healthcare, losses on job productivity and crime and social welfare.

Health issues

Substance abuse can lead to the prevalence of more health issues. Crimes are just one thing but the spread of certain types of illnesses is another one of the many impacts of addiction. People who are addicted are apt to behave irresponsibly. This essentially translates to undertaking dangerous sexual activities and making wrong decisions that are otherwise prevented by sobriety. Irresponsible sexual activities can lead to the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, HIV and AIDS.

Substance abuse, therefore, is a problem that has to be fully addressed. Its impact on the society is so massive that legislation is constantly being updated to ensure that this social ill finds sustainable resolution.