Hope for Alcoholism Treatment
Many families have learned the frustration of trying to help an alcoholic family member when they did… [more]
Crack Cocaine Recovery
The devastation that crack cocaine wreaked on America in the late 1980s was about as destructive of families… [more]
Teen Alcohol and Prescription Drug Use May Create Need for Rehab
It may come as no surprise to parents of teenagers that there is often a hidden world among teens that… [more]
Should Parents Use Drug Tests if More than Half of All High School Students are Abusing Drugs?
In light of recent study results that show that more than fifty percent of schoolchildren have abused… [more]
How Pain Killers Can Lead to Addiction
How Pain Killers Can Lead to Addiction It can often happen that one inadvertently gets hooked on pain… [more]
The Benefits to Your Community of Effective Drug Rehab
If one looks at the costs of drug treatment, law enforcement, the judicial system and welfare costs due… [more]
How do you know if Addiction is a Disease?
You may have heard that addiction is a disease, but let us examine how that premise fits into the treatment and recovery from drug addiction.
Many professionals and even government agencies present that idea, and support it with brain scan images and even plenty of scientific data.
However, if a completely different idea could result in full recovery from drug addiction, it seems that this would disprove the idea that addiction is a disease.
This will become clearer as you read on.
How does classifying addiction as a disease benefit anyone?
For one thing, we know that if addiction is classified as a disease, one would need to go to the doctor for medical treatment. This means about 22 million potential American patients in the form of drug addicts, plus tens of millions more outside the U.S. who would be treated by the medical industry. Pharmaceutical companies are busily working on creating more drugs to market to this segment of the medical industry.
In the past, pharmaceutical companies have sold heroin, morphine, opium, codeine and methadone, just to name a few drugs, which at one time were sold as non-addictive, and then later found to be as addictive as other drugs they were replacing. Recently, there are drugs prescribed under the brand names of Suboxone and Subutex, both formulations of buprenorphine that are given to addicts to help them get off other drugs or alcohol. These may all be prescribed for long-term “control” of drug addiction. What this means actually, is that a person trades one drug for another, and continues to take it, sometimes for years, providing a steady stream of income for both the doctors who prescribe and administer the drugs and the pharmaceutical industry who sells them.
Another point to take into account is that when one classifies addiction as a disease, its treatment is often paid for under medical insurance.
If one believes that addiction is a disease, then one might not consider other drug treatment regimens such as nutrition, faith-based, or other alternative methods of overcoming addiction. However, the fact is that nutrition, faith and other alternatives each have a part in helping many people to live a sober life following their addiction experience. By continuing to define addiction as a disease, it also allows one not to take responsibility for his condition, pointing to the “I’m sick” excuse as the reason for continued drug taking.
A more accurate definition of addiction would be a condition wherein one repeats compulsive seeking and use of drugs, alcohol or other similar substances despite the negative consequences, whether physical, social or mental. Usually, it also consists of both a physical and psychological dependency on the substance abused, and the appearance of withdrawal symptoms when removing the addictive substance.
In 1966, William Benitez, who founded Narconon, wrote this about his understanding of what addiction was:
“I realized that drug addiction was nothing more than a ‘disability,’ resulting when a person ceases to use abilities essential to constructive survival. I found that if a person rehabilitated and applied certain abilities, that person could persevere toward goals set, confront life, isolate problems and resolve them, communicate with life, be responsible and set ethical standards, and function within the band of certainty.”
Mr. Benitez found that he could apply the written works of L. Ron Hubbard on the mind and human spirit, to recover from his heroin addiction after many years of failing to overcome the condition. He continued by developing the first form of the Narconon program and had good results with other inmates recovering from their addictions. Later, after his release from prison, he started by opening the first Narconon center in Los Angeles, California and continued to help several hundred addicts return to sober lives.
If one reviews the average recovery rate from conventional programs in the U.S. dealing with addiction, most centers say that 16% to 20% of people recover from addiction. Some treatment modalities have lower rates.
But, at Narconon drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers, seventy percent of graduates remain clean and sober after completion. This is one of the best recovery rates in the entire addiction rehab field.
If you are considering Narconon services for you or your loved one, consider your own philosophy of drug recovery. Then talk to a Narconon intake counselor and learn all the details of the Narconon program. Call today to get accurate, scientific-based data to help you make your decision.
Hope for Alcoholism Treatment
Many families have learned the frustration of trying to help an alcoholic family member when they did their best and then failed. This failure is usually due to the fact that the alcoholic rarely will admit to having an alcohol problem. That is one of the parts of alcoholism typical of this addiction – one that makes it very hard to get the alcoholic to face up to his drinking problem and stop drinking.
When he does finally make that painful decision, he will be likely to need help to find effective rehab and treatment. This is the time for the family to help. They will find there are many different treatment options, some far more effective than others.
Narconon has been providing effective drug and alcohol treatment for more than 45 years in fifty locations around the world. The success rate of sobriety for its graduates completing the program is 70%, far higher than most programs. The length of treatment of three to six months for alcohol recovery may be longer than what is offered in some programs, but this is in accordance with many official recommendations, including that of the National Institute on Drug Addiction (NIDA). Their guidelines state that participation for less than 90 days is limited in its effectiveness, and programs that last significantly longer are recommended to maintain a positive outcome.
The treatment program one should look for then, should be a long-term program. Some programs also offer drugs to help the alcoholic stop drinking, or other drugs that may usually be prescribed for mental disorders. Once they get sober, many alcoholics may not have any other mental problems than their addiction to alcohol, and besides that, these prescribed drugs are often addictive too.
Narconon operates on the philosophy that solving one addiction with addiction to another drug is not desirable as a treatment modality. In fact drug-less treatment and a full recovery is totally possible at Narconon, and is accomplished daily.
There is hope at Narconon for a full and lasting return to sobriety. Most recovering alcoholics who see that there is a real possibility of full recovery will not relapse and continue drinking. And most, after completing the program, do not show other symptoms needing any medications.
Another problem experienced by some treatment programs is that of treatment dropout. They recommend motivational techniques to keep patients involved throughout their treatment.
This is exactly what occurs at Narconon. Each individual is intimately involved from day one of the program. He starts with a surprisingly tolerable, comprehensive withdrawal step, followed by a deep detox on the Narconon New Life Detoxification Program. In both of these steps of the program, the physical addiction is addressed, and the recovering alcoholic gradually comes out of the fog of his addiction, assisted by trained staff.
The Narconon drug rehab program also addresses the need for the recovering alcoholic to be able to chart his course to a drug and alcohol-free life with training on several life skills courses. These teach him the tools he will need to maintain a sober lifestyle which include personal integrity, communication and many other skills. After completing all eight phases of the full Narconon program, the person has regained his self-respect, and gained the confidence that he can now live his life without resorting to alcohol or other drugs as an escape.
He only graduates the program when he has completed a plan to live a productive, drug-free life, and he is in no doubt that he can do so.
You may read stories of some people who have experienced the Narconon program at Narconon reviews. There is hope for a full recovery from alcoholism with the Narconon program.
Resources:
http://www.drugabuse.gov/PODAT/faqs.html#faq5
http://www.narconon.org/drug-treatment/narconon-detox.html
Crack Cocaine Recovery
The devastation that crack cocaine wreaked on America in the late 1980s was about as destructive of families as anything this country has experienced in recent history. In virtually every community, formerly productive and contributing members of families and businesses found themselves unexpectedly addicted to crack, a very harsh and toxic drug, capable of imprisoning one within the walls of addiction very fast.
Both men and women can quickly become addicted and may turn to criminal actions such as stealing valuables from loved ones or others in the community or even prostitution to support this expensive habit.
One who is suffering from the torment of finding their next crack rock has probably lost hope and may have forgotten what it is like not to be addicted. To recover and live drug-free again may seem out of reach at this depth of addiction. However, recovering and returning to a truly enjoyable and drug-free life is possible and happens daily at fifty Narconon drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers all over the world.
The Narconon program that is standardized at each drug and alcohol rehab center begins by helping a person to withdraw safely from crack addiction with generous personal support. This allows someone to experience a surprisingly tolerable withdrawal, that does not have to include the intense cravings and depression that can sometimes follow stopping crack usage. This stage of the Narconon rehab program also provides full nutritional support to give the body plenty of energy and nutrition, which it loses over years of crack cocaine abuse. This nutritional support helps the person to avoid a “crash” which can occur otherwise.
Very personal one-on-one attention is characteristic of the full Narconon program. The next step involves a deep detox on the Narconon New Life Detoxification Program. On this step, one rids himself of the drug residues that are stored in the body’s fatty tissues. The individual does this by following a carefully supervised regimen of daily moderate exercise, time spent in a dry-heat sauna, and more nutritional supplementation. At the end of this portion of the program, most addicts report fewer or no cravings for the drug, along with an increase in energy, and the ability to think clearly without the fogginess caused by drugs.
Now that one is able to concentrate more easily, the next part of the Narconon program is a series of courses to enable one to move forward to living a drug-free life. It addresses training in such essential life skills as the ability to communicate with others more easily. One also learns how to relieve the guilt that results from harmful acts one committed while on drugs, as well as how to maintain his personal integrity in the future. There are courses that help one learn how to choose associates and friends who will be supportive of a drug-free style of life, rather than those who will bring one down.
At Narconon, there are techniques to teach each person the skills he needs to maintain lasting sobriety, and before graduating, he will chart his own course for a productive, drug-free future that he is confident he can follow.
If you or a loved one is suffering the pain of cocaine or crack cocaine addiction, it is possible to fully recover and start on your way to lasting relief. Many thousands have done so at Narconon centers around the world. Contact an Intake Counselor at Narconon to get rehab for crack addiction.
How Pain Killers Can Lead to Addiction
How Pain Killers Can Lead to Addiction
It can often happen that one inadvertently gets hooked on pain relievers. This is a story about a young man named Brandon, who used to ride BMX bikes, both motocross and stunt riding. He eventually injured his knee and required pain medications which were prescribed for him — opiates. This led him down the road to addiction.
Fortunately for Brandon, he found a Narconon drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility, and has just completed his full recovery from prescription drug addiction. Here is his story.
After hurting his knee, doctors performed surgery to rebuild it. Then he took the opiates prescribed following the surgery, and continued to take them afterwards as he felt better than when he didn’t take them. He never realized the addictive power of these prescription pain killers.
Continuing to ride BMX bikes, he also continued to injure himself, and thus was prescribed more pain killers. Finally, he was taken off the drugs, and began to feel sick, but still didn’t realize that he was suffering from addiction withdrawal. At about the same time, his friends were abusing opiate pain pills and he started too, at parties. At age 16, he started snorting OxyContin, and each time he did so, he didn’t feel sick. In addition, he started drinking alcohol excessively.
Eventually his parents realized what was happening with Brandon and they sent him to a rehab facility for 90 days when he was 17 years old. Unfortunately, Brandon wasn’t ready to quit, and didn’t actually realize the problem with drugs that others saw in him. So, after he was released, he quickly started smoking pot and drinking, and then drifted back to the pain pills.
During his senior year of high school in Richmond, Virginia he started snorting heroin. His friends told him that shooting it was “the way to go,” so he started shooting up and that began his hard-core addiction.
He then tried some rehab programs which used Suboxone (buprenorphine) to help prevent withdrawal symptoms. However, he didn’t realize that he was still taking an opioid drug daily; he just felt better with the Suboxone and assumed that he was doing better than when on heroin.
However, he’d keep drifting back to the friends who took heroin, and he’d slip back into using it again, sometimes selling his Suboxone, or even taking it in the morning so he could go to work, and then coming home to shoot heroin too. He was lucky he didn’t end his life then in an overdose, but he was just lost at this point and didn’t consider that possibility. At this time, he worked for his father hanging drywall, his only purpose being to make enough money for another fix. Weekends were devoted to drug use and partying, and by Sunday his money was always gone.
He went to another long-term rehab about the time he was 21, where he stayed for 11 months. However, even this long interruption of his drug-taking didn’t resolve the addiction pattern. Right before he was supposed to complete the program and graduate, he and someone else from the rehab left for the evening and got drunk. He left the rehab program the next day.
Brandon’s alcohol abuse quickly advanced into more heroin use and for the next two years it continued. Sometimes he could get a prescription for Suboxone but he didn’t use it unless he couldn’t get any heroin.
He finally did come to realize that he had to overcome his addiction. He and his family found the Narconon program over the Internet. With his family’s help, he made the decision to go to Narconon, although his commitment to finding lasting sobriety there was shaky at first. He heard from other students at Narconon how much better they felt and this encouraged him to give the program a real chance.
Once that happened and he started to work sincerely on the Narconon program he felt good about himself again; the first time in many years. He said that he started having a natural happy feeling – and one he hadn’t felt in a long time.
Once Brandon started moving through the program he was able to resolve old feelings of resentment: he says he finally began to grow up while on the program. Seeing himself finish the full Narconon program, the first rehab he actually completed all the way through, was a proud moment for Brandon.
He also chose to stay at the Narconon Rehab Center to aid others to recover from drug addiction. He’ll tell other students, “Dude, if I can do it, you can do it.” He adds, “I’m glad I did this program. With my experience in rehabs, I don’t think people could find a better place to be.”
If you or someone you care about has a problem with pain killer or other drug or alcohol addiction, contact a drug rehab counselor at Narconon International. You don’t have to be trapped in the cycle of addiction. Narconon offers an effective rehab program in fifty locations all over the world.
Club Drug Rehab at Narconon
The term club drugs signifies drugs that have been developed recently and are used most often at parties, dance clubs, raves and similar venues. The drugs in this class include those synthesized substances that are known by various names like Ecstasy, GHB, ketamine and mephedrone. Some other drugs like cocaine, marijuana, PCP and LSD, as well as alcohol are also sometimes used at these locations.
Of all of them, Ecstasy is the most popular. It is very addictive and can be fatal if the user’s body temperature goes too high. For this reason, some party locales offer bottles of cold water at exorbitant prices and some offer “chill rooms” where the temperatures are kept low so that dancers can cool off.
Ecstasy is a stimulant, similar to methamphetamine, causing rapid heart rates and increases in body temperature. It also causes increased tactical pleasure in the user and sometimes leads to casual sex with persons who are practically strangers. One example was a woman who would go to clubs and get Ecstasy from a man. She then would feel close to him, thought he was her “true love,” and sleep with him, waking up the next morning wondering why she had done so. Then, due to her addiction to Ecstasy, she would repeat the same action the next night, and so on.
GHB, or gamma hydroxybutyrate, is a popular club drug that can be deadly. It often is used in the case of drug-related sexual assault, as the assault is made easier since this drug makes one physically incapacitated and helpless, and its victims are unable to consent to sexual activity. It is nicknamed “Grievous Bodily Harm” because it makes one disassociate from his body, and have no sensation of injury to it.
Since this class of drugs is synthetic, is all one would have to do is change a single molecule of the chemical formula to create a different drug, which may enable dealers to dodge laws designed to keep these drugs off the street.
As with any drug addiction like heroin, alcohol or cocaine, if one is addicted to club drugs, he needs effective drug rehab. For most users who are on the road to recovery, a long term program or 90 days or longer is the best chance one has for lasting sobriety.
At Narconon drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers in fifty locations around the world, it’s been found that a drug-less approach to rehab treatment is possible. The drug addict does not need to substitute another drug for the one he is addicted to in order to recover. Narconon offers an effective, long-term, alternative solution to drug abuse and dependency.
The Narconon rehab program addresses the physical drug cravings, as well as the guilt, destruction of relationships and other losses in self-respect that a drug addict suffers. In each Narconon facility, both the physical, mental and emotional reasons for drug abuse are thoroughly addressed in a safe, secure environment, designed for a complete recovery. The person who is recovering from drug abuse has a chance to regain his integrity and chart a course for his future, based upon common sense moral values and personal goals.
One learns skills at Narconon that can enable him to maintain a drug-free, productive life upon completing the program, and seven of ten graduates of Narconon remain sober and drug-free at least two years after finishing the program.
Anyone addicted to club drugs needs help to achieve a lasting drug-free future. There is help available at Narconon centers, with locations on six continents. Please call a trained intake counselor at Narconon to find out all the details of the full Narconon program. You can help someone you care about who is using club or other drugs to get clean and straight and back on track.
Will Canada’s Supposed Solution to OxyContin Abuse Work with OxyNeo?
Recently a new drug gained approval of the Canadian government. It is supposed to be the answer to an epidemic of OxyContin abuse, but will this drug really be the solution it is intended to be?
OxyContin is a very strong, frequently-abused drug which acts as an opioid pain killer and is supposed to be formulated so that it is time-released. However, abusers have found ways around its time-release features to abuse the drug in several different ways. They can smoke it, crush and snort it, or dissolve it and then inject it into their veins, bypassing the time-release features so that they get a full heroin-like dose of the opioid in the body at one time. It is estimated that abuse and addiction to this drug plagues 200,000 people just in Canada.
When abusers find that they can not obtain their Oxy for some reason, many turn to heroin, which is surprisingly cheaper and more accessible than the prescription drug. Heroin is readily available from drug dealers on the street, and may be easier to find than to weave through the complex medical systems of Canada or the United States.
The government of the United States approved the Purdue Pharma drug company’s less abusable form of the drug in 2011, but it had to then meet the requirements of the Canadian authorities. This new drug, called OxyNeo was released for Canadian patients in the beginning of March, 2012. It is supposedly formulated to resist dissolving, smoking or crushing, thus circumventing the avenues abusers had used to release the full potency of the drug quickly.
According to reports, this new OxyNeo pill is supposedly too hard to crush but when it is swallowed, will still release the correct amount of medication to the body. Those who find that a whole, intact pill is excreted through their body’s waste channels are informed that they are still receiving the correct amount of medicine as is intended.
For those who would smoke the pills these new ones will not burn, at least not enough to get intoxicated from them. There is also a feature that will turn the pill into jelly when someone tries to dissolve it so it cannot be injected. These features are designed to protect those people who cannot control their extreme craving for this drug.
But, when one is addicted to opiates it is almost inconceivable to not obtain more of the drug. So, what will the users of OxyContin, when unable to obtain more of their favorite drug do to solve this dilemma? If addiction rehab is not a viable alternative, then the opiate addict will undoubtedly try to obtain his drugs from another source.
His choices would be to find other prescription opiates like hydrocodone or fentanyl or hydromorphone, and to find a doctor who would prescribe these for him. Another option would be to try to get the OxyContin from the Internet, and purchase from some other country’s suppliers, such as India or China. Unfortunately these countries may supply false products, which are not the drug at all; or some version which is contaminated with other toxins; or at best, he will get the drug but of some unknown potency. And, finally, and most likely, these users would turn to heroin. Heroin is readily available in Canada and the U.S., and its usage is already on the rise in Canada. According to the site for Canadian news, Canada.com, there have been large increases in the number of students abusing heroin, with that number doubling in just the year 2007-2008 among Toronto students. And, according to the same site, the ages of Canadian heroin addicts is falling, from about age 19 just 20 years ago to as young as 14 years of age now.
This trend does not have to continue.
There is actually hope for heroin or OxyContin and other drug abusers. The very best thing that could happen is that one would not transition off one drug to another, and another after that and so on. It would be far better to find an effective drug rehab program that really can address this issue and handle the addiction for good. There are many drug rehabs in the U.S. and Canada who claim success rates between 16 and 20 percent.
There is one that has been far more effective however and that is Narconon.
At Narconon drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers, 70% of their graduates regularly stay clean and sober for at least two years after completing the program. In Quebec, at Trois-Rivieres, there is a Narconon long-term residential rehab program for those who are ready to kick the habit for good. There is also another rehab center offering real help for addicts in Alberta, the province which in 2010 had the highest rate of opiate abuse in the country. And, in Vancouver, there is a drug education program offering Narconon’s extremely effective drug prevention curriculum so that young people never even start to go down the road to OxyContin, OxyNeo, heroin or any other drug abuse.
There is help available to those who have been abusing any drugs, marijuana, prescription drugs, or even alcohol. It is the purpose of Narconon to help addicts to find lasting sobriety and become productive, drug-free members of society. This occurs at Narconon centers all over the world on a daily basis.
Find out more details about the Narconon drug rehab program by calling one of our drug counselors.
Heroin Addiction Recovery
When one discovers that a family member has been using heroin, it is usually a huge shock. And, while many heroin addicts can be helped to really kick the addiction, others go through several rehab programs but don’t find real recovery. That is why so many countries have adopted programs that do not really mean recovery from heroin addiction, but an alternative to help heroin addicts to lead a safer, healthier life.
These programs, particularly in Europe and Canada, and some in the United States work on the premise that you can never get someone completely un-addicted from heroin. They will provide clean needles or “safe rooms” for addicts, to minimize the spread of HIV and Hepatitis B through needle sharing or dirty needles. Others involve prescribing pharmaceutical grade heroin to addicts who have not made a successful recovery at any rehab facility.
Since the truth is that heroin addiction is not a permanent situation, and that real recovery is possible for this as well as other addictions, one should not settle for just being safer or healthier while still remaining a heroin addict. There is hope for a full recovery from heroin addiction with the right rehab program.
Narconon drug and alcohol rehab programs exist on six continents of the world in fifty locations, each using a standardized regimen which actually results in seven of ten heroin addicts and people addicted to other drugs becoming and staying drug-free. This is done without the aid of alternate drugs to substitute for heroin, and without any horrible or arduous withdrawal for most people.
The Narconon program works because there is a true understanding of the cycle of addiction and what factors continue to drive people back into more drug use. These are drug cravings, and the feelings of depression and guilt.
If these three factors are truly handled, the person is then free to lead a happier drug-free life.
The Narconon program addresses the drug cravings by using a unique sauna detox called the Narconon New Life Detoxification Program. It includes specific nutritional supplements tailored to each person as they progress through the program. In addition, while on this step of the Narconon program, one does a moderate amount of daily exercise and spends time in a low, dry-heat sauna. One is carefully supervised during this part as well as during all aspects of the Narconon program. What occurs after this unique regimen has been used for anywhere from 30-60 days, is that the person has been able to rid his body of the accumulated toxins from drug usage, which were stored in the body’s fatty tissues. These, when reactivated into the bloodstream have been shown to be capable of triggering cravings for more drugs even long after one has stopped taking any.
After finishing the Narconon New Life Detoxification Program one is able to face life with a brighter outlook, more energy and most often with fewer or even no more cravings for drugs.
The person who is going through heroin recovery now must address the depression and guilt that most addicted people suffer. Each person during his addiction has done things that he is not proud of, sometimes even illegal or harmful acts to others close to him. Also, the physical withdrawal itself can produce feelings of depression. These feelings are remedied with real nutritional support from day one of the program, along with the life skills training that one engages in after completing the full physical detox.
On these life skills courses, one learns how to fully take responsibility for his actions, which sometimes must include making up any damage to loved ones he has harmed while addicted. He will learn several other skills which help him to lead a drug-free and productive life. At the end of the program, each recovered addict makes a plan for his future life with a determination to remain drug-free, even in the face of life’s challenges. Seven out of ten Narconon graduates remain drug-free without even having to attend Narconon meetings.
After recovering from heroin addiction at Narconon, graduates have relieved their cravings, guilt and depression, and are looking forward to a productive and drug-free life.
Call today to speak to a trained Narconon Intake Counselor today and find what you need to help a heroin or opiate addict. Ask about all the details of the full Narconon program. You will discover there is a real solution to heroin addiction and recovery is possible.
Alcohol Addiction Treatment
There are several choices for treating alcohol addiction. These range from taking drugs prescribed to make someone sick if they drink alcohol after the drugs, to many hundreds of meetings with support groups. There is no real proven, standardized treatment for alcoholism. Unfortunately, that means that many programs around the world have only a 16-20% success rate, and many run even lower than that.
This can be disheartening and very frustrating for both the alcoholic and his family. Many trips to rehab with the most sincere of intentions to try to get sober may not work.
So how does one evaluate what program will work for an individual? If you were to ask each rehab program what their success rate is, and how it is determined you might find out some surprising facts. One program may judge that the number of people who complete the given program is a success, even if that person begins drinking again right after the program is done. Others may claim sobriety among their completions, but have with little or no follow up to verify this sobriety over the long-term after the program has been completed. Ask how they determine their sobriety rate when interviewing any alcohol rehab program. One should determine if there is a post-treatment monitoring program in place, without which the success rate simply is not valid.
At Narconon drug and alcohol rehab centers around the world, the success rate is based on follow up interviews on all completions for two years after completing the full program. This standardized program is the same in all fifty locations around the globe, so when the Narconon program states its success rate as 70% worldwide, that is truly an average rate of success (some centers boast as high as 85%) for all Narconon completions around the world. Seven out of ten graduates really do find lasting sobriety by doing the full Narconon program without having to go to Narconon meetings.
With some families, they have been through many different rehab programs before finding any success. When one does find a Narconon program, hope is restored since for seven of ten graduates, they return to their families to stay sober and living a drug-free productive life.
As anyone who has dealt with the problem of alcoholism knows, it can exist for quite a while before the alcoholic might seek and find treatment. It is possible that because alcohol is a legal substance (at least for those 21 years or older). But, this can be a drawback too, as the alcoholic’s family may tolerate the problem longer, and may not realize the need for alcohol addiction rehab treatment for some time.
It is stressful and difficult at times to try to help someone recover from alcohol or any addiction. There are dangers to face, including injury or overdosing, even with alcohol. The people who most need the help may be most resistant to receiving help. And when you as a loving family member reach out to try to help your loved one, your care and love may be misinterpreted as trying to interfere in the other’s life, and be resented and rejected. At this point, it may require a trained Intake Counselor to help inform the addicted person of Narconon’s unique and lasting way out of the cycle of addiction. For forty-five years in fifty locations around the world, Narconon has been helping people to get sober and drug free, even some who didn’t feel they needed to have help. But, over many years, many people have been helped and their individual situations have been resolved, much to the relief and joy of their families.
If you feel you or a loved one needs alcohol treatment, call Narconon today. You can find out all the details of the Narconon program and find the locations nearest you. Making that call can help you feel better, knowing you are doing something positive to combat the problem and help someone who needs help, even if it is you!
Call and speak to a trained Narconon alcohol treatment intake counselor.
Will the Coming New Formulation of Hydrocodone Mean More Opiate Addicts Will Need Help in 2013?
As time passes, we get ever closer to the date that Zogenix releases its new hydrocodone formulation, Zohydro. As announced in January 2012, this new formulation of pain medication will contain five times as much of the pain-killing drug hydrocodone but none of the acetaminophen that the earlier formulations contained. These formulations were known as Lortab, Vicodin, Lorcet, and many other names. But in continuous use as when a person suffers from chronic pain, the acetaminophen presents risks of liver toxicity and damage.
On the other hand, hydrocodone is a very commonly abused drug. As it is addictive, it sends many people who have abused it to drug rehabs for recovery.
Despite the concerns of regulators and those who care for those who become addicted, Zohydro is in clinical trials and it set to hit the pain-relief market in 2013.
There are three other pharmaceutical companies who are developing new all-hydrocodone formulas: Teva Pharmaceuticals in Israel, Purdue Pharma that also manufactures OxyContin, and Egalet in Denmark. These other companies are working on formulations that contain deterrents to abusing or tampering with the pills, for example, crushing or dissolving them. The Zogenix formulation does not contain any deterrents.
Will Narconon Centers See More People Needing Drug Rehab?
Hydrocodone is addictive, but the large dosage of acetaminophen that now is included in current formulations is not. This means that anyone taking or abusing the upcoming Zohydro is going to be getting a higher dose of addictive material with every dose. Will this mean that more people are going to be seeking help at Narconon drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers across the US?
Already, as many as half the new arrivals at some Narconon centers are seeking help for addiction to pain relievers and other prescription drugs. In 2009, it was estimated that more than 23 million Americans had abused hydrocodone at some point. More than 86,000 needed assistance at an emergency room after they had abused this drug. As an opiate, hydrocodone suppresses a person’s respiration. As it is frequently abused along with alcohol which also suppresses respiration, this can present a threat of death when both drugs work together stop a person’s breathing.
Lasting Recovery is an Essential Part of Curtailing This Epidemic
According to reports from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), about one in three people admitted to addiction treatment in 2010 were being admitted for the first time. The other two were going back to rehab because they did not manage to stay sober. Effective rehabilitation that results in lasting sobriety is needed to fight this epidemic of substance abuse and addiction.
But many drug rehabs do not profess to eliminate addiction. Instead, they quote success rates of somewhere around 20% and explain that relapse is part of recovery. So the family may not be surprised when their loved one begins to abuse drugs once again. The success of the Narconon drug recovery program means that families do not need to experience this “revolving door” of addiction treatment.
Instead, Narconon centers monitor their graduates for a two year period and find that 70% of them stay sober after they get home. This means that even if the threat of addiction stays high because of these new hydrocodone formulations coming on the market, families can find effective help for their loved ones who may become trapped after abusing pain relievers for a short period – or a long one.
Call the Narconon International office to get more information about the Narconon drug rehabilitation program.
Resources:
http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9S7N3001.htm
http://www.painmedicinenews.com/ViewArticle.aspx?d=Clinical+Pain+Medicine
http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/news.html?d=229812http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drugs_concern/hydrocodone.pdf
Cocaine Damages the Heart
Cocaine has many potential devastating effects on the human heart, both physiologically and emotionally. In an article entitled, “The Effects of Acute and Chronic Cocaine Use on the Heart,” published on the American Heart Association’s website, the authors document how cocaine is toxic to the heart muscle and actually leads to necrosis (death of tissue) of the heart muscle itself. This occurs as cocaine lessens the heart muscle’s ability to contract and pump blood so that less oxygen reaches the heart.
Even young cocaine users can have symptoms like those of a heart attack, sometimes making diagnosis difficult, since doctors are more accustomed to seeing these in older patients.
Another factor is the accumulation of plaque in the arteries (known as atherosclerosis), that causes the arteries to become less supple, making blood flow more difficult and sometimes leading to heart attacks or strokes. The heart can also become enlarged, thicker or stiffer than it should be due to this greater inflexibility of the blood vessels.
This makes cocaine a very dangerous drug when it comes to one’s cardiovascular health. However, there is usually far more damage done to the cocaine abuser’s life than only the physical injury to his body.
An addict to any substance has become so preoccupied or consumed with the need for more and more drugs that he cannot usually see what damage he may be doing to his own life, his loved ones, his career or his home. His decision-making seems to have shifted onto how to get his next fix or the next one after that and so on. His loss of self-esteem and ideals make his life very difficult to face so that more abuse of the drug is the only way he finds escape.
The cost of drug abuse can also contribute to a financial downward spin leading one to quickly lose control of his finances when so much money is consumed in the high-cost powder form, or in rocks such as crack cocaine.
It is fortunate that even chronic cocaine addiction can be reversed with effective drug rehabilitation. Narconon drug and alcohol rehabilitation offers a drugless, holistic approach to rehab that really works. The Narconon drug rehab program is so effective that seven of ten of its graduates over the past four decades have remained drug free and sober at least two years following program completion.
This unique program includes the Narconon New Life Detoxification Program, which helps to reduce or eliminate drug cravings. An individual enrolled in the Narconon program is closely supervised during the period of drug withdrawal and then is overseen during daily moderate exercise, while receiving excellent nutrition and plenty of nutritional supplements, as well as spending time in a dry-heat sauna. This strict regimen continues until the person is freed of the harmful residues of drugs in his body, allowing one to feel clean again, and see the world unclouded by drug shadows. In addition to fewer cravings, one usually recovers a brighter viewpoint and more energy after completing this part of the program.
The Narconon program continues with essential life skills training enabling the former addict to recover his own personal integrity, self-esteem and moral values. He will learn how to make drug-free decisions and to choose people in his life who will be supportive of a drug-free lifestyle.
It is fully possible to regain a healthy outlook and love for life that had seemed long-gone. The recovery process is only complete when one has charted a course for his future that is productive, drug free and one he will be happy to maintain.
In more than fifty locations around the world, Narconon is helping to create lasting recovery from cocaine and other drug addictions every day.
Call us to find out more details of the Narconon program and locate a rehab center near you. Or check out some Narconon reviews to get more information.
Resources:
http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/85/2/407
Physical Effects of Cocaine Addiction
While most people know that cocaine is extremely addictive to the user, it may not be as well known that the drug has some very hazardous health effects. Some are so severe that one can immediately die from taking cocaine, even just once.
That fact was uncovered when a healthy, recently recruited Boston Celtics basketball player named Len Bias died in 1986 from heart problems caused by cocaine use. It wasn’t particularly known up to that time how severely cocaine, a strong stimulant, potentially affected the heart.
A stimulant causes the body temperature and heart rate to rise, while cocaine also constricts the blood vessels. This combination can potentially put a fatal strain on the heart muscle. The resulting increased blood pressure can also cause a stroke.
When one takes cocaine orally, as is sometimes the case, one can cause so much constriction of the intestines that abdominal gangrene can be formed. It is that strong a drug.
Additionally, a coke user who snorts the drug may cause erosion of the nasal tissue, so much so that a hole can form between two sides of the nose. While this isn’t fatal, it can never rebuild itself, even with drug rehab, and can only be repaired surgically. One may never notice this happening however, because cocaine also has a strong local anesthetic effect on the tissues. It is used, in fact, as a numbing agent for eye surgery.
Rehab for cocaine addiction is needed as soon as possible to prevent these potentially harmful effects. If one gets treatment early, effective rehab could also prevent the moral and emotional devastation, not to mention the financial ruin that can result from such an expensive addiction.
Narconon centers around the world have helped cocaine and other drug addicts to find lasting recovery for forty-five years. Narconon rehab is a comprehensive, holistic, drugless program which includes the physical, as well as the emotional and practical aspects of rehabilitation and recovery which is what someone addicted to any drug needs to break the cycle completely.
When one starts off at a Narconon facility he experiences 24-hour supervised drug withdrawal which is likely to be far more tolerable than expected. It includes nutritional support, exercises to get one’s attention focused outward rather than inward, and some assistance to the body much like a gentle massage. This often leads to less fatigue, anxiety, depression and irritability related to substance abuse.
After this period, one begins the Narconon New Life Detoxification Program, which is a unique deep detox, enabling the body to rid itself of the drug residues which are stored in the body’s fatty tissues. When these are released, the person who is recovering from drug addiction feels cleaner, brighter and most report few or no cravings for drugs. This program uses more nutritional supplementation, mild exercise and time spent in a dry-heat sauna daily. This strict regimen usually results in more energy, more enthusiasm for life and a higher sense of well-being than before the program.
The Narconon program continues with training in essential life skills to make one more stable and capable of making good decisions for the future. One studies course materials which improve one’s ability to communicate with another person and help one to regain his integrity and sense of self-worth. He also learns a common sense moral code to give him tools for a successful and productive life.
One completes the full Narconon program when he has charted his own future course, and knows that he can maintain sobriety even when faced with difficult situations.
Cocaine addiction can be cured. The destructive physical effects that coke could cause can be avoided with prompt and effective cocaine addiction rehab. Call Narconon to find out more details about how you or a loved one can get help with cocaine addiction.
Tragedy of Painkiller Addiction
Addiction to painkilling drugs has become one of the most prevalent addictions in America and other countries today. Recently America’s most popular prescription drug was hydrocodone, an opioid pain killer, in combination with acetaminophen – also called Vicodin, Lorcet or Lortab. In 2010, there were an astonishing 131.2 million prescriptions for this drug. (Or about one prescription written for every 2.5 Americans.)
By looking at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) statistics, one can see how dire this trend is. Their 2010 report showed that prescription drug addiction is up 430% from 1999 to 2009, based on the number of people who entered drug treatment for this addiction problem.
How does one get addicted to prescription pain medication? Surely, so many people are not in such horrific chronic pain that it takes huge doses of opiate pain medication to relieve it.
It starts for many with a simple legitimate use of pain medication after surgery, a severe injury, or even a tooth extraction. One may just need a few pills and the pain is gone. However, the person may continue to use the painkiller after that initial pain has gone away. He may seem to “feel better” or just not have some of his usual aches and pains when he takes the pills. Of course, they are opiates, so they do relieve pain, and they are highly addictive.
Some people won’t realize they have a problem even though they find they need more and more of the pills to keep the good feeling of a pain-free body. What has happened is the body has developed a tolerance for them, which means it needs higher doses to feel the relief that was previously achieved with a lower dosage.
Now the person may go back to the doctor and request more prescriptions, he may report that the medication he has isn’t sufficient to handle his pain. The doctor may fill this request a few times, but he may eventually refuse to do so, and now the person needs the drug in order to feel normal, and not feel so achy or sick. He is in trouble now, as he has no legitimate prescription to refill.
Many solutions have been used for this painkilling drug addiction dilemma, some pretty inventive. One can go doctor shopping, in different counties or cities, or even across State lines, in attempts to get prescriptions from different doctors and pharmacies that may not be aware of other prescriptions already written. (Several states are wising up to this phenomenon however, and are tracking prescriptions written for such drugs and penalizing pharmacies for filling multiple prescriptions.)
Some people even try crossing international borders, and purchase drugs over the Internet, even coming from China or India, which brings into question the purity or the actual dosage of the drugs they are getting.
Others switch to heroin when they can no longer obtain their prescription medicines, subjecting themselves to the potential danger of an accidental overdose.
In any case, what has happened is now the person has become addicted to these painkillers. He has lost control of his life and needs an effective drug rehab program to bring him back. Some programs state a recovery rate of only 10 to 20 percent, but the Narconon drug rehab program continues to have 70 percent of its graduates who go on to lead sober and productive lives.
The secret of this program is that it completely addresses the reasons for going down the road of addiction, as well as handling the physical results of such drug use, and giving the person the life skills he will need to continue to live drug-free after completing the program.
Narconon offers a long-term residential treatment program that gives the person a chance to reclaim his life and rebuild his personal integrity which may have been lost during his bout with addiction. He learns how he can stay stable and make good choices in his life, despite life’s challenges.
For the physical addiction, the Narconon New Life Detoxification Program is a unique combination of time spent in a dry-heat sauna along with moderate exercise and liberal nutritional supplementation. This strict regimen results in activating the body’s ability to flush out old drug residues that have been stored in the fatty tissues. Eliminating these toxins has been shown to help those recovering from addiction to have fewer cravings for drugs and in some cases eliminates the cravings altogether.
You may not believe it now, but you or your loved one can safely and completely get off pain pills. Call Narconon to find out more details of the comprehensive Narconon drug rehab program.
Resources:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jamie-lee-curtis/king-of-pain_b_240998.html
http://www.samhsa.gov/data/DASIS/teds09st/teds2009stweb.pdf
http://www.samhsa.gov/newsroom/advisories/1112074117.aspx
http://www.clinicalcorrelations.org/?p=4888
Celebrities Affected by Prescription Drug Abuse
Another one of many celebrities struggling with prescription drug abuse is Matthew Perry, former star of “Friends” TV show and current star of ABC’s “Mr. Sunshine.” He has had a history of substance abuse and has gone twice to rehab for treatment of prescription pill addiction.
Celebrities aren’t the only ones fighting the battle with prescription drugs. In the state of Florida, prescription drug abuse is an epidemic. In fact pills are involved in 75% of all the drug-related deaths and on average, 11 people die daily in Florida from prescription drug overdoses.
In the United States, more people are now abusing prescription drugs than heroin, cocaine and ecstasy combined. The drug of choice for a growing number of users is oxycodone, a synthetic opioid sold under the brand name OxyContin. OxyContin is essentially synthetic heroin made in a lab by pharmaceutical companies. Oxycodone has become the most-abused prescription drug in the United States, with hydrocodone coming in second, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration’s annual count of drug seizures sent to police drug labs for analysis.
Current TV’s series Vanguard aired a disturbing documentary, The Oxycontin Express, in which South Florida was labeled “the Colombia of prescription drugs” and exposed the difficulties facing law enforcement in dealing with prescription drug abuse in what is truly a national epidemic.
Florida’s Gov. Rick Scott finally signed a bill into law in June of 2011 penalizing doctors who overprescribe painkillers, and authorizing a database that monitors prescription drugs in an attempt to control the state’s widespread “pill mills.”
How to Overcome Drug Addiction
But what if you, a loved one or a family member is faced with this highly-addictive drug problem? What would you do? How do you tell if a rehab program is effective? What will work to get one off of drugs for good? Is there a drug-free solution?
Fortunately there is help available. One can rid oneself of the addiction and live a productive, drug-free life again. Narconon is a very effective program, founded more than 45 years ago, which helps the prescription pill addict find his way back to health and sobriety. Narconon drug rehabilitation centers exist worldwide, on six continents and specialize in drug-free detoxification and treatment methods.
The Narconon program consists of two phases. In Phase one, the recovering addict will experience a physical rehabilitation. During the first part the person entering a Narconon will have one-on-one counseling and assistance and plenty of nutritional supplements to replace those destroyed during drug use. This makes for a more tolerable withdrawal. This is followed by the unique Narconon New Life Detoxification Program composed of daily exercise, time in a dry-heat sauna, and more nutritional support. Upon completion of this part of the program, many recovering addicts report fewer cravings for drugs.
However Narconon rehabilitation does not stop here, as this is just the first phase. The issues which led the person to abuse drugs have to be handled in order for him to return to a drug-free life. In Phase two, the student at Narconon studies several life skills courses helping him to rebuild his self-esteem, ability to communicate and control of self and his environment. In doing this, he handles the underlying reasons the person used drugs in the first place.
The Narconon program differs from many others in that it does not substitute one drug for another, and it offers the life skills necessary to live a drug-free life. Once a person graduates the program, there are no Narconon meetings to attend. The person is able to apply the life skills attained to live drug-free.
If you or a family member has a prescription drug abuse problem, call a Narconon rehab center for assistance.
Is There an Effective Alcohol Rehab Program?
The latest World Health Organization’s statistics show that over 2.5 million deaths each year can be related to the harmful use of alcohol.
This includes disease and injuries to the drinker himself, and through his dangerous actions such as drinking and driving or violence, those injuries he causes to others. Alcohol is a direct cause factor in more than 60 types of diseases and injuries and a component cause in 200 others.
Alcohol is indeed the most popular drug on the planet and kills far more people worldwide than any other drug. It is the cause of death in nearly 4% of all deaths worldwide, greater than those caused by HIV/AIDS, violence or tuberculosis. While not everyone who drinks alcohol is abusing it, so many are that it is a public health problem of global proportion.
Taking into account how many people are thus affected by alcohol abuse, it would be wonderful if there were an effective alcohol rehab program that really works!
An Effective Alcohol Rehab Worldwide
Fortunately, there is an effective alcohol rehabilitation program worldwide. It is called Narconon, and has been in existence for over 45 years. It was started by a man named William Benitez in an Arizona State Prison, as he needed help to recover from his own heroin addiction that kept landing him in jail and saw that other prisoners needed similar help. It is based on the research and work of humanitarian and author L. Ron Hubbard.
A Narconon alcohol treatment center is not a typical drug and alcohol rehab center. At Narconon each person entering the program is treated as a student, not as a patient. During the entire Narconon program each student is learning more and more things about himself and about ways of dealing with life without the need for alcohol or drugs. One learns to take control over his previous alcohol or drug solutions to problems he would not confront directly. In the course of the Narconon program, one goes through eight individual courses, each of which gradually gives back more of the person’s own personality and his desire to live a drug and alcohol-free life.
In the first step, he is withdrawing from the alcohol while being given plenty of one-on-one assistance and nutritional support and supplementation with vitamins and minerals. In this environment, it is possible for the person to begin to see that life can be lived without the crutch of alcohol.
In the next step, he will go through the Narconon New Life Detoxification Program, which gets the residues of drugs and alcohol out of the fatty tissue of the body, where it has been stored. Without the residual toxins in the body, it is far less likely that the person will crave the drugs or alcohol he once was addicted to.
Outside Influences Can Help Create More Alcoholics
One problem which alcoholics who are not able to control their drinking often engage in is called “binge drinking.” This involves consumption of five or more drinks in one sitting. This trend has been increasing recently among young people. It has even taken its place in the social media networks. For example, on Facebook, alcohol abusers are bragging about how much they can drink in one sitting, a factor that some researchers say adds to the increasing alcohol consumption and binge drinking among youth.
Alcohol abuse is a societal problem and one that we need to take much more seriously. Although pervasive, it rarely ranks as a top concern until it affects you, your family, or your loved ones. When that happens, there is a solution. Narconon drug and alcohol rehab centers exist on six continents in more than 50 locations worldwide.
It is possible to find an effective alcohol rehab program at Narconon. Call today!
Resources:
Global status report on alcohol and health.
World Health Organization. ISBN 978 92 4 156415 1 (NLM classification: WM 274)
© World Health Organization 2011.
Alcohol Abuse Affects Many Levels of Society
When one reads newspaper headlines, it is noticeable how many prominent people are affected by drug and alcohol abuse. A quick scan of some recent headlines reveals that Charlie Sheen’s ex-wife was arrested recently in Aspen on assault and cocaine possession charges; the former Miss USA, Rima Fakih was arrested in Michigan on drunk driving charges; and most recently (December 6, 2011), the chief of the Federal Aviation Administration, Randy Babbitt stepped down from his position following an arrest for drunken driving in Fairfax City, VA. Police stopped Babbitt after they spotted him driving on the wrong side of the road.
Babbitt’s arrest information was made public in accordance with a Fairfax City police general order that says they will release information on any arrest of public officials, including federal officials, for any criminal charge or serious traffic charge (e.g. driving under the influence, reckless driving).
The FAA has been in the spotlight for the past few years and suffered weeks of criticism following revelations last spring that at least nine air traffic controllers had fallen asleep on the job or were unresponsive to calls.
The FAA has also been plagued by a rash of pilots who were violating federal regulations regarding alcohol and flying.
In November of 2009, a United Airlines pilot was arrested in London’s Heathrow airport before takeoff for allegedly drinking too much before entering the cockpit.
In 2008, 13 pilots violated the Federal Aviation Administration’s alcohol-related rules. Their rules state that pilots can’t fly if they have a blood-alcohol level of 0.04% or higher, half the legal driving limit in most states. They are prohibited from drinking any alcohol in the eight hours before reporting for work, a provision known in the profession as the “bottle-to-throttle” rule.
British law is even stricter with a 0.02% limit, a level which can be reached with about one regular beer.
Despite these regulations and attempts to have other crew members look out for the safety of all passengers, alcohol is a pervasive problem, and not just among professional pilots.
The problem of alcohol abuse reaches to the top and bottom rungs of society, and once an alcoholic, it is extremely hard to break free of the addiction. Anyone can have a few drinks from time to time, but when an otherwise rational person chooses to drink excessively despite the damage it may be causing to their health, work, finances, and relationships, and they cannot quit of their own accord, it may be termed alcoholism.
Only effective alcohol abuse rehab programs with a proven track record can ensure that you or a family member will become free of this societal and personal curse.
Narconon objectives have been helping alcoholics and other drug addicts to live sober and drug-free lives for 45 years. Narconon has programs all over the world, in six continents and more than 40 countries.
For Narconon school drug education programs to help educate kids about alcohol and other harmful drugs, contact a Narconon center today.
Resources:
http://alcoholism.about.com/cs/news/a/drugnews.htm
http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2009-11-12-pilot-drinking-episodes_N.htm
Prescription Drug Addiction & Treatment
Narconon Addiction Treatment Admissions for Prescription Drugs Reflect Rising Abuse and Overdose Problems in America Across the country, the number of people entering the Narconon program shows increases in prescription drug addiction, matching the national pattern of growth in this category of abuse, treatment and overdose deaths.
According to recent reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), overprescribing and abuse of prescription drugs have been climbing. Following right behind those statistics are addiction and overdose death statistics. While a decade or so ago, the main drugs killing people through overdoses were drugs like heroin and cocaine, these days far more people are being killed by prescription drugs – drugs that were intended to make life bearable for people with chronic pain or other serious conditions.
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6043a4.htm?s_cid=mm6043a4_w
Mirroring this shift is the pattern of admissions to addiction treatment at Narconon drug recovery centers across the country. In the thirteen rehabs in the US that use the standardized Narconon addiction treatment protocol, the common pattern is an increase in the number of prescription drug addicts, as many as half of all admissions at some centers.
“The number of people needing to recover from prescription drug addiction – especially painkillers – has reached epidemic levels,” warned Bobby Wiggins, drug education specialist for the international headquarters of Narconon, located in Los Angeles. “More young people are abusing these drugs as well, so much so that abuse of prescription drugs threatens to overtake the use of marijuana by teens.” Mr. Wiggins cited the National Survey on Drug Use and Health by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), which reported in that in 2009, nearly a million 14 and 15 year olds had abused a prescription drug at some point in their young lives. This is nearly eleven percent of all children of this age.
http://oas.samhsa.gov/NSDUH/2k10NSDUH/tabs/Sect1peTabs1to46.htm#Tab1.1A
“Young people see their parents using these medications and then may see the drugs being abused in television shows and movies. Young people who feel they are stressed or anxious or are just curious or bored may take a few pills for their own use,” Mr. Wiggins explained. “But as the young people get older and have more means and freedom, this occasional use can become abuse and addiction very easily.”
The CDC report reviewed the number of drug overdose deaths in the US between 1999 and 2008 that were related to prescription drugs and then noted that opiate pain reliever use contributed to the largest number of drug deaths. Out of 36,450 drug overdose deaths in 2008, a specific drug or drugs were named in 27,153 deaths. Opiate pain relievers were responsible for nearly 74% of these deaths. Non-Hispanic whites and American Indian/Alaska Natives were the hardest hit, with three times the deaths of Hispanic whites or African Americans.
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6043a4.htm?s_cid=mm6043a4_w
According to SAMHSA, there were 142,000 people admitted to addiction treatment facilities for problems with pain reliever addiction in 2009. But of all those who need treatment for addiction, fewer than 10% actually get treatment. Of those who did not receive treatment, only about one in twenty felt that they needed help with addiction. The remainder did not see the problem even though they fit the criteria for dependence or addiction. This means that there are probably around a million and a half Americans struggling with addiction to OxyContin, Roxicodone, hydrocodone (sold as Lortab, Lorcet or Vicodin), morphine, methadone, or the many other drugs on this list.
http://oas.samhsa.gov/nsduh/2k8nsduh/2k8Results.cfm#7.3
“The solution to this problem is multi-faceted,” reported Mr. Wiggins. “The CDC encourages the states to implement greater controls over opiate prescribing. The public must be better educated on the dangers of prescription drug abuse and there must be effective drug rehabilitation available.”
SAMSHA data gathering also found that in 2008, nearly four times as many of those people entering treatment for the second, third or more times reported pain reliever abuse as repeat admissions did in 1999. This follows the trend of broader prescribing and abuse followed by higher numbers of those addicted.
http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/2k10/230/230PainRelvr2k10.htm
Mr. Wiggins concluded, “The cycle of addiction is broken when treatment eliminates the key factors that have been discovered at Narconon: guilt, cravings and depression.” At Narconon rehab centers around the world, seven out of ten graduates remain drug-free after they go home, whether they are getting help for alcohol, heroin, cocaine or prescription pain relievers.
Are College Students too Comfortable with Prescription Stimulant Abuse?
In a recent article in the Daily Utah Chronicle, author Hannah Jones reports that students are too comfortable with abusing prescription stimulants. She concluded this, citing a 2001 study done by the University of Michigan and Harvard University wherein 10,904 randomly selected college students were polled from 119 four-year colleges.
In this study, prescription stimulant drugs including Adderall, Ritalin and Dexedrine were found to be the second most-used illegal drugs among college students, following only behind marijuana. These prescription stimulants were seen by students as academic performance enhancers, but the physical and sociological risks of using these substances should far overshadow any potential academic gain.
In fact, the illicit use of psycho-stimulants such as those named above were part of the students’ perceived competitive edge while fighting for higher test scores and better grades, as revealed in an undercover college drug raid at Columbia University in 2010. This raid, nicknamed “Operation Ivy League,” found students regularly buying and selling illegal drugs.
Perhaps college students learn this complacent attitude early in life, as the phenomenon of prescribing drugs begins in this country (as well as others) very early in life. In fact, strong prescription stimulants are commonly prescribed to children in this country. In 2007, about 5.4 million children aged 4 to 17 years old were diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About two-thirds of those so diagnosed were medicated.
Drugs like Adderall are compounds of different kinds of amphetamines. Ritalin (methylphenidate) is a prescription stimulant that possesses structural similarities to amphetamine, but its pharmacological effects are more similar to those of cocaine.
It seems all too commonplace and accepted that young children are placed on highly addictive drugs such as these. These drugs are extremely dangerous even though millions of children are taking them.
The physical symptoms are quite serious enough, not to mention the legal complications involved. The selling of a prescription to another student or possessing these prescription stimulants without a prescription is illegal. A student who is convicted of illegal possession or distribution of prescription drugs can incur fines of hundreds or even thousands of dollars and a potential felony conviction.
The potential for so much negative impact should overshadow any perceived “test score advantage” that taking such drugs might offer and opinions vary on whether or not the drugs do, in fact, offer any academic advantage. The results of prescription stimulant abuse can include long-term addiction from which is hard to break free.
It isn’t just the college students who are too comfortable with drug use and abuse. Many segments of society are far too accustomed to “popping a pill” to solve any random difficulty they face in life.
The Narconon program has been offering effective drug abuse education, treatment and rehabilitation for more than forty years on six continents of the world. Narconon has effective education and rehab programs in more than 120 locations which offer life-saving results, and it has done so since 1966.
To learn more about the effective program used at Narconon to combat drug and alcohol abuse among college students as well as any other segment of the population, please read: http://www.narconon-news.org/program/narconon-alcohol-drug-treatment.html.
Narconon Spokesperson Asks “What is Our Wish for Our Young Adults? Probably Not Abusing Prescription Pain Relievers!”
What would we want for our young adults? As future business owners, legislators and professors, they should be completing their educations, starting their careers, and giving the next generation its start.
Unfortunately, too many are getting their plans for the future derailed by prescription pain reliever abuse and addiction. As an example of one of the prescription pain relievers seeing the most growth, OxyContin was introduced to the United States in 1996. In 1998, only 1.5 percent of all drug addiction treatment admissions for those between 18 and 24 were for prescription pain relievers.
Some very effective marketing for OxyContin followed and prescription numbers began to skyrocket. By 2008, US sales of OxyContin alone topped $2.5 BILLION. And by 2008, treatment admissions for pain reliever addiction in the 18 to 24 age bracket hit 13.7 percent of all drug rehab admissions. The percentage of admissions for those between 25 and 34 increased from 2.1 percent to 13.5 percent over the same ten years.
“When it comes to abuse of prescription pain relievers, the only protection is a good education on drugs,” stated Bobby Wiggins, spokesperson for Narconon. Narconon is an international non-profit organization dedicated to the elimination of substance abuse and addiction through effective drug rehabilitation and education. “The person trying to sell you an 80 milligram OxyContin tablet is not going to warn you that the drug is addictive. And Purdue Pharmaceuticals, the manufacturer of OxyContin is certainly not going to make this plainly known.”
When Purdue Pharmaceuticals was fined more than $630 million dollars in 2007, the US Attorney’s Office charged them with failing “to adequately warn consumers of the risks,” particularly the risk of addiction. But by 2007, it was too late for many people who had already become addicted or even overdosed on “Oxys.” Many other people will never read or hear about this charge and will make the very common assumption that “if a doctor prescribes OxyContin, it cannot be harmful.” Tragically, this will be a fatal assumption for some people. For others, it will rob them of their plans and goals, their families and perhaps even their freedom, if they are unlucky enough to become addicted and lose it all.
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxycodone
OxyContin or its generic version oxycodone is not the only prescription pain relief drug addicting our young adults. The list is long. By their generic names, the list includes: codeine, fentanyl (calculated to be at least 50 times stronger than heroin), hydromorphone, meperidine, morphine, pentazocine, dextropropoxyphene, methadone (used both for opiate addiction treatment as well as pain relief), and hydrocodone combinations sold as Vicodin, Lortab and Lorcet. All opiates create euphoric effects when abused by crushing and snorting, injecting or smoking.
- http://www.justice.gov/dea/concern/18862/ndic_2010.pdf
Most of those who succumb to prescription drug abuse are abusing more than one drug at a time and are not the holders of a legitimate prescription for the drug or drugs that killed them. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found this in a statistical analysis of those who died of prescription drug overdoses in West Virginia in 2006.
More than 79 percent of these people actually had multiple substances in their bodies at the time of death. These multiple substances included other prescription drugs, alcohol and/or illicit drugs. The same analysis showed that 63 percent had no prescription for the drugs they were abusing.
Naturally enough, deaths follow the increase in prescriptions being issued and admissions to drug addiction treatment. The number of people dying due to unintentional opioid overdoses increased from 5,547 in 2002 to 11,001 in 2006, a 98 percent increase.
“Without sufficient education on the risks of abusing prescription drugs, young and old alike are taking their lives in their hands when they snort or shoot oxycodone, hydrocodone or any of these drugs,” stated Wiggins.
“That’s why Narconon drug and alcohol rehab centers around the world offer drug education classes to schools, civic groups and corporations, wherever young and career-minded people gather. “Addiction must be treated on both fronts: rehabilitating the addicted individual and preventing the young from using or abusing substances that might result in addiction. With both lines of attack at work, we intend to achieve a drug-free future for all.” Narconon drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers and Narconon drug education groups operate from major cities on every continent.
For more information about the Narconon drug rehabilitation and education program, contact us by phone or email.
Narconon Spokesperson Reports: Appalachian Region Hard Hit by Ruthless Prescription Drug “Cartels”
Sometimes there are statistics that just take your breath away. Like this one: “Law enforcement officers estimate that 90 percent of all property crimes committed in Cabell, Lincoln, and Wayne Counties, West Virginia, stem from OxyContin abuse.” That statistic illustrates the pain and problems existing in Appalachia due to the prevalence of prescription drug abuse throughout the area.
http://www.justice.gov/ndic/pubs40/40380/drugover.htm
The Appalachian mountains stretch, depending on who is describing them, from Maine to Central Georgia, and from Eastern Ohio to the Coastal Plains. The core of the Appalachians is generally considered to be Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia and these areas bear the brunt of the prescription drug abuse problem. But outlying Appalachian areas are just as hard hit in many cases.
Like Scioto Country in Eastern Ohio. Few families escape the curse of having at least one of their members addicted to prescription opioids. Sometimes more than one, as in the case of the Mannering family, who lost one daughter to a drug-related murder and a son to prison on drug charges.
Narconon spokesperson Bobby Wiggins commented, “Drug dealers bringing prescription pain killers into this area are essentially predators, seeing an opportunity to reap huge profits for very little risk when they can find a corrupt medical professional to dispense the drugs. The ones who suffer most are the families at the distribution end of the supply chain.” Narconon is an international non-profit organization dedicated to the elimination of substance abuse and addiction through effective drug rehabilitation and education.
Babies Tested Positive for Drugs
In Scioto County, nearly one in ten newborn babies tests positive for drugs. Fatal overdoses have quadrupled in the last ten years and surpassed traffic accidents as the leading cause of accidental death in 2007.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/20/us/20drugs.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1
One report stated that the Appalachian region of Kentucky experienced drug-related deaths at four times the rate of the rest of the state. And a law enforcement officer commented that more people in Ohio died in 2008 and 2009 of overdoses than died in the World Trade Center attack in 2001.
http://www.reachoflouisville.com/SIG/Appalachia.pdf
One of the oddities of the drug abuse in the area is that much of the illicit prescription drug supply comes from other states, particularly Florida, Georgia, Pennsylvania or Ohio.
South Florida has been a particular problem for Kentucky law enforcements for years. Individuals board planes in Kentucky, visit pain clinics in South Florida and return with hundreds of pills to dispense for a dollar a milligram or more when it’s OxyContin.
In March 2011, Dr. Michael Shook pleaded guilty to illegally distributing 25,000 doses of OxyContin and methadone from the Lauderhill Medical Clinic in Oakland Park, Florida, to Kentuckians who made the trip south. Conveniently, his clinic even had an on-site pharmacy.
By late 2008 and all of 2009, 90 percent of the Lauderhill Medical Clinic’s patients were from Kentucky. For $6,000 a week, this doctor performed limited or no exams and prescribed addictive narcotics that were taken back to Kentucky for illicit sale. Some of the same patients also visited former doctors Randy Weiss of Philadelphia and Lloyd Naramore in Ohio for more supplies. Dr. Shook faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and the lingering knowledge that he supplied the drugs that could have caused hundreds of overdose deaths far from home.
http://www.justice.gov/usao/kye/press/march/shook_michael_sent.html
In 2009, the number of people traveling to Philadelphia and Ohio for illicit supplies of narcotics skyrocketed. In just four month’s time, the number of people visiting out of state pain clinics on a regular basis increased from 10 to an astonishing 140. In one clinic in Philadelphia, Dr. Timothy Hall managed to dispense 200,000 pills before being caught. In some areas, so many people are involved in these drug trafficking rings that they are now being referred to as cartels.
http://www.facesofdrugabuse.net/documents/2011-conference/presentations/6-prescriptions-addressing-the-epidemic.pdf.
http://www.claiborneprogress.net/view/full_story/10677996/article-%E2%80%9CPill-Mill%E2%80%9D-dismantled
The potential profitability of this type of drug ring is staggering. Each supply of 180 OxyContins can score the drug dealer between $14,000 and $18,000 once the drugs are sold.
Fighting Drug Addiction
“At Narconon centers around the world, we are fighting the drug abuse and addiction problem with our successful in-patient drug recovery programs and our proven drug education curriculum,” added Wiggins. “We will continue to support families who wish to rescue their loved ones from drug addiction with our long-term residential drug rehab program and educate young people and employees on the real dangers associated with substance abuse.”
Narconon drug rehabilitation services and drug education classes are available at more than 120 centers on six continents.
Don’t hesitate to reach out for help if you know someone suffering from drug addiction. Our drug rehab counselors are here to help.
Withdrawal from OxyContin: How Bad is it?
How bad is it when an addict tries to stop taking OxyContin? If you do an internet search for “OxyContin withdrawal symptoms,” you’ll find a list like this: Muscle aches, yawning, sweating, insomnia, agitation, anxiety, diarrhea, abdominal cramping, nausea and vomiting.
- http://www.drexelmed.edu/home/HealthEncyclopediaArticles/DiseasesandConditions/Opiatewithdrawal.html
None of them are pleasant but it doesn’t sound that bad. But does that represent the real picture? And if it doesn’t, how can you find out what it’s really like?
A little-known secret is that support groups and chat rooms for people going through the same illness or drug problem are places where you can get the dirty secrets of what an illness, addiction withdrawal or medical treatment is REALLY like. The people writing comments on those boards are the ones living the problems, not the doctors who want to sell their medical treatments or drug rehab programs.
So what kinds of withdrawal experiences are OxyContin addicts describing on these sites? They are graphic and utterly miserable. Here are a few excerpts from their stories.
“I stopped taking them and got extremely nauseated. I was sweating heavily then going through hot and then cold flashes. I could not control the coughing or yawning. I couldn’t sleep, my heart was beating fast and I was so depressed, I seriously contemplated suicide just so I would not feel so awful.”
“My withdrawal was hot and cold sweats, leg cramps, diarrhea and vomiting. It was pure hell. It lasted for two or three weeks of no sleep.”
“There was no sleep for me for almost ten full days. All my bones ached severely. I couldn’t ever sit still. I had a lot of back pain and headaches. I would have done just about anything to get the medication back.”
“It’s like the worst flu ever. You sweat and vomit, can’t control your bowels. You shake and just wish you would die.”
- Statements adapted from the postings on www.oxyabusekills.com/stories.html.
That’s the bad news. The good news is that withdrawal from OxyContin and other opiates can be far better than this, if the withdrawal is done at a Narconon drug and and alcohol rehabilitation center.
Every drug rehabilitation starts with withdrawal, but the Narconon staff go to great lengths and have unique procedures for making the process as comfortable as possible. Because most addicts have been neglecting their health, the Narconon drug withdrawal step starts with getting lots of good food, vitamins designed specifically for drug detoxification, and calcium-magnesium drinks into the recovering person.
The nutrition is followed by one-on-one walks with staff and “assists,” gentle physical and mental re-orientation and relaxation processes that help calm the mind and the body of the recovering addict.
The effect of all these steps, repeated over and over again throughout the day, is that the severe discomfort of opiate and opioid withdrawal is toned down to a tolerable process for most people.
“The difference is so great for some people,” stated Bobby Wiggins, spokesperson for the international offices of Narconon, “that some addicts think they may have somehow skipped withdrawal entirely. But they didn’t. It’s just that this process is effective in making withdrawal something that can be faced. It no longer has to be a barrier to recovery for someone who is desperate to get clean and sober again.
“Some people realize that if they can get through withdrawal this successfully, that there is something special about the Narconon drug rehabilitation program, and that they truly have a shot at lasting sobriety by graduating from this program,” Wiggins added. “A person who wants their life back can have it by doing the Narconon drug recovery program.” There are more than 120 Narconon centers around the world, dedicated to eliminating substance abuse and drug addiction through effective rehabilitation and drug education.
Give us a call if you need help with drug addiction or to get more information about the Narconon drug rehabilitation program. Our counselors are here to assist youl.
