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]
Narconon Program Repairs Damage to Achieve Effective Alcohol Abuse Rehab
In many cases, alcohol rehab and recovery doesn’t have the desired outcome of sobriety for alcoholics. Unfortunately, often a person goes to rehab to recover from alcohol addiction only to finish the program and return home, later relapsing and starting to drink again. Another result is one may go to meetings of alcoholic support groups for months or even years, receiving support, but never really addressing the reasons for the addiction in the first place, so relapse is bound to occur at some point.
There are not many programs where a full, lasting return to sobriety is expected from an alcoholic or other drug addict. One hears that people are “hooked” and one cannot expect them to thoroughly kick the habit.
However, at Narconon drug and alcohol rehab centers around the world, seventy percent of its graduates remain sober at least two years after completing the program and returning home. The attitude and expectation of Narconon staff in more than fifty locations around the world is that one will recover from addiction, and lasting sobriety can be achieved. This is due to a comprehensive program which really works.
Narconon has been delivering effective rehab to people for more than forty-five years, on six continents of the world. The program has been improved and standardized over the years, so that one receives the same holistic regimen of eight highly effective program steps in each location around the world.
These include:
A tolerable withdrawal, which is made more comfortable through plenty of nutritional supplements and physical assistance which is similar to gentle body massages thatease the aches and pains and sickness sometimes associated with drug or alcohol withdrawal.
Thorough drug detoxification on the unique Narconon New Life Detoxification Program. This part of the program consists of moderate exercise, more nutritional supplementation along with good food, plus daily time spent in a low, dry-heat sauna. This closely-supervised regimen allows the body to eliminate drug residues that are stored in its fatty tissues, which have been shown capable of causing drug cravings many years after the person stops taking drugs. Reports from completions of this part of the program indicate that they have far fewer or no drug cravings, and that they gain the ability to think more quickly and clearly, unhampered by the lingering effects of drugs or alcohol.
One-on-one counseling to bring a person’s awareness of his environment higher, and get him out of the funawareness caused by drug and alcohol abuse, resulting in a brighter outlook on life.
Learning a variety of life skills which will ensure one can maintain a drug-free life following the program. One of these teaches how to choose associates wisely who will support a drug-free lifestyle. There are courses designed to relieve the suffering andguilt one experiences as a result of inflicting damage on loved ones have caused while addicted. There are other courses which address one’s ability to communicate effectively with others, and one which includes a modern, common-sense moral code, to help guide future actions for a better, more productive life.
The entire purpose of the Narconon program is to allow one to learn the skills which are essential to maintaining sobriety after the program is completed. It also addresses the reasons for starting the addiction cycle and allows one to relieve the guilt and depression which often accompany any addiction that if left unresolved could lead to future problems.
Most people going through the entire Narconon program spend from three to five months to achieve lasting recovery. Alcohol abuse rehab doesn’t take forever, and whatever damage that has occurred can be repaired. There is hope that you can find real sobriety for you or your family member, as well as the tools needed to maintain it, at Narconon.
Call to find out all the program specifics and to locate a Narconon centers near you.
At What Age Does One Need Alcohol or Drug Abuse Rehab?
It seems that some people try alcohol at a very young age and become “hooked” very fast. The addiction to alcohol can be very strong, and may start early, making a young person never really able to give up drinking after that. In many cases, his addiction isn’t limited to alcohol, as more drugs get added to the mix whenever an opportunity occurs. As drug usage continues, alcohol and other drug addiction rehab is needed.
Many people are turning to alcohol at earlier ages. In 2010, the average age of those starting to drink was 16.1 years of age, when one considers those who started drinking under age 21 in the U.S. Almost five million young people start drinking each year while they are still under 21. And, some of these also need alcohol rehab even at that young age. More than 28,000 youths under 21 went to alcohol abuse rehab while another 36,000 started at drug rehab for help with addiction to alcohol plus another drug, (often prescription pills or marijuana) in 2009.
On a somewhat positive note, the Monitoring the Future Study for 2010 showed a decrease in teenagers’ smoking (of tobacco) and alcohol use, but at the same time, there were increased numbers of students reporting marijuana smoking and prescription pill abuse. This annual survey of school-aged children in the eighth, tenth and the 12th grades showed no net improvement, but a switch in preferences, with marijuana smoking now outranking cigarette smoking and prescription pills gaining popularity at an alarming rate.
If you can raise a teenager who never drinks or uses drugs up until the age of 21, the National Center on Substance Abuse and Addiction at Columbia University studies show that this person will be almost certain never to drink or abuse drugs. And luckily, if they never use drugs or alcohol they will definitely not need alcohol abuse or drug rehab programs.
But, if your family is affected by the pain and suffering of drug abuse, even by very young people, the solution is effective drug rehab. Worldwide, one of the best results for lasting sobriety is obtained at Narconon drug and alcohol recovery centers. There are Narconon facilities in fifty locations on six continents of the world. In all drug treatment programs, most average about a 16 to 20 percent recovery rate. At Narconon, the average recovery rate is 70% of those who complete the program. Based on follow-up interviews, seven of ten stay drug and alcohol free at least two years following graduation from Narconon.
One of the reasons for this success is that Narconon treats both the body and the mental or emotional ties to drugs. It addresses first the physical withdrawal, closely followed by the Narconon New Life Detoxification Program, which effectively removes the drug toxins and residues from the body. This program addresses the urges or cravings that the residues can cause if left in the body’s fatty tissues where they are stored. Because of the unique regimen of daily moderate exercise, good nutrition with carefully administered nutritional supplements, and time spent in a dry heat sauna, the body is able to eliminate these residues so that they can no longer cause cravings. People completing this part of the Narconon program report far fewer and sometimes no more drug cravings, in addition to a fresh outlook on life and clearer thinking unclouded by the fogginess of drugs.
The Narconon program also addresses the life skills that the recovering addict needs to be able to reclaim his life and begin a drug-free and productive lifestyle that will last long after rehab is done. Before one completes the full Narconon program, he will have done eight different portions of the program, each addressing a different aspect of handling addiction and new life skills. This is a comprehensive, long-term program which is uniform all over the world. Whether you are in Asia, Africa, Russia, Europe or North or South America, there is a Narconon near you.
Find out all the details of the Narconon program by calling and speaking with a trained Intake Counselor at Narconon’s International headquarters
Resources:
http://oas.samhsa.gov/NSDUH/2k10NSDUH/2k10Results.htm#Ch5
http://www.casacolumbia.org/templates/ChairmanStatements.aspx?articleid=607
Underage Drinking and and Partying can Set Up Young Adults to Need Rehab
If one wants to know how much drinking is happening on college campuses, there are several ways to find out. One would be to read the studies and reports that are published by such agencies as the US Surgeon General’s office, or the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA). Another option would be to visit any college campus on any weekend, and check out fraternity or sorority row. You would find out pretty quickly how far this problem has gone.
According to CASA’s research reports as of 2007, they found that almost half of all full-time college students went on drinking binges (defined as five or more drinks in one sitting), abused prescription drugs, or used illegal drugs. And about 25% of them or almost 2 million students met the definition for substance abuse or dependence. This is nearly three times greater than the rate among the general American public. And most college students are under age 21, so purchasing alcohol or public possession of it is also illegal in the United States.
Also, in 2007 the Surgeon General of the U.S. issued a Call to Action to Prevent Underage Drinking. There he stated that American young people from age 18-20 had the highest rate of alcohol dependence among the population, and most “began drinking years earlier.”
Personal tragedies are numerous as the overuse of alcohol may result in crippling injuries or death, or even the deaths of others who may not be drinking, victims of drunk driving traffic accidents. The list is too long to enumerate all of the young people who have lost their lives recently to alcohol. There is the case of Madison Lewis, age 19, who died in Alabama last December when her driver was drunk. Another was Ashley Donahue age 20, who also died in December last year when she was thrown out of a car in Framingham, MA on her way home from a party where she and some other students had been playing drinking games.
Narconon Can Help People Regain Sobriety
When someone has lost control of their drinking, and cannot stop it himself and repair the damage he has created, he needs effective rehabilitation. Even college students, who may not think that alcohol abuse rehab should be part of their college experience, may need to go to rehab before continuing their studies, or after they graduate so they can live productive, sober lifestyles.
Narconon drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers exist on six continents and in fifty locations around the world. The Narconon program offers an excellent chance for a full recovery, and has done so for over forty-five years, having helped hundreds of thousands of alcoholics and drug addicts. Narconon’s program is comprehensive, long-term, and holistic and uses no other drugs to help one get off of the drugs or alcohol they are addicted to. In fact, seven of ten Narconon graduates stay sober and drug-free.
One essential component of recovery is to reduce or eliminate cravings for a drug. This is done very effectively on the Narconon New Life Detoxification Program, which includes daily nutritional supplementation, closely-supervised time in a dry-heat sauna, and moderate exercise. It is this unique combination that allows one to rid the body of the accumulated toxins left over from the drugs or alcohol that have been consumed. These toxins are stored in the fatty tissues of the body, where they can remain for years, later triggering cravings for drugs or alcohol. But with the Narconon New Life Detoxification Program, the body eliminates these toxins, leaving a person feeling fresher, with more energy and a brighter outlook on life, and with fewer or no cravings at all.
The Narconon program also includes life skills courses which one does after completing the full physical detox. These courses allow one to chart a course for a drug-free future, even when met with life’s obstacles and challenges. When one graduates the Narconon drug rehab program, he or she is ready to meet these challenges without the need for drugs or alcohol as an escape.
Call a Narconon rehab counselor to see how you can help someone with alcoholism.
Resources:
http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/underagedrinking/calltoaction.pdf
http://www.casacolumbia.org/templates/Publications_Reports.aspx#r11: Wasting the Best and the Brightest: Substance Abuse at America’s Colleges and Universities
“The legal age for alcohol in the USA is 21 years old. The National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 required all states to raise their minimum purchase and public possession of alcohol age to 21. From The National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984, by David J. Hanson, Ph.D
http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/YouthIssues/1092767630.html
“The legal age for alcohol in the USA is 21 years old. The National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 required all states to raise their minimum purchase and public possession of alcohol age to 21. from The National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984, by David J. Hanson, Ph.D.
http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/YouthIssues/1092767630.html
Saving a Person from Alcoholism through Rehab
Alcoholism or drug addiction is always a tragic situation for the person involved, as well as his family and associates. When one is addicted to a substance, by definition, he cannot control when to drink or take a drug. His purpose in life turns into how he can get the next drink or obtain the next pill. Other issues become much less important than finding his next “fix.”
This results in deterioration and often destruction of relationships, families and even businesses. Just one addict may not realize how many people he may be affecting with his alcoholism or drug addiction. However, his life and his actions do have far-reaching effects, particularly if he doesn’t seek rehab treatment.
Unfortunately, some people do go to rehab and find that a 28 day treatment program isn’t really sufficient to produce lasting sobriety. They may relapse again and again and bounce from one rehab to another, seeking a lasting solution. Real recovery from alcoholism or drug addiction takes longer than just a 28 day rehab and must take into account the reasons one became addicted in the first place.
At Narconon drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs around the world, real lasting sobriety is possible. This holistic, comprehensive program starts with a surprisingly tolerable withdrawal phase, where a person is given plenty of good nutrition, and one-on-one time with an experienced Narconon staff member. The nutritional supplementation starts to ease the reactions of the body when drugs or alcohol are eliminated. This is accompanied by gentle relaxation exercises and massage-like assists, which help to calm the body and the mind.
This is soon followed by the unique Narconon New Life Detoxification Program which consists of moderate daily exercise, more nutritional support, and time spent in a dry heat sauna. This strict regimen will allow the body to begin to flush out the toxic residues of drugs or alcohol from its fatty tissues, where they are lodged.
This part of the Narconon alcohol and drug abuse program enables the body to clean these toxins out, resulting for most people in clearer thinking unclouded by the fog of drugs, and a renewed interest in life. Many people recovering from alcohol or drug abuse report that following this portion of the program, the craving for drugs or alcohol has lessened significantly or is gone altogether.
Narconon doesn’t stop with just the physical rehabilitation of the body, however. The next portion of the program involves life skills training to be able to go out on one’s own and have stable skills to choose his associates more wisely, and to see how to avoid those situations which may be too tempting. The person learns to communicate better and recovers his honesty and integrity, which may have been lost while he was abusing drugs or drinking excessively. Then one learns a personal moral code and develops a solid plan for going out in life, drug-free and productive once again.
Seven out of ten Narconon graduates remain drug-free and sober two years after graduation from the program.
A family can have its family member back again, a company can have its employee back and the individual can have himself back after a relatively short time spent in a Narconon center. The program length varies from person to person, so the actual time may vary, but an average is from three to six months to complete the full Narconon eight-step program.
There are Narconon rehab centers in 50 locations around the world, which have been helping people to find lasting sobriety for the past 45 years.
Call today to find out more about the details of the Narconon program, and to see if there is a location near you.
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 parents just don’t share. Even in good families, those with loving adults, the attempt to share in what the teenagers are doing is often met with rebellion or rejection. Parents have the goal to raise children safely and to help them make sensible choices, even in tough situations. Teens want to try out new experiences and often their friends or peers have influence over them, which can lead to bad choices such as experimenting with drugs or alcohol. Unfortunately, those choices can potentially result in addiction to one or more prescription pain killer, other drugs or alcohol.
Several studies have shown how far apart the parents’ and teens’ realities may be.
The annual survey, Monitoring the Future, from December 2011, showed that while some lessening of alcohol abuse was reported among high school students, that marijuana use was on the rise (exceeding tobacco use) and prescription drug use was stable. They also reported that fifty percent of high school seniors in the U.S. have used illicit drugs and 70% have tried alcohol by the time they graduate high school. Fully half of those who drank alcohol reported having been drunk at least one time. Most parents would not think their child is capable of such behavior.
For just slightly older students, the statistics are no better. In a 2007 report, the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) found that half of U.S. college students reported involvement in binge drinking, illegal drug use, or prescription drug abuse. And, more alarming than that was that nearly two million American college students met the criteria for substance abuse or dependence, which is three times higher than the rate among the general population.
A parent does have the ability to stop abuse of drugs, despite what you may think. In fact, no matter what the child says to you when you talk to him about drugs, he hears you and will listen more than he lets on. In fact, in one of the CASA studies, they found that children whose parents agreed on their anti-drug message and conveyed that message decisively to their children have lower drug abuse rates.
So how do you know if your child/teen is using drugs or has a problem with drugs or alcohol? If they are not talking directly to you about any issues with drugs, you may need to change the way you see your son or daughter. Take a good look at the signs that may point to drug abuse. Are their grades dropping? Do they miss classes at school? Are they usually friendly and talking with the family during dinner times, or do they refuse to hang out with the family, preferring to hide out in their room and just play video games? Are the signs of drug abuse there? Have they stopped taking care of themselves, and are they giving you excuses for everything that is wrong and explaining away any apparent problems?
If you see these signs, even if your teen is not talking to you about drug abuse, ask them directly. Offer to help.
Help is available for those who have lost control of their drug or alcohol consumption at Narconon drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers around the world.
Narconon has been helping people to recover from drug and alcohol addiction for forty five years, and has centers on six continents in fifty locations around the world. Narconon treatment programs can help to get your family back together.
One key aspect of the Narconon drug rehab program is the full detox one experiences on the Narconon New Life Detoxification Program. In this program of moderate exercise, dry-heat sauna and careful nutritional supplementation, the residual toxins of drugs and alcohol are eliminated. The result of getting rid of these is that one has fewer or no cravings for the drugs that were being used before, and the person has a fresh outlook on the world around him, and is getting ready to face a future without using alcohol or drugs as a crutch.
Narconon has helped seventy percent of its graduates to stay clean and sober after completing the program and going home. Families of those who have recovered using Narconon services are very appreciative of the program that brought their loved ones back again.
Call today to find out the full scope of the Narconon program. It is drugless, comprehensive, holistic, and very effective.
Resources:
http://monitoringthefuture.org/pubs/monographs/mtf-overview2010.pdf
http://www.casacolumbia.org/templates/publications_reports.aspx: National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse
http://www.casacolumbia.org/templates/Publications_Reports.aspx#r11: Wasting the Best and the Brightest: Substance Abuse at America’s Colleges and Universities
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.
Alcohol Poisoning Prevention through Alcohol Rehab
While it may seem improbable that one could drink so much alcohol to actually kill oneself, it certainly can and does happen. This is not from some collateral damage of drinking such as a car accident; it is that the person can actually drink themselves to death.
This was demonstrated recently by the unfortunate deaths of both Amy Winehouse and Jani Lane (lead singer of the band Warrant), who died of alcohol poisoning the month following Amy’s death. Amy died in July of 2011 of alcohol poisoning according to a London coroner’s inquest report. They found that her blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was over five times the legal limit for driving.
What occurs when one drinks a large quantity of alcohol in a short amount of time is this causes the body to suppress its respiratory functions. The BAC rises in the body so much that the person may pass out (lose consciousness). He may be breathing very slowly and the body may feel cold to the touch; his heart may start to beat irregularly as well. If one hasn’t arrived at a hospital emergency room at this stage to get sobered up quickly, there is another stage that can occur which is potentially deadly.
This second phase of alcohol poisoning is what occurs when the person has actually stopped drinking. He may be passed out and yet there is so much alcohol in his body that the bloodstream continues to absorb the alcohol that is in his stomach or intestinal tract. This can cause his BAC to rise even further than what it was when he was awake, and can make him vomit while he’s unconscious, thus making him choke on the vomit. Or if the BAC is too high he can simply cease breathing. Then he’s dead.
Fortunately, there is effective help available in the form of Narconon alcohol and drug rehabilitation. When one cannot control their drinking they do not have control over when and how much to drink. They certainly are not able to judge when to quit consuming alcohol, and since alcohol also impairs good judgment, an alcoholic or one who is drinking excessively could actually cause their own demise.
Treatment programs abound but most claim success rates at about 16 – 20 percent. The Narconon program is a comprehensive, holistic and drugless long-term residential rehab (over 90 days on average), which actually results in lasting sobriety for seven out of ten graduates. This is without having to attend Narconon meetings. There are Narconon treatment centers on six continents in 50 locations around the world which have been helping alcoholics and drug addicts to get sober and clean and stay that way for the past 45 years.
The Narconon program provides a thorough detox of the body first, and follows that up with a full training program in life skills that are needed to regain a drug-free lifestyle.
In the first phase, a person entering Narconon goes through a closely supervised withdrawal period, made more bearable by good nutrition and gentle massage-like assists to ease the pains of the body’s withdrawal.
Then one enters the Narconon New Life Detoxification Program. This unique program offers the correct combination of vitamins and minerals, moderate exercise and daily time spent in a dry-heat sauna. All of these are closely supervised and personally tailored so that one can actually rid the body of harmful residues (toxins) left from the drugs or alcohol he had been taking. These toxins lodge in the fatty tissue of the body, and without this unique regimen, will remain there for years where they can cause one to feel cravings from time to time for more drugs or alcohol. When they are eliminated from the body, the result is a more awake, brighter person with either far fewer or no more cravings at all.
When the physical detox is complete, one enters the second part of the Narconon program. In this part, one learns essential life skills and makes a plan for a drug-free and alcohol-free future. When one is certain he can maintain his sobriety despite the hurdles that life puts in one’s path, he graduates the program.
Drinking while you are pregnant is unsafe for you and your baby. Please call and find out how Narconon drug and alcohol rehab can help.
If you know someone who needs help with alcohol abuse, please call a Narconon qualified drug rehab intake counselor today.
Resources:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/gossip/2011/10/jani-lane-warrant-cause-of-death-alcohol-poisoning.html
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2011/10/26/coroner-rules-amy-winehouse-died-from-alcohol-poisoning/
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/14-year-dies-alcohol-poisoning-slumber-party/story?id=14065038#.Tx9gZJhA9SU
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.
Freshman Women at Greater Risk of Sexual Assault When Binge Drinking
According to a new article in the January issue of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, based on a study led by the University of Buffalo, many young women who steer clear of alcohol while they’re in high school may change their ways once they go off to college. And those who take up binge drinking may be at relatively high risk of sexual assault. The college years are notably associated with drinking. But little was known before this study about how young women change their high school drinking habits once they start college.
This study’s research team followed 437 young women from high school graduation through freshman year of college. They found that of the women who reported that they had never drank heavily in high school (if at all), nearly half admitted to heavy episodic drinking — commonly called binge drinking — at least once by the end of their first college semester. Young women who were already engaging in binge drinking in high school continued that pattern when in college.
More importantly, binge drinking was linked to students’ risk of sexual victimization — regardless of what their drinking habits had been in high school.
Of all young women whose biggest binge had included four to six drinks, 25 percent said they’d been sexually victimized in the fall semester. That included anything from unwanted sexual contact to rape.
And the more drinks those binges involved, the greater the likelihood of sexual assault. Of those women who’d consumed 10 or more drinks in a sitting since starting college, nearly sixty percent were sexually victimized by the end of their first semester. Though young women are not at fault for being victimized – the blame lies squarely with the perpetrator — if colleges can make more progress in reducing heavy drinking, they may be able to prevent more sexual assaults in the process.
The study also underscores the fact that even kids who don’t drink in high school are yet at risk of heavy drinking once they head off to college, Maria Testa, lead researcher of the study, from the University of Buffalo’s Research Institute on Addictions, said.
For parents, the bottom line is to talk with your kids about drinking before they go to college — whatever you think their drinking habits have been in high school, according to Testa. And after they’ve left for college, keep talking. “Parents still do have an impact on their kids after they go to college,” Testa said. “Parenting is not over.”
But what if your child, or other family member of any age has already walked down the road to heavy or binge drinking? How to get them turned around and get them out of alcohol addiction is a dilemma faced by many parents and other members of the family. Once someone has gone into heavy drinking you may wonder if you are dealing with an alcoholic.
The characteristics one may use to identify alcoholism include:
- Alcohol consumption has become so strong that the person has cravings, or a strong urge or need to drink
- Person losing control; unable to impose discipline on his or her drinking
- A physical dependence and symptoms of withdrawal if the person quits consuming alcohol
Developing a tolerance and thus needing to drink greater amounts to get the same effect as lower amounts gave before.
If these characteristics describe someone you know or love, Narconon may be the answer you’ve been looking for. Narconon has successfully been helping alcoholics and drug addicts to get and stay clean and sober since 1966. There are no Narconon meetings to attend but, there are Narconon drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers on six continents of the world that can help with alcohol abuse.
If you or someone you needs help with alcohol abuse, contact a Narconon drug rehab center today..
Resources:
NIH, NIAAA Alcoholism References
Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health, World Health Organization, 2011.
The US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration definition of alcoholism.
The World Health Organization also adds that when the drinker tries to cut down on use, he or she is unable to, even when the habit is having a destructive effect on their life.
How Alcoholism Affects Many More People than Just the Alcoholic
Alcohol use affects more than 130 million Americans aged 12 and older. That is just the number who reported themselves as being current drinkers of alcohol on the 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. These people comprise more than half of the population of the United States (51.9 percent). When you consider that all of them are part of a family, have co-workers or students they attend school with, etc. the number of people potentially affected by alcohol is huge.
Furthermore, in 2009, a quarter of persons age 12 or older said they participated in binge drinking (drinking 5 or more drinks on one occasion) in the 30 days prior to being surveyed.
While not all alcohol drinkers are alcoholics, there are nearly 20 million people in this country in 2009 who needed assistance to quit, but only a very small percentage of them (less than 10%) sought and got help in that year.
So, why do so few seek help? What can you do if one of those people who drinks excessively or can’t control his drinking is your spouse, child, or close friend? With so many people affected and not seeking help, the problem may be that one doesn’t know where to turn to find effective help. There are many programs out there, but which are effective?
Alcohol Solutions to Alcoholism
The Narconon drug rehab program has been effectively helping drug and alcohol abusers for over 45 years, and offers an effective solution to drug and alcohol abuse and addiction. Narconon is a unique program which is drug-free, and doesn’t substitute one drug for another. Many families have been able to restore their happy homes after the alcoholic completed the alcohol recovery program at Narconon.
While some students in school are so concerned about their test performance and ability to concentrate on their studies that they are resorting to study drugs, such as Adderall and other amphetamine-type drugs, other students resort to alcohol to escape from their worries. In 2009 nearly 15 percent of those aged 12-17 reportedly used alcohol, and nearly 42 percent of those young adults aged 18-25 reported binge drinking in that year. Clearly, some students are using alcohol as an escape from facing the facts of what they are confronting in school and in their lives.
Narconon offers a holistic program in that it takes into consideration the whole person, and what they need to function successfully in the society, as well as addressing the issues that led to their addictive pattern. Narconon alcohol treatment is a comprehensive program which takes as long as needed to rehabilitate the person so that he no longer feels the compulsion to drink or use drugs. By the end of the program, the participant regains the needed life skills to rebuild his life as a fully functioning member of his family, his community and when he has regained respect for himself.
Narconon saves everyone in the family the stress of alcoholism. This program is offered in Northern California at Narconon Vista Bay, in Destin, Florida at Narconon Gulf Coast, and across Europe. Other centers are located in Latin American, Asia, Australia and South Africa.
In only a matter of months, an alcohol-addicted person can reverse his downward trend and turn his life around. It is being done every day at Narconon centers all over the world. The Narconon program for alcohol and drug rehabilitation can help one to find his way back to an enjoyable and productive life.
Resources:
Results from the 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Volume I. Summary of National Findings, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Office of Applied Studies, http://oas.samhsa.gov/NSDUH/2k9NSDUH/2k9Results.htm
Drinking and Driving Still Leading Cause of Teen Deaths
Although early estimates by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of the 2010 traffic fatalities are down by approximately three percent, the number of people who died in automobile crashes still totals over 32,700 people that year. The fatality rate in fact, is projected to decline to the lowest on record for 2010, to 1.13 fatalities for every million vehicle miles traveled. These statistics sound promising but if you are a parent of a teen or young adult driver, the picture isn’t quite as encouraging.
In 2008, the NHTSA found that car crashes are the leading cause of death for teens, and that one out of every three of those deaths is alcohol-related. More significantly, teen alcohol use and abuse kills about 6,000 people each year, more than the total caused by all illegal drugs combined.
However, the NHTSA found that a young driver having an accident after drinking isn’t the only thing his or her family should be concerned about. When a young driver drinks, it is often true that the accident is far more severe than an accident caused by a young, non-drinking driver. Which means a much greater chance of a fatality.
An examination of 2008 statistics tells the story:
That year, only two percent of the drivers under 21 years of age who were involved in property-damage-only crashes had been drinking.
Four percent of those involved in crashes resulting in injury had been drinking.
But a whopping twenty-two percent of those involved in fatal crashes had been drinking.
When alcohol affects your own family, it is often very personal and the result of not dealing with this issue can be devastating. The question becomes “How do I prevent my own child or his friends from driving when drinking? How do I prevent or stop him or her from drinking at all? What do I do to educate my child to protect him from drunk drivers?”
If you think your teen or young adult is involved in drinking, particularly binge drinking (defined as five or more drinks at one sitting), start off by talking to them. Make it clear that you are concerned about their safety and the safety of their friends and associates. Ensure that they know the impairment that can be caused by even a little drinking (buzzed drinking and driving still kills).
Cover this point too: They should never allow someone else who has been drinking to drive. Also make sure your child knows that it is safe to call for a ride home at any time of the day or night. This one point alone could save his or her life.
If you think he is already drinking excessively, he may need to go to an effective drug and alcohol Narconon program. Narconon has been successfully helping drug and alcohol addicts with its drug free methods for forty-five years in 50 countries around the world.
For more information about Narconon and its effective alcohol rehab program, call today.
Resources:
Traffic Fatalities in 2010 Drop to Lowest Level in Recorded History, A Press Release, from Ê NHTSA 05-11, Friday, April 1, 2011, DOT Estimates Three Percent Drop Beneath 2009 Record Low, http://www.nhtsa.gov/PR/NHTSA-05-11
(Hingson and Kenkel, 2003) Full cite: Hingson, Ralph and D. Kenkel. “Social and Health Consequences of Underage Drinking.” In press. As quoted in Institute of Medicine National Research Council of the National Academies. Bonnie, Richard J. and Mary Ellen O’Connell, eds. Reducing Underage Drinking: A Collective Responsibility. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press, 2003.
Alcohol Potentially a Fatal Poison
Headlines of USA Today proclaimed in October, 2011 that Amy Winehouse, who was well known to have been battling drug and alcohol abuse problems, ultimately died after drinking too much alcohol. She was found to have died of an “unintended consequence” of her drinking.
Her death was not ruled a suicide by the London coroner because she presumably didn’t realize that by drinking so much she pushed her blood alcohol level over five times the legal limit for drunk driving, and that this level was potentially fatal.
Her tragic death points out the actual risk factors involved in chronic excessive alcohol abuse. Amy was trying to battle the addiction according to this report, and had been prescribed, among other drugs, the sedative Librium to help her cope with the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal, but clearly she couldn’t cope with those symptoms and literally drank herself to death.
Excessive drinking can cause death in many ways. One is the aspiration of vomit which can lead to asphyxiation; another is poisoning of the respiratory center in the brain. Of course, fatal automobile accidents and fights and violent crimes resulting in injury are some others.
Sadly, many college students and other young people who watch others drink excessively or even laugh at others who are passing out due to alcohol, later say they wish they’d sought medical attention for their friends. In many cases, these students end up feeling guilty for alcohol-related tragedies which could have been prevented.
Knowing the signs of alcohol poisoning would help, and also knowing what to do if one suspects someone they know has alcohol poisoning are crucial educational measures to prevent more needless deaths.
There are common myths about sobering up including taking a cold shower, drinking black coffee and sleeping it off. But these don’t work and could be dangerous as they overlook the fact that alcohol levels can keep climbing after drinking stops.
The only thing that reverses the effects of alcohol is time, which unfortunately is something your friend may not have if he is suffering from alcohol poisoning. Also, because many different factors affect the level of intoxication for each individual, it is hard to gauge exactly how much is too much alcohol consumption for one person.
Here is what happens to the body when it gets alcohol poisoning:
Alcohol depresses some of the nerves involved in involuntary actions of the body like breathing and the gag reflex which prevents choking.
Vomiting is a common response to alcohol drinking to excess, as alcohol is a stomach irritant. A person who is unconscious due to intoxication can inhale this vomit and therefore die of asphyxiation.
After a person has passed out in a drunken stupor, the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) can continue to rise in their body. This is because the alcohol in the stomach and intestines keeps being absorbed into the bloodstream and it circulates throughout the body. Therefore it is dangerous to think the person will be okay if you just let them sleep it off. Their BAC can reach such high levels that they stop breathing before the body can break down the alcohol into harmless components.
So, what should one do if you suspect your friend has alcohol poisoning? First, know the danger signs, such as mental confusion, stupor, coma, vomiting, seizures, slow breathing and irregular breathing. Also, hypothermia is a symptom of alcohol poisoning, which can be evaluated by the paleness or bluish color of the skin, as well as a cold feel to the body.
Second, don’t wait for all these symptoms to present themselves in your friend. If you see one or two, it is time to call 911 and get help. If your friend is unconscious due to excessive alcohol consumption, they may never wake up.
You can take action also by seeing that any friend or family member who uses alcohol to excess gets help at a reputable and effective drug and alcohol rehab center. Surprisingly, in a 2009 study, nearly two-thirds of all alcohol addicts never even seek help to recover from their addiction.
Narconon has been helping alcoholics and other drug addicts to get sober and straight and stay that way for over 45 years on six continents of the world.
Call a Narconon alcohol treatment center if you know someone who needs help with alcohol abuse.
Resouces:
http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/story/2011-10-26/amy-winehouse-pathologist/50927104/
http://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/otheralcoholinformation/factsaboutalcoholpoisoning.aspx
Prevention of Over-Consumption of Alcohol
Although you often hear alarming statistics about how much alcohol is consumed and the consequences of over-consumption, the issue really becomes much more direct and personal when it affects you, your family, friends or close associates. The societal implications and public health issues raised by alcohol excess was the topic of a few recent research reports, conducted by the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The broad implications also apply on a personal level.
It is fairly well known that drinking and driving is a significant factor in automobile injuries and deaths in the U.S. In fact, alcohol was involved in forty percent of traffic crash fatalities and seven percent of all crashes in 2003, which tallied more than 17,000 fatalities and over 275,000 car accidental injuries, according to the NHTSA study of 2004.
In 2008, the NHTSA study found that car crashes are the leading cause of death for teens, and that one out of three of those deaths are alcohol-related. Moreover, teen alcohol use kills about 6,000 people each year, more than all illegal drugs combined.
If you or your family members have been involved in one of these accidents, you understand quite well the desire to get drunken drivers off the road, and more to the point, prevent them from drinking and driving in the first place. Many organizations such as MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) and others have sprung up and are working very diligently to lobby against drinking and driving.
It is evident that alcohol and its repercussions have potentially devastating consequences for both the individual and society.
But, how does this situation change? Is it just by better laws or enforcement of the existing laws? The NHTSA study states that while laws exist that restrict sales to intoxicated patrons and at events like “happy hour”, they can reduce alcohol-related harm only if they are adequately enforced. Enforcement or rather, lack of enforcement of these laws becomes one key to handling the issue.
Many states have program that try to increase compliance and enforcement, and some of these could be used as models for other states to adopt.
Prevention of drinking to excess by adequate educational programs early in school is another key to reducing alcohol-related destruction. Effective education which gets at the youngest children, as early as elementary school, is needed to change this behavior pattern.
By junior high school it is already too late. Although recent trends show that younger teens are binge drinking less (reduced from 9% to 6.4% among 8th graders in a recent study), there are still 15% of 10th graders reportedly binge drinking, and 22% of high school seniors who report that they have drunk 5 or more drinks in a row in the last two weeks, according to the 2011 study.
When one has an alcoholic in their midst, or when one’s family has been involved in these tragic accidents, the issue becomes very personal. If you are faced with the personal wreckage that living with an alcoholic brings, or if you want to help someone to successfully stop abusing alcohol or other drugs, there are several effective programs you could choose.
Narconon is one program which has been helping to broadly educate young people and getting people off drugs and alcohol effectively and with great success for over forty-five years. In over 50 countries around the world, Narconon has safely and successfully used its drug-free methods to help tens of thousands of addicts and alcoholics to live sober and drug-free lives.
We do not have Narconon meetings, but for more information and to learn how the Narconon drug and alcohol rehab program works, please read this article: http://www.narconon-news.org/program/narconon-alcohol-rehab-program.html.
Resources:
DOT HS 809 878 Revised February 2005, Preventing Over-consumption of Alcohol Ð Sales to the Intoxicated and “Happy Hour” (Drink Special) Laws, National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration.
http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/alcohol/pireweb/images/2240pierfinal.pdf
(NHTSA, 2009) Full cite: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. “Traffic Safety Facts 2008: Young Drivers”. DOT 811 169. Washington DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2009. http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811169.PDF
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. (2004). Traffic Safety Facts 2003: Alcohol. DOT HS 809 761.
http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/809897.PDF
Hingson, Ralph and D. Kenkel. “Social and Health Consequences of Underage Drinking.” In press. As quoted in Institute of Medicine National Research Council of the National Academies. Bonnie, Richard J. and Mary Ellen O’Connell, eds. Reducing Underage Drinking: A Collective Responsibility. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press, 2003.
http://drugabuse.gov/infofacts/HSYouthtrends.html
http://drugabuse.gov/newsroom/11/mtf11overview.html
Avoid Risks for Drug-Facilitated Rapes
There’s a long list of drugs that are becoming popular aids for the would-be rapist. They can enable the criminally-minded person to slip a tasteless or nearly-tasteless chemical in a person’s drink while they have turned away or perhaps left their drink behind while they dance. Statistically, the most vulnerable group for this type of attack is a young woman, very often one at school or college.
When the woman feels sick or dizzy after fifteen or 20 minutes, the rapist can then help her to her car or offer to take her home, where he then completes the rape. The young woman wakes up the next morning, knowing something is very wrong, feeling sick, but not being sure what occurred. According to one estimate by the Department of Justice, there are 375,000 drug or alcohol-facilitated rapes just among women on American colleges.
“A rape of this kind is just one of the many things that can go wrong in an environment of substance abuse,” warned 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 drug education. “Especially among college students, there are also much higher rates of accident, injury, failures in school and even death among those drinking or using drugs.”
Drugs that are Used
Some of the drugs used to make women unable to defend themselves against rape include: Rohypnol (flunitrazepam), a benzodiazepine, but much stronger than the more common Xanax: In American states along the southern border, Rohypnol is easy to get as it is sold across the counter in Mexico. In other areas, it sold by prescription for sleeplessness.
Alcohol: Its big advantage is that it is legal and considered an “excuse” for unacceptable behavior, particularly on college campuses.
GHB: This drug is often used by body builders to burn fat. It may be stored in a small dropper bottle for easy addition to someone’s drink.
Ketamine, a veterinary anesthetic: This drug acts as a dissociative, meaning that it can cause hallucinations or a dreamlike or detached state.
Ecstasy and methamphetamine may also be used to facilitate rapes. In a circular fashion, drug-facilitated rapes may themselves engender more substance abuse. Women who have been raped are thirteen times more likely to abuse alcohol and 26 times more likely to abuse drugs.
“While some women are slipped a drug without their knowledge and then raped when they are unable to resist, far more women experience sexual assaults after they have willingly consumed drugs or alcohol,” advised Wiggins. “By far the best way to prevent assault is to avoid drug or alcohol abuse entirely. This keeps a young woman safe from addiction, drug or alcohol-related health problems, assault and unwanted pregnancy.”
For more information on the Narconon drug and alcohol rehabilitation program, call and speak to one of drug rehabilitation counselors.
Resources
- http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/drugfact/club/index.html
- http://www.library.northwestern.edu/news/2010/march/drug-facilitated-incapacitated-and-forcible-rape
- http://www.pcar.org/about-sexual-violence/stats
- http://www.crisisconnectioninc.org/sexualassault/drugrape.htm
- http://www.rainn.org/statistics
Narconon Report News Update
Here are a few Narconon news releases in December 2009:
- Holidays Less Critical Than Saving Son’s Life from Addiction, Says Dad: Ten days before Christmas, Victor’s son arrived at Narconon Arrowhead in Canadian, Oklahoma. Four months later the family got the results they were praying for, Victor’s son was drug-free.
- What Is Addiction: According to Narconon Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation and Education Centers, addiction is defined as a condition characterized by repeated, compulsive seeking and use of drugs, alcohol or other similar substances despite adverse social, mental and physical consequences.
- Narconon Drug Rehab Graduate Living Drug Free: Two years ago, when she thought things could not get any worse, Brandy overdosed on prescription pain medication. When her family found her she was unconscious and barely breathing. Brandy reports that a visit to the hospital to get her stomach pumped saved her immediate life and the Narconon drug rehab program gave her life back.
- Cravings – The Downfall of Sobriety: The Narconon program in Louisiana recognizes how vital it is to address cravings in an individual in order to permanently stay off drugs and alcohol. Cravings result when an individual has consumed enough drugs and alcohol that their body requires it.
- Guilt Is One Main Reason Addiction Increases During Holiday’s: The Narconon program in Michigan directly deals with the factors behind the guilt through precise techniques that have been developed and are in use in the Narconon program that enable an addict to obtain relief from his past misdeeds and obtain a new fresh viewpoint of life.
- Narconon Delivers Effective Drug Education During The Holidays: This past week on Bobby Wiggins, the world renowned drug education expert, spoke on behalf of Narconon Freedom Center as a special guest at an elementary school near Marshall, Michigan.
- Holiday Increase Feelings of Guilt For Those Addicted: They are forced to look at the damage they’ve created and as a solution they will use more and more drugs or alcohol in an effort to not have to face this. “The more the individual uses drugs, the guiltier they feel so the more they have to keep using,” explains Jeff Lukas, Executive Director of the Narconon program in Louisiana.
- Addiction Can Be Source of Holiday Depression: Rehabs, like the Narconon program in Louisiana, work with the individual to free them of depression in order to achieve permanent sobriety from drugs and alcohol.
- The Most Effective Solution For Alcohol Addiction: “At Narconon we see a lot of clients with alcohol problems that have tried other methods to stop drinking but until the underlying issues are really handled, things like alcohol monitoring bracelets merely act as a temporary deterrent.”
Narconon report of recent news
Narconon International at the HOPE 2008 Conference
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“Yusuf was wise to expand the scope,” said Clark Carr, president of Narconon International. “Drug abuse affects AIDS, AIDS affects population and human rights, and everything interacts with environment.” Carr delivered a paper on the ‘biochemical personality,’ outlining Narconon® drug rehab case histories which demonstrate a promising pattern of positive personality changes when recovering addicts cleanse toxic drug residuals from their bodies.
With its more than 145 centers delivering drug rehab or prevention services in 45 countries, Narconon was perhaps the most international organization present. “I’ve been fortunate to work with Yusuf on several occasions,” said Carr. “Several years ago we collaborated delivering drug education lectures to half a dozen Mumbai colleges.” The only permanent Narconon installation in India so far is a drug education unit in New Delhi, although Carr said they hope to open a residential drug treatment center in India in 2009. Dr. Rosy Chhabra, another colleague of Merchant and DAIRRC, reported on a study funded by the US National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism of DAIRRC’s successful alcohol and HIV education project. “It was totally collaborative with schools and communities,” she said. “It was because the community took charge that it was successful.” |
The conference had a long name – HOPE 2008 International Conference on Alcohol/Drug Abuse, HIV/AIDS, Environment, Population, and Human Rights. Over 100 persons from 11 countries attended the conference held in October in Mumbai, organized by Dr. Yusuf Merchant, president of DAIRRC (Drug Abuse Information Rehabilitation & Research Centre).
It’s not just drug toxins that are depressing us, of course. Speakers from Switzerland to South Africa discussed the dwindling spiral of environmental damage and population growth. Flying in from New Delhi to address the attendees was also keynote speaker, the Honorable Mrs. Meira Kumar, Minister of the Dept of Social Justice and Empowerment, a co-sponsor along with the National Institute of Social Defense. “There are two root causes of all five targets of the conference,” she said, “human greed and human deprivation.” She gave a blistering critique of those who “look down on the deprived.” “Our caste system is a human rights violation, a social injustice,” she continued, “but non-violence and education are our hopes and greatest tools.” The Minister said she preferred NGOs to tackle these problems, endemic not just to India but the whole world. “Government can’t do it. The NGOs are so passionate and dedicated.”