The problem of drug addiction and alcoholism are escalating and spreading to levels totally out of control. But is enough being done? Are people actually aware of the real dangers and damage that alcohol and drugs can cause?
So let me provide you with a few addiction and alcoholism facts and statistics – so you can really begin to appreciate the potential for damage and devastation that alcohol and drugs have.

1) Of all fatal road accidents – more than 50% involve alcohol.
2) Drug and alcohol abuse is a major factor in the premature death and unnecessary injury of young men and women.
3) Violent behaviour attributed to the use of alcohol accounts for around 50% of murders and rapes.
4) It has been estimated that 85-90% of property theft and muggings on the street are made by addicts to fund their habit.
5) Approximately 20 million people over the age of 12 use drugs in the US and around 20,000 people die each year from their addiction

I’ve just touched on a few facts about alcoholism and drug addiction – but I’m sure you get the picture. It annoys me that alcohol abuse and binge drinking is glamorised by many still – with how drunk you got over the weekend or at a party a central topic of conversation come Monday morning in the office or at school/college. Alcohol kills people – often innocent ones.

It also makes me angry that drug dealers are often able to roam freely through our communities – why isn’t more being done to target and get rid of them? Getting young kids addicted to drugs is just cowardly and evil.
I fear things are just going to get worse – because what can we really do? Prevention is the only real answer, but until attitudes change towards alcohol abuse and those that infiltrate our streets with drugs are dealt with, we’ll always be too far behind, constantly trying to play catch up.
And the addiction and alcoholism statistics I’ve shared with you will no doubt be constantly changing and on the increase because the problem of substance and alcohol abuse is only getting worse. So we need to each do our bit and spread the word to the dangers and damage that alcohol abuse and drugs cause. There are just too many lives at stake …

By: C-P

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Having Beat his own Addictions, C-P built the Alcoholism and Drug Addiction Help website to help others with their addictions. And to Discover more Addiction and Alcoholism Facts and Statistics, simply click on the link.

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The working of a rehab clinic brings into mind a question as to whether drug rehab clinics actually work or not? People suffering from a drug abuse or alcohol addiction problems are the ones admitted in rehab clinics. But studies show that they often suffer a relapse even after taking treatment.

Like some other diseases, a drugs rehab clinic may cure a person of the addition, but there are chances that the person may again become an addict and for this, the rehab centre cannot be blamed. Just Like you cannot blame a doctor for recurrence of hypertension or tuberculosis in a patient, likewise, you also cannot blame the rehab centre in case the person again becomes an addict.

The first treatment that is given in a rehab clinic is detoxification. During this time, the patient is monitored very closely. The time required for detoxification depends on the severity of the addiction of the patient. The addict’s body has to be weaned away from the drug and for this doctors use various medicines. The doctors also need to monitor the patient’s withdrawal symptoms.

Once a patient gets through with the detoxification stage, the use of medications may be discontinued. After this, psychiatric treatment is required which is usually a time consuming process. The psychiatrist determines the root cause of the drug addiction in patient after which he not only counsels the patient but also helps him/her in getting over the cause of the addiction. For this, the psychiatrist may need to consult with the patient’s family and may need to counsel them also. Group therapy may also be used to get patients to help each other out with the addiction problem.

Affording detoxification for a drug addict can be a costly process. Detoxification is not all about treating the patient, but, in fact, it also requires the family members to make adjustments regarding what actually led the patient to drug addiction. If once a person has taken drugs as an escape from the harsh realities of life, the likelihood for him or her getting a relapse is easy in case the same situation occurs before him/her again.

The efficiency of a rehab clinic depends on its staff as each person plays a vital role in helping a patient stop using drugs. The detoxification doctors may be doing an excellent job, but the psychiatric staff may not treat the patients properly, and vice versa.

So, there is no real yardstick by which you can measure how good or bad a certain rehab clinic may be. It really depends on the reputation of the rehab clinic. Some rehab clinics are over worked while others maybe too expensive. It’s only the different drug controlling authorities that can make a recommendation of rehab clinics. Finding a good rehab clinic is not difficult as medical boards and drug authorities have their web sites.

Also, rehab clinics are listed on web sites, so finding a reputable rehab clinic is no longer an issue. Even the family doctor can recommend one. A rehab clinic can help a patient to kick the habit of drugs, but the person must not be pushed back into a situation where he or she again falls prey to drugs. Some people believe that rehab clinics are a waste of time. What they don’t realise is that a patient has to return to home, family, and environment that forced him/her into drug abuse, and for this there is no better option than taking them to a rehab centre.

By: James Handforth

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College can be the toughest stage of a student’s life. As soon as he steps at the school, he knows for a fact that in order to face the competitive world ahead, he must do well at school. This can be in a form of sports, arts, education, and others. Unfortunately, some college students do not think that they can do this alone. They need something that would help them keep up and survive the dog eat cat world of college. Unfortunately, they are not thinking about support groups, advises from coaches, and support from their parents. Most of them result to illegal substances which makes them addicted to these drugs eventually. But this can be prevented. And it is a must that you stop yourself from being addicted to these illegal substances before it ruins a bigger and better future that lies ahead of you.

Start by choosing your friends. If the people surrounding you are using illegal substances, there is a big chance that you would start using the same thing as well. Even though they seem to be one of the coolest persons in your campus, taking drugs would really take you nowhere. It may give you a reputations but it would definitely be something that you want to have in your whole life. Choosing the right people to be with is the first way to avoid drug addiction.

If you think using illegal drugs can help you boost your sports career, better think again. Steroids and other kinds of sports drugs may only give you that extra energy that you are looking for after using it for the first couple times. Eventually, you will feel that taking these illegal substances are already part of your system, thus, making you addicted to it. It is unlikely that coaches would tolerate student athletes to take such drugs. When student athletes were discovered to be using these illegal substances, there is a high possibility that they would be taken out of the team. Other than that, their scholarship will also be at risk. If you really want to excel in sports and avoid drug addiction at the same time, it is necessary that you exercise regularly and fight clean. Recent studies showed that regular exercise is one of the greatest interventions in preventing drug abuse particularly in student athletes. This goes also for the non-athletes as well.

However, it is not only the student athletes who are prone to drug abuse and use of other illegal substances as well. As a matter of fact, there are also some students who are aiming for educational scholarship who were using illegal substances at the same time. They claimed that it helped them spend more time studying which is essential especially if you are already a graduating student or you would like to maintain a high average. Rather than choosing illegal substances, why not take power drinks or coffee instead? With illegal substances, you would only stay awake but you would not be able to focus on what you are studying or working on.

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Carl Lewitt is owner of websites related to college life and useful resources such as college rankings and in-depth college activities in America. Many college will rank good for various department while lacking other useful features. College ranking are important in making a conscious choice for the start of our new career

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I have been alarmed by the increasing incidence of alcohol and drug abuse, especially among teenagers. Users are getting younger; even children as young as eight years old have been found using various mind-altering substances. Thisarticle will focus on giving you information about the various treatments available for alcohol and substance abuse in the hope that it may help you or someone you know obtain the treatment needed.

Drug, alcohol, and tobacco use is the cause of more deaths, illnesses, and disabilities than any other preventable health condition and seriously undermines America’s family life, economy and public safety1. For the past few decades, national surveys have consistently shown that about 10 percent of American adults have significant problems related to their own use of alcohol. In addition, about 25 percent of adults have reported that they use tobacco on a regular basis and about 7 percent use illegal drugs. The following are some additional alarming statistics:

In the 1960s, 7 percent of new female drinkers were ages 10 to 14. Today the figure is at 31 percent.

Inhalant use is most prevalent among young children and usually entails inhaling household items such as shoe polish or paint thinner. More than 1,000 products widely available in households can be used as inhalants.

There is a direct connection to the use of methamphetamine and the American work ethic. As many as 9.4 million Americans have used the drug at least once.

Everyday 3,000 kids start smoking and a third of them will eventually die of tobacco related causes. Two of three 12 to 17year olds who smoked cigarettes in the last year show signs of addiction.

A survey of American teens found that one in four said they had a friend or classmate who had used Ecstasy; 17 percent said they knew more than one user.
Two thirds of Americans with serious substance abuse treatment needs are not being treated.

6.4 percent of Americans age 12 and older used illicit drugs or misused prescription drugs.

15.3 percent reported that they had engaged in binge drinking in the past month and 5.4 percent drank alcoholic beverages heavily.

Difference between Abuse, Dependence and Addiction

Alcohol and drug use ranges on a continuum from use to dependence characterized by increasing loss of control and increasing functional impairment. The term abuse is a broad term that refers to any maladaptive use of a psychoactive substance. There comes a point where the use of the alcohol or drug is no longer voluntary and becomes involuntary and beyond the individual’s control. When it reaches the stage where alcohol or drug use is no longer voluntary and interferes with daily functioning, we call it an addiction. Dr. Alan Leshner, Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, stated that the condition of addiction is a "biobehavioral phenomenon" characterized by a movement from a state in which use is at least under some degree of voluntary control to a state in which use is both compulsive and uncontrollable. He characterized addiction as a different state from abuse.

Leshner states that with addiction there are fundamental brain changes that occur with increased use. These brain changes create a need in the individual for increased, compulsive use of the substance. In addiction there is a loss of control and increasing use despite negative consequences. The term dependence refers to a more severe form of abuse characterized by habitual use of a substance that is taken more frequently and in larger amounts over time, leading to increasingly negative consequences.

Historically, there have been two camps regarding the understanding of drug and alcohol addiction. One camp, dominated by physicians, holds to the belief that addiction was based on a disease model. It states that there is a genetic and/or biochemical basis for addictions and that the individuals cannot consistently control their drug-alcohol behavior without total abstinence. They claim that there is no cure because addicts cannot escape the biochemical predisposition. The other camp, dominated by psychologists, believes that alcohol and drug abuse is a learned behavior and, as such, can be unlearned, change or controlled through behavioral-learning models of treatment.

Increasingly, addiction workers in the field are coming to the realization that neither approach alone may be sufficient for treating a large number of addicts. For some individuals there may be a biochemical basis for their addiction, for some a behavioral basis, and for still others, both may be involved. Furthermore, these workers are recognizing that treatment isn’t based on a "one size fits all" model. While the abstinence model may be appropriate for some individuals, a moderation approach may be effective for others. Addiction is a multivariate disorder with no simple solutions. By offering only one approach we put addicts in the position of either adopting the only available treatment approach, whether or not it works for them, or not receiving any treatment at all. Most professionals in the field recognize that treatment of addiction must focus on the addictive behavior itself rather than on the cause of the addiction.

Drug Abuse

Nora Volkow, MD, of the Brookhaven National Laboratory, says:

"Classically, people thought that drug addiction was a disease that involved the centers of pleasure that people are taking the drug because it’s pleasurable. But that is not the case. In fact, addicted people don’t have as strong a pleasure response as people who are not addicted. Recent data are showing us that addiction entails a basic disruption of motivational circuits."

Not only does drug abuse affect the emotional centers of the brain, but also recent research shows that drug abuse alters cognitive activities such as decision-making, planning, and memory. The evidence is clear that cocaine and marijuana use affect the frontal cortex, which is the center in the brain governing cognitive activity. Such disruption in the frontal cortex might be responsible for the poor decision-making. Recent research with a gambling task tested drug abuser’s making ability. Not surprisingly it was found that drug abusers made poorer decisions on the gambling task than participants in a control group.

The research is mounting that the long-term affects of drug abuse are much greater than most people believe. It is not just that these affects occur while actively using the drugs. Rather, these affects continue after drug use is discontinued. It takes a long time for most drugs to clear one’s system and there may be residual physical and psychological affects long after that.

Alcohol Abuse

Alcohol abuse is more insidious than drug abuse. Since having a drink is socially sanctioned, there is no overt reminder that the behavior may lead to trouble down the road. With illicit drugs merely using the substance is a reminder because it is illegal. Having a cocktail at dinner, drinking a beer at a ballgame, and celebrating a wedding with champagne are all socially supported and even encouraged. One can receive accolades for being able to hold one’s liquor. Becoming "shit-faced" in college is a right of passage. There are many models of respected people enjoying alcohol. This is not true for other substances. Hence, it is easy to rationalize moving from the occasional beer, cocktail, or glass of wine to daily use.

It is easy to go from the meal enhancing drink to using alcohol to self-medicate for social inhibition, depression, loneliness, anxiety, and other discomforting affects. Because some people can develop a tolerance for higher levels of alcohol in their system, they may need higher doses in order to experience the same effects. One drink becomes two, two becomes three. Where one beer was good, for some people it can easily become three, four, or more during the week with a few extras on the weekend.

Unfortunately, most alcoholics are not aware that they are alcoholics until they get into some difficulty. And when there is some warning, they often deny it. Often the early signs are related to work performance, health problems, social problems, legal difficulties, financial problems, or marital difficulties.

Some people are born with a genetic and biochemical predisposition that leaves them more vulnerable to abusing alcohol. They do not receive a signal from their brain that they have had enough or too much. Rather than producing sleep, nausea or other obvious physiological effect, they develop a tolerance for large amounts of alcohol. In fact, with continued abuse they begin to crave the substance. In addition, these people find that the alcohol temporarily comforts them by reducing shyness, anxiety, depression, and inhibition. In a world where alcohol use is approved of and even encouraged, it becomes part of the culture.

Alcoholics do not want to think of themselves as not able to control their drinking. They want to keep up with and be part of their social group. Declining a drink in many situations is difficult for these people. It is not until they have developed a dependence that interferes with work, family life, and social life that they begin to recognize that they have a problem. But by then it is often too late. The physiological craving for alcohol becomes so great that giving it up does not seem like an option. The centers of the brain that regulate judgment have been so affected that it takes a crisis to motivate these individuals to seek treatment.

Signs of Abuse

The very nature of substance abuse is such that people do not want to admit that they have a problem. People around them do not want to admit that there is a problem, and healthcare practitioners tend to either overlook or fail to investigate the possible existence of substance abuse. Hence, the individual goes diagnosed and untreated. There are several areas in which signs of abuse may appear.

Problems in living: financial problems including poor financial decision-making; poor judgment; legal problems including traffic tickets (e.g., DUI) and accidents; occupational difficulties such as poor performance, absence, conflict; social problems such as inappropriate behavior, missed appointments, chronic lateness.

Physical effects: increased incidence of health problems, poor dietary changes, higher tolerance for substance causing increased quantity and frequency of use; experiencing withdrawal when not using; higher incidence of nausea, dizziness, vomiting; disrupted sleep pattern.

Psychological and behavior effects: emotional instability, e.g., irritability, impatience; difficulty in abstaining from use; using substances to regulate affect, i.e., to reduce social inhibition, relieve stress, reduce anxiety or depression; denial and defensiveness when substance use is suggested.

Treatments

Interestingly, the research found that all people are not affected similarly by alcohol or drug abuse. For some the cognitive centers of the brain are more affected, for others the emotional centers are more affected. And for some both centers are affected. This has profound implications for treatment. One treatment does not fit all abusers. There is no magic bullet. In order to determine the best fit for any given individual, a complete psychological history and history of abuse and treatment must be taken. This places the individual into a context in order to decide what approach or approaches may be most beneficial.

Most treatment approaches agree that that the focus of treatment must be on the cessation of substance abuse. Even those experts who believe that it is possible for the alcoholic to learn to drink in moderation suggest that cessation for a period of time in the beginning of treatment is necessary in order for the patient and clinician to develop a clear picture of the role alcohol plays in the individual’s life. Most approaches, however, have abstinence as their goal, especially for those individuals who have a family and personal history of chronic abuse.

The following are some of the current treatment approaches for substance abuse:

Individual skill-based treatments: these approaches help clients interact more effectively with others without using alcohol or drugs. These approaches focus on coping and skills training to help clients quit or decrease abusing alcohol and drugs by teaching them strategies to address interpersonal, environmental and individual "skill deficits" that may provoke substance abuse.

Motivational Enhancement Treatments: this approach is based on a model that encourages patients to explore the consequences of drinking in a supportive, nonthreatening environment. One technique, called motivational interviewing, asks patients what about their alcohol or drug use causes them difficulties, enabling clients to examine their habits objectively. Once clients see how substance abuse or dependence affects their lives, they are motivated to change.

Cognitive Behavioral Treatment: CBT states that human behavior is learned through personal experience and cognitive thought patterns. Changing behavior requires learning how to think differently about situations and how to change dysfunctional behaviors that cause problems. Alcohol dependent people have learned to drink in response to specific situations. The treatment task is to identify the "alcohol triggers" and then apply techniques to develop new ways of thinking and new behavioral skills for coping with these triggers.

Environmental and relationship-based treatment: in this approach family members and significant others are taught coping skills and strategies to help influence their loved one’s drinking and motivation to change.

Behavioral marital and family treatment: this approach works with both the individual and the spouse or family to decrease or eliminate abusive drinking-related consequence.

Twelve-step programs: these inpatient or outpatient programs are based on the 12step model of Alcoholics Anonymous except that professionals lead them. Some professionals in private practice also use such a model, while other practitioners use AA to supplement and support the work being done by the patient in individual treatment.

Medications: Two medications disulfiram and naltrexone have been approved by the FDA for alcoholism with a third showing promise, acamprosate, which is pending approval. Naltrexone appears to be most effective with fewer side effects.

As mentioned previously, no one treatment is effective for all substance abusers. Several variables must be taken into account in order to find the treatment that is most effective for any given person. Such factors as duration of addiction, family history, degree of substance abuse, extent of disruption in the patient’s life, health, degree of motivation, to mention the most obvious, must be evaluated.

The first step in the treatment of substance abuse, after collecting a complete psychological, health, and substance abuse history, is to focus on harm reduction. If an individual is placing him or herself, or his or her family, in immediate danger, action must be taken to reduce the impending danger. Sometimes this may require inpatient treatment and sometimes it may involve the entire family. It requires developing a plan of action that can be implemented quickly. The focus during the early sessions is on changing the addictive behavior. In order for treatment to be effective, the individual must be sober. That is the first goal. Staying sober is the bulk of the work. Once sobriety has been achieved, treatment can focus on helping the patient restructure his or her thinking, behavior, lifestyle, and focus. Maintaining sobriety becomes a top priority especially in the early stages of treatment.

Frequently substance abusers have personality difficulties in addition to their addiction. Such concurrent psychological problems as depression, anxiety, social phobia, low self-esteem and other such personality issues, need to be addressed as well as the addiction. Alcoholics and drug abusers often use various substances as a form of self-medication to help them cope with these issues. In treatment, however, we first focus on the substance abuse and then work with the personality issues that may coexist. Sobriety or harm reduction is the immediate goal.

Conclusion

Our typical image of an addict is someone in a back alley shooting up or a drunk tottering on the street. This depiction is grossly misleading. Addicts are often professionals in high-powered positions. They are surgeons, judges, lawyers, dentists, CEOs, business owners. They are making decisions that affect the lives of thousands of individuals and costs millions of dollars in lost productivity and through faulty decisions. Too often, these people are in denial about their abuse and do not recognize the extent to which they are cognitively impaired.

There is no one cause for substance abuse and no one treatment. Substance abuse is a biosocialpsychological problem. Genetic predisposition may be more of a factor in one individual than another. The role of brain chemistry and genetics is different from person to person. Social and psychological influences likewise vary. Hence, treatment must be tailored to each person.

The first priority in treatment should be harm reduction with eventual sobriety. When the individual is "clean and sober," s/he can collaborate in his or her treatment with full mental acuity. A treatment plan can then be devised and a determination can be made as to what factors are influencing the abuse. Then a decision can be made as to whether moderate drinking, in the case of the problem drinker, is possible. Some approaches, however, such as AA, believe that abstinence must be a lifetime commitment. Other approaches suggest that moderate drinking is possible for some alcoholics. In either case, a thorough evaluation is necessary and sober brain is required to make that decision.

By: Edward Dreyfus, Ph.D.

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Edward Dreyfus, Ph.D., is a counselor in private practice in Santa Monica who specializes in individual therapy, relationship counseling, sex therapy, and life coaching from a humanistic perspective. Edward can be reached for scheduling at GoodTherapy and at Therapist Fort Lauderdale

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Florida, for years the largest state in the nation without a prescription drug monitoring system, has finally introduced legislation to create a statewide computerized database to track the sale of prescription drugs that lead thousands of people every year to fall victim to prescription drug addiction and abuse.

The state’s new prescription drug monitoring system has been passed by the Senate, but still requires House approval and a sign-off from the governor. If it becomes law, Florida will become the 39th state to set up a prescription drug monitoring system. As of November 2008, 38 states had enacted legislation that require prescription drug monitoring programs, and 32 of those programs were up and running, while six were in the start-up phase.

Ten other states were in the process of proposing, preparing, or considering legislation, including Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Oregon, and South Dakota. Only Wisconsin and the District of Columbia have done nothing to implement a program.

By lagging behind so many other states, Florida has become a favorite destination for illicit prescription drug buyers, both addicts and dealers, who routinely ’shop’ for opioid painkillers such as oxycodone, methadone, and hydrocodone, at as many as 150 storefront pain clinics operating in South Florida. Officials say 89 of those clinics are in Broward County, many more just south in Miami-Dade County, and the rest sprinkled around other southern counties.

The new system would create a statewide database to track all prescriptions for drugs listed under the Controlled Substances Act as having potential for abuse. Narcotic painkillers have trapped thousands of people in prescription drug addiction, but numerous other commonly prescribed psychoactive drugs, such as antianxiety medications and stimulants, are also controlled substances because they are also commonly abused and cause widespread harm.

According to the DEA’s Office of Diversion Control, states can use the data to identify problems and determine the extent of any diversion or abuse. The systems are also used to identify ‘doctor shoppers’ — someone who visits numerous doctors and pharmacies attempting to obtain controlled substances.

The legislation, proposed by Sen. Mike Fasano, was unanimously approved 39-0 by the state senate. The new system will allow doctors, pharmacists and, in certain circumstances, law enforcement, to use the information to help reduce doctor shopping, the practice of going from doctor to doctor to get prescriptions for addictive medications. Doctor shopping is common among those suffering from prescription drug addiction, as well as by drug dealers trying to obtain drugs for illicit sales.

Most observers expect the new legislation to pass the House, but it isn’t a certainty. Some members are still expressing worries about that a state-run database could reveal private patient information to unauthorized individuals or agencies.

Quoted in the Miami Herald, Sen. Charlie Justice said, ‘I absolutely agree with the goal of this bill, but to give some bureaucrat in Tallahassee access to your medical records, it scares the heck out of me.’

Whether obtained legally or illegally, prescription drugs are the most abused drugs in the nation, killing more Americans than all traditional street drugs combined. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, more than 7 million Americans abuse prescription drugs — more than those who abuse all the common illicit drugs such as cocaine, heroin, ecstasy, hallucinogens, methamphetamines and inhalants combined. And tens of thousands are victims of prescription drug addiction who desperately need treatment.

A prescription monitoring system can’t come too soon in Florida. Prescription drug addiction and abuse is a widespread problem throughout the state. Anyone suffering from the misery of prescription drug addiction or dependency should seek immediate help at a qualified Florida medical drug detox center, one where experienced medical care is provided around the clock, and where the latest medical drug detox protocols are employed to reduce — or even eliminate — the discomforts of withdrawal from prescription drugs of all kinds.

By: Rod

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Rod MacTaggart is a freelance writer that contributes articles on health, drug addiction and drug abuse, drug detox, and drug rehabilitation. info@novusdetox.com www.novusdetox.com

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Sometimes, it can be difficult to notice if you are a drug addict. Nobody wants to be addicted to drugs, but drug abuse leads to this very quickly. Sometimes you may even realize that you are addicted, but you will never admit it to others.
Drug addiction causes many problems: including relationship problems, money problems, work or school related problems, and health problems. If you think you may be addicted to drugs, it is important to get help as soon as possible. If you’re not sure, please ask yourself the following questions.

Do you really feel you are in control of your drug use, as in how often you use drugs and the amount you use?

Have you ever lied about your drug use, or stolen to support your drug habit?

Can you imagine a life without using drugs?

Have you started having drugs more frequently, or increased the amount of drugs you are using?

Do you lie to your friends that you don’t have drugs? (Either keeping drugs to yourself, or denying that you are using drugs.)

Is there a routine in your life that includes scheduled drug use? (For example: before/after work, in the morning or before you go to bed, or even after a stressful day.)

Do you still enjoy other things that once made you happy?

If you are honest with yourself as you answer these questions, then you should know if it is time to face your drug problem. More importantly, if you are reading this article right now because you think you might have a problem with drugs but you’re not sure… chances are you do have a problem.
Luckily, there is help available. Please contact Axis at (866)900-2947 to discuss your problems and learn how to recover from drug abuse or addiction.

By: Qayam Khan

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For more details please visit us at: Drug Rehab Program Center and Alcohol Rehab Treatment Center

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The traffic on Recovery Road is pretty heavy these days, and that’s good. But a lot of people are getting lost or falling by the wayside, and that’s not good.
Part of the problem is that there has been no real good road map to Recovery-something that could show people what to expect along the way. We’ve tried hard to take into account individual differences and reactions-the fact that although all are going in the same direction, the road isn’t the same for every traveler.

Synergy Treatment has a unique approach to recovery. We believe that recovery from addictive disorders is a process of transformation in all areas of your life. We consider chemical dependency to be a physical, mental, social, and spiritual disease. In our program, we focus on "how to live life fully" by providing individual and group counseling, 12 step support, recreation, and much, much more. These are some of the key elements each client learns in our program: Anger Management, Accountability, Denial Management, Dreaming, Identifying Core Values, Credit Repair, Developing Goals, Relationship Building, Healthy Habit Building, and Securing Work.

About Synergy Treatment
People arrive at our alcohol treatment and drug rehab facility with a variety of backgrounds and experiences. We believe in helping those who reach out for help with drug or alcohol addiction to have a solid foundation in recovery before moving on to their own lives. We offer services in our six residential facilities. Our residential treatment program offers men and women the opportunity to live in a realistic family environment while learning to deal with life in healthy ways. Each person’s treatment plan is designed and tailored to meet their goals. We stress individualized attention.

Why Choose Synergy Treatment
If someone you love is seeking relief from the pain of alcohol and drug addiction, we can help. During the administration of the amino acids, you’ll relax in a comfortable residential home with 24-hour care, nutritious meals, cable and high-speed Internet access. As you become more alert, generally within just a few days, Synergy Drug Rehabilitation Center will bring our treatment team to you. You’ll receive one-on-one counseling, educational materials and the benefit of group processing dependent upon your level of physical comfort and individual needs.
Synergy’s Treatment Programs
Our counselors first help clients resolve hesitation to begin treatment. They then strengthen motivation to stop substance abuse by identifying a client’s values, goals, beliefs and boundaries, and then build a plan for change that allows the client to live in conformity with their goals and values. Our counselors discuss how to cope with high-risk situations, guide clients through trial and error practice of learned strategies, modify strategies based on what is learned during practice and then develop a long-term sobriety plan for each individual client.
Specialized Treatment Programs

We offer programs specifically tailored to each individual’s needs and goals:
Alcohol
Cocaine
Heroin/Oxycontin/Oxycodone
Crystal Meth
Christian/Faith-based
Protected Identity/Paperless Treatment
Alternate Sentencing
Dual-diagnosis
The road to recovery
We want each client to succeed and will make recommendations that will help them reach their goals. We are invested in supporting each client to find their path to recovery. With our diverse clinical team we are able to support our residents whether they come with dual diagnoses, cross disorders, abuse issues, or other problems. Our 24-hour staff knows and understands this, and is ready to help at any time of the day or night. Our goal is to help each person who enters our doors walk the road to a healthy, happy and sober life.

By: samul

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Drug Rehabilitation Center

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helpfordrugabuse.com. Though this rehab process is a really painful process for an addicted person but it is required to get your life on track back. So do not try to avoid drug abuse rehabilit…   Read more…

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Thirty Years Fighting Substance Abuse Gives Rick Pendery The Job. Rick Pendery, substance abuse expert, has helped thousands to be freed of the interminable treadmill of drug addiction and alcohol de…   Read more…

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No child thinks that they will become addicted to drugs while they go through their teenage years.

No parent wants to think that their kids might become addicted to something when they reach that age either. In fact, most parents who care about their children see their kids growing up to become decent members of society who will hopefully be happy and successful in their life.

The sad truth is that many teenagers do become involved in things they should not, such as drugs. It could be alcohol, it could be a prescription drug or it could be a street drug. What it is does not matter; what does matter is what encourages these kids to start taking such things in their bodies. Some do it because they like the high and they keep taking it because they can’t stop, others do it because they are trying to hide from a world they have no control over.

Many teens will often turn to substance abuse because they feel it is the way to deal with the stresses and/or abuse they are suffering at home. It could be both, or just one or the other, but both play a significant role in pushing teens toward substance abuse. The sad part in all this is that in many cases this could have been avoided. It starts with the parents communicating with their child. Parents should be talking to their kids and taking part in educating the child in what is and isn’t a good idea. Parents should be encouraging their kids, supporting them and ensuring that if things are going wrong the child knows that their parent is there for them to talk to.

A breaking up of a family, such as divorce, can make this communication difficult, but it is up to the parent to try and explain what is happening and help the child to understand that it is not their fault and that they are still loved and supported. Unfortunately, there are many families out there who are not great at communicating with their children and it only gets worse as the children become teenagers. During this age, when the child is going through changes, they could really use the support of their parents, but if the relationship between them and their parents is not healthy and they don’t feel they can get the help they need from their parents, they may look to something else that can.

Online therapy can go a long way in helping a family take a moment to look at their situation and the current relationships they have within the family unit. Online counseling can help the parents and the children to calm down, set aside their differences and work on developing a healthier relationship. The online therapist can give advice and suggestions to the family that can help the family in dealing with issues that might be driving a wedge in between the parents and the children.

When these issues are dealt with, bonds can be created and trust can eventually be developed. A stronger bond and understanding between the children and their parents will improve the communication between them and hopefully encourage the children to go to their parents for help and support. If further therapy is required for the child, the online counselor can help as well. All this can work to make the family unit healthier and to possibly help avoid the child from making future mistakes that can make their lives extremely difficult.

By: Dr. Jennifer B. Baxt, DMFT, NCC, DCC

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Dr. Jennifer Baxt, DMFT, NCC,DCC is the owner of CompleteCounselingSolutions.com which offers a variety of online counseling services. If you would like to know more about Jennifer or any of our online therapists, visit our website.

Drug Abuse GO » Blog Archive » How do you think drug abuse started?

How do you think drug abuse started? Written on May 31, 2009 – 7:11 am | by Drug Abuse Help. I think sugar was the Gateway drug.

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Nearly 90 percent of people arrested in Chicago test positive for illegal drugs, according to a federal study. Chicago had a higher percentage of heroin users than other major cities.

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Until recently, drug or alcohol abuse was not very well understood, and unfortunately there was not a lot of ways to help a person suffering from these difficulties.

However, today many healthcare providers are now able and willing to furnish treatments and provide counsel to anyone who uses or abuse drugs, alcohol or other form of substance. Do not be embarrassed to confide in your doctor about substance use. Your doctors is concerned about and your baby. We have learned much about drug and alcohol use and the effect on pregnancy in recent years. We now believe the safest approach to drug or alcohol use during pregnancy is no use at all.

It makes sense to solve these problems before pregnancy. By the time you realize you’re pregnant, you may already be 8 or 10 weeks along. You have to realize that your baby goes through some of its most critical developmental stages during the first 13 weeks of pregnancy. The problem that you could be using drugs and not even known that you are pregnant. There are not very many women out there who would take these substances if they knew they were pregnant. So it is a good policy to cease taking any substance you do not need at least 3 months before trying to conceive.
Research into these problems continues, showing that use of drugs or alcohol during pregnancy may affect the IQ of a child, attention span and learning ability. To date, no safe level of these substances has been determined. Drug use before pregnancy is serious business. Fortunately, there is help for those who use drugs. Get help before you become pregnant. Preparing for pregnancy may be a good reason for you and your partner to change your lifestyle.
Another very common form of substance abuse is tobacco. Our society has been aware for a very lengthy time that smoking has a detrimental affect on fetal development. Mothers who smoke during pregnancy are more likely to have low birth weight babies or babies with intrauterine-growth restriction. Ask for help to stop smoking before you become pregnant. Your doctor should be receptive to this request.
It was once felt that a small amount of alcohol while pregnant was acceptable. However, today professionals state that absolutely no amount of alcohol is safe to consume while pregnant. Alcohol crosses the placenta and directly affects your baby. Heavy drinking during pregnancy can cause fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) or fetal alcohol exposure (FAE).

Studies have indicated that cocaine affects the baby throughout pregnancy, and not just during the first trimester. Should you consume cocaine during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, you are running an extremely high risk of having a miscarriage. Cocaine can also cause severe deformities in a fetus. The type of defect caused depends on the point at which cocaine is used in the pregnancy. Infants born to mothers who use cocaine during pregnancy have been found to have long-term mental deficiencies. Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is also more common in these babies. Many babies born to women who use cocaine are stillborn.

Cocaine affects the mother-to-be, too. It is a stimulant and increases their heart rate and blood pressure. Women who use the drug during pregnancy have a higher rate of placental abruption, which is the premature separation of the placenta from the uterus.

In certain regions of the US, there are greater than 10% of all pregnant women who consume cocaine at some time while pregnant. Again, the best policy is to completely stop using cocaine right before you stop taking birth control. You need to realize that it is very possible for embryo damage to occur as early as 3 days after conception.

Marijuana is another substance that is dangerous to use while pregnant as it also crosses the placenta and directly enters the system of the new baby. This drug can have very long-lasting effects on babies that are exposed prior to birth. Research has indicated that the using marijuana while pregnant can seriously affect cognitive function, decision-making ability and the future-planning capability in the child. Use can also affect the verbal reasoning and memory of the child. If your partner smokes marijuana, encourage him to stop. One study showed that the risk of SIDS was twice the average for children if their father smoked marijuana. The risk is present if the male smokes before conception. Researchers believe the THC in marijuana may adversely affect sperm and the growing fetus.

By: Leslie T. Savinsky

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

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Rick Pendery, substance abuse expert, has helped thousands to be freed of the interminable treadmill of drug addiction and alcohol dependence.

It has been a three years since Rick Pendery began the project to bring his Second Chance Program to Albuquerque, New Mexico and the doors have been open since October of 2006.

This is the culmination of thirteen years handling substance abusers, six of those years in Mexico piloting this program with heroin and meth addicted inmates there, resulting in this prison-based drug and criminal rehab center.

Pendery, raised in Texas, graduated with honors from Lake Highlands High School in Dallas, Texas, having lettered in track and football and All-City in football. He then attended Texas Tech University studying engineering and psychology. All the while, surrounded by people using drugs with some more addicted than others, his interest peaked. For a short while he worked in a methadone clinic. But there he saw too many people walk out of the clinic, into the parking lot and buy heroin. This treatment was clearly ineffective.

He started really looking around, and came across a program called Narconon. He found this program to be very effective. Working with Narconon for several years he became the chief administrator for a program in El Paso Tex. Besides running the community-based arm he opened and ran a treatment program for La Tuna Federal Prison and administrated a contract for the Bureau of Indian Affairs in the treatment of Native Americans. Later he was promoted to be the Executive Director for the program and eventually became the Executive Director for Narconon US where he presided over the administration of over 30 Narconon drug treatment programs in the US. This included running programs for the California Department of Corrections, the Delaware Department of Corrections and the Colorado Department of Corrections.

Narconon uses the Drug Rehabilitation Technology developed by L. Ron Hubbard. The program has a drug-free withdrawal step, a sauna detoxification step and an additional life skills training section with courses in communication, remedial education. Also, it has classes specifically designed to help the individual understand the reasons why he started using drugs and giving him tools to combat the urge to use drugs in order to live a drug-free life. Pendery feels that these steps together cultivate self respect in these former addicts.

Pendery started the Second Chance Center in the mid 90’s. He explains why, ‘I saw two things occurring. Drug use seemed to be generally growing and the crime rate in many categories was increasing as well. The number of people incarcerated almost doubled in 1990s and because of this, the budgets for the Department of Corrections were starting to bankrupt our states. I had previously run a successful drug rehab program called Narconon, which was both effective in reducing recidivism as well as was able to scale up to where it could economically deliver to large numbers of people at once. I felt that this approach was particularly suited to the criminal justice system where they had approximately 80 percent of incarcerated offenders with prior drug histories. With over 2 million people currently incarcerated in the United States it’s been cost prohibitive for those offenders to get rehabilitated in that system. According to the US Dept of Justice, the stats shows that over 65% of those who have been incarcerated, within three years, return to prison. I wanted to bring a workable drug and criminal rehab program to the criminal justice system.’

Then last year Pendery opened the doors to the prison-based drug and criminal rehab facility in Albuquerque. The 600-bed facility, the Second Chance Center, uses programming based on research done by L. Ron Hubbard in the field of drug rehabilitation and criminal behavior.

‘We have brought in protocol based on the works of Mr. Hubbard because I have seen the effectiveness of these programs. such as the long-term sauna detox protocol and the drills he developed to help improve communication skills. The education tools really help improve people’s ability to learn and apply what they study. All this helps them succeed in life.’ Rick Pendery explains, ‘We are a totally secular program and not a part of the Church of Scientology or any other church. We do offer Catholic and Protestant services to our students on Sunday. The program itself uses no drugs or medications, and emphasizes healthy foods and healthy living.’

‘The reason that I decided to start the Second Chance Program is because most inmates in correctional facilities usually end up back in prison.’, said Pendery. ‘Prisons actually do not rehabilitate criminals. Because a large portion of inmates have drug problems, effective treatment is vital Many inmates have low self esteem, no social skills nor the education to reenter society as productive members. With the right guidance and education, they can become productive members of society and never return to a life of crime or drugs.’

Three independent university studies done on Pendery’s pilot programs have shown that criminal recidivism dropped to less than 10% for those who participated prior to release .

Rick Pendery founded and ran a six year pilot of the Second Chance Program in Ensenada and Tijuana, Mexico as well as another pilot for nearly two years in Puerto Rico. The Second Chance Program freed over 6000 inmates from the interminable treadmill of drug addiction that leads to more crime and re-incarceration.

As such a leader and executive in the field of substance abuse for over three decades, Rick Pendery was asked by National Foundation of Women Legislators (NFWL) to co-chair the NFWL’s Crime, Justice, Terrorism, & Substance Abuse Policy Committee. This policy committee works on national initiatives partnering such groups as the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security, The Department of Health and Human Services, The State Department, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the National Guard with legislative members of the NFWL. Its overall purpose is to provide strategic resources to women leaders for leadership development and effective governance through conferences, effective seminars, issue education materials, professional and personal relationships, and networking at both the state and federal levels.

By: Jayden S. Adams

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For more information on this article, go to:

Rick Pendery

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Rick Pendery Blog

Article written by Jean Ritter Dale

Published by Jayden Adams – Studio98

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