Archive for July, 2010
- Drug Treatment Programs Combine Several Elements for Recovery
With a cost each year to the U.S. of more than $500 billion, substance abuse is an expensive problem – both physically, emotionally and socially. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), treatment programs for substance abuse can be an effective solution, reducing abuse rates by as much as 60 percent. Drug treatment programs exist across the country in several formats, but there are some general considerations to evaluate when referring a patient, friend or family member.
In essence, drug treatment facilities and programs allow the patient to be removed from traditional roles while they take time to recover, both physically and emotionally. Many can go full spectrum: helping with the physical symptoms of withdrawal, launching the patient on a path of lifelong recovery and preparing the family with ways to help and cope.
- Court-Ordered Drug Rehab May be the Best Way to Kick the Habit
We’ve all seen the headlines and heard the news coverage of this Hollywood celebrity or that Washington politician ordered by the court to complete a drug rehab program. Sometimes these same individuals wind up in court again, and receive a second- or third- court-ordered drug rehab stint. But there are thousands of other individuals, average citizens that find themselves in a similar situation. When it comes to the power of the law, if this is the “sentence” that’s handed down, it may just be the best way for someone to kick the habit. Read More…
- Guatemala Becoming the Land of Drug Lords
There is often talk about the development of areas around the rainforest and what that is doing to the ecological make up of the area. What doesn’t grab as much attention is the amount of damage caused by drug smugglers and barons who believe everything they touch they own.
- Indian Survey Reveals Drug Problem Around Schools
In the United States, police officers make it their job to know what drug activity is happening within their territories. This is especially true around schools and other educational institutions. It is not a perfect system, but one that is aimed at keeping kids safe from the temptation of drugs and the violence that often accompanies their presence.
- Drug Rehab Is Just the Beginning of Recovery
One of the toughest obstacles to getting a person treatment for drug addiction is denial. You can think of denial as a psychological wall of protection the addict has created. The fundamental motivation behind denial is the fear that they will have to face their addiction, and that might mean stopping the drug use.
- String of Pharmacy Robberies by OxyContin Addicts Put Pharmacists on Guard
Pharmacists from Calgary, Alberta, are being cautioned to prepare for potential crisis situations after several local pharmacies experienced successions of armed robberies by addicts who have resorted to crime to feed their drug habits. Some desperate addicts within the Alberta region have turned to robbery in order to get their hands on the highly potent opiate prescription drug OxyContin.
- Study Finds that Reducing MicroRNAs in Mice Helps with Cocaine Addiction
Researchers have been searching for a treatment for cocaine addiction for years, and a new study finds suggests that a treatment be closer than ever before.
- Flashblood: Injecting Addicts’ Blood in Africa
Flashblood (also called “flushblood”) is a disturbing, dangerous technique that has emerged among heroin addicts in some African cities. Addicts will inject themselves with blood extracted from another user, usually someone who has just injected heroin, to get high or to avoid withdrawal symptoms. This practice dramatically increases the risk of contracting HIV and hepatitis.