Archive for August, 2010
- Researchers Study a New Potential Treatment Method for Cocaine Addiction
Disulfiram, the generic name for the brand-name drug Antabuse, has been used in medical settings to help people with alcohol dependency stay sober by making them extremely sensitive to alcohol. Five to ten minutes after drinking a small amount of alcohol, patients may experience the effects of a severe hangover, including nausea, vomiting, headache, shortness of breath, and accelerated heart rate that can last from 30 minutes to a several hours.
- Dentists Can Play a Role in Meth User Identification
Methamphetamine is a highly addictive drug and rumor has it one hit is all it takes to drive an individual to want more. In a recent news release, the truth about meth was explored, examining the devastating effects it can have on a person and the surrounding community.
- Drugged Driving: A Growing Problem
While driving under the influence of alcohol has gotten considerable attention over the last 25 years as the nation as a whole recognized the dangers associated with drinking and driving, a new and deadly trend is emerging. Individuals who get behind the wheel of a car while on specific drugs – whether legal or not – can also endanger themselves and others around them.
- Wall Street Sees Rise in Marijuana Use Among Investment Bankers
New data finds that Wall Street employees are turning away from cocaine and are instead using marijuana. According to the Wall Street Journal, drug tests show that in 2009, 7 percent of positive tests were attributed to cocaine, down from 16 percent in 2007. Marijuana, on the other hand, increased from 64 percent to 80 percent between 2007 and 2009.
- Substance Abuse at the Regional Level
The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) issues regular reports about the dynamics of substance abuse and treatment facilities across the United States. The information provided by the NSDUH is very useful in determining how to allocate resources for substance abuse treatment and where additional education and prevention may be necessary.
- Addiction Has Both Medical and Psychological Basis
An addictive behavior can emerge toward any activity that gives a person good feelings. Over time, the person becomes dependent or obsessed with the behavior – such as addictive gambling, drinking, eating, sex or exercise. Not only can the addictive behavior provide pleasure, it can also reduce or block undesirable feelings or emotions and become a coping mechanism.
- Fair Sentencing Act Reduces Discrimination in Drug Charges
Congress made a huge improvement in the justice system on August 3, 2010, when President Obama signed into law the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010. The Act corrects the disparity in the law that deals harsh penalties for low-level crack cocaine offenses compared to much lighter penalties for powder cocaine offenses.
- Dual Diagnosis Drug Rehab
Many people are confused by the term “dual diagnosis” and what that means in terms of drug rehab. Dual diagnosis, as the term implies, means having a diagnosable addiction and the presence of psychological or behavioral conditions at the same time. It is also referred to as co-occurring disorders. In fact, dual diagnosis is quite common. Some estimates are that more than half of drug or alcohol addicts also have some form of mental illness.
Many Different Forms
Dual diagnosis comes in many different forms. Any combination of addiction (such as alcohol and/or drugs) and psychological or behavioral disorder (including anxiety disorder, depression, bipolar disorder, eating disorder, attention-deficit disorder and/or personality disorders, mood swings, trauma, insomnia, sexual compulsivity, and so on) can qualify an individual as having dual diagnosis.
High-Risk Patients
As you might assume, dual diagnosis patients are high-risk. In addition to coping with mental illness, the complications resulting from addiction may tip the scales, leading the patient to have suicidal tendencies, or to be prone to violent and self-destructive behavior.
Difficult to Treat
When a patient is admitted to a treatment facility – most often for substance abuse – and diagnosed with dual diagnosis, it’s often difficult to determine if the mental illness – depression, for example – is the result of the addiction or the cause of it. Depression is a symptom common to many conditions, so it requires a skilled practitioner to be able to ascertain the root cause of the mental illness and then to treat it.
Integrated Treatment Required
Recent studies have shown that the most effective treatment for dual diagnosis is treatment that is integrated and comprehensive. That is, both the addiction and the mental illness are treated simultaneously, not separately.
When treated in the same facility, or coordinated by a single facility, dual diagnosis drug rehab has a greater chance of success. By providing a comprehensive array of services in a central or single location, the patient’s progress can be more closely monitored and treatment adjusted as needs require.Various treatment modalities and services are utilized in dual diagnosis drug rehab. These include – but are not limited to
- detoxification from the addictive substances, a combination of individual psychotherapy and group treatment, medication as required, education, an emphasis on healing the mind-body-spirit, helping patients understand and develop a commitment to the recovery process, 12-step work and group meetings, family therapy, and aftercare.Unfortunately, not all drug rehab facilities are equipped to handle dual diagnosis patients. Not only must the facility have a psychiatric staff, but they also have to have an emphasis or specialize in treating dual diagnosis patients.
Treatment Takes TimeAnother important point to understand is that there’s no quick fix for the dual diagnosis patient – either in the addiction or the mental illness. Improvement will not occur overnight, although it may begin to appear sooner in some patients than others. Improvement in mental illness may require months or years of ongoing treatment.
It’s also vital that treatment be tailored to the unique needs of the individual. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to treatment for dual diagnosis patients, just as there is no single approach that works for any addiction.
Recovery from substance abuse and co-occurring disorder is possible. With appropriate treatment, measurable improvements do take place. Treating the whole person – and not just the addiction or psychological or behavioral disorder – is the only proven way to provide patients the opportunity to achieve lasting recovery.
- Acetaminophen Taken at Dangerous Levels
Acetaminophen is a pain reliever commonly used both alone and in combination with other medications, such as flu or cold relief. It is a popular pain-relief medication widely used around the world. However, with the many combination drugs available with acetaminophen, it is easy for individuals taking it to exceed the four-grams-a-day mark established as the maximum daily amount that can be safely taken.