Drug Addiction Treatment

Is It Possible to Just Turn Off Addiction?

With all the medical marvels that research scientists have been able to create, and with intense focus on prevention, treatment and recovery for the increasing numbers of people addicted to illicit substances, prescription drugs used nonmedically, and process addictions, it’s logical to conclude that there must be a way to somehow just turn off addiction. [...]

Study: Teens see 5 drinks a day as no biggie

Downing five or more alcoholic drinks nearly every day isn't seen as a big problem for many of the nation's teens, says a new report. When asked if they see "great risk" in drinking that much, almost half the teens questioned - 45 percent - didn't see it as a big deal. The study released Wednesday by The Partnership at Drugfree.org also showed upward trends in marijuana and Ecstasy use among young people in grades 9 through 12. "You're seeing this weakness in this generation of teens' attitudes around drug and alcohol use," says Steve Pasierb, president of the partnership. "It's not like this generation of kids thinks they're more bulletproof than others, but they really don't see any harm in that heavy drinking." And while the numbers suggest many teens do not perceive significant harm in heavy drinking, the percentage of teens drinking is down. "It's important that we not lose sight of the progress our country has made in fighting underage drinking," says Dr. Raymond Scalettar, former chairman of the American Medical Association and a medical adviser to the Washington-based Distilled Spirits Council. "U.S. government data shows underage drinking and binge drinking are at record low levels." The partnership study also shows the percentage of teens drinking alcohol in the past month declining, down to 35 percent last year from a high of 50 percent in 1998. Among teens, the average age when they had their first drink was 14, the study said. Overall, 68 percent said they had consumed alcohol in their lifetime. Of those, one quarter of teens had their first drink at age 12 or younger. "It is much more terrifying these days than it was when we were younger," says actress and mother Melissa Gilbert, national spokeswoman for the partnership. Gilbert, the former "Little House on the Prairie" star, is herself a recovering alcoholic who at one time was drinking two bottles of wine a night but has been sober now for six and a half years. She has faced drug-abuse struggles with one of her four sons, and she says she is doing everything in her power to make sure her youngest, now 15, knows the drama and pain addiction can bring. "The most important thing is to get to know his friends and stay in constant communication with the people that are around him all day - his teachers, his counselors at school," Gilbert told The Associated Press in an interview from her Los Angeles home. Being sober, she says, is the best way to live. "It's not the easiest, but it's definitely the best," she said. According to the study, teens said the top reasons for drinking were "because it is fun" and "so they won't feel left out." Pasierb says early drinking can often signal deeper problems. "It's about that vulnerability," he said, "Why is a 12-year-old drinking?" Gregg Aguero of Houston, Texas, says he started drinking regularly at 13 after his parents split up. That led to cocaine and other drugs and eventually landed him in rehab for several stays. Now 22 and in college, Aguero says he's been sober for 4 months and is trying to help teenagers avoid the mistakes he made. "It's never too late," he tells them. "That's the most important thing. It's never too late to turn and get help." Other findings in the study: -Twenty-five percent of teens said last year that they had smoked marijuana in the past month. While that number is unchanged from the previous year, it is higher than 2008 and confirms an upward trend that ended nearly a decade of declines in pot usage among teens. -Ecstasy abuse also continued an upward trend, with six percent of teens reporting past-month use - up from four percent in 2008. The Partnership's "attitude tracking" study was sponsored by the MetLife Foundation. Researchers surveyed 2,544 teens with anonymous questionnaires that the youngsters filled out from March to June of last year. The study has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.6 percentage points. Based in New York, The Partnership at Drugfree.org is formerly The Partnership for a Drug-Free America - perhaps best known for the "this is your brain on drugs" ads of the 1980s and 1990s. The group launched its new name last October, a move meant to position the partnership as more of a resource to parents and to avoid the misperception the nonprofit is a government organization. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_TEENS_ALCOHOL?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2011-04-06-00-01-18

Vicodin Addiction

Millions of patients are prescribed painkillers like Vicodin following a surgery or procedure, but the widely-used medication has serious long-term use risks, including addiction, dependence, and the potential for major health problems. Known generically as hydrocodone, Vicodin is a narcotic painkiller that has gained popularity with the rise in pain clinics nationwide. Physically, a Vicodin [...]

Vicodin Addiction is a post from: Drug Addiction Treatment

Medications for Treating Addiction

The factors involved with the development of alcoholism or another type of substance abuse are a mix of biological and environmental causes. Researchers are beginning to explore the areas of the brain that may be especially vulnerable to addiction in certain individuals. With a clear understanding of which receptors in the brain are reacting to [...]

Reward Systems Contribute to Chance of Relapse

The relapse rates for those with an alcohol abuse problem are not promising. In fact, according to this Science Daily release, a minim of 60 percent of individuals treated for an alcohol use disorder will relapse. This relapse will typically occur within the first six months of treatment. The reward system within the brain is [...]

NFL Drops Drug Treatment Program during Lockout

While the NFL and the NFL Players’ Association try and hash out a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) before the 2011 season begins, many players are left waiting in limbo. That’s because when the work stops, so does the insurance coverage. Many players who were involved in drug treatment programs before the lockout are now [...]

Sales of Marijuana Paraphernalia in Gas Stations Threaten Those in Recovery

Going to the gas station – or convenience store, or even tobacco store – shouldn’t be an exercise that jeopardizes someone who’s in recovery from one or another type of addiction. But more and more, it seems that it is. That’s because these retail outlets are legally able to display bongs and glass pipes – [...]

Prenatal Exposure to Nicotine May Lead to Smoking Addiction in Offspring

New research has found that prenatal exposure to nicotine increases the likelihood that the offspring will start smoking earlier than their peers and are more likely to become addicted to nicotine, especially as a result of stress or peer pressure. The researchers, from the Academy of Finland’s Research Programme on Substance Abuse and Addictions, used [...]

Pain, Injuries leave NFL Retirees Battling OxyContin and Other Painkiller Addictions

A new study reports that the use of opioid painkillers amongst former NFL players is on the rise. Financially, there is a lot riding on sporting events, and one injury can ruin a person’s career. Even in the midst of dealing with serious injuries, professional athletes are feeling the pressure to perform. Drugs from the [...]

Pain, Injuries leave NFL Retirees Battling OxyContin and Other Painkiller Addictions is a post from: Drug Addiction Treatment

How to Stop Abusing Painkillers

While it may have started innocently enough, once you’re hooked on painkillers the road back to normal can be rough – and lengthy. In many cases, a person doesn’t even realize they’ve become dependent on the substances until they run out of the source – pills, access to prescriptions, no street hook-up or friends willing [...]

How to Stop Abusing Painkillers is a post from: Drug Addiction Treatment

Kelly Osbourne Says Warding off Relapses is a Daily Commitment for Many Addicts

The addiction started early, said celebrity Kelly Osbourne, and almost cost the star her life. Actress Kelly Osbourne, daughter of world-famous rocker Ozzy Osbourne, said her addiction to pain medications began following a relatively minor surgery as a teenager. She was prescribed the prescription pain medication Vicodin in liquid form, and soon an addiction formed [...]

Families Anonymous Offers Support to Families of Drug Addicts

Drug addictions don’t just take their toll on the addict. These addictions can have a huge impact on the addict’s inner circle of family and friends as well. Many of these individuals struggle to live healthy lives themselves because they are so consumed with the health of the addict. Groups like Families Anonymous are helping [...]

Families Anonymous Offers Support to Families of Drug Addicts is a post from: Drug Addiction Treatment

Resurgence of X for Gen X

When we picture a drug addict, mental images of the more mature don’t necessarily come to mind. Research shows, however, that a growing number of adults in their 30s and 40s are partying with Ecstasy. Having children and maintaining a professional career don’t seem to hinder their ability to have a good time either. According [...]

Communicating with the Alcoholic/Addict – Concepts for Neutral Dialogue

Communication is an art all to itself. Whether it comes trippingly off the tongue, through expressive eyes, facial inflections, foot taping, moans, groans or whatever body language we are transmitting, it’s all some type of communication. In an instant we hear or see what that person is saying to us and react accordingly. Most of the [...]

Residential Treatment for Heavy Smokers Found Effective

A new study has found that heavy smokers who enter residential treatment for nicotine addiction are more likely to remain abstinent from smoking for six months, compared to those who go through outpatient treatment. The study found that 52 percent of the patients remained abstinent from smoking six months after residential treatment, compared to 26 [...]

Trendy Boutiques Selling “Legal High” Drugs Emerging as a Deadly Fad

What may look like an upscale cosmetic or convenience shop can be quite deadly. Appearing in trendy, seemingly high-class global boutiques, a rapidly emerging type of drugs called “legal highs” are taking lives tragically and opening the door for young adults to abuse other types of drugs. Shops springing up with alarming speed across Europe [...]

Trendy Boutiques Selling “Legal High” Drugs Emerging as a Deadly Fad is a post from: Drug Addiction Treatment

Nicotine Vaccine Shows Promise in Testing

Treatment for nicotine addiction takes many forms. While patches, gum and even hypnosis have been on the market for years as methods to quell cravings for cigarettes, smokers often find that the cravings keep winning. Those who want to quit smoking are looking for more help in battling the temptation to smoke. Testing of a [...]

Salvia Research, Video Reports Prompt Federal Consideration of Plant as Controlled Substance

The ancient plant Salvia is leaving the garden and making a modern-day entrance as a hallucinogenic, and prompting new research into the effects of its use on the human brain. It’s the subject of numerous YouTube videos showing people smoking the substance, as well as reports of celebrity use. Recent studies from Johns Hopkins [...]

Cannabis may Cause Sexual Dysfunction

Marijuana is widely used as a recreational drug. Some have argued its medicinal benefits, using the position to push for the legalization of the drug. However, marijuana also carries with it certain risks. One side effect associated with marijuana is related to cognitive function, with those using cannabis unable to maintain a certain level of [...]

Cannabis may Cause Sexual Dysfunction is a post from: Drug Addiction Treatment

Victimization and Substance Abuse Link Identified

Substance abuse can be a by-product of a number of different things, including victimization, according to this recent Medical News Today report. Researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago recently identified this link, suggesting that the link is especially prevalent among those who are gay, lesbian and bisexual. Tonda Hughes, a professor and [...]

Victimization and Substance Abuse Link Identified is a post from: Drug Addiction Treatment