Alcohol and Drug Addiction Treatment

Addiction is becoming an epidimic in the US

2008-10-02T08:51:00.000-07:00

Anyone who has been around an addict knows this fact: the addict is not the only one suffering. The families, the employers, teachers and friends of the addict suffer too. Addiction in the US is a problem that we need to face immediately. Our citizens are losing their families, jobs, and homes due to addiction. There are rehabs pooping up all over the United States but their success rates are so low that people are ending up having to try to receive treatment multiple times or not at all. Instead of having a new rehab open everyday shouldn't we join forces and have a few rehabs that are really effective?

Results from calling Addiction helplines that are supposed to be "free"

2008-09-18T08:23:00.000-07:00

So I noticed in my little experiment yesterday that of all the supposedly free addiction helplines. Most were actually only trying to get you to spend money to go into their private paid facility. There was only one that was run by a addiction but would actually still answer any questions that we had and helped us locate treatment that was near where we lived and even free meetings and other things. VERY impressed by only one. The number was:

1-866-826-9158

I spoke with DannaSue...she was awesome!

Are "free addiction helplines" really trying to help?

2008-09-17T12:01:00.000-07:00

So I thought I would do a little research on all these rehabs that list on their website that they want to give you FREE help. Now we are in 2008- so is anything really free these days. I have located on the internet a few of the very well know rehabs in the country that say they have counselors on hand 24 hours a day in order to help you find treatment. My friend is calling pretending to be my mother and I am the addict in need of some help. So far we have only gotten receptionist telling us that they will have a "trained counselor" call us back.

I will blog on what actually happens for each one. Has anyone tried this before?

2008-09-17T11:55:00.000-07:00

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS PHOTO. IT JUST MAKES ME NOD MY HEAD AND SAY TO MYSELF, "YES..YES..YES I DID SURVIVE THAT CRYSTAL METH!" ALMOST THREE YEARS CLEAN (OCTOBER 9, 2005)-- SHOULD I HAVE A PARTY OR WHAT?

CALIFORNIA UNDER SIEGE: HOW TO WIN THE DRUG WAR

2008-09-12T11:30:00.000-07:00

The Great State of California is abundantly supplied with talent, intelligence and compassionate care for its citizens. With the kind of assault being made on California by drug trafficking organizations, they are going to need all the talent available to fight back.
From the South come methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin, smuggled from Mexico by land, sea and air. Rural areas permit the manufacture of more methamphetamine and in the north, LSD. From Compton in Southern California, PCP is manufactured and distributed. Hydrocodone and oxycodone are illegally obtained through theft, forged prescriptions, doctor shopping or the Internet. Rohypnol, the hypnotic date-rape drug, is available without a prescription across the border in Mexico.
Across the state, young adults ages 18 to 25 are the most likely to abuse illicit or prescription drugs. One in five abused an illicit drug last month and one in ten abused a prescription drug.
While California leads the pack with a multitude of drug treatment and diversion programs, 819,000 people needed treatment for drug abuse problems in 2002 but did not receive it. Two million people needed treatment for alcohol problems but did not get it. It’s obvious that there’s a drug war going on in California. More highly effective drug rehab programs will allow honest Californians to triumph.

$60 Million Still Being Poured Into National Anti-Drug Campaign Proven a Failure

2008-09-12T11:25:00.000-07:00

Description: After research group Westat determined that a major anti-drug campaign for youth was a failure, and after the GAO validated the review, the program still runs and is currently being funded another $60 million.

A study by the Rockville, Maryland research group Westat, validated by the General Accounting Office, showed that $1.2 billion of taxpayer money was pumped into a youth anti-drug campaign that failed to show a positive result. The campaign was the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign that ran between 1998 and 2004, created and run by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), a branch of the White House.

The Westat group measured improvements in drug use or opinions of drug use by students and found that the campaign, rather than lessening drug use, “may have promoted perceptions among exposed youth that others’ drug use was normal.”

Even parents receiving these drug messages were not impressed. The Westat review showed that more parents talked to their kids about drugs subsequent to being exposed to the campaign but did not monitor their children’s drug use any more vigilantly.

Still, the ONDCP was bold enough to recently ask Congress for another $130 million to continue the campaign. On their website they complain of a lack of support when the response was just $60 million for this failed campaign.

“Drug use and addiction are still growing in this country,” stated Gary Smith, Executive Director of Narconon Arrowhead, one of the country’s leading drug and alcohol rehab centers, located in Canadian, Oklahoma. “The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration calculates that 20.4 million Americans are current drug users. That number has been climbing since 1996. The current education and rehabilitation methods cannot, therefore, be effective.

“Investments in drug eductaion must be channeled to programs proven to result in lower drug and alcohol use,” Mr. Smith added. “But when a person of any age can’t decide to quit because he is addicted, it’s a different matter.” Mr. Smith explained that recovery from addiction requires a thorough detoxification step that helps relieve cravings, counseling that assists the addict to recover from the ravages of drug use, and life skills training so the person has the skills to stay drug-free after recovery. The Narconon drug and alcohol rehabilitation program results in a 70% success rate for those who graduate from the program.

NEW REPORT REVEALS RAPIDLY INCREASING LEVELS OF DRUG INFESTATION IN OUR SCHOOLS

2008-09-12T11:23:00.000-07:00

Each fall, most parents buy their children new shoes, clothes and school supplies, then send their kids off to school with the hopes that an adequate education will result. A new survey published by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University shows that too many of our children are getting all dressed up to attend classes in a den of drugs and alcohol.

The new survey, published in August 2007, reports that more and more children in middle and high schools are seeing drugs used, seeing other kids who are drunk or high, and are seeing drugs bought and sold on their school campuses. Since 2002, 39 percent more high school students and 63 percent more middle school students attend schools where drugs are clearly present. Just since 2006, these percentages have increased 20 percent for high school students and 35 percent for middle school students.

Students who attend schools in which drugs and alcohol are present are ten times more likely to abuse prescription drugs, four and a half times likelier to use marijuana, and nine times likelier to use one of the other illegal drugs. The CASA report cited a June 2007 report from the Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities Advisory Committee, under the U.S. Department of Education, that stated, “If students are using drugs or alcohol (or are surrounded by others that do) ... there is a greatly diminished opportunity for them to benefit from their schooling.”

COLLEGIATE “RISKY DRINKING” IS ON THE RISE, ENDANGING OUR FUTURE LEADERS

2008-09-12T11:02:00.000-07:00

The United States has more than four thousand college and university campuses where young adults receive educations that allow them to be the physicians, lawyers, architects, engineers, statesmen, educators and leaders of tomorrow. This bright future is threatened by increased "risky drinking" patterns among college students – more binge drinking (five or more drinks at one sitting), more instances of binge drinking each month, more intoxication, more drunk driving and more drinking with the intent of getting drunk.

Recent studies have revealed this increase in problem drinking in our colleges and universities and the intolerable penalties this drinking exacts. In 2001, 1,717 college students died from unintentional alcohol-related injuries. According to the Surgeon General’s Office, each year, 700,000 students are assaulted by other students who have been drinking, 100,000 students are victims of alcohol-related sexual assaults or date rape; 50% of binge drinkers fall behind in their schoolwork as a result of alcohol use. Alcohol abuse is also associated with lower grade point averages, suspensions and missed classes.

What’s more, the Surgeon General’s office states that 80% of college students drink alcohol but nearly half the students at these institutions are under 21 years of age, meaning that much of this drinking is underage.

“Nationally, the issues of underage and collegiate drinking have just begun to receive an appropriate level of focus,” stated Ryan Thorpe, Director of Admissions at Narconon Arrowhead, one of the country’s leading drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers in Canadian, Oklahoma. “Congress responded last December by passing the STOP Act, a national plan to curtail underage drinking. Plus the Acting Surgeon General has just released a Call to Action to reduce underage drinking. His appeal states that more young people between 12 and 20 drink alcohol than smoke cigarettes or use illicit drugs combined. He also pointed out that 18-to-20 year olds have the highest manifestation of the symptoms of alcohol dependence of any age group.

“In order to maintain our hope of a bright future, we must be able to rehabilitate our young people when they lose their enthusiasm for study and life due to a dependence on alcohol. We have to accomplish this change by educating our youth and rehabilitating those who have become dependent on alcohol. We can’t expect beer and liquor companies to stop directing their advertising at our youth. They would stand to lose $22.5 billion dollars a year if underage drinking were eliminated.”

Catching Addiction Before it Starts: The Five Stages of Drug Use

2008-09-12T10:55:00.000-07:00

Every minute of every day, around the clock, five people try an illicit drug for the first time. That adds up to nearly three million people per year. Tragically, more than half of these initiates are under 18.
People using drugs go through several stages on their way to full-blown addiction:
Stage 1: They’re curious about drug use; they may ask questions or ask to join those using drugs. They willingly listen to stories about the effects of drugs. They watch others obtaining drugs or using them.
Stage 2: They experiment with drugs and discover the effects. This is usually social, recreational use carried out as part of a group, usually on weekends. The peer pressure of the group use is enough reason for many people to continue to use drugs.
Stage 3: Now the drug user has discovered the “benefits” of using drugs. Perhaps they alleviate boredom or anxiety. Problems and stresses may seem to disappear. Girls or women may use stimulants for weight loss and males may use steroids for appearance enhancement. When the positive effects outweigh the risks or any negative effects, these individuals may become regular users. They acquire a supply of drugs and drug paraphernalia. They have regular contacts they can rely on for more supplies. They may use drugs more frequently, no longer restricting their use to weekends. Their behavior and activities begin to change. School, work or family affairs may seem less important. They may change their friends to associate with others who use drugs. Legal complications may appear.
Stage 4: They now become preoccupied with drug use. Behavior changes become more pronounced and obvious. The user may be found to lie frequently and may begin stealing or dealing drugs to support drug use. As drug tolerance increases, the user may start using stronger drugs to get the same effect. More neglect of school, work or family affairs will show up. The user will become secretive, hard to reach and is likely to neglect former interests completely. Legal and financial complications often worsen.
Stage 5: At this point, the user is dependent on their drug of choice. He or she can’t face daily life without drugs and uses them just to function or feel “normal.” They deny the problem and present a completely false face to their family and environment. Physical problems worsen. Financial and legal complications are often severe. They may sever ties with family and former friends. They are now addicted.
There are only three possible outcomes to addiction: early death, prison or sobriety.
Being an educated parent or family member is one of the best things you can do to prevent this progression toward addiction. When you suspect that a family member is abusing drugs or alcohol, the right thing to do is to look for yourself, rather than believe everything you are told. The wrong thing to do is to hope that it’s not that bad and will all go away on its own.
And when drug use has marched forward into addiction, what is needed is a drug rehabilitation program that addresses and eliminates the true causes of addiction.

ELIMINATE DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE AMONG MOTHERS-TO-BE TO SAVE BILLIONS IN COSTS AND DECADES OF HEARTBREAK

2008-09-11T13:57:00.000-07:00

Every year, more than a million and a half pregnant women put their unborn babies at serious risk by abusing
drugs or alcohol. In study after study, drug or alcohol abuse during pregnancy has been shown to increase the incidence of problems such as low birth weight, cardiac defects, developmental delays, bleeding within the brain, tremors and learning difficulties. Use of certain drugs is also associated with miscarriage, premature birth and fetal death.

Every woman who is or might become pregnant needs to be aware of the heartbreaking problems that can be caused by alcohol or drug use.

Marijuana use during pregnancy can increase chances of miscarriage, premature births, developmental delays and low birth weight. Low birth weight (LBW) is no small matter. LBW is associated with increased risks of cerebral palsy, mental retardation, cerebral hemorrhage, autism, epilepsy and other serious or potentially fatal conditions.

Cocaine has been linked to miscarriage, preterm birth, defects of genitals, kidneys and brain, and fetal death. Some babies exposed to cocaine suffer from withdrawal that causes tremors, sleeplessness, muscle spasms and other symptoms. Heroin can also create addiction and withdrawal lasting up to three months, as well as LBW, infant death, prematurity and breathing difficulties.
Methamphetamine results in low birth weight babies, cleft palates, increased infant mortality, and babies who won’t feed. Even a single use of meth during pregnancy has been associated with neurological damage in baby animals.

Alcohol abuse during pregnancy is the leading known cause of mental retardation, and also results in symptoms such as intellectual impairment, behavioral problems and facial deformations, known collectively as “Fetal Alcohol Syndrome” (FAS). Nationally, costs to deal with FAS and related conditions are estimated at $7.8 billion each year. Additional medical expenses for babies exposed to cocaine alone have been estimated at half a billion per year.

“The tragedy of birth defects resulting from drug or alcohol abuse is that this type of defect is completely preventable,” stated Ryan Thorpe, Director of Admissions at one of the nation’s leading drug and alcohol
rehabilitation centers. “It becomes critically important to eliminate drug or alcohol
addiction in women of child-bearing age, and to educate teenaged and adult women on the risks they take with drug or alcohol use during pregnancy. Every woman saved from
addiction can result in healthier children who are not abused, neglected or removed to a foster care system.

“It is difficult for addicted women to quit drugs or alcohol even when they know it is vital for the health of future children,” added Thorpe. “That’s why it is essential that they have access to a
rehabilitation program with a proven track record.

THE BEST NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION: HELP OUR YOUNG ADULTS AVOID RISKY SEX BY REDUCING THEIR ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION

2008-09-11T13:53:00.000-07:00

Alcohol dependence in the young is associated with higher numbers of sexual partners, says a study published by researchers at Washington University in St. Louis. According to one of the authors, the more sex partners, the higher the risk of sexually transmitted diseases or unwanted pregnancies.

There have been previous studies that linked heavy drinking with high-risk sexual behavior but this is the first study to focus on the number of sexual partners. All the members of the study were unmarried adults between 18 and 25 years old. Forty-five percent of those who met the criteria for alcohol dependence had 10 or more sexual partners. But only 32 percent of problem drinkers and 22 percent of non-alcohol dependent subjects had ten or more sexual partners.

In the Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking published in 2007, the Acting Surgeon General pointed out that the more 18 to 20 year olds are alcohol dependent than any other age group, followed closely by those 21 to 24 years of age. And while those between 12 and 20 years of age drink less frequently than those who are older, they have more drinks on each occasion.

The picture that is painted is that of our young adults running a very high and very real risk of drastically changing the course of their lives through
alcohol abuse or dependence. Sexually transmitted diseases including HIV, unwanted pregnancy or assault are all common consequences of the kind of high-risk sexual activity that occurs when a person abuses alcohol.

Nationally, an estimated 5,472,000 young adults between 18 and 25 years old needed
treatment for alcohol abuse in 2005 but were not able to find it. Another 1,393,000 Americans under 18 needed but did not get treatment. This compares with the three-quarters of a million Americans of any age that were able to find treatment during 2005.

“These figures indicate a crisis among our young people,” stated Ryan Thorpe, Director of Admissions at
Narconon Arrowhead, one of the country’s leading drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers, located in Canadian, Oklahoma. “Without effective treatment, many of these young people are going to strain the medical and social welfare systems with unplanned children or serious illnesses. Treatment that works to end alcohol dependence and increase self-confidence and intelligent decisions is the humane solution.”

Drug-free, Holistic Drug Rehab Enables Native American Man to Reclaim his Life from Drugs and Alcohol

2008-09-11T13:49:00.000-07:00

Gilbert Moses, Jr. was a young Native American man that many people tried to help starting when he was fifteen years old. That was when he starting taking alcohol to school, keeping it in his locker. Soon after, he was kicked out of school and got into trouble with the law for fighting. Unfortunately, it took many years for him to find a program that would both relieve him of the need for alcohol and his tendency to get into fights.

It wasn’t that he didn’t try to find help. Multiple trips to rehab failed to give Gilbert the tools and life skills he needed to stay clean. Drinking progressed to drugs. “Every time I left a rehab,” Gilbert commented. “I went back into the same situation. I kept getting in trouble and losing jobs. I got sober in rehab but didn’t learn how to stay sober. It was a dwindling spiral.”

After 25 years of attempts to get and stay clean, Gilbert’s tribal counselor asked him if he really wanted help. Gilbert looked at the time he’d spent in jail and how the same problems kept coming up over and over again. He said yes, although he didn’t expect the next rehab experience to be very different from the ones he’d done in the past. He was about to find out that some rehabs are very different. He flew to Canadian, Oklahoma to the long-term holistic drug rehab Narconon Arrowhead.

“The first thing I noticed was how courteous and smiling people were. It was different from the other rehabs I’d been to,” Gilbert said. “The atmosphere was so positive. I wanted what they had.”

The completely drug-free
Narconon program is composed of study and practice to improve communication skills which prevents confrontations from escalating out of control, followed by a thorough detoxification program that employs nutritional supplements and sweating in dry-heat saunas. “I really applied myself to this part of the program because I wanted to get out all the toxins and drugs,” Gilbert explained. “When I was done, I was happy. Nothing bothered me any more and I felt good inside. From the testing they did here, I found out that my IQ improved too.”

Later steps of the program taught Gilbert to be more observant of and in touch with his present time environment. “That was something I lost from the drugs and alcohol,” he added. “I really learned to stop thinking of the past and start controlling my life now. I didn’t realize I was holding on to so much of what I’d done in the past. I feel relieved of all that, like a weight was taken off me. I now have a greater sense of respect, trust and honesty. I just didn’t have that before.

“Finally, I realized I didn’t have to be addicted to substances. Everything I learned just clicked one day toward the end of theNarconon program.”

Now, Gilbert knows he has something good to offer his community when he gets home to the Tulalip reservation north of Seattle. “I know how to be productive and be a role model for my son. I’ve changed in so many ways. Now I want to help others who are asking for help. I can tell them about my experience and what I’ve learned. Another person from my tribe has already arrived at Narconon Arrowhead to get help. I couldn’t do any of these things before.

“I’m looking forward to showing my tribal members a changed me. The whole experience has had an overwhelming effect on my life. I have achieved a better way of living. I didn’t think that could happen until I came to Narconon.”

Young Musician Restores His Goals After Overcoming Cocaine Addiction

2008-09-11T13:42:00.000-07:00

Like a lot of teenagers, Jordan Field was rebellious in his teenage years. However, not every rebellious teen becomes addicted to cocaine when they hit their early twenties, but Jordan did. Fortunately, Jordan found a drug rehab that taught him the life skills he needs to live drug-free from now on, freeing him to concentrate on his musical talents.

“I’ve been a musician and a dancer most of my life,” Jordan said. “But when I got into using cocaine and ecstacy, I lost sight of my goals completely.” Somehow, Jordan managed to keep his drug use a secret from his family. “I was staying up for three or four days at a time on cocaine. Finally it hit me that if I want to succeed in life and in my musical career, it won’t involve drugs.”

For his recovery, Jordan and his family chose the Narconon Arrowhead drug and alcohol rehabilitation program in Canadian, Oklahoma. The Narconon program is a holistic, long-term alternative care rehab that employs nutritional supplements and gentle re-orientation exercises to help a person get off drugs. Jordan commented “My mother really liked the fact that Narconon Arrowhead is drug-free from start to finish. Without any drugs in my system at all, I was able to learn how to live that way from now on.”

Jordan has been a keyboardist and vocalist in Vancouver, British Columbia, for years. “There’s lots of nightlife in Vancouver. Some people are just stuck in a pattern of drinking their potential away. A lot of people try to shut you down as a musician. You have to learn the life skills that enable you to rise above that kind of thing. That’s what I learned at Narconon Arrowhead.”

The Narconon program addresses addiction by teaching addicts improved skills such as communication, a rational approach to confronting life’s issues, and how to handle people who might be damaging to one’s best survival. The program also includes a thorough detoxification step that uses time in a dry-heat sauna and nutritional supplements to flush drug residues from the body. “I loved getting all that stuff out of my body. It felt great,” Jordan added.

“I have very high goals as a musician,” Jordan commented. “I want to be worthy of respect and I’d like to be a positive influence in people’s lives, especially young people and musicians. I know plenty of musicians who are having problems with drinking or drugs. People should know that something can be done about their problems. Now I can go home to Vancouver and set a good example for those who have not yet learned how to be drug-free. Now I have my dreams back.”

The OxyContin Disaster: Who Is Going to Help The Addicts Purdue Left Behind?

2008-09-11T13:26:00.000-07:00

The shocking news of huge fines assessed against Purdue Frederick Company for the fraudulent marketing of their painkiller OxyContin exposes executive criminality of a brand new magnitude. In this instance, that criminality resulted in hundreds of lost lives and untold numbers of Americans addicted.

In his statement announcing Purdue’s $634 million dollars in fines, U.S. Attorney John Brownlee cited a Drug Enforcement Agency report from 2002 that stated that “oxycodone-related deaths increased 400 percent between 1996 and 2001” while prescriptions for the drug rose from 300,000 to nearly 6 million annually as a result of Purdue’s marketing tactics.

The drug hit some localities particularly hard. In 2004, after losing sixteen young citizens to OxyContin in two and a half years, the mayor of Somerville, Massachusetts assigned a task force to investigate the problem. Finally, public attention on the fatal potential of this drug may cause these casualties to decline.

But now, what about those left behind? Those who took prescribed OxyContin for pain and then found they couldn’t quit or even reduce their dosage without grueling withdrawal symptoms. The young people who wanted to party with a prescription drug, figuring that was safer than an illicit drug, but found their lives drastically altered by an addiction.

According to court papers filed by Purdue, OxyContin brought the company at least $10.2 billion in sales between 1995 and 2006. “That is more than 100 million prescriptions,” noted Ryan Thorpe, Admissions Director of Narconon Arrowhead, one of the country’s leading drug and alcohol rehabilitation centersin Canadian, Oklahoma, “How many of those millions became addicted and are in desperate need of help now?”

When Purdue’s $634 million dollars in federally-mandated fines is divided up, not one dollar is designated for drug treatment programs for OxyContin addicts to help clean up the human wreckage for which the marketing of the drug was responsible. “This disgraceful chapter will only be closed when those addicted to OxyContin receive effective drug rehabilitation,” Thorpe stated. “At Narconon Arrowhead, we specialize in withdrawing people safely and with minimal discomfort from alcohol or drugs such as OxyContin, in removing the toxic residuals that cause the cravings, and in building the life skills that help people stay safe from drug and alcohol abuse in the future.”

Thorpe explained that the Narconon Arrowhead program has been successful in helping adults both young and old create drug-free lives after addiction. “Six out of ten of our graduates are drug-free two years after completion of our program. With that kind of success, we can contribute to the resolution of the epidemic of OxyContin addiction that followed Purdue’s fraudulent practices.”

ELIMINATING DRUG OR ALCOHOL ADDICTION MAY BE THE FASTEST WAY TO FIGHT NATIONAL CRIME RATES

2008-09-10T13:40:00.000-07:00

In every state in the Union, crime and arrest statistics show the relationship between drug or alcohol abuse and crime. An examination of ADAM (Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring Program) statistics from 2003 shows that nearly 74 percent of adult male arrestees in testing sites across the U.S. tested positive for one of nine drugs including cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamine, opiates or alcohol. Forty-four percent of those arrested tested positive for marijuana, 30 percent had consumed cocaine and more than 11 percent were positive for
methamphetamine.

Certain crimes were more likely to be associated with positive drug test results. Vehicle theft, robbery and burglary charges were most likely to be connected with positive results, along with prostitution for females. In a survey of inmates in state prisons in 1991, 30 percent of those convicted of burglary and 31 percent of those convicted of theft reported that they committed their crimes to get money for drugs.

The Office of National Drug Control Policy states the connection this way: “Most directly, it is a crime to use, possess, manufacture or distribute drugs…drugs are also related to crime through the effects they have on the user’s behavior and by generating violence and other illegal activity in connection with drug trafficking.” Illicit drug users are about 16 times more likely than nonusers to be arrested for theft, nine times more likely to be arrested for assault.

“Whether a person starts using drugs first or starts committing crimes first, the result is the same: a dwindling spiral of loss of self-respect and hope that leads to more drug use and more crime,” said Gary W. Smith, Executive Director of Narconon Arrowhead, one of the country’s leading drug and alcohol rehabilitation and education centers, located in Canadian, Oklahoma. “This self-destructive cycle can be interrupted with an effective drug or alcohol rehabilitation that first eliminates the cravings and then teaches a person the skills to live a life free from drugs or crime. Then a person who fell into drug use and crime has a chance to reclaim their self-respect and their position as a productive member of society.”

“As we observe National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month, it’s a great time to make sure that we find help for those we care about who may be suffering from addiction,” Smith added. “Narconon offers a full range of services from in-patient rehabilitation and drug education lectures to free consultations to those struggling with addiction and referrals to treatment programs.”

To find help for someone who is having a problem with drugs or alcohol or for more information on drug education programs, contact Narconon’s free addiction consultation and referral helpline at 1-800-468-6933 or visit their website at www.stopaddiction.com. The
Narconon program was founded in 1966 by William Benitez in Arizona State prison, and is based on the humanitarian works of L. Ron Hubbard. In more than 120 centers around the world,
Narconon programs restore drug and alcohol abusers and addicts to a clean and sober lifestyle.

As Kids Go Back to School, Parents Need to Know How to Protect Them from Drugs in Schools

2008-09-10T13:32:00.001-07:00

According to a study by the Columbia University National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, eighty percent of high school students in American have personally witnessed drug use or possession or drunk or high students at their schools. Forty-four percent of middle school children have had the same experience. The study also showed that students in drug-infested schools are much more likely to use drugs or alcohol themselves. Until school systems learn how to turn this situation around, a student’s primary line of defense is his or her parents. To protect their children, parents must learn what changes may indicate that the student has started abusing drugs or alcohol.

Symptoms include:

Missed classes, lateness, incomplete or missing assignments, falling grades

Accidents, mistakes

Sudden, unexplained weight loss or gain

Neglect of school, work or family affairs

Discontinuation of hobbies, sports or group activities

Deterioration in appearance or hygiene.

Change in communication with family or good friends

Missing money or unexplained money or new and expensive items, missing items of value

Health problems, change in sleep patterns, runny nose, cough, irritated shin, hangovers.

Explosive arguments, often over small matters.

A young person who is using drugs may also change the type of clothes they wear and the group of friends they spend time with. This commonly occurs if the former friends were not drug users and the new group is composed of drug users.

These indicators are not always indicative of
drug use but they should alert a parent to look more closely, to inquire into a young person’s whereabouts more frequently. When you suspect that a family member is abusing drugs or alcohol, the right thing to do is to look for yourself, rather than believe everything you are told. The wrong thing to do is to hope that maybe whatever is happening is not that bad and will all go away on its own.

If drug use marches forward into addiction, what is needed is a
drug rehabilitation program that addresses and eliminates the true causes of addiction. The Narconon drug and alcohol rehabilitation program in Canadian, Oklahoma treats the whole person and the reasons they began to use drugs as well as the effects those drugs had on the body and the mind. The result is a happy, productive person who has the life skills to live a completely drug and alcohol-free life.For help educating your child about drugs, contact Narconon Arrowhead at 1-800-468-6933 and ask for the free booklet10 Things Your Friends May Not Know About Drugs. For information on the Narconon Arrowhead drug and alcohol rehabilitation program, call or visit their website at www.stopaddiction.com. The Narconon program was founded in 1966 by William Benitez in Arizona State Prison, and is based on the humanitarian works of L. Ron Hubbard. In more than 120 centers around the world, Narconon programs restore drug and alcohol abusers and addicts to a clean and sober lifestyle.

A little piece of my addiction story-- Emily

2008-09-10T11:00:00.000-07:00

At one point in my life I was completely hopeless, out of control, and missing. I had scars on my arms and legs from the cuts that I inflicted on myself just to be able to feel something. I was smoking crystal meth and snorting Oxycontin daily. My life was spent dancing on a pole letting men feel all over me just to be able to afford the next hit that I was going to take in the clubs bathroom. My body had just become a thing to me, respect for myself did not exist instead it was replaced by a false sense of confidence that I exuded to all those who came in contact with me. I hated my parents, my life, and myself. I thought I was crazy- bipolar, schizophrenic, manically depressed, and every other thing I could self diagnose myself with by looking on the internet. It was to the point of misery that I don't even think Mr. Webster has words to describe. I lashed out at everyone and everything around me. I did drugs to feel what I thought was normal but my problems and emotional distress went far beyond the drug use itself. The drugs were my comfort, my last problem I thought. On October 9, 2005, I hit that "bottom" that you hear people who have struggled with addiction talk about. I remember the moment like it was yesterday. I had this sudden realization that I was sitting in a hospital..all alone..high..and wondering why I was covered in blood. Where were my "friends"? The same people that I had considered my family because my family had shut me out emotionally since the time I was 14?? You know those same people that were there with me everynight while we got high??
The doctor came in and let me know that last hit I had taken had killed my unborn child. I hit the floor in utter panic for I was so lost in myself I had never even know that I was pregnant much less even beyond my first trimester. Trembling and hysterical I called my mother and she of course didn't belive me, because like a typical addict- lies flowed out of me like it was my native language. I left that hospital with the numbest feeling that started in the roots of my hair all the way down to the soles of my feet. I was slowly realizing that I had no clue what I was doing, who I was, or of anything I wanted to be. Emily, as I thought I knew her, was gone. I had become the drug- you might as well renamed me Crystal. I left that hospital drove home and layed in bed- not crying..not speaking...just staring at the ceiling completely inside myself trying to search for something anything that was left of who I used to be. I needed anything to cling on to..just to know that I was still alive. I called my mother once again and between falling to the floor because my 82 pound body was so weak without the drugs, I uttered the words "I am ready...I need help." Within the hour she had plane tickets for me to fly to her house. I left everything- my clothes, my car, my jewelry, EVERYTHING -- I barely made it to the airport falling over and trembling the whole way. I got escorted on to the plane and arrived in Florida. My mom took me off the plane and immediately started yelling at me. I couldn't belive her response. I thought she would be happy to see me and glad that I was attempting to get help. The cycle of our conversation was repeatedly she yelled...I stared blankly at her...she questioned why...I numbly just would answer I don't know. She put me on the phone with a man named Paul Weiss, at
Narconon Arrowhead in Oklahoma. He was trying to describe a program to me that would "help me get my life back"..but all I could hear was blah blah blah and so I would repeatedly hang up on him because I was just sooooo tired. At the airport the next day I got in an all out screaming war with my stepfather, who was putting me on a plane to go to rehab in Oklahoma. It was not because I didn't want the help, I just honestly didn't think it was possible to help me. I thought I was meant to be this completely miserable person that I must have a chemical imbalance or some other thing that taking medication would cure. His words to me were "Fine I will buy you a plane ticket back to Lafayette, Louisiana but don't you dare ever talk to us again because you are already dead." He put it in such a manner that I realized that from the outside someone could see just exactly how I was feeling on the inside. I had felt like this for many years but no one could ever tell. I was a master manipulator and could hide it and put on a front that I was confident, happy, and secure like anyone you had ever seen. My mask was ripped away from me in that moment and all my fears and insecurities were layed out in front of everyone at the Continental airport ticket counter. I begged him to please buy me a ticket to Oklahoma I would go...I would have done anything at that moment. I was absolutely miserable, so miserable that the idea of killing myself just seemed like it would take too much energy to accomplish. I took the flight to Oklahoma entered into the doors on
Narconon Arrowhead and from that moment Emily, the real Emily started to come out of hiding. I had abused myself so much that I hid from myself.
Now 3 years later- I have never looked back. I have no remorse for things I have done because it has made me the person I am today-- I am unbelievably happy, confident, and healthy. I have formed relationships with my family that even before I started using drugs were not even possible. I am a dedicated, responsible mother of a beautiful 18 month old son. I have gone to college and a future that cannot be taken away from me. I no longer experience depression instead I have a healthy way to embrace saddness. I have learned how to talk to people and form meaningful relationships that don't just dwindle down to nothing within a few months. I owe my life and happiness to
Narconon and the methods it uses.

If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, PLEASE get them help! Narconon was an amazing program and it allowed me to heal myself. If you have any questions, please email feel free to contact me (emilynnah@gmail.com).

Long-Term Effects of Ecstacy Use

2008-09-10T10:57:00.000-07:00

The effects of long-term MDMAuse are just beginning to undergo scientific analysis. In 1998, the National Institute of Mental Health conducted a study of a small group of habitual MDMA users who were abstaining from use. The study revealed that the abstinent users suffered damage to the neurons in the brain that transmit serotonin, an important biochemical involved in a variety of critical functions including learning, sleep, and integration of emotion. The results of the study indicate that recreational MDMA users may be at risk of developing permanent brain damage that may manifest itself in depression, anxiety, memory loss, and other neuropsychotic disorders.

MDMA stimulates the release of the neurotransmitter serotonin from brain neurons, producing a high that lasts from several minutes to an hour. The drug's rewarding effects vary with the individual taking it, the dose and purity, and the environment in which it is taken. MDMA can produce stimulant effects such as an enhanced sense of pleasure and self-confidence and increased energy. Its psychedelic effects include feelings of peacefulness, acceptance, and empathy. Users claim they experience feelings of closeness with others and a desire to touch them. Because MDMA engenders feelings of closeness and trust and has a short duration of action, some clinicians claim that the drug is potentially valuable as a psychotherapeutic agent. However, MDMA is classified by Federal regulators as a drug with no accepted medical use.

Best Quote about Addiction

2008-09-10T10:47:00.000-07:00

“The addict has been found not to want to be an addict, but is driven by pain and environmental hopelessness...As soon as an addict can feel healthier and more competent mentally and physically without drugs than he does on drugs, he ceases to require drugs.”

L. Ron Hubbard

Life Cycle of Addiction

2008-09-10T07:33:00.000-07:00

There are so many topics to discuss about substance abuse as over 21 million Americans are classified as having a dependence on illicit drugs. I want to do the next few blogs discussing the life cycle of addiction. Addiction just does not pop up one day, but it is a process that occurs. Within the next few blogs, I will discuss the cycle of addiction as well as how drugs actually affect the body.

To start this discussion, we all have problems in life. Whether it is trying to figure out how to pay the next mortgage payment, putting food on the table for our family, a teen trying to fit in at school or some type of physical discomfort such as back pain. When people do not have the ability to confront these situations in life and have control, people begin to look for a way out. Unfortunately this way out sometimes leads to the entrapment of an addiction.

Today's blog we have created the idea that an addiction is created by some type of pain or discomfort we experience in life and the next blog will contain how the addiction process initiates from this pain. Remember, there is an answer for a drug or alcohol addiction all you have to do is pick up the phone and find help today!

Cocaine Addiction

2008-09-10T07:29:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my blog...it is a pleasure to write information on cocaine and general addictioninformation so today, you can help a loved one that you know is suffering through a cocaine addiction.

The Office of National Drug Control Policy says that cocaine is most potent stimulant in its original form as cocaine can be smoked, injected or snorted. Cocaine will filtrate via nasal tissues if snorted and absorbed into the bloodstream, which creates the high effect. The website continues to mention that crack is a base of cocaine which is neutralized by an acid and that creates the solid, rock form or crack. As this rock is heated, it makes a crackling noise and that is where the term crack originates.

Before I close this blog, I want to leave you a statistic that shows 35.3 million Americans aged 12 and up have used cocaine at least one time during their life. This is one time too many! We need a viable solution to halt this outlandish statistic. There is an answer to stop a cocaine addiction before it is too late. Addiction has three outcomes...a long-term prison sentence, death or a rehabilitated life. If you know someone who is struggling with a cocaine addiction, then take one minute today and seek help for that individual. Don't let the pain of seeing your loved one suffer this addiction, get help today and save a life. Thank you for reading!

Completely baffled by drug and alcohol addiction treatments

2008-09-09T12:14:00.001-07:00

I am baffled by this when we see the consequences of drug addiction in our communities. We think ourproblems with addiction will be solved if only we can get a handle on the meth problem or the heroinproblem or the marijuana problem. We can’t see that many of the medications that are being handed by ourdoctors and pharmacies can be just has destructive as so-called street drugs. What’s frightening to meis that we are trying to solve the drug addiction problem in our country by creating new drugs thatthese drug addicts can take to cure their drug addiction. The highest success rate in conquering addiction is help by the non-traditional programs that treat not only the mental and emotional aspects of addiction but also the physical aspects. WIthout the body being cleaned out the physical craving will cause that person to revert back to drugs and alcohol 90% of the time.

DRUG FREE REHAB vs MEDICATION AS A DRUG REHAB

2008-09-09T08:24:00.000-07:00

I do not understand western medicine’s fascination with medication. It seems these days that everyone is searching for a pill that will be the answer to all of their ailments. Take this pill for that. Take that pill for this. Research which drug will cure this or aid with that. It simply goes on and on. We have become a medicated nation. I am baffled by this when we see the consequences of drug addiction in our communities. We think our problems with addiction will be solved if only we can get a handle on the crystal meth problem or theheroin problem or the marijuana problem. We can’t see that many of the medications that are being handed by our doctors and pharmacies can be just has destructive as so-called street drugs. What’s frightening to me is that we are trying to solve the drug addiction problem in our country by creating new drugs that these drug addicts can take to cure their drug addiction.

Does this faulty thinking make any sense? Are more drugs truly the only way to handle a drug addict’s drug problem? Why can’t we provide those suffering from addiction with a comprehensive drug free rehab program? Yes, I said it. Drug-free. This means skip the methadone clinic. Skip the Subaxone. Skip the anti-depressants. Skip the quick fix.

The cover story for the July 16, 2007 issue of Time Magazine delves into the nature of
addiction and how “new brain research is helping us understand why we get hooked.” The researchers involved use addicts’ brains to “design new drugs that are showing promise in cutting off the craving that drives an addict irresistibly toward relapse.” Great! Right? If an addict just didn’t crave the drug, he would be fine.Partially, yes. But there is so much more to what causes an individual to get hooked on drugs.

There are always underlying issues that the once sober individual is trying to escape. Giving an addict a drug to stop the craving only addresses a part of the problem. There must be
drug free ways to reduce the cravings an addict experiences and provide a complete drug free rehab for the drug addict.

Holistic approaches to drug addiction have been developed and have been proven to work. One such program, the New Life Detoxification program offered at
Narconon Arrowhead, truly addresses the cravings an addict experiences by cleansing the body of drug residues in a drug free setting, using vitamins and a sauna program at its base. The end result is that the cravings for drugs have disappeared. However, the program also addresses the underlying causes for the addiction in the first place. None of these wonder drugs for addiction deal with the root causes, which in all honesty, makes me question the motivation behind developing these types of drugs.

Who profits from these wonder drugs? Is it the drug addict who now has to support his new habit? What happens to this addict when he can’t afford to get his medication? Will he return to using the bad street drugs and find himself caught in the trap of addiction all over again? These drugs to cure addiction are new. That means long term side effects are unknown. What will they be? What side effects will the addict have to deal with?

We have already seen what happens to those on methadone. We know that Subaxone is classified as a narcotic. We have seen that Ritalin, a methamphetamine, causes serious problems for our children. And yet, we keep pushing this idea that medication is the answer to addiction. When will see that drug free rehab is truly the only solution to our drug addiction problems?

Alcohol and Drug Addiction Treatment

2008-09-05T11:56:00.000-07:00

Alcohol and drug addiction treatment are running rampant through the United States. Some people try NA and AA and it works for some of them. For others they just continue to use, for those people there are other types of programs that work best for them. The government is now backing the non-traditional programs for treatment because of their success rates rising to over 70%. The typical medical and AA programs usually have a success rate between 1%-10%. There are plenty of places that are willing to help you find the appropriate treatment. If you or someone you know is struggling with an addiction to drugs or alcohol PLEASE seek treatment immediately.