HBO new series "Addiction"

Three titans in the addiction treatment, prevention and recovery fields have teamed up to promote a new series called "Addiction" coming soon to HBO. Collectively, Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA), Faces & Voices of Recovery and Join Together have formed a partnership to draw national attention to improve access to treatment and increase support for long-term recovery.

HBO's project "Addiction" is a 14-part series that will begin March 15. Generally, this is a good thing, but one main part of their message is claiming that addiction is a brain disease, which has never been conclusively proven.

While it's great that these organizations have come together to help support the overall efforts in communities nationwide, we fear that giving people the wrong impression could also have its drawbacks.

One example of this is that by calling addiction a brain disease, this opens up the door for more chemical treatments, i.e., more drugs to treat a drug problem. There are hundreds of millions of dollars to be made in the pharmaceutical arm of addiction treatment, yet there has never been a drug that helps someone completely recovery.

On the contrary, there are some drug-free programs that have been able to demonstrate that people can and do fully recover without relapse or any future symptoms.

So which side of the fence do you sit on? That addiction is a treatable disease to be treated with more drugs, or that it is a serious problem that can be cured?

Methadone - solution or problem?

Originally posted on Tuesday, February 6, 2007

According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, there are approximately 136,000 current heroin users in the United States. This number has remained relatively even over the last four years.

Heroin addicts who want help will try just about anything to stop. Often, after attempting traditional counseling methods and relapsing, heroin addicts will try a drug replacement therapy such as methadone.

Methadone is a powerful synthetic narcotic that was thought to be useful in getting people off of heroin. While proponents claim it reduces other harm associated with heroin use, methadone abuse on the street has grown as much as the legal clinics.

The 2005 national treatment survey reported that the number and proportion of clients receiving methadone increased from 172,502 (17 percent of all clients) in 2000 to 235,836 in 2005 (22 percent of all clients).

This means that there are nearly 100,000 more people on methadone than using heroin on a regular basis.

Along with the increase in overall users has come an increase in the number of methadone-related deaths. In a few areas, methadone has become the most deadliets drug, such as Utah. The Salt Lake Tribune reports that there were no methadone-related deaths in 1995, but last year there were 113. The overall number of deaths associated with this drug has been rapidly increasing in many states throughout the country.

While a special report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) attributes the increase in deaths to the rise in number of prescriptions for it as a painkiller rather than a substitute for heroin, the amount given to patients has gone up in both categories, and so has the availability on the street.

So Why Use it?

If it's such a dangerous drug, then why are there so many users? It actually comes down to money and mis-representation.

Some methadone clinics are not-for-profit corporations, but there is a growing trend of for-profit companies expanding their drug-dispensing enterprises. For example, an article in the Charleston Daily Mail says that all of the methadone clinics in West Virginia are for-profit businesses.

One Methadone clinic that is for sale in the southwestern U.S. serving less than 500 clients claims to make at between 500K and 1 million dollars per year between cash business and government reimbursements. That's just one clinic.

Regardless of whether the clinic is for-profit or not, imagine how much money the drug's makers receive. 235,000 clients times 365 days times a few dollars per dose, plus chronic pain patients' prescriptions - equals big money for pharmaceutical companies.

Rehabilitation for Methadone Use

For those addicts wanting to get off methadone, most drug rehabilitation programs can't take someone who is on too high of a dose of methadone. This can range anywhere from 15-60 milligrams, depending on the facility. The conflict is that an average daily dose of methadone is often well above that. The reason for this is that the withdrawal symptoms from methadone are actually more severe and longer lasting that heroin.

Therefore, addicts have a choice to either slowly wean down their dosage, which might be 5 milligrams per week, or enter a medical detoxification center that can help them do it faster and in a controlled environment. One such facility is Novus Detox near Tampa Bay (www.novusdetox.com).

At Addiction Help Services, we strongly recommend a drug-free program, meaning one that doesn’t use any medications or substitute drugs to help rehabilitate addicts. In the long run, a replacement drug may be a temporary treatment, but it is not helping someone rehabilitate to live a drug-free life.

Article by Eric Mitchell

Health Insurance and Drug Rehabilitation

Originally posted on Monday, February 5, 2007

As if health insurance plans weren't difficult enough to understand, with in-network and out-of-network benefits, co-pays, deductibles and lifetime maximums, the area of substance abuse is especially varied.

People looking for quality drug addiction treatment centers who do have insurance often assume that their coverage is good for any program - but this is not the case. There is no set standard for drug and alcohol rehabilitation coverage in the insurance industry.

Mental health and substance abuse advocates have been trying to get equal coverage for those ailments as physical problems - this has been dubbed "parity", but the sound of that term soon started to ring like a four-letter word in the ears of many insurance companies and businesses.

Currently the fight for adequate coverage for substance abuse and mental health is gearing up for another strong push since the left side of the isle is a little more full, only now the movement has been re-named "equity."

U.S. Reps. Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.) and Jim Ramstad (R-Minn.) are hosting a series of public hearings on parity insurance coverage for addiction and mental health and say they plan to reintroduce legislation to require group health plans to cover these conditions on par with other health problems.

Kennedy and Ramstad said they will soon reintroduce the Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act, which would bar health plans with 50 or more members from setting different reimbursement, copays, deductibles and limits for mental illnesses than for physical illnesses.

There is possibly more than one argument both for and against the availability and mandating of such benefits. On one hand, people trying to overcome addiction should receive effective help, preferably by those rehabilitation centers that actually get results and help people become stably drug-free.

On the other hand, there has never been a clear-cut definition, diagnostic tool, or for that matter hard evidence for any mental illness, let alone a workable treatment. Therefore, many groups are split as to what should be covered and what shouldn't be.

Another argument is that including equal benefits for substance abuse and mental health coverage would cause and increase in costs to society, yet successful treatment reduces other burdens created by issues such as drug addiction. It is also an issue that prescription drug prices have driven premiums up, so more focus could be put on the pharmaceutical end of this than the organizational treatment side.

Recent scheduled hearings on the parity bill include Jan. 29 in Rockville, Md. More are coming, like on Feb. 10 in Los Angeles, and Feb. 17 in Vancouver, Wash. Local members of Congress who have signed onto the parity measure will coordinate the regional hearings.

Regardless of what side of the isle you are on, it is generally agreeable that people who are fortunate enough in this country to have insurance, whether paid for by themselves or their employers, should be able to get help for health-related problems. If it never gets mandated by Congress, then maybe those who want and can afford that particular coverage could use an insurance company that provides it, because they are out there.

Article by Eric Mitchell

Rehabilitation Instead of Incarceration

Originally posted on Monday, February 5, 2007

Pendulums are supposed to swing back and forth, and on the issue of rehabilitating non-violent drug offenders instead of locking them up, that swing sometimes is a political one. In the past, Conservatives have been heavier on law enforcement and punishment while Liberals have offered a lot of sympathy and supported treatment. The problem is that each one swings a little too far in their direction, and to solve the dilemma it would have to rest somewhere in between, with just a little room for movement depending on the situation.

In the year 2000 the United States surged ahead to have the highest incarceration rate in the world. With more than two million persons incarcerated, the United States has about 25% of the world's prisoners, despite making up only 5% of the global population.

Aside from the humanity factor of just locking someone up, it costs taxpayers a ton of money to keep building prisons to house more and more inmates. The average price tag per prisoner is estimated to be somewhere around $20,000 per year, depending on the state and type of facility. Six years ago it cost us almost $26 billion to keep 1.3 million non-violent offenders behind bars. That was almost $10 billion more than we spent on social services programs for about 8.5 million people.

Sixty percent of the growth in the federal prison population over the last twenty years has been due to drug offenders. The actual number of crimes that arose from the use of drugs or alcohol and land individuals in behind bars are more in the range of 80%, which is a staggering number.

Yes, people need to be held accountable for their actions. No, it is not an excusable offense to plead "but I'm an addict" and be forgiven for crimes. However, punishment should fit the crime, and it would behoove most Americans to have more rehabilitation programs for non-violent drug offenders, either diverted to treatment centers or to have services provided in the jails and prisons, than to continue paying through the nose to have good, salvagable people locked up and giving lucrative contracts to private prison builders.

There is a catch though, the programs need to prove that they work in order to get any funding, and those receiving services can't continue to commit crimes. Let's turn them into productive, law-abiding, tax-paying citizens. We happen to know a lot of people who once had problems with substance abuse and now are very valuable members of society who pull more than their own weight.

So, which way do you think the pendulum should swing?

Article by Eric Mitchell

Celebrity Rehab Stints

Original posted on Friday, February 2, 2007

It seems that the latest trend in celebrity culture isn't a new style of sunglasses, a new clothing designer, or getting married (or divorced) - it's going to rehab.

Either the media has focused more attention on who is going to rehab, or there are more celebrities entering treatment centers.

The trouble is not only identifying which is which, but also figuring out who is doing it as a temporary break from things and who actually is trying to change their ways.

Last year it was Mel Gibson following his famous drunken tirade, and then there was Robin Williams on a less dramatic scale.

There was also model Kate Moss after pictures appeared of her doing cocaine, but then she's at it again with her boyfriend Pete Doherty.

Lindsay Lohan wore an AA coin as if it were a new fashion trend she was starting (because she was still spotted out at clubs and famously bragged of not drinking for a few days), and then finally entered a residential program.

Former heavyweight champ Mike Tyson just checked himself into a program following an arrest for possession.

Miss USA Tara Connor went for her alcohol abuse, but her half-tearful apology to Donald Trump in a press conference didn't seem all that sincere that she believed she actually had a drinking problem as opposed to getting caught doing something that shed negative light on her and the pageant.

Ausie country singer Keith Urban recently went too, but his efforts actually do come across as being true.

One that doesn't fully make sense though is Isaiah Washington from Grey's Anatomy. He made some inappropriate comments about a co-star - and then went to rehab, but for what? Negative feelings and horrible judgement?

Whether using it as a publicity patch-up maneuver or actually seeking help, sometimes the clinic itself comes into question. Does the most money really buy the best help?

While it is true that there are some very good programs out there that cost tens of thousands of dollars over several months, some of the high-priced resort-type programs can be tens of thousands of 30 days or less.

Statistics have shown that a longer-term residential program (more than 30 days, and preferably longer than 90 days) is often more effective, but the type of program and environment also play a big role in it.

So, is it now chic for celebrities to go to rehab or is it already more of a cliche?

More stars publicly admitting they need help and receiving it could spark others to seek help as well, which would be a good thing. But, if 'going to rehab' becomes a joke, then those in need of true rehabilitation are the ones that get harmed in the end, whether we know their names or not.

Article by Eric Mitchell

Alcohol

Original posted on Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Alcohol is probably one of the strangest drugs out there. It is legal, but it costs Americans more in terms of damage to society and lives lost than basically all of the illegal drugs combined.

Approximately half of the adult population of the United States consumes alcohol at least once a month. The fine line between social drinking and a drinking problem defines the powerful grip that toxins have on our culture. Prohibition didn't work, but this also gives a glimpse as to what might happen if more drugs were made legal today.

Statistics from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health show that more than one fifth (22.7 percent or about 55 million) people ages 12 and older participated in binge drinking in 2005 within the past month. The binge drinking rate among young adults ages 18-25 was 41.9 percent, and the heavy drinking rate was 15.3 percent. Binge drinking is defined as having five or more alcoholic beverages on one occasion. Heavy drinking is defined as binging at least five days out of the last month.

In 2005, 6.6 percent of the population ages 12 and older (16 million people) engaged in heavy drinking. This rate is similar to the reported rate of 6.9 percent in 2004.

Overall, about 10.8 million persons ages 12-20 (28.2 percent) reported past month alcohol use in 2005. Nearly 7.2 million of these underage drinkers (18.8 percent) were binge drinkers and 2.3 million (6.0) were heavy drinkers.

Binge and heavy drinking among adolescents and younger adults appears to be an expected behavior in many circumstances, such as college parties. The problem with this acceptance is that it is actually not okay. In fact, the results of this behavior, according to the National Institute of Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse (NIAAA) is:

- 1,700 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die each year from alcohol-related unintentional injuries, including motor vehicle crashes, and there are an additional 599,000 injuries.

- More than 696,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 are assaulted by another student who has been drinking, and more than 97,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 are victims of alcohol-related sexual assault or date rape.

- 400,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 had unprotected sex and more than 100,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 report having been too intoxicated to know if they consented to having sex.

- 2.1 million students between the ages of 18 and 24 drove under the influence of alcohol last year.

- The NIAAA also says that 31 percent of college students met criteria for a diagnosis of alcohol abuse and 6 percent for a diagnosis of alcohol dependence in the past 12 months, according to questionnaire-based self-reports about their drinking.

So, parents, this is what some of your money is really going to when you send your kids off to college. If not closely monitored, your child could become one of these statistics too, and possibly more than one category. Your money could also be diverted to paying for treatment instead of tuition and living expenses for a year.

As for people in substance abuse treatment, two thirds (66 percent) of the number of clients seeking help had a problem with alcohol (19 percent alcohol only and 47 percent alcohol and other drugs). The survey of substance abuse treatment services was performed at the end of March in 2005 and found there were 1.08 people currently in treatment, which was up 8 percent in five years.

Article by Eric Mitchell

Methamphetamine

Original posted on Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Good news is that a new analysis of data from The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) shows that use of methamphetamine declined between 2002 and 2005 among persons age 12 or older. According to the study, in 2005, approximately 1.3 million persons ages 12 or older (0.5 percent) had used methamphetamine in the past year; 741,000 were male and 556,000 were female.

The number of persons who used methamphetamine for the first time in the prior 12 months did not differ significantly between 2002 (299,000 persons) and 2004 (318,000 persons) but did decrease significantly between 2004 and 2005. In 2004, an estimated 318,000 persons aged 12 or older first tried methamphetamine in the year prior to the survey compared with 192,000 persons in 2005.

Part of this decrease can be attributed to the massive anti-meth awareness campaigns in recent years promoted by both the public and private sectors. Many younger people have been deterred from using meth when they see the damage it causes to someone in such a short time, including their appearance. Another major contributor, which has also resulted in a significant decrease in the number of meth labs busted, has been the fact that several states have taken a primary ingredient (ephedrine and pseudoephedrine) and put products containing behind the pharmacy counter. Buyers of pseudoephedrine have been limited in quantity and frequency and have had to sign a log in many cases as well as show picture identification.

SAMHA's Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS) showed that in 2004, nearly 8 perccent of all treatment admissions were for amphetamine or methamphetamine abuse. Forty-five percent of treatment admissions in 2004 for methamphetamine/amphetamine use were for women.

What is Meth?

Methamphetamine is either snorted, smoked or injected. Meth users may become addicted quickly, needing higher doses and more often.

Methamphetamine is a Schedule II stimulant, which means it has a high potential for abuse. Some forms are still sold as prescriptions, often to active young kids who become addicted early in life. It can be made in small, illegal laboratories, where its production endangers the people in the labs, neighbors, and the environment.

Street methamphetamine is referred to by many names, such as "speed," "meth," and "chalk." Methamphetamine hydrochloride, clear chunky crystals resembling ice, which can be inhaled by smoking, is often referred to as "ice" or "crystal."

Effects

Some of the effects of methamphetamine abuse may include irritability, anxiety, insomnia, confusion, tremors, convulsions, and cardiovascular collapse and death. Long-term effects may include paranoia, aggressiveness, extreme anorexia, memory loss, visual and auditory hallucinations, delusions, and severe dental problems.

Meth addicts will often go many days without sleeping because of the powerful stimulant effects of the drug. This sleep deprivation, along with the combination of toxins themselves, are what cause the hallucinations and paranoia.

Article by Eric Mitchell

Welcome

Originally posted on Monday, January 29, 2007

Handling a substance abuse problem, before it becomes a tragedy for your family or friends, is vitally important.

Addiction is very devastating, for the addicted and for those around them.

But, during a drug crisis, where do you quickly and easily find practical help for yourself or someone you love?

There are so many drug rehab methods, models, treatments and opinions - the information can be overwhelming. When this type of emergency strikes, there can be precious little time to find the best options available.

You wish you could just dial 911 and get immediate help. Instead, you are confronted with unknown jargon and various drug rehab centers to choose from.

We're here to help. Call us toll free at (877) 554-7308 (everything is in complete confidentiality). The job of our Addiction Professionals is to provide you with answers and what you can do next to find a drug rehabilitation center that will suit you.