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We have all received them in our email boxes, messages from purveyors of prescription drugs claiming to offer these drugs at on-line pharmacies. These types of emails are not only annoying but they offer a portal into an on-line realm of readily available controlled substances. In a society where we are constantly being bombarded by the notion that every ailment from clinical depression to cancer has a “one pill fixes all” solution the availability of these dangerous drugs with little to no oversight causes real problems for our society.
According to the CASA report a total of 365 web sites were found which advertise or offer for sale controlled prescription drugs. Granted of the 365 206 were only advertising the sales of controlled substance but 159 actually offered these drugs for sale. Only two of these 159 websites were certified by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy as legitimate on-line pharmacies. (you’ve Got Drugs V, Pg.1)
This puts dangerous drugs into the hands of anyone surfing the internet. It is no wonder that prescription drug abuse and addiction rates have been steadily on the rise since 2001, even as rates of other illicit drug use have dropped. It is troubling also to note the trends of who uses the internet when discussing how easily controlled substances are available in these on-line pharmacies. The CASA report states that while only 68% of adults in the U.S. have access to the internet nearly 100% of college students and 78% of children aged 12-17 years old have online access regularly (you’ve Got Drugs V, Pg. 2).
These internet pharmacies are also not verifying the age of customers either. Users 13 and under were allowed to purchase drugs even while admitting their true age (you’ve Got Drugs V, Pg. 9). This dangerous combination of ready availability and access by young people to the internet has led to an increase of prescription drug use especially by teenagers and young adults.
No longer is it necessary to venture to “the wrong side of tracks” to find drugs. There is no need to associate with drug dealers or have to seek them out any longer. Today drugs are so readily available on the internet that anyone can use them and purchase them at will. The disturbing statistics released in the CASA report reveal that we all need to be vigilant in watching our children and their friends for signs that they may be an addict, and offering the appropriate help when necessary.
Download the Full CASA report for free here
Sources:
You’ve Got Drugs V CASA whitepaper
Prescriptions drugs Abuse and Addiction, a research Report by the NIDA
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What you need to know to prevent cervical cancer
- Cervical cancer comes from virus (from persistent high risk strands of the human papilomavirus,HPV);
- HPV is transmitted by skin-to-skin contact;
- Cervical cancer can be prevented (70% of the high risk strains of HPV can be prevented by getting the new HPV vaccine (approved for girls and young women aged9-26)) and by getting screened regularly using the most current appropriate technology, which forewomen 30 or older is Pap and HPV test
- Most union health plans cover the vaccine and the screenings that are necessary… and if they don’t,the union should push for coverage under their plan.
What is preventive health?
The most important part of preventive health care is keeping up good health habits, which include:
- Daily exercise
- Weight control
- Proper nutrition
- Avoidance of smoking and drug abuse
- Abstinence from, or moderation of, alcohol use
- Proper control of any diseases or disorders, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or high levels of cholesterol in the blood.
Professional services
In addition to these habits, there are some professional services that may prove worthwhile in preventing or at least minimizing disease:
- Periodic screening of adults for specific problems
- Many diseases can be effectively treated when detected early
- Keep immunizations up-to-date.
Carolyn J. Jacobson
Director, Cervical Cancer Prevention Works — CLUW
815 16th St., 2nd Floor
South Washington, DC 20006 202-508-6901 (Direct)
202-508-6968 (Fax)
cjacobson@cluw.org
www.cluw.org/cervcancer.html
The following article was written by our guest author Carolyn Jacobson. Carolyn is the Director of Cervical Cancer Prevention Works (www.cluw.org). Treatment Solutions Network is proud to support her cause as we strongly believe in the power of Labor Unions and organizations to better the lives of their members. We hope you enjoy her articles and consider contributing to her cause by becoming a member of the CLUW. You will find a PDF file linked at the end of this article with a membership form available.
As director of Cervical Cancer Prevention Works, CLUW, Berger-Marks Trustee Carolyn Jacobson is passionate about the important role unions can play in educating women workers about health and preventing problems. CLUW(Coalition of Labor Union Women) delegates endorsed this vision when they passed a resolution at their fall convention committing the group to continue its involvement in health care issues.
But what does this have to do with organizing? It’s one of the many ways to show that a union improves the lot of workers. As Jacobson argues, “Union women… unlike most other American women, have access to regular communications from a trusted source, that is, their union. [And] research shows that women will unionize around quality of life issues more readily than around wages.”
For some women and their families, getting the right preventive information in time will be a matter of life or death. (As Jacobson points out, women are usually the health gatekeepers of the family.) How can a union be more relevant than that?
Jacobson explains how unions can get involved, with the fight against cervical cancer as a key example.
* The Berger-Marks Foundation (www.bergermarks.org) seeks to bring the benefits of unionization to working women and to assist organizations committed to those principles.
By Carolyn Jacobson
Director, Cervical Cancer Prevention Works, CLUW
If we are smart and pro-active about our health we can live longer, more comfortable, and more fulfilling lives. We can also spend less of our own (and the unions’ and society’s) money and avoid many illnesses and premature death.
Research shows that workers would be willing to take a greater degree of responsibility for their health (including modifying unhealthy behaviors and reaching out for help) but they don’t know where to begin or how to proceed.
Women don’t know this cancer is 100% preventable
I head up a project called Cervical Cancer Prevention Works CCPW. The project focuses on making sure union women know that cervical cancer is100% preventable-and how to prevent it. CCPW is a project of the Coalition of Labor Union Women, CLUW, (www.cluw.org), the only national organization representing union women.
Union women, like most U.S. women, don’t know that cervical cancer is 100% preventable and how to prevent it. As a result, 11,150 U.S. women will get cervical cancer this year and 3,670 will die from it. Union women (there are 6.5 million of them in the U.S.), unlike most other American women, have access to regular communications from a trusted source, that is, their union. More unions should be using their communications channels to reach their members with health information.
Urge unions to communicate health information
I write this article to encourage readers to urge their unions to communicate health information to their members.
There is lots of good (often free) health information (like how to prevent cervical cancer, see sidebar) available at no charge-information that union members need and will not get anywhere else-to help them be pro-active about their health. Having and following this information can increase the length, as well as the quality, of their lives. It can also help them and their unions hold on to the good health benefits the union has negotiated for them.
Women especially have much to gain by getting health information, as women are not only the health gatekeepers of the family, but they are also the primary consumers of health care generally.
A key to encouraging women to be pro-active about their health is getting them to take responsibility for their own health-which is a two-step process involving education and action.
Letting them know about cervical cancer
Let’s use cervical cancer as an example. Unions can easily provide information to empower union women with the knowledge they need about the disease, as well as the information and motivation to take specific actions to prevent it.
It is also important to remind women that it isn’t selfish to put their own health first. One way to do this is by using the metaphor of the oxygen mask on the airplane: we are told to put our own on first, because if we don’t, we might not be able to help the child sitting next to us. If women don’t take care of themselves, they won’t be around or able to take care of those they love.
My experience is that when women get this information, they are extremely grateful to the organization that is getting it to them. If it’s coming from their union, it is a plus for the union… and it can also provide value added in organizing, especially since the research shows that women will unionize around “quality of life” issues more readily than around wages.
CLUW health resolution
Delegates to CLUW’s recent convention adopted a resolution on this subject entitled, SUPPORT CLUW’S HEALTHCARE INVOLVEMENT. The resolution commits CLUW “to continue its involvement in health care issues.” Specifically, it says that:
- CLUW support the efforts of its chapters to educate women about healthcare risks and prevention by providing available resources as needed;
- CLUW continue and further publicize its Cervical Cancer Prevention Works program-a program that can help eradicate this deadly form of cancer;
- CLUW support the work of its Women’s Health and Wellness Committee in providing CLUW members with information they can use to maintain their health and fight off illness;
- CLUW make health care issues a cornerstone of its ongoing work to help all working women lead fuller, happier, longer, and more productive lives. It’s time for unions to follow CLUW’s lead and it’s union women who must demand that their unions take action!
Free Resources on Women’s Health
On the U.S. Health and Human Services website:
More From Carolyn Jacobson
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It is widely accepted by addiction professionals throughout the country that the first phase of recovery from drug addiction or alcoholism is a medical detox. Detoxification is an essential element of drug treatment as it helps manage medical symptoms associated with drug withdrawal, while assessing and treating any accompanying medical problems. Most drug detox programs will manage drug withdrawal symptoms by designing a protocol for each patient and dispensing the appropriate medications to offset withdrawal. Due to the medical issues that can accompany drug withdrawal, not to mention how compromised a person’s health is, there should be a physician trained in addiction medicine and 24 hour nursing care.
When most people hear the words detox, they automatically think of managing drug withdrawal. While this certainly is the most important aspect of any drug detox, a service equally important is the ability to evaluate every individual as to their need for ongoing treatment. For this reason all centers need to employ clinicians trained in addiction and mental health problems, in conjunction with medical personnel, to evaluate each patient’s individual needs.
Credentials
There are many factors to consider when choosing a drug detox such as; ensuring that you are choosing a reputable and effective program. One way to achieve this goal would be to review the licensure of the program and the credentials of the staff.
Licensure
A program should always be licensed by the state in which they provide services. In Florida for example, it would be the Department or Children and Family Services. Secondly, and most important, is a program should be accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospital Organizations (JCAHO). This accreditation insures the drug detox maintains certain standards of care as determined the Joint Commission.
Drug Detox Staff Credentials
The physicians providing the drug detox services should be board certified in their particular discipline and secondly credentialed by A.S.A.M., the American Society of Addiction Medicine. This insures the physician has a thorough understanding regarding the disease of addiction and drug detoxification protocol. The nursing staff should consist of Registered Nurses (R.N.) and Licensed Practical Nurses (L.P.N.) both trained in the treatment of drug addiction, alcoholism and the dynamics that accompany the person in drug detox. The clinical staff should as a minimum be master’s degreed or be a Certified Addiction Professional (C.A.P.). They should have experience in the treatment of drug addiction, alcoholism and psychiatric disorders and have spent some time working in a drug detox.
This article was provided by Dan Clark with Recovery Connection Addiction Treatment Helpline at www.recoveryconnection.org
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Sometimes it can be hard to understand addiction. If you have never experienced it, it may be hard to sympathize. Some even wonder why drug addicts can’t quit on their own!
Many drug addicts actually feel this way themselves. Especially in the beginning, they feel that they can quit on their own – that they have complete control and power over their addiction. Either out of shame over their addiction or pride in their will, they try to stop without treatment. Long-term resistance usually is not accomplished in these situations.
Long-term drug abuse has long-lasting and significant effects on the human brain. These problems can continue long after the individual ceases using drugs. This can include the continued compulsion to use drugs as a behavioral effect, despite the well-publicized consequences of the habit.
Realizing that drug abuse has such biological effects can explain why that person has such difficulty maintaining their resistance to drug abuse without proper treatment and rehabilitation. Relapse occurrences are especially more common when these biological effects combine with locations and objects that remind one of their past with drugs, running into people from their drug-using days, or even the stress and pressures of family or work.
The important thing to remember is that all of these can be overcome with proper treatment from a professional. Research supports the notion that even the most severely addicted individual can actively participate in a treatment and rehabilitation program. This active participation is crucial to the success of the treatment and encourages the continued long-term abstinence from drugs and addiction.
With proper help, the drug addicted person learns the appropriate strategies for coping with their addiction and cravings. This includes ways to avoid drugs and prevent relapse, as well as dealing with a relapse if such a thing occurs. Behavioral therapy, including psychotherapy, cognitive therapy, and counseling, can be a huge benefit to an addict learning these strategies and the proper behavior. Treatment can also include medications to combat some of the biological effects, like the ones that were discussed above.
The best treatment programs are tailored to meet the needs of the individual, as factors such as age, race, gender, culture, history of abuse, and type of addiction can all contribute to the variables of the addiction. This can include behavioral therapy, medication therapy, or a combination of both.
The drug addict is not alone, and it is important to ensure them that they are not. Through proper treatment and rehabilitation, they can succeed in overcoming this problem.
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There is not necessarily any rhyme or reason to it: some children become addicted to drugs and alcohol. While there are genetic and social factors that can increase or decrease the likelihood, the fact remains that both good and bad parents can wind up with an addicted son or daughter. Now, your child will most likely not simply come out and tell you that they are abusing drugs or alcohol, so here are a few signs that should warrant your attention:
- As stated above, genetics do play a factor, so be alert if your family has a history of abuse.
- Have you seen evidence of their abuse, i.e. empty liquor bottles, marijuana joints, or other drug paraphernalia? Children generally try very hard to hide these things, and if they are found easily, it could be a sign that they are losing control.
- Has your child been showing a drastic change in behavior? This could be a loss of interest in family activities, loss of appetite, change in friends, depression, irritability or defensiveness, or many other signs.
- Is your child having money problems but won’t talk about them?
- Has your child received a DUI, or has he or she been involved in shoplifting or theft?
- Do you notice any burn marks on their fingers or lips, needle tracks, or sores on their face and nose?
If you do notice some of the above things and suspect that there is a problem, be careful in your reaction. Harsh punishment or lectures to your child may simply drive them further to abuse. So what can you do about it?
- Resist yelling. Try to create a healthy, positive atmosphere in your house.
- You can’t control your child; you can, however, control yourself. Focus on that and your dealing with it, rather than forcing your child to change.
- Sit down and discuss the boundaries of the home with the child. Explain reasons for them and consequences for their actions if disobeyed.
- Get your son or daughter enrolled in a rehabilitation program and be patient. This does not happen overnight. You may not be the factor that produces change, but rather your child’s experiences with other recovering addicts. It will take time.
- Keep a hopeful, positive attitude, and have a sense of humor. Overstressing over the situation only leads to a hostile environment, which will not produce the change.
- Get help yourself: for co-dependents. You’re not alone, so it’s important to help yourself recover as well as your child. You may need family addiction treatment.
It can be frustrating. You may be ashamed, or resent your child for acting the way they have been. The important thing to understand is that there is hope, and things can turn around – it will just take some positive action and a little patience.
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The term “dual diagnosis” refers to someone who has been diagnosed with a major mental health problem and a substance addiction at the same time. Nearly half of all patients with mental health problems abuse drugs and alcohol. They often go hand-in-hand. For example, those dealing with alcoholism may be coping with mental illness. Those suffering from depression may disguise their symptoms with dependence on drugs or alcohol.
The first problem is diagnosis itself. A substance abuse problem can affect mental health disorder symptoms by either aggravating them, or masking them. On top of that, symptoms of substance abuse can closely resemble the symptoms of mental health disorders, so defining what is causing each symptom is increasingly difficult. Patients may also use one disorder to cover for the other. For example, an alcoholic patient suffering from bipolar disorder may agree to treatment of the disorder to cover up for his or her alcoholism. Upon completion of the psychiatric help, the patient may drop out of treatment entirely.
The families of those suffering from dual diagnosis also face increased problems related to the disorder. Most mental health services are ill-prepared to deal with both the mental health disorder and the compounded substance abuse problem. They also, then, cannot effectively treat and assist the families of those afflicted. Families also deal with the violence associated with their sick relatives. Domestic abuse and suicide is very common among those with the compounded diagnosis. It has also been reported that sexual abuse is prevalent among those dealing with dual diagnosis as well.
So what to do about these problems? For starters, many in the mental health profession are beginning to recognize that substance dependency is a problem, and they have stopped relegating it to a symptom. By doing so, they broaden their view of their patients and do not mistakenly categorize substance abuse under the mental health disorder “umbrella”. There has also been an increased awareness of dual diagnosis in the medical field. This has led to more discussions on treating both disorders simultaneously, rather than one at a time. By doing so, treatment effectiveness increases, as both the mental health disorder and the substance abuse are treated at each stage of rehabilitation. This increased awareness also results in more education on the topic for those in the medical field, which can only lead to further discussion, and treatment that can be effective for both the patient and their families.
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Alcoholism treatment is needed for many people in the country and around the world. Not surprisingly, there are many untreated people who ignore the warning signs and continue to drink. If you or someone you know is looking for methods to treating alcoholism, you have a lot to choose from. There are many varied ways to approach alcoholism treatment. Many doctors feel that the best method would be a rehabilitation program – this would be a type of inpatient approach.
Regardless of what treatment you decide to take, it is important to look at the basic “building blocks” of the treatment. Generally speaking, there are three main components to an effective method of treating alcoholism:
First, the individual abusing alcohol must be advised to stop drinking entirely. There is no changing this around – you cannot adjust your drinking, or slow your drinking, or anything even remotely close to it. The definition of an alcoholic includes someone who cannot control their alcohol intake, so if your treatment involves controlling the alcohol consumption, leave and seek better advice. Removal of alcohol is the first and foremost principle behind treating alcoholism.
Second, there must be a form of detoxification involved. Alcohol abuse wreaks havoc on both the mind and the body. Physically, there may be diseases that have been caused by alcohol abuse affecting the body. It is crucial that these diseases are treated before they do further damage. Treating alcoholism is not as simple as flipping a switch to “OFF”. The abuser must be treated medically for the damage that excessive alcohol intake has caused.
Third, and finally, there must be a long-term solution and treatment involved. Alcohol abuse damages the mind and the emotions as well as the body. It is imperative that the mind is treated as well. An alcohol abuser must be taught and shown how to feel fulfilled in life apart from alcohol. Normal life may not feel satisfying immediately upon release from a treatment center. There needs to be follow up and support offered to the recovering alcoholic to prevent relapses back into alcoholism.
Treating alcoholism is a long and very involved process, but if done correctly and including these components, treatment can be incredibly effective and successful. Keep these in mind the next time you or someone you love is considering treatment for themselves or someone else. Following these guidelines can ensure a strong approach to treatment.
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What is family addiction treatment? The treatment involves using a family’s strengths and resources to find ways for the person to divert his dependency on drugs and alcohol. The impact is then put on the family to help bring the person through it. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration says that it is an effective mode of treatment for substance abusers.
Family addiction treatment has a two-fold effect. First, the intentional effect is that it can be a way to bring a person out of the depths of addiction through the love and care of a supporting family. The second, maybe not so obvious, effect is that the family as a whole is educated and involved in the substance abuse treatment. This fosters knowledge and interaction among the family that can prevent addiction from slipping through from generation to generation.
The impact that addiction has on a family is harsh, and family addiction treatment will help all involved:
• The traditional family runs into trouble when the sober spouse tries to protect the children, assuming the roles of both parents. Studies have shown that children suffer very direct problems as a result of an abusing parent.
• The blended family fights through integration problems. A member of the family suffering from addiction may be cast out or separated by some, and divisions can arise as a result.
• Someone simply living with a spouse or partner could require both to enter into treatment. Codependence is a major issue among households such as these.
• An adolescent abuser in a family will necessitate family addiction treatment through siblings who may need attention and parents that attempt to balance it out, or parents that focus all the attention on one of the children.
Now, family addiction treatment does have some warnings, and the main one is to watch out for the endangerment of family members. A family cannot go through therapy together if there is physical abuse and battering taking place. In that situation, the abuser needs to be separated from the rest of the family, and treatment needs to be administered to family members separately.
The impact that an addiction can have on a family of any kind is monumental. It is important to not assume that merely the addict is the only one that needs professional help. Often, the family as a whole needs assistance in coping with the problem and dealing with it in an open and healing fashion. In situations like these, family addiction treatment can be effective and maybe even necessary.
Hope For A Sober Tomorrow
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If you feel your friend or family member is steeped in a dangerous addiction, staging an intervention can be an effective way to get that person to seek help. The key is it has to be done well. Here are a few tips to ensure that you put together an effective intervention:
Plan it out.
Go to the people around him or and speak to them privately about the idea of an intervention. You want the people closest to him, who care about him, and who he cares about as well. Even if you do not like someone who he cares about, it’s important to let these biases be put aside for the purpose of this. If he doesn’t care about the people confronting him, it won’t work. He has to respect these people, and value their opinions. The threat of these people walking out on him needs to have great impact. Keep the group on the smaller side: no need to invite the whole, extended family. Try to keep the number in single digits, if you can. A more intimate group will be more effective. It also has to be clear that this intervention is a surprise, to keep the addict from avoiding the situation.
Seek additional help.
It may be beneficial to talk to an interventionist, who can guide you through the intervention process and, if requested, be present during the intervention. Having an addiction specialist present can help moderate the group if the group does not know what they are doing.
Prepare in advance.
With or without the interventionist, the group should meet beforehand to lay out how they will approach the addict and what they will say to him. Treatment options should be researched in advance, so that help can be suggested and offered immediately. It may be good for everyone to have a speech or something to say written out beforehand, so that everyone’s impact can be felt on the person. That way, everyone can adjust their speeches if they sound too blaming, rather than loving. The tone of the intervention is extremely crucial. Everyone then also should offer an ultimatum to push the addict to action. It may be difficult to do this for many, but it is one of the keys to an effective intervention. Preparing in advance can also clue in the group to any rejections or resistance that the addict may show towards the group.
Be careful during the intervention.
Keep the atmosphere positive. You want the addict to know you are here to help, not to blame. Also, keep the discussion about “I” and not “you.” By doing this, you are speaking about your feelings, and not pointing fingers. This person will be defensive, so don’t insult or berate him. If the interventionist is there, he can help talk through the objections.
Take immediate action.
Following the intervention, the addict will either admit it or deny it. If he admits it, escort him to his place, help him pack a bag, and take him to a treatment center for admission. If he denies it, unfortunately, the ultimatum’s consequences must begin immediately. Hopefully, the lack of his loved ones supporting him will prompt him to take action in a few days.
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What does a Certified Employee Assistance Professional do?
A Certified Employee Assistance Professional, or CEAP, provides support and counseling to employees and their families on a wide range of workplace and personal problems that may affect job performance. They also can provide organizations with consulting and training.
How do I become a CEAP?
To become a Certified Employee Assistance Professional, you must get CEAP certification. To obtain this, one has to go through an employee assistance program and work towards a certain number of continuing education units, such as the ones offered through the Treatment Solutions Network’s two-day CEAP training conference. This conference helps you cover the advisement and personal development hours by providing continuing education units towards your certification.
What happens after I become one?
Support for a Certified Employee Assistance Professional is provided through the Employee Assistance Professionals Associations, or EAPA. Your membership in the EAPA provides you with guidelines and connections to keep you current on proper workplace policies and treatments in regards to workplace problems and issues. The workplace in today’s world is ever-changing and evolving, and support through the EAPA is a valuable way of keeping up on the latest and most effective treatments and procedures.
Why should I become a Certified Employee Assistance Professional?
There are many benefits to becoming a CEAP:
- It benefits both your career and your income. Employee assistance needs are in high demand. Studies show that CEAPs that are employed to fill these positions are compensated at better rates than non-CEAPs filling the same positions.
- The CEAP certification demonstrates knowledge of employee assistance issues. Being a Certified Employee Assistance Professional shows that you know all the basics to provide effective counseling and case management for your client.
- Having CEAP certification shows that you are continuously developing your knowledge of employee assistance through continuing education opportunities. As mentioned above, CEAPs work to increase and develop their working knowledge of workplace issues through continuing education courses and conferences, like the above-mentioned one offered by the Treatment Solutions Network.
- Becoming a CEAP is a rigorous process. If you are a Certified Employee Assistance Professional, you are demonstrating to potential employers that you are a dedicated worker and that your profession is important to you.
Becoming a Certified Employee Assistance Professional is a rewarding experience, and it is one that will put you in the position to assist workplaces and employees for years to come. Contact the Treatment Solutions Network at their website to take part in furthering your career as a CEAP.
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