It is well-known that drug abuse and alcoholism have devastating effects on a person. It’s not unusual for someone to lose their job, friends, and family because of an addiction. Some people, however, hit rock bottom, as many would consider it, when they lose everything and become homeless on the streets.

Homeless Camps

Hundreds of homeless people live around nearly every large city on our country. Some areas have become havens for those that are down and out, and sometimes these people form camps or colonies for safety and companionship. Alaska has a group of homeless that live in large parks, hidden among the trees. Other large groups can be found in San Francisco, Denver, and Washington D.C. These camps are not legal, but some municipalities or counties tolerate them simply because they don’t have a better place for these people to go, and if they are kicked out of one area, they will move to another.

These people hide out in forests, or in parks, eating scraps, or begging for food or money. Their beds are benches, or the ground, and they may build fires in garbage cans to keep warm. A few lucky ones will have tents to live in.

Homeless people around the country come from all different backgrounds. Not all were born homeless or even poor. Many of them at one time held decent jobs, some had families; none of them expected to be where they are today. Many of these individuals have something else in common: substance abuse. Statistics are hard to come by, but substance abuse and mental illness play a huge role in many of these people being homeless. Some people got caught up with drugs or alcohol, causing them to lose their jobs, family, and eventually homes. Others spent all their money and energy on getting alcohol, and soon found themselves out on the street. Still others have a form of mental illness that keeps them from living a stable life. In all these situations, these people could not find or would not accept the support and help that would have allowed them to overcome substance abuse or mental illness and lead normal lives.

Help for the Homeless

In order to help these people, we need to provide them with housing, food, and treatment for substance abuse and mental disorders. Once the person is living indoors and does not have to worry about their own personal safety or where their next meal will come from, they can start working on their future.

Many of these people, however, don’t get the treatment they need to get clean when they are homeless. Lack of resources from local authorities has led to poor facilities and programs for these groups. Many homeless people go through the motions of staying at a shelter until their time is used up there, then they move back out to the streets. With the right kind of help, these people can break the cycle and begin putting their lives together.

Sources 

Storyteller takes look at Anchorage’s homeless

Mental illness problems common among homeless

Pastor seeks housing for men living in Montgomery County woods

Even though it is considered by some to be the most harmless illegal drug there is, marijuana still causes a lot of problems. In a handful of states, marijuana is legal for medicinal purposes. This comes after years of advocates pushing for the drug to be legalized for patients, to treat things like chronic pain, nausea, and anxiety. Many people are trying to make marijuana completely legal, but that kind of progression seems pretty far off.

Medicinal Marijuana

For those states that do permit marijuana for medical purposes, authorities are having a hard time enforcing the laws regarding this substance. While they need to and want to maintain the rights of patients, lines are often blurred between medicinal use and recreational use. If police go after pot growers who are supplying for users for illegal recreational purposes, they run the risk of cutting off the supply also for patients who use it legally. Unless you legalize marijuana possession for growers, dispensaries, and distributers, there will be a negative effect on patients. But, if all these other people are allowed into the loop to supply it to patients, you can expect that some will be selling it to others who aren’t patients as well. The way some of these states are enforcing or not enforcing marijuana use has caused havoc for both authorities and patients.

Marijuana and Teens

Many people feel strongly one way or another about the place marijuana holds in our society. There is much support for the legalization of marijuana to relieve pain and distress to patient. But in many ways, even this is causing an obstacle for certain other groups of people, including teens and adolescents, who are easily influenced about things like drugs. A recent study done by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) suggests that the medical marijuana issue is causing confusion among teens about the seriousness of marijuana and drugs in general. Many teens today think that marijuana is not that bad for them to use, since it is legal for some patients. The result is that marijuana usage in teens is on the rise again and more teens are even in need of treatment for the habit.

Effects of Marijuana

Then there’s the question of what marijuana does to the mind and body. It may not be as addicting as painkillers, or as life-threatening as heroin, but marijuana does have negative effects on the body. It slows the brain, it effects motor coordination, and it increases heart rate. Over time, marijuana is thought to cause brain damage, including memory loss and learning problems. Some people may deny it, but marijuana also is both physically and psychologically addicting. Part of the danger with marijuana is that it is often seen as so harmless. Many people are drawn into just trying marijuana, but then they find themselves years down the line, still using it, or moving on to more dangerous drugs. Before they know it they have lost control of their lives. We need to set boundaries with this drug, and make it clear to young people that it is dangerous to get caught up with any kind of substance.

Sources

Medical marijuana-The legal questions

Medical-pot bill one political puff away from passage

Medical marijuana blurs lines on dangers for teens

In the days and months following two significant earthquakes in the Western Hemisphere, many groups of both residents and rescue workers have experienced great trauma and stress recently. It is natural, therefore, to be concerned for these individuals and their struggle to cope with the devastating effects of disasters such as these.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

People who experience great trauma, or who witness trauma as they try to help victims, often suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or other mental and emotional disorders. In many cases, PTSD leads to other problems, such as substance abuse, problems with work, and problems with relationships.

When someone witnesses a disaster, their natural reactions may include fear, anger, sadness, and grief. These feelings are normal and should be expected. However, for some people, these feelings continue to get worse and are accompanied by other symptoms such as disorientation, headaches, and tunnel vision, and also change in behavior such as loss of objectivity, uncharacteristic anger, and unnecessary risk-taking.

Studies have linked PTSD and stress to substance abuse, even if the person is being treated for the underlying disorder. For many people, there is a need to self-medicate, and they begin to take prescribed medications in excess. Other drugs or alcohol are also often used by those that suffer from the haunting feelings after a traumatic event.

Dealing with Disaster

To prevent substance abuse and other ill effects of PTSD, it is important for someone that has experienced trauma or stress to get help. Proper help, support, and counseling should be made available to victims and their families. It is becoming more widely recognized that these individuals will need professional counseling to deal with the feelings they experience after many of these kinds of devastation.

Some of the forgotten victims, however, are the rescue workers and volunteers that try to help out in times of disaster. Management techniques can greatly help these people de-stress and reduce the risk of serious disorders. Things like orientation, briefings before shifts, shorter shifts with time off, proper means to communicate, and the appropriate supplies can all help rescue workers feel more in control. Workers should be assessed for emotional problems and counseling should be available for all of these individuals as well.

Most importantly, individuals should be educated on the things they will likely experience, as well as the risks they will face. If a person knows that what they are feeling is normal and how to keep their feelings from spiraling out of control, they will be more prepared to avoid some of the negative effects of trauma.

Sources

National Child Traumic Stress Network

Stress and Substance Abuse:
A Special Report After the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks

Tips for Managing and Preventing Stress
A Guide for Emergency and Disaster Response Workers

As much as we try to deny differences between different races of people, there are some characteristics that tend to run along ethnic lines. The benefit to identifying these tendencies is that it can help determine where help, education, and prevention are needed most.

SAMHSA Study on African American Drinking

A new study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) found differences between African Americans and other ethnic groups when it comes to alcohol abuse. African Americans have a lower drinking rate in general – 44% compared to 55.2% of the rest of the population. And they are much less likely to binge drink (25.3% compared to 41.6%) than the general public. However, the rate of illegal drug use among African American adults (9.5%) is slightly higher than the rest of the country (7.9%).

Past studies have also found that the consequences for minorities, including African Americans, that abuse alcohol are often more severe than for other groups. Minority groups are more likely to suffer health problems, legal consequences, and injury because of alcohol consumption.

The SAMHSA study also found that even though they drink less and do it less often, more African Americans are in need of addiction treatment. And among those that do enter treatment, minority groups are less likely to complete a program or see favorable results from the treatment program.

Giving Help to Different Groups

The purpose of these studies is not to simply point out differences between groups of people, but to determine the best way to provide help and prevention techniques. Maybe more education could focus on helping young African Americans stay safe and avoid negative situations when drinking socially, or where to go for help when someone is suffering from addiction. More education should be geared toward Caucasians and college students who are known for dangerous binge drinking.

A little education can go a long way. Programs can be offered in schools, at community centers, and through churches or social organizations. Any group of people that is found to be at a higher risk for substance abuse or to suffer consequences because of substance abuse should be the focus for more prevention campaigns.

Treatment is also vital for different groups of people. For those that have a hard time succeeding in an outpatient treatment program, other programs including residential or more intense outpatient treatment, should be encouraged. For those in low income areas, or those that do not have access to proper addiction treatment, efforts should be made to offer programs in these areas. Studies like the SAMHSA one help determine the best way to offer both prevention techniques and substance abuse help when needed.

Sources

African-American and Hispanic alcohol abusers need more residential alcohol treatment

Study: Blacks Drink Less, But More Likely to Use Illicit Drugs

Alcohol and drug abuse, flu shots and lactose intolerance

Up until recently, and even now in many cases, people being treated for  mental health disorders have had more restrictions placed on them when it came to insurance coverage. New steps are being taken to provide equal benefits for those seeking help for their mental health.

The Importance of Mental Health

Mental health is a topic that has moved to the forefront in recent years. We now realize how important good mental health is, and how negatively poor mental health can affect different aspects of a person’s life. Depression, anxiety, and other disorders can lead to poor physical health, behavioral problems, and substance abuse or addiction. Problems with work, family, and relationships often follow a mental health disorder.

More and more people are being diagnosed and treated for mental health disorders. These may be caused by genetics, upbringing, past experiences, or trauma. Some mental health problems are caused by substance abuse, making it important to identify and deal with all underlying causes and dual diagnosis when treating mental health. But for many people needing this type of help, the cost for treatment is beyond their means.

An act that was passed in 2008, called the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, is designed to help those seeking treatment for mental health and addiction. This Act, which went into effect this year, ensures that employees with mental health coverage receive the same benefits for mental health treatment as they do for medical and surgical treatments. The Act does not allow additional limits to be placed on mental health benefits that are not placed on other types of care as well. Under this act, the coverage that is offered must be equal for all the different aspects of health care, including mental health.

Against the Act

There are people who oppose this Act and others like it. Cost of insurance will likely increase, and with health care being widely debated in our country, many people are not in favor of increasing the cost and coverage of any type of health care.

Supporting the Act

But for those that understand the implications of poor mental health, the results of caring for mental health are far-reaching. A person that is being cared for mentally will be more stable and able to hold down a job. Employees that struggle with depression, post traumatic stress disorder, ADHD, or other disorders that aren’t being treated will be less productive, and may show shortcomings in other areas as well. Add to this the risk of substance abuse and addiction from patients that are self-medicating rather than seeking professional help, and the results are even more devastating. But mental health disorders can be treated. With the help of professional treatment, many people are able to carry on happy, normal lives.

Sources

Regulations issued on mental health and substance abuse parity in group health plans

Mental-Health Benefits

Mental Health and Substance Abuse Parity in Michigan

Virginia Tech has cracked down a bit on underage student drinking. A new policy has been put in place this semester which requires school officials to contact a student’s parents whenever the underage student is caught with alcohol. The change in policy comes after much debate, and people are divided over the policy.

Underage drinking at colleges is a growing problem, despite the efforts of colleges, parents, and authorities. Virginia Tech and other schools with the same views are hoping that by getting parents more involved, colleges and universities can reduce the number of alcohol-related injuries, crimes, and deaths among their students. School officials at Virginia Tech will now call or send a letter to parents the first time their child under 21 is caught drinking, drunk, or in the possession of alcohol.

Parents Want to Know

For the most part, parents are happy about the change. Many parents have been frustrated by the lack of communication over matters of substance abuse with their child’s college. Most parents want to know about their child’s alcohol abuse before something serious happens. Many parents still have a close relationship with their college children, and many are even paying for their kids’ education. Parents think they have a right to know what their child is up to.

Against the Policy

Other colleges are not so quick to offer this service to parents. Some colleges have a more lenient policy about notifying parents. According to administrators at many of these schools, alcohol violations are not routinely reported to parents because college students should be treated like adults. The view on this side is that college age students are old enough to make decisions for themselves. However, in recent years, college students have obviously been making the choice regularly to use alcohol and binge drink.

Many students, naturally, are also against the new policies, saying college students’ parents shouldn’t be brought into matters that happen at school. For many students, having their parents find out about trouble they’ve gotten in may be a real deterrent. Apparently, kids do actually care what their parents think. Schools have found that more students are concerned about telling their parents about getting busted for underage drinking than they are about the legal consequences for it.

Schools Working with Parents

Underage and binge drinking on college campuses has gotten out of hand. It seems that more students are at school to party and drink than to get an education. Schools like Virginia Tech are taking some first steps to reverse the trend of college drinking. Early intervention is important to keep these students from a long struggle with alcohol abuse or alcoholism, and notifying parents may help. Whether students like to think so or not, their parents care about them, probably more than anyone, and are willing to do what it takes to straighten their kids out. Parents, however, may not know the west way to handle their grown kids’ problem drinking, so some schools even provide parents with educational tools to help them talk to their kids in the most effective way.

Sources 

Lynchburg-area colleges vary on alcohol policies

Tech notifies parents about student alcohol offenses

Parent notification policies for underage drinking evolve

Parent notification policies for alcohol violations

Relapse is such a big danger to those attempting sobriety, and it is important that both the rehab facility and the recovering addict have a solid plan in place to help avoid relapse. For recovering addicts that go right back to their old life and friends, the chance of relapse is going to be much higher. Someone breaking free from addiction needs to surround themselves with positive activities, support groups, and continuing treatment for the best chance at success.

Sober Housing

One problem that some patients encounter is finding suitable living conditions. These may be people that lost their house and family because of their drug abuse or alcoholism. It is difficult to rise up from rock bottom, being alone in the world, living on the streets or in a shelter, with no family left for support. These people may break free from drugs with the help of a facility, but for many people, entry back into the real world can be a difficult task. That’s when aftercare housing comes into the picture. Some organizations offer housing specifically for people recovering from drug or alcohol addiction. These may be apartments or multi-level houses that offer a place to live and additional support for those recovering from addiction. This kind of housing is often a great benefit to those working to stay sober because it allows them to be surrounded by others that are recovering, it gives them access to treatment programs and support groups, and it holds them accountable to staying sober. Drug tests are usually mandatory for these housing facilities in order to ensure that residents are keeping their commitment to stay clean. Other benefits to these types of housing may include reduced or free rent for a period of time, and access to things like food banks, clothing donations, and job opportunities.

Encouragement to Stay Sober

Living in an aftercare facility is not necessary for everyone recovering from addiction. Many people are fortunate to still have the support of close family or friends to help and encourage them to stay sober. A family that has gone through treatment together will be stronger and better equipped to help their loved one avoid relapse. But for all the people that have no one close to rely on, aftercare housing is a great option. The fellow residents become their extended family and together these individuals are able to encourage each other to stay clean.

Relapse will still be a problem, even for patients with family or aftercare housing. It is important for treatment programs to continue to work with their patients after rehab, in order to encourage them to remain sober. Support groups are a must, as they offer valuable healing and encouragement on the road to recovery. Recovery is a life-long journey, and the risk will still be there to relapse, but people are able to carry on with a normal life after some time, with the help of support groups along the way.

Sources

Communal Housing Settings Enhance Substance Abuse Recovery

Mass.gov 

Finding a way out

Vancouver, Canada, has a drug problem. The city is known for its heroin addicts, marijuana users, and methamphetamine addicts. Maybe more importantly, it is known for its ways of dealing with these drugs and their users. It has taken controversial steps that few other countries in the Western World have taken in an attempt to make a difference for its drug users.

Some people would call their approach a social experiment, or that the government is looking the other way or even encouraging drugs use. But for many, Vancouver’s handling of illegal drugs has been a life saver.

InSite

The city of Vancouver gives money every year to a community organization to operate a facility called InSite. This facility takes a very controversial approach to dealing with drug addicts. In fact, it is the only facility of its kind in North America. InSite is a building where drug addicts can go to shoot up “in safety”. Users must supply their own drugs, but are provided with clean needles and syringes, and are supervised by medical staff in case they overdose. InSite oversees an average of 491 injections per day, and many of its addicts come back repeatedly throughout the day to get their fix.

Supporters

The history of InSite has been plagued with conflict. Several legal challenges have threatened to close its doors, and parts of the Conservative federal government have worked to close InSite. But so far, the courts have ruled in favor of this facility. Supporters say that their primary goal is to reduce harm to addicts, by preventing the spread of disease and the risk of overdose. The British Columbia Ministry of Health Services provides money for InSite, and the police force in Vancouver says it helps them promote harm reduction. Supporters say because of InSite there are fewer crimes, fewer homicides, and fewer drug overdoses in Vancouver. InSite also offers counseling and treatment services to help the addicts that want to get clean.

Opponents

But the problem that most other people have with InSite is that it allows addicts to stay in their addiction. InSite helps addicts maintain a “functioning junkie” status. By taking away some of the dangers of substance abuse, InSite allows these people to continue using their drugs with few consequences. It encourages drug addicts to use drugs, and doesn’t seem to encourage often enough the benefits of detox and treatment. The benefit of facilities like InSite is that they prevent a number of overdoses. InSite staff intervened on 484 overdoses, lives that would have been lost had they not been at InSite. But these drug addicts, no matter how hard they try, cannot really function in society, and giving them the means to continue in their drug usage is not benefitting them in the long run. Last year, 411 people were admitted to detox at InSite. Maybe with more patients in a successful detox program, they would have fewer patients in their injection booths, and they would really save lives.

Sources

InSite

Vancouver’s ’safe house’ for drug addicts draws controversy

Near Olympics, Vancouver’s (mostly) legal drug zone

Linda Robertson: Vancouver’s ‘real world,’ outside Olympic bubble

For most visitors, Canada has been the perfect host for this year’s Winter Olympics. They have friendly citizens, top of the line facilities, and beautiful scenery. The weather has been a bit unpredictable, but if that’s the biggest problem with the Olympics this year, the Canadians have put on a pretty winning event.

Marijuana Friendly City 

Vancouver has been successful in keeping their rowdies quiet, not talking too much about their heroin and methamphetamine addicts, and not bringing up their homeless or their crime statistics. It is a lovely place, and people are friendly and very welcoming. In fact, to some people it has been too friendly. While athletes are not allowed to use any kind of drugs, the city of Vancouver has been dubbed a “marijuana friendly city”. Marijuana is not officially legal in British Columbia except for medicinal use, but as long as people are not causing harm because of it, the police will generally not stop them. Many shops line the streets of Vancouver that sell all sorts of drug paraphernalia, including fancy bongs, designer glass hookahs, and other smoking devices. Shops, such as the Cannabis Culture Magazine Shop, are almost commonplace, as well as advertisements for the different kinds of marijuana people can buy.

British Columbia first made a name for itself as a pot smoking area when local athlete Ross Rebagliati tested positive in the 1998 Winter Games, but was not penalized because he claimed he had been exposed to pot at a local Vancouver party. Many locals use marijuana regularly and openly. Vancouver even had a short run of the marijuana Olympics at the Herb Museum in 2008, but that was soon shut down.

Stepping Up Patrols

But just because British Columbia is known for its leniency toward drugs doesn’t mean all the expectations of visitors are going to come true. Much of the marijuana use has slipped underground while visitors are in town. So while pot-minded visitors may be hoping to be allowed or even encouraged to get stoned with the locals, this might not be the case.

Authorities in Vancouver have stepped up security in an effort to protect both safety and the city’s image. Local establishments like the ones at Whistler have seen an increase in police presence, something that is usually minimal. The police force has more than doubled during the Olympics, sending 60 police out to patrol the party scene.

The result is that while normally active bars and establishments are usually jumping on weekends, there has been an apparent lower-keyed atmosphere. Some locals are disappointed that they aren’t able to show the area’s true colors, but for those focused on the competitions at hand, the city is doing a good job of welcoming their guests from around the world.

Near Olympics, Vancouver’s (mostly) legal drug zone

Revelers say Whistler cops are killing the buzz

Let’s talk about that elephant in the closet, BC

Cool Canadians are flying high, and dodging bears while we do it

The 2010 Winter Olympics are underway and along with them comes the task of separating out the true athletes from those that enhance their performance with some kind of substance. These Games are yet another sport that has been tainted by doping athletes. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has been in charge of testing the athletes to find those that are using banned substances.

Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be an end to sports-related drug abuse, and athletes keep finding new ways to get around the tests. The Olympics are no exception. This year before the start of the Olympics, officials found more than 30 athletes that were positive for banned substances, and as a result, these athletes are not participating this year. This number is down from the Beijing Olympics when more than 70 athletes were kicked out before the competitions began. But many people are concerned that the WADA is not catching all of the doping methods being used these days.

New Methods to Enhance Performance

The world is constantly coming up with new substances to alter the mind or body, and if the committee in charge of testing is not staying current on all the newest substances, they will likely miss something. An example is Johann Muehlegg of Spain, who won three gold metals in the 2002 Winter Olympics for cross country skiing. It was later found that he had been using a new generation of performance enhancers that wasn’t detected in current tests, but he eventually tested positive and was stripped of the metals.

Other athletes and managers are also becoming more sophisticated in their doping methods, in an effort to avoid getting caught. There are new drugs, new forms of old drugs, and ways for athletes to cheat on tests. Some have resorted to storing their own blood and then transfusing it back into their body in time for the testing. It is unfortunate that an entire committee of people has to be designated just to determine what these top-level athletes are using to improve their performances.

Tough Penalties

Some people, however, have been critical of the WADA’s all-encompassing methods. There have been athletes that have been suspended for taking hair loss drugs. But there are also exceptions to the penalties. Just before this year’s Olympics a Russian hockey player tested positive for a substance that was banned in the games, but she will be allowed to compete. Svetlana Terenteva was reprimanded, but allowed to compete because she took a prescription nasal spray for a cold a month before the games.

Sometimes the WADA has no choice but to penalize, but the best results come when the authorities are able to look at each case individually. A new trend in anti-doping agencies has shifted the approach from an all-encompassing process to one that focuses more on the individual athletes.

Sources

Doping’s rise; athletes’ fall

WADA: More than 30 will not compete

Russian official defends player

Unjust Outcomes Under Fire