Another Hollywood star is spending time in rehab, something that has become very popular in the last few decades.  This time it is Kelly Osbourne, the daughter of rock-legend Ozzy Osbourne, and she admitted herself into a rehabilitation center in a continued effort to get herself clean from substances.  Kelly joins the ranks of other celebrities, such as Ben Affleck, Lindsay Lohan, Charlie Sheen, Robin Williams, John Belushi, and a whole group of others that were in and out of treatment facilities for drugs or alcohol.

Being a celebrity might not be easy when you are struggling with an addiction problem.  The public’s eye, the tabloids and newspapers, and the fact that people around the world know whether or not you succeed or fail in their attempts to come clean, can be intimidating to someone trying to admit they have a problem.

Pictures show celebrities in fancy, almost spa-like facilities that seem more like a resort than a drug treatment facility.  And many would argue that with unlimited funds, celebrities get to experience the thing we call rehab without the pain, sweat and tears that the rest of us have to go through.

The struggles we all face
But sobering up is not fun and games for anyone that truly wants to succeed.  It could be argued that some celebrities may admit themselves into facilities to take a break from the spotlight and to avoid an embarrassing incident.  Because money is probably not an issue, it may not be a big deal for the person to go back to treatment if the first few times didn’t work, or there wasn’t enough of a commitment.  But any celebrity that has beat an addiction has been through the unpleasant times, just like the rest of the world.

Dr. Drew and his hit reality TV show “Celebrity Rehab” highlights even more of the struggles of celebrities trying to come clean.  By showing the hard times the rich and famous go through, Dr. Drew hopes to educate people about the reality of drug treatment.  And one of his goals has been to let the public know it isn’t all fun and games for celebrities.  “They don’t understand how hard it actually is,” he says.

Just like the modern treatment facilities that celebrities go to for help, there are many successful facilities around the country that offer much more than a hospital-type atmosphere.  Many different treatment options and programs can be personalized to fit the needs of the patients.

It could even be that the common public has an advantage over celebrities with their treatment options.  Unlike celebrities that leave treatment and go back to their lives filled with the pressures of drugs and alcohol, it may be easier for the rest of us to start a new life, one that is clean and free from the temptation of parties, drugs, and alcohol.

Sources

Osbourne Enters Rehab

Kelly Osbourne back in rehab January 24, 2009

Celebrities who Have Been to Rehab

Marikar, Sheila Pain, Tears, Vomit, Relapse: the Realities of Rehab Hit Celebrities, Too Jan. 10, 2008

Luna, Kristin Celebrity rehab retreats 4/1/08

There has been much talk in the past about the best way to help addicts come clean from heroin, with some people arguing for the use of drugs like methadone to treat patients, and other people holding firm to the idea that you can’t successfully treat a drug addiction with a drug.

Unfortunately, there is not enough evidence to conclude that either way is better.  Numbers do show that the use of methadone is successful in getting patients to give up heroin, but then the patient does not really end up being drug-free because they are addicted to the methadone.

History of Heroin
Heroin has been around for a long time, and is currently grown around the world, with large supplies in the Middle East, Asia, and Latin America.  The drug had been a problem in the United States for decades, but the Nixon administration actively tried to diminish supplies of heroin when he declared a war on drugs in the 1970′s.  It was during this time that methadone maintenance treatments came to light, and experiments were done to measure its effectiveness.  However, incomplete data recording, complex situations of treatment, and inconclusive evidence have all aided in the differing of opinions that we have today.

Heroin Withdrawal
What we do know is that heroin is a hard drug to beat.  The addict’s body quickly becomes so dependent on the substance that to go without it would mean a severe withdrawal.  Nausea, vomiting, pain, sweating, fatigue, depression and insomnia are what an addict goes through when trying to quit.  But, if a patient is put on methadone when stopping the heroin, the symptoms are not nearly as bad.  The patient will need to work to withdraw from the methadone, but that can often happen over weeks or months.

Another thing we know is that addicts that are required to quit heroin without the use of medication are less likely to stay in treatment than those that are assisted by drugs such as methadone.  Perhaps it gets to be too big of a task before them to be rid of drugs completely, but whatever the reason, more heroin users will stay in treatment if it involves using methadone or another medication.

Methadone Treatment Facilities
Many drug treatment facilities have built their programs around these pieces of information.  By using medications such as methadone, physicians are able to ease the withdrawal symptoms and to keep the addict in treatment.  Facilities may not be able to come up with statistics that say their patients have completed their program and are clean and drug-free, but that they are heroin-free.  According to many, this is a better alternative.  Many facilities work to help their patients become responsible members of society, by keeping a job or taking care of their family, something heroin addicts find almost impossible.  For those patients that require the use of methadone to achieve those goals, the benefit of living a normal life is worth it.

Schneider, Eric The War on Drugs Redux 1-12-09

Mooney, Bette From Yale to Jail

Mattick, RP Methadone maintenance therapy versus no opioid replacement therapy for opioid dependence

http://wwwdasis.samhsa.gov/teds05/TEDSD2k5Hi.htm

Most people would probably agree that alcoholism is a big problem in our country.  Countless studies have been done and techniques have been used to try to prevent or treat alcoholism.  Some people may be wondering what role non-alcoholic beer can play in the treatment or prevention of alcoholism.  Seems logical, right?  Keep the beer; get rid of the alcohol in order to prevent dependence on alcohol.  As many beer drinkers already know, non-alcoholic beer may not be all that it’s cracked up to be.

History of Non-Alcoholic Beer
Non-alcoholic beer had its beginning in America during the Prohibition in 1919.  At this time brewing companies, such as Anheuser-Busch, Miller, and Schlitz, began producing “near beer” to get around the law of that time.  These drinks were malted beverages that had very low alcohol content (less than .5% alcohol by volume).  In order to remove the alcohol, it was either boiled or filtered from the beer.  It was argued by many that the process of removing the alcohol left the beer tasteless.  Over time, however, people found a way to sneak alcohol back into the bottle or keg of beer, an illegal process that resulted in “spiked beer”.

Today near beer is still made and sold, and in many states it is legal for even minors to purchase and drink it, though some states do require a person to be 21 to drink “non-alcoholic beer”.  This is because even non-alcoholic beer has some alcohol in it.

Cons
Perhaps a logical question would be: “What if individuals with alcohol abuse problems or alcoholics would switch to non-alcoholic beer?”  Wouldn’t that solve our problems?  Well, there are a few major problems with this solution.  First of all, alcohol-free beer in many peoples’ view still does not have the rich flavor of regular beer.  Secondly, even most non-alcoholic beer has a small amount of alcohol, which could cause relapse for recovering alcoholics.  Thirdly, research has shown that the smell of any kind of beer may be enough to cause reactions in an alcoholic’s mind, triggering cravings.  The smell may actually raise the brain’s level of dopamine, which gives the individual a high, making them want more.  It may be the anticipation of drinking alcohol that aids in the addiction for more.

Perhaps it is best for recovering alcoholics to refrain from even non-alcoholic beer for the best chances of recovery.

Pros
While it may not be the best way to satisfy a recovering alcoholic, non-alcoholic beer may have benefits to other individuals.  A study on this subject was done on Spanish nuns and was published online by Nutrition.  According to the study, nuns that drank non-alcoholic beer for 45 days had an increase in antioxidant levels in their bloodstream, something that could have positive effects on the cardiovascular system.

Whether non-alcoholic beer is everything beer drinkers had hoped for or not, it may be on future lists of health-friendly beverages.

Sources

Low-alcohol beer

The Dangers of Drinking NA Beverages February 6, 2004

Non-Alcoholic Beer Origins

Puchala, Jessica Study weighs health benefits of non-alcoholic beer 1/2/2009

Alvarez, Jesus Roman Martinez Effects of alcohol-free beer on lipid profile and parameters of oxidative stress and inflammation in elderly women 22 April 2008

Alcoholism is something millions of people suffer with, and many more are affected by, because of a family member or friend that is an alcoholic.  It is usually something that people try to hide because no one likes to admit they have a problem.  But if a person is dependent on alcohol, it will only be a matter of time before their loved ones either figure it out themselves, or the alcoholic can no longer control their actions and they end up hurting their loved ones or offending them time after time.

It is important for us to become familiar with the warning signs of alcoholism and be watchful of our friends that are showing some of these signs.  The sooner this addiction is caught, the easier it will be to treat.

Alcohol Abuse
Alcoholism starts out as alcohol abuse, which consists of an individual building up their tolerance to alcohol.  Someone that abuses alcohol will begin to drink more and more, and will start showing irresponsible behavior because of the alcohol.  Missing work or classes or getting in trouble with the law (because they are drinking or hung over) are all signs of alcohol abuse.

Signs of Alcoholism
Once a person’s body becomes dependent on alcohol, the person can be considered an alcoholic.  When this happens, there are many more problems that occur, and more severe signs will be present:

Neglect of duties: An alcoholic will continue to neglect other duties or activities.  Things that used to be important to the person will now take a back seat to their opportunity to drink.

Lying: Whether an alcoholic will admit it or not, they will know their drinking is causing problems, and often an alcoholic will begin lying to cover up their drinking.  Lying about the amount they drink, or where they’ve been, or avoiding their loved ones so they don’t find out the truth, are all common warning signs.

Lawbreaking: Usually, someone who drinks a lot will start to do dumb things, including getting in trouble with the law.  Drunk driving, domestic abuse, and criminal activity are all things you can expect from many alcoholics.

Depression: Because alcohol is a depressant, and because an alcoholic feels bad for the hurt they are causing their family, depression is often a problem with alcoholism.  This may exhibit itself in the person feeling extra tired, run down, sad, or even suicidal.

Tolerance: An alcoholic builds up tolerance to alcohol over time, making it necessary for them to drink more and more before getting drunk.  An alcoholic may not feel any effects when drinking the same amount as friends.

An alcoholic will become so dependent on alcohol that it is unsafe for them to stop drinking suddenly on their own.  Physical withdrawal symptoms such as shaking, nausea, and sweating can turn into dangerous conditions that may need to be monitored by a physician.

If you suspect that a friend or family member is an alcoholic, you can begin by calling a help line to get professional advice about how to approach the person.  Alcoholism is often a hidden disease, but with help it is something that can be overcome.

Sources

O’Connor, Betsy Guide for Teens Does your friend have an alcohol or other drug problem? What can you do to help?

D., William 10 Signs You are and Alcoholic Aug. 20, 2007

What Are the Symptoms of an Alcohol Problem?  November 30, 2007

New York may have recently made a breakthrough in the treatment of substance abuse and mental illness.  The Office of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services and the Office of Mental Health are working together for the first time in order to effectively treat the 1.4 million people in New York that are afflicted with both substance abuse and mental illness.

Correlation between substance abuse and mental illness
The problem is not a new one.  Millions of people suffer from both of these diseases, and in many cases one disorder may make the symptoms of the other one worse.  Time and again it is difficult, or impossible, for a patient to get treatment for both, as substance abuse facilities and physicians are usually separate from mental illness facilities.

It may start out as depression that a person suffers throughout their life.  Sometimes it becomes too much to handle, and the person turns to alcohol or drugs to self-medicate and to numb the mental and emotional pain.  But this causes its own set of problems by adding addiction and more depression and mental instability.  This turns into a vicious cycle that needs to be treated in its entirety to be successful.

Or it may be that a person with mental illness is more vulnerable to the effects of substance abuse.  The drugs or alcohol can worsen the symptoms of schizophrenia and other mental illnesses that might otherwise be under control.

It is estimated that 50% of those suffering with severe mental illness also have a substance use disorder.  It’s too bad that too often these people haven’t been able to get the help and treatment that would be the most successful for their situation.

Dual diagnosis
The problem is that many health care facilities either specialize in mental illness, or they specialize in substance abuse.  Usually, Medicaid will only pay for treatment in one type of facility.  If you are already being treated for substance abuse, you would not have benefits to be seen at a mental illness treatment facility.

Even if the treatment would be covered under insurance or Medicaid, many facilities are not equipped to treat both illnesses.  Different training, different techniques, and conflicting views all add a barrier to effective cooperation.  Add to that the difficulty in getting an addict to even step foot in a treatment facility, and it is an even bigger task to get them to visit two doctors for help with two “separate” problems.

New York’s solution
New York is working to revamp services in all of its licensed outpatient mental illness and substance abuse treatment centers.  A grant of $3.2 million from the National Development and Research Institutes Inc. will aid in this.  Health care workers in both fields will receive integrated training in order to be effective in treating both mental illness and substance abuse.

As time goes by, we tend to see things differently.  Maybe years from now we will take dual treatment for granted, and wonder why it took so long to come up with cooperation between health care professionals like the ones New York is working on.

Sources

Bauman, Valerie NY reforms treatment of addiction, mental illness January 11, 2009

Chan, Cindy Support Brings Hope to Those With Mental Illness, Addiction Dec 23, 2008

Drake, Robert M.D., Ph.D. Substance Abuse and Mental Illness

With so many treatment facilities to choose from, the decision for drug rehab may be confusing.  At a critical time in an addicts’ life, an overabundance of drug treatment options may not be the best thing.  It is a big enough step for an individual to admit they need treatment in the first place; it may not be the time to be searching for things like treatment methods, length of stays and success rates.  The problem is that there are many different types of rehab, and clear records of success rates and length of stays are often not kept, leaving addicts and family members unsure of what to expect.  However, the type of rehab you choose will determine the length of stay you can expect, as well as the success rates.

Outpatient Rehab
The least invasive and least time consuming type of treatment is outpatient rehab.  This treatment involves attending therapy and counseling for a few hours per week.  Because of the small amount of time an individual is required to devote to this type of rehab, this type of treatment is only for drug and alcohol users that are not completely addicted to a substance.  The time spent in this type of treatment can vary from weeks to months (median length of stay is reported to be 76 days), and it can be very successful for those in the early stages of substance abuse.

Day Treatment
Day treatment is a more intense type of rehab, where an individual spends all day, every day at the treatment facility.  The only difference between this and inpatient is that the patient is allowed to go home at night.  Because this allows the individual to possibly be exposed to the temptation of their substance, this type is not as successful as inpatient rehab.

Inpatient Rehab
Inpatient rehab, particularly long-term inpatient rehab, has proven to be the most successful for those suffering with severe addiction.  The minimum stay for inpatient is usually 30 days, which usually consists of a detox period and intensive therapy.  Patients in this therapy may continue to stay past the 30 days, often for months, with the median length of stay for this treatment being 53 days.  This length of treatment will allow a patient to learn to change their behaviors and work to become a functioning member of society.

Statistical Reports
Every year, SAMHSA publishes data on the statistics of drug rehab programs from facilities that are licensed or certified by the state substance abuse agency.  According to the report for 2005, the number of patients that dropped out of all types of treatment without completing them was 24 %.  Another 24% of patients had their treatment terminated or failed to finish because of incarceration or other reasons.  In 2005, it is reported that 44% of patients completed treatment, although it is hard to say whether or not the treatment was successful in the long run.  It is common for addicts to revert back to their old lifestyle if their treatment was not effective.  Some states have begun mandating better recording practices by rehab facilities in order to more successfully treat substance abuse.

Sources

Carey, Benedict Drug Rehabilitation or Revolving Door? December 22, 2008
Westphal, Melissa Rehabilitation trends to longer treatment Jan 12, 2009
http://wwwdasis.samhsa.gov/teds05/TEDSD2k5Hi.htm

This article is being posted on behalf of a great friend of Treatment Solutions Network. Carolyn Jacobson is the founder of the Coalition of Labor Union Women, an organization which is the national women’s organization within the labor movement. Click here to download their brochure. This organization and Carolyn herself have a special focus on preventing cervical cancer, one of the biggest and most unnecessary killers of women worldwide. Read on or visit http://www.cluw.org/cervcancer.html for more information.

Coalition Promotes Pearl of Wisdom As Worldwide Symbol of Cervical Cancer Prevention
Washington, D.C. – Jan. 14, 2009 – Marking Cervical Cancer Awareness Month in January, the Coalition of Labor Union Women has joined a coalition of women’s health and advocacy organizations in the United States and Europe in a new, united effort to prevent cervical cancer worldwide.

The Pearl of Wisdom Campaign to Prevent Cervical Cancer (www.PearlofWisdom.us) will raise awareness of cervical cancer, encourage women to take advantage of the means that are now available to prevent it and work to make sure that these methods are accessible to girls and women around the globe – particularly to the underserved populations that have much higher rates of cervical cancer. A central focus of the campaign is the promotion of the Pearl of Wisdom as the global symbol of cervical cancer prevention, designed to help all groups involved unite behind a core set of messages.

“Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women around the world, killing nearly 300,000 women worldwide each year, however, this disease is almost completely preventable,” said CLUW Executive Vice President Jean Hervey, who attributes her cancer-free health to information she learned from CLUW about HPV and preventing cervical cancer.

“Research has established that cervical cancer is caused by persistent infection with a very common virus called the human papillomavirus (HPV), whose presence is seen in 99.7% of all

cervical cancers. So, almost every case of cervical cancer is now preventable through organized screening with Pap tests, HPV tests and immunization programs with HPV vaccines.”

CLUW plans to support the campaign by incorporating it into its ongoing cervical cancer prevention project, Cervical Cancer Prevention Works, which focuses on raising union members’ awareness of HPV’s link to cervical cancer and educating union women on how to prevent this nearly 100% preventable disease.

The Pearl of Wisdom Campaign to Prevent Cervical Cancer was started by the European

Cervical Cancer Association, or ECCA (www.ecca.info) which includes 100 organizations from

across Europe. In addition to CLUW, the U.S. partners include the American Medical Women’s Association, the American Social Health Association, the Balm in Gilead, the Global Summit of Women, the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health, the National Council of Women’s Organizations, the Society for Women’s Health Research, Tamika and Friends, Women In Government, The Yellow Umbrella Organization, and others.

Pearl of Wisdom pins are available at www.PearlofWisdom.us for $6.95 each and are also available in bulk. Proceeds will go to the U.S. Pearl of Wisdom Campaign Fund, dedicated to the support of U.S.-based cervical cancer prevention activities. Visitors can also send “virtual” Pearls of Wisdom to the women in their lives through the website.

“The prevention of cervical cancer is now a realizable goal and the Pearl of Wisdom is the ideal symbol to spread this powerful message. It is my hope that women around the world and, indeed, everyone takes this symbol to heart and supports our united campaign to ultimately eliminate cervical cancer,” said Dr. Anne Szarewski, interim president of the ECCA.

About Cervical Cancer
Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women worldwide. In the U.S., the American Cancer society estimates that 11,070 women will have been diagnosed with cervical cancer and 3,870 women will have died of the disease in 2008. Cervical cancer is caused by high-risk types of the human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is a very common sexually transmitted infection that 3 of 4 adults will have at some time in their lives. Most of these infections go away on their own without treatment. Infections that do not go away on their own can lead to cervical cancer.

A Pap test is the traditional method used for cervical cancer screening. An HPV test identifies women who are infected with high-risk types of HPV that could potentially lead to cervical cancer. Clinical studies suggest that screening with both a Pap test and an HPV test offers women aged 30 and older the best protection against cervical cancer. An HPV vaccine is now FDA-approved for girls and young women ages 9-26. It has been shown to be 100% effective – in women not previously infected – at preventing infection with the two types of HPV that cause approximately 70% of all cervical cancers. HPV vaccination does not protect against all the HPV types that can cause cervical cancer, however, meaning that women who have been vaccinated still need to be screened to protect against the HPV types that are not covered by the vaccine.

About CLUW
CLUW (www.cluw.org) is the only national organization representing U.S. union women. It is committed to four goals of action: to promote affirmative action in the workplace; to strengthen the role of women in unions; to organize unorganized women; and to increase the involvement of women in the political and legislative process.

Cervical Cancer Prevention Works (www.cluw.org/cervcancer.html) is funded by an unrestricted educational grant from Qiagen. The project is part of CLUW’s commitment to the empowerment of  union women through education.

We all know the type; individuals that seem to love throwing caution to the wind and living life in the fast lane, the high rollers and the big spenders – risk takers. A new study has linked the tendency to be a thrill-seeker in a new way to the brain neurotransmitter, dopamine.

Vanderbilt University Dopamine Study
The results of the study done by researchers at Vanderbilt University in Nashville and Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City studied the connection between dopamine and thrilling behavior, to determine what exactly causes this type of personality. The connection has been assumed by many for some time now, but this study looked at the amount of dopamine receptors present in these individual’s brains, which would tell how the brain regulates its dopamine.

Researchers, led by Professor David Zald at Vanderbilt University, studied 34 men and women and classified whether they were risk-takers or not. By asking the subjects a group of questions that looked at factors such as decision-making speed, spontaneity, and adherence to rules, they ranked the individuals on a “novelty-seeking” scale. Then, using position emission tomography, a PET scan, scientists mapped out the subjects’ brains, and looked especially at their dopamine-regulating receptors. The results were exactly as predicted, according to Zald. “This is one of those situations where the data came out essentially perfectly.”

Results
Those individuals that were classified as novelty-seekers, or risk-takers, had fewer of the dopamine receptors, meaning that their brains don’t limit the amount of dopamine it produces during exciting activities. The result of this is a bigger high for these individuals, leading them to want to continue doing the activities, to maintain the high.

Just like jumping out of a plane, betting on a blackjack table, driving too fast, or spending too much, people who take drugs like cocaine or amphetamines do so because it allows them to artificially produce more dopamine. Dopamine is used in everyday life as the reward system of the brain, and it is also what gives an addict their high.

German Dopamine Study
Another study on dopamine receptors was done in Germany and published in Science in December of last year. This study concluded that while completing a learning task, individuals with fewer dopamine receptors had a weaker reaction to negative feedback, meaning simply that they had a harder time learning from their mistakes.

Application for Addiction Treatment
Now the question is whether or not addicts also have fewer dopamine receptors, causing them to experience bigger highs, or to not care as much about the negative results of their actions, and how we can work to manage this. By prescribing medication that replaces the function of the dopamine receptors, an addict may no longer get as big of a high from the drugs, making them potentially non-addicting.

Sources
Park, Alice Why We Take Risks — It’s the Dopamine Dec. 30, 2008

Blue, Laura How We Learn from Our Mistakes Dec. 06, 2007