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Concerned parents are constantly looking for ways to keep their children off drugs. It can be a hard battle to fight, especially if the child has classmates and friends that are already pressuring them to try drugs, and if the parents haven’t taken an opportunity to talk with them about the dangers of drugs yet.
Free Drug Tests
Some counties in New York are using at-home drug kits as a way to arm parents in the drug battle. Suffolk County, Long Island, purchased 16,000 test kits, which they are giving away at no charge to parents. The kits test urine samples for six different drugs, such as marijuana, methamphetamine, and Vicadin. The benefit parents are experiencing through this program is the ease in using the kits, which give results in the privacy of their own home in about 10 minutes.
Drug Abuse Among Teens
Other counties with high drug abuse rates have also begun work to put a program like this into place. These counties, like so many across our country, have seen a rise in recent years of drug abuse among teens. These kids will steal prescription drugs right out of their parents’ medicine cabinets and sell them for a few dollars to friends. Some teens that consume prescription pills can and do suffer serious side effects or even death. Other kids will become hooked and then face a lifetime of trying to get sober. Still others move on to more serious drugs, like heroin, which they can get for even cheaper, but which may have a more devastating effect on their body.
Some of the counties that have purchased the drug kits did so with money from drug paraphernalia seized from teens by law enforcement. The statement being made is that we are now working to fight back against those that would try to drag our counties down with drugs.
Parents Need to Talk to their Kids
The drug test comes in a kit that is designed to get parents to talk to their kids about drugs. It’s not enough to simply test them and then punish them if they have drugs in their system. Parents need to start talking to their kids at a young age and continue having conversations about the risks of drugs. If these free drug kits get more parents to talk to their kids, then it’s worth it. Kids need to know the risks associated with drug abuse, and they need to know how to avoid drug use. These drug test kits are magnetic and can be stuck on a refrigerator, as a reminder to kids about what their parents told them, and maybe give them a reason to stay away from drugs. But most of all, these kits should be used to open up the lines of communication between adults and teens, so we can protect our kids from the world of drugs.
Sometimes people that struggle with alcoholism are easy to spot because of their obvious frequent intoxication. Some people can’t hide the fact that alcohol is ruining their lives.
But for others, spotting the alcoholism isn’t quite so easy. Some people are really good at hiding their drinking and even those close to them might not know they have a problem. Take a good look at friends and relatives this holiday season, and watch for the signs of alcoholism, as the stress of the holidays sometimes brings out the worst in people. It may be difficult to identify an alcohol problem, but the following list of signs may help those that suspect alcoholism in a loved one.
Isolation or absence from work. As alcohol slowly takes over a person’s life, they begin to have difficulty keeping everything in order. They will miss work or commitments because they are drunk or hung over. They will also start to be afraid that people will know of their disease and look down on them, so they will begin to isolate themselves from loved ones.
Emotional ups and downs. Managing an alcohol problem can be very stressful, and thinking of the good old days or how bad things are now can be very emotional. An alcoholic can often turn from happy-go-lucky to depressed or angry in a short amount of time.
Avoiding situations that don’t include alcohol. An alcoholic cannot physically go very long without a drink, or they will begin to suffer withdrawal symptoms including nausea, sweating, and anxiety. If a person has an alcohol problem, they may begin to avoid going places where it is not acceptable to drink, because of the withdrawal symptoms.
Hiding alcohol. A person that sneaks alcohol into places where they shouldn’t is either an alcoholic, or on the verge of being one. Anytime someone feels the need to hide something from loved ones, it probably means that they know they are doing something wrong and are ashamed of it.
Dangerous behavior. Before too long the drinking will catch up with a person and they will not be able to control themselves. Driving drunk or putting themselves in dangerous situations will be more and more common as their judgment gets distorted. They will begin to take more risks, as their drinking begins to take priority over everything in their life.
High tolerance for alcohol. Alcoholics slowly build up a tolerance for alcohol and as a result are able to drink more and more without it affecting them. An alcoholic can usually consume large amounts of alcohol.
There are varying degrees of alcoholism and alcohol abuse, but even those that are just beginning to get caught up with alcoholism may need treatment to stay sober. Loving family members and friends should be willing to step up and encourage them to seek help. There are too many loving family members that stand by and don’t do anything to help people they know that have a problem. We, as concerned individuals, should always be ready to direct a loved one to a help line or treatment facility.
There are times in each of our lives when it is hard to be thankful. Maybe a loved one has just died, or a friend is sick. Maybe finances are not what we had hoped, or we are feeling alone. Maybe substance abuse has caused hurt and frustration among us.
This is a time of year when we focus on being thankful, even when we don’t think we have much to be thankful for. Being grateful for what we do have is a healthy way to look at life, and it will help us be happier, healthier people.
Be Thankful for Recovery
People struggling with substance abuse might find it hard to be happy or thankful, but being thankful is a healthy approach to life. Be thankful that you are still alive, that you are able to think and move. Be thankful for any family members or friends that have stuck with you through it all. Be thankful for the health professionals waiting to help you, and for the hope that one day you will be free of this addiction. Sometimes discontentment will lead to a depression that needs to be treated. For many people, however, simply focusing on the good things of life and being thankful can do wonders for our attitude and life.
Be Thankful for Family
It might be hard for family members of addicts to be thankful. A loved one that has been hurt by a drug addict or an alcoholic may not be particularly thankful for that person. It is important to get help for your own feelings, while encouraging the family member to get help for their addiction. Individuals going through treatment for an addiction are more likely to succeed when they have the support of loved ones. Family is important in the recovery process. A family can choose (sometimes with a little help) to stand behind their loved one and to be thankful that they are getting help.
The road to recovery is never easy, and family members and loved ones should keep this in mind when feelings of anger or resentment creep up. Be thankful that your loved one accepted your help and is getting treatment. Be thankful that the person is still alive and there is hope for recovery. Most importantly, be thankful for the person they are deep down, and for the person they will be again one day.
A little thankfulness can go a long way. It can help fight off depression and anxiety, and it can help in the recovery of an addict. Sometimes, though, it might seem as if there is nothing to be thankful for. In those cases we might need to manufacture a little thankfulness. Go out and enjoy a long walk, and be thankful that you have the strength to do so. Enjoy a sunset and be thankful for the beauty. Become a volunteer for people that have real needs and be thankful that you are able to help. It might not solve all of our problems, but being thankful is helpful for overall health of body and mind.
This story is a nice follow up to several stories we have written lately regarding the effectiveness of treating addiction rather than locking up offenders.
Florida’s prison population has increased five-fold in the past 30 years, while its general population hasn’t even doubled. Today 5.4 of every 100 Floridians are incarcerated.
Meanwhile, each new prison costs roughly $100 million to build and $25 million to operate annually – and the Department of Corrections has plans for three more ready to implement.
Gambling is often glorified in our culture today. Movies and tv shows portray gamblers as powerful, wealthy, and satisfied, when this is sometimes far from the truth.
Gambling, like so many other activities in today’s world, can become addicting after just a few exposures. In our fast-paced world filled with instant gratification, many people are getting caught up with addictions. Gambling addiction is becoming a huge problem among college students, with an estimated 11% suffering with serious gambling addiction, although it can affect any age.
Gambling is like a Drug
Gambling addiction is very similar to drug addiction. A person experiences a feeling of euphoria from winning, which makes them want to gamble some more. The thrill of winning for a gambler can be just as powerful as a high for a drug addict. It leaves them wanting more. Other people that compulsively gamble do so in an effort to win back what they’ve lost. “Just one more time” goes through a gambler’s head over and over while they dwindle away their money.
Just like substance abuse, gambling can totally take over a person’s life. They become preoccupied with it, and it takes priority over other, more important things in their life, including family and work. Intense cravings lead them to spend more time and money than they should on gambling, usually at the expense of things that used to really matter to them.
The Hidden Addiction
Gambling is often called the hidden addiction, because you can’t detect it in a person’s body. While it affects their entire life and thinking, some gamblers are able to hide it from even loved ones for some time. Gambling addiction is also not viewed as being a serious addiction by many. But just because there is not a physical substance being craved by the body doesn’t mean it isn’t dangerous. Any addiction that disrupts a person’s life is serious, and they may need professional help for it.
Compulsive gamblers can suffer from a number of other problems stemming from their addiction. Substance abuse and mental illness are both common for gambling addicts. The gambling problem can quickly lead to other problems, such as unemployment, bankruptcy, and crime.
Help for Gamblers
There is help for those with a gambling problem. Treatment is very similar to that for substance abuse. With the help of a counselor and therapy a person can overcome this addiction. Support groups and follow up treatment are useful to help a person maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Gambling should be treated with care. A person that wants to gamble recreationally should set limits of both time and money for this activity. Then they should be certain to stick to the limits, because it is easy to fall prey to this addiction.
We know drug abuse is bad and we want everyone to get treatment so they can live a healthy, productive life. But people with drug and alcohol addictions cause problems in many other people’s lives as well as their own. A drunken father doesn’t always suffer in silence and leave his family alone. Quite often, he will commit crimes against his family, either physical or mental abuse of his wife or children. A man or woman high on drugs is likely to lash out at their partner, and many domestic crimes have been committed while one or both partners are high on drugs.
The Connection Between Drugs and Domestic Violence
While not all drug addicts and alcoholics are violent toward their partner or kids, almost 80% of domestic violence crimes have a connection to drugs. Therefore, a big part of the solution to domestic abuse is to address the underlying substance abuse. If we can identify substance abusers and get them help, we will also decrease domestic violence.
A person that abuses drugs or alcohol loses control of their lives. Judgment gets cloudy, rational thinking goes out the window, and what they know is wrong when they are sober doesn’t seem so bad then whey are high.
It happens like this: A person has been drinking again and stumbles home in a stupor. They just want to be left alone; they don’t want to cause trouble or hurt anyone again. But the minute they walk in the door, they are agitated because the alcohol has left them feeling irritable. Then, something sets them off – maybe it is a mess their kids left, or something their spouse said – and they lose control. Once they’ve hurt someone once or twice, it’s going to happen again. The bar has been lowered, and each reaction will be as bad, or worse, than the one before.
Domestic Violence Affects People for Life
We may think, what a terrible way for people to live, but domestic violence due to substance abuse happens to so many people, and it stays with them for the rest of their lives. Children that have witnessed domestic violence are often insecure and struggle with school, friends, and relationships as they get older. Partners that are abused often feel forced to stay in the relationship, constantly exposing themselves and possibly children to the abuse for months or years. Even the abusers are living a life they don’t want.
The obvious solution is to get help for those with substance addiction. But this is not so easy, especially when the abused partner feels silenced because of the violence. We need to educate people on the help that is out there for those being abused, as well as for the abuser, because with the right kind of help, these people can turn their lives around.
Private suites, a gourmet chef, a Jacuzzi, horseback riding, and a beautiful view of the ocean. Sounds like a luxurious vacation in a warm-weather climate, doesn’t it? Actually, it is describing the latest in luxury drug rehab.
Luxury drug rehab has a lot to offer for those suffering with drug addiction. Patients are given individualized care, the best accommodations, and access to many different activities and amenities. For those that can afford to go to a luxury rehab facility, transportation is often provided by private car or limousine, and once there, patients are pampered and given the chance to kick back and relax. Music studios, ropes courses, and golf courses are not out of the ordinary for these facilities.
Do Some Research on Facilities
The important question to ask when looking into a luxury rehab facility is: are the programs effective? Many people can and do admit themselves into ritzy treatment vacation homes, taking time away from the real world to rest and recuperate, but doing nothing to heal their substance abuse. Programs that offer a restful experience but no real help for addiction won’t benefit the person in the long run. Treatment facilities, even the luxury ones, should offer counseling and therapy, the 12 Step Process or another proven method, and provide long-term follow up care. Getting away and getting a pedicure is not going to solve a drug problem – what will help is rehabilitation and therapy.
It Still Takes Hard Work
Another thing to watch for with luxury drug rehab is the attitude out there that drug detox will be easy. Very seldom does anyone recover from addiction without serious work, including physical and mental withdrawal from the substance. No matter how nice the accommodations, drug rehab is hard work. A person has to be ready to give it their all, to put in 100%, and be ready for some tough days and weeks while in rehab. It is the determination a person has that really gets them through, not the nice view of the ocean or the gourmet chef. A person that really wants to get sober should be ready for the hard days, as well as the ones that go smoothly.
Many people have found success with luxury drug rehab facilities. The staff is often top of the line, and the personalized care ensures the patient’s needs are met. As long as a person looks carefully to find a highly qualified, results-based facility, and is ready to put in some work to get sober, luxury rehab can be a great way to go.
Eating disorders are more than just a teen trend. They are dangerous and potentially fatal, and they can affect a wide variety of people.
Just like with substance abuse and mental illness, there is usually a complex web of factors that cause an eating disorder. Usually, things like volatile family relationships, social pressures, and media influences can cause an eating disorder. Other factors like stress, depression, and anxiety are often found to be behind the disease. An eating disorder is a mental illness, and requires professional treatment from a group of trained physicians.
Effects of Eating Disorders
There are different types of eating disorders. There is anorexia, where the individual restricts their food intake so much that they starve themselves. There is bulimia, where the person eats in excess, and then throws up or takes laxatives in order to purge themselves of the food. Then there are variations and combinations of the two. Eating disorders dominate a person’s life and they cause an obsession with food and body image. Someone with an eating disorder will take what might start as a healthy consciousness of the body and turn it into a deadly disease of the mind. Nearly 20% of people with an eating disorder die from it, either from starvation or complications because of the unhealthy eating or purging. Organs shut down when not nourished properly, but people with this disease are so wrapped up in it that they can’t see the harm they are doing to themselves. It is very much like substance abuse, in that the individual tries so hard to control something in their life, or deal with stress or anxiety, but they actually ruin their health and life, and are so out of control they can’t help themselves.
Treating Eating Disorders
There are many programs out there that treat people with eating disorders. Usually, these programs incorporate things like medical treatment, weight management, therapy, and nutritional education. Support groups are important for follow up care and to prevent relapse. Researchers have found recently that activities like yoga are beneficial as a supplement to typical treatment for eating disorders. Yoga focuses on reconnecting the body with the mind, and helps individuals cope with stress. Other activities that relieve stress and help focus the mind might prove to be beneficial as well.
Eating disorders are manageable, but often require professional help. Early intervention provides the best chance at full recovery. In order to prevent eating disorders, we should educate the public about these disorders and about healthy exercise and eating. We should also be aware of the super-thin body images portrayed in the media and be wise to the fact that real people have different kinds of body types. Parents should watch for signs that their child has an eating disorder, but be aware that people with these disorders will go to great lengths to conceal them.
As much as I love putting people on blast, sometimes (who am I kidding, all the time) you come across a piece of information that is so disturbing and so ubiquitous that it is impossible to direct your frustration at just one individual. Believe me, I’d love to identify one culprit for the following fact but like most staggering facts associated with addiction, we need to dig deep to find the origin of the problem.
With that said, this week I found myself blown away by something other than how disturbing this whole healthcare reform is being handled. I was thinking about how this presidential, healthcare dog and pony show is such a disaster and how so many educated people out there are actually buying tickets to watch as the poodle jumps over the horse that I found myself scrambling to read something that would divert my attention. I grabbed the first thing I could get my hands on, which happened to be a piece written about correctional (what a misnomer) facilities and recidivism.
I know, not exactly the best ‘feel good’ material but anything is better than watching the healthcare shuffle! Regardless, one of the first things I read was discussing substance abuse in the prison systems and more importantly, the fact that as most of us in the addiction field know, the best way to limit recidivism (and save millions in taxpayer dollars) is to provide inmates with quality addiction treatment programs inside prisons and of equal importance, have continuation programs ready for them upon release. Then I read something that blew my mind, earlier this year, researchers at the National Institute on Drug Abuse estimated that about half of the 7.1 million Americans now locked up or on probation have some sort of addiction. But only one in five of those addicts receives effective treatment. That figure is beyond disturbing from the human standpoint, and painful from the taxpayer perspective.
“For every dollar that you spend on treatment of substance abuse in the criminal justice system, it saves society on average four dollars,” NIDA director Nora Volkow told Scientific American in January. Her review of the scientific literature showed that rehab programs behind bars are good at keeping prisoners from returning to drugs once they’re back on the streets. As an example, Volkow cited a prison program that treated heroin addicts with methadone. Addicts who received that treatment were seven times more likely than their unrehabbed peers to stay off heroin after their release, and three times more likely not to commit another offense.
Consider this, this year, hundreds of thousands of inmates have languished on the waiting list for their respective correctional facility’s in-house addiction-treatment program. They actually want help and know the answer but are not being afforded the opportunity, while taxpayer dollars are being squandered on things that infuriate me. Matters are darker for an addict outside of jail, on probation. It can take 4 – 20 weeks to get into a county probation department’s residential treatment program. In 20 weeks, an addict on the streets can find a lot of substances to abuse, a lot of crimes to commit, a lot of trouble to get into. Whether he ends up in the county emergency room or back in jail, the taxpayer will pick up the tab. Heroine addicts are dope sick in a matter of hours and for those of you who have never seen or experienced dope sickness, it would make your grandmother at least consider strong-armed robbery. Now ask someone who knows nothing but the streets to wait 20 weeks…good luck with that!
Listen, it isn’t just a way to keep things moving in the right direction, save lives and make the world a safer place, but it is also a whole lot cheaper to provide the troubled with treatment. We need to correct the corrections or this cycle will continue to get steeper. Think about all of this and share your thoughts with me…something needs to happen now!
Here at Treatment Solutions Network we have very strong ties to those who serve our communities, protecting and serving day in and day out. We are proud of these men and women and have a particular affinity for the Boston Fire Department. We were very happy when one of our friends forwarded us this video detailing the service of Boston Fire. Enjoy!
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Concerned parents are constantly looking for ways to keep their children off drugs. It can be a hard battle to fight, especially if the child has classmates and friends that are already pressuring them to try drugs, and if the parents haven’t taken an opportunity to talk with them about the dangers of drugs yet.
Sometimes people that struggle with alcoholism are easy to spot because of their obvious frequent intoxication. Some people can’t hide the fact that alcohol is ruining their lives.
There are times in each of our lives when it is hard to be thankful. Maybe a loved one has just died, or a friend is sick. Maybe finances are not what we had hoped, or we are feeling alone. Maybe substance abuse has caused hurt and frustration among us.
Eating disorders are more than just a teen trend. They are dangerous and potentially fatal, and they can affect a wide variety of people.
