Christian drug rehab is not a new concept. Alcoholics Anonymous and the 12 Steps were founded on the principle that we need to focus on and gain strength from a higher power to help us recover from our addiction. Spirituality is something that is able to really inspire and motivate many people, because it gives them a new focus and the strength to make it through hard times and struggles.

Benefits to Christian Drug Rehab

There are many benefits to Christian drug rehab. First of all, a study of scripture shows us that we are not perfect, that our lives are a mess, and that we don’t even deserve anything better than that. But the Bible also shows us that we are saved from our sinfulness through our Savior Jesus Christ. The fact that Christ cares about us and wants to have a relationship with us (even the most serious drug addict), gives us motivation to clean up. Christian drug rehab refocuses our lives and puts the emphasis back on God, our “higher being” from the 12 Steps. There is a hope for our future, it’s called heaven, and because of that hope, we can let go of all the struggles and pain and wrongdoings here on this earth. This world is not what matters. What matters is our eternal future.

Programs at Christian Rehab Facilities

There are many organizations and churches that offer drug treatment and support groups for addicts. These are fine and beneficial for some people, but those people that have a real addiction still controlling their life need to be in a professional rehab facility. Professional Christian drug rehab facilities provide help from treatment professionals who have experience helping patients break free from addiction. They may use the 12 Steps and other principles that are known to work to treat addiction. The difference is that Christian drug rehab facilities also incorporate Bible study, group therapy and prayer, and counseling by a Christian therapist. Oftentimes a Christian facility will offer family treatment, where the bond between family members is encouraged to help the patient overcome their addiction. Another way these Christian drug rehab facilities help people with substance abuse is through a focus on nature and God’s creation. Often located in peaceful ocean or mountain settings, these facilities offer plenty of opportunities to relax and appreciate the beauty of nature.

Just like with any drug treatment facility, patients and family members should weigh the benefits of a facility and find one that is a good match to providing what they need. Many people struggling with substance abuse can benefit greatly from the Bible study, the commonality of others of the same faith, and the strength and the hope that is given at Christian drug rehab.

Sources

http://www.christianrecoverysolutions.net/

http://www.lighthousenetwork.org/content/

http://www.abttc.net/c-7-christian-programs.aspx

We certainly don’t want to live our lives as always suspicious or paranoid, but there are times when it would be helpful to know if someone we love has a problem with an addiction. Maybe then we’d be able to help them, or offer them support, or at least we could encourage them try to stay away from the drug or drink or activity that is causing the problem. The best thing to do if you have reason to believe someone is caught up in an addiction is to talk honestly with them and encourage them to seek professional help.  Below are four signs that a loved one may have an addiction.

Separation from close family and friends. Someone with an addiction will often become more reserved and avoid family and close friends. Part of the reason behind this is that they are embarrassed of the addiction, and they are afraid a loved one will be disappointed if they find out.

Dependence on a substance or activity. Someone with an addiction will not be able to go long without the substance. If you suspect a friend is an alcoholic because they are always talking about drinking, but they can go for days without a drink, they are not dependent on alcohol. They might very well have a problem with alcohol abuse, but not alcoholism yet. In the same way, anorexic and bulimic individuals cannot turn their disease on and off for a day any more than a drug addict can go more than a day without their drug. However, anyone that is abusing a substance like a drug or alcohol, or is experimenting with harmful activities needs help too. Addiction has to start somewhere, and it often begins when people are just “trying” the substance to see what it’s like. Getting help early, before an addiction has taken hold, is the best chance for recovery.

Loss of interest and focus. Addicts lose interest in things they used to care about. As the addiction takes over their life, nothing else will seem as important to them, including the basic necessities of life. In the same way, they will become irresponsible with things like family commitments or work, as they devote all their time and energy to the addiction.

Change in daily patterns. Addicts may show a change in eating and sleeping patterns. They know their addiction is wrong and hurting their lives and the lives of those close to them, but once the addiction has taken hold, it can’t easily be stopped. Sleepless nights, lack of desire to eat, and depression are all common results of many addictions.

Family members of addicts will often know that something is wrong with their loved one, but they might not always know what it is. While someone with an addiction problem may be able to hide their problem for some time, eventually those around them will start noticing the change. It is important for loved ones to take the time to confront them about an addiction, and offer to help them get professional help.

Sources

http://helpguide.org/mental/drug_substance_abuse_addiction_signs_effects_treatment.htm

http://www.theantidrug.com/pdfs/resources/teen-rx/CADCA_Strategizer52.pdf

http://www.news-medical.net/news/2004/04/07/354.aspx

Responsibility can be defined as “the ability or obligation to act or decide on one’s own, without supervision”. In active addiction, there was very little that I took responsibility for besides getting and using the next drink or drug. For everything else, I relied on my family and friends to enable me, care for me and clean up after the wreckage I often left in my wake.

When I came into this new way of life, I learned that I was responsible for my own recovery. This meant that I had both the ability and the obligation to decide for myself whether or not to attend meetings, whether or not to work a 12-step program and ultimately whether or not to stay clean. It didn’t mean I was alone in the process, but it did mean that it was also up to me to ask for help or guidance when I needed it. The more I embraced responsibility, the more freedom and joy I experienced.

Responsibility for an addict or alcoholic is a very daunting concept. For so long in our active addiction, we ran from it out of fear. Working at Treatment Solutions Network, I get to stand with the suffering addict or alcoholic and help them face this fear. With this assistance of their loved ones, healthcare providers, EAP’s, or other community members, I am able to help them to help themselves and make the decision to seek a new way of life.

At Treatment Solutions Network, we’re experts at streamlining the process of finding the appropriate level of help for the suffering addict or alcoholic, from the initial phone call to dealing with the insurance companies, to assisting in travel and throughout the entire treatment process. But no matter how good we are at what we do, it’s ultimately the addict or alcoholic who makes the decision, in spite of their fears, to begin taking responsibility for their lives. From there, anything is possible.

Prescription painkiller abuse is a problem throughout our country, but the central location for much of the crisis appears to be south Florida. Nowhere else in our country can you find more pain clinics, where prescription after prescription of addicting drugs is given out to nearly everyone that requests them. The pain clinic ordeal in Florida is full of suspicion and trouble, and twists and turns have many people wondering how some of these clinics are able to get away with so much.

Pain Clinics and MRI Scans

First of all, there is no regulation of these pain clinics yet. A new one opens nearly every day in south Florida, and many are storefront offices that prescribe meds to patients without any apparent medical need. Most clinics will require the patient to submit an MRI, but many opponents would argue that the doctors never even look at the test results and simply hang on to them in case they need to show a medical reason for the painkillers. But another twist in the story is that there are now mobile MRI clinics that park themselves outside strip clubs or bars and take patients 24 hours a day. These MRI scans are performed for $250-$300 cash. Since they do not bill clients or insurance companies, these mobile clinics typically are not on the list of those that get inspected.

The problem with these kinds of operations is that the pills given to many of these patients are not really to ease their pain or discomfort. They are drugs being bought and sold to addicts, not only in south Florida, but they are making their way across the country. These drug dealers and addicts have found an easy way to get their hands on a large number of pills, either to support their own addiction, or to sell for a profit to others.

Addiction Treatment at Pain Clinics

Another twist in the story comes from some of these pain clinics that are now offering addiction treatment. For many, this seems like yet another way for these “pill mills” to make money. First, their poor management of prescriptions and monitoring of patients causes many to get hooked on their drugs such as valium, oxycodone, or others. Then, they offer still more medications, namely Suboxone, to treat the addiction. There is no behavioral therapy or treatment that goes along with the rehab, nor is it done by trained professionals. Instead, they promote a one-stop attitude of receiving addicting drugs, then getting more drugs to treat the addiction. But by going to these pain clinics for addiction treatment, a patient is not getting away from the problem, and instead, is being exposed to drug dealers, pill poppers, and the same environment in which they became addicted.

The state of Florida is currently working on ways to regulate these practices. New laws have been passed that will enforce stricter qualifications for pain doctors, better monitoring of prescriptions, and investigation of clinics. Many people just hope these measures are enough to control the out-of-control prescription painkiller business.

Sources

South Florida pain-clinic doctors also treat drug addicts

State takes first step to crack down on pain clinics

Some MRI centers help addicts, dealers get pain pills

There has been some recent controversy regarding patient databases that work to prevent and curb prescription drug abuse. One of the latest databases is located in Minnesota. Pharmacies across the state are required to enter patient and doctor information for every prescription they fill. This central database can be accessed by doctors and pharmacists to see if a patient has had the prescription filled elsewhere or through a different doctor. It sounds like a good idea, and the offenders are easy to spot. These are the people that visit two doctors or hospitals in the same day, or go from doctor to doctor to have their prescriptions refilled.

Prescription Painkiller Abuse

Prescription painkiller abuse affects millions of people, and in Minnesota it is an estimated 117,000 adults per year. Prescription abusers visit numerous doctors in order to get several prescriptions. These addicts have perfected the technique of “doctor shopping” like this in order to get enough pills to satisfy their addiction.

Against the Database

Some people, however, are in opposition to the streamlined database because they believe doctors will begin to practice in fear of being investigated. However, that’s not what the database is designed for, and the government is even prohibited from using it to check up on doctors. Doctors should appreciate this new system as a way to help them do their job better. These doctors should be the ones to spot an addiction and step in and get help for the person. The database should be an aid to them, not a hindrance.

Education is Necessary

The problem with the database is that there are no set rules as to what doctors or pharmacists are required to do with the information they discover. The system won’t work if it is dependent on professionals going out of their way to help all who need it. In some states where doctor participation is voluntary, only 13% of doctors statewide have actually registered with the site.

There could be more stringent regulations put on the systems. Doctors could be required to check the database before prescribing a new controlled substance, but then it causes more work and stress to their already tight schedule. Pharmacists could be required to turn patients away without filling prescriptions, but then we run into the problem of what to do with those that legitimately need the high doses of pain meds. The addicts will find another way to get their drugs if they are turned away from doctors or pharmacists – what they really need is professional help.

With regulations and proper education, this kind of database should be helpful in the effort to stop the abuse of prescription painkillers. Doctors and pharmacists need to know the ways they can help someone that has been abusing their prescriptions. With databases established in at least 34 states, our country is on its way to not only statewide, but possible a countrywide monitoring program.  

Sources 

Ohio doctors group ‘likely to oppose’ proposed law

Minnesota targeting painkiller abusers

Rx database urged despite money woes

One thing more and more parents are struggling with is knowing if their teen is using drugs or not. Many parents have suspicions about their adolescent trying drugs, or hanging out with friends that use drugs. There are many home drug test kits that allow parents to test their child themselves, but this isn’t always the way to go. Even with all the advances in technology and testing methods, kids are coming up with new ways to cheat on drug tests.

Ways to Cheat on Drug Tests

Anyone doing a quick internet search can come up with countless hits on the topic of how to cheat on a drug test. Teens can and do try lots of easy-to-use tricks such as diluting urine samples with liquids, drinking or ingesting certain substances to mask the drugs, or trying to pass someone else’s urine off as their own. Websites market urine screens that “cleanse” the urine of illegal substances, or ship clean urine to be substituted. However, drug testing methods are becoming more and more advanced, and are able to even detect when a sample has been tampered with or diluted, but many of these tests are only found in a medical lab setting.

Hard to Ensure Accuracy

Some parents believe they are doing a good thing when they make their teen take a drug test and it comes back negative. In many cases, however, a negative test result doesn’t mean the teen isn’t using drugs. Parents need to be more aware of the ways adolescents cheat on drug tests. While it is good to have trust in our teens, we need to be wise to the fact that a teen will lie and cheat to stay out of trouble. Parents cannot simply administer a drug test and believe their kids are clean. Some teens will change to a different type of drug, one that can’t be detected in at-home tests. Other teens switch to inhaling or ingesting other harmful substances that aren’t “drugs”. More than anything, it is important for parents to develop a good relationship with their teen and keep the lines of communication open. We don’t like to doubt our kids, but sometimes for their own safety, it is necessary.

Believing the Excuses

Many parents that find their teen’s test has come back positive for an illegal substance will not want to believe their child is using drugs. Teens will come up with a host of excuses as to why they failed the test, and parents often believe the excuses. It is amazing how many times “I took a drink of my friend’s soda that was laced with drugs” actually works with unsuspecting parents.

Parents should work on getting to know their teen and their teen’s friends better, as well as what kinds of temptations are plaguing their kids every day. Home drug tests often give parents a false sense of security that their child is clean. If a test does come back positive, rather than listen to excuses, this is the time that parents should seek professional help for their teen.

Sources

Most Common Urine Drug Test Cheating Methods Used by Teens

5 Ways Teens Might Cheat on Drug Tests—and How to Catch Them

Home Drug Tests Given to L.I. Parents

Anyone who has been through a tough time at a drug rehab facility here in the United States has nothing to complain about, according to the latest stories coming out of China. The country reportedly has a very strict treatment system that it requires convicted drug abusers to go through. Police can issue requests on the spot for urine samples, and that evidence can send an offender to a compulsory drug rehab center. There is no background investigation required or any history taken to evaluate the person’s past drug use, or even a trial. The perpetrator is sent straight to a detox facility, which has a minimum stay of 2 years, but can be longer.

Once in the facility, reports say that there is no drug treatment program. Inmates go through detox on their own or with a splash of cold water to the face. There is a general lack of medical care, even for serious sicknesses or diseases. Food and care are minimal, and there are reports of abuse at these centers. For those inmates well enough to work, they are forced to work at local farms or factories, leading some to accuse the government of using these inmates as cheap labor. Nearly half a million Chinese citizens are in the system at any given time.

After a person has served their time and been released, they carry that punishment around the rest of their lives. The drug offense goes on their national identification card, branding them as drug addicts and making it difficult to get a job or lead a normal life.

Tough Punishments for Drug Crimes

China is also tough on penalties for drug traffickers. The recent execution of Akmal Shaikh, a British citizen, is one example. Shaikh, who was caught smuggling heroin into China, caused a lot of tension between the two countries. Shaikh’s family and the British government claimed the man suffered from mental illness and deserved an evaluation. China, resentful of illegal drugs being brought into the country, refused and went ahead with the execution.

Even after all the reports of a bad drug treatment system and the strict punishments of drug crimes, China still has a drug problem. You might think that the fear death or of serving 2 years in a Chinese drug rehab center would deter people, but these facilities have a 98% relapse rate.

What can we learn from China?

First of all, we can learn that even with the strictest of punishments, drug addicts can easily relapse. Prison doesn’t heal drug addicts, treatment does. It is important for those with drug problems to get counseling, support, and long term follow-up care.

Secondly, we can learn how easily drug abuse and mental illness go hand in hand. It is not unreasonable for Shaikh’s family to claim he had mental illness. We can’t deny that he committed a crime, but he could have benefitted from treatment for both drug abuse and mental illness.

It is important for those that want stricter punishments for drug abusers to take a good look at the information available and see how much more effective proper treatment is for healing abuser rather than punishment.

Sources

Britain strongly condemns China for execution of drug trafficker

China stands firm by its principles despite a British outcry

Addiction Treatment in China Means Physical Abuse, Forced Labor

China Turns Drug Rehab Into a Punishing Ordeal

Don’t we sometimes get tired of bad news? We often find ourselves getting frustrated when reading the newspaper, watching tv, or reading journals because statistics and news are often about negative things. Sometimes it is depressing to hear all the bad things going on in the world.

Sometimes what we need is a change in attitude. Maybe we need to stop dwelling on the bad things, and focus on all the good that is out there. Take for example, teen drug and alcohol abuse. We hear statistics about the increase in prescription drug abuse among teens, or the number of college students that drink, and we might feel like throwing our hands up and giving in. What we really need to do, however, is find the little positives, the good things kids are doing, the small victories.

The Perception of Peer Pressure

The majority of kids actually don’t do drugs. We can’t deny the fact that there are too many that do, but most kids don’t. When teens are under the impression that everyone else does drugs and everyone experiments with alcohol, the peer pressure just closes in on them, and it will seem like such a big task to them to stay away from it. Teens need to know that they aren’t alone in the struggle, that there are plenty of others feeling what they are feeling and working to stay away from drugs.

Positive Role Models

Kids really need role models as they grow up, and knowing that others have made it through the teenage years without trying drugs will help them a great deal. Older siblings, kids in higher classes, and even their own classmates can serve as role models. Parents should also be good role models for their kids. When parents show responsibility and healthy practices, their kids will pick up on that quickly. Parents should be involved with their kids’ lives, be supportive, and be prepared to initiate tough conversations about not getting involved with drugs or alcohol.

Positive Activities to Avoid Drug Abuse

Another thing parents can and should do is encourage their kids to get involved in positive activities. Teens are a very capable group of people, and parents should expect much more from them than to just hang out with friends and get in trouble. The teen years are a time for enlightening and education, and it is when people really get to know who they are. Parents should give their kids opportunities to get involved with different things, to develop those talents and interests. Don’t dread the teenage years as something you are lucky if you and your child survive. Open up the world for them, encourage their curiosity of things in the world and watch them do great things with their lives.

Sometimes when we expect the worst, that’s just what we get. We need to surround ourselves and our children with positive attitudes, positive influences, and positive expectations.

Sources

samhsa.gov

How Parents Can Prevent Teen Drinking

Working Youth Educate

The Anti Drug

A new study reported in the New York Times states that children receiving Medicaid are four times as likely to receive antipsychotic drugs as those from families with regular health insurance. This news has many people in the field of mental health wondering if these children are receiving the best care possible. The study was led by a team from Rutgers and Columbia and is scheduled to be published this year, but the news of it has already caused a stir.

Overmedicating

Many see these results as evidence that the system for treating poor youth suffering from mental illness or other disorders is failing. While middle or upper class children may receive family counseling and psychotherapy for their mental illness, those from poor families are just prescribed meds on the first visit and then sent on their way. Some doctors admit that it is easier to prescribe medications. Oftentimes, these kids are getting the prescriptions from their regular pediatrician that isn’t specialized in treating mental illness, because the wait is so long to see a psychiatrist. Many of these parents whose children are on Medicaid may not be willing or able to take their child to therapy sessions or work with them at home, which is another factor that may deter physicians from trying alternate approaches.

Poverty and Mental Illness

Some people argue that the number of children that have some form or mental illness from poor families is double that of children from middle class families. There are many reasons why kids from poor households may suffer a higher rate of mental illness. The stress of poverty, poorer schools, poorer preventative health care, single parents, and parents that are mentally ill themselves are all factors that many children on Medicaid face.

Still, this does not explain why this study shows that four times as many poor children are receiving the medications. The study also shows that children on Medicaid are in general not receiving much treatment for mental disorders other than the prescriptions. Therapy and counseling are also necessary, even with medications. And many of these Medicaid children are being put on antipsychotic medications for things like ADHD or persistent defiance disorder, things that are less serious and actually not proven to be managed by these kinds of drugs. And these medications sometimes come with a price. Side effects from taking these drugs include drastic weight gain and metabolic changes, things that will affect these kids for life.

Children from poor families need to be evaluated and given the same level of care as any other person. With disputes over what drugs should be covered by Medicaid going on around the country, large drug companies are showing they will do all they can to continue to get their medications out there. Doctors, however, need to make sure they always keep the best interest of the patients in mind.

Sources

When state evaluates drugs for mental health, drug makers play undisclosed role

Low Income Kids Prescribed Antipsychotic Drugs

Poor Children Likelier to Get Antipsychotics 

Children + Medicaid = More Antipsychotics

Pothead or stoner is a term often used to refer to someone who regularly smokes marijuana. The term, although derogatory, is often fitting, as marijuana tends to mellow the mind. A recent story about a pot grower from Florida who fell for the police’s ransom note illustrates this point perfectly.

Steven Locasio of Marathon, Florida, was recently picked up for cultivation and sale of marijuana after he fell for one of the oldest tricks in the book. Police found Locasio’s plot of 6 marijuana plants growing in a wooded lot, but weren’t able to trace it back to the person responsible. So they seized the plants, and as a last ditch effort, left a fake ransom note saying, “Thanks for the grow! You want them back? Call for the price…We’ll talk.” It didn’t take Locasio long to take the bait and call the ransom number, ready to negotiate. When he met to buy the plants back for $200, he was surprised to find out it was the police he was dealing with.

Marijuana and Brain Damage

While it may be debated whether or not this guy should win the dumbest pothead award, you can’t deny that doing drugs interferes with intelligence. Some drugs actually seem to “fry” the brain, just as the anti-drug tv campaign from the 1980’s stated. People do dumb things all the time when on drugs. The majority of crimes that are committed are drug-related. Sometimes it is because the person is so desperate to get their hands on their drugs that they will do anything to get them. Other times, a person’s judgment is just clouded because of the drug use. Many drugs, however, physically change the chemistry of the brain. A new study done in 2009 at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre in Montreal showed that marijuana caused long lasting changes in serotonin and norepinephrine levels of the brain. This causes increased anxiety, stress, and depression, even after the marijuana use has stopped. Marijuana has also been found to impact the user’s cognition and emotion. All these effects on the brain should be a concern for those that use marijuana, and when the exposure is more frequent or carries on for an extended period of time, you can expect the damage to be even worse.

So while those under the influence of marijuana may seem laid back and relaxed, the drug is actually causing long-term or permanent damage to the brain. Problem solving, memory, concentration and perception may all show the effects. Marijuana may also affect the rest of the body adversely. Rapid heart beat, low blood pressure, respiratory problems, and decreased immune system function are all possible side effects.

Marijuana is one of those substances that many people don’t see the harm in. It is the most commonly used recreational drug and because it doesn’t cause fatal overdoses, many see it as harmless. But based on the evidence of recent studies, as well as other known adverse effects of marijuana, it should be avoided just like other drugs.

Sources

Fla. Cops Hold Pot Plants Hostage, Leave Ransom Note for “Dumbest” Grower

Teen Marijuana Use Might Have Lasting Effects on Mood, Anxiety

Mind Over Matter: Marijuana

The Health Effects of Marijuana