Conquer Addiction with Rapid Detox

June 20, 2014 Addiction, Drug Education, Drug Testing, Drug-free WorkplaceAdam BellLeave a comment

When speaking of rehab the first thing that usually comes to mind is detox. Chills, sweats, headaches, vomiting, diarrhea and shakes are all symptoms of detox. Not to mention the emotional and mental affects detox has. What if you had another option to skip all of the horrible symptoms of detox? Well now you do.

There is something called the Waismann Method. This professional and private facility performs what they like to call Rapid Detox. Rapid Detox is a safer and more humane way to detox. During Rapid Detox you are put under moderate anesthesia in the ICU of an accredited hospital, and are monitored by an board certified anesthesiologist and pain management specialist. The procedure lasts about 60-90 minutes. Every procedure performed, is tailored to each and every person individually. Patients who undergo Rapid Detox stay in the hospital after their procedure an average of 2-4 days. Waismann also offers an aftercare facility called Domus Retreat instead of the patient staying in a motel or hotel. Domus is private and the staff specializes in opiate addiction.

The price for the Waismann Rapid Detox and post care at Domus ranges from $15,800 to $22,800. This includes 5 to 10 days inpatient, private rooms, full professional care and supervision. The Waismann Method has been practiced for over 15 years now with a very high success rate. Treating people from all over the world with customized care for each individual.

New Medical Device for Overdose Victims

June 20, 2014 Addiction, Drug Testing, Drug-free WorkplaceAdam BellLeave a comment

Loved ones of those struggling with drug addiction have a new tool to fight drug overdoses. The Food and Drug Administration this spring gave marketing approval to a new medical device that injects a different drug to counteract the effects of heroin and other opioids. The approval would give family members the ability to act quickly to save a life – even before medical help arrives.

When drug addicts overdose on heroin or prescription opioids, their heart rate and breathing can slow or even stop, causing death. While the addict experiences a euphoric effect, the drug is binding to receptors in the brain that control functions such as breathing. Many addicts die because they’ve stopped breathing. A different drug, Naloxone, can counteract opioids’ effects by blocking opioids from connecting to receptors in the brain. But historically, Naloxone has been administered by paramedics at the scene or by doctors in a hospital emergency room. When an addict overdoses, time can mean the difference between life or death. An injection given by a family member or friend who finds the addict can start the medical treatment right away. “When Naloxone works, the results can be dramatic: Comatose patients can wake up in minutes,” Dr. David Throckmorton, deputy director for regulatory programs in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Re search wrote in a blog post following the agency’s approval of the device.

The new medical device, called Evzio, was developed by Richmond, Va. company kaleo Pharma. Evzio works more quickly and simply than standard syringes. The pre-filled device is the first of its kind for administering Naloxone, though it is comparable to an Epi-Pen, a different auto-injector that people can use to quickly administer epinephrine in the event of a severe allergic reaction. In order to deliver a Naloxone injection to an addict, the caregiver would simply need to hold the cell phone-sized device to the addict’s thigh. It even works over clothing.

The Drug Policy Alliance, a group that advocates on drug policy, reports that heroin deaths account for more than 26,000 U.S. deaths a year and the trend is rising. The group welcomed the device as an additional tool for administering Naloxone, also called Narcan. But the group said other delivery methods may be more affordable. The Drug Policy Alliance also cautioned that addicts who receive Evzio injections would still need professional medical attention and family members should call 911.

Evzio received FDA marketing approval in April – more than two months ahead of the expected approval decision date thanks to an accelerated approval process for products that fulfill unmet medical needs. Kaleo has not yet disclosed its timeline for launching sales of the device, which would be available by prescription. For more information on drug addiction issues contact us.

Drug Abuse in Senior Adults

June 6, 2014 Addiction, Drug Education, Drug Testing, Drug-free WorkplaceAdam BellLeave a comment

When asked to visualize a typical drug addict, people often imagine some misguided Millennial, glass-eyed and needle-scarred, wasting her youth and her body in an ignominious alley. Or they may picture an unkempt bum, swaddled in a mishmash of mismatched rags, swaying and slurring as he panhandles on a downtown sidewalk. They may think of an unfortunate veteran who never really made it back from the war, a musclebound thug covered in gang ink, or a greasy conman slithering in a smoke-damp barroom. Despite the fact that addiction does not discriminate, stereotypes remain.

In part because these stereotypes are so persistent, few people associate drug addiction with their grandparents. Nevertheless, statistics show senior citizens becoming addicted to anti-anxiety medications and opioids at an alarming rate. A study conducted by the Administration on Aging predicted a 100% increase in the misuse of prescription drugs by older Americans by 2020.

How did pain pills and benzodiazepines become trending drugs in the US, and why are seniors misusing them? An investigation by USA Today indicated that a combination of over-medication on the part of doctors and increased health problems among the elderly were major contributing factors. On the one hand, senior citizens undergo more surgeries and struggle with more anxiety disorders than the rest of the population. On the other hand, some doctors seem entirely too willing to rely on frequently abused prescription medications to treat these patients’ ailments. In the last five years, opioid and benzodiazepine prescriptions for people 65 and older have risen by 20 and 12%, respectively, according to USA Today’s findings.

Another part of the problem may stem from the fact that Baby Boomers comprise much of today’s senior-citizen population. The Boomers’ proclivity for drug use in the 1960s and ‘70s may have predisposed many of them to drug-seeking behavior in their later years. Moreover, groups such as the Administration on Aging and The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence agree that doctors are more willing to write prescriptions – including prescriptions for controlled substances – for older patients.

Fortunately, treatment is available for seniors who struggle with substance abuse: Some rehabilitation centers focus on or work exclusively with the elderly population. Open communication and drug screening can help seniors and their families to identify the problem and find the help they need.

Opiate Addiction and Treatment

May 15, 2014 Addiction, Drug Education, Drug Testing, Drug-free WorkplaceAdam BellLeave a comment

What is Opiate Drug Addiction and How is it Treated?

Opiate drug addiction can occur when pain medication prescribed by a physician are abused and taken in dosages beyond the prescribed amount. It can also occur when a person takes illegal, recreational narcotics, such as heroin.

One of the big problems with opiate drug addiction is that the addict’s ability to produce natural pain killers, called endorphins, is suppressed by blocking pain receptors that causes them to be produced. The addict is more prone to pain, which caused him or her to seek more drugs to suppress that pain, setting up a vicious cycle. Without treatment the addiction can result in overdose followed by death.

Addiction can result from prescription pain killers in some cases. Someone is prescribed an opiate, such as Vicodin or Oxycotin to handle a sports injury and find him or herself still taking the drug long after the initial injury has been healed, thanks to the vicious cycle of pain followed by more medication followed by more pain. Prescription drug addiction has become a major problem, according to the Department of Justice. It is estimated that 36 million Americans have abused prescription drugs, including opiates, at least once in their lives.

According to WebMD, withdrawals from opiate drug addiction can be hard to endure and is a leading cause of relapse. During a gradual detoxification program, certain drugs, such as methadone, are used to suppress the drug craving symptoms without providing the euphoria related to opiates. The dosage of these drugs is gradually decreased as the patient is freed from the physical dependency to the drug. There are also rapid detoxification procedures that involve the patient being given powerful opiate blocking drugs while being placed under general anesthesia. This procedure is not considered more effective than the more traditional kinds of detox and can be more dangerous.

For more information contact us!

Drug Addiction: Don’t lose hope!

April 30, 2014 Addiction, Drug Education, Drug Testing, Drug-free WorkplaceAdam BellLeave a comment

How can Drug Rehab/Treatment Help an Addict?

When you watch a loved one suffer through the different stages of addiction and see them struggle with staying clean and embracing a new life in recovery, you may think this will never be over.

Please do not give up. They can recover.

The addict in your life may not have found the right Drug Rehab/Treatment program yet. Or they may not be done with their days of using yet. Unfortunately, until they are ready to completely commit themselves to abandoning their old way of life, they will not be capable of fully investing themselves in what it takes to get clean and sober and actually take the first step on the road to recovery.

Frustrating is probably an understatement when describing the rollercoaster of emotions you, as someone who loves an addict, has experienced as you watch them engage in the selfish, impulsive self-destruction. The addict in your life may tell you they want to recover, however, it may seem to you that this is not true.

Perhaps it would help you better understand the contradiction between their spoken words and their actions if you consider the definition of addiction.

“Addiction is a primary, chronic disease of brain reward, motivation, memory and related circuitry. Addiction is characterized by inability to consistently abstain, impairment in behavioral control, craving, diminished recognition of significant problems with one’s behaviors and interpersonal relationships, and a dysfunctional emotional response,” excerpted from ASAM’s Short Definition of Addiction.

Hopefully this makes the stark reality that addiction is a chronic disease and the behaviors associated with it are not logical and often unintentionally hurtful. The addict cannot just stop using and magically recover no matter how much they want to or try. It does take a commitment on their part to invest in their future and manage the condition of their chronic disease. A network of support and the right Drug Rehab/Treatment program will help most addicts take the first step on the journey to recovery .

Please contact us to learn more about how to help the addict you love find a Drug Rehab/Treatment program.

New Treatment for Alcoholism: “Light Therapy”

March 27, 2014 Addiction, Alcohol Education, Drug-free WorkplaceAdam BellLeave a comment

Alcohol is one of the most abused (and most dangerous) drugs in the world, and addiction to alcohol as a drug is one of the most common in the United States. Many studies have shown that 53% of all adults have one or more relatives who is addicted to alcohol, and 17.6 million people abuse alcohol or are alcohol dependent. But researchers say they might have a new cure: optogenetics or light therapy.

Scientists from the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center have been using optogenetics in their neuroscience research and have found something amazing. From the study:

There is compelling evidence that acute ethanol exposure stimulates ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine cell activity and that VTA-dependent dopamine release in terminal fields within the nucleus accumbens plays an integral role in the regulation of ethanol drinking behaviors.

In other words, using light to control the brain’s behavior and activity. The mouse the researchers used in the study had specific brain neurons controlled and found that, with optogenetics, it’s actions and impulses could be altered.

Study leader and assistant professor of neurobiology and anatomy at Wake Forest Evgeny A. Budygin used the light tool to gain control over a particular set of dopamine controllers and cell populations through light. This essentially gave insight as to the specific patterns of activity and could lead to reducing alcohol use, as well as a greater understanding, and a better diagnosis of epilepsy and depression.

However, scientists have had great obstacles using optogenetics on humans. Altering and re-engineering brain cells in mice may be acceptable, but as it stands now implementing this in the human brain has yet to become an option.

Elizabeth Hillman, a biomedical engineer at Columbia University, said in an interview with NPR, “It’s really hard to get light to go deep, and we all know this just from trying to shine a flashlight through our hand.”

But scientists remain hopeful. Being able to treat addiction, depression, and schizophrenia with a flash of light may just be the future.

If you would like more information on how we can help you, please contact us any time.

Benzodiazepines: What are they?

March 21, 2014 Addiction, Drug Education, Drug-free WorkplaceAdam BellLeave a comment

Benzodiazepines are a class of drugs known as sedative-hypnotics that are primarily used to treat anxiety and insomnia, but are also used for their anticonvulsant and muscle relaxant properties. There are more than 15 different medications in this class; the most widely prescribed, by brand name, are Valium, Xanax, Ativan, Klonopin and Rohypnol (Roofies).

Drugs in this Class

Librium was the first Benzodiazepine–introduced in 1960—and the popularity of this medication rose quickly, replacing the use of barbiturates because it caused significantly less respiratory depression and was thus safer to use.

The various Benzodiazepines differ in how quickly they work, how long they last and the conditions they are used to treat. Valium and Tranxene have the most rapid onset on action, while Serax has the slowest onset. Xanax and Valium are most commonly used to treat anxiety disorders; Valium is used for seizure disorders and Librium is most frequently used to treat alcohol withdrawal.

Uses/Effects

In addition to the uses noted above, Benzodiazepines are also prescribed to calm patients before surgery, as a muscle relaxant and to treat insomnia. Side effects associated with these medications include sedation, dizziness, weakness and unsteadiness, as well as memory impairment and depression.

The effects of Benzodiazepines used recreationally are similar to the effects of alcohol intoxication. One user, writing on the Erowid Experience Vault, reported that after taking two 0.5 mg pills, “My limbs are a bit heavy and my thoughts are dreamy and sort of weird” and about an hour later, “I feel calm, relaxed, and even a bit euphoric. When I try to walk my limbs feel detached from my body and I may be stumbling.”

The drug Rohypnol, a powerful sedative known by the street name “Roofies” slows down the central nervous system and has become infamous as the “date rape drug”. Rohypnol is often secretly slipped into a drink at bars and nightclubs, rendering the drinker unconscious and ultimately a victim of rape.

Incidence & prevalence

According to the National Institutes for Health (NIH), Benzodiazepines as a class account for 29% of non-medical use of pharmaceuticals, the highest percentage of any drug class.

A 2011 study conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) found that Benzodiazepines accounting for 35% of all drug-related visits to hospital emergency rooms; Xanex was the most prevalent. Additionally, 95% of those in the study reported abuse of at least one other drug in addition to the Benzodiazepines, most frequently alcohol or opiates (narcotics).

Trends in the use of benzodiazepines (in the US)

A 2006 report by SAMHSA indicated that the number of emergency room visits due to Benzodiazepines increased by 36% between 2004 and 2006.

Treatment admissions for people abusing both Benzodiazepines and narcotics increased 569.7% between 2000 and 2010, according to a government report. Substance abuse treatment for all classes of drugs increased just 4% over the same period.

Mortality

On the basis of existing research there is limited data examining the link between Benzodiazepines use and mortality. However, according to a 2013 report by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Benzodiazepines accounted for 29% of drug overdose deaths in 2010. Opioids were responsible for 75% of overdose deaths, and in 77% of these cases Benzodiazepines were also present.

If you’d like to learn more about drugs that are commonly abused or about drug testing resources, including DOT testing, please contact us.

Addiction

January 25, 2014 Addiction, Drug-free WorkplaceAdam BellLeave a comment

Providing an accurate description of what Drug Addiction is has proven to be a controversial topic debated by medical doctors, psychiatrists, therapists, psychologists and scientists. Thus, it would be unacceptable to presume that this blog is an all-inclusive or conclusive definition of Drug Addiction.

Most professionals do agree that addiction is a brain disease. If you would like to know more about the specifics of this, please read the American Society of Addiction Medicine’s definition of addiction. Perhaps it may be easier for some families to understand what Drug Addiction is not, as opposed to what it is scientifically, medically or technically speaking.

This is a pretty basic list of some of the common misconceptions:

Addiction is NOT:

Something that you or your loved one chooses

– Although initially it is the individual’s decision to pick up a drug with no intention of developing an addiction to it

Something that you can stop on your own

– You may feel like you can and you may even develop strategies like only drinking one six pack of beer or just two glasses of wine or only one shot at the bar or only using drugs on weekends. If your strategies do work even for a little while, chances are you will not be able to maintain these using patterns for very long.

Something that you can force anyone else to stop just because you want them to stop

– No matter how much your child, parent, friend or other loved one may want to quit using for you – once they have developed an addiction, not just casual drinking or drug usage, it is virtually impossible for them to quit on their own no matter how much they may want to or how much you want them to and believe that they should be able to.

Something that is impossible to recover from

– Although it should be noted addiction is not “curable” as other diseases, such as cancer – once an addict always an addict – and the person must continuously work on their recovery for the rest of their life to prevent their addiction from taking over their lives again.

Opiates: Understanding Addiction and Testing

January 12, 2014 Addiction, Drug Testing, Drug-free WorkplaceAdam BellLeave a comment

Opiate Addiction

When it comes to opiate addiction, it is important to know the facts about the affliction. From the perspective of an employer, it is essential to recognize the signs and symptoms of potential drug addiction in your employees. This is especially pertinent in the case of opiates, which can cause complications due to the wide abuse of prescription medication, even if they currently have a prescription for the drug. By investigating the facts about opiate Drug Addiction, protecting the integrity of your workplace should be accomplishable.

Constant and Prolonged Use is Necessary for Addiction

For someone to become addicted to opiates, they must use them on a consistent period for a long period of time. For those taking prescription pain medication to treat pain, alternating days of consumption is essential for preventing addiction and the build up of a tolerance. According to CRC Health Group, “With extensive, continuous opiate use, the body’s natural painkillers (known as endorphins) stop working as they are supposed to. With long-term use, the body stops producing endorphins altogether because it is used to receiving opiates from an outside source. In addicted individuals, nerve cells gradually become degenerated. This results in an increased need for and a high tolerance of the drug.”

Addiction Causes Fundamental Changes in Neuronal Brain Circuits and Cells

Since opiates replicate neurotransmitters in the brain, they often cause an excessive release of dopamine. If the dopamine levels are constantly raised, the brain will naturally deplete itself of dopamine receptors in order to maintain a balance. When this occurs, the user will not have enough natural dopamine to properly stimulate the the decreased number of receptors, leading to depression and anxiety.

Opiate Testing

The prevalence of drug use has shifted toward prescription drug abuse. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health and The White House “nearly one-third of people aged 12 and over who used drugs for the first time in 2009 began by using a prescription drug non-medically.” In fact prescription drug abuse is the second most abused category of drugs behind marijuana. More specifically concerning prescription drug use, the biggest concern from employers is regarding oxycodone and oxymorphone, synthetic opiates. Oxycodone is a type of synthetic opiate that more popularly known through various brand names such as OxyContin, Vicodin and Percocet. Oxymorphone, also a synthetic opiate, is more commonly known as Opana, Numorphan. Because oxycodone and oxymorphone are opiates, most employers believe that the standard drug test will test for these synthetic opiates. Unfortunately, they are misled!

Most company’s standard 5-panel and 10-panel test will includes opiates, but will only test for morphine and codeine. At MedScreens, we have recognized the importance of this trend and have added an expanded panel to our standard laboratory based tests. Contact us if you have any questions about opiate drug testing.

Are you loving or enabling?

November 15, 2013 Addiction, Drug-free WorkplaceAdam BellLeave a comment

Chances are you’ve heard the word “enable” to describe the actions of a family member or loved one of someone who has a drug problem. To enable someone means to make it easier for them to continue their drug abuse or addiction, usually by helping them avoid the consequences of their behavior.

Are you enabling a person with a drug problem? Before you read through this list, remember that denial is almost universal. Look at your behavior honestly and objectively; it’s quite common for the “enablers” to think that they’re not doing exactly what they are doing. That said, if you are acting in any of the following ways, you are enabling your loved one to continue abusing drugs, and placing them in danger.

Do you make excuses? For example, you tell yourself that you have to allow your adult child to live in your home and you must give her money because if you do not do these things, she’ll have to live on the streets and will surely die. The truth is, an addict is very likely to die anyway, unless they are arrested or institutionalized first. By providing what your child needs to continue being active in addiction, you are enabling. It may feel like love, but real love means letting your child face the consequences of their actions so they can make a decision to change. This won’t happen if you make using drugs easy.

Do you cover for your loved one at work or school? Another way of making excuses, but in this case you’re not just lying to yourself, you’re lying to other people. Do you call your husband’s boss to say he’s sick, when actually he just can’t get up in the morning because he was out too late drinking the night before? This isn’t the same as being sick, and perhaps losing his job is the one thing that will get him to enter a rehab program. You’re not helping him keep his job; you’re enabling him to drink.

Do you lie to your spouse about your child’s use to protect the child or your spouse from an unpleasant confrontation? You shouldn’t have to go through this alone! Furthermore, you do not have the ability to protect others from the truth, and it’s not your responsibility to do so. (If you’re afraid your spouse will become violent or suffer a breakdown, there are other problems that need to be addressed just as urgently as the drug or alcohol addiction.) By hiding the truth from any part of your family, you’re not preventing problems but merely creating more serious problems by avoiding the inevitable: you are enabling a dangerous situation to continue.

Do you take on extra responsibilities so your loved one won’t have to? Again, this is not loving behavior, it’s enabling behavior. You’re making it easier for the person to focus on their drinking or drug use, and not have to bother with fulfilling normal obligations. This is unkind to both you and the other person: you’re working twice as hard, and your loved one is not functioning like a responsible adult. In a committed relationship, this can create a dynamic in which one partner functions as the “parent” and the other as the “child”: a disastrous and destructive dynamic that will not sustain a relationship. It is very tough to remain lovingly interested in someone who reminds you of your mother or your father or a not-yet-mature kid.

It’s extremely difficult to stop enabling a loved one. It so often seems like the right thing to do; caring and loving and even an effective way to “help”. In reality, enabling behaviors only make the situation worse. It’s like giving a suicidal person a loaded gun.

Questions? Please contact us.