Posted by azdrugrehabctr on February 9, 2016 under Addiction Trends, AZ Drug Rehab News, Prescription Drugs | 
Reports show that around six million people in the United States have been diagnosed with having Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The number of people diagnosed with this disorder has increased over the years, especially among children. In fact, six percent of American children have been labeled as having ADHD. However, some are surprised that there is not a more definitive test to determine if someone has the fits into that category. This means that doctors often have to rely on their own observations, input from the parents and feedback from the children.
The most common medications for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder include Adderall, Vyvanse and Ritalin. These drugs are stimulants that allow a person with disorder to concentrate and stay on task. Those who take the drug without having this behavioral problem are essentially abusing speed. In fact, Adderall is an amphetamine, which has a very high potential for abuse.
Additionally, there are very few long term studies about the effects of Adderall on the brain. In order to rectify this, Joseph Helpern of the Medical University of South Carolina has begun to use MRI’s to view the brains of people who have been diagnosed with ADHD. In addition to investigating the long term effects of Adderall, Helpern and his group of researchers want to develop a method of diagnosis that is based on medical evidence, rather than relying on the methods that are being used today.
“Currently, we know the medications work on behavior but don’t understand what it’s doing to the brain over time. Having these (study) results would raise awareness to the potential risk in taking psychostimulants without a clinical diagnosis, in seeing if they are changing the normal brain to something abnormal,” explained Vitria Adisteiyo, a contributor to the study.
The research may be paying off, as Helpern and his colleagues have discovered that patients that have been diagnosed with ADHD seem to have lower levels of iron in their brain scans. This is important because it validates what many in the medical community have suspected for years, but haven’t been able to prove. If this discovery proves that iron levels are a direct link to ADHD, researchers may be able to develop a medication that is not addictive and cannot be abused recreationally.
More non-stimulant ADHD medications could help prevent these drugs from being abused in high schools and colleges across the country.
Posted by azdrugrehabctr on December 18, 2015 under Addiction Trends, Opiate Abuse, Prescription Drugs |
In order to effectively change the heroin abuse problem in the United States, researchers, health officials and law enforcement need to understand how the problem has changed throughout the years. Several decades ago it was more common to see heroin abuse in the inner city and among young people. Heroin addicts were usually minorities of the lower class. It was rare to see a heroin addict in their forties or fifties. However, this has all changed over time. Now, most heroin addicts are white, from middle to upper class families and more and more of them are in their fifties and sixties. Why such a big difference from the trends of the past? Most people are pointing to prescription painkillers as the catalyst for such a severe change.
And the change is severe. “According to reports in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the new generation of heroin users is older, predominantly white and living outside of inner-city urban neighborhoods. And the average age of first heroin use has increased from age 16 to over 23 and from equal numbers of white and nonwhite users to about 90% white,” explained Jeannie Diclementi, a psychologist who treats heroin abusers.
Older generations have a higher rate of being prescribed painkillers to manage chronic and acute pain. As people’s body’s age they are more likely to experience problems that prescription painkillers like OxyContin and Vicodin are designed to help. Many physicians prescribe these types of medicines because of the lack of understanding on how addictive these pills actually are. In fact, one of the biggest topics when it comes to prescription painkiller reform is educating doctors on addiction and the signs to watch out for. However, many people wonder if it is too late.
By the time a doctor notices that their patients are exhibiting signs of addiction, the problem has already occurred. This means that even when the painkillers are no longer prescribed, patients are seeking the therapeutic and euphoric effects of the drug. It becomes a quest to acquire the same feeling, a feeling that heroin easily supplies.
Posted by azdrugrehabctr on October 8, 2015 under Addiction Trends |
The United States Surgeon General is the top spokesperson regarding medical issues and concerns in the United States. Several decades ago the Surgeon General came out with a warning on tobacco. Until that time the majority of the population considered cigarettes and other tobacco products to be safe and ok for consumption. Experts credit the study for drastically reducing the amount of people that use tobacco products. This landmark study illustrates the power of the Surgeon General. The office is hoping to duplicate their success with tobacco when it comes to illegal and prescription drug abuse.
The Office of the Surgeon General announced that it would be releasing information from a comprehensive study in 2016 that encompasses all illegal and prescription narcotics. The goal of the study is to examine all the relevant medical research that has been conducted over the years and compile it into one package. This will allow medical professionals, behavioral health professionals and members of the general public to better understand the specific risks imposed by drug consumption.
“We’re going to look at the best science on everything, from heroin and marijuana, to alcohol and prescription opioids. And we’re going to launch a national campaign to tackle the prescription drug crisis because we know that someone dies from an opioid overdose every 24 minutes in this country,” explained Vivek Murthy, the U.S. Surgeon General.
In addition to delving into the effects of drug use on the user, the project will also investigate how families and children are affected by drug use. This is vital information because current studies show that children are more likely to abuse drugs if a close family member abuses drugs. In order to have as significant of an impact as they hope, the Surgeon General and his team will need to cover all aspects of addiction.
Once the study is completed, the idea is that the information could be used to streamline and improve treatment and prevention practices as well.
Posted by azdrugrehabctr on September 1, 2015 under AZ Drug Rehab News, Prescription Drugs |
There are many different definitions for addiction, and whether you want to call it a disease or something else, there are more aspects that can be agreed on regarding the behaviors surrounding it. One philosophy is that there is a genetic predisposition, while another says that the individual has a hole that he or she is trying to fill with alcohol or drugs.
This concept of having a hole, or that there is something missing in life, has been described by many people who have later gone on to fully recover. Some wind up finding a way to fill that void themselves, while others look for other, more positive, activities. In the case of one Arizona man, working out replaced his prescription drug addiction.
John Williams was addicted to pills for 11 years, and then one day his 16 year old son confronted him about the problem, and he knew it was time for a change. Williams said that at the height of his addiction he was taking 20 pills a day or more. In addition to the prescription drug problem, he was very overweight, topping out at about 400 pounds. He decided to change is focus to working out and fixing his health.
Now, 4 years later, Williams is still sober and is still working out. He is able to be there and enjoy his family, and he is on a mission to help spread the word about ending addiction. John plans on traveling and sharing his story in hopes that it will inspire others to do the same and give up drugs for a healthier lifestyle.
Posted by azdrugrehabctr on August 11, 2015 under Addiction Trends, Prescription Drugs |
The illegal drug trade deals in pharmaceuticals just as much today as street drugs. Oftentimes these types of drugs end up being fake, but the knock-offs and additives haven’t seemed to slow the market for them down. While much of this activity has traditionally started overseas, it appears as if more of it is occurring right here in the United States.
In response to the increased amount of illegal prescription drug activity, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) recently conducted a massive raid this year spanning multiple states. What was dubbed “Operation Pilluted” concluded with 280 arrests in Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Alabama for their role in the sale of illegal, and oftentimes fake, prescription drugs. Agents were able to seize over $18 million dollars’ worth of money and property.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 44 people die every day from prescription drug overdoses. The importance of this raid was that agents were able to prevent the drugs from hitting the market and infiltrating homes and neighborhoods throughout the country. However, it is clear that the demand is high enough that the drugs are likely to keep pouring into the U.S. Agents warn that the rise of technology and the increase in the number of people seeking these drugs means that vigilance is needed.
What it speaks of even more, however, is the job that lies ahead for people who are helping those recover from substance abuse and preventing addiction altogether.
Posted by azdrugrehabctr on July 15, 2015 under Opiate Abuse, Prescription Drugs |
A migraine is an intense headache that is often accompanied by impaired vision and stomach nausea. Many people who get migraines are unable to function and must wait out the severe pain for several hours. Because of the impaired vision, it is common to have to protect one’s eyes in a room that is completely dark. It is estimated that around 18% of women and 6% of men suffer from migraines and there is a big push in the medical community to come up with effective and safe solutions to debilitating condition. While there are several medications on the market that are designed to eliminate the migraine or ease it once it attacks, new research shows that many people are simply prescribed painkillers.
While it may seem obvious to prescribe someone that is in excruciating pain a narcotic painkiller, experts agree that migraine sufferers should not be given a heavy opioid for their discomfort as a first option. In fact, studies show that opioids can actually induce more intense migraines or more frequent migraines over time. So why are so many physicians prescribing something that is addictive and can actually cause the problem the pills are supposed to be fixing?
Researchers believe that it is a lack of education regarding migraines and the effective treatments. When a person is experiencing a migraine they often go to the Emergency Room. Doctors seeing patients in the ER are generally not specialists and respond to extreme pain in the only way they know how, by administering narcotic painkillers. However, doctors that specialize in the treatment of migraines are aware that there are certain medications on the market that are designed to treat the migraine while ensuring that the patient is not introduced to opiate painkillers that have a high potential for addiction.
There has been a push lately to educate the medical community about the dangers of prescription painkillers and the treatment of migraines is one such example. By quickly prescribing a narcotic such as hydrocodone or oxycodone, they may be temporarily relieving the pan but not actually solving the problem. Stories like these that share research into the prescribing patterns and results of those drugs help reduce the overall painkiller problem in America, even if only a little bit at a time.
Posted by azdrugrehabctr on July 6, 2015 under Addiction Trends, AZ Drug Rehab News, Prescription Drugs |
In the past, one tactic used in order to keep teenagers from experimenting with drugs was to pretend that the problem did not exist. This means that many parents and schools, in their fear about drug use, never discussed the inevitable curiosity that teenagers would experience and the definite dangers of substances like heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine and prescription painkillers.
It soon became clear that this approach to drug education was not a good one. More and more teenagers find themselves in situations where they are presented with an opportunity to experiment with drugs or alcohol. Instead of hoping that one’s child will not succumb to peer pressure or curiosity, experts agree that it is best to arm children with facts about drugs and alcohol and help guide them into making the right decision. Children presented with facts have a better chance of not being tempted into drug use, and oftentimes those facts can counter the things their friends or other drug users may be saying to them.
Some helpful facts to discuss with children can include things like when an addiction is likely to start, what drugs do to the body and developing brain, how drug and alcohol abuse can affect one’s long term plans and what sort of danger the drugs pose.
According to a recent study, 90% of adults that are addicted to illegal drugs started using substances before they were 18. So, while not all teenagers who experiment with drugs are doomed to a life of addiction, the vast majority of addicts began their journey to drug addiction as a child experimenting with drugs. There is still debate surrounding marijuana if it should be considered a gateway drug (a gateway drug is a substance that opens the door to other substances can ultimately lead to an addiction). Some experts are saying that prescription painkillers are the new gateway drugs.
The popularity of pills like Roxycet, Percocet and Vicodin has led many people to dependency, and then on to a heroin addiction. Since heroin is cheaper and easier to obtain, prescription painkiller addicts often resort to this drug to keep their habit satisfied.
Teenagers are surrounded by pressures almost as soon as they get into high school. Drugs and alcohol may be one of the most common problems they have to deal with. In order to equip children with the best tools to stay away from drugs, parents and educators need to arm them with the facts. Overall, the more information that is shared about the devastation caused by substance abuse, the better the chances are that people of all ages will make healthier decisions regarding drugs and alcohol.
Posted by azdrugrehabctr on February 5, 2015 under Addiction Trends, Opiate Abuse, Synthetic Drugs |
Sometimes people in the addiction treatment and prevention fields believe there should be less law enforcement intervention. However, in some cases law enforcement officers wind up joining the ranks and spend time helping educate people about drugs and addiction.
For instance, retired policy Sergeant, Bruce R. Talbot is taking the experience that he gained while working on the police force and imparting what he knows to parents, educators and young people. Talbot understands that that many young people start abusing prescription painkillers and then graduate to heroin. Talbot believes that in order to address the increasing amount of people dying from heroin overdoses the link between prescription drug abuse and heroin drug abuse must be broken.
Heroin used to be a drug that was abused by long-time addicts and stayed mainly within city limits. Now, law enforcement is seeing heroin at high schools in the suburbs. They get called to heroin overdoses in quiet neighborhoods and wind up arresting people for heroin possession in areas that have never reported heroin problems in the past.
Talbot explained that heroin is increasing in purity and is cheaper than ever. In the 1970’s, when heroin experienced a growth in popularity among older males, $10 would buy an addict four doses of heroin with a 3% purity rate. Nowadays, that same $10 buys an addict 12 doses of heroin with a 63% purity rate.
Talbot insists that the biggest problem that has come about with time is that drugs are much more potent than they ever were before. These more dangerous and powerful drugs are creating addicts at an alarming rate, and more importantly they are killing users.
Even synthetic drugs like bath salts and synthetic marijuana are more potent than the street drugs they are replacing. Bath salts provides a similar high to cocaine or methamphetamine, however the drug is so powerful that it can cause psychotic breaks after just one use. Spice, or synthetic marijuana, is meant to provide the same high that marijuana does, however it has been known to induce extreme paranoia and auditory and visual hallucinations.
“Young people have no idea how powerful and dangerous these new synthetic drugs [are],” explained Talbot. He encourages parents to talk with their children about the dangers of drug use. Talking to children about drugs illustrates that parents know what kind of temptations and pressure young adults are facing.
Posted by azdrugrehabctr on December 31, 2014 under Prescription Drugs |
Medicare’s Part D data provides transparency in finding doctors who prescribe controlled substances most frequently. Medicare has started to use prescribing data to identify potentially problematic doctors. Beginning in mid-2015, Medicare will have the authority to remove doctors from the program if they prescribe in abusive ways.
“It’s a real area of concern for us,” said Shantanu Agrawal, director of the Center for Program Integrity within the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
In 2012, 12 of Medicare’s top 20 prescribers of highly addictive Schedule 2 drugs such as oxycodone, fentanyl, morphine and Ritalin faced disciplinary actions by their state medical boards. Some even faced criminal charges related to their medical practices. Because of their risk of abuse and dependence, Schedule 2 drugs require written prescriptions and cannot be refilled.
The data from Pro Publica’s analysis shows the upward trend line for prescriptions of controlled substances: 269 providers wrote at least 3,000 prescriptions for Schedule 2 drugs. Florida led the country with 52 providers, followed by Tennessee with 25.
In September, Medicare sent more than 750 letters to doctors who prescribed far more Schedule 2 drugs compared to others in their medical specialty and state. Officials hope the initiative will cause doctors to examine their prescribing and make changes.
“Simply being an outlier doesn’t establish that you’re doing something wrong,” said Agrawal. “What we are trying to do is give physicians the ability to assess themselves, given their comparative data.”
Medicare’s drug program, known as Part D, covers about 38 million seniors and disabled people and pays for more than one of every four prescriptions dispensed in the U.S. Concerns about oversight of controlled substances date back to at least 2011,when the Government Accountability Office highlighted abuse of opioids in Part D and called on Medicare to take action.
Posted by azdrugrehabctr on October 13, 2014 under Addiction Trends, Prescription Drugs |
Reports released throughout the country have some people in shock. Turns out that the demographic that is at most risk for overdosing on drugs or alcohol are men ages 45-64. While it is true that children and teenagers are at risk for drug addiction and overdoses, and women are abusing drugs at a rapid rate, middle-aged men are succumbing to overdoses more than any other group.
A closer look at Orange County, CA coroner records showed that between 2011 and 2012 there were 1,156 overdose deaths. When researchers examined those deaths they found some alarming information. The amount of men dying from overdoses was double that of women. White men, ages 45-64 were the group that passed away the most from drug or alcohol overdoses.
Interestingly, researchers also found that most of the overdose deaths they looked into were accidental. This would indicate that at least some of the deaths could have been avoided had the person been given the proper education regarding dose, what not to mix the drug with and the potency of the drug. After age 44 prescription drug overdoses were the overwhelming majority in overdose deaths.
Not everyone dies when they overdose from drugs or alcohol. The researchers also looked into how many people checked into the hospital for overdoses within Orange County. They found that 10,782 people checked into hospitals in the area, with an average stay of four days, costing around $25,000.00. It is clear from this information that drug abuse and misuse is a growing problem in California and the rest of the country.
While these results are just from one county, it does shed some light on a group of people that may be forgotten about when it comes to anti-drug and anti-alcohol advertising. Most government agencies focus on the prevention of drug abuse among children, pair that with the joint efforts of schools and families and youths have a pretty steady stream of anti-drug, anti-alcohol, anti-abuse attention. Older men however, do not have that steady stream. In fact, adults are pretty much left to fend for themselves.
