Drug Rehab Statistics
January 6, 2008
Citing drug rehab statistics can sometimes feel like trying to hit a moving target, but today certain drug rehab trends are well known. Tens of millions of Americans suffer with drug addiction of one sort or another and the numbers have only grown over the last couple of decades. Add in further addictions such as sexual addiction, food addiction and compulsive gambling and it’s hardly exaggeration to call this problem an epidemic.
Further complicating drug rehab statistics is the confusion concerning the causes of drug addiction. Too many media outlets breathlessly report each instance of genetic correlation as an “aha!” moment, claiming they have discovered a gene for alcoholism or something similar. In fact, the medical literature is clear on this point: there is no such thing as a gene or set of genes for any drug addiction.
What we do know is that drug addiction tends to be driven by the same emotions, memories and associations that comprise personality in general, so the only way to stop the destructive cycle is to understand what’s behind it. For insight such as this you may want to speak with a drug rehab professional or addiction treatment specialist who is trained in addiction counseling, especially if you can find lots of individual time to work on such issues. The results of this approach tend to be far more impressive than any other this drug rehab industry has yet created.
Differences in Drug Addiction Treatment Centers
January 6, 2008
If you suffer from drug addiction, alcohol addiction, dual diagnosis or even an eating disorder, then you have probably thought of entering a drug rehab program at a drug addiction treatment center. Even if you have not given it some serious consideration, the odds are good that a loved one has. There are many such addiction treatment programs available, some are well publicized drug rehabs, while other addiction treatment programs seem like they are located in residential neighborhoods. The common thread for all of these drug addiction treatment programs is that each drug addiction treatment center provides the individual with an opportunity to achieve long term recovery from drugs, alcohol, their eating disorder or dual diagnosis.
What is this drug addiction treatment success based on?
While there may not be an actual secret to addiction treatment success, a successful drug addiction treatment center simply helps the person suffering from drug addiction or alcoholism to break through their denial, become honest and work towards wanting recovery as much as they desired drugs or alcohol. Drug addiction treatment, whether for alcoholism, dual diagnosis or an eating disorder is a process, not an event, and takes time.
Drug Rehab Programs in Maryland
January 5, 2008
Drug rehab programs in Maryland are geared toward the rehabilitation of persons who are trying to overcome their drug addiction. There are many types of drug rehab programs in Maryland with some being of short duration, some are residential addiction treatment centers and others are long term addiction treatment programs.
Maryland drug rehab programs are designed to address the physical aspects of drug addiction and the psychological aspects of integrating back into society. Some drug rehab programs are residential, especially for persons with serious drug addiction and may be covered by private or public insurance to some extent. There are also chemical dependency units where there is about a 3-6 week period of inpatient addiction treatment care where withdrawal from drugs is done in a medically safe fashion. It has been shown that plain replacement of opiate craving with methadone, while helpful is not as effective as a more comprehensive program with counseling and medical care.
Treatment of Alcohol Withdrawal
January 5, 2008
Treating alcohol dependency relies a great deal on treating the symptoms associated with alcohol withdrawal syndrome. This is because the unpleasantness of the alcohol withdrawal symptoms, and the severity, can drive one back to alcohol in order to obtain relief. While alcohol abuse (which does not entail a physical dependence on alcohol) can be treated alone, or with a good support group, alcohol dependency is different. The body’s physical need makes it harder to overcome. Treatment of alcohol withdrawal syndrome usually involves some measure of help from prescription drugs. These are chemicals that can help suppress the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal as a person’s body becomes less dependent upon alcohol. This can be very helpful in successfully overcoming an addiction to alcohol.
While most treatments can be done as out-patient alcohol treatment, in some severe cases it is necessary to have the alcohol dependent person stay in an in-patient alcohol treatment facility for better monitoring and treatment. No matter the treatment, however, most people with an alcohol dependency also require a good support system and professional counseling as part of their treatment. The psychological impacts of alcohol abuse can be quite as difficult to overcome as the physical addiction.
Gay Alcohol Abuse: Do We Make Alcohol Illegal?
January 4, 2008
Why would anyone want to make alcohol illegal?
To stop gay alcohol abuse.
Why is this a bad idea?
Because it doesn’t work. Alcohol use and abuse alike are simply driven underground, leading to a huge untaxable market and a rise in organized crime as the mobs who control the illegal product gain money and power.
What is a better solution?
Alcohol should be legal, and regulated by states as they see fit. Gay alcohol abuse will be no worse than under prohibition, and crime will go down while tax revenues on the sale of alcohol go up, leading to better communities.
So how can we stop gay alcohol abuse?
Prevention is the real key. The conditions that lead to alcohol abuse should be prevented. Alcohol is fine in moderation, and millions of responsible gay people use it without negative effects on a regular basis. The real problem is when gay or lesbian people don’t know when or how to stop, or don’t want to because they are trying to escape unpleasant lives. Education on alcohol, and more accessible psychological gay counseling for everyone, is the best hope we have for ending gay alcohol abuse.
Is Drug Addiction Treatable?
December 30, 2007
Drug addiction and alcoholism are treatable conditions. The first goal of addiction treatment is abstinence. The chemically dependent person must stop using alcohol or drugs. This sometimes requires a period of medical detox, which should be done within an addiction treatment program.
Once alcohol and/or drug use is stopped, individuals may honestly feel that they have the desire and ability to remain sober. This period can last days, weeks or months before cravings (the obsessive pressure to use) return. To reduce the risk of a relapse, the person must address personal problems and life issues related to the drug addiction. Some of those issues are addressed in group therapy, individual counseling sessions, educational lectures, and discussion groups in chemical dependency treatment. The therapy process helps chemically dependent individuals obtain the insight and skills needed to understand and deal with problems associated with their alcohol and drug use. They learn to deal with their problems from a psychological, emotional, and spiritual perspective as well as from a physical perspective. After addiction treatment, personal problems and other major life issues can be handled at a higher level of functioning.
Tawny Kitaen Goes To Drug Rehab
December 30, 2007
LAGUNA NIGUEL, Calif. — Tawny Kitaen, who starred in the 1984 Tom Hanks comedy, “Bachelor Party,” has entered a drug rehab program after pleading guilty to possessing 15 grams of cocaine.The 45-year-old actress will be allowed to change her plea to not guilty after completing the drug rehab program, under terms of a plea agreement, officials said. The plea change will remove the conviction from her record.
Kitaen was charged with felony possession after sheriff’s deputies said they found cocaine in her apartment in May.
She was arrested in 2002 on charges she abused then-husband, former Angels pitcher Chuck Finley. She agreed to anger management and conflict resolution counseling in exchange for the dismissal of two misdemeanor counts of spousal abuse.
All About Gay Drug Rehab and Gay Alcohol Rehab
December 30, 2007
What happens in gay drug rehab or gay alcohol rehab?
Due to the progressive nature of drug addiction and alcohol addiction, detox and drug rehab should take place as soon as possible. Drug rehab is never an easy process. GLBT patients must come face to face with a part of their life they are probably not proud of. They must learn new methods of dealing with stress to replace the old methods that included drugs or alcohol. They must cope with cravings and deal with many different aspects of their life in new, healthier ways.
Many gay patients participate in gay support groups or 12-step programs for an indefinite amount of time to help prevent relapse. Some learn new skills so they will be able to get (and keep) a job and return to the community. Drug rehab can be difficult, but it is worth it to achieve a life free of drug and alcohol dependence. Please call 1-800-511-9225, a national drug rehab helpline to take the first step. Read more
Alcohol Abuse Treatment
December 30, 2007
lcohol abuse or alcohol dependence is a treatable illness, but successful alcohol treatment requires the active participation of the employee, a professional alcohol counselor, the employee’s supervisor, and family members or friends. Alcohol treatment may involve one to four weeks of intense alcohol rehab at an outpatient alcohol treatment program or inpatient alcohol rehab facility following by six to twelve months of “aftercare” consisting of periodic individual, group, or family counseling. The recovery process typically requires the employee’s regular participation in a community-based self-help group such as Alcoholics Anonymous.
One key to successful alcohol treatment is admission of the problem and motivation to beat it. Studies of U.S. military alcohol treatment programs show that completion of the full aftercare program is the strongest predictor of alcohol treatment success.
Relapse is a common occurrence after all addiction treatment or alcohol treatment, but the risk of relapse diminishes with the passage of time and continued abstinence. The first relapse occurs most commonly during the first three months after completion of alcohol treatment. One study of alcohol treatment program outcomes for military personnel found that if one gets through the first three months without relapse, the chances for long-term abstinence improve dramatically, and the chance of a relapse that affects work performance is small.
Remission of drinking problems without treatment is common as young drinkers mature and the lifestyle, stress, or other circumstances that prompted the drinking change. The likelihood of spontaneous remission without alcohol treatment is relatively high among young men in their 20s, but relatively low among men in their 40s or older.
Gay Addiction Treatment, HIV and Crystal Meth
December 25, 2007
Health experts and policymakers are searching for ways to release crystal meth’s stranglehold on Long Beach and urban and rural communities across the map.Some say the solution requires more collaboration among addiction treatment providers of substance abuse and HIV prevention. Some contend it lies in addiction treatment designed specifically to serve gay men.
One of the first legislative targets: expanding a California law that prohibits any retailer from selling a customer more than three packages of products, like many common cold medicines, containing pseudoephedrine, a main ingredient in crystal meth.
The bill, which cleared the Senate judiciary committee July 28, would put cold pills containing pseudoephedrine behind the pharmacy counter and restrict the amount a person can buy to 7.5 grams a month.
Various health agencies in Long Beach have programs to tackle crystal meth addiction and its link to HIV and other STDs. The Comprehensive AIDS Resource Education (CARE) program at St. Mary Medical Center and the Gay and Lesbian Center have gay addiction treatment counseling services for addicts.
Merrill L. Irving, director of addiction treatment programs at the Long Beach Gay and Lesbian Center, has teamed up with city activist John Kirby and HIV specialist Todd Stevens to design a task force that he hopes will do just that. The group would address the problem of gay crystal meth addiction in Long Beach’s gay community.
“I know the statistics and know how closely tied (crystal meth) is to HIV and the gay community” Irving said. “There’s a gap within our own programs.
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