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Addiction Treatment Curbs Crystal Methamphetamine Abuse Among Gay and Bisexual Men

Addiction Treatment Curbs Crystal Methamphetamine Abuse Among Gay and Bisexual Men

Behavioral therapy can help gay and bisexual men (GBM) reduce crystal methamphetamine abuse and risky sexual behaviors and sustain these gains for 1 year, NIDA-funded researchers report. By the end of a 16-week trial of four different behavioral therapies, study participants’ stimulant-positive urine samples fell 31 percent, and their number of past-month sexual partners fell more than 50 percent—outcomes that regressed little at the followup visits. Symptoms of depression also improved.

Dr. Steven Shoptaw and colleagues at the University of California, Los Angeles and the Friends Research Institute recruited 263 crystal methamphetamine-addicted Gay and Bisexual Men throughout Los Angeles County, particularly in Hollywood, where HIV prevalence is especially high. Of these, 162 completed the requirements for entering the addiction treatment phase of the study, which were to attend six assessments and participate in at least two of four group sessions on abstinence skills during a 2-week “baseline period.” Men who met the requirements reported less severity and shorter duration of methamphetamine abuse than those who did not, despite having abused methamphetamine for 5 years and having spent $293 on the drug in the past month, on average. Half had engaged in unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) with someone other than their primary partner in the past month, and 84 percent of these men linked the behavior to methamphetamine abuse. Most participants (73 percent) reported symptoms of depression, with about 30 percent describing these as moderate to severe.

Tags: addiction, addiction treatment, alcohol detox, amphetamine, behavioral treatment, crystal meth, crystal methamphetamine, depression, detox, detox program, drug abuse, drug rehab, inpatient drug rehab, intervention, interventions, meth addiction, methamphetamine, patient, recovery, rehab, relapse, symptoms, therapy, treatment

Where Do I Find a Gay Drug Rehab?

I recently received a call from a man who was interested in locating a gay drug rehab. He and his partner were planning a wedding and thought it would be a good idea to get clean and sober before going any further with their lives. After a few weeks in a gay drug rehab and, they agreed that the work they accomplished benefited them as a couple and as individuals. They felt ready to begin the next chapter in their lives.

I offer this example because it is so different from what I usually see. In my intervention work I have found—whether they are lesbian, gay, or straight—that very few people in a relationship with a drug addiction or alcohol addiction seek addiction treatment prior to getting married. Most continue with their drug addiction and alcoholism in denial and hoping things will get better. Needless to say, things rarely get better as the drug addiction or alcoholism becomes more progressive.

It is difficult to move forward in any relationship when drug addiction or alcoholism are present as communication begins to break down, drug use becomes the priority and depression, anger and resentment are all common place.

Tags: addiction, addiction treatment, addiction treatment program, alcohol addiction, alcohol rehab, alcoholism, depression, drug addiction, drug rehab, drug rehab program, drug rehabs, family recovery, family recovery program, family therapist, gay addiction treatment, gay drug rehab, gay rehab, intervention, recovery, rehab, rehabs, therapy, treatment

Possible Reasons for Increased Gay Alcohol Abuse

The difference in alcoholism rates between gay and non-gay populations has been attributed to a number of environmental factors. One factor is that alcohol serves as a method of coping with internal homophobia. Anderson and Henderson (1985) believe that socio-cultural pressure is the most sound explanation as to why alcoholism rates differ between gay and non-gay populations. Overt societal stigmatization of gay men and lesbians can lead to low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, and powerlessness. As such, alcohol may serve as one way to cope with these negative feelings.

A second reason for increased gay alcohol abuse by gay men and lesbians is the fact that legitimate socialization is often limited to bars or parties serving alcohol. Gay bars promote the use of alcohol in much the same way that nongay bars endorse alcohol use in the heterosexual culture (Israelstam & Lambert, 1984). The major difference between the two, however, is that heterosexuals have a greater range of social outlets from which to choose without fear of recrimination (Colcher, 1982; Finnegan & McNally, 1987).

Tags: addiction, addiction treatment, addiction treatment program, alcohol abuse, alcoholism, alcoholism treatment, depression, gay rehab, rehab, treatment

Dual Diagnosis Treatment and Substance Abuse

The term “dual diagnosis” may be new to your life and vocabulary or it may be something you are familiar with and have heard about before today. While not particularly well-known, dual diagnosis is more common than you might imagine. According to a report published by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), “Thirty seven percent of people who suffer from alcohol abuse and fifty-three percent of people who suffer from drug abuse also have at least one serious mental illness, which creates a dual diagnosis. Of all people diagnosed as mentally ill, 29 percent abuse either alcohol or drugs (NMHA, 2005). “Dual diagnosis” is defined as an individual who has two separate but very interrelated diagnoses. For the purpose of this article, dual diagnosis means a person has both:

1. A psychiatric diagnosis
2. A substance abuse diagnosis which may include drug addiction or alcohol addiction

A dual diagnosis occurs when an individual is affected by both chemical dependency and an emotional or psychiatric illness. Both illnesses may affect an individual physically, psychologically, socially and spiritually. Each illness has symptoms that interfere with a person’s ability to function effectively and relate to themselves and others. Not only is the individual affected by two separate illnesses, both illnesses interact with one another. The illnesses may exacerbate each other and at times the symptoms can overlap and even mask each other making diagnosis and dual diagnosis treatment more difficult.

Tags: addiction, alcohol abuse, alcohol addiction, anxiety disorder, bipolar, bipolar disorder, chemical dependency, depression, drug abuse, drug addiction, dual diagnosis, dual diagnosis treatment, dual diagnosis treatment program, mental illness, panic disorder, phobias, psychiatric disorder, psychiatric illness, schizophrenia, substance abuse, symptoms, treatment

Alcohol Abuse, Alcoholism and Depression

Mental health professionals who treat alcohol abuse, alcoholism and depression have long known that these two illnesses occur together more often than not. In fact, it is quite common in medical settings for people to seek addiction treatment or alcohol rehab for either of these conditions. Not only is it true that in this setting the sensitive health care provider identifies the presence of the other illness 1, but it is also known that the earlier in one’s life that either of these two disorders develops, the greater the chance the other will also arise.

But what is known of the relationship between alcohol abuse, alcoholism and depression in people who are not seen in medical settings? In what order do they occur? This is obviously an important point in terms of understanding the development of these conditions, since people tend to seek help only in the later stages of a problem. A study recently done at the Harvard School of Public Health and a Harvard affiliated hospital has answered these questions.

Scope and aim of the study

The authors used data from a large survey that studied 14,480 people from 5 cities 3. In order to be included in the analysis, subjects could not have had a previous diagnosis of either major depression or alcoholism.

The American Psychiatric Association (APA) has established a set of criteria and symptoms that characterize various psychological disorders. In order to receive a diagnosis of major depression, a person must meet a specific number of criteria from the APA.

This means that someone may have some of the signs and symptoms of depression, but may not qualify to receive a diagnosis of the illness. Nevertheless, in practical terms, these symptoms can still affect the individual’s overall functioning and well-being. And by eliminating people with a diagnosis of depression or alcoholism, the researchers were able to more clearly evaluate the order of onset of new cases of depression, alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence.

Tags: addiction, addiction treatment, alcohol abuse, alcohol dependence, alcohol rehab, alcoholic, alcoholism, depression, hallucinations, major depression, mental health, psychiatric disorder, rehab, symptoms, treatment

Dual Diagnosis and Drug Rehab

Dual Diagnosis and Drug Rehabilitation: The New Hybrid Disorder and Addiction Treatment
Written by Rachel Hayon, MPH

Dual diagnosis is defined by the presence of both mental health disorders and substance abuse disorders (alcohol and/or drug dependence or abuse) [1]. There are a variety of different mental health disorders that can be associated with substance use and labeled dual diagnosis. Some of these disorders include: schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, anti-social personality disorder, narcissistic personality, and depression. A big question among the experts is which comes first- the mental health problem or substance use? It’s a difficult question to answer because so many of the symptoms associated with mental health disorders resemble the by product of substance use and vice versa. This is also an important topic right now because of the overwhelming amount of substance use cases and mental health disorders that overlap.

In a recent study conducted by the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC), it was estimated that 17.6 million American adults meet the criteria for an alcohol use disorder and approximately 4.2 million meet the criteria for a drug use disorder [2]. In addition to this, 19.2 million adults can be diagnosed for independent mood disorders (major depression, dysthmia, manic disorder, and hypomania) and 23 million meet the criteria for independent anxiety disorders (including panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and specific social phobias) [2]. The NESARC also reported that approximately 20% of those individuals reporting a mental health disorder also reported a substance abuse disorder. Conversely, 20% of those individuals with a substance abuse disorder also displayed mental health problems [2].

When alcohol use is observed along with mental health disorders, alcoholics usually report that they “self-medicate” in order to alleviate symptoms of their psychiatric condition, such as depression [3]. One of the problems with using drinking as an emotional balm are the negative effects of heavy drinking as well as withdrawal from drinking- both can worsen an already negative mood state [4]. Having said this, it is interesting to see how different mental health disorders manifest themselves when substance use enters into the equation. Depending on what the disorder is, substances use is reported to be used for different reasons and also to either alleviate or bring on certain symptoms. For instance, in the case of bipolar disorder, though drinking may occur in both the manic and depressive phases, drinking is more prevalent during the manic phase [4]. Similarly, drinking may also produce symptoms that are similar to the manic phase of bipolar disorder such as grandiosity, irritability or physical agitation. In regards to anxiety disorder for instance, alcoholics usually report intense symptoms such as palpitations, sweatiness, and fear of objects or social situations which usually disappear with the discontinuation of alcohol use. However, individuals with agoraphobia or social phobia might drink in order to reduce the amount of anxiety they feel [5].

Tags: addiction, addiction treatment, agoraphobia, alcoholic, anxiety disorder, bipolar, bipolar disorder, depression, drug rehab, drug rehabilitation, dual diagnosis, dual diagnosis treatment, dual diagnosis treatment program, effects, major depression, mania, mental health, mood disorder, panic disorder, patient, phobias, recovery, rehab, relapse, schizophrenia, social phobia, substance abuse, symptoms, therapy, treatment

Understanding Dual Diagnosis

The term dual diagnosis is a common, broad term that indicates the presence of two independent medical disorders. Recently, within the fields of mental health, psychiatry, and addiction medicine, the term has been popularly used to describe the coexistence of a mental health disorder and drug addiction / alcohol addiction problems. The equivalent phrase dual disorders also denotes the coexistence of two independent (but invariably interactive) disorders, and is the preferred term used in this Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP).
The acronym MICA, which represents the phrase mentally ill chemical abusers, is occasionally used to designate people who have an drug addiction / alcoholism disorder and a markedly severe and persistent mental disorder such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. A preferred definition is mentally ill chemically affected people, since the word affected better describes their condition and is not pejorative. Other acronyms are also used: MISA (mentally ill substance abusers), CAMI (chemical abuse and mental illness), and SAMI (substance abuse and mental illness).

Tags: addiction, alcohol abuse, alcohol addiction, alcohol rehab, alcoholism, bipolar, bipolar disorder, borderline personality, borderline personality disorder, centers, cocaine addiction, depression, drug abuse, drug addiction, drug rehab, dual diagnosis, dual diagnosis treatment, dual diagnosis treatment program, dual disorders, health centers, heroin addiction, major depression, mental disorders, mental health, mental illness, methadone, methadone treatment, opiate, panic disorder, patient, psychiatric disorder, recovery, rehab, relapse, relapse prevention, schizophrenia, substance abuse, symptoms, treatment

Sexual Abuse and Incest Definitions

Defining Sexual Abuse

The diversity of examples and case histories may lead one to ask, “What is sexual abuse?” There are many definitions. One, by the Incest Survivors Resource Network.5 They state “the erotic use of a child, whether physically or emotionally, is sexual exploitation in the fullest meaning of the term, even if no bodily contact is ever made.” This last point - “no bodily contact” - is crucial. A parent who exposes a child to intercourse or deviant sexual behaviors or pornographic materials is abusing that child. New York State law now clarifies that such sexual abuse is a crime. The law defines a sexually abused child as one whose parent or person legally responsible for the child’s care, commits, allows to be committed, permits or encourages a sex offense against the child, including prostitution, incest, obscene sexual performance or sexual conduct.
Sexual abuse in the extreme includes ritual and cult abuse. Ritual abuse involves a specific rite or form in which the abuse is encapsulated. Cult abuse embraces a “religious” or spiritual belief system, usually Satanic. Cults may consist of individual “dabblers” or small, isolated groups. They may also include generations within families or whole segments of communities. They operate by destroying all bonding for their victims, and surrounding the child with total unpredictability or powerlessness. Drugs or trickery may be employed…sometimes even murder.

Tags: addiction, alcoholic, alcoholism, depression, drug addiction, dual diagnosis, effects, patient, post traumatic stress, post traumatic stress disorder, treatment

Eating Disorders and Addiction Treatment

Basic Facts About Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are extreme expressions of a range of weight and food issues experienced by both men and women. They include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and compulsive overeating. All are serious emotional problems that can have life-threatening consequences. Some people believe an eating disorder is an addiction and as such can be treated in an addiction treatment program, others believe in psychiatric hospitalization. Either can work.

The defining features of Anorexia Nervosa are an intense and irrational fear of body fat and weight gain, an iron determination to become thinner and thinner, and a misperception of body weight and shape to the extent that the person may feel or see “fat” even when emaciation is clear to others. These psychological characteristics contribute to drastic weight loss and defiant refusal to maintain a healthy weight for height and age. Many that are anorexic may also have a drug addiction as it relates to amphetamine, cocaine, diet pills etc. An addiction treatment program may be the addiction treatment of choice for the drug addiction and then referral to an eating disorder treatment program.
Bulimia Nervosa is characterized by self-perpetuating and self-defeating cycles of binge-eating and purging. During a “binge,” the person consumes a large amount of food in a rapid, automatic, and helpless fashion. This may anesthetize hunger, anger, and other feelings, but it eventually creates physical discomfort and anxiety about weight gain. Thus, the person “purges”the food eaten, usually by inducing vomiting and by resorting to a combination of restrictive dieting, excessive exercising, laxatives, diuretics, cocaine or other drugs. Because of the abuse of these drugs, addiction treatment may be necessary. If addiction treatment is necessary, more from a detox perspective if anything, referral to an appropriate eating disorder treatment program may be appropriate.

Tags: addiction, addiction treatment, addiction treatment facility, addiction treatment program, alcohol addiction, alcohol rehab, amphetamine, anorexia, bulimia, bulimia nervosa, compulsive eating, compulsive overeating, depression, detox, diets, drug addiction, drug rehab, eating disorder, eating disorder treatment, eating disorders, recovery, rehab, relationships, treatment

Being Gay in a Straight World

It’s difficult to be gay in a straight world, so it’s no wonder that so many individuals who deem themselves to be gay or are uncertain about their sexuality search for counselors that offer gay and lesbian therapy.
Great care should be taken in locating a licensed therapist who specializes in gay therapy. Beware of therapists who may attempt to “cure” or even “convert” you. Those individuals have their own agenda.

Also be sure that your chosen therapist is well-versed on issues confronting the gay community and isn’t afraid to talk about sexual issues. It’s best to contact local or regional organizations concerned with gay issues to find a reputable counselor for your needs.

Therapy for the gay and lesbian population should consist of a number of factors and how you’re counseled may depend on where you stand as far as accepting your sexuality. A good counselor will determine that before proceeding.

Tags: alcohol rehab, centers, depression, drug rehab, mood disorder, rehab, relationships, therapy