Last Drug News, Drug Articles, Information About Drugs..

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

Alcohol Detox or Drug Detox

What is usually meant by “alcohol detox” or “drug detox” is the collection of physical symptoms accompanying the discontinuation of addictive substances. It hurts when we quit and it can be dangerous to come off certain substances too quickly. Modern medical science has provided us with some excellent medications to minimize the discomfort associated with the detox process. That is why it is important to have a physician specializing in detox assisting your initial process of recovery. This way you can expect a safe and comfortable detox.

Tags: alcohol detox, detox, detox program, drug detox, recovery, symptoms

Florida Drug Rehab and Florida Alcohol Rehab Programs

Florida and Drug Rehab
Florida is a beautiful state with lots of sandy beaches and beautiful warm weather. No wonder it’s the number one choice for people who are considering where to go to drug rehab , addiction treatment or alcohol rehab. Although drug rehab is a lot of work and you are not there to “hang out” at the beach, you do get the opportunity to enjoy all that going to drug rehab in Florida has to offer.

Why a Florida Drug Rehab or Alcohol Rehab
Florida has quite a few licensed drug rehab facilities in the state, and many use Florida’s beautiful landscape to assist patients in their recovery from drug addiction and alcoholism. Most of the Florida drug rehab and alcohol rehab programs offer the same addiction treatment programs as drug rehab and alcohol rehab’s in other parts of the country, however Florida has become a popular choice for those seeking a new environment and a new start.
There are some perks for people who want to attend a drug rehab or alcohol rehab in Florida as well. You will find many of the addiction treatment services offered there are held outside. This provides the patient with an entirely different addiction treatment experience than just sitting in a closed room.

How to Choose a Florida Drug Rehab or Florida Alcohol Rehab
Since there are hundreds of different drug rehab programs and addiction treatment facilities in the state of Florida, if you are planning on attending or sending someone else there, take a close look at the drug rehab programs. Ask questions……Does the drug rehab program have their own medical detox program? Does the drug rehab program have a comprehensive family recovery component? Does the drug rehab have the ability to treat dual diagnosis and relapse prevention?

Tags: addiction, addiction treatment, addiction treatment program, addiction treatment programs, alcohol rehab, alcohol rehab program, alcoholism, detox, detox program, drug addiction, drug rehab, drug rehab facilities, drug rehab program, drug rehab programs, dual diagnosis, family recovery, florida, florida alcohol rehab, florida drug rehab, medical detox, patient, recovery, rehab, rehab programs, relapse, relapse prevention, treatment

Gay Alcohol Abuse and Gay Alcohol Dependency

Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
Gay alcohol abuse and gay drug addiction is a problem for far too many gay Americans. Whether it is inherited or society related, drug addiction and gay alcohol addiction cause tremendous damage to those people that come in contact with the drug addict or alcoholic. Fortunately, there are gay alcohol rehab programs and drug rehab centers across the country that assist addicts, alcoholics and their families with the process of alcoholism treatment and drug addiction treatment.

Different Gay Alcohol Rehab Approaches

Different gay alcohol rehabs and drug rehab programs take different approaches, but the philosophy is usually the same – if you are suffering from alcohol abuse and can not manage to control your drinking, you are probably alcoholic.
Most quality alcohol rehab programs use medications to help the alcoholic and addict manage their alcohol withdrawal or drug withdrawal. Alcohol detox generally takes between five and seven days, depending on how much alcohol you were drinking, how frequent and a variety of other factors. Alcohol detox should take place in a medically monitored alcohol detox unit, within the alcohol rehab program.

Tags: addiction, addiction treatment, alcohol abuse, alcohol addiction, alcohol detox, alcohol rehab, alcohol rehab program, alcohol rehabs, alcohol treatment, alcohol treatment program, alcohol withdrawal, alcoholic, alcoholism, alcoholism treatment, centers, detox, detox program, drug addiction, drug addiction treatment, drug rehab, drug rehab center, drug rehab centers, drug rehab program, drug rehab programs, drug withdrawal, family recovery, family recovery program, gay rehab, recovery, rehab, rehab center, rehab centers, rehab programs, rehabs, treatment

Is Drug Addiction Treatable?

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.

Tags: addiction, addiction treatment, addiction treatment program, alcoholism, centers, chemical dependency, counseling, detox, detox program, drug addiction, outpatient centers, patient, recovery, relapse, therapy, treatment, treatment for drug addiction

Do I Need Detox?

Detoxification (detox) is the safe withdrawal from alcohol or drugs. It can be the starting point for a longer-term treatment. Detox is not the whole solution, but only a beginning, and should be followed up with a treatment program. It can be done on an outpatient basis with a physician, or on an inpatient basis for more severe or medically complicated situations. The more severe your symptoms, the more likely you need to go to  detox. It is strongly recommended that you seek a medical detox treatment if you have a history of withdrawal convulsions, or if you experience any symptoms of delirium tremens (DT’s) such as such as excitability, vivid nightmares, intense anxiety, hallucinations, or delusions.

Tags: detox, detox program, detox treatment, hallucinations, medical detox, patient, symptoms, treatment

Detox and Addiction Treatment

Is a patient considered “treated” once they complete detox?

Medical detox is the process of getting rid of addictive substances from the patient’s body (in an inpatient or outpatient setting) while managing the intense physical symptoms of withdrawal, usually under a physician’s care. However, it is only the first stage of addiction treatment. While detox is rarely effective enough on its own to help addicts quit long-term, for many individuals it is a recommended step before starting drug addiction treatment

Tags: addiction, addiction treatment, detox, detox program, drug addiction, drug addiction treatment, medical detox, patient, symptoms, symptoms of withdrawal, treatment

Drug Rehab and the 12 Steps

One of the most common types of drug rehab and alcohol rehab programs involve those making use of the 12 steps from alcoholics anonymous. The basis of the 12 steps involve an admission of one’s powerlessness over drug addiction or alcoholism. By then asking assistance from a Higher Power, ( God, the Universe, Budda, or whatever your belief system is) you go through a process involving the other steps to rebuild your life.

Tweleve Step programs have a couple of advantages that are apparent no matter what style of program it is. One is that they are 12 step meetings all over the world. When you leave the drug rehab treatment program, you will always be able to find a meeting to attend if you want to connect.

Tags: addiction, addiction treatment, addiction treatment program, addiction treatment programs, alcohol rehab, alcohol rehab program, alcohol rehabs, alcoholic, alcoholism, detox, detox program, drug addiction, drug rehab, drug rehab treatment, drug rehabs, rehab, rehab programs, rehabs, treatment

Drug Rehab and Methadone

I have never been a big fan of methadone. In drug rehab it may be useful to get clients off of opiates, however even with that said there are probably better drugs to do that with. The reason I don’t like methadone as a addiction treatment program modality is two fold. Number one is the length of a detox required. Detox off of methadone takes time. It is much more of a methadone taper.

The other problem is that with many of the rules in place about prescribing and dispensing methadone. Clients are sometimes virtual prisoners while on methadone maintenance. Leaving for a week long holiday may be impossible. Many programs will dispense only three day’s worth of methadone when leaving town. So people can only leave their area for a maximum of a long weekend.

Tags: addiction, addiction treatment, addiction treatment program, detox, detox program, drug addiction, drug addiction treatment, drug rehab, drug rehab program, methadone, methadone detox, opiate, rehab, treatment

Alcohol Detox Process

Alcohol detox is necessary and alcohol detox is difficult. Alcohol detox is a process that in order for the alcoholic to get sober, they must undertake. Alcohol detox can be uncomfortable. Alcohol detox should be done within the confines of a drug rehab facility that can monitor you medically. The reason for this is that alcohol detox can be fatal. Alcohol usually has been in the system of the alcoholic for so long that when it is taken out, the body reacts violently. This reaction can be fatal. The body will convulse and become nauseous. This can all be very uncomfortable. The best thing to do is to perform alcohol detox within a alcohol treatment facility.

There are many different aspects to alcohol detox. The first is the medical aspect. There should be a medical doctor on staff in order to assist the alcoholic through the alcohol detox process. This ensures the safety of the patient.
The second aspect of alcohol detox is physical. A nutritionist can put you on a healthy eating plan in order for the body to perform the best that it can during the alcohol detox program. If the body is being fed well the rest of the detox is much more comfortable.

Tags: alcohol detox, alcohol treatment, alcohol treatment facility, alcoholic, alcoholism, detox, detox program, drug rehab, drug rehab facility, healthy eating, patient, recovery, rehab, treatment