Addiction

According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 948,000 people reported using heroin in 2016. Heroin addiction has shown to be very destructive to people’s health, social, home, and financial life; long-term use changes the physical structure and physiology of the brain, with several studies showing that heroin can deteriorate some of the brain’s white matter. If you’re seeking treatment for heroin addiction, you’ve made the best choice you possibly can. Seeking help, whether early on or later in addiction, may prevent further damage from being done and could potentially help your body to reverse some of the damages it has undergone. You’ve made a great decision. If you’ve attempted to recover several times but have not been successful, you are not alone. A study published in the Journal of Addictive Diseases found that after following an analysis of 242 heroin users (2 groups of people: one group who recovered and one group who didn’t) after 30 years, non-recovered individuals were more likely to utilize substances to cope with stressful situations, to have spouses that abused drugs, to lack proper social support, and to have a lack of self-efficacy. Without the right treatment program, heroin addiction can be challenging to overcome. Previous research has shown that addiction recovery must include community support, a structured program, and negative consequences of substance use; perhaps in previous programs you were not provided with these crucial components to success, or you attempted to recover at home. There are many successful interventions that can be used for heroin addiction, including both behavioral and pharmacological options; integrating both treatment options have been shown to be the most effective. Medications may be used to aid in withdrawal symptoms of heroin addiction, including: 1) agonists (activates opioid receptors), 2) partial agonists (activates receptors but produces a smaller response), or 3) antagonists (blocks opioid receptors, interfering with reward responses). Methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone are the most common medications currently used to treat this addiction. Behavioral therapy such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and contingency management are most likely to be used in a treatment program. These programs will help you to release negative, unproductive patterns of thought and replace them more positive, productive ways of thinking. Contingency management is based on providing vouchers and other healthy rewards for actively working towards your recovery. Reach out to a representative at a reputable treatment center today to begin your journey towards recovery.

It is estimated that nearly 21.5 million Americans age 12 and older battle a substance use disorder each year; the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) states that men are more likely than women to use almost all types of illicit drugs. Studies have shown that men of just about any age are more likely to have higher rates of use and dependence on drugs, but women are just as likely to become addicted to drugs and may even be more susceptible to craving drugs. Although the rates of use and likelihood of addiction may vary between those two genders, what about addiction experiences? Well, it all depends on the person and the substance. For instance, women generally weigh less than men and have more fatty tissue. Fat retains alcohol while water dilutes it, making women more susceptible to experiencing bodily injury and faster absorption of alcohol into the bloodstream than men. Since alcohol dependence can develop quicker in women, organ injury such as liver disease and brain damage are more likely to occur.  Previous research conducted by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) has shown that women have death rates 50 to 100 percent higher than do men with alcohol use disorders, including death by suicide, heart disease, stroke, liver disease, and more. Marijuana use has also been shown to act differently in women versus men. For example, studies have proven that marijuana impairs a woman’s spatial memory (information about one’s environment) more than a man’s. In previous studies conducted with female rats, it was found that females were more sensitive to the reward sensation achieved by marijuana, as well as pain-relieving and activity-altering effects by the drug. Thus, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main ingredient, can produce significantly different effects between men and women. Overall, women have been shown to be more sensitive to the effects of drugs, ranging from alcohol and marijuana to heroin and cocaine. Scientists believe that estrogen is the main reason why women are most sensitive to the effects of drugs. A 2014 study published in Current Psychiatry Reports found that menstrual cycles of women regulated their progesterone and estrogen, with drug use also impacting the levels of these hormones. The study highlights the importance of estrogen in a woman’s transition from recreational drug use towards addiction. Prior research has denoted the higher risks and dangers that women have with substance abuse, meaning that help should be sought sooner rather than later. If you’ve been struggling with an addiction, make the decision to seek help today. Recovery is possible, and there are many tools to help you take back control over your life.

In the beginning of your recovery, stabilization is incredibly important. Many people with addiction experience depression, anxiety, and more as they generally feel a physical and psychological imbalance. The right treatment program is meant to help you regain that balance first through detox, and then through a structured program. Detoxification is the first step and involves the natural cleansing process of your body getting rid of the toxins of addiction. Treatment programs are great for this step because you will have a healthcare team who can closely monitor you and provide you with medication if you are experiencing a lot of discomfort from your withdrawal. Change can be difficult, but treatment is supposed to help you make the changes necessary to benefit your life. Once you’re in a treatment program, the first step towards stabilization is attending all of your scheduled meetings, therapy sessions, and activities. Even on days that you don’t feel like going – those are likely the days you need to attend the most. In a publication titled, “Treatment Improvement Protocol” by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), several factors were emphasized as ways to promote stabilization in recovery:

Thousands of years before modern medicine arrived, Ayurveda was utilized in India. As one of the world’s oldest medical systems, Ayurveda is based on herbal compounds, special diets, and other health practices. The practice combines Sanskrit words including “ayur” which means life, and “veda” which means science or knowledge. Deepak Chopra described the practice as, “The two main guiding principles of Ayurveda are 1) the mind and the body are inextricably connected and 2) nothing has more power to heal and transform the body than the mind.” Universal connectedness, the body’s constitution, and life forces are all comprised of Ayurveda, which physicians develop an individualized treatment program through use of herbs, diet, exercise, and recommendations for lifestyle. Use of herbs and of the practice on one’s own can be dangerous, however, if not led by a licensed, reputable physician, so it’s important to use this practice through a reputable treatment center. The main belief of Ayurveda is that freedom from illness is found through awareness of one’s own body, lifestyle, and diet. In order for individuals to gain more awareness of their body, meditation is often used. Meditation involves intense focus on the breath and body, most commonly practiced while sitting and with the eyes closed. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, Ayurveda has become more integrated with not only meditation but with yoga as well, to help individuals identify any health or mental problems between the various holistic methods. Is Ayurveda effective? While the World Health Organization (WHO) has noted limited research on Ayurveda, many people have attested to the benefits of this practice. Holistic medicine is still relatively new in the United States, and people are becoming more open to it than ever before. Many Ayurveda treatments aim to help a person maintain their health, not to necessarily treat a specific treatment. This type of practice works well as a complementary method to go along with a core treatment program. If you’re considering Ayurveda, speak with a representative at a reputable treatment center today.

A powerful sedative typically used to help people with insomnia, Ambien, generically called Zolpidem, is prescribed for no more than 6 weeks and is generally recommended to be taken for shorter periods of time. If a person takes larger doses of Ambien or takes the drug for longer than originally intended, they may develop dependence and, later on, addiction. If you’ve been struggling with Ambien addiction, treatment is necessary to help you gain back control over your life. Ambien targets receptor cells in the brain that respond to gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a neurotransmitter that affects sleep cycles. This drug was designed to work similar to Valium by also affecting emotional responses and levels of consciousness. When a person is going through withdrawal, they may experience the following:

According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 948,000 reported heroin use in 2016, and this number continues to rise. Heroin is a popular drug of choice – and an addictive one at that – giving people feelings of euphoria. There are many side effects of heroin, however, and those include: dry mouth, warm flushing of the skin, overall heavy feeling, nausea and vomiting, extreme itchiness, clouded mental functioning, and going “back and forth” between consciousness and subconsciousness. While there is a common stereotype that a person with a drug addiction is homeless, jobless, and more, there are many people that defy that image. It is possible for someone to have an addiction and still function in their daily life, masking their secret habit. For example, CNN recently covered the lives of several people who have heroin addiction but have been able to hide their addiction while continuing with their success. One young man, age 26, explained that with his higher position in the corporate world, he was able to afford nearly $350-600 a week on drugs. This man further explained that he would lie to many people to continue with his drug use, telling a pharmacist that he needed syringes because he was a school science teacher or explaining to his coworkers that he had bruises on his arms because he was diabetic. Maintaining heroin addiction alongside career and social success also means having support if the person is in a relationship. One woman explained that as a store manager, she began using heroin when it became more difficult to obtain prescription opioids for the chronic pain she was encountering. She stated that her husband is supportive and even keeps Narcan, an overdose antidote drug, but he would prefer that she quit use altogether. She stated on CNN, “He loves me enough that he’s willing to stay with me. That’s a key component to keeping me from going off the deep end.” Each person’s story is different, but there is one ending that should be the same – recovery. If you are struggling with heroin addiction, make the decision to seek help today.

Engaging in a treatment program can be a bit frightening, especially when you haven’t formed a support system yet and you are still learning the process. You may not know what challenges you’re going to face or how to overcome them, but the right treatment center will prepare you for these things. Over 3 million people each year receive treatment for an addiction, and around 1.2 million people in the United States seek treatment for both a mental illness and an addiction. Although these numbers are quite low in comparison to the total number of people who need treatment, they do have one benefit: many of these people have come back to help others. Not all therapists and healthcare staff at treatment centers have experienced first-hand mental illness or addiction in their personal lives. Many have experienced the struggles of those closest to them. Either way, there are many benefits to having professional health workers who have been through the process of mental illness, addiction, treatment, and recovery before:

There has been a longstanding debate of whether addiction arises from one’s environment or one’s genes. This debate is just as confounding as the one that involves mental illness; which is to blame? So far, a variety of studies have shown that it’s likely a mixture of both. However, each person’s story is different, making this not a one-size-fits-all case. Vishwajit Nimgaonkar, MD and psychiatrist at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, stated on Everyday Health, “Most mental illness is probably due to some combination of inheritance and exposure.” To answer this question, the Human Genome Project was established in 1990. Scientists conducted several different experiments to test the theory and see whether it was nature or nurture that came out on top. They were conflicted when they found that in their studies, most of the results represented a 50/50 split. However, latest research has shown that some mental illnesses are mostly genetic – mental disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, for example, have been shown to have inherited genes for the most part; if either of your parents has one of these mental illnesses, you have a 40% to 50% chance of inheriting the disease. When it comes to addiction, however, it could involve genetics as well as a person’s environment, lifestyle, upbringing, mental health, and demographics. In addition, having any genes in the family that make a person more susceptible to addiction doesn’t mean that person is destined to become addicted. For example, a person with genes that predispose them to addiction could very well remain sober their entire lives. Conversely, someone who has no trace of addiction in their family could struggle with addiction for most of their life. There is still a constant debate with nature versus nurture, but what’s most important is seeking treatment. There are a variety of treatment programs available, with each one providing support and tools that are needed for long-term success in recovery.

According to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in August of last year, 46% of U.S. adults say they have a family member or close friend who has an addiction now or has had one in the past. The illicit drugs included in the survey were marijuana, cocaine, heroin, hallucinogens, inhalants, methamphetamine, and misuse of prescription drugs. Along with these different drugs comes different short and long-term consequences, as each person’s history with drugs are different. There are many reasons why each addiction is different:

Perhaps you’ve got some pressing needs that you feel deserve the attention of licensed healthcare professionals. If you’ve been doing research to find the best option for your needs and circumstance, consider an intensive outpatient program (IOP). An IOP gives you just the flexibility you need to go about your daily routines while still giving you enough structure to stay active and involved in your treatment. IOPs are a great option if:

Xanax (the brand name for alprazolam) is a benzodiazepine and is considered one of the most addictive benzodiazepine medications on the market today. Known for quickly making changes to the brain, up to 44% of Xanax users become dependent on the drug. Medicinally, Xanax has been prescribed to patients who experience panic disorders, anxiety disorders, or anxiety caused by depression. However, others use this drug recreationally because of its euphoric effects. The Chicago Tribune states that Xanax addiction has the potential to become America’s next drug concern, as many Americans are overestimating the benefits and underestimating the risks of this drug. Xanax works by increasing the amount of the neurotransmitter GABA in the brain, which results in feelings of relaxation and calmness. Xanax slows down the movement of brain chemicals, boosting the effects of GABA. When taken as prescribed by a doctor, Xanax can be relatively safe and effective. However, it’s once a person has begun taking more than needed and/or more often that they begin to develop tolerance and later, dependence. This can easily become dangerous as a person with dependence to the drug may experience withdrawal symptoms while not taking the drug, such as anxiety, depressed mood, restlessness, poor memory, muscle aches and tension, tremors, and seizures. Xanax may work differently in the body if you have alcoholism, alcoholic liver disease, hepatic function, impaired renal function, if you are an older adult, and if you are obese. Some individuals who are struggling with mental illness have attempted to self-medicate using Xanax, but the drug can worsen any of these symptoms because of abuse. A level of caution is always necessary when taking Xanax, even if it’s prescribed. Due to its addiction potential, even people who have followed the doctor’s directions exactly as prescribed have still struggled with dependence. If you’ve been prescribed Xanax, the best method is to regularly check in with your doctor to monitor your progress and to see if you need to slowly taper down. Always consult the help of a medical professional if you experience any symptoms of concern.

With the opioid epidemic, doctors all over the country are limiting the number of refills patients can have, and some patients are being denied certain medications altogether. According to NBC News, many people are using Facebook to find and obtain prescription drugs they can’t otherwise get at the doctor’s. Through Facebook groups, people can request to join and then will swap certain drugs that are needed through private messaging. One woman stated, “If it weren’t for the online diabetes community I would be dead.” The dangers of sharing prescription drugs, however, are that people will not know if certain drugs have been stored incorrectly, are expired, or are contaminated. Yet many people are still risking their lives in pursuit of obtaining these prescription drugs. Drug makers and insurers are recommending that people first speak with their physician before taking unknown medication, and to only take what was prescribed to them. This easily becomes a problem, however, when the medication a person needs is denied access to them. Drug sharing isn’t just a U.S. problem, however. BBC News notes that tens of millions of prescription drugs have been smuggled into the UK, and officials are working to fix this issue. As one official stated on the website, “Tough enforcement is a fundamental part of the strategy and we are taking coordinated action to tackle illegal drug use alongside other criminal activity”. Overall, it seems there is a huge amount of criminal profit that is being made on selling prescription drugs through the black market. As the U.S. and other parts of the world are tackling the opioid epidemic, these drugs seem to be escaping through other avenues and we will have to see where this takes our country. If you are struggling with opioid addiction, make the decision to seek help today. Treatment may involve naloxone, an opioid antagonist that helps to reverse an opioid overdose. It’s never too late, and treatment is available. There are many people who care about your health and recovery; you are not alone.