Addiction | People for Drug Reform

The Stupidity of Individuals That Take Drugs not Prescribed to Them

Taking strange pills can kill people, yet some take them all the time to get high. Pills from their ‘friends’ and dealers.

One man in his late-twenties in Portland, Oregon (Travis) reports that he was quite the partier when he was younger. He was known for drinking and taking all kinds of drugs.

One night he and his room mate were sitting on the couch, drunk and carrying on a slurred conversation. They were closely examining pills they‘d found; they didn‘t recognize them. Then, with a grin and a knowing look to each other, they both popped the pills into their mouths and swallowed.

What was That Pill For?

An hour later, Travis felt his head being pulled to the right, gently at first, but soon it got to where he couldn’t fight it. His head was stuck turned all the way to the right. Then his back muscles stiffened.

They didn’t know what to do, so the room mate took Travis to the ER. The doctor got a book with pictures of pills and they found the ones they’d closely examined just hours before. The doctor then knew of an antidote to give.

After the shot Travis’ muscles began to relax and he could turn his head again, but then an hour later, it came back. They again went to the ER, the doctor scolded them and gave him another shot. They went home and it happened again – only this time to the room mate, and Travis had to bring him to the ER.

These men are lucky they’re alive. Don’t take stray medicines.

Filed Under: Addiction, Medication

Signs of Drug Addiction Relapse

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There are times when someone with an addiction can relapse after treatment. Contrary to what some people may think, a relapse does not happen the first time the recovering addict takes drugs. Relapse is actually a gradual process that begins when the drug or alcohol addicted person starts taking the addictive substance repeatedly.

Relapse shouldn’t be seen as a sign of failure. Statistics have shown at approximately 90 percent of people who undergo addiction treatment go through at least one period of relapse before achieving full recovery.

Some of the signs that may indicate a phase of relapse include:

Depression which may suggest that all is not well.
Lying in an attempt to cover up what is happening.
Behavioral changes such as breaking from routine. This may be as simple as skipping meals and changes in sleeping pattern.
Failure to take part in recovery activities such as counseling sessions, exercising or other healthy, alternative habits that were formed to help in overcoming addiction.
Feelings of self pity: Recovering addicts sometimes complain about not being able to drink like everyone else. They may say that life is unfair or that they are not being respected.

Getting Back on Track

It takes support of loved ones to help a recovering addict stay on course. However, the addicted person must also want to change their behavior. For some people, getting back on track after relapse calls for re-entering addiction treatment centers. For others, it’s a matter of acknowledging the problem and working harder to avoid situations that can lead to substance abuse. If you find yourself slipping back into addiction, don’t hesitate to ask for help.

Filed Under: Addiction, Recovering Tagged With: Drug Addiction, relapse

Treatments for Drug Addiction

Recognizing the problem is the first step in the treatment of drug abuse. People who are addicted to drugs sometimes deny their drug addiction but it has been found that they respond better if empathy and respect are used in their treatment rather than being confronted about their addiction. When seeking attention for drug addiction, a trained professional should be part of the evaluation process in order to determine the best care.

v dependency typically begins with detoxification wherein the abused substance is withdrawn by either gradual or abrupt means. The starting point should be the least intensive treatment. To assist in the withdrawal process, sometimes medications are prescribed in order to suppress or reduce the side effects and risks of withdrawal.

People who enter residential drug programs then receive additional support and assistance. Their withdrawal symptoms and behavior are monitored so any problems with the withdrawal process can be addressed. Behavior modification techniques are employed so that users start to recognize their behaviors and actions, modify their attitudes and behaviors related to drug abuse and start using skills that will lead them to a more healthy life. Behavior modification techniques can also make the medications used in the treatment process more effective so that people will stay in treatment longer.

Counseling is also involved in treatment and includes the drug abuser and perhaps the family in a group setting. Both physical and psychological support are needed as part of treatment. If depression or some other mood disorder becomes evident, it should be treated as well as very often people started their drug abuse as an attempt to treat their mental illness on their own.

There is also long-term care once the person has been released from the residential drug program that provides additional assistance and peer support. There are also many support groups in the community that people can join to help in their continued abstinence from using the drug for which they were treated.

Filed Under: Addiction, Treatment Tagged With: Drug, Drug Addiction, Treatments

Stages of Drug Addiction

Drug addiction is not something that occurs overnight but takes time to develop. There are several stages involved in the use of drugs that may lead to dependence and addiction.

The first stage involves experimental use. Peer group pressure is typically involved and the drug user takes the drug for recreational use. In younger people, taking drugs in this fashion may signal the enjoyment of defying or rebelling against parents or other figures of authority.

The next stage is regular use of the drug. The user begins to miss days at school or work and starts to worry about losing their source of the drug. The drug is used whenever negative feelings occur as a way to fix them. The user also keeps away from family and friends and may even resort to changing friends to those who are regular users like himself. There is an increase in the ability to handle and tolerate the drug.

Next is a daily preoccupation with the drug. Any motivation regarding school or work is lost by the user who does not care about these commitments any longer. All thoughts revolve the drug as it becomes more important than all other interests, including relationships. The user becomes secretive and may start to deal in drugs in order to support the habit. The use of harder, more serious drugs may increase as well as the associated legal problems.

Finally, there is complete dependence on the drug. The user cannot face daily life without the drug and relies on it to keep going all day. One’s physical condition worsens, there is a loss of control over the use of the drug and financial and legal problems worsen. By this time, ties with family members and with friends may have broken completely. At this point, the user craves the drug and seeks its use, regardless of the negative consequences that may befall him in the process of taking them.

Filed Under: Addiction, Drugs Tagged With: Drug Addiction, pressure, school

Drugs Causing Addiction

There are a variety of drugs to which one can become addicted. One of these is cocaine which can be taken by inhaling it through the nose, dissolving it in water and taken intravenously, or changed into a form which can be smoked known as freebase or crack. The results of taking cocaine are an instant and intense sense of euphoria as well as feelings of increased confidence and energy, a lack of inhibition and a powerful stimulation of the central nervous system. Addiction to this drug occurs because the overall high that is produced does not last very long so the user is encouraged to take the drug more often or regularly in order to continue to have the same effects. There is a tendency for cocaine users to become violent as a result of paranoia from heavy use.

An amphetamine is another drug to which one can become addicted. Amphetamines were often prescribed in the 1950s and 1960s for conditions of obesity, mild depression and fatigue. In an over-the-counter format these drugs are used to suppress the appetite or for aids in staying awake and alert. Signs and symptoms of using this drug are dilated pupils, exaggerated feeling of well-being, a fast heart rate, problems sleeping, tremors, flushing of the skin and restlessness and hyperactivity.

Morphine and codeine are considered in the class of opiates and are derived from the opium poppy. Opioids have the same effect as these two drugs but are artificial in nature. Either opiates or opioids are referred to as narcotics. Heroin, methadone, Demerol, opium, Percocet or Oxycontin are also considered narcotic drugs. The signs and symptoms or using narcotic drugs include a rapid heart rate, needle marks and scars from abscesses on the skin if the drug is taken by injection, relaxed or euphoric state, small pupils the size of the point of a pin and coma or respiratory depression leading to a coma if the drug is taken in large doses.

Filed Under: Addiction, Drugs Tagged With: Addiction, Morphine, Opioids

The Pharmaceutical Company’s Agenda

Pharmaceutical companies are very profitable and often high-profile establishments that make a large impact both economically and socially. They are expected to support their products and be accountable to the general popualtion for its failures and successes. If there is anything amiss with the way the pharmaceutical company handles any issues related to their products, they are expected to be active in their representation to the public.

Although there are at times more negative press that surrounds a pharmaceutical company more than there is positive talk, the drug manufacturing company has an agenda to fulfill that often involves more than the general public may realize.

Yes, part of their mission and cause is to provide the public and the medical industry with good, solid and reliable drugs, but they also want to make a profit in the midst of their mission. How do they ensure this? By aggressively marketing and continuoulsy doing research on drugs and drug-related products.

Pharmaceutical companies spend millions of budget dollars on to market their products to the doctors and consumers. They want to impact and influence the decisions that doctors make while prescribing medications and they also want to be the drug of choice that patients ask for when they visit their doctor’s offices. Even with the creation of web-based, online drug ordering, pharmaceutical companies want to be sure to make an impact with that community too by having an online presence in those areas.

None of this makes the drug companies the bad guy. It just means that the industry is a profit-seeking institution and that consumers and physicians should be aware of this when dealing with or considering certain medications. It’s just a good practice to ask questions, do research and get as much feedback about a drug before settling it as a cure-all for the consumer and the medical establishments.

Filed Under: Addiction, Health Tagged With: The Pharmaceutical Company's Agenda

Safely Storing Your Prescription Drugs

Safe storage of your prescription drugs is essential if you have any children in the house no matter what the age. The hazards of an overdose are well-known and stories of children getting into medication are often heart-breaking. The newest trend is for teens to grab old prescription drugs and then mix and match for an attempted high. Keeping your prescription drugs safe is an important part of protecting your kids from danger.

For prescription drugs that are currently prescribed and you are currently taking, store in a child-proof container well out of reach. You may have to become creative or lock up current prescription drugs if you have a snooping teen. Do not store them in the medicine cabinet in the bathroom. The bathroom contains high amounts of moisture which can get into the prescription pill. Additionally, guests who may have a drug addiction will first look in the medicine cabinet for your pain pills. Keep the safe by keeping them out of sight and out of reach.

Old prescriptions that are left over should be properly disposed off. Hoarding medication for later is not a good idea. Many prescriptions will expire before they are used. Expired drugs do not contain the potency and some rapidly degrade into harmful formulations. Moreover, old prescriptions are often forgotten and teens can easily take them without you realization.

No matter what type of prescription you have, it has the potential to cause great damage if a kid overdoses on it. Teens are particularly prone to mixing up different prescriptions and making a deadly combination out of prescription drugs. Store your prescriptions in a place that keeps them safe. Do not tell any one about where they are stored to protect your small children, your teens, and yourself from going through a nightmare at the hospital.

Filed Under: Addiction, Health, Medication Tagged With: prescription drugs

Prescription Drugs And Food Allergies

It is known that people can be highly allergic to some types of prescription drugs. The same thing is true of food allergies. The potential consequences of taking such drugs and eating certain foods can be devastating. So while avoiding certain foods requires constant vigilance, the same vigilance should be taken when it comes to taking prescription drugs.

If you have severe food allergies, it pays to check out the ingredients within your prescription drugs. Some prescriptions drugs can contain ingredients that are commonplace, harmless, and inactive until they are introduced into someone who has a severe allergy. A lot of fillers have a basis in the food categories. Fillers are intended to be generally inert and do not produce any changes in body chemistry.

Oftentimes, the active ingredients are clearly displayed. But when it comes to filler products, the ingredients do not appear. Getting an ingredient list of fillers is a little more difficult. Usually, you have to contact the drug manufacturer to determine if they are using a food ingredient that you might be allergic too. Unlike food companies, the drug companies do not display the typical warnings associated with food allergies.

Allergies to shellfish are common. Yet, many Calcium based products acquire their Calcium from shellfish. While the potential interaction is still low, if you have a deadly allergy to it, it is something to take very seriously. Sometimes, the smallest amount can cause a reaction.

Severe food allergies require the same vigilance when it comes to prescriptions as it does when it comes to what you put in your mouth. If you have any questions about the potential for allergy, ask your doctor or pharmacist. A complete filler list can be found by directly contacting the drug manufacturer. Protect yourself by checking out your prescriptions prior to taking them.

Filed Under: Addiction, Addiction Recovery Programs, Health Tagged With: Food Allergies, prescription drugs

The Drug Called Caffeine

When you think about, discuss or the subject of drugs comes up, people automatically think of hard drugs or substances like cigarette products or alcohol. However, anything that specifically alters a person’s mood, thinking or actions is considered a drug. This can include anything from over-the-counter prescriptions, physician-written presriptions or food and drink products too. Surprisingly, caffeine is a product that can significantly alter a person’s mood and is contained within many food and drink products including:

- Coffee
- Soft Drinks
- Chocolate

These are perhaps the more popualr occurences of caffeine, but there can also be trace amounts of caffeine in other food products that many people may not be aware of. Since caffeine does in fact alter a person’s mood and actions, it is considered a drug as well.

The morning cup of coffee, or the mid-afternoon chocolate fix that many people have to have to feel a boost or surge of energy is why caffeine is so potent. It has the potential to give the person a kick and help them through their day or whatever task they’re facing. The drug is so powerful that many people who may be caffeine-sensitive are cautioned against ingesting too much of a product that contains caffeine, and to watch out for signs or symptoms of caffeine overdose.

While caffeine is considered a drug, it’s not to be taken lightly because it is a potent substance. Likewise, it’s important to exercise some precaution and care when using caffeine and caffeinated products to avoid any physical issues or impairments.

A controlled use of caffeien is harmless and can be good especially on occasion for those persons who may need a pick-me-up in the middle of the day. Within reason and with a little restraint, it can be used in moderation to achieve the goal the person is seeking. Simply use moderated caution and get the results you want without the unwanted side effects.

Filed Under: Addiction, Drugs Tagged With: Drug

Limiting PSE’s

Is the psuedoephedrine law really working in Illinois? There are not a lot of laws that prohibit or restrict the sale of over the counter medications. Illinois enacted one a few years ago that has been in full effect for some time. The idea and spirit behind it is noble, but the real question is: does it work, and should other states adopt this law?

If you go on a site like TheCyn.com you will see that there is a growing problem with drug abuse in this country. And over the counter medication has been a great way to get it. There is a drug that can be purchased without a prescription called psuedoephedrine that is used, by those in the know, to make crystal meth. This is a frighteningly addicting drug, and one that will completely deteriorate someone’s entire body.

Across the country, the debate has raged whether PSE’s should be taken off the market altogether, or restricted to the sale with a legal perscription for it. In Illinois, they passed a law that allowed the sale of PSE’s but with the entering of a valid driver’s license or a state I.D. With that, the sale of the drug could be monitored by the state and even restricted if you met your daily, weekly, monthly or yearly total.

The truth though, seems to be that there isn’t much that is preventing it from being purchased. There are always ways around the system, and those with the knowledge to do so will find ways around it. The truth is that the states would be better suited working the efforts of education and prevention of using this as opposed to monitoring the sales. But, if there is any statistical data to indicate that it’s working, you can be assured they will keep it in tact.

Filed Under: Addiction, Drugs, Health Tagged With: Limiting PSE's