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Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Meth Addiction - Meth Users Have Unique Needs in their Drug Treatment Program
Crystal Meth abuse is a very disturbing trend that we've seen grow exponentially over the last twenty three years of treating chemically dependent people here at the beach in California. Other names for crystal meth include speed, crank, crystal, tweak, ice, or glass. Methamphetamine is taken orally, intranasally (snorting the powder), by needle injection, or by smoking.
The widespread phenomenon of young people suffering from meth addiction is an insidious development that has spread from the urban areas into the suburbs and even into rural areas across the United States.
Users of Crystal Meth Have Unique Needs in their Drug Treatment Program
We have learned that the young men and women who arrive here for treatment that are addicted to speed have a very unique outlook on their drug abuse and specific treatment needs. Many times there is anger, denial and often severe depression accompanying the initial detox from meth and getting our clients to start enjoying life again here on the beach in Orange County often requires the skills we use to treat our dual diagnosis patients who suffer from a mood or behavioral disorder in addition to an addiction to drugs or alcohol. Our staff of clinical experts has to caringly keep the client on their side and educate them about the dangers of meth abuse. Through workshops, lectures, and individual and group therapy we will guide our client to the realization that life without meth is attainable and will be enjoyable. The beaches of Newport Coast, Orange County, are a great setting for this recovery from meth addiction.
Many older adults also abuse crystal meth (or prescription amphetamines) and we have our Reflections Program for Mature Adults to help adults over the age of 35 overcome their amphetamine addiction.
Meth Addicted Persons Should Enter Treatment Immediately
Meth addicted individuals are suffering from a chemical dependency that is potentially fatal but also has a high risk of doing permanent brain damage.
Users of crystal meth, or any of it's street derivatives (like crank, glass, or ice), may become addicted quickly, needing higher doses and more often. Not only can meth induce a severe episode of depression after it wears off, often there is irreversible damage to blood vessels in the brain.
As users increase their dosages, more and more of the brains dopamine is depleted making it difficult for drug addicted meth users to experience joy or happiness with or without the drug. People who use meth to stay up for days at a time while ignoring their body's need to sleep and eat can literally "fry" their brain and do permanent nerve damage.
Effective Meth Addiction Treatment in California
The most effective treatment for methamphetamine addiction is extended care residential treatment like what Sober Living by the Sea offers in Newport Beach, California. If the client is in need of a detox and primary care we can also provide that level of care. We recommend more than a thirty day primary treatment because it takes some time for the individual to "come out of the fog" of their addiction and start making good progress with the individualized recovery program we will create for them.
We will use therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, rational emotive behavioral therapies to break through and help our client overcome their addiction. Also, there is a non-stop slate of workshops, lectures, group therapy, and activities - including physical fitness, spiritual, esteem building, and fun social outings - which will help the individual start to enjoy life again free of meth.
Contact us to speak with someone who will answer any questions you may have. We will perform an initial psychological screening and assess you or your loved one's situation and find the appropriate level of care and then you can turn the recovery process over to Sober Living by the Sea's team of clinical experts and twenty three years of experience treating drug addiction.
We know that Admissions to a drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility can be a difficult process. Our intake staff will use care and sensitivity while they guide you through the admission process for drug addiction treatment. We are committed to ensuring that each person who enters our facility. be treated with the utmost in dignity and respect. Call us at 866.323.5609.
Labels: addiction, california, crank, crystal meth, detox, glass, ice, meth, methamphetamine, newport beach, speed addiction, treatment
posted by SLBTS at 4:46 PM
1 comments
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Exercise as Drug Abuse Prevention Tool
I find it very beneficial to exercise in recovery and this is a very obvious and agreed upon tenet here at Sober Living by the Sea where our drug & alcohol rehab program activities have long featured physically strenuous as well as fun, social, spiritual, and esteem building building activities as part of every client's program of recovery.
If you are like me, you may occasionally struggle getting the motivation to get out of bed early to exercise, or maybe put on your gym clothes after a long hard day of work. Articles like the below which is published by NIDA (National Institue on Drug Abuse) really help to fire me up and remind me that not only will I feel better immediately after exercising (and in the long run) but it is actually part of a well rounded recovery program.
Begin NIDA Release:
It is well known that exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle but can exercise programs actually reduce the likelihood of drug abuse and thus prevent addiction? The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is holding a seminal conference on June 5-6 to explore a possible role for physical activity in substance abuse prevention. As part of this effort, NIDA announced a $4 million grant initiative to spur further research on this emerging area of investigation.
"Exercise has been shown to be beneficial in so many areas of physical and mental health," said Dr. Nora Volkow, NIDA Director. "This cross-disciplinary meeting is designed to get scientists thinking creatively about its potential role in substance abuse prevention."
More than 100 scientists from around the country are gathering for the two-day conference. The goals of the meeting are:
To share the state of the science in epidemiology, basic science, and intervention research-focused on physical activity as a strategy to prevent substance abuse;
To facilitate development and testing of new paradigms for prevention; and
To promote future research in these areas.
Presentations will focus on the importance of the social context in which physical activity occurs, including school and the natural environment, as well as the relationship of physical activity to physical disorders (obesity), social reward structures (motivation), cognition (attention, impulse control and other motor skills), and mood disorders (depression, stress), all of which may play a role in substance abuse. To facilitate research on the role of exercise, attendees will also learn about and see demonstrations of tools that assess physiological responses to exercise and physical activity.
The meeting is taking place on the NIH campus, and will include participants from several other NIH institutes as well as experts from around the world. On the second day of the meeting, Sally Squires, the author of the Washington PostÕs Lean Plate Club will share insights and feedback from her column on what the public wants to know about physical activity and health.
Labels: drug abuse, drug and alcohol rehab activities, exercise in recovery, physical fitness drug rehab
posted by SLBTS at 3:52 PM
1 comments
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Addiction Science: Pharmaceutical Developments
Sold As (Brand Name): | Suboxone, Subutex | Vivitrol, Revia, Depade | Wellbrutrin, Zyban |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active Drug Ingredient: | Buprenorphine | Naltrexone | Buproprion |
| Used For Treating: | Opioid withdrawal and reduction of craving in early recovery | Reduction of craving for alcohol and opioids | Reduction of craving for smoking |
| How Administered: | Via injection, transdermal patch, or sublingual tablet | Oral tablet or occasional injection of slow release implant in abdomen | Oral tablet- 12 hour slow release |
| Notes: | Buprenorphine is an opiod receptor antagonist most commonly referred to by its brand name Suboxone. This product is becoming more popular in the treatment of withdrawal from opioids and during the subsequent early recovery period. Suboxone is usually Administered by placing a tablet under the tongue, Suboxone will lessen the cravings of a opiate addicted person during withdrawal and during their early recovery. | Naltrexone is an opiod receptor antagonist most commonly used to reduce cravings for alcohol in recovering individuals for up to 12 months. By taking a daily 50 mg tablet, individuals in test studies have proven to be less likely to relapse. There is also a slow release Naltrexone implant placed under the skin that dissolves over the course of 30 days. Naltrexone is also occasionally used in the “rapid” detox of opiod addicts during which it is administered while the individ-ual is under general anesthesia. | Buproprion is a nicotinic antagonist that reduces cravings for smoking during the cessation process. Initially researched and marketed as an antidepressant (Wellbutrin), bupropion was subsequently found to be effective as a smoking cessation aid and then branded for this purpose with the name Zyban. Zyban is administered for 7 to 12 weeks and the patient usually continues to smoke for the first part of the treatment. |
| Side Effects: | Headaches, dizziness, nausea, drowsiness | Nausea, headache, dizziness, insomnia, drowsiness | Dry mouth, nausea, insomnia, tremors |
| Warning: | Not to be mixed with Benzodiazepines. Effectiveness is greatly enhanced when com-bined with an inpatient treatment program. | Not an acceptable substitute for a comprehensive treatment program that includes testing, therapy, support groups, and addiction education. | Increases likelihood of seizures. It is possible to overdose on Burproprion. |
Labels: Addiction Science, Depade, Pharmaceutical developments in treatment, Revia, Suboxone, Subutex, Vivitrol, Wellbrutrin, Zyban
posted by SLBTS at 12:43 PM
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