Teen Drug Help
Texas County Sees Rise in Young Addicts, Violence Among Youth
El Paso County, Texas, is seeing a rise in young addicts and violence among youth. Experts believe that the twin trends are no coincidence.
Chilo Madrid, director of an El Paso drug treatment center, comments on the trends: "We are seeing younger and more violent addicts. It's not unusual to see an 18-year-old who has been addicted for three or four years, who's had two or three sexually transmitted diseases, who's belonged to two gangs and who's been shot at more than once."
Madrid estimates that approximately 20 percent of El Paso County's population is addicts, or approximately 150,000 of the 742,000 residents. A Mexican drug cartel just across the United States border, in Juarez, Mexico, makes drugs cheap and easy to obtain in El Paso.
According to Madrid, heroin addiction is especially prevalent in the area: "We do a lot of street research, and we know for a fact that we have 30,000 hard-core heroin users in El Paso, and a lot more people who use cocaine on the weekends.”
“When we started out in this field, a hit of heroin (a quarter gram) cost $25," Madrid said. "Now, people can get the same quantity for $2.50 a hit. The same is true for cocaine. A hit of cocaine is about two lines.
"They don't go to Juarez or to shooting galleries anymore. People get the drugs by texting on their cell phones. Whereas before, your heroin users were older, we're now seeing kids as young as 16 who are trying heroin and cocaine for the first time."
(Source: behaviorhealthcentral.com)
Labels: addiction, cocaine, heroin, violence
California Community Fights Teen Prescription Drug Abuse
Glendora, Calif., has seen a disturbing trend in the last couple of years: a drastic increase in the incidence of teen prescription drug abuse. According to data from the local school district, in 2006, 46 students were suspended for prescription drug use. The next year, the number rose to 54, then to 55 in 2008.
Last Christmas, a 15-year-old Glendora teen died from an overdose of prescription drugs that he got at a friend's house. In September, another high school student who was allegedly addicted to the prescription anti-anxiety drug Xanax shot himself. And last month, a Glendora teen was found running through traffic on a main boulevard after ingesting 40 OxyContin pills, Xanax and alcohol.
In response to the surge in teen prescription drug use, local law enforcement and school officials are collaborating to get the word out to unsuspecting parents and other adults: The stereotypical drug dealer is no longer the norm. More and more teens are buying drugs from their middle-class peers or obtaining them from the medicine cabinets of family, friends and acquaintances.
On Nov. 2, 2009, the police and school district held a drug forum at a local gymnasium to discuss local teen abuse of prescription drugs.
(Source: www.pasadenastarnews.com)
Labels: addiction, drug-abuse, prescription-drug-abuse
The Addicted Brain
Why do addicts continue using despite all of the negative consequences? Drug use changes the chemistry of the brain and suppresses emotional and social development, resulting in a number of addictive behaviors that are puzzling (and hurtful) to family and friends. Learn more about the causes of addiction and how treatment at a reputable drug rehab can help addicts develop new, healthy coping skills to enjoy with life without drugs or alcohol. Read more about The Addicted Brain
Labels: addiction, brain chemistry, development
Teen Brains Vulnerable to Addiction
Teens may get addicted to drugs and relapse more easily than adults because their still-developing brains respond more powerfully to drug-related cues, according to recent research. The research, conducted by McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School's largest psychiatric facility, appeared in the April issue of Behavioral Neuroscience.
The research, which utilized adolescent and adult rats, found that adolescent rats were significantly more persistent than adults in returning to the same spot where they had first received a dose of a drug. Given these findings, researchers believe that treating adolescent addiction "may require atypical strategies for drug abuse intervention during the adolescent period, such as extended treatment that involves substitution with different rewards, for example, exercise or music."
Researchers suggest that "Harnessing their acute ability to learn well and form strong associations with stimuli that predict rewards may be helpful. ... In addition, it may be important to realise that adolescents might need longer treatment programs."
(Source: www.scientistslive.com)
Labels: addiction, teens
Former OxyContin Dealer Warns of Drug's Addictive Hold
John Tegano, a 24-year-old Alaska resident and former OxyContin dealer and addict, spoke to a local newspaper this week about the destructive effect the drug has had on his life. Tegano just finished serving a two-year sentence for drug-related misconduct. Tegano stressed that although OxyContin use starts out as recreational, it isn't long before use becomes necessary just to make it through the day.
Tegano commented, "I'm trying to get people to realize what can happen - what you lose, what happens to you. ... I will tell you first-hand that this has ruined my life so far. No good comes out of it. ... The negatives outweigh the positives by far. ... You get high for 30 minutes, maybe. After that it is not about getting high - you have to do this just to get through your day."
Tegano comes from a large, close-knit family, where drug problems were unknown. In high school, he and his younger brother briefly experimented with a couple drugs, but never did anything regularly. Tegano first began using OxyContin when he was 19, as a freshman at the University of Nevada at Reno. After one month of using the drug, he knew he couldn't stop. What followed were three years that he barely remembers. "I don't know how it happened, really. ... Before I knew it I was in deep, I was already gone."
For a while he was able to maintain an appearance of normal functioning, which led him to believe that he didn't really have a problem. He devoted most of his energies to making sure he had Oxy on hand at all times. He tried to quit a couple of times, but severe withdrawal symptoms, including cold sweats and vomiting, deterred him. It wasn't until his arrest and court-ordered treatment two years ago that he finally began to recover from his addiction.
OxyContin, which is a chemical cousin of heroin, is often more potent and addictive than its street relative. Tegano commented on what he learned about OxyContin while in treatment: "It's like a super-drug, really, that's what it is. ... The way it was explained to me is that heroin hits your nerve endings and just brushes over them, but OxyContin is scientifically made to go right to those receptors and cover them."
(Source: www.juneauempire.com)
Labels: addiction, drug dealing, oxycontin
Boston Researchers Find that Medical Training on Addiction Is Lacking
Researchers from Boston Medical Center (BMC) have found that medical training lacks sufficient education on addiction, which is resulting in suboptimal medical care for individuals with addictive behaviors. The researchers found that a CRIT (Chief Resident Immersion Training program) in addiction is an effective way to disseminate needed information to medical staff. The chief resident takes information from this program and teaches it to residents through a "train-the-trainer" model.
Lead author of the study, Daniel P. Alford, MD, MPH, FACP, Associate Professor of Medicine at Boston University School of Medicine and director of Chief Resident Immersion Training in the Addiction Medicine Section of General Internal Medicine at BMC, commented: "Training chief residents who have a primary responsibility for educating medical trainees, appears to be one important pragmatic strategy to address the compelling need for better physician training in the identification and management of patients with addiction. ... This program effectively transferred evidence-based addiction knowledge and practice to 64 chief residents in generalist disciplines and more importantly, enhanced the addiction curriculum in 47 residency programs." (Sources: sciencedaily.com)
Labels: addiction, diagnosis, treatment
Betty Ford - First Lady and Founder of Famous Addiction Rehabilitation Center
April 8, 2009 marks the 91st birthday of former first lady Betty Ford. With the founding of the Betty Ford Center in 1982, Betty Ford made a groundbreaking contribution to the treatment of addiction for women. Betty had many roles in her lifetime: model, dancer, first lady, feminist, and cancer survivor. But it was her experience battling and surviving her own addictions that led to her most memorable venture.
In April 1978, the year that her husband lost the presidential election to democratic candidate Jimmy Carter, Betty began losing her battle against substance addiction. Her family staged an intervention, and she was admitted to the U.S. Naval Hospital in Long Beach, California, for chemical dependency. During her treatment at the hospital, she first saw the need for a detoxification and treatment center that would offer services for each gender separately. In 1982, Betty joined with her friend Ambassador Leonard Firestone to co-found the nonprofit center. (Source: www.findingdulcinea.com)
Labels: addiction, rehab, treatment
Nicotine: More Than an Addiction
A new study from Brown University indicates that nicotine is not only addictive, but it may also interfere with dozens of cellular interactions in the body. The study, which is published in the Journal of Proteone Research, shows that nicotine may affect the body more extensively than previously thought. Nicotine appears to impact cell communication throughout the mammalian nervous system, and "opens several new lines of investigation" for possible treatments of smoking addiction and disease.
The study analyzed the cellular processes of brain tissue in mice. In particular, researchers studied a receptor (the alpha-7 receptor) in the brain where nicotine bonds with the surface of the cells when it enters the body. Researchers compared cellular processes in the brains of mice with the receptor and in mice without, and found that 55 different proteins interacted with the alpha-7 receptor. This finding indicates that the alpha-7 receptor may have many more functions in the body than previously known, and that the presence of nicotine may negatively affect each of these functions. (Sources: www.miller-mccune.com)
Labels: addiction, nicotine, smoking
Ritalin May Be Addictive
Researchers at Rockefeller University have conducted a study with mice that indicates that Ritalin, a drug commonly prescribed to treat attention-deficit disorder (ADD/ADHD), may be addictive. Study findings suggest that long-term exposure to the drug could induce addiction because "Methylphenidate [Ritalin] and cocaine have similar chemical structures and their pharmacological effects appear to be similar," said study author Yong Kim, a senior research associate at The Rockefeller University. Long-term exposure to the drug appears to cause changes in neuronal morphology (the shape of neurons) and brain chemistry in the same way that cocaine does. (Sources: www.forbes.com)
Labels: addiction, ADHD, ritalin
Afghani Doctors Visit the U.S. to Learn About Addiction Treatment
A delegation of doctors from Afghanistan is visiting Maryland this week to learn more about treating addiction. Addiction is a huge problem for the country, where almost 90 percent of the world's opium is produced. One devastating issue is that many poor mothers sedate their children with opium because it makes them appear happy and quiet. It is also a cheap and easy way for them to keep their children quiet and under control while they work. The delegation will spend a week observing group therapy sessions and how drug treatment programs in the United States are designed and delivered. (Source: www.news8.net)
Labels: addiction, treatment
Canadian Doctors Want Government to Recognize Addiction as a Disease
The British Columbia Medical Association (BCMA) released a report today asking the government to formally recognize addiction as a chronic disease, and cover the treatment of this disease under the province's public healthcare system. BCMA argues that providing public funding for treating addictions could help reduce the even costlier impact on society of untreated addictions.
Dr. Shao-Hua Lu, who is clinical practice director for the new Burnaby Centre for Mental Health and Addiction, is quoted in the Vancouver Sun: "In 2002, the estimated cost of treating substance abuse in B.C. was more than $6 billion, or $1,500 per person per year, with alcohol, gambling and tobacco taking the biggest toll on society."
The Health Minister George Abbott agrees with the findings of BCMA, especially in light of the fact that addictions are often linked to a mental illness. However, he expresses concern over the additional pressure on the healthcare system during the current economic downturn. (Source: www.vancouversun.com)
Labels: addiction, disease
Infant Addictions on the Rise in Wisconsin
Doctors in Wisconsin have seen rates of infant addiction - infants born addicted to substances due to drug use by their mothers - skyrocket in the last four to five years. The problem is largely related to the treatment of heroin addiction and addiction to prescription painkillers using methadone. Babies are being born addicted to methadone, and many of them don't live more than a couple of months. John Glaspey, a pediatrician and neonatologist in Wisconsin, commented:
"The number of methadone-withdrawing babies has skyrocketed in the last four to five years. The problem right now is much worse than it ever was before."
(Source: www.jsonline.com)
Labels: addiction, infants
Certain Genes Linked with Many Types of Addiction
Addiction experts at the University of Virginia Health System and the University of Michigan have discovered new insights into the genetics of addiction. According to a landmark paper to be published in the April 2009 issue of Nature Reviews Genetics, some of the same genes associated with alcohol dependence are also closely linked with other addictions, including nicotine, cocaine, opioids, and heroin. Paper co-author Ming Li, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry and neurobehavioral sciences at the UVA School of Medicine, commented on the findings:
"Addiction researchers have found that several genes are linked with multiple addictions. ... So, we're narrowing the scope to specific genetic targets. Once researchers can pinpoint exact genetic variants and molecular mechanisms, then we can create much more effective, even personalized, treatments for individuals addicted to a variety of substances." (Sources: ScienceDaily.com)
Labels: addiction, genetics
Scientists Find Surprising Relationship Between Parkinson's Disease and Addiction
Researchers at the Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI) have uncovered a surprising insight into addiction by investigating Parkinson's disease. Many Parkinson's disease patients develop addictions while receiving medical treatment. MNI's findings indicate that "persistently elevated levels of dopamine in the brain promote the development and maintenance of addictive behaviors."
The neurotransmitter dopamine plays a key role in both addiction and Parkinson's disease. Addiction is marked by persistently elevated levels of dopamine, Parkinson's by persistently depleted levels. Many Parkinson's patients are therefore treated with medications called dopamine agonists - medications that mimic dopamine. Dr. Alain Dagher, co-author of the review and a neurologist at MNI, commented on the findings:
"In some instances Parkinson's disease (PD) patients become addicted to their own medication, or develop behavioural addictions such as pathological gambling, compulsive shopping or hypersexuality. ... This is surprising because PD patients typically have a very low incidence of drug abuse and display a personality type that is the opposite of the typical addictive personality. These rare, addictive syndromes, which appear to result from excessive dopaminergic treatment, illustrate the link between dopamine, personality and addiction."
Labels: addiction, disease, parkinson's
Self-Medicating Teens Compound Depression Problems
According to a report from the federal ONDCP (Office on National Drug Control Policy), many teens use marijuana to self-medicate for depressive symptoms, but the drug use may be compounding the problem. A recent study found that female teenagers who use marijuana are more likely to develop depression that those who do not. In addition, teens suffering from depression are more likely to engage in other high-risk behaviors like cigarette smoking and heavy alcohol use.
Dr. Drew Pinsky, addiction expert and host of VH1's television series "Celebrity Rehab" was interviewed for a recent article on the study. Dr. Pinsky said, "Don't be fooled into thinking that pot is harmless. ... Marijuana is an addictive drug. Teens who are already depressed and use marijuana may increase their odds of suffering from even more serious mental health problems."
Nora D. Volkow, M. D., Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse weighed in on the issue, saying "There is also some evidence that in vulnerable teens-because of genetic factors-the abuse of marijuana can trigger a schizophreniform [a serious mental] disorder."
(Source: living.oneindia.in)
Labels: addiction, teen-depression, teen-marijuana-abuse
Teen Died After Lethal Combination of Drugs and Alcohol
An Australian teenager begged friends to get her help, but they delayed 3 hours before calling an ambulance, even though she was "blue"and struggling to breath. She was dead before the ambulance arrived.
The teens were participating in a "pharm party" - these are parties where teens often toss any pills or drugs they have into a bowl. The teens then reach in and grab a bunch of the pills, often washing them down with alcohol. This highly dangerous game is popular among teens in the United States as well.
Now two years later, during an inquest into the teen's death, one teenager reported that he wanted to call an ambulance, but the other teens talked him out of it. They were afraid the police would become involved.
One youth claimed it was "not my party, not my house, not my call."
Drug Rehab information
Labels: addiction, drug overdose, drugs, pharm parties
