Painkiller Addiction: Rough Road To Recovery

Painkiller Addiction: Rough Road to Recovery

Fresno - According to the Office of National Drug Control Policy, prescription drugs account for the second most commonly abused category of drugs in the United States behind marijuana and ahead of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine.

There really is no easy or right way to recover, but doctors agree there are only certain outcomes of addiction - and if left untreated - death is one of them.

Dr. Richard Guzzetta, of Touchstone Recovery center in Clovis, is noticing an increase of younger addicts.

"We see several people under the age of 18... we didn't see as many a few years ago," said Dr. Guzzetta.

And he says, it could be because the drugs of choice these days - Oxycontin and other prescription painkillers - take a faster and stronger hold.

"There are certain drugs that are more satisfying to the addictive cravings that you have, so if you get a hold of those your addiction takes hold faster and a little bit harder. We find that opiates attack two recepters...so you get a double whammy, that's why it takes hold of kids so fast," explains Dr. Guzzetta.

According to the Monitoring the Future study, nearly 10% of 12th graders surveyed in 2008, reported using Vicodin without a doctor's orders that year. And nearly 5% reported using Oxycontin.

Dr. Guzzetta says he knows there's a lot of peer pressure in Clovis and Fresno high schools.

"My son goes to high school, and several of his friends are taking drugs, and making fun of those who don't take drugs," said Dr. Guzzetta.

But not all kids who try it become addicted.

"Addiction is not willpower or a moral problem, it's a brain chemistry problem, usually children are born with a propensity for addiction, all they have to do is add that brain to an addictive chemical, and you'll have an addiction going on," explains Dr. Guzzetta.

It's not just rich kids getting caught up in addiction.

"The unknown demographic is the stay at home mom... I've met so many women in recovery you would never suspect," said Fresno housewife, Julie Valles.

Valles is recovered from an addiction to the painkiller Norco - but it took a stint in jail for her to stay sober.

She says the withdrawal process, is what kept her going back to the pills.

"It is the worst pain describable, it's like having the flu ten times over, aches and pains, every bone in your body hurts, every muscle hurts, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, you just feel sick, you cannot function," said Valles.

"When people are addicted to it, and they don't get it, they go through a withdrawal... it can be as simple as having anxiety, or as severe as having a panic attack. People seeking their medication and they need help right now, and it could be life threatening," explains pharmacist Michael Winton, of Winton Pharmacies.

In 2008 alone, 81 people died in Fresno County, because of prescription drug abuse.

"No it's not shocking, if you're going to become an addict, there are only certain courses that lay ahead of you, and death is one of them," said Dr. Guzzetta.

Dr. Guzzetta says only about a third of people who go to rehab for addiction, will successfully remain sober.

He says it's important for people to be aware of the reality of prescription drug abuse in our community.

It's a sobering reality that Clovis police, the Fresno county coroner, and local pharmacists already accept.

"Oxycontin is very addictive, typical effects are euphoria, feeling of well being... these kids don't know what they're doing, they're playing with fire, if it continues they will get hurt, if not dead, and we as a community have to stop it," said Winton.

But recovery can be a long road back with many of its own pitfalls, including new addictions.

Medicines like methadone and buprenorphine are commonly prescribed to help addicts get clean.

And many people interviewed for this series say patients sometimes get hooked on their anti-addiction pills.

Successful recovery depends on matching the individual to the right doctor and treatment.


Posted:
May 13, 2009 02:18 AM EDT



If you know someone with an addiction and they are unwilling to get the help please call us toll-free 1-866-631-0026. You can also visit our website http://www.kdconsulting.org/.

Bipolar Disorder Symptoms

Bipolar disorder causes extreme mood swings, from feeling overly energetic (mania) to feeling very sad or having low energy (depression).

Mania may cause a person to:

Feel extremely happy or very irritable.
Have a very high opinion of himself or herself (inflated self-esteem).
Not need as much sleep as usual (feel rested after 3 hours of sleep).
Talk more than usual.
Be more active than usual.
Have difficulty concentrating because of having too many thoughts at the same time (racing thoughts).
Be easily distracted by sights and sounds.
Act impulsively or do reckless things, such as go on shopping sprees, drive recklessly, get into foolish business ventures, or have frequent, indiscriminate, or unsafe sex.
Depression may cause a person to:

Feel sad or anxious for a significant time.
Feel hopeless or pessimistic.
Have slowed thoughts and speech because of low energy.
Have difficulty concentrating, remembering, and making decisions.
Have changes in eating and sleeping habits leading to too much or too little eating or sleeping.
Have decreased interest in usual activities, including sex.
Have suicidal thoughts.
Not enjoy things he or she normally would enjoy.
Types of bipolar disorder
Bipolar I. Considered the classic form of the illness, bipolar I causes recurrent episodes of mania and depression. The depression may last for a short time or for months. You may then go back to feeling normal for a time, or you may go right into a manic episode.
Bipolar II. If you have bipolar II, you will experience depression just as in bipolar I. But the episodes of mania are less severe (hypomania). People with bipolar II have more depressive episodes than hypomanic episodes.
Rapid-cycling bipolar disorder. If you have rapid-cycling bipolar disorder, you will experience at least four episodes of depression, mania, or both within a 12-month period. You may go directly from an episode of depression to an episode of mania, or you may have a short time lapse between the two extreme moods. The mood swings are the same as with other types of bipolar, but the frequency of mood swings distinguishes rapid-cycling bipolar disorder from the other subtypes.
Some people may have bipolar disorder with mixed symptoms, in which episodes of depression and mania occur together. Symptoms include sadness, euphoria, and irritability. Other symptoms can include agitation, lack of sleep, appetite changes, and possibly, thoughts of suicide. This makes the disorder challenging to treat and very frustrating for you and for those around you. It can also lead to hospitalization if your daily functioning becomes impaired.

In addition to changes in mood, some people with bipolar disorder also have symptoms of anxiety, panic attacks, or symptoms of psychosis.

Symptoms of bipolar disorder in children can be very different than those in adults and can be confused with other childhood mental disorders, such as depression or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Bipolar disorder in children significantly interferes with a child's ability to function in school, with friends, and at home.

Some other conditions with symptoms similar to bipolar disorder include depression, schizophrenia, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

People with bipolar disorder—men more often than women—may have substance abuse problems, especially during manic episodes.4 Abusing alcohol or drugs may affect treatment and interfere with taking medicines as prescribed. Other disorders that may occur along with bipolar disorder include:5

Obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Panic attacks or panic disorder.
These illnesses need to be treated along with the bipolar disorder.

Last Updated: March 14, 2008
Health.com
Author:
Jeannette Curtis
Medical Review:
Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine Lisa S. Weinstock, MD - Psychiatry
© 1995-2009 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.

Methamphetamin Abuse Costs U.S. $23.4 Billion

Methamphetamine Abuse Costs U.S. $23.4 Billion
Study cites crime, court fees, productivity losses and deaths among consequences

HealthDay

By Robert Preidt

Wednesday, February 4, 2009
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 4 (HealthDay News) -- In 2005, the economic cost of methamphetamine use in the United States was $23.4 billion, according to a RAND Corporation study of the financial impact of addiction, premature death and other issues associated with the drug.

While methamphetamine causes some unique types of harm, many of the costs associated with its use are the same as those identified in economic assessments of other illicit drugs, the study found.

Almost two-thirds of the costs caused by methamphetamine use resulted from the burden of addiction and the estimated 900 premature deaths among users in 2005. The second largest cost category was crime and criminal justice, including the costs of arresting and jailing drug offenders and dealing with non-drug crimes committed by methamphetamine users, such as thefts committed to support their drug habit.

Loss of productivity, the removal of children from their parents' homes because of methamphetamine use, and drug treatment were among the other factors associated with the economic cost of the drug.

The study cited the production of methamphetamine as another cost category, explaining that producing the drug requires toxic chemicals that can result in fire, explosions and other dangerous events. The resulting costs cover such things as cleaning up the hazardous waste generated by methamphetamine production and injuries suffered by emergency workers and other victims.

"Estimates of the economic costs of illicit drug use can highlight the consequences of illegal drug use on our society and focus attention on the primary drivers of these costs," study lead author Nancy Nicosia, an economist at RAND, said in a news release from the nonprofit research organization. "But more work is needed to identify areas where interventions to reduce these harms could prove most effective."

The study was sponsored by the nonprofit Meth Project Foundation and the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse.

"We commissioned this study to provide decision-makers with the best possible estimate of the financial burden that methamphetamine use places on the American public," Tom Siebel, founder and chairman of the Meth Project, which aims to reduce first-time use of the drug, said in the news release.

"This is the first comprehensive economic impact study ever to be conducted with the rigor of a traditional cost-of-illness study, applied specifically to methamphetamine," Siebel said. "It provides a conservative estimate of the total cost of meth, and it reinforces the need to invest in serious prevention programs that work."


HealthDay

Copyright (c) 2009 ScoutNews, LLC. All rights reserved.

What is Alcohol?

What Is Alcohol?
Alcohol is created when grains, fruits, or vegetables are fermented. Fermentation is a process that uses yeast or bacteria to change the sugars in the food into alcohol. Fermentation is used to produce many necessary items — everything from cheese to medications. Alcohol has different forms and can be used as a cleaner, an antiseptic, or a sedative.

So if alcohol is a natural product, why do teens need to be concerned about drinking it? When people drink alcohol, it's absorbed into their bloodstream. From there, it affects the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord), which controls virtually all body functions. Because experts now know that the human brain is still developing during our teens, scientists are researching the effects drinking alcohol can have on the teen brain.


How Does It Affect the Body?
Alcohol is a depressant, which means it slows the function of the central nervous system. Alcohol actually blocks some of the messages trying to get to the brain. This alters a person's perceptions, emotions, movement, vision, and hearing.

In very small amounts, alcohol can help a person feel more relaxed or less anxious. More alcohol causes greater changes in the brain, resulting in intoxication. People who have overused alcohol may stagger, lose their coordination, and slur their speech. They will probably be confused and disoriented. Depending on the person, intoxication can make someone very friendly and talkative or very aggressive and angry. Reaction times are slowed dramatically — which is why people are told not to drink and drive. People who are intoxicated may think they're moving properly when they're not. They may act totally out of character.

When large amounts of alcohol are consumed in a short period of time, alcohol poisoning can result. Alcohol poisoning is exactly what it sounds like — the body has become poisoned by large amounts of alcohol. Violent vomiting is usually the first symptom of alcohol poisoning. Extreme sleepiness, unconsciousness, difficulty breathing, dangerously low blood sugar, seizures, and even death may result.

Why Do Teens Drink?
Experimentation with alcohol during the teen years is common. Some reasons that teens use alcohol and other drugs are:

curiosity
to feel good, reduce stress, and relax
to fit in
to feel older
From a very young age, kids see advertising messages showing beautiful people enjoying life — and alcohol. And because many parents and other adults use alcohol socially — having beer or wine with dinner, for example — alcohol seems harmless to many teens.

Reviewed by: Steven Dowshen, MD
Date reviewed: November 2006
Originally reviewed by: Eugene Shatz, MD

Drugs + Depressed Teens = A Dangerous Combination

Drugs + Depressed Teens = A Dangerous Combination
By Psych Central News Editor
Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on May 9, 2008 Friday, May 9 (Psych Central) --

U.S. teenagers who attempt to self-medicate through the use of marijuana or other drugs can end up worsening their depression, says a new report. The report suggests that such drug use could also lead a teen toward other serious mental disorders.

The report cites research which it says shows that some teens are using drugs to alleviate feelings of depression (”self-medicating”), when in fact, using marijuana can compound the problem. The report found, for instance, that teenagers who smoke marijuana at least once a month are three times more likely to have suicidal thoughts than non-users.

The report, from the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), suggests that up to two million teens felt depressed at some point during the past year, and depressed teens are more than twice as likely as non-depressed teens to have used marijuana during that same period.

Depressed teens are also almost twice as likely to have used illicit drugs as non-depressed teens. They are also more than twice as likely as their peers to abuse or become dependent on marijuana. Marijuana use is associated with depression, suicidal thoughts, and suicide attempts.

“Marijuana is not the answer. Too many young people are making a bad situation worse by using marijuana in a misguided effort to relieve their symptoms of depression,” said John P. Walters, Director, National Drug Control Policy.

“Parents must not dismiss teen moodiness as a passing phase. Look closely at your teen’s behavior because it could be a sign of something more serious.”

Although marijuana use among teens has dropped by 25 percent since 2001, more teens use marijuana than all other illicit drugs combined. The new report, Teen Marijuana Use Worsens Depression: An Analysis of Recent Data Shows ‘Self-Medicating’ Could Actually Make Things Worse (PDF), also found the following:

Using marijuana can lead to depression and other mental illnesses;
The percentage of depressed teens is equal to the percentage of depressed adults, but depressed teens are more likely than depressed adults to use marijuana and other illicit drugs;
Teen girls who use marijuana daily are more likely to develop depression than girls who do not use marijuana;
Depressed teens are also more likely than non-depressed teens to engage in other risky behaviors such as daily cigarette use and heavy alcohol use.
“Don’t be fooled into thinking that pot is harmless,” said Dr. Drew Pinksy, internist, addiction expert, and host of VH1’s Celebrity Rehab. “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.”

In fact, the potency of smoked marijuana has risen consistently over the past decades and higher potency translates into serious health consequences for teens. Some studies show that higher potency marijuana may be contributing to an increase in the number of American teens seeking treatment for marijuana dependence.

The risks associated with recent and long-term marijuana use include schizophrenia, other forms of psychosis, and even suicide. “Not only are adolescents at greater risk for drug abuse, but they may suffer more consequences,” said Nora D. Volkow, M. D., Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse. “There is also some evidence that in vulnerable teens-because of genetic factors-the abuse of marijuana can trigger a schizophreniform disorder.”

The report was released to coincide with May’s Mental Health Awareness Month.

Source: U.S. National Drug Control Policy

Teen Smoking Could Lead to Adult Depression

Teen Smoking Could Lead To Adult Depression, Study Says
ScienceDaily (Feb. 6, 2009) — Teenagers who smoke could be setting themselves up for depression later in life, according to a groundbreaking new Florida State University study.

Psychology Professor Carlos Bolanos and a team of researchers found that nicotine given to adolescent rats induced a depression-like state characterized by a lack of pleasure and heightened sensitivity to stress in their adult lives. The findings suggest that the same may be true for humans.

"This study is unique because it is the first one to show that nicotine exposure early in life can have long-term neurobiological consequences evidenced in mood disorders," Bolanos said. "In addition, the study indicates that even brief exposure to nicotine increases risk for mood disorders later in life."

The Florida State researchers injected adolescent rats twice daily with either nicotine or saline for 15 days. After the treatment period ended, they subjected the rats to several experiments designed to find out how they would react to stressful situations as well as how they would respond to the offering of rewards.

They found that behavioral changes symptomatic of depression can emerge after one week of nicotine cessation and -- most surprising -- that even a single day of nicotine exposure during adolescence can have long-lasting effects.

"Some of the animals in our study were exposed to nicotine once and never saw the drug again," Bolanos said. "It was surprising to us to discover that a single day of nicotine exposure could potentially have such long-term negative consequences."

The rats that were exposed to nicotine engaged in behaviors symptomatic of depression and anxiety, including repetitive grooming, decreased consumption of rewards offered in the form of sugary drinks and becoming immobile in stressful situations instead of engaging in typical escape-like behaviors. The researchers were able to alleviate the rats' symptoms with antidepressant drugs or, ironically, more nicotine.

Interestingly, adult rodents that were exposed to the same nicotine regimen as the adolescents did not display depression-like traits. It is not known exactly how nicotine works on the brain and nervous system to induce these effects, but exposure has toxic effects in several brain regions and neurotransmitter systems at distinct periods of development, Bolanos said.
Because various neurotransmitter systems in the brain continue to develop throughout adolescence, the researchers theorize that nicotine may negatively influence these systems resulting in altered functionality later in life. The study's findings underscore the need for further research into how this process occurs.

Scientists have long known there is a connection between smoking and mood disorders, but they have not been able to say for sure that one causes the other because there are so many factors influencing human behavior. This study provides support for the idea that smoking can induce symptoms of depression, and paradoxically, can also be a way of managing those same symptoms and enhancing the risk for addiction.

"The message to young people of course is don't smoke and don't even try it," Bolanos said. "If they do smoke, they need to be aware of the potentially long-term effects that recreational or even occasional cigarette smoking can have on their systems."

The work was supported by grants from the state of Florida's James and Esther King Biomedical Research Program and the National Institute on Drug Abuse. In addition, Iniguez has a McKnight Fellowship from the Florida Education Fund and a Neuroscience Fellowship from Florida State University. Warren also is supported by a Neuroscience Fellowship.

Journal reference:
Iñiguez et al. Nicotine Exposure During Adolescence Induces a Depression-Like State in Adulthood. Neuropsychopharmacology, 2008; DOI: 10.1038/npp.2008.220
Adapted from materials provided by Florida State University.
Email or share this story:
addthis_pub = 'sciencedaily';
WEBSITE

What happens to your brain when you take drugs?

What happens to your brain when you take drugs?

Drugs are chemicals that tap into the brain's communication system and disrupt the way nerve cells normally send, receive, and process information. There are at least two ways that drugs are able to do this: (1) by imitating the brain's natural chemical messengers, and/or (2) by overstimulating the "reward circuit" of the brain.

Some drugs, such as marijuana and heroin, have a similar structure to chemical messengers, called neurotransmitters, which are naturally produced by the brain. Because of this similarity, these drugs are able to "fool" the brain's receptors and activate nerve cells to send abnormal messages.

Other drugs, such as cocaine or methamphetamine, can cause the nerve cells to release abnormally large amounts of natural neurotransmitters, or prevent the normal recycling of these brain chemicals, which is needed to shut off the signal between neurons. This disruption produces a greatly amplified message that ultimately disrupts normal communication patterns.

Nearly all drugs, directly or indirectly, target the brain's reward system by flooding the circuit with dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter present in regions of the brain that control movement, emotion, motivation, and feelings of pleasure. The overstimulation of this system, which normally responds to natural behaviors that are linked to survival (eating, spending time with loved ones, etc), produces euphoric effects in response to the drugs. This reaction sets in motion a pattern that "teaches" people to repeat the behavior of abusing drugs.

As a person continues to abuse drugs, the brain adapts to the overwhelming surges in dopamine by producing less dopamine or by reducing the number of dopamine receptors in the reward circuit. As a result, dopamine's impact on the reward circuit is lessened, reducing the abuser's ability to enjoy the drugs and the things that previously brought pleasure. This decrease compels those addicted to drugs to keep abusing drugs in order to attempt to bring their dopamine function back to normal. And, they may now require larger amounts of the drug than they first did to achieve the dopamine high—an effect known as tolerance.

Long-term abuse causes changes in other brain chemical systems and circuits as well. Glutamate is a neurotransmitter that influences the reward circuit and the ability to learn. When the optimal concentration of glutamate is altered by drug abuse, the brain attempts to compensate, which can impair cognitive function. Drugs of abuse facilitate nonconscious (conditioned) learning, which leads the user to experience uncontrollable cravings when they see a place or person they associate with the drug experience, even when the drug itself is not available. Brain imaging studies of drug-addicted individuals show changes in areas of the brain that are critical to judgment, decisionmaking, learning and memory, and behavior control. Together, these changes can drive an abuser to seek out and take drugs compulsively despite adverse consequences—in other words, to become addicted to drugs.

From the Doctors at MedicineNet.com