Drug Rehab Discusses: Possible Cocaine Vaccination

With the possibility of a new cocaine vaccination, the question arises whether or not this is an effective form of drug rehab.

A new cocaine vaccine has been developed by a team of researchers led by Dr. Ronald Crystal at Weil Cornell Medical College.  A team, led by Dr. Crystal created a combination of an inactive part of the cold virus, known as the adenovirus, with a structure similar to cocaine to act as a vaccine to this addiction.

According to CNN Health, the vaccine works by stimulating the auto immune system which creates antibodies, preventing the cocaine from passing through the blood barrier. After an experimental trial on mice, CNN Health reported on January 5, that the vaccine appears to negate the effects of cocaine addiction by keeping it from affecting the central nervous system.

The current vaccine, although not tested on humans yet, raises concern among industries treating addiction as many other substitute therapies for drug abuse have not been successful for permanent recovery in addicts.

Derry Hallmark, Certified Chemical Dependency Counselor and Senior Director for Expansion for Narconon Arrowhead, one of the world’s largest and most successful rehabilitation centers, discusses the cocaine vaccination.   

“Although this cocaine vaccination is marketed to possibly prevent the physical abuse of cocaine, the mental drug addiction will definitely still be present,” explains Hallmark. “We haven’t seen enough cases to know the validity of the vaccine, but even if it works the addictive personality will find a way to get high by abusing another drug or skipping treatment with the vaccination.”

“With drug addiction, the underlying issues must be treated or the addictive personality will continue to control the individual’s life,” adds Hallmark. “Narconon has been treating addiction since the 1960’s and there has to be an effort on part of the addicted person to really tackle the mental aspects of addiction. There is no shortcut like a magic pill or vaccine to do this.”

Narconon Arrowhead is a long term, inpatient drug rehab program that handles the full extent of addiction, and with a 70% success rate, has done this effectively for more than 40 years.

“The cocaine vaccination cannot fully address all components that lead the person down the road of addiction in the first place,” says Hallmark. “Narconon Arrowhead can rehabilitate the person fully, without the use of any drugs or substitute medications.”

For more information on drug rehab for you or someone you know who is struggling with a drug addiction contact Narconon Arrowhead today at 800-468-6933.

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Enablers Delay Recovery of Drug Addicts

The power of addiction is deep-seated. It is so strong, that it may cause an otherwise, sweet and innocent individual to become a completely different person. It can push someone to prostitute themselves for drugs. Some struggling to overcome addiction will steal money from family or friends in order to get their next fix. Many will take advantage of those they care about because the urge to use is so intense.

An enabler is someone who offers support or resources to an addict. It could be something as simple as providing the addict with housing or transportation because he is spending all his money on drugs. Or, maybe the addict is prostituting herself or stealing in return for drugs, and the enabler supplies financial support because he doesn’t want to see his loved one end up in jail. Whatever the case may be, these behaviors are very dangerous to the health of the addict.

Enablers aren’t always family members. They can be neighbors, friends, co-workers, or even teachers. If the enabler truly understood the harm they were inflicting, they wouldn’t continue to provide support. They are usually people that truly care for the person suffering with addiction. Most have good intentions and want to help—or at minimum, don’t want to cause a scene.

They believe that they are actually helping those they care about by preventing ‘worse case scenarios.’ Enablers often operate under the mentality that if they don’t help those who are afflicted, they will get resources from somewhere else anyway. However, the truth is, most addicts would not be able to continue in their addictions without the support of enablers.

Enablers may also fear rejection from their loved ones if they do not yield support. Thomas Kosten, MD, founder of the division of substance abuse at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston says that enablers should not feel guilty for saying no. He affirms that tough love is actually the best way to help.

Just like everyone else in life, addicts need to know that there are consequences for their actions. When we stop enabling, we allow them to face the repercussions of their bad choices. Whether that is the loss of a job, being stripped of material possessions, going to jail, or destroying a relationship with someone they love, hitting rock-bottom may be the only catalyst compelling addicts to wake up and change their ways.

When addicts are faced with the consequences of their actions, they realize what they stand to lose. They are forced to make decisions about what is most important in their lives. It is only then that treatment and recovery can begin. But just like any form of loving discipline, friends and family need to stand firm in order for the process to work.

 

 

 

If you think you might be an enabler, examine your role in aiding the addiction, and let your loved one know that you will not be able to continue the cycle. Be strong and don’t back down. Enforcing consequences can pull at your heart strings, but doing so will offer those you care about the best chance at recovery and rehabilitation.
 

Enablers Delay Recovery of Drug Addicts is a post from: Drug Addiction Treatment

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Combining Alcohol and Drugs

The National Survey on Drug Use and Health reports that 17.5 percent of underage drinkers admitted to having used illicit drugs within 2 hours of using alcohol. When drugs and alcohol are combined, the result is often a visit to the emergency department. Healthcare professionals have an opportunity during that visit to intervene and educate the young person about the dangers of combining alcohol and drugs.

Using alcohol and drugs together can result in very dangerous consequences, such as injury or risky sexual behavior. It is important to understand the trends occurring among adolescents related to alcohol and drug use, and the Drug Abuse Warning Network provides reports detailing emergency department visits involving drug use.

Recently DAWN released a report for the 2008 emergency department visits involving underage drinking in combination with drug use. The report focuses on emergency visits by individuals under the legal age of 21, including adolescents aged 12 to 17 and young adults aged 18 to 20.

There were 188,981 alcohol-related emergency department visits by individuals aged 12 to 20 in 2008, with 70.0 percent involving only alcohol and 30.0 percent involving alcohol in combination with other drugs. Illicit drugs were used in 68.4 percent of those visits that involved both alcohol and drugs. Marijuana was the most common illicit drug used, followed by cocaine, illicit stimulants and heroin.

Over half of the cases involved pharmaceutical drugs, and of those drugs, medications used to treat anxiety or insomnia were the most widely used, followed by narcotic pain relievers, antidepressants or antipsychotics and acetaminophen products.

The report indicates that there was little difference indicated between genders or age groups regarding emergency department visits involving a combination of drugs and alcohol. There was also little difference seen between different racial groups.

Many underage patients who were treated in the emergency department require additional treatment. However, the DAWN report showed that nearly two thirds of cases showed no evidence of any type of follow-up care. There was more evidence of follow-up care among adolescents aged 12 to 17 than there was for young adults aged 18 to 20.

The report released by DAWN for 2008 shows that 3 out of every 10 emergency department visits made by underage drinkers also involved drugs. The emergency department can be the only chance for prevention and education strategies to be introduced to underage drinkers.

The lack of difference between age, gender and race indicate that a general intervention program may be just as effective as targeting particular individuals. The emergency department is also an ideal time for educating parents about the importance of involvement with their children’s decisions about drinking and drugs.
 

Combining Alcohol and Drugs is a post from: Drug Addiction Treatment

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Americans Admit to Driving After Using Drugs and Alcohol

There are many dangerous behaviors associated with the use of drugs and alcohol. The rate of risky sexual behaviors goes up with the use of drugs and alcohol, as well as the occurrence of related injuries. One dangerous behavior that affects not only the user but countless others is the decision to drive while using drugs or alcohol.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provides information about the state of drug and alcohol use in the United States. The reports issued by SAMHSA offer insight into developing effective strategies for preventing dangerous behaviors associated with substance use.

According to SAMHSA data, approximately 30 million Americans aged 16 years and older admit to drunk driving. In addition, an estimated 10 million report that they have driven while under the influence of drugs.

The analysis completed by SAMHSA indicates that those figures may translate to approximately 20 percent of the population admitting to driving in drunk in some states. On average across the states, 13.2 percent of those aged at least 16 years drove while under the influence of alcohol in the last year, while 4.3 percent drove while using illegal drugs.

The rates of driving while using a substance vary widely from one state to another. For example, the highest percentage of drunk driving took place in Wisconsin and North Dakota (23.7 and 22.4 percent, respectively). The highest rates of driving while using an illegal drug were recorded in Rhode Island and Vermont (7.8 and 6.6 percent, respectively). The lowest levels of drunk driving were found in Utah and Mississippi.

The use of alcohol and drugs while driving also varies among different age groups. In a self-reported body of data, it was estimated that those aged 16 to 25 years drive while under the influence of alcohol at a rate of 19.5 percent, while those over the age of 26 report a rate of 11.8 percent.

The use of illegal drugs in combination with driving also varies by age. Those aged 16 to 25 used drugs while driving at a rate of 11.4 percent, while adults over the age of 26 reported driving while under the influence of drugs at a rate of 2.8 percent.

SAMHSA’s report includes encouraging information. The rates of driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol has dropped in recent years. In the report summarizing data from 2002 to 2005, the rate of alcohol-influenced driving was 14.6 percent. However, in the recent report released detailing information from 2006 to 2009, the rate had dropped to 13.2 percent. Likewise, driving while under the influence of drugs dropped from 4.8 percent to 4.3 percent in the same time period.

Americans Admit to Driving After Using Drugs and Alcohol is a post from: Drug Addiction Treatment

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