5 Signs Your Loved One Is Using Cocaine

Posted on October 17, 2017 by dr-admin

In 2014, there were an estimated 1.5 million people using cocaine in the United States, but finding out if your loved one is using cocaine can be tricky, especially if you don’t know what to look for.

Cocaine is a white powder that people can snort up their nose, or mix with liquid then inject into their bloodstream. Cocaine’s dangerous. It’s a central nervous system stimulant that overstimulates the brain’s reward circuit. Cocaine can increase a person’s heart rate to an alarming level.

There are several signs that may give you a better idea, if you believe that someone is using cocaine. It’s important to know what to look for, because your loved one might need help quitting cocaine. Many people find freedom from cocaine in the safety of a rehab center.

1. Lack Of Money From Cocaine Use

One of the first signs of cocaine use will appear when an individual runs out of money. Cocaine is one of the more expensive drugs, and the high from it doesn’t last very long so one binge can be costly. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), “snorting cocaine produces a relatively slow onset of the high, but it may last from 15 to 30 minutes.”

A cocaine binge can cost 150 dollars per gram, and can last for several days, weeks, or months. Some people spend so much on cocaine that they’re unable to support themselves, or their family on an otherwise substantial income. Cocaine use has been known to ruin lives, and may even cost a person their job. In this respect, a person abusing cocaine may constantly need to borrow money, whether they have a job or not.

2. Drug Paraphernalia Used For Cocaine

Another sign of cocaine abuse is the appearance of drug paraphernalia, which refers to objects, and miscellaneous articles needed to use the drug. Here’s a list of paraphernalia used for cocaine:

Tightly rolled dollar bills
Straws
Tubes
Pens with the ends cut off
Sandwich baggies
Flat surface with white residue:
- Piece of glass
- Mirror
- Tray
- Book
- Countertop
- Magazine
Burnt spoons
Unexplained needles or syringes
Glass pipe
Concealable containers with white residue

Some of these items won’t show up, because your loved one may keep it well hidden, or clean up after using the drug. It can also depend on when and where an individual uses cocaine. If you decide to confront someone about their cocaine use, they might not be honest with you—at least not at first. It may be helpful to have them take a random at home drug test, if you suspect your loved one is using cocaine.

3. Behavioral Changes From Cocaine Use

Changes in behavior may be the next sign to appear. When someone starts acting strangely, or constantly sneaks around, it may be due to cocaine use.

The teenage years may present a dilemma, because during this time, people are changing anyways. Teenagers might act out or show aggression towards authority. Similarly, someone using cocaine may do a lot things that seem out of character like become violent, or recluse.

Someone using cocaine might stay up later than usual, sleep at odd times during the day, spend a lot of time alone, and excessively use the bathroom without good reason. Suspicious activities may also include anonymous phone calls, and when you answer. when the person hangs up.

Using large amounts of cocaine may increase a person’s euphoria, but at the same time it can lead to erratic, bizarre, and sometimes violent behavior. Cocaine use can lead to paranoia, anxiety, irritability, restlessness, and panic. Your loved one may seem energetic, talkative, euphoric, mentally alert, and be sensitive to sight, sound, and touch (NIDA).

Some may even develop an obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) as a result of their cocaine use—this occurrence of both mental and substance use disorder is referred to as a co-occurring disorder. With consistent results from epidemiological studies by the National Library of Medicine, subjects actively using cocaine (and also marijuana) were found to be at an increased risk for OCD.

4. Social Changes From Cocaine Use

Your loved one may stop spending time with lifelong friends as a result of their cocaine use. A teenager might even stop enrolling in extracurricular activities like sports, or academic clubs, and replace those social circles with other people who use drugs. An adult may avoid social situations with the exception of night clubs, bars, and other scenes where drug use is more widely accepted.

The people who aren’t using cocaine may not like their friend’s new found activity, and as a result stop hanging around them. The choice to cut ties with someone because of cocaine use can work from both sides. Sometimes it’s the person using cocaine who stop responding to their friends or family; maybe from fear of being rejected, or judged.

5. Physical Changes From Cocaine Use

Sometimes the physical changes from cocaine use are the last thing people notice before they realize it’s a problem. Using cocaine temporarily decreases a person’s need for food and sleep. So as a result, they may lose a lot of weight, or even seem gaunt, or malnourished. Cocaine use may also come with the appearance of dark circles around the eyes.

Cocaine can also result in a lot of adverse health consequences. Some of these aren’t as easy to determine as others, but may include:

Constricted blood vessels
Dilated pupils
Cardiovascular complications
Increased body temperature
Heart rate
Blood pressure
Heart arrhythmia
Heart attack
Frequent headaches
Seizures
Gastrointestinal complications
Nausea
Stomach pain
Respiratory complications
Slowed breathing
Coma
Death

So repeated cocaine use not only puts a person at risk of becoming addicted or dependent upon the drug, it can also lead serious physical and mental health complications, and emergencies. In 2011, “cocaine was involved in 505,224 of the nearly 1.3 million visits to emergency departments for drug misuse or abuse,” (NIDA). If you believe someone you love is using cocaine, don’t give up on them, get help today.

Find Help For Cocaine Addiction And Dependence

It’s helps to remember that cocaine addiction is considered an disease, and even after a person changes from it, they’re still the same person. They just might need more help now. Contact DrugRehab.net today to speak to someone who understands addiction, and can tell you more about how to find cocaine addiction treatment for you or your loved one.

For More Information Related to “5 Signs Your Loved One Is Using Cocaine” Be Sure To Check Out These Additional Resources From DrugRehab.org:

Sources

National Institute on Drug Abuse – What Are The Short Term Effects of Cocaine Use?
National Institute on Drug Abuse – What is the Scope of Cocaine Use in the United States?
U.S. National Library of Medicine – Cocaine
U.S. National Library of Medicine – Cocaine Use and Other Suspected Risk Factors for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Medications To Manage Alcohol Withdrawal

Posted on October 9, 2017 by dr-admin

Alcohol is the most commonly abused drug in the United States. Alcohol can form an intense physical dependence for individuals that drink heavily on a regular basis. When they stop drinking, a severe withdrawal can occur.

In mild cases, alcohol withdrawal symptoms may be only uncomfortable. The individual could experience minor symptoms such as shaking or sweating. The most serious withdrawal problem from alcohol is when a person has delirium tremens (DT’s). Individuals can die from a seizure from having delirium tremens so it should never be taken lightly.

A professional medical detoxification in an inpatient treatment setting manages these concerns safely, by aid of various medications. Benzodiazepines and anticonvulsants are most commonly used for this purpose.

Why Does Alcohol Withdrawal Occur?

Like other drugs, the moment you begin using alcohol it goes to work changing the way your brain functions. As use becomes more frequent and intense, these changes become more severe and lasting. One of the largest impacts is felt within our neurotransmitters, specifically one called GABA. These important brain chemicals are responsible for regulating critical functions within our bodies, including the autonomic nervous system, cognition, and mood.

In the presence of a constant influx of alcohol, as within an addicted state, your brain drastically cuts back on its own production of neurotransmitters. This reliance is termed a physical dependency. Should a person stop using alcohol, or radically reduce their consumption, their body experiences an intense state of shock called withdrawal.

When you drink alcohol, it increases GABA’s effects, which reduces the amount of excitability within your brain, as explained by the American Family Physician (AFP). During withdrawal, without alcohol, your brain becomes excessively excited, which leads the sense of unease and edginess which accompanies withdrawal.

What Are The Signs Of Alcohol Withdrawal?

After the last drink, symptoms of withdrawal may occur in as little as a few hours, or it may take up to several days for certain individuals to encounter these effects. The severity of withdrawal is influenced by:

How long a person has been drinking for.
The amounts regularly consumed.

Withdrawal from alcohol can cause:

Anxiety
Brain fog
Confusion
Cravings
Depression
Insomnia
Nausea and vomiting
Rapid heart rate
Sweating
Tremors or shaking

For long-term, heavy drinkers, withdrawal can become severe. Drinkers of this sort are far more common to experience delirium tremens (DT’s), a severe and dangerous form of withdrawal. According to MedLinePlus, symptoms typically begin two to four days after a person stops drinking, but in certain cases they may not occur until day seven or ten. This state is marked by:

Agitation
Extreme confusion
Fever
Hallucinations
Mood swings
Seizures
Stupor

The risk of withdrawal-induced fatality is heavily increased by DT’s. The AFP warns that one to five percent of individuals who progress to these states experience fatality. This reality strongly increases the need for a specialized medical detox for certain individuals.

Is Detox A Necessary Part Of A Treatment Program?

Detoxing from alcohol at home or anywhere other than under medical care is never recommended. Doing so can be very dangerous and life-threatening. for most individuals, alcohol addiction treatment is best begun by a medical detox.

During unmonitored withdrawal symptoms and cravings can become extreme and debilitating. Many people retreat back to substance abuse to stop these effects. Medications can be a life-saving tool during this time.

Medications Used To Manage Alcohol Withdrawal In A Detox Setting

The primary aim of pharmacotherapies (medications used within treatment) during detox is to stabilize and begin to normalize a person’s brain chemistry. Detox seeks to make withdrawal as comfortable and painless as possible. While some medications address physical concerns such as nausea and shaking, work to address issues which trouble a person on emotional and mental levels.

Using Benzodiazepines During An Alcohol Detoxification

Anxiety and agitation can run high during withdrawal. During this time a person may also be fearful of their future, as they’re intimidated by the prospect of living a life without alcohol as a form of self-medication.

To counter these and other states, benzodiazepine medications may be used, either as needed, or on a fixed-schedule regimen. These medications have a sedative and calming effect, which can be of great benefit during this time.

The following benzodiazepines are frequently used for these purposes:

Chlordiazepoxide (Librium)
Diazepam (Valium)
Lorazepam (Ativan)
Oxazepam (Serax)

They also note that within “a fixed-schedule regimen, doses of a benzodiazepine are administered at specific intervals, and additional doses of the medication are given as needed based on the severity of the withdrawal symptoms.”

Benzodiazepines widely impact the functioning of your central nervous system (CNS), as does alcohol. This is yet another reason why you should never detox on your own. Should you attempt this on your own, and be taking these medications while you relapse, the CNS depression could lead to overdose and death.

Other Medications Are Used To Treat Alcohol Withdrawal

The following medications may also be used to treat alcohol withdrawal:

Atenolol (Tenormin)
Carbamazepine (Tegretol)*
Clonidine (Catapres)
Gabapentin (Neurontin)*
Haloperidol (Haldol)
Oxcarbazepine (Trileptal)*
Valproic acid (Depakene)*

Anticonvulsants are also widely used during this time (these are marked above by an asterisk). They do caution that in most cases these medications should not be used as “monotherapies,” or medications used as standalone treatments.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse asserts that Acamprosate (Campral) works on GABA, and “is thought to reduce symptoms of protracted withdrawal, such as insomnia, anxiety, restlessness, and dysphoria.” They also note that topiramate is believed to impact GABA, and for this reason may be used off-label as a treatment.

Individuals with other medical conditions may require special considerations when using medications. For example, the AFP suggests that phenytoin (Dilantin) may help individuals already prone to seizures, whereas individuals diagnosed with coronary artery disease may benefit from beta blockers.

The toll of withdrawal is further compounded by the way alcohol abuse depletes your body of vital hydration, nutrients, and vitamins, leaving you malnourished and dehydrated. Intravenous (IV) hydration may be used to boost a person’s fluids and electrolytes. Multivitamins and B vitamins (especially thiamine) may be administered to balance any malnourishment caused from abuse.

Detox Safely From Alcohol Today

If you’re considering treatment for an alcohol addiction, contact DrugRehab.org today. We will find the right program that fits both your needs as well as your budget. All calls are 100 percent confidential.

For More Information Related to “Medications To Manage Alcohol Withdrawal” Be Sure To Check Out These Additional Resources From DrugRehab.org:

Sources

American Family Physician — Outpatient Management of Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome
MedlinePlus — Alcohol Withdrawal
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism — Complications of Alcohol Withdrawal
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism — Alcohol Dependence, Withdrawal, and Relapse

Seizures from Alcohol Withdrawal

Posted on October 4, 2017 by dr-admin

Seizures may occur during acute alcohol withdrawal, and are characterized by convulsions, muscle spasms, and twitching. Alcohol withdrawal can range from anxiety, nausea, insomnia, hallucinations, seizures, and delirium tremens. A supervised medical detoxification may be the safest way to treat the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal.

What Does Alcohol Do To The Human Body?

Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant that has stimulant properties as well. It has stimulant properties, because as a person drinks, certain neurotransmitters in their brain are flooded with adrenaline or norepinephrine. Most other drugs only work as either stimulant or depressant, but alcohol is different.

Alcohol is a small molecule that interacts with a lot of different neurotransmitters in the brain, including: GABA, endorphins, dopamine, norepinephrine, glutamate, and adrenaline. Alcohol causes dependency, partly because as a person drinks, the dopamine in the reward pathway of the brain is increased.

When a person feels any kind of pleasure, it’s because of that release of dopamine. Similarly, the endorphins produced by alcohol are what cause a person to feel “high.” When the glutamate system is affected by alcohol, it causes slurred speech, staggering, and blackouts.

So what happens when a person stops drinking? With repeated use of alcohol, the dopamine levels remain at a constant high in the brain. When alcohol is removed, the brain, which has learned to expect the heightened level of dopamine to remain constant, and in turn stopped producing it naturally, begins to go into the withdrawal stages. The most severe of which includes seizures and delirium tremens.

Most adults in the United States have experienced the calming effect produced by alcohol. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) estimates that “86.4 percent of people ages 18 or older reported that they drank alcohol at some point in their lifetime.” Keep in mind that not every person who drinks alcohol will become dependent upon it. There are factors that play a role in alcohol dependency, they may include a person’s: age, weight, height, and alcohol intake.

Alcohol dependency is characterized by craving, loss of control, tolerance and withdrawal symptoms. Alcohol abuse can also result in certain cancers, other health risks, and consequences. According to the National Library of Medicine, heavy drinking “can cause damage to the liver, brain, and other organs. Drinking during pregnancy can harm your baby. Alcohol also increases the risk of death from car crashes, injuries, homicide, and suicide.”

What Is The Alcohol Withdrawal Timeline?

Alcohol withdrawal is commonly experienced by a person who regularly abuses alcohol then stops suddenly. Someone doesn’t necessarily have to be alcohol dependent to experience withdrawals, but the chances will be greater in these cases.

There are three stages to alcohol withdrawal, the first of which can begin as early 6 hours after a person’s peak intoxication. The stages go from mild to moderate to severe, and can last anywhere from 5 to 7 days. Generally after a week, the majority of withdrawal symptoms will have subsided, however, some may persist for several weeks without proper treatment.

Not everyone will experience each of these symptoms with the same severity either, but the alcohol withdrawal timeline will look something like this:

Stage 1: nervousness, insomnia, depression, nightmares, anxiety, fatigue, tremors, foggy thinking, mood swings, nausea, loss of appetite, and heart palpitations; 6 to 24 hours after peak intoxication.
Stage 2: high blood pressure, increased body temperature, headache, clammy skin, profuse sweating, rapid breathing, worsening mood swings and irritability, unusual heart rate, and confusion; 24 to 72 hours after peak intoxication.
Stage 3: fever, seizures, delirium tremens—hallucinations, severe mental confusion, and disorientation come with this stage; 72+ hours after peak intoxication.

Approximately 10 percent of patients will experience severe withdrawal symptoms. The mortality rate among patients exhibiting delirium tremens is anywhere from 5 to 25 percent.

Risk factors for prolonged or complicated alcohol withdrawal include lifetime or current long duration of alcohol consumption, lifetime prior detoxifications, prior seizures, prior episodes of delirium tremens, and current intense craving for alcohol (NIAAA).

What Are Seizures From Alcohol Withdrawal?

Seizures during acute alcohol withdrawal are characterized by muscle spasms, contractions, twitching, and convulsions. Seizures that begin locally with the twitching of a limb suggest a co-occurring disorder and need to be fully investigated (NIAAA).

A co-occurring disorder can refer to when an alcohol use disorder such as alcohol abuse, or alcoholism, occurs at the same time as a mental disorder like generalized anxiety, or depression. Co-occurring disorders seldom just disappear, and treatment may include a medical detoxification, or behavioral therapy to help someone stop drinking.

Similar to other alcohol withdrawal symptoms, not every person will experience seizures. Regardless, seizures occur in more than 5 percent of patients with acute alcohol withdrawal.

“More than 90 percent of alcohol withdrawal seizures occur within 48 hours after the patient stops drinking. Fewer than 3 percent of such seizures may occur 5 to 20 days after the last drink. Clinical data suggest that the likelihood of having withdrawal seizures, as well as the severity of those seizures, increases with the number of past withdrawals,” (NIAAA).

In other words, the number of detoxifications and withdrawal complications can increase the likelihood of seizures. The development of each is “ascribed to as cumulative long-term changes in brain excitability,” and is referred to as the kindling hypothesis.

Alcohol withdrawal can be a dangerous situation, and may need more than just an at-home detoxification. The seizures, and delirium tremens resulting from alcohol withdrawal can actually result in permanent brain damage.

Another result of delirium and cognitive impairment is called Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome, which is a chronic memory disorder that results from a nutritional deficiency, and can be completely debilitation, .

How Do I Safely Detox From Alcohol?

The first step in getting sober for most drinkers is a supervised medical detox. Alcohol withdrawal can be deadly, and should never be attempted alone.

When a person drinks heavily, they may become gaunt, malnourished, and not be able to process fluid or food normally.

During a medical detoxification at an inpatient rehab, a person can have nurse practitioners and physician assistants guide them through the process, which can include:

safely removing alcohol from their body
watching for seizures, hallucinations, and delirium tremens
monitoring of:
- blood pressure
- body temperature
- vitamin, fluid, and food intake
- heart rate
- blood levels
- different chemicals in the body
some require fluids or medicines intravenously
medication-assisted therapy—sedative medicines until withdrawal is complete

After detoxification, the withdrawal symptoms should be pretty well taken care of, but other behavioral treatment programs should be considered. Detoxification merely takes care of the physical addiction to alcohol, but what a person is left with is the mental addiction.

Some of the different evidence-based treatments for a mental addiction to alcohol include:

Cognitive Behavior Therapy
Dialectical Behavior Therapy
Motivational Therapy
Support Groups
Individual and Group Therapy
Aftercare Support

No matter the route that a person chooses, freedom from an alcohol addiction starts with the first step, and those who receive treatment are on the path to success. Alcohol addiction doesn’t necessarily have a cure, but it’s still treatable.

We Want To Find The Right Treatment For You

Alcohol use disorders can manifest themselves after quitting alone is no longer an option. If you or someone you love is suffering from alcohol abuse or alcoholism, please reach out to us and we can work out a solution together. Contact us today.

For More Information Related to “Seizures from Alcohol Withdrawal” Be Sure To Check Out These Additional Resources From DrugRehab.org:

Sources

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism – Alcohol Facts and Statistics
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism – Complications of Alcohol Withdrawal
U.S. National Library of Medicine – Alcohol Withdrawal

Gray Death Heroin Abuse In The United States

Posted on September 21, 2017 by dr-admin

Resembling chunks of concrete, or concrete mixing powder, gray death is a lethal combination of some of the most deadly opioids known to man. Samples have been found to contain the designer opioid drug U-47700 (“Pink”), heroin, fentanyl, and various fentanyl analogues. All of these drugs alone are deadly, together the fatal potential is staggering. Gray death is reported to have a potency 10,000 times greater than morphine.

The State Of Heroin Abuse In America

Heroin has an increasingly changing face in America. Once a drug which many thought was reserved to urban minority populations, recent findings suggest that heroin abuse knows no bounds. White suburbia has been largely impacted, with the greatest effects felt in young, male populations.

But with this rising use comes new risks. While heroin, like many street drugs, has always been cut with other materials, the substances within this drug today are game changers. Though some adulterants are by themselves fairly benign, like cornstarch or milk powder, more and more deadly opioid drugs are being mixed into heroin.

Fentanyl and carfentanil are two extremely potent opioids which have been wreaking havoc across our nation in increasing frequency over the past year. But now there’s a deadly new concoction in town: gray death.

What Is Gray Death?

In early 2017, an unidentified super drug began surfacing within the South, predominantly in Alabama and Georgia. Ohio and Pennsylvania have also witnessed this drug’s destruction. At the onset of this fatal trend, emergency medical staff and forensic chemists didn’t even know what it was, or what gave it its distinctive gray hue. Hence why Russ Baer, DEA spokesman said that “It’s mad science and the guinea pigs are the American public.”

The thing is, no two samples are guaranteed to be alike. In fact, the chance that two will be different is far more high than that two would be the same. This inconsistency makes gray death a lethal wildcard in the world of drug abuse. But despite this unpredictability, experts do know one thing: gray death is well-deserving of its name.

“These chemicals are all very potent and very deadly in isolation, but in the wrong hands … that’s a fast-track route to the morgue.” These chilling words, reported by CNN, come from someone who knows this world far too well. Donna Iula, director of forensic chemistry at Cayman Chemical is a scientist whose life’s work is focused on identifying unknown street drugs like gray death.

Why Is Gray Death In Heroin?

After reading this, you may wonder why in the world would anyone ever be possessed to add such a lethal drug to their heroin knowingly? The fact is, many people don’t even realize they’re exposed to gray death.

But some people do purposely lace heroin with other stronger drugs (like gray death) to increase the pleasurable effects they seek or to overcome a tolerance. An addicted person’s judgement is often impaired. Chronic drug use changes a person’s brain, and as a person becomes addicted, the pursuit of the next fix or high begins to outweigh anything else.

These people may think that “if heroin is a rush, then how could I make it even better?” But the thing is, lacing heroin isn’t making it better, it’s making it more dangerous. In these impaired states, a person may turn to gray death or another synthetic opioid, without understanding the fatal capacity the drugs have.

Drug dealers often cut heroin with other strong opioids to increase the potency and to hook potential buyers faster. But more often than not, users and drug dealers alike don’t even know exactly what they’re putting into their supply, especially when it’s a substance with so many variables like gray death.

Gray Death Drug Overdoses

Like many of its individual components, a minuscule amount of gray death can kill. This amount is so small that a person doesn’t even have to use the drug to overdose, or to die. Like fentanyl and carfentanil, gray death can cause almost instant, fatal overdose merely by drug-to-skin contact. It’s reported that it takes up to ten times the amount of Narcan, a life-saving overdose reversal agent, to save someone from a gray death overdose.

Now imagine if touching this drug can do this, what using it by itself or within heroin can do. No matter how you administer gray death-tainted heroin, you’re quite possibly writing your own death sentence. Injecting, snorting, or smoking it all place you in the crosshairs of fatal overdose.

In many cases users don’t actually seek gray death out. Here, these individuals may prepare a dose of heroin, believing it to only be heroin, when in actuality they’re moments away from subjecting their body to the ravages of gray death.

Law enforcement, first responders, and the unsuspecting bystander or loved one can also lose their life at the hand of gray death heroin, simply by touching it or an object that came into contact with it.

How Do I Protect Myself And My Loved Ones From Gray Death Heroin?

First, if you have any reason at all to suspect that your or your loved one’s heroin (or other drugs) is cut with gray death, do not touch it or use it. Also, do not touch any drug paraphernalia, surface, or article of clothing that may have came in contact with it. And more importantly, if you believe that you or someone near to you is in jeopardy of, or actively overdosing, contact emergency medical services immediately.

We understand that many users, and even family members, can be frightened of contacting law enforcement when an illegal drug is involved. This is the most oft-cited reason why people refrain from doing this very thing.

But please know this, making this call could be the difference between spending another day with your loved one and planning their funeral. “The chance of surviving an overdose, like that of surviving a heart attack, depends greatly on how fast one receives medical assistance,” this cautionary statement from the Drug Policy Alliance illustrates the impetus of prompt action.

How Do The Laws Protect Me?

Some counties offer protection to those who turn in heroin and other drugs. One example is in Ohio, which has in many ways been ground zero for synthetic opioid overdoses. Here, a Hamilton County judge passed a law granting immunity to those who turn in these drugs. Additionally, as of June 2017, 40 states plus the District of Columbia have written Good Samaritan Laws or the like into their state’s legislation, reports the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL).

So what protection do these Good Samaritan Laws provide? “These laws generally provide immunity from arrest, charge or prosecution for certain controlled substance possession and paraphernalia offenses when a person who is either experiencing an opiate-related overdose or observing one calls 911 for assistance or seeks medical attention,” writes the NCSL.

If your loved one is using heroin, there’s another life-saving call you can make: the one that gets you treatment. Researched-based, inpatient drug rehab programs are one of the most defenses against the opioid epidemic.

Take Action, Save A Life

At DrugRehab.org, we understand the countless ways the opioid epidemic is ravaging our nation’s families. If you’re concerned your loved one could be at risk for using gray death heroin, let us help. Our knowledgeable treatment specialists can connect you to more resources and the best treatment option for your needs. Contact us today.

For More Information Related to “Gray Death Heroin Abuse In The United States” Be Sure To Check Out These Additional Resources From DrugRehab.org:

Sources

Fox News U.S. — Ohio county offers immunity to people turning in deadly drugs as heroin epidemic rages
National Conference of State Legislatures — Drug Overdose Immunity and Good Samaritan Laws
NBC News — What Is Gray Death? The Killer Drug Cocktail Is Latest Battle in War Against Opioids
NY Daily News — Dangerously potent new drug ‘gray death’ baffles authorities
USA Today — Gray death: It’s 10,000 times more powerful than morphine

The Dangers of Mixing Xanax and Oxycodone

Posted on September 12, 2017 by dr-admin

Mixing a benzodiazepine like Xanax with an opioid like oxycodone can increase the chance of respiratory depression, slowed breathing, slowed heart rate, overdose, and death. Benzodiazepines and opioids are highly addictive substances that can be difficult, and dangerous, to stop using alone. Professional treatment can help someone quit by teaching them to replace unhealthy habits and behaviors with healthy ones.

Understanding Xanax And Oxycodone Abuse

Xanax is the most popular brand name of alprazolam and belongs to a class of medications known as benzodiazepines. Benzodiazepines (benzos) are a type of sedative most commonly used to treat anxiety disorders and panic disorders. Xanax works by slowing down a person’s central nervous system and helping them feel relaxed.

Opioids like oxycodone are also known to slow down the central nervous system (CNS), and are commonly used in medicine to relieve moderate to severe pain. Oxycodone is the generic version of OxyContin. Because of the potency of oxycodone, physicians will regulate the amount of the drug that’s prescribed.

The problem is that both benzodiazepines and opioids often elicit a feeling of well-being and euphoria. It’s because of that feeling that people abuse each medication to get “high.” Opioids can make a person feel numb, drowsy, and elated. Mixing opioids with benzodiazepines causes that high to be intensified. This can be a dangerous combination, even with a small amount of each drug.

You may be wondering, “if these drugs are so dangerous, then how and why are people getting them?” Oftentimes, after a person starts abusing prescription medications, they start doctor shopping, and lying about symptoms. It can be very difficult for a physician to tell who’s telling the truth and who isn’t.

The predicament is actually getting worse. “The number of patients prescribed both an opioid pain reliever and a benzodiazepine increased by 41 percent between 2002 and 2014. That translates to an increase of more than 2.5 million opioid painkiller patients also receiving benzodiazepines,”(CBS News).

What Are The Consequences Of Prescription Drug Abuse?

Mixing opioids and benzodiazepines is incredibly dangerous, so much that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cautioned physicians and patients about mixing the two. The FDA stated, that “healthcare professionals should limit prescribing opioid pain medicines with benzodiazepines or other CNS depressants only to patients for whom alternative treatment options are inadequate.”

The FDA went on to say that “patients taking opioids with benzodiazepines, other CNS depressant medicines, or alcohol, and caregivers of these patients, should seek medical attention immediately if they or someone they are caring for experiences symptoms of unusual dizziness or lightheadedness, extreme sleepiness, slowed or difficult breathing, or unresponsiveness.”

In other words, mixing benzodiazepines and opioids increases this risk of overdose, and death. In 2015, there were 6,872 overdose deaths from benzodiazepines, and 5,826 of those deaths involved opioids.

Not only can abusing prescription drugs result in overdose, it can cause a mental addiction, or physical dependence as well. Mixing benzos and opioids can also lead to serious health problems with the liver, heart, brain, and stomach.

Opioids can be dangerous without the help of Xanax, and according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, “opioids killed more than 33,000 people in 2015, more than any year on record. Nearly half of all opioid overdose deaths involve a prescription opioid.”

What Are The Symptoms Of Withdrawal?

Whether they’re taken for a legitimate medical purpose or not, prescription Xanax and oxycodone can lead to a physical dependency. This essentially means that when a person stops taking the drugs, their body continues craving the active chemical.

Because opioids and benzodiazepines are both mentally and physically addictive, most people will experience physical and mental withdrawal symptoms when they stop. When opioids and benzos are mixed, the results are often unpredictable.

When a person quits using oxycodone, they may experience withdrawal that has potential to cause them to relapse. These withdrawal symptoms, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, may include:

restlessness
watery eyes
runny nose
sneezing
yawning
sweating
chills
muscle or joint aches or pains
weakness
irritability
anxiety
depression
difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
cramps
nausea
vomiting
diarrhea
loss of appetite
fast heartbeat
fast breathing

Stopping benzodiazepines cold-turkey can be very dangerous as well, and often intensifies withdrawal. It is for this reason that a physician will gradually decrease dosage. The withdrawal symptoms of Xanax, according to NLM, may include:

seizures
headache
blurred vision
increased sensitivity to noise or light
change in sense of smell
sweating
difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
difficulty concentrating
nervousness
depression
irritability
aggressive behavior
muscle twitching or cramps
diarrhea
vomiting
pain
burning
numbness
or tingling in the hands or feet
a decrease in appetite
weight loss

A medical detoxification can help a person safely remove a drug from their system while managing the symptoms of withdrawal. Detoxification may be required to properly treat an addiction to both benzodiazepines and opioids.

How Do People Become Addicted To Prescription Drugs?

Even when a person takes Xanax or oxycodone as a prescription, they’re at risk of becoming addicted to them. What usually happens with oxycodone, is someone starts out with an injury that requires pain relief. They take the medicine with no intention to abuse it, but overtime, with continued use, they begin to build up a tolerance and then become dependent.

At this point, they might enjoy the feeling oxycodone gives them. Many people who become dependent on opioids continue taking the drug just to avoid relapse, and might even switch to street drugs like heroin, because it can be less expensive while creating a more intense euphoria.

This is only a potential scenario, and doesn’t apply to everyone—the point is that though not everyone abuses prescription drugs for the same reason, all of our minds are wired the same way to crave things that make us feel good.

It can be really hard to understand why prescription medicines are so dangerous, but still used. The fact is that some people suffer from serious mental disorders while others have severe pain. These types of people still need medicine to help them deal with their illnesses or conditions.

NIDA for Teens described how addiction works, by stating that “prescription drugs that effect the brain, including opioid pain relievers, stimulants, and depressants, can cause physical dependence that could lead to addiction.

Medications that affect the brain can change the way it works—especially when they are taken over an extended period of time or with escalating doses. They can change the reward system, making it harder for a person to feel good without the drug and possibly leading to intense cravings, which make it hard to stop using.”

There are other factors that can play a part in addiction as well. These may include environmental, biological, or psychological variables. Some people suffer from mental disorders that require a medication like Xanax. This can be a difficult situation, because as a they continue using Xanax, they’re at a greater risk of becoming dependent, but if they stop using the drug they’re mental condition could worsen—this is where millions are met with a dilemma.

Not everyone’s addiction is the same either, so treating the addiction will be different for each person as well. There are behavioral and physical symptoms that usually need to be tended to in order for a treatment to be successful.

At the end of the day, addiction to benzodiazepines and opioids is not easy to overcome, but it’s still possible. Some of the different treatment programs that can help along the path to recovery include:

Medical Detoxification
Medication-Assisted Therapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy
Inpatient or Outpatient Treatment
Motivational Interviewing
Mindfulness and Stress Management

Find Treatment For Substance Use Disorder And Addiction

If you or someone you love is struggling with prescription drugs, please don’t wait to reach out to us. Contact an addiction specialist at DrugRehab.org today to learn how to overcome addiction and build a solid foundation to lifelong recovery.

For More Information Related to “The Dangers of Mixing Xanax and Oxycodone” Be Sure To Check Out These Additional Resources From DrugRehab.org:

Sources

Center for Disease Control and Prevention – Opioid Overdose
National Institute on Drug Abuse – Overdose Death Rates
U.S. National Library of Medicine NLM – Alprazolam
U.S. National Library of Medicine NLM – Oxycodone

The Dangers Of Mixing Alcohol With Hydrocodone (Vicodin)

Posted on September 5, 2017 by dr-admin

Vicodin is a prescription medication used to treat moderate to severe pain which contains both the opioid hydrocodone and paracetamol (acetaminophen). Combining alcohol with an opioid such as hydrocodone can lead to devastating consequences. Both drugs are central nervous system (CNS) depressants. Combining them magnifies these effects in a way which can lead to respiratory depression, brain damage, coma, and death. Used together they can also cause kidney damage and acute liver failure.

What Is Vicodin?

Vicodin is a combination medication, that is, it actually consists of two drugs, hydrocodone and acetaminophen, both of which are painkillers. Vicodin is used to treat moderate to severe pain, either for the purpose of temporary relief or for ongoing chronic pain management.

When the drug is used properly, as prescribed, it is for most extents and purposes safe. But this safety is fleeting if Vicodin is taken in a way other than prescribed and/or with another drug.

While the acetaminophen is meant to somewhat act as an abuse deterrent, some individuals still choose to misuse their prescription or use Vicodin recreationally. Doing so can lead to dependence, tolerance, withdrawal, addiction, and overdose. Even individuals who misuse their own prescription to self-medicate can stumble onto this treacherous path.

Is It Dangerous To Combine Alcohol And Vicodin?

Alcohol causes the sedative qualities of opioid drugs to intensify. This can create an intoxicated state much faster than a person anticipates. Even using a small amount of alcohol with opioids can do this. This is why it’s dangerous to drink alcohol if you’ve been prescribed Vicodin or if you use it illicitly.

In these states a person will become uncoordinated with poor balance, which leads to a higher risk of falls and injuries. Memory loss will occur and a person will become too impaired to drive a vehicle.

Alcohol And Vicodin Have A High Potential For Overdose

As depressants, Alcohol and Vicodin both change the way your brain and CNS regulate your heart, breathing, blood pressure, and temperature rates, causing them to slow down. When you drink alcohol with Vicodin (even in small amounts), these life-sustaining functions can become seriously compromised and in certain cases begin shutting down.

If a person uses one or both drugs to excess, they face an even greater peril of progressing to a fatal overdose. When this happens your organs and life-support systems begin to shut down. This is just from the effects of the alcohol and hydrocodone.

The acetaminophen in the Vicodin can also cause overdose if a person consumes too much. MedLine Plus cautions that any amount reaching or surpassing 7,000 mg can initiate acute overdose.

What Are The Signs Of An Alcohol And Vicodin Overdose?

If your loved one is taking both alcohol and Vicodin, understanding the signs of overdose could help to save their life.

Signs of overdose include:

Cold skin
Decreased cognitive functions
Excessive dizziness
Extreme confusion
Irregular and falling heart rate
Irregular, slowed, or stopped breathing
Nausea and vomiting
Passing out
Seizures
Stupor
Weak pulse

One of the most dangerous side effects of overdose is respiratory depression. As a person’s breathing continues to plummet their brain is deprived of oxygen. When this happens, other organ systems follow suit and begin to shut down. The lack of oxygen can also lead to brain damage. During overdose a person can completely stop breathing, fall into a coma, and/or die.

Overdose is not something you can afford to take your time on. When a person is overdosing there’s a good chance they could lose their life unless they get prompt medical attention.

If you at all suspect that yourself or a person near to you is overdosing, or in jeopardy of doing so, contact emergency medical services immediately.

Using Vicodin And Alcohol Together Can Harm Your Organs

Both alcohol and Vicodin can, when abused separately, be harmful to your liver. When these drugs are used together the damage to your liver is compounded. Chronic drinkers should try to abstain from using any acetaminophen-containing product for these reasons.

Your liver is responsible for metabolizing alcohol. When you drink too much, such as within patterns of binge drinking or chronic use, this organ cannot keep up. This causes an immense strain on your liver, one, which over time, can lead to liver damage.

Vicodin abuse can also damage your liver. “Taking too much acetaminophen…is the most common cause of acute liver failure in the United States,” warns Mayo Clinic. Acute liver failure can, according to DailyMed, lead to liver transplant and death.

Using acetaminophen can lead to acute liver failure by one of two ways, either by taking:

A single dose of the drug which is too high
Doses higher than the daily recommendation for several consecutive days

For individuals who abuse Vicodin, this is a very real concern. Drug abusers use Vicodin in both of these patterns.

One scientific survey determined that this drug interaction can harm your kidneys too. It found that “Respondents who reported taking both acetaminophen and drinking lightly or moderately had a more than two-fold higher risk for kidney dysfunction.”

How Much Vicodin Is Too Much?

The FDA established that the maximum amount of acetaminophen per day is 4,000 mg. To put this in perspective, Harvard Medical reports that liver damage can begin occurring just beyond this, at 5,000 mg. This equates to just over 16 Vicodin a day (containing 300 mg of acetaminophen each). While this may seem like a lot, surpassing this amount can come quite easily to individuals who abuse this drug on a regular basis, especially for those who have a tolerance.

Tolerant individuals need higher doses of the drug to create the high or pain-relieving effects they seek. This, in turn, means they’re far more likely to take these toxic amounts of Vicodin. The range of Vicodin an addicted individual takes per day can vary, but some people may take 40 or more tablets a day. When the alcohol is added to the mix, it takes far less Vicodin to create these devastating effects.

Even light to moderate use of alcohol paired with prescribed dosages of Vicodin can begin to damage your organs and create an intoxicated state. The risk of overdose escalates when you increase your consumption of either drug. The bottom line is that combining these drugs in any quantity is harmful to your health.

How Do I Get Help For My Addiction?

If you’re addicted to one or both of these drugs you need to get help as quickly as possible in order to protect your body and brain. Fortunately, there are inpatient drug rehab programs all across the country which can help you with these needs.

Alcohol and Vicodin addictions often require a medical detox to treat the physical addiction. After you’ve progressed through detoxification it’s best to proceed directly to treatment. The most comprehensive programs offer both of these services under one roof.

During your program, medication-assisted treatments, behavioral therapies, counseling, and a wide-range of other modalities will be implemented to help you reach a sober state. Aftercare programs typically follow, which will help you to stay strong in your commitment to sobriety.

Don’t Let Your Addiction Go Any Further

If you’re concerned that someone you care about is mixing alcohol and Vicodin in a way which could harm their health, reach out to us at DrugRehab.org today. Our confidential assessment will get you started on the path to a healthier, drug-free life.

For More Information Related to “The Dangers Of Mixing Alcohol With Hydrocodone (Vicodin)” Be Sure To Check Out These Additional Resources From DrugRehab.org:

Sources

DailyMed — LABEL: Vicodin HP
Harvard Health Publications — Overdosing Acetaminophen
MedLine Plus — Acetaminophen overdose
MedLine Plus — Hydrocodone Combination Products

The Dangers Of Mixing Alcohol With Crack Cocaine

Posted on August 30, 2017 by dr-admin

Alcohol decreases a person’s fundamental ability to make sound decisions. As judgment, reasoning, and inhibition drop, a person is far more apt to make poor choices like using crack for the first time, or using large amounts within shorter periods of time.

Crack cocaine is intensely addictive, so much so, that according to CESAR a “A person can become addicted after his or her first time trying crack cocaine.” With this toxic drug cocktail your risk of overdose will always be higher, as is the chance that your body will experience other harm.

What Does Alcohol Do To Your Body?

Even though alcohol may make people initially feel more energetic, it’s actually a sedative or “downer.” When you consume alcohol it goes to work on your central nervous system (CNS) and begins to depress it or slow it down, hence why it’s also referred to as a CNS depressant.

As this occurs, your heart, breathing, and blood pressure rates all start to decline. The more alcohol you use in a shorter period of time, the more pronounced these effects. Alcohol greatly taxes a person’s liver and also affects their heart and brain.

How Does Crack Effect You?

Crack is a powerful stimulant. When a person uses crack their CNS speeds up (the opposite effect of alcohol) and their brain’s chemistry is immediately altered. Here, two things happen. First, as the CNS quickens, a person’s heart rate and other cardiac functions increase. Secondly, as their brain’s chemistry changes, and because crack is so powerful, they quickly begin to crave the drug.

Crack is far more potent than powdered cocaine, and thereby carries an even greater risk when abused. Despite this intense effect, the high or “rush” from crack is relatively short-lived (only about five to ten minutes).

To counter this brief effect, crack, like powdered cocaine, is often used in binges. This means a person keeps using the drug in rapid succession after the first dose, a practice which increases the risk of addiction, heart damage, and overdose.

Why Do People Use Alcohol And Crack Together?

The reasons are similar to most which fuel polydrug abuse. Some users ingest both because alcohol intensifies the high associated with crack. On the other hand, alcohol is often used to moderate the come-down associated with a crack high, or certain unpleasant side effects of the high itself, like twitching, tremors, or anxiety. Regardless of why a person chooses to use these drugs together, they are placing their life and health in a precarious position.

What Happens When You Use An “Upper” And A “Downer” Together?

Due to the opposing nature of each drug’s basic characteristics (one being a stimulant and the other a depressant) the drugs seem, at certain points, to cancel out the effects of the other.

This may lead a person to drink more because they don’t feel the intoxicating effects of the alcohol as acutely. Or a person may use more crack because the alcohol seems to balance out the heightened states associated with it.

Many users take these to be positive effects, when in reality they are anything but. This does not at all mean that your body is immune from the effects of the additional alcohol or crack. While certain effects may wane, the impact on other parts of your body and brain remain.

When you use both your CNS is caught in the middle of a dangerous tug of war which overburdens this critical system, as well as your heart. As your body is pulled quite literally from one extreme to the next in this way, your life is in jeopardy.

Alcohol And Crack Increase Your Risk Of Death

Both alcohol and crack, can, alone, cause overdose. Using these two drugs together increases the risk. As a person uses crack more frequently to fulfill their cravings, their CNS system becomes even more taxed, increasing the risk of overdose. This hazard is high when a person is binging on the drug, behaviors which increases when alcohol is present.

For individuals who aren’t accustomed to consuming alcohol with crack, the potential for a fatal overdose skyrockets. Alcohol can actually make it easier for your body to absorb cocaine, which increases the concentration of cocaine within your blood by 20 to 30 percent. From this effect, a person could overdose if they take an amount they are typically used to when using the drug alone.

In the instances where crack seems to “cancel” out alcohol’s effects, a person may continue to consume alcohol in pursuit of a buzz. The problem is that even though they don’t feel the alcohol, their body is still taking large amounts of it in.

Once the crack begins to wear off a person may become very intoxicated quickly, to the extent they get severe alcohol poisoning.

Also, research shows that cocaine as a whole has been linked to an increased risk of suicide when used with alcohol.

What Is Cocaethylene And Why Is It So Toxic?

When alcohol and crack cocaine enter your system within the same period of time their chemical components begin to react together, forming a new chemical called cocaethylene.

Cocaethylene itself has psychoactive properties that many users seek out even if they don’t realize it. This chemical has a longer half-life by three to five times compared to cocaine, which means it remains in your system longer, lengthening the euphoric state of the crack.

Cocaethylene has been associated with an increased risk of:

Cardiac complications: Various cardiac processes can malfunction from this chemical. The risk of heart attack climbs (especially in those under aged 40).
Liver damage: Since your liver metabolizes the two drugs to create cocaethylene, this organ can suffer substantial damage.
Seizures: Seizures can lead to bodily injury and head trauma, which could cause death.
Sudden death: Cocaethylene “carries an 18- to 25-fold increase over cocaine alone in risk for immediate death,” according to the Journal of Addictive Diseases.
Immune system: A compromised immune system makes it harder for your body to fight disease and infection and maintain an altogether healthful state.

Even though a user may feel the pleasurable effects for a more substantial period of time, the longer cocaethylene is in your system, the greater the opportunity it has to damage your body.

It is possible to treat two addictions at once. In these instances, inpatient drug rehab is typically the best choice for treatment.

Get Help For Alcohol and Crack Cocaine Abuse Today

If you or a loved one is addicted to both alcohol and crack, or experimenting with one while addicted to the other, don’t delay. Contact DrugRehab.org now to begin exploring your treatment options today.

For More Information Related to “The Dangers Of Mixing Alcohol With Crack Cocaine” Be Sure To Check Out These Additional Resources From DrugRehab.org:

Sources

US National Library of Medicine — Effects Of Concurrent Use Of Alcohol And Cocaine
Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics — Cocaine and Alcohol Interactions in Humans: Neuroendocrine Effects and Cocaethylene Metabolism

What Are The Most Potent Opioids In The United States?

Posted on August 22, 2017October 5, 2017 by dr-admin

The most potent opioids in the United States include carfentanil, fentanyl, heroin, hydrocodone, hydromorphone, morphine, oxycodone, oxymorphone, and a new deadly opioid combination drug called Gray Death. While most opioids are prescribed for pain relief, and contain addictive properties, some opioids are more potent than others.

It can be helpful to know which of these are the most dangerous, on the market and on the street, especially if you suspect someone close to you may be abusing these medications. Some opioids are harmful even to the touch, and taking repeated or large doses of them can result in dangerously slowed breathing, which can lead to overdose or coma.

Others may have fatal results after just one dose, particularly combination opioids. That’s why it’s so important to recognize these medications, their severity, and seek help as needed.

With street drugs, there is never a guarantee for what kind of drug you’re getting or the dosage. It’s best to get out of the vicious, harmful cycle of addiction before you experience damaging effects to your health or worse.

Potent Opioids By Name:

The following are the most potent opioids in the United States, followed by a description of each. When a drug is “potent” it is medicinally effective or has a great ability to bring about a certain result, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary.

Carfentanil

Carfentanil is an opioid analogue of fentanyl, and is “one of the most potent opioids known” according to the U.S. National Library Of Medicine. Its potency level is 10,000 times that of morphine, and 100 times that of fentanyl. Carfentanil is typically used for tranquilizing large animals, including elephants.

Combination Opioid: Gray Death

Opioid combinations tend to be more potent than singular opioids. Gray Death is a current popular and deadly combination in use right now. As Forbes explains, Gray Death “looks like concrete and is so potent that it can be risky to touch and can kill you with one dose.” It contains fentanyl, heroin, carfentanil, and U-47700, a synthetic opioid commonly called Pink—all highly potent opioids.

Fentanyl

Fentanyl is the most potent opioid used in hospitals or by doctors, according to CNN. However, much of fentanyl sold on the street is diverted from other countries, and that’s how it can become dangerous. People buying the drug may have no idea that they’re buying fentanyl and take too much without being under care of a doctor. Even a small amount of fentanyl can be lethal, as the drug can be accidentally inhaled or absorbed through the skin on contact.

Heroin

Heroin affects the brain in a way similar to prescription opioids, causing euphoria, a sense of well-being, and slowing of certain functions. Why is it potent, then? Repeated heroin abuse can cause an excess of the substance in your body, which contributes to overdose. Also, heroin may be laced with additives such as sugar or starch, or with other substances. These can clog the blood vessels that lead to other organs and create permanent damage. Heroin should always be considered potent for the simple fact that there is no guarantee of what’s in it.

Hydrocodone

Hydrocodone is potent enough that it’s prescribed for patients who will need relief from pain round-the-clock for a long time. Drug label warnings for this medication strongly advise against breaking or crushing the pill, or taking it any other way than prescribed—as this can cause overdose and death. Just taking hydrocodone as prescribed can slow or stop breathing, so abuse of it is dangerous.

Hydromorphone (Dilaudid)

Hydromorphone is more potent than morphine, but not as potent as fentanyl. It’s another opioid that is potent even to the touch. As for the effects of it, the drug can cause withdrawal even with monitored use, and can cause fatal overdose when in the wrong hands.

Morphine (Kadian, Morphabond)

With so many potent opioids out there, morphine may be considered mild in the minds of some. But it’s not to be underestimated, as it can still cause addiction, dependency, and even overdose when taken in high doses. Morphine presents even higher risk of overdose when combined with other substances, like alcohol.

Oxycodone (Oxycontin)

Oxycodone is two times as powerful as morphine, and like most opioids can cause respiratory distress. In the last couple decades, abuse of Oxycodone became quite popular as prescription rates increased. Yet abuse of this medication can be dangerous; it’s typically used for postoperative pain relief.

Oxymorphone (Opana)

Oxymorphone is often used to treat those with terminal cancer or chronic, severe pain issues. Because of this, the level of potency of the drug is high, about twice that of Oxycodone. People taking the drug as directed are advised to not stop taking it without help from a doctor. Abuse of Oxymorphone is far more risky as dosage is not regulated.

Why Are Opioids Addictive?

Opioids are addictive partly because the drugs contain chemical properties that change your perception of pain and your response to pleasure. They’re also addictive because when you take them, you experience an immediate rush of pleasurable feelings: euphoria, well-being, and calm.

This rush happens within the first few minutes, and is followed by a short-term “high,” or extended period of pleasurable feelings with minor side effects like drowsiness or slowed breathing. It’s the rush and subsequent high that gets you, makes you want to keep coming back to opioids even if you aren’t aware of it at first.

With time, you lose control; you can no longer recognize the difference between use and abuse, and will do nearly anything to seek the drug. Once you become addicted, you may form a physical dependence on the drugs, which means you’ll have withdrawal symptoms when not taking them. Withdrawal, while not always life-threatening, can be uncomfortable to the point that you want to avoid it, and so keep abusing the drugs.

Who Is Abusing Opioids In The United States?

If you’re caught in this cycle of opioid addiction, you aren’t the only one. The American Society Of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) states that, in 2015, “2 million [people] had a substance use disorder involving prescription pain relievers and 591,000 had a substance use disorder involving heroin.”

Yet few people addicted to opioids ever receive help in treatment, and that is why overdose happens more and more. Plus, if you’ve been addicted to one opioid, it’s quite likely you’ll become addicted to another if you don’t find help. The ASAM estimates that four out of five people who first abused prescription drugs later became addicted to heroin.

The number of people addicted to opioids includes youth as young as 12 years of age, though adults in the age group of 18 to 25 abuse these drugs most. Women are particularly affected by prescription opioid abuse, as they are more likely to have chronic pain, seek medication for it, receive opioid medications, and fall into abuse of them.

What Can Be Done For Opioid Addiction?

So, what can we do to reverse the harm of opioid addiction? More all the time, new treatment modalities are developed and backed by evidence to support effective outcomes. Some of the evidence-based methods we employ at our facilities include:

Counseling: family, group, and individual
Psychosocial therapy: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and Motivational Interviewing
Adventure therapy
Wilderness therapy
Treatment specific to men
Treatment specific to women
Medication-assisted therapy
Medically-supervised detoxification
Nutritional guidance and exercise support
Mindfulness and stress management techniques
Aftercare support

In addition to great treatment methods, people struggling with opioid addiction will benefit from the excellent care, peaceful surroundings, and serene landscapes often found at private rehabs. At DrugRehab.org, we have access to all the resources you’ll need to find a rehab that is right for you, and that works to build a treatment program that best fits your individual needs.

Find Hope In Treatment Today

Are you battling abuse of one of the most potent opioids in the United States? If you are, you don’t have to fight alone. We’d like to help you overcome addiction, and rebuild your life.

When you call today, your information will be kept confidential. Learn more about opioid treatment and the best rehab centers today. Contact us at DrugRehab.org.

For More Information Related to “What Are The Most Potent Opioids In The United States?” Be Sure To Check Out These Additional Resources From DrugRehab.org:

Sources

American Society Of Addiction Medicine—Opioid Addiction: 2016 Facts And Figures
CNN—What You Need To Know About Fentanyl
Forbes—Gray Death: The Most Powerful New Opioid Combo That’s Risky Even To Touch
Merriam-Webster—Definition Of Potent
National Institute On Drug Abuse—DrugFacts: Heroin
National Institutes Of Health—Opioids And Chronic Pain
New York Times—Inside A Killer Drug Epidemic: A Look At America’s Opioid Crisis
U.S. National Library Of Medicine—Carfentanil, Hydrocodone, Hydromorphone, Morphine, Oxycodone, Oxymorphone

Tylenol 4 (with Codeine) Withdrawal Symptoms

Posted on August 17, 2017 by dr-admin

Often prescribed for short-term pain management after a major surgery or traumatic event, Tylenol 4 is an opioid analgesic only available via prescription. While it is commonly prescribed without refills and intended to be used for a short period of time, there are some circumstances where a prescription could be long-standing or individuals may purchase the drug illegally on the streets.

Tylenol 4 is a commonly abused prescription opioid, partially because of how frequently it is prescribed. Especially popular among young adults and the party scene, Tylenol 4 is often easily accessible and is sometimes dissolved into alcoholic drinks to create a potent concoction. This combination is dangerous and holds high potential for addiction and dependency, which can result in debilitating withdrawal symptoms.

What is Tylenol 4?

Tylenol 4 is actually a combination of two drugs: tylenol and codeine. Independently, Tylenol is a brand name for acetaminophen, a pain reliever and fever reducer that is available over the counter and without a prescription. Tylenol does not have many severe side effects and it carries a low risk for dependency. However, it is possible to become tolerant to the drug rendering it less efficient for pain relief and fever reduction over an extended period of time.

Codeine is an analgesic opioid that is only available via prescription. Developed in the 1830’s, codeine was originally marketed as a recreational drug, but taken off the open market after discovering how addictive it can be. Following this discovery, it was used primarily for medical uses and only available via prescription. Codeine is actually the most commonly prescribed opioid across the globe and is considered a schedule II narcotic in the United States.

Codeine has been mixed with different drugs to treat various medical conditions, most commonly acetaminophen. There are various strengths of this drug combination, indicated in the title of the drug as Tylenol 2, Tylenol 3, and Tylenol 4. Tylenol 4 is the most potent of these medications, containing 60mg of codeine and 325mg of acetaminophen.

Codeine Dependency

As an opioid, codeine affects the body by binding to opioid receptors in the brain. When these opioid receptors are activated, they cause signals being sent through the central nervous system to become sluggish, or slow to react. This slowing of signals through the central nervous system is why opioids are effective at reducing pain, or more accurately, reducing our perception of pain. When pain signals becoming sluggish or temporarily blocked, we do not perceive pain as we normally would, resulting in a reduced pain level.

While this effect is helpful in the reduction of pain, it also changes chemical levels in the brain. Your body naturally produces some levels of endorphins that react with the opioid receptors in your brain, generally causing these levels to rise when you do something that brings you joy or pleasure. When opioids are introduced into your brain, however, these levels become artificially elevated which can cause your brain to stop producing these endorphins.

If this introduction of opioids to your brain is suddenly stopped or slowed, your body will crave more of the drug. Often times a tolerance is built over time, rendering each dose less effective than the previous. This tolerance is one of the first signs of opioid dependency or addiction, as more and more of the drug is required to reach the desired state of pain relief.

Side Effects And Withdrawal Symptoms of Tylenol 4

While reducing the amount and frequency of opioids if you have a substance abuse issue is important, quitting abruptly can be extremely dangerous. Because your brain has become accustomed to a certain level of opioids binding with your opioid receptors, your body considers this new chemical balance to be the norm. If you suddenly stop taking opioids, then this level will come down too rapidly, resulting in withdrawal symptoms.

Withdrawal symptoms generally occur when chemical levels in the brain change too rapidly. This causes chaos in your central nervous system, and will present itself in physically painful and mentally draining ways. Common withdrawal symptoms associated with Tylenol 4 dependency include:

Rapid heart rate
Night sweats, insomnia
Nausea and vomiting
Weight loss due to malnutrition
Phantom muscle pains
Excessive exhaustion and drowsiness
The shakes
Runny nose
Teary eyes

The safest way to reduce consumption of Tylenol 4 and other opioids is to seek out a professional medical detox center. Medical detox facilities specialize in the detox of dangerous addictions like opioid and alcohol dependencies. Through these facilities you will be supervised by a medical physician to ensure your own safety while going through these withdrawal symptoms. Often times, medical interventions may be used to help ease your through these symptoms and make your more comfortable.

Get Help Today

The opioid epidemic is sweeping our nation, and codeine medications such as Tylenol 4 play a major role in this epidemic. By nature, opioids are highly addictive and very difficult to stop using without professional help. If you or a loved one suffers from dependency on opioids like Tylenol 4, you are not alone.

Reaching out to a professional is your first step on your road to recovery. Our addiction treatment specialists are standing by to take your call and answer any questions you may have regarding medical detox, inpatient residential rehab, and outpatient programs. We have many programs that are tailored specifically to your needs, ensuring you the best possible chance of a full recovery. Your call is always confidential, and our addiction treatment specialists are available to talk around the clock. Give us a call today.

For More Information Related to “Tylenol 4 (with Codeine) Withdrawal Symptoms” Be Sure To Check Out These Additional Resources From DrugRehab.org:

Sources

FDA – Codeine Information
Healthline – Codeine Withdrawal: What It Is and How to Cope
National Safety Council (NSC) – Evidence For The Efficacy Of Pain Medications
New England Journal of Medicine – New Evidence About An Old Drug — Risk With Codeine After Adenotonsillectomy

Negative Effects of Suboxone

Posted on August 10, 2017August 10, 2017 by dr-admin

With the opioid epidemic on the rise across the United States, experts have been scrambling for a solution to the problem. One solution that has been brought to market is that of Suboxone, a drug intended to treat adults with opioid addiction or dependency. Many medications that are intended to treat addiction can be addictive themselves, Suboxone included. It is important to understand the risks associated with any addiction treatment regimens, especially when the treatment itself can pose a risk for addiction.

What Is Suboxone?

Suboxone is a fairly new drug to the addiction treatment market. Intended to treat all types of opioid addiction in adults, Suboxone is actually a combination of two different types of drugs; buprenorphine and naloxone. Often prescribed for pain control, buprenorphine is a type of opioid medication, while naloxone is prescribed to actually block the effects of opioids.

This combination of buprenorphine and naloxone may sound contradictory, but when you break down the chemistry of both drugs this contradiction makes sense. Buprenorphine is categorized as an agonist, while naloxone is in an opposite category known as an antagonist. Together, this drug combination can help an individual who is addicted to opioids cope with symptoms of withdrawal and cravings.

As a partial agonist, buprenorphine activates only some of the opioid receptors in the brain. Other opioids, such as codeine, activate almost all of the opioid receptors in the brain, making for a much stronger effect. On the opposite side of the ring, naloxone is actually an antagonist that blocks opioid receptors by sticking to them without activating them. Naloxone on its own is a common drug used by emergency medical respondents to reverse potentially lethally overdoses on drugs such as heroin.

Taking an opioid while trying to recover from opioid addiction may sound a bit counterproductive, but the chemistry behind it makes sense. Despite being a partial agonist, buprenorphine is also a partial antagonist which means that it can also attach to opioid receptors in the brain and block other full agonist opioids from reaching them.

With buprenorphine and naloxone working together to block full agonist opioids from being received by opioid receptors, the buprenorphine still produces a slight opioid effect on the individual. This less significant effect helps with opioid cravings and withdrawal symptoms without presenting as many of the depressant dangers of full agonist opioids.

How Can A Drug Intended To Treat Addiction Still Be Dangerous?

You may be thinking that it is disadvantageous to create a drug to treat addiction that is still addictive, but your body reacts to different chemicals in different ways – even if they may present some of the same dangers. Chemical dependency on any substance is a difficult state to recover from, as it can change the chemical balance within your body.

Opioid addiction is caused by the brain’s natural reward system that causes you to repeat actions that it believes are beneficial to your survival. Because opioids cause the same feelings of euphoria and pleasure that other instinctive actions, such as procreation, may cause, the brain interprets this as a benefit and will naturally crave more of the substance that initiated that cycle.

Opioid addiction is extremely difficult to overcome without professional rehabilitation or medical detox. The reason for this is the extreme and dangerous nature of the withdrawal symptoms associated with opioid addiction. In order to help make the withdrawal more comfortable, Suboxone gives a partial dose of opioids which can help to calm these symptoms without delivering a full dose of opioids.

The issue lies in the fact that any opioid holds the risk for addiction, no matter how small the dose is. Suboxone carries this risk, and although it is not as addictive as some of the more potent opioids such as fentanyl, it still carries the potential for dependence.

Negative Effects of Suboxone Use

All opioids carry a long list of side effects, even without considering the high risk for addiction or dependency. These side effects vary from mild to severe, and may vary depending on the individual. Interactions with other drugs or medications could also greatly affect severity of these side effects. Short-term, or immediate, side effects of Suboxone include:

Numbness or tingling in extremities
Headaches
Drowsiness and difficulty staying awake
Numbness in your mouth
Constipation
Nausea and vomiting
Dizziness
Difficulty focusing
Poor motor skills (similar to a feeling of drunkenness)

As with many prescription medications, these side effects can become worse as use of the medication is continued. For opioids in particular, it is not uncommon for an individual to build up a tolerance to the drug in a short amount of time. A tolerance to opioids means the opioid receptors in your brain have become used to the level of opioids in your system and adapt to the change by making it the new norm. The result of this is withdrawal symptoms (if consumption of the drug is stopped) and increased doses to create the same effect as previous doses.

With this tolerance generally comes increased or more frequent consumption of the drug, which can lead to serious long-term effects down the road. These long-term effects can include:

Constipation
Nausea/vomiting
Anxiety
Confusion/disorientation
Depression
Decreased respiration/difficulty breathing
Decreased circulation

Get Help Today

When used as prescribed, Suboxone can be a beneficial drug to treat individuals suffering from opioid addiction. Suboxone can, however, still pose a high risk for addiction itself. If you or a loved one struggles with addiction to Suboxone or other opioids, seeking out professional help is your first step towards recovery.

Our addiction treatment specialists are standing by to take your call and answer any questions you have regarding a custom treatment plan for yourself or for a loved one. Your call is always confidential, and our specialists are available to talk 24/7. Get the information you need to make the best decision for your recovery, call our specialists today.

For More Information Related to “Negative Effects of Suboxone” Be Sure To Check Out These Additional Resources From DrugRehab.org:

Sources

Addiction Science & Clinical Practice (NCBI) – Practical Considerations for the Clinical Use of Buprenorphine
Drugs.com – Suboxone
Suboxone.com – What is Suboxone Film?

The Dangers of Alcohol Withdrawal

Posted on August 8, 2017 by dr-admin

Nearly every adult in the United States has drunk alcohol at one point or another. In 2015 86.4 percent of people ages 18 and older report having tried alcohol. Granted not every person who tries alcohol will ever get drunk, experience a hangover, or alcohol withdrawal. However,those who suffer from an alcohol use disorder will be more likely to experience all of those things.

There are currently around 15.1 million Americans with an alcohol use disorder, which is briefly defined by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism as “a medical condition that doctors diagnose when a patient’s drinking causes distress or harm.”

The people suffering with an alcohol use disorder are actually among the minority. Most people are able to cease or moderate their drinking before it becomes a problem; others aren’t so fortunate. When a heavy drinker quits drinking, they may experience withdrawal and delirium tremens.

How Is Alcohol Withdrawal Dangerous?

Alcohol withdrawals are essentially the body’s way of removing chemicals and fighting against both the physical and mental addiction. Generally, alcohol withdrawal symptoms are a result of alcohol dependence, and become more intense based on the quantity and the duration of a person’s drinking.

Alcohol dependence can result from social, physical, and psychological variables. For the most part, the greater a person’s alcohol dependence becomes, the worse their withdrawal symptoms will be. Some of the other dangerous changes that can occur from alcohol withdrawal include cognitive function, and physical health.

Impaired Cognitive Function

As a person drinks heavily, the neurotransmitters in their brain (gamma-aminobutyric acid and glutamate), in an attempt to function properly, may take adaptive measures and actually go through changes to try to stay normal. When a heavy drinker stops drinking, these cognitive changes that have occurred are no longer adaptive, and may become largely responsible for alcohol withdrawals as they try to normalize.

Psychological withdrawals can also lead to seizures, and even greater complications with chronic memory disorders like Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome

Impaired Physical Health

People don’t usually intend to become physically dependent upon alcohol, but it can occur for a multitude of reasons and result in a variety of health complications as well. Some of determining factors include regularly binge drinking, or using alcohol to cope with other issues. Physical withdrawals can include loss of appetite, profuse sweating, restlessness, and insomnia.

Alcoholism and alcohol use disorders may be better understood when compared to other chronic relapse diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and asthma. The truth is, like other diseases of this nature, alcohol withdrawal can actually increase the chances of relapse.

Relapse is the point when a person who has quit alcohol uses it again. The chronic nature of addiction “means that relapsing to drug abuse at some point is not only possible, but likely” (National Institute on Drug Abuse).

Alcohol Withdrawal Timeline

Withdrawal symptoms generally start as early as 8 hours after a the last drink.

Over the next 24 to 72 hours, the symptoms usually become a little less psychological and more physical. During this time, the symptoms can also become more intense, violent, and dangerous.

For the majority of people, withdrawal symptoms will be complete after about 7 days, and they will be able to move on with recovery from alcohol.

Psychological withdrawal symptoms may include:

anxiety or nervousness
depression
fatigue
irritability
jumpiness or shakiness
mood swings
nightmares
not thinking clearly

Physical withdrawal symptoms may include:

sweating, clammy skin
enlarged (dilated) pupils
headache
insomnia (sleeping difficulty)
loss of appetite
nausea and vomiting
pallor
rapid heart rate
tremor of the hands or other body parts

It’s important to remember that withdrawal symptoms will vary from person to person, mostly due to the fact that not everyone’s drinking patterns are the same. It’s also important to note that alcohol addiction is a serious illness, and those suffering from it can greatly benefit from support and understanding.

What Is Delirium Tremens From Alcohol Withdrawal?

A person who’s been abusing alcohol for several years is more likely to experience increased heart rate, breathing, blood pressure as well hallucinations or seizures. These hallucinations are part of the final and most severe stage of alcohol detoxification better known as acute alcoholic withdrawal, or delirium tremens.

Delirium tremens is considered the most severe form of alcohol withdrawal and can include:

agitation
fever
seeing or feeling things that aren’t there (hallucinations)
seizures
severe confusion

Delirium tremens is a medical emergency, and takes the lives of about 5 percent of patients who experience it. This number is significantly decreased with proper treatment, medications, and management of withdrawals.

How To Manage Alcohol Withdrawal

In summary, alcohol withdrawal is not only a result of a physical demand of the chemical, but also the cognitive function in trying to maintain normal function.

A lot of people will try to stop drinking abruptly, and even though their efforts have purpose and are no doubt with good intent, this method of quitting alcohol cold turkey can be dangerous, and can have unwanted results.

The act of flushing alcohol out of the system is known as detoxification, and there are trained professionals who understand how to do it safely. Whether it’s done in a clinical setting or an inpatient rehab center, a medically supervised detoxification will most likely be safer than doing it alone at home.

Along with professional assistance, detoxification may also necessitate a medication-assisted treatment. This can include use of naltrexone, acamprosate, or disulfiram to help manage the symptoms of withdrawal.

Detoxification is used to treat the physical addiction to alcohol, but is not considered a full addiction treatment. In order to treat the mental addiction to alcohol, a behavioral therapy or other treatment program will almost always be necessary.

Alcoholism is a disease of chronic relapse that a person may fight for most of their life. Even if they’ve been sober for 10 years, the disease is still there, and so is the slight possibility of relapse.

Addiction is not curable but it is treatable. Recovery is a lifelong journey, and most people will greatly benefit from inpatient rehab followed by the aftercare support that they have to offer.

Start Your Recovery Journey Today

Anyone suffering from alcohol withdrawal should be detoxed under medical supervision . Contact DrugRehab.org today to speak to an addiction specialist who understands what you’re going through, and knows how to get you the help you need to stop drinking today.

For More Information Related to “The Dangers of Alcohol Withdrawal” Be Sure To Check Out These Additional Resources From DrugRehab.org:

Sources

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism – Alcohol Facts and Statistics
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism – Complications of Alcohol Withdrawal
National Institute on Drug Abuse – Drugs, Brains, and Behavior: The Science of Addiction
U.S. National Library of Medicine – Alcohol Withdrawal

Understanding A Needle Fixation

Posted on August 7, 2017August 7, 2017 by dr-admin

Needle fixation occurs when the act of injecting becomes compulsive, rewarding, and equal to or more important than the actual act of using the drug itself. Certain experts actually consider needle fixation to be a separate addiction, with some referring to it as a behavioral addiction. A needle fixation can increase the already present risks which accompany injection drug use, such as infection, transmissible disease, and death.

Not every individual who injects drugs will develop a needle fixation. But those who do, entertain thoughts and engage in behaviors increasingly shaped by this compulsion. The Public Sphere reports that “Estimates suggest that needle fixation is observed among a quarter of injecting heroin users.” So how does a person develop a needle fixation and what does it entail?

Intravenous (IV) Drug Abuse: The Basics

Injecting drugs is the most invasive, and dangerous, way a drug abuser can administer a drug. To do this, an individual fills a needle or syringe with the desired drug of abuse. Intravenous drug users (IDUs) inject drugs the following ways:

Intramuscularly: Into the muscle
Intravenously (IV): Into the vein
Subcutaneously (“Skin-popping”): Right below the skin

Some of the most addictive drugs known to man are used this way, including heroin, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, and morphine, among others.

What Is A Needle Fixation?

In short, it’s when a person compulsively uses needles. Further, the individual’s fixation on needles either equals or surpasses their desire to use the drug. The act of injecting, in and of itself, provides a sense of reward which is separate from the “rush” or “high” of the drug.

A more technical definition, sourced from a research report published in the journal Addiction, cites that is is “Repetitive puncturing of the skin with or without the injection of psychoactive drugs via intravenous, subcutaneous or intra-muscular routes, irrespective of the drug or drugs injected or the anticipated effects of the drug.”

Considering the fact that addiction, especially an addiction to hard drugs like heroin and crack cocaine, overrides a person’s desire for most anything else, this is pretty extreme. This is why some experts refer to a needle fixation as an addiction itself.

The Public Sphere notes that three themes lead certain people to develop “an addiction to the injecting process,” including:

Previous obsessive traits
Irrational superstitions
Insecure attachments

These individuals harbor perspectives and reactions to needles and needle use which can endanger their health and even those around them.

What Behaviors And Thoughts Are Associated With A Needle Fixation?

Like other harmful behaviors surrounding substance abuse, a needle fixation is steeped in some very unhealthy and negative thoughts and behaviors, such as those outlined by the Addiction report:

Ritualization: A person becomes obsessed with preparing the needle for injection.
Relishing the skill of injecting: User’s claim that their skill at injecting increases their self-esteem.
Substitution of other drugs or water: Some people may fixate on the injection so much that they turn to these substances if their drug isn’t available, just so they can inject.
Pleasure at injecting: The injection itself creates a sense of well-being and enhances the rush of the drug.
Pursuit of pain: Certain individuals report liking the pain associated with the injection (masochism).
Linked to deliberate self-harm: Some individuals inject as a means to purposely harm or punish themselves.
Association with sex: Injection is linked to sexual pleasure and as a way to create intimacy.

Specifically, a person with a needle fixation may:

Feel a rush or “buzz” simply by using the needle, even before the drug hits their system.
Become sexually aroused by injecting, or being injected by, their partner.
Find that they replace sex in increasing instances with the ritual of injection.
Believe it would be harder to give up injection than the actual drug of abuse.
Feel the process of preparing the needle for injection is as, or more, important than the high.
Feel calm or more relaxed after they inject water.
Enjoy the pain that results from the injection (either when injecting their self or when injected by others.)
Become infatuated with the needle because of how they equate it to this pain.
Pull blood in and out of the syringe prior to or following injection (“flushing”).

These behaviors can put a person in harm’s way. For instance, when a person is injecting a partner, especially if they equate a sexual feeling to the act, they are more apt to share needles. This practice drastically increases the risks associated with injection. As these behaviors accompany drug abuse, comprehensive treatment should be sought which addresses both concerns.

What Are The Dangers Of Injecting Drugs?

A needle fixation can jeopardize an IDU’s health and life. When this desire becomes so strong, coupled with the already overwhelming urge to use, a person may resort to sharing needles, using dirty needles, or using old needles, all of which increase the risk of infection, transmissible disease, and as a secondary effect, death.

Injecting drugs can lead to:

Abscesses
Addiction
Cellulitis
Collapsed veins
Cotton Fever
Hepatitis B and C
HIV/AIDS
Limb amputation
Necrotizing fasciitis
Organ failure
Sepsis
Track marks

Many of these conditions can accelerate into critical stages and lead to death.

Recognizing a needle fixation, and educating an IDU on it, is key to preventing these risks and opening the conversation up for treatment.

Why Is It Important To Understand Needle Fixations?

Some findings illustrate that individuals with a needle fixation are more impulsive than their IDU counterparts who don’t have a fixation. Some research even posits that a needle fixation should be classified as a behavioral addiction and treated as such.

In keeping these concerns in mind, treatment should address any issues which relate to impulsive and/or ingrained negative behaviors. Effective treatment should treat both the drug addiction and the dysfunctional thoughts and behaviors linked to the needle fixation.

Does A Needle Fixation Alter A Person’s Treatment Needs?

Yes. A BMJ Journals article explains how a needle fixation can influence treatment:

“When treating injection drug users it is important to simultaneously assess needle fixation because this would influence the treatment outcome…Understanding needle fixation as deliberate self harm can encourage testing pharmacological interventions in addition to behavioral therapies.”

Any time an individual enlists in rehab, to optimize treatment results, the facility’s staff should seek to understand a their unique situation as fully as possible. Understanding a person’s perspectives on drug abuse is important and can help to inform an individualized treatment approach.

How Do You Treat A Needle Fixation?

Many of the same modalities used to treat drug addiction may also benefit a person’s pursuit of overcoming their needle fixation. Behavioral therapies, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) can be impactful methods for treating matters of impulse control, self-harm, abnormal sexual proclivities, and dysfunctional behaviors.

On this subject, one paper asserts that “Consequently, current evidence-based treatments for behavioral addictions could be modified to address the inherent difficulties of impulse control in those identified as needle-fixated injecting drug users.”

Therapy and counseling work to restore positive and healthy thoughts, emotions, and behaviors which build up sobriety and undue the damage done from the needle fixation and addiction. Additionally, these behavioral therapies are key components of treatment for any co-occurring mental health disorders, like depression or past trauma.

Begin Building Healthy Behaviors For Sobriety Today

A good treatment program can work to treat needle fixation and as well as addiction. If you’re interested in learning more about how inpatient drug rehab can help you in these ways, let DrugRehab.org help. Your call is one hundred percent confidential. Contact us today.

For More Information Related to “Understanding A Needle Fixation” Be Sure To Check Out These Additional Resources From DrugRehab.org:

What is “Wet Brain”?

Posted on July 12, 2017 by dr-admin

Characterized by hallucinations, unsteady gait, confusion, and amnesia, ‘wet brain’ is a degradation of the brain caused by a Vitamin B1 (thiamine) deficiency. Wet brain is also referred to as Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome by the medical community. While a variety of factors can come into play when a patient develops wet brain, alcoholism is a common cause of the Vitamin B1 deficiency that can lead to the disorder.

What Is Wet Brain?

Wet brain is actually a manifestation of two conditions; Wernicke’s encephalopathy and Korsakoff’s psychosis. Both Wernicke’s encephalopathy and Korsakoff’s psychosis present symptoms of degradation of the brain, however Korsakoff’s psychosis affects memory impairment while Wernicke’s encephalopathy is characterized by visual and gait impairments. While these conditions can occur separately, they are commonly diagnosed together.

The first phase of wet brain is Wernicke’s encephalopathy. This phase is usually brief, however, the onset of its symptoms can happen quickly. Classic symptoms of Wernicke’s encephalopathy can include:

Loss of muscle coordination leading to unsteady gait and leg tremors
Vision changes
Eyelid drooping
Confusion
Double vision
Loss of mental activity

Patients do not need to present all symptoms of Wernicke’s encephalopathy to be diagnosed with the disorder. In some patients, the symptoms of Wernicke’s encephalopathy may be mild and unnoticeable for the most part. If left untreated, it can cause coma or even death in many patients.

The second phase of wet brain is Korsakoff’s psychosis. Characterized by fast onset of memory impairment without any other decline in intellectual functions, Korsakoff’s psychosis develops as a result of the brain damage caused by Wernicke’s encephalopathy. The part of the brain that is damaged by Wernicke’s encephalopathy directly relates to memory creation and retention.

The symptoms of Korsakoff’s psychosis will generally develop once the symptoms of Wernicke’s encephalopathy go away. These symptoms can include:

Amnesia
Loss of memory – from mild to severe
Making up memories or stories that never happened
Hallucinations
Inability to form new memories

How Does Alcohol Cause Wet Brain?

Alcoholism and chronic alcohol abuse do not directly cause wet brain, however they are the most common cause of wet brain. The brain damage associated with Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome is actually caused by a Vitamin B1, or thiamine, deficiency. Thiamine is required for the presence of several enzymes that assist in breaking down sugar and carbs into other energy molecules. The absence of this results in brain damage.

Because high levels of thiamine are stored in your heart, kidney, brain, and liver, prolonged or excessive amounts of alcohol consumption can prevent the absorption of thiamine into your liver or gastrointestinal tract. Excessive alcohol consumption can also have a negative effect on the thiamine currently stored in your system.

Alcoholism and alcohol abuse, however, are not the only causes of Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome. Because the syndrome is actually caused by a thiamine deficiency, other sources of malnutrition can also be a cause of the symptoms. Eating disorders, starvation, AIDs, and cancer can also cause malnutrition and thiamine deficiency severe enough to cause Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome.

Treatment For Wet Brain

Wet brain diagnosis will usually involve a series of tests including thiamine and other vitamin levels in the blood, CT or brain scans, liver function, and MRIs to measure for bleeding or tumors in the brain. Along with the results of these tests, cognitive and memory performance will also be measured to compare with the symptoms of Wernicke’s encephalopathy and Korsakoff’s psychosis individually.

Once wet brain is diagnosed in an alcoholic patient, a thiamine injection will be promptly administered in an attempt to get thiamine levels back up. While the thiamine injection can improve confusion and unsteady gait in a patient, any memory loss the patient currently suffers from will likely remain the same.

Immediate abstinence from alcohol is also recommended, along with a well balanced diet. Inpatient rehab along with other drug rehabilitation programs are highly recommended to ensure the proper detox of a patient suffering from alcoholism as well as to reduce the likelihood of a relapse down the road.

Without treatment, Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome will likely result in death. With treatment, it is possible to control and improve some of the symptoms associated with the syndrome such as confusion and unsteady gait. If the syndrome is caught early enough, it is possible to administer treatment in time to help reverse some of the effects that have already started taking place.

Get Help

If you or a loved one suffers from alcoholism or the symptoms of wet brain, it is essential you seek out professional help. Wet brain does not always present itself in obvious ways, but it is very life-threatening. In certain cases, by the time it is diagnosed there is already permanent brain damage for the patient.

Our addiction specialists are standing by to take your call and offer more insight to the rehab programs available for alcoholism and alcohol abuse. Your call is always confidential, and we can get you started on the road to recovery. Call us today.

For More Information Related to “What is “Wet Brain”?” Be Sure To Check Out These Additional Resources From DrugRehab.org:

Sources

National Organization for Rare Disorders – Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome
The Scientific World Journal – Thiamine Deficiency Induced Neurochemical, Neuroanatomical, and Neuropsychological Alterations: A Reappraisal

Heroin and Alcohol: A Deadly Combination

Posted on July 11, 2017 by dr-admin

Every day in the United States novices try heroin or alcohol for the first time and every day each of these drugs claims lives of hundreds of people. Heroin is a central nervous system (CNS) depressant that can have a major impact on a person’s breathing and thus decrease their oxygen intake.

When heroin is concurrently abused with alcohol, also a depressant, the combination can be a lot more than what was bargained for; often causing overdose, coma, and even death. It takes a deeper look at this relationship of two depressants to fully understand the severity of it.

Understanding The Dangers Of Heroin And Alcohol Abuse

Heroin is derived from morphine, but about three times stronger and includes an acetyl molecule which allows the drug to enter into the bloodstream and brain faster. One concern with heroin abuse is that it depresses the respiratory system, which basically means that it slows the breathing—oftentimes to a dangerous level. When heroin is concurrently abused with alcohol, this curbed rate of breathing becomes more likely. This can be dangerous on so many levels, but knowing what the situation can provoke can enable you to save someone’s life.

Alcohol is known for the sort of energetic feeling it creates (at least at first), but the truth is that ethyl alcohol is actually a sedative that not only slows down motor function and reaction time of the brain. It also affects the heart and breathing rate. Alcohol, like heroin, is absorbed into the bloodstream.

When drinking alcohol on a full stomach, it can take several hours (on a full stomach) to reach the brain, because it’s absorbed through the small intestine and stomach. When a person injects or snorts heroin, it’s in the bloodstream almost instantly, and makes it’s way to the brain just as rapidly—at which point it changes back into morphine.

Not only is mixing heroin and alcohol dangerous on a physical level, but also on a mental level. Heroin is among the most addictive drugs known to man, and alcohol’s well-known to cause drug dependency and addiction as well. A rehab treatment has potential to help a person with dependence and mental addiction. When heroin and alcohol are used at the same time, the double-depressant combination can cause a chain of events and complications such as:

Slowed reaction time—which makes driving dangerous
When the brain is slowed down, the lungs slow down
Lightheaded due to slow or shallow breathing and lack of oxygen
Lowers heart rate from less oxygen to the brain
Depressed brain, lung, and heart rate can put a person in a coma
Comas can lead to further brain damage, causing problems with memory and other disabilities

Signs And Symptoms Of Alcohol With Heroin

It can be difficult to determine if someone is using alcohol and heroin at the same time, because the two substances can have similar symptoms—and the tell tale signs of alcohol abuse can often cancel out the indicators of another drug. Some of the signs you may look for if you believe someone is using heroin with alcohol, are drowsiness, decreased motivation, or frequent scratching as a side-effect of opiates. Some other signs to look for in heroin use are:

Having muscle and bone pain
Complaining about chills
Frequently throwing up
Insomnia or inability to sleep
Feeling nervous

Unlike alcohol, the signs of heroin abuse may be a little harder to pinpoint. If someone is using heroin, you might not know what’s wrong with them, or why they’re acting weird. From the National Institute on Drug Abuse, “heroin gives you a feeling of well-being and happiness. It also makes you feel like the world has slowed down. People on heroin think slowly and might move slowly. Heroin makes people feel sleepy, like they’re in a dream.

Heroin makes the pupils (the black circle in the center of each eye) get very small. A person who injects (shoots up) heroin will have marks on the skin where the needle went in.”

Heroin And Alcohol Overdose Statistics

As previously mentioned, mixing alcohol with heroin can increase the chances of overdose. In the United States, “between 2000 and 2015, the rate of heroin-related overdose deaths more than quadrupled, and more than 12,989 people died in 2015” (Center for Disease Control and Prevention). Heroin use disorders usually start with abuse of prescription opioids, marijuana, and alcohol. The fact is that three out of four new heroin users report abusing prescription opioids before trying heroin.

Also in 2015, 26.9 percent of people 18 and older reported binge drinking in the past month. Why is this pertinent? Alcohol and heroin are deadly substances with potential to be even worse when mixed. It’s true and even though alcohol leads to nearly seven times the amount of deaths as heroin, when the two are combined it’s even worse.

Alcohol related deaths can include automobile accidents, alcohol poisoning, hepatitis of the liver, alcoholic cardiomyopathy, and opiate/alcohol overdose. In fact, “an estimated 88,000 people die from alcohol-related causes annually, making alcohol the fourth leading preventable cause of death in the United States. In 2014, alcohol-impaired driving fatalities accounted for 9,967 deaths” (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism).

The statistics of heroin and alcohol overdose are staggering, but there’s hope to fix this issue. There are a lot of caring professionals who understand the phases of addiction, and know how to help a person who’s struggling with substance abuse.

Detoxification And Other Treatment Programs

If you’ve established that you or someone you love has a dependency issue with heroin, alcohol, or both then you’re on the right path. Understanding that there’s a problem with drug abuse is the first step. The next step is figuring out a solution to the problem, and preparing for the road ahead. After a person stops using CNS depressants like heroin and alcohol, the withdrawals can be intense and a medical detoxification may be required. Some of the withdrawal symptoms experienced can include irritability, anxiety, depression, severe drug cravings, headaches, nausea, and seizures.

The reason a medical detoxification may be required is that the withdrawals from alcohol and opioids can actually be fatal—especially when the two are combined with one another. Detoxification can give a medical professional the adequate time needed to monitor a patient’s vitals and prepare them for behavioral therapy or whatever treatment comes next, but detox isn’t considered a full treatment. Detoxification only fixes the physical addiction.

The mental addiction from heroin and alcohol is a common ground for checking into an inpatient treatment. Behavioral therapy can be the answer to other emotional or mental disorders that often co-occur with substance use disorders and addiction. In a rehab center, substance use disorders and addictions are treated with treatment programs like medication assisted therapy, cognitive behavior therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, contingency management, group therapy, and support groups.

How To Find A Treatment That Works For You

Contact DrugRehab.org today to speak with an addiction specialist about drug or alcohol addiction. Learn more about the dangers of Heroin and Alcohol by clicking the link below.

For More Information Related to “Heroin and Alcohol: A Deadly Combination” Be Sure To Check Out These Additional Resources From DrugRehab.org:

Sources

National Institute on Drug Abuse – Heroin

Is Marijuana Addictive?

Posted on July 6, 2017July 14, 2017 by dr-admin

A 2016 Gallup poll found that current marijuana use nearly doubled between 2013 and 2016. Based on these findings, roughly one in eight Americans presently use this drug. With statistics this high, it’s important to understand the reality surrounding marijuana use and abuse. Many Americans grow up hearing that marijuana, or weed, is not addictive. Not only is this perspective untrue, but it’s also harmful to a person’s health. Like other drugs, cannabis use can lead to adverse health effects, abuse, and in the most serious cases, addiction.

Can Marijuana Use Become Addictive?

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) asserts “that 30 percent of those who use marijuana may have some degree of marijuana use disorder.” They continue, reporting that “people who begin using marijuana before the age of 18 are four to seven times more likely to develop a marijuana use disorder than adults.” For those who start in their teens, approximately one in six will develop an addiction, whereas one in nine adult-onset users will.

Keep in mind, even if you’ve been using marijuana daily for some time without becoming addicted, there’s still a possibility it could happen. In fact, according to research presented by the University of Washington’s Alcohol & Drug Abuse Institute, of those who:

Try the drug one or more times within their life, one in ten will become dependent.
Abuse the drug on a daily basis, half will become dependent.

The most easily witnessed proof that marijuana is addictive is that it can lead to cravings, tolerance, and withdrawal. These states are all primary hallmarks of addiction.

Why Is Marijuana Addictive?

Like any addiction, this is complicated and relies on numerous factors, many of which scientists are still learning. However, some researchers theorize that the rising potency of THC in marijuana is partly responsible. The primary compound in marijuana which is responsible for creating the high is THC.

Also, as consistent with other drugs of abuse, research has identified the possibility that marijuana can alter dopamine. Within rat subjects, NIDA writes that “early exposure…decreases the reactivity of brain dopamine reward centers later in adulthood.” Due to its role in regulating reward and pleasure, dopamine is heavily linked to addiction. Even more impactful is research published by JAMA Psychiatry in May of 2016. These findings actually identified certain genes which are linked to cannabis dependence.

Regardless of how or why marijuana is addictive, the important truth is that if you use marijuana, you are exposing yourself to this and other risks.

What Are The Signs Of A Marijuana Addiction?

Like all drugs of abuse, marijuana abuse and addiction changes the way a person thinks, acts, and behaves. If you’re concerned that your loved one is abusing or addicted to marijuana, they may exhibit certain signs, such as a(n):

Altered perception of time
Dry mouth “cotton mouth”
Enhanced sensory experiences
Increased appetite “the munchies”
Intense pleasure (euphoria)
Laughter
Red, dry eyes
State of relaxation

Marijuana can also cause:

Anxiety
Distrust
Fear
Panic
Paranoia

In severe cases, when used to excess, a user may experience acute psychosis, including delusions and hallucinations.

What Is The Criteria Of A Cannabis Use Disorder?

A cannabis use disorder (CUD) encompasses a spectrum of both abuse and dependence. As cited by Medscape, an individual with a CUD must meet at least two of the following 11 criteria during the period of one year:

A person(’s):

Uses marijuana in amounts or for a time greater than they planned on.
Cannot decrease their use even if they want or attempt to do so.
Expends large amounts of time finding, using, or recuperating from using the drug.
Is overcome with an intense need to use the drug (craving).
Ability to carry out important responsibilities at home, school, or work is impaired by the continued use of the drug.
Keeps abusing the drug even when it causes harm to them within relationships or social obligations.
Withdraws or completely stops engaging in pleasurable, social, or vocational events due to marijuana.
Uses the drug on a regular basis even when it exposes them to physical risk.
Doesn’t stop using the drug even when they know it’s causing or worsening a physical or mental health problem.
Doesn’t experience the same effect at the previous dose of the drug and/or needs more of the drug to create pleasurable feelings (tolerance).
Experiences withdrawal should they suddenly stop using the drug. Or, if this occurs, they use the drug to avoid these symptoms.
Withdrawal from marijuana can last up to 14 days. It may include cravings, irritability, physical malaise, restlessness, a suppressed appetite, and various changes to their mood and sleep.

Are There Other Risks Of Marijuana Abuse?

Despite its popularity and widespread use as a recreational drug, marijuana use is not without risks. Marijuana abuse and addiction carry some pretty serious risks which may surprise you, including:

Amotivational Syndrome

It’s theorized that marijuana is associated with amotivational syndrome, a chronic psychiatric disorder which closely resembles depression and causes:

Apathy
Blunted emotional responses
Decreased activity
Impaired memory
Incoherent state
Lack of motivation
Poor concentration
Withdrawn behavior

Cognitive Changes

Research is ongoing, however, marijuana use and abuse has been linked to memory impairment, decreased cognitive abilities, and even changes to the brain’s structural components.

As detailed by NIDA, regular exposure is particularly worrisome to adolescents. This abuse may impair “executive functions such as memory, learning, and impulse control compared to people who do not use.” Also:

“A large longitudinal study in New Zealand found that persistent marijuana use disorder with frequent use starting in adolescence was associated with a loss of an average of 6 or up to 8 IQ points measured in mid-adulthood. Significantly, in that study, those who used marijuana heavily as teenagers and quit using as adults did not recover the lost IQ points.”

Co-Occurring Disorders

Time reports that “90% of people with marijuana addictions also suffer from another psychiatric condition or addiction.” The JAMA study illuminates the seriousness of this comorbidity. These findings link certain cannabis dependence genes to genetic risk factors for major depression and schizophrenia.

Links To Other Forms of Drug Abuse

The theory that marijuana is a gateway drug isn’t without merit after all. Though most who use this drug will not develop other forms of drug abuse, research has found a connection. A second JAMA Psychiatry publication found that “cannabis use is associated with an increased risk for several substance use disorders.”

Are You Or A Loved One Addicted To Marijuana?

Even though marijuana isn’t as addictive or dangerous as other drugs, it can still disrupt and damage a person’s life in many serious ways. And like other substance use disorders, marijuana addiction can require support and treatment. We can help you with these things. DrugRehab.org can support you as you learn more about marijuana abuse, addiction, and treatment. Contact us now.

For More Information Related to “Is Marijuana Addictive?” Be Sure To Check Out These Additional Resources From DrugRehab.org:

Sources

Gallup — One in Eight U.S. Adults Say They Smoke Marijuana
JAMA Psychiatry — Cannabis Use and Risk of Psychiatric DisordersProspective Evidence From a US National Longitudinal Study
US National Library of Medicine — A Motivational Syndrome In Organic Solvent Abusers