The Connection Between Buddhist Healing and Projectile Vomiting

A Thai drug rehab is offering locals and foreigners alike the opportunity to vomit their addiction away. How? Through a tonic made from a secret recipe made with 108 herbs, meditation, yoga and a great deal of inward self-reflection. All that, and a vow of 100-percent commitment to becoming completely free from drugs and alcohol.

Some of those who have done it, swear by it. They say that the rigorous program that requires patients to wear identical red robes, sleep on thin mattresses on the floor in close quarters, clean their rooms and the monastery daily, and often vomit after drinking the tonic (ostensibly to rid the body of the toxins left behind by chronic drug abuse) is more than effective. The vow, too, is no joke. Patients are allowed admittance one time only. If they break the rules or relapse, they are out and there is no coming back.

Equality of Care and Lack of Individuality

Whether you are a celebrity or a civilian, you get the same treatment at the Thai monastery that offers this treatment. For some, this works perfectly – an estimated 30 percent of the 100,000 people they have treated since 1959 became ordained monks or nuns after they complete treatment – but for others, it’s just not a fit. Some complain about the harsh living conditions, high expectations and stiff requirements to stay. There is little in the way of therapy in the traditional Western sense and patients are left to their own resources when it comes to aftercare services and ongoing support during recovery.

Finding the Right Drug Treatment for You

Though there are always new trends in drug addiction treatment, the best recovery options tend to offer the traditional forms of care as a basis for their program while providing patients with the opportunity to explore new forms of therapy as well.

If you would like to learn more about how we provide drug rehabilitation here at Michael’s House, contact us today. One of our counselors can speak with you about your personal needs for treatment and help you determine which type of rehab program will best help you heal.

This over-prescription of medications is not just a health hiccup or minor misstep. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that every 19 minutes another person dies due to a prescription drug overdose.

To control this constantly escalating issue, state legislators have been working to put regulations and laws on the books that prevent abuse and addiction while still maintaining accessibility to these medications for those who need them. However, this legislation happens slowly as the problem comes to the attention of officials and lawmakers in each state and ideas are generated to attempt to solve the problem. Could the problem be slowed immediately if laws were put on the books at the federal level?

The Food and Drug Administration Could Play a Key Role in Controlling Abuse

One major problem driving the prescription drug abuse problem is a lack of training on the part of doctors. Many medical schools are just starting to add the topic to their curriculum, but the vast majority of doctors do not have sufficient education about the issue. A few years ago, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) attempted to fix that problem by proposing mandatory specialized training for physicians before they are allowed to give a prescription for any medications containing opioids. Opioid drugs make up the bulk of prescriptions with a high risk for abuse, so this additional training could go a long way to curb unnecessary prescriptions and diversion.

Political Outcry Restrained FDA’s Attempt to Prevent Prescription Drug Abuse

Many pharmaceutical companies and medical and patient advocacy groups worry that federal intervention in regards to prescription drugs might inhibit access to care for patients in need of pain control. These agencies banded together to fight the FDA’s proposition in regards to requiring additional education for doctors prescribing potentially addictive painkillers. This has put the responsibility back into the hands of each individual state.

Do you think that the FDA should take action in the face of the number of addicts, injuries and deaths as a result of prescription drug abuse? Or do you think it is better to let the issue be dealt with locally? Your thoughts are welcome below.

A new study published in The Journal of Pain explored addicts’ heightened sensitivity to pain, also called hyperalgesia. The journal is a peer-reviewed publication from the American Pain Society (APS). The APS is a multidisciplinary organization of scientific and medical professionals. The goal of the group is to use research to increase the understanding of how pain functions and inform both public policy and clinical procedures with the end goal of diminishing the suffering inherent in pain.

UCLA Research Finds That No Medication Eases the Pain of Heroin Addicts

Scientists at UCLA measured the pain responses of 82 individuals undergoing treatment for heroin addiction as well as a control group without a drug addiction. The researchers wanted to track the hyperalgesia experienced by heroin-addicted individuals as they moved through the phases of drug treatment. The cold pressor test, where a subject’s hand is placed in cold water, and mild electrical stimulation were used to test pain tolerance. In the heroin-addicted group, both methadone and buprenorphine were used in an attempt to control pain. The scientists found that neither medication had any substantial impact on the subject’s pain response.

Addiction to Heroin or Other Opiates Poses Complications in Pain Treatment

From the findings of the UCLA study, considerations must be made for two separate scenarios that may occur under a doctor or nurse’s care. They are:

• The potential hyperalgesia created from the use of opioid medications on patients with a variety of legitimate painful medical conditions

• The hyperalgesia experienced by patients who have a dependency or addiction to opiate medications

Treating patients with a standing heroin addiction presents many obstacles for medical professionals to provide effective care. Are you or someone you care about addicted to heroin or opiate prescription drugs such as OxyContin or Vicodin? The good news is that help is available. Give us a call and let us tell you about the programs we offer to treat prescription painkiller addiction. Don’t spend one more day struggling with addiction. Pick up the phone and contact us today.

This is done mostly out of common sense. There has been little research to support whether or not the assumption that the attitudes of those around a recovering addict truly have a big impact on their success or failure in sobriety. However, a new study from the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation (PIRE) utilized cutting-edge statistical methods to analyze past research and look deeper into this issue. The results published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs demonstrate that individuals who create social bonds with positive influences have lower rates of relapse.

Changing Pro-Drinking Attitudes Provides Greatest Opportunity for Those in Recovery

Not surprisingly, the study showed that the greatest success was experienced by individuals who were surrounded by people who encouraged them to abstain completely from drinking. On the other hand, those who had a close friend or family member who pushed them to drink did not do as well.

The most important revelation of this research was who turned out to be the “pro-drinkers” that influenced recovering addicts to relapse. It may be assumed that a “pro-drinker” would be someone who themselves drinks alcohol frequently, however, the study showed that the “pro-drinkers” tended to be individuals who drank very little or not all themselves but did not believe their loved one actually had a problem with alcohol that required abstinence from drinking. The researchers believe that the key to long-term sobriety may be to identify the “pro-drinkers” in an individual’s life and intervene with them to provide education on alcohol abuse and abstinence.

Changing Relationships After Treatment Is Hard but Often Necessary

The initial phase of alcohol recovery is a stressful period for many people fresh out of treatment. The thought of putting yourself out there to meet new people can feel overwhelming during this time, but it may be a crucial step for some. Other individuals may have the best success when they educate those around them or end relationships that no longer serve a positive purpose in their lives.

For those in recovery, where is the best place to meet sober and positive influences? Tell us your tips for those new to recovery.

The proposed bill focuses on KASPER, the state’s prescription drug monitoring system, and reducing the ability for pill mills to function. Kentucky legislators, just like politicians around the country in their respective states, believe doctors should be made to use KASPER in order for the program to work effectively. As for pill mills, the bill would make it illegal for anyone other than a licensed Kentucky physician to own a pain management clinic. Currently, many of these clinics are operated by individuals with no medical training even though the clinics often dispense astronomical amounts of potentially addictive prescription pain meds.

Doctors Believe Parts of Proposed Bill Are a Violation of Rights and Patient Privacy

The Kentucky Medical Association (KMA) recognizes the current problems the state faces with increasing prescription drug addiction. Nevertheless, they have come out against House Bill 4. They do support the parts of the bill mentioned above that would decrease pill mills and increase the usage of KASPER. However, they do not agree with other requirements inserted into the legislation. For example, House Bill 4 calls for KASPER to be moved from the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services to the attorney general’s office. The physicians believe private medical information should stay in the hands of public health officials and not be made available to law enforcement and non-medical employees.

The other major issue KMA had with the legislation as it is currently written is the $50 yearly charge to doctors for the maintenance and operation of KASPER. Although the fee was relatively small, it is the principle that is at issue. Doctors are not responsible for the existence of prescription drug addiction and, in addition, KMA feels it is inappropriate to ask them to fund a government-mandated program.

KMA Worries Parts of House Bill 4 Will Affect Access to Care

The last issue KMA has with the proposed legislation is that it requires the use of KASPER for anti-anxiety meds in addition to painkillers. They worry that this will inhibit some physicians from prescribing the medications. Representatives of KMA claim this switch could then reduce a patient’s access to care.

Do you think KMA has valid points for opposing House Bill 4? We’d like to hear your opinions below.

Event organizers hung more than 250 photos of men, women and children of all ages who lost their lives to prescription drug overdoses. Dr. Regina Bejamin said to the audience in attendance, “There are too many faces on that wall. There are too many faces that could be on that wall.”

Education Is the Cornerstone of Solving Rx Drug Epidemic

In his speech, R. Gil Kerlikowske drove home the point that doctors need continuing education on the topic of prescription drug use and abuse. He admitted that medical schools are starting to address the problem in their curriculum, but doctors already out in the field are often ignorant of the information which means that we are missing a huge opportunity for preventing prescription drug addiction.

Kerlikowske cited the need for further education for family physicians after a recent study found that they are the group who most often prescribe opioid painkillers – the most abused medications, making up 27 percent of all prescriptions. Those specializing in internal medicine – those who have the education to help prevent prescription drug dependence by educating patients – came in second at 17 percent.

In addition to increased education, Kerlikowske pushed for increased support for the following:

• Education on proper storage and disposal of prescriptions
• More pill take-back days on the local level
• Continuing the crackdown on pill mills nationwide
• Increased usage of electronic prescription drug monitoring systems by physicians

The Attitude of Acceptance of Rx Drug Abuse Needs to Change in the US

However, many people present at the summit recognized that one big hurdle in decreasing prescription drug abuse is something that can’t be taught or legislated. It is the attitude in society that prescription drugs are acceptable, especially among young people. Joseph Rannazzisi, an official from the US Drug Enforcement Administration, said: “Kids believe this is acceptable. Why? Because they see their parents taking it. It’s not heroin. It’s not coke.”

Unfortunately, with opioid prescriptions such as OxyContin, misuse leads to abuse and addiction. The cost of the pills is so high on the black market that addicts turn to the much cheaper yet biologically similar high of heroin.

Rannazzisi went on to say: “We’re gonna lose a whole generation of kids to heroin because they started with hydrocodone (the active ingredient in OxyContin).”

Do you feel that prescription drug misuse and abuse are taken seriously in the community where you live? Let us know your thoughts below.

Psychologists Are Considering Revising the Diagnostic Criteria for Alcoholism

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) is the reference used in the psychology field to diagnose different mental and emotional disorders. The manual is rewritten and updated periodically. For the next revision, psychologists are contemplating putting alcoholism onto a spectrum which could potentially turn how the disease is treated on its head.

Currently, until someone reaches the level of total alcoholism, there are few treatment options to help prevent the inevitable landslide from occurring. According to the way the DSM is written, individuals who abuse alcohol are not considered to be addicts. By putting the symptoms on a spectrum, it would change healthcare professionals’ understanding of the issue. Treatment of alcohol abuse would become a preventative technique rather than being seen as helping someone without a “real problem.”

There Are Numerous Negative Consequences of Alcohol Before Full Alcoholism Develops

Individuals with a mid-range alcohol problem can experience negatively impacting life events just like someone living with full-blown alcoholism. Careers and home lives don’t begin to be negatively affected the day alcohol abuse turns into an unmanageable addiction. Time spent drinking can take someone away from quality time with loved ones, and hangovers can cause deteriorating performance in the workplace. In addition, repetitive consumption of alcohol can cause many negative health consequences. If behaviors that define alcohol abuse are classified as being on the alcoholism spectrum, patients can get treatment early and avoid reaching the extreme experience of addiction.

Behaviors that signal the need for a preventative treatment plan could include:

• Drinking to deal with stress
• Drinking by yourself
• Thinking about being able to drink later with anticipation/excitement
• Health issues caused by drinking
• Drinking due to boredom or loneliness
• Driving while intoxicated for any reason
• Drinking to get drunk
• Using alcohol to feel comfortable in social settings

If you or someone you care about has developed problems stemming from alcohol use, help is available. No one needs to wait until their life is falling apart due to their alcohol problem to seek treatment. If dependency on alcohol is starting to become evident, give us call. We can help you find an alcohol rehab program with the appropriate level of intervention for you.

In response to the increasing overdose statistics, legislators in Washington passed a law allowing naloxone, a drug that blocks heroin and other opioid based drugs from having an effect in the human body, to be made available by prescription at pharmacies throughout the state. This drug has a long history of safe and effective use for opioid overdoses by both doctors in the ER and paramedics out in the field.

Those who abuse opioid drugs such as the street drug heroin and the prescription drugs OxyContin, methadone, codeine and Vicodin, may all someday be candidates for a lifesaving dose of naloxone. The problem is that they need to have the drug on hand when an overdose occurs. In other words, an addict or someone who cares about them needs to have the forethought to get a prescription for naloxone to keep around for the possible eventuality of an overdose. Experts say that most people don’t even know naloxone is an option and that they can ask their doctor for it. Since people rarely get a prescription, it is not stocked in pharmacies, making it difficult for those who do have prescriptions to get them filled.

Education on How to Use Naloxone Is Necessary to Stop Overdose

For naloxone to be a successful overdose antidote, education on its proper use is necessary. The drug simply inhibits the narcotic effects of opioid drugs and in itself has no potential for abuse. The University of Washington Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute explains that naloxone can be administered by either a nasal spray or a syringe. The antidote, once in someone’s system, takes roughly five minutes to start reversing the effects of the narcotic. The major stumbling block to this process is that many high-risk overdose candidates may not have the opportunity to obtain the antidote and keep it with them whenever they use.

Naloxone Can Empower Parents of Heroin Addicts Until They Agree to Rehab

Parents of addicts may be a likely group to procure the naloxone and keep it available for their addicted loved one who is at high risk for overdose. The vast majority of parents are unaware that naloxone is an available option; filling a prescription for naloxone can give parents of addicts a measure of control and safety in a seemingly out-of-control situation.

Do you think naloxone can be an effective prevention for opioid overdose? Let us know below.

But some psychiatrists are now saying that defining alcoholism as a disease may be throwing up obstacles when it comes to long-term recovery and abstinence.

Lance Brendan Young is a postdoctoral research fellow with the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Center for Comprehensive Access & Delivery Research and Evaluation in Iowa City, Iowa. He says: “By adhering so strictly to the disease model…I think that we miss the opportunity to frame alcoholism in ways that could help some people. It introduces the stigma of abnormality — of being permanently deviant in body and mind.”

Young goes on to say that while thinking of alcoholism as a disease can help medical professionals to treat alcoholics, it can be harmful to those with drinking problems. Some issues include:

• It makes it difficult for people to self-identify as an alcoholic. A disease sounds very serious – and it is, as is alcoholism. But many who are trying to determine whether or not their use of alcohol is problematic would not classify their behavior as a disease and thus postpone the treatment they need.
• It obscures the identification of alcoholism among family members. In the same way, it can be difficult for family members to believe that their loved one has a disease. For example, if alcoholism is defined as drinking alone and an alcoholic drinks with friends and family most often, then family members may not believe that their loved one needs treatment.
• It is defined as “abnormal.” To accept that one has a disease that cannot be cured is to accept oneself as “abnormal” and many patients don’t feel comfortable doing that.
• It removes a patient’s perception of control over his or her behavior. When someone has a disease, he does not have control over his actions. It can be a crutch and an excuse for chronic relapse among those who have a hard time with sobriety.

Alcoholism is defined as a physical and psychological dependence upon alcohol that is characterized by the inability of the alcoholic to stop drinking despite negative consequences, according to the National Institutes of Health. If you or someone you care about is living with alcoholism, don’t let details about its determination as a disease stop you from getting the help you need. Contact us today to learn more about our alcohol rehab program here at Michael’s House.

For decades, clinical research has focused on culling more knowledge on the science of addiction – how drugs affect the brain, how chemicals in the brain affect cravings, how the brain changes and how long those changes last during long-term addiction. The hope is that, with surveys like this one, we can begin to build a new science of recovery based on evidence rather than just theory.

The Science of Recovery

Thomas McLellan, PhD is the Former Deputy Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. He says: “Through past initiatives, we established some sensible definitions of what ‘being in recovery’ actually means – and this additional work provides fundamental information on how many people are in recovery. These are not only the building blocks for the ‘recovery science’ that have been called for, but they are the foundation for public understanding, acceptance and ultimately, the celebration of recovery.”

The more we understand about recovery, the better we can treat addiction and identify those who need assistance early on for the best possible outcome.

More Survey Results

In addition to establishing the number of Americans currently in recovery, the survey revealed a bit of information about those who define themselves as leaving a drug problem behind them.

• More men than women say they are in recovery: 12 percent of American men as compared to seven percent of American women.
• Adults between the ages of 35 and 44 more often report being in recovery as compared to younger adults and those over the age of 55.
• The Midwest is home to the highest number of people in recovery at 14 percent. The South was home to the lowest percentage at seven percent. In the middle was the West at 11 percent and the Northeast at nine percent.

Where do you fit in? Do you consider yourself to be in recovery? Are you living with an active drug and alcohol addiction that you would like to overcome? If you need help fighting a drug dependence, contact us at Michael’s House today. We can help you determine the best course of action and choose a program will best serve your needs. Call now.