Drug addiction is obviously a bad thing.  Almost everyone knows about the physical, psychological, financial and social toll drugs can on an individual and his or her family.  Yet well over half of those who suffer with drug addiction do not get the treatment they so desperately need.  WHY IS THAT?

A recent survey performed by the producers and researchers of the hit HBO documentary series Addiction asked addicted individuals that very question.  What follows are the fascinating results.

Why People Don’t Seek Treatment

• 94.4% did not feel that they needed treatment
• 4.1% felt like they needed treatment and did make an effort to get it
• 1.4% felt like they needed treatment and did not make an effort to get it

Even more interesting are the responses from those individuals who did seek treatment, but did not receive it.  Among these individuals the reasons for not getting treatment were:

• 44.4% said cost/insurance barriers kept them from getting treatment
• 21.2% said they were not ready to stop using drugs
• 21.1% named other access barriers
• 18.5% said they were afraid of the negative stigma of drug addiction treatment
• 9.4% said they did not know where to go for treatment
• 3.8% said they did not have time for treatment
• 0.4% said they thought treatment would not help them

Help remove these barriers!  If you have a drug addiction problem, contact a professional addiction treatment faciity today.

In October, the Drug Enforcement Agency’s travelling museum exhibit, Target America: Opening Eyes to the Damage Drugs Cause, made it’s way to Los Angeles for an extended run at the city’s California Science Center.

The exhibit is a truly unique way to spread the word to kids age 11 and up that drugs can destroy the bodies and their future.

Some of the highlights of the exhibit include:

• A “drug running” tunnel that kids can crawl through to gain an understanding of the dangers of the narcotics trade.
• A chance to shoot basketballs into a hoop while wearing 3D glasses to help simulate the effects of drugs.
• Recreated scenes from the “drug lifestyle” to design to put a scare into kids about the problems caused by addiction.

The DEA and local museums around the country are to be commended on this effort to reach kids outside of the classroom in a manner that speaks to them in a language they can understand.  Kids are at the greatest risk for developing a drug addiction - the impact of which can mean health and social problems that follow them on through adulthood.

If you know a child who is experimenting with drugs, or has developed a substance abuse problem, contact a teen-friendly drug rehab program in your area immediately.

After an alcohol fueled binge with his 20 year old girlfriend, Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood entered into rehab for alcohol addiction, drug addiction and compulsive sexual behabvior.  The 61 year old is now facing legal troubles as his wife prepares to sue him for divorce.

Certainly living and working alongside Keith Richards for decades is not going to do anyone’s health any favors, but Wood has seemingly entered a cycle of addiction that, at his advancing years, will be difficult to dig out from underneath.

Couple that with the financial problems that seem to be right around the corner and, despite being part of the most popular band in the world, Wood’s golden years don’t look to be so sweet.

This latest trip into rehab is one of many - and one can only hope that he benefit from the chance to spend some time away from his party-heavy lifestyle.

When individuals such as Wood fall from grace, we tend to shrug our shoulders and say “told you so.:  This attitude however, will not suffice when helping one of our own friends or loved ones through a difficult alcohol or drug addiction.

The only way to make sure that an individual gets the help they need is to hold an intervention and get them into an alcohol or drug rehab program immediately where there are professionals who have made it their life’s work to get people clean and sober.

According to a recent report released by the drug recovery group Narconon, teenagers who engage in alcohol abuse are more likely to become addicted to alcohol or drugs as adults than their peers who do not drink.

The report shines a light on the perception of alcohol consumption among teens as a “rite of passage” or even as “harmless fun” in some social circles.

The fact remains that underage alcohol consumption is against the law and the report from Narconon only serves to reinforce the seriousness of the teen alcohol abuse problem.

If you want to keep your children away from alcohol, there are some simple things you can do to make a difference in their lives, including:

• Lead by example - don’t drink large quantities of alcohol around your children.   Don’t get interbreated in their presence.
• Don’t have alcohol around the house - or at the very least, place it in a locked cabinet that the children cannot access.
• Talk to your kids about the dangers of alcohol - this is the absolute best way to make sure that your kids make good decisions about drinking for the rest of their lives.

If your teenage has an alcohol addiction, it is crucial to get them the help they need to turn their situation around.  Find an alcohol treatment center that understands the special needs of teenagers and adolescents and get them enrolled today.

The hit VH1 reality show Celebrity Rehab kicks off its second season on October 23^rd and brings with it a new batch of famous people from the world of entertainment who have set their careers aside to work with host Dr. Drew Pinsky in an effort to achieve recovery from alcohol and drug addiction.

The cast includes the return of former Taxi star Jeff Conway, who has faced a series of setbacks since his last appearance on the show including several back surgeries that have caused him to relapse into his habitual use of pain medications.  Joining him in the rehab program are a wide variety of celebs including:

• Sean Stewart (Sons of Hollywood)
• Amber Smith (model/actress)
• Rodney King
• Nikki McKibbin (American Idol)
• Steven Adler (Guns n Roses)
• Tawny Kitaen (Actress).

Perhaps the most notable appearance of the season will come from actor Gary Busey.  The actor is over a decade removed from his cocaine addiction, but will take the other residents on what is being billed as a “spiritual journey” and share experiences from his own recovery.

Questions about the quality of the show remain, but certainly anything that raises awareness about the availability and effectiveness of quality alcohol and drug rehab programs can’t be all bad.

Celebrity Rehab will run for 8 episodes every Thursday beginning on October 23^rd.

Drugs have been a problem in our high schools for decades now.  But one thing that never seems to change is that wherever there are teenagers, there will be substance abuse and addiction issues.  What has changed is the different types of substances that teenage kids are using to get high.

Consider the following information from the University of Michigan

Most commonly abused drug by High School Seniors in 1975 (% who have tried the drug)

1. Marijuana (47.3%)

2. Amphetamines (22.3%)

3. Tranquilizers (17.0%)

4. LSD (11.3%)

5. Cocaine (9.0%)

Now let’s look at the top 5 from 2006

1. Marijuana (42.3%)

2. Opiates - Heroin, Vicodin, OxyContin (14.4%)

3. Amphetamines (12.8%)

4. Inhalants (11.2%)

5. Cocaine (8.5%)

It is interesting to note that opiates and inhalants have made significant gains over the past several years, while marijuana has continued to remain atop the list.  Also, in 1975 the amphetamines kids were taking were traditional “uppers”, but in 2006 the majority of amphetamines used were crystal meth - a far more dangerous drug.

If your child is struggling with drug abuse, get help immediately by contacting the caring professionals at a drug rehab and addiction treatment center in your area that works spefically with teens.

In the U.S., most states require that group health plans cover rehab and other forms of addiction treatment.  But as many people have found out the hard way, insurance companies don’t always make it easy for their customers to receive payment or reimbursement for their alcohol or drug rehab care.

Here are some tips for “fighting back” against insurance companies that are trying to deny you the benefits you are entitled to under law:

• Get help from your employer. Look through your employee handbook to see if there is specific mention of reimbursement for addiction treatment. If the answer is “yes”, your employer can override the insurance company’s denial of coverage.
• Get assistance from the state’s insurance office. Every state has an insurance department whose job it is to make sure insurers are following all the rules.
• Get your elected officials involved. If you are unable to make any progress on your own, ask your local government representative to step in and help enforce the laws of the state regarding insurance coverage for its residents.
• Keep good records. Make sure that there is always a proper “paper trail” of all your interactions with the insurance company, the rehab center and any government offices you contact.
• Don’t wait! Most importantly, you should never hold off on starting your rehab program until these insurance-related issues are resolved. Your life and well-being are just too important.

Also check with your local government office to confirm that your state forces insurance companies to pay for addiction treatment.  As of this writing, the states which currently DO NOT pay for alcohol and drug rehab are:  Arizona, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Oklahoma and Wyoming.

Visit Michael’s House for more information about alcohol and drug rehab programs that treat the mind, body and spirit of the individual.

Now that some time has passed since the media began its focus on OxyContin Addiction, several studies have been performed that may indicate that concerns about the drug were overblown.

OxyContin

Granted, OxyContin is still considered an addictive, highly dangerous drug if used improperly, but when taken as directed, the chance of “accidental addiction” would appear to be fairly rare.

Consider the following reporting from STATS, a non-partisan organization:

The consensus of all of these sources was, broadly, that Purdue had knowingly pushed a dangerously addictive product, and that thousands of people - most famously Rush Limbaugh - had become accidental addicts and hundreds had died, often through careless prescribing by doctors. As Geraldo Rivera raged on Fox news, Purdue’s “corporate vultures”

“…are the most insidious drug pushers, forcing their addictive junk on millions of unsuspecting victims, with the same disregard for their health and wellbeing as any demon doper.”

There was only one problem with all of this: the consensus, the moral outrage, the muck-raking investigative journalism wasn’t supported by reliable evidence.

STATS goes on to site the American Journal of Psychiatry, that studies 27,000 drug addicts across the United States and found that only a small number became accidentally addicted to OxyContin.

This report, however, should do NOTHING to undercut the importance of OxyContin rehab treatment for those who take the drug in any manner other than how it was intended.  If an individual snorts or injects OxyContin they are getting all of the active ingredients at once (instead of time-released) which can lead to addiction and overdose.

How to find the right drug rehab program

Selecting a drug rehab program that offers the individual the best chance at recovery can be a challenging experience.  Those individuals who suffer from drug addiction are likely to be unfamiliar with the rehab industry and, due to the effects of the drugs themselves, are not in a position to make many sound decisions.

What follows are several helpful tips that will assist the individual in finding a drug treatment program that they feel comfortable with and offers the best opportunity for overcoming addiction.

Tips for finding the right drug rehab program

1. Choose an outpatient or residential drug treatment program.   Those individuals who need to leave their home environment and focus solely on their drug rehab should consider a residential treatment program where patient live 24/7 onsite at the facility.  For those who wish to return home at the end of every treatment day, or are unable to pick up and leave due to family or job responsibilities might prefer an outpatient program.

2. Get online.  All the major drug rehab facilities have their own website, which feature details about their drug rehab programs, treatment styles and other vital information.   Some sites even contain all the major drug rehab facilities in a given geographic region.

3. Ask a medical professional.  Medical doctors and psychiatric professionals can recommend reputable drug treatment centers for their patients.

4. Visit the facility.  This is an important decision, and the individual will be spending a great deal of time at the facility.  Therefore, it is a good idea to visit different drug rehab centers to find one that feels appropriate and comfortable.

For outstanding residential drug rehab, visit www.michaelshouse.com.  Michael’s House is located in Palm Springs, California and offers residents a ground-breaking program in drug addiction recovery.