As trillions of synapses occur between these neurons, info is processed at speeds exceeding 250 miles/hr, and we are allowed to function and live because of it. No one can fully appreciate or understand the amazing human mind—but anyone can abuse it.

Of course there are obvious ways you could abuse your brain, like hitting your head against a wall or reading about fiscal USA. But it’s a more creative and subtle method of abuse that hurts nearly 20 million Americans every year. Something we have allowed to permeate our culture and something our country has developed a very lax and permissive attitude towards. 

I’m talking about Alcohol use—and overuse.

Alcohol Damages the Brain: Can Alcohol Damage My Brain?

Research indicates that alcoholics are doing a lot more to themselves than simply getting drunk and waking up hungover. Studies from the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse (NIAA) and  a number of academic institutions including Harvard Medical school have shown through intensive study that alcohol has damaging effects on the brain.{image-3}

One study compared the way chronic alcohol abuse changes the programming of critical areas of the human brain to a computer virus eating away software.  The longer you allow it to damage the system, the more damaging it becomes. 

A little alcohol, of course, has its direct effects on the brain: blurred vision, slurred speech, impaired memory, and difficulty walking—just to name a few. But for those who choose to consume it heavily and more consistently may feel lingering effects on their brain for years to come. 

Even long after sobriety is achieved, the mark of alcohol often can’t be erased from an alcoholic’s brain. 

A number of factors play a role in how terrible the effects of alcohol can be. Situations influencing the damaging effects of alcohol on the brain include  

• The age the person begins drinking (the younger one is, the worse it is).
• How much the person drinks (the more one drinks, the worse it is).
• How healthy the person is (the unhealthy are more vulnerable).
• Family background of the person (genetic stuff . .  and a family history heavy with alcoholism isn’t good)

Specific Effects of Alcohol on the Mind: What are the Effects of Alcohol on My Brain? 

Remember all those neurons we talked about before? Alcohol interferes with the communication between them by depressing the central nervous system, contracting brain tissue and killing brain cells that can’t be reproduced. 

Because of these broad effects, alcohol causes serious long term effects too—specifically on the brain.

Effect on memory.{image-2}

According to the NIAA, alcohol can produce detectable impairments in memory after only a few drinks. And the more booze you allow to funnel into your mouth, the more risky the effects of the stuff are on your memory.

Documented effects of alcohol abuse include 

• Severe memory impairment—the impairment on your memory is inevitable, and gets worse the longer (and more frequently) you drink.   
• Blackouts—blackouts usually occur when alcohol is consumed quickly and on an empty stomach.
• Alcohol related brain damage—Nearly 80% of all alcoholics have thiamine deficiency. Thiamine is an essential nutrient required by brain tissue. Deficiencies in thiamine are connected with brain disorders like Wernicke–Korsakoff syndrome and certain types of amnesia. 

Effect on the developing brain.

The effects of alcohol on the human fetus are well documented and researched. According to an article by Scientific American, approximately one third of all babies born to alcoholic mothers will develop Fetal Alcohol Syndrome or Effects (FAS or FAE). 

This syndrome causes central nervous system (CNS) dysfunctions including: Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and impaired IQ. The article added that there are also growth and facial abnormalities associated with these infants.

Alcohol Treatment

Thankfully, you don’t have to allow alcohol addiction to ruin your life. Every day at Duffy’s rehab is another day where addicts are given hope, and alcoholics are shown how to turn their lives around. Call us today (888-717-9725) to join our family here at Duffy’s. 

Published the same day, an article from Press-Citizen revealed how a former Iowa City nurse was charged with stealing her patient’s medications from the hospital’s drug dispensing machine.

These are only two of the many appalling stories due to a rising epidemic in the United States—Prescription drug abuse.

A Tsunami of Abuse

A new report from The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) reported a 430% increase of treatment admissions for abuse of prescription pain relievers from 1999 to 2009. Treatment admissions rose form 10 per 100,000 in the population in 1999 to 53 per 100,000 in 2009.

430%.

That’s right. This isn’t just a wave of prescription drug abuse. It’s a tsunami.

A Flood of Painkillers

{image-1}Statistics show that prescription drug abuse significantly contributes to the rise of general drug abuse. More specifically, prescription painkiller drug abuse.

According to the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 36,000 people died from drug overdoses in 2008, and most of these were caused by prescription drugs. Of all prescription drug overdoses, nearly 75% of deaths are caused by prescription painkillers such as Vicodin, OxyContin, or Percocet.

Opioid painkillers alone caused over 14,800 overdose deaths in 2008, which is more than cocaine or heroin combined.

Why Painkillers?

Why, of all the prescription drugs out there—including benzodiazepines, stimulants, and sedatives—are opioids the most commonly abused medication?{image-3}

A good guess would be that painkillers are among the most commonly prescribed medications. Pain is the most common result of any disease, condition or illness, and pain is the most common reason people visit the hospital.

But pain meds are often misused by their users or just find their way into the hands of those who do not use it for pain. The majority of painkiller abusers obtain their medications from a friend, not their physician. The CDC shows that 71% of people who abuse prescription painkillers obtained them from a friend or relative and only 17% obtained the drugs from a doctor.

The Surge of Non-Medical Use of Painkillers

These numbers can explain the rise of the nonmedical use of prescription painkillers. Consider the following reports from the CDC:

• For every 1 death, there are 10 treatment admissions, 32 emergency department visits, 130 people who are dependent, and 825 nonmedical users.
• In 2010, 2 million people reported using prescription painkillers non-medically for the first time. This is nearly 5,500 people a day.

Timothy J. Landrum from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) told the California Watch that there are “more than 7 million people using prescription drugs for non-medical reasons every month.”

What Next?

“Don’t just stand there; do something!”

Just like when people live in a tsunami-prone area, they take measures to protect their possessions and themselves. And once the storm comes, they put their plan into action and escape to safety.

Preventive Measures

No, you can’t stop the rise of prescription drug abuse. You can’t stop a tsunami that’s already come. One person may not change a national statistic, but one person can impact a life. In taking these simple preventative measures, ONE person can prevent ONE person from addiction, whether that is yourself or a friend.{image-4}

If you are taking prescription drugs,

• Follow the Directions. Take your prescription drugs as prescribed by your doctor. (Usually, just adhering to this one rule can make all the difference).
• No Sharing. Do not share your prescription drugs with anyone else. (This includes your spouse, children, or other relatives).  
• Throw it Out Properly. If the medication has expired or unused, throw it out. And throw it out properly. SAMHSA provides some basic disposal guidelines on their site: http://www.samhsa.gov/rxsafety/SAMHSA3tagged.pdf

Helping a Friend

Perhaps you are concerned about family members or a friend whom you suspect have a substance abuse problem. If so, please don’t brush it aside, make excuses for them, and ignore it. Never underestimate the severity of addiction. Instead seek help. Prescription drug addiction can be treated, and people do recover. 

The rate of drug abuse is constantly changing; the numbers are never static. However, one can be fairly confident that each of the drugs listed below fully deserve to be on the list, even though their specific ranking may fluctuate.

1. Alcohol{image-10}

With over half (51.8%) of US population over 12 years old identified as current drinkers, alcohol is by far the #1 abused substance in the nation. Nearly one quarter of the population participated in binge drinking (58.6 million), and 6.7% of the population reported heavy drinking (16.9 million). As a depressant, alcohol produces effects such as impaired coordination and judgment, slurred speech, and black-outs.

2. Tobacco{image-1}

Over one quarter of Americans over 12 years old are current users of a tobacco product, or 69.6 million people. Smoking stimulates the pleasure centers in the brain by tuning on the body’s natural chemicals that produces euphoria. With over 4000 chemicals in cigarette smoke, smoking also causes numerous long-term systemic effects, such as high blood pressure, and has proven to increase the risk for cancer.

3. Marijuana{image-2}

Marijuana is the third most popular recreational drug in American and the number one most commonly abused illicit drug. From the dried parts of the Cannabis plant, marijuana can cause distorted perceptions, impaired coordination and problems with learning and memory. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the active ingredient in marijuana that produces the “high” feelings of marijuana.

4. Prescription Drugs{image-3}

With the surge of prescription drug abuse in the past decade, there should be no wonder that it ranks #4 on the list. Painkillers such as Vicodin and OxyContin are the most abused prescription drugs. Besides their analgesic properties, they can produce effects similar to heroin.

5. Cocaine{image-4}

Nearly 1.5 million people in America are current users of that familiar white powder. With short-lived yet powerful effects of euphoria, cocaine use results in severe psychological dependence and intense drug cravings. Tolerance builds quickly, and the phrase “dope fiend” was originally coined to describe the negative side effects of constant cocaine use.

6. Inhalants{image-5}

Inhalants are the vapors form toxic substances that are able to produce a high. The most often used are shoe polish, glue, gasoline, spray paint, cleaning fluid, “poppers,” and nitrous oxide. Users experience feelings similar to anesthetics, with an initial high and loss of inhibition followed by drowsiness, slurred speech and agitation.

7. Ecstasy{image-6}

Ecstasy, also called MDMA or the “love pil,l” is one of the most popular drugs among youth today. It is the club drug of choice, producing feelings of euphoria, alertness, hallucinations, and feelings of closeness with others. However, nearly 65% of pills sold as Ecstasy contain other substances, making the effects both unpredictable and dangerous.

8. Hallucinogens: LSD{image-7}

Although hallucinogens include half a dozen or more drugs such as PCP and Ketamine, LSD is by far the most popular. Also known as “acid,” LSD is the most potent hallucinogen in the world. Often sold on blotting paper, or “window panes,” the effects of LSD are unpredictable, altering the user’s mood, personality, and sensations of reality.

9. Methamphetamine{image-8}

Meth, crank, or speed produces feelings of well-being and energy lasting from 4 to 16 hours, making it a popular drug for parties and night clubs. Highly addictive, meth burns up the body’s resources and creates of dependence relieved only by taking more the drug.

10. Heroin{image-9}

Heroin, made from the resin of poppy plants, is a highly addictive form of opiate. Injected, smoked, or sniffed, heroin creates a sensation of a euphoric rush, the ability to communicate easily with others, and heightened sexual performance. 

Despite these drugs' powerful and addictive characteristics, there is hope. If you or a loved one is struggling with a substance addiction, please contact us. Thousands of guests have received hope and a new opportunity at life. 

(The above statistics is based on data from the 2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.)

Even though there are hundreds of designer drugs, the following five are the most commonly abused.

Ecstasy: “The Love Pill”

{image-2}Ecstasy is by far the most famous designer drugs— as well as the prototype of all club drugs. Ecstasy is especially popular among youth who use them at parties and concerts.

Although it ranks just 2^nd in the number of emergency department visits, the National Survey on Drug Abuse shows it is more prevalently abused than other designer drugs.

Also called MDMA, ecstasy is an analog of methamphetamine and has similar effects to meth. Ecstasy produces feelings of alertness and increased energy as well as euphoria and feelings of closeness for those around you. However, most the pills sold on the street as Ecstasy does not contain pure ecstasy, which makes its effects unpredictable and dangerous. Sometimes, the dangerous part of MDMA is that you think you're taking ecstasy, but you really don't know what's all been mixed in with the pill.  

Emergency visits in 2009: 22, 816

PCP: “Angel’s Dust”

{image-3}PCP is a dissociative. Its analogs include TCP, PCE, PCPY, PCC, and ketamine. PCP ranks the highest number of emergency department visits according to the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) in 2009.

It affects a chemical in the brain that controls emotions, memory, and pleasure. Therefore, its effects are notoriously unpredictable, but low doses are comparable to the effect of alcohol intoxication, and high doses with delusions, paranoia and hallucinations. PCP comes in a white powder which is often mixed with leafy material such as mint, tobacco or marijuana and smoked.

Emergency visits in 2009: 36,719

LSD: “Acid”

{image-1}LSD is one of the most powerful hallucinogens in the world. It is sold on the streets in small tablets, capsules, or blotting paper (“window panes”).

The mood-altering effects of LSD are unpredictable, ranging from a spaced-out “bliss” –which users often mistake for enlightenment—with visual disturbances to feelings of intense terror. The LSD experience is sometimes called a “trip,” which can last up to 12 hours. Users also develop tolerance on LSD, which increases both the physical effects and the risk of flashbacks or a “bad trip.”

Emergency visits in 2009: 4,028

GHB: “Liquid Ecstasy”

GHB and its analogs are both common club drugs and date rape drugs. The designer analogs of GHB are substances known as GBL and BD. GBL and GB have a different chemical structure than GHB, but turn into GHB as they are broken down in the body.{image-4}

Because it is a depressant, GHB can cause euphoria, drowsiness, and loss of consciousness. Since it is odorless, colorless, and tasteless, the drug can be easily slipped into drinks to sedate and incapacitate victims.

Emergency visits in 2009: 1,758

Ketamine: “Special K”

The properties of Ketamine can be listed under many classes—a date rape drug, a depressant, analgesic, and hallucinogenic. It is a derivative of PCP, but its effects are of a lower intensity and shorter duration than that of PCP.{image-5}

However, Ketamine is most well-known for its dissociative properties, or “out -of-body” experiences or “euphoric disconnectedness.” These feelings of memory loss and sensory distortion make it a popular date rape drug.

Emergency visits in 2009: 529

Are You Looking for Help With Your Drug Addiction?

Consider Duffy's in Napa Valley. Our staff is ready to help you with whatever you need. 

The above statistics are based on data from the Drug Abuse Warnng Network.

We know it. Shopping is among the most favorite hobbies of Americans. From Macy’s to Sears, everyone has their favorite department store. But some people say that shopping is becoming more than just a hobby—it’s an addiction. 

Shopping addiction has been long labeled the “smiled upon addiction.” We take cocaine addiction and alcohol addiction seriously, but when it comes to shopping, people just, well . . . smile. However, recent articles are saying that shopping addiction is increasingly widespread across America—and many people have it, but just don’t know they do.

Shopping Addiction: For Real

Shopping addiction can be defined as inappropriate, excessive, and out-of-control buying. Simply put, it’s when shopping is in control of the shopper and not the other way around. It’s also known as compulsive shopping, impulse control disorder, and—my favorite—oniomania.{image-4}

Although nobody knows the cause of shopping addiction, the reason addicts want to continue does have some explanation: 

Basically, the shopper gets a “high” from shopping. Chemicals in the brain, capable of producing feelings of well-being, are switched on which makes the individual feel good. (Specifically, these chemicals are endorphins and dopamine). The more the body gets used to those feelings, the more likely the addict will seek that feeling again. This is the concept of “reinforcement.”

The cause may be the result of an underlying condition, such as Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), bi-polar disorder, depression or anxiety. In fact, research shows that approximately 50% of shopping addicts also have depression or bipolar disorder. For others, compulsive shopping is a just a means of coping with stress.

Shopping Addiction: How Do I Know Whether I Have It?

We all know someone who is known for their love of shopping, or maybe you’ve jokingly called yourself a “shopaholic.” But is there a difference between shopping for enjoyment and shopping because you can’t help it? What classifies a “shopping addiction” anyway—and how do you know if you have it?

According to WebMD.com, the tell-tale signs include

• {image-2}Compulsive buying: Going into the store for one pair of shoes and coming out with eight pairs.
• Spending over the budget: Often times the individual is not aware of the accumulating debt, but even when they are, they still cannot control themselves and the debt continues to grow.
• Continuously over-shopping: This isn’t just a once-a-year shopping spree. It’s a continuous problem.
• Hiding their problem: Shopaholics may hide their purchase or have secret credit card accounts. Just like alcoholics hide their bottle, shopaholics hide their purchases.
• Impaired relationships: This can occur because the addict spends too much time away from home, has arguments with others about their shopping habits, covers up debt with deception, or start to isolate themselves from others.

The biggest difference between shopping for enjoyment and shopping addiction centers on control. Addicts cannot control themselves. It’s not something they can simply will away. Instead, compulsive shopping becomes a way of life, the only means of coping, something they cannot live without.

Shopping Addiction: the Consequences{image-3}

Even though it may not lead to deadly withdrawal symptoms and effects associated with drug addictions, the consequences of compulsive shopping are not insignificant.

Compulsive buying means spending a lot of money, usually over the budget. This results in thousands of dollars of debt. According to Psychology Today, arguments over money are the number one reason for relationship stress and break-ups. Thus, it is no surprise that the consequences of shopping addiction can include things like massive amounts of debt, impaired relationships, even divorce.

So, no, shopping addiction is not a laughable matter, because it’s real, destructive, and requires treatment.

Shopping Addiction: Treatment

There is treatment for shopping addiction, but there is no standard treatment. For someone with an underlying disorder like depression should treat that with medications. Most often, shopping addiction requires a multi-faceted approach which may include

• Group cognitive-behavior therapy
• Marital and couples counseling
• Credit counseling
• Debt management
• Debtors Anonymous
• Shopaholics Anonymous

For Additional information

http://www.shopaholicsanonymous.org

http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/features/shopping-spree-addiction

Another phrase you might hear growing up basically says the same thing: “Play with fire, and you’ll get burned.” It’s fun to watch fire. You’ll light a match and the warm glow mesmerizes you---until the heat snaps you out of it just in time to put the match out.

Drugs are the same way. They may be fun at first, but like the fire burning up a match, the high is fleeting and contains all the potential to harm you. Play with drugs, and you will get hurt.

When we played rough around the house, we thought we could control our play so that we wouldn’t get hurt. More than often we couldn’t and the same goes for drugs. The great deception is thinking you can control the drug. It’s all fun and games until you are addicted.

Many teens across America have the mindset that drugs and alcohol are fun and relatively harmless, that they can use them in high school, party some more at college and then they will stop when the pressure to fit in is not so great. Unfortunately, some don’t make it far enough to even try to stop, and others become addicts that cannot stop on their own because they desperately need treatment.{image-1}

Last July in Santa Rosa, Takeimi Rao did not get the chance to stop drinking, or even to drink too much for that matter. She died from a fatal dose of a date rape drug called GHB- or in (chem lingo) the chemistry language, gamma-hydroxybutyric acid. Takeimi was only 14.

Authorities are unsure of where the drug came from, because Takeimi was not at a party where someone may have slipped GHB into her drink. She was actually at home with three friends sleeping over. They drank a mixture of soda and a clear liquid that they thought was Vodka. The three girls woke up in the middle of the night vomiting, while Takeimi never woke up that morning. Takeimi innocently lit a match that ended up being a tiny stick of dynamite. 

Others are given the opportunity to heal after getting burned by the fire of drugs and alcohol. Josh Forsythe grew up around Spring Hill, Tennessee, and began drinking when he was 14. He also abused painkillers after a soccer injury. Less time in sports gave him more time to drink with his friends.{image-3}

By 20, Josh had been in jail twice. During his second time in jail, he participated in an inpatient treatment program, and then an outpatient program. Now, he is living a healthy and sober life. He reminds parents to be there for their kids and encourages other teens that “if they mess up, all is not lost. They might be tempted to say, ‘Oh well, I ruined everything, I might as well drink and use,’ but you can restart your life at any time.”

If you or a loved one have been burned by alcohol or drugs, there is always hope.

Resources

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20120304/ARTICLES/120309817?p=1&tc=pg

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120419/WILLIAMSON01/304190011/Group-tackles-teen-drinking?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7C%7Cp

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/761430

Your brain has changed. Addictive substances have re-structured the inner workings of your mind, and the squishy stuff beneath that head of hair (or lack thereof) has taken on a new challenge: the challenge of addiction—and all that comes with it.  

Part of the unforgiving package of addiction is a little word that starts with “re” and ends with “lapse.” We don’t like to talk about it, but it happens too often to brush over or not bring up, so let’s discuss it: the reality of relapse. 

And, (by the way) what’s the “big deal”?

Reality of Relapse

Josh Hamilton, a recovering addict and one of baseball’s best ever, could tell you why relapse is a big deal.{image-3} In 2009, a couple of drinks almost changed his career. Luckily for the 2010 AL MVP, a little fortitude, faith, forbearance and a lot of fines lead him to quite the recovery; and now he leads the AL in home runs and is batting .417.

According to ESPN, since he was drafted to the Tampa Bay Rays in 1999, Hamilton has had a history of abusive encounters with cocaine, alcohol, and heroin. And after four years of living the “high life” as a professional athlete, the league decided they’d had enough and dropped him.

We all thought (or at least I did) that his three-year baseball ban from 2003 to 2006 would keep him away from the stuff. But soon after his re-entrance into MLB, addiction raised its nasty head and bit—relapse ensued—ouch. And Josh was once again quickly under the media’s microscope.

After vows that he’d never touch drugs or alcohol again, Hamilton relapsed for a second time in 2010. Sad.

Of course this is just one out of a million relapse stories I could probably relate to you, but that isn’t the point. The point is that addicts do, and frequently, relapse. But why—why do addicts relapse? And how could someone still be addicted four years after his last drink?

The Why and How of Relapse

Most of you probably already know what relapse is, so let’s get more specific and distinguish between “lapse” and “relapse.”  

A lapse occurs when you have previouly developed abstinence from a substance--say alcohol--but then one time, you have a beer (just one.) Relapse is when you begin to regularly abuse the substance and reap the negative consequences because of it.

Dr. Stephen Gilman, an addiction specialist and MD says that “Relapse can occur because [addiction] is a chronic disorder. As there is no cure, there is always the potential for relapse.” Because addiction is a chronic illness, relapse is always a reality.

At this point some of you may be asking, “well, if I can’t avoid it, then why even try?” or “if I’m stuck with addiction, then relapse is inevitable, right?” My answer to that is, no! Not at all.

Although addiction is a disease, you still have to choose to relapse back into the act of it.  And you have a responsibility to yourself to do your very best and avoid a future relapse.{image-2}

Years of research and development have been poured into forming an effective way to help addicts make the right choices. Treatment centers scattered across our country exist to help addicts and to prevent future drug use and relapse in our country.

Duffy’s Rehab is a great example of a center that takes this topic of relapse seriously. Duffy’s prepares addicts for after rehab—allowing for a long and reliable life of abstinence. If you think you or a friend may be in danger of a relapse, contact a Duffy’s representative.

Share your substance relapse and success story with us below!

A consistent diet of burgers, sausage, ice cream and chips can get into your head. Foods with high sugar, salt or fat seem to program your brain to crave for more. And research demonstrates that drug addicts experience dangerously similar the cravings.

Always Looking for a "Cure"

People have always looked for the non-addictive path to happiness. And too often, they think they find it—only to discover addiction has taken control.

Whenever a substance becomes the replacement for happiness in your life, you’re probably addicted to it. Junk foods seem to be taking up the reigns in America; and have become for many, a legal substitute for happiness.

2/3rds of Americans are overweight, and over 1/3rd of us are clinically obese. I’ll let these stats speak for themselves.  

Everyone I know finds happiness in eating certain foods.

Personally, I’m in love with Horizon Chocolate milk. And lately in the office we’ve been woofing down Starburst jellybeans by the 16 oz. bag. But for some, food does more than just satisfy hunger pangs and small cravings—it instead becomes an obsession.

But here’s the root issue: Is it their fault? Are they to blame for their apparent food addiction?

I can see you raising your eyebrows at your computer screen right now—wondering if I’ve gone crazy… because who else could possibly be at fault? According to Professor David Kessler, an entire industry.

Don’t miss the “Bliss Point”

Once the commissioner for the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Professor Kessler told The Telegraph that many manufacturers have created combinations of fat, sugar and salt that are so tasty many people cannot stop eating them even when full.

The ex-commissioner argues manufacturers are seeking to trigger something he calls the “bliss point.”{image-2}

"It is time to stop blaming individuals for being overweight or obese," Kessler said. "The real problem is we have created a world where food is always available and where that food is designed to make you want to eat more of it. For millions of people, modern food is simply impossible to resist."

The bliss point is the level our food reaches to give us the most pleasure from the sugar, fat and salt contents. It works both ways: too much sugar makes food too sweet, and not enough makes it bland. The same goes for how fatty and salty we like our food.

Companies spend years trying to satisfy the bliss point for as many people as possible; and as a result, get them hooked on their product. Haagen-Dazs ice cream and fast-food restaurants are prime examples of bliss point over-achievers.  

Food Craves = Drug Craves?

But regardless of what companies are doing to inspire food addiction, people are craving the life-sustaining stuff the same way an addict craves another shot of heroin.

Demonstrated by fMRI machines at the Oregon Research Institute, over consumption of some foods can regulate the reward processes in your brain causing you to want more—never mind how full you feel.

People aren’t just eating to eat and survive anymore, they eat to re-live a feeling that came with chewing a big mac, or letting that ice cream melt over their tongue.

Helpful Articles

The National Rx Drug Abuse Summit

About 700 state and national government leaders, medical professionals, law enforcement officials, treatment experts, and more, gathered for an intense, three-day summit hosted by Kentucky’s Operation UNITE (Unlawful Narcotics Investigations Treatment and Education).

“America’s fastest-growing drug problem”

About 1,000 die from prescription drug abuse every year--just in Kentucky. Governor Steve Beshear describes how devastating the problem is--it is “causing untold misery among our families” and “is wasting away the future of many people. In certain areas of West Virginia, prescription drug abuse has become so bad that some say it is just a normal part of life; they even have their own word for it-- “pilling.”

But prescription drug abuse spreads beyond the states most known for it.

Prescription painkillers kill more than 15,000 people in America each year and has soared over 300%. And the CDC writes, in a November 2011 Vital Signs issue, that the number of overdose deaths from prescription drugs is more than that of cocaine and heroin combined. 

Most speculate that this “explosion” of prescription drug abuse is due to the ease of obtaining prescription drugs and the perspective that they are more “acceptable” than illicit drugs. 

So it is no surprise that a summit has been called to try to address this issue. 

The Summit's Game Plan: Combating the National Epidemic of Prescription Drug Abuse

The goal of the summit was to combat the national epidemic of prescription drug abuse, by working “together on policies that can help curb pill abuse in every state and at the federal level,” according to Karen Kelly, president and chief executive officer of Operation UNITE.

Several ways they hope to prevent prescription drug abuse is through improving,

• monitoring programs
• education (for the general public- youth and parents, as well as doctors and pharmacists)
• proper disposal of prescription drugs (National Prescription Drug Drop-Off Day scheduled for April 28)

Many states have monitoring programs to prevent “doctor-shopping,” but these programs can be dodged when someone travels to another state to get a prescription drug. So, a monitoring program at a national level could prove more effective. {image-1}

What Can You Do to Help Lower Prescription Drug Abuse and Deaths? 

• Properly dispose of your prescription drugs. 
• Take your medications exactly as your doctor prescribed; if you do become addicted, talk to your doctor immediately.
• Be alert to children, teens, family members, or other friends who might try to raid your medicine cabinet. 
• If you or someone you love seems to be addicted, find professional assistance. If you're looking for a residential treatment facility, Duffy's is equipped to help those struggling with prescription drug abuse. 

In society today, teens view drinking as normal and cool. They will boast about the crazy things they do while drunk. But while they view drinking as cool, new drinkers haven’t learned to like the bitter taste of alcohol.

So what do they drink instead? Alcopops.

What are Alcopops?

Alcopops are sweetened alcoholic beverages. They are flavored to taste like cola, pop, punch, or lemonade and have between 4-8% alcohol by volume (ABV). They are sold under multiple trade names, including: {image-1}

• Twisted Tea
• Doc Otis Hard Lemon
• Mike’s Hard Lemonade
• Rick’s Spiked Mandarine Lim
• Smirnoff Ice
•  Skyy Blue
• Captain Morgan Gold
• Stolichnaya Citrona
• Bacardi Silver

The Alcopop Rage

Since the first alcopop in the 1980s, these sweetened drinks have received enormous popularity--especially among teenagers.

{image-3}Why? Alcopops appeal to young drinkers for two main reasons:

1. They look cool: Alcopops are packaged in bright and colorful labels, making them seem very attractive to young consumers. The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence of New Jersey described the design as “fun, sexy, and cool.”
2. They don’t taste like alcohol: As mentioned before, alcopops have a fruity, sugary-sweet taste. The strong flavoring conceals the bitter taste of alcohol, making alcopops more palatable to new drinkers.

And not surprisingly, this marketing tactic works. Consider the following statistics:

• According to the American Medical Association, half of teens between 17 and 18 years of age say they have tried alcopops.
• According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, minors see 65% more alcopop magazine advertisements than those over 21.
• In California, underage drinkers consume 47% of all the alcopops, according to the Marin Institute.

The Difference is less than you expect 

{image-4}Because the alcohol cannot be tasted, many inexperienced drinkers believe that alcopops are harmless and not as dangerous as hard liquor. What they don’t realize is that these drinks contain the same amount—or more—alcohol than many beers.

For example, Mike’s Hard Lemonade is 5% alcohol by volume (ABV), the same as a regular beer. Mike’s Harder Lemonade has even more, 8% (ABV).

This means that drinking too many bottles of alcopop can have the same effects as drinking too much of any alcoholic beverage. Alcohol in any form can have serious effects, from hangovers to slurred speech to death.

The Dangers of Drinking Alcopop

Over the years, alcopops have caused a frenzy of concern among parents, health care professionals and government agencies. Because of the way alcopops are advertised, some believe it promotes underage drinking and long term consequences.

Does it promote underage drinking?

{image-6}The Alcohol industry claims that its intended audience is legal age drinkers (21-30), but studies  show that the majority of these flavored malt beverages are consumed by those under 21 (see above stat).

Even if it does not directly promote underage drinking, alcopop advertisements targets youth consumers. And by appealing to younger consumers, they lure in new drinkers.

Marlene Coulis, director of new products at Anheuser-Busch said in 2002, “The beauty of this category [alcopops] is that it brings in new drinkers, people who really don’t like the taste of beer.”

What about long term effects?

Excessive alcopop intake can result in numerous harmful results.  Teenage girls are especially vulnerable to the dangerous effects of alcopops.  American Medical Association surveys reveal:{image-5}

• Nearly 1 in 6 teen girls who have drunk alcopops in the past 6 months have been sexually active after drinking.
• One out of 4 teen girls who have tried alcopops have driven after drinking or ridden in a car with a driver who had been drinking.
• One out of 5 teen girls who have tried alcopops have thrown up or passed out from drinking.
• Teenage girls who binge drink are at 3 times the risk of thinking about attempting suicide than girls who never drink alcohol.

And of course, just like any other alcoholic beverage, alcopops can lead to dependence and addiction:

• According to the AAP, 9 out of 10 Americans who are addicted to alcohol began drinking before the age of 18.
•  Young people who begin drinking before age 15 are seven times more likely to develop alcohol dependence and are two and a half times more likely to misuse alcohol later in life than those who begin drinking at age 21.

The Reality

It is important for teens to realize the reality of the effects of alcopops.  Alcopops are not any safer than other alcoholic beverages. Consuming too much can have fatal results, and the effects of habitual drinking can lead to life-changing consequences.

How's your family doing? Have you inadvertently encouraged alcohol? 

Warning Signs for Prescription Drug Addiction

If you think you may have become addicted to a prescription pain medication, there are certain warning signs you can look for to help you determine whether or not you may need help with your addiction. {image-3}

• Ongoing use - You want to renew your prescription long after your pain has ceased and may complain if your doctor refuses to renew the prescription.
• Usage increase - If you take your prescription pain reliever for an extended period of time, you can grow tolerant of the dosage and might require an increased dosage because the original prescribed amount no longer provides relief.
• Going to great lengths to get a prescription - If you are addicted to your prescription drug, you will likely be willing to drive great distances, spend large amounts of money, and visit numerous doctors to obtain the prescription. The drug will have become a top priority in your life.
• Increased inactivity - You no longer experience joy when engaging in activities and hobbies you used to enjoy. You may feel too tired to engage in your regular activities.
• Social withdrawal - You might find yourself withdrawing from family members, friends, and other social relationships.
• Forgetfulness and blackouts - You regularly forget important events that are going to take place or that have already taken place, and you experience frequent blackouts.
• Desensitized emotions - You exhibit a lack of emotions and are disinterested in things that previously interested you.
• Personality changes - You show changes in your behavior, including shifting moods, an inability to concentrate, and decreased energy.
• Changes in appearance - You might show a lack of interest in maintaining personal hygiene, experience a significant weight loss, and your eyes may become glazed.
• Defensiveness - You may attempt to hide your drug dependency. You might also lash out at people and become defensive if they suggest you have an addiction to your prescription drug.

Addiction Versus Dependency

{image-1}Many people depend on prescription painkillers to relieve chronic pain. Narcotics are sometimes necessary to allow chronic pain sufferers to enjoy a high quality of life. However, many who take prescription drugs become dependent on them and sometimes even become addicted to them.

The terms "dependency" and "addiction" do not refer to the same thing. If you have built up a tolerance to your prescription drug, you have become dependent on the drug and will need to consume larger quantities of the drug to achieve the same level of comfort. If you attempt to cease taking the prescription drug, you will likely experience severe withdrawal symptoms.

If you are addicted to your prescription drug, you require the drug to satisfy some of your emotional, physical, and/or psychological needs. Your central nervous system has become affected by your usage of the drug, and you now have physical cravings for the drug. If you have become addicted to your prescription drug, that drug has taken over your life and has become more important than anything else in your life.

Treatment Options

{image-4}If you are dependent on or addicted to prescription drugs, help is available through detox and rehab programs. Withdrawing from prescription drugs can be dangerous to your health, so your best option during the withdrawal process is to enter a drug detoxification program that is medically assisted to ensure your comfort and safety. In addition to a detoxification or rehabilitation program, you can pursue individual counseling or psychotherapy, which will help you deal with feelings that arise as a result of your withdrawal from prescription drugs. Counseling may also help you understand the underlying reasons for your dependence or addiction to prescription drugs. Duffy's is can provide you with all of these tools. 

If you complete an inpatient detox or rehab program, you might want to continue with outpatient therapy as you transition back to a drug-free life. You might consider joining Pills Anonymous, which is a support group that offers a 12-step program similar to the one offered by Alcoholics Anonymous.

Considerations

If you have determined that you are addicted to or dependent on prescription drugs, the time to act is right now. Getting help is something you don't want to delay, as your physical, mental, and emotional health is at stake. When it comes to getting treatment for your addiction to a prescription drug, addictive behaviors should not be allowed to get in the way.

In Indianapolis, a 29-year-old woman leads squad cars on a wild chase before crashing and being removed from her car. She was discovered “incoherent, laughing uncontrollably and speaking nonsense.”

A Florida man is subdued by police, but not before he rips a radar unit out of the squad car with his teeth.

No, these stories aren’t from Stephen King novels or The Onion news network—these are real incidents. And what did they all have in common—Bath Salts.  

Yes, you didn’t read that wrong—bath salts are the newest rage to hit the drug market.

Can Epsom Salts Make me High?

So is the Epsom salt I’m putting in my bathtub addictive?

No.

The designer drug I’m talking about is only packaged as “bath salts.” And until October of 2012, companies got away with legally marketing and selling the addictive drug by stamping “not for human consumption” on the package.

“You could find them in mini-marts and smoke shops sold as Ivory Wave, Bolivian Bath, and other names,” says emergency room doctor Zane Horowitz, “The people who make [bath salts] skirted the laws that made these types of things illegal.”

The synthetic powder was also sold legally online.

Thirty-three states banned the substances used to create bath salts before a federal law banned the key ingredients of the drug from America—in October. But the ban hasn’t stopped thousands of curious users from experimenting with bath salts over the past few months.  

Labs in China predominantly create the drug—selling it to Americans through the internet and other secretive venues.   

So what are “Bath Salts?”

• Severe Agitation

• Psychosis

• Hallucinations

• Paranoia

• Violence

Snorted, shot up, mixed with food, injected or simply mixed with drinks—bath salt users know how to be creative when introducing the drug to their body.

Don’t mess with “Bath Salts!”

{image-2}True stories like those used to introduce the post show the grim picture of bath salts in our American Culture. And the situation is worsening. 

In 2011 the American Association of Poison Control Centers received more than 6,000 calls dealing with “bath salts”—a massive increase from the 300 cases reported in 2010.

Four reasons seem to drive the cause for such an incredible increase:

• Those who abuse bath salts compulsively seek repeated doses.
• Bath Salts cost as little as $25 for a 50-milligram packet.
• The drug appears innocent—advertised as Red Dove, Blue Silk, Vanilla Sky and Ivory Wave, many have been fooled by the “harmlessness” of the packaging.
• Public curiosity.

Get Help

If you or someone you know struggles with bath salt abuse, you should check out our treatment options or talk to a helpful Duffy’s representative today.  

This is a serious issue, and isn’t one we can ignore. 

Sometimes we alcoholics and addicts chase being “clean” and “dry” in the same way. We say, “If I could just get dry” or “If I could just stay clean.” But then we get dry for a few hours or days, and discover we’re miserable.

If we’re honest with ourselves, just being dry and clean didn’t cut it for us—so, we easily go back to what made us happy—drinking and using.

Does this scenario sound like you? If so, then you’re demonstrating the classic “dry drunk” (or white knuckling) syndrome for addicts.

What’s the Difference Between Being Dry and Being Sober?

The simple answer is that in one, you’re happy or becoming happy, and in the other, you aren’t.

The more involved answer is that recovery occurs in stages. Few of us wake up one day, quit using or drinking, and become a new person with a new way of life overnight. For most of us, learning how to balance our lives is the key part of recovery. We’re learning how to become content, centered, and happy human beings—without substances.

And that process takes tools, training, and time.

Recovery Stages—From Dry to Sober to Grateful

Getting a substance out of the body is really just the first step. Then we have to learn how to live sober. And eventually, if we’re going to stay sober, we need to learn how to live sober—gratefully.

Here’s how Patrick, a counselor at Duffy’s, breaks down these different stages:

How are you doing? Where are you in these stages?

The Risk of Never Leaving the Dry Stage

{image-1}Every recovering addict and counselor will tell us that recovery is a process—a journey—that takes time.

Unfortunately, some of us are quite content just to be using or drinking—or maybe just barely getting dry for a little bit. Sometimes, we naively think we can just use and drink and then clean up whenever we want.

Gene Duffy used to tell a story in A.A. meetings about Oscar—who planned his drugs and his recovery. Oscar would save his money, then call up Duffy’s to schedule a visit. After setting aside some money to pay for his stint in rehab, he would pick out and then enjoy a night out on the town. After his evening, Oscar would check into Duffy’s to get dry.

According to Gene, Oscar successfully planned (and completed) this cycle seven times. On the eighth time, though, he never made it to Duffy’s, dying before he could get there.{image-2}

At some point—if we’re going to see real change—we’re going to have to do more than just get dry. We’re going to have to learn how to live a sober life gratefully. And Duffy's wants to give you the tools you need to succeed. 

But do you need a drug to get you there? Is it true that a party can’t be a party unless everybody there is on ecstasy?

Let’s reconsider.

The Illusion

It’s wonderful. Ecstasy makes you feel more alive than you have ever been in your life in a world that has never been more beautiful or perfect. It brings an unexplainable, transcendent joy.

At first. 

The party doesn’t last forever, and neither does ecstasy. The effects of ecstasy wear off in about 3-6 hours, leaving you depressed, achy, and tired, not to mention all the other effects of the drug.

Since ecstasy also causes tolerance, you will eventually need to take higher dosages to illicit the same effect as earlier doses. This brings an endless cycle of desiring, purchasing, experiencing a high, and enduring a hangover, only to start again.

The pursuit of ecstasy does not equal the pursuit of happiness. They may seem to be the same for the first few hours, but the pathway of ecstasy soon diverges and turns in the opposite direction.

The Rip Off

If you want ecstasy, be prepared to empty your pockets. Unless you’ve been prescribed or given the ecstasy, buying pills is never a “good deal” on your part—never one of those transactions when you can walk away feeling smug about the money you’ve saved.  

Why? For two reasons: {image-3}

It’s Expensive

The World Drug Report reports the ecstasy sales be to around $25 a pill. Somebody buying just one pill a week spends $100 a month. Chances are, once you start, you end up buying more and not less. Tolerance begins to develop and even psychological dependency—all leading to addiction.

It Could be Fake

According to the DEA, the quality of ecstasy has gone down and the strength of the pills has decreased over the years. Ecstasy pills are often mixed with amphetamine-like drugs (tenamfetamine, MDNA), or it could just be amphetamines and contain no ecstasy at all. Other times, the pill is a complete fake with no active ingredient at all. 

The Risk

But you may say, "I’m not going to be taking it every week, much less every day—just once a while for an occasional high. Everybody is does it, and there’s no harm, no terrible expenses."{image-1}

Keep in mind, however, that ecstasy is addictive. It has a cost of more than just money and some hangover effects. Like all drugs, ecstasy enslaves. You become blind to everything else in life, focusing only on getting the next dose, desiring for the feeling that you think only ecstasy can give. In the pursuit of ecstasy, you may sacrifice other passions—hobbies, ambitions, relationships.

A post from a MDMA user at www.talktofrank.com describes her experience:

“My friends and I take MDMA regularly. . . Yes, it is a good feeling, but now when I’m not on it I am depressed. All my friends and family have noticed a change in my personality. I cannot remember the last time I was truly happy. I go to bed at night and think about it. I wake up and count how much money I have. I know what the feeling of MDMA is like, and I find it almost impossible to resist because it makes me feel that good.”

When you make the decision to start taking ecstasy, you are in a sense, gambling with your future.  It’s not worth the risk. 

What You Can Do

If you are considering taking ecstasy:

{image-4}Don’t.

(Even if it’s offered to you free. Even when all your friends are doing it. There are plenty of other ways to have fun and to be happy—ecstasy is not one of them.)

If your friends are taking ecstasy:

•  Help them realize that the price of ecstasy is not worth its effects.
•  Inform them of the risks of taking ecstasy.
•  Advise them to get professional help if necessary.

If you are taking ecstasy but are not addicted:

STOP!

Don’t allow ecstasy to get a secure foothold in your life; don’t wait for addiction. Never be over-confident and assume that you won’t get addicted—after all, nobody plans to be addicted. It’s not too late to fix the problem before it can get worse and prevent the consequences.

If you are addicted to ecstasy and want to stop:

•  Make a personal and deliberate decision to stop.
•  Seek professional help.

Duffy’s rehab center is a recovery center dedicated to helping those with addictions from alcohol to ecstasy. With a trained and caring staff, Duffy’s will guide and help you obtain a successful recovery. 

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