Drug Addiction, cocaine, alcohol, cannabis

How do you define an addictive substance?

For instance, cocaine does not have terrible physical withdrawal symptoms but few would argue that it is not physically addictive.

Cannabis also has no terrible withdrawal symptoms but most conclude that it is psychologically addictive but not physically addictive.

Alcohol: is it an addictive substance or a disease as the AA claim?

How do you define addiction?

If it interrupts your life in any way on a regular basis you have a problem and if you can not stop you have an addiction.

7 Weeks to Safe Social Drinking: How to Effectively Moderate Your Alcohol Intake $17.05 Drink less, crave less and nip your problem drinking in the bud with the easy Drink/Link Moderate Drinking Program in this book! Drink/Link has helped thousands of drinkers worldwide to control drinking and prevent alcoholism since 1988. Over 80% of the drinkers who have completed this program have either cut their drinking in half or significantly reduced it! No meetings, drugs, belief in a hi…

How to Quit Drinking Without Aa $10.77 Offering a successful alternative to Alcoholics Anonymous, Jerry Dorsman teaches readers how to take control of their own recovery process. How to Quit Drinking Without AA provides worksheets to define emotional needs, methods to avoid the common …

Responsible Drinking $14.78 Written by leaders of the Moderation Management movement, Responsible Drinking helps readers define the level of their alcohol u

Alcoholism $23.71 The third edition of this successful Facts title was authored by the late Dr. Donald W. Goodwin, who wrote with a unique and engaging style defining alcoholism in very human terms. Although much of Dr Goodwin`s assessments of alcoholism still hold true…

Who knows about opiate addiction treatment for Suboxone and its long term effects on mental health?

I don’t know how long term you are thinking, but I have been on suboxone for 9 weeks (not extremely long) and whenever I take it, it seems to “boost” my mood. My depression is not bad, but my mania is occasionally there.

Did you know this? “A clinical trial conducted at Harvard Medical School in the mid-1990s demonstrated that a majority of unipolar non-psychotic patients with major depression refractory to conventional thymoleptic antidepressants could be successfully treated with buprenorphine. However, psychological distress is currently not an approved indication for the use of any opioid, and legally it falls in a “grey zone” that is technically legal but a doctor could still face charges regardless (but not for off-label scripting in itself, simply being singled out by the DEA, who prosecute doctors often for using controlled substances for approved uses (“too much”).”

Which is too bad because no anti-depressant I have ever tried, which is many, worked as well as suboxone for treating it. (Though, I am prescribed suboxone for drug addiction).

What’s the difference between substance abuse, addiction, and dependence?

What’s the major difference in substance abuse drug addiction, and drug dependency?

Substance abuse (drug abuse) happens when at one certain point in time you take drugs/alcohol, etc.  For example, if you snorted coke once at a party that would be substance abuse.

Substance addiction (drug addiction) and substance dependence (drug dependence) are synonymous, since an addiction is defined as a dependence on a drug.

If you continued to snort cocaine, and couldn’t get by without it because your body got used to the coke being in your body and you experienced withdrawal symptoms when you were without the cocaine, then you would be dependent/addicted.

How can I find substance abuse treatment centers in Baden, Pennsylvania?

I’m doing a paper regarding prescription drug addiction and I really want to get to know the persons who are afflicted with such a disorder.

I don’t think substance abuse treatment centers will allow you to talk to the patients as they are really strict regarding the implementation of their privacy rules. I think you can interview the counselors and therapists, though. You can still get a lot of information that way.

Looking through the local yellow pages will help you find substance abuse treatment centers in your area.  You can also do a search in Google for:  “substance abuse treatment centers” Baden Pennsylvania (include the quotation marks).

What is a good question for a persuasive speech about teens and substance abuse?

I am writing a persuasive speech about teen substance abuse but I need A good question to persuade people about the importance of this topic.  Any suggestions?

Here’s a good question:

Why would people want to try drugs if there is a chance that you will become addicted and ruin your life?

Links to videos online about childhood trauma leading to future substance abuse/drug addiction?

I’m writing a research paper and my professor would like us to include some sort of media other than just articles as our sources. I am trying to find at least two powerpoint presentations or some sort of video. (or one of each, i only need two) I have searched youtube and google video and have come up with nothing that addresses childhood trauma leading to substance abuse. It can be either a power point, tv show, documentary, anything really as long as it’s not fictional. Links please!! Thanks

Oh, I see: “media” UPDATE:

http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=CXTCUdJLwKcC&oi=fnd&pg=RA1-PA60&dq=media+articles+substance+abuse+and+childhood+trauma&ots=ia61TxDHAq&sig=J7Pu_dBmKjeBus0ww9nRpvDWu9c

http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=media+response+childhood+trauma+and+substance+abuse

http://www.trauma-pages.com/a/perry96.php

—————————–
Have you tried these?

http://www.hss.caltech.edu/courses/2004-05/winter/psy130/Debate2Williams1.pdf

http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/abstract/151/8/1132

http://www.questia.com/googleScholar.qst;jsessionid=JlFLchDpTGTnZ5txfJzvMPfhQ9rGpt0SdgpKT0KpZ1G01V2WYqv5!-237581386!-1528151484?docId=5000430561

Main window to check for even more:

http://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=substance+abuse+and+childhood+trauma&hl=en&lr=&btnG=Search

——————————————-

Hope this helps!

According to the substance abuse research literature, the most effective treatment programs for overcoming drug and alcohol addiction incorporate a wide variety of approaches such as social services and rehabilitation, behavioral therapies, out-patient drug or alcohol treatment follow-up, recovery support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous, counseling, and drug therapy via doctor prescribed medications.

I met a young lady named Kendra last night. Kendra has been addicted to alcohol and drugs for a few years and she told me that she has been sober for 32 days.  We talked for quite a while and would have talked even longer but she had to go to her Alcoholics Anonymous meeting.  At one point before she left, when I asked her why she quit drinking 32 days ago, she said she quit drinking because she was sick of the pain of addiction.  I said a few things to encourage her to follow her career goals and to remain sober.  It was good learning that she has a solid support system and is getting back on track about finishing her undergraduate degree and then thinking about graduate school.

It almost defies logic but dysfunctional relationship patterns like codependency frequently continue after the drug or alcohol addicted individual becomes sober or “clean.”  It would appear to make sense that sobriety and the recovery from addiction in the household would result in a less chaotic, more functional living situation.  When looked at a little deeper, to the contrary, the codependents may be more sad and depressed than ever because the earlier balance, regardless of how dysfunctional or damaging the addictive or alcoholic behavior was, has been upset.

Many, if not most drug and alcohol addicts would probably prefer to stop abusing drugs and drinking, but following through on this is quite difficult at best and almost impossible at worst without professional treatment.

The alcoholism and substance abuse research literature demonstrates the fact that some people are able to stop abusing drugs and quit drinking entirely on their own without professional rehab.  For most people who involve themselves in alcoholism or drug addiction, however, they need professional addiction rehab if there is any hope for long-term addiction recovery and sobriety.

When an addict abruptly stops taking the alcohol and/or drugs to which he or she is addicted, the brain triggers “messages” that are sent to the addict, essentially informing him or her that that something is terribly wrong and needs to be remedied. The “messages” that the brain sends to the drug addict or to the alcoholic consist of several uncomfortable, painful, and potentially dangerous withdrawal symptoms that can, in extreme instances, result in a fatality if the person doesn’t once again start using the drugs or alcohol to which he or she is addicted or if the individual doesn’t immediately receive the appropriate medical treatment.

Something in this statement is usually “missed” by most people regarding addiction:  the daily “mission” of the alcoholic or the drug addict is to drink enough alcohol or take enough drugs to avoid the withdrawal symptoms that will surely transpire if the person stops ingesting the alcohol or taking the drugs to which he or she is addicted.

Substance abuse research demonstrates the fact that even though the term “addiction” is commonly used in reference to alcohol addiction or to drug addiction, this term also applies to other compulsions such as uncontrollable gambling, obsessive sex, a compelling need to go on the Internet, uncontrollable overeating, a neurotic desire for porn, and an obsessive need for love.  I wonder when 12-step programs for porn, sex, gambling, love, overeating, and the Internet will become available (if they are not already available).

Please call this number for drug and alcohol treatment info

I heard from my cousin today who has been a teacher for nearly 30 years.  She told me about one of her former students named Sarah who is bipolar and who has been struggling with drug and alcohol addiction for a number of years.

I told my cousin that there are some new doctor prescribed meds that can help Sarah through drug and alcohol detox, through her withdrawal symptoms, and that can help prevent a drug and/or alcohol relapse.  I also mentioned that Sarah may find some help with a support group such as Alcoholics Anonymous because listening to someone like me who drinks NA beer and who is 1000% against drug and alcohol abuse may be less helpful than associating with people who understand what she is experiencing.

I told my cousin that Sarah needs some hope for a better life and that with quality treatment and counseling for both of her medical conditions there IS a world of hope if she if she can remove herself from drugs and alcohol and get counseling for her bipolar condition.  There’s a lot of help for people like Sarah but unfortunately, the person has to want to be open to positive change and has to want to live a more healthy lifestyle so that treatment or counseling can be effective over the long term.

It is clear that vast numbers of people do not realize that alcohol is a drug and that alcohol dependency is a form of drug addiction.  The upshot of this is that just about all of the important information about drug addiction applies in some way to alcohol addiction.  As an illustration, this means that like other addicts, alcoholics experience a need to take increasing amounts of the drug (alcohol) in order to feel the “high” or the “buzz” they seek, they experience withdrawal symptoms when they suddenly stop taking the drug, they crave their drug of their choice, and they manifest out-of-control behavior.

In short, similar to the vast majority of addicts, alcohol dependent individuals need professional treatment if they are to stop their addiction, get sober, and begin their journey on the path to recovery.

When it comes to illegal drugs, society has concluded that their use is dangerous, unhealthy,  and harmful.   As a consequence, society has placed legal prohibitions on their use in order to protect society and the person from the costs associated with the spread of drug-related diseases, homelessness, crime, healthcare resources, and lost productivity in school and in work.

Perhaps things will change in the future but for now most, if not all, developed nations are strongly opposed to drug abuse and drug addiction.