Can Drug Rehab Efforts Let Up in Florida?

Did you know that nearly 10% of Florida's sixth graders binge drink? Did you know that percentage increases to 30% by the time the kids are in high school? Did you know that the prevalence of prescription drug abuse is so high that Florida is now nicknamed "the pill state"? Despite these figures, Florida's just released 2007 Youth Substance Abuse Survey results say that alcohol and drug abuse is on the decline. In light of all the other information we see in other surveys and in daily news articles about Florida's drug problem, that's hard to believe. Anyone who allows this report to make them think they can sit back and relax is sadly mistaken. Florida drug rehab centers will be busy for a long time to come.
According to official reports in 2007, here's what's happening in Florida.

10% of high school students used prescription drugs to get high

20% of young adults at college or work used drugs to get high

50% of 12th graders and about 30% of 8th graders had used inhalants to get high

And 20% smoked marijuana

If there have been improvements since that time, we can nevertheless be sure that drug rehab will certainly be in the future for many Florida kids and young adults.

When it comes to alcohol, you should know that those 6th graders who are binge drinking - which some experts define as five drinks at a time and others define as ten drinks at a time - are far more likely to turn into full blown alcoholics who need alcohol and drug rehab than kids who wait until they're older to take their first drink.

Binge drinking has also sent many people to the ER, and some to the morgue. Alcohol poisoning, the first symptom of which is vomiting as the body desperately tries to get rid of the poison, can cause confusion, seizures, difficulty breathing, dangerously low blood sugar, sleepiness, and unconsciousness. If you see someone vomiting or passed out after they drink too much, don't take it lightly. Get them to the ER. After that, get them to an alcohol or drug rehab program.

No matter what improvement has been made over the last year, Florida has a big alcohol and drug problem. And, as you can see, kids are starting young.

Educate your kids about the dangers of alcohol and drug abuse could prevent future abuse and addiction and the need for alcohol or drug rehab. First get familiar with the current drug scene and drugs so you will have some understanding of what your kids are up against and what drugs they're likely to be offered or hear about. Kids whose parents talk to them about alcohol and drugs are 50% less likely to use and abuse them.

If your kid already has a drug or alcohol problem - and if you think the problem is 'minor' you'd be best to look into it a little more closely - get them into an alcohol or drug rehab programbefore it goes any further. Alcohol and drug addiction and abuse have ruined many a life, including those of family members. Do something about it now, before it's too late.

Gloria MacTaggart is a freelance writer that contributes articles on health.
info@drugrehabreferral.com
http://www.drugrehabreferral.com
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How To Find The Right Drug and Alcohol Rehab Center

When you, a family member or loved one is battling against the demons associated with drug and/or alcohol abuse, rehabilitation is needed to get back on a healthy track. Turning to the healing properties of a drug rehab or alcohol rehab center can bring about the lifestyle and behavioral changes associated with leaving negative influences to the wayside.

There are numerous drug and alcohol rehab centers across the United States. Sometimes, a patient may even choose treatment outside of the country. Rehabilitation is a very emotional and a mental roller coaster that takes every ounce of restraint and focus. It is the responsibility of alcohol and drug rehab centers to find the medium and motivation for each patient to embrace recovery. Each and every individual that walks through the door of a clinic or enters a program is unique.

Different Clinic and Program Approaches

Since no two patients are alike, drug and alcohol rehab programs and procedures differ. While some rely heavily on prescription drugs and other medical techniques, there are other methods of treatment that utilize holistic or natural approaches. When evaluating a potential drug or alcohol rehab center, there are several different types of treatment programs to consider. Substance abuse is a delicate issue and each drug of choice is dealt with in a different manner. For instance, sleeping pill addiction will not be treated in the same way as crystal meth addiction.

One of the main decisions regarding the type of alcohol or drug rehab center to consider is the length of necessary treatment. With short-term rehab clinics, a patient may become a resident and undergo various medical approaches for several weeks. They may also receive drug-free outpatient services. When longer-term care is needed, several outpatient treatments are available as well. A patient may also choose to live in a residential community treatment center to ensure continue drug-free success. Some residents may choose or need to spend years at these types of facilities.

The issue of medication and other drug treatment options come into play when choosing a drug rehab clinic, as seen through what is called maintenance treatment. For example, a heroin addict may receive an oral dose of methadone to help block the effects of their abused drug of choice. The methadone helps to eliminate the cravings that many addicts encounter through physiological demands on their body. Some people are leery of methadone treatments because this drug in itself can be addicting.

When it comes time to locate the best drug rehab and alcohol rehab centers within your grasp, doctors and other health professionals will give you what is called a referral. You may receive one or two to choose from, but they are usually the most viable options of treatment for you to consider. When budget is of no concern, some people will look into treatment options both near and wide. Some drug and alcohol rehab centers are more private than others, offering certain luxuries that state officials cannot afford. There are numerous brochures and websites to scan when you are able to pay more for your treatment options.

What to Expect With Treatment

Very rarely do you see drug rehabilitation without some sort of approach towards psychological repair. Even though drugs can be purged from the physical parts of the patient, it is the mental barriers and breakdowns that continue the vicious cycle of drug abuse. Most drug rehab and alcohol rehab programs will treat the mind, body and soul of a patient. This is the best approach towards increasing the success rate for when patients are released onto the world.

It is also much healthier for the patient to receive well-rounded treatment so that they may achieve stronger, more positive outcomes. It is the goal of rehab centers to make sure patients equip themselves with the tools and strength needed to resist temptation and face the threat of relapse.

While at a drug or alcohol rehab center, you will encounter a trained professional who knows the ins and outs of drug addictions. Physicians and therapists become important fixtures on the road to recovery. They will ask you many different questions and may even perform a series of medical tests. This will assist in the accurate assessment of your personal characteristics. It will aid in deciding on the appropriate drug rehabilitation program that you will benefit the most from. You could face inpatient, outpatient, residential, and/or short-stay treatment.

Helping Rehabilitated Patients Succeed

It is the responsibility of the newly rehabilitated patient to take control over the things that affect their life. Surrounding themselves with positive influences and adhering to outpatient counseling and programs is a must. Family and friends should be supportive and aware that the potential of relapse is never too far behind. A circle of support and encouragement is crucial to long term success.

For a newly released drug or alcohol rehab patient, one day at a time never made more since than now. Each morning should be greeted with individual care and concern. They may need a lot of help to continue their success. Love, understanding, and support is all friends and family can give; the rest is up to the rehabbed individual.

Jon Arnold is a computer engineer who maintains many websites to pass along his knowledge and findings. You can read more about Drug and Alchohol Rehab at his web site at http://www.rehab-alcohol-drug.com/

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Why Is Drug Rehab Insurance Coverage Part of Mental Health Bill?

Alcohol or drug abuse affects 25 million Americans; only four million get treatment

The need in this country for increased insurance coverage for alcohol and drug addiction treatment is indisputable. Drug rehab and drug detox have little or no recognition among health insurers, yet drug addiction is a major cause of ruined lives, family violence, emergency room visits, and death. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor, alcohol and drug addiction also cost America $77 billion each year in lost productivity. Clearly something needs to be done to make it easier for addicts to get alcohol and drug rehab.

But the question that leaps out when one reads the Paul Wellstone Mental Health Equitable Treatment Act, H.R. 1402, is this: is substance abuse and addiction “mental illness”?

The proposed “Wellstone bill”, H.R. 1402, would require insurance companies to treat “addiction and other mental health disorders” on an equal basis with other chronic diseases, such as diabetes or hypertension.

The Wellstone bill is being sponsored by U.S. Reps. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) and Jim Ramstad (R-Minn). Kennedy has said that we should “. . . end the discrimination against those with mental health and substance abuse disorders.” And Ramstad said Congress should “. . . end the discrimination against people with mental illness and chemical dependency.”

Where is this idea coming from that people with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder are in the same category as alcohol or drug abuse, including those inadvertently got hooked on addictive prescription drugs. Is it possible that they are not mentally ill – that they simply need drug detox and drug rehab?

For example, was Justice William H. Rhenquist of the Supreme Court “mentally ill” because he was hooked on powerful painkillers for a decade before he entered drug rehab? You’d have a tough time convincing college law professors or anyone on the Supreme Court that we should go back and cancel 10 years of brilliant and insightful decisions and opinions – the ones that later got Rhenquist appointed Chief Justice – because he was “mentally ill.”

Or what about one of America’s most famous, prolific and successful writers who for decades was either drunk or wired on cocaine, Xanax, Valium, NyQuil, cough medicines, or marijuana? Was Stephen King “mentally ill” when he wrote several intricately plotted, best-seller blockbuster novels? We never heard anything about “mental illness” when King went into drug rehab in the 1980s. And he’s been sober ever since.

And let’s not forget that Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis, was a habitual cocaine abuser who sang the drug’s praises for years to anyone who would listen. After a friend died of an overdose, he abruptly gave it up and quit promoting it – not the action one expects from someone who is “mentally ill”.

The so-called “mental health parity” bills such as the Wellstone bill have always failed to pass – and there’s been a lot of attempts over the decades. Aside from the huge lobbying efforts against it by the insurance industry, perhaps people also feel deep down that substance abuse and mental illness are not the same thing at all and do not belong together in a such a bill.

The “mental health industry”, as it’s known today, receives billions of tax dollars every year in grants and other forms of support. In comparison, appropriations for alcohol and drug rehab are a drop in the bucket. Yet untreated dependency and addiction are costing us $77billion in lost productivity - more than heart disease, diabetes and cancer combined, and far more than “mental illness.”

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, nearly 25 million Americans suffer from a substance abuse problem. And less than four million of these victims receive the drug rehab they need.

If we really want to do something about this situation, we need to separate these two issues and get each of them into their own proposed legislation. That way we may have a better chance to get the insurance industry up to speed on helping the millions of Americans who are not mentally ill, and who too often need financial help getting into and through a successfuldrug rehab program.

http://www.drugrehabreferral.com

Rod MacTaggart is a Florida based freelance writer who contributes articles on health.
http://www.drugrehabreferral.com/

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Crystal Meth Drug Treatment

The alarming increase in the use of crystal meth addicts has contributed the much needed research into the demography and market of this drug.

Research has shown that 10.4 million people 12 years and over have tried meth at least once in their lifetime.

Approximately 1.3 million reported using meth over between the year 2004 - 2005 and 512,000 reported using meth within the last month this meth statistic was taken.

The United Nations also disclaimed that the use of meth has become of international concern since it is the number 2 most widely used illegal drug worldwide, second to marijuana, and in the United States, Cocaine. Crystal meth drug treatment programs have been deemed the most challenging of addiction treatment.

There are many crystal meth drug treatment programs available such a rehab, meth treatment centers, and self help programs.

Most of these programs follow the classical 12 step program to recovery.

Crystal Meth addicts who have been through the rehabilitation process still need to get involve in counseling and group monitoring sessions to help them remain sober.

Research has shown that only about ten percent of addicts remain sober, an alarming statistic.

It is essential that continued support is maintained and that the addict keeps attending the monitoring sessions to avoid becoming one of those ninety percent who do not succeed.

The person needs to realise and understand the damage that they are doing for themselves and the affect that their addiction is having on their families and friends. Help is available therefore have the courage to take it.

Steve Hill is a webmaster from Birmingham, he has interests in a number of websites including:

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Drug Detox And Rehab Could Help Kentucky Welfare Recipients Become Self Sufficient

At a time when drug abuse and addiction have reached record levels across America, and government agencies from the White House down are involved in serious efforts to provide more treatment facilities, the State of Kentucky is considering a bill that cuts off all public assistance to anyone testing positive for drugs - including access to publicly funded a drug detox and treatment programs.

The new bill would mandate random drug testing of all adults who apply for, or who are already receiving, public aid such as welfare, food stamps or help from Kentucky's publicly funded medical programs. If welfare applicants or recipients refuse to be tested or test positive, further public assistance would be refused.

The proposed bill that would cut off access for these people to public assisted detox and rehab programs is perplexing when one considers that Kentucky has among the highest prescription drug abuse statistics in the country: One study found 20% of the population using prescription drugs illicitly - that's one person in every five getting prescription drugs from an illicit source. Prescription drug addiction, dependency and abuse accounts for 20% of Kentucky's admissions into drug detox, drug rehab and other treatment modalities.

Indeed, abuse of the narcotic prescription painkiller OxyContin has been so prevalent in Kentucky that the drug is known by the dubious nickname "hillbilly heroin." Kentucky has literally thousands of OxyContin addicts, many in jail or awaiting detox and rehab, and hundreds of deaths have been attributed to the drug. But prevailing opinion in Kentucky is apparently a reluctance to spend taxpayer money on welfare if the recipient is abusing drugs.

However, by refusing treatment on the strength of a drug test, the new bill would contribute to increased addiction, more drug-related crime and higher criminal justice and medical costs. Taxpayers would wind up paying more, in the long term, than the cost of drug detox and rehab, and the state and society would lose the opportunity to return its citizens to productivity.

It's been proven many times that, with the right encouragement, motivation and support, almost any drug addict or drug abuser will agree to enter drug detox and rehab. Thousands of dependencies and addictions are treated successfully every day with medical drug detox to help remove immediate cravings and withdrawal symptoms. When followed by comprehensive drug rehab, former addicts return to responsible, drug-free and productive lives, not drug-abusing welfare addicts.

It's understandable for taxpayers to recoil from footing the bill for welfare recipients who abuse their status through drug abuse. But a different approach could help satisfy reluctant taxpayers and also get drug abusers into treatment and back into the productive mainstream of Kentucky life.

Why not offer those on public assistance who flunk the drug test at least one opportunity to accept an alternative, a drug detox and rehab program, rather than barring them at the outset from help with their drug problem.

Refusing to enter drug detox and rehab, or failure of any subsequent drug tests after completing drug detox and rehab for as long as they're on welfare, would go a long way in reducing the welfare rolls and boosting the work force with rehabilitated citizens.

A few days in a good medical drug detox program followed by a thorough rehab could help turn the whole situation around in Kentucky, and open the door to increased productivity and money saved for all concerned.

Rod MacTaggart is a freelance writer that contributes articles on health.
info@novusdetox.com

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Drug Rehab Might Be a Good Idea for Scientists Using Stimulants

Do as I say, not as I do, unfortunately, doesn't always work: Advice is often not taken seriously when the advisor's actions are contrary to their advice. That said, how will the news be received that 80% of Nature readers, mostly scientists, feel healthy adults should be able to take Ritalin and similar drugs to enhance their focus? How many millions of students hoping to follow in their footsteps will see that as a license to take drugs? And how many will end up in drug rehab because of it?

The recent survey conducted by Nature was quite a shocker: 25% of the 1400 respondents have already taken what are now called 'cognitive-enhancing' drugs such as Ritalin and Adderall. Granted, some of them stopped because of the side effects - hopefully not too many of them needed drug rehab to do that. But let's have a look at the side effects those who wish to emulate their role models may experience.

Reduced appetite or gastrointestinal upsets.

Tics and repetitive movements.

Trouble sleeping.

Depression as the drug wears off or while taking it - the recommended remedies include taking the drug more frequently, switching to a different drug, or taking an antidepressant as well as the stimulant.

Anxiety or Irritability - these are treated the same way as depression: switching to a different drug or taking an antidepressant along with the stimulant.

Feeling 'jittery' - sometimes addressed with anti-hypertensive beta blockers which, by the way, can negatively interact with allergy shots, asthma drugs, insulin and other diabetes medicines, and some antidepressants. Let's hope someone experiencing depression, anxiety or irritability from Ritalin isn't also on an antidepressant as well as a beta-blocker.

Increased blood sugar levels - dangerous for a diabetic or anyone who is somewhat glucose intolerant, which, by the way, many people are without even realizing it.

Increased blood pressure - again, more beta-blockers.

Psychosis or paranoia

Seizures.

Sudden death.

As you can see, Ritalin and similar drugs can have serious risks and side effects - many of which are addressed by taking another drug, some of which have their own set of serious side effects. And we haven't even mentioned the fact that the drugs are addictive and that drug rehab or drug detox may be required to stop taking them.

Okay, scientist, what do you say to your students, or your own kids, when they find out you're taking Ritalin? Will you tell them how dangerous it is? How it can lead to the need for other drugs that are equally or more dangerous? Will you tell them they might get addicted and need drug detox or drug rehab? And what are you going to say when they ask why you're taking it if it's so dangerous?

Prescription drug addiction is epidemic in the U.S. Drug detox and drug rehab center admissions are as high, sometimes hgher, for prescription drugs than their illegal counterparts. And, they're killing people.

If we don't want our kids, students, and others who admire and depend on scientists to better their lives, perhaps it's time to rethink the ethics of this matter. And if you are a scientist taking these drugs, perhaps it's time to get into a drug detox or drug rehab program and, afterwards, do some research on healthy ways to improve your mind.

Gloria MacTaggart is a freelance writer that contributes articles on health.
info@drugrehabreferral.com
http://www.drugrehabreferral.com/
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Finding Free Drug Rehab Programs

Drug and even alcohol rehabilitation can be achieved through free public benefit services; this means that the consultation services don't presuppose any costs. Due to an increase of the number of drug addicts especially during earlier and earlier stages of life, there have been founded such public services as a sort of first aid for all the people whatever the social status.

Only in U.S. there are thousands of organizations involved in drug addiction rehab. It makes the decision to check in a drug rehab even harder.

Free drug rehab programs have helped for years drug addicted people to get back on track. There are a lot of drug rehab centers and a variety of bills to pay, on one side, while on the other there are these public services called explicitly Drug and Alcohol Rehab Services where it is offered a free of costs treatment.

The question is if by giving more money you can buy yourself a better treatment or a more rapid healing? Does it mean a sooner recovery, much better programs, the latest programs and treatments or perhaps more pills? The answer is that it is not necessarily as it seems. The reason for sustaining such an answer is that the program one chooses is the one that must help the patient fit in, in such a way that it would help him or her get the psychological motivation.

This motivation generates a sooner recovery as well as the active participation of the patient as the ultimate and most important impulse towards achieving the goals. Free drug rehab offers a variety of programs, but you will never know unless you give yourself the opportunity to try. And it is, for real a free drug rehab.

The Free Rehab programs offered as a public service have been thought to help people in need and to do it free of all costs and easy to contact. They have free (from all points of view) lines waiting for your call. They display a close collaboration with Insurance Providers, Employee Assistance Professionals, Unions and private pay clients. This is why they can offer a free drug rehab and the only task of the patients is the healing for a better, more qualitative and sober life.

Methods used in free drug rehab programs - The Free Drug Rehab programs deal not only with the latest research concerning the drug addiction but also with more detailed problems such as social specificity, a particular population at a certain time, when a certain climate was created and particular consequences appeared. This issue gave birth to specific methods of treatment which proved to be efficient at a group level.

Here are only some of the methods of treatment that would illustrate how different people achieve to a life free of drugs: 12-steps methodology, cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectal behavioral therapy, wilderness treatment, alternative models of treatment such as holistic approach, Native American approach, the approach of scientology, SMART recovery etc.

The free drug rehab programs offer you the chance to change your bad habits and lead a sober life by appealing to the method that fits you best and no costs are involved to make your life an even worse economical disaster.

The Drug Rehab programs furnished by public services all over the world understand the intricacies of a successfully fulfilled rehab, they are trustworthy and they are in connection with treatment providers all over your country.

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