Rise of quasi-legal drugs has hospitals turning to 'workbook' treatment
“Of (the users of dangerous drugs) I treated, 80 percent were addicts,” said Nobuya Naruse, deputy chief of the center. As legal crackdowns on the use of dangerous drugs have proved inadequate, it is important to improve the treatment of addiction, he … Read more on The Japan Times

Heroin Arrests, Addiction Treatment Up In Hill City
"We were looking at about 50-50: fifty percent those seeking treatment for heroin addiction and 50 percent of those seeking treatment for alcohol," said Nielsen. Unlike those in alcoholics anonymous where ages range from youth to seniors, Nielsen says … Read more on WSET

Binge drinking still a problem in the Midwest
“Iowa has been one of the top binge drinking states ever since they have been keeping track,” according to alcohol prevention specialist with Praire Ridge Addiction Treatment Services, Jay Pedelty. Local bartender, Ross Piersma can attest to the issue. Read more on KIMT 3

Cherokee Nation Opens New M Substance Abuse Treatment Center
The Cherokee Nation celebrated the construction of its new $ 5 million Jack Brown Center at a grand opening ceremony in Tahlequah, OKlahoma. The treatment center helps Native youth ages 13-18 overcome drug and alcohol addiction. It's one of only 10 … Read more on Indian Country Today Media Network

Brain Region Responsible For Resisting Alcohol's Allure
As recovering spring breakers are regretting binge drinking escapades, it may be hard for them to appreciate that there is a positive side to the nausea, sleepiness, and stumbling. University of Utah neuroscientists report that when a region of the … Read more on RedOrbit

CLUB CALENDAR
Mahoning Valley New Voice Club, a support group for laryngectomees and their families and friends, will have its next meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Beeghly Medical Park, 6614 Southern Blvd, Youngstown. Nar-Anon, a 12-step program for relatives and … Read more on Youngstown Vindicator

Headrest Makes Pitch To Relocate
She said she envisions converting Hannah House to a wellness recovery center with space for clients to learn everyday skills such as cooking. Headrest's current … Clark said that she also did not support Hannah House when it was inhabited by pregnant … Read more on Valley News

Tennessee launches additional efforts in 2013 to reduce the number of Drug …
Modest grants will support partnerships between community providers and academic researchers to answer key NAS-related research questions. Five grants have been awarded to help address the following questions: Can we develop a model to … doing all … Read more on Clarksville Online

Drunk and stoned teen had 'no idea' what he was doing
Joseph O'Toole, 19, is to be sentenced later at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to give him time to complete an alcohol rehabilitation programme. The court heard O'Toole and a co-accused beat up and robbed the woman just half an hour after they attacked … Read more on Irish Examiner

Alcoholics: There's an app for that
The app nicknamed A-CHESS, short for Addiction Comprehensive Health Enhancement Support System, was created for rehabilitated alcoholics to help them prevent a relapse in binge drinking. The system was created at the Center for Health Enhancement … Read more on The Baylor Lariat

New Kensington bar ordered to pay injured officer 4K
Blandford served nine to 23 months in inpatient alcohol rehabilitation and the Westmoreland County Prison and has been making payments on $ 2,000 restitution ordered in connection with the April 18, 2011, crash, according to online court records. Read more on Tribune-Review

A look inside the struggles of Rose Hill
MASSENA — Rose Hill opened in 1987 to provide drug and alcohol rehabilitation services to adolescents regardless of their ability to pay. And while that philosophy has enabled the facility to help hundreds of youths over the years, it also has made … Read more on WatertownDailyTimes.com

Russell Packer again refused bail
District Court Judge Chris Hoy said this afternoon he recognised Packer was seeking bail to undergo rehabilitation for his problem with alcohol, including binge drinking. But the assault, to which Packer pleaded guilty and was jailed earlier this year, … Read more on Newcastle Herald

5 Virtues That Liberals Take To The Extreme
It's the "nice" relative who enables an alcoholic rather than encouraging him to go to rehab. It's the "nice" politicians who don't want to say "no" to anyone no matter how bad his lifestyle choices turn out to be. Meanwhile, our society seems to be … Read more on Town Hall

Question by lol ok: Anyone know exactly how abusing alcohol shuts down your liver?
I have to do a project on the liver, and I know that drinking too much alcohol can harm it. Anyone know exactly what happens?

Best answer:

Answer by nochocolate
Alcohol-Induced Liver Disease

What is the liver’s role in processing alcohol?

The liver breaks down alcohol so it can be eliminated from your body. If you consume more alcohol than the liver can process, the resulting imbalance can injure the liver by interfering with its normal breakdown of protein, fats, and carbohydrates.

What are the types of alcohol-induced liver disease?

There are three kinds of liver disease related to alcohol consumption:

Fatty liver is marked by a build-up of fat cells in the liver. Usually there are no symptoms, although the liver may be enlarged and you may experience discomfort in your upper abdomen. Fatty liver occurs in almost all people who drink heavily. The condition will improve after you stop drinking.

Alcoholic hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver. Up to 35 percent of heavy drinkers develop alcoholic hepatitis. Symptoms may include loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and tenderness, fever and jaundice. In its mild form, alcoholic hepatitis can last for years and will cause progressive liver damage. The damage may be reversible if you stop drinking. In its severe form, the disease may occur suddenly, after binge drinking, and it can quickly lead to life-threatening complications.

Alcoholic cirrhosis is the most serious type of alcohol-induced liver disease. Cirrhosis refers to the replacement of normal liver tissue with scar tissue. Between 10 and 20 percent of heavy drinkers develop cirrhosis, usually after 10 or more years of drinking. Symptoms of cirrhosis are similar to those of alcoholic hepatitis. The damage from cirrhosis is not reversible, and it is a life-threatening disease. Your condition may stabilize if you stop drinking.

Many heavy drinkers will progress from fatty liver to alcoholic hepatitis and finally to alcoholic cirrhosis, though the progression may vary from patient to patient. The risk of developing cirrhosis is particularly high for people who drink heavily and have another chronic liver disease such as viral hepatitis C
http://www.liverfoundation.org/education/info/alcohol/

What do you think? Answer below!

Falling through the cracks
This is not the same as if a person decides on their own that they need mental health treatment. A person who checks … This includes anxiety disorders, depression, substance abuse, bipolar disorder, eating disorders and schizophrenia. That's down … Read more on Bethany Beach Wave

Question by Angie: Will medicaid pay for alcohol rehab in Utah?
If you had a brother, sister, son, or daughter that needs help. Would you do anything you could to help them? This is a disease!

Best answer:

Answer by raysny
No. Although alcoholism is considered a disease by some, it is treated as a behavior by the government.

http://askjan.org/media/alcohol.html#ADA

Most rehabs are 12step-based, based on AA. Rehabs have a slightly better success rate than Alcoholics Anonymous which is estimated to be about 5%, the same as no treatment at all. People who fail in AA and 12step facilitation tend to fall harder than those who were not exposed to 12step treatment, which teaches people they are powerless to do anything about their addiction, that even God cannot cure alcoholism, only grant a daily reprieve from the desire to drink.

Dr. Brandsma found that A.A. increased the rate of binge drinking, and
Dr. Ditman found that A.A. increased the rate of rearrests for public drunkenness, and
Dr. Walsh found that “free A.A.” made later hospitalization more expensive, and
Doctors Orford and Edwards found that having a doctor talk to the patient for just one hour was just as effective as a whole year of A.A.-based treatment.
Dr. George E. Vaillant, the A.A. Trustee, found that A.A. treatment was completely ineffective, and raised the death rate in alcoholics. No other way of treating alcoholics produced such a high death rate as did Alcoholics Anonymous.
http://www.orange-papers.org/orange-letters85.html

What works? A summary of alcohol treatment research:
http://www.behaviortherapy.com/whatworks.htm

“About 75 percent of persons who recover from alcohol dependence do so without seeking any kind of help, including specialty alcohol (rehab) programs and AA. Only 13 percent of people with alcohol dependence ever receive specialty alcohol treatment.”
Alcoholism Isn’t What It Used To Be:
http://www.spectrum.niaaa.nih.gov/features/alcoholism.aspx

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!