Substance abuse is an ongoing and serious problem for millions of people in this country. When someone is addicted to drugs or alcohol, they are not the only person living with the addiction. Friends, coworkers, and entire families suffer right along with the addict. Almost one in ten people either has or has had a substance abuse problem. People get addicted for many reasons, and some people can do drugs occasionally without becoming addicted. For those that do develop a substance abuse problem, it can be next to impossible to quit without some help.

Most addicts know that what they are doing is harming them, but they either don’t know how, or don’t want to quit using drugs. Addicts are good at denying things, and it can be hard to get a person with a substance abuse problem to face the fact that they are out of control. Sometimes an intervention can work, but that’s not always the case. The addict has to have the desire to quit for the treatment to be successful.

As we said, there are a multitude of reasons that people develop substance abuse issues. Some are doing it to block out the memories of a bad relationship or a painful childhood. Some do it to relax or escape from the routine of daily life. The ironic thing is that substance abuse creates more problems than the person ever had to begin with.

Some develop substance abuse problems purely by accident. They are prescribed medication by a doctor, and they either take more than they are supposed to or they continue to take the medicine after their doctor tells them it’s OK to stop. Drugs like Xanax and Valium are especially addictive because they give an almost instant euphoric feeling. There are almost as many people with prescription substance abuse issues as there are people abusing street drugs. Many teenagers turn to using prescription medicines to get high because they are often easily obtained. Below is a chart that lists the numbers of Americans who have substance abuse problems, and the drugs they take:

People, especially teens, are susceptible to peer pressure and they often begin taking drugs to fit in, or to feel more at ease in social situations. Others are trying to escape the stress of daily life. But, as always, the person ends up with more problems than they started with, and a serious substance abuse issue. Most get caught up in the cycle of use, depression, and guilt. The cycle cannot be broken until the person seeks medical help.

When a person or their family decides to get help for a substance abuse problem, there are programs available in all fifty states that specialize in detoxifying the body, managing painful withdrawal symptoms, and training the person to live a healthy, normal, and drug-free life. There is life after drug addiction, and a substance abuse problem can be fought and won. Don’t be afraid to seek help!

Drug Enforcement Agnecy (DEA) – http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/index.htm
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHSA) – http://www.samhsa.gov/
National Institue of Health (NIH) – http://www.nih.gov/

Opiate abuse and addiction are becoming more and more of a problem across the country. Drugs like codeine and morephine are being abused by people of all ages and from all walks of life. In 2006, the last year for which data is available, over seventeen million people over 60 abused an opiate. Opiate addiction is very difficult to treat, and the drugs you can get out of a medicine cabinet are every bit as dangerous as those that can be bought on a street corner.

Since 1997, admissions to drug rehab centers for opiate addiction have risen from about 16,000 to over 90,000 per year. At one time, heroin was the only opiate that was a problem- now when a reason is given for an admission to a drug treatment center, there is a special category for “opiates other than heroin”.

Many people that become addicted to opiates started taking them for a legitimate reason. But, there are others who use drugs like Xanax, Oxycontin, and Percocet simply for the “rush” that they give. The pills can be crushed and snorted like cocaine, or injected like heroin. With an opiate addiction, the brain’s workings are changed forever, and the body needs more and more of the drug to get the same effect.

Anyone can become addicted to opiates, at any time. However, those who abuse other prescription or street drugs are at particular risk, and the young and the elderly are at risk too. People who are under a lot of pressure, like someone who has a very fast-paced job, often take opiates to “mellow out” and they become addicted.

Here are some signs of opiate abuse to be on the lookout for:

Drowsiness and lethargy

Impaired vision, constricted pupils

Shallow or rapid breathing

Tremors, vomiting and nausea, chills, other withdrawal symptoms

If you think that a friend or family member may be addicted to opiates you should also look for red or raw nostrils from possibly snorting the drugs, or needle marks if they are injecting. An opiate addiction is difficult to treat, and the sooner it can be brought under control the easier it is to beat. Continued opiate abuse can lead to serious respiratory and cardiac impairment, which can be fatal.

As we said, opiate addiction is difficult, but not impossible to treat. First, the painful and debilitating withdrawal symptoms must be treated, often with medicines like naltrexone, buprenorphine, and methadone. Of those three medications, methadone is falling out of favor because it is addictive in and of itself. Not every drug treatment center specializes in the treatment of opiate addiction, so choose carefully. Also, counseling and behavior modification therapy must be used to reduce the possibility of relapse.

A person dealing with an opiate addiction should never try to quit on their own. There are over 13,000 drug treatment centers in the US, and there is probably one near you. If you think you have a problem with opiates, your first stop should be your doctor’s office- they will evaluate you and recommend a treatment program.

Drug Enforcement Agnecy (DEA) – http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/index.htm
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHSA) – http://www.samhsa.gov/
National Institue of Health (NIH) – http://www.nih.gov/

Around the country, marijuana is still the most often used illegal drug. The majority of marijuana addicts are younger people- over forty percent of high-schoolers have tried it. Marijuana is truly a “gateway drug”, it beign the first illegal drug that most people try. As of 2007, the most recent year for which data is available, there were almost three million illegal drug users in this country- and more than half of them started with using marijuana.

There’s a common misconception that marijuana is a safe drug, and that it’s not addictive. Nothing could be further from the truth- marijuana abuse and addiction are almost as prevalent as the abuse of opiates and alcohol. Of all admissions to drug rehab centers in 2007, sixteen percent were for marijuana addiction.

Abuse and marijuana addiction aren’t the same thing. Marijuana abuse is smoking for a non-medical reason, and addiction happens when the user needs THC (marijuana’s active ingredient) to function normally. Marijuana addicts need more and more of the drug to get the same high. A marijuana “buzz” can last up to eight hours, during which time the addict can’t drive or operate machinery safely, and their thought processes are impaired.

Studies show that there’s a connection between marijuana addiction and depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts. It’s not really known whether continued marijuana use causes mental problems, or simply makes an existing mental problem worse. Especially in younger marijuana addicts, constant use can lead to a severe psychotic reaction.

Research shows that marijuana addiction and use cause changes within the brain, similar to those seen in users of other drugs. Withdrawal from marijuana can cause a stress response, and decreased dopamine production, which can lead to irritability. While detoxing from marijuana use doesn’t usually produce the painful withdrawal symptoms seen with other, harder drugs, that doesn’t mean that the symptoms are any less real or treatable.

According to NIDA, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, studies show that very few drug addicts start out without trying alcohol, tobacco, or marijuana first. Marijuana addiction can lead to other addictions, possibly because the THC alters the brain’s chemistry.

The abuse of, and addiction to marijuana are getting worse in the United States. Studies by SAMHSA show that both marijuana abuse and addiction have risen steadily over the last decade. First time users are on average, almost eighteen years old- very bad news for parents of older kids. The younger a child is the first time they use, the greater the likelihood is that they will end up with a marijuana addiction. Marijuana abuse and addiction are a serious matter- rather than treating it like it’s not that big of a deal, the addict and their family needs to get help as soon as possible. Don’t try to treat a marijuana addiction on your own. Go to a doctor for an evaluation, and they will be able to determine what treatment program suits your needs best.

Drug Enforcement Agnecy (DEA) – http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/index.htm
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHSA) – http://www.samhsa.gov/
National Institue of Health (NIH) – http://www.nih.gov/

The aim of any good drug rehab is to help the person beat their addiction. However, not all addicts remain abstinent. In these cases, the drug rehab is there to help them reduce their drug abuse gradually. In this article, you’ll learn about some of the different options an addict has when they’re ready to get help.

In 2007, a little over twenty million Americans were addicted to drugs and alcohol. Without proper treatment, many of these people will end up abusing drugs more and more, with some committing crimes to support their drug habit. It’s been estimated that drug abuse and addiction costs this country almost two hundred million dollars per year. This number is a total of expenses from health care, lost wages, and the courts.

Every drug rehab is a bit different, but all effective treatment programs have a few things in common. The most important part of any treatment is the patient’s level of commitment to it. No two people handle treatment in the same way, which makes it important for addicts to find programs that work for them. Not every addict is in drug rehab by choice- some are forced into treatment through the criminal justice system. A 2002 survey showed that almost 52% of incarcerated women and 44% of men in prison were addicted to some kind of drug.

Many people that enter drug rehab programs also have mental health disorders that make the addiction even harder to treat. For a mentally ill person in rehab, they need a combination if behavior modification, psychotherapy, like antidepressants and mood stabilizers. There are also medications to help minimize withdrawal systems for both drug and alcohol addictions.

When you’re choosing a drug rehab, you should consider a few things- what drug you’re addicted to, your age, your health status, and your history. If you have tried and failed to complete drug rehab in the past, you may need a different program than someone who’s in rehab for the first time, and sometimes being around other people in a similar situation can make the urge to do drugs even worse. More severe drug and alcohol addictions may warrant a longer treatment, or even a stay at a residential drug rehab center. These places seek to help the addict slowly adjust to life after drugs.

Drug addiction isn’t a sign of weakness, it’s a real disease, and it needs to be treated like one. The best drug rehab is tailored to the needs of the client, with a mixture of support, counseling, and medical treatment. Some people may even need to try more than one drug treatment center, and many people need more than one form of treatment in order to attain and keep a drug-free lifestyle. If you haven’t found the right drug rehab yet, don’t give up. Get an evaluation from your doctor, they will be able to help you find an effective treatment program.

Drug Enforcement Agnecy (DEA) – http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/index.htm
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHSA) – http://www.samhsa.gov/
National Institue of Health (NIH) – http://www.nih.gov/