Would a test that can predict alcoholism and relapse tendencies prevent youngsters from trying out drinking? There have been numerous studies conducted on the genetic predisposition toward alcoholism - most of which say that if one of your parents is an alcoholic, you may become one, if both parents and most of your lineage are alcoholics, you will probably become one. Despite this knowledge, people at risk still chose to try out drinking - walk into any 12 step meeting and you will hear variations on the same theme, “both of my parents were alcoholics” which suggests learned behavior and nurture vs. nature, but another common story is “both of my parents met in AA and were sober my whole life” which speaks to the natural genetic predispositon vs. nurture.
Despite the self-knowledge of a potential genetic predisposition, many still test the waters, but some think this may change if a test showed those at risk hard evidence. An article published this week in Nature Neuroscience showed that a behavioral test may be able to do just that - give hard evidence on who may have trouble with alcoholism and chronic relapse. Jane Taylor, a professor at Yale School of Medicine says, “What is encouraging about this study is that we have identified both a behavioral indicator and a molecule that explains that risk.” The behavioral indicator showed that the same mice who reacted to a certain food cue also exhibited alcoholic tendencies. The Yale researchers also found that the mice that showed alcoholic tendencies had greater brain plasticity as measured by levels of the molecule PSA-NCAM. Mice with low levels of this molecule had less of an ability to control their alcohol seeking behavior whereas those with greater PSA-NCAM were more flexible in their behaviors around rewards. “This would make sense since alcoholism is associated with a lack of neurobiological and behavioral plasticity,” Taylor says. “The brains of alcoholics seem to get stuck in the same patterns of activity.” If the testing of PSA-NCAM becomes available to the public, it would be interesting to see if it would serve as real prevention tool for those who know they have less ability to control their alcohol consumption and more of a likelihood of relapsing even if they did stop. So far, the self-knowledge that one may have a genetic pre-disposition prevents some from testing the assumption, but not all. If you or a loved one suffers from alcoholism or relapse, our Colorado alcohol treatment program and relapse program can help.
Colorado is one of 17 states that has legalized the use of medical marijuana and has seen a notable increase of dispensaries popping up around the state. With new business comes new advertising and both have been under fire in recent months.
This summer the Colorado Legislature appointed Matt Cook, an official in the State Revenue Department, to oversee the industry. Cook is spearheading the regulations for Colorado’s marijuana industry reportedly modeled on the state’s gaming industry. The tightening of regulations came out of a growing suspicion that the state’s marijuana industry was going beyond just medicating the terminally ill. The law passed in 2000 called for the use of medical marijuana for patients with “debilitating conditions” like cancer, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, and immeasurable conditions like nausea and pain. According to the Colorado Health Department, records indicate that of those registered for the use of medical marijuana, just 2% had cancer, 1% had HIV or AIDS and the remaining had self described “severe pain.” The challenge with patient’s description of pain is that it is subjective and nearly immeasurable (aside from the smiley-face chart depicted above). In addition, the majority of those registered are men under 40, who coincidentally make up the majority of those who abuse the drug. Responding to these statistics and rising suspicions, Colorado has now joined Oregon and Washington as the three states that wish to reform their current laws around marijuana. Voters this fall will have the potential to eform their state’s marijuana use laws and according to a June poll conducted by Rasmussen Reports, 61 percent of Colorado voters agree in marijuana regulation. The next feat for Colorado is regulating the advertment of medical marijuana. On August 20th the Denver City Council voted 12-0 to ban the looming outdoor advertisements not only on billboards but anywhere in the city visible to the public, including fliers and leaflets on sidewalks and parks. Debbie Ortega, a Denver City Councilwoman, reported that she was “confounded by sign spinners advertising ‘free joints’ for an adjacent medical marijuana business” and that “This type of advertising is both disturbing and unsightly. I became very concerned for the children in my neighborhood and throughout the Denver community.” Her main concern was that the ads made it appear as though anyone were able to get a “free joint.” In an ABC NEWS interview she asserted, “I decided that Denver has a responsibility to protect our kids from being exposed to medical marijuana advertising and from being targeted as long term customers.” Ortega makes a valid point, because just as with cigarette ads, they implant the notion that it is common, normal, cool and ok to smoke, and children and teens are especially susceptible to these messages. These advertisements and the myth that “weed isn’t addictive” is an increasing problem because it normalizes the use of marijuana for recreational purposes. However Colorado drug rehab centers continuously get admissions from those suffering from marijuana dependence. The admissions are often those who began using marijuana at a young age and men under 40 years old. If you or a loved one is suffering from Marijuana Addiction, our Colorado drug treatment facility can help.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) released a report last week that showed geographic disparities in those seeking drug rehab. SAMHSA studied drug treatment program admissions for rural and urban areas in 2009 and discovered they differed across various factors:
51 % of rural drug treatment program admissions were referrals from the criminal justice system whereas only 28.4 % criminal justice referrals were for urban programs
49.5% of rural admissions reported the primary abuse of alcohol compared to 36.1% of urban admissions
38.7% of urban admissions were self-referrals or referrals from family members and friends compared to 22.8% of rural admissions
21.8% of urban admissions reported the primary abuse of heroin compared to 3.1% of rural admissions
11.9% of urban admissions reported the primary abuse of cocaine compared to 5.6% of rural admissions
43.1% of urban admissions reported daily use of their drug of choice versus 23.5% of rural admissions
Other features of the study included demographics, showing that rural admissions were younger, less racially diverse and more likely to be employed. SAMHSA conducted the study as a means to show the importance of having drug treatment programs privately or publicly funded in both rural and urban areas and to have insight into the specific needs of those admitted. SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde said the study should be used as “a tool that policymakers and treatment providers can use to more effectively meet the substance abuse prevention and treatment needs of the communities they serve.” This study speaks specifically to drug and alcohol rehabs like Harmony Foundation that is located in the northern part of Colorado, which is known for having higher drug abuse rates than much of the state. Given the higher abuse rates in the area, its important to consider the characteristics outlined by SAMHSA of those locally who are admitted to our programs. Clients often need our detox for medically managed withdrawal for alcohol and methamphetamine addiction and are able to take advantage of our special groups and one on one therapy that cater to the needs of younger adults, those transitioning back into the workforce, or those who have lingering obligations to the criminal justice system. For our admissions from urban environments throughout the US our detox unit is prepared for longer withdrawals from those with heroin addiction and benzodiazepine dependence and our group therapy sessions and addiction treatment specialists help clients with relaxation techniques to cope with stresses of urban life and recovery tools to replace their daily dependence on drugs. However, there are many aspects of drug treatment that universally cater to the needs of rural and urban clients alike. For example, our family program helps all of our clients and their loved ones create new bonds through forgiveness and healing. Our daily schedule is infused with meals, 12 step meetings, physical programs and groups that cater to the universal need of those in recovery to take care of their physical well being, relationships with others, self-esteem and spiritual development.
If you ask anyone who is sober exactly how they stay sober, you won’t find a cookie-cutter answer. Just as many facets of people’s lives lead them to substance abuse and addiction, many facets of recovery help people stay sober - and usually it is not just one thing but a combination of tools and factors that keep people away from their drug(s) of choice.
The adage “addiction does not discriminate” is very evident in substance abuse treatment, especially affordable addiction treatment programs that can cater to those from different socio-economic backgrounds. Some may have found their way into treatment when the pain of past traumas like childhood or spousal abuse was too much to bear. Some have had various mental injuries that caused them to self medicate in order to feel balanced enough to cope with life. Some have had physical injuries that led to opiate dependence and some have no clear explanation why, they just became addicted. Often, those addicted do the best that they can with the tools that they have. For example, when an addict who accustomed to using substances feels pain - physical or mental - they use the coping mechanism or tool of substance abuse. Eventually those tools start to work against them and they need new tools to cope. That is when drug treatment and recovery takes the spotlight. Once in treatment different coping mechanisms speak to recovering addicts in different ways. What works well for the athlete-turned-opiate-addict may not work so well for the alcoholic female who is a victim of spousal abuse. But that is the beauty of addiction treatment and why most programs are 30 or more days. In treatment, various tools are laid out before clients and each treatment plan is carefully tailored to their needs and directs them towards tools that speak to them. The tools of recovery are endless but here are three powerful ones that universally work quite well. First is the tool of honesty; addicts are taught to be honest with themselves about their addiction so they don’t let denial tell them they can safely use drugs or put themselves in situations that will lead them to use. They are also taught to be honest with others so that dramatic and stressful situations that arise from dishonesty don't trigger them to use. The second tool is not going it alone; those in recovery are encouraged to reach out to others - to share the burden of their problems with another to glean a fresh perspective. Inversely, they are taught to help others, to get outside of themselves, to forget about their own problems and inadvertently feel a sense of purpose and esteem boost by helping others. The third tool is not harboring resentments through forgiveness of oneself and others. The emotions that run high when one experiences the feeling of resentment often sparks a knee jerk reaction to use drugs or alcohol to dull the pain and stress associated with the resentment. By allowing in forgiveness, of one’s own wrong-doings and the wrong-doings of others, those feelings start to subside and the feeling of peace through letting the resentments go quiet the urge for a substance. These are just a few tools among many others that drug treatment programs unveil to clients beginning their journey of recovery. Some of these tools are used, others are left in the tool box but the most important thing is that those in recovery stay sober by using a variety of new tools the best they know how, in ways that benefit their lives rather than harm them.
A recent study published by the Kids Count Data Book revealed that an alarming number of teens in Colorado abuse substances and are at risk of becoming addicts and needing substance abuse treatment in adulthood. The study showed that 10% of those aged 12-17 in Colorado abuse substances, be it alcohol, prescription drugs or synthetic drugs. This places Colorado third for states with the highest rate of teen substance abuse, after New Mexico and Montana. Some factors that cause 1 in 10 Colorado teens to abuse drugs include a lack of education and prevention, accessibility to drugs and perceived alternatives to reported “boredom.” According to Jim Schrant, a DEA official, teen drug use is especially prominent in western Colorado. He says, “Teens have been involved in a lot of different drugs here in western Colorado, including meth and heroin.” Since various factors play into the high statics of abuse, there is not one “silver bullet” to address the problem - “It has to be an issue of vigilance and awareness,” says Schrant. A1998 study from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) revealed that early drug use is associated a with much higher risk of addiction in adulthood. Another study by Dr. Andrew Chambers of Yale University explains why; A teenager’s brain is not fully formed - especially the part of the brain that controls impulse but the “reward” part of their brains are fully, or even overly developed. For example, during the teenage years there is more dopamine released in the brain when they experience something pleasurable. This sparks a greater drive to repeat the action that led to the experience. In short, activities that increase dopamine are repeated because they send a message to the brain that says “that felt good!” The study explains that teens have more ”feel good” chemicals circling around because it encourages teens to do more and experience more in order to develop the brain more. While this is occurring, the part of the brain that uses logic to weigh risks or control impulses are still developing. This results in greater experimentation with drugs among teens because consequences aren’t heavily weighed. The experimentation is then likely to lead to addiction. Although there is no “silver bullet” the “vigilance and awareness” that Schrant suggests can be applied to programs on drug prevention that start early - before youth become teenagers. This is because the longer that adolescents can delay alcohol and other drug use, the less their chance of becoming addicted as adults and needing drug treatment programs.
