drugs

Making It Through Thanksgiving, Sober

Posted on by Christy Weeks

Thanksgiving is tomorrow, which, for those in recovery may be a challenge. The majority of people in recovery would drink a lot over the holidays, so it is important to create new rituals and traditions that do not involve mind altering substances. This can be difficult, but it is possible; many recovering alcoholics now look forward to the holidays.

For those who are new to recovery, it is vital that you stay connected to your sponsor and recovery peers over the course of the day. Remember that people have walked the road you are on ahead of you. Learn from their past experiences, the dos and don’ts of recovery over the holidays.

Attending holiday dinners and/or parties should be approached with caution. Alcohol is likely to be in the hands of your peers, and you want to keep your distance as much as possible. It is always smart to bring a friend in recovery to such events, having someone around who is working towards a common goal can be a huge help. If you are having cravings you talk about it with them, if the urge does not dissipate then it is best to leave the event.

Family gatherings can really test the strength of your program. If you plan to attend, it is a good idea to leave early before people become intoxicated. It is never any fun being around drunk people when you are in recovery. If your family is not an active part of your life, spend time with your recovery family.

On Thursday, there will be 12-step meetings happening all day long. If you miss your homegroup, there are many other meetings you can attend. A number of meeting houses will be holding Thanksgiving events, such as a dinner and a meeting. Recovery events can be a great time, and a perfect opportunity to create a new ritual for the holidays. If you have time, volunteer your help, it is a great way to get out of your head. They are also a great opportunity to meet other members in your recovery community.

Harmony Foundation would like to wish everyone in recovery a safe and sober Thanksgiving. __________________________________________________

If you are or a loved one is one is active in their addiction, please contact Harmony Foundation to begin the journey of recovery. Harmony is a state-of-the-art, affordable, residential addiction treatment program located in the Rocky Mountains.

Reforms to Curb the Prescription Opioid Epidemic

Posted on by Christy Weeks
opioids

Statistics about the prescription opioid epidemic in America are grim to say the least. While efforts to curb the crisis in recent years have proven somewhat effective, people continue to lose their lives every day from prescription opioid overdoses. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that more than 16,000 people died from prescription opioid overdoses in 2013. Since 1999, opioid sales have increased 300 percent and the number of overdoses has quadrupled. Every day, 44 people lose their life to prescription opioid overdoses.

With most problems, it is best to look at the source when attempting to find solutions. The reality is that many physicians are not trained in pain management, yet general practitioners write the bulk of prescriptions for opioids. There is a great need for medical students to be trained in proper prescribing practices, spotting signs of abuse, and addiction medicine. Doing so will reduce overprescribing, help addicts find help and ultimately save lives.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health have issued recommendations designed to mitigate the prescription opioid epidemic, ScienceDaily reports. The new report was created by professionals from medicine, pharmacy, injury prevention and law.

The report calls for:

  • Medical students and physicians to be trained.
  • Prescriptions to be dispensed and monitored.
  • First responders to be equipped with naloxone.
  • People with addiction to be identified and treated.

“What’s important about these recommendations is that they cover the entire supply chain, from training doctors to working with pharmacies and the pharmaceuticals themselves, as well as reducing demand by mobilizing communities and treating people addicted to opioids,” says Andrea Gielen, ScD, ScM director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Policy at the Bloomberg School and one of the report’s signatories. “Not only are the recommendations comprehensive, they were developed with input from a wide range of stakeholders, and wherever possible draw from evidence-based research.”

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If you are or a loved one is abusing prescription drugs, please contact Harmony Foundation to begin the journey of recovery. Harmony is a state-of-the-art, affordable, residential addiction treatment program located in the Rocky Mountains.

DEA Crackdown On Synthetic Drugs

Posted on by Christy Weeks
synthetic-drugs

Synthetic drugs, such as bath salts and synthetic marijuana, are a growing concern in the United States, with use on the rise. In an attempt to combat the problem, a bipartisan bill was introduced that would add over 200 compounds commonly used in the production of synthetic drugs to the Schedule I drug list. What’s more, recent crackdowns on synthetic drugs by federal agencies has resulted in more than a hundred arrests across the country, the Associated Press reports.

Since July, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and other state and federal agents have arrested 151 people for crimes involving synthetic drugs in 16 states. The DEA’s “Project Synergy” seized over $15 million in cash and assets from synthetic drug manufacturers and purveyors, according to the article. Synthetic drugs are inexpensive and are often undetectable by common drug tests, making the products popular. These types of drugs are unpredictable, and the side-effects can require medical attention.

Popular synthetic drug names include:

  • Spice
  • K2
  • Flakka
  • Ivory Wave
  • Vanilla Sky

“These drugs are, in my judgment, more serious than the drugs that are on the Controlled Substance Act, more dangerous,” said bill co-sponsor Eleanor Holmes Norton, a Democrat who represents Washington, D.C. “These are right out in the open. They’re disguised in colored wrapping with snappy names to appeal to young people and children in particular. They are cheap. Much cheaper than the dangerous drugs like cocaine and heroin. They’re sold everywhere. And drugs that are sold everywhere are presumed to be safe. They are openly marketed as an alternative to dangerous drugs and they have bizarre effects.”

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If you are or a loved one is abusing synthetic drugs, please contact Harmony Foundation to begin the journey of recovery. Harmony is a state-of-the-art, affordable, residential addiction treatment program located in the Rocky Mountains.

Addiction and recovery news provided by Harmony Foundation.

Families Want Young People to Learn from Their Sons’ Mistakes

Posted on by Christy Weeks
driving-high

Driving under the influence of any mind altering substance is extremely dangerous and can result in loss of life. Most teenagers and young adults have been warned about the dangers of driving drunk or high, yet, every year, young adults lose their life because they thought they could drive on drugs or alcohol.

The general public hears about such tragedies in their communities, everyone empathizes for the family’s loss, but sadly – everyone knows it will happen again. One family has decided to use the tragedy that befell their children for good. This year, two young British men, Kyle Careford (20) and Michael Owen (21), lost their lives while driving high at speeds in excess of 90 mph and crashed into a stone church wall, according to Mirror Online. What’s more, the victims were filming the incident.

What makes this accident unique is what the victim’s family decided to do with the film. The Carefords and Owens chose to release the footage of the last moments of the children’s lives, the article reports. The families publicly justified their choice, Michael’s mother Kat said:

“If all this stops one person from making the same mistake, then some good has come from showing this video. I’m hoping it will have an impact on young people and make them see that a bit of fun can have such devastating consequences.”

“I would like all the young people out there to take notice and realize that you are not invincible and take seriously how precious your lives are to yourselves and others. I want young drivers to consider how much devastation it causes to the families and loved ones that are left behind.”

“Watching the video was very upsetting, but I’m hoping it can be used in a positive way, by showing young people what could happen to them.”

If you are or a loved one is abusing drugs or alcohol, please contact Harmony Foundation to begin the journey of recovery. Harmony is a state-of-the-art, affordable, residential addiction treatment program located in the Rocky Mountains.

Addiction and recovery news provided by Harmony Foundation.

Using E-Cigarettes to Vaporize Marijuana

Posted on by Christy Weeks
marijuana

Over the last year there has been a lot of discussion about e-cigarettes. Researchers have been working to determine if the devices are safer than traditional cigarettes and/or if they are effective smoking cessation devices. While some research indicates that e-cigarettes are safer than regular cigarettes, a panel of experts from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has concluded there isn’t enough evidence to determine if e-cigarettes are safe or effective for smoking cessation.

There are other concerns about e-cigarettes, the devices can be used to vaporize drugs as well. Both recreational marijuana and medical marijuana programs has resulted in a wider variety of marijuana byproducts being available. THC concentrates in the form of oils and waxes are sold at dispensaries and can be be vaporized easily using e-cigarettes.

New research indicates that 1 in 5 high school students report having used using e-cigarettes to vaporize marijuana products, Medical News Today reports. Researchers from Yale University in New Haven, CT surveyed 3,847 students from five high schools in Connecticut.

“This is a relatively novel way of using marijuana, and kids are using it at a fairly high rate,” said Meghan E. Morean, lead author and assistant professor of psychology at Oberlin College.

The study found that 29.2% reported using cannabis and 18.8% reported having used both e-cigarettes and cannabis at some point in their lives, according to the article. The students who had used e-cigarettes to vaporize cannabis included:

  • Around 18% of lifetime e-cigarette users.
  • 18.4% of lifetime cannabis users.
  • 26.5% of e-cigarette and cannabis dual users.

“These findings raise concerns about the lack of e-cigarette regulations and the potential use of e-cigarettes for purposes other than vaping nicotine,” conclude the researchers.

The findings were published in Pediatrics.
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If you are or a loved one is abusing marijuana, please contact Harmony Foundation to begin the journey of recovery. Harmony is a state-of-the-art, affordable, residential addiction treatment program located in the Rocky Mountains.

Addiction and recovery news provided by Harmony Foundation.

Synthetic Drug Use On The Rise

Posted on by Christy Weeks
synthetic-drug-use

Lawmakers are being hit from every direction when it comes to substance abuse: the opioid epidemic, relaxed attitudes on marijuana, and synthetic drug use. As the nation moves closer to an election year, many are wondering how these issues are going to be handled – especially when it comes to opioids and synthetic drugs. In recent months, a number of plans and measures have been announced to address prescription opioids and heroin; however, there has been significantly less talk about synthetic drug use.

While synthetic drug use is a new problem, relatively speaking, tackling use of these insidious drugs is of the utmost importance. New research suggests that synthetic drug use is on the rise among certain demographics, News-Medical reports. Researchers from New York University Langone Medical Center analyzed self-reported use of 57 different new drugs. The findings come from data in the National Survey of Drug Use and Health which indicated that synthetic drug use increased from 2009 to 2013 among teenagers and young adults ages 12 to 34.

Synthetic drug use was most common among:

  • Males
  • Whites
  • City Dwellers
  • People with Lower Incomes

“This is the first study reporting on use of a variety of new drugs in a nationally representative U.S. sample,” lead researcher Joseph J. Palamar, PhD, MPH, said in a news release. “However, we’re pretty confident that use of new drugs was severely underreported, as the research subjects were not asked about most of these drugs specifically.”

Palamar adds the older research indicates that synthetic marijuana and bath salt use is being used at higher rates, according to the article. Future surveys need to ask about synthetic drug use.

“Hundreds of new psychoactive drugs have come out in recent years and some of them can be very dangerous,” he said. “We need health surveys to ask about use of new drugs, in addition to traditional drugs such as marijuana and cocaine, in order to quickly pick up on potential drug epidemics.”

The findings are published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence.

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If you are or a loved one is abusing synthetic drugs, please contact Harmony Foundation to begin the journey of recovery. Harmony is a state-of-the-art, affordable, residential addiction treatment program located in the Rocky Mountains.

Addiction and recovery news provided by Harmony Foundation.

Heroin Users Need Help Not Incarceration

Posted on by Christy Weeks
heroin-overdoses

The heroin epidemic in the United States is almost hard to comprehend, especially since the nation has a history of facing narcotic scourges. The rates of abuse and overdoses deaths are staggering, calling on officials to rethink how they look at and deal with substance abuse.

On the eastern seaboard and Appalachian region, officials have seen an unprecedented rate of addiction. Public rehabilitation services are overflowing, infectious disease continues to spread and more people lose their lives with each day that passes.

In Pennsylvania, eight people overdosed on heroin in 70 minutes, in a county of 200,000 people, The Washington Post reports. The rush of overdoses was not the result of a bad batch of the drug or negligent dosing practices among users; it was simply an example of what is resulting from a dramatic rise in heroin use (it is possible that fentanyl was involved). Sadly, more than eight people would overdose that day, in 24 hours there were 16 overdoses in all, and 25 over a two day period.

While three people lost their lives, no question a tragedy, it is worth noting that others were saved by opioid overdose reversal drug naloxone – sold under the brand name Narcan ®. It probably goes without saying, that this recent incident underscores the need for increased naloxone access – especially because the problem does not appear to be subsiding anytime soon.

“There’s been a progressive increase in overdoses the last two years, and it just went out of control,” said Rick Gluth, supervising detective on the district attorney’s drug task force. “I’ve been a police officer for 27 years and worked narcotics for the last 15, and this is the worst. I’d be glad to have the crack epidemic back.”

In the past, users would be incarcerated for their acts, but this does little to address the problem of addiction. Approaching addiction as a disease has more and more states offering treatment over jail. The U.S. attorney for western Pennsylvania and co-chair of the National Heroin Task Force established by the Justice Department, David J. Hickton, believes users need help not incarceration, according to the article.

“There is a growing sense of community outrage that we can’t accept this like we are accepting it,” said Hickton. “We just can’t go on like this.”

“If they’re using and trafficking, I prosecute them,” he said. “If they’re just using, they need help.”

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If you or a loved one is struggling with heroin addiction, please contact Harmony Foundation to begin the journey of recovery. Harmony is a state-of-the-art, affordable, residential addiction treatment program located in the Rocky Mountains.

Combination of Drugs Could Help SSRI Resistant Depressives

Posted on by Christy Weeks

For the millions of people around the world living with depression the most common form of treatment is medication. While medications, notably selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs), have proven to be effective in managing the symptoms of depression for many, there are a significant number of people for whom SSRIs do not work. Naturally, the need to create medications for SSRI resistant people is crucial.

Researchers at the University of Bath in England have found that a combination of two drugs often used for treating addiction may lead to a new drug for treating SSRI resistant depressives, MedicalXpress reports. If successful, the 30-50 percent of patients living with depression who do not respond to SSRI treatment may have a remedy in the near future.

“Whilst SSRIs work for a lot of people, they can cause serious side effects and don’t work for everyone,” said Dr Sarah Bailey, senior Lecturer in the Department of Pharmacy & Pharmacology at the University of Bath. “No new drugs for depression have been developed for decades – they all work in a similar way – so there’s an urgent need to develop new treatments for this condition that affects around 4 million adults in the UK.” 

The research team combined buprenorphine with naltrexone and found that it produced antidepressant-like responses in mice, according to the article. Buprenorphine is commonly used in detox and addiction treatment settings to alleviate the severe discomfort and cravings that occur during opioid withdrawal. Naltrexone is used for the treatment of both opioid and alcohol addiction; the drug blocks the euphoric effects of opioids and it has been shown to decrease heavy drinking.

“Our study shows that using a combination of naltrexone and buprenorphine gives an antidepressant effect in mice, but without the problems of addiction that could be caused by using buprenorphine alone,” said Dr Bailey. “Developing new drugs is a lengthy process, with lots of safety tests and trials to go through. These two drugs have already gone through that process individually, so we know they are safe. There still need to be further trials of the combination in humans, but the whole process of developing this as a new treatment would be greatly reduced.” 

The findings were published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology. __________________________________________________

Addiction is often accompanied by various mental illnesses, such as depression. If you are or a loved one is living with a co-occurring disorder, please contact Harmony Foundation to begin the journey of recovery. Harmony is a state-of-the-art, affordable, residential addiction treatment program located in the Rocky Mountains.

Addiction and recovery news provided by Harmony Foundation.

Does Marijuana Lead to Harder Drugs?

Posted on by Christy Weeks

Marijuana has long been referred to as a ‘gateway drug,’ a moniker which has been thrown around in defense of continued cannabis prohibition. While it may be true that people who engage in the illicit use of other drugs used marijuana first, there is very little evidence to support the idea that the use of marijuana leads to harder drugs. New research suggests that the varying reasons people have for using marijuana has bearing on who is at risk of using other illicit drugs, ScienceDaily reports.

Analyzing data from the Monitoring The Future (MTF) Survey, researchers at New York University’s Center for Drug Use and HIV Research (CDUHR) sought to determine how reasons for illicit marijuana use relates to the use of other drugs individually. The NYU researchers drew their findings from data collected on high school seniors.

“Aside from marijuana, a wide range of illicit drugs are prevalent, each having different use patterns, and different effects and dangers associated with use,” said Joseph J. Palamar, PhD, MPH, a CDUHR affiliated researcher and an assistant professor of Population Health at NYU Langone Medical Center (NYULMC). “Our research helped to identify subtypes of illicit marijuana users who use other drugs, as this may be able to inform prevention efforts.”

The research focused on self-reported use of eight other illicit drugs, including:

  • Heroin
  • Cocaine (powder)
  • Crack
  • Amphetamine/Stimulants (nonmedical)
  • Tranquilizers/Benzodiazepines (nonmedical)
  • Opioids (nonmedical)
  • LSD
  • Other Psychedelics

The study, “Reasons for Recent Marijuana Use in Relation to Use of Other Illicit Drugs among High School Seniors in the United States,” showed that people who used marijuana because they were bored had an increased risk for reporting the use of powder cocaine or hallucinogens other than LSD, according to the article. The researchers found that 11% of the sample reported using marijuana to amplify other drugs. Those who used marijuana infrequently were found to be generally not a risk for using other illicit drugs.

“Interestingly, we found that using marijuana ‘to experiment’ decreased risk of reporting use of each of the eight drugs examined before adjusting for other variables,” said Palamar. “The marijuana users in this sample who used to experiment were consistently at low risk for use of nonmedical use of prescription narcotics.”

Palamar adds: “It seems that only a subset of illicit marijuana users is at risk for use of other illicit drugs,” notes Palamar. “Most teens who use marijuana don’t progress to use of other drugs and we believe this is evidenced in part by the fact that nearly two-thirds of these marijuana-using teens did not report use of any of the other illicit drugs we examined.”

The findings were published in the American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse. __________________________________________________

If you are battling with a substance use disorder, please contact Harmony Foundation. We can help you build the foundation for recovery.

Addiction and recovery news provided by Harmony Foundation.

Blood Pressure Medication Affects Unconscious Addiction Memories

Posted on by Christy Weeks

There is still a lot that scientists do not understand about the complex nature of addiction. Nevertheless, researchers continue to tirelessly probe the human mind in order to decode the nature of addiction and the causes of relapse, with the hope that one day better treatments for the disease can be developed.

Over the last few years, addiction researchers have been testing the effects of a number pharmaceuticals developed for a series of medical conditions. The goal was to see if such drugs had an impact on the cycle of addiction. Researchers from the University of Texas at Austin have been experimenting with the blood pressure medication isradipine, and if human trials prove successful, the drug could help prevent relapse, ScienceDaily reports.

The researchers gave high doses of the antihypertensive drug isradipine to rats addicted to cocaine or alcohol. Hitoshi Morikawa, an associate professor of neuroscience at The University of Texas at Austin, along with colleagues, trained rats to associate either a black or white room with the use of a drug, according to the article. Over time, the rats given isradipine no longer chose the room they associated with the addictive drug. The rats who didn’t receive the antihypertensive almost always choice the drug room. The findings suggest that the memories of addiction had disappeared entirely.

“The isradipine erased memories that led them to associate a certain room with cocaine or alcohol,” said Morikawa.

It may be possible to target the associations an addict has with the experience prior to the use of a drug. If isradipine can erase the unconscious memories that underlie addiction in humans, it would be a monumental advancement in addiction research.

“Addicts show up to the rehab center already addicted,” he said. “Many addicts want to quit, but their brains are already conditioned. This drug might help the addicted brain become de-addicted.”

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved isradipine, the article reports. Morikawa points out that clinical trials could begin in the near future.

The findings were published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry.

If you are or a love one are in the grips of a substance use disorder, please contact Harmony Foundation. We can help you build a foundation for recovery.
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Addiction and recovery news provided by Harmony Foundation