Drug Addiction Treatment Blog

Prescription medications such as pain relievers, tranquilizers, stimulants, and sedatives are very useful treatment tools but sometimes people do not take them as directed and may become addicted. Pain relievers make surgery possible, and enable many individuals with chronic pain to lead productive lives. Most people who take prescription medications use them responsibly. However, the inappropriate or nonmedical use of prescription medications is a serious public health concern. Nonmedical use of prescription medications like opioids, central nervous system (CNS) depressants, and stimulants can lead to addiction, characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use.

Patients, healthcare professionals, and pharmacists all have roles in preventing misuse and addiction to prescription medications. For example, when a doctor prescribes a pain relief medication, CNS depressant, or stimulant, the patient should follow the directions for use carefully, learn what effects the medication could have, and determine any potential interactions with other medications. The patient should read all information provided by the pharmacist. Physicians and other healthcare providers should screen for any type of substance abuse during routine history-taking, with questions about which prescriptions and over-the-counter medicines the patient is taking and why. Providers should note any rapid increases in the amount of a medication needed or frequent requests for refills before the quantity prescribed should have been used, as these may be indicators of abuse.

For more information on addiction to prescription medications, visit our drug rehab and addiction treatment referral pages.

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Lakeview Health Systems and Stepping Stone Center for Recovery to sponsor a Free CEU program entitled, Emerging Challenges in Addictive Disorders: 2006; on Saturday, October 14, 2006.

Lakeview Health Systems and Stepping Stone Center for Recovery specialize in the treatment of chemical dependency, alcoholism and associated disorders. Based in Jacksonville, FL these state of the art addiction treatment centers complete with 24 hour staff that includes nursing, therapists and physicians. The treatment team provides a safe and effective, medically monitored unit for patients in need of detoxification. In addition, these facilities offer a full continuum of clinical services which include residential treatment, partial hospitalization, out patient services and recovery apartments.

This free 4 hour CEU program entitled, Emerging Challenges in Addictive Disorders: 2006, will provide Behavioral Health Care Providers the opportunity to learn first hand from national thought leaders in their field. The goal of the conference is to provide a clearer understanding of several of the most common issues associated with addictive disorders. In light of rapid scientific advances and varied treatment options we feel more and more information is being made available to treatment providers. By attending this conference, attendees will walk away with new insights and learn useful strategies to manage the challenges faced on a daily basis. The scheduled speakers for the program are: Michael J. Ostacher, MD, MPH, Associate Medical Director, Bipolar Clinic and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School; Alfred Herzog, MD, Clinical Practice General Psychiatry, The Institute for Living/Hartford Hospital, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut School of Medicine and William Jacobs, MD Co-Founder and President of NexStep Integrated Pain Care Associate Professor (Courtesy) Departments of Psychiatry and Anesthesiology University of Florida.

The National Association for Continuing Education has approved the program for up to 4 continuing education hours for licensed psychologists, licensed clinical social workers, licensed mental health counselors and certified addiction professionals.

There is no charge for attending the program, which will be held at Lakeview Health System’s Center for Recovery located at 1900 Corporate Square Boulevard, Jacksonville - FL. Attendees should register in advance. On-Site registration will be accepted provided space is available. The registration form may be faxed to 954-723-0353, or you can register online at http://www.naceonline.com/product247.html. The toll free phone number is 866-266-6223. You can also download a brochure of the event on http://www.recoveryconnection.org/addiction_prevention.

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Posted by Childress on September 4th, 2006

The following article from the Glascow Evening Times blames David Steel’s death on Ecstasy, but it’s clear that there was much more at work within his body when he died.

A GLASGOW addiction psychiatrist has been accused of hosting a drug and drink fuelled gay party during which a man died.

Dr Clint Tatchell, 37, allegedly wrote a prescription for the tranquilliser Diazepam then misled police by tidying up his flat after David Steel, a former Mr Gay Glasgow, was found dead in his bed.

A General Medical Council fitness-to-practise hearing in London was told Mr Steel’s body was discovered at Dr Tatchell’s flat in Glasgow on September 21, 2003. Mr. Steel, 30, of the city’s Ingram Street, who died of an ecstasy overdose, had also taken heroin, cocaine and Diazepam in a binge that began two days before.

Dafydd Enoch, for the GMC, told the hearing: “The party was not just fuelled by drink, although there was vodka, beer, champagne and alcopops drunk. We say it was fuelled by drugs, certainly in Mr Steel’s case.

“Dr Tatchell orchestrated a thorough tidy up of the flat before police arrived following Mr Steel’s death. He had just found a dead body in his bed, he must have realised he should have touched nothing. What did he have to hide?”

The insane irony of this story is that Tatchell is an addiction psychiatrist. He therefore knows professionally the effects of this much drug-taking. If I were the prosecutor, I would go for whatever the English equivalent of first degree murder is, because the case can be made that he had knowledge and forethought.

This entry was posted on Monday, September 4th, 2006 at 6:08 pm and is filed under Alcohol, Cocaine, Prescription drugs, Ecstasy, Charges & Trials. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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There are some signs you might be able to see. If someone is high on marijuana, he or she might:

• seem silly and giggly for no reason;
• have very red, bloodshot eyes; and
• have a hard time remembering things that just happened.

When the early effects fade, over a few hours, the user can become very sleepy.

Parents should be aware of changes in their child’s behavior, although this may be difficult with teenagers. Parents should look for withdrawal, depression, fatigue, carelessness with grooming, hostility, and deteriorating relationships with family members and friends. In addition, changes in academic performance, increased absenteeism or truancy, lost interest in sports or other favorite activities, and changes in eating or sleeping habits could be related to drug use. However, these signs may also indicate problems other than use of drugs.

In addition, parents should be aware of:

• signs of drugs and drug paraphernalia, including pipes and rolling papers
• odor on clothes and in the bedroom
• use of incense and other deodorizers
• use of eye drops
• clothing, posters, jewelry, etc., promoting drug use

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