Drug Detox Q & A – Should Prescription Drug Side Effects Get Equal Time?
In the 10 years since prescription drug advertising began on television, Big Pharma has spent billions of dollars saturating the airwaves with drug commercials. Actors in idealistic settings wax ecstatic about their new drug-created lives, but the drug's horrible side effects - some of them possibly fatal - are glossed over in seconds. Such advertising minimizes or hides the potential for harm, such as dependencies, addictions, and the need for drug detox and, in some case, drug rehab.
The intention of Big Pharma's advertising technique has apparently worked perfectly. We now have a new generation of prescription drug consumers who embrace prescription drugs for everything imaginable. Drug advertising - along with the drugs - has dulled the minds of America to ignore the dangers, to not know or even care how easily prescription drugs can lead to drug detox, drug rehab, or worse, an untimely death.
A new study from the University of Georgia found that most prescription drug TV commercials don't present the real risks of side effects. According to the study, direct-to-consumer broadcast and cable TV drug commercials devote an average of less than 8 seconds (13 percent of total ad time) to side effect disclaimers in a 60-second commercial, and less than 4.4 seconds (15 percent of total ad time) of side effects and disclaimers for the average 30-second commercial. For shorter 15-second commercials, no time at all is devoted to side effects and disclaimers.
When you listen very carefully to the usually rapid-fire, low-voice, almost incomprehensible statements of side effect disclaimers, you do hear that some of these side effects - for even the most seemingly innocuous of drugs - can be pretty gruesome. We have also heard commercials for some sleep aid drugs state that dependency is not possible or warn of potential dependency, but we've personally never heard one go so far as to admit that a need for drug detox or drug rehab could arise.
The study's author said that the real problem is that the side effects information "is often presented in a way that people aren't likely to comprehend or even pay attention to." And that is what has led so many people to simply ignore such warnings and blindly reach for the next prescription drug, and the next one and the next one. Such a mind-set has led to the situation we have now with thousands of Americans looking for drug detox or drug rehab programs.
Government statistics say 22 million Americans have abused prescription drugs, and thousands have died as a result of the lack of information about the dangers of some prescription drugs. Even after the Federal Drug Administration has issued serious warnings, doctors have continued to incorrectly prescribe some drugs resulting in injury and death, or at the least the need for drug detox and drug rehab. If doctors aren't able to comprehend the seriousness of prescription drug side effects or complex nature of mixing various drugs and alcohol, how is the public supposed to understand?
This volatile and dangerous situation could be improved if new regulations required commercials to devote as much time - and emphasis - to the side effects and dangers as is devoted to the alleged benefits of prescription drugs. Perhaps then we'd begin to see a difference in the attitude Americans have towards prescription drugs, and a reduction in the illnesses, deaths, and need for drug rehab and drug detox program facilities across the country.
Rod MacTaggart is a Florida-based freelance writer who contributes articles on health.
Author: Rod MacTaggart
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Drug Rehab Really Does Work If It Is Done Right
With all the media coverage about celebrities "returning" for more drug rehab, some of them for the third or fourth time, many people are getting the idea that rehab doesn't really work. Some people are beginning to think that public funding for drug rehab programs is a waste of tax dollars. The fact is, lifelong recovery from alcohol and drug addiction is almost a certainty when drug rehab is done right.
The public's lack of trust in drug rehab programs is leading to some dangerously bad ideas, such as putting people addicted to alcohol or drugs on some other drug, or worse, legalizing drugs. These are not solutions, they are problems masquerading as solutions. The call for legalization of drugs is the most compelling evidence that drug rehab is basically a hit-or-miss failure in many, if not most, settings. This is total surrender, a complete capitulation to the power of drugs. It says, "Okay, drugs. You win. Come on in and rule our lives because there's nothing we can do about you."
Putting heroin addicts on methadone is another testament to the failure of most approaches to rehab. Methadone "replacement therapy" is entrenched across the country and around the world. Addicts remain addicted to a "legal" drug instead of an illegal one. The idea of getting free of drugs has simply been abandoned. The thought process that leads to this non-solution is, "Drug rehab probably won't work, and it's going to be too much trouble to try to save this person anyway. At least they won't share contaminated needles and they might get some of their life back. Of course, they're addicted to this drug now, but what else can we do about it?"
Another example of "replacement therapy" is putting drug addicts, and especially alcoholics, on addiction-blocking drugs such as naltrexone. This drug prevents the brain's receptors from responding to opiate drugs and alcohol, and actually works for a while to reduce the craving for the substance. Sounds good, right? The problem is, naltrexone blocks all pleasure responses. Life just turns gray and isn't really worth living. And worse, it can increase the possibility of an opiate overdose, which can be fatal.
In any of these kinds of situations, we are simply trading one drug (and often a new addiction) for another. This makes the pharmaceutical companies happy, but it does not achieve any kind of rehabilitation for the addicted persons. So why are we not putting unfortunate drug-dependent people through drug rehab programs? The answer is clear - many programs have abysmal success rates. They don't have all the elements in place that can make drug rehab successful.
The drug rehab program you choose should empower you, so that you accomplish life long freedom from drug use. It should take you through detox and withdrawal and ensure that you repair the damage drugs have done to your life. It puts you back in control and functioning in society again - enjoying good family relationships, holding down a job and living a successful drug-free life.
All drug rehab programs are not created equal. There are drug rehab centers that successfully address all the issues. If you or someone you care about needs help with alcohol or drug addiction, contact a drug rehab program counselor who knows what works and can help you find a successful drug rehab program.
Rod MacTaggart is a freelance writer who contributes articles on health.
http://www.drugrehabreferral.com
Author: Rod MacTaggart
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Some Questions About Alcohol Or Drug Addiction And Some Answers
Alcohol or drug addiction affect more than just the person suffering the addiction. The situation also harms the people who care for the addicted person, such as family, friends... even coworkers are affected. In this article, we hope to offer some helpful information concerning drug addiction through common questions and answers so that you will be informed and able to approach situations in your own life with both sensitivity and realism.
What is drug addiction?
Drug addiction is a physical and mental condition characterized by habitual and uncontrollable drug intake, involving craving and seeking, even despite the negative consequences associated with drug use.
Alcohol or drug addiction is different from alcohol or drug dependence, though. For example, a person who is taking a drug to treat a disease or illness may have trouble functioning without the drug, but the person may see an improvement in the medical condition while taking the drug. They are only dependent, however, because they are not taking the drug compulsively. Persons addicted to a drug or alcohol exhibit compulsive behavior towards the drug, and unlike the medically dependent drug or alcohol user, they are unable to quit the use once the drug or alcohol has performed its intended effect.
What are the most common forms of drug addiction?
Interestingly enough, the most common addictions are to legally available substances.
Alcohol - also known as ethanol - can become addictive, and it is a depressant. The most common forms of alcohol for consumption are beer, wine, and liquor. Most countries have laws regarding the legal consumption of alcohol, such as a minimum age requirement and maximum blood-alcohol level to operate a vehicle.
Nicotine, most often in the form of tobacco in cigarettes and chewing tobacco, is another legal drug. Nicotine is a stimulant and highly addictive. It is also a very difficult substance to stop using once addicted.
Caffeine is also an addictive drug. It too is a stimulant, offering the user a temporary increase in energy. Once addicted to caffeine, however, the caffeine addict must continually consume caffeine, usually from a beverage like coffee, tea, or a caffeinated soda or soft drink, in order to maintain their level of energy. Stopping the use of caffeine may cause the coffee drinker to go through withdrawal, causing headaches or fatigue.
What are some other viewpoints concerning the reason for drug addiction?
More are beginning to think that drug addiction is a form of dysfunctional learning. Much of what people do is based on motivation and reward. Abused drugs or alcohol take over the parts of the brain that are involved in motivation and reward. The drug user is re-educated, erroneously, motivation stimuli and the associated rewards. Drug-associated cues will in it's turn cause the desire to use to flare up in the addicted person. This will lead to unconscious and/or compulsive drug-seeking behavior as well, for example lying, stealing, and even physical violence. The addicted drug user will lose the sense of voluntary control over the use of the drug. The continued use of drugs strengthens the neurological pathways in the brain, and their activation quickens with each use. The quicker the "high" is achieved, the stronger the dysfunctional learning.
Why is drug addiction so difficult to overcome?
The more a person uses an addictive drug, the more difficult it becomes for the person to stop use. Their learning process is problematically reshaped. Drugs also physically change a person, transforming the neuro-chemical makeup in a person's brain. This leads some of us to view addiction as a disease. However, the model that sees drug addiction as a matter of dysfunctional learning helps to explain how learned behaviors can be unlearned. Certainly the more addicted a person is, the more difficult it will be for them to unlearn their addicted behaviors. Abused drugs can change long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD) in neuronal circuits involved in the addiction, also adding to the difficulty of overcoming drug addiction. Properly assessing the development of an addicted person's affected learning would increase the potential of more effectively treating the addiction.
What are the some of the chemicals involved in drug addiction?
The CREB protein, a transcription factor activated by cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) immediately after a high, triggers genes that produce proteins such as dynorphin, which cuts off dopamine release and temporarily inhibits the reward circuit. In chronic drug users, a sustained activation of CREB leaves the user feeling depressed and dissatisfied, unable to find pleasure in previously enjoyable activities, often leading to a return to the drug for an additional "fix". It also leads to a short-term tolerance of the substance, necessitating that a greater amount be taken in order to reach the same high. Another transcription factor called delta FosB, is thought to activate genes that evidently counter to the effects of CREB, actually increase the user's sensitivity to the effects of the drug or substance.
David Richards is a publisher of alcoholism articles.
You can go to alcoholism treatment for more.
Author: David Richards
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Maryland Drug Rehabs and Florida Addiction Treatment
There are many different types of Maryland drug rehabs and Maryland addiction treatment programs. In fact, there are thousands of drug rehabilitation programs and alcohol rehabs in the United States. The goal of a Maryland drug rehab or alcohol rehab is to assist the individual to become clean and sober. In Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Virginia and across the United States, a variety of addiction treatment approaches are being used. Some drug rehabs in Maryland include: the twelve steps, relapse prevention programs, behavioral modification, drug and alcohol rehabilitation, cognitive therapy, therapeutic communities, halfway houses, outpatient drug rehabs, alcohol rehabs and inpatient drug rehabs. With so many types of drug and alcohol treatment centers available in Maryland, making a decision can be quite challenging.
Unfortunately, many people in Maryland, New Jersey, New York and Virginia bounce from drug rehab center to drug rehab center looking for the one that is right for them, many ending up in Florida addiction treatment programs. To prevent this from happening, it might be useful to have a basic understanding of the different types of Maryland drug rehabilitation programs. To locate an effective Maryland drug rehab or Florida addiction treatment program you can call the national addiction treatment helpline at 1-800-511-9225.
The Best Maryland Drug RehabFor an individual with a drug and alcohol problem attending the best addiction treatment program is imperative. A quality drug addiction treatment program will help the individual to change his or her lifestyle and develop the coping skills necessary to deal with their feelings. Maryland has quite a few residential drug rehabilitation programs. These types of drug rehab programs have existed for over thirty years and are long term in nature. For those who choose a Maryland drug rehab, they can expect to have twenty-four hour, seven days week supervision. Another option under the umbrella of drug rehab programs are therapeutic drug rehab programs. These types of drug rehabilitation programs involve spending quite a bit of time in drug rehab and are usually provided in a residential addiction treatment setting. This particular form of drug addiction treatment works best for those who understand that they have a drug and alcohol problem or have experienced multiple relapses after addiction treatment. Maryland drug rehab programs focus on the individual's own personal accountability and responsibility to themselves friends, their family.
Outpatient Addiction Treatment vs. Inpatient Addiction Treatment
There are drug rehab programs in Maryland which also offer outpatient addiction treatment. Outpatient addiction treatment often times costs less than other forms of drug and alcohol treatment but is not as effective as an inpatient drug rehab. These types of drug and alcohol treatment programs are often more suitable for those who are employed or who have extensive social support. Although Maryland drug rehabs may vary, they all have one common goal; to help individuals recover from drug and alcohol problems.
Why People Travel to Florida Drug Rehabs from Maryland
While we recognize there are many effective and safe Maryland drug rehabs, there are quite a few people that seem to travel to Florida for Florida drug rehab. After careful research, it appears that Florida drug rehabs seem to provide drug and alcohol rehabilitation under a concept referred to as the Florida Drug Rehab Model of Addiction Treatment. This model of drug rehab or addiction treatment seems to allow for a more creative addiction treatment experience yielding tremendous results.
Jonathan Huttner is one of the founders of a national addiction treatment helpline 1-800-511-9225, which can help you locate effective treatment anywhere in the United States.
Author: Jonathan Huttner
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Five Common Diet Myths Exposed
Every time a new fad diet comes out, people jump on the bandwagon believing that this one will be the one that actually works. We desperately want it to be true.
Sadly, fad diets don't work. The truth is that two-thirds of adults in our country are overweight, including one-third who are clinically obese. That’s double the numbers from 30 years ago. Yet, in the desire to lose weight, people have spent more than $40 billion on diet-related products and quick-fixes each year.
This is money poorly spent because these fad diets don’t work. Americans remain overweight and obese.
Here are the facts about five weight loss myths:
Diet Myth 1: You can lose weight permanently through fad diets.
Fact: While fad diets may offer a promise of quick weight loss, they are not successful at losing weight and keeping it off. While having you cut certain foods out of your diet may help you lose weight initially, that approach is extremely difficult to sustain. Most people quickly tire of the regimen and gain back any weight they initially lost.
Fad diets may not provide all of the nutrients your body needs, which is unhealthy. Also, losing weight too quickly (more than 3 pounds a week) increases your risk of health problems such as gallstones or an abnormal heart rhythm, which can be fatal.
Tip: The best way to lose weight, and keep it off, is to lose to 2 pounds per week by eating healthy foods, using portion control, and maintaining regular physical activity. These healthy choices may also lower your risk for type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease, among other potential illnesses.
Diet Myth 2: Natural or herbal weight-loss products are safe and effective.
Fact: The words “natural” and “herbal” do not mean a product is necessarily safe. Rarely are these claims supported by scientific testing which proves that they are safe and will work. One popular ingredient found in some herbal products is called ephedra, and it is now banned by the U.S. Government due to the serious health issues it has caused. It is even linked to some deaths. Some products are now ephedra-free, but that doesn’t mean the new ingredients used to replace ephedra are necessarily safe.
Tip: Be sure to consult your healthcare provider before using any weight-loss product. Take control of your own health by ensuring that what you are taking has been tested and is safe.
Diet Myth 3: High protein/low carbohydrate diets are safe and effective.
Fact: We don’t really know all of the long-term health effects of a high-protein/low-carbohydrate diet. But getting most of your calories from high-protein foods like meat, eggs, and cheese is not a balanced eating plan. Too much fat and cholesterol in your diet may increase your risk of heart disease and other health problems.
Carbohydrates are a valuable part of any diet. A lack of carbs can lead to ketosis, the build-up of partially broken-down fats. Gout, a painful swelling of joints, is often associated with not enough carbohydrates in a diet. Another risk is kidney stones. Pregnant women, and people with kidney disease and diabetes must be especially careful.
Tip: High-protein/low-carbohydrate diets may cause short-term weight loss, because the limited food choices often result in reduced calorie consumption. But a well-balanced, reduced-calorie eating plan and using a portion plate for portion control will also allow you to lose weight and provide the variety of foods you need to stay healthy.
Diet Myth 4: Starches are fattening and should be avoided when dieting.
Fact: Many high starch foods, like rice, pasta, beans and fruits, are low in fat and calories. They become a problem when eaten in large quantities or with high-fat toppings like butter or mayonnaise. Foods high in starch (also called complex carbohydrates) are an important energy source for your body.
Tip: A healthy eating plan (1) emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products, (2) includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts, and (3) is low in saturated fats, trans fat, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars.
Diet Myth 5: Certain foods, like grapefruit, cabbage soup or celery, can burn fat.
Fact: It would be nice, but in fact, there aren’t any foods that burn fat. There are certain things in foods, such as caffeine, that may speed up your metabolism (the way your body uses energy from calories,) but they do not cause weight loss.
Tip: Weight loss success comes from increased physical activity and reducing your caloric intake. Portion control plates can be very helpful in reducing food consumption.
Exercise For Fitness And Good Health
The number of obese individuals are growing worldwide. There are a number of factors that contribute to this dilemma. Poor eating habits, lack of exercise, inactivity, hereditary and other factors. Having a healthy diet and an increasing activity will counter this problem.
Hiring a personal trainer is a good idea too. A fitness professional plays a vital role in health care particularly in a person who wants to lessen risk factors and enhance health. They can create a customized program that will fit the unique needs of the elderly, young people and pre or post-natal women.
A fitness trainer can help you have the best training and the suitable exercises that will take off excess weight at the same time inculcate healthy eating habits in you. They can create weight-management programs that make use of the three important elements to weight loss. These vital elements are: nutrition, exercise and lifestyle.
It is important to bear in mind though that losing weight does not come automatically. It takes continuous practice and a lot of patience. The best thing to keep in mind is once you keep the weight off, you should keep it off.
If you work hard to lose weight, it would be useless if you slacken your efforts and gain the weight all over again. Investing books on good health, nutrition and exercise is a good move. You will learn a lot of strategies from the books on how to lose weight and keep the pounds off.
Also, you should buy men's sport watch. This gadget could help you keep time on your exercise routines daily. You need to choose a sports watch that fits your needs.
If you use your watch to time your running then you should look for a sweat-resistant watch with rubber cases and lap timers. Some watches can withstand water resistance which are good if your daily fitness regimen includes swimming. These watches have passed stringent tests to determine if they can withstand sweat, shock and other activities. These gadgets can definitely aid you when you are striving to lose weight.
Exercise should be included in your daily schedule. Good eating habits alone will not keep you healthy. Exercise can keep illnesses such as diabetes, heart ailment and other fatal diseases at bay. If you exercise constantly, you will find yourself becoming healthier and slimmer later.
Definitions Of Alcholism
The meaning of alcohol addiction today is usually a disorder as well as dependency in which the usage of alcohol is continuing regardless of adverse medical or social consequences. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSMV) defines alcohol addiction as continuing compulsive use of alcohol despite persistent undesirable affects. How the public feels about dependency on alcohol varies. The professional medical community considers it both a disease as well as an addiction.
Around 75 percent - 90 percent of adults in America are known to use alcohol but only a certain portion of these are afflicted with alcohol dependency. There are a number of factors that often come into consideration such as anxiety, mental wellbeing, inherited genes, age, and ethnicity. Put simply, there are several elements and none are absolute predictors, merely risk factors for the disease of alcoholism.
Studies indicate certain trends in the tendency to go on to develop alcohol dependency related to age when drinking starts. Research has shown that 40% of those who started consuming alcohol prior to 14 developed dependencies on alcohol while those that start after age 21 showed just a 10 percent rate of addiction to alcohol. Doctors think particular changes in the brain of an adolescent that was brought on by alcohol consumption could leave the person at risk of the condition later.
Inherited genes may impact someone's susceptibility to alcoholism, as those with a family history of alcohol addiction appear to be at increased danger.
The undesirable affects of dependency on alcohol are progressive and it might be challenging for the individual or even others to acknowledge them. A few of the symptoms include:
• Preoccupation with drinking alcohol
• Secretive drinking - concealing drinking so that others won't comment or notice
• Too much time spent in recuperating from effects of alcohol consumption or with drinking linked activities
• Long term unsuccessful attempts to quit or cut down
• Loss of control - consuming alcohol a lot more than intended
• Tolerance of alcoholic beverages where increasing quantities are needed in order to feel it
• Persistent use even with adverse interpersonal, monetary or wellness consequences.
• Withdrawal symptoms, which unlike withdrawal problems with other drugs can be lethal in their own right.
Treatment Plans for Alcoholism
About 5 percent of the alcoholics who attempt to quit drinking alcohol without having help are successful. Alcoholics that get into an alcohol treatmentm program statistically have a greater success history. The majority of programs focus on total abstinence and modification of problem management patterns and social contacts as well as support. Certain drug treatments might be utilized to assist the alcoholic therapy and lifestyle change.
A few approaches may target alcohol reduction like Drink Wise and Moderation Management. Research completed in 2004 suggests that complete abstinence provides the greatest success in managing alcohol addiction long-term.
Though, females who suffer from dependency on alcohol tend to be fewer in number the health and social ramifications seem more noticeable. How society and the alcoholics themselves view their affliction may hinder or promote seeking out therapy.
Females are more likely to believe that suffering from alcoholism is an indication they're morally corrupt or others will view them as being “bad”.
Men on the other hand view overcoming the condition as a sign of strength and a diagnosis of dependency on alcohol is not really viewed as an indicator of weakness overall.
These are wide-ranging generalizations and so they might not be valid in each case yet may hinder or assist in therapy respectively.
Best Drug Rehab Ideas
Substance usage and even more intense, drug addiction are, unfortunately, among the key faults and problems on the planet nowadays. Because of the fact that coping with significant substance addictions and individuals that need a intricate professional guidance, the drug rehabilitation may be a psychotherapeutic treatment method that suggests large sums of duties, which provide a collection of quality principles...
The basic ideas from the substance abuse treatment start from thinking about each circumstance a particular and personalized expression from the medical condition. Depending on this reality, the professional doctors create a intricate remedy which includes each patient’s unique requirements and problems, to be able to advance the reintegration within the healthy and typical daily life of the modern society. Even more, the substance abuse isn't a unidirectional affliction, as it concerns numerous medical, efficient, social, personal, and legal issues.
The second most critical rule when discussing drug addictions is the versatility associated with the therapy. This indicates altering the therapy, medicaments and substitute techniques, concerning the patient’s development, problems and difficulties that may arise throughout rehab. A significant part of the rehabilitation system is the rigid supervision of the individuals, in order to assure the abstinence from drugs in the period of therapy and the optimum counseling that supplies reasons and ideas that halt the patient from restarting to use dangerous drugs later on. In many of the substance abuse cases, you will find the need to combine the traditional medicine therapies which use medicines like levo-alpha-acetylmethadol with the demanding counseling and mental remedies, in order to supply a intricate and effective remedy with lasting results. Motivation is an crucial element in the drug rehab method. While previous to commencing the treatment, the internal drive and admittance of the severe affliction can be challenging to achieve from the individual, additional desire is essential for a full rehab. Over the further phases of therapy, the individuals discuss his or her experience, inspiration along with wants that stimulate them to beat the situation.
Our bodies are continually exposed to many harmful toxins and unwanted elements that might develop serious illnesses or health ailments. A complete body cleansing must look into all sorts of therapies, meal plans and workout routines that should secure the toxins releasing method. The detoxifying foods and drinks are working from inside, taking measures in particular on the liver, lungs, kidneys, pancreas, bowels and the total digestive tube. The recovery from drug addiction is a long term procedure that, in the majority of the scenarios, demands various steps of remedy, as it is thought to be very much alike a debilitating disease. The professional physicians in drug rehab sustain that, during these several episodes of remedies and in between, individuals needs to be regularly backed by and also urged by close loved ones and acquaintances, to be able to prevent relapses and to guarantee the dependable and healthy reintegration in the culture.
For more information on drug and alcohol rehabilitation please contact us. We offer alcohol rehab treatment and susbstance recovery programs like cocaine addiction treatment and heroin addiction treatment. Visit our site www.HawaiiIslandRecovery.com for more information.
