Stephen Lloyd, MD,The Partnership at Drugfree.org

Dear Joseph 

I am a doctor, and I am in recovery from prescription medicine abuse.

Some might be surprised to hear that, but the truth is that my profession did not make me immune to the painkiller addiction that started the way many others do — I abused medicine hoping it would help me cope with stress. I had some leftover pain medication after a dental procedure, and I took it in an effort to relax. At first, I thought I had found the perfect solution for my anxiety issues. I felt better.

I started taking more and more prescription pain relievers to feed what became an addiction.

Before I knew it, I had a real problem. My biggest secret? When one of my favorite professors became terminally ill and chose me to be his doctor, I stole and abused his opiates. I had hit an all-time low.

I began isolating myself. I lost interest in the things I loved to do, like coaching my son and daughter in their sports. I lost interest in my life in general.

Eventually, my family intervened, and I checked into a treatment center.

I was skeptical about treatment, even though I was entering a center that specifically treated doctors. We hadn't learned anything about medicine addiction, abuse or treatment in medical school. I just didn't think there was anyone who could help me.

Once I got clean, I made it my mission to make sure every graduate of my medical school would have a basic understanding about addiction, addictive disease and prescribing narcotics. I now dedicate my life to this goal. Perhaps if I had learned more about the nature and treatment of this disease, I would have been able to avoid my own medicine addiction.

It's important to talk to your doctor about the dangers of misusing and abusing the medicine he or she prescribes to you or your children. If your doctor hasn't yet brought this up with you, it may be time to bring it up yourself.

My dream is that one day, all doctors will know more about addiction and play a role in preventing medicine abuse. You can help by starting the conversation.

Stephen Loyd, MD, FACP

Associate Professor of Internal Medicine, Quillen College of Medicine and East Tennessee State University

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Conquering Grounds Music Fest September 14, 2013

Buy Tickets Here To raise money for the CLPRM Scholarship Fund, Helping those struggling with Addiction
On the Campus of Christian Life Center, 3100 Galloway Rd., Bensalem, PA 19020
Bring a Lawn Chair or Blanket
Rain or Shine Event
12 noon to 7 pm

there is hope - dave pettigrew

Ethical Issues Surround Rise in Doctors’ Use of Urine Drug Testing to Prevent Abuse

By Join Together Staff | August 2, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Healthcare, Prescription Drugs & Prevention

As a growing number of doctors use urine drug tests in an effort to detect prescription drug abuse in their patients, they face ethical questions about the tests, according to The New York Times.
These questions include how accurate the tests are, what doctors should do with the results, and whether doctors are benefitting financially from the tests. This year, sales at diagnostic testing labs that offer urine drug tests are expected to reach $2 billion.
Urine tests indicate many pain patients are not taking their prescribed painkillers, or are taking substances not prescribed to them by a doctor. If patients are not taking a prescribed medication, it could mean they simply stopped using it, or it could mean they are selling it.
Dr. Roger Chou, who helped develop urine-screening guidelines for the American Pain Society, says that while he believes the tests are valuable, he is concerned doctors may use the results as an excuse to drop patients, instead of sending them to addiction treatment or other pain management programs.
There are two basic types of urine drug tests. A patient taking a qualitative test leaves a urine sample in a cup that is imbedded with strips designed to detect drugs such as opioids, cocaine, amphetamines and barbiturates. These tests have both high false-positive and false-negative rates, meaning they often indicate a drug is present when it is not, or they fail to detect a drug that is present in a person’s urine. The tests detect methadone but not oxycodone, the article notes.
Qualitative tests are being used in states that have passed laws requiring welfare recipients to undergo drug screening.
A more sophisticated and expensive urine drug test used in pain patients is called quantitative analysis. A patient can beat the test by taking their prescription medicine for a day or two, and selling the rest.

West Virginia County Creates Database to Track Children at Risk of Drug-Related Abuse

By Join Together Staff | August 1, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Community Related, Drugs & Legal

Law enforcement officers in one West Virginia county will start using a database this week to track children who may be at risk of drug-related abuse, according to the Associated Press.
Starting today, law enforcement officers in Putnam County can enter any drug-related cases in which a child’s safety could be compromised. The Drug Endangered Child Tracking System will allow officers to report cases in which they are suspicious of child endangerment, but do not have proof, such as when they find a pacifier or empty car seat in a vehicle that has been transformed into a mobile meth lab.
Until now, officers have had no formal way to share suspicions of child endangerment directly with child welfare workers in drug cases, the AP reports. “We just didn’t input the data to make a black-and-white document, and in law enforcement, if it’s not on paper, it didn’t happen,” said Putnam County Sheriff, Steve Deweese.
Child-welfare workers will be able to log into the system to search for cases. “Law enforcement does a great job of identifying kids — if they’re there. But sometimes, you may not know there are children involved,” Sara Whitney, an investigator in the Putnam County prosecutor’s office, told the AP. “A lot of these kids come and go from relatives or neighbors, and it may be that when law enforcement interacts with the parents, they are somewhere else.”
West Virginia State Police hope the tracking system eventually will be used throughout the state, the article notes.

TABLE OF CONTENTS - Ethics in Atlanta - Reason #1 I Love My NAADAC Membership - New Job Openings - ASAM Training - Free Magazine Article - NAADAC Webinars - Clinical Supervision Tool QUICK LINKS Contact Us Join NAADAC About NAADAC Membership Benefits State Affiliates Events Calendar Education Approved Providers Certification Advocacy Code of Ethics Annual Conference Online Store EVENTS [ webinar schedule ] [ on demand ] Emerging Drugs of Abuse: Herbal Incense, Bath Salts & Purple Drank  Wed, 8/14/2013  3 - 4:30pm EST (2 CST/1 MST/12 PST) [ More Information ] Understanding the Role of Peer Recovery Coaches in the Addiction Profession  Wed, 8/21/2013  12 - 1:30pm EST (11 CST/10 MST/9 PST) [ More Information ] Using Recovery-Oriented Principles in Addiction Counseling Practice  Thurs, 8/29/2013  12 - 2pm EST (11 CST/10 MST/9 PST) [ More Information ] SuperD: Tools for Success Training Join NAADAC and CDWS to learn more about SuperD, a new software service created to provide clinical supervision support electronically and efficiently. Product highlights: - Documentation venues and standard reports for all types of supervision - Be more productive with advanced sorting of group and individual supervision by type, date and time - Develop the supervisory requirements and framework for supervisors and supervisees - Easily attach supporting documents or outcome data to augment supervision sessions - Maintain supervision accountability and follow through with automated e-mails and alerts - Instant reports for clinical licensure requirements Eugene, OR - August 5, 2013 from 8am-4pm [ More Information ] Lynnwood, WA - August, 8, 2013 from 8am-4pm [ More Information ]  August 1, 2013 Understanding Ethics: It's More Than a Code NAADAC Annual Conference in Atlanta - October 11-15, 2013 The NAADAC Annual Conference, co-hosted by the Georgia Addiction Counselors Association and other partners, offers the education you need as professionals at the cutting-edge of prevention, treatment and recovery. One of the issues that faces professionals on a daily basis is the ethical challenge of being that part of such a life-changing vocation. The October 12th workshop session, The Ethical Self: Who Am I Now? will feature Anne Hatcher, EdD, CAC III, NCAC II, Professor Emeritus of Metropolitan State University Denver and Mita M Johnson, LPC, LMFT, ACS, AAMFT-approved Clinical Supervisor, LAC, MAC. This workshop will focus on understanding and evaluating the impact of life experience, personal growth and current circumstances on decisions related to ethical standards. Depending on the stage your career is at, ethical decisions or interpretations might differ. This session will help participants understanding of the intent of the code of ethics that guides our practice and the role experience and a greater understanding of the recovery process plays in decision-making. 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All free to NAADAC members!  [ View Upcoming Webinars ] - [ View On Demand Webinars ] [ View Online Courses ] Ready to Jumpstart Your Career? Check out the NAADAC Career Center for the latest opportunities of addiction-focused professionals. New this week are: Admissions Coordinator at the Crossroads Centre, Antigua in St. John's – Antigua in the West Indies Executive Director of the Metropolitan Human Services District in New Orleans, Louisiana. More details [ Browse Current Career Listings ]  Emerging Problems and Advances in Addiction Treatment October 24 – 26, 2013 Arlington, VA Hosted by The American Society of Addiction Medicine ASAM's State of the Art Course will bring together assembled experts and national leaders in addiction medicine to identify the critical issues that will define a roadmap for exploring "Emerging Problems and Advances in Addiction Treatment." The course is designed specifically for physicians who seek an advanced level of knowledge about recent breakthroughs in understanding, preventing, diagnosing and treating addiction and co-occurring medical and psychiatric disorders. The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. This live activity, State of the Art Course in Addiction Medicine, has been approved for 20.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. [ More Information ] Free Article from NAADAC's Magazine The official magazine of NAADAC is only available to members, but as a special gift, this article is available to you for free. 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