Emergency Room Visits for ADHD Drugs More Than Doubled from 2005 to 2010

By Join Together Staff | January 25, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Prescription Drugs

Emergency room visits involving attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) drugs more than doubled from 2005 to 2010, according to a new government report. The number of visits involving ADHD medications that were used non-medically almost tripled during this period.

The report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) found in 2005, there were 13,379 emergency room visits related to ADHD drugs. Such visits jumped to 31,244 in 2010, Newswise reports.

Non-medical use of ADHD medications rose from 5,212 in 2005, to 15,585 in 2010. Other pharmaceutical drugs were involved in nearly half (45 percent) of emergency room visits involving ADHD stimulant medications and about one fifth involved illicit drugs (21 percent) or alcohol (19 percent).

The report found emergency room visits for nonmedical use have not increased among children and adolescents, but they have increased among adults aged 18 or older.

“ADHD medications, when properly prescribed and used can be of enormous benefit to those suffering from ADHD, but like any other medication they can pose serious risks – particularly when they are misused,” SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde said in a news release. “This study indicates that a better job has to be done alerting all segments of society – not just the young – that misuse of these medications is extremely dangerous.”

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Siberian Psychologists Whip Addicts Clean

The bizarre beating "treatment" doesn't enjoy mainstream support—but some recipients swear by it.

Natasha receives her "treatment."
Photo via

By Sarah Beller   THE FIX

01/07/13

Siberian psychologists are taking a hardline approach to helping people with addiction: literally beating it out of them. The practitioners claim that lashing addicts on the buttocks with a willow cane can help those for whom more conventional methods have failed. Practitioners Dr. German Pilipenko and Professor Marina Chukhrova say that their treatment is grounded in science: "We cane the patients on the buttocks with a clear and definite medical purpose—it is not some warped sado-masochistic activity," insists Professor Chukhrova. The pair say that addicts suffer from a lack of endorphins, and that pain can stimulate the brain to release the feel-good chemicals, "making patients feel happier in their own skins." Mainstream doctors dismiss the practice, saying that exercise, acupuncture, massage, chocolate or sex are all better at stimulating endorphin secretion. Dr. Pilipenko admits, "we get a lot of skepticism...but so do all pioneers." The Siberian Times reports that "the reaction of most people is predictable: to snigger, scoff or make jokes loaded with sexual innuendo." And one recipient of the treatment, 41-year-old recovering alcoholic Yuri, says his girlfriend accused him of simply visiting a dominatrix. But he adds that although "the first strike was sickening...Somehow I got through all 30 lashes. The next day I got up with a stinging backside but no desire at all to touch the vodka in the fridge. The bottle has stayed there now for a year."  

Natasha, a 22-year-old recovering heroin addict with several months clean, says, "I am the proof that this controversial treatment works, and I recommend it to anyone suffering from an addiction or depression. It hurts like crazy—but it's given me back my life." She receives 60 strokes of the cane per session (drug addicts get double the dose of alcoholics), at a cost of about $100. Her "therapy" is hardly for the faint-hearted: "With each lash," says Natasha, "I scream and grip tight to the end of the surgical table. It's a stinging pain, real agony, and my whole body jolts." But she also insists, "I'm not a masochist. My parents never beat me or even slapped me, so this was my first real physical pain and it was truly shocking. If people think there's anything sexual about it, then it's nonsense." Professor Chukhrova stresses that care is taken to ensure clients' safety: "The beating is really the end of the treatment. We do a lot of psychological counseling first, and also use detox. It is only after all the counseling, and heart and pain resistance checks, that we start with the beating." The doctor adds that the willow branches used are "flexible and can't be broken nor cause bleeding." And the practitioners are also at pains to deny any ulterior motives: "If any patients get sexual pleasure from the beatings, we stop immediately," says Professor Chukhrova. "This is not what our treatment is about. If they're looking for that, there are plenty of other places to go."

The 10 Best Addiction Novels | The Fix

The 10 Best Addiction Novels | The Fix

Calvary Chapel Old Bridge

Calvary Chapel Old Bridge

Addiction Recovery - "The Most Excellent Way"

Since 1986, "The Most Excellent Way" has been providing the Christian solution to chemical dependency and life-controlling problems: Jesus!

"The Most Excellent Way" is LOVE according to the Bible, 1 Corinthians 12:31, 13:3-8. God Himself demonstrated His love for us by freely giving us the gift of Life, abundant Life, His Son. And, we love because He first loved us!

"At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived

and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures.

We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.

But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared,

He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy.

He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,

whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior,

so that, having been justified by his grace,

we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life."

Titus 3:3-7 NIV

"The Most Excellent Way" is a loving group of men and women affected directly or indirectly by drugs or alcohol or any addictive behavior as pornography or any anti-Biblical behavior. In the Support Meetings, we grow in our faith in Christ with the encouragement of God's Word and prayers. Thousands worldwide have been helped through attending these weekly meetings.

A person can be totally free from addiction and compulsive behavior only by the power of the indwelling Spirit of Christ Jesus. Your Creator has created you and knows everything about you (everything!) and if you are one of His, He still loves you. And…there is a good purpose and a plan for your life.

Please join us on Wednesday evenings for this loving, caring support group meeting! We are here for YOU!

First Baptist Church Markham Woods contact person: Ernie Rudisill

Visit the national headquarters website at www.mostexcellentway.org

Addiction Support Group Meeting

Weekly: Wednesdays – 8:15PM

First Baptist Church Markham Woods

5400 Markham Woods Road 

Lake Mary, FL 32746

407.333.2085

Teaching Teens to Manage Personality Traits May Reduce Problem Drinking

By Join Together Staff | January 24, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Alcohol, Mental Health, Prevention & Youth

High school programs that teach teens to better manage their personality traits can help reduce and postpone problem drinking, a new study suggests.

“Two factors determine problem drinking: personality and peer pressure,” said study author Dr. Patricia Conrod of King’s College London’s Institute of Psychiatry. “Teaching young people how to better manage their personality traits or vulnerabilities helps them make the right decisions in given situations, whether it is a matter of overcoming their fears, managing thoughts that make them very emotional, controlling their compulsions, analyzing objectively the intentions of others or improving their self-perception.”

In the two-year study, high school staff in London worked with ninth-grade students, who were divided into two groups. One group participated in a personality-based intervention program run by school staff, while the second group received the standard United Kingdom drug and alcohol curriculum. All of the students’ drinking patterns were examined.

Students filled out a personality questionnaire to determine their risk of developing future alcohol dependence. Personality traits identified with a greater risk of alcohol dependence included impulsivity, hopelessness, sensation-seeking, or anxiety, Newswise reports.

School staff members trained in the personality-based program delivered group workshops targeting the different personality profiles. The workshops taught the teens to better manage their personality traits. “Our study shows that this mental health approach to alcohol prevention is much more successful in reducing drinking behavior than giving teenagers general information on the dangers of alcohol,” Dr. Conrod said in a news release.

After two years, the study found high-risk students in the intervention group had a 29 percent reduced risk of drinking, a 43 percent reduced risk of binge drinking, and a 29 percent reduced risk of problem drinking, compared with high-risk students in the standard drug and alcohol education programs. The intervention also significantly slowed the progression to more risky drinking behavior in the high-risk students over the two years.

The study appears in JAMA Psychiatry.

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Living Free Every Day®

Moving On

Today's Scripture   JANUARY 25 2013

"I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us." - Philippians 3:12-14 NLT

Thoughts for Today

As we come to Jesus and begin to understand who we are in him, it is time to learn from the past, put it behind and move on ahead. Paul makes it clear in today's scripture that he is on a journey. He knows he is not perfect, but he determines to forget the past and reach forward—to become all Jesus wants him to be. He is moving the right direction—toward Jesus—and he is not turning back.

That's where we need to be too. On a journey to Jesus, to accomplishing his purpose for us. If we try to drag the hurts and mistakes of the past along with us on the journey, our progress will be slowed … or come to a stop altogether. We need to give all that baggage to Jesus and receive his healing and forgiveness. We need to keep our eyes on him and run forward.

Consider this …

Are you dragging baggage along as you try to move ahead with Jesus? Painful memories of abuse or other hurts. Unforgiveness. Condemnation. If you have made Jesus Lord of your life, it is time to put all those things behind. You have been made right in God's sight. You are his child. You are his masterpiece, designed for a purpose.

Join the apostle Paul in putting the past behind and moving forward along the marvelous path God has set before you. He has a good plan for you. Press on!

Prayer

Father, thank you for your healing and forgiveness. Help me to truly leave my hurts and failures in the past and keep my eyes on Jesus as I move forward along the path you have for me. In Jesus' name …

These thoughts were drawn from …

Restoring Families: Overcoming Abusive Relationships through Christ by Janet M. Lerner, D.S.W. This study helps to minister to families caught in the cycle of abusive relationships. The curriculum deals with overcoming these abusive relationships through Christ and is recommended for use in support groups and Christian counseling.

• Ministers to families from abusive relationships
• Ministers to victims of family violence
• Deals with wounded emotions
• Deals with control and intimacy issues
• Presents a strong message of Christ as healer of abusive relationships

Note: This curriculum was written especially for small groups, and we encourage people to use it that way. However, it can also be used effectively as a personal study for individuals or couples.

Would you like to have these devotions appear daily on your church or ministry website? Learn More

 

 

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Navy Blood-Alcohol Tests to Start in February

By Join Together Staff | January 24, 2013 | 1 Comment | Filed in Alcohol, Military & Prevention

The U.S. Navy will begin conducting random blood-alcohol tests on sailors in the United States in February, the Associated Press reports. The Navy will use the tests, which were announced earlier this year, to determine whether a sailor is fit for duty, or may need counseling.

Sailors whose blood-alcohol level is .04 or higher when they report for duty will not be allowed to work. A reading of .02 or higher will not be used to punish sailors, but could be used to refer them to a substance abuse treatment program.

The Navy will begin distributing hand-held alcohol detection devices (ADD) to Navy commands in February. The devices should distributed throughout the Navy by the end of May.

“Deterring irresponsible use of alcohol is essential to the readiness of our fleet and ensuring the health and safety of our service members and units,” Admiral Bill Gortney, Commander of U.S. Fleet Forces, said in a statement. “Fleet Forces, in partnership with Pacific Fleet, will remain engaged in providing service members the tools and resources to make these responsible choices. The ADD is one of many tools commanders have to educate service members.”

The Marines will carry out their own random alcohol screening, according to the AP.

Missouri a National Leader in Drug Courts: State’s Top Judge

By Join Together Staff | January 24, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Community Related, Drugs, Legal & Treatment

Missouri’s drug courts have more than 12,000 graduates who have successfully completed treatment court programs, according to the state’s top judge. “Missouri has become a national leader in drug courts,” Chief Justice Richard Teitelman said in an address to the state legislature this week.

The courts were established in Missouri two decades ago, according to the Associated Press. They are designed to divert nonviolent offenders who struggle with substance abuse to judicially supervised treatment programs, instead of prisons, the article notes. Missouri has drug courts in all but two of its 45 judicial circuits.

Almost 600 drug-free babies have been born to treatment court participants, Justice Teitelman said. More than half of participants successfully complete the program.

The report states that 7.1 percent of adults who complete drug court programs commit additional crimes within the next 30 months, compared with 15 percent for those who do not go through the programs.

Dear Joseph, Did you know that over 85 million people in the U.S. say they have been affected by addiction? Whether it is family, friends, or loved ones, the impact of addiction is far-reaching. But, imagine if everyone came forward to share a story of recovery or a message of support. It would mean 85 million reasons to have hope. That's why we've launched The Hope Share. At The Partnership we believe that together we can dispel the stigma of feeling alone and helpless because of addiction, and that we can give hope by sharing the stories of others. Share your story of hope now: http://my.drugfree.org/the-hope-share The Hope Share is a campaign that lets those affected by drug and alcohol addiction know they are not alone, that there is hope and the possibility of recovery. Feeling that recovery is possible is one of the first steps for taking action and finding the way back. One story sent to us from Cathie, a loving mother, has stayed in our minds: For 10 years I was asking, "Why us?" We had tried so hard to be the best parents. ... I didn't know if I would get a call that he was in jail, in the hospital or dead. Finally he reached his bottom and it is amazing that he survived. His abuse could have so easily killed him. I have learned so much about addiction. ... In one week I am going to visit him to celebrate three years of sobriety! He tells me that it is statistically a major milestone. I am so lucky today! Share your message of hope -- or one the many other stories we've received -- and help change the ending of someone else's story: http://my.drugfree.org/the-hope-share Together we can dispel the stigma. We can give hope to the hopeless. Thank you, Steve Pasierb President and CEO The Partnership at Drugfree.org

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Living Free Everyday

Living Free Everyday

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Proposal to Increase Restrictions on Opioid Prescribing Prompts Debate

By Join Together Staff | January 23, 2013 | 1 Comment | Filed in Government, Prescription Drugs & Prevention

A proposal by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to more tightly control prescriptions of drugs containing hydrocodone is prompting debate among doctors, according to NPR. A committee of the FDA will meet January 24 and 25 to consider the DEA’s request.

Emergency room visits related to hydrocodone, the key ingredient in Vicodin and other painkillers, have soared since 2000. Vicodin, which also contains acetaminophen, is subject to fewer regulations than pure hydrocodone.

For almost a decade, the DEA has called for stricter regulation of Vicodin, in order to reduce abuse of the drug. The DEA wants to change the way drugs that combine hydrocodone with other products are classified, to require patients to have more interaction with doctors in order to obtain prescriptions for them.

Andrew Kolodney, who leads Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing, wants opioids to be used only for patients who really need them, such as cancer patients. “This epidemic has been fueled by overprescribing of opioids, particularly for chronic noncancer pain, whether it’s low back pain, headaches,” he told NPR. “I think that’s really created a public health crisis.”

His group wants the Food and Drug Administration to rewrite labels on opioids to state that physicians should write prescriptions only for severe pain, and at much lower doses. The group wants prescriptions for the drugs to be written for a maximum of 90 days at a time. “The way to begin to turn the epidemic around is by getting doctors to prescribe more cautiously,” Kolodney said.

Lynn Webster, President of the American Academy of Pain Medicine, is concerned these changes may prevent many patients from obtaining drugs they need. “We have millions of people who are totally disabled because of their pain,” he said. “Many people who do not have access to aggressive pain management may simply not be able to survive.”

Living Free Everyday

Living Free Everyday

National Rx Drug Abuse Summit

About

Operation UNITE will host the second annual National Rx Drug Abuse Summit in Orlando April 2-4. We hope you will join us! Last year we had 750 people from 47 states!

Company Overview

This must-attend National Rx Drug Abuse Summit, April 2-4, 2013, is unlike any other national conference, bringing all impacted parties together to address the prescription drug abuse epidemic. Conference programming is designed to convey a synergistic approach to include: prevention, education, treatment, law enforcement, health care providers, pharmacists, advocates, and third-party payers – among other impacted parties.

 

 

 

Contact Info

Phone	+60 6-657 3218
Email	erice@centertech.com
Website	http://nationalrxdrugabusesummit.org/

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Commentary: Time to “Make An Impact” on Rx Epidemic

By Karen Kelly | January 22, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Community Related & Prescription Drugs

Every month approximately 1,200 calls are received from individuals in southern and eastern Kentucky seeking help with an addiction issue. Multiply this by the hundreds of regions across America and it’s easy to understand why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention consider prescription drug abuse a public health “epidemic.”

One accidental overdose death every 19 minutes; more than the number of deaths from car crashes. That’s a sobering statistic.

Families and communities are being torn apart, and our children are not immune to addiction’s deadly consequences.

In 2009, an estimated 28,068 visits to the emergency department misuse or abuse of drugs by children aged 12-14, according to a report by the Drug Abuse Warning Network. Half of these visits involved prescription and over-the-counter medications.

As the tide of prescription drug abuse rolled across the country, communities found themselves unprepared for the impending flood of problems and now struggle to react against the tsunami of addiction.

Recognizing that no single organization or agency could fend off this storm, UNITE launched the inaugural National Rx Drug Abuse Summit in 2012. Impacted parties came together for a holistic examination of what is being done to help solve the prescription drug problem, what could be done or done better, and to forge lasting partnerships and strategic alliances.

“Operation UNITE’s inaugural National Summit on Rx Drug Abuse was one of the most professional and well organized conferences I have ever been to,” stated Carla Saunders, NNP-BC, advance practice coordinator with Pediatrix Medical Group at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital. “Power packed with excellent keynote speakers, the Summit brought hope to our team that has treated more than 400 prescription drug-exposed newborns suffering from withdrawal in the past two years.”

“We learned so much about the problem of prescription substance abuse and what can, and is, being done to combat the problem,” Saunders said. “We had incredible opportunities to ‘unite’ with others and see that there is hope. In hope there is strength, and in strength there is the power to make a difference.”
Last year’s conference sparked many on-going collaborations among stakeholders in this on-going battle. Feedback from the more than 700 participants has been used to shape discussion at the second Summit, to be held April 2-4, 2013, at the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate in Florida. Breakout and general session programs will focus on ways participants can “Make An Impact” in the fight against prescription drug abuse.

With youth experimenting with drugs at an earlier and earlier age, it is incumbent on all stakeholders to identify and collaborate on successful educational strategies that will help change behaviors.

No single entity or initiative can solve our nation’s problems alone. In addition to grassroots educational efforts, law enforcement strategies and providing appropriate treatment/recovery programs for addicts, we must look at long-term cures – and that involves effective legislation at local, state and federal levels. The Summit brought recognition to work of the Congressional Caucus on Prescription Drug Abuse and collaboration continues on strong Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs.

“This may be the biggest challenge of our society, and the only way this destructive trend can be reversed is if everyone — I mean, everyone – gets involved,” stated U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall (WV-3rd), a keynote speaker at the first Summit. “Our nation’s future – our children’s and grandchildren’s future – hangs in the balance.”

We cannot let this problem go unchecked. Prescription drug abuse is growing out-of-control, draining limited resources and devastating families. Please join this important national conversation on April 2-4, 2013, and Make An Impact! Our future is at stake.

Karen Kelly, President/CEO, Operation United