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Wednesday, August 13, 2014
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People who have a history of drinking problems by the time they are middle-aged are more than twice as likely to exhibit memory problems in later life as those who don't, according to a recent study. "Does it matter if you were a heavy drinker in your 20's as opposed to your 40's? 
ER Visits Involving Sleep Drug Overmedication Almost Doubles
August 12th, 2014/
The number of emergency department visits involving the sleep drug zolpidem (the active ingredient in Ambien) almost doubled over four years, according to a new government report.
Zolpidem-related ER visits rose from 21,824 in 2005-2006, to 42,274 in 2009-2010, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) found. In 2010, females accounted for two-thirds of zolpidem-related ER visits involving overmedication. The largest number of visits related to overmedication with the drug involved patients ages 45 to 54.
More than half of zolpidem-related ER visits also involved other prescription drugs, including other anti-anxiety and insomnia medications and narcotic pain relievers. In addition, 14 percent of visits involved alcohol combined with zolpidem.
Almost half of ER visits related to zolpidem overmedication resulted in either a hospital admission or a transfer to another medical facility. About one-quarter of these more serious cases involved admission to a critical or intensive care unit, the report noted.
CBS News reports that hospital ER visits involving drug-related suicide attempts in people ages 45 to 64 doubled from 2005 to 2011. In 2010 there were almost 5 million drug-related visits to emergency departments throughout the country, according to SAMHSA.
In 2013, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) required manufacturers of drugs containing zolpidem to reduce the recommended dose by half for females, in response to increasing numbers of reports of adverse reactions. The FDA suggested drug makers also reduce the recommended dose for men.
Zolpidem’s side effects can include daytime drowsiness, hallucinations, dizziness, agitation and sleepwalking. When combined with other substances, the sedative effects of zolpidem can be dangerously enhanced, SAMHSA noted in a news release.
Colorado Ad Campaign Warns Teens About Long-Term Effects of Marijuana
August 12th, 2014/
A new ad campaign warns teenagers in Colorado about the long-term effects of marijuana use. The “Don’t Be a Lab Rat” campaign targets 12- to 15-year-olds, Reuters reports.
The ads state that the long-term effects of marijuana are not yet fully understood, and warn teens that if they use marijuana they are essentially volunteering as subjects of research about the drug’s effects. In Colorado and Washington state, the possession and recreational use of small amounts of marijuana is legal for those 21 and older.
The ads will air on television, online and in movie theaters, the article notes. The Colorado Department of Health and Environment will also set up life-size “Lab Rat Cages” at middle schools and high schools, concert venues, skate parks and other locations that teens frequently visit.
“While much still needs to be learned about the effect marijuana has on the brain, enough information is available to cause concern in terms of the negative effects marijuana can have on the developing brains of teenagers,” Dr. Larry Wolk, the department’s executive director and chief medical officer, said in a news release. “The core premise of the ‘Don’t Be a Lab Rat’ campaign acknowledges that more research is necessary, but it also poses the question of whether or not teens should risk the potential negative effects of using marijuana.”
Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper noted a recent survey found the percentage of high school students who think using marijuana poses risks for their health has decreased. “We have a civic and public health obligation to do everything we can to make our children aware that there are risks for teens when they use marijuana,” he said. “This campaign is designed to grab the attention of teens and their parents, and provide them with the facts to have an informed discussion and make informed choices.”
Senator to Introduce Bill to Ban Powdered Alcohol
August 12th, 2014/
U.S. Senator Charles Schumer of New York says he will introduce a bill that would ban powdered alcohol. He is also urging retailers to boycott the product’s sale, which he says could hit store shelves as early as September, according to USA Today.
In May, Schumer urged the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to prevent federal approval of the powdered alcohol product called Palcohol. He said it could become “the Kool-Aid of teen binge drinking.” Schumer noted the product can be mixed with water, sprinkled on food or snorted. He asked the FDA to investigate the potential harmful effects of the product.
In a news release, Schumer said the FDA has refused to investigate the health risks of Palcohol.
The company that makes Palcohol, Lipsmark, says it plans to offer powdered alcohol in six varieties, including rum, vodka, Cosmopolitan, Mojito, Powderita and Lemon Drop. According to the company, a package of Palcohol weighs about an ounce and can fit into a pocket. It warns people not to snort the powder. Lipsmark says the product would be painful to snort, and will be sold under the same restrictions as liquid alcohol, the article notes.
Daily Quote
"The practice of patience protects us from losing our composure. In doing that it enables us to exercise discernment, even in the heat of difficult situations. It gives us inner space. And within that space we gain a degree of self-control, which allows us to respond to situations in an appropriate and compassionate manner rather than being driven by our anger and irritation." - Dalai Lama
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Monday, August 11, 2014
August 11 Chp 59 v 10 TWELVE STEPPING WITH STRENGTH FROM THE PSALMS
My God is changeless in His love for me .
STEP 11 - Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood God, praying only for knowledge of God's will for us and the power to carry that out .
It does not matter who you are or what you have done . I do not care what the world is telling you or selling you. There is a God and He loves each and everyone of us unconditionally . Living by yourself on your own counting on others and the world will only leave you empty and miserable . So miserable and confused I was that the only way to get through the day was use ! Life in addiction is loveless , lonely , and tiresome ! The steps led me to Gods Love and that Love for me was so strong that it broke my chains . God took away my addiction , anger , and pain and replaced it with love , peace , and joy . Steps 11 and 12 are apart of my daily routine and the more time I spend with God the more I discover just how much he loves us all .
1 John 4:16“And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.
By Joseph Dickerson
“New Paradigm” Addiction Recovery Model Takes Long-Term View
/BY CELIA VIMONT
August 6th, 2014/
People in recovery from substance use disorders who have had repeated relapses can benefit from being monitored for at least five years after treatment, according to a former head of the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
“Addiction is life-long and treatment is brief,” says Robert DuPont, M.D., President of the Institute of Behavior and Health. “We need to shift our thinking about treatment from the current focus on short-term episodes to long-term recovery management. That should include frequent random drug testing for alcohol or drug use, with serious consequences for failing. That is the lesson from state Physician Health Programs (PHP), which set the standard for good long-term outcomes from substance use disorders.”
He described the model for such care, called the New Paradigm for Recovery, at a recent meeting of the CORE (Clinical Overview of the Recovery Experience) conference. The New Paradigm is not a new treatment program. It is a system of long-term care management for substance use disorders that enhances and extends the benefits of all treatment programs.
Currently, formal episodes of substance use disorder treatment are relatively brief, even though addiction is a life-long disorder. In a recent report, the institute stated the median length of stay of a person who completed treatment in 2008 ranged from four days for detoxification, to 124 days for outpatient treatment and 197 days for outpatient medication-assisted opioid therapy. “Whether or not an episode of treatment is completed, the large majority relapses to alcohol and drug use,” the report noted. “Relapse after episodes of treatment is so common that it is often defined as a central element of this chronic disorder.”
The model for the New Paradigm is the Physician Health Program (PHP), which helps addicted doctors get the drug, alcohol and mental health treatment they need to keep their licenses and return to practice. If a doctor in the program uses alcohol or drugs even once, the consequences are swift and serious. They are pulled out of practice, evaluated, and if they are told they need residential treatment they must comply, or risk losing their licenses.
Doctors in the program routinely are monitored for five years after treatment. DuPont’s organization conducted the first national study of PHPs. In a follow up, they found that even five years after the required monitoring stopped, the large majority of physicians reported being completely abstinent from alcohol and other nonmedical drug use. “Most physicians after completing the PHP program are still abstinent and still going to 12-step meetings. The large majority report that the PHP program saved their lives and their careers,” says DuPont, who was also the second White House Drug Chief. “This study shows the way to make recovery, not relapse, the expected outcome of addiction treatment.”
New Paradigm programs treat addiction as a chronic illness. Just as blood sugar is monitored in a person with diabetes or blood pressure is measured for a person with hypertension, drug testing should be regularly conducted, eventually and ideally as part of routine medical care for patients in recovery from a drug or alcohol disorder, DuPont says. Two differences however, he notes, are the random nature of the drug testing, and the swift and certain consequences of a positive test result.
Some private addiction treatment programs, as well as independent monitoring services, use the New Paradigm. Several criminal justice system programs, including drug courts, also use the model. The New Paradigm can be especially useful in this setting, he observed. “In the criminal justice system today, a person on probation is tested on scheduled visits (not randomly) and they commonly have eight, 10 or even 15 substance abuse violations before being sent to prison often for long periods of time. That system of delayed, uncertain and draconian punishment does not work in anyone’s interests,” he says.
The New Paradigm begins with a signed mutual agreement between the person and the supervising entity (such as the family, an employer, or legal authority) to abstain from alcohol and drugs, and spells out the consequences of a failed drug or alcohol test. A successful program makes the consequence subject to the signed agreement, DuPont notes. “For example, teens who fail drug tests could have their driving privileges revoked.” Employing such a system of a signed agreement enforced by frequent random testing makes it practical for families, employers, probation and others to support recovery far more effectively, he says.
The program strongly encourages, and usually requires, participants actively to engage in community-based support meetings, such as AA or NA.
The New Paradigm is not needed for everyone being treated for a substance use disorder, DuPont says. While it helps everyone, it is most needed for those who have had repeated relapses. “Even after a person has had terrible problems with substance use, the brain’s memory of the reward experience of using alcohol or drugs hijacks the person’s thinking. They believe they can go back and manage their alcohol and drug use this next time.” That is why DuPont is critical of treatment programs, including some medication-assisted treatment programs, which tolerate continued alcohol and other drug use while in treatment. “When a person comes into treatment, they seldom want to stop using alcohol and drugs —they want to cut down or to have a respite from the pain their use is causing them.”
Inpatient Treatment for Heroin Abuse Would be Funded Under Proposed House Bill
August 6th, 2014/
A bill introduced this week in the U.S. House would establish a federal grant program to fund inpatient treatment for heroin abuse, the Hartford Courant reports.
The Expanding Opportunities for Recovery Act is designed to increase access to inpatient drug treatment services for heroin and opioid abuse and addiction, its sponsors say. Under the bill, states could apply for grant funding to provide up to 60 days at a residential facility for people who do not have health insurance, or whose plans do not cover inpatient addiction treatment.
The bill was introduced by Representative Bill Foster of Illinois and Sean Patrick Maloney of New York, both Democrats. “The heroin and prescription drug epidemic is ripping apart families and our communities, but tragically, many folks face too many hurdles to access treatment,” Maloney said in a news release. “The Expanding Opportunities for Recovery Act will help turn the tide on the epidemic by expanding treatment options for our neighbors.”
Maloney noted that while inpatient rehabilitation is a proven effective treatment for opioid abuse, many people cannot afford such treatment because they lack health insurance. He added many insurance providers require patients to exhaust other options, such as outpatient treatment and counseling, before they will agree to cover inpatient treatment.
For an individual to qualify for inpatient treatment under the measure, they must either lack health insurance or have insurance that places a barrier to inpatient treatment, such as requiring that less expensive treatment be exhausted first.
More Prescription Drugs Withdrawn or Got Black-Box Warnings After Drug Law Passed
August 6th, 2014/
More prescription drugs have received black-box safety warnings since a law designed to speed the drug approval process was passed in 1992, according to a new study. An increasing number of drugs have also been withdrawn from the market because of safety concerns since the law was passed, CBS News reports.
Almost 27 percent of drugs approved after the Prescription Drug User Fee Act was implemented in 1992 received black-box warnings or were withdrawn from the market within 16 years, compared with about 21 percent before the law was passed. The law allows the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to collect fees from pharmaceutical companies to speed the drug approval process.
“New drugs have a one-in-three chance of acquiring a new black-box warning or being withdrawn for safety reasons within twenty-five years of approval,” the researchers wrote in Health Affairs. “We believe that the ultimate solution is stronger U.S. drug approval standards.”
The researchers looked at all 748 drugs approved by the FDA between 1975 and 2009. They found 15 percent received one or more black-box warnings, and 4 percent were withdrawn from the market because of concerns over safety.
After the law was passed, median drug approval times were reduced from 33.6 months in 1979-1986, to 16.1 months in 1997-2002. Between 1999 and 2009, outpatient prescribers wrote 30 million prescriptions for each of the nine drugs that were later withdrawn due to safety concerns, or that received black-box safety warnings.
“Our findings suggest the need for reforms to reduce patients’ exposure to unsafe drugs, such as a statement or symbol in the labeling, medication guides for patients, and marketing materials indicating that a drug was approved only recently,” the researchers wrote.
Drinking Problems Among National Guard Soldiers Often Caused By Civilian Life
August 6th, 2014/
Drinking problems in returning U.S. National Guard soldiers are more likely to be caused by civilian life, rather than wartime experiences, according to new research.
As many as 13 percent of veterans may drink because of problems such as job loss, financial problems or divorce, the researchers found. Almost 7 percent of Americans overall have drinking problems, HealthDay reports.
The study appears in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
The researchers collected data on about 1,000 Ohio National Guard soldiers who returned from Iraq or Afghanistan. The soldiers were interviewed three times over three years. They were asked about their alcohol use, as well as exposure to traumatic events such as land mines, vehicle crashes, enemy fire, the deaths of fellow soldiers. They also were asked about their injuries and about stress in their lives since they returned.
Sixty percent of the veterans had experienced combat-related trauma, and 36 percent had experienced problems since they returned. The researchers found 13 percent of veterans reported alcohol abuse or dependence in their first interview, 7 percent in their second interview and 5 percent in their third interview. In addition, 17 percent said they were sexually harassed during their most recent deployment.
Having at least one civilian stressor or an incident of sexual harassment during deployment was associated with an increased risk for alcohol problems in soldiers who had not abused alcohol before, the article notes. The study found combat-related events were only marginally associated with alcohol problems.
“Exposure to the traumatic event itself has an important effect on mental health in the short-term, but what defines long-term mental health problems is having to deal with a lot of daily life difficulties that arise in the aftermath—when soldiers come home,” lead researcher Magdalena Cerdá of the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health said in a news release.
Welfare Applicants in Tennessee Must Declare Prior Drug History Under New Law
August 6th, 2014/
Under a new law in Tennessee, welfare applicants must declare any prior history of drug use, NPR reports.
The new law, which went into effect July 1, requires new applicants to fill out a questionnaire that asks whether they have recently taken drugs, and whether they lost employment or had court appearances scheduled in the past three months because of drug use. Most applicants so far have answered no to the questions. A person who answers yes must undergo drug testing.
So far four people have been disqualified from receiving benefits because they refused to submit to the law’s requirement that applicants undergo drug testing, according to theAssociated Press.
Supporters of the law say it is designed to prevent public funds from being spent on illegal drugs. Critics say the law unfairly penalizes vulnerable people.
State Senator Stacey Campfield, who wrote the law, says applicants who test positive are connected with treatment programs. The American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee says the law is a violation of privacy. The group is planning on challenging the law in court.
“We don’t test individuals who are seeking government support like farmers, veterans and students, so we have to take a step back and question why limited-income people are being targeted and have to submit to these intrusive searches,” said Hedy Weinberg, Executive Director.
Legislators in a number of states are continuing to pursue measures that would deny welfare benefits to people who use illegal drugs.
In December, a federal judge in Florida ruled the state’s drug-test requirement was unconstitutional. Florida’s law required welfare applicants to undergo mandatory drug testing. Judge Mary S. Scriven of the United States District Court in Orlando ruled the testing requirement violated the protection against unreasonable searches.
Friday, August 8, 2014
Friends, Please consider making a donation to help so many that are struggling with addiction. So many want help but cant get it because there is just not enough funding, especially for long term care. Also, there is a need for women and children trying to make their way in the aftermath of addiction and the need for housing and just basic needs is overwhelming. Many stay in hotels not knowing. So on behalf of Recovery Connections and also More than Conquerors ( https://www.facebook.com/pages/More-Than-Conquerors-in-Christ-Ministries/198301770232369?sk=timeline) I ask if you can give? Even the smallest amount can help. Thank you so much for you support.
Brief Interventions May Not Be Useful in Counteracting Drug Use: Studies
August 7th, 2014/
Two new studies published in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggest that brief counseling may not be effective in counteracting drug use. Previous research has shown brief interventions can help some problem drinkers, NPR reports.
Public health officials have been urging primary care doctors and hospital emergency rooms to ask patients about drug use, and to immediately give those with a drug problem a 10- to 15-minute counseling session, known as a brief intervention.
One of the new studies looked at more than 500 people who were determined to have a drug problem, based on a verbal screening at a primary care clinic. They were divided into three groups. The first two groups received brief counseling, while the third group received no counseling. After six months, those who had received brief counseling had not reduced drug use any more than people who received no counseling.
A second study found people who received brief counseling and a short phone call two weeks later did not reduce their drug use more than people who did not receive counseling. People with the most severe drug problems who received counseling were more likely to seek specialty care later on.
“I think it was wishful thinking that a problem as complex could be solved with a simple intervention,” said Richard Saitz of Boston University, author of the first study. He said some patients who come in for a routine checkup and are told they have a serious drug problem may be overwhelmed by the information. For these patients, a brief counseling session is unlikely to help.
Dr. H. Westley Clark, Director of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, told NPR the brief intervention model is very useful for many patients. “But as you popularize the intervention, you want to refine your approach,” he noted. Clark says brief interventions may not work for severe cases of drug use. He called for better training for health care providers to help them match patients with the best treatment.
Two Dead, 19 Hospitalized After Electronic Dance Music Festival in Maryland
August 7th, 2014/
Two males, ages 20 and 17, died after attending an all-day electronic dance music festival last weekend in Columbia, Maryland. Nineteen other people were hospitalized. Investigators said they suspected MDMA, or Molly, was the most commonly used drug at the festival.
Officials in Howard County, where the festival took place, said they were investigating security and screening procedures at the festival venue, The Baltimore Sun reports. Howard County Executive Ken Ulman said, “Substances that are becoming increasingly prevalent at certain concerts are incredibly dangerous,” he said, “and as a parent I am concerned that our children may be taking unnecessary risks.”
A 19-year-old woman who attended an electronic dance music festival in Los Angeles last weekend died of a suspected drug overdose, L.A. Weekly reported.
Organizers of summer music festivals are increasing drug screening after four people died at festivals last year. The deaths were linked to Molly. Concertgoers should expect sniffer dogs, pat-downs and other drug screening measures. Music festivals will provide medical tents with doctors, nurses and emergency medical technicians.
In April, organizers of New York’s Electric Zoo three-day event said this year fans will be required to view an anti-drug public service announcement online in order for their festival wristbands to activate. The event will start later in the day to reduce exposure to the sun. In addition, the organizers will scrutinize vendors more closely. The festival may place “amnesty bins” at the gates, so fans can drop off illicit substances before they are searched.
In 2013, the last day of Electric Zoo was canceled after two concertgoers died after taking Molly. Medical experts say club drugs are especially dangerous when they are taken in warm temperatures by people who are dehydrated and who exert themselves at all-day events.
Thursday, August 7, 2014
August 7 Chapter 75 v 5 TWELVE STEPPING WITH STRENGTH FROM THE PSALMS
Don 't raise your fists in defiance at the heavens or speak with such arrogance .
STEP 6 - Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character .
You will never get free from Addiction , until you realize your the problem and not God .Pain can certainly define you whether good or bad .The sad part is , most blame their pain on God . He is not an Ogir just waiting to punish you ! He is a living , loving , gracious , merciful God who misses His number one creation ,YOU ! Use the twelve steps and daily unceasing prayer to find Him . I did , and what I discovered He was with me through it all .
JAMES 5 : 16 - Confess [your] faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
By Joseph Dickerson
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