As I mentioned in a recent post, drug violence in Mexico has been escalating to a disturbing degree, from affecting tourism numbers to actually seeing hitmen invade a Mexican treatment center and brutally kill people trying to get well. This does not bode well for the Mexican-American border, nor for the Mexican citizens as well. An article in the New York Times today talked about the new laws decriminalizing small amounts of marijuana and harder drugs in Mexico. Good questions brought up here- will US citizens go across the border for easier access to drugs? How will the Obama administration react? And how will this policy affect the Mexican citizens?
A variety of experts chimed in on this. One, Tony Payan (a political science professor at University of Texas-El Paso) mentioned that the new law was designed simply to combat the rampant police corruption- i.e. police demanding bribes to let people off for small possession charges- and NOT to curb violence. However, I really liked his viewpoint on this, quoted here: "it is a solid first step to pave the way for 1) distinguishing between drug use and drug abuse 2) paving the way for fully medicalizing abuse, that is, reinforcing the idea that we should treat drug addicts much as alcoholics and offer them help instead of prison time, and 3) focusing state resources on the production, trafficking and distribution networks." This is what we, vocal opponents of the US drug war, have been saying for years- that we should be going after the big drug kingpins and allow users better, and more comprehensive, access to drug treatment as opposed to putting them in jail.
I was, however, disappointed to see the response from Calvina Fay, executive director of the Drug Free America Foundation. She states: "Drug users are not innocent. They support the vicious drug cartels. Without their demand for drugs, the supply side has no purpose." However, this has been the response of government entities for the last 30 years, and we've made almost no progress. This is like comparing abstinence only education vs. comprehensive sex education. There will ALWAYS be demand for drugs- addiction will not go away if we someone slam the channels of drugs shut. People will find something new to be mind-altering- maybe even the internet- to fill the void. So we should be focusing more on the education of "what-happens-if" instead of "just say no."
Here's a breakdown of the new decriminalization laws:
Here's something funny.
Be sure to check out Writers in Treatment, a great new nonprofit organization in Los Angeles looking to help struggling artists get well. They'll be hosting an event here in LA co-sponsored by Hazelden; as more details emerge I'll post them. A great cause, and we're glad to see someone supporting them.
As always, follow me on Twitter and connect with me on LinkedIn. Become a fan of the blog on Facebook. And see you this week.
Showing posts with label addiction recovery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label addiction recovery. Show all posts
Monday, September 14, 2009
Monday, August 10, 2009
Relapse and Addiction in the news
Lots of addiction and drug use in the news as of late: of course the biggest story was Michael Jackson; his death, and the long history of addiction, will rival Elvis's in history I imagine. And if it doesn't, then we should make sure we as a people and a media are looking at it honestly. That, of course, was a huge splash and brought about a new wave of awareness about prescription pain medication.
A couple of months ago, the "Shamwow guy," Vince Shlomi, was arrested for being in a drunk fight with a hooker. And this past Friday, news about Billy Mays (pictured above) and a history of cocaine use breaks across the wire. Then over the weekend, Josh Hamilton, a darling of the media for his miraculous comeback from drug addiction (see a great article on his comeback from ESPN the Magazine here and I mentioned his comeback in my blog earlier this year), had pictures posted on Deadspin.com, a sports media blog, of an obvious relapse during spring training in January.
A couple of thoughts here: first and foremost, it's hard to be in the public eye. We've seen tortured artists, athletes, and successful people for centuries-- some of the most powerful people in the world have been the most troubled (see Howard Hughes, Elvis, Michael Jackson, etc. etc.). The list goes on and on. And when people who have any sort of issue- a drug problem, depression, anger management issues and the like- get into the public eye, the odds of a slip being exposed to the media are increased tenfold. For someone like Mays, whose persona was one of an over-the-top pitchman for various products on late night television, cocaine seems like a natural fit. For Hamilton, who had completely lost everything and built it back up, a relapse (for someone not as popular) may have been a tiny setback. However, in Hamilton's case, his entire season is being scrutinized for evidence of drinking or drug use, and whether or not his lack of performance this season is tied into that.
As we know, addiction is a chronic and fatal disease, as we've seen with Jackson and Mays. What we also need to remember is that sometimes people slip, like Hamilton did in January. Instead of making snarky remarks and making life more difficult, we as a group need to support Hamilton and his recovery. One can only hope that the Rangers will allow him time to find his way back to a recovery program-- and that Hamilton will make that decision as well.
Here's a video of the Josh Hamilton story, previous to his last relapse:
Hope: The Josh Hamilton Story - More amazing video clips are a click away
Here's a clip of Hamilton talking about his relapse:
Blitzcorner | Josh Hamilton Speaks about Relapse Video
Here's something funny.
As always, follow me on Twitter and connect with me on LinkedIn. Become a fan of the blog on Facebook. And see you this week.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Marijuana- a gateway drug?
An article in the New York Times this week talks about a couple of individual stories of people who are dependent on marijuana. One of the people interviewed, Joyce, had this to say about pot: Smoking pot, she said, “was a slow form of suicide.” The article touches on the stigma of marijuana addicts- mainly that people who were addicted to substances like heroin or crack cocaine looked down on people who had problems with marijuana. However, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that the marijuana of today is up to five times more potent than the marijuana of the 1970s.
“We need to be very mindful of what we are unleashing out of a Pandora’s Box here,” said Dr. Richard N. Rosenthal, chairman of psychiatry at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital in Manhattan and professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University. “The people who become chronic users don’t have the same lives and the same achievements as people who don’t use chronically.” However, you can say this about EVERY drug. I mean, if someone had the ability to drink one glass of wine a week as opposed to someone who drank a bottle of wine a night, the person who drank less would have less adverse consequences, right? And you can repeat that with ANY drug.
More adults are now admitted to treatment centers for primary marijuana and hashish addictions than for primary addictions to heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine, according to the latest government data, a 2007 report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. However, those numbers are a little skewed, as 57 percent of those people were admitted due to court requirements- so they may not have been a complete addict.
So the question that defines this- are there consequences from marijuana use? Are lives made unmanageable as a result of smoking pot? The answer, of course, is yes- and with the genetic link for addiction a proven fact, then obviously any psychoactive substance can activate that addiction. So- marijuana, like any other substance, can be addictive when it's used by a person prone to addiction.
About legalization- my view is this: If alcohol and tobacco are legal and cause as many negative health consequences as they do, then we really need to review our policies on marijuana. If controlled and managed well (at least as regulated as alcohol and tobacco), then we'll see a safer, more controlled version of the drug that's out there now. But we'll see what happens.
Here's a great article by Freakonomics author Stephen J. Dubner from the New York Times about the economics of legalization.
Stephen Baldwin vs. Ron Paul on legalization:
And here's the trailer from "Reefer Madness," the overblown movie from 1936 against marijuana:
Here's something funny.
As always, follow me on Twitter and connect with me on LinkedIn. Become a fan of the blog on Facebook. Support our advertisers! And see you later this week.
“We need to be very mindful of what we are unleashing out of a Pandora’s Box here,” said Dr. Richard N. Rosenthal, chairman of psychiatry at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital in Manhattan and professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University. “The people who become chronic users don’t have the same lives and the same achievements as people who don’t use chronically.” However, you can say this about EVERY drug. I mean, if someone had the ability to drink one glass of wine a week as opposed to someone who drank a bottle of wine a night, the person who drank less would have less adverse consequences, right? And you can repeat that with ANY drug.
More adults are now admitted to treatment centers for primary marijuana and hashish addictions than for primary addictions to heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine, according to the latest government data, a 2007 report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. However, those numbers are a little skewed, as 57 percent of those people were admitted due to court requirements- so they may not have been a complete addict.
So the question that defines this- are there consequences from marijuana use? Are lives made unmanageable as a result of smoking pot? The answer, of course, is yes- and with the genetic link for addiction a proven fact, then obviously any psychoactive substance can activate that addiction. So- marijuana, like any other substance, can be addictive when it's used by a person prone to addiction.
About legalization- my view is this: If alcohol and tobacco are legal and cause as many negative health consequences as they do, then we really need to review our policies on marijuana. If controlled and managed well (at least as regulated as alcohol and tobacco), then we'll see a safer, more controlled version of the drug that's out there now. But we'll see what happens.
Here's a great article by Freakonomics author Stephen J. Dubner from the New York Times about the economics of legalization.
Stephen Baldwin vs. Ron Paul on legalization:
And here's the trailer from "Reefer Madness," the overblown movie from 1936 against marijuana:
Here's something funny.
As always, follow me on Twitter and connect with me on LinkedIn. Become a fan of the blog on Facebook. Support our advertisers! And see you later this week.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Exercise and Substance Abuse Prevention
Don't know how I missed this in my previous post about exercise and recovery, but there have been some articles published about the effectiveness of exercise and sports as actual deterrents to substance abuse. About a year ago, the Associated Press posted an article about exercise as a prevention tool. The National Institute on Drug Abuse received a $4 million grant to explore this further. "Exercise has been shown to be beneficial in so many areas of physical and mental health," said Dr. Nora Volkow, NIDA Director. "This cross-disciplinary meeting is designed to get scientists thinking creatively about its potential role in substance abuse prevention."
There has been other research: Brown University took smokers to the gym three times a week and found adding the exercise to a smoking-cessation program doubled women's chances of successfully kicking the habit. The quitters who worked out got an extra benefit: They gained half as much weight as women who managed to quit without exercising, says lead researcher Dr. Bess Marcus.
''Exercise improves blood flow to the brain, it helps the body detoxify, it puts you on a better cycle of physical behavior, and it leads to decreased stress. It also improves thinking and mental function and decreases your tendency toward addiction,'' said Dr. Marc Siegel, an internist at New York University Medical Center and an associate professor of medicine at the NYU School of Medicine in New York City.
For example, ''there's evidence that exercise is maybe the best non-pharmacological antidepressant we have - studies have shown that it works better than some drugs. It's also a great anti-anxiety intervention,'' said James Maddux, a professor of psychology at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., and an expert on the mind-body health connection.
I know when I was in treatment, I used exercise as a type of coping tool- gaining a "runner's high" and creating a challenge to complete. I still work out today as a way of keeping my cravings (especially around nicotine!) at bay. Not to mention the fact that working out creates chemical changes in our mind and body to make us feel better and happier. I know my mood has improved since I started working out more often. For now, let's list exercise as a tool in a toolkit for fighting addiction- it's not the end-all/be-all, but it's another way to encourage this next generation to avoid the pitfalls of addiction.
If you're looking for a great blog about exercise, staying in shape and diet advice, check out Move Ur Body- great content and advice here. Be sure to check out Phoenix Multisport, a group in Boulder, CO who uses exercise as a recovery tool. And Sober Living By The Sea, where I work, provides physical activity to their patients as an ongoing part of treatment.
Here's a great video about Todd Crandell of Racing For Recovery, an individual who used triathlons to help defeat his own addiction:
And Jaywalker Lodge, an extended care program for men who have been through multiple addiction treatments, does expeditions every year. Here's a video of their winter expedition:
As always, follow me on Twitter and connect with me on LinkedIn. Become a fan of the blog on Facebook. And see you later.
There has been other research: Brown University took smokers to the gym three times a week and found adding the exercise to a smoking-cessation program doubled women's chances of successfully kicking the habit. The quitters who worked out got an extra benefit: They gained half as much weight as women who managed to quit without exercising, says lead researcher Dr. Bess Marcus.
''Exercise improves blood flow to the brain, it helps the body detoxify, it puts you on a better cycle of physical behavior, and it leads to decreased stress. It also improves thinking and mental function and decreases your tendency toward addiction,'' said Dr. Marc Siegel, an internist at New York University Medical Center and an associate professor of medicine at the NYU School of Medicine in New York City.
For example, ''there's evidence that exercise is maybe the best non-pharmacological antidepressant we have - studies have shown that it works better than some drugs. It's also a great anti-anxiety intervention,'' said James Maddux, a professor of psychology at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., and an expert on the mind-body health connection.
I know when I was in treatment, I used exercise as a type of coping tool- gaining a "runner's high" and creating a challenge to complete. I still work out today as a way of keeping my cravings (especially around nicotine!) at bay. Not to mention the fact that working out creates chemical changes in our mind and body to make us feel better and happier. I know my mood has improved since I started working out more often. For now, let's list exercise as a tool in a toolkit for fighting addiction- it's not the end-all/be-all, but it's another way to encourage this next generation to avoid the pitfalls of addiction.
If you're looking for a great blog about exercise, staying in shape and diet advice, check out Move Ur Body- great content and advice here. Be sure to check out Phoenix Multisport, a group in Boulder, CO who uses exercise as a recovery tool. And Sober Living By The Sea, where I work, provides physical activity to their patients as an ongoing part of treatment.
Here's a great video about Todd Crandell of Racing For Recovery, an individual who used triathlons to help defeat his own addiction:
And Jaywalker Lodge, an extended care program for men who have been through multiple addiction treatments, does expeditions every year. Here's a video of their winter expedition:
As always, follow me on Twitter and connect with me on LinkedIn. Become a fan of the blog on Facebook. And see you later.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Michael Jackson's Tragic End
On June 25th, we lost one of the marvels of the entertainment world, a truly talented and tortured artist, Michael Jackson. With his meteoric rise to fame as the centerpiece of the Jackson 5 and then an amazing solo career, in total selling over 750 million records worldwide. However, this fame came at an amazing price.
Having been in the spotlight since the age of 5 or 6, Jackson seemed to struggle with his place in the world. Naming his home the "Neverland Ranch" lead us to believe he wanted to be a child who never grew up (which, of course, led to the infamous sleepovers on the Ranch and the molestation accusations). A documented addiction to painkillers, two failed marriages, and numerous lawsuits for pedophilia dominated Jackson's last 20 years, causing him to become a late-night joke mainstay and most of us to forget his talent.
The question remains- do we remember him for the art he produced? Has there ever been a more polarizing, successful individual? His death caused delays and nearly shut down numerous websites. He had become the centerpiece of a media storm- mostly negative in the last 20 years.
In 1993, Jackson abruptly canceled the remainder of his "Dangerous" tour after admitting on an audiotape that pain from a burn injury while filming a Pepsi commercial in 1984 as well as allegations of sexual abuse have caused him to become addicted to painkillers. As of yesterday, June 29th, various news and entertainment outlets were reporting that Jackson had received a Demerol injection the morning of his death- but we'll only find out for sure after the autopsy is published. Lisa Marie Presley, Jackson's wife for a few short years, posted a blog entry on her Myspace page talking about his drug use. She talks about how she and Jackson had conversations about how he would end up with the same fate as Elvis- and it's looking more and more like he did.
Either way, we've lost the most tortured and talented artist we've seen in a long time. There will never be another like him, good or bad. Here are some of the telling articles from a series of Vanity Fair interviews. It will be interesting to see what unfolds from the autopsy results- but it seems as though we've lost another soul to the disease of addiction. Would it have been possible for Jackson to get help? Had anyone offered treatment? Had he BEEN to treatment? Was there support for him to get well, or just to prop him up and keep him out in the public eye? We may never know, but these are questions we can answer as we move forward to help other artists in the future. He was not a commodity- he was a person. And it's hard to remember that sometimes.
Here's a tribute to Michael Jackson:
In health news, here's a great video by Lance Armstrong's organization, Livestrong:
Here's something funny.
As always, connect with me on LinkedIn and follow me on Twitter. Become a fan of the blog on Facebook. See you this week.
Having been in the spotlight since the age of 5 or 6, Jackson seemed to struggle with his place in the world. Naming his home the "Neverland Ranch" lead us to believe he wanted to be a child who never grew up (which, of course, led to the infamous sleepovers on the Ranch and the molestation accusations). A documented addiction to painkillers, two failed marriages, and numerous lawsuits for pedophilia dominated Jackson's last 20 years, causing him to become a late-night joke mainstay and most of us to forget his talent.
The question remains- do we remember him for the art he produced? Has there ever been a more polarizing, successful individual? His death caused delays and nearly shut down numerous websites. He had become the centerpiece of a media storm- mostly negative in the last 20 years.
In 1993, Jackson abruptly canceled the remainder of his "Dangerous" tour after admitting on an audiotape that pain from a burn injury while filming a Pepsi commercial in 1984 as well as allegations of sexual abuse have caused him to become addicted to painkillers. As of yesterday, June 29th, various news and entertainment outlets were reporting that Jackson had received a Demerol injection the morning of his death- but we'll only find out for sure after the autopsy is published. Lisa Marie Presley, Jackson's wife for a few short years, posted a blog entry on her Myspace page talking about his drug use. She talks about how she and Jackson had conversations about how he would end up with the same fate as Elvis- and it's looking more and more like he did.
Either way, we've lost the most tortured and talented artist we've seen in a long time. There will never be another like him, good or bad. Here are some of the telling articles from a series of Vanity Fair interviews. It will be interesting to see what unfolds from the autopsy results- but it seems as though we've lost another soul to the disease of addiction. Would it have been possible for Jackson to get help? Had anyone offered treatment? Had he BEEN to treatment? Was there support for him to get well, or just to prop him up and keep him out in the public eye? We may never know, but these are questions we can answer as we move forward to help other artists in the future. He was not a commodity- he was a person. And it's hard to remember that sometimes.
Here's a tribute to Michael Jackson:
In health news, here's a great video by Lance Armstrong's organization, Livestrong:
Here's something funny.
As always, connect with me on LinkedIn and follow me on Twitter. Become a fan of the blog on Facebook. See you this week.
Monday, June 15, 2009
U.S. Drug Czar calls for end to "war on drugs"
As I talked about in an earlier post, I'm very excited to have Gil Kerlikowske as our new drug czar. On Wednesday, we finally got some good news in the so-called "War on Drugs." In a Wall Street Journal article, new head of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, Gil Kerlikowske, said that the "war on drugs" was a, "barrier to dealing with the nation's drug problem."
"Regardless of how you try to explain to people it's a 'war on drugs' or a 'war on a product,' people see a war as a war on them," he said. "We're not at war with people in this country."
FINALLY some progress and someone who sees the nation's drug problem as something that can't be fixed by putting more and more people in prison. The more people we funnel into treatment as opposed to prison, the better the solution is going to get. I also like how the Obama administration is going to change the policies surrounding the major criminal disparity between crack cocaine and powder cocaine, thus hopefully closing the racial barrier. The administration is also planning on changing the current federal rules that allow federal agents to raid state-run medical marijuana facilities based on federal law. This would allow states that legalize medical marijuana to operate freely as opposed to being under constant threat from the federal government. All of this is progress. As much as we can do to keep people out of prison for unnecessary reasons and put them into treatment when needed, the better we'll be off.
Here's a video about Barack Obama's stance on drug policy:
Here's a video from Ron Paul about ending the war on drugs:
And here's the famous episode of Different Strokes where Nancy Reagan talks about the war on drugs and just saying no:
Here's something funny.
As always, connect with me on LinkedIn and follow me on Twitter. Become a fan of the blog on Facebook. And please support my advertisers!
Also, if you're feeling generous, please donate a couple of dollars towards the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society- I'm riding 100 miles on August 15th in support of individuals suffering from these terrible diseases. Thanks so much, and see you tomorrow.
"Regardless of how you try to explain to people it's a 'war on drugs' or a 'war on a product,' people see a war as a war on them," he said. "We're not at war with people in this country."
FINALLY some progress and someone who sees the nation's drug problem as something that can't be fixed by putting more and more people in prison. The more people we funnel into treatment as opposed to prison, the better the solution is going to get. I also like how the Obama administration is going to change the policies surrounding the major criminal disparity between crack cocaine and powder cocaine, thus hopefully closing the racial barrier. The administration is also planning on changing the current federal rules that allow federal agents to raid state-run medical marijuana facilities based on federal law. This would allow states that legalize medical marijuana to operate freely as opposed to being under constant threat from the federal government. All of this is progress. As much as we can do to keep people out of prison for unnecessary reasons and put them into treatment when needed, the better we'll be off.
Here's a video about Barack Obama's stance on drug policy:
Here's a video from Ron Paul about ending the war on drugs:
And here's the famous episode of Different Strokes where Nancy Reagan talks about the war on drugs and just saying no:
Here's something funny.
As always, connect with me on LinkedIn and follow me on Twitter. Become a fan of the blog on Facebook. And please support my advertisers!
Also, if you're feeling generous, please donate a couple of dollars towards the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society- I'm riding 100 miles on August 15th in support of individuals suffering from these terrible diseases. Thanks so much, and see you tomorrow.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Addiction Recovery and Physical Activity
The longer I've been in recovery, the more important I've been finding physical activity. When I was in treatment, we went to the gym a couple of days a week, but there was no real stress on it, plus we weren't exactly in the best shape when in treatment. I also find myself eating lots of sweets and just in general, eating more than when I was actively using. And of course when I left, I continued to eat the way I had in treatment and quickly started to gain weight. After experiencing some sobriety and a lack of physical activity, I joined a gym and rediscovered the joys of physical activity. Playing in a basketball league and working out provided a new foundation for feeling good about myself.
These days, I've become even more passionate, enrolling in the Team In Training program to raise money for leukemia and lymphoma research (you can donate to my cause here) and riding 100 miles in one day in August. I'm also contemplating another century (100 mile ride) in Austin in October to raise money for cancer research via the Livestrong Foundation. We'll see how it goes. Either way, I know by training for these events I've created an avenue for success and a challenge, both of which keep me engaged and healthy- both key elements of my recovery.
Other groups have popped up around the country to encourage physical activity in recovery. Treatment centers like Sober Living By The Sea in Newport Beach, CA (where I work), Jaywalker Lodge in Carbondale, CO, and Gray Wolf Ranch in Port Townsend, WA all include various treks, physical activities and sports in their treatment plans. Phoenix Multisport, a group based in Boulder, CO specializes in groups of recovering individuals engaging in tough physical activities like climbing and biking. And make sure to check out Racing For Recovery, featuring Todd Crandell, a recovering addict who now raises money for addiction treatment by doing triathlons. CNN posted an article on recovery addicts participating in triathlons.
Another good resource if you're interested in recovery and sports is the book by Andrew Dieden, "The Sports Lover's Guide To Recovery." The book is filled with great quotes, stories and experiences. You can get the book here.
For a great story, check out the redemption of Josh Hamilton, a highly regarding baseball prospect who got derailed from drug addiction. He then climbed his way back. Check out the article on ESPN.
So basically, if you're in recovery, make sure to get involved with som sort of physical activity- it will help your healing process! I'm sure we'll see more treatment centers employing the physical aspect of treatment in the years ahead.
I've posted this before, but a great video from Doug MacBain who rode across Canada to raise money for an addiction recovery home:
For "Addict" socks, click here.
As always, follow me on Twitter and connect with me on LinkedIn. Become a fan of the blog on Facebook. And please support my advertisers! See you tomorrow.
These days, I've become even more passionate, enrolling in the Team In Training program to raise money for leukemia and lymphoma research (you can donate to my cause here) and riding 100 miles in one day in August. I'm also contemplating another century (100 mile ride) in Austin in October to raise money for cancer research via the Livestrong Foundation. We'll see how it goes. Either way, I know by training for these events I've created an avenue for success and a challenge, both of which keep me engaged and healthy- both key elements of my recovery.
Other groups have popped up around the country to encourage physical activity in recovery. Treatment centers like Sober Living By The Sea in Newport Beach, CA (where I work), Jaywalker Lodge in Carbondale, CO, and Gray Wolf Ranch in Port Townsend, WA all include various treks, physical activities and sports in their treatment plans. Phoenix Multisport, a group based in Boulder, CO specializes in groups of recovering individuals engaging in tough physical activities like climbing and biking. And make sure to check out Racing For Recovery, featuring Todd Crandell, a recovering addict who now raises money for addiction treatment by doing triathlons. CNN posted an article on recovery addicts participating in triathlons.
Another good resource if you're interested in recovery and sports is the book by Andrew Dieden, "The Sports Lover's Guide To Recovery." The book is filled with great quotes, stories and experiences. You can get the book here.
For a great story, check out the redemption of Josh Hamilton, a highly regarding baseball prospect who got derailed from drug addiction. He then climbed his way back. Check out the article on ESPN.
So basically, if you're in recovery, make sure to get involved with som sort of physical activity- it will help your healing process! I'm sure we'll see more treatment centers employing the physical aspect of treatment in the years ahead.
I've posted this before, but a great video from Doug MacBain who rode across Canada to raise money for an addiction recovery home:
For "Addict" socks, click here.
As always, follow me on Twitter and connect with me on LinkedIn. Become a fan of the blog on Facebook. And please support my advertisers! See you tomorrow.
Friday, June 5, 2009
The Business of Addiction Treatment- A Manifesto
I was having a conversation with a friend of mine who doesn't work in the addiction treatment world this week, and she made the observation that it's strange to see people with no business training running successful treatment businesses. And, unlike the rest of the business world, this is definitely the majority of treatment centers as opposed to the other way around. The lack of business knowledge can be very detrimental to the treatment itself- when owners and executive directors are panicking about meeting the bottom line, the staff of clinicians and lower-level operations personnel can feel the panic. This isn't good for anyone, ESPECIALLY the patients, who can pick up on the tiniest weakness in their counselor and work to exploit it to their advantage. After all, addicts are the greatest manipulators. What we don't want is the option for addicts to basically be running their own treatment plan-- and when staff is in panic mode, they often can.
In these lean times, with unemployment rising and the economy not doing so hot (to say the least), more and more treatment centers are comprising their level of care, admitting clinically incorrect patients, and laying off staff in order to make the numbers work. What's sad is that even the most business-minded owners can't avoid this reality. Only a few of the treatment centers are running at capacity. And unlike the hey-day of the late 90s and early 2000s when people would take out home equity or other loans to pay for treatment, the credit has dried up and treatment centers are feeling the squeeze.
What we, as an industry, need to maintain is a sense of urgency. Every day we fight on the front lines of addiction. We help people change their lives, and see miracles happen every day. Some days, when the business doesn't make sense and it feels like we're not going to make it, we need to remember that we're doing some of the toughest work on the planet. We help dying people find a new light and a new LIFE. The more we help each other, as industry professionals, the better we all do, and we make sure everyone survives. So when someone calls in a panic, in need of referrals to keep the doors open, help. Because you never know when you'll be the person in need.
And as a follow up to my military post, the Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman, Admiral Michael G. Mullen, said on Tuesday night that troops' mental health needs to be a priority. "I think we need to get to a point where everyone is screened by a competent mental health professional," he said. Check out the article on CNN here.
Here's a great video from Feliz Dennis, a former crack addict who now is one of the world's foremost publishers.
Here's something funny.
Follow me on Twitter and connect with me on LinkedIn. Become a fan of the blog on Facebook. And check out my advertisers! Thanks, and see you next week.
In these lean times, with unemployment rising and the economy not doing so hot (to say the least), more and more treatment centers are comprising their level of care, admitting clinically incorrect patients, and laying off staff in order to make the numbers work. What's sad is that even the most business-minded owners can't avoid this reality. Only a few of the treatment centers are running at capacity. And unlike the hey-day of the late 90s and early 2000s when people would take out home equity or other loans to pay for treatment, the credit has dried up and treatment centers are feeling the squeeze.
What we, as an industry, need to maintain is a sense of urgency. Every day we fight on the front lines of addiction. We help people change their lives, and see miracles happen every day. Some days, when the business doesn't make sense and it feels like we're not going to make it, we need to remember that we're doing some of the toughest work on the planet. We help dying people find a new light and a new LIFE. The more we help each other, as industry professionals, the better we all do, and we make sure everyone survives. So when someone calls in a panic, in need of referrals to keep the doors open, help. Because you never know when you'll be the person in need.
And as a follow up to my military post, the Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman, Admiral Michael G. Mullen, said on Tuesday night that troops' mental health needs to be a priority. "I think we need to get to a point where everyone is screened by a competent mental health professional," he said. Check out the article on CNN here.
Here's a great video from Feliz Dennis, a former crack addict who now is one of the world's foremost publishers.
Here's something funny.
Follow me on Twitter and connect with me on LinkedIn. Become a fan of the blog on Facebook. And check out my advertisers! Thanks, and see you next week.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Smoking and Recovery
Columbia University recently published a study saying that adults who grew up around second hand smoke have lungs that look different than those with non-smoking households. Actually, the lungs have holes that look similar to the ones of people who suffer from emphysema. Is this shocking? Not really. We've been hearing about the detriments of smoking for years. And yet we see smokers day in and day out, huddled in small masses near heaters during winter and shunned to the street corners during summer. Now, don't get me wrong- I was a heavy smoker until this past year, despite the consequences. And I also believe in the freedom of choice- that individuals should be able to decide their own fate. However, tobacco kills about 438,000 people per year, according to the Virginia Department of Health. So my question is this: why do we allow smoking in addiction treatment centers?
In 2008, New York State banned smoking in their all public and private treatment programs. Their government-funded programs have been smoke-free since 1998. So why aren't other programs dealing with this? I know that in my experience, I smoked MUCH more in treatment than I did before- the only fix I had left! But for most of the people in an addiction treatment program, this was the only time they would take 30 days out of their lives to work on their addictions. Why not push for anti-smoking as well? If someone is going to deal with difficult withdrawals, why not deal with them in an ADDICTION TREATMENT CENTER???
I don't have a solution for this, nor am I completely pushing for the change. I'm just wondering what the therapeutic value of smoking has in the treatment world. Looking forward to your feedback.
Here's a TheTruth.com anti-smoking ad:
Here's a video on the facts of smoking.
Here's something funny.
Follow me on Twitter and connect with me on LinkedIn. Become a fan of the blog on Facebook. And please support my advertisers! Check back in tomorrow for another post. Looking forward to your feedback.
In 2008, New York State banned smoking in their all public and private treatment programs. Their government-funded programs have been smoke-free since 1998. So why aren't other programs dealing with this? I know that in my experience, I smoked MUCH more in treatment than I did before- the only fix I had left! But for most of the people in an addiction treatment program, this was the only time they would take 30 days out of their lives to work on their addictions. Why not push for anti-smoking as well? If someone is going to deal with difficult withdrawals, why not deal with them in an ADDICTION TREATMENT CENTER???
I don't have a solution for this, nor am I completely pushing for the change. I'm just wondering what the therapeutic value of smoking has in the treatment world. Looking forward to your feedback.
Here's a TheTruth.com anti-smoking ad:
Here's a video on the facts of smoking.
Here's something funny.
Follow me on Twitter and connect with me on LinkedIn. Become a fan of the blog on Facebook. And please support my advertisers! Check back in tomorrow for another post. Looking forward to your feedback.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Cyber Millenials and their drinking habits
A study being published by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, along with the Center for Disease Control, used audience segmentation as the basis. The "cyber millenials," or those tech-savvy young people living in an urban area, tend to be the biggest high risk drinkers. Most were on the West Coast or in the Mid West, and tended to be well-educated as well as ethnically mixed.
What's interesting about this segment is that outside of binge drinking, they are relatively healthy- lower smoking rates, lots of exercise, and eating organic foods- but yet seem not to recognize the danger that binge drinking presents. Also, this segment tends to have significant financial resources which allow for multiple drinks in one sitting.
Now what's mentioned near the end of the article is what truly interests me: that clinicians "tend to be more blasé with younger, healthier patients, and might not even ask them about their level of alcohol consumption or screen them for alcohol problems." That is the problem. I can remember from my college days, going to see the school psychologist to talk about my depression 2 days a week for 3 months- and we talked once about drinking habits. In seeing a therapist after I'd left school and had developed a significant drug and alcohol problem, we talked about drug use and abuse only twice in 6 months. This is horrendous. Without proper education, we can't expect clinicians to learn how to recognize and treat the disease. A marriage and family therapist averages around 10 hours of mandatory study directly related to addiction while gaining their degree. In contrast, the average drug and alcohol counselor (not a master's degree, by the way), will do at least 3,000 hours of practicum directly related to addiction. So it seems that we should probably provide some additional education around addiction and alcoholism to our therapist community, as most people will see them prior to seeing a drug and alcohol counselor.
It falls back again to the stigma around this disease- the fact that 1 out of 10 people here struggle with drugs or alcohol (not to mention all of the families that are directly affected by one's behavior) means we need to get this out of the dark. When affluent, well-educated young people are binge drinking more than any other segment of the population, we need to be prepared for when they go overboard. Parents, educators, and clinicians need to be well-versed in dealing with alcohol and drug abuse for this new generation. The Millenials are going to need all the help they can get.
Here's a British show about binge drinking there:
Here's something funny.
As per usual, find me on Twitter and LinkedIn. Become a fan of the blog on Facebook. Check out Sober Living By The Sea. And be sure to support my advertisers. See you tomorrow!
What's interesting about this segment is that outside of binge drinking, they are relatively healthy- lower smoking rates, lots of exercise, and eating organic foods- but yet seem not to recognize the danger that binge drinking presents. Also, this segment tends to have significant financial resources which allow for multiple drinks in one sitting.
Now what's mentioned near the end of the article is what truly interests me: that clinicians "tend to be more blasé with younger, healthier patients, and might not even ask them about their level of alcohol consumption or screen them for alcohol problems." That is the problem. I can remember from my college days, going to see the school psychologist to talk about my depression 2 days a week for 3 months- and we talked once about drinking habits. In seeing a therapist after I'd left school and had developed a significant drug and alcohol problem, we talked about drug use and abuse only twice in 6 months. This is horrendous. Without proper education, we can't expect clinicians to learn how to recognize and treat the disease. A marriage and family therapist averages around 10 hours of mandatory study directly related to addiction while gaining their degree. In contrast, the average drug and alcohol counselor (not a master's degree, by the way), will do at least 3,000 hours of practicum directly related to addiction. So it seems that we should probably provide some additional education around addiction and alcoholism to our therapist community, as most people will see them prior to seeing a drug and alcohol counselor.
It falls back again to the stigma around this disease- the fact that 1 out of 10 people here struggle with drugs or alcohol (not to mention all of the families that are directly affected by one's behavior) means we need to get this out of the dark. When affluent, well-educated young people are binge drinking more than any other segment of the population, we need to be prepared for when they go overboard. Parents, educators, and clinicians need to be well-versed in dealing with alcohol and drug abuse for this new generation. The Millenials are going to need all the help they can get.
Here's a British show about binge drinking there:
Here's something funny.
As per usual, find me on Twitter and LinkedIn. Become a fan of the blog on Facebook. Check out Sober Living By The Sea. And be sure to support my advertisers. See you tomorrow!
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Treatment moving forward
I read an interesting blog post in the New York Times this morning by Dr. Mark Willenbring. Here's the question and answer that piqued my interest:
"Q: Why aren’t patients being told of the medical options available to them in addition to AA/rehab? Is it ignorance of doctors? Lingering stigma that alcoholics are somehow “bad” and their only solution is to admit their powerlessness and find a higher power? No other disease relies on meetings in church basements for its primary treatment. I’m a recovering alcoholic who attends AA meetings and takes Campral. Not one AA’er I’ve met thus far has heard of Campral. It has been a tremendous help to me and it’s too bad that it’s not being used more, especially as it relates to reducing relapses. Cew5x
Answer:
The type of treatment offered at more than 90 percent of treatment programs in the United States consists of group counseling and referral to community support groups provided by non-medical staff. This treatment model was developed about 50 years ago, and it represented a real advance at the time.
However, the treatment field has not kept up with scientific advances in either behavioral or medication treatment. For example, it is about as difficult to obtain high quality cognitive-behavioral therapy for alcohol dependence as it is medication therapy. This is likely to change eventually, but for the time being, people seeking treatment for themselves or loved ones need to be informed “consumers.” Insisting on access to high-quality, scientifically-based care is one way to help drive system change."
What I find interesting about this are a number of things. First and foremost, why haven't we, as an addiction treatment field, continued with the progress seen in other areas of medicine? Since addiction is recognized as a disease, we should be taking advantage of all scientific advantages availed to us. I find it interesting that we are so resistant to change, and that for 50 years we've done basically the same thing in treatment. What is ALSO very interesting is the RESISTANCE to change. It's hard to find a treatment program that is consistent in adopting new methodologies for addressing the brain and medical issues associated with addiction. Within the industry, there is almost a stigma associated with medication in the treatment process.
Why aren't we using every tool available to combat a disease that directly affects 10 percent of our population and countless numbers of family members?
The other point is that a 12-step program works, when instituted and practiced diligently. However, what we've seen with alcoholics and addicts is that a relapse can often completely derail the recovery train. With the help of certain medications and medical knowledge, combined with therapy, support network and 12 step work, our chances of seeing a full and complete recovery should vastly improve. I can only hope that we start to see this before we lose more people.
Here's a video of Dr. Mark Hillenbring:
Here's something funny.
As always, find me on Twitter and LinkedIn. Also, become a fan of my blog on Facebook! See you tomorrow.
"Q: Why aren’t patients being told of the medical options available to them in addition to AA/rehab? Is it ignorance of doctors? Lingering stigma that alcoholics are somehow “bad” and their only solution is to admit their powerlessness and find a higher power? No other disease relies on meetings in church basements for its primary treatment. I’m a recovering alcoholic who attends AA meetings and takes Campral. Not one AA’er I’ve met thus far has heard of Campral. It has been a tremendous help to me and it’s too bad that it’s not being used more, especially as it relates to reducing relapses. Cew5x
Answer:
The type of treatment offered at more than 90 percent of treatment programs in the United States consists of group counseling and referral to community support groups provided by non-medical staff. This treatment model was developed about 50 years ago, and it represented a real advance at the time.
However, the treatment field has not kept up with scientific advances in either behavioral or medication treatment. For example, it is about as difficult to obtain high quality cognitive-behavioral therapy for alcohol dependence as it is medication therapy. This is likely to change eventually, but for the time being, people seeking treatment for themselves or loved ones need to be informed “consumers.” Insisting on access to high-quality, scientifically-based care is one way to help drive system change."
What I find interesting about this are a number of things. First and foremost, why haven't we, as an addiction treatment field, continued with the progress seen in other areas of medicine? Since addiction is recognized as a disease, we should be taking advantage of all scientific advantages availed to us. I find it interesting that we are so resistant to change, and that for 50 years we've done basically the same thing in treatment. What is ALSO very interesting is the RESISTANCE to change. It's hard to find a treatment program that is consistent in adopting new methodologies for addressing the brain and medical issues associated with addiction. Within the industry, there is almost a stigma associated with medication in the treatment process.
Why aren't we using every tool available to combat a disease that directly affects 10 percent of our population and countless numbers of family members?
The other point is that a 12-step program works, when instituted and practiced diligently. However, what we've seen with alcoholics and addicts is that a relapse can often completely derail the recovery train. With the help of certain medications and medical knowledge, combined with therapy, support network and 12 step work, our chances of seeing a full and complete recovery should vastly improve. I can only hope that we start to see this before we lose more people.
Here's a video of Dr. Mark Hillenbring:
Here's something funny.
As always, find me on Twitter and LinkedIn. Also, become a fan of my blog on Facebook! See you tomorrow.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
High-functioning alcoholics?
An article in the New York Times today spoke in depth about a segment of the population not often talked about- the high-functioning alcoholic. Sarah Allen Benton has recently published a book called "Understanding the High-Functioning Alcoholic" which can be found on Amazon here. Her basic premise is that this special type of alcoholic is able to somehow manage a job, family, friends and yet mask their problem drinking, sometimes for years. Many of these people are able to maintain a semblance of a normal life while covering up the massive wreckage that alcoholics routinely suffer.
What's interesting about this segment of the population is that it has existed in almost secret for hundreds of years. Employees, customers, and family members are often willing to overlook out-of-control drinking since their loved one or boss can maintain their job performance. The three martini lunch, popular up through the early 90s, was almost a right of passage for high-performing executives. They looked at alcohol as a reward for their hard work.
For many of these high-performing people, the major consequence for them is the fact that the one aspect of their lives that they can't control is their alcohol intake. They've avoided many consequences- loss of job, loss of family, financial ruin, etc. The other interesting thing is that there is an entire segment of the treatment world devoted to treating this population. Talbott Recovery Campus in Atlanta functioned for years by simply treating doctors. Hazelden Springbrook in Newburg, OR has a program dedicated to helping healthcare professionals. And programs such as The Landing, Promises, and other high end facilities specialize in treating high-functioning alcoholics- basing treatment tracks on the assumption that clients their don't need a complete overhaul of their lives, just around their relationship with alcohol and/or drugs.
What can be troubling about this segment of the population is relapse. When high-functioning alcoholics, who are used to perfection in all aspects of their lives, have trouble with sobriety, they can run into trouble when relapse happens. They can often move downhill fast. Luckily, there are resources available. Places such as Sunrise Recovery Ranch, Mayflower Center, and Jaywalker Lodge provide programs for chronic reluctant-to-recover patients, and can work together with the job and family to insure a smooth transition back into life.
It will be interesting to see how much this article and book bring awareness to this issue. People suffer in silence daily due to the ignorance of their friends and family members about the signs of out-of-control drinking. I can only hope that this article can help bring things to light about the secret lives of high-functioning alcoholics.
In other news, my friend Rick Ohrstrom over at Sober Bulldog just returned from the Gaza Strip working on addiction and trauma. Make sure to check out his website and stay tuned for a new blog about his experiences overseas.
Here's Anderson Cooper's breakdown of doctors in treatment:
Here's something funny.
As always, follow me on Twitter and connect with me on LinkedIn. See you tomorrow.
What's interesting about this segment of the population is that it has existed in almost secret for hundreds of years. Employees, customers, and family members are often willing to overlook out-of-control drinking since their loved one or boss can maintain their job performance. The three martini lunch, popular up through the early 90s, was almost a right of passage for high-performing executives. They looked at alcohol as a reward for their hard work.
For many of these high-performing people, the major consequence for them is the fact that the one aspect of their lives that they can't control is their alcohol intake. They've avoided many consequences- loss of job, loss of family, financial ruin, etc. The other interesting thing is that there is an entire segment of the treatment world devoted to treating this population. Talbott Recovery Campus in Atlanta functioned for years by simply treating doctors. Hazelden Springbrook in Newburg, OR has a program dedicated to helping healthcare professionals. And programs such as The Landing, Promises, and other high end facilities specialize in treating high-functioning alcoholics- basing treatment tracks on the assumption that clients their don't need a complete overhaul of their lives, just around their relationship with alcohol and/or drugs.
What can be troubling about this segment of the population is relapse. When high-functioning alcoholics, who are used to perfection in all aspects of their lives, have trouble with sobriety, they can run into trouble when relapse happens. They can often move downhill fast. Luckily, there are resources available. Places such as Sunrise Recovery Ranch, Mayflower Center, and Jaywalker Lodge provide programs for chronic reluctant-to-recover patients, and can work together with the job and family to insure a smooth transition back into life.
It will be interesting to see how much this article and book bring awareness to this issue. People suffer in silence daily due to the ignorance of their friends and family members about the signs of out-of-control drinking. I can only hope that this article can help bring things to light about the secret lives of high-functioning alcoholics.
In other news, my friend Rick Ohrstrom over at Sober Bulldog just returned from the Gaza Strip working on addiction and trauma. Make sure to check out his website and stay tuned for a new blog about his experiences overseas.
Here's Anderson Cooper's breakdown of doctors in treatment:
Here's something funny.
As always, follow me on Twitter and connect with me on LinkedIn. See you tomorrow.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Hi everyone,
I'm posting this as a favor to my friends over at 12 Angels, a nonprofit dedicated to helping people in early recovery to get jobs and foster entrepreneurship. Check out the links below, and please take the surveys! I'll have a new blog up at the beginning of this week about educational consulting.
-Mike
Are you or have you ever been in a 12 step program to help you overcome your alcoholism or addictions? Would you be willing to help other recovering alcoholics or addicts reintegrate into the professional world by spending just 3-5 minutes of your time? If you answered “yes” to both of those questions, then now is your opportunity to make a difference by participating in a completely anonymous survey to help design a revolutionary online application for the benefit of the recovery community.
12 Angels is a nonprofit organization that fosters social entrepreneurship in the recovery community. The organization’s goal is to create and implement programs that will counteract the economic damage caused by alcoholism and addiction.
Thank you for your willingness to participate in our survey. Please complete only one of the two surveys presented below. Select the one you feel most accurately fits your background and experience.
Survey 1 - Sponsor: If you are, or have been, a sponsor in a 12 step program:
Survey 2 - Sponsee: If you are, or have been, a sponsee (but never a sponsor) in a 12 step program:
I'm posting this as a favor to my friends over at 12 Angels, a nonprofit dedicated to helping people in early recovery to get jobs and foster entrepreneurship. Check out the links below, and please take the surveys! I'll have a new blog up at the beginning of this week about educational consulting.
-Mike
Are you or have you ever been in a 12 step program to help you overcome your alcoholism or addictions? Would you be willing to help other recovering alcoholics or addicts reintegrate into the professional world by spending just 3-5 minutes of your time? If you answered “yes” to both of those questions, then now is your opportunity to make a difference by participating in a completely anonymous survey to help design a revolutionary online application for the benefit of the recovery community.
12 Angels is a nonprofit organization that fosters social entrepreneurship in the recovery community. The organization’s goal is to create and implement programs that will counteract the economic damage caused by alcoholism and addiction.
Thank you for your willingness to participate in our survey. Please complete only one of the two surveys presented below. Select the one you feel most accurately fits your background and experience.
Survey 1 - Sponsor: If you are, or have been, a sponsor in a 12 step program:
Survey 2 - Sponsee: If you are, or have been, a sponsee (but never a sponsor) in a 12 step program:
Monday, April 20, 2009
Anti-addiction pill? Buyers beware...
CNN posted a story at the end of last week about naltrexone, an anti-craving drug. Dr. Mark Willenbring had this quote: "There will be a 'Prozac moment', when primary care doctors start handling functional alcoholics."
Here's another quote, this the response from Hazelden's medical director: At Hazelden in Minneapolis, Minnesota, a small proportion of patients receive anti-addiction drugs, but medical director Dr. Kevin Clark says the traditional model -- based on intensive therapy and the 12 steps popularized by Alcoholics Anonymous -- is still best. "It is a disease of the brain, but it's a multifaceted disease. It has a spiritual component, a behavioral component to it," says Clark. "Our experience tells us that having the network of support and recovery is what really makes the difference."
I lean towards the Hazelden response- I am in recovery and I believe that simply taking medication without a sufficient support network would lead to an unhappy life. There's a difference between stopping drinking and actual recovery. Until we develop a medical treatment that can do something besides simply reducing craving, then we still need to work with addicts and alcoholics to find recovery through 12-step programs, therapy, and supportive rehabilitation centers. However, I do think this is huge medical progress- and I'm happy that we're making strides to find other solutions which may increase successful outcomes.
Here's a video about placing naltrexone under the skin of heroin addicts:
And here's something funny.
As always, find me on LinkedIn and Twitter. Take care.
Here's another quote, this the response from Hazelden's medical director: At Hazelden in Minneapolis, Minnesota, a small proportion of patients receive anti-addiction drugs, but medical director Dr. Kevin Clark says the traditional model -- based on intensive therapy and the 12 steps popularized by Alcoholics Anonymous -- is still best. "It is a disease of the brain, but it's a multifaceted disease. It has a spiritual component, a behavioral component to it," says Clark. "Our experience tells us that having the network of support and recovery is what really makes the difference."
I lean towards the Hazelden response- I am in recovery and I believe that simply taking medication without a sufficient support network would lead to an unhappy life. There's a difference between stopping drinking and actual recovery. Until we develop a medical treatment that can do something besides simply reducing craving, then we still need to work with addicts and alcoholics to find recovery through 12-step programs, therapy, and supportive rehabilitation centers. However, I do think this is huge medical progress- and I'm happy that we're making strides to find other solutions which may increase successful outcomes.
Here's a video about placing naltrexone under the skin of heroin addicts:
And here's something funny.
As always, find me on LinkedIn and Twitter. Take care.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Methadone: A blessing or a curse?
Methadone maintenance has been around for years- it's development stemmed from predictions in Nazi Germany that the war would cause shortages in opiates being able to cross into Germany's borders. In 1947 Eli Lilly's company started producing methadone stateside, and off we went. The drug was first published as a pain reliever, and now is mostly used in harm reduction around addiction.
I'm torn on the effectiveness of this methodology. What I've heard in anecdotes from members of 12-step programs is that their lives only really started to get better once they were able to detox off of the methadone, which creates a physical dependence of it's own. What is difficult to discern is that most of the people I've spoken with bout this have had resources for private addiction treatment- for those without resources, methadone seems to be a good start.
Methadone can be a start towards a path to a new life; however, it is not the be-all, end-all solution. Without therapy, a recovery program, and a plan to eventually remove oneself from a mind-altering substance, the chances of someone really recovering from addiction are slim. When planned correctly, methadone can be an important component in helping an individual get better.
The problem is in the profits- methadone maintenance is one of the most profitable businesses today, and I worry that clinics don't attempt to taper people off solely to make their numbers work on the bottom line. We need to respect the quality of life of our patients, and the easiest way to do this is to make a long term plan when someone begins a methadone maintenance plan. With all of the tools and resources available to us, we can put a plan together that allows methadone to be an active part of recovery.
Here's a link to the HBO special "Methadonia," a documentary regarding people who are hooked on methadone: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mULJZzq4-cQ
And here's a video on methadone and the consequences of not managing it correctly:
And, as always, here's something funny.
Find me on Twitter and LinkedIn. Looking forward to your feedback!
I'm torn on the effectiveness of this methodology. What I've heard in anecdotes from members of 12-step programs is that their lives only really started to get better once they were able to detox off of the methadone, which creates a physical dependence of it's own. What is difficult to discern is that most of the people I've spoken with bout this have had resources for private addiction treatment- for those without resources, methadone seems to be a good start.
Methadone can be a start towards a path to a new life; however, it is not the be-all, end-all solution. Without therapy, a recovery program, and a plan to eventually remove oneself from a mind-altering substance, the chances of someone really recovering from addiction are slim. When planned correctly, methadone can be an important component in helping an individual get better.
The problem is in the profits- methadone maintenance is one of the most profitable businesses today, and I worry that clinics don't attempt to taper people off solely to make their numbers work on the bottom line. We need to respect the quality of life of our patients, and the easiest way to do this is to make a long term plan when someone begins a methadone maintenance plan. With all of the tools and resources available to us, we can put a plan together that allows methadone to be an active part of recovery.
Here's a link to the HBO special "Methadonia," a documentary regarding people who are hooked on methadone: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mULJZzq4-cQ
And here's a video on methadone and the consequences of not managing it correctly:
And, as always, here's something funny.
Find me on Twitter and LinkedIn. Looking forward to your feedback!
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