In which country is alcohol most likely to be used?

1.In which country is alcohol most likely to be used?
2.What percentage of the American population consumes at least one 3.alcoholic drink in any given month? How many of this group is considered heavy drinkers?
4.What type of alcohol is used in all alcoholic beverages?
5.What substances are used to distill Brandy, Rum, Whiskey, Gin and Vodka?
6.What factors speed the absorption of alcohol?
Is the rate of absorption of alcohol variable or does it occur at a relatively continuous rate? What about the metabolism of alcohol?
7.How does alcohol affect the different stages of sleep?
8.Define binge drinking and heavy drinking.
9.How does heavy drinking affect the immune system?
10.What are the markers for a strong genetic influence towards alcoholism?
11.What is pharmacodynamic tolerance and reverse tolerance?
12What is the major reason dual diagnosis clients keep relapsing?
13.How should mental health professionals approach psychiatric diagnosis of addicts?
Study ‘Driving Under the Influence’ behaviors and law.
14.What is the relationship between suicide rates and alcoholism?.
15.What is the biggest failing in the treatment of Hispanic Americans for alcoholism or substance abuse?
Chapter 6
1.What is the object of using psychedelics?
2.Know the major drugs in each class of psychedelics.
3.What is the difference between an illusion, a delusion and a hallucination?
4.LSD is a semi-synthetic form of what?
5.What is Hallucinogen persisting perception disorder (HPPD)?
6.What are phenylalkylamine psychedelics chemically related to?
7.Excessive release of serotonin from use of ecstasy causes what?
8.What is Dextromethorphan medically useful as, and how much is required to cause psychoactive effects?
9.Currently, how is the growing of Cannabis to make hemp fabric viewed by the law in the United States and in other countries?
10.How many chemicals have been identified in a single Cannabis plant? How many of these have been studied for their psychoactive effects?
11.What specifically is marijuana’s effect on: The amygdala (Novelty Center)?
The hippocampus (Memory & Learning)?
12.The distortion of a sense of time when using marijuana is called what? What are the implications of this?
13.Why is there not a rapid onset of symptoms of withdrawal from marijuana?
14.In regard to medical marijuana, how did the U.S. Supreme Court rule regarding the federal government’s right to supersede state laws?
15.What are the recommendations of the 1999 Report from the Institute of Medicine on medical marijuana?
Chapter 7
1.What are the three classes of inhalants?
2.What is the inhalant of choice in many poor countries, due to its wide availability?
3.What are the long term effects of chronic abuse of inhalants? Are they always reversible after cessation of use?
4.What mental condition is common with inhalant abusers?
5.What is the biggest danger of abuse of Analgesics for athletes?
6.What human hormones do steroids resemble?
7.Have steroids been reported to have distinct withdrawal symptoms? If so, what are they?
8.What is creatine?
9.What is the definition of an impulse-control disorder? Obsessive-compulsive disorder?
10.How do problem gambling and pathological gambling differ?
11.When does the compulsive shopper experience the highest level of excitement?
12.What drug do compulsive shoppers compare the affects of their buying to? What specifically is similar?
13.What happens to an anorexic’s brain after about three month of practicing a strict diet?
14.How does bulimia affect the esophagus and throat, teeth and heart? What specifically causes the damage for each?
15.What are the most frequent behaviors of sexual addicts?

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Why do people think marijuana is worse than alcohol?

People seem to think that marijuana is much more dangerous than alcohol.

ALCOHOL
-causes brain damage
-can cause overdose
-causes hangovers
-makes users violent
-reduces inhibitions
-involved in 1/3 of domestic violence
- 80 000+ plus are killed each year as a result of it’s use
- highly addictive
- withdrawal can be fatal (delerium tremens)
MARIJUANA
- non-toxic
-amount required to overdose is impossible (about 1500 pounds is 10 minutes)
-does not give hangovers
-does not kill brain cells (try and prove me wrong, and no typical government websites)
- makes users happy and non-violent
- not addictive (unless sex, fast food, video games are addictive as well)
- no known deaths in it’s 10,000 years of use
- users are in full control
- is not a gateway drug
- many prominent and famous people use or have used it ( Michael Phelps, Barack Obama, George Clooney, Abraham Lincoln,Arnold Schwarzenegger, Neil Young, Friedrich Nietzsche, Bill Maher,)

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Are these withdrawal symptoms normal when quitting marijuana and alcohol?

Have smoked weed since age 23(1998) gave up for a year in 99/2000 and smoked weed constantly since until recently quitting 24/01/2008 (7 years) I also have drunk alot of alcohol in the last three years (mostly pre-mix bourbon) I also quit that same day. Since quitting I have had some normal withdrawl symptons eg: loss of appetite, sleepless nights and agitation but I have also had constant pain localised all through abdomen and chest, I get hot flushes, chills a tingling sensation in hands and feet, somedays my arms are constantly in pain from wrist to shoulder, I get exhausted and tired from doing really mediocre chores eg: making bed,vaccuming,cooking dinner and when I climb in to bed to sleep my legs ache constantly. My doctor keeps saying this is all part of withdrawals. Has anyone else experienced these kind of withdrawl symptons and how long did it last?

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You cannot die from marijuana withdrawal but you can die from alcohol withdrawal so why is it?

why is marijuana still illegal? Its been proven for years that the effects of alcohol on the body are far worse and more costly to treat than the effects of marijuana. Its been proven that over 90% of domestic violence cases involve alcohol, not marijuana. Withdrawal is 1000% more dangerous from alcohol than it is from marijuana which makes it a far more dangerous chemical. Besides taxes and money and subsidies and special interest groups is this decision strictly a monetary issue? Or are politicians afraid to legalize it due to the public’s ignorance of the facts and the fear that legalizing a drug will cost them votes? Sounds like the reasoning for keeping it illegal has been 100% illogical, politically ego-fed, and driven by money and not driven by what would be in the best interest of america.

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Alcohol Use and Abuse Addiction and Habituation

Alcohol Use and Abuse Addiction and Habituation

Problem and Solution.

Summary: Although there is no definition of “addiction” that is universally accepted, in general, addiction refers to a physiological and psychological dependency on a drug. While some drugs of abuse induce physiological addiction, others do not. Alternatively, some drugs that are physiologically addictive generally are not abused (e.g., caffeine). Tolerance to drug effects, and withdrawal symptoms upon abrupt cessation of use, which develop over time, are characteristic features of physiological addiction. “Habituation” is the term used to refer to psychological dependence on a drug. Some drugs of abuse are highly rewarding because of their influence on reinforcing neurobiological processes, but they do not necessarily result in “tissue” related withdrawal symptoms. Cessation of such drugs may lead primarily to subjective craving due to previous drug conditioning (perhaps true of some marijuana users) and craving may be more readily evoked or deeply conditioned among some persons than others (”addictive personalities”). Primary methods of assessment of addiction and habituation are completed through clinical interviews or self-report surveys (e.g., American Psychiatric Association DSM-IV, World Health Organization ICD-10). Treatment paradigms for the cessation of addiction begin with initial detoxification or withdrawal, followed by inpatient or outpatient program participation (e.g., 12-step programs, milieu, cognitive-behavioral, or behavioral). Pharmacological efforts (e.g., methadone maintenance) may be used as harm-reduction strategies among those who seem unable to quit drug use.

It is estimated that approximately 15 percent of the world’s adults have serious substance abuse problems (not including nicotine addiction), and that this percentage has remained fairly constant over the past twenty-five years. Of these substance abusers, about two-thirds abuse alcohol and one-third abuse other substances, mainly marijuana, amphetamines, cocaine, and heroin. Approximately2.5 percent of the population abuse marijuana, 0.5 percent abuse stimulants, 0.3 percent abuse cocaine or opioids (such as heroin), and up to 0.8 percent abuse other substances (e.g., inhalants, depressants, hallucinogens). Sites of drug production and manufacturing, and distribution routes, tend to identify regions at high risk for abuse.

Drug abuse causes significant health-related consequences and financial losses to legitimate economies. The financial cost to society is estimated to be approximately $600 billion per year worldwide. This does not include the cost of nicotine abuse, which, through its influence on heart disease, lung cancer, chronic obstructive lung disease, and numerous other consequences, is the number one behavioral killer of people worldwide. Drugs of abuse are also associated with the production of psychotic symptoms (e.g., paranoid ideation) and with injuries due to accidents and violence. Approximately 50 percent of automobile fatalities involve alcohol-impaired drivers, and many auto crashes also involve chronic marijuana or amphetamine users.

In addition, each drug class is associated with a unique set of potential consequences. Some drugs of abuse are likely to have lethal consequences (e.g., opiates and depressants), and some have a high potential for addiction. Health consequences can also vary by drug. For example, depressants, PCP, stimulants, steroids, and cannabis are associated with cardiovascular diseases. Stimulant use is linked to seizure, digestion problems, and lung problems. Documented consequences of marijuana use include lung damage and short-term memory problems. Dementia, seizure, memory impairment, central and peripheral nervous systems impairment, gastrointestinal diseases, and cancers of the gastrointestinal tract are all consequences of alcohol consumption. Steroid use is associated with high blood pressure, potential heart attacks, liver tumors, transient infertility, and tendon degeneration. Inhalants are well-known causes of kidney, brain, and liver damage.

The development and maintenance of the addictive process involves multiple pathways and levels of influence within biological, psychological, and sociological domains. Influences exogenous to the individual include environmental, cultural, and social factors. Cultural and social norms, variations in drug use practices, and the values and behaviors of parents, siblings, friends, and role models can all affect an individual’s drug experiences. Processes contributing to individual differences in substance use include physiological susceptibility, as measured in genetics studies; affective states; personality; and cognition—including expectancies and memory processes. Substance abuse versus substance use is more strongly related to intra-personal processes (e.g., self-medication for emotional distress) than social processes, although both are influential in the addictive process.

SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND DEPENDENCE

Substance use pertains simply to the use of a drug. Substance misuse means using a drug for a purpose or in a manner in which it was not intended or prescribed. Substance abuse is marked by an accumulation of negative consequences resulting from drug use. Substance use that leads to a decreased level of performance in major life roles, or to dangerous actions, legal problems, or social problems, indicates abuse. Substance dependence is a more severe form of drug abuse that also includes tolerance (the need for markedly increased amounts of the substance to achieve the desired drug effect), withdrawal symptoms when stopping substance use, unpredictability of substance use, and an inability to control the use of a substance to the point that it consumes one’s daily life.

Withdrawal symptoms vary from drug to drug. For example, withdrawal from alcohol, sedatives, or anxiolytic agents may involve autonomic reactivity, hand tremor, insomnia, nausea or vomiting, transient illusions or hallucinations, psycho-motor agitation, anxiety, and grand mal seizures. Amphetamine or cocaine withdrawal can include fatigue, unpleasant and vivid dreams, insomnia or hypersomnia, increased appetite, and psychomotor retardation or agitation. For substance abusers, withdrawal is often a difficult process with numerous symptoms, while abstaining from drug use can lead to recovery from physical and psychological problems and an improvement in overall health.

THE DRUG ABUSE CONTINUM

Conceptually, substance abuse can be seen as a continuum, with individuals at one end being relatively “disease-free” but engaging in maladaptive behaviors over which they have some control. These individuals may repetitively use drugs, and over time they may abuse drugs. They choose to live a certain lifestyle in which their maladaptive behavior may or may not result in other disease states associated with use (e.g., cirrhosis of the liver). If these individuals stop this negative cycle they can, perhaps on their own, learn alternative coping mechanisms and self-efficacy. Individuals at the other end of the continuum, however, seemingly have no control over their use. Some individuals appear to lose control the first time they use drugs. For these individuals drug use is like a toggle switch that is either on or off. For them, total abstention is the only alternative because they have no control processes once the switch is turned on. They may use until they die unless someone else can turn their switch off and keep it off. There is no logic to this behavior, and no choice. Users of this type will often ruin their own lives and the lives of those around them in their drive to use their drugs of choice. It seems that as one moves toward a more “at-risk” end of the continuum there is less and less control over substance use.

It is unclear what causes the difference in loss of control among those at different points of the continuum. Researchers do not understand the process very well. They do know that other factors may exacerbate the process, including biologically based differences in metabolic processes, different levels of susceptibility to the reinforcing effects of drugs, personality disorders or depression, and an inability to tolerate frustration or emotional discomfort. Some processes are under individual control, but many are not, and it does appear that the less control the individual has over these types of processes, the more likely he or she is to fall into substance abuse.

STAGES OF ALCOHOLISM AND DRUG ABUSE

During the early stages of substance abuse, the alcoholic or drug abuser experiences increasing tolerance and use. Substance use at this stage is generally for purposes of self-medication. In the later stages of abuse, life becomes centered around obtaining, using, and recovering from drug use. Loss of control, ethical deterioration, and noticeable withdrawal symptoms ensue. It is unclear, however, whether such a progression is inevitable.

In a 1991 empirical review of the study of progression in alcoholism, Jill Littrell found that approximately 60 percent of adolescent problem drinkers remit to nonproblematic levels of drinking when they reach their 20s, and that 25 percent of young adults remit to nonproblematic levels of drinking before they reach age 35. Studies examining data on adult alcoholics who have undergone a variety of treatments as inpatients and outpatients during follow-up periods of up to fifteen years provide a general profile of outcomes. Between 25 and 35 percent remain abstinent, whether or not they continue treatment. An additional 15 to 25 percent will be abstinent most of the time, with some lapse periods. Approximately 6 to 9 percent will become nonproblematic or controlled drinkers (particularly those who were lighter drinkers and suffered fewer negative consequences while drinking). Another 20 to 33 percent become stable problematic drinkers, while 15 to 25 percent will die from alcohol-related causes.

It is uncertain whether drug abusers follow a progression similar to that of alcoholics. There probably is some validity to a notion of progression for drug use in general, but more longitudinal studies are needed in this area. It is possible that such a progression might simply express the accumulation of consequences one endures each time one takes a chance by drinking or using drugs. As opposed to the stages outlined above, a substance abuser may simply incur more problems over time, along with an increased tolerance for alcohol or other drugs of abuse.

Ethyl alcohol, or ethanol, is the most commonly used drug in the world. Pharmacologically, alcohol is classified as a central nervous system depressant. Like other depressants, in small doses alcohol slows heart rate and respiration, decreases muscular coordination and energy, dulls the senses, and lowers inhibitions—resulting in feelings of relaxation and greater sociability. Large amounts of alcohol can result in depression of the various body systems, resulting in coma or death. The immediate physical effects of alcohol depend on the amount and frequency of drinking, while the mental and emotional effects are influenced by the mood of the drinker and the setting in which drinking takes place.

Two physical effects resulting from prolonged, heavy alcohol use include tolerance and withdrawal. Alcohol tolerance refers to the need for increased amounts of alcohol to achieve the same level of intoxication. For example, five or six drinks may be needed to achieve the same effects produced by one or two drinks when the individual first began drinking. Alcohol withdrawal, on the other hand, refers to a number of physical and psychological reactions an individual experiences when significantly reducing or stopping prolonged heavy drinking. Symptoms of withdrawal include nausea, vomiting, anxiety, and hand tremors.

An interaction of biological, psychological, and environmental factors come into play in the development of drinking behaviors and problems. For example, some individuals may be genetically predisposed to alcohol problems, but whether or not they actually experience negative alcohol consequences will also depend upon their immediate social and physical surroundings, such as family drinking patterns and alcohol availability, as well as their drinking habits.

ALCOHOL USE AND MISUSE

Most people who drink alcohol do so without negative consequences. Others may actually obtain a health benefit from its use. Some, however, drink in ways that place themselves or others at risk for experiencing alcohol-related problems. While no pattern of alcohol use is without risk, certain drinking patterns may help reduce risk significantly.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, issued jointly by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, define moderate drinking as no more than two standard drinks per day for men, and no more than one per day for women and people sixty-five years of age and older. A standard drink is 0.5 ounces of alcohol, equivalent to 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits. These guidelines suggest that moderate or low alcohol use is linked to a reduced risk for the occurrence of negative alcohol consequences. For others, however, abstaining from all alcohol consumption is the safest thing to do. Groups who should avoid all alcohol use include pregnant women, children and adolescents, those planning to drive or participate in other activities requiring alertness, people who cannot maintain moderate alcohol use, and those who are using over-the-counter or prescription medicines that interact with alcohol.

Another way to understand drinking problems is to examine definitions of alcohol misuse. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines alcohol misuse as alcohol use that places people at risk for problems, including “at-risk use,” “clinical alcohol abuse,” and “dependence.” At-risk alcohol use is the consumption of alcohol in a way that is not consistent with legal or medical guidelines, and it is likely to present risks of acute or chronic health or social problems for the user or others. Examples include underage drinking; drinking by individuals with a family history of alcoholism or problem drinking; or drinking if one has a medical condition that could be worsened by drinking, such as a stomach ulcer or liver disease. Clinical alcohol abuse is a more serious type of misuse that results in one or more recurrent, adverse consequences, such as failure to fulfill important obligations or the repeated use of alcohol in physically dangerous situations. Alcohol dependence is the most severe type of alcohol misuse and involves a chronic disorder characterized by three or more symptoms within a twelve-month period. These symptoms include alcohol tolerance, withdrawal, loss of control, and continued use despite knowledge of having a physical or psychological problem.

Negative consequences resulting from alcohol use are estimated to affect more than 10 percent of the U.S. population, with many of these individuals going undetected. A number of brief screening tools are available to help detect possible alcohol problems. One of the most widely used among these is the four-item CAGE questionnaire, which derives its name from the following four self-administrated questions:

1. Have you ever felt you should Cut down on your drinking?

2. Have people Annoyed you by criticizing your drinking?

3. Have you ever felt bad or Guilty about your drinking?

4. Have you ever had a drink first thing in the morning to steady your nerves or to get rid of a hangover (Eye-opener)?

Answering “yes” to as few as one or two items on the CAGE questionnaire may indicate a drinking problem.

PREVALENCE

In the United States, 44 percent of adults eighteen years of age and older are current drinkers, consuming at least twelve drinks in the last year. Meanwhile, 7.4 percent, or approximately 14 million Americans, experience alcohol abuse or alcohol dependence. Heavy episodic or binge drinking has remained at the same approximate level of 16 percent for all adults since 1988, with the highest rate, 32 percent, among young adults ages eighteen to twenty-five. Over one-half of adults report having a close family member who has experienced alcoholism.

As few as 5 percent of the heaviest drinkers consume as much as 42 percent of the alcohol drunk in the United States, and 20 percent of drinkers account for nearly 90 percent of the alcohol consumed. The bulk of the alcohol drunk in the United States, therefore, is consumed by a relatively small population of very heavy drinkers.

Alcohol is also the drug most frequently used by children and adolescents. In 1999, over half (52%) of eighth graders (14-year-olds) and 80 percent of twelfth graders (18-year-olds) reported having used alcohol at least once. More problematic drinking occurs in 15 percent of eighth graders and 31 percent of twelfth graders, who reported binge drinking (consuming five or more drinks in a row) in the previous two weeks. Of American high school adolescents, over half (51%) currently drink alcohol. In 1999, one in three high school students reported heavy episodic drinking of five or more drinks on at least one occasion during the previous thirty days. The prevalence of heavy drinking commonly increases through adolescence into early adulthood.

HEALTH OUTCOMES

Alcohol use has health and social consequences for those who drink, for those around them, and for the nation as a whole. Approximately 100,000 deaths each year are attributed to alcohol use, making it the third leading cause of preventable mortality in the United States. Worldwide, 750,000 deaths are attributed to alcohol use each year. Alcohol-related deaths occur from cancer, cirrhosis of the liver, pancreatitis, motor-vehicle crashes, falls, drowning, suicide, and homicide. Alcohol affects nearly every system in the body, and contributes to a range of medical problems, including altered immune system functioning, bone disease, hypertension, stroke, cardiovascular disease, reduced cognitive functioning, fetal abnormalities, traumatic injury, depression, gastrointestinal disorders, and cancers of the neck, head, stomach, pancreas, colon, breast, and prostate. Alcohol also produces significant social problems, including domestic violence, child abuse, marital and family disruption, violent crime, motor-vehicle crashes, worksite productivity losses, absenteeism, and lowered school achievement. The estimated cost of alcohol misuse in the United States in 1998 was nearly $185 billion.

Young people are particularly vulnerable to acute alcohol effects due to their lower tolerance to alcohol, their lack of experience with drinking, and drinking patterns that often include heavy episodic drinking in high-risk situations, such as during driving and sexual encounters. Leading causes of mortality and morbidity among youths include alcohol-related motor-vehicle injuries, homicide, and suicide. Alcohol use among young people is associated with reduced scholastic achievement, increased delinquency, and the development of psychiatric problems later in life. Alcohol has also been found to precede other illicit drug use, thereby serving as a “gateway” to other drug consumption, including marijuana and cocaine use.

Women and the elderly are also at greater risk for experiencing alcohol harm because of their lower levels of body water, meaning that smaller amounts of alcohol result in higher levels of intoxication than in younger men. Drinking during pregnancy has been linked to higher rates of miscarriage, stillbirth, and premature births, and fetal alcohol syndrome—a set of birth defects caused by maternal consumption of alcohol during pregnancy. For the elderly, drinking even modest amounts of alcohol may cause considerable problems due to chronic illness, interactions with medications, and grief and loneliness from the death of loved ones.

At the same time, moderate to low levels of alcohol consumption have been linked to a lower risk for heart disease and stroke. These positive effects appear to be confined primarily, however, to middle-aged and older individuals in industrialized countries with high rates of cardiovascular diseases. Individuals and populations must weigh the risks and benefits of drinking to themselves and others, including such factors as the situations under which drinking is to take place and the amount likely to be consumed, to determine the net results of drinking.

SOLUTIONS

The burden of alcohol misuse is measured in a number of ways, including the prevalence and incidence of deaths, injuries, and illnesses attributed to alcohol; hospitalization rates; potential years of life lost to alcohol misuse; and quality of life indicators. Vast resources are expended each year in the United States to address the health and social problems resulting from alcohol misuse. Because no single solution can reduce all alcohol-related harm to individuals and populations, a comprehensive approach using a range of strategies that address the multiple causes and dimensions of alcohol problems is needed. These strategies should include educational approaches—such as public health education and awareness programs, including school, family, and community-based prevention programs; environmental approaches—such as controls on the price and availability of alcohol, minimum age for purchase of alcohol, legislative measures to curb driving under the influence of alcohol, and restrictions on the promotion, marketing, and advertising of alcohol; and health care efforts—such as primary health care screening, advice by health care providers, preventive services, and effective treatment using psychological and

pharmacological approaches.

Dr.Kedar B. Karki

New Hope Rehabilitation Center Satdobato Lalitpur

drkarki_kedar@yahoo.com

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (1999). Fact Sheet: Youth Risk Behavior Trends. Atlanta, GA: Author.

Dawson, D., and Grant, B. (1998). “Family History of Alcoholism and Gender: Their Combined Effects on DSM-IV Alcohol Dependence and Major Depression.” Journal of Studies on Alcohol 59(1):97–106.

Dawson, D.; Grant, B.; Chou, S.; and Pickering, R. (1995). “Subgroup Variation in U.S. Drinking Patterns: Results of the 1992 National Longitudinal Alcohol Epidemiologic Study.” Journal of Substance Abuse 7(3):331–344.

Ewing, J. (1984). “Detecting Alcoholism: The CAGE Questionnaire.” Journal of the American Medical Association 252:1905–1907.

Grant, B.; Harford, T.; Dawson, D.; Chou, P.; DuFour, M.; and Pickering, R. (1994). “Prevalence of DSM-IV Alcohol Abuse and Dependence: United States, 1992.” Epidemiologic Bulletin No. 35. Alcohol Health & Research World 18(3):243–248.

Greenfield, T., and Rogers, J. (1999). “Who Drinks Most of the Alcohol in the U.S.? The Policy Implications.” Journal of Studies on Alcohol January 1999:78–89.

Inaba, D., and Cohen, W. (2000). Uppers, Downers, All Arounders, 4th edition. Ashland, OR: CNS Publications.

Johnston, L. D.; O’Malley, P. M.; and Bachman, J. G. (1999). “Drug Trends in 1999 Among American Teens Are Mixed.” University of Michigan News and Information Services, national press release, December 17, 1999:1–33.

Kandel, D., and Yamaguchi, K. (1993). “From Beer to Crack: Developmental Patterns of Drug Involvement.” American Journal of Public Health 83:851–855.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (2000). Summary of Findings from the 1998 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse. Rockville, MD: Author.

U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (1995). Nutrition and Your Health: Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 4th edition. Washington, DC: Author.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2000). Tenth Special Report to the U.S. Congress on Alcohol and Health from the Secretary of Health and Human Services. NIH Publication No. 00–1583. Washington, DC: Author.

—— (2000). Healthy People 2010. Washington, DC: Author.

World Health Organization (1994). Lexicon of Alcohol and Drug Terms. Geneva:

Drugs and Alcohol outraced by Painkillers

Taking painkillers does not mean addiction. Painkillers can be taken by anyone according to their age. What leads to addiction is overdose of painkillers. Overdose of painkillers in not always intentional; some increase the dosage of painkiller just because they know the heightened effect of painkiller and some get to the addiction accidentally. Accidental addiction occurs mainly to those people who haven’t got the idea of pharmaceutical drug abuse. Hundreds of thousands people get addicted to painkillers every year, intentionally or accidentally. Whatever may the reason of addiction is, the effect is the same. Painkiller addiction ruins the person’s life and drags them towards death. Painkiller addiction is now the most common mode of addiction; it has even outraced heroine or cocaine addiction.

World renowned drugs like heroine, cocaine or marijuana costs too much and they are sometimes hard for a person to afford. People have to adopt other ways like stealing or any other illegal work to get the money for these drugs. Whereas, painkillers are easily available and at very low cost. Since painkiller is prescription drug, it can be found at any medical store. The only thing that a person needs while buying painkillers is a doctor’s prescription. It is not easy to get a doctor’s prescription easily, so the addicts consult a doctor complaining about their fake ailments so that the doctor can prescribe him or her with painkillers.

The addiction to painkillers has reached such a level now, that people search more for prescription drug rehab than heroine or cocaine rehabs. Since, painkillers are used for medicinal purpose, it cannot be banned. As a result, the addicts get their daily dosage whenever they want. A heroine or cocaine addict can be identified quiet easily by their abnormal behavior; whereas, it is very hard to identify a painkiller addict. If you suspect any of your friend or family member of taking painkillers, you have to observe them very carefully.

There are certain minute symptoms of painkiller addiction that can be observed, like nausea, sleeping for long period of time, excessive yawning, dry mouth, diarrhea, unstable behavior, forgetfulness etc. But, these problems can occur separately to any person. That doesn’t mean that he is addicted to painkillers. But if you find all these symptoms in a single person and almost everyday, then you can be sure about his or her addiction.

The patients who have been prescribed with painkillers must be under well observation. They must not be allowed to take overdose of the painkillers. They must not stop taking painkillers suddenly or increase or decrease the dosage without consulting a doctor.

The best and only way to get rid of this addiction is getting proper treatment from a well known rehabilitation center like the Luxury Drug Rehab. A reputed painkiller rehab can only provide all the facilities and conduct all the treatment procedures that are needed for an addict’s complete rehabilitation.

Practice of pharmaceutical drug abuse is increasing day by day. Proper measures must be taken by the family members of the person who has been prescribed with painkillers so that the person does not get addicted to it.

Addiction to painkillers has outraced other drugs and alcohol

Addiction is the most common word in today’s world. It can be defined as that condition when a person is unable to stop using something. That something can be movies, music, shopping, cigarettes, alcohol or drugs. The last two are the most common and deadly form of addiction. Thousands of people die every year due to the intake of these two things. Drug addiction is the most common form and it is deadlier than alcohol. Lethal drugs like Cocaine, Heroine, LSD, Marijuana, Hashish etc are found all over the world and they are cause of millions of deaths. Government of every country is trying to uproot these addiction and the drugs. Some of them have already succeeded.

Although drugs have been banned in several countries, the addiction did not leave the youth. Unable to obtain their required drugs, people have changed their mode of addiction. They have now started taking painkillers for getting high. Painkiller addiction is now the most common form of addiction of the world. It is cheap and easily available. Govt. cannot even put a ban on painkillers as it is mainly used as medicine. Although, addiction to painkillers is intentional for some people, some even get addicted after they are being prescribed with painkillers by the doctors or physicists.

Some patients get physically and mentally dependant on painkillers when they are prescribed with painkillers. Even after they get completely cured from the injury or any other pain, they keep on taking painkillers because they feel chronic pains if they do not take these pills. Painkiller addictions have reached a high extent nowadays; millions of people all over the world rely on painkillers. People get too much physically dependant on painkillers, as a result cannot get rid of it. Whenever they try to give up this addiction, certain withdrawal symptoms show up. These withdrawal symptoms are so painful that the addicts get back to the addiction again.

The only way to get rid of painkiller addiction is proper medicinal treatment and care. Proper medicinal treatment cannot be obtained if the person wants to get cured by himself. If a person really wants to get out of this malpractice, then he or she must visit a painkiller rehab. A painkiller rehab is the only place where an addicted person can get proper painkiller addiction treatment. Since the withdrawal symptoms are unbearable, the patients always need special attention, care and mental support. Otherwise, there is no chance of proper rehabilitation.

But, prevention is always better than cure. When you know that you can be a victim of pharmaceutical addiction, you should ask your doctor to adopt some other methods for your cure. Or, you can also have enough control on yourself so that you can stop taking painkillers when you are completely cured. But, very few people can do this. No one knows when the medicine used to cure one self can turn to a lethal poison. Painkiller addiction must be avoided at any cost; it will not only harm yourself but also each and every people around you.

How Alcohol and Marijuana Abuse Impacts Adolescence

Adolescence is a crucial stage for physical and mental human development. An adolescent brain has increased desire of knowledge and exploration. At the same time it is highly vulnerable to high-risk behaviors, mental illness, and addiction. Adolescent drug and alcohol abuse, results in side affects that can impact them for entire life.

Adolescence and Alcohol Abuse
Easy access to alcohol is one of the most potential reasons that drive an adolescent towards alcohol abuse. As adolescents are not fully grown physically and mentally, alcohol abuse will have a long lasting and severe effect on them.

Alcohol is a depressant that slows the function of the central nervous system, which is crucial in maintaining perceptions, movements, emotions, vision and hearing of a person. Starting alcohol abuse at an younger age and continuing it through out the rest of the life will have a critical impact on the abuser that could be fatal.

Adolescence and Marijuana Abuse
Marijuana is one of the most widely abused illegal drugs in the United States. Comparatively, marijuana is more fatal to alcohol abuse for an youngster. According to University of Cincinnati, marijuana abuse significantly declines the brain activities to cognitive tasks in adolescents.

A recent study done by scientists at North Shore University has found that marijuana abuse aggravates genetic vulnerability to schizophrenia among youngsters.

Schizophrenia usually appears in late adolescence in males who abuse marijuana. On the contrary, females tend to develop schizophrenia later in their mid-20s and beyond. Schizophrenia is a severe psychiatric disorder with symptoms of emotional instability, detachment from reality, and withdrawal into the self.

The Reasons for the Abuse
There are many reasons why some children and young teens start abusing alcohol and marijuana or any other drug. Most young people abuse some form of drug because they see their family members or friends or known people abuse and seems to enjoy it. The other important cause is youngsters hear songs about drugs and see them abused on TV and in movies and misunderstand that drug abuse is common and nothing wrong in it. Some teens misapprehend that marijuana and other drugs help them to escape from problems at home, school, or with friends.

Alcohol and marijuana abuse impose serious and long-term affects on adolescents. Parents and educational institutions have a bigger role to play and help youngsters to understand the impact of drug abuse, stop it and prevent it.

Drug and Alcohol Detox at Clearview Los Angeles

Medically facilitated detoxification services are available through our Primary Residential/Inpatient Program.

Detoxification (detox) can be defined as a period of treatment where an individual is helped to overcome their physical dependence on a substance. Detox is intended to relieve the physical symptoms of withdrawal and helps prepare the patient for entry into a treatment program or rehab center. The ultimate goal of detox is to prepare the patient for long term sobriety and recovery.

Alcohol detox can cause a variety of physical symptoms and psychological ramifications. The process of alcohol detox can be traumatic and can trigger any number of side effects including tremors (the shakes), headaches, vomiting, perspiration, restlessness, loss of appetite and insomnia. More serious effects of alcohol detox can be Delirium Tremors (DT’s), autonomic hyperactivity and seizures (convulsions).

The time necessary for  alcohol detox treatment can be anywhere from 3 to 10 days. A variety of medications and procedures are used to detox a patient from alcohol.

Withdrawal from drugs is caused by stopping or dramatically reducing drug use after heavy and prolonged use. The reaction frequently includes sweating, shaking, headache, drug craving, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramping, diarrhea, inability to sleep, confusion, agitation, depression, anxiety, and other behavioral changes.

Often, there is a significant, self induced, psychological dependence associated with these substances and therefore, a period of initial stabilization followed by residential treatment is advisable. Treatment of withdrawal (detox) includes closely monitoring the person’s vital signs, supportive care and medications. The time period for drug detox is generally 3 to 7 days.

Detox at Clearview

Clearview provides detoxification services in a safe, comfortable, home-like environment. Clients work with a medical doctor who specializes in detoxification methods.

Proper detoxification and minimization of acute and post acute withdrawal symptoms are essential to the treatment process and can greatly increase the likelihood of a client successfully completing treatment.
Clearview utilizes the latest detoxification techniques and medications depending on the patient’s pattern of abuse. When appropriate, Subutex and Suboxone are utilized for opiate detoxification. Our goal is to make the patient as comfortable as possible during the detoxification process.

Clients are rigorously monitored and receive support and guidance from our trained staff while they are detoxed. Gradually, they begin to participate in therapeutic services.

Common substances that clients are detoxed from include:
•  Alcohol
•  Cocaine
•  Heroin and other opiates such as Vicodin and Oxycotin
•  Benzodiazapines such as Xanax and Valium
•  Stimulants pills such as Aderal and Ritalin
•  Methamphetamine and speed
•  Marijuana
•  Club drugs such as Ecstasy and GHB
•  Muscle relaxers
Clearview offers everything that traditional  treatment programs for Alcoholism provide, and more. While standard education, counseling, relapse prevention, and introduction to 12-Step Programs make up the entire curriculum at most other programs, at Clearview it’s just a beginning.

What is the best way to help and deal with someone that is going through alcohol and marijuana withdrawal,?

other than compassion, caring, loving, taking extremely good care of, and just trying to understand? The irritability is really getting to me when I am doing everything possible. I need some new answers, since mine don’t seem to be working