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A new study shows that individuals in methadone maintenance treatment who have this treatment stopped due to incarceration are far less likely to seek substance abuse treatment when they are eventually released from jail or prison. In the USA eliminating methadone maintenance treatment for inmates is a policy that is widespread. Critics of this policy argue that this type of substance abuse treatment save lives and helps to reduce the spread of communicable diseases among drug users, as well as reducing the drug seeking behaviors of the individual in treatment. Many advocates of this policy view methadone maintenance treatment as replacement therapy, arguing that the user is simply replacing one drug with another, and that the true causes of the addiction in the person are not addressed with this substance abuse treatment option.
The latest methadone maintenance treatment study showed that individuals who were allowed to continue with their treatment during incarceration were between 2x and 6x more likely to keep up with additional substance abuse treatment at a clinic once they left jail or prison. The study results and details were published in The Lancet, the May 28, 2015 edition. According to Center for Prisoner Health and Human Rights at The Miriam Hospital director, Brown University professor of medicine and epidemiology, and one of the study authors Dr. Josiah Rich “What we are doing with methadone in our correctional system is we are systematically taking people off it. It’s the only medication that is summarily stopped upon incarceration. This study questioned that policy to find out what happens. For most of these people, the very reason they are caught up in the criminal justice system is related to their addiction to begin with.”
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1. Migraine headaches or body aches and pains that occur frequently, but for which no medical cause can be found. Depression and other forms of mental illness can include physical symptoms that are caused by the mental disorder. If your physician can not find anything wrong but you continue to have these aches and pains then it may be time to consult a mental health expert.
2. If you start to experience frequent nightmares, have night terrors, or experience flashbacks then this is an indication that something is going on and you should seek help to determine the cause. These symptoms are common after experiencing a trauma, and they may go away with counseling as you work through the underlying issues causing these symptoms. Sometimes medication may be needed during the initial stages to combat anxiety and physical responses to the nightmares or flashbacks.
3. Thoughts of harming yourself that involve intent and a plan to carry out your thoughts mean an immediate mental health evaluation should be performed. If an adolescent expresses these thoughts, or they show intent, then this should be taken seriously. A common mistake is not believing someone who voices these things, and the consequences could be devastating.
4. Becoming extremely preoccupied with certain things can also signal the onset or existence of a mental illness. Someone who becomes very preoccupied, almost obsessed, with their appearance, or with things like money, crime, or even sex, may have a mental disorder that requires treatment. If no treatment s received these preoccupations can lead to risk taking and other actions that have a negative impact on your life and health.
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There are certain symptoms that indicate a mental health evaluation should be sought. These symptoms are not a definite diagnosis but they do show areas of concern that should be checked out by a mental health professional.
1. Frequent Aggression- This is one of the symptoms that may indicate a mental health evaluation is needed. The aggression can be verbal or physical. Some people have a shorter fuse than others, and some people seem to be angry from the minute that they are born. If you frequently lash out at other people, if your aggression is placing your relationships, job, or living arrangements at risk, or it has other negative consequences then you should talk to a mental health professional.
2. Frequent Depression- If you have more blue days than good ones it may be time to seek professional help. You may notice problems with sleeping, eating, or both. A professional can screen you for clinical depression and related conditions.
3. Constant Fatigue or Chronic Exhaustion- If you always seem worn out or you are frequently exhausted even though you have not done anything physically exerting then you may be depressed without realizing it, or there could be a physical cause behind the symptoms that needs to be addressed.
4. Risky Behaviors- Risk taking can be one of the symptoms of a mental disorder that requires a mental health evaluation. It is important to remember that some people take enormous risks right from early childhood even though they do not suffer from a mental health condition.
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A new study on recidivism, published in the Health and Justice journal from Springer, shows that mental illness and substance abuse both raise the rate of recidivism among ex-prisoners. The study showed that ex-convicts who had a history which involved mental illness, substance abuse, or extreme poverty also had a much higher risk of ending back in prison. The study also showed that people who are chronically ill, who have attempted suicide, or who are obese are less likely to end up back in prison once they are released. University of Melbourne in Australia researcher Emma Thomas, M.Sc., led the study, which included analyzing interviews with more than 1,300 prisoners. These prisoners were interviewed both before and after their initial release, and they all came from 7 Queensland, Australia prisons.
Mental illness, substance abuse, and poverty factors were discussed in the interviews. The study found that those who had reported using cannabis, opioids, or methamphetamine before being sent to prison, and those who were convicted of a drug related crime, had a much higher risk of returning to prison once they are released. Substance abuse and mental illness are often present in the same individual. Participants who lived below the poverty level, and those who did not place an importance on staying healthy, were also more likely to head back to prison once they were released. According to Thomas “Many of the factors identified are easily measurable prior to release from prison, and could inform improvements to transitional planning without the need for additional, in-depth assessment. Most of these predictors are also modifiable and could potentially serve as targets for re-entry interventions.”
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A University of Montreal study has produced some suggestions about how to delay or even prevent marijuana use among high risks kids, and one answer may be short CBT sessions. Kids most at risk for using marijuana are typically prone to negative thinking and anxiety. Some believe this is why this group engages in marijuana use. Kids and adolescents who are highly impulsive or who are sensation seekers are also at a very high risk for substance abuse. It has been suggested that marijuana users may have a higher risk of neurocognitive deficits, psychiatric symptom exacerbation, psychosis precipitation, a lower educational attainment and occupational attainment, and motor vehicle accidents. Adolescents are at the highest risk because brain development is still occurring.
Lead study researcher Dr. Patricia Conrod explained the findings and suggestions. “Marijuana use is highly prevalent among teenagers in North America and Europe. As attitudes and laws towards marijuana are changing, it is important to find ways to prevent and reduce its use among at-risk youth. Our study reveals that targeted, brief interventions by trained teachers can achieve that goal. There were signs that the program delayed onset and reduced frequency of cannabis use in all youth who participated in the interventions, but the results also consistently showed that the program was particularly effective in preventing cannabis use among those most at risk of using — sensation seekers.”
The study regarding CBT sessions, marijuana use, and high risk kids provided interesting insight. First study author Ioan T. Mahu stated “The students voluntarily participated in two 90-minute cognitive-behavioral sessions that were adapted to their specific personality type. These sessions involved learning from real-life scenarios described by other at risk youth, and were designed to show how people manage risk. Cannabis was not directly mentioned but was discussed if the students brought it up.”
