Rehab Articles
1. Teen pharming can be prevented when old medications that are no longer needed are properly disposed of. Many home medicine cabinets contain prescription and over the counter drugs which are expired or no longer used. When these are not disposed of they are available for any teenagers to access, and this can lead to drug abuse.
2. A locked medicine cabinet or drug box is an excellent way to prevent teen prescription drug abuse using your medications. If you have teenagers or younger children in the home it is a good idea to keep all prescription medications under lock and key. Many parents do not want to believe that teens would steal drugs that were prescribed to family members but this is a common problem.
3. If you want to prevent teen pharming make sure you talk with the adolescents in your family about the dangers of misusing and abusing prescription drugs. Many teenagers believe that since a drug was prescribed by a doctor it is safe and does not have any risks. Discuss the dangers with your kids to avoid this mistake.
4. Screening for teen prescription drug abuse is important. You want to hope that your adolescent will talk with you if they have a problem but at this stage teens often pull away. Discuss screening your teen for substance abuse with your family doctor or another healthcare professional. These professionals can also provide helpful tips on how to identify drug and alcohol abuse among teens for early detection and treatment.
Rehab Articles
Alcohol abuse and addiction is a serious problem, but there are some medications that can help with withdrawal and recovery. Each of these treatment options may be used in certain cases to increase the chances of a successful treatment program and a full and permanent recovery. Some of these medications help with the withdrawal symptoms that can send the individual back to abusing alcohol, while others are designed to help the individual avoid alcohol use in some way. Benzodiazepines and other anti anxiety drugs and anti-seizure medications may be used during the withdrawal process to minimize the symptoms experienced and help make the withdrawal process easier on the individual. These drugs also help lower the risk of seizures and other medical complications during detox, which can be very important if the alcohol abuse has gone on for a long period or the amount of alcohol consumed each day is excessive.
Some of the drugs used for withdrawal and recovery from alcohol abuse and addiction are designed to assist you in staying sober after the initial detox. Disulfiram, commonly called Antabuse, causes severe nausea and stomach upset when alcohol is consumed. Naltrexone works by interfering with the pleasure sensations that are caused when alcohol is consumed. Acamprosate helps those addicted to alcohol by reducing any cravings that are experienced. Topiramate may also be prescribed to help with alcohol addiction during the recovery process. It is also advisable to take a vitamin and mineral supplement during recovery to replenish any nutrients which have been depleted due to chronic alcohol abuse.
Rehab Articles
computer based substance abuse programs, relapse rates
One of the latest methods of treating alcohol and drug abuse is the use of computer based substance abuse programs, but are these programs really effective? Advances in technology mean that almost every household in Canada and the USA has access to a computer and the Internet, and computer based programs are being offered to military members in the USA in some situations. Computer based substance abuse programs often use a peer model, offering support and encouragement while helping the individual understand everything they need to know about their substance abuse. These programs can not be as effective as individual counseling sessions, and the person with the addiction is not secluded from the rest of the world and daily stresses. For some people a computer based model may be the only real option though, and in these situations some help is better than none at all.
The relapse rates seen with computer based substance abuse programs may be lower than some other options like faith based inpatient programs, but it can be an alternative to crowded and highly stressful community based programs with limited treatment options for some people. If you live in a remote area and there are no suitable treatment programs available that you can afford then computer based substance abuse programs may be an option. The best rehab will be the one that helps you overcome your alcohol or drug abuse and allows you to understand the problem. You should evaluate and compare treatment programs based on your specific budget, needs, and preferences for the best possible results.
Rehab Articles
alcohol use, sleep disruptions
Alcohol use before bed may seem like a good way to get to sleep, but new research shows that this can actually promote sleep disruptions in the night. A drink will have an initial sedative effect but it will not help you get a restful sleep, and researchers performed studies using EEGs and other diagnostic tests to identify why this happens. University of Melbourne in Australia researchers looked at EEG activity which showed the changes that occur during sleep after alcohol is consumed. One of the study authors, Christian L. Nicholas, Ph.D., said “People likely tend to focus on the commonly reported sedative properties of alcohol, which is reflected in shorter times to fall asleep, particularly in adults, rather than the sleep disruption that occurs later in the night. The reduction in delta frequency EEG activity we see across the ages is thought to represent normal brain maturational processes as the adolescent brain continues to develop to full maturity.
Dr. Nicholas continued by saying “Although the exact function of non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM) sleep, and in particular SWS, is a topic of debate, it is thought to reflect sleep need and quality, thus any disruption to this may affect the underlying restorative properties of sleep and be detrimental to daytime functioning.” Since alcohol use causes sleep disruptions later in the night it should be avoided. The initial sedative effect benefit does not outweigh the drawbacks that occur. Nicholas noted that alcohol should not be used as a sleep aid, and said “Similar increases in alpha-delta activity, which are associated with poor or unrefreshing sleep and daytime function, have been observed in individuals with chronic pain conditions. Thus, if sleep is being disrupted regularly by pre-sleep alcohol consumption, particularly over long periods of time, this could have significant detrimental effects on daytime well being and neurocognitive function, such as learning and memory processes.”
Rehab Articles
e-joint, marijuana, tobacco
A recently launched e-joint device combines marijuana and tobacco in an e-cigarette, an d it was first reported by the New York Times. This device is being used in areas of the USA where medical or recreational marijuana has been legalized, places like Colorado, Washington, and Oregon. JuJu Joint, one of the brands of an e-joint, contains 100 mg of THC, it is designed to be disposable, and it can be used without causing any smoke or smell to alert others that the person is using anything. According to Rutgers New Jersey Medical School psychiatry department chairman Dr. Petros Levounis “In some ways, e-joints are a perfect storm of a problematic delivery system, the e-cigarette, and in addition a problematic substance, cannabis oil.”
The inventor of JuJu Joints, the e-joint that can be used for both marijuana and tobacco, told reporters that every inhalation is metered by the electronic device. Rick Stevens stated “Our goal is not to get people stoned so they sit in the corner and vegetate. I wanted to eliminate every hassle that has to do with smoking marijuana. I wanted it to be discreet and easy for people to handle. There’s no odor, matches or mess.” Many have voiced concerns that those under 21 could get their hands on these devices, and there are some suspected cases of this already in places where marijuana is legalized. Anyone who wants to purchase one of the e-joints must be at least 21 years old, and they cnan expect to spend between $65 and $100 for it.
Rehab Articles
teen drinking, parental influence
New research shows that parental influence can help lower the rate of teen drinking. When parents engage in good parenting practices, they keep the lines of communication open, and they place restrictions on teen drinking then this activity is less likely as a result. Craig Colder, a psychologist with the University of Buffalo, was the lead researcher on the study. The results showed that when parents had a consistent and sustained attitude about alcohol abuse then there was a lower risk of teen drinking, but it also showed that parents who talk with kids about the dangers of alcohol use when the children were younger did not continue these discussions when the children reached their teenage years. According to Colder “This finding suggests that parents shouldn’t underestimate the impact of maintaining that messaging as their children move through adolescence.”
The study on teen drinking and parental influence can be found in the publication Addictive Behaviors, and it is titled “A latent growth curve analysis of alcohol-use specific parenting and adolescent alcohol use.” Colder explained “What our data is suggesting is that you can’t control all of your kids’ decisions, but you can help them to make good choices in situations where alcohol is available. You want kids to think about and reflect upon the pros and cons of drinking based on your previous discussions.” Colder said that the research study was undertaken because “We wanted to understand how kids’ attitudes develop.” Many parents loosen rules as their children get older, and prohibitions against alcohol use tend to weaken. This can lead to a higher risk of teen drinking.
