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Alabama - Drug rehabs
throughout the country are not created equally.
It is important to get all the information
possible when it comes to drug rehabilitation
facilities and their treatment methods.
State to state,
prescription abuse issues vary. However,
prescription drug abuse overall has been
soaring. More readily available, and with the
misconception that if a doctor has prescribed
it, then it must be safe, more and more people
are abusing and becoming addicted to prescribed
medications.
The DEA1 (United
States Drug Enforcement Administration) reports
that Hydrocodone was the most abused
pharmaceutical drug in 2005. Other drugs
commonly diverted and abused were Oxycontin and
Vicodin. The average age of a first time user of
an opiate drug is between 15 and 22. Alabama
created a law to assist in curbing "doctor
shopping" by implementing a Prescription
Monitoring Program (PMP). Pharmaceuticals are
transported into Alabama mostly by private
vehicle. These drugs are also obtained through
forged prescriptions and “doctor shopping.” An
increasing problem is the obtaining of
pharmaceutical drugs via the internet.
 The National
Conference of State Legislatures posted an
article by Alison C. Colker called,
"Prescription Drug Abuse". In it she stated,
"Grants are available to begin a program or
enhance existing programs. In 2002, nine states
were awarded a share of $2 million in federal
grant money to address prescription monitoring
programs.9 The Bureau of Justice Assistance
Harold Rogers Prescription Drug Monitoring
Program awards these grants to states. The
bureau awarded grants for fiscal year 2003 to
Alabama, California, Florida, Idaho, Maine,
Nevada, New Mexico, New York and Wyoming, three
of which will use funds to start a new program.
(Bureau of Justice Assistance2).
In 2006, the
Birmingham News online website, AL.com3
reported, "Alabama is making it easier for
pharmacists, doctors and law enforcement to
monitor prescription drug sales and spot abuse,
illegal sales and suspicious prescribing.
Doctors, medical license boards and others have
checked the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program
database more than 30,000 times since it became
functional last year. The database tracks filled
prescriptions for class II through class V drugs
as defined by Alabama law and the U.S. Drug
Enforcement Agency.
That includes OxyContin, Xanax, Valium and other
painkillers, but not drugs such as antibiotics,
for example. Drugs given on-site in hospitals,
nursing homes and in-patient hospices also are
exempt. The database collects weekly information
on filled prescriptions dispensed by doctors,
pharmacists, dentists, optometrists and
veterinarians."
 One thing is for certain, for
the drug addict of prescription medications, the
dwindling spiral will continue on its downward
path unless action is taken. NOW is the time to
do something before the addicted person winds up
in jail or dead of an overdose or accident.
Unfortunately past failed attempts to overcome
addiction only further depress the individual so
it comes as no surprise that fear and
hesitation.
In the state of Alabama there is an increased
need for effective drug and alcohol rehab and
addiction treatment centers as drug and alcohol
use continues to escalate. Drug use erodes the
quality of life not only for the user, but for
their families and communities. Marriages and
families are torn apart by mistrust, betrayal,
fear and anger. Careers are ruined; companies
lose millions of dollars in lost production
time; cities and suburbs become degraded by the
increased crime and violence that goes with drug
trafficking and drug addiction.
From city to suburb to rural life, drug and
alcohol use and abuse continues to undermine the
quality of life for Alabama citizens. To do
nothing for the addict, should not be an option.
Something can be done; help is available. |
|
 Drug
and alcohol
addiction
typically
involves
habitual
routines in
the
environmental
scope of the
individual,
i.e. the
locations of
their drug
or alcohol
use, the
people they
associated
with in the
activities
of drug or
alcohol use,
etc. Drug or
alcohol
addiction is
not just
drug and
alcohol use,
it revolves
around
people and
things in
their
immediate
environment
which help
to trigger
the
addictive
behavior.
The abusers
location and
routines of
drug and
alcohol use
further
trigger drug
and alcohol
use. It is
the constant
and
seemingly
unstoppable
drug or
alcohol use
and the
hopelessness
of day to
day
existence
which
perpetuates
the problem
and inhibits
the native
desire to
stop ruining
their life
through the
use of drugs
and alcohol.
The above
factor
should not
be over
looked when
considering
a treatment
center
location.
The first
two
weeks of
treatment
are always
the most
difficult
and there
are many
factors at
work to make
this so. In
addition to
what has
been covered
above, a
more basic
factor is
this; people
are
creatures of
habit. Even
overwhelmingly
positive and beneficial
changes in
life, such
as the birth
of a child
or a new job
does not
guarantee
the
individual
will have no
thoughts of
missing past
negative
activities
such as,
drug or
alcohol use,
drug or
drinking
acquaintances
and other
associated
activities.
Factually
this is the
normal
reactive
auto
response of
most human
beings; to
do what they
are familiar
with; good
or bad. It
is not
really that
they yearn
for these
things, it
is just all
that they
have known
for some
time. If the
abuser is
close to
home when
overwhelming
feelings
manifest
themselves,
there is a
good chance
he or she
will leave
and get back
to what they
know, drug
addiction,
as it is not
very far
away . Due
to these
factors,
attending a
drug rehab
close to
home is
seldom the
correct
treatment
option for
chronic drug
or alcohol
abusers. It
is extremely
therapeutic
to be
distanced
from their
former
association
with drug
dealers,
bars, the
cabinet
where the
alcohol was
kept, the
cigar box
where the
cocaine was
stored, etc.
All these
triggers
make the
task of
sobriety
seem
insurmountable
to the
chronic drug
or alcohol
abuser as
these
triggers
continuously
stimulate a
reminder of
their past
addictive
behaviors.
For
individuals
with a
severe drug
or alcohol
addiction
problem,
choosing a
long term
inpatient
treatment
program is
another key
to a
successful
outcome.
By providing
a new, safe
trigger free
environment,
distanced
from past
negative
associations
and
surroundings
for an
extended
period of
time, the
chance for
success
increases
dramatically.
Our program
provides
people with
positive
circumstances
to increase
their
chances for
a successful
recovery.
The vast
majority of
students
entering our
program,
around
(80%), are
from out of
state or
from other
countries. |
