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ARKANSAS
- 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 current investigations indicate that
diversion of hydrocodone products such as
Vicodin® and oxycodone products such as
OxyContin®, as well as morphine and
pseudoephedrine, continues to be a problem in
Arkansas. Primary methods of diversion being
reported are illegal sale and distribution by
healthcare professionals and workers, “doctor
shopping” (going to a number of doctors to
obtain prescriptions for a controlled
pharmaceutical), forged prescriptions, employee
theft, pharmacy theft, and the Internet.
Demerol® and Dilaudid® were also identified as
being among the most commonly abused and
diverted pharmaceuticals in Arkansas.
The Arkansas Attorney General, Dustin McDaniel
published a letter to the state of Arkansas
entitled, Teen Prescription Drug Abuse: An
Alarming Trend, in August, 20082.2 In
it, he wrote, "According to a recent study,
prescription drug abuse by Arkansas teenagers
between the ages of 12-17 is higher than
prescription drug abuse by teens in any other
state in the nation. Yet, Arkansas teenagers are
not alone in experiencing this problem. In fact,
prescription drug abuse is a persistent, yet
rarely discussed, problem affecting millions of
teenagers today.
In a February 2007 study, the Office of National
Drug Control writes, “Next to marijuana, the
most common illegal drugs teens are using to get
high are prescription medications. Teens are
abusing prescription drugs because they believe
the myth that these drugs provide a medically
safe high.” This common misconception leads some
teens to bring prescription drugs from their
home and share them with kids at school, or
participate in “pharm/pharming parties” where
they pour the prescription drugs they’ve
obtained into a bowl and ingest a random
assortment or otherwise barter for the pills
they desire."
The National Drug Intelligence Center3
- Arkansas Drug Threat Assessment had already
reported in October 2003, Other dangerous drugs
(ODDs) pose varying threats to Arkansas. ODDs
include the club drugs MDMA, GHB and its
analogs, LSD, and Rohypnol; the hallucinogen
psilocybin; inhalants; and diverted
pharmaceuticals, including hydrocodone (Lortab,
Lorcet, Vicodin), oxycodone (OxyContin, Percocet,
Percodan), hydromorphone (Dilaudid), codeine,
and benzodiazepines (Valium, Xanax.) Club drugs
and psilocybin are transported into Arkansas in
private vehicles, by couriers aboard commercial
aircraft, and via package delivery services.
Many of these drugs are distributed and abused
by middle-class, suburban young adults and
college students at raves, nightclubs, and on
college campuses. Inhalant abusers, primarily
adolescents, inhale chemical vapors from a
variety of substances, many of which are common
household products. Diverted pharmaceuticals
generally are obtained throughout the state by
diversion techniques including improper
prescribing practices, prescription forgery, and
"doctor shopping."
 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 Arkansas 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 Arkansas citizens. To do
nothing for the addict, should not be an option.
Something can be done; help is available.
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Should a chronic drug or alcohol abuser
attend a treat program close to home? |
|
 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. |
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Healing Addicted Lives |
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 Call
now and request a copy of Healing
Addicted Lives written by Gary W. Smith,
Certified Chemical Dependency Counselor
and Director of Narconon Arrowhead Drug
and Alcohol Rehabilitation and Education
Center.
Call anytime to speak with one of our
counselors about our program. We will
take the time to answer your questions
whether it be for yourself or a loved
one. It is possible to replace the loss
and pain of alcohol or drug addiction
with a productive, enjoyable life.
Call now (877) 340-3602.
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