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PENNSYLVANIA
- 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®, oxycodone products such as OxyContin®,
fentanyl (such as Actiq®), and pseudoephedrine
continues to be a problem in Pennsylvania.
Primary methods of diversion being reported are
illegal sale and distribution by health care
professionals and workers, “doctor shopping”
(going to a number of doctors to obtain
prescriptions for a controlled pharmaceutical),
forged prescriptions, and the Internet.
Benzodiazepines such as diazepam and alprazolam
(both the generic formulation and brand name
Xanax®) were also identified as being among the
most commonly abused and diverted
pharmaceuticals in Pennsylvania.
The GAO2
(United States General Accounting Office) report
to Congressional Requesters issued "Prescription
Drugs: OxyContin Abuse and Diversion and Efforts
to Address the Problem". In the 2003
publication:
Media reports of OxyContin abuse and diversion
began to surface in 2000. These reports first
appeared in rural areas of some states,
generally in the Appalachian region, and
continued to spread to other rural areas and
larger cities in several states. Rural
communities in Maine, Kentucky, Ohio,
Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia were
reportedly being devastated by the abuse and
diversion of OxyContin. For example, media
reports told of persons and communities that had
been adversely affected by the rise of addiction
and deaths related to OxyContin. One report
noted that drug treatment centers and emergency
rooms in a particular area were receiving new
patients who were addicted to OxyContin as early
as 1999. Pain patients, teens, and recreational
drug users who had abused OxyContin reportedly
entered drug treatment centers sweating and
vomiting from withdrawal.
WGAL.com3
published a story in February 2007 called
"Prescription, OTC Drug Abuse A Growing, Deadly
Problem. They reported:
Experts say there is an epidemic of prescription
drug abuse in this country, partly because some
abusers perceive them as safe.
"Prescription drug abuse is definitely
increasing. The Partnership for Drug-Free
America says one out of five kids nationally is
abusing prescription drugs," said Elizabeth
Portelli, of Drug-Free Pennsylvania.
The National Center on Addiction and Substance
Abuse at Columbia University says in a 10-year
period, the number of Americans who abuse
controlled prescription drugs nearly doubled
from 7.8 million to 15.1 million. Abuse among
teens more than tripled.
There are a number of ways to abuse prescription
and over-the-counter drugs. Some people just
swallow the pills. Others crush them then snort
or smoke the powder. Others melt or dissolve the
medication and inject it.
Drug prevention specialist Clay Yeager said when
medications are used in an unintended way, such
as grinding them up or smoking them, it can
create unforeseen effects.
"As soon as that's done, they lose that time
release (property)," Yeager said. "It attacks
the central nervous system. And in many cases,
internal organs shut down. Death can occur."
 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 Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania 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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