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TENNESSEE
- 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 and
pseudoephedrine/ephedrine continues to be a
problem in Tennessee even though the state
passed and signed into law the “Meth-Free
Tennessee Act of 2005” in March 2005. This law
limited the sale of the pseudoephedrine-containing
products that meth cooks rely on for the
production of methamphetamine, closed a loophole
that allowed for personal use of
methamphetamine, and required healthcare
professionals to report meth lab-related burns
and injuries to law enforcement. 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) through the state health care
program, the Internet, and forged prescriptions.
OxyContin®, methadone, morphine, and Xanax® were
identified as being among the most commonly
abused and diverted pharmaceuticals in
Tennessee.
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:
According to a 2001 HIDTA report,45 the
Appalachian region, which encompasses parts of
Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West
Virginia,has been severely affected by
prescription drug abuse, particularly pain
relievers, including oxycodone, for many years.
Three of the four states—Kentucky, Virginia, and
West Virginia—were among the initial states to
report OxyContin abuse and diversion.
Historically, oxycodone, manufactured under
brand names such as Percocet, Percodan, and
Tylox, was among the most diverted prescription
drugs in Appalachia. According to the report,
OxyContin has become the drug of choice of
abusers in several areas within the region. The
report indicates that many areas of the
Appalachian region are rural and
poverty-stricken, and the profit potential
resulting from the illicit sale of OxyContin may
have contributed to its diversion and abuse.
The Cleveland Daily Banner3
printed
a story in October 2008 called, "Program Aims to
Curb Prescription Abuse." They report:
With prescription drug abuse at an all-time high
in the state, the Tennessee Medical Association
is in the early stages of developing a
prescription safety program in hopes of reducing
prescription abuse while maintaining quality
medical attention and pain management.
A 2007 health care industry report from
BlueCross BlueShield showed Tennessee ranked
number one in its use of prescription drugs.
According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement
Administration oxycodone, methadone, morphine
and alprazolam were among the top commonly
abused pharmaceuticals in Tennessee.
"It's the No. 1 problem in America right now,"
said Mike Hall, director of the 10th Judicial
Drug Task Force.
Because most commonly used drugs can now be
found in medicine cabinets, cases of
prescription fraud have sky-rocketed. According
to the state's Web site, there have been more
than 400 arrests in the state, for TennCare
prescription fraud since 2007.
 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 Tennessee 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 Tennessee 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? |
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 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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