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TEXAS
- 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 the most common methods of
diversion of pharmaceutical controlled
substances continue to be illegal and
indiscriminate prescribing and "doctor
shopping." Hydrocodone, alprazolam, and
benzodiazepene products continue to comprise the
majority of prescription controlled drugs abused
in North Texas. Oxycontin has surpassed
hydrocodone as the drug of choice for abusers
seeking pharmaceuticals in the Tyler area. The
most commonly abused pharmaceutical drugs in
Houston continue to be Hydrocodone, Promethazine
with Codeine and other Codeine cough syrups, and
Benzodiazepines (mostly Alprazolam). Oxycontin
abuse is on the increase, with most illegal
prescriptions being written by pain management
doctors. In addition to the aforementioned,
commonly abused pharmaceutical drugs in San
Antonio include Morphine, Dilaudid, Diazepam,
Xanax, Tussionex, Lortab, Vicodin, and Ketamine.
The major avenues for diversion continue to be
illegal and indiscriminate prescribing and
dispensing, pharmacy theft, employee pilferage,
and forged prescriptions. The diversion of
prescription drugs continues to be a significant
enforcement issue. Illegal or improper
prescription practices are the primary source
for illegally obtained prescription drugs,
primarily in the oxycodone/hydrocodone families.
Interdiction efforts also indicate that
prescription drug smuggling from Mexico, where
these drugs can be sold over the counter,
contributes to the illegal distribution of
prescription medications. Within the Houston
Field Division, one of the newer avenues for the
diversion of of pharmaceutical controlled
substances is Internet pharmacies. Mexican
border town pharmacies remain an important
source of illegal pharmaceuticals seized in the
Houston Field Division. Compounding this issue,
is the state's severe shortage of qualified
medical personnel which forces state authorities
to grant prescriptive authority to practitioners
not licensed in other states. New Mexico has
recently become one of the few states to grant
prescribing authority to psychologists who have
no medical or pharmaceutical training.
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:
DEA relies primarily on reports from its field
offices to determine where abuse and diversion
are occurring. DEA officials stated that the
initial areas that experienced OxyContin abuse
and diversion problems included rural areas
within 8 states—Alaska, Kentucky, Maine,
Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West
Virginia. In July 2002, DEA told us that it
learned that OxyContin abuse and diversion
problems had spread into larger areas of the
initial 8 states, as well as parts of 15 other
states, to involve almost half of the 50 states
including Texas.
 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 Texas 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 Texas 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 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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