Posts Tagged ‘alcoholism’
Unlikely Creatures Provide Insight Into Alcoholism Treatment
Monday, May 24th, 2010
C. elegans worms exhibit alcohol withdrawal like humans
Who knew the brain of worms was similar to those of humans – similar enough to scientifically test the effects of alcohol on the human brain?
In a new study researchers initially pondered the “cure” for a hangover, but discovered more about how the brain adapts to different levels of intoxication while watching worms go through alcohol withdrawal.
The study unearthed a brain molecule that actually leads to hangovers and researchers believe it causes withdrawal symptoms from alcohol as the brain readjusts from intoxication.
The lead researcher on the study, Lindy Holden-Dye from University of Southampton’s School of Biological Sciences, explains the significance of this research lies in that the words show the “effects of the withdrawal of alcohol and enables us to define how alcohol affects signaling in nerve circuits which leads to changes in behavior,” prompting investigation into how to best tackle withdrawal.
The reporting article from Yahoo! News explains, “This study identifies where and also how alcohol consumption affect the nervous system and the brain in a way that hasn’t been revealed until now,” going on to quote professor Holden-Dye as saying “This is leading to new ideas for the treatment of alcoholism. Our study provides a very effective experimental system to tackle this problem.”
This study could help make initial treatment for alcoholism more effective, making those critical first days and weeks more easily managed by both the individual and those caring for him or her. Also of importance, the observation of the brain’s adaptation to alcohol levels gives even more credo to the much needed mass understanding that addiction is a brain disease rather than a matter of personal strength – a misunderstanding still hindering the recovery of millions of people.
Let’s hope more studies like this come out and become embraced by the public to help recovery experts better understand how to effectively treat withdrawal symptoms of an addict.
Read more about the study here!
Tags: alcohol withdrawal, alcohol-related consequences, alcoholism
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Jonathan Rhys Meyers Returns To Rehab, But How Can He Make Recovery Count?
Saturday, May 22nd, 2010
Rhys Meyers seeking treatment again.
After an initial recovery attempt at a London treatment facility for alcoholism in 2007, The Tudors star Jonathan Rhys Meyers returns to treatment in hopes this time recovery will continue, leading to a healthier, sober lifestyle.
People.com reports Rhys Meyers’ drunken behavior landed him in both Irish and French prison in 2007 and 2009 for his drunken conduct toward airport staff – uttering racist slurs and making a spectacle, but after his stint in rehab it seems the tools provided there couldn’t quite stick.
For an actor who clearly wants to get better, as evidenced by a low profile and his second sincere attempt, how can recovery this time really count? How to make sobriety last when temptation is everywhere?
His celebrity status makes it all the more difficult to stick to his recovery plan, but with adequate support and confidence, he can come out of this experience a more composed individual, sober and excited to see where the new lifestyle takes him. Continuing care is the best way to go in this respect, it offers a point of contact for weekly updates and coaching, catches slip-ups in the recovery process, and if he does succumb to the pressures his position places him in, the program can get him back on track for lasting sobriety.
Usually those trying to recover need a complete change of scenery and crowd of people, but given the nature of his image, it might be impossible to do so; this makes an adequate aftercare program especially important. He’ll need all the extra support from trained professions he can get if he really wants to overcome this disease.
Tags: alcohol, alcohol addiction treatment, alcoholism, celebrity addiction, celebrity drug addiction
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April Marks Alcohol Awareness Month
Wednesday, April 21st, 2010
Thought we’d let this one slip by? Not a chance. With all the allocated months out there for racial and cultural understanding, eco-samaritans and diseases without cures, it’s easy to miss April’s significance in the fight against alcohol addiction.
Though this month’s marker hasn’t been particularly publicized, it’s a step forward in not only awareness, but in prevention. We’re all for getting people to look around, look at themselves and look at potentially hazardous habits that can spiral into something much more, and recognize Alcoholism as a disease.
In the United States, an estimated 15.1 million people suffer with Alcoholism; of these, an estimated 4.6 are women. Annually, an average of 100,000 people die from alcohol-related fatalities, be they from deteriorated health or alcohol-induced action or vulnerabilities. Lastly, but of special importance, the US annually spends $185 billion dollars on alcoholism-related problems.
This disease is 100 percent curable, but the general populace hasn’t yet realized what it takes to make it happen. Alcoholism itself is not something to be ashamed of; continuing to needlessly suffer without treatment is.
April should seek to promote better treatment, and, like we have done through AIDS Awareness, Alcohol Awareness should seek to end the stigma attached to this disease and accentuate the need for better treatment and continuing care.
If you think your loved one may be an alcoholic, aid him or her in receiving help through intervention. During this process you and the rest of those who care will understand the disease, how to overcome its effects on your lives and how to help your loved one heal and grow. This process continues into the individual’s treatment, which we can help you select, and even after he or she completes the program.
If you yourself have a problem with alcohol and are unsure of where to turn, our trained clinicians can listen to your story, point you in the right direction, lead you to the correct treatment facility, work with you, your family and your budget and keep you on the right path with continuing care for a brighter, healthier future.
Whichever case you fall into, it’s never too early to seek help or advice regarding alcohol or any kind of substance abuse. The sooner you identify the problem, the sooner you can implement the solution and regain control over your life, your family and your health.
Tags: addiction intervention, addiction intervention resources, alcohol awareness month, alcohol-related consequences, alcoholism, alcoholism and holidays, intervention, women alcoholics
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New York State adds stronger drunk driving laws
Wednesday, November 18th, 2009
As reported by the Associated Press yesterday (via the New York Times), New York State legislators agreed on tougher drunk driving laws.Basically, the law has created a stiffer penalty for those who drive under the influence with a child in the car, turning the DUI from a misdemeanor to a felony. The agreement will also cause offenders to have a breathalyzer installed in their car to stop offenders from starting a car while under the influence. Although some additional details have to be worked out, officials from both sides said that the any differences would be settled quickly. The law will be named after 11-year-old Leandra Rosado, who was killed when a station wagon full of children driven by a mother accused of drunken driving crashed in Manhattan on Oct. 11.
Her father, Lenny Rosado, had this to say: “Today I consider this a very glorious day and very victorious day for me. For my family, and for my daughter … this is what is going to save lives in her honor.Everyone who takes a drink and gets behind the wheel, is going to think twice about driving whether there are children in the car or outside of the car and taking a life, that my daughter’s name and her death will make a difference.”
On the heels of Diane Schuler, the mother who drove the wrong way down the Taconic State Thruway in New York earlier this year and killed multiple children, this law is a long time coming. We can only hope that those who choose to drink and drive are apprehended and given the help that they need. What we have found interesting in the past is that car insurance companies tend to give more “points,” or items that raise individuals’ insurance rates, to speeding tickets over DUIs. This needs to change. Driving under the influence is one of the most dangerous activities out there- one can only hope people learn to simply call a cab when necessary. Should drinking and driving be something a family member engages in, it’s the family’s responsibility to hold him or her accountable.
For help for yourself or a loved one, please call us at 877-320-0247 or visit us on the web at www.a-i-r.com.
Tags: addiction, addiction intervention, AiR Assistance in recovery, alcohol, alcoholism, assistance in recovery, drug addiction, DUI, hazelden, intervention, recovery, Recovery Assistance Program, substance abuse
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Binge eating encourages behavior
Friday, October 30th, 2009
An article in the New York Daily News today talked about a recent study showing that binge eating on junk food created a need for additional junk food. The study, conducted by Dr. Paul Kenny, a neuroscientist, showed that a diet of fast food (i.e. burgers, fries, and other high-salt, high-sugar foods) can create the phenomenon of craving for additional unhealthy food. This study seems to show, as the article states, the first link that junk food and drugs create similar reactions in brain chemistry. “This is the most complete evidence to date that suggests obesity and drug addiction have common neuro-biological foundations,” Paul Johnson, Kenny’s colleague, told the Daily Telegraph. An interesting study, and one we can hope will work towards improving brain work around addiction and overeating collectively.
Another interesting piece out of New York today; a Long Island town is requiring parents of high-school seniors to attend an educational seminar around the dangers and warning signs of heroin abuse. The 90 minute meeting in Smithtown provides a number of different ideas around how to prevent and recognize heroin use and abuse. As a mandatory meeting for parents of seniors, one can only hope the school district will replicate the program for younger students as well. We can only hope other communities will learn from this- education around addiction and abuse is one of the few was towards getting people the help that they need. After all, in the words of Robert Rossi, president of the Smithtown school board: “The job of a school district is not just to educate kids, it’s to educate parents.”
For help for yourself or someone you love, contact us directly at 877-320-0247 or visit www.a-i-r.com.
Tags: addiction intervention, addictive eating, AiR Assistance in recovery, alcohol, alcoholism, binge eating, DUI, eating disorder, eating disorders, overeating
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Addiction in the news
Thursday, October 29th, 2009
A few of newsworthy items came across our desks over the last couple of weeks. First and foremost, Andre Agassi, a former professional tennis player ranked number one in the world for a few years, admitted in his new autobiography “Open” that during 1997, one of his worst professional seasons, he was using crystal meth. A shocking revelation, as Agassi did test positive for drugs during that season, but was cleared based on his denial and “accidental dosage.” Rick Reilly of ESPN wrote an interesting piece about this revelation, talking specifically about how unhappy Agassi had been until that point, eventually leading him into drugs. He did pull himself out of the addiction- and more about that will be revealed- in 1998, and continued to have one of the most successful careers in professional tennis. As Reilly puts it, “They call Agassi the greatest returner in history. They aren’t kidding.”
In other news, Sioux Falls, SD recently put together a program with local businesses to bring recovery and education around addiction into the workplace. The group behind the initiative, Face It! Sioux Falls, is an advocacy group hoping to remove barriers to recovery. A group of 13 local businesses have agreed to do work with Face It. “We commend these employers for showing remarkable leadership in their commitment to actively encourage and support the journey of recovery for their employees and their families,” said Matt Walz, CEO of Face It! Sioux Falls. This is a huge step in the right direction from a community organization standpoint, putting recovery resources directly in the hands of people who need it.
In some local news, a man in Proctor, MN, was recently arrested for a DWI- at the helm of a motorized La-Z-Boy. The man arrested blew a 0.29, nearly FOUR TIMES the legal limit in Minnesota. The man proceeded to crash his La-Z-Boy into a Dodge Intrepid parked outside. The officers on the scene reported that the man’s driver’s license had been revoked because of a previous drunken-driving conviction. We can only hope he is getting the help that he needs.
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, please call us 24/7 at 877-320-0247.
Tags: addiction, addiction genes, addiction intervention, AiR Assistance in recovery, alcoholism, andre agassi, Face It! Sioux Falls, lawnchair DUI, methamphetam, methamphetamine, pain addiction, recovery assistance, substance abuse
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Watch AiR's Andrew Wainwright's interview on CNN
Thursday, October 22nd, 2009
16 states across the nation, more people die from drug-related incidents than die in traffic accidents. AiR’s founder and CEO, Andrew Wainwright discussing why drug deaths might be on the rise ““ the CDC points to the increase in abuse of prescription medication.
Aired October 1, 2009 – 07:00 ET
CNN AMERICAN MORNING HOST JOHN ROBERTS: Some shocking new statistics coming your way from the Centers for Disease Control. In 16 states across the nation, more people die from drug-related incidents than die in traffic accidents. So what could be done about it? We’ll find out. 38 and a half minutes after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: Welcome back to the Most News in the Morning. Startling new statistics as we said from the Centers for Disease Control. In 16 states and counting, drugs now kill more people than car accidents. While traffic accidents remain the biggest injury- related cause of death across the country, drug overdoses are on the rise. Why is this happening?
Andrew Wainwright is the president and CEO of Assistance in Recovery Incorporated and kicked his own addiction a decade ago. He joins us from Minneapolis this morning.
So Andrew, according to the Centers for Disease Control, drug- related deaths in the United States have doubled from the late 1990s to 2006. Why the rise?
ANDREW WAINWRIGHT, PRESIDENT & CEO, ASSISTANCE IN RECOVERY, INC.: Well, I think two important factors, John. One, in the mid 1990s, a mandate came down from Jaco and others saying we were under prescribing for pain medically, across the board. And we needed to write more prescriptions for pain. So that began and docs began to do that. We saw a rise in the writing of prescriptions.
At the same time, we saw the big pharmaceutical companies begin the kickoff primarily in January of 1996. (INAUDIBLE) Pharma kicked off OxyContin. So we saw the rise of the selling of pharmaceutical drugs, heavy narcotics both to the consumers and to the docs. So I think the combination of those two factors – in the mid ’90s, exactly where we are, the swing of the pendulum where we have unintended overdoses. And this is interesting, in hospital and on the street today.
ROBERTS: Is it just because of the availability of drugs? Or is it also a public perception issue? I ask you that because Margaret Warner, an epidemiologist for the Centers of Disease Control talked about this yesterday. And here’s what she said. She said, “People see a car accident as something that might happen to them. But as far as drug overdoses go,” she says, “maybe they see it as something that’s not going to happen to them.”
You know, you get in a car. You know you’re going out there in the flow of traffic. You have a license, you have insurance. You know that it’s possible that you could get into a car accident. When taking drugs, do people say, I might overdose? I better be careful here or better still, I’m not going to do it at all?
WAINWRIGHT: Well, I think we also have, let’s say 40 good years of education without car accidents. If you remember back there was a time when nobody wore seat belts. And then we saw the rise of air bags and all kinds of other safety insurance to make sure that we got safer. We’re raised with years of commercials and high school showings of drunk driving and all those things what happens to people.
I don’t know if we’ve seen that piece of education for the general public around drug addiction from prescription drugs. We certainly see it in the DARE program and others for narcotics that you find in the street but prescription drugs, they sort of see it safe. They come from your doctor. They’re prescribed. They come in a clean bottle. They’re sold to you from a clean environment. You take them home to your house where you take them. And it doesn’t seem there’s a lot of danger there.
It’s very far removed from what you see in the evening news, the drug wars in Mexico. It doesn’t seem that it’s the same thing as the narcotics that I’m taking at my house. So it shouldn’t have the same result. And so the study comes out like the ones that we’re seeing from the CDC and we’re really surprised that people, us, our kids, our friends and neighbors are overdosing. We can’t really put the two together.
So I think we’re talking about a missing educational component that this is serious narcotics that’s being probably today, over prescribed or made overly readily available or the ones that we have in our homes aren’t being destroyed quickly enough as they are being diverted to the street. All of the things I think we’re beginning to get educated about.
So I think we should be happy on some level that A, the CDC did the study; B, CNN wants to talk about it; and C, it’s going out to America saying this is a real problem and we need to get more education and understand what’s going on so that we can stop it.
ROBERTS: Well, we here at CNN always want to talk about the important topics. You know, Centers for Disease Control in terms of this idea for prescribing, its report said that one in five adults now is prescribed an opiate every year. And you talk about education, there is one new area where we seem to be getting it as a nation, and that is the danger of our children getting a hold of prescription drugs that were prescribed for adults. Let’s take a look at this PSA, I think, that many are familiar with now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The yellow one – this is for my postpartum depression. This one, sciatica – whatever that is. I got these after my hysterectomy – or my prostatectomy – some “ectomy.”
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: And are PSAs like that helping to illuminate the problem, at least, of young people getting drugs out of their parents’ medicine cabinet?
WAINWRIGHT: I can only say I hope so. But I think that education is key at all areas of – of going to war against, you know, what’s becoming an epidemic for us culturally. I think it’s going to be a lot of education, needs to be a lot of time, because this has become, really, a cultural issue. I think it’s -
Well, you can look at pharm parties for high school kids. I think it’s culturally part of what we do is we have heavy narcotics in our home. We’re not loathe to share them with our friends and family if they are in pain. It’s sort of, you know, we carry these in our purse, we carry them on the plane, it’s part of who we are culturally. I think a big piece of that needs to change, and so I think, yes, the PSA is going to help. It’s going to take a lot of them, and I think it’s going to take a lot more of you and I and folks like us talking about this, making it important for everybody.
ROBERTS: All right. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that the (ph) decline of road fatalities, which is one reason why drug deaths in some states have surpassed traffic fatalities is because of advances that were made in reducing traffic fatalities, but the safety administration says that it’s – it’s one of the great public health triumphs over the last few decades, to lower the number of deaths on the roadways. What can be done to make similar strides in drug abuse?
WAINWRIGHT: Well, you’re talking – you know, I’m a “change the world” guy, so I would – you know, I think it’s great that we lowered it 1 percent or 2 percent or whatever it was for traffic fatalities. You know, I’m all for making big changes. So I think that the pendulum began to swing in one direction in 1995 when we had these two major incidents happen around overprescribing of heavy narcotics. I think what – the CD (ph) study is great because it gets us talking about it, so we’re hoping that the pendulum is going to swing as far as this can go in this direction and we’re going to push it back the other way.
So let’s pick a mean, let’s say 1996, 1997, 1998 – that somewhere in there we’re going to say that’s the gold mean where we’re prescribing enough to manage and treat the pain that America is presenting with but we’re not overprescribing and allowing drugs to be (INAUDIBLE) in the street. And then we’re going to culturally change how we understand and think about the use of these kinds of prescribed drugs.
ROBERTS: Andrew Wainwright – a “change the world” kind of guy. You managed to change your world. You changed many other people’s. See if we can keep going from here. Thanks for being with us this morning. Appreciate it.
WAINWRIGHT: Thanks, John.
ROBERTS: Forty-seven and a half minutes now after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
Learn more about:
Drug Addiction
Alcoholism
Eating Disorders
Sex Addictions
Gambling Addictions
Tags: alcoholism, andrew wainwr, cnn american morning, drinking and driving, drug addiction, drug deaths
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Worldwide Heroin Problems Growing
Wednesday, October 21st, 2009
Looks like CNN has been reading our blog! A post of theirs last night talked about treating heroin addicts with heroin, something we wrote about almost a month ago. Glad to see a large media source picking up on the news, and making it a topic of discussion.
A headlining article on the CNN website today spoke about the United Nations’ concerns with the ever-growing Afghan heroin trade. According to the article, Afghan opium is responsible for over 100,000 deaths across the globe per year, which is easily more than any other drug. The heroin trade also kills, as stated by UN figures, nearly five times as many people in NATO countries than total casualties of war in the eight-year Afghan conflict. The Taliban forces have been using a local “heroin tax” to raise money for their endeavors, and 15 million or so heroin addicts around the world are a sad part of this $65 billion trade.
Antonio Maria Costa, head of the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime, has said the solution to this problem is very clear. “We need a much greater effort and commitment by governments to prevent drug addiction, to take care of drug addicts … to reduce demand.” Basically, when we provide treatment to heroin addicts, and the treatment is successful, we’re going to be able to decrease demand. However, Ethan Nadelmann, founding executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, had this to say about the UN study: “It’s very good at describing a problem. But it truly is devoid of any kind of pragmatic solution, and it essentially suggests that the answer is to keep doing more of what’s failed us in the past.”
Both are valid points- we need an overhaul of drug policy both in our country and abroad. The best way to do this is innovative treatment options and improving the quality of care that we, in the treatment field, provide. With better rates of success, and better treatment available, we’ll be able to gradually decrease demand- and if not decrease demand, at least provide better solutions to the people who are still struggling. Our Recovery Assistance Program is exactly that. Designed to help families and addicts better manage their early recovery, we’ve provided a step in the right direction to help improve treatment outcomes. We will continue to move forward in providing more comprehensive solutions for families and addicts; our best hope is providing the best help.
In other news, please be sure to check out our addiction education series, put on in conjunction with Hazelden. Find out more details here or call us directly at 877-320-0247.
Tags: addiction, addiction intervention, AiR Assistance in recovery, alcohol, alcoholism, heroin, heroin addiction, mental health, mental illness, recovery assistance, Recovery Assistance Program, substance abuse, Treatment
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The Genetic Link to Addiction
Wednesday, October 21st, 2009
An article on CNNMoney.com today spoke about the genetic link to addiction. Although widely acknowledged throughout the addiction treatment community, it’s nice to see additional research showing the link between addiction and genetics. According to Dr. David Goldman, the director of the Laboratory of Neurogenetics at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, said that according to the massive study they completed of addiction in twins, addiction ranks “among the most heritable of mental illnesses.”
Dr. Goldman also said that social cues and environment obviously contribute to addiction, a valid point. Someone with the “alcoholic gene” who is never exposed to alcohol may never lead themselves down a destructive path. After all, genetics load the gun, and environment pulls the trigger.
“What’s interesting,” Goldman says, “is that the more addictive the substance, the stronger the role of heredity in causing an addiction to it.” Therefore, if someone is using crack cocaine or opiates and has the genetic predisposition towards addiction, the greater the chance of getting hooked. Other environmental things, such as abuse or other instances of trauma, can severely influence the nature of addiction.
Dr. David Oslin, a psychiatrist at the University of Pennsylvania, had this to say about the study, “It reinforces for the patients that they are not just a bad person or lack will power. It resonates with the notion that their brain may work a little differently than other people’s and that this really is an illness they can treat like any other.”
As a family member or a loved one, be sure to be aware of the genetic triggers in your family- if a parent struggles with alcoholism, be sure to be aware of your genetic history and approach your drinking carefully. After all, there’s only so much one can do after addiction has taken hold.
Be sure to check out our new Wikipedia page, located here.
For any questions or help with yourself or a loved one, call us directly at 877-320-0247.
Tags: addiction, addiction genes, addiction intervention, AiR Assistance in recovery, alcohol, alcoholism, assistance in recovery, chemical dependency, cnn, genetics, gentetics of addiction, intervention, recovery, recovery assistance, substance abuse
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Addressing Substance Abuse Concerns
Tuesday, October 20th, 2009
A Family Educational Series in partnership with Hazelden.
Join Hazelden and Assistance in Recovery in the first of a series of free educational events that will provide information to family members and loved ones of those struggling with addiction.
Most people are aware that drugs and alcohol cause problems in our society. Our media sources daily blare the news of violence, traffic fatalities and broken homes due to drug and alcohol use. The aftermath of addiction seems easy to spot once the addiction has spun so far out of control that it has become a media event. We wonder why the addiction wasn’t spotted earlier and if it was, why didn’t “those people” just quit or do something about it?
This presentation “What is addiction?” answers these questions and more. Attendees will gain a better understanding of drug addiction and how to begin to identify the signals of problematic use within themselves, their families, and community.
Monday, November 9, 2009
5:30 p.m. Registration
6-8 p.m. Presentation, “What is Addiction?”
Hazelden’s Fellowship Club
680 Stewart Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55102-4199
Register online at hazelden.org/familyed by November 2. If you have any questions please give us a call at 877-320-0247.
Save the dates — more free educational events for family members and loved ones of those struggling with addiction:
December 14, 2009
Intervention
Presentation by AiR’s Gordon Brown. It’s not just about getting help for your loved one.
January 18, 2010
Families Living With Addiction
How to help loved ones get into treatment, how to work with insurance, and how to help ourselves.
February 8, 2010
Case Management with People in Recovery
Presentation by AiR’s James Stolz. Building resiliency and the management of substance dependence.
Tags: addiction education, alcoholism, assistac, drug addiction, hazelden, intervention, substance abuse education
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