Prescription drug addiction is a subtle killer. Prescription drug addiction victims are rarely recognizable in the same way that coke addicts or heroin abusers are; they often maintain fronts as “functional” members of society, even as they’re being hollowed out by need from the inside. Unfortunately, their relative invisibility means prescription drug addicts are unlikely to get the help they need to get better.

Prescription drug addiction is a formidable foe: It never dies easy, never goes down without a fight. Prescription drug addiction victims can’t get better on their own, for the simple reason that that’s now how addiction operates, or how recovery happens. If you or someone you care about has succumbed to prescription drug addiction, the plain fact of the matter is that you can’t get healed without professional prescription drug addiction treatment. Anything less just isn’t good enough.

Prescription drug addiction really can work, if you’ll let it: It really can help you rediscover the hope and joy and vitality that prescription drug addiction strips away. For your own sake, make today the day you make the right decision. Some things, after all, just can’t wait.

Interventions have got to be about love. An intervention can’t work if it’s driven by angst, or acrimony; if you want an intervention to be successful, you’ve got to remember why you set out to conduct it in the first place: to convince the addict you care about that he’s got to get help.

If someone you care about has slipped into a pattern of compulsive drug abuse, you’re sure to have plenty of grievances against him. An intervention, though, isn’t the forum in which to air them. Interventions only matter..are only successful…if they result in an addict’s enrolling in a drug rehab center. Short of that, nothing could ever be important.

The intervention process is never easy. The good news is that professional intervention counselors can help you along the way, and that the right guidance can make a world of difference. For your own sake, for the sake of whomever it is that needs help…don’t wait another day to make the right decision. An intervention is always too important to put off until tomorrow.

How serious is drug and alcohol abuse? Let’s put it like this: Addiction kills. If you’re lucky, drug and alcohol abuse will only ruin your life: Addiction will you rob you of all the hope and joy and emotional ardor that make life worth living in the first place. If you’re unlucky, well…drug and alcohol abuse will just plain end your life. And that’s why substance abuse treatment is so important.

Here’s the bottom line: No one beats addiction without substance abuse treatment. No one. If you’re a victim of drug and alcohol abuse, your only hope for recovery lies in a substance abuse treatment center. A substance abuse treatment program, simply put, is the last best chance you’ve got; if you’re going to get better, you’re going to need help.

And so what’s the point here? A simple one, really: Make the right choice. Resolve to let substance abuse treatment work for you…because anything less won’t and can’t ever be good enough. Remember, drug and alcohol abuse ruin lives. Addiction kills. There’s too much at stake for you not to give substance abuse treatment a shot. At this point, you’ve got nothing left to lose.

There are many types of addictions, psychological and physical, that we
as human beings are susceptible to. There are the commonly known
addictions to substances like alcohol and narcotics, as well as other
lesser known addictions, such as love addiction and sexual addiction.
Gambling, eating, shopping, sex, internet, work, and video games can all
be as addictive and as damaging as an addiction to narcotics or
alcohol.

The reasons people develop addictions to certain behaviors are numerous.
For instance, an addiction to love can be caused by a lack of nurturing
and attention when young, or a feeling of being isolated or detached
from parents and family, while an addiction to the internet can be
caused by a persons desire to not want to deal with other people or
problems in their lives.

There are four different recognized types of addiction, which all work
in the same way:

The first and most well known of all addictions is the compulsive
ingestion of substances, which include “street” and prescription drugs,
caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, and foods that are “comforting” such as
candies and pastries containing sugar and fat. Some substance addictions
like alcohol and heroin are compounded by physical cravings.

The second group of addictions are compulsive activities, like work, sex
(including porn), cleaning, overeating, shopping, internet, and
gambling.

Thirdly there are compulsive relationships as in the case of
co-addiction or co-dependence.

And the last group of addictions, compulsive mind/body “states” like
addiction to a religion or cause (zealotry), anger, and other excitements
such as thrill-seeking.

All true addictions follow a certain path, and have common traits. All
addictions serve one purpose, to temporarily distract the individual
from some unrelenting inner pain such as anger, shame, guilt, confusion,
frustration, hopelessness, and other anxieties.

Treatment for these different types of addictions is a complicated
process. Abstinence from the substance or behavior is the first step,
followed by enrollment in a drug treatment center for drug rehabilitation and recovery.
Once the addiction is purged from the mind and in the case of substance
abuse, the body, therapy and the learning of proper coping skills are
used to ensure a lasting recovery.

A serious crisis plagues the USA that merits immediate attention-drug abuse. Some people may believe drug problems were a thing of the past, the psychedelic ‘60’s or perhaps the club culture of the 80’s. It is very real and it is happening right now. According to the US Government, an alarming 19.1 million Americans have used an illegal drug in the past month alone. At this rate, it is not a problem that we can continue to ignore. The viciousness with which entire families can be dissected by this deadly disorder is both frightening and tragic. And it is noteworthy to point out that addiction shows no favoritism. No socio-economic group goes unscathed.

Yet, numerous people under this deadly bondage of dependency want help and healing desperately. They want to resume normal lives but don’t know where to go or shamefully, were turned away! It is estimated that nearly 100,000 people seeking help and treatment were unable to receive it over the past year.

In his State of the Union address, President Bush introduced Access to Recovery an initiative to aid afflicted American in their battle with this disorder. Patients would be tested to verify that they are qualified for the program then, vouchers for appropriate treatment would be administered. Patients could then present these vouchers for services rendered to participating rehab centers around the country. The philosophy is that no one should be denied the opportunity to get well. Another part of the government’s strategy deals with ways to reduce the supply and demand for illegal drugs crossing our borders. Additionally, it highlights new programs, which have been successful in fighting substance abuse. The website, Accesstorecovery.com, can give you more information on treatment centers around the country. CARE, California Access to Recovery Effort is another wealth of information on treatment-especially for youth. If you are 18 or older and are looking for a way out, know that a very effective residential and extended care center for treatment exists called Sunset Malibu.

Located in gorgeous Malibu, California, Sunset Malibu is known for its comprehensive treatment program. The Center is comprised of a dynamic team of expert doctors, therapists and very capable staff. They believe that every patient is an individual and unique being. Treatment is not just a blanket formula for all, nor it is administered in a sterile institution type setting. The specialized intensive program is comprised of group therapy, individual therapy, cognitive behavioral groups, a family program, conventional medicine, alternative medicine and 12-step programs. Many other philosophies are also incorporated to improve the outcome of an individual’s treatment. Sunset Malibu recognizes that drug or alcohol rehabilitation can be very painful and extremely uncomfortable emotionally as well as physically.

The center holds the belief that comfort is paramount to a patient’s success. That is why residents may participate in yoga classes; outdoor activities or perhaps receive a massage, facial and a manicure/pedicure all in the caring and luxurious environment provided. Daily needs are very amply granted such as gourmet meals, laundry service, transportation, appointment scheduling, Internet access and even special requests (when appropriate.)

All care is provided for in a state of the art facility fully equipped with large screen plasma TVs and many modern amenities. The exquisite views of the Pacific Ocean compliment the stunning decorations and beautiful architecture. There is no stress producing noise from the streets-only the calming sound of the waves. And, a patient’s privacy is never compromised. Providing a soothing, caring environment is what the Center strives to achieve and maintain.

There are counselors available 24/7 to speak with you @ 800-332-9202. They will discuss some of the issues you and your family face while in detox or rehabilitation.

No matter where you go to get treatment, go now. Make a decision to end your days of suffering physically, mentally and spiritually. You deserve wholesome healthy relationships with your family, friends and loved ones. At Sunset Malibu no one will ever punish you or tear you down for your addiction. They are there to help you build and excel in your life once again. The days of your healing and restoration stand waiting for your embrace.

Once known as “poor man’s cocaine,” the crystalline white powder known
as speed or meth, quickly seduces those who snort, smoke or inject it
with a euphoric rush of confidence, hyperalertness and sexual arousal
that can last for hours, even days on end, and then the destruction
begins.

Meth initially became popular in rural areas in the midwest, and on the
West Coast. With alarming rapidity the epidemic of meth has found it’s
way into the mainstream on its steady march across the country. Cheaper
than most other hard drugs, the highly addictive stimulant is spreading
to people across the socioeconomic spectrum, from soccer moms in
Illinois, and computer geeks in Silicon Valley to factory workers in
Detroit and gay professionals in New York and Los Angeles.

Recently, the White House drug policy office, realizing the potential
disaster on the horizon, has set a goal to cut meth use by 15 percent
over the next three years and increase seizures of meth labs by 25
percent. The abuse of meth, mistakenly thought to only be a minor
problem, has now become an issue on a national level.

With more than 12 million Americans having tried methamphetamine, and
1.5 million admitting to being regular users (according to federal
estimates) meth abuse is quickly spreading. The production of meth is at
an all time high as well. Meth labs have been uncovered in all 50
states, with Missouri topping the list, with more than 8,000 labs seized
between 2002 and 2004. Law enforcement officials across the United
States rank methamphetamine as the No. 1 drug problem they face today.
In a survey of 500 law-enforcement agencies in 45 states by the National
Association of Counties, 58 percent said meth is by far the biggest drug
problem they face, compared with only 19 percent for cocaine, 17 percent
for pot and 3 percent for heroin.

Meth addicts are pouring into prisons and meth rehabilitation centers at an
ever-increasing rate, and a new generation of “meth babies” is choking
the foster-care system in many states. About half the counties reported
that one in five inmates are jailed because of meth-related crimes like
robberies and burglaries. Another 17 percent of counties reported that
one in two inmates are incarcerated for meth-related activity. About
1,000 of the 2,800 inmates in the Oklahoma County jail are incarcerated
for meth-related crimes, he said. Even Mormon Utah has a meth problem,
with nearly half the women in Salt Lake City’s jail testing positive for
the drug in one study.

One thing is for sure, meth abuse is America’s biggest problem, making
it Public Enemy No. 1.

Methamphetamine, a thrill-drug, known on the street as “speed”, “meth”, “chalk” or, in crystal form, “ice”, “glass”, and “tina”, has become the low-cost drug of choice in many communities, supplanting even crack cocaine and heroin for cheap thrills. It is relatively easy to make, broiled in saucepots and cookers, from readily available items. All one needs is the reckless will to do it, and presto.

Why would a person take the risk? Well, according to the National Institute of Drug Abuse, the user, “experiences an intense sensation, called a ‘rush’ or ‘flash,’ that lasts only a few minutes and is described as extremely pleasurable.” The downsides to this precipitous spike in mood are: long bouts of wakefulness, frenetic behavior and restlessness, a decrease in appetite, hypothermia, and insomnia. There are other effects: users may experience confusion, anxiety, paranoia, tremors, and even seizures. Methamphetamine also leads to an increased heart rate and can cause high blood pressure. Use of the drug can also damage brain cells, potentially causing strokes. Often damage to the brain is not immediately detectable, only becoming manifest months later. In fact, Meth causes damage to the brain similar to that caused by Altzheimers or epilepsy The long and the short of it is – one way or another, Meth hastens death.

With such information out there, one would imagine people staying away from the drug in droves, but, in fact, recent studies showed upwards of 6 percent of all high school seniors had tried Meth at least once, with upwards of 5 percent of juniors trying the drug. The drug seems to be particularly popular in the American Southwest. In Phonenix, over 40 percent of arrestees tested positive for Meth. In Los Angeles, over 28 percent tested positive. It has also caught on in the urban gay scene, doing the work that used to be done by amyl nitrate “poppers”; except people are doing it in injectable form, putting themselves at increased risk for HIV and a host of other blood-borne pathogens.

The production of Meth is itself a dangerous habit. People are often burned, even blinded, when the household materials they are using to cook Meth, such as ammonium chloride, explode. Because it is cheap to make, and is made with available household items, user desperate for the drug will often try to concoct it themselves. This is only one of many tertiary horrors associated with the drug.

Once, outlaw motorcycle gangs controlled the production and trafficking of methamphetamine in America. Nowadays, Mexico-based operators dominate the current market. They are aided by the accessibility of the chemicals needed to cook Meth, as well as their access to elaborate smuggling routes and clandestine border town drug rings. They also run a number of “super labs”, which can produce Meth in enormous quantities over a short period of time. It has become virtually impossible to keep up with the rapid production of Meth by these groups south of the border. DEA agents are getting more and more vigilant, however, and initiatives are now in place to stop the smuggling rings which had gone unrecognized for years as more attention was directed to traditional sources of the drug such as biker gangs.

Authorities have woken up in recent years to the precipitous climb in Meth production, as well as use. The institution of Meth as a “party drug” is particularly alarming to drug enforcement agents across the county. First-time users have no realistic idea of how the drug will affect them, making the casual use and ease of availability even more frightening.

In a ten year span, from 1994 to 2004, the number of people admitting themselves to treatment programs for methamphetamine addiction increased from 33,443 in 1994, to the astronomical figure of 129,079 in 2004. This is both alarming and encouraging, for people – including the users themselves –are waking up to the need for treatment.

September, 2006, was National Recovery Month. Although that attention is welcome, Sunset Malibu would like every month to be National Recovery Month, and we encourage individuals experiencing the torment of Methamphetamine addiction to seek treatment in our luxurious and beautiful facility overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

Contrary to popular opinion, there are long-term effects to short term use of any drug. Meth is particularly potent, even more so in liquid form; and it is now more important than ever to address your use of the drug. We are a private facility, and you need not be ashamed to walk through our doors. We respect confidentiality. Meth use, as crack did in the ‘80s’s, has a particular stigma nowadays, and we fully understand the embarrassment people often feel at the thought of their addiction to the drug. At Sunset Malibu we know Meth use cuts across all race and class lines. We encourage you to take the step of entering our facility, and make a positive change in your life.

Heroin is an illegal, highly addictive drug. It is both the most abused and the most rapidly acting of the opiates. Heroin is processed from morphine, a naturally occurring substance extracted from the seed or pod of certain varieties of poppy plants. It is typically sold as a white or brownish powder or as the black sticky substance known on the streets as “black tar heroin.” Although purer heroin is becoming more common, most street heroin is “cut” with other drugs or with substances such as sugar, starch, powdered milk, or quinine. Street heroin can also be cut with strychnine or other poisons. Because heroin abusers do not know the actual strength of the drug or its true contents, they are at risk of overdose or death. Heroin also poses special problems because of the transmission of HIV and other diseases that can occur from sharing needles or other injection equipment.

Heroin is usually injected, sniffed/snorted, or smoked. Typically, a heroin abuser may inject up to four times a day. Intravenous injection provides the greatest intensity and most rapid onset of euphoria, while intra-muscular injection produces a relatively slow onset of euphoria. When heroin is sniffed or smoked, peak effects are usually felt within 10 to 15 minutes. Although smoking and sniffing heroin do not produce a “rush” as quickly or as intensely as intravenous injection, researchers have confirmed that all three forms of heroin administration are addictive.

Injection continues to be the predominant method of heroin use among addicted users seeking treatment; however, researchers have observed a shift in heroin use patterns, from injection to sniffing and smoking. In fact, sniffing/snorting heroin is now a widely reported means of taking heroin among users admitted for drug treatment. Heroin addicts often name kicking this habit as the hardest thing to do in life. Many experience extreme symptoms of withdrawal that take an extreme physical toll on them making it seemingly impossible to break the cycle of abuse.

Drug addiction is a serious problem that can affect us all. Whether you
know someone who has had a drug or alcohol problem, or have one
yourself, there is a way to get help.

Effective drug rehabilitation addresses both the physical dependence and
the psychological addiction of the substance abuser. By treating both
the dependence and the addiction harmoniously, the patient has the best
chance of making a full, lasting recovery. If only one aspect of the
affliction is addressed, the chance of a relapse increases.

Physical dependency is treated by putting the patient through a complete
and immediate detoxification process, during which time the patient is
not permitted access to either drugs or alcohol. This allows the body to
remove all traces of the abused substance. This process can take days or
months, depending on the substance abused and the length of the abuse,
both of which contribute to the patient’s tolerance to the substance.
Detox should always be closely monitored by trained medical personnel,
as withdrawal symptoms can be potentially life-threatening.

Once all traces of the drug have been removed from the body, the
psychological desire to continue using can become overwhelming. In order
to help overcome this addiction, it is recommended that the patient
enter into a custom counseling program or sober living facility. Twelve-step programs
are also recommended and they are one of the most effective ways to
battle this psychological desire.

In addition to regular counseling of some sort, the patient should be
diligent in maintaining a drug-free lifestyle. Especially at the
beginning of their treatment, they should distance themselves from
substance abusers and situations where substance abuse might be
occurring, even if this means alienating their friends. If a patient is
particularly susceptible to peer pressure, extended inpatient therapy
might be recommended to help establish a drug-free environment during
the most critical first stages of treatment. For those patients whose
addiction is not as severe, outpatient treatment is available.

Making the commitment to recover from a serious substance abuse problem
is a lifestyle change, and therefore it is not something that happens
overnight. The reasons people begin using and abusing drugs are
different for everyone, and the most effective rehabilitation plans are
custom tailored to each individual’s needs. Once the physical dependence
has been combated, the psychological addiction must be faced every day
for the rest of the patient’s life.

There is no magic wand to make an addict suddenly not be an addict
anymore, but with diligence and a strong foundation from a good drug
rehabilitation program, the recovering addict can lead a normal,
successful life.

The utilization of Drug and alcohol screening in the workplace is a
legitimate, legal way of identifying substance abuse. If utilized in the
early stages of substance abuse, the benefits are indisputable. The denial of
abuse, a common symptom of addiction, makes identification difficult,
therefore a surefire method of identifying abuse is necessary.
Additionally, drug and alcohol screening can also be used for
identification and monitoring of the patient during drug treatment.

Drug and alcohol screening is an important and very effective tool that
must be utilized correctly and judiciously. Due to the possibility of
incorrect testing or interpretation, which can harm innocent people and
families, drug and alcohol screening must be administered by individuals
who are trained to understand drugs on a medical and pharmacological
level.

Many testing options are available. Drug and alcohol screening
procedures and implementation should be tailored to the needs of the
situation. The types of tests available are as follows:

Pre-Employment:

To aid companies in identifying individuals who are substance abusers,
pre-employment drug and alcohol screening should be implemented.

Post-Accident:

Substance abusers are 75-80% likelier to be involved in an on-the-job
accident. These accidents are often worse than accidents involving
non-abusers. Some companies deny or reduce workers’ compensation
benefits if the employee was impaired or intoxicated at the time of the
accident.

Random:

Random testing is the most effective option for drug and alcohol
screening available. Companies that use random testing benefit from
increased productivity, diminished absenteeism and tardiness rates and
better workplace morale. Random testing not only helps detect, but is
also a deterrent against drug and/or alcohol use.

Reasonable Cause:

Reasonable Cause testing gives the employer an opportunity to test an
employee suspected of being under the influence of drugs. Employees may
be asked to submit to a drug and alcohol screening if “reasonable cause”
exists to indicate that their health or ability to perform work may be
impaired due to substance abuse.

Follow-Up:

Any and all employees who have tested positive should be subject to
follow-up, unannounced testing for up to twenty-four months.