Alcohol detoxification, or "detox," is the process of removing alcohol from the alcoholic’s system. This is the first step in the journey towards sobriety and it must be done within a medical facility as it can be fatal. Alcohol detox is necessary and it is difficult. Alcohol detox leads to alcohol withdrawal which includes the following symptoms:

• mild to moderate physical symptoms: jumpiness, nervousness, shakiness, anxiety, irritability, emotional volatility, rapid mood swings, depression, fatigue, difficulty thinking clearly and bad dreams
• mild to moderate psychological symptoms: headaches, sweating, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, insomnia, paleness, rapid heart beat, dilated pupils, clammy skin, abnormal movements, tremors in hands, involuntary/abnormal movements of the eyelids
• severe symptoms: a state of confusion, visual hallucinations (known as delirium tremors), severe agitation, fever and convulsions

Not everyone who stops drinking experiences withdrawal symptoms but those that have been drinking for a long time, drink frequently and drink heavily will experience some form of alcohol withdrawal. Most detox centers have doctors and other trained medical personnel that can administer certain medications that help with the physical symptoms of withdrawal.

Date rape drugs include GHB, Rohypnol, and Ketamine. These drugs are often sneaked into women’s drinks, though men are also victim at times, and then sexually assaulted. The effects that these drugs have on the body vary but often they include:

• drowsiness
• dizziness
• nausea
• problems seeing
• problems taking
• unconsciousness (black out)
• seizures
• can’t remember what happened while drugged
• problems breathing
• tremors
• sweating
• vomiting
• slowed heart rate
• dream-like feeling
• coma
• death

It is important to keep in mind that these drugs to do taste, they have no color and they are odorless.

Many people often wonder what drugs are tested for by employers or rehab facilities. There are 5  standard substances that are always tested for. Those include marijuana, cocaine, amphetamines, opiates, and PCP. However, because of the growing problem with prescription drugs, these are tested for now. The prescription drugs that are tested for include but are not limited to Oxycodone, Valium, Xanax, Barbiturates and GHB–the compound found in date rape drugs.

Many also wonder if it is possible to pass a drug test when you have been using. The answer to this is that it is very unlikely. Stocking your body up on certain herbs, specific foods, detoxifiers, coffee or anything else won’t trick the test. And the companies that perform these tests are well aware of all things people use to try to "beat the test." Few know they have the option to conduct specimen-validity tests to ensure the specimen was untainted and they do quite often as many people try to change the results.

The only way to pass a drug test it to not use drugs. Only time and not using drugs will clear your system.

Many people often wonder how drugs effect the community. Here are just a few of the ways:

* Drug-related crime disrupts neighborhoods with violence between dealers, threats to residents and the crime of the addicts themselves

* Teens between 12 and 17 that use alcohol and/or drugs have much higher rates of violent behavior

* Many (around 50%) of the homeless have a drug or alcohol problem

* 513,000 people are injured in alcohol-related crashes every year

* In 2000, $161 billion:

–$110 billion in lost productivity

–$12.9 billion in healthcare costs

–$35 billion in other costs, such as agencies that work to stop drug use

* Drugs spread infectious diseases such as HIV and hepatitis C

* Drug use affects the unborn by causing birth defects and health problems

* Children of drug users are often neglected or abused

Drug treatment for crystal meth at Gatehouse Academy is very similar to drug treatment for such drugs as cocaine or heroin. Cognitive behavioral therapies that are designed to modify the addict’s thinking and behaviors in order to increase coping skills and to help the addict learn how to stay sober once outside of treatment. These therapies help the addict learn how to handle various life stressors.

There are no pharmacological treatments for meth detox and withdrawal at this time. Antidepressants have been shown to help many because depression is prevalent in addicts that are currently using and those that are in recovery. Many suffer from depression because the effect that meth has on the brain drains dopamine and slows dopamine production from the very first use.

Long-term drug treatment is needed to help the meth addict understand his addiction, learn how to cope with it and to teach the skills needed to live a sober life in mainstream society.

Tonight (April 15th) from 6:30 to 7:00 they are showing the documentary ‘Crystal Darkness’ on a wide range of television channels in Arizona (see http://www.silentwitness.org/crystaldarkness/media_sponsors.pdf (pdf) for details of channels). While the documentary is told through the stories of young people that have been through the scary and lonely place that is meth addiction, it is for everyone as our entire society is affected by it. Meth has torn families apart and cost tax payers significant amounts of money. The heart-wrenching tales of these young people are meant to serve as a warning for everyone: Don’t try meth even once.

Gatehouse Academy have contributed two trained counselors for the phone lines associated with the program (out of 100 trained professionals waiting for callers). In addition we are running a publicity campaign coinciding with this airing to give users, and relatives of users somewhere to go to gain more information and help.

The main Crystal Darkness website can be found at http://crystaldarkness.com

Our page can be found at Crystal Darkness - Meth Addicition.

Once I have the official 1-800 number I will post it here too.

Drug abuse is when a person uses prescription drugs or over-the-counter drugs for purposes other than what the drug was meant to be used for or in larger doses than directed. This will quickly lead to dependence and addiction. Monitoring yourself if you are prescribed a prescription will help. Only taking prescription and non-prescription drugs as directed will lesson the likelihood that you will develop an addiction and will have to use more and more to reach the same "high" and to feel like themselves.

Using any illegal drug in any amount is abuse. Illegal drugs are illegal for serious reasons. They do not serve legitimate medical purposes most of the time or they are too addictive to be used. People that try to experiment with illegal drugs often times find themselves addicted. They end up having to use more and more of the drug to reach the desired "high."

One of the best ways to say NO is by practicing for different situations where drugs and alcohol might be offered to you. For example, you’re staying the night at your aunt and uncle’s house and your older cousin offers you marijuana–practice saying NO. People that abuse drugs face so many unnecessary hardships.

* Just say NO. Don’t argue. Don’t discuss. Say NO and show that you mean it. This will be easier to do after practice.

* Give reason. Example: "My coach says not to because it will slow me down."

* Suggest other things to do. Example: "Let’s go to the movies instead."

* Say what the problem is. Example: "It’s illegal and it’s bad for you."

* Say what the consequences are. Example: "You will become addicted. You will get caught. You will feel physically bad from it."

* Avoid the situation. If you know that drug users hang out at a certain location, find another one to hang out in.

* Hang around non-users. You will end up having more fun and being more comfortable.

* LEAVE. Call for a ride or just walk away. But leave the door open in case your friends change their minds and don’t want to use.

People that use meth often times have sores on their faces. One reason for this is because users often feel like they have bugs under their skin and they obsessively pick at their skin until a sore forms. Also, acne appears on their skin because of poor hygiene and because blood is restricted from the vessels. Along with picking on these acne spots and the hallucination of bugs, sores take longer to heal.

Also, meth users end up with what is called "meth mouth." This is because meth causes extreme dry mouth and users have an intense craving for very sugary drinks and food. The lack of saliva leaves the mouth free to produce bacteria that eats away at the teeth and gums leaving weak spots that are extra prone to cavities and infections. Many times all of the user’s teeth have to be pulled out–even young users and those that have only been using for a short time.

Meth is extremely addictive and should not be used even once. Many of the health effects are irreversible and depression and anxiety follow the high that meth gives its users.

Criminal activity is often associated with drug use. A survey completed in 2004 showed that 17% of state inmates and 18% of federal inmates said they committed the crime(s) that they were then serving time for while under the influence of drugs in order to obtain money for drugs. Of the inmates, 14% were using marijuana and 11% were using cocaine or crack.

Though for every crime there will be inmates that were sober and those that were under the influence when committed, the majority of the inmates that were using committed robbery, weapons violation, burglary, and motor vehicle theft.

An interesting note is that 74% of state prisoners with a mental health problem and 56% of those without were addicted to or abused alcohol or drugs. Over a third of state prisoners with a mental health issue said they were on drugs when they committed their offense. This is of interest because it points out the correlation between dual-diagnosis and drug abuse.