In a recent Entertainment Weekly article, Arrested ‘Big Brother’ champ ordered into drug rehab, it has been made aware that Adam Jasinski, winner of 9th season of the Big Brother Series, was arrested for possession of over 2000 pills of the drug oxycodone.

The story brings up the idea of how we, as addicts and alcoholics, felt invincible when we out in the world ‘running and gunning.’

Our drinking and using brings most of us to a depth of insanity that many will never experience.  It is usually based in the realm of the delusion – the idea that things are not as bad as everyone says they are.

It is at the point that the lies we tell ourselves catch up to us, that we begin to realize how vulnerable and mortal we really are.

The scary part is that most young adults are quite resilient, and always return with a strong will to survive and not get caught next time.  This is why a long term addiction treatment option is so important.  When those feelings of invincibility return, which the inevitably do – the addict will still be in treatment, and less likely to go try it on his or her own again.

We hope, for Mr. Jasinski’s sake, he was court ordered to more than 28days.  If not, we are scared his insanity will drive him to do the same thing time and time again – every time expecting thing to be different.

Do you remember the invincible feeling? What happened to you that made you want to stop? Do you have a story to share about being court ordered to drug rehab? Did you ever feel like you we ‘famous’ because of your ability to obtain drugs?

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Drugs & Fame Lead to Delusions of Invincibility – Jasinski Ordered to Rehab

Written by Angela A.

In everyday life, I struggle with letting myself let go of how others live their lives, and letting go of control in mine.  It is definitely easier for me to realize that I am powerless over what people do, how they do it, why they do it, and where they do it.  By reviewing my 1^st step, I realize that my powerlessness over others needs to be given away to my Higher Power in my 3^rd step.

There are many times when I want to shake those I love and tell them that what they want is not what they need.  I have to realize that I cannot change anyone.  An individual can only change him or herself.  I have also been in situations where I do not want to live in the moment; however, I have to realize that my Higher Power puts me in specific moments to learn a particular life lesson that He has set before me.

When I live my life according to God’s will, which is doing the next right thing, I am much more content.  When I let others live their own life, I am more focused and less frustrated.  Thank God I don’t have to play God anymore.

Angela is currently enrolled as a resident in Gatehouse Academy’s addiction treatment program.  She offers her review and testimonial by telling us about a lesson she has learned from our 12-Step curriculum.

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Lessons Learned: Live and Let Live

This week, let’s tackle a very controversial subject in the field of addiction treatment – does recovery from addiction or alcoholism involve finding a cure?

Some medical professionals, as well as treatment models, believe a cure lies in the form of a pill.  Antabuse and Methadone are probably the most familiar replacement drugs used to treat alcohol or opiate addiction. The idea of replacement therapy is that by creating a medication that safely fulfill the needs of the addiction, the addicted person will be able to live a productive life.

Looking at this solution from a rational perspective, it would appear that the medication acts as a crutch for the addict to rely on.  In other words, it simply creates a new addiction to the medication meant to cure the ailment.  An example can be seen at local methadone clinics, where hundreds line up to get their daily allotment of the medication.  It is apparent that this is the lesser of two evils, but the reality is that it doesn’t support the theory of the cure to addiction coming in the form of a pill.

The polar opposite school of thought comes from the 12 Step perspective.  The core thought being, “We are not cured of alcoholism. What we really have is a daily reprieve contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual condition.” This idea can be compared to a person suffering from cancer.

Once someone is diagnosed with cancer and receives successful treatment – it is never considered ‘cured.’  It may go into remission, but the chance always remains that it can return without reason or notice.  According to the 12 Steps, addiction works just the same way – the disease is never cured, rather it is arrested for a period of time and can return if the work is not done to keep it at bay.

In the final analysis, it is up to each individual to decide for themselves how they view addiction. What do you think?

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Is There Really a Cure???

The actor to play the now infamous role of Zed in Quentin Tarantino’s wildly successful film, “Pulp Fiction,” has continued to stay sober since his long history with drug problems. 

Peter Greene’s most recent bust for possession of drugs took place in Manhattan at Alphabet City in 2007.  He was seen by law enforcement and other witnesses to be buying two bags of cocaine.  An officer at the scene took from his front pockets of his jeans two plastic bags of an unknown substance at the time.  He went through arraignment where he pleaded guilty to the charges of criminal possession.  He received no jail time, the judge giving him time served during his sentencing. 

He supposedly won his long and harrowing battle with drug addiction when he entered a facility  for residential drug treatment during the 90s.  However, he has managed to stay clean since this most recent run in with the law.  While he had what looked like a promising career due to his tour de force performance in both “Clean, Shaven” and  “Laws of Gravity,” his constant on and off relationship with drug  wrecked many of the chances he had to star in larger roles with more opportunities from him to grow in fame and talent.  
He has had to face many problems due to his flirting with the possibility of treatment for drug addiction ever since he began using in his late teens and early twenties.  He worked as a small time drug dealer after dunning away from his home in New Jersey on the streets of New York where he was mostly homeless except for the kindness of friends and acquaintances.  He finally began to study acting, something he credits with having helped him to save his life even thought his abuse of drugs continued. 
While it is not known if he has received further help from an addiction treatment center  from his arrest in 2007, he appears to have stayed sober since.

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Pulp Fiction Actor Peter Greene Stays Sober from Drug Addiction

While experiments in pharmaceutical have proved immensely useful in treating the addiction to drugs and alcohol, other advances have been made in the medical community to aid recovering alcoholics.  Those from the behavioral science aspect of treatment have constructed and honed some potential techniques for cutting down on the relapses.  People stay sober longer with a combination of these therapies and drugs after they are out of an addiction treatment center.

Though newer to programs, fresh approaches have taken form in art therapy.  Professionals in this trade have an education in art of course, but other studies make up their complex education, including clinical, psychological, religious/spiritual, and multiculturalism.  Used for all ages, it never fails to help improve an addict’s case.  The environments for such therapy are diverse and numerous, from a location in the forest to a large studio.  Typically, the therapist works on his or her own to accomplish their goals. 

Other programs have taken different but less effective approaches to helping out with the problem of addiction.  Giving people the capability to understand what causes their urge to drink and manage those urges. Cognitive behavioral therapy has had great success.  It allows people in treatment for drug addiction and alcohol rehab to better manage their lives, especially socially, so it revolves around other aspects more positive than drinking.   

Lastly is motivational enhancement, a technique that helps addicts to understand how their addiction of choice has significantly impacted their lives.  More importantly, it provides the support necessary to help them amend the behavior that originally started them down the path of addiction.   

According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse, no one treatment is right.  In fact, it might take time to find the right treatment for an addict.  Moreover, excellent drug rehab does not only provide support and help for just the addiction, but for the addict in general and all of their needs.  Treatment must also be a fluid thing that adapts to any of the changes an addict goes through on their journey to recovery.

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How Scientists are Expanding the Treatment of Addicts

Check out the press release from PR web titled: GateHouse Academy Trains Next Generation of Dual Diagnosis Clincians and Drug Rehab Specialists

The press release takes a look at how Gatehouse Academy trains graduate level students in community based treatment for addiction in young adults.  Gatehouse Academy is the premier source for young adult drug rehab, and trains the counselors of tomorrow to be effective in dual diagnosis treatment.

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Gatehouse Academy trains next generation of dual diagnosis clinicians

According to an article from the New York Times from May 28, 2009, “Government spending related to smoking and the abuse of alcohol and illegal drugs reached $468 billion in 2005, accounting for more than one-tenth of combined federal, state and local expenditures for all purposes, according to a new study.”
The report was released by the National Center on Addiction and Drug Abuse which is a private group that operates at Columbia University. Most of the spending, according to the article, goes to health care costs that occur after abuse, such as lung cancer or overdoses. Only 2 percent of the spending goes toward prevention.
This study was the first of its kind to calculate abuse-related spending by all three levels of government, legislative, executive and judicial. The approach now leads to other social problems that require government spending such as homelessness or child abuse.
“Federal studies show that the best drug treatment programs pay for themselves 12 times over, the report said, because patients who succeed have quick improvements in health and behavior.”
A promising piece of the report cited the education that has been provided by the anti-smoking campaigns. With the combination of educating people about the effects of smoking and the taxes on cigarettes, smoking is down overall.
The center thinks that addiction treatment centers should be covered more widely by insurance companies because then more people will take advantage of it.
Insurance companies argue that record of drug treatment is not sufficient enough to implement any sort of changes. The report overall suggests that we need to invest more in prevention and less on the law enforcement aspect of drug abuse and addiction.
There is that old saying that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure and this report is just an indication of how true that really is.

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Governments’ Drug-Abuse Costs Hit $468 Billion, Study Says

Current research in anti-addiction has opened the door for prescription medications that allegedly treat the symptoms of addiction. Naltrexone is the newest medication to be making headlines. The news is especially controversial because it demonstrates the possibility that addiction may soon be treated like a brain disease that a family doctor can address. This development is similar to the way in which depression moved from being treated in mental health facilities 30 years ago, to primary care doctor’s offices, with medications like Prozac being readily available to anyone who seeks treatment.

Naltrexone functions by blocking the release of brain chemicals that are linked to pleasure and excitement. Earlier drugs used to treat addicts, like Suboxone for opioid addiction, similarly prevent the release of feel good chemicals when taking opiates, but can still be addictive because they contain opioid ingredients.  A federally funded study for Naltrexone called COMBINE compared cognitive-behavioral therapy alone with the combined treatment of therapy and the medication. The study showed that patients receiving the combined treatment were more likely to stay sober and drank less if they did relapse.

The general sentiment in the rehab industry is that medications do not treat the long-term effects of addiction. The traditional method of treatment includes the 12 step program and intensive therapy workshops. Although it is a disease of the brain, there is also a significant behavioral aspect that requires special attention and cannot be cured with a pill. Advocates of traditional treatment facilities stand behind the principle that the road to recovery requires foundational healing and total system recovery – a transformation that cannot be discovered by medication alone.

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Can Addiction Be Cured With a Pill?

The holidays can be one of the most challenging times of the year for families who have someone suffering from substance abuse. The abundance of drinking at parties and social gatherings can be torturous for a recovering alcoholic. Teens with winter blues are looking for fun, and it’s unfortunate that many get their kicks through illegal drugs. For young adults who have been suffering from addiction over a long period of time, it might be hard to convince them to sober up or get clean for the holidays. For families who are trying to find runaways in the cold of winter, it’s a bleak scenario to be in.

Despite all the difficulties that come with both addiction and recovery during the holidays, the season also brings a tremendous opportunity of hope and a chance for change. If a friend or family member is newly out of rehab, they will be looking to you for support. Staying sober with your friend or relative can help with their recovery, and make them feel less inclined to drink at parties. If you have a feeling beforehand that drugs will be involved, you can be the one to suggest an alternative social activity and have fun without all the drama of drug addiction.

As family and friends come together, the holiday season can be a great time to plan an intervention. Taking the plunge to go into detox and commit to rehab isn’t easy. Sometimes being reunited with the friend who moved away or the wise Grandparent can make all the difference in a young person’s life. It’s a great opportunity to share love and concern for someone, without feeling too awkward, because it’s the season of sharing and giving. The greatest gift you can give to someone suffering from addiction this holiday season is to support them in getting help and treatment for their condition.

To help increase awareness about the drug and alcohol addiction crisis, A&E has opened up The Recovery Project Shop. This special store has books and DVDs, including copies of the hit series Intervention, all about how to deal with abuse, addiction, and recovery. A&E will donate a portion of the sales made in the online store to the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, a non-profit organization with a goal to reduce drug abuse nationwide.

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Give the Gift of Recovery this Holiday Season

People across the nation are dying every single day from prescription drug abuse overdoses and illegal substance abuse. It’s a scary situation when addiction hits people in every community. To help our nation get some answers, today is Drug Facts Chat Day. Head on over to the National Institute on Drug Abuse’s site to chat about drug abuse and its impact on your life and community. The chat lasts all day from 8 am to 6pm EST.

Also in the spirit of Drug Facts Chat Day, a recent Washington Post story featured one family’s struggle as they lost their daughter, Nicole, to a heroin addiction. Nicole’s mother and an addiction specialist were on hand for a live discussion on dealing with addiction. They answered questions on a wide range of topics – everything from how to treat someone in recovery and what to do to get help for someone you love who is addicted.

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Dealing with Addiction? Talk About It!