As the world reels from the shock of the untimely death of Pop Legend Michael Jackson the questions are now being asked about what role prescription drugs may have played in this tragic story.  Brian Oxman the Jackson family lawyer  has indicated that abuse of prescription drugs may have played a part in the star’s death. 

Gatehouse Academy has  been warning for some time about the abuse of prescription drugs by young adults.  Partnership for a drug free America recently launched an awareness campaign on abuse of prescription drugs by teens.  Many teens get their fix in their parents medicine cabinet.  Partnership’s T.V. Ads are hard hitting reality checks for parents who leave their prescription drugs lying around.  According to recent statistics from Partnership for a Drug Free America’s annual tracking study:

• 1 in 5 teens has abused a prescription (Rx) pain medication
• 1 in 5 report abusing prescription stimulants and tranquilizers
• 1 in 10 has abused cough medication

Michael Jackson’s devastating early departure from this world may at the very least raise awareness about this new threat to our kids and to anybody who doesn’t understand the fatal consequences of this type of drug addiction.  If you or a loved one needs addiction treatment contact us for a free consultation.

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Over 1 out of 10 children under the age of 18 years of age live with at least one parent who was dependent on or abused alcohol or an illicit drug during the past year, according to a report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The report is based on national data from 2002 to 2007.

“The research increasingly shows that children growing up in homes with alcohol and drug abusing parents suffer,” said SAMHSA Acting Administrator Eric Broderick, D.D.S., M.P.H. “The chronic emotional stress in such an environment can damage their social and emotional development and permanently impede healthy brain development, often resulting in mental and physical health problems across the lifespan. This underlines the importance of preventive interventions at the earliest possible age.”

Among the findings:

• Almost 7.3 million children lived with a parent who was dependent on or abused alcohol
• About 2.1 million children lived with a parent who was dependent on or abused illicit drugs
• 5.4 million children lived with a father who met the criteria for past year substance dependence or abuse, and 3.4 million lived with a mother who met this criteria.

Findings for Children Living with Substance-Dependent or Substance-Abusing Parents: 2002 to 2007 are drawn from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health an annual nationwide survey of persons aged 12 and older. This report focused on questions asked of 87,656 parents aged 18 and older about their substance dependence and abuse.

In addition, SAMHSA has a Children’s Program Kit for use by addiction treatment centers to provide educational support programs for the children of their clients in drug treatment. It teaches children a variety of skills to fostering a sense of purpose and hope. The toolkit has activities for children from elementary school through high school. It also contains information for therapists to distribute to their clients to help parents understand the needs of their children, as well as training materials (including posters and DVDs) for substance abuse treatment or dual diagnosis treatment, staff who organize support groups for children.

This kit can be obtained for free at:  http://ncadistore.samhsa.gov/catalog/productDetails.aspx?ProductID=17245.

On President Obama’s 100th day in office, his administration announced that congress should bring an end to the crack cocaine/powder cocaine jail sentencing disparity, calling attention to a longstanding controversial issue in drug penalty laws. Right now, a person in possession only needs five grams of crack cocaine to receive a five-year minimum sentence mandatory; it takes 500 grams of powder cocaine to receive the same sentence.

Obama is addressing the 1986 and 1988 Anti-Drug Abuse Acts that created the distinction in sentencing between the two forms of cocaine. The issue has received hot debate because scientific evidence has proven that powder and crack cocaine have similar physiological and psychoactive effects on the human body.

The groups advocating the change in penalty, including victims of the federal discrepancy, demonstrated to congress the difference between the quantities of cocaine that receive the same penalty by presenting their weights in the form of chocolate bars – fifty grams verses 5000 grams – signaling the extreme disparity.

Because the current law is so harsh towards low-level drug offenses, many oppositionists feel that defendants are unfairly prosecuted and are offered no just consideration for their life circumstances, criminal history and role in the crime. Obama’s call to end the disparity is a step forward in restoring fairness in the legal system.

Maintaining sobriety is a constant, ongoing struggle. Addicts have to face the reality that relapsing is not only possible, it’s statistically probable. Nic Sheff, the 26-year-old writer of Tweak is a recovering crystal meth, marijuana and alcohol addict, and represents the large number of young adult drug users who battle with their urge to use every day.

In a recent CNN profile, Nic confessed how life’s misfortunes and missteps have led him to revisit his drug-riddled past. “I am isolated, alone, disgusted with everything and, most especially, myself. I am filled to overflowing with pain and torment and weight,” said Nic, describing how he fell back into drugs after a bad break-up and a manic episode.

Unlike general belief, a relapse isn’t spurred simply by a lack of willpower or ability to deal with personal crises. When an addict returns to using, a complex mental and chemical reaction is at work. A relapse refers to a failure or breakdown in a person’s ability to continue or follow through with a change in any set of behaviors — most commonly, alcohol and drug abuse. Often times, a relapse is underlined by a user’s complete lack of control over their behavioral response to situations; they will take more than they want to take, and cannot stop no matter how intensely they want to. 

Edythe London, a neurobiologist at the University of California, Los Angeles asserts that an addict’s neurological system is different than a non-addict. Feelings like helplessness, lack of control and loss of inhibitions can be linked to the circuitry of the brain. “Some of the most profound changes, for example in the dopamine system, can take years to resolve completely,” she says.

Although relapse is a common occurrence for many addicts, there still is hope. Cognitive and behavioral therapies can teach a person how to deal with pressures and stressful situations in a healthier manner. Gatehouse’s extended care treatment program instills in residents basic life skills and coping mechanisms; the long-term care increases the chances that an addict will remain sober for the long-run.

A variety of environmental and physiological factors can make a person more likely to abuse drugs and develop addictive behaviors. The childhood environment, social surroundings, physical conditions, genetic disorders, and a variety of other aspects can lead to serious addictions.

Research has shown that smokers with ADHD are more susceptible to nicotine dependence, according to the Journal of Pediatrics. The study also showed that patients with the attention disorder are more vulnerable to certain environmental factors, such as having friends or parents who smoke. Young people are at risk for developing nicotine dependence at a younger age, as well.

For adolescents that are exposed to nicotine, it’s possible that the brain’s “hard-wiring” that occurs during young adulthood may be altered, leading to addiction. Researchers found that nicotine induces molecular and metabolic changes in the brain that result in nerve cell membrane breakdown, especially
in men. This finding justifies the observation that individuals who smoke early in life are more susceptible to addiction.

The mentally ill are more susceptible to narcotics, according to medical research. 33 to 50 percent of psychiatric patients suffer from drug addiction. Narcotics have shown to have irreversible effects on the brains of mentally ill, and drug consumption leads to the deterioration of the cerebral structures.

“They become dependent more quickly and they tend to abuse drugs more easily. It is evident that drug use can worsen the symptoms of mental disease,” says Dr. Potvin. “The odds that a mental disorder manifests itself in an individual can increase if he or she consumes drugs.”

When it comes to success stories of people who were able to recover from alcoholism or drug addiction, we often hear about men and women who have made a successful transformation and reached success as adults. Recovery doesn’t have to wait until a person has “matured”. Teens and young adults can take advantage of a second-chance and take their lives into a new direction.

A young celebrity rehab success story is Drew Barrymore. Her troubles with alcohol began as a child and Barrymore was a teen in rehab by age 13. She talks about her bout with substance abuse in her book, Little Girl Lost. Although the book was written nearly 20 years ago, her story is sadly still relevant to teens today. Despite going through rehab as a young adult, Barrymore pushed past the substances in her life by continuing her acting career with great success and has also gone on to produce and direct her own films.

It can also be reassuring to know that you don’t have to be a larger than life superstar to get through rehab when you’re young. There are more success stories from other young adults who have struggled with the disease of addiction than you might think.

Robert K. shared his story with the Partnership for a Drug Free America. His addiction to drugs and alcohol lead him to assault his own sister with a knife at the age of 17. After rehab and becoming clean, at the age of 24 he started helping his local community by spreading meth awareness throughout Wisconsin.

Another young adult success story can be found in Christine, who started using drugs to cope with ADHD and her somewhat dysfunctional family life. Even though she started drinking at age 11, she didn’t get help until she was arrested at 16. She would relapse and go back into treatment before fully living in recovery. She was able to find happiness in her new life and married her childhood sweetheart, who never used.

Sometimes when a person is at the lowest point of addiction, it seems impossible for a change to occur. The ability to live a “normal” life seems too good to be true – like something in a dream or a fairy tale. What is truly amazing is that not only is every addiction unique to the individual, but the path to recovery is also a uniquely special journey. Each person has to discover what will work for them. When that spark happens, and they finally have the desire to clean themselves up, they have to hold on to those feelings and endure the rocky road of recovery, if they want to truly transform their life. Not everyone gets a second chance, but when given the opportunity, young people really can be successful after rehab.

Also known as “doping”, the act of taking performance enhancing drugs for optimal athleticism is a well-known point of controversy in the sports world, with recent big name figures like Alex Rodriguez recently admitting their illicit use to the masses. Substances like steroids and amphetamines can increase strength and stamina, clearly putting an athlete at an unfair advantage. These drugs are illegal because they present extreme health risks with excessive use.

Anabolic-androgenic steroids include the hormone testosterone and promote muscle mass. Some athletes take pure testosterone or synthetic modifications of the performance enhancer. Anabolic steroids reduce the amount of damage that occurs to muscles during work-out sessions, helping athletes recover more quickly and train more aggressively.

Designer steroids are fairly new to the sports drug scene, created to be undetectable by current drug tests. They are not approved by the FDA and, unlike anabolic steroids, are not prescribed by physicians.

Health threats of steroids for men include: prominent breasts, baldness and infertility. Women can experience increased body hair and a deepened voice. Both sexes can develop severe acne, liver abnormalities, bad cholesterol levels, aggressive behaviors, psychiatric conditions, and drug dependence.

Diuretics are also considered to be part of the performance drug suite: They can help athletes lose excess weight in order to qualify for a wrestling weight class or pass a drug test by diluting urine. Diuretics can cause dehydration, dizziness and kidney problems.

Many athletes also take amphetamines like caffeine, Adderall and Dexedrine to give them the desired alertness and energy they need to perform at their highest level. Stimulants reduce fatigue, suppress appetite and activate the central nervous system, which increases heart rate and blood pressure. There are serious side effects to stimulant usage, such as heart abnormalities, extreme weight loss and drug dependency.

According to the American Holistic Health Association, the term “holistic” refers to treating the whole person – the body, mind and spirit – instead of focusing just on physical and psychological symptoms of the disease that traditional treatments emphasize. Some holistic treatment programs may use alternative medicines and techniques that are not scientifically proven to work.

However, not all holistic practices are unfavorable. In fact, many of them are positive and may yield results. For example, improving a person’s diet or participating in yoga may not be scientifically grounded practices that help teens recover from addiction – but these tactics may be just what the doctor ordered, so to speak. Activities and lifestyle changes that improve the young person’s mind and lift their spirits may help trigger their desire for recovery and a new life. This motivation is invaluable in the recovery process. While some holistic practices may not be grounded in science or medicine, the idea of helping a young addict through a rehab program that serves their complete individual needs shouldn’t be ignored by traditional treatment providers.

When choosing an alcohol or drug rehab, check to see if the establishment is recognized by industry experts, such as the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration or the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers. High-quality care and treatment is key to a successful recovery.