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?

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.

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?

Written by Wes W

In my eight months as a resident at Gatehouse Academy, I have had to face many issues about myself and encounter problems with others. There are many small rules in place to help us work through our issues and build successful relationships with people.

During the week the community as a whole has a meeting each day where we’re given the opportunity to call our peers out on patterns or behaviors we feel are concerning or incidents of rule breaching. As a part of helping us learn from out mistakes and grow emotionally and spiritually Gatehouse Academy enforces a system of bans.

These bans include boy/girl ban, talking ban, newcomer ban, weight room ban, make-up ban, and specific residents can be banned from each other. The main purpose for these bans is to get us to look inside ourselves and be free from outside distractions and validations. It is about stepping out of our comfort zones and really facing ourselves. Obviously these bans are not fun, but the lessons they teach are invaluable.

Not long ago I myself was on talking ban for about two months. It was miserable and uncomfortable for a while but I had to make peace with myself and surrender to the things around me. I had to stop fighting everything and everyone. I can’t think of any other situation where it would be possible to learn so much about myself and I am grateful to be growing at Gatehouse Academy.

Wes is currently enrolled as a resident in Gatehouse Academy’s drug rehab program.  He will have 1 year clean and sober in December, and prepare for the next step in his Recovery.

Written by Kelli S.

“Perhaps the best thing of all for me to remember is that my serenity is inversely proportional to all my expectations.”

-Alcoholics Anonymous, pg 420

I have to remind myself this every single day. One of my biggest character defects is holding too high of expectations for myself and others. For me it’s simple, when I hold high expectations for myself and others and I or they don’t meet them I get resentful and fall into self-pity mode. Yes it is simple but not easy. I think the hardest part for me is that I tend to be a perfectionist. I want to be the best at everything I do and I have a hard time dealing with mistakes that I make. Over the past ten months I have learned that I’m not and never will be “perfect”.

After coming to this realization I’ve become so much more serene and content. I have learned to set goals rather than expectations. A goal is something that I can always work towards without set standards and time frames. My sponsor always tells me that expectations are pre-conceived resentments and for us alcoholics, resentments are our number one offender. If we hold onto them we will surely drink again. If I drink I’ll die and today I want to live!

Kelly is a current resident in Gatehouse Academy’s drug rehab program, and offers her review of the experience she has had in addiction treatment thus far.

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.

According to an article from the Scotsman newspaper in Scotland, figures show that the drug death toll has reached record highs in that country. There was an increase in the deaths of older users.

What health experts there refer to as the “trainspotting generation,” they say is responsible for the increase in deaths. This generation is the one that starting injecting heroin in the late 1980s and 1990s in Scotland.

“A new report shows drug deaths have increased by more than a quarter in the past year, with the number of fatalities rising significantly among older people.”

The deaths related to drug abuse have raised a whopping 131 percent over the past ten years in Scotland, leading the government to start thinking about taking urgent action towards the problem.

“Figures show the 35-44 age bracket made up 30 per cent of drug-related fatalities and 37 per cent were aged between 25 and 34 years old.”

In Scotland the number of deaths rose much faster in the 35-44 age bracket and also in the 45 and older age bracket.

“Experts said Scotland was dealing with a legacy reaching as far back as the late 1970s and 1980s, when many people began experimenting with drugs for the first time. Those injecting drugs such as heroin 20 years ago are now inheriting a range of serious health problems, including heart and respiratory illnesses, which, in some cases, are leading to premature death.”

Heroin and morphine were the cause of most of the deaths reported in the country, especially among men.  Drug users are dying in Scotland because of a lack of care and treatment, according to the article.  The article states that because of a lack of services in the country drug users are waiting upwards of two years to receive treatment and that is why addicts are dying, the lack of drug rehab programs available.

According to an article from The Independent out of the United Kingdom, “Britain faces a rise in domestic violence, alcoholism and drug addiction unless more is done to head off social problems intensified by the recession, the local authority watchdog has warned.”

This is being referred to as the “second wave” of the global recession, and it could have worse side effects than the long term job loss. People who are out of work and unmotivated might be turning to drugs or alcohol as an outlet.  This study has been released this week by the Audit Commission in the United Kingdom.  This commission thinks that the government in the UK is not doing enough to combat the other consequences of a recession.

“The commission also criticised the Government for rushing through the introduction of around 50 different schemes designed to tackle the effects of the recession, creating confusion.”

Because the demand for unemployment benefits is up, the commission sees the social issues that are implications of a recession falling to the wayside because there were inadequate resources to be dealing with it in the first place. And if these programs run out of money, people will get left behind and be forced to deal with their problems on their own.

The longer someone is unable, the more likely it is that they will turn to alcohol or drugs for comfort, which may in turn result in the need for drug rehab to get them back on their feet.  The increase is also seen in crime rates, for things like domestic violence.

According to an article from genomeweb.com, a zebrafish gene expression study has found indications that adult neuron formation may be involved in drug addiction.

The article states the study as this:

“Researchers from Germany and the Netherlands used microarrays to compare gene expression in the brains of normal and mutant zebrafish that had or had not been exposed to amphetamine. Following amphetamine exposure, they found 139 transcripts that were differentially expressed between wild type zebrafish and mutant fish that don’t respond to the drug.”

The study hopes to gain more information on what triggers addictive behavior.

“They assessed zebrafish drug response using an assay called the conditioned place preference, in which the fish change their location in a tank as a result of amphetamine use.”

The study is a step in changing the ideas of drug addiction, that is could be a response that is triggered in the brain. A new link between neurogenesis and addiction.

Here is another quote to further explain the study:

“By screening through zebrafish that had been exposed to a mutagenizing chemical called N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea, the researchers found a dominant mutation that renders zebrafish indifferent to amphetamine. They then used Agilent microarrays to compare the gene expression profile in this mutant, dubbed “no addiction”, with wild type zebrafish in the presence or absence of amphetamine.”

This study could be the first step in understanding why the brain becomes addicted to substances and therefore needs drug rehab.

According to a news report coming out of a CBS affiliate in Las Vegas, Nevada, are seeing an increase in the number of patients that may be faking dental pain to get pain prescriptions.

Dentists have the ability to prescribe powerful drugs and now pain killer addicts are faking tooth pain in an effort to score some drugs.  There can be consequences not only for the patient who obtains drugs under false pretenses, but also the doctor.

The article states:

“Just lying about pain to a health care provider can land you in hot water. It’s a felony to get powerful drugs under false pretenses, but the board often uses diversion programs for drug abusers to avoid criminal prosecutions so the addict can get help.”

Nevada however is one of the few states that have restrictions on drug prescriptions. “Doctors and patients are flagged if too many scripts change hands. That system keeps abuse down.”

With that system in place it is more difficult for fraud over prescription drugs to occur, in a dentist or doctor’s office, but it does not fully deter it from happening. Although, patients can call several dentists or doctors until they find one that will provide them the medicine.

Most of the time these patients do not have any tooth pain and are in need of drug rehab.