Drug Rehab and Alcohol Treatment Center Smoking Bans

Can smoking cigarettes during your drug rehab and alcohol treatment determine whether you have recovery success or not? Rehab centers are beginning to think so.

Recently, a new tobacco-free policy was instituted at an Ohio women’s drug abuse treatment center. While tobacco-free treatment facilities began in New Jersey during the 1990’s, this treatment center was the first in Ohio to go tobacco free. Tobacco-free facilities have begun to make their way to other parts of the country as well.

Now did banning smoking really make a difference at the treatment center in Ohio? Yes…just not in the way they were expecting.

In a study done during the first few months after the tobacco-free policy was instituted, it was found that both smokers and non-smokers alike were more likely to leave treatment early. The researchers also found that the percentage of patients who completed their program at the women’s center decreased from 70 to 42 percent. The success rate wasn’t the only thing that dropped, the average number of days that patients remained in the program dropped from 61 to 48 days. Those are both pretty substantial decreases in just a few months.

Drug rehab and alcohol treatment facilities have generally tended to allow patients to smoke because many believe that treating someone for smoking in addition to other substance abuse is just too difficult and will likely end in failure. In addition many facilities fear that simply, banning smoking will cause them to lose business. The other train of thought is that since many patients use cigarettes as a crutch to help them cope while trying to defeat other addictions, their smoking could pose to be just as much of a problem.

Gretchen Hammond, who works for Amethyst Inc. in Ohio stated, “You behave very similarly with a cigarette as you would with any drug. For example, if I’m having a bad day I’ll try to smoke it away verses talking to someone or going to therapy and working on the problem.”

Now which train of thought is better? There is no definite answer yet. The results from the previously mentioned study in Ohio, don’t necessarily mean that treatment centers shouldn’t try and implement smoking bans, but rather shine a light on the challenges that are associated with implementing a new policy which goes against years and years of conventional thinking.

Have you ever tried to change an extremely stubborn friend’s mind? It’s hard isn’t it? With no definite answer, the question remains, to ban smoking in treatment centers or to not ban smoking?


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Getting Dressed Up For An Alcohol Related Accident

With prom and graduation right around the corner, these next few months should be some of the happiest moments of one’s teenage years, not a time clouded by tragedy. Sadly the two seem to go hand in hand more often than they should.

Annually, parents and communities nationwide are forced to face the sad reality of mourning the death of a young life cut off before its prime. A national study of more than 2,500 eleventh and twelfth graders found that 90 percent of teens believe their peers are more likely to drink and drive on prom night, and that 79 percent believe that the same holds true for graduation night. However, this belief doesn’t necessarily translate to concern over the dangers of drinking and driving on prom and graduation night. According to the study only 29 percent and 25 percent of teens say that driving on prom night and graduation night, respectively, is dangerous.

Every year between the months of April, May, and June, YouTube, Facebook, newspapers, and television alike are laden with tales of tragedy about carless and drunk driving on prom and graduation nights. Unfortunately, an “it won’t happen to me” attitude has become prevalent in teens today diminishing the truth that this is a very real problem- Alcohol abuse. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2007, there were 380 teen alcohol-related fatalities during prom and graduation season. In 2001 alone, there were 1,012 fatalities of children under the age of 21 as a result of alcohol-related traffic fatalities.

It’s no secret that children under the age of 21 are drinking alcohol. To help keep teenagers safe during these monumental occasions, Students Against Drunk Driving (SADD) recommend that parents maintain an open line of communication with their children in regards to drinking, and set clear and straight-forward rules for major events such as prom and graduation.

Prom and Graduation should be joyous occasions for everyone, where kids get dressed up for dancing and fancy dinners- Not for funerals.


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BIPOLAR DISORDER AND THE ABSENCE OF INVINCIBILITY

It seems like ‘every-day average joes’ are constantly under the impression that celebrities, athletes and entertainers are different than us—invincible almost. At the same time TMZ and other celeb-gossip columns alike are flooded with headlines of another addiction, another civil suit, drug bust, arrest, or ‘sexting’ scandal. So are they different? Or are they human beings just like us, that make mistakes and need a little help every now and then.

Photo: celebritieszone.com

Catherine-Zeta Jones has just recently been treated for bipolar disease, a disease that flared up from her every day stress and could easily happen to any of us, as psychological diseases can manifest themselves within us unknowingly. More specifically, Bipolar disorder, formerly known as manic depression, is both lifelong and recurrent. One can have bipolar ‘episodes’ every few years or go through them constantly. It has classifications of bipolar I where people literally have ‘polar’ opposite moods of either feeling like everything is perfect or get very irritable and angry, and bi-polar II where people swing from severe depression to a milder and briefer manic state called hypomania.


Catherine-Zeta Jones has been diagnosed with bipolar II which is one of the leading causes of drug and alcohol addiction. As you may have read in previous blogs, drug and alcohol addiction is commonly linked to other psychological problems called dual-diagnosis, and often not treated properly which is one of the highest relapse rates also.


No one is invincible! Don’t be afraid to admit a struggle and seek the help necessary to recover. And if you or a loved one are suffering from bipolar disorder (or another psychological problem) and drug addiction, seek out a dual-diagnosis program that with properly treat both. 




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WHO SAID THERE WAS A LEGAL DRINKING AGE

Less than a month ago a family in an area right outside of Detroit went to an Applebee’s thinking they would have a nice evening with family. That was before their 15-month-old toddler was served a margarita instead of apple juice. With a blood alcohol level of 0.10 (where the legal limit for adults to drive is 0.08) the boy was taken to the hospital escaping alcohol poisoning and possibly death.

Less than a week later an Olive Garden in Florida served a 2-year-old boy sangria instead of the ordered orange juice. The mother reports that “he was acting up, misbehaving, [and] his eyes were bloodshot.” After 30 minutes of this behavior the restaurant finally realized the boy was served a mixture of orange juice, pineapple juice and white wine, one of Applebee’s sangria mixtures. The young boy was rushed to the hospital, treated with IV fluids and released with no permanent damage.

This past Sunday yet another spout of alcohol interference with a toddler hit a mainstream restaurant. A 4-year-old little girl was given a mudslide blended drink instead of a chocolate milkshake at a Chili’s in the Chicago area. Brooklyn Morris, after taking a few drinks said “I don’t like it” causing her mother to take a drink immediately tasting alcohol. Brooklyn was taken to South Medical Center in Blue Island, Illinois and was diagnosed with alcohol ingestion overdose.

Mistakes happen, but when it comes to children extra precautions should be taken to ensure they don’t. Granted, all three restaurant chains have changed their standard protocols on serving children beverages, unfortunately it shouldn’t have had to come to flirting with toddler alcohol poisoning to do so.

What do you think about these ‘mistakes’ made and how they were all made so close to one another? Does this happen more often and go unnoticed?

Needless to say, check your child’s drink before this happens to you.

HEADLINES ADDICTED TO OXYCODONE

Photo: iStock 

Oxycodone is a "hot" drug on the market with a heavy illegal distribution. Beyond the money making industry it has produced, there are multiple side effects to the usage of Oxycodone, such as, heavy allergic reactions, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, slowed or difficult breathing, tremors and vision changes. Oxycodone is also one of the most abused prescription drugs and, according to the DEA is "certainly the most dangerous." 

• Two Rochester residents plead guilty to drug conspiracy charges involving oxycodone – Fosters.com 
• Oxycodone Child Case Goes To Court - MetroNews 
• Deputies: Man trespassing on railroad tracks found with 45 Oxycodone Hydrochloride pills – news-press.com
• West Virginia man pleads guilty to dealing in contraband cigarettes, oxycodone tablets – CB Online 

These are only 4 of the numerous headlines flooding the breaking news feeds as of late. Across the globe, we are seeing a major outbreak of Oxycodone addiction and illegal distribution that has caused fatalities, jail sentences, broken families, and thousands of dollars in legal investigation fees. 

This just in! 

Photo: vosizneias.com

The United States Government is also on the brink of closing up shop over budget disputes. This means our troops aren’t getting paid, tax returns will be put on hold, between 800,000 and 1.9 million government employees will be furloughed and “it will be open season for anyone wanting to defy the Securities and Exchange Commission, because it will most likely shut down” (Cohan, DailyFinance). 

But what else could turn into an “open season?” Drug trade? Cartels? A quasi legalization of illegal substances? Without government regulations the skies the limit and with the recent death toll on such drugs as oxycodone, are we on the brink of a drug addiction epidemic? 

What are your thoughts on the current debacle within our government? What do you think could ensue without normal regulations in place? 

Know someone struggling with an oxycodone addiction? Call us today! 


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BREAST CANCER RISK WITH ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION

Photo: Susan G. Komen

In it's recent "enews" mailing, the Susan G. Komen foundation brought to the public's attention the increased risk for breast cancer in women who drink alcohol. Many of us at The Recovery Place have personal experiences with breast cancer, and many live with loved ones who are battling the disease. We believe that anyone who has seen the insidious effects of breast cancer would want to insure that their loved ones take every reasonable precaution to prevent the disease or its spread. We are all too familiar with the other harmful and life threatening effects that alcohol addiction can have on someone.  


The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines excessive drinking as more more than one alcoholic drink a day for women, and more than two alcoholic drinks a day for men. Per the CDC,  "over time, excessive alcohol use can lead to the development of chronic diseases, neurological impairments and social problems."   


The CDC lists the risks of excessive alcohol drinking as:  

• Neurological problems, including dementia, stroke and neuropathy.
• Cardiovascular problems, including myocardial infarction, cardiomyopathy, atrial fibrillation and hypertension. 
• Psychiatric problems, including depression, anxiety, and suicide. Social problems, including unemployment, lost productivity, and family problems.
• Cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, colon, and breast. In general, the risk of cancer increases with increasing amounts of alcohol.
• Liver diseases, including— Alcoholic hepatitis. Cirrhosis, which is among the 15 leading causes of all deaths in the United States.  

For women, "Having even just a few alcoholic drinks each week appears to modestly increase the risk of breast cancer." The numbers in the research are frightening, as the risk of breast cancer was 20% higher for women who drank two to three alcoholic drinks a day than for women who didn't drink alcohol. that's a fairly high increase in breast cancer risk, and one we believe most women would not want to take. 


While the exact cause and effect between drinking and increased breast cancer in women is not precisely defined, what is known is that alcohol is very high in calories and very low in nutrients. Drinking can lead to weight gain, and excess weight is a cancer risk. In addition "heavier women have higher levels of blood estrogen and higher levels of estrogen are linked to an increase risk of breast cancer."  


We urge our female clients and friends to consider this as one more reason why they should not consume alcohol, in any amount.  


We also are pleased to recommend that you support the work of the Susan G. Komen foundation. You can read more about it and donate throught their website. 

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CHARLIE SHEEN PLAYS US LIKE JOAQUIN

April Fool’s!

Unfortunately Charlie Sheen is still heavy on his reign of terror unlike Joaquin Phoenix’s hoax brought to light back in September of 2010. It doesn’t seem like the biggest hoax of our time was over six months ago, but here we are in April of 2011. 


April 1st is commonly known as April Fool’s day. Did you know that April Fool’s Day originated way back in the 1500s? It’s believed that the term was coined when the Gregorian Calendar was introduced by Charles IX around 1582, which declared January 1st as New Year’s Day instead of the week of March 25th through April 1st as New Year’s Week. Since News traveled at molasses speed in the 1500s some people weren’t aware of this change until years later and were labeled fool’s for continuing the New Year’s celebrations in late March.


Many years later and the first of April is still considered the day where practical jokes are both accepted and expected. But don’t let the allusion of trickery keep you from seeing the signs of addiction. Are you struggling with an alcohol or drug addiction? Does a friend or family member seem to have picked up habits from out of the ordinary—Habits that could be signs of a battle with the disease of addiction?


We can get caught up in the excitement of special days that pop up throughout the year and forget to take care of more important matters, like our health, or our loved ones. 


Have some fun on a day dedicated to jokes and laughter, but don’t be fooled by its tricks. 

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