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Drug and alcohol abuse and addiction very often co-occur with other disorders, both medical ailments and mental health disorders. According to Khurshid A. Khurshid, MD, an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Florida College of Medicine in Gainesville, sleep disorders are issues that very often go hand in hand with substance abuse.

The concerns? There are many. A few include:

• Some patients may initially abuse drugs in order to self-medicate the sleep disorder if they don’t get effective treatment.
• Few medical professionals treat both issues, and physicians who treat sleep disorders may unwittingly exacerbate the problem by prescribing addictive sleep medications.
• Many patients continue to struggle with insomnia after treatment for addiction. It can be a trigger for relapse if they feel the only way to get some sleep is to drink, take prescription medications, or use other drugs.

Co-occurring Substance Abuse and Insomnia

While speaking at the Florida Society of Addiction Medicine annual meeting, Dr. Khurshid brought up the following points:

• Sleep problems are between five and 10 times more likely in patients who struggle with drug and alcohol abuse as compared to their non-drug-abusing peers.
• Certain drug dependencies – particularly alcohol addiction or opiate addiction – can cause sleep disorders like insomnia.
• Post-treatment, sleep disorders that began during addiction can continue for a long period of time.
• Difficulty falling asleep and/or staying asleep can negate the positive effects of treatment in some patients.

Said Dr. Khurshid: “Doctors need to screen for abuse and dependence of substances when they prescribe sleep medications. And if they prescribe a sleep aid, such as a benzodiazepine, they should do it on a short-term basis, maybe a few weeks, so the patient doesn’t become physiologically dependent.”

Khurshid was advocating for increased education about the issues for doctors who treat patients dealing with a sleep disorder and for addiction treatment specialists.

Dual Diagnosis Treatment

No matter which co-occurring disorder is in evidence alongside your addicted loved one’s substance abuse issues, it is important that you identify the issue early on when speaking with counselors at their drug rehab program. Recognition of all problems that may be a trigger for relapse in recovery is important; effective and well-rounded treatment programs can and should be able to address these issues as intensively as the addiction itself. Contact us at Alta Mira today to learn more.

Though many view methadone as the only viable method of opiate detox when heroin addiction or addiction to painkillers like oxycodone and hydrocodone is an issue, the fact is that methadone itself is a highly addictive and dangerous medication. Many are dependent upon methadone and ultimately seek treatment for its abuse. It’s no wonder that so many who attempt to use the drug as a way to become drug-free meet with a host of complications.

One such complication was recently published by Boston University. This report stated that use of methadone had been associated with an increased risk for cardiac arrhythmias – a crippling and sometimes deadly heart problem.

Treatment as Deadly as the Disease

For a number of deadly diseases for which there is no cure, medical treatments have been developed that are physically devastating. When there is no other option, patients must choose which experience is preferable. However, in the case of opiate detox and addiction treatment, it is not necessary to use methadone. In fact, use of the medication can prolong the experience in addition to bringing with it a host of uncomfortable side effects and increasing the risk of other chronic health problems like the cardiac problems described above.

Additionally, if there is no treatment for relapse prevention or co-occurring mental health disorders, the patient may end up abusing the methadone dose by taking more than prescribed or augmenting with use of other drugs. This, in turn, can often lead to overdose or accident – the prime reason for undergoing drug treatment in the first place.

The Benefits of Quitting ‘Cold Turkey’

Called “cold turkey” due to the goose bumps and chills experienced by many in opiate detox that make the arms of patients look like the flesh of a turkey, this style of detox simply means to quit without a maintenance medication. It doesn’t mean quitting without medical assistance and supervision, however.

In fact, a medically supervised detox is always recommended when opiate addiction is an issue. An addiction treatment professional can help to mitigate the symptoms and protect against potential complications. In a few weeks, most patients will have no symptoms and be ready to move forward with their treatment – and their lives. This is not often the case with methadone treatment.

Opiate Rehab at Alta Mira

Learn more about the options available to your loved one when you opt for an intensive opiate addiction treatment program here at Alta Mira. Call now for more information.

Past research has demonstrated that different personality characteristics may be associated with an increased risk for the development of drug and/or alcohol abuse or addiction. A new study published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence sought to determine whether or not those associations were different based on socioeconomic status.

The Study

About half of the participants were living below 125 percent of the federal poverty line when they took part in the study. Each was asked to fill out a survey and report their use of opiates and/or cocaine, among other things. The differences between answers given by those who had never used these substances, who had used those substances at one time but no longer did, and those who currently used these drugs were compared in relation to poverty status.

It was found that the following personality traits increased the risk of substance abuse no matter the economic status of the participant:

• Low agreeableness
• High neuroticism
• Chronic emotional distress
• High rates of antagonism

Low conscientiousness was moderated by income level significantly; there was a twofold increase in risk of drug abuse for every standard decrease in conscientiousness among those with higher incomes. However, among those living 125 percent below the poverty line, conscientiousness level made no impact at all on the likelihood of drug abuse.

The study concluded that those who are economically stable tend to be more disciplined in their behavior and more organized as well; both traits seem to protect against the dangers of drug abuse. When there is less financial stability, however, these personality traits do little to protect against drug abuse.

Money and Drugs

On the one hand, it may seem counterintuitive that those who have fewer financial resources would be inclined to spend the little they have on drugs and alcohol when other bills need to be paid. However, it seems that those who are on the high end as well as the low end of the economic spectrum can be prone to drug abuse that can turn into addiction and that, despite economic status, certain personality traits may indicate a higher tendency to develop an addiction.

No matter your financial status or that of your loved one, intensive addiction treatment is the best way out of a chronic drug abuse or addiction problem. Contact us at Alta Mira today to learn more about how we can provide your family member with the treatment resources and services that will help them to get back on track starting now.

David Mineta is the Deputy Director for Demand Reduction at the White House Office on National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). In accordance with Obama’s 2013 National Drug Control Strategy, Mineta is working to build a community-based initiative across the country that incorporates the talents of a wide range of professionals with the focused goal of reducing the abuse of drugs and alcohol as well as the health-related costs associated with substance abuse and dependence.

From social workers, educational professionals and physicians to therapists, parents and concerned citizens, Mineta, like Obama, is calling for all to pay attention to the people they work with each day, notice the signs of drug abuse that could indicate an addiction issue, take action to help people understand the risks of substance abuse, and help them get treatment if necessary.

Not a Criminal Justice Issue

Though in many parts of the country, the common response to those who are caught using or selling drugs is to throw them in jail, there is a strong shift toward remanding offenders to treatment in an effort to make sure that they learn how to live without the substance that put them in front of the judge in the first place.

Addiction is a health issue. It cannot be fixed with threat of incarceration or fines. Rather, medical and psychotherapeutic intervention are required in order to ensure that those who struggle with disorder have access to the resources that will help them to:

• Manage physical withdrawal symptoms safely and efficiently
• Address cravings without relapse
• Work through underlying issues of trauma and abuse
• Get treatment for co-occurring mental health problems
• Work together with family members to heal the entire home
• Get the job skills necessary to become employable if necessary
• Manage medications if necessary
• Get treatment for co-occurring medical ailments if necessary

What Does Your Loved One Need to Beat Addiction?

Because your loved one’s experiences with drugs, physical health and mental health are unique, so too should be their experience in treatment. Here at Alta Mira, we offer a personalized treatment program for each patient, including a therapeutic and medical plan that is tailor-made to address the obstacles that are barring their way to a life of health and wellness.

Contact us at the phone number listed above to speak to a counselor about your loved one’s needs in addiction treatment. We’re here to assist you every step of the way.

Drug and Alcohol Dependence recently published a study that sought to compare the number of pharmaceutical opioid overdose deaths to the number of overdose deaths caused by “serious” drugs, such as heroin and cocaine. The study, which also took a look at which substances were often combined with painkillers in instances of opioid overdoses, found that, from 1999 to 2009, the number of prescription medication overdoses had increased by nearly four times its initial rate.

In fact, during that period, prescription painkiller overdoses were responsible for the largest number of overdose deaths. The study also revealed that, in many cases of painkiller overdose deaths, the medications were combined with other drugs.

What Are Opioids?

When the average person hears the term “opioids,” they may be unaware that in addition to referring to heroin, a deadly street drug, the term also refers to some fairly common prescription medications, such as hydrocodone and morphine. Such medications are frequently prescribed to aid in pain relief. They may be prescribed to chronic pain sufferers and/or to those who have recently undergone surgical procedures.

What might start out as harmless, even necessary use, however, can often turn to addiction, especially if the user does not carefully follow their doctor’s dosage instructions. As such, people who have had addiction problems in the past should seek alternatives to opioid painkiller medications when possible, and all people who use these medications should do so under the close supervision of a doctor.

Common Opioids

Chances are you or someone you love has been prescribed opiate painkillers in the past, perhaps without even knowing what they were. Some of the most commonly prescribed opiate medications include:

• Oxycodone
• Vicodin
• Lortab
• Codeine
• Fentanyl
• Propoxyphene
• Hydromorphone
• Demerol
• Methadone

None of these drugs are, in and of themselves, bad, but misusing them can lead to addiction, fatal overdose, and a host of other negative consequences.

Non-Prescription Opioid Use

Any use of opiate painkillers by a person who has not been prescribed them is considered drug abuse. You should never let a non-authorized person use your prescription pain medication. Remember, prescriptions are written for a patient by a doctor who knows that person’s medical history. When a person who has not been prescribed a medication takes it, a number of serious problems could occur. The person could have an allergic reaction to the medication, for example, or the medication could have a negative interaction with another medication currently being used.

Furthermore, not all medications are suitable for people with certain health conditions. And, of course, anyone who uses opiate drugs, whether prescribed them or not, is at risk of addiction.

If someone you love is regularly abusing prescription medication, death is a real threat. Don’t take the risk. Contact us at Alta Mira now and discuss your loved one’s options in treatment today.

If you spend any time on the Internet, you’ve probably heard the story of the teen who used a drug commonly marketed as bath salts, wrecked his car, and then exhibited what the press termed “zombie-like” behavior, attempting to eat a passerby who tried to help him. While stories like this may sound like incredibly bizarre, freak incidents, they are becoming more and more common as more adults and teens are using these “bath salt” drugs.

What exactly are these drugs? And are they really drugs? According to a recent study by the Scripps Research Institute, the “bath salts,” which are known chemically as MDPV, are drugs, both in the sense that they produce powerful stimulant-like effects and in the fact that the study showed them to be more addictive (to rats) than methamphetamine, which is one of the world’s most addictive substances. That’s pretty scary, and what’s even scarier is the fact that these “bath salts” are often easy to acquire, even for teens.

Not Your Typical Bath Salts

Before you panic and hide all the bath salts in your home, it’s important to understand that the bath salts known as MDPV are not actual bath salts. They are not, in other words, the bath salts you’d find at your local store.

Usually sold on the street or in “head shops,” these bath salts are synthetic drugs, similar to K2, the popular and incredibly dangerous “incense” product that is intended to mimic the effects of marijuana. Bath salts of the drug variety usually come in small packets, often similar in appearance to the packets that house moist towelettes, and they usually come in a powdered or crystallized form.

The Effects of Bath Salts

Bath salts are made by a number of manufacturers – none of them reputable – so the effects experienced can vary from one brand of the drug to the next or even from one package to the next, since no standards are imposed during the manufacturing process. A person could have a perfectly fine experience with bath salts one time and a deadly reaction to the same bath salts the next time. Bath salts are not something to play around with, and possible effects include:

• Rapid heartbeat
• Increased blood pressure
• Panic attacks
• Sleep disruptions
• Agitation
• Lack of appetite
• Headache
• Heightened temperature
• Nosebleeds
• Dizziness
• Hallucinations
• Paranoid delusions
• Aggression
• Suicidal or homicidal thoughts or actions
• Liver failure
• Kidney failure
• Loss of bowel control
• Death

Obviously, bath salt use is incredibly serious; a person can die the first time they use bath salts. Though not much is known about bath salt usage yet, there are still rehabilitation services that can and will help people who are addicted to these deadly products or who abuse them in combination with other substances. At Alta Mira, we have the resources to help your loved one stop using any illicit substance today. Call now for more information.