Research

Edge Hill University recently received a grant of £20,000 with the instruction to use it to explore cocaine addiction and how it works in the body with the goal of better treating the disorder. The grant was made to Dr. Philip Murphy, a psychologist who intends to use the money to explore the effects of a range of addiction treatments as opposed to the effects of a single treatment.

Said Dr. Murphy: “Cocaine is a powerfully addictive stimulant and recently it was reported the UK remains at the top of the European league table for cocaine use. Yet there is currently no generally recognized treatment for cocaine dependence, despite its addictive nature.”

Current Cocaine Addiction Treatment Options

There are a number of different treatment options that have been proven to be useful in the treatment of cocaine addiction that are currently available to patients at rehabs in the UK and the US. These include:

• Medications. Though there is no one drug approved for the treatment of cocaine withdrawal symptoms specifically; however, there are a number of medications that can help patients be more comfortable during the detox process.
• Cognitive behavioral therapy. A specific style of talk therapy designed to help patients work through emotional issues, CBT can help addicts learn how to deal with emotions in a positive way rather than through cocaine abuse.
• Acupuncture. A great number of studies have been done to show the efficacy of acupuncture in the treatment of addiction. Done in private or group sessions, these and other holistic treatments, including meditation and acupressure, can be a beneficial part of a comprehensive rehab program.
• Experiential therapy. Interactive therapies that move beyond talking and medical treatments can help patients to break through to the deepest levels of the issues that inform their drug use and addiction. Art therapy, equine-assisted therapy, cinema therapy, psychodrama, nutritional counseling and more can help patients to express themselves in different ways that evoke raw emotion and help them move forward in the healing process.

Finding Addiction Treatment

The best cocaine rehab is one that offers both detox and a comprehensive psychotherapeutic program. The ability to build a unique treatment program can be the cornerstone of a successful rehab experience. Contact us today at Alta Mira to learn more about our cocaine rehab options or to speak to a counselor about how you can begin the healing process here in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Three drugs went under the microscope recently with the intention of determining their efficacy in the treatment of crystal meth addiction. The verdict? One failed and one shows promise, according to a few new published studies.

Topamax

Fail. A new study published in the journal Addiction says that the drug that has been approved in the treatment of seizures had little effect on those addicted to crystal meth. The drug has often been prescribed in the treatment of a number of mental health conditions, so it was thought that it was a good candidate for crystal meth addiction treatment. Unfortunately, most of the addicts in the 13-week trial dropped out, returning to active addiction and those who stayed in and continued to take the drug managed to cut their consumption by only 25 percent – nowhere near the zero percent abstinence that is the goal of treatment.

Mirtazapine

Also known as remeron, Mirtazapine is now the most effective drug in the treatment of crystal meth addiction, according to a study published in Archives of General Psychiatry. Approved as an antidepressant, the drug showed promise among participants, significantly lowering their usage of the drug during the trial. Though not quite definitive in scope or application, the study has sparked interest in the drug as a crystal meth addiction treatment option and will likely mean more in-depth studies into the efficacy of the drug in helping patients to remain abstinent.

Treating Crystal Meth Addiction With Medications

Despite many studies that look at the effects of different drugs on cravings for crystal meth among patients, it has been proven to be one of the most difficult drug addictions to treat using medication. In fact, it is one of the most difficult drugs of dependence to treat even using the evidence-based treatments that include a wide range of holistic and traditional therapies that have proven effective in the treatment of addiction upon other drugs.

Crystal meth is unique in that users report a resurgence of cravings between six months and a year after they return home from rehab, no matter how long they spend in treatment or how active they are in aftercare services. With other drugs, relapse is more common within the first few months; patients who can successfully get through this period without abusing their drug of choice are more likely to be able to fend off relapse in the long term. Crystal meth addicts must be even more vigilant than their peers in recognizing triggers before they become a problem and maintaining a long-term connection with their recovery.

If you are living with crystal meth addiction, contact us today for more information about our crystal meth rehab programs here at Alta Mira. Let us help you begin your own personal story of recovery.

We’ve all heard that genetics, the family dynamics we’re exposed to during our childhood, unprocessed trauma or poor coping skills are all risks factors that can lead someone down the path of addiction. However, did you know there are certain professions that are related to alcohol and drug abuse at higher rates than others? The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Association (SAMHSA) recently conducted a study to find which careers seemed to be the most intimately connected to the addiction process.

The Top Addiction-Prone Jobs May Shock Some People

Since a certain degree of risk-taking behavior is involved in substance abuse you might think skydiving instructors, stunt people, circus performers or racecar drivers might top the list, but these adrenaline-driven occupations fall under #3 on SAMHSA’s list of Top 10 as they are all encompassed under the “Arts, design, entertainment, sports and media” professions. All the celebrity stories about addiction and rehab that are in the media daily would also fall under this same category. In fact, according to the SAMHSA research, the percentage of individuals who fall prey to addiction in the arts and entertainment industries is just over 12 percent, which is just barely above the rate of 10 percent seen in the general population.

The following are the top occupations in order from most to least number of people with a substance abuse problem:

1. Food preparation and serving
2. Construction
3. Arts, design, entertainment, sports and media
4. Sales
5. Installation, maintenance and repair
6. Farming, fishing and forestry
7. Transportation and material moving
8. Cleaning and maintenance
9. Personal care and service
10. Office and administrative support

The Restaurant Industry Incubates the Most Addiction in Its Workers

For individuals who have worked in some area of food service, the fact that these jobs are #1 on the list of most prone to addiction may not come as a complete shock. Waiters, bartenders, chefs and prep cooks all work long hours, face a ton of pressure and do not finish work usually until late into the night. All of these factors can push people towards dependence on substances either to keep energy up, to wind down at the end of a shift, or both. SAMHSA estimates roughly 17 percent of individuals working in the food service industry meet the criteria for substance abuse.

Do you think that the jobs on SAMHSA’s list produce addiction or people who tend towards substance abuse are drawn to these occupations? Which comes first, the addiction or the career? Your thoughts and opinions are welcome below.

The holidays have brought much merriment to the researchers and staff at Penn Medicine as they were given one their biggest endowments of the entire year. University of Pennsylvania announced that $16.3 million was gifted to the institution by an anonymous donor. The funds were meant specifically to finance an innovative neuroscience program.

This is hands-down the most substantial single donation ever received by the scientists at Penn Medicine since its creation in 2001 for research in the area of neuroscience. Penn Medicine is the association created that year to manage the University of Pennsylvania’s health system and medical school.

Anonymous Donor’s Money Will Affect Addiction Rehabilitation Practices

The money obtain from the anonymous donor will be used to research the neurological underpinnings of addiction, depression and neurodegenerative diseases. The university intends to use the funds to assemble experts from a number of specialties to develop revolutionary therapies that can be utilized in the clinical treatment of addiction, mental illness and neurodegenerative disorders. They want their findings to move “from the lab bench to the hospital bedside to benefit patients and their families.”

Consequences of Single Donation Could Have Positive Effects on Millions

Addiction and the other disorders this donation are targeted to treat causes stress on far more than just the individual suffering from the disease. These ailments cause huge financial and emotional impacts on the patient’s families, caregivers and community. When you help one of these patients, the ripple effect for other individuals’ emotional health and financial stability are incalculable. The researchers will not be starting from scratch. There are many emerging therapies that just need the funding to be put to proper use and now Penn Medicine will have the ability to not only explore these potential therapies, but also create new ones.

The University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine is the oldest medical school in the country. As such, it is one of only a few institutions positioned with the depth of experience to utilize this donation to its greatest potential. To date, Penn Medicine is responsible for the development and implementation of a number of effective addiction therapies now used in routine treatment of addiction and mental health rehab. Some of their most significant contributions include:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for both mental illness and addiction
• Prolonged Exposure Therapy for PTSD
• Naltrexone for addiction

With such an impressive track record, Penn Medicine was an educated choice on the part of the anonymous donor who, according to university reps, is ready to make “a long-term investment” in the university’s neuroscience program for many years to come.

If you or someone you know is suffering from addiction, don’t hesitate to contact us. We can answer questions and connect you to top-notch treatment centers that utilize evidence-based therapies to help individuals attain long-term sobriety. Call us today.

In the 1980s, cocaine took the world by storm as white-collar execs, professional athletes and celebrities alike were seduced by the drug as it allowed them to club hop through the night with seemingly little ill-effects in the morning to impact their job performance. Many people considered cocaine to have little to no harmful side effects and believed it to be a glamorous status symbol, as someone needed deep pockets in order to afford its expensive price tag.

Over time it became apparent that lives were becoming destroyed by addiction to cocaine. Then crack, the rock form of the white powder, hit the streets and became the inexpensive way to get high, devastating many inner cities in the late ‘80s and ‘90s.

Over the last four years, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health reports that cocaine use in the US has dropped almost 40 percent while positive cocaine results during random drug testing by employers has plunged 65 percent. As for teens, marijuana and prescription drug abuse has been on the rise, but cocaine use has dropped back down to its lowest rates since the ‘80s.

Problems With Cocaine Supply May Be at the Root of New Trend

Educators and policymakers would like to believe the decline in cocaine use is a result of the implementation of drug education programs; however, the causes are probably more complicated than that. Over 90 percent of the cocaine in America originates in Columbia.

The supply of the drug has dropped by two-thirds over the last 10 years, since the Columbian government has cracked down on its production. With less cocaine in circulation, the drug’s purity has decreased while its street price has risen, making it less appealing than in the past.

Less Cocaine Demand Causes Drug Cartels to Diversify Inventory

The drug cartels south of the US border, that traditionally would make their money from cocaine trafficking, have been forced to switch up their product in order to make up for slumping profits. As cocaine busts coming across the border are dipping, meth, marijuana and heroin seizures are increasing. They have also branched out to new international markets overseas in Asia, Africa and Europe.

In addition to the drug trade, some cartels have started selling counterfeit electronics, stolen vehicle parts, and engaging in sexual exploitation and prostitution to add new channels of illegal cash flow. Unfortunately, for law enforcement and the innocent victims of this activity, the cartels have simply traded one illegal and potentially damaging trade for another.

Do you think the dip in cocaine abuse and addiction may just be getting exchanged for meth, pot and heroin addiction? Or do you think the drug problem, overall, is truly improving? We welcome your opinions below.

Over a four-year period ER visits associated with highly caffeinated beverages rose over tenfold according to a recent report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Perhaps not so surprising to those who have been to a bar and seen the number of people drinking vodka and Red Bull, 44 percent of the energy drink ER visits also involved alcohol, prescription medications or illegal narcotics.

Combining Energy Drinks With Other Drugs Such as Alcohol Is Risky

Just over half of the ER trips involving energy drinks combined with other drugs were for patients who ranged in age from 18 to 25, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Mixing these extremely caffeinated drinks with addictive substances such as alcohol is a dangerous activity. Young people often mix the beverages because they feel the disproportionate amount of caffeine causes them to be able to party longer. They are correct, but the added energy comes with dangerous side effects especially when combined. These harmful consequences include:

• Irregular or rapid heartbeat
• Headaches
• Fainting
• Hypertension
• Dehydration
• Increase in dangerous behavior
• Deadly injury
• Increased chance of addiction

The added energy can give people the ability to drink more than they would have otherwise and also gives them a false perception of sobriety that may lead to harmful behavior such as getting behind the wheel while highly intoxicated. In fact, a study completed at Wake Forest University School of Medicine discovered that students who combined alcohol and highly caffeinated beverages had double the chance of sustaining an injury, seeking medical help, being in the car with a drunk driver, or being the aggressor or the victim of an unwanted sexual encounter.

Regulations on the Amount of Caffeine in Energy Drinks and Honest Labeling Are Necessary

There are currently no maximum levels of caffeine determined for energy drink manufacturers. Some of the drinks contain as much stimulant effect as a cup of coffee, but there are others that have been found to contain 100 times that amount. The quantity of caffeine is not required to be listed on the can and is therefore omitted on many of the labels. When you combine such excessive amounts of a stimulant with a depressant, such as alcohol, the body receives strongly conflicting messages that can lead to dangerous physiological responses.

Since teens and young adults both over and under the legal drinking age can purchase energy drinks, worried parents are calling for clear directives from health officials. In addition, many college administrations have banned the sale of energy drinks on campuses due to escalating problems from their consumption.

Do you know people who combine energy drinks with other drugs? Do you think regulations on labeling and limits on caffeine would help the medical problems associated with their use? Leave us a comment below with your ideas.

Catalyst Pharmaceutical Partners, Inc. is the developer of a new drug called CPP-115. Its purpose? To treat physical and psychological dependence upon stimulant drugs like cocaine.

Patrick J. McEnany is Catalyst’s President and Chief Executive Officer. He said in a recent press release that: “We are extremely pleased to now have two drugs, CPP-115 and CPP-109, in the clinic. Our preclinical experience to date with CPP-115 has demonstrated its potential for certain addiction and epilepsy indications. We hope to offer providers and their patients safe and effective therapies for addiction, as well as safer, more effective medications for infantile spasms and other central nervous system (CNS) diseases than those currently available. We expect to report the results of this study at the end of the first quarter or the beginning of the second quarter of 2012.”

The hope is that the phase I trials will prove successful and that the drug will be one step closer to approval for the treatment of addiction.

Cures for Addiction

This won’t be the first drug to undergo trials for the treatment of addiction – and it definitely won’t be the last. A variety of different medications have been developed that have evidence-based success in treatment when incorporated into a comprehensive rehabilitation program. Some medications are only successful in the treatment of physical dependence while others help patients fight cravings. Other drugs are shown to only be effective when a specific drug of addiction was being fought.

Another popular area of research in pharmacological drug abuse treatment is a vaccine designed to prevent addiction in those who exhibit certain characteristics that may indicate an increased potential for its development. Though none have made it through the many phases of clinical trials required for FDA approval, new ones are always on the horizon.

Keeping Hope Alive

Though pharmacological measures are not appropriate for the treatment of all patients in every circumstance – even when there is a medication that may work – it’s the dream of the medical community and the substance abuse treatment community that there will one day be a way to cure the disorder rather than just treat it in hopes that it remains in remission for the long term.

However, currently available drug and alcohol addiction treatments have been proven to be extremely successful. Through medical detox and psychotherapeutic treatment, patients can heal from physical dependency while also undergoing therapy to address underlying issues that may trigger relapse. Learning how to build a new life, brick by brick, without drugs and alcohol is a huge part of recovery, no matter what medication is prescribed during treatment. Contact us today at Alta Mira to learn more about the treatment programs we have available for you.

Many recognize methadone as the chemical used in clinics to help wean addicts off the deadly street drug heroin. For nearly five decades, methadone has been used for this purpose, but any studies on the consequences of the drug’s long-term use have been lacking. It is unethical to use healthy subjects to test the effects of the drug’s prolonged use. And, unfortunately, methadone patients in the midst of dealing with addiction and relapse tend to create confounding variables in their behavior that can skew results.

Norwegian Researchers Find Methadone Has Impact on Attention

Researchers at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health decided to forgo human subjects because of these various issues and investigate the long-term effects of methadone on an animal population. It is well known that opiate drugs, such as heroin, negatively impact human learning, memory and attention, so it stands to reason an opioid, like methadone, may likely have the same issues. The Norwegian research team decided to use this information as a jumping-off point in their investigation and examined the attention span in rats that had been given methadone.

The scientists gave the rats daily doses of the synthetic opioid and studied the impact on their attention span. The rats had a marked decrease in the ability to concentrate both while the methadone was in their system and a day later when the methadone had been fully excreted from their body. Head researcher Jannike M. Andersen stated, “The fact that the attention is impaired even after the drug was no longer present in the body suggests that methadone causes changes in brain cells.”

Further research needs to be done to discover how long the attention span remains impaired and why, biologically speaking, this occurs. Even then, the question may still remain whether these findings translate to the physiological functioning of the human body.

Long-Term Patient Functioning Remains Best Indicator of Treatment Success

Andersen stated,” A positive treatment outcome depends on the patient functioning well — both socially and intellectually.” Since it may take a while until the methadone animal research can be applied to human heroin addiction and recovery, The Office of National Drug Control Policy, presently, is using data on patient functioning post-methadone treatment to analyze the drug’s efficacy. It reports, in one study of 532 methadone patients working towards full recovery over a six-month period, the group’s employment rate tripled, the illicit drug abstinence rate increased by 26 percent, and homelessness dropped by more than 20 percent.

For now, analyzing the positive impacts on an individual’s life circumstances while utilizing methadone to overcome addiction is the best resource scientists and policy-makers have to make decisions on the safe application of the drug. Do you have an opinion on the use of methadone in drug treatment programs? Let us know your thoughts below.

A recent study, funded by the Emergency Medicine Foundation (EMF) and headed by Brian Suffoletto, M.D., assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh, used cell phone text messages to attempt to change young adults’ unhealthy drinking habits. The study was a clever way to use the technology that is currently one of the younger generation’s most popular forms of communication. By utilizing this way to contact and interact with young people, the responsible drinking texts become a quick way to send a message of safety that they are already primed to receive.

The findings of the study will be published in early 2012 in the journal of Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. The research included 45 young adults, spanning in age from 18 to 24, who had recently been discharged from one of three emergency rooms. Presently, every day in this country, 50,000 adults in this age range find themselves in an ER and over 33 percent of them report behavior consistent with alcohol abuse or addiction. The researchers at the EMF hope to find ways to bring these numbers down which will in turn save many people from serious injury or death.

How Did They Test the Power of Text Messaging Over Problem Drinking?

Subjects were divided into two groups that were both assessed for their drinking behavior through a text message survey once a week. Both groups averaged approximately 1.6 days a week where they consumed alcohol and 3.8 drinks on those days. One of the groups was assigned to receive text message interventions while the other received no assistance to change their behavior. Participants in the intervention group would receive a text message conveying concern over the individual’s alcohol consumption if they reported drinking just above the average amount or higher (for men this was five drinks in one day and for women it was four drinks). The text would also ask the participant if they wanted to work to decrease their alcohol intake for the coming week. If the individual agreed to cut down, they were sent ideas on how to make that happen, while those who did not want to cut back received a message asking them to reconsider their choice.

Results Show Marked Decrease in Drinking With Text Message Encouragement

At the end of three months, those in the intervention group had reduced their alcohol consumption by drinking on average 3.4 fewer days a month, and on the days they chose to partake in alcohol they drank 2.1 fewer drinks. The control group with no intervention, in the same time period, saw an escalation in the amount and frequency of alcohol they consumed.

Some governmental agencies have already caught on to the positive influence a text message may provide, such as ParentPower, a division of the Montana Department of Transportation. They have started providing tips for parents to help decrease underage drinking using text messaging and go as far as offering sample texts a parent may use.

Do you think text messaging is powerful enough to stop a teen or young adult from drinking? Your thoughts, opinions and ideas are encouraged below.

For a few decades, scientists at Brookhaven National Laboratory on Long Island have been on the hunt to understand the foundations of addiction. In the latest research coming out of the U.S. Department of Energy sponsored lab, they have discovered a reduced amount of gray matter in the brains of those addicted to cocaine. Gray matter plays a major role in logical thought processing and is responsible for the ability to make decisions and maintain self-control. The higher the amount of gray matter, the more able someone is to properly weigh the negative consequences of their actions against the potential rewards to make beneficial choices. These skills, or the impairment of them, could be critical in the momentary decision to use or not use drugs.

The differences in the amount of gray matter in the brain versus white matter have been studied in past research. White matter is the part of the brain that makes the connection between the nerve cells of the gray matter. The quantity of these two major portions of the brain have been examined in relationship to mental illness and the Brookhaven researchers wanted to apply the same comparison in respect to addicted individuals versus their sober counterparts. In other words, they want to see how an individual’s brain structure compares to its function through the lens of addiction.

Study Analyzed How Addiction Relates to Brain Structure and Function

The study designed by the researchers was broken down into two parts. They analyzed the structure of the brain using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to determine how much gray matter was in particular areas of the brain. Function was determined by using electrodes that measured certain electrical signals related to reward while the subjects were asked to engage in specific psychological exercises involving high-reward and no-reward scenarios.

They found that in healthy subjects, the electrode signals intensified as the potential reward increased, but in those addicted to cocaine, the signal from the reward center of the brain did not change with differing levels of possible compensation. After analyzing MRI results, it was discovered that the larger the electrode signal, the larger the gray matter in three specific areas of the brain. Those with a cocaine abuse problem had smaller amounts of gray matter in these same exact regions.

More Research Is Needed to Fully Understand the Mechanism of Addiction

The conclusions of the Brookhaven National Laboratory study are being published in the Journal of Cognitive Neurosciences. The findings point to both structural and functional reasons why cocaine addicts may have impaired abilities to experience pleasure as well as a reduction in appropriate decision-making skills in risky situations. The next step in this type of research is attempting to find out if these brain differences cause addiction or are a result of abusing cocaine over a period of time.

Do you think this research supports the idea that addiction is a mental illness and not criminal behavior? All opinions are welcome below.