My Doctor the Addict

Health care professionals see the results of drug abuse every day. Some of them see the overdoses, car wrecks, shootings, and beatings – and they still use illicit drugs themselves. And they are impaired while they are taking care of our families.

Doctors and nurses have easy access to prescription drugs and can divert medications from patients or declare medications as “waste”. Many professionals are never reported to authorities and, indeed, are protected by other staff members.

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It is bad enough when a salesperson or office worker is under the influence, but something else when a surgeon is addicted. How does someone justify operating on a patient while taking drugs? Most believe they can handle the drugs and still perform normally.

Their co-workers enable some drug-abusing professionals. They are given lighter work schedules or absences are excused. Co-workers can fear retribution, particularly from powerful professionals, or they may fear they will ruin a co-worker’s life by reporting drug abuse.

Some states have responded to health care professional addiction by making reporting suspect behavior mandatory. Authorities then intervene and require the addicted person to enter treatment. Failure to report an addicted person is subject to discipline. The addicted physician is required to follow a specific treatment plan and report to the state licensing board. If the addicted person refuses to follow the plan, he or she can lose their medical license.

There are several residential rehab centers specializing in the treatment of health care professionals. All the programs focus on returning the addicted person to his or her professional life free from the temptation of relapse.

Doctor Shopping

Picture a drug abuser and you may think of a bum in ragged clothes. There is a new kind of abuser in town. Middle to upper class women and men addicted to prescription painkillers.

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These abusers do not purchase their drugs from pushers in an alley– they doctor shop. They go from one doctor to another, describing their symptoms, asking for prescriptions for oxycodone, hydrocodone, viocodin, and percocet.

These individuals my not know that law enforcement does not consider doctor shopping harmless or a victimless crime. It is a felony and can lead to five years in prison.

Abuse of prescription drugs can start with a real need. Patients can become dependent on painkillers prescribed after surgery or serious injury. Their own physicians can keep prescribing the medications by accident or inattention. When that doctor finally refuses to continue the medication, the patient shifts to another — or several other – doctors, asking for pain relief medication.

Several states have instituted PDMPs (Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs). These programs allow pharmacies and physicians to cross check patients and prescriptions and identify – called red flagging – individuals who are filling multiple prescriptions for the same medications. Red-flagged individuals are monitored carefully and allowed to use only one pharmacy and one doctor.

Hospital emergency departments are also involved in doctor shopping because patients go in, apparently in acute pain, demanding relief. The emergency physician has no relationship or history with the patient and is very likely to prescribe at least a small amount of painkillers.

As more medical records are computerized, doctor shopping should become increasingly difficult.

 

Embalming Fluid and Your Children

The young girl stood in front of her parents and their friends and started to read the list of all the drugs she and her friends had been able to buy in their small community. The long list included heroin, marijuana, cocaine, oxycontin, and finally, embalming fluid. Embalming fluid? What on earth do you do with embalming fluid?

Teenage girl accepting a marijuana cigarette Photo compliments of http://www.drugfreehomes.org

Smoking marijuana cigarettes or tobacco cigars and cigarettes laced with embalming fluid and PCP was popular in large cities several years ago. It is now becoming popular with young addicts in small towns.

Sometimes called fry, fry stick, or wet, these cigarettes produce hallucinations or paranoia and aggression. Users often think they posses super human powers and exhibit erratic behavior. The typical hangover includes crushing headaches and loss of memory.

The long-term effects of substance abuse of embalming fluid and PCP range from brain damage to death and can include kidney damage, lung damage, muscle damage, and spinal cord destruction. Most young drug users are unaware of the damage fry sticks can cause.

Early studies have concluded fry is highly addictive and can be addictive with the first use. It can also have important medical consequences of sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS, and mental health issues. Because embalming fluid is legal and available online, even young dealers can process their own fry sticks.

Law enforcement and hospital emergency departments are training employees to recognize fry stick users so they can receive proper treatment. Parents and health care professionals now have to educate themselves to stay ahead of their children in order to recognize this and related addictions.

When are too many alcoholic drinks too much?

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - NOVEMBER 10:  Alcohol offe... 

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There really is no set answer to this question, because people metabolize alcohol at a different weight. Someone with a slender build may not be able to drink but one drink before she starts feeling the effects of the alcohol, while someone with a larger frame can consume several drinks before any effects are even noticeable.

It has been said that women can’t “hold their liquor” as well as men. The same characteristics—height, build, and overall physical condition—enter into the picture where alcohol metabolism is concerned, no matter if the drinker is male or female.

About the only way to determine if a person has had too much to drink is by observing physical signs of drunkenness. These can include slurred speech, loss of coordination, red eyes, and in some instances, skin flushing. This last may be more apparent in very fair-skinned people than in those with darker skin.

Changes in temperament—a normally quiet person becomes noisy and raucous, a relatively even-tempered person becomes angry at the slightest provocation—can also be indicators of excessive alcohol consumption.

Marked drowsiness or even losing consciousness completely are definite signs of too much alcohol. If these are present, the person should be watched closely, as he not only may be intoxicated, but may also be suffering from alcohol poisoning.

If you even suspect that a person has had too much to drink, do not let that person drive away. Take the keys, disable the car in some way, or do whatever it takes to keep him from getting behind the wheel and possibly killing himself or someone else.

Signs Your Loved One Might Be Addicted

If you suspect that a loved one may have an addiction problem, but aren’t really sure, there are signs that you can look for that may help you determine if this is truly the case. Some of them are listed here, but be aware that there are others. These can be the most recognizable, however.

Changes in behavior are usually the “tip-off” that an addiction may be a problem. These include extreme mood swings, which can be caused by the person suffering withdrawal symptoms, inattention to personal hygiene, and failure to meet responsibilities (work, attend classes, pay debts or bills, and others).

Changes in social interaction can also be a sign that an addiction exists, especially if your loved one changes the people with whom he socializes, choosing only those who drink or engage in the same type of addictive behavior that he does. In fact, if alcohol is the culprit, you may notice that the first question your loved one will ask will concern whether or not alcohol will be served or can be brought to the function. If the answer is no, he may refuse to go.

Physical drug addiction changes can also be a sign. If you notice a change in a loved one’s appetite (generally skipping meals or eating very little), which can lead to weight loss, an addiction problem may exist.

People who are addicted to meth, for example, often do not feel hunger, and may go for days without eating. Alcohol has “empty calories” which means it causes a feeling of fullness; again something which may result in a person eating less frequently or not eating at all.

Drug Treatment Options

There are so many drug treatment options available that you should have no problem finding one that your loved one or family member would agree to enter. Some of the options are listed, but this is by no means an all-inclusive list.

Inpatient Treatment

Inpatient treatment is exactly what it sounds like. A person enters into a drug rehab facility and does not leave for a specific length of time. This time period may be as little as 21 days or as long as a year.

Depending on the type of inpatient facility chosen, during the person’s stay, he can receive medical treatment for any physical problems that may have arisen due to drug or alcohol abuse. His health is restored, which is a condition in which he may not have been for quite a while.

Outpatient Treatment

In outpatient drug treatment, a person does leave a facility. Depending on the facility’s policy, the patient only leaves for a certain length of time, such as a weekend, but remains at the facility at other times. In some cases, however, a patient does not stay at the facility at all; rather, he comes and goes, just as he would to any other type of appointment.

If your loved one or family is resistant to inpatient treatment because he perceives this as a loss of control, he may be more willing to seek treatment that allows him some measure of freedom, which outpatient treatment does. However, the possibility that the person undergoing outpatient treatment can have access to addictive substances does exist.

Rehabilitation Centers Offer a New World of Sobriety

When someone becomes highly addicted to drugs their life moves downward very quickly. The drug will take over every aspect of their being and could lead them to homelessness, poverty and a life of crime. They will turn into a person that they never thought they would become and even begin alienating people that they once cared about. Luckily, there are many rehabilitation centers that will take in addicts and give them a more positive atmosphere where they can pick themselves up and change the sloping momentum of their lives.

Ninety day inpatient rehabilitation centers are popular choices for addicts that have been abusing drugs for many years. These places offer an environment of positivity that will allow the person to get well. Many people with substance abuse problems get so used to a life of anxiety and depression that they forget what it was like to actually be happy. Rehabilitation centers reintroduce the good things in life to these individuals, while removing them from the muck and mire they were used to. Add in the fact that doctors and counselors are working around the clock with the addicts, and choosing a rehabilitation center can be a great place to kick any substance abuse habit.

Removing yourself from a situation is one of the best ways to accurate see what is going on. This is one of the main benefits that checking into a rehabilitation center offers. While many people are reluctant to commit three full months of their life to living in a new place without the comforts of their addiction, the possibilities gained are endless.

Using a Designated Driver can Ensure a Safe End to Every Night

Going out on the weekend can be a great time, whether you go to a bar, go to a play or just go over to a friend’s house for a get-together. Most people have a few beers or cocktails and a good time is had by all. The problem comes in when it is time to drive home. A driver that has had even few drinks will be slightly impaired and will be putting everyone else in his car as well as other motorists at risk if he drives home. One way to avoid this problem is to have a designated driver, or sober driver.

Choosing one person to be sober for an evening, so that they can drive everyone home safely, is not too much to ask if everyone in your group of friends takes a turn. If you have six people in your group and you go out twice a week, you will only need to give up drinking one night every three weeks. When your reflexes are impaired while driving, even slightly, you may not be able to react quick enough on the road. If you are driving on an expressway at 50 or 60 miles per hour, a momentary lapse in judgment can make a big difference.

Occasionally sacrificing one night of drinking is a small price to pay for securing the lives of you, your friends and other drivers on the road. It is possible to go out and have a good time without drinking. Knowing that you are looking out for your friends and being responsible is a good substitute spending money on overpriced drinks.

Government Web Site Offers a Wealth of Information About Substance Abuse

Once someone realizes that they have a drug problem, they are already heading in the right direction. However, knowing what to do after admitting that a problem exists can be difficult. There are questions like ‘Which type of treatment center is right for me?’ or even ‘Where can I go for treatment?’ The United States Department of Health and Human Services has a very easy to use web site that can be a great place to check out to get the answers that you are looking for.

The Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (www.samhsa.gov), or SAMHSA, is designed to get people moving in the right direction when they are seeking treatment for substance abuse. They have an easily navigable map that provides information about all the substance abuse treatment facilities in the United States. You can easily locate and research all the facilities near you and contact them for more information. SAMHSA also has a 24-hour helpline, in case you have specific questions and can’t find the information on the web site.

This site is a great resource for anyone who has questions about treatment for substance abuse. This government site offers tons of reliable information that you can privately review before deciding what options are best for you. If you have decided to seek treatment or know someone who needs it, SAMHSA is great place to begin your journey towards finding the help that you need. You can log on to their site today and continue heading in the right direction.

Admitting you have a Problem is the First Step to Recovery

Drug addiction is a very serious affliction that ruins the lives of many people. The addiction does not happen over the course of a day or two, it takes time. You may just do a drug every other weekend. Then it spills into every weekend once the winter comes along and then a few times during the week because your job or family are frustrating you. The need for the drug continues to increase and before you know it, you lose your job and all you care about is the drug.

This vicious cycle is all too familiar among drug addicts. The problem is that when you are addicted, you cannot see what is really happening. The drug will cloud your vision and take control of your life. Denial that a problem exists is one of the first signs of an addiction. If everyone else can see the problem except you, there is a good chance that other people are right. Admitting that you have a problem is one of the hardest things to do, but it is the first step at getting your life back on track.

Being able to admit that you have allowed yourself to become addicted can be extremely difficult. No one enjoys admitting that they screwed up. However, there are many directions to go to seek support if you want to overcome your addiction, including rehab centers, support groups, counseling and therapists as well as friends and family. When you have an addiction and are ready to admit that you have a problem, you will quickly find that you are greeted by many helping hands.