Western Ideology: The Alcohol and Drug Addiction Catalyst

Paying careful attention to the facts and data of our time, we cannot honestly escape the conclusion that we live, to a greater or lesser extent, in the grip of a powerful, largely Western ideology:  the ideology of a restless commitment to unlimited material progress, prosperity, and instant gratification.  This is an ideology that some westerners live by on a daily basis.  We find ourselves obsessed; focused on things like the global market and new technology.  We get lost in the drive to gain material possessions and solve undesirable stressors and emotions with hasty responses.  We find repose in the instant effects of technology and medication; and this comes with a price.

The search for instant gratification often ends in Addiction. Whether that is alcohol addiction or addiction to substances like opiates, cocaine and more, many individual’s solace seeking behavior lands them in a situation much less comfortable than were they began or expected to go. The majority of these individuals start this path at an early age and rely heavily on these chemicals as coping mechanisms for many of life’s tough times and stressors. Once the addiction to alcohol or drugs takes hold of the individual and negative results exacerbate their desire for change, they often have limited coping skills outside of these substances.

Part of the process of addiction treatment for alcohol and drug dependence is the process of behavioral change and the inclusion of positive coping mechanisms for these individuals. This can be learned once the individual has enough insight into their particular circumstances and usage but applying these skills are vital. Because of the necessity to both learn and implement these skills to drastically improve long-term outcomes, outpatient addiction treatment either alone or in conjunction with residential is recommended.

We have learned in our society to get the quick fix and we are rewarded for doing so by the very thing that has kept our race around for so long. And because of these things one of the most difficult things, in this author’s opinion, to deal with, as it relates with alcohol and drug addiction treatment, is the lack of coping skills necessary to maintain a life of sobriety far after primary care has ended. This is why psychiatric and therapeutic care is absolutely necessary to treatment if one desires the greatest chances of success. And while some individuals do succeed in living a life of sobriety, after completing a detox only or upon self-withdrawal from their drug of choice, the data for this method is not something I would personally risk.

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Heroin and Opiate Addiction Treatment Options

Please note that this is not a Suboxone endorsement or advertisement. This author simply experiences a number of clients that have little to no understanding of the available treatment aids that accessible and wishes to be informative. What’s the big deal about Suboxone? What does Suboxone do? Why do some individuals feel Suboxone has an advantage over other similar pharmaceuticals?

Suboxone comes in both a sublingual tablet and film, while the film is becoming the mainstream delivery mechanism. Suboxone is composed of 8 mg buprenorphine and 2 mg naloxone. Buprenorphine is a partial agonist for dopamine whereas naloxone is a pure antagonist. The two parts have opposite functions; buprenorphine acting to establish homeostasis in the absence of opiates or heroin and naloxone decreasing the risks for abuse of Suboxone.

 The fact that Suboxone acts as a partial agonist for dopamine allows physicians to keep their clients from experiencing withdrawal symptoms associated with opiate dependence while decreasing the likelihood that those seeking such pharmaceuticals are abusing the substance. Suboxone is being used as both an agent in detox protocols, as well as a maintenance aid for long-term treatment. Individuals who are involved in maintenance would experience no effects from opiates due to naloxone if they were to use an opiate while using also using Suboxone. Because of this added agent, lower levels can be used compared to the protocol used by many methadone clinics; since that protocol utilizes the principle of maintaining a high enough dose that would limit illicit drugs effects on the client.

 Heroin and opiate detox programs utilize Suboxone, especially in the outpatient setting, since the chemical Naloxone helps decrease the chances of relapse throughout the protocol. Suboxone, in the detox program, can help minimize the effects of withdrawal over the duration of treatment. Many of these programs will put the client on Naltrexone upon completion of the detox. Naltrexone and Naloxone are very similar compounds that differ in their half-life, or the amount of time that the chemical stays within the clients system. Vivitrol is now being used to deliver this pure antagonist that blocks the effects of heroin, opiate, and opioids. This is done by a polymer compound that contains Naltrexone breaking down in the blood and slowly releasing the chemical.

 Whatever the program, Suboxone has been proven effective in a multitude of treatment protocols and is a beneficial tool in opiate addiction treatment. It is important to note however that Suboxone and medications alone have not been proven to be as successful alone as compared to programs that combine medications, psychiatric care, and counseling. When choosing your treatment be sure to do your research and choose a comprehensive program that treats you where you are at…

Midwest Institute for Addiction

So I’m Addicted to Painkillers…Now I’m a Heroin Addict…

A rising epidemic across the Midwest and throughout the United States is the prevalence of individuals dealing with addiction to painkillers and other opiates and opioids. The youth of America are, unfortunately, well aware of the pharmaceutical compounds such as vicodin, oxycontin, oxycodone, percocet, fentanyl, and so many more. This fact is one that is both disturbing and a major problem in our society. Many times this problem starts right in your medicine cabinet.

Research has shown that in 2011 over 200 million prescriptions were written for painkillers in the United States alone; we only have over 300 million individuals in this country! And part of this problem is that many times an amount in excess of what is actually needed is given, leaving half empty bottles to dispose of. Who wants to waist perfectly good medicine? Right, so most people just throw their painkillers in the cabinet above the sink, where they sit until...

Now, most people think of a progression of most young people through a “gateway” of drugs, i.e. cigarettes, beer, liquor, marijuana, and so on. The facts however are starting to show a different trend, that getting prescriptions like vicodin or oxycontin out of their parent’s medicine cabinets is a lot easier than trying to find a way to obtain illicit drugs or alcohol. And so the battle begins. Opiate painkillers like vicodin, percocet, oxycontin, and oxycodone are highly addictive and many times a serious addiction can occur before the individual even realizes the dangers.

Once the body has adapted to this dopamine agonist it begins to need the chemical to function correctly and thus a cost is incurred on the individual. This cost is a financial burden but let us not forget the mental and physical burden also involved. The cost of some of these painkillers is extremely expensive both on the street and with a prescription from a physician. However, there is a much more affordable alternative; heroin…

Most people don’t jump right on the heroin train, in fact, this rarely happens according to self-reports from many individuals. The progression that many individuals experience occurs unknowingly, like Super Mario Brothers when you get into a pipe without knowing where you will end up, the dangers that lie ahead are rarely labeled on prescription painkillers’ bottles.

There is a stigma around using and becoming addicted to heroin, and the very people that frown at this idea end up themselves becoming categorized by it. The financial, mental, and physical burdens that opiate dependency places on an individual and their family often shift the concentration gradient from prescription opiates to heroin quite easily. Heroin can be less costly than the pharmaceutical opiates, and with the influx of heroin into the United States it is also readily accessible. And you don’t have to use a needle! Heroin can be used by snorting, swallowing, and smoking as well, taking some of the stigma away.

Understanding the disease of addiction makes understanding the progression into heroin use much easier. That there are physical adaptations that mean the body needs heroin to function and that the brain recognizes heroin use as a means of survival make this already slippery slope much more slippery. This information is vital in the prevention of further heroin abuse. There are local organizations that will dispose of unneeded medications to decrease the amount on the street and many more programs if a little research is done.

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Scott McKinney is the Vice President at Midwest Institute for Addiction; a state licensed medically assisted treatment center in St. Louis, Missouri. MIA is committed to providing quality treatment and education in the area of chemical dependency and process addictions in our society.

http://www.midwestinstituteforaddiction.org/

Without suffering, happiness cannot be understood.

Without suffering, happiness cannot be understood. The ideal passes through suffering like gold through fire. -Fyodor Dostoevsky-

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