HOW STOMACH ACID COULD TREAT COCAINE ADDICTION
In 2013, cocaine use accounted for almost six percent of all admissions to drug abuse treatment programs. Unlike the methadone or buprenorphine used in the treatment of heroin dependency, there are no medications to treat cocaine addiction. Treatment usually involves talk therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy, although there are some medications that can be […]
CAN YOU BE ALLERGIC TO DRUGS AND ALCOHOL?
Most of us have probably known a person with a food allergy. There are plenty of people out there who are allergic to anything related to nuts, strawberries, corn, eggs, shellfish, wheat, and just about everything else you can think of. Some people are even allergic to coffee. But what about drugs and alcohol? Is […]
DRUG TESTING DOCTORS
There are a number of occupations that require drug testing before employment and/or at regular intervals. Typically, these are jobs that involve public safety in some way, like airline pilots and railroad conductors. One group that isn’t drug tested but many people argue should be is medical professionals. They hold people’s lives in their hands […]
HOW DOES HEALTH INSURANCE WORK FOR DRUG TREATMENT?
When a person knows that he or she will need help overcoming his or her alcohol or drug addiction, one of the first factors that impacts his or her possible recovery options concerns money. Many people simply assume they cannot afford the costs of a residential treatment or outpatient program. As it turns out, addiction […]
ASAM CRITERIA
The ASAM criteria are the most widely used and comprehensive set of guidelines for assessment, service planning, placement, continued stay and transfer/discharge of patients with addiction. Use of the ASAM criteria is required in over 30 states. Using the criteria, patients can become active participants in their own care and learn about the different options […]
ADDICTION AFTER WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY
Something most people who are considering weight loss surgery probably don’t consider is what role a history of or a predisposition to addiction might play in the decision. Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health set out to examine the long-term changes in patients who had undergone bariatric surgery. They found […]
PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIANS AND ADDICTION
Primary care doctors would appear to be ideally placed to recognize the signs of a substance abuse disorder. Because they see patients often, sometimes even once a month, they may be the first to be aware of any symptoms of addiction or relapse, including changes in behavior and ill health effects. Primary care physicians can […]
CAN SUBSTANCE ABUSE BE CHILD ABUSE?
Most States define abuse as an act or failure to act that results in non-accidental physical injury or sexual abuse of a child. Neglect can include the denial of food, shelter, supervision, clothing, or medical care. In some states, parental substance abuse alone may constitute child abuse or neglect. In others, more is required to […]
DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED
We’ve all used the term “drunk driving” to refer to someone being arrested for operating a vehicle while intoxicated, but in fact, you don’t have to be wasted or driving to be charged. The official term varies from state to state. It may be referred to as Driving Under the Influence (DUI), Driving While Intoxicated […]
SUICIDE AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE
An estimated 34,000 Americans die each year due to suicide, making it the 11th leading cause of death in the U.S. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention determined that suicides accounted for 66 percent of violent deaths in 2013. About 18 percent of those were people known to have problems with alcohol, and 16 […]