Narconon Outlines How Drugs Affect the Body

Drugs have different impact on the body.

• Alcohol creates a vast number of nutritional deficiencies.  In fact, alcoholism is one of the main causes of nutritional deficiency in the United States.  It leaches B vitamins from the cells, causing anemia and problems with the nervous system.  It damages the liver and the pancreas, which are involved in metabolism and nutrient absorption.  It can cause diabetes, high blood pressure, cirrhosis of the liver, seizures, severe malnutrition and shortened life expectancy.

• Opioids have a detrimental effect on the gastrointestinal system, often leading to constipation.  Diarrhea, nausea and vomiting typically occur during withdrawal, which leads to an imbalance of electrolytes and other essential nutrients.

• Stimulants like cocaine and meth reduce appetite, leading to weight loss and poor nutrition.  They also cause sleep problems, causing users to stay awake for days at a time.  This can result in dehydration and electrolyte imbalance.

• Marijuana can increase appetite and a desire for strange, usually sugary foods.  This can lead to a problem with weight and nutritional problems.

Aiding Recovery from Addiction

In order to ease withdrawal pains and the other symptoms involved in recovery, a change in diet and lifestyle is essential.  Here are a few guidelines:

1. Eat regular, balanced meals that contain protein, complex carbohydrates and dietary fiber.  If you have trouble with appetite, vitamin C supplementation can help.  Eating smaller, more frequent meals is also a good idea.

2. Eat a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables.  They contain vitamins and minerals in the proper proportion for the body to properly absorb what it needs.

3. Supplement your diet with vitamins and minerals, especially B complex, vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, and zinc.

4. Reduce caffeine and tobacco intake, as this can leach vitamins and minerals from the body and prevent proper absorption.

5. Avoid high-calorie foods with low nutrition, such as sweets.

6. Avoid processed foods such as canned, packaged or microwaved products.  Fast food is not only lacking nutrients, it contains a number of harmful chemicals and preservatives that will do more damage than good.

A Few Other Healthy Tips

A lifestyle change is also a good idea, as there may be other factors preventing proper nutrition.

• Get at least eight hours of sleep.  This will help your body repair and give you the energy you need to get through withdrawal.
• Get enough physical activity, as this increases circulation, allowing nutrients to reach all your cells.  Take long walks, jog, swim, or join a sports team.  It will also uplift your mood.
• Find activities that make you happy.  Reducing stress in all areas can be very beneficial physically.

At Narconon treatment we focus heavily on nutrition in our recovery procedures. We help individuals to get on a good sleeping schedule and eat the right food. Exercise and vitamin supplements are used as well as tools to help one take care of themselves better.

With seven out of ten of our graduates staying permanently drug free we feel that this is and always will be an essential component to recovery.

Source:

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002149.htm

Advantages of Long-Term Rehab over Short-Term Programs

Modern American society nearly always prefers the faster and easier approach to anything. Instant oatmeal, 30-minute oil changes and 10-day diets are only a few examples of the many ways that our culture is geared towards getting things done as fast as possible. Given the option, most people will choose the path of least resistance and the shortest way through towards an objective. While there is certainly something to be said for getting things done quickly, the fastest solution is not always the right one. In many cases, the quick solution does not fully get the job done, with the result that one has to do it over again. When your opportunity to quit drugs or alcohol and to live a future free from addiction is at stake, it is entirely worth it to take the time to do it right and to get the best possible results.

A large percentage of rehab centers offer programs which run for 28 or 30 days, and many people choose to enroll in such programs with the hopes of quitting as quickly as possible and being able to get back to work with a minimum of disruption in their day to day lives. Long-term rehab, in comparison, may extend to 60 or 90 days or even longer. Considering how long it has taken you to reach the point you have in your addiction, however, it is not unreasonable to expect that it could take you longer than four weeks to fully detoxify and get your life back on track. To help you better understand why long-term rehab is often more effective than the alternative, here are three reasons:

More Time to Clean Out Your Body

The drugs which you have used to get high in the past have most likely left chemical residues which continue to contaminate your body. These residues are largely responsible for the cravings which recovering addicts often experience for weeks, months or even years after they have quit, and which commonly lead to relapse. Successful drug rehab depends on more than the initial detoxification. Detoxification merely gets you over the hump of the withdrawal symptoms which you experience shortly after quitting. While detox is a major step in its own right, it does not fully cleanse the body of the accumulated toxic residues. A long-term rehab program offers more opportunity to achieve this goal.

Address the Issues Which Led to Your Addiction

Drug addiction and alcoholism have two components: physical and emotional. Detoxification and physiological cleansing address only the first component. If a recovering addict is to be truly successful in quitting and staying clean and sober into the future, he or she must address the second component as well. This means taking steps to understand and resolve the issues which led him or her into becoming addicted, as well as learning new skills to stand up to the stress and pressures of everyday living. After months or years of living as an addict, the person has probably reached a point where he or she has strong emotional associations between drugs and pleasure, and may not even remember how rich and fulfilling life can be while sober. Short-term rehab often offers no more than a superficial address to these problems, and the program graduate frequently steps back into the world still unprepared to handle the problems which led him or her into being addicted.

Do It Right the First Time

Long-term rehab programs are widely recognized as being more effective in the long run. For example, Narconon recently celebrated its 40th anniversary with an event at which the program director presented a compilation of numerous different studies that have validated the effectiveness of Narconon.

Among the highlights was a 2001 study from Baja California in Mexico. Of the 1,700 inmates of the Ensenada State Prison who participated in the Narconon program, only 10 percent were back in jail after being released. A 2005 study of a group of 100 high-rate criminally offending juveniles who were subject to the Utah Fourth District Juvenile Court found that 63.5 percent of those who completed the Narconon program were crime-free two years later, as compared with only 30.1 percent of those who did not do the program. A 2009 survey of Narconon program graduates found that 77.5 percent were still drug free after a full year. Narconon and other long-term rehab programs may not be as quick or convenient in the short term, but one thing that they offer that others do not is results.

Source:
http://www.prweb.com/releases/narconon-studies/release-2013/prweb10677776.htm

For many, drug addiction leads to a weakened sense of ethics and morals.  It affects family life, and parents are often shocked to find their children exhibiting an unusual attitude at home.  Addicts seem to lose respect for family members and friends, lash out unexpectedly, and bring upset and confusion in to an otherwise happy home.

There is a precise reason for this.

Exchange And Solving Addiction

The concept of exchange is a key part of understanding what occurs during addiction.  “Exchange” means giving and receiving reciprocally.  In other words, you do something for someone else, and he returns the favor.  This concept can be observed in all aspects of life–economics, friendship, love.  Any successful relationship involves proper exchange.

When it comes to addiction, exchange becomes unbalanced–in other words, an addict becomes “out-exchange”.  It is unlikely that his parents or spouse are willingly funding his addiction, so in most cases, he is stealing or using allowance money for his next fix.

Most people instinctively rebel against not being allowed to contribute with proper exchange.  Think of the last time you arrived at a party without a gift.  You were given good food, company, and a good time, but you had nothing to give in return.  Did you feel very comfortable with this?

When addicts continually go out-exchange, they become overwhelmed with the burden of unpaid debts.  This is when they lash out, making less of those around them and treating loved ones with an unprecedented disrespect or hatred.

There is a remedy for this.

How Exchange is Used to Handle Drug Addiction

In addition to the physical detox of drugs, addicts are guided to address the areas that led to addiction in the first place.  If this is not done, relapse is likely.

In order for an addict to truly come to terms with his addiction and clean up his past, he must confront areas of out-exchange.  In doing so, he will experience great relief.  Additionally, it is by putting proper exchange in with friends, family members and even his community that he will regain his self-respect and ownership over his life.

Putting Exchange In

There are a number of ways that a recovering addict can put exchange in with those around him:

•    Help his parents or spouse with jobs around the house.
•    Send good communication, such as cheerful updates and good news about his progress.
•    Get involved in community work, such as tutoring at a local community center or helping others recover from addiction, as well.
•    Help other drug-free family members or friends.
•    Any volunteer work.

Getting and keeping in exchange is an essential component to continued sobriety.

Source: www.narconon.org

“The overwhelming public response to DEA’s first nationwide Take-Back event last fall not only rid homes of potentially harmful prescription drugs, but was an unprecedented opportunity to educate everyone about the growing prescription drug abuse problem,” said DEA Administrator Michele Leonhart.  “Studies have shown that, for many, prescription drugs are the very first drugs they abuse—and all too often they aren’t the last.  That is why we are committed to helping Americans keep their homes safe by ridding their medicine cabinets of expired, unused, and unwanted drugs.”

This effort follows a plan released by the Obama Administration to crack down on the number of painkiller deaths. Anti-drug and health officials released a new strategy that calls for states to create and use databases which track prescription drugs.  The plan also asks for an additional $123 million for drug prevention and an additional $99 million for treatment programs in the 2012 fiscal year.

The plan will also force states to put in place and use a drug monitoring program.  A drug monitoring program is a statewide electronic database which collects designated data on substances dispensed in the state. The monitoring is controlled by a specified statewide administration or agency. The agency distributes data from the database to individuals who are authorized under state law to receive the information for purposes of their profession.

“I encourage every American to take advantage of this valuable opportunity to safely dispose of unused, un-needed, or expired prescription drugs,” said Gil Kerlikowkse, Director of National Drug Control Policy.  “Preventing these readily available and potentially deadly drugs from being diverted and misused is something each and every one of us can do to help reduce the epidemic of prescription drug abuse that is harming so many Americans.”

There are many rehabilitation centers also participating in the event including Narconon drug treatment programs. The facilities are teaming up with law enforcement to ensure that drug prevention presentations are delivered and information is handed out about the dangers of prescriptions.
For more information call 800-468-6933.

Whatever the case, this will be able to provide you with some useful information.
According to the White House Drug Policy, there are three classes of prescription drugs that are most commonly abused:

•    Opioids such as Codeine, Oxycodone, and Morphine
•    Central Nervous System (CNS) depressants such as barbiturates and benzodiazepines like Xanax or Valium.
•    Central Nervous System stimulants such as drugs like Adderall or Ritalin.

These three types of medications are frequently prescribed and dispensed. All three can be addictive and have presented many problems for the user.

Painkillers are drugs commonly prescribed for pain and are only legally available by prescription. Painkiller abuse can be dangerous, even deadly, with too high a dose or when taken with other drugs, like alcohol. Short-term effects of painkiller abuse may include lack of energy, inability to concentrate, nausea and vomiting, and apathy. Significant doses of painkillers can cause breathing problems. When abused, painkillers can be addictive.

Narconon drug rehab centers have reported seeing a significant increase in the abuse of painkillers. According to the facility, the most common painkillers that are being abused currently are Oxy Contin, Hydrocodone and Oxycodone.

Depressants, or downers, are given out to treat a variety of health problems including anxiety and panic attacks, tension, severe stress reactions, and sleep disorders. Also referred to as sedatives and tranquilizers, depressants can slow normal brain function. Health risks related to depressant abuse include respiratory depression, loss of coordination, dizziness due to lowered blood pressure, slurred speech, poor concentration, feelings of confusion, and in extreme cases, coma and even possible death.

Some of the most commonly abused depressants include Valium or Xanax.

Stimulants, or speed, are most often prescribed for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), but they are also used to treat a variety of conditions such as asthma, respiratory problems, obesity, and sleep disorders such as narcolepsy. When taken in higher doses, these drugs can produce euphoric effects and counteract sluggish feelings. Health risks related to stimulant abuse include increased heart and respiratory rates, excessive sweating, vomiting, tremors, anxiety, hostility and aggression, and in severe abuse, suicidal/homicidal tendencies, convulsions, and cardiovascular collapse.

Some commonly abuse stimulants are drugs like Ritalin or Adderall.

It’s easy to see how these drugs can be abused and become addictive for the user. There are definitely situations that call for prescription drug use. However, today this has become a widely overused and abused problem.

Unfortunately to monitor each and every use of prescriptions would cost taxpayers vast amounts of money and is not a reasonable response to this growing problem. The only logical solution is educating and making the public aware of the dangers that could arise and rehabilitating those already addicted to prescriptions.

For more information call Narconon 800-468-6933.

A study from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health found 28.6 percent of persons aged 12 and older were initiated into illicit drug use through a non-prescribed prescription drug. Of these, 17.1% were with pain relievers, 8.6% with tranquilizers, and 2.0% were with stimulants. An additional 1.0% was with sedatives.

What is it about prescription drugs that compel us into underestimating their potential dangers when used inappropriately? If it’s legal and comes from a doctor does that make it safer than drugs from a drug dealer?

A perfect example of how this happens is with a young man names Henry. He was in a car accident and the doctor prescribed him Loritab a commonly prescribed pain reliever.  Henry soon found himself taking these pills over the recommended dose and he felt as though the drug was needed to perform everyday actions.

One year later Henry no longer had a prescription for Loritab but this didn’t stop him from using them.  He was buying them from friends and sometimes people he didn’t even know.  He lost his job, family and home because all his money and time was being used to obtain this medicine.

Henry is now a graduate of the Narconon program; he has regained his ability to make rational decisions that not only help him become a better person but those around him as well.  He says that he is able to put the past behind him and has started a new life.  Henry has been clean for over two years. He has re-married, found a good job and is building a new home.

Most importantly, Henry is enjoying every moment of his life without abusing prescriptions. As a result of his treatment he has been able to fully recover from his Loritab addiction.

As a result, the Obama administration and lawmakers of both parties vow to tackle the growing epidemic of painkiller deaths.  Anti-drug and health officials released a new strategy this week that calls for states to create and use databases which track prescription drugs.  The plan also asks for an additional $123 million for drug prevention and an additional $99 million for treatment programs in the 2012 fiscal year.

“Today we are making an unprecedented commitment to combat the growing problem of prescription drug abuse”, said Joe Bide, United State Vice President. “This plan will save lives, and it will substantially lessen the burden this epidemic takes on our families, communities, and workforce.”

“This plan will save lives, and it will substantially lessen the burden this epidemic takes on our families, communities, and workforce,” he added.

This plan will help educate the medical community about the dangers of prescription drug addiction and how their actions are affecting the entire country.   Drug makers will actually be responsible for teaching the doctors and drug distributors about the safe use of prescription drugs.

The plan will also force states to put in place and use a drug monitoring program.  A drug monitoring program is a statewide electronic database which collects designated data on substances dispensed in the state. The monitoring is controlled by a specified statewide administration or agency. The agency distributes data from the database to individuals who are authorized under state law to receive the information for purposes of their profession.

It also includes a more effective arrangement for pill disposal methods. Individuals will be given specific areas where they can bring their unused medications or prescriptions and have them safely disposed.  Without a strict enforcement, unused drugs could sit around the medicine cabinet and eventually fall into the wrong hands.

Finally, it includes a collective effort to reduce the prevalence of pill mills. A pill mill is a doctor’s office or clinic where doctors sell prescription drugs to practically anyone with cash.  These have also become a major problem throughout the country.

If implemented correctly, this plan has the potential to save the lives of millions.

Prescriptions have become the second most abused drug in the world currently. The government, along with rehabilitation and education programs around the country is working hard to end the prescription epidemic. The solution is to focus on demand reduction and get prescription drug addiction help for those in need.

“I went into a doctor’s office in South Florida to have him check on some back pain I was having,” explains Heather. “Without even looking at my MRI or X-Rays, he was filling out a prescription to Oxy Contin.”

According to an analysis of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency’s data, 98 of the top 100 doctors dispensing Oxy Contin nationally are in Florida. In addition approximately 126 million pills of Oxy Contin are dispensed through Florida pharmacies.  These numbers are staggering, considering that Oxy Contin is a prescription drug that is comparable only to heroin or morphine.

“I got on methadone to get off OxyContin which was a huge mistake,” explains Heather, a former methadone addict and recent graduate of the Narconon program. “I stopped taking heroin but developed a dependency towards the methadone.  For me, methadone was even more addictive than the Oxy Contin. ”

Methadone was developed as a substitute treatment, used by those struggling with heroin addiction.  The theory is that one will substitute the methadone for their heroin addiction, reducing withdrawal symptoms, and then they will be weaned off of the methadone.

“I was on methadone for 9 years and it totally destroyed my body,” said Heather. “As a result to the prolonged us of methadone, I developed an under-active thyroid, requiring me to take medication for the rest of my life.  I also developed a severe calcium and magnesium deficiency from the methadone, causing me to have body cramps almost a year and a half later. The withdrawals from methadone are far worse than Oxy Contin.”
Stories like this are far more common than one might believe.  An individual goes into a doctor’s office looking for some help with a injury, such as a back pain, and leave with a prescription to powerful drugs such as Oxy Contin.  They then become addicted to the euphoric feeling produced by the prescription drug.  In many cases, the individual becomes “strung out” on the drug and many even overdose or die.

This did not occur Heather’s case. Luckily, she found relief from her addiction through a rehabilitation program called Narconon.
“Narconon Arrowhead offered immediate help with my addiction and truly cared about my well-being,” said Heather.” They handled the full extent of my addiction; the physical and mental issues surrounding my drug problem and did this using a method that was totally drug free.”

Narconon, an inpatient treatment program, offers a drug-free approach to rehabilitation. The facility specializes in handing prescription addiction as well as addiction to all drugs and alcohol and achieves a more than 70% success rate for permanent sobriety from addiction.

“I wish I would have tried Narconon before using methadone for my Oxy Contin addiction,” says Heather, “Thanks to Narconon, I am no longer dependent on drugs or medication. I have found permanent sobriety.”

For more information on prescription addiction or to help a loved one, contact Narconon today at 800-468-6933.

1.    Freedom-This is just someone’s physical freedom. Drugs trap an individual and they become unable to enjoy life without them. One addict describes prescription addiction as “a trap she could not get out of.”

2.    Respect-When an individual becomes addicted to drugs they tend to say or do things that are out of character. Many times the person ends up doing things that cause others to lose respect for them and for the person to lose respect for themselves.

3.    Family-An ex-addiction once said, “Through my addiction, I lost my family. And when you lose years and your kids are grown, you can’t get that time back.” Addiction creates a barrier between the addict and family members. Trust is broken that can take years to rebuild.

4.    Productivity- According to the National Institutes of Health alcohol and drug abuse cost the economy $246 billion. Productivity is not just lost in the workplace with addiction but in all areas of life.

5.    Home- A housewife that was hooked on prescriptions once said that her house was a mess, bills unpaid and her life was in shambles. This is when she realized she really needed to get help for her addiction. Once a person gets hooked all other responsibilities go down the drain.

6.    Self Respect-Many addicts will stop respecting themselves and others and choose drugs over everything else in life. It takes someone down a path they never thought they would go down.

7.    Friends-The people who care will eventually isolate the addicted person so that they are not negatively affected by the addiction anymore. One high school student reported he stopped spending time with his lifelong friend after the friend started smoking marijuana daily and stopped being interested in anything else. It is very difficult for a person to watch someone throw everything away in life that they would like to achieve.

8.    Dreams-These are goals for the future. What someone wants or strives to get. Drugs strip away goals and destroy dreams. Things that the individual sets out to achieve are put on hold or totally thrown away.

Prescription addiction causes loss not just for the addict but for friends, family, the community and society as a whole.

Narconon successfully handles this type of addiction with a 70% success rate for permanent recovery. For more information on prescription drug addiction call Narconon today at 800-468-6933.

The drying out process is short but the most difficult step is what happens after this. Left unhandled, the person will crave drugs and those cravings are a catalyst to relapse.

When a person consumes the drug, the body recognizes it as a poison and fights to get rid of it. The unfortunate matter is that the body cannot get rid of the entire drug without a more comprehensive detox. Tiny drug residuals are left behind and bond to the fatty tissues of your body.  One can really only achieve complete drug withdrawal through a detox program that will get rid of all drug residuals that are left behind once the drug has been consumed. This will enable a person to no longer experience physical drug cravings.

This is done by sweating out the residues in a dry heat sauna. This program would also use a very strict vitamin regimen, plenty of water and a healthy diet. A doctor’s approval would be needed to enroll in the detox to begin with.

Once this is complete the individual will need to address the mental and emotional aspects of their addiction. Without handling these issues a person can experience ‘emotional triggers’ on a daily basis. These triggers will take over a person’s mind and basically coax a person into using the drug. It will be very tough for a person to continue to stay drug free unless they handle these triggers.

Handling the mental aspect of the problem is learning how to deal with daily life problems once again without turning to prescriptions. With these types of drugs it can be very easy to relapse because they are very available for users. But the idea is to receive treatment by doing the above so one is not left without skills to solve the problem of addiction.

For more information on detox or prescription addiction or for help, call Narconon today at 800-468-6933.