Vicodin, OxyContin®, codeine and other prescription opioids are highly addictive and may lead to opiate abuse. When you have surgery, or need the help of a painkiller, opiate abuse may be the last thing on your mind. Once you realize that your body needs the opioid to function normally, you may feel embarrassed to admit […]
Apr 30, 2017
In Westmoreland County, overdose from both prescription and illegal drugs is the leading cause of death among accidents and suicides. And this is true since 2008.1 The need for medication-assisted treatment is urgent to save lives. Medication-assisted treatment is highly successful because addicts can bypass the worst part of withdrawal. The body transitions off of […]
Apr 20, 2017
Overdose deaths are a sad indicator of opiate addiction statistics in Baltimore, MD. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, Baltimore had 481 overdose deaths in the first three-quarters of 2016.1 The opiate addiction statistics on overdose deaths are dire for the entire state of Maryland. Heroin-related overdose deaths were 918, and Fentanyl-related were […]
Apr 11, 2017
When you find out you’re pregnant, and have been using opiates, it’s natural to want to stop using the drugs immediately. You want what’s best for the baby, and that’s a great thing. However, it’s vitally important that opiate withdrawal during pregnant happen in an environment of medical supervision and support. The health and possibly […]
Mar 13, 2017
Opiate withdrawal symptoms are not something that you want to have to deal with. But when you’re faced with a moment, a day, a week, when life is coming unglued because of your addiction, you start to wonder if you can handle opiate withdrawal to get to the other side. You may know someone in […]
Mar 10, 2017
You’re considering an opioid treatment program. You may say, “How did I get here?!” You aren’t alone. Millions – yes MILLIONS – of people take prescription pain killers or heroin. The fact that you’re considering an opioid treatment program in Baltimore means that you’re taking a stand and taking a step in the right direction […]
Mar 08, 2017
methadone treatment is an effective way to transition out of opiate addiction. And, you have likely heard of suboxone, the most popular brand name medication for the treatment of opioid addiction. Suboxone, Subutex, and Zubsolv are all brand name formulations of buprenorphine. The value of treatment with Suboxone has long been debated by federal, state, […]
Feb 01, 2017
You have likely heard of Suboxone, the most popular brand name medication for the treatment of opioid addiction. Suboxone, Subutex, and Zubsolv are all brand name formulations of buprenorphine. The value of treatment with Suboxone has long been debated by federal, state, and county substance abuse treatment boards, and with its use comes a degree […]
Jan 18, 2017
The language used in your opiate drug addiction treatment program should make you feel accepted and empowered. It is very difficult to admit that you need treatment for opiate drug addiction for many reasons, and the language and culture of the treatment program can help ease that difficulty and stigma you might be feeling. You’re […]
Dec 20, 2016
If you’re fairly new to opiate rehabilitation, you most likely have not yet learned about the Triangle of Self Obsession. It’s a concept embraced by Narcotics Anonymous, and it tells us that people who become addicted to prescription pain pills and heroin fall victim to a devastating emotional triangle of resentment, anger, and fear. Narcotics […]
Dec 01, 2016
Just what is motivation, and how will you know if you’re motivated to succeed at your opiate addiction treatment? Is it enough to hate the drugs you use and go to a methadone treatment program hoping that you can turn your life around? The counselor assigned to help you through your stages of treatment will […]
Oct 28, 2016
Sometimes it’s a lonely battle, fighting prescription drug abuse in Fort Worth. In the beginning, when you first realize that you are taking too many prescription pain pills, you think that nobody really understands much about prescription drug addiction. In Fort Worth, and throughout Texas, there are plenty of resources, but walking into an unfamiliar […]
Oct 21, 2016
What do you think are the most addictive opiate drugs? Before anything else, we all think of heroin. Well, okay—that may be a given. But what about addictive opiate drugs that you can obtain as a prescription? Take a look at this list and see if you can identify the common denominator among them. What […]
Oct 14, 2016
When you decide to go into treatment for an opiate use disorder, you are at risk for cross-addiction after opiate addiction. You can even develop another addiction at the same time as you are still fighting your initial addiction. Likewise, if you’ve been abusing weed or alcohol, you might realize that the lesser addiction has […]
Sep 15, 2016
In the light of the buprenorphine treatment that’s often necessary in order to combat prescription opiate addiction, it’s interesting to note two informational pieces published in March 2016 regarding such medications. First, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published a study noting that opiate prescriptions issued have increased in recent years for patients […]
Jul 25, 2016
“You Are Worth It” is the message that Hanna, 32, of Waco, TX would want to share with anyone who is struggling with substance abuse or addiction. She knows. She’s been there. With an amazing two years of sobriety, Hanna can look back and say that there were times she didn’t believe her life was […]
Jul 15, 2016
Many people have preconceived ideas of what an addict looks like and how they act. They are often depicted as skinny and stringy-haired, with ratty clothes and no job. This is no longer, and really never was, an accurate portrayal of an addict. Movies, TV, music and even the news perpetuate the notion that an […]
Jul 07, 2016
Recently the Baltimore Sun published a piece about counterfeit oxycodone in Harford County Maryland. This counterfeit-cocktail is linked to an increasing number of deaths in that area. In May 2016, three people overdosed in one weekend. The counterfeit pills are so dangerous because they contain fentanyl, heroin, and caffeine instead of the pure oxycodone that […]
Jun 30, 2016
We all believe we know our families, mothers and fathers, siblings, husbands and wives, better than anyone else. And most times, we’re probably right. But there are often things going on that no matter how much we love or care for them, we simply don’t see. Maybe we just don’t want to see. How do […]
Jun 09, 2016
The U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek H. Murthy, has joined thousands of treatment professionals and researchers speaking out in support of opiate treatment programs. Dr. Murthy was appointed to his post in December 2014, and by the latter part of 2015 he was already spreading his message about fighting addiction and preventing the stigma associated […]
Jun 02, 2016
It’s sad when you place your faith in doctors to help you manage intractable, long-term pain and they abuse the privilege of your trust. The trial for two doctors exacerbating pain pill addiction in Alabama is set for July, and they each face 19 criminal counts at their trial in the U.S. District Court of […]
May 26, 2016
There’s much written about women who are victims of violence and who find themselves in opiate addiction recovery. But it’s harder to find information about the issues that men have faced when they’ve experienced trauma in their lives and succumb to the lure of opiates. Some people, men and women, don’t even realize the extent […]
May 24, 2016
Over the past couple decades, as opiate addiction treatment has evolved, many addiction treatment providers have remained reluctant to give up on abstinence-based programs for recovery. A persistent stigma against Medication-assisted treatment prevented the integration of buprenorphine, naloxone, and methadone into mainstream addiction therapies. It’s time to reduce that stigma by getting these physicians onboard […]
May 18, 2016
Our population of Baby Boomers over the age of 60 is not just burgeoning—it has burgeoned so that they make up a significant part of the population. Middle-aged and young adults who interact with their parents and grandparents are often surprised to consider the idea of substance abuse in the elderly. But why wouldn’t there […]
May 16, 2016
If you’re involved in seeking drug rehab in California, it’s your responsibility to choose a place that follows best practices and develop a trusting relationship with the rehab staff. There’s a bizarre story that has just wrapped up in the news about a man who sought treatment and died. Whether you are seeking inpatient or […]
Apr 25, 2016
We’ve all heard about the TREAT Act and its effect on the availability of buprenorphine formulations like Suboxone. The TREAT Act, also known as Senate Bill 2645 or The Recovery Enhancement for Addiction Treatment Act, if passed, means that Suboxone, Subutex, and other forms of buprenorphine will be available for more people and waiting lists […]
Apr 18, 2016
When someone in the family becomes addicted to opiates, every other person in the family is affected. There are countless stories of families torn apart by addiction, and family therapy during addiction treatment becomes a cohesive way to educate everyone in the family about addiction. Additionally, families are able to explore the dynamics that perpetuate […]
Apr 11, 2016
Now that CARA has passed in the Senate, what’s next? CARA, of course, is the Comprehensive Addictions and Recovery Act, Senate bill 524, the first stand alone bill to pass the Senate in years. This bill, covering drug rehabilitation treatment, met sound approval from both Democrats and Republicans. It’s shocking that, in a year when […]
Apr 04, 2016
The Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) long ago identified methadone as the gold standard for opioid use disorder in Georgia. But, don’t be misled by those words: While the people who address addiction issues from Atlanta to Savannah and throughout the state have long recognized the benefits of methadone treatment, Suboxone has […]
Mar 21, 2016
The Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) has much to say about the dosage of methadone for clients in medication-assisted treatment (MAT) programs, but it offers little instruction about Suboxone dosage. That’s because methadone is actually administered on site at the MAT facility, while Suboxone prescriptions are provided to the clients to be filled […]
Mar 18, 2016
