Answer Addiction

Author: The Fix

  • USPS Workers Convicted For Delivering Drugs

    USPS Workers Convicted For Delivering Drugs

    US Postal Service employees were caught for hustling on their route last week.

    Two United States Postal Service workers were convicted last week for delivering drugs on their postal routes.

    One employee, Unterria Rogers of Mobile, Alabama, was given five years for his involvement in a marijuana delivery ring along the city’s postal routes. Rogers would receive packages from California and deliver them, receiving $250 per pound he got into buyers’ hands. In all, Rogers delivered around 133 pounds before being caught. 

    Ultimately, it may have been his prolific delivery volume that did him in, as authorities were alerted following a spike of suspected drug packages in the city. Rogers was charged with using a firearm in his drug trafficking.

    Interception

    The second employee convicted last week was Fred Rivers of New Jersey. He would receive packages with false names and flag them as deliveries for a local drug dealer. He got $100 for every package he intercepted.

    These two are far from the only USPS employees to deliver more than postage. In 2017, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania indicted nine people, including two USPS workers, Steven C. Williams and Felicia Charleston, for their involvement in a marijuana-trafficking organization. They faced life in prison and multimillion-dollar fines for helping divert packages to distribute almost 100 kilograms of marijuana. In 2018, Williams and Charleston were sentenced to 15 months and 10 months in prison, respectively.

    Exploitation

    Delivery systems like the USPS and FedEx are easy to exploit for drug delivery, even without employees getting involved. These parcel delivery services remain among the easiest ways to ship fentanyl, opioids, and other drugs into the United States. This was made especially apparent during a federal court case involving 43 members of a methamphetamine distribution ring that had ties to the Sinaloa Cartel.

    “The sheer logistical nature of trying to pick out which packages contain opioids makes it much more challenging,” said Robert E. Perez, an acting executive assistant commissioner for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). “It’s unlike anything we’ve encountered.”

    The major issue is that drug rings have people on the inside.

    “Don’t think that these cartels don’t have their own ‘intelligence services,’” warned Perez. “Friends, family members working on the inside. So they’re going to know how many agents or officers are assigned to which FedEx facility, when they’re working, and when they’re not.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • El Chapo Sentenced To Life Plus 30 Years, Ordered To Pay $12.6 Billion

    El Chapo Sentenced To Life Plus 30 Years, Ordered To Pay $12.6 Billion

    The infamous drug kingpin’s defense plans to appeal, claiming juror misconduct.

    The infamous drug kingpin known as El Chapo has been sentenced to life plus 30 years in prison and will have to hand over $12.6 billion after being found guilty of overseeing one of the biggest criminal drug operations in the world—the international Sinaloa Cartel.

    The drug lord, real name Joaquin Guzman Loera, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn by Judge Brian Cogan last Wednesday (July 17).

    Guzman’s Sinaloa Cartel has been blamed for fueling the opioid epidemic in the U.S. by funneling mass amounts of heroin into the country, as well as cocaine and methamphetamine. Much of his cartel operated in Mexico, where Guzman was twice incarcerated in maximum security prisons. He escaped each time, the second through a nearly mile-long tunnel under the prison.

    Guzman remained silent during his three-month trial, but made what CNBC called a “tear-choked statement” after his sentence was handed down, claiming that he was denied a fair trial and accusing the U.S. of corruption.

    “My case was stained and you denied me a fair trial when the world was watching,” he said as his words were translated from Spanish by his lawyer. “What happened here [in] the U.S. is not better than any other corrupt country.”

    Living Conditions

    He also claimed that he was being tortured in detainment.

    “I drink unsanitary water, no air or sunlight, and the air pumped in makes my ears and throat hurt. In order to sleep, I put toilet paper in my ears. My wife had not been allowed to visit, and I can’t hug my daughters. This has been psychological, emotional and mental torture 24 hours a day.”

    Guzman’s defense plans to appeal, claiming juror misconduct. One of the jurors for this case told Vice News in February that “at least five fellow jurors violated the judge’s orders by following the case in the media during the trial.”

    A Damning Statement

    One of his cartel’s victims made a statement about how Guzman has affected her life—and nearly ended it.

    “Today I come here a miracle of God,” said Andrea Velez Fernandez. “Mr. Guzman used me as bait to kidnap someone in Ecuador. He offered one million dollars to Hells Angels to end my life. Fortunately I found out and escaped with the help of the FBI.

    Guzman will likely serve out his sentence in the ADX Florence in Colorado, one of the country’s “supermax” security prisons, due to his history of escaping. The Sinaloa Cartel has continued to operate after the kingpin’s arrest.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Revisiting Buzz Aldrin's Journey To Sobriety For Moon Landing's 50th Anniversary

    Revisiting Buzz Aldrin's Journey To Sobriety For Moon Landing's 50th Anniversary

    The American hero has been sober for nearly 41 years.

    On July 16, 1969, Apollo 11 made its incredible journey to the moon, and it was an indelible moment in history. 

    Going into space is an incredible experience that few people will ever get to experience. Yet as Buzz Aldrin learned the hard way, coming back down to earth wasn’t easy.

    In his 2009 memoir Magnificent Desolation, Aldrin recalled feeling exhausted when he came back to earth, and he had a hard time figuring out what to do with the rest of his life.

    “I wanted to resume my duties, but there were no duties to resume,” he recalled. “There was no goal, no sense of calling, no project worth pouring myself into.”

    Family Matters

    Aldrin hit the bottle, spent days in bed, and had an affair. When he finally landed a new job at Edwards Air Force Base, he felt anxiety and dread creeping up on him. Once he checked into a hospital, he got in touch with the deeper roots of his problem, which included family issues he never dealt with. Aldrin pushed himself to try and please his father, and there was also mental illness in the family. (His mother and grandfather both died by suicide.)

    Aldrin was still drinking, and he left his job at Edwards after he crashed several planes. Then Aldrin went public about his struggles to the Los Angeles Times in 1972.

    These days, celebrities opening up about mental health issues is commonplace, but it was bold for Aldrin to confess this to the public at the time. He also confronted his struggles in his 1973 memoir, aptly titled Return to Earth.

    One Huge Step For Aldrin

    Still, Aldrin’s drinking continued, and he finally entered AA in August 1975, but he didn’t full embrace sobriety until October 1978. Aldrin got into an angry, drunken argument with a girlfriend, and was arrested after he smashed in her apartment door. It was Aldrin’s bottom, and he committed to sobriety after that.

    Aldrin has been sober ever since, and he told The Fix, “There wasn’t a clear path in front of me with NASA… I had not cultivated a path that would help me accomplish what I really wanted to do with my life after NASA. I began to experience the inherited burden from my grandmother perhaps, from my mother and from my father. These negative tendencies involving both alcohol and mental challenges began to control my life more and more.”

    Aldrin added, “You have to deal with obtaining sobriety first before dealing with other situations that are disturbing you.” Despite the fact that Aldrin had a turbulent life, in hindsight, he realized, “I have gained so much by facing adversity. I had a shrink who said, ‘Buzz, you are so lucky that you had to change, to grow. You are a better person now.’”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • 5 Ways That Methadone Maintenance Treatment Changed My Life

    5 Ways That Methadone Maintenance Treatment Changed My Life

    When you’re an IV drug addict, you risk overdose, HIV, endocarditis and other infections, amputations, abscesses, and more. When I was stable on methadone and stopped using, these risks just disappeared.

    Telling someone that you take methadone is a big deal. You’re not just telling them that you’re taking responsibility for your recovery and your health, you’re also telling them that in your pre-recovery life you probably stole, lied, and did some other terrible thing to support your addiction. You’re not just revealing you had an addiction, you’re saying that it got so bad that going to a clinic every morning to take medicine in front of someone is preferable to the life you were living.

    I am not here to argue about whether MMT (methadone maintenance treatment) is the solution to the opioid crisis because it’s not for everyone. But for me, it was a chance to have a normal happy life. Here’s why:

    1. It Gave Me Accountability

    When you start off as a new patient at any methadone clinic, you have to come every day. You also have to submit to drug testing and therapy, both individual and group sessions. These are all requirements if you want that little cup with your medicine that keeps you from getting sick. As an active drug user, I would have done absolutely anything to keep from getting sick. Show up someplace between 5 and 10 a.m.? No problem! Let someone watch me pee in a cup? Sure thing!

    I, like many people, started MMT as a way to keep myself from crippling heroin withdrawals. I wasn’t at all ready to get clean and stop using. But I had to make and keep appointments with the doctor at the clinic if I wanted to get more methadone, and I had to have bloodwork done if I wanted to keep being an active patient. 

    Slowly, after months of going to this clinic every day, the methadone built up in my body. My opioid receptors were full of methadone and the heroin that I was still putting in my body was no longer getting me high.

    Once I passed my first few drug tests, I was allowed to take a bottle home with me for the next day, which motivated me to keep attending my therapy sessions and to go to work so that I could afford transportation to the clinic. When I was using, the only accountability I had was to my drug dealer. I never would have gotten checked for diseases or spoken with a mental health professional.

    Without even realizing it, I was keeping commitments and getting the help that I desperately needed. Now, years after initially becoming a patient, I have other responsibilities like making sure my rent is paid and not forgetting that I need to renew my license plates next month. My priorities have shifted.

    2. My Health Improved

    I know that this one might sound like a contradiction to everything you think that you know about methadone. A lot of media still portrays people who go to methadone clinics as underweight, shaking, pale, and covered in track marks. This image accurately described me when I first started going, but over the years I’ve been able to change myself internally and externally. When I first started treatment, I was required to get bloodwork to check for the diseases that IV drug users expose themselves to. When I was injecting, I would occasionally get infections in my arms and sometimes end up in the hospital due to these or one of my many overdoses.

    Almost instantly after getting on a therapeutic dose of methadone, I started to care about my body and what I was putting into it. I started taking vitamins and eating food other than what I could steal from a gas station. I felt stable enough to look towards the future and start doing what was required for me to have a long and happy life.

    When you’re an IV drug addict, you risk overdose, HIV, endocarditis and other infections, amputations, abscesses, and more. When I was stable on methadone and stopped using, these risks just disappeared. I became lucid enough to take care of myself and to fix my body and the incredible damage that I had done to it. I’d had a terrible diet and had stopped caring about myself. Now, I take daily vitamins, get a flu shot, get an annual check up at an OBGYN, and try to eat healthy when I can. I also got extensive dental work to fix damage to my teeth from years of neglect.

    3. I Became a Wife and Mother

    This is a very specific and personal way that being on methadone has changed my life. In my addiction, I was in a toxic relationship that revolved around using together and endless dishonesty. We were together because it was easy. When I decided to stop getting high, he wasn’t ready to quit and the relationship ended abruptly. I met my husband shortly after and he took a chance on getting into a relationship with someone new in recovery. I wasn’t using anymore but I still had a lot of addict behaviors.

    I navigated through this new relationship, trying to be honest with my new partner. I wasn’t familiar with honesty in the beginning and he was aware of this and very patient with me. I learned what kindness and love really were for the first time without drugs involved. We also learned early into our relationship that we were expecting a baby boy. I stayed clean throughout my pregnancy, took my methadone as prescribed, and discussed my fears and worries with my therapist at the clinic.

    In two years, I went from living in a car, unable to feed myself, to a wife and mother. None of this would have had the chance to happen if I didn’t take the first step and start treatment.

    4. I Have a Relationship with My Parents

    It has taken years to earn back my parents’ trust. They’d stopped answering the phone when I called because I always asked for money. It became too painful for them to be an active part of my life. They were just waiting for that final phone call telling them they’d lost their daughter to her addiction.

    When I first started going to the methadone clinic, they were skeptical; they knew very little about how the medication worked. Then, after about six months, the begging for money stopped and the tone of our conversations changed. I called just to talk about my day and for the first time I didn’t ask for anything. They noticed that my living situation had changed – I’d gone from living in a car to staying in a cheap motel, then finally I moved into an apartment. I was awake during the holidays and not spending a half hour at a time in the bathroom trying to shoot up. I was gaining weight and smiling again.

    After I passed my first drug test, I wanted everything to go back to the way that it was before I started using. I had a hard time understanding why they didn’t trust me. Then I realized that it didn’t take a month for me to lose their trust, it was years of lies and heartbreak.

    I am now able to look back and see the hurt that I caused and ask for their forgiveness. I am a mother now and I couldn’t imagine watching my sweet happy child deteriorate the way that I did. I am grateful for this real second chance to have them be proud of me. But I didn’t get clean for them, I had to do it for myself. The great relationship that I have with them now is just an extra benefit.

    5. I Have Goals for My Future Self

    During my addiction, the only goal I had was to come up with enough money to stay high that day. I felt like queen of the world if I was able to have enough heroin for two days. That was my life for years: After finding money and drugs, I would work on shelter and then maybe food.

    Once I became stable on a therapeutic dose of methadone, I didn’t have to spend energy and time finding drugs because I wasn’t worried about withdrawal. I suddenly had all of this time to spend on making money and cleaning up all the messes I’d made.

    My primary goal for the first few months I was clean was to make sure I got to the clinic on time. It might sound like kind of a sad existence but without my medicine, I wasn’t going to be able to function. I know the term “liquid handcuffs” is used a lot in reference to methadone treatment and I understand the frustration of having to go to the clinic every day. But if you are completing all the requirements of your clinic, you get to work up to going biweekly or even monthly. The program is designed to give you a normal life.

    My next goal was to have a stable place to live and to be someone who others could count on. There were a ton of baby steps I had to take to get there and I was only able to do that initially because I started MMT. I did the rest of the work with my counselor, my church, and my husband.

    It’s been three years since I started treatment and I’m in the middle of my third term in college and my husband and I are looking into buying our first home this fall. My next goal will be to get off methadone completely, but I will not rush this process.

    I am so thankful that this form of treatment was available to me. Methadone should always be an option for those of us who have had a difficult time getting clean with other methods. There is still a huge stigma attached to MMT patients and clinics and I could say that another goal of mine is to help break that. It’s not a magical cure for opioid addiction, but it played a vital role in my recovery.

    What are your thoughts on methadone maintenance treatment? Share with us in the comments.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • How Do I Find Rehab for Lortab Addiction?

    How Do I Find Rehab for Lortab Addiction?

    Find the answers to all your questions about the opioid pain reliever, Lortab, including signs of addiction, side effects, and how to choose a rehab, by consulting this informative guide.

    1. What is Lortab and what causes Lortab addiction?
    2.     What are Lortab side effects?
    3.     What are the street names for Lortab?
    4. What is the best treatment for Lortab addiction?
    5.     12-Step Programs
    6. Inpatient Rehab
    7. Outpatient Rehab
    8. What is aftercare, and why is it important?
    9. How to find the best rehab for Lortab addiction?

    There is nothing more important than having a healthy mind and body. Health is of utmost importance to a person because, without it, nobody can function well. A healthy mind and body can improve our concentration, keep us in a good mood, and help us work efficiently every day. Poor health can lead to a number of problems that can affect the way we live. Someone who doesn’t take their health seriously, often has to face serious consequences after a while. Addiction is one such problem where people become dependent on addictive chemical substances to function normally. Once addicted, they will feel uneasy and behave irrationally when they don’t have access to the drugs they are addicted to,

    Addiction problems are rising at an alarming rate. Addiction can lead to serious physical and psychological damage. Drugs were always meant to be taken in measured proportions to provide relief from various ailments and medical conditions, but people sometimes misuse them. Certain types of drugs, when taken alone or in addition to other potent drugs, can lead a person to experience a euphoric high- a feeling of well-being that then becomes associated with the usage of drugs. Opioid drugs are addictive substances which affect certain parts of the brain and affect how it perceives pain. This is the reason why they are widely used in painkillers. 

    People misuse drugs by consuming them in excessive amounts or taking it in addition to other drugs. When drugs are mixed with other drugs, the combined effect can be life-threatening. There is no valid health reason why people start taking prescription drugs unless the doctor has prescribed them. Studies have shown that a family where one or both parents are addicted have high chances for the kids to become addicted as well. Some people start abusing drugs and alcohol to escape from stressful situations in their personal and professional lives. The effect of these addictive substances gives them a way to leave all their problems behind for a period of time.

    Most people fail to realize their addiction issues until it’s too late. But whether they realize sooner or later, most of them feel ashamed to ask for help because of the social stigma attached to addiction issues. Some people have a sterotypical image in mind about addicts; shabby, homeless, and hideous people who will go to any lengths to continue their addiction. This is a complete misconception and has no resemblance to how addicts are. 

    Most people become victims of addiction due to lack of proper guidance and knowledge. Unless people are thoroughly educated about the side effects of addiction, they won’t be able to realize the problem. Drug awareness should be made mandatory in schools, universities, and workplaces. Maybe then people will understand the seriousness of the matter. 

    What is Lortab and what causes Lortab addiction?

    Lortab is a painkiller made by combining Hydrocodone and Acetaminophen. Hydrocodone is an opioid and Acetaminophen is an over-the-counter painkiller. Lortab is used to treat moderate to severe pain caused due to injury or surgery. Hydrocodone binds to opioid receptors in the brain and blocks the pain signals from reaching the brain while Acetaminophen suppresses the chemicals in the brain that stimulates pain nerves. Legally, Lortab is sold in a liquid form. 

    Lortab has a high potential for abuse and addiction like every other opioid medication. Prolonged Lortab usage can lead to addiction as patients become tolerant to the prescribed amount of the drug. Prolonged use also increases oportunities for overdose. Lortab addiction or overdose can result in severe side effects, like breathing problems and liver damage. Hence, proper care must be taken not to exceed the prescribed amount of the medicine and not to use it without a prescription. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, more than 23 million people over the age of 12 have misused Lortab in some way or other. Lortab is often misused by combining it with other drugs.

    What are Lortab side effects?

    As stated, addiction is one of Lortab’s potential side effect. Other common Lortab side effects include: 

    • Confusion.
    • Constipation.
    • Dizziness.
    • Dry mouth.
    • Hallucinations.
    • Hearing loss.
    • Small, constricted pupils.
    • Hyperventilation.
    • Jaundice.
    • Paranoia.
    • Slowed heart rate.
    • Stomach pain.
    • Twitching of the muscles.
    • Weakness.
    • Weight loss.

    What are the street names for Lortab?

    Lortab cannot be sold legally without a valid prescription, yet people access it and abuse it. So, the question is, how do they do that? Lortab abuse is made possible due to the illegal sale of the drug on the black market where users get it through various drug dealers. On the black market, these prescription drugs are not known by their medicinal name but by different slang names. Also, the price of the drugs sold on the black market might be higher than pharmacy prices, but since the demand is so high, people don’t mind shelling out more money to get a regular supply. On the black market, Lortab is commonly known as:

    • Vicodin
    • Vicodin ES
    • Vicodin HP
    • Lorcet
    • Lorcet Plus
    • Lorcet HD
    • Norco
    • Hydros
    • Tabs
    • Vics
    • Veeks
    • Vikes
    • Fluff
    • Dro
    • Droco

    What is the best treatment for Lortab addiction?

    Lortab addiction is best treated in rehab. Rehabs are specialized treatment centers for addicts, where they are helped to get out of addiction problems through rigorous treatments, therapies, and counseling sessions. The remedy for addiction will take some time to eliminate the problem, so patience and dedication is a must for every person undergoing rehab treatment.

    A rehab program can begin when a person is entirely free from the toxic materials in his body. Anyone who wants to get into an addiction program has to first undergo detox sessions that will help eliminate all the addictive substances from the body and to some extent, suppress the urge to take drugs. Conventional detox and the associated withdrawal symptoms can be very uncomfortable. However, people can now also opt for painless and quick process through rapid detox. Rapid detox neutralizes the effect of the drug inside the body with the help of other drugs. During rapid detox, the patient is sedated so that they do not experience any discomfort. 

    Generally, during detox, the body starts reacting to the limited intake of drugs in the body; as a result, withdrawal symptoms start getting frequent and can make the patient very weak. This is why it’s recommended that anyone who plans on undergoing detox treatment must eat well, get enough sleep, and workout regularly to reduce discomfort during the process. 

    Once detox is complete, the patients will undergo an intake interview, after which, they will be put into a customized rehab program. Not everyone needs rigorous rehab therapy to quit drugs; some can accomplish this through counseling. For those who do go on to more extensive treatment, rehabs are mainly categorized into 3 types. 

    12-Step Programs

    In 12-step recovery programs for Lortab addiction, people are not put on any medication. The entire treatment is done through step-based counseling. The 12 steps mainly focus on helping people admit their addiction problem. Once they admit that they are addicted, they need to identify a higher power that can give them the strength to recover from addiction. Then they need to examine their past wrongdoings and rectify them, and also work on starting a new life of being sober. Finally, they are given the responsibility to help others who are suffering from addiction by encouraging them to participate in the 12-step recovery program for their drug or alcohol addiction. 

    Inpatient Rehab

    Inpatient rehab is a type of rehab facility which is similar to a hospital where patients board within the facility while undergoing treatment. Inpatient rehab is meant for serious addicts who need 24×7 observation and care. Under Inpatient treatment, patients have no access to any drugs due to stringent security. The treatment offered is also intensive by nature, and the success rate associated with this rehab treatment is also higher compared to others. 

    Outpatient Rehab

    Outpatient rehab is recommended for people who cannot afford to miss their daily duties and responsibilities while undergoing treatment. This rehab option is feasible for people who have to go to the work every day, students, or even parents who have to take care of their children. The outpatient rehab program is flexible and lets you choose your convenient time to come for the treatment. The cost associated with Outpatient program is also more affordable as there is no boarding facility involved. 

    What is aftercare, and why is it important? 

    After the rehab program is over, you’re put into an aftercare program. Aftercare sessions are conducted to help patients aboid relapse and cope with relapses when they occur. It’s very common for a patient to relapse when they’ve just completed treatment. Aftercare programs ensure that you do not go back to addiction, no matter how intense the cravings are. 

    All patients are released from the facility before the aftercare program. They only need to visit the facilities periodically for aftercare treatment. If they don’t follow the aftercare program seriously, their entire addiction treatment can be undermined.

    How to find the best rehab for Lortab addiction?

    Finding the right rehab for you may be a challenge, but with some effort you can have success. You need to check out many factors before settling on one. So wether you are looking for an outpatient or inpatient rehab program, make sure that you take some time to do the research. First, you need to shortlist some rehab centers that you think might be best for you. Then you need to pick one from them based on various factors, including the following:

    Location

    Check whether the rehab is located in a calm environment and has open space for patients to take a walk or sit beneath the sun. A rehab that is located on a busy street with too much noise and pollution may not be an ideal place for addiction patients, especially the ones who are suffering from mental health issues as well.

    Facilities

    Talk to the rehab staff and take a tour of the rehab center to check what amenities they provide. Do they have a library or an indoor game room for patients to relax? Do they have guest rooms for visitors? Considering all these factors is necessary when determining which rehab is right for you.

    Services

    Something that you should do before signing up for a rehab program is to check the team of doctors, nurses, and medical staff who would be treating you. Ensure that you’re in good hands, and the treatment you receive will be satisfactory.

    Reputation

    The reputation of the rehab is one of the major deciding factors for a good rehab. Check the online ratings and reviews to understand the rehab facility and how it has served other patients in the past. 

    Value for money

    Finally, you should opt for a rehab program that is within your budget. 

    Falling into addiction can be quick and easy. People can become addicted to drugs in a short period of time. But beating addiction requires a lot of energy, money, and time. Addiction treatment is much costlier than addictive substances, in the short to medium term, at any rate. If you were struggling hard to find money to feed your addiction habit, you may find it hard to afford treatment unless you have an insurance policy to cover your expenses.

    Addiction can affect your finances and relationships with people in addition to the toll it can take on your physical and mental health. Some early signs of addiction are when people becoming detached from their family, friends, and other people they are close to. If you notice a change in behavior like this in someone you know, please talk to them and try to find out the cause. If you have recently discovered someone you know has an addiction problem, be supportive and offer to help.

    If they are ready to be helped, find them the help and support that they need to address their problem. If they are afraid to go for individual counseling, recommend a group counseling session or 12-step group for them. Addiction problems should not be left unattended for long as it may lead to several other problems. Children should be kept away from prescription drugs, especially those which have a high potential to cause overdose or addiction. Be aware of their circle of friends to see that they are not negatively influenced. Additionaly, they must be made aware of drugs early in their lives so that they don’t get tempted to fall for the peer-pressure and engage in substance abuse. 

    Some people think that drug addiction is a disease, but in reality, it’s a result of poor lifestyle choices. Addiction doesn’t develop on its own unless the person allows it to take root. So, please don’t let drugs take over your body and your life and ruin a bright future ahead. Seek professional help and talk to your friends and family to get the right guidance before it’s too late.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • How to Find the Best Chlordiazepoxide Addiction Treatment

    How to Find the Best Chlordiazepoxide Addiction Treatment

    If you are looking for information about Chlordiazepoxide, this guide may be just what you need.

    1. Chlordiazepoxide Usage
    2. Addiction and Withdrawal symptoms of Chlordiazepoxide
    3. Chlordiazepoxide rehabs can help addicts get what they need
    4. Rehab payments with loans and insurance
    5. Conclusion

    Addiction is a disease that has been taking a toll on our society for a long time now. Although the government is taking steps to help block the buying and selling of drugs, they have not been able to eradicate the addiction problems so many people face. The illicit drug business is not only harming people’s personal lives, but it’s also affecting the country’s economic growth as people that get involved in addiction sometimes become unemployable and quit their jobs.

    In the United States, in 2017, 38% of the adult population engaged in illicit drug abuse. Drug abuse is prevalent in every country. Even when their governments have taken steps to reduce illegal activities, drug addicts find a way to purchase and use drugs. One such drug that is commonly abused is Chlordiazepoxide.

    Chlordiazepoxide is generally used to treat anxiety, insomnia, and acute withdrawal symptoms associated with alcohol and drug abuse. Although it’s a medicine used to treat drug abuse, some abuse it to get high. This drug was patented in 1958 and was approved to use for medical purposes in 1960. This drug belongs to the Benzodiazepine class, which means it mainly affects the brain and nerves (central nervous system) to calm the users’ body and mind. Chlordiazepoxide addiction is not uncommon. In addition to using the drug to get hight, addicts will use this drug for its intended purpose – to calm their mind and body when they are in a state of panic (which may be caused by other drugs they are abusing).

    Chlordiazepoxide Usage

    Chlordiazepoxide is a prescription drug, which means that one cannot buy this drug over the counter. Chlordiazepoxide is proven to be quite useful in treating anxiety and providing relief. However, this drug is meant for short term use only. Chlordiazepoxide is not intended for treating stress or tension from the pressures of everyday life. The drug is to be used only as prescribed by a doctor. 

    Since the drug is used to treat more than one health problem, the dosage might vary from person to person, and the time between doses might differ as well. So it’s essential to follow the doctor’s instructions carefully. While a patient looking for mild to moderate anxiety relief might need to take a low dose 1-2 times daily, a person suffering from severe anxiety disorder might need to take it in higher dosages or more frequently. However, following the doctor’s instruction strictly is required in all cases.

    Like many other drugs, using Chlordiazepoxide comes with potential side effects. Many people have found themselves feeling drowsy and confused after using this drug. Other side effects include nausea, constipation, irregular menstrual cycle, skin problems, blurred vision, dry mouth, etc. If a patient experiences discomfort, mood swings, and sleep disturbances, it’s recommended to contact a doctor immediately and ask them to modify the dosage. 

    When your doctor prescribes Chlordiazepoxide, make sure to inform them if you have had an allergic reaction to any medicine, or if you have a history of kidney disease, liver disease, lung problems, etc. This is a powerful drug that might have adverse effects (including death) on the health of someone with any of these conditions. Avoid any alcohol consumption with Chlordiazepoxide tablets. Do not take the medicine in any way other than as prescribed by the doctor. 

    Addiction and Withdrawal symptoms of Chlordiazepoxide

    The common name for Chlordiazepoxide is Librium, which is a type of psychotropic drug. Since it belongs to the class of benzodiazepines, Librium can be highly addictive, and users can become dependent on the drug quickly. Anxiety patients who take Librium to calm their nerves often find it difficult to avoid taking it, even for mild anxiety. They may begin to see these mild episodes as panic attacks and take the drug more frequently than necessary. This eventually increases dependency, which later becomes an addiction. 

    Therefore, it’s necessary that family members and friends of the patients keep a close eye on them to help them avoid falling into the pit of Chlordiazepoxide addiction. It’s been pointed out by many addicts that the effects of Chlordiazepoxide addiction are not as adverse as many other drugs of the same class. However, that does not mean that they should be allowed to abuse the substance.

    So how do you know if a person is getting addicted to the drug? Like many other addicts, the simplest way to recognize a drug addict is to look for telltale symptoms. An addict may often feel a strong urge to use Librium. Others might combine Librium with opioids to experience heightened pleasure in the brain. Combining drugs might offer greater satisfaction, but it comes at greater risks, including  long-term damage to the central nervous system or overdose which can easily lead to death. Combining drugs can easily be fatal, as the practice increases the chances of overdose. Under no circumstance should you mix Librium with any kind of drug. One should only take it as prescribed by the doctor.

    Chlordiazepoxide addiction has both physical and psychological side effects. Physical side effects may include but are not limited to uncontrolled eye movements, low blood pressure, slowed breathing, weakness, and slurred speech, etc., while psychological side effects may include, but are not limited to impaired memory, depression, trouble concentrating, etc. The numbers of overdose deaths from benzodiazepines in the United States saw a dramatic five-fold increase between 2001 to 2014 .

    Once a person is used to taking this drug for an extended period, reducing dosage or discontinuing use may cause extreme withdrawal symptoms. So it’s recommended to visit a doctor and lower the doses slowly instead of stopping or taperring on your own. Withdrawal symptoms may include anxiety, nausea, irritability, seizures, and many other physical as well as psychological problems. Always take as directed. Do not crush the drug, mix it with any kind of liquid, alcoholic or non-alcoholic, or snort it. Doing so can intensify the effects and lead to overdose.

    If a person showing Librium (Chlordiazepoxide) withdrawal symptoms is not getting the help that they need, their condition may worsen. Their behavior becoming erratic and their ability to function may become impaired. It’s not only the responsibility of the abuser themselves to get help but also the families and friends’ to make sure they are getting the support and encouragemen they needt. 

    Chlordiazepoxide rehabs can help addicts get what they need

    Throughout the country, there are rehabs, staffed by professionals who are trained to help addicts. Rehab facilities help addicts both physically and psychologically to address their drug addiction and get help during the withdrawal period. They conduct therapies and counseling sessions and provide emotional support by keeping patients engaged in activities that keep them away drugs. 

    When looking for a rehab, it’s essential to do some research first. If you have a friend who is a drug addict, and you want to help them get the best rehab treatment, the first step towards assisting them is by researching the rehab options available nearby. Different patients sometimes require different types of treatment. Things like cost and duration can vary. And while treatment centers have much in common with one another, no two are the same.

    Getting rid of Librium addiction could be harder than one can think. As Librium itself is a medicine used to treat anxiety, it’s easy to become addicted to the drug, even when one consumes it for medicinal purposes. If you set your mind on getting clean and leading a healthy life and are willing to do the work, you can eventually break free from Chlordiazepoxide addiction, no matter how tough it is. All you need is a strong will, an excellent rehab facility, and supportive people like friends, family, and doctors. 

    Get in contact with a few rehab facilities and ask them how their program differs from other rehab programs. Take your time and choose wisely. You may be paying a considerable amount of money for treatment, so it’s important that you get the services that you’re looking for. Librium addiction can be treated in three kinds of rehab:

    • Inpatient rehab: Like any other inpatient drug rehab, the inpatient rehab facility for Librium (Chlordiazepoxide) also requires their patients to be a part of a program where they are kept in a hospital or clinic-type facility under strict supervision 24/7 for a limited period. Most of these programs last from 28 days to 90 days, depending upon how severe their addiction is. While many centers include detoxification programs under proper supervision before they start with the rehab program, there are also centers that do not provide detoxification programs. So in those situations, the patient would need to have detox before they sign themselves into the program. Inpatient rehab usually includes individual therapy, group therapy, and recreational therapy.
    • Outpatient rehab: The outpatient rehab for Chlordiazepoxide addiction, like any other outpatient rehab for other drugs, does not require the addicts to live in a facility 24/7. They can live in their own homes, continue to go to their work or school regularly and visit the rehab clinic to attend their rehab session. The amount of time varies depending on the program they choose. They need to attend the sessions at the time allotted for them and continue living their daily lives. Outpatient therapy sessions could include but are not limited to coping skills, meditation, and sharing their stories with other people. 
    • Residential Rehab: A rehab facility for those addicts who are uncomfortable living in a hospital setting during their treatment period could opt for a residential rehab instead. In a residential rehab program, they are allowed to live in a home-type environment and receive treatment from professionals. No rehab program is cheap but compared to other programs, residential rehab could be a bit on the pricier side. Family members and friends of patients can also attend some group therapy sessions conducted there to understand how to handle and help addiction patients.

    Rehab payments with loans and insurance

    If a patient has health insurance, they need to make sure that their insurance covers the cost of treatment at a drug rehab. Rehab programs are not cheap, so the amount for treatment could exceed their savings and insurance amount.

    Some financial institutions provide loans for rehab. Since you would need to repay the amount, it’s always a good idea to choose a program that is not too expensive. Otherwise, another way to go is to borrow money from friends and family, as you could return their money without interest whenever you have saved up enough 

    Conclusion

    Being clean from drugs does not happen in a day or a week; it’s a long process. The patient themselves, their families, and friends need to have patience and believe that they can do it together. The most important thing for the patient during this time is the support they get from their loved ones. So if you know anyone who is struggling with addiction issues, help them gain their mental strength, and remind them that they can do it.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • "Moana," Not Marijuana: Dairy Queen Worker Loses Job Over Cake Mistake

    "Moana," Not Marijuana: Dairy Queen Worker Loses Job Over Cake Mistake

    The worker, who has been blamed for the mix-up, alleges that her manager oversaw the entire cake-making process.

    A Georgia woman was surprised to receive a birthday cake decorated with a marijuana leaf and an image of a My Little Pony character with bloodshot eyes, instead of the Moana-themed cake she ordered from an area Dairy Queen.

    Her social media post of the incident went viral, and while the woman found the whole affair amusing and the cake delicious, the Dairy Queen employee that made it is not laughing.

    No Laughing Matter

    Cassandra Walker  told USA Today that she lost her job as a result of the mix-up, and noted that her manager not only took the order but also observed its creation and gave the cake to the customer.

    Kensli Davis, who lives in Milledgeville, Georgia, is a fan of the Disney animated film Moana, and for her 25th birthday told her mother that she wanted a Moana-themed birthday cake.

    Her mother contacted the local Dairy Queen and placed the order, but as Davis told WMAZ-TV, “I think they thought that she said, ‘marijuana,’ because we are from south Georgia and kind of have an accent. So, Moana, marijuana?”

    Upon receiving the cake, Davis said that she was initially shocked—”I guess when they said that I love cartoons, they were just like, ‘Let’s throw a Little Pony on there’ [but] it had red eyes [and] it was smoking a joint”—but also found it amusing and noted both the artistic talents of the cake creator and its delicious taste. She posted an image of the cake on Facebook, which was shared almost 15,000 times.

    But for Cassandra Walker, the Dairy Queen employee who made the cake, the entire incident has been less than amusing. Walker apologized to Davis after learning of the mix-up, and offered to make a new cake, which Davis declined.

    She was subsequently fired by Al Autry, one of the owners of the Dairy Queen, on July 8, which also happened to be her birthday.

    No Laughing Matter

    “It’s not funny to me,” said Walker, who worked for Dairy Queen for approximately a year before the incident. “I have two little girls here. I have a car that needs fixing.”

    Walker also alleged that her manager oversaw the entire cake-making process, from taking the order to delivering it to the customer. “The manager stood behind me while I pulled the images off the internet,” she told USA Today. “She walked by as I decorated the cake. As I boxed the cake up, she was the one who walked it up to the front.”

    In a statement to USA Today, Autry said that the incident “was a simple misunderstanding from the beginning,” and added that his employees apologized for the error, but the customer paid for the cake and left the Dairy Queen with it. He did not address Walker’s claim that she was fired.

    Walker added that she was contacted by a different manager of the Dairy Queen with an offer to return to her job, which she declined.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Suboxone Maker To Pay $1.4 Billion In Largest US Opioid Settlement To Date

    Suboxone Maker To Pay $1.4 Billion In Largest US Opioid Settlement To Date

    Reckitt Benckiser denied any wrongdoing in a statement but decided that taking the deal was its best option.

    Suboxone manufacturer and distributor Reckitt Benckiser (RB) Group will pay a total of $1.4 billion to the U.S. government after taking a settlement offer by the Department of Justice. This will end civil and criminal probes into the multinational company and is so far the largest opioid-related settlement in U.S. history.

    RB was under investigation due to alleged misconduct by its former subsidiary company, Indivior. The subsidiary is still under investigation and is set to go to trial over the allegations in May 2020.

    Accusations

    Indivior has been accused of making misleading claims in its marketing materials and of running a program that was supposed to be a resource for people with opioid use disorder but was allegedly used to connect people with doctors who were known to prescribe Suboxone.

    According to a statement by the Department of Justice, these doctors were prescribing the addiction treatment drug and other opioid-based medications “to more patients than allowed by federal law, at high doses, and in a careless and clinically unwarranted manner.”

    Suboxone contains both buprenorphine, a low-intensity opioid that can treat or prevent opioid withdrawal symptoms without getting a patient high, and naloxone, which blocks opioid receptors in the brain and is commonly used to treat opioid overdoses. The naloxone in Suboxone is only activated if the tablets are crushed or dissolved for snorting or injecting the drug, which is meant to prevent its abuse.

    In spite of this precaution, Suboxone still contains an opioid and can be abused, so it remains a controlled substance under the U.S. government. 

    Although Indivior is no longer a part of RB, the former parent company agreed to hand over $647 million in proceeds received from Indivior as well as paying $700 million in civil settlements across six states and to the federal government, plus an additional $50 million to the Federal Trade Commission.

    The Terms

    Under the terms of the settlement, they will also refrain from manufacturing, marketing, or selling Schedule I, II, or III controlled substances in the U.S. for three years.

    RB denied any wrongdoing in a statement but decided that taking the deal was the best option.

    “While RB acted lawfully at all times and expressly denies all allegations that it has engaged in any wrongful conduct, after careful consideration, the board of RB determined that the agreement is in the best interests of the company and its shareholders,” the statement reads.

    Officials of states participating in the lawsuit are pleased by this result.

    “This is a landmark moment in our fight to hold drug companies responsible for their role in the opioid crisis,” said Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring. “We will not allow anyone to put profits over people, or to exacerbate or exploit the opioid crisis for their own benefit.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Can Medication-Assisted Treatment Repair Damage Caused By Drug Use?

    Can Medication-Assisted Treatment Repair Damage Caused By Drug Use?

    Dr. Nora Volkow is testing this theory by studying the brain scans of people with opioid use disorder. 

    Over the past few years medication-assisted treatment (MAT) has become the standard of care for people with opioid use disorder, helping to cut users’ risk of fatal overdose by as much as half.

    Now, researchers from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) are hoping to understand why. 

    NIDA director, Dr. Nora Volkow, has a theory. She believes that medications including methadone, buprenorphine and naltrexone don’t just help people deal with cravings for drugs. She thinks these medications also help repair the damage done to the brain by drug use, the AP reported.

    “Can we completely recover? I do not know that,” she said. However, people on medication-assisted treatment are “creating stability” in their brains, which allows the brains to react more normally to stimuli. 

    The Theory

    Volkow is testing her theory by completing brain scans on people with opioid use disorder. This includes people who are actively using, those in early recovery, and people on established MAT plans. Volkow and her research team are examining how people react to various stimuli—e.g. what reaction does a picture of a cupcake garner, for example, compared to a picture of heroin?

    The researchers are also doing other work to measure people’s impulse control with exercises like offering them $50 now or $100 in a week’s time. 

    “You need to be able to inhibit the urge to get something [to overcome addiction],” Volkow said. “We take for granted that people think about the future. Not when you’re addicted.”

    Volkow also wants to study how each medication affects people differently. For example, she suspects that buprenorphine will have more of an effect on mental and emotional health than methadone. 

    She expects to see big difference in the brain scans of people who use opioids, compared with those who are on medication-assisted treatment. 

    “You should be able to see it with your eyes, without having to be an expert,” she said.

    The Search For Participants

    Unfortunately the research team has struggled to find participants who are healthy enough to be considered. Research subjects cannot be on any medications that affect the brain other than their MAT regimen. 

    Overall, Volkow hopes that by better understanding medication-assisted treatment and how it can help people with opioid use disorder, scientists will dispel some of the myths and misunderstandings about MAT. 

    “People say you’re just changing one drug for another,” she said. “The brain responds differently to these medications than to heroin. It’s not the same.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • MDMA-Related Deaths At Australian Music Festivals Under Investigation

    MDMA-Related Deaths At Australian Music Festivals Under Investigation

    Over the span of two years, six people died from MDMA-related causes at multiple Australian music festivals. 

    The deaths of six young Australians, all involving MDMA or a version of the drug, are being investigated. The coroner’s office of New South Wales, the Australian state where Sydney is located, opened a probe into the deaths this month.

    All six of the individuals were between age 18 and 23 and died at music festivals in New South Wales between December 2017 and January 2019, the Guardian reported. There were many more hospitalizations for drug-related causes.

    The coroner’s inquest has so far revealed the extent of the victims’ drug use and details about their final moments.

    Dr. Death

    MDMA-related causes were behind each death. One victim, 18-year-old Hoang “Nathan” Tran, was reported to have had “trace” levels of the drug PMA (known as “Dr. Death”) at the time of his death, according to a preliminary toxicology report. Tran died after attending the Knockout Circuz music festival in Sydney in December 2017.

    Another victim, 19-year-old Callum Brosnan, had ingested between 6.5 and 9 capsules during the Knockout Games of Destiny EDM festival in December 2018, also in Sydney, according to detective inspector Karl Reis. One MDMA capsule later found in his bag was tested and registered 77% purity.

    Brosnan’s friend, who was with him at the festival, testified that “he was just going to keep a strong mind and push through it” despite feeling unwell.

    “He thought he’d be alright, he thought he’d get through it just by staying calm,” his friend said. Brosnan died in the hospital after the festival from MDMA and cocaine toxicity.

    Harm Reduction

    Some health experts, medical professionals and harm reduction advocates have called for pill testing to be allowed at these events. Other proposed harm reduction strategies include improving the presence of emergency medical services and providing access to water and “chill out spaces” for people having a negative drug reaction or those who just need a space to relax.

    The case of Alexandra Ross-King strengthens the case for harm reduction at these events. The 19-year-old woman was reported to have ingested a fatal amount of MDMA before entering the FOMO music festival in a Sydney suburb in January 2019, because she feared being caught by police, who had a heavy presence there.

    Now her family, too, is calling on Gladys Berejiklian, the premier of New South Wales, to consider allowing pill testing as a harm reduction strategy.

    The remaining victims are Diana Nguyen, 21, Joseph Pham, 23, and Joshua Tam, 22.

    View the original article at thefix.com