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Category: Addiction News

  • Unfounded Fears Linger About Accidental Exposure to Fentanyl

    Unfounded Fears Linger About Accidental Exposure to Fentanyl

    Lawmakers have introduced a new bill that perpetuates fears about fentanyl that many physicians consider unfounded.

    Though a wealth of information has been made public about the relatively low risk presented by accidental exposure to the synthetic opioid, fentanyl, lawmakers, law enforcement and media outlets continue to issue warnings and even propose legislation to provide safeguards to prevent overdose.

    A recent article in Reason cited a bill put forward by a bipartisan group of Congressmen that would allocate federal money to local police for drug screening devices that was spurred in part by concern over exposure to fentanyl. 

    It also quoted recent comments from a Toledo, Ohio newspaper and New York State police chief, both of which voiced concern over the alleged dangers presented by “even a minute trace of the drug.” Such fears are contrary to countless studies and testimony by medical professionals and health groups, which have stated that casual skin exposure to fentanyl presents little chance of significant harm than any other drugs.

    The bill, introduced by Representatives Conor Lamb (D-PA), David Joyce (R-OH) and David Trone (D-MD), would establish a new grant program at the Department of Justice that would assist local law enforcement agencies in securing interdiction devices—portable chemical screening technology—that would help officers determine the presence of fentanyl and other drugs at a crime scene.

    “This legislation will increase the safety of our officers and will streamline the substance testing process, providing real-time results to reduce the backlog in the legal system,” said Lamb in a statement.

    While well-intended, the bill perpetuates fears about fentanyl that many physicians consider unfounded, according to Reason. Coverage in the New York Times noted that while fentanyl and carfentanil are dangerous opioids, the drugs must be deliberately consumed, not touched or inhaled by accident, to present a health risk.

    “I would say it’s extraordinarily improbable that a first responder would be poisoned by an ultra-potent opioid,” said Dr. David Juurlink, a clinical researcher based in Toronto. “I don’t say it can’t happen. But for it to happen would require extraordinary circumstances, and those would be very hard to achieve.”

    Despite testimony of that nature, fear about exposure to fentanyl continues to find its way into the public sphere. The Toledo Blade called for immediate passage of Lamb’s bill, stating “police, firefighters and other first responders are in jeopardy if they come into contact with even a minute trace of the drug.”

    And in a February 2019 interview, John Anton, police chief for DeWitt, New York, said on WRVO Public Media that he feared his officers are “getting exposed to fentanyl, getting it on their clothes, bringing it home to their families, getting it on their boots and so on.”

    As many medical professionals have noted, such fears are largely unfounded.

    “I want to tell first responders, ‘Look, you’re safe,’” said Dr. Jeremy S. Faust, an emergency doctor at Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, in the New York Times coverage. “You can touch these people. You can interact with them. You can go on and do the heroic lifesaving work that you do for anyone else.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Should TV Shows Work So Hard to Normalize Support Groups Like AA?

    Should TV Shows Work So Hard to Normalize Support Groups Like AA?

    People get their information from TV, so any misrepresentation can be dangerous.

    Whenever some character on your favorite television show or film has an addiction or experiences a major tragedy, they turn to a support group. Audiences recently saw Steve Rogers, the alternate identity of Captain America (played by Chris Evans) turn to a grief support group in Avengers: Endgame. The group was comprised of other superheroes, who are all grieving loved ones lost after Thanos killed half the world’s population.

    The practice of seeking help in support groups is more prevalent on TV: both Alcoholics Anonymous and group therapy are commonly shown as the healing modality of choice. In fact, “going to a meeting” is normalized, but is that accurate? We expect any storyline that has a character—major or otherwise—suffering with addiction or a major loss to include a few scenes of a bunch of folks in a dank hall drinking bad coffee and spilling their souls over the addiction or grief. The Hollywood styling of this form of recovery may be doing more harm than good.

    Support Groups Are All Over TV

    There is more than one way of depicting a support group on television. Fortunately, the variety of shows using the recovery group option do show some diversity. Support groups can occur in a clinical setup, like the one we see in New Amsterdam on NBC. Dr. Bloom (played by Jane Montgomery) is checked into a posh rehab for her Adderall addiction, and a support group is a part of her recovery.

    The alternative is a nonclinical setting — usually a church or school. The CBS sitcom Mom makes frequent use of this type of group. In fact, the group is central to the show’s storyline about the multigenerational damage caused by addiction. Characters Bonnie (Allison Janney) and Christy (Anna Faris) are the mother-daughter duo at the center of the story and each meeting. There’s also Kate Pearson (Chrissy Metz) and her food addiction support group on NBC’s This is Us and James Roday’s character Gary who leans on a breast cancer support group on ABC’s A Million Little Things.

    There are so many different depictions of these groups and new ones being introduced to new shows all the time. The Fox show Proven Innocent debuted this spring and introduced a support group for character Levi’s (Riley Smith) anger management. This support-group-as-solution message is hammered home by so many shows in a variety of genres, on a variety of networks, and covering several different topics. In this way, television is actually helping the normalization of support groups. If these portrayals motivate a viewer with a problem to join a group and get help, they’ve done some good. But by using them as the go-to solution, these shows do a disservice to people who need other kinds of treatment.

    Erasure and Magical Recovery

    Unfortunately, like any other television depiction, there are some liberties taken in fictionalizing the use of support groups for recovery. These liberties include the magical treatment of AA and the meetings. There’s also the erasure of licensed therapists and the mischaracterization of support groups in situations where there is a secondary issue fueling the addiction.

    On so many of the shows, with a few exceptions (such as New Amsterdam and Mom), there is no distinction between the therapist-led groups and the ones led by participants in the group. The lack of a licensed professional in these settings gives the idea that a traditional therapist, and even individual therapy, isn’t needed for recovery. This is a huge misconception. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Treatment Protocols Series 41 stresses that a licensed therapist, recovery specialist, or doctor is necessary for successful recovery when group members are facing more than just the issue that brought them to the group. People with multiple substance or behavioral addictions, or addiction accompanied by mental health conditions or trauma, for example, would be better helped by treatment that includes individual therapy or a therapist-led group.

    The “magic” of an AA meeting that permeates the shows is also damaging. AA is depicted as the magical cure for any afflictions experienced by the person with addiction; however, not everyone responds to the AA and 12-step recovery format. Those are not the only forms of recovery. AA meetings are also largely participant-led, which can be problematic in itself for some people.

    Examples of this problem are found in shows like Grey’s Anatomy. The show often blurs or erases the role of the therapist in messy support group situations. This season, for example, characters Amelia (Caterina Scorsone) and Dr. Webber (James Pickens Jr.) use their AA meetings as the cure-all for whatever ails them, including grief, anger issues, and PTSD. These conditions should be treated in individual therapy and/or therapist-led groups. The characters on Mom and Shameless also only turn to magical 12-step programs and AA. They fail to show other options for group support in fighting addiction.

    So Should TV Continue Normalizing Support Groups?

    Is all this normalizing of support groups actually good for people? According to SAMHSA’s Treatment Improvement Protocols, humans benefit immensely from support groups because we are social creatures. “The natural propensity of human beings to congregate makes group therapy a powerful therapeutic tool for treating substance abuse, one that is as helpful as individual therapy, and sometimes more successful.” So it’s natural to seek out others for recovery.

    The protocols go on to say that the groups work because we can see others as they progress through therapy and hit the same milestones that we hit. This is a form of witnessing as motivation. The groups also fight isolation and loneliness, which are relapse and mental health triggers. Another effect is the recovery culture, the opportunity to be surrounded by like-minded people. The atmosphere alone is so conducive to recovery and community, with the participants all sharing their journeys. The positivity alone is a benefit to anyone participating in support groups, no matter the reason for the support.

    So, Showtime’s Shameless may be accurate when Lip (played by Jeremy Allen White) finds his relapsed sponsor nearly naked and injured in a freezer and tells the man they need a meeting before they do anything else. Getting into a familiar environment which he associates with sobriety and wellness can help the man back on the road to recovery and will improve his immediate mental state, or so they hope. When the ladies on Mom go through any hardship at all, someone from the group suggests going to a meeting. In fact, on both shows, the friends that the characters met in the support groups also became friends in the real world. These friendships deepen with every milestone hit in recovery, even in relapse. In these ways, the shows are very accurate in the benefits of group support.

    So while they do sometimes provide accurate representations of the help found in groups, television shows also need to be more responsible about their portrayals of support groups as the only treatment for addiction and mental health conditions. People get their information from TV, so any misrepresentation can be dangerous. TV shows still have some work they must do and quickly, because many people already naturally assume that 12-step groups like AA are the only solution for people with addiction.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • How Do You Find Rehab for Oxycontin Addiction?

    How Do You Find Rehab for Oxycontin Addiction?

    Looking for help with oxycontin addiction? Read our guide to find out how to find the right luxury rehab.

    Table of Contents

    1. What is Oxycontin and what causes Oxycontin addiction?
    2. Oxycontin withdrawal side effects and timeline
    3. What are the Oxycontin slang names?
    4. What is the best Oxycontin addiction treatment?
    5. How to find the best rehab for Oxycontin addiction treatment?
    6. Location
    7. Facilities
    8. Services
    9. Reputation
    10. How important is the aftercare for Oxycontin addiction treatment?

    It’s tough to determine the exact reason why people get into addiction. There can be several factors contributing to addiction problems in individuals. Most substance abuse victims begin addiction due to stress, low self-esteem, relationship issues, medical issues or just for the sake of experimenting. Families can have a significant impact on people’s addiction as well. Some people grow up seeing their close relatives using drugs or alcohol and perceive substance abuse as a sensible thing to do. Youngsters often fall victim to substance abuse due to peer pressure. Addictive substances like drugs and alcohol offer an immediate sense of relief and satisfaction helping people leave their worries momentarily.

    Drugs and alcohol react with the brain to release a chemical called dopamine, which gives an instant pleasurable sensation. Most people consider this as an escape from their seemingly imperfect life and become highly dependent on it. Some people mix two or more drugs to create an even intense sensation. This is drug abuse, and the effects can be more dangerous than taking a single type of drug alone.

    Most substance abuse victims fail to realize that these substances are detrimental to the mind and body in the long run. Once a person stops using drug or alcohol, they experience intense cravings, and even though they don’t give in to those cravings, their body undergoes many side effects. The common side effects associated with most substance abuse are:

    • Headache
    • Nausea
    • Vomiting
    • Anxiety
    • Insomnia
    • Dry Mouth
    • Fever
    • Mood Swings
    • Depression
    • Hallucinations
    • Weakness
    • Slow Heart Rate
    • Loss of Appetite

    What is Oxycontin and what causes Oxycontin addiction?

    In recent years, the rate of prescription drug abuse is rising at an alarming rate. There is a high risk of addiction associated with drugs like Oxycodone. Oxycodone is an opioid analgesic used to subdue severe ongoing pain from cancer, arthritis, etc. It’s sold under the drug name Oxycontin and is only prescribed to opioid-tolerant patients. The maximum permissible dosage for Oxycontin is 40mg per tablet. The drug should be taken only once every 12 hours. Dependence on Oxycontin for a long time can lead to addiction or overdose.

    Legally, the sale of Oxycontin is only limited to patients who have cancer; however, Oxycontin abuse takes place by crushing the tablet to snort or swallow it. By doing so, they destroy the time-release mechanism of the drug and experience a high similar to the one produced by heroin. An overdose of Oxycontin can be lethal and can lead to coma or death.

    People who have been using pain killers for a long time often become dependent on them to the extent that they crave for pain killers even when the pain is controllable. Prescribing opiates for pain should be the last resort for any medical problem and also if they are put on opioid medication, the dosage should be monitored strictly to avoid cases of overdose or addiction. The initial sign of addiction is withdrawal from social life. If you notice someone in your family or friend circle who is constantly distancing themselves, please talk to them and support them as much as possible.

    Oxycontin withdrawal side effects and timeline

    Oxycontin withdrawal can start with 5 to 8 hours of the last intake. Within 12 hours of withdrawal, most victims experience flu-like symptoms which are accompanied by other withdrawal symptoms associated with Oxycontin intake. For most, the withdrawal effects last from 1 to 3 weeks. Seeking medical help is necessary in case of any discomfort or withdrawal symptoms like:

    • Anxiety
    • Restlessness
    • Muscle Cramps
    • Chills
    • Sweating
    • Diarrhea
    • Rapid Heartbeat
    • Blurred Vision
    • Nausea
    • Abdominal Pain

    What are the Oxycontin slang names?

    Oxycontin is available under various street names such as:

    • Hilly Billy
    • Blues
    • Kickers
    • OC
    • Oxy
    • Ox
    • OxCotton
    • 40 (for 40 mg pill)
    • 80 (for 80 mg pill)

    What is the best Oxycontin addiction treatment?

    Before looking for specific addiction treatments, every person suffering from addiction needs to undergo detoxification. It helps people decrease their dependence on drugs without facing any adverse side effects. Detoxification can last for months depending on the need of the patient. Oxycontin detoxification helps to lower the drug dependence and eventually stop its usage completely.

    Some people who are looking to overcome Oxycontin addiction avoid seeking medical help due to the fear of painful detox treatment. For such patients, rapid detox treatment can be beneficial. Rapid detox is carried out in a private facility where a medically induced detox treatment is used to overcome opioid dependence. For most of the rapid detox, patients are kept sedated to ensure that they experience minimum pain.

    Once the detoxification process is completed successfully, patients can move towards an active rehab program. The rehab program varies depending on the type of drug that is dealt with and also the needs of the patient. If your withdrawal symptoms are well in control, your doctor may recommend an Outpatient rehab program for you. In an Outpatient program, you don’t need to stay within the rehab facility for your treatment. Outpatient rehab programs give you the freedom to live your life freely while undergoing rehab sessions from time to time. However, you should be particular about your visit and never miss a session.

    For people who are still dealing with significant withdrawal symptoms, an inpatient rehab program will help them recover without any risk. Inpatient rehab facilities require patients to stay within their facility under strict observation and get regularly treated by an experienced team of doctors and medical professionals. Inpatient rehab treatment is also known as residential rehab. Other than Inpatient and Outpatient rehab treatment, there are a few different types of detox programs as well. A Partial Hospitalization program (PHP) is an intensive outpatient program where patients have to attend the rehab program 5-7 days a week and spend most of the day undergoing treatment. At night, they can return to their home and sleep.

    In addition to this, most rehab offers Dual Diagnosis support. It’s very common for people to suffer from mental health problems due to substance abuse. Issues like anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder are all mental health problems linked to addiction. When someone with an addiction problem also deals with mental health issues, it’s known as a dual diagnosis. This is a severe problem and needs to addressed alongside drug disorder.

    Rehab facilities along with treating drug problems also create awareness and educate patients about the harmful effects of drugs. They conduct regular counseling sessions and group therapies for victims of addiction and even involve their close friends and family to make the entire rehab process more effective. Rehab facilities are not just treatment centers for drug victims, but they have a holistic approach to healing.

    Whether you go for the conventional detox or rapid detox, the pain associated with the process cannot be entirely eliminated. To overcome the pain during Oxycontin addiction treatment,patients can try to exercise regularly, eat a balanced diet, and get enough sleep to prepare the body to sustain the detox treatment.

    How to find the best rehab for Oxycontin addiction treatment?

    Finding the right rehab is as tricky as getting out of an addiction. Proper research and recommendations can help you find the best rehab for your addiction treatment. Enroll in a rehab program that covers most of your treatment expenses so that you don’t have to face any financial struggle or stop your rehab treatment midway. If you know anyone who has been to rehab before, ask for their recommendation as well. Once you shortlist a few rehab facilities that have partnerships with medical insurance providers, you need to look out for these features:

    Location

    If you’re dealing with mental health problems along with drug addiction, signing up for Inpatient treatment that deals with multiple patients together within their facility might not be a wise choice. For them, private rehab can be more beneficial. Moreover, the environment around your rehab facility should be calm and pollution-free. Ensure that your rehab is located conveniently at a place where there’s not much crowd.

    Facilities

    Get the rehab facility information booklet and check out the facilities available for the patients. See whether they have a separate housing complex for the patients within the facility or if they are accommodated somewhere adjacent to the rehab facility. Also, inquire about the tools and techniques used for the treatment.

    Services

    Check the list of doctors and medical staff in the rehab and ensure they are well qualified to handle all types of addiction victims. Also, make sure that the services provided are on time and efficient enough.

    Reputation

    Finally, check out online reviews and ratings about the rehab facility. See what other people have to say about the services offered at the rehab. If possible, get in touch with former alumni and talk to them about the quality of services provided there. This will give you a clear idea about the rehab.

    How important is the aftercare for Oxycontin addiction treatment?

    Aftercare treatment for Oxycontin is as necessary as undergoing Oxycontin addiction treatment. People who have just completed their drug addiction therapy have a high chance to relapse with proper aftercare sessions. Aftercare sessions help people to stay away from substance abuse for a lifetime and control any cravings that may arise ever.

    Aftercare sessions focus on rigorous counseling and educating addiction victims, their family and friends on common issues and stigmas related to addiction. A lot of people cannot come clean about their addiction or find it hard to admit that they have an addiction problem because society generally perceives them as a burden.

    Only proper knowledge and openly discussing the problem can help change that misconception among people. By encouraging a lot of people to participate in aftercare services, the rehab centers ensure that there is always someone to provide immediate support when relapses happen.

    If you’re suffering from addiction, don’t delay your treatment. Get immediate help and start your recovery process soon. Continuous drug usage makes it hard to get rid of the addiction, and the path to recovery also gets stressful. Don’t move away from friends and family if you’re dealing with addiction; talk to them and tell them about your challenges to get the right support and supervision you’ve been looking for.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Where to Find Rehab for Embeda Addiction

    Where to Find Rehab for Embeda Addiction

    Are you looking for luxury Embeda rehab? Read our guide for some help.

    Table of Contents

    1. What Is Embeda And What Is It Used For?
    2. How Is Embeda Taken?
    3. What are the Precautions to Be Taken?
    4. Does Embeda Cause Addiction and Abuse?
    5. What Are The Street Names for Embeda?
    6. What Is Embeda Withdrawal?
    7. How to Treat Embeda Addiction?
    8. Can Embeda Rehab Help?
    9. What Are the Embeda Rehab Expenses Like?
    10. Bottom Line

    What Is Embeda And What Is It Used For?

    Embeda is used for treating severe, long-term pain where other medications don’t have much effect. It contains two active ingredients- morphine and naltrexone. While morphine is an opioid analgesic, naltrexone is an opioid antagonist. Morphine acts to reduce the pain by altering how our brain perceives and responds to the stimulus. Since Embeda contains morphine, there are chances that it can be abused by the user. However, to prevent that from happening, the opioid antagonist- naltrexone is used.

    Embeda is a prescription drug, which means you can only access the drug when a doctor has given permission. A doctor will assess a patient to see if there’s a need for this medication. If the benefits outweigh the chances of side-effects, the doctors prescribed the medicine. It’s not supposed to be taken without a prescription. Furthermore, Embeda is not for occasional pain, mild pain, or the kind of pain that you generally experience from time to time. This is used for severe pain that requires a more heavy duty drug to relieve the discomfort.

    How Is Embeda Taken?

    Embeda is supposed to be taken orally with water. You can have Embeda without having meals. However, if you experience nausea or vomiting, you should have the medicine after meals and lie down for one or two hours after taking the medication. If the symptoms still persist, you can talk to your doctor to see what can be done to reduce the symptoms. Generally, this medication is either taken once in 24 hours or 12 hours. Make sure you take the medicine in the right doses as prescribed by your doctor; otherwise complications can arise.

    Embeda is available in capsule form. It’s supposed to be swallowed without being crushed, broken, or dissolved in water. Doing so, or snorting the content in the capsule can cause an Embeda overdose which can even lead to death.

    What Are The Precautions To Be Taken?

    When you take Embeda, it’s recommended to take proper precautions so that there are no side-effects or serious consequences. Here’s a list of some precautions that you must consider when having Embeda.

    • Talk to your doctor about your medical history, any existing health problems, and the medicines that you’re currently on. This will help in avoiding interaction between Embeda and the other medicines. You should also tell your doctor if you’re taking any other opioid medicines.
    • Your doctor would prescribe Embeda in low doses and strength initially. Over time, when required, the doctor would prescribe Embeda of relatively high strength. This is to make sure that there are no side-effects. The highest dose of Embeda is 100 mg. This is only prescribed when the patient has already been taking moderate doses of Embeda. For new patients, Embeda in high doses can cause an overdose or other problems to occur.
    • You should store Embeda in a cool, dry place and away from direct sunlight. Make sure you keep it out of reach of children and other people. Embeda is only supposed to be accessible for the patient or caretaker of the patient.
    • Embeda can cause dizziness, drowsiness, and blurred vision. This is why it is advised not to carry out any activity that requires focus, attention, and good vision. Don’t drive or operate any heavy machinery. Interaction with alcohol and marijuana can make one feel even more drowsy. This is why avoid having Embeda with alcohol or marijuana.

    Does Embeda Cause Addiction and Abuse?

    Embeda contains morphine, which makes it an effective pain reliever. This also makes it prone to causing Embeda addiction and abuse. While this medicine can be useful, it may cause addiction in patients, especially for people who have been having Embeda for a long time or in high doses. This is why it’s always recommended to follow all the instructions that your doctor provides you. Make sure you only consume Embeda for as long as the course lasts. Continuing the medication beyond its course increases the chances of Embeda addiction.

    Embeda abuse is also a common thing because Embeda contains morphine. Morphine causes intoxication, which is why many young people are buying Embeda illegally just to use it to get high. Moreover, the ease of availability and less awareness about the seriousness of opioid addiction are two main reasons why there’s Embeda abuse. People who abuse Embeda generally have an overdose of it, crush it, or even snort it. This can lead to an overdose that can be as threatening as even costing you your life.

    What Are The Street Names For Embeda?

     

    Embeda contains morphine- a very popular opioid analgesic that is known to be abused by addicts. Because morphine is sold on the black market illegally, it has various slang terms. These street names or slang names make it a lot easier for people to ask for the drug without garnering attention. Upon using these names, people seldom notice any illegal business taking place, which makes it easy for both the buyer and seller. With that being said, here’s a list of street names of morphine that are also used for buying Embeda:

    • Miss Emma
    • M
    • White Lady
    • Salt and Sugar
    • Dreamer
    • God’s Drug
    • Morpho

    If you know these names, you can possibly detect any illicit transaction that a close one makes and help that person with Embeda abuse immediately before it’s too late.

    What is Embeda Withdrawal?

    Embeda withdrawal is yet another serious problem that both patients and people using the drug for recreational purposes might witness. Upon taking Embeda regularly for a long period of time, our body gets used to the drug and builds a tolerance towards it. When a person abruptly stops having Embeda, the body produces certain undesirable responses which can be hard to deal with.

    This makes it important to take Embeda in the doses as prescribed by the physician. When patients continue to take Embeda even after they’re done with the course or when people take it for getting high, they develop Embeda addiction over time. As they get addicted and take it regularly, they also develop a tolerance for it. Thus, to have the desired effects after a tolerance has been built up, the person would require more and more of the drug which can lead to an addiction.

    This may also increase the chances of Embeda overdose. At this point, when a person decides to break the loop of Embeda addiction and live a clean life, the body experiences initial Embeda withdrawal symptoms. While the initial or early withdrawal symptoms aren’t that bad, later, the withdrawal symptoms become a real problem. This is when the person decides to have Embeda again, just to escape the undesirable Embeda withdrawal symptoms.

    This is why your doctor would always suggest reducing the doses instead of suddenly stopping the course when it gets over. This helps our body adapt to the decreasing doses of Embeda and has the least chances of withdrawal symptoms when a person finally stops the course gradually.

    How to Treat Embeda Addiction?

    Embeda addiction causes a number of serious issues, like tolerance and withdrawal side-effects. This makes it very important to address the problem of addiction or Embeda abuse and get help as soon as the symptoms start to show. Since opioid addiction is not a simple endeavor, it also makes professional intervention inevitable. Opioid addiction causes both physical and mental disturbances and needs a well-planned treatment.

    When you seek professional services for opioid addiction and Embeda abuse, there are two lines of treatment. While a therapist would impart a useful therapy to bring about behavioral and cognitive changes, a psychiatrist would prescribe medicines that can reduce Embeda withdrawal side-effects. Thus, if you or a loved one of yours suffers from Embeda addiction, you should consider mental health services at the earliest.

    Can Embeda Rehab Help?

    Since opioid addiction requires diligent care and assessment, Embeda rehab is the best way to treat a person suffering from an addiction problem. Rehab facilities, especially residential rehab help patients by providing them the right living conditions for a certain period of time that encourages a more permanent kind of change in them.

    Health professionals are able to monitor the patients all the time, and they also make sure that there are no chances for the patient to relapse. The doctors do all this while ensuring the patient is also educated on life skills that would help them when they go outside of the Embeda rehab center and get back to their normal routine.

    However, everything highly depends on the rehab center that you select. While looking for an Embeda rehab center, make sure the facility specializes in treating opioid addiction and abuse. It should also have an incredible track record and a high success rate to give you an assurance that you will get the help you need.

    What Are The Embeda Rehab Expenses Like?

    When it comes to the costs involved in Embeda addiction treatment, it’s based on the kind of rehab center you choose and the services they offer. There are basic rehab centers that only have the standard amenities needed for a patient to live in the center as well as receive treatment. There also are certain rehab centers that provide a luxurious stay for their patients, with amenities like that of a five-star hotel. What you choose highly depends on what’s your budget.

    You can also talk to your insurance company and find out if Embeda rehab expenses can be covered. If so, it would become a lot easier for you to manage your expenses for the treatment. Today, since so many companies consider mental health issues as treatable conditions, taking care of the financial aspect of the treatment has become less stressful and more practical.

    Bottom Line

    When you’re administering an opioid medicine, like Embeda, make sure you take all the precautions and follow your doctor’s instructions to avoid any problems, like addiction, tolerance, withdrawal effects, and having to undergo therapy. It’s equally important for the doctors to take the initiative and explain what the possible negative effects involved are and how they can be avoided.

    However, if you have developed an addiction or a closed one suffers from opioid addiction, it’s never too late. You can hunt for the best Embeda rehab and get this condition treated. Life after addiction treatment can still feel challenging. However, with a little bit of willpower, the right approach to treating the problem, and some support, people can live a drug-free life.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Experts Discuss Anxiety & "Angst" Doc Featuring Michael Phelps

    Experts Discuss Anxiety & "Angst" Doc Featuring Michael Phelps

    Angst takes a close look at how young people in America are dealing with anxiety.

    A new documentary, Angst, focuses on the number one mental health crisis in America today—anxiety—and the filmmakers behind it recently took part in a panel discussing the film after a viewing last month.

    The documentary was shown to an audience of just under 200 people at The Health Museum, a museum of health and medical science in Houston, Texas, in conjunction with The Hackett Center for Medical Health and Okay to Say.

    A panel of speakers discussed the film afterward, including Marcy Melvin, a professional counselor and director of program implementation for child and family policy of Texas’ Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, and Anna Lee Carothers, a former UT chapter president of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).

    Angst examines how young people in America are dealing with anxiety. Their worries ranged from the banal to life-changing events that sparked severe, life-altering anxiety.

    The sensitive documentary is currently only being screened by request in community settings, although according to the Angst website the filmmakers “hope to make the film available online as well.” 

    Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps discusses his anxiety in the film. The famed Olympian speaks with an anxious boy toward the end of the documentary. Phelps said to the young man, “I just didn’t like who I was. If something was bothering me that would start to come up, and I would start feeling angry or depressed or upset, I would almost ignore it.”

    “I would shove it even further down, so I wouldn’t have to deal with it, so I would never have to talk about it,” he says. “I finally got to a point where it was my tipping point, where I just blew up. I just couldn’t take it any longer.”

    The film’s producer, Karin Gornick, spoke at the panel discussion. “I’m a filmmaker, but more importantly, a parent. My son was struggling with severe anxiety and it wasn’t until I started opening up to some friends that I was led to help,” she said. “When we found out how treatable anxiety was, I thought, ‘Wow. We can really capture this so other parents don’t feel like they are alone and know to reach out.’”

    Melvin shared, “I love how they explained the science behind what happens with anxiety; sometimes feelings can sound like an abstract thing, but anxiety really lies in the brain.”

    The list of currently planned screenings for Angst can be found here.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Majority Of Post-Op Patients Managed Pain Without Opioids, Study Finds

    Majority Of Post-Op Patients Managed Pain Without Opioids, Study Finds

    The study’s lead author believes that keeping people from taking opioids for the first time could help mitigate the opioid epidemic. 

    Patients who have undergone surgery may not always need opioid painkillers to manage post-operative pain, according to a new study. 

    The research, which is pending publication in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, found that a majority of patients were able to manage their pain using a regimen of over-the-counter pills.

    For the study, researchers selected patients who were undergoing one of six surgical procedures. These patients were given the option to use acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Advil) to control their pain. They were instructed to take an alternating dose of these over-the-counter medications every three hours. 

    The patients were also given a “rescue” opioid prescription to use in case they experienced breakthrough pain and needed more relief. However, 52% of patients did not use the opioids, and 98% used 10 opioid pills or fewer. People who used the opioids needed, on average, four pills. 

    “Patients reported minimal or no opioid use after implementation of an opioid-sparing pathway, and still reported high satisfaction and pain control,” study authors wrote. “These results demonstrate the effectiveness and acceptability of major reduction and even elimination of opioids after discharge from minor surgical procedures.” 

    Lead study author Michael Englesbe, a professor of surgery at the University of Michigan, told Medical Xpress that keeping people from taking opioids for the first time could help mitigate the opioid epidemic. 

    “We think a fundamental root cause of the opioid epidemic is opioid-naïve patients getting exposed to opioids and then really struggling to stop taking them postoperatively, and then moving on to chronic opioid use, abuse, addiction, and overdose,” he said. 

    The study proves that many patients can manage pain effectively without opioids. Englesbe will now expand the research to study an additional 12 types of surgical procedures. Demonstrating that patients can manage pain without opioids could change how prescriptions are handled, he said. 

    “Our overall goal is to have half the operations done in the state of Michigan without patients needing opioids and still getting excellent pain care,” he said. “There are alternatives to opioids for surgical pain that work well and we should be using them more.”

    However, he said that this involves talking openly to patients, and realizing that in some cases opioids are needed to effectively manage pain. 

    “Just not giving opioids is not the answer—we have to give the best pain care,” he said. “From the beginning, everyone was on the same page with talking to patients about their pain and letting them know that operations hurt.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • USPS, FedEx Remain Easiest Way To Ship Fentanyl Into US

    USPS, FedEx Remain Easiest Way To Ship Fentanyl Into US

    “The sheer logistical nature of trying to pick out which packages contain opioids makes it much more challenging,” said a Customs and Border Protection official.

    A recent federal court case involving 43 members of a methamphetamine distribution network with ties to the Sinaloa Cartel again highlighted the relative ease with which the United States Postal Service (USPS) and private carriers like FedEx can be used to deliver powerful synthetic opioids into the United States.

    The case involved a San Diego-based network that shipped methamphetamine and the “club drug” gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) to locations throughout the U.S. using the postal service and FedEx. 

    Coverage in Quartz detailed how increases in express shipping, combined with a lack of sufficient staffing at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency and carriers like the UPS allow such transactions to take place. 

    Former FBI agent Dennis Franks said that the current method of stopping drugs from entering the country through the mail is like “putting your finger in a dike, but there’s just not enough fingers to put in all the holes.”

    The 43 defendants in the federal case used the USPS and fraudulent FedEx accounts to mail drugs to sub-distributors. The FedEx accounts were “billed to and paid for” by large corporations in the belief that the companies would not notice smaller shipment costs.

    A joint task force involving the Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Attorney’s Offices, sheriff’s and police departments, the United States Postal Inspection Service and Federal Bureau of Prisons collaborated to file indictments against 43 members of the network on May 21.

    Despite efforts like these, the practice of importing drugs through the USPS and private carriers remains a serious problem for state and federal law enforcement.

    According to congressional testimony from the union that represents CBP officers, the agency needs more than double the number of inspectors currently on duty at mail sorting facilities to keep up with the volume of packages to “ensure successful interdiction.” 

    In the past five years, express shipments have increased by nearly 50%, while international mail shipments have risen more than 200%. But at shipping and receiving hubs like the one maintained by FedEx in Memphis, Tennessee, there were only 15 CBP officers working on the overnight shift to process 86 million shipments in 2018.

    “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 CBP. “It’s unlike anything we’ve encountered.”

    Policy changes incurred by the change in government administrations, as well as the necessity of a warrant to search any package sent via the USPS, also contribute to the overwhelming issues that confront law enforcement with mail shipments. 

    And as Franks noted, the cartels and related networks have their own means of assuring that their deliveries go unchallenged.

    “Don’t think that these cartels don’t have their own ‘intelligence services,’” he told Quartz. “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

  • Jessica Alba Attends Therapy With 10-Year-Old Daughter

    Jessica Alba Attends Therapy With 10-Year-Old Daughter

    Alba opened up about the importance of healthy communication with her daughter during a recent conference.

    Actress and entrepreneur Jessica Alba recently opened up about attending therapy with her 10-year-old daughter, Honor, to encourage healthy communication and to become a “better mother.”

    Alba was at Her Campus Media’s eighth annual Her Conference at Wanderlust Hollywood last Saturday (June 1), where she discussed women in the workplace, running The Honest Company which she co-founded in 2011, and growing up in Hollywood as a young actress with Mexican roots.

    The mother-of-three talked about going to therapy with her 10-year-old daughter, Honor Marie Warren, to “learn to be a better mother to her and communicate better with her.”

    This is a far different approach to how she was raised, she admits. 

    “I didn’t grow up in an environment where you talked about this stuff, and it was just like shut it down and keep it moving,” said Alba, according to The Hollywood Reporter. “So I find a lot of inspiration just in talking to my kids.”

    “Some people think, like in my family, you talk to a priest and that’s it. I don’t really feel comfortable talking to him about my feelings,” she said.

    Alba is often candid about her life, parenting style and approach to running her business.

    Last month, she revealed the impact that coming of age in Hollywood had on her. “I was meant to feel ashamed if I tempted men. Then I stopped eating a lot when I became an actress. I made myself look more like a boy so I wouldn’t get as much attention. I went through a big tomboy phase,” she said during a panel at the Goop Health summit in Los Angeles on May 18.

    Actresses Taraji P. Henson, Olivia Wilde and Busy Philipps also sat on the panel.

    Being a young woman in Hollywood, Alba became guarded and became insecure about her womanhood.

    “In Hollywood, you’re really preyed upon,” Alba said. “They see a young girl, and they just want to touch you inappropriately or talk to you inappropriately or think that they’re allowed to be aggressive with you in a way.”

    She continued, “So, then I like created this pretty intense ‘don’t f— with me’ [attitude]. I had to create a harder shell about being a woman.”

    Motherhood allowed her to stop being ashamed of her body, she said. “[After Honor was born] I was like, oh this is what these boobies are meant to do! Feed a kid! And that was the dopest s— I’d ever done. So, I came into my body as a woman finally and I stopped being ashamed of myself.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Letting Go of Control: How I Stopped Trying to Force Solutions

    Letting Go of Control: How I Stopped Trying to Force Solutions

    Recognizing that I am not responsible for and cannot fix other people’s feelings is powerful; it frees up so much space and time for me to do my own healing and growing.

    When I was a little girl, I remember becoming so overwhelmed with feelings that I would send myself to my room until I could cry through enough of them to clear my vision. If I got in a fight with someone, I would write an apology note and beg them to take it off my hands. I didn’t seek to understand who was at fault, I only wanted to ease the uncomfortable tension. I was sorry it happened and I wanted to undo it. I needed to erase it, but I could rarely get the resolution I was so desperate for. Adults told me: “Not everyone is ready to resolve a conflict as quickly as you.”

    No one told me: “It’s not your responsibility; you cannot fix it.”

    I respond too strongly to my perception of others’ reactions. I always wonder if I read physical and social cues too strongly. I consider the presence, the look, and the tone of voice more important than the content of what they’re saying. Maybe I’m right in my assumption, maybe I’m wrong, but if someone doesn’t want to tell me how they’re feeling, I can’t make them.

    I have lived the majority of my 32 years on earth in this way: A conflict arises and all I want is for the issue to go away and be resolved immediately. If it isn’t fixed, I feel my world is collapsing and I freak out. I cry and panic and become desperate for resolution. My mother recalls that I was predisposed to such behavior in my very early years. She told me that even as a toddler I had these panicky freak-outs.

    I hate the idea of causing hurt feelings, and particularly disappointed feelings, in others. But other people are often more well-adjusted and can handle the blows of disappointment as easily as a ship rises over a large swell. It’s not comfortable, but it’s a normal part of the ups and downs of life. Yet I’ve always handled it like my ship is about to wreck. I know I’ve had feelings of being over-sensitive and disappointed from a very young age. I didn’t want anyone to be mad at me, ever. It’s a part of how I’ve always understood or misunderstood the world.

    I never knew any other existence. I didn’t know that I didn’t have to force a solution. I didn’t know how to balance emotions—I didn’t see it as a possibility.

    My feelings run deep and the current is disproportionately strong. I am headstrong and emotionally reactive. I struggle with the tendency to overreact, but life is not as dramatic as I make it out to be. There are times when I need to be reminded of the true proportions of what is happening, so I can weigh them against my feelings and try to cut some of the excess heft. I’m not exaggerating my feelings; I feel so intensely and so deeply that learning to balance myself in a world that does not feel this way has been a lifelong challenge.

    Imagine a life full of dramatic conflicts, and you can never control the level of your emotions; they always overflow or break the dam. Joy is out of this world happiness and sorrow is the deepest despair. But the ups and downs are consistent and the rocking from one to the other is comforting because it’s familiar. Then, after decades of this you begin to feel different. It’s not overnight and it isn’t that the pendulum has stopped the perpetual swinging. But you feel different, as if now there’s more light than dark. You realize you can feel angry or anxious or sad without flooding or sinking.

    That’s me, right now. I feel generally content and I don’t know what to do with it. The mellow ups and downs of a content – even happy — life feel too safe. Part of me is waiting for the next massive swell. Of course, something will happen, that’s life, but this normalcy that feels so good can sometimes feel so strange. It’s like waking up in a new home and forgetting, for a moment, that you moved there.

    I still struggle with feeling responsible for everyone’s feelings. And the feelings I have are not just imaginary: I might sometimes actually be left out, or I might sense someone else’s sorrow. Someone might dislike me and I might realize it. When I sense tension, it might not be a delusion, but my awareness of it doesn’t mean I’m responsible for it (or for fixing it). Making someone like me isn’t my job. I am not here to be an emotional sounding board for everyone who is suffering.

    Recognizing that I am not responsible for and cannot fix other people’s feelings is powerful; it frees up so much space and time for me to do my own healing and growing.

    My life was so filled with panic and fear; that panic of needing to resolve the issue immediately. I felt that way in any interpersonal conflict, whether real or imagined. I had to force a solution. I felt as if my worth was intrinsically tied to the other person’s acceptance of me. This set the stage for an abusive relationship where the other person never validated me, which further reinforced my own negative self-image.

    I have been discovering my own sense of serenity over the last five years. I started going to therapy and then to a psychiatrist and then to a 12-step program followed by two other step groups. The combination of these different sources of support has changed my life. I don’t feel such intense panic over real or imagined conflict with others. I still feel anxious sometimes, but my response is much healthier. I am becoming more capable of controlling my behavior and my reactions, even when the feelings linger. I can usually put my well-being first and don’t follow through when I get the impulse to explain and rationalize my behavior to others.

    You can’t change other people; you can only do something about your own perspective. I always had the capacity to do that, I just hadn’t acquired the coping tools to handle my own feelings and respond to others.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Connecting With The Police Helped Her Get Sober

    Connecting With The Police Helped Her Get Sober

    Sending a single text message helped one woman living with addiction get the help she needed to start her sober journey.

    When Shannon McCarty realized that she wanted to start living life—and not just try to escape it by using meth and heroin—she knew that she could turn to a police officer who had slipped her a card and said to call when she was ready for help. 

    So, McCarty mustered the courage to send the following text to Officer Inci Yarkut, a member of the Community Outreach and Enforcement Team with the Everett, Washington Police Department, according to NPR.

    “Hello Inci, I tried to send you a message a few weeks ago I’m not sure if you got it … I was hoping to set up a time to meet with you for your help on the stuff we had talked about. I don’t want to go to jail or have a record as I am just the lost, depressed, hurt woman who has made a few poor choices, basically trying to end my life because I can’t take pain and hurt anymore … I have lost a lot over the last three years including my will, it seems. I don’t want to be this judged person anymore. I just need some help and I am not usually one to ask for help, but I want to be me again. I am sorry and thank you for listening, and I hope to hear from you soon. Thank you for your time. Shannon.”

    That message set things in motion, and today McCarty has been sober for 10 months. Along the way Yarkut has helped her navigate sobriety, connecting McCarty with community resources like a local bus pass. 

    Yarkut said that success stories like McCarty’s show that community policing can have a big impact on helping people stay sober. Since the Community Outreach and Enforcement Team was founded in 2016, it has helped the department connect with people struggling with substance abuse, rather than just arresting them. 

    “The idea behind our team was to really focus on that outreach piece because just continually putting people in jail, putting people in jail, putting people in jail and having them come out and repeat that cycle of their drug use, that’s not doing anything for them,” Yarkut said. 

    The interaction between Yarkut and McCarty shows how a different approach to policing addiction can work. Yarkut first met McCarty when someone called the police because McCarty was shooting up in a car. But instead of arresting her, Yarkut opened a door. 

    “I explained who I was and what my role in the police department was,” Yarkut said. ”[I] said, ‘Hey, if there’s something that we can do for you—because I think there are things that we can do for you, that we can help you—give me a call.”

    Today, McCarty is a far cry from the skinny and pale woman who Yarkut met that first night. 

    “She looks healthy,” Yarkut said. “She has a big old smile on her face. You can just see in her face what a changed person she is, and it’s pretty awesome.”

    View the original article at thefix.com