Answer Addiction

Tag: drug abuse

  • How To Party Without Mixing Alcohol And Drugs

    How To Party Without Mixing Alcohol And Drugs

    ARTICLE SUMMARY: Are you a young person in early recovery? Take note! You need to know when to avoid a party. But when you’re ready to hit the scene, practice these refusal lines. More here.

    TABLE OF CONTENTS

     

    Night Life in Addiction Recovery

    Leaving old habits behind might be challenging and tricky. If you used to mix alcohol with drugs, it can be really uncomfortable to go out again. Can night life ever really be the same? If you’re in recovery, you actually might want to pass it up for a while.

    Why?

    Being near the scene can be dangerous. Just exposing yourself to triggers can lead you to relapse. If you are in treatment, it’s highly advisable you stay away from direct triggers. Sounds. Smells. Images. These are the things that can jeopardize the effort and progress on your road to reaching and maintaining sobriety.

    So how do you party when in recovery? Is it possible to have a good time without the influence of drugs and/or alcohol?

    Of course you can.  Keep reading further to find out how to protect yourself when the environment and people around you act as a temptation. Plus, read about alternative fun activities that do not include the use of alcohol and drugs. All your questions and/or personal experiences about partying without mixing alcohol and drugs are welcomed at the end.

    Can I Party In Drug And Alcohol Addiction Recovery?

    Absolutely!

    Recovery programs exist to teach addicts that sobriety is not boring! On the contrary, recovery opens up a lot of new opportunities. You just need to learn and practice some alternatives to bring you fun and joy without exposing yourself to danger.

    Q: Who should refrain from partying?
    A: If going out endangers your recovery, maybe you should stay home.

    At least for now.

    Why?

    Common Triggers

    When you make a decision to quit mind-altering drugs, some situations are just not healthy. Seeing a set of friends who look like they are having fun. Or, hearing the sound a lighter hit glass. Or, listening to that song that brings back nostalgia and a desire to get high.

    These are all triggers that might set off a desire for you to reach out for drugs and alcohol again.

    Theoretically, there are two types of triggers:

    1. Internal triggers, which usually manifest themselves as negative feelings.
    2. External triggers, that include people, places, things, and situations that provoke you to get back to your old substance abusive behaviors after a period of abstinence.

    When you are in early addiction recovery, you’ve just started developing a sober lifestyle. You aren’t quite used to feeling subtler emotions. We who are in recovery have all been through it.  You’re used to getting high…and dealing with the lows. But, we just don’t have healthy habits ingrained into our brain pattern yet.

    So, it’s best to avoid:

    1. Parties at clubs where you used to drink alcohol or use drugs.
    2. Acquaintances that still drink and take drugs.
    3. Visiting places while you are in an emotional period where drugs and alcohol are expected to be present.

    In fact, a night out can be super confusing. While it can be a learning experience, you need to be in a really stable place in early recovery. This is because hitting the night life can make you feel vulnerable. It might even lower your enthusiasm for change, or impact your self-esteem…both of which eventually may increase the possibility of relapse.

    The Cycle of Craving

    So, here’s a little deeper explanation into why you might want to wait. I’m not suggesting that you not have fun. I’m just saying that changing the way you have fun can be worth it.

    Addiction triggers involve high-risk situations. They are viewed as stressors that spark a thought, feeling, or action which makes you desire drugs/alcohol over and over again. When a trigger strikes in you get a sudden and unexpected urge to use again, it’s called a “craving”. In short, addiction triggers usually lead you to cravings and cravings stimulate your urges to use.

    This is why one of the main focuses of rehab is to teach you to become more aware of your specific triggers. Once you identify the trigger, you can learn how to control the sequence of events. Perhaps you can avoid the trigger totally. Or, you can learn how to change your related thought pattern. Or, maybe you intervene on the behavior-level.

    This is possible only through education. If you learn successful craving or coping management skills, you’ll necessarily learn techniques for fighting craving in recovery.

    Refusing an Offer

    Learning to say NO takes a little practice. Relapse prevention tips and refusal lines are taught during every addiction treatment program. But we’ve noticed that you need to actually practice these lines BEFORE you’re in a tight spot. Here are some suggestions about what you can say/do in different situations.

    1. First, go to events where there are no drugs and alcohol.

    2. Second, connect with friends who support your decision not to use drugs. Ask for support from these friends when others become pushy in their offerings.

    3. When in a problematic situation, make an excuse to leave. Just get out of there.

    When you are offered with drugs or alcohol, use definitive refusal lines such as:

    • I’m good.
    • No, thank you.
    • I can’t.
    • I have some medical issues right now.
    • I pass.

    I made the mistake in early recovery of trying to “explain it all”. No one who’s using wants to hear why you’re not using. They just want you to join them so that they can feel less alone.

    So, the bottom line is that you don’t feel like you need to explain yourself. No one needs to “get it.” They probably don’t want to.

    Alt Partying

    The sober community has many members. Most of us know what it’s like to wake up the next morning, blacked out. But just because we’re not using doesn’t mean that we’ve lost the will to have fun. Recovery is about building a new life, one that drugging and drinking parties are not a part of any more.

    If you want an alternative way to party, think about hosting your friends at your house. You can be the host of a sober party. You don’t need to socialize with just people in recovery. But make sure people know that substances are off limits.

    Some people like board games. Other people just party around food and music. Still others meet and then go to an event together. Whatever. Just get some people together and find something you all like to do. Talk to people at the party and connect. That’s more than a party; that’s creating a community.

    Or, find hobbies that don’t involve alcohol/drugs but are still entertaining such as: table sports, darts, card games, going to the zoo, or to the movies. Dancing is one of most recommended ways lifting your mood.

    Finally, be prepared. If you’re going to an event where psychoactive substance will be present…resolve to:

    • Choose mocktails instead of cocktails.
    • Use your refusal lines.
    • Plan an escape if temptations gets too great.

    Your Questions

    At some point, mixing alcohol and drugs gets old. It leads you down that same dead end.

    But maybe you have questions about what you’ve just read. Maybe you have an experience to share? Feel free to leave your comments below. Me and my team will make sure to get back to you with a personal and prompt response.

    Reference sources: Dr. Chad Coren: TRIGGERS OF ADDICTION
    Girl’s Health: Ways to say “no” to drugs
    NIH: Building your drink refusal skills

    View the original article at addictionblog.org

  • Amanda Bynes Talks Being Four Years Sober, Reflects On Past Drug Use

    Amanda Bynes Talks Being Four Years Sober, Reflects On Past Drug Use

    Amanda Bynes credits her parents with helping her “get back on track” after her past issues with problematic drug use.

    Amanda Bynes is moving on from her past. The actress, now 32, was a popular target of the paparazzi during her twenties, racking up DUIs and a reputation for drug abuse and bizarre behavior.

    But she’s now sober and studying at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) in Los Angeles.

    In a new interview with Paper magazine, the former Nickelodeon star relives her hectic past.

    As a child, Bynes landed a place on the Nickelodeon sketch comedy show All That, alongside Kenan Thompson and Nick Cannon, and quickly became a fixture of the network. As a teenager, Bynes appeared in films like Big Fat Liar, What a Girl Wants, and She’s the Man.

    Despite her success, Bynes began having issues with her self-image. She recalled being thrown “into a funk” after seeing herself in She’s the Man. In this 2006 film, Bynes plays a teenage girl who disguises herself as her brother in order to play on the boy’s soccer team. “When the movie came out and I saw it, I went into a deep depression for 4-6 months because I didn’t like how I looked when I was a boy,” she said.

    Still, she continued to churn out hits on the big screen like Hairspray (2007) and Easy A (2010). But she couldn’t shake her self-image issues. While watching herself at a screening of Easy A, Bynes said, “I literally couldn’t stand my appearance in that movie and I didn’t like my performance. I was absolutely convinced I needed to stop acting after seeing it.”

    Bynes “never liked the taste of alcohol” and “never really liked going out that much. I [only] started going out around 25 years old,” she said.

    While she couldn’t stomach alcohol, Bynes did start using marijuana when she was 16. “Even though everyone thought I was the ‘good girl,’ I did smoke marijuana from that point on.”

    However, this progressed to molly, ecstasy and Adderall. The combination of drugs that she was abusing did not agree with her.

    Bynes announced that she was retiring from acting, and found herself out of work with not much to do. “I just had no purpose in life. I’d been working my whole life and [now] I was doing nothing. I had a lot of time on my hands and I would ‘wake and bake’ and literally be stoned all day long,” she said.

    This cycle of being “just stuck at home, getting high, watching TV and tweeting,” eventually spiraled out of control. Bynes began “hanging out with a seedier crowd and I isolated a lot… I got really into my drug usage and it became a really dark, sad world for me.”

    She explained that her bizarre behavior was truly “drug-induced, and whenever I got off of [drugs], I was always back to normal.”

    Bynes, with her past behind her, is now looking forward to earning her fashion degree and returning to acting. “I’ve been sober for almost four years now.” She credits her parents with “really helping me get back on track.”

    “Those days of experimenting [with substances] are long over. I’m not sad about it and I don’t miss it because I really feel ashamed of how those substances made me act,” she said.

    With everything she has been through, magnified by the relentless pursuit of the paparazzi, Bynes says she’s now able to live fearlessly.

    “I think that’s kind of how I go about [life] now—like, what’s there to lose? I have no fear of the future. I’ve been through the worst and came out the other end and survived it so I just feel like it’s only up from here.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Risks of Drug Abuse in Developing Asia | Can We Help?

    Risks of Drug Abuse in Developing Asia | Can We Help?

    TABLE OF CONTENTS:

    A Lack of Funding or Geopolitics?

    Understanding drug abuse in developing Asian countries is a more complex task than you might think. Between the realities of a geopolitically divided world and the many challenges unique to Asia itself, the interrelated problems of drug abuse and the spread of communicable disease have lingered past the point of reason in developing countries such as:
    • The Republic of Korea
    • Myanmar
    • Indonesia
    • Cambodia

    …and elsewhere.

    However, no matter how you measure it, the situation ends up looking like a referendum on austerity. A lack of public funding is the proximate cause of these nations’ struggles with drug abuse and the risks it represents. But a lot of the blame lies with Western leaders, who for generations have preferred exporting conflict instead of practical knowledge and cooperation.

    Before the rest of the world can understand the requirements, we need to take an honest look at some of the factors that contribute to this ongoing problem in the first place. Nobody should believe the proximate cause is a lack of self-control or a lapse in individual morals, as we’re often meant to think about drug users.

    Rather, drug abuse is both a social and practical problem.

    Drug use in developing countries is a problem with a clear solution. In fact, the problem has steps worth taking, for both Asian nations and for those looking on in interest and concern from other shores.

    Understanding the Risk Factors

    The developing parts of Asia are not, in the grand scheme of things, “uniquely” at risk of abusing drugs. But there are some factors here which make drug use uniquely interrelated with the spread of highly infectious and dangerous diseases such as HIV/AIDS.

    One challenge health care workers and world institutions face is the sheer size and diversity of Asia’s population. Another challenge is that, in parts of the continent, a working knowledge of modern medicine has not permeated yet. The use of heroin, cannabis and hashish is common throughout Asia — and not exclusively for recreational use, either. Depending on the region, people have used some of these substances for traditional and medicinal purposes for generations unnumbered, according to the WHO.

    Furthermore, injection is the preferred method for administering some of these “medicines.” In the 1990s, for example, the use of amphetamine-style drugs began to dramatically rise in popularity throughout the developed and developing parts of Asia, including the Republic of Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, China, Japan, Myanmar, the Philippines and elsewhere. And at locations where a local doctor or religious leader administers ostensibly “medicinal” drugs, it’s not uncommon for up to 50 “patients” to share a single needle.

    Another condition that has shaped Asia’s relationships with illicit drugs also include the overlap between what experts call “IDUs” — injecting drug users — and sex work. In the parts of the world where sex work is most common, drug abuse seems to follow.

    So, it quickly becomes apparent that risk of disease is high. Add to this the lack of authoritative, accessible health care systems and an inclusive educational system…and we can begin to understand the complexity of regional issues. Each of these factors contribute to the likelihood of drug abuse and exposure to its many risks.

    Although men abuse a majority of opium and other drugs in Asia, the WHO has observed upticks in the number of female and child drug users in developing regions.

    Profiles of Drug Users in Asia

    Reports have disagreed for years about the rate at which women abuse drugs in Asian countries. Smoking opium, in particular, was historically a male pursuit. But authorities worry we’ve been underreporting the rate at which women use injectable drugs. They are also concerned we’ll see current numbers rise even further — perhaps to as high as 25 percent of the drug-using population — as we study these trends and better understand these “hidden” populations in Asia.

    The portraits of at-risk communities in portions of Vietnam, Cambodia and even parts of China include higher-than-average percentages of homeless children and high rates of both male and female sex workers, all of which has known ties to drug abuse. Educational levels vary among Asia’s drug-using population, but unemployment and underemployment are also major drivers and sustainers of drug use in Asian communities.

    What Asia Needs from the Rest of the World

    In their most recent tussles over tariffs and the exportation of goods and knowledge, most wealthier nations haven’t worried themselves too much about exporting the materials and personnel necessary for up-and-coming countries to invest in their education and health care systems. Indeed, wealthy governments don’t usually concern themselves with ensuring the prosperity of other peoples of the world, especially those in developing nations.

    Suffice it to say, evidence-based drug abuse and HIV prevention measures are not common in middle-income and impoverished countries in Asia. If there’s a public health budget at all, rather little of it tends to be earmarked for prevention and educational/outreach purposes.

    This general lack of institutional health resources — plus the public tendency toward avoidance of topics about the relationships between promiscuous sex, the spread of STDs and the use of injectable drugs — trap developing countries in cycles of poverty that leave people lacking essential resources and a livable degree of dignity for generations at a time.

    The main point is this: Living life in poverty further fuels drug use in at-risk communities in Asia and beyond.

    But it’s not just care for, and education of, the drug user or patient that matters. We must also make efforts to help these countries better educate their police forces. There is a balance to be found between approaches that emphasize harm reduction and those that focus on occupational safety for police officers. There is, appropriately, concern among law enforcement that drug users might have dangerous paraphernalia on them, such as used needles. And accidents can happen.

    Efforts to better educate members of the law enforcement community can yield better, and more compassionate, results. In Kyrgyzstan, officers who received education about what daily life is like for drug users came to employ more compassionate means to keep the peace in their communities, including referring patients to public health facilities, instead of confiscating their property or condemning them to criminal proceedings.

    Supervised Injection Sites

    In Europe, and even certain areas in the United States, one type of public health investment that’s resulted in positive returns is called a “supervised injection site.” Citing successes in Europe, cities like Seattle, Washington provide drug users with safe places where they can gradually wean themselves off chemical dependencies. Supervised injection sites are motivated by harm reduction ideologies, without the need to use on the street and risk using a contaminated syringe or needle.

    The idea is not to encourage “moderate” drug use. It’s to provide community-based aid and practical, compassionate next steps for people suffering from the effects of drug dependency. Beyond that, supervised injection sites help slow the spread of infectious diseases among drug-using communities that might otherwise be sharing needles.

    Still, safe injection facilities are uncommon even in the developed world due to social stigmas and a lack of funding — and that makes them even rarer in developing countries. In Kazakhstan, for example, political controversy derailed a national opioid substitution therapy program. And in Uzbekistan, a similar federal-level pilot program for weaning patients off opioids got rejected before the first trials had finished.

    General Takeaways

    There is now plenty of evidence linking the abuse of drugs in developing nations with incidences of HIV/AIDS and STD transmission, among other forms of social harm. But what tends to be missing is serious attention and follow-through from the countries who have the resources to do something.

    The institutions whose job it is to study trends like these and draw up actionable conclusions, such as the WHO and Family Health International, agree reducing drug abuse and its many ancillary types of harm in the developing areas of Asia comes down to three major components of a long-overdue consciousness-raising campaign:

    1. Syringe exchange programs are a proven success that can save lives and tens of millions of dollars. If the developing world adopts them in higher numbers, they can save lives there, too, and help prevent the spread of infection.

    2. Residents of these nations need better access to biomedical and behavioral preventive medicine. Behavioral prevention might take the form of educational mission trips, which can help deliver some of the practical, and potentially life-saving, knowledge these citizens need to understand their health better.

    3. Developed nations must share their resources for HIV/AIDS treatment strategies, including making testing protocols more widely available and sharing plans for education and early detection.

    Still, economic austerity plays a hugely detrimental role in the health of world citizens. In Greece, following that country’s economic meltdown in 2007, some of the following years saw roughly 15-fold increases in rates of HIV infection. As a country’s tax revenue falls — or, rather, gets siphoned off to fund privately owned enterprises — that country’s investments in public health and medicine must also fall, and the health and “health literacy” of its citizens necessarily suffers.

    It’s possible to measure a country’s greatness by how willing it is to help vulnerable people turn their lives around. Because of this, Asia’s struggle with drugs is everybody’s struggle.

    Your Comments

    Like what you’ve read here?

    Have an opinion yourself?

    Please leave your comments in the section at the end of the page. We’d love to hear from you! We will try to respond to all comments and questions personally and promptly.

    View the original article at

  • Top 8 Most Dangerous Drugs

    Top 8 Most Dangerous Drugs

    ARTICLE OVERVIEW: No psychoactive drug is 100% safe. Yes, under medical supervision, some drugs can be beneficial to people in certain situations. However, EVERY drug holds potential for abuse. This article seeks to explore which drugs are the most dangerous and the threats involved in taking them. At the end, we invite you to ask questions.

    ESTIMATED READING TIME: Less than 10 minutes.

    Table of Contents:

    How Do We Define the Most Dangerous Drug?

    There are two primary factors which allow us to better understand what makes a drug so dangerous:

    1. How much harm it causes to the body and mind.
    2. Its risk of addiction.

    We can further separate harms to the body and mind into short-term and long-term effects. Short-term effects of drug use are the immediate consequences that work against your health. These effects vary depending on the drug. For example, when someone takes heroin, a large amount of dopamine is released into the system. As the high begins to come down, the dopamine leaves your system and the brain needs time to refuel itself with natural dopamine. During this time, the user feels symptoms that are very similar to the flu (such as diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting).

    Long-term effects are the health consequences which appear overtime after continuous use of drugs. This is a prime concern for people who struggle with addiction. Again, the exact effects depend on the drug of choice and how often/much you use. Common long-term symptoms of drug use include, but aren’t limited to:

    • Anxiety
    • Depression
    • Hear complications
    • Kidney problems
    • Liver problems
    • Lung complications
    • Paranoia

    For the most part, health problems and addiction go hand-in-hand. People who experience addiction usually have one or more associated health complications. Four common health issues due to drug addiction include:

    • Cancer
    • Heart or lung disease
    • Mental health conditions
    • Stroke

    If you’re using any of the following drugs, you’re not only at great risk of forming an addiction quickly…you also risk adverse health complications. The following list is a compilation of the most dangerous drugs our current market has to offer.

    #8 – Heroin

    At one point in history, heroin was prescribed as a painkiller for chronic pain. But because so many people could not control their use, the drug became illegal. Since its discovery in 1874, it’s been one of the most destructively abused drugs people have gotten their hands on. This is namely due to its intense euphoric effects which are highly addictive.

    When heroin metabolizes in the body, the brain reacts by flooding the system with neurotransmitters. This triggers pain relief and a sense of euphoria, the basis of a person’s addiction. But when someone stops taking heroin, their body and brain reacts with almost opposite effects. Dysphoria and depression are common, accompanied by very uncomfortable withdrawal.

    #7 – Cocaine/Crack

    Since crack is cocaine with additives (such as baking soda), the additional chemicals make it a more dangerous drug than cocaine itself. Sometimes dealers cut crack with toxic ingredients. However, both have hazardous effects on the individual for both long and short term.

    The following are long-term effects of crack and cocaine use:

    • Angina, a pain in the chest due to tightening vessels.
    • Arrhythmia, an irregular heart rate.
    • Blood clots which could lead to a heart attack, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, or a stroke.
    • Brain damage.
    • Damage to the nose and mouth due to cocaine being either snorted or smoked.
    • Gastrointestinal damage.
    • Infectious diseases.
    • Kidney damage.
    • Liver damage.
    • Myocardial infarction, due to a lack of oxygen from poor blood flow, a heart muscle can die.
    • Permanently increased blood pressure.
    • Respiratory problems and pulmonary damage.
    • Tachycardia.

    Furthermore, since cocaine is a stimulant, the heart pumps faster when someone is high on it. This can lead to a heart attack or other overdose complications which hold potential to be fatal. Crack and cocaine are very dangerous and people develop addictive habits to them quickly due to the intensity of the high and the immediate effects it has on the body. It’s important to seek help if you or a loved one is currently addicted to crack or cocaine.

    #6 – Crystal Meth

    Crystal meth is one of the most devastating drugs you can get your hands on. Short-term effects include being anxious and sleep deprived. Long-term effect include brain damage, damage of blood vessels, and sinking of the flesh.

    Since the high of the drug starts almost immediately, and fades after 10-12 hours, people tend to continuously dose in order to keep the high going. This kind of behavior is known as a “binge and crash” pattern and is very dangerous considering how consistently drugs are being put into the body.

    Furthermore, crystal meth affects your brain chemistry. Naturally, neurons recycle dopamine. But when you put crystal meth in the brain, it releases lots of dopamine itself, causing neurons to not have to work. When you stop taking dopamine, the neurons must learn to naturally recycle again and the body goes through crystal meth withdrawal.

    #5 – AH-7921

    Since AH-7921 isn’t very common, there’s a likely chance you won’t come across it. However, that doesn’t take away from the fact that it’s highly addictive and dangerous. AH-7921 is a synthetic opioid which has around 80% of the potency of morphine.

    The health complications are very similar to heroin, but since it’s also a synthetic, there’s risk of causing respiratory arrest and gangrene.

    #4 – Flakka

    This is a newer drug which recently hit Florida’s Fort Lauderdale area. Also known as alpha-PVP, Flakka is a stimulant which has similar chemical structuring to amphetamines found in bath salts. The effects it has on the user are similar to cocaine, but 10 times stronger. These include:
    • Extreme agitation and violent behavior
    • Hallucinations
    • Increased friendliness
    • Increased sex drive
    • Panic attacks
    • Paranoia

    Not only is Flakka extremely addictive, it also has serious risks to your harm. Unfortunately, since these drugs have only recently hit the market, there’s only so much known about how the amount of impairment it can do to the brain and body. However, researchers are aware that the consequences of Flakka are similar to the next drug on our list.

    #3 – Bath Salts

    This drug was originally sold online and used the term “bath salts” to disguise what it really is: cathiones. There isn’t enough research conducted for bath salts to fully understand the effects it has on the body for short-term and long-term use. However, clinicians at U.S. poison centers have discovered that some of the consequences to taking bath salts are:
    • Agitation
    • Chest pains
    • Delusions
    • Extreme paranoia
    • Increased blood pressure
    • Increased heart rate

    Furthermore, there’s been an alarming rate of ER visits due to bath salts. Though this drug is dangerous in itself, due to the fact that there’s so little known about it, people who take it are putting themselves at greater risks which may be unknown. If you or someone you know is taking bath salts, it’s important to seek treatment immediately.

    #2 – Whoonga

    Whoonga is one of a kind in the sense that it’s unlike most drugs in the illicit market. It’s a combination of antiretroviral drugs – which were created for the sake of treating HIV – and cut with other substances such as poisons and detergents. It’s not common in the United States, but has found prominent popularity in South Africa due to the high rate of HIV in South Africa.

    Whoonga is highly dangerous towards your health and can cause:

    • Death
    • Internal bleeding
    • Stomach ulcers

    Again, since this is a relatively new drug, little is known about the drug.

    #1 – Krokodil

    A recent drug which has been trending in Russia, Krokodil has affected over a million people. The problem with it is people have supplemented it for heroin due to its price – about a third of the price. The danger with Krokodil is it’s often homemade which can be very unsanitary and hosts a variety of ingredients including, but not limited to:
    • Gasoline
    • Industrial cleaning agents
    • Iodine
    • Lighter fluid
    • Painkillers
    • Paint thinners

    Most people who take these toxic chemicals usually do so through injection. In turn, this has caused some of the following reactions to happen very soon after getting hooked on the drug:

    • Gangrene
    • Phlebitis, injury to the veins
    • Severe tissue damage
    • Spread of HIV

    Krokodil hasn’t been seen widely in the United States yet, but is spreading through Europe rapidly.

    Am I Addicted?

    Health problems can be directly caused by an addiction. But what is an addiction? Addiction defined as:

    Compulsive behavior during which the user has the inability to stop taking drugs despite the negative consequences it has had on their life.

    It’s important to note that addiction isn’t a choice, but rather, a disease which is very hard to control. No one seeks to become addicted to drugs.

    You may wonder whether you or someone you know is addicted to drugs. In order to find out, you can ask the following questions:

    • Are you unable to keep up responsibilities due to your drug use?
    • Has use of drugs affected previous activities you used to enjoy?
    • Have you continued to use drugs despite it causing problems in your relationships?
    • Have you ever tried to quit drugs without having success?
    • Do you find yourself craving to use drugs?
    • Do you spend a large amount of time thinking about, obtaining, or using drugs?
    • Do you find yourself engaging in risky sex or high-risk situations because of drugs?

    If you or your loved one answered yes to any of the above questions, you’re most likely facing an addiction. It’s important consult a doctor as you don’t want to fall victim to certain health problems due to your addiction.

    Basics to Drug Addiction Treatment

    Though treatment works differently, depending on the drug you take, there are a variety of common patterns found in treating addiction. What usually differs is the amount of time a person undergoes treatment and the exact effects they’ll feel while being treated. Upon entering a treatment facility, you can expect the following:

    1. A medical assessment in which you’ll be tested for a variety of things and asked an assortment of questions. The purpose of all this is to collect information of your current condition as a means of pursuing the best treatment options.

    2. A medical detox in which your body will rid itself of the drug’s chemical structure and reform back to its homeostasis – withdrawals. It’s very important you’re under medical supervision during this time there are dangers when withdrawing from certain drugs.

    3. Psychotherapies which are meant for treating underlying issues that are brought upon by drug use. These therapies are designed to teach you how to handle everyday emotions and life stressors without drugs being a factor in your life. You’ll also be educated in how to reduce drug cravings. Psychotherapies include:

    ◦ Family therapy
    ◦ Group therapy
    ◦ Individual counseling

    4. Pharmacotherapy (medication) is meant for the sake of easing withdrawals and reducing cravings. The medication you receive all depends on the drug of addiction and how severe your addiction is.

    5. Education sessions which are designed to inform you of the dangers in drug use and how to prevent relapse.

    6. Aftercare services which provide additional support in order to maintain sobriety.

    Your Questions

    If you have any questions pertaining to the most dangerous drugs or how to treat drug addiction, we invite you to ask them below. If you have any advice to those struggling with addiction or wondering more about the most dangerous drugs, we’d also love to hear from you. We try to reply to each comment in a prompt and personal manner.

    View the original article at

  • Music Festivals | 5 Tips to Reduce Drug Harm & Stay Safe

    Music Festivals | 5 Tips to Reduce Drug Harm & Stay Safe

     

    ARTICLE OVERVIEW: Drugs and alcohol are part of festivals. This article presents five practical tips to reduce risk of harm, injury, or overdose.

    ESTIMATED READING TIME: Less than 10 minutes.

    Table of Contents:

    Why Do People Abuse Drugs at Festivals?

    The simple answer is simple: to keep the party going.

    In fact, people are looking to experience something apart from the every day. Often, they associate a good time with a sense of euphoria, preferably one that lasts for a long period of time. The body can’t naturally produce this kind of sensation on its own and, therefore, people turn to drugs to give it an extra boost. However, there’s more to it than just that.

    Peer pressure must also be considered. Admittedly, the festival scene has a lot of drug abusers within its culture. Recent studies have shown that the majority of festival attendees aged 18–30 report a history of illicit drug use. In addition to friend groups that normalize drug use, there’s also the pressure of the festival atmosphere itself. Particularly, if everyone around you is taking drugs, then there’s a group mind that makes it easier to join the crowd.

    To top it off, it’s not uncommon for people struggling with addiction to find themselves at these festivals. A common trait of addiction is compulsive behavior which leads individuals to places where a large amount of drugs can be obtained. There are multiple reasons for why a person facing addiction will want to obtain drugs at a festival, but a big one is they can get a hold of large quantities of drugs at one moment and, therefore, have a supply which lasts a long period of time.

    What Drugs Do People Abuse at Festivals?

    When observing drug trends amongst festival goers, the first thing you’ll notice is that most of them are taking or seeking out stimulants. It’s very unlikely someone at a festival will want a downer or central nervous depressant, as the mood of the scene is “up” and full of energy. A list of common stimulant drugs found at music festivals include:

    Adderall. Normally, Adderall is abused by college students looking to cram an entire week’s homework in just one night. However, this amphetamine medication has found popularity within the festival scene as well. When people are high on the drug, it gives them a boost of energy which lasts for a long period of time. This is perfect to keep the party going considering festivals go on for a long period of time and, often, the acts people want to see are one after another.

    Alcohol. When we drink, we tend to be much more relaxed and social due to its disinhibiting effects. It comes to no surprise that people in large, social environments are attracted to this substance. By letting the drink “get them loose”, they feel more likely to participate in festival’s various activities, namely dancing. The unfortunate truth is that festival goers are vulnerable to poisoning, especially when they mix alcohol with other drugs.

    Cocaine, Crack. Generally, people who take cocaine and/or crack will feel an intense euphoria and increased energy. In a festival setting, this might seem ideal considering the fact that music festivals go on for hours upon hours at a time. With that in mind, it can’t be forgotten that these stimulants don’t necessarily last that long in their high. Therefore, as a means of avoiding a crash, users tend to “binge” and take dose after dose in order to stay high.

    Hallucinogens, LSD (acid), Mushrooms, or Research Chemicals. Ever since the 1960s, hallucinogens have been a popular choice for festival goers. The prime reason for this is it changes the way in which the person perceives and witnesses the entire experience. Furthermore, hallucinogens are known for giving those who take them a great amount of energy for a long period of time. This is why psychodellic drugs are billed as an “ideal high” for those who want to stay up all day and night. However, hallucinogens can trigger mental illnesses in people who hadn’t previously experienced mental health complications.

    Marijuana. Unlike the other drugs on this list, marijuana is a central nervous system depressant – though effects vary by individual. Though marijuana isn’t as dangerous as the other drugs we’ve listed, it can onset mental complications and cause extreme anxiety.

    MDMA, Ecstasy, Molly. This is one of the most popular drugs within the festival and club scene and also one of the most dangerous when taken frequently. The thing about MDMA, ecstasy, and Molly are they’re highly stimulating drugs with very euphoric effects. Therefore, young people tend to overlook the bad and further seek out the thrill they bring to a festival atmosphere. Still, not only can these substances cause brain damage over time, but with too much of a dose, people can experience panic attacks or seizures. Dehydration is also a risk when taking these drugs.

    With all this in mind, we’ve laid out some tips for people who want to enjoy the music festival’s have to offer and avoid drugs. The purpose of these tips is not only to educate you on how to stay away from drugs during your time at the festival, but how to keep your body healthily going in order to fully enjoy the festival experience.

    Tip #1 – Know the Landscape

    Furthermore, it’s in your best interest to get oriented with the festival itself. This includes locations of specific areas of interest, such as medical tents or where to find help, if necessary. Know where to find First Aid. Also, check out whether or not the festival offers free drug testing. These services will take samples of drugs and run laboratory checks for substances like
    • Methamphetamine
    • Ketamine
    • Para-methoxyamphetamine (PMA)

    You’ll want to get an idea of the area itself and how to navigate through it. This way, when large crowds begin to form (and they will), you won’t have as much difficulty getting from one point to the next. And you’ll be keen on where to find medical aid if you or a friend needs it.

    Tip #2 – Educate Yourself

    One of the greatest things you can do before considering any psychoactive drug is to inform yourself on how the drug works and its dangers. Evaluate the risks. Be honest with yourself about the effects. What can possibly go wrong? How might you mitigate a “bad trip”, for example? Or, how does the drug interact with other drugs – even pharmaceuticals – that you’re currently taking?

    Much of the time, people who attend music festivals are unaware of the potential side effects of drug use. Often, you might spontanesouly decide to use based on curiosity or even compulsion. Risk taking might also be a part of the decision. By teaching yourself the reality of drug use, you won’t be curious. Instead, you’ll be fully aware of whatever a dealer has to offer and the dangers involved.

    If you’re looking for resources in which to inform yourself about the effects of psychoactive drugs, you can check out the following websites:

    Tip #3 – Drink Water and Lots of It

    A festival is bound to drain your energy – with or without drugs. You can look at going to a festival very similarly to doing a work out. You’re going to be sweating a lot, you’re going to need to push your body beyond its normal functioning, and you’re going naturally drain yourself. Water is a natural source of energy to provide yourself with.

    So, it’s important to stay hydrated. Though not every festival offers it, but some will have water stations. Know where these places are. Or, pack your water in by the gallons.

    It also helps if you plan out how much water you’re going to drink throughout a day. Some drugs impair your thirst reflex. But drinking too much water can increase the risk of electrolyte imbalance or brain swelling. Some drugs like MDMA causes the body to retain water. With this knowledge, coordinate how much water your body receives – which is vital for when you plan to use up a lot of energy.

    Tip #4 – Know When to Relax and Refuel

    The fierce party environment of a festival may propel you in to hyper mode. Festivals are set up in so people can enjoy themselves when they want to. Some people prefer seeing a live show in the afternoon while others do at night. With that in mind, it’s important not to drain yourself to see every act the festival has to offer.

    You’re going to drain yourself regardless. So, with that in mind, avoid trying to keep the party continuously going. If you don’t want stop and let the body’s naturally refuel, you will crash. Not only is this behavior unhealthy, it can lead to terrible consequences, especially if you drive home when the festival is over.

    For example, don’t be afraid to take breaks from dancing. We know you don’t want to step away from the music, but it’s vital you do it every now and again. By giving your body a chance to regenerate, you’re making a huge difference. You’re taking the time to allow your body to gain the energy it needs again to get back into the dancing groove. Additionally, fuel up with healthy food many times a day.

    Tip #5 – Bring a Friend and Stick Close

    By having a friend along for the festival experience, you’re giving yourself the opportunity to stay safe no matter what arises. A friend will not only always be there if things become unsafe, but s/he can support sobriety, if that’s what you’re aiming for. In fact, with someone else by your side who’s also drug-free, you’re less likely to give into peer pressure which spawns drug use.

    There’s always the chance you may accidentally separate from your friend during the festival. If this happens, you can always set up a spot to meet. So, scout out the festival’s environment at the beginning. By having a comprehensive idea of what the layout is, you and your friend can be sure never to get lost and know where to go if things go wrong.

    It’s Okay to Enjoy Yourself Without Drugs

    While at a music festival, you’re going to see a lot of people on drugs. The truth is, you’re also going to see a lot of people enjoying themselves on drugs. You may get the notion that you’re missing out on something. That maybe a hit or two of something isn’t so bad and can really give you the buzz you need to enjoy yourself.

    This is anything but true. You don’t need drugs to enjoy your time at a music festival!

    The consequences can outweigh the fun. Some of the risks include:

    • Cardiac problems
    • Dehydration
    • Dysphoria, or an extreme depression during a crash
    • Extreme fatigue
    • Lack of consciousness
    • Overdose
    • Panic Attacks
    • Risky sexual behavior

    When it comes to music festivals, people don’t often consider the long-term effects of their drug use. Rather, they focus solely on the moment and how much they can enjoy their time within this festival.

    You don’t have to be that person. You can have fun without drugs. You can find the energy to dance along to the music and be happy without taking drugs. You can be in a drug environment and stay drug free.

    This is especially important to people who have struggled with addiction in the part. When it comes to recovery, one of the biggest concerns most have is that of relapse. Relapse can happen at any point in life. Just because you’re in an environment where people use drugs to enjoy themselves doesn’t mean you have to as well. You know what addiction is like and you quit using for specific reasons.

    Stick to that reason, prepare for what’s in front of you, and be sure that you’re in a good place before you consider attending a festival.

    Your Questions

    We hope to have sincerely helped you plan for staying safe during a music festival. However, you might have a pressing question.

    If you have any further questions pertaining to how to stay safe and drug free during a festival, we invite you to ask them in the comments section below. If you have any advice to give to others on this topic, we’d also love to hear from you. We try to get back to each comment in a prompt and personal manner.

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