Answer Addiction

Tag: outreach

  • FDA Launches “Remove the Risk” Campaign for Safe Opioid Removal

    FDA Launches “Remove the Risk” Campaign for Safe Opioid Removal

    In 2017, retail pharmacies dispensed more than 191 million opioid prescriptions to almost 60 million patients, according to a press release by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).  And as many as 90% of these patients reported not finishing what was prescribed to them – potentially leaving millions of unused prescription opioids in medicine cabinets and elsewhere in US homes.  Perhaps unsurprisingly, 47,600 people died from an overdose involving opioids that same year.

    “Far too many Americans, both teens and adults, are gaining access to opioids for the first time from the medicine cabinets of their parents, relatives and friends,” said Douglas Throckmorton, M.D., deputy director of regulatory programs in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.  “Millions of unused opioid pills should not be readily available and easily accessible in our homes.”

    New Campaigns For Drug Safety

    As such, the FDA has launched a new public education campaign, “Remove the Risk,” to encourage proper disposal of prescription opioids and educate Americans about easy ways to get rid of these unused drugs.  The campaign is geared toward women ages 35-64 who are more likely to take part in the household health care decisions and handle the medications in the home, including removal or disposal.  It includes materials for television, radio and print, as well as an “outreach toolkit” – public service announcements, social media images and posts, and more – for talking with others about safe opioid disposal.  All materials are free of charge for any organization working to combat the opioid crisis, including the media, healthcare providers and consumer groups.

    “The epidemic of opioid addiction and overdose is one of the greatest public health tragedies we’re facing as a nation, and no community is immune,” said Amy Abernethy, M.D., principal deputy commissioner at the FDA.  “We know that many people who misuse prescription opioids report getting them from a friend or family member.  If every household removed prescription opioids once they’re no longer medically needed for their prescribed purpose, it would have a major impact on the opioid crisis’ hold on American families and communities.”

    Drug Take-Back Operations

    So, what is the best method to remove these medications? The agency promotes medicine take-back options, which is its preferred method in properly disposing of unneeded medicines safely and effectively.  Authorized locations may be in retail pharmacies; hospital or clinic pharmacies, as well as law enforcement facilities.  In addition, some of these authorized collection sites may also offer mail-back programs or “drop-boxes” to assist patients in safe disposal of their unused medicines.

    View the original article at recovery.org

  • Finding Happiness in Recovery

    Finding Happiness in Recovery

    We all want to be happy, but happiness doesn’t always come easy – especially when we’ve relied on drugs and alcohol for that perceived “happiness” in the past.  Leaving behind a life we’re familiar with can be scary and challenging at first, but it doesn’t mean we can’t be satisfied and fulfilled with a new, sober lifestyle.  Just ask Justin Kan, a 35-year-old entrepreneur who recently gave up alcohol completely and has never been happier.  Here, we share some of his tips, as well as some of ours.

    Meditate

    Upon becoming sober, we’re faced with dozens of thoughts and emotions that we don’t know how to handle, especially since we’ve resorted to numbing them with drugs and alcohol in the past.  Meditation is an excellent practice to clear the mind and focus.  After a few minutes of practice each day, you’ll have a clearer idea of what you want to achieve, without feeling like your mind is muddled.  Plus, you’ll feel like you have more control over your thoughts and actions, which is great for someone new to recovery.

    Have an Attitude of Gratitude

    Research shows that gratitude is consistently associated with greater happiness.  This is because it helps people feel more positive emotions, build strong relationships and relish good experiences.  To practice gratitude, Kan uses an app called The Five Minute Journal, which asks you every morning to name three things you are grateful for, as well as three things you are going to do that day to make it great.   Focusing on all the positive things in your life, rather than the negative, helps you keep everything in perspective when you’re hit with a setback or obstacle.

    Sweat it Out

    When you exercise, your body releases endorphins which create a natural high.  Doing so regularly gives you more energy and enhanced feelings of well-being – all which make life much more enjoyable and manageable.  As you reach certain exercise milestones, you’ll feel more accomplished, which will empower you to believe that long-term sobriety, too, is attainable.

    Forgive

    This one’s a big one, and one that can be very difficult for some people to do.  But the truth is, holding onto grudges only hurts yourself.  Letting go of pain and resentment towards yourself and others lifts a weight off your shoulders and makes way for happiness to settle into your heart.

    Talk it Through

    Bottling your emotions can have negative effects on your emotional and physical health, but unfortunately, some people don’t have a close, impartial person they can confide in.  A therapist is a great way to talk things through, release buried emotions, bounce ideas off of and learn some tips geared at self-improvement.

    Put Down the Phone

    Technology has found its way into every aspect of our lives, and although this can be a good thing, it can also be overwhelming to keep up with.  The endless stream of notifications, texts and emails we receive daily keeps the mind on high alert, so much so that you can never truly relax.  Stepping away from your phone, then, can really give you a chance to be present in whatever situation you’re in and be actively engaged in everything around you.

    We know – change is hard.  But personal change happens one day at a time, so if you’re looking to get happier, make that first step.  It’s all about progress, not perfection.

    View the original article at recovery.org

  • Abstinence vs. Harm Reduction in Addiction Recovery

    Abstinence vs. Harm Reduction in Addiction Recovery

    It’s an age-old question: which is better – harm reduction or abstinence-based recovery? Each have their own set of benefits, yet have completely different approaches to recovery.  We explore both below.

    Historically, addiction treatment has centered upon an abstinence-based model, one which asserts that abstinence is essential in order to recover from addiction.   One of the most popular forms of “abstinence only” recovery treatment is Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), a step-based, peer recovery program that has more than 2 million members worldwide in over 100,000 locally supported groups.  The program is spiritual in nature and calls on its members to turn their lives over to a higher power, as well as complete 12 guidelines – or steps – to help them overcome alcoholism.

    For some people, the AA program has not resonated, mainly due to its spiritual component.  After all, not all people are comfortable with the idea of praying or focusing on spirituality.  Others have found its framework too rigid, especially where the complete abstinence requirement is concerned.  They feel the stigma of labelling oneself as an alcoholic or addict keeps many people from seeking treatment in the first place.  As a result of these concerns, programs that aim to reduce the harm caused by addiction without encouraging abstinence have been developed.

    Harm reduction is a set of practical strategies and ideas aimed at reducing negative consequences associated with drug use and addiction.  It incorporates a spectrum of strategies – from safer use, to managed use to abstinence – to meet drug users “where they’re at,” addressing conditions of use along with the use itself.  Because harm reduction requires that policies designed to serve drug users reflect specific individual and community needs, there is no universal formula for implementing it.

    But while supporters of the harm reduction approach believe it promotes early self-recognition of risky drinking and drugging behavior – thus allowing users to moderate their use before becoming completely addicted – opponents believe it simply enables addicts to continue drinking.  These naysayers also point to low success rates and an unwillingness for those individuals to seek treatment since they don’t want to completely cease using.

    As you can see, both approaches to treatment have their perceived pros and cons; yet there is no “right” choice.  After all, addiction is a personal disease, and recovery can be supported in a number of ways.  Therefore, it is important to find what works for you, and then stick with it.

    View the original article at recovery.org

  • Addiction Treatment in Hispanic Communities: How We Can Do Better

    Addiction Treatment in Hispanic Communities: How We Can Do Better

    Numerous cultural norms and expectations reinforce the collective silence on substance use. Among many Latinx people who are first generation immigrants, there is a desire or expectation to be a “model minority.”

    Evan Figueroa Vargas wears the scars of a hard-knock life in his voice. In gravely intones the Philadelphia native recounts years of criminal justice involvement and chaotic drug use that followed his brother’s sudden overdose death in 2002. It’s not easy to find help when drugs, incarceration, and the streets intertwine, he says. But it’s even harder when you’re Hispanic.

    “In the Latino community you come from a place where machismo rules,” Figueroa explains over the phone. If you admit to mental health or substance use issues, “somebody is going to call you a loco.”

    Culture of Silence Around Drug Issues

    Many people who identify as Latinx (originating from Latin American countries) or Hispanic (from Spanish-speaking countries) describe a culture of silence around drug issues. Particularly for men, asking for help or admitting vulnerabilities can be seen as a weakness to be ridiculed or exploited.

    Numerous cultural norms and expectations reinforce the collective silence on substance use. Among many Latinx people who are first generation immigrants, there is a desire or expectation to be a “model minority.” Communities may emphasize the importance of hard work, education, family loyalty, and showing your new country that you are an asset. Drug use, especially chaotic use of illicit drugs, is seen as running counter to these goals.

    Tanagra Melgarejo, who immigrated to the United States from Puerto Rico at 17 years old and now works for the Harm Reduction Coalition, cites a popular Latinx idiom: Los trapos sucios se lavan en casa. Basically, don’t air your dirty laundry in public. Drug issues are hard to bring up because “you feel like you’re betraying a cultural norm,” Melgarejo explains. “You are exposing something and then you are bringing shame to yourself and other people.”

    The desire to hide drug use may have pragmatic roots. Among immigrants and people of color, who are often the target of police or other state institutions, openness about illicit drug use might attract unwanted attention, including raids, harassment, and incarceration. Avoiding illicit activities or hiding any that may occur becomes a necessity for undocumented immigrants as well, who may fear deportation.

    But reluctance to speak about drug use exists not just within the Latinx community, but in external discussions that focus on this community as well. In the United States, the rhetoric around race and ethnicity revolves around dichotomies, with Latinx populations often excluded from the dominant narrative on drug use and other structural issues such as incarceration, housing, and health care access.

    “Anyone who is not black or white is invisibilized in this discourse,” explains Melgarejo. While culture wars rage about how black Americans were treated during the crack epidemic versus how white Americans are treated during the opioid epidemic, Hispanics, who are affected by both, are often left out of the discussion entirely.

    The silence not just among Hispanics but also about them is what motivated Angelo Lagares, a Florida resident whose family is from the Dominican Republic, to quit his day job in 2015 to found Latino Recovery Advocacy (LARA). LARA’s mission is to provide linguistic and culturally appropriate resources to Latinx people who use drugs and to stimulate discussion about how drug policy affects them.

    “I went through all that shit,” says Lagares, whose passion blazes through his speech. “When you are using cocaine, and the cocaine runs out at 3 a.m., that desperation, that pain [has] no language…People don’t have help. Everything is in fucking English.”

    Now 53 years old and in recovery, Lagares says he is still haunted by the memories of his community decimated by drugs, AIDS, and incarceration when he lived in New York City during the 1980s. He works to honor “the people who died in the barrio.” He says the first step is to raise awareness about how drugs and drug policy are affecting Latinx people.

    Overdose Deaths Increasing Fast

    In general, reports of illicit drug use among Hispanics or Latinos aged 18 and older are lower than the national average, but that is changing. While U.S. overdose death rates are climbing among all races and ethnicities, mortalities are increasing fastest among Latinos, Native Americans and black Americans. From 2016 to 2017, overdose deaths in these groups increased 12%, 13%, and 25%, respectively, compared to an 11% increase among white Americans.

    But despite these increases, few materials on harm reduction or drug treatment programs are crafted to target Latinx people. Even the SAMHSA Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator, the largest national collection of online resources for people seeking treatment, does not offer a Spanish version of their website (though they do have interpreters available by phone).

    Many programs for people who use drugs claim to offer Spanish-language services on site, but often this consists of one or two employees who speak Spanish. Support groups, guest lectures, and other group programming are almost always in English.

    Language can be an obvious barrier to Latinx populations seeking services, but even that obstacle is more complex than it seems. Not everyone from Latin America speaks Spanish. Some speak Portuguese or indigenous languages. Further, even Latinx people who speak fluent English can be turned off by the lack of services available in their native tongue.

    “I understand English very well but when I speak about difficult issues I prefer to speak in Spanish,” says Haner Hernandez, who is Puerto Rican-born but currently directs a program in Springfield, Massachusetts that trains Hispanics to become certified drug use counselors. He explains that when dealing with issues as sensitive as mental health and substance use, people feel most comfortable speaking their first language.

    Lack of cultural awareness can also be a barrier to effectively engaging with Latinx people. It’s important to recognize the diversity of culture throughout Latin America. Someone of Cuban descent raised in Miami will have a vastly different background than someone who recently fled violence in Guatemala. There are however, some cultural norms that many Latinx people have in common. For example, religion, especially Catholicism, can play a critical role in how the Latinx community views drug use.

    Melgarejo explains that Catholicism teaches about the purity of the body, so drug use is often perceived as morally wrong. “There is this shame [about drug use] that comes with religion,” she says. “If people are not aware of that, it makes it difficult for them to be able to connect with folks in a way that allows them to speak to that and feel safe engaging in services.”

    Cultural views on womanhood also influence how people react to drug use in their communities. Although the Latinx culture may frown on men with mental health or substance use issues who seek help, the worst stigma is reserved for women.

    Latinx people often emphasize marianismo, or female purity, “the dichotomy of the saint or the whore,” says Melgarejo. Women who engage in substance use “are punished for being women, they are punished for being women of color, Latinas, and they are punished for violating that role in the community, for not being pure.”

    Citing the work she did with victims of domestic violence in Puerto Rico, Melgarejo says that when it comes to drug use, the culture is rife with double standards. Mothers who used drugs were often stripped of their maternal rights, while fathers who used drugs were still allowed to interact with their children.

    Programs engaging with Latinx populations should also be aware that many people, especially those who have recently emigrated from Central America, may be fleeing violence and state-sponsored oppression. This trauma can stoke strong fears about any program connected to the government or perceived as such. It can take time and effort to build trust among populations that are initially suspicious. And not all programs are up to the task.

    “We look at these populations and we say ‘Oh they are hard to reach,’” says Hernandez. “They are hard to reach for the people who don’t have experience working in these communities. For those of us who are from these communities, who work in these communities and live in these communities, those populations are not hard to reach.”

    How Programs Can Improve Outreach

    Claiming that a population is difficult to engage is one way for service providers to recuse themselves from having to make the extra effort. But lack of participation or retention of underserved communities may signal not that the population is hard to reach for the program, but that the program is hard to reach for the population.

    The first step towards bridging this divide is humility. It’s easy to blame “them” for “not wanting” to engage with services instead of looking inward. Organizations should conduct a self-inventory of the populations in their community and note those who are effectively engaging and those who are not. Growth can’t happen all at once, but there are many small steps organizations can take to improve their outreach.

    Some questions to ask are: Do staff speak the languages of the community (not necessarily just Spanish)? Do staff practice cultural humility and recognize the diversity in the Latinx population? Does the organization hire Latinx people and place them in positions of leadership? Are program services located in areas easily accessible to Latinx communities? Can the organization partner with others who have built trust in the Latinx community?

    Hernandez stresses the importance of having active and visible Latinx involvement in program development and implementation. Regarding behavioral health, he says, “The majority of people working in the field are white and baby boomers. The majority of the people seeking services are younger and more diverse, so the needs of the people seeking services are not in line with the folks who work in the field.”

    It can be challenging to engage underserved populations, especially those driven underground by various forms of institutionalized oppression. Navigating the diversity and complexity of these communities can seem overwhelming at times. It is easy to give up. But the real measure of an effective program is not how well it serves people who are easy to reach, but how well it engages the ones who need it most.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Destigmatizing Mental Health in Asian American and Pacific Islander Communities

    Destigmatizing Mental Health in Asian American and Pacific Islander Communities

    Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are the fastest growing population in the United States, representing numerous cultures, histories, languages and socio-demographic characteristics. While recognizably diverse, Asian and Pacific Islanders are not so different when it comes to their attitudes about mental health. Stigma associated with mental health problems is common in Asian and Pacific Islander communities. Shaming related to mental health problems is a cultural norm in some Asian communities, leading many who have mental health problems to avoid seeking help despite the need. 

    May is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month and during this national observance SAMHSA is highlighting two groups that have successfully engaged Asian American and Pacific Islander communities to learn about mental health—The Asian Pacific American Officers Committee of the U.S. Public Health Service and the Cambodian Family organization, a member organization of the SAMHSA National Network to Eliminate Disparities in Behavioral Health (NNED).

    Suicide is the leading cause of death for Asian American and Pacific Islander youth aged 12-19 years old. In light of this issue, the Asian Pacific American Officers Committee launched the Healthy Mind Initiative, in January 2018. The goal of the Initiative is to raise awareness about mental health among adolescents. This collaborative effort focuses on increasing mental health literacy among Asian American and Pacific Islander adolescents and parents by providing culturally and linguistically appropriate education. Since October 2018, the Committee  has reached over 1100 individuals in underserved Asian American and Pacific Islander communities through the Initiative events and trainings.  Additionally, the Montgomery County Council in Maryland recognized the Healthy Minds Initiative in May 2019 with a proclamation for their commitment to raising awareness about mental health and efforts among Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.

    The Cambodian Family has developed capacity to implement to promote healing from trauma and build resilience in their community. As the result of The Cambodian Family’s participation in SAMHSA’s NNEDLearn trainings, the organization was able to expand and sustain mental health services for refugee and immigrant families. Furthermore, The Cambodian Family was awarded approximately $500,000 from the Well Being Trust to implement the Body, Mind, and Spiritual Wellness program and approximately $37,000 from the County of Orange Health Care Agency to support the implementation of Early Intervention Services for Older Adults.

     Asian Pacific American Officers Committee and The Cambodian Family have led the way in starting an important and needed conversation in Asian and Pacific Islander communities about mental health. By lifting up the culture and language that is innate in many Asian and Pacific Islander and immigrant communities, both groups shine a light onto a potential pathway to destigmatizing mental health.

    Additional Resources:

    SAMHSA Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander webpage

    SAMHSA Issue Brief: A Snapshot of Behavioral Health Issues for Asian American/Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Boys and Men: Jumpstarting an Overdue Conversation

    SAMHSA Issue Brief: Advancing Best Practices in Behavioral Health for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Boys and Men

    National Network to Eliminate Disparities in Behavioral Health NNEDShare webpage

    View the original article at samhsa.gov

  • Treating Opioid Use Disorder

    Treating Opioid Use Disorder

    I write this today not to provide a listing of programs that my agency has funded nor an update on how we are doing in addressing the opioid crisis. I write this as a physician seeking the help of my fellow physicians and healthcare colleagues around the country.

    Many of you are very familiar with the efforts that we, in the government, have put forward to stem the tide of the opioid crisis. States and communities have done the same across the country. Our commitment is real, but it is also potentially futile if we do not have providers out there, on the front lines, willing to take on treating the population of Americans living with opioid use disorder. I speak from experience when I say I recognize the difficulty that practitioners may have in doing this. I understand that it’s administratively burdensome, often more time-consuming than providing care for other conditions, and potentially anxiety provoking. I fully understand all of those things.

    But, I also understand that people living with opioid use disorder deserve better from us as healthcare professionals. Individuals struggling with opioid addiction who have taken that leap of faith that there is treatment available to them, and sadly, that is not nearly enough people, deserve practitioners who are willing and able to provide needed evidence-based care and treatment. If we had the training to treat them, we, as healthcare professionals, would never turn away someone with diabetes because they were too difficult to treat. If we were equipped and certified to provide someone medication for chronic heart disease in our office setting, we would never send them away without treatment.

    Why then do we do it to individuals with opioid use disorder? The data tell us that a lack of people trained to treat these disorders is not the issue; a lack of trained individuals willing to do so is what appears to be the problem. We have over 62,000 healthcare professionals that today can prescribe medications to individuals with opioid use disorder. There are also approximately 1,500 opioid treatment programs available to individuals with these disorders. We have a system in place to treat the 2.1 million people with this illness. We just need to mobilize to do so.

    In no way am I blaming healthcare practitioners. I know this lack of enthusiasm to treat can be for many reasons. Perhaps it is because our training didn’t serve us well or serve this population well. Perhaps it is because when we went to medical school, addiction was a mere passing phrase, if even that. We did not learn about this disease in the way we learned about others in our clinical training.

    Maybe it is also because we have heard the stories, the stories of doors being kicked in, offices being raided, practices being shut down because people leading our justice system may not understand the need to treat people with opioid use disorders in a certain manner. Maybe it is that we don’t want to take that risk. As a physician, I understand that and reached out to my colleagues at the DEA to find out more about the practices being used. And, I am here to tell you that the anecdotal information you may have heard is the exception and not the rule. The data tell us that there is nothing to fear for the very vast majority of practitioners. Of the over 1.68 million DEA-registered prescribers, only 77 total (or less than .004%) had any administrative action taken on them.

    We can no longer turn our back on this population. Our family members, friends, coworkers, and neighbors are dying. We have the tools at our disposal. Unlike other conditions, for this one, we have a clear evidence-base which tells us what to do; we have the people trained and ready to do it so let us take collective action and do so.

    Practitioners alone are not the only ones needed. We must do better in the government also. And, we are working on that. We are working to address administrative burden. We are working to mainstream substance use disorder training into our schools. We have expanded efforts to provide you additional training and technical assistance in your communities. This is available to you, at no cost, and I encourage you to take advantage of it through visiting getstrta.org.

    Our citizens deserve more than we have been giving them. We need those who have signed up to help to do so. We believe that you are ready. We believe that this can be done. We need communities across the nation to count on us to deliver. And, deliver, we will.

    We at SAMHSA stand ready to help. I am not here to deliver empty words of encouragement with nothing behind them. It is not my intention to leave practitioners on their own. We have tools for you, free of charge, and we want you to use them. I want you to hold us accountable for delivering for you and I want to do the same of you. We have to hold each other accountable because we came into the healing profession for a reason. And, we must demand that our fellow citizens also hold us collectively accountable for realizing that reason. We talk continuously about addressing the opioid crisis and creating access. Access is here. We have it; we do not need much. We just need action behind a system that is primed and ready. We need willingness of people who have already demonstrated interest. If even half of you with a waiver practice to your limit, there will be ready access for most in need. I recognize that this is ambitious, but it is not impossible. I know that you, too, can experience the reward I have as a physician willing to take the chance in treating this disease. The data tell us we can do this and I know that together we can.

    View the original article at samhsa.gov

  • Fentanyl Deaths Skyrocketed More than 1000% Over Six Years in the U.S.

    Fentanyl Deaths Skyrocketed More than 1000% Over Six Years in the U.S.

    Deaths from fentanyl skyrocketed more than 1000% from 2011 to 2016, according to new data released March 21 from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  Its report not only took into account the rise in drug overdose deaths involving the synthetic opioid, but it also illustrated which age groups, genders, races, ethnicities and regions were most impacted.

    Rising Rates, Ongoing Epidemic

    In order to determine the number of fatalities associated with fentanyl, researchers analyzed death certificate information that included mentions of fentanyl and fentanyl analogs (other synthetic narcotics).  In doing so, they found that 2011 and 2012 remained about the same, each hovering around 1,600 deaths.  In 2013, the number began to increase a bit, with just over 1,900 fatalities.  After that, fentanyl-related deaths began to double each year, with fentanyl involved in 4,223 deaths in 2014, 8,251 deaths in 2015, and a whopping 18,335 deaths in 2016.

    Regarding gender, the researchers found that while men and women had similar rates of fentanyl-related deaths from 2011 through 2013, the rate for males began increasing more rapidly than the rate for females. By 2016, the rate of men dying from fentanyl overdoses was nearly three times (2.8) that of women.

    And while there were increases in fentanyl-related fatalities in all age groups from 2011 through 2016, the largest rate increases were among younger adults in both the 15-24-year-old and 25-34-year-old segments, with fentanyl overdoses increasing about 94% and 100% each year, respectively.  Adults aged 65 years and older, on the other hand, saw the smallest average annual percent change (41.6% per year).

    Who’s Hit Hardest

    Researchers also found that while whites had the highest overall rates of fentanyl fatalities, death rates among African Americans and Hispanics increased at a higher rate.  Between 2011 and 2016, African Americans had fentanyl death rates increase 140.6% annually and Hispanics had an increase of 118.3% annually.  Whites, on the other hand, experienced a 61% annual increase.

    Finally, the researchers found that certain areas were hit harder by fentanyl than others.  Overdose death rates rose most sharply along the East Coast, including in New England and the middle Atlantic, as well as in the Great Lakes region.

    With opioids ravaging the country, fentanyl has become the leading cause of overdose deaths.  As such, the researchers hope that understanding national trends and patterns for fentanyl-related overdose deaths may inform public health policies and practices moving forward.

    View the original article at recovery.org

  • Help for Ambien Withdrawal

    Help for Ambien Withdrawal

    ARTICLE OVERVIEW: Ambien is pretty addictive. Users can develop a dependence within just a couple of weeks of daily dosing. Withdrawal can be difficult. This article outlines what to expect during withdrawal and ways to treat symptoms medically.

    ESTIMATED READ TIME: Less than 10 minutes.

    Table of Contents:

    Ambien and the Brain

    Zolpidem is the main active ingredient in Ambien. Its chemical structure is very similar to the benzodiazepine class of drugs, but zolpidem is officially called a “hypnotic”. Benzodiazepines are prescribed for a variety of reasons and attach to neurons within our brain responsible for sensations, emotions, muscle movements, and cognition.

    Because of this, zolpidem causes its user to become sedated without experiencing the other qualities of benzodiazepines. However, after regular or daily use, you can become physically dependent on zolpidem. This makes quitting Ambien both hard and potentially dangerous.

    Is Ambien Withdrawal Hard?

    Yes, quitting Ambien isn’t going to be easy.

    To begin, you need to take the following facts about yourself into account:

    •  Dosage
    •  Metabolism
    •  Overall health state
    •  Time length and frequency of use

    In general, the long you’ve been using Ambien … the harder detox will be.  If you’ve been using it for a longer time and taking high doses, then you can expect to experience a longer withdrawal process with more possible difficulties.

    Still, it is difficult to know how long withdrawal will last or how difficult it be. Why? Because we are individuals. We each use drugs for different reasons. Likewise, use patterns and dependency differ.

    Is Ambien Withdrawal Dangerous?

    Again, people with higher levels of dependence are more likely to experience dangerous withdrawal symptoms. Severe seizures might occur and even be fatal. People with certain mental health issues are also at risk. For these reasons, Ambien withdrawals should always be carried out under medical supervision. 

    You should never quit cold turkey. Doctors will taper your dose, thereby your body can gradually resume normal functioning.

    A List of Withdrawal Symptoms

    Withdrawal symptoms begin within approximately 48 hours after your last Ambien dose. Some people have experienced symptoms as early as a few hours later.

    Withdrawal symptoms may include:

    •  Abdominal cramps and discomfort.
    •  Anxiety.
    •  Cravings for Ambien.
    •  Delirium.
    •  Depression.
    •  Fatigue.
    •  Flushing.
    •  Irritability.
    •  Mood swings.
    •  Nausea and/or vomiting.
    •  Panic attacks.
    •  Rapid heart rate and breathing.
    •  Rebound insomnia.
    •  Seizures.
    •  Sweating.
    •  Tremoring.
    •  Uncontrollable crying.

    The Basic Timeline

    The timeline after your last dose of Ambien can be divided into five stages.:

    1. The First 24 to 72 Hours. During this period, your symptoms begin their peak and are most uncomfortable. Usually, you can expect to feel both physical and psychological symptoms.

    Physical Withdrawal Symptoms:

    • Shaking
    • Vomiting

    Psychological Withdrawal Symptoms:

    • Anxiety
    • Confusion
    • Fearfulness
    • Hallucinations
    • Memory loss
    • Mood swings
    • Psychosis
    • Sleeping disorder

    2.Week 1. After the first week, acute withdrawal tends to resolve. Symptoms have lessened to a great extent, but not the cravings. Also, many people find themselves experiencing depression and paranoia during this period. A tendency to experience trouble sleeping, or nightmares, is still present; in particular, for those experiencing mental trauma (in general or due to the withdrawal). So, it’s important to undergo psychotherapy treatment in order to get help for coping with this situation.

    3.Week 2. Cravings, depression and paranoia are not as strong as they were the week before. During this week you might feel foggy as though you can’t think straight. For this reason, it’s possible to experience mood swings. However, your sleep begins to stabilize.

    4.Week 3. Your cravings have further decreased. You might still experience sleeping disorders.

    5.Week 4. You definitely begin feeling better, though there may be still some traces of anxiety and/or irritability. Your sleep starts becoming really stable. Your body and brain are noticeably getting back to their normal functioning.

    After the first month of Ambien withdrawal, heavier users possibly may experience post acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS). This is when withdrawal symptoms last for a much longer period of time, about six months after cessation.

    The most common PAWS symptoms associated with Ambien are:

    •  Anxiety
    •  Cravings
    •  Depression
    •  Insomnia
    •  Nightmares

    When planning to quit Ambien, always seek medical consultation with a doctor who is experienced in tapering doses of zolpidem in order to get a customized plan. 

    Medicines that Help

    Usually doctors don’t prescribe other medications during Ambien withdrawal. Instead, they taper Ambien doses to fully resolve dependence and address insomnia simultaneously. In these cases, it can take weeks to months for a gentle taper. You can find benzo equivalent dosing schedule on Dr. Heather Ashton’s website. However, if insomnia is severe and a lack of Ambien causes it to come back, you may be prescribed a medication solely for that reason.

    To date, there are very few medications available for Ambien withdrawals. Doctors don’t want to risk further addiction, so they tend to prescribe short term therapies for the instances of anxiety and depression as mental withdrawal symptoms.

    Natural Remedies that Help

    What can you do to get a better night sleep without the drug?

    Since chronic insomnia is probably an issue for some of you, a few different natural remedies are offered below that not only help with withdrawals but also with sleep.

    Acupuncture. While this is still being researched, a more recent study found that  acupuncture had positive effects on reducing withdrawal symptoms, in particular for those dealing with great discomfort from withdrawal.

    Distractions. When you’re going through withdrawal – particularly, psychological withdrawal – you’ll want to keep your mind occupied to outwit cravings. There are a variety of ways to do this and it all depends on who you are as an individual. Some find help in the arts (such as playing music, drawing, or writing in a journal) while others find new habits to be very beneficial (such as cooking or gardening). Don’t be afraid to experiment around while you’re in treatment. You might just learn something new about yourself.

    Exercise. At most medical detox clinics, exercise is highly recommended to those going through detox because it promotes natural dopamine and endorphins. In case of Ambien withdrawal, exercise has been shown to help people get a better night’s rest. Though this isn’t true for everyone, it may just be the secret you’ve been missing out on.

    Meditation and Yoga. Withdrawal can bring a lot of stress . Meditation and yoga not only mitigate withdrawal symptoms, but also help reducing cravings. These types of alternative therapies are also beneficial for those dealing with mental illness alongside their addiction, such as anxiety and depression.

    Nutrition. While not the case for everyone, some drug users find themselves with a poor diet. However, an even bigger issue is that many drugs have the effect of absorbing much of what people eat. Drugs like Ambien can also cause loss of appetite. While in recovery, it’s vital to get your body back on track with water and healthy foods.

    All of the above have potential to promote better sleep. Of course, people with chronic insomnia might need more than a natural remedy to benefit them. If this is your case, the best thing to do is to consult your doctor. Chances are they will figure out the solution right for you.

    Where to Go for Help

    If you need help for Ambien dependence, you are not alone.In 2015, the estimated number of Ambien and other sedatives users was 446,000. So where can you start?Dr. Heather Ashton wrote the book, “The Ashton Manual” that outlined withdrawal procedure and protocols for benzodiazepines. While Ambien IS NOT A BENZO, it can be helpful to read the book and to adapt some if its principles in your own case.Where else can you look?

    You’ll also want to reach out to family and friends. As you try to quit Ambien, you’re going to be in need of a support system. The people you can always turn back to when things get difficult. Furthermore, even after treatment when recovery is still ongoing, you’ll have people there when need be. If you’re a family member or friend of someone who’s addicted to Ambien there are a variety of options for you to seek help for your loved one.

    When you do find the right treatment, you can give us a call. We’re always happy to help.

    Where to Find Local Help

    To find where you find local help during Ambien withdrawal, start with your family doctor and work your way out to other connections. Seek information from:

    While you may be concerned about anonymity, also know that Americans are increasingly destigmatizing issues with prescription medications, especially through advocacy groups like Facing Addiction. In fact, an estimated one in three American families experiences a problem with drugs or alcohol through one close family member. So, your friends and family can also be a source of help.

    Your Questions

    If you have any further questions pertaining to Ambien withdrawal, we invite you to ask them in the comments section below. If you have any advice to give for people currently withdrawing, we’d also love to hear from you. We try to provide a personal response to each comment and get back to you promptly.

    REFERENCE SOURCES:

    SAMHSA: Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States: Results from the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health

    NCBI: Five-Factor Model personality profiles of drug users

    NCBI: Zolpidem Dependency and Withdrawal Seizure: A Case Report Study

    NCBI:Zolpidem Withdrawal Delirium

    NIDA: Misuse of Prescription Drug

    DailyMed: Ambien

    NCBI: Benzodiazepines and Zolpidem for Chronic Insomnia: A Meta-Analysis of Treatment Efficacy.

    NCBI: Modest Abuse-Related Subjective Effects of Zolpidem in Drug-Naïve Volunteers

    SAMHSA: Substance Use Treatment Advisory

    NCBI: Using Medication: What Can Help When Trying to Stop Taking Sleeping Pills and Sedatives?

    NCBI: Exercise as a Potential Treatment for Drug Abuse: Evidence from Preclinical Studies

    NCBI: Exercise Effects on Sleep Physiology

    BMJ Journals: Acupuncture in Medicine: Trials of Acupuncture for Drug Dependence: A Recommendation for Hypotheses Based on the Literature

    NIDA: Drugs, Brains, and Behavior: The Science of Addiction

    NIH: U.S. National Library of Medicine Substance Use Recovery and Diet

    Addiction Blog: The Ambien Withdrawal Timeline Chart

    View the original article at addictionblog.org

  • Xanax Detection Timelines (INFOGRAPHIC)

    Xanax Detection Timelines (INFOGRAPHIC)

    ARTICLE OVERVIEW: A visual representation that outlines basic detection periods for alprazolam on blood, saliva, urine, and hair based tests. You’ll learn average lengths of time of alprazolam stay in your system. Plus, you’ll learn about the factors that can influence metabolism.

    TABLE OF CONTENTS:

    Drug Basics

    Drug Name: Xanax, main ingredient alprazolam
    Drug Class: Depressants/Sedatives/Hypnotics
    Street Names: Xannies, Zannies, Z-Bars

    Xanax, also known by its generic name alprazolam, is a benzodiazepine anti-anxiety medication. It is a central nervous system depressant that slows down brain activity and produces feeling of drowsiness, calmness, and relaxation. [1]

    Xanax is usually prescribed as a tablet, but it can also come in a liquid form. It is classified as Schedule IV controlled substance by the DEA. Xanax’s active ingredient, alprazolam, can be habit-forming and users may become dependent on the medication. [2]

    Use Statistics

    Xanax is a popular and commonly prescribed psychiatric medication in the United States. Many Americans use Xanax for medical purposes, and many of them start misusing and get addicted. Also, there are people who take it recreationally, to get high. Just how many people?

    According to the 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, there were 17,926,000 Americans who were using alprazolam, which accounts for 6.6% of the total U.S. population. Over 700K of them were teens, almost 3M were young adults between the ages 18-25.

    More than 14M adult Americans took Xanax in 2017.

    Also, about 4,165,000 Americans abused Xanax last year. Abuse can be seen among all age groups. 407K U.S. teens, over 1.6M young adults and over 2 million adults in U.S. took Xanax other than prescribed. [3]

    Why Drug Test?

    There are many reasons why someone will need a drug test. An employer may require it for a job position, or a court may order it for legal reasons. Athletes may be tested for drug use. People in rehab are also regularly tested in planned testing or random testing situations. Emergency rooms drug test in cases of injury or overdose. Also, your prescribing doctor may ask you for drug testing as part of your treatment.

    Detection Window

    Whatever the reasons, it’s good to know the basic detection windows for Xanax and to be prepared for what test results can be. Most drug tests are positive if you’re testing within the detection window for the specific type of test. What’s a detection window?

    The period of time from the last dose of alprazolam until it’s detected in your system is called a drug’s detection window. 

    So, how long does alprazolam stay in your system? On average, the half-life of Xanax is 12 hours. But, Xanax half-life can be anywhere between 6-20 hours. Still, detection windows for alprazolam vary between individuals. The detection window also depends upon the drug test that is used. Here are some general guidelines for Xanax detection by type of drug test sample:

    Urine: Urinalysis can usually detect Xanax for up to 5 days after the last use.
    Saliva: These types of tests detect the presence of Xanax up to 60 hours after the last intake.
    Blood: The detection period for Xanax in a blood tests is about 24 hours.
    Hair: Xanax can be detected up to 90 days in hair follicle drug tests.

    Have in mind that drug detection times in urine, blood, hair, and saliva are in average and can vary greatly from person to person. You should use this information as a general guide only.

    Influence Factors

    Many factors can influence the presence of alprazolam in the system. Some of them include:

    • Age
    • Gender
    • Weight
    • Diet and use of fluids
    • Frequency and length of use
    • Overall health
    • Liver and kidney function
    • Metabolism
    • Physical activity

    In general, younger people eliminate toxins faster. Also, people with slower metabolism will have Xanax longer in their system. Moreover, any liver or kidney impairment can slower the elimination period.

    Any Questions?

    We hope that you find this infographic educational and helpful. If you still have any questions about Xanax detection timelines, we welcome your questions and comments in the section below. We’ll try to answer your questions personally and promptly. Feel free to share a personal story and tell others your drug screening experience.

    Moreover, if you or somone you love is battling Xanax dependence don’t hesitate to ask for support. Our caring admissions navigators are available 24/7 to discuss treatment options. Reach out today.

    [vc_single_image media=”266525″ media_lightbox=”yes” media_width_use_pixel=”yes” media_width_pixel=”300″]

    Reference Sources:
    [1] FDA: XANAX Label
    [2] DEA: Drug Scheduling
    [3] SAMSHA: Results from the 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Detailed Tables
    Addiction Blog: Xanax half-life: how long does Xanax stay in your system
    SAMSHA: Clinical Drug Testing in Primary Care

    View the original article at addictionblog.org

  • Methadone Clinics in Texas

    Methadone Clinics in Texas

    ARTICLE OVERVIEW: Methadone is administered as part of Narcotic Treatment Programs in Texas. Combined with counseling and talk therapies, the medicine can offer numerous benefits for people addicted to opiates. We review more about the process of receiving methadone and where to find it in Texas here.

    TABLE OF CONTENTS:

    What is Narcotic Treatment?

    The State of Texas calls use of methadone for addiction “narcotic treatment”.  It’s a form of medication assisted treatment. During narcotic treatment, you take prescribed medications in combination with counseling and talk therapy to treat opiate or opioid use disorder.

    So, what is methadone? How does it work?

    Methadone is a synthetic, long-acting opioid that works by acting on the brain receptors. It “covers” nerve receptors so that if you take strong drugs, you don’t get high. In the same way, methadone can dull withdrawal symptoms and drug cravings. It is a Schedule II controlled substance…which means that it is habit forming and has the potential for possible addiction if not used as directed. [1]

    Public health officials consider medication assisted treatment one of many solutions that can help the growing number of people in the U.S. addicted to opioids. However, use of methadone is controversial. While it can be essential, some people abuse it. That’s why this type of treatment shouldn’t be limited to medicines. Other services include case management and referrals to help with lifestyle changes.

    How Methadone Clinics in Texas Work

    Narcotic Treatment Programs in Texas are specialized medical clinics that use methadone or buprenorphine to help people reduce or quit their use of heroin or pain killer drugs. It is illegal to use methadone without a prescription, to sell or give it to someone else. There are also laws against forging or altering a prescription or making false representation to obtain methadone or a prescription for the drug. [2]

    So, how do methadone clinics in Texas works?

    STEP 1: Screening

    You won’t be processed for admission as a patient of a methadone clinic until you have been determined eligible to enter an narcotic treatment program. So, you will be screened by a health care professional to see if you meet the criteria. Exception to this screening phase include pregnant women, patients who have resided in a penal or chronic care institution for one month or longer, and patients who have had two documented attempts at short-term detoxification or drug-free treatment.

    The screening process can include a history of your drug use, a medical history, psychological and sociological background questions, educational and vocational achievements, current mental status, and a physical examination. Also, you should be 18 or older with moderate to severe opioid use disorder for at least 12 months in order to qualify to receive methadone.

    STEP 2: Admission and Initial Evaluation

    After it’s been determined that you meet the criteria for admission, you will be evaluated by the medical director or program physician and clinical staff trained and qualified to perform assessments. The purpose of the evaluation is to determine if methadone treatment is the most appropriate treatment for you. The evaluation usually includes an assessment of your medical, psychosocial, educational, and vocational needs.

    STEP 3: Drug Testing

    Before receiving methadone, you will have to submit an initial drug test. For the first year of treatment, you will have to submit random drug tests each month, and eight random drug abuse tests yearly afterward.

    STEP 4: Treatment Planning

    Based on the initial screening and evaluation, your primary counselor will create an individualized treatment plan. The treatment plan will be reviewed at least once each 90 days during the first year of treatment, and at least twice a year thereafter. Planning will include a dosing schedule and outline recommended prescription use. You’ll also be encouraged to seek counseling or talk therapy at the same time you are taking methadone.

    Dosing and length of treatment

    Typically, most people go to a methadone clinic on a daily basis, six days a week. How long treatment will last is different for each patient, but for methadone maintenance, 12 months is considered the minimum. Some people use methadone for many years. The cost of treatment will be based on your income and expenses, and you may need to pay for some services. If you comply with the rules of the program, you may be allowed a certain quantity of take-home doses. [3]

    Counseling

    Counseling and behavioral therapies are an essential part of a Narcotic Treatment Program. They can help you reach stability faster and become a productive member of society. They can help you focus on relapse prevention, gain control over your life and learn to live a drug-free life. Individual and group therapies, family and couples counseling are just some of the services you may be offered.

    Regulation of Methadone

    In order to ensure the safety of patients and the quality of services, the state of Texas has set up numerous laws and regulations that outline how methadone should be used. The Narcotic Treatment Section of the Patient Quality Care Unit is responsible for regulating and inspecting methadone clinics in Texas. There are currently 75 maintenance programs in Texas that treat around 11,000 opiate-addicted patients.

    There are few things you should consider if you are enrolling in a Narcotic Treatment Program in Texas. If you become a patient at a methadone clinic, you should be informed of your rights. Here are some basic principles to keep in mind.

    1. Every narcotic treatment program in Texas must have a state permit issued by the Texas Department of Health and a federal permit issued by the SAMSHA and the DEA. If you want to make sure that a specific narcotic treatment clinic in Texas has a license, check the directory of narcotic treatment clinics.

    2. Your patient confidentiality is protected by federal law.

    3. Methadone clinics in Texas are required to provide or offer referrals to their patients. These services include social and human services, mental health services, educational and vocational services, family counseling, and HIV/AIDS counseling, prevention, and risk-reduction education.

    4. In Texas, the patient-staff ratio needs to be a maximum of 50 patients for each counselor. Texas allows an increase in the ratio under certain circumstances. But if you don’t feel that you’re receiving the attention that you need, file a complaint on the hotline number below.

    5. Methadone should be administered or dispensed in oral form by a certified health care professional.

    If you believe that any TX State methadone clinic is not following the state regulations you may file a complaint. Complaints may be mailed, faxed or delivered by phone via the complaint hotline.

    Submit a Complaint against a Texas Methadone Facility

    Texas Laws and Rules

    Narcotic clinics in Texas are tightly regulated. There are numerous state and federal laws that govern the prescription and dispensing of methadone. Also, there are laws that regulate how narcotic treatment clinics work. Here are some of the most important ones:

    Title 42, Chapter I, Subchapter A, Part 8: The Certification of Opioid Treatment Programs, Code of Federal Regulations governs the treatment of opiate and opioid addiction with FDA-approved medications. This law outlines the system created to accredit and certify opioid treatment programs that prescribe methadone. In this law, patients must receive counseling and behavioral therapies in addition to methadone. [4]

    Texas Administrative Code: Chapter 229 Subchapter J Minimum Standards for Narcotic Treatment Programs: This subsection of the Texas Administrative Code provides the minimum standards for the establishment and operation of a narcotic treatment program in Texas. It outlines the state and federal regulations, program application procedures, program fees, program operations, and enforcement procedures. [5]

    Texas Health & Safety Code, Chapter 466: The purpose of this Chapter is outlining the regulation of narcotic drug treatment programs, and ensuring the proper use of approved narcotic drugs in the treatment of persons with a narcotic dependency. [6]

    Texas Methadone Doctors

    You can’t just go to a doctor in Texas and get a dose of methadone. By law, methadone is administered or dispensed in oral form in a licensed narcotic program only. Further, the law requires that the physician responsible for prescribing and supervision of methadone is licensed to practice medicine and has worked in the field of addiction medicine a minimum of one year. [7]

    The clinic is there to ensure your safety. And methadone should be administered in a way that reduces the potential for abuse.

    In Texas, methadone can be prescribed and taken only under the supervision of a physician via a licensed narcotic treatment programs.

    How can you find a methadone prescribing doctor in Texas? You can find all state and federally licensed programs that offer methadone treatment through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, SAMSHA. Check out treatment centers who are authorized to offer patients methadone in the State of Texas in the following link.

    SAMHSA OTP Treatment Directory for Texas.

    State Sponsored Methadone Clinics in Texas

    Texas is home to a number of private and public narcotic clinics that provide methadone. Public clinics are state-funded and usually have a longer waiting list than the private ones. So, what benefits exist to help people who are in need of financial aid?

    If you want to receive coverage for methadone, federal law mandates that you are enrolled in, or have documented proof of, substance use disorder counseling.

    Then, Texas Medicaid covers methadone under Fee-For-Service (FFS) and Managed Care (MC) plans. Methadone is listed as a medical and pharmacy benefit under both FFS and MC plans. Methadone also appears on the preferred drug list under both FFS and MC plans and is covered for use in accredited outpatient narcotic treatment programs under both plans.

    There are a number of free narcotic clinics that support people trying to overcome opioid addiction. Texas Department of State Health Services’ website provides a list of licensed state-sponsored narcotic treatment facilities.

    Texas Methadone for Veterans

    Addiction is quite common for U.S. war veterans. Many veterans suffer from post traumatic stress disorder. Using drugs and alcohol can be a way of coping with the memory of past events.

    If you’re a veteran suffering from opioid addiction, you can seek help from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. In order to apply, you’ll need your most recent tax return, social security numbers for yourself and your qualified dependents, and account numbers for any current health insurance.

    Through this organization, you can find a number of treatment services and receive medically managed detoxification as well as drug substitution therapies like methadone. Counseling and other behavioral therapies may also be a part of your methadone treatment.

    If you are interested, you can apply to receive VA health care online, by phone, by mail, or in person. In general, in a week or less, your application should be approved. Once you get the approval you’ll need to find a VA facility in Texas and start treatment with methadone. For a listing of VA centers in Texas, check out the Texas VA Directory here.

    The Drug Epidemic in Texas

    In Texas, the opioid crisis is a public health emergency. It affects people from all generations and socioeconomic status. In fact, almost half of all drug overdose deaths in Texas involve opioids. As a response, the Texas Department of State Health Services has developed two strategies in order to address opioid misuse. [8]

    These include:

    1. Improving surveillance. The Department of State Health Services has started using health data in real time collected from hospitals, emergency centers, and urgent care providers, to look for early warning signs of overdose. Healthcare providers has also started reporting overdoses involving controlled substances to the state.
    2. Expanding prevention through education and training. Texas has started naloxone overdose education, buprenorphine waiver training, and maternal opioid misuse prevention.

    The goal of these initiatives is to establish safety guidelines in hospitals for recognizing opioid misuse and enhancing care for women with opioid use disorder, during and after pregnancy.

    The following statistics taken from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIDA, will give you an insight into the Texas opioid epidemic:

    • Texan physicians wrote 53.1 opioid prescriptions for every 100 persons in 2017.
    • In Texas, 1,458 overdose deaths involving opioids were reported in 2017.
    • Deaths involving fentanyl tripled from 118 in 2007 to 348 deaths in 2017.
    • There were 569 heroin-involved overdose deaths in 2017

    Even in light of these figures, Texas continues to have one of the lowest rates of drug overdose deaths involving opioids in the country. The implementation of the strategies is expected to decrease these numbers even further. [9]

    Methadone Saves Lives

    Can methadone help?

    Yes!

    Methadone can save your life. It keeps you stable enough that you can make positive changes in your life. Methadone therapy will reduce or help you to avoid health problems such as HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C, skin infections and vein problems.

    If it is part of a comprehensive treatment program, methadone treatment is more likely to be successful. Usually, treatment includes a combination of counseling, alternative therapies and the development of a positive support network of peers, friends and a support group. Work with a physician or a counselor to find the best approach that addresses your needs.

    If you are struggling with opioid addiction, know that you are not alone. With the right addiction treatment program, you can achieve a lot. If you need help finding the right treatment center in Texas or would like more information on narcotic programs, we invite you to give us a call today. Our admission navigators are available 24/7.

    Reference Sources:
    [1] SAMSHA: Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)
    [2] Texas Department of State Health Services: Narcotic Treatment Clinics
    [3] Texas Department of State Health Services: Laws and Rules – Narcotic Treatment Clinics
    [4] Title 42, Chapter I, Subchapter A, Part 8: MEDICATION ASSISTED TREATMENT FOR OPIOID USE DISORDERS
    [5] Texas Administrative Code: Chapter 229 Subchapter J Minimum Standards for Narcotic Treatment Programs:
    [6] Texas Health & Safety Code, Chapter 466: REGULATION OF NARCOTIC DRUG TREATMENT PROGRAMS
    [7] Texas Administrative Code: CHAPTER 163. LICENSURE 
    [8] Texas Department of State Health Services: Public Health Response to the Opioid Crisis
    [9] NIDA: Texas Opioid Summary
    ASAM: Medicaid Coverage of Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder
    Texas Department of State Health Services: Adult Substance Use Medication-Assisted Treatment

    View the original article at addictionblog.org