Tag: rehab

How to Find Luxury Rehab for Diastat AcuDial Addiction
Diastat AcuDial is a prescription medication with a legitimate medical purpose, yet it’s also a controlled substance that some people abuse and become addicted to, which in turn can necessitate rehab treatment.

Table of Contents
Ongoing use of Diastat AcuDial can increase your exposure to side effects and dangers, especially if you combine it with opiates or with other medications or psychoactive substances.

If you develop an addiction to Diastat AcuDial, a treatment program can help. Behavioral health professionals are experienced with handling dependency and addiction to prescription medications like this one. Addiction symptoms are similar regardless of the type of drug, and professional detox and rehab programs can provide the approach that helps you overcome this problem. Plus, the best treatment programs customize their approach to fit the type of drug and your specific situation.

What is Diastat AcuDial?

Diastat AcuDial is the brand name for diazepam rectal gel. It’s in the benzodiazepine drug class, which is commonly used to treat anxiety and insomnia on a short-term basis. In this case, Diastat AcuDial is prescribed to treat seizures in people with epilepsy. It comes in a syringe that is used to administer the medication rectally. The medication within the syringe is a gel form of the drug diazepam. This benzodiazepine works on the brain to help balance brain chemicals associated with seizures.

This medication is not intended for continuous, everyday use. Instead, it is for people who are already on antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), to use when they experience prolonged breakthrough seizures. This is another way to refer to cluster seizures, serial seizures or increased seizure activity. This medication is only meant to be used for up to five seizure episodes per month and should not be used for more than one episode in a five-day period. You should not use it for regular seizure activity but should instead rely on AEDs. Also, you should not use a different amount than is prescribed.

Ongoing use has the potential consequences of:
- Worsening seizures
- Causing dependence, so you may experience symptoms of withdrawal if you try to quit
- Leading to abuse and addiction
This is a medication people aged two and up can use at home or when they’re out. It has the ability to stop a seizure and potentially keep you from needing to go to the emergency room.

Diastat AcuDial is a brand name, and other forms of diazepam go by the brand names Diastat, Diastat Pediatric, Diazepam Intensol and Valium. The various forms may be used to treat seizures, muscle spasms or anxiety. These drugs are used and distributed illegally as well as used legally according to the prescription. Some of the slang terms for diazepam and benzodiazepines include:
- Jellies
- Eggs
- Vallies
- Moggies
- Sleep always
- Drunk pills
- Old Joes
- Tranks
- Benzos
- Nerve pills
- Downers
Are There Diastat AcuDial Side Effects?

Yes, this medication can come with side effects. The main one is drowsiness. Nonetheless, there are many additional reported Diastat AcuDial side effects. These include:
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Nervousness
- Diarrhea
- Euphoria
- Rash
- Pain
- Abdominal pain
- Enlarged blood vessels
- Reduced coordination
- Asthma
- Nose irritation
- Feeling nervous
- Feeling flushed
- Falls in elderly people
These are just some of the side effects associated with this medication. More severe diazepam rectal gel side effects are possible that warrant calling your doctor immediately. This is the case if you’re:
- Confused
- Hallucinating
- Hyperactive
- Agitated
- Acting or thinking differently, such as having unusual thoughts or behavior or suicidal thoughts
- Lacking fear or inhibitions
- Pale
- Feeling faint
- Hostile
- Feeling depressed
- Experiencing worsening or different seizures
This drug can potentially cause an allergic reaction. Signs include trouble breathing, hives on the skin, swelling of the face and throat, and lip and tongue swelling.

If this drug is used in combination with opioids, it’s possible to experience severe, life-threatening effects. These include sedation and respiratory depression. You could also experience severe side effects from combining it with other prescription medications or psychoactive substances. For example, it can be dangerous to combine it with other central nervous system depressants such as alcohol or other benzodiazepines.

Is Diastat AcuDial Overdose Possible?

On top of the long list of side effects associated with this drug, it can also potentially lead to overdose. Symptoms of diazepam overdose can include:
- Reduced coordination or balance
- Reduced reflexes
- Severe drowsiness
- Fainting
- Weak muscles
- Confusion
- Coma
If you notice these signs, contact the poison help line or find immediate medical help.

Does Diastat AcuDial Dependence Cause Diastat AcuDial Withdrawal Effects?

Even though Diastat AcuDial is a legal prescription drug, it comes with risk of dependence. It’s a habit-forming controlled substance that should be used with caution. That’s why there are warnings and guidelines for its use.

If you continue to use this drug for an extended period of time, your body can become dependent on it. This means that the body gets used to functioning with the drug in its system. When you suddenly take the drug away, your body now has to adjust to the lack of it.

What can happen is that you start taking Diastat AcuDial or another benzodiazepine legally for a legitimate medical purpose. Then, you can become dependent and continue using the drug, eventually switching to obtaining it in illegal ways. Also, you may start by using a certain type of benzodiazepine and then switch to others. Many people also combine different types of substances to get high, which comes with particular risk.

Generally, people become tolerant to the effects of the drug, needing more to feel the same effects. When this happens, you take more. Using a habit-forming drug like this in higher amounts and for longer periods of time than medically intended increases the risk of dependence, as well as addictive behaviors.

The main sign that you have become dependent is that you experience withdrawal symptoms when you quickly reduce the amount you’re taking or stop taking the drug altogether. During diazepam withdrawal, you could notice symptoms similar to those of barbiturate or alcohol withdrawal. These could include:
- Tremor
- Convulsions
- Insomnia
- Dysphoria (feeling generally dissatisfied with life)
- Sweating
- Vomiting
- Abdominal cramps
- Muscle cramps
After taking a therapeutic amount of this medication regularly over the course of a few months, stopping could cause symptoms on the mild side of the spectrum. More severe symptoms can be seen after stopping large amounts taken over time.

Substance Use Disorder: Diastat AcuDial Abuse to Diastat AcuDial Addiction

If your use of Diastat AcuDial has turned into problem use, you could fall somewhere along a spectrum of substance use disorder. This is an official diagnosis that encompasses substance abuse and addiction. A behavioral health professional could diagnose you with a mild, moderate or severe case of substance use disorder depending on the number of criteria you meet. In a general sense, substance abuse could be a mild form of substance use disorder, while addiction could be a severe form. You will find signs and symptoms below that can help you see whether you meet criteria of this disorder.

Abuse means that you are using the drug in ways that don’t follow its official medical use. Instead of solely using this gel to treat cluster seizures from time to time, you could be using the drug to feel good. You might use higher doses than recommended. You could also use it more often than you should, such as every day, and use it for longer periods of time than a prescription states. Abuse doesn’t always lead to dependence and addiction, but it increases the risk.

When you use higher amounts or increase the frequency or length of time of psychoactive drug use, it’s likely that you’ll become physically and mentally dependent on the drug. There’s also a good chance that you will develop the thoughts and behaviors associated with addiction.

Check for Diastat AcuDial Addiction Symptoms

Signs of diazepam substance use disorder, which can encompass dependence signs, include the following criteria:
- Consistently feeling the urge to use the drug
- Putting a lot of focus on having a continual supply of diazepam
- Putting your time into using the drug and overcoming its effects
- Requiring more and more Diastat to feel the same effects
- Taking the drug in higher doses, more often and/or for longer than you planned
- Failing to meet personal, school and professional obligations
- Having money troubles because you’re spending money on diazepam
- Ignoring people and hobbies that used to fill your time
- Engaging in behaviors you did not before because of the drug use, such as stealing or doing risky things
- Having difficulty stopping the drug use
- Going through withdrawal symptoms when you try to stop or cut back
- Continuing Diastat AcuDial use even though you’re aware that it’s contributing to problems in your life
If you or your loved one fits even some of the criteria on this list, it can be an indication of problem use. When you find yourself unable to stop using the drug, behavioral health professionals can support and guide you on how to move forward.

What to Do if You Notice Symptoms of Diastat AcuDial Addiction

If you notice that you show signs of abuse or addiction, the next step is to talk to a behavioral health specialist with the goal of getting a diagnosis. You could have a consultation with a mental health or addiction professional, such as a counselor, therapist or psychologist. Addiction treatment facilities offer this type of consultation, or you could look for an individual professional working in this field. One way to do this is to check the list of professionals who are covered under your health insurance plan if you have one.

Getting a proper diagnosis will help you understand how to move forward. The professional can determine if you have diazepam substance use disorder and the severity of your case. A trained professional should also assess you for co-occurring mental illness. It’s common for people to have both substance use disorder and one or more mental disorder at the same time. Treatment is not entirely effective unless professionals address the full picture. Toward this same end, it’s important to be honest about all psychoactive substances you may be using, so your treatment can specifically address polydrug abuse if necessary.

A proper diagnosis can help you make a better decision when you look into treatment programs and facilities. For example, if you know you have both a substance use disorder and depression, you can search for a program that is able to address both.

If you’re the loved one of someone who’s showing signs of addiction, you could use this information to talk to the person. When you know the symptoms, it will help you explain in an understanding way that you have noticed these signs in the person. This knowledge could also help if you decide to stage an intervention with the help of a professional.

Step One: Detox Treatment for Diastat AcuDial Withdrawal

People tend to think of rehab when they think of drug treatment, but that is the second stage of an effective treatment approach. First, you need to stop the diazepam use and wait until the drug leaves your body. If your body has become dependent on Diastat AcuDial, it’s likely that you will experience some form of withdrawal symptoms during this stage.

Because of these symptoms, detox treatment provides important support. In some cases, it’s possible for people to go through the withdrawal period on their own. However, with benzodiazepines like Diastat AcuDial, withdrawal can potentially be dangerous and even life-threatening. Relying on medical professionals to help you get through this stage makes the process safer. Professionals can monitor your vital signs and provide medications to ease symptoms.

A detox program also makes the withdrawal phase more comfortable. By taking medications to relieve symptoms and by receiving support, the withdrawal process can be easier for you. You don’t have to suffer through it on your own.

Further, when people try to detox on their own, they often go back to using the drug or another type of substance. This is because it’s hard to go through withdrawal symptoms without support. These symptoms can be so difficult that they drive you to go back to the drug to find relief. Then, you’re back where you started, stuck from moving forward with treatment. Many people also see it as a bonus of checking into a detox facility that they are separated from the drug. This separation forces you to go forward through the withdrawal process once and for all.

Therefore, a detox program can make the diazepam withdrawal period safer, easier and more effective than trying to do it on your own. Once you have completed this process, you have made it past the major hurdle of withdrawal symptoms and are able to move forward on the treatment path toward recovery.

Step Two: Rehab Treatment for Diazepam Addiction

Some people think they’re done with treatment after they have completed a detox program. But detox is only one part of an effective treatment approach. Detox helps you get the drug out of your system and get past withdrawal symptoms. It doesn’t help you deal with the thoughts, behaviors and associated problems you develop as part of addiction. This is what rehabilitation treatment is for. If you stop treatment after detox, you’ll have a higher risk of relapse, resulting in you going back to drug use. On the other hand, continuing with rehab treatment gives you a better chance of staying on the path of recovery.

Rehab treatment centers on therapy. Through individual therapy and group sessions, you can gain insight into your diazepam addiction. Therapy can help you understand what factors helped bring you down the path to addiction and what you can do to turn things around. By better understanding addiction and how it’s affecting you, you have a better chance of overcoming and managing it. With the help of qualified professionals, you can identify and learn to overcome cravings, triggers and other thought and behavior problems resulting from addiction. Learning coping skills can help you avoid relapse when you go back to living your normal, day-to-day life.

In addition, behavioral health professionals can help you deal with the problems addiction has caused in your life and how they have affected your mental well-being. Many treatment programs also provide family therapy to help you and your family work through the problems your addiction has caused within your family unit.

Therapy is the main component of a rehabilitation program, yet these treatment programs often provide additional services. The best rehab programs offer a range of holistic services to help you get a handle on the many ways addiction has affected your mind, body, spirit, family and overall life. Addiction is a complex problem, so the best programs will offer a comprehensive plan to help you deal with all the facets of this problem.

Further, the best treatment plans are customized to fit your needs. Your plan should take into account factors that could impact your recovery, such as:
- The type(s) of drug you’re using
- The extent of your use
- The severity of your substance use disorder
- Whether you have a co-occurring mental disorder
- Your state of health
You can also choose from different types of treatment programs and facilities to best fit your needs and preferences.

Consider What Diastat AcuDial Treatment Your Health Insurance Plan Covers

There are a range of rehab programs and facilities available to help you with your recovery. The next step is about finding the right one for you.

That said, it is important to consider the differing costs if budget is a concern, and keep in mind that health insurance plans tend to cover some types of rehab treatment. If you need to choose the most affordable treatment program available—or simply want to save some money—it’s a good idea to start with your insurance company. It can tell you which types of treatment it covers and which providers are included within the plan’s network. In most cases, going to an in-network provider is much more affordable than going to an out-of-network provider, and some plans do not cover out-of-network providers at all.

If you’re going to use your health insurance plan to help with the cost of rehab treatment, make sure you follow the plan’s guidelines. In many cases, the insurance company requires you to get pre-authorization before it will fully cover this type of treatment. This means that the insurance carrier wants to make sure you need rehab treatment before it agrees to cover some of the cost. You can talk to your insurance company about its policies, but pre-authorization would most likely involve you getting a substance use disorder diagnosis from a behavioral health professional.

Levels of Diastat AcuDial Treatment

Rehab treatment programs vary in how intensive the treatment is. If you have a moderate to severe substance use disorder, it’s likely that one of the most comprehensive types of treatment would help you best. Otherwise, you might not get the level of care you need to truly move forward on the path of recovery.

You might find that participating in just one type of diazepam treatment helps you move into sobriety and recovery. But many people succeed with a step-down approach that transitions them from more comprehensive care to less intensive care. This approach can start with one of the most intensive options, which include inpatient treatment, an intensive outpatient program (IOP) or partial hospitalization.

Then, you could transition to a regular outpatient program, which is less intensive than an IOP. There is also the option of a halfway house or sober living residence, which some people decide to enter after an inpatient or outpatient program.

From there, you could continue your recovery by getting ongoing support through periodic office visits with a professional and/or community peer support groups, such as 12-step meetings. This guide will give more information on each type of rehab treatment as you continue reading.

Some people may want or need to go through a number of levels, but you don’t necessarily have to. The key is figuring out which path is right for you, with the goal of sticking with recovery. It takes time to become addicted, and the addiction becomes a complicated problem with many aspects. Because of this, it takes time to undo the effects and to move forward with a new way of living. Many treatment programs do not last long enough for you to be recovered completely by the time you’re finished. Instead, you use what you learn and continue with the journey. Instead of doing it on your own and potentially relapsing, it can help to transition to another type of treatment and stick to the recovery path.

Inpatient and Intensive Outpatient Treatment

The most comprehensive addiction treatment you can get is found at inpatient treatment centers and IOPs (also called intensive outpatient treatment, or IOT). Both of these options provide intensive treatment that addresses a range of your needs. They include individual therapy, often in the form of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), to support you on a private, one-to-one basis.

A large component is group therapy, which includes the other people who are going through the program with you. Group therapy provides the benefits of peer support, seeing that you’re not alone, learning from the group and gaining guidance from a professional. A good program will offer many groups, each with a different focus. These can include:
- Psychoeducational groups that teach you about addiction, how it affects your life and ways to manage it and prevent relapse. There are often introductory ones that keep things simple and then more intensive ones as you progress with treatment.
- Support groups that put you with people at the same treatment stage you’re in so you can work on similar problems together.
- Skill-development groups, which include helpful information on topics like preventing relapse, managing stress and refusing substances.
- Interpersonal groups, which could include family groups, couples groups and single-interest groups that focus on a sensitive issue affecting the group members, such as sexual abuse.
In addition to therapy and counseling, inpatient and intensive outpatient treatment options provide medication management and pharmacotherapy when needed. These services can be used for many purposes. Medication can manage withdrawal symptoms during detox, lessen cravings, act as a substitute for illicit drugs you may be using, block effects of diazepam and treat other conditions you may have.

How to Choose Between Inpatient and Outpatient Diastat AcuDial Treatment

Inpatient treatment, also known as residential treatment, is even more comprehensive than an intensive outpatient program. That’s because you’re living on site for the duration of the program. An IOP may require that you attend the program for three to five days per week for a few hours each day. This provides a consistent, ongoing option.

Yet a residential program has you focus on your recovery every day and provides around-the-clock support. You’ll get to have free time, but you’ll consistently work on your recovery on a daily basis. There will always be professionals on hand when you need support, as well as peers going through the program who can also provide support. Further, inpatient treatment programs tend to provide additional services compared to an IOP. Since you’re living on site, you’ll be eating meals on site. Quality programs create healthy meals that support and heal your brain and body through the right dietary nutrients. Many offer fitness programs and holistic health services such as yoga, meditation, art therapy, acupuncture and more.

Another factor is whether you want or need to stay near your home or whether you’re open to traveling. When you’re going to stay in a residential facility, you’re able to broaden your focus. You could enter a program that looks perfect for you yet is not located where you live. Unless you change your living situation, you’ll need to choose from local benzodiazepine outpatient programs, which could be limited depending on where you live.

Some people benefit from staying at home and being able to complete a treatment program around other responsibilities. They’re not able or willing to leave their work and family responsibilities for a time while they go through treatment. They need to find a balance. If this is the case for you, an outpatient program might be the better fit. You are able to get a better balance when you can attend the outpatient program while also having the flexibility to leave and take care of other responsibilities in between. Outpatient programs also tend to be more affordable than inpatient ones. A regular outpatient program is even more flexible than an intensive outpatient program, yet it is often not comprehensive enough to be truly effective on its own.

Other people benefit more from an inpatient program that takes them away from their everyday world. If your life is filled with stressors and triggers that encourage you to engage in substance use, it could be helpful to get away from those influences while you focus on treatment and recovery. You’ll also get away from diazepam itself, so you won’t have access or the temptation that could encourage relapse. Further, you could get away from people who may encourage drug use and not be understanding that you’re trying to quit.

By staying in a residential facility, you can put your entire focus on recovery. You’ll consistently be in programs designed to help you and surrounded by a sober environment, behavioral health professionals and supportive peers sharing a similar experience. You’ll learn better coping strategies so you’ll be better able to handle everyday life when you go back to it, helping you avoid substance use. If you have responsibilities like a family and job, it’s possible to discuss time away and make it work. Ultimately, recovering will make you a better family member and employee, and fully focusing your time could potentially help shorten your recovery time in the long run.

When you choose inpatient treatment, you have the option of entering a luxury or specialty treatment center. These facilities offer a unique and rejuvenating experience that can facilitate your transformation. You can compare luxury centers to find one that fits your preferences. You could find one located within a relaxing setting, such as on the beach. Some include a natural experience within your healing plan, such as a wilderness or equine program. Also, luxury centers generally offer on-site amenities that give you a superior experience.

Partial Hospitalization as Diastat AcuDial Rehab

This option provides an alternative to an intensive outpatient program. It’s similar but slightly different. You would get support at a hospital for a few days each week, staying for a few hours each day. This option allows you to spend most of your time at home or taking care of responsibilities, while gaining the support of medical supervision, intensive psychiatric care and medication if needed.

Outpatient Programs for Diastat AcuDial Addiction Help

There are many regular outpatient programs that are less comprehensive and consistent than an intensive outpatient program. Regular outpatient options vary greatly by the program and facility, so it’s essential for you to look into what each one in your area offers. Many provide the bare minimum with only simple support groups for you to take part in. Others may provide additional services. When considering these programs for Diastat AcuDial rehab, you can also think of which treatment stage you find yourself in. If you have already taken part in more intensive treatment, even minimal services may benefit you as a form of aftercare treatment.

Halfway Houses or Sober Living Residences for Diastat AcuDial Addiction

Both halfway houses and sober living residences provide a sober living environment and support to help you transition from rehab to everyday life, while a halfway house also tends to include counseling.

Office Visits as Diastat AcuDial Treatment

You could go to office visits with a therapist or counselor. These visits provide individual therapy to help you work on addiction and mental health concerns. Visits tend to be sporadic, making this treatment a good option if you have a mild substance use disorder or as a form of aftercare to follow more intensive treatment.

Meetings for Diastat AcuDial Addiction Support

Community support group meetings provide another option that could be beneficial for sticking with recovery and avoiding relapse. These meetings provide peer support and often follow a 12-step program. For Diastat AcuDial addiction, you could consider a Benzodiazepine Anonymous group or a group that includes any type of substance use.

Which Level of Diastat AcuDial Treatment Should You Start With?

If you’re not sure about the level or type of Diastat AcuDial treatment you should start with, a mental health or addiction professional can help point you in the right direction. You could find this kind of help by seeing if your employment offers an employee assistant program, contacting your insurance company, researching professionals in your area or getting a consultation with a rehab facility.

An inpatient or intensive outpatient program is often the best place to start rehab treatment, once you have completed a detox program. Many programs incorporate detox and rehab into one to help you get the best care and to smoothly transition from one to the next. Comprehensive treatment programs with a customized plan give you the best chance of success at getting past a Diastat AcuDial addiction and moving forward with recovery. Then, you may decide that one or more of the additional treatment types are beneficial to sticking with recovery and preventing relapse.

View the original article at thefix.com
9 May 2019
Finding the Best Treatment Options for Clonazepam Addiction
If you or your loved one have an addiction to the prescription drug clonazepam, it’s imperative that you seek treatment from a professional.

Table of Contents
Unfortunately, it can be challenging to sort through your many options and find a rehab program that meets your needs. That’s why you must have access to the information required to make an informed treatment decision.

One crucial element in your decision-making process is an understanding of how clonazepam abuse causes harm. You must also understand which rehab methods are known to produce successful results. Just as importantly, you must know how to identify recovery programs that use those methods to the greatest effect. With this information at your disposal, you can make smart choices that turn addiction rehab from a vague hope into an achievable reality.

What is Clonazepam and How is it Used?

Clonazepam is the generic name of a prescription medication that forms part of the family of substances called benzodiazepines. In the U.S., the medication is also available under the brand name Klonopin. Benzodiazepines belong to a larger group of substances known as sedative-hypnotics or tranquilizers. When you take them, they travel to your brain, where they increase levels of a chemical called GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid).

GABA’s main purpose in your brain is to slow down the rate of communication between your nerve cells. It does this by suppressing electrical activity. By increasing normal production of GABA, benzodiazepines trigger decreased activity throughout your central nervous system. (In addition to your brain, this system includes your spinal cord). In turn, this drop in nerve signaling produces a calming, relaxing or sedating effect throughout your body.

While all benzodiazepines share the same core structure, they can differ from each other in several ways. First, not all members of this medication family are absorbed into your bloodstream at the same speed. Benzodiazepines also vary in how long they make changes in your normal brain chemistry. Finally, benzodiazepine medications differ in how quickly they lose their impact and get eliminated from your system. Taken together, these contrasts help explain why medications of this type have their own specific uses and effects.

Clonazepam takes longer to affect your system than a lot of benzodiazepines. However, it doesn’t take as long as others. Once the medication reaches your brain, it produces its effects for a relatively extended amount of time. These properties make Klonopin and its generic equivalent suitable for the treatment of conditions that include panic attacks, convulsion (seizures), insomnia and anxiety. Doctors may also prescribe clonazepam to reverse the effects of a catatonic state or to treat certain side effects of antipsychotic medications.

Other Names for Klonopin and Clonazepam

Like many addictive substances, Klonopin and clonazepam are sometimes known by informal street names. Slang terms for Klonopin in particular include K-pin and Pin. More general street names for clonazepam and other benzodiazepines include:
- Tranks
- Downers
- Benzos
- Nerve pills
Side Effects of Clonazepam

Benzodiazepines were developed as a safer alternative to an older group of sedatives and tranquilizers called barbiturates. Nevertheless, use of these newer medication options also comes with the risk of significant side effects. Relatively mild potential side effects of clonazepam/Klonopin consumption include:
- Sleepiness
- Disruptions in normal thought and memory
- A decline in your normal ability to coordinate body movements
- Painful joints or muscles
- Blurry vision
- Lightheadedness
- Increased urination
- Altered sexual performance or sexual drive
- Increases in your normal saliva output
As a rule, these effects are only a cause for concern if they become ongoing or take a severe form.

Certain other side effects of the medication are always considered serious, and require immediate attention from a doctor whenever they occur. Examples here include:
- The development of hives or a rash
- Problems swallowing or breathing
- An unexplained hoarse voice
- Swelling that affects tissues in your throat, tongue, lips, face or eyes
Klonopin Overdose

You can potentially overdose on benzodiazepines if you take them too often and/or in excessive amounts. Overuse of longer-acting medications like clonazepam/Klonopin comes with a higher overdose risk than shorter-acting benzodiazepines. Potential symptoms of a clonazepam overdose include a confused mental state, sleepiness and the unresponsive state known as a coma.

Most people who overdose won’t die if Klonopin is the only substance in their system. However, risks for death can rise sharply if you combine the medication with alcohol, opioids or other substances that also slow down your nervous system. In fact, benzodiazepines are found in the bloodstreams of roughly one-third of all Americans who overdose on opioids. More than 100 people die from such overdoses on the average day. Public health experts believe that clonazepam and other benzodiazepines make a consideration contribution to this death toll.

How Does Clonazepam Addiction Occur?

Tolerance and dependence are not uncommon in people who take clonazepam for extended periods of time. Tolerance occurs when you no longer feel the expected effects from a given dose of the medication. Dependence occurs when your brain grows accustomed to the higher output of GABA triggered by the presence of clonazepam. Most cases of benzodiazepine tolerance appear in people who take these medications for at least half a year.

If you become dependent on Klonopin, you can develop withdrawal symptoms if you stop taking the medication or take a significantly lower dose. Acute (short-term) withdrawal can begin in a week or so if you stop taking a short-acting benzodiazepine. However, acute symptoms may take 30 to 60 days to appear in people who take a long-acting medication like clonazepam.

If you experience Klonopin withdrawal, the most likely acute symptoms include an anxious or irritable mental state, sleeplessness, unusual changes in your muscle function, a rapid heartbeat and blurry vision. Other potential symptoms include depression and feelings of detachment from your sense of self or your surroundings.

Dependence is common in anyone who takes daily doses of Klonopin for at least two months. However, your doctor can help you manage dependence, avoid withdrawal and maintain a stable lifestyle.

If you abuse the medication, you can transition from manageable dependence to uncontrolled clonazepam addiction. If you’re a legitimate prescription holder, you can abuse that prescription by taking the medication more often or in larger amounts than indicated. You can also abuse Klonopin by taking it in any amount without a prescription.

Besides abuse, other factors can also contribute to your chances of getting addicted to clonazepam. They include having a prescription with a high dosage and simultaneously engaging in alcohol abuse or barbiturate abuse. Your addiction risks also rise if you have a condition that requires long-term use of the medication.

People who are addicted to Klonopin or other benzodiazepines may be diagnosed with something called sedative, hypnotic or anxiolytic use disorder. The same diagnosis may also apply to non-addicted users who still experience serious, medication-related disruption of their ability to function. When checking for the presence of the disorder, doctors and addiction specialists look for symptoms such as:
- Inability to limit your intake of the medication
- Devotion of much of your day to acquiring or consuming Klonopin, or recovering from its effects
- Keeping up your intake even if you understand that it causes mental or physical damage
- Keeping up your intake even if you understand that it causes your relationships to suffer
- Experiencing cravings for Klonopin when not actively using the medication
- Choosing consumption of the prescription drug over things you used to do for fun or recreation
- A pattern of use that stops you from meeting established obligations or duties
Detox as the First Step to Addiction Recovery

At the start of rehab for your Klonopin problems, you must go through a period of supervised detoxification or detox. The detox process gives you time to go through withdrawal in the safest manner possible. To maximize your comfort and help avoid relapses, your doctor will lower your intake gradually, not all at once. The length of this process is determined in large part by how long you’ve used the medication. It also depends on how long you’ve been addicted. Detoxification can last for months in people with a long history of consumption or abuse.

The course of detox may change significantly if you also abuse alcohol, opioids or other addictive substances. Your doctor will need to account for withdrawal symptoms related to these substances. Simultaneous alcohol and benzodiazepine withdrawal can be especially challenging, since benzodiazepines are often used to manage alcohol withdrawal.

Inpatient or Outpatient Addiction Treatment

Detox and enrollment in active rehab are often separate phases of addiction treatment. However, that situation can change for people addicted to Klonopin or other long-acting benzodiazepines. Since it may take months to complete the withdrawal process, rehab and detox can overlap for substantial amounts of time. In fact, rehab counseling can help addicted people keep up their efforts during the long detoxification process.

Counseling can take place in an inpatient or outpatient treatment facility. Inpatient care in a residential facility is recommended for anyone moderately or severely affected by Klonopin withdrawal symptoms. Your doctor may also recommend an inpatient program if you have co-existing problems with other types of substances. In addition, you may receive an inpatient recommendation if you’ve been diagnosed with any form of serious mental illness. That’s true because the presence of a separate mental illness can complicate the course of effective addiction treatment.

Outpatient care may be suitable if you only suffer from mild benzodiazepine-related addiction. However, even in these circumstances, a residential facility offers some important benefits. A short list of these benefits includes 24/7 health monitoring, rapid assistance for any emergencies and avoidance of daily situations that make medication abuse more likely to occur.

Rehab Options

If you’re only addicted to clonazepam, medication may not play a role in your rehab treatment plan. Instead, your plan will probably center on supportive care and the use of some form of evidence-based psychotherapy. One form of therapy with known benefits for benzodiazepine rehab is cognitive behavioral therapy or CBT.

Cognitive behavioral therapy has a couple of primary goals. Its first objective is to help you understand some of the underlying reasons why you got involved in medication abuse. Next, the therapy helps you change your old behaviors, thought patterns and general expectations in stressful situations. The overall benefit is an improved ability to resist the temptation to abuse Klonopin. You may receive CBT or other therapies in a group setting or in individual sessions.

Choosing Your Addiction Rehab Destination

All high-quality rehabs for clonazepam addiction will offer basic services designed to help you recover your sobriety. They will also employ skilled addiction professionals and perform thorough assessments of your current mental and physical health. However, the best rehabs go beyond this accepted standard with supportive care that boosts your ultimate odds of treatment success. This type of care comes in many forms, and may include such options as relaxation therapy, yoga or stress management.

When selecting your preferred rehab, make sure to ask questions and get a full picture of what to expect. No matter where you go for treatment, you should be allowed to participate in an active way and state your needs and opinions. Your doctor should also verify your understanding of the benefits and challenges of the care plan created for you. At the end of the day, the best rehab option is the one that makes it possible for you to achieve and maintain long-term sobriety.

View the original article at thefix.com
9 May 2019
Best Treatment Options for Duragesic Addiction
If you or someone you know is dealing with Duragesic addiction, you must call on professional help to make your recovery.

Rehab and treatment centers around the country advertise their services in print and online. However, not all options will meet your specific needs. To support your own best interests, you must be familiar with some of the basics of Duragesic-related problems. You must also familiarize yourself with the most effective addiction treatments and identify rehab facilities with a proven track record for top-quality care.

Table of Contents
What is Duragesic and What is it Used For?

Duragesic is the trademarked name of a prescription medication that contains the powerful opioid fentanyl. It comes in the form of a transdermal patch applied to the skin. The patch’s fentanyl content is gradually absorbed into your bloodstream over a period of several days.

Like all opioid prescription drugs, Duragesic/fentanyl decreases your pain sensitivity by blocking normal pain signaling in your body and brain. Secondary effects of the medication include sedation and intense feelings of pleasure and happiness. These feelings help explain fentanyl’s potential as a drug of abuse. That’s true because patterns of abuse often begin as the consequence of a desire for repeated mood elevation.

Doctors should only prescribe Duragesic to people who meet certain strict criteria. First, to qualify for legitimate use, you must have pain symptoms that are chronic and severe enough to call for 24-hour treatment. In addition, you must have tried other treatment options that failed to provide you with adequate relief.

Finally, you must have a considerable, pre-existing tolerance to the effects of opioid drugs or medications. The level of intake required to meet the definition of tolerance varies from substance to substance. (Some people qualify for Duragesic use after becoming tolerant to weaker prescription opioids. Others may have a prior history of using heroin or other opioid street drugs.)

These precautions are due to Duragesic’s high fentanyl content. Fentanyl, a completely synthetic or manmade medication, is one of the world’s strongest opioids. When used improperly, it produces heightened risks for two serious problems: addiction and overdose. In fact, fentanyl and similar synthetic products are currently responsible for more deaths than any other opioid medication or drug.

The list of additional fentanyl-based prescription drugs includes Sublimaze and Actiq. When abused or sold through illegal means, fentanyl products are often known by street names such as:
- Jackpot 
- China Girl 
- Friend 
- Dance Fever 
- Tango and Cash 
- China White 
- Murder 8 
- Apache 
- Goodfellas 
Development of Duragesic or Fentanyl Dependence

Duragesic can be vital for the treatment of opioid-tolerant people coping with severe, chronic pain. However, since this prescription drug contains fentanyl, it has the clear potential to produce both dependence and addiction. In the case of opioid drugs and medications, dependence and addiction are not the same thing.

Since Duragesic is used to help people with chronic pain symptoms, its consumption often continues over extended periods of time. Long-term intake of any prescription opioid can make you dependent. In the case of Duragesic, a state of dependence occurs when your brain comes to expect regular doses of fentanyl. If those doses don’t arrive at the typical time or in typical amounts, you may experience symptoms of withdrawal.

Early symptoms of classic opioid withdrawal range from excessive tear and mucus production to increased sweating, uncontrolled yawning and disrupted sleep. If withdrawal progresses further, you may develop additional symptoms such as dilated pupils, goose bumps and abdominal and bowel problems.

Fentanyl dependence is a manageable condition. Your doctor can work with you to provide a dose of the medication that provides adequate pain treatment and steers you clear of withdrawal. Every day, people dependent on Duragesic remain functional members of society with the proper medical help and oversight.

Development of Duragesic Addiction or Fentanyl Addiction

Untreated fentanyl addiction or Duragesic addiction is something else entirely. People who pass from controlled dependence to uncontrolled addiction experience clear, damaging changes in their physical and/or mental well-being. They also typically lose their ability to maintain functional and stable lives.

It’s critical to note that you can develop an addiction to Duragesic even if you take this prescription drug exactly as intended by your doctor. However, your risks for addiction increase significantly if you engage in a pattern of misuse or abuse. Abuse of fentanyl or Duragesic can be divided into three forms or categories.

If you hold a legitimate prescription for the medication, you can fall into abuse by consuming it more often than your doctor indicated. You can also meet the standard for misuse/abuse by taking the drug in larger amounts than indicated. The third category of Duragesic abuse includes anyone who uses even a single transdermal patch without a prescription.

A doctor or addiction specialist can diagnose the presence of a fentanyl addiction by looking for the presence of certain symptoms. These symptoms form part of a condition called opioid use disorder, or OUD. Doctors and public health officials use the OUD label to describe substance disorders triggered by the use of opioid drugs or medications. The terms for opioid use disorder also include people who are not addicted, but nevertheless experience serious, opioid-related harms.

Possible Opioid Use Disorder Indicators in Duragesic Users
- Regularly using Duragesic too often or in higher-than-prescribed amounts 
- Losing your ability to gain control over your intake despite multiple efforts 
- Using the prescription drug repeatedly in dangerous situations 
- The presence of strong urges for further Duragesic abuse 
- Maintenance of a pattern of use that you know harms your physical or mental health 
- Maintenance of a pattern of use that you know interferes with important relationships 
- Rising tolerance to the painkilling or pleasure-producing effects of fentanyl 
- Establishment of Duragesic/fentanyl abuse as a major element of your daily schedule 
- Replacement of former activities or hobbies with Duragesic abuse 
- A failure to meet important life responsibilities that’s the result of your prescription drug consumption 
- The onset of withdrawal if you switch to a lower-strength patch, use Duragesic less often or completely stop use of the medication 
It’s possible to have mild, moderate or severe symptoms of opioid use disorder. Part of that determination is based on the overall number of symptoms present within a 12-month period. You may also have specific symptoms that vary in intensity or duration.

Fentanyl and Duragesic Recovery Begin with Enrollment in Detox

Effective help is available for people affected by Duragesic addiction or fentanyl addiction. The first step in the road to lasting recovery is participation in a medical detox (detoxification) program. Detox begins when your consumption of a drug or medication comes to a halt. With no more of the addictive substance flowing into your bloodstream, you will begin to go through the process of withdrawal.

Unfortunately, people with an addiction to Duragesic and other forms of fentanyl are susceptible to severe withdrawal symptoms. These severe issues can take the form of disrupted sleep, overwhelming urges for continued drug intake and a combination of diarrhea and vomiting. You may also experience problems such as involuntary movement of your legs, pain in your bones or muscles, or goose flesh accompanied by cold flashes.

No matter what type of substance you abuse, the severity of withdrawal symptoms during detox can make you want to halt your recovery efforts. This is especially true for people enrolled in detox for a Duragesic addiction or fentanyl addiction. In these cases, severe symptoms can appear just a few hours after medication intake stops.

In recent years, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved some new treatment options that may help make the process more tolerable. One option now available to anyone struggling with severe fentanyl withdrawal is the non-opioid medication lofexidine. This prescription drug widens your blood vessels and increases blood flow in your circulatory system. In turn, this increased blood flow helps ease the intensity of Duragesic detox.

Your doctor may also prescribe an electrical, nerve-stimulating device called the NSS-2 Bridge. When placed behind your ear, the NSS-2 sends periodic pulses of electricity to the cranial nerves at the bottom of your brain. These pulses alter nerve function in a way designed to help control your detox symptoms. You may receive treatment with the device for as many as five days.

The Impact of Co-Occurring Mental Disorders and Addiction

The time you spend in detox before active rehabilitation has other vital uses. For instance, it gives your doctor a chance to assess you for additional problems that may be damaging your well-being. One problem of particular importance is the presence of a serious mental health issue other than opioid use disorder. When mental health disorders appear in combination with OUD or other substance use disorders, you may qualify for something called co-occurring disorders or dual diagnosis.

Co-occurring disorders are relatively common. That’s unfortunate, because their presence can make it much more difficult to provide adequate treatment. In some cases, fentanyl addiction (or other drug or alcohol problems) may appear before the onset of separate mental illness. In other cases, diagnosable symptoms of mental illness appear prior to the onset of addiction. To recover from co-occurring disorders, you must receive treatments that address mental illness as well as your prescription drug problem.

Depression is one of the most frequent mental illnesses in people affected by dual diagnosis. Other conditions known to appear in combination with substance addiction include schizophrenic disorders and anxiety disorders. Personality disorder (PD) is also on the short list of the most likely contributors to dual diagnosis.

Duragesic Rehab Is a Necessary Next Step

To make good on your recovery from fentanyl addiction, you must enter Duragesic rehab after you complete the detox process. If you fail to follow up your detox participation with a rehabilitation program, you run several major risks. First, without follow-up addiction treatment, you can quickly end up returning to a pattern of fentanyl abuse. Relapses are not uncommon in people in recovery. However, they pose a special danger for people recovering from fentanyl- or Duragesic-related problems.

Since fentanyl is one of the strongest opioids in the world, it has a tremendous potential to trigger the symptoms of opioid overdose. In recent years, the number of overdoses related to use of this powerful drug have skyrocketed. Throughout the nation, public health officials view this rise in fatalities as a major threat and challenge.

Why is this information important to people who detox from Duragesic? During the detox process, you will gradually grow less tolerant to the drug effects of fentanyl. When detoxification is complete, you’ll feel the impact of doses far below your previous, accustomed level of intake. If you try to “pick up where you left off,” you may be on a fast track to an overdose with a potentially lethal outcome. For these reasons, addiction experts view relapse and overdose as the primary dangers of detox.

There is another huge reason for entering a rehab treatment facility after detox ends. To make lasting changes in your fentanyl-related behaviors, you must develop your awareness of how addiction works. You must also develop the crucial skills that will help you avoid substance abuse in various daily situations. Duragesic rehab programs are specifically designed for people with fentanyl/opioid problems. By enrolling in them, you optimize your chances for a sustainable short- and long-term recovery.

Options for Successful Rehab and Recovery

Successful rehabilitation from prescription drug addiction can occur in one of three places. Most people receive the treatment they need in inpatient rehab facilities. Facilities in this category are residential. Throughout your enrollment, you will live onsite, rather than at home.

This residential setup gives doctors and support staff the ability to monitor your mental and physical state at all hours of the day and night. It also makes it easier to make any necessary adjustments in your current treatment plan. In addition, enrollment in inpatient rehab provides 24/7 access to emergency help if you should experience any treatment complications.

People who experience milder symptoms while going through detox may be able to meet their needs in an outpatient fentanyl rehabilitation program. If you enroll in outpatient care, you’ll remain at home during treatment. On a given number of days per week, you’ll travel to your chosen rehab center for checkups and assessments. Even if you have moderate addiction or withdrawal symptoms, you can sometimes choose outpatient care. This is especially true if you can’t make the time commitment required for inpatient addiction treatment.

The third possibility for Duragesic rehab or fentanyl rehabilitation is hospitalization. As a rule, only people with severe and/or life-threatening withdrawal symptoms qualify for this option. People who start rehab in hospitals may be transferred to inpatient or outpatient care at a later date.

Since Duragesic or fentanyl abuse can lead to severe addiction and withdrawal side effects, outpatient care is often not an option. However, unless you also abuse other substances, opioid withdrawal is not typically life-threatening. Taking these two factors into account, it’s probable that inpatient Duragesic rehabilitation is your best option for effective addiction recovery. The presence of a co-occurring disorder also increases the odds that you will need to receive addiction treatment through a residential rehabilitation program.

Duragesic Treatment Plans

The standard option for treatment of any form of opioid addiction is a combination of medication and behavior-modifying psychotherapy. The medications used during fentanyl rehab may have any one of several purposes. Like lofexidine, they may help ease the symptoms of opioid withdrawal. You may also receive medication in order to reduce the intensity of any ongoing cravings for opioid use. In addition, your treatment plan may include medication designed to stop opioids from having a drug effect in your brain and body. All three of these approaches help keep you sober and reduce your chances of relapsing back into active substance abuse.

Buprenorphine and methadone are two of the frontline medications for Duragesic addiction treatment. While it may seem unusual, both of these options also belong to the opioid family of prescription drugs. Buprenorphine is a relatively weak opioid, while methadone has a stronger effect. However, both medications are less powerful than fentanyl (which can be up to 100 times stronger than morphine, the source of all heroin.)

During fentanyl rehab, substitution of buprenorphine or methadone for Duragesic has some important benefits. First, it allows you to go through detox without going “cold turkey” and triggering severe, withdrawal-related side effects. At the same time, your dose of these prescription drugs won’t be enough to get you “high.” Instead, your controlled intake will limit your opioid cravings and make it possible to stabilize your condition. As you improve, you doctor may gradually taper your medication dosage down to nothing. However, some people continue to receive ongoing, maintenance doses of buprenorphine or methadone.

The third well-established medication for treatment of Duragesic addiction is naltrexone. This anti-opioid enters your bloodstream and blocks the pathways that normally give opioids their brain-altering powers. With naltrexone in your system, you can’t really get high. For this reason, you’ll have far less motivation for a relapse from Duragesic rehabilitation. You can only safely take naltrexone if you’ve completed opioid detox. Otherwise, the rapid shutoff of opioids’ brain access could lead to the onset of heavy withdrawal symptoms.

There are several behavioral therapy options shown to support successful Duragesic rehabilitation. One evidence-based method is called motivational interviewing. It uses counseling techniques to help you get clear about your reasons for halting your substance abuse. Another approach, called contingency management, uses a combination of a point system and prizes or vouchers to help you stay motivated and meet your stated addiction treatment goals. A third choice for therapy, called community reinforcement or CRA, relies on similar methods.

Cognitive behavioral therapy is a fourth option with proven usefulness for fentanyl rehab. This form of treatment aims to help you understand your reasons for getting involved in prescription drug abuse. It also helps you change your daily behaviors and turn away from actions that make abuse more likely to occur. Possible rehabilitation therapies also include 12-step facilitation and family behavior therapy. Depending on your situation, you may receive help in the form of group therapy or individual sessions with your caregiver.

Identifying Preferred Treatment and Rehab Facilities

In today’s world, even substandard prescription drug rehab centers may produce impressive advertising for Duragesic rehabilitation. To wade through the static and find a truly effective program, you should focus on certain key areas. First, look for programs that use treatments backed by scientific evidence and recommendations from authorities in the addiction field. The doctors who administer these treatments should have extensive experience treating patients with opioid-related problems.

Whether you call a hotline or make contact in other ways, rehab programs on your preferred list should offer detailed information on their methods and practices. They should also help resolve any questions you may have about the recovery process.

No reputable fentanyl rehabilitation program will treat you without first conducting a thorough assessment during intake.This assessment is necessary to make sure your recovery takes place in an appropriate setting. It’s also necessary to help identify any factors that may affect the course of addiction treatment. That includes overlapping mental health issues such as PD, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia-related disorders and depression.

The best programs enlist you as an active participant in the rehab process. To this end, they explain each step of treatment and listen to your opinions and observations. In addition, top programs for rehabilitation from Duragesic addiction make sure you feel well-supported at all times. That means hiring well-trained secondary staff and maintaining a safe, secure facility. In a best-case scenario, it also means offering holistic services that help you feel like something more than just another addiction patient.

Only you can make the final call on which treatment program provides the best options for recovery from fentanyl addiction. With a firm understanding of the variables involved, you can choose your rehab destination with confidence. Regardless of your chosen facility, the goal remains the same: sobriety and a return to a lasting, substance-free routine.

View the original article at thefix.com
3 May 2019
How to Find Butrans Addiction Treatment
Trying to find a Butrans rehab? Look no further than our guide on finding the best options to recover in luxury.

Table of Contents

1. What is Butrans and How is it Used?
2. How Buprenorphine Dependence Occurs
3. How Buprenorphine Addiction Occurs
4. Potential Abuse and Addiction Symptoms in Users of Butrans/Buprenorphine
5. Detox and the Road to Recovery
6. From Detox to Buprenorphine Rehab
7. Inpatient and Outpatient Treatment
8. Evidence-Based Treatment and Recovery Options
9. Choosing the Best Rehab for You

What is Butrans and How is it Used?

Butrans is the brand name of an extended-release, transdermal medication made from the opioid prescription drug buprenorphine. Transdermal treatments deliver medication to your bloodstream through a patch applied to your skin. Once the patch is placed, you gradually receive your prescribed treatment over an extended period of time.

Buprenorphine is not a full opioid like medications such as morphine, oxycodone or fentanyl. Instead, it belongs to a group of substances called partial opioids. Substances in this category are strong enough to produce a drug effect, but that effect is weaker than the one produced by a full opioid.

When it enters your central nervous system (brain and spinal cord), buprenorphine does several things. First, it alters your nerve perceptions in a way that reduces pain. The medication also produces notable sensations of pleasure. In addition, like all other opioids, buprenorphine decreases the speed of cell-to-cell communication within your central nervous system. In turn, this drop in activity triggers a significant slowdown in your breathing rate and certain other involuntary nerve functions.

Butrans is designed to treat pain in specific circumstances. First, to qualify for legitimate use of the medication, you must have long-lasting pain so severe that it can only be controlled with ongoing, 24/7 treatment. You must also be unsuited for the use of non-opioid medication or other, less risky treatment options. (Reasons you may not benefit from these safer alternatives include a lack of adequate pain relief and an inability to tolerate their side effects.) In addition, you cannot receive Butrans only on an occasional, as-needed basis.

Butrans comes in several strengths. A low-dose version of this prescription drug is available for people who have never taken opioids before. There are also four higher dosages available for people with previous opioid exposure. Once applied, a patch of the medication stays in place for one week. Potential side effects of Butrans use include sleepiness, lightheadedness, headaches, nausea, vomiting, dry mouth and constipation. They also include itching, skin redness or rash at the site of the patch.

When sold or used illicitly, buprenorphine-based medications are sometimes known by certain street names. These names include:
- Stops
- Strips
- Buse
- Sobos
- Subs
How Buprenorphine Dependence Occurs

Butrans can form an important part of a plan to control serious, long-term pain. However, since it contains an opioid as its active ingredient, its use can trigger a state of substance dependence. In the case of Butrans, this state is defined by a reliance on the drug effects of buprenorphine. Since a transdermal patch delivers the medication to your system around the clock, dependence risks are relatively high.

The most common sign of dependence is the appearance of opioid withdrawal symptoms if you stop taking Butrans or switch to a much weaker medication strength.When withdrawal first begins, you may experience symptoms such as a runny nose, increased sweating and mucus production, frequent yawning and disruption of your normal sleep patterns. If withdrawal progresses, you may also experience symptoms that include nausea, vomiting, loose bowels, cramps in your abdomen and abnormally widened pupils.

Opioid dependence and opioid addiction do not have the same effects on your health and well-being. Dependence is a manageable reliance on opioids commonly found in long-term patients with legitimate prescriptions. You can work with your doctor to keep this condition in check while you lead a normal life. Crucially, the parts of the brain affected by opioid dependence differ from those affected by opioid addiction.

How Buprenorphine Addiction Occurs

Buprenorphine addiction marks a transition from a controlled, relatively safe pattern of medication use to an uncontrolled, dangerous pattern. Unlike dependence, it cannot be managed as a stable condition. Instead, it produces a serious, damaging impact on one or more areas of your daily life.

You can get addicted to Butrans even if you take the medication according to your doctor’s instructions. However, your addiction risks escalate when you take actions that qualify as prescription drug abuse. If you have a legitimate prescription, these actions include applying patches to your skin more often than directed. They also include using multiple patches at once or using a single patch with a higher dosage than prescribed. If you don’t have a Butrans prescription, drug abuse occurs when you use even a single patch of the medication.

Buprenorphine/Butrans addiction is one specific example of a diagnosable illness called OUD or opioid use disorder. You can also receive a diagnosis for this condition if you’re not addicted, but still suffer significant harms as a result of your medication abuse.

Potential Abuse and Addiction Symptoms in Users of Butrans/Buprenorphine
- Inability to control how often you apply the medication to your skin
- Inability to control how much of the medication you apply to your skin
- Using Butrans abuse as a substitute for recreational or leisure-time activities
- Establishment of a daily routine than centers on your medication abuse
- Rising tolerance to the effects of accustomed buprenorphine intake
- Continuation of a mentally or physically damaging pattern of patch use after you become aware of its impact
- Continuation of a pattern of use that you know disrupts your ability to sustain personal, intimate or social connections
- Strong desires for buprenorphine use while doing other things
- A pattern of medication intake in situations that carry a risk for physical harm
- Withdrawal symptoms that arise if your brain doesn’t get its expected medication intake
All cases of OUD are graded as mild, moderate or severe. Milder cases are limited to just two or three symptoms that appear over the course of a single year. If you have four or five of the possible symptoms during that same timeframe, you fall into the category of moderate OUD. If you have at least six symptoms, you will qualify for a diagnosis of severe OUD.

The most severely affected people have all 11 of the potential symptoms. The intensity of individual symptoms can vary between people, and may have a meaningful impact on your ultimate diagnosis.

Detox and the Road to Recovery

To begin your road to addiction recovery, you must break the cycle of uncontrolled substance use. This process begins during an initial step called detoxification or detox. The goal of detox is to halt (or, in some cases, significantly reduce) your medication intake while avoiding or limiting the worst effects of withdrawal. No one can tell in advance how long you will take to detox from Butrans addiction. While the average timeframe is a week to 10 days, factors specific to your situation may alter this estimate.

The symptoms of opioid withdrawal can leave you feeling awful. However, on their own, they can usually be managed without endangering your life. This does not mean that detox is free from the potential for life-threatening complications. For instance, untreated diarrhea and vomiting during withdrawal can trigger medically serious dehydration. If you inhale particles of your vomit during detox, you can develop a serious lung infection.

Despite the reality of these risks, the main dangers to your health during opioid detoxification are undoubtedly relapse and overdose. This is true because the process of detoxing lowers your tolerance to the drug effects of buprenorphine. As a result of this change, a dose of Butrans that was once safe for you to use may now stop your central nervous system from functioning normally. And without prompt medical attention, you may die as a result. Every day of the year, fatal opioid overdoses in the U.S. claim an average of more than 100 victims. The mixing of opioids with alcohol or benzodiazepines can significantly increase your overdose risks.

As a rule, detox and addiction treatment are more difficult for people who have substance problems combined with mental illness. That’s true whether you abuse opioids, alcohol or any other addictive drug/medication. It’s also true whether you suffer from anxiety disorders, depression, a personality disorder (PD) or any other serious mental health condition. To provide adequate care, doctors must address both abuse/addiction and mental illness. Without treatment for both issues, your chances for a sustainable recovery will diminish.

From Detox to Buprenorphine Rehab

When your time in buprenorphine detox comes to end, addiction experts strongly recommend that you move on to a Butrans rehab program. This recommendation is based on a couple of critical points. First, after detoxing from the medication, you will have a much smaller tolerance to its effects. If you relapse back into a pattern of abuse for any reason, this susceptibility to the impact of buprenorphine can put your life in danger. Participation in a rehabilitation program is the best possible way to avoid a quick relapse and its unwanted consequences.

But Butrans rehabilitation does more than help you decrease your short-term relapse risks. It’s also designed to give you the tools to learn how to stay sober long-term. Rehab programs achieve this goal in three ways. First, they help you clearly understand what addiction is and how it works. Rehabilitation also helps you recognize the behaviors, thought patterns and life attitudes that contribute to substance abuse. In addition, it helps you make new choices that keep your future abuse risks in check.

Inpatient and Outpatient Treatment

The vast majority of people with opioid use disorder receive addiction treatment in either an inpatient or outpatient facility. Inpatient rehab is a residential approach that requires you to live in a facility while you receive treatment. During your stay, you receive the benefit of constant support and staff availability. You also have the opportunity to put aside everyday responsibilities and focus on your efforts at recovery. And if any complications arise, immediate medical care will help keep you safe.

Inpatient Butrans rehab is typically recommended for anyone with moderate or severe varieties of opioid use disorder. (In some situations, treatment for severe symptoms may begin in a hospital, instead.) Outpatient rehabilitation is the destination for many people with mild symptoms. This non-residential approach requires you to make periodic visits to a substance treatment facility while you continue to live at home. During your visits, you will do such things as participate in counseling sessions, undergo health assessments and receive any needed medication adjustments.

Outpatient addiction treatment is an excellent way to make effective rehab part of your ordinary, daily routine. However, even people with mild symptoms of buprenorphine addiction sometimes seek inpatient care. The presence of serious mental illness is just one of the reasons for addressing mild addiction in a residential setting.

Evidence-Based Treatment and Recovery Options

The twin pillars of modern opioid addiction treatment are medications and behavioral therapies with demonstrated usefulness for your recovery. If you have Butrans-related problems, you may be surprised to learn that buprenorphine is also a frontline treatment option. It helps to understand that Butrans itself is not used for addiction rehabilitation. Instead, doctors use other medications that contain smaller amounts of buprenorphine. When given to you in the proper dosages, these medications help stabilize your condition, but they don’t get you “high.” Another opioid-based option, methadone, can also be used to achieve the same goals.

When all opioids have left your system, your doctor may help you avoid a relapse by prescribing the anti-opioid medication naltrexone. When present in your bloodstream, this medication creates a chemical barrier that opioid substances can’t cross. By doing so, it prevents the reactions in your brain that make use of these substances feel pleasurable.

Behavioral therapy for Butrans addiction can take several different forms. If you’re unsure of your reasons for seeking help, a technique called motivational interviewing can help you gain needed clarity. Two evidence-based therapies (contingency management and CRA, or community reinforcement approach, plus vouchers) produce results by offering rewards or incentives when you make progress in your program.

A fourth well-known approach, cognitive behavioral therapy, helps you gain insight into how your habitual actions and attitudes support substance abuse. It also helps you establish alternative thoughts and behaviors that don’t provide such support.

Choosing the Best Rehab for You

When making your choices for Butrans rehab, your search should begin with reputable programs that meet modern standards for evidence-based therapy and medication. Your list of options should also be limited to programs that rely on expert caregivers with plenty of addiction-related experience. To make the most of your recovery efforts, look for programs that pair this level of expertise with secure and well-maintained treatment facilities.

Today, most addiction centers have a hotline that you can call for advice and information. When you call a hotline, you should have access to someone who can answer all your questions and help you sort out your possible options. The person you speak to should be ready to address any of your concerns.

At all professional, well-run programs, a doctor or addiction specialist will conduct an interview and assessment as the first steps in the intake process. One of the main purposes in these procedures is to determine the extent of your addiction and identify your specific symptoms. Your doctor or specialist will also take the opportunity to identify PD, anxiety disorders or other mental health conditions that must be addressed during treatment.

Once you know that the facilities on your short list follow these accepted practices, you can look for the extra benefits provided by truly exceptional buprenorphine rehab programs. The best programs view their participants as individuals, not faceless victims of addiction. This holistic approach can be an essential factor in making you feel comfortable and welcome. It often includes personalized supporting treatments that focus on mind and body wellness. Top programs may also offer cutting-edge, supportive options not found in most facilities.

Once you complete primary treatment, aftercare can also play an important role in your long-term recovery. Look for rehabilitation programs that allow you to check in periodically for follow-up assessment and assistance.

No matter which program you choose, only you can take the gradual steps that lead to sobriety. However, by choosing your buprenorphine rehab options wisely, you increase your chances of making that journey a reality.

View the original article at thefix.com
3 May 2019
Cigna Behavioral Health Rehab Coverage for Addiction and Mental Illness

Behavioral health is a term that encompasses all types of mental illness, behavioral disorders and substance use disorders, or addictions. Rehab is an important treatment option for anyone struggling with one of these types of conditions, because it provides long-term, focused and individualized care. Cigna behavioral health rehab coverage is important to consider for anyone who needs this kind of treatment.

What Counts as Behavioral Health?

Medical terms can be confusing, especially when sorting through diagnoses, treatment options and insurance coverage. Behavioral health can refer to mental illnesses, like depression, anxiety disorders, personality disorders, schizophrenia and many others. Some childhood conditions are also a part of behavioral health, like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD.

Behavioral health most often refers to addiction. More formally known as substance use disorder, addiction is a behavioral and mental health condition that is characterized by out-of-control use of drugs or alcohol. While misusing substances is a choice, being addicted is not. Professional and medical treatment is necessary to help individuals overcome this disease and to be firmly in recovery with a lower risk of relapse.

Does Cigna Cover Substance Abuse Treatment?

The degree of coverage depends on individual plans, but yes, Cigna does cover treatment for substance use disorders. Some of the types of services covered are rehab for drugs or alcohol, detoxification and outpatient counseling.

Cigna also offers insurance holders important behavioral health and addiction resources. The free education series provides information about recognizing the signs of addiction as well as advice and helpful tips for both patients in rehabs and their families.

Patients with Cigna health insurance will need to find out if they meet the criteria to have rehab and other types of treatment for substance use covered. It is important for each individual to understand their plans, to know what the requirements are for coverage and to find out what any out-of-pocket costs might be.

Understanding Cigna Behavioral Health Rehab Coverage

The type of coverage a patient has for behavioral health and addiction depends on the plan purchased. It is important to understand coverage when making decisions about treatment. There are many factors to consider, including deductible amounts, whether or not treatment needs be with an in-network provider, whether coverage includes inpatient or outpatient services, if there is any coverage for after care services, and prescription drug costs and coverage.

Individuals should verify coverage and Cigna substance abuse policy before making a choice about treatment. There may be costs that have to be covered out of pocket, depending on individual plans and polices and the treatment chosen.

Cigna In-Network Providers vs. Out-of-Network Providers

One of the most important considerations to make when choosing treatment for addiction is between in- and out-of-network providers. Whether or not a patient needs to get treatment from an in-network provider depends on individual Cigna plans.

For instance, an EPO, or exclusive provider organization, is a type of insurance that requires patients only see treatment providers in the network. A PPO, or preferred provider organization, allows for treatment from providers outside of the network, but costs to the patient may be higher.

It is usually less expensive for the patient to choose treatment through an in-network provider. However, it is worth contacting Cigna to find out what is allowed and what extra costs would be. Sometimes an out-of-network rehab or therapist is the best option for a patient.

Types of Behavioral Health Treatment Covered by Cigna

Cigna substance abuse coverage includes two main types of treatment: inpatient and outpatient care. Outpatient treatment can be as simple as attending 12-step programs and support groups. However, for most people struggling with addiction, this is not enough.

Outpatient care provided by professionals is therapy or addiction counseling. Patients in outpatient treatment may have one or more sessions per week, but they don’t live in a rehab facility. They live at home and are generally able to continue with normal activities, like work and school, while going through treatment.

Inpatient treatment for addiction is also known as residential treatment or rehab. This type of care includes a stay for a month or a few months in a facility that provides 24-hour supervision and daily treatment. Inpatient treatment is best for people who have no safe place to live while getting treatment or who don’t feel confident in being able to stay sober while at home.

Both types of treatment offer one-on-one therapy for learning how to live without alcohol or drugs. Residential care, however, provides much more. Patients in rehab usually have access to medical care, alternative therapies, and family and group therapies. They benefit from a whole team of professionals with different types of behavioral health expertise.

Coverage for Aftercare Services

Aftercare is an important part of addiction treatment, and much of it is covered by Cigna insurance plans. For patients going through residential treatment, aftercare may include outpatient therapy sessions, support group attendance, check-ins back at the residential facility, job and vocational training and medical care.

This kind of ongoing treatment is important, because it provides patients with a smoother transition from the intensity of residential care to life back at home with little or no supervision. Aftercare helps to reduce the incidence of relapse and to minimize the need for additional inpatient treatment in the future.

Some of the types of aftercare that are likely to be at least partially covered by Cigna plans are outpatientsessions with Cigna therapists and potentially with out-of-network providers, prescription drugs and medication-assisted addiction treatment, and the costs of staying in a sober living house.

Cigna Mental Health Coverage

Mental health is typically included in coverage for behavioral health services. In fact, many patients have co-occurring mental illnesses and substance use disorders. The most effective treatment addresses all of the behavioral health needs of an individual. It is important to get a diagnosis that uncovers any substance use disorder or mental illness and to choose treatment services accordingly.

Cigna mental health criteria for coverage are having a diagnosis of a mental illness from a professional and recommended treatment plan. Patients who have been diagnosed are entitled to coverage for appropriate care. Like substance use disorders, this care may include residential treatment if necessary or outpatient therapy.

Types of Behavioral Health Services Cigna May Not Cover

Even with the highest level of Cigna behavioral health rehab coverage, there are some services that are not likely to be paid for by the insurance company. These will be out-of-pocket expense for the patients. Luxury rehab facilities, for instance, are probably not covered for any patient. A private room at a treatment center is also considered a luxury expense that is not typically covered.

The insurance plan will also not cover any medications that can be purchased over the counter. Many types of alternative or complementary services may also not be covered—things like yoga classes, music and art therapy, or massage.

Some of these services and treatments not covered can be beneficial. Patients should find out by contacting Cigna if coverage will be included before committing to them. Those who want to continue with services that are not covered must be prepared to pay the costs.

Finding the Best Behavioral Health Treatment

While Cigna behavioral health rehab coverage should not be the only consideration when choosing the best treatment, it should be an important one. Patients should start with in-network providers and look for a facility or therapist that is experienced and appropriate for the type of care needed. They can ask for references from previous patients and visit facilities to have a tour and to speak with staff before making a final choice.

The treatment a patient gets for addiction or mental illness is crucial to recovery and long-term wellness. It is not a decision that should be taken lightly. Each individual must choose the treatment that feels best and most comfortable but that also meets their needs and makes sense within a Cigna insurance plan and coverage level.

Using Cigna Insurance for Behavioral Health Care

In order to make the best use of Cigna insurance for getting needed treatment for addiction and other behavioral health issues, have a firm understanding of coverage. Patients should check with Cigna to confirm coverage and out-of-pocket costs. They also need to go over insurance plans with the treatment provider. These steps are important to take before committing to any treatment plan.

Most patients will not need a referral from Cigna to get treatment, but pre-authorization may be needed. Insurance holders will also need to cover any remaining deductible costs and copays associated with treatment.

Getting behavioral health treatment is so important and too often overlooked. Insurance holders have an ally with Cigna. This insurance company provides coverage options that work with most people’s needs and income levels. Working with Cigna is a crucial part of getting the best care that is also affordable.

View the original article at thefix.com

1 April 2019
Amanda Bynes Back in Rehab Following Relapse

The former child actor had returned to the limelight in 2018 after a prolonged absence during which she became sober.

Amanda Bynes is back in rehab after a relapse, according to sources close to the star. Bynes seemed to be getting her life back together after spending years in tabloid pages for her drug-fueled behavior, but a source revealed to PEOPLE that Bynes has been in rehab since January.

The source said trouble started brewing for Bynes around the end of last year as geared up for a return to her acting career. Then sober and taking classes at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) in Los Angeles, Bynes spoke openly about her struggles with mental health to Paper magazine.

Bynes found fame as a teenage star on Nickelodeon before landing starring roles in several movies like Big Fat Liar, What a Girl Wants, and She’s the Man. However, seeing herself on screen took a toll on her self-image, especially in 2006’s She’s the Man in which she disguises herself as her brother to play soccer.

“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 confessed.

Her feelings didn’t change in her 2010 appearance in Easy A.

“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,” she said.

To deal with these feelings, she turned to drugs. Not liking the taste of alcohol, she turned to marijuana when she was 16 years old.

“Even though everyone thought I was the ‘good girl,’ I did smoke marijuana from that point on,” she recounted. “Later on it progressed to doing molly and ecstasy. [I tried] cocaine three times but I never got high from cocaine. I never liked it. It was never my drug of choice.”

She also admitted to abusing Adderall, regularly waking and baking, and spiraling out of control. But she was able to get better, still optimistic and talking of living fearlessly as recently as last November.

“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,” she said. “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

4 March 2019
Bam Margera Shares His Rehab Struggles Through Social Media
The long-struggling skateboard star aired his frustrations with rehab on the Internet, letting all his fans see how tough rehab can be.

Bam Margera, the former star of Jackass, is struggling with the confines of his rehabilitation. As reported in The Fix, Bam entered rehab for a third time on January 2, 2019.

Margera has struggled with drugs and alcohol since his youth, and the death of close friends from addiction has been a destructive force in his life. Ryan Dunn, a co-star of Jackass and one of Margera’s best friends, died in an alcohol-fueled, fiery car crash in Pennsylvania on June 20, 2011, alongside his friend Zachary Hartwell.

Bam Margera has taken to Instagram to filter his emotions while in rehab this third time. “Writing is one thing to do in rehab,” is the caption of the below post, published in Livewire:

Dear Cocksuckers,

I have spent enough time grieving over Ryan Dunn through alcohol. I’m 39 years old, the party is over. I don’t plan on drinking anymore. I have wasted too much time at the bar and all my friends who needed decades of help are now sober. I would like to join the sober parade. I hear the stories of other rehab patients telling me about there [sic] weeks or months of horrible detox. Well guess how many days of detox I had? ZERO!

I am sick of people always thinking I’m drunk, crazy or fucked up. So if you plan on calling me to tell me that, you can go fuck yourself instead. I’m not going to suck anyone’s dick to stay on [skateboard company] Element and or prove that I am sober. I am sober. So keep printing BAM [skateboard] decks or don’t. Plant a tree or go bite the big one, every day is Earth day!

Margera’s next Instagram post was as direct and emphatic:

To whom it may concern,
1. I don’t do well with not being allowed to Facetime my wife and kid
2. I don’t do well with not being able to answer important calls with important people
3. I don’t do well with not being able to go with everyone else to an outside AA meeting.
4. I don’t do well with not being allowed to use the gym.
I don’t understand why I can’t go on the Interweb like everyone else.
1. My eyes hurt from reading, my wrist hurts from writing, ’cause there is nothing else to do.
Recovery often involves relapse and it definitely involves struggling through identity and pain, so perhaps Margera’s open discussion of his personal issues is one step closer toward health and sobriety.

View the original article at thefix.com
10 January 2019
Parents Grapple With Cutting Off Children With Addiction

“It’s easy to pay for court costs and to bail them out of every situation. It takes a very long time to gain the strength, courage, and faith to say no,” said one parent.

Parents often spend hefty amounts of money trying to help their children get sober, sometimes to the detriment of their own financial health, according to a new feature in Time magazine which focuses on the financial implications of substance use disorder.

“[Parents] are faced with this dilemma: Do I help them get out of this in the short term, or do I let them experience the natural consequences of their behaviors?” said Kenneth Leonard, director of the Clinical and Research Institute on Addictions at the University of Buffalo. “You don’t want to do anything that will ruin their lives, but on the other hand, you want them to learn from experience. Nobody wants their child to suffer, short term or long term.”

Diane Buxton, of Indiana, estimates that she spent more than $70,000 on eight stints in rehab, counselors and other approaches to try to help her son who was addicted to opioids. “I was going to save him,” she said.

Eventually, she realized that all her spending was fruitless.

“I remember walking through my living room one day and seeing my 130-pound son, who was supposed to be 160 pounds, sitting on the couch with needle marks in his arm,” she said. “And I heard this voice saying ‘You’re loving him to death.’”

Buxton told her son he needed to leave: check into rehab or crash with friends. Now six years sober, her son tells her that tough love helped save his life. “If I had not given him that choice, he’d be dead or in prison,” she said.

Katie Donovan, of Michigan, said that she spent about $200,000 supporting her daughter through addiction—but her story did not end with a happy ending. “I was interrupting my whole life, constantly, on a daily basis, to take care of her,” Donovan said. “I didn’t realize that I had become a part of it. I was addicted to her.”

Donovan started small in setting boundaries with her daughter, first refusing to buy her new clothes or take her to appointments. She says her daughter still struggles with addiction—with intermittent periods of sobriety—but that her own life is a lot less chaotic now.

“It’s easy to buy a car. It’s easy to pay for court costs and to bail them out of every situation,” she said. “It takes a very long time to gain the strength, courage, and faith to say no. I believe in loving with boundaries. She knows that, emotionally, I accept where she’s at. Am I going to give her money? No.”

Ipek Aykol, a therapist in Newport Beach, California who specializes in addiction counseling, says it’s important for families to establish financial boundaries. “Families come to treatment with very unhealthy boundaries,” Aykol said. “If you’re giving your child money, and your child is spending that money on drugs, it’s not serving them.”

Fred Leamnson, of Virginia, who blogs about personal finance, said he spent more than six figures supporting his son through heroin addiction. Now, he wants to give others permission to just say no.

“The best advice I can offer is advice we didn’t follow—protect yourself and your finances at all costs!”

View the original article at thefix.com

15 November 2018
Demi Lovato Is Reportedly Out Of Rehab

A source claims the pop star is spending time at a sober living facility in Los Angeles.

Singer Demi Lovato is reportedly out of rehab, having achieved 90 days of sobriety following her near-fatal overdose in July.

“She just got back to LA a couple days ago,” a source told PEOPLE. “She seems to be doing well so far.”

The singer was spotted over the weekend out and about in Los Angeles. On Saturday she was seen at Matsuhisa restaurant in Bev Hills with clothing designer Henry Levy.

TMZ reports that the pair were smiling and happy, holding hands within the restaurant.

According to E! News, a source says that Lovato is “also spending time at a sober living facility, where she has a great support system.”

The source adds that the singer is “taking it slowly and getting back to life one day at a time. She’s not rushing to figure out where she’s going to live permanently.”

On July 24, Lovato was found unresponsive in her home, reportedly following a night with her dealer taking “aftermarket” pills. She spend two weeks in the hospital before heading to inpatient treatment at an undisclosed facility.

Last week, the 26-year-old singer’s mother, Dianna De La Garza, said that Lovato had reached a recovery milestone.

“She has 90 days,” De La Garza said. “I couldn’t be more thankful or more proud of her because addiction being a disease, it’s work. It’s very hard. It’s not easy, and there are no shortcuts.”

During the same interview, De La Garza revealed that she knew her daughter’s sobriety was slipping even before she learned about the overdose.

“I knew that she wasn’t sober. I didn’t know what she was doing because she doesn’t live with me and she’s 26,” she said. On the day that Lovato was hospitalized, De La Garzo said she received an alarming text that said “I just saw on TMZ and I’m sorry.”

“Before I could get to TMZ, I got the phone call from her assistant and she said, ‘We’re at the hospital.’ So then I knew, OK, she’s not gone. She’s here,” De La Garzo recalled. “And I said, ‘What’s going on?’ And the words that I heard are just a nightmare for any parent: ‘Demi overdosed.’”

Lovato has been open about her struggles with mental illness and substance abuse in the past. However, her social media accounts have been quiet since she posted in August, about her relapse.

“I have always been transparent about my journey with addiction,” she wrote. “What I’ve learned is that this illness is not something that disappears or fades with time. It is something I must continue to overcome and have not done yet.”

She continued, “I now need time to heal and focus on my sobriety and road to recovery. The love you have all shown me will never be forgotten and I look forward to the day where I can say I came out on the other side. I will keep fighting.”

View the original article at thefix.com

8 November 2018
Suspect In Deadly Rehab Shooting Taken Into Custody

The suspect denied responsibility for the shooting.

A suspect in Monday’s shooting at a California recovery center is now in custody, according to authorities.

Authorities believe Davance Lamar Reed was the person who opened fire at Helen Vine Detox Center in San Rafael early Monday morning (Nov. 5).

Helen Vine, on Smith Ranch Road, is a licensed 26-bed co-ed residential detoxification program for people with alcohol and drug addiction as well as co-occurring psychiatric problems, according to the Sacramento Bee.

Three people were shot—leaving one dead and two with life-threatening injuries.

The deceased victim was identified as Nathan Lamont Hill, 52. The two injured are 32-year-old Anthony Dominguez Mansapit, an employee at the facility, and 30-year-old Brittney Kehaulani McCann. As of Monday, they remained in intensive care at Marin General Hospital.

McCann is said to have a dating relationship with Reed, according to the Marin County Sheriff’s Office. The Marin resident, who friends say has a 7-year-old son with the suspect, was trying to drop Reed off at the recovery center, but instead he began shooting, according to her father and sister.

The shooting victim is a “genuinely empathetic person” who wanted to help Reed, a friend told KTVU.

Reed was arrested for an unrelated incident that occurred about an hour after the shooting. Police began pursuing Reed after spotting his Hyundai Elantra, which belonged to the mother of shooting victim Mansapit, weaving on the highway, according to KTVU.

It was not until later that police learned that Reed was a suspect in the shooting at Helen Vine Detox Center.

According to the sheriff’s office, Reed “made admissions that tied him to the crime scene” at Helen Vine.

The suspect denied responsibility for the shooting. “I didn’t shoot nobody. I shouldn’t be here,” he told KTVU from jail. He said he is withdrawing from a dependence on Xanax. The anti-anxiety drug was discovered in the vehicle he was in during the police chase that ended in his arrest.

Reed is being held at Sonoma County Jail. His next court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 15.

Buckelew Programs, the non-profit organization that oversees the program at Helen Vine and other facilities in Marin, Napa and Sonoma counties, expressed its condolences in a social media post: “Our hearts are with the staff, clients and families affected at Helen Vine Recovery Center.”

View the original article at thefix.com

8 November 2018