Category Archives: Drug Dependency

King County's Mental Illness and Drug Dependency Programs See how King County is helping people struggling with mental illness and drug addictions stabilize and stay out of jail. By: KingCountyTV … Continue reading →

Tom Sizemore faces his drugs demons 7:30pm Friday 14th June 2013 in National Entertainment News Press Association 2013 Tom Sizemore has revealed he was prompted to seek help for his drug addiction problems when he looked in the mirror and was terrified by what he saw. The 51-year-old star of Saving Private Ryan and Hawaii Five-0 has struggled through a long battle with heroin and crystal meth that devastated his movie career, left him homeless, sent him to jail and even led to a failed suicide attempt. Talking about his memoir, By Some Miracle I Made It Out Of There, Sizemore described his moment of clarity. He said it came after smoking a substantial amount of crystal meth. He admitted to building up such a tolerance that the drug was ineffective. Disappointed, he looked in the mirror and finally saw the things that scared him. "I looked like I was 100 years old. I had no relationship with my kids; I had no work to speak off. I was living in squat ... I just started to cry," Sizemore said. He decided to call his old friend Bob Forrest from Celebrity Rehab and asked him and Dr Drew Pinsky for … Continue reading →

NEW YORK (AP) The road to recovery has been long and harrowing for Tom Sizemore, but now the actor feels he's finally back on track. He's got a slew of movies coming out, had a recurring role on "Hawaii Five-0" and has released a new memoir. Still, he feels the residual effects of his downward spiral from years of substance dependency. His bouts with a laundry list of drugs devastated his movie career, left him homeless, sent him to jail and even led to a failed suicide attempt. The prolonged abuse and subsequent rehab stints left a trail of disappointment and heartache. With acclaimed performances in movies like "Saving Private Ryan" and "Black Hawk Down," Sizemore faded into oblivion, trading his work in front of the camera for the haze of heroin and crystal meth. Recently, the 51-year old actor talked about getting his life back on track and what it took to write his memoir, "By Some Miracle I Made It Out of There." It's a no-holds barred portrayal of the actor's struggle. While apprehensive at times,Sizemore was candid about his problem, and described his moment of clarity. He says it came after smoking a substantial amount of crystal … Continue reading →

June 13, 2013 Brett Smith for redOrbit.com Your Universe Online New research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that a daily pill can prevent the contraction of HIV for intravenous drug users. The four-year study, which was published in The Lancet, boosts the argument of those advocating a preventative strategy called pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP. This is a significant step forward for HIV prevention, Jonathan Mermin, a CDC spokesman who was not directly involved in the study, told the AFP. We now know that PrEP can work for all populations at increased risk for HIV. Injection drug use accounts for a substantial portion of the HIV epidemic around the world, and we are hopeful that PrEP can play a role in reducing the continued toll, he added. The study included 2,400 intravenous drug users in Thailand who were attending drug treatment clinics and did not test positive for HIV when the study began. The volunteers were divided into two groups: one was given a daily dose of the HIV drug tenofovir, while the other was given a placebo. Both groups were offered monthly testing for HIV, condoms and treatments for their drug dependency. To encourage volunteers in … Continue reading →

June 12, 2013 Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have found evidence that an emotion-related brain region called the central amygdala -- whose activity promotes feelings of malaise and unhappiness -- plays a major role in sustaining cocaine addiction. In experiments with rats, the TSRI researchers found signs that cocaine-induced changes in this brain system contribute to anxiety-like behavior and other unpleasant symptoms of drug withdrawal -- symptoms that typically drive an addict to keep using. When the researchers blocked specific brain receptors called kappa opioid receptors in this key anxiety-mediating brain region, the rats' signs of addiction abated. "These receptors appear to be a good target for therapy," said Marisa Roberto, associate professor in TSRI's addiction research group, the Committee on the Neurobiology of Addictive Disorders. Roberto was the principal investigator for the study, which appears in the journal Biological Psychiatry. Carrot or Stick? In addition to its clinical implications, the finding represents an alternative to the pleasure-seeking, "positive" motivational circuitry that is traditionally emphasized in addiction. While changes in these pleasure-seeking brain networks may dominate the early period of drug use, scientists have been finding evidence of changes in the "negative" motivational circuitry as well -- changes … Continue reading →

12 Jun 2013 18:14 The pictures show an amazing volume of medical supplies littered around the singers bedroom at the time of his death LAPD Inside Michael Jackson's bedroom These are the shocking images detailing Michael Jacksons tragic descent into a life of drug dependency while showing a bizarre shrine to babies he made by his bedside. The pictures, which emerged as the King of Pops family sue his concert promoter for 31billion over his death, show an amazing volume of pill bottles, oxygen tanks and medical supplies littered around the singers bedroom at the time of his death four years ago. One of the images, taken by Los Angeles police investigating his death, shows how the Thriller star adorned a chest of drawers with numerous portraits of unidentified babies. Alongside the photographs stands a small picture of Charlie Chaplin. The creepy picture also shows a tall medical stand holding a plastic bag hanging of intravenous fluids and what appears to be two oxygen tanks. Hanging on the drawers is a large poster of a child with the words sweet baby written on it. Go here to see the original: Inside Michael Jackson's bedroom: Pictures show King of Pop's drugs, … Continue reading →

Malibu, CA (PRWEB) June 13, 2013 After being featured on the Katie Couric show, the book Ending Addiction for Good, skyrocketed to the number one bestseller position in the drug dependency category on Amazon.com. Although sales have been steady, said Cliffside Malibu CEO and the books coauthor, Richard Taite, We are thrilled with the success the book has seen over the past few days. One hundred percent of the authors proceeds for the book go to charity, so selling books to me is completely about saving lives. Taite published the book last year with Cliffside Malibus full time addiction researcher, Constance Scharff, PhD. I was speaking at a major neuroscience conference in Jerusalem, Israel, when I heard that the book hit number one on Amazon, said Scharff. Needless to say, its validating to realize that word is getting to more and more people that addiction is a disorder from which complete recovery is possible. From their own stories of addiction recovery, authors Taite and Scharff describe in detail the history of addiction treatment and the holistic, evidence-based treatment protocol designed and practiced at Cliffside Malibu. The book is designed to help those who are suffering recognize that there is a … Continue reading →

West Palm Beach, FL (PRWEB) June 12, 2013 Oxycodone is a medication that provides relief to individuals suffering from moderate to severe pain symptoms. It has been known to lead people down an addictive path one that leaves them wanting more medication. Oxycodone is an opioid pain medication, and an opioid is sometimes called a narcotic. It comes in an extended-release form for around-the-clock pain treatment, yet it is not meant to be used on an as-needed basis. Oxycodone can become habit forming, and thats where Recovery Associates steps in to help people find freedom and a new life from oxycodone addiction. Recovery Associates is a drug and alcohol treatment center that provides a variety of programs and services for men, women and teens struggling with chemical dependency issues. At the core of their philosophy is the belief that addiction is a treatable illness. Their addiction treatment experience has shown that anyone is capable of achieving lasting recovery and physical, mental and spiritual freedom from the disease of addiction. Their unique program offers three different tracks: a Traditional Track, an Expressive Therapies Track, Teen Drug Rehab Track, and a Christian Rehab Track. They believe that by utilizing a variety of … Continue reading →

Destin, FL (PRWEB) June 12, 2013 Gulf Coast Addiction Treatment has seen an increase of people seeking help for Adderall abuse and addiction, which is an issue that often crops up on college campuses in Florida and beyond. Used medically for its intended purpose, Adderall can be effective for treating ADHD and narcolepsy. When used non-medically, however, the prescription drug acts as powerful stimulant with a high risk of dependency and addiction, according to a Fox News report that refers to the drug as "college crack." The bad news is Adderall is becoming increasingly common for college students, who may use this amphetamine to stay awake, keep them alert or for recreational purposes, says Gulf Coast Addiction Treatment head of admissions Chris Ross. The good news is that Gulf Coast Addiction Treatment recognizes the problem and has a recovery program that can be specifically geared toward treating Adderall abuse and addiction. All of the recovery programs at Gulf Coast Addiction feature a personalized approach to overcoming addiction, and the methods used to treat Adderall abuse follow the same successful framework. People are not treated as patients or victims but are instead viewed as students who learn to recognize and take … Continue reading →

June 10, 2013 For patients managing cancer and other chronic health issues, painkillers such as morphine and Vicodin are often essential for pain relief. The body's natural tendency to develop tolerance to these medications, however, often requires patients to take higher doses -- increasing risks of harmful side effects and dependency. Now, new research from the University of Michigan Health System and a major pharmaceutical company has identified a novel approach to moderate and severe pain therapy that paves the way for lower dosage painkillers. The findings appear in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Drugs such as hydrocodone (the main ingredient of Vicodin) and oxycodone (Oxycontin) are often the best options for the treatment of moderate to severe pain for patients facing medical conditions ranging from a wisdom tooth extraction to cancer. The drugs bind to specific molecules (opioid receptors) on nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord to prevent the feeling of pain. "We have for the first time discovered compounds that bind to an alternative site on the nerve opioid receptors and that have significant potential to enhance the drug's positive impact without increasing negative side effects," says co-author John Traynor, Ph.D., professor of pharmacology … Continue reading →