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From such celebrities like Lindsay Lohan and Amy Winehouse, we have heard the sordid tales of cocaine abuse.  However, a recent article is suggesting that many women are turning to cocaine and are becoming addicted to it because of the wonders that it does for their waistline.

According to MailOnline:

One in seven women is using drugs such as cocaine or speed in a desperate attempt to lose weight, according to a survey.

The connection between cocaine use and the increased number of women who are turning into cocaine addicts is showing a strong correlation between drug abuse and poor body image.  It is no secret that the curse of the 21st century is wrapped up in appearances, and many women (both young and old alike) are obsessed with looking their best.  However, at the end of the day, we have to question who they are trying to look “good” for.

Another article published by ScienceDaily sumbits that Cocaine’s effect on brain metabolism may be contributing to increased instances of abuse.  A recent study conducted circa 2008 by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory made the claim that the effect of Cocaine on the human body goes far beyond simply blocking dopamine transporters.  Brookhaven neuroscientist Panayotis Thanos was quoted as saying:

In dopamine-transporter-deficient mice, these effects on metabolism are clearly independent of cocaine’s effects on dopamine…These metabolic factors may be a strong regulator of cocaine use and abuse, and may also suggest new avenues for addiction treatments.

Perhaps Even More Disturbing..

What has been discovered is that while there addictive personalities or people with an inclination to become a drug abuser, cocaine has the particular trait of entering the bloodstream quickly thus having an immediate effect. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter similar to adrenaline, and in excess or in shortage can create a range of metal reactions including the loss of rational thought, memory loss and creating a sense of paranoia. Cocaine interferes with the control mechanism that regulates the amount of dopamine that a person needs, increases the activity on the nervous system and because of its short term effect will provoke the user repeat the effect again and again. Some might even say it’s instantly addictive.  And for women who want a quick fix to what they see as a nagging weight problem or body issue, this can have disastrous effects.

For more information about drug and alcohol recovery, or to learn more about our 30 day drug and alcohol rehab program, contact Mark Houston Recovery today!

Tags: Addiction, General Category, Health and Wellness, women's issues // Add Comment »

Are men more prone to becoming drug and alcohol addicts than women?  The following is an excerpt from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) entitled Gender Differences in Drug Abuse Risks and Treatment:

Men are more likely than women to have opportunities to use drugs, but men and women given an opportunity to use drugs for the first time are equally likely to do so and to progress from initial use to addiction. However, women and men appear to differ in their vulnerability to some drugs. Both are equally likely to become addicted to or dependent on cocaine, heroin, hallucinogens, tobacco, and inhalants. Women are more likely than men to become addicted to or dependent on sedatives and drugs designed to treat anxiety or sleeplessness, and less likely than men to abuse alcohol and marijuana. There are also differences between men and women who seek treatment for drug abuse. Women in treatment programs are less likely than men to have graduated from high school and to be employed and are more likely than men to have other health problems, to have sought previous drug treatment, to have attempted suicide, and to have suffered sexual abuse or other physical abuse.

A Question With Complicated Answers

While some may view the aforementioned as being somewhat inconclusive in its approach to answer the question “Does gender play a difference in drug addiction,”  it would seem likely that there will never be an easy answer.  Drug addiction affects each person differently, taking into account the person’s age, race, ethnicity, gender and more.  For example, a young girl who is abused while growing up in a home where both of her parents use drugs may be more or less likely to engage in the same type of behavior versus someone who didn’t have the same upbringing.

One thing is for certain, the ways in which men and women handle their drug addiction varies, which requires separate treatment.  It is for this reason (and others) that many drug and alcohol rehab centers now are begging to offer separate facilities for drug and alcohol rehab catering either to women or men.

For more information about drug and alcohol recovery, or to learn more about our 30 day drug and alcohol rehab program, contact Mark Houston Recovery today!

Tags: Addiction, women's issues // Add Comment »

For people who are addicted to drugs, it can be compared to getting onto a rollercoaster ride at an amusement park that you can’t seem to figure out how to get off of.  In the meantime, your family and friends are watching as you spiral out of control.

While there seeking help in the form of a reputable drug and alcohol recovery center is always the best bet, your recovery from a drug and alcohol addiction ultimately depends on how much work and time you are willing to commit to the cause.  A good drug and alcohol recovery center will give you the tools and the knowledge that you need to become sober again, but it is up to you to follow through.  That being said, the following are a compilation of steps that drug and alcohol addicts can take in order to get a head start on beating their drug and alcohol addiction. For more information about drug and alcohol recovery, or to learn more about our 30 day drug and alcohol rehab program, contact Mark Houston Recovery today!

10 Ways to Kick Drug and Alcohol Addiction

1. Be Honest- The road to recovery starts with honesty.  If you can’t be honest with yourself that you have a problem, then you are already starting off on the wrong foot.
2. Be Patient-Know that many people who go through drug and alcohol rehab programs are often challenged with incidents of relapse.  Be patient with yourself and with those around you who are trying to help.  Realize that recovering from a drug and alcohol addiction isn’t something that will be cured in a certain number of days, but rather, it is a day-by-day, lifelong process.
3. Remove Negative Influences-Saying goodbye to people you once considered to be close friends or even family members is often one of the most difficult things that a person has to do.  However, if you know that you are recovering from a drug and alcohol addiction , you need to surround yourself with people who will continue to help you grow as a healthy person.  You cannot afford to hang around people who continue to use drugs, are in denial that they have a problem and refuse to seek help.  Remember that you need to help yourself first before you can help others!
4. Be Independent*-Being independent doesn’t necessarily mean turning into a hermit.  On the contrary, it simply means that you should stop relying solely on others who have done drugs in the past to stop doing drugs with you.  Just because you are seeking help for your drug problem doesn’t mean that other people are ready to.  If this is the case, you need to walk away from people like this as they will only bring you down.
5. Change Your Diet-When you are addicted to drugs or alcohol, your focus is on how and when you will be able to have that next drink or get high; you’re not focused on your diet.  However, when you stop abusing drugs, you will find that you’ll have a lot more free time.  This time should be partially spent looking for ways to improve your diet by eating healthy, balanced meals as well as getting plenty of exercise.  Not only will this keep your mind busy, but it will improve how your body feels.
6. Find Support-Once you have made the choice to seek help for your drug and alcohol addiction and have successfully completed the recovery program, the most important aspect of your journey will be your return home.  At this point, it is crucial to make follow up appointments, attend meetings as well as get involved in the many types of drug and alcohol recovery activities that are offered.

Tags: Addiction, Addiction Relapse, Alcoholism, Drugs, General Category // Add Comment »

According to the American Association of Poison Control Centers, the following are safety tips for you, your family and friends to prevent poisoning:

1. Follow directions on the label when you give or take medicines.  Read all warning labels.  Some medicines are not ok to take with alcohol.
2. Keep medications in their original bottles or containers.
3. Never share or sell your prescription drugs.
4. Keep opioid pain medications, such as methadone and oxycodone, in a safe place that can only be reached by people who take or give them.
5. Be careful when you dispose of drugs that can be abused, such as opioid pain medication and psychotherapeutic drugs.  Drug users may look in the trash for them.  Instead, ask your pharmacist if he or she can take back old or expired medicines as well as any that you don’t need (EPA 2006).
6. Avoid taking medications in front of children because they often copy adults.
7. Do not call medicine “candy” in front of children.
8. Be aware of any legal or illegal drugs that guests may bring into your home.  Do not let guests leave drugs where children can find them (i.e. in a pillbox, purse, backpack or coat pocket).
9. Never leave children alone with household products or drugs.  If you are using chemical products or taking medicine and you have to do something else, such as answer the phone, take any young children with you.
10. Turn on a light when you prepare medications for children so that you know you have the correct amount of the right medicine.  The same goes for adults!

For more information about drug and alcohol recovery, or to learn more about our 30 day drug and alcohol rehab program, contact Mark Houston Recovery today!

Tags: Drug News // Add Comment »

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), more than 4 million women in the United States use drugs.  In 2006, 9 million women were reported to have used illegal drugs while an additional 3.7 million admitted to taking prescription drugs nonmedically.  Perhaps most shockingly, more than 28,000 or 70 percent of the AIDS cases in 2006 were drug-related for the females.

The problem with women and drug abuse isn’t going away.  So ,what is causing women to use drugs? Of the various studies that NIDA conducted, results showed that in at least 70 percent of the cases of women abusing drugs, women drug users had a history of troubled lives with many being the victim of sexual abuse by the age of 16.  Other women grew up with at least one parent who abused alcohol and/or drugs.  However, it has also been found that women who use drugs often have low self-esteem, little self-confidence and feel powerless, often isolating themselves from family, friends and other areas of support.  Still, other women from different cultural backgrounds, who may not be able to speak English that well, have a difficult time knowing where to find help for their drug and/or alcohol addiction!

Getting Help for Drug Abuse

Studies conducted by NIDA have found that more than 4 million women need treatment for drub abuse.  However, many do not seek help for fear of what might happen to their child, because they cannot find someone to watch their child or for fear that they will somehow be punished for admitting that they have a problem.

If you know of a woman who needs help because of a drug addiction, don’t just stand back; help her.  It is during a time of serious drug abuse when that person abusing the drugs needs your help the most.  Friends and family can help allay the fears that many women have by helping her seek out treatment or by providing child care support and transportation.

For more information about drug and alcohol recovery, or to learn more about our 30 day drug and alcohol rehab program, contact Mark Houston Recovery today!

Tags: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drugs // Add Comment »

When I went home to New York a few weeks ago, I went out to eat at a restaurant with my mother and younger brother and had almost forgotten how nice it was to not have to tell the hostess “non-smoking section please”.  Smoking in any form is not only disgusting and bad for your health, but it is bad for the health of others around you who don’t smoke. With the increased number of restaurants shutting their doors to smokers, there seems to be a growing unrest among many people to ban smoking altogether…from everything.

Last year, the British Medical Association (BMA), proposed a ban against smoking and extended this ban to censor smoking in the media, specifically in films that might be seen by younger viewers.  Did they go too far in their proposal?  While their efforts to hopefully prevent a younger audience from taking up one of the worst habits was laudable, it might have seemed to some to be somewhat far fetched.  According to Marcel Berlins of  Guardian.co.uk, the idea of banning smoking in films would:

…deny to under-18s the majority of the world’s greatest films, from Citizen Kane and Casablanca, as well as popular contemporary offerings such as the latest Indiana Jones. Would such censorship stop children taking up cigarettes or continuing to smoke? Most unlikely.

The whole idea of censoring smoking in movies brings light to the fact that perhaps movies should have yet another disclaimer prior to viewing to warn parents (and other viewers) of the dangers of smoking as well as the fact that while the following movie may include scenes involving smoking, smoking is not encouraged.  It certainly brings up a wealth of issues and foreseeable problems down the line…

For more information about drug and alcohol recovery, or to learn more about our 30 day drug and alcohol rehab program, contact Mark Houston Recovery today!

Tags: General Category // 2 Comments »

Have you ever felt so incredibly stressed out that you wished you could just wipe the slate clean and forget about your problems?  This is what it’s like for many heroin addicts; they describe the feeling of euphoria associated with heroin use as freedom from all of their worries when in fact, their drug abuse is causing more harm than good.

While many drugs, including prescription medication, have addictive qualities, heroin is said to be among the most addictive.  There is much speculation that after you try heroin once, you can instantly become addicted.  The sad reality is, heroin addicts are prisoners of their own addiction. And while it’s not as prevalent as it was 10 years ago, heroin is actually more accessible and even more dangerous. The current crop of the drug is purer and cheaper which means it generates more appeal for younger people. Adding another element to this problem, this heroin lifestyle, is the fact that those who choose to use needles (which provides the most immediate and intense effect) run the risk of contracting AIDS. Also encompassed in this lifestyle are all the other social and medical ramifications that heroin addiction creates (crime, medical problems, destruction of family life, etc.).

Heroin is a vicious cycle of numbness and pain, elation and dark sorrow, euphoria and hell.  Heroin addiction treatment that leads to a life of permanent sobriety is possible with the right program.  On your darkest days you may feel as if recovery may be worse than the hell of addiction. Heroin addiction doesn’t just affect people in the United States either.  Take a look at the following video documentary of heroin use and drug addiction in Iran:

For more information about drug and alcohol recovery, or to learn more about our 30 day drug and alcohol rehab program, contact Mark Houston Recovery today!

Tags: Addiction // Add Comment »

Interested in how you can lead a healthier life?  You should be.  You can only benefit from leading a healthier lifestyle as people who do so typically don’t become involved in drugs or alcohol abuse. The following are some tips for leading a healthier lifestyle:

10 Tips for Living Healthy

1. Quit Smoking- Not only is first hand smoking linked directly to cancer, but second-hand smoke can actually be just as (if not, more) deadly.  If you live in a state where smoking is still permitted in public places, make sure you always request the nonsmoking section.  If at all possible, try to examine the restaurant beforehand to see what the designated smoking section looks like (because in some restaurants non-smoking sections still feel like smoking sections).
2. Exercise- Perhaps one of the best things you can do is maintain a healthy weight through exercise.  Doing some sort of cardio exercise for at least 30 minutes four times a week is ideal for those who are just starting.
3. Avoid the Bar Scene- Nothing good can really come from bar-hopping.  Bars are the perfect breeding grounds for drinking alcohol, smoking and sometimes doing drugs.  If you want to go out with friends, suggest something low key such as rollerskating or going to see a movie.
4. An apple a day- Having an exercise regimen is useless unless you have a healthy diet to match.  Treat your body like a temple regarding what you put into it.  Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables and go easy on the fats and sugars.
5. Get to bed-
   

For more information about drug and alcohol recovery, or to learn more about our 30 day drug and alcohol rehab program, contact Mark Houston Recovery today!

Tags: Alcoholism, Drugs // Add Comment »

We always used to go out in college and get drunk- it was just the thing to do.  And when she would get drunk, no one really noticed because usually, we were all pretty wasted.  Then I got the phone callabout a month ago saying that she had been diagnosed with Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome.  They said it was something that you usually see in older people who have a long-standing history of alcohol abuse- not something that you would find in a 27-year-old.  But as long as I can remember, she’s always had a drinking problem…and it wasn’t just like she was getting drunk off of beer; she was always drinking 150 proof…The doctor said that if she didn’t stop drinking, the next alcoholic drink she drinks might be the one that kills her…

That was a brief recap of what one of my closest friends told me the other day regarding one of her friends from college.  It’s pretty difficult to imagine that someone under the age of 30 could be dying from an alcohol-related illness, right? Wrong.

What is Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome?

Also known as Korsakoff psychosis, alcoholic encephalopathy, Wernicke’s disease, and encephalopathy - alcoholic, Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome is a brain disorder due to a thiamine deficiency that is often rooted in alcoholism or alcohol abuse over a prolonged period of time. While it is most common in alcoholics, it also affects demented people who neglect their nutrition, patients with gastric cancer, hyperemesis gravidarum, persons who have had bariatric surgery, gastrectomy (sometimes appearing many years after the procedure), and other malnutrition settings [source].

According to one medical article:

Only 20% of cases are diagnosed while the patient is actually alive, the rest are usually diagnosed once you can get down and dirty with the autopsy. It doesn’t help that the main clinical features often coincide with other diseases, and that often, by the time you’re ready to get diagnosed with it, you’re so sick with something else that any of these less detectable symptoms are not really the first thing on a doctor’s mind.

Symptoms:

Symptoms of this disease include:

• Ophthalmoplegia: paralysis or weakness of muscles that control eye movement.
• Nystagmus: involuntary shaking or wobbly eyes.
• Ataxia: not a lack of movement, but a lack of coordinated muscle movements.
• Amnestic disorder: this can include both anterograde amnesia (the inability to remember anything new presented to you), as well as retrograde amnesia (forgetting things from the past).
• Peripheral neuropathy: usually described as pain or numbness in the limbs, particularly the hands and feet.

The dangers of alcoholism are real.  Even more deeply rooted in alcoholism are other issues that people typically struggle with- problems which typically drive them to start drinking alcoholism.  If you know of someone who is struggling with an alcohol problem, GET THEM HELP.

For more information about drug and alcohol recovery, or to learn more about our 30 day drug and alcohol rehab program, contact Mark Houston Recovery today!

Tags: Alcoholism // Add Comment »

One of the biggest growing problems that is gaining more attention is the issue surrounding prescription medications.  Perhaps the first time prescription medication misuse was brought to light was the investigation surrounding the death of famed actor, Heath Ledger. Not only was it shocking, but it helped people to realize that prescription medication misuse and abuse isn’t just something that affects the elderly or those who are recovering from an injury; rather, it can affect people of all ages- even younger people.

Prescription Drug Addiction-A Growing Problem

It is a shame to think that we now live in a time where every time you turn on the television there are at least 10 commercials advertising prescription medications for every non-medicated commercial you see.  Why, if you watch nothing but television commercials all day, you’re bound to eventually think that you have at least one major medical issue!

Heath Ledger isn’t the only person to die from prescription medication abuse, and he won’t be the last.  Now, parents are worried about their kids doing drugs from their own medicine cabinets!  That being said, there are a few things that we can do to safeguard ourselves against prescription medication abuse:

1. Get a Second Opinion- If you are suffering from some sort of medical malady, it is advisable to go to more than one doctor.  There are some doctors who are quick to write a prescription without really taking other factors into consideration.  Additionally, if the problem is less severe, getting a second opinion will give you an opportunity to think over whether or not you feel you are making the right choice.
2. Get Help- If you or someone you know is addicted to prescription drugs, there are great drug rehab programs available to help you overcome your addiction and get your life back on track.
3. Store Meds Wisely- If you live with more than one person or have children in your home, make sure that you keep your medications properly labeled and stored in a safe place where they will inaccessible to other people.

For more information about drug and alcohol recovery, or to learn more about our 30 day drug and alcohol rehab program, contact Mark Houston Recovery today!

Tags: Addiction, Drugs, Health and Wellness // 1 Comment »