Addiction

On June 8, 2010, The New York Times ran an article about a new drinking game trend that encourages binge drinking, icing, that’s spread from college campuses across the U.S. to social networking sites, such as Twitter and Facebook, to blogs. It has become the first viral drinking game.

“Icing” involves the malt beverage Smirnoff Ice. The premise of the game is that at any social gathering a friend might hand another friend a Smirnoff Ice (typically a warm one), and the receiver has to drink all of it at once while kneeling on one knee. However, if the receiver is carrying a bottle of Smirnoff Ice himself (the game is more popular among men than women), then the initial giver must drink both of the bottles, all at once, while kneeling on one knee. Most of the participants describe Smirnoff Ice as an unpleasant drink, which heightens the aspect of losing and reinforces the carrying of defense Ice. It’s no surprise that the sales of Smirnoff Ice has skyrocketed.

Many have questioned Smirnoff Ice’s involvement in the viral ad campaign, but Smirnoff has denied all accusations. Some young adults who documented the spread of the game said that many would stop Icing “if it turns out that they’re being used to market a drink they don’t really like.”

Smirnoff Ice and its parent company released a statement that read: “Icing is consumer-generated, and some people think it is fun. We never want under-age ‘icing’ and we always want responsible drinking.” However, the very nature of the game, through it’s encouragement of the dangerous act of binge drinking, is irresponsible. Whether involved or not, it seems the responsible thing for Smirnoff Ice to do at this point would be discourage such games as “Icing” and to remind its consumers about the dangers of binge drinking. They should not be reiterating the game as something that people think is ‘fun’.

No matter under-age or of-age, making a game of binge drinking is always dangerous.
Here are some health problems associated with binge drinking:

• Alcohol poisoning.
• Liver disease.
• High blood pressure, stroke, and other forms of cardiovascular disease.
• Neurological damage.
• Sexually transmitted diseases.
• Unintentional pregnancy.
• Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (if pregnant women binge drink).
• Unintentional injuries (such as car accidents, falls, etc.).
• Intentional injuries (such as injuries from firearms, domestic violence, etc.).

In addition, studies have shown that the younger one begins drinking, the more likely they are to develop alcohol dependence.

A recent report released by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHSA) provided a startling look at the drug and alcohol activities of American adolescents on an average day. The report found that on an average day: 508,000 adolescents, ages 12-17, drink alcohol; 641,000 use illicit drugs; and more than 1 million smoked cigarettes. This substance abuse trend is alarming. (Medical News Today)

SAMHSA conducted and analyzed a national survey for the study, “A Day in the Life of American Adolescents: Substance Use Facts Update,” which presented a bleak look at the daily toll that substance abuse has on America’s youth. The efforts are a part of a larger initiative, “designed to create an integrated data strategy that provides key public health information on a wide range of behavioral health issues.”

The report found that on any given day, 563,000 adolescents used marijuana, nearly 37,000 used inhalants, 24,000 used hallucinogens, 16,000 used cocaine, and 2, 800 used heroin.

Many addiction specialists see the report as a wake up call to the extreme extent that America’s youth is engaging in risky and illegal behavior. The young age of exposure to drugs and alcohol leave these adolescents more vulnerable and at-risk of developing severe addictions.

Some of facts of the study included first-time drug and alcohol use for adolescents on an average day, and found: approximately 7,500 adolescents drank alcohol for the first time; approximately 4,360 adolescents used an illicit drug for the first time; around 3,900 adolescents smoked cigarettes for the first time; nearly 3,700 adolescents used marijuana for the first time; and approximately 2,500 adolescents abused pain relievers for the first time.

The study also looked at substance abuse treatment and treatment admission patterns among those under the age of 18, and found: more than 76,000 in outpatient treatment; more than 9,000 in non-hospital residential treatment; and more than 700 in hospital inpatient treatment. There were about a quarter of a million drug-related emergency hospital visits among this age group, of which 170,000 visits involved the use of illicit drugs, alcohol or abuse of prescription drugs.

The researches hope that the report will lead to better preventative strategies and more effective ways of promoting emotional health among American adolescents.

Is an overdose to blame? On Wednesday, Corey Haim, a faded teen-star of such movies as Lucas, The Lost Boys, and License to Drive, was pronounced dead at 38. Though the cause of death is still uncertain, his life-long addiction to drugs, more specifically crack cocaine, seems to be if not the primary reason, then a strong contributing factor. His death comes at the end of a period in his life when many of his friends noticed he was cleaning up and staying sober. His story of addiction, though sad, is nothing unusual in terms of the Hollywood teen-star tragedy.

However, his struggle with addiction and recovery, followed then by what many suspect to be an “accidental overdose,” is not an uncommon story in our nation outside of the Hollywood Hills. Except for the fact that it’s not covered in the gossip columns or People magazine. An extremely dangerous period exists for those who have been in recovery but relapse. Some of them return to the amount they were using before becoming sober and as a result, overdose. Some use drug replacement therapy or various other prescription drugs that cause a deadly mix.

This story and others like it act as a reminder as to why the physical aspect of addiction needs to be addressed along with the social, psychological, behavioral and spiritual. Treatments such as Neurotransmitter Restoration (NTR) are essential in conjunction with more traditional treatments like 12-Step programs or counseling, so that these tragic endings become more preventable.

Neurotransmitter Restoration (NTR) is a medical nutritional therapy that safely detoxes the body from the use of drugs or alcohol, minimizes withdrawal symptoms, significantly reduces cravings, anxiety and depression, normalizes stress levels, and restores a sense of well-being and clarity of mind. It’s an all-natural, 10-day protocol that bathes the neuronal cells in an optimal, nutritional environment, repairs the damaged receptor sites and accelerates the healing process. When NTR protocols precede traditional therapy treatments, data has shown much higher success rates in long-term recovery. It addresses the physical form of the disease and better prepares an individual for the next stages of recovery.

According to USA Today, General Peter Chiarelli, the Army’s Number 2 officer, is recommending a double in the number of substance abuse counselors employed by the army in order to handle the soaring number of soldiers seeking treatment for alcohol abuse. Gen. Chiarelli said in a recent interview that about 300 hundred more counselors are needed to meet the Army’s demand, cut back on wait time for soldiers to be seen, and offer more accommodating hours such as evening and weekend services.

The Army recently released records that show 9,199 soldiers enrolled in treatment services last year for alcohol abuse. This was a 56% increase from 2003. Also revealed was that 16,388 soldiers last year sought some type of counseling. Les McFarling, the director of the Army Substance Abuse Program, said that many soldiers are referred to substance abuse counseling after an incident such as a drunk driving citation. And if, according to the counselors, the soldiers do not appear to suffer from substance abuse, they are required to attend a two-day educational course.

“There’s no doubt in my mind that since 2001 and being involved in two wars … that we probably have a higher incidence of alcohol abuse,” Chiarelli said. Last year, Chiarelli and then-Army secretary Pete Geren, worked to reduce the Army’s record rate of suicide. Chiarelli noted that substance abuse has been identified as an issue in many of the deaths, which reached 160 confirmed and suspected cases in 2009. Alcohol remains a larger problem than drugs, making up 85% of the caseloads.

The Army’s service of counselors is down 20% from its authorized staffing level of 290, and the Army is aiming to staff one counselor for every 1,600 soldiers. With the Army continuing to look for ways to offer soldiers the most comprehensive and effective treatment possible, the 10-day Neurotransmitter Restoration (NTR) seems like it could be quite helpful in a situation like this.

A currently legal stimulant known as mephedrone has gained recent popularity among club-goers according to Britain’s National Addiction Center. On January 14, The BBC reported that mephedrone was the fourth most popular drug cited by readers of a popular dance magazine. Surprisingly, one in three readers polled had used the new club drug in the last month.

Mephedrone — a stimulant that is currently legal in both the U.K. and the U.S. — has gained recent and surprising popularity among club-goers in the U.K., according to Britain’s National Addiction Center.

“It’s come from nowhere to become very popular,” said one of the researchers. “For a drug that’s been around for a relatively short amount of time, mephedrone has certainly made a big impact on the dance drug scene. [And] at the moment we just don’t have enough research to know what it does to people in the short term and long term. ”

The drug is often sold online through dozens of websites as “plant food” and “not for human consumption,” although its use as a fertilizer is unknown. Though little is known about its effects, experts believe mephedrone to be a different version of classical amphetamines and carry similar problems associated with such use.

The drug is also known as meph, 4-MMC, MCAT, Drone, Meow or Bubbles. It is a powder that can be taken in pill form, snorted, mixed with liquid or even injected.

A recent report, “Illicit Drug Use Among Older Adults,” from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) warned that the need for treatment services among older Americans may double in the next decade. Meaning there are new prevention tactics needed to address the rise in drug abuse among baby boomers.

The report found that an estimated 4.3 million Americans age 50 and older used illicit drugs during the past year, a figure that experts say “is on the rise and reflective of lifelong drug use by aging Baby Boomers.” Marijuana use was more prevalent than nonmedical use of prescription drugs for adults aged 50-59, but among those aged 65 or older, abuse of prescription drugs was more common.

Researchers hoped that the report will raise concern for the changes in addiction prevention and treatment that may be necessary to address the growing problem of older generations of substance abusers. “This new data has profound implications for the health and well-being of older adults who continue to abuse substances,” said a SAMHSA Administrator. “These findings highlight the need for prevention programs for all ages as well as to establish improved screening and appropriate referral to treatment as part of routine health care services.”

Common signs and symptoms of drug abuse (HelpGuide.org)

• You’re neglecting your responsibilities at school, work, or home (e.g. flunking classes, skipping work, neglecting your children) because of your drug use.
• You’re using drugs under dangerous conditions or taking risks while high, such as driving while on drugs, using dirty needles, or having unprotected sex.
• Your drug use is getting you into legal trouble, such as arrests for disorderly conduct, driving under the influence, or stealing to support a drug habit.
• Your drug use is causing problems in your relationships, such as fights with your partner or family members, an unhappy boss, or the loss of old friends.

• You’ve built up a drug tolerance. You need to use more of the drug to experience the same effects you used to attain with smaller amounts.
• You take drugs to avoid or relieve withdrawal symptoms. If you go too long without drugs, you experience symptoms such as nausea, restlessness, insomnia, depression, sweating, shaking, and anxiety.
• You’ve lost control over your drug use. You often do drugs or use more than you planned, even though you told yourself you wouldn’t. You may want to stop using, but you feel powerless.
• Your life revolves around drug use. You spend a lot of time using and thinking about drugs, figuring out how to get them, and recovering from the drug’s effects.
• You’ve abandoned activities you used to enjoy, such as hobbies, sports, and socializing, because of your drug use.
• You continue to use drugs, despite knowing it’s hurting you. It’s causing major problems in your life—blackouts, infections, mood swings, depression, paranoia—but you use anyway.