Drug and Alcohol Rehabs Blog

Anna Nicole – Killed by Doctors’ Prescription Drugs?

A new article just release by the Associated Press (AP) reports that documents unsealed in the investigation into Anna Nicole Smith’s death showed that a pharmacist refused to fill the prescriptions ordered by her psychiatrist and internist and warned them that it was “pharmaceutical suicide.”

The allegations are that the doctors wrote prescriptions a few days after the death of her son, which included “two sedatives, 300 tablets of methadone, a muscle relaxer, an anti-inflammatory drug and four bottles of a strong painkiller.”

How could anyone in their right mind give that many drugs to someone – especially a doctor? Any layperson could tell that such a mixture would be highly toxic. Then again, these doctors were also reportedly accused of having sexual contact with their patient as well, which isn’t surprising for a psychiatrist.

Many Americans dealing with prescription drug addiction started out with the pills being given to them by doctors. Patients must become more educated about what they’re putting into their bodies. Obviously this was a bit of a different situation since she was in a state of extreme anguish and distress, but drugging someone into oblivion – and ultimately death – won’t solve the problems they are faced with. Even if she had survived the barrage of pills, Anna Nicole would have needed an effective detox and drug rehab center.

Does Insurance Pay for Drug Rehab?

Many people have the assumption that their health insurance will pay for drug rehab centers.  This isn’t always the case, as there are many different variables that fall into the equation.

First, it depends on the individual’s policy and whether or not there are any substance abuse benefits.  Then there is the question of if it covers only in-network treatment programs or has out-of-network coverage as well.  Sometimes the percentage of coverage is lower for the latter because insurance companies have agreements with providers to charge less so they will cover more.

Many policies may cover detox and outpatient only but not residential treatment, but for those that do there are often either yearly or lifetime maximum benefits, and of course deductibles and co-pays.

The problem is that most insurance companies are part of publicly-traded companies with financial responsibilities to their shareholders, so their game is to collect as much money as possible and pay out as little as possible so they can earn a profit.  We have seen many people with substance abuse benefits get their claims denied, but if you stick with it and re-submit and get the proper documentation then you can get reimbursement for the expenses, or possibly there is a rehabilitation facility that will do that for you.

One of the things you have to weigh out is whether or not taking more financial responsibility now will save you in the long-run.  Too many people choose drug and alcohol rehabs based on insurance coverage despite the programs’ lack of results.  In many cases it is much better to find the best program for your situation and then try to maximize your coverage and return on the back-end.

For more information or questions about finding the right program, contact us today by calling 1-877-421-9659.

Medications Increase Cost of Health Care, Rehabs

As our society becomes more and more inundated with advertisements for new drugs we see a larger percentage of the population taking these prescriptions.  As a result, prescription drug abuse has spread like wildfire and health care costs have skyrocketed to the point were millions hard-working American families cannot afford insurance for themselves.

Brand-name prescription drugs for the top-selling medications in the United States can cost as much as several hundred dollars per month.  Liberal and irresponsible prescribing practices by millions of physicians have landed tens of millions of people on drugs that they don’t even need.  In addition to that, the side effects associated with many of these drugs can create additional symptoms, for wich the recommended treatment is yet another drug.  It’s a vicious circle that makes the consumers out to be the losers because either they pay too much, go on government health assistance or have no coverage at all.  None of these are ideal situations.

This practice has of course bled over into the field of drug addiction treatment, which has not only been left do deal with many of the dependency problems created by some of these prescriptions in the first place, but has also lost funding support because insurance companies would rather continue paying for prescriptions than paying for successful rehabilitation.

If we want to really create change within our national health care, then the start has to be the dismantling of the pay-to-play relationship between the Federal government and the pharmaceutical industry.  Regulations must be put in on clinical trials, lobbying efforts, marketing plans and prescribing practices.  Not only will this lower the cost of health care to make it more affordable for Americans, but it will also make a healthier America with tens of millions of people not taking potentially harfmul drugs that they don’t need.

Prescriptions Result in Greater Need for Rehabilitation

Celebrity deaths attributed to prescriptions are just one indication of how our current social climate is infested with these drugs.  All you have to do is turn on the television or open a popular magazine and you will find plenty of advertisements for one drug or another promising a better life.

Do these prescriptions really make life better though?

The evidence of our decaying social fabric can be traced back to various prescription drugs and there harmful effects, withdrawal symptoms and other side effects.  Many of the most popular drugs have a very high potential for abuse and dependency, yet they’re given out almost like candy and are easily obtained.

The most commonly abused prescription drugs include painkillers such as methadone, Oxycontin, Vicodin, Lortab, Percocet, and many others.  These opiate narcotics can be similar to heroin. In both 2006 and 2007, an estimated 5.2 million people in America aged 12 or older were current non-medical users of prescription pain relievers, while the total number of current heroin users fell to about 153,000, showing how much of an impact these deadly prescriptions have had on the country and how many require addiction treatment.

Another category is prescription stimulants.  These are drugs like Ritalin, Adderall and Dexedrine.  Chemically similar to amphetamine and methamphetamine, resptively, they have a very high abuse potential, yet millions of children and adults are prescribed these drugs every year. In 2007, the estimated number of past month non-medical users of stimulants aged 12 or older, 1.1 million, but this does not include the millions more who were prescribed these drugs but are now dependent upon them.

Benzodiazepines (benzos) such as Xanax, Valium and Klonopin have also become very highly abused and they also have extremely dangerous withdrawal effects.

These drugs are also not just being consumed by young people at parties or from their parents’ medicine cabinet.  They are being sold on the street, over the internet and without adequate prescription drug monitoring programs they are being given out by unsuspecting doctors and pharmacists across the country.  They are also being used by young and old alike.  In fact, the number of drug users aged 50-59 have nearly doubled in the last five years.

In addition, there are many dangerous side effects from drugs such as antidepressants and antipsychotics.  The increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior is now well documented and warnings have been issued, but the money from all of these prescriptions (thanks to the biggest lobbying effort in the country) fuels a massive drug-making machine to the tunes of billions of dollars.  The marketing campaigns have convinced doctors and patients alike that prescriptions are largely okay, when there are much more effective ways of dealing with physical and mental difficulties in life that are nutritionally-based.

Another area that shows some of the most insidious betrayal is in the field of drug and alcohol rehabilitation and treatment.  These prescriptions have found their way into supposed rehab facilities, giving more drugs to already addicted individuals as a form of treatment, yet their very nature means they’re just switching chemical dependencies.  A long-term rehab program is going to be more successful if it is drug-free.

For people caught in the trap of prescription drug addiction and other substance abuse, there is help available.  There area rehabilitation programs that actually work and are drug-free.  Call 1-877-421-9659 today.

Changing the Think on Drug Rehabs

Over the last half century, since alcoholism and other drug addiction was labeled as a disease by the American Medical Association (AMA), treatment success rates have continued to decrease.  The reason for this is because these doctors are literally brainwashed by pharmaceutical companies and sales representatives into thinking that giving drugs to people is going to solve their problems, when common sense would clearly indicate that giving more drugs to addicts is insanity and not treatment.

We have helped many thousands of people over the years find quality drug and alcohol rehab programs, and the ones that continue to produce the best results for permanent recovery are those that do not put people on drugs.  Unfortunately, these are actually harder and harder to find because of the infiltration of “medicalized” and “dual diagnosis treatment” approaches.

Our society needs to change its think on drug rehabs.  People should demand that our tax dollars only go to support programs that can demonstrate success.  Addicts and family members should be able to expect that the outcome of treatment will be sobriety, not a continuation of treatment for a lifetime.

There are programs that work, and we can help you find them.  We recommend long-term drug rehabs that don’t use replacement drugs and expect permanent recovery.  Contact us today for more information or to get help for yourself or a loved one in need. 1-877-421-9659.

The Need for California Drug Rehabs for Meth Addiction

According to the DEA, methamphetamine is the primary drug threat in California. Mexican organizations continue to dominate the production and distribution of high-quality meth, while a secondary trafficking group, composed primarily of Caucasians, operates small, unsophisticated laboratories. Clandestine laboratories can be found in any location: high density residential neighborhoods, sparsely populated rural areas, remote desert locations in the southern portions of California, and the forested areas in northern California.

In recent years, there has been a decrease in the number of meth labs seized in California and an increase in the number of meth labs just south of the border in Mexico. Rural areas in the Central Valley are the source of much of the meth produced in California and seized elsewhere. Within California itself, Hispanics and Caucasians are the almost exclusive consumers of meth. Purity levels of meth have ranged from a low of ten percent to a high of 100 percent purity. As the supply of pseudoephedrine from Canada has diminished after successful law enforcement operations, there has been a noticeable increase in pseudoephedrine and ephedrine seized that originated from China. Restrictions on pseudoephedrine importation into Mexico, balance-of-power issues among rival Mexican cartels, and increased enforcement efforts by the current Mexican government have all significantly impacted methamphetamine manufacturing and the smuggling of finished product into the Los Angeles area.

The most effective type of California drug rehab centers are those that use the biophysical treatment method.  Contact us today for more information or to get help for a loved one in California fighting meth addiction.

Inpatient Drug Rehabs

Many times doctors, therapists and family members will make the damaging mistake of allowing an addict to go to an outpatient program first to “see if it works.”  Because the relapse rate is so high with outpatient programs (some estimates as much as 95%) then it is typically a waste of time and money.

If someone wants to have a much higher chance of overcoming addiction successfully, then a long-term inpatient drug rehab is going to give them a better shot at that, regardless of how severe the problem may seem to be.

The chances of success also increases dramatically with the type of treatment methods.  We can help you find inpatient drug rehabs that have a proven track record of results in handling addiction forever.

What is the Best Drug Rehab?

We often get calls from people looking for the best drug rehab program available.  Too often people think that the celebrity rehabs are the best ones, but they’re not – at least not in terms of success.

A swanky house with Egyptian cotton, a private chef with a pool on the coast might be grand, but if the counseling is not effective or, worse – they give harmful drugs to addicts, then what’s the point?  People might as well go down to Cabo San Lucas or the Virgin Islands for a 30-day vacation.  At least that would be more therapeutic!

When we think of the best, we are thinking in terms of results.  Which rehab programs consistently get people completely off of drugs and alcohol and help them stay that way?  Location and facility are secondary.  We can help find successful programs with nice facilities, larger or smaller client populations, rural or coastline, etc. but it’s the core rehabilitation philosophy and methods that count with a recovery program that truly works.

Adderall Abuse Causing More Addiction Problems

(From CADCA Coalitions Online) – According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, full-time college students between the age of 18 and 22 are twice as likely to abuse the drug Adderall as non-students and part-time students. In addition, of those students surveyed, 90 percent had also engaged in binge drinking during the past month and about half of those students were heavy alcohol users. The study also shows that students who are not of the legal drinking age of 21 and used Adderall nonmedically, were more likely to binge drink than non-users. Originally prescribed for treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Aderall is classified as a Schedule II drug because of its high potential for abuse, but it has recently become popular on college campuses as a study aid.

The survey also showed that of the full-time students that had used Adderall nonmedically in the past year were more than 3 times as likely to abuse marijuana and eight times as likely to abuse cocaine. Those students were also eight times more likely to misuse tranquilizers, and five times more likely to abuse other painkillers as well.

Adderall addiction and abuse has become an increasingly alarming problem among teenagers and young adults in America.  If you suspect someone you love is abusing Adderall or any other drug, contact us today to find successful drug rehab centers.

Proposed Alcohol Tax Increase to Provided Needed Funding for Treatment

(exerpt from Bob Curley’s article on Join Together online) -For decades alcohol industry lobbyists have succeeded in derailing most attempts to raise state alcohol taxes, but the lousy economy has many cash-hungry states now considering alcohol-tax increases — in some cases, to help pay for addiction treatment services as well as address budget deficits.

Serious proposals for increasing alcohol taxes are on the table in more than a dozen states, and governors of three trendsetting states — California, New York and Massachusetts — have endorsed higher alcohol taxes as part of their budget proposals.

“There is overwhelming community support for a tax on alcoholic beverages that will be used, in part, to support treatment for those who suffer from the disease of alcoholism and to prevent problem drinking particularly among underage drinkers,” said John Coppola, executive director of the New York State Association of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Providers, which is backing a 10-cent-per-drink tax proposed by Assemblyman Felix Ortiz. “A dime a drink seems like a very small price for saving a life.”

This winter, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger forwarded a plan to increase the state’s alcohol tax and dedicate a portion of the proceeds to addiction programs. A January poll from the Public Policy Institute of California found that raising alcohol taxes was the most popular budget fix among state voters, with 81 percent supporting Schwarzenegger’s call for increasing alcohol taxes by 5 cents per drink.

Similarly, the Oregon Partnership recently released a poll showing that 61 percent of state voters approved of an alcohol tax increase; the group is supporting a plan to increase beer taxes — which have remained at the same rate for 32 years — to raise up to $165 annually million, mostly for addiction treatment and prevention.

Michele Simon, research and policy director of the Marin Institute, a California-based industry watchdog group, said the fact that the state’s Republican governor supported raising alcohol taxes indicates that the GOP’s long-standing blanket opposition to tax increases may be crumbling. “There has been some shift because we’re in such dire straits,” she said. “But the industry is fighting tooth and nail — they’re the only thing keeping us back now.”