Rockefeller University researchers have shown that methylphenidate (commonly known as Ritalin), which is typically prescribed to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), may change the brain in the same ways as cocaine. Both substances cause physical changes in the regions of the brain that deal with reward. Because Ritalin is so commonly prescribed for the treatment of ADHD, especially for children, researchers feel that the long-term effects of the medication need further study. Yong Kim, senior research associate, commented on the implications of the study's findings:

"Methylphenidate, which is thought to be a fairly innocuous compound, can have structural and biochemical effects in some regions of the brain that can be even greater than those of cocaine. ... Further studies are needed to determine the behavioral implications of these changes and to understand the mechanisms by which these drugs affect synapse formation." (Source: www.sciencedaily.com)

Labels: brain_chemistry, cocaine, ritalin

Norwegian researchers believe that a pharmacological form of the drug ecstasy may help PTSD sufferers engage more productively in psychotherapy and contribute to long-term psychological improvement. PTSD results when an individual experiences a severely traumatic event such as rape, war, assault, or a natural disaster. Psychotherapy promotes healing through exploration of the traumatic event, but for PTSD sufferers this can be extremely difficult.

Researchers found that PTSD patients who stopped their regular anxiety-reducing medications and took ecstasy during psychotherapy sessions were far more likely to make significant progress than a control group of PTSD patients who were given a placebo. Approximately 92 percent of the patients who took the ecstasy made clinically significant improvement in their condition. The researchers commented:

"This was a small study, and it must be followed up by more. But the results are promising, both in terms of safety and the effects of treatment. It is also important to stress that this is not about daily medication, but short-term, controlled use." (Sources: www.sciencedaily.com)

Labels: ecstasy, ptsd, therapy

The Oprah Winfrey Foundation has gifted $500,000 to a New Jersey-based substance abuse rehabilitation center called Integrity House, which provides treatment to female drug addicts. The money will be used for programming and renovation of the facilities.

The donation will be used in particular to expand the Integrity Initiative for Women and Children. This program works to meet the needs of women in recovery, in particular women with young children. The program promotes family reunification and stabilization, in addition to substance abuse treatment and intensive case management.

The funding will also allow Integrity House to complete renovations of a three-story Victorian home in Newark, New Jersey, which will be used to provide outpatient treatment and support services to 60 addicts and their children. (Source: www.prweb.com)

Labels: rehab, therapy, treatment

This week, the Casper-Natrona County Health Department implemented a new tool for screening patients for substance abuse. The tool is an eight-question test called the Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment process (also known as SBIRT). The test requires about five minutes to complete and helps respondents identify whether they may have substance abuse issues. Depending upon the results of the tests, individuals may be offered a brief intervention which will give them the skills to start making a change in their lives. Kerri Dovala, a licensed professional with the department commented on the test:

"It's to empower patients to take better care of their health and if there are any bad habits to change them." (Source: www.trib.com)

Labels: diagnosis, screening

Democratic Senator Marian Walsh and Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick are proposing to lift an exemption on the tax of alcohol bought in stores. Massachusetts residents currently pay five cents on the dollar of alcohol tax when they purchase drinks in restaurants and bars. The new proposal would extend the tax to alcohol purchased at stores. The Senator and Governor believe that the tax would raise additional revenues that would help to address the state's current budget gap of $1.1 billion. Experts estimate that the new tax could raise $90 million annually in additional funding.

The proposal is circulating in two versions - Walsh's and Patrick's. Walsh's version would divert some of the additional revenue into a trust to fund addiction treatment; Patrick's version would use some of the funds to create a wellness fund that would support substance abuse treatment programs. Patrick's version also includes an additional tax on soda and candy that would raise an additional $40 million to address obesity problems in the state. (Sources: www.wickedlocal.com)

Labels: alcohol, costs, tax

According to new data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia, about one in five tuberculosis (TB) patients in the United States reports abusing alcohol or drugs. In addition, those who report substance abuse seem to be more contagious and more difficult to treat. Researchers commented on the findings, saying, "Our results suggest that substance abuse is the most commonly reported modifiable behavior impeding TB elimination efforts in the United States. ... Tuberculosis control and substance abuse programs need to work together to simultaneously treat the diseases of addiction and TB." (Sources: www.sciencedaily.com)

Labels: childhood, treatment, tuberculosis

A new study by the University of Illinois has found that recovery coaches can significantly reduce the number of substance-exposed births and also help to reunite substance-involved families in a timelier manner. The strategy of using recovery coaches to assist substance addicted parents promises significant gains for families struggling with substance abuse, and significant savings over the long term for the child welfare system.

The study is a collaboration between the University of Illinois, the Department of Children and Family Services, and Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities. The findings appeared in the journal Child Abuse and Neglect. (Source: www.sciencedaily.com)

Labels: births, mothers, pregnancy

According to a new report by the North Carolina Institute of Medicine, less than 10 percent of drug users and only 5 percent of alcoholics are getting the state-funded help they need. In addition, those who are receiving treatment are receiving services that are archaic and inadequate. More than 60 experts contributed to the highly critical report, including doctors, scientists, legislators, treatment program managers, and consumers of treatment services.

Legislators are wrestling with the report's hefty recommendation: that they spend more than $94 million on updating and expanding substance abuse services across the state. Senator Martin Nesbitt (Democrat) believes that legislators must consider the hidden costs of not spending money to enhance state-funded substance abuse treatment services. He says that the state economy currently loses more than $12 billion annually from the direct and indirect costs of substance abuse, including premature deaths, crime, traffic accidents, reduced productivity, unemployment, and other problems.

David Friedman, a Wake Forest University addiction expert, concurs with Nesbitt's opinion, stating, "You can cut back on treatment, but you end up paying in cops, hospitals, and broken families later on." (Source: www.newsobserver.com)

Labels: addiction, addicts, north-carolina

Recently, six drugstores in the area of Spokane, Washington, have been robbed. Authorities believe that these crimes were perpetrated by individuals addicted to prescription medications. In each case of robbery, the thieves took OxyCodone, OxyContin, and Vicodin - all prescription painkillers. Authorities describe the break-ins as an epidemic.

A former prescription painkiller addict, interviewed anonymously by a local news team, said that she first took Vicodin and Loratab as prescriptions after giving birth to her first child. After three months of taking the drugs, however, when her prescription ran out, the terrible withdrawal symptoms began. "Julie" described her withdrawal symptoms and how she purchased the medications illegally for two years:

"You don't wanna move, hot and cold, hurting muscles, leg twitching. ... I called some people, friends, what can I do, and they were like well we can find you this. ... You'd give 'em the money they'd give you the pills. ... I was on the phone hours a day ... it consumes your entire day. ... It all starts with somebody getting a prescription, it really does."

(Source: www.kxly.com)

Labels: prescription-drug-abuse