Prescription Drug Addiction

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Drug Addiction Among University Students

October 16, 2012 in College Drug Addiction, Guest Blog Posts, In the News, Prescription Drug Addiction by jherzanek | Permalink

Drug Addiction Among University Students

Drug Addiction Among University Students:
Is Drug Addiction Among University Students Destroying USA’s Future?

~by Guest Blogger Lily McCann

Use of legal and illegal drugs among University students is increasing at an alarming pace. According to statistics from The United Nations, the United States is the biggest drug market in the world. One reason behind this is extensive use of drugs at universities in the United States.

Reasons Behind Increasing Drug Addiction Among University Students
The main reason behind these alarming numbers is the use of prescription drugs, marijuana and cocaine by university students. Even though prescription drugs are legitimate, they may have long-term negative impacts on individuals. Students who disclosed using prescription drugs in order to improve their level of concentration were more frequently found to have used illicit drugs in universities as compared to those students who had not used prescription stimulants previously.

The reasons for drug use differ among individuals. Currently, the most common reason for drug use and abuse among students is to improve academic performance; this is the reason why an increase in illicit drug use is observed during exam times.

Recent Trends in Drug Abuse
According to national epidemiological studies, there has been a significant rise in the use of illicit drugs in US universities and colleges. Individuals within the age group of 18–29 tend to use more than any other age group–leading to an alarming rate of prescription drug addiction among young adults.

Influences of Drug Abuse on Students’ Lives
The future of our country depends upon our youth. Prescription drug addiction among our university students is a major threat.

  • Effects on Academic Progress
    Even though the motive behind using drugs in universities is to improve academic progress, students do not realize that drug use defeats this purpose. The consumption of stimulant drugs causes an increase in the level of certain hormones in the brain, which can make an individual feel more confident. With repeated use however, an individual’s body starts depending upon these external triggers to function properly. Therefore, the academic performance of the student declines as their drug use turns into addiction.
  • Effects on Social Life
    When individuals addicted to drugs are kept away from drugs even for short periods of time they showcase certain symptoms, including depression, aggression and other common drug-seeking behavioral changes. Many of those conditions push individuals into isolation (either willingly or they are pushed aside by society due to unacceptable behavior). Drug addicted students stop interacting with their peers. Drug addiction also causes lack of self esteem and happiness.
  • Effects on Personal Development
    Psychological effects of drug addiction can include aggressive behavior, lack of rationalization and lack of motivation. These factors influence the overall development of a student’s personality; these factors become a hindrance to building a prosperous life and career. Drug abusing individuals find themselves incapable of finding and keeping a job and handling stress. If and when they do become employed they often remain unable to socialize within the work or home environments.

Fighting Drug Addiction at Universities
Despite efforts from university personnel and law enforcement, this problem is not going away anytime soon. Accessible addiction treatment programs for university students is one suggested way to deal with the problem. Read more about this approach in the book “A Guide to Substance Abuse Services for Primary Care Clinicians”. According to this approach, each individual is screened separately and an in-depth assessment is administered in order to devise highly effective specialized treatment.

There are a number of initiatives for fighting drug addiction among university students. For even more information on addiction visit http://www.kwikmed.org/20-inspirational-drug-information-resources/ where this blog (Changing Lives Foundation) is also listed.

RELATED:
Drug Addiction Help Now: Is alcoholism, substance abuse destroying your family?

Addiction. What if they just CAN’T quit?

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Vicodin Addiction: Prescription Abuse
~by guest blogger Alex Kerwin

Vicodin Addiction: Prescription Abuse
Vicodin is a synthetic opiate created in a laboratory. Similar to morphine, its primary use is to control moderate to severe pain. Since the medication works on pain-receptors in the brain and produces a feeling of euphoria and well-being, Vicodin is frequently a drug of choice for substance abuse. In 2010, over 130 million prescriptions were written for Vicodin, and related medications. Consequently, opiate addiction has surged with over 10 million Americans self-reporting prescription medication abuse. Increasing awareness of prescription addiction with education and alternatives in treatment are paramount. Vicodin addiction is an epidemic in the USA, and people with substance abuse issues should not feel alone or stigmatized when seeking treatment.

How Addiction Begins
Initially, people are prescribed Vicodin for pain, usually after injury or surgery. During the recovery process, Vicodin is taken on a regular basis and the brain begins to experience a “good feeling,” or a state of euphoria. In response, the brain makes less “good chemicals,” on its own, and relies on the Vicodin to supply these chemicals. Unfortunately, when Vicodin is discontinued, the brain continues to create less “feel good” chemicals, and the person may experience depression and withdrawal.

Increased Tolerance and Dosage
Addiction will drive the person to increase the amount of Vicodin to create the feelings of well-being as the tolerance to the drug increases. People with addiction will take dangerously high dosages of the drug and risk liver and kidney damage, as well as overdose and death. It is not uncommon for addicted persons to seek several doctors and visit hospital emergency rooms as a response for the brain’s increased demand of the drug.

Signs of Withdrawal
Once the use of Vicodin is stopped, many addicted individuals will experience an overwhelming psychic desire for the drug. In addition, withdrawal is accompanied by dreadful feelings of impending doom, physical aches and pains, nausea and vomiting, and deep depression with suicidal thoughts. Depending on the extent of the addiction, it is dangerous for people to attempt detoxification from the substance without supervision and they are strongly encouraged to seek professional assistance.

Help from Treatment Centers
In 2009, over 11 million people received treatment for substance abuse and addiction. As awareness of substance dependence increases in society, treatment centers are being recognized as important resources and assistance in addiction recovery. Using an approach of the psychological and physical needs of the individual, treatment focuses not only on the cessation of the drug, but provides coping strategies on restoring the individual to their former selves. The ultimate goal of substance abuse treatment returns people to productive functioning in the family, workplace, school, and the community.

Addiction can be Treated Successfully
As with all chronic disease, addiction can be managed successfully. Treatments centers provide powerful strategies for living a healthy and productive life without drug dependence. According to researchers, most people that enter treatment have positive outcomes and refrain from substance abuse.

NEED HELP NOW?
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RELATED:
>Chronic Pain Management & Pain Pill Addiction: What to do?

>My True Story of Prescription Drug Addiction

>Pain Meds Cause More Pain! The new silent epidemic

>Opiate Pain Meds: Avoiding Opiate Prescription Drug Addiction in Recovery

>Read more about this topic—chapter 27, Why Don’t They JUST QUIT?

>Effects of Addiction

>The Accidental Addict

 

SELF TESTS:
> Self-Tests: Codependence

> Self-Tests: Alcohol and Drug Addiction

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August 18, 2012 by jherzanek | 1 comment

My True Story of Prescription Drug Addiction

May 22, 2012 in AA Related, Al-Anon Related. . ., Other topics of interest, Painkiller Abuse, Prescription Drug Addiction, Real People, Real Stories by jherzanek | 3 comments

REAL PEOPLE, REAL STORIES:
From Hopkins To Homeless: My True Story Of Prescription Drug Addiction

From Hopkins To Homeless: My True Story Of Prescription Drug Addiction
~by David Tod Loffert

After completing 4 years at the University of Northern Colorado for my Bachelor of Science, 1 year at Johns Hopkins University for my Masters in Health Science, and 2 ½ years into my Ph.D. in respiratory medicine at the Medical College of Virginia/Virginia Commonwealth University, I thought I had complete control of my life.  Specifically, my career in aerosol respiratory medicine.  I had published my first paper in a respectable peer-reviewed medical journal (Chest) when I was 27. Several months after that, I presented the paper at a medical conference in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. It was one of 9 trips I would take to Germany to consult with a medical company established in Starnberg, Germany.

By the time I was in my second year of my Ph.D. I had published/presented 54 medical papers, published 6 peer reviewed medical papers, was contributing author on one book, owned and operated my own consulting company in respiratory medicine, developed a patent for respiratory devices, and was progressing successfully in my Ph.D.  I was 31 years old and I was proud of my accomplishments and my continuing success in respiratory medicine. But, that was all about to change. Prescription drug addiction would enter my life and take away from me my possessions, my profession, my loved ones, and my sanity.

“I thought I was too intelligent
to become addicted.”

My pathway to prescription drug addiction started when I made an appointment to see Dr. Cary S., M.D. for migraine headaches.  I put great trust in him due to the fact that he was the medical schools doctor and was responsible for taking care of the students enrolled in the medical school programs. In a timeframe of 8 months I was prescribed 6,647 controlled substance pills.

I had pills to help me stay awake and study, pills for helping me sleep, pills for anxiety, and pills for pain. I knew about addiction but I thought I was too intelligent to become addicted. Anyway, these pills were provided to me by the schools doctor who said he had taken pills when he was in medical school to help him succeed. My ignorance would cause me to lose almost a decade of my life and would bring me close to death many times as a result of my severe prescription drug addiction.

Although “Dr. S.” lost his medical license for over-prescribing controlled substances and not monitoring that prescribing, it was too late for me. I had to drop out of my Ph.D. program due to my addiction. ”Dr. S.” lost his license 3 months after I dropped out of the program. At this point in my life, I had to confront and accept some very disturbing facts: I no longer was pursuing the goal I had been following for the past 15 years, I was severely addicted to prescription drugs, the doctor who had been prescribing me the drugs had his medical license revoked and the main focus of my life was to obtain drugs. I was, in essence, trapped in the severity of my addiction. For the first time I had lost complete control over my life.

My first of numerous prescription drug addiction-related detrimental events came when I was presenting a medical paper at a conference in Atlanta, Georgia. Before my lecture I forged a prescription on my computer and proceeded to the pharmacy to have it filled. Since the prescription was for Demerol, the pharmacy called the doctor and verified the prescription was forged. The police were waiting for me (at the conference lecture hall) to finish my lecture and when I did they handcuffed and arrested me.  I was taken out in front of all my colleagues and conference members and taken to jail. Needless to say I was immediately fired from my job as a senior aerosol scientist for a prominent German company established in the United States.

“I was taken out in front of all my colleagues and conference members and taken to jail.”

For many years I was doctor shopping.  I would acquire my drugs in many ways: the internet, hospital emergency rooms, forged prescriptions, clinics, private doctors, and in other countries. I would stay employed by various companies because of my experience in respiratory medicine. But, I would ultimately get fired when my drug addiction interfered with the quality of my work. Eventually, word of my addiction became known to my colleagues and the respiratory medicine industry. From that point on, I was not called upon to lecture, to consult, or in any way work in the respiratory medicine industry. I was, for all intents and purposes, “blackballed” from my profession.

Shunned from my profession, disenchanted from my family and friends, and homeless, I fell into a deep depression. It was at this time that I wrote a suicide note and attempted to commit suicide.  Over the next 9 years I would attempt suicide 1 more time, have 35 toxic overdoses, and 45 seizures. All of which brought me close to death each time.

During the 9 years of my prescription drug addiction, I would periodically give rehabilitation a try. Nine times I made a serious effort to get sober. But, every time, I would relapse within weeks of being discharged. After 9 years, I completely surrendered to my disease and came to the understanding that my addiction was not going to be successfully addressed in weeks or even in a couple months of treatment.

I realized that my recovery would require at least a year in a long term residential program where I could work on my addiction issues every day with no distractions. I found that in a year-long cognitive/behavioral rehabilitation program. This program not only worked on my addiction issues but also worked on my cognitive/behavioral issues that caused me to seek drugs.

Currently, my life is finally in a direction I can be proud of. I graduated from a year-long in-patient residential cognitive/behavioral rehabilitation facility. My sobriety restored my clarity of thought and determination—two attributes which are essential for completing my autobiography “From Hopkins To Homeless: My True Story Of Prescription Drug Addiction”. I believe I can inspire and educate others about addiction and recovery with my memoir.

My future is completely open with possibilities. I do know that I am very thrilled and inspired living life as a sober individual since December 25, 2007. And, for the first time in over 9 years I have a sense of self-confidence and respect for myself. This confidence reminds me that I can accomplish anything I put my mind to. For this reason, I have enrolled and been accepted to complete my doctorate in public health education.

It has been a long, arduous, and self-revealing journey through the past 9 years from addiction to recovery. Unfortunately along the way I became deceitful, dishonest, unreliable and untrustworthy. On the other hand, I can proclaim that through my suffering and adversity came great rewards and prosperity.

Today, I continue to advocate for those affected by this disease of prescription drug addiction. This is a passion and pathway that I will pursue for the rest of my life.

David Todd Loffert, B.S., M.H.S., (Ph.D. Candidate)
Public Health and Addiction Education
303-898-7859

 

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RELATED:

Pain Meds Cause More Pain! The new silent epidemic

Opiate Pain Meds: Avoiding Opiate Prescription Drug Addiction in Recovery

Chronic Pain Management & Pain Pill Addiction: What to do?

Read more about this topic—chapter 27, Why Don’t They JUST QUIT?

Effects of Addiction

The Accidental Addict

RESOURCES:
Addiction Recovery Resources for Families of Substance Abusers, Addicts and Alcoholics

Why Don't They Just Quit? by Joe Herzanek
Why Don’t They Just Quit? What families and friends need to know about addiction and recovery.

> Paperback

> Audio Book CD, MP3 (NEW!)

> Kindle

> Audible Audio Download  (LISTEN TO 4 MIN. SAMPLE)

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