Treatment

New Publication on Clinical Supervision for Substance Abuse Treatment

ModeratorMM — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:37:54 GMT

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has released the following resource:

Clinical Supervision and Professional Development of the Substance Abuse Counselor (TIP 52)

http://kap.samhsa.gov/products/manuals/tips/pdf/TIP52.pdf

2009 Anti-Meth Campaign Launched

ModeratorMM — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 18:22:35 GMT

Earlier today, ONDCP launched the 2009 Anti-Meth Campaign. This Campaign focuses on preventing methamphetamine use as well as raising awareness about treatment and recovery. To learn more about the Campaign and to view the ads, visit the MethResources site.

Meth Kills Domain Change

lowster11 — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 16:10:27 GMT

Seems I can not get my domain back, so now http://meth-kills.com is http://meth-kills.org

Vice President Biden Issues Statement on the Confirmation of Chief Kerlikowske as Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy

ModeratorLF — Fri, 08 May 2009 21:37:50 GMT

The former Chief of Police for the Seattle Police Department brings nearly four decades of law enforcement and drug policy experience to the position.

The new Drug Czar will engage with Federal, State, and local partners to develop and implement a comprehensive strategy that reduces flow of drugs in our communities. Director Kerlikowske’s message is available at http://pushingback.com/blogs/pushing_back/archive/2009/05/08/48359.aspx . For additional information about the Director and his confirmation please see http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/ .

Meth treatment data available from SAMHSA

ModeratorMM — Tue, 05 May 2009 12:51:29 GMT

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) recently released the following report, which provides data on admissions to treatment for different substances, including methamphetamine:

Highlights for the 2007 Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS)

http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/TEDS2k7highlights/toc.cfm

Holiday schedule for DiscussMeth

ModeratorLF — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 13:25:34 GMT

Greetings,

Due to the holiday, posts received after 3pm EST on Wednesday, December 24 will not be posted until Monday, December 29.

Peace and happiness this holiday season from the DiscussMeth team.

life after treatment

jadafly — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 14:40:04 GMT

my spouse has went to treatment, i am having it really hard dealing with the withdrawal symptoms,he is irritable , there are so many demands on me,because of his addiction problem,i have problems trying to trust him with money,or just trust period, it's like he has all the problems so all the attention should be focus on him, but i feel all alone except for me and God,he say he has been clean since May ,and i can not tell other wise that he is lying ,all i can do is try to believe him, i can not really talk to him about how i feel ,because we just end up auguring,we are having problem in our sex life,because of me as well as him , I'm still trying to get past all the unfaithfulness, you see he has been using drugs off and on for 20 years, he just told me that in May of this year,i thought he had and alcohol problem ,but that was just to mask the real problem, he quit drinking but still used, anyway i thought if i could write on this page may be it would help me to vent ,most people feel like just walking away ,but when we got married we made a vow thur sickness and in health, and i meant every last bit of it, I hope to win this war and reclaim my spouse,by not running or leaving , but to see him thur, he told me that he was tied of doing drugs , that it's time for him to quit for Good ,AND IF THERE IS ANYONE OUT THERE WHO MIGHT FEEL ALL ALONE YOU ARE NOT , i am here still standing , i am praying that things get better, but i know it's up to him, I also mean Him up above,,i also know my husband loves me , it just so crazy that with every thing else in life you have to go thur look at this,it's like his emotions are up and down, he's angry then he is happy to sad, it just taking atoll on me, we have four children who never knew daddy had a problem ,and both of us can not get counseling at the same time, somebody is got to be Strong , and that would be me ,i really do not know what to do to help him after treatment any advice on that anyone , pointer's on how to rebuild trust?you see before we were lover's ,he was my best freind and he still is ,i am always telling him please don't give up,i know you can do it, remember why you quit in the first place , be steadfast, ,,HOW DO I HELP AFTER TREATMENT?

New SAMHSA toolkit for treatment providers

ModeratorMM — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 20:43:17 GMT

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has released the below toolkit, which is aimed at supporting community- and faith-based treatment and recovery service providers:

Sustaining Grassroots Community-Based Programs: A Toolkit for Community- and Faith-Based Service Providers

To view full text online: http://download.ncadi.samhsa.gov/prevline/pdfs/SMA08-4340.pdf

To order in hardcopy: http://ncadistore.samhsa.gov/catalog/productDetails.aspx?ProductID=17868

The toolkit contains tips and planning worksheets within six booklets that cover:- Strategic planning- Organizational assessment and readiness- Effective marketing strategies- Financial management- Fund development and fund raising

- Results-oriented evaluations

Meth treatment web video from Minnesota

richard.moldenhauer@state.mn.us — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 21:43:07 GMT

The Minnesota County Attorneys Assn has produced an hour long DVD about methamphetamine in Minnesota, and recently posted about a 15 minute video on meth treatment in Minnesota. The web video is free to view, available at:

http://www.revealingmeth.com/help1.htm

You must have QuickTime player to view it. It can be downloaded from the web free of charge.

The hour long DVD is free with a mild shipping charge (about $5.00), clips of which can be seen, and the DVD itself ordered from:

http://www.revealingmeth.com/home.htm

Addiction Directory

lowster11 — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 12:22:15 GMT

I just started an Addiction Directory, feel free to add your rehab and treatment centers.

Addiction Directory

Cross-posting: Looking for insight from former (or current) Meth users

MAPP_RCSD — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 21:08:53 GMT

Hi, I am cross-posting here a survey I posted in the General Discussions category, just in case there are any treatment providers out there who may have subscribed to receive e-mail alerts only within this category. If you are currently seeing Meth clients, please feel free to ask your clients these questions below. If you do so, please summarize any responses and send to me through the DiscussMeth private messaging service or by posting here in the forum for all to see. You can see what I am trying to put together by viewing the initial post below.

-Nikkole

====Original post follows====

Hi, everyone.

I know there are lots of former users here and I wanted to ask a few questions. I am trying to research some of the distinguishing characteristics between Meth-induced symptoms and some psychiatric disorders. Please feel free to re-post this message elsewhere and let me know either here or by private message (PM) where you have posted it so I can compile the results. If you do not want to publicly post your results, feel free to PM me as well.

If you have used Meth in the past, I would appreciate your answers to this list of questions:

1. Did you ever scratch or pick at your skin, bite your fingernails or pull or pluck out your hair while you were actively using? If yes, please list which of these you did at some point during your use and continue below. If no, skip to Q.2.

a. What caused you to scratch and pick at skin, hair or fingernails?

b. What would you describe as your mental state while doing these behaviors? (For example, were you anxious or nervous, did you feel compelled to continue, etc.)

c. What would you describe as your mental state AFTER doing these behaviors (if any)? (Did you feel relief or release, did this help with any of the symptoms in 1.a above, did you feel embarrassment, disgust or other strong feelings, etc.)

d. Did engaging in these behaviors ever interfere with your daily life? (Late to work because you couldn't stop the behavior, embarrassed by scars leading to not wanting to leave the house, etc.)

e. Did you take any steps to hide this behavior from others? (Use makeup to cover it up, stay home until healed, etc.)

f. How much time did you spend on the activity on a daily basis?

g. Did you ever use any instruments (like tweezers, pins, etc.) when you were picking at skin, hair or fingernails, or did you only use your fingers?

h. Did the behavior only coincide with your periods of use, or did you find yourself doing it also between using periods? Did you continue any of the behaviors for any period after you began your abstinence? For how long?

2. Did you ever behave in ways that might seem obsessive or compulsive? (Like organizing or ordering, color-coding items in your closets or kitchen cabinets, cleaning marathons, etc.) If yes, please list some of these behaviors and continue below. If no, skip to Q.3.

a. What drove you to engage in this behavior? (Lots of time and energy on my hands, felt compelled to do it, just something to do, etc.)

b. What would you describe as your mental state while doing these behaviors? (For example, were you anxious or nervous, did you feel compelled to continue, etc.)

c. What would you describe as your mental state AFTER doing these behaviors, (if any)? (Did you feel relief or release, did this help with any of the symptoms in 1.a above, sense of accomplishment, etc.)

d. Did engaging in these behaviors ever interfere with your daily life? (Late to work because you couldn't stop the behavior, disagreements with spouse or roommate because they "undid" your "work," etc.)

e. How did you feel if someone ever disorganized or made dirty something you had spent time organizing or cleaning?

f. How much time did you spend on the activity on a daily basis?

3. Did you ever have difficulty sleeping or insomnia, or at the other extreme inability to get out of bed? If yes, continue below, if not skip to Q.4.

a. Did these periods of sleeping problems follow a typical pattern? (like not sleeping while high and sleeping for extended periods while crashing)

b. What type of sleep disruptions did you experience in your early abstinence? How long did they continue?

4. Did you ever have symptoms of extreme anxiety or panic attacks? If yes, continue below, if not skip to Q.5.

a. How did this coincide with your periods of use/non-use? (only while high, during "tweaking" state, just before crashing, during withdrawal, etc.)

b. Did you have any anxiety or panic attacks before your first use of Meth?

c. Did symptoms of anxiety or panic disorders continue after your abstinence? For how long?

d. Did you receive any type of treatment for anxiety or panic disorders? What were you prescribed (treatment or medication) and did it work?

5. Did you ever have symptoms of depression? If yes, continue below, if not skip to Q.6.

a. How did this coincide with your periods of use/non-use? (only while high, during "tweaking" state, just before crashing, during withdrawal, etc.)

b. Did you have any symptoms of depression before your first use of Meth?

c. Did symptoms of depression continue after your abstinence? For how long?

d. Did you receive any type of treatment for depression? What were you prescribed (treatment or medication) and did it work?

6. Did you ever experience hallucinations, delusions or other psychotic symptoms? (If yes, please describe the types of symptoms you experienced.) If yes, continue below, if not skip to Q.7.

a. How did this coincide with your periods of use/non-use? (only while high, during "tweaking" state, just before crashing, during withdrawal, etc.)

b. Did you have any hallucinations, delusions or other symptoms of psychosis before your first use of Meth?

c. Did hallucinations, delusions or symptoms of psychosis continue after your abstinence? For how long?

d. Did you receive any type of treatment for psychotic symptoms? What were you prescribed (treatment or medication) and did it work?

7. Did you ever get to the point that you didn't leave or didn't want to leave your home? If yes, continue below.

a. What was the reason(s) you didn't leave or didn't want to leave your home? (Fear of getting busted, depression, etc.)

b. How did this coincide with your periods of use/non-use? (only while high, during "tweaking" state, just before crashing, during withdrawal, etc.)

c. Did symptoms of depression continue after your abstinence? For how long?

Thanks for any insight you can provide.

-Nikkole

treatmentcenters

edward — Tue, 27 May 2008 05:41:57 GMT

Hai guys,

I am actually new to forum, my question is Are you suffering with any disease? If you want cure means search for a good treatment.

_________________________________________

Edward eaton

Suffering from an addiction. This website has a lot of great resources and treatment centers. <a href="http://www.treatmentcenters.orghttp://www.treatmentcenters.org">http://www.treatmentcenters.org</a>

Thanks,

Rehab assistance, please help

auntie J — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 19:37:18 GMT

I just found this site today so I dont know what survey you are discussing. I am trying to get help/advice on how to help a nephew get off meth but we don't have rehab money . Other than educating myself via the net , tough loving him and prayer: I feel lost. Any experiences or ideas to share?.

Spirituality and Drug Addiction

petrosianii — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 00:31:15 GMT

Although there have been great advances in the pharmacological studies of drug abuse and addiction, I still firmly believe that nothing has so much contributed to solving the problem of addiction as the 12-step programs that began in the 1930s. Groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous and Cocaine Anonymous have a proven track record of helping individuals recover from the "seemingly hopeless state of mind and body" which drug addiction produces.

As a philosophical counseling specialist who works with drug addicts and alcoholics on a daily basis, I can affirm that this is true. And I think the reason is because these 12-step fellowships combine the right amount and kind of spirituality that is so essential for recovery.

A great psychoanalyst once remarked that the only scientifically significant solution to the problem of addiction (meth included) was what he termed a "profound psychic change in depth." Though religious folk may be quick to say that this is a conversion experience, it need not necessarily be so. (Although in defense of the religious, I have witnessed, more than once, a person be relieved of drug obsession through such religious conversion.) A psychic change in depth can occur through intensive psychotherapy, through philosophical counseling , as well as through traditional religious "conversion."

But the point is: Some sort of profoundly inexplicable psychic readjustment usually must take place in order for solid recovery to be possible.

This is where the 12-step programs flourish, I think. They create a space, an atmosphere of love, nurturance and structure, which enables the miracle of psychic rearrangement to take place. And, empirically-speaking, they do it better than virtually any other environment, to date.

Ten Million Dollar Meth Campaign

Tara — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 14:01:23 GMT

I guess by now everyone has seen some of the anti-meth ads that are a part of the 10 million dollar Federal initiative, which I believe will run through March of 2008. Some of the ads are compelling, although in talking to a lot of ex-users, there's the usual amount of cynicism and skepticism when actors and models are used. But here's a hypothetical I'd like to propose.

Imagine for a moment that a miracle took place, and these ads were 100% successful in their intended objectives. 100% of the people out there who need treatment would drop their pipe and pick up the phone. And 100% of the kids and adults who had already started to experiment with meth would have a moment of clarity, and stop - instantly.

So the first question is, for all the people who finally admit that they need treatment, what would we do with them? Most regions require people to languish on a waiting list, sometimes for months, before they can get a bed in a facility. And many of those ready for treatment will have care-giver issues while attending residential treatment. And others will have transportation issues if they can only get outpatient treatment. What will we do with them? And others, owing to previous drug convictions, have lost their eligibility for government assistance to off-set the cost of treatment. What will we do with them? And it's pretty much accepted that a proper meth treatment program has to be more than the 21 to 28 day standard model. Most regions don't have the funding or capacity to handle that, and most treatment professionals seem to think without a proper duration of treatment and an inordinately strong aftercare component, it's an exercise in futility. So what will we do with those affected by these factors?

The second point is that if someone is predisposed to addiction, selecting meth as their "vehicle" is just a symptom of the problem, it's not the problem. Just because you convince them not to use that "vehicle" doesn't mean that you've addressed the underlying issues that make them want to use drugs in the first place. So what will become of them? Will they say "no" to meth because it's illegal and negatively stigmatized and "yes" to alcohol because it's legal, socially acceptable, and even glamorized in the media? Either way, whether it's meth or alcohol, they're not using it because they enjoy the taste and social atmosphere, they're using it because they want to create a sea-change psychologically in their head. One way or another, unless we addess the underlying issues with such people, they're going to "medicate" their way to a solution.

It strikes me that before we spend ten million dollars on invitations to an "Open House," we should be spending a lot more time and money making sure that we're able to accomodate the people who actually show up.

Tara

Teen and Young Adult Treatment Program

Annie — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 14:57:29 GMT

Hazelden has published The Matrix Model for Adolescents and Young Adults Intensive Outpatient Program and it is available at this time. The program was developed and evaluated with teens from ages 14 - 21 and there is also a comprehensive Family Unit with this program. Here is a link to the Hazelden bookstore Teen Matrix page - http://www.hazelden.org/OA_HTML/ibeCCtpItmDspRte.jsp?a=b&item=10052.