Information On Vicodin Addiction

Healthy Dieting / Cleansing

admin — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:20:58 +0000

When women are dieting to the point where they are afraid to indulge in a piece of fruit while on a diet there is a problem.

Most women at some point or another are on a diet or are unhappy with their bodies.

There are many detox diet out there that that tell women “if you follow this you will drop X amount of pounds in 5 days.”

Women want this and they follow it and it can have hazardous affects on their bodies.

The reality is the detox diets are usually a lemonade type diet and despite it being 48hrs there is no meal included and it is detrimental.

The weight may come of but it rarely is maintained and the rebound effect is high. That means the weight comes back…

It is important to be clear on the goals of the cleansing and to be sure you know how to do it safely.

If you are going to do it then be sure that you are not ridding you body of necessary electrolytes, healthy bacteria and other vital fluids

If you are going to cleanse know what you are saying to yourself as you proceed and be sure your self image is positive.

www.bayrecovery.com

www.bayrecoveryintervention.com

Food and its Potential for Addiction

admin — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:56:44 +0000

There is recent evidence to support the connection between the way a person consumes excessive amounts of food and their tendency toward food addiction.

It is apparent because of the link between the use of food and the negative consequences, desire to end the behavior and the continuing of the behavior

Long after the pleasure has ended. All of the behaviors are directly connected to how one who is struggling with addiction to a drink or drug. It has also been documented that certain pathways in the brain have been triggered as a result of eating certain foods. This is because of certain neurological triggers and can cause the craving of certain foods. There is no proof that certain foods are addictive but there is ongoing research being done to support this. Until then, it is clear that following a healthy diet is important in maintaining a balanced body.

www.bayrecovery.com

www.bayrecoveryintervention.com

Love Addiction

admin — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 22:40:28 +0000

It is thought that this is the lighter of the addictions but how many crimes are those of passion. When people enter recovery from substance abuse, relationships are often the next tier. The other would be eating disorders.

A love addict defined as; the addiction in which the person becomes addicted to the feeling of love.

It seems that love addiction has been broken up into several categories and this allows one to see where they fit for the best attempt at recovery.

Additional Types of Love Addict

Obsessed, co-dependent, narcissistic, relationship, ambivalent, torch bearers, seductive with holders and romance addicts.

Some Symptoms or Characteristics of Love Addiction;

Difficulty protecting self, setting up boundaries

Sense of worthlessness without a relationship or partner

Feelings that a relationship makes one whole, or more of a man or woman

Strong need to be in control of all situations and those people around you

History of emotional, physical, or sexual trauma

In ability to feel satisfied sexually

Confuse sex with love

Often are living a double life

Relationship hop- goes from one to the next without an emotional break

Living in a les than nurturing home setting when a child nurturing

Sense of isolation from parents and family

Tendency to package relationships from other areas of life

Usually the outsides emotions don’t match the inside emotions

Mistake intensity for intimacy (drama driven relationships)

Depression or other Dual Diagnosis

The symptoms are important markers but the other issues are the feelings that go with the behaviors. Often the addict has feelings that are occurring that mask any ability to connect with their true emotions. What we have yet to discuss is the chemicals that are involved and why it is so with these behaviors and why it becomes addictive. Guess that’s for next time.

www.bayrecovery.com

www.bayrecoveryintervention.com

Dual Diagnosis

admin — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 19:16:33 +0000

So what is dual diagnosis exactly and do I have it. Well let’s answer the first and easiest part. The term dual diagnosis is used to describe the comorbid (the presence of one or more disorders) i.e. a person is considered to have a dual diagnosis if they are bipolar and alcoholic. The do I have it has to come from a healthcare provider such as you MD or Psychiatrist. The examples of dual diagnosis above are made over a course of time and often you have a lot of the information. We will look later at the signs and symptoms of alcoholism, bipolar disorder and some of the other co-occurring disorders later so check back with us. Remember each diagnosis has answers if you’re willing to get help, follow through and build the appropriate support team.

www.bayrecovery.com

www.bayrecoveryintervention.com

Sleep Medication

admin — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 20:29:44 +0000

Has your use of sleep medication increased or decreased since the controversial death of Michael Jackson? Or has it further reinforced the age old belief that it will never happen to me since he was so “famous and using a drug so seemingly impossible to get” There are many sleep aids on the market that are just as addicting if not more addicting with the belief that there is less potential for sudden death, it is all in how they are being used. It is also all in the way the body reacts to the medication and the dosage. Let’s look at some of those drugs, valium, ativan, clonazepam, are few benzodiazepines that are potentially addicting and used for sleep. These meds are not the best choices for insomnia. There are also alternative behaviors that can be implemented along with medication to aid in restoring normalized sleep hygiene. The newer sleep meds; ambien, lunesta, sonata are potentially non-habit forming but are only to be used for a brief period, seven to ten days unless otherwise indicated by your doctor. Diprovan (propofol) was an anesthetic that is used for the induction of general anesthesia. This drug was not meant to be used to aid of the regular rhythm of a normalized sleep cycle. Remember; one must be aware of the combination of medications they are taking and adding just one medication without notifying your healthcare provider can be a potentially deadly mistake. If you feel that you have a conflict of interest with your healthcare provider in that you are too close it is important to tell someone and ask for help in looking for another practitioner. We can address conflict of interest signs in our next blog.

www.bayrecovery.com

www.bayrecoveryintervention.com

Drug Glossary

admin — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 19:59:37 +0000

Prescription & Street Drug Information
ALCOHOL – Beer, wine, liquor, cooler, booze, malt liquor

What type of drug is it?
Alcohol is a depressant.

What does it look like?
Alcohol is used in liquid form.

How is it used?
Alcohol is drunk.

What are its short-term effects?

constricted peripheral blood vessels
dilated pupils
increased temperature, heart rate, blood pressure
insomnia, nausea, vomiting
loss of appetite
dizziness, slurred speech
feelings of restlessness
irritability, anxiety
depression, fatigue
What are its long-term effects?

addiction
aggressive paranoid behavior, severe anxiety
depression
ulceration of mucous membrane of nose (when vapors are snorted)
permanent damage to liver and brain

AMPHETAMINES – Bennies, Crank, Go Fast, Speed, Uppers, Ups

What is it?
An amphetamine is a drug that is a stimulant to the central nervous system.

What does it look like?
Amphetamines are taken in tablet and pill form.

How is it used?
Amphetamines are colorless and may be inhaled, injected, or swallowed.

What are its short-term effects?
Short-term effects include increased talkativeness, increased aggressiveness, increased breathing rate, increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, reduced appetite, dilated pupils, visual hallucinations, auditory hallucinations, compulsive, repetitive action. Other effects of large does can include fever and sweating, dry mouth, headache, paleness, blurred vision, dizziness, irregular heartbeat, tremors, loss of coordination, collapse.

What are its long-term effects?
Possible long-term effects include tolerance and dependence, violence and aggression, malnutrition due to suppression of appetite. Amphetamines can be addictive.

COCAINE – Cocaine: Big C, Blow, Coke, Flake, Lady, Nose candy, Snow, Snowbirds, White Crack, Freebase, Rock

What is it?
Cocaine is a drug extracted from the leaves of the coca plant. It is a potent brain stimulant and one of the most powerfully addictive drugs.

What does it look like?
Cocaine is distributed on the street in two main forms: cocaine hydrochloride is a white crystalline powder and “crack” is cocaine hydrochloride that has been processed with ammonia or sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and water into a freebase cocaine – chips, chunks, or rocks. How is it used?

Cocaine can be snorted or dissolved in water and injected. Crack can be smoked. What are its short-term effects?
Short-term effects of cocaine include constricted peripheral blood vessels, dilated pupils, increased temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, insomnia, loss of appetite, feelings of restlessness, irritability, and anxiety. Duration of cocaine’s immediate euphoric effects, which include energy, reduced fatigue, and mental clarity, depends on how it is used. The faster the absorption, the more intense the high. However, the faster the absorption, the shorter the high lasts. The high from snorting may last 15 to 30 minutes, while that from smoking may last 5 to 10 minutes. Cocaine’s effects are short lived, and once the drug leaves the brain, the user experiences a “coke crash” that includes depression, irritability, and fatigue. What are its long-term effects?

High doses of cocaine and/or prolonged use can trigger paranoia. Smoking crack cocaine can produce a particularly aggressive paranoid behavior in users. When addicted individuals stop using cocaine, they often become depressed. Prolonged cocaine snorting can result in ulceration of the mucous membrane of the nose.

DMT – The Substance: Dimitri, Business Man’s Special

What is it?
DMT is a powerful, visual psychedelic which produces short-acting effects when smoked. It is used orally in combination with an MAOI, as in ayahuasca brews. It is naturally produced in the human brain and by many plants.

What does it look like?
DMT crystal-like powdered substance that sometimes comes in large rock-like chunks.

How is it used?
DMT is smoked, injected, snorted, or swallowed (when taken with an MAOI such as haramaline)

What are its effects?

immersive experiences
intense open eye visuals and kaleidescopic patterning
powerful “rushing” of sensation
radical perspective shifting
change in perception of time
auditory hallucination (buzzing)
colorshifting (for example red green and gold coloring to the whole world)
overly-intense experiences
hard on the lungs to smoke
slight stomach discomfort
difficulty integrating experiences
overwhelming fear

DEXTROMETHORPAN – DXM is a widely available over-the-counter cough suppressant. When taken far above its standard medical dosage, it is a strong dissociative used primarily by teens.

Can also be a central nervous system depressant. Dextromethorphan is a synthetic drug chemically similar to morphine, was approved by the FDA as a cough suppressant in 1954. Drug manufacturers developed and began putting it in cough syrups in the 1970s as a suppressant that would be less addictive and have fewer side effects that the narcotic, codeine.

When used at the recommended doses, it is a very effective cough suppressant. When taken at much higher doses, however, it acts as a disassociative anesthetic, similar to PCP and ketamine. At these high doses, DXM is also a central nervous system depressant. DXM is often used in combination with other drugs such as marijuana, ecstasy, or alcohol, which only increase the dangerous physiological effects.

Poison control experts point to a four-fold increase in abuse cases since 2000, mostly involving school-aged youth and young adults, particularly among those who are part of the dance club or “rave” scene. Intoxication comes from swallowing large doses of the cough syrup, known as “robo-dosing” or “robo-tripping” or taking hands full of cough suppressant pills, sometimes called “skittles” (because of an appearance similar to the popular fruit candy). Those who use the cough syrup to get high are sometimes called “syrup heads.”

The drug creates a depressant effect, as well as a mild hallucinogenic effect, and is often used as an alternative to ecstasy. According to addiction experts, cough syrup’s inexpensive price and easy availability is attracting adolescents.

ECSTASY – Street terms for MDMA/Ecstasy: XTC, go, X, Adam, hug drug, E

What does Ecstasy look like?
Ecstasy is distributed in tablet form. Individual tablets are often imprinted with graphic designs or commercial logos, and typically contain 100 mg of MDMA.

How is Ecstasy used?
Ecstasy is usually ingested in tablet form, but can also be crushed and snorted, injected, or used in suppository form.

Who uses Ecstasy?
In 2000, more than 6.4 million people age 12 and older reported that they have used Ecstasy at least once in their lives. Ecstasy is popular among middle-class adolescents and young adults. Ecstasy is sold primarily at legitimate nightclubs and bars, at underground nightclubs sometimes called “acid houses,” or at all-night parties known as “raves.”

How does Ecstasy get to the United States?
The vast majority of Ecstasy consumed domestically is produced in Europe. A limited number of Ecstasy laboratories operate in the United States. Law enforcement seized 17 clandestine Ecstasy laboratories in the United States in 2001 compared to 7 seized in 2000.

How much does Ecstasy cost?
It costs as little as 25 to 50 cents to manufacture an Ecstasy tablet in Europe, but the street value of that same Ecstasy tablet can be as high as $40, with a tablet typically selling for between $20 and $30.

What are some of the consequences of using Ecstasy?
In addition to chemical stimulation, the drug reportedly suppresses the need to eat, drink, or sleep.

When taken at raves, where all-night dancing usually occurs, the drug often leads to severe dehydration and heat stroke in the user since it has the effect of “short-circuiting” the body’s temperature signals to the brain.
An Ecstasy overdose is characterized by a rapid heartbeat, high blood pressure, faintness, muscle cramping, panic attacks, and, in more severe cases, loss of consciousness or seizures. One of the side effects of the drug is jaw muscle tension and teeth grinding. As a consequence, Ecstasy users will often suck on pacifiers to help relieve the tension.
Ecstasy may cause hyperthermia, muscle breakdown, seizures, stroke, kidney and cardiovascular system failure, possible permanent damage to sections of brain critical to thought and memory, and death.

FOXY / AMT – Foxy Methoxy, 5-MeO-DIPT, alpha-methyltryptamine, fake Ecstasy

What type of drug is it?
Foxy and AMT are hallucinogens.

What does it look like?
Foxy and AMT come in tablets and capsule form, and often are passed off as Ecstasy. Foxy tablets are usually purple or red with an embossed spider or alien head (as pictured).

How is it used?
Swallowed.

What are its short-term effects?

hallucinations, visual and auditory disturbances or distortions
euphoria, “feelings of love”
dilated pupils
emotional distress
nausea, vomiting
diarrhea

GHB – Street Names: Liquid Ecstasy, Scoop, Easy Lay, Georgia Home Boy, G rievous Bodily Harm, Liquid X, and Goop.

What are the different forms of GHB?
An odorless, colorless liquid form, White powder material

How is GHB used?
Usually ingested in a liquid mixture; most commonly mixed with alcohol.

Who uses GHB?
GHB has become popular among teens and young adults at dance clubs and “raves.” Body builders sometimes use GHB for its alleged anabolic effects.

How does GHB get to the United States?
Because the drug is easy to synthesize and manufacture, local operators usually handle distribution.

How much does GHB cost?
GHB is usually sold by the capful, and sells for $5 to $25 per cap.

What are some consequences of GHB use?

In lower doses, GHB causes drowsiness, dizziness, nausea, and visual disturbances.
At higher dosages, unconsciousness, seizures, severe respiratory depression, and coma can occur.
Overdoses usually require emergency room treatment, including intensive care for respiratory depression and coma.
As of November 2000, DEA documented 71 GHB-related deaths.
GHB has been used in the commission of sexual assaults because it renders the victim incapable of resisting, and may cause memory problems that could complicate case prosecution.

HEROIN – Street terms for heroin: smack, thunder, hell dust, big H, nose drops

What does heroin look like?
Pure heroin is a white powder with a bitter taste. Most illicit heroin varies in color from white to dark brown. “Black tar” heroin is sticky like roofing tar or hard like coal, and its color may vary from dark brown to black.

How is heroin used?
Injecting, Smoking, Snorting.

Who uses heroin?
In the United States in 1999 there were 104,000 new heroin users. In 2000, approximately 1.2% of the population reported heroin use at least once in their lifetime.

How does heroin get to the United States?
The U.S. heroin market is supplied entirely from foreign sources of opium. Production occurs in South America, Mexico, Southeast Asia, and Southwest Asia.

How much does heroin cost?
Nationwide, in 2000, South American heroin ranged from $50,000 to $200,000 per kilogram. Southeast and Southwest Asian heroin ranged in price from $40,000 to $190,000 per kilogram. Wholesale-level prices for Mexican heroin were the lowest of any type, ranging from $13,200 to $175,000 per kilogram. The wide range in kilogram prices reflects variables such as buyer/seller relationships, quantities purchased, purchase frequencies, purity, and transportation costs.

What are some consequences of heroin use?

One of the most significant effects of heroin use is addiction. Once tolerance happens, higher does become necessary to achieve the desired effect, and physical dependence develops.
Chronic use may cause collapsed veins, infection of heart lining and valves, abscesses, liver disease, pulmonary complications, and various types of pneumonia.
May cause depression of central nervous system, cloudy mental functioning, and slowed breathing to the point of respiratory failure.
Heroin overdose may cause slow and shallow breathing, convulsions, coma, and possibly death.
Users put themselves at risk for contracting HIV, hepatitis B and C, and other viruses.

INHALANTS – Nitrous oxide, whippets, laughing gas

What type of drug is it?
Inhalants aren’t drugs in the regular sense of the word. They are in the form of household products that are inhaled or sniffed by children to get high. There are hundreds of household products on the market today that can be misused as inhalants.

What does it look like?
Examples of products kids abuse to get high include model airplane glue, nail polish remover, cleaning fluids, hair spray, gasoline, the propellant in aerosol whipped cream, spray paint, fabric protector, air conditioner fluid (freon), cooking spray and correction fluid.

How is it used?
These products are sniffed, snorted, bagged (fumes inhaled from a plastic bag), or “huffed” (inhalant-soaked rag, sock, or roll of toilet paper in the mouth) to achieve a high. Inhalants are also sniffed directly from the container.

What are its short-term effects?

intoxication
loss of consciousness
headache
muscle weakness, fatigue, lack of coordination
abdominal pain, nausea
severe mood swings, violent behavior
decrease or loss of sense of smell, nosebleeds
numbness, tingling of the hands and feet
hearing loss
limb spasms
What are its long-term effects?

hearing loss
limb spasms
decrease in heart, respiratory rates
hepatitis or peripheral neuropathy
central nervous system or brain damage
blood oxygen depletion
heart failure
death

KETAMINE – Special K, vitamin K, new ecstasy, super-K, breakfast cereal, Ketalar, Ketaject, psychedelic heroin

What type of drug is it?
Ketamine hydrochloride is a central nervous system depressant and a rapid-acting general anesthetic. It has sedative-hypnotic, analgesic, and hallucinogenic properties.

What does it look like?
Ketamine is a white powder, similar to cocaine.

How is it used?
Normally found in liquid injectable form, it is converted into a powder and re-packaged in small ziplock bags or capsules. Ketamine is generally snorted but is sometimes sprinkled on tobacco or marijuana and smoked.

What are its short-term effects?

visual distortions, delirium
lost sense of time, sense and identity
amnesia
vomiting
impaired motor function, convulsions
potentially fatal respiratory problems
What are its long-term effects?

addiction
flashbacks, memory
dysfunction
possible development of psychotic illnesses (if vulnerable to drug)

LSD – Lysergic Acid Diethylamide, acid, microdot, tabs, doses, trips, hits, sugar cubes

What type of drug is it?
LSD is the most common hallucinogen and is one of the most potent mood-changing chemicals.

What does it look like?
Colored tablets, blotter paper, clear liquid, and thin squares of gelatin.

How is it used?
LSD is taken orally and licked off blotter paper. Gelatin and liquid can be put in the eyes.

What are its short-term effects?

dilated pupils
higher body temperature
increase heart rate, blood pressure
sweating
loss of appetite
sleeplessness
dry mouth
tremors
What are its long-term effects?

flashbacks
chronic recurring hallucinations

METHAMPHETAMINE – Meth, speed, crank, crystal, ice, fire, croak, crypto, white cross, glass, chalk

What type of drug is it?
Methamphetamine is an addictive stimulant drug that strongly activates certain systems in the brain. Crystal meth is the smokable form of methamphetamine.

What does it look like?
Meth is a crystal-like powdered substance that sometimes comes in large rock-like chunks. Meth is usually white or slightly yellow, depending on the purity.

How is it used?
Methamphetamine can be taken orally, injected, snorted, or smoked.

What are its short-term effects?

irritability, aggression
anxiety, nervousness
convulsions, hallucinations
insomnia
increased blood pressure
loss of appetite
What are its long-term effects?

addiction
extreme paranoia, toxic psychosis
hallucinations, convulsions
repetitive behavior patterns
delusions of parasites or insects under the skin
stroke
heart and blood vessel toxicity
long-term damage to brain cells similar to that caused by strokes or Alzheimer’s disease

MUSHROOMS – Caps, magic mushrooms, shrooms, psilocybin, psilocin

What type of drug is it?
Certain types of naturally occurring mushrooms contain hallucinogenic chemicals—psilocybin and psilocin.

What does it look like?
Dried mushrooms.

How is it used?
Mushrooms can be eaten, brewed and consumed as tea.

What are its short-term effects?

intoxication
hallucinations
increased blood pressure
nausea
distorted perceptions, nervous feeling, paranoia
sweating
What are its long-term effects? Flashbacks

OXYCONTIN – killers, OC, OXY, oxycotton, hillbilly heroin, poor man’s heroin

What type of drug is it?
OxyContin (oxycodone HCI controlled-release) is the brand name for an opioid analgesic – a narcotic. Oxycodone is the narcotic ingredient found in Percocet (oxycodone and acetaminophen) and Percodan (oxycodone and aspirin). OxyContin is used to treat pain that is associated with arthritis, lower back conditions, injuries, and cancer.

What does it look like?
OxyContin is available in tablet form in 4 doses: 10, 20, 40, and 80mg.

How is it used?
As pain medication, OxyContin tablets are taken every 12 hours. Most pain medications must be taken every three to six hours. Oxycontin abusers remove the sustained-release coating to get a rush of euphoria similar to heroin. They chew the tabs, crush them for snorting, or boil the powder for injection.

What are its short-term effects?

respiratory depression
constipation
nausea, vomiting
sedation
dizziness, weakness
headache
dry mouth
sweating
What are its long-term effects?

addiction
cardiovascular damage
liver, kidney disease
arthritis
greater risks for women during pregnancy

PCP – angel dust, embalming fluid, killer weed, rocket fuel, supergrass, ozone, peace pill, elephant tranquilizers, dust

What type of drug is it?
PCP, or phencyclidine, is a hallucinogen.

What does it look like?
In its pure form, it is a white crystalline powder that readily dissolves in water. However, most PCP on the illicit market contains a number of contaminates as a result of makeshift manufacturing, causing the color to range from tan to brown, and the consistency from powder to a gummy mass.

How is it used?
PCP turns up on the illicit drug market in a variety of tablets, capsules, and colored powders. It is normally used in one of three ways—snorted, smoked, or eaten. When it is smoked, PCP is often applied to a leafy material such as mint, parsley, oregano, tobacco or marijuana.

What are its short-term effects?

slight rise in blood pressure, pulse rate, breathing rate
sweating
generalized numbness of the extremities
muscular incoordination
distinct changes in body awareness
drop in blood pressure, pulse rate, respirations
nausea, vomiting
blurred vision
drooling
loss of balance, dizziness
illusions, hallucinations
symptoms of schizophrenia (delusions, mental turmoil, sensation of distance from one’s environment)
inability to feel physical pain
disorientation
fear, panic, paranoia, anxiety
aggressive behavior, violence
What are its long-term effects?

memory loss
speech difficulties
weight loss
loss of fine motor skills, short-term memory
mood disorders, depression
coma
death

RITALIN – Kibbles and bits, speed, west coast, vitamin R, r-ball, smart drug

What type of drug is it?
Ritalin, the trade name for methylphenidate, is a medication prescribed for children with an abnormally high level of activity or with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and is also occasionally prescribed for treating narcolepsy. It stimulates the central nervous system, with effects similar to but less potent than amphetamines and more potent than caffeine.

What does it look like?
Ritalin is in pill or tablet form.

How is it used?
Many non-medical users crush the tablets and either snort the resulting powder, or dissolve it in water and “cook” it for intravenous injection.

What are its short-term effects?

insomnia
loss of appetite, weight loss
nausea, vomiting
dizziness, nervousness
heart palpitations
headache
muscle twitching, tremors
changes in heart rate, blood pressure
skin rashes, itching
abdominal pain
digestive problems
toxic psychosis, psychotic episodes
drug dependence syndrome
severe depression upon withdrawal
What are its long-term effects?

malnutrition due to loss of appetite
tremors, muscle twitching, convulsions
fevers
headache
irregular heartbeat, respirations
anxiety, paranoia
restlessness
hallucinations, delusions
excessive repetition of movements and meaningless tasks
sensation of bugs or worms crawling under skin (formication)

ROHYPNOL- Date rape drug, roach, roofies, forget pill, ruffies, rope, rophies, R2, rib, roofenol, la roche, rib

What type of drug is it?
Rohypnol is the brand name for a drug called Flunitrazepam, which is a powerful sedative.

What does it look like?
A small white tablet with no taste or odor when dissolved in a drink.

How is it used?
Rohypnol is swallowed as a pill, dissolved in a drink, or snorted. It can be used as a predatory drug, otherwise known as a “date rape” drug.

What are its short-term effects?

sleepy, drunk feeling
blackouts with complete loss of memory
dizziness, disorientation
nausea
difficulty with motor movements and speaking
What are its long-term effects?

physical addiction
psychological addiction

SOMA / CARISOPRODOL – somas, DAN’s, D’s, Dance, DAN5513

What type of drug is it?
Carisoprodol (brand name: Soma) is a depressant; it is prescribed as a skeletal muscle relaxant to relieve pain from muscle injuries.

What does it look like?
Tablets in varying dosages.

How is it used?
Swallowed.

What are its short-term effects?

drowsiness
extreme weakness
headache
increased heart rate
dizziness
fever
burning in the eyes, temporary loss of vision
clumsiness, confusion
nausea, vomiting
impaired mental and physical abilities
difficulty breathing

STEROIDS – Juice, rhoids

What type of drug is it?
Anabolic steroids are a group of powerful compounds closely related to the male sex hormone testosterone.

What does it look like?
Steroids come in tablets or liquid form.

How is it used?
Anabolic steroids are taken orally or injected, and athletes and other abusers take them typically in cycles of weeks or months, rather than continuously, in patterns called cycling.

What are its short-term effects?

liver tumors
jaundice
fluid retention
high blood pressure
shrinking of testicles, reduced sperm count, infertility, baldness, development of breasts (in men)
growth of facial hair, changes in or cessation of menstrual cycle, deepened voice (in women)
paranoid jealousy, delusions
impaired judgment stemming from feelings of invincibility
depression, mood swings, extreme irritability
acne
What are its long-term effects?

liver cancer
Cushing’s syndrome
muscle wasting
osteoporosis
cataracts, glaucoma

TOBACCO – Cigarettes, cigars, pipes, chew, dip, smoke, butt, snuff, bone, coffin nail, cancer stick

What type of drug is it?
Tobacco is an agricultural crop.

What does it look like?
Brown cut up leaves.

How is it used?
Tobacco is usually smoked. Sometimes tobacco leaves are “dipped” or “chewed” so the nicotine is absorbed via the gums.

What are its short-term effects?

increase in blood pressure, heart rate
increase of blood flow from the heart
narrowed arteries
What are its long-term effects?

chronic lung disease
coronary heart disease
stroke
cancer of the lungs, larynx, esophagus, mouth (smokeless tobacco, cigars)
cancer of the bladder, cervix, pancreas, kidneys
adverse birth outcomes in pregnant women

VALIUM – Diazepam, T-Quil

What type of drug is it?
Diazepam (valium) is a benzodiazepine anxiolytic used in the treatment of anxiety disorders, seizures, muscle spasms, and alcohol withdrawal. It is one of the best known benzodiazepines.

What does it look like?
Valium comes in pill form.

How is it used?
Valium is consumed orally.

What are its effects?

drowsiness
ataxia
fatigue
dizziness
nausea
blurred vision
diplopia
vertigo
headache
slurred speech
tremors
hypo-activity
dysarthria
euphoria
impairment of memory
confusion
depression
incontinence or urinary retention
constipation
skin rash
generalized exfoliative dermatitis
hypotension
changes in libido.
leukopenia
jaundice
hypersensitivity
hyper-excited states
anxiety
excitement
hallucinations
increased muscle spasticity
insomnia
rage

VICODIN – Vike, vics, hydrocondone bitartrate, Watson-387

What type of drug is it?
Vicodin is a prescription pain reliever that contains hydrocodone (an opioid) and acetaminophen (more commonly known by the brand name Tylenol).

What does it look like?
Vicodin comes in pill form.

How is it used?
Vicodin is consumed orally.

What are its effects?

dizziness
nausea, vomiting
mood changes
anxiety, fear
drowsiness
skin rash
decreased mental and physical abilities
hearing loss
slowed breathing

XANAX / ALPRAZOLAM – Zanies, Zans, Blue Footballs, Blues, Z bars,Zan Bars, Quad Bars, Totem poles, Tombstones, Xanax, Niravam, Zopax

What type of drug is it?
Alprazolam (Xanax) is a pharmaceutical sedative and CNS depressant which acts on the GABA receptor system. Alprazolam is widely prescribed in the U.S. for anxiety disorder, panic attacks, sleeplessness, and sometimes for short-term relief of extreme stress. It is classified as a benzodiazepine.

What does it look like?
Xanax comes in pill form.

How is it used?
Xanax is consumed orally.

What are its effects?

drowsiness
dizziness
clumsiness
loss of muscle coordination
amnesia
dry mouth
headache
vivid dreams
changes in libido

Links / Resources

admin — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 18:59:34 +0000

www.treatingfibromyalgia.wordpress.com( Fibromyalgia treatment information )

www.chronic-pain-treatment.net ( chronic pain treatment info )

www.bayrecovery.com ( chronic pain treatment center )

www.johnhenely.wordpress.com ( John Henely’s chronic pain blog )

www.suboxone-doctors.com ( Information on Suboxone treatment)

www.youtube.com/bayrecovery( videos of patients who have gone through treatment at bay recovery center )

www.billbriggs.wordpress.com( William Briggs Chronic Pain Blog )

www.bayrecoveryintervention.com( Bay recovery intervention information )

www.oxycontinaddiction.wordpress.com( Oxycontin addiction and treatment info )

www.treatingfibromyalgia.wordpress.com( Fibromyalgia treatment information )

www.addictiontopainkiller.com( Pain Killer Addiction Information )

www.hydromorphoneaddiction.wordpress.com( Hydromorphone Addiction Information )

www.dilaudidaddiction.wordpress.com( Dilaudid addiction information )

www.brookintervention.wordpress.com( Brook from the television show Intervention’s blog )

www.michelleintervention.wordpress.com( Michelle from Intervention’s Blog )

Common Vicodin Addiction Signs

admin — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 21:08:48 +0000

Common Vicodin Addiction Signs

Most healthcare providers that prescribe or dispense Vicodin watch for certain signs of addiction, such as:

“Doctor shopping,” which is seeing several different healthcare providers to obtain Vicodin prescriptions or switching from one provider to another

Going through a Vicodin prescription too quickly

Repeated reports of losing a prescription, having a prescription stolen, or needing a prescription early to go on vacation

Having a specific “favorite” narcotic drug (such as Vicodin), and nothing else will do (or reporting “allergies” to all other alternatives).

Friends and family can also keep an eye out for other signs that may indicate Vicodin addiction, such as:

Secluded behavior, often needing to spend large amounts of time alone
Stealing, lying, or other dishonest behavior
An unexplainable lack of money
Changes in social circles, such as abandoning good friends and replacing them with new ones
Unexplained changes in mood or behaviors.

www.bayrecovery.com

www.bayrecoveryintervention.com

Behavioral Effects

admin — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 20:54:32 +0000

Tolerance to this drug may develop rapidly, especially if it is misused. This tolerance will usually manifest itself by analgesic effects wearing off faster, and people needing higher dosages to reach the analgesic effects. It is commonly misused or used excessively because people take too much in order to relieve their pain faster. Taking more of the drug does increase its efficacy but it also increases its addictive properties. When tolerance does develop, people are often forced to seek out more and more Vicodin, but as it is a controlled substance, there are regulations on how much can be legally prescribed. This often leads to societal/legal consequences as people will visit many doctors and/or try to buy the drug illegally. The withdrawal effects of Vicodin include things such as insomnia, night sweats, tremors, and agitation. People looking for the secondary effects of the drug often abuse many forms of prescription drugs. Vicodin is a potentially addictive drug, specifically due to the hydrocodone in it. People who are using Vicodin for non-medicinal purposes are typically using it to get the euphoric effects sometimes associated with it. Ten percent of American high school seniors have abused Vicodin; 4.7 percent report abusing Oxycontin in the past year. There have been reports of severe hearing loss and deafness associated with the abuse of Vicodin. If taken at the normal prescribed dosages, the risk of hearing loss is very minimal. It is interesting to note that in people who use these drugs for recreational purposes there are sex differences. Women tend to feel less “in control of their thoughts” and more report, “feeling bad” than male users. People given logic examinations while under the influence of this drug showed an increase in incorrect answers, but spent more time on the exams. This suggests that this drug may be aiding in attention. It is again important to note that clinically prescribed dosages do not produce these effects; these effects are related to taking more of the drug than typically prescribed.