




Facts
An American study on nonfatal injury compared 15,000 substance abusers between the ages of 10 and 64 with a group of 75,000 nonabusers to see if their injury patterns varied. Abusers were more likely to be injured than non-abusers. Of subjects categorized as both drug and alcohol abusers, 58 percent sustained an injury over the three years of observation. This compared to 49 percent of those who had abused drugs only, 46 percent of those who had abused only alcohol, and 39 percent of those who had abused neither. With non-abusers as the base of comparison, the likelihood of hospitalization for an injury was four times higher among the combined drug and alcohol abuse group, three times higher among the drug abusers, and twice as high among the alcohol abusers. Difficulty identifying older adults with substance abuse problems reduces the likelihood that they will receive treatment. Physical symptoms of substance abuse problems are often misdiagnosed when they resemble common medical disorders associated with aging (e.g., fatigue, depression, and chronic pain). Treatment professionals who do not include substance abuse assessments in their total health exams may not recognize substance abuse disorders in older patients, thus depriving many older adults of treatment. However, older adults receiving treatment achieve high rates of success with recovery due to their willingness to commit to treatment programs and follow treatment guidelines. There is little empirical research examining the substance abuse treatment needs of older adults. Most outcome studies target younger substance abusers. However, as baby boomers begin to achieve "older adult" status, many mental health treatment professionals are turning their attention to the substance abuse problems of this segment of the population, which is also the fastest growing. The treatment recommendations discussed as follows should be considered when counseling older adult substance abusers. Electronic monitoring allows a drunk driving offender who is sentenced to jail time to serve the time at home instead of in prison. Generally speaking, the offender is allowed to go to school or work as long as curfew is obeyed. The individual is also permitted to go to Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous meetings, court appearances, court-ordered education classes, and any other places required as part of probation. The time spent wearing an electronic monitoring device is usually equal to the length of the jail sentence, but in some cases, it could be longer. One exception to this rule is in states where a minimum of 24 hours in jail is required for a DUI conviction. The offender may receive 15 days of electronic monitoring to replace the minimum jail sentence if time in prison poses a serious risk to the person's physical or mental state. There is an additional electronic monitoring device that is sometimes used in drunk driving cases. It is called SCRAM, or Secure Continuous Remote Alcohol Monitor. This device is used to monitor offenders whose probation requires that they remain alcohol-free. It is worn on the ankle or wrist and detects alcohol excretion from the skin by sampling the user's sweat and measuring his or her blood alcohol content level. This device is a fairly new method, but it has already monitored over 20,000 offenders. Methamphetamine users also pose a danger to the communities in which they reside. Many users of methamphetamine also manufacture the drug, since the precursor chemicals needed are cheap and easily available. However, these chemicals are highly toxic, and thus introduce the risk to the community of toxic gases, fires, and explosions. |
Sobriety
Sobriety means the moderation in or abstinence from consumption of alcoholic liquor or use of drugs. When an individual with an addiction problem enters drug rehabilitation, their main goal is to attain long term sobriety. Unfortunately, sometimes drug addicts and alcoholics find they are able to sustain short periods of sobriety followed by a drug or alcohol relapse. This is why attending a drug or alcohol rehab will help the individual maintain their focus on sobriety. Often, it is only by getting help that individuals with severe drug addiction problems are able to achieve lasting sobriety.
Intervention
An intervention is when a group of loved ones and/or a trained intervention counselor meets with the person in need of help for the purpose of breaking down their denial and motivating them to immediately seek drug addiction treatment. Often, individuals in the midst of drug addiction engage in a variety of self destructive behaviors. Although baffling to friends and family members such people generally either aren't aware on a conscious level that they have a drug addiction problem, or even when they know they have a problem they may cling to the false belief that the problem will somehow go away without any outside help. When an intervention is held a moment of clarity is created
for the addict. Most people struggling with the problem of drug or alcohol
addiction will accept help the very day of the intervention.
Drug Rehabilitation
Drug rehabilitation is a place or program that an individual enters to treat a drug or alcohol addiction. Through therapy and education, the individual is restored to their former non-drug using self. They are then able to re-enter society clean and sober. There are many reasons why a person would need to attend a drug rehabilitation program. Some of the many reasons are: the inability to control their drinking or drug use, alienating their friends and family, problems with the law, and problems at work. Also, there are several different types of drug rehabilitation programs available: inpatient, outpatient, residential, short-term, and long-term.
Tolerance
Tolerance to a drug takes place when an individual is exposed to the same drug repeatedly and begins to build up an resistance to the drugs effects. The body then adapts and develops a tolerance for the drug. The addiction that is produced is so powerful that it creates cravings in the user. These cravings for the drug are the result of its impact on the individual's memory with feelings of pleasantness and euphoria which the individual has come to associate with the taking of the drug.
Detox
Detox is necessary when an individual through their chronic use of drugs or alcohol has developed an addiction. The objective of detox is to help the individual achieve a drug and alcohol free state. Detox is intended to relieve the physical symptoms of withdrawal and helps prepare the individual for entry into drug rehabilitation. Therefore, the ultimate goal of detox is preparation for long term recovery from drug and alcohol addiction.
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