AHS Views

So the latest news in the drug and alcohol addiction world, that caught my eye, was about a female middle school teacher in Southern California who was arrested for “drunk teaching”. This woman was actually attempting to teach a classroom full of 7th grade students while she was intoxicated.

This story hit close to home for me because I’m the mother of a 7th grade student and can’t imagine what I’d do if I found out that one of her teachers was drunk while teaching her. What a horrible example to those children that was!

I would venture to guess that this teacher has got some major issues with alcoholism. Anyone in their right mind wouldn’t show up to their job drunk, but much less, to a classroom full of impressionable young students. I can’t imagine that she’d choose to go to her job drunk which leads me to believe that she’s dependent and addicted.

Alcoholism is a very unfortunate problem that far too many people are familiar with. It has crept up on people of all ages and walks of life. And, anyone you talk with will most likely know someone who is an alcoholic. Just ask…

The good thing is that there are options to help people get past their alcohol addiction and dependence. There are alcohol treatment programs all over to help people regain their lives. Alcoholism is not a burden that someone has to live with forever.

It’s my hope that the Southern California teacher wakes up and smells the coffee. It’s time that she attend a good alcohol rehab program, because as far as most people would be concerned, she’s hit rock bottom, and it’s time to fix her life. It would be great if the judge that sentences her for her crime sees this undeniable, underlying problem as well.

Spring is upon us. We had our first really nice weekend of the year here in Florida, and it made me start to think about the warm summer months ahead, that will be here before we know it. It has also made me think about making sure that I’m in shape and looking good for my summer wardrobe and the beach. And, I know that I’m not alone as my friends and Facebook companions have been mentioning warmer weather and wanting to look trimmer.

The next thought that comes to my mind is; how will I shed those extra pounds that I put on during the winter season and holidays? Do I go on a traditional diet and exercise regimen or go the easier route and take some diet pills to suppress my appetite?

While it may seem easier to take some pills and just eat a bite of lettuce every day, it could wind up being a real problem – and most certainly not the easy route. Much like speed and amphetamines, weight loss drugs can wreak havoc on the body. They can easily lead to health issues like:

•    Headaches
•    Dizziness
•    Irritability
•    Memory Loss
•    High blood pressure
•    Heart palpitations
•    Congestive Heart Failure
•    Cardiac Arrest
•    Menstrual Irregularities
•    Strokes
•    Tremors
•    Seizures
•    Nerve Damage
•    Insomnia
•    Nervousness
•    Addiction

Quite a list, huh? Since most people don’t intend to get sick from or hooked on any type of drug, we must be educated and know the risks involved with diet pills. Even the best intentions can lead to drug addiction which will most likely require an addiction treatment program. And, when you’re thinking of shedding a few pounds for the summer, I’m sure the last thing on your mind is what drug rehab you’re going to choose for your diet pill addiction in the fall.

The best way to get in shape is, and probably always will be, proper diet and exercise. Don’t risk health issues and the chance of becoming addicted, it’s not worth it!

Today, I came across a news release about a Nebraska man who was drunk at his drunk driving sentencing hearing. I have to admit that I chuckled a bit after reading the headline, and thought of the movie Arthur, before reading the entire article and the events that took place at his hearing.

It started out with the young man, Jason Botos, driving his car, and then all of a sudden, jumping the curb and hitting five other vehicles and critically injuring three people. He was scheduled to attend his sentencing hearing for his offenses this week, and he attempted to go to that hearing, but he was drunk. Not just a little drunk, he was inebriated and unable to stand up on his own.

His father drove him to the hearing and couldn’t even get Jason to the courtroom. And, the punishment for Jason not showing up? An arrest warrant was issued. He was arrested, taken to jail, and now will have an even heftier sentence than he would for the drunk driving alone.

While I believe that Jason should be in some sort of trouble for his actions, I also think that there is a very big underlying problem here, which is alcohol addiction. This man is getting absolutely smashed drunk to the point where he can’t stand up. This signals a major problem.

I think it’s crucial that he get into a good alcohol rehab program to actually handle the problem that got him into the mess that he’s in. If it’s not addressed, who knows what he’ll do when he’s done with his jail time? The consequences will most likely be quite tragic!

The Hillsborough County Medical Examiner’s office has recently stated that “prescription drug abuse has become more fatal than abuse of illegal street drugs”. The top two drugs that people overdose on in Tampa, FL are Oxycodone (which can be formulated as Percocet and OxyContin) and Methadone used to “treat” heroin addiction and for chronic pain.

What’s really interesting is that Florida was approved for a prescription drug monitoring program, or PDMP, that is supposed to help prevent people from getting multiple prescriptions filled (a.k.a. doctor shopping). But, after approval, the program wasn’t provided with any funding by legislature. Apparently, $1 million needs to be raised by Florida’s Office of Drug Control, and only $150,000 of that has managed to be gotten together.

I absolutely believe that this needs to be a very high priority for Florida. The death toll, as of now, is around 300 people per year in Hillsborough County alone. People of all walks, young, old, richer and poorer are getting their hands on prescription drugs and taking them in lethal doses.

If you or someone you know has a problem with prescription drugs, it’s imperative that you get addiction help now. You could save a life!