AHS Views

We hear about issues stemming from substance abuse frequently in the US. From drunk driving and drug-related traffic stops to prescription and illegal drug abuse. These problems affect every state in this country and all walks of life.

I came across an interesting read recently, which was about a study done by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services on how substance abuse is affecting the workplace. A lot of people equate substance abuse with lower economic areas, homelessness, you name it. But, that’s actually not the majority. Did you know that 77% of illegal drug users are employed full or part-time here in the US?

That means that more than three quarters of the illegal drug using population are mixed in with the working population. What’s more is that substance abuse costs American businesses upwards of 81 billion dollars a year in lost production, work absences as well as accidents. Speaking of absences, about 500 million workdays per year are lost due to substance abuse by employees.

This is a no win situation for either side of the coin. Both the employee and the employer suffer as a result of substance abuse. Employers experience productivity downtrends, suffer because of absenteeism, accident claims and quite possibly the difficulties of dealing with employees who are under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Then there are the issues that come into play for an addict, i.e. their health, relationships with family and friends, job loss and income reduction and possibly overdose and/or death.

Have you ever known of or worked with someone who was under the influence of an illegal drug or alcohol on while on the job? Apparently, according to the study, more than 60% of adults do currently or have in the past. Why is the statistic for substance abuse in the workplace so high then? Are the abusers not being reported? Probably not. The reasons for this could be fear of retribution by the addict, not wanting to get their co-worker in trouble or that they don’t want to get involved.

Substance abuse is an epidemic in our country. Not just by the homeless man on the corner asking for money to buy who-knows-what, but possibly by your coworker. If we are ever going to get a handle on this debilitating, expensive, pervasive crisis, we’re going to have to actually speak up and do something about it. Get those people into drug rehab or alcohol treatment. Each one of us can do our part to get them addiction help!

There’s a situation in the US that a lot of people may not be aware of. It’s called Robo tripping. Do you have any idea what that is? I surely didn’t! It’s the practice of drinking large amounts of cough syrup to get high. It’s also called Robo, Skittles, Dex and Tussin. When it’s consumed in large quantities, the user will experience a hallucinogenic type of high. And, it’s legal, cheap and available at drug and grocery stores everywhere. It’s easy to get.

Ten percent of US teens and tweens (kids ranging in ages from 9 to 17) have admitted to partaking in this activity. Like the name of this activity, I had no idea how big of an epidemic it was. That’s a lot of kids!

There are a number of alarming side effects that can occur, that these young people probably have no idea about. Not only in the short term, but long-term as well. Loss of motor control, and even death, have been attributed to this dangerous method of getting high.

Now that summer is upon us, and kids are not in school every day, it’s incredibly important for parents to be aware of the dangers involved. Any type of over-the-counter medications that contain the active ingredient dextromethorphan (DXM) will create the desired high that kids are trying to achieve. There are more than 125 medications that contain DXM.
Like any other prescription medication kept in the house, it is wise to keep this out of their reach. Parents should watch for the following signs in their kids, if Robo tripping is suspected:

•    Empty or missing bottles of cough syrup
•    An unusual medicinal smell on your child
•    Changes in your child’s appearance, attitude, eating and sleeping habits
•    Drug website visits by your child

As with any type of drug or alcohol abuse, it’s better to be open with your child about the dangers involved. If you talk to them about what you know, you’ll be passing that information along, and hopefully, that knowledge will help to deter them. If they know they could actually die from participating, they will most likely think twice and perhaps help to educate their friends.
Help lower this staggering statistic and get them some help before they get addicted, it’s dangerous and abusive behavior that could not only lead them down a path as a gateway to other harmful drugs, but it could take their life. If you already need addiction help call now.

At very early ages, kids are experimenting with drugs and alcohol. Kids from all walks, white, black, Hispanic, coming from homes with or without money, literally any scenario you can think of. It’s a problem all across the US.

A recent study has uncovered some interesting information with regard to children experimenting with and using drugs as well as drinking alcohol. What it found was that girls are more likely to experiment with drugs and alcohol to help them with their problems and emotions, while boys do it more to relax socially.

This is a pretty scary thought; girls thinking that they’ll benefit emotionally from taking drugs and/or drinking. They’re basically self-medicating, which is a very dangerous thing to do. If prescription drugs are truly needed for a condition, they should be prescribed by a doctor, and patients, as well as their parents, should know exactly what they’re taking and why.

Boys and girls alike should know the dangers of these powerful substances and the toll that they can take on them, their families, their education, their friends, every aspect of their lives. Parents should sit down and talk with their kids, not once, but frequently about what’s going on in their lives, who they’re hanging out with and how they are doing emotionally.

Watch for signs that kids may be doing drugs or drinking. Look for things like negative attitude and mood changes, drop in grades at school, new friends or a change in peers, withdrawal and lack of interest, carelessness about grooming and extreme tiredness. And, most of all, follow your instinct. If your gut says something is wrong, chances are that something is indeed wrong.

If you do find that your child is doing drugs, don’t wait for them to get through whatever “phase” they’re going through. Get them addiction help immediately!

Did you know that half of all Americans take at least one prescription drug? And that one in six Americans take three or more prescriptions? That seems extreme, but would explain why prescription drug abuse has become such an epidemic in the US right now.

So what happens if you take one or a couple of prescriptions on a daily basis and you accidentally take the wrong pill? Believe it or not, this is pretty common amongst us busy-bodied Americans who are usually on the go for most of our daily routines.

According to the Food and Drug Administration, since the year 2000, they’ve received over 95,000 reports of medication errors. Some of which were by medical professionals like pharmacists and the doctors who write the prescriptions, but mostly by the consumers.

With all of the different types of medications being prescribed out there, and families loading up their medicine cabinets with pill bottles, tubes of prescription creams and perhaps some liquid medications, how hard do you think it would be to accidentally take the wrong pill?

It’s very important to keep your medications in order and not to get them mixed up. The consequences could range from annoying symptoms due to taking the wrong medication, to more serious effects like allergic reactions or overdose. It’s also important to properly dispose of medications that are no longer being used. Sometimes people think it’s handy to hang onto prescriptions “just in case” they’re needed. But, what they’re really doing is opening the door to misuse by minors or self medicating, possibly with the wrong medications.

While we as a nation are dealing with the issue of prescription drug addiction, let’s keep in mind that we need to be responsible with the drugs that are medically necessary to live our lives. And, if you do know of someone who is misusing those types of drugs, get them some help. You could absolutely be saving their life!

In going through the news headlines on a daily basis, I see a lot of stories that have to do with illegal drug activity, underage drinking, mephedrone being banned in the UK, overdose deaths by Hollywood stars, etc, etc. I repeat – this is daily (sometimes hourly) news! But, I have to say that the most prevalent topic that I come across, almost on a daily basis, has to do with prescription drugs.

This is a world wide epidemic. The tragedies caused by prescription drugs are not only outweighing those of illegal drugs, but are being felt all over the globe. Why are these drugs so dangerous? There are a few of factors; first of all, they’re not hard to get. You can buy them from dealers who illegitimately acquire them from who knows where, you can buy them online, you can go to your family doctor and tell them you’re in pain or you could simply go to the family medicine cabinet and just take them.

Sometimes people start taking prescriptive pain killers because of an injury or after a surgical procedure and wind up getting hooked. Sometimes people begin taking an antidepressant which can act like a gateway, especially when started at a young age. Sometimes people just want to get a different high because alcohol isn’t quite doing it for them. There are a plethora of reasons.

The main thing that everyone should know is that the abuse of prescription drugs is not safe. In fact, it’s the second leading cause of death in the US right now. A common misconception about taking pills vs. meth, heroin or cocaine, is that they’re prescribed by doctors, so they must not be that harmful. Well folks, I hate to burst your bubble, but they’re far from being safe and certainly not ok to use recreationally.

Even if you’re not using prescription drugs for fun, it’s important to have them prescribed by a physician and take them only as directed. Do not keep any extra pills that are left over. And, don’t borrow pills from friends to self medicate. Keep in mind how Brittany Murphy died, she was self medicating for illnesses and accidentally overdosed.

I can’t stress how important it is for people to get educated on this heated topic. Prescription drug abuse is no joke. It’s taking over people’s lives and leaving families as victims of love ones leaving too soon.

Once again, Lindsay Lohan has made the news. Today, it was reported that she missed a court date by arriving ninety minutes late. Then apparently, she was seen out shopping. Does she not think that the law applies to her? Does she not think there is a problem here? It would appear the answer to both of those questions is no, she doesn’t.

Lindsay was supposed to appear in court because of a lawsuit that was filed against her 2008, by three men, for endangering their lives. She was reported to have held them hostage in her vehicle while driving drunk. She probably thought it was fun at the time, but it obviously wasn’t good times for her passengers.

Stories have been surfacing for years about Lindsay, going in an out of treatment centers, having quarrels with her father for being too loose lipped with the press, having drunk driving episodes, photos of her so drunk she can barely stand up, having prescription drug addiction problems, etc. She’s got some issues, and I don’t think anyone could argue that point. It’s also quite apparent that the steps that she’s gone through over that period of time have not helped her.

When a young person is getting in trouble with the law for alcohol and prescription drug abuse, there’s a problem that really needs to be properly addressed. She needs help. Drug and alcohol rehab help, to be exact.

I would venture to guess that she doesn’t think there’s anything wrong with her actions or behavior. One of these days, it will catch up with her though, and when it does, I hope for her sake that she decides to go to a treatment center on her own volition to conquer the addictions that she is battling. If not, she’ll wind up in prison, or worse, dead. She’s a very bright and beautiful, young star, it is my hope that she realizes this and gets the help she so desperately needs.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has decided to lift a longstanding ban which will allow commercial pilots to fly while taking antidepressants. When I read this in the news, I shuttered at the thought of being completely at the mercy of a pilot, flying me around while on drugs!

Apparently, there will be some restrictions to this new allowance for pilots. They will be allowed to fly commercially only if they suffer from mild to moderate depression and they can only be taking one of four prescription antidepressants (Prozac, Celexa, Zoloft or Lexapro). They will also have to prove that they’ve been on the antidepressant for at least one year.
Knowing what I know about these drugs, I am horrified with this decision. I do not want to be flown by a pilot under the influence! And yes, that is what they would be – under the influence. In case you aren’t aware of how these drugs can affect a person, here’s a partial list of possible side-effects:

•    Insomnia
•    Nausea
•    Weakness
•    Drowsiness
•    Anxiety
•    Nervousness
•    Shakiness
•    Dizziness
•    Vomiting
•    Vision Changes
•    Chest Pain
•    Suicidal thoughts or behavior
•    Panic Attacks
•    Hostility or aggressiveness
•    Confusion or other mental changes
•    Hallucinations
•    Overactive reflexes
•    Agitation
•    Seizures
•    Coma
•    Congestive heart failure
•    Dependency
•    Addiction

These are just a few of the possibilities. It’s important, not only for anyone who is considering taking these drugs, but to think of someone flying a plane while on these medications. The repercussions could be absolutely tragic! I actually have a strong feeling that they will be, but only time will tell now that the ban has been lifted. Hopefully the pilots that are addicted will get addiction help before tragedy strikes.

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!