Substance Abuse Counseling

Survey: Substance Use Among The Homeless – Bernews.com

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

The Ministry of National Security, through the Department for National Drug Control, has completed the first ever survey of substance use among homeless residents, Premier & Minister of National Security Michael Dunkley said in the House of Assembly today [May 29]

Sourced through Scoop.it from: bernews.com

An interesting article and survey on homeless people and drug use and addiction.  You may be surprised from some of these statistics

If you would like to learn more about Substance Abuse Counseling Training, then please review the program and see if it matches your academic and professional needs

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Substance Abuse Counseling Training: Prescription Drug Abuse

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

How to Recognize and Prevent Prescription Drug Abuse

America spent more than $260 billion on prescription drugs in 2011, according to recent government reports. As a result, about 50 percent of all Americans are taking at least one prescription drug, with 10 percent consuming four or more.

While doctors are prescribing fewer “useless” antibiotics, mainly due to the growing threat of antibiotic resistance, consumption of pain medication is on the rise, creating an equally dangerous situation for patients. The use of opioid analgesics, a class of drugs designed to suppress your perception of pain by binding to opioid receptors, has increased a whopping 300 percent from1999-2010. Unfortunately, an increase of that caliber does not come with consequences.

During that time, death rates in people ages 15 and older involving pain medications more than tripled, highlighting America’s new drug problem.

Unmasking Prescription Drug Abuse

As a healthcare professional, you’re trained to help people and not judge them, which can make for an uncomfortable situation when addressing potential drug abuse in patients. Fortunately, other healthcare workers can offer support in identifying and preventing this problem.

Nearly 70 percent of patients visit their physician at least once every two years, placing doctors in a unique situation to not only treat, but identify drug abuse in patients. According to Jay Rooth, Orlando Criminal Defense Attorney, the most commonly abused drugs are opioids, anti-anxiety medication and stimulants.

Detecting “Doctor Shopping”

While symptoms vary according to which drug patients may be hooked on, one of the most common signs to look for is “doctor shopping,” the practice of visiting multiple physicians in hopes of obtaining several prescriptions. Physicians can detect doctor shopping by checking state RX reporting systems, which document and report all prescription drug transactions to the state Board of Pharmacy. This system can be a powerful tool in helping healthcare workers to identify drug abuse.

Pinpointing Symptoms of Drug Abuse

Other symptoms of drug abuse include frequent visits to the doctor and unscheduled refill requests. People addicted to prescription drugs often exhibit signs of emotional distress including depression, confusion, irritability and poor judgment. Physical symptoms of drug abuse may include weight loss, irregular heartbeat, restlessness, involuntary and rapid eye movement, decreased breathing rate and poor coordination.

Empathy Goes a Long Way

Offering compassion, rather than criticism, is key in helping patients overcome prescription drug addiction. A trusting doctor-patient relationship opens the doorway for better communication, making the patient more likely to ask for help.

Conclusion

Rates of prescription drug abuse are on the rise, with addicts and other abusers finding new means of obtaining drugs and keeping their habit undetected all the time. Considering the risks associated with these behaviors, it is crucial for healthcare professionals to know how to detect and prevent the abuse of prescription drugs.

About the Author: Marlena Stoddard is a freelance writer who received her BA from the University of Georgia.

 

If you are interested in Substance Abuse Counseling Training, then please review the program

 

Patients With Substance Abuse History Are More Likely To Misuse Therapeutic Opioids, Study Finds

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Physicians prescribing opioids are more often than not looking for ways to evaluate patients more effectively. Knowing more about a patient’s history can assist practitioners with making decisions on pain management treatment options. Understanding a patient’s struggle with substance abuse could be a good place to start.

Source: www.forbes.com

This article looks at substance abuse and the likely addiction to therapeutic opioids.   Physicians need to have a good understanding of patient history regarding substance abuse before prescribing

If you are interested in becoming a certified substance abuse counselor, then please review the program

#certifiedsubstanceabusecounselor

Substance Abuse Practitioner: Underage Drinking.

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Alcohol Abuse In Teenagers And How A  Substance Abuse Practitioner Can Handle It

by: Donna Planton, MA

Substance abuse has a certain connection the youth population of the world, and most of the addictions start at a young age. Whether it is use of marijuana, opium drugs or alcohol, the youth has been drawn towards these health deteriorating substances like moth to a flame. In order to help teenagers understand the alarming risks of alcohol abuse, we as parents and responsible adults must get to the root of the cause and help them part ways from alcohol addiction, which is responsible for destroying millions of families and individual lives.

Why Do Teenagers Start Drinking?

Teenagers are quite vulnerable to alcohol use and there is a good chance that you’ve had a beer or two while you were still legally young to do so. Since most of the adults around the house may enjoy a drink every now and then, which makes it easier for them to get a hold of the alcoholic drinks right at home. Teenage is a sensitive time when the person goes through groundbreaking physical and psychological changes which compels them to become risk takers or rebel against their parents by doing things they are forbidden to. The added stress of problems in their social or personal life influences teenagers to drink.

The AAR (Advancing Alcohol Responsibility) is an organization that has been supporting the cause of teen age alcohol abuse prevention for more than 20 years. A study conducted by the organization in 2013 reveals that 9 million youngsters, ranging from the age of 12 to 20 in the USA have consumed alcohol in the past 30 days. This alcohol consumption rate has been escalating ever since, with reports that alcohol consumption is prevalent in 12 year olds by 1%, 16 year olds by 18% and in 20 year olds by an alarming 52%. Almost 8% of the teenagers revealed that they usually do binge drinking, or consume more than 5 drinks in a row. These statistics have been rising every year, as many shocking cases of teen age alcohol abuse surface every day.

What Are The Causes Of Teen Age Alcohol Abuse?

It has been generally accepted that addiction to alcohol or any other substance for that matter is not the result of a singular factor. A complex environment involving genetics, social standards, psychological and physical factors are the cause of addictions. Studies show that genetics also play an important role if the teenager is born into a family where are relative is closely affected by addictions well. Although they are potentially at higher risks to develop an alcohol addiction than their peers who do not have a family history of addiction, alcohol addiction can develop in individuals without any profound family history of alcohol abuse.

Medical studies show that teenage alcohol abuse is also a root cause of underdevelopment of the brain. Teenagers who drink chronically or use it repeatedly may develop addictions easily as their still-developing brain grows affinity towards alcohol. The environment of the teenager also dictates whether they are susceptible to alcohol addiction or not. Whether it is about coping with the intense pressure of school and college, the stress of a broken family or the peer pressure among friends, drinking regularly in these situations can escalate their chances of developing a substance abuse problem.

What Are The Symptoms Of Teen Age Alcohol Abuse

The symptoms of developing alcohol abuse problem in teenagers can largely vary depending upon their genetic makeup, usage of other drugs, the amount of alcohol they consume and their frequency of drinking. However, the most common symptoms that can be used to identify a developing alcohol abuse problem in teenagers include:

Behavioral Symptoms:

  • · Sudden changes in the academic performance of the teenager.
  • · Change in the group of friends and companions.
  • · No interest in the activities that they previously enjoyed doing.
  • · Lowered care for one’s self and personal hygiene.
  • · Unusual passively aggressive and argumentative behavior.
  • · Usage of alcohol in spite of previous consequences.

Physical Symptoms:

  • · Distinctive smell of alcohol from breath or clothes.
  • · Bloodshot or glazed eyes all the time.
  • · Reddened skin and garbled speech.
  • · Deteriorated physical condition with disturbed sleeping patterns.
  • · Problems with physical coordination and double vision.

What Can Parents Do About Teen Age Alcohol Abuse?

Taking care of a normal hormone raged teenager is a mammoth task for a parent, and the added problem that alcohol brings to the table can feel overwhelming. You may not know what should you say to your kid and they may even try to avoid the conversation every time. To make sure that the conversation turns out to be meaningful, talk to your child in a relaxed environment and don’t try to discuss everything at once. If you have a friendly relationship with your child, putting your point across will be easier and meaningful.

Let Them Elaborate: Don’t start out by reading from the brochure on underage drinking to scare them about the harmful effects, rather let them tell you what they know. Their views on the issue can help you understand what they know about teenage alcohol abuse and what do they think about it.

Debunk Myths And Share Facts: Most teenagers have an image towards alcohol consumption and how it makes them socially important. It is important to make them understand that alcoholics are not the most socially accepted people in the society, but are often looked down upon. Help them understand the alcoholism is a disease, and it can easily manifest into a big problem.

Discuss Why Should Should Be Avoided: Rather than using scare tactics to make your teen more stubborn and rebellious, try reasoning with them and help them understand the effects with facts and statistics. If you have a person in the family who suffers from alcohol abuse, don’t hesitate to use them as a cautionary tale to help your teen understand how alcohol can have adverse effects.

Involve Yourself: It is true that many children are tempted to have their first experience with alcohol as they grow up seeing their parents enjoying it. You can set an example by promising them that you would stop drinking if they did, and work together to make their life alcohol free.

There may be instances when it is too late to help your teenager understand the alarming risks of alcohol addiction. In these cases, you can always look up to a medical professional who can help suggest the right rehabilitation program for your child to fight their drinking problem. Identifying teen age alcohol abuse symptoms at an early stage and with the help of professional counseling, you can prevent your child from suffering the consequences that are associated with alcohol addiction.

Become a Substance Abuse Practitioner

Do you feel a calling to work with teenagers who are addicted to substances, or adults too? If you are a health care professional or clergy who counsel, you can consider our program. The AIHCP offers a full continuing education and corresponding certification program in Substance Abuse Counseling. Completing our curriculum of distance education courses allow you to become Certified as a Substance Abuse Practitioner. To preview our program, click here.

Program in Substance Abuse Counseling: Drugs and Drinking Fool People Into Thinking Everything Is Alright

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

The article “Using Drugs to Belong, Drinking to Manage Depression: Chiara de Blasio Tells Her Story of Substance Abuse.” by Dr. Tian Dayton states

“Chiara sounds like so many young people who struggle with belonging, or who hide feelings of depression or anxiety. She used pot and alcohol to manage emotional pain that she didn’t know what else to do with.”

American Institute Health Care Professionals’ insight:

In many cases, drugs and addiction mask many things.  In some cases its pain, suffering and despair that people do not wish to face.  In other cases, it is simply to fit in and belong in a certain setting.

Teens face enough pressure with their biological changes, much less finding out who they are.  Drugs, peer pressure and other external pressures can bring many teens to drugs.  Good parenting that is alert and aware of the needs of their children can help teens sort out the issues of how to belong.

In other cases where more severe depression exists, whether teen or adult, drugs can become a alternative that seems right.  This illusion has ruined many lives.  Again a certified substance abuse counselor can help.

AIHCP offers a program in substance abuse counseling.  The courses in this program help prepare qualified professionals to help others who suffer from addiction.  If you are interested in the program in substance abuse counseling, then please review the program

The Program in Substance Abuse Counseling covers primary courses that the qualified professional must take in order to become eligible for certification.  After taking these courses, the professional can become certified as a substance abuse counselor.  This certification lasts four years.

#programinsubstanceabusecounseling

See on www.huffingtonpost.com

Substance abuse among politicians presents unique challenges

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

The article, “Substance abuse among politicians presents unique challenges”, by Sarah M. Wojcik states

“For some people, politics becomes an obsession,” said Terry Madonna, with Franklin & Marshall College. “It can just become so ingrained in who they are … that they can’t give up the stage.”

American Institute Health Care Professionals’ insight:

Substance abuse is not foreign to any profession and no one person is immune to it.  The problem is found in every demography and politicians are not exempt.

Substance abuse has especially been notable in the news lately with various politicians and notably the Mayor of Toronoto.

This article looks at the unique challenges that face politicians and the people who have to deal with their issues while in office.

If you would like to learn how to become a certified substance abuse counselor, then please review our program.  Our program in substance abuse consists of core courses that challenge and educate the potential counselor in the areas of substance abuse training.

After completing the core courses, qualified professionals can become a certified substance abuse counselor.  The certification lasts for three years and is renewable.  After the three years elapse, the certified substance abuse counselor must show five hundred hours of practice and fifty hours of continuing education.

If you have any other questions, then please let us know.  In the meantime, please enjoy the blog and articles.

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See on www.lehighvalleylive.com

Alcohol Counseling Advice

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Alcohol Counseling Advice: Alcohol- A weapon Of Mass Destruction

 By Fia Augusta

As societies become more advanced, its members attain sophisticated techniques of information processing and analysis. As a consequence, they tend to shun simple and common sense approaches to life. The unfortunate result of this is that they end up forsaking habits.

The negative consequences of alcohol have been known for generations. Common sense approaches like “drink moderately” or “don’t drive while drunk” have been proven to work. However, in a high-tech society, knowledge that is not expressed in a sophisticated algorithm or phone app does not gain traction. Such knowledge gets ignored, sometimes with dire consequences.

According to Alcoholics Anonymous 33,000 people die annually in the UK due to alcohol related incidents. Such incidents include alcohol induced medical conditions, and accidents caused by drunken individuals. 

In terms of diseases, alcohol is now considered a causal factor over 60 medical conditions including high blood pressure, liver cirrhosis, depression and liver, stomach, throat and mouth related cancers.

For instance, hospital admissions for people under 30 with alcohol related river disease increased by 117% in England generally, and 400% in the North East of England between 2002 and 2009.

The National Health Service (NHS) estimates that 1.2 million people were admitted with alcohol related diseases into UK hospitals in the year 2011/2012. This was a 25% increase from the 2002/2003 admissions. Of those admissions, 75% were had chronic conditions, 8% had acute conditions and 17% had alcohol related mental and behavioral disorders.

The estimated cost of alcohol misuse to the NHS is £3.5 billion annually, which is equal to £120 for every UK taxpayer. However, what is not determined is the psychological and emotional cost to family and friends who watch their loved ones rot away with conditions that they know could have been avoided.

In terms of accidents, Alcoholics Anonymous attributes alcohol to 15% of road accidents, 26 % of drowning incidents, and 36% of deaths in fires. The Institute for Alcohol Studies documented 250 fatal road accidents that resulted from drunk driving in 2012, leading to 280 deaths. The total number of people involved in the accidents was 9990, and 1,240 of them suffered serious injury.

Unlike for the diseases, over 98% of the people who suffer serious injury or die in alcohol related accidents are people who were not drinking. The same applies to victims of alcohol related crimes (47% of all violent crimes are committed by people who are under the influence of alcohol).

Therefore, alcohol is responsible for wrecking the health of the alcoholics, causing injury or death to both alcoholics and innocent victims, and bringing immeasurable emotional and psychological trauma to all the families involved.

But then alcohol is now 45% more affordable in the UK than it was in 1980. Also, the general rates of drinking in the UK increased by 9% between 1980 and 2009, when in all the other OECD countries the rate dropped by 9%. This clearly shows that in the UK, drinking is not going away any time soon.

However, personal responsibility is still the best way of protecting oneself from the negative consequences of alcohol. The best advice is still to drink moderately. The next is not to drive while drunk. One can contact dvla helpline whenever one comes across an alcohol related road accident for any medical enquiries.

Is relapse a part of recovery? What Do Certified Substance Abuse Counselors Think?

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

The article, “Is relapse a necessary part of recovery?”, by David Joel Miller states

“You will hear this a lot if you hang around treatment facilities, even self-help groups. I suppose it comes from seeing people relapse and feeling helpless to prevent those relapses.”

American Institute Health Care Professionals’ insight:

A good article that looks and sees if relapse is a natural part of recovery from substance abuse.  Certified substance abuse counselors need to understand the steps of recovery for a substance abuser and help them find recovery.  This is an excellent article that can help them understand the nature of substance abuse at a higher level.

#substanceabuseprogram

See on counselorssoapbox.com

Prescription Drug Abuse and Substance Abuse Epidemic

Posted on by Dominick Flarey
Substance abuse
How big of role does physicians play in substance abuse in regards to prescriptions and medication?

The article, “Prescription Drug Abuse Epidemic: Are Doctors to Blame?” source; Recovery First states

“Blaming doctors for America’s prescription drug addiction epidemic is popular lately even among many physicians & psychiatrists. But affixing blame is not easy”

American Institute Health Care Professionals’ insight:
Substance abuse has risen with prescription abuse.  Is it our fault or the doctors who write them without thinking of how they are working on the patient.  There is a rise in malpractice over prescriptions that should not be given to patients.  So should doctors in some, not all cases also share some responsibility?  This article explores that question.   What are your thoughts on the subject?   Do you think doctors are to blame?   Or do you think the patients share some of the responsibility?
If you are looking for an excellent substance abuse program then you should give ours a quick peek.    Everything is self-paced and available online.    You basically study at your own time and can move as fast or as slow as you like.   Once you complete all of the courses you can apply for and earn your certification in substance abuse counseling.   This certificate is good for 3 years and can be renewed by taking our re-certification courses and by gaining on the job experience.   For more questions please feel free to contact us.

See on recoveryfirst.org

Learning more about Substance Abuse Counseling

Posted on by Dominick Flarey
learning more about substance abuse counseling
learning more about substance abuse counseling is important so we can learn how to treat it.

The article, “Treating PTSD and alcohol abuse together doesn’t increase drinking, study finds”, source; University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine states

“Contrary to past concerns, using prolonged exposure therapy to treat patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and comorbid alcohol dependence does not increase drinking or cravings, Penn Medicine psychiatrists report in the August 7…”

American Institute Health Care Professionals’ insight:
An important study shows that one can treat PTSD And alcohol abuse together.  The fear was remembering trauma may push one to drink more.  The article above talks about this study and how this is an unwarranted fear.  If you are interested in learning more about substance abuse counseling, then please review the program.   If you like what you see, you are more than welcome to take a few online courses and increase your knowledge and education about substance abuse counseling and drug addiction therapies.

See on medicalxpress.com