Recognize Adderall Addiction

Amphetamines were developed in the beginnings of the 20th century. As use of amphetamines spread, so did their abuse. In the 1960s, amphetamines became a perceived remedy for helping truckers to complete their long routes without falling asleep, for weight control, for helping athletes to perform better and train longer, and for treating mild depression. Intravenous amphetamines, primarily methamphetamine, were abused by a subculture known as “speed freaks.” With experience, it became evident that the dangers of abuse of these drugs outweighed most of their therapeutic uses.

The Atlanta Recovery Center Drug Rehab in Georgia warns about amphetamine addiction.

“Amphetamines, whether prescription drugs, such as Adderall® or Dexedrine®, or illegal methamphetamine, can cause drug addiction that ruins the drug addict’s life,” states Mary Rieser, Executive Director of The Atlanta Recovery Center Drug Rehab in Georgia. “A drug addiction will make the drug addict do anything they can, legal or illegal, to obtain more of the drug.

“Don’t let this happen to you or someone you know. Reports indicate the high incidence of use of  amphetamine use in colleges around the country, especially Adderall®. Take care.”

Amphetamines

Amphetamine, dextroamphetamine, methamphetamine, and their various salts, are collectively referred to as amphetamines. In fact, their chemical properties and actions are so similar that even experienced users have difficulty knowing which drug they have taken.

Origins of Amphetamines

Amphetamine was first marketed in the 1930s as Benzedrine® in an over-the-counter inhaler to treat nasal congestion. By 1937, amphetamine was available by prescription in tablet form and was used in the treatment of the sleeping disorder, narcolepsy, and the behavioral syndrome called minimal brain dysfunction. During World War II, amphetamine was widely used to keep the fighting men going and both dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine®) and methamphetamine (Methedrine®) were readily available.

Increased control measures were initiated in 1965 with amendments to the federal food and drug laws to curb the black market in amphetamines. Many pharmaceutical amphetamine products were removed from the market including all injectable formulations, and doctors prescribed those that remained less freely. Amphetamine products presently marketed include generic and brand name amphetamine (Adderall®, Dexedrine®, Dextrostat®) and brand name methamphetamine (Desoxyn®). Amphetamines are all controlled in Schedule II of the CSA.

Methamphetamine Pipes

Illegal Amphetamine Use

To meet the ever-increasing black market demand for amphetamines, clandestine laboratory production has mushroomed. Today, most amphetamines distributed to the black market are produced in clandestine laboratories. Methamphetamine laboratories are, by far, the most frequently encountered clandestine laboratories in the United States. The ease of clandestine synthesis, combined with tremendous profits, has resulted in significant availability of illicit methamphetamine, especially on the West Coast, where abuse of this drug has increased dramatically in recent years. Large amounts of methamphetamine are also illicitly smuggled into the United States from Mexico.

Amphetamine Usage

Amphetamines are generally taken orally or injected. However, the addition of “ice,” the slang name for crystallized methamphetamine hydrochloride, has promoted smoking as another mode of administration. Just as “crack” is smokable cocaine, “ice” is smokable methamphetamine. Methamphetamine, in all its forms, is highly addictive and toxic.

Effects of Amphetamines

The effects of amphetamines, especially methamphetamine, are similar to cocaine, but their onset is slower and their duration is longer. In contrast to cocaine, which is quickly removed from the brain and is almost completely metabolized, methamphetamine remains in the central nervous system longer, and a larger percentage of the drug remains unchanged in the body, producing prolonged stimulant effects. Chronic abuse produces a psychosis that resembles schizophrenia and is characterized by paranoia, picking at the skin, preoccupation with one’s own thoughts, and auditory and visual hallucinations. These psychotic symptoms can persist for months and even years after use of these drugs has ceased and may be related to their neurotoxic effects. Violent and erratic behavior is frequently seen among chronic abusers of amphetamines, especially methamphetamine.

*Source: DEA.gov

For more information on drug rehab, amphetamine drug abuse, or drug education, call The Atlanta Recovery Center of Georgia at 1-877-236-3981.

Methadone Addiction

The amount of drugs that can be obtained by many through the internet is causing concern in many.

The Atlanta Recovery Center Drug Rehab in Georgia warns that the internet is a way that many bare getting prescription drugs- without prescriptions.

Mary Rieser, Director of The Atlanta Recovery Center Drug Rehab in Georgia, states: “We are seeing more and more cases of people becoming addicted to prescription drugs, in many cases unwittingly, and turning to the internet to stop the cravings. Drug addiction is being promoted by the internet.

“A new report by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University, available on their website, documents the widespread advertising and offers of sale for controlled prescription drugs, online and without a prescription.

Ritalin Addiction

“OxyContin, Valium, Xanax, Vicodin, Ritalin and Adderall, all can be bought online, no prescription, no fuss.”

No controls block the sale of these drugs to children.

“What amazes me is that a supervised 13-year old actually ordered and received Ritalin, a controlled substance, and used her own height, weight and age when filling out the internet order form,” continues Ms. Rieser.

“Drug addiction is not something you want in your family. Lock the medicine cabinet, and put safety controls on your child’s internet browsing. Monitor your credit card and debit card usage, and most of all, be aware of any changes in your child’s behavior. Strong parental support has been shown to decrease the incidence of drug abuse in children.”

“The Atlanta Recovery Center Drug Rehab in Georgia is a non-traditional drug rehab facility. We specialize in drug education, and drug rehab. With a gentle withdraw protocol, and after completing the Sauna Detox program, the cravings for prescription drugs are reduced, if not completely eliminated, according to our students. If you suspect that someone you know is abusing a prescription drug, call us. We can help.”

Important Links

Going to college is always exciting; new places, new friends. Learning about history, science, math, and the drugs to help you with your finals. Your new friends can teach you a lot about Adderall, the new drug on campus.

Recognize Adderall Addiction

Studying for finals? Need to stay up late to get that last study cram in? If you are like many students in college campuses today, you will get a little help: Adderall.

Have trouble losing those extra pounds? Want to get that “swimsuit figure”? Once again, your friends with prescriptions can help: Adderall.

“I never thought of myself as a drug addict,” comments Lisa, recovering from Adderall addiction. “I never did drugs, was always the ‘good’ girl in my family. When I went to college, my new ‘friends’ told me about what they used to help them: Adderall. I figured if they did it, it must be safe. Soon I was addicted. I learned how to lie to doctors to get more Adderall. My grades dropped. My social life plummeted. Here I was, a nice girl, lying, stealing, hiding my addiction.”

The Atlanta Recovery Center Drug Rehab in Georgia has issued a warning that Adderall is the most commonly prescribed brand-name stimulant in the U.S. “We are seeing more and more college students seeking help for Adderall addiction,” states Mary Rieser, Executive Director. “With the frequency of parents demanding Adderall prescriptions for their children and a college culture that encourages its use, it is no wonder that Adderall use is on the rise.”

Adderall sales are roughly $600 million annually with every indication being that they will continue to increase, especially since as of December 2007, doctors may prescribe a 90 day supply of this Schedule II drug.

Ms. Rieser explains, “A ‘Schedule II’ controlled substance means that the DEA regulates the drug. You can only get this drug by prescription, because the U.S. government has determined it has a ‘high potential for abuse’ that ‘may lead to severe psychological or physical dependence.’”

In other words, you get addicted.

“The term ‘addiction’ unfortunately brings to mind images of people buying illegal drugs on street corners, running from the law, ‘criminals’ hiding to use their drugs,” comments Ms. Rieser. “And unfortunately Hollywood has often portrayed addicts as outlaws and ‘bad people.’ This is of course untrue, but since Adderall and other prescription drugs can be obtained legally by doctor’s prescription, you may have a college student who would never think of breaking the law or the next-door-neighbor housewife, both in the same position: addicted to a Schedule II drug.

“And addiction, whether it is to a prescription medication or a street drug, is the same thing-addiction.”

The fact that there can be serious side effects from using Adderall often gets overlooked.

Symptoms of an Adderall overdose are scary. They can include restlessness, rapid breathing, confusion, hallucinations, aggressiveness, unexplained muscle pain or tenderness, muscle weakness and flu symptoms. These symptoms may be followed by depression and tiredness. Other overdose symptoms include nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, uneven heartbeats, feeling light-headed, fainting or seizures. Overdose can lead to coma or death.

Side effects include, fast, pounding heart, increased blood pressure, severe headache, blurred vision, insomnia, dry mouth or an unpleasant taste in the mouth, diarrhea, constipation, loss of appetite, weight loss, or loss of interest in sex.

Several artists have reported that though they temporarily had more output, their creativity was stilted.

The way through school or to success is not through the doors of rehab.

Chances are you know someone who is abusing Adderall. They could be buying it off the internet, getting it from someone who has a prescription or getting a prescription themselves. Call us. We can educate the Adderall abuser and get them the help they need.

For more information on drug addiction rehabilitation or drug education, call The Atlanta Recovery Center of Georgia at 1-877-413-3073.

He stopped the drugs before they utterly stopped him.

We need more real life stories like this to happen, so they can be told.

“ROBBIE Williams confessed last night that he had guzzled “heart-stopping” quantities of prescription drugs – and not cared if they killed him.

The pop superstar now believes he came within 24 hours of dying in the same tragic manner as stars Michael Jackson and Oscar winner Heath Ledger. “

Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/bizarre/2673051/Robbie-Williams-I-didnt-care-if-drugs-killed-me-or-not.html#ixzz0TUp0IhUK

It is not anything for a family to disagree about.  If she is abusing prescription drugs, then she needs treatment.  Let them argue about child support – but not this.  The public has had enough bad news recently about prescription drugs.

“Earlier this week, Michael Lohan spoke out about his daughter Lindsay Lohan and her prescription drug addiction. He seemed sincerely concerned about his daughter.

He mentioned that he did need the help of his ex-wife Dina Lohan in order to help Lindsay but it doesn’t seem like he’s gonna be getting that help.

Dina told The Post that she doesn’t like the way Michael has been speaking to the press about his daughter and claims that he is “making things up.”

Dina said, “I’ve had full custody of all my children for the last 10 years. He has been incarcerated for some of that time, so whatever is going on in Lindsay’s personal life is our business. And for him getting paid to say things about her when he’s five months behind in child support is wrong.”

It’s pretty sad that two parents can’t come together for the sake of their child who is clearly not doing so well. “

http://www.hollyscoop.com/lindsay-lohan/dina-lohan-says-michael-lohan-is-making-things-up_21752.aspx

Well done to this gentleman for managing to return to pharmacology several times and regaining his license after treatment.  However, is that very wise?    It seems that he is returning to society under the most difficult of circumstances.  Every day he has temptation all around him and if he messes up there is quite a bit at stake – others’ lives.

Oxycontin, Dilaudid, Vicodin, Xanax and Adderall – day in and day out he is dispensing these.  He knows what they taste like and what it feels like if he takes one.  Every day he is reminded of the high.  It’s kind of cruel to even let him go back.

Why did we send him back to be around his pills?  Is there a shortage of pharmacists?

Well done to him and his treatment center if he makes it.  We need an update on this story in a year.

“They had him cold. A secret camera caught the pharmacist helping himself to drugs off the shelves and downing them on the job. He was taken away in handcuffs and arrested, but on the second day of his trial, he got off with a light prison sentence, probation and regular drug testing.

He said he never harmed or killed a customer by giving out incorrect dosages or drugs while under their influence himself. As his addiction worsened, he’s certain he was headed to an overdose or other fatal accident had he not gotten help in time.”

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bal-md.marbella04oct04,0,2706724.story

Oxycontin, Dilaudid, Vicodin, Xanax and other drugs like Adderall quite frequently wind up in the wrong hands.  This is no secret and that many people are dying should come of no surprise.

These drugs are sold by “passive pushers.”

Because of the nature of the addiction of these drugs most abusers are going to need some kind of treatment.  Many of them are walking around with a condition just as fatal as stage 4 cancer – they could go at any moment.

Rising rates of prescription-drug overdoses have propelled drug-related fatalities to the top of the accidental-death list in a growing number of states, according to a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The Associated Press reported Sept. 30 that the CDC said that while automobile crashes remain the top cause of accidental death nationally, drug-related incidents caused more deaths in 16 states — double the number of states in 2003. In 2006, 45,000 Americans died from car crashes, while 39,000 died from drug-related causes (no data is yet available for 2007 or 2008).

http://www.jointogether.org/news/research/summaries/2009/in-some-states-more-die-from.html

The indication that these classes are going to include responsibility as part of prevention is the fact that alcohol dependency is not relegated only to “hereditary” difficulties.  This is a cop-out and can make it nearly impossible to even think that quitting is possible, since it is “in the genes”.  Pointing out that continued drinking can increase the dependency places responsibility on the shoulders of the drinker, not the gene pool.

Hopefully, all the substance abuse education is emphasizing personal responsibility.  It is really the only way that anything goes right in this world.

“The AdCare North Dartmouth Outpatient Clinic in Massachusetts is offering a College Substance Abuse Education Group, developed and administered by Alicen J. McGowan, director of outpatient services, the Herald News reported on February 21.

The group began at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth in September as a pilot program with six students, and grew in January to twelve participants from various surrounding colleges. Students, some referred through courts or parents, attend a group meeting once a week with McGowan in addition to a weekly individual counseling session.

McGowan designed the program to resemble a college class, so that students felt comfortable. Sessions range in subject matter from the health effects of cocaine to the connection between prescription painkiller misuse and heroin use. The clinic also offers sessions on gambling, anger management, stress reduction and peer pressure.

During one session, the group explored the causes of alcohol dependency, and McGowan explained to the students that alcoholism is not only hereditary. “If you keep consuming, it can change your neurodependency,” said McGowan.

“The first challenge is to get people to recognize the problem,” said McGowan. “The next challenge is to get them to understand the problem.”

http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/communitystories/2006/program-teaches-college.html”

“Aderall, Ritalin, and other prescription drugs are being abused at an alarming rate,” comments Mary Rieser, Executive Director of The Atlanta Recovery Center. “We have seen an increase in the past few
years of college students seeking help for their prescription drug addiction.

“Unfortunately, the pressures of college life, the dangers of not getting good grades, and the ease of getting pharmaceutical drugs has increased the dangers of becoming drug addicted. Surveys reveal that students no longer take drugs to have fun, but take them in the hopes of easing depression or solving academic problems.”

Colleges across the nation, from Rhode Island to Texas are advising students to be wary of prescription drug abuse.

The Catholic University of America warned: “All students should take a closer look at their friends, roommates and even that lonely guy sitting by himself in the back of the classroom. There is no stereotypical abuser of prescription drugs. It can be the girl who takes Adderall to give her energy boosts before finals. It can be that guy who goes missing during parties to crush and snort Vicodin. It can even be your roommate who secretly pops a Xanax with a drink while
watching a movie.”

Another college journalist interviewed a typical user who said, “I don’t know that many kids that have done coke, none that have tried crack, and only a few that have dropped acid. I can’t even count all of the ones who’ve taken Adderall.” (Stice)

An article in the Houston Chronicle confirmed that in a recent study, 23 percent of people say they have loaned their prescription medicine to someone else and 27 percent say they have borrowed someone else’s prescription drugs.

“Adderall and Ritalin are prime examples of prescription drugs abused by college students,” comments Ms. Rieser. “Ritalin’s effects begin shortly after ingestion and last about three hours. At low doses, Ritalin increases alertness and focus, while blocking hunger and fatigue.

“However, side effects include increases in heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, insomnia, rapid or arrhythmic heart beat, dizziness, irritability, and headaches. More severe reactions include agitation, changes in appetite and sleep habits, weight loss, and facial tics. Overdose is possible, which makes this drug dangerous to abuse.”

According to the Archives of Internal Medicine, in a recent study of nearly 50 million U.S. death certificates, more than 224,000 involved fatal medication errors, including overdoses and mixing prescription drugs with alcohol and street drugs.

“The term ‘addiction’ unfortunately brings to mind images of people buying illegal drugs on street corners, running from the law,
‘criminals’ hiding to use their drugs,” comments Ms. Rieser. “And unfortunately Hollywood has often portrayed addicts as outlaws and ‘bad people.’ This is of course untrue, but since Adderall and other prescription drugs can be obtained legally by doctor’s prescription, you may have a college student who would never think of breaking the law or the next-door-neighbor housewife, both in the same position: addicted to prescription drugs.

“And addiction, whether it is to a prescription medication or a street drug, is the same thing-addiction.”

For more information on drug addiction rehabilitation or drug education, call The Atlanta Recovery Center.