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Traffic Street, Shreveport

Image by So Max O
The big gold building is Jack Binion’s Horseshoe Casino (and according to the sign, Gambling Addiction Help Center?)

Addiction treatment center director offers advice for helping addicts
Jim Steinhagen, executive director of addiction treatment center Hazelden in Plymouth, offered advice: “Listen to the voice in your head. Trust your intuition.” Telltale signs of drug abuse include changes in personality, appearance, friends and school …
Read more on Star News

Bullock applauds new addiction treatment center in Butte
It will continue to be the only inpatient treatment center for alcohol and drug addiction administered by the state, but officials say its layout, rooms and amenities will be more conducive to treatment. Patients are screened and referred to that level …
Read more on Montana Standard

Elements Behavioral Health Acquires Journey Healing Centers' Network of …
Journey Healing Centers provides the full continuum of addiction treatment services, from residential treatment and sober living to day treatment and intensive outpatient care. Its network of treatment centers is accredited by the Joint Commission and …
Read more on PR Web (press release)

Question by Emma: what are some ways to reduce homelessness?
i am writing a proposal on homelessness in richmond va. I am looking for some ways in which we could reduce or eliminate the homeless.

So far i can only think of 2 which are affordable housing and increase in employment rate.

i need two more ways of which we could potentially reduce the amount of homeless or eliminate it altogether

any suggestions would be helpful

Best answer:

Answer by rec4lms
I think that the first issue for you to tackle is to determine why they are homeless.

The issues that I deal with find that a significant percent of the homeless have mental health issues. The second issue (not as large as mental health issues in my experience) is that many people have issues with alcohol or drug abuse. (Many people can function while abusing alcohol/drugs but many can not.) The third issue is that people have no jobs, no money, no credit, and no resources to turn to when they are down and out.

The USA does a horrible job in dealing with mental health issues, with most of the mental health hospitals being defunded or closed. Unfortunately the response the government has taken is to wait for them to commit a crime and then incarcerate them. Thus, determine how many mental health facilities are in the Richmond area that help those who can not afford treatment. (The only place we use is Central State in Petersburg.) Also note that those with mental illness can not be compelled to take their medications without a court order. And I’ve never seen the court order someone to take medication unless they are incarcerated and need to be up for trial.

Alchohol and drug abuse is a completely different problem to deal with. It may be recreational, it may be escapist, or it may be addiction. Some will respond to treatment, especially if they want treatment. However, they have to want to improve. To paraphrase one person that I worked with, when they were taking drugs they felt that everything was perfect.

Lack of job/money/resources is both one of the worst situations but also one of the easiest one’s to directly handle. Note that I listed “resources.” A resource is anything that one person can use. This can include friends and family. Religion is also important in this because even though it is often bad mouthed in TV and movies however in reality church members stick together. Affordable housing is a good idea but often politics gets involved in a situation. Several years ago I was earning $ 19,000 a year, which is not very much. My roommates and I got kicked out of an apartment because a new company bought it and made it Section 8. The reasoning we were given was that we earned too much money. A lot of the rules and laws are kind of idiotic and often geared to the lowest common denominator. Try to improve yourself and you don’t get help, but don’t try and you get supported. (There are many who truly do need help because they have hit rock bottom but unfortunately a lot of people take advantage of that safety net.) My neighbor is a great example of this. Her husband passed away and she works three jobs to keep her kids and house. However, she could quit all three jobs and get federal money. There is no tapering off of assistance, either you get assistance or you get nothing and this makes it difficult because the money for assistance is often more than the money you can earn on your own.

So, I give you the following: 1) Improve Psychiatric Care for those who need it.
2) Increase alcohol and drug treatment options.
3) Rework the Section 8, Unemployment Benefits, and the Food Stamp/WIC programs. We can probably go for Medicaid also but I don’t deal with that all that much.

I know, Too Long Didn’t Read. I used to be positive and felt that I could help those that are less fortunate than I am, and that lead to a career into such. However, a lot of troubles have been brought on by their own problems. Sadly, trying to save the world may have made me jaded but I also feel that it has made me realistic: Some people can only help themselves and the current system works against those who are trying to improve their lot in life.

I hope that this helped.

Good luck.

What do you think? Answer below!

Novus Medical Detox Center 03

Image by thetawarrior
This is the Novus Medical Detox facility in Pasco County, Florida, 45 minutes north of Tampa.

Phoenix Drug Detox Center Launches New Program to Halt Heroin Addiction …
Phoenix Drug Detox Center Launches New Program to Halt Heroin Addiction, Substance Abuse. Immediate help for individuals using and abusing heroin is now available. Call (888) 444-9148 for a no-cost appointment at Medical Drug Detox Center.
Read more on PR Web (press release)

Novus Medical Detox Says Illicit Drug Use Affects Economy – Drug Incarceration …
Florida-based detox center Novus Medical Detox suggests the use of treatment programs instead of prison sentences as the best means of ending drug abuse in the U.S., as well as reducing the costs of incarceration. Share on Twitter Share on Facebook …
Read more on PR Web (press release)

Question by Liza Shevchuk: Natural Remedies For Brain Damage After Drug Abuse?
My older brother has done many drugs from about 16-21. Its been a year since his last use, and he’s been having some serious problems. He has high anxiety and he’s been having frequent episodes of “weird” (as he calls it) feelings. He doesn’t label it as feeling sick. During these episodes he feels jittery, emotional (even cry’s sometimes) out of control, his heart rate goes up. This also causes him to have insomnia. Maybe they’re panic attacks, but the thing is, what triggers it? This occurs randomly on a normal day. We believe its typical withdrawal symptoms, because he abused quite a few drugs. (Marijuana, cigarettes, ecstasy, crystal meth, shrooms, hookah, cocaine, inhalants, “uppers” (as he calls them))
He has gone to see his doctor several times to get treatment, and his doctor said he has migraines.
-____-
He prescribed him anti depressants and that didn’t help my brother AT ALL.
He does this herbal drop treatment (echinacea, other oils, etc) That help him sleep.
Now we’re trying to find him herbal remedies that would help repair his brain damage from all of the abuse he has done to it.
Thank you very much.

Best answer:

Answer by jannsody
I’m not sure that there will be repairing of the brain damage (presuming that he has that as I’m not a medical doctor :), but researchers believe that the brain is very “plastic” and may form new nerve pathways to *help* compensate for the injured areas.

With regard to inhalant use, my friend actually has a severe Brain Injury from huffing at the age of 12, now in her 30s. The chemicals in products used for huffing are actual *poisons* that were never meant to go through the bloodstream.

Please be *very* careful with herbal supplements or “remedies” (e.g., echinacea, ginkgo biloba, chamomile) as they can result in side effects and/or drug (medication) interactions. It’s best to check with a licensed pharmacist before taking any of them. Not everything that is “natural” is safe 😉

Regarding the panic attacks, some people have generalized anxiety (to know specific event) or other types of anxiety. The antidepressants may help to lessen the intensity and/or frequency of the anxiety symptoms. Such medications tend to take about 6-8 weeks before possibly noticing results. A caveat (warning) is that some antidepressants may cause insomnia (trouble getting to and/or staying asleep). However, there are medications that one may take to help counteract the insomnia.

Even though benzo’s (e.g., ativan, valium, xanax, klonopin) may be prescribed to help with sleep, they’re not always recommended as a medication due to their physical addictiveness. (Some withdrawal symptoms from benzo’s may include seizures, psychosis/mental break from reality, or even death.) Some psychiatrists (it’s best to get medication for mental health issues from a board-certified psychiatrist as opposed to “just” a family doctor) prescribe seroquel (or other medications), which is classified as an antipsychotic but in smaller dosages may help with sleep.

You’d mentioned that he’s gone to the doctor several times, and I’m wondering if he’s gone to a neurologist which is medical dr who can help rule out disorders of the nervous system – brain, spinal cord, nerves. I’m just thinking that to help “cover all the bases” (not trying to give false hope though, know what I mean).

I’m not sure that he’d still be going through withdrawal symptoms a year after stopping the drugs, but it’s a good idea to ask a doctor about that as well.

Pertaining to the anxiety, please show him this government site which may have some local counseling agencies: http://findtreatment.samhsa.gov/ and can click the second link. Then one can click “near you” on the left-hand side of the page under “find facilities” and can type one’s city and state of residence into search. Their toll-free 24/7 referral helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357). Just an fyi that the first link is for those looking for substance abuse counseling/treatment, and that may be an option if he’s still “using” or having cravings for substances.

A 12-step program, such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), may have some local support groups. The only requirement is having a desire to get sober. One may attend an “open” AA meeting if there is no drinking problem: http://www.aa.org

This site has some common mottos pertaining to those 12-step programs, including “One day at a time”, “First things first” and “People, places and things”: http://www.royy.com/toolsofrecovery.html

Al-Anon is a 12-step program for the *friends and family* of the problem drinker, but one may attend an “open” Al-Anon meeting if the loved one doesn’t have a drinking problem: http://www.al-anon.alateen.org

Add your own answer in the comments!

They always say that admitting to a problem is that hardest part of recovery. However, this isn’t always true. What do you do after that? Where do you turn to? For those battling drug addictions, this can be a very difficult process. When dealing with drug rehab, Los Angeles is often the city to go to. There is a Los Angeles drug treatment center every couple miles. But, getting to the point where rehab is an option is also a very hard battle. Those battling with drug addictions need support. It is important not to feel punished or guilty when dealing with a drug issue. Here are some tips for those dealing with addiction or helping someone who is.

Friends are crucial in a time like this. No one can beat an addiction alone. Often times, family can be too helpful or too angry, where as friends want nothing but to help. If your friend is addicted to drugs and looking for help, reach out to them. One of the most powerful tools to be addiction is support. Feeling like someone else wants them to quit and is willing to help them can be the deciding factor. Also, don’t be a fair weather friend. If you quit as soon as the situation gets sticky, you will hurt the person greatly.

Also, for those who are dealing with addiction, the people you surround yourself with is important. If your drug abuse is a social thing, or started as a social thing, you need to find new friends. Don’t attend parties while trying to get clean. However, don’t sit at home and have no social life. It is important to go out and stay busy so the temptation is lessened. Even if your friends are not addicted to drugs, explain to them that you are, and it is difficult for you to resist when they do drugs around you. If they won’t change for you, it is time to invest in a new group of friends.

Local support groups can also be a godsend in a time like this. If rehab is too expensive, or perhaps you’re simply not ready, these are a great alternative. They are support groups similar to Alcoholics Anonymous, but they target specific drugs. These are usually more popular than you realized especially if you live in the city. The sessions are usually held in gyms or local meeting halls, so they are easily accessible. Through groups like this you can find other people suffering like you who may help your beat you addiction.

A lot of people turn to religion when dealing with drug addiction. Religion can be something to focus on or a way to call out for help. Lots of people find god and use god as support. Some people turn to more spiritual religions as a way to channel their addiction into something more positive. Also, activities such as yoga and running can be a great way to keep busy. The key is getting help and not leaving any room for relapse.