Authorities grapple with substance abuse solutions
MOREHEAD CITY — The issue of substance abuse is one viewed from many sides as area authorities deal with the latest trends and local communities reach out to help those seeking treatment. Jacksonville has counseling services, a methadone clinic and …
Read more on Jacksonville Daily News

Mental Health Law Increases Access To Substance Abuse Treatment, But Costs …
A law that makes it easier for Americans to gain access to mental health and substance abuse services is working to get patients hospital care, but rapidly rising out-of-pocket costs could deter many from treatment, new research indicates. A new study …
Read more on Forbes

Culturally sensitive addiction treatment
“Support for the National American Indian and Alaska Native Addiction Technology Transfer Center marks a major milestone in mobilizing the best addictions treatment for a population facing disproportionately high rates of substance abuse,” says Skinstad.
Read more on Iowa Now

Mindy McCready Ordered to Alcohol Treatment Facility
Mindy McCready Ordered to Alcohol Treatment Facility. February 7, 2013. Mindy McCready. An Arkansas judge has ordered Mindy McCready to be committed to a treatment facility to deal with mental health and alcohol issues, according to People magazine.
Read more on CMT.com

Camden sounds off on proposed high-end rehabilitation facility
27 informational meeting about the potential for a future change-of-use at a proposed private, residential alcohol and co-occurring treatment facility at 235 Bay View St., currently known as Fox Hill. Several citizens speculated the facility — which …
Read more on Courier-Gazette & Camden Herald (subscription)

Alcohol and Chemical Treatment Center celebrates 40 years
OGDEN, Utah — Recovering from addiction is a difficult process, but places like the Alcohol and Chemical Treatment Center in Ogden, which is celebrating its 40th year in service, are there to help people conquer their addictions. More than 30 years …
Read more on Fox 13 Now – Salt Lake City

Neighbors to speak against Modesto treatment center's move
MODESTO — The City Council is expected to consider an appeal tonight from four people who want to stop a residential drug and alcohol treatment center from moving in near their west Modesto neighborhood. The city's Board of Zoning Adjustment granted …
Read more on Modesto Bee

Question by Kirk: What is the medical and legal definition of “narcotics abuse”?
If a patient suddenly discovered he had been given a diagnoses of “narcotics abuse”, what does that mean? It’s a false claim and it needs further investigation, and moreover, an explanation. But ,can you break it down for me? It immediately conjures up an extremely negative connotation for me.

Best answer:

Answer by KoalaMama
Let’s start at the basics. Narcotics are any of a group of drugs, such as heroin, morphine, and pethidine, that produce numbness and stupor. They are used medicinally to relieve pain but are sometimes also taken for their pleasant effects. Prolonged use may cause addiction, which leads to the abuse.

The definition of abuse would be “misuse, maltreatment, or excessive use.” So, the overindulgence in and dependence on said substance, leading to effects that are detrimental to the individual’s physical or mental health, or the welfare of others, would be defined as narcotics abuse.

In other words, narcotic use is considered abuse when people use narcotics to seek feelings of well-being apart from the narcotic’s pain-relief applications.

Add your own answer in the comments!

Question by denveryay: How is it possible to absolutely categorize Alcoholim as a disease and not an illness?
“Disease” is a very loosely defined term in many respects. There are multiple disorders, infenctions, and symptoms that can be typical of a definable disease. Also, a disease must have specific and constant cause(s), which in the case of Alcoholism is the CHOICE to drink ethyl-alcohol. The cause of the “disease” is the recurring and disregarding CHOICE to drink. A choice, however pathological or illogical, doesn’t seem to be appropriate as a cause or a condition of any disease. Despite the negative psychological, physiological, and other results of long-term alcohol abuse, it seems that it shouldn’t be classified as anything more than a treatable mental disorder.

“Illness, although often used to mean disease, can also refer to a person’s perception of their health, regardless of whether they in fact have a disease. A person without any disease may feel unhealthy and believe he has an illness. Another person may feel healthy and believe he does not have an illness even though he may have a disease” – Wikipedia on ‘Disease’

It is true that if some Alcoholics didn’t have a disease to blame for their disorder, they would not be able to stop drinking. It is also true that because of Alcholism-as-a-disease, many people who ABUSE alcohol are led into misperceptions about their drinking habits. In fact, it is only alcohol DEPENDENCE that could possibly even begin to be categorized as a disease.

An individual who is alcohol-dependent exhibits behavior indicitive of addiction. Drink-seeking, withdrawal and tolerance, and psychological malfunction among others are the results and symptoms of addiction. My father and friends have struggled with alchohol and drug addictions and I have seen the both successful and unsuccessful treatments implemented in their lives.

It seems that Alcoholism and drug addictions are psychological disorders that in a vast majority of instances could be cured by a conscious choice (however difficult) to STOP using the cause of the addiction. It has been proven in many instances that an addict can stop using the object of their addiction without any complications, as long as they are commited to quitting.

It seems that diseases should only be those such as Cancer, Diabetes, Hepatitis and the like. People who have these diseases cannot make a choice to simply stop a behavior to ease their pains. Whereas, although undoubtedly difficult, an addict can ease his or her addiction by making a powerful choice to stop using.

By allowing alcoholism to be categorized as a disease, it seems that negative stigma is removed from addicts’ behaviors and people who drink are given an excuse to justify their behavior. Instead of feeling like they’ve let themselves and their families down, they are able to blam their behavior on a cause outside of their control, which is simply not true.

“Neither the U.S. Veterans Administration nor the Social Security Administration makes payments to individuals, whose disabilities stem from substance abuse, including alcoholism.” – From Shoutwire

I am NOT pro- or anti- any of this I am looking for factual objective evidence and ideas that could lead to helping me understand why Alchoholism is given reprieve by its disease classification.

Best answer:

Answer by kentuckyredhead5353
Well about half way through I had a problem and I developed this question. What is the difference with what you were saying in comparison to a cigarette smoker for some it’s the habit and the motion and some get physically sick for the lack of nicotine is it not similar. emotional vs physical and different for different personality types? 🙂 Guess I could read on have a good one:-)
OK I’m finally done now i get it, it’s all in there head so all they have to do is get it out of their head and it will all go away. They just will it away. Take 2 aspirins have a sucker and call me in the morning:-)
oh excuse me revision: update-read the last part. it was taken out as a disease because social security was being drained by leagal alcoholics that the government makes good taxes off of. The only help and recourse for a recovering alcoholic, drug user, vet, is a mental health clinic because why did they drink in the first place. Now uncle sam pays for their drugs and kills them off with a lousy health plan. looks who is on all the class action suits that will never collect anything. Trust me I have done my homework on this subject. I know many vets and low income disabled people. Nothing has changed but the name of the disease.

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!

Charles sharing story of addiction, recovery
At 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Arnita Pittman Community Recovery Centre in Marion Centre mall, Sheila Raye Charles (her stage name) will tell her story of addiction and a recovery that she attributes to her faith in God. “To tell people their life doesn't …
Read more on Marion Star

Delray Recovery Center Kickstarts Treatment with Integrated Recovery Program …
“Exercise can be extremely beneficial for everyone, but particularly for those recovering from an addiction to drug, alcohol or suffering from mental health issues,” said Delray Recovery Center Medical Director Dr. Darryl Appleton. “The Integrated …
Read more on DigitalJournal.com (press release)

Twelve Oaks Recovery Center to Sponsor Two Former Pro Athlete Events, Raise …
NAVARRE, FL–(Marketwire – Feb 26, 2013) – Twelve Oaks Recovery Center, a 102-bed residential addiction treatment facility for adults and adolescents, is set to sponsor two upcoming events that feature former professional athletes as part of their …
Read more on Marketwire (press release)

Effective Addiction Treatment
Countless people addicted to drugs, alcohol or both have managed to get clean and stay clean with the help of organizations like Alcoholics Anonymous or the thousands of residential and outpatient clinics devoted to treating addiction. But if you have …
Read more on New York Times (blog)

Study: Substance-abuse treatment still costs patients more
The HCCI expressed concern about the differences given that the 2008 Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act was supposed to eliminate them for substance-abuse treatments. According to the report, substance-abuse admissions rose by about 20 …
Read more on The Hill (blog)

Evidence-Based Addiction Treatments Offer High Probability of Success
11, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — "I want people to recover from addiction without the suffering I endured," said Richard Taite , CEO and founder of Cliffside Malibu Treatment Center. "That's why I went to the evidence-base before we opened our doors in 2005.
Read more on PR Newswire (press release)