File this one under the heading of: Everything can kill you.

What is the safest thing you can think of to consume?  Water seems pretty high up on that list, right?  Well, not really.  According to Yahoo news drugs are turning up in some pretty unexpected places…like your drinking water.  Yahoo states that at least 46 million Americans have this problem to deal with.  It seems that lots of pharmaceuticals are showing up in your local tap water, and the government wasn’t too happy to have to tell us about it.  Yahoo is reporting:

The AP stories prompted federal and local legislative hearings, brought about calls for mandatory testing and disclosure, and led officials in at least 27 additional metropolitan areas to analyze their drinking water. Positive tests were reported in 17 cases, including Reno, Nev., Savannah, Ga., Colorado Springs, Colo., and Huntsville, Ala. Results are pending in three others.

“Mandatory testing and disclosure?”  Shouldn’t they be testing the water to begin with, and if they do they certainly should be reporting the results back to John Q. Public don’t you think?  Basically the utility companies maintain that the amounts of drugs that are slipping through our tap are so minute that they really do not pose a health risk.  Still, shouldn’t we be informed on the subject?  I’d like to think so, and so do many others who are pushing for more testing at the tap.

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- See more at: http://www.rightstep.com/blog/prescription-drug-abuse/before-you-drink-that-waterread-this/#sthash.IapKWajH.dpuf

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I can imagine the degenerates who were found with £5 million worth of cocaine on the yacht they were sailing on saying the title of this article to officers.

On Saturday the 13th of September, men were found on board a yacht off Cornwall in the U.K. with enough cocaine to be estimated at £5 million.  That is roughly $10 million.  The HMS Argyll and the Metropolitan Police were looking for drugs when they seized upon the yacht.  According to the BBC:

Officers recovered nearly 100kg in three laundry bags hidden in the forward cabin of the British-registered 35ft yacht.

Two men in their late 50s were arrested directly from the yacht, and another was arrested in London.

I’m all for taking drugs off the street, but that massive haul of cocaine isn’t going to dry the streets up over night.  If anything it will just make the coke that is already on the streets more valuable, which in turn will make it cost more, which in turn will make more people do more illegal things to get the money to buy the drugs.  The war on drugs seems an un-winnable war.  We can keep pumping all the money in the world into drug prevention, but the nature of the beast remains that law enforcement will always be one step behind.  I’m not sure what the right answer is, but it doesnt’ seem like the current strategy is all it’s cracked up to be.

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- See more at: http://www.rightstep.com/blog/alcohol-and-drug-news/i-didnt-even-know-it-was-on-boardi-swear/#sthash.2cgz4TJK.dpuf

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Girls Aloud singer Nadine Coyle has come out to report her actions as being selfish in her recent split with Jesse Metcalfe.  You might remember Metcalfe from such shows as Desperate Housewives-and well, that’s about all he is known for.  Apparently the actor has been suffering with alcohol addiction and it was too much for Coyle to bear after a year of dating.

This is only the latest in a string of embarrassments for Metcalfe.  After Housewives he struggled to find good work, and his only recent notable appearance in the tabloids came after he was beaten up outside of a nightclub.  After this debacle he was seen riding around town on a motorcycle, a move that was viewed as an attempt to toughen up his fading image.

“He had a horrible time going to rehab and it was all too much for me.  I blocked it out of my life and decided not to be a part of it and that’s wrong. That’s not something you should do if you love somebody.
I regretted being so selfish about it and so dismissive of him genuinely having a problem.” (Source inthenews.co.uk)

It just goes to show you that you can be on top of the acting world one day, beautiful successful singer girlfriend on your arm, and the next day your struggling through rehab, having trouble finding work, and getting beat up outside a club.  Such is the life of an addict, albeit a famous addict.

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- See more at: http://www.rightstep.com/blog/celebrity-drug-addiction/singer-dumps-famous-actor-due-to-his-alcohol-addiction/#sthash.KTG15BY7.dpuf

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Prescription stimulants used to treat ADHD, most commonly Ritalin, are the new drug of choice on college campuses and in high school hallways. Though legal and helpful when prescribed to people who actually have ADHD, these pills are more and more commonly being abused by students who don’t have the disorder. Ritalin stimulates the central nervous system with effects similar to but less potent than amphetamines, and more powerful than caffeine. The pill has a calming effect on hyperactive children and a “focusing” effect on those with ADHD. However, many people without ADHD have caught on to the power of the drug and often use it when faced with a long night of studying or writing a paper. While the pills do make you more able to focus, people not prescribed the pills often take more than is needed, therefore increasing the risk of side effects and future complications.

Ritalin and other prescription stimulants are also easy to obtain and relatively cheap. Often times, students who are prescribed the pills hand them out to their friends, or sell them for $2-$5 per pill. A 2005 study by the University of Michigan Substance Abuse Research Center showed that 10% of college students have used stimulants illegally at some point during their college years. Often times, these students aren’t necessarily the best students and may have fallen behind during the semester. Ritalin provides them with an opportunity to cram and try to catch up before a big test or exam.

Many students aren’t aware of Ritalin’s harmful side effects. Some of these may include an irregular heartbeat, problems with circulation, increased aggression or irritability, difficulty sleeping, and loss of appetite. High doses may cause paranoia, confusion, and hallucinations.

When used correctly, Ritalin and other prescription stimulants truly help those with ADHD. But abuse of these prescriptions by those who don’t need it can cause health problems and lead students to become addicted to the high. This can lead to more substance abuse problems down the road.

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- See more at: http://www.rightstep.com/blog/alcohol-and-drug-treatment/ritalin-abuse-among-students/#sthash.y5UwDkMB.dpuf

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I recently read David Sedaris’ new book When You Are Engulfed In Flames which prominently contains the tail of how he stopped smoking. If you are not familiar with Sedaris, he is a frequent contributor to NPR, and the author of many books and magazine articles. Just think Truman Capote meets Bob Newhart Sedaris grew up a vehement anti-smoker in the home of a vehement smoker, his mother Sharon Sedaris. David saw his mother battle with the lung cancer that eventually claimed her life, and watched as she continued to smoke almost right up until the end.

Growing up in this type of environment you would wonder why Sedaris began to smoke, and as he recalls, it seemed like it was just something to do, something that would be cool. He even describes how he decided on what brand to smoke, what brand of smokes would best say “Sedaris.” After decades of smoking Sedaris decided to quit. He moved to Japan so he would have something else to focus on other then smoking, and went, more-or-less, cold turkey. In a recent USA today article Sedaris stated:

“I know if I picked up a cigarette, I’d be right back. I don’t think about it unless I’m passing someone who is smoking. Gosh, that smells good. It would be harder if I still drank.”

The story is a fun read, and if you are in the midst of quitting any type of addiction I recommend Sedaris’ new collection for inspiration in your own battle.

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“Of all the substances of abuse, including heroin, cocaine, and marijuana, alcohol produces by far the most serious neuro-behavioral effects in the fetus.” -Institute of Medicine 1996 Report to Congress

Fetal alcohol exposure is the leading cause of mental retardation in the Western World. The prevalence of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) in the U.S. is estimated to be 0.2 to 2.0 cases for every 1,000 live births. Common characteristics and behavioral traits are associated with the disease. Physical characteristics include three major features: a thin upper lip, a smooth, flattened area and lack of groove between the nose and upper lip, and small eye openings. These characteristics are all due to alcohol affecting the brain tissue; at the early stage of fetal development, the eyes and face are all an extension of the brain.

The primary effect of women drinking during pregnancy is permanent central nervous system damage to the fetus, especially to the brain. Brain cells do not develop properly when exposed to alcohol, and this can create an array of functional and mental disabilities in the child. These can include but are not limited to impaired motor development and functioning, learning disabilities, language disorders, social communication problems, and poor attention/concentration skills.

The only way to eliminate the problem of FAS is to not drink during pregnancy. Many women don’t stop drinking until they’re confirmed to be pregnant, and this can be problematic since many FAS problems can start very early on in the pregnancy. Because of this, women who are trying to become pregnant or who think they could be pregnant should not drink.

If you’re a woman who has problems with drinking and you plan on becoming pregnant, please seek help before deciding to have a child. A drug and alcohol treatment center may help. Don’t let your drinking create a whole new set of problems for your baby.

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- See more at: http://www.rightstep.com/blog/alcohol-and-drug-treatment/fetal-alcohol-syndrome/#sthash.irMxeztD.dpuf

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Crack cocaine is one of the most powerfully addicting drugs. While regular cocaine is produced as a white powder that is usually inhaled through the nose, crack cocaine is a different, freebase form of cocaine that has been made into a smokeable substance. Because it’s smoked, the effects of crack cocaine are more intense than regular cocaine, and are felt more quickly – in about 10 to 15 seconds.

Why is crack so addictive? The large surface area of the lung’s air sacs help the drug after it’s smoked be quickly spread through the bloodstream. Also, because the high is so short-lived, users will often smoke it repeatedly to sustain the high. Crack also affects the brain by changing how neurotransmitters work, which are the chemicals that allow nerve information to be passed along. Dopamine, one of these neurotransmitters, is usually released by neurons in the part of the brain that controls feelings of well-being. In a healthy brain, dopamine goes to a nerve cell’s receptors, causes a reaction in the cell, and then goes back to the neuron that released it. Crack messes up this transfer system. Dopamine builds up in the gap between neurons and will still affect a nerve cell after it should’ve stopped. This is why crack users feel an extra sense of euphoria. Long-term crack use may reduce the amount of dopamine in the brain altogether, and the nerve cells will then need crack to communicate properly. Quitting the drug at this point leads to withdrawal symptoms, which may include depression/anxiety, nausea, and of course an intense craving for the drug.

The National Survey on Drug Use and Health estimates that 3.5% of people have tried crack at some point in their lives. If you or a loved one is addicted to crack cocaine, a drug recovery center may help.

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Substance abuse and bipolar disorder, a mental illness which affects about 3-5% of the population, are closely correlated according to a recent study that is based on years of research. The study leader, who’s the director of substance abuse services as Massachusetts General Hospital, analyzed data on 105 teenagers with bipolar disorder who were enrolled in the study at an average age of 14 and then followed into adulthood. The study, which also included a control group of 98 teens without any mood disorders, found that incidences of alcohol abuse, drug abuse or dependence, and smoking were considerably higher in the bipolar group than the control group. In fact, the rate of substance abuse in the bipolar disorder group was 34%, compared to only 4% in the control group.

This is important information for anyone suffering from substance abuse problems, especially if they have ever questioned their own mental health or experienced extreme mood swings. Chances are, there could be some correlation between the substance abuse and mental health. Dr. Brady, a doctor and associate professor of psychiatry at the Medical University of South Carolina, reported that substance abuse occurs in 30% to 60% of patients with bipolar disorder. She also claims that 2% to 4% of alcoholics and up to 30% of cocaine abusers meet the diagnostic criteria for bipolar disorder.

As if substance abuse wasn’t enough of a problem to deal with, some people have the added setback of having to deal with bipolar disorder as well. Seeking treatment of bipolar disorder as early as possible is key in preventing the development of substance abuse problems later in life. If you or someone you know has a problem with drugs or alcohol, there is help available.

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Soldiers returning from deployment in Iraq and Afghanistan are likely to have developed serious drinking problems, a recent study finds. Isabel Jacobsen, who has a Masters of Public Health and works for the Naval Health Research Center, led the study that surveyed over 48,000 servicemen and servicewomen both before and after their deployment over a five year period. Their findings showed that among those National Guard or Reserve members who were deployed with combat exposure, over 40% of them developed either new-onset heavy weekly drinking, binge drinking, or other alcohol-related problems. These numbers were higher than those service members who were not deployed; specifically, those who fought in combat were 63% more likely to develop drinking problems than non-deployed personnel.

Researchers also found that soldiers born after 1980 were over six times more likely to develop binge-drinking problems. Women service members were more likely than men to develop new, heavy weekly drinking than men.

Fighting in a war is obviously one of the most stressful things someone can do. Post-traumatic stress disorder and several other psychological disorders are likely to develop after a distressing event like war. Afterwards, without the proper coping methods, people can often turn to alcohol and drugs to combat painful memories of traumatic events and “numb” oneself to the pain. Instead of responding in this way, returning soldiers should realize that they are going through a stressful time in their life and therefore take steps to get therapy of some kind. Self-medicating with alcohol may seem like an easy solution at the time, but the repercussions are far worse than taking the “harder” route of getting therapy.

- See more at: http://www.rightstep.com/blog/alcohol-and-drug-treatment/alcohol-problems-likely-among-those-returning-from-combat/#sthash.8J9xMRr1.dpuf

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The power of positive thinking. Some people addicted to drugs and alcohol swear by it, and new science reaffirms the power of its effectiveness. Mauricio Delgado, a cognitive neuroscientist at Rutgers, led a study where participants were either flashed a blue or yellow card. Half the volunteers were told to associate the blue card with a real $4 payoff, and the yellow card with nothing; the other half was given the opposite color assignments to prevent color biases. When the color cards were flashed on a screen, the volunteers were told either to focus on their prize for the color associated with money, or to think of a calming natural object like the ocean or sky when shown the other color. An electrode attached to the participant’s fingers measured excitement levels, and not surprisingly, the subjects were more excited when shown the card associated with a monetary payoff. Thoughts of nature slightly lowered activity in the brain’s reward center.

This holds exciting news for those addicted to drugs or alcohol. If thinking peaceful thoughts lowers the excitement associated with a reward, then picturing a peaceful scene may help an alcoholic the next time he or she is strongly craving a drink. This cognitive power may help anyone – alcoholics, smokers, drug users, even people on a diet. Even though the possibility of a high is more tempting than the opportunity to win a few dollars, thinking about not only peaceful but more precious things like family and friends may really be effective. Picturing these loved ones would serve as inspiration to not indulge in a habit, and will also be calming. Combining this method of positive thinking with proper therapy will truly be a winning combination to fight addiction.

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- See more at: http://www.rightstep.com/blog/alcohol-and-drug-treatment/the-science-of-positive-

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