Gooden Center
A residential drug treatment center for men located in Pasadena, CA. The Gooden Center is a proud member of the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP).

(626) 356-0078
191 North El Molino Avenue Pasadena, CA 91101 US

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Required Opioid Seminars for Parents?

Required Opioid Seminars for Parents?

With the opioid epidemic causing issues of abuse and overdose throughout the country, people are looking for answers in order to minimize and prevent addiction. Fighting the opioid epidemic can be possible through a combination of treatment for existing issues and preventative education so that people are aware of the dangers of the drug. Some high schools are now providing required seminars to educate kids about the addictive nature of opioids.

One superintendent of a high school in New Jersey was heart broken by the deaths of at least half a dozen students at the school who overdosed on opioids. Even parents of children in the school have experienced fatal overdoses as well. In order to take action he made it a requirement for seniors to attend an opioid seminar before they could graduate.

These types of seminars are designed to help people learn how to identify signs and signals that someone is addicted to opioids. It can also provide them with information about the dangers of overdose and the risky nature of abusing these kinds of drugs. Students and parents alike can benefit from being educated about these issues especially when it is directly affecting the community.

Making the seminars a requirement is a tactic to help prevent poor attendance which has been a problem in the past for educational opioid seminars. School officials are hoping to reach more people within the school and the general community so that they know about these issues and will be able to take action if they notice someone might be struggling with an addiction.

Opioid abuse is a problem that is plaguing the whole country and when people are more educated about these drugs it can help to reduce the number of incidents of addiction and fatal overdose.

Alcohol-Related ER Visits

Alcohol-Related ER Visits

Even though alcohol is a legal drug, that doesn’t mean there aren’t any serious dangers associated with it. More people than ever are ending up in the emergency room because of alcohol-related incidents causing injury. The number visits of alcohol-related ER visits has risen 61 percent in the last decade.

People end up in the ER for various reasons related to alcohol but some of the most common are drinking and driving accidents as well as alcohol poisoning. People are also more reckless and less inhibited when they drink which can lead to them getting hurt. These type of accidents are taking up lots of hospital resources and driving up health costs for people who are making poor decisions while drinking.

These ER visits actually represent a public health problem because it places a strain on the U.S. emergency care system. In order to combat this problem there need to be more efforts to identify and reduce binge drinking throughout the country. Binge drinking can lead to more alcohol-related incidents because people are more likely to be highly intoxicated compared to just having a few drinks over a longer period of time.

The more alcohol a person consumes in a short period of time the more they are at risk for alcohol poisoning or other related injuries. Binge drinking is defined as 4 or 5 drinks consumed within about 2 hours. Our bodies take about an hour to metabolize one drink, so this type of binge drinking can lead to serious issues with coordination and focus.

No matter how much alcohol a person has consumed, it is never safe to drink and drive. Finding a designated driver can help minimize the toll that ER visits has on our healthcare system. Reducing binge drinking can also prevent serious injuries and maintain health and safety.

Celibacy as a Part of Addiction Recovery

Celibacy as a Part of Addiction Recovery

Quitting an addiction can be a very complicated process and there are many different elements to consider in making sure you can stay sober. Even though the main focus of recovery is abstinence from the drug you were addicted to, there are other aspects of a healthy lifestyle that can help support sobriety. Many recovery programs recommend that people take a break from dating at least for a period of time until they are more stable.

Relationships can be difficult to handle at any point in your life but when you are just beginning to work on your sobriety they can be too much to handle. Being celibate can be a good way for people to focus solely on themselves and their own recovery so that they don’t complicate their situation with sex. Although the goal can be different for everyone, many people avoid intimate relationships for at least a year until they are more confident in their sobriety.

People in recovery often don’t have the skills to maintain a relationship and be fully present with a partner because they are learning how to clean up and manage their own lives. Dating will most likely be a distraction from their goals and could even trigger a relapse if it becomes too emotional or intense. Celibacy is important because there is always the danger of replacing a drug addiction with sex as a way to self-medicate.

Recovery requires a lot of focus on the self and hard work in a treatment program. In order to fully heal and manage their life as a sober person, people in recovery need to be single until they feel ready to date again. When they have succeeded in developing their communication skills and are feeling more comfortable in their sobriety then they can once again be open to healthy and supportive relationships.

10 Ways Your Body is Withdrawing from Alcohol

10 Ways Your Body is Withdrawing from Alcohol

One of the hardest aspects of quitting an addiction to alcohol is the way that your body will react to abstinence. Suddenly stopping the use of a substance you are physically and mentally addicted to can be uncomfortable and even painful at times.

Many people react in different ways and have their own experience with alcohol withdrawal. However there are certain common bodily responses that most people will find happening to them. Here are 10 ways that your body responds to alcohol withdrawal.

1. Shaking and Tremors– One of the first symptoms that people experience within the first day of abstinence or even several hours after their last drink is tremors. That means your hands or even your limbs are shaking involuntarily. The tremors may be more intense if you are especially anxious about detox and your body is responding to your anxiety.

Shaking occurs because your nervous system is suddenly flooded with more activity. People get accustomed to the depressant effects of alcohol which create less stimulation for the nervous system and the brain. Without any alcohol in your system your body responds by being hyperactive because the brain is experiencing more activity than it is used to.

2. Increased Heart Rate and Breathing – The sudden surge in activity in the central nervous system can create a number of other symptoms in the body. Many people will have a rapid heart rate or quick shallow breathing. As your nervous system goes into overdrive your heart may beat faster which can also be exacerbated by feelings of anxiety.

3. Excessive sweating – People going through withdrawal may find themselves sweating heavily especially at night. As their heart rate and breathing rate increase it can trigger perspiration as a result. It is important during detox to make sure that you stay well hydrated and replenish your electrolytes when you have severe sweating symptoms.

4. Trouble Sleeping – Most people going through detox will find it very difficult to sleep and will probably need some type of non-addictive medication to get through a full night. Issues with sleeping can begin the first day and persist for some time until the person’s body adjusts to living without alcohol. Sleep issues can be caused by a lack of dopamine in the system which can put the body into a panicked “fight or flight” state making it difficult to fall asleep.

5. Anxiety or Depression – Alcohol and other substances produce so much dopamine when they are consumed that your brain slows down its own production of natural dopamine. Dopamine is a chemical that helps regulate your mood and when you suddenly quit drinking alcohol your brain is producing a much smaller amount than you are used to. This sudden drop in dopamine can cause all kinds of problems including feelings of anxiety and depression.

Your brain will need time to start producing normal amounts of dopamine instead of the depressed levels it was creating when you were drinking alcohol. Without enough dopamine you will have much higher stress levels which will cause you to feel worried, anxious and depressed in addition to making it hard to sleep. It is important to find ways to handle this extra stress so that it does not become overwhelming.

6. Delirium Tremens – The most severe kind of alcohol withdrawal that people experience is delirium tremens or DTs which can be very intense. The symptoms can occur within 48 hours of your last drink and tend to include severe confusion, seizures and hallucinations. People usually only experience delirium tremens if they suddenly quit a very severe alcohol addiction.

7. Headaches and pain– Your body is adjust to drinking alcohol on a regular basis and when you suddenly quit it may respond by causing aches and pains throughout the body. Many people get a serious headache or a feeling of achiness throughout their whole body. This pain will eventually subside but taking over the counter aspirin can help minimize the discomfort.

8. Nausea and Vomiting– Within the first day or two of withdrawal your body is likely to respond with feelings of nausea and vomiting. The chemical dependency causes your body to react and many people feel queasy or uncomfortable in their stomach.

9. Fever or Increased Temperature – Along with an increased heart rate some people may also experience an increase in their body temperature as a reaction to abstinence. Taking fever reducing medicine may be necessary to keep their body temperature from rising.

10. Mood Swings – One of the most difficult reactions that people have to abstaining from alcohol is severe mood swings. Their body is used to using alcohol to relax and calm their emotional state. Without a drink they may feel agitated, angry or tearful and sad.

Alcohol withdrawal can be painful and uncomfortable for a period of time but ultimately you will experience positive benefits for your physical and mental health by abstaining from alcohol.

 

Cocaine Making a Comeback?

Cocaine Making a Comeback?

In the wake of the opioid epidemic, other illicit drugs are also becoming problematic in certain areas of the country. In New York, the number of people developing addictions to cocaine has caused some concern for the state. Hospitals in the area have seen a dramatic rise in the number of people seeking treatment for cocaine abuse.

The sudden increase in cocaine addiction is also part of a larger national trend with the country seeing the highest cocaine supply and usage rates in a decade. The DEA believes that these rising rates are due to an increase in coca farming in Colombia which has led to greater distribution of the drug on U.S. streets. As much as 92 percent of the cocaine in the U.S. comes from Colombia.

Coca farming went through a period of decline between the years of 2007 and 2012 because security forces in the country destroyed the crops. However, in the past five years farmers in Colombia have moved to more remote locations where their coca crop is now booming. As a result more cocaine has been smuggled across the U.S. border leading to higher rates of abuse and addiction.

Even though the rates of cocaine addiction are nowhere near the staggering levels of opioid abuse across the country, the drug is still causing serious health concerns. Drug treatment centers are now working to accommodate more cocaine abusers who are seeking help for their dependency. The combination of cocaine and opioids known as “speedballing” has also become an alarming trend often leading to hospitalization and overdose.

Drug dealers are now lacing cocaine with fentanyl, a highly potent and addictive opioid. The addition of opioids to cocaine has led to higher rates of addiction and also fatal overdoses. The increasing rates of cocaine abuse is a problem that needs to be addressed soon in order to reduce overdose deaths in the U.S.