ADDICTION: VICODAN

It continues to astound me the number of folks coming into my private addiction practice for opiate addiction. There seems to be a definite pattern that the addiction began when they were prescribed Vicodan. I have clients that started “getting hooked” on Vicodan at the age of 14 “following a surgery” to 75 “following a surgery”. My own doctor, knowing that I do mind-body healing and don’t take medications, wrote me a prescription for Vicodan after he removed a splinter from my thumb!

For those of you that don’t know what Vicodan is, let me explain in laymen terms. Vicodan is the trademark name for hydrocodone that has the same or greater potency than oral morphine. Vicodan is also combined with over 200 other products, such as, aspirin (Lortab ASA), and ibuprofen (Vicoprofen). . It has been reported that approximately 20 tons!! of hydrocodone products are used in the US.

Vicodan is, as stated above, most often prescribed for pain. Doctors will say that it isn’t addictive, but the first research report about Vicodan being addictive was published in 1923, then, again in 1961. Yet, Vicodan use, abuse, and dependency continues to grow in the US.

Any drug, even aspirin, can become addictive. It is up to YOU to be proactive in your pain management. The internet is a great resource to educate yourself on what the doctor is prescribing. QUESTION! QUESTION! QUESTION! DO NOT let prescription drugs become YOUR addiction.

Learn more about me, MAx Fabry, and my private practice at
http://www.lifestylechangescounseling.com

HEROIN WITHDRAWAL

Withdrawing from heroin can be a traumatizing experience. The old school of thought believes that the addict has to experience the severe withdrawal symptoms in order to deter further use of heroin. Many heroin addicts can vividly describe their “almost deathly” experience of withdrawing from heroin. These same addicts can also describe returning within a short period of time to using again.

The new school of thought is combining medication treatment with talk therapy, either individual or group. Medications, such as buprenorphine, naltrexone, and methadone, are used to help addicts during the detox process and helps to minimize the withdrawal symptoms. The medication combined with a behavioral treatment to change thinking patterns and to provide skills for coping with life stressors gives the addict a better chance of having a healthier lifestyle.

Lifestyle Changes Counseling offers a behavioral treatment that follows the client for a minimum of one year. Learn more about this program at http://www.lifestylechangescounseling.com