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	<title>Help Drug Abuse &#187; addicted to drugs</title>
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	<link>http://helpdrugabuse.com</link>
	<description>Help and Treatment for Drugs, Alcohol, Substance and Narcotics Abuse</description>
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		<title>7 Signs It Is Time to Enter Drug Recovery</title>
		<link>http://helpdrugabuse.com/7-signs-it-is-time-to-enter-drug-recovery-2/</link>
		<comments>http://helpdrugabuse.com/7-signs-it-is-time-to-enter-drug-recovery-2/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 17 Jan 2012 09:09:41 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Drug-Abuse]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[addicted to drugs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[addiction treatment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[drug addiction]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Drug Intervention]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Drug Recovery]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rehab center]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://helpdrugabuse.com/?p=1169</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Are you concerned that someone in your life may have a drug addiction that has gotten out of control? If so, do not be afraid to do something about it. When it comes to addiction, denial can be strong, and some addicts just need a caring and trusted loved one to speak up and say [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Are you concerned that someone in your life may have a drug addiction that has gotten out of control? If so, do not be afraid to do something about it. When it comes to addiction, denial can be strong, and some addicts just need a caring and trusted loved one to speak up and say that things have gone too far. Do not be afraid to be the person who speaks up. There are many drug recovery options out there, and there is no reason why your loved one should stay addicted when help is always within reach.</p>
<p>If you are not sure whether the person in your life is addicted to drugs, here are seven signs that they may need drug recovery:</p>
<p>1. Neglected responsibilities: Has your loved one begun to neglect important responsibilities at home, work, or school? If so, it may be the beginning of the type of long downward spiral that often destroys addicts&#8217; lives and careers if they fail to seek drug recovery.<span id="more-1169"></span><br />
2. Self-endangerment: Has the person&#8217;s drug use accelerated to a point where they have become a danger to themselves? This may involve taking larger doses than what is safe, or it could have to do with drug-related activities such as impaired driving or the use of dirty needles.<br />
3. Legal trouble: Has he or she gotten into trouble with the law due to drug use? If yes, take advantage of this opportunity to bring up the option of drug recovery.<br />
4. Secretiveness: People who are addicted to drugs tend to hide huge areas of their lives from non-drug-using family and friends. This often involves a lot of secretive behavior that can be more obvious than they realize.<br />
5. Increased tolerance: When an addict needs more and more of a drug just to get the same effects, this is a sign the addiction is getting out of control. For some drugs, the cycle never ends, and the addict may end up going bankrupt trying to support the drug habit.<br />
6. Obsession with drugs: People who are addicted to drugs tend to become obsessed with the habit at the expense of everything else in life. If you have noticed your loved one losing interest in everything and seeming to think about nothing besides drug use, this is a clear sign that it is time for drug recovery.<br />
7. Physical signs: Some of the most recognizable physical signs of an out-of-control drug habit are bloodshot eyes, rapid changes in appetite or sleep patterns, unusual smells, tremors, poor coordination, or slurred speech. There are also certain drug-specific signs to look for if you know what type of drug your loved one is using.</p>
<p>If your family member or friend is exhibiting at least two or three of these signs, talk to them about drug recovery as soon as possible, or get together a group of trusted loved ones to perform a drug intervention</p>
<p>If you have asked for help because your addiction has caused your world to crumble, then you are already on your way to a successful Drug Recovery. This is a significant and rare accomplishment, since unfortunately most people who are addicted to drugs go through long periods of denial.</p>
<p>Most addicts never realize they have a problem. This forces their loved ones to hire expert interventionists who can confront the addiction and choose the rehab center for them. Because you took the first step, you are miles ahead in your journey to real Drug Recovery. After all, no addiction treatment is effective if the patient is resistive to the help that is provided to him.</p>
<p>http://recoverynowtv.com/drug-recovery</p>
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		<title>A Look At Drug Addiction</title>
		<link>http://helpdrugabuse.com/a-look-at-drug-addiction-2/</link>
		<comments>http://helpdrugabuse.com/a-look-at-drug-addiction-2/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 21 Dec 2011 21:06:31 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Addiction]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[addicted to drugs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[drug addiction]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://helpdrugabuse.com/?p=1024</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Drug addiction is a complicated disorder which may involve practically every aspect of an individual&#8217;s life in the family, at work, and amongst friends. It is actually a brain disease as the abuse of drugs leads to changes in the structure and the functioning of the individual&#8217;s brain. Drug addiction costs taxpayers millions of dollars [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h1><span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px;">Drug addiction is a complicated disorder which may involve practically every aspect of an individual&#8217;s life in the family, at work, and amongst friends. It is actually a brain disease as the abuse of drugs leads to changes in the structure and the functioning of the individual&#8217;s brain. Drug addiction costs taxpayers millions of dollars each year and is a major public health concern for all of us, as it is a chronic relapsing disorder, which means that it lasts a long time and individuals who are trying to quit are apt to start using drugs again.</span></h1>
<p>Addiction</p>
<p>Drug abuse causes changes in the brain, which then leads to certain behaviour, like taking the drug compulsively, but drug addicts can learn to change their behaviour. This addiction is influenced by a range of factors which involve one&#8217;s genes, environment, and the age of the person when drugs were first used. Addiction to drugs and alcohol is a vicious cycle that can destroy lives, families, friendships, and anything else it comes into contact with, and the individual can become addicted to many drugs, not just so called street drugs like heroin. It should be understood as a chronic recurring illness.<span id="more-1024"></span></p>
<p>Treatment</p>
<p>Drug addiction treatment is for people who find themselves not able to cope with life without drugs or alcohol and can be described as the therapeutic and educational process of initiating recovery. When it comes to prescription drug addiction, one of the main problems is that it is a hidden disorder. The treatment of drug addiction can vary widely according to the sort of drugs used, amount of drugs involved, duration of the drug addiction and any medical complications that occur.</p>
<p>Any treatment also has to take into account the needs of the individual concerned. Treatment for drug addiction is administered in many different settings, employing a selection of behavioural and pharmacological approaches and can be tailored to each patient&#8217;s drug abuse patterns and any co-occurring medical, psychiatric, and social problems they may have. This can then hopefully lead to sustained recovery and a life without drugs. Treatment medications, such as LAAM, methadone, and naltrexone, are available for any patient who is addicted to opiates.</p>
<p>Conclusion</p>
<p>It&#8217;s a sad fact that drug addiction along with alcohol addiction is the number one cause of death among young people. The good news is that although breaking a drug addiction can be extremely difficult, it is by no means impossible. Obtaining the correct treatment is absolutely vital in an effort to end this compulsive behaviour.</p>
<p><strong><br />
</strong></p>
<p>Discover a lot more about health problems at  <a onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/article_exit_link');" rel="nofollow" href="http://health-concerns.net/">health concerns</a></p>
<p class="tracker">(</p>
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		<title>A Look At Drug Addiction</title>
		<link>http://helpdrugabuse.com/a-look-at-drug-addiction/</link>
		<comments>http://helpdrugabuse.com/a-look-at-drug-addiction/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 15 Dec 2011 21:07:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Addiction]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[addicted to drugs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[drug addiction]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://helpdrugabuse.com/?p=982</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Drug addiction is a complicated disorder which may involve practically every aspect of an individual&#8217;s life in the family, at work, and amongst friends. It is actually a brain disease as the abuse of drugs leads to changes in the structure and the functioning of the individual&#8217;s brain. Drug addiction costs taxpayers millions of dollars [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Drug addiction is a complicated disorder which may involve practically every aspect of an individual&#8217;s life in the family, at work, and amongst friends. It is actually a brain disease as the abuse of drugs leads to changes in the structure and the functioning of the individual&#8217;s brain. Drug addiction costs taxpayers millions of dollars each year and is a major public health concern for all of us, as it is a chronic relapsing disorder, which means that it lasts a long time and individuals who are trying to quit are apt to start using drugs again.</p>
<p>Addiction</p>
<p>Drug abuse causes changes in the brain, which then leads to certain behaviour, like taking the drug compulsively, but drug addicts can learn to change their behaviour. This addiction is influenced by a range of factors which involve one&#8217;s genes, environment, and the age of the person when drugs were first used. Addiction to drugs and alcohol is a vicious cycle that can destroy lives, families, friendships, and anything else it comes into contact with, and the individual can become addicted to many drugs, not just so called street drugs like heroin. It should be understood as a chronic recurring illness.<span id="more-982"></span></p>
<p>Treatment</p>
<p>Drug addiction treatment is for people who find themselves not able to cope with life without drugs or alcohol and can be described as the therapeutic and educational process of initiating recovery. When it comes to prescription drug addiction, one of the main problems is that it is a hidden disorder. The treatment of drug addiction can vary widely according to the sort of drugs used, amount of drugs involved, duration of the drug addiction and any medical complications that occur.</p>
<p>Any treatment also has to take into account the needs of the individual concerned. Treatment for drug addiction is administered in many different settings, employing a selection of behavioural and pharmacological approaches and can be tailored to each patient&#8217;s drug abuse patterns and any co-occurring medical, psychiatric, and social problems they may have. This can then hopefully lead to sustained recovery and a life without drugs. Treatment medications, such as LAAM, methadone, and naltrexone, are available for any patient who is addicted to opiates.</p>
<p>Conclusion</p>
<p>It&#8217;s a sad fact that drug addiction along with alcohol addiction is the number one cause of death among young people. The good news is that although breaking a drug addiction can be extremely difficult, it is by no means impossible. Obtaining the correct treatment is absolutely vital in an effort to end this compulsive behaviour.</p>
<p><strong><br />
</strong></p>
<p>Discover a lot more about health problems at  <a href="http://health-concerns.net/">health concerns</a></p>
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		<title>Alcohol Addicted Patients Should Be Treated With Special Care</title>
		<link>http://helpdrugabuse.com/alcohol-addicted-patients-should-be-treated-with-special-care/</link>
		<comments>http://helpdrugabuse.com/alcohol-addicted-patients-should-be-treated-with-special-care/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 18 Nov 2011 09:06:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>morgan</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Addiction]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Alcohol Problems]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[addicted to drugs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[alcohol addiction]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[consumption of drug or alcohol]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Detox]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[drug]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[effective drug detox program]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://helpdrugabuse.com/?p=817</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Drug or alcohol addiction is no doubt a curse in one&#8217;s life. Such addiction not only spoils one&#8217;s life, but also drastically affects the lives of victims&#8217; near-dear ones. With the progress of time, the victims gradually increase the consumption of drug or alcohol. That&#8217;s why, if you or one of your dear ones is [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Drug or alcohol addiction is no doubt a curse in one&#8217;s life. Such addiction not only spoils one&#8217;s life, but also drastically affects the lives of victims&#8217; near-dear ones. With the progress of time, the victims gradually increase the consumption of drug or alcohol. That&#8217;s why, if you or one of your dear ones is addicted to drugs, then without any second thought you need to look into your option as per as detox is concerned.</p>
<p>An effective drug detox program is an absolute necessity for all the drug addiction affected people. In the present times finding out drug withdrawal information and the drug detox programs is not at all a tough job. A wide range of information about the detox process and the treatment center is available over the internet. But, before attending a program you need to properly verify the authenticity of the program.</p>
<p><span id="more-817"></span>But, before you go for drug a detox program, one thing you need to keep in mind. First of all, a drug addict needs to determine that they are not going to take drug anymore, if the person becomes successful to keep his determination then there is no need to go for detoxification. But, if the victim can&#8217;t stop himself to take drug and becomes practically unable to control himself then he should be treated by a professional.</p>
<p>Remember; don&#8217;t do any delay to go for drug detox programs, when you will recognize there is need to do so. Because, early treatment can only cure a patient in hassles-free way, on the other hand, late treatment can cause difficulty in the detoxification process.</p>
<p>For more information regarding <a href="http://www.99detox.com/" target="_blank">Alcohol Detox Programs</a>, Methadone Detox Programs, Alcohol Detox Symptoms; please visit: 99detox.com</p>
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		<title>Get Behind the Influence</title>
		<link>http://helpdrugabuse.com/get-behind-the-influence/</link>
		<comments>http://helpdrugabuse.com/get-behind-the-influence/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 09 Aug 2011 21:07:18 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>morgan</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Drug-Abuse]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Abusing drugs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[addicted to drugs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[alcohol]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[drug and alcohol rehab facility]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[drugs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[health]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://helpdrugabuse.com/?p=289</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[When we hear about people who use drugs and alcohol, we have now become so jaded that it doesn&#8217;t really cause us to even blink an eye. Abusing drugs is not only detrimental to the health of the person who is addicted to drugs, it is also detrimental to the health of those who love [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>When we hear about people who use drugs and alcohol, we have now become so jaded that it doesn&#8217;t really cause us to even blink an eye. Abusing drugs is not only detrimental to the health of the person who is addicted to drugs, it is also detrimental to the health of those who love and care about that person. Instead, rather than waiting for something bad to happen (I.e. someone getting admitted to a drug and alcohol rehab facility), why not do something about it beforehand? Get behind the influence!</p>
<p>Getting behind the influence can also be interpreted to mean preventing something bad from happening. Look for signs that there may be problems in a person&#8217;s life. If you know that one of your best friends loves hanging out every Friday to go and watch a movie and suddenly they skip out on hanging out two weeks in a row without giving a reason, this may be a sign that something unusual is going on. Another part of getting behind the influence is simply being a good friend. Good friends keep up with each other whether it&#8217;s by phone, email or meeting face to face. They are able to open up to one another and divulge certain intimate details of their life without fear of being judged. If you know what&#8217;s going on, then you can work with that person to prevent it from turning into something worse.</p>
<p><span id="more-289"></span>Everyone is entitled to have their good and bad days. There are times when we don&#8217;t feel like talking to other people just as there are days when all we feel like doing is laying in bed, eating and watching television. Realizing that there are people out there who care about you and who love you is key for those who are hurting themselves by abusing drugs and/or alcohol. In fact, there is a strong correlation between those who use drugs and alcohol and those who are depressed or stressed out about something. There have also been links between alcoholism and drug abuse and low self esteem or low self confidence.</p>
<p>You have to be honest with yourself. Assess your current life situation. Are you truly happy? Remember that you are in charge of your destiny and the direction that your life will go in. If you don&#8217;t like the fact that you are fat, you can do something about it. Often times, we find all sorts of reasons to blame everyone else without first taking a look at ourselves. On the other extreme side of this, there are those of us who do nothing but blame ourselves for everything that goes wrong in the world. By having other people to talk to, you are doing yourself a huge favor and helping yourself to lead a healthier life filled with abundance. You don&#8217;t have to live in fear or be depressed. Find someone with whom you feel comfortable talking about your feelings with. This can come in the form of a therapist, a journal, a friend or a family member or all of the above.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.markhoustonrecovery.com/benefits-of-gender-specific-programs.php" target="_blank">Drug Program Women</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.markhoustonrecovery.com/benefits-of-gender-specific-programs.php" target="_blank">Alcohol Program Women</a></p>
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		<title>Facts About Drug Addiction</title>
		<link>http://helpdrugabuse.com/facts-about-drug-addiction/</link>
		<comments>http://helpdrugabuse.com/facts-about-drug-addiction/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 29 Jul 2011 09:06:16 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>morgan</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Drug-Abuse]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[addicted to drugs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[alcohol]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[an addict]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[child abuse]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[drug addiction]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[drugs for fun]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[illicit drugs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tobacco]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://helpdrugabuse.com/?p=236</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[You may rightfully get upset when you find out someone you love is an addict. You may think that the person chooses to take drugs for fun. Choosing to take drugs is not a choice in the life of an addict. He or she is addicted to drugs and it should be treated like a [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>You may rightfully get upset when you find out someone you love is an addict. You may think that the person chooses to take drugs for fun. Choosing to take drugs is not a choice in the life of an addict. He or she is addicted to drugs and it should be treated like a disease.</p>
<p>Estimates of the total overall costs of substance abuse in the United States exceed half a trillion dollars each year. That includes $181 billion for illicit drugs, $168 billion for tobacco and $185 billion for alcohol. What is important to know though is the cost of drug addiction extends to every citizen in the United States of America. We pay for the drug addiction through family disintegration, loss of employment, failure in school, domestic violence, child abuse, and other crimes.</p>
<p>Drug addiction changes the structure and function of the brain and is frequently referred to as a disease because of these characteristics. The brain&#8217;s communication system is disrupted and changed from repeated use of substances and so when the addict stops using drugs, a craving is induced. It is for this very reason that addicts are compelled to do whatever it takes to purchase more drugs; prostitution, theft or other crimes. In fact, most incarcerations are somehow directly or indirectly tied to addiction.</p>
<p><span id="more-236"></span>The next time you meet someone who might be an addict, try not to discriminate. In sociology, one learns to be open minded to other cultures. Addiction is a culture by itself. The addict simply has a craving for a substance to satisfy a chemical imbalance in the brain. It has nothing to do with morality. These are the facts about drug addiction.</p>
<p>For videos on substance abuse for your treatment program or 12 step group, visit <a href="http://substanceabusevideos.com/" target="_blank">http://substanceabusevideos.com</a> If you or someone you love is suffering from addiction, please have faith that with treatment they will get better. There are more people in recovery from addiction than there are living in the midst of an addiction.</p>
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		<title>What You Should Know About Drug Detox During Pregnancy</title>
		<link>http://helpdrugabuse.com/what-you-should-know-about-drug-detox-during-pregnancy/</link>
		<comments>http://helpdrugabuse.com/what-you-should-know-about-drug-detox-during-pregnancy/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 19 Jul 2011 21:06:16 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>morgan</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Drug-Abuse]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[addicted to drugs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[continue taking drugs during pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[drug detox]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Drug detox during pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[drug user]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://helpdrugabuse.com/?p=184</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Being addicted to drugs can ruin your life and the lives of others. What happens if a woman is a drug user and she becomes pregnant? Further drug use will risk the life of her child. So what does she do?
Drug detox during pregnancy must be treated with extreme caution. Although at this stage if [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Being addicted to drugs can ruin your life and the lives of others. What happens if a woman is a drug user and she becomes pregnant? Further drug use will risk the life of her child. So what does she do?</p>
<p>Drug detox during pregnancy must be treated with extreme caution. Although at this stage if the woman wants to carry on with the pregnancy, some form of Drug Detox becomes essential. To continue taking drugs during pregnancy would cause severe hazards to the unborn child as any substances consumed by mother can be carried into the fetal blood stream. This can result in severe abnormalities, developmental disabilities, severe mental retardation, even death. After birth, drugs can pass to the baby during breast feeding.</p>
<p>Abrupt withdrawal should be avoided, especially if the woman is on hard drugs such as heroin. There is less risk of miscarriage if detoxification is done during the second trimester. Miscarriage and premature labor risk is greatly reduced at this time.</p>
<p><span id="more-184"></span>All this depends on whether the mother will return to street drug use, after she gets gone through a drug detox, but before delivery. In cases like this methadone treatment may be the answer, with a program of drug detoxification after delivery.</p>
<p>The first thing she must do to is stop taking the street drugs immediately. Then she must speak to her gynecologist, telling them exactly what drugs they have been taking. All situations in which the woman is exposed to toxins should be avoided. Most women will want to detoxify when they find out that they&#8217;re pregnant to make sure that their children are not born with addictions.</p>
<p>More information about <a href="http://www.drugdetoxadvice.com/" target="_blank">Drug Detox</a>. Also some good stuff about <a href="http://www.footdetoxadvise.com/" target="_blank">Foot Detox</a> from the pen of Jack A. Burton.</p>
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		<title>Substance Abuse Among Nurses</title>
		<link>http://helpdrugabuse.com/substance-abuse-among-nurses/</link>
		<comments>http://helpdrugabuse.com/substance-abuse-among-nurses/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 02 Sep 2009 13:52:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>morgan</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Drug-Abuse]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[abuse drugs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[addicted to alcohol]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[addicted to drugs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Addiction]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ilicit drugs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Substance Abuse]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Substance abuse among nurses]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://helpdrugabuse.com/?p=761</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Introduction
Substance abuse among nurses has not been fully documented, but it is estimated that about 10% of the current nursing population is addicted to drugs and/or alcohol, with about 6-8% of those having a serious enough problem that it interferes with job performance.
Specifically, nurses as a population seem to be prone to addiction to prescription [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Introduction</p>
<p>Substance abuse among nurses has not been fully documented, but it is estimated that about 10% of the current nursing population is addicted to drugs and/or alcohol, with about 6-8% of those having a serious enough problem that it interferes with job performance.</p>
<p>Specifically, nurses as a population seem to be prone to addiction to prescription medications more than to alcohol or illicit drugs, as compared to the rest of the population. This may be due to the fact that they have easier access to prescription medications than does the general population. It&#8217;s also heartening to note that once in treatment, nurses are much more likely to remain sober and to avoid relapse or return to abuse than the general population is.</p>
<p>What causes substance abuse among nurses?</p>
<p>As a population, nurses tend to be highly caring individuals who have chosen to devote their lives to others in a caretaking role. Unfortunately, however, nurses who abuse drugs and/or alcohol seem to come from families that have had significant emotional turmoil, resulting in low self-esteem, and a struggle to &#8220;make things better&#8221; by becoming an overachiever and falling into unhealthy caretaking roles of other troubled family members (such as &#8220;taking care of&#8221; alcoholic parents, as one example). As an illustration of this, one study has shown that up to 80% of nurses come from families with at least one alcoholic member.</p>
<p><span id="more-761"></span>The fact that these individuals are already highly sensitive individuals who care deeply about the needs of others and who are vulnerable to falling into caretaking roles, whether healthy or unhealthy, draws them to the nursing profession. However, with this type of background, it also makes them vulnerable to substance abuse themselves. They see substance-abuse behavior (such as drinking to excess) as somehow normal, since that&#8217;s what they&#8217;ve grown up with, and they have become used to enabling this behavior by ignoring it, minimizing it, or even participating in it. And again, certainly, they may very well &#8220;take care of&#8221; addicted family members suffering from the symptoms and consequences of their illnesses.</p>
<p>Environmental factors on the job</p>
<p>Environmental factors on the job may well start an active addiction or exacerbate it. The health care profession is unique because it creates a particularly conducive environment to addiction. As may also be true of other professions, nursing has very stressful working environment, and long workdays. However, nursing has other pressures and factors other non-medical professions may not have. As death and illness are often ever present, this is emotionally difficult to deal with, and the recent work environment is one of mandatory overtime, incredibly stressful work shifts, and the necessity to switch shift times often so that one can never quite get into a rhythm of working a regular schedule. Nursing also has an added disadvantage to drug addiction not present in other non-healthcare professions, because prescription medications are readily available on the job site and as part of the job itself.</p>
<p>Indeed, one of nursing&#8217;s duties is to dispense medication to patients; medications are also seen in the nursing culture as a way to cure ills very legitimately. All of these factors can make it very easy for someone in the nursing profession to become an addict if the propensity is there. And because nurses are so familiar with drugs, they may think (erroneously) that their expertise gives them the ability to self medicate without becoming addicted.</p>
<p>Ways the medical profession is dealing with addiction in nursing</p>
<p>Nurses are legally and ethically required to report colleagues they suspect may have an abuse problem. This is necessary for a number of reasons. First among them, of course, patients are entitled to proper and &#8220;sober&#8221; care by the medical health profession, and they are entitled to receive the full and proper dosage of the medications they need to manage their own pain and cure their own ills. (Nurses who abuse drugs often &#8220;short&#8221; patient dosages and then give themselves the excess.) Second, nurses who are under the influence may make mistakes that are life threatening if not fatal. And third, of course, is that the abuser needs help and intervention to save his or her own life.</p>
<p>Although still a problem to some extent, administrators and other officials are increasingly NOT turning a blind eye to the problems of abuse and are getting them addressed. This is contrary to previous nursing culture, which often had an unspoken &#8220;don&#8217;t talk&#8221; rule when it came to notifying others about drug abusing colleagues&#8217; behavior.</p>
<p>Finally, drugs themselves are much more carefully kept track of and monitored than they were previously. Most often, they&#8217;re kept under lock and key and strict records are maintained so that if any shortages should occur, they are immediately noticed and the reason for the shortage is found. If it is because someone on the nursing staff has been taking it for his or her own use, measures are put in place to address the problem through intervention and help, and if necessary to remove the nurse from his or her job.</p>
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