Category Archives: Narcotics Anonymous

Exposing the Facts: Crystal Meth

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Crystal Meth is a colorless, odorless form of methamphetamine. It resembles small fragments of glass or shiny blue-white “rocks” of various sizes. It is a highly powerful and addictive man-made stimulant that causes aggression and violent or psychotic behavior. Many users report getting hooked (addicted) from the first time they use it. It is one of the hardest drugs to treat. Crystal meth is either inhaled or smoked. Low doses are in common as well in pill form.

Some street names for Crystal Meth are:

    • Speed
    • Ice
    • Quartz
    • Crystalz
    • Glass
    • Crank
    • Tweak
    • Crystal tea
    • Go-Fast
    • Tina

These effects stem from the association the drug has on the bodies’ nervous system. Crystal Meth when compared to cocaine produces a longer feeling of euphoria, which can last for over 12 hours. Without the required treatment for this addiction the end result is usually fatal. Due to the effects Meth has on the blood vessels, there is a high potential for stroke, which in many cases lead to death. Other patients die of hyperthermia and cardiac failure.

Over the past decade the use of Crystal Meth had produced staggering results. A research conducted by NSDUH, noted that over 10.4 million people over 12 years have tried Meth at some point in their lives. The monitoring youth survey showed that 4.5% of high school students said they have used the drug at least once in their life.

With these kind of numbers, its no wonder parents are more concerned than ever at their child’s risk at coming in contact with these types of Narcotics. Addiction to and problems with methamphetamine’s are best combated in a safe, therapeutic setting such as a recovery center. No matter the severity of a person’s addiction.

Creating the American Junkie: A Book Review

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By Caroline Jean Acker

Caroline Jean Acker’s book, “Creating the American Junkie”, has been called both fascinating and informative examination of the American drug policy.

The book pursues use of opiates and the gradual rise in the United States during the 19th century, hitting a peak in the 1890s. Cocaine was extremely popular in 1884, and its use peaked in the first decade of the 20th century. Many of these drug users were people on the fringe of society. These users were burdened with the image of what Caroline Jean Acker calls the “heroin-addicted male urban hustler.”

In a recent review of “Creating the American Junkie”, The New England Journal of Medicine wrote, “A well-written and thoughtful book… Acker presents a fascinating account of how addicts’ negative image came to dominate public and official perceptions, as well as how it forced some users into the mold.

Her careful analysis of research findings will make this book of interest to historians, drug-abuse workers, and anyone else who wants to examine the origins of American drug policy.”

The Good Times and the Bad

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All of us have to be able to differentiate between good times and bad times. Things will get tuff, things will get considerably difficult, and the path to drugs and alcohol are NOT the answer. Without hardship and tuff times, what good are the good times? For every good thing in your life there is always going to be an equal quality negative experience. Some of these negative experiences last longer than others and it makes losing the faith that much easier in the long run.

The better you understand yourself, the better you are able to accept or change who you are. Being in the dark about yourself means that you will continue to get caught up in your own internal struggles and allowed outside forces to mold and shape you.

Keeping your head up and always looking towards the future and good things to come is what can separate you from the rest of our negative based society. The realization that bad times are inevitable and that they can and will be overcome, is the most important factor towards a drug and alcohol free life. No one needs to resort to these measures, they just do because its that easy. But sadly, in the jist of it all it only adds to the problem and creates a cloud of negative energy around yourself which is like a beacon light just calling for more and more negative experiences for yourself. Who wants that??

Surrounding yourself with positive people who share a lust for living life to its fullest is important when trying to make yourself see the light of positivity. Negative people will only bring you down, and the further down you get, the more desperate you are to get out. We are all in this together, so be there for your friends, make them see that YOU are that positive beacon of light and it will rub off on others. Bringing hope and joy to anthers life is what will keep your good times coming and your bad times at a lesser scale. Be the change that you need in your life and the rest will follow behind!

Reaching An Understanding

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Narcotic Addictions are some of the hardest Addictions to overcome. Acknowledging that you have a problem is difficult for narcotic users because of the way the Narcotics affect the brain.

There is only the slightest of differences between substance abuse and addiction. Substance abuse usually refers to the use of any illegal substance in the wrong way.
Addiction begins as substance abuse, however, you can abuse drugs without having an addiction.

Individuals can become addicted to many types of substances. Some drugs (substances) are more addictive than others. Highly addictive drugs like crack or heroin may only need to be abused one or two times before a person can begin to get addicted. 

Facts about Narcotic Addictions:

- About 1 in 10 Americans over 12-years-old are classified with substance abuse or dependence

- Only 3.9 million 0f the 22.2 million Americans who needed treatment received it.

- After the age of 25, you are less likely to become addicted to alcohol or illicit drugs

- 44% of the people who didn’t recive treatment for substance abuse attributed it to cost barriers

As with any Addiction it is important to remember that we can’t all be perfect, and seeking help is OK. There are plenty of programs and help lines available with people you can talk to that understand YOU and what it is that YOU need.

Famous Narcotic Treatments Centers: the Meadows Clinic

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One of the the most well known Narcotic Rehabilitation Centers in the United States is The Meadows Clinic. Located in Wickenburg, Arizona, approximately an hour north of Phoenix in the high Sonoran Desert, with mountain views and clear skies, this center is lavish and calming to all those who come through its doors.

With rates at approximately one thousand dollars a day, The Meadows has been home to numerous celebrities including Kate Moss, Eric Benet, Mike Tyson, Robbie Williams.

The Meadows is a multi-disorder facility specializing in the treatment of Narcotic Addictions as well as many other types. The Meadows’ clinical experts reach beyond single-level treatment of addictions, behavioral disorders and psychological conditions to diagnose and treat the underlying problems.

Intensive treatment focuses on:

  • Addiction to alcohol and drugs.
  • Compulsive behaviors such as eating, gambling, work, sex, love addiction/avoidance and codependence.
  • Mood disorders including bipolar disorder and depression.
  • Anxiety disorders including post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and panic disorder.

The Meadows’ comprehensive treatment program was created by Pia Mellody, a pioneer in the field of recovery. The facility is licensed as a Level I Psychiatric Acute Hospital by the Arizona Department of Health Services through the Office of Behavioral Health Licensing. We are licensed to provide psychiatric, detoxification, and substance abuse services. The Meadows is accredited through The Joint Commission with full standards compliance.

For more information on this Rehabilitation Center please visit The Meadows

Steven Tyler Confesses to Narcotic Addiction

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The singer checked into a facility in Pasadena, California, last year, prompting speculation he had slipped from sobriety, 20 years after he kicked hard drugs. Tyler claimed he was checking into rehab on doctor’s orders because of a foot injury.

Aerosmith rocker Steven Tyler has now confessed that his dependency on pain relief medication and sleep medication was what sent him back into rehab.

He says, “To have your feet done, to have your leg done, you have to be on narcotics. You have to be on sleep aids at night. I don’t know about (bandmate) Joe (Perry), but I was off and running and I didn’t like the me that was me.”

This is not Steven Tyler’s first bout with rehab. In fact, it’s his fifth. He and fellow band member Joe Perry were often referred to as the Toxic Twins for their substance abuse issues, but since then Tyler has been outspoken in his efforts to stay clean.

Even Tyler’s daughter Mia has had substance abuse issues. When she was a teenager, Steven tricked her into rehab by telling her she was going to a California spa. At the time, Mia had been drinking heavily and taking many speed-laced diet pills.

In 2001, the Roxbury rehab center named a wing in his honor because of his support for Victory Programs, a Boston-based agency that helps people facing homelessness, addiction, and chronic illnesses.

Michael Phelps Suspended and Sponsorship Dropped

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Olympic Gold Medalist Michael Phelps was suspended from competitive swimming for three months on Thursday, just hours after one of his sponsors announced it would not renew his contract after a photo surfaced of him smoking Marijuana from a bong at a college party at the University Of South Carolina in Columbia.

USA Swimming, the nation’s governing body for competitive swimming, said it was withdrawing financial support for Phelps and barring him from competition. With all of the young athletes that look up to him, its no wonder they withdrew. How could such a talented and well respected athlete put himself in such a state of peril?

After trying to determine if Phelps had done this act while on campus, both university police and Columbia, South Carolina, police said they would not pursue charges, according to The State newspaper in Columbia. It was unclear where the party took place, the paper said, or whether or not it was on campus.

In his first interview since a photo surfaced showing him smoking a bong, Michael Phelps said yesterday that the intense public scrutiny has him contemplating whether he will swim in the 2012 Olympics. Phelps, who said that he “clearly made a mistake that was based off of bad judgment” and that the past week has been both embarrassing and uncomfortable for him.

Admitting Your Mistakes

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Coming to terms with your problems and how it is that you got to the point that you are at, are essential to being able to overcome a Narcotic Addiction. An addiction to Narcotics can be the most difficult of all addictions because of their overwhelming and detrimental effects on the mind, body and soul.

The health risks alone should be enough to turn people away from Narcotics but it just seems like more and more everyday people are resorting to drugs as a way to clear their minds of the normal everyday stresses and anxiety’s of LIFE! These are normal everyday worries that everyone has to deal with, and making positive energy around yourself is what keeps negativity away.

You will never be able to make it through this life without seeing it for what it is. Things will get hard, things will get considerably difficult in life, and the path to substance abuse is NOT the answer. Without hardship and tuff times, what good are the good times? For every good thing in your life there is always going to be an equal quality negative experience.

Learning to cope with the balance scale of our lives is not easy, but in order to succeed we must be able to reach a point of understanding with our own selves. Life is what you make it and using drugs and alcohol as a way to escape your problems is definitely NOT the answer. Take a step back and try to look at your life for what it is. If you think you have a life full of negativity, what can you do to make it positive?

Narcotic Recovery and the 12 Step Process

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Twelve-step programs symbolically represent human structure in three dimensions: physical, mental, and spiritual. The disorders and diseases the groups deal with are understood to manifest themselves in each dimension.

The only way to keep from returning to active addiction is not to take that first drug. If you are like us you know that one is too many and a thousand never enough. We put great emphasis on this, for we know that when we use drugs in any form, or substitute one for another, we release our addiction all over again.

The 12 Step approach has since grown to be the most widely used approach in dealing with not only substance abuse, but also alcoholism and various other addictive or dysfunctional behaviors.

The traditional 12 Steps of Recovery are:

  • Step 1- We admitted we were powerless over our addiction – that our lives had become unmanageable
  • Step 2- Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity
  • Step 3- Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood God
  • Step 4- Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves
  • Step 5- Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs
  • Step 6- Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character
  • Step 7- Humbly asked God to remove our shortcomings
  • Step 8- Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all
  • Step 9- Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others
  • Step 10- Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it
  • Step 11- Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood God
  • Step 12- Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to other addicts, and to practice these principles  in all our affairs

Throughout the past century the 12 step process has grown to adapt a wide variety of different addictions, and has help many to achieve freedom. There is one thing more than anything else that will defeat us in our recovery; this is an attitude of indifference or intolerance toward spiritual principles. Three of these that are indispensable are honesty, open-mindedness, and willingness. With these we are well on our way.

Staying Clear of Narcotics through Inner-Meditation

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Meditation is a great way to transform your personal nature and find peace within yourself. Meditation has been practiced for thousands of years and is usually an important part of becoming self-aware.

Individuals who practice meditation can truly gain a deeper understanding of themselves and the inner workings of life. Life, in general can be a difficult concept to conceive, the meaning or purpose of life is a concept that some of the greatest minds in history have pondered. We can gain a greater understanding of such concepts through meditation. 

Meditation is a mental discipline by which one attempts to get beyond the reflexive, “thinking” mind into a deeper state of relaxation or awareness. Meditation often involves turning attention to a single point of reference. It is recognized as a component of many religions, and has been practiced since antiquity.

It is also practiced outside religious traditions. Different meditative disciplines encompass a wide range of spiritual and/or psychophysical practices which may emphasize different goals -from achievement of a higher state of consciousness, to greater focus, creativity or self-awareness, or simply a more relaxed and peaceful frame of mind. Giving this sense of relaxation and peace, meditation ultimately leads people to find peace within themselves.

Source: Wikipedia