Question by ridethelightning: How do addicts not realize they are on Intervention?
With Intervention now being a globally popular show, I don’t really understand how they are still keeping these addicts under the impression that they are “filming a documentary about addiction.” There’s no way they can just not realize what’s happening.

Best answer:

Answer by Ashley D
Well if they are drug addicts, they probably don’t have the firmest grip on reality…

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Question by Danyel: What type of education would I need to become an RN at a substance abuse detox facility?
I am currently going to school for pre-health with a nursing concentration, until I have the requirements to apply for nursing. I would like to be able to work as an RN in a substance abuse facility. I was wondering if anyone could give me any advise as to how to go about doing this? I do not know if I will need to specialize in a certain area in order to do so or not? If anyone could help me out in regards to what to do education wise I would really appreciate it! Thanks!

Best answer:

Answer by MeMeMe
Hi,

First off, good for you for wanting to work in addiction treatment! I’m an addictions counselor and have been working in mental health (mostly suicide prevention) for 7 years and we certainly need more qualified RNs in the field. So I think you will have an easy time finding work once you’re finished with school.

As for your question… To become an RN, you need to go to nursing school. Although I’m sure you already know this. As for specializing in addiction treatment, I don’t believe there are any additional requirements, but it would be good if you have experience working with addicts or at least a greater knowledge of treating clients with addiction. So I would suggest trying to get an internship of some sort with a treatment center in your area. They may not let you do much while you’re in school, but you will be able to put it on your resume. You can learn a lot from observing how things work in treatment. The other suggestion I have would be to take some extra classes that focus on substance abuse. Drug addicts and alcoholics face a variety of special issues separate from the “normal” population you would be working with in a hospital. Most community colleges and some universities now offer programs where you can learn more about these issues. I don’t know where you live, but you may want to start looking for college programs titled “Addictions Counseling” or “Addictions Studies.” Classes you may want to take would be any type of pharmacology, a bloodborne pathogens/infectious disease class, and even alternative treatments to addiction classes. It could also help to take a few classes for addictions counselors like group therapy, individual therapy, or something similar. These will definitely help you in the future in terms of communicating with your clients.

The most important thing I would think an RN working in addiction should have to be educated about is prescription drugs of abuse. Normally when I do an intake on a client coming into treatment, they have been medically prescribed multiple addictive drugs that only contribute to and exacerbate their disease (addiction). Usually these include opiate painkillers, benzodiazepines, and other sedatives and tranquilizers. I had a client once who was on NINE different benzos which she had been on for years, all prescribed by doctors for things like insomnia, anxiety, and even hypothyroidism. This is so egregious and disgusting to me! They were killing her. She obviously had to be medically detoxed for risk of seizures and death from her meds. And needless to say, after being evaluated by our MD, she didn’t NEED any of the pills.

Anyway, I’m rambling. Just excited to see someone wanting to help in the field of addiction treatment. It is rare these days, it seems. But what a satisfying and rewarding job. Good luck to you!!!

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How Effective Are Addiction Treatment Centers?
It is only these centers that can provide relief to drug addicts by curing them effectively; restoring them to the normal lives they lead before they got addicted to drugs. A drug addiction treatment center not only gives treatment to drug addicts …
Read more on Hive Health Media (blog)

ARCA opens inpatient treatment center for addiction
One center that is experiencing a demand for its services, Assisted Recovery Centers of America (ARCA), is opening its first inpatient treatment center today at 5351 Delmar Blvd. The 25-bed residential center, Metropolitan St. Louis Psychiatric Center …
Read more on St. Louis Business Journal (blog)

How to Choose a Drug Rehab Treatment Center
However, finding out the right addiction treatment center is not an easy task and can make one go through a lot of difficulties if not done in the right way. The first thing that you need to understand is that there are two basic types of treatment …
Read more on Hive Health Media (blog)

Uruguay: Social reintegration for drug addicts
In 2013, it plans to create a multifaceted clinic specializing in the abuse of alcohol, which is the most consumed drug – among both legal and illegal drugs – in the country. Alcohol is consumed by 74% of Uruguayans between the ages of 15 and 65 …
Read more on Infosurhoy

Community 'heads up' on drug–abuse clinic plans sought in Pa.
But it also has a long track record of helping patients fight illicit drug addiction. During the Wednesday hearing, lawmakers took great pains to make it clear they want to make sure substance abusers have a place to get well. "What they don't finish …
Read more on Newsworks.org

DrugAddictionTreatmentPrograms.org Can Help Persons Suffering from …
San Diego, CA — (SBWIRE) — 02/01/2013 — Drug addiction is a serious problem that requires effective treatment or the person suffering from addiction does not live to see another day. Parents and relatives of the people fighting addiction always …
Read more on SBWire (press release)

Question by : How many addicts successfully recover from drug addiction?
Those rehab places seem like a revolving door. What percentage of drug addicts who’ve been addicted to hard drugs for at least one year successfully recover from their addiction the rest of their lives?

Best answer:

Answer by applesk8er
1 in 6

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Question by Anonymous Anonymous: Why is it illogical to argue that marijuana should be legal because alcohol is more harmful, yet legal?
Is it not reasonable to expect the legal substances to be safer than the illegal ones? Preventing potential harm to oneself/others is the basis for outlawing substances in the first place, right?

Please only answer my question, no ramblings on the topic in general.

Best answer:

Answer by tomusiaka
You should not assume that a substance is less harmful just because it’s legal. There are many legal drugs in pharmacy that are much more harmful to you than marijuana and some other drugs that are illegal. Also, glues and other chemicals that can make you high are legal but they are very harmful to your body.

People who want to make marijuana legal have other reasons, too. For example, there are couple countries where legalizing drugs made people use them less and safer, or that if someone wants to hurt himself, he will do it any other way using any other substance that is legal or just will buy an illegal drug from a drug dealer that potentially could be even more harmful because it is not regulated by the law.

People who don’t want to make marijuana legal believe that making it legal would make a lot of people use it and hurt themselves and others. Hurting others would include families (father got addicted and is not supporting his own family), other drivers (driving when “on high” can be life threatening), other poeple (accidental) and government’s budget (more accidents would mean more filled up hospitals and drug addicts usually can’t afford to pay their medical bills because they spend all their money on drugs).

There are other valid arguments on both sides though but the one you gave is actually not a valid one.

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