Monthly Archives: November 2008

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced the appointment of two new members to its National Advisory Council. The SAMHSA National Advisory Council is a 12-member panel of experts that meets regularly to advise the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary and SAMHSA’s Administrator on a wide range of public health matters related to prevention, treatment, and recovery support services.

Date Added: 11/21/08
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When given a choice between viewing pictures of cocaine and a variety of other images, cocaine addicted individuals, as compared to healthy, non-addicted research subjects, show a clear preference for the drug-related images. Continue reading →

The Great American Smokeout is an annual, nationally recognized health observance day founded in California by the American Cancer Society (ACS) in 1976. In its first attempt, ACS prompted nearly 1 million smokers to quit for a day.

Date Added: 11/20/08
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hi there em our kid has just been diagnosed with ADHD (ritalin he takes now)
the unproven medical condition i know its linked to the dopamine system in our brains and that’s why its prescribed but from what i have read on the internet i,e DEA and others that this drug they call ritalin is more potent than cocaine and can lead to alot more complications in life however our sons been on this 1 month and already hes looking like a manpossessedd but seems happy and hes already asking us for his tabletup too more than 10 times a day now i know his body is becoming more dependent on it i know i used to be a drug addict for 13yrs and i know how ur body reacts to drugs is this something we should be worried about and take him off it or would we be better to keep him on it and hope it dont affect him later in life but i know this ritalin is more potent than coke so hes already getting an addiction to this and we all know the more you take the harder it is to get off what should we do?

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The Spanish-language version of the Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) 24 Desk Reference—Guía de servicios para el abuso de sustancias para proveedores de atención primaria de la salud—is now available to order. This guide, a companion to TIP 24, provides primary care clinicians with quick access to assessment, diagnostic, and treatment information about substance use disorders.

Date Added: 11/19/08
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I have been married for 25 years, and i am tired of the sad excuses people give to why they are such butts during the Holiday season. They drink to much, they go back and binge on drugs and they expect everyone to say that this is ok. B.S. These holidays i plan to say no to people who can not find away to have a good time without being an liability to everyone else, who just want to have fun. Yes i drink one drink if it is possible. So why do i say this? my vent: I grew up with a father who was a drug dealer,and a alcoholic. Mother was addict to cocaine. 1 sister 2 brother heroin, meth, and pot. My daughter is now a drug user ( i have custody of 2 of her children. suspect i will have the last by christmas.) My Husband is an alcoholic ( this is a fight every holiday). So i will take my grandchildren to a motel for thanksgiving ( indoor pool a must) and we will party and swim watch movies and sign christmas cards and yes mail them because life is to short to live in the control addiction.So i make my choice to live not just for me but for my Grandchildren and for those of you who read this and you can’t stand for yourself. Stay of a sober mind and of good heart I know that it is hard but you will make it through. And may you have a happy thanksgiving!

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A new issue of Substance Abuse in Brief (SAIB) Fact Sheet, Volume 5, Issue 1, “An Introduction to Mutual Support Groups for Alcohol and Drug Abuse,” is now available from SAMHSA. The fact sheet helps health care and social service providers understand the effects of mutual support groups on recovery, become familiar with the different types of mutual support groups, and make informed referrals.

Date Added: 11/18/08
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Ok, so Saturday night I hit rock bottom. I’ve struggled with addiction to any drug, mainly marijuana and cocaine, but above all, alcohol. I’ve laid off marijuana and cocaine, for they absolutely destroy your body and the beautiful mind you are given.

Anyhow, Saturday night I popped 6 librium (green and black ones, I think 10mg?). Anyways, shortly thereafter I started taking shots of vodka, probably 3-6 total. I then went to Ruby Tuesday’s with my GF, had two large beers there. My GF eventually left me and I continued drinking at the bar until the manager said I was a nuisance and cut me off. So, I then very stupidly found myself another bar and continued taking shot after shot and beer after beer until ONCE AGAIN the manager said, for my own safety, I’m cut off. Thank God. I then returned home, become hostile with my GF (I want to kill myself for what I do blacked out), and must have downed the rest of the librium. So, more than likely I took 12-17 Librium along with a BAC (of which I later learned) of .243. My GF called the police (thank God for her safety) and I fought with paramedics and officers until they got me tied down. Anyways, the next morning I woke up with a catheter and IV, but my right arm has been numb ever since (Sunday morning). I’m starting to get feelings back in my pinky, middle, and ring finger, but mostly my thumb is still numb (like asleep) and my arm feels heavy. Also it feels like I have awkward movements with it, like I can’t precisely control it. I’m a bit scared…. I noticed they had tried sticking me with something in my right arm but didn’t have anything there when I woke up.

Sorry for the typing, I guess I’m crying for help, but is this just a bad shot with the needle? Did they hit my muscle and temporary numb out my right fingers and make this heavy feeling? I’m hoping to God it’s not a stroke (no other symptoms) and they checked me out fine of the ER.

I started Antabuse today and hope to get on my road to recovery. Alcohol and other drugs are so vile, so detrimental to today’s society, and I’m only a testament to it.

Thanks for reading, and thanks in advance for the answers.
The question was about the numbness of the arm, and I was hoping some nurses and/or medically trained personnel could help, but the first answer and yours has helped. And yes, marijuana does not destroy the brain, but cocaine mixed the marijuana and the psychological damage inflicted upon someone (myself) can. All subjective.

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