New Trends in Polydrug Abuse do not Thwart Success of Narconon Arrowhead Rehab Program
An examination of recent intake records for drug rehabilitation reveals details on the extent of polydrug abuse, but this is not a barrier to recovery when the rehabilitation program is effective.
Not long ago, it was typical for a person to be addicted to a single drug — alcohol, heroin or cocaine, for example. Those entering rehab these days tend to be abusers of many substances at once but the experience of the Narconon Arrowhead rehab center is that even these individuals will respond to their rehabilitation protocol.
An examination of Narconon Arrowhead’s intake records shows that many people are abusing alcohol, opiates and benzodiazepines like Xanax or Valium, all at once. Many also abuse stimulants like Adderall or methamphetamine off and on and marijuana is a common addition to the mix. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for someone’s list of recently-abused opiates to read like this from a 24-year-old man who entered rehab: heroin, morphine, fentanyl, Percocet, codeine, Darvocet, oxycodone and Norco.
In many cases, abuse of pharmaceutical drugs starts with a doctor’s prescription for pain or anxiety. But use can migrate to abuse as tolerance to these drugs grows. As a body becomes accustomed to a particular dosage of painkillers, anti-anxiety drugs or other prescription, the drug stops having the same effect. A patient may need more of a drug just to function. This can lead to illicit acquisition of the number of pills needed and use of far more than the doctor ever intended.
Even when pain is gone or a particularly stressful situation is resolved, a person can feel trapped in obtaining that comfortable feeling the mixture of drugs is offering. Like the 65-year-old woman who drank two bottles of wine per day for 35 years plus abused opiates like fentanyl, Demerol, codeine, hydrocodone and tramadol, and added benzodiazepines like clonazepam, Xanax, Halcion, Ativan and several others for 25 years.
There was also a 27-year-old man who was mixing almost daily abuse of Ecstasy and psilocybin with alcohol, methamphetamine a couple of times a week, almost-daily cocaine and heavy doses of marijuana each day.
“Even these people with a long list of drugs being abused can be taught to live sober lives again,” advised Derry Hallmark, Director of Admissions at Narconon Arrowhead in Canadian, Oklahoma. “Depending on their situations, they may need medical supervision to come off this heavy cocktail of drugs but then, they respond to the long-term, holistic approach to recovery at Narconon Arrowhead just like anyone else.”
The Narconon® drug recovery program uses a common sense approach to helping a person recover from both the physical and mental effects of this mixed-drug addiction. A thorough sauna-based detoxification program helps each person flush out the residues that all drug and alcohol abuse leaves behind. The result of this deep detox is a brighter outlook and reduced cravings — vital for the life skills training and counseling that will follow.
By the end of this three- to five-month rehab program, participants have regained personal integrity and the ability to make sober decisions, even in the face of difficult situations in life.
“We are very proud of the ability of our rehab facilities around the world to offer this kind of recovery to those who have such an urgent need,” stated Clark Carr, president of Narconon International in Los Angeles. “Families should know that even complex situations of multiple addictions are not a barrier to lasting recovery and they should not hesitate to call us for help. I know they can have their loved one back in their lives, sober and loving the way they used to be because I see this happening every day at our centers.”
For more information on the Narconon rehabilitation program contact the international offices of Narconon at 1-800-775-8750.
How Michigan’s Narconon Freedom Center Actively Supports Governor Snyder’s Efforts to Reinvent the State
Narconon Freedom Center provides sobriety to those who are addicted, enhancing Governor Snyder’s intention to assist Michigan cities in their recovery from the blights of crime and drugs.
Ever since the fortunes of Detroit and the auto industry began to turn in the late 1970s, the media has carried stories of the deterioration of Michigan communities. Towns and cities began to empty out as the unemployed moved to other cities to find work.
On March 7, 2012, Governor Rick Snyder has announced his intention to take back Michigan cities from the desolation that has spread through many communities. Since drug abuse and addiction have followed the increase in unemployment and crime, Narconon Freedom Center in Albion, Michigan, dedicated to the elimination of addiction, has an important role it can play in supporting Governor Snyder’s program.
Documenting the Destruction, Surveying the Social Repair Needed
Photo essays like the photo log from the Denver Post show the widespread abandonment and destruction. In 2010, the television show Dateline broadcast more images and interviews of those surviving amidst boarded-up homes and empty office buildings.
It’s well documented that abandonment of businesses and properties breeds crime, following in the footsteps of unemployment and poverty. In the same way, Gary, Indiana rose to the top of the FBI’s murder rate lists after industries closed down and left much of the city a ghost town, as reported in January 2011 by the local NBC affiliate. When it is a matter of raw survival and jobs are scarce or none, drug dealing grows more appealing.
The National Survey on Drug Use and Health reports that nearly 800,000 Michigan’s nine million residents are addicted to drugs or alcohol.
Figures on treatment admissions from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration show that in 2009, 64,428 Michigan citizens successfully found addiction treatment. This number constitutes only about eight percent of those who needed treatment.
A disproportionately large number of these people were under 21 years of age:
- Four out of ten being treated for marijuana addiction
- Five and a half percent of those treated for crack cocaine addiction,
- Nearly eight percent of those treated for heroin addiction
- More than 13% of those receiving any kind of treatment.
These details further illustrate Michigan’s need for effective drug rehab, among many other social changes, if it is to achieve a faster recovery.
Governor Snyder Publishes Plan Details
Governor Rick Snyder recently announced a comprehensive list of actions he and his staff can do to take back cities overwhelmed by drugs and crime. He listed Detroit, Flint, Pontiac and Saginaw as top priorities.
By enhancing law enforcement capabilities and expanding drug court activities, he proposed presenting drug dealers and violent criminals with consequences for their actions. Meanwhile, those whose only crime was falling personally into addiction could get help needed to return to a sober, productive life.
Narconon Freedom Center, located in Albion, just off Interstate 94 near the center of the state, knows exactly how to help. For decades, Narconon® centers around the world have been providing effective drug rehabilitation, with a majorioty of their graduates achieving stable drug-free success. Now this is available for Michigan families.
“One of the most vital services to provide any area with increasing levels of drugs and crime is effective addiction recovery,” stated Clark Carr, president of the international network of Narconon centers, headquartered in Los Angeles. “We are pleased to be able to support Governor Snyder with our best efforts. It is a joy to see people fully recover from alcoholism or drug addiction and return to being productive, contributing members of their communities.”
In addition to Freedom Center in Albion, there are 120 other Narconon drug prevention or rehabilitation centers located around the world. And more than 150 additional Twelve Step drug rehab facilities utilize Narconon First Step methods to assist their clients in withdrawing or reducing relapse.
For more information on Narconon Freedom Center or the Narconon drug rehab program call 1-800-775-8750.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Resources:
http://blogs.denverpost.com/captured/2011/02/07/captured-the-ruins-of-detroit/2672/
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120307/NEWS06/120307029/rick-snyder-speech-public-safety
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36665950/ns/dateline_nbc-the_hansen_files_with_chris_hansen/t/america-now-city-heartbreak-hope/#.T1fHFFFSFSU
http://www.14news.com/story/13808457/gary-indiana-tops-homicide-rate
Narconon Taiwan Celebrates 10 Year Anniversary
Over ten years ago Hestia Lin wanted to do something about the drug addiction problem in her country. According to the National Institute on Health there have been a prevalent number of males in the country who are struggling with heroin and methamphetamine abuse issues in Taiwan. In addition, heroin and methamphetamine are the two most commonly abused drugs in the country.
Lin had seen the devastation that drug addiction had caused her country and after searching for solutions found the Narconon drug rehabilitation program. Narconon is a non-traditional treatment center that has been helping people since the 1960s and has an over 70% success rate for permanent sobriety from addiction.
Hestia and another staff member arrived to the Oklahoma facility to receive training on the Narconon technology and returned to Taiwan and opened the first Narconon Taiwan residential center. The center was opened in quarters shared with a Buddhist temple, in collaboration with the Chinese Youth Buddhists Association Foundation.
Over the years, Narconon Taiwan grew and they obtained new facilities outside of Ji-An Township. Hundreds of addicts have completed the program in Taiwan and hundreds of thousands of children, parents and teachers have been educated on the truth about drugs.
On May 13, 2011, Narconon Taiwan celebrated their 10th anniversary of saving lives. Hundreds of guests, staff and graduates gathered together to celebrate. Also in attendance was the local Mayor, along with numerous people from the business community, coming from cities and towns throughout the region.
The event began with a dance performance, followed by the story of Narconon Taiwan’s beginning and the growth of the program over the years. Graduates then spoke of their wins and successes of achieving a drug-free life through the Narconon program.
“We are very proud of Lin and our Taiwanese center,” says Clark Carr, President of Narconon International. “Knowing that there is a solution for people in the country that will get them off drugs is key to handling the drug problem in Taiwan.”
For more information on Narconon Taiwan call 800-775-8750 or log onto www.narconon.org.
California vs. Ecstasy and the Rave Narconon Drug Rehabilitation Weighs in on the Fight
The drug ecstasy has seen more media in California in recent weeks than marijuana. The battle lines are drawn. An alarmed populous has awakened to mushrooming use of the illegal drug by California’s youth.
On one hand rallying ravers cry, “PLUR (peace, love, unity and respect).” Their zeal translates into substantial fortune for aggressive promoters. On the other, a growing army of concerned citizens are saying that promoters, like Insomniac and GoVentures, see their primary task as creating an experience that attracts the maximum number of ecstasy users to their events.
The first battle in January was in Los Angeles. The undisputed victors – those who stand for drug-free life styles. For almost 15 years the Coliseum and Sports Arenas, both publicly owned venues, hosted gatherings of the faithful. As late as 2007 ravers at the all night dance events numbered 18,000 to 20,000. By 2010, the numbers jumped to over 150,000 and the revenue raised accounted for almost a third of the annual budget. The Coliseum’s oversight board was understandably reluctant to let the rave events go. However, there will be no raves in 2011 due to public outcry and media investigations by the LA Weekly and LA Times revealing unacceptable business relationships between the promoters and managers of the rented venues. The battle moves to Nevada where promoters have relocated their June event. They predict well over 100,000 attendees, so unless law enforcement in Clark County gets very busy, there will be a whole lot of ecstasy coming too.
Meanwhile, another threat to rave promoters looms on the horizon. Assemblywoman Fiona Ma has introduced AB 74 the Anti Raves Act of 2011. “The California Assembly is right to step in to bring the ecstasy rave scene under control,” says Bobby Wiggins, a spokesperson for Narconon Int, headquartered in Los Angeles. “We are in the very vital business of helping people rebuild satisfying, drug-free lives. Young people may find themselves needing our help as ecstasy use can pull them toward a life of addiction. Our drug prevention specialists work tirelessly to educate youth so they don’t take this detour, yet these events glamorize the drug,” says Wiggins.
Ravers are at risk. Most try to take precautions to protect themselves. They are cognizant of unscrupulous manufacturers who mix ecstasy (MDMA) with chemicals that increase the risk of overdose dramatically. What most ravers don’t understand is that it is the MDMA itself that creates the massive dehydration and other damaging effects which can lead to heart failure and overdose.
The question is will California lawmakers let promoters keep their cash cow if ravers are unable to prevent tragic episodes and an escalating number of hospitalized ravers despite all the precautions taken? So far, some authorities have tended to let things roll. That may be about to change in California. For information on what Narconon® is doing to curtail ecstasy use, contact 800-775-8750 or visit their website at www.news.narconon.org.
Only Real Tool to Fight Cartel Violence in Acapulco is Drug Recovery Treatment, Advises Narconon Spokesperson
For many years, the majority of violence related to drug trafficking has existed close to the borders. Just five years ago, most of the violence centered around 
Tijuana and Reynoso, just across the border from McAllen, Texas.
As drug enforcement was beefed up, the main trafficking channels – and the tendency for turf-related violence – moved to El Paso and then moved again to the dual city Nogales: Nogales, Arizona on the U.S. side and Heroica Nogales, Sonora on the Mexico side.
But the newest trend has been for violence far from the borders, most recently in the once bright tourism city Acapulco.
Just the name brings to mind beautiful beaches on a long, curving bay and hotels catering to millionaires and movie stars. But Acapulco’s heyday began to fade a few decades back. A severe hurricane in 1997 and the start of drug cartel faction wars have put an end to easy prosperity. Now, few Americans vacation in Acapulco. Shootouts and accumulating dead bodies mean plenty of empty hotel rooms.
“Turf battles begin when the balance of power tips due to an arrest or the death of a cartel leader,” explained Clark Carr, a spokesperson for Narconon. Narconon is an international organization dedicated to the elimination of substance abuse and drug addiction through effective drug rehabilitation services and drug education. “In Acapulco, it is said that the violence is the result of a fight for control of coast transport routes by three cartels, the Sinaloa cartel run by Joaquin Guzman and two new cartels that formed from or splintered off old cartels. The problem is that no matter who gains control, no one wins.”
The biggest losers may be the citizens of Acapulco, who live with the daily fear that more bodies will be discovered, usually arrayed in public places, often headless. In just the last weekend, thirty people lost their lives, all men, most of them thought to be involved with cartel business. A few were police officers.
“The only reasonable solution to the violence is addiction recovery,” stated Carr. “When those who crave drugs so desperately that they risk illness, arrest and death can overcome their cravings and live drug-free, ethical lives, the cartels will have no customers. Their power will diminish and the citizens of Mexico can focus on improving the conditions of their country.”
Narconon supports the drive to make drug free lives by offering long-term residential drug rehabilitation in centers around the world. In the U.S. and Mexico, Twelve Step centers facilities are getting addicts on the road to recovery using Narconon’s First Step program, services that help an addict safely withdraw from drugs and get back on his or her feet again.
“The goal is a drug-free world,” added Carr. “The closer we come to achieving that, the less we shall fear no more violence from the cartels and their violence.”
For more information about Narconon drug rehab services visit www.narconon.org
New Video Shows Narconon Reviews from Graduates of the program at Narconon Trois-Rivieres
For many it is not until their drug use creates major life problems that they realize that they are “addicted”. Drug addiction is insidious. For whatever reason we start to take drugs, no one ever thinks that they are going to end up with an addiction. Drug addiction robs people of their freedom of choice, to live life as they want to. The people in this video speak of loss of life, relationships, and their unhappiness as a result of their addiction to drugs.
Many drug rehabilitation treatments see drugs as the full problem – stop using drugs, and the problem is resolved – that is how some think. Narconon Trois-Rivieres takes a holistic view of drug addiction and drug rehabilitation. Drug addiction and related negative behaviors are seen as symptoms with a common cause – emotional pain and suffering. When emotional pain and life problems are seen as the cause, and not merely the result of drug addiction, rehabilitation has better results.
The reason for Narconon Trois-Riviere’s success with these three and many other people in drug rehabilitation is that the Narconon Trois-Rivieres program enables and empowers people to resolve their emotional problems. Getting clean and feeling healthy comes not only from ridding toxic drugs from your body but in resolving toxic emotional issues.
People with drug addiction often feel dead inside, cut off from relationships and feelings. These graduates all express the joy that they feel in having chosen to put “life” before drug addiction. Addiction in our life can take many forms of which drug addiction is only one. The benefit of Narconon Trois-Rivieres drug rehabilitation is that methods that help us to recover from drug addiction also enable us to resolve other addictive problems in our life.
When we cease to be compulsively co-dependent on people or things, such as drugs, for our satisfaction, we can start to feel really free, with an ability to make choices. When we feel clean and clear of all toxic stress – joy and happiness comes naturally.
New Video with Narconon reviews from Graduates of the Narconon Trois-Rivières program
As Substance Abuse Rises, Children Entering Foster Care and Born Addicted to Drugs Also Increases, According to Narconon Spokesperson
Every year, approximately a half million children are cared for in the U.S. foster children’s system. For three-quarters of them, their need for care by someone 
other than family is related to the substance abuse or addiction of a parent.
And every year, more than 300,000 babies are born who were exposed to drugs or alcohol during the pregnancy. Many of these unfortunate babies suffer withdrawal symptoms once the mother’s supply of blood-borne drugs has been eliminated, resulting in seizures, tremors, extended and relentless crying and a long list of other symptoms.
Ironically, a newborn having a difficult time with withdrawal may be given more drugs, such as a preparation of opium, Phenobarbital, Valium or buprenorphine, a newer drug used in treating opiate addicts.
Since the mid-1980s, the number of children needing foster care has risen dramatically, paralleling the increase in substance abuse statistics. Just since 1996, the number of drug users in the United States has increased from an estimated 13 million to more than 20 million. When these drug users are pregnant women or parents, the ones who suffer the most are the children.
This phenomenon points out the urgent need to help women of child-bearing age recover from addiction to drugs or alcohol. Young women who are or may get pregnant must get help for any addiction or substance abuse problems, for the protection of our next generation. The Narconon® drug rehab program has been helping men and women of all ages recover from addiction for more than forty years. But every time we help a young women leave opiates, cocaine, alcohol or other drugs behind, we very well may save the life or health of a child. Narconon is an international organization dedicated to eliminating addiction by providing drug rehabilitation services and preventing drug abuse through educational programs.
While not every baby exposed to drug in utero will suffer from withdrawal, it’s particularly common among babies exposed to heroin or opioids like hydrocodone or oxycodone. Among these cases, 55 to 94 percent of the babies will go through withdrawal symptoms. Besides suffering from respiratory suppression that may require resuscitation, these babies may struggle with irritability, gastrointestinal disorders that lead to poor feeding, sweating, diarrhea and vomiting.
Children shuffled from one home to another in an overstressed foster care system often experience personal loss and instability, learning disabilities and emotional problems. It could be argued that the biggest winners when alcohol or drugs are eliminated are the children.
At Narconon centers across the U.S. and around the world, those graduating from the long-term residential programs go home to live drug-free lives in seven out of ten cases. And that means many more babies who will not be exposed to drugs and children who will receive proper care and attention at home.
For more information on Narconon, visit www.narconon.org
The Facts of Prescription Drug Abuse Don’t Sync with Many Teens’ Opinions, Narconon Drug Educator Advises
Ask a teen what he or she really thinks about abusing drugs like Vicodin, OxyContin, Xanax or Ritalin. Many of them will tell you that they think prescription drugs are safer to abuse than street drugs. According to a report from the Partnership for a Drug Free America, forty percent of teens feel this way.
One in three teens also believes that prescription pain relievers – whether prescribed by a doctor or not – are not addictive.
And what are the results of these beliefs? According to this 2009 report, 3.2 million teenagers have abused a prescription drug. In the last year, more than two million have abused a pain reliever and another million admitted to abusing cough medication.
Statistics from our country’s emergency rooms don’t bear out these opinions that prescription drugs are safe. Narconon is an international non-profit dedicated to the prevention and treatment of addiction. All it takes is a quick review of the causes of emergency room visits to find out that prescription pain medications are sending people to the ER in great numbers.
Between 2004 and 2008, there was a dramatic rise in the number of people who visited or were taken to the emergency room of a hospital because of a problem with abuse of a narcotic pain reliever. In 2004, the figure was 144,644. By 2008, the number had more than doubled to 305,855 people.
What three narcotics were the most frequently abused? Oxycodone products such as OxyContin (up 152 percent over 2004), hydrocodone products like Vicodin and Lortab (up 123 percent over 2004), and methadone (up 73 percent).
Where could teens find these drugs to abuse? More than 60 percent feel it’s easy to get these drugs from their own family’s medicine chest.
Millions of America’s teens are taking terrible risks by abusing prescription pain relievers or other medications. In fact in 1998, it used to be that just six-tenths of a percent of those seeking addiction treatment for prescription pain relievers were teens 17 and under. Now it’s more than five percent of those entering drug treatment facilities. The fact that we are losing our teens to prescription drug addiction means that these children lack an education and understanding of drug abuse and addiction.
At Narconon drug and alcohol rehabilitation and education centers across America and around the world, teens and young adults are learning the truth about drug abuse and addiction. In the Narconon drug treatment program, addicts learn how to replace their old lifestyle with a productive, drug-free life. Narconon is dedicated to creating a drug-free world.
For more information on Narconon, visit www.narconon.org
“What Does Substance Abuse Do to American Productivity?” Asks Narconon Spokesperson
Americans have long had a proud heritage of being hard workers. After all, those who settled America were Scandinavian fishermen, German ironworkers and
Italian factory workers. But growing numbers of Americans abusing drugs and alcohol have taken their toll on companies and employers.
Currently more than 70 percent of those who abuse drugs or alcohol hold a job. Included in this statistic of abuse are both illicit drugs and legal drugs like alcohol and prescription drugs. Quest Diagnostic, a company that provides drug testing for employers, as reported that the use of prescription opiates such as Vicodin and OxyContin have increased by 40 percent since 2005. In just one year, this statistic climbed 18 percent.
When employees refuse to admit that they have a drug or alcohol problem, employers are actually in a unique position to apply pressure to initiate rehabilitation. Narconon is an international organization dedicated to helping young people avoid substance abuse and rehabilitating those who have become addicted. Drug testing programs, either random or post-accident, can reveal a problem that the employee may not seek help for, no matter what consequences he is facing in his or her personal life. Faced with hard evidence, an employee can be helped to enter an effective rehabilitation program.
Those abusing substances in the workplace have been shown to be 60 percent more likely to cause industrial accidents – accidents that can not only harm or kill themselves but can also cause injury or death of other employees and property damage. Some of these incidents hit the headlines like the Exxon Valdez disaster, the 1981 crash of a jet on the aircraft carrier the USS Nimitz and the 1987 wreck of an Amtrack train in Maryland. Thousands of others just get buried in the files.
And it’s not just accidents that a company risks when employees abuse substances. In one study, drug-abusing employees admitted that they had sold drugs to fellow employees and stolen from co-workers to finance their drug habits.
With the right drug rehabilitation program, those who have lost everything to addiction can be brought back to a sober, productive lifestyle once again. The Narconon drug and alcohol rehabilitation program is a long-term, residential program that enables seven out of ten graduates to stay clean and sober after return to home and work.
No surprise to employers, those who abused alcohol or drugs at work admitted that they were less productive as a result. Recent estimates put the cost of lost productivity to employers at $197 billion a year.
Employees can not only help an employee get back on the job. They can also help save an addicted person’s life.
For more information on Narconon drug rehabilitation services, visit www.narconon.org
As No Corner of America is Free from Substance Abuse, Narconon’s Effective Drug Program is Essential for Public Health and Safety
You can poke your nose in any corner of America and as long as there are humans living there, you’re going to find substance abuse. California is famous for its marijuana consumption, culminating in Proposition 19 that intended to legalize recreational use of the drug. It’s estimated that Californians consume 16 million ounces of marijuana each year.
And Baltimore is notorious for its staggering heroin problem. Out of a population of 645,000, it’s thought that more than 60,000 are heroin addicts.
How about the hills of Kentucky? In that area, the residents abuse such a high quantity of potent – and addictive – prescription opiates that these drugs are referred to as "Hillbilly Heroin."
In another of many examples that could be cited, cocaine use by teenagers in counties along the U.S.-Mexico border is two-thirds higher than in counties further away.
Substance abuse and addiction exist at every level of society, among the rich and the poor, the famous and the unknown, those in cities and others on farms. Narconon is an international organization dedicated to preventing drug and alcohol abuse and to helping those who have become addicted recover fully. Wherever addiction occurs, it takes an addiction recovery program that digs deep into the causes of the problem to bring about lasting sobriety.
But this is not necessarily the treatment philosophy of every drug addiction recovery program. Many treatment facilities employ doctors and psychiatrists who medicate recovering addicts with methadone or the newer opiate substitute, buprenorphine. These drugs prevent the addict from going through withdrawal but the person still relies on drugs. He or she does not learn to turn away from drugs and toward a completely drug-free life.
When the annual national survey of substance abuse shows yet another increase to the highest figure ever of current drug users, then it’s time to think about new solutions. The latest issuance of the National Survey on Drug Use and Health reports that 21.8 million Americans were current drug abusers, having recently abused an illicit drug or misused a prescription drug.
There are Narconon centers located in thirteen states in every corner of the U.S. and in dozens of other countries around the world. In every center, addicts have a chance to rebuild a life that was destroyed by drugs. It is unfortunately so common for an addict to have lost everything – jobs, businesses, families, homes, cars and self-respect – by the time they make it to a rehab center. It takes time and a step-by-step program that helps a person regain self-esteem and integrity for a person to gain lasting sobriety. They must gain the ability to face the problems life faces and make that drug-free decision every time.
For more information on the Narconon drug and alcohol rehabilitation program, visit www.narconon.org.
Phone: 
Online Form:
