Drugs and Alcohol Abuse Info

Drug Abuse Intervention Objective

The main objective of an intervention is to get the abuser to face the bare facts but in a non-confronting manner. The abuser needs to feel the seriousness of his choices but he also needs to see things in a clear and concise forum. The interventions are usually headed by a specialist who guides the conversation where it needs to go.

The fact is that a drug abuser is usually blind to the effects that he has on other people. He may use friends as a point of comparison and feel that his problems are much less than that of his fellow abusers. Drug abusers begin to make the wrong choices and their relationships with family and friends begin to fall apart. They start making choices that affect them financially and can even land them in a lot of trouble.

With the assistance of a well put together drug abuse intervention, the drug abuser is able to sit back and take a look at his addiction though his family and friends’ eyes. The decision to hold a drug abuse intervention can be a painful one but it is less painful than watching a loved one being controlled by a substance without facing his own life reality. Many loved ones do not want to force their addicted member to lose control or feel as if they are being attacked but it is very important for the addict to see what he is doing to those close to him.

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The intervention, if planned properly, will lead the addict out of the despair and onto the road of recovery. The intervention may feel like a failure in the beginning if the addict decides to refuse treatment but there is a light at the end of the tunnel and the drug abuser may decide to take the treatment later after the initial pain has worn off.

Intervention does break though; it just takes a little time for the drug addict to respond. Drug abusers are not always thinking properly and when they have time to digest what has just happened to them, they usually come around and seek out the care they need to quit and start on the road to recovery.

By performing a drug abuse intervention, the addict gets the assistance of an abuse counselor who is trained in this form of confrontation. Each individual requires a different approach and with the right help, the addict is well on his way to recovery.

Once the intervention is planned, the interventionist makes sure that complete treatment for the addict is all set up and ready to begin. An intervention is sometimes a way to get the drug abusers or alcoholics to open their eyes before they actually hit the bottom and destroy their lives completely. Drug abuse interventions are a real motivational tool to get drug addicts the help they need.

Drug Abuse

Co-Editor-in-Chief, Judy J. Johnson, DDS
Wednesday, June 17, 2009 – 07:01 PM
General Dentists:

Drug Abuse in Dentistry
Drug abuse is one of the most serious problems in the U.S. Because dentists can prescribe medications for their patients, addictive painkillers included, the dental field is a player in the role for stopping drug abuse.

Dentists prescribe narcotics for various reasons, such as post-extraction pain, cavity pain, and after any type of oral surgery. Sometimes patients abuse these medications and conjure up fake symptoms in order to obtain them. On the other hand, dentists are exposed to these painkillers and can prescribe such medications for themselves. This puts dentists along with their patients at risk for drug abuse.

Preventing Drug Abuse

Patients
Careful surveillance is the number one way to reduce prescription drug abuse. Patients will come in to the dentist repeatedly with excruciating mouth pain. If no evidence for it is discovered, this patient could be seeking painkillers and abusing them.

If a patient has been prescribed painkillers on several occasions in a short span of time, then the case should be reviewed to see if these prescriptions have been necessary. If a dentist thinks that a patient is seeking to abuse prescription drugs, then he or she should not give the patient another prescription.

With so much stress in today’s society, terrorism, natural disasters and economic insecurity, many have turned to drugs for comfort. Most do not want to buy them off the street, so they seek it legally in the form of prescriptions. Dentists must be able to recognize these types of patients and refer them to services for help.

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Dentists can be educated through training or accessible information on recognizing drug abuse. This includes learning the definition of “substance abuse and dependency, prevention concepts, rationale for substance abuse screening, dental team alerts, clinical interview skills, awareness of medical and legal implications, and the referral process.” By knowing and understanding these important aspects of recognizing and preventing drug abuse, these patients will not undergo unnecessary procedures and will have better quality dental care, and the dentist may help them get onto the path to recovery.

By observing the behavior history of a patient, dental staff may recognize a potential problem and refer the patient to a recovery program. The first staff member who usually addresses a patient is the receptionist. By knowing the following signs, he or she may be able to tell whether a patient has a problem with drug abuse. Here are a few signs that give warning to a patient who abuses prescription drugs:
1. Poor general appearance
2. History of broken appointments
3. Dramatic unexpected complaints
4. Repeated requests for unusual prescriptions
5. Appearing at closing time looking for a prescription for oral pain and promising a next day appointment

Dentists
If a dentist is the one abusing drugs, or suspected of doing so, then the staff needs to step in and demand he or she check into a rehabilitation center. It’s important that the dentist want to seek treatment voluntarily. If not, then the staff must be severe and report the dentist. If abuse is taking place during office hours, the dentist could be risking a patient’s well-being or life by misdiagnosing.

Dentists are trusted to perform the privileged act of practicing medicine. When that trust is violated by drug use, the dentist is no longer deemed responsible enough to practice medicine and treat patients. By going untreated, a dentist is risking the practice itself, a patient’s life, and his or her own.

Methamphetamine Use (Meth Mouth)
A new epidemic in drug abuse is methamphetamine (meth) use. Many dentists have seen an increasing number of these cases. Meth users’ teeth are clear evidence that they abuse this drug. Meth use significantly decays teeth.

The teeth of a user are “blackened, stained, rotting, crumbling or falling apart” and usually cannot be saved and must be extracted. Meth is very acidic and dries out the tissues in the mouth. It also destroys the natural ability to chew. The “Meth Mouth Prevention and Community Recovery Act” sponsored by U.S. Representatives Rick Larsen (D-Wash.), John Sullivan (R-Okla.), Brian Baird (D-Wash.), and Mike Ross (D-Ark.) includes funding for dentists and educations to inform children about the dangers of meth. For the referenced resourced information, go to http://www.smilemd.com/general-dentist/drug-abuse-and-dentistry.aspx

The teenage years can be a time of great emotional stress as it marks the transition from childhood to adulthood. It is at this particular time when have to grapple with a number of issues like search for identity, peer pressure, amorous and family relationships, as well as scholastic performance. These may be overwhelming to some teenagers as they undergo this critical stage in their lives.

For those who can’t adjust and handle the pressure, the use of illicit drugs becomes an enticing option to cope with, alleviate or escape from the issues that beset them. This is one of the primary reasons why quite a large percentage of teenagers resort to drug abuse. Teen drug abuse has now become a common and prevalent problem in modern society. In fact, drug abuse is currently the foremost concern among parents as cited in the National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse.

Parents can’t possibly monitor their teens 24/7 without invading their privacy, and they can’t physically be present at all times, particularly in today’s fast paced world. So what exactly are the signs that parents should look for to keep their teens away from prohibited drugs?

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The first thing to thing to look out for is the teen’s behavior. In general, a teenager will manifest behavior patterns quite different from his normal behavior prior to addiction. Parents should also be skeptical once their teenager starts to behave aberrantly and becomes withdrawn or aloof to other members of the family. They may also exhibit irritability, paranoia and violent behavior. However, such changes may not be drastic, but are the most obvious signs of drug abuse. Drug abuse has far-reaching effects on the user’s mood and performance. A teenage drug user will most likely suffer from long-term psychological effects from drugs that modify their mindset as well. As a consequence, a teenager can have degrading performance in school or in the workplace.

On the other hand, there are also physical signs of teen drug abuse that parents should be on the lookout for. Among the red light warning signs of the effects of teen drug abuse are blood-shot eyes, nagging cough, lethargy, irregularities in eating and sleeping habits, constantly tired or hyperactive, sudden weight loss or weight gain, teeth clenching and muscle tension, convulsions, dehydration, and consequently, death.

may start as a phase of experimentation in a teenager’s life, in their effort to adapt and resolve certain issues that typically highlight this crucial stage in their lives. Nevertheless, it could also spiral out of control and lead to serious and severe drug addiction that may even persist up to adulthood. This can be very debilitating and difficult to resolve. Teen drug abuse, when addressed during the initial stages can be rectified and lead to a better quality of life not only as a teenager, but ultimately as an adult as well.