Women, by percentage, enter alcohol treatment with more physical and emotional problems than men.  Gender differences in physiology can speed up the damaging effects of alcohol.  So alcohol and drug treatment centers should include gender-specific treatment, along with services for primary medical care and mental health.

Women with alcohol dependence tend to reach the decision to enter treatment sooner than men.  At first glance, one might think this means they suffer fewer problems due to the shorter time frame of alcohol abuse.  But other factors come into play in the development of physical and mental health issues for women.

In the female body, the entire process to metabolize alcohol is different.  Because of this, major organs like the liver, heart, kidneys and even the brain work harder to dispense alcohol from the body.  The human body sees alcohol as a poison and seeks to expel it as a top priority.  At the same time it expels or ignores many nutrients a woman needs.

Alcohol dependence also can place women in abusive relationships or unsafe settings where they are vulnerable to rape and other crimes.  In mere minutes, emotional damage can be caused that could distract from effective alcohol treatment.  The presence of mental health professionals, as well as addiction counselors in medical detoxification units, is important in treating these co-occurring disorders.

Under these circumstances, women may benefit from alcohol treatment that is for women only.  This removes distractions and provides for a safe environment.  The recovery process, and physical and emotional healing, can progress faster and there is a better opportunity for long-term recovery.

The excerpt below is from a report posted on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website that details the physical issues noted above.    

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Compared with male substance abusers, female substance abusers may have more physical problems, and females appear to be more vulnerable than males to the physiological effects of substance use. For example, in a study of alcohol problems among trauma center patients, women were significantly more likely than men to have liver disease (Gentilello et al., 2000). Differences in the way women absorb, distribute, eliminate, and metabolize alcohol may increase their vulnerability to alcohol-related problems (Mumenthaler, Taylor, O'Hara, & Yesavage, 1999; Wasilow-Mueller & Erickson, 2001). The female liver appears to be more sensitive to the toxic effect of chronic alcohol intake than the male liver (Colantoni et al., 2003; Mandayam, Jamal & Morgan, 2004; Mann, Smart, & Govoni, 2003). Females develop alcoholic liver disease (i.e., cirrhosis and hepatitis) after comparatively shorter periods and less intense drinking than do males. Although males have higher rates of cirrhosis mortality than women, proportionately, more alcohol-dependent females die from cirrhosis than do alcohol-dependent males (Fuchs et al., 1995; Lieber, 1993; Mann et al., 2003; NIAAA, 1999). One of the reasons for gender differences in alcoholic liver disease is that females achieve higher concentrations of alcohol in the blood than males after drinking equivalent amounts of alcohol (Bradley, Badrinath, Bush, Boyd-Wickizer, & Anawalt, 1998; Frezza et al., 1990; Redgrave, Swartz, & Romanoski, 2003). In a cohort study of over 13,000 men and women in Europe, for example, the relative risk of developing alcohol-related liver disease was significantly higher among women than men for any given level of alcohol intake (Becker et al., 1996). An additional reason for gender differences in alcoholic liver disease is that the level of alcohol dehydrogenase, an enzyme associated with alcohol metabolism, may be lower in females than in males (Baraona et al., 2001; Thomasson, 1995). Estrogen has also been associated with alcohol-related liver disease (Moshage, 2001; Yin et al., 2000).

-- Source: http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/WomenTX/WomenTX.htm#1.1.8 –

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles provides primary medical care, mental health treatment, and women-only treatment at our Long Beach location as part of our commitment to integrated behavioral healthcare in alcohol and drug treatment.  If you or a loved one needs help with alcohol dependence or drug addiction, please call us now at 800-996-1051 or contact us here.

Southern California Locations for Alcohol and Drug Treatment
Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, and in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley.

One aspect of the holidays is that people drink.  This can lead to alcohol cravings for those who engage in alcohol abuse, suffer from alcohol dependence, or are in recovery and want to avoid relapse.  So reducing alcohol cravings could be a part of the solution for many individuals during the holidays.

It is our purpose to not only honor the holidays with a message of good spirit, but also to keep our readers informed.  We like to use our web presence to share research that we believe will be helpful to those with whom we work.

An interesting study conducted by Dr. Sandra Lapham found value in using injectable naltrexone to decrease alcohol consumption during the holidays.  Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles has been using Vivitrol in Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT), and we have seen results to support this.  Please click the link below for an article about Dr. Lapham’s research.

http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/health/2008/December/Are-Naltrexone-Injections-a-Cure-for-Holiday-Drinking-.html

Tarzana Treatment Centers held a conference on this same subject in November, 2009.  Attendees learned all about Vivitrol and how it is used in alcohol treatment, the use of Suboxone and Methadone in opiate addiction treatment, and how anti-depressants and atypical anti-psychotic medications are best used to treat mood and anxiety disorders.
 
MAT has been proven to improve outcomes for patients in alcohol and drug treatment.  During the holidays it can help those with previously unsuccessful treatment episodes, and encourage others to enter treatment for the first time.  In either case, loved ones would agree that the holidays could be more joyous without the presence of alcohol or drug abuse in the home.

For help with alcohol dependence or drug addiction, please call us now at 800-996-1051 or contact us here.

Southern California Locations for Alcohol and Drug Treatment
Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, and in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley.

Much has been done to improve alcohol treatment methodologies over the past three decades.  With more effective detox through medical detoxification, mental health treatment for co-occurring disorders, and culture specific tracks like Native American alcohol treatment, more people that enter treatment find recovery.

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles provides a range of services for veterans, HIV/AIDS, women, and youth, so anyone can get help with alcoholism.  Since there is no cure for the disease at this time, we make an effort to provide help for alcohol dependence and decrease the risk of alcohol’s effects on the body.  So what about preventing the disease?

Another important research area seeks to discover who is at risk for alcohol abuse or alcohol dependence.  In an effort to find the higher risk segments of the population, researchers have become inventive in the survey methods they use.  A recent study used Audience Segmentation, which is typically used by marketing researchers and advertisers.

The following excerpts are from an article posted on the Addiction Technology Transfer Network website.  It provides interesting new data that may help some individuals to avoid problems due to high risk drinking.

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“We identified the top 10 audience segments in the U.S. that engaged in twice-a-month, high-risk drinking,” said Moss. “Five of these audience segments were made up of young adults, and five were middle-aged individuals. The young adult segment we called the ‘Cyber Millenials,’ with the highest rate of risky levels of alcohol drinking, represented well-educated, ethnically mixed, technologically sophisticated individuals who live in urban fringe areas on the West Coast and Middle Atlantic regions.”

One of the surprising things about this group, added Moss, was that it is one of the most health-conscious segments of American society. “They have a lower-than-average smoking rate, they go to the gym, they consume organic produce, yet they binge drink at a level that is clearly detrimental to their well-being.”

-- Source: http://www.attcnetwork.org/explore/priorityareas/science/tools/asmeDetails.asp?ID=614

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles makes a daily effort to find treatment news articles that we can share with our readers in the alcohol and drug treatment community.  The external content was found among other articles of equal informational and educational quality.

Southern California Locations for Alcohol and Drug Treatment
Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County and Orange County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, and in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley.

It’s quite normal for someone entering alcohol treatment to show signs of depression.  The sad and hopeless feelings that are associated with alcohol dependence tend to be a driving force behind the disease.  Major depression can also be a co-occurring disorder with alcoholism, which adds a need for mental health treatment.

In these cases, the problem with providing effective treatment is discovering which disorder is primary in each new patient.  It’s much like the chicken-and-egg syndrome of which came first.  It is important to know if the mental health disorder brought on alcohol dependence, or if drinking behaviors led to a downward spiral of hopelessness and despair.

Psychological assessments are taken on patients in alcohol treatment at Tarzana Treatment Centers as part of our commitment to integrated behavioral healthcare.  In many cases, this is completed before the patient discharges from alcohol detox.  This gives our counselors and mental health professionals the ability to prepare treatment plans that target both disorders, with emphasis on the primary one.

The excerpt below is from an article posted on the Addiction Technology Transfer Network website.  The full article reviews the latest studies on major depression and alcohol dependence along with information from previous studies.  It includes some information that may be of interest to those with alcoholism in the family.

If you or a loved one is in need of alcohol treatment, please call us at 800-996-1051 or contact us here.

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Major depression (MD) and alcohol dependence (AD) co-occur in individuals and within families at higher rates than expected by chance. This study looked at how mood-related drinking motives may explain the overlapping familial risk for MD and AD. Findings suggest that individuals with strong mood-related drinking motives, especially those based on negative feelings, may be vulnerable to developing both MD and AD.

Results will be published in the August issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research and are currently available at Early View.

“Although the frequent co-occurrence of AD and MD is widely recognized, the association between the disorders works differently for different people,” explained Kelly Young-Wolff, whose master’s thesis provided the stimulus for the study. “There are likely multiple mechanisms that result in the disorders co-occurring, for example, having MD increases the risk to develop AD, having AD increases the risk to develop MD; and causal factors – such as genetic risk or social circumstances – also contribute to developing both disorders.”

-- Source: http://www.attcnetwork.org/explore/priorityareas/science/tools/asmeDetails.asp?ID=615 --

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles makes a daily effort to find treatment news articles that we can share with our readers in the alcohol and drug treatment community.  The external content was found among other articles of equal informational and educational quality.

Southern California Locations for Alcohol and Drug Treatment
Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County and Orange County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley, and in Santa Ana.

Since alcohol cravings are a major trigger for relapse, leading patients out of alcohol treatment prior to completion, Tarzana Treatment Centers offers Vivitrol to patients as a part of their treatment.  It is an effort to not only keep alcohol dependent patients in treatment, but also to improve the effectiveness of that treatment.

Vivitrol is Naltrexone in the form of a monthly injection which blocks the euphoria associated with alcohol use.  How many injections a person receives varies depending upon how long cravings continue.  

Vivitrol was approved by the FDA for the treatment of alcohol dependence in April, 2006.  While there is no need for further clinical trials, Tarzana Treatment Centers conducts studies with other entities to help standardize treatment modalities.  As seen below, Vivitrol is helping patients succeed in alcohol treatment so our goal is to make it available to any patient that is eligible.

On September 11, 2008, Tarzana Treatment Centers began participation in the Los Angeles County Alcohol and Drug Program Administration’s (ADPA) Vivitrol Demonstration Project.  The ADPA has concluded that “The medication seemed to effectively support clients to relieve their cravings for alcohol, thereby allowing them to focus on their recovery efforts and averting premature departure from their treatment programs.”

In a six month period Tarzana Treatment Centers administered the first injection to 32 patients.  23 of them began treatment in alcohol detox and, on average, had been in treatment 1 or 2 times previously.  Out of the 23 a total of 21 completed detox with 17 transferring to residential treatment.

Overall, 23 of the 32 remained in residential alcohol treatment or have successfully completed during the 6 months.  One patient completed outpatient alcohol treatment.  Only 4 patients left treatment prior to completion against medical advice.

Based on the success of the demonstration project, ADPA stated that it is “…considering ways to support provider purchases and other costs related to Vivitrol use on a continuing basis and to expand its use Countywide.”  

The ADPA research article and data can be found at:
http://www.lapublichealth.org/adpa/bulletins/ADPABulletin2.pdf

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles makes a daily effort to find treatment news articles that we can share with our readers in the alcohol and drug treatment community.  The external content was found among other articles of equal informational and educational quality.

Alcohol dependence is a serious disease.  It is chronic, meaning that it cannot be cured, and fatal.  While few alcoholics actually die from an overdose of alcohol, most do from diseases that result from heavy drinking.  Alcohol’s effects on the body include heart and liver disease, damage to the pancreas that can lead to diabetes, and many other fatal conditions.

Alcoholism is also a disease of the mind, though, with one symptom being denial of reality.  This state of mind makes an alcoholic believe that mounting problems in life are not due to alcohol consumption, even when family and friends insist that they are.  And being that alcoholics can be very manipulative, the percentage that seeks treatment remains very low.

In rare cases, a simple request of the individual to seek treatment will work.  But for most, even with the alcoholic admitting there is a problem, alcohol treatment will remain on the “back burner” until serious financial, relationship, or health issues occur.  Often, an intervention is needed to force action.

Sadly, too many alcoholics destroy everything in their lives for the sake of alcohol and end up alone, broke, and even homeless.  The fear of what will happen if they don’t drink alcohol is greater than the pain of the losses they suffered.  

Anyone with alcohol dependence can recover.  The time investment only needs to be a few days of alcohol detox in a treatment center offering medical detoxification, followed by outpatient or short-term residential treatment.  A 12 step program of recovery, like Alcoholics Anonymous, can help maintain sobriety after treatment.

No group is immune to the disease.  It affects men and women; adolescents, college students, and seniors; Native Americans, African Americans, Hispanics, Caucasians, and all other races; and the homeless to CEOs.  Everyone with alcohol dependence suffers from the same withdrawal symptoms and the same ultimate fate if they don’t seek treatment.

The best way to avoid alcoholism related health problems is to get treatment at the earliest signs of alcohol abuse.  Occasional binge drinking is negative behavior that can lead to alcohol dependence.  An invisible line is crossed when an individual becomes preoccupied with the thought of drinking alcohol at times of abstinence.

It is a good idea to get information when you are unsure if you or a loved one has a problem with alcohol.  A phone call is free, and you might prevent future problems and maybe even save a life.  

Tarzana Treatment Centers offers specialized treatment programs to address the various aspects of alcohol dependence and recovery, including alcohol detox. We provide alcohol treatment in the San Fernando Valley, Antelope Valley, Long Beach, Reseda and Northridge. Please call us for alcohol or drug treatment at 800-996-1051 or contact us here.

Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County and Orange County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley, and in Santa Ana.

Employers often face the consequences of a worker abusing alcohol or drugs.  Low productivity slows business and, at worst, negative behavior of the employee can cause the loss of business from important clients.  Commonly, the alcoholic or drug addicted employee has talents that leave the employer debating whether it is worth paying for alcohol or drug treatment.  According to a study recently published by the American Psychiatric Association the answer is probably yes.  The conclusion shown below states that employees who are mandated to alcohol and drug treatment experience a more successful recovery than those who admit themselves.

Of course each business will weigh the financial benefits that would result from this investment.  Work time lost and money spent are considerations.  But hiring a replacement could almost equal that investment, and his or her performance is unknown.

On the other hand, if alcohol dependence or drug addiction is the only cause of bad performance by an employee, then alcohol or drug detox, treatment and recovery is the optimum solution.  It is likely that the recovered employee will improve on positive performance areas as well as those that suffered due to substance abuse.

Businesses with employee substance abuse problems should review this study and consider mandating alcohol and drug treatment.  Good employees are often hard to find, whether the economy is good or bad.  And since the alcoholic and drug addicted employee may only need short-term residential or outpatient treatment, business can improve and a life may be saved.

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OBJECTIVE: This study examined the role of workplace mandates to chemical dependency treatment in treatment adherence, alcohol and drug abstinence, severity of employment problems, and severity of psychiatric problems.

METHODS: The sample included 448 employed members of a private, nonprofit U.S. managed care health plan who entered chemical dependency treatment with a workplace mandate (N=75) or without one (N=373); 405 of these individuals were followed up at one year (N=70 and N=335, respectively), and 362 participated in a five-year follow up (N=60 and N=302, respectively). Propensity scores predicting receipt of a workplace mandate were calculated. Logistic regression and ordinary least-squares regression were used to predict length of stay in chemical dependency treatment, alcohol and drug abstinence, and psychiatric and employment problem severity at one and five years.

RESULTS: Overall, participants with a workplace mandate had one- and five-year outcomes similar to those without such a mandate. Having a workplace mandate also predicted longer treatment stays and improvement in employment problems. When other factors related to outcomes were controlled for, having a workplace mandate predicted abstinence at one year, with length of stay as a mediating variable.

CONCLUSIONS: Workplace mandates can be an effective mechanism for improving work performance and other outcomes. Study participants who had a workplace mandate were more likely than those who did not have a workplace mandate to be abstinent at follow-up, and they did as well in treatment, both short and long term. Pressure from the workplace likely gets people to treatment earlier and provides incentives for treatment adherence.

-- Full Study Source: http://psychservices.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/abstract/60/5/646 --

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles makes a daily effort to find treatment news articles that we can share with our readers in the alcohol and drug treatment community.  The external content was found among other articles of equal informational and educational quality.

April, 2009 marks the 22nd year of Alcohol Awareness Month.  

Tarzana Treatment Centers is participating with a series of articles meant to inform and educate the general public about alcohol abuse, dependence and treatment.  Considering that over 21 million Americans meet the criteria for alcohol abuse and over 53 million admit to past-month binge drinking, not to mention the many loved ones affected by each, our efforts are worthwhile.

The percentages of women who enter alcohol treatment and remain through completion are lower than for men.  Reasons for the difference appear to revolve around family and security.

Alcohol dependent mothers may know they need detox and treatment.  But some do not have the resources or family to provide child care in a time of absence.  Also, depression and false sense of reality due to alcoholism creates fear in leaving children with even the most trusted family members.

Many women with alcohol problems have histories that could make them feel uncomfortable in a coed treatment setting.  The distraction of discomfort, and inability to share feelings freely, makes treatment less effective and is a major reason for early discharges.

Tarzana Treatment Centers offers women-only treatment, including a facility for women and children.  As noted in the report excerpt below from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration this helps women enter treatment and complete it, leading to better lives for our patients and their children.

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Child Care Services

Most studies that evaluated the effectiveness of providing child care services to female clients in substance abuse treatment examined services for children living with their mothers in a residential treatment program. In one clinical trial, females who lived with their children in therapeutic community treatment programs remained in treatment significantly longer (mean length of stay [LOS] = 300 days) than females whose children were placed with caretakers (mean LOS = 102 days) (Hughes et al., 1995). Less rigorous studies also found that program changes enabling women to bring their children into residential treatment were associated with increased LOS (e.g., Stevens, Arbiter, & Glider, 1989; Wobie, Eyler, Conlon, Clarke, & Behnke, 1997). One study found that measures of depression were lower and measures of self-esteem were higher for females whose infants accompanied them to the treatment facility compared with females who did not have their infants in the treatment facility (Wobie et al., 1997). This study suggested that the earlier a mother's infant resides with her in the treatment setting, the longer the mother will stay in treatment.

Women-Only Treatment

Using a nonrandomized design, Grella and colleagues (1999) found that females treated in publicly funded women-only residential treatment programs in Los Angeles reported they had more problems, such as mental health issues and substance severity, than females at mixed-gender programs. However, the clients in women-only programs actually spent more time in treatment and were more than twice as likely to complete treatment than females in mixed-gender programs. In contrast, programs that treat male and female clients together are less able to attract and retain especially vulnerable females, such as lesbian women, women with a history of physical or sexual violence, women who have worked as prostitutes, and single parents (Copeland & Hall, 1992; Fullilove, Lown, & Fullilove, 1992; Grella, 1997; Pottieger, Inciardi, & Tressell, 1996).

-- Source: http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/WomenTX/WomenTX.htm#2.4.1 –

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles makes a daily effort to find treatment news articles that we can share with our readers in the alcohol and drug treatment community.  The external content was found among other articles of equal informational and educational quality.

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles, California knows that the bad economy has had a negative effect on everyone.  Tough financial times are especially difficult for alcoholics and drug addicts.  Those who have recovered from alcoholism and drug addiction are at risk for relapse.  Also, many others will notice that they are using more alcohol or drugs to relieve the stresses of a bad economy.

The current economic crisis is a classic example of a relapse trigger for those in recovery.  An alcoholic may be sober for several years, going to AA meetings, using the tools of recovery, and enjoying good relationships with family and friends.  Economic conditions that may result in a lay-off, delinquent bills, foreclosure, or other financial problems can lead to a feeling of “what’s the use” and a drink.  For an alcoholic, that one drink is like medicine that cures all problems, naturally leading to many more drinks.

Using substances for relief is a clear sign of trouble for people in recovery, but denial of reality sets in quickly.  Knowing that alcohol or drugs led them to personal destruction before sobriety is not always enough to overcome the perceived benefits they currently bring.  Alcohol and drug use will most likely be hidden to avoid confrontations with family, friends, and co-workers, so changes in behavior may be the only clues that relapse has occurred.  

These problems can also affect people who control their drinking, take drugs as prescribed by a doctor, and have rarely or never used illegal drugs like marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin.  The diseases of alcoholism and drug addiction do not always take hold upon first use.  A life event usually triggers the use of substances for relief.  The discovery of this dramatic relief from overwhelming stress is quickly related to substance use by the addict and alcoholic brain, which leads to cravings and then dependence.  This process usually occurs early in adulthood, but can at any time.

In most of these cases increased alcohol or drug use is waved off as being needed to get through the current crisis.  Family and friends will usually go along with it for some time because they don’t know bigger problems may be ahead.  Most of the time, though, loved ones notice there is a problem before the alcoholic and drug addict.  So risking an argument for the sake of a better future can at least bring awareness to the individual.

Both groups described above should seek alcohol or drug treatment, and medical detoxification if necessary, at the earliest signs of abuse and dependence.  The temporary relief of alcohol and drugs do not make the problem go away.  Problems will worsen and mount as long as they are ignored.  The short-term investment in alcohol or drug treatment now will pave the way for a better future.

Southern California Locations for Alcohol and Drug Treatment
Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County and Orange County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley, and in Santa Ana.

April, 2009 marks the 22nd year of Alcohol Awareness Month.  

Tarzana Treatment Centers is participating with a series of articles meant to inform and educate the general public about alcohol abuse, dependence and treatment.  Considering that over 21 million Americans meet the criteria for alcohol abuse and over 53 million admit to past-month binge drinking, not to mention the many loved ones affected by each, our efforts are worthwhile.

Recovery from alcohol dependence is not easy.  In fact, very few of those in alcohol treatment will get sober and stay sober on their first attempt.  In most cases there will be at least one relapse into drinking before long-term recovery is achieved.  But for the “chronic relapser”, those who can’t seem to maintain any long-term sobriety, there is an answer called Medication Assisted Treatment.

Alcoholism is a body and mind disease, and cravings for alcohol are a major reason for relapse.  These cravings are strong throughout the early days of recovery from alcohol and tend to diminish in time, but they are a lifelong burden for an alcoholic.  

Naltrexone is one medication used to fight alcohol cravings by blocking the pleasure centers stimulated by alcohol use.  With no euphoric effect from alcohol use, there is no craving associated for the alcohol dependent brain and body.  In an alcohol treatment setting, this removes a major distraction so patients can concentrate on recovery once alcohol detox has cleansed the body.  

Vivitrol, the injectable form of Naltrexone, is offered as part of the treatment program at Tarzana Treatment Centers.  With each injection lasting 30 days on timed release, patients can focus on treatment of the mind instead of the body, and are less likely to leave treatment early and drink.

CNN.com posted a story about Medication Assisted Treatment on 4/15/09.  Some excerpts are below.  

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"It's like a little kid wanting a piece of candy. You see it, you want the taste of it." He closes his eyes and sniffs the air, remembering the feeling. "You can be by yourself, and all of a sudden get even a hint of alcohol, just the smell of it, and say, 'Oh, I need a drink.' That sensation is not something you can get rid of."

But today, Kent isn't tempted in the least. He says the credit goes to a prescription medication -- a pill called naltrexone.  It's part of a new generation of anti-addiction drugs that may turn the world of rehab on its head.
…
Among the findings that are causing excitement:
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• A federally funded study known as COMBINE compared cognitive-behavioral therapy alone with therapy along with naltrexone. Patients receiving both were more likely to stay abstinent and drank less if they did relapse.

These findings highlight what's become increasingly clear: Addiction is a brain disease, not just a failure of willpower. Naltrexone and topiramate have slightly different mechanisms, but both seem to block the release of brain chemicals that are linked to pleasure and excitement. Unlike earlier drugs used to treat alcoholics, neither is addictive or carries significant side effects.

-- Source: http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/04/15/addiction.cold.turkey.pill/index.html --

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles makes a daily effort to find treatment news articles that we can share with our readers in the alcohol and drug treatment community.  The external content was found among other articles of equal informational and educational quality.