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by James Heller
1. May 2013 09:25
Statistics from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health have confirmed our concerns about prescription drug use. With prescription painkillers (opiates and opioids like Vicodin and Oxycontin) becoming more difficult to obtain, individuals addicted to them are switching to heroin. If you are considering a change like this, we would like to offer an alternative solution that could lead to a better life for you and your family; Methadone Maintenance.
The amount of first-time heroin users had almost doubled from 2007 to 2011. A large part of the increase is due to crossover addicts who previously used prescription drugs. These drugs are quite effective when they are used as prescribed, and if use ceases in the short term. But they are also highly addictive, so it is not uncommon for patients to “doctor shop” or to obtain them illegally when their physician stops prescribing them.
The demand for illegally sold pain killers exploded about a decade ago when they became popular with teens and young adults. Doctors were also prescribing drugs like Vicodin (Hydrocodone) for simple headaches, when it is meant for the relief of more serious pains. When the US Drug Enforcement Administration discovered the flood of illegal opiates on the streets, they started imposing regulations to stem the tide.
As the supply shrank, addicts still needed their opiate fixes. So many of them have turned to heroin because it is easier to find and it’s cheaper. The bad news for them, though, is that they get more shackled into their addiction instead of taking the cue to get help. Many of them have tried to detox several times, but opiate cravings are so strong that they fail every time. So they hopelessly feel that they have no choice but to live a drug-addicted life.
There is hope. Tarzana Treatment Centers provides Methadone Maintenance treatment for qualified individuals who have not been successful in achieving long-term abstinence from opiates. Our services are tailored specifically to those who want to recover from prescription painkiller and heroin addiction. While Methadone treatments reduce your cravings for opiates, our addiction counselors guide you to a comfort level that will enable you to approach abstinence with confidence. When you are ready, you can begin our Medical Detoxification program.
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.
by James Heller
22. January 2013 15:29
Tarzana Treatment Centers has been providing Methadone in opiate detox treatment for decades, and we later added Maintenance as a service. Patients in our medical detoxification units are closely monitored by medical staff to ensure their safety. And our Methadone Maintenance program includes addiction counseling. Our goal is to lead you to a life free from all opiates.
Heroin and prescription drug addiction are difficult to overcome. The sad fact is that most opiate addicts that complete treatment will relapse several times, and they may never achieve long-term abstinence. While they are high, there is always a chance that harm will come to them or their loved ones. So the important task is to help them to live without the high.
Methadone can do this by reducing the cravings associated with opiate addiction. It provides addicts with a “narcotic replacement” that does not include the high. Methadone can remain in the body for up to 60 hours, so clients receive doses at the treatment center daily or every two days. It’s because of the long half-life that doses need to be monitored. Methadone overdoses occur when clients take a second dose, thinking the first has cleared because they don’t feel a high, and can be fatal.
When abstinence is the goal, the first course of action should be medical detoxification followed by residential or outpatient treatment. Some addicts will remain clean after one treatment episode. Others may need two or three. The discovery has not yet been made where one can tell who will relapse before treatment begins. A few attempts are made with opiate detox before looking at Maintenance as an option.
We ensure the safety of our detox and Maintenance patients by monitoring their health and by providing a roadmap to long-term abstinence. We work to move clients from Maintenance to detox when they are ready. Methadone treatment is covered by most insurance plans, and you may qualify for Medi-Cal, Medicare, or one of our other publicly funded programs. We want to see everybody recover.
Telemedicine services are also available with online medical care, online mental health treatment, and online alcohol and drug treatment.
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.
by James Heller
8. November 2012 15:03
Heroin is in a special class of drugs that are highly addictive and very difficult to quit using. Opiates and opioids can spark an addiction with just one use, due to cravings that make the user want more. So an effort to reduce opiate cravings in early recovery makes sense to boost chances of long-term abstinence.
Tarzana Treatment Centers provides Vivitrol for heroin and other opiate craving reduction. Upon successful completion of our medical detoxification program, patients can begin Vivitrol treatment. Vivitrol is Naltrexone in the form of a monthly injection. You don’t need to think about how to reduce opiate cravings anymore, and the treatment is convenient.
The disease of addiction includes psycho-social symptoms that are commonly at the core of an individual’s substance use. Proper treatment of these issues can take some time, so counseling is always recommended after medical detoxification. It is very important for patients to remain as focused as possible on treatment so they can begin to see the benefits of recovery.
Heroin creates a stronger craving than most prescription pain killers, which have varying effects depending on the drug and person. Even so, any opiate craving is a distraction to treatment and can easily send a newly recovering person to relapse. With Vivitrol, patients can explore the issues that make them abuse heroin and painkillers in a more effective mindset. They are less likely to leave treatment early, and more likely to remain drug free for a longer period of time.
Please contact us today even if you question your ability to afford treatment. Tarzana Treatment Centers accepts Medicare, Medi-Cal, and other health care assistance programs.
Telemedicine services are also available with online medical care, online mental health treatment, and online alcohol and drug treatment.
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.
by James Heller
25. October 2012 09:39
Heroin use opens the door to many dangers. The consequences range from internal health issues, to suffering through an addiction, and to the harm addicts can cause to others. Many addicts go through a cycle of treatment and relapse, several times, and can’t seem to get clean. Methadone Maintenance can help these individuals avoid harm by reducing opiate cravings and keeping them from using heroin.
Tarzana Treatment Centers provides Methadone Maintenance treatment for qualified individuals suffering from heroin addiction. As part of our Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) program, we will assign you with an addiction counselor and work with you to achieve the goal of total abstinence.
Heroin is an opioid. This synthetic opiate is highly addictive so there are very few casual heroin users. Once hooked, individuals need higher and more frequent doses to get the high that they desire. Using the drug damages vital organs in the body, like the liver, and weakens the immune system. When needles are shared among addicts, they also risk contracting HIV and other blood borne pathogens.
Heroin addicts that don’t get help eventually can’t work. This can lead to homelessness and possible criminal activity, which affects all of society. The problem is that the addiction doesn’t go away on its own. Until heroin addicts get help, they will do whatever they feel is necessary to satisfy the heroin addiction. The trick is to help them get off of the drug and stay off of it.
Methadone Maintenance is a Narcotic Replacement Therapy (NRT). Methadone reduces the opiate cravings that heroin addicts experience when they are not using heroin. It doesn’t get patients high, but it satisfies the need they feel for the drug. Administered properly, as it is at Tarzana Treatment Centers, patients can begin treatment without the distraction of cravings and begin the journey to abstinence. With no need for heroin, the risk of these addicts causing harm to themselves or others is greatly reduced.
Telemedicine services are also available with online medical care, online mental health treatment, and online alcohol and drug treatment.
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.
by James Heller
16. October 2012 11:50
When individuals suffer from addiction and co-occurring mental health disorders, treatment for both becomes a challenge. This is largely due to the double impact of alcohol or drug cravings compounded by a desire to feel “normal”. If the cravings are reduced to a level where they are no longer a trigger, this can greatly improve chances for successful therapy.
Tarzana Treatment Centers has found success in treating dual diagnosis sufferers with Vivitrol. This monthly Naltrexone injection reduces cravings for alcohol or opiates, like heroin or prescription drugs. Patients eligible for Vivitrol treatment have experienced longer terms of sobriety, making therapy more effective.
Substance use and mental health disorders can be difficult to treat on their own. When they co-occur with an individual, both need to be treated as primary problems. Each disorder will work against treatment of the other. So treatment must be equally focused on both disorders or patients will almost certainly fall into a cycle of chronic relapses. They must remain sober and clear-headed during therapy and, at the same time, resist the psychological urge to self-medicate with alcohol or drugs.
Providing medications to treat mental health disorders only works as long as patients are willing to take them. Even if they do take them and begin to feel better, they may decide that they can handle a drink or go back to using drugs. Relapses hinder therapy for mental health disorders because patients might disappear for some time or, at least, they won’t be able to focus on the core issues that make them abuse alcohol or opiates.
Vivitrol is highly effective in this area due to the fact that it only needs to be administered once every 30 days. Patients don’t need to think about it. And, once they get the injection, they can’t decide to stop taking it after a few days. A window of 30 days is open to the patient and therapist where they can make great strides in the work they need to do. And when patients see progress in those 30 days, they are more likely to continue with the monthly injections.
Tarzana Treatment Centers has seen patients achieve several months of sobriety and improved lives after Vivitrol treatment, when they had previously struggled to stay clean and sober for only a couple of weeks. Please contact us today for more information.
Telemedicine services are also available with online medical care, online mental health treatment, and online alcohol and drug treatment.
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.
by James Heller
5. September 2012 14:10
If you consider that there are an estimated 22 million Americans with a drug or alcohol problem, you might assume that doctors regularly diagnose and treat them. Reality is, though, that most doctors have never been trained to in addiction treatment, and usually treat only the symptoms of the disease. Fortunately, some new treatments involving medications may change this sad situation.
One big problem with alcoholism and drug addiction is that so many medical problems result from them. Substance abuse negatively affects different parts of the body, depending on the drug being used. Alcohol abuse, without exaggeration, harms every cell in the body. To the untrained in addiction medicine, the symptoms of these abuses might appear as primary problems, only requiring common treatments. For example, a doctor may prescribe specialized medication for a bleeding ulcer and schedule a follow-up visit.
Another problem with addiction is that alcoholics and drug addicts are not quick to admit their problems. Even if a doctor asks about drinking and drug use habits, these patients will minimize or deny it. Short of the patient arriving at 9:00am and smelling of alcohol, or having injection track marks up and down their arms, untrained doctors will not see a reason to investigate. The answer is often accepted as true and the doctor looks to heal the symptom.
The result is that alcoholics and drug addicts get temporary relief from negative symptoms of their disease, but don’t receive, at the very least, guidance from their doctors on how to prevent them in the future. The worst result is that people die every day from the negative effects of alcoholism and drug addiction. Most of them could have been saved had they been given early treatment for the primary disease of addiction.
According to this article, there is possible good news on the horizon. There is an effort to attract doctors to the addiction treatment field, and to promote addiction medicine as a recognized subspecialty. Medical treatment and new prescription drugs are proving to be effective means of helping addicts to recover. Counseling for the psycho-social aspects of the disease is still important, but detox and craving reduction medications, like Vivitrol, have become very beneficial in the early days of recovery.
Tarzana Treatment Centers provides Vivitrol treatment for alcohol and opiate craving reduction, for example. This follows medical detoxification, which is important to avoid the severe effects of withdrawals. We have seen some great success stories from patients who previously struggled with relapse after their first Vivitrol injection.
Imagine if doctors could diagnose addiction from the symptoms they normally treat. They could make a referral to a detox facility, followed with Vivitrol for eligible patients, and maybe residential or outpatient treatment. Patients tend to listen to doctors more than they would even to their most beloved family members. Hopefully, the effort mentioned above can spread so more of those who suffer can get the treatment they need.
Telemedicine services are also available with online medical care, online mental health treatment, and online alcohol and drug treatment.
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.
by James Heller
31. July 2012 09:45
Since the sap of the opium poppy was first used to craft a remedy for pain and discomfort, it has been observed as being both helpful and harmful. Opioids can get patients through the worst of serious physical maladies, and then turn them into struggling addicts. Withdrawal symptoms from opioids can be severe, so this often drives addicts to continue using the drugs long after they are medically necessary.
Tarzana Treatment Centers provides Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) options for individuals suffering from opioid addiction. Medical detoxification works with the body to slowly taper off of opioids until it is cleansed. Methadone Maintenance is meant for individuals who have suffered multiple relapse, and helps to reduce opioid cravings. Both opioid withdrawal treatment methods are meant to help you achieve long-term abstinence.
Patients are regularly prescribed opioid medications like Vicodin, Oxycodone, and Morphine to manage pain ranging from headaches to broken bones. These medications are very effective and highly addictive, so they are meant to be used for a short period of time. The addiction can set in so rapidly, though, that the brain will trick the body into thinking the medication is still needed for “pain relief”. With further use, the body becomes opioid dependent.
Opioids have been manufactured legally and illegally, for medicinal and recreational use, for over a century. Heroin is notorious for being extremely addictive. Once provided as a legal medication, it is now one of the most damaging drugs sold illegally on the street. The opioid withdrawal symptoms from heroin are so intense that, some say, you can become addicted with one use. Heroin is once again gaining popularity among teens and young adults, and is reaching across all social and financial circles.
A very small percentage of opioid addicts can “kick” the drug without medical assistance. Successful opioid withdrawal treatment requires MAT to minimize the risk of relapse. The goal must be complete abstinence. Treating the withdrawal symptoms is only a part of the battle, though. Quality treatment, like at Tarzana Treatment Centers, also includes counseling and an option for Vivitrol in aftercare treatment.
Telemedicine services are also available with online medical care, online mental health treatment, and online alcohol and drug treatment.
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.
by James Heller
2. July 2012 15:03
Motivation for recovery can change in an instant for alcoholics and opiate addicts. They’ll say they want Vivitrol treatment to reduce cravings and help them focus on treatment. The addict brain then does everything it can to change that decision. Because of this, Tarzana Treatment Centers makes every effort to speed the process from decision to Vivitrol injection.
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“Collaboration between substance abuse treatment providers and primary care physicians and clinicians on behalf of alcohol-dependent individuals is key to obtaining the best treatment outcomes for this chronic, relapsing disease.”
-- Source: http://wwwtest.adp.ca.gov/Pressroom/News/Focus/June2012/INDEX.html#feat1 --
Patients must be assessed for Vivitrol treatment by qualified medical personnel. Tarzana Treatment Centers’ alcohol and drug treatment program has licensed medical professionals on staff daily. This minimizes the time between decision and assessment. Every step like this toward getting the actual injection helps a patient to resist thoughts suggesting to not go through with the decision.
Vivitrol is available by prescription only, which is the next step toward injection. Our daily staff of medical personnel includes licensed prescribers. This minimizes another possible waiting period, and may even eliminate it if the assessor and prescriber is the same person. The only step left is to receive the Vivitrol injection, and we keep a stock ready for new patients.
Collaboration between providers is easy at Tarzana Treatment Centers because they all work in the same facility and use the same software to track patient care. Nobody can promise that you will get a Vivitrol injection the same day you make the decision, but we make it possible.
Telemedicine services are also available with online medical care, online mental health treatment, and online alcohol and drug treatment.
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.
by James Heller
22. June 2012 07:37
When life and financial situations take a turn for the worst, most people do what they can to support themselves until they can get back on their feet. Others don’t have much of a personal safety net and enroll in public assistance programs. Some turn to alcohol or drugs as an escape and become dependent. In these cases, addiction can make for a long road back to a normal life.
Two factors that keep alcoholics and heroin addicts from achieving long-term recovery are money and cravings. They think they can’t afford treatment, so they don’t bother calling a facility. If they do get into treatment and complete medical detoxification, they may relapse shortly thereafter because the cravings are so powerful. Many of these individuals give up if a loved one doesn’t inform them of the options that are available.
Tarzana Treatment Centers has solutions for both barriers to recovery. It is likely that you qualify for public assistance if you are out of work and can’t afford treatment. We can get you started with detox right away under low-cost and no-cost public contracts. Alcohol and drug treatment is covered by Cal-WORKs and Medicare, along with several other programs. The goal of these programs is to help you get clean and sober so you can get back on your feet.
Since cravings may cause relapse, we also encourage the use of Vivitrol for qualified patients. Vivitrol blocks receptors in the brain to reduce alcohol and opiate cravings, and works for 30 days with one injection. We have low-cost and no-cost treatment contracts for Vivitrol, and can get you started when you are ready to discharge from detox.
If you are using alcohol or drugs, and are suffering some tough financial times, the only guarantee is that things will get worse. Today is the day to get started, and Tarzana Treatment Centers has you covered.
Telemedicine services are also available with online medical care, online mental health treatment, and online alcohol and drug treatment.
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.
by James Heller
15. June 2012 13:09
Opiates are highly addictive and either controlled or illegal. This combination of factors most often leads to increasing doses, which can cause the loss of employment, financial issues, and engagement in criminal activity. Opiates, like heroin, are often administered intravenously, which also increases the risk of infection with HIV, hepatitis, and other blood-borne pathogens. So there is a great risk of harm for those who find abstinence-only treatment difficult to maintain.
Because opiate addiction impacts the addicted individual and society in the way described above, the treatment approach must include more than the traditional detox-to-abstinence model. Abstinence should always be the ultimate goal. The road to abstinence, though, may require a period of Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) using Methadone Maintenance. This could be a lifesaving step in the recovery process for many opiate addicts.
Methadone Maintenance has been proven effective as a “harm reduction” treatment method. The linked paper below shows the true and positive effects of Methadone Maintenance. The fact is that this form of treatment reduces health risks, crime, unemployment, and improves treatment outcomes for individuals who previously believed they had no hope of breaking their addiction cycle.
Tarzana Treatment Centers offers Methadone Maintenance to qualified individuals. During this MAT treatment, our clients also undergo addiction counseling to help them on the road to abstinence. We added this Narcotic Replacement Therapy (NRT) to our services because we want all addicts to have a chance to survive and recover. Many opiate addicts are motivated for recovery, but they can’t get past the opiate cravings that drag them back to using again. We keep them in treatment.
Telemedicine services are also available with online medical care, online mental health treatment, and online alcohol and drug treatment.
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.
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