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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
14. February 2013 10:36
Cravings are among the most powerful triggers faced by anyone completing opiate detox. The combined force of a psychological need for the drug and chemical reactions in the addict brain makes them at least a distraction and, at worst, a cause for relapse. Whether drug cravings are mild or strong, reduction of them is a good aid to relapse prevention in early recovery.
Tarzana Treatment Centers provides Vivitrol injections for eligible alcohol and drug treatment patients. We have been doing this for several years, and are very pleased with the results so far. Since the beginning, we have interviewed our Vivitrol treatment patients who had been in and out of rehab facilities. Almost all of them reported that the reduced cravings improved their treatment experience and it has lengthened recovery times.
To the unfamiliar, cravings may not seem so threatening. After all, if your mouth waters for a bag of french fries, you can probably enjoy the feeling and forget about it after a few seconds. Addiction doesn’t allow the forgetting, though, and opiate cravings don’t go away easily. Imagine waking up with a craving for french fries and having it with you all day long, knowing that if you eat one fry you won’t be able to stop eating more of them.
Opiate addicts often complete medical detoxification and will go straight to their dealers or doctors to satisfy cravings. Even if they have a safe place to go for treatment, and know very well that they are making a mistake, they get drawn back into the dark world of addiction. The obsession to “feel better” is just too great.
Monthly Vivitrol injections during the first months of recovery free the mind to receive drug treatment and work on core issues. More clean time means more life issues get resolved. So, even if a relapse occurs, the road back to recovery becomes much shorter and recovery times extend. As clean time accumulates, the sense of accomplishment also helps to encourage remaining in recovery. All of this means that Vivitrol is a solution for a great threat to a drug addict’s recovery.
Vivitrol is covered by Medicare and Medi-Cal. So please call even if you are concerned about funding.
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. 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
15. October 2012 11:56
What is Vivitrol?
Vivitrol is a monthly injection of Naltrexone that is FDA approved for alcohol and opiate craving reduction. This treatment reduces your risk of relapse by minimizing one of the major triggers that can lead you back to drinking or using drugs. By clearing the mind of cravings, Vivitrol enables you to focus on treatment and the core issues you need to process. All of this enhances your chance to achieve long-term recovery.
How much does Vivitrol cost?
The best answer to this is: Call us to find out.
As is the case with many medications, it is difficult to provide a solid price in a blog article. How much you pay for Vivitrol at Tarzana Treatment Centers depends on whether you have health care coverage and from which funding source. If you search websites for a price you will see prices varying by over $1000, which does you no good.
Tarzana Treatment Centers accepts Medicare and Medi-Cal for Vivitrol treatment, and other public health programs may pay for it. Also, there are rebate programs that come and go, so it would be irresponsible to publish a set price for individuals who opt to pay cash for the treatment.
What are the side effects of Vivitrol?
The most up-to-date list of side effects can be found on the Home page of the Vivitrol website at http://www.vivitrol.com. It is important for you and your primary care physician to know these facts because, like many helpful medications, you may not be in a position to take Vivitrol.
At Tarzana Treatment Centers, no patients have suffered severe side effects. Minor injection site pain is often reported, along with other minor side effects. They also report that these effects dissipate in a day or two. We’ve also had patients who report no negative side effects at all. It needs to be noted that the great majority of patients starting Vivitrol treatment get their first injection following medical detoxification. So the body is going through changes that can cause pangs of one form or another anyway.
More Questions?
Please contact us today. We will be happy to answer your questions so you or your loved one can get the treatment needed.
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
11. September 2012 08:08
Early recovery from alcoholism and drug addiction is difficult for mothers with small children and infants, especially single mothers in lower income households. You can’t focus on your recovery while taking care of a child, and may not be able to afford the child care that would provide you with the necessary quiet time. When child care and Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) are a part of treatment in early recovery, though, your chances of achieving long-term sobriety are much better.
Tarzana Treatment Centers provides alcohol and drug treatment services for women with children. We have two facilities in Long Beach and Tarzana where mothers can get the treatment they need, with child day care available. Vivitrol treatment is also available for eligible patients being treated for alcoholism and opiate addiction.
When individuals begin a life of sobriety, everything changes. Routines need to change, diets, friends, and even family relationships. These aren’t all big changes, necessarily. But they all require a certain amount of focus, and that means that daily “alone time” is needed. Any single mother can tell you that this is nearly impossible without an outside hand, which is not always available. Unfortunately, this means that many single mothers relapse early in recovery and often give up on the hope for a sober life.
Some would say that if these moms would put their children in child care, treatment would work better for them. But even if the mother can afford child day care, she needs to rebuild broken bonds. That’s difficult to do when there is a physical separation. So it is a great benefit when mom and child can experience treatment together. At Tarzana Treatment Centers our goal is to provide a temporary home for them. In some cases, it is the best environment that the child has ever experienced.
Alcohol cravings and opiate cravings are major relapse triggers, and require a great deal of strength and motivation to overcome. These cravings can get in the way of bonding efforts between mothers in recovery and their children. For those who are eligible, Vivitrol is an alcohol and opiate craving reduction medication that Tarzana Treatment Centers provides after medical detoxification. With cravings out of the way, mom can focus more on her recovery and relationship with her children.
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
29. August 2012 14:05
The various aspects of alcoholism and opiate addiction happen faster for women. Because of this, extra factors need to be considered when providing treatment for women, especially when children are involved. Many of these factors can be minimized by including Vivitrol in alcohol and drug treatment for women.
The female human body processes alcohol and opiates differently than the male counterpart. It takes lower quantities and less time for intoxication to occur, withdrawals appear faster and stronger, and dependence and “hitting bottom” appear sooner to the first use. Social factors, coupled with alcohol or opiate cravings, can also make resisting relapse much more difficult.
Alcohol and opiate cravings are major relapse triggers for both men and women suffering addiction. But women commonly face social situations that involve peer pressure, predators, and even violence that invite relapse. While these situations and other forms of stress may be difficult to avoid, craving reduction can reduce the chance that a relapse will occur.
Tarzana Treatment Centers provides Vivitrol for alcohol and opiate craving reduction. Alcoholics, heroin, and prescription painkiller addicts relapse in large part due to cravings. By removing this trigger, women can better focus on core issues that keep them drinking or using drugs. It also takes away the added pressure to drink or use in social situations.
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
20. August 2012 08:30
At Tarzana Treatment Centers, our goal is to provide healthcare to anyone in need. One of the services we are known for is alcohol and drug treatment, which includes Vivitrol treatment. This monthly Naltrexone injection reduces alcohol and opiate cravings and is covered by Medi-Cal. Many who once felt hopeless are now in recovery and improving their lives.
We take pride in the fact that we help thousands of individuals, from all walks of life, every year. Far too many have lost jobs and family, and have no health care coverage other than Medi-Cal. Alcohol or drugs have dragged them into a world of despair. A number of them will suffer multiple relapses because, even if they enjoy being sober, cravings lead them back to alcohol, heroin, or prescription pain killers.
The road back to treatment gets longer every time an alcoholic or a drug addict relapses. When finances, legal issues, or relationships are a problem, the addicted mind will make them think that alcohol and drugs are the only answer. So when they complete treatment, any craving for alcohol or their drug of choice threatens sobriety. Constant relapses eat away at confidence, and convince them that there is no use in trying to improve their lives.
Medi-Cal has approved coverage for Vivitrol treatment at Tarzana Treatment Centers to help this group of individuals, among others. Vivitrol takes cravings out of the picture during treatment, allowing patients to focus on core issues that keep them drinking and using drugs. Once they get past the false belief that they don’t deserve better, it is more likely that they will want to take better care of themselves. This gives them a better chance at long-term recovery and an improved life.
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
17. August 2012 08:24
For those eligible for Medicare and Medi-Cal most healthcare expenses are fully covered. This can be very good news for those who suffer from alcoholism or prescription pain killer addiction. At Tarzana Treatment Centers, we provide Vivitrol treatment services so they can begin the process of recovery without cravings that can lead to relapse.
Vivitrol is Naltrexone, administered monthly by injection. After medical detoxification for alcohol or opiates, if necessary, Vivitrol reduces cravings for these drugs. Alcohol and opiate cravings are major triggers for relapse during the early months of recovery. Craving reduction removes distractions, which improves chances at long-term sobriety.
Medicare is the Federal program that covers seniors and seriously disabled individuals. Medi-Cal is the California state Medicaid program for people who meet low-income and asset requirements for eligibility. Those who qualify for both are known as “Medi-Medi” or “dual eligible”. Medicare is the primary coverage, and Medi-Cal provides secondary coverage. The combined coverage is important for many who might not otherwise be able to afford necessary treatment.
A growing number of seniors suffer from substance use disorders and many of them live on fixed incomes. Whether alcohol or drug abuse is the problem, their retirement years can be an emotional torture. Medi-Medi coverage for Vivitrol gives them the chance to enjoy the senior years without being bound by addiction.
An accident may cause a person to become disabled, for another example. If painkillers were prescribed for severe pain, this person will likely form an opiate dependence. No matter how innocent the circumstances, they are now a prescription drug addict. When the pain is gone, the addiction needs to be treated at some point. Vivitrol treatment at Tarzana Treatment Centers will aid in the recovery process, and allow for better focus on therapies for the original disability.
Please don’t hesitate to contact Tarzana Treatment Centers is you are Medi-Medi eligible and have a substance use disorder.
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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