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by James Heller
20. October 2010 13:05
Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles is thrilled at the news that the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Vivitrol for use in opioid addiction treatment. The evidence was clear to us that Vivitrol reduced opiate cravings, but the FDA went one step further in approving it for the “prevention of relapse to opioid dependence.” This means that we can finally say what we’ve also known for a long time; Vivitrol prevents relapse.
Tarzana Treatment Centers offers Vivitrol for alcohol treatment and opiate treatment as part of our Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) program. It is a Naltrexone injection taken monthly that reduces alcohol cravings and opiate cravings. This allows individuals in recovery to focus on addiction treatment, and offers a better chance at long-term recovery. For more information about the FDA approval and Vivitrol, click the link below for the press release by Vivitrol manufacturer, Alkermes.
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/alkermes-announces-fda-approval-of-vivitrolr-for-prevention-of-relapse-to-opioid-dependence-2010-10-12?reflink=MW_news_stmp
Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles provides a full array of health care services including adult and youth alcohol and drug treatment. We specialize in treatment for mental health and substance use disorders, and have two primary medical care clinics in the San Fernando Valley and Antelope Valley. If you or a loved one needs help with alcohol dependence, drug addiction, or co-occurring mental health disorders, 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.
by James Heller
10. September 2010 13:01
Even though the disease of addiction causes the same havoc for individuals regardless of the drug of choice, the road to prescription drug addiction often begins with innocent and legal use. For this group, they must first admit that they have a problem with drug addiction, and then seek treatment. Due to stigma and other factors, though, they may never seek treatment and sink deeper into addiction with more problems in tow. Thankfully, telemedicine is available so they can get treatment before they lose everything and everyone important to them.
Whether it’s with alcohol, cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana, heroin, or prescription drugs, addiction has similar symptoms that work together to destroy the lives of addicts and their loved ones. The difference is in where the addiction begins. Alcohol abuse and illegal drug abuse typically originate with individuals wanting to escape into the euphoria they provide. Even though many cases of adolescent drug abuse begin with prescription drugs these days, a higher-than-average percentage of individuals begin using them for legitimate and legal reasons.
Doctors often prescribe opiate pain killers for physical relief and benzodiazepines for emotional relief. This is good medicine in the short term. However, both types of drugs are highly addictive. Some formulations can take only a few days to cause physical dependence in patients. Dependence is caused by the need to relieve drug withdrawals along with the body experiencing drug tolerance. This means that with long term use, patients will feel ill if they don’t take it on a regular basis and need more of the drug to feel relief.
Since the drug taking routine is rooted in a reasonable need for relief, patients will continue using a drug with an assumed justification. Once they accept that prescription drug addiction treatment is needed, though, they tend to postpone it because they are either too busy or are afraid of having a stigma attached to them. Telemedicine can help them get the treatment they need without the time or stigma worry.
Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles provides telemedicine via video conference for prescription drug treatment. Patients can attend individual and group sessions from their home or office computer with a webcam and internet connection. Family members can also attend group sessions, even if they live out-of-state. By eliminating travel to a drug treatment center, online drug treatment saves patients’ time and minimizes the risk that others will discover they are in treatment.
Telemedicine at Tarzana Treatment Centers is not limited to addiction treatment. We also provide online mental health treatment and online medical care. Our goal is to see that those who need treatment can get it.
Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles provides a full array of health care services including adult and youth alcohol and drug treatment. We specialize in treatment for mental health and substance use disorders, and have two primary medical care clinics in the San Fernando Valley and Antelope Valley. If you or a loved one needs help with alcohol dependence, drug addiction, or co-occurring mental health disorders, 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.
by James Heller
9. September 2010 10:49
Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles offers several options for those seeking recovery from opiate dependence. Methadone Maintenance is a popular method that we offer for qualified individuals, as it has been successfully used for decades. We also provide Buprenorphine Maintenance and a 21 Day Outpatient Detox for those seeking alternate methods of Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT).
Methadone Maintenance has proven to be a safe method of harm reduction therapy for individuals suffering from opiate addictions that can’t seem to maintain abstinence. It gives them the opportunity to re-enter society and the workforce, and stop abusing heroin and a variety of prescription drugs. Our program does not simply medicate patients, though. We also provide counseling services so our clients can address the core issues of their addictions.
The term Medication Assisted Treatment covers methods of recovery that seek harm reduction or abstinence. Tarzana Treatment Centers recognizes that while opiate addicts suffer the same disease, they don’t all find recovery in the same manner. So we provide Buprenorphine Maintenance for those who don’t feel comfortable with Methadone as the medication to ease their opiate cravings.
For those seeking abstinence, we provide a 21 Day Outpatient Detox that includes Outpatient Addiction Counseling Treatment. This is a fine program for individuals who suffer from co-occurring mental health disorders that don’t feel comfortable in a residential environment. It is also suitable for those who are still employed and have family obligations. After successful detoxification, we can provide Naltrexone to qualified patients to reduce opiate cravings that may cause relapse.
If you would like more information about Methadone Maintenance or any of our MAT programs, please contact us by phone or email using the information below:
Phone: (818) 654-3939
Methadone Maintenance Hours: 6:00am to 7:00pm
Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles provides a full array of health care services including adult and youth alcohol and drug treatment. We specialize in treatment for mental health and substance use disorders, and have two primary medical care clinics in the San Fernando Valley and Antelope Valley. If you or a loved one needs help with alcohol dependence, drug addiction, or co-occurring mental health disorders, 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.
by James Heller
8. September 2010 13:02
Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles offers several options for those seeking recovery from opiate dependence. Methadone Maintenance is a popular method that we offer for qualified individuals, as it has been successfully used for decades. We also provide Buprenorphine Maintenance and a 21 Day Outpatient Detox for those seeking alternate methods of Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT).
Methadone Maintenance has proven to be a safe method of harm reduction therapy for individuals suffering from opiate addictions that can’t seem to maintain abstinence. It gives them the opportunity to re-enter society and the workforce, and stop abusing heroin and a variety of prescription drugs. Our program does not simply medicate patients, though. We also provide counseling services so our clients can address the core issues of their addictions.
If you would like more information about Methadone Maintenance, please contact us by phone or email using the information below:
Phone: (818) 654-3939
Hours: 6:00am - 7:00pm
To learn about our other Medication Assisted Treatment options, please continue reading below or go to the MAT category page.
Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles provides a full array of health care services including adult and youth alcohol and drug treatment. We specialize in treatment for mental health and substance use disorders, and have two primary medical care clinics in the San Fernando Valley and Antelope Valley. If you or a loved one needs help with alcohol dependence, drug addiction, or co-occurring mental health disorders, 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.
by James Heller
8. September 2010 12:18
Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles recognizes that while opiate addicts suffer the same disease, they don’t all find recovery in the same manner. So we provide Subutex Maintenance for those who don’t feel comfortable with Methadone as the medication to ease their opiate cravings. These harm reduction strategies are similar forms of Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT).
Subutex is buprenorphine, an opioid used primarily to treat heroin, prescription drug, and other opiate addictions. It can be used both for medical detoxification, and for harm reduction treatment in the form of Subutex Maintenance. And at Tarzana Treatment Centers, all of our Subutex patients receive addiction counseling in the course of their treatment. This greatly enhances their chances for long-term recovery from opiate dependence.
If you would like more information about Subutex Maintenance, please contact us by phone or email using the information below:
Phone: (818) 654-3939
Hours: 6:00am - 7:00pm
To learn about our other Medication Assisted Treatment options, please continue reading below or go to the MAT category page.
Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles provides a full array of health care services including adult and youth alcohol and drug treatment. We specialize in treatment for mental health and substance use disorders, and have two primary medical care clinics in the San Fernando Valley and Antelope Valley. If you or a loved one needs help with alcohol dependence, drug addiction, or co-occurring mental health disorders, 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.
by James Heller
8. September 2010 08:05
Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles offers inpatient and outpatient opiate detox programs. Medical detoxification plays a critical role in the journey to abstinence for those suffering from opiate dependence. Medication is used to minimize opiate withdrawal symptoms. Doses are tapered down to provide a safe detox with minimum discomfort. Our inpatient detox services are recommended for those suffering from acute heroin, prescription drug, and other opiate addiction.
We also provide a 21 Day Outpatient Detox that includes Outpatient addiction counseling treatment. This is a fine program for individuals who suffer from co-occurring mental health disorders that don’t feel comfortable in a residential environment. It is also suitable for those who are still employed and have family obligations.
If you would like more information about inpatient or outpatient opiate detox, please contact us by phone or email using the information below:
Phone: (818) 654-3939
To learn about our other Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) options, please continue reading below or go to the MAT category page.
Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles provides a full array of health care services including adult and youth alcohol and drug treatment. We specialize in treatment for mental health and substance use disorders, and have two primary medical care clinics in the San Fernando Valley and Antelope Valley. If you or a loved one needs help with alcohol dependence, drug addiction, or co-occurring mental health disorders, 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.
by James Heller
8. September 2010 07:27
One area of Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) proving to be effective at Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles is the use of non-narcotic medications for opiate craving reduction. Qualified individuals seeking abstinence from opiates may begin using these post-detox when the body is free of opiates. Vivitrol is one of these medications that has produced very good results and is helping many individuals on their journey to long-term recovery.
Vivitrol is Naltrexone that is taken by injection and remains effective for 30 days. Opiate cravings are reduced by Vivitrol, which means that a major relapse trigger is removed. This gives Vivitrol patients a much better opportunity to achieve long-term recovery, and helps them focus on drug addiction treatment. Vivitrol can be taken once or on a monthly basis, depending on an individual’s needs, and can also be used for alcohol craving reduction.
If you would like more information about Vivitrol for opiate craving reduction, please contact us by phone or email using the information below:
Phone: (818) 654-3939
To learn about our other Medication Assisted Treatment options, please continue reading below or go to the MAT category page.
Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles provides a full array of health care services including adult and youth alcohol and drug treatment. We specialize in treatment for mental health and substance use disorders, and have two primary medical care clinics in the San Fernando Valley and Antelope Valley. If you or a loved one needs help with alcohol dependence, drug addiction, or co-occurring mental health disorders, 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.
by James Heller
31. August 2010 14:55
Heroin addiction imprisons its victims in a world that seems inescapable, even after successful heroin detox treatment. Opiate cravings lead them to believe they can have “just a little” heroin since the body is cleansed. For many, outpatient heroin treatment helps them to avoid relapse by dealing with life issues. And for those who have work and family obligations, there is the option of online drug treatment via telemedicine.
Medical detoxification cleanses the body of alcohol and drugs, and is only the beginning of successful treatment. So the physical battle with heroin addiction may be over, but heroin cravings and psycho-social factors remain. The addicted brain sends a multitude of signals to the body, telling it that it either needs heroin to survive or that it won’t hurt to use a small amount. The signal offers a sense of relief from all the obsessive thoughts in the addict’s mind. Relapse is often the result.
Heroin treatment helps to ease the mental obsession for the drug, and get past the cravings. Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) may also help with opiate cravings. Residential treatment is very effective, and outpatient treatment works in many cases as well. Some individuals, though, may have time or travel hindrances that make it difficult to attend outpatient sessions regularly. For them, telemedicine is a welcomed solution.
As an example, a young male husband and parent is on his final two days of opiate detox. He desperately wants to change his life and enter treatment. He feels a need to get a job and support the family he had neglected, and declines residential treatment. While he is willing to enter outpatient treatment, he can’t afford the travel costs and worries that it will interfere with a new job. Without another option, he is likely to attempt recovery without treatment and is sure to relapse.
Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles offers telemedicine as another heroin treatment option. Our friend could attend regular individual and group sessions by video conference using a webcam and computer with internet access. Our TherapyLiveVisit application, powered by MDLiveCare, provides patients with a secure connection to our addiction treatment providers at affordable rates. We are also able to offer phone consultations for those without video conferencing equipment.
Telemedicine at Tarzana Treatment Centers is not limited to addiction treatment. We also provide online mental health treatment and online medical care. Our goal is to see that those who need treatment can get it.
Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles provides a full array of health care services including adult and youth alcohol and drug treatment. We specialize in treatment for mental health and substance use disorders, and have two primary medical care clinics in the San Fernando Valley and Antelope Valley. If you or a loved one needs help with alcohol dependence, drug addiction, or co-occurring mental health disorders, 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.
by James Heller
18. May 2010 13:48
Tolerance, as it relates to alcohol dependence and drug addiction, is often misunderstood by many in the general public. In the manner that drug and alcohol tolerance functions, it can be a safety mechanism to the body and, at the same time, deadly. This makes awareness of the subject critical for anyone who engages in alcohol abuse or drug abuse, as well as those in recovery.
It can easily be assumed that tolerance means that an individual can drink more alcohol without getting drunk, or handle drug use in a seemingly controlled manner. With this assumption comes the belief that these “abilities” are an example of the natural differences that exist from one individual to another. While this is partially true, the nature of alcohol and drug tolerance is much more complicated.
Alcohol tolerance is the example with which most people can relate. Consider the amount of alcohol you need to drink before you feel the effects, or “buzzed”. Let’s say this is 2 beers. If you drink 2 beers every day, over time you will feel less of an effect. If you want to feel the same effect, you must drink more alcohol. The amount of alcohol needed for the same feeling will continue to increase as you add more alcohol.
The same concept works with drugs. Alcohol abuse or drug abuse can result from tolerance since individuals will chase that feeling by drinking or using more on each occasion. If the cycle continues with regular daily alcohol or drug intake, the body can become physically dependent and alcoholism or drug addiction is the result.
On this road to addiction that we just followed, the brain has protected the body from overdose, with tolerance, by adjusting to the higher levels of substance use. This benefit of drug tolerance can become a dangerous consequence, though, for recovering individuals who relapse. The addicted brain still needs a large amount of drugs for an effect, but the body returns to a lower tolerance of what is essentially a poison.
At the time of first use on a relapse, the brain will dictate the most recent amount of drugs used to get a desired effect. If the formerly recovering addict is not careful, this amount can easily cause a drug overdose or even be fatal. Many drug addicts are not aware of this fact, and will even ignore warnings from fellow drug users because they don’t realize the consequences they face.
While alcoholics are less likely to overdose on alcohol during first use on a relapse, they may experience what is known as a lack of tolerance. At this point, a drunken feeling may result from only 1 drink. Lack of tolerance can actually occur with anyone who drinks alcohol, but it is typically coupled with alcohol dependence. Of course, that 1 drink will still not be enough to satisfy alcoholics and they can become a danger to themselves through inebriation and alcohol’s effect on the body.
This information is good to share with teens, friends in recovery, or anyone you may know who engages in alcohol abuse or drug abuse. Too many see tolerance as a benefit both early in substance use and in addiction. Tolerance is explained in effective alcohol and drug treatment as part of addiction education groups to prevent accidental overdoses among those who may relapse. Bringing this awareness to the general public may save even more lives.
Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles provides youth alcohol and drug treatment and addiction education. We specialize in treatment for mental health and substance use disorders, and have two primary medical care clinics in the San Fernando Valley and Antelope Valley. If you or a loved one needs help with alcohol dependence, drug addiction, or co-occurring mental health disorders, 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.
by James Heller
24. December 2009 10:47
Those who suffer from opiate addiction may want to learn a few things about Vivitrol, or injectable Naltrexone, which reduces alcohol cravings for those with alcohol dependence. This may be of interest because phase 3 trials have been successfully completed on Naltrexone for opiate dependence, and it is going through the process for FDA approval.
So far it appears that Alkermes has produced a drug that passes all trial phases to the point that it should be approved. But we will not pre-determine the outcome at this time. While remaining prudent until final FDA approval comes, the potential for this type of medication assisted treatment provides us an opportunity to discuss different scenarios where it will be of use.
Prescription drug addiction, specifically opiate based pain killers, has many origins these days. Teen prescription drug abuse is a growing concern and many individuals start using medications for pain relief and become addicted, to name two. In any case, opiate dependence is largely driven by opiate cravings.
Adolescents generally start using pain medication for 2 reasons. When teens lack something to do, they become bored and seek an outlet for the angst that comes with this critical time of growth. Many will be offered illegally obtained prescription drugs, and some will try them. Others who suffer injuries in sports or other physical activities may be prescribed opiates by their doctors.
This group of teens falls into a greater part of the population who, through accident or illness, start using prescription opiates for the reason they are intended. While these drugs perform a great service to those suffering from pain, they are also highly addictive and some will continue to use them past the time they are necessary for pain.
Opiate cravings usually begin with the first use of a drug. The brain responds to the euphoria they produce in an allergic fashion, manifesting in signals that the body needs more. To date, there are no FDA approved non-narcotic medications to reduce these cravings, so once they are triggered they exist for life.
The excerpt below is from an article posted on the National Institute on Drug Abuse website. The full article discusses current treatments available for opiate dependence.
-- Begin external content --
The two main categories of drug addiction treatment are behavioral and pharmacological. Behavioral treatments encourage patients to stop drug use and teach them how to function without drugs, handle cravings, avoid drugs and situations that could lead to drug use, and handle a relapse should it occur. When delivered effectively, behavioral treatments-such as individual counseling, group or family counseling, contingency management, and cognitiveÐ behavioral therapiesÑalso can help patients improve their personal relationships and their ability to function at work and in the community.
Some addictions, such as opioid addiction, can be treated with medications. These pharmacological treatments counter the effects of the drug on the brain and behavior, and can be used to relieve withdrawal symptoms, treat an overdose, or help overcome drug cravings. Although a behavioral or pharmacological approach alone may be effective for treating drug addiction, research shows that, at least in the case of opioid addiction, a combination of both is most effective.
-- Source: http://www.nida.nih.gov/researchreports/prescription/prescription7.html --
Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles provides medication assisted treatment and youth drug treatment as part of our commitment to integrated behavioral healthcare in alcohol and drug treatment. If you or a loved one has a problem with drug addiction or alcohol dependence, please call us now at 800-996-1051 or contact us here.
For more information on Vivitrol, contact us via email at vivitrol@tarzanatc.org.
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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