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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
26. October 2012 09:20
It’s very rare for addicts to be monogamous with their drug of choice. They usually abuse alcohol as well. Even if they don’t, alcohol use in early recovery could pave a path back to addiction with the same or another drug. Especially when individuals have had multiple relapse issues, prevention of another could come in the form of alcohol craving reduction.
Tarzana Treatment Centers provides Vivitrol for alcohol and opiate craving reduction. This monthly injection of Naltrexone has helped many who suffer from alcoholism and opiate addiction. They have achieved long-term sobriety when they previously struggled with relapses. Vivitrol works with brain chemistry to minimize the distraction and temptation of this major relapse trigger.
Alcohol is a drug, just like any other. Most addicts abused alcohol before they tried the drug they eventually became addicted to, and either combined the two (or more) or cut back on alcohol. In any of these cases, alcohol holds a psychological connection with dependence on the drug of choice.
In recovery, the suggestion is to remain abstinent from all drugs, including those that were not a part of the problem. This is to avoid the problem of cross addiction. The disease of Addiction causes sufferers to seek an escape mechanism because they can’t cope with normal life occurrences. So, cocaine addicts in recovery might think it is okay to have a glass of wine because alcohol was not a problem before drug rehab.
The addicted mind works in such strange ways that alcohol might not be the biggest threat. Methamphetamine, marijuana, and cocaine addicts may have a history of being prescribed opiate painkillers from a past injury. This is a great temptation for someone who is desperately trying to remain abstinent. The “pain” mysteriously reappears, quite often, and the addict requests another prescription. Unfortunately, there are far too many doctors who are willing to accommodate.
Whether the hope is to avoid alcohol or opiate abuse, Vivitrol is the solution. After the first 30 days without alcohol or other drugs, recovering addicts of any drug will see the benefits of total abstinence. By eliminating the possibility of cross addiction with alcohol or opiates, and blocking that psychological path to their drug of choice, addicts to any drug have a better chance for long-term recovery.
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
12. October 2012 07:45
Seniors need to pay close attention to their health and should avoid problems with alcohol and drug abuse. There are times, though, when medications need to be prescribed for anxiety, depression, or pain that may result in an addiction. Thankfully, medically necessary drug addiction treatment for seniors is covered by Medicare.
Tarzana Treatment Centers accepts Medicare for medically necessary drug addiction treatment. Our addiction treatment services include medical detoxification, residential and outpatient treatment, Vivitrol, and mental health treatment for those suffering from co-occurring disorders. We also accept Medicare for preventative services at our clinics in the San Fernando Valley and Antelope Valley.
More than ever, seniors are falling into the trap of prescription drug addiction. Through no fault of their own, they will follow doctors’ orders and become dependent on a drug. The result is an addiction to one of several drugs like Xanax, Vicodin, Valium, Ambien, Ativan, or Klonopin. Withdrawal from these drugs can range from uncomfortable to dangerous, so these individuals should find a quality prescription drug addiction treatment center.
Quality addiction treatment for seniors means that counselors and facilities can accommodate their clients’ special needs. Aging minds and bodies react differently to withdrawals. Staff needs to be trained to work with individuals who have decades of life experience, which requires specialized counseling. And, for your safety, the medical staff must know how to administer detoxification medications to seniors.
Tarzana Treatment Centers provides this specialized care for seniors in addiction treatment. Our counselors are friendly, and can help you to understand your addiction. Mental health disorders often go untreated with the senior population due to a stigma fear. Our psychology staff understands this, and is ready to provide you with confidential and sensitive therapy.
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
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
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
28. August 2012 08:07
Prescription painkiller addiction can often be difficult to treat because the addict believes a drug is medically necessary. Addiction counselors must help addicts get passed this notion or relapses will surely occur. One obstacle to counseling is that opiate cravings also plague addicts, and they reinforce the feeling of need. Those cravings can be reduced with Vivitrol, allowing for more effective counseling.
Tarzana Treatment Centers provides Vivitrol treatment. Our services are covered by Medicare and Medi-Cal, along with other health care contracts. This monthly injection of Naltrexone can improve your chances at long-term recovery.
When prescription opiate addiction begins as a result of pain management, having been legally prescribed for treatment, some individuals will become addicted. It can start with mild or strong pain killers, prescribed for varying durations of time, and the addiction can take hold. As long as they can convince a medical professional to prescribe the medication, they will justify the need for it to themselves and others.
This creates a challenge in drug treatment because the great majority of prescription drug addicts will not suffer real physical pain if they stop using. Medical detoxification is recommended, and they may feel minor pangs from nerves coming back to life. But the biggest fear they have is that they will begin to feel emotions again. Counselors need to help addicts to understand this, and then they can dig down to core issues.
Opiate cravings are at their peak in early recovery. They are a major trigger for relapse, and very distracting. Vivitrol treatment reduces the cravings, providing a less stressful environment for treatment. It clears the road for recovering prescription drug addicts to understand that they don’t have physical pain, and to learn how to deal with their emotions.
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.
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