Date Rape Drugs

If you read the news at all you have heard about date rape drugs. Date rape drugs are especially dangerous because they have no color, smell, or taste. This is the reason that it is relatively easy for someone to drug another person without them knowing. Often the drugs will be crushed and mixed in with a drink without anyone knowing. Once the drugs are in your system they can make you weak and confused, making it harder for you to defend yourself or even know what is going on around you.  Some of the most commonly used date rape drugs are Rohypnol, GHB (Gamma Hydroxybutyric), and Ketamine. Each drug has different side effects and each drug is different in how long it takes to work. Of the three Ketamine probably works the fastest and seems to have many severe affects.

Ketamine can cause:

• Distorted perceptions of sight and sound
• Lost sense of time and identity
• Out of body experiences
• Dream-like feeling
• Impaired motor function
• Breathing problems
• Convulsions
• Vomiting
• Numbness
• Memory problems

GHB is very potent and as such is probably the most dangerous risk for overdose. Some of the most serious side-effects of GHB can include:

• Dizziness
• Problems seeing
• Loss of consciousness
• Seizures
• Breathing problems
• Vomiting
• Slow heart rate
• Coma
• Death

Because these drugs leave the body relatively fast, it may be hard to know for sure if you are a victim of a date rape drug. The fact that most date rape drugs affect your memory, makes it even more difficult for you to know what happened. Some things to look for that may indicate you are a victim of a date rape drug include:

1. You feel drunk but haven't had any alcohol - or the effects of what you have had to drink are stronger than normal
2. You wake up feeling very hung over and disoriented or have no memory of a period of time
3. You remember having a drink but don't recall anything after that
4. Your clothes are torn or not on right
5. You feel like you have had sex but don't remember it

If you have any feelings that you have been raped or drugged go to an emergency room. Don't urinate, eat or drink anything. Don't even change your clothes or wash your hands as all of this can be used to help determine what happened. Even if you knowingly drank alcohol or used drugs, that doesn't not justify sexual assault. The sooner you seek help, the more likely it will be that medical and law professionals will be able to find out what happened.

New Non-Opioid Heroin Addiction Treatment Option

The use of opioid drugs such as methadone and bupenorphrine to treat heroin addiction has long been debated.  Many people, including heroin addicts that have used these drugs as part of their treatment, have found that through using opioids to alleviate their heroin addiction they have become addicted, or have started craving, the opioid.  For some the prescription drug addiction becomes just a replacement for their heroin addiction.  According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, there are already approximately 810,000 Americans addicted to heroine and another 1.85 million people addicted to painkillers. How can replacing one type of addiction for another be the solution?

There have been a number of non-opioid drugs tested to treat heroin addiction, but up until now the FDA has not approved the drugs for heroin abuse treatment. However, the FDA has recently approved the non-opioid drug, Vivitrol as an alternative to other painkillers.  Vivitrol is a long-lasting type of naltrexone, which is intended to block opioids. Vivitrol is NOT a new drug, it has been used by many rehab facilities for the treatment of alcohol abuse.  The FDA approved the use of Vivitrol for alcohol dependency back in 2006.  Vivitrol is intended to not only get users clean, but also to keep them clean.   Some of the first heroin addicts to try this treatment have reported that Vivitrol has taken away their cravings for heroin, even when the drug was readily available. 

Unlike many other heroin treatment drugs, Vivitrol is a single dose injection which is given monthly.  The cost for this injection however is about $1,100.00.  Recent studies suggest the cost may be worth it.  In a Russian study, 70% of patients treated with 6 months of Vivitrol, as opposed to a placebo, did not relapse.  Vivitrol recipients were twice as likely to stop using narcotics than those who were given the placebo. 

If you or your loved one is suffering from a heroin addiction you may want to ask your doctor, drug rehab center, insurance company, or others about option of trying Vivitrol.  We are not here to promote any single type of treatment or drug, only to help you make an educated decision, and to help you along your path of recovery. 

Texas Drug Rehab Centers

If you, or someone you know, suffers with a drug addiction problem, seek help now. The quicker you get help, the quicker you will feel better. Drug addiction is one of the leading problems that both young and old alike suffer with in the United States. In this post we will cover a few of the drug rehab centers located in Texas. If you don't find one close to you, or if you need a list in another state, see a more complete list of drug treatment centers at 4drugrehab.com.

Drug Rehab Dallas:

• Green Oaks at Medical City Dallas is located at 7808 Clodus Fields Drive in Dallas, TX. Their primary focus is a mix of mental health and substance abuse services. They provide substance abuse treatment and detoxification through hospital inpatient, outpatient, or partial hospitalization/day treatment. Call (972)991-9504 for more information.
• North Dallas Drug Rehabilitation Center is located at 1606 South I-35 East Suite 101 in Carrollton, TX. Their primary focus is substance abuse treatment services. They provide substance abuse treatment, detoxification, Methadone maintenance, and Methadone detoxification through outpatient services. Call (972) 446-0972 for more information.
• TRS Dallas is located at 5646 Milton Street Suite 340 in Dallas, TX. They offer substance abuse treatment services through outpatient services. Call (214) 361-9708 for more information.

Drug Rehab Austin:

• Austin Recovery Inc is located at 8402 Cross Park Drive in Austin, TX. They offer detox programs through 7-day detox, short term residential treatment or long term residential treatment centers. Call (512) 697-8600 or 1-800-373-2081 for more information.
• Phoenix Academy of Austin is located at 400 West Live Oak Street in Austin, TX. They provide help for people struggling with substance abuse and diagnosed mental illness. Call 512-440-0613 for more information.

Drug Treatment Houston:

• Recovery Houston Institute is located at 10525 Eastex Freeway in Houston, TX. They provide substance abuse treatment services through halfway houses, residential short-term treatment and residential long-term treatment. Call (713) 692-4000 for more information.
• Houston Substance Abuse Clinic is located at 7428 Park Place Boulevard in Houston, TX. They provide substance abuse treatment, detoxification, Methadone maintenance, and Methadone detoxification through outpatient care. Call (713) 643-5858

For more drug treatment center locations and information visit 4drugrehab.com

Prescription Drug Take Back 121 Tons of Drugs Collected

Unused and unwanted prescription drugs were collected at more than 4,000 sites nationwide as part of the Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) "Take-Back" day, on Saturday September 25th. The take-back was a huge success with a net of 121 tons of prescription drugs being collected in just one day. The drop off was completely anonymous, allowing anyone to drop off unused drugs with no questions asked.  The prescription drug take back program was created to help get prescription drugs off the streets and out of medicine cabinets. Too many people who don't use all their prescription drugs don't know what to do with them so they just leave them in their cabinet for years. Those that don't want to hang on to them either flush them down the toilet or drop them in the trash, both methods are unsafe ways to dispose of unwanted medication.

With prescription drug abuse statistics consistently rising, DEA officials are constantly seeking new ways to help get unused drugs out of the hands of potential drug abusers. The House and Senate have passed a bill that would allow other responsible state and private agencies to create drop sites that will allow for safe drug disposal on an ongoing basis. The bill is awaiting approval by President Barack Obama and DEA officials expect to have at least one more drug take-back day before other options become available.

If you, or anyone you know, is dealing with a prescription drug problem there are many drug treatment centers and options available that can help you regain control of your life. When searching for  a drug treatment facility there are a number of things to consider, including insurance options, type of drugs, age, history of drug abuse, family support, and previous programs attended (if applicable). This can help you determine what type of treatment is needed and what options are best. 

If you determine that a residential treatment facility is needed some basic questions should be asked. Will you use medication as part of treatment? If yes, what type? Do you prefer natural treatments? If so what kind? What counseling options are available? What is the ratio of patients to staff? Will a test for infectious diseases be assessed? Be sure to ask lots of questions and find out what is right for your situation. Don't let anyone push you into anything. Finding the right program will greatly increase your chance of achieving a successful recovery.