It is impossible to turn on the television without hearing about the recent passing of Michael Jackson. The official autopsy results are being released later this week and news outlets are reporting various causes of death. The most reported cause is Michael Jackson’s ALLEGED addiction to pain killers which led to his death at such a young age.  However, people have abused pain pills long before Michael!

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, while most people do not abuse their prescription drugs when prescribed, an estimated 20 percent of the American population (ages 12 and older) has used prescription drugs for nonmedical uses in their lifetimes. In 2004, a survey revealed that 9.3 percent of 12^th graders had used Vicodin and 5 percent had used Oxy-Contin without a prescription in the past year.  These are clear examples of drug abuse.  

People tend to abuse prescription drugs more easily than street drugs because they believe the myth that they are achieving a medically-safe high. Prescription drugs are often attained easily from friends or relatives making it an easy to attain and less threatening than street drugs.

Prescription drugs such as opioids, depressants, and stimulants which alter brain activity and therefore lead to addiction.  

Opioids: Codeine, Oxy-Contin, Vicodin, Percocet- prescribed for moderate to severe pain. Opioids attach to opioid receptors in the brain, spinal cord and the gastrointestinal tract to block the perception of pain. They are abused because of their euphoric, sedating and numbing effects.  Long term effects include tolerance and adaptation to the drug. Over time, a single large dose of an opioid could lead to severe respiratory depression which causes death.

CNS Depressants: Xanax, Valium, Librium- used to treat anxiety and sleep disorders.  These sedatives and tranquilizers slow brain activity to make the person drowsy or more calm. A tolerance to the drugs becomes a result and higher doses are necessary to achieve the initial effects.

Stimulants: Ritalin, Dexedrine, Meridia, Adderall, Concerta-used to treat ADD/ADHD and other conditions such as narcolepsy. These drugs increase alertness, attention and energy, as well as elevate blood pressure and increase heart rate and respiration. Stimulants enhance the effects of dopamine and norepinephrine chemicals found in the brain often causing a sense of euphoria. Long term effects of abusing these drugs include dangerously high blood pressure, an irregular heartbeat and even at times cardiovascular failure leading to life threatening seizures.

A person becomes addicted to prescription drugs when they begin to use the drugs in ways other than those prescribed. Ways to treat addiction include behavioral and pharmacological. Behavioral treatment, such as counseling, teaches the patient how to function without the drug in their life, how to avoid situations with drugs, how to handle cravings and to even cope with a relapse.  Pharmacological treatment, used to treat opioid addictions, requires the use of a different drug to help with withdrawal symptoms, treat an overdose or help overcome drug cravings.

 If you even think you  or someone you love MAY have a problem with prescription or non- prescription drugs, GET HELP!  Many times this is a problem that requires the help of many… Your primary care physician is a good place to start!

Call 504-363-4711 if you do not already have a primary care doc.  You can even make an appointment online at www.valentinemedcenter.com.

Experience is not the only teacher!  Share your story so others may learn… 

June 1^st is the first day of hurricane season for the Gulf and Atlantic Coast areas.  That means a few months of waiting and watching for possibly devastating tropical storms and hurricanes.  This also means a few months of added high stressors that compound our normal, everyday stresses.

Stress is feeling overwhelmed or having to deal with more than you are used to physically and emotionally. Stress speeds up your heart rate and breathing. In many situations, these symptoms can actually be helpful, allowing you to speed up your normal reactions in.

Unfortunately, stress is unhealthy when it is frequent and/or lasts too long.  Stress can affect you both emotionally and physically. Physically, stress can lead to back pain, headaches, an upset stomach and restlessness. It can lower your immune system making it difficult to remain healthy and can affect weight gain. 

Stress can also affect you emotionally. People suffering from stress can become moody, irritated and depressed, and can even lower your self-confidence.

Hurricane season does not help New Orleanians relax. That is why it is important to know the signs and symptoms of stress disorders and to learn use little tricks and tactics to help deal with added stressors.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder      

Many people don’t realize that Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is actually an anxiety disorder.  People who suffer from OCD use obsessive thoughts about patterns and numbers to distract themselves from actually feeling the uncomfortable emotions surrounding stressful situations.  OCD causes people to spend hours of their day performing “rituals” that distract them from dealing with the world around them.

Some symptoms include fears and phobias such as a fear of germs, need for order and exactness, constant counting, eating foods in a specific order and constantly repeating words or phrases. 

OCD can be treated by a psychiatrist or mental disorder specialist.  The treatment process can be long and slow, but can allow many OCD sufferers to lead productive lives.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) materializes as exaggerated anxiety over normal, everyday things.  People who suffer from GAD generally can’t stop worrying about things like health, money, family and friends.  People who suffer from GAD generally are restless, irritable, constantly worry and experience headaches, nausea, trembling and insomnia.

GAD can sometimes be helped by some medications and psychological treatment.

Panic Disorder

Panic Disorder is one of the more common anxiety disorders.  Panic Disorder can usually be diagnosed by the frequent experience of panic attacks.  A panic attack occurs when the patient suddenly feels an overwhelming sense of fear.  Symptoms of a panic attack include difficulty breathing, chest pain, the fear of death, the sensation of choking, terror, dizziness, sweating and trembling.

Panic disorder can be treated by some medications and through psychological treatment.

Tips

Some helpful tips to reduce stress in your life include:

·         Figure out where the stress is coming from

·         Reduce the amount of stressors in your life

·         Find healthy ways to alleviate your stress (exercising, writing, etc…)

·         Make sure to get enough sleep

·         Be positive

·         Eat healthy, nutritious meals

These are just a few tips to help you relax during this hurricane season.

What has helped you alleviate your stress in the past?