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… 

Symptoms
• Feelings of sadness, helplessness, hopelessness
• Change in sleeping patterns (sleep too much or can’t sleep)
• Lack of concentration
• Easy tasks become difficult
• No control over negative thoughts
• Change in eating habits (loss of appetite or increase in appetite)
• Irritable and short-tempered
• Thoughts of suicide
A person may not develop every symptom on the list. If the symptoms last two weeks or longer, a person has clinical depression. A person suffering from depression needs to see a doctor immediately to get his or her life back on track. A doctor can perform a test to determine whether or not a patient has depression and can recommend a therapist for treatment.
A person needs to especially seek help when thoughts of suicide arise.
After treatment, about 2/3 of people recover and are able to return to their daily lives after a few days or weeks depending on the patient.

DEPRESSION FACTS
• DEPRESSION AFFECTS 19 MILLION AMERICANS ANNUALLY
• CAN AFFECT ANYONE
• MORE COMMON IN ELDERLY PEOPLE THAN IN YOUNG PEOPLE
• CONTRIBUTES TO ½ OF ALL SUICIDES

Have you ever been affected by depression? If so, please share you inspirational story on how you overcame it.