Question: Is it necessary to submit myself in a rehab center?

Anna Deeds Says...:

I really can't answer your question without more information. What are using? How much? Have you tried to stop using? Have you tried Narcotics Anonymous or Alcoholics Anonymous meetings? I would say your best chance of recovery is going to rehab. The longer, more intensive treatment generally has the best chance of success. If you have never been to rehab before, then I would definitely suggest it. Without rehab, you probably know nothing  about how addiction works, what it does to you or how you can get better. People usually learn about addiction by going to rehab, recovery houses and NA meetings. You need this knowledge to get better. 

I hope this helps and you can find the answers you are looking for. Good luck with your recovery!

Question: No money so how can I get treatment like a human being? I was treated like a criminal and a scumbag even though I had come voluntarily. I kid you not they even wanted to body cavity search me but I refused and they backed down because they had to admit in the end that it was not legal for them to do that because I was not a CJS offender but they would not let me stay anyway. Why would I come to detox with heroin when I want to get off dope? Can you explain to me why they treat people who volunteer to get clean like criminals?

Anna Deeds Says...:

Thank you for your question! I don't believe the detox was trying to treat you as less than human. People go to detox for many different reasons even if they are voluntary. Sometimes they go voluntarily for their family, their spouse or even because their their methadone or Suboxone treatment facility threatens to detox them if they don't get off other drugs like benzos or cocaine. Sometimes people go because they have upcoming charges or for probation and are just trying to make it look like they are getting help. I've even heard of people going to rehab just for the purpose of selling drugs because they can sell them for much more money than on the street. Demand and desperation raises the price of any product especially drugs. Because people have ulterior motives to go to detox even if they are voluntary, they may want to search people coming into the facility. The whole purpose of detox is to help people get off drugs so facilities are cautious because if one person brings in drugs, every patient in the facility is put at risk. They were just trying to protect their other patients by searching you.They really do have a valid reason for doing it. You may not have had any other motive than to get off drugs but everyone who goes to detox is not there for the same reason. Many people with substance use disorder only seek treatment when they are forced to do so by someone or some situation. I'm not faulting them for this or judging them as I know that addiction is a difficult disease and the desire to stop using doesn't always come so easy to someone in the grips of an addiction. I hope this makes sense and you can feel better about why they wanted to search you.  

Question: I am on the following medications, prescribed by my Psychiatrist: Klonopin, 4 mgs daily, Aderall 20 mgs daily, celexa and sapharis 10 mg once a day. I abuse the aderall and am addicted to painkillers. I abuse the klonopin to help with withdrawal from pain meds. Also, I have ben arrested for DWI in march of 2013 (I am NOT an abuser of alcohol) and I am on probation until December of 2014. How can I avoid the pain killer withdrawal? I do not want to use all of these drugs anymore. Is inpatient the best bet and if so, how long would I be in patient? I need to keep my job and do not want my probation officer knowing.

Anna Deeds Says...:

Thank you for your question. That is a lot of addictive medication to be taking. I'm sure you do want to stop taking it but have stayed on it because you fear the withdrawal symptoms. You asked me how you can avoid the withdrawal from the pain medication. Unfortunately, the answer is that you probably cannot entirely avoid the withdrawal symptoms. The only method for that is rapid detoxification which is expensive and can be dangerous. If you use Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) like Suboxone or Methadone, you will still have withdrawal when you taper off but the withdrawal will be less severe and occur over time. If you go to inpatient treatment, you will be given medications to make you more comfortable when you detox but there will be some discomfort. The withdrawal will pass though and you will be drug free and able to start fresh. I do think inpatient treatment is the best option. If you choose inpatient, you can complete treatment and be drug free in a shorter amount of time.

I understand the need to keep your job. Under federal law, people with disabilities are protected from discrimination. Addiction is a mental health disorder and as such is considered a disability. As I am not a lawyer, I would check with a lawyer to determine whether your situation is covered under the law. As for your probation officer, I would think he or she would be happy that you are getting help. Most probation officers want people to get treatment so they don't end up committing the same crimes.

I can't answer how long you would be in treatment because it varies according to your needs. That would be determined after the inpatient facility completed an assessment. It also can be affected by how long your insurance will cover you. I suggest you try to stay as long as you can. You are addicted to multiple substances which will make it more complicated to treat you properly. I'm also assuming there were reasons for you to be placed on that medication so the mental health disorders would have to be treated at the same time. You want to find an inpatient facility that treats dual diagnosis. Dual diagnosis means that in addition to addiction, you have one or more mental health disorders that need treatment.

I hope this helps answer your questions and good luck with your recovery.

Question: I just had a quick question. Have you heard anything positive about anesthesia assisted rapid detoxification? What is the difference in withdrawal symptoms and success rate using this method? Which are the most effective and safest places to go for this type of treatment.

Anna Deeds Says...:

Thank you for your question. I have to say I'm not a believer in the safety or effectiveness of rapid detox. Rapid detox is a process where an opiate addict is anesthetized or put to sleep while medications are given to speed up the process of removing opiates from the body and brain.  After this, you can be given medications to block opiate use. The addict is supposed to wake up drug free and through the withdrawal symptoms. The problem is that addiction is way more complicated than just getting through withdrawal. After an addict gets through the initial withdrawal symptoms of addiction, the real work of recovery is just beginning. To suggest that you can complete a rapid detox and just go on with life as if you were never addicted doesn't seem plausible. I would suggest that if you choose this form of detox, you follow it with rehab and a halfway or recovery house to learn about addiction and recovery and have time to practice new coping skills and relapse prevention strategies. Here is a link to an article on Choose Help about the problems with rapid detox. It is cost prohibitive for most people, costing anywhere from $8,000 to $10,000. There have been several deaths from the procedure. And its effectiveness has been questioned. 

To answer your questions, I have not personally or professionally known anyone to complete the process. Rapid detox is supposed to keep the addict from experiencing any withdrawal symptoms and from the testimonials and reports I have read, it does this. The success rate is questionable because some research has shown great results while other studies have found limited results. Much of the research that has found it to be successful has been done by the companies that profit from the procedure. I don't know enough about different places that perform this procedure to recommend one over another. If you do intend to do it, be sure that it is done in a accredited hospital with a full medical staff who is trained in the procedure. I'd also suggest that you be in good physical health and have a complete physical prior to the procedure. The Waismann Method is one of the better known programs for rapid detox but I cannot say how safe it would be for you. From their website, it seems that they take safety precautions and will run tests before performing the detox.

Whatever choice you make, check out the safety procedures before ever undergoing rapid detox and follow it with other treatment for the psychological and spiritual aspects of addiction. Good luck and I would like to hear back from you if you choose to try rapid detox.

Question: my brother is addicted to heroin. it was confirmed yesterday my parents finally have to face the facts. i am worried about them. where can they go or who can they call to get professional help in dealing with this problem. we live in delaware.

Anna Deeds Says...:

Thank you for your question. You and your parents will need support to cope with having a family member who is addicted to heroin. Nar-Anon is a self-help support group for the family and friends of addicts. The Nar-Anon website has a meeting locator to find a meeting in your area. The website also has a lot of information about addiction and how you can find help for your family. 

You mentioned wanting to find professional help. It wasn't clear if you were looking for help for your brother, your parents or the whole family. Because addiction is a family disease which affects the whole family, I would recommend treatment for each of you and treatment for the family as whole too. At the very least, you can each see a counselor for a few sessions to learn more about addiction and to cope with your feelings about his addiction.Treatment for your brother can be found through the Choose Help website. However, your brother has to want help.

As difficult as it may seem, there is nothing you can do to make your brother get the help he needs. You can have an intervention and refuse to enable him but you have to keep in mind that no matter how much you do, your brother has to decide he wants help. Enabling is when the family makes it easier for an addiction to continue. Some examples of enabling behavior are paying the addict's bills, making their appointments, giving them money, making excuses for them, etc. 

To find treatment, you can call the Choose Help treatment helpline at
877-830-7020 or go to the home page of the Choose Help website to locate
treatment centers. If you or your parents have insurance, you can
contact your insurance carrier to find counseling services in your area
that will be covered.

I hope this helps and I hope your brother and your family gets the help it needs.

Question: Iam on 12 mili methadone daily. My hausband and I work instead of living off the state. it costs us 800$ a month between fuel and med. I see all these people on Medicaid get free med and fuel pay back; this is not fair. It is like the state does not want you to work. We have great health insurance; however I can not find a doctor or clinic that takes private insurance for this service. I fell this is very unfair; we are having to let bis get behind to pay clinic; while others take over 100 mili a day and the state pays them! Can someone please help me find a service that takes private insurance? I live between Johnstown and Greensburg Pa. Thanks.

Anna Deeds Says...:

Thank you for your question. This question is a repeat of one already answered. Here is my answer:

I am unaware of any methadone clinics in your area that take private
insurance. I agree that this is not fair. It puts people who work at a
disadvantage. It almost encourages people on methadone to not work
because most of your salary ends up paying for your medication. 

However, there are a couple options you can try. First, call your
insurance company. There should be a number on the back of your
insurance card. Ask your insurance company if they cover methadone for addiction.
Methadone can be used for addiction or pain management. You need to
know if they cover it for addiction if you go to a methadone clinic. If
you get methadone from a doctor for pain, then you need to know if they
cover it for pain. I'm assuming that you go to a clinic. If you go to a
methadone clinic and your insurance does cover methadone for addiction,
ask them if there are any other methadone clinics in your area that take
your insurance. If there aren't, ask how you can be reimbursed for your
costs.

Some private insurances do cover methadone. Your methadone clinic may
not take the insurance but if your insurance covers methadone you can
be reimbursed for some or all of your costs. For a provider to take any
insurance, they have to go through a complicated credentialing process.
Many of the methadone clinics aren't credentialed but this doesn't mean
your insurance doesn't pay for methadone, only that the clinic doesn't
take your insurance. So, you would have to send your receipts and fill
out some forms to get your insurance to reimburse you for what you pay
to the clinic. It is possible that they cover all of your costs or a
percentage. For example, they may pay 80% and you pay 20%. Even if they
only pay a percentage, this would save you a lot of money.

Second, consider switching to Suboxone. If your insurance doesn't
cover methadone, it may cover Suboxone. If you need to do this, be sure
the Suboxone doctor is aware you were on methadone. They may need to
give you Subutex for the first few days or they may ask you to wait
three to five days after your last dose of methadone to begin the
Suboxone. Suboxone has a blocker in it that will cause withdrawal
symptoms if you take it while there is methadone in your system.

Just to review, here is what yo need to do:

• Call your insurance company
• Ask your insurance company if they cover methadone for addiction
• Ask if there are any clinics who take your insurance
• Ask if they can reimburse you
• Ask if they cover Suboxone

Question: What can I do for the restless legs that I have because I am trying to stop using kratom after a 6 month binge?

Anna Deeds Says...:

Thank you for your question. Withdrawal from any substance can cause a lot of uncomfortable symptoms. Restless legs is a common problem. It makes it very difficult to sleep with you cannot keep your legs from moving or get comfortable.

Meditation can help calm the body and the mind and make it easier for you to sleep. There are many books and websites that will explain how to mediate. I like to begin by simply focusing on my breath and counting my each time I breathe in and out. Concentrating on your breath will take your mind off what is going on in your body. It will slow down your heart rate and your breathing.

There are natural supplements that will aid with sleep. Melatonin is a good supplement because your body already produces it for sleep. It is available over the counter at many pharmacies. It's a good idea to check with your doctor before taking anything. Certain conditions or other medications you take could possibly create problems even with over the counter supplements.

You should also check with your doctor to see if the kratom caused any problems. I don't know how safe it is to take kratom. It is possible that it caused damage which needs to be addressed by a doctor. Be honest with your doctor and tell him/her what you were taking and how much. Your doctor may also be able to prescribe something that is not addictive to help with your restless legs and to help you sleep. There are some antidepressants that are not addictive and can help with restless legs and sleep.

I hope this answers your question. good luck with your recovery.

Question: I can’t sleep unless I get drunk first so I have been having at least 7 to 10 alcoholic drinks per night for about 2 years ever since I developed this really bad insomnia problem after a difficult emotionally gut wrenching end of a relationship. My life has gone wrong in so many ways I just want to hit the restart button and start all over again. I am all alone and I don’t know what to do. Should I go to rehab?

Anna Deeds Says...:

Thank you for your question. Alcohol addiction can cause severe withdrawal symptoms if you try to quit without medical attention. You could have a seizure which could be fatal from the withdrawal. Because alcohol withdrawal is so dangerous, you need medical treatment to quit drinking. I think its clear from your question that alcohol is causing a lot of problems in your life. The only way to successfully stop drinking is to get help. Rehab is the help that you need. You have to go to a rehab with a medical detox. When you are looking for a rehab, be sure to tell them you are drinking that much everyday. In detox, they will give you medications to make you more comfortable as your body adjusts to not having alcohol. One of the symptoms of withdrawal is insomnia. Since this is the reason you began drinking in the first place, it's important that you treat your insomnia to prevent relapse. Ask your doctor about taking Melatonin for the insomnia. Melatonin is a natural supplement for sleep. Your body already makes it so it shouldn't be a problem to take it but it's always a good idea to ask your doctor first.

I hope this answers your question and good luck with your recovery.

Question: What is your opinion on using neurontin as a medication to help with opiate withdrawal symptoms? I was looking for a remedy for the restless legs that plague me horribly every time I go through this and I see that some people say that neurontin helps with that and it is also helps reduce withdrawal symptoms across the board. Is this true? Should I ask a doctor about this? If I ask a doctor to give me neurontin to help me reduce the symptoms of opiate withdrawal is that likely to happen or is that going to look like more drug seeking?

Anna Deeds Says...:

Thank you for your question. I suggest that you go to a treatment program to go through withdrawal. If you go to proper detox in a hospital or treatment facility, they will make sure that you have medications that will help with withdrawal symptoms. You stated that you get restless legs every time you go through withdrawal. This leads me to believe you have tried detox yourself on more than one occasion. However, you went back to using opiates, so it hasn't worked. Addiction is more than just physical; it is psychological. This means you need to have treatment for the psychological side of addiction. A rehab would teach you how to cope with life without drugs, how to avoid triggers which lead to cravings, how to find support and so much more. This is an essential part of recovery.

In addition, it is really up to your doctor to decide what medications are appropriate for you. Some medications interact with other medications you may be taking or a medical condition you may have. Neurontin isn't a mood altering medication but it is physically addictive. It has to be reduced gradually when you stop taking it. Stopping it suddenly would cause withdrawal symptoms just like opiates do.

I hope this answers your question and I hope you find the treatment you need.

Question: Hi...I live in CT....my adult son (37),,lives in Holly Hill Fla with my exwife...he has a serious drinking problem...I recently..last weekend...had to call the local police there..because he was having a phycotic episode and was hearing voices..I was in fear of him hurting himself or his mother...the police took him to the local hospital..he was held overnight and given fluids since his potassium levels were dangerously low and sent home the next day!...He called me today and seems to be hallucinating again...he has no insurance..we have no money...is there any help available..I am living in fear of the worst and dont know what to do ..living so far away..please help and advise..thank you

Anna Deeds Says...:

Thank you for you question. I'm sure you are very concerned for your son. He clearly needs treatment for his alcohol problem. He may need mental health treatment as well although his mental health symptoms could be caused by the alcohol abuse. Unfortunately, he is an adult and you cannot make him get treatment. You can continue to call the local police when he is behaving oddly but unless he asks for help with his alcoholism, they most likely will treat the immediate problem and let him go. You can try to convince him to get help but if he doesn't want it, you cannot make him. I would point out how miserable he is with his life and that treatment can help him have a better quality of life. Ask him what he has to lose by giving treatment a chance.

What is your ex-wife doing about the situation? She has a better chance of getting through to him since she is living with him. You may want to talk to her and convince her to not enable him. She may be paying his bills, buying him alcohol, letting him live with her, etc which will only keep him caught in the same cycle of alcohol abuse. If you and other family members could get to Florida to see him, you could have an intervention. These work best when preformed by a professional. The reason this is better with a professional is because it can just
turn into an argument without a professional to keep things from getting
out of control. If you do an intervention on your own, you would have
to be careful to stay calm and present your case without giving in to
the argumentativeness of the alcoholic. The basic idea is to confront the alcoholic about their behavior, point out the effect on the family in a non-judgmental and caring way while refusing to continue any enabling. For instance, the family could insist that he enter treatment or he will not be allowed to live with family anymore. Some people question the effectiveness of treatment when it is forced but many alcoholics will begin to want treatment once the alcohol leaves their system and they can think clearly.

He could get treatment without money or insurance by going to his local hospital and asking for alcohol treatment. Hospitals have social workers who can refer him to treatment.

In addition, I suggest you go to Al-Anon meetings to help you deal with the effect your son's alcohol abuse is having on you. Good luck with getting your son to agree to treatment. I hope he gets help.