Answered questions(14)
Self-Detox off Xanax Is Dangerous
I've been addicted to Alprazolam for several years now. Two years ago I decided enough is enough and started to taper off. I started at a dosage of 4.5mg 3x a day. I am currently at a dosage of .5mg 3x a day. I find it incredibly difficult at this stage. Due to the low dosages involved, I have resorted to a water titration method to detox myself. I have started with 200ml of water. I use 2ml of ethyl alcohol to dissolve the alprazolam so that I can more uniformly distribute it in the water (I read it is insoluble in water alone). I plan to remove 2ml of the solution every day until the solution becomes just 200ml of water and no alprazolam. Does this seem effective? Is there anything I should know doing it with this method? Is that too fast of a taper? Basically, what is your opinion of the water titration method?
Read answer →Dealing with a Shortage of Psychiatrists
In the city I am living in, we are in a psychiatric crisis. We cannot recruit and keep enough psychiatrists to meet the needs of the community. As a therapist I am faced with trying to find suitable help for someone while they are put on a waiting list for a psychiatrist. I have some nurse practitioners who are willing to help as long as the needs are not severe (psychosis, etc). What is your opinion on referring to medical professionals that are not psychiatrists just as a bridge to recovery and wellness while awaiting appropriate psychiatric care?
Read answer →Rapid opiate detox. Should I do it?
I’m a 34 year old professional with an addiction to opiates. I have been using drugs recreationally since college, but strictly as a weekend kind of thing. About a year ago I started playing around with OxyContin and by now I can’t deny any longer that I am very much an addict. Although I realize that I likely have some rights to time off for drug treatment through HR at work – I know that my reputation and career trajectory will be very adversely affected should I admit to needing time off for drug rehabilitation. Secrets don’t stay secrets very long in my work environment and I get the feeling that people already have some suspicions about me due to some changes in work performance over the last few months. I have been looking at rapid opiate detox programs – the ones where you are put to sleep while you go through the withdrawals and I would like to know if this is my best option. I am not terribly afraid of the withdrawals. I know that it will be difficult, but I can handle it. What I can’t handle is needing like a month off to get back on my feet. From what I understand, after 5 or 6 days of rapid opiate detox I’ll be back on my feet and ready to get back to work. Maybe not feeling 100%, but able to work. Is this accurate? I feel like if I can just get past the withdrawals I’ll never be so stupid as to take another pill in my life, so I don’t think I need any rehab or anything like that. Is rapid opiate detox the best option for someone in my situation?
Read answer →Commitment for Addiction
i have a brother in law who h\is addicted to achoal and presc. pills and he has hit rock bottom and im afraid he is going to OD he really needs some help is there a law in oklahoma where his faimly can admit him forceably
Read answer →Detox from Xanax Can Be Dangerous - Don't Do It Alone
I've been taking around 4-6mg of Xanax for about 3-5weeks give or take. im trying to stop and have 10mg Valium to help counter the Xanax as well as Valerian root. supplements and vitamins. Any ideas anything else to do? I exercise an extreme amount 5 days a week at least...aerobic and anaerobic, sweating alot of toxings out as well as low body fat. I went to a detox befoer and was give valium, vitamins, and pheobarbitual. Is it possible to get prescribed that right now? THANKS!!!
Read answer →Trying to Taper off Opiates Like Hydrocodone
My fiance is detoxing this week after his tappering plan. He is coming off of hydros for back pain. This is his first day sober (with God's help he will achieve the whole day) and he and I are excited but very aware some things will be going on this week that can make him act very unlike himself. What all can he expect? What all can I do/should I say or not say to best support him without putting myself/our relationship in accidental harm's way? He is nervous but ready to do this. It was entirely his decision to come and be honest with me about the physical addiction I didn't know he had and to get clean.
Read answer →Xanax Withdrawal Can Be Dangerous
I dont abuse xanax,but I do feel like im addicted,ive taken half of a 2mg pill twice a day for three years,ive tried tapering but im still sick,what else can I do the anxiety and panic attacks are worst,but worst I feel like I may have a seizure and thats what I am afraid of.
Read answer →Bipolar Disorder
One of my client diagnosed bipolar disorder by the Doctors. The Doctors suggested medications, respodrene, kempro, revotril and neurolithSR to control her aggressive behavior. She started above mentioned medication in 2004 but no response of medications appears. However when I started a therapy and got detailed history from her mother father and sisters and came to know that when she was one and half year old her mother went hospital for three months for her own treatment and client was alongwith her aunt it was the first accident that she (client) became insecure. When she took admission in school her teacher wrote comments on her copy that this little girl is suppressed/afraid. After this when she grow up some servant at her home try to sexual abuse with her which increased her insecurity/fear. Behavior of her father was also very strict with whole family and he beaten her many time in her child hood and beaten other sisters in front of client. All above mention situation increases her insecurity/fear gradually when she started class 10th in secondary school, her elder sister said few sentences “wear these cloth” on these sentences the client became aggressive suddenly and she lost her temperament. It was the first attack and after that when any person of the home said any thing to her she took it as order unconsciously and felt insult. And in this aggressive behaviour she beat her mother her father and her sister many time, so when situation became very bad and harmful for the family members and her aggressive behavior became uncontrolable at home, family took her in hospital by force with tied hands and legs which also increased her insecurity/fear and increased her hate with family. Doctors admitted her many time and during the admission the Doctors had done ECT in 2006 which effected her memory and now her memory is short in daily work. All the efforts made by Doctors cannot reduce her aggression from last seven years. All the history shows that the client was suppressed from of her childhood and her insecurity/fear increases by the passage of time. When I started the therapy I dig out all the negative association with family, with school and with servants and brought all these negative association in her conscious from her unconscious which effect on her personality and now her aggressive behaviour is 90% disappeared/finished. Now problem is that after 90% reduced aggressive behaviour she became silent and don’t speak much with family and mostly unaware from her surroundings. This problem is creating some troubles in her daily life because when she became unaware from her surroundings she don’t know what she have done even she can’t remember what she have eaten in lunch or in dinner. Most of time she remain busy in her own thinking and she don’t know what is happening around her. Most of time during her own deep thinking, smiling is on her face. I want to take some advised from the psychiatrist that which medicine came used for this situation.
Read answer →Detoxing off meth
My brother in law is a real good guy who is in bad shape after a few of meth addiction. He has agreed to get clean and the family has decided that me and his brother are going to get him out of town to our hunt cabin way in the bush. He says that he’s ready to quit but that every time he sticks around town he always gets back to using after a couple of days so the plan is we won’t let him leave and we have the only keys to the truck and it’s way too far to walk back to town. After a couple of weeks or a month of fishing and chopping wood and no meth then we hope he might have a chance to stay clean. Is there any dangers we need to be worried about for someone detoxing off meth? He says it sucks but it’s not dangerous and as long as we keep him there he’ll make it through ok.
Read answer →Suboxone for Vicodin Dependency with Mood Disorder
i have beeen taking prescribed vicodin for 3 years about 15- 30 mg max a day. I actually only took 4 to 5 pills a day several times. I am now at a 2- 3 5 mg pill habit. I take to feel better. I already have a mood disorder and wonder if this is making me worse and is suboxodene? an answer to stop or is it better to slowly decrease my dose of vicodin?
Read answer →Xanax Withdrawal Is Not Safe to Do on Your Own
I have been taking xanax for 3 months. I really need to stop, but the withdrawls are horrible. I figured since i was only taking them for such a short period of time, the withdrawls would be only a day or two. I lasted 3 days of hell and had to buy on the street. Please tell me how long this will last if i stop now.
Read answer →Xanax Withdrawal Is Difficult and Dangerous on Your Own
hi dr.sack, my name is jackie, i have a question: i am on 1 mg. zanax a day and i am done, i am starting to withdraw and it is painful. i have blurred vision, headache, stomach nausea, dizziness, can't sleep, seeing things. 2 years ago i tried to withdraw and had hallucinations so bad i didn't even know who i was. what can i do to make these withdraws easier? my dr. is not going to give me any more medicine?
Read answer →How Long Does Xanax Withdrawal Last? How Do I Cope?
i have went off all my meds because i have lost my health ins. so i had no choice one of them being xanax. anyway i guess im in withdraw and today is day 9. i just want to know how long before i'll feel better. my main problem now is feeling anxiety and sleeplessness, cant even leave my house without feeling like i have to pass out. im already stressed cause of my financial problems.
Read answer →Marijuana Withdrawal Question
I’ve been smoking weed for 10 years now and I cant seem to give this shit up. Man I’ve so lectured so many people over the years about weeds non addictiveness that I cant believe I’m admitting to this now but after the last few weeks I’ve had I have to accept that I’m addicted. My girlfriends been nagging me to quit forever and I have to admit that smoking bowls all day and into the night has kept me kind of stuck in a crap job that sucks so badly that the only way I can face it everyday is with a little wake and bake to get me in the truck. Anyway finally got sick of always being broke after smoking up the paycheck and to be honest weed wasn’t doing what it used to for me anyway so I decided to just give it up. The first day wasn’t too bad but by after work I was starting to feel really grumpy and kind of sick to my stomach and that night my mind was just spinning like crazy and I got zero sleep. By next morning on the way to work I was flipping out and kind of panicking at the thought of walking through the doors and facing all those asshats and if I don’t smoke before I get on site I have no chance to do it for hours so I said screw it and fired up. Anyway I’ve tried twice more since then and I’ve never made it past like 48 hours. I feel like crap, anxious, kind of nauseous and most of all CANT SLEEP AT ALL. Also I’m pretty nasty to be around as I get kind of mean and I cant seem to stop myself from being a jerk! I’ve always considered myself a tough guy but this has got me beat and I have to work like 6 days a week and I cant work while I’m feeling like this. How can I quit using if it makes me feel so bad? Are there any medications or anything like that that can help me quit?
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