Treatment of Substance Use Disorders In a recent edition of the American Psychiatric Association Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-IV), substance use disorders (SUDs) were divided into two distinct categories–substance abuse and substance dependence. An individual could receive a current diagnosis of either abuse or dependence (not both) for a single drug class. A current SUD…
The research and statistics are irrefutable: methadone treatment is successful at improving almost every quality of life measurement for patients and creates safer, healthier conditions for families and communities. It is one of the many treatment options for those suffering from addiction. Methadone remains controversial though, with no shortage of myths, misinformation, and outright lies…
Opioid Doctors Face Jail A Virginia doctor was sentenced to 40 years in prison on Wednesday October 2, 2019, for prescribing a half-million doses of opioids to patients over two years, prosecutors said. Dr. Joel Smithers, 36, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Abingdon. He was found guilty in May of more than 800 counts of illegally…
How Does Addiction Start? One of the most commonly asked question is “how does addiction start?” We hear this question asked by addicts in recovery, and also by family members and loved ones. The short answer is that it varies by the individual. Each person goes through their own journey to addiction – and to…
Affordable Addiction Treatment Affordable addiction treatment just isn’t something that most people talk about. It’s as if one is saying, “hey, I know this life or death, but I want to save a buck.” Nothing could be further from the truth. The truth is that by the time most addicts are redy for treatment, they’ve…
Finding Addiction Treatment: How to do it the right way. Finding addiction treatment that’s right for you can be a daunting task. There are many variables to consider including whether or not you’re paying for treatment out of your own pocket or will you rely on your health insurance program. The worst time to be…
Landmark $270 Million Opioid Lawsuit Settlement Opens Door for Dozens of Pending Cases Purdue Pharma recently agreed to pay Oklahoma $270 million rather than face trial on charges of misleading marketing practices and misrepresentation regarding Oxycontin, according to company and state press releases. Court battles are far from over for the pharmaceutical company, which still…
Is Methadone a Good Alternative? Medication Assisted Treatment programs use a few alternatives to dangerous opioids. Medications, including buprenorphine (Suboxone®, Subutex®), methadone, and extended release naltrexone (Vivitrol®), are effective for the treatment of opioid use disorders. Buprenorphine and methadone are “essential medicines” according to the World Health Organization. A NIDA study shows that once treatment…
Job Opportunities After Rehab: What Are Your Options? A 2012 study found that getting a job after rehab is leads to lower rates of relapse and a higher percentage of positive treatment outcomes. At TDRC, a high percentage of our residents are employed and many go back to school. In both cases, they dramatically improved…
Aftercare for Addiction Treatment Aftercare refers to continued treatment AFTER Rehab. Rehab is for detox, aftercare is for long term sobriety. Any recovering addict must do both if they hope to have any chance at success for long term sobriety. The stark reality is that 30-90 days in Rehab is not going to do much…