New Jersey Family and Addiction Institute
My WordPress Blog
Sleeping problems effect somewhere between 10 – 18% of the adult population. Sleeping problems include the following: insomnia, sleep apnea, movement syndromes and in rare cases, narcolepsy. This article will focus on the various types of insomnia, and what causes & aggravates it. Insomnia Insomnia is a too-oft ignored mental health and medical issue. Dr. Dan […]
Sleeping problems effect somewhere between 10 – 18% of the adult population. Sleeping problems include the following: insomnia, sleep apnea, movement syndromes and in rare cases, narcolepsy. This article will focus on the various types of insomnia, and what causes & aggravates it.
Insomnia is a too-oft ignored mental health and medical issue. Dr. Dan Blazer of the Duke University Medical Center, said, “Insomnia may predispose people to anxiety and depression, just as anxiety and depression may predispose people to insomnia.” Additionally, people with insomnia are more likely to have medical issues, and people with medical issues are more likely to suffer from insomnia. The four major types of insomnia are:
(a) Can’t fall asleep (initiation)
(b) Wake up in middle of the night (maintenance)
(c) Sleep isn’t restful or restorative (quality)
(d) Can’t get enough sleep (duration)
Just having one of these symptoms means that one has insomnia; if someone has two or more of these symptoms, then their insomnia is more pervasive and debilitating. Insomnia effects people in three different time categories: transient (lasts less than a week); short term (one to four weeks); and chronic (more than a month). Transient and short term insomnia are often caused by temporary sickness, stress, jet lag or a schedule change. They tend to work themselves out. The major concern here is chronic insomnia.
(triggered by current stress). There are many kinds of adjustmental stressors that can cause insomnia. Work, academic, familial, financial, romantic and medical concerns can all lead to difficulties in falling asleep (initiation) or staying asleep (duration).
(alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, marijuana, stimulants, prescription drugs and opiates). Use of caffeine, nicotine or stimulants will cause people to stay up later and have a difficult time falling asleep. Alcohol, stimulant, opiate and other prescription drug use/abuse can cause sleep problems that last for years. People who use/abuse alcohol may have no problem falling asleep, but they may find that they wake up in the middle of the night (maintenance) or that they don’t sleep long enough (duration).
One of the major signs of marijuana dependence is that people need it to fall asleep, or that they have trouble sleeping if they attempt to cut down or quit. Completely quitting caffeine or nicotine can effect sleep for up to two weeks (it will be longer if one just cuts down). Quitting any of the other substances (stimulants, prescription drugs, opiates, marijuana, alcohol) can cause or exacerbate insomnia for two months or more.
They include, but are not limited to: heart problems, cancer, dementia, heartburn, diabetes, prostate problems, dental problems, gastrointestinal problems, allergies, colds and/or the flu. Medical problems and insomnia often exist together and serve to make the other worse over time. It is a vicious, downward cycle.
(especially anxiety, PTSD, depression and bio-polar disorder). Chronic insomnia effects at least: 25% of kids with ADHD, 50% of people with generalized anxiety disorder, 65% of adults with depression and 70% of adults with bi-polar disorder. The major findings on the Harvard Medical School’s website regarding sleep and psychiatric issues are:
Failing to have a standard sleep schedule and routine is one of the most common contributors to poor sleep. Additionally exposure to light disrupts natural sleep rhythms. Using computers, being on cell phones, or watching television late at night can all disrupt the sleep cycle. This can make falling asleep very difficult.
If you or a loved one are struggling with sleep please review the other articles we have provided on this website. Sleep is very important to overall healthy functioning. If you or a loved one are struggling with sleep due to substance use please do not hesitate to contact us here at NJFAI.
Gaming Addiction is a Real Thing Have you (or a loved one) ever found yourself spending too much time playing video games? Have you failed to meet your responsibilities because you lost track of time playing video games or felt like you couldn’t stop? If you answered yes to this you may meet the criteria […]
Have you (or a loved one) ever found yourself spending too much time playing video games? Have you failed to meet your responsibilities because you lost track of time playing video games or felt like you couldn’t stop?
If you answered yes to this you may meet the criteria for “gaming disorder” under the new guidelines issued by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2018.
Gaming disorder as defined by the WHO is a pattern of gaming behavior (“digital gaming” or “video gaming”) characterized by:
For gaming disorder to be diagnosed the behavior pattern must be sufficiently severe enough to result in significant impairment in personal, family, social, educational, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
Additionally, an individual must exhibit these symptoms for at least 12 months.
Recent studies by Douglas Gentile from Iowa State University found that 8.5% of Americans between the ages of 8 and 18 are addicted to video games. Gentile found that symptoms included:
Sometimes it is difficult to tell the difference between healthy gaming and addiction. There is no definitive rule like “playing more than two hours per day leads to addiction.”
When you consider your gaming or your loved one’s gaming it is important to look at the impact that it is having on your life. If you are able to meet all of your obligations then it may not be a problem. However there is an exception.
If your gaming has prevented you from expanding your responsibilities (performing well academically, going to college, establishing new relationships, receiving promotions at work, etc.) then gaming may be a problem. A young adult who has failed to launch may be able to meet his or her responsibilities but may not be progressing beyond bare responsibilities as a result of their video game play.
Admitting that you or a loved one may need help is a great start. One of our first recommendations is to look at the other posts on this website about video game addiction. We have some very useful information and focus on providing education on the problem. Realize that video game addiction is a real problem that is affecting our country. Please feel free to reach out to us for further info on treatment for yourself or a loved one.
Sources:
https://www.who.int/features/qa/gaming-disorder/en/
https://www.cnn.com/2016/01/06/health/video-games-addiction-gentile-feat/index.html
I’ve been running multi-family therapy groups since 2005, and I think they are an essential part of any meaningful treatment for people that have either a substance misuse problem and/or a mental health concern. I ran the adult Multi-family group at Hunterdon Drug Awareness for 2.5 years and the adolescent one there for 5 years. […]
I’ve been running multi-family therapy groups since 2005, and I think they are an essential part of any meaningful treatment for people that have either a substance misuse problem and/or a mental health concern. I ran the adult Multi-family group at Hunterdon Drug Awareness for 2.5 years and the adolescent one there for 5 years. For three years I’ve proudly co-facilitated the Multi-family group at College Recovery on Thursday nights. A strong Multi-family program has three parts:
(1) A group for clients-only that meets to discuss their own issues and their hopes/joys/concerns/fears/anger/resentment regarding their families.
(2) A group for family/friends/spouses only that meets to discuss their hopes/joys/concerns/fears/anger/resentments regarding their loved one who is in treatment. There should also be a strong element of psycho-education in this group, as well as an introduction to Al-Anon, Nar-Anon, Families Anonymous and a suggestion that family members get some individual, outside therapy as well. A lot of the advice that I’ve written for family members has sprung out of these groups.
(3) Groups 1 and 2 should happen at the same time and last 60 to 90 minutes. After a short break, the Multi-family group brings all the clients and all the family members together for 90 minutes.
Ideally, the Multi-family group should consist of 12 to 30 participants (it takes a strong facilitator to handle a group above 20). Each week, the following should happen at the start of group:
members may not fight about what is talked about in group nor use it as a weapon against each other; cell phones off or on silent; one person speaks at a time; no yelling or cursing (well, I curse, but not at people…it’s part of the stand-up flavor of my groups)
if members feel that other members talk about them outside of group, they should talk to one of the counselors. There are five ways in which a counselor can talk about a client, and they include: a court order, record release, medical emergencies, elder/minor abuse, and threatening to harm oneself or others. If a member thinks that a therapist has talked about them outside of the program and it isn’t for one of the above five reasons, they should bring it up with the clinical director. This is important because people need to feel safe in a group. A good program explains confidentiality and group rules each week
everyone should state their name, where they are from, why they are here, how long they’ve been coming to group and then some kind of fun fact (it should be a theme each week – recently I’ve asked people to say their favorite condiment, time they were coldest, favorite charity/cause, and the actor/actress that they would cast to play themselves)
each group should have a 10 to 30 minute educational component, where family roles, communication styles, brain chemistry, diagnoses, codependency, soft & hard skills, finances and/or other topics are covered
At this point, group turns to an activity or series of conversations. It can be daunting for first time attendees. Therefore we ease them in very slowly. Some people come every other week or once a month, and that can be helpful and therapeutic for their family. Without question though, Multi-family groups benefits clients and family members who show up on a weekly basis. Here are some of rewards:
Members realize that their problem is a common one, even universal. So often, families don’t discuss their problems because of shame. They think, “Our family is so screwed up,” and, “No one else goes through this,” or, “This is really embarrassing.” Watching and listening to other families talk about and work through these problems helps reduce the shame and stress. Additionally it allows us to starting addressing the behaviors and emotions.
This is a follow up to normalization. Families that come on a regular basis get to observe other families that come on a regular basis. Some of those families are ahead of them, and they can look to them to see the progress and hope. Other families come in after them, and they get to role model for them and also see just how far they have come. A 20 year old man may be extremely frustrated and annoyed by his mother. However he may be able to sympathize with someone else’s mother in the group when she talks about the sleepless nights, anxiety and heartache that she is experiencing. By identifying with her, he is able to see his mother in a different light.
A new community (even culture) can be created in the Multi-family group. Members watch, listen, share, laugh and cry together for a number of months. Bonding takes place. We root for each other, and celebrate when good things happen. It truly is a community.
Multi-family group gives members a safe place to practice new forms of communication. They both watch others and practice themselves how to address someone without yelling, cursing or belittling and how to answer without rationalizing, excusing or blaming. Members have multiple sessions on how to identify, acknowledge, accept and ultimately share their emotions. When people become more emotionally mature and supplied with better communication skills, they begin to see their relationships improve.
It is important that family group be long enough (I have found that 90 minutes is ideal). The group room needs to be large and comfortable. Staffing is crucial – a single staff member can handle a group up to 15 people. However anything more than that should have two counselors in it. It is a good idea for Multi-family group to have two therapists. Those counselors should work together well, observe all the group members (and constantly scan for non-verbal cues and inattention). Both should have a strong working knowledge of the clients and their family members. Additionally they should bring a strong sense of levity and humor to the situation.
Here at NJFAI we strongly believe in the power of multi-family groups. We routinely run groups weekly. We encourage you to contact us to see if you and your family are appropriate for our group.
According to the 2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (the most recent survey available to us) and the latest findings by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), these are the percentages of young adults, aged 18 – 25, that do the following: – 39% of full-time college students report engaging in binge drinking […]
According to the 2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (the most recent survey available to us) and the latest findings by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), these are the percentages of young adults, aged 18 – 25, that do the following:
– 39% of full-time college students report engaging in binge drinking within the last month. Additionally this number is 33% for those in not in college or part-time
– 19% report using marijuana within the last month
– 22% report using illicit drugs (Molly, heroin, opiate painkillers, methamphetamine) within the last month
– 13% report abusing prescription drugs within the last month
People who abuse alcohol and/or drugs are more likely to get injured, have a mental health disorder, be involved in sexual assault, have legal problems, and attempt suicide. It’s a huge risk factor that can also lead to school, work and family problems. If you are a parent of someone aged 18 to 25, you may have already seen your child experience some of these issues. At the very least, you probably have some concerns.
I’ve worked as a therapist with this population for 15 years. I’ve run programs at high schools, universities, in-patient and out-patient treatment centers. Here are some simple tips, based on those experiences:
– be a role model -> young adults with a parent who abuses alcohol/drugs are much more likely to have substance use disorder themselves
– talk to your young adult about school, friends and substance use
– engage in activities outside of your home with your offspring. Too many relationships get bogged down by the business of housekeeping. For example shopping, cooking, cleaning, laundry. Not enough families engage in fun or recreational pursuits
If you suspect or know that your young adult has a drug or alcohol problem, here are some further actions that you can take:
– get your young adult into counseling immediately
– accept that everyone who lives with someone with a substance problem is affected
– do not have alcohol or drugs in the house
– abstain from alcohol and/or drug use while your offspring is in treatment or trying to stay clean
– attend at least six Al-Anon meetings (Al-Anon is for the family, friends & lovers of someone who has an alcohol or drug problem)
– attend an open AA speaker meeting alone
– set clear rules & boundaries
– make sure that you have some time each week to spend with other family members. This takes the focus off of your young adult that is using. Additionally it ensures that you do not ignore others in the family
make sure that you have some time each week for your own fun activities
– consider individual therapy for yourself
With treatment, young adults with a drug and/or alcohol problem can still reach their utmost potential. This gets harder and harder to do once your offspring hits their mid-20’s, 30’s or 40’s. Without treatment, your young adult’s drug and/or alcohol problem will get worse. There are many people in the United States that are paying the rent of their 30-something child and/or are raising their grandkids. To borrow a term from Charles Dickens, you can change your “ghost of Christmas future.” After reading this article, you can never say that you were not told.
A few months ago, I was talking with someone I’m very close to about sexual assaults on college campuses, in the military, and generally throughout America. I told her how 1 in 4 women in the United States will be sexually assaulted at some point in their lifetime, and how that number jumps to 1 in 2 if […]
A few months ago, I was talking with someone I’m very close to about sexual assaults on college campuses, in the military, and generally throughout America. I told her how 1 in 4 women in the United States will be sexually assaulted at some point in their lifetime, and how that number jumps to 1 in 2 if a woman has a substance use disorder. I spoke about how 80% of survivors are under the age of 30, and how often colleges typically mess up the less than 5% of cases that are reported.
She responded, “Something happened in the last year.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’ve talked about sexual assaults for the last half decade, but nothing like you’ve done in the last year. Something happened to someone you know. One of your clients maybe.”
I stopped and thought about it. I sat down and thought some more. “Over the last dozen years, I have heard a great many stories involving sexual assault and rape. Some of them were particularly gruesome and heinous,” I said. “But it’s not just the incident. The mental, emotional and spiritual toll that these women have experienced and endure has long lasting consequences and affects many different areas of their lives. The sum total of it all has left me deeply affected, concerned and angry.”
(1) Jane Doe #1: Went to a highly regarded, small, private, liberal arts college in the Mid-West. Was raped at the end of a date. She told her friends about it a few days later, and they told her she hadn’t been raped. “Those kind of things happen,” her friends (all females) told her. A few weeks later, she realized she had been raped. She didn’t tell her friends. She didn’t go to see a counselor or a police officer. Years later, she told me that, “I felt stupid for taking so long to work out what happened.”
(2) Jane Doe #2: Attends school at a major public university. Was raped on four different occasions by four different men that she considered friends. She didn’t report any of them to the police but she did tell two of her female friends. Currently she is experiencing major academic, social and physical problems (none of which pre-existed the first rape). She will only leave her house during the day if someone else accompanies her. She will not go out at night.
(3) Jane Doe #4: A woman in her early 20’s met a 29 year old man at a self-help group for people with alcohol problems. They hung out twice after a meetings: they got coffee after the first meeting; he raped her in his car after the second meeting. “I felt so stupid and ashamed. It’s my fault,” she told me.
Think for a moment about how difficult it is to tell someone about a problem. Think what it took for these young women to tell a man in his late 30’s about this (research states that women have an easier time talking to other women about these issues). Most never go to the police or even a counselor. Less than 5% of sexual assaults are every reported.
To my knowledge, none of the aformentioned women ever told any of their family members. Read that last line again. If there is a female in your life under the age of 30, there is almost a 25% chance that she was sexually assaulted and never told a family member. If it is your daughter, sister or grand-daughter, you might have no idea of the hidden wounds that she has been carrying around.
There stories are not unique. They are just examples of cases that are all too common. Many of the women I’ve talked to or worked with:
– are afraid of people
– are afraid of the dark
– jump when touched
– have difficulty being intimate with someone
– have problems in relationships
– are not believed by friends, boyfriends, family members or the authorities
– ….as a result, they trust people less
It seems like there are more reports of sexual assaults today than in the last dozen years. Colleges and the military have had national scandals and leaders called onto the carpet for the failures of reporting and treating women that have been sexually assaulted at those institutions. And yet on Friday, an article appeared on 538.com about how College Presidents Appear Delusional about Sexual Assaults on Their Campuses.
Those in power are acknowledging, more than ever, that sexual assaults are on the rise and that they are a significant problem. They just don’t believe it is happening in their backyard or is their responsibility. Most of those in power that aren’t properly addressing this are men. To sum it all up: men are committing sexual crimes. Additionally other men are glossing over it or disregarding it. It’s time that we educate men on these issues, rather than just focusing on what women can do to prevent them.
There are a number of changes, interventions and actions that one can take to combat insomnia. They include therapy, exercise, lifestyle changes, relaxation techniques, medical treatment and improving sleep hygiene. Here are 32 suggestions: Therapy (1) Work with a therapist to improve coping skills, develop stress management techniques and consider making some minor (or major) […]
There are a number of changes, interventions and actions that one can take to combat insomnia. They include therapy, exercise, lifestyle changes, relaxation techniques, medical treatment and improving sleep hygiene. Here are 32 suggestions:
(1) Work with a therapist to improve coping skills, develop stress management techniques and consider making some minor (or major) life changes.
(2) Work with a therapist to address mental health or substance abuse disorders.
(3) Weight training (but you should stop at least 3 hours before bed, otherwise you will be too stimulated to fall asleep). You will be more tired at night and will fall asleep quicker.
(4) Endurance training (running, biking, swimming – again, not within 3 hours before going to sleep).
(5) Lose weight. Changing exercise and/or eating habits can lead to weight loss. Usually, losing weight improves one’s health. Healthier people tend to have less problems falling asleep and staying asleep.
(6) Do not nap during the day. Napping breaks up one’s natural body rhythm. If one naps during the day, she is less likely to be tired at night and thus have more difficulty falling asleep.
(7) Eat healthier food.
(8) Meditation will help reduce anxiety and/or stress.
(9) Deep breathing exercises will also help reduce anxiety and/or stress. Breathing in for a count of 3 and out for a count of 6 will clear one’s mind, lower the heart rate and lower the blood pressure.
(10) Yoga.
(11) Use breathing strips if you have sleep apnea (one should also see a doctor for this).
(12) Get medical conditions treated and checked up on regularly. Inform medical provider of sleep problems.
(13) Engage in preventative care. Get regular medical, dental and gynecological check-ups to prevent problems from developing or to avoid letting problems get worse.
(14) Set a regular sleep schedule. This means going to sleep at the same time and waking up at the same time each day. If you wake up before the alarm goes off each day, you are probably getting into a good routine.
(15) Therefore, don’t sleep in on weekends or holidays.
(16) Increase exposure to natural light, especially early in the morning. You should get at least 20 minutes of sunlight each day.
(17) Turn off light when you get into bed. Light signals our bodies to wake up. Humans evolved into a rhythm of being awake in the day and asleep at night. Lights simulate the sun and cause our bodies to energize, making it hard to fall or stay asleep.
(18) Do not watch TV in bed, work on your laptop or browse through your phone. All of those technologies use lighted screens, which again, simulate sunlight.
(19) Minimize sound, or go with a fan or white noise machine.
(20) Your bedroom should only be for sleeping and sex. We are conditioned to do certain activities in different environments. You may not be hungry, but if you go into your kitchen, you might start looking at food. Working out at the gym is not the hard part; it’s getting there (because once you are there, you are used to working out). The more things you do in your bedroom, the more stimuli you have when you are in there. If you eat, read, study, work, fight or do other things in there, it is hard to send a signal to your body to just shut down and go to sleep.
(21) Do not think of yesterday, today or tomorrow while in bed.
(22) Have a comfortable environment
a. Noise can a problem (get a white noise machine, fan, etc…
b. If it is too hot, you’ll wake up
c. If it is too cold, you’re sleep won’t be very restorative
d. Slightly cool is best. Studies have shown that people tend to sleep the best in rooms a temperature around 66 degrees fahrenheit.
(23) Do not use sleeping pills (more on this in a separate post later this week). If you must use sleeping pills, you should be aware that they can cause a number of other problems and that many of them are addictive.
(24) Drinking warm milk actually works (without sugary syrup).
(25) Develop a bed time routine. Just as you have a morning routine, you should have a nighttime routine. Do the same things for the 5 to 25 minutes before you go to sleep every night. Your body will learn the routine and will send a signal to itself that it is time to go to sleep.
(26) Unless you want to wake up in the middle of the night to urinate, watch your fluid intake in the evening. If you are someone who is determined to drink a lot of water throughout the day, concentrate your water intake in the first half of your day.
(27) Do not take in sugar within 3 hours of sleeping. It’s a stimulant.
(28) Do not take in caffeine within 6 hours of sleeping. It’s a stronger stimulant.
(29) Do not use tobacco within 2 hours of sleeping. It’s a stimulant.
(30) Do not eat heavily within 3 hours of sleeping. Your body will begin digesting just as you are sleeping and you might wake up with energy after a short time of rest.
(31) If you can’t fall asleep within 30 minutes, get up for a bit and go to another room. Remember, you don’t want to condition yourself to be awake in your bedroom.
(32) If you sleep with someone that has medical problems, snores or has insomnia themselves, you might want to consider sleeping in separate rooms.
We don’t expect someone to initiate all 32 into their new sleep protocol, but we strongly suggest talking to a therapist or doctor who understands sleeping problems (quick quiz, ask them what sleep hygiene is) and coming up with a plan that incorporates a number of them. Read our other articles on insomnia. You can also always reach contact us here at NJFAI as well.
Social Media Addiction Is a Real Disease U.K. Lawmakers Say – Is That True? Parents and educators in the U.S. are expressing concerns about social media. For instance they are fearful that teens and young adults are showing signs of addiction. In response to these concerns we at NJFAI are researching social media addiction. This […]
Parents and educators in the U.S. are expressing concerns about social media. For instance they are fearful that teens and young adults are showing signs of addiction. In response to these concerns we at NJFAI are researching social media addiction. This article will discuss some of our findings.
Several social media companies are in the news. For example Facebook continues to receive a lot of negative coverage. This negative coverage focuses on how their services are addictive and exploitative. Furthermore many believe that Facebook is aware of the addiction. Additionally public sentiment is now that Facebook is intentionally addictive for profit purposes. Moreover many feel that Facebook is exploiting adolescents and young adults for profit. For example Facebook’s main source of revenue is advertisements. Correspondingly Facebook benefits financially for being addictive.
Another media company in the news currently is Google which owns YouTube. There are several concerns with YouTube. First is the design of YouTube. For instance it employs persuasive design elements. For instance a video automatically cues up after one video ends. Correspondingly this means that a viewer has to take action to stop watching. A second issue with YouTube is that it is a forum where videos that can increase addiction are available. For example there are YouTube videos of gamers opening loot boxes that are very popular. These videos likely amplify the effects of video game addiction. Viewers can see someone win an amazing prize and it gives them hope that they can as well.
Ongoing research on social media addiction has produced some interesting findings. For instance studies by an organization found that U.S. teens average 9 hours per day with digital media. Additionally 8-12 year olds spend an average of 6 hours a day with digital media. Even our babies and toddlers are spending up to 2.5 hours per day in front of screens. Equally concerning is that adults average 11 hours per day in front of screens as well.
Clearly people are spending a lot of time online. But does that mean it is not safe? That is one of the questions the University of Pittsburgh has looked to answer. They found higher rates of depression and anxiety among young adults who have high rates of social media use.
Psychologist Jean Twenge studies the impact of social media on psychological development of adolescents. She has found higher rates of depression, anxiety, and loneliness in adolescents.
If you or a loved one is struggling with using social media please do not hesitate to contact us. You can also read our other content on social media addiction. This is an issue that we are just starting to discuss in the U.S. Other areas of the world, like the U.K., view social media addiction as a real thing.
Sources
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/tech-addiction-is-real-we-psychologists-need-to-take-it-seriously/2019/03/18/5f12ad2e-3c54-11e9-a06c-3ec8ed509d15_story.html?utm_term=.e83c7a1c3296
https://www.theregister.co.uk/2018/02/27/google_and_facebook_criticized/
http://fortune.com/2019/03/18/social-media-addication-tax/
http://www.braininstitute.pitt.edu/using-lots-social-media-sites-raises-depression-risk
A Word About Fentanyl Parents and communities have recently been expressing serious concerns about fentanyl. This is not necessarily surprising because news organizations have recently been providing a lot of coverage on large drug busts and overdoses deaths involving fentanyl. In early March the DEA busted a fentanyl drug ring operating in Westchester […]
Parents and communities have recently been expressing serious concerns about fentanyl. This is not necessarily surprising because news organizations have recently been providing a lot of coverage on large drug busts and overdoses deaths involving fentanyl.
In early March the DEA busted a fentanyl drug ring operating in Westchester County New York. Upon raiding the location the DEA found 11 pounds of fentanyl. To put this in perspective the average Thanksgiving turkey weighs about 15 pounds and usually serves 20 people. Alternatively 11 pounds of fentanyl is enough to kill two million people.
The chart below shows overdoses in the U.S. from 1999 to 2017. Overdoses attributed to fentanyl are notated in yellow. From 2013 to 2017 fentanyl overdoses skyrocketed.
These stories and others like it clearly communicate that fentanyl is really powerful and is causing a lot of overdose deaths. In this article we will learn more about fentanyl.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid pain reliever that is used for treating patients with cancer or severe pain following surgery. It is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times stronger than heroin. Because fentanyl is powerful it only takes a small amount to result in an overdose. The image below shows a lethal dose of heroin compared to a lethal dose of fentanyl.
Typically after we discuss the deadly effects of fentanyl with parents and community members they almost always ask “Why the hell would an opioid addict ever use it?” We certainly understand this question as our experience has shown us that opioid addicts do not necessarily seek out overdose and death.
Heroin is illegal in the United States so there is no regulation on the production of heroin. Since there is no regulation there is no quality control and there is no way for drug users to know what is actually in the heroin that they are using. Without knowing what is in their heroin, drug users can take a normal dose and not realize that it is laced with fentanyl. Sadly this happens frequently and results in death.
Additionally drug deals often try to include fentanyl in their heroin to increase the potency of the heroin thus improving their reputation and sales. However they do not have the lab equipment necessary to ensure they stay below the levels that will result in overdoses.
The majority of the fentanyl that enters into the United States is made in China. China has a robust chemical industry which produces the chemicals and laboratory equipment necessary to create fentanyl. The availability of the materials necessary to create fentanyl, coupled with the challenges of governmental oversight, have allowed numerous illegal labs to pop up and increase production.
Fentanyl created in China enters the U.S. through two different channels. In recent years illegal labs in China have been mailing fentanyl to U.S. customers. Due to its potency it does a small amount of fentanyl can go a long way For instance a first class envelope mailed from China could contain 50,000 doses of fentanyl. With over 500 million international packages coming into the U.S. each year authorities are trying to figure out a way to identify packages that carry illicit drugs.
The other main channel through which fentanyl enters into the U.S. is through the Mexican border. Cartels have recently started purchasing fentanyl directly from China and smuggling it across the border. The majority of the fentanyl entering the U.S. from Mexico is flowing through the San Diego. Over 80% of fentanyl seizures occurred at the San Diego border.
With heroin being unregulated there is no way to know whether an individual bag of heroin has fentanyl without laboratory testing. Anyone who uses heroin is at risk of unintentionally injecting fentanyl. If you or are a loved one are using illicit opioids please do not wait to seek help. There is almost no margin for error when using fentanyl and it can easily result in overdose and death.
Sources:
https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/02/us/new-york-fentanyl-heroin-raid/index.html
https://www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/trends-statistics/overdose-death-rates
https://www.statnews.com/2016/09/29/why-fentanyl-is-deadlier-than-heroin/
https://www.pharmacist.com/article/opioid-dealers-embrace-dark-web-send-deadly-drugs
Recently I was driving in my car listening to sports radio when I heard an ad for one of the sports betting apps. At the end of the advertisement the announcer said “Problem with Gambling? Call 1-800-Gambler.” This was auspicious timing as I recently just finished high specialized training on gambling addiction. With gambling increasing […]
Recently I was driving in my car listening to sports radio when I heard an ad for one of the sports betting apps. At the end of the advertisement the announcer said “Problem with Gambling? Call 1-800-Gambler.” This was auspicious timing as I recently just finished high specialized training on gambling addiction. With gambling increasing in New Jersey we at the New Jersey Family and Addiction Institute in Morris County thought it was time to write a piece on gambling addiction.
Gambling addiction (also called problem gambling) is the uncontrollable urge to keep gambling despite the toll it takes on your life. Essential features of gambling addiction include:
These are two really common questions. Gambling addiction is an emotional problem that has financial consequences. An alcoholic who doesn’t drink is still an alcoholic. Likewise a gambler addict who does not have debt is still a gambler addict.
For those who have a problem with gambling the likelihood of them being able to stop on their own without help is very low. Problem gambling is a psychological condition in which the gambler will most likely continue to gamble until the hit a bottom or an intervention occurs. Additionally describing problem gamblers as having a “lack of willpower” could alienate the problem gambler and prevent them from seeking help.
There is not rule about “losing more than x makes you a problem gambler.” The amount of money lost does not necessarily matter. The most important factors in determining whether an individual struggles with problem gambling is the impact that it is having on their lives. Individuals who struggle with problem gambling will exhibit some of the essential features discussed above.
An estimated 2 million U.S. adults meet the criteria for gambling addiction and another 4-6 million meet some of the criteria and would be considered at risk for developing gambling addiction. This is rarely discussed because many people who struggle with gambling hide the effects for their loved ones. Usually the extent of their problems are only discovered when a life event occurs such as foreclosure on their house, legal issues, retirement, or their death.
Here at the New Jersey Family and Addiction Institute we need seek to intentionally scare you. We actually didn’t realize the extent of the problem until we received our specialized training. If you or a loved one is experiencing problems with gambling please do no wait to contact us. Gambling addiction can be effectively treated but progress is not likely to occur without treatment.
Recently parents have been asking us at the New Jersey Family and Addiction Institute about vaping. We also noticed that school districts as well as private schools had to address the rise in vaping among their students. We always seek to educate clients and parents so we took some time to find an answer. What […]
Recently parents have been asking us at the New Jersey Family and Addiction Institute about vaping. We also noticed that school districts as well as private schools had to address the rise in vaping among their students. We always seek to educate clients and parents so we took some time to find an answer.
Public sentiment around e-cigarettes seems to focus on two main points:
The e-cigarette industry overall has done a tremendous job running advertisements to perpetuate these points. Traditional cigarettes are viewed as dirty and unsafe while e-cigarettes and vaping are seen as trendy, cool, and safe. Another common message is that teens vaping isn’t the worst thing since it will decrease the likelihood of them smoking traditional cigarettes which are known to be harmful.
We believe strongly in the importance of looking at what research says instead of what marketing campaigns say. So we looked at research on the safety of e-cigarettes and teen use. What we found was very interesting.
A research team from John Hopkins University explored how safe e-cigarettes actually were in 2018. The researchers found that e-cigarettes can potentially release significant amounts of toxic metals in the vapors that smokers inhale. They found significant levels of lead, chromium, manganese and nickel. These metals leak from the heating coils.
Chronic inhalation of these metals is linked to brain damage and cardiovascular damage, lung issues, liver problems, and even cancer. While this was a relatively small study the results were so strong that it makes it difficult to believe that e-cigarettes are completely safe.
Now I can hear teens saying “Whatever that is only one study.” Normally I would agree with them except there are more studies. A study from NYU found that nicotine from e-cigarettes can cause cancer in mice.
So vaping may be safer than traditional cigarettes but it appears that they are far from safe.
Now the other main point that we explored was the relationship between teen vaping and smoking of traditional cigarettes. Did vaping really cause decrease in teens smoking?
To answer this question we turn to research conducted at USC. Researchers there found that teens who vape are six times more likely to begin smoking as those who never vaped. Researchers attribute this dramatic increase to the normalization of e-cigarette and vaping products.
Here at the New Jersey Family and Addiction Institute we will continue to look at research on the effects and safety of e-cigarettes. Parents should be aware that vaping may not be as harmless as the advertisements say. Continue to check back with us here at NJFAI as we will certainly continue to write about this issue as research continues. You can also always reach out to us for consultation.
Sources:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/vaping-health-effects-rising-use-among-teens/
https://www.pnas.org/content/115/7/E1560
https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/138/1/e20160379
