This blog is not about psychiatrists or psychiatry but when you consider that there are so many people taking prescription drugs – many of which are very dangerous and addictive – for alleged psychiatric reasons, it’s hard to stay off the subject sometimes. What’s spurred me on this time?

Psychiatry has systematically been re-classifying just about every one of life’s imperfect experiences as disorders that, according to the psychs, need to be treated with drugs.

The latest psych/Big Pharma target is college kids. Someone must have told them that college kids are already abusing prescription drugs like crazy – mostly to get high, sometimes to enhance their focus (they call them ’study drugs’) - and now they’re going after that lush market with a study that shows that 1/2 of college-aged kids suffered a psychiatric disorder within the last year.

Of course, whatever the kids experienced is a ‘psychiatric disorder’ only because the psychs have reclassified it as such. The ’science’ is totally their own – it doesn’t hold up under real medical scrutiny.

Next thing you know, they’ll be lobbying to pass a law that all college kids have to be screened for ‘disorders’ they should take drugs for. And they’ll be on their way to capturing a new public.

Do you think that’s the plan?

It’s not appropriate to use curse words in a blog, so I’m holding back here.  But I challenge you to find one that doesn’t apply to the psychs and Big Pharma creeps that will do anything to get someone on drugs.

Beware of what’s happening with your college-age kids. Many are already taking prescription drugs and some are coping with prescription drug addiction and abuse without ever having seen a doctor.  What’s going to happen when it’s sanctioned by the fact that they have a prescription?

All because they were stressed out about an exam coming up. It’s life. Not a disorder.  But you can be sure of one thing – if they get into taking these drugs, they’ll develop a disorder of one sort or another. And next thing you know, your normal college kid who was worried about passing a test will be in an addiction treatment center, or worse.

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Kids using prescription drugs is a big problem – many of us know that. Unfortunately, not too many schools are up on it. Even those that do drug tests usually only test for street drugs. But following the prescription drug-related arrests of students, some New York schools are taking a proactive approach to prescription drug addiction and abuse in the hope that they can nip it in the bud.

They’ve had grades 6 through 12 fill out surveys, the teachers have had some training, and they’re having a meeting with the student leaders to figure out what they can do to get the message across.

A local trooper, Rae Ann Hickock, said she’s had to arrest many kids for prescription drugs – even handing someone one pill is considered a sale. If that pill was OxyContin, hydrodone, Vicodin, Percocet or any other narcotic, the kid has just committed a felony. Hickock also said the kids have no idea that the pills are dangerous, or that what they’re doing is illegal.

Statistics show that kids whose parents talk to them about the dangers of prescription drugs (or any drug, including alcohol) are 50% less likely to take them. If the schools also jump on the bandwagon, a lot of kids might be able to avoid drug problems, and the possibility of prescription drug rehab.

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Although there is a lot of research done in the U.S. about alcohol and drug abuse, sometimes it doesn’t seem to get down to the day-to-day effects in real life. In England, for example, which has the same problem alcohol and drug addiction as we do, they’ve taken a much better look at what’s happening with alcohol and drugs in schools than we have.

For example, and average of more than 10,000 kids were sent home for alcohol or drug abuse every year for the last four years because they were drinking or taking drugs. When you take off weekends and holidays, that adds up to about 50 kids a day being sent home.

They also found that about 1/2 million kids under 18 years old (their legal drinking age) are served in bars.

And, perhaps the most shocking statistic – 47% of kids who drink admit having been involved in criminal activity.

Bearing in mind that kids who drink or take drugs early in life are likely to continue as they get older, that’s what the country’s looking forward to.

In the U.S., the situation is no different. And their kids becoming one of those kids is a risk parents take every day when they send their kids to school. And it starts early. Often by grades 7 or 8.

If these kids were gotten into an addiction treatment center for help before they were allowed to continue in school, the other kids would be a lot safer. And it would send a very strong message to parents and kids that alcohol and drugs are not acceptable.

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The lockers of the students in three schools in Massachussetts were K9 searched for drugs earlier this week. They caught one kid, with a lot of marijuana – all bagged up and ready to go. He’s been arrested. The searches were done to demonstrate the zero tolerance policy of illicit drugs in schools – the only problem is that illicit drugs are probably not the major problem. What they need to focus on is prescription drugs.

Prescription drug addiction and abuse is more popular among teens these days that marijuana. OxyContin and other opiate painkillers, stimulants, tranqilizers – the kids get them free from their parent’s medicine cabinets, give them to their friends, take them to parties where they’re thrown in a big bowl so kids can take whatever they want, not even knowing what the drugs are – that’s what the schools are really up against. And it’s the hardest to detect. K9s are trained to smell Xanax.

Truthfully, half the kids in school could have been high that day – having a good laugh afterwards. If the kid who was arrested doesn’t go to jail, chances are he’ll start dealing prescription drugs instead. And while the search will certainly keep marijuana, heroin and speed out of the school – which may help – what’s really needed is a body search and a urine or other type of test that will identify the presence of prescription drugs. Only that way can you stop prescription drug addiction or abuse.

I admire the fact that law enforcement is doing something about the drug problem in schools – but they’ve got to get the right target. Then they can find the kids with a problem and get them into prescription drug rehab for help. 

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The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) had it’s second ever Drug Facts Chat Day. It’s just a one day thing and, by noon, they’d already been contacted by 6,000 people. Amazing. The director commented on the number of questions about prescription drugs. It’s good to see that the news is getting out there on prescription drug addiction, dependency and abuse.

Most people think that certain drugs are safe because they’re prescribed by a doctor. Being very familiar with the effects of prescription drugs I’m often surprised when speaking to someone who is quite casual about taking them. They, too, trust that a doctor would not harm them. It never occurs to them that prescription drug addiction, or addiction to any drug, can happen to upstanding citizens who would never, ever consider ‘taking drugs.’

If you missed the chat line and think you or someone you know might have a drug problem and you have any questions about it or about drug addiction treatment centers, you can always give the experts at Drug Rehab Referral a call. They’d be happy to help.

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There’s been so much news out there lately about the prescription drug addiction and abuse epidemic that it’s overshadowed the usual illegal drugs – the focus of the U.S. ‘war on drugs.’ But the DEA hasn’t forgotten about them. In fact, the agency has launched a travelling exhibit about the dangers of drugs that anyone concerned - parents, teachers, high school and college administrators, and the general public – should attend. Prevention is the most effective way to ensure someone you care about stays out of a drug addiction treatment center.

According to Michele M. Leonhart, DEA Acting Administrator, the exhibit ”will open eyes to the vast and tragic consequences of illegal drugs — from their damaging health effects, to lost lives, to taxing our healthcare and social welfare systems, to billions in economic losses, to family despair, environmental harm, impaired worker performance, to funding terrorism.”

It opens at the California Science Center in Los Angeles on October 2, 2008 and will be there for six months. While it’s good to have it in LA long enough so a lot of people can see it, it’s unfortunate that it will be a long time before it travels to other cities.

If I were a parent in the LA area, I’d be planning on taking my kids – even if they’re only six years old. The earlier kids are educated about drugs, the lower the chances of them getting involved in them. And the lower the chances that parents will be finding a drug addiction treatment center for their kids in the future.

If I were a teacher, I’d be organizing outings for my classes. And probably taking the students there at least three times so they ‘get it’. It will be a lot of information. And I’d also get their parents to take them. Kids whose parents educate them on drugs are 50% less likely to get involved.  But it’s important it comes from the parents. And it’s important the parents are also educated.  I’d start with kids in grade five. And I would also make attending the exhibit mandatory for college students.

Of course, that’s not going to handle the prescription drug addiction and abuse problem. Unfortunately, most kids think those drugs are okay because doctors prescribe them. Nothing could be further from the truth. There are just as many people going into a drug addiction treatment center for prescription drug addiction or abuse as for the illegal drugs that I assume will be the focus of the DEA exhibit.

You have to hit drug education scene from all angles. And when you have a resource like the DEA exhibit to bring it home, you shouldn’t waste it. If you already have a kid or someone else in your life who’s on drugs you should also take them there. It might be just what they need to realize they have a problem and decide to get into a drug addiction treatment center.

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Parents of kids going to the University of Florida – now the number one party school in the U.S. – may breathe a little easier knowing that the rules drinking rules on the UF campus are being changed. No more kegs, drinking games and other behavior that leads to alcohol poisoning, injuries, accidents, rapes, and so on will be allowed. Punishment includes everything from wrist slapping to expulsion but, unfortunately, alcohol rehab is not included.

While it’s not a school’s responsibility to get kids into alcohol rehab, it would be an interesting turn of events. If kids were told they have to go to alcohol rehab to continue in school, it would open the door for them to stay and get their education – and would also drastically change their life. They’d no longer be alcoholics, and they’d still have a chance to accomplish their education and career goals.

Do you think college students should be ordered to alcohol or drug rehab? Florida has plenty to choose from. At the very least, parents should ensure it happens.

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I read a blog today which referred to an article about drug testing in schools. The author was against the testing because, he said, the only drug that stays in the system long enough to be detected is marijuana.  This is apparently driving school kids to other drugs. This may also be one of the reasons for the increase in prescription drug addiction and the number of people on prescription drugs going into drug rehab. Florida is nicknamed the ‘pill state.’ That gives you an idea of how serious the situation is.

Personally, I don’t think drug testing is the source of the problem. I believe the majority of schools don’t do drug testing at all – and they have the same problems.

Prescription drug addiction is largely due to the accessability, acceptability, and convenience of prescription drugs. They’re in practically every household medicine cabinet, they come from a doctor so are considered safe, and you don’t have to find a drug dealer to buy marijuana or find a place to smoke it where the smell is not going to be noticed. You just pop a pill.

If your kids are already taking drugs of one form or other - and if you don’t know, you’d better find out – there’s a good chance they’ll also get into prescription drugs. And, believe it or not, they’re more dangerous than many of the illegal drugs around. Your best bet is to get help. Drug rehab in Florida is plentiful.  In the meantime, what about drug testing? Should it be stopped? 

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Here’s another high school to add to the list of those in big enough trouble with drugs that they’re taking aggressive action. This one’s called Battle Mountain High School, and it’s in Colorado. Officials said they’re starting random drug testing at Battle Mountain High for all students involved in extra-curricular activities – that’s 75% of the student body. They hope the testing will keep people from using drugs, and that those who need help will get into drug rehab.

Yesterday I wrote about a high school in Fallbrook, CA, near San Diego, that’s going to start using drug-sniffing dogs to ferret out drugs.

As the prescription drug addiction and abuse epidemic continues to rage out of control, I think we can expect to see more and more of this kind of intervention in schools. Thank God.

It can be hard to control kids who are abusing drugs, but it’s a lot easier than trying to control adults in the same situation. Also, if you can stop kids from taking them there’s far less chance they’ll end up addicted to drugs as they get older.

Although there are always underlying reasons for addiction – and these are addressed in a good drug rehab program – a lot of those situations don’t have to be serious. Your kid doesn’t have to be totally messed up to get involved in drugs. They might just have a little trouble about wanting to look cool or go along with what other kids are doing. The problem is that the drugs themselves are so dangerous that the kids get easily hooked on the drugs and then the addiction has a whole life of its own. Taking drugs is no longer dependent on what others are doing.

Educating kids about the dangers of drugs helps them resist those temptations – kids are 50% less likely to get involved in drugs if they’ve been educated on the subject by their parents – and getting kids into a good drug rehab program early in the game if they do have a problem should successfully address what they’re running into and how they can handle it in the future.

Parents all over the U.S. have lost their kids to drugs. Thousands have died, and many thousands more are living in a different world – one that doesn’t include parents. Quite a disappointment when you’ve had a child and raised them. Not what you had imagined as they grow up and move into adulthood.

Get your kids the help they need through a drug rehab program. Do whatever you have to. If you have any doubts about whether or not it’s the right thing to do, just consider the alternatives – death, estrangement, a ruined life, or drug rehab? 

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Last week we read about undercover cops sniffing out drug dealers at San Diego State University, this week it’s drug-sniffing dogs on patrol just a few miles north at Fallbrook High School, in Fallbrook, CA.  It looks like the search and destroy mission for drugs on campus is getting serious – and not a moment too soon: The drugs in schools situation has been serious for a long time and more and more kids are in need of drug rehab.

In fact, there are even Juvenile Drug Courts to deal with kids under 17 who already have drug problems and are already involved in the criminal activity that often accompanies drug addiction and abuse. Juvenile Drug Court will help get younger kids into drug rehab so they have a chance of not being addicts as they move into adulthood.

Sometimes you really just have to take a very hard line. Undercover cops and drug-sniffing dogs may seem extreme – but drug abuse in schools isn’t something to be taken lightly. Most parents don’t realize how serious the situation is: Kids have usually been taking drugs anywhere from six months to two years before their parents even find out about it. The parents find out after the kid should already be in drug rehab – they’re not just experimenting.

How did this happen? I’ll tell you one thing, it isn’t because a bunch of heroin or speed dealers suddenly swooped like a swarm of locusts onto campuses. No, the culprit is Big Pharma. Millions of advertising dollars later, we finally have a culture that considers drugs the solution to life’s problems. Medicine cabinets full of speed, opiates and  benzos are creating a society desperately in need of drug rehab.

The drug companies make the big bucks, society goes to hell. Last night my son was telling me about Iggy Pop – who basically invented punk rock. He was a pretty wild guy, but he didn’t take drugs and didn’t drink. His viewpoint – manufacturers of alcohol and drugs are trying to get us addicted. He, for one, vowed not to let them control him, and he spread the word. I find it interesting that Iggy Pop’s perception is more keen that that of many doctors, scientists and world leaders. 

Everyone has problems. Are drugs really how you want to solve them? In the end, they don’t change anything. Life doesn’t change, you just see it differently. The solution is to get into a drug rehab program, then get your life back under your control. 

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