August 2009

What is it that people get confused over the difference between crack and cocaine?  For starters, crack is actually slang for smokeable cocaine that is produced to resemble small pieces of rock or candy.  The name was actually derived from the noise it made when it was burned.  However some of the key differences between the two is the fact that crack:

• is more accessible and easier to market on the street
• delivers a greater high
• can kill you sooner (even first time users should beware)

Youth Involvement

In recent years, the number of younger people who have begun to use crack has gone up with the major appeal being both the cost as well as the instant effect it has on the body.  For example, did you know that crack can yield a high in around 10 seconds? However, you should also be aware that within those ten seconds, you can also experience:

• convulsions
• increased heart rate
• heart attack
• sudden increase in blood pressure
• stroke
• extreme depression
• suicidal behavior

It’s sad to think that in just 10 seconds, you can throw your life away.  Get it back with Mark Houston Recovery in anywhere from 30 to 90 days.  After all, isn’t your life worth living? For more information about drug and alcohol recovery, or to learn more about our 30 day drug and alcohol rehab program, contact Mark Houston Recovery today!

When it comes to alcohol consumption and depression, a new study shows that heavy drinkers — but also teetotalers — have higher levels of depression and anxiety than those who drink moderately. The happiest people were those who averaged about two glasses of alcohol per week.

The following video was originally presented by The History Channel and details the history of illegal drug use.  It is extremely informative as well as interesting.  Take a look:

For more information about drug and alcohol recovery, or to learn more about our 30 day drug and alcohol rehab program, contact Mark Houston Recovery today!

Allowing teens to work too many hours in the wrong environment can be dangerous for their sexual health by fostering conditions that lead them to older sex partners, a new study shows.

You may have heard all of the stories coming out about celebrities and their abuse of cocaine.  Lindsay Lohan, for example, is no stranger to this dangerous and sometimes deadly drug.  So, what gives?  Why are so many people turning towards coke as the ‘end-all-be-all’ for their problems?

Not Always a ‘Quick Fix’

According to recent reports, cocaine abuse is actually on the rise among women.  It seems that many people believe that using cocaine will help them to lose weight.  However, the truth of the matter is that cocaine has the particular trait of entering the bloodstream quickly thus having an immediate effect. So, you might feel great for a little while, but don’t expect this “good feeling” to last long.  Because of this, many people who use cocaine just once will tend to do it repeatedly in an effort to prolong the euphoric feeling her or she may have.

The Downside..

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter similar to adrenaline, and in excess or in shortage can create a range of metal reactions including the loss of rational thought, memory loss and creating a sense of paranoia. Cocaine interferes with the control mechanism that regulates the amount of dopamine that a person needs, increases the activity on the nervous system and because of its short term effect will provoke the use of this drug over and over again.

For more information about drug and alcohol recovery, or to learn more about our 30 day drug and alcohol rehab program, contact Mark Houston Recovery today!

Teens today face many challenges- social, Physical, and emotional all of which are compounded by the ever increasing peer pressure they encounter at school. A teens social status may be dependent on his or her physical appearance. In this generation, a healthy weight is pretty much social suicide – bone thin is in, and there is no end to which some teens will not go to become thin/acceptable, even to the extreme of straving themselves, only to binge on all manners of food - comfort foods mainly.

The concept of food addiction is alien to most people, because drugs and alcohol seem to dominate that arena. However, addiction is in essence the over indulgence or abuse of any substance including food. Many experts including overeaters anonymous and food addicts in recovery anonymous say Food Addiction consist of:

-Using food to comfort and soothe emotions.

-Constantly thinking or odsessing about food.

-Secretly Gorgeing yourself with comfort foods like icecream, when you are alone or lonely.

-Eating until the food is gone. “If there is too much open fridge space at the end of your eating session, you’ve eaten too much!”

-Feeling guilty about food.

For teens who can’t fit in, food is often their invisible friend, showing up in times of need to provide much needed comfort.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA),

…studies have found that women in drug abuse treatment relapse less frequently than men do, at least partly because women are more likely to engage in group counseling. Other NIDA-supported researchers have found that cocaine-addicted women and men differ in the factors that cause them to relapse, indicating that males and females might benefit from different relapse prevention strategies.

Why the Difference?

There are some who speculate that the reason why women abuse drugs and alcohol is due to the fact that there is a strong tie between drug and alcohol abuse and a past history of physical and/or sexual abuse.  Because of this, over the years, many gender-specific drug and alcohol rehab facilities have sprung up with the hopes of being able to more effectively help women and men experience a life of sobriety.

What the Future Holds

There is no telling what the statistics will be for drug and alcohol abuse for women and men in the future.  However, with the increased number of drug and alcohol rehab options that are becoming available, increased numbers of women and men alike now have a choice when it comes to figuring out how to get their lives back on track.  Similarly, it should be noted that while drug and alcohol facilities aim to help residents recover, true drug and alcohol recovery cannot be restricted to within the confines of a drug and alcohol center.  Rather, drug and alcohol recovery and likelihood of drug/alcohol relapse depends on what that resident does once their residency is completed.

For more information about drug and alcohol recovery, or to learn more about our 30 day drug and alcohol rehab program, contact Mark Houston Recovery today!

There are 7.6 million alcohol-related emergency department visits each year. Screening all ED patients utilizing two well-researched screening tests is a first step in identifying patients. Research has been focused on academic medical environments, not community hospital EDs, where 56 percent of all ED visits occur. Researchers sought to identify a model that could integrate screening and brief interventions for alcohol misuse into a community hospital.

Foundation for a Drug-Free WorldWatch videos and learn the truth about drug addiction. Read facts and real-life stories from addicts about drugs such as alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, heroin, ecstasy,…



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Adopt a Drug AddictA non-profit organization that specializes in the rehabilitation of drug-addicted children and young adults who have no support structure or who have become destitute as a result…



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