When it comes to the development of drug addiction and abuse, it’s common knowledge that genetic connections can play a part. If an immediate family member – mother, father, or sibling – struggled with drug and alcohol dependence, it is more likely that another family member will fight the same problem if they opt to experiment with illicit substances.

The issue may be more than just genetic. There is an identifiable cycle of abuse and addiction that occurs among families where drug addiction is rampant. The bad news is that it won’t be broken without effort. The good news is that drug addiction treatment can help.

The Cycle of Drug Abuse and Addiction

Let’s consider the passing of an addiction from generation to generation. A teen who is addicted to drugs or alcohol may be more likely to engage in unprotected sex, and have a child before they are ready. Still struggling with drugs and alcohol, they may be unready to undergo drug addiction treatment and continue to abuse illicit substances as the child grows up.

When addiction is a part of family life, the child is neglected. He or she is exposed to the dangers and ugliness that come with daily life lived in the grips of drug dependence. Trauma can result and many children are witness to – if not victims of – terrible events as a result of a parents’ addiction. Domestic violence, sexual abuse, criminal acts – all of these are common.

As a result, many children of addicts will turn to drugs and alcohol in order to numb the feelings of fear, instability, and sadness that result. Access is easy due to the parents ongoing addiction, and due to the young age of first use and the malleability of the brain during this crucial period of development, the onset of addiction is relatively rapid.

What happens next? The increased chance of unprotected sex, which means another cycle of a young parent with a drug addiction tasked with a raising child….

The cycle can be never ending.

Breaking the Cycle

Breaking the cycle starts when the addicted parent gets the help he or she needs to break free from their own addiction. Once in recovery and beginning the process of building a solid life for themselves, their children will benefit from a better role model, less chance of trauma, and more stability. If this happens early enough, it can lower the chances of the child ultimately developing an addiction as well.

If you are a mother and fighting off a drug and alcohol addiction, contact us at The Orchid today for information about how you can help yourself, your child, and your family to beat drug dependence – now and in the future.

During the last week of October every year, there are a number of drug addiction and trafficking awareness events that happen across the country in honor or Red Ribbon Week.

According to the Drug Enforcement Agency, the first national Red Ribbon Week happened in 1988 and began well before that in communities across the country to commemorate the work of Special Agent Enriqué “Kiki” Camarena. Special Agent Camarena had worked for the DEA for 11 years and was assigned to Guadalajara, Mexico. He was working to take down a multi-billion dollar pipeline that trafficked marijuana and cocaine out of the country and into the United States and around the world. However, on February 7, 1985, Special Agent Camarena was kidnapped, tortured and killed by the drug traffickers he was working to expose. It was an event that rocked the United States and helped many Americans to understand the deadly nature of the drug addiction business and how it affects those beyond the person struggling with the addiction, beyond the families of addicted loved ones, and beyond the communities who must pay for the damage caused by active drug addiction. Drug addiction is a worldwide issue and one that is deadly to all involved. Red Ribbon Week seeks to remember that fact, raise awareness, and use the opportunity to remember Special Agent Camarena and re-focus attention on the goal of a drug-free country and a drug-free world.

The National Family Partnership says that more than 80 million Americans take part in Red Ribbon Week events each year. There are essay and poster contests, drug-free races, the wearing of red ribbons, parades, and other events designed to raise awareness and prevent drug addiction while promoting drug addiction treatment for those who are already struggling with the issue.

How do we keep the community spirit and focus on drug addiction prevention alive all year around? Here are some ideas:

• Drug awareness and prevention in the schools as part of an ongoing effort to fight addiction
• Community activism designed to reach out to kids and parents to promote awareness
• Ongoing outreach services to those currently living with drug addiction

What do you suggest? What do you think would help keep the spirit of Red Ribbon Week alive throughout the year and help to fight the worldwide drug trafficking and addiction problem that Special Agent Camarena gave his life for.

Alcoholism has long been a problem for seniors and, when combined with many of the prescription medications that are often necessary in this age group, it can become a deadly issue. There are a number of stressors in this transitional stage and many seniors end up struggling with depression as well – a problem that often triggers alcoholic behavior. Unfortunately, heavy drinking makes depression worse, which can only exacerbate physical and emotional health. It’s a problem that is expected to get worse over the next 10 years.

Tampa Bay Online reports that about 3 million seniors in the United States struggle with alcohol and drug addiction – a number that is expected to triple over the next decade.

The problems that result from alcohol abuse and addiction among seniors are not much different than those that plague younger drinkers, but because the body becomes more fragile with age, more physical health problems tend to pile up more quickly. TBO reports that about 14 percent of hip fractures among seniors are due to mixing alcohol and prescription medications.

Alcohol abuse is the primary substance of abuse among seniors according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Unfortunately, the same survey shows that the rate of illicit drug abuse has grown by 3 percent over the past 10 years, too. This includes prescription drugs and other substances, like marijuana. The combination of the two substances can be lethal, robbing patients of their quality of life as well as their memories and physical health. Marijuana is far more potent than it was when many aging baby boomers first experimented with the drug 30 years ago, and combining it with prescriptions and alcohol can completely obliterate the patient’s ability to function.

One substance abuse treatment specialist told the Daily Tribune: “Baby-boomer parents who still think marijuana is a harmless substance need to look at the facts. Marijuana potency has grown steeply over the past decade, with serious implications in particular for young people, who may not only be at increased risk for various psychological conditions, cognitive deficits and respiratory problems, but are at significantly higher risk for developing dependency on other drugs, such as cocaine and heroin, than are nonsmokers.”

The hard part is first recognizing the signs of addiction among seniors who are going through so many different changes and then helping them to understand the risks that are inherent to abusing alcohol and drugs. Treatment is available, however, and seniors who are ready to make the changes necessary to live a fuller life without addiction can seek treatment. Call us at The Orchid to learn more about options in senior women’s addiction treatment.

The state of Florida has a skyrocketing state prison budget, in part, due to loopholes in their mandatory sentencing laws that need to be closed so only individuals engaged in truly criminal acts are being locked up. In just 5 years, the number of inmates has risen 20 percent and nearly 10 percent of the whole state budget goes to fund the prison system.

This ever-increasing budget for correctional facilities is causing people to take notice and shed some light on many necessary reforms needed in the system. Mandatory sentencing is one area currently receiving a lot of attention. Florida has some of the most stringent mandatory sentencing laws in the country, especially for prescription drugs. The original intention of these laws, to put criminals behind bars, may be getting lost in the application.

Weight of Pills Instead of Quantity of Illegal Substance Causes Inflated Sentences

One case in Florida that is a perfect example of the ineffective and potentially harmful process of mandatory sentencing is that of 43 year-old Todd Hannigan. Sadly, in a severe depression, Hannigan was looking to commit suicide. He stole 31of his mother’s prescription opiates, bought some beer and was starting to take the lethal combination at a local park when a police officer caught him. Since the pills, containing hydrocodone, in his possession weighed 22 grams he was automatically sentenced to 15 years in prison.

The amount of hydrocodone in all the pills actually totaled .23 grams with the rest of the weight being due to aspirin and fillers that form the pill, but he was imprisoned due to the state law anyhow. This illustrates just one of the many loopholes in the mandatory sentencing laws that need to be reformed for the mental health of our citizens. Rather than wasting away in a prison cell on taxpayer’s dime, Hannigan could have been sentenced to rehab and become a productive member of society.

Proposed Reforms For Mandatory Drug Sentencing in Florida

The judge in Hannigan’s case admitted freely the sentence was completely inappropriate, but due to state law he was powerless to tailor his ruling to fit the situation. Reformers want more control given back to judges so they can analyze individual cases and do their job in providing fair sentencing.

Both Florida TaxWatch and Collins Center for Public Policy (CCPP) have targeted much needed changes to mandatory sentencing laws in their reports. CCPP has created “Smart Justice” with suggestions on how to fix Florida’s unjust and costly prison system.

What do you think of mandatory sentencing for drug offenses? Do you think, besides large drug traffickers, most drug offenses deserve prison time or mental health and addiction rehab?

People do desperate things when they are living with an active drug addiction, and one mother in Florida did the unthinkable in order to get $2000, potentially to feed her prescription drug addiction: sell the parental rights to her 5-year-old son.

According to reports, Pinellas County sheriff’s deputies arrested Jessica Marie Beers for allegedly attempting to sell her 5 year old child for $2000 to a couple who had been helping her with childcare and giving her money. It was the couple who tipped off police, telling them that the woman had offered them the money in return for parental rights of her child. The couple said that they had been helping Beers with childcare and money for months and had noticed that she had a prescription drug addiction. Over time, they said they watched her child more and more often. When Beers made them the offer, they were concerned that she would spend the money on drugs and contacted police.

The arrest happened when Beers met with the couple in order to make the exchange: the boy for the money. Beers was arrested and charged with sale of parental rights and violation of probation for grand theft, and her son was taken into custody by child protection services.

Desperation and Drug Addiction

It’s a story that flew across the country when it first broke and while many were shocked by the nature of the crime, others see it as more proof of how desperate an addiction to drugs can make anyone. Children are often the first victims when a parent is living with drug abuse. Though the incidence is more often neglect, it’s not uncommon for kids to be hurt when their parents are addicted to drugs. The only benefit of this story is the fact that it brought to light the addiction that the boy’s mother was living with and provided him with an exit to safer home while also putting her in a position to recognize the need for and to accept treatment. Many mothers live for years covering up their drug addiction to the detriment of their child. In this case, at least there is hope for the future.

Drug Addiction Treatment for Mothers

Many mothers avoid enrolling in drug rehab because their children need their care. The fact is that childcare provided from someone under the influence of drugs is not acceptable. The child will always be much better off staying with a relative until the mother is well again, then coming home to a place that is truly home where the child can feel safe and learn to respect their parents because their parents are behaving in a manner worthy of that respect.

If you would like to learn more about our drug addiction treatment program here at The Orchid, contact us today. We can help you determine the best place for your child while you get the help you need to be the mother you want to be.