A new study conducted at Duke University has theorized that children of attentive mothers have a much better chance at fighting off the development of drug addiction, even if they have a genetic history of the disorder in their family.

It’s a theory in its early stages – the study was conducted using rats as participants – but the baby rats in the study who had affectionate and attentive mothers exhibited changes in their genetic activity and were later better able to avoid the temptation of morphine. The key was the increased production of a molecule in the immune system called Interleukin-10.

What is the definition of an attentive mother? In general, it means lots of hands-on touching: kisses, hugs, and physical contact in the early years. Some naturally had more attentive mothers while other mothers were more affectionate when their pups were taken out of the cage for a brief period and returned.

Staci Bilbo is an assistant professor of psychology and neuroscience at Duke and led the study. She said: “As soon as they’re returned, she checks them out vigorously, grooming the pups and cleaning them.”

Implications of the Study

What does this potentially mean for humans? Though it’s no guarantee that attentive mothering will protect a child from developing an issue with drug addiction – it should be noted that all the rat pups initially preferred the morphine but that most of those who had attentive mothers eventually lost interest in pursuing more morphine – it may encourage mothers to be more affectionate with their kids, especially mothers in recovery. It’s not the first study to support the fact that children need love and attention from their parents for healthy and happy development, but it is one of the first studies to suggest that that early love and support can help children fight off drug addiction later in life.

Mothers in Recovery

Many mothers who go through drug rehab often take parenting classes as a part of their treatment plan. These classes can teach mothers learn the basics about parenting including what their children need to thrive and how they can help their children heal from the issues that may have developed during active addiction.

What do you think? Do you think that how mothers relate to their children can affect their predilection for drug addiction later in life? Or do you think that each child’s reaction to experimental drug abuse will vary according to their personality and other circumstances? Leave us a comment below and tell us what you think.

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.

Multiple drug charges can add up to exponential amounts of trouble, and even in districts where there are drug courts to help offenders with an obvious drug and alcohol addiction problem, getting in trouble with the law on several occasions can make it harder to get a sentence that is more treatment than punishment.

One man in Auburn lost out on a plea deal for drug dealing because it came to light that he had been charged with possessing heroin just two weeks prior to his arrest for the current charges. When he was offered the four-year prison time over a longer sentence, the judge told him to stay out of trouble – but the offenders issues with addiction made it impossible for him to follow those directions without treatment and he was inevitably caught. His ultimate sentence? Seven years in prison.

Getting Drug Addiction Help While Incarceration

The hope is that those who are living with a drug and alcohol addiction problem and arrested for their crimes will get drug addiction treatment assistance through the prison system. Unfortunately, there’s not a lot of money in the state budget for comprehensive care and many who are incarcerated fall through the cracks. Though they can often stay clean and sober due to a lack of drugs and alcohol, most will relapse almost immediately after leaving prison.

Getting Help for Drug Addiction Before You End up in Court

The problem with drug addiction is that it causes patients to do desperate things, including criminal acts, in an effort to maintain their addiction. This can mean stealing to pay for drugs or committing fraud by getting duplicate prescriptions. It can also mean a lack of control that leads to domestic violence or assault, hurting someone while driving under the influence, and other charges that can mean incarceration rather than treatment even if drug court is an option – drug court is only for nonviolent offenders. Violent offenders receive incarceration rather than treatment even if their actions were instigated or fueled by addiction problems.

The best way to avoid the problem of fighting with the courts to get the help that you need for addiction is to enroll in rehab before you end up in front of judge for any reason. Women who choose a woman-only drug rehab can increase their chances of success in treatment when they actively engage in therapy and other treatment options. Contact us at The Orchid to learn more about the options available to you in drug addiction treatment.

Until recently, it was commonly believed that addiction was an issue of willpower: those who were morally strong could stop drinking and abusing drugs and those who weren’t were shunned. Over the years, however, more and more research has demonstrated the changes that occur in the brain and how addiction has the characteristics of a chronic disorder rather than a moral failing. Very few – especially those in the medical and psychotherapeutic fields – view addiction as anything other than a physical health issue with psychological components.

The Argument Against Addiction as a Disease

There is, however, an ongoing argument against drug addiction as a disease. Many refuse to believe the scientific evidence that more is at work than an inability to control oneself. They point out that:

• Drug addiction is not contagious. You don’t “catch it” accidentally.

• There’s no known way to develop drug addiction or alcoholism other than to drink or abuse drugs, which is clearly a choice, at least initially.

• Once it’s clear that drug and alcohol abuse has negative consequences, the patient still continues to drink and abuse drugs.

Most argue that those diagnosed with other diseases would stop the causative behavior if that were the way to treat the issue. Why can’t those addicted to drugs and alcohol do the same?

The Argument for Addiction as a Disease

Yes, it’s true that you can stand next to an addict or alcohol and not “catch” the disease. The same is true for the ability to “catch” HIV or cancer, and those are definitely both diseases, too. And yes, it is a choice to initially pick up a beer or smoke a joint or try any drug and that this action can ultimately lead to an addiction. But so too can it be said that skin cancer starts with choosing to be out in the sun without sunscreen – but few would say that those who are living with skin cancer have a moral issue or a problem with will power.

Additionally, there are a number of studies that track the marked changes in brain chemicals and structure that occur when drugs are abused for a long period of time. Clearly, a patient undergoes physical and psychological changes as a result of drug abuse and addiction. These changes make it even more difficult to control the impulses related to the problem.

What Do You Think?

Is drug and alcohol addiction a disease or a choice? Leave us a comment and let us know!

It’s becoming more and more common in the UK and in some parts of the United States: where drug courts provide drug addiction treatment for those who committed nonviolent crimes while under the influence of drugs or in pursuit of money to buy more drugs, many who stand before a judge as a result are actually requesting to be remanded to treatment. In fact, some “criminals” are asking for drug treatment, saying that they hoped to be arrested for their crimes so that they could get the help that they couldn’t get for themselves out on the street.

One car thief, Stewart Reith, recently stood before a judge in the UK and asked to be locked up so that he could get drug rehabilitation help. The judge said ‘yes.’

Everything about Reith’s crime was very highly visible. He went to a car dealership and posed as a staff member, walking the floor with a clipboard and wearing the company jacket. The cameras on site captured him getting into the Vauxhall Corsa VRM and driving away; the car was found a few days later without its tires.

Even with the camera footage of Reith doing the crime, there was no forensic evidence to help investigators track him down from the abandoned vehicle. The homeless Reith ultimately turned himself in and gave law enforcement all the details they needed, saying he had stolen the car with the hope of selling it to fund his habit but couldn’t find any buyers.

Finding Drug Rehab the Right Way

Reith’s story sheds light on the sheer desperation that many living with addiction feel when it comes to conquering their drug abuse issues. It’s not an easy thing to accomplish even with all the right resources – those who are alone and without support have almost no chance. Not everyone is lucky enough to have family who will help them get the help they need to heal or friends who will persevere and help them to enroll in treatment.

If someone you care about is living with a drug or alcohol addiction, don’t wait to confront the issue. They may not be immediately ready to enter drug rehab, but if they have the determination to get clean, you can help them find a drug rehab that can help.

The Orchid offers a comprehensive drug and alcohol addiction treatment program that treats women who are living with a drug dependence. Call now to find out how you can help a woman you care about get the help she needs to start a new life without addiction.