All things drugs and alcohol: MDMA needs to be studied, not demonisedMDMA, or ...

All things drugs and alcohol: MDMA needs to be studied, not demonised

MDMA, or ...: MDMA needs to be studied, not demonised MDMA, or as it's better known, ecstasy, is one of the most heavily regulated drugs wor...

MDMA needs to be studied, not demonised

MDMA, or as it's better known, ecstasy, is one of the most heavily regulated drugs worldwide.

But leading neuroscientists have just published a commentary calling for more research into the substance, claiming that understanding how it works could hold the key to new therapeutic compounds and treatments for psychological conditions such as PTSD.

This isn't the first time that researchers have shown that MDMA could have potential in treating psychiatric disorders - a trial of 12 people with PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder, showed that, in conjunction with counselling, the compound could treat the condition without any ill side effects.

Six years later, 11 of them hadn't had any PTSD symptoms return, and none had started abusing drugs (the 12th member of the original study wasn't available for the follow-up).

Another study in 1998 showed that one session of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy was as beneficial as a decade of regular talking therapy.

MDMA's therapeutic effect was often rapid, happening over the course of hours or only a few short therapeutic sessions.

The benefits appear to come from the fact that MDMA triggers electrochemical messaging in the brain that increases feeling of connection and empathy - which is why scientists class the drug as an "empathogen".

But on a neurological level, researchers still don't really understand how it works - and although initial brain scans have provided insight into which regions of the brain are involved in the process, there's still more to find out.

Which is why the scientists are calling for approval to use all the available tools of modern basic and clinical neuroscience research to map MDMA’s mechanism of action in the brain.

Right now, MDMA is classed as a schedule I drug in the US, alongside drugs such as heroin - and that means they're extremely hard for researchers to get ethics approval and funding to study.

To be clear, the researchers openly acknowledge that the drug can be dangerous in large doses, and shouldn't be used recreationally. But irrational barriers to its study based on poor understanding of its actions need to be minimised so that appropriate clinical studies can be performed.

Drugs like MDMA should be the object of rigorous scientific study, and should not necessarily be demonised.

http://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-say-mdma-needs-to-be-studied-not-outlawed

Mindfulness as Therapy

What may happen in a mindfulness session?

A mindfulness therapist will help you establish a daily mindfulness practice, often mindfulness of the breath. They may discuss with you what situations and thoughts are problematical with a view to helping you become much more mindful and aware in these situations. There is no attempt  to change your thinking, but simply to become more aware of the unhelpfulness of some thoughts. You may be encouraged to reflect on a difficult situation as it is happening or soon after. Similarly you may be encouraged to stay with an upsetting emotion for some length of time so that you can become more familiar with it and perhaps avoid the need to bring a lot of resources to fighting it off time after time. In essence the aim is to allow you to have a different, easier relationship with problematical  thoughts, emotions and bodily sensations. The result of this is an increase in well being, more control over your own mind as you spend less time dealing with difficulties and more resources for important activities. Often difficulties can disappear altogether.

Australian Prescription Drug Abuse Statistics

Prescription Drug Abuse Statistics

In Australia, two categories of prescription drugs are most commonly abused: Benzodiazepines and Analgesics. Benzodiazepines are minor tranquilisers and are most often prescribed by doctors to relieve anxiety or help people sleep. Benzodiazepines include drugs under the popular brand names Valium, Xanax, and Serepax.

Analgesics are medications used to relieve pain. Opioid analgesics such as codeine and oxycodone are the most commonly abused analgesics due to their ability to create sensations of euphoria. Those who are prescribed strong medications such as opioids or benzodiazepines can become dependent on these drugs without intentionally misusing them, as tolerance can develop and people will need to take more and more over time. However, prescription drug addiction occurs most frequently with the non-medical use of prescription drugs. Non-medical use is when people take prescriptions outside of their intended use, including taking a drug not prescribed to you, taking more than prescribed, or crushing, chewing, or otherwise misusing a prescription medication.

Approximately 4.5% of Australians 14 years or older have used tranquilizers or sleeping pills including benzodiazepines for non-medical purposes at some point in their life.

The non-medical use of analgesics is even more common, as almost 8% of Australians over the age of 14 have abused analgesics at some point in their life and 3.3% have done so in the past 12 months. Among young Australians aged 14-24 the average age they first try an analgesic for non-medical use is 15 years old.

Pain medications are the most commonly used drug, either licit or illicit, among 12-17 year olds. Four percent of 12-17 year olds take analgesics from home without permission and 3% buy them. This trend is especially frightening, as the younger people are when they experiment with addictive drugs, the more likely they are to develop drug addiction in the future.

Its about to get a lot harder to access prescription drugs on the Northern Beaches!

National real-time medicine monitoring will save lives

Our calls for the urgent  implementation of a national real-time recording and reporting system to decrease the inappropriate use of prescription  medicines seems to be very slowly actioned by the Federal and State Governments (although I find the speed of this "urgent" intervention to be a national disgrace).

As we loose countless wonderful people in this country each and every year from legally prescribed drugs I cannot fathom the attitude of our political leaders and the lack of interest they continue to show.  Be that as it may, this system will finally become a reality in the near future and I have further concerns as to how we are going to deal with the many thousands of individuals who are currently experiencing heavy dependence on these prescription medicines when they are not able to access their normal quantities.... 

Northern Beaches women are our clients and I can tell you that I personally see more women experiencing problems with alcohol and prescription medications such as Valium and Xanax than other illicit drugs combined.

The expected reporting  system ( Electronic Recording and Reporting of Controlled Drugs)  will include all drugs with potential for dependence meaning that all doctors will be able to access a patients record in the consultation - no more "doctor shopping"

This is great news but if we don't support these individuals they will experience dangerous health, social and psychological distress and/or probably substitute with alcohol or illicit drugs. 

We need to have some serious conversations and get ready!

Aly 

Aly Birmingham Geats

www.counsellingnorthside.com.au

ARE YOU A PROFESSIONAL WORKING IN A HIGH STRESS ENVIRONMENT?

DRUG AND ALCOHOL OR TECHNOLOGY ABUSE, DEPENDENCE AND ADDICTION ARE THE HIDDEN HEALTH ISSUES OF A HIGH FUNCTIONING YET HIDDEN GROUP IN AUSTRALIA.

   
There are serious issues regarding professionals accessing appropriate help for these issues and there are often serious issues in the treatments that are available for this group as reflected in the recent popularity of "rehab tourism".

  That our “best and brightest” feel the need to literally flee the country to address these complex issues is a real wake-up call for us all.  The unfortunate aspect of these treatment centres is that they cannot address in depth, why an individual is having these problems – compulsive behaviours seen in substance abuse must be addressed within the context of an individual’s life in order for them to maintain change.  The idea that this can be done in a brief stint in an overseas rehab unit is both naive and potentially dangerous. 

  
 There are services in Australia that are second to none but not all individuals are comfortable in group or public treatment models.  The high functioning client is functioning with varying degrees and levels of impairment and not likely to seek help where their identity may be exposed.  It's one reason why they are such a hard-to-reach group.  They are captains of industry, performers, medical directors, vets, dentists, police officers and accountants and there is immense fear and shame around this perceived weakness - a stigma that can destroy careers and families.  These professionals have the most to lose.

  We work in complete privacy with our clients and set in place many safeguards to protect their anonymity at all times.  Our clients know that this tight security is a given so they can focus on their goals.   

Context Health & Education
www.counsellingnorthside.com.au

MINDFULNESS FOR HSC STUDY

Being Mindful about study: engaging your brain to reduce stress and study better with assignments and exams fast approaching, you might be feeling anxious, worried or stressed.
Mindfulness practice is the ability to put your mind where you want it and be fully involved in the moment. Have you ever had the experience of being “in the zone”? That’s mindfulness! Being aware of how you’re feeling; what’s going on around you; and still being able to be focused on what you want to accomplish. Not easy, but with practice, you can build the mental muscle necessary to be mindful.  Anything can be done mindfully. We often don’t do things mindfully because we get caught up in the daily craziness of work, school, relationships and life. How often do you do three things at once…watch TV, eat dinner and take notes on your class readings? How often do you talk on the phone while driving? In order to get things done, we feel pressured to do many things at the same time. Often we are rewarded for living this way. We get a lot done quickly; we feel productive; and others view us as intelligent and successful. Unfortunately, that lifestyle often leaves us feeling stressed, fatigued and irritable. Mindfulness is choosing to do one thing at a time with focus and intention.
 Research shows that practicing mindfulness improves your brain’s ability to pay attention, concentrate, plan and organize information. That means you can improve your brain’s ability to study more effectively and efficiently. Regular mindfulness practice also has a positive impact on health and wellness. Because mindfulness can have a relaxing effect on the body, it has been shown to boost immune functioning. That means feeling better with less illness. If you’re prone to getting sick during stressful times because you’ve worn yourself down studying; not eating well and not sleeping enough, then mindfulness can be one way to buffer yourself from the negative effects of stress.
 To practice putting your mind where you want it, count your breaths. Every breath has an inhale and an exhale. After each exhale, count. When you get to 10, start over at one. If your mind wanders and you lose track of the count, start over at one. Don’t change your breath as you breathe. Breathe normally and count. Notice if your mind wanders. If it does, gently bring it back to the counting without judgement - the purpose is merely to observe the mind doing what it does.
Taking a 2 minute break from studying or being overwhelmed can help you regroup and get back to work in a more organized way. Being mindful isn’t all about silence and stillness. You can move your body and be mindful too!

Aly Birmingham Geats is a coach, counsellor and therapist located on Sydneys Northern Beaches with a Post Graduate degree in Mindfulness and Buddhist Practice at Nan Tien Institute, Australia

www.rowan.edu/open/studentaffairs2/hci/healthymind/documents/mindful.pdf

A WOMANS STORY IS NOT HER EXCUSE

             Hearing it is an opportunity 
             for insight and compassion.

Addiction is not a matter of morals.
It is not a matter of weakness.
Addiction is not a choice, recovery is a choice but it is rarely achievable without help.
A woman does not decide to become an addict.
A woman has a right to make bad decisions without being judged and shamed.
We all need support when things go wrong.

When things go wrong for a child
and theres no one there to show the way
how can they create a good life?
How do they grow up and know how to be safe?
They just try their best.

counsellingnorthside.com.au
sydneyrecoverysupport.com.au
familytree.org.au

       Acceptance not Judgement

The 5 Faces of Borderline Personality Disorder

So happy to have the team at Sydney Recovery Support working with us. They specialize in recovery coaching for drug and alcohol and have been around for a very long time working with some of the best in the business - I can honestly say that I know them to be the best in the business and I am personally looking forward to "learning by stealth"!!  Anyway, here is a big welcome and please have a look at their website if you are interested in coaching for AOD issues. Cheers, Aly
www.sydneyrecoverysupport.com.au

Dr. David Greenfield video game addiction treatment

Shame in a relapse can kill you.

When you relapse with shame you will use harder and you will use more.

There is no shame in lapses or full blown relapses - it is just part of this thing we call addiction. Heavy using often happens when there is a lot of shame around the relapse. The professional statistics show high overdose rates in those who are  fresh out of detox but what those figures cant tell us is that when someone first picks up, the desire is to wipe them self out so they don't feel the shame of what they are doing. Decreased tolerance levels are only half the story.
 The important thing to remember is that you will get clean if you keep trying. Forget about the judgements they are not relevant.  What you need to remember above all else is that you have to stay alive in order to give it another shot. Loose the SHAME and Use CAREFULLY.  A relapse can be turned around and your life will become your own again but only if you survive using!

Addiction Treatments

     Addiction treatments have come a long way in the past few years. It is not so long ago that we were electrocuting our clients to cure them from their disease! More recently our attempts to "break through their resistance" included confrontational and directive approaches which, in hindsight, can only be seen as directly oppositional to the techniques we now utilize. The breakthroughs in science with tools such as fMRI which image the living brain have supported the disease model of addiction in which 12 step facilitation is based and further research has informed techniques such as motivational therapy and interviewing and cognitive behavioural therapy. These three models of treatment are in the forefront of most current treatment services along with humanistic-existential therapies such as person centered and gestalt modalities.

In this article we will briefly look at each of these treatment options with a view of understanding and educating rather than prescribing specific treatment plans. It cannot be stressed enough that each individual treatment plan must take into consideration the client, their environment and                                                                                         the addiction of choice.

Motivational therapy is an appropriate start as when a client initially makes contact, they may be in various stages of change. These stages are known as

Contemplation - Acknowledgement of a problem but ambivalent to change)

Preparation - (preparing for change)

Action - (Changing behaviour)

Maintenance (Maintaining the desired behaviour change)

Relapse (Return to unwanted behaviours)

The idea behind motivational interviewing or therapy is to work with the particular stage in which your client is presenting. For example, if your client has been coerced by their family to seek help but is apparently a "happy user" it would be counterproductive to pursue a commitment to abstinence. This pre-contemplation stage is a point whereby a therapist would work to move their client from content with their current use to a point of acknowledgement that they may desire a change thus moving from one stage to the next and rather than breaking through resistance we work with the resistance.

CBT is an important tool for an individual who has progressed to an active desire to stay clean or possibly maintain moderation management. This modality works on the connections between feelings, thoughts and actions and teaches the client how to observe their own (and others) processes which lead to discomfort and the urged to use. This is known as the ABC - activating event, belief and consequence. A powerful tool for those struggling with an addiction that is extremely vulnerable to feelings of resentment, shame and isolation. CBT also teaches the skills of observing our negative self-talk (automatic negative thoughts) which may swing a successful recovery into crisis when not recognized.

Our final tool in this article is twelve step facilitation (NA, AA ) - a much maligned recovery support in some quarters yet the principles of 12 step programs are now supported by both science and most rehab facilities. The aspect of a higher power is not one of religion but individual spirituality (the human spirit) and this higher power may be god, an addict's family, their connection to nature or simply the power of the group in a meeting. This is a powerful tool and not one to be dismissed due to its origins. The sense of acceptance, belonging and support, particularly for those in early recovery is therapeutic in its own right and working the steps is not dissimilar to the process utilized in many counselling and rehab settings. Recovery can be a very lonely and frightening experience and even the most socially isolated and damaged in the recovery community heal within this environment of unconditional positive regard.

The humanistic and existential approaches to recovery are appropriate modalities to utilise when working with this client base and will be discussed independently of this article due to the large body of information to be addressed.

Aly Birmingham Geats

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6974793
www.sydneyrecovery support.com.au
www.counsellingnorthside.com.au

New years Resolutions 2016, Quitting and Motivation

I will not eat any more budgies

   Well here we are at the start of another new year and I am sure many of us have already started on our journey on the "New Years Resolution Torture Train".
   It is a good time to remind ourselves of the important aspect of motivation in behaviour change.  It is no easy task to change any behaviour that we use in our daily lives but if we don't have the correct motivational drivers we are almost setting ourselves up for failure.  Clever captions such as "Quit for Life" don't really cut it for me.
   A resolution with a motivator of "its the new year" will hardly stand up to the rigors of craving and habit but if we look more closely into why we have really chosen our particular behaviour change we will have a much better chance of success.
   I needed to give up smoking for many years and each NY I gathered up my ash trays and ventured into the world of "I AM A NON-SMOKER".... never worked. When I tried hypnotherapy I went straight home full of anxiety and craving and lit up a cigerette.
   I finally gave up when I saw my dear friend dying of lung cancer.  My new motivation came from the fear of leaving my children without a mother and I now had horrendous knowledge and knew what I had to do.  I gave up smoking and never went back- the vision of my precious friend always in my mind.
   Thankfully, we don't always have such powerful drivers but if we look at whats really important to us and find those very specific and very personal motivators we are half way there.

   Good luck to all who are on the 2016 train!