By
Bob Cox
Among
all the addictions that Americans suffer from, the two that are the
most prevalent and destructive continue to be drugs and alcohol.
Approximately 22 million Americans have either abused or were
dependent on drugs, alcohol or both according to a report from the
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Tragically, over 94 percent of people with substance use disorders
said they did not believe they needed treatment.
For
those that acknowledge the problem and seek help, there is evidence
that approximately 90 percent of alcoholics are likely to experience
at least one relapse over a four year period following treatment.
Similar relapse rates for alcohol, nicotine and heroin addiction
suggest that the relapse mechanism for many addictive disorders may
share common biochemical and behavioral characteristics.
Fortunately,
there is help right here in our community for people that are
negatively impacted by either drugs or alcohol. Janina Guarino is the
founder of Better Decisions Counseling Services and they have had
amazing results helping their clients that are committed to beating
their addiction permanently. To date, over 95% of the clients they
have counseled continue to stay on the path of sobriety.
I
spoke with Janina and Program Manager Alex Noriega the other day to
learn what they’re doing to help their clients conquer their
addictions and lead healthy and happy lives.
Q:
Why do you have such a high rate of success helping your clients stay
clean and sober?
A:
Both Alex and I struggled with addiction early in life, so we
completely empathize with our clients and understand the depths of
their despair. We also know the commitment it takes to beat addiction
and our clients trust and respect our counseling because of this.
When it comes to treatment, we customize each plan around the needs
of the individual, because everyone is unique. We do not believe that
a cookie cutter program is the answer for everyone.
Q:
What is the most common addiction you treat?
A:
(Janina) Prescription drugs and that includes all age groups, from
adolescents to seniors.
Q:
Why do you believe that prescription drugs are being abused?
A:
(Alex) Prescription drugs are easy to get. Many adolescents may
think, “Hey, I don’t have any money, but look what my mom has in
her medicine cabinet!” (Janina) Also, many seniors are struggling
financially, so they often feel pressured to sell some of their
prescription drugs to subsidize their income.
Q:
Have you found that prescription drugs are being combined with
alcohol by more people?
A:
(Alex) Yes, alcohol is a very common addiction. When combined with
prescription drugs, alcohol raises the level of potency of the
prescription drugs.
Q:
Are prescription drugs and alcohol the two most common substances for
addiction?
A:
(Alex) Yes, especially for young adults and the elderly. The age
group in the middle is more likely to abuse both prescription drugs
and illegal drugs like methamphetamines, cocaine and heroin. (Janina)
The hardest drugs to remove from your system are the opiates that are
being prescribed by many doctors for pain; drugs like vicodin,
oxycontin and norco. (Alex) Dentists are also prescribing those
drugs to help reduce pain.
Q:
Can people addicted to opiates go cold turkey or do they need to
gradually step down?
A:
(Janina) They need to step down slowly and safely. We refer them to a
doctor to help them safely step down and give them education on the
hope that there is for a full and complete recovery.
Q:
Is the younger generation abusing prescription drugs to party and get
high with?
A:
(Janina) Yes. They now have salads where they’ll put a variety of
prescription drugs in a bowl at a party and they just grab a handful
and take them. (Alex) And do you know where they get them from? Their
parent’s medicine cabinets!
Q:
Have you worked with many adolescents that have become addicted to
drugs like adderall to study and focus better?
A:
(Janina) We haven’t seen a lot of that, but some people will self
medicate with those kinds of drugs when there’s the possibility of
having ADHD. We have found that drugs like adderall don’t usually
get them high; they just level them off and help them feel normal.
They need to go back to their doctor and get a different type of
medication for balancing out their neurotransmitters. (Alex) Some
people that have ADHD will use methamphetamines because it actually
calms them down. Back in our younger days, doctors prescribed ritalin
to slow hyperactive kids down.
Q:
Are seniors primarily taking prescription drugs to escape pain?
A:
(Janina) Absolutely, and at some point, they may continue to take the
medication out of habit, even when’s there’s no pain signal.
(Alex) It’s not just physical pain. Depression is also very common
among the elderly.
Q:
Better Decisions Counseling Services provides a wide variety of
counseling services to help people that are determined to overcome
their addiction. What types of counseling services do you provide?
A:
(Janina) Along with drug and alcohol counseling, we offer a wide
variety of services, such as family counseling, PTSD counseling,
co-parenting education, relapse prevention, assertiveness training,
self esteem classes, life and social skills workshops, anger
management courses and even drug testing.
Q:
On May 9, you will be hosting a drug free community event called
Sober Saturday. Please tell us what’s happening at this event?
A:
(Janina) It’s a drug free community event with lots of great
resources and fun activities for the whole family. Sadly, many people
addicted to drugs or alcohol burn a lot of bridges. We are planning
to help them re-establish those bridges in a healthy way at Sober
Saturday. We’re planning to have music, a jump house and a petting
zoo for the kids, a big car show and delicious barbeque ribs! We’ll
have multiple barbeque smokers cooking ribs and have a grand prize
for the best ribs.
Q:
Do you offer financial assistance for people that are unable to
afford the counseling you offer?
A:
(Alex) Yes, the proceeds and donations we receive from the community
at Sober Saturday and beyond will go towards scholarships to assist
those who need the help. With a combination of counseling and a vast
network of community resources, we can transform lives. We will do
this by helping our clients cultivate positive work habits and
healthy activities.
Editor’s
notes: For more information about Better Decisions Counseling
Services, visit their website at www.betterdecisionsinc.org,
stop by their office at 10366 Rockingham Drive in Sacramento or call
(916) 368-0700.
SOBER SATURDAY:
A DRUG FREE COMMUNITY EVENT
When: Saturday,
May 9th,
11am-4pm
Where: 10366
Rockingham Dr., Sacramento, CA 95827
Call (916)
368-0700 for more information.
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