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Combatting drug abuse: Reducing crime, rebuilding lives
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By KASEY DOYLE Staff Writer
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A patient at Morehead Professional Associates said he decided to seek help for his drug addiction because of his 7-year-old daughter.
The patient, who asked to remain anonymous, said he began using drugs persistently about seven years ago, when a co-worker introduced him to Oxycontin.
He said the first time he took drugs he "felt great," and did not have to deal with the depression or anxiety issues he faced while sober.
"You are just living in your own world, and nobody can get inside of that world but you," he said.
Earlier this month the patient celebrated his 30th birthday. It was then he realized he needed help for his addiction.
"I started looking back on what I had in the last 30 years," the patient said. "I sold everything I owned for drugs. My child came second, even though I told everyone she was first. It hits you like a bolt of lightning, when you realize you've lost everything except the one thing that no one can take away and that is the love of your child."
The patient, who is living in Fleming County with his sister, sought the help of Dr. Stephen Lamb, a psychiatrist from Lexington, and the Morehead Professional Associates clinic.
Lamb also works in Lexington Professional Associates, a treatment center in Pikeville and has a psychiatric practice in Lexington.
Morehead Professional Associates is an outpatient facility that offers substance abuse treatment services, detoxification, methadone maintenance and methadone detoxification.
Methadone is a potent synthetic narcotic drug that is less addictive than morphine or heroin and is used as a substitute for these drugs in addiction treatment programs. It may also be used for chronic pain management.
Methadone maintenance treatment reduces withdrawal symptoms and cravings for opioid drugs such as heroin, codeine and oxycodone. Methadone detoxification is used to help opiate drug addicts reduce cravings and eventually stop using drugs.
Oxycontin is an opiate drug, and a drug commonly used by addicts.
"If you take it as directed, it helps to relieve pain and it can be a very good cure for pain," Lamb said. "However ... if you bite into the capsule, thereby crushing all the delayed release mechanisms, you get the sudden rush of opium that causes you to feel very euphoric. Pretty soon people are biting into it or crushing it up into a powder and snorting it or dissolving it into a liquid and injecting it. Pretty soon there is an epidemic."
Lamb said many people become dependent on these drugs in their daily lives and can't control the addiction.
The outpatient center treats people who are addicted to legal and illegal drugs in the counties from the Buffalo Trace area, as well as patients from other parts of the central and eastern parts of the state. The clinic combines drug treatment with psychiatric therapy.
Patients pay $80 a week for the methadone treatments. Funding for the clinic comes from money paid for the treatments by the patients or their families.
Tuesday morning was the patient's first visit to the clinic, and his first day of treatment.
During his initial consultation with Lamb, the patient said he had used several different types of legal and illegal drugs during the past seven years including Lorcets, Oxycontin, Crystal meth, cocaine, acid and marijuana.
"Crystal meth just kept me going all the time. Cocaine ... made me feel like the whole world was lifted off my shoulders," he said.
The patient said he spends about $100 to $200 for drugs a week.
"Maybe even more than that," he said. "It's hard to tell; according to how much money I have on me."
The patient's drug habit also contributed to marital problems; he and his wife are now separated.
"I would stay gone all the time, trying to find it (drugs), and if I didn't have it, I would start an argument ... If I did have it things were good," he said.
The patient has also dealt with depression, and has attempted suicide a couple of times.
"About half of the people who come here have pre-existing trouble with depression, anger, anxiety or shyness," Lamb said.
Getting through withdrawal
Fourteen hours before his session at the clinic, the patient said he took a 10 milligram Percocet.
Lamb said he asks patients not to take any sort of legal or illegal drug at least 24 hours before the first consultation so he can see the patient going through withdrawal.
The patient was experiencing some withdrawal symptoms Tuesday. He said he was aching all over his body and it felt as though his head was going to explode. He said he also felt nervous and was experiencing an internal burning sensation.
Each patient must go through a physical examination during the first consultation.
Lamb looks for signs of withdrawal during the exam to confirm the person does need the treatment.
The patient had an elevated heart rate and blood pressure and hyperactive bowel sounds, which are withdrawal symptoms.
Each patient must also see a treatment center counselor during the methadone treatment period.
Crystal Mayfield, lead counselor, said she sees patients at least once a week when they first come to the clinic. Once the patient has gone six months without using any other type of drug, the counseling sessions are reduced to once a month or every other week.
Mayfield said when a patient is going through withdrawal they are irritable and don't feel well, but it quickly changes after the first week of methadone treatments.
"You can tell a difference in them physically, usually within the first week," Mayfield said. "You can tell they start feeling better. Their skin starts looking better. Just in their movements and stuff you can tell they are feeling better."
Mayfield also said patients' will improve in their family life and job performance.
"I've seen a lot of people do well while they are here," Mayfield said. "For a lot of them it is the first time in years that they have been clean of drugs."
A lot of the patients started out on pain medication for legitimate reasons, and got addicted to the medication, Mayfield said.
"It really can happen to anybody. You just take a different step in life, and go down a different road, and anybody can be there," Mayfield said. "No one ever plans to become a drug addict. They just get involved and in over their heads before they realize it."
Reducing illegal activity
Many drug addicts resort to dealing drugs and stealing in order to support their habit.
During his consultation with Lamb, the patient said he has been in trouble with the law. In the past, he has been charged with possession, driving under the influence and driving on a suspended license.
Lamb said methadone treatments can decrease criminal activity by drug addicts.
Lamb said most people get money for their drug addiction by selling pills or stealing things.
Methadone treatment can decrease the amount of criminal activity caused by drug addiction.
"What happens when this works right ... is that people stop committing crimes," Lamb said.
He said when people are in methadone treatment they do not have to come up with money to buy drugs, instead they can spend money on their family and children.
Lamb said the main goal of the clinic is to help decrease criminal activity, as well as help people quit drug addiction.
"If you don't need street drugs, you stop committing crimes," Lamb said. "When people get stable on methadone they stop committing crimes. They don't need to anymore."
Lamb said Richard Nixon spread government funded methadone clinics around the United States because Nixon found every time he put a clinic in, crime decreased in that area.
"This looked very promising back in the 1970s," Lamb said.
Kicking the habit
Lamb said it takes a minimum of six months for a patient to be able to leave the clinic, but most people must be treated for a longer period of time.
Several factors determine when a person is well enough to end treatments, Lamb said. The patient must be drug free, have a drug free lifestyle, be stable in relationships and job performance and have attended to any psychiatric and physical problems.
He also said patients should be involved in a recovery support group and not spend time with other drug addicts or users.
Tuesday, the patient said most of his friends abuse illegal and legal drugs. He said drugs have helped him in his social life, and he is afraid he will be alone if he stops using drugs.
"There are a lot of people trying to beat drugs who would like to spend time with you, and like to learn from you, and you from them," Lamb told the patient. "And it is not nearly as boring as you might think. It's exciting trying to beat an addiction too, just as much as it is to have an addiction, I think. It is just tremendous the people making it and succeeding."
Although he has struggled with addiction in the past, the patient feels as though he can beat his addiction through treatment.
He said he is tired of going through the anger, pain, burning and irritation that comes with drug use.
"If (people) knew what I was going through and could be in my body at least 10 seconds they would realize that it ain't worth taking the first one (pill)," the patient said.
The patient's sister attended the treatment session with him, in hope that her brother will be successful in his attempt to kick the drug habit.
"It's really hard to watch my brother go through this, and feeling powerless," said the patient's sister. "He has to want to help himself. Until he realizes that he needs the help, all we can do is pray for his safety and for his child's safety."
Contact Kasey Doyle at kasey.doyle@lee.net or call 606-564-9091, ext. 276. |
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Reader Comments
Comments are limited to 200 words or less.
Terri wrote on Jan 25, 2008 12:21 AM: " I have been on pain medicine forever it seems. The money I spent is almost enough to make you not want to quit because you really have to think of how bad it is. Soooo, block it out!! Anyhow, I just read this article and for some reason I think it is a blessing because I was looking for something else completely on the Internet. I did not think they had help like that in Kentucky. Thanks for people who care.... Terri I am definitely going to call tomarrow. "
Ashley wrote on Jul 10, 2007 11:24 AM: " I have also went through the cycle of different drugs. Now, I am very stable and almost as happy as before I ruinned my life with opiates. However, I was being a good person and gave an old friend a ride home and ended up in jail. He had drugs on him and when we got pulled over he stashed them in my truck. So, I went to jail and even though I was on methadone legally, they put me in a detox holding cell with nothing but a blanket on a cold concrete floor. How can this be legal? It is dangerous to go cold turkey off methadone. I also have panic attacks and the would not even give me my medicine for that. I was in hell strong withdraws and some of the worst panic attacks I have ever had. I could have died and wanted to because I was so sick and paniced. I thought I was an American with rights. How can they(jails) get away with torturing people like I was.
Thanks,
Tortured American "
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