Government-funded clinical trials for drug substitution addiction treatment practices have increased substantially in the last decade.
(PRWEB) August 2, 2005 -- Alcohol and other drug addictions are fought on many fronts. Billions of dollars have been spent on researching unproven theories and treatments by some groups and the government, while others have found something that works and are busy actively stopping addiction on a daily basis.
A recent article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that federally funded clinical trials have increased more than nine times in twelve years and today there are studies being conducted on 51 drugs for substance abuse treatment. The funding is part of the $1.4 billion that was given to the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the National Institute of Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse (NIAAA) last year through federal appropriations. The National Institutes of Health reports that it spends $27 billion annually on research overall.
Some of the drugs being studied have already been approved for other ailments including epilepsy, muscle cramping and nausea and fall under the names topiramate, baclofen and ondansetron. These drugs, and others currently being used as medication-assisted therapy like nalmefene and naltrexone, have their own set of side effects according to the National Library of Medicine. They can produce symptoms such as hypoglycemia, blurred vision, body aches and pains, trembling hads, increased risk of seizures, vomiting, irregular breathing, hallucinations, muscle weakness and depression.
The problem with this, as evident by the recalls, law suits, black box warning labels and the seemingly endless list of side-effects, is that putting people on more drugs doesnt help them in the long run when dealing with substance abuse and certainly doesnt fit the definition of rehabilitation. A person cannot be considered clean and sober if they are on mind-altering or addictive prescription drugs, whether they are legally prescribed or not.
In the substance abuse field, there are simple and extremely effective rehabilitation strategies that don't use drugs to treat individuals or subjectively evaluate and diagnose people as having disorders. Thousands of former addicts around the world are now living healthy, productive and drug-free lives because of the tools provided to them by the Narconon® Drug Rehabilitation and Education Program, most of whom had previously tried traditional medical approaches and medication only to find no results.
The Narconon Program is based on the drug-free rehabilitation methodology developed by American author and humanitarian L. Ron Hubbard. Narconon Arrowhead is the largest center in the international network of Narconon centers, which offers an extensive sauna detoxification protocol and a series of life skills courses that provide addicts with tools they can apply to overcome the barriers to living a clean and happy life.
Without results we are simply throwing more money and lives down the drain on ineffective treatment concepts. Americas treatment and rehabilitation system should be focused on outcomes and accountability and utilize effective programs with a prove track record.
The more science and medicine focus on the chemical composition of human beings' brains and develop more drugs to treat symptoms such as anxiety, depression and other observable behavioral indicators that are normal for a drug addict to experience, the more we as a nation are denying these individuals their inherent ability to overcome their addiction.
Regardless of what philosophy or treatment model a person may subscribe to, the most important factor is to get people off of drugs and away from the lifestyle of an addict and all of the social and health consequences that brings.
For more information about drugs, addiction or rehabilitation contact Narconon Arrowhead today at 1-800-468-6933 or log on to www.stopaddiction.com.
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