The variety of scientific drug information has been amassed and collected in order to overcome the gap between the public perception of drug abuse and drug addiction and the scientific facts. 

Many people view drug abuse and drug addiction as strictly a social problem. Parents, teens, older adults and other members of the community tend to characterize people who take drugs as morally weak or as having criminal tendencies. They believe that drug abusers and addicts should be able to stop taking drugs if they are willing to change their behavior. These myths have not only stereotyped those with drug abuse-related problems, but also their families, their communities and the health care professionals who work with them. Drug abuse and drug addiction include a public health problem that affects many people and has wide-ranging social consequences. The comprehensive drug information should help the public replace its myths and long-held mistaken beliefs about drug abuse and drug addiction. With scientific evidence it should be shown and proved that drug addiction is a chronic, relapsing and treatable disease. 

Drug addiction does begin with drug abuse when an individual makes a conscious choice to use drugs, but drug addiction is not just "a lot of drug use." Recent scientific research provides overwhelming evidence that not only do drugs interfere with normal brain functioning creating powerful feelings of pleasure, but they also have long-term effects on brain metabolism and activity. At some point, changes occur in the brain that can turn drug abuse into drug addiction, a chronic illness. Those addicted to drugs suffer from a compulsive drug craving and usage and cannot quit by themselves. Treatment is necessary to stop this compulsive behavior. 

A variety of approaches are used in treatment programs to help patients deal with these cravings for drugs, drug abuse and drug addiction problems. Research carried out by Xlar.com specialist’s shows that drug addiction is clearly treatable. Through treatment that should fit to each individual need, patients can learn to control their condition and live relatively normal lives. For the effective treatments doctors and psychologists use drug test kit as a comprehensive proof of the fact that the patient keeps on using drugs or already stopped. Drug testing has grown to be a common practice in both the workplace and home. Home drug test kit has become commonplace for controlling children. Those parents who understand that drug abuse and drug addiction is easier to prevent than to treat medically use drug test kit to control their teenagers. 

Comprehensive prevention programs that involve the family, schools, communities and the media are effective in reducing drug abuse. It is necessary to keep telling to teenagers and adults that it is better not to start at all than to enter rehabilitation if drug abuse or drug addiction occurs. It is also important to give students drug information, i.e. read articles about drug addiction results and read drug information about drug abuse fatal consequences. 

Scientific drug information is important for teenagers and grown-ups to understand that drug addiction has two components: physical dependency and psychological dependency. Physical dependency occurs when a drug has been used habitually and the body has become accustomed to its effects. The addict must then continue to use the drug in order to feel normal, or its absence will trigger the symptoms of withdrawal – that is called drug abuse. Psychological dependency occurs when a drug has been used habitually and the mind has become dependent on its effects and does not feel capable of functioning without it – that is drug addiction. The absence of drugs produces intense cravings that are often magnified by stress. 

Drug test kit serves two purposes: it allows interested and legally allowed parties to perform tests on certain people who might have used drugs and it allows those who are under suspicion to clear their names. The main plus of drug test kit is that the tests make no distinction between social or habitual use of drugs. No special skills required. In a matter of minutes, anyone can simply use drug test kit & have results. Drug test kit by blood, urine, saliva or any other method is designed only to detect whether or not a specific drug or drug metabolite is present at the time the test is performed. 

Drug test kit is ideal for businesses that conduct pre-employment drug abuse testing. Because of its ability to deliver instant results, drug test kit allows your new employees to begin work immediately (compare that to waiting 24 - 72 hours for laboratory drug testing on drug addiction). Drug test kit allows you not only to be more productive but it also saves your money. Xlar.com offers affordable and effective drug test kits that will be able to meet all your expectations and provide you with quality reliable results within minutes. Order drug text kit you wish now and enjoy easy and fast testing.

Results from stress testing studies are used to assess drug substance and drug product stability, to provide information about possible degradation pathways, and to demonstrate the stability-indicating capability of the analytical methods used. Drastic conditions tend to generate irrelevant degradation in the sample and may lead to methods optimized for the separation of an impurity profile, which is not relevant for an end-of-shelf-life sample.

The IPG developed a generic approach for stress testing of drug substances and drug products. Efforts were aimed to prevent too-drastic conditions and to achieve "purposeful degradation," predictive for what is relevant under long-term and accelerated storage conditions. The proposed stress testing program, which is in line with requirements from the regulatory agencies, was applied to four products developed by the participating companies and evaluated both retrospectively by historic data and by new experiments. Results demonstrated that the proposed generic approach is reasonable and generates relevant, generally predictive results for the development of a stability-indicating method. Some of the conditions included, however, still induce irrelevant degradation.

Stress tests for developing a stability-indicating method should always be designed and evaluated with common sense and chemical knowledge, keeping in mind the manufacturing process and the nature of the final drug product. The proposed generic approach can be used as a starting point to set up a stress testing study, but a case-by-case approach for stress testing is essential to allow flexibility. This is also recognized by the regulatory agencies because very detailed instructions about how to perform stress testing are not given in the available guidance documents.

A general experience in the IPG was that the formal stability study under accelerated conditions is highly predictive for long-term storage and the impurity profile at the end of shelf life. These results should be used as soon as they become available to verify the relevance of the stress testing performed.

Addiction Recovery
 by: Mary F. Zesiewicz, MD

Addictions are pervasive in our culture. And addictions to alcohol or drugs aren’t the only ones out there. Addiction to shopping, sex, gambling, video games, are but a few.

Addictive habits are forms of dependence. They are habits- performed time after time- done so often, they are performed in involuntary or compulsive fashion.

Ask any addict how hard it is to break a habit. One reason these habits are so hard to break is the physiological basis for addiction. Diana Schwarzbein, MD, does a stellar job in articulating these physiological mechanisms in “The Schwarzbein Principle”.(Diana Schwarzbein, MD, Nancy Deville, Health Communications, Deerfield Beach, FL,1999)

Many substances that people are prone to become dependent on tend to lower serotonin levels in the brain. Examples include high glycemic carbohydrates, alcohol, and street drugs, such as methamphetamines and cocaine; even stimulants like caffeine results in lowered serotonin in the brain. Lowered serotonin, as we know, leads to depression and the tendency to increase craving. Typically we seek what is easy and what is available to us. If alcohol isn’t available, we will reach for chocolate. Or, we will resume smoking, if we quit years ago.

Have you even met anyone who got a promotion and blew through their money just as fast? We used to attribute this level of spending primarily to people diagnosed with manic- depression. Today, such spending, just as one example, can be attributable probably much more commonly than we realize to a compulsive craving or habit.

All these compulsive habits do initially cause a rush of serotonin. The initial rush of serotonin is followed by a serotonin depletion that we know as depression. Addicts are no longer able to naturally support the rush of serotonin and the subsequent serotonin drop. It is at this point, addicts really “crash”-they hit “rock bottom” and often face hopelessness and despondency.

Dr. Schwarzbein astutely reminds us that people can be addicted to stress. Stress causes release of stress hormones such as adrenaline, cortisol, insulin which stimulate the production of serotonin. Eventually the body cannot maintain this surge of serotonin and serotonin levels crash. This low serotonin state is what cravings are made of.

Likewise the same mechanism is taking place in people who seem to be addicted to crisis in their lives. This way of life becomes a roller coaster that is not easy to get off. In fact, the “crashes” can so unravel one’s life, it can take years of pain and struggle to regroup, heal and get one’s life back on track.

So no matter what the addiction, if we do not get off that physiological roller coaster, we will simply substitute one addiction for another.

And how do we get off this roller coaster?

A proactive total commitment to health and recovery is the only way.

Physiologically, the need to infuse the body with a balanced set of nutrients is essential. The time for ‘crash’ diets is over. Balance in intake of proteins, fats and carbohydrates is essential. However, the carbohydrates need to be “good” carbs- the ones found in starchy vegetables like peas, corn, leeks, lima beans, turnips and the like; legumes such as beans and grains in their natural state, yogurt and most fruits. Breads should be eaten sparingly, and crackers, which contain hydrogenated fats, are best avoided altogether.

Fast foods are best avoided altogether. So are gravies and ketchup. So are processed snack foods like chips and pizza. Sugar pastries and desserts are out as well.

The more foods we can eat in the natural state the better. That means fresh, organic produce. Also, our meats need to be lean and be free of injected chemicals as well. If you notice, a lot more of our larger chains are carrying organic selections. Clearly people are becoming more knowledgeable about their grocery selections.

Future articles will elaborate more on dietary selections. Let’s not forget mental and emotional health as part of recovery. Transforming our negative belief systems into positive ones can go along way in promoting recovery from seemingly insurmountable addictions. This includes overcoming insecurities, fear of rejection, anger, rage, bitterness, guilt, shame, and a root of unforgiveness. Even if we have been treated unfairly, overcoming these feelings will release a process of healing and restoration that will actually help us reduce our risk of relapse into addictive behaviors. These issues are like layers that need to be brought to the surface and resolved, for life to be lived to the fullest. And it is the only pathway out of addiction for good. We cannot live life to the fullest harboring these feelings.

And a deepening sense of spirituality is vital towards recovery. A belief that there is a Power greater than ourselves who we can depend on when things get rough. It’s really the only type of dependency that frees us up to live life to the fullest. And it takes openness, time and commitment to deepen our spiritual connection and beliefs. Subsequent articles will expound on this.

Addiction is a complex, and gripping state of imbalance that overtakes a person’s body, mind and spirit. Clearly recovery is a complex and lifelong process, but so worthwhile. And it is achievable. The more we understand the complex physiological processes taking place that reinforce addiction, the more we can invest in better self care, and heal. Our lives depend on it.

Copyright 2006 Mary F. Zesiewicz, MD