Author: Flenn Washington

The primary goal of the California Certification Board is to promote mental health. The organization also aims to prevent substance abuse, especially to the younger generation. The proliferation of drugs and other prohibited substances is a pressing issue that the community must immediately address to. There have been reported cases of crimes wherein the perpetrators were high on drugs as well as instances of overdose leading to the death of some users.

Here at California Certification Board, we want people to feel comfortable in seeking professional help when it comes to dealing with addiction. First of all, it is essential to highlight the fact that substance addiction is completely dangerous. It can affect the cognitive function of the persons involved. At the same time, the continued use of prohibited drugs can also lead to chronic illness. Because of this, we encourage everyone to find an addiction psychiatrist.

What Is Addiction Psychiatry?

There are several subspecialties in psychiatry, one of which is addiction psychiatry. This focuses on the symptoms, causes, diagnoses, and treatment of people who are suffering from mental conditions related to addiction. It must be noted that it does cover not only substance abuse but also an addiction to sex, alcohol and even food. The medical doctors who specialize in this field are considered as experts when it comes to substance abuse and other impulse control disorders.

How Is Addiction Diagnosed?

Addiction is a severe mental health illness that must be diagnosed in its early stage so that prevention or recovery can be immediately taken. A health professional must diagnose this kind of condition. As much as possible, people must refrain from making self-diagnosis as it can only put their health in jeopardy. The right thing to do is to refer a particular case to an addiction psychiatrist. The patient will be asked to undergo several tests and examinations to determine the extent of his addiction. After that, the psychiatrist will give out the findings with a complete statement about the material details related to addiction.

Can Addiction Be Treated?

Nowadays, there have been several developments in the field of addiction psychiatry that allows the medical doctors to handle addiction as a mental condition. The treatment plans that will be recommended by psychiatrists will differ from one person to another. Each patient is examined thoroughly so that the doctor can create a specific treatment plan for him. There is a necessity to isolate each case from the other since the degree of addiction and other circumstances vary. Aside from this, the psychiatrists can prescribe certain medications for the patients who have an addiction to narcotics, drugs, sex, alcohol, and food.

If you know someone who has a problem regarding addiction, do not hesitate to bring him to an addiction psychiatrist. Keep in mind that immediate action is required to prevent the situation from getting worse. When it comes to dealing with a psychiatrist, be sure to find the professional who is distinguished in the field of addiction psychiatry. Be careful in selecting the doctor who will handle the case.

When addiction is so pronounced that the only thing preventing you from getting treatment is your admission that you have fallen through the cracks, is there still a way to get things back to normal?

Continue reading The Inconspicuous Existence of Addiction: Pointing Out Irregularities

It was a very relaxed day for me yesterday as I lounged around in my pajamas and did nothing except watch TV. You know those days when there is nothing to do (or maybe you’ve come up with the decision that you don’t want to do anything) but just be lazy and have a DVD marathon. I turned on my laptop and typed my favorite website which is Netflix and chose one series to fill my Saturday. This time I opted for Elementary.

Elementary is a series about Sherlock Holmes in a modern twist, and instead of a man sidekick, his detective partner was a Joan Watson (played by Lucy Liu). From there I learned that Joan Watson was a “sober companion” since Sherlock Holmes was a recovering drug addict. Just as I thought that I would get all lazy and watch a series, I began typing out this article. Thanks, Elementary (and Lucy Liu) for inspiring me!

What Is A Sober Companion?

From the series, I learned that a sober companion is someone who stays at your home after you’ve received drug rehab treatment. This person will help you in any way he or she can so that you won’t have a relapse and be drug-free. They can’t be apart or without an update for more than 2 hours, and Joan was sticking with Sherlock like glue. That was how “Joan Watson” was assisting Sherlock Holmes, and their contract was for six weeks.

Based on research, I learned that a sober companion is a person who can accompany you and help you adjust to life outside the rehab center. They say that rehab is synonymous with prison and that your freedom is limited. Upon release, some people relapse and go back to drugs because of too much independence. The sober companion is there to pull the person back from going down the drug use road again.

Expectations From A Sober Companion

In Elementary, Sherlock’s father was the one who hired Joan Watson to be his son’s sober companion. Joan Watson was a surgeon and a great one at that, according to the facts in the series, but she made a mistake on her operating table once that cost the life of a patient. Ever since then, Joan just couldn’t bear it. She decided to become a sober companion and move on from her terrible ordeal.

Anyway, I saw many qualities in Joan Watson on how a sober companion must act. From the series, a sober companion has to be:

• Effective in removing drugs or alcohol from your home
• Keen and observant, especially on one’s behavior which can trigger chemical dependency
• Inspiring in a way that he or she can push the person to perform healthy habits as learned during rehab days
• Efficient in sifting through your associations – family, friends, lovers, colleagues and such, to avoid relapse
• Helpful in connecting the client with his or her clean family and friends

A sober companion is not a sponsor. He or she is more than a sponsor, a coach, or a counselor. This person is ready to intervene, and at times, there will be challenging encounters.

Why Recovering Addicts Need A Sober Companion

From the series, Sherlock Holmes didn’t “order” a sober companion. His meddling father did the hiring and paid the services of Joan Watson. As for deciding if a person needs a sober companion or not, in real life, the choice is on the recovering addict. A sober companion is not required after drug rehab treatment is done, but your therapist or counselor may recommend someone if they believe that you need additional help.

Sherlock kept on saying that Joan’s service fee was exorbitant, and it’s true. These days, a live-in sober companion may charge as high as $1000 per day, but then again, this person is your lifeline, your white angel, and good conscience. He or she will prevent your relapse and do everything in their power to keep your nose clean.

If you can afford it, then, why not? Getting clean is not an easy task. If it were easy, there would be no drug addicts in this world, right? But with a sober companion beside you, the days will get smoother and be being sober will be more fulfilling.

(I am nearing the end of Season 1 in Elementary, and as expected, Sherlock offered a business partnership to Joan Watson. Apparently, he needed her, as much as she needed him. And Sherlock reached 365 days of sobriety. Cool!)

What is Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder?

Prenatal drug exposure can lead to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. It is a disorder with three classifications – Fetal Alcohol Syndrome or FAS, Fetal Alcohol Effects, and Alcohol-Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder. The most severe complication in the spectrum is FAS.

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder or FASD manifests when a pregnant mother continues to consume a substantial amount of alcohol on a constant basis. It can also develop when a woman who’s pregnant continues to do drugs like cocaine, heroin, or even legal drugs like pain medicines. It is prevalent these days, and studies show that there are at least four babies born in the United States from drug-addicted mothers. 30-40% of those babies delivered, if they do not perish in the womb, the children grow up with behavioral or neurodevelopmental disorders. It is on top of the FASD effect list.

What are these behavioral or neurodevelopmental disorders? You can expect addicted babies to show signs of mental retardation, physical defects, facial deformities, mental health disorders like depression, anxiety, extreme stress, schizophrenia, and many others. The list goes on and on really. There is no one positive effect of alcohol or drugs in a pregnant woman.

More On Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

It is termed as the most severe illness classification because it bears the gravest effects on babies and growing kids if their mothers were addicts while pregnant with them. The condition is permanent, long-lasting, and you guessed it right, forever. It cannot be stressed enough. There is no turning back for a child with FAS, and the mother can only feel guilty when she sees her child suffer; that is if she is lucky enough to hold and take care of her child, being an addict and all.

If a child has Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, it is highly likely that he or she will be exhibiting learning deficiencies, memory problems, severe focus issues, communication troubles, vision impairment, and hearing complications. When they get to schooling age, the children won’t be able to function well. They might as well have low IQ’s and will need special education. It is also possible that the children will fail subjects and lessons. This feature can also add to their mental health issues – feelings of worthlessness, or no success.

Characteristics Of Kids With Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

What is the worst that can happen to a baby inside the womb of an alcohol-addicted mother? The babies can die in-utero. They will have weird-looking facial structures, physical growth deficiencies, and illnesses related to their weak central nervous system. What else is there on the FAS characteristics list?

• Thin, short, small-framed and physically weak babies and kids
• Facial defects like small eyes or deformed mouths
• Deficient hand-eye coordination
• Hyperactivity
• Learning disorders
• Speech and communication delays
• Low IQ
• Daily life difficulties
• Poor choices
• Impaired decisions
• Lack of logical judgment
• Sleep disorders in children
• Sucking problems

There are also psychiatric or psychological problems in kids with FAS. They may not be born with it, but the characteristics mentioned above are due to the fact that the children have the syndrome. They have acquired it unwillingly.

Prevention Of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

FAS is fully preventable. It is simple to avoid. If the mother stops drinking alcohol while pregnant, then, there will be no FAS to deal with when the child grows up.

Now, for those who are chemically dependent, stopping their addiction is a big issue. With this, the assistance of chemical dependency counselors and professionals is imperative. They will provide programs that can help pregnant mothers quit their alcohol addiction. When the habit curbs, the child, and mother are safe.

Until now, the research on babies inside the womb with mothers who are either alcohol dependent or drug-addicted is ongoing and has some grave news. In the UK, four babies are born each day with addiction, either alcohol or drugs. As for news in the United States, four babies are born each HOUR on the hour with opioid dependence.

Alarming, huh? Even babies who don’t know how to feed themselves can now be drug-addicted. It is truly insane.

What Is Opioid Addiction?

It is a type of addiction to pain relievers – be it legal or illegal substances or drugs. Opioid Addiction is a huge problem in the United States since it affects not only mothers but also their newborn babies.

Studies On Side Effects Of Alcohol Or Drug Addiction In Babies

The headline is genuinely eyebrow-raising. How can babies become addicts? If it were done traditionally, you’d imagine that “babies” would inject the cocaine or snort the heroin. It’s crazy! But yes, babies can become addicts, and that’s the fault of their drug-addicted or alcohol-addicted mother.

One study showed that babies who were born from drug addict mothers are more likely to suffer from behavioral issues when they become toddlers. Symptoms like inattentiveness, focus issues, not able to speak openly or convey his thoughts verbally (not deaf or mute), and lacking behavioral control are just some of the problems observed when the babies get older. At least thirty to forty percent of the babies grow up that way. They have fine motor skills and developmental delays.

The pressing concern here is the long-term health effects on the babies born by drug-addicted mothers. Even if the children “recover” from Opioid Addiction, they are not really “cured” since there is no antidote for addiction. There are treatment and management programs for that, though. The sad part here is for the babies. They didn’t choose this, and they didn’t like this kind of health impediment. They are the ones suffering.

Long-Term Effects Of Alcohol Addiction On Babies

Here is another study. The observation was that as high as 30% of pregnant mothers engage in alcohol drinking, but there are some who resort to severe consumption. With this, the babies are born with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. The disorder has three classifications: Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), Fetal Alcohol Effects (FAE), and Alcohol-Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder (ARND).

Babies born with this disorder are physically deformed which may include facial disfigurements, small head measurement, delayed cognitive function, and more. When they become adults, they will have problems with learning and their memory. They will also exhibit a lack of absorption. And that’s just alcohol. The effects on babies by drugs are more disturbing than alcohol.

Long-Term Effects Of Drug Addiction On Babies

Cocaine can cause mental health disorders to develop in babies within the wombs of their addicted mothers. The drug has an impact on the dopamine and serotonin pathways of the mother which will then mess up the neurological development of babies. So, the least mental health disorder that a baby can acquire from this is seizures and depression. The worst that they can develop from this are schizophrenia, Parkinson’s disease, and the likes. Who would want their child to manifest schizophrenia?

The list doesn’t stop there. Of course, behavioral issues are a given. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Conduct Disorder, and Oppositional Defiant Disorder are just some of the minor behavioral problems of a baby born with cocaine addiction.

As for heroin, the children are often enrolled in special education because they are “slow.” Studies showed that 65% of kids with heroin-addicted mothers repeat a grade level. Their IQ’s are impaired.

Addiction to legal substances like pain meds can also deliver the same long-term effects.

Are The Children Doomed?

Early intervention can help children who were born with alcohol or drug addiction. If their disorders are spotted early on, appropriate treatment is readily available. They can still have a life. For those who have a permanent disability because of the addiction, it’s just so sad. It would be better for everyone just to stay away from alcohol or drugs, pregnant or not.

If you or a loved one is pregnant and has problems with alcohol or drugs, it would be best to consult with a chemical dependency counselor.