Women’s Hormones May Play A Role In Addiction

For decades, there have always been questions about the physiological reasons for addiction. Is it hereditary? Does it have to do with chemicals in the brain? And now, more recently, are certain genders more susceptible to a dependency? Well according to some new science from Vanderbilt University, that last answer should be a resounding “yes.”

A report compiled by Vanderbilt researchers recently revealed that female hormones do play a role in women’s addictive behaviors. Not only that, the same study claims that they may be more prone to relapsing than men. As lead researcher and Assistant Professor of Pharmacology Erin Calipari explained, studying substance abuse by gender may be very beneficial to the recovery world.

“Women becoming addicted to drugs may be a fundamentally different process than men,” she told the website Science Daily. “It’s important to understand this, because it’s the first step in developing treatments that are actually effective.”

Some of the research that Calipari shared traced back to occurrences like a monthly menstrual cycle. What her team’s findings showed was that when fertility-related hormone levels are high, women make stronger associations to cues in their environment and are more prone to seek rewards. Pleasure seeking and “rewards,” as we all know, are often tied back to drinking and drug use.

The Vanderbilt research specifically tied into behavioral experiments involving male and female rats. For a period of several months, the specimens were allowed to dose themselves with cocaine by pushing down on a lever. A light would then switch on, building a visual association to the pleasure seeking. The team made a point to associate this with visual cues humans may encounter, such as alcohol advertisements or drug paraphernalia. When the female rats’ hormone levels were high, the visual cues became more stimulating and the lever pushing increased dramatically.

Calipari added that this data adds on to previous research that had shown women being more prone to addiction. As she put it, emotions like vulnerability also contributed to the behaviors.

“There’s epidemiological data that says women are more vulnerable, but it’s unclear what the factors are,” she concluded. “We know they transition to addiction faster and have more problems with craving and relapse. Now, with research like this, we’re beginning to isolate environmental and physiological causes.”

Whatever the reason, we hope women facing addiction understand that there are many biological factors at play within this very real problem. Hopefully, it can help remove some of the shame and guilt that often accompany a dependency. If there is a mom, daughter, sister or friend you are close to dealing with this issue, please reach out and let us help.

Support For The Musically Minded

Choosing to devote your professional life to music can come with many highs and lows. Of course, playing instruments and creating songs can be incredibly rewarding and it is a passion for many people. But being able to support that existence can lead to stress and emotional turmoil. And it’s well documented that those who succeed in that industry often struggle with substance abuse and depression. Because of facts like that, more and more support groups are emerging to help musicians push through their pain.

Similar to being an actor, for example, succeeded as a musician requires some very thick skin. There are often high pressure auditions, cut contracts and difficulties with management that can lead to tremendous financial stress. This, as it were, happens to be one of the major reasons that those in the industry deal with issues like depression, addiction and anxiety.

And though you wouldn’t necessarily think there were mental illness struggles among classical musicians, the stats are surprising there as well. In fact, over in New York City a special support group called the Me2 Orchestra has emerged. Here, fellow violinists, cellists and conductors gather to offer emotional reassurance and build group therapy conversations.

The founder of that particular organization is a noted east coast maestro by the name of Ronald Braunstein. Though he is a Julliard graduate and the winner of the prestigious Karajan International Conducting Award, Braunstein openly admits that his high pressure life has led to some dark struggles.

“The unbelievable mania I experienced probably helped me win the Karajan,” he explained in a recent article. “I learned repertoire fast. I studied through the night and wouldn’t sleep. I didn’t eat because if I did, it would take away my edge.”

Talking about his issues with his fellow musicians (and offering support of his own) has helped bring Braunstein away from his dark place. Now the Me2 Orchestra is helping dozens more, building support for performance anxiety, alcoholism and bipolar disorder.

And believe us, this happens in other music circles all of the time. Whether it’s a rock band member abusing drugs, a vocalist with issues singing in public or even a hip hop artist confessing pain through his lyrics, life as a performer can have many challenges.

We certainly want to make ourselves available for anyone who is struggling with these problems. If you or someone you are close to is having a hard time making their musical dreams come true, always remember that we are here to help.

How Yoga Can Help With Recovery

 

We’ve talked about many different outlets to help people stay focused on sobriety after battling an addiction. And one that continues to garner positive results is yoga meditation. Not only does it help clear your mind and focus inward, it also has a lot of physical benefits; such as building strength and improving flexibility. And don’t just take our word for it. Across the country, more and more yoga recovery practices are being put into play. One example is happening in Columbus, Ohio and making national headlines.

 

The Trini Foundation was started by a man who successfully beat an addiction himself. Taylor Hunt was recently featured on TheFix.com website and discussed his yoga facility, which appears to be changing lives within his community. It is worth noting that Ohio is one of the hardest hit states when it comes to America’s opioid crisis, so a relief like this is more than welcomed.

 

What Hunt did with his foundation, was make an affordable yoga studio that focused on sobriety and methods to keep people clean.

 

“I became an Ashtanga yoga teacher 10 years ago,” Hunt explained to the site. “I wanted to make sure other people could do the 12 steps and take yoga, do them together, because it can give you a completely different equation. I began believing that I didn’t have to live in this pattern of addiction and relapse that a lot of people in the 12-step program struggle with. But I knew that financially a lot of people in recovery couldn’t afford yoga. So I started the foundation because I wanted to be able to give the addict who might not ever have an opportunity to go to yoga a good excuse to go. It’s a tool to save lives. So we raise money so we can provide scholarships to people who are addicts.”

 

So far, the Foundation has become a major success. It got the attention of the local Columbus Dispatch and is now working with prison programs to help those struggling behind bars. It’s also built a large social media following and has an active website with blogs and news updates.

 

We certainly wish Taylor and the Trini Foundation much continued success. And if you happen to be closer to our neck of the woods, we would be happy to get in touch and connect you to sobriety themed workshops across Southern California.

 

Embracing Dry January

  For several years now, January has been identified as a month of sobriety. This is the time of year when people observe healthier resolutions and try to make “fresh starts” (particularly after the parties and celebrating that occurs in December). Of course, it’s a philosophy that we fully embrace and we are excited that several prominent outlets are publicizing the movement of Dry January.   The Chicago Tribune, for example, published a lengthy piece on the topic. In their story, they emphasized all of the emotional and physical benefits that accompany going clean. In their article, they emphasized all of the healthy beverage choices that can replace alcohol. They also delved into the financial benefits of cutting out booze for a month. Skipping bars can save an average person hundreds of dollars within a 30-day period. Another test would be for the scales. Try weighing yourself after completing Dry January and you’ll most certainly notice a difference.   Over on TheFix.com, some scientific evidence was presented, showing the benefits of the movement. Researchers at the University of Sussex discovered a significant portion of the people who commit to Dry January tend to cut back their alcohol intake throughout the rest of the year. The idea is, once you realize how enjoyable life can be without drinking you’ll probably choose to reduce it from your weekly activities.   One of the advocates of the study, Dr. Richard Piper, offered some psychological backing to the results as well.   “The brilliant thing about Dry January is that it’s not really about January,” he explained. “Being alcohol-free for 31 days shows us that we don’t need alcohol to have fun, to relax, to socialize.”   One other piece, which came from The Huffington Post, offered another important angle to Dry January. Writer Dr. Niall Campbell was of the opinion that this commitment should also be a time of self reflection. Of course it’s great to partake in a month of sobriety, but the fact that you have to do it all may mean that your drinking is a little too consistent (particularly if you find the exercise to be a struggle).   “If you think your drinking is problematic enough that you are thinking about not drinking in January, should you be thinking about stopping altogether or getting professional advice?,” Campbell wrote. “You need to ask yourself, ‘is it really possible for me to be a moderate drinker?’ Everybody wants to be a moderate, social drinker. The truth is, some people can’t be.”   If that is the case for you or someone you are close to, please reach out for an initial evaluation.  

Addiction Dangers For Teens And Children

 

Though we may not like to admit it, the years between middle school and college often represent our first introduction to drugs and alcohol. For many this is considered a time of experimentation and, truth be told, it can be where lifelong addictions begin to form. Unfortunately there are much more dangerous substances out there today then there were a generation ago; which is leading to an increased amount of overdoses among children and teens.

 

Forbes recently touched upon this topic, putting forth some alarming new stats relating to youth in America. One major red flag concerns the country’s growing opioid addiction epidemic, which has claimed hundreds of thousands of adult lives. Well within the teen and preteen set, this crisis has taken a serious toll as well. New research has revealed that nearly 9,000 high schoolers have died from painkiller overdoses within the past two decades. This includes prescription drugs, as well as illicitly manufactured opiates like fentanyl.

 

The age group that was most impacted was teens between 15 to 19 years old (basically prime high school age). Within the study period of 1999 to 2017, their OD fatality rates shot up by 252 percent. Even more tragic was the significant amount of deaths tied to children aged 0-4. Yes the crisis is wreaking havoc on them too, primarily because of negligent parents who leave their substances in places where young toddlers can gain access.

 

Forbes also revealed that heroin use is on the rise among teens and poses one of the biggest threats when it comes to OD’ing. Using needles also opens up a host of other risks, including the contraction of Hepatitis C and HIV. Other stats from the study pointed to males being the primary teenage overdose victims (roughly 73 percent), most of whom were identified as non-Hispanic white.

 

Another research point that we found interesting was the fact that most of these youth-related overdose deaths occurred at home. This could open the door to multiple scenarios. Perhaps these children were getting into their parents’ stash? Perhaps they were experiencing isolation or other types of teenage angst? Whatever the reasoning, it proves how essential alert parenting can be in an era like this. Though it may seem uncomfortable, we highly encourage anyone with children in the house to ask questions and pay attention to behavioral changes.

 

And of course, as Forbes emphasized, let’s do our best to keep the kids as educated as possible on the dangers of these drugs. Melissa Moore, Deputy Director of the Drug Policy Alliance, told the site that children of all ages should be made aware of addiction and the recovery resources that are available to them.

 

“I really want to emphasize the importance of providing evidence- based drug education for young people that builds their critical thinking skills,” she explained. “This study underscores the importance of making harm reduction services available to anyone who needs them, and the importance of lowering barriers to treatment for all age groups,”

 

Tackling Addiction In Film

 

Recently, Hollywood has begun to take notice of America’s opioid epidemic. And, in our opinion, rightly so. With tens of thousands of people overdosing each year, it is an important and timely topic. So much so, that two high-profile holiday films are addressing it and using big name talent to get the message out. Box office stars Julia Roberts and Steve Carell are headlining movies about the crisis, both of which have received their fair share of critical acclaim.

 

Roberts stars in Ben Is Back, an indie film focused on a mother coming to terms with her son’s dependency. Also featuring up-and-comer Lucas Hedges, this emotional drama has many elements that parents of addicts can relate to. Reviewers have praised Roberts’ heart-wrenching performance as a mother struggling between enablement and tough love. Entertainment Weekly summarized her character’s journey rather well.

 

“Roberts’ character may be the true standout here,” critic Leah Greenblatt wrote. “She begs, she bargains, she swears like a teamster. But most of all, she loves her son, and to the detriment of common sense and safety and almost everything she knows, she’ll follow him into the dark.”

 

A majority of movie reviewers have agreed that Ben Is Black is the darker of the two addiction films released this season. And sometimes showing that raw pain is important, as dependencies tend to send lives and families into turmoil. Beautiful Boy is the other feature that tackles the subject and while it isn’t lighthearted by any means, it does offer inspiration for people who may be struggling.

 

This film stars Carell as another parent with unconditional love for his dependent teenage child. The son is played by rising star Timothée Chalamet (who actually scored a Golden Globe nomination for his performance). This touching story is actually based in fact and the harrowing true life experiences of Nicholas Sheff and his father, David. The example here, is a privileged, “happy family” and how an addiction can strike a person regardless of their background. It tends to portray this issue like a disease, which we happen to agree with.

 

If you were to ask us, these are both important films to make time for this holiday season. They may be painful to watch (especially if this is something your family has experienced personally), but tell important stories and help bring these topics to the masses.

You can see the full trailers for both movies below…

 

Ben Is Back

Beautiful Boy

 

Addictions And Suicides Are Lowering U.S. Life Expectancy

 

If you think mental health and addiction aren’t creating a ripple effect in this country, you may want to look at the latest stats released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  Their new research shows that the country’s life expectancy rate has lowered for the third year in a row due primarily to these issues. Now, American babies born this year aren’t expected to live past 78 years old.

 

The way these stats are calculated has to do with U.S. death rates as a whole. And not surprisingly (with the opioid addiction crisis in full swing), overdoses lead the pack. In just two years, ODs have seen a 10 percent increase; primarily among men.

 

Suicides were another strong contributor to the overall life expectancy rate. Since just 2017, there was nearly a four precent jump in people who take their own lives. And though men still account for more of these types of fatalities, women are showing an increase as well. As of today, suicides are the 10th leading cause of death in America.

 

CDC director Dr. Robert Redfield spoke to the media about these latest findings. He found the rates especially troubling, since a majority of these deaths were preventable (as opposed to cancer or other diseases).

 

“Life expectancy gives us a snapshot of the nation’s overall health and these sobering statistics are a wakeup call that we are losing too many Americans, too early and too often, to conditions that are preventable,” Dr. Redfield explained. “We must all work together to reverse this trend and help ensure that all Americans live longer and healthier.”

 

The site Vox.com took the research a step further, illustrating what a big role addiction plays in this scenario. They singled out the states that had the lowest life expectancy rates, all of which have been flagged as being riddled with opioid dependencies.

 

As illustrated in the map below, West Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania were the major culprits. On a somewhat positive note, it appears as though our home state of California is one of the lesser impacted regions.

Regardless, we find these latest statistics particularly troubling. One of our missions at Inneractions is improve health, both mental and physical. In our opinion, working with trained professionals to deal with addictions and emotional hurdles is truly the key to turning these life expectancy figures around. We encourage anyone who is struggling to please reach out and to avoid becoming another tragic statistic.

 

More Pregnant Women Are Smoking Marijuana

As marijuana continues to gain widespread acceptance, it is not unusual to see usage rates among Americans go up. But sadly, that stat is increasing for a particularly vulnerable population segment: pregnant women. While marijuana obviously has its champions (defending its habitual use for medicinal purposes), it is a proven fact that it can be harmful to an unborn child.

Clearly this new research is alarming, particularly when you realize that the number of pregnant women smoking has nearly doubled over the past 10 years (from 3 percent to 5 percent). And while those figures do seem somewhat small, know that every person in that 5 percent ratio is putting their pregnancy at serious risk.

Research from The National Survey of Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) has shown that using marijuana while pregnant (particularly in the early stages) can seriously harm fetal development and neurological functions of unborn babies. For women who smoke, the dangers intensify as issues can now impact the lungs and airways.

As mentioned in a report on TheFix.com, this risky smoking component should not be ignored by any marijuana users.

“Marijuana smoking is associated with large airway inflammation, increased airway resistance, and lung hyperinflation,” the site explained, referencing data from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. “And those who smoke marijuana regularly report more symptoms of chronic bronchitis than those who do not smoke.”

Not surprisingly, the pregnancy  issues were most prominent in U.S. regions where marijuana use is deregulated. That includes our home state of California, as well as Colorado and Washington D.C., among others.

The stats also leaned towards younger, minority women when it came to the largest sect of pregnant smokers. It particularly singled out women who did not finish high school.

If there was any silver lining in this latest data, it was that other addictive substance were on the decline among pregnant women. Alcohol abuse among women who were expecting, for example, fell from 10 percent to 8 percent. Cigarette smoking saw a sharp decrease as well, falling from 18 percent to 10 percent among the same group.

Regardless, it is our opinion that pregnant women should steer clear of all harmful substances during those precious nine months. And let it be known; if you are already fighting an addiction and happen to be pregnant, there are plenty of healthy detox options that can ensure you have a healthy baby. Our team is more than willing to help if this is a scenario you are encountering. Just please, seek it out quickly to avoid any and all delivery risks.

Americans Are Drinking More Alcohol

New research from The American Medical Association is pointing to an alarming trend. Apparently Americans’ consumption of alcohol is on the rise, particularly among women, the elderly and minorities.

The research also pointed to booming sales figures for the booze industry, which were way up over the past several years. And as far as weekly drinking goes, 72.7 percent of U.S. citizens now say that they regularly indulge (versus 65 percent a decade ago).

Keep in mind that those stats only account for “social drinkers.” There was also research conducted on people who were high risk alcoholics. That segment of America is up by 30 percent over the past 10 years.

The authors behind the study hope these figures will be used to educate lawmakers and health care professionals, bringing national attention to the over consumption of wine, beer and spirits.

“These findings really highlight the urgency of educating the public, policymakers, and health care professionals about high-risk drinking and alcohol abuse disorder,” the authors wrote. “It is important to destigmatize these conditions and encourage those who cannot reduce their alcohol consumption on their own to seek treatment.”

The researchers also made a point to call upon the rising sales figures within the alcohol industry. Contrary to popular belief, the price of booze has not shot up dramatically over the past 20 years. Yet within that same timeframe, spending has gone up by 56.6 percent. One telling stat there, was that the baby boomer generation was making most of these purchases; consuming way more than the younger millennial set.

“Our findings suggest that older Americans increased their alcohol spending dramatically, which resonates with growing public health concerns pertaining to Baby Boomers and booze,” the study authors added. “In a related finding, retired professionals spent 186% more money on alcohol. Conversely, those younger than 25 spent less in 2016 than in 1996, attesting to a trend in millennials choosing to live sober.”

And sadly, those increased revenues are leading beer and spirit brands to increase their advertising spends. Brands like Bud Light are budgeting out over $200 million a year on commercials and digital ads designed to entice drinkers. And Heineken isn’t too far behind, with an annual spend of $118 on promos and sponsorships.

We know firsthand just how dangerous alcoholism can be (especially with constant temptations in front of you). If you or someone you love is struggling with a drinking problem, know that help is always available and you are not alone.

The Dark Side Of The Holiday Season

With November upon us, expect to see lots of joyful Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s ads plastered on your TV’s and mobile devices. And while that’s all fine and dandy, it is worth noting that this season can stir up difficult emotions as well. In fact, many studies have shown that depression, anxiety and addictive tendencies all increase during the “holiday season.”

Recently Forbes touched upon this timely issue, calling out several of the triggers that can dredge up dark feelings. Stress, for example, is much more common during the November and December months due to an increase of demands. Everything from work deadlines, to holiday shopping lists, to travel hassles and what have you. A lot can be expected of a person during this period and it is important to take a step back for mental health checks and self care.

Anxiety is another common emotion during this time of year. Though the idea of spending time with family is exciting to most, there can be certain loved ones who create anxious feelings. Facing a dysfunctional family member (who perhaps harassed or abused you) can be tremendously difficult and often times drives people to use in order to escape painful memories.

On the family front, grief also comes into play. Perhaps this is the first Thanksgiving without a parent or a grandparent. That, in itself, is incredibly painful and can send people into a depressive spiral. Divorce and separation is often thrust to the forefront too, especially if you’re anticipating uncomfortable confrontations with an ex.

The Forbes piece called out a specific symptom of depression that occurs during the holiday season. It is defined as “anhedonia” or the loss of interest in previously enjoyable activities. Basically, it is the inability to experience joy or pleasure.

“This is a time when there is an increase in stressful demands, an inability to sidestep family issues, and heavy emphasis put on managing expectations,” Forbes writer Anita Sanz explained in the article. “Thus, the holidays can leave a person dealing with depression with increased feelings of sadness, guilt, inadequacy, overwhelm, alienation, and unworthiness.”

So what can be done to combat these issues? The article goes on to lay out several helpful tactics; including creating laid out plans and timelines, setting realistic expectations and simply avoiding toxic situations. We too are making ourselves available during these months to lend support to anyone anticipating a difficult end of the year. Please, reach out in advance and save yourself unnecessary trauma and pain.