Testing It Up

The world we live in today presents so many distractions and influences that contribute to an imbalanced brain. Stress is everywhere, and so are junk foods. What’s more, addictive substances are proliferating and existing in some new, legal forms which when taken can cause certain changes in brain chemistry.

According to Lee Gerdes, founder and CEO of Brain State Technologies, alcohol consumption and drug use can be severely life compromising and ultimately impact the potential of the brain to function.

“Substance abuse comes in many forms – drugs, alcohol, medication, food, etc – and all of these have a chemical effect in the brain,” Gerdes explains. He added that alcohol and drugs  can either deaden or change the user’s brain function, and ultimately compromise wellbeing in one or many ways.

Gerdes’ Brain State Technologies has helped over 4,000 people with substance abuse problems. It espouses a holistic and non-invasive approach in achieving greater brain balance and harmony.

“A balanced brain – one which is not ‘stuck’ in an unbalanced pattern – is one which can move readily to higher activation levels when the task at hand demands, and one that can also relax fully to regenerate when regeneration is needed,” Gerdes said.

To read the full text of the interview, visit Exclusive Interview With Lee Gerdes.

Green Day lead vocalist Billie Joe Armstrong opens up about his years of alcohol and prescription drug abuse in the latest issue of Rolling Stone magazine.

The 41-year-old rock musician said: “I couldn’t predict where I was going to end up at the end of the night. I’d wake up in a strange house on a couch. I wouldn’t remember how. It was a complete blackout.”

Armstrong realized it was time for him to seek professional help following a September 2012 incident at the iHeartRadio festival in Las Vegas where he angrily smashed his guitar after the band was told to wrap up their set.

“I remember tiny things,” Armstrong said. “The next morning, I woke up. I asked [my wife] Adrienne, ‘How bad was it?’ She said, ‘It’s bad.’ I called my manager. He said, ‘You’re getting on a plane, going back to Oakland and going into rehab immediately.’”

In October, the group canceled the rest of their 2012 tour dates for their album trilogy ¡Uno!, ¡Dos!, ¡Tre!. But by late December they announced that they were ready to hit the road again, with a fully-packed schedule beginning in March. Armstrong has issued a statement through his Instagram account thanking fans for their support in the previous tumultuous months and promising them that the show must go on.

The full Rolling Stone interview will be available when the issue hits news stands on Friday.

Last week, we wrote about a new report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) that says fewer teens are getting substance abuse prevention messages from media.

Indeed, the media has become quite powerful in educating people about substance abuse, but we also know that the media isn’t supposed to be what is responsible in teaching our kids about the dangers of drugs. That would be parents, who have a major role in talking to children about the health risks associated with drug abuse, as well as empowering them to make sound choices in life. But what if parents themselves use drugs? How reliable can they be when preaching to their kids the negative effects of substance abuse if they are dealing with their own drug issues?

“The worst mixed message kids get today is for mom and dad to smoke it and tell the kid not to,” says Joe Hewitt, referring to marijuana.

Hewitt shares his opinion about marijuana legalization in an exclusive interview with TestCountry.

Like other people, Hewitt believes it isn’t logical to tell kids not to use drugs, smoke cigarettes or drink alcohol when they openly see their own parents indulging in banned or unhealthy substances. Similarly, kids could get confused by the seemingly contradictory laws —  federal laws versus state laws — pertaining to marijuana.

“If marijuana is legalized, we are publically saying, ‘It’s okay.’ Then we have to spend tax money we get from the legal sale of marijuana to educate people and say ‘Hey, too much of this stuff is not okay,’” Hewitt added.

Though Hewitt acknowledged that marijuana legalization would ease the burden on the country’s justice system, he also believes that the more marijuana becomes available the more it will be abused.

“…I believe that if it were legal more people will use it,” Hewitt added. He stressed that those who presently use marijuana would end up using more of the drug without fear of being arrested, especially once the supply “greatly increased, the price went down, and it was readily available to purchase.”

To read the full text of the interview, visit Exclusive Interview with Joe Hewitt.

Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and six other health centers across the United States found that adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) histories were more likely to have substance abuse problems and engage in cigarette smoking, compared to teens without the disorder.

Nearly 600 children were studied over the course of eight years — from childhood through adolescence. When the children reached 15 years of age, 35 percent of those with ADHD histories reported using one or more substances, compared to only 20 percent of teens without ADHD histories. Ten percent of the ADHD group met criteria for substance abuse or dependence disorder versus three percent of the non-ADHD group.

When adolescents were an average of 17 years old, 13 percent of those with childhood ADHD reported marijuana use compared to the 7 percent of teens without childhood ADHD.

“This study underscores the significance of the substance abuse risk for both boys and girls with childhood ADHD,” Brooke Molina, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry and psychology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and lead author of the report, said in a news release. “These findings also are the strongest test to date of the association between medication for ADHD and teenage substance abuse.”

The study also found that daily cigarette smoking was very high at 17 percent of the ADHD group versus the 8 percent smoking rate of non-ADHD teens.

The authors noted that substance abuse rates were the same in teenagers still taking medication and in those no longer on medication.

The study, which was published online in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, is the first to examine teenage substance abuse and treatment for ADHD in a large multi-site sample.

Whitney Houston’s brother told Oprah Winfrey that he felt responsible for getting her late sister into drugs.

Michael Houston appeared on Oprah’s Next Chapter and said it was he, and not Whitney’s ex-husband Bobby Brown, who introduced the singer to drugs back in the 80s.

“I feel responsible for what I let go so far,”  Michael said. “We were always, you know, being together most of the time, and her following behind me — I taught her to drive. We played together — everything that you do together as you’re growing up — and then when you get into drugs, you do that together too, and it just got out of hand.”

Michael revealed that Whitney was already in her late 20s and at the height of her career when they started doing drugs.

The pop diva died, as a result of drowning, on Feb. 11, 2012 — a day before the Grammy Awards. According to the Los Angeles coroner’s report, traces of cocaine, marijuana, Xanax, Flexeril and Benadryl were found in her system.

Ritalin and Adderall can be effective treatment for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) when used as directed. But when misused, these ADHD stimulant medications can cause adverse symptoms, such as nervousness, insomnia, dizziness, and cardiovascular or psychiatric problems.

According to The Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) released by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the number of emergency room visits involving attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) stimulant medications between 2005 and 2010 increased from 13,379 to 31,244. In 2010, non-medical use of ADHD medications accounted for half of all emergency department visits involving ADHD medications.

From 5,212 in 2005, emergency room visits related to non-medical use of ADHD medications nearly tripled at 15,585 in 2010. The rate of increase occurred among those aged 18 and older.

The report also showed the differences in the rates of emergency room visits related to the non-medical use of ADHD medications between males and females. In 2005, 3,770 of these emergency department visits involved males compared to 1,439 involving females. By 2011, 8,650 of these visits involved men while 6,932 involved females.

“ADHD medications, when properly prescribed and used, can be of enormous benefit to those suffering from ADHD, but like any other medication they can pose serious risks – particularly when they are misused,” SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde said in a news release. “This study indicates that a better job has to be done alerting all segments of society – not just the young – that misuse of these medications is extremely dangerous.”

A new report on prescription drug abuse in Los Angeles County suggests an increase in the number of emergency room visits, from 2005 to 2009, due to prescription/OTC drug overdoses.

According to the report obtained by NBC Los Angeles, more than 14 million prescription for opioids were issued in Los Angeles County in the past five years. Among the drugs include Codeine, Oxycodone, Morphine, Percocet, and Fentanyl.

In 2009, there were 3,048 hospitalizations and 5,382 emergency department visits for prescription/OTC drug overdose among LAC residents. Between 2000 and 2009, 61 percent of the 8,265 drug-related deaths in the county involved a commonly abused prescription/OTC drug.

“In Los Angeles County (LAC), drug overdose is the third-leading cause of injury death and premature death,” wrote Jonathan E. Fielding, Director of Public Health and Health Officer.

Using the data from the 2011 Los Angeles County Health Survey, the report showed that 5.2 percent of adults in Los Angeles County, or an estimated 379,000, misuse any form of prescription drugs in the past year.

Among the youth, 11 percent of 9th graders; 14 percent of 11th graders; and 37 percent of students in continuation, community day or alternative high schools reported misuse of prescription painkillers at least once in their lifetime.

“Tackling this problem is vital to protecting the public’s health and will require a coordinated effort of the public health system with other public and private agencies and organizations. We can reduce the burden of this problem by working together to address this growing public health concern through education, training, and other actions to reduce inappropriate access and use,” Fielding added.

A new study from the University of Cincinnati found boys are more prone to abuse over-the-counter drugs compared to girls.

The researchers investigated over-the-counter (OTC) drug abuse among students, grade 7 through 12, in 133 schools across greater Cincinnati from 2009-2010. At the early stage of the study, they found that 10 percent of the participants had abused over-the-counter drugs like cough syrups and decongestants. High rates of the abuse were recorded among male and female junior high school students, but boys had a higher risk of longtime use of OTC drugs than girls, according to the HealthDay.com report.

The study authors said teenagers who reported abusing OTC drugs were more likely to admit they had gone to parties where such drugs were available or had friends who abused over-the-counter drugs. They also pointed out that this type of drug abuse can lead to poisoning, seizures, and physical and mental addictions.

“Findings from this study highlight and underscore OTC drugs as an increasing and significant health issue affecting young people,” Rebecca Vidourek, an assistant professor of health promotion, said in the news release.

OTC is safe if taken according to package instructions or with a doctor’s recommendation. Cough medicines, for instance, are helpful in treating people with cough and colds, but when teenagers take them to experience “high” it may result to  negative side effects, such as drowsiness, confusion, dizziness, high blood pressure, and even comma.

Women today face a myriad of issues — work, stress, domestic responsibilities, hormones, and diet — that can have a significant impact to their health. For some, alcohol  present yet another health challenge that when ignored could wreak havoc not only in their personal lives, but also in their social relationships.

In the United States, an estimated 5.3 million women drink in a way that threatens their health, safety, and general well-being, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).

While moderate drinking, defined as no more than one drink a day for women and no more than two drinks a day for men, is fine, those who drink more than the recommended limits are at risk for motor vehicle crashes, other injuries, high blood pressure, stroke, violence, suicide, and certain types of cancer. That said, health officials have been urging people with alcohol problems to get into treatment to regain control of their lives.

But oftentimes, the realization of getting sober doesn’t come easy. Good thing there are women-focused recovery groups like Women for Sobriety, Inc. that is dedicated in helping women overcome alcoholism and other addictions.

In an exclusive interview with TestCountry, Nancy Cross, 2nd Vice President of Women for Sobriety Board of Directors, talks about how the organization started and gave details on a specially designed program for women with alcohol and/or other drugs problems. She also shares their stand on synthetic drugs and the efforts that are undertaking to address synthetic drug abuse.

To read the full text of the interview, please visit Women for Sobriety Inc. Exclusive Interview About Alcoholism & Other Addictions.

Former Playmate Jenny McCarthy releases a new book which details how she once became addicted to prescription drugs.

McCarthy, who began her career as Playboy magazine model, opens up about her struggle with drug addiction during her heydays wherein she experimented on substances including Ecstasy and Vicodin.

An excerpt from her book, cited on Celebuzz.com, recalled one drug-fueled trip to Hawaii with a group of Playmates which turned into a lesbian tryst.

“Holding up drugs in front of a group of Playmates was like holding up an arm to a cannibal tribe,” McCarthy wrote. “We jumped on the box fighting to get as many little white capsules as possible. Instead of saving some for later, we all pounded at least five at once.”

McCarthy also revealed on her book that instead of checking into a rehabilitation facility to seek treatment for her addiction, she tackled withdrawal symptoms by sweating it out.

Aside from modeling and acting, McCarthy is also an advocate of Autism-related causes. She wrote “Louder than Words: A Mother’s Journey in Healing Autism” which chronicles her own experience dealing with her son who was diagnosed with autism in 2005.