Category: United States

Australia Cocaine Use on The Rise

Drug use is on the rise almost everywhere in the world. Cannabis is still the most commonly used drug, but in Australia cocaine use is on the rise in an extreme way. According to a 2018 annual report by UNODC, the rate of 15-64 year-olds using cocaine has shown extreme growth. This has only gotten worse since that report was released. There is no specific reason why cocaine has gained in popularity though it could be that the price has decreased or access has increased due to the use of and knowledge about the darknet. However, any rise in cocaine use should be a cause for concern, no matter what country it is occurring in at the time.

Currently, Australia is facing a supply driven market with opium and cocaine productions at an all time high. Though there was a peak in 2000 followed by a long-term downward trend in the coca bush cultivation, used to make cocaine, but this ended in 2013 when it increased by 76%. This drove an increase in cocaine sales expansion. Though America is still the largest area of use, Australia cocaine use is quickly catching up. The biggest area of production is still Colombia which accounts for 60 percent of the manufacturing of this deadly drug.

Signs of Cocaine Use

Cocaine is a powerful, addictive stimulant drug that originates from the coca leaf. For thousands of years people have chewed and ingested these leaves as a source for the stimulant effects, but when the purified chemical of cocaine hydrochloride was isolated over 100 years ago, things changed. Originally, even with the purified substance, cocaine was thought to be safe. It was included in everything from elixirs to soft drinks to anesthetic. However, once the addictive properties became better known and understood it became highly regulated. Currently, it is a Schedule II drug, one that is extremely rarely used due to the likelihood of addiction. For the most part, cocaine is misused in order to get high.

The Dangers of Cocaine Use

People tend to abuse one of two chemical formulas of cocaine, the water-soluble type or the water insoluble type. The water-soluble type is a powder form that is either injected or snorted, while the water insoluble type is smoked, earning it the name crack from the sound the rocks make when heated. No matter what form of cocaine is being used, there are dangers associated. Some of the dangers of cocaine use include:

• Increased risk for stroke and heart attack due to higher blood pressure and thicker heart wall muscles
• Seizures
• Respiratory failure
• Overdose
• Bleeding in the lungs
• Chronic nose bleeds
• Increased risk of HIV and Hep C

These issues tend to increase in likelihood if cocaine is used repeatedly or mixed with other drugs. There is no safe amount of cocaine. Though users sometimes believe they can use once or twice or only on weekends and then stop or control usage, this is not true. With continued use, even sporadic use, an addiction is likely.

If you suspect a loved one has a cocaine addiction problem then look for the following signs and symptoms. If any are present, then seek help immediately as a cocaine habit can be difficult to break. Addiction signs and symptoms include:

• Excitability
• Dilated pupils
• Runny nose
• Weight loss
• Mood Swings
• Risky behaviors in spite of known consequences
• Social isolation to allow for more use (wanting increased privacy)
• Talkativeness
• Nosebleeds
• White residue on the nose and mouth or burn marks on the hands and lips
• Poor or deteriorating hygiene
• Financial difficulties
• Increase in paraphernalia (spoons, razor blades, plastic baggies, etc)

Withdrawal Symptoms

Though cocaine users may not admit that a problem exists, when it comes time to stop using, they will suffer the consequences. The body is damaged by cocaine use and some of those damages could be permanent, but the sooner a person stops the better off they may be. As with many drug users, the fear of stopping and withdrawal symptoms is what keeps them using. This is even if they want to stop. Unlike withdrawal from many other drugs, cocaine is not as physically intense, but it does come with severe psychological withdrawal symptoms. These can include:

• Difficulty concentrating with slow thinking
• Slowed activity and physical fatigue (often intense)
• Exhaustion, but restlessness
• Inability to feel pleasure, including sexual arousal
• Depression and/or anxiety
• Nightmares (often vivid)
• Suicidal thoughts (and attempts)
• Increased cravings
• Increased appetite
• Chills, muscle aches, and nerve pain (among other physical symptoms)

The length of these withdrawal symptoms can vary depending on the amount of cocaine used and for what length of time, other addictions, and any medical or psychological conditions that are present. In some cases, a medical detox may be necessary, but this is usually for extreme and emergency cases.

Seeking Help

If you or a loved one has an addiction to cocaine or other substances, then seek professional help. DARA rehab facility with locations in several places in Australia is one of the top-rated facilities available. With locations in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, and Auckland, among others, DARA can help your loved one with overcoming addiction and getting on the path to recovery. This is accomplished through treating the mind, body, and spirit in a variety of ways.

DARA is a luxury, resort style in-patient facility that is both affordable and effective. Using physical activity and proper nutrition, DARA treats the body to help the toxins leave and the body to build back up as cocaine depletes the body of nutrients due to poor eating habits and poor hygiene. Education about addiction helps a person understand what is happening to their mind and body in order to better stay in recovery. Finally, group and individual counseling is provided through highly trained staff to help the individual gain the tools necessary for life long changes.

DARA is waiting for your call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You or your loved one deserve the best treatment option available and DARA can provide. Make the call that can change your life for the better.

CLICK HERE to get a Free Confidential Addiction Rehabilitation Assessment. Alternatively, you can click on the live chat icon to chat with someone right now.

 

Australians Increase of Drug Usage

Australians are using more drugs than ever according to the UN World Drug Report of 2018. This is scary enough as a statistic, but what is more concerning is that the drugs are being purchased online using the Darknet. Both the range of drugs available and the markets in which they can be obtained is expanding and changing. No longer are dealers found on street corners and in dark alleyways. Now they can be found at a few clicks of the keyboard and drugs readily ordered to be shipped anywhere one desires. This makes fighting addiction nearly impossible as the web is accessible from almost anywhere in the world. This also brings about a new problem, not knowing exactly what one is receiving. This article will review not only what the Darknet is, but how to get help if someone you love is buying drugs and using them.

What is Darknet?

The internet has become a baseline requirement for most individuals and businesses alike. This is a way to connect with those across the world, across the street, and often across the room. Whether you are checking your email, reading the news, or making purchases from digital stores, the internet is an integral part of life. Unfortunately, this has spilled over into illegal businesses as well with what’s called the Darknet. While this is not a new concept, it is one that is growing rapidly.

The Darknet, otherwise known as the deep web, consists of content that cannot be directly accessed via the surface web, what most people know as the internet. The dark web sites require credentials to log in, usually a registration of some type, because the activities are often fall from above board. That being said, some instances of the deep web are legal, like governmental databases, patient records, etc. Though for the purposes of this article the dark web focused on will be that used for the selling of illegal drugs.

Criminal prefer the Darknet because of anonymity. This makes sense because they are obviously committing an illegal act. The Darknet illegal activities tend to include things like:

• Dealing drugs or other illegal substances in a black market format
• Counterfeiters
• Stolen information
• Weapons
• Hackers
• Terrorists
• Gamblers
• Murderers or assassins
• Explicit illegal material

Any one of these categories could lead to trouble, but the buying and selling of illegal drugs and pharmaceuticals is not only illegal, but dangerous.

Why use the Darknet?

Though anonymity is the prominent reason that people choose to buy drugs through the Darknet, there are others. One is that the drugs are often cheaper or unavailable in the area in which the addict lives. Another is the ability to keep the habit a secret as the drugs are delivered through the mail, though often to a different address or PO box. The final is a somewhat lessening of risk. If buying on the street a person risks being involved in violence, but ordering online can often make a person feel safer.

Just as there are reasons to buy online to feed a habit, there are reasons not to that addicts often overlook. The Darknet is illegal which should be cause enough, but other problems such as never being sure what you really received as far as purity and ingredients is also a concern. Another concern is that you must register which means your name is linked in some way and if discovered could mean jail time. Finally, Darknet sites are found and taken down often. If you pay for a purchase and the site disappears, there is no way to retrieve the money without signaling that you bought illegal substances.

Drug Use in Australia

As mentioned, drug use in Australia is on the rise, especially the non-medical use of prescription drugs. Since new laws have made it more difficult to gain access to strong, potentially addictive prescription medications, many people are turning to the Darknet. This may not initially be for an addiction, some people may have legitimate pain or simply be dependent on a medication they cannot readily obtain, but continued use of such substances, if that is what is even received, can easily lead to addiction.

Common Symptoms of Drug Use

If you are concerned that you or a loved one may be using drugs, obtained on the Darknet or otherwise, there are common symptoms that can point in that direction. These include:

• Increased aggression and irritability
• Personality and attitude changes
• Depression and/or lethargy
• Change in social media posts
• Excessive computer use (Darknet use)
• Bloodshot or glazed eyes
• Weight changes (up or down)
• Pupil extremes without reason
• Unusual body odors
• Poor hygiene
• Sleep disturbances (increase or decrease)

Depending on the type and amount of the drug being used the symptoms may vary. Before assuming drugs are involved, it is often useful to seek medical help if only one or two signs are present to make sure they are not being caused by a medical problem. A doctor can also test for drugs in the system if necessary.

Seeking Help

If you or a loved one does in fact have an addiction or problem with drugs or alcohol then seek professional help. Addiction is a disease which means treatment can help. One of the best treatment facilities around is DARA. DARA has several locations that include Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, and Auckland. DARA offers in-patient facilities for all types of addiction at affordable rates. The luxury type facility works with each individual to get into and stay on the road to recovery long term.

DARA treats the mind, body, and soul through healthy physical activities, nutrition, counseling, group therapy, and education. Learning about addiction in general can offer a person insight into their personal addictions. Group and individual counseling addresses common problems and personal issues for each person. Physical activities and proper nutrition are used to heal the body that is often suffering from extended drug use. By getting the body back into shape it can better heal and this will also positively affect the mind. DARA offers all this in a 6 to 12 week stay in a high-end resort style facility to get you or your loved one on the road to recovery. Call anytime, day or night to start on your journey to a better life.

CLICK HERE to get a Free Confidential Addiction Rehabilitation Assessment. Alternatively, you can click on the live chat icon to chat with someone right now.

When to Seek Help 

Anytime a dependence on alcohol or substances is present or when it goes further and an addiction forms, you should seek professional help. While it is best to seek help early on, there are few that are so beyond help that a rehab center cannot be beneficial. However, denial is the biggest reason people refuse treatment. It is important to understand why refusal may come and what it may take to offer a wake up call for that individual. These wake-up calls may include:

• Loss of Income or Relationships
• Loss of Life
• Hospitalization

Denial

Denial of an addiction or dependence is one of the biggest reasons for not seeking help. The person may deny any problem exists or make excuses for why a drug or alcohol is used. Someone may say they use cocaine when they are feeling down or that their drinking is not truly hurting anyone. Perhaps they feel that they have not hit ‘rock bottom’ and will seek treatment when they have in their own lives. Unfortunately, it may take a true wake up call to help a person realize that real help is needed. This may take on the forms shared above and will be explained below.

Loss of Income and/or Relationships

Addictions is commonly associated with loss and this loss is often the wake-up call that addicts need to realize an addiction is present. It can be painful to watch an addict experience loss, but sometimes, this is what it requires to push them toward real help.

Where there is addiction, there is also a need for money. The cost of addiction often eventually exceeds the necessary funds to keep it going. It is common for addicts to miss work, often, days or weeks at a time. Some may try to work drunk or high when they do go, which results in loss of the job. When this happens, they may ask for loans from others or even steal to support the habit. However, this can only last for so long before others get wise or get tired of their consistent borrowing. This can help them admit a real problem exists.

Furthermore, the lack of money and resulting issues like a loss of home, can leave the person so stressed that they may finally admit to an issue being present. This can also apply to a loss of relationships. Many people prefer to keep their addictions secret which results in a withdrawal from friends and family members. They may begin to skip social engagements with a preference for more time to use as the alternative. Sadly, it is not uncommon for friends and family to know about the addiction and want the person to get help, but unable to connect with them in any way. This tends to make both the addict and loved ones get further apart due to disappointment and continued use.

Loss of Life

Though extreme, loss of another’s life can be a rude, yet huge wake up call. This can come in different ways. The first is the most common and that is driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. This can often result in accidents that are deadly for others. It may be a wake up call to kill someone in an accident and will hopefully result in rehab, but this could also result in jail time. Another opportunity may be if a fellow user overdoses and dies. This is sometimes a wake-up call as the person puts him or herself in the place of that fellow user. These are opportunities to open a dialogue with the addict and bring up rehab.

Hospitalization

Hospitalization is a huge wake up call medically for an addict. There were 4.6 million drug related emergencies in 2009 and that number has increased over time. Many of these hospital visits occurred months after the beginning of an addiction. These drug-related issues can be painful to handle and a potential overdose may force the person into admitting there is a problem.

Finding the Right Rehab Center

When your loved one does admit to a problem you are then faced with finding the right treatment option for their situation. There are both out-patient and in-patient options available. The out-patient options include group therapy, individual therapy, and in some cases meetings. These options are best when the person is not heavily into addiction and has a desire to stop using. These options may not be best for those experiencing extreme withdrawal symptoms as it may be too tempting to start using again. For those that wish to do out patient, it still may be best to do a medical detox as an in-patient to make sure no medical emergencies arise.

In-patient facilities are much more common and tend to last between four and twelve weeks or longer, if needed. An in-patient facility likely offers a place for detox and extended treatment. In-patient facilities are widely varied in approach, availability, and cost. Location may also be an issue for some, but if possible, a facility a good distance away from former, familiar users is typically best.

DARA Rehab Center

One highly accredited and recommended in-patient facility is that of DARA. DARA has rehab center locations in many countries and offers affordable rates. DARA rehab center uses a multi-pronged approach to treating addiction that heals physically, mentally, and spiritually. Each day begins with some type of physical activity in the resort style locations with beautiful views and many amenities. Each client is given a personal trainer to help them improve their physical well being while staying. This is necessary as physical health typically declines as addiction continues. Meals are provided and are nutritious and focused on better health. The facilities also offer individualized and group counseling paired with education about addiction in general. By better understanding addiction as a disease, the person will learn to combat the issues that will arise in the future.

If you or a loved one has an addiction and are ready for help then DARA is ready to provide that help. Simply call one of the centers 24/7 to speak with someone who can schedule a stay and prepare you to reenter your life addiction free. You are worth the time spent at the rehab center and your life will be better for making the effort to get on the road to recovery.

CLICK HERE to get a Free Confidential Addiction Rehabilitation Assessment. Alternatively, you can click on the live chat icon to chat with someone right now.

Ecstasy Defined and How it is Made

Believe it or not, ecstasy was at first developed by Merck pharmaceutical and was known as MDMA. It was used by the US Army in the 50s in psychological warfare tests and then in the 60s as a medication for psychotherapy that lowered inhibitions. In the 70s, MDMA was just beginning its journey as a party drug. This continued into the 80s and was legal, known as ecstasy. By 1985, the drug was banned due to safety concerns. Since that time, ecstasy has become a basic marketing technique for dealers. But the newer version contains little or no MDMA. While the MDMA in itself can have negative effects, what is called ecstasy today is a variety of substances. These may include a mixture of:

• LSD
• Cocaine
• Methamphetamines
• Amphetamines
• Heroin
• Rat poison
• Caffeine
• Dog wormer

These pills which often have a logo or picture stamped on them, are dangerous because the user never truly knows what is in the pill itself. Though pill form is most common, liquid ecstasy, called GHB, can be injected. GHB is a nervous system depressant that can be found in things like floor stripper, drain cleaner, and degreasing agents. Making it deadly.

There are many names that mean ecstasy. You may also find a drug known to produce similar effects. Some of the more common names are included below.

• Adam
• Cadillac
• Beans
• California Surprise
• E
• Essence
• Elephants
• Hug
• Love Pill
• X, XE, or XTC
• Snowball
• Scooby Snacks

These are not all the names, but some of the more common. Any form of this drug can be deadly from the first use. This is due to the overall effects as well as the mixture of stuff used to create it.

Effects of Ecstasy

Ecstasy comes with both long-term and short-term effects that will be shared. But it should be remembered that it was outlawed for its dangerous overall effects.

Short Term Effects

Shortly after taking MDMA or what is being passed as ecstasy, the user can experience a range of effects that are related to the hallucinogenic and stimulant properties. These effects can last from 3 to 8 hours and include:

• Euphoria
• Heightened mental clarity and emotions
• Hallucinations
• Decreased thirst and appetite

These are considered the positive effects. But there are also dangerous short-term effects related to the use. These include:

• Hyperthermia due to increased body temperature
• Sweating and chills
• Increased blood pressure
• Increased anxiety
• Blurred vision
• Nausea
• Teeth clenching
• Tremors
• Fainting
• Seizures
• Muscle tensions

Be Wary of Unexpected Side Effects

While these are known effects, with the increase of mixtures to form ecstasy, there are also side effects that may be unexpected. This will depend on what was mixed into the drug itself. The worst part is that users may have no idea what is mixed together. Making it dangerous to use even once. Even though a person may intent to buy ecstasy, there is no real way to know what a single pill contains. The mixtures can increase the negative side effects.

Though the effects of MDMA can last up to eight hours, many people use other drugs as soon as the effects begin to fade. For up to a week a person may experience side effects that include:

• Anxiety and depression
• Sleep and memory problems
• Lack of appetite
• Lack of interest in pleasurable activities
• Impulsive behavior with aggression

While it is rare, ecstasy overdose may occur from hyperthermia or failure of the heart, liver, or kidneys. This is in part because the need for food, water, and rest are masked while at the same time the body temperature and level of physical activity are increased. Users may try to combat this by drinking large amounts of water which can throw electrolytes into imbalance and cause brain swelling due to water retention.

Long Term Effects

MDMA is thought to deplete serotonin levels throughout the brain. Serotonin plays an important role in mood, sexual desire, pain, and even sleep. Impaired serotonin neurotransmission can lead to psychological after effects and impairments in cognition long after use ends. People who regularly use ecstasy can suffer enduring effects such as:

• Confusion
• Impaired attention spans
• Impulsiveness
• Lowered sexual interests
• Memory loss
• Aggression

These effects can be permanent for some depending on length of time used. But some can be overcome if use is stopped.

Withdrawal from Ecstasy

As the levels of dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin drop in the bloodstream, withdrawal may begin. With ecstasy, withdrawal symptoms are thought to be more psychological than physical in nature, though some are physical. These include many of the same effects previously mentioned and can include:

• Fatigue
• Depression and anxiety
• Memory issues
• Irritability
• Insomnia
• Hostility
• Mood swings
• Lack of motor control
• Panic attacks
• Psychosis
• Depersonalization
• Hallucinations and delusions

This typically starts within 12 hours after the last dose of ecstasy and peaks within a few days. It can take time for the brain to stabilize itself and normal levels to return. This could last for weeks or months for some with enhanced use meaning longer withdrawal symptoms.

Ecstasy is often used in conjunction with other drugs which can complicate withdrawal. Furthermore, co-occurring mental and medical issues can also influence the withdrawal timeline and severity of effects. Biological and genetic factors can also affect withdrawal in intensity and duration. These can include metabolism rates, age, gender. Even personal and familial history of addiction. Some environmental aspects may also play a role as high stress levels, trauma. Lack of support can increase the psychological symptoms. In some cases, increase cravings.

Rehab

If you or a loved one has started taking ecstasy recreationally or on a regularly basis, then seek professional help immediately. One high quality, luxury style resort is that of DARA. With several facilities in different areas, DARA uses an approach that works with the whole person. Offering personal trainers, nutritious meals, private and group counseling, and education about addiction, each client leaves prepared to face their everyday life, addiction free. DARA has people standing by to answer questions and book a stay 24/7 so there is no excuse to wait. If you want the best chance for long term recovery, then DARA is the way to go.

CLICK HERE to get a Free Confidential Addiction Rehabilitation Assessment. Alternatively, you can click on the live chat icon to chat with someone right now.