Oxycontin Addiction: Oxycontin is a prescription painkiller used for moderate to high
pain relief associated with injuries, bursitis, dislocations, fractures, neuralgia,
arthritis, lower back pain and pain associated with cancer. It contains oxycodone,
an opium derivative and is produced in a time released tablet. Oxycontin commonly
referred to as OC, OX, Oxy, Oxycotton and kicker, was introduced in 1996 and has
had a rapid escalation of abuse. The tablets can be chewed, crushed and snorted
like cocaine, crushed and dissolved in water and then injected like heroin. The
most serious side effect is respiratory depression, particularly dangerous for
the elderly. Oxycontin
addiction and demand has resulted in pharmacy robberies and forged
prescriptions. The estimated number of people aged 12 or older with an oxycontin
addiction has increased from 1.9 million in 2002, to 3.1 million in 2004.
The largest increase occurred among young adults aged 18 to 25. Inpatient Treatment is most often residential in that they require that the client live within the facility during treatment. Inpatient treatment centers and programs are a higher level of care than outpatient programs and provide more intensive services and treatment than lower levels of the care continuum.Addiction Addiction implies that a drug dependency has developed to such an extent that it has serious detrimental effects on the user (referred to as an addict). They may be chronically intoxicated, have great difficulty stopping the drug use, and be determined to obtain the drug by almost any means. The term addiction is inextricably linked to society's reaction to the user, and so medical experts try to avoid using it, preferring dependence instead.Binge Drinking: According to a rent study conducted by Kathryn Graham, et al of the University of Western Ontario psychology department "Depression is most strongly related to a pattern of binge drinking,"
Binge Drinking is defined in the study as consuming at least 5 alcoholic beverages at one sitting.
Whether Binge Drinking resulted in the development depression or whether depression contributed to a persons binge drinking was unclear in this study.
In the United States, when one thinks of binge drinking the first thing most people think of is a fraternity toga party. There is much debate over what actually defines binge drinking. The definition of binge drinking that is most often acknowledged is drinking twenty five or more drinks for men and eighteen drinks or more for women on one occasion. Binge drinking is usually associated with intoxication and being in a large group of people. However, people around the world may have a different perception of what binge drinking consists of. Different behaviors, different liquors, and difference of opinion as to what is considered acceptable will define binge drinking.
Australia
A culture of binge drinking is prevalent among many communities, for example at high schools, universities, at parties, amongst some Aboriginal groups and in sporting clubs. Those who are able to consume large amounts of alcohol are often held in high regard by their peers. Binge drinking and getting drunk to a point of complete loss of control may not only be accepted but encouraged. Drinking to this extent often begins, in a minority of social circles, at as young as 13 and 14, and may be very widely practised and accepted by most by age 16 or 17. This is the main advantage of binge drinking in Australia; it is passed off by the younger generations as "being Australian" and is seen as a perfectly normal cultural practice for some.
Canada
University students are often found binge drinking. It is common for drinking to be accompanied by hostile behavior. During the first week of orientation which is known as ‘frosh’ week, college students are known for binge drinking. In fact, many university towns and cities in Canada include drinking sub cultures.
Europe
As a general rule, European children have exposure to alcohol much earlier than American children, with the approval of parents. In most countries, the drinking age is eighteen, and in many restaurants as well as other jurisdictions adolescents can order certain alcohols with a parent’s supervision. Diluted wines and other mixed drinks may also be given to children as well. In several countries including: Denmark, Germany, Portuagal, Austria, the Netherlands, and Belgium the legal drinking age is sixteen. It is generally believed that binge drinking is less prevelant in the southern part of the continent— France, Italy and the Mediterranean.
Russia
In Russia, binge drinking or ‘zapoy’ usually consists of two days of continuous drunkenness. Close to fifty percent of working age Russian men are killed by alcohol abuse.
Spain
Big bottle drinking or ‘botellon’ is something that youth between sixteen and twenty four often do. Drinks are purchased in stores and taken to wide open spaces where friends sit, drink and listen to music. Most drink three to five drinks in less than five hours which consists of binge drinking..
United Kingdom
In the majority of Europe, alcohol is to be consumed with a meal over the course of an evening. In the UK however, alcohol is drank quickly and in massive quantities usually leading to drunkenness. In fact on a given night out, young adults are pressured into not only drinking but getting drunk. UK officials have begun to regard this as a more serious issue because of the number of casualties that have occurred related to binge drinking. In 2003 the cost of binge drinking in the UK was estimated as twenty billion pounds. In January 2005, one million admissions to UK accident and emergency units were alcohol-related.
New Zealand
Eight or more drinks in one session are considered to be binge drinking in New Zealand. The drinking age in New Zealand was recently dropped from twenty to eighteen. The argument being, at eighteen individuals are able to serve in war and vote, as well as other adult activities so drinking should be no different. This lead to more problems as opposed to alleviating concerns as more underage drinkers would ask their counterparts to buy them liquor.
South Africa
The most prevalent age for binge drinking in South Africa is between eighteen and thirty five years of age. The word 'Phuza' in Zula is translated as drink is often used to describe ‘Phuza Thursday’. In the event that someone is hung over one might say he or she is ‘Phuza face’.
United States
University students are often characterized as having a propensity for drinking even though the drinking age in the U.S. is twenty one. Athletes and fraternity/sorority members are the stereotypical heavy drinks, especially at football games, after final exams and on spring break when there were typically no rules enforced. An explanation for binge drinking behavior, is university students are on their own for the first time without parental supervision and drinking is considered the cool thing to do. It is arguable that the twenty one year old drinking age is the reason why youth drinks more. There are just as many arguments against the lowering the drinking age.
The National Survey on Drug Use and Health found binge drinking is most prevalent in the following states: Colorado, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. The survey found that the lowest binge-drinking rate in the U.S. was in Utah.
This article was last modified on 9/16/2007.
References 1. Binge Drinking: Key Facts and Issues. International Center for Alcohol Policies. Last accessed November 20, 2006.
2. "Alcohol Alert Digest", Institute of Alcohol Studies, UK
3. Nemtsov, Alexander (2005). Russia: alcohol yesterday and today. Addiction 100 (2), 146–149.
4. Tomkins, S, L. Saburova, N. Kiryanov, E. Andreev, M. McKee, V. Shkolnikov, D. A. Leon (2007). Prevalence and socio-economic distribution of hazardous patterns of alcohol drinking: study of alcohol consumption in men aged 25-54 years in Izhevsk, Russia. Addiction 102 (4), 544–553.
5. Treml, Vladimir G. (1982). Death from Alcohol Poisoning in the USSR. Soviet Studies 34 (4), 487-505.
6. BBC Binge drinking costing billions 19 September 2003
7. Kapka Kassabova The unbearable lightness of being English
8. Perkins HW, Linkenbach J, Dejong W. Estimated blood alcohol levels reached by "binge" and "nonbinge" drinkers: a survey of young adults in Montana. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors 2001 Dec;15(4):317-20.
9. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and alcoholism. Alcohol Tolerance (Alcohol Alert number 31 from NIAA). Washington, DC: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 1996.
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