Tag Archives: addiction

Got Drugs? Give Them Back On Drug Take Back Day

This weekend, the Drug Enforcement Administration is helping Americans do a little responsible spring-cleaning and bring awareness to the growing problem prescription drug abuse at the same time. The DEA’s 4th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day takes place this Saturday, April 28, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. nationwide where anyone can discard their unused, unwanted, and expired prescription drugs in a safe and anonymous way.

“Take Back Day is important because it gives us an opportunity to do a public service by collecting unused, unwanted, and expired drugs that are sitting in people’s houses, in their medicine cabinets, and they really don’t know what to do with them, and they just continue to collect them and they pile up,” Harry S. Sommers, special agent in charge of the DEA Atlanta field division, told CNN on Friday.

It’s a timely event as recent studies have shown that prescription drug abuse is on the rise, and, in fact, as Sommers points out, “Prescription drugs, most studies show now, are the most abused drug this side of marijuana in America today.”

The danger of having extra prescription drugs lingering around a household are two-fold: 1) Children, teens, and their friends can, and often do, get into the medicine cabinet and take the drugs for recreational use, often times leading to addiction; and 2) Those who the drugs were prescribed to are more likely to return to that drug when it’s not necessary. For instance, one day you’re prescribed Vicodin after a surgery, and the next month you are taking it to simply feel good or for minor aches and pains.

Another recent study showed that prescription drug abuse often begins at the hand of a family member or friend “lending” that friend or relative one of their prescription pills for simple ailments such as headaches, back pain, and muscle aches that could be easily treated with over-the-counter pain medicines. According to the study, based on data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health released this Wednesday, more than 70% of people who abuse prescription painkillers have obtained the drug from friends or family.

So, what can you do to participate in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day? Go through your medicine cabinets, gather up all expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs (they’ll even take over-the-counter drugs as long as it’s not in liquid form), and march on over to your local drug collection agency.

The DEA has made the drug drop-off process easy by setting up a website where you enter your city and zip code, and it provides you with a list of free and anonymous collection sites in your area. Approximately 5,000 collections sites are participating nationwide.

To find out where to drop off your prescription drugs, go to: http://1.usa.gov/IdKOc3

To learn more about prescription drug addiction and how to cure it, go to www.passagesmalibu.com and www.passagesventura.com.

Passages Malibu and Passages Ventura support the DEA’s 4th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day and encourages everyone to discard their drugs safely this Saturday.

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Poll: What Do You Think Of The New Passages Malibu Website?

Passages Malibu launched a new and improved website this week at www.passagesmalibu.com with more social interaction, more videos, more detailed information, and a beautifully shot new Passages Malibu Experience Video Tour, which takes you through the lush 10-acre grounds of our 5-star premium treatment center and tells the tale of one client’s powerful journey to recovery.

Take a look at the new site and tour and then click on the link below to take this poll about what you like most about our new site. We’d love to hear your thoughts.

Poll: What Do You Like Most About Our New Website? http://surveys.questionpro.com/a/TakeSurvey?id=3019298

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Passages Malibu Launches Innovative New Website

Passages Malibu is a pioneer in drug and alcohol addiction treatment with its holistic, groundbreaking, alternative to the 12 Step/AA method of addiction treatment and recovery and now the world renowned treatment center has created an innovative way to experience their 5-star facilities through the Passages Malibu Treatment Experience virtual tour.

The new tour is the centerpiece of Passages Substance Abuse & Addiction Treatment Center’s revamped website (www.passagesmalibu.com), which re-launched this week with more video and more ways to interact via social media, such as the inclusion of Google+ to our Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube offerings. The new website and virtual tour are just few new ways that Passages stays on the cutting edge of the recovery industry.

“We didn’t just want to produce the typical virtual tour that you often see, but rather give the viewer an in-depth look at what the Passages treatment experience is all about. We wanted to tell a personal story about how we can change, and often times save, our clients’ lives, and show them exactly what they will be getting when they check into Passages. We are passionate about recovery and I think this new virtual tour shows just that,” says Pax Prentiss, CEO and co-founder of Passages Malibu and Passages Ventura.

The extended version of the beautifully shot video tour (available at www.passagesmalibutour.com) not only gives a never-before-seen look at what treatment at Passages Malibu is like on their ocean view, 10-acre facility known for cutting-edge recovery methods, a picturesque tranquil environment, and 5-star luxury amenities. But the tour also tells the tale of a typical client, “Ben,” whose career and self-esteem struggles have caused his life to spiral downward. “Ben” has tried and failed to get sober at other treatment centers only to find his way to Passages for a life-changing experience.

Before the existence of Passages, the majority of treatment centers used the 12 Step method of addiction treatment, which depends on the client declaring him or herself an addict or alcoholic for the rest of his or her life and using group therapy as a core source of recovery. This method of staying sober certainly works for some, but it does not work for everyone. In fact, many people are apprehensive of the 12 Step model and refuse to sit in meetings where they must declare themselves as addicts or alcoholics to move forward. For those who find this to be ineffective, there needs to be an alternative way of getting sober.

That’s where Passages Rehab Center comes in. In 2001, Passages introduced a new and exciting alternative to the 12 Step model of treatment with its luxurious facility in Malibu, California and then its second more affordable center in Ventura, California in 2009. And the people came. Why? They came because many people were ready for something different – something better. Passages introduced an entirely new way of looking at addiction, which is reflected in their addiction treatment program. They emphasize one-on-one therapy (instead of group meetings) and holistic treatment. But what really sets them apart from the rest is their belief that addiction is not a disease. Rather, it is a symptom of underlying conditions that are treated through various modes of therapy at their treatment centers, including individual counseling, marriage and family therapy, acupuncture, acupressure, hypnotherapy, life purpose counseling, spiritual counseling, and healthy living (yoga, physical fitness training, and equine therapy), among others.

“Our program places a lot of importance on holistic treatment that empowers the client rather than breaking them down and making them feel powerless,” explains Prentiss. “I strongly feel that there is something to be said for a holistic approach to addiction. I’m not denying the relative successes of Alcoholics Anonymous and other 12 Step programs. I just think there’s something more than what AA has to offer.”

Truly the crème-de-la-crème of treatment centers, Passages Malibu and its sister facility, Passages Ventura, earned JCAHO (Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations) accreditation, which has only been given to 6% of the nation’s behavioral health treatment programs.

At Passages Malibu: “Addiction Ends Here™”

About Passages Malibu & Passages Ventura:

Founded by Chris Prentiss and Pax Prentiss, Passages Malibu opened in 2001 with its second location, Passages Ventura, opening in 2009. The two drug and alcohol abuse treatment centers offer an alternative to the 12-step/AA model of addiction treatment by taking a holistic approach with a program that focuses on the underlying issues of substance dependency, rather than suggesting that addiction is an incurable disease. Passages Malibu and Passages Ventura have earned the coveted JCAHO (Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations) accreditation, which has only been given to 6% of the nation’s behavioral health treatment programs. The co-founders are also authors of the acclaimed series of treatment books that include their groundbreaking flagship book, “The Alcoholism & Addiction Cure.” At Passages, we believe: Addiction Ends Here™. For general inquiries about treatment, contact: 866-233-1753

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Borderline Personality Disorder and Addiction

Individuals with a Borderline personality disorder frequently also suffer from addiction to drugs or alcohol.  Borderline personality disorder (which is much more common in women than it is in men) is a condition in which the afflicted individual suffers from the inability to maintain stable inter-personal  relationships, an unstable self view, and ‘black and white’ thinking.  Individuals with Borderline personality disorder often display highly manipulative behavior, and tend to get involved in unhealthy relationships and can be very self destructive, often feeling anger and resentment towards themselves as well as others.

Borderline personality disorder causes the person to frequently experience feelings of abandonment (both real and imagined), unstable moods, chronic feelings of emptiness and depression, suicide attempts, paranoia, and difficulty controlling anger.  Borderline personality disorder is slightly controversial in the medical community, due to its difficulty to define and diagnose due to the broad range of symptoms and traits. Individuals who suffer from both Borderline personality disorder and addiction are faced with a unique set of challenges. The use of drugs and alcohol is very common amongst individuals with borderline personality disorder, frequently as an attempt to numb the pain of their feelings of abandonment and unhappiness.  The use of drugs and alcohol aggravates and intensifies several symptoms of Borderline personality disorder, especially rage, depression and suicidal thoughts. At Passages, we specialize in treating clients with co-occurring disorders.  If you are struggling with an addiction and also have a Borderline personality disorder, Passages can help.

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Twitter Weekly Updates from Passages Malibu for 2011-06-19

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Individual Attention and One-On-One Therapy at Passages

At Passages Malibu and Passages Ventura, we pride ourselves on giving our clients an unmatched amount of personal attention.  During your treatment, your therapists will meet each week to discuss your progress and redesign your program. We call this the treatment team approach and it ensures that your program is always progressing as you progress. Most drug rehab centers are unable to do this because they offer far too many groups, instead of one-on-one therapy like we offer at Passages.  Their programs are the traditional 12-step, group approach where each client is treated exactly the same.

Passages is the best drug rehab for many reasons, and we are constantly improving and looking for new cutting edge ways to treat people.  We believe that addictions vary from person to person depending on the underlying issues present, and that personal attention is really the key to uncover what’s going on beneath the surface.  These are just some of the reasons that the program at Passages is non 12-step. Our rehab center chooses to only use cutting edge therapies in a one-on-one setting that are designed to heal the underlying conditions that are causing you to use. We do not subscribe to the disease concept and refuse to place labels on you like addict and alcoholic. If you’re looking for a non 12-step rehab, this is by far the best one. Our doors are open and we honor the opportunity to work with you. Please call us day or night for an in-depth explanation of our extraordinary services.

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