Narconon Arrowhead has over twenty years of experience in the field of drug and alcohol rehabilitation. They understand the root causes of addiction, the many phases and effects of addiction, and what must be done in order to resolve addiction. For most individuals, drug use normally begins when the individual is trying to suppress a physical, mental or emotional problem. Since drugs are chemicals that interrupt the normal functions of the human body, regular drug use to suppress a problem can lead to dependency and addiction. In the case of some prescription drugs, addiction can be and often is deadly.
Substance Abuse in Veterans
Whatever difficulties one may be encountering in life, it is unlikely that they are quite so traumatic or upsetting as the loss of life and limb often witnessed by soldiers of war. These brave individuals are taken from their home, their loving family and their normal routines and schedules and thrown into harsh environments, strange schedules, and war. A soldier may see more human suffering and death in one year than most individuals see in their entire lives, and it affects them mentally and emotionally.
Family members who witness the return of a loved one from war are often shocked at the physical and psychological changes. They may seem physically ill and worn down, tired, upset, angry or perpetually sad. Unfortunately, many government and private doctors diagnose post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and prescribe antidepressant and antipsychotic medications to treat the condition. The individual who is desperately seeking relief from stress, anxiety and other war-related problems may abuse their medications, but the horrible truth is that even individuals taking the exact prescribed amount of medication may find these medications to be fatal.
Andrew White is one of the “Charleston Four” – four young war veterans who died in 2008 of cardiac arrest in their sleep while taking medications for PTSD. For Andrew’s parents, his death has created heartbreak and anger that extends far beyond the anguish they felt when their older son died in Afghanistan. Andrew was taking Seroquel, Klonopin and Paxil, antidepressant, antipsychotic and analgesic medications and died at the age of twenty-three from what doctors call “fatal drug intoxication”. According to his mother, Andrew was taking his medications exactly as prescribed by his doctors. When the VA investigated Andrew’s death they determined that his doctors had met the community standards of care and therefore had done nothing wrong in writing their prescriptions. Andrew’s parents disagree, and are pushing hard for a Congressional investigation into the overmedication of these young war veterans.
In North Carolina, John and Mary Nahas are also fighting for a change in treating PTSD after they nearly lost their son Michael. Michael returned from Iraq and was diagnosed with PTSD and prescribed a lethal cocktail of drugs including Oxycodone, Xanax, Percocet, Klonopin, Celexa, Lunesta and Ambien. Michael’s personality declined when he began taking the medications, he was angry and seemed unable to think straight. At one point, Michael became so confused and distraught that he tried to take his own life. It is his mother’s opinion that the drugs changed Michael negatively instead of resolving his PTSD.
Investigation Into PTSD Medications
Dr. Fred Baughman is a neurologist who began investigating the medications used to treat PTSD after hearing about the Charleston Four. Using news reports, Dr. Baughman created a list of three hundred military deaths linked to sudden cardiac arrest. As Dr. Baughman pointed out, young men in their twenties don’t just die in their sleep, so there was something unique linking these deaths. He concluded that it was the antipsychotic and antidepressant medications that they were on, especially considering that these medications are known to cause sudden cardiac deaths.
In March 2012 the Army Surgeon General went before a Senate subcommittee and stated that her office is investigating the issue of soldiers receiving multiple drug prescriptions. The Department of Defense has sent out a memo to all military branches, cautioning medical providers in the use of antipsychotics for the treatment of PTSD and recommending the use of lower risk medications and non-medication options.
The Whites and Nahas families continue to crusade against the prescription epidemic that is destroying the lives of war veterans, desiring for government doctors to scale back on medication and find other workable therapies like counseling and outdoor activities to help heal these broken lives.
Source:
http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=news/abc11_investigates&id=8637216