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S tudent December 2016 A ssistance P Newsletter rogram Volume 2, Issue 4 Depression and Substance Abuse Xanax Abuse on the Rise Xanax is the most popular psychiatric drug on the market. It’s also one of the most abused. In the United States, doctors write nearly 50 million prescriptions for Xanax every year. That’s more than one prescription written every second. Xanax is in a class of drugs called benzodiazepines (benzos). These are anti-anxiety medications prescribed for people with high levels of stress or panic attacks. Xanax “bars” (pictured above) are gaining popularity among teens. These bars are scored so they can be broken into smaller doses. The term “barred out” means being highly sedated from abusing the drug. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, benzos help send 60,000 people per year to publicly-funded rehab centers. Most people in treatment for benzos abuse other substance as well. The most common secondary drug of abuse is opiates, then alcohol and then marijuana. In the 12-to-17-year-old range, the most common secondary drug of abuse is marijuana. According to the 2015 Monitoring the Future survey, 15 percent of 12th graders view tranquilizers, including Xanax, as easy to obtain. Youth who experience a major depressive episode are twice as likely to begin using alcohol or illicit drugs, compared to youth who have not. - SAMHSA 12.5% of the U.S. population aged 12 to 17 had a major depressive episode in the past year. 5.2% of the U.S. population aged 12 to 17 has a substance use disorder. rosecrance.org ® Xanax Abuse (continued) In 2011, there were around 175,000 emergency room visits related to Xanax abuse. This number increased 95% from 2005 (SAMHSA Drug Abuse Warning Network). When mixed with alcohol or opiates, the effect can slow a person’s breathing to the point of death. This drug was present in the deaths of Heath Ledger, Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston. One of the problems with these drugs is that the body quickly builds a tolerance to them, meaning that more of the drug must be taken to get the same effect, even after just a few weeks. This buildup of tolerance can occur again and again, until one’s dosage gets very high. According to the National Institutes of Health, this type of drug should not be taken for more than a few months due to the risk of addiction. There are also dangerous side effects, especially when taken at higher doses. Serious effects include depression, thoughts of suicide, aggressive behavior, chest pain, tremors, confusion and hallucinations. Other effects are blurred or double vision, nausea, vomiting, and memory problems. Since Xanax is a drug with such high abuse and addiction potential, use of it should be very shortterm and under close observation of a doctor. Supplies of the drug should be kept out of the reach of anyone who might abuse them. If you see a student who might be struggling with any type of substance use, anxiety or depression, your SAP Counselor can help with an appropriate referral. For some, depression worsens during holidays often at the greatest risk. If someone is feeling disconnected or depressed, they might choose to avoid social interactions. Unfortunately, withdrawing can make the feelings of loneliness and symptoms of depression worse. One of the best ways to deal with social isolation is to reach out to friends or family for support. Steve Smith, Director of the Rosecrance Berry Campus, says not to underestimate the importance of talking to someone about how you’re feeling. For most, the holidays are a time of joy and celebration, but others experience extreme stress and anxiety this time of the year. One of the biggest predictors of depression is social isolation. People who have a small social circle, or lack the opportunity for socialization are “Talk therapy, even brief talk therapy during those periods where you know you’re dealing with significant stressors is good,” Smith said. “We all know with stress, we tend to bottle it up, so the more you can talk about it, the easier it is to process it and actually work through it and realize it doesn’t have to be a huge impediment to enjoying the season.” rosecrance.org ® Holiday Depression (continued) Major depressive disorder with seasonal pattern is a type of recurrent depression that is caused by the seasons changing. Many people with this disorder develop depression symptoms during the fall, and continue to feel sad throughout the winter. You can improve your mood by practicing selfcare during the holidays. Smith says the best ways to beat the winter blues are to maintain a healthy diet, stay away from alcohol and stay active. As little as 30-minutes of cardiovascular exercise can provide an immediate mood boost similar to the effects of an antidepressant medication. Sources: Michael Kerr, Healthline.com; Steve Smith, Rosecrance Berry Campus Avoiding the Holiday Blues Statistics show that about 15% of the U.S population experience some sort of seasonal depression around the holidays or “the winter blues” and about 5% meet the criteria for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a chronic form of depression caused by seasonal changes. SAD is more common the farther north you live and among women and young adults (American Academy of Family Physicians). If the holiday season is getting you down, it might be time to begin a new tradition. • Plan a family outing or vacation, instead of spending the holidays at home. • Don’t give in to holiday pressures. • Feel free to leave an event if you aren’t comfortable. • Volunteer - helping others can be very helpful for you too. • Get back to Nature - going for a walk in the park may help you relax and feel better. Practicing Mindfulness Mindfulness is a great way to help manage stress and improve symptoms of depression. Mindfulness consists of cultivating awareness of the mind and body and living in the here and now. Mindfulness is an evidence-based practice and is integrated throughout our treatment programs at Rosecrance. It can be seen in the form of yoga, meditation or walking the Labyrinth (pictured above). The idea is to teach clients to PAUSE, CONNECT, and ENGAGE through the use of their senses. Clients leave treatment with self-soothing techniques that will be applicable to their lives outside of the treatment setting. Data collected from adults in treatment at Rosecrance show an overall improvement of symptoms (anxiety, mood, and focus) of 62%. Of the 90 clients tested, 56% also had an improvement in their systolic blood pressure after participating in a mindfulness session, with an average improvement rate of 10.28 mmHg. Source: Keri Fager, Experiential Therapies Supervisor at Rosecrance Harrison Campus rosecrance.org ® Social Media On an average day in December, more than 11,000 young people aged 12-17 will use alcohol for the first time, compared to an average of 5,000-8,000 the rest of the year (SAMHSA). Follow Rosecrance online at: @rosecrancenews facebook.com/lifeswaiting youtube.com/rosecrancenews 45% of teens have seen pictures on Facebook or other social networking sites of kids getting drunk, passed out, or using drugs. Compared to teens that have never seen these pictures on social media, teens that have are: • Almost 3 times likelier to use tobacco • More than 3 times likelier to use alcohol • 4 times likelier to use marijuana Source: 2012 CASA Columbia National Teen Survey Rosecrance offers detox for teens in Rockford Rosecrance provides medically monitored detoxification for 12 to 19 year olds at its teen residential campus in Rockford. Providing onsite detox offers a better continuity of care and motivation for teens to remain in treatment. Professional medical staff monitor clients around the clock, and each case is staffed individually with the admitting physician. Rosecrance Griffin Williamson Campus 1601 N. University Dr. Rockford, IL 61107 Most insurance and Medicaid are accepted. Call Rosecrance at 815.391.1000 to schedule a free confidential consultation. rosecrance.org ®