Abstinence: Currently, across the USA, educated treatment providers encourage abstinence, or the stopping of mood altering substances for patients in their recovery.  For example, cocaine addicts are discouraged from drinking alcohol, and opiate addicts are discouraged from marijuana use, etc… because there is a strong tendency for a substance abuser to become cross-addicted (mentally or physically) to other drugs.

Addiction: The term “addiction” is a layman’s term usually associated with the professional term Dependence.

Amphetamines: Amphetamines are addictive drugs that act as stimulants or “uppers” — usually made from chemicals in illegal labs. These drugs stimulate the central nervous system and can give a sense of higher energy, enhanced power, reduce social inhibitions, and give a feeling of cleverness, and competence. These effects can be similar to the effects of cocaine but longer.  The term “amphetamine” refers to a large class of stimulants: amphetamines (black beauties, white bennies), dextroamphetamines (dexies, beans), and methamphetamines (crank, meth, crystal, speed). These oftentimes dangerous drugs can be taken orally, injected, smoked or snorted. Routine use can cause paranoia, picking at the skin, auditory and visual hallucinations, and extremely violent and erratic behavior.

Binge drinking: Drinking large amounts of alcohol all at once is called binge drinking.  This form of drinking to intoxication is dangerous and in extreme cases can lead to alcohol poisoning or death.

Cocaine: Cocaine is a powerfully addictive drug which comes from the leaves of the coca plant.  As a street drug, cocaine is found in two forms: cocaine hydrochloride, a white crystalline powder that can be snorted or dissolved and injected, and “crack cocaine” hydrochloride which has been processed into a larger crystalline form.  These chips, chunks or rocks are burned and the fumes inhaled.  This is called free-basing which is extremely addicting and has led many healthy people down the road to financial and moral ruin.  Heavy use of cocaine can produce hallucinations, paranoia, aggression, sleeplessness, and depression.  Cocaine in powder form is also called coke, snow, nose candy, flake, blow, big C, lady, white and snowbirds.

Counseling: Counseling is a supportive and sometimes directive form of verbal care-giving to solve a personal here and now problem.

Day Treatment Program: Day Treatment programs are like in-patient programs, however, the patient returns home for evenings and to sleep at night.  If patients are detoxed, medically stable, and they have supervision and accountability while at home, this form of treatment might be a cost-effective alternative to inpatient treatment.

Designer drugs: Designer drugs have an altered chemistry so as to make them slightly different in composition from drugs that are illegal.  Made by illegal street chemists, these drugs can vary greatly in terms of strength and purity.  Often times, these drugs contain agents that are highly poisons.  Ecstasy is a designer drug which sometimes contains caffeine or sometimes contains a blend of other dangerous drugs such as PCP.  Because of the great variation of ingredients, the street names can vary from batch to batch. Because unlicensed and untrained amateurs create them, these drugs can be extremely dangerous. In many cases, these altered drugs are more dangerous and powerful than the original drug.  For example, designer drugs derived from the pharmaceutical drug fentanyl have been associated with hundreds of deaths in the United States.

DSM-IV: DSM-IV is the abbreviation for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth edition.  In the USA and some other countries, professionals use this manual to diagnose mental health conditions.  This book provides guidelines for how bad a condition has to get for it to be an illness.

Dual Diagnosis:  This term refers to having more than one diagnosis such as having alcohol abuse and social anxiety.  It makes sense to treat both problems to reduce the chances of relapse.

Ecstasy: Ecstasy, is also know as MDMA (methylenedioxymethamphetamine.) A synthetic drug that acts simultaneously as a stimulant and a hallucinogen, Ecstasy can initially give the user a sense of well-being, but this drug can also cause sensory distortions and cause a person to stay awake even after they are exhausted. Ecstasy has been shown to cause brain damage in animals and in humans.  Simply put, Ecstasy disintegrates the inner cavities of the brain.  Ecstasy often contains a “garbage pail” of other ingredients, often times, poisons, sometimes high doses of caffeine.  In 2004, a product called Green Hornet was marketed as an herbal version of ecstasy. The Food and Drug Administration considers this product to be an unapproved and dangerous since four teens died after consuming Green Hornet.

HALT: HALT is an acronym for Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired.  Letting yourself get into these states could be dangerous for a recovering substance abuser or person with a dependency.

Heroin: An extremely addictive drug, heroin is derived from morphine.  Originally obtained from the opium poppy, this opiate is “downer” that affects the brain’s pleasure systems and interferes with its ability to perceive pain.  Heroin users usually start use by snorting the heroin powder, or by mixed it in a marijuana joint or regular cigarette.   As tolerance starts, the user tries to achieve the same intense effects as the first time used, so they progress on to more intense methods of ingestion.  This is called ”chasing the dragon.”  Heroin users will tell you that the original very pleasurable sensation is never again achieved even though more and more of the drug is used.  As this use progresses, users graduate on to attempt quicker methods of the drug taking effect.  This eventually leads to injecting into muscle or a vein (mainlining).  Heroin has many street names: smack, horse, brown sugar, junk, big H, and dope.  Heroin’s effect is intense, and tolerance comes on quickly, so physical addiction to heroin happens very quickly.  If users don’t keep using the drug, they have a terrible physical withdrawal problem which involves severe constipation, stomach cramps, symptoms of severe anxiety, crawling skin, hallucinations, and even death.  HIV infection is common among heroin users who share (used) needles.  In recent years, heroin addicts have been able to avoid the very painful withdrawal, through the use of substitute drugs such as methadone.  There are also special pharmaceutical procedures such as detoxification while under anesthesia, and detoxification with the aid of prescription drugs and special monitoring.

Ice: “Ice” is a slang term for smokable methamphetamine.  This form of meth has a see-through crystalline-rock-like appearance.  It is a highly addictive and toxic form of amphetamine.

Inhalants: Inhalants are ordinary household products that are inhaled or sniffed by children to get high. More than one in five eighth graders has used inhalants. Common ones are model airplane glue, nail polish remover, cleaning fluids, hair spray, gasoline, the propellant in aerosol whipped cream, spray paint, air conditioner fluid (freon), cooking spray and correction fluid. Inhalants, like anesthesia, slow down the body’s functions. Users may feel stimulated, disoriented or out of control. Inhalants starve the body of oxygen. This can lead to brain damage, unconsciousness or death.

In-Patient Treatment:  This term refers to treatment given at a facility where you go and stay for a while without going home at night.  In-patient programs for substance disorder treatments typically are for patients who require drug or alcohol detoxification, or patients who may be at risk for harming themselves of someone else.  Mental health insurance policies vary greatly on their coverage for in-patient stays.  Usually, calling the telephone number on the back of your insurance card will connect you with someone who can tell you about your benefits.  If you don’t have insurance, calling your local community mental health office is advised.

Intoxication: Being under the influence of a substance to such a degree that there is inappropriate behavior, or undesirable psychological changes such as belligerence, mood swings, impairment of thinking, impairment of judgment, social problems or problems with doing one’s job.

LSD: LSD is the most common hallucinogen and one of the most powerful mood changing chemicals. It is manufactured from lysergic acid, found in a fungus that grows on rye and other grains. LSD, commonly referred to as “acid,” is sold on the street in the form of tablets, capsules, and occasionally in liquid form. Sometimes the liquid form is absorbed into blotter paper, put on postage stamps, or other objects.  Odorless and colorless, with a slightly bitter taste, the dosage can vary greatly from form to form. Users refer to  LSD use as a “trip.”  “Bad trips” can be horrifying when users experience panic, confusion, suspicions, anxiety and loss of control. Some users report good trips help reveal great ideas and new ways of thinking, but “bad trips” have led to terrible accidents and suicides.  Even days or weeks after LSD use, some people have reported “Flashbacks” of hallucinations or other altered states.

Marijuana: Marijuana, also know as weed, pot, reefer, grass, dope, ganja, mary jane and hash — is the drug most often used in this country. A mix of dried, shredded flowers and leaves of the hemp plant (Cannabis sativa,) pot is usually used in the form of a cigarette of “joint.” The drug can also be inhaled via a water pipe, called a “bong” or some users mix marijuana into with food or use it to brew a tea. Hash users either smoke the drug in a pipe or mix it with tobacco and smoke it as a cigarette. A cigar, hollowed and and replaced with marijuana is called a “blunt.”  When smoked with a 40-ounce bottle of malt liquor, it is called a “B-40.”" All forms of cannabis are mind-altering (psychoactive) drugs.  Although many people advocate the use of marijuana, marijuana contains the drug THC which is linked to the loss of motivation and lazy judgment.

Methamphetamine:   Methamphetamine, also called Meth, is a synthetic amphetamine.  In the 1970’s and 1980’s “Meth,” use was mostly concentrated in California and the Southwest.  However, more recently, this cheap toxic drug has become more common all over the United States.  Street names include speed, crank, crystal, ice, fire and glass.  A crystal-like, powdered substance that sometimes comes in large rock-like chunks, Meth can be snorted, swallowed, injected or smoked.  As a stimulant, it initially produces heightened physical and mental performance, enabling the user to work around the clock for days on end.  However, Meth is highly addictive and users quickly develop a tolerance.  Prolonged Meth use results in paranoia, hallucinations, repetitive behavior patterns, and hallucinations of “bugs” crawling on the skin.  Long-term use and high dosages can cause violent, aggressive and paranoid behavior.  Meth use can cause rashes of the skin and prolonged snorting of Meth can disintegrate the inside of the nose.

Out-Patient Treatment: This term refers to treatment you get such as at an office.  Individual, couples, or family appointments typically last 45 to 50 minutes.  Group therapy can also be helpful for recovering addicts especially if they have secondary problems (dual diagnoses) such as depression, anxiety, or other mental health problems.  Group therapy usually involves 8-10 other individuals and lasts for 60 to 90 minutes.

PCP: Phencyclidine, or PCP, is a white crystalline power with a bitter chemical taste.  Illicit street dealers, sell PCP as pills, capsules and colored powders. Inhaled, smoked or taken orally, PCP is commonly sprinkled onto tobacco or marijuana.  PCP was originally developed as an anesthetic, however, medical use was discontinued in humans because patients often became agitated, delusional and irrational while recovering from its anesthetic effects. Later PCP was used as an animal tranquilizer.  Street names include: “angel dust,” “ozone,” “wack,” and “rocket fuel.”

Relapse: A relapse is a major back-slide in a person’s treatment or recovery.  A relapse doesn’t necessarily mean that a person used the substance again, but perhaps they just excercised bad judgment that almost lead to using the substance again.  For example, a person associates with old using friends and gets into a situation where substance use is going on right in front of them and they think of using to fit in again.

Slip: A slip is considered to be a minor relapse.  It’s commonly said that when there is a slip, there’s no need to “freak out,” but a person needs to get more serious about their recovery work.  An example of a slip could be letting yourself get into HALT (hungry, angry, lonely, tired.)

Special K: Special K has the chemical name “ketamine hydrochloride.”  It is a common animal tranquilizer used for pet surgery.  Special K is a powerful hallucinogen, usually snorted or sprinkled on tobacco or marijuana and smoked.  Special K is frequently combined with other drugs, such as ecstasy, heroin and cocaine.  It causes hallucinations that include visual distortions and a lost sense of time and identity. The duration of the effect lasts between one-half hour to two hours. Special K is also called Vitamin K, Ketalar, Ketajec and Super-K.

Substance Abuse: According to the DSM-IV, “Abuse” is worse than “use” of a substance, but not as severe as Dependence of a substance.  ”Abuse is a maladaptive pattern of substance use leading to clinically significant impairment or distress, as manifested by one (or more) of the following occurring with a 12 month period:”  1) failure to fulfill a major role obligation at work, school, or home.  2) recurrent substance use in situations in which it is physically hazardous (such as driving or operating a machine.) 3)  recurrent substance-related legal problems such as arrests, law suits, divorce.  4) continued substance use despite having persistent or recurrent social or interpersonal problems caused or made worse by the effects of the substance (arguments with a spouse or physical fights.)”

Substance Dependence: According to the DSM-IV, substance dependence is ”a maladaptive pattern of substance use, leading to clinically significant impairment or distress, as manifested by three (or more) of the following, occurring at any time in the same 12 month period. 1)  tolerance, 2) withdrawal, 3) the substance is used in larger amounts over time, 4) there is a persistent desire or unsuccessful efforts to cut down or control substance use, 5)  a great deal of time is spent in activities necessary to obtain the substance (driving long distances, having multiple doctors,) use the substance (such as in chain-smoking,) or recover from its effects, 6)  important social, occupational, or recreational activities are given up or reduced because of substance use, 7) the substance use is continued despite knowledge of having a persistent or recurrent physical or psychological problem associated with the substance (such as when cocaine use leads to depression or when drinking alcohol leads to an ulcer.)  Dependence can be physical (item 1 or 2 is present) or psychological (neither item 1 or 2 is present.)

Therapy: Therapy differs from counseling in that therapy typically addresses long standing complex problems rooted in the past.  Therapy aims to change patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving that are no longer adaptive.

Tolerance: Needing more of the substance to get the same effect, or  having a diminished effect with continued use of the same amount of the substance.

Treatment: Treatment comes in various modalities, but typically starts off with the accurate diagnosing of the problem or sometimes layered problems.  For example, addiction treatment might require detoxification at an inpatient facility and later out-patient follow up for family therapy, or marital therapy, or individual therapy for time management, budgeting, reducing anxiety symptoms, or perhaps other serious disorders.  Sometimes (non-addictive) medication use is very helpful in a course of treatment.  Once the problems are diagnosed, next, the patient’s insight is developed for what the problem is, what the treatment action steps are, how the steps will be achieved, and by when.  This is how a treatment plan is formed.  A patient should know their treatment plan and should work together with the provider.  Often times, treatment involves work with the caregiver and also independent work (homework or assignments such as reading supplemental books) is necessary to keep the treatment effect active between sessions.

Twelve Step Program: Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) are examples of peer to peer counseling community based programs known for their 12 step guideline structure.  These programs were originally developed around concepts of the Psychodynamic Model of psychotherapy with important elements being to overcome character flaws, to have social support, and to develop a healthy life philosophy.  The only requirement to join a 12 Step program is the desire to stop the problem (such as the desire to stop drinking alcohol for AA.)  The programs are free to the public, however donations are accepted.  The meeting times and locations are typically listed in the Community Events section of the newspaper. Like the name implies, the programs are anonymous and members typically address each other by first name only and the rule “What’s said here, stays here.” is strongly encouraged.  The new member is considered the most important person at the meeting, and the 12th step encourages that older members are to help newer members.  Older members, typically with a year’s abstinence and healthy recovery (sobriety) may “sponsor” or help along a newer member of the same gender.  These programs have basic slogans (One day at a time, Progress, not perfection, etc…) for the newcomer who typically can’t think straight.  As members progress in their work, they may come to find a very sophisticated and elaborate program.  Another slogan is: “It works, if you work it.”

Withdrawal: The development of a group of symptoms due to heavy or prolonged use of a substance and then stopping the use of the substance.  Normally, our bodies naturally work to achieve balance (homeostasis.)   So, when we take a drug, our body naturally works to counteract the effects of the drug.  Eventually, when the drug use is stopped, the body’s counter reaction to the drug takes over.