Las Vegas kids facing a cycle of never ending drug addiction; methadone

Why are Las Vegas kids facing a cycle of never-ending drug addiction?

The short answer is the use of methadone.

More and more treatment centers are popping up so the kids should be getting help, right?

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Las Vegas kids facing a cycle of never ending drug addiction because it seem that the treatment encompasses substituting one addiction for another without getting to the root cause.  Yes, I am talking about methadone.

Methadone, a highly addictive substance is prescribed to kids, and adults, who are trying to kick the heroin habit.

The problem is that it is almost impossible to get off methadone.

Sure there are success stories but they are not plentiful.

Look, it  can be easy for almost anyone to fall under the “Las Vegas spell” which makes it all the more troubling to see Las Vegas kids facing a cycle of never ending drug addiction.

When does it end?

I’ve encountered grown people in the Casinos who would stay up for days on vacation drinking, possibly doing drugs, not eating and then they’d flat out pass out in the casino. If they didn’t pass out, they would become confused and incoherent and not know where they were.

Sometimes it would be the young kids seeking out casino personnel for help in locating their wayward parents.

That type of behavior has an unofficial name amongst those in the know.

We call it “Las Vegas Syndrome”.  Ask any security officer in a casino about it and they will most likely either have used the term or heard about it.

If the adults can have trouble keeping it together, is it any surprise that the kids have even more problems doing so?

Although there are many wonderful things about Las Vegas, there is plenty that is not so good.

Las Vegas kids facing a cycle of never ending drug addiction

Particularly, in my opinion, when it comes to kids.

Las Vegas is recognized as being at the top of the list in domestic violence against women and has also been reported as a state high in instances of human tracking.

In a town where everything can be had for a price, where parents might have to work at legitimate jobs at all hours, is it any surprise Las Vegas kids face drug addiction?

Often times, the “kids” are left unsupervised because their parents have to work.

Kids being left to fend for themselves in almost every way

Sure this might be a similar scenario to other towns across America however in Las Vegas it can be all too easy for the kids to fall under undue influences.

I’ve heard of parents gambling day and night leaving their children unattended, I’ve heard of young girls being picked up for stealing because they wanted a “stripper outfit”.

(photo: drugrehabhelp.net)

I’ve even heard of young kids who seemingly had no issues and then one day, they did drugs with a “friend” and were hooked

Kids who seem to have a solid parental base simply falling under the bad influence of others.

Although drug addiction knows no boundaries, it can be easier to obtain it in a city like Las Vegas.

The most horrible part though is that Las Vegas kids facing a cycle of never ending drug addiction don’t seem to have hopes of ever being drug free since their drug treatment includes more drugs!

The Las Vegas Review Journal recently published a piece about, Area teens, battling heroin addictions, face obstacles to sobriety.

The very first sentence opens up with a description of a teen facing addiction.  Each morning the teen’s parents drive the kid for his daily dose of methadone.

Is that helping?

Do people realize how hard it is to wean yourself off of methadone? For these Las Vegas kids facing a cycle of never ending drug addiction, do they realize that?

Do their parents realize what it means to be on methadone?

Many people are still on methadone years after first starting it while others have gone back to drugs.

Methadone is a powerful highly addictive synthetic opiate, more addictive than heroin and much harder to withdraw from, but it survives the digestive system and so does not need to be injected.

So kids not only in Las Vegas but all across American that are addicts are being given a substitute drug.

What good does that do?

Although you can quit heroin cold turkey, it is not recommended to quit methadone cold turkey.

Is the trade off acceptable?

Should anyone, especially a kids, be related to a life on medication?

(photo sobercollege.com)

If you want to try to get off the methadone, you will be prescribed other drugs leading many to believe that methadone simply doesn’t work.

Why are we as a society not tacking the root causes of drug addiction instead of applying a band-aid?

Shouldn’t we try to find the root causes and then treat the person without resorting to more drugs.

Even the Las Vegas Recovery Center uses medication to manage withdrawal and notes that methadone withdrawal might take longer.

The question is how long?

For  these Las Vegas kids facing a cycle of never ending drug addiction the true answer might be never!

If you child is suffering from drug addiction The National Institute of Drug Abuse offers some valuable information and resources.

There is also a MedHelp forum that details people longtime struggles with methadone addiction and how difficult it is to “taper off”.

Before undertaking any treatment, you want to be sure to consult with a healthcare professional.

Related articles

• Former Addict Says Drug Addiction Starts Early
• Methadone to blame for one-third of US prescription painkiller deaths, CDC says – CBS News
• N.S. doctor urges methadone alternative

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