OCR Text |
Show Wednesday, June 25, 2008 A3 Meth addiction - what it does to the brain Vernal Express By Mary Bernard Express Writer "Methamphetamine addiction addic-tion has the worst long-range organic effect on the brain of any drug," said Glen Hanson, University of Utah Addiction Center director. Hanson's blunt comment defines extent of the the public health problem in meth-damage control .a Utah. He was speaking at an all-day all-day meth workshop before 30 participants; family members, caregivers and health care professionals pro-fessionals in Roosevelt on June 21. Addiction of any kind is a learned repetitive behavior, but meth is the worst, " explained Hanson, 'It alters the brain biol-ogy biol-ogy in ways similar to Alzheim-" er's or Parkinson's disease." Why would anyone choose to damage their brain to such a degree? The answer, because "it feels good," may be the best an addict can offer after treatment. treat-ment. Simplistic as it sounds, it is not wrong. Meth over-stimulates the "feel-good" portion of the brain and can severely damage a person's cognitive abilities. "The brain is a network of 100 billion cells that transmit information by making 2,000 connections individually," Han son said, telling the group why an addict's ability to communicate has been compromised. "Stimulated brain cells respond re-spond by releasing dopamine to anything that feels good" he continued. "Over-stimulated brains release too much dopamine. dopa-mine. Then the free radicals that are chemically abundant in dopamine will eventually destroy portions of the brain." Meth stimulates the release of dopamine in excess. The more an addict uses the more they crave. It affects the cognition system in the brain by "turning-off" the prefrontal cortex. As a consequence, meth addicts ad-dicts loose inhibitory control, tending to act on impulse rather than reason. They overreact to situations, tending toward rage. This is partly due part to the "damage to the orbitofrontal cortex which ultimately inhibits saliency," said Hanson. "The addict becomes motivated most by getting and using meth over anything else." It fouls up the meth addict's ability to appreciate consequences conse-quences like taking care of their children, themselves or being cognizant of others. ' "Meth addicts may steal from or abuse their family members with little conscience," the researcher explains. "All they Aw- , s :1 Exit Realty's Mountain West regional office has recognized JoAnn Hancock, brokerowner of Exit Reality Professionals and Susan Nebeker, associate Broker for Exit Realty Professionals for their performance. Hancock was named Exit's No. 1 sales agent in Utah during the first quarter for having the most closed transactions. She was also recognized as the No. 3 sales agent in Utah for total gross closed commissions, and as Exit's Broker of the Year. Nebeker received recognition for being the No. 2 sales agent in the Utah for the most closed transactions. She also joined Hancock Han-cock in being awarded the No. 2 sales agent in the state for gross closed commissions. Ballard's budget rises 66 percent By Preston McConkie Uintah Basin News Service Ballard isn't planning on earning any more tax money, but unspent road repair money and a grant for a new maintenance shop have boosted its newly adopted ad-opted FY2008-09 budget by 66 percent compared to its actual budget for the fiscal year that ends next Monday. Last Tuesday, the town council coun-cil adopted abudget of $912,625, which at first glance seems radically larger compared to just $599,884 spent in FY07-08. However, municipal budgets si mply set the maximum amount the town will be allowed to spend during the new fiscal year. Under state law, local governments are able to shift money from one project to another during the year by vote of the council, and some money can be set aside for discretionary use. Budgets are set based on expectations of what municipalities municipali-ties are likely to earn from direct taxes, as well as what they expect to get from disbursements and grunts from county, state and federal governments. Much of the increase this year comes from $146,000 in grants -$121,000 ofwhichwasnpproved by the Permanent Community Impact Fund Board to help Ballard Bal-lard build a new maintenance shop. Another major line item is think of is the drug, because the reward portion of their brain is on all the time." Hanson referred to the amygdala amyg-dala reward-region of the brain, which processes memory and emotional control. Damage to the region and the adjacent hippocampus hippo-campus region leaves the addict agitated and often aggressive. Once these areas are damaged dam-aged the memory portion of the addict's brain often fails to recover even with treatment. "Rehabilitating cognitive systems requires exercise," explained ex-plained the researcher. "Sometimes "Some-times that means establishing new pathways in the brain around damaged portions that will never return." "Treatment is lengthy," he continued, "requiring five to seven months for brain function to stabilize and restore saliency. It's hardest for meth addicts because their familial support systems are often irreparably damaged. They've hurt the very people they need most." In the end, there are successful success-ful treatments to re-develop cognitive cog-nitive skills through mental exercise. exer-cise. One way, Hanson explained is through literacy education, which seems to help re-establish cognitive functions. So, why with all this wreckage wreck-age would anyone choose to use meth? Hanson's research suggests sug-gests that there is a strong socio-cultural socio-cultural component contributing to the meth scourge in Utah. "Meth abuse demographics indicate that it is the primary drug of choice among women," he explained. "Thirty-seven percent per-cent of all women in treatment are addicted to meth. Men use it too, but represent fewer addicts in treatment than women." Some women are attracted to meth as it is readily available, avail-able, cheap and long-lasting in effect. Others discover more energy, weight loss or help with social inhibitions through meth abuse. "In Utah, there's a sociocul-tural sociocul-tural tendency of women toward perfection," said Paul Smith, eastern Regional Director of the Division of Child and Family Services. "Perfect wife. Perfect mother. Perfect beauty. Too much pressure toward perfection drives the social component of meth abuse." "Whatever the cause, abuse is only part of addiction," Hanson said.'- "Only 15 percent of users become severely addicted, which means 85 percent of users are out there managing their drug use." Why people become addicted may, in part, be genetic. For example, researchers found that many women in treatment suffer from other repetitive disorders like smoking or alcoholism. The most interesting connection con-nection was re-occurrence of attention deficient-hyperactivity disorder. The familial connection of ADHD or alcoholism may include a predisposition toward drug addiction among family members. There's also the social aspect of addiction. Meth tends to stay in the family. A documentary shown at Saturday's seminar showed women frankly admitting that, "My daughter introduced me to meth and then I gave it to my sister, and so on." Hanson notes that addictions like alcoholism re-occurs in families, fami-lies, but there is hope. Children removed from addictive families show no greater addiction rates than children from non-drug abuse families. However, children left in addictive ad-dictive families are almost certainly cer-tainly going to experiment with drugs. Addictions, particularly those with long-term treatment requirements like meth are a burden on Utah society. "Forty-seven percent of women in treatment for meth addiction have children," Hanson Han-son continued. "Worse still, 45 percent of female meth addicts end up in prison. Incarcerated women cost the state $30,000 each and an additional $33,000 for each child placed in foster care. All totaled, jailed addicts cost the state about $100,000 a year." Treatment, on the other hand , costs the state about $15,000 per person. More recently, the treatment treat-ment alternative has become policy in the criminal justice system of Utah. The effort is to stop the revolving door of prison addicts. "New strategies for treatment treat-ment are highly successful, but the addict must remain in rehabilitation," said Hanson. "Judges are learningthat success requires mandated, long-term compulsory treatment. I guess they figured that success means more taxpaying Utahns." FOR ANYONE WHO NEEDS HELP WITH... - WILL POWER . EMOTIONAL EATING . EXERCISING . FOOD ADDICTION . Clifford Webb, Ph.D. & Dawn Webb "Let us help make your life the GREATEST ever!" Dr. Webb was past president of the National Society of Hypnotherapists. For 35 years, he and his wife Dawn conducted seminars throughout the U.S. Their success stories have been featured on NBC, CBS, ABC and Fox News. VERNAL Monday, June 30th Western Park Convention Center 300 East 200 South (Room 1) WEIGHT CONTROL 5:30 PM STOP SMOKING 8:00 PM FIRST HOUR You don't pay a penny until you are absolutely certain you can be hypnotized and our program can work for you. ST ilii i HYPNOSIS Approved by the American Medical Association since 1972. Hypnosis is a very safe & effective method of dramatically changing attitudes & habits. It is a relaxing and pleasurable experience. You are not asleep, but awake & fully aware of your surroundings. You will leave the seminar feeling REFRESHED, RELAXED & MOTIVATED. Only $49 either seminar! $59 for BOTH WEIGHT CONTROL and STOP SMOKING seminars. Visa, Mastercard, check or cash. OPTIONAL CD $1 5 OR CASSETTE TAPE $7 FOR RFINFORCEMFNT. WRITTEN GUARANTEE Si Because we know our program will work for you, we offer this written guarantee. If you ever need help with your problem, you can attend a Webb reinforcement seminar at NO CHARGE. And here's more... during the first hour of each seminar, Dr. Webb will check each individual's hynotizability. "For the first time in my life i was really motivated to exercise and not snack. I have never felt better in my life." Jim Parker, Saratoga Springs, UT Lost 55 lbs. in 11 weeks "I was flabbergasted at how easy it was to take off the weigt with this seminar. I am totally off junk food." Katherine Memmot, Tooele Lost 20 lbs in 4 weeks "I was amazed how easily I quit with absolutely no withdrawals." MarkSandaval, Tooele, UT Smoker for 27 years I attended both your seminars & I walked out a non-smoker and in five weeks I have lost 15 lbs! Pauline Graham, Tooele, UT It was amazing. I walked out of your seminar a non-smoker with absolutely no withdrawal symptoms at all.' , Janet Arms, SIC UT Smoker for 25 years mm ni'wnpm u aw - ei i a F"""kaB" mm t I .x i as 14 l,ti a i m-A " I - I v" I BRING ALL YOUR CIGARETTES, YOUR DESIRE TO QUIT SMOKING & A POSITIVE ATTITUDE AND WE PROMISE YOU WILL... $120,000 of unspent, state-provided Class C road money being carried forward into the next fiscal year. Another $82,000 of Class C road money is expected from the state during FY08-09. Ballard Town Clerk Kaelyn Meyers left estimated income from taxes at $398,000, the same number used for the 2007-08 2007-08 budget. According to town records, Ballar 1 had actually collected $383,b68 in property, sales and franchise taxes just days before the end of the current cur-rent fiscal year. Those records show 68 percent of Ballard's tax income, or $259,928, was from sales tax, wilh 31 percent, or $117,745, from property tax, and the remaining $4,693 from franchise tax. Other sources of direct revenue rev-enue were business licenses and permits ($5,617); conditional usezoning permits ($1,342); building permits ($25,103); and road encroachmentaccess permits ($4,700). The town also received $76,548 in trash collection collec-tion fees, which it then paid over to its garbage contractor, K&K Sanitation. The actual expenditures in FY07-08 were down slightly from the previous fiscal year. In FY06-07 Ballard spent $637,375 and earned $386,8 1 8 from taxes. In 2005-06 its operutions cost $392,630 and tax income was only $191,502. - I BUY ONE rui ft ..Ammmmmttim fillet by Samsung GET ONE n3 I 1 H 1 U UEIir, : t -i ii it V . -v h i JD.iUVIR t J ill Lj 111 r . t i ! C Mel f SAMSUNG come and get your I; Ranked "Highest Call Quality Performance Among Wireless Cell Phone Users in West Region" Ci Alltel Retail Stores Utah Cedar City 603 S. Main St. (4351 865-0101 Price 125 S Hwy. 55 1 1435) 637-4440 Richfield 8bON. Main St. 1 14351 896-9400 Roosevelt 192 N. 200 E 1 14351 722 0935 St. George 348 N. Blufl (435 652-3840 Vernal 110W. Main (435 789 4444 Washington 520 W. Telograph St. (435) 627-9053 Shop at a participating retailer Equipment & promotional ollms at those .locations may vary. Arirona Colorado City CMC Electionics (928) 875 2200 Utah Blending Connected Technologies I (435) 678 3800 Castle Dale Wilcox Wireless 1 1435) 381 -2895 Dolta KMJ Wireless 114351 864-3410 lakiiuhil Gas (435) 864-2525 Ephralm Titan Wireless (435) 283-5010 Kanab Sound Room (4351 644-5906 Moab Royces Electronics 1 1435) 259 6630 Mount Pleasant CemraCom (4351 462 Itll NepM Titan Wireless (435) 623 0274 Richfield RailioSlieck 1 14351 896 8783 Roosevelt Wimtriver Wireless (4351 722 8389 llltel wireless St. Georoe Amuorwood Eloc. (435) 673 6299 Etoiilfivaid Home Furnishings (435) 986-3100 Dish Guvs ol S. UT 1(435)656-2801 Sound Cellular (4351 6V8-5377 The Cell Phone Guy (4351 674-7100 Vernal Catetro Wirnloss 1(4351781 0600 Go Wireless (435) 789 8881 Systems Comm. 1 14351 789 6947 WAL'MART , Proud Sponsor of: For Business & Government Accounts call 1-866 WIS FJIZZ or visit alltelbusiness.com Federal, state & local taxes & charges apply. In addition, Alltel may charge monthly connectivity, regulatory, administrative & 911 surcharges up to $2 19 4 federal & stale Universal Service Fund leet (both may vary by customer usagel. These additional fees may not be taxes or government required charges & are aubiect to change Additional information regarding your taxes, fees & surcharges is available from your Alltel customer service representative & on your monthly bid My Circle: Availahle to new & existing customers on cuirent select rale plans Minimum isle plan nl $49 99 tor 5 Circle Plan numtinis, $i9 99 tor 10 numbers. $99 99 Inr ;() numbers lor Smart Choice Pack customers, minimum rale plan ol $t9 99 lor 5 Circle Plan numbers. $89 99 lor 10 numbers. $139 99 lor 20 numbers My Cuclo numheis must he shared among all lines on the pumaiy account Custnmer may not designate own wireless or voice mail number, fluortory Assistance oi 900 numbers as any ot the availahle mini hers Calls musl bnqin 8i end in your plan's calling ame Designated numbers must be wn'nn the U S Feature may he discontinued at the discretion o! Alltel. Allow 24 hours lor changes to Your Circle numbers to become otlncnve Rnstnctions appiy to Business & Prepaid customois Sue representative tor riel nis $9 99 Add lines: I lino must be a primary line ol service on select rate plans $!9 99 & higher, with no more than 4 sncnnrlniy linos at $9 99montll 2 year service agreement inquired Inr (inch lino in coniiinctinn with a phiino promotion Not available with Smart Choice Pack Phone Details: Phone includes blue and mil lacnplates. Optional faceplates available toi purchase Phonos ft applicable rebates available for a limited lime, whilo supplies last, with activation ol a qualifying rate plan Limit 1 rebate per gualilying purchase. Plume cannot he returned onco mail in rohato cerlitiratn has been submitted Customer pays apnlictible tones See rebate m,....,,., coitihcato for details Additional Information: 1 his of fur may bn limited due to timo, supplies, coverage, or participating locations $.'5 nun-iolundnhle nctivatmn lee ft possible $;iKJ naily termination fee 'v applies per lina. Service is according to ilia Terms S Coiulilinns lor Communications Snivicns & otlwi inloimnbon available at any Alii nl stole or alllnl com All product ft service marks mlerenrrd are the - nemos, trade names, tiadumarks ft logos ot their respective owneis. Sctiion imagos sio simulated. it20l)8 Alllnl Communications, 1 1 C All nqhis niKorved 'J 0 Power and Associates Award Alllnl Wireless , '""J" ) received the highest numoncul scoie among wireless cell phone piovidnis in the West region nl the proprietary J D Power and Assnciates 20118 Wnoloss Cull Duality Performance Sludy - Vol I Study t " ,' based on 23.42 wiinlnss users measuring 6 providers in the Wusl inginnlAi!, CA. CO, II). IA, MN. MI, Nil. Nl, NM. NV, OR. SD UT. WA. WYI ft measures opinions nl consiliums with the call quality oltheir - . wiialoss service. Proprietary study results are based on experiences (4 perceptions ol consumer, surveyed in Octohru 200 & January 201)8 Your enpmieiicns may vsry Visit www idpowei com cium' |