Latest News
Random Drug Testing
People have different opinions about random drug testing at work. I have heard several people complain about it, stating it isn’t fair, that it’s a violation of privacy. I have seen situations where a drug test came back positive on someone who did not do drugs but either had a prescription or something that would make it show up.
What is your opinion? Mine is that I believe random drug testing at work is okay. I think it can steer some people clear of making one bad decision at a party because he or she does not want to have the bad luck of going to work Monday morning and having that random test done. That example alone has saved potentially thousands from falling victim to drug addiction.
Ask yourself this: are you worried about a random drug test at work? If so, then you need to see that as a red flag. Something that makes us nervous is something that needs to be investigated within ourselves. Are you taking a few too many prescription pills after that accident you had? Prescription drug addiction is on the rise and one of the most common substance abuse problems around. Are you sneaking a joint at that Friday night party at the dorm? College campuses and high schools are rampant with students smoking marijuana. However, if you are nervous about the possibility of a drug test, what does that say?
Stop. Get help now. Texas rehab centers work to ensure a person gets clean and has the tools to stay clean. They are not out to “get” you, they are out to help you. Success is what is at the root of rehabilitation.
So if taking a drug test is making you a little anxious, consider the real possibility that you have a problem. Do not look at a random drug test at work as a violation of your privacy, look at it as a tool that helps you and your co-workers come to terms with the fact that one of you may very well have a real substance abuse problem.
Remember, random drug testing is not about getting someone in trouble. It is about getting a person help and ensuring that a potential drug problem does not wreak havoc for co-workers. If you are worried about failing a random drug test at work, then consider getting help now and thank your employer for caring enough to have drug testing done.
Even in These Tough Times, There is Help
With health care being one of the 
hottest topics of the Obama administration, along with one of the worst economies we have seen since the Great Depression, it stands to reason that a drug addict who already feels let down by life would hesitate to find treatment. Maybe he lost his job. Maybe his family can not afford drug rehab. If this is the case, relax. There is affordable, even free, drug and alcohol treatment centers in the great state of Texas.
The first step in seeking help is accepting that you do. Yet, what if you have realized that step but you feel you are in a catch-22 because even though you have accepted it, you can not afford a rehab program? Stop that type of thinking. There is help available.
There are free and low cost drug treatment organizations available. Texas and drug treatment centers know that the most important thing is helping someone who has an addiction. When that happens, drug offenses decrease, people do right by the law and their families and suicides and accidental overdoses and alcohol poisonings decline.
In the current economy, it might be easy to use not having health care or money as an excuse but there are drug rehab centers that understand this and still believe that the ultimate goal is getting clean. Whether you are male or female, pregnant or homeless, there are several treatment centers that will step up and help.
Many people do not get the drug treatment they need. Most believe it is because of denial or to protect their reputation at work or in social circles. Perhaps in some way both of these are true. However, it is also because some people simply can not afford health care, let alone drug rehab. There IS a solution.
Go to choosehelp.com and make the call. Someone will help you with an assessment and see what rehab facility will best suit your needs based on the type of addiction you have, any dual diagnosis that may be involved and your financial situation. You do not have to go without help simply because you can not pay. You do not have to go without help simply because you are embarrassed. There is a rehab center available for every type of addiction. What there isn’t, is an excuse any longer to not get help, to not get clean, to not start the beginning of a new life without drugs. Even in these tough economical times, there is help available. Make the call.
The New Help Number for Texas
Texas has a fairly new service that helps people with different needs. One of these needs is requesting a drug treatment program. If you know you need help or know someone who does, but you are not sure how to take that first step, call 2-1-1. You will find yourself talking to someone who can lead you to the right facility. Since you are already online right now, you can check out 211texas.org. That website will help you to find a substance abuse treatment program near you, giving you the phone number and address.
It is not an embarrassment to ask for help. Chances are that the person you speak to, usually called an intake counselor, has his or her own personal experience either as a former drug addict or as the family member of one. You soon find yourself relating to the person on the other end of the phone because he or she has either been where you are or cares about someone who has.
We have all heard of 9-1-1 and how it is the emergency number used throughout the country. B
ut what if what you need isn’t emergency personnel arriving at your doorstep but rather someone to talk to about getting the help you need with a drug problem. Yes, it is important to get help as quickly as you can when you accept that you have an addiction problem. How do you do so? You call 2-1-1 instead of 9-1-1 and you get the help you need. Now, 2-1-1 helps with many different services but the point of this evening’s post is seeking drug treatment.
Call 2-1-1 and the call specialist will get you in touch with a rehab center that can help you. Depending on where you are in the state of Texas will determine the centers available in your area that the call specialist can give you contact information for, including phone numbers, hours of operation, the type of programs available such as inpatient, outpatient, alcohol and drug treatment.
You are not alone. You do not have to wonder if you can get help or if you are eligible. You deserve it. If you are not sure how to go about it, then start with 2-1-1. The first day of the rest of your life can start with those 3 numbers being dialed and you getting the help and treatment for yours or a loved one’s drug or alcohol problem. It will be one of the most important phone calls of your life.
Friendships and Drugs
Have you seen the commercial for the website Friends Don’t Let Friends Die? It spins from the slogan Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk. Basically, it’s intervention freelance style.
It really is okay to tell on a friend if that person is doing something to hurt him or herself. It really is okay to go against the crowd if it doing something that is not right. It really is okay to go to your parents when your friend confides in you that his or her mother or father is on drugs or drunk all the time.
We have to remember that sometimes our friends are victims of other peoples’ actions and other peoples’ addictions. We also have to remember that many times, a person can die from an overdose because his friends are just as high as he is and are not immediately aware that something is wrong. That is why it is important to educate people on what can and does happen when a person takes drugs. That is why it is also important to clarify responsibility.
A person is responsible for his or her own actions when voluntarily taking drugs. When a group of friends gets together to get high, none of them are thinking sensibly. If they were, they would not be taking drugs to begin with.
On that same note, however, a person who takes drugs damages his or her brain and way of thinking. What to do? If you are a friend, a true friend, then do what is right. If you are at a party and a friend overdoses or loses consciousness or gets sick, seek help immediately. The consequences are far less than if someone dies at a party and no one cared or sought help. Not to mention that, well, that is what friends are for, to be there for each other when needed.
Just as soldiers in combat lay down their lives for their buddies, have each other’s back, so too, does friendship involve going the extra mile. If your friend is using and you are not, seek help. Tell your parents, your teacher, someone in a position of authority who can help your friend get treatment. If you are at a party and something happens, call 911.
Friends don’t let friends die, not on purpose. If you and your friends were not wise enough to say no to trying something and then one of them gets sick, make the emergency call. Knowing you tried is what counts. If you succeed, even better. You and your friends are on a battlefield when it comes to drugs. Drugs can’t handle real friendships but friendships can beat out drugs. Look out for each other, okay?
Toll-Free Helpline
