Captain Death-Ninja
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Nov 21, 2001
- Messages
- 15
A New Generation of Drugs
Transcript: Loveline's Dr. Drew Pinsky on 'Club Drugs'
Mar. 19 —
Dr. Drew Pinsky
As co-host of the nationally-syndicated radio show Loveline, Dr. Drew Pinsky — better known to listeners as "Dr. Drew" — offers teens and twenty-somethings advice on sex and relationships. He has also spent much of professional career getting the word out to young people about the dangers of drug abuse.
There's a new crop of drugs available to kids in the nation's schools and college campuses that parents may not be aware of — the so-called "club drugs" like Ecstasy, GHB and "Special K."
What are the long-term medical effects of Ecstasy and the other club drugs on the brain? Pinksy answered questions from Good Morning America viewers in live, online discussion. A transcript of our chat follows.
Pinsky is a specialist in addiction treatment and medical director of the Department of Chemical Dependency Services at Las Encinas Hospital in Pasadena, Calif. He co-authored The Dr. Drew and Adam Book: A Survival Guide to Life and Love, with Loveline co-host Adam Carolla.
Print This Page
Email This Page
See Most Sent
• Did You Spot These Movie Mishaps?
• Woman Fools Family, Oprah About Cancer
• Is the White House Too Secretive?
MODERATOR
Welcome to our discussion with Dr. Drew Pinsky. Thank you all for joining us.
Dr. Drew, today on Good Morning America you talked about some of the long-term effects of MDMA (or Ecstasy) on the brain and other club drugs. Are most of the kids you see in your practice just experimenting with these drugs, or are they hooked?
DR. DREW PINSKY
These are not drugs of addiction: MDMA, Ketamine, and GHB. Though occasionally people do become addicted, it is far more the exception than the rule. The primary danger from these drugs is in the context of abuse, not so much addiction.
MODERATOR
We have a lot of parents in here asking the same questions: What do Ecstasy and other club drugs look like? And how can I tell if my child is using them? What are some of the physical warning signs?
DR. DREW PINSKY
They are pills or liquid. It's doubtful you'll ever see them.
The effects can be subtle so it can be very difficult to identify them in your children. The main warning signs that you can use are, first and foremost, a sudden drop in grades; any depression or anxiety; lying; or bizarre thinking (i.e. the child is overly grandiose or becomes paranoid or disorganization of thought).
The one point I'd like to make: Don't hesitate to bring in a child for evaluation if you have concerns. In my experience, usually when parents believe something's going on, it is.
MODERATOR
When should parents start the dialogue with their kids about the dangers of drug abuse? What should they say?
DR. DREW PINSKY
I repeat this mantra all the time: What is important is not the content of the discussion, but that a dialogue is established between the age of 8 and 12.
The best way to do this is to avoid preaching, but just ask open-ended questions such as: Do you ever wonder why people do drugs? Or what drugs do to you? Or how we feel about them?
But make sure you keep the dialogue on their terms. If you come on like gangbusters with information you're dying to cram down their throats, they won't get any of it.
JENIPHER asks:
Dr. Drew, I am a teacher and I am desperately concerned about my students using Ecstasy. Can you define how long "long term use is," so that I can warn my students just how long it takes for Ecstasy to damage their brains? Thanks
DR. DREW PINSKY
If you watched the program this morning, we showed slides of brain damage after only 8 exposures (twice a day for 4 days). In my experience, 20 hits seems to be the number after which I routinely see problems.
CHERYL asks:
How long do the effects of MDMA last in the body? Is there anything that can help purge the drug from the system — trace elements or minerals that help support the body against the effects?
DR. DREW PINSKY
No there are not. And don't become confused between a drug continuing to circulate in your system and persistent damage caused by a brief exposure. We are talking about brain cell destruction.
DAN asks:
Any reliable medical studies that you could provide links to that document research on both short-term and long-term use of Ecstasy?
DR. DREW PINSKY
Consult the NIDA Web site (National Institute on Drug Abuse). They have lots of literature on this topic. Or visit this site: www.clubdrugs.org.
MARY D. LEROSE asks:
Please tell me the effects of "X" with alcohol? I believe my step son has a major problem using "X" and I want to help him help himself.
DR. DREW PINSKY
Purely additive, as far as we can tell. In other words, some drugs when given together cause amplified effects, where one plus one may equal eight. With alcohol plus Ecstasy, one plus one equals two.
PHAELIX asks:
Ok, so Ecstasy is not good for you... Some pro-drug advocates don't like to admit it, but most people who are informed and honest believe it. But, so is alcohol! This brings me to a couple of questions:
1) How harmful is taking Ecstasy once compared to getting drunk once? I realize you're comparing the apples-to-oranges of different types of damage, but roughly speaking, how do they compare?
2) Does this damage justify putting adults in _prison_ for their decision to take this risk with their own bodies, in your opinion?
DR. DREW PINSKY
In general, the laws that we have governing the use of illicit drugs have not kept pace with our understanding of humans and their relations to chemicals.
That being said, alcohol certainly has a greater impact on our country's health. Clearly, however, moderate exposure to alcohol is far less damaging than moderate or even mild exposure to Ecstasy (less than 20 hits).
One sidebar: There's a growing body of evidence that a single binge on alcohol can affect a college student's academic performance for over a week.
JC FALGOUT asks:
If 'Ecstasy' is a serotonin enhancer and causes severe and lasting alteration in brain function, even in small amounts — then what about the prescription (antidepressant) medications that also function as serotonin enhancers, are they not also dangerous?
DR. DREW PINSKY
Obviously people have looked at this very, very carefully. There is no evidence of anything like what we see with Ecstasy.
JILL MCNAMARA asks:
My husband and I have been trying to adopt but we find that many of the birth mothers have used Ecstasy during pregnancy. What kinds of problems can the baby have as a result? Also, do you have knowledge as to whether these mothers are playing down the amount of their use in order to adopt out their baby? Thank you very much for your advice.
DR. DREW PINSKY
This has not been fully studied yet. There is a good body of literature on the effects of stimulants on pregnancy. These children clearly have neurobiological developmental issues. However, as they have grown up, they are doing better than we would have predicted.
What is interesting about your dilemma is how frequently children available for adoption in this country come from addict parents. You should be aware, in addition to the risks you are asking about, that there is probably about a 50% probability of a child such as this inheriting the biological predisposition for addiction.
MODERATOR
A comment from Judy: "Dr. Drew: As the parent of a 23-year-old heroin addict, I resent the implication that her addiction resulted from my inattentive or incomplete parenting. I agree that information is the best tool a parent can give a child, and that information should be given early and often. ... I don't know what the answers are, but messages like the one I heard this morning or in commercials that state, "How do I know my child isn't using drugs? I ask." which imply parental failure are just wrong. I have helplessly watched my child's life spiral out of control."
How do you respond?
DR. DREW PINSKY
You are confusing abuse and addiction. This morning's program was about drug abuse, not drug addiction. As you so clearly understand, addiction is a multi-faceted process that may or may not include parenting issues.
As you are well aware, once the switch is thrown on this disease, parents are helpless and can only help by going to Al-Anon and using what leverage they have to keep their child participating in treatments.
PHILIP asks:
Dr. Drew, I am a 31 year old male who abused drugs from age 16 to 24. I used mainly pot, cocaine and alcohol, but I also occasionally used meth and Ecstasy. Could this be the cause of my depression and anxiety now?
DR. DREW PINSKY
Yes, categorically. You need to see a psychiatrist who has experience treating people with a history of drug use. An interesting caveat: Addicts who don't use but don't engage in treatment, even if they haven't used neurotoxic chemicals, are essentially always depressed. Keep that mind.
KAREN WEBER asks:
As a high school teacher in the School District of Philadelphia, I learn a lot from my students. As a parent, I have a great concern for the way information is distributed. In such a diverse society, how can we better educate ALL parents about the current fad drugs and the symptoms to look for in their children?
DR. DREW PINSKY
That's a great question. I agree that that's a significant issue. I'm open to suggestions! My instinct has always been to try to use media.
MARY asks:
Dr. Drew, In your practice, what treatments do you find work best with your clinical patients who have abused Ecstasy?
DR. DREW PINSKY
Because this is an injury to the serotonin system, we usually start with serotonin-enhancing medication — though with Ecstasy and LSD the injuries are such that it can be difficult to get a response to the medications.
It has been my experience, particularly in the case of LSD, that people sometimes need to progress to electro-convulsive shock therapy.
MODERATOR
Many people ask about the long-term effects of marijuana on the brain.
DR. DREW PINSKY
The Journal of the American Medical Association just last week published an article where they documented significant measurable impairments of interpersonal and employment functioning in chronic marijuana users.
There is absolutely no doubt that ongoing marijuana use creates depression, memory problems and functional impairment. I am of the opinion that this is all reversible with sustained abstinence. This has not been specifically established in the medical literature.
You must keep in mind that marijuana is an addictive drug for some people who are biologically prone. Roughly one out of five admissions to chemical dependency units in this country at this time are for marijuana addiction.
TANIA asks:
After viewing the brain scans this morning, I'm wondering if there are any ways to reverse the brain damage caused by Ecstasy?
DR. DREW PINSKY
No. That really is the point of this morning's story. Brain cells do not regenerate.
MODERATOR
Thanks to Dr. Drew Pinsky and all those who joined the chat. If you'd like to join another live discussion, please visit our community index.
Transcript: Loveline's Dr. Drew Pinsky on 'Club Drugs'
Mar. 19 —
Dr. Drew Pinsky
As co-host of the nationally-syndicated radio show Loveline, Dr. Drew Pinsky — better known to listeners as "Dr. Drew" — offers teens and twenty-somethings advice on sex and relationships. He has also spent much of professional career getting the word out to young people about the dangers of drug abuse.
There's a new crop of drugs available to kids in the nation's schools and college campuses that parents may not be aware of — the so-called "club drugs" like Ecstasy, GHB and "Special K."
What are the long-term medical effects of Ecstasy and the other club drugs on the brain? Pinksy answered questions from Good Morning America viewers in live, online discussion. A transcript of our chat follows.
Pinsky is a specialist in addiction treatment and medical director of the Department of Chemical Dependency Services at Las Encinas Hospital in Pasadena, Calif. He co-authored The Dr. Drew and Adam Book: A Survival Guide to Life and Love, with Loveline co-host Adam Carolla.
Print This Page
Email This Page
See Most Sent
• Did You Spot These Movie Mishaps?
• Woman Fools Family, Oprah About Cancer
• Is the White House Too Secretive?
MODERATOR
Welcome to our discussion with Dr. Drew Pinsky. Thank you all for joining us.
Dr. Drew, today on Good Morning America you talked about some of the long-term effects of MDMA (or Ecstasy) on the brain and other club drugs. Are most of the kids you see in your practice just experimenting with these drugs, or are they hooked?
DR. DREW PINSKY
These are not drugs of addiction: MDMA, Ketamine, and GHB. Though occasionally people do become addicted, it is far more the exception than the rule. The primary danger from these drugs is in the context of abuse, not so much addiction.
MODERATOR
We have a lot of parents in here asking the same questions: What do Ecstasy and other club drugs look like? And how can I tell if my child is using them? What are some of the physical warning signs?
DR. DREW PINSKY
They are pills or liquid. It's doubtful you'll ever see them.
The effects can be subtle so it can be very difficult to identify them in your children. The main warning signs that you can use are, first and foremost, a sudden drop in grades; any depression or anxiety; lying; or bizarre thinking (i.e. the child is overly grandiose or becomes paranoid or disorganization of thought).
The one point I'd like to make: Don't hesitate to bring in a child for evaluation if you have concerns. In my experience, usually when parents believe something's going on, it is.
MODERATOR
When should parents start the dialogue with their kids about the dangers of drug abuse? What should they say?
DR. DREW PINSKY
I repeat this mantra all the time: What is important is not the content of the discussion, but that a dialogue is established between the age of 8 and 12.
The best way to do this is to avoid preaching, but just ask open-ended questions such as: Do you ever wonder why people do drugs? Or what drugs do to you? Or how we feel about them?
But make sure you keep the dialogue on their terms. If you come on like gangbusters with information you're dying to cram down their throats, they won't get any of it.
JENIPHER asks:
Dr. Drew, I am a teacher and I am desperately concerned about my students using Ecstasy. Can you define how long "long term use is," so that I can warn my students just how long it takes for Ecstasy to damage their brains? Thanks
DR. DREW PINSKY
If you watched the program this morning, we showed slides of brain damage after only 8 exposures (twice a day for 4 days). In my experience, 20 hits seems to be the number after which I routinely see problems.
CHERYL asks:
How long do the effects of MDMA last in the body? Is there anything that can help purge the drug from the system — trace elements or minerals that help support the body against the effects?
DR. DREW PINSKY
No there are not. And don't become confused between a drug continuing to circulate in your system and persistent damage caused by a brief exposure. We are talking about brain cell destruction.
DAN asks:
Any reliable medical studies that you could provide links to that document research on both short-term and long-term use of Ecstasy?
DR. DREW PINSKY
Consult the NIDA Web site (National Institute on Drug Abuse). They have lots of literature on this topic. Or visit this site: www.clubdrugs.org.
MARY D. LEROSE asks:
Please tell me the effects of "X" with alcohol? I believe my step son has a major problem using "X" and I want to help him help himself.
DR. DREW PINSKY
Purely additive, as far as we can tell. In other words, some drugs when given together cause amplified effects, where one plus one may equal eight. With alcohol plus Ecstasy, one plus one equals two.
PHAELIX asks:
Ok, so Ecstasy is not good for you... Some pro-drug advocates don't like to admit it, but most people who are informed and honest believe it. But, so is alcohol! This brings me to a couple of questions:
1) How harmful is taking Ecstasy once compared to getting drunk once? I realize you're comparing the apples-to-oranges of different types of damage, but roughly speaking, how do they compare?
2) Does this damage justify putting adults in _prison_ for their decision to take this risk with their own bodies, in your opinion?
DR. DREW PINSKY
In general, the laws that we have governing the use of illicit drugs have not kept pace with our understanding of humans and their relations to chemicals.
That being said, alcohol certainly has a greater impact on our country's health. Clearly, however, moderate exposure to alcohol is far less damaging than moderate or even mild exposure to Ecstasy (less than 20 hits).
One sidebar: There's a growing body of evidence that a single binge on alcohol can affect a college student's academic performance for over a week.
JC FALGOUT asks:
If 'Ecstasy' is a serotonin enhancer and causes severe and lasting alteration in brain function, even in small amounts — then what about the prescription (antidepressant) medications that also function as serotonin enhancers, are they not also dangerous?
DR. DREW PINSKY
Obviously people have looked at this very, very carefully. There is no evidence of anything like what we see with Ecstasy.
JILL MCNAMARA asks:
My husband and I have been trying to adopt but we find that many of the birth mothers have used Ecstasy during pregnancy. What kinds of problems can the baby have as a result? Also, do you have knowledge as to whether these mothers are playing down the amount of their use in order to adopt out their baby? Thank you very much for your advice.
DR. DREW PINSKY
This has not been fully studied yet. There is a good body of literature on the effects of stimulants on pregnancy. These children clearly have neurobiological developmental issues. However, as they have grown up, they are doing better than we would have predicted.
What is interesting about your dilemma is how frequently children available for adoption in this country come from addict parents. You should be aware, in addition to the risks you are asking about, that there is probably about a 50% probability of a child such as this inheriting the biological predisposition for addiction.
MODERATOR
A comment from Judy: "Dr. Drew: As the parent of a 23-year-old heroin addict, I resent the implication that her addiction resulted from my inattentive or incomplete parenting. I agree that information is the best tool a parent can give a child, and that information should be given early and often. ... I don't know what the answers are, but messages like the one I heard this morning or in commercials that state, "How do I know my child isn't using drugs? I ask." which imply parental failure are just wrong. I have helplessly watched my child's life spiral out of control."
How do you respond?
DR. DREW PINSKY
You are confusing abuse and addiction. This morning's program was about drug abuse, not drug addiction. As you so clearly understand, addiction is a multi-faceted process that may or may not include parenting issues.
As you are well aware, once the switch is thrown on this disease, parents are helpless and can only help by going to Al-Anon and using what leverage they have to keep their child participating in treatments.
PHILIP asks:
Dr. Drew, I am a 31 year old male who abused drugs from age 16 to 24. I used mainly pot, cocaine and alcohol, but I also occasionally used meth and Ecstasy. Could this be the cause of my depression and anxiety now?
DR. DREW PINSKY
Yes, categorically. You need to see a psychiatrist who has experience treating people with a history of drug use. An interesting caveat: Addicts who don't use but don't engage in treatment, even if they haven't used neurotoxic chemicals, are essentially always depressed. Keep that mind.
KAREN WEBER asks:
As a high school teacher in the School District of Philadelphia, I learn a lot from my students. As a parent, I have a great concern for the way information is distributed. In such a diverse society, how can we better educate ALL parents about the current fad drugs and the symptoms to look for in their children?
DR. DREW PINSKY
That's a great question. I agree that that's a significant issue. I'm open to suggestions! My instinct has always been to try to use media.
MARY asks:
Dr. Drew, In your practice, what treatments do you find work best with your clinical patients who have abused Ecstasy?
DR. DREW PINSKY
Because this is an injury to the serotonin system, we usually start with serotonin-enhancing medication — though with Ecstasy and LSD the injuries are such that it can be difficult to get a response to the medications.
It has been my experience, particularly in the case of LSD, that people sometimes need to progress to electro-convulsive shock therapy.
MODERATOR
Many people ask about the long-term effects of marijuana on the brain.
DR. DREW PINSKY
The Journal of the American Medical Association just last week published an article where they documented significant measurable impairments of interpersonal and employment functioning in chronic marijuana users.
There is absolutely no doubt that ongoing marijuana use creates depression, memory problems and functional impairment. I am of the opinion that this is all reversible with sustained abstinence. This has not been specifically established in the medical literature.
You must keep in mind that marijuana is an addictive drug for some people who are biologically prone. Roughly one out of five admissions to chemical dependency units in this country at this time are for marijuana addiction.
TANIA asks:
After viewing the brain scans this morning, I'm wondering if there are any ways to reverse the brain damage caused by Ecstasy?
DR. DREW PINSKY
No. That really is the point of this morning's story. Brain cells do not regenerate.
MODERATOR
Thanks to Dr. Drew Pinsky and all those who joined the chat. If you'd like to join another live discussion, please visit our community index.
