Revised and expanded from original Jan. 23, 2015 post
Finding Help for Drug Addiction. As is the case with other diseases, when drug addiction is identified early, the likelihood of recovery from proper treatment is increased. If someone you know needs help, please contact us at Black Bear Lodge at 706-914-2327. Our programs are appropriate for anyone struggling with substance abuse. Dangerous Addiction 2015 Trailer Ko Won, Hwang Ji hoo.
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In early recovery, many people feel like they suddenly have a lot of free time that they aren’t sure how to fill. Movies can be a great way to stay entertained for a couple of hours… and there is no shortage of films that are recovery oriented, and even inspirational. Here are a few of our picks:
1. The Anonymous People
This documentary explores how social stigma about addiction has kept people in recovery silent and anonymous, and how that needs to change. It features many real-life stories of people in recovery, including public figures such as former NBA basketball player Chris Herren and actress Kristen Johnston.
2. The Shift
In this film, Wayne Dyer explores how we find meaning in our lives. The interwoven tales of three people attempting to find purpose is meant to inspire, as well as to teach the viewer how to create a life that is rich with meaning and purpose.
3. Russell Brand
From Addiction to Recovery—Russell Brand is known for his irreverent humor, and his history with substance abuse problems. In this film, he shares his own experience with addiction and draws insights from a wide range of people, from substance users to leading experts in the science of addiction. Brand attempts to take a sympathetic look at substance use, and how it should be treated.
4. Clean and Sober
Michael Keaton stars as a real estate agent who seeks treatment in an effort to avoid some of the consequences of his substance use. There, he is guided by a counselor who helps him realize that treatment is exactly what he needs.
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5. My Name is Bill W
This film is based on the true story of Bill W., the founder of Alcoholics Anonymous. It looks at how Bill came to terms with his own substance abuse issues, and how he joined with other people who struggled with alcohol use to form the self-help group that would became the most widely known type of addiction treatment.
6. Flight
Denzel Washington plays airline pilot Whip Whitaker, who struggles with drug and alcohol use. Although he is able to successfully save the passengers when something goes wrong on a flight, an investigation into what happened reveals that he was intoxicated at the time. Over the course of the film, the viewer sees how substances have negatively impacted Whip’s life.
7. Permanent Midnight
Based on the autobiography of Jerry Stahl, Permanent Midnight tells the story of a television writer and his battle with substance abuse. Although he achieves professional success, his life is derailed when his drug use becomes out of control. In a detox program, Stahl shares his life story… but will he be able to overcome his demons?
The Basketball diaries is a true story based on the life of Jim Carroll. It tells how a teenager goes from being a successful basketball player to a homeless heroin addict. As his addiction worsens he completely loses any sense of self-respect and finds himself in very compromising situations. His journey takes him through prison and then into a mental asylum. The road back to sanity is long and difficult but he eventually manages to put his life back together.
10. When a Man Loves a Woman
This movie is about a married couple who seem to have everything going for them. The husband is an airplane pilot so he is away from home a lot of the time, and he misses the early warning signs that his wife is developing a drinking problem. It is only when her drinking leads to dangerous outcomes that he realizes she needs help. The story follows her path to recovery, as her husband struggles to adjust to his sober and independent wife. This is a good recovery movie because it not only deals with addiction but also co-dependency.
11. Everything Must Go
This movie features Will Farrell. He plays a man with an alcohol problem who relapses, causing him to lose his wife and his job so he holds a yard sale on his front lawn in an attempt to start over. A new neighbor might be the key to his return to form.
12. Gia
Gia Carangi (Angelina Jolie) is a Philadelphia native who moves to New York City to become a fashion model and immediately catches the attention of powerful agent Wilhelmina Cooper (Faye Dunaway). Gia’s attitude and beauty help her rise quickly to the forefront of the modeling industry, but her persistent loneliness after the death of Wilhelmina drives her to experiment with drugs. This movie takes you through her hard efforts to step away from her addictions and the life long consequences she faces as a result of her drug use.
13. Trainspotting
Renton (Ewan McGregor), deeply immersed in the Edinburgh drug scene, tries to clean up and get out, despite the allure of the drugs and influence of friends. The drug-induced utopias of four Coney Island people are shattered when their addictions become stronger.
14. Thirteen
At the edge of adolescence, Tracy is a smart straight-A student–if not a little naive. When she befriends Evie, the most popular and beautiful girl in school, Evie leads Tracy down a path of sex, drugs and self-mutilation. As Tracy transforms herself and her identity, her world becomes a boiling, emotional cauldron fueled by new tensions between her and her mother–as well as, teachers and old friends.
What are synthetic cannabinoids?
Synthetic cannabinoids are human-made mind-altering chemicals that are either sprayed on dried, shredded plant material so they can be smoked or sold as liquids to be vaporized and inhaled in e-cigarettes and other devices. These products are also known as herbal or liquid incense.
These chemicals are called cannabinoids because they are similar to chemicals found in the marijuana plant. Because of this similarity, synthetic cannabinoids are sometimes misleadingly called synthetic marijuana (or fake weed), and they are often marketed as safe, legal alternatives to that drug. In fact, they are not safe and may affect the brain much more powerfully than marijuana; their actual effects can be unpredictable and, in some cases, more dangerous or even life-threatening.
Synthetic cannabinoids are part of a group of drugs called new psychoactive substances (NPS). NPS are unregulated mind-altering substances that have become newly available on the market and are intended to produce the same effects as illegal drugs. Some of these substances may have been around for years but have reentered the market in altered chemical forms, or due to renewed popularity.
False Advertising
Synthetic cannabinoid products are often labeled 'not for human consumption.' Labels also often claim that they contain natural material taken from a variety of plants. However, the only parts of these products that are natural are the dried plant materials. Chemical tests show that the active, mind-altering ingredients are cannabinoid compounds made in laboratories.
Manufacturers sell these products in colorful foil packages and plastic bottles to attract consumers. They market these products under a wide variety of specific brand names. Hundreds of brands now exist, including K2, Spice, Joker, Black Mamba, Kush, and Kronic.
For several years, synthetic cannabinoid mixtures have been easy to buy in drug paraphernalia shops, novelty stores, gas stations, and over the internet. Because the chemicals used in them have no medical benefit and a high potential for abuse, authorities have made it illegal to sell, buy, or possess some of these chemicals. However, manufacturers try to sidestep these laws by changing the chemical formulas in their mixtures.
Easy access and the belief that synthetic cannabinoid products are natural and therefore harmless, have likely contributed to their use among young people. Another reason for their continued use is that standard drug tests cannot easily detect many of the chemicals used in these products.
How do people use synthetic cannabinoids?
The most common way to use synthetic cannabinoids is to smoke the dried plant material. Users also mix the sprayed plant material with marijuana or brew it as tea. Other users buy synthetic cannabinoid products as liquids to vaporize in e-cigarettes.
How do synthetic cannabinoids affect the brain?
Synthetic cannabinoids act on the same brain cell receptors as THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), the mind-altering ingredient in marijuana.
So far, there have been few scientific studies of the effects of synthetic cannabinoids on the human brain, but researchers do know that some of them bind more strongly than marijuana to the cell receptors affected by THC and can produce much stronger effects. The resulting health effects can be unpredictable and dangerous.
Because the chemical composition of many synthetic cannabinoid products is unknown and may change from batch to batch, these products are likely to contain substances that cause dramatically different effects than the user might expect.
Synthetic cannabinoid users report some effects similar to those produced by marijuana:
- elevated mood
- relaxation
- altered perception—awareness of surrounding objects and conditions
- symptoms of psychosis—delusional or disordered thinking detached from reality
Psychotic effects include:
- extreme anxiety
- confusion
- paranoia—extreme and unreasonable distrust of others
- hallucinations—sensations and images that seem real though they are not
What are some other health effects of synthetic cannabinoids?
People who have used synthetic cannabinoids and have been taken to emergency rooms have shown severe effects including:
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- rapid heart rate
- vomiting
- violent behavior
- suicidal thoughts
Are synthetic cannabinoids addictive?
Yes, synthetic cannabinoids can be addictive. Regular users trying to quit may have the following withdrawal symptoms:
- headaches
- anxiety
- depression
- irritability
Behavioral therapies and medications have not specifically been tested for treatment of addiction to these products. Health care providers should screen patients for possible co-occurring mental health conditions.
Can you overdose on synthetic cannabinoids?
Yes. An overdose occurs when a person uses too much of a drug and has a dangerous reaction that results in serious, harmful symptoms or death. Use of synthetic cannabinoids can cause:
- toxic reactions
- elevated blood pressure
- reduced blood supply to the heart
- kidney damage
- seizures
Deaths can also occur when dangerous synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl, are added to the packaged mixture without the user knowing it.
Points to Remember
- Synthetic cannabinoids refer to a growing number of human-made mind-altering chemicals sprayed on dried, shredded plant material or vaporized to produce a high.
- Synthetic cannabinoids are sometimes misleadingly called synthetic marijuana (or fake weed) because they act on the same brain cell receptors as THC, the mind-altering ingredient in marijuana.
- The effects of synthetic cannabinoids can be unpredictable and severe or even life-threatening.
- The only parts of synthetic cannabinoid products that are natural are the dried plant materials. Chemical tests show that their active ingredients are human-made cannabinoid compounds.
- Synthetic cannabinoid users report some effects similar to those produced by marijuana:
- elevated mood
- relaxation
- altered perception
- symptoms of psychosis
- Synthetic cannabinoids can also cause serious mental and physical health problems including:
- rapid heart rate
- vomiting
- violent behavior
- suicidal thoughts
- Synthetic cannabinoids can be addictive.
- Behavioral therapies and medications have not specifically been tested for treatment of addiction to these products.
- Overdoses can occur and can cause:
- toxic reactions
- raised blood pressure
- reduced blood supply to the heart
- kidney damage
- seizures
- Deaths can occur when dangerous synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl, are added without the user knowing.
Learn More
For additional information about synthetic cannabinoids, visit:
- NIDA for Teens Drug Facts on Spice - Offers resources for teens and teen influencers. Get the latest on how drugs affect the brain and body. Features videos, games, blog posts, and more!
- Easy-to-Read Drug Facts on Spice (K2) - Has pictures and videos to help readers understand the text. The website also can read each page out loud.
This publication is available for your use and may be reproduced in its entirety without permission from NIDA. Citation of the source is appreciated, using the following language: Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse; National Institutes of Health; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.