What is your current job title?
CEO of NAMED Program LLC.
How long have you been in that position?
Since the companies inception.
What are some things you like about your line of work?
Helping change and in some cases save the lives of people and help their families for the better. It is rewarding to know that I can have an influence on the overall well-being and lifestyle of people addicted to drugs and alcohol.
How hard or how easy is it to get addicted to drugs, specifically meth?
Methamphetamine is a white crystalline drug that people take by snorting it, smoking it or injecting it with a needle. Some even take it orally, but many develop a strong desire to continue using it often because the drug creates a false sense of happiness and well-being, a strong feeling of confidence, hyper activeness and energy. One also experiences decreased appetite and weight loss. These drug effects generally last from six to eight hours. but can last up to 24 hours. The first experience can be pleasurable for the user and the damage will also start immediately, destroying their brain, heart and overall health at a rapid rate.
How hard or easy is it to get off meth?
It is extremely difficult to get off of meth once dependent on it, due to severe withdrawal symptoms from the physical addiction. To overcome addiction properly both physically and emotionally, it takes a team of medical professionals to ensure long-term support and supervision. The average relapse rate of drug addiction in the United States is over 85%.
How does meth compare to other drugs in terms of being dangerous?
Meth is one of the most highly addictive drugs, and some people according to their body chemistry and tolerance can become addicted after one use.
What method do you think works best in terms of keeping people from using drugs? For example, I’ve read that some clinics like the cold turkey method while others like the 12-step program.
The cold turkey method in my opinion is best to detox the system of the high feeling and move towards a clean and sober lifestyle both emotionally and physically. Also, proper nutrition where the opiate receptors are not stimulated and inflammation is drastically reduced through specific menu’s will have a huge impact, increasing the successful withdrawal rate and drastically lowering the relapse rate.
What percentage of people have you worked with that were once addicted who get clean from being on meth end up going back?
Less than 70%, which is well below the national average of 85%.
For those who have been able to get clean and stay clean, what do they do differently than people who relapse?
They remain faithful to the nutrition plan and continue to suppress the opiate receptors, they reduce inflammation permanently, and they adopt healthy lifestyle habits such as exercise, healthy cooking, and meditation.
Is there such a thing as an addictive personality or are there personality traits that are more prone to become addicted to drugs? Yes, some individuals have an addictive personality and once they stimulate their opiate receptors with drugs or other substances it can be difficult to turn back and avoid the substance.
What are some examples of triggers for a drug addict and how powerful can they be?
Social environment- a crowd of people that allow one to perceive regular drug use as acceptable and normal.
Stress, depression and lack of sleep – looking for a physical escape from reality because life is too stressful and difficult to deal with everyday problems.
Poor health- consuming foods that promote inflammation, acidic metabolism and stimulating the opiate receptors. These foods include processed convenience foods, gluten rich starches, simple sugars, processed trans fatty acids and most dairy, to name a few.
Would you say someone’s life is more restricted once they are off drugs? For example, I’ve read that in order to avoid triggers, people have to avoid going to certain places, hanging out with certain people and things along those lines.
No, it is better to adopt the mindset of different interest like fitness, sports, cooking, reading, travel, charity work, volunteering, etc. Channel the once negative addictive behaviors to positive healthy behaviors.
Do you have anything else you would like to add?
Yes, we are very excited about the initial acceptance of the beta test of the NAMED Nutrition plans with Mike Reis at Decision Point Wellness. We are also in the early stages of working with therapist Dr. Dale Goodman with specialized menus, who specialize in mental illness and deal with all types of mental illness, including substance addictions. We are extremely excited about the initial acceptance and were are looking to make a huge national impact on mental illness and addiction and recovery with specific natural menus and methods.