specializing in addiction recovery
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Dr. David Scott Richards
Contact Info
1054 Norwood Lane Bartlett, Illinois 60103 630.213.3232
Education & Medical Training
• Ohio State University College Of Medicine Medical School • University Of Medicine And Denistry Of New Jersey,
Internal Medicine
• Hospital Aliations Sherman Hospital
Specialties
Internal Medicine
About
Dr. David Richards, MD is an internal medicine specialist in Bartlett, IL and has been practicing for 11 years. He graduated from Ohio State University College Of Medicine and Public Health in 2007 and specializes in internal medicine.
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Talkin’ ‘Bout My Generation Teens’ use of addictive substances often goes undetected by health care providers. But NIDA-supported
NIDA Researchers Develop Screening Tool for Teen Substance Use This article is a condensed version of a piece that originally appeared on the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) website.
researchers have developed a Brief Screener for Tobacco, Alcohol and other Drugs (BSTAD), to help spot teens’ problematic habits. In a recent study, BSTAD developers Dr. Sharon Kelly and colleagues at the Friends Research Institute in Baltimore examined the frequencies of use likely to qualify a teen for a diagnosis of an alcohol use disorder (AUD), nicotine use disorder (NUD), or cannabis use disorder (CUD). The frequencies proved to be surprisingly low, according to the researchers.
Teen drug substance use revealed For the study, the BSTAD survey employed a few, simple questions about teens’ use of alcohol, tobacco or drugs within the past year. The teens’ BSTAD responses revealed that 22 percent had used alcohol in the past year, 16 percent had used marijuana, 10 percent had used tobacco, and 3 percent had used at least one illicit substance other
than marijuana. (Original article by Eric Sarlin, M.Ed., M.A., NIDA Notes Contributing Writer) 28
“ Health care providers should have a one-on-one discussion with teens who indicate any substance use to assess level of risk, provide brief advice, and, if necessary, recommend further assessment for a treatment intervention. “
-Dr. Sharon Kelly, Friends Research Institute
Analysis of the data showed that almost all teens who reported on the BSTAD that they had consumed an alcoholic beverage on two or more days during the past year had an AUD. Conversely, teens who reported drinking on fewer than two days were unlikely to have this disorder. The corresponding BSTAD cut point for an NUD was nicotine use on two or more days during the past year and for a CUD was marijuana use on two or more days. BSTAD enables early detection Using these cut points, the researchers found that the BSTAD was highly sensitive. Ninety-six percent of teens with an AUD, 95 percent with an NUD, and 80 percent with a CUD would be flagged as likely in need of further assessment for a brief intervention or referral to treatment. BSTAD’s specificity was also high: 85 percent of teens without an AUD, 97 percent without an NUD, and 93 percent without a CUD reported use below the cut points, and so would be correctly classified. “Very low substance use frequencies were found to be optimal in identifying these disorders,” Dr. Kelly comments. The BSTAD does not distinguish
Researchers encourage regular screening Both the World Health Organization and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend screening all adolescent patients for substance use since problems later in life often originate in adolescence. Still, many providers do not regularly screen their patients for substance abuse. “Providers are extremely busy and need a quick and valid screening measure for identifying teens who use substances,” says Dr. Kelly. She and colleagues developed the BSTAD in response to a NIDA call for new tools to fill this need. To create the BSTAD, Dr. Kelly and colleagues added the questions about tobacco and marijuana to the widely disseminated National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism screen for youth alcohol use. In the validation study, the FRI research team administered the BSTAD in person to half of the participants, and the rest of the participants self-administered the instrument on an iPad. The teens reported a strong preference for the iPad. The iPad version offers the potential extra convenience that results can be automatically transferred into a teen’s electronic medical record.
the severities of the disorders, she notes, so when it flags a teen, providers need to follow up with questions to determine appropriate interventions or referrals to treatment. Furthermore, Dr. Kelly says, “Health care providers should have a one-on-one discussion with teens who indicate any substance use to assess level of risk, provide brief advice, and, if necessary, recommend further assessment for a treatment intervention.” Providers also should rescreen teens regularly, because onset of substance use can occur abruptly during adolescence. Both the World Health Organization and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend screening all adolescent patients for substance use since problems later in life often originate in adolescence.
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Taking Action on the Opioid Crisis: Solutions for Detection, Treatment, and Prevention
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Taking Action on the Opioid Crisis:
T he opioid crisis is a major public health challenge with devastating consequences. Opioids, including prescription painkillers, heroin, and fentanyl, have fueled addiction, overdoses, and fatalities. Laboratories play a crucial role in combating the crisis through advanced opioid detection, monitoring, and treatment. They utilize biological samples like urine, blood, and saliva for accurate drug testing. Rapid, cost- effective immunoassays, such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), are used for initial screening, followed by confirmatory tests like gas chromatography- mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for precise identification. Hair and nail testing also offer extended detection windows for retrospective analysis of opioid use.
In addition to drug testing, laboratories support Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) programs, which combine behavioral therapy with FDA-approved medications to treat opioid addiction. Methadone reduces cravings and withdrawal symptoms under supervision, while buprenorphine blocks opioid effects and minimizes withdrawal. Regular drug testing ensures patient compliance with MAT, optimizing treatment outcomes. To prevent opioid misuse, laboratories assist healthcare providers and regulatory agencies by monitoring prescription drug use. Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs) electronically track opioid prescriptions to detect misuse, while urine drug monitoring ensures adherence to treatment plans, detects diversion, and assesses the effectiveness of pain management. Laboratories also play an important role in opioid research and development, conducting genetic studies to explore variations in opioid metabolism and advancing non-opioid pain therapies to reduce reliance on traditional opioids.
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Collaborating with public health agencies, laboratories implement harm reduction strategies, such as drug checking services that test illicit drugs for contaminants, and public health campaigns that raise awareness of opioid risks and responsible prescribing. The opioid crisis demands a multifaceted response, and laboratories are at the forefront. Through precise testing, MAT support, prescription monitoring, research, and harm reduction efforts, they play a vital role in combating opioid addiction. Continued innovation and evidence-based strategies will help mitigate the crisis, fostering a healthier and safer future.
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THERE IS LIFE AFTER ADDICTION
1054 Norwood Lane Barlett, IL 60103 630-213-3232
Dead people don’t get into recovery
D. Waters Is Suboxone a Reasonable Treatment Option for Opioid Addicts? After twenty years of providing substance abuse treatment I can tell you that the ultimate goal of anyone battling an addiction is total abstinence. Every addict and alcoholic eventually figures out they can not control their usage, and moderation is unrealistic. Learning to live life on life’s terms is part of the process of learning to live abstinent. Self-help programs like Alcoholics Anonymous(AA) and Narcotics Anonymous(NA) do a great job of helping people understand their addiction, themselves, and effective solutions for coping with their disease. Dead people don’t get into recovery Opioid addicts are not terribly different from any other addict or alcoholic, except the risk of death by accidental overdose is huge. People are dying in droves from opioid overdose. The current heroin epidemic is even more dangerous than the pain killer epidemic it replaced. Relapse rates are tremendous. Unfortunately, it may take years before an individual addict is ready to give the 12-Step AA/NA
I’ve truly never seen anything work better, and when it works it’s a beautiful thing.
process the thorough try it requires to be effective. Therefore, Suboxone is a terrific option for chronic relapsers. You can’t generally get high from it, unless you haven’t used in awhile, or never used in the first place. You can’t overdose on it from use or abuse, and any other opioid you take while it’s in your system will be nullified and wasted.
Not the solution, but maybe a good step forward Suboxone is not the solution, but in many cases it’s better than nothing, and a good response for chronic relapsers who are risking death from overdose. At least the addict is getting some exposure to treatment which is more likely to lead to recovery in the long run. Suboxone buys people time and keeps them alive. There are quite a few people who’s funerals I’ve attended that I wish had gotten on Suboxone. You can’t treat the dead.
The Subs knock down the monster cravings almost completely, and people don’t go through the nasty withdrawal that’s so painful. Once dysfunctional people who couldn’t hold a job, or were constantly on the obsessive hunt for the next fix suddenly become much more functional, and the addiction looks like it’s in remission. They can work consistently, they stop chasing the drugs, they have more money and can care for themselves and their families, and their addiction doesn’t seem to be ruling their lives. It seems like magic! Very few people actually wean off Suboxone successfully Suboxone users often wrongly think they’re cured because they look and feel more functional. Then they think all they have to do now is wean down, or taper off the medication, which is what the clinic doctors help them manage over a number of months to years. The problem is they’ve done nothing about the underlying addiction and all the addictive thinking and coping that go along with it that drive the addiction from within. They haven’t developed any social support, or learned anything about themselves and their disease. We like to say that using, or putting some chemical into the body, is only a symptom of the underlying disease. Abusing substances is not the actual disease—just a symptom. As soon as they stop using the Subs the addiction is still there and ready to start expressing itself all over again through the many painful ways it does. Chemically addicted people cope with life stressors with chemicals—that is, unless they make some fairly significant changes. Suboxone changes nothing in the end. Suboxone changes nothing A combination of Suboxone treatment coupled with AA/NA (with Sponsor and Step work) is a great thing. At Crossroads Counseling we require anyone with a substance abuse issue
to attend AA/NA, obtain a Sponsor, and work the 12-steps. If they don’t we won’t sign-off on their program. Most Suboxone clinics require their participants to attend at least one counseling meeting a month. Unfortunately, this is almost completely useless unless the individual engages in a personal program of recovery that addresses not only the biological issues, but the social, psychological, and spiritual issues related to the disease, as well.
Both are dangerous.
FOCUS ON Life 1054 NORWOOD LANE • BARLETT, IL 60103 CONTACT US: (630)213-3232
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Sign of the times Experts say the newly approved implant also provides a big boost to the concept of medication-assisted treatment (MAT) in general. For years, the idea that someone could achieve recovery through the use of drugs like methadone and buprenorphine was rejected by many professionals in the eld who saw complete abstinence as the only true sobriety. Many still hold that belief, but attitudes appear to be changing. Top government ocials say they want to increase the amount of MAT taking place at the country’s treatment centers. Several states as well as the federal government have enacted laws making it easier for physicians to prescribe medications like buprenorphine, but they say too few patients receive the medication they need. National Institute on Drug Abuse, in a statement. “is product will expand the treatment alternatives available to people suering from an opioid use disorder.” ] [ "Opioid abuse and addiction have taken a devastating toll on American families.” - Dr. Robert M. Cali , FDA Commissioner “Scientic evidence suggests that maintenance treatment with these medications in the context of behavioral treatment and recovery support are more eective in the treatment of opioid use disorder than short-term detoxication programs aimed at abstinence,” said Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the
M edication-assisted treatment is growing in popularity and acceptance among addiction recovery professionals. And now it’s taken a revolutionary step forward that could oer renewed hope to thousands of people struggling with an addiction to opioids. is summer, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a new buprenorphine implant to treat opioid dependence. Buprenorphine had previously been available only as a pill or a dissolvable lm placed under the tongue. But the new implant, known as Probuphine, can administer a six-month dose of the drug to keep those dependent on opioids from using by reducing cravings and withdrawal symptoms. "Opioid abuse and addiction have taken a devastating toll on American families,” FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert M. Cali said in a statement. “We must do everything we can to make new, innovative treatment options available that can help patients regain control over their lives.” e implant comes in the form of four one-inch rods that are placed under the skin on the upper arm. e implant must be administered surgically and comes with the possibility of certain side eects, but experts say it could be more convenient and more eective for patients. ey say by eliminating the need to take pills, ll prescriptions and generally manage their medication, it makes it easier for people to focus on the other areas of their recovery while making it less likely someone will lapse in their treatment plan.
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Although the implant is certainly a new alternative, it has yet to show any increased success in keeping people from relapsing compared to the pill or lm tablet. In a study of the implant’s eectiveness, they found that 63 percent of people given the implant were free of illicit drugs at six months, compared to 64 percent of people who took buprenorphine by pill. Still, those rates are much higher than the success rates of people who follow abstinence-only treatment plans. And ocials hope the new implant will lead more people to get MAT, increasing the number of successful recoveries across the country.
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(630)213-3232
OPIOID ADDICTION: “LET’S TALK ABOUT IT.” Learn how faith communities can extend COMPASSION & SUPPORT
to people in recovery and to their families
not just a bad habit It’s NOT JUST A BAD HABIT something is a disease. Heart disease, diabetes and some something is a disease. Heart disease, diabetes and some
Recent research and dialogue in the political sphere have brought long-simmering questions about addiction to the forefront: Is addiction truly a disease? Do addicts deserve to be treated like people who have a Recent research and dialogue in the political sphere have brought long-simmering questions about addiction to the fore: Is addiction truly a disease? Do addicts deserve to be treated like people who have a disease that’s outside their control? disease that’s outside their control? While most researchers agree with the so-called disease model of addiction, stereotypes and cultural bias continue to stigmatize those with addiction because they made an initial choice to consume substances. However, Columbia University researchers point out that “choice does not determine whether 34 While most researchers agree with the so-called disease model of addiction, stereotypes and cultural bias continue to stigmatize those with addiction because they made an initial choice to consume substances. However, Columbia University researchers point out that “choice does not determine whether
forms of cancer involve personal choices like diet, exercise, sun exposure, etc. A disease is what happens in the body as a result of those choices.” Experts say that applying the distinction of choice to addiction creates biases that justify inadequate treatment. It begs the question New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie asked during a 2015 town hall meeting in New Hampshire. When Christie’s mother was diagnosed Jersey Gov. Chris Christie asked during a 2015 town hall meeting in New Hampshire. When Christie’s mother was diagnosed with lung cancer at 71 as a result of addiction to tobacco, he noted that with lung cancer at 71 as a result of addiction to tobacco, he noted that forms of cancer involve personal choices like diet, exercise, sun exposure, etc. A disease is what happens in the body as a result of those choices.” Experts say that applying the distinction of choice to addiction creates biases that justify inadequate treatment. It begs the question New
no one suggested that she should not be treated because she was “getting what she deserved,” he said. “Yet somehow, if it’s heroin or cocaine or alcohol, we say, ‘Ahh, they decided that, they’re getting what they deserve,’” Christie remarked. HOW ADDICTION WORKS After satisfying basic human needs like food, water, sleep and safety, people feel pleasure. That pleasure is brought by chemical releases in the brain. This is according to Columbia researchers, who note that the disease of addiction causes the brain to release high levels of those pleasure chemicals. Over time, brain functions of reward, motivation and memory are altered. After these brain systems are compromised, those with addiction can experience intense cravings for substance use, even in the face of harmful consequences. These changes can stay in the brain long after substance use desists. The changes may leave those struggling with addiction to be vulnerable to “physical and environmental cues they associate with substance use, also known as triggers, which can increase their risk of relapse,” write Columbia researchers. functions of reward, motivation and memory are altered. After these brain systems are compromised, those with addiction can experience intense cravings for substance use, even in the face of harmful consequences. These changes can stay in the brain long after substance use desists. The changes may leave those struggling with addiction to be vulnerable to “physical and environmental cues they associate with substance use, also known as triggers, which can increase their risk of relapse,” write Columbia researchers. no one suggested that she should not be treated because she was “getting what she deserved,” he said. “Yet somehow, if it’s heroin or cocaine or alcohol, we say, ‘Ahh, they decided that, they’re getting what they deserve,’” Christie remarked. HOW ADDICTION WORKS After satisfying basic human needs like food, water, sleep and safety, people feel pleasure. That pleasure is brought by chemical releases in the brain. This is according to Columbia researchers, who note that the disease of addiction causes the brain to release high levels of those pleasure chemicals. Over time, brain
not just a bad habit treatment and continued monitoring and support or recovery.
THE COLUMBIA RESEARCHERS DO HAVE SOME GOOD NEWS: Even the most severe, chronic form of the disorder can be manageable and reversible, usually with long term
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DON’T DRUG YOURSELF DOWN DAVID SCOTT RICHARDS is committed to inspiring hope by providing a safe environment - teaching and modeling healthy lifestyles for all impacted by substance use disorders.
1054 Norwood Lane Barlett, IL 60103 630-213-3232
(630)213-3232
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DAVID SCOTT RICHARDS 1054 Norwood Lane Barlett, IL 60103 630-213-3232
Believe you can and you’re halfway there.
ADDICT
1 out of every 5 teens has used prescription drugs to get high.
Teens are more likely to use prescription drugs than any other illicit drugs, besides marijuana.
1054 Norwood Lane Barlett, IL 60103
(630)213-3232
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