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About Jacqui
Expertise
I am committed to Harm reduction (is it a dirty word in America??), a philosophy which acknowledges that people are going to continue to use drugs despite all of the effort put into stopping it (case in point - US government drug war ... trillions of dollars, people still using ... hello??) Anyway, I advocate to support people who use drugs by reducing the harms associated with their use through needle and syringe programs, advocating for drug law reform (alcohol legal, marijuana not ... go figure?). I currently manage a service that provides primary health care, health education and needle and syringe program to people who inject. I have also worked as an "on the ground" worker for many years and am currently studying a Masters in Clinical Psychology. Happy to answer questions about blood borne viruses such as HIV and hepatitis C, questions about dependency on opiates and other substances. Questions about treatment (particulary methadone and buprenorphine). Questions about harm reduction and why we bother with it. I can try to answer questions about drug tests. As an alternative to my fellow experts, I won't be judging anyone. If anyone has taken a sip of a coffee, or drunk a beer, then ... well we are all drug users, and I don't think we are going to see an end to it! Deal with the real, I say.

Experience
Manage a primary health service for people who inject drugs, and have worked at that centre for 7 years

Organizations
Registered as a provisional psychologist with the Victorian Psychologists registration board (this is for psychologists working under supervision or currently studying a masters). Much of my experience is related to my work rather than to my studies

Publications
conference proceedings - IHRC 2004 & 2005, NSP Conference 2005, Stigma-Pleasure-Practice conference 2006

Education/Credentials
Bachelor of Arts (Humanities), Bachelor of Psychology with Honours, currently studying a masters of clinical psychology, completed one half of a graduate certificate in Addiction studies (transferred to psychology as it had better career prospects) - lots and lots of short training courses.

Awards and Honors
Presented at international conferences (Harm Reduction Conference in Thailand and Melbourne)

You are here: Experts > Teens > Health for Teens > Addiction to Drugs > Rehab Question

Addiction to Drugs - Rehab Question

Expert: Jacqui - 10/29/2009

Question
My ex is in a 28 day rehab facility, after being kicked out of the last one for testing positive for Benzodiazepines. Now, at this new place, he tested positive yet again. He's on trileptal and oxcarbazepine, and a worker there supposedly told him those drugs cna give a false positive for Benzodiazepines. I honestly dont believe it. I didnt think it could, being Trileptal is tricyclic anti-depressants in chemical structure, and benzo's are unrelated? Please let me know, I am thankful.

Danielle Kaspari,
Minnesota

Answer
Hi Danielle,

Unfortunately I can't fully answer this question because I just couldn't find any information on whether these drugs would test positive as benzos. I actually think that other things are far more relevant to look at than whether someone has a benzo in their urine, and if he had been doing well in every other aspect then perhaps this policy is a bit harsh - but that is the US! Was his problem benzos? If it wasn't, and it was say, heroin or coke, then not having them in his system is pretty great.

Anyway, back to your original question. Benzos enhance the action of 'GABA' in the brain, which can stop seizures. I don't know enough about chemistry to fully understand all of this, but I imagine other anti epileptics have a similar action, meaing that there could be some validity to him testing positive. Where there is doubt, I think the person should be given a chance.

Danielle, are you getting any support? It can be stressful having a partner who is seeking treatment for drug dependency. It is pretty difficult, or near on impossible, for one person to change another's behaviour. Your partner will need to stop using himself if he is going to succeed. I hope that you have some good support networks so that you are able to talk things over.

Good luck and stay safe,

Jacqui

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