Substance Use & Abuse
Am I self-medicating?
Everyone deals with stress differently. And, the last year has been filled with a ton of different emotions – anger, anxiety, stress, sadness. Everyone is looking for a way to relax and just shut everything out. You may find yourself reaching for a drink, lighting up a joint, or taking prescriptions to fall asleep or…
Read MoreUnderstanding Addiction
Addiction is a chronic and complex disease that affects millions of lives. This can often lead to confusion and misunderstanding on just how addiction can impact someone’s body and brain. If you or someone you love is suffering from addiction, it is important to know that addiction can not be fought on sheer willpower alone.…
Read MoreWhy Parents Should Be Proactive in Substance Abuse Prevention
All kids deal with peer pressure from their classmates. Even kids in elementary school may feel that they must meet the expectations of others or they are more likely to be bullied and such. The closer to high school they get, the worse it can become. The things they are encouraged to do as a…
Read MoreUnderstanding Recovery to Strengthen Your Sobriety
Getting sober and staying that way takes time and effort. When you have a better understanding of the process of addiction recovery, your chances of long term sobriety improve. No matter what is going on in your life, if you are addicted to substances, it’s time to get the help you need. Addiction only gets…
Read MoreAddiction & Codependency – Complicating Relationships and Recovery
Do you find yourself constantly doing for others, at the expense of yourself? Do you find yourself covering for bad behaviors of your loved one, making excuses, or taking the blame for inexcusable things that they do? Do you have a need to feel in control, but a sense that things are really completely out…
Read MoreThe Warning Signs of Alcoholism
It’s your second hangover in three days and you haven’t even gotten through the workweek. Monday morning you laughed it off as the results of a Sunday night get-together that had gone on too long. Now you have no real excuse. Your head throbs. Your hands shake. Your stomach is in loose knots. You just…
Read MoreSubstance Abuse Disorder and the Shame Game
There’s a sickening pattern playing out in how society reacts to and treats its fellow comrades suffering from substance use disorder. Take basketball star Lamar Odom, for example. Found at a Vegas brothel recently, unconscious, close to death with cocaine in his system and a long track record of drug abuse, Odom has been called…
Read MoreIs Your Medicine Cabinet a Potential Killer?
Teen prescription painkiller abuse is on the rise …. and even the “good” kids are at risk Among teens, prescription drugs are the most commonly used drugs next to marijuana, and almost half of the teens abusing prescription drugs are taking painkillers. Why are so many young people turning to prescription drugs to get high?…
Read MoreThe Addiction Cycle: Inside the Brain of an Addict
As scientists learn more about the causes of addiction, they come to understand the larger role that the brain plays in cravings, substance use, and ultimately substance abuse. If you suspect a loved one is struggling with illegal drug or alcohol abuse, learning more about the brain’s role in addiction can help you understand what…
Read MoreDrug Abuse is Still a Growing Problem
Drug abuse is the catalyst for many major social problems, including drugged driving, violence, stress, and child abuse, and it can further lead to homelessness, crime, and joblessness. According to a recent USA Today article, more Americans die from drug overdoses today (nearly 44,000 deaths a year) than from car accidents or any other type of…
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