Chronic Depression (Dysthymia)

Ongoing depression that is defined by low mood for a long period of time may be diagnosed as dysthymia or chronic depression, a moderate form of depression. Often, the disorder coexists with other mental health or medical conditions, including: Anxiety Chronic pain Alcoholism Drug abuse or addiction According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), about … Read more

ADHD

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, affects more children than any other behavioral disorder. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, up to 5 percent of kids meet the criteria for ADHD, yet many go undiagnosed until they are teens or adults. Impulsive behavior, inability to pay attention and excessive physical activity are the hallmark … Read more

Can Steroid Abuse Affect Sleep Quality?

Healthy sleep is a critical element of health. Poor sleep or inconsistent sleep slows us all down, can damage emotional health, work performance, appetite, memory and immune systems. We simply cannot function without good sleep. The ability to fall and stay asleep and to wake up are largely controlled by chemical systems in the brain, … Read more

Elderly Addicts

Elderly is defined as being past middle age, and it is generally accepted to mean at or over the age of 65. Substance abuse and dependency rates among the elderly population may be higher than statistics show, as it can be sometimes difficult to diagnose or recognize in this population. An article in Today’s Geriatric Medicine estimates … Read more

Gundry MD Energy Renew Review – Experience, Effect, Side Effects & Rating 2024

Gundry MD Energy Renew Test

Making the right choices is key to achieving good health and wellness. Your lifestyle choices, such as your diet, sleep habits, and exercise routine, play a crucial role in your overall well-being. Each individual’s journey towards a healthy and fulfilling life is unique. However, according to numerous reviews of Energy Renew, many have found it … Read more

Managing Medications: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Living with obsessive compulsive disorder can create situations that range from mildly annoying to seriously debilitating. Patients may find themselves somewhere on the spectrum between washing their hands constantly to obsessively repeating behaviors that interfere with their daily lives and even their ability to go to a job. There are a handful of different medications … Read more

OxyContin Abuse and Withdrawal Timelines

OxyContin is a narcotic painkiller, one that is potent and commonly prescribed for patients who are struggling with moderate to severe pain. Also known as oxycodone, OxyContin is a highly addictive substance, and though most people will be able to take the drug as prescribed without incident, those who abuse the drug may struggle with increased … Read more

Diagnosing Mental Illness Through Neuroimaging Scans

Diagnosing a mental illness isn’t always easy. In fact, it can be a subjective process that allows one clinician to see one disease, while another sees a different disease and a third sees nothing at all, even when all three medical practitioners are looking at the same patient. This kind of uncertainty can be annoying, … Read more

Asperger’s and Addiction

The world is a social place. Tiny babies are expected to connect with their parents, share their toys, and otherwise relate to the people who care for them. Young children are asked to form friendships, work with teachers, and respect their elders. Adults, in turn, might be asked to collaborate, connect and share with their … Read more

Talbott Recovery

Talbott Campus was founded in 1989 by Dr. G. Douglas Talbott, a famed internist and cardiologist who had his own struggles with addiction. In his search for treatment, he was disappointed by the lack of help specifically for licensed medical professionals. This led to Talbott becoming a pioneering voice for the treatment of alcoholism and … Read more

How to Recognize an Enabler

They say that the road to hell is paved with good intentions and, sadly, the road of addiction often is as well. Many concerned family members make choices when their loved one is struggling with drug dependence that inadvertently support his ability to continue drinking and getting high while being shielded from the repercussions of his addiction. … Read more

History of Mental Health Treatment

Mental illness isn’t a uniquely modern phenomenon. The genetic influences that stand behind some types of mental illnesses, along with the physical and chemical assaults that can spark illnesses in some people, have always been part of human life. But the ways in which impacted people are treated by their peers, as well as the … Read more

An Overview of Sober Living

Post-rehab residence in a sober living community can be part of an effective recovery plan. The lack of a stable, drug-free, supportive environment after rehab can be a trigger for relapse. Sober living communities provide a safeguard against relapse and can offer a recovering substance abuser the personal space needed to build a new life … Read more

Alcohol in America

Perhaps nothing brings Americans together like alcohol. Sports game? Beer. Weddings and Christmas parties? Champagne. Romantic evening? Wine. Birthday party? Take your pick. For a country founded by Puritans and a country that once went so far as to ban anything to do with alcohol for more than 10 years, the American infatuation with – … Read more

Supporting Willingness

Ensuring excellent treatment of PTSD and depression in the military Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression are common and treatable mental health problems. Without proper treatment, these diagnoses can have a significant impact on soldiers and their families, but little is known about the quality of care provided by the military health system (MHS). To … Read more

Health Related Behavior Study 2018 – Sexual Health & Behavior Within the Active Personnel

The Health-Related Behavior Survey (HRBS) is the US Department of Defense’s (DoD) primary survey of the health, health behaviors and well-being of military personnel. The HRBS, which has been conducted regularly for more than 30 years, covers areas that may affect military readiness or the ability to meet the demands of military life. The Department … Read more

How Much Does Detox Cost?

Drug detox is the first step in a comprehensive addiction treatment program for dependence upon alcohol or any addictive substance. Unfortunately, though it is an unavoidable, necessary step in overcoming addiction, many people postpone entering detox due to a perceived inability to pay the bill. What does detox cost? And is it worth the financial investment? Variables … Read more

What Are the Physical Side Effects of Dilaudid Abuse?

Dilaudid is an opiate medication, also sold as hydromorphone, and like other opiate medications (e.g., morphine, codeine, etc.) it is a highly addictive substance. There are a number of emotional and physical side effects that can occur as a result of abusing this potent drug – ranging from intense physical symptoms to addiction to death. If … Read more

Family Support

In any intervention for a drug addict, the disposition of the addict’s family is exceedingly important. Full recovery involves not only restoring the addict’s life, but also ensuring that the people around the addict are also capable of helping with the long-term goal of total abstinence from drugs. What Is Family Support? Family support is … Read more

Addiction Help for African Americans

The African-American community has a statistically higher percentage of substance abuse than the general population. The following are some of the reasons for the high rate of addiction in African Americans: The inferiority complex resulting from the poverty of the urban areas that many African Americans inhabit The high concentration of drug and alcohol sales … Read more

Women and Alcoholism

When it comes to alcohol, women lose the battle of the sexes on almost every front. More and more women are struggling with heavy drinking and alcoholism, a disorder that was once believed to be primarily a man’s issue – and they often experience the harmful effects of the disease more rapidly than do men. Due to … Read more

How Much Is Too Much Vicodin?

When patients take Vicodin exactly according to their doctor’s prescription – the right dose, at the right time, avoiding other substances that could negatively interact with the medication – there are usually few problems. Some people experience mild side effects, and if they don’t wear off then the doctor simply adjusts the dose or medication … Read more

Co-occurring Disorders

If you struggle with drug or alcohol problems, there’s a strong chance that you may also be fighting depression, anxiety, mood swings or compulsive behavior. It’s not uncommon for people with mental health disorders to abuse street drugs, prescription medications or alcohol as a way to cope with their moods or control their fears. In fact, the National Survey on … Read more

Self-Harm and Addiction

A buildup of emotions like frustration, anger, self-loathing, depression and anxiety can cause someone to seek an outlet through self-mutilation. A common misconception is to lump suicidal behavior with this deliberate self-harm, sometimes referred to as DSH and other times as NSSI, non-suicidal self-injury. They are, however, not the same and should be considered separately. … Read more

Are Heavy Drinkers Alcoholics?

The term “alcohol use disorders” refers to a spectrum of disorders, and it’s rare that two people’s drinking behaviors and the harms caused by their drinking will be defined in exactly the same way. “Heavy drinking” is an especially ambiguous term because it can refer to binge drinking, or it can reference a chronic drinking … Read more

Risk of Substance Abuse in Cancer Patients

Painkillers can provide a significant amount of relief for people with cancer pain, and often, they’re considered vital in preserving a person’s quality of life. But painkillers can also be intensely strong, and issues of addiction are a concern in some people with cancer. Painkillers and Cancer Pain Cancerous cells can cause a remarkable amount … Read more

Social Anxiety Disorder

Anyone can get nervous when faced with certain events like meeting someone new, being around a large crowd, or doing something in front of an audience. Social anxiety disorder entails a strong fear of being judged in these situations and other less frightening scenarios. Worrying about normal everyday events for weeks before any of them … Read more

More Support for U.S. Militaries Hidden Heroes

Military Caregiver Curriculum The Elizabeth Dole Foundation asked the RAND Corporation to develop a research agenda to guide future efforts to improve support for military caregivers and veterans. To develop the plan, researchers mapped currently available research on caregiving for adults, children, and older adults with disabilities and gathered stakeholder input through a survey and … Read more

Disorganized Type

Disorganized type schizophrenia is defined by scattered behaviors that are nonsensical and have no purpose. Also called hebephrenic schizophrenia or just disorganized schizophrenia, patients who are diagnosed with this disorder often have a difficult time having functional relationships with others or being able to manage their day-to-day affairs. Too often, rather than seek medical and psychiatric … Read more

Addiction & Mental Illness: Does One Cause the Other?

Not very long ago, addiction was considered a moral affliction. Addicts were seen as bad people, willfully selfish and hedonistic, rather than individuals suffering from a mental and physical affliction. After years of research, we now have a more enlightened understanding of addiction with the current model revealing that addiction is a chronic, progressive disease … Read more

Female-Specific Treatment Options

As the 2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health revealed, there is a gender dimension to drug use. With an eye on male versus female patterns of drug use, the survey found: Similar to prior years, there were more men aged 12 and older who were current illicit drug users compared to women of the same … Read more

Chapter 4 — Linkages For Mental Health and AOD Treatment

Chapter 4 — Linkages For Mental Health and AOD Treatment Overview Conventional boundaries between single-focus agencies have impeded the clinical progress of patients who have psychiatric disorders and alcohol and other drug (AOD) use disorders (Baker, 1991; Schorske and Bedard, 1988). The treatment of patients with dual disorders is a clinical challenge, as well as a systems … Read more

Written Testimony of Norma C. Nicolls Former Assistant to M. Larry Lawrence Submitted to the House Committee on Veterans Affairs, Subsommittee on Investigations

I received a phone call from a columnist, Arianna Huffington, on November 22, 1997. She asked me if I would speak to her about Larry Lawrence and his military background. I told her I was only willing to go on the record with my opinion and attached is a copy of what I faxed to … Read more

Holistic Treatment

Holistic medicine focuses on treating the entire person and not just a disorder or affliction. Holistic health care providers believe that an individual is made up of different parts including physical, emotional, environmental and spiritual aspects. All pieces must be addressed and balanced to solve any issues, sickness or disorder, and to make a person … Read more

Science and Addiction

Human ingenuity is a double-edged sword. Weapons made for protection can be used for murder, and technology developed for sharing information can steal privacy. Similarly, advancements in the fields of chemistry and medicine – ostensibly for healing and improving physical health – can also be turned around and used to poison and corrupt a mind … Read more

Klonopin Addiction

Klonopin is a prescription medication that’s a member of the benzodiazepine family. These drugs are designed to soothe electrical impulses in the brain, and they can be very helpful for people dealing with mental illnesses that stem from brain wiring issues. These drugs can also cause changes that some people find pleasurable, and when that … Read more

Body Dysmorphic Disorder and Addiction

In a short story written by Nathaniel Hawthorne called “The Birthmark,” a scientist is married to a lovely woman who has the tiniest of red marks on her cheek. The man notices this flaw right away, and he spends the rest of the story attempting to remove that stain from the face of the woman … Read more

Commonly Abused Inhalants

Common household cleaners. Beauty products. Art supplies. They are easily accessible on store shelves or online, and many are stored under the sink and in cabinets around the house. You may think nothing of it, but in the hands of some people, these common products can turn into drugs of abuse – deadly substances that enable … Read more

Chapter 8 — Psychotic Disorders

Chapter 8 — Psychotic Disorders Dual-Focus Perspective This chapter is an overview of current assessment and treatment principles for patients with alcohol and other drug (AOD) use disorders and psychosis. Along with an increased awareness of the treatment needs of patients with these dual disorders, an increased emphasis on service systems has evolved. These and other … Read more

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Addiction

One of the most emotionally debilitating mental disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder causes intense anxiety, intrusive memories and nightmarish flashbacks that interfere with daily life. Many individuals with PTSD will turn to drugs or alcohol as a way to numb their pain or to gain some measure of control in their lives. Chronic substance abuse creates a complicated Dual … Read more

Beck Depression Inventory

The American Psychological Association (APA) defines the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) as a self-report rating filled out by patients to assist therapists in their ability to measure the signs and symptoms of depression that a patient may be experiencing. With a more thorough evaluation at the onset of treatment, patients can immediately begin a schedule of care that … Read more

John David Morton – Sergeant First Class, United States Army

jdmorton-valentine-day-2006-photo-01

NEWS RELEASES from the United States Department of Defense No. 1304-05 IMMEDIATE RELEASE Decmber 16, 2005 DoD Identifies Army Casualty The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Sergeant First Class John D. Morton, 31, of Stanton, Kentucky, died in Shah Wali Kot, Afghanistan on December … Read more

The Dangerous Cycle of Back Pain and Opioids: Can Physical Therapy Make a Difference?

It’s funny how one nagging pain can take over so much of our lives. If you have experienced back pain, you have become all too familiar with the limitations that chronic pain can bring. In the US alone, American spend somewhere between $80-100 billion dollars each year on treatments for back pain. Expensive treatments range … Read more

Allen J. Eldredge – Master Sergeant, United States Army

It is with heavy heart that I write this. We received word that Master Sergeant Allen Eldredge, Relief Commander, Tomb of the Unknowns, (August 1953-July 1954), Assistant Sergeant of the Guard (February 1959-June 1960), and Sergeant of the Guard (July 1962-April 1966), passed from this life at 1430, Tuesday, 19 October, at his home in … Read more

BHO and Butane Toxicity

Approximately 23.1 million Americans over the age of 11 were abusing drugs and alcohol in 2012 enough to warrant treatment, despite only 2.5 million of them receiving it.[1] A large portion of these substance abusers are fans of marijuana, which has been decriminalized and legalized in several states in recent years. What few recognize is … Read more

Dual Diagnosis Treatment

Dual Diagnosis treatment is a relatively new innovation in the field of addiction recovery. Until the 1990s, people who were experiencing symptoms of a mental health disorder — anxiety attacks, depressive episodes, delusional behavior or mood swings — were treated separately from those who sought help for drug or alcohol abuse. When these conditions overlapped, clients … Read more

Better Behavioral Health Care for Remote Service Members

Three main priorities The primary goal of the military health system (MHS) is to ensure that soldiers suffering from behavioral disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and substance use disorders, receive effective treatment. Soldiers who live geographically far from a military treatment center may have particular difficulty accessing quality care, which can compromise … Read more

Impulsive Personality Disorder and Alcoholism

Although many people are not familiar with the four types of borderline personality disorder (BPD), the differences between the types are substantial and important to understand. In certain instances, borderline personality disorder co-occurs with alcoholism, presenting a complex dual diagnosis. What Is Impulsive Personality Disorder? Impulsive personality disorder is often seen as the most charismatic … Read more

Approaches to Drug Abuse Counseling

The consequences of drug and alcohol abuse in the United States are enormously costly. Although the costs can be evaluated in dollars, they are more readily understood in human terms: family discord, neglect of children, personal misery, financial straits, medical problems, fetal alcohol syndrome, HIV infection, legal problems, incarceration, automobile accidents, lower work productivity, and … Read more

Depression and Addiction

Everyone has bad days. Whether it’s because of problems at home, at work or in our relationships, we all experience down periods in our lives. For most people, the down periods come and go in a reasonable, ordinary fashion and can be remedied by things that make us happy. But for those who suffer from … Read more

Liver Damage Caused by Drinking

Alcohol use disorders, including chronic drinking, binge drinking and alcohol dependence, negatively impact the drinker physically, emotionally and mentally. No part of a drinker’s life is unharmed by alcohol addiction, and even moderate drinking can add up to increased risk of a number of issues, including liver damage and cirrhosis. Watching your loved one harm their … Read more

Family Therapy and Substance Abuse

Family therapy can play an important role in an individual’s recovery from substance abuse. The addict is not the only person damaged when substance abuse is in play. Rather, every person the addict deals with intimately or on a regular basis can be affected by the addiction. As a result, family therapy is often needed to repair … Read more

The Referring Professional’s Guide

Often, primary care professionals and their clients have a profoundly adversarial relationship, when it comes to substance abuse and addiction. Two recent studies prove this point quite well. In the first, published in the journal Addiction, 47 percent of abusers of anabolic-androgenic steroids claimed that they trusted the information they received from their dealers as much as … Read more

Individual Counseling

Psychotherapy, or individual counseling, has become one of the cornerstones of drug treatment services. Most rehab programs feature two key treatment elements: detox and medication therapy (where applicable) and counseling (individual and group programs often based on the 12-Step model). Some centers also offer complementary services, such as acupuncture, massage and yoga. The important role psychotherapy … Read more

Stigma: The Most Dangerous Part of Addiction

When someone struggles with addiction, the most dangerous part is not the addiction itself but rather the stigma attached to it. When someone is labeled a “stoner” or a “junkie,” it should not be a surprise that the drug abuse often continues. Some people in society believe that those with a substance use disorder have … Read more

Understanding Anger

Anger is primal, and it’s one of the first emotions small children learn to express. It’s common to see small children throw tantrums when they don’t get what they want, and everyone has seen tiny kids break into physical expressions of anger when they feel particularly affronted. We never grow out of anger, but we … Read more

House Rules for Sober Living

Sober living homes are excellent resources for those who are interested in an intermediary step between intense residential drug rehab and returning home to attempt outpatient aftercare support treatment services. Sober living offers a number of benefits to patients in recovery but these benefits come with some structure as well. Every sober living home is different, so … Read more

Wounds that cannot be seen

The mental health and cognitive health care needs of veterans Since October 2001, some 1.64 million US troops have been deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq in support of operations. Many of them have been exposed to long-term combat-related stress or traumatic events. Ensuring the mental health of these soldiers and veterans is an important part … Read more

Night Terror Disorder

Dreams have been called the brain’s home movies. When the lights are low and sleep sets in, the brain seems to process the events of the day in sight, sound and taste. If the day was pleasant, those dreams might be wonderful. But if the day was filled with some kind of tension or distress, … Read more

Finding Treatment for Cocaine Abuse

COCAINE MAY BE THE MOST SENSATIONALIZED OF ALL CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES, LONG THE POISON OF HOLLYWOOD CELEBRITIES AND WALL STREET KINGPINS. Despite its glamor and high-profile endorsements, cocaine is a vicious drug that can destroy everything it touches. Thankfully, help is readily available that can help addicts to leave cocaine behind for good. What Is Cocaine? … Read more

Cognitive Testing

The way you perform daily tasks, how you retain and use information, and how your brain wholly functions can collectively be called “cognition.” Cognition is essentially your day-to-day functioning as well as how you can spatially, verbally, and logically relate and problem-solve. When one is affected by mental illness, one or more of these areas … Read more

How Trauma Affects the Human Body

Trauma can hit even the strongest among us with great force. Of course, physical traumas and injuries are usually visually measureable and can lead to trauma-related physical pain, but emotional trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can also have a profound effect on the human body. Emotional trauma can cause long-lasting brain changes that may lead to … Read more

Managed Care in the Military Health System

Hospitals and clinics staffed primarily by military personnel shall provide health care to serving soldiers and, where possible, their dependants, as well as to retirees and their dependants. When facilities are not available, health care for these civilians is provided by the Tricare program, formerly known as the Civilian Health and Medical Assistance Program (CHAMPUS). … Read more

Prison Time for Drug Users

Crime and drug use are almost inexorably linked. In fact, about 80 percent of people who are arrested and placed in prison abuse either drugs or alcohol.[1] Of those who are in prison, about half are clinically addicted to one substance or another.[2] Placing someone in prison for addiction can seem, on the one hand, like an … Read more

Transgender Troops in the Military – Fit for Duty

Army Captain Jennifer Peace felt like she could finally breathe. Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter announced on television from Peace’s office that she could serve in public, as she had. It’s over, she realized. It was finally over. No more rules about men’s uniforms or cropped hair; no more subordinates awkwardly greeting him as “sir” … Read more

Aftercare for Drug and Alcohol Rehab

Completing drug or alcohol rehab is a major accomplishment, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that there’s not more work to do. During the weeks, months and even years after completing rehab, individuals in recovery are still at risk for relapse. Having a co-occurring disorder — a mental health condition that occurs along with a substance use … Read more

Mental Health Stigma Remains Even As Acceptance of Illegal Drug Use Increases

A majority of Americans today (58 percent) believe that smoking marijuana should be legal (1). At the same time, while most Americans recognize that mental illness is a biological problem, most still say they don’t want somebody who is schizophrenic or depressed as a neighbor or a friend (2). How are these statistics related? They … Read more

Co-Dependents Anonymous

Codependence is a type of maladaptive relationship in which two people have an unhealthy reliance upon one another. These relationships can form in families, at work, between friends, or elsewhere. The codependent person takes the role of a rescuer or confidant for someone struggling with issues such as irresponsibility, immaturity, underachievement, mental health disorders, or … Read more

Bill Russell Edmonds “God Is Not Here” – A Book Review

It is a sad and heartbreaking account of one soldier’s mission in Iraq (2005-2006) and his subsequent struggle to regain his footing and find meaning in the experience. In May 2005, Lt. Col. Bill Russell Edmonds, then a Special Forces captain, volunteered to serve in a provisional organization, the Iraq Assistance Group, created by the … Read more

A Symptoms Checklist

Mood swings – we all experience them, right? One day you’re feeling on top of the world, the next day you’re irritable and yelling at drivers while in traffic. Some attribute the shift to bad days, hormones, or just feeling a little bit funky. For others, these mood swings are persistent and unpredictable, causing problems … Read more

Marijuana and Paranoia

Marijuana is not the easy breezy, laidback substance that so many make it out to be. For many users, it can induce feelings of paranoia and have a negative effect on mood. It’s a problem, but it’s not one that is stopping too many people from indulging in the substance. According to the United Nations Office … Read more

Chapter 6 — Anxiety Disorders

Chapter 6 — Anxiety Disorders Definitions and Diagnoses The anxiety disorders are the most common group of psychiatric disorders. The term anxiety refers to the sensations of nervousness, tension, apprehension, and fear that emanate from the anticipation of danger, which may be internal or external. Anxiety disorders describe different clusters of signs and symptoms of anxiety, panic, and phobias. A panic … Read more

Observing the Signs

A patient who is struggling with both a drug and/or alcohol problem and a psychiatric or emotional disorder is said to be living with a co-occurring disorder, or a Dual Diagnosis. These issues can have signs that intertwine and affect each other, causing the patient to experience serious problems with symptom management. How can you tell … Read more

Causes of PTSD

In any given year, about 5.2 million adults have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), according to the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs. Each person with PTSD is different. They are of different ages, different races, different backgrounds, and different belief systems. They all may have come to mental illness via different routes, too, but they all share … Read more

Ideas for More and Better Outcome of Behavioral Health Treatment for Army Personnel

View on treatment outcomes The Army strives to provide the highest quality behavioral health care possible to ensure the psychological readiness of every Soldier. To support this effort, the Army asked RAND researchers to identify factors associated with changes in outcomes for soldiers receiving Army behavioral health care. The Army is monitoring military behavioral health … Read more

Insomnia Disorder

Those who struggle with insomnia disorder have a hard time falling asleep at night, staying asleep for the duration of the night, or both. It is an issue for many in the United States and the disorder can cause a host of related problems that come with risks of their own. The National Institute on Neurological … Read more

Dual Diagnosis Treatment for Professionals

Money and power are often linked with health and prestige. It’s assumed that professionals who have achieved some level of success just have less to worry about, when compared with the average person, and they might not develop addictions or substance abuse problems as a result. It’s assumed that their high status in their communities will protect … Read more

Means Johnston, Jr. – Admiral, United States Navy

mjohnstonjr

From Contemporary press reports: Admiral Means Johnston Jr., who commanded all NATO forces in Southern Europe, was buried with full military honors Wednesday, July 19, 1989, at Arlington National Cemetery. Admiral Johnston, 73, a native of Greenwood, Mississippi, was eulogized at a memorial service by retired Admiral Thomas Moorer, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs … Read more

Vicoprofen Abuse and Treatment

Each Vicroprofen pill contains two active ingredients: hydrocodone and ibuprofen. When these two elements work together, they can bring about a great deal of pain relief. But the pills are designed to deliver that relief for a very short period of time. According to the Mayo Clinic, doctors shouldn’t provide Vicoprofen pills for longer than 10 … Read more

Addiction after Surviving Sexual Abuse

Rape affects people of all backgrounds, ages and genders. Rape is a traumatic experience and many rape survivors suffer long-term consequences. Sometimes, substance use can become a way to self-medicate painful feelings, or compulsive behaviors may serve as a way to gain a sense of control over life. If you have been raped and currently … Read more

Improving Interoperability between Medical Personnel in the U.S. Military

A case study of military surgical technicians How to harmonize medical training for all types of weapons? Currently, the Air Force, Army and Navy maintain their own schools and train their own medical professionals differently. The 2005 recommendation of the Armed Forces Base Realignment and Closure Commission recommended the creation of a joint medical education … Read more

Co-occurring Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders Among Tennessee Adolescents

The origins of the consumer/ family alcohol & drug and mental health advocacy movements Sheryl McCormick, Advocacy Coordinator The more things change, the more they stay the same. Under the banner, “The Law Must Recognize a Leading Fact: Medical Not Penal Treatment Reforms the Drunkard,” the Keeley League, a national patient mutual aid society that combined … Read more

Borderline Personality Disorder and Addiction

Borderline personality disorder, or BPD, is a debilitating condition that is often misrepresented in popular culture and misunderstood by the general public. BPD distorts the individual’s self-perception and interferes with their ability to maintain stable relationships. Those who suffer from BPD are seen as highly manipulative, dependent and dramatic, but mental health professionals understand that … Read more

Schizoaffective Disorder Treatment

Schizoaffective disorder is characterized by a combination of schizophrenia and mood disorders. A hard disease to categorize, it usually features one or more of the primary symptoms of schizophrenia (delusions, disorganized behavior, hallucinations, etc.) and manic episodes that may or may not include depression. Imagine the difficulty of schizoaffective disorder treatment when it is combined … Read more

Medicine for Schizophrenia Treatment

A serious mental health disorder characterized by a range of different intrusive symptoms, patients who are diagnosed with schizophrenia are usually prescribed medication to assist them in managing these symptoms. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), antipsychotic medications are the first line of pharmacological defense against symptoms of schizophrenia and similar disorders. The original … Read more

New Study: People with Depression Aren’t Seeking Treatment and Here’s Why That’s Dangerous

More people than ever are being treated for depression. Unfortunately, they may not be the people who actually need treatment. A new study published August 29, 2016, in JAMA Internal Medicine showed that of 46,417 adults, 8.4 percent of them screened positive for depression. Yet of those 3,899 people, only 28.7 percent received any treatment.1 That means … Read more

5 Signs Somebody Needs Help

It’s not always easy to tell when someone you care about is struggling with chronic drug abuse or drug addiction and needs drug rehab. Maybe you don’t see them often enough to know what else is going on in their lives that could be a potential cause for the changes you’re noticing. Maybe they’ve been going through … Read more

12-Step Support Groups

When talking about recovery from drugs and alcohol abuse, the phrase “12-Step support groups” is used a lot. Because you only ever hear them in the context of treatment and rehabilitation, there’s a lot of misconception and mystery over what these groups are, what happens in these groups, what their goals are, and how they help … Read more

The Support of Military Caregivers – View of the Health Providers

Views from the Health Providers In the United States, there are 5.5 million men and women who support a current or former member of the military with a disability or disabling condition. These individuals – we call them military caregivers – are often unpaid and often have other work and family responsibilities. They are our … Read more

What Is Acamprosate?

Why is alcohol such a hard drug to kick? Researchers think it’s due to the chemical changes each sip can cause deep inside the cells of the brain. In a study in Science Translational Medicine, researchers discovered that alcohol touches parts of the brain called the nucleus accumbens and orbitofrontal cortex, which are both involved in a … Read more

Fentanyl Side Effects

Fentanyl is an incredibly powerful medication that’s designed to help people cope with severe, overwhelming pain. Not surprisingly, then, it’s associated with some very serious side effects in people who abuse it for recreational purposes. Specifically, it’s been linked to overdoses. In one study, published in the American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology, researchers note … Read more

Dangers of Cold Turkey Detox

Getting into a drinking or drug problem can be insidiously easy: just one drink to celebrate a happy occasion, or a puff of a joint or a line of coke at a party, and a few months later you’ve lost everything. Getting out of a drinking or drug problem isn’t often easy, but that doesn’t … Read more

Interacting After Rehab

In 2011, about 10 percent of American adults admitted that they were in recovery from a drug or alcohol abuse problem, according to the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids. Each and every person who moved from substance abuse to sobriety likely dealt with transition concerns. They probably wondered what they should do or say or think in … Read more

Treatment Accreditations

Addiction is a powerful enemy, and the weapon to fight it – namely, treatment – is similarly potent. When wielded improperly, carelessly or unprofessionally, treatment can be as damaging and destructive as the addiction it is supposed to combat. That is why treatment accreditation exists: to promote healthy rehabilitative institutions and practices, and to protect … Read more

Treatment of Depression and PTSD by Collaborative Care Within the Military

Much has been written and discussed about the increase in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, alcohol abuse, sexual violence, suicide and other mental health problems among soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan after 13 years of armed conflict. These problems are considered among the most serious in military healthcare, for which scientific solutions are needed. All … Read more

Drug Testing Facts

A drug test is a simple process; however, the steps leading up to it can be extremely challenging for concerned individuals who want a suspected substance abuser to take a test. In order for a loved one to accurately evaluate her suspicion, she will need to know the signs of drug abuse. Although side effects of … Read more

Anxiety and Alcoholism

Anxiety can take many forms. For some, it’s a feeling of nervousness sparked by a person, a place or a thing. For others, it’s an undertow of worry caused by an unresolved event from the past. For still others, it’s a constant presence brought about by something they just can’t name. All of these people … Read more

Dangerous Drug Combinations

Blending one drug with another is a common technique medical professionals use in order to treat very serious medical and physical illnesses. By using different medications that work on different receptors, they hope to provide people with the kind of relief they might not get if they only used one medication at a time. For … Read more

How Long Is Withdrawal from Hydrocodone?

If you are physically dependent upon hydrocodone and would like to stop taking the drug, your doctor will recommend that you taper off your dose until you are no longer using the substance at all. This is a simple process that does not require any further support or treatment – as long as you are not psychologically … Read more

error: