Substance Abuse

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide, affecting 350 million people of all ages around the globe.The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) estimates that by the time they turn 18, 3.3 percent of adolescents will have a depressive disorder, and girls are more at risk than boys. Depression is characterized by … Read more

Families facing an addiction often become freelance detectives, inspecting the clues left behind by the substance abuse and trying to develop a narrative that encapsulates the problem. Often, families spend a significant amount of time wrestling with the concept of origin. Specifically, families often want to know if the problems they’re facing have their roots … Read more

Psychotherapeutic medication can be one of the most effective ways to treat the symptoms of a mental health disorder. Some of the drugs used to relieve anxiety, panic attacks, behavioral disorders and other conditions can cause physical or psychological dependence. But if you take the medication as part of a professional treatment program, the chances of becoming … Read more

“When it’s good, it’s good. But when it’s bad…” If you’ve been living with an alcoholic for any length of time, you’re well acquainted with extreme moods swings. You love this person wholeheartedly, but you can’t stand their often-erratic behavior. You’ve tried everything to help them quit drinking, from dumping their stash to threatening to … Read more

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

A pounding heart, shortness of breath, tremors, dizziness, cold sweats, a choking sensation – these are the common symptoms of claustrophobia. The fear of small spaces may not have a rational basis, but for those who suffer from this condition, the physical and psychological responses to being trapped in a restrictive space are all too … Read more

When fighting against a loved one’s abuse of drugs and alcohol, it’s important to take advantage of all resources at your disposal to swiftly guide your family member into a treatment program that will help them heal. Unfortunately, denial that there is a problem at all may be an obstacle to drug rehab, but drug testing … Read more

Oxycodone is an opioid that is typically prescribed for the treatment of pain. Taking oxycodone according to a doctor’s instructions should only lead to minimal side effects, but even this comes with risks. Recreational or non-prescription use of oxycodone can lead to a number of serious physical and mental health issues including moderate to severe … Read more

Those individuals with a dual diagnosis can slip into any number of addictive behaviors; drugs, gambling, sex, etc. But few addictions are more prevalent in the dual diagnosis world than alcohol. For those suffering from mental issues such as bipolar disorder, depression or anxiety, alcohol can be used like a crutch to deal with the … Read more

Something that’s powerful is typically thought to be something that’s also good. People think high-octane gas is a little better than standard gas. A baseball pitcher who can throw a ball at 90 mph is often held in higher esteem than someone who can only throw a 70 mph ball. And people who make $70k … Read more

Washington D.C. is home to both the nation’s capitol and the nation’s largest drug problem, but why? As the country’s drug epidemic continues to grow, a new analysis by personal finance site WalletHub determined the states with a higher prevalence than others. Vermont, Colorado, Delaware, Rhode Island and Oregon followed the District of Columbia on … Read more

Heroin is a street drug derived from the poppy plant. Highly addictive, this substance may be white or tan powder, or it may be a sticky, black tar-like substance. Some people snort the powder while others smoke the drug in a pipe; others dissolve heroin in water and inject the solution. All forms and all … Read more

People in chronic, unrelenting pain have lives that are hard for outsiders to even comprehend. Every little move they make may cause them burning, searing, grinding pain, and that discomfort stays with them at night, so they can’t get the rest they need in order to heal. They may not have the energy to make … Read more

As technology advances, making things like our phone “smarter,” the inevitable question is whether human brain function can also be improved through technology. Non-prescription nootropics are consumer-level supplements that promise to do just that – make us smarter. These supplements are sold in brick-and-mortar stores and online. According to vendors selling nootropics online, consumers use … Read more

When you abuse a drug, it doesn’t matter what you call it. You are putting yourself at risk, but you are also in a great position to reach out for help and find health and recovery. If you misuse Xanax, you are misusing a powerful drug normally prescribed to treat anxiety, panic and stress disorders. You … Read more

Phobias are a group of anxiety disorders characterized by an overwhelming fear of an event, action or thing that is often irrational in nature. In many cases, the fear is either of something that is highly unlikely to occur or of something that is largely innocuous. There is a wide range of specific phobias that … Read more

Drug and alcohol treatment has traditionally primarily followed the 12-Step model of complete abstinence in order to maintain a successful recovery from a substance abuse disorder. Relapse rates can be high at around 40-60 percent, mirroring those of other chronic diseases, such as diabetes, asthma, and hypertension, as reported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). … Read more

Codependence is a social and emotional concern characterized by a need to take care of others. People who are codependent feel obligated to fix other people’s problems, and they rely upon playing that role. Codependency often creates unhealthy relationships that hurt patients’ feelings: as a caretaker, the codependent person sacrifices for someone else, only to have … Read more

America’s drug policy incorporates federal laws that regulate the trade, distribution and use of illicit substances. Drug policy covers everything from the classification of drugs and which are illegal to legal punishment for drug activity and treatment and rehabilitative services. Federal drug policy is also involved in the development of campaigns for awareness, and the inhibition … Read more

People attempting to achieve sobriety might do all sorts of unusual things to beat back their addictions. They might swear that cinnamon toothpaste helps to block a craving for alcohol, for example, or they might insist that doing handstands at least once per day can redirect blood flow in such a way that a need for … Read more

Going away to college is often the first time young adults are away from home for any stretch of time. Students are keen to fit in, prove themselves, and often overjoyed with their newfound freedom. These freedoms are often taken too far, however, as college campuses tend toward a higher frequency of partying and illegal … Read more

Also known as Special K and Vitamin K, Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic drug. Primarily used in veterinary medicine today, ketamine was used for surgical procedures and to treat pain in humans in recent decades. While is does provide pain relief, it doesn’t work in the same way that most analgesics do — by shutting … Read more

Percocet is typically prescribed for conditions that can cause a moderate amount of pain. Broken teeth, torn muscles and bone bruises might all heal with the help of the painkillers and opioids inside each dose of Percocet. But oxycodone, the opioid inside Percocet, can also spark an addiction, and that process can happen quickly. In a … Read more

What’s the difference between drug abuse and drug dependence, and are they connected? It’s a common question, and it may not always be easy to tell when someone you care about crosses the line from abuse of a substance into a full-blown addiction. The difference is in the number of diagnostic criteria as per the Diagnostic … Read more

Cocaine is a highly addictive stimulant drug that is derived from the coca plant that grows naturally in regions such as South America. Cocaine gives users a burst of energy and floods the pleasure centers in the brain, creating a temporary euphoric or happy feeling. The drug is usually snorted, injected or smoked. It acts … Read more

A recent study published in Annals of Internal Medicine offers a shocking glimpse at just how broken our health care system is when it comes to delivering help to people battling addiction. The research showed that among 3,000 people who suffered nonfatal overdoses while being prescribed opioids for pain over a 12-year period, 91 percent of them … Read more

Prescription drug abuse is a massive health care concern in America: 16,235 people died as a result of overdoses of prescription opioids in 2013, according to the Centers for Disease Control (and quoted by Forbes magazine). There are many reasons why patients misuse prescription drugs, but a desperate relief from pain ranks very highly on the list, … Read more

When someone is struggling with both alcoholism and an anxiety disorder of any kind, it is termed a “Dual Diagnosis.” Their experience in addiction, as well as their experience in treatment, will be different as compared to someone who suffers from alcoholism alone. Alcohol significantly impacts a patient’s experience with anxiety disorder symptoms, and anxiety disorder symptoms often drive alcoholic … Read more

Drug abuse affects every organ in your body — including your body’s largest organ, the skin. Skin picking and hair pulling are two common reactions to the physical and psychological effects of illicit drug use. Heroin and meth use can cause direct damage to the skin in the form of needle marks and abscesses. Many users … Read more

What do you do if you or someone you love undergoes a big personality change? Learn the warning signs of a deeper problem associated with sudden personality changes in adults. If a loved one has been acting strangely or suddenly concerning you with unusual behavior, it may be time to seek help. What Is a … Read more

Synthetic, or man-made, designer drug abuse has exploded since first appearing on the scene in the United States around 2009. Products are marked as “herbal incense,” “potpourri,” “bath salts,” “jewelry cleaner,” or “plant food,” and they are sold in head shops, gas stations and on the Internet. CNN estimates that over 200 of these drug compounds have … Read more

We live in a stressful world that expects more and more of us seemingly every day. More than 49.2 million Americans turn to Xanax – or its generic form alprazolam – as the answer, IMS Health statistics reported in 2012. Xanax, or alprazolam, is the most prescribed psychiatric drug in the United States, per Fox News, and the … Read more

Heroin is a powerfully addictive depressant, causing an intense, rapid high in its users, but also exacting a terrible toll on their physical and mental well-being. Despite it being one of the deadliest drugs available, and despite the wealth of information provided by health care and law enforcement professionals, it still remains a tragically common … Read more

Economic status refers to the bracket or class a person or household falls into based on their income production level. In 2012, around 122,459,000 households had income during the year, and 4.5 percent of them brought in more than $200,000.[1] Those who made between $39,736 and $104,087 that year were considered to be of middle class … Read more

Managing a diabetes problem means paying close attention to each and every molecule of food and drink that enters the body. Strict control like this can keep blood sugar levels in check, and sometimes a proper diet can reduce a person’s need for diabetes medications. Unfortunately, some people add drugs or alcohol into their dietary … Read more

No one starts using drugs with the intention of developing serious long-term problems. But the fact is, prolonged drug abuse has a harmful effect on every aspect of your health: physical, mental and emotional. Addiction undermines intimate relationships, breaks up families, destroys careers and ravages financial resources. If you’re chemically dependent on drugs, getting clean … Read more

Chances are if you are one of the 136.9 million current American drinkers of alcohol, one-quarter of whom binge drank in the last month, as reported by the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) of 2013, you have likely experienced a hangover at some point. Alcohol, particularly binge drinking, cost the United States approximately $224 … Read more

Heroin, an opioid drug derived from the opium poppy plant, is a highly addictive illicit drug. Classified as a Schedule I drug by the DEA, heroin is considered to have a high potential for abuse and no governmentally accepted medicinal properties. The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that 23 percent of people who use heroin develop … Read more

Some of the top substances of abuse among young people are inhalants – a group of chemicals that are often easily found around the house and abused by “huffing” the fumes they create. Though markers, hygiene products, cleaners, and other common household products may seem innocuous enough, when used for the purposes of getting high, they can … Read more

Trying to sort through all the different medications available to treat depression can be overwhelming. Here, we’ve got a cheat sheet that covers some of the most widely used medications, how they work, their side effects and some patient anecdotes. Remember, side effects may go away within a few weeks of starting treatment, and it … Read more

The placenta that connects a mother with her gestating baby is remarkably permeable, meaning that almost everything a woman puts into her body moves directly into the body of the fetus. As a result, most doctors warn their patients to limit their exposure to any kind of dangerous substance, including alcohol. Even so, the U.S. Centers … Read more

When individuals consume more of a drug (whether the drug is lawfully prescribed to them or illicit) than their metabolism can effectively detoxify, the toxicity in their system can lead to an overdose. An overdose may be accidental or intentional, and anyone who uses drugs – lawfully or unlawfully – can be at risk. Although many … Read more

If you have ever suffered from severe pain, ADHD, or anxiety, you can appreciate the necessity of prescription medications. Unfortunately, these drugs have a high incidence of abuse. Many are psychoactive, or mind-altering, and can lead to dependence or addiction. People are often under the false impression that since these drugs came from a doctor … Read more

Cocaine may be a recreational drug for many, but it is a highly potent substance that can trigger addiction, medical emergencies and a number of long-term health problems – some of which are fatal. The physical harm caused by chronic cocaine abuse can continue long after the cessation of use; almost no system in the … Read more

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that is usually caused by the experience of a traumatic or life-threatening event. For some, symptoms of PTSD can occur after being exposed to the results of a trauma or seeing a traumatic event threaten or harm someone (e.g., terrorist attack, physical or sexual assault, car accident, natural … Read more

A regular weightlifting routine can be remarkably healthy. Pumping iron can help to obliterate excess body fat, and using muscles to resist the force of gravity can help the bones to thicken and become resistant to breakage. Weightlifting can even help to produce a bit of a high, as muscles that are in use tend … Read more

The most dangerous side effect associated with drug abuse is addiction. This is a chronic, degenerative disease that can take away a person’s financial health, emotional security, mental health, and positive sense of self. In short, it’s a devastating disease. But people who abuse drugs can also develop an entirely different set of physical disorders. Common … Read more

You may not think of grandma or grandpa, or mom or dad, as being at risk for drug addiction or alcohol abuse. But it’s important to remember that members of today’s burgeoning senior population weren’t children of the subdued Depression Era, like their parents. Rather, many seniors now belong to the “live and let live” … Read more

Benzodiazepines, or sedatives, are usually prescribed to treat anxiety disorders and sleep disorders. Though they are classified as Schedule IV drugs and therefore less likely to cause addiction in the user when taken as prescribed as compared to Schedule III or Schedule II substances, they are still addictive and those who abuse these drugs very … Read more

In our health-conscious society, it’s easy to be preoccupied with physical and mental wellness. Pharmaceutical companies advertise on TV and on the Internet, new health magazines and blogs are published daily, and the media often focuses on the latest medical studies. But when a concern for your health takes over your life, you may become dangerously … Read more

Alcohol addiction is a medical disorder, one that destroys both the lives of the person living with the issue and the lives of those who love them. Mental health, physical health and emotional health all deteriorate when chronic alcohol abuse is an issue. Because the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) classifies alcohol … Read more

Nearly half the United States population uses a prescription medication each month. Over 11 percent use 5 or more prescription drugs.1 When is enough enough, and when is it too much? To answer these questions, it’s important to learn more about overmedication, prescription drug addiction, and your health. What Is Overmedication? When you’re overmedicated, you’re … Read more

Tramadol, also known as Ultram or Ultracet, is a highly potent prescription painkiller prescribed to patients who struggle with ongoing pain. Unfortunately, even if the medication is taken exactly as prescribed, the patient can develop a physical dependence upon the drug. This is not the same thing as addiction, but it can cause withdrawal symptoms if the … Read more

In a commentary published July 21 in the journal Addiction, a leading addiction researcher in New Zealand drives home a simple message: Make no mistake, there is plenty of solid research that shows alcohol causes several types of cancer, including cancers of the oropharynx, larynx, esophagus, liver, colon, rectum and breast.1 In the commentary, she says … Read more

OxyContin is a long-acting pain reliever prescribed to patients who deal with chronic and severe pain. When taken as prescribed, it can help to mitigate the experience of pain in patients who would otherwise be immobilized. When abused, however, it can lead to a range of health problems, including addiction, overdose and death. OxyContin is an opiate, … Read more

No one starts using painkillers with the intention of becoming addicted. Yet many people find themselves struggling with abuse and addiction. The American Society of Addiction Medicine explains, “Of the 20.5 million Americans 12 or older that had a substance use disorder in 2015, 2 million had a substance use disorder involving prescription pain relievers.”1 … Read more

Measuring the impact of a drug-use habit can seem like a relatively easy task. To do it, medical researchers would just need to determine how long drugs stay active within the human body, and they’d then calculate how often a specific person uses drugs. By matching the active time with the number of hits taken, … Read more

Substance abuse is perpetuated in many ways. Drugs are ingested, snorted, smoked, or injected. Injected drugs are liquids put into the body with a needle and syringe. The drugs are either injected into a vein (intravenous or IV), the muscle (intramuscular) or just under the skin (subcutaneous). The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that as many as … Read more

Lortab is a Schedule II prescription opioid analgesic used to treat patients suffering from moderate to severe surgical or chronic pain. A combination of acetaminophen and hydrocodone, the drug is highly addictive and doesn’t take long to inflict dependency. Most people would naturally assume that the opioid in this drug cocktail carries all the risk; … Read more

Addiction is a chronic condition, and not surprisingly, people who are in recovery relapse to their dysfunctional behaviors at a rate similar to that seen in other people who have chronic conditions. For example, the National Institute on Drug Abuse suggests that 30 to 50 percent of people who have type 1 diabetes relapse to poor eating … Read more

Heroin overdose is becoming a larger and larger problem in the United States every year. Since the year 2000, the rate of heroin overdose has quadrupled. Specifically, 0.7 of 100,000 deaths were caused by heroin overdose in 2000, but in 2013, 2.7 of every 100,000 deaths were caused by overdose on the drug. No longer a … Read more

Succeeding in the modern world often means putting the needs of others ahead of the needs of the self. Those who are considered good might hold open doors for the elderly, listen to others without interrupting, give generously to charitable organizations, and otherwise behave as if serving others is the primary measure of a life … Read more

Meeting new people or stepping into new situations can be stressful. Our apprehension at saying or doing the wrong thing can be overwhelming, and often we’re quick to reach for the quickest solution to ease our tension. Often called a “social lubricant,” many people use alcohol to take the edge off anxious situations and make … Read more

Buprenorphine is an opioid narcotic that acts as an analgesic, or painkiller. The drug binds to opiate receptors in the brain, and often decreases physical feelings of pain while producing feelings of euphoria and relaxation. Buprenorphine is also used in addiction treatment programs for more powerful opiates such as heroin, oxycodone, Percocet, Demerol, Fentanyl, or … Read more

Appendix B — Treatment of Patients With Dual Disorders: Sample Cost Data To provide readers with illustrative data on the costs of running programs for patients with dual disorders, the consensus panel Chair obtained data on actual costs during fiscal year 1991-1992 from three programs in urban areas. One program, on the West Coast, provided … Read more

Alcohol is one of the most commonly abused substances in America today. It is legal for adults over age 21, easy to obtain and fairly inexpensive. Alcohol consumption is socially accepted and even promoted widely by the media. In 2012, as many as 87.6 percent of American adults over age 18 were reported in a SAHMSA study … Read more

Heroin withdrawal symptoms caused by the detoxification that occurs when a heroin addict is without opiates to maintain their addiction can be intense. Whether or not there is a psychological dependence upon the drug, the physical dependence is very difficult to break. Depending upon the addictive dose of heroin, other drugs of abuse regularly used, … Read more

Etizolam is a benzodiazepine analogue similar to diazepam or Valium. It works like other benzodiazepines, although it has a slightly different chemical makeup. Where benzos have a benzene ring, etizolam has a thiophene ring. Etizolam depresses the central nervous system and animal testing seems to point toward its effectiveness as a muscle relaxer, anti-convulsion medication, … Read more

Drug addiction affects your body, causing serious and long-lasting health problems. The condition of your skin and the health of your complexion may be an indicator of more serious problems. Your Skin Affects Your Self Confidence When your health is poor, it shows. Drug use may not make much difference in your appearance in the early … Read more

Alcohol may be the most popular drug in the world, but the misery and anguish of an alcohol problem can be as devastating as that of hard narcotics. The signs of alcoholism are sometimes easily missed or not taken seriously because of the popularity of alcohol and drinking culture. Nonetheless, spotting the signs of alcohol … Read more

Illicit drug use is a common issue in this country. The CDC estimated that in 2012, 9.2 percent of people over age 12 abused drugs in the previous month. There is also a massive treatment gap with only 2.3 million of the 21.6 million people over age 12 in 2011 needing treatment for substance abuse actually receiving … Read more

Drug abuse has been called the single biggest public health issue in America. However, to solve the problem of addiction requires a closer look at the communities where substance abuse reigns supreme. Whether due to a thriving prescription painkiller black market or abject poverty, getting to the heart of the problem in cities and towns across America … Read more

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

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 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

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

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

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

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

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

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 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 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

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

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

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

It’s one of the most commonly debated topics in the political arena as more and more states put legislation on the ballot that would legalize marijuana for medicinal and/or recreational use. One of the greatest myths perpetrated by proponents of legal use of the drug is that its use is not only safe but that … Read more

Not all drugs are created equal. Some nudge open the door to addiction, and others break that door down. Some have innocuous origins, and others were crafted for no other reason than to poison and corrupt. Similarly, the attitudes and stereotypes towards different types of drugs are not all equal. Some drugs are welcomed and celebrated; … Read more

More than 16 million American adults over the age of 17 were classified with an alcohol use disorder in 2013, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) reports. When you think of an alcoholic, or someone who regularly engages in unhealthy and heavy drinking episodes, you might picture someone with broken relationships, financial trouble, difficulties … Read more

The way you see the world is caused, in part, by the way your eyes react to the light. The solid objects around you also play a role. But the cells of your brain do a great deal of work. They take in the information from your senses, interpret that data, and tell your consciousness what … Read more

Anabolic steroids and other performance enhancing drugs are becoming increasingly common in the world of athletics. Their use has become so commonplace that some athletes may fear that they won’t be competitive without using them. However, use of steroids poses serious health risks, including the risk of contracting a chronic and potentially fatal case of hepatitis. … Read more