You probably already know that the United States is in the midst of an opioid crisis. In 2017, the most recent year for which data is available, 58.7 opioid prescriptions were written for every 100 people. The knowledge of how addictive opioids are coupled with how easy they can be to get makes it a … Read More
During World War II, methamphetamine, or meth for short, was commonly used among soldiers to help keep them focused on the battlefield. In fact, meth was medically approved in the US, and often prescribed to treat depression until abuse rates began to rise and the drug was made illegal for most uses in 1971. Despite … Read More
In 2014, nearly 2 million people abused or were dependent on opioids, and it’s become a nationwide crisis. You’ve probably heard the words opiate and opioid being thrown around in light of this epidemic. While these terms sound and look similar, there is a subtle yet significant distinction between the two. Both terms refer to … Read More
If you’ve begun to suspect your loved one of using drugs, one of the most obvious tell-tale signs is whether they have any drug paraphernalia hiding anywhere. Some of these paraphernalia items, like tin foil, spoons, or straws may not jump out at you as items of concern right away, so it’s important to know … Read More
Nobody wants to believe someone they love could be using drugs. It’s easy to let panic set in and worst-case scenarios take over your mind. Thinking about everything that might go wrong can be scary, but it’s important to remain calm and not let your fears take over. Here’s what you should do if you … Read More
When it comes to drug or alcohol use, we hear a few common terms thrown around, like use, abuse, and addiction or dependency. For those unfamiliar with these terms, it may be hard to understand whether or not they’re interchangeable, or what the difference is between each. Maybe you or a loved one has been … Read More
If you’ve lost yourself to an addiction, the concept of sobriety can be a hard one to grasp. You may not remember what it feels like to live a life free from the influence of drugs or alcohol. The idea of achieving sobriety may even feel a bit intimidating, as if you’re venturing into unknown … Read More
If you’ve been looking into or have recently completed a treatment program for drug or alcohol addiction, you’ve likely come across sober living programs. Maybe you’ve wondered whether sober living is actually helpful. Sober living homes provide residents with a stepping stone from inpatient treatment to “normal” life. In the 18 months following completion of … Read More
You’ve done your research and you know the signs. You notice your loved one is isolating himself or herself much more than usual, and you suspect it’s because they’re abusing drugs. Isolating is a common indicator of drug abuse, so if your loved one is exhibiting other physical or behavioral symptoms, you may be right … Read More
By nature, humans are social creatures. Because of this, we crave connection with other humans. While it’s absolutely possible to achieve success individually, we’re often able to achieve better and faster results when we’re working with a group. If you think about it that way, it makes complete sense that so many addiction recovery programs, … Read More
You’ve identified the signs and confronted your loved one. Your worst fears have been confirmed: your loved one is addicted to alcohol or drugs. Now what? It may feel like the end of the world at first, but don’t give up hope. Watching your loved one struggle with an addiction can be incredibly hard, but … Read More
So you’ve recently beat an addiction and are excited to declare yourself recovered. Congratulations! That’s no small feat. Since you know how it feels to struggle with an addiction and possibly doubt yourself through recovery, you probably want to help others who are recovering from an addiction themselves. Your story and advice could be a … Read More
In the USA, drug use and abuse is on the rise across all demographics. In 2014, it was reported that heroin users had tripled since 2003, and the number of drug overdose deaths involving opioids had quadrupled since 1999. Alcohol abuse rates are also climbing. Between 2002 and 2013, high-risk drinking (more than three drinks … Read More
Is LSD an addictive drug? It’s been used for many years recreationally, and has even played a role in therapeutic treatment, but is that use dangerous? In this blog, we’ll explore what you need to know about LSD and whether it has addictive potential. LSD, also known by its street name, acid, is a hallucinogen … Read More
Watching someone you love lose themselves to an addiction is never easy. You might find yourself beginning to act out of fear or desperation, trying to manipulate or control your loved one, or trying to force them into treatment. Unfortunately, these fear-based behaviors don’t help anyone, and will likely only make the situation worse. You … Read More
Anyone who has struggled with addiction knows it can be hard to imagine what a future free from substance dependency looks like. It’s easy to let yourself be consumed by negative thoughts: “getting sober is too hard”, “only certain types of people have it in them to overcome addiction”, etc. Remember, almost everyone who has … Read More
Even if you’ve never battled an addiction yourself, you’ve likely heard the word “sponsor” in connection with addiction recovery. A sponsor is a mentor or a guide who has gone through the journey to recovery themselves and is able to mentor or guide another person, known as a sponsee, who is working toward recovery themselves. … Read More
There’s no doubt that recovering from addiction is rarely easy. It’s also difficult to answer the question of why addiction is so hard to overcome. Addiction has many layers, and each addiction is as complex and unique as each person suffering. To best guess why addiction is so difficult to beat, let’s take a look … Read More
Many different programs and roads to recovery from alcohol and drug addictions are available to help people heal. Arguably the most popular method, known about even by people who have never had a brush with addiction, is the 12-step program. The 12 steps were first established by Alcoholics Anonymous way back in 1939. How have … Read More
You’ve noticed something about your loved one has been a bit off lately. Maybe it took you a while to realize it. Maybe you didn’t want to realize it, but there’s little doubt in your mind at this point. You think your loved one is abusing drugs. It’s a devastating thought, but how can you … Read More
Experiencing a relapse after completing treatment for addiction can be disheartening at best. It’s easy to allow negative, self-destructive thoughts into your head, and feel discouraged from trying again. It’s important to remember that a relapse is not a failure. Relapsing can be part of the recovery process for many people, and that it’s still … Read More
A quick internet search for relapse statistics brings up numbers that look a bit discouraging. Relapses are absolutely a setback in recovery from addiction, but they aren’t a failure, and it’s possible to bounce back from a relapse to achieve lifelong recovery. Your best shot at preventing yourself or your loved one from relapsing is … Read More
Watching a loved one suffer from an addiction can be incredibly painful. You want your loved one to be healthy, happy, and to know that they’re loved. Addiction can create a toxic environment in your relationship, making it difficult to communicate these feelings effectively, and causing unbearable emotional or even physical harm. Knowing how to … Read More
A staggering 21 million Americans have some sort of substance addiction, according to Addiction Center, yet only around 10% of those people receive treatment. If you’re one of those 21 million and you’re here because you’re considering your treatment options, you’re on the right track. Treatment can make the difference between life and death. By … Read More
There are probably a lot of people reading this article and are considering checking into treatment for drug or alcohol use, and they are all wondering the same thing. “How long should I be in there?” Unfortunately the answer is probably not as straightforward as you would probably like. There are lots of factors involved … Read More
“Spice”, also called “K2”, is a semisynthetic mixture of ground plant matter and chemicals often smoked by people looking to become intoxicated. It can also be referred to as legal weed because some of the chemicals found within it are similar to those found in marijuana, however the effects of using spice are often very … Read More
Heroin Heroin is a common street drug made from morphine, which is extracted from the opium found in opium poppies. Heroin is known for its properties as a powerful sedative and painkiller, which together combine to create an intense feeling of intoxication and euphoria. Users generally inject heroin directly into the bloodstream, although it is … Read More
MDMA, commonly called “Ecstacy”, or “Molly”, is an illegal drug that falls into the classification of stimulant hallucinogens. Popularized in the 90’s by its use at all night dance parties, or “raves”, MDMA is most commonly used as a club drug, though its use has expanded in recent history. MDMA is characterized by its effects … Read More
It’s every parent’s nightmare. No one wants to believe that their little baby might be involved in anything so unsavory and dangerous as drug use. It could be anything; weed, pills, coke, meth, heroin, maybe even something you can’t identify. I doesn’t necessarily matter what you found. The problem is the same: your son is … Read More
It can be easy, when married to someone, to overlook some of the tell-tale signs of alcoholism, especially when you always want to believe the best about your significant other. The idea that they may be alcoholic is a frightening one, and no one wants to have to come to terms with that reality, no … Read More
There may be many different ways that you can find out that your son is using drugs. Money and prescription medicine going missing, changes is your sons mood and behavior, and sickness are signs that your son may be using. Or maybe you just find drugs or paraphernalia outright, confirming suspicions that you may have … Read More
Everyone is different. One brain is different from the next, and no two minds are the same. For that reason, when dealing with problems like addiction, it can often be a difficult challenge; like throwing darts at a dart board with all the lights turned off. If you talk to any psychiatrist, they will tell … Read More
Dabbing refers to smoking butane hash oil, which is a form of cannabis that has extremely high concentrations of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, which is the active ingredient in marijuana. Compared to the relatively small amount of THC in regular marijuana, which can range from 3% to 25%, hash oil, or dabs, can have as much … Read More
As we enter into the later part of 2019, some people, especially in the younger generation, have never even heard of carisoprodol, or “Soma”. It is a drug that was popular in the 80’s and 90’s for its sedative effects, but it has all but been replaced in terms of medical use and illegal abuse … Read More
Crack is the most common name for crack cocaine, which is a highly potent illegal stimulant. Derived from powder cocaine, crack is made by mixing cocaine with ammonia or baking soda and heating the mixture until rocks form. Because of the high purity of crack in comparison to regular cocaine, it is extremely powerful, and … Read More
Klonopin is the brand name of the prescription drug clonazepam, which is prescribed by health care providers to treat seizures, panic disorder, and certain types of anxiety disorders. Klonopin is of the drug category benzodiazepines, which include the drugs alprazolam (Xanax), diazepam (Valium), and lorazepam (Ativan). Benzodiazepines create a feeling of calm by affecting neurotransmitters … Read More
Many people in America suffer from a common condition known as ADHD, or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Symptoms of this disorder include finding it difficult to pay attention, disorganization, moving around constantly, and impulsivity. ADHD is relatively common in the United States, and “the American Psychiatric Association states in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders … Read More
GHB is a psychoactive sedating substance that is commonly referred to as a “club drug” or “date rape” drug. Though used occasionally in its prescription form, Xyrem, to treat narcolepsy, GHB is most often used illegally, and is sought after for its euphoric and intoxicating effects, as well as the effects of sedation and amnesia. … Read More
Tramadol is an opioid analgesic that is used for the management of moderate to severe pain in a medical setting, and is generally considered safer than other opioids such as Vicodin and Oxycontin. It can also be abused as a drug that creates a sense of euphoria at high doses, going by the street name … Read More
Crystal meth is the common name for the illegal psychoactive drug methamphetamine, a strong and highly addictive chemical that affects the central nervous system. Appearing in the form of white crystals or crystalline powder, meth is a potent, and highly addictive stimulant, and is also referred to as, “crystal”, “tina”, “ice”, or “glass”. A popular … Read More