seagull at Laguna Beach

Is Professional Help Necessary for Recovery?

The short answer is a resounding yes. Research indicates that the detoxification process can be one of the most difficult and testing periods of an individual’s life. In this process, an individual effectively forces themselves to enter into a stage of intense withdrawal and allow their bodies to purge themselves of a substance that has…

Four Common Myths about Addiction

Many people, especially men and women entering treatment, do not have an in-depth understanding of the disease of addiction. Instead, their knowledge about addiction comes from common misunderstandings and myths about the disease. Here are four common myths that may change your mind about addiction: You Can’t be Addicted if You Take Medication as Prescribed…

A New and Deadly Designer Drug

Phenethylamines are a large class of drugs that act as central nervous stimulants in humans. Bromo-DragonFLY is a potent hallucinogenic drug related to the phenethylamine family. The drug is highly toxic and has been responsible for at least five deaths. The new drug is highly dangerous and can easily cause overdose symptoms that include seizures…

IV Drug Use and Endocarditis

Intravenous (IV) drug use carries a great amount of risk of overdose and severe health consequences. One major health problem linked with IV drug use is bacterial infection. Bacteria can enter into the body via a dirty needle and cause severe infections that require immediate medical attention. In some cases, bacteria can spread through the…

From Prescription Opioids to Heroin

Many people who use heroin began their addiction with prescription opioids. Often, an individual begins taking a prescription painkiller as prescribed, begins abusing their prescription, and eventually turns to illicit opioids because they are cheaper or they are no longer able to get their prescription. Addiction is a slippery slope and the progressions from prescription…