The World Health Organization defines substance abuse as “the harmful or hazardous use of psychoactive substances, including alcohol and illicit drugs.” According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, substance abuse can be defined as “long-term, pathological use of alcohol or drugs, characterized by daily intoxication, inability to reduce consumption, and impairment in social or occupational functioning; broadly,…
Many people in the United States have been directly affected by the ongoing opioid crisis. Many of these drugs come from prescriptions given to treat a variety of physical and mental issues. Prescription drug addiction claim the lives of countless people every year. But what is prescription drug addiction? There is prescription drug addiction and…
“Does my loved one need detox?” For those ready to get addiction treatment, recovery happens in stages. The first stage of treatment for many people is detox. Detox allows patients to cleanse their bodies of toxic substances. Addiction treatment is most effective when your system is clean and you can focus on getting better. Knowing…
As parents, none of us ever imagines that we might one day be the parent of an addict. Yet, millions of mothers every year are faced with the undeniable fact that their child suffers from a substance use disorder. Unfortunately, over 24 million people in the United States are addicted to an illicit substance at…
Finding a rehab program means choosing a therapy method that works for you and deciding whether you want to attend an inpatient or outpatient program. While there are pros and cons to each option, most people should choose inpatient or outpatient rehab based on personal factors, the extent of their substance abuse problems, and the…
Substance abuse takes over a person’s life and damages their mind, body and relationships they once considered important. Many people spend everything they have supporting their habit. When the money runs out, they turn to other means, often illegal, of getting their substance of choice. Those actions put them and sometimes those they care about in…
The idea of people using drugs to self-medicate symptoms of mental illness is not new. They may turn to drugs for euphoric feelings that offset feelings of depression or use alcohol to make themselves feel less anxious in social situations. However, drugs do more than worsen the side effects of mental illness. The changes caused…
What comes to mind when you hear the word “drugs?” How much do you know about drugs beyond the headlines? Have you used substances but dismissed the idea of having a problem with drugs? What would your reaction be if you found out someone you cared about had an issue with drugs? People’s knowledge about…
There are no exact factors that determines who becomes addicted to alcohol or to other drugs, or whether a person progresses through the stages of addiction. Some people likely believe that they have a basic understanding of addiction to alcohol and other drugs, but that they do not have an understanding of the stages of addiction. Did…
Heroin is a highly addictive opioid drug that is so potent that it often results in emergency department visits for overdoses. The drug results in thousands of deaths in the U.S. every year. Heroin addiction leads to both short-term and long-term effects of using the drug. Heroin addicts that try to quit on their own…