Teenage drug use and abuse is a problem that affects anywhere from 4-34% of the high school-aged teen population. Teen drug use has dropped by nearly 45% since 2010. However, teens are still prone to drinking, smoking marijuana, using prescription pills for recreational purposes, and even using illicit drugs such as heroin, and methamphetamine. With…
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…
Heroin is one of the most popular street drugs in the United States, used every day by thousands of Americans. Despite being illegal, more than 690,000 people use it every year. Sadly, the average rate of abuse is going up, with data showing increases of over 50% between 2002 and 2012. Unfortunately, heroin hurts users,…
Alcohol is the most commonly consumed substance in the world and while harmful, it is not only socially acceptable, but expected. Studies show that 56% of the U.S. adult population drinks regularly with some 86.4% drinking at least occasionally. Alcoholic beverages like beer, win, spirits, and liquors are so commonly accepted that you are unlikely…
I felt like an abject failure. After 30 days in rehab, I relapsed in just six days. I lost my job, and my parents told me I couldn’t see my children until I got my life together. What was wrong with me? I had every opportunity to change, and it didn’t work. I couldn’t even…
When struggling with addiction, I thought the hardest thing I would ever do was to take those first steps to recovery. I had an anxiety attack on my way to rehab. I just kept telling myself that it had to get better from there, that having hit my lowest point in my life, I had…
A bad habit is a hard thing to break. Habits are deep, complex relationships and associations in the brain. If habits were simple relationships they would be easier to become aware of, stop, and change. In many ways, drug and alcohol addiction is a habit. A part learning process, part compulsion, part memory, the routines…
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,…
With the prevalence of marijuana use displayed in pop culture and on social media, it’s easy to believe that using it carries no side effects. It’s true that marijuana typically doesn’t carry the same risks as harder drugs like heroin or crack cocaine. However, that doesn’t mean the answer is “no” when asking, “Is weed…
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) has become essential to millions of Americans battling an addiction to alcohol. It provides support and a sense of community to those looking to continue their path of recovery and sobriety. However, not everyone finds themselves comfortable with the more spiritual approach taken by AA. For them, there are some quality AA alternatives…