The National Institute on Drug Abuse shows that 23.5 million Americans or nearly 1 in 10, are addicted to drugs or alcohol. Despite that, only about 11% of those addicted ever seek treatment. As a result, millions of people continue to remain dependent on drugs for years or even their entire lives, causing damage to…
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If you or a loved one is in search of a rehabilitation program or clinic, 12 step is almost certain to come up. The National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services shows that 12-step models are used by 74% of treatment centers in the USA, either as a primary treatment method or an optional one.…
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Smoking is everywhere. From old men and women in their 80s and 90s to teens who are too young to legally smoke, ‘everyone’ smokes. While the number of active smokers in the U.S. has declined from over 24.7% of the population in 1997 to just 15.1% as of 2015, smoking is often depicted as cool,…
DetailsVery few of us would correlate drug addiction with food addiction but recent studies show that food can have many of the same psychological and physiological effects as hard drugs. While on the surface food is harmless and difficult to take seriously as an addiction, many foods contain the same substances that cause heroin, cocaine,…
DetailsLike most recovering alcoholics, there are times when I miss drinking. Even though I have been sober for over six years, alcohol can still call out to me, especially in moments of stress or emotional turmoil. It whispers my name and tells me how refreshing a nice, cold beer would be or how much fun…
DetailsThe number of people killed by overdose in the United States has increased by a factor of 4 since the year 2000. There are now an average of 91 opioid-related deaths each day in the United States. Bernie Sanders held an MSNBC town hall meeting in West Virginia about the opioid epidemic that was televised…
DetailsYou know how some people live paycheck to paycheck? Well, as an addict, I lived from high to high. The only thing that mattered in between was getting the money I needed to capture that next high. Once I began my recovery, however, I quickly realized that I was suddenly going to have quite a…
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Recovering from a substance use disorder is a long process that can be mentally and physically exhausting. Once you make it through physical withdrawal, you will likely have to face months of cravings, mental addiction, and emotional ups and downs. Maintaining a positive attitude during recovery can be difficult, but it is often necessary for…
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Undergoing a surgery of any kind can be a difficult ordeal, but in almost every case, it will result in major pain after the surgery. For this reason, doctors and surgeons frequently prescribe pain medication for patients to take post-operation, typically intended to be used for 1-6 weeks after the surgery. In most cases, the…
DetailsAs another positive sign in the fight against opioid abuse, state lawmakers across the country who have loved ones who fell victim to drugs are leading the fight against the nation’s deadly opioid-abuse crisis. In this great story from AP, it becomes clear that this epidemic touches the lives of everyone, and that there are…
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