It’s easy to get wrapped up in worry about your loved ones. Sometimes, these worries can be unfounded or misplaced. A parent will worry when their child is five minutes late coming home from school, and spouses may worry when their text goes unanswered for half an hour. It’s easy to get carried away with…
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When dealing with an addiction or substance abuse, it may feel not easy to ask for help. Once someone understands that they have a drug or alcohol addiction, it’s common to feel a sense of shame or even an urge to hide it from the ones you love. This may seem like the best way…
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Making the best decision when a loved one is struggling with a substance abuse disorder isn’t easy. It can be agonizing to watch someone you love deal with the pitfalls that come with addiction, but your support can make a world of difference when they are pursuing sobriety. You can’t convince someone to get help…
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Benzodiazepines, or benzos, are a sedative prescribed to people to manage their anxiety and treat panic disorders, seizures, or insomnia. They are also sometimes used as an anesthetic or treat alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Their uses are valuable, but benzos can also be quite addictive. Most professionals recommend that benzodiazepines are only taken for a month…
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Methamphetamine, more commonly known as simply “meth,” is a highly addictive substance that’s abused by people all over the world. Meth is known for causing dependency quickly, sometimes after as little as single-use. It’s a stimulant, producing a rush of dopamine and pleasure chemicals into your brain. The amount of dopamine that meth abuse gives…
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There are innumerable factors that can contribute to or exacerbate an existing addiction or even influence its conception. It’s easy to feel entirely at fault when you’re caught in the grips of a substance abuse disorder, but you should try to treat yourself with kindness. Everyone makes the wrong choice sometimes, and there may be…
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Drug addiction can take many forms, and different drugs affect people differently. Recognizing signs of addiction means looking for changes in behavior, and in many situations, this includes a poor performance at work or school. However, not every substance is used in the same way. Study drugs have risen in popularity in the past decade,…
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Prescription drugs like oxycontin can be used responsibly when a physician’s instructions are carefully followed, but caution should always be exercised. OxyContin is an addictive substance, and long-term abuse can have very serious consequences. OxyContin and other narcotic pain relievers are commonly prescribed after an injury or invasive surgery to help manage pain. Still, the…
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When people discuss overdose, several specific drugs come up in conversation. Alcohol is seldom one of them, although it carries significant overdose risk, just like any other commonly-abused substance. Indeed, many people drink casually, but even a casual gathering can lead to alcohol poisoning. When you educate yourself on the dangers of alcohol poisoning, you’re…
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Opiates, or substances derived from the opium chemical found in certain plants, are commonly used in prescription medications. The term “opiates” includes codeine, oxycontin, morphine, and some others. They can be confused with “opioids,” which are synthetic substances that mimic the effects of opium. Opiates and opioids can be prescribed in several situations, including major…
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