The use of the term “houseless” or “houselessness” has gained in popularity as of late due to a shift in perception of that socioeconomic phenomenon. Houseless means that a person does not have a traditional living space, such as an apartment or an actual house. Nonetheless, they may still have a home. As the common…
Most researchers and theoreticians consider the family as a fundamental unit of society and the building block of our communities. The home is the primary place where a child learns what normal and healthy behavior looks like. However, it can also be the first place where a growing child may learn detrimental behaviors from a mom…
Substance abuse and subsequent addiction can have short- and long-term effects on the mind and body. Addiction is now seen as a brain disease that is caused by excessive drug or alcohol use. Addiction alters the biochemistry and anatomy of neurons within the brain, causing these essential cells to become less responsive to toxic substances.…
White-knuckle sobriety refers to the practice of desperately holding onto sobriety without working a recovery program. Many programs stress the impossibility of maintaining sobriety by sheer force of will, but there are some—few and far between—who can for some time. The problem with white-knuckling sobriety is that it does not allow one to address all…
For many years, alcohol use disorder, or alcoholism, has been known as a threefold disease that affects the mind, body, and spirit. Within the disease, three parts are referred to as the spiritual malady, the physical allergy, and the mental obsession. These components, in conjunction, make up the disease of alcohol addiction, as defined by…
The terms “substance abuse: and “addiction” are often used interchangeably, but they are not exactly the same. Substance abuse is the act of abusing a drug (prescription, over-the-counter, or illegal) or substances like alcohol for the wrong reasons, in incorrect amounts, and without proper medical approval. When substance abuse becomes a clinical health concern, it…
Coke. Coca. Snow. Flake. Blow. These are all slang or street names for cocaine, a Schedule II controlled substance due to its medicinal properties and the high likelihood for abuse. Cocaine is derived from the coca plant (Erythroxylon coca) native to South America, which has traditionally – for over 4,000 years – been used as a…
In the year 2017, it was estimated that approximately 18 million people misused prescription medications at least once in the past year. Opioid overdoses from prescriptions were five times higher in 2016 than in 1999. A final shocking statistic is that the number of prescription drugs being prescribed by doctors since the ’90s has increased. You…
Sometimes, people don’t understand why it is so hard for those who use substances to simply stop using. They may assume that the individual has no will power or is apathetic. Family and friends could be struggling with conflicting feelings of care, love, and hope, but also feelings of resentment, mistrust, or guilt. The delicate…
Most illegal substances have unseen physical health effects. Rarely do we consider the potential health risks to our bodies if they are not externally apparent. Nearly every illegal substance negatively affects the heart in both short and long terms ways. Stimulants may be the most dangerous class of drugs for our hearts. Drug abuse and…