Even after years of synthetic opioids and dangerous new designer drugs, heroin remains one of the most addictive substances known to modern medical science. This highly potent painkiller is derived from the same opium poppy that gave us morphine and other medically useful compounds. But heroin works quickly to hijack the chemical reward system in…
Drinking, like smoking, is a common and deeply entrenched part of our culture today. It can be impossible for people who struggle with addiction to ignore something that is everywhere, cheap, and socially acceptable. Even though alcohol-related deaths like car accidents and domestic violence continue to climb in the United States, it can still be…
Substance use disorders are like any other chronic illness that afflicts the body: treatment is not a cure, requiring long-term work. A person who is in drug addiction recovery is at risk of relapse during treatment, and in fact, this is often a normal part of the process. Other chronic illnesses like heart disease, cancer,…
More than ten years ago, buprenorphine hit the market with critical acclaim from government officials and treatment professionals alike. It was seen as a helpful tool to use for opiate withdrawal, but was then later pushed as a maintenance drug as well.
Some people love the camaraderie that AA offers and believe that their long-term sobriety depends on going to AA meetings for the rest of their life. Other people find AA meetings depressing or monotonous, and the thought of having to go to meetings forever is horrifying.
For individuals struggling with substance use disorder, an addiction to drugs or alcohol, it can be challenging to find the right facility to provide the right support to heal. Addiction treatment requires a level of trust between clients and treatment professionals, whether they are counselors, therapists, or medical professionals. When this relationship is disrupted, individuals…
Daily reports have posted ever-increasing numbers of cases of Covid-19, as well as the constantly rising number of deaths. Attention to the pandemic has overshadowed the steadily rising death toll from addiction.
In a long-term treatment program, safety concerns are greatly reduced when all residents and staff have been tested for COVID-19 and individuals are tested and must be negative before they are admitted into the program.
In recent years, the nation has seen a rise in “microdosing” which involves the use of small amounts of psychedelic drugs to improve mood. These tiny doses may only make up one-tenth or less of an average recreational dose.
As the pandemic continues to make headlines, less attention is given to the rise in addiction-related deaths. The American Medical Association Advocacy Resource Center recently reported, “The AMA is greatly concerned by an increasing number of reports from national, state and local media suggesting increases in opioid- and other drug-related mortality