Can Nasal Spray Prevent Death From Overdose?Help BlogBy The Ranch PAOctober 24, 2013Opioid abuse represents the single most damaging trend in addiction today. Those who abuse both legal prescription medicines such as Vicodin and oxycodone, as well as illicit opiates such as heroin, suffer from high rates of overdose and death. Saving the lives of these victims is a top priority, and the newest research indicates that…
Quitting Drinking Cold Turkey: 7 Myths to KnowBlogBy The Ranch PAOctober 23, 2013There’s an estimated 14 million Americans suffering from alcoholism. Some studies report numbers as high as 18 million. If you’re suffering from the effects of abusing alcohol, you’re not alone. Alcohol is one of the easiest drugs to fall victim to and one of the most difficult drugs to quit given its social acceptance and…
How Much Does “Choice” Play a Role in Addiction?BlogBy The Ranch PAOctober 22, 2013If you could choose between alcohol or your drug of choice and a good-enough reason to refuse them, which would you choose? Many Columbia University studies performed by neuroscientist Carl Hart suggest that addicts can, in fact, choose sobriety — when the second option is appealing enough to avoid using. Learn more about choice and…
Is Your Loved One Suffering From the Flu – or Cough Syrup Abuse?Help BlogBy The Ranch PAOctober 17, 2013With flu season quickly approaching, some retailers and states are taking steps to avoid outbreaks of this sometimes fatal illness. Unfortunately, the common remedy that most people use without a second thought — cough syrup — is what some addicts abuse to get high. Here is what you need to know about cough syrup abuse…
Zac Efron’s Secret Cocaine AddictionBlogBy The Ranch PAOctober 15, 2013Those of us on the outside of celebrity culture often shake our collective head when a person who seemingly has it all — meaning fame and fortune — is willing to throw it away by abusing drugs or alcohol. What seems obvious to us, however, isn’t always so obvious to the addict — and is…
What Are Blue Blossoms?Help BlogBy The Ranch PAOctober 11, 2013If you are the loved one of a recovering addict — and especially if your loved one is a smoker — you need to pay attention to the latest trend sweeping the streets. Blue blossoms, a legal synthetic drug that is available in many smoke and head shops across the country, is a liquid formula…
Physical vs Mental Addictions: What’s the Difference?BlogBy The Ranch PAOctober 11, 2013All addictions are not created equally. Some addictions affect a person mentally, some cause physical symptoms, and sometimes addictions can become both physical and psychological. It is important to understand if an addiction is physical, mental, or both in order to identify the best course of treatment. Physical Addiction Physical addiction is most commonly caused…
Miley Cyrus Admits to Smoking Weed and Taking MollyBlogBy The Ranch PAOctober 8, 2013If you’re the parent of a tween- or teenaged child, then you’ve likely heard of Miley Cyrus, better known to some as Hannah Montana. Unfortunately, Ms. Cyrus seems to be following the well worn path of young celebrities who struggle with substance abuse. You can’t change your teen’s role model, but you can protect them…
The Effects of Adderall, Wall Street’s New Go-To DrugBlogBy The Ranch PAOctober 8, 2013Prescription stimulants such as Adderall are used mainly to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In people with ADHD, stimulants help the brain use dopamine and norepinephrine more effectively. Adderall is a combination of dextroamphetamine and amphetamine. In neurotypical people—meaning those who don’t have ADHD—the drug has stimulant-like effects such as increased alertness and energy.…
The Genetic Link Between Eating Disorders and AlcoholismHelp BlogBy The Ranch PAOctober 3, 2013If your loved one is dependent on alcohol, is he or she more likely to suffer from an eating disorder? Researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine think so. Learn more about this newest discovery and how this link might affect alcohol treatment outcomes everywhere. The Study Behavior scientists have long accepted that genetics…
