More than 40% of Americans say they know someone who has been addicted to prescription painkillers, and a majority say that lack of access to treatment for people with substance abuse issues is a problem, a new survey shows. The poll results released in May 2016 by the Kaiser Family Foundation also that found more…
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What’s wrong with trying to control life? What’s wrong with holding the people around us to a higher standard? The problem is that addicts expend a lot of energy trying to micromanage the universe and the people in it. What happens when people and circumstances don’t measure up? We’re angry, disappointed, depressed and resentful. And…
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If drug or alcohol use is starting to complicate your life, you may be ready to consider whether inpatient rehab is right for you. What should you expect when you check yourself in for help with an addiction? To better understand what rehab is, here’s a look at what it isn’t:
America’s love affair with prescription opioid painkillers is now plain. In the last few years, we have scrambled to put into place strategies to combat the worst drug epidemic in U.S. history. If we are going to fight the opioid epidemic effectively, there are 3 hard-earned lessons we need to pay attention to.
It is easy to fall into the trap of enabling an addict. It feels like love, but enabling only harms the addict and your relationship with him. If you love an addict, you can be supportive, loving and caring without enabling the addiction and the addictive behaviors. The first step is to recognize whether you…
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Alcohol is a widely-available, legal, and dangerously addictive drug that acts as a depressant and negatively affects every organ in the body. Although some people can consume alcohol safely and in small amounts, many become trapped in a devastating spiral of addiction before they even know they are the victims of substance abuse. Those who…
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The tragedy surrounding Amy Winehouse’s death has had a somber effect on the entire world, and as the questions and hope for answers begins, the conversation swiftly turns to her tumultuous history with drug and alcohol abuse and the part it played in her death. Winehouse’s substance use has always been a large part of…
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At least seven people staying at a District of Columbia homeless shelter had to be hospitalized after overdosing on synthetic marijuana, re-igniting concerns about the risks of “fake pot.” The story underlines the problem of synthetic marijuana—often labeled “not for human consumption”—and shows, yet again, that its “natural” appearance and apparent similarity to marijuana are…
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If you have been using or abusing drugs or alcohol for any length of time, you have been in the habit of distorting reality. Through addiction to mind-altering chemicals, you have found a way to avoid facing painful or uncomfortable feelings, and most of the time you have been completely numb on an emotional level.
Researchers believe a complex mixture of genetics, family history, social history, and environment combine to influence each person’s propensity for addiction. You are not a product of your genes, but your genes can influence how quickly you become addicted to substances. Looking for the Addiction Gene Researchers already know that addiction tends to run in…
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