Years ago, when we heard the term “bath salts” we’d think of the stuff you added to the water in your tub for a more relaxing bubble bath. Nowadays, the term takes on a new meaning as an increasingly popular street drug. The term “bath salts” doesn’t refer to any one drug, but rather a…
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Imagine a drug so toxic that following injection, gangrene and scaly, green flesh grows on users, often resulting in amputation and death. Krokodil —the Russian word for “crocodile” — is causing enormous damage overseas as well as the U.S. and produces a heroin-like high. It is a newer drug that combines the narcotic painkiller codeine…
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Opioid 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…
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There’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…
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If 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…
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With 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…
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Those 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…
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All 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…
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If 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…
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Prescription 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.…
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