Dual diagnosis, also known as co-occurring disorder, is exactly what it sounds like. It is when a person is diagnosed with a drug or alcohol problem and one or more mental illness(es). The problem is more common than most realize. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 50 percent of those who are mentally […]
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Drew Barrymore. Eric Clapton. Robert Downey Jr. What do all of these celebrities have in common? They are all former substance abusers who beat addiction and earned professional respect after building successful careers. As more people come forward to acknowledge their addictions, the stigma of substance abuse — as well as the public’s perception of
Is Society’s Perception of Addiction Changing? Read More »
Discovering that your son or daughter is experimenting with drugs and alcohol is one of the scariest parts of parenting. For many kids, this phase passes by with no harm done. For others, unfortunately, it is the beginning of a steep descent into addiction that can cause years of personal harm. Here is a brief
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Did you know there are more deaths every year from prescription opioid overdose than from either traffic accidents or homicides? All too often people struggling with opioid dependency begin their descent into addiction with a single prescription for Vicodin, OxyContin, or another legitimate painkiller. Then, as dependency grows, the user increases the dose and eventually
Prescription Painkillers: The Gateway to Heroin Abuse Read More »
When it comes to the percentage of people who admit to using illicit drugs, Vermont leads them all. Although a recent Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration survey indicates that most Green Mountain staters choose marijuana as their drug of choice, the latest anecdotal evidence suggests that heroin use is developing into an epidemic,
Vermont Leads the Nation in Libraries, Peace Corps Volunteers and Drug Abuse Read More »
Are you interested in learning more about The Ranch PA, drug addiction, or the business of the illicit drug trade? Explore The Ranch PA on YouTube and learn more about the risks, costs, and recoveries that define substance abuse. The Business and Cost of Addiction Drug addiction costs the United States billions of dollars every
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The ages-old expression, “drinks like a fish,” likely relates to the idea that people who drink heavily are like fish that consume water all day long in order to breathe its oxygen. In use since 1640, the expression originates from Fletcher and Shirley’s “The Night-Walker, or the Little Theife.” You don’t have to watch a
How Much Do Fish Drink, Anyway? Read More »
Consider the range of emotions youfeel when you listen to music. It can excite and it can relax. It can make you cry, and it can even make you laugh. For centuries, composers and musicians have held their audiences captive in the sway of beautifully written song — and at The Ranch PA, we understand
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The drug and alcohol addiction problems in the United States cost our citizens billions of dollars each year in medical expenses, lost wages, crime, and more. They also take an unmeasured toll on family relationships, professional aspirations, and personal goals. As serious as the addiction problem is in the U.S., Russians have it worse —
Russia’s Drinkers Resist AA Read More »
Tens of millions of Americans suffer from chronic pain, costing the U.S. over half a trillion dollars in lost productivity and medical expenses every year, according to Stanford University. Unfortunately, the medicines physicians prescribe to treat intolerable pain symptoms are often opiate-based and addictive, and many individuals become physically dependent on them to simply feel
The Growing Need for Effective Pain Management Read More »