Senior Addiction Treatment for the Growing Prescription Drug Epidemic
Deaths from prescription painkiller overdose have increased more than 400% since 1999, according to a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Perhaps no group is as vulnerable as older adults. Elderly people take more prescription medications than their younger counterparts, placing them at increased risk. Fortunately, there are effective options for […]
Factors that Contribute to Heroin Abuse and Its Long Term Consequences
Several recent reports have shed light on the growing problem of heroin abuse in the United States, with public health officials remaining worried about the long-term effects of heroin use. For instance, the CDC reported that rates of overdose from heroin quadrupled over the past decade. Given the highly addictive nature of the drug, many […]
Babies Born Addicted to Opiates Rising
Babies born addicted to opiates: The number of individuals addicted to opiate-based prescription painkillers has been on the rise for years. While the nation struggles with how to curb the growing dependency on painkillers, another serious issue has emerged. The number of pregnant women who are addicted to opiates has also increased, leading to an […]
Heroin Abuse Leads to Highest Hepatitis C Rate in Nation
The state of Maine is currently experiencing a heroin abuse epidemic that threatens to worsen unless severe steps are taken. Cases of hepatitis C infections have been skyrocketing since 2013 and are currently at the highest rate since the state first began tracking them in the 90’s. In fact, the number of hepatitis C cases […]
Potent Opioid Painkillers Use Grows
Potent opioid painkiller prescriptions has been a growing concern over the past decade. According to statistics from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, enough prescription painkillers were prescribed in 2010 to medicate each American citizen every four hours for an entire month. Despite these alarming figures and worry about the addictive nature of these painkillers, […]
Prescribing Naloxone for Opiate Overdose: Doctors’ Concern
In the face of a fourfold increase in fatalities from drug overdose in the United States since 1999, policymakers are scrambling to implement new strategies to combat the nation’s drug problem. Prescription drugs, particularly opioid painkillers, are the largest contributors to drug-related fatalities. As a result, many states have amended their laws to expand access […]
Effects of Heroin Abuse on Emotional Processing and Stress
Heroin abuse takes a severe toll on the body, and it can result in significant physical changes and withdrawal symptoms. However, heroin doesn’t only effect a person’s physical health. Heroin addiction also affects psychological functioning, including how we process emotional information and cope with stress. Recent research sheds light on the connections between heroin abuse, […]
Emergency Rooms Crack Down on Painkiller Abusers
Doctor shopping is a common technique used by painkiller abusers to obtain drugs whenever one physician stops writing them prescriptions. To curb this dangerous habit, most states have implemented drug tracking databases which allow physicians to lookup patients they feel may be abusing painkillers like Oxycodone and Hydrocodone. These databases have gone a long way […]
Prescription Painkiller Abuse among Military Veterans is Reaching Epidemic Proportions
Our military veterans sacrifice deeply to support our country, but helping them transition back to civilian life can be a challenge. Although the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have resulted in a lower percentage of soldiers dying than in previous conflicts such as World War II or the Vietnam War, many men and women return […]
Six Misconceptions About Prescription Painkiller Addiction
Prescription painkiller addiction is drastically misunderstood with some people treating it too casually, while others refuse much-needed treatments. Medical Experts Reveal the Truth Behind Prescription Painkiller Addiction and Who is At Risk. Prescription painkiller addiction, specifically opioids, is a growing problem that affects a wide range of individuals. While celebrities coping with a painkiller addiction […]
