fb pixel
Search
Close this search box.
Search
Close this search box.

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

Physicians Express Concern About Prescribing Naloxone for Opiate Overdose

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 […]

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 […]

Genetic Factors that Increase Risk of Opiate Dependence

For those struggling to overcome opiate dependence, the question “why me?” can be a constant and overwhelming mental refrain.  Scientific research shows that drug addiction is complex and caused by many factors.  Specifically, genetic factors may be an important contributor to opiate dependence and other forms of addiction. Overview of Human Genetics Every cell in […]

May 12th was National Fibromyalgia Awareness Day

Approximately 5 million Americans suffer from fibromyalgia, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the disease remains one of the least understood medical conditions in modern science.  Women are five times more likely to be diagnosed with fibromyalgia than men.  May 12th was National Fibromyalgia Awareness Day, a day for people […]

Coping with Fibromyalgia Pain: From Prescription Painkillers to Alternative Pain Management

Although more than 5 million American adults suffer from fibromyalgia, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, scientists still do not know what causes this disorder.  Fibromyalgia is a common source of chronic pain and disability that causes many patients to have difficulty managing work and other daily activities.  Although prescription opiates are […]

Effects of Opiate Dependence and Abuse on the Learning and Memory Pathways in the Brain

One of the reasons that opiates are so powerful is that they bind to special receptors in the brain, stimulating a cascade of events that changes the actual structure of brain pathways.  Over time, repeated use of opiates such as heroin or prescription painkillers fundamentally alters the brain circuits associated with learning and memory.  This […]