The Evolution of Drug Treatment Programs
Today’s drug treatment programs help an untold number of people overcome addiction and drug abuse. Early Drug Treatment Programs Modern drug treatment programs have evolved from earlier drug and alcohol treatment approaches. Various Native American tribes created the first alcoholic mutual aid societies, known as sobriety circles, in the 1750s to early 1800s. Some sobriety circles […]
Fighting Drug Abuse at Its Source
The 80’s war on drugs was the nation’s attempt to battle the ongoing ravages of a growing drug culture on the nation’s people, especially its youth. Although successful, it seems as if the ground gained by those efforts are beginning to fade as more and more states see an increase in drug use. However, this […]
Comorbidity of Mental Illness and Addiction
Mental illness and addiction often go hand-in-hand. People who abuse drugs often have mental disorders while people with mental health problems often abuse drugs and alcohol. Sometimes it can be difficult to tell the difference between mental illness and addiction, or even determine which occurred first. While addiction and mental illness often occur at the […]
Study Shows Brain’s Reward System Might Heal After Opiate Detoxification
According to a new study, the body’s natural reward systems may normalize within just a few months after opiate detoxification. The research suggests the brain and hormonal responses to pleasurable stimuli, disrupted by opiate abuse, begin returning to a normal state shortly after treatment. Opiate drugs stimulate the opioid system, which controls pain, reward, and […]
Naloxone: Life Saving Miracle or Ironic Corporate Windfall?
Naloxone has earned a reputation as a life-saving drug, pulling victims of heroin and opioid painkiller overdoses back from the brink of death. The drug is so effective that even non-medical organizations, such as police departments, needle-exchange programs and community groups, keep it on hand to administer it quickly to those who need it. However, […]
Start the New Year without Codependency
This New Year, make the resolution to stop codependency. If you are in a codependent relationship, you spent last year putting another adult’s drug abuse above your own well being. You might have made up excuses for the drug abuse. You may have even spent the last 12 months trying to convince yourself that the […]
Opiates and Pain Management: What Happens When Opiates Are No Longer Available?
Half of all people over the age of 50 will experience chronic pain. Headache and low back pain are the most common types of pain but cancer, arthritis, and other medical conditions cause pain. For centuries, patients had to endure terrible pain, especially in the final days of their lives. Modern patients are fortunate in […]
Options to Manage Pain and Minimize Prescription Drug Use
There are options to manage many types of pain and minimize the prescription drug use. Some types of pain require the daily use of some type of prescription drugs. Someone who has been in an accident, for example, recovering from surgery or struggling with cancer rely on prescription painkillers. A primary care provider will prescribe […]
Genetics and Substance Abuse: Is Addiction Inherited?
Are some people genetically predisposed to addiction and physical dependence on drugs or alcohol? Do drug and alcohol problems run in families? Scientists suggest heredity may play a large role in why some people become addicted or dependent on drugs, while others do not. In fact, the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence says […]
Give the Gift of Forgiveness this Holiday Season
Consider giving the gift of forgiveness to an addicted person whom you love this holiday season. If you are still reading this post, you have considered forgiving that person whose opiate addiction has hurt you and your family so much in the past. Perhaps he is your son, your father, your spouse, or someone you […]
