Drug addiction is a chronic disease of the brain that must be managed over a lifetime. However, developing an addiction is a much quicker process than treating one. Most people know that drugs and even other substances or activities can be addictive, but they may not know how addiction develops. Understanding how quickly drugs become…
A “speedball,” not to be confused with the speedball drink, is a combination of drugs that people use to achieve a specific, extremely intense type of high. In general, a speedball combines a stimulant and a depressant drug. The most common speedball composition includes cocaine and heroin, two incredibly powerful drugs on their own. Other…
Every year, more than 1,760,000 people are diagnosed with cancer. This devastating disease comes with a host of debilitating symptoms including severe pain, which is often treated using powerfully addictive opioid painkillers. People with cancer are more vulnerable to opioid misuse than the general population, and it can quickly lead to addiction. Prevalence of Opioid Addiction in…
If you’ve wanted to stop using drugs or alcohol but haven’t been able to, it’s never too late to seek help. Alcohol consumption among older adults in the U.S. has grown steadily over the past couple of decades. By 2020, roughly 5.7 million American adults over the age of 50 are projected to suffer from substance…
If you’ve ever wondered if depression is the source of an addiction for you or a loved one, you’re not alone. Statistics show that drug and alcohol addiction is more prevalent among people with depression. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, people with anxiety disorders are two to three times more likely to have…
When you walked down the aisle and recited your vows, you swore to stick with your partner through sickness, health, sadness and happiness. But you never imagined how hard it would be to live with an addicted spouse. When your partner is addicted to alcohol or drugs, you may feel helpless, scared and even angry.…
Recovery from addiction is different for every person. No two journeys will ever be the same. Everyone recovers at their own pace, but there’s one thing all recovering addicts have in common: their desire to start a life of sobriety. Having the right resources and support to prevent the chances of relapse is vital for…
Addiction treatment during pregnancy can make all the difference between giving birth to a healthy baby, having a baby with severe complications or losing a child. Many pregnant women fear they may lose rights to their unborn baby if they seek help for substance abuse. However, it’s better to receive treatment for addiction than to…
The impact of technology is felt in just about every aspect of human life, including substance addiction treatment. Technology is widely used to spread awareness, find resources and offer support to those affected. One essential use of technology in recovery is education. The Internet provides people with a wealth of knowledge of addiction and recovery.…
Every day, we see people glued to their cellphones, tablets and computers to the extent that they aren’t even aware of what’s going on in their surroundings. This trend has become so widespread that professionals have called it Internet addiction. Today, researchers see a continued increase in co-occurring digital addiction when treating other mental health…