man confronts substance abuse

Confronting Substance Abuse with Addiction Treatment

Addiction is a complex disease. It not only involves physical effects like withdrawal symptoms but also effects that damage one’s mental health. Further, addiction is a chronic disease requiring individuals to manage it and be vigilant once sober. While many think a substance use disorder or addiction is about willpower, it is not. Rather, when…

an example of percocets and alcohol

Percocet and Alcohol Abuse

When someone takes Percocet as directed, it can help ease their moderate to severe pain. Usually, people only take the medication for a short time as it is designed for temporary pain relief. However, when Percocet isn’t taken as directed, either being used sporadically or longer than prescribed, serious health problems like addiction can arise.…

an example of Vyvanse

Vyvanse vs. Adderall

Many of the ordinary aspects of daily life can be anything but dealing with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) its different. Those with this condition have to work harder to focus and interact with the world around them than those without the condition. This makes an ADHD routine anything but ordinary. Fortunately, there have been…

woman deals with addiction triggers

Five Common Addiction Triggers

During recovery, triggers can cause relapses. Common addiction triggers are environments, situations, emotions, and people that can cause you to experience cravings and potentially relapse. Whether you receive treatment at an outpatient or inpatient treatment center, common addiction triggers still put you at risk for relapsing following discharge. Everyone has unique triggers, but common addiction triggers…

woman deals with the patterns of drug abuse

The Patterns of Drug Use

With addiction and overdoses reaching epidemic levels in the United States, you may wonder how to identify drug use patterns so you can find the right support for yourself or a loved one. Identifying drug use patterns can help you figure out if a loved one is potentially abusing drugs, which is the first step…

How Addiction Affects the Brain

How Addiction Affects the Brain

?Addiction to drugs or alcohol is a particularly tricky disease to overcome. Not only does it cause a host of physical effects on the user, but how addiction affects the brain is what makes it so destructive. When someone takes a substance such as drugs or alcohol, they alter the chemical composition of the brain.…

teen gets an alcohol intervention

Staging an Alcohol Intervention

When someone you love is struggling with alcohol use disorder, then alcohol intervention is an appropriate action. Statistics on drinking in the United States say that alcohol use disorder has increased by 11 percent. This is due to a number of factors, not least of which is the accessibility of alcohol and its social acceptance.…

woman wonders if what she takes is a gateway drug

Definition of a Gateway Drug

If you or a loved one is experimenting with drugs or is struggling with addiction, you may have heard the term ‘gateway drugs.’ Finding the definition of gateway drugs can help you understand how they are connected to addiction. A gateway drug is a substance that, while not necessarily addictive or illegal, has a high…

man suffers from PTSD and substance abuse

PTSD and Substance Abuse

How are post-traumatic stress disorder, commonly referred to as PTSD, and substance abuse related to each other? Addiction is a disease that can impact anyone, regardless of race, age, or health. It is common for PTSD and substance abuse to exist side-by-side. When this is the case, individuals are said to have a co-occurring disorder…

woman deals with xanax side effects

Xanax Side Effects

Xanax is a prescription medication that is most commonly used to treat anxiety-related disorders. Xanax is also one of the most prescribed medications in the United States. Although Xanax effectively treats symptoms related to generalized anxiety disorders and panic disorders, it is prone to abuse. Xanax addiction has become more prevalent, caused by Xanax’s widespread…