For most of us, the holidays are a time of celebration and spending time with family and loved ones, or simply enjoying life with friends. But, for those of us recovering from an alcohol use disorder, the holidays, from Christmas to New Year’s and all the parties and events in between, can be more
Marijuana is quickly becoming legalized across the United States, and polls suggest that more than 60% of the U.S. is in favor of continued legalization. This means that it is more readily available for both medical and recreational use, despite the fact that marijuana creates measurable changes in the brain, some of which are
Watching someone struggling with an addiction is a difficult and painful thing, especially when their substance use is hurting family relationships, study, career goals, and finances. This is even more true when that person fails to even realize they have a problem, instead either ignoring setbacks or attempting to push the blame for failure
Whether you’ve suspected it for some time, or discovered it by accident, finding evidence of your child’s drug use is never pleasant, or easy. However, the steps you take after finding your kid’s drug stash are crucial to their future health and happiness. Your approach to their mistakes and possible addiction could mean the
More than 23.5 million Americans are addicted to substances such as alcohol, opiates, cannabis, and benzodiazepines. Many of these substances are harmless in the short-term, or with moderate use, but over time, build up to toxic levels which strongly affect the brain and its ability to function. Drug-induced psychosis is a common side-effect of
OxyContin is a brand name of Oxycodone, a semisynthetic opioid, and the most frequently prescribed painkiller in the United States. The drug, which is synthesized from an opioid alkaloid, offers fewer side effects than morphine and is commonly used to control moderate to severe pain from illness, injuries and surgeries. It’s also one of
I had slept in that Saturday morning. When I got up, I saw that my husband hadn’t come to bed at all, again. As I made my way downstairs to get some coffee, I noticed that the house was strangely quiet. He should have been awake by now or had at least been awake
I had no idea that sobriety was anything more than getting clean. I thought, “I stop drinking, and I get my life back.” I quickly realized, however, that abstinence was only the first step towards my happily ever after. Suddenly, I was being repeatedly slapped in the face with all of these emotions that
Alcohol abuse affects millions of adults every year, with some studies showing that as much as 29% of the population binge drinks regularly. This is further compounded by the fact that alcohol abuse and addiction costs the U.S. more than $200 billion annually, through alcohol related accidents, injuries, and errors. Stress is widely recognized
Detoxing from drugs or alcohol is a long, painful process, where your body adjusts to not having a substance. While the worst is over after the first few weeks, you still have to deal with cravings, which will range from mild to extremely intense. Learning to cope with cravings in early recovery is crucial
