Americans have made headlines for having the highest number of drug overdose deaths in U.S. history in a single year. In 2016, it is estimated that more than 60,000 people in the U.S. died from drugs — a 19% increase over the country’s 2015 drug-related deaths. In fact, drug overdoses are now the leading cause …
Depending on the decade in which you were born, thinking about the rehab experience in treatment centers through the lens of film and television could either be frightening or appealing, depending on how it is represented … or misrepresented. A treatment center experience might bring to mind terrifying thoughts of torment dispensed by “Nurse Ratchet” …
Most Misleading Depictions of Treatment Centers in Film & Television Read More »
Most of us are aware of the havoc that addiction to drugs and alcohol can wreak on a person’s life — from loss of career or reputation to financial ruin, broken relationships and a dysfunctional family life. But what about the toll drugs and alcohol can take on a person’s looks? Often, alcohol and drug …
How a particular drug affects the body often depends on the type of drug being used. For instance, stimulants tend to affect the brain in a way that increases alertness, energy levels, heart rate and blood pressure. On the other hand, depressants generally inhibit brain activity causing drowsiness, lethargy, decreased heart rate, blood pressure, and …
Along with non-addicted substance abuse, addiction is the driving reason for seeking substance treatment. People affected by addiction commonly have an underlying condition called physical dependence. However, in addition to physical dependence, you may also experience a problem called psychological dependence. Interestingly, not all people who are psychologically dependent on a drug develop physical dependence …
Is Psychological Dependence the Same as Being Addicted? Read More »
By Elizabeth Davies-Ulirsch, MA, CSAT-C, Primary Therapist at Promises Young Adult Program When it comes to relationships we can often trace the problems of a current intimate partnership to family patterns that go back through generations. Addiction and other mental health disorders often find their genesis in the family tree as well. Just because addiction …
Why We Attract Partners Who Remind Us of Our Addicted Parent Read More »
Whether the isolation or the addiction comes first, many people with substance use and eating disorders keep to themselves. They stay away from friends and family, which starts a vicious cycle. “Addiction leads to isolation as people are locked in a prison of self,” says Harold Jonas, PhD, addiction treatment professional in West Palm Beach, …
Psychological dependence, physical dependence and addiction are three separate but potentially overlapping problems that can affect a person who consumes street drugs, mind-altering medications and/or alcohol. Each of these problems has a distinct impact on your health and well-being. Let’s take a look at how they affect you when they appear separately or together. Psychological …
By Gideon Hoyle You may have heard recently about the phenomenon of “wet” drugs. Public health officials use this term to describe tobacco or marijuana cigarettes dipped in one or both of two substances: the hallucinogenic anesthetic PCP (phencyclidine or “angel dust”) and formaldehyde-based embalming fluid. Consumption of these drugs can have a serious, severe …
By Dr. Greg Skipper, MD When a doctor or other professional shows signs of a problem with drugs or alcohol, an intervention is the next step. I’ve led many of these addiction interventions, sometimes speaking to the struggling professional one-on-one and sometimes joined by family members and others who can lend their influence and encouragement. …