Beating a dependency on alcohol takes more than willpower. Too many people consider themselves to be failures if they fail to stop after their first or even 20th attempt. They beat themselves up while asking the question, “How hard is it to quit drinking, and why can’t I do it?” The basic answer comes down to chemistry, or…
Alcohol is the most commonly consumed substance in the world and while harmful, it is not only socially acceptable, but expected. Studies show that 56% of the U.S. adult population drinks regularly with some 86.4% drinking at least occasionally. Alcoholic beverages like beer, win, spirits, and liquors are so commonly accepted that you are unlikely…
A bad habit is a hard thing to break. Habits are deep, complex relationships and associations in the brain. If habits were simple relationships they would be easier to become aware of, stop, and change. In many ways, drug and alcohol addiction is a habit. A part learning process, part compulsion, part memory, the routines…
The World Health Organization defines substance abuse as “the harmful or hazardous use of psychoactive substances, including alcohol and illicit drugs.” According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, substance abuse can be defined as “long-term, pathological use of alcohol or drugs, characterized by daily intoxication, inability to reduce consumption, and impairment in social or occupational functioning; broadly,…
It’s hard to remember a time where there wasn’t a problem with opioids. While issues with drug use have persisted throughout the years, things began escalating in the early 1990s. That’s the part of the opiate overdose timeline where there was a rise in deaths related to natural and synthetic opioid abuse. The next wave hit in…
Group therapy typically consists of having a professional therapist offering treatment to two or more individuals in the same setting. Many group therapists conduct substance abuse group therapy activities to encourage each member to bond and open up to each other. That offers them the opportunity to form a support network and learn from each other’s experiences. Group…
Substance abuse takes over a person’s life and damages their mind, body and relationships they once considered important. Many people spend everything they have supporting their habit. When the money runs out, they turn to other means, often illegal, of getting their substance of choice. Those actions put them and sometimes those they care about in…
The idea of people using drugs to self-medicate symptoms of mental illness is not new. They may turn to drugs for euphoric feelings that offset feelings of depression or use alcohol to make themselves feel less anxious in social situations. However, drugs do more than worsen the side effects of mental illness. The changes caused…
The nation has experienced a significant shift in how it views the use of marijuana. Some states now make it possible to use marijuana and other related products for medical and recreational use. THC is the reason why the drug produces its hallucinogenic effects. You may now be wondering, “What is THC?” it’s the ingredient…
What comes to mind when you hear the word “drugs?” How much do you know about drugs beyond the headlines? Have you used substances but dismissed the idea of having a problem with drugs? What would your reaction be if you found out someone you cared about had an issue with drugs? People’s knowledge about…