Addiction can not be solved overnight; no mental health problem is that easy. Just because you have completed treatment does not mean you have recovered. The physical cravings were only a part of the problem. The drive to use drugs runs much deeper, and it takes a while to build a new lifestyle that does…
DetailsThe opioid epidemic has been a headlining crisis for the last few years. Celebrity overdose deaths and a climbing number of opioid related overdoses helped the country quickly realize, we have a problem with opioid drugs. In 2015, 52,000 people died of opioid overdose in America. 2015 is the latest year where data has…
DetailsOpiate users are opiate addicts This perpetuation of this myth is, you could say, well-intended. America is becoming more aware of the danger of opiate medications, leading to a growing stigma surrounding them. However, it’s important that the public understands that opiate medications, like prescription painkillers, themselves aren’t bad; that no medication can be characterized…
DetailsAldosterone is a hormone in the brain that isn’t frequently spoken about. Produced by the adrenal glands, the hormone takes part in regulating and controlling blood pressure. In addition, the aldosterone hormone helps balance electrolytes, which are needed for energy. New research from the NIAAA, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism discovered…
DetailsAdderall, an amphetamine meant for treating ADHD, is abused everywhere, especially on college campuses, where students share with friends—sometimes for last-minute exam cramming, sometimes for partying. When abused, Adderall acts similarly to methamphetamine and cocaine: it dramatically increased the activity of dopamine in the brain, causing a long, intense high–followed by a debilitating crash. How…
DetailsThere exists a strong relationship between healthy eating and positive mood regulation. Sticking to three healthy meals per day, with few snacks in-between, is a great way to keep your body’s functions in check and boost your spirits in the process. After eating fresh fruits, veggies, and meats, we feel good and refreshed. Tryptophan is…
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Addiction and mental health issues usually go together. Someone suffering from an addiction is twice as likely to suffer from at least one more mental health issue; and vice versa. Co-occurring disorders are now a common diagnosis in the medical field; the recognition is somewhat new but undeniably important. If a person with depression and…
DetailsNicotine is an addicting substance. Cigarettes are incredibly harmful. There is an overwhelming amount of research pointing to the fact that cigarettes are deadly, cause cancer, and are bad for the environment. Yet cigarette sales are consistently high and the tobacco industry is booming. Addicts and alcoholics in recovery are a large smoking population. Considered…
DetailsA quick and flippant answer to the question “how does heroin work” might be “all too well”. Heroin and medical morphine have the same effect on a person’s brain and metabolism, and a person’s body converts both heroin and medical morphine into the same form of morphine after it is administered. The primary difference is…
DetailsWe come up with all kinds of stories to convince ourselves that we don’t really have to do something. It’s called self-sabotage. We don’t believe we are worth accomplishing whatever it is we have set out to accomplish. Even years into our recovery we can still act in this self-sabotaging way, which harms our…
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