The number of people killed by overdose in the United States has increased by a factor of 4 since the year 2000. There are now an average of 91 opioid-related deaths each day in the United States. Bernie Sanders held an MSNBC town hall meeting in West Virginia about the opioid epidemic that was televised…
DetailsYou know how some people live paycheck to paycheck? Well, as an addict, I lived from high to high. The only thing that mattered in between was getting the money I needed to capture that next high. Once I began my recovery, however, I quickly realized that I was suddenly going to have quite a…
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Recovering from a substance use disorder is a long process that can be mentally and physically exhausting. Once you make it through physical withdrawal, you will likely have to face months of cravings, mental addiction, and emotional ups and downs. Maintaining a positive attitude during recovery can be difficult, but it is often necessary for…
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Undergoing a surgery of any kind can be a difficult ordeal, but in almost every case, it will result in major pain after the surgery. For this reason, doctors and surgeons frequently prescribe pain medication for patients to take post-operation, typically intended to be used for 1-6 weeks after the surgery. In most cases, the…
DetailsAs another positive sign in the fight against opioid abuse, state lawmakers across the country who have loved ones who fell victim to drugs are leading the fight against the nation’s deadly opioid-abuse crisis. In this great story from AP, it becomes clear that this epidemic touches the lives of everyone, and that there are…
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Powerful Synthetic Opioid Carfentanil Now Banned China’s National Narcotics Control Commission said Thursday that it is adding the deadly synthetic narcotic Carfentanil and three related synthetic opioids to its list of controlled substances effective March 1. Carfentanil is so powerful that it is often used as an elephant tranquilizer.The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) called China’s…
Details12-Step is the most popular addiction recovery method in the United States, and you can typically find a 12 Step meeting for almost any type of recovery. However, while 12 Step is popular, many people find that they initially have trouble making the meetings work for them. In most cases, many of us like to…
DetailsWhen I was dating a fellow alcoholic, I felt like we had an instant connection, a kinship, if you will. It was serendipity, or so I thought. After all, we were both living the sober lifestyle. How much more compatible can you get? It turns out, however, that our sobriety was the only thing we…
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When I got sober, one of the things I looked most forward to was that I wouldn’t have to lie to anyone anymore. What I didn’t count on was that lying became a habit, almost an addiction unto itself. I realized that while I had been lying to preserve my habit, keep loved ones around,…
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Fighting your way out of addiction is difficult, physically and mentally. Unfortunately, long after your chemical dependence is gone, you will still have to face the emotional and mental scars left by your addiction. Substance abuse is damaging to the brain, and while using we often make irrational and selfish choices that hurt us, our…
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