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…
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“Does my loved one need detox?” For those ready to get addiction treatment, recovery happens in stages. The first stage of treatment for many people is detox. Detox allows patients to cleanse their bodies of toxic substances. Addiction treatment is most effective when your system is clean and you can focus on getting better. Knowing…
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Many people in the United States have been directly affected by the ongoing opioid crisis. Many of these drugs come from prescriptions given to treat a variety of physical and mental issues. Prescription drug addiction claim the lives of countless people every year. But what is prescription drug addiction? There is prescription drug addiction and…
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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,…
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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…
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When struggling with addiction, I thought the hardest thing I would ever do was to take those first steps to recovery. I had an anxiety attack on my way to rehab. I just kept telling myself that it had to get better from there, that having hit my lowest point in my life, I had…
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I felt like an abject failure. After 30 days in rehab, I relapsed in just six days. I lost my job, and my parents told me I couldn’t see my children until I got my life together. What was wrong with me? I had every opportunity to change, and it didn’t work. I couldn’t even…
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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…
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Heroin is one of the most popular street drugs in the United States, used every day by thousands of Americans. Despite being illegal, more than 690,000 people use it every year. Sadly, the average rate of abuse is going up, with data showing increases of over 50% between 2002 and 2012. Unfortunately, heroin hurts users,…
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Finding a rehab program means choosing a therapy method that works for you and deciding whether you want to attend an inpatient or outpatient program. While there are pros and cons to each option, most people should choose inpatient or outpatient rehab based on personal factors, the extent of their substance abuse problems, and the…
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