About 72,000 Americans died of a drug overdose in 2017, and at least two thirds of those deaths were opioid related. The opioid crisis has been driven by overprescription of opioid painkillers over the past 30 years. Opioid manufacturers convinced doctors that pain was being undertreated and that opioid medications were non-addictive and safe for… Continue Reading New Breakthrough in Non-addictive Pain Medication
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In the wake of the opioid crisis, the public is becoming more aware of the dangers of drug use and addiction. However, many misconceptions about drugs still persist. This is partly because of a rapidly changing drug scene. New drugs hit the streets all the time. Marijuana has become legal in some form in much… Continue Reading 3 Persistent Myths About Drugs
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Some jobs have much higher addiction risk than others. This is something to consider if you are struggling with addiction, or you have gone through treatment and are trying to stay sober. Factors that often increase addiction risk include high stress, irregular hours, and easy access to drugs and alcohol. Many people find that in… Continue Reading Does Your Job Increase Your Risk of Addiction?
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A recent study suggests that brain scans may someday be able to more accurately distinguish bipolar disorder from major depression. The researchers used an MRI machine to study how patients’ brains reacted to seeing various kinds of facial expressions. They were particularly interested in the amygdala, an area of the brain–technically two areas–which is responsible… Continue Reading Brain Scans May Diagnose Bipolar Disorder
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Needle exchange programs have been around for decades, but they have never been popular with the public. The basic idea of needle exchange programs is that IV drug users can dispose of used needles and pick up sterile needles to replace them. This is meant to reduce the spread of bloodborne diseases such as HIV… Continue Reading Do Needle Exchange Programs Work?
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We’ve come a long way in our understanding of addiction and addiction treatment and we’re still learning more all the time. Unfortunately, many myths and misconceptions still persist. These can create all kinds of problems for people struggling with addiction and the families of those people. These myths may lead people to take unnecessary risks… Continue Reading 7 Myths About Addiction and Recovery
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After treatment, joining a mutual aid group is a good way to continue in recovery. Attending regular meetings is a good way to reaffirm your commitment to recovery and review the lessons you learned in treatment. It’s also a great way to build a sober network. A strong sober network is one of the best… Continue Reading Mutual-aid Groups for Women
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Some of us never consider ourselves to be addicts because our addictions haven’t seriously disrupted our lives yet or caused us any catastrophic circumstances. We haven’t lost our job, been kicked out of school, or had to drop out. We haven’t ruined any relationships. We haven’t gotten arrested or gambled our money away. We are… Continue Reading What Does Functional Addiction Look Like?
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Depression is a serious mental and emotional health issue that is often considered a co-occurring disorder alongside addiction. When our depression is left untreated and unaddressed, there can be a wide range of dangerous effects. Untreated depression can increase our chances of turning to addictions, or worsen them if we’re already addicted. Depression can make… Continue Reading The Dangers of Untreated Depression
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Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide. About 16 million American adults have had at least one depressive episode and the rate of depression appears to be increasing. The increasing rate of depression is partly due to greater awareness and more people seeking help, but it may also be due in part to greater… Continue Reading 5 Ways Mindfulness Can Help You Beat Depression
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