Archives: Addiction Recovery Blog

How to Cope With An Eating Disorder

Within the United States, The National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA) has forecasted that approximately 30 million people suffer from eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia, or binge eating disorder in their lifetime. Worldwide it is around 70 million people in total. Let those numbers sink in! There is a good chance you may know someone […]

How Athletes With Anxiety Benefit From Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) techniques have been proven to help athletes who suffer from anxiety. Athletes can benefit from CBT to deal with stress inside and outside the world of sports. Championships, games, playing in big arenas, health issues, personal problems – there is no lack of reasons to be stressed. Eventually, this constant state of […]

Pride Month: Spotlight on Substance Abuse Treatment in the LGBTQ Community

For many decades there has been research conducted with conflict and bias on the rates of substance abuse and addiction treatment within the LGBTQ community. This comes to no surprise, as being lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer, still, unfortunately, comes with some sort of discrimination. This is even despite the major efforts on moving […]

Signs of Alcohol Poisoning

Most people who regularly drink alcohol already know the symptoms of being intoxicated, like slurred speech and poor coordination. Sometimes though, you might be witnessing a severe health emergency and not even know it. Individuals who indulge in drinking a lot of alcohol in a short period are at a significant risk of alcohol poisoning. Your liver […]

Don’t Be Fooled by High-Functioning Substance Abusers

There are over 20 million Americans struggling with substance use disorders and they can be found all around us. While the stereotypes of addiction have painted pictures of lowly people without jobs or families, who are unable to function in daily life, the reality is quite the opposite. The demographics of addiction include teachers, doctors, […]

Depression and Addiction – A Toxic Relationship

Many people drink alcohol and use drugs because they are depressed or become depressed as a result of prolonged substance abuse. Depression and addiction have a toxic, cyclical relationship that rips apart families, ruins careers and destroys lives. For many alcoholics and people with drug addictions, uncovering this link is key to making progress during […]

10 Signs of Relapse in Your Loved One

In the context of alcohol and drugs, a relapse indicates the return to a given substance following a non-negligible period of sobriety. A relapse can be particularly traumatic, not just for the patient but for his or her loved ones and friends as well, especially if it takes place after completing rehabilitation.  However, just as […]

How Work Stress Can Lead to a Substance Abuse Problem

Unless you’re a part of the fortunate minority of the world’s workforce who is immune to work stress, regular employment represents a major source of anxiety and it sometimes feels like work can’t always be left at the office at the end of the day. Even if you love your job, it’s bound to stress […]

It’s Never Smart to Give Your Kids Alcohol

Believe it or not, most adolescents and teens are exposed to alcohol for the first time through a close family member, often a parent. A sip of dad’s beer or a taste of mom’s wine usually serves as the introduction to alcohol. Many parents may think this is a harmless practice – but this is […]

Do Drug Courts Work?

Since their inception in the late 80s, controversy and debate has surrounded drug courts in America. On one hand, they are championed for giving drug users opportunities to turn their lives around and become productive members of society, while also not criminalizing addiction and leaving prisons overcrowded. On the other hand, they are criticized for […]

Studies Links Religion to Reduction in Alcohol Abuse

The inclusion of religion and spirituality in addiction treatment has long been a hotly debated topic. Most famously, the 12 steps created by Alcoholics Anonymous (with over 2 million members worldwide) are heavily associated with religion and spirituality. Being that the 12 steps are one of the most commonly used treatment strategies in the addiction […]

Why Inpatient Addiction Treatment May Be More Effective than Outpatient

When you or someone close to you makes the life-changing decision to fight back against addiction by seeking professional treatment, you’ll have a lot of other decisions to make as well. One of the most important decisions will be choosing between inpatient or outpatient treatment. Inpatient rehab refers to a recovery patient receiving treatment while […]

Why Abstinence Addiction Treatment is the Best

One of the things that makes people with drug and alcohol addictions reluctant to seek and accept treatment is the fear of completely ceasing use. Not only will stopping drug or alcohol abuse lead to withdrawal symptoms, many individuals simply can’t wrap their minds around never drinking or using a drug again. The finality of […]

How Personal Injuries Can Lead to Addiction and Trigger Relapses

When people sustain personal injuries, they are commonly given prescription medication. Painkillers known as opioids help combat the chronic pain that often occurs as a result. Research conducted by The National Center for Health Statistics reported that approximately 31 million people injure themselves and require some sort of medical treatment every year. This results in […]

Is Bipolar Disorder Causing You to Drink?

Bipolar disorder, once known as manic depression, is a serious mental disorder characterized by sudden and intense changes in mood, energy levels, and behavior. While the disorder itself is a hardship to bear, those afflicted with it also have a higher risk of developing alcohol addiction. This only complicates the situation and leads to what’s […]

The Link Between Trauma and Female Addiction

Female addiction treatment has evolved over the last few decades. With an increased understanding of what causes women to abuse alcohol and drugs, treatment professionals have a better understanding of how to treat them. In the past, focus was placed solely on the addiction, with the assumption that other problems would be resolved during rehab […]

10 Signs Your College Student is Struggling with Addiction

When it is time in a young adult’s life to move to college, whether close or far from home, it is a  time that signifies exploration and an expression of newfound freedom. Students are keen to fit in, find their place, and prove themselves. These freedoms however are often taken too far, as partying on […]

Why Mental Illness Often Goes Undiagnosed and Untreated

Due to the nature of mental health, those with a mental illness or illnesses often live with their symptoms for long periods of time before seeking treatment if they ever do so at all. Without professional help, mental conditions will only get worse, so the sooner that patients are diagnosed and begin treatment, the better. […]

Men Struggle with Mental Health in Silence

There are many biological and sociological gender differences between men and women, but some of the most primary distinctions include the prevalence, diagnosis, escalation and treatment of mental illnesses. Due to several millennia of male socialization and certain biological predispositions, many men around the world suffer from mental health difficulties in silence, leading to a […]

10 Things You Can Do to Improve Your Loved One’s Chances for Success in Recovery

If someone close to you has recently completed addiction rehab for drugs or alcohol, you should be extremely happy for her, but mindful of the fact that her journey has only just begun. Addiction recovery is a lifelong endeavor, but the first year is the most difficult hurdle to clear. One of the most common […]

Dangers of the New Online Drug Market

Drug dealers around the globe have moved from street corners and back alleyways to underground online marketplaces. The online drug market has grown considerably in both the United States and across several continents around the globe. People of all ages now have access to any drug, at any quantity and at any time. This new […]

How Exercise Can Help You Beat Addiction

It’s common knowledge that exercise is good for you, but finding the time and motivation to workout can be a challenge. For those suffering with addiction, it’s especially difficult, as physical activity often takes a backseat to getting high. But what if regular exercise could give you a natural high similar to the chemical one […]

Why Is There an Increase in Baby Boomer Substance Abuse?

When you picture a person binge drinking or taking a lot of painkillers like OxyContin, the first image that pops into your head is not likely to be an individual on the verge of retirement. Drug and alcohol abuse has almost always been correlated with youthful immaturity, but there’s a new demographic that appears to […]

American Drug Use Is on the Rise

Across most generations, genders and demographics in the U.S., drug use has increased. Whether discussing heroin, prescription drugs, marijuana or synthetics, American drug abuse has reached alarming levels. With so much information available about the dangers of drug use and headline after headline about record opioid abuse and overdoses, one would think that these numbers […]

Are You a Problem Drinker?

Many of us like to unwind with a beer or a glass of wine, but when it becomes more than an occasional indulgence, you may be developing a drinking problem. Frequent alcohol use can cause you to neglect responsibilities, destroy relationships and develop health issues, much of which can be averted by simply avoiding the […]

Millennial’s Drug(s) Of Choice

From bootlegging in the 1920s as a response to prohibition to the federal government declaring the war on drugs in the 1970s, substance abuse has always been widespread in modern American life. How has growing up in this environment affected the way that the next generation of leaders are consuming drugs as young adults? What does millennial […]

Increase in NAS and Drug-Related Newborn and Mother Hospitalizations

The miracle of life is supposed to be beautiful. A mother and her newborn baby should be bonding in the moments following birth, not battling tremors, uncontrollable vomiting and other painful addiction withdrawal symptoms. But this is the reality that more and more mothers and newborns are facing every day in America. The problem of […]

How to Spot a Bad Addiction Treatment Program

Making the choice to enter a drug treatment program is one of the most important decisions for someone struggling with addiction. But not all programs are created equal. Research shows that, with the growing national opioid crisis, some drug treatment centers are focusing more on profits than patient care. How can you be sure you’re […]

Early Intervention Can Help Prevent Substance Use Disorders

When it comes to substance abuse and addiction, we as a society are more reactive than proactive. Too often, a person’s substance abuse goes unnoticed, unchecked or ignored until a disaster forces his or her loved ones to acknowledge that a serious addiction problem has developed and that something must be done about it. By […]

Is There a Link Between Mental Illness and DUIs?

A study carried out by the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation (PIRE) has shown that alcohol may not be the only problem for repeat drunk drivers. More than half of those charged with driving under the influence (DUI) have also been diagnosed with at least one mental illness in addition to a drug or […]

Female Alcohol Abuse Now Rivals Males’

Women are closing the gap with men when it comes to alcohol consumption. Previous research has indicated that men typically consume more alcohol than women and are more likely to abuse alcohol, drinking it to the point that it affects their health. However, a new study published in BMJ Open shows that female alcohol abuse is […]

Children are Latest Victims of the Opioid Addiction and Overdose Epidemic

When a parent begins abusing a substance, her destructive behavior affects much more than just herself. Substance abuse of any kind does a great deal of damage to all friends and family members but when it occurs in a family, the substance abuse of one member can cause permanent damage to her child or children. […]

Can Wealth Shield You from Addiction?

It’s undeniable that being wealthy can protect a person from many of life’s harsh realities and offer countless advantages in virtually any situation. However, when it comes to developing an addiction, this is not always the case. Anyone from any walk of life and any background can develop a substance use disorder following incessant, irresponsible […]

What Is the Impact of Alcoholism on Children?

Dealing with an alcoholic parent has a more significant effect on their children than most are aware. Not just alcoholism, but an addiction of any kind causes problems for the substance abuser’s family finances, psychological well-being, and physical health. The effects of alcoholic parents create long-lasting, adverse effects on the children in the household, but […]

Prescription Drugs Responsible for More Deaths than Illicit Drugs

New prescription drugs are being created each day to treat every condition under the sun and then some. As the pharmaceutical industry is continually producing new medications, demand is following suit. Driven by skyrocketing sales, more people have legitimate access to prescription medication than ever and many of them are using it irresponsibly with unanticipated, […]

Can Cocaine Abuse Make It Hard to Tell Right from Wrong?

For many the ability to tell the difference between right and wrong is an easy distinction. Yet new research suggests cocaine abuse may compromise our ability to make moral decisions and impact how we view right from wrong. Can Cocaine Abuse Affect Morals? Samantha Fede and Dr. Kent Kiehl from the University of New Mexico […]

Can Recovery Be Successful Without Aftercare?

The battle with a debilitating drug addiction is a lifelong process despite rehabilitation only taking up a small slice of a person’s life. What better way to ensure a smooth transition into what lies ahead of addiction than undergoing aftercare with the same professionals that helped you when you were at your most vulnerable. The alternative […]

The Vital Role of Family on Addiction and Recovery

When people discuss the impact of addiction, the focus is often on the addicted individual. While no one endures the consequences of chronic substance abuse at the same level as the user, family members are frequently a close second. Addiction is a disease that impacts the whole family. Those closest to an alcoholic or a […]

Fentanyl: RX for a Deadly Overdose

The DEA reported that hundreds of thousands of counterfeit prescription pills cut with fentanyl have already infiltrated the United States drug market and the problem is anticipated to get worse. These counterfeit pills are manufactured with pharmacy-grade machines that make them nearly indistinguishable from the real thing. First synthesized in 1959, fentanyl is a powerful […]

Dangers of Mixing Alcohol and Energy Drinks

Over the last few years in America and in other developed nations around the world, a new drinking trend has caught on – mixing alcohol and caffeine. Steady increases in the energy drink market have intersected with the bar scene to create a host of new, flavorful cocktails that mask inebriation and keep drinkers wide […]

Addiction Relapse – Is it a Necessary Stage of Recovery?

If addiction recovery is one of the most difficult things a person can go through, then addiction relapse is one of the most devastating. A person in recovery has already caused damage to his life and likely to the lives of those closest to him. When you combine that with the cost of some rehabilitation […]

Cocaine Addiction: Can it be Suppressed in the Brain?

Researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina may have uncovered one of the most promising therapies for the future treatment of people suffering from cocaine addiction. The experiments targeted the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, the region of the brain that partially mediates relapse resistance and is located slightly above and behind our eyes. This part of the […]

Stress and Depression May Impact You More Than a Chronic Disease

It may not be obvious on the surface, but the way we feel mentally impacts how we feel physically. Stress and depression can lead to several physical ailments. A sick body is something you can, by-and-large, observe and identify confidently. We’ve all felt ill at some point in our lives, and we know when things […]

Employee Drug Use Is On The Rise In The United States

Positive drug tests for American workers doubled from 2015 to 2016, and employee drug use is as high as it has been in a decade. Quest Diagnostics, a company that tests urine, hair and oral fluid for drugs on behalf of companies across the United States, found that workers across the nation are doing more […]

U.S. Soccer Legend Abby Wambach Comes Clean About Alcoholism And Painkiller Addiction

Few names are more synonymous with U.S. soccer than Abby Wambach. Known both nationally and internationally, Wambach is one of the most accomplished soccer players of all time. Her career includes two Olympic gold medals, a Women’s World Cup championship and 184 goals – the most of any American male or female soccer player in […]

Teen Drinking Is Declining And That’s Actually Bad News

According to federal data released by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in September, 2016, teen drinking among Americans has dropped to new, encouraging lows. While 17.6 percent of adolescents, ages 12 to 17, used alcohol in 2002, only 9.6 percent used in 2015. What’s more, rates of alcohol use disorder among […]

How the Opioid Epidemic Became a Newborn Baby Crisis

No matter where you are in the U.S., it would be nearly impossible for you not to have heard about the growing number of Americans using, abusing and becoming addicted to heroin and prescription opioids. From teenagers to soccer moms, CEOs and senior citizens, the opioid epidemic has become rampant in our country and represents one […]

Why Josh Gordon Chose Rehab over Football

Josh Gordon shocked the football world when he declined to return to the NFL, opting for addiction rehab instead. Just one week away from returning to the NFL for the first time since 2013, Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon shocked the football world by delaying his comeback in favor of entering into an addiction […]

Family Addiction – How You Can Help

No matter where you’re from or who you’ve spent time with in your life, there’s a good chance that you know a person who is addicted to drugs or alcohol…

How a Simple Injury Can Lead to Heroin Addiction

Heroin addiction most often starts with a person taking prescription painkillers because of an injury and developing an opioid dependence as a result.