Overview: The COVID pandemic has led to innovations in substance abuse recovery, including wider availability of telehealth visits, bridge clinics, and programs designed for harm reduction that make getting medications — including buprenorphine and naloxone — easier to get and use at home. The COVID pandemic has made the problem of substance abuse even worse than…

Many people who have substance use disorders experience social stigma caused by negative perceptions and misconceptions about substance abuse and rehabilitation. The social stigma may cause them to avoid treatment because they don’t want to be seen in a rehab center or to look their primary care physician in the eyes and tell them that…

Knowledge about substance use disorder and its treatments is always advancing. Choosing a rehabilitation program that adheres to the latest and most effective treatment practices can lead to improved outcomes for people struggling with addiction and the people who love them. As part of its Evidence-Based Resource Guide Series, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health…

Social distancing is considered to be one of the best defenses against the spread of COVID-19. However, the isolation it leads to is not without consequences of its own. While all people are impacted by pandemic-related social distancing requirements, experts say that people with substance use disorders (SUDs) and those who are homeless face unique…

When COVID-19 first reached pandemic proportions earlier this year, Dr. Nora Volkow, the director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) warned that people with substance use disorders (SUDs) could be hit particularly hard by the virus. Now, research published in the academic journal, Molecular Psychiatry, confirms Dr. Volkow’s prediction to be true. While…

Adults defined as “sexual minority,” including those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transexual and queer (LGBTQ), have higher rates of substance misuse and substance use disorders than their heterosexual peers, according to statistics shared by the NIH’s National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Specifically, they’re two times more likely than heterosexuals to have used…

The COVID-19 pandemic is threatening the health and wellbeing of the world right now. While we often think of the elderly and people with serious underlying conditions as the most vulnerable to coronavirus complications, another subset of the population may also be at increased risk: people with substance use disorders. Here’s a closer look at…

Codependency can be a direct impediment to recovery from substance abuse problems. In order to stop these behaviors, we must first understand them. Here’s a closer look at codependency, along with why family therapy is a vital part of substance abuse treatment.   What is Codependency? “Codependency is characterized by a person belonging to a…