High-risk drinking is on the rise in the United States, according to research published in JAMA. One of the populations experiencing the most significant increases in terms of using alcohol to a point that’s dangerous or harmful is women. Here’s a closer look at the data, what it means, why it’s happening, and how targeted treatment…
So you’ve decided to seek treatment for alcohol use disorder or another addiction. Congratulations on this life-changing choice! If you’re like many people, you may be spending so much time focusing on what will happen during treatment that you’ve given little consideration to what your life will look like in the days that follow. Here’s…
Knowledge regarding how best to treat patients struggling with opioid addiction is constantly advancing. Now comes news that the long-acting buprenorphine formulation BUP-XR, a monthly extended release injection, may be a valuable treatment for opioid use disorders (OUD). Here’s a closer look at the research, as published late last month in The Lancet. About the…
What are High-Functioning Alcoholics? When most people hear the word “alcoholic,” a picture of the bumbling, fumbling, falling-down drunk comes to mind. (Think Norm from Cheers.) Not all alcoholics fall into this category. In fact, many alcoholics give off the appearance of being productive, high achieving, and “together.” Beneath the surface, however, the situation may…
Deciding to enter addiction treatment isn’t easy, but neither is continuing a life of addiction. The noteworthy difference between the two paths is clear: While the latter promises nothing more than increasing difficulty ahead, the former promises something extraordinary, hope for a better life. Looking for more specifics? Read on for a roundup of six ways your…
Between 7 and 8 percent of Americans will experience PTSD over the course of their lifetimes, according to the National Center for PTSD. While coping with the condition is hard enough on its own, a growing body of research indicates that people who suffer from PTSD are more likely to become addicted to drugs and…
There is a large emotional component to addiction that cannot be ignored if you intend to truly recover from addiction for good. The reality is that addiction is not just physical in nature; as such, success in addiction recovery is not just about detox. Detox is designed to break the cycle of physical dependency on…
While it may seem counterintuitive to use drugs to treat a drug addiction, methadone treatment has been used since the 1960s to treat heroin addiction. It is still considered one of the most successful drug therapies to help those with opioid addictions. Why Methadone Treatment Is Used for Substance Abuse When you first stop abusing heroin…
When you take that all-important first step on your road to recovery, you will find that treatment for substance abuse involves a number of different strategies. Addiction is tough to beat, which means that you will need to use all the tools at your disposal to win your battle against it. One of the tools…
We all need love. From our first breath to our last, we need to both give and receive love and affection. Sadly, all too often, instead of affection, what is experienced is rejection. Understanding the Pain of Rejection Rejection, the feeling of being pushed away or excluded from a person or group of people you…