Opioids and benzodiazepines (benzos) are two of the most commonly abused substances. They are especially dangerous when combined as opiates slow your heart rate and breathing and, when combined with benzos, a person who overdoses may not wake up. If you or someone you know is struggling with an addiction to opioids or benzos, we…
Detoxing from cocaine can be scary, and many who are addicted might fear beginning the process of detox whether they’re planning to go through it alone or under the care of an inpatient or medical program. If you or a loved one are planning on beginning a cocaine detox, here are five things that you…
Unfortunately, for millions of adults around the world, some form of trauma affects their everyday life. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, about 6% of the population will experience Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) at some point in their life. While trauma is often beyond a person’s control, treating any resulting PTSD is not….
Any time two or more drugs are taken simultaneously, the risk of adverse consequences, including fatal overdose, is heightened. The act of mixing various substances is referred to as polydrug use and pertains to both illicit substances and prescription drugs. Benzos and opioids are highly addictive, potent substances that, when combined, can have serious adverse…
Cocaine is a highly addictive illicit substance, and because the drug produces an intense but short-lived euphoric high, many cocaine users take many consecutive doses to maintain and increase their high. Cocaine is also known for having a particularly rough “comedown”— the negative effects, mainly psychological, that a user experiences when the cocaine high ends….
Approximately 19.1% of all US adults have an anxiety disorder. With almost a fifth of all adults experiencing diagnosed anxiety, how can you tell if it’s affecting someone you love, and how can you help? Symptoms of Anxiety Everyone experiences anxiety differently, so it can be hard to spot. Some people are very good at…
Many factors contribute to how addictive a substance is, and how likely it is that an individual will become addicted. Factors of addiction include potency and availability of the drug, a person’s genetic make-up, environment, mental wellbeing, and personal development. Once addiction develops, it can be extremely challenging to quit taking the substances because addictive…
Addictive drugs affect brain chemistry in ways that can make it difficult to quit, even when the person using the drugs suffers detrimental consequences. There are many factors that play into the likelihood of developing an addiction to a specific substance, including variables with the drug itself and the person who uses it. Potency and…
Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is often treated with a wide variety of techniques, including inpatient treatment, individual or group therapy, or medically supervised detox. How someone is treated for their alcoholism depends on the person and how receptive they are. For many, a combination of treatment methods proves to be the most successful. In the…
Art therapy, which is included under the category of Expression therapy, can be a useful tool for those in the process of recovery to open up about their emotions and provide mental health practitioners with insights into their conditions as well as their progress on the path to sobriety. Research has indicated that art therapy…
