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Some people must work a lot harder than others to avoid drug abuse. Genetic factors, family factors, and environmental factors can force some people to structure their lives around avoiding
Many people still don’t understand how alcohol abuse can hurt people or how simple it is to get help. This is a tragic problem because health problems can develop quickly,
Human beings have been dealing with addiction and substance abuse as long as there have been addictive substances to abuse. What changes over time is both the kinds of addiction
Many people assume that, since alcohol is legal, it doesn’t have many negative effects on your health. They might know of the negative effects that alcoholism can have on someone
Do you suspect that a loved one is engaging in excessive drinking? Excessive drinking can lead to social withdrawal, serious health problems, and even death. You need to act quickly
If you or someone you know is committed to overcoming an addiction, rehabilitation at a dedicated treatment center should be considered. It allows you to get away from the various
Supporting a loved one battling addiction can be overwhelming and emotionally draining. Understanding the complexities of substance abuse is crucial in providing effective support. In this blog post, our experts
Do you need to know more about treatments for alcohol abusers? This guide explores the questions most commonly asked by those considering treatment. For each question, you’ll find a short
You need to know if someone you love is struggling with alcohol abuse. It’s the only way to protect them from some of the most dangerous effects of alcohol dependency.
Rehab—short for rehabilitation—refers to drug and alcohol programs that are administered in a residential setting. It may be the right option for you if you are struggling with drug/alcohol addiction
Understanding Alcoholism & How to Help an Addict While ‘alcoholism’ is still a common term, medical professionals now refer to the family of alcohol-related disorders as alcohol abuse disorder (AUD).
Are you nervous about checking into a rehab center? Are you researching them for a loved one? You probably have a lot of questions and doubts, and you want to
Let’s start by celebrating something that may seem small but is far from it: you’re here. You have an interest in getting sober. Perhaps you’re at a crossroads. Do you
Drug rehabilitation (rehab) and recovery programs are not one size fits all. Not only are programs highly individualized based on the person’s needs, but they also vary based on duration,
Mental illness among veterans is often referred to as war’s invisible wound. Veterans and their families have a difficult time coping with the emotional and psychological challenges that are often
Dealing with a teen who may have a drug abuse issue is overwhelming and stressful. This is not a journey to tackle alone. Teens dealing with drug abuse are struggling
There’s one thing that can help everyone understand why some develop an addiction to drugs and others don’t: accurate information. It’s important to clarify the misinformation and false perceptions that
Rehabilitation centers are frequently recommended for those looking to recover from a drug addiction. The treatment provided at rehab centers is extensive and includes a variety of programs including medical
You can’t control your loved one’s addiction, nor can you control your loved one. So what can you do to help a family who is suffering from an addiction? Dealing
Prescription drug abuse is a growing epidemic with devastating and potentially deadly effects if left untreated. Prescription drug abuse involves anything from taking a medication in a different form, dose,
If someone mentions a “drug overdose,” it’s natural to link illegal drugs like heroin, cocaine, or methamphetamine (meth) to the cause. Although it’s less common to think of legal, prescribed
Treating alcohol use disorder (AUD) has evolved significantly and includes much more than Alcoholics Anonymous. Alcohol abuse treatment options now include behavioral therapy treatment plans, web-based programs, prescription medications, and
As the number of prescriptions written in the United States continues to rise, so does prescription drug abuse. Prescription drug abuse involves taking a prescribed medication in any other way
Being a teenager is not easy. Academic, social, and family pressures pile while trying to navigate friendships, extracurricular activities, personal style, and hormones. Teens and young adults are bombarded with
Methamphetamine (meth) is a powerful stimulant drug that is highly addictive and can have damaging effects on the central nervous system. It has very few legal medical uses, including the
Cocaine in and of itself is a powerful and addictive drug. When the powder is mixed with baking soda and water, boiled, cooled, and then cut into rock-shaped pieces, the
Clonazepam (the generic drug for Klonopin) is one of the top benzodiazepines prescribed to treat anxiety, insomnia, mood disorders, and seizures. Benzos, including clonazepam, are sedative drugs and are among
Cocaine is a highly addictive stimulant drug that creates a short-lived, intense high quickly followed by edginess and a low that frequently results in the craving for more of the
Klonopin (generically known as Clonazepam) is a medically-prescribed drug used to treat some seizure disorders in children and adults, panic disorders in adults, epilepsy, and provide short-term relief of anxiety-related
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is very effective at relieving moderate-to-severe chronic pain. It’s roughly 100 times stronger than morphine, and 50 times stronger than heroin. Although it can
The United States accounts for 81% of oxycodone prescriptions written in the world, and it’s one of the most prescribed painkillers in the United States. According to the National Institute
Drug addiction and substance abuse disorder affects millions of people. Those with an addiction have intense cravings, an inability to control drug cravings, and develop a tolerance and eventually a
Alcohol is one of the world’s most abused substances, and according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, around 86.4% of people over the age of 18 in
Oxycodone is one of the most powerful painkillers available on the market, after morphine. Oxycodone is the main ingredient in many commonly abused brand name painkillers, such as OxyContin and
Trying to withdrawal from heroin is incredibly difficult for addicts. The side effects from the withdrawal are often so powerful that the person returns to the drug to alleviate the
If you’ve heard of Xanax, Klonopin, or Valium, you’ve heard of a benzodiazepine. Frequently prescribed to treat anxiety, promote sleep, help with panic disorders, manage seizures, and in some cases
Many people trying to quit their addiction to opiates experience serious withdrawal symptoms. Coping with withdrawal symptoms is frequently the most difficult part of quitting and detox. Withdrawal symptoms are
Alcoholism. Alcohol addiction. Alcohol use disorder. Whatever you call it, it means that you or someone you know drinks enough alcohol that the brain’s chemistry has changed and the body
A drug is prescribed to a patient from a well-intentioned, medically-trained and licensed doctor for medicinal purposes. At some point, this prescription becomes a part of a growing trend called
An opiate addiction develops when your brain develops a dependence on drugs to feel good. Opiates and opioids include several drugs that are typically prescribed for pain management. Opioids include
There’s nothing glamorous about being dope sick, and if you’re not familiar with the term, keep reading; you’ll soon understand why those who are cringing at the sight of the
Addiction has devastating effects on all areas of one’s life—including sleep. People suffering from addiction are approximately 5- 10 times more likely to develop sleep disorders. Ironically, many people initially
Maintaining strong human relationships is important to physical and mental health, perhaps nowhere more important than when you’re fighting temptations to relapse into addiction. Peers who understand what it’s like
When in recovery from alcoholism, you quickly find that potential relapse triggers lurk everywhere. Alcoholics Anonymous developed its hotline-like buddy system to help combat that problem: many people lack the
Whether you’re at an office happy hour or a family Christmas party, it can be a trying experience to have an alcohol use disorder and be surrounded by cheerful cocktail-sippers.
Recovering from alcoholism means having a lot to live down. And having a reputation to rebuild as a worker, a community member and a family member. Of the three,
Chronic stress increases your risk of relapse into drug use. And fatigue (physical or mental) increases your risk of becoming chronically stressed. So getting adequate rest is one important element
If you belong to any “Anonymous” support group, you’re familiar with “I’m celebrating x months/years of sobriety” announcements. Even if your support network uses a non-12-Steps approach, celebrating sobriety anniversaries
A healthy diet is important under any life circumstances, but in recovery from addiction, it provides special benefits: Replaces weight lost during drug use, without the health risks of empty
If you struggle with getting a good night’s sleep, like millions do, you may be willing to do anything to end the feeling of chronic sleep deprivation. The simplest solution for many insomniacs is
Addiction has devastating effects on all areas of one’s life—including sleep. People suffering from addiction are approximately 5- 10 times more likely to develop sleep disorders. Ironically, many people initially
Substance abuse is physiologically damaging in numerous ways, many of which are outwardly obvious. However, it also causes difficult-to-detect inner changes including the depletion of vitamins and minerals the body
In the previous two decades, opiate addiction has mushroomed into a deadly, worldwide epidemic that knows no cultural or socioeconomic boundaries. According to the Centers for Disease Control and
Although many adults are capable of drinking in moderation, alcohol’s highly addictive properties frequently lead to excessive consumption and quickly spiral-out-of-control. The evidence of alcohol’s neurotoxicity and accompanying socioeconomic burden
Addiction is a life-altering disease that subjects those suffering from it to intense suffering and frequently renders family and friends helpless to intervene. Those grappling with addictive behaviors often face
Relapse is as common to the world of substance abuse treatment as injury is to the world of professional sports. In fact, some experts estimate that up to 95 percent
Getting sober and staying sober is the goal of everyone entering treatment for chemical addiction disorders. Everyone who’s been through detox knows that getting sober can be a rough ride.
Substance abuse has become the scourge of American society in the last century, rising to prevalence as a national health threat and public enemy. In decades past, alcohol was considered
In recovery from addiction, you learn early on to avoid the obvious relapse triggers: unnecessary stress, alcohol-serving parties, old drinking buddies. But not all relapse triggers are that obvious. Here
If it’s hard to convince your family to trust you again after addiction, it’s far harder to convince someone who knows only that you spent time in jail for drunk
Maintaining a sober lifestyle is easiest when your family, work associates and close friends support your decision to give up drugs. But what if they don’t? What if your partner,
“We made direct amends to [every person we had harmed] wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.” –The Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, Step 9
National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week® (NDAFW) is right around the corner (January 22-27)— and you won’t want to miss it. Beach House Center for Recovery will be using its
As new initiates into the world of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) can all confirm, dating in early recovery—particularly the first year—is a widely discouraged practice. Although many
As the largest and longest partial government shutdown in this country grinds on with no imminent end in sight, many government agencies remain shuttered, unable to provide key services to
“We sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to
“We continued to take personal inventory, and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it.” –The Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, Step 10 Getting sober from chemical addiction is rough. Staying sober can be
“Having had a spiritual awakening as a result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to other alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.” –The
This month marks “Dry January”— a growing movement to practice a month of alcohol abstinence after the excess of the holidays. Since its founding in 2012 by the British organization,
For millions of teens and college students across the world, high school and college are synonymous with social and sexual experimentation, as well as academic pressure. During these formative years,
Addiction very often goes hand in hand with “co-occurring disorders” like chronic pain and mood disorders. For example, alcoholism and depression often co-occur, but until only very recently, treating both
Genes and environment have long been cited in attempts to describe what causes some people to drink more than others— and, why some people develop an alcohol dependency and others
“Today, I am officially declaring e-cigarette use among youth an epidemic in the United States,” the U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Jerome Adams, tweeted on Tuesday, December 18. He was responding
Addiction to drugs and alcohol is notoriously hard on the body and damaging to the brain—especially long-term addiction. Healing from the damage created by drug or alcohol abuse is a
A new $50 million donation by Bloomberg Philanthropies is the latest ammunition in the fight against a national drug epidemic that has claimed a record number of American lives—70,237 overdose
The latest scientific research shows that addiction is a chronic, relapsing disease characterized by isolation—that empty, disconnected mental and psychological condition that gives birth to a variety of unhealthy behaviors.
Substance abuse is rampant in the United States, producing an economic burden that overshadows any other neurological disorder. Recent statistics implicate substance abuse in a total cost of $820 billion
Addiction is a rapidly expanding universe filled with misconceptions and seldom understood by those outside its gravitational pull. Friends and family of people addicted to various substances are often mystified
Few dynamics in life are as subtle and nuanced as the therapist-client relationship, which involves a complex system of boundaries designed to protect both while providing a safe, healing environment.
Most people beginning their journey into recovery enter through the gateway of a 12-step program. Especially in early recovery, the religious connotation of the language in the Big Book can
“We made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.” –The Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, Step 4 “Making a searching and fearless moral inventory of yourself” is often thought
Therapeutic relationships are intricate, dynamic systems of healing and trust, defined by boundaries. Similar to state lines on a map or borders between countries, however, many boundaries are invisible and,
“We made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood him.” –The Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, Step 3 Besides
Last month researchers at Rutgers University cracked a code in their effort to demystify how addiction affects the brain, and their discovery may lead to more new medications for cocaine
“We came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.” –The Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, Step 2 When Alcoholics Anonymous was founded in 1935,
“We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable.” –The Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, Step 1 The idea of admitting you’re powerless over an addiction sounds
A strong, positive network of support from family, friends, and the community at large is critical to recovery. Without a sufficient support network, someone struggling with isolation—a defining characteristic of
Last week, the U.S. Senate successfully passed the “Opioid Crisis Response Act”— a wide-ranging set of bills that contains many of the same recommendations of the President’s Commission on Combating
Recovery is a lot about who you know. Let me explain…. In a month devoted to the topic of social pressure and its relation to substance abuse, there is great
Drug overdoses, the vast majority of which are opiate-related, are now the leading cause of death for Americans under the age of 50. It’s a runaway epidemic that more often
Recovery is a battle that is fought in stages. If you’ve already survived the rigors of detox through inpatient or outpatient treatment, are working a 12-step program, and have made
Prescription drugs are among the most popular drugs of abuse among people ages 14 and older. On college campuses especially, prescription drug abuse constitutes a growing trend. For example, the
Yesterday was “World Suicide Prevention Day,” which kicked off National Suicide Prevention Week (September 9-15). The annual campaign, marked by events around the country to raise awareness about suicide prevention
“Learned helplessness” is a term from the world of psychology that has been around for a while. It was first coined during experiments with lab animals that over a prolonged
One common symptom of addiction disorder is becoming “dis-ordered”: missing work, forgetting appointments, neglecting personal grooming. An important part of detox is reorganizing life for new self-understanding, new goals and
If perfectionism had any role in your developing an addiction disorder, you’ve probably harbored fear of learning new skills you weren’t sure you could get “right.” And if you’ve been
“I’m so stupid” can be easy for many people to say, especially in the wake of addiction-related damage. But if you dwell on the thought (or on any other negative
It’s no secret that Americans are drinking more in recent years, but on the heels of last week’s news that “there is no safe level” of alcohol consumption, what’s worth
An active support network, comprising both formal support groups and informal friendships, can make the difference between relapse and long-term recovery. But as with any tool or program, a support
Any life transition—getting married, moving, starting college and of course attaining sobriety—comes with inherent strain on the nerves. Even “regular” transitions such as a change of seasons can catch you
In my previous blog we discussed the health benefits of creativity and the science behind how exploring your creativity can help your recovery. But getting there—channeling your individual creativity and
If you think you’ll be happy when you find the right job/retire/have enough money— you’ll not only miss a lot of fun along the way, you’ll sink into apathy if
If you’re a member of any 12-Step group, you’ve heard many of your fellow members announce: “Tonight I’m celebrating one year of sobriety”—or six months, five years or ten years.
Prevention still beats cure for maximum simplicity and minimum pain: so if you’ve escaped addiction so far (or if you want to help others avoid repeating your mistakes), here are
While it’s not a good idea to get involved in a new relationship during your first few months of sobriety—you have enough life transitions and adjustments to cope with right
Research suggests that gender may have a significant impact on why people with addiction choose one substance over another. The findings show, for example, that females are more likely than
Although “living one day at a time” is a basic tenet of sobriety, you may well ask: Yes, but how do I do it? Here are a few ideas. 1.
The “reform school” approach to romance is a disaster waiting to happen. It’s one thing if you’re already married to the person with the addiction—which commits you to dealing with
It takes about three months to get a chemical addiction out of your system—one week physically and twelve weeks psychologically. Even after that, the danger of relapse remains strong for
As a psychiatrist specializing in addiction, I’m often asked to be a guest speaker for various audiences, including families who want to know how to help a loved one struggling
Chemical dependence is always a family problem. If you have an addiction disorder, chances are other members of your household have unconsciously encouraged it, usually in one or more of
What are the biggest obstacles to recovery for men in particular? That’s a fitting question to explore during Men’s Health Month. Below I’ll lay out some of the more common
Even with the best medical care, physical drug detox is typically a miserable experience. Depending on the substance involved, you may develop flu-like physical illness that saps your strength, turns
Like July 4th in this country, recovery is a celebration of freedom: freedom from drugs and alcohol, yes— but also the freedom to be and do what gives you purpose
Beer at a Memorial Day picnic, red wine at a college-graduation party, champagne at a wedding—there are occasions where “social drinking” is considered ubiquitous, at least in certain extended families
Getting away from everyday routine can be the perfect tool for reducing relapse dangers by reducing stress—or it can be a minefield of temptations with drinks on every corner, the
If there’s anything more frightening than suspecting you’re addicted to drugs, it’s suspecting that someone you love—especially your child—is the addicted one. Some parents worry so much about this possibility
The twentieth-century French thinker Jean Paul Sartre was a prolific creator. Many of us associate him with the branch of philosophy known as “existentialism” that he helped to create. But
When temperatures start to rise, so do tempers: many a scientific study confirms that people are more irritable, pessimistic and sleep-deprived when the weather gets hot enough to increase heart
June marks Men’s Health Month. The 23rd annual campaign, which Congress began in order to raise awareness about health issues affecting men and boys, offers suggestions about things to do
As noted in the classic Twelve Steps, making amends to everybody one has hurt is an important part of addiction recovery. When the injured party is someone you have a
If you’re familiar with the Bible, perhaps you remember the story of Elijah in 1 Kings 18–19. He publicly bested 450 enemies by calling down God’s fire and rain from
Getting an accurate diagnosis is crucial to the effective treatment of any medical condition. With addiction, too, a correct diagnosis is your best chance at recovery. What many families don’t
In the 1950’s, scientists made a fascinating discovery when they implanted electrodes in the brains of rats and electrically stimulated the ventral tegmental area (VTA) of the brain. They found
If Pay Day used to be a cue to go binge drink or call your drug dealer, then you’re not alone. Many people with substance use disorders (SUDs) have struggled
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