Doctors tend to prescribe benzodiazepines, or benzos, for use by patients that struggle with anxiety and traumatic stress. Benzos don’t generate a high, but rather a feeling of relief, relaxation, and general mood enhancement for someone feeling anxious or stressed. Because of their addictive nature, even the doctors that prescribe the drugs have to get…
Quitting cold turkey might sound easy, but it’s not. The idea is that someone struggling with substance use disorder can successfully reach sobriety by strictly stopping their use of the addictive substance all at once, rather than weaning themselves off the substance over time under medical supervision. The cold turkey method is not ideal, and…
The link between addiction and depression is strong. Substance abuse is all too prevalent among those who are also dealing with a mental health disorder. One doesn’t necessarily lead to the other in one way. According to reports in the Journal of the American Medical Association, 37% of people who abuse alcohol and 53% of people…
According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), self-medication is defined as “the selection and use of medicines by individuals (or a member of the individuals’ family) to treat self-recognized or self-diagnosed conditions or symptoms.” There can be benefits to safe and responsible self-medication, like accessing the medication when needed and relieving pain on demand. However, the…
Recovering from addiction comes with a number of challenges. Anything can be a trigger that leads to relapse. Learning how to avoid those triggers and maintain your sobriety is something that you may have to continue to work on for years to come. Relapse triggers can be both physical and emotional, and they can vary…
Most people don’t set out to become addicted to opioids. It starts innocently and with good intention, with a prescription from a doctor. While not everyone who takes prescription drugs ends up trying and becoming addicted to other drugs – like heroin – the risk is there. In fact, heroin and prescription opioids both affect…
There is a myriad of reasons that people mix drugs and alcohol, and every combination is dangerous. The cocaine and alcohol mix is one of the most common. It’s called polysubstance abuse. The reason it’s so common is that it’s thought that each substance will reduce the negative symptoms of the other substance. Contact us…
Marijuana, also known as cannabis, is legal for adults aged 21 and older in 37 states, but it is still an illegal substance according to federal law. The legalization of medical marijuana makes it easier for people to access the drug. As with any psychoactive substance, some people can use marijuana without harmful consequences, and…
The workplace is not exempt from alcohol addiction. Going out with coworkers for a couple of drinks or throwing a few back at the company holiday party are not uncommon occurrences. But there may be people working right alongside you who are struggling with alcoholism. You can do yourself and coworkers a favor by recognizing…
Unfortunately 4th of July celebrations — as with most holidays in the U.S.— tend to revolve around alcohol consumption. You’ve worked hard for your sobriety, and there’s no reason to put it in jeopardy. So, the challenge becomes how to celebrate without worrying about the temptation to drink. Believe it or not, there’s plenty of…