Category: Substance Abuse Issues

According to the government categorization system established up to track drug hazards, the pain medicine is a “Schedule IV” substance, which implies it has a “low potential for misuse and low risk of dependency.”

Alcohol is the most commonly used substance among young people in the U.S Data from several national surveys document the use of alcohol among young people.

COVID-19 has contributed to an increase in demand for mental health services, but anxiety and sadness are not the only mental health concerns individuals are confronting. Experts assert that abuse of opioids and stimulants is on the rise—and psychologists are well-placed to assist. Subjects with substance use disorders (SUD) are also more prone to acquire… Continue reading Demand for mental health services increases, because of COVID-19

A new study out of the University of Chicago Medicine following young adult drinkers for 10 years has found that individuals who reported the highest sensitivity to alcohol’s pleasurable and rewarding effects at the start of the trial were more likely to develop an alcohol use disorder (AUD) over the course of the study.  … Continue reading Alcohol over time can predict alcohol use disorder

Steven Kelty had been addicted to crack cocaine for 32 years when he tried a different kind of treatment last year, one so basic in concept that he was skeptical. He would come to a clinic twice a week to provide a urine sample, and if it was free of drugs, he would get to… Continue reading Contingency management rewards drug users with money

According to a recently published report by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, New Mexico continues to have the highest rate of alcohol-related deaths in the country. New Mexico’s alcohol-related death rate of 52.3 per 100,000 population was almost twice the U.S. rate for the years 2011 through 2015. The average U.S. alcohol-related… Continue reading CDC: New Mexico has highest rate for alcohol-related deaths

The founder of a Los Angeles sober-living facility is facing 20 years in prison for running a $175 million phony health care billing scheme. Christopher Bathum pleaded no contest Monday to 14 felony counts of grand theft, insurance fraud, identity theft and money laundering, the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office announced. Bathum, who once… Continue reading Rehab Mogul Caught In $175M Scam – Sex Charges Pending

“As we get into the holiday season here, that can be more prevalent in people’s lives,” said Program Director Bob Sharits. “A lot of people get depressed around the holidays. Please don’t sit in your uncomfortability and your mental health issues or substance abuse issues by yourself. Reach out to someone. Ask for help.” In… Continue reading Outpatient Rehab In Santa Clarita Encourages Those Struggling During The Holidays

Researchers found that the combination of ketamine – a dissociative anesthetic – and behavioral therapy helped patients with alcohol use disorder maintain abstinence and regain it faster after relapse, according to a study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry. About 15 million U.S. adults suffer from alcohol use disorder, according to the National Institute… Continue reading Ketamine and behavioral therapy may help alcoholics regain sobriety

Substance abuse is a problem that the community should recognize a collective obligation to address, writes the author. In this September 2017 photo, Oregon Recovers, a coalition advocating for comprehensive prevention, treatment and recovery support services for substance addiction, holds its inaugural rally in Portland. Courtesy of Oregon Recovers Julie Dodge Dodge is interim dean… Continue reading Substance abuse isn’t just ‘their’ problem

Opioid abuse is serious, but we can’t let it distract us from the need for new initiatives to combat by far the most tenacious drug problem in the islands. You wouldn’t think we’d ever lose track of a scourge as devastating and prevalent as methamphetamine abuse. After all, meth-related problems are still filling up our… Continue reading Hawaii Has A Meth Problem That Needs Attention – Now

Every day, an average of 130 people in the United States die after overdosing on opioids. The economic impact of prescription opioid abuse alone was a staggering $179.4 billion in 2018, according to a recent report by the Society of Actuaries. That includes $72.6 billion in mortality costs, $60.4 billion in health care costs, $26.5… Continue reading Addiction Is a Workforce Issue

  As the police chief of Newtown in Hamilton County, a police officer for over 20 years, and a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, I’ve dedicated my life to serving my community and country. I know the addiction epidemic in our state is one of the most critical and complex public health and… Continue reading We can’t punish addiction out of someone

(THE CONVERSATION) “It has been many long, hard, agonizing battles for the last few years and you fought like a warrior every step of the way. Addiction, however, won the war. To the person who doesn’t understand addiction, she is just another statistic who chose to make a bad decision.” Despite working nearly two decades… Continue reading The opioid epidemic is finally a national emergency – eight years too late

Many options are available when selecting a treatment program. The ultimate goal of drug and alcohol abuse treatment is to stop the abuse and allow people to lead active, productive lives, reuniting them with family, and re-integrating them into the workplace and community. One of the major challenges is keeping patients in treatment long enough… Continue reading How to Justify Needing a Treatment Program

Eleven Activities to Choose From So You Won’t Be Bored: Many people in recovery from substance abuse who are contemplating getting clean and sober and changing their lifestyle are often in fear of what their life will be like afterwards. Usually the rush people get from drinking and using becomes just as addicting as using.… Continue reading Living Clean and Sober Does Not Have to be Boring

Life is so precious as we all know. But, through our lives some of us tend to go down the wrong path, leading us to somewhere we find very hard to get back from. We don’t head down this path on purpose, it just happens. Addictions sneak up on us very slowly, and sooner or… Continue reading Go Sober – Give Your Life a Second Chance

Most everyone has heard the adage “You reap what you sow”. Nothing could be truer when you are talking about the life of a practicing alcoholic or drug addict.

Perhaps, this is your first time to decide that you are already going to quit drinking alcoholic beverages. The very big step to begin this process is that you stop alcohol cravings.

Can marijuana be an effective treatment to keep people off opioids? A new Illinois program aims to prevent opioid addiction by allowing patients to take a prescription for painkillers and use it for cannabis instead. This comes as a new study from the National Safety Council shows that more people are likely to die from opioid overdose… Continue reading Illinois Program Offers Medical Marijuana as Alternative to Opioids

Throughout my journey of recovery in Alcoholics Anonymous, miracles have come to me in abundance. The promises have astoundingly materialized in every element of my daily life and the rewards of sobriety are beyond what my imagination could have ever visualized or dreamed of. I was miraculously given a chance in my life to live.… Continue reading Unity in Alcoholics Anonymous

Suboxone, deemed by some as the miracle pill, has recently become a much more sought after solution than its widespread alternative, Methadone. Due to the fact that there are very few doctors that can prescribe the drug and its extremely high cost, the majority of addicts are forced to settle for methadone maintenance programs.

For the true alcoholic, this is a mind bending question; an almost unreachable proposition. People who are trapped in a cycle of addiction find it extremely difficult to visualize the sober life. They might start to envision such a life, but the illusion immediately breaks down for them, because they know that they would not be happy living that way.

In alcohol and drug recovery, a Sober Living Environment is referred to as an SLE. The SLE is what could be called the middle ground in your path to recovery. Living at an SLE can be like a family in many ways. You are responsible to take care of yourself. If you are willing, to… Continue reading What is a Sober Living Environment?

My time in rehab for an opioid addiction left me humiliated and desperate to know why my friends were dying. Now a wave of app developers is trying to do things differently. My dad’s company had season tickets to the White Sox. On muggy Midwest summer days, we’d go as a family—always sitting in the… Continue reading My time in rehab

If you are considering a new path in recovery and addressing the demons of alcoholism and drug addiction, you may have some questions or concerns which need to be addressed. Recovery from drugs or alcohol is not just a resolution but a life-changing way of living. As you embrace the change you desire, you should… Continue reading What Will I Experience While I Detox?

If you are concerned someone you love is experimenting with drugs there are several things you should look for before you bound to conclusions about the situation. The first thing you should identify is the symptoms of drug use. Also, you should be conscious that different drugs have different symptoms. Detecting symptoms of drug abuse… Continue reading Is Someone You Love Abusing Drugs Or Alcohol?

If you are looking for a good rehab for meth addicts, you have to be conscious that there is an overwhelming option available. Therefore, it is critical that you take as much time as you require to gather important information about the different rehab facilities catering to meth addicts. Remember that these patients require special… Continue reading Points to Consider When Searching For a Rehab For Meth Users

NEW YORK — “Sesame Street” is taking a new step to try to help kids navigate life in America — it’s tackling the opioid crisis. Sesame Workshop is exploring the backstory of Karli, a bright green, yellow-haired friend of Elmo’s whose mother is battling addiction. The initiative is part of the Sesame Street in Communities… Continue reading ‘Sesame Street’ tackles parental addiction crisis in a way kids can understand

If a person’s teeth decay at a faster rate it could result in Meth mouth and it usually happens in persons who use meth. The teeth of such persons become very black and highly stained and they appear rotten and are likely to drop any moment. Whenever there is a usual decay in a person… Continue reading Meth Mouth Treatment Requires Dental Expertise

Take up a new hobby. What interests you? Indoor or outdoor sports, yoga, camping, sewing, knitting, pottery, photography, scrapbooking, painting, music, dancing, cooking, baking, writing, or travel. Even try some that don’t interest you, you never know, you might find something you like or look at it differently now that you’re sober. Find a hobby… Continue reading Sober Activities

An Oneonta business and its employees take the spotlight in a new documentary by Delaware County resident Jessica Vecchione, producer of the 2017 documentary “Smacked! Heroin Addiction and Recovery in Rural America.” “A Slice of Hope” offers a vignette of the day-to-day operations of Sal’s Pizzeria, a downtown Oneonta eatery where many of the employees… Continue reading New film to explore addiction recovery

This week, I got to attend my oldest daughter’s D.A.R.E. program at her public school. In case you didn’t know, “D.A.R.E.” stands for Drug Abuse Resistance Education, and it’s a short-term program that 10-12-year-olds go through every year to learn about the negative effects of drug and alcohol use. It’s the same program I went… Continue reading The D.A.R.E. Program Is Missing the Biggest Piece in the Substance Abuse Puzzle

Beginning July 1, Pinellas County will have access to 10 beds for individuals suffering from drug or alcohol abuse. That’s 10 more beds than the county currently has. By comparison, Hillsborough and Sarasota counties each have 30 beds available. Pinellas County Commissioner Kathleen Peters, whose top priority has been mental health and substance abuse treatment,… Continue reading Treatment, not jail: Pinellas County to open 10 beds for drug users

Homelessness and basic human health needs are swamping Seattle’s emergency services. A pilot program for the Seattle Fire Department will create a new team to handle the thousands of 911 calls that need real responses but aren’t emergency medical situations. Read more at: https://www.capitolhillseattle.com/2019/05/swamped-with-non-emergency-911-calls-seattle-fire-testing-new-response-team-for-homelessness-substance-abuse-and-mental-health-issues/

Community leaders are coming together to help those suffering from mental illness and substance abuse issues. Eight locations across the country have been chosen to participate in a unique collaboration effort. “Better meet the needs of people with serious mental illnesses, and co-occurring substance abuse disorders,” clinical social worker Michele Saunders said. Jackson-Madison County received… Continue reading Community leaders meet to address mental health and substance abuse issues

Rehab Digital Journal is for those who like reading the newspaper, well in digital form anyway about news in the addiction treatment industry and the many impacts it has on our lives and society. Yes for some old (school) people, the newspaper is still one of our primary news sources. No doubt, online news sources… Continue reading Rehabs Digital Journal

Tucked between a barbershop and an antique store along a dark highway into Knoxville, Ky., the Flatiron Club is easy to miss driving by at night. Its only announcement, completely invisible in the dark, is a small, unlit sign above the door. Inside, two older men and a woman holding a Styrofoam cup loiter in… Continue reading After treatment, addicted to recovery

This week, a federal appeals court addressed the right to treatment for an inmate who suffers from opioid addiction, a move that legal advocates say could have wide repercussions. The United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit in Boston ruled that a rural Maine jail must provide Brenda Smith with medication for her… Continue reading Federal court rules jail must give inmate addiction treatment

It comes as figures showed drug-related deaths in Scotland are now 2.5 times that of other UK countries. The total for 2018 is expected to top 1,000 for the first time. The Commons Scottish Affairs Committee (SAC) will begin an inquiry on Tuesday to see why the numbers are so high and what the Scottish… Continue reading Mental illness and trauma blamed for rising drug deaths

Being that there are approximately 21.5 million Americans who struggle with addiction each year, one would venture to say that substance abuse is a relevant topic in today’s world. Even more troubling, 80% of those same people also struggle with an issue with alcohol. Eight million people struggle with what is called a co-occurring disorder,… Continue reading Is addiction a choice or disease?

Democratic presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar has released a plan to spend $100 billion over a decade to improve mental health care and fight substance abuse, an issue the Minnesota senator has faced firsthand as the daughter of an alcoholic who struggled with addiction for years before getting sober. The wide-ranging plan, released Friday, includes funding… Continue reading Klobuchar releases $100B substance abuse, mental health plan

Did you know 192 people die in America every day from drug overdose? That means 192 families lose someone every day. Survivors of people lost to drug addiction share their stories on the Addiction Policy Forum website to increase awareness. What these families learned could help save the life of someone you love. 1. Don’t… Continue reading 7 things you should know about addiction

COLUMBUS — Roughly 2,000 middle and high-school students from across Ohio descended on the state capital Tuesday to make the point that they, and the majority of their fellow students, do not abuse drugs, alcohol, or tobacco. “I think it’s important for legislators, governors, and people who are concerned about the drug problem to listen… Continue reading About 2,000 students take anti-drug message to Columbus

“It’s very prevalent within the United States,” said Sarah Mudd a therapist at SSM Health Treatment and Recovery Center at SSM Health St. Joseph Hospital in St. Charles. “I was reading an article from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. And in 2015, 15.1 million American adults suffered from alcoholism. Now that was… Continue reading More than 15 million Americans suffer from alcohol abuse

A South Augusta neighborhood’s opposition to a drug alcohol treatment center moving into a former convent there hasn’t waned and the neighborhood, Green Meadows, has two attorneys scheduled to speak on its behalf Tuesday. A South Augusta neighborhood’s opposition to a drug alcohol treatment center moving into a former convent there hasn’t waned and the… Continue reading Drug treatment center opposed by Green Meadows community returns for vote

Once you are ready to go to rehab, you want to choose a program and a location that suits your addiction and your needs. Here’s how to choose. One in seven Americans faces some type of substance addiction. Although addiction is a common disease, it can still take a serious toll on your life if… Continue reading How to Choose the Right Drug Rehab for You

MUNCIE — The Delaware County Prevention Council is seeking proposals for projects that address the issues of abuse of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs in Delaware County. These proposals must fall into one of three areas: prevention/education, intervention/treatment, and justice/law enforcement. The proposal must also be directly linked to one of the objectives listed in… Continue reading Grants offered for projects to address drug abuse

Bryan Snow, an electrician from Peabody, knows about the pain opioid addiction can inflict on a family. The 41-year-old spent years battling the disease, not seeking the help he needed, in part because of attitudes in the construction industry. Snow, drug-free now for seven years, said the industry must work to encourage those struggling with… Continue reading Construction industry to workers battling addiction: ‘We want to help’

It’s not unusual for work to be part of the equation in addiction recovery — a job can provide access to health insurance, and some business owners want to help. But a company called the Cenikor Foundation is turning recovery into unpaid labor, often in unsafe conditions. For the first 18 months of the 2-year… Continue reading A company reportedly outsources addiction patients as free labor

Some people may be more genetically prone to cannabis addiction, finds a new UCL-led study. The researchers say their investigation of three genetic markers, published in Addiction Biology, could inform why some people become dependent on cannabis. “We were interested in asking whether these genetic markers could predict addiction-related responses after inhaling doses of cannabis,… Continue reading Cannabis addiction influenced by genetic makeup

On a spring morning in 2017, in a Grand Hyatt ballroom in midtown Manhattan, Michael Cartwright took the stage and talked about growth. “There’s no great brand out there—Nike, whatever you consider a great brand out there today—that doesn’t have a great sales and marketing platform,” he told the audience of health care investors and… Continue reading America’s Only Publicly Traded Addiction Treatment Chain

Five Fascinating Benefits of CBD for Anxiety Unless you have the patience of a saint, it is likely that at one point or another you have felt like tearing your hair out due to a bout of stress. The pace of modern life can be far too hectic for us to deal with at times,… Continue reading Does CBD Help with Anxiety?

It’s the first time the mindfulness approach has been studied in a large randomized trial as an adjunct treatment. The training helps people better understand the physical and emotional signals in their body and how they can respond to these to help them better regulate and engage in self-care. “We could teach this intervention successfully… Continue reading Treatment for drug addiction helps prevent relapse

For the first time, Massachusetts prisons are providing a medication to treat opioid addiction to newly arriving inmates, as the state launches a groundbreaking program established by legislation passed last year. For now, the Department of Correction is providing just one of the two medications required under the law, which took effect Monday. Still, the… Continue reading Suboxone to treat opioid-addicted inmates

A new report shows that only four states provide adequate insurance coverage for addiction treatment. In a finding that brings bad news as America struggles with an opioid epidemic, a new report shows that only four states provide adequate insurance coverage for addiction treatment. “We are calling on states to ensure health plans cover the… Continue reading Treatment insurance coverage running out

Thirty-four adults celebrated recovery on Friday as Hennepin County Drug Court (Minneapolis, MN) recognized them during a graduation ceremony. The drug court program aims to break the cycle of chemical dependency and crime for nonviolent offenders. Lindsay Arf has been sober for three years and two months – almost as long as she was in… Continue reading Addiction Can Happen To Anybody

Three former addicts who started the Spiritual Soldier’s Coffee Compound on Erie Street are proving life in recovery without alcohol or drugs doesn’t have to be mundane and isolating. “The three of us were kind of hanging out every single day and people were asking us through social media … they were saying things like… Continue reading Sober Bar for Recovering Addicts

Changing lives for over 5 years, we are totally a drug and alcohol-free sober living environment for men and well respected in the recovery community. Two men share a room. Amenities include a free washer & dryer, living room & family room with televisions, refrigerators, food storage, and a full kitchen. Residents have access to… Continue reading The Place Sober Living for men surpasses 5 years of success

If there is a more effective way to destroy a human soul than addiction, I’m not sure I want to know what it is. People can become physically addicted to all sorts of substances: alcohol, illegal drugs like heroin and meth, or legal drugs like opioids that promise relief from chronic pain and replace it with… Continue reading A Life Without Choice

The L. Ruby Horwood Center, located at 711 Lawn Ave., opened last month to offer outpatient counseling and intensive outpatient services for individuals abusing or addicted to alcohol. It can serve up to 300 people in the region. People seeking treatment for alcohol addiction and those seeking help for opioid addiction have very different needs… Continue reading New outpatient alcohol treatment center in West Rockhill

Comedians close to Artie Lange, “MADtv” star and former sidekick on “The Howard Stern Show,” have taken to Twitter to urge the struggling comedian to seek treatment for severe drug addiction. Stand up comic and “Curb Your Enthusiasm” actor Richard Lewis tweeted a heart wrenching statement Thursday. “Artie, this is my 1000th request over decades… Continue reading Artie Lange to seek help for drug addiction

The circle of chairs has achieved a culturally iconic status. Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meetings are so prevalent in television dramas that you’d think the 12-step program was sponsoring the networks. But in the past few years, a new recovery paradigm has risen fast. And it owes more to entrepreneurs and “lifestyle designers” such… Continue reading 12 step model could be going away soon

When Michael Poster was a boy nearly seven decades ago, neighbors his current age would ask what he hoped to do when he grew up. “No kid ever says, ‘I want to be a heroin addict,’” the Dummerston resident notes. “But that’s what I became.” A teenage Poster used and sold drugs to escape anxiety… Continue reading Faces of addiction

Alternating between patience and impatience, Bradley Saxon is getting ready to open up his drug recovery center in Anderson. Saxon, a teaching pastor at Crossover Community Church, has been sober for 14 years. Before that, he used to sell and use drugs in Anderson. In the last two years, he’s been selling vision and T-shirts.… Continue reading Church pastor sold and used drugs

U.S. Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) this week continued his efforts to end methamphetamine addictions in his home state and across the country by urging the federal government to quickly develop Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT). The National Institutes of Health (NIH) currently is pursuing MAT to combat meth addiction via seven ongoing NIH-funded trials. MATs exist… Continue reading Hasten medication treatments to end meth addictions

We like to say we’re addicted to our phones or an app or some new show on a streaming video service. But for some people, tech gets in the way of daily functioning and self-care. We’re talking flunk-your-classes, can’t-find-a-job, live-in-a-dark-hole kinds of problems, with depression, anxiety, and sometimes suicidal thoughts part of the mix. Suburban… Continue reading Growing trend of “tech addicts”, a look inside.

Spending a night bent over a toilet might not be most people’s idea of a good time, but Simon (not his real name) is thrilled. He’s a loud and excitable person, the kind of guy who says your name frequently in conversation, and at the age of 36, he’s had a serious drinking problem for… Continue reading Drug Could Change Alcohol Addiction Treatment

Those in charge of a new residential, abstinence-based addiction treatment facility in Clarksville say they want to make a difference in Southern Indiana, and they’re ready to be part of the solution to healing the community of addiction. Sunrise Recovery, a 35-bed facility, which provides medically supervised detoxification, therapy and recovery programming, opened Dec. 3… Continue reading Treatment facility takes holistic approach

Former Lake County Board Chairman Aaron Lawlor has resurfaced, after being treated for a drug addiction, in a recently released TEDx Talk given to a full house at the Vernon Area Public Library during which he discussed his recovery process. Lawlor described how he suffered from depression, alcohol and drug addiction during the YouTube talk,… Continue reading Aaron Lawlor on addiction

Am I crazy or am I seeing homeless people everywhere? I suspect that you have been seeing them, too. I am talking about people without a stable place to live. These folks are living in RVs, under bridges, in hotels, out of cars or camping outside. They don’t have apartments or houses. I have been… Continue reading Preventing homelessness

At the dawn of Prohibition in the 1920s, the Federal Council of Churches nationwide believed the elimination of alcohol consumption would eradicate social evils. Citing biblical verse from Corinthians, 1 Peter, 1 Timothy, Titus and Matthew, among others, drunkenness is condemned, while temperate, sober living is commanded. The 18th Amendment of Prohibition was later overturned… Continue reading Most Protestants abstain from drink

Sobs filled a packed McHenry County, Ill., courtroom Thursday from relatives and supporters of John Galloway, pleading for the admitted former heroin addict to receive probation for supplying the drugs on which his friend overdosed. But the judge ruled that Galloway, 21, must serve prison time for his role in the death of Jake Czipo… Continue reading Former heroin user sent to prison

When there’s a real desire to improve, everybody deserves at least two-second chances, Capt. Dwaine Breazeale of the Salvation Army Modesto Citadel Corps said. Sixty-year-old Robert Weigel, who has lived most of his life in Modesto and surrounding areas, is making the most of one of those changes right now. The until-recently homeless alcoholic is… Continue reading Those who fall get on right path again with Salvation Army helps

The month-long trial in a sober-living home operator’s lawsuit against the city of Costa Mesa was sent to the jury after closing arguments wrapped up Thursday. The case could have far-reaching effects on the city’s jurisdiction over group homes within its boundaries. Yellowstone Recovery, which has had a presence in Costa Mesa dating to 1988,… Continue reading Lawsuit against Costa Mesa sober-living operator

There are addicts in Parksville Qualicum Beach that are ready for treatment, but too many are being turned away. That was the message from Kelly, a recovering addict and an advocate who organized a speaking event Nov. 30 at the Parksville Community Centre. (She did not want to give her last name). Kelly and the… Continue reading People want action after addictions meeting

The week before her 22nd birthday, Courtney Allen overdosed three times. For a decade, she had struggled with poverty, trauma and addictions to alcohol, heroin, Ritalin and cocaine. “I belonged more to the dead than the living,” she recalls. On that February 2015 birthday morning, she woke to vague memories of a fight and the… Continue reading Symbol of hope from depths of addiction

The backgrounds of the three women are similar: curious about alcohol, they began drinking at an early age, soon were doing drugs, got into scrapes with the law, and hit rock bottom several times. Two of the women lost their children, one of them permanently. In their 30s now, the women have one more thing… Continue reading Hitting rock bottom