The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is a federal agency affiliated with the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and its mission is to use scientific research about drug and alcohol abuse to aid in prevention, treatment, and public policy. In 1999, NIDA issued 13 […]
When it comes to addiction recovery, there are plenty of options to choose from, and the choice between inpatient and outpatient treatment is one of the first decisions to make. Each person is different and has a different set of challenges that can […]
Mention the word “detox” in conversation these days, and most everyone will assume you’re talking about a new fad diet, which likely involves some type of organic fruit and vegetable juices. However, for the 20 million people in the United States who struggle with addiction […]
Designer Drugs are a category of psychoactive narcotics created from synthetic chemicals to mirror the effects of other drugs. In some instances, a slight chemical modification can increase the potency of these illicit products, making them even more powerful, addictive and dangerous than they were […]
This isn’t a riddle, so let’s be clear right from the start. There is no difference between a dual diagnosis and a co-occurring disorder (COD). They are two different terms for the same condition. Instead of comparing apples and oranges, it’s more like comparing apples […]
So, here’s a complicated conundrum: many divisions of the federal government, including the Department of Health and Human Services, consider substance abuse and dependency a “public health problem.” After all, it’s widely advocated in the medical community and many U.S. government departments that addiction is […]
Pot has come a long way in the last 30 years, and to coin a phrase, not all of it has been “totally chill, man.” For instance, as the science of growing marijuana has evolved, levels of THC, its primary psychoactive ingredient, have also dramatically […]
Though there’s been a lot of discussion about the issue, let’s take a moment and review the facts about addiction. Addiction is defined as a chronic, relapsing brain disease. Substance abuse actually alters the chemical structure of the brain. The result can be long-term changes, […]
First, let’s thank those ancient geniuses for coming up with an alphabet. While they might not have realized it at the time (it was only an experiment after all), writing can be a powerful therapeutic tool to help us examine our feelings, change our behavior […]
Thanks to the digital age of the Internet and the online posting of drinking game videos, binge drinking has turned into an accepted form of social entertainment by many participants. Video franchises such as “I’m Shmacked” are even making big money by touring college campuses, […]
