Heroin effects more than the stereotypical impoverished, urban narcotic user. It’s no longer seen as the hard-core street drug it was in the 1960s. In fact, there has been a dramatic shift in heroin users in the past 50 years. Today, studies are showing that heroin use is reaching epidemic proportions and is more commonly affecting suburban, middle class youth. In the 1960s, people who abused heroin reported that it was the first drug they abused. Today, 75% of people who began abusing heroin report first abusing prescription painkillers. (JAMA Psychiatry) Read more →
Periodic stress is not a bad thing. In fact, it can be a good thing. It causes our bodies to release adrenaline that can help us finish that assignment, meet a deadline, even enhance our performance and problem-solving ability. But chronic stress is persistent and exists over a longer period of time. It becomes overwhelming, and often a person feels that they never get a break from it. Chronic stress can have debilitating effects on our psychological and physical well-being. In fact the medical community recognizes that 90% of all illnesses are stress-related. Read more →
A common question asked is, “what are alcohol withdrawal symptoms?” Some people want to know in case what they are feeling when they go without drinking is an indication that they have a substance dependence problem. And others want to know because they are planning to enter a treatment program and want to what it will be like.
Some alcohol withdrawal symptoms for those who have become alcohol dependent and try to stop or reduce their drinking include:
Teen stress can be a powerful force in a young person’s life. It can be caused by school work, home life, social pressure, and the general flux of hormones and growth they undergo at this time. Stress is a very normal part of a teen’s life, and there is no way to completely avoid it. But how teen stress is managed is what’s important.
There are healthy ways to cope with teen stress like listening to music, playing sports or even watching TV. But often in order to deal with the mounting stress, teens turn to drugs or alcohol to cope. Not only does this put their imminent health and safety at risk, but it puts them at risk for developing dependencies to drugs or alcohol later in life. Read more →
A question that’s asked often is ‘how do I know if I have lost control of drug or alcohol use?” Plenty of people who use drugs and alcohol on a regular basis swear they can stop anytime they want. And the truth is, not everyone who uses drugs or alcohol needs to help. Just as many people who do need help aren’t able to recognize that they’ve lost control of their drug or alcohol use. So how do you tell if you or a loved one has lost control of drug or alcohol use? Read more →
Teens are especially vulnerable to alcohol use and abuse. Their age also requires a unique approach to educating, preventing, and addressing alcohol problems. During Alcohol Awareness Month, we are focusing on ways to recognize alcohol abuse, talk to your teen about it, and help prevent it.
The scary fact is that teens who start using alcohol before the age of fifteen are four times more likely to become alcohol dependent as they get older. This is why education and prevention are so key. A brain compromised from alcohol abuse will cause a teen to miss important developmental lessons, so early intervention is crucial. Read more →
