The Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning on the “deadly risks” associated with the use of kratom, an herbal supplement touted as a treatment for anxiety and depression and more recently as an alternative to opioid pain pills. What’s more, individuals who have become addicted to opioids are now using kratom as a do-it-yourself …
FDA Warns Against Use of Kratom to Treat Opioid Addiction Read More »
Decades of public health campaigns designed to convince teens not to smoke appear to be working — at least in a sense. Young people are increasingly turning away from tobacco, a Penn State study has found, but more are lighting up with marijuana.
The fear of intimacy can ruin relationships. We all crave connection, but due to trauma suffered in childhood, or perhaps as the result of a relationship in adulthood that went terribly wrong, some people learn that it’s safer to keep others at an emotional arm’s length. But doing so is counterproductive and often leads to …
President Donald Trump recently held a news conference to declare the nation’s opioid epidemic to be a “Public Health Emergency.” He outlined a wide-ranging plan for addressing “solutions” to opioid addiction and stated emphatically that it is essential that addicted Americans are supported in obtaining opioid addiction treatment. “[We must] face the reality that millions …
President Declares Opioid Epidemic Public Health Emergency Read More »
Sexual abuse and harassment is one of the top stories today. It’s being fueled by accusations against men in the public eye ― such as Harvey Weinstein ― and by so many people, men and women, stepping out and saying, “Me too. I was harassed. I was victimized.” But in the sudden explosion of interest …
It is estimated that 88,000 Americans die from alcohol-related causes annually, making alcohol use the third-leading preventable cause of death in the United States. More than 17 million people aged 18 and older in the U.S. have alcohol dependence or an alcohol use disorder (AUD).
OxyContin is the brand name for an extended-release form of oxycodone, a prescription opioid painkiller that is one of the most overprescribed and misused medications in the United States. Highly effective, but also highly addictive in both the immediate-release and extended-release forms, OxyContin and oxycodone are prescription narcotics with opium-like effects. How is OxyContin made …
Due to widespread overprescribing of opioid pain medications in the U.S. since the 1990s, more people are being exposed to narcotics and becoming addicted to them. This has resulted in the current opioid epidemic and escalating drug overdose deaths. But this problem is not new. “A similar thing happened just over 100 years ago, and …
What Have We Learned From Our 100-Year History of Opiate Addiction? Read More »
High school prom is a milestone in the life of nearly every American teenager. Unfortunately, prom night drinking typically occurs in tandem with this special event. For many teens, prom may be the first time they ever drink alcohol, or the first time they binge drink and get truly drunk. Prom may also be the …
A drug assessment is usually one of the first steps in treatment when entering a drug or alcohol rehab. These evaluations help clinicians develop an appropriate detox and treatment plan based on the types of substances abused and severity of addiction. Specific drug assessment tools vary by treatment program and provider. According to substance abuse …