On the road to recovery from your addiction, you face an uncertain future. As an addict, your life revolved around one thing. You were consumed by your need to get the next high. Now, without that drive, you may be wondering what to do with yourself. How will you spend your time? How will you…
Methadone and buprenorphine/naloxone are two of the primary medication options for treatment of people affected by opioid addiction. Both medications belong to a treatment approach called opioid substitution therapy. In a study published in January 2014 in the journal Addiction, researchers from six U.S. institutions compared the effectiveness of methadone to the effectiveness of buprenorphine/naloxone.…
Personality disorders are entrenched patterns of thought and behavior that damage affected individuals’ ability to do such things as maintain friendships or relationships, maintain a productive daily routine or take advantage of social opportunities. The American Psychiatric Association gives doctors the freedom to diagnose 10 main forms of these disorders. In a study published in…
Asthma is an incurable, chronic lung condition characterized by inflammation and constriction (narrowing) in the passageways that transport life-giving oxygen into the body. Some people affected by the condition experience only sporadic or minor related health problems, while others experience moderate, severe or even potentially fatal complications. According to the results of a study review…
So you’re trying out the Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) route to sobriety. That’s wonderful, but if might feel a little overwhelming. It may seem like you’re learning a whole new language and culture—so many slogans, acronyms, books to read, meetings to attend, 12 steps to learn and a sponsor to guide you through it all. What’s…
Alcoholics in recovery are in a vulnerable state and need the love, support and understanding of everyone who cares about them. Family ties and the bonds of friendship are powerful healing tools, and any person going through a life crisis related to substance abuse can be helped tremendously by the loving efforts of the people…
When a friend or loved one with a drinking problem enters into recovery, naturally we want to do everything in our power to support her path to wellness. But at the same time, we recognize the situation is fluid and we know that the person we care about is facing a long road back to…
The process of recovery from addiction presents many challenges, but one of the most significant is overcoming the psychological grasp of “triggers” or “cues” to use drugs. Relapse is a daily reality in treatment centers, and one of the main reasons it’s so common is that triggers and cues to use exert a very real…
Getting sober can be a life’s work—it may seem like a monumental effort, sometimes overwhelming. Right when you think you’ve got a foothold, something always goes wrong—something outside of you, beyond your control, that sucks you in and demands that you face and deal with situations and people that push you to your absolute limit.…
For many adults, the term bath salts describes something you add to your bath water to soften your skin. Now, however, the term is taking on an entirely new meaning. Bath salts is the name given to a relatively new and dangerous type of synthetic drug that’s not anywhere near as innocent as its namesake. …
