Drug Information

Along with non-addicted substance abuse, addiction is the driving reason for seeking substance treatment. People affected by addiction commonly have an underlying condition called physical dependence. However, in addition to physical dependence, you may also experience a problem called psychological dependence. Interestingly, not all people who are psychologically dependent on a drug develop physical dependence …

Is Psychological Dependence the Same as Being Addicted? Read More »

By Elizabeth Davies-Ulirsch, MA, CSAT-C, Primary Therapist at Promises Young Adult Program When it comes to relationships we can often trace the problems of a current intimate partnership to family patterns that go back through generations. Addiction and other mental health disorders often find their genesis in the family tree as well. Just because addiction …

Why We Attract Partners Who Remind Us of Our Addicted Parent Read More »

Whether the isolation or the addiction comes first, many people with substance use and eating disorders keep to themselves. They stay away from friends and family, which starts a vicious cycle. “Addiction leads to isolation as people are locked in a prison of self,” says Harold Jonas, PhD, addiction treatment professional in West Palm Beach, …

Isolation: One of the Scourges of Addiction Read More »

Psychological dependence, physical dependence and addiction are three separate but potentially overlapping problems that can affect a person who consumes street drugs, mind-altering medications and/or alcohol. Each of these problems has a distinct impact on your health and well-being. Let’s take a look at how they affect you when they appear separately or together. Psychological …

What Is Psychological Addiction? Read More »

By Gideon Hoyle You may have heard recently about the phenomenon of “wet” drugs. Public health officials use this term to describe tobacco or marijuana cigarettes dipped in one or both of two substances: the hallucinogenic anesthetic PCP (phencyclidine or “angel dust”) and formaldehyde-based embalming fluid. Consumption of these drugs can have a serious, severe …

What Is a Wet Drug? Read More »

By Dr. Greg Skipper, MD When a doctor or other professional shows signs of a problem with drugs or alcohol, an intervention is the next step. I’ve led many of these addiction interventions, sometimes speaking to the struggling professional one-on-one and sometimes joined by family members and others who can lend their influence and encouragement. …

5 Ways to Screw Up an Intervention Read More »

Much ado was made about nothing this summer when a video surfaced online of Malia Obama *maybe* smoking a joint at the Lollapalooza music festival in Chicago. While there are legal and health consequences for marijuana smokers, it’s hard to imagine the media being interested in the video if the young woman didn’t have the …

Could ‘Amnesty Boxes’ Help Curb Music Festival Drug Overdoses? Read More »