Problems like substance abuse and mental illness are serious and far-reaching, impacting the lives of all around. The closer a person is to someone struggling with one of these conditions, the more they tend to be affected, with spouses, parents and children bearing the brunt of the fallout. For children, having a caring adult who […]
Parental Mental Illness and Substance Abuse Issues Trickle Down Read More »
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
Dangerous Relationships: Asthma and Substance Abuse Read More »
The 1970s saw the rise in the use of PCP (Phencyclidine), or “angel dust,’’ as well as its eventual decline. While the drug provided the desirable high, the paranoia, frightening hallucinations and violent side effects kept it from becoming a mainstream high. Years later, cocaine and crack took over as the drugs of choice among
Wets: Angel Dust Making a Comeback Read More »
Negative emotion is a state of mind that typically causes distress and reduces the sense of equilibrium or well-being. People who constantly or repeatedly experience negative emotion have a personality trait that psychologists and other mental health experts sometimes refer to as neuroticism/negative emotionality. According to a study published in 2007 in the journal Drug
‘Negative Urgency’ Leads to Impulsiveness, Substance Abuse Read More »
We live in a culture that moves at hyper-speed and constantly pushes us to our limits. Nevertheless, our performances as employees, wives, mothers, homemakers and community members are expected to be impeccable, and if we should somehow fail to meet these high standards, we may feel as if we are being judged and condemned by
Overachievers Who Can Never Be Satiated Turn to Drugs for Escape Read More »
For some, the burden of caregiving can seem unbearable – whether you’re caring for an elderly parent with Alzheimer’s or parenting a child with cerebral palsy. It is, without question, a challenging way to live: attending to your loved one’s personal hygiene, going back and forth to doctor’s appointments, preparing meals and ensuring he or
The Toll of Caregiving – When the Strain of Caring for Others Leads to Substance Abuse Read More »
Back in 1998, the satirical newspaper The Onion featured the following front-page headline: “Drugs Win Drug War” This introduction and the story that followed were obviously intended as a spoof, but humor is frequently used as a subtle way to reveal the truth and that was undoubtedly the intent in this case. Fifteen years later,
When Drugs Win the War on Drugs, It’s Time to Focus on Treatment Read More »
In a tight economy, it is worth examining what makes a person more, or less, employable. The question of how alcohol and drug use impact a person’s job has been looked at from several directions. But each study comes up with the same conclusion – that there is a definite link between a person’s use
The Effects of Substance Abuse on Employment Read More »
The tossing and turning of insomnia is hard for any person to handle long term. But when insomnia is accompanied by alcohol or drug addiction, it can create a vicious, life-altering cycle that makes it very difficult to function normally. In fact, not only does one almost always exacerbate the other, it’s very common for
Overcoming the Vicious Cycle of Substance Abuse and Insomnia Read More »
Hyperthermia is the medical term for damaging and potentially fatal increases in the average temperature of the body as a whole, or of the brain in particular. People who use/abuse stimulant drugs such as methamphetamine, cocaine, and Ecstasy (known more formally as MDMA) run significant risks for the onset of this condition. The specific effects
Stimulant Abuse and Hyperthermia Read More »