When you were using, life seemed to slide by quickly without having to worry much about how to occupy your time. Life was consumed by buying and using drugs. Once you get sober, though, staying sober may be difficult because you have much more free time than you did before. What are you supposed to…
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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…
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Detaching your emotions from your behaviors is an important skill to learn when a loved one is an addict. It means that no matter how upset, angry or manipulated you feel, you will always behave in the same way toward the addict and her addiction. Understanding that emotions and actions can be separated is the…
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It is often said that alcoholism is a family disease. Maybe only one family member is drinking, but the whole family reels. Figuring out how to help an alcoholic family member can be confusing and frustrating, but there are a few guidelines that can help you, as a brother or sister of an active alcoholic,…
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What exactly is alcohol poisoning? Does everyone experience it the same way? And how long does alcohol poisoning last? If you’ve had a few too many drinks, gone on a binge, experienced a blackout, or woken up with the worst hangover ever after a night of partying, these questions may be swirling around in your…
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By Courtney Cosby Alcohol often gives a temporary boost of confidence and numbs a person to the realities and burdens of his (or her) life. It also can make an ordinary person seem like a supermodel — at least for a time. But these feelings are only short-term. The long-term effects of alcohol on the…
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By Rai Cornell There are several negative effects of adrenaline, which include both physical and emotional symptoms. Adrenaline is a hormone that is released by the adrenal glands in response to fear, anxiety, anger and excitement. Adrenaline may also be released in response to certain drugs or mental health conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder.…
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Chances are you have heard the term “caregiver burnout,” which is defined as “a state of physical, emotional and mental exhaustion that may be accompanied by a change in attitude — from positive and caring to negative and unconcerned. Burnout can occur when caregivers don’t get the help they need, or if they try to…
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Cocaine may not immediately strike anyone as a popular drug with teens, but it is more common than you might think. It is the fourth most abused substance among young people, after alcohol, marijuana and prescription drugs. If you have a teen, know that cocaine can lead to brain damage, drug addiction and other serious…
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If you have friends who abuse drugs or alcohol, you could be in danger of falling victim to the same self-destructive pattern of behavior. You may feel this is not the case, or that the risk is exaggerated. As a believer in self-control and personal responsibility, you may be convinced you have the willpower and…
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