Data from the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health suggests approximately 0.2% of the United States Population has a heroin use disorder. Of those, many are between the ages of twelve and eighteen and struggle to overcome heroin addiction. The same report shows more than 13,000 people died from a drug overdose involving…
When the conversation turns to prescription drug abuse, many people first think of prescription pain killers or opioid drugs. The effects of the opioid epidemic continue to reach across the nation, responsible for the loss of thousands of lives annually. However, opioid drugs are not the only prescription drugs with elevated rates of abuse. Data…
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism estimates that over seventeen million American adults have alcohol use disorders of varying severity. In addition, nearly one million American youths between the ages of twelve and seventeen have alcohol use disorders. It is essential to remember that alcoholism is not a problem created overnight. It emerges…
Discussions about drug addiction frequently turn to opioids and the ongoing opioid epidemic that remains problematic across the nation. Opioid drugs are linked (annually) to thousands of drug overdose deaths in all American states. In addition to the term opioid, another term should be familiar, yet it is not. When discussing drug-related death, opiate drugs…
Medical and mental health providers across the nation prescribe controlled substances every day. In addition to drugs used in medical settings, controlled substances are also illegal or illicit substances. Although many people understand certain drugs are likely to be classified as controlled substances (such as narcotic pain medications), many do not realize now many commonly…
Pain medications or “painkillers” are drugs provided by medical providers to help patients manage pain and discomfort. There are several reasons you may take pain medication, including chronic and acute pain management needs. Living with pain is emotionally draining, and the psychological impacts of pain conditions cannot be understated. However, using pain medications like tramadol…
Alcohol and drug abuse are prevalent across all demographics. It is not uncommon for addictions to develop out of casual use or experimentation with drugs or alcohol. It does not take long for the line between casual drinking or using to become blurry. For some drugs, one use or first-time experimentation can lead to dependency…
When people talk about struggles with drugs and alcohol, the terms dependence and addiction are often used in the same breath. While the concepts are difficult to separate from one another, there is a subtle yet critical difference between dependence and addiction. However, both can and often lead to physical, emotional, and behavioral challenges directly…
Year after year, millions of people struggle with the life-changing effects of drug and alcohol addiction. Recent data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health suggest as many as 22 million Americans have a substance use disorder. Addiction is not a disease…
Crystal meth is a drug that many turned to for its stimulating effects. Also referred to as crystal methamphetamine, crystal meth is a highly addictive drug that has a significant and sometimes irreversible impact on the body’s central nervous system. Crystal meth is not a new drug. Interestingly, some formularies of methamphetamine are not illegal.…