Unfortunately, there’s a common misconception that addiction only happens to the morally weak. When it comes to the question, “Is addiction a disease?” many people believe addiction occurs because of flaws in the user’s personality. This mischaracterization that addiction is a weakness of character contributes to the stigma suffered by those struggling with chemical dependency. Science disagrees…
For the first time in 50 years, the life expectancy in the United States has declined two years in a row. The culprit is the increase of drug overdoses due to the opioid crisis which is plaguing the U S. Drug overdoses killed 63,600 Americans in 2016, an increase of 21% over the previous year.…
With Christmas and New Year’s almost here, it is important for people in recovery to have a plan of action to help maintain sobriety during the holiday season. Holiday stress, expectations, and endless holiday parties and gatherings make this time of year difficult for individuals who are trying to abstain from drugs and alcohol. The…
President Donald Trump has directed the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to declare a 90 day public health emergency in an attempt to combat the U.S. opioid epidemic. With 91 Americans dying daily from opioid overdoes, Mr. Trump has been under pressure for months to accelerate the federal government’s response to the crisis.…
The New York Times has reported a host of sexual harassment allegations against Harvey Weinstein, the Hollywood producer, dating back 30 years. It has now been revealed that Weinstein has gone to rehab for sex addiction.There is no way for us to know if Mr. Weinstein is a true sex addict or merely someone who…
National Depression Screening Day is to be held this year on Thursday October 5, 2017. Created by the nonprofit, Screening for Mental Health, NDSD is dedicated to raising awareness and screenings for people with depression, and related mood or anxiety disorders. The purpose of the day is to screen as many people as possible and…
The National Center for Health Statistics, a division of the Centers for Disease Control, estimates that drug overdoses killed 64,070 people in the United States last year, a rise of 21% from 2015. To put this into perspective, the drug overdoses in 2016 killed at almost double the rate from both firearms and vehicles. Additionally,…
On July 13, 2013, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and the Department of Health and Human Services announced the largest ever health care fraud enforcement action by the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, involving 412 charged defendants (including doctors, nurses, and other licensed medical professional) for alleged health care fraud schemes. Of the 412 defendants, over 120…
The entertainment industry was saddened by the unexpected death of “True Blood” actor Nelsan Ellis on July 8, 2017. On July 10, 2017, Ellis’s family revealed that he had died as a result of attempting to withdraw from alcohol on his own, without medical supervision. In a statement released through Ellis’s manager to the Hollywood…
Choosing the right drug and alcohol treatment center can be one of the most important decisions you will make in regards to you or your loved one’s health. While it is true, that not all doctors have the same level of expertise and competency, the same can be said for treatment facilities. Treatment centers can…