There is an estimated 23.4 million Veterans in the United States. With a 52.7 % increase in outpatient Veterans treated for Substance Use Disorder between 1995 and 2016, addiction is a major concern for Veterans and their families. The demanding nature of military life and experience with combat can be made more complex by substance…
Is Congress Protecting Drug Makers? The former head of the DEA office what was responsible for preventing prescription medicine abuse, said that drug companies and their lobbyists have a “stranglehold” on Congress that protects the 9 billion dollar a year trade in opioid painkillers. Joseph Rannazzisi, who held his position with the DEA until a year ago,…
The Early Intervention Family Drug Court in Sacramento County is set up to help parents with substance abuse problems complete this program before their children enter the foster care system. All parents who enter the program are at risk of losing custody of their children due to drug abuse. Many parents are referred to the…
October 10th was World Mental Health Day which is a day for global mental health education, awareness, and advocacy against the social stigma of mental illness. It was first celebrated in 1992. The existence of such a day indicates that mental health issues are a worldwide problem and concern. The Center for Disease Control and…
New research from a study conducted by the University of Michigan demonstrates how the brain’s reward system is altered after someone smokes marijuana. Participant’s brains were monitored while they played a game where rewards (monetary) were possible. The study showed that over time, an extended use of marijuana was associated with a lower response to…
Recovery From Substance Abuse And Nutrition September is National Recovery month and nutrition can play an important role in the healing process. Recovery from substance abuse use affects the body in many ways including metabolism, organ function and mental well-being. From a nutritional standpoint different drugs can play havoc on your nutritional health in different…
The Cost of Saving Lives Naloxone, which was first introduced in 1971 under the brand name Narcan, has been called a miracle drug. It has the ability to potentially save tens of thousands of lives by reversing the effects of an opioid-related respiratory distress which occurs with an opioid overdose. The medication is now 4,000…
September 5–September 11 is suicide prevention week. September 10 is World Suicide Prevention Day. Many of you, may not know that suicide is the leading cause of death among people who abuse alcohol and drugs. Suicide was the 10th leading cause of death in the United States in 2013 and ranked higher with individuals between…
Due to continued and growing concern about the opioid epidemic, scientists are now trying to create an opioid painkiller that relieves pain without triggering the euphoria, dependence, and respiratory suppression that causes overdoses. It is too common of a story that patients who are prescribed opiate pain medications for legitimate pain report becoming addicted to…
There have been numerous articles written about the fact that the United States is currently in the midst of an opiate epidemic. The Centers for Disease Control calls the prescription opioid problem the worst of its kind in U.S. history. Dr. Tom Frieden who is the director of the CDC is quoted as saying, “We…