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…
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…
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 259 million prescriptions were written for painkillers in 2012, enough for every American adult to have a bottle of pills. A national conversation has been taking place as people think about what’s good and what’s bad about this access to medications. On one side of…
“So, how long should my son stay in treatment?” a worried mother asked me yesterday. For those of us who work in drug and alcohol treatment, this is probably the question we hear the most from anxious husbands, wives, parents, siblings and friends. How long should your loved one stay at alcohol or drug rehab? Despite all…
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the rate of deaths from drug overdoses has increased 137%, including a 200% increase in the rate of overdose deaths involving opioids (opioid pain relievers and heroin) since 2000. According to new data published in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, nearly half a million Americans…
Using data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) from 2002–2014, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently published a report which provides the most recent self-reported national estimates of driving under the influence of alcohol, marijuana, and alcohol and marijuana combined…
According to a recent study from McMasters University in Ontario, Canada, half of female methadone patients originally became addicted to prescription opiates after being prescribed pain killers for chronic pain management. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Canada consumes more opioid painkillers than any other country, with the number of prescriptions doubling in the last…