The Blog

Interventions need to be carefully planned out to be effective. You may have seen television shows that portray real-life interventions for people who are addicted to drugs or alcohol and desperately need help. Careful preparation can lead to an effective intervention that will increase the odds of convincing a person to go to rehab. However, what are the steps to … Read More

Xanax is the brand name of a prescription drug in the benzodiazepine family. It has alprazolam as its active ingredient and is a medication used to treat certain panic and anxiety disorders. Though the medication is recommended for short-term treatment, some take it for longer periods and others misuse it. When a person uses more than prescribed or takes the … Read More

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reports that roughly 18.7 million Americans had a substance use disorder in 2017. This is about 7.6 percent of the population, which is a meaningful figure if someone you care about deals with drug or alcohol misuse. When most people picture an intervention, they envision a confrontation by loved ones like they … Read More

There are physical and emotional differences between men and women. A difference that might not be so obvious, however, involves how each gender differs in terms of developing an addiction to drugs and alcohol and seeking treatment for it. Addiction treatment protocols typically work best when they are tailored to the individual and the specific underlying issues that may be … Read More

Many hospital patients have co-occurring mental health or substance use disorders. As Americans deal with widespread substance use disorders throughout the nation, this situation becomes ever more likely. Seeking addiction treatment is a crucial step toward achieving and maintaining sobriety. But if underlying mental health issues are not addressed simultaneously, the odds of recurrence of use can increase. Many people … Read More

More than 2 million Americans have an opioid use disorder, making it one of the most prolific types of substance use disorders (SUD) in the nation. A recent survey released by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration revealed that there is a significant treatment gap, as over 92 percent of those with a SUD receive no treatment at … Read More

If you have an alcohol use disorder, the first stage in treatment might be alcohol detox. This is the process of flushing dangerous toxins from your body, which can take anywhere from one to three weeks. Once your detox is complete, you can focus on a comprehensive addiction treatment program, which increases your chances of reaching long-term recovery. With an … Read More

As the United States continues to struggle with the opioid epidemic, new figures have been released that highlight the seriousness of substance misuse throughout the country and the need for further addiction treatment resources. Each year, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) conducts a 12-month study of Americans across all 50 states and Washington D.C. Roughly 67,500 … Read More

Synthetic drugs are gaining in popularity in Florida. Just because you can find something at a local convenience store, that does not make it safe. One of the most commonly-used types of synthetic substances is bath salts, which are composed of a variety of chemicals, none of which are used for bathing. In Florida, these are now considered controlled substances, … Read More

Morphine is a prescription pain medication that is often prescribed to treat acute pain in a hospital setting. It changes how the brain perceives pain by binding to its pain receptors. It can also have other effects such as euphoria and mood changes. While morphine is highly addictive, there is a difference between morphine dependence and addiction. How Addictive Is … Read More