From reading the headlines, it’s easy to get the impression that fatal overdoses are almost always caused by opioids, especially heroin and potent synthetic opioids like fentanyl and carfentanil. While opioids are responsible for a large share of opioid deaths, they are rarely the only drug involved and a significant number of fatal overdoses don’t…
Depression is the number one cause of disability worldwide, affecting more than 300 million people, according to the World Health Organization. Symptoms include prolonged sadness, irritability, sleep disturbance, anxiety, aches, pessimism, lack of motivation, and thoughts of death or suicide. Depression is typically treated with some combination of medication and psychotherapy. Studies have already found…
Opioid withdrawal can be difficult and painful. It is often described as a terrible flu. Symptoms include irritability, anxiety, insomnia, goosebumps, yawning, runny nose, muscle and bone aches, tearing up, fever, sweating, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. These symptoms typically peak after a few days then begin to decline. For most people, acute withdrawal…
It’s often said that relapse is part of recovery, that, far from being a catastrophe, it’s a necessary step in overcoming addiction. Others say this message is unnecessarily pessimistic and creates an expectation of failure. Which way of thinking about relapse is most helpful for people trying to recover from a substance use disorder? First,…
Social support is one of the biggest predictors of success in recovery. Having a strong sober network reduces stress, increases positive endorphins, gives you more resources for dealing with adversity, and helps keep you accountable in your recovery. In a perfect world, this strong support network would begin with your family. Your family would participate…
The question seems like it has an obvious answer: Recovery means you no longer manifest addictive behavior. On closer inspection, though, the answer is not so obvious, and in fact, there are probably many valid answers. Everyone is different, with a different history, a different pattern of substance use, and different goals for recovery. If…
Depression and obesity often occur together and they are a terrible combination. Both are associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease and shorter life expectancy. There appears to be a chicken-and-egg relationship between the two conditions and each can make the other worse. Here’s how obesity is related to depression. How obesity leads to depression.…
Antabuse, or disulfiram, and naltrexone are common medications used to treat alcohol use disorders. Both have been shown to improve outcomes in people who want to stop drinking. As with many forms of treatment, what works best depends on your situation. Here are some considerations that can help you decide which is better for you.…
Methadone and Suboxone are drugs commonly used in opioid replacement therapy, a form of medication assisted therapy, or MAT. Methadone and Suboxone both work by mimicking the effects of opioids, only they don’t cause the same euphoria. Therefore, they can reduce the intense cravings that so often derail recovery from opioid addiction while allowing the…
Medication assisted treatment, or MAT, means using FDA-approved medications in conjunction with counselling or treatment to recovery from addiction. The most common and controversial form of MAT is opioid replacement therapy, in which patients typically take methadone or buprenorphine to control drug cravings and prevent relapse. While opioid replacement therapy is controversial, it is not…
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