Is marijuana a gateway drug? This question is one people have been asking for decades. While there is some truth to this assertion, the issue is much larger than just smoking marijuana. Furthermore, it can apply to almost any substance, including alcohol, illicit drugs, and prescription medication. Using any substance that alters brain function can potentially…
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For many people, the holidays represent a time of joy, happiness, and peace on Earth with goodwill towards men. Unfortunately, if you’re divorced, estranged from your family or friends, or just plain lonely, the holidays can be a painful time. It is easy to fall into a downward spiral of depression and return to past…
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Most Americans are no strangers to the Opioid Epidemic, in fact – as we noted previously – President Trump declared it a public health emergency in 2017. Large numbers of deaths caused by opioid overdose characterize what we refer to as an opioid epidemic. While misuse of opioids in the United States dates back to the Civil…
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Drug addiction is no longer confined to certain stereotypes. Research related to America’s twenty-first century opioid epidemic suggests that those suffering could be your neighbor, cousin, or best friend. In fact, addiction to opioids, a leading substance linked to death by drug overdose, is considered an equal opportunity health problem that can afflict people from…
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If you follow media coverage of addiction at all, you may have noticed a change in language over the past several years. Terms like “junkie,” “clean,” “drug abuser,” and others have gradually fallen out of use. You may still see “addict” from time to time, but even the use of that word is discouraged in…
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Anxiety, depression, and addiction have all become increasingly common in recent decades. Mental health and addiction are closely linked as well. Mental illness can lead to addiction and vice versa. For people recovering from addiction, stress and anxiety are common relapse triggers. Staying mentally healthy requires a holistic approach that involves positive social connection, healthy…
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Most of us are familiar with anti-drug ads on TV. From the “brain on drugs” commercials of the 1980s to more recent commercials like the “above the influence” campaign, the federal government and nonprofits have spent millions of dollars on ads trying to convince kids to stay away from drugs. Last year, when President Trump…
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Identity plays a complicated role in addiction. Studies have found that younger people with no clear sense of identity, especially social identity, are at greater risk of associating with people who use drugs and alcohol. These groups are an easy way to find social acceptance and form a social identity. Being part of such a…
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Obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD, is a condition characterized by intrusive, unwanted thoughts and rituals meant to relieve the anxiety created by those thoughts. Typical obsessive thoughts include fear of germs or contamination; unwanted taboo thought, often about sex, religion, or harming oneself or others; or having things perfectly symmetrical or in some specific order. To…
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It’s normal to be disappointed if you relapse, especially if you’ve been sober for a while. You may feel like you’ve wasted all your hard work and disappointed the people who care about you. You may feel an impulse to punish yourself, either by beating yourself up emotionally, or engaging in some other self-destructive behavior.…
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