What are opiates, and what makes them dangerous? You might have heard about the “opiate crisis.” Maybe you’ve even had someone in your life struggle from opiate addiction. But you also know that opiates are often prescribed by doctors. How could a prescription medication come with so many issues? The answer lies in understanding what…
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Drug dependency is nothing new in the United States. In fact, The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism predicts that at least 25% of children under the age of eighteen are exposed to substance abuse while growing up. That means one in four kids are growing up in a home with alcoholic or drug…
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Are you considering treatment options for an alcohol or drug problem? Addiction is a harrowing disease that has been linked to major health risks, including death. In 2015, alcohol-related deaths claimed the lives of 88,000 Americans, according to U.S. News. And, projections for the following year show that drug-related deaths were expected to reach almost…
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As more than 23 million Americans struggle with addiction to one substance or another, there are many critics decrying medical intervention. They wonder “Is addiction a disease or a choice?”, and in some cases even legislate based around the idea that it must be a choice. However, our whole frame of thinking should be examined…
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If you have abused or are currently abusing opiates, you’re not alone. In fact, opioid use in the United States is an epidemic and was a top contributor to the life expectancy of Americans dropping in both 2015 and 2016. Unfortunately, overdose isn’t the only harsh reality associated with opiate abuse. There are many side…
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For some parents, the thought of their child drinking is preposterous. However, it turns out that young people aged 12 to 20 drink 11% of the alcohol consumed in the country. Adolescents often have to deal with peer pressure and feel they need to drink to fit in. If allowed to get out of control,…
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Is your addiction affecting your job? You’re not alone. Thousands of addicts consider themselves “functioning addicts“. Meaning, they go to work intoxicated or high. You may be considering doing this or have already started. It’s not too late to change your behavior. Substance abuse in the workplace is problematic for several reasons. Keep reading to…
DetailsAccording to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, moderate drinking is up to 1 drink per day for women and up to 2 drinks per day for men. SAMHSA defines heavy drinking as drinking 5 or more drinks on the same occasion on each of 5 or more days in the past 30 days. When one…
DetailsWhen one uses illicit drugs or misuses prescription drugs behind the wheel, driving can be unsafe just as drunk driving is unsafe. Drugged driving puts all who share the road at risk, including the driver and any passengers. According to the 2016 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), in 2016, 11.8 million people…
DetailsAccording to the 2008 Department of Defense Survey of Health Related Behaviors among Active Duty Military Personnel, 2.3 percent of military personnel were past-month users of an illicit drug, compared with 12 percent of civilians. A policy of zero tolerance for drug use among DoD personnel was instituted in 1982. However, in spite of the…
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