Years of substance abuse can significantly impact the brain, including both brain health and brain chemistry. Over time, chronic substance abuse causes the brain pathways to change, to become rewired. These alterations in the brain are a result of dependency and addiction. Learn how long it takes to rewire the brain from addiction once you are in recovery. How Drugs and Alcohol Impact the Brain Drugs and alcohol have a profound affect on the brain, disrupting brain structures and functions. Ongoing use of the addictive substance creates alterations in the neural pathways, or the connections be ..read more

How to Detox from Cocaine & Stay Sober Cocaine (also called coke) is a highly addictive stimulant drug that can quickly cause a great deal of damage in a person’s life. When it’s time to break free from the grip of cocaine, a supportive treatment setting can help you achieve sobriety and sustain it. Read on to learn how to detox from cocaine and how to stay sober. Signs of Cocaine Addiction Cocaine is a white powdery substance extracted from the coca plant in South America. While it might appear to be a harmless party drug, it doesn’t take long before someone begins to depend on it.  ..read more

Alcohol Abuse Causes Wet Brain Late stage alcoholism often features several devastating health effects, including brain damage. Wet brain syndrome, or Wenricke-Korakoff, is a serious brain disorder associated with long-term alcohol abuse. About 12%-14% of alcoholics develop wet brain. Left untreated, wet brain syndrome evolves toward severe complications and possibly death. What is Wet Brain? Chronic heavy drinking can result in a thiamine deficiency. This occurs when inflammation in the gut becomes so severe it can no longer absorb vitamin B-1, or thiamine. Wet brain can be caused by malnutri ..read more

If you have experienced chest pain after drinking, you are probably concerned, and rightly so. Heart pains may have many causes, and should always be checked out for peace of mind. If you’ve noticed on multiple occasions that the chest pain occurs after drinking, it could be directly related to alcohol. Can Alcohol Cause Chest Pain? Is the chest pain caused by alcohol, or is it a symptom of a heart attack? Alcohol is a toxic substance that can do major harm to not only the heart, but to multiple organs. If the chest pain follows one random night of heavy drinking, then chances are the pain is ..read more

Individuals that work in highly stressful and demanding professions are at higher risk of substance use disorder, and this includes nurses. In fact, recent data state that about 10% of nurses struggle with substance abuse. Because alcohol provides relaxing effects it is often the nurse’s substance of choice. Fortunately, alcohol rehab for nurses offers comprehensive treatment and the support they need to help them navigate life in recovery.  Nurses Struggling with Alcohol Use Disorder Nurses and physicians are bound to a higher standard when it comes to substance use. A nurse who is under ..read more

Law enforcement personnel, including police officers, sheriffs, corrections officers, and deputies, perform their job duties under extreme stress. This can lead to alcohol abuse as a means of coping with the effects of exposure to stressful and disturbing situations. When alcohol abuse develops into alcohol use disorder, an alcohol rehab program designed for first responders provides the needed treatment. Alcohol Use Disorder and Law Enforcement Law enforcement officers and emergency responders are listed among the top ten professions associated with substance abuse. These professionals work u ..read more

Getting Substance and Trauma Help With Tricare Our military personnel matter to us all. Putting themselves at the service of our country is a noble calling and should be respected. Whether they are currently active duty or veterans, having available resources to help overcome a substance use disorder is essential. These brave individuals put their lives on the line for our freedoms and deserve our support when addiction surfaces. With Tricare health insurance, the military healthcare provider, soldiers can now get the help they need. Tricare covers a wide range of services related to treatment ..read more

Can I Quit Alcohol Cold Turkey? After making the decision to quit drinking alcohol you will next need to come up with a safe recovery strategy. However, one route you certainly do not want to take is to quit alcohol cold turkey. To learn about the dangers of abruptly quitting alcohol, and how to safely detox, please read on. What Happens When an Alcoholic Quits Drinking Cold Turkey? The body and brain make adaptations when you become physically dependent on alcohol. With continued heavy drinking, the body becomes more tolerant of the substance. This prompts the person to consume ever-higher qu ..read more

Stopping Alcohol Safely Via Taper The effects of drinking alcohol can suddenly sneak up on you. Maybe for a while you just enjoyed having a couple of beers after work. Somehow, though, the drinking over time became an alcohol use disorder (AUD).  The good news is the sooner you recognize the signs of a drinking problem, the better. If you are diagnosed with a mild AUD, you can learn how to taper off alcohol safely, and enter treatment. But what if you have a more advanced AUD? After a thorough assessment, a clinician will make recommendations for the safest route to sobriety. Based on the ..read more

It can be a very hard choice to make. Do you consider leaving work to go to rehab, possibly risking your job or career? Or, are you better off trying to ignore the increasing signs of addiction?  Are you struggling with this decision and looking for some guidance? Look no further, as we explore this common quandary that thousands of people face every day. Do You Need Rehab? To question whether you need to go to rehab, consider how many of the following signs of addiction you see in yourself: You can’t stop using the substance, even when you want to. You need to use more of the substance ..read more