Many people who become addicted to cocaine never even considered touching the stuff until one night when it was offered to them when they were drunk. With their inhibitions curbed by alcohol, they gave it a try. Then, for whatever reason, they began to seek out cocaine almost every time they went out drinking. What is it about the combination of cocaine and alcohol that makes this happen? Have you ever wondered why some people (maybe you?) always seem to crave cocaine when they go out and drink alcohol? This article has the surprising answers to this mystery.  Why Do People Use Cocaine Wh ..read more

It’s rarely easy to understand why someone who is addicted makes the choices they do. When that person is a lover, fiancé, or spouse — there is no avoiding the chaos of addiction. Sooner or later, the craziness will leak into your work and impact you. Even before it does, you’re likely tormented with worry. Simultaneously angry and afraid and feeling powerless over your loved one’s disease. Watching someone you love losing the battle with drug and alcohol addiction can be a harrowing experience. Here’s some advice on talking to your addicted partner. Is My Partner Using Drugs? Before any talk ..read more

What is Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome? Post-acute withdrawal syndrome, sometimes abbreviated as PAWS is the name given to a set of persistent withdrawal symptoms that can continue to affect a recovering person for weeks, months, or even years after the initial phase of withdrawal from alcohol, opiates, benzodiazepines, and other substances.  Whether or not a person experiences Post-acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS) doesn’t necessarily depend on whether or not they get a medical detox and addiction treatment. However, there is evidence that detox and treatment can significantly reduce some ..read more

A (Really) Brief History of Alcohol Abuse in America Drinking too much used to be a huge problem in the United States. If you flashback to the 1800s and early 1900s it was common for factory workers and many others to drink on the job. The British Navy used to guarantee its sailors a certain amount of grog (watered-down rum) every day.  Americans didn’t really take a good, hard look at alcohol abuse until the temperance movement of the 1900s which eventually led to Prohibition. Started by American women in response to domestic abuse and a dozen other serious problems tied directly to alco ..read more

What Are Lemons or Lemon Drops? The term lemons or lemon drops is being used as slang for a new street drug making the rounds as of late. When you’re talking about drugs, lemons (or lemon drops) usually refer to a mixture of dextromethorphan (DXM) and lemonade powder.  If you’ve tried to research this new street drug “lemons”, you may come across some conflicting information (more on that later). For our purposes, when you hear people talking about a drug called lemons or lemon drops — they mean a mix of DXM and (usually) lemonade flavoring. There are some reports of other solutions being ..read more

For most of us, getting sober will be one of the hardest things we ever do. Being caught up in active addiction is no picnic and the work of recovery isn’t easy. But once you’re through the trial by fire — how do you hold onto that hard-won peace of mind? This North Jersey Recovery Center article offers some tips for managing your mental health and keeping your cool in recovery.  What Happens After the ‘Pink Cloud’ Blows Away? One of the many clever sayings and concepts in recovery is the notion of the ‘pink cloud’. If you haven’t heard this one before, the ‘pink cloud’ is a metaphor for ..read more

Most of us are aware of the damage drug addiction can do to individuals and families. Many have experienced the terror addiction themselves or watched helplessly as a loved one endured it. If you’ve had family members with a substance use disorder, you may have wondered: Is addiction hereditary, or it is entirely learned behavior? This North Jersey Recovery Center article explores the relationship between addiction and genetics. We’ll explore the possibility of a genetic predisposition to addiction compared with environmental factors and answer lots of questions along the way.  The Comple ..read more

By now, you may have heard some of the media buzz about a concerning new substance of abuse being called ‘gas station heroin’. This North Jersey Recovery Center article takes a look at concerns about this new drug and its legal status.  What’s Gas Station Heroin? As America’s controlled substance laws try to keep pace, it seems like new drugs of abuse are invented every 5-6 months or so to get around drug prohibitions designed to protect public health. One of the latest drugs in this category to appear is being called gas station heroin. It is actually a chemical called tianeptine.  ..read more

If you’re looking to learn more about addiction and recovery, an Internet search can feel a little like a scavenger hunt. This North Jersey Recovery Center article will help you vet sources and point you in the right direction for reliable addiction information.  Where Do I Begin Looking For Addiction Information? When it comes to information about addiction on the Internet, scarcity is not the problem. There’s plenty of addiction information and recovery-related content out there. But how do you know what’s accurate? What can you trust? How do you know you’re getting accurate answers to ..read more

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