The horrifying thing about drug dependence is that it can happen to anybody at any time without reason or warning. At least, that’s how it often seems to many people who fall into the throes of addiction. In reality, addiction is often something that occurs to specific people for unique reasons, many of which are mental and physical and which make recovery more difficult. Understanding these differences is a significant part of recovery and a focus of many researchers and care specialists. The most interesting element that care specialists have found over the years is the fact that drugs an ..read more

If you spend any time in a big city, you are likely to see homelessness and people on the streets. And, unfortunately, you’re likely to see them drinking alcohol, trying to score heroin, or abusing prescription drugs like benzodiazepines, Xanax, and various types of opioids and opiates. Some people get angry when they see homeless individuals in this situation and think that they “deserve” the problems in their lives. However, empathy and understanding are critical to understanding issues like these.  For example, it is crucial to understand how the depression and anxiety triggered by homel ..read more

Summer is often a huge deal for the millennial. Those still in college enjoy a much-deserved break from school while those with jobs take their vacation time to travel the world. However, summer often has a dark side in all generations and has become particularly harsh for millennials. It is during the summer that many youths fall into the throes of drug use and addiction and trigger a potential lifetime of abuse. The types of drugs abused will vary wildly. Some will just smoke cigarettes and binge drink with their friends – which might seem tame to some – but this usage may cause more he ..read more

Substance abuse is a real danger that often triggers a variety of mental health problems that require dual-diagnosis to manage. For example, many people experience suicidMillions of people suffer from the ravages of drug abuse, a problem that typically goes hand-in-hand with many types of mental health issues. Correctly diagnosing addiction, especially those underlying co-occurring disorders, is critical to ensuring that you get the best care possible for your needs. First of All: Is Addiction a Disease? The debate has raged for years on whether addiction is a disease or a moral fai ..read more

Success in addiction recovery treatment and dual-diagnosis care requires a lot of emotional support. Men going through this care option typically need a lot of love from friendships and family to succeed. However, those in treatment may also find that individuals in their rehab facility provide some of the strongest and healthiest friendships they’ve had in years. In fact, making friends during rehab with those who have experienced similar problems with addiction is often the best way to fuel complete recovery. These people have seen the same kind of failures, suffered many of the same issu ..read more

While many men may think that getting over addiction just requires “being tough” or “manning up” to their drug use, the reality is much more complicated. Men who abuse opiates, opioids, benzodiazepines, alcohol, and other substances like methamphetamine experience not only physical problems due to drug abuse but psychological ones at the same time. In fact, issues such as anxiety, depression, trauma, and even PTSD are just as common in men who abuse drugs as they are in women who abuse drugs. Unfortunately, this fact is often ignored by men experiencing addiction paired with other mental h ..read more

The development of Dsuvia is a controversial situation that has many people very concerned about the safety of the nation. The FDA recently approved this potent opioid as a painkiller and an aide for addiction treatment. The idea was that this strong opiate would minimize the risk of addiction and overdose that is sweeping the nation. And sadly, the overdose epidemic has taken the lives of too many promising people to count. For example, young rapper Mac Miller overdosed on opiates and abused alcohol, methamphetamine, and prescription medications like Xanax. And many who are addicted turn to ..read more

There are few genres of music that have a more substantial impact on society right now than rap music or hip hop. The heavy beats, the fast-flowing rhymes, and the challenging lyrical subjects provide listeners with an insight into the mind of these musicians and their struggles with a variety of problems, including trauma, addiction, alcohol, opiates, and even PTSD. Unfortunately, there is a tendency by many rappers – no matter their success level – to glorify drug use and to sing the praises of various substances. Groups like Cyprus Hill and rappers like Dr. Dre openly discuss their love of ..read more