When you think about genetics, you probably think about your personal heritage and the physical traits and characteristics passed down from generation to generation. Mental health and genetic susceptibility to substance abuse are also heritable traits and need to be taken seriously. Generational struggles are often passed down because of reasons related to both nature…
A person who has cocaine dependence experiences withdrawal symptoms when they are not abusing cocaine. Cocaine addiction is when a person abuses cocaine on a regular basis in spite of harm and negative consequences as a result of abuse. The 5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) describes problematic cocaine…
Morphine has a long history going back to the 1800s. Morphine is created directly from naturally occurring opium harvested from poppy plants. The pharmaceutical company Merck began marketing morphine in 1827 but the substance was not commonly used until the invention of the hypodermic syringe in the 1850s. Jumping forward to contemporary times, morphine is…
Nestled in the sprawling Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina, the city of Asheville is home to a population of roughly 92,000 individuals. In recent years, Asheville has seen exponential growth and development as thousands of people have moved to the area. Asheville is a highly attractive tourist destination due to its grand natural…
It’s tempting to judge celebrities more harshly for their struggles with drug abuse and recovery because of their success. When it comes down to it, celebrities have the same problems as everyone else. What can make the life of a celebrity harder is that much of what they do comes under public scrutiny. With people…
In a TedTalk given in 2015, British-Swiss journalist and writer Johann Hari stated that the opposite of addiction is not sobriety, it is human connection. This TedTalk has since become increasingly popular, and this phrase and idea of the importance of connection in relation to addiction has grown in traction. Isolation is a common part…
Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a popular form of psychotherapy that takes an integrative approach, assuming each individual has a variety of subpersonalities, or “parts” in their system. The goal of IFS is to facilitate healing through a client getting to know, understand, and work with these various parts. According to IFS Institute, there are…
Combining drugs is always risky. Opioids and benzos (benzodiazepines) have risks when used on their own. When mixed, prescription opiates, like hydrocodone, and Xanax, a strong benzo with a short half-life, can have intense and unpredictable side effects. If someone you know is experimenting with dangerous combinations of drugs like opioids and benzos, we encourage…
What Is Vyvanse: Vyvanse Uses & Dosages Vyvanse is a prescription medication used to treat Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and Binge Eating Disorder (BED). It works as a central nervous system stimulant. Vyvanse is taken by mouth in the form of a chewable tablet or capsule, and these can range…
Methamphetamine is an extremely addictive psychostimulant drug. Tolerance to meth can be developed quickly, leading a meth user to depend on more and more of the substance to feel its effects. As tolerance increases and larger quantities of the drug are taken, physical dependence and addiction develop. Meth produces an intense but short-lived high that…
