Any kind of drug or chemical that is put into the body is going to have effects on how the body naturally functions. Drugs such as heroin can cause significant damage to the brain and other vital organs. Some of these damaging effects can be seen almost immediately while others take time to manifest their…
Who Caused the Opioid Crisis?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there were over 70,000 drug overdose deaths in America in 2017. 47,000 were from opioids and 36% of those were from prescription opioids. Most of these prescription pain medication overdose deaths were a result of drugs like fentanyl, codeine, Vicodin, and Oxycontin; all of which…
How To Handle A Drug Addict Child
It is important to be aware of the changes in the people around you; especially those you take personal responsibility for, such as a child. These changes could be an indication of something worse than just hormones or a bad day. With the wide-spread drug culture in America, it’s important to trust your gut and…
How To Stop Cell Phone Addiction
Nomophobia is the fear of being without your phone for any period of time. I am a proud Millennial, but I’m also, not-so-proudly, on my phone more than I probably should be. In fact, most people in this generation are addicted to their cell phone to some extent. In a study by King University, about…
The Drug Epidemic: History Repeating
Opium has been used as a pain reliever for centuries. The ancient Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, and Persians are all known to have used it medicinally and, most likely, recreationally. It is questioned whether or not people in those times knew how addictive it was, although as far back as Alexander the Great and Aristotle there…
Can Marijuana Kill You
We’ve heard marijuana described as a “gateway drug”, and “the Devil’s lettuce”, especially by overbearing mothers… but can marijuana actually kill you, though? Considering that marijuana was, until recently, considered a Schedule 1 drug by the DEA, comparable to some of the most dangerous and addictive drugs in the world, there must be extreme risk…
When is Drinking a Problem In a Relationship
Many couples enjoy going out together and drinking, whatever that might mean for you. Some couples like to blackout and not remember it. Others prefer a single glass of wine over dinner, and then to go home afterward. Some couples drink at home and watch movies, or maybe it’s only one person in the relationship…
Can Cocaine Cause Depression?
Cocaine is a stimulant drug that increases dopamine production in the brain for short periods of time, creating a sense of euphoria and a burst in energy. This can be an extreme high, but the side effects can be exponentially worse, and permanently detrimental to your happiness. Depression is a mental illness frequently co-occurring with…
The Stages of Addiction
Most people who use drugs don’t become addicted. For those that do, it doesn’t happen overnight. It might take weeks, months, or years depending on the person and the drugs of choice. Heredity, gender, access to drugs, and socioeconomic status all play a part. It’s different for everyone. I started out as a binge drinker…
How to Be Happy After Opiate Addiction
Addiction is destructive and anyone who has an actively addicted loved one knows the pain and devastation that it causes. With opioid addiction specifically, more than 115 people in the United States die after overdosing on opioids every day. With statistics like these, chances are that almost everyone within the US knows someone who has…