For those that are either addicted to opioids themselves, or those that have a loved one that is, what does withdrawal look like and how long do the symptoms last?

The “war on drugs” is a term that we have all heard and are familiar with. It has become synonymous with U.S. drug policy and has a convoluted past. This war has had unintended consequences and the motives behind it are at times, questionable.

Throughout my time in active addiction and recovery, I’ve only met three people whose drug of choice was crack cocaine. There have been plenty of cocaine and meth addicts but only those three people specifically sought out crack. To me, it seemed like a rare drug. It was never around while I was out there.…

At most meetings, people are hanging out and socializing beforehand and afterwards. Sometimes this is called the meeting before the meeting or the meeting after the meeting. It’s a great way for newcomers to meet people and for friends to catch up with each other, to find out how other people are doing. If you…

Drug overdoses are unfortunately more common than we may think. According to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there has been an increase of 137 percent of drug overdoses nationwide since 2000. Furthermore, there has been a 200 percent increase (since 2000) in overdose deaths involving opioids specifically (this includes pain relievers and…

Many medical diagnoses are combated with prescription drugs, but each drug can affect each patient differently. What works for one patient may not be effective for another. Doctors therefore often have several potential options when it comes to selecting a prescription drug to help their patients. One example of this is with the drugs fentanyl…

The last time that I was in detox, a heroin addict arrived the day after I did and was in terrible shape. When he was feeling a little bit better after a couple of days, we started getting to know each other. In talking about our experiences he told me something intriguing. During a previous…

Like a pebble dropped in water, addiction has a ripple effect. The actions of an alcoholic or addict eventually impact the lives of family, friends, law enforcement, medical professionals, and strangers. Within this list of people, the most endangered are the babies of addicted mothers. When women use drugs during pregnancy the child can become…

Methamphetamine, (meth), is an odorless, white and bitter-tasting crystalline powder that can dissolve quickly in liquid substances. It is illegal and mostly taken in the form of snorting, smoking or injecting it into the bloodstream. Once ingested, meth produces an almost immediate high that is often described as an “intense rush” and can last anywhere…

Until recently most of what I understood about ketamine was in the context of it being a party/club drug. I remember trying it in college the first time. Apparently I did too much and went into a “k-hole”. I was stuck on the couch. The world seemed far away, I couldn’t move, and couldn’t process…