Doctors sometimes prescribe a drug for use outside of its listed purposes, especially if it looks safe and they believe it will be effective. This off-label use is common with many classes of drugs. That includes antihistamines, which have emerged as a promising way to treat short-term anxiety. Can You Take an ... Read More
Learning Center
FHE Health is dedicated to educating the American public—especially individuals, families, and communities—about mental health and substance abuse topics. In our Learning Center, you'll find articles on alcoholism, substance abuse, behavioral and mental health, and other treatment-related issues. Our articles are written both for the person in need of treatment as well as loved ones seeking more information. We also provide information for those who have gone through treatment and are building a new life in recovery.
Featured in Learning Center
Gambling and Suicide: The Hidden Story
The Toll of Online Dating: Surprising New Survey Data
The Surprising Effects of Taking Antihistamines for Anxiety and Depression
Can You Get High on Benadryl?
Updated on January 3, 2025 Some over-the-counter drugs, such as Benadryl, can mimic the types of high feelings that marijuana and other drugs produce. The active drug in Benadryl is diphenhydramine. When taken according to directions, this drug is meant to treat symptoms of colds and allergies, and it's sometimes ... Read More
Common Medications for Treating Substance Use Disorders
Once considered an individual moral failing, addiction, and substance use disorders are now recognized as medical conditions. Like with any other disorder type, treatment options have evolved to include pharmaceuticals alongside psychotherapy and support group attendance. Medication-assisted treatment can effectively ... Read More
What Is Oxytocin Nasal Spray and Is It Safe to Take?
Updated November 11, 2024 Many pregnant women and mothers might be familiar with the synthetic version of oxytocin, Pitocin. It may surprise you to know that this labor and delivery drug is also available in a nasal spray. Oxytocin nasal spray uses range from anxiety treatments to long-term autism support. In ... Read More
Can You Overdose on Energy Drinks?
Updated on 01/22/24 Yes, it is possible to overdose on energy drinks. However, it likely will not kill you; overdose fatalities from energy drinks are rare. When someone does die from drinking too many energy drinks, it usually is due to severe heart arrhythmia attributed to the stimulant effects of caffeine. The ... Read More
Overdose Statistics by Demographic Groups
Every year in the United States, more than 100,000 people lose their lives to drug overdose. While a shocking 16,706 deaths in 2021 were directly linked to legal, prescribed medications — specifically opioids — drug overdose death rates encompass more than just those with a legal prescription. These stark overdose ... Read More
What Does It Mean to Be “Mentally Unstable”?
Updated on 5/5/2025 "Mental instability" is a broad phrase people use to refer to a wide range of mental health conditions, from depression and post-traumatic stress disorder to bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder. When someone uses this phrase, they generally mean that someone is showing signs of ... Read More
Understanding the A.A. Preamble
Updated on 01/27/2025 Alcoholics Anonymous has had a large presence in recovery communities since it was founded in 1935. One of the main reasons is that group meetings are standardized and consistent. No matter where you go, every meeting is run using the same guidelines, and every meeting starts the same way: a ... Read More
