Since the early 19th century, patients struggling with pain have relied on morphine as a powerful pain reliever. Named after Morpheus, the Greek god of dreams, morphine is reported to provide a euphoric experience. By the late 19th century, physicians began to recognize the addictive properties of the opioid. Today, ... Read More
The Revealing Link Between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Addiction
The psychological community has long understood a strong link between what happens to us as children and the way mental health disorders manifest later in life. Is this true of addiction as well? Addiction is a physical and mental disease, and while it can happen to anyone, some people seem to be more prone to drug ... Read More
The Unique Challenges & Needs of Pregnant Addicts, and How to Better Support Them
Substance abuse during pregnancy is a devastating problem for many people today. The National Institutes on Drug Abuse believe about 5 percent of pregnant women use some type of addictive substance during their pregnancy. Many of these mothers simply cannot stop their addiction due to the chemical dependency the ... Read More
Drug Profile: Kratom
In comparison to other drugs, like cocaine and heroin, kratom is relatively unknown in the United States and, accordingly, is not yet considered a controlled substance and has no official schedule determination. Statistics indicate that only around 1.7 million Americans partook in kratom in 2021 – just 0.5% of the U.S. ... Read More
Absinthe & Everclear: Dangers of Grain Alcohol
Absinthe and Everclear are high-proof alcohols. It’s important to understand what high-proof alcohol is, why it is potentially bad for you and what steps you should take if you’ve consumed it. There’s some evidence, according to Scientific American, that Vincent van Gogh had an addiction to absinthe. It’s believed ... Read More
Healthcare Costs, Narcan, and Memes
Updated September 26, 2019 "If a kid has a life-threatening allergic reaction, the parents have to pay a ridiculous price for an EpiPen. But a junkie who OD's for the 15th time gets Narcan for free? Seriously?" That's the popular gripe of a meme that has proliferated across the Internet, raising the need for a ... Read More
Drug Profile: Ephedrine
If the name "ephedrine" sounds familiar to you, it may be because you have some familiarity with pseudoephedrine (Sudafed). Pseudoephedrine was a standard antihistamine used to treat sinus colds and allergy symptoms, before becoming heavily regulated due to its potential (as a precursor to methamphetamine) to be ... Read More
10 Ways a Therapist Can Support Your Personal Growth
Counseling is often an underrated resource for anyone, but especially for demographics like those at risk for substance abuse, addiction and mental health conditions. But when you're working through adversity, it can be hard to recognize the good a therapist can do for you and your health. The number of Americans ... Read More
