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
Search Results for: opioid
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. The Opioid Crisis: ... Read More
What It’s Like to Respond to an Overdose Emergency
Trigger Warning: This article contains language about overdose that could be triggering for some people. The overdose epidemic in this country has continued to outpace itself. Drug overdose deaths, most of which were opioid-related, hit a new high in 2022. For every one of these 109,000 deaths, there were many ... Read More
How Trauma Can Cause Addiction
Updated November 21, 2022 "Trauma," as defined by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, is “an event, series of events, or set of circumstances that is experienced by an individual as physically or emotionally harmful or life threatening and that has lasting adverse effects on the ... Read More
What Factors Influence Your Risk of Relapse
Achieving sobriety after years of battling drug and alcohol addiction is far from easy. There's more to recovery than getting past withdrawal. It also involves learning new coping mechanisms, making significant lifestyle changes, and having a comprehensive relapse prevention plan. Substance use disorder is ... Read More
