While studies have shown the brain is impaired by abuse of alcohol—e.g., the volume of brain matter shrinks or atrophies[1]—research has also demonstrated alcohol detox can reverse this process in a relatively short time. Indeed, the head of one study, Gabriele Ende, a professor of medical physics at the Central Institute of Mental Health in…
Drug detox can seem scary. Your mind can conjure unpleasant images that make you hesitant to seek addiction treatment. If you’ve experienced withdrawal symptoms when using drugs, you may assume that the experience will be similar during detox. The truth is that detox isn’t something you should fear. Addiction professionals have the tools to get…
A commonly heard phrase in the rooms of recovery is, “Stick with the ‘winners’!” Early on I recall asking the question, “Well, who are the ‘winners’?” Funnily enough, what I’ve come to find over the 22 years I’ve been drug-free and actively involved in recovery is this: The word “stick” (as in “Stick with the…
Everyone suffers from a low mood or sadness from time to time. It can be challenging to determine when you can ride the condition out and when you should seek help for depression. Many people think of depression as feelings of sadness, but there are many signs of depression. If you see the signs of…
During the past few years, much has been said about the opioid epidemic in the U.S. One specific segment of society—doctors who specialize in anesthesiology—have been shown to be particularly prone to the devastating effects of prescription painkillers. The fact is, there’s a significant element of “double-trouble” in the life of an addicted anesthesiologist. That’s…
According to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, the percentage of nurses in the U.S. who have a substance use disorder (i.e., dependence on alcohol and/or drugs) is about 10%, similar to the percentage of the general population.[1] Given the large number of nurses working in the field—approximately 4 million[2]—this rate of addiction…
The legalization of marijuana in many states has made its use more common, thereby increasing the value of understanding the symptoms of marijuana addiction, what can happen when one stops its use (“detoxes”) and the treatment options that can help those who find they can’t stop without experiencing undesirable symptoms. The National Institute of on…
Typically, people who find their way into recovery—whether it be through a treatment center/rehab facility, a 12 Steps program or some combination of both—come in with some measure of humility. That is, having “reached the end of their rope” with their dependency on alcohol and/or drugs, they’ve likely faced a devastating array of problems: …
When it comes to alcohol abuse, many teens have no idea they are at risk for it. Sometimes adults don’t either. There are some situations where parents encourage their child or don’t tell them not to engage in drinking. Considering that, you may be unsure what to do about your teen. If he or she…
If you’re a doctor, nurse or other healthcare professional in the process of completing (or have just completed) treatment for a substance use disorder (i.e., alcohol and/or drug dependence), you’ve very likely heard a trumpet blaring in your ear about the importance of… aftercare! Indeed, given the medical establishment does not currently have a cure…