A study published in March 2020 in the Journal of the American Medical Association – Internal Medicine[1] shows the use of the nerve pain reliever gabapentin—with brand names such as Neurontin, Gralise, and Horizant—may be helpful in treating people with acute alcohol withdrawal symptoms. The study’s results also demonstrated gabapentin is effective in promoting abstinence…
If you’re anything like me — a person in recovery from a substance use disorder (aka addiction to alcohol and/or drugs) – you’ve had direct and likely protracted experience with the pain, loneliness, and despair that comes with the territory of having a chemical dependency. To help clarify any question you may have about the…
While CDC statistics indicate the COVID-19 pandemic is nowhere near fading away—nearly 4,000 people died of COVID-related illness during the week ending 11/21/20[1]—President-elect Joe Biden and his incoming administration will need to address another health crisis, as well: the nation’s drug epidemic is back on the rise. According to a recent POLITICO.com article, however,…
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…
Rehab 101: Recovery Helps Us Go from ‘Know-it-All’ to Teachable “Happiness is always on the other side of being teachable.” – Shannon Alder Contrary to what may be a stereotype, many people who come into treatment seeking recovery from a substance use disorder are highly intelligent, sometimes professionals with multiple college degrees and years of…
Prescription Drug Abuse Among Doctors: Statistics & Treatment Options Given the unusual, often arduous challenges facing doctors working during the COVID-19 pandemic, how to best cope with stress is necessarily one dimension of life each and every physician must address. While healthy choices are certainly available to help you adapt to today’s more intensified…
If you or a loved one struggles with prescription drug misuse, you may be wondering, what is amphetamine? Amphetamine, a powerful central nervous system stimulant drug, raises levels of pleasure chemicals in the user’s brain. The flood of chemicals causes extreme pleasure, calmness and suppresses appetite. The drug relaxes some people and energizes others. Repeated…
Methamphetamine has been portrayed in movies and popular television shows, like “Breaking Bad”. It may leave you wondering, what is methamphetamine? Methamphetamine, a powerful stimulant drug, raises levels of pleasure chemicals in the user’s brain. The flood of chemicals causes extreme pleasure, calmness and suppresses appetite. The drug relaxes some people and energizes others. Repeated…
If you or a loved one struggles with opiate misuse, you may be wondering, what is carfentanil? Carfentanil, a powerful opiate drug, raises levels of pleasure chemicals in the user’s brain. The flood of chemicals causes extreme pleasure, calmness and suppresses appetite. The drug relaxes some people and energizes others. Repeated drug use causes the…
Fentanyl is a powerful opiate drug that artificially raises dopamine levels in the user’s brain