Ever read celebrity gossip? Most people seem entertained by it. There’s often a sort of schadenfreude to be had from experiencing the troubles of another from a distance. From a drunken spat at an expensive restaurant to the occasional high-profile court case, there’s a public appetite for stories of substance-fueled bad behavior by the rich and famous. You don’t hear about […]
Read MoreAccording to recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), drug overdose deaths in 2020 are projected to total just over 93,000, the highest total yet seen in the U.S. This represents a nearly 30% rise from 2019, when the agency’s National Center for Health Statistics projected 72,151 deaths for that year. Nora Volkow, MD, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), expressed grave […]
Read MoreWhether it’s viewed as a developmental disorder, a label describing a wide spectrum of conditions, or a different way of interpreting the world, it’s a fair assumption to say people struggling with autism spectrum disorders face challenges in daily life. Generally, substance abuse isn’t one of them. However, a new study discovered while substance use among people with autism is somewhat […]
Read MoreWhen the word “epidemic” gets used to describe opioid abuse and related overdoses, it’s not always an understatement. Opioid drugs, which include heroin, fentanyl, and many prescription pain pills, have harmed countless lives and devastated communities. Unfortunately, it seems another, similar epidemic has slowly developed in the shade of the opioid crisis: methamphetamines. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention […]
Read MoreDo I really know what I’m taking? It’s a good question to ask yourself the next time you find a pill in your hand. The multivitamin you took this morning, the aspirin you took for your knee, a tab of melatonin to help you sleep: chances are, they all came out of a box or bottle with a label, a list of active ingredients and […]
Read MoreFor many, recovery is a time of vulnerability. For some, it’s the first time in a long time they’ve lived without the insulating effects of substances. For others, it may be the first time ever they’ve opened up about the problems and issues which may have driven their substance abuse. Finally, for most recovery is when they’re leaving […]
Read MoreWhen it comes to alcohol, it’s easy to see the extremes. But what if you’re in the middle? Americans are drinking more and more – and with disastrous results. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) reported alcohol-related deaths nearly doubled between 1999 and 2017. Millennials, once an age group noted for not drinking, have been dying of liver diseases caused […]
Read MoreRock bottom. Everyone who’s ever battled substance abuse likely knows it — the day they reached their breaking point and made their decision to quit. Many people in recovery call it their “sober birthday,” remembering the day as the last time they used the substances they’re recovering from. Hitting the lowest point is exactly as […]
Read MoreThere’s more to recovery than just hitting “stop” when it comes to drugs & alcohol. Recovery is a massive lifestyle change which requires constant lifetime work in order for it to succeed. It’s stressful at times. One of the biggest stressors is where to live. We all know longer stays in rehab equal a better […]
Read MoreRecovering from drug & alcohol abuse isn’t easy, and the numbers back it up: according to the National Institute on Drug Addiction (NIDA), the relapse rates for addiction run between 40 and 60 percent. That’s one of the reasons many people look towards sober living housing as part of their recovery. The advantages of sober living are many. First, they offer a […]
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