Synthetic opioids like fentanyl are now responsible for fifty-nine percent of overdoses as of 2017. Fentanyl is surging in news reports lately and the reason why is clear.
How can you tell if someone is exhibiting signs of Substance Use Disorder (SUD)? Many people aren’t aware that addiction and substance use is a clinically diagnosable disease. However, the criteria may not fit perfectly into an individual’s unique and personal experience. Symptoms vary on a case-by-case basis, and an individual need not experience all symptoms to receive a diagnosis. In fact, the severity of Substance Use Disorder is scaled based on the number of symptoms an individual experiences. Let’s discuss this scale, symptoms, and the contributing factors of this serious disorder.
Withdrawal by itself is scary, but some severe cases develop into Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome (AWS). This condition can be life-threatening if not monitored and treated properly by medical professionals. Below is everything you need to know before entering detox for alcohol dependency.
Relapse has a lot of misconceptions and stigma. The truth is relapse isn’t the end and it isn’t a mark of failure. More importantly, it isn’t set in stone and it’s entirely preventable if you know what to look for. Relapse happens in three stages with clear characteristics and methods of prevention. Let’s discuss them.
Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS) can happen to anyone transitioning into recovery. One of the most dangerous things about this syndrome is that individuals affected by it have an inclination to relapse. This is because a fair amount of symptoms tend to be difficult for people to overcome, especially in high-stress situations. And people in high-stress situations generally fall back to previously reliable coping mechanisms like substance use. But what exactly is PAWS and what are these relapse-inducing symptoms? Let’s explore the term.
In 2019 Ketamine was approved for use in the treatment of depression despite its high rate of addiction. Despite its bad reputation, it’s a useful drug for treatment-resistant individuals when monitored carefully.
Central Nervous System Depressants encompass a wide variety of medications from simple sleep aids and anxiety medications to cancer treatments. You may even be surprised by how familiar you are with some of the listed medications, despite being less than familiar with the term CNS Depressants. It’s important to understand how these drugs affect the body and the dangers of prolonged use and abuse. So let’s discuss some definitions, name-brand examples, and warning signs of dependency/addiction.
Withdrawal varies from substance to substance and even from person to person. An individual may face severe symptoms if they have been abusing alcohol for most of their life. Or a person facing the beginnings of addiction with their opioid prescription may experience very mild withdrawal symptoms. That being said, there is no universal withdrawal timeline, so we’ve compiled a list of the top 5 most addictive substances to explore their individual withdrawal timelines and symptoms.
Mental health and addictions go hand in hand. Mental health issues like frustration, anger, depression, etc., turn an individual towards drugs and give them a false sense of hope and relief. Frustration in relationships is growing up to be the primary cause of drug abuse, among people aged 30 and above.
Opiate withdrawal is a very difficult and potentially devastating process. It’s only natural to try and seek out methods that lessen the severity of symptoms.
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