There is a significant link between emotions and substance use. Most people start using because of the euphoric or calming feelings that psychoactive drugs can create. People often turn to drugs and alcohol to cope with a stressful day, bad news, or to help them feel accepted when they are lonely or socially anxious. For … Continued
Filling The Void In the wake of the opioid addiction crisis, many “pain clinics” have sprung up all over Tennessee to fill the high demand for prescription painkillers. Many of these clinics fail to meet safe and ethical medical standards and supply prescription drugs to anyone capable of paying a high premium for them. … Continued
Making a decision to come to treatment can be challenging. After all, many of us have families, jobs, and responsibilities that have, at times, been the only source of hope and purpose throughout our active addiction. Although we can acknowledge the need for a drastic change in our lives, it can often feel overwhelming to … Continued
Tennessee state leaders have issued a warning to citizens, particularly those struggling with opiate addiction. The underground market for painkillers, which many addicts find themselves entangled in, has recently been flooded with Fentanyl-laced counterfeit opiates being sold as legitimate drugs, leaving many unsuspecting users at perilous risk of overdosing. These fake pills are being purported … Continued
Facing Up A recent US Surgeon General’s report uncovered some staggering facts about the magnitude of America’s drug problem. Several highlights from the report provide surprising context for just how widespread the addiction epidemic has become: In 2016 more people used prescription painkillers than tobacco. The number of people with substance abuse disorders in America … Continued
If you’ve read the newspaper or watched your local news over the last couple of years, you’re surely aware of several heartbreaking stories involving Fentanyl. This synthetic opioid is one of the most potent painkillers available today. Learn more about how Fentanyl addiction is crippling communities and destroying lives across the country, and what steps … Continued
Over time, substance abuse causes chemical changes in the brain, which results in a physical dependence on drugs and alcohol. This cycle is the hallmark of addiction and creates both psychological obsessions and intense physical cravings for substances. Using both heavily and frequently along with the development of a tolerance are often the signals of … Continued
The death toll from heroin overdoses has surpassed the annual rate of gun homicides in the US for the first time. In 2007, gun homicides outnumbered opiate overdoses 5-1, and a shift this drastic is alarming news for public health officials, who are trying to manage the devastating impact of the addiction crisis. The rising … Continued
Everyone has bad days. At some point, we all experience the emotional weight of break-ups, work-related stressors, loss, family quarrels, or the gripping turmoil of uncertainty. For some, however, emotional lows seem to plague everyday life and last much longer that than the typical events that would ordinarily provoke them. For those experiencing depression, feelings … Continued
In the United States, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is the primary governing body responsible for categorizing, regulating, and preventing the sale and use of both controlled and illicit drugs. In recent years, however, many ‘new’ synthetic drugs (also known as designer drugs) have made their way into both illicit and retail markets, working around … Continued
In recent years, opioid abuse rates in Tennessee have grown to epidemic levels. This statistic includes both users of heroin and legal prescription drugs like oxycodone, hydrocodone, fentanyl, and morphine. Many people who become addicted to a prescription painkiller end up abusing both prescription drugs and illegal drugs like heroin that can be easier and … Continued
How do you know if you have developed an unhealthy habit or if you are actually suffering from addiction? Determining the difference between the two can be difficult, since both grow out of repeated behaviors. Given the difference in scope and treatment, though, it is important to distinguish between a troublesome habit and addiction. One … Continued
You may have heard the saying “addiction is a family disease,” and in many ways it is. Addiction impacts everyone who has a relationship with the addict, which can disrupt daily life and negatively impact the stability of a family. Parents, children, friends, and partners of addicts are all swept up in the pain and … Continued
Once you have made the important decision to invest in personal rehabilitation, it’s helpful to have some strategies by your side to get the most out of the experience. Going to rehab is an opportunity to focus on yourself: to put everything else on hold and pay attention to your own needs. The mindset you … Continued
Why do some people find recovery and others don’t? There are many circumstances that motivate people to admit that their drug and alcohol use has become a problem and then find the willingness to seek help. For some, however, even in the face of dire consequences, there is a tendency to remain in denial about … Continued
According to a recent study by SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration), 76 percent of people with substance abuse problems are employed. Unfortunately, many people avoid getting the treatment they need because of the stigma associated with alcohol and drug addiction and the fear that they may lose their job or hurt their … Continued
Most people associate trauma with harrowing events like war or a natural disaster. However, any distressing event that falls beyond the scope of normal human experience can be considered traumatic. Individuals who have experienced trauma are at a much higher risk of developing addiction and substance use disorders, so it is important to understand the … Continued
Neuroscience researcher, Melvin Conner, tells us that the human nervous system is conditioned by a subtle, but constant, state of stress. His findings indicate that the chronic internal state of the human nervous system can be best categorized as a vague mixture of anxiety and desire, best described by the phrase, “I want,” spoken with … Continued
Over the past three decades, meditation therapy has spread rapidly through the fields of medicine, mental health, and education as a way to reduce toxic stress and impulsivity and increase emotion regulation, executive function, empathy, and overall physical, emotional and cognitive well–being. In treating addiction, empirical evidence is beginning to show overwhelming evidence in support … Continued
The History and Stigma of Addiction: The Flawed Individual By 1974, the American Medical Association had officially recognized alcoholism and drug addiction as forms of chronic and progressive brain disease. This classification by the AMA helped lift much of the stigma around the medical field’s understanding of substance abuse thus lending credibility to the field … Continued