Substance Abuse Articles, Blogs and Resources

Man on mountain thinking about Substance AbuseAddiction Hope is dedicated to providing timely and helpful information on the dangers of Substance Abuse as well as alcohol abuse.

Drugs are a chemical substance that can be used in the prevention, cure and treatment of an ailment or disease. Often, medications can be used to help an individual’s emotional and psychological well being, and they can enhance one’s physical abilities or well being.

Medicines can help heal a person or destroy a life. They can be naturally derived from plants or synthesized in some type of laboratory. A drug addiction can ruin a man or woman’s existence. It is disappointing that many of the medications that were originally developed to help heal people will be abused and devastate the life of someone with a substance abuse addiction.

Substance abuse is when a person begins using a drug in a way other than its intended use as prescribed by a doctor. A drug addiction can be created when a man or woman continually abuses drugs in order to get high (an intense euphoric feeling). Some drugs are so addictive that someone using for the first time can become instantly addicted.

When someone has developed a drug addiction, they can build up a tolerance to the drug and need more and more of the substance to have the same effect. The person will sometimes begin smoking, snorting, or injecting the drugs so as to reach a quicker and more intense high. This leads to constant repeated use and, thus, the creation of a drug addiction.

Substance abuse addiction is outstandingly difficult to quit. Often one substance is abused with other drugs or alcohol. Sadly and frequently, substance abuse co-occurs with other mental disorders such as mood disorders, mental disorders and eating disorders.

This adds to the complexities of stopping the drug abuse. However, it is imperative that the drug addiction is ended because constant substance abuse can be deadly. Heart attacks and strokes often occur. Some of the more common drug types include opioids (heroin, morphine, hydrocodone), hallucinogens (LSD, DXM, PCP), stimulants (cocaine, Ecstasy, meth), and depressants (alcohol, Quaaludes).

Please continue reading below to see our latest blog posts on substance abuse. Under the “Substance Abuse Navigation” menu, you can click on the drop-down arrow to see evergreen, general information on dozens of individual drugs, including prescription substances.

The Dual Diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder and Substance Abuse

Man struggling with porn addiction The American Journal of Managed Care reports that 56% of individuals with bipolar also experienced alcohol or drug addiction during their life. 46% of this group had also abused alcohol or were already addicted. 41% had abused drugs and alcohol was found to be the most commonly abused substance with those suffering with bipolar disorder. [...]
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How Dependency on Prescription Pain Killers Can Lead to Heroin Addiction

Man struggling with pain medication and heroin abuse It is estimated that between 26.4 million and 36 million people abuse opioids worldwide, with an estimated 2.1 million people in the United States suffering from substance use disorders related to prescription pain killers. In 2012 and an estimated 467,000 people were addicted to heroin. Several factors may contribute to the severity of the rising [...]
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Holidays and Suicide: The Relationship of Substance Abuse and Suicide

Holidays and suicide A completed suicide occurs every 16 minutes in the United States. Suicide costs the Nation almost $12 Billion annually. Drug poisoning deaths have increased 120% in recent years, rising from 17,415-38,329 in 2010. 58% of the drug deaths involved pharmaceuticals, and 75% of those deaths involved prescription pain relievers. In 2010, US emergency rooms treated [...]
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Effectiveness of Telehealth in Combating Addiction

Man utilizing telehealth Contributor: Libby Lyons, MSW, LCSW, CEDS, writer for Addiction Hope. Telemedicine can be a wonderful resource in the treatment and recovery of addictions. It can remove the barriers of distance, transportation, and can enhance treatment services. Telemedicine can offer clinicians increased contact with those struggling with addictions and substance use. Addictions are chronic, and can [...]
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Buprenorphine: Use of the Drug, Signs and Symptoms of Abuse

Man holding his back from chronic pain Contributed by Staff of Timberline Knolls Today, the United States is in the grip of one of the worst drug epidemics ever experienced in our country. The drug in question is Oxycontin; the addicted population is…everyone. Fortunately, Suboxone can help with reversing overdoses. Because Oxycontin is a legitimate, legal pharmaceutical drug, it is therefore prescribed [...]
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