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.

Managing Symptoms of Diabetes With Prescription Medications: Preventing Misuse

Diabetic woman testing her blood. Contributor: Crystal Karges, MS, RDN, IBCLC Special Projects Coordinator at Eating Disorder Hope/Addiction Hope Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease that affects countless individuals across the globe. According to the American Diabetes Association, diabetes was the seventh leading cause of death in the United States [1]. This condition is typically associated with many other complications [...]
Read More

Managing Symptoms of Heart Disease With Prescription Medications: Preventing Misuse

Blood pressure machine used for heart disease Contributor: Crystal Karges, MS, RDN, IBCLC Special Projects Coordinator at Eating Disorder Hope/Addiction Hope Heart disease or cardiovascular diseases are a group of conditions that affect that heart and/or blood vessels. Some of the conditions that are included in cardiovascular disease include cardiomyopathy, heart arrhythmia, peripheral artery disease, valvular heart disease, stroke, myocardial infarction, venous [...]
Read More

Misuse of Tramadol: Signs and Symptoms

Contributor: Crystal Karges, MS, RDN, IBCLC Special Projects Coordinator at Eating Disorder Hope/Addiction Hope Marketed under the brand names of Ultram, ConZip, and Ryzolt, Tramadol is an opioid based prescription drug that is typically used to treat moderate to severe pain. Tramadol functions in two main ways: 1) binding to the opioid receptors in the [...]
Read More

Raise Awareness Of Alcohol Abuse Now

Teamwork Hands-Raise Awareness Of Alcohol Abuse Now For the last three decades, the NCADD has utilized April as Alcohol Awareness Month to help fight against the social stigma attached to alcoholism, as well as to spread awareness of the health consequences brought about by excessive drinking. Too many people living with alcoholism suffer in silence. They need to know that their addiction [...]
Read More

Abuse of Benadryl: Signs, Symptoms and Treatment

Woman struggling with sex addiction Contributor: Crystal Karges, MS, RDN, IBCLC Special Projects Coordinator at Eating Disorder Hope/Addiction Hope The brand name medicine Benadryl is an over-the-counter substance used for the treatment of allergies, cold symptoms, hay fever and insomnia. Also known as Diphenhydramine, this antihistamine can be used topically for the treatment of itching, minor cuts, burns, etc., and [...]
Read More