Substance Abuse Articles, Blogs and Resources

Man on mountain thinking about Substance Abuse Addiction 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.

Commonly Abused Stimulants Among Athletes

Contributor: Crystal Karges, MS, RDN, IBCLC, Special Projects Coordinator at Eating Disorder Hope/Addiction Hope For many athletes, participating at the collegiate level elevates the sport to a whole new dimension. Student athletes that have the opportunity to compete at a collegiate level have typically dedicated much of their time and effort for training and preparation. [...]
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Being a Drug Dealer while in College

Contributor: Crystal Karges, MS, RDN, IBCLC, Special Projects Coordinator at Eating Disorder Hope/Addiction Hope College students may find themselves in the most unexpected places and situations during their time spent on campus – either intentionally or unintentionally. For some students, this may involve distributing and/or selling drugs and substances to other students and the surrounding [...]
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When an Addiction Leads to Financial Difficulty in College

College Student Using Adderall To Concentrate - Addiction Hope

Contributor: Crystal Karges, MS, RDN, IBCLC, Special Projects Coordinator at Eating Disorder Hope/Addiction Hope College students often find themselves pressed for resources. Whether money, time, food, or sleep, college students are typically pressed with limitations in every category and forced to make the most of whatever resources they have. What about the college student who [...]
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Resuming a Career After Job Loss Due to Prescription Drug Abuse

Contributor: by White Deer Run clinical team member Ryan Poling, M.A. Bill has already done a lot of hard work. He recognized he had a prescription drug abuse problem and went to treatment, worked through a residential program, then a partial hospitalization program, and then an intensive outpatient program. Now that he has successfully completed [...]
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How to Properly Dispose of Unused Prescription Drugs

Contributor: Azure Acres clinical team member Ryan Poling, M.A. Many people understand the need to be careful when disposing of certain items: car tires, batteries, engine oil, and the like. Care is required when getting rid of these items because they are potentially toxic or harmful if not handled correctly. While many people do not [...]
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