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.

Alcoholism: What Does the Brain Have to do With It?

Friends drinking Blog Post Contributed by Jacquelyn Ekern, MS, LPC and Crystal Karges, MS, RDN, IBCLC On the surface, alcoholism may appear to be a desperate measure for surviving life, an escape from overwhelming circumstances, or an indulgence taken beyond control.  However, alcoholism is much more than the many stigmas make it out to be.  Alcoholism is [...]
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Relationship between Bullying and Substance Abuse in Adolescents

Girl Bullied By Female Students - Addiction Hope Children across our nation are facing increasing pressures and demands in our society as they grow through their adolescent years.  With concerns of peer pressure, bullying, and substance abuse among our youth, reaching out to younger generations has never been more important.  When it comes to understanding how to prevent certain deviant behaviors from developing, [...]
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Connection Between Energy Drinks and Substance Abuse Among Teens

Many individuals rely heavily on caffeine to make it through the day, whether in the form of a cup of coffee, tea or even an energy drink.  The quickening jolt of caffeine can be the much needed boost to function under the high pressure demands countless Americans face on an ongoing basis. Sadly, there may [...]
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Risk of Stroke Associated with Cocaine Use

hospital Blog post contributed by Crystal Karges, MS, RDN,  and Jacquelyn Ekern, MS, LPC As one of the most highly addictive drugs, cocaine wreaks havoc on the mind and body, even if only used once.  More commonly known as “Crack”, “Charlie”, “Coke”, “Snow”, or “Bump”, cocaine is one of the most powerful nervous system stimulants and [...]
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What Are Bath Salts?

In the past when most people heard the term “bath salts” they thought of taking a nice relaxing bath with Epson salts. However, a new designer drug created in makeshift, illegal, laboratories called “bath salts” is making its way into the general lexicon and stunning people throughout the world. Today the term “bath salts” is [...]
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