Substance Abuse Archive
While the way alcoholism is currently defined makes it difficult to determine how many alcoholics are in the United States, the statistics are revealing. According to how the DSM-V defines alcohol abuse disorder, 6.2% of adults have an alcohol abuse disorder. The more unsettling fact is that fewer than seven percent of people with alcohol…
More and more people in the United States are suffering from prescription pain medication abuse. Far from being just a personal problem, substance use usually impacts friends and family as well. For example, children of parents with substance use problems are less likely to behave in an age appropriate manner, while parents of adult children…
Substance use and drug addiction are becoming more common across the United States. In a given year, around 65% of people who are 12 years of age and older have consumed alcohol, while almost 18% have used illicit drugs. Now this does not always lead to abuse issues; however, some individuals are more susceptible to…
Klonopin is the brand name for clonazepam, a sedative that is commonly prescribed to control the symptoms of acute anxiety and panic attacks. This drug is categorized as a benzodiazepine and is often prescribed for its quick efficacy. With misuse, however, benzodiazepines become rapidly addictive. Awareness of the signs of sedative dependence and withdrawal can…
The untimely death of Tom Petty in early 2018 once again brought widespread attention to the dangers of prescription painkillers. The Los Angeles County medical examiner revealed that the musician had died from an overdose of several different prescription painkillers.1 Petty’s family asked that the news of his accidental overdose be made public to serve…
For hundreds of years, addiction was treated as a moral failing. People who struggled with addiction were accused of lacking self-discipline and willpower. While some people still believe that drug or alcohol addiction is a choice, advances in scientific research have made it evident that addiction is actually a chronic, progressive and relapsing disease of…
A person’s environment in adulthood and childhood can have a major influence on addiction. Discover how and why environment contributes to addiction.
There are a number of steps you can take if your best friend is addicted. Learn more about what to do and what to stay away from doing.
People suffering from a substance use disorder can find it very difficult to quit taking those substances. It is even harder for people who have become addicted to get sober. Substance abuse and addiction can negatively affect people in many ways. When the need to consume drugs or alcohol becomes the driving force in people’s…
