DRUG ADDICTION AND GROUP THERAPY
Group therapy is defined as one or more therapists communicating with a group of people about their substance abuse problems or mental health issues. These sessions usually occur twice weekly for about 1-2 hours and can consist of more than 12 people at a time. The goal of group therapy is to help others struggling […]
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM REHAB
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) reported that in 2012, 2.5 million people in the United States received substance abuse treatment at a specialized facility. Unfortunately, this only accounts for less than 11 percent of the over 23 million Americans age 12 and older who are addicted to alcohol or drugs. There are a variety […]
GETTING SOBER AS SENIOR CITIZENS
You might think of addiction as a young person’s problem. In some ways, this makes sense, just based on the sad truth that so many people with substance abuse issues end up overdosing or in jail. Of course, plenty of people do make it to recovery, and they’re able to live into their golden years […]
THE OPIOID CRISIS IN NEW ENGLAND
If someone were to ask you what states are hardest hit by the drug epidemic, you’d probably choose some of the poorer Southern states, or maybe places like New Mexico, Texas, California, and Arizona that are near the Mexican border. You’d be surprised to hear, then, that one of the regions with the highest number […]
ALCOHOLISM AND ITS EFFECTS ON YOUR NUTRITION
Nutrition serves two purposes in your body. The first is to provide you with energy. The second is to maintain body structure and function. The food we eat provides the necessary components to any worn or damaged cells. Alcohol interferes with these nutritional processes by affecting digestion, utilization, storage, and excretion of nutrients. IMPAIRMENT OF […]
THE FRIGHTENING REALITY OF ALCOHOL WITHDRAWAL SYNDROME
As addicts excessively consume alcohol, over time, their bodies will ultimately form an “attachment” (so to speak) to that substance. Ultimately, once the rehabilitation and detox process begins, alcoholics will undergo a painful and oftentimes traumatic experience called withdrawal, where their bodies purge the chemicals from their system and begin to heal. So, you can […]
OLDER ALCOHOLICS ARE MORE PRONE TO SUICIDE
In contrast to the greater population of our country, alcoholics exhibit an unconventionally high rate of suicide. In fact, an estimated 7% of people suffering from this sickness commit suicide on a yearly basis, while about one-third of the victims who do commit suicide meet qualifications for alcohol use disorder of some degree. For those […]
ALCOHOL WITHDRAWAL
Alcohol withdrawal is a clinical syndrome which affects people who are only accustomed to regular alcohol intake; it occurs when either alcohol consumption is decreased, or they quit drinking completely. In these cases the central nervous system adjusts to the constant presence of alcohol in the body, and compensates for the alcohol’s depressive effects on […]
COMPULSIVITY CIRCUIT IN HEAVY DRINKERS
Have you ever wondered why people continue using drugs or alcohol despite all the negative effects it has on their lives? You might have a friend or family member who has lost their job or custody of a child and still continues to abuse their substance of choice, and you think, why isn’t that enough […]
ALCOHOLISM FACT CHECK: BLACKOUTS
It is no surprise that the over-consumption of alcohol can have unintended, and dangerous, side effects. But what really happens to your brain when you “blackout”? While this might seem like a party norm, this situation can be indicative of a larger issue and possibly the onset of alcoholism. The reason you “blackout” from liquor, […]