No one person can be blamed for “creating” an addictive personality. Nevertheless, family members do exert powerful influences over factors that both maintain and accelerate the addiction cycle. How a family responds to a loved one with vulnerability to drug use, for example, can both prevent and stop addiction, according to a study published by […]
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions about opiate addiction, rehab and treatment.
What Does Anxiety Feel Like?
It’s natural to worry, especially during stressful times. For some people, worries and fears may consume their thoughts, making it difficult to live a normal life. Anxiety Disorders There are three types of anxiety disorders; these illnesses are among the most common mental health conditions. A person may have generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder or […]
How Is Scientific Research Helping Our Understanding of Addiction?
It’s a widely accepted fact today that addiction is a complex disease that cannot be overcome with just good intentions. Recovery from addiction to alcohol or other drugs is a rough road to travel. It’s one that usually needs an integrated, evidence-based approach . This is provided by an experienced, skilled team of experts in this field. (more…)
What Should I Do If I Want to Get Clean?
The truth is that a life of substance abuse and addiction is no life at all. The constant emotional, physical and financial stress takes a toll. Relationships are damaged. If you are completely honest, you know that addiction makes life miserable. If you feel this tension right now, know you are not alone. As hard […]
How do Opiates Differ from Opium?
Natural opiates harvested from the poppy plant are chemically similar to synthetic versions created in a lab. However, both are addictive when taken for the wrong reasons. There are slight variations among natural and synthetic versions of the drug mostly relating to a drug’s effectiveness and strength. Opiates vs. Opium Opium comes from the milky fluid that […]
Are Opiates Illegal?
Not all opiates are illegal although all of them are federally controlled. Opiates, or opioids, are powerful painkillers with strong addictive potential making it necessary to use them with extreme caution. Forms of Opiates Opiates come in natural, semi-synthetic and synthetic forms. The oldest opiate is opium, which is made from the milky fluid that […]
I’m the Mother of an Addict: What Should I Do?
Seeing a loved one wrestle with opiate addiction is a confusing and frustrating experience, but it’s particularly painful when that person is your child. As a mother, your instincts are to nurture and care for your child. But if your loving support is actually promoting your child’s continued drug abuse, what then? (more…)
What Happens When You Mix Depressants and Opiates?
When you use drugs and alcohol together the risks increase for accidental overdose and even death. The reason for this is that depressants—such as alcohol and opiate drugs—slow down the central nervous system. This is the system that controls bodily functions such as heart rate, blood pressure, respirations and response times. Overuse of alcohol can […]
How Do I Identify Opiates?
As a parent, child, spouse or friend, one of the last things anyone wants is to find out is that a loved one is abusing narcotics; even if those narcotics have been prescribed. Many people discover that this is exactly what is happening when they find the pills that a loved one has been using. […]
Why Does Withdrawal from Opiates Make You Sick?
When people who are addicted to opiates stop using, they usually feel sick. This happens because the body is adjusting to life without drugs. Whether its naturally derived opiates – like illicit heroin and rarely prescribed morphine – or synthetic opiates – like hydrocodone (e.g., Vicodin), oxycodone (e.g., OxyContin and Percocet) – these powerful painkilling […]