How to find help for you, your friends and family members dealing with opiate addiction.
By David Heitz Although it has been scientifically proven that medication-assisted therapies can greatly improve a person with opioid addiction’s chances of recovery,1 a study of more than 100,000 commercially insured patients showed less than half were being prescribed the medications.2 And the future looks even more bleak for those who don’t have commercial insurance and […]
A phase II clinical trial has shown that a new medication dubbed OMS405, when used in conjunction with buprenorphine and naloxone, reduces cravings and anxiety among people addicted to opiates. “Development of pharmacological strategies aimed at improving opioid-based treatments of heroin addiction is a major clinical need,” researcher Sandra Comer of Columbia University and New […]
There are a number of ways to become chemically dependent. Believe it or not, it’s possible to develop an addiction without technically abusing or misusing a substance, such as using a prescribed controlled substance for chronic pain. Even when prescription painkillers are used correctly, it’s still possible for a person to become physiologically dependent, especially […]
Family is the most important social construct in a person’s life. From birth to death, there are occasions when an individual’s survival hinges on the strength of the family unit. This is especially true for children. It’s family that keeps a person safe, provides what’s needed for survival and teaches important social skills. The importance […]
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 […]
If you are a parent who struggles is addicted to opiate drugs, you may wonder if you should try to kick the habit on your own for the sake of your family. Because opiate drugs—whether heroin or opiate painkillers—change your brain chemistry, it is always best to get help as soon as possible. Quitting “cold […]
The most important step that starts the recovery process is acknowledging that you have a problem. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that approximately two million people in the United States are addicted to prescription opiates. Many also suffer from shame believing that addiction is a sign of moral and mental weakness. Because of this, they think that […]
Overdose deaths from heroin and opioid painkillers have been steadily increasing every year in America. This has prompted many healthcare workers to get the word out about life-saving options, including the recently developed drug naloxone. (more…)
Considering a treatment center far from home certainly may make the big decision to seek recovery from drug abuse or addiction a more difficult or complicated task. However, there may be some definite advantages to going out-of-state for this kind of help. (more…)
In today’s society everyone seems focused on results, but some things, such as rehab and addiction recovery, take time before you start seeing the payoff. When your loved one begins rehab, you may expect him to return home fully healed and drug-free, but recovery is a long process that does not end during or even […]
