Posted on September 12, 2023

A Loved One’s Perspective

Merriam-Webster defines the word prodigal two ways:

• One who spends or gives lavishly and foolishly
• One who has returned after an absence

Have you, at any point in your life, considered yourself or a family mem…

Posted on October 2, 2023

Addiction and Dependence

In order for you to have a clearer understanding of addiction, you need to have a working knowledge of how your brain functions. It is a complex organ, and it is challenging to break down its function, so you …

Posted on November 16, 2023

Several addicts were asked why they take drugs. One reply, “It is one of the most intense, orgasmic, and amazing experiences I’ve ever had.” Another reply, “It is better than the best Saturday night I ever had.” 

The effects of drugs…

Posted on December 19, 2023

She quietly cried while speaking of her young son’s suicide. “It’s my fault. He was born addicted because of me. He never did well in his life. Not from day one. I think about it every day, sometimes all day. How can I explain to wome…

Posted on January 21, 2024

More than 40 million people in the United States,16 percent of all Americans over age 12 suffer from nicotine, alcohol, or drug addiction. Only about 10 percent of those people receive treatment, according to a recent report by the Nat…

Posted on February 27, 2024

There are 10 different classes of drugs each having a different pharmacologic mechanism, but have been identified as drugs of choice in substance abuse disorders.This month let’s look deeper into alcohol and its effects.  

• All drugs o…

Posted on March 2, 2024

The drugs methylenedioxymethamphetamine (Ecstasy/MDMA), gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB), flunitrazepam (Rohypnol®), and Ketamine are used by college students and by a segment of the youth population that attends all-night dance parties known a…

Posted on April 15, 2024

While hallucinogenic compounds have been used for thousands of years in cultures throughout the world, interest in their use in medical as well as social contexts in the United States peaked in the 1950s and 1960s.

This article will expl…

Posted on May 24, 2024

Hallucinogens are a class of drugs that cause distortions or alterations in perception, cognition, and mood. They may be derived from plants, mushrooms, and be man-made. This article will explore the dissociative hallucinogen, Phencyclidine…

Posted on June 3, 2024

Caffeine is the most widely consumed legal stimulant or psychoactive drug in the world. It affects the brain’s reward system by causing changes in a person’s mood, feelings, or behaviors.

People tend to think of coffee or energy drinks as …

Posted on July 28, 2024

Methamphetamine is a powerful, highly addictive central nervous system stimulant that can be injected, smoked, snorted, or ingested orally (1). It takes the form of a white odorless, bitter-tasting crystalline powder that easily dissolves …

Posted on August 28, 2024

Like methamphetamine, cocaine is a powerful, highly addictive stimulant that activates the body’s central and peripheral nervous systems. This drug directly affects brain function. As noted in The Reward System of the Brain, dopamine or…

Posted on September 24, 2024

Not a single day goes by without news outlets reporting on the opioid crisis. It is truly a national emergency with no signs of improvement.

Opioid use disorder (OUD) is defined as the chronic use of opioids that causes clinically si…