Children of those with substance use disorders are often the silent victims of addiction. Drug use in the home of a young child can take an emotional, psychological, and physical toll on them that changes the course of their future. When someone is dealing with their addiction, they are often too preoccupied with the drug’s […]
Mar 23, 2023
Drug addiction counseling is so important to your success in combating substance abuse. Getting help is more than just entering a treatment program. Drugs, alcohol and other substances affect your life in different ways. Understanding why you take drugs, how it influences you, and what triggers your addiction is extremely important in not only going clean […]
Mar 16, 2023
More and more people have come to know that buprenorphine treatment means getting help using Suboxone for opioid dependence. Initially, only the brand-name of the drug was common knowledge—Suboxone—but people increasingly recognize buprenorphine as the generic medication in Suboxone. Opting for buprenorphine rather than methadone means your visits to a treatment program can move from […]
Mar 06, 2023
Opioid use and opioid withdrawal are increasingly in the news. On April 5, 2017, The Washington Post reported about the opioid crisis, ”Scott Gottlieb, the physician and entrepreneur who is President Trump’s nominee to head the Food and Drug Administration, told senators Wednesday that the nation’s opioid crisis is a “public health emergency on the […]
Feb 23, 2023
If you watched CNN’s recent edition of Anderson Cooper’s 360⁰ that discussed this country’s opiate epidemic, you may already know that you have an option for treating opiate addiction near Fort Worth. At one point in the program Anderson Cooper introduced an officer connected with the Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative (PAARI), which specifically deals with […]
Feb 23, 2023
If you’re battling an addition to pain pills in California, most likely you are also struggling to fit in with your local AA or NA 12-step groups. Most of them stick to their original missions of fellowship among people who want to achieve sobriety, and they do not allow for those who get clean using […]
Feb 16, 2023
If you are going into drug addiction treatment, just be glad you don’t live in the state of Maine. That’s where the person with the most hard-hearted hang-up about opiate drug addiction treatment lives. It’s Paul LePage, the governor of Maine. He was elected in 2010 and re-elected in 2014, and one can only hope […]
Feb 16, 2023
The editors at Addiction Professional online journal—Roland B. Vendeland, M.Ed., MA, LPC, and Roland Rager, MD, MPH—have published an interesting piece discussing the right time to stop buprenorphine treatment. Just how do you know when it’s the right time? Many people opt for buprenorphine treatment over methadone therapy because they think it will be short-lived, […]
Jan 16, 2023
It used to be that quite a few different phrases were tossed around in drug rehab centers. People talked about whether a person suffered from drug abuse, tolerance, dependence, or addiction. There was a line drawn between opiate substance abuse vs. dependence. Then, in 2013, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders—the fifth edition, […]
Jan 16, 2023
Many people who walk into a neighborhood facility that offers methadone as well as buprenorphine for opiate addiction has a predetermined idea of which medication they prefer. Generally, this is based on the experiences told to them by friends who have tried medication-assisted treatment (MAT). It’s good to know walking into the program that the […]
Jan 16, 2023
Opioids are a class of drugs found in nature through opium poppy plants. They can be used in hospitals for moderate to severe pain treatment. However, since 1990, opioid misuse has remained at epidemic levels. Currently, 3 million U.S. citizens and 16 million people worldwide struggle with opioid use disorder. Celebrities Who Have Struggled With Opioid Addiction […]
Dec 06, 2022
Methadone relieves moderate to severe pain when other treatment options, like morphine, cannot be used. This is often the case for those recovering from opioid addictions, as it also helps curb opioid cravings and withdrawal symptoms. While it is common for methadone to be taken daily, scheduling can vary depending on a doctor’s specific recommendations. […]
Nov 22, 2022
Opioids became regularly used in the Civil War era as an essential medicine. They are found in nature through the opium poppy plant. They were first used to treat soldiers’ pain and stop internal bleeding, vomiting and diarrhea caused by infectious diseases. What doctors discovered back then — and now know today — is that opioid […]
Oct 25, 2022
For most people, the winter holidays are a time of joy and celebration. However, if you’re recovering from opioid addiction, this time of year can be challenging, too. Between well-meaning questions from family members and the financial stress of gift-giving and travel, you may find yourself facing more triggers and cravings than usual. Staying sober […]
Oct 21, 2022
Your mindset significantly impacts your recovery journey, making it all the more important to take care of your mental health. Addressing your overall mental health can target the root causes of addiction, preventing relapse and helping you find coping skills that work for you. Consider these four tips to aid your mental health and addiction […]
Aug 11, 2022
Buprenorphine is a medication used to treat opioid addiction by stimulating receptors in the brain that work to satisfy cravings. This action occurs in the body’s central nervous system (CNS), the primary source for regulating physical movement and sensations. Drowsiness can be a result of this interaction. Why Does Buprenorphine Affect Sleep? Buprenorphine has a […]
Aug 02, 2022
The changes to your body during addiction and recovery can add new factors to consider when taking care of yourself. As you go through methadone treatment for opioid use disorder, you might experience weight gain. What causes this increase in weight? How can you maintain a healthy body mass index (BMI) during recovery? In this […]
Jul 27, 2022
Many different kinds of opioid addiction treatment are available to those seeking recovery. One option is inpatient treatment, in which individuals stay in a treatment center for weeks or months. Another option is outpatient treatment, which allows them to go home every evening. Walk-in addiction treatment allows individuals to enter treatment rapidly and get ongoing […]
Jul 11, 2022
Methadone is a type of medication used in the treatment of opioid addiction. It is sometimes used to treat severe pain as well. When used in opioid recovery, it usually comes in the form of a powder that is dissolved into water or juice. Many individuals in recovery refer to this as methadone dosing. How […]
Jul 04, 2022
Addiction recovery, whether from opioids, methamphetamine, cocaine or any other substance, is a lifelong journey. The right tools and resources can make all the difference. Addiction Recovery Tools From programs to hobbies to books about recovery, many resources are available to individuals seeking a life free from addiction. These five tools can offer an excellent […]
Jun 27, 2022
Recovery from addiction may involve medication-assisted treatment, counseling and other forms of support. Many individuals also seek to develop healthy new habits to support their recovery mentally and physically. Physical activity during recovery can make all the difference. The Benefits of Exercise in Addiction Recovery Exercise and addiction do not always go together. Before starting […]
Jun 20, 2022
Today’s opioid epidemic has been linked to the rise of painkiller prescriptions starting in the 1990s. The higher the dose of opioid medication used for pain and the greater the number of days the patient uses the medication, the greater the risk of dependence. More research is needed to determine the exact dose and number […]
May 13, 2022
Managing opioid withdrawal symptoms involves the use of medications such as methadone. Despite its effectiveness, like any other medication, methadone may have potential side effects and interactions. It is particularly concerning when mixed with alcohol, which can lead to dangerous outcomes due to the interaction between the two substances. Understanding the risks of combining methadone […]
May 01, 2022
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter in the body that is used to initiate feelings of happiness or optimism in the brain. It can also help with eating, sleeping and digesting while helping the body make healthy habits. Dopamine is associated with feelings of motivation, reward and productivity. Working in tandem, both prescriptions stimulate neurotransmitters to help […]
Apr 20, 2022
Addiction is a complex disease involving repeated behaviors or substance use that have harmful consequences. Because addiction exerts a powerful influence on the brain, it can be extremely challenging to quit addiction on your own. If you or someone you care about is ready to break from opioid addiction, medication-assisted treatment (MAT) can be an […]
Apr 01, 2022
Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) programs use a combination of medications and counseling services to help people who struggled with opioid addiction. Methadone is one of the most effective and frequently used drugs in MAT clinics. Below, learn more about what starting methadone is like for the first 24 hours. What Is Methadone? Commonly used for decades, […]
Mar 11, 2022
Opioid drugs, including heroin and prescription opioid painkillers, can produce withdrawal symptoms within just a few hours of the last dose. Symptoms of opioid withdrawal can last for a week or more. While unassisted withdrawal may not be life-threatening, it can lead to relapse and potential overdose. Seeking help during withdrawal can help to ease […]
Mar 09, 2022
Suboxone® and methadone are medications prescribed for medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for an opioid use disorder. Since neither medication is inherently better than the other, a medical professional will consider multiple factors when deciding when to prescribe each medication. This careful deliberation ensures that patients receive the medicine that best suits their needs and situation. What Is […]
Feb 25, 2022
The opioid epidemic in the United States has reached unprecedented levels amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there were an estimated 90,000 drug overdose deaths in the 12-month period ending September 2020, including a 55% increase in opioid-related deaths. The Biden administration recently released new federal guidelines allowing for […]
Feb 18, 2022
Some patients who take Suboxone® as part of medication-assisted treatment (MAT) also take Xanax. They may have prescriptions for both drugs from separate doctors. Patients who are undergoing medication–assisted treatment (MAT) and are prescribed Xanax may try to use it to enhance the effects of opioids. However, it is important to understand that combining Suboxone and […]
Feb 07, 2022
