Substance Abuse

Electronic cigarettes found popularity in Europe in 2004, and were finally introduced to the American market in 2009. Dubbed "the smoke-less cigarette," electronic cigarettes offer a healthier...

Heroin interferes with an individual's ability to live a normal life and places his or her physical health in danger. Heroin also has a devastating effect on family members who must cope with...

Drug rehabilitation centers treat individuals wanting to break their addiction to drugs or alcohol. Just as no two people are the same, no two drug addicts or addictions are the same. Because of...

Dealing with the emotions involved with teen drug abuse and alcohol abuse can be devastating. More than just devastating, the situation can be immobilizing. It is common for people to get lost in...

Opiate detoxification is the process by which opiates exit the body. It causes physical and emotional withdrawal symptoms that can sometimes be severe. While there is no way to completely avoid...

The first piece of research on internet addiction was introduced by Dr. Kimberly Young in 1996. According to her and Stanford University's School of Medicine, this is a growing problem that is...

Drinking too much can wreak havoc on a person's life and the lives of everyone in their family. Alcoholism is destructive, will become progressively worse over time and will continue to negatively...

A 10 panel drug screen is a type of urine-based drug screen that tests for the use of 10 illicit and prescription drugs. Approximately 95 percent of the abused drugs in use today are detectable...

Drug withdrawal is the process that occurs when the use of addictive substances is stopped. While there is no way to completely prevent withdrawal, herbal remedies can help treat individual...

Electric cigarettes are being advertised and sold as an alternative to smoking real cigarettes. They are said, by the manufacturers, to have much less chemicals, and possibly help in quitting...

One of the best ways to provide support for someone who's going through detox is to gain an understanding of how the detox program works. You should take time to learn and prepare for what that...

Lortab (hydrocodone and acetaminophen) is a prescription opiate used to treat moderate-to-severe pain. Because of its addictive properties, Lortab may cause withdrawal upon cessation. While...

The Partnership for a Drug Free America tells visitors to its website that no one treatment is right for every person struggling with substance abuse. People wishing for recover must work with...

For a person battling an addiction to opioids like heroin, withdrawal can cause excruciating symptoms such as sleeplessness, sweating, shaking, depression, vomiting, rapid breathing, racing...

The pharmaceutical industry is a billion-dollar business. There are more over-the-counter and prescription pills on the market than any one person could take in a lifetime. Many homes have several...

Drinking problems and alcoholism are very common disorders worldwide. In fact, alcoholism occurs in 8-14 percent of common psychiatric disorders. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and...

According to the American Cancer Society, 8.6 million Americans suffer from smoking-related heart and lung diseases, and 20 percent of the American population dies from a smoking-related illness...

You may worry that you have an alcohol problem but might not be convinced that you need help. Even though there is a difference between alcoholism and alcohol abuse, both require treatment.

Approximately 17.6 million Americans have drinking problems or are alcoholics, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Effective treatment for alcoholism addresses the psychological...

Although smoking is widely known to result in adverse effects such as yellowing of the teeth and fingers, poor stamina, frequent illness and a number of different cancers and terminal diseases,...

Methadone is a prescription medication commonly used to help people battling addictions to opioids like heroin. Unfortunately, treatment with methadone poses some disadvantages.

A recovering alcoholic needs to have a good support system in order to beat his addition. One concept of the Alcoholics Anonymous 12-step program is that recovery is only possible by asking for...

When you decide to quit drinking, you have a long road ahead of you, as recovering from alcoholism takes a considerable amount of courage and commitment. You must decide that you are ready to...

People drink for a variety of reasons: to celebrate, to unwind, to ease nervousness, and to temporarily alleviate a bad mood. But for some, drinking is not part of a fun way to spend the weekend;...

Disulfiram is the generic form of a prescription medication that makes drinking alcohol unpleasant. Despite its benefits in the treatment of alcoholism, disulfiram poses a risk for side effects in...

Steroids and performance-enhancing drugs are controversial topics. Steroids are categorized as Schedule III controlled substances, meaning that possession of them without a prescription is...

According to the American Cancer Society, around 90 percent of adult smokers began smoking before the age of 19. Because nicotine is highly addictive, this is a serious problem. For many young...

Staging an alcoholism intervention for a loved one is never an easy task. When dealing with someone close who is an alcoholic, family members and friends suffer many emotions, from fear to...

Neuropathy, a condition in which the peripheral nerves malfunction, is most commonly associated with diabetes. However, you can develop neuropathy due to excessive alcohol consumption. Alcohol...

Vicodin (hydrocodone and acetaminophen) is an opiate medication prescribed to treat moderate-to-severe pain. Frequent or continued use of opiates can lead to physical dependence, leading to...

If you know someone who wants to quit smoking, it can be difficult to know how to offer help quitting smoking without making the situation more tense and stressful. It can be even harder if you...

No one turns to drugs or alcohol for the same reason as anyone else. But several common factors have been documented among numerous users, leading to a basic list of possible causes.

Steroids are drugs that create or imitate compounds and hormones that stimulate muscle growth and help enhance physical performance. They are often a temptation for young athletes. There are many...

According to Drugs.com, 46 percent of smokers in the United States attempt to quit each year. Only 5 percent who do so without help succeed. A.number of medications on the market can increase your...

Drug addiction is a condition characterized by dependence on medications, alcohol or legal and/or illegal substances. Your dependence on drugs can lead to substance abuse. Symptoms may include a...

People going through alcohol detoxification and withdrawal may experience a number of adverse side effects, including dangerous shifts in blood pressure. Once detox is completed, the patient...

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism reports that almost 18 million Americans are problem drinkers; of those, nearly 8 million are alcoholics.

A recent study at the University of California at San Francisco (UCSF) shows a link between tobacco use and the speed at which the brain recovers from alcohol abuse. While abstaining from alcohol...

A popular theory in drug treatment is that no one gets help until he or she hits bottom. A bottom can be incarceration, physical attack or death. However, many people who have loved ones addicted...

Every year, thousands of people decide to stop smoking, but only a small percentage succeed the first time they try. There are many products on the market that claim to aid smokers in kicking the...

Alcohol prevention programs are aimed mainly at youth, as it is illegal for them to drink. Once a person becomes of age, it is difficult to prevent him from drinking. Most alcohol-abuse therapists...

Drug testing is used widely throughout America and can determine whether or not someone is hired for a job or keeps an athletic scholarship. However, according to a CDC (Centers for Disease...

A hair follicle test is a drug screening method that analyzes the cortex or inner part of the hair to reveal drugs and drug metabolites, the presence of which exposes drug use. Hair tests are...

Steroids are synthetic drugs used to treat a variety of conditions, including arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and some types of anemia. An overdose of steroids, however, can have damaging...

You know smoking is harmful to your health, but you continue to smoke. The only thing actually stopping you from breaking free of your smoking addiction, however, is your mind. Meditation can help...

According to the National Council on Alcoholism, about 18 million Americans are problem drinkers. About 8 million are officially alcoholics. It's an epidemic so vast that more than half of adults...

Legal drugs are taken for their mind-altering effects and are legal for both possession and use. Included in this class are alcohol and tobacco, prescription and over-the-counter (OTC)...

Substance use disorders are a common problem among teens and adults in the United States. According to CDC.gov, approximately 8.3 percent of people 12 years of age or older use illegal drugs each...

Drugs created from the cannabis plant are known by a number of different names, including hashish, marijuana, weed, pot and reefer. Whatever the name, however, the side effects of smoking it...

Oxycodone is a narcotic pain reliever in the opiate class of medications. When combined with acetaminophen, oxycodone is marketed under brand names such as Percocet or Endocet and, when combined...