When someone decides to get clean and sober, it may at first be painful and scary. After the initial period of detox, you begin to feel better physically and emotionally. This is the time that the “pink cloud” sets in. You feel great, are proud of your sobriety, and feel as though you can accomplish...

Addiction is at an all-time high across the nation. Checking into a drug treatment center is the first step toward long-term recovery. The financial cost of continuing an addiction almost always outweighs the cost of rehab, yet most people worry about the cost of a drug treatment center. If you are considering a stay in...

Addiction can affect anyone, regardless of socioeconomic standing. According to the 2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 22.6 million Americans age 12 and above (8.9 percent of the total population age 12 and over) had used an illegal drug or abused a prescription drug in the month the survey was conducted, and those...

Vivitrol is one of the newest medications available to treat alcohol and opioid dependence. The main ingredient in Vivitrol is Naltrexone, which belongs to a class of drugs known as opiate antagonists. It should be used in conjunction with a complete program of recovery from drug and alcohol addiction. This medication is used once a...

Mixing alcohol and opioids can be deadly. Opioid drugs are most commonly used for their pain relieving effects. The main chemical in opioid drugs comes from the poppy plant. The opium poppy seed plant contains over fifty different organic compounds that are used in medications to produce pain relief. There are different categories of opioid...

Typical drug treatment centers and twelve-step programs emphasize abstinence: the complete avoidance of drugs or alcohol. The reasoning behind abstinence is that when someone becomes addicted to a substance, it hijacks their brain and makes it difficult or impossible for them to control their behavior when in active addiction. Once they detox and go through...

The number of people in jail has exploded right along with the drug epidemic in our country. The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD), along with many other institutions, states most inmates are in prison because of substance abuse. According to NCADD, approximately 60% of individuals arrested test positive for illegal substances at...

Outpatient and inpatient addiction treatment each offer a unique set of benefits for recovery. Personal needs and the severity of the addiction are the determining factors in deciding which route is right for you or your loved one. In order to make the best decision for your drug treatment plan, it is important to understand...

One aspect of living with an addiction is living in denial. Most people battling an addiction did not go from having a few drinks now and again, or getting high once in a while, to a full-blown addiction overnight. It was progressive, sneaking up slowly until it became a problem. Even when our addiction starts...