Addiction treatment for professionals: staying discreet can be difficult. Although medical professionals have long accepted addiction as a disease, it is still seen by many as a weakness, an inability to control oneself. But when someone finds themselves at the end of that rope and seeks treatment, the last thing they need is to feel...

Heroin falls into the class of drugs called opioids and is derived from the same type of poppy plant that is used to produce similar drugs, such as morphine. More About Heroin While the drug has been around (in the United States) since the last decade of the 1800s, its impact has increased over the...

Addiction can happen not only with alcohol and drugs. You can also be addicted to sex, food, shopping, and many other activities or substances. There are reports of as many as 160 12-step programs to support people who identify as needing to fight off some type of addiction. For the purpose of our discussion, we...

Addiction specialists dedicate their careers to helping those with substance abuse and chemical dependency reclaim their lives. There are many approaches to addiction treatment, including pharmacotherapies (drug intervention) and behavioral therapies. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), behavioral approaches help engage people in treatment, provide incentives for them to remain abstinent, and...

Recovering from alcohol abuse can seem like a long and arduous journey at the beginning. The truth is, millions of men and women have recovered, which means it is possible for anyone who is willing. Willingness is all it takes to get started on this pathway to a sober lifestyle. Even though not drinking is...

Addiction as a disease is often a difficult concept for not only the addicted individual but also for their friends and loved ones. At one time, addiction meant a sentence to asylums and mental institutions. People saw addiction as failure of will or an issue of insanity. Today, fortunately, science has helped shift this attitude....

With so many lives affected by drug and alcohol addiction, there is a high demand for addiction treatment. Fortunately, there are many different treatment options possible, and individuals can usually find a facility that fits their needs. Some addiction treatment programs use the 12 Steps as an integral part of their treatment, while others do...

Detoxing from alcohol can be a challenging and potentially dangerous process, especially for those with severe dependence. Seeking professional help and support is strongly recommended to ensure a safe and effective detox and to lay the foundation for lasting recovery. Withdrawal symptoms from alcohol vary depending on the user’s history. A chronic abuser of alcohol...

You may recognize the term “dual diagnosis” or “co-occurring disorder.” Both of these phrases refer to a person having both a mental disorder and a substance abuse disorder concurrently. One common dual diagnosis is bipolar disorder and addiction. Bipolar disorder used to be most commonly referred to as “manic depression.” Persons afflicted with this mental...

Many accredited facilities offer effective drug addiction treatment methods. Some of these methods include onsite detox or, at least, a nearby detox facility. This is the first stage of treatment, ridding the body entirely of all substances. In order for effective drug addiction treatment methods to be successful, there has to be a clear foundation...