Addiction |

Cost can be an important issue if you are considering addiction treatment for yourself or a loved one. Many people wonder whether insurance covers substance abuse help. Addiction is a disease and insurers cover it like other medical conditions today. Insurance Companies Required to Cover Addiction Treatment Under the Affordable Care Act and Mental Health...

A common misperception about prescription and over-the counter (OTC) drugs is that they are safe because they have legitimate medical uses. Although these drugs can be tremendously helpful in treating the conditions for which they were designed, when misused these same drugs can cause great physical harm or even death. Collectively, prescription and OTC drugs...

If you’ve watched network news, opened a newspaper or smartphone, or checked Twitter or Facebook recently, it’s likely you’ve come across some startling news about opioids. The Opioid Crisis: Making the News These dangerous substances have gotten a lot of media attention. It’s nearly impossible to avoid the topic, and it can be anxiety-inducing, especially...

Can you inherit an “addictive personality” from your parents? In other words, to what degree do our genetics affect our likelihood of developing a substance use disorder? This is a question that sparks both debate and confusion. Continue reading for some insight on the topic of genes and addiction. Let’s explore the question: Does addiction...

This is part two of a two-part series on alternatives to opioids. As discussed in part one of this series, alternatives to opioids outside the realm of traditional medication regimens are already available. Refresh your memory about those topics here, and ask a doctor about how they might be able to help you. On the...

This post is part one of a two-part series on alternatives to opioids. Earlier this summer, the Willingway blog released a three-part series on how the opioid crisis started, what it looks like in 2017, and where it’s headed. In those posts, one common scenario was posed about how an individual can become addicted to...

John comes home late one night, his breath reeking of liquor. His eyes are bloodshot red. He says nothing and falls into bed, passes out. Was he drunk again? Loretta’s mood is swinging drastically. One morning she’s warm and fun-loving. That same afternoon she is cold, distant, and completely disinterested in the world around her....

This is the final article in a three part series on opioids in Georgia. A patient goes to see a doctor about back pain. Or, maybe he just needs some minor surgery. The doctor wants to help him manage the pain, so a strong pain reliever is prescribed (Vicodin, Oxycontin, etc.). The patient takes the...

Part two of a three part series on opioids in Georgia. Last week we explored the history of opioids. They have been present in human communities almost since the dawn of civilization. Today, we better understand their addictive qualities and destructive powers. Unfortunately, in recent years and despite this knowledge, opioid misuse is still on...

Part one of a three part series on opioids in Georgia. Reading about drug addiction can be an emotionally draining exercise, especially when you’re researching on behalf of your own substance use disorder or a loved one’s. While we try to gather as much information as possible, it can be productive to take a step...