Polysubstance abuse refers to the abuse of more than one drug at once. It includes abusing illicit drugs as well as prescription medications.
In some cases, it may be inadvertent, such as combining prescription meds with each other or taken with alcohol. It is imperative for the doctor to educate patients on their use. In addition, […]
Addiction is not just one disease, it is many diseases. Different drugs cause different addictions and each individual has a different relationship with that substance and a different reason they fell under its spell. You wouldn’t treat two completely different infections with the same antibiotic – one might be resistance to that treatment – and […]
Drug addiction might not seem like a medical disease – but it is internationally recognized by major health organization such as the Center for disease control and the United Nations World Health Organisation as a serious and dangerous disease. In fact, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime estimate that is 1 in 20 […]
Addiction is hard. Even with the best intentions, it can feel like nobody is there to guide you on a difficult and testing journey. Luckily there are a number of rehabilitation programmes to choose from. With this, however, comes a difficult choice – which treatment model do I follow? What are the pros and cons […]
Addictive substances are everywhere, in fact, many of the pain medications doctors prescribe on the wards are highly addictive and have the same mechanism of action as heroin found on the streets. As such there a number of different substance people can become addicted to. These include:
Opiates like codeine, heroin or fentanyl
Cannabis
Alcohol
[…]
Alcohol is classified as a central nervous system depressant and results in issues similar to those caused by medications such as tranquilizers, barbiturates, and general anesthetics.
Cognitive changes associated with the intake of alcohol include:
Confusion
Loss of inhibition
Abnormal thinking
Poor decision-making
Individuals who use alcohol on a recreational basis tend to recover from these effects […]
When an individual uses alcohol over a long period of time, the body becomes dependent on the substance which means that suddenly stopping the intake of alcohol can lead to the individual experiencing withdrawal symptoms.
If alcohol use is stopped abruptly, the affected individual can develop what is referred to as alcohol withdrawal syndrome and this […]
To start with, the definition of the word “addiction” is a fact or condition wherein a certain individual is addicted to a particular substance, activity, or thing. It is also a chronic, relapsing brain condition which is characterized by the compulsive seeking of drugs, alcohol, and other addictive substances. The brain does all the work […]
When in the midst of an addiction, it can be incredibly difficult to imagine life thereafter. When you are caught up in the grip of an addictive substance, hope can seem a long way off. Yet, it’s there and even in the darkest moments, there is help waiting. Many people who have been addicted to […]
If you have struggled with any form of addiction or know someone close to you that has, then, you will understand just how difficult it can be to break away from self-sabotaging behavior patterns. This is not the fault of the person who is addicted, although they may feel guilty when they struggle to remain […]