The Florida Drug Addiction Helpline is committed to helping those who struggle with drug addiction to find treatment. These resources will provide readers with articles and up to date reports on issues concerning drug addiction and treatment programs. Check back frequently for new and exciting material.
The speed at which marijuana is gaining a legal status in various states can easily confuse a person. If marijuana is being legalized then is it all right to use it? And if it is a drug, then why is it decriminalized? How can a government legalize something that is known as a gateway drug and leads to dependence that has several short- and long-term effects? If it has medical benefits, then how does a person decide if they can use it or not? Continue reading
The term ‘Forever 27 Club’ was never consciously created to depict the phenomenon for which it is now infamous. Moreover, it was not coined until after the death of the Nirvana front man Kurt Cobain on Apr 8, 1994 at the young age of 27. However, by then, the number ‘27’ had taken on mythical proportions due to a series of mysterious deaths of many influential musicians at precisely this age—27 years. Continue reading
The United States’ opioid crisis has cost the nation billions in terms of lost productivity, health care services, increased criminal activities and untimely loss of precious lives. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 33,000 people died of drug overdose in 2015, which included prescription opioids, heroin and fentanyl. While the overdose cases causing death get reported, many nonfatal ones are swept under the carpet. According to clinicians and researchers, it is important to look beyond the fatal incidents. Nonfatal overdoses could be an indication of illegal practices such as over prescription and doctor shopping.
Continue reading
Drug and alcohol addiction is becoming increasingly prevalent in the U.S. costing the nation a significant amount due to lost productivity, health care services and high rates of crime. Drug addiction can take complete control of a person’s life but it is possible to break free and live sober. Continue reading
Who doesn’t wish to be accepted and admired by others? But the desire to be admired by all is particularly strong in teenagers. As social beings, the psychological need to connect and control is quite prevalent among human beings. Though such a feeling plays a pivotal role in building familial bonds, it also renders people susceptible to both good and bad peer pressure. Continue reading
Life in recovery is not easy, but full of challenges. One of the major concerns faced by many people in recovery is fear of socializing. Rebuilding life after quitting substances is not a cakewalk. Interacting with people on various platforms, both personally and professionally, can get so overwhelming that it might lead to a relapse. Therefore, one must be prepared in advance about the social anxiety issues one might have to deal with in sober life. And in such a state, the very thought of reaching for a small drink or pill can sabotage one’s recovery in a big way. Continue reading
Adolescence is a phase when the human body goes through a lot of changes. Involving a lot of critical developments, both physical and mental, it shapes the life of the individual. Ironically, it is also an age when the teens love to try new things or start using one substance or the other to overcome the challenges posed by bodily changes or under peer pressure. The early initiation of drug use potentially augments the risk of developing substance use disorders (SUDs) by interfering with the ongoing neurodevelopment that brings about unfavorable neurobiological changes. That’s the reason, teenage paves the way for SUDs for many. Continue reading
Dr. Scott Gottlieb, the new Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is all prepared to take effective measures to control the opioid epidemic. In an email sent to all of his colleagues in May 2017, he chalks out the immediate steps to achieve the goal of public health. He affirms that FDA will continue to play an important role in addressing the crisis of opioid addiction and bringing a significant reduction in the number of new cases is their immediate priority. Continue reading
Some of the common tips that pregnant mothers often hear include avoiding drinking, staying away from substance and taking enough rest. However, despite all “dos and don’ts,” pregnant females often switch to substances like alcohol or other hard drugs in order to get rid of their nervousness and jitters experienced during pregnancy. Continue reading
Occasional outburst of anger or display of aggressive behavior in response to certain situations may be a normal human trait but repeated occurrence of the same may indicate aggression disorder. Intermittent explosive disorder (IED) is an aggression disorder involving “several discrete episodes of failure to resist aggressive impulses that result in serious assaultive acts or destruction of property,” as defined by the American Psychiatric Association. Patients with IED find it difficult to control their impulses and tend to violate social norms and rights of others with their hostility. Continue reading