We accept nowadays that drug addiction is in fact a disease, and a complicated one at that. Having said that, it is really quite simple to define drug addiction. It is the involuntary, continuous use of illegal substances with no regard for the consequences.

Of course that is necessarily a simplistic definition, it does the job, but does not take into account the many factors involved. It also needs to include high dependence on a specific substance. There is a physical dependence, proven by the altered state of various brain chemicals whilst under the influence.

Continue reading ‘How Do You Define Drug Addiction?’ »

Drug addiction and drug abuse habitual use of any chemical substance to change states of body or mind for other than medically warranted purposes. Psychological reliance is the subjective feeling that the user needs the drug to uphold a feeling of well-being; physical dependence is characterized by tolerance and withdrawal symptoms when the user is sober.

Definitions of addiction are subjective and infused with the moral principles of the society or culture, the stimulant caffeine in coffee and tea is a drug used world wide by millions of people, but because of its relatively soft stimulatory effects and because caffeine does not generally activate antisocial behavior in person who is using these, the drinking of tea and coffee, despite the fact that caffeine is physically addictive, is not generally considered drug abuse. In Indian sub-continent Opium has been used for centuries without fetching unduly corrosive to the social fabric.

By comparison, 72% of the population America has smoked cigarettes and 82% has tried alcoholic beverages. As well, Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug.

Continue reading ‘Depth Information on Drug Rehab Programs’ »

While drug addiction can destroy lives very quickly, drug recovery takes a long time, a lot of work, and ongoing support.

There are many types of support available for drug recovery. Although the choices can be overwhelming, it is important to only make the right choices. (It was the bad choices that got you there in the first place.)

There are faith based recovery programs, medical rehab centers, inpatient recovery programs, and outpatient counseling treatment. There are so many choices that an addict may feel frustrated. Choosing the right drug recovery program requires something very important: help! Continue reading ‘Choosing a Drug Recovery Home’ »

I recently interviewed an administrator in an addiction treatment center and found out that when clients come to them for help with a prescription drug addiction or abuse problem, they’re not just taking one or two drugs; it’s closer to 15.

The term ‘drug of choice’ has been around for a long time. But when it comes to the way young people are taking prescription drugs, the term has become obsolete. They take whatever’s going.

They often get them from parents’ and friends’ medicine cabinets, take the pills themselves, offer them to friends, and dump them in bowls at parties where anyone can take whatever strikes their fancy.

Continue reading ‘When Young People Take Prescription Drugs, They Don't Stop at One Or Two’ »

Do you feel anxious about getting your prescription filled before it runs out? Do you need to take more pills than before to achieve the effect you desire? Do you get your prescriptions from many doctors? Perhaps you are, like many others, a sufferer of a drug addiction. One of the most common addictions in the American society today is a relatively unheard of drug called hydrocodone. So, why haven’t you heard of it before? Because, pure hydrocodone is seldom sold on its own.

Why is hydrocodone addiction so common?
Evidence shows that hydrocodone addiction is increasing amongst habitual users in the United States. Perhaps one of the most important factors causing this alarming rise is the fact that hydrocodone is consumed with drugs whose use and distribution is not as severely restricted. Pure hydrocodone is classified as a Schedule II substance, whereas when it is mixed with other non-narcotic ingredients to create other medicines, it is classified as a Schedule III drug. Schedule III drugs, such as Vicodin and Lortab, which contain hydrocodone, are not as strictly restricted as pure hydrocodone would be if it was sold as is. Thus its easy availability becomes one of the root causes for its devastating addiction. The lack of regulation makes these drugs susceptible to misuse and addiction.

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Many children, as well as adults, suffer from asthma. Asthma is a lung disease that causes the smaller air passages, called bronchioles, to constrict. When this happens, there is moderate to severe difficulty in breathing accompanied by wheezing. Although the wheezing isn’t always audible it is always present. Although adults may not, children do experience some anxiety during an attack.

The attack is sometimes accompanied by an infection in the respiratory tract. If an infection is present there will also be fever. When fever is present, a physician must be consulted, as antibiotics may be needed in addition to the regular asthma medicine. Continue reading ‘When Children Have Asthma’ »

Drug addiction is a serious problem. The medical community now views addiction as a disease or illness because it has both mental and physical effects on the abuser. Detoxification and rehabilitation are often necessary methods for treating the problem, though it depends on the nature of the abuse. If the problem is severe, long term drug treatment is often required to help someone recover and remain drug free.

Long term programs can be very helpful to someone that can’t quit on their own and can reset to both a residential setting as well as an outpatient ongoing environment that provides counseling and support. They are comprehensive programs that include several elements. At a rehab facility, each program is customized to meet the needs of the individual addict and contain both group therapy and individual meetings with staff. There are also people that have succeeded in overcoming their drug problem by attending narcotics anonymous meetings and regularly attending in order to not slip back into old patterns of abuse.

Individual psychotherapy is also responsible for some people being able to remain consistent in staying drug free. Some say that long term drug treatment outpatient care is the foundation of any successful program. The recovering addict receives a broad range of testing and medical attention. Drug abuses causes a lot of damage to the body and regular checks are necessary to ensure that serious issues are caught, treated, and monitored as soon as possible. Outpatient programs also include any medications that may be needed and monitoring their levels and use.

Continue reading ‘Long Term Drug Treatment Programs – Get Out of the Cycle and Back to Your Self’ »

In recent decades, many people pay much attention to drug addiction of young people, which becomes a serious social problem in these days. The individual and the institution are making their efforts to solve this problem. In 2006, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime selected “drugs are not child’s play” as the theme of its international campaign, in an effort to increase public awareness of the destructive power of drugs and society’s responsibility to care for the well-being of children. The latest statistics indicate that 200 million people, or 5 per cent of the global population aged 15-64, have consumed illicit drugs at least once in the last 12 months. Children with poor self-control and discretion are more likely to become the victims.

Continue reading ‘Children Should Avoid Drug Abuse’ »

Getting involved in drugs is very easy. It might take just one or two tries to get hooked without even realizing it. However, escaping from the abyss of drug addiction can take much longer, usually several months or even years.

The process of rehabilitation can be very difficult, especially if you have been on drugs for quite a while. There will be several instances when you will feel the need to take whatever substance it is you have been feeding your body. During these times, it is important to be strong by turning away from those temptations.

Regardless of how long you have been using drugs, you can always stop and rebuild your life. Here are some of the things you can do to break away from drug addiction and restart your life.

(1). Find a hobby.

After finishing rehabilitation treatment, you will be released back into the world with a fresh lease on life. The type of life you will lead depends on the kinds of decisions you make. Many people have been in that same situation and with one wrong decision; they completely erased everything they had been working for during their months of recovery.

The best way to avoid the temptation of going back to your old lifestyle is to find yourself a hobby, or better yet, a job. What is it that you like to do? Find an activity that will occupy your mind. Continue reading ‘Escaping From the Clutches of Drug Addiction’ »

Drug and substance abuse among teenagers, is substantial. According to a national survey, amongst youth age 12 to 17, about 1.1 million meet the diagnostic criteria for dependence on drugs in the United States. Different substances/drugs lend themselves to different groups of symptoms. The most glaring symptom in all cases is a change, sometimes a radical one, in behavior.

10 Things:

1. If you wish to identify a potential drug abuser in your home, the first area that you should look for is sudden personality change that includes abrupt changes in work or school attendance, quality of work, work output, grades, discipline etc.
2. Unusual flare-ups or outbreaks of temper, sudden jitteriness, nervousness, or aggression are a major denotation of drug addiction or abuse.
3. Persistent drug abuse may also lead to withdrawal from responsibility & loss of interest in what were once favorite hobbies and pursuits. This may come packaged with an unusual laziness.
4. Changes in friends and reluctance to have friends visit or talk about them and/or association with known substance abusers should also be taken seriously.
Continue reading ‘Prescription Drug Abuse: Signs you Should Look for in your Home’ »