In an effort to deal with the issue of increased heroin and opioid overdoses in the state, a groundswell of support seems to be growing for a measure that would make it legal to force people with substance abuse issues into treatment in the state of Pennsylvania. The highest-ranking Democrat in the Senate has introduced […]
Pennsylvania Considers Proposals to Force Addicts into Treatment Read More »
Emergency departments and doctors’ offices are traditionally where many people get their prescription painkillers. Because of this, policy makers and healthcare officials have taken a closer look at physicians when it comes to the prescription narcotic problem in the United States. For instance, many hospitals have instituted policies where doctors do not give more than
Varying Painkiller Prescribing Practices in Hospitals Examined Read More »
One of the most challenging barriers to overcome when it comes to handling an addiction is the stigma and misunderstandings attached to being an addict. People who have substance use disorders are often viewed as poor, uneducated, minority males who are also criminals. However, this is simply not true. In fact, according to JAMA Psychiatry,
Viewing Opioid Addiction as a Public Health Problem Read More »
One of the more serious, yet under-acknowledged, side effects of cocaine use is the risky behavior that can arise after using the drug. Risky behavior can include actions such as violence, theft or other crime, and poor decision making regarding sexual encounters. In fact, risky sex-related behavior is exactly what researchers investigated in a recent
Research Explains Why Cocaine Addicts Display Risky Behavior Read More »
Last year, a group of researchers published a study that suggested that marriage was more likely to prevent people from abusing alcohol. These same researchers then decided to shift their focus from marriage to divorce. They discovered that much like the previous study, without the spouse’s support, alcohol intake was more likely to increase. In
Alcohol Abuse More Prevalent Before Marriage, After Divorce Read More »
New information may shed light on how best to help women break free of their cocaine addictions, while also highlighting the fact that treatment centers may need to develop different approaches to men and women. Traditionally, men and women enrolled in treatment programs have received pretty much the same treatment. They are detoxed the same,
A Case for Gender-Specific Needs in Addiction Treatment Read More »
With opioid abuse having become a national epidemic, employee benefits plans are using their resources to take on this issue, according to a survey conducted by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans. Its results found that more than 22 percent of employers have carried out a prescription claims analysis to look for possible abuse.
Employers Tackling Issue of Prescription Drug Abuse Head-on Read More »
Let’s face it. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) as we know it will be going away. As with other political arguments, this inevitability is met with scorn by some people and is praised by others. Right now, the only thing that is certain is that there is a lot of uncertainty surrounding this change, including
What Does a Repeal of the ACA Mean for Addiction Treatment? Read More »
The results of a new study have identified how drug abuse and addiction can increase the rate of aging, as well as age-related illnesses. These include inflammation, cellular aging and decline in brain volume and function. The list of age-related ailments also includes early onset of brain, liver, kidney and heart diseases. The study, which
For people who suffer from insomnia, trouble staying asleep or restless sleep, alcohol sometimes appears to be initially useful since it is a depressant. However, according to researchers at the University of Missouri School of Medicine in Columbia, alcohol actually interferes with your body’s ability to get a good night’s sleep. There are important differences
Most people understand that the physical signs of drug abuse are apparent in an intravenous drug user’s skin. There are other signs of addiction that are apparent to a dermatologist who examines their patients’ skin. These trained medical professionals can determine when a patient may be having a problem with chemicals and can suggest they
The results of a new study have found that one in six US adults takes a psychiatric drug to treat the symptoms of a condition like anxiety, depression or insomnia. Researchers found that close to 17 percent of adults reported they had filled at least one prescription for an antidepressant like Xanax or Prozac, sedatives
Medications for Other Disorders Pose Possible Threat of Dependency Read More »
