Substance Abuse Articles, Blogs and Resources

Man on mountain thinking about Substance Abuse Addiction Hope is dedicated to providing timely and helpful information on the dangers of Substance Abuse as well as alcohol abuse.

Drugs are a chemical substance that can be used in the prevention, cure and treatment of an ailment or disease. Often, medications can be used to help an individual’s emotional and psychological well being, and they can enhance one’s physical abilities or well being.

Medicines can help heal a person or destroy a life. They can be naturally derived from plants or synthesized in some type of laboratory. A drug addiction can ruin a man or woman’s existence. It is disappointing that many of the medications that were originally developed to help heal people will be abused and devastate the life of someone with a substance abuse addiction.

Substance abuse is when a person begins using a drug in a way other than its intended use as prescribed by a doctor. A drug addiction can be created when a man or woman continually abuses drugs in order to get high (an intense euphoric feeling). Some drugs are so addictive that someone using for the first time can become instantly addicted.

When someone has developed a drug addiction, they can build up a tolerance to the drug and need more and more of the substance to have the same effect. The person will sometimes begin smoking, snorting, or injecting the drugs so as to reach a quicker and more intense high. This leads to constant repeated use and, thus, the creation of a drug addiction.

Substance abuse addiction is outstandingly difficult to quit. Often one substance is abused with other drugs or alcohol. Sadly and frequently, substance abuse co-occurs with other mental disorders such as mood disorders, mental disorders and eating disorders.

This adds to the complexities of stopping the drug abuse. However, it is imperative that the drug addiction is ended because constant substance abuse can be deadly. Heart attacks and strokes often occur. Some of the more common drug types include opioids (heroin, morphine, hydrocodone), hallucinogens (LSD, DXM, PCP), stimulants (cocaine, Ecstasy, meth), and depressants (alcohol, Quaaludes).

Please continue reading below to see our latest blog posts on substance abuse. Under the “Substance Abuse Navigation” menu, you can click on the drop-down arrow to see evergreen, general information on dozens of individual drugs, including prescription substances.

First Responders, Trauma and Addiction

First Responders and Ambulance at Hospital - 3323385_1920

Thanks to frequent exposure to traumatic events and life-threatening situations, plus the taxing demands of a high-stakes, fast-paced job, first responders are at a much higher risk of developing behavioral health conditions and substance use disorder than the general population. Unfortunately, first responders face numerous barriers to treatment and are one of the least likely [...]
Read More

COVID-19 Deaths and Drug Overdoses Increase: Cocaine Deaths Increase Dramatically

Introduction Sadly, drug overdoses are increasing again [1]. Well, before anyone had heard of COVID-19, the U.S. was grappling with the opioid and deadliest drug overdose epidemic in its history. Last year alone, the USA had 71,000 overdose deaths. During the ten years from 1999 to 2018, over 750,000 people died from a drug overdose [...]
Read More

Why Cannabis Use Disorder is Real and Important to Understand

Cannabis use disorder is the most common drug abuse in the US [1]. There is a common misconception that marijuana is not addictive. However, addiction is about more than a substance’s biological effect [2]. This means that something can become addictive, even if biologically, someone is not dependent on it [2]. Addiction is a complex [...]
Read More

Teen Treatment for Substance Use Disorder- How it Works

Substance abuse can wreak havoc on an adolescent’s health and social and academic responsibilities [1]. While substance abuse can have negative short-term consequences, teen substance abuse can negatively impact an individual’s health into their adult years [1]. For these reasons, treatment for substance abuse is important for teens. Treatment for teen substance abuse will depend [...]
Read More

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) and Other New Treatments for Substance Use Disorders

Introduction Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) are chronic, relapsing, and life-long diseases that, unlike appendicitis, strep throat, or some Cancers, are not cured by current treatments. The goals of treatments for SUDs are harm reduction, remission, and also a return to premorbid functioning. Large numbers of people have SUDs that have elevated relapse rates, even following [...]
Read More