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.

Opioid Overdose and Rescue: What Comes Next

Introduction Opioid overdoses are increasing again [1]. Nonfatal opioid overdoses treated in the emergency department at VCU in Richmond increased from 102 between March and June 2019 to 227 in 2020. That's an increase of 123%. The opioid overdose increase occurred when the academic emergency room was experiencing a low number of visits. O.D.s increasing [...]
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2020 Annual National Survey on Drug Use and Health – NSDUH Review

Guy in mountains thinking about Substance Use Disorder Recovery

On September 14, 2020, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reported the annual National Survey on Drug Use and Health: OUD decreases, mental illness increased. What are the main findings of the NSDUH (National Survey on Drug Use and Health) survey, and what can we learn? First of all, what is the NSDUH, [...]
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HIV & Substance Use Disorder: Treatment Can Help

Man understanding how his genetics can affect alcoholism

There is a correlation between substance use disorders and HIV [1]. Research shows that this correlation may be due to increased risk-taking behavior while intoxicated or the transmission of bodily fluids through intravenous drugs [1]. Given the potential for serious medical complications, it is important to decrease the transmission rate of HIV. Treating substance use [...]
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Kratom: 2020 Review of the Hope and Hype

Mitragyna speciose or Kratom is a plant in the coffee family (Rubiaceae) native to Southeast Asia and Thailand [1]. Their leaves have caused opioid-like and stimulant responses upon ingestion. Kratom is also known as Biak, Ketum, Kakuam, or Ithang or Thom. The principle pharmacologically active compounds present in Kratom are the indole alkaloids, mitragynine, and [...]
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First Responders & Substance Use Disorder

First responder at the scene of an incident

Medical professionals (firefighters, police officers, and emergency medical technicians) are 10% more likely to have mental health and substance abuse issues compared to the general population [1]. First responders are exposed to highly stressful situations, including witnessing violence, death, injuries, natural disasters, and pain. These exposures are often in addition to threats to their personal [...]
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