Substance Abuse Articles, Blogs and Resources

Man on mountain thinking about Substance AbuseAddiction 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.

Naloxone on Hand for All Taking Opioids

Nature Bridge in Forest The Opioid Epidemic Opioid addiction is an epidemic in the United States [1]. While all opioids have similar impacts on the body and brain, there are prescription and non-prescription. An example of prescription opioids is pain killers, while heroin is an example of a non-prescription opioid. While prescription opioids can be used safely for a [...]
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Understanding the Grim Gun Violence and Drug Overdose Death Data: What is Most Likely to Kill our Children?

Boy concerned about Gaining Weight After Anorexia treatment Television news, health policy leaders, and politicians frequently discuss the high toll of deaths from COVID-19, cigarettes, opioids, HIV, firearms, and drug overdose. They focus on the absolute numbers of casualties. For example, 4,000,000 Americans die each year from cigarette smoking, 40,000 die each year from second-hand smoke and related illness. For firearms, they cite [...]
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Discussing Seeking Substance Use Disorder Treatment with Loved Ones

Nature Path Through Trees in Forest Research shows that support from loved ones can help decrease substance use [1]. Some people struggling with substance use or addictions keep their behavior a secret, especially from loved ones. This can be due to feeling ashamed, a desire to continue using substances, or fear of judgment. This can make it challenging to share with [...]
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Chronic Pain and Substance Use Disorder

Guy tripping out from LSD Substance use disorder (SUD) is a mental health condition that continues to be a significant problem in the United States [1]. SUD is characterized by several different symptoms, including the inability to stop using a substance, needing more of the drug to get the desired effect, craving substances, and using substances despite negative consequences. Often, [...]
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