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.

Why Do a Low Percentage of Drug Abusers Find Treatment?

Man at the scene of an accident Contributor: Staff member at Timberline Knolls Residential Treatment Center 19.9 million adults needed substance abuse treatment in 2016 [1]. Of that 19.9 million, only 2.1 million received it [1]. That means, 17.7 million adults in the United States need help to overcome their addiction and did not find treatment. So, why didn't these drug abusers [...]
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Fentanyl: What Causes this Drug to be So Addictive?

Man at the scene of an accident Fentanyl is one of the most addictive opiate drugs. It is not a long-lasting drug and is used medically for surgery recovery as well as reducing breakthrough pain. If a person is already taking an opiate but has breakthrough pain, fentanyl is typically used to help control it. It is a time-release drug meaning that [...]
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Women & Alcohol: What College-Aged Women Need to Know

adolescents and substance abuse - Girl drinking alcohol Contributor: Staff of Timberline Knolls Residential Treatment Center Going off to college can provide a sense of starting a new chapter in life, a feeling of freedom from parents, a chance to explore the real world, and beginning to make decisions for oneself. After the stress of choosing the right college, enrolling in classes and picking [...]
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Fighting Drug Abuse in Your Community with Government Grants

Man explaining Addiction to Loved Ones while drinking coffee The United States is currently facing an overwhelming and undeniable problem with substance abuse. An inability to examine and solve this issue comes at a high price, costing our nation both financially and emotionally. In 2015, the economic cost of the opioid epidemic alone was six times previous years, costing the federal government $504 billion [...]
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Middle-Aged Suicide & Addiction

Charlie in deep thought about Families and Addiction and Middle-Aged Suicide Contributor: Staff Member of Timberline Knolls Residential Treatment Suicide is a tragic and all-too-common issue in our country, surpassing motor vehicle accidents as the leading cause of injury mortality and ranking as the 10th leading cause of death among persons 10 and older [1]. But, what about middle-aged suicide? Middle-Aged Suicide Recent statistics show that [...]
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