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.

Cocaine’s Impact on Health Over Time

Boy concerned about Gaining Weight After Anorexia treatment

Cocaine is a highly addictive stimulant drug. A stimulant drug can give users a euphoric feeling or can increase their energy level and ability to concentrate [1]. Cocaine’s impact on the user provides a short-term euphoric boost that motivates people to continue using. Continued cocaine use is known to cause changes in the brain [2]. [...]
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ADHD and Substance Use Disorder

Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a disorder that affects someone’s ability to concentrate or leads to hyperactivity and impulsivity [1]. While everyone has difficulty concentrating or is impulsive at times, ADHD is a consistent pattern and interferes with someone’s ability to function in work, school, or in relationships. ADHD at a Glance These [...]
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Don’t Let Addiction & Grief Trigger Relapse From Addiction

Contributor: Staff at Timberline Knolls Residential Treatment Center In her 1993 book Wouldn’t Take Nothing for My Journey Now, Maya Angelou succinctly and powerfully described the profound pain that can occur in the aftermath of the loss of a family member, close friend, or another person of significance, also known as grief. “I can accept [...]
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Setting Substance-Use Disorder Recovery Goals for the New Year

Approximately 188.9 million American adults (over 74 percent of the population) say they’re setting a New Year’s goal for 2021, reveals a recent Finder survey [1]. And while research shows that setting and working towards goals boosts motivation and promotes hope [2], the sad reality is that many people give up on their New Year’s [...]
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Increasing Deaths by Cocaine

America has a huge issue with drug use and addiction. Within the last several years, opioid addiction has been an epidemic, given the alarming number of overdoses and increasing addiction rates. However, cocaine use has also reached new heights. Cocaine is a powerful stimulant drug that has a high potential for abuse [2]. Cocaine provides [...]
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