While the focus of public health officials, much of the news media, and the general public has been on the opioid epidemic in recent years, the meth use epidemic has quietly been on the rise. The use of methamphetamine is surging in the United States, as those reported to have a methamphetamine use disorder increased
Alcohol use during pregnancy is the leading known preventable cause of birth defects that can range from mild to severe physical abnormalities and a wide array of cognitive, behavioral, and social deficits. An estimated 40,000 newborns are affected every year by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), an umbrella term that includes Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)
A new study has found that cannabidiol, the naturally-occurring, non-psychoactive, and non-addictive compound found in the cannabis plant usually referred to as CBD, can reduce key features of addiction in drug-abstinent individuals with heroin use disorder. Led by Dr. Yasmin Hurd of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and published last month in
Growing up with a parent suffering from substance use disorder is a difficult process that can affect the behavior and emotional development of that child later in life. It is estimated that 25% of American kids grow up in households where alcohol dependence is present, and children of alcohol-dependent parents are the highest risk of
Addiction is a disease. We study it, we treat it… so why can’t we cure it? Much like any disease, addiction is a product of heredity and environment, and its effects are amplified and complicated by the introduction of drugs to the body (and subsequently the mind). For centuries, we have been focused on changing
A number of different spiritual practices have been found to help with addiction recovery—ranging from practicing gratitude to rewiring your brain with mindfulness meditation. The Lakota Tribe has found the same healing powers in their traditions. Creating a spiritual home Re-connecting to Lakota culture is, for those in the midst of recovery, a chance to
The opioid crisis in the U.S. becomes painfully apparent in the most unlikely of places—the neonatal intensive care units of hospitals across the nation. In these units, nurses and parents oversee the care of tiny infants as they shake and sweat their way through withdrawals. Hospital staff is working overtime to keep up with the
The 12-step process has become ingrained into how we think about recovery. It provides substance users with a framework to structure their path to sobriety, giving them clear benchmarks to surpass and triumphs to accomplish. But it began as a simple gesture between two men desperately seeking a connection to the world that was slipping
