Addiction Blog

As the temperatures continue to drop and daylight hours lessen, more and more people are experiencing shifts in mood and energy. Mood changes during the fall and winter months are often called the "winter blues" or seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Overcoming the winter blues is possible with strategies that promote physical and emotional well-being and support improved mental health during this time of year.

Drug abuse and addiction silently and systematically affect all aspects of an individual's life—psychologically, physically, and socially. The startling reality of substance abuse is that it secretly cuts your life short. From cardiovascular disease and liver damage to mental illness and drug overdose, addiction reduces life expectancy and quality of life.

Recent studies have shown a significant increase in binge drinking and heavy alcohol consumption among women. In the last twenty years, women have had more alcohol-related emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and deaths than men have.

"K2" or "Spice" are lab-made chemicals designed to imitate the effects of cannabis, primarily tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Synthetic marijuana, while marketed as a "safe" and legal cannabis alternative, carries unpredictable side effects and risks, including psychosis, seizures, and organ damage.

While people-pleasing might seem like a harmless personality trait, it often masks more profound emotional struggles that can precipitate mental illnesses like depression and anxiety. Depression, also known as major depressive disorder (MDD), is associated with a range of symptoms, including feelings of hopelessness, persistent sadness, and people-pleasing tendencies.

Substance use disorders (SUDs) can ripple through families, creating patterns of addictive behaviors that pass down through generations. Generational addiction, when drug and alcohol use disorders (AUDs) recur in families over decades, can be influenced by genetics, family dynamics, and environmental factors.

Intermittent sobriety, which involves taking regular breaks from alcohol, could be a game-changing strategy for those who struggle to control their alcohol consumption. Limiting alcohol use can have a range of health benefits, including improved liver health, strengthened immune system, reduced anxiety and depression, and extended lifespan.

Game days have become heavily associated with excessive alcohol consumption as a means to celebrate or enhance the fun. Whether you are watching football, basketball, or any major sporting event this season, here are some ways to do so without needing alcohol to have fun.

Despite its vibrant appearance, pink cocaine is a dangerous synthetic drug that contains mixtures of ketamine, xylazine, fentanyl, MDMA, and methamphetamine. Pink cocaine's side effects can be life-threatening, leading to long-term physical and psychological health risks, including overdose.

"Drunkorexia" is a term used to describe the comorbidity of alcohol use disorders (AUDs) and anorexia, where individuals restrict their food intake to "cancel out" the calories from alcohol. This dangerous pattern has begun trending mainly among college students and young adults, highlighting a growing demand for awareness, education, and intervention.