Addiction

27 Oct

Posted at 11:25h in Addiction

Mental Health Notice: This post is for general information and is not a substitute for professional evaluation or treatment. If anxiety ever comes with thoughts of harming yourself or others, do not wait for an assessment: call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, text HOME to 741741, or call 911 for immediate help. Treatment programs named in this post are not warranted or endorsed by MedicalResearch.com or Eminent Domains Inc.

For many people, anxiety starts as something manageable. A few restless nights, a tight chest before a meeting, a habit of running through worst-case scenarios. Weekly therapy and, in some cases, medication can make a real difference.

But for others, anxiety keeps growing despite their best efforts, until it shapes nearly every decision they make. If you have been doing the work and still feel stuck, it may be time to consider a more structured level of care.

27 Oct

Posted at 11:19h in Addiction, Mental Health Research

Substance Use and Mental Health Notice: This post is for general information and is not a substitute for professional assessment or treatment. Ketamine and esketamine should only be used as prescribed and under medical supervision. If you are struggling with substance use, call the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 (free, confidential, 24/7). If you are in crisis or having thoughts of harming yourself, call or text 988 or text HOME to 741741. In an emergency, call 911. Treatment programs named in this post are not warranted or endorsed by MedicalResearch.com or Eminent Domains Inc.

Ten years ago, most people only heard about ketamine as an anesthetic or a club drug. Today, it is advertised by wellness clinics, discussed on podcasts, and prescribed through telehealth services. Ketamine-based treatments have offered real hope to some people living with severe depression, and that progress deserves recognition.

But the growing visibility of ketamine has also blurred an important line. When ketamine is described as "medicine," some people assume any use is safe, including use outside of a clinic, without monitoring, or in doses and frequencies no clinician would recommend.

26 Oct

Posted at 10:49h in Addiction, addiction-treatment

Substance Use Notice: This post is for general information and is not a substitute for professional assessment or treatment. Withdrawal from alcohol, benzodiazepines, and some other substances can be dangerous, so get medical advice before stopping. For free, confidential treatment referrals, call the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 (24/7). If you or someone you love is in crisis or thinking about suicide, call or text 988. In an emergency, call 911. Treatment programs named in this post are not warranted or endorsed by MedicalResearch.com or Eminent Domains Inc.

Most people assume addiction treatment is delivered by "a counselor." In reality, good treatment is usually a team effort, and the mix of people on that team says a lot about the quality of care someone will receive.

For families trying to compare programs, that's useful to know. A glossy website can't tell you much. A clear answer to "Who will actually be looking after my loved one?" can tell you a great deal.

23 Oct

Posted at 21:05h in Accidents & Violence, Addiction, addiction-treatment

Mental Health and Substance Use Notice: This post is for general information and is not a substitute for professional assessment or treatment. If you are struggling with substance use, call the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 (free, confidential, 24/7). If you are in crisis or having thoughts of harming yourself, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or text HOME to 741741. Veterans can press 1 after dialing 988. In an emergency, call 911. Treatment programs named in this post are not warranted or endorsed by MedicalResearch.com or Eminent Domains Inc.

When people look into addiction treatment, two terms come up often: trauma-informed care and trauma-focused therapy. They sound alike, but they mean different things.

The difference matters when choosing care. A program may use respectful, trauma-informed practices without offering a specific PTSD therapy. Knowing what each term means helps patients and families ask clearer questions about the support available.

22 Oct

Posted at 19:40h in Addiction, addiction-treatment

Substance Use Notice: This post is for general information and is not a substitute for a medical assessment. Withdrawal from alcohol, benzodiazepines and some other drugs can be dangerous and should be medically supervised; do not travel while in withdrawal without medical advice. If you take methadone, buprenorphine or other prescribed medicines, confirm before travelling that you can continue them safely and legally at your destination. In Australia, call the National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline on 1800 250 015 or Lifeline on 13 11 14. In the U.S., call the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 or call or text 988. In an emergency, call 000 (Australia) or 911 (U.S.). Treatment centres named in this post are not warranted or endorsed by MedicalResearch.com or Eminent Domains Inc.

Thinking about heading overseas for rehab? You're not alone. More people are considering residential rehab overseas as their best chance at lasting recovery, and it's easy to see why. A new country can mean a fresh start, distance from old triggers and no long waiting lists.

But here's the big question: does it work? Or is it just a pricey vacation with some therapy sessions attached? This article summarizes what the research says about overseas rehab: the positives, the negatives and the often unexpected.

21 Oct

Posted at 18:32h in Addiction, addiction-treatment

Substance Use Notice: This post is for general information and is not a substitute for a professional assessment or medical advice. Withdrawal from some substances, including alcohol, benzodiazepines and opioids, can be dangerous and should be managed with medical supervision. For free, confidential treatment referrals, call the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 (24/7). If you or someone you love is in crisis, call or text 988, or call 911 in an emergency. Programs and directories named in this post are not warranted or endorsed by MedicalResearch.com or Eminent Domains Inc.

One of the most common questions people ask when considering addiction treatment is simple: how much will it cost? The answer depends on many factors, including the type of program, length of stay, location, and insurance coverage.

Understanding what drives the cost of rehab can help you plan and make informed choices.

rehab-cost

21 Oct

Posted at 17:44h in Addiction, addiction-treatment, Stress

Substance Use and Mental Health Notice: This post is for general information and is not a substitute for professional treatment. Digital and AI tools can support recovery but do not replace care from a counselor, physician, or treatment program. If you are struggling with substance use, call the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 (free, confidential, 24/7). If you are in crisis or having thoughts of harming yourself, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or text HOME to 741741. In an emergency, call 911. Apps and services named in this post are not warranted or endorsed by MedicalResearch.com or Eminent Domains Inc.

Stress is a survival tool, and a good one. The heart speeds up. Muscles tighten. Cortisol floods in, and the brain goes on guard. That's perfect if a car is swerving at you. Most threats now come as emails and bills, so the alarm goes off and nobody runs anywhere.

The stress response just keeps running. After a few weeks, sleep gets thin. Mood turns flat or sharp. Patience goes early, and decisions start to feel oddly hard. You can stand in the cereal aisle for five minutes and leave with nothing. That isn't a character flaw. It's a worn-out system doing what it can.

[caption id="attachment_76724" align="aligncenter" width="500"]stressed-woman-at-desk Photo by Anna Shvets via Pexels[/caption]

19 Oct

Posted at 20:13h in Author Interviews, Cannabis, Sleep Disorders

Cannabis/CBD Notice: Cannabis products are not FDA monitored or approved. Discuss your use of medicinal cannabis or CBD products with your healthcare provider before use. Dosing is variable and products may interfere with other medications, stimulants and alcohol. Do not use cannabis or CBD products if you are pregnant, nursing, or may become pregnant. Do not use cannabis products when driving or operating difficult or dangerous machinery. Keep out of reach of children. Children and pets should not be exposed to cannabis or CBD products.

Thanh-Huyen T. VuMedicalResearch.com Interview with:

Thanh-Huyen T. Vu, MD, PhD

Research Associate Professor

Department of Preventive Medicine

Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois

MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?

Response: Cannabis is widely used and legal in many states. Many people believe that it helps them sleep better. However, few studies have tested whether cannabis use is associated with sleep—particularly sleep that is measured using devices rather than self-reported. Our study asked adults about their cannabis use multiple times over 35 years. And more recently, we measured sleep duration and quality using a wearable device similar to an Apple Watch or Fitbit and asked people to tell us about their sleep.

We found that adults who used cannabis regularly over a number of years had sleep that we would describe as lower quality—more frequent awakenings and with less time during their sleep period spent asleep. However, when asked, adults who used cannabis and those who didn't reported similar sleep patterns—which wasn't the case when we measured it.

19 Oct

Posted at 17:12h in Anesthesiology, Author Interviews, Cannabis

Cannabis/CBD Notice: Cannabis products are not FDA monitored or approved. Discuss your use of medicinal cannabis or CBD products with your healthcare provider before use. Dosing is variable and products may interfere with other medications, stimulants and alcohol. Do not use cannabis or CBD products if you are pregnant, nursing, or may become pregnant. Do not use cannabis products when driving or operating difficult or dangerous machinery. Keep out of reach of children. Children and pets should not be exposed to cannabis or CBD products.

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Basavana Goudra MD FRCA FCARCSI FASA Professor of Anesthesiology and Professor of Medicine Sidney Kimmel Medical College Medical Director of Jefferson Surgical Center Endoscopy Jefferson Health, Philadelphia, PA

MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?  [caption id="attachment_76526" align="alignleft" width="160"]Basavana Goudra Dr. Basavana Goudra[/caption] Dr. Goudra: Cannabis use is increasingly common, and anesthesia providers are consequently encountering more patients who use cannabis before procedural sedation and anesthesia. This has become an important perioperative issue because cannabinoids can have complex effects on the central and peripheral nervous systems, and their pharmacologic effects vary with the dose, potency, frequency, and route of administration.

15 Oct

Posted at 12:31h in Addiction

Substance Use and Safety Notice: For free, confidential treatment referrals 24/7, call the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357. If you or someone you know is in crisis or having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988. If you are in an abusive relationship, the National Domestic Violence Hotline is available at 1-800-799-7233 or by texting START to 88788. Stopping alcohol, benzodiazepines or some other substances suddenly can cause dangerous withdrawal, so talk with a healthcare provider before stopping. In an emergency, call 911. This post is for general information only. Treatment providers referenced in this post are not warranted or endorsed by MedicalResearch.com or Eminent Domains Inc.

Women experiencing substance use disorders may go to considerable lengths to conceal their drinking or drug use, even from close friends and family members. Although addiction affects people of every gender, women can face additional pressures involving motherhood, relationships and social expectations that make acknowledging a problem particularly difficult.

Fear of judgment, financial insecurity and concerns about family responsibilities can discourage women from seeking treatment. Understanding these barriers helps explain why addiction sometimes remains hidden until physical, emotional or relationship problems become difficult to ignore.

06 Oct

Posted at 01:15h in Addiction, addiction-treatment

Addiction Notice: If you or someone you know needs help with substance use, contact SAMHSA at 1-800-662-4357 (free, confidential, 24/7). If you are in crisis or thinking about self-harm, call or text 988. Do not stop using alcohol or other substances abruptly without medical supervision, as withdrawal can be life-threatening. This content is not specific medical advice, and treatment providers linked here are not warranted or endorsed by MedicalResearch.com or Eminent Domains Inc.

Deciding to seek help is often the first big step. The next one, choosing where to go, can feel just as weighty. Not every program is the same, and finding the right fit has a real impact on how effective your care will be. Knowing what to look for makes that choice far clearer and less overwhelming. Choose the Right Intensive Outpatient Program

28 Sep

Posted at 20:47h in Addiction, addiction-treatment, Mental Health Research

Notice: If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, 24/7). For mental health treatment referrals, contact SAMHSA at 1-800-662-4357 (free, confidential, 24/7) or visit findtreatment.gov.

Every region has its own mental health profile. The particular combination of light, weather, economics, and culture in a place shapes what people struggle with and when. Portland has a distinctive version of this, and understanding it makes the difficulty feel less like a personal failing. Anyone evaluating mental health treatment in Portland during the fall and winter months should expect a competent provider to ask specifically about seasonal patterns — because the environmental context here is clinically relevant in ways that generalist mental health content rarely addresses. According to the NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health), seasonal affective disorder is a recognized specifier of major depressive disorder whose prevalence rises with latitude, with the Pacific Northwest among the higher-prevalence regions in the country.

portlands-seasons-mental-health_cropped

26 Sep

Posted at 00:40h in Cannabis

Important Notice: These products have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or health condition. For adults 21 and over only. Women who are pregnant, nursing, or may become pregnant, as well as children and those with certain medical conditions, should avoid these products. Do not drive or make important decisions when using THC products. Consult a licensed healthcare professional about persistent sleep problems or before using any THC product alongside medication. This article is general information and not medical advice.

The short answer: most THC beverages are engineered for rapid onset and short duration, which is close to the opposite of what sleep maintenance requires. They may help some people fall asleep by reducing pre-bed arousal, but the pharmacokinetics that make them appealing as an alcohol alternative work against them as a sleep aid. The product ranges themselves reflect that. THC drinks and sleep is one of the questions that comes up most in this category, and the honest answer tends to disappoint — not because the products are bad, but because the same thing making them popular, how quickly they work and how cleanly they clear, is the same thing that makes them a questionable fit for a full night.

thc-drinks-respona

25 Sep

Posted at 23:31h in Cannabis

Fifty kilos of gummies sitting in a warehouse in Nevada, and nobody can tell you why they cost eleven cents a piece from one supplier and thirty-four cents from another. That is the moment most buyers realize they never understood how bulk CBD product prices get built. They just accepted the first quote that looked reasonable. If you are sourcing gummies for a smoke shop, a wellness brand, or an online store, the number on the invoice is not random — it is the sum of a handful of decisions made before you ever got the email. Learn what those decisions are, and you stop shopping on price alone. According to the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration), CBD products sold in interstate commerce are subject to federal oversight, and buyers sourcing wholesale CBD products should verify that suppliers comply with applicable labeling, testing, and manufacturing standards before placing large orders.

Understanding cannabis and hemp wholesale prices

25 Sep

Posted at 19:42h in Addiction, addiction-treatment, Opiods

Crisis Resources: If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (24/7). For addiction treatment referrals, the SAMHSA National Helpline is available 24/7 at 1-800-662-4357 (free, confidential) or visit findtreatment.gov. Do not stop using opioids or opioid medications abruptly without medical supervision.

Medication for opioid use disorder reduces the risk of death. That is the central fact, and it is why every major clinical body treats medication as the standard of care rather than as one option among several equally valid ones. It is also the most contested topic in addiction treatment, with a persistent belief in parts of the recovery world that medication is not real sobriety. That belief costs lives, and it is worth addressing directly rather than around. According to SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration), medications for opioid use disorder — buprenorphine, methadone, and naltrexone — are safe, effective, and reduce the risk of fatal overdose, and their use should be combined with counseling and psychosocial support for best outcomes.

Opioid Use Disorder Why Medication Is the Standard of Care.png

23 Sep

Posted at 23:23h in Addiction, addiction-treatment

Addiction and Mental Health Notice: If you or someone you know needs help with substance use, contact SAMHSA at 1-800-662-4357 (free, confidential, 24/7) or visit findtreatment.gov. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, 24/7). Do not stop using alcohol or other substances abruptly without medical supervision.

Addiction treatment has increasingly moved toward models that address more than the clinical symptoms of substance use alone. A growing body of clinical practice recognizes that sustained recovery often depends on two connected elements: a structured, evidence-based system of care, and a person's own sense of meaning, identity, or belief system that supports their motivation to continue that work over time. According to SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration), individualized treatment that accounts for a person's cultural background, spiritual values, and personal support systems is associated with better long-term engagement and recovery outcomes than approaches that address clinical symptoms alone.

[caption id="attachment_69514" align="aligncenter" width="500"]hope-for-addiction-recovery Pexels[/caption]

23 Sep

Posted at 18:50h in Accidents & Violence, Cocaine

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:

[caption id="attachment_76205" align="alignleft" width="125"]Dr. Ben Jerry Gonzales Dr. Ben Jerry Gonzales[/caption]

Dr. Ben Jerry Gonzales PhD

[caption id="attachment_76206" align="alignleft" width="125"]Mr. Itay Shalom Mr. Itay Shalom[/caption] [caption id="attachment_76207" align="alignleft" width="113"]Prof. Ami Citri.jpg Prof. Ami Citri.jpg[/caption]

Mr. Itay Shalom

Prof. Ami Citri PhD

Citri Laboratory, Hebrew University of Jerusalem

When mice were repeatedly exposed to high doses of cocaine in a new study from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, their diverse behavioral repertoire progressively narrowed until a single action dominated: licking the floor and walls of the arena. By the fifth day of exposure, the animals spent approximately 62% of their time performing this one repetitive behavior. The research, published in Current Biology, identifies the striatal circuit mechanism driving this behavioral capture and demonstrates that manipulating the circuit can interrupt cocaine-induced rigidity within a second. According to the NIDA (National Institute on Drug Abuse), cocaine exerts its behavioral effects primarily through dopaminergic circuits in the basal ganglia, and understanding how those circuits translate drug exposure into compulsive, repetitive behavior is a central question in addiction neuroscience.

22 Sep

Posted at 14:37h in Addiction, Cannabis, JAMA

Notice: If you or someone you know needs help with substance use, contact SAMHSA at 1-800-662-4357 (free, confidential, 24/7) or visit findtreatment.gov. Do not drive after consuming cannabis or any substance that may impair your ability to operate a vehicle safely.

[caption id="attachment_76167" align="alignleft" width="200"]Dr. Bernard Le Foll Dr. Bernard Le Foll[/caption]

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:

Dr. Bernard Le Foll, MD, PhD

Chair in Addiction Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto

Head, Translational Addiction Research Laboratory, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute

Cannabis edibles — cannabis products that are ingested rather than smoked — are widely available and increasingly consumed, yet their effects on driving performance have been far less studied than smoked cannabis. A new randomized clinical trial published in JAMA Network Open now provides the first systematic evidence on how edibles affect simulated driving, and the findings have significant implications for road safety and impaired driving enforcement. According to NIDA (National Institute on Drug Abuse), cannabis is one of the most commonly detected substances in drivers involved in motor vehicle crashes, and understanding the full duration and dose-dependence of impairment — including from non-smoked forms — is critical to effective public safety policy.

Watch the Video presentation of this study on YouTube

17 Sep

Posted at 14:50h in Addiction, addiction-treatment

Addiction Notice: If you or someone you know needs help with substance use, contact SAMHSA at 1-800-662-4357 (free, confidential, 24/7) or visit findtreatment.gov. Do not stop using alcohol or other substances abruptly without medical supervision, as withdrawal can be life-threatening.

Detox gets most of the attention. It is the part families picture when they imagine treatment beginning, and it is the part that sounds like the hard thing to get through. The stretch that follows usually gets far less planning. NIDA (National Institute on Drug Abuse) states the point without hedging: detoxification is not the same as treatment and is not sufficient on its own, and stopping there leaves the underlying substance use disorder untreated, increasing the risk of returning to substance use. So the sharper question to put to an addiction treatment center is not how well it handles withdrawal. It is what the program has arranged for the morning after withdrawal ends.

[caption id="attachment_76069" align="aligncenter" width="500"]Addiction Treatment Center After Detox Photo by Gustavo Fring[/caption]

17 Sep

Posted at 14:10h in Addiction, addiction-treatment

Addiction Notice: If you or someone you know needs help with substance use, contact SAMHSA at 1-800-662-4357 (free, confidential, 24/7) or visit findtreatment.gov. Do not stop using alcohol or other substances abruptly without medical supervision, as withdrawal can be life-threatening.

A call to the admissions line usually ends with some version of the same sentence: yes, we take your insurance. That statement does not necessarily mean the insurer has approved the specific admission. A facility's participation with an insurance plan is separate from the insurer's decision about whether a particular stay meets the plan's requirements. Inpatient rehab insurance coverage sits at the meeting point of three things: what your plan covers, what it considers medically necessary, and how long it authorizes treatment. HealthCare.gov confirms that Marketplace plans are required to cover inpatient behavioral health and substance use disorder treatment among the service categories the Affordable Care Act sets out. The distance between that requirement and a paid claim is where most families get stuck.

[caption id="attachment_76065" align="aligncenter" width="500"]Inpatient Rehab Insurance Coverage Photo by Vitaly Gariev[/caption]

17 Sep

Posted at 13:44h in Addiction, addiction-treatment

Addiction and Crisis Notice: If you or someone you know is experiencing a medical emergency related to alcohol withdrawal — including seizures, severe confusion, hallucinations, or difficulty waking — call 911 immediately. For substance use treatment referrals, contact SAMHSA at 1-800-662-4357 (free, confidential, 24/7) or visit findtreatment.gov. Do not stop drinking abruptly without medical supervision if you have been drinking heavily — alcohol withdrawal can be life-threatening.

Alcohol withdrawal can range from mild symptoms to a potentially life-threatening medical emergency. It is not always possible to tell in the first hours how severe a person's withdrawal will become, and a household cannot reliably make that assessment on its own. Whether to detox from alcohol at home is primarily a question of medical risk rather than comfort. Alcohol belongs to a small group of substances where the withdrawal itself, not the drinking, is what can turn dangerous. Severe withdrawal, including delirium tremens, is treated as a medical emergency.

[caption id="attachment_76062" align="aligncenter" width="500"]Detox From Alcohol at Home Photo by MEUM MARE[/caption]

17 Sep

Posted at 12:17h in Addiction, Public Health

Addiction Notice: If you or someone you know needs help with substance use, contact SAMHSA at 1-800-662-4357 (free, confidential, 24/7) or visit findtreatment.gov. Do not stop using substances abruptly without medical supervision, as withdrawal can be life-threatening.

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:

Adrienne Gaudreault, MPH Medical Student, Dalhousie University

[caption id="attachment_76058" align="alignleft" width="125"] Dr. Daniel Myran[/caption]

Daniel T. Myran, MD, MPH, CCFP, FRCPC Public Health and Preventive Medicine Ottawa Hospital Research Institute; Canada Research Chair University of Ottawa Department of Family Medicine

See the Video version of this interview

15 Sep

Posted at 23:22h in Addiction, addiction-treatment, PTSD

Mental Health and Addiction Notice: If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, 24/7), text HOME to 741741 (Crisis Text Line), or call 911 in an emergency. For substance use treatment referrals, contact SAMHSA at 1-800-662-4357 (free, confidential, 24/7). Do not stop using alcohol or other substances abruptly without medical supervision, as withdrawal can be life-threatening.

When a veteran walks into a clinic reporting alcohol problems, the clinical response usually focuses on the drinking. What gets missed is the question underneath: what happened to this man before the drinking started? Co-occurring PTSD and substance use disorder in men, particularly veterans and first responders, is not a rare case. It is the norm. Treating one condition first and the other later does not work. They need to be addressed at the same time. According to the VA National Center for PTSD, substance use problems are among the most common co-occurring conditions in veterans with PTSD, and the relationship between the two conditions is bidirectional — trauma drives substance use, and substance use can worsen trauma symptoms over time.

[caption id="attachment_76023" align="aligncenter" width="500"]Trauma and Addiction in Men-pexels.jpg Photo by RDNE Stock project[/caption]

10 Sep

Posted at 12:35h in Addiction, addiction-treatment, Neurology

Mental Health Notice: If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, 24/7), text HOME to 741741 (Crisis Text Line), or call 911 in an emergency.

Every morning, you probably reach for your phone within minutes of waking up. You might brew coffee without consciously thinking about each step. These automatic behaviors aren't accidents — they're the result of sophisticated neural pathways that your brain has constructed over time. Understanding how these pathways form, strengthen, and can be redirected is revolutionizing how we approach behavioral change across medicine, psychology, and rehabilitation. Recent advances in neuroimaging have allowed researchers to observe the brain in action as habits form and break. What they've discovered challenges many long-held assumptions about willpower, motivation, and the nature of behavioral change itself. According to the NIDA (National Institute on Drug Abuse), addiction and habitual behavior involve lasting changes to brain circuits governing reward, stress, and self-control — changes that persist long after the behavior stops and that explain why willpower alone is rarely sufficient for lasting change.

[caption id="attachment_75950" align="aligncenter" width="500"]Brain's Hidden Architecture.jpg Unsplash[/caption]

21 Aug

Posted at 13:31h in Addiction, addiction-treatment

Mental Health Notice: If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, 24/7), text HOME to 741741 (Crisis Text Line), or call 911 in an emergency.

Addiction Treatment Notice: If you or someone you know is struggling with substance use disorder, help is available. Call the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 (free, confidential, 24/7). Do not attempt to stop heavy alcohol or drug use abruptly without medical supervision. Always consult a licensed healthcare provider before beginning any detox or addiction treatment program.

Substance use disorder can affect patients in any profession, income bracket or stage of life. Employment can sometimes make a developing problem harder to recognize because patients may continue meeting professional obligations long after alcohol or drug use has begun causing harm elsewhere. A steady paycheck, respected career or strong performance record does not rule out a substance use disorder.

Physicians are often positioned to identify concerning patterns before a patient experiences a major occupational, legal or medical consequence. Recognizing the signs requires looking beyond whether someone still has a job. Changes in health, behavior, medication use and work functioning can provide a much fuller picture.

[caption id="attachment_75682" align="aligncenter" width="500"]identifying-addiction-in-worplace-pexels.jpg Photo by Yan Krukau[/caption]

13 Aug

Posted at 15:30h in Addiction, addiction-treatment

Mental Health Notice: If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, 24/7), text HOME to 741741 (Crisis Text Line), or call 911 in an emergency.

Addiction Treatment Notice: If you or someone you know is struggling with substance use disorder, help is available. Call the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 (free, confidential, 24/7). Do not attempt to stop heavy alcohol or drug use abruptly without medical supervision. Always consult a licensed healthcare provider before beginning any detox or addiction treatment program.

Quitting drugs or alcohol on your own might sound like the simpler path — less paperwork, no facility, just willpower. For some substances, in some situations, that instinct isn't dangerous. For others, it can be fatal. The difference comes down to what's actually happening in the body during withdrawal, and why detox in Fort Lauderdale is built around continuous medical monitoring rather than something anyone should attempt alone.

Medical Supervision Matters During Detox

13 Aug

Posted at 15:19h in Addiction, addiction-treatment

Mental Health Notice: If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, 24/7), text HOME to 741741 (Crisis Text Line), or call 911 in an emergency.

Addiction Treatment Notice: If you or someone you know is struggling with substance use disorder, help is available. Call the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 (free, confidential, 24/7). Do not attempt to stop heavy alcohol or drug use abruptly without medical supervision. Always consult a licensed healthcare provider before beginning any detox or addiction treatment program.

Watching a loved one begin rehab brings its own mix of relief and uncertainty. Relief that treatment is finally starting, and uncertainty about what the process actually involves, how much to be involved, and what role family members are actually supposed to play. Understanding what to expect tends to make that uncertainty easier to navigate.

What Family Members Should Know Before a Loved One Starts Rehab

13 Aug

Posted at 15:05h in Addiction, addiction-treatment

Mental Health Notice: If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, 24/7), text HOME to 741741 (Crisis Text Line), or call 911 in an emergency.

Addiction Treatment Notice: If you or someone you know is struggling with substance use disorder, help is available. Call the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 (free, confidential, 24/7). Do not attempt to stop heavy alcohol or drug use abruptly without medical supervision. Always consult a licensed healthcare provider before beginning any detox or addiction treatment program.

Searching for addiction treatment tends to surface page after page of programs that all describe themselves with nearly identical language: evidence-based, compassionate, personalized care. That language rarely helps distinguish a genuinely strong program from a mediocre one. A handful of concrete factors matter far more than the marketing copy.

how_to_choose_an_addiction_treatment_program

10 Aug

Posted at 20:37h in addiction-treatment, Author Interviews, Cannabis, Sleep Disorders

Cannabis and CBD Product Notice: Cannabis and CBD products are not FDA-monitored or approved for the treatment of anxiety, depression, or any other mental health condition and are not legal in all locations. Effects vary significantly between individuals. Do not use if you are pregnant, nursing, or may become pregnant. Keep out of reach of children. Children and pets should not be exposed to these products. Cannabis and CBD products may interact with alcohol and other drugs including prescription medications. Always consult your physician or qualified healthcare provider before using any cannabinoid product, especially if you have an existing health condition or take other medications.

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:

Anita Cservenka, PhD

Associate Professor; Director, Substance Use & Neurocognition Lab

School of Psychological Science, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR

[caption id="attachment_75520" align="alignleft" width="200"]anita_cservenka-interview Dr. Cservenka, PhD[/caption]

MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?

Dr. Cservenka: There had been limited research on whether frequent cannabis use is associated with changes in individuals' diurnal stress activity, which can be measured by examining the cortisol awakening response. However, some previous studies had shown that the typical rise of cortisol in the morning, which is thought to be a marker of our body's preparation for managing the stressors of the day, may be blunted among individuals with alcohol use disorder. A recent study by Glodosky et al., 2026, also suggested this may be the case among those with chronic cannabis use, so we attempted to replicate those findings. Although we did not find group differences in the cortisol awakening response (the difference in cortisol 30 minutes post-awakening and at the time of awakening) between individuals who engaged in frequent cannabis use relative to controls, we did find that cannabis use may be related to higher levels of cortisol at the time of awakening and this was significantly related to cannabis use consequences.

Watch the Video of this interview

06 Aug

Posted at 11:41h in Addiction, Cannabis

Cannabis and CBD Product Notice: Cannabis and CBD products are not approved for the treatment of anxiety, depression, or any other mental health condition. Effects vary significantly between individuals. Do not use if you are pregnant, nursing, or may become pregnant. Keep out of reach of children. Children and pets should not be exposed to these products. Cannabis and CBD products may interact with alcohol and other drugs including prescription medications. Always consult your physician or qualified healthcare provider before using any cannabinoid product, especially if you have an existing health condition or take other medications. In Australia, medicinal cannabis products are regulated by the Therapeutic Goods Administration and must be accessed through authorised prescribers or approved access pathways.

Up to January 2024, the number of Australian patients utilising unregistered medicinal cannabis products skyrocketed to over one million, marking a dramatic increase from roughly 18,000 in 2019. In 2024 alone, the Therapeutic Goods Administration authorised nearly a million prescription applications through specialised access pathways. However, this massive surge in accessibility has prompted a necessary shift in focus. The medical community is increasingly moving away from merely providing access to alternative therapies, pivoting instead toward strict clinical oversight to ensure patient safety and long-term efficacy.

Due to the complexities of integrating cannabinoid therapies with existing medications, patients are now shifting away from direct supply clinics. Instead, many are consulting with a natural medicine dispensary to access tailored, heavily regulated plant-based treatments under the supervision of trained pharmacists and naturopaths. This clinical environment ensures that treatments are rooted in scientific evidence rather than retail convenience.

[caption id="attachment_75471" align="aligncenter" width="500"]evolving-cannabis-oversight-pexels Photo by Terrance Barksdale[/caption]