Substance abuse and addiction are major problems in America’s prison system. Drug offenses are common reasons for arrest and incarceration, which means that many inmates are drug users and addicts. In fact, statistics show that at least 65 percent of prisoners in the U.S. are struggling with substance abuse or addict
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“Liar, liar, pants on fire.” Most of us heard this taunt as children, but it sometimes haunts certain adults as well. Even grownups lie to each other — and themselves — regularly. But while there are countless reasons and ways people might lie, deception takes a toll on personal relationships, as well as potent
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Which came first — the mental illness or the substance abuse? For patients with co-occurring disorders, sometimes also called dual diagnosis, understanding the overlapping symptoms is crucial to determining the most effective treatment.
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Binge drinking can have a disruptive effect on the immune system of healthy young adults, according to a new study.
Much of the research on binge drinking has focused on the day after drinking, but the new study provides evidence of the same effects—that the body is less able to fight off an infection or injury—
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The 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous are a tool for spiritual growth and healing. These steps lay out a path that has provided a way of sober living for millions of addicts and alcoholics all over the world. When you first get sober and have no idea how to go about living your life without alcoh
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Spring marks the start of another baseball season — a time when millions of people will flock to stadiums across the country to watch their team. Chances are that many of those who attend one or more games this summer will consume an alcoholic beverage due to the strong correlation between beer and baseball. The two
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Gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) is a neurotransmitter-like chemical naturally found in the brain that can also be synthetically produced in pharmaceutical laboratories. It works by slowing down the body’s central nervous system, and its effects are usually felt within minutes. Up until 1990, GHB was readily available
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For too many addicts in recovery, temptations mean relapse. While addiction is recognized as a chronic illness and relapse is a natural part of any chronic illness, avoiding relapse is possible and desirable. If you think about what lies at the heart of a relapse, it’s temptation. Something tempts you to use again. I
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Recovering from relapse is a normal but challenging stage in your addiction recovery. While not everyone will experience a relapse, most addicts do. You are not alone in making this mistake, and it does not put you back at square one. You did a lot of hard work to get where you are, and one relapse does not erase all t
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If you find your teen using drugs, your immediate reaction is likely to be extreme. You might want to cry, scream, break down or even ignore it and pretend you didn’t see it. How you react and what you do next could make all the difference for your teen’s future. Never assume that this could never happen to you. An
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