When you ignore an addict's behavior, you are silently enabling his ability to continue it. Speak to the addict about his drug use and ask him to stop doing it when he is in your presence. Be consistent without constantly bothering him about it....
Drug addiction is a complex neurobiological disease that leads to profound drug cravings and abnormal behavior. Drug addicts typically suffer from several effects of their disease: loss of employment, financial difficulties and the loss of healthy...
Cocaine, alcohol, marijuana, heroin--all are drugs that are addictive. Just as every person is different, so, too, are their contributing factors to drug addiction. No matter the reason, a drug addict often feels helpless; a prisoner to his drug...
Drug addiction remains one of the most disturbing diseases that can hinder a person's thinking in dealing with life. The person who suffers from drug addiction remains part of a revolving door of appointments, drug use, therapy and hopelessness....
Drug addiction is a brain disease that occurs secondary to substance abuse, in much the same way hypertension occurs secondary to overeating and obesity. Drug abuse hijacks the brain's dopamine system, which normally produces feelings of pleasure...
Drug addiction is a neurological and behavioral disease characterized by intense drug cravings, alienation from family and friends, and may lead to the inability to function daily. Addiction develops as a result of neurological changes in reward...
Drug addiction is a complex and potentially life-threatening disease, but can be managed and treated successfully. Although many drug addicts try to hide their habits from their family members and friends, they often display signs of their...
Drug abuse, substance abuse, it's all the same. According to HelpGuide.org, it's the "repeated and excessive use of chemical substances to achieve the same effect." Unfortunately these chemical substances are generally illegal street drugs such as...
Drug addiction is a major concern for communities, families and individuals. Everyone from adults to children can suffer the consequences of a drug addiction, whether illegal drugs or prescription medications. Drug addiction is defined as a...
Drug addicts who have tried and failed traditional sobriety treatments often feel defeated and hopeless in their attempts to stop their drug abuse. But there are plenty of alternative treatments available. All of them, some of them or just one of...
The National Institute on Drug Abuse, or NIDA, says that--in most cases--drug addiction begins as simple social experimentation that eventually leads to increased use and dependence. The agency also says that addiction is a brain disease and...
Drug addiction has social, physical and psychological repercussions that destroy lives and place a burden on society. Given the well-known consequences of drug abuse, it's sometimes difficult to comprehend the persistent nature of addiction and...
Finding out that your daughter has a drug addiction is many parents' worst nightmare. You may feel angry, scared and overwhelmed by the challenge of helping her through this addiction, or feel unsure of what to do and how to go about doing it....
Prescribed to treat pain, narcotics, also called opiates, affect the opiate receptors in the brain. Even though narcotics have medical purposes, people often abuse these drugs and develop an addiction. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration...
Many patients are first exposed to prescription drugs after a severe injury or surgery that requires a stronger form of medication than those available over-the-counter. Some patients become accustomed to the relief they experience and continue to...
According to the Mayo Clinic, drug addiction is described as a dependency on a drug or medication. Addiction often feels uncontrollable, although addicts know that drugs can damage the body in a variety of ways. Treatment for a drug addiction is...
People do not intentionally become addicted to drugs. What starts out as innocent experimentation can quickly lead to an overwhelming and compulsive need to have the drug as frequently as possible, regardless of the consequences. However, by...
Drug addiction is a disease with behavioral and physiological symptoms. Drug addiction begins with compulsive drug use that progresses until patients feel they need their drug of choice to function. Over time, addicts require higher and higher...
Most people do not begin their relationship to drugs with the intent to become addicted. Some individuals begin with prescription medications for chronic pain. Other drug addictions start with casual or social use. Not everyone who experiments...
Drug addiction is a disease of denial. The psychological effects of drug dependence are self-reinforcing --- the addict seeks solace in drug use, which, in turn, compounds any pre-existing problems in his life. External pressures and emotional...
If left untreated, the destructive effects of drug addiction eventually damage every aspect of the addict's life. Drug use consumes the addict's existence. Responsibilities and moral standards fall by the wayside. The repercussions of addiction...
Codependency plays a part in the role of the spouse, parent or child in the family that has a drug addict. The codependent family member is almost as addicted as the drug addict; only the addiction is in learning to live life surrounded by drug...
Drug addiction occurs when an individual uses a legal or illegal drug and develops an inability to stop using the drug. A wide variety of drugs are capable of causing the brain changes that lead to addiction. Treatment programs can be effective,...
Narcotic painkillers, central nervous system depressants, such as sedatives and tranquilizers and stimulants are some of types of prescription drugs that can become addictive. Although these drugs are usually prescribed to treat chronic pain,...
There are a number of recovery programs that are available to help substance abusers address the problem of addiction, and also assist them in maintaining an alcohol or drug-free life. They provide the tools for them to relate to family and...
Aside from the personal effects of drug addiction, the disease can cause problems for everyone around the addict as well. The person may have a drug addiction to alcohol, illicit substances such as cocaine, heroine, opiate pills and prescription...
Despite the efforts of health-care professionals and law enforcement officials alike, addiction to alcohol and other drugs continues to be a major problem. The failure of conventional methods to defeat the insidious disease of addiction should not...
Drug addiction is an overwhelming, uncontrollable need for drugs or alcohol despite the negative consequences that may follow. It can affect people of any age, sex or economic status, and while no exact cause has been determined, a variety of risk...
Addiction to cocaine, marijuana, heroin, stimulants and other drugs causes serious side effects and can be devastating. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, there were more than 1 million drug-related emergency room visits in 2006....
Learn how to treat addictions with acupuncture in this free chinese medicine video lesson from our alternative cure expert.
Learn how to treat Addiction with acupuncture in this free chinese medicine video lesson from our alternative cure expert.
Many people have family members who suffer from substance abuse. Learn how to get started supporting a relative through substance abuse from a licensed professional psychotherapist in this video.