The Texas Substance Abuse Helpline website is designed to provide interesting and helpful information about the latest research and cutting-edge treatments available for interested readers. Check back often for new blogs.
The Texas Substance Abuse Helpline website is designed to provide interesting and helpful information about the latest research and cutting-edge treatments available for interested readers. Check back often for new blogs.
It has been observed that men are more likely to use drugs and that too at a younger age as compared to women. Rate of substance dependence in men is almost twice as that in women, with them being at a higher risk of suffering an opioid overdose. According to reports, out of the 47,600 cases of overdose-related to opioids in 2017, nearly 31,700 were men. Considering such statistics, it becomes important to talk about the frequency of drug abuse and substance use disorders (SUD) in men. Continue reading
Synthetic marijuana and cannabis should not be used for treating sleep apnea (SA), according to a position statement by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). SA is a sleep disorder in which a person’s breathing gets interrupted during sleep and the brain and the other body parts do not get sufficient oxygen.
It takes great willpower to overcome substance abuse due to the changes in the brain that trigger cravings and compulsions. Irrespective of the severity of the symptoms and situation, one can achieve sobriety through right support and treatment. The magnitude of drug abuse has magnified to an alarming level across all generations, genders and demographic groups in the United States. Continue reading
There is no denying the fact that recent years have witnessed a steep rise in overdose deaths across the United States, with opioids claiming more lives than any other drug. Now, an analysis of data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests that the opioid epidemic is killing more Americans than firearms on an annual basis. Continue reading
The United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) highlighted that there were approximately 36.7 million people worldwide living with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) at the end of 2016. The treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection has undergone considerable changes. The administration of intensive antiretroviral therapies to treat HIV treatment had significantly reduced morbidity and mortality among patients. Continue reading
The increased stigma attached to drug and alcohol addiction has been the main reason behind the lack of awareness and knowledge about this problem. As a result, people often fail to recognize the warning signs related to substance abuse. In fact, the risk of exacerbation of mental health conditions increases due to the misinterpretation of the symptoms of addiction as signs of personality flaw. This leads to the occurrence untoward incidents one after one, such as delay in treatment, development of depressive symptoms, poor performance at work and school, etc. Continue reading
Alcohol, marijuana and ecstasy, three of the most abused substances by young adults, can cause different sexual side effects on users, says a recent study by researchers at the NYU Meyers College of Nursing. The study, conducted at the Center for Drug Use and HIV/HCV Research (CDUHR) of the Nursing College, focused on the specific effects of these substances on the user. Continue reading
A new docu-series, “The Trade”, aired on Showtime, showcases America’s tragic opioid crisis from a completely different perspective. The opioid epidemic is the worst crisis that America has faced in so far. The devastation it has caused far exceeds the scale of the Vietnam War and the HIV/Aids crisis. What sets the series apart from others is that, instead of focusing only on the numbers and questioning how America reached this unenviable position, the documentary gives a first-hand account of the epidemic, through the lens of those who have been affected the most–the individuals struggling with addiction and their families. It also looks into the daily battles of the border patrol agents and law enforcement officials, as they struggle keep a check on the inflow of drugs from across the border. Continue reading
Overall, the total number of people afflicted with opioid addiction in the United States is an overwhelming problem. In fact, every year the graph only shows an ascending trend. While the age-adjusted rate of drug overdose fatalities rose from 6.1 to 16.3 per 100,000 people in 2015, it climbed to 19.8 per 100,000 in 2016. A 21 percent higher rate was clocked in 2016 compared to 2015. Moreover, it was more than three times the rate in 1999. Drug overdose deaths also increased from 52,404 in 2015 to 63,600 in 2016. Continue reading
Cannabis has long been held responsible of causing long-term or possibly permanent adverse changes in the brain. However, a new study by the Michigan State University is determined to prove otherwise. Continue reading