A person with an acute illness or injury will likely experience pain. It is when the pain lasts longer than six months that they have chronic pain syndrome. Going through this level of pain causes complications that make the pain worse. This vicious cycle of pain-causing pain leads to secondary complications that a person feels…
Almost all mind-altering drugs interact with the natural chemical balance in the brain, primarily interacting with your reward centers. When you take certain drugs, neurotransmitters that communicate pleasure are activated. The more you take the drugs, the less your body produces feel-good chemicals on its own, and you develop a chemical imbalance. Eventually, you end…
Quitting alcohol can be challenging no matter how heavily you drink. Even someone who has a glass of wine every night and a few drinks with friends on the weekends may find it difficult to participate in social situations without imbibing. If you regularly drink more than a glass or two, you might experience alcohol…
The earliest forms of cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, were developed in the mid-1900s. Today, the approach is used to help people with mental health issues such as anxiety, substance abuse, depression, eating disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder. The idea behind the methodology is that people’s thoughts affect their behaviors, and you can…
Some people avoid quitting drugs because they’re so terrified of the detox symptoms that they might experience. Many others relapse during the withdrawal process because reintroducing substances to the system is one of the only ways to reduce the discomfort. With the right supervision and medical management, however, you can diminish withdrawal symptoms and ease…
Someone prescribed pain medication may wonder what is fentanyl and how strong is it? This drug is a powerful opioid that is stronger than heroin or morphine. Therefore, most medical professionals do not prescribe it for long-term use. Most people take fentanyl to deal with short-term, painful conditions. Others take it after surgery to ease…
Heroin and morphine are dangerous drugs. They combine a high addiction potential with painful opiate withdrawal symptoms. Besides that, it’s easy to relapse when you’re trying to quit. Therefore, it makes sense to get professional help; here’s what this looks like. Adding Opioids To The Mix It’s interesting to note that opiate withdrawal symptoms also…
Substance abuse is a double-edged sword. You know about the withdrawal symptoms that you try to avoid at all costs. They’re signs of physiological addiction. However, there’s also a psychological dependence on drug abuse. The Mind and Body Work Together in Addiction Therapists agree that addiction takes place in the mind and body. Physiological dependence…
Quitting drug or alcohol abuse isn’t something that happens overnight. Sometimes, you’ll struggle with lingering effects. Case in point is post acute withdrawal syndrome. Rather than just rolling with the punches, there are ways of managing the condition. What is Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome? You decided to quit substance abuse. You’re ready to deal with…
Did you know that your mind could contribute to your body’s illness and pain? Psychosomatic pain frequently originates in the mind but expresses itself with physiological symptoms. When you seek help from doctors, they’re often quick to prescribe pain medications. What would happen if you dealt with the root cause of the pain instead? How…