Meth Detox

Can You Get Addicted to Crystal Meth After the First Use?

What Is Crystal Meth? Crystal meth is a powerful, synthetically made stimulant. It can be ingested orally, injected intravenously , snorted , or smoked. Crystal meth is notorious for its high addictive potential, and many people suggest that taking ...

Meth Relapse Warning Signs, Prevention, and Addiction Treatment

What Is Methamphetamine? Methamphetamine is a highly addictive and extremely dangerous stimulant drug. Commonly known as meth, it is often used in crystalline form (as rocks or crushed up into a powder) by smoking, swallowing, snorting , or ...

Free Meth Addiction Hotline Numbers

Call American Addiction Centers (AAC) free now at What Is Methamphetamine? Methamphetamine (in illicit form, better known by many as meth) is a highly addictive drug that is most commonly encountered as a powder or in pill form. 1,2 People use meth ...

Spotlight on ADHD Meds and Their Frightening Meth Connection

The opioid crisis has been making headlines for years, but there's another drug epidemic that has been flying under the radar: abuse of ADHD drugs. ADHD drugs, such as Adderall and Ritalin , increase levels of the brain chemical dopamine and provide ...

Why Is Meth So Addictive?

According to the 2014 National Survey on Drug Abuse and Health, 4.9% of Americans aged 12 and older reported using methamphetamine in their lifetime. 1 Meth is an extremely addictive drug with limited medical use. It creates an intense high that can ...

Addiction Self-Assessment Quizzes for Drugs and Alcohol

Use the following self-assessment quizzes to better understand common signs, symptoms, and behavioral changes related to substance misuse and addiction. The questions used in the following self-assessments are based on the diagnostic criteria ...

12-Step Recovery Programs and Support Groups for Addiction

12-Step recovery programs have become an integral aspect of maintaining sobriety post-addiction. 1 They usually operate on the basis of abstinence while creating a community of people who are living sober lives. 1 A 12-Step program helps establish ...

How to Help a Methadone Addict

Help for Methadone Addicts Methadone is an opioid drug; however, it is beneficial in the treatment of heroin dependence and other forms of opiate abuse. While it is regularly used in the management of opioid dependence, methadone itself is ...

Famous Drug Abusers

Drug and Alcohol Addiction: A Disease that Touches Everyone According to data from the latest National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 22.7 million Americans need treatment for a drug or alcohol problem. And though it may sound cliché, ...

Before & After: Physical Effects of Drugs

Drug abuse is a national issue continuing to plague Americans of all walks of life. An estimated 19.7 million Americans age 12 and older struggled with a substance use disorder in 2017. Research also shows that many people who suffer from untreated ...

The Forefathers of Modern Illicit Drugs

While illicit drugs are a major concern in today's society, many of them didn't start off as recreational. On the contrary, many started off with medicinal and anesthetic purposes. Here's a look at some of the forefathers of modern illicit drugs, ...

Drug and Alcohol Misuse and Cancer Risk

What Causes Cancer? Despite declines in the death rate over the last 20 years, cancer continues to be one of the most prevalent public health issues in the U.S. According to the National Cancer Institute: 1 About 1,806,590 new cases of cancer would ...

How to Treat Stimulant Addiction: Rehab and Stimulant Treatment Options

Stimulants are a broad class of substances that affect the nervous system in a way that leads to increased activity across a number of mental and physical processes—serving, in varying degrees, to boost energy and attention, but also capable of ...

Drug and Alcohol Abuse Across Generations

Substance abuse—both of alcohol and/or illicit drugs—has always maintained a consistent presence in American culture. As new drugs have been developed over the decades, their popular use has gone hand in hand with sweeping societal changes. From ...

How to Help a Tramadol Addict

Help for Tramadol Addiction If you have been struggling with an addiction to tramadol, or you know someone who has, finding the proper treatment program is essential. Treatment for addiction can restore your quality of life. Regardless of how long ...

Get the Facts on Substance Abuse

Substance abuse is a major issue in the United States. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, approximately 40.3 million people aged 12 or older had a substance use disorder (SUD) in 2020—with 28.3 million struggling with an ...

30 Famous Athletes Who Have Battled Drug Addiction and Alcoholism

1. Michael Phelps Eight-time Olympic gold medalist swimmer Michael Phelps has not only plunged into the water, but also into drugs. In 2009, he lost his endorsement contract with Kellogg's after a photo emerged of him taking a hit of marijuana . 2. ...

Effects of Drugs on the Brain: Impact of Drugs on Neurotransmitters

For many people, addiction can be difficult to understand. Understanding how drugs affect the brain can help shed some light on how a person develops an addiction. This article will discuss how various drugs affect the chemistry of the brain and ...

Effects of Stimulant Drugs: Short-Term, Long-Term, Side Effects, and Treatment

What Are Stimulants Used For? Stimulants are a class of substances that increase certain types of cell signaling and amplify various physiologic processes throughout the brain and body. In particular, many types of stimulant drugs are associated ...

A Living Nightmare: 5 Things Doctors Don’t Tell You About Benzos

Written by Dean Dauphinais It's no secret that prescription drugs can work miracles when obtained legally and taken as directed. But do you know that some prescription meds can also make your life a living hell. Such is the case with ...

Researcher Gets $431,700 to Study the Effects of Meth on Wounds

It's widely known that meth use can lead to a multitude of health problems: rotten teeth, memory loss, a weakened immune system. Nobody knows this better than Luis Martinez, microbiologist and associate professor of biomedical sciences at the New ...

Marijuana Mouth: Worse Than Meth Mouth?

Kim is 38-years-old; she had been smoking weed since college. Her dentist could tell. Kim had a bad case of gingivitis. Her gums were swollen and red. Her long-term use of marijuana had wrecked her dental hygiene. If nothing changes, Kim's mouth ...

The Damage Done: 6 Long-Term Reminders of Meth Abuse

Methamphetamine is an extremely toxic and vile drug that produces an initial rush of euphoria and a massive boost of energy. After that first encounter, users can quickly find themselves chasing that same “good” feeling over and over again, but ...

Meth on the Mind: It’s a Mental Downhill Slide for Users

Kim felt dizzy; she was confused and her speech was severely slurred. Her sister thought she'd had a stroke. Kim couldn't focus, had no energy and seemed very sleepy. It's no surprise her sister was worried, but Kim certainly wasn't suffering from a ...

You’re Fired: Police Departments Weaning K9’s Off Marijuana

Jobs change with technology, and work tasks evolve with those advancements. New policies and developments often put people out of work. It turns out, people aren't the only ones affected by those changes. Due to new marijuana guidelines , ...

Is Your Friend High? Here’s How to Tell…

Your friend seems a little “off.” Is he simply having a bad day? Did he not sleep well? Is he sick? Or is he high? To the untrained observer, it can be hard to tell. But it's important to discern. Depending on the circumstances, it could affect ...

Addiction and Your Hormones: Pointing the Finger at Estrogen

Could a hormone imbalance be to blame for your chemical dependency ? The answer might surprise you. If you're a woman, chances are you're familiar with the effects of a fluctuating estrogen level. Symptoms such as fatigue, anxiety, and depression ...

10 Years of Meth Lab Explosions

Amphetamine Addiction Signs, Symptoms, Effects, and Treatment

Amphetamines are prescription medications or illegal substances that are also known as stimulants, as they speed up your metabolism and increase your alertness. When legally prescribed, they are typically used to treat attention-deficit ...

State Sentencing: How Drug Sentencing Varies Across the U.S.

The United States has 5% of the world's population - and 25% of its prisoners. The average cost to house a minimum-security prisoner for one year is $21,006. By comparison, the average cost of putting a K-12 student through school for one year is ...

Drugs in the News

In a world grappling with issues of substance use and abuse, drugs are bound to see their days in the spotlight of our 24-hour news cycle. Maybe it's because of another tragic celebrity overdose, forcing us to confront the fact that even our heroes ...

Drug Arrests Across America

The Current Drug Landscape An estimated 24.6 million Americans aged 12 or over used an illicit drug in 2013. That's 9.4% of the population. 1 The number was similar in 2012 (9.2%), and in that year the FBI reports that there were 1.5 million drug ...

The Explosion of Hash Oil

Much like any other area of our culture, the illicit drug market experiences trends in the rise and fall of new products, from crack cocaine to OxyContin to methamphetamine . Drug manufacturers and dealers are continually producing and selling the ...

Common Street Names for Drugs

People actively misusing legal or illicit substances use slang terms for many reasons—ranging from avoiding detection by law enforcement to ensuring privacy in written and verbal communication. If you suspect that someone you love is misusing ...

How Kids Get Hooked on Drugs at Such a Young Age

It's every parent's fear: their kids doing drugs. In general, most kids will try something before the age of twenty, and it's a fairly natural part of experimenting with the world around them. However, some kids will have an addiction problem before ...

What Could Illicit Drug Synthesis Expose You To?

For the 44 million Americans aged 12 and older who used illicit drugs in 2014, the associated health risks are grave. But there's another risk that accompanies illegally manufactured substances - the exposure to hazardous chemicals. Clandestine drug ...

Stimulant Drug Abuse: Side Effects and Addiction Treatment

Stimulants—both illicit and prescription—are known to increase energy and alertness. Prescription stimulants can offer therapeutic benefits when used as prescribed. However, both prescription and illicit stimulants have a high propensity for ...

Why Don’t We Have Addiction Vaccines?

After three decades of research, people with addiction still have few medication options. While there are a handful of modestly effective FDA-approved drugs to treat alcohol, nicotine and opioid-use disorders, there are none at all for cocaine, ...

Zoloft Use in Substance Abuse Treatment

What Is Zoloft Used For? Zoloft (sertraline hydrochloride) is a commonly prescribed antidepressant that belongs to a group of drugs called selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). These drugs work by boosting the activity of the ...

Desoxyn Abuse Signs, Symptoms, and Addiction Treatment

What Is Desoxyn Prescribed For? Desoxyn is a prescription stimulant medication that contains methamphetamine hydrochloride . It is available in 5 mg tablets that are intended for oral use. 1,2 Desoxyn is prescribed for the treatment of: 1 ...

Free Marijuana Hotline Number Guide

Call American Addiction Centers (AAC) free now at What Is Marijuana? Marijuana—also known as cannabis and weed—is seen by some as a relatively innocuous or low-risk drug. It contains delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol—more commonly known as ...

Free Heroin Addiction Hotline Numbers

Call American Addiction Centers (AAC) now at What Is a Heroin Hotline Number? Heroin addiction is a very hard challenge to overcome alone. This is why doctors, mental health professionals, and support group members advocate seeking help if you ...

The Use and Abuse of Date Rape Drugs

Although Bill Cosby has been making headlines for his alleged use of date rape drugs, sexual assault cases involving these substances have been a problem in the U.S. for decades and continue to be a growing trend. What's more, many young adults and ...

3 Devastatingly Dangerous Alcohol-Drug Combos

According to statistics compiled by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), roughly 25% of substance-related emergency room admissions involve a combination of both drugs and alcohol. Poly-Drug Abuse Although heavily ...

Risks of Substance Abuse While Pregnant & Treatment Options

Drinking alcohol or using drugs while pregnant can cause a number of negative health outcomes for both mother and child. It can affect a growing fetus because substances travel easily from the placenta, creating great potential for harm. 4 While not ...

Seized

In 2015, Border Patrol prevented more than 1.5 million pounds of marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and meth from entering the United States. 1 In the same year, the Coast Guard intercepted 72 vessels and more than 150,000 pounds of drugs. 2 These ...

Drug Abuse and Cardiovascular Health Risks: How Do Drugs Affect the Heart?

What Are the Dangers of Drug Use? Both illicit and prescription drugs present many risks to individuals who misuse them. Drug abuse affects the brain in many ways that may lead to unpredictable, dangerous behaviors, social and emotional problems, ...

LGBTQ+ and Gay-Friendly Drug and Alcohol Rehab Centers Near Me

Drug and alcohol rehab treatment is becoming increasingly specialized. Treatment designs have been evolving as a result of numerous studies indicating that recovery success is promoted when issues distinct demographic groups might face are ...

Ice Bugs: Don’t Scratch That Phantom Itch!

Methamphetamine is an extremely addictive stimulant that causes irreversible harm to the body. Manufactured from a toxic concoction of chemicals, it damages blood vessels in the brain, destroys teeth and causes severe impairment in memory, judgment ...

Let’s Talk Truth: Exactly How Long Do Drugs Stay in Your System?

If you throw back a beer on Friday night, it's out of your system by Monday morning. But, what about other drugs? Most drugs linger a bit longer than alcohol. In fact, some of them stick around for a long time. This slower processing can surprise ...

How to Find 3-Day, 5-Day, 7-Day, and 10-Day Detox Programs Near Me

Often, drug and alcohol rehab programs combine detox with therapy and other services to support people through addiction recovery. This is important because it gives people time to understand more about their substance use and set a solid foundation ...

Heroin Withdrawal Symptoms, Detox, and Addiction Treatment

What Helps With Heroin Withdrawal? Heroin is an illicitly manufactured opioid drug and morphine derivative. Both the pain-relieving and the pleasurable properties of heroin are initiated through the drug's interaction with opioid receptors in the ...

Alcohol Withdrawal and Detox

Alcohol withdrawal can be an unpleasant experience that happens when a person becomes dependent on alcohol. In some cases, it can be dangerous or even fatal. 1 Since it can be uncomfortable and unsafe to try and go through alcohol withdrawal or quit ...

Sedative Withdrawal Symptoms, Detoxification, and Addiction Treatment

What Is a Sedative Drug? Sedatives are a class of drugs that depress, or slow down the central nervous system. This substance class encompasses a wide variety of drugs, the most common of which include: Benzodiazepines (treat anxiety and seizures). ...

Prescription Drug Addiction Treatment and Rehab Programs

Many prescription medications have the potential to become drugs of abuse if they are misused. Misuse of prescription drugs means taking them other than as prescribed. This includes taking a larger dose, using them more frequently, or taking them ...

Heroin Addiction Treatment Centers and Rehab Programs

Heroin addiction can negatively impact certain aspects of your life and have dangerous health repercussions. Here, we will help you understand heroin addiction, how addiction is treated, and what you should know about heroin rehab centers, including ...

Does VA Insurance Cover Addiction Treatment?

If you or a loved one is a veteran living with a substance use disorder, help is available through VA insurance. Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), all insurance plans, including VA insurance, must cover some or all of the cost of mental health ...

Alcohol Addiction Treatment and Rehab

Drinking alcohol is a common and often problematic occurrence throughout the United States, where approximately 17 million people were classified as heavy drinkers in 2020. 1 In that same year, more then 28 million people in the U.S., ages 12 and ...

Side Effects of Librium Use, Withdrawal and Addiction Treatment

What Is Librium Used For? Librium—which is a brand name formulation of chlordiazepoxide—belongs to a class of sedative medications known as benzodiazepines. Librium has been widely used as a treatment for anxiety and for managing the symptoms of ...

Opioids: Side Effects, Signs of Abuse, and Addiction Treatment

Opioids are substances that are known for their pain-relieving effects. They include both legal and some illegal substances that may have the potential for misuse, which can potentially lead to dependence and/or addiction. 1 If you or someone you ...

Methadone for Addiction Treatment

Methadone is a highly effective treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) when taken correctly and under the supervision of a medical practitioner. 1 Methadone can reduce or eliminate withdrawal symptoms and cravings to use opioids, and studies show ...

Drug and Alcohol Abuse Treatment Programs

If you or someone you care about is struggling with addiction, you may be considering potential drug and alcohol treatment options. Seeking treatment is a courageous choice and an important first step in the recovery process, but it might not always ...

Drug and Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms and Treatment

Many substances of abuse can lead to the development of physiological dependence—especially if they are taken in large amounts and for a long period of time. When a person becomes dependent on a substance and then decides to stop using it, they ...

Opioid Addiction: Treatment and Rehab

If you or a loved one abuses opioids, you should know that opioid addiction treatment can be a beneficial and potentially life-saving intervention. 1 It can be challenging and uncomfortable to stop using opioids on your own. 2 Opioid rehab can help ...

Long-Term Alcohol and Drug Rehab Programs

Alcohol and drug abuse can be challenging to overcome on your own. Many people seek treatment to help them stop the cycle of substance use and start the path to recovery. Finding the appropriate long-term drug rehab center for your needs may be a ...

Cocaine Addiction Treatment and Rehab Programs

Cocaine use and addiction can be dangerous for a person's physical and mental health and have a detrimental impact on their life. If you or someone you care about is struggling with cocaine addiction, you know how difficult it can be to stop using ...

Heroin Overdose Symptoms, Signs, Risk Factors, Prevention, and Treatment

How Is Heroin Consumed? Heroin is one of the most common, addictive, and lethal drugs in the world. A morphine derivative, heroin is sold illegally in the form of white or brown powder, or a sticky black substance known as “black tar heroin.” In ...

Suboxone Debate: What Is the Big Problem with Buprenorphine?

When it comes to this nation's chemical dependence, few drugs have achieved the notoriety and reputation of opioid drugs. In fact, things have spiraled so far out of control that opiate addiction is now considered an epidemic. Despite leaving a ...

Prescription Opioid Addiction: Pain Medication Side Effects and Treatment

What Are Prescription Painkillers? Prescription painkillers are medications used to treat moderate-to-severe pain after surgery or injury and specific medical conditions like cancer. 1 Prescription opioids have also become increasingly accepted as ...

Why Are Amphetamines So Addictive?

Amphetamines are a class of synthetic drugs that stimulate the central nervous system (CNS). They are prescribed for legitimate use in the management of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), narcolepsy and, rarely, in cases of extreme ...

Gabapentin Abuse Symptoms, Side Effects, Overdose, & Treatment

What Is Gabapentin Neurontin? Gabapentin Neurontin is an anticonvulsant that comes in a capsule, tablet, and oral solution. It is used to manage certain seizure disorders, as well as the neuropathic pain phenomenon known as post-herpetic neuralgia ...

Effects of Roxicodone Addiction

Roxicodone (“Roxy”) is one available brand version of oxycodone—a powerful semi-synthetic opioid painkiller. 1,2 The medicinal effect of opioids like oxycodone is brought on by a change in the way the brain and body respond to pain. Rather ...

Flexeril Abuse Side Effects, Symptoms, and Addiction Treatment

What Is Flexeril? Flexeril (cyclobenzaprine) is a central nervous system (CNS) muscle relaxant commonly prescribed as short-term treatment for muscle injuries, pain, spasms, and tenderness. When it is taken as prescribed, Flexeril's side effects are ...

Valium Overdose Symptoms, Signs and Addiction Treatment

Signs and Symptoms of Valium Overdose Being aware of the signs and symptoms can help you get assistance for yourself or a loved one who might be suffering from a Valium overdose. One of the more common signs of a Valium overdose is a deep, ...