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Category: Opiates

  • Managing Opiate Addiction During Pregnancy

    By Lisa Simpson According to figures from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 5% of pregnant women in the US use illicit drugs, which rises to just over 20% in the under 18 age group. While heroin is used by only around 0.1% of women during pregnancy, a further 1% admit to using opiate…

  • Is opiate pain medication safe for addicts? Part I

    A recent user question on VYou (see my response here) addressed the issue of prescribing addicts with opioid pain medication. Since prescription medication abuse and addiction is on the rise and getting more and more attention in the media every year, the question of whether addicts in recovery, or people who have dealt with substance…

  • Saving lives made easy – Treating opiate overdose with intranasal naloxone

    Contributing co-author: Andrew Chen Imagine that you and your friend have been using heroin (or another opiate). A few hours go by and you notice your friend is progressively becoming more and more unresponsive. You check on him and find that his breathing is shallow, his skin is cold, and his pupils are constricted. You…

  • More money more problems? Rich teens and drugs

    Teens raised in affluent homes display the highest rates of depression, anxiety, and drug abuse according to a recent article in Monitor on Psychology, the APA‘s monthly magazine. One of our recent posts dealt with some of the issues unique to teens and drugs. In addition to the issues we’d already mentioned, the article named…

  • Addiction stories: Hellish Heroin – Bambi’s heroin addiction story

    Addiction stories seem to have an impact that objective research can never have. This is another in a series of addiction stories submitted by our readers. I hope that everyone will benefit from learning about others’ experiences. There’s no doubt that Bambi’s experience of escalation in use from what seemed initially innocent is a common…

  • Is marijuana addictive? You can bet your heroin on that!

    “Is marijuana addictive?” seems to be the ultimate question for many people. In fact, when discussing addiction, it is rare that the addiction potential for marijuana doesn’t come up. Some basic points about marijuana: The active ingredient in marijuana, THC, binds to cannabinoid receptors in the brain (CB1 and CB2). Since it is a partial…

  • Ray Charles – The movie, the legend, and the heroin addict

    In 2004, only a few short months after Ray Charles passed away, Hollywood celebrated the life and legacy of the legendary R&B singer in a critically acclaimed biographical film. Anchored by a stunning performance by Jamie Foxx, “Ray” would go on to win two Academy Awards and introduce a younger generation to a giant of…

  • A&E’s Intervention – Joey, the middle class, heroin addiction, and hepatitis C

    A&E’s Intervention built quite an initial popular following for itself by choosing subjects with disarmingly unique stories and addictions. However, as the show has progressed, it has found strength in an ability to show America the true face of addiction: the so-called normal, everyday people battling their demons in private. Heroin addiction doesn’t understand “class”…

  • Time to get high- Circadian rhythms and drug use

    Contributing Co-Author: Andrew Chen Like most living creatures, humans have internal biological clocks known as circadian rhythms. These internal cycles synchronize our bodies with the Earth’s 24-hour day/night cycle and prepare us for predictable daily events (1). Circadian rhythms regulate a number of bodily functions including temperature, hormone secretion, bowel movements, and sleep (2). Recent…

  • Crystal meth withdrawal – It’s not like heroin, but don’t expect it to be easy

    Heroin, or opiate, withdrawal symptoms is the gold standard of addiction withdrawal. Imagine the worst flu of your life, multiply it by 1000, and then imagine knowing that taking a hit of this stuff will make it all better. Think sweats, fever, shaking, diarrhea, and vomiting. Think excruciating pain throughout as your pain sensors get…