Tag: Addiction

The scientific construction of addiction is continually evolving and even the etymology of the word “addiction” is more complex than we know, says this 2017 study. The medical community now uses the term substance use disorder, in lieu of addiction, to describe the disorder in behav...

Starting in 1996, Purdue Pharma introduced OxyContin to Appalachia for the first time. The drug was heavily marketed and promoted very frequently. It was supposed to be used as a tool for helping the miners deal with chronic pain that resulted from the strenuous labor that mining demands. A big fact...

Here’s why I tell people I care about to steer clear of Kratom: Kratom binds to the same receptors in the brain as opioids. So, although it does not contain opiates, it works the same way on the brain. I admit I never have tried Kratom. And I never would, based on what I have read and...

One of my favorite rap songs as a child was about a 15 year old junkie trying to shake his drug habit. The title was “Doing Bad” by Cash Money rapper B.G. As a child I couldn’t fully comprehend the lyrics. I didn’t know what heroin was, nor did I understand the graveness of a...

I began shooting heroin and Dilaudid in 1976 and I used for 35 years. During the first 13 years I used occasionally, never enough to develop a problem. The last 22 years I was strung out, living an addiction. And the world we live in, those of us with an opioid addiction, is very different from the ...

What are the dangers of fentanyl? Fentanyl is an extremely potent opioid that can lead to overdose and death, even in small amounts. It is important to handle fentanyl with extreme caution and under the guidance of a healthcare professional. How is fentanyl different from other painkillers? ...

Everyone knows a recovering addict. I know several. Some are friends and some are family members. I do my best to support all of them — to be there for them — but I’m always just winging it. That’s why I wanted to speak with Travis Thompson. Thompson is a...