Not too long ago an insightful story by author David Sheff about his son’s battle against addiction was published in the New York Times. Sheff relays searching for his child at night, checking all the neighborhoods he knew he might frequent. Most of the time he never got a glimpse of his young adult son—who [...]
It’s the nicotine in cigarettes that makes them exceptionally difficult to quit. When someone consumes a cigarette, vapes tobacco, or uses chewing tobacco, they’re introducing nicotine into their bloodstream. Just seconds after inhaling, the brain detects the nicotine and releases dopamine. Dopamine is the brain’s way of saying WE’RE H A P P Y, KEEP [...]
In 2023, the Boulder County community of Colorado recorded two unique opioid-related deaths. Upon further investigation, officials found that the victims had consumed a newly modified, powerful synthetic opioid called nitazene. Because the type of nitazene currently on the market is so new, it was a breakthrough that healthcare workers detected the drug at all. [...]
St. Joseph Institute for Addiction in Port Matilda, PA, treats substance use disorder (SUD) at the same time that we treat the entire individual and assess their general mental health. We know that treating addiction as an isolated issue misses the bigger picture, as many of our clients report struggling with generalized anxiety disorders, depression, [...]
Many of us may feel that we would immediately recognize addiction in our spouse, our child, our best friend, and especially ourselves. However, at least 48 million Americans are living with substance use disorder (SUD) right now, and not all of them are seeking treatment. Countless more deal with behavioral addictions that are either dismissed, [...]
Not only is employment post-recovery necessary for most of the 850,000+ individuals living in addiction recovery in Pennsylvania, but it’s also a huge indicator of success in long-term sobriety. The benefits of being hired and working after achieving sobriety aren’t just economic—they’re psychological and social. People who work after completing treatment make more social connections, [...]
It’s not completely understood why there are so many forms of addiction treatment center fraud out there, but one reason could be the long-standing stigma associated with substance use disorder (SUD), a mental health and behavioral disorder. Research shows that people who seek help for addiction can experience negative biases and prejudice on the [...]
Methamphetamine, known more commonly as meth, is a popular stimulant that targets the central nervous system. Over 2.5 million people use the substance and over half of those have methamphetamine use disorder. The stimulant has several forms and goes by other nicknames: Speed Crystal meth or Crystal Crank Chalk Tweak, Ice, and Glass The nervous [...]
We love to see our clients beat addiction and thrive in sobriety once they’ve completed residential or intensive outpatient treatment with us. We also know that a big part of a healthy, long-lasting recovery is the ability to foster a work-life balance. It can be difficult to find good work--work that you enjoy and that [...]
Heroin is highly addictive and can lead to physiological dependence within days of repeated use. Dependence can lead to addiction when the person finds that they cannot stop using heroin despite negative consequences. In 2018, a study showed that around 30% of people who tried heroin and continued to use it over the course of [...]
