“Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise,” wrote Benjamin Franklin in Poor Richard’s Almanack in the 18th century. “It’s important to get enough sleep. Sleep helps keep your mind and body healthy,” reads more recent advice from the US Department of Health and Human Services. Getting enough sleep […]
22
Jun
Jun
America’s addiction crisis continues unabated. Last year, more than 107,000 Americans died of drug overdoses, setting another tragic record in the nation’s escalating overdose epidemic, according to an estimate published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in May. The provisional 2021 data translates to roughly one US overdose death every 5 minutes […]
10
Jun
Jun
One of the eleven criteria of a substance use disorder listed in the latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), is the recurrent use of the substance in situations in which it is physically hazardous. All too often these situations involve operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated. Every day, about […]
23
May
May
“More than 900 Coloradans died of fentanyl last year — more than the number killed in homicides or traffic crashes,” reported the Denver Post in April. This month, the state reacted to the crisis by approving HB22-1326 but it took a conference committee appointed by the House and Senate to come up with compromise language […]
29
Apr
Apr
Fentanyl deaths are soaring in Colorado and many overdoses are occurring as users unknowingly ingest other drugs (such as heroin) laced with the powerful synthetic opioid. In April, for example, Shanna Lewis reported on Colorado Public Radio (CPR) that deaths involving fentanyl have been doubling annually over the last five years in El Paso County: […]
22
Apr
Apr
Alcohol consumption is one of the leading contributors to the global burden of disease and alcohol use disorder (AUD) is one of the most prevalent mental health conditions around the world, with harmful effects on physical, cognitive, and social functioning. Chronic excessive alcohol use is associated with a multitude of adverse effects, including (but not […]
14
Apr
Apr
Drug and alcohol problems can be a tricky issue for human resource managers. Many Americans who misuse illegal drugs and alcohol are employed. For many decades, employers have been trying to detect job seekers and workers who misuse substances by requiring drug tests. Last year, the percentage of US employees testing positive for a drug […]
31
Mar
Mar
Detoxification is not an easy time for patients in early recovery. Many are still seriously struggling with their addiction while experiencing withdrawal symptoms. At Valiant Living Detox and Assessment, the team likes to start the healing process for patients in a slightly different way—not just with medicine. “We have always been interested in redefining detoxification […]
11
Mar
Mar
“Addictions, including substance use disorders (SUDs), are multistep conditions that, by definition, require exposure to an addictive agent. The wide variety of addictive agents encompasses drugs, foods, sex, video gaming, and gambling. Any of these agents may lead to an ‘addicted state’ through neurobiological pathways partially overlapping with those involved in addiction to psychoactive substances,” […]
18
Feb
Feb
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) still defines addiction as “a chronic, relapsing disorder characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use despite adverse consequences.” Although Harvard Professor of Psychiatry in the Field of Addiction Medicine John Kelly et al. were skeptical of the “chronic, relapsing” characterization of addiction in their 2019 study, they still […]
