Prescription opioids are not to be taken lightly. Drugs like OxyContin, Percocet, and Vicodin are prescribed at unbelievably high rates, even amid an opioid addiction epidemic. While such drugs can alleviate pain, they are highly addictive and can dramatically alter the course of one's life. Last week, we shared the...
Opioid use disorder most often begins with prescription painkillers, either prescribed by a doctor or diverted from a friend or family member. Opioid narcotics like oxycodone and hydrocodone are highly addictive. The former medication has made a lot of news in recent years owing to the litany of lawsuits...
At Hemet Valley Recovery Center & Sage Retreat, our thoughts and prayers are with the families who have been severely impacted by the pandemic. We understand that millions of Americans are grieving and fearful of contracting the coronavirus. In many states, the public health crisis is worsening, so it...
Amid a global pandemic, it can be challenging to remember that America was already facing a national addiction epidemic before COVID-19 washed ashore. Now the country is faced with two public health crises; one is two decades old, and the other just a few months. However, in a short...
It's hard to imagine how much deadlier the American opioid addiction epidemic would be if it were not for naloxone. Often sold under the brand name Narcan, naloxone is a drug that can reverse the potentially fatal effects of an opioid overdose. If the naloxone is administered in a timely...
As the American addiction epidemic rages on, the catalyst of which is believed to be opioids, it's easy to forget the age-old history of pain-killing narcotics. Not that the origins of opium-based drugs have any bearing on the lives of addicts, but acknowledging previous attempts to rein in addiction...
Recent reports indicate that methamphetamine use is surging in California and other areas of the country. The Golden State's proximity to the Mexican border means that a large amount of meth finds its way into the hands of Californians. If you have been reading the news about today's meth,...
Chronic pain affects millions of Americans. The standard treatment for persistent discomfort is prescription narcotics—opioids. When prescribed responsibly and taken as directed for short durations, they are a relatively safe method of mitigating pain. However, drugs like oxycodone and hydrocodone are overprescribed, and they have a high propensity for...
