Drug withdrawal refers to a set of symptoms that occur as a result of cessation from a drug or medication that one has habitually used for a prolonged period, which sometimes requires a medically managed detox. The signs of drug withdrawal are as varied as the substances that produce their effects. One can experience withdrawal…
Alcohol tolerance refers to the body’s response to prolonged exposure to liquor, its ability to both metabolize liquor, as well as its ability to rebound from its effects. Tolerance is a physical phenomenon that increases incrementally as consumption of liquor continues over a period of years. What emerges along with the increasing tolerance is the…
We often hear people asking the questions: Am I experiencing alcohol withdrawal symptoms? How do I know if I am going through Alcohol Withdrawal? The only way to answer that question is to consult a doctor. Acute alcohol withdrawal symptoms are a collection of symptoms that emerge after a person has stopped drinking. Typically, acute…
Different Types Of Drug Abuse People can abuse any substance, medication, compound, or drug that induces either altered states of consciousness, euphoria, or both. Most of this abuse can lead to severe withdrawal, which needs a medically managed detox if the individual wants to stop. The many types of drug abuse cover the entire spectrum…
Simply put, post-acute withdrawal syndrome (also known as PAWS) refers to a set of traits and impairments that occur following cessation of some drug or medication. They differ from acute withdrawal symptoms in that they follow in the wake of detoxification and often linger for indeterminate periods of time. Of course, it is not uncommon…
According to the APA, psychological dependency refers to a mental cycle where one is “dependent on a psychoactive substance for the reinforcement it provides.” This means that the physiological response to the medication or drug precipitates and simultaneously reinforces its continued abuse. For reasons of diagnostic criteria, this generally falls under the heading addiction and…
The phenomenon of tolerance emerges as one of the chief characteristics in the physiological and psychological make-up of every abuser, addict, or chemically dependent person. But what is the drug tolerance definition? Tolerance, simply put, refers to the process by which the body acclimates to the presence of an abused drug. Occurring simultaneously with tolerance…
Drug and Alcohol Interventions should never be confrontational. Emotions may span the entire spectrum of human experience from grief, helplessness, and anger, to disbelief, denial, and even joking about their plight. As a result, there’s a lot to know about how to conduct an intervention. Indeed, the first rule when considering an intervention is to…
Alcohol Abuse vs Addiction Many people do not know the difference between alcohol abuse vs addiction. For diagnostic purposes and purposes of treatment, professionals distinguish between Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Addiction. The main feature that set these two phenomena apart is that they tend to move in one direction: e.g., over time, Abuse leads to…
Signs of Alcohol Addiction Alcohol Addiction vs. Alcohol Abuse Alcoholism and alcohol abuse are not synonymous terms. Although people frequently use them interchangeably, there are qualities that differentiate one condition from the other. Clinically speaking, Alcohol Abuse manifests as a cluster of maladaptive behaviors that in their own right are highly destructive to the life of…
Physical Dependency Definition Physical Dependency refers to a state of chronic Dependence on a medication or drug resulting from prolonged abuse. The state is characteristically defined by an increase in Tolerance and Dependence in which negative consequences occur despite continued use. It is additionally defined by symptoms of withdrawal when cessation of the drug takes…
Compulsive gambling is an impulse control disorder in which the subject is driven by an overwhelming, uncontrollable urge to gamble. The impulse is progressive and becomes uncontrollable. It consumes more of the individual’s time, energy, and money. It can destroy everything meaningful in the person’s life. The compulsive gambler cannot control the impulse to gamble,…
Is Addiction Curable? Is Addiction Curable? Addiction isn’t curable – but it is treatable and it can be put into remission. This fact brings into debate the semantics of whether or not there is a cure for addiction. The truth is that those on both sides of the argument are probably correct. They may just…