Substance Use Therapy

Shrooms generally refer to Psilocybin mushrooms. They belong to a class of drugs known as hallucinogens. Hallucinogens change our thought processes, mood, and perceptions. There are three broad categories of hallucinogens (also referred to as psychedelics). Psilocybin is in the serotonin-related class along with LSD and DMT.

Cocaine is a short-acting central nervous system stimulant. A powerful one too. Its ability to increase our focus, alertness and minimize fatigue is largely the reason for its popularity. Cocaine has amassed a reputation as a party drug, due to the euphoria it produces as well as its influence on sexual appetite and performance. However, many people use it to bolster their school or work output.

Our society has some deeply held beliefs about what kinds of people use drugs and alcohol. This is largely due to the criminalization of addiction, alcohol not withstanding. Usually when people with substance use disorders are portrayed in movies and television, they are shown as devious and dangerous. They are portrayed as volatile and somehow morally compromised.

In 2019, methamphetamine was considered the number one drug threat in Texas. This is partially due to its relative cheap cost and widespread availability. And meth got more potent. Rather than relying on ephedrine and pseudoephedrine, meth is now often made across the border with phenyl-2-propanone (P2P). With this method, it is usually made into a liquid solution and then transported to Texas to "dry houses" where the drugs are prepared to be sold.

Breweries can be traced back 6,000 years to ancient Egypt and Babylonia. Wine based medications were written as far back as 2200 B.C. In medieval and renaissance England, adults and children were allotted 1 gallon of beer per day. George Washington even insisted that soldiers be provided with whiskey every day as part of their rations. (Fun fact, whiskey is a Gaelic word which roughly translates to “water of life”.) Why alcohol has been considered essential is complex a

Covid-19 has affected almost every aspect of our lives. Coverage of Covid-19 now dominates the news, locally and globally. Extreme measures are being taken worldwide to prevent the spread. Strong precautions are being taken to protect those identified as most vulnerable; the elderly and those with underlying medical conditions. There is another group that is highly vulnerable though they are getting very little attention. People who smoke, vape or who have substance use diso

Naloxone is a medication that can reverse an opioid overdose. Narcan is the brand name, naloxone is the generic name. The medication works by “knocking” the opioids out of opioid receptors in the brain. All opioids are central nervous system depressants. When taken in excess, they can slow or stop breathing. When naloxone is administered to someone experiencing an opioid induced overdose, it can reverse the effects.