Substance Use Therapy

A CNS depressant is a drug that slows down the central nervous system. Many CNS depressants work by increasing the activity of the neurotransmitter GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid). GABA is a chemical that prevents or delays the delivery of messages between cells. Examples of the most common CNS depressants are substances most of us have used at one time or another. They include alcohol, opioids, barbiturates, and benzodiazepines.

Most people don’t think of cannabis as something that can make us sick. Especially considering it is frequently taken to improve nausea. Since cannabis has activity at a variety of receptors, it has a unique ability to be both a pro- and anti-emetic (something that can make us vomit and something that can ease vomiting.)

Drinking less is a reasonable goal and for many an important way to begin taking better care of themselves.

Prior to 2008, the only drugs you could (usually) buy at the gas station were the legal and well controlled drugs like tobacco and...

Important information to reduce risk of harm when using Xylazine.

The human body is complex, and the human mind is creative, thus we have found all kinds of ways to get drugs into our bodies. The method...

You may have recognized that the way you drink is causing you some problems. Perhaps you want to change your drinking patterns, but you...

The abundance of treatment options is ultimately a positive, but it can make selecting the right one for you an arduous process. Although there is a lot to consider about what makes an approach right for you, several key things to consider are: setting, intensity, approach, finances and insurance.

Ketamine has an interesting history. Developed in the early 1960’s, it has well established safety as an anesthetic and analgesic. Yes, it is used as an animal anesthetic, but it was also widely used during the Vietnam War and its therapeutic potential was noted in the 1970’s, but research into various applications was thwarted (along with many psychoactive substances) during Nixon’s war on drugs efforts.

In the world of substance use treatment, the term codependency is used with such great frequency it has become almost synonymous with addiction.

Overdose deaths have been receiving massive amounts of coverage for the past two years as the numbers continue to rise.

Do you know someone who identifies in the LGBTQ+ community? Odds are that you do. If so, there is a chance this person, like others you...

Although harm reduction efforts have been around for almost five decades, it is safe to say that most Americans are relatively unfamiliar with it. Even professionals in the mental health and medical community are frequently unaware of it, or more problematically, many are opposed to it.

We know how we feel when we drink, but how well do we understand the mysterious alchemy which is taking place? Why might we feel more relaxed? Why might we be interested in stealing traffic cones? Why is there vomit on my refrigerator? Depending on your relationship with alcohol, you might have more serious and worrisome questions, like what are the effects of alcohol on my brain and body and are they permanent? Or why is it feeling hard not to drink?

Many of us use or come to depend on the effects of drugs without quite understanding how they work. All drugs (well the good ones anyway) affect our brain and are thusly referred to as psychoactive drugs. A psychoactive drug is one that crosses the blood brain barrier and subsequently cause changes in our mood, perception, and brain function. This includes everything from coffee to heroin.

In 2020, Texas saw an increase in overdose deaths of 31.9%. Just two years earlier, GovernorAbbott blocked two bills, Senate Bill 305 and House Bill 2432, despite significant support from the House Select Committee on Opioids and Substance Abuse.

Hangovers may be ubiquitous, but research around on the topic is not. Surprising, right? Apparently, the research is so scant, they have not even produced an agreed upon definition. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism defines a hangover as “set of symptoms that occur as a consequence of drinking too much.” They then provide a list of symptoms so long it calls to mind the prescription drug commercials and their possible side effects.

As grim as these numbers may be, the situation is not hopeless. There are steps that people who are actively using can take to keep themselves and others safe. Below are some tips and resources to help reduce harm.

Change is hard, especially changing our habits. Compounding the difficulty is often the expectation from others and ourselves, that change should happen quickly. Our modern society is partially to blame for this. Entire bathroom remodels are shown in 30-minute episodes. The 8 Minute Ab work out video did not make $20 million because we are all amazing at being patient. So, we decide need, want, must make a change and then we become utterly defeated because…change is hard.

Historically, we have been taught to use the tough love approach or begin scheduling a dramatic intervention. This often results in shame and judgment, even if that is not what was intended. Frequently, these approaches backfire or are just simply ineffective. Subsequently, there is often anger and resentment on both sides, which does not help anyone involved.