Addiction Blog. Insight and Advice
from Our Austin Area Addiction Recovery Experts.

How Long Does Ambien Take To Kick In? Ambien is available in both fast-acting and extended-action formulas, but how long does it take for Ambien to kick in? The effects of fast-acting Ambien will be greatest within 1.5 to 2 hours after it is first ingested. How long does ambien take to work on a…

How Family Is Important to Drug Addiction Recovery How does drug addiction impact my family? It’s well known that drug addiction has a huge effect on your family, and it can even tear families apart in severe situations. An addiction by any family member impacts the entire family, and can lead to severe consequences for…

Recovery begins with a decision to stop destructive behaviors and begin a new life, one without drugs or alcohol. The holiday rush is here and with that come parties, social events and gatherings which may trigger a desire to relapse. Giving back to others while coping with personal challenges in recovery might feel difficult but…

Methadone belongs to a class of synthetic-agents called “opiate analgesics.” Essentially, these drugs distract certain brain regions that keep us hooked on opiates: namely, the parts responsible for the euphoria.Methadone is often a godsend to those determined to quit. The prescribing of methadone is common practice; however, doctors must be registered with the DEA as…

Sometimes, all we can do is let an loved one addicted to drugs hit rock bottom.If rock bottom fails to deter them, further action becomes necessary, often in the form of a stiff, painful ultimatum.Although the popular A&E program Intervention makes this process out to be messy, painful and dramatic, an intervention is actually a…

Parents of teenagers may be so concerned over their children’s use of alcohol or drugs that they discount the risks of anabolic steroid use and abuse. Yet statistics show that a small but growing number of teenagers are turning to anabolic steroids and other performance enhancing drugs for improved athletic performance or to address issues…

Equating alcohol poisoning with slow death is something of a misnomer. Alcohol poisoning is not an instantaneous event, but if you consume a large amount of alcohol in a very short period of time, alcohol poisoning can kill you in a matter of a few hours. Individuals who succumb to alcohol poisoning often fall into…

The term “sex addiction” is a broad categorical reference to a number of different activities that are related to obsessive or compulsive sexual conduct. Those activities include sexual fantasies, seduction and role playing, voyeurism and exhibitionism, bartering or paying for sex, sexual relationships with anonymous individuals, and at the extreme, violent, intrusive, or sado-masochistic sex….

Sobriety is not all sunshine and roses, all the time. Life is certainly better sober, but life still happens and sometimes that can be difficult. Without old behaviors to rely on, such as drinking or using drugs, it can feel confounding to figure out how to navigate life. When an emotional bottom happens, the feelings…

If you have suffered a sleep disorder, or if you are taking a lengthy transcontinental flight, your physician might prescribe Ambien to help you sleep. Ambien (or, in its generic form, “zolpidem”) is a non-traditional sedative that has a depressant effect on your central nervous system. It works directly on your brain by slowing down…

FINDING YOUR WAY BACK For many years I played guitar in rock bands. Specifically, I was a punk rock guitar player. It was more than just the music. Punk rock and playing guitar in punk bands made up a huge part of my identity. And of course, punk rock being what it is, this involved…

Before getting sober, the idea of being in “recovery” was something I reserved for older people or squares. Of course, I could handle my drugging and drinking. Only losers or desperate sorts needed a support group and spirituality to endure life. The irony is that I didn’t evaluate myself in such low terms. Living on…

BuSpar, also known as buspirone, is an anti-anxiety medication. Many consider this a low-risk medication, but other people are struggling with addiction. Prescription medications can be abused by people, which makes it important to be educated. Knowing how the drug works can lower the chance of addiction. Why Was BuSpar Taken Off The Market? While…

If you’re new to recovery and the family of 12 step communities, you may not know what to look for when it comes to a sponsor. A sponsor is not a requirement for recovery, but they are a helpful tool to support and guide you on your journey of sobriety, while taking you through the…

Eating disorders are frequently assumed to exclusively belong to women, due to mainstream culture and widely accepted stigmatization. The number of men affected by eating disorders is rapidly growing. Also on the rise is co-occurring eating disorders with substance abuse. According to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), 50% of persons affected by eating disorders…

I cannot imagine what our family’s life would be like today if a friend had not insisted that I go to that Al-Anon meeting last fall. I was sick and tired of talking and worrying about addiction, living with an addict, and didn’t want to be around pitiful loved ones of alcoholics. In my usual…

You may wonder whether alcohol is a depressant or stimulant because it can create both types of intoxicating effects. If you drink, you may experience both stimulating effects and depressant ones. It can be either of these effects that attracts you to alcohol and traps you in the cycle of addiction. Understanding the effect alcohol…

An individual who is in an addiction recovery program may be overwhelmed by the many elements and aspects of that program, and he may not want to add any secondary or extraneous pieces into the mix. Maintaining a healthy and balanced diet should be viewed as one of the primary components of the program rather…

Drug addiction and alcoholism will rob an individual of every opportunity to live a complete and well-rounded life. Procuring drugs and alcohol gradually becomes the sole concentration and purpose of the addict’s existence to the exclusion of family, friends, and career. Addiction rehab and recovery will help the addict to break his physical and chemical…