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

Don’t Detox on Your Own – It Could Endanger Your Life

Don’t Detox on Your Own – It Could Endanger Your Life What can I do to overcome my drug addiction? When you’re struggling with drug addiction, it can be hard to know where to turn. Addiction can make it seem hopeless. How do you overcome such a craving? How do you protect yourself from the…
ambien pills

How Long Does Ambien Last?

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 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…

Bringing Joy to the World

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…

How Is Methadone Prescribed?

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…

Resources For a Family Drug Intervention

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…

Men’s Drug Addiction The Dangers for Men

Men’s Drug Addiction—The Dangers for Men What are the specific consequences of drug addiction for men? If you’re a man struggling with drug addiction, then you must realize that drug abuse can have severe consequences. This is true for both men and women, but specifically men can have consequences that wouldn’t happen with women. Because…

Anabolic Steroid Use Among Teenagers

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…

Alcohol Poisoning: The Slow Death

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…

Common Forms of Sex Addiction

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….

How to Manage Emotions in Sobriety

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…

What Are The Long Term Side Effects Of Ambien Addiction?

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…

The Recovered Gentleman – issue 15

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…

The Recovered Gentleman – issue 02

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…
man with buspar addiction

Is Buspirone Addictive and Can it Get You High?

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…

Finding the Right Sponsor

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…

When Eating Disorders Co-Occur with Substance Abuse

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…

One Proud Mom – Son’s Addiction

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…
group of friends parties and drinks alcohol answering the question is alcohol a stimulant or depressant

Is Alcohol a Stimulant or Depressant?

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…

How a Healthy Diet Can Keep You Sober

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…

Make Yourself Whole Again

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…