Heroin is an opiate drug made from morphine, a substance derived from poppy plants indigenous to regions in Southeast Asia, and produced in Afghanistan and Mexico. There are different forms of heroin, distinctive by their appearance and purity. These include white powder, brown powder, and black tar heroin. Black tar heroin is less pure than […]

For individuals with an opiate use disorder, the biggest challenge to achieving sustained recovery is overcoming intense cravings. For this reason, relapse rates are very high for those who have completed detox and withdrawal. Controlling substance cravings is the key to maintaining sobriety. Methadone is a long-acting substitute opioid that binds to the same opioid […]

When benzodiazepines appeared on the scene, this sedative-hypnotic drug class was considered a safer alternative to barbiturates, a sedative first introduced in 1900. Valium, the first benzodiazepine on the market, was introduced in 1963, and by 1977, it was the world’s most prescribed drug. Alas, while benzodiazepines are not quite as dangerous as barbiturates, mostly […]

In treatment and in a practice of recovery, we are able to heal from our substance use disorder; but our bodies and minds are still subject to other issues. While the medical and psychiatric worlds grow more informed about the nature of substance use and how it relates to other illnesses, it can still be […]