Addiction

Addiction Addiction Treatment Programs Meth Addiction

Meth and Mental Health

Methamphetamines are part of a highly addictive class of central nervous system stimulants. Known colloquially as meth, this drug can mask, mute, or trigger mental health symptoms. Whether someone uses meth to self-medicate or whether meth abuse uncovers an underlying predisposition to a mental health disorder, the side effects of meth use are dangerous enough in their own right to cause concern. Any abuse of or addiction to meth should…

Melissa BeitlerFebruary 26, 2023

Addiction Addiction Recovery Addiction Treatment Programs

Importance of DBT for Addiction

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is considered extremely effective in the treatment of substance use disorders (SUDs), including in dual diagnosis treatment, when a mental health disorder co-occurs with addiction. This form of behavioral therapy has been around since the 1970s, when Marsha Lineman, a psychologist, developed it using principles of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). Originally used for borderline personality disorder, its efficacy for other mental health diagnoses as well as addiction…

Melissa BeitlerFebruary 13, 2023

Addiction Addiction Treatment Programs Inpatient Addiction Treatment Program Outpatient Addiction Treatment Program Teen Addiction

Social Media and Teens: What are the Risks?

If you have teenagers in the house, you want to do what you can to keep them safe while still giving them the freedom they need to explore their world. That can be a difficult balance to find, but it's possible. One of the biggest concerns you probably have is with social media and teens. No longer a fad, various social media platforms have become everyday aspects of modern living.…

Melissa BeitlerFebruary 1, 2023

Addiction Addiction Treatment Programs Opioid Addiction Teen Addiction

Recognizing Opioid Abuse in Teens

Close to a million teens abuse opioids every year. However, not all of them become addicted. Opioids are highly addictive, and teens are vulnerable to addiction because the parts of the brain involved in making judgments and avoiding risks aren't fully developed in teens. If you see signs that your teen may be abusing opioids, whether it’s prescription painkillers or street drugs like heroin or fentanyl, look for a reputable…

Melissa BeitlerJanuary 16, 2023

Addiction Addiction Treatment Programs Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Therapy

5 Benefits of Behavioral Therapy

Since the first behavioral therapies were developed early in the last century, psychologists have understood that negative, unhealthy, or destructive behaviors can be changed by shifting the thoughts, beliefs, and emotions that underlie human behavior. Behavioral therapy was originally developed for mental health diagnoses, but it has been established as being highly effective for addiction as well. When there are co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders, behavioral therapies are…

Melissa BeitlerDecember 5, 2022

Addiction Addiction Treatment Programs Heroin Addiction Treatment Center

Effects of Heroin on the Brain

In the US, heroin was originally used in pain relief, along with morphine which is, like heroin, also derived from the opium poppy. However, heroin became illegal in 1924 when its highly addictive qualities were realized. Morphine, much less potent, is still in use today for medical purposes. Heroin and other opiates, like all recreational psychoactive drugs, operate within the brain to create a euphoric high for those who use…

Melissa BeitlerNovember 1, 2022

Addiction Addiction Recovery Alcohol Addiction Alcohol Addiction Treatment Center

Binge Drinking in Teens

Teenagers aren't of legal age to drink alcohol. Unfortunately, consuming alcohol is portrayed in the media as being cool, fun, and even thrilling. Teens believe alcohol will make them more interesting and fun to be with, freer, happier, and less scared. And they aren't wrong. Alcohol can loosen them up and, for a short time, feel good. Unfortunately, it's much less common for teens to be exposed to reality-based portrayals…

Melissa BeitlerOctober 17, 2022

Addiction Addiction Recovery Addiction Treatment Programs Dual Diagnosis Mental Health

How Addiction Can Impact Mental Health

When addiction and mental health disorders co-exist, they are called co-occurring disorders. These overlapping diagnoses make treatment all the more important and also challenging. But in a dual diagnosis treatment program, you can receive the needed help. Addiction and mental health therapists work together to address both disorders simultaneously under a coordinated treatment plan. To learn more about dual diagnosis treatment for co-occurring disorders, reach out to Pennsylvania Adult &…

Melissa BeitlerAugust 15, 2022

Addiction Addiction Recovery Addiction Treatment Programs Drug Addiction

How to Stop Painkiller Abuse

Prescription painkillers have played a major role in the opioid epidemic since the introduction of oxycodone, or Oxy, in the 1990s as an allegedly safe and non-addictive pain-reliever. In time, it became clear that Oxy is as addictive as other opioids, and the spike in the abuse of prescription pain medications at that time was notable. For anyone struggling with painkiller abuse or prescription drug addiction, Pennsylvania Adult & Teen…

Melissa BeitlerAugust 10, 2022

Addiction Addiction Recovery Addiction Treatment Programs Alcohol Addiction Detox

Understanding the Stages of Detox

There is no addiction recovery without the very first step: withdrawal. When you stop drinking or using drugs, your body has to adjust. This process of withdrawal is challenging because addiction also means dependence. Your body and brain have become physically dependent on drugs and/or alcohol and must now relearn how to function clean. Knowing what to expect when you enter a professional detox program helps you prepare. The benefits…

Melissa BeitlerAugust 8, 2022