Category: Substance Abuse

Table with addictive substances under black light

What Are the Most Addictive Substances?

The National Survey on Drug Use and Health estimates that more than 21 million Americans aged 12 and older have had a substance abuse disorder. Drug and alcohol addictions are common enough that if you haven’t experienced it yourself, someone you know most likely has.

Learning more about what substances are the most addictive can help you avoid developing an addiction problem in the future. If you are worried you might already have an addiction, this information might help you realize when it is time to get help.

What Is a Substance Addiction?

A substance addiction is a disease that impacts your brain and behavior. It is characterized by an inability to control your use of the substance. Addictive substances activate the pleasure center of the brain, which can cause someone to continue to use that substance repeatedly to get that experience or feeling.

What Are the Most Addictive Substances?

The National Institute on Drug Abuse regularly conducts studies and analyzes data regarding addictive substances. It has found that the top five most addictive substances include the following:

1.      Alcohol

Alcohol is a legal substance and is one of the most abused. It enhances mood by altering dopamine levels, however it also works as a central nervous system depressant.

2.      Heroin

Heroin is an illegal drug that works by activating opioid receptors in a person’s brain, which blocks feelings of pain, increases feelings of relaxation, and induces a sensation of euphoria with the way that it impacts dopamine levels.

3.      Nicotine

Nicotine is another legal substance that many people are addicted to. It triggers the brain’s reward center, which causes people to continue to use it and eventually become addicted.

4.      Methamphetamines

Methamphetamines are powerful stimulant drugs that cause a euphoric high. It is a particularly dangerous type of drug because tolerance develops quickly.

5.      Cocaine

Cocaine works by flooding the brain with dopamine, which is connected with pleasure. The effects are short-lived, so it is a substance that can quickly become addictive.

Trying to Stay Sober?

Tharros House is a sober living home that can help you live a sober life more enjoyably and effortlessly. Contact us today to learn more.

How Do I Stay Sober?

It takes hard work and dedication to recover from a substance use disorder. For many people, it will require a lifetime of dedication to stay on the sober track.

Unfortunately, relapses are common. Approximately 80% of those in recovery who have found long-term sobriety have experienced at least one relapse along the way. Staying sober is challenging for many people, but the more strategies you learn to identify triggers and cope with stress, the easier it can be to prevent a relapse.

Identify Your Personal Triggers

External triggers can be people, situations, places, and things that elicit cravings or thoughts associated with substance abuse. Internal triggers are thoughts, feelings, or emotions that are associated with substance abuse.

Identifying both your external and internal triggers can help you remain sober. When you know what could cause or contribute to a relapse, you can then create a plan to avoid or prepare for these triggers.

Build Healthy Relationships

An essential part of the recovery process is building healthy relationships. As someone newly sober, you may have noticed that some of your past relationships were unhealthy or even toxic. You may need to make changes with many relationships in your life, including cutting ties or limiting contact with people with whom you used to partake in substance abuse.

It can be beneficial to work on improving relationships with supportive friends and family. You can also join support groups and find peers that are also working hard to maintain their sobriety.

Sober Living at Tharros House

Tharros House is a sober living facility located in the Boston, Massachusetts area. Sober individuals who want to maintain their sobriety and reside in a collaborative living environment are an excellent fit for Tharros House. Contact us today to learn more about how Tharros House can help you continue and strengthen your sobriety.

Chart for Substance Abuse Statistics in Massachusetts

Substance Abuse Statistics in Massachusetts

If you have recently beat a substance abuse addiction, you may be wondering about what the latest statistics show about substance abuse and recovery. If you live in Massachusetts, the state website can be a good resource to learn about these statistics.

Statistics on Substance Abuse in Massachusetts

The State of Massachusetts tracks the number of residents who seek help for substance abuse. These statistics include a breakdown of gender, race, age, and other factors. This information can be useful to watch for trends and find ways to intervene in groups that are the most at risk. The latest available data on the state website is for the year 2017.

Types of Abused Substances

In the year 2017, there were 98,944 total admissions for treatment for substance abuse. Heroin was the most common substance for which Massachusetts residents sought treatment, making up 52.8% of primary reasons for admittance. Alcohol was the next most common primary substance, with 32.8%. Other reasons for admittance included substance abuse of cocaine, marijuana, stimulants, and opioids.

Other Categories of Statistics

The same set of data also included a breakdown of substance abuse-related admissions for treatment according to gender, age, and race. In 2017, of those seeking treatment for substance abuse, 67.8% were male, and 32.2% were female.

The age group of 31-40 had the most people seeking treatment, making up 30.9% of the total. The next highest age group was from 26-30, which made up 21.7% of the total.

In 2017, 77.1% of those seeking treatment for substance abuse were white. African American individuals made up 7.3% of the total, while 6.3% were multi-racial. 9.3% of those seeking treatment identified as “other.”

The Tharros House is a sober living home in Massachusetts where you can learn the necessary tools to live a sober life and make friends with other like-minded people on a similar path. This living environment is proven to promote sobriety and healthy habits to help make living a sober life more fun and less stressful.

Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you.

substance abuse in Boston Massachusetts

Substance Abuse in Massachusetts

When you or someone you love is struggling with substance abuse, it can be difficult for you to accept it.  One important step toward getting help for addiction, whether it is your own or someone else’s, is to first understand how alcohol or other drugs affect you or your loved one.

Signs of a Substance Abuse Disorder

  • Lack of control and/or judgment
  • Neglect of work or home life responsibilities
  • Isolation from friends and loved ones
  • Deception, such as hiding how much alcohol or drugs were consumed
  • Loss of interest in formerly enjoyable activities
  • Risk-taking behaviors
  • Experiencing withdrawal symptoms even when not using alcohol or the substance of choice, such as anxiety, irritability, sweating, loss of appetite, nausea/vomiting.

Negative Consequences of Substance Abuse

Substance abuse can have many detrimental effects.  Over time, a person abusing drugs or alcohol can develop health issues, and prolonged substance abuse can also change a person’s brain and judgment capabilities.  Additionally, alcohol and drug use that develops into substance abuse can result in family and relationship problems, as well as financial issues and legal problems.

Alcohol

One commonly abused substance is alcohol.  Alcohol is a depressant which works by slowing down the body’s central nervous system.  Alcohol has an effect on how a person’s brain communicates with their body.  The use of alcohol can affect each organ in the body and also can harm a fetus in development.

Opioids

Opioids are another type of drug that is commonly abused.  These drugs are typically safe if taken for just a short period of time when prescribed by a doctor, but they carry the risk of being misused.  The misuse of opioids can result in overdose and even death.

If you or someone you love is suffering from substance abuse in Massachusetts, it is important to seek help and begin the addiction recovery process to avoid negative consequences from addiction.

Alcohol Abuse Side Effects Path in Boston Massachusetts

Alcohol Abuse and Side Effects of Withdrawal

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, nearly 87 percent of adults have had at least one drink during their lifetime.  While many addictive substances are illegal, alcohol is legal in the United States to those over the age of 21, and this substance is easily obtainable.

Many people are able to drink mild to moderate amounts of alcohol on a regular basis without any negative health consequences.  The Mayo Clinic has even published findings that drinking in moderation may even have some positive health benefits.  However, heavy drinking or binge drinking can lead to an alcohol problem.  Binge drinking is typically defined as drinking more than four drinks in a span of a few hours for a woman, or more than five drinks in a few hours for a man.

Additional Facts and Statistics Regarding Alcohol Abuse

  • It is estimated that approximately 16.6 million American adults had an alcohol use disorder in 2013.
  • One of every three visits to an emergency room is related to alcohol consumption.
  • Approximately 88,000 people die each year from an alcohol-related cause, making alcohol the third-leading preventable cause of death in the U.S.

Side Effects of Alcohol Withdrawal

Alcohol withdrawal is generally thought to begin between six hours and 24 hours after the last drink was consumed, according to American Family Physician.  There are three major stages of alcohol withdrawal.

Stage One

Stage One of alcohol withdrawal typically includes mild symptoms, such as anxiety, nausea, stomach pain and/or vomiting, loss of appetite, mood swings, heart palpitations, and depression.

Stage Two

Stage Two of alcohol withdrawal includes more moderate symptoms, such as irregular heart rate, sweating, irritability, mental confusion, increased blood pressure, and increased body temperature.

Stage Three

Stage Three of alcohol withdrawal includes severe symptoms, such as fever, seizures, severe confusion, and hallucinations.

Tharros Sober Living House

Rehabilitation from alcohol abuse isn’t usually a quick process.  It requires effort, and it takes time.  Building a solid foundation will serve you for your entire life, which is the reason why we solely accept clients ready to put sobriety and recovery as their top priority.  To learn more about our approach and get answers to common questions, please visit https://tharroshouse.com/faq/.

Water Lily Sober Living Boston Massachusetts

Preventing Mental Illness and Substance Abuse

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) utilizes early intervention strategies in its efforts to reduce the impact of substance use and mental disorders in America.

Mental and Substance Use Disorder Statistics

Substance use and mental disorders can have a major impact on the health of individuals, along with their families and their communities.  Approximately 9.8 million adults aged 18 and older in America had a serious mental illness in 2014, and 1.7 million of these adults are classified as young adults, aged 18 to 25.  Additionally, about 15.7 million adults and 2.8 million youth (aged 12 to 17) reported suffering a major depressive episode during the last year.

Drug and alcohol use can lead to the development of other chronic diseases, like heart disease and diabetes.  Dealing with the impact of substance abuse is thought to cost Americans an estimated $600 billion dollars per year.

In 2014, about 22.5 million Americans that were 12 years old or older reported needing treatment for illicit drug use or alcohol.  These types of disorders are included in the top conditions that result in disability and have a high burden of disease in the U.S.  As a result, these disorders result in high costs to families, health systems, and employers.  It is estimated that by the year 2020, mental and substance abuse disorders will become a major cause of disability throughout the world, surpassing all other physical diseases.

Mental Illness and Substance Abuse Prevention

Selective prevention strategies focus on assisting people to develop the attitudes, knowledge, and skills necessary to make positive choices and change harmful behavior.  These strategies can be implemented in a classroom setting.

Universal prevention approaches incorporate the usage of environmental prevention strategies.  Environmental prevention strategies are tailored to local communities and address root causes of risky behavior by creating healthy environments.

Are you or a loved one dealing with substance abuse?

Sober living houses, like the Tharros House, can be a helpful place to begin your recovery process. Visit www.tharroshouse.com to learn more.