Trauma can feel like a powerful wind, and can leave a person feeling broken and lost. When someone is hurting like that, it’s not uncommon to turn to anything that can make the pain go away, even for just a little while. That’s where substances come in.
COVID flexibilities allowing buprenorphine prescribing without first requiring an in-person exam are set to expire. The TREATS Act would make these flexibilities permanent to preserve expanded treatment access.
Developed in Switzerland, the Bernese Method allows your loved one to continue using their opioid of choice at first, while adding in small, increasing doses of buprenorphine at the same time. This gradual approach has led to promising results, as patients report the process to be more manageable and less overwhelming.
Stimulants, which include cocaine and amphetamines, speed up the body’s system, which increases blood pressure and heart rate. This can result in serious health issues, and they are often involved in overdoses.
Opioids have been involved in most overdoses in the U.S. over the past several years. These include heroin, morphine, prescription opioids and synthetic opioids like fentanyl. While you may wish that your loved one not use opioids at all, if they do, here are some harm reduction strategies for opioid use that you can share with them to reduce their risk of illness and death.
Regular drinking can have serious health consequences, including the risk of several kinds of cancer. You may wish that your loved one not drink at all, but if they do use alcohol, occasionally or frequently, here are some strategies you can share with them to reduce the risks associated with use.
Dabbing is a method of consuming marijuana in a concentrated form. Referred to as “dabs,” these marijuana concentrates usually look like dark brown or yellow-colored wax and can feel very sticky and gummy. Marijuana dabs are used by vaporizing the concentrates on a hot surface and inhaling the resulting fumes. Slang terms for dabs include butane hash oil, honey oil, budder, crumble and shatter.
The SAFE in Recovery Act would make care more accessible for parents with SUD, prevent undue family separation, and ensure effective treatment and wraparound services are available to families.
Having co-occurring depression and substance use can make both conditions worse and harder to treat. A loved one may use substances to cope with their depression, but this can lead to using more and more of the substance to get relief.
Are your loved one’s concerning thoughts, emotions and behaviors the result of a mental health disorder or a substance use disorder? Determining differential diagnosis is important because treatment for a mental health disorder can be very different from treatment for a substance use disorder.
Support can include recognizing that there is a problem; motivating them to get help; navigating the treatment system; and helping them sustain progress in recovery. It can be a significant emotional time and financial commitment, but research shows that family involvement improves outcomes.
A form of treatment for alcohol use disorder that focuses on reducing use rather than complete abstinence, the Sinclair method may be an option to consider if your loved one is struggling with alcohol use.
Test strips that can detect the presence of fentanyl, xylazine, and other adulterants in drugs are a critical harm reduction tool but are considered illegal drug paraphernalia in many states. The Ensuring Nationwide Access to Test Strips Act would ensure that test strips for all substances are permitted in all states.
Starting on the path to recovery can be challenging, but there is a new type of earpiece that may be able to help ease the pain of withdrawal symptoms and assist in the treatment process.
The Supporting Families Through Addiction Act will provide critical funding needed to expand the availability of support services for families impacted by addiction.
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