Resuming Life After Inpatient Substance Use Disorder Treatment
For those with a substance use disorder, successful completion of an inpatient residential treatment program is a critical first step toward long-term recovery. What happens after you leave the program is equally critical. Recovery is a life-long process that takes planning and commitment. Successfully completing an inpatient program and then stepping back into your old […]
The Connection Between College Attendance and Binge Drinking
Binge drinking is defined as drinking a large amount of alcohol in a short period of time. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), binge drinking is a pattern of drinking that brings blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels to 0.08 g/dL. Drinkers typically reach this level after 4 “standard” drinks for […]
The Warning Signs of Alcohol Addiction
Statistics reported by the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) regarding alcohol abuse in the United States are frightening. Based on a 2015 survey, the NSDUH found: Alcohol use is the third leading preventable cause of death in the U.S., with about 88,000 people dying every year from alcohol-related causes. 26.9 percent of […]
What is Orthorexia?
Orthorexia nervosa (orthorexia) is characterized by an individual’s obsession to eat only foods they believe to be healthy and pure. People with orthorexia also tend to be hyper-focused on food preparation, and often exhibit rigid eating patterns. The National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA) states, “people with orthorexia become so fixated on so-called ‘healthy eating’ that […]
Florida Addiction Roundup: Current News and Legislation
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), there were more than 70,200 drug overdose deaths in the U.S. in 2017, with more than half involving opioids. NIDA also found that Florida physicians wrote 60.9 opioid prescriptions for every 100 people in 2017, above the national average of 58.7 prescriptions per 100. In response […]
National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA)
The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) is a nonprofit organization that helps people struggling with eating disorders. As described on their website, their mission is multi-pronged: Raise awareness about eating disorders Build communities of support and recovery Fund research related to eating disorders Deliver life-saving resources to those in need What are eating disorders? Eating […]
Understanding Meth Overdose and How to Help a Meth Addict
In order to understand how a person can overdose on meth, it is important to know what meth is, how it affects the body and brain, signs of addiction and the warning signs of an overdose. Methamphetamine, or “meth,” is a stimulant drug that affects the central nervous system. More potent than amphetamines like Adderall, […]
Active Duty Military, Veterans and Substance Abuse
Military personnel often face horrifying situations, including the threat of death, or other physical or mental harm. The trauma associated with these experiences leads some service members to use alcohol or drugs to manage their emotions and trauma. A 2011 study published in the American Journal of Public Health (AJPH) looked at the physical and […]
Medical Director named Top Doctor in Addiction Medicine
Tampa, FL – (June 24, 2019) – Turning Point of Tampa is proud to announce our Medical Director, Hardeep Singh, MD, has been named in Tampa Magazine’s Top Doctors 2019. Tampa Magazine conducts their survey annually by mailing more than 7,000 physicians in Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties to get their votes on the best […]
What is the Joint Commission and Why Does Accreditation Matter?
The Joint Commission, founded in 1951, is an independent, not-for-profit organization that accredits and certifies health care businesses and programs nationwide. The organization began as the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals (JCAH). In 1987, JCAH became the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), and in 2007 the name was shortened to the […]
Is Kratom Legal in Florida?
With the exception of Sarasota County, it is currently legal to purchase and consume kratom in the state of Florida. Although a few states either have banned or have pending legislation regarding kratom, the herb is legal in most states. The most recent Florida legislation seeking to determine whether kratom should be re-classified as a […]
How Family Members Can Help Support Someone in Recovery
Addiction can turn a person we love into someone unrecognizable. Addicts say and do things that are hurtful to family members, affecting the entire dynamic of the family unit. In addition to the emotional pain and erosion of trust caused by addiction, financial or legal problems may also result. However, recovery is possible for the […]
How Common are Eating Disorders?
Eating disorders are complex mental and physical illnesses typically characterized by disturbed eating habits accompanied by an intense fear of weight gain. Those who suffer from the most common eating disorders tend to have an abnormal focus on food, body weight and self-image. The National Eating Disorders Association estimates that 20 million women and 10 […]
Why is aftercare so important in recovery?
Recovery is a lifelong journey and can be difficult to do on your own. Luckily, an aftercare plan can help put into place a solid framework to help maintain your commitment to recovery. You and your treatment team can craft your aftercare plan together, incorporating your goals for the future and steps to help get […]
What is Dual Diagnosis?
Dual diagnosis, also called co-occurring disorder, dual disorder, or comorbidity, means a person has a diagnosis of both a substance use disorder and a mental health disorder. Because one disorder can mask or heighten symptoms of the other, it is often difficult to determine which came first, and may make it more difficult to diagnose. […]
How can I ensure my drug treatment center is ethical?
Addiction to alcohol, illicit drugs and pharmaceuticals is a rampant issue in America today. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) reports approximately 23.5 million Americans are in need of treatment for an illicit drug or alcohol abuse problem. This data shows a vast number of United States citizens are in need of […]
Treating Co-Occurring Disorders In 12 Step Recovery
Much has been written, discussed and studied around the common links between substance abuse and mental health. Long before scholars debated the actuality of such connections and scientific studies were first conducted on the subject, there was a pervasive anecdotal awareness that people struggling with addiction had a likelihood of experiencing additional forms of mental […]
What Is Abstinence?
The context in which people first hear the word ‘abstinence’ is not typically during recovery—however, for those undergoing treatment, it is a term that describes one of the cornerstones of a successful life post-addiction. Abstinence is used in addiction treatment to describe the process of abstaining—meaning not engaging in, or avoiding—from addictive substances and/or behaviors. […]
The Dangers of Cannabis Use
Marijuana laws are changing at a rapid pace across all 50 states. As of 2019, cannabis is fully illegal in only 10 U.S. states—with the laws and regulations of the remaining 40 ranging from decriminalization to full allowance of legal recreational use. In addition to the clear dangers that this ready availability presents to those […]
Is Addiction Genetic? This Study Could Unlock That Mystery
If you and your loved ones have struggled with addiction together, you may have heard the expression, “addiction must run in your family.” But how much influence do genetics actually have on addictive behaviors, and is there any way to predict whether future generations of family members will also suffer from addiction challenges? Taking a […]
How Stress Can Influence Addiction
We already know, through both medical research and personal experience, that stress can harm our mental and physical health. But did you know that ongoing stress can also lead to substance abuse challenges? Understanding Types of Stress The most common type of stress that we experience nearly every day is referred to as “acute stress,” […]
Understanding Healthy Coping Strategies
The road to recovery is neither short nor simple. Dealing with substance use issues requires continuous work and ongoing effort. In fact, it can be easy to replace one addiction with another. To help maintain your sobriety, consider these three coping strategies. Stay Healthy Getting healthy is a huge part of recovery. Overcoming the effects […]
Getting to Know the Staff at Turning Point of Tampa: Allison Tiisler – Nurse Manager
Allison is one of the most delightful, knowledgeable and friendly people that I work with, so I was very excited and pleased to learn that my next task for the day was to interview her for this blog. Ten years clean and sober at this writing, she actually started working at Turning Point of Tampa […]
Why Substance Abuse Education is So Important
Sometimes, when we want to avoid talking about a difficult subject, we try to pretend it does not exist or is unimportant. This is especially true of substance abuse. It is quite common for people in the midst of their addiction to be in a state of denial. They cannot comprehend how bad things are […]
