Signs of Heroin Addiction

Signs of Heroin Addiction

In 2020, overdose deaths in New Mexico reached an all-time high. Opioids such as heroin significantly contributed to this tragic loss of life. Heroin comes from morphine, which is found in the seed pod of opium poppy plants. These plants are commonly grown in Southeast and Southwest Asia, Columbia, and Mexico. Opioids such as heroin…

Meth Side Effects

Meth Side Effects

In 2019, the Albuquerque Journal reported that meth was “pure, potent, cheap, and available” in New Mexico. Due to its ease of production with easy-to-get items, Methamphetamine is a common substance misused in New Mexico and the United States. Unfortunately, meth has several undesirable side effects. Meth has an adverse impact on a person’s appearance…

Heroin Overdose

Heroin Overdose

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, around 3,000 New Mexico citizens use heroin every year. Heroin is an opioid manufactured using morphine. Morphine is a naturally occurring substance found in the seeds of the poppy plant. It is possible to overdose on heroin when enough of the substance is taken to…

Fentanyl Side Effects

Fentanyl Side Effects

The side effects of fentanyl use make it one of the most addictive and deadly drugs on the market. Fentanyl is a highly addictive synthetic opioid that is 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. The effects of fentanyl use are wide-ranging, affecting the body and mind. Understanding the…

Signs of Fentanyl Addiction

Signs of Fentanyl Addiction

In recent years, fentanyl and other synthetic opioids are reportedly the most common cause of overdose-related deaths. In the US alone, over 150 people die from synthetic opioid overdoses daily, and fentanyl is largely responsible for the uptick in overdose deaths reported in recent years. Fentanyl addiction can be difficult to pinpoint because, many times,…

Fentanyl Identification

Fentanyl Identification

Would you know fentanyl if you saw it? In 2021, New Mexico had 304 Fentanyl-related overdoses. Contributing to this number is the fact that fentanyl is often mixed with other substances to increase the effects. This means people are taking fentanyl without knowing it. Understanding the characteristics of fentanyl and how to test for it…

Signs of Alcoholism

Signs of Alcoholism

Are you regularly drinking more than you plan to when you go out for drinks with friends? Do you experience memory loss after a night of drinking? Do you start to feel anxiety, shakiness, or flu-like symptoms if you have gone too long without a drink? These are signs that you, or a person you…

Side Effects of Alcoholism

Side Effects of Alcoholism

We are all familiar with a drunk person trying, and failing miserably, to walk into a straight line. Drunken antics, a lack of inhibition, slurred speech, poor motor control, and glassy eyes are all common side effects of alcohol use and typically end with a hangover the next morning. Beyond the immediate effects, when alcohol…

Fentanyl Overdose

Fentanyl Overdose

Around 2 out of 3 overdose deaths in New Mexico involve an opioid such as fentanyl. Fentanyl is a powerful medication designed to treat people who are in extreme pain but is increasingly taken as an illicit substance due to its euphoric effects. A fentanyl overdose can be deadly, but life-saving treatments are available. Individuals…

Stages of Alcoholism

Stages of Alcoholism

Many see alcohol use disorder, the clinical term for alcoholism, as a binary issue. A person is either an alcoholic or they are not. According to experts, this is not an accurate representation of the spectrum of alcohol use. In the early 60’s researchers started to notice discernable stages of alcoholism. Over time, due to…

Alcohol Withdrawals

Alcohol Withdrawals

Alcohol withdrawal happens when a person that regularly consumes a significant amount of alcohol stops drinking. Chronic alcohol use causes the body’s nervous system to be constantly on high alert. This doesn’t change overnight when a person stops drinking, causing the experience known as alcohol withdrawal as the body readjusts to the “new” normal. How…

Fentanyl Withdrawals

Fentanyl Withdrawals

The average person may not be as familiar with the drug fentanyl as they are heroin or morphine, but fentanyl is much more potent than either. The drug was developed as a way to reduce the pain of terminally ill cancer patients, and it reduces pain by targeting receptors in the brain and spinal cord….