Alcoholism Blog

Alcohol and drug use can progress into abuse and even addiction so insidiously that sometimes people do not realize that it has become a problem for them and those around them. The following self-assessment tests can help you determine whether or not it may be time to get help.

• Alcohol Abuse Screening Quiz
  
• Drug Abuse Screening Quiz
  
• Could You Be Depressed?
  
• Is Your Child Using Drugs or Alcohol?
  

Questions for Families:

• Are You Troubled by Someone's Drinking?
  
• Are You Enabling an Alcoholic or Addict?
  
• Did You Grow Up With a Problem Drinker?
  
• Domestic Abuse Screening Quiz
  
• Adult Child Screening Quiz
  

A drug-free workplace kit, designed for businesses large or small, provides information, resources and tools for creating and maintaining drug-free workplace policies and programs. The kit is available free of charge from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Read more...

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) has been proven to help people stop abusing alcohol and drugs, but the therapy can't work if it is not available. Researchers at Yale University have developed computer software based on CBT that significantly reduces relapse and could reach many more people.

Related Information:

• Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Addiction
  
• Components of Effective Treatment Programs
  
• Alcohol and Drug Treatment and Rehab Centers

^{Photo: Clipart.com}

The manufacturers of the painkilling drug OxyContin claim they have come up with a harder-to-abuse version of the pill, but a U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panel wants more testing to make sure. Purdue Pharma claims that adding a coating to the tablets will make them harder to crush so that they cannot be snorted or injected. Read more...

 •  Gary Dourdan Faces Felony Charges
     CSI actor officially charged.
 •  Amy Winehouse Arrested Again
     Questioned about drug tape.
 •  Bond Denied for Track Star
     Montgomery faces heroin charges.
 •  Cough Medicine Campaign Launched
     Five Moms start website.
 •  Offenders Get a Second Chance
     New law signed by Bush.
 •  Man Seeks Meth in Lost-and-Found
     Lost bag at casino.

Read Details

Free Newsletter: Sign Up for Recovery News
Join the Discussion: Alcoholism Forum

Do you know what SR-22 insurance is? How about "enhanced BAC penalty" or "ignition interlock?" If you or someone you know has been arrested for drunk driving, chances are you may begin to encounter some legal terms for the first time. Here are definitions to many of the terms associated with drunk driving laws in the United States.

More About Drunk Driving:

• The Costs and Penalties of Drunken Driving
  
• The Dangers of Driving While Intoxicated
  
• Why You Should Never Drink and Drive

^{Photo: Clipart.com}

If you found illegal drugs in your child's room, would you be able to recognize them? Would you know the difference between harmless allergy medication and dangerous stimulants or sedatives? These photo galleries show the most commonly abused illegal, prescription and over-the-counter drugs.

More Information:

• Commonly Abused Drugs
  
• What Is Substance Abuse?
  
• Frequently Asked Questions

^{Photo: DEA}

Women who binge drink or drink heavily experience more brain damage than males who drink the same amount. This damage occurs sooner in women than in men. Additionally, women may experience even more severe long-term effects than men, according to research comparing the brains of male and female drinkers.

More Information:

• Women & Alcohol
  
• Risks for Women
  
• Alcoholism FAQ

^{Photo: Clipart.com}

The mission of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is to bring the power of science to bear on drug abuse and addiction and the agency website does that and much more. The NIDA site provides a wealth of in-depth information, educational material and the latest research developments for students and young adults, parents and teachers, researchers, and medical and health professionals.

More Information:

• What Is Substance Abuse?
  
• Are You Addicted?
  
• How to Quit Alcohol and Drugs

^{Photo © NIDA}

Deaths attributed to methadone overdose have increased dramatically in the past few years due to its increased use as a pain reliever. What is it about methadone that makes it more dangerous than other pain killers on the market? Why are accidental overdoses so common with methadone?

Related Information:

• Methadone Can Kill Even at Therapeutic Levels
  
• FDA Issues Health Advisory for Methadone
  
• Methadone Deaths Not Linked to Treatment

^{Photo: DEA}