Telemedicine: Pros and Cons Articles, TreatmentBy The RanchSeptember 30, 2018Telemedicine, or remote health care, is one of the great innovations of modern health care. It can be used to make health care more accessible to patients and quickly connect patients to doctors. It also can be used to help diagnose and begin treatment for an array of physical and mental health issues, including addiction.…
Alcohol Metabolism 101: How Do You Metabolize Alcohol? Alcoholism, ArticlesBy The RanchSeptember 30, 2018Drink, drank or drunk – whatever state of imbibing you’re in, the way you metabolize alcohol has an impact. From genes that affect alcohol metabolism from that first sip of wine to metabolic processes that contribute to that nasty hangover, alcohol’s journey through your body is complex. When you drink alcohol, you lose 2 to…
Pregnancy and Pot: What You Should Know Addiction, Articles, Drug Abuse, TreatmentBy The RanchSeptember 30, 2018Marijuana use during pregnancy is on the rise. Recent research analyzed medical questionnaires of 279,457 pregnant women and found pot use increased from 4.2% to 7.1% over an eight-year period. That’s just the people who admitted it. Researchers believe many women don’t own up to marijuana use during pregnancy for fear of being reported to…
Substance Abuse Evaluation: What to Expect Addiction, Addictions, Alcoholism, Articles, Recovery, Substance Abuse, TreatmentBy The RanchSeptember 30, 2018Whether by choice or by force, a substance abuse evaluation is one of the first steps in addiction treatment. There are four goals of a drug and alcohol abuse assessment: Determine the types of substances abused Determine the severity of substance abuse Assess co-occurring mental health disorders Make a treatment recommendation, if necessary During a…
Signs of Heroin Addiction Relapse ArticlesBy The RanchSeptember 29, 2017With some studies showing heroin relapse rates around 90%, it’s no wonder that loved ones of people in recovery from heroin addiction frequently worry if they’re using again. Heroin and opioid abuse can be one of the hardest addictions to kick. This is in part due to the way it acts on the brain’s feel-good…
Addiction and the Family ArticlesBy The RanchSeptember 28, 2017No one wants a parent who is an addict, a cluster of alcoholic siblings or a child who qualifies for rehab. Addiction, like so many of the ills in our world, is just one more sign of the brokenness we experience as humans on this earth. And the horror of addiction goes beyond the damage…
Mortality Rates of Alcohol Withdrawal ArticlesBy The RanchSeptember 27, 2017According to the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, over 6% of the U.S. adult population is addicted to alcohol, but over 86% have consumed alcohol in their lives. These statistics and the fact that alcohol use is so common might make you think that the risks of addiction are limited, but this…
Is Love Addiction Real? ArticlesBy The RanchSeptember 26, 2017Love addiction is a behavior pattern in which you become obsessed with falling in love and being in love. The most energizing thing that you can think of is being connected with another human being on a deep and intense level, but your relationships are usually not actually based on love. They much more closely…
Warning Signs of Abusive Relationships: Trauma Bonding ArticlesBy The RanchSeptember 25, 2017Why don’t you leave? For people in abusive relationships, the answer to that question often boils down to trauma bonding. What is trauma bonding? It is loyalty and commitment to the person and relationship despite the abuse. A central aspect of trauma bonding is the denial of a problem, despite the evidence of one.
PTSD and Relationships ArticlesBy The RanchSeptember 22, 2017Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a serious and in some cases life-threatening disorder characterized by re-experiencing traumatic events, changes in mood, severe anxiety, avoidance of triggers and intrusive memories. PTSD therapy may include medications and psychotherapy aimed at staying present and managing your symptoms. But for the spouse or partner of a person suffering from…
