Though they share similar medical applications, in a side-by-side comparison of buspirone vs Xanax, each has a clear advantage over the other for particular patients. Ease of access makes some medications dangerous for patients who struggle with substance abuse. Additionally, the “desirable” side effects of benzos often lead people...

,It’s commonly believed that women suffer from anxiety disorders more than men, but the statistics can actually be misleading. In fact, men suffer from anxiety and depression as frequently as women. However, men aren’t diagnosed and treated for these mental illnesses as often as women are. This puts men...

The terms “high-functioning” or “functional alcoholic” describe individuals who suffer from an alcohol use disorder (AUD), but do not exhibit many of the common life-disrupting effects associated with alcohol abuse. An alcohol use disorder is a treatable chronic medical disorder that causes long-term changes in the brain that impair...

Often undiagnosed mental health disorders contribute to addiction or aggravate existing addiction issues. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) note, “Multiple national population surveys have found that about half of those who experience a mental illness during their lives will also experience a substance use disorder and vice versa.”...

Prescription medications are some of the most abused substances. This is largely due to the fact that they are easy to access and can carry “desirable” effects. Prescription drugs are sometimes abused with alcohol to emphasize or increase the effect of the substance. However, mixing prescriptions with alcohol is...

Though a substance use disorder (SUD) might seem like an easily identifiable problem, they are often made up of multiple layers of pain and struggle. An individual suffering from an addiction has developed either chemical dependency to a drug, a psychological dependence, or both. Treatment for either requires multiple...

While many associate “drunkenness” with behaviours like stumbling around, slurring words, or excessively loud speech, these tend to be telltale signs of intoxication by someone who has been drinking. Dry drunk syndrome, however, describes the emotions, thoughts and interactive nature of someone who has not consumed any alcohol, yet...

Though habitual drug and alcohol abuse has long been perceived as exclusively an issue of moral failing, modern science continues to unravel the truth about the chronic nature of addiction. The way we understand genetic predisposition has a lot to do with this changing perspective.  The term “chronic” indicates...

Individuals suffering from schizophrenia or bipolar disorder may be prescribed Seroquel to treat symptoms of their condition. As an antipsychotic, this substance can help individuals who are experiencing psychotic symptoms of a medical condition. Off-label use of Seroquel, however, can develop into a substance use disorder (SUD). Long-term misuse...

“I hate my life.” Have you ever heard these words from a loved one? Or even said them yourself?  It’s not uncommon for people to experience discouragement or a lack of motivation to complete regular daily tasks following a traumatic event or life change. However, continuously feeling defeated or...