American Addiction Centers Blog
What Does Crack Look Like? How to Identify Crack Cocaine: Look, Feel, and Smell
April 25, 2024
What Does Crack Cocaine Look Like? The process of turning cocaine into crack cocaine produces crystals, called “rocks.” These range in color from clear-white or opaque white to off-white or yellow. They vary in size and shape, too. Changes in color may be related to adulterants, including caffeine, sugar, lactose, or other drugs like levamisole, […]
Opioid addiction knows no bounds. People of all ages, walks of life and occupations may struggle with substance abuse. Many of them are parents of school-age children and, for various reasons, can’t take care of their offspring in a responsible, healthful way. Some may have lost rights to or abandoned them. Others may be away […]
With the election, the pandemic, the protests, the fires, and the hurricanes, there is plenty to be stressed about in 2020. Not to mention the regular obstacles that we face in any given year for just existing as an adult living in this world. Stress is the body’s response to a demand or challenge. In […]
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, seeing health professionals in person has become harder than ever. People struggling with substance misuse looking to find treatment are no exception. This is especially unfortunate as most medication-assisted treatments (MAT) such as buprenorphine and suboxone require an in-person examination to be prescribed. But a recent development may change that. According […]
Life is full of challenges, whether you have a substance use disorder or not. But for people in recovery, learning how to get through tough times without relying on alcohol or drugs is essential to survival. If you stay sober long enough, you’re guaranteed to face to a crisis at some point, whether it be […]
Today is Election Day in the United States. Tensions are high. Morale may seem low. Buildings are boarded up. Needless to say, voters from both parties feel like everything is on the line. Perhaps, it is. This is one of the most polarized election years in modern history. Some struggle to handle their emotions and […]
Sometimes, you don’t have to craft content mainly through words. You can draw it. Then, to clarify concepts and elaborate upon them, add captions. That’s exactly what an illustrator did to describe life for someone struggling with addiction during the pandemic. The end result presents this person’s own experience, which likely reflects that of others. […]
Depression isn’t getting “bad news” and then having a bad day or two because of it. And taking the advice from well-intentioned loved ones to read a self-help book or to watch a comedy aren’t necessarily viable solutions for it. Clinical depression, or major depressive disorder, is a serious mood disorder. It causes severe symptoms, […]
The current presidential election year is nothing short of an emotionally-charged experience for many Americans, as it has been with the majority of 2020. Lurking just underneath the surface of this experience is one of many threats to America’s well-being: the ongoing opioid crisis. Addiction continues to be a problem in the United States, even […]
Long before the United States started falling prey to the opioid epidemic that continues to ravage the country, Portugal experienced its own battle with society-wide addiction. By the late 1980s, one in every 10 Portuguese was struggling with heroin addiction, overdose-related deaths were on the rise, and the rate of HIV infection in the country […]
Teenagers are in that “in between” world. The reality of getting taken care of by parents and the world of adulting that comes with a plethora of responsibilities. Regardless of which generation a teenager has gotten to experience, there are commonalities across the board. Teens all face hormonal changes, feeling awkward, peer pressure, and that […]
A recent opinion piece on TheHill.com laid out a plan for now and the future. It offered simple steps for enlisting federal support to get those struggling with substance abuse the help they need. How simple is this solution? The title says it all: “3 ways to combat addiction during and after COVID-19.” Life during […]
Half of Americans say they have suffered from ‘quiet stress’ this year, reveals survey. Over a quarter of adults say social distancing and loneliness has been their biggest stressor this year. 19% say they are more likely to turn to alcohol to alleviate stress as compared to pre-pandemic times. A third admit to suppressing their […]
