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It’s never too late to quit using drugs or alcohol. However, stopping drug or alcohol use on your own can be dangerous. When you stop using drugs or alcohol – especially after long-term heavy use or after you’ve developed a dependence – you may experience withdrawal symptoms, cravings, and distressing mental health symptoms. Because of […]

If you’ve been thinking about cutting down or stopping your alcohol use, you might be wondering whether you can quit drinking without rehab. Quitting alcohol can be difficult, and you may encounter many obstacles along the way that could hamper your efforts to get sober. Keep reading to learn more about why it’s often not […]

What Is Gabapentin? Gabapentin (marketed under the trade names Neurontin, Gralise, and Horizant) is an anticonvulsant medication used to treat partial seizures, postherpetic neuralgia, and other types of neuropathic pain. The Horizant extended-release formulation is approved for the treatment of restless leg syndrome.1 Though gabapentin abuse is relatively uncommon, studies have documented its misuse. Gabapentin […]

A common question among people who use drugs—whether illicitly or by prescription—is, “How long will this drug stay in my body?” This question may be asked by those looking to understand how long the drug’s effects will last, when to expect the beginning of withdrawal, or whether they can pass a drug test, but the […]

Gabapentin is most recognizable by the brand name Neurontin, but there are numerous generic forms of gabapentin on the market and other brands of gabapentin (Gralise, Horizant, and others). Gabapentin is also used for numerous other purposes, including: Other forms of pain that are not related to nerve issues Anxiety that occurs in certain types […]

Ativan is one of the brand names for the benzodiazepine drug lorazepam. Lorazepam is a benzodiazepine drug that is most commonly prescribed for the treatment of clinically significant issues with anxiety and as an anesthetic or preanesthetic, but it may also be useful in treating seizures, as an aid for sleep, and in the treatment […]

How Do Benzos Work? Benzodiazepines enhance the effects of the neurotransmitter, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which produces a calming effect in the brain.1,4 Neurotransmitters carry information between brain cells. When there is overstimulation in the brain—because of insomnia or anxiety, for instance—individuals take benzodiazepines, which send messages to calm the overstimulated brain, slowing its activity and […]

Ritalin is a brand name for the drug methylphenidate, which is one of the approved treatments for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Ritalin can also be used to treat the sleep disorder narcolepsy, a disorder where a person has problems staying awake during the day. The drug used to be only available in an immediate-release […]

Methadone Basics As a long-acting opioid agonist, orally administered methadone is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for pain management and the treatment of opioid use disorders. Methadone offers a gradual onset of effects, which minimizes rewards associated with other faster routes of use while preventing withdrawal symptoms from shorter-acting opioids such as […]

Drugs and alcohol change the chemical makeup of the brain, and regular use of mind-altering substances can cause dependence to form. Brain circuitry and chemistry will attempt to regulate as drugs and/or alcohol process out of the body after dependence has formed, and this causes withdrawal symptoms. The duration, intensity, and type of withdrawal symptoms […]