Building a Stronger You: Self-Improvement Leading to Wellness

Getting Your Life Back on Track: Tips and Advice for People in Addiction Recovery

Grasping the Financial Implications!

Financial Literacy Resource for Addiction Recovery

Alternative Treatments for Mental Health: Points to Consider

Step One Halfway House has teamed up with CARS (Charitable Adult Rides & Services) to offer supporters a new and meaningful way to contribute to the forgotten and those who have fallen through the cracks, the helpless, and the homeless. Their mission is to assist their communities with housing for veterans, the homeless, and people suffering from substance abuse disorders and mental health issues and offer hope to those in need. Donated vehicles will drive forward Step One Halfway House’s mission to provide a positive and safe environment for individuals who are looking to recover from addiction. Their commitment to providing a clean and safe living space for those in recovery is a crucial aspect of their mission. This type of environment promotes a healthy and sober lifestyle, which is essential for individuals to achieve their life goals and dreams and protect the environment by safely removing unwanted vehicles from the road. A spokesperson from the Step One Halfway House said, “Real change happens one step at a time.“ This new collaboration with CARS offers donors an uncomplicated way to repurpose any unwanted vehicles. Donating a vehicle is easy, tax-deductible, and avoids the hassles of selling or the costs of repairing altogether. Vehicle donations strengthen the programs provided by Step One Halfway House, including their Scholarship Program , Aftercare Program, and Community Impact Program . CARS guide donors throughout the entire donation process and provides a free and convenient pick-up Nationwide. Many nonprofits across the U.S. rely on their vehicle donation program as a stable source of funds. CARS is the largest nonprofit vehicle donation provider and a trusted partner to over 3,500 other nonprofits in North America. CARS also provides transportation independence to thousands of seniors in the San Diego community by operating a free shuttle program called On the Go. Learn more about: CARS (Charitable Adult Rides & Services): https://www.careasy.org Step One Halfway House: https://steponehalfwayhouse.careasy.org For more information about this topic, please contact Jeff Brown at 602-749-5434 or info@steponehalfwayhouse.org Media Contact Company Name: Step One Halfway House C ontact Person: Jeff Brown Email: Send Email Phone: 623-231-0196 City: Phoenix State: Arizona Country: United States Website: steponehalfwayhouse.org

Substance use disorder (SUD), also called addiction, is a complex mental health condition that affects a person’s ability to control their substance use, despite harmful consequences. Drug addiction can hurt you and the people around you in many ways. It can damage your mental and physical health, strain your relationships, and cause professional, social, and financial problems. Also, using too much alcohol, drugs, or other substances, whether legal or illegal, can cause big changes in how the brain works. This can lead to compulsive drug and alcohol use, substance dependency, and addiction. Substance Use Disorder in Numbers According to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), young people consume more drugs than previous generations. Their 2022 report shows that around 284 million people aged 15 to 64 used drugs globally in 2020. This is a 26% increase over the earlier decade. Furthermore, according to a Recovery Research Institute report , around 20 million people in the United States have a substance use disorder (SUD). Also, one out of every ten Americans says they have beaten a significant drug problem. Researchers have also found that stress about the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a big rise in drug use, anxiety, depression, and thoughts of hurting oneself. Substance Use Disorder Symptoms The symptoms of SUD may be psychological, physical, or behavioral. They can range from mild to severe, with addiction being the most severe form. Recognizing the symptoms of substance use disorder is the first step toward healing. The following are common psychological, physical, and behavioral signs of SUD. Psychological SUD Symptoms You feel agitated or angry You feel anxious, fearful, or paranoid You are excessively tired all the time You experience sudden mood changes You lack energy and motivation You experience periods of excessive energy and restlessness Physical Symptoms of SUD Your sleep patterns have changed You struggle with appetite change You experience sudden weight loss or gain Your pupils are smaller or larger than usual You have tremors Your coordination is impaired You have slurred speech Your physical appearance has deteriorated Behavioral Symptoms of SUD An urge to drink, use drugs, or take medicine every day You neglect self-care (eating, sleeping, etc.) You take risks or do things you wouldn’t normally do to get drugs. Substance use is causing problems at work and in social life Your substance use is becoming a financial burden Over time, you need more substances to get the same effect You ensure a steady supply of substances You keep trying to stop using drugs, but you always fail You experience withdrawal symptoms when you try to stop taking drugs or alcohol The Types of Substance Use Disorder Substances for which you can develop a substance use disorder involve: Alcohol Tobacco Cannabis Hallucinogens Opioids Inhalants Sedatives, hypnotics, and anxiolytics Simulants Substance Use Disorder vs. Substance Abuse Even though people often use the terms “substance use disorder” and “substance abuse” interchangeably, they mean different things. Substance use disorder (SUD) or addiction is a medical illness that can be diagnosed. In contrast, substance abuse involves the inappropriate or harmful use of substances, but it is not a diagnosable disorder. However, ongoing substance abuse can develop into a substance use disorder. What starts as prescribed medication therapy, recreational drinking, or experimental drug use can become an addiction over time. Addictive substances activate the brain’s reward and neural motivation pathways, triggering the feel-good hormone dopamine, which floods the bloodstream, causing the feeling of “high.” So, you compulsively use substances despite their harmful effects. Over time, your body adapts to these highs. As your pleasure threshold rises, withdrawal symptoms occur – you may feel anxious, scared, and physically ill – without drugs. However, substance use disorders are treatable mental health conditions, despite their complexity and severity. Treatment for SUD: The Advantages of Breaking the Habit Using drugs or alcohol changes the brain’s work and makes it hard to break the habit, even if you think you can control how much you use. You will eventually need more drugs to get “high,” which turns the initial feeling of pleasure into dependence and addiction. Counseling and the 12-Step Program are vital parts of addiction rehab and recovery. Once you enter treatment, you’ll have your life back. SUD counseling can help you: Understands what caused your addiction Come up with ways to deal with it Improve your mental and physical health Get interested in things you used to enjoy Get back in touch with family and friends. You can join a peer support group and a sober living home to help you stay clean and sober and deal with the challenges of everyday life. Substance abuse hurts both you and the people around you. However, there are several addiction treatments available today. Seek SUD treatment to recover from substance abuse and reclaim your life.

The term “opioid” covers a broad group of pain-relieving drugs, including natural (morphine) and synthetic (fentanyl) opiates. They come in capsules, tablets, powder, transdermal patches, and liquids. Opioids can be used safely to treat severe pain if they are taken as prescribed by a doctor. However, if they are misused or for too long, they can lead to abuse, addiction, and even death. Pain medications generate sensations of pleasure because they powerfully activate the limbic system’s reward regions, which are responsible for mood, attention, and emotional reactions. However, continuous opioid usage causes the body to build a tolerance to these drugs, requiring higher doses to provide the same effect and leading to addiction. An opioid overdose can result in death by slowing respiration and heart rate. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 107,000 people died in the United States from opioid overdoses between January 2021 and January 2022, a 15% rise over the previous year. [ i] What is Fentanyl? Fentanyl is an extremely powerful synthetic opioid used to treat severe pain. It is frequently prescribed to individuals with chronic pain who have become resistant to other opioids or to treat severe pain following surgery. Fentanyl is a prescribed medicine, but it may also be synthesized and used illegally when it is typically mixed with other drugs such as heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine. Fentanyl is 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. Because of its potency, fentanyl is highly addictive, and it is the most common substance found in opioid overdose deaths in Arizona. Fentanyl overdoses have surged dramatically in Arizona in recent years. Fentanyl is the most common substance found in all opioid overdose deaths in Arizona. The fact that minors under 17 (some as young as 14) have died due to a fentanyl overdose is alarming. [ ii] What Caused the Fentanyl Crisis in Arizona? Stephanie Siete, a recognized specialist on developing drug trends, estimates that more than 20 million pills were distributed in Arizona in 2022. [iii] In 2021, the Arizona DEA seized 12 million fentanyl tablets. [ iv] The Sinaloa Cartels in Mexico produce most of the pills, which are brought up through Arizona and distributed across the rest of the country. Arizona’s border counties accounted for more than 36 percent of statewide fentanyl seizures in 2022. In 2021, there were 2,006 fatal opioid overdoses in Arizona, according to the Common ,Sense Institute Arizona. [ v] In Arizona, the number of overdose deaths rose by 41% in 2022. From April 2021 to April 2022, 2,723 people died of an overdose. [ vi] Addiction to Fentanyl in Adolescents According to the DEA, overdose fatalities among Arizona youths aged 14 to 18 climbed by 94% between 2019 and 2020 and 20% between 2020 and 2021. [ vii] According to Siete, fentanyl pills are very deceptive as they come in all shapes and colors. Because they are often candy-like and appear innocent, teenagers might believe something such as a rainbow-colored pill cannot harm them. Additionally, fentanyl can be mixed with any other drug. Many individuals died from overdoses because they were unaware that fentanyl had been added to meth, cocaine, and other drugs. According to research, 70 percent of the heroin in the U.S. is mixed with fentanyl; one dose could be fatal. [ viii] However, DEA research shows that six out of ten fentanyl pills contain a fatal dose. [ ix] COVID-19 and the Opioid Epidemic The pandemic has increased drug abuse across the country. Children, as well as adults, struggle to find ways to cope with stress, anxiety, and depression. Unfortunately, many use substances to numb the distressing feelings and manage the pressure. Teenagers who abuse opioids most frequently get them from friends or family members. They often use them against the instructions, either by taking more than the recommended dose, using someone else’s prescription, or mixing them with alcohol or other drugs. Raising Awareness Parents and teachers need to get educated on the dangers associated with opiate use. A teen’s brain is still developing. The prefrontal cortex, the brain region that controls impulses, problem-solving, judgment, and decision-making, fully matures in the early twenties. So, in decision-making, children and teens rely on their amygdala, the brain region in charge of emotions and motivation. The opioids activate the limbic system’s reward areas. Still, teenagers cannot fully perceive the danger associated with drug misuse as their decision-making and impulse control brain regions are still not fully developed. They are unaware of the risk of taking opioids until we educate them. Also, support necessary for sober living such as Community Impact Program Resources can help people recovering from SUD and addiction stay clean and manage challenges of everyday life. Reference articles [i] https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/nchs_press_releases/2022/202205.htm [ii] https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/states/arizona/az.htm [iii] https://azpbs.org/horizon/2022/11/fentanyl-cases-skyrocketing-in-arizona/#:~:text=2%2C%202022&text=Fentanyl%20cases%20are%20skyrocketing%20in%20Arizona.,old%20have%20overdosed%20and%20died . [iv] https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/arizona/over-half-of-the-nations-fentanyl-pills-are-seized-in-arizona/75-9574d508-6cb2-47e7-b4a4-171f2a74007b [v] https://commonsenseinstituteaz.org/fentanyl-crime-and-arizonas-southern-border-august-2022/#:~:text=Seizures%20of%20fentanyl%20by%20DPS,2022%20have%20occurred%20in%20them . [vi] https://www.abc15.com/news/state/data-fentanyl-overdose-deaths-in-arizona#:~:text=During%202022%20overdose%20deaths%20rose,April%202021%20to%20April%202022 . [vii] https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7150a2.htm [viii] https://newhampshirebulletin.com/briefs/state-officials-warn-of-increase-in-non-opioid-drugs-laced-with-fentanyl/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CWhen%20we%20do%20see%20heroin,is%20mixed%20with%20other%20drugs.%20%E2%80%A6 [ix] https://www.dea.gov/alert/dea-laboratory-testing-reveals-6-out-10-fentanyl-laced-fake-prescription-pills-now-contain

Monitoring the Future Survey Showed Drug Abuse Rates Remained Steady Among Young Americans in 2022 The 2022 Monitoring the Future Survey was finalized and published recently. The findings showed no progress in reducing teen substance abuse rates from 2021 to 2022, as rates of substance abuse among young people held steady compared to drug use rates in previous years. Read More »