How Has Addiction and Treatment Changed in the Last 50 Years?
Spectrum Health Systems was founded 50 years ago, and in that time, we’ve seen extensive strides taken in drug and alcohol addiction treatment. Much has changed, and much has stayed the same – some treatments still in use today were introduced as early as the 1960s. Before we jump into changes in treatment over time, ...
How to Deal with Triggers in the Workplace
Many believe that addiction only affects the unemployed and homeless when, in reality, most are employed. In fact, of the estimated 96 million adults reported to have a substance use disorder, 72 percent are employed. Many factors can be attributed to substance use and dependency, with stress being one of the top triggers. Work-related stress ...
Mental Health Month: The Connection Between Addiction and Mental Health Grows
While mental health has become a widely talked about topic in recent years, May is the official observance for mental health awareness. In its 70th year, Mental Health Month was launched by Mental Health America in May of 1949 with a mission of reaching millions of Americans through the media, local events and publicized screenings. ...
50 Addiction Facts in 50 Days to Celebrate 50 Years of Spectrum Health Systems
50 days from today, the team at Spectrum Health Systems will be celebrating the company’s 50th anniversary. Since our inception, we’ve seen a lot of positive changes in the addiction treatment field and recovery community. While many improvements have been made, there’s still much work to be done. We’ve worked tirelessly to continuously adapt and ...
Addiction and Depression: A Vicious Cycle
According to the 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 7.9 million Americans have been diagnosed with both depression and addiction. Each disease can be difficult to deal with on its own, so dealing with both at the same time is obviously more challenging. With depression being one of the most prevalent mental health ...
Remembering Alcohol Use Disorder Amidst the Opioid Epidemic
As we come to a close on Alcohol Awareness Month 2018, we want to stress that raising awareness of Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) should continue to be a priority. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), 88,000 people die every year from AUD and other alcohol-related causes (62,000 men and 26,000 ...
The Opioid Epidemic Isn’t Easing Up – It’s Getting Worse
For a while now, public perception has been that the opioid epidemic is loosening its grip on the U.S., primarily due to a downward trend in opioid-related deaths. While fewer casualties is certainly promising news, addiction professionals have been cautioning the public that these statistics are because of the availability of the life-saving overdose-reversing drug ...
Opioid Epidemic Declared a National Emergency
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, nearly 35,000 people across America died from heroin or opioid overdoses in 2015, and a study released by the University of Virginia on Aug. 7th concluded the mortality rates were 24 percent higher for opioids and 22 percent higher for heroin than previously reported. Clearly, more must ...
Help, Not Handcuffs: Finding an Ally in Blue
They’re some of the first to arrive at the scene when there is a critical overdose, a person in need, or a troublesome situation. While some find comfort with the men and women on the front lines of the opioid epidemic, it can be a contentious relationship for others. For someone struggling with an addiction, ...
