According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 8 percent of the people who contracted HIV in 2010 got the virus from using drugs intravenously. Often, those shooting up meth or heroin will share needles to save money. This is an inevitable way of spreading the disease. If one of the people sharing needles has the virus, then it is extremely likely that the rest of the people taking part will get it as well. A batch of contaminated drugs also puts those using at risk of contracting HIV and other harmful health complications. Other times, people with the virus engage in unprotected sex that leads to the other person contracting HIV. Sex with multiple partners also puts someone at high risk of acquiring the virus. The various behavioral changes or drug use are often associated with HIV due to the reckless and impulsive nature of substance abuse. Dealing with HIV is always difficult and costly, but it is especially challenging when you’re going through addiction recovery at a drug rehab center. Furthermore, if you have HIV and have not undergone treatment for your dependence, please call Right Path Drug Rehab to ensure that you are connected with the addiction recovery facility that best meets your specific needs. With the experienced assistance of a substance abuse treatment facility, you can not only overcome your drug addiction, you can start the necessary medication for HIV treatment. Though those who have contracted…

Salvia is a plant that grows in Central and South America that produces a hallucinogenic trip when smoked or chewed. Coming primarily from southern Mexico, the herb is tied to the mint family. Used for ritual divination, the Mazatec Indians of Oaxaca, Mexico have been using salvia for years. Salvia is legal under federal law in both Mexico and the United States, but each state his its own laws concerning the drug. The DEA has listed the drug under a category of substances that pose risks to people that indulge in their brief but intense hallucinations. Other hallucinogenic drugs include LSD, peyote, ketamine, and DMT. The active ingredient found in the drug is salvinorin A, that when smoked, chewed, or drunk, alters the chemistry of the brain. Since the drug is relatively new to the market, scientists and researchers are still studying the effects salvia has on the brain. It is common that when people use the drug they lose touch with reality, see elaborate visions, and experience polarized moods and feelings of detachment. Much of the long-term issues are not known, but it has been reported that it causes memory loss. Neither is it clear if ingesting the herb is addictive. Once adequate research comes out about salvia, we will know if people who use it can become physically dependent. Until then there is no way to know for sure. The immediacy and short-lived trip would prove to be…

Hallucinogens are mind altering, perception opening drugs that give people psychoactive sensory hallucinations including visions and intensified smell and hearing. Plants and mushrooms are often used to create these drugs. Hallucinogens include ayahuasca, LSD, peyote (mescaline), DMT, PCP, and salvia. Many of the drugs are ingested raw or dried, brewed as a tea, or swallowed/dissolved as a liquid or pill. In a few cases such a PCP and ketamine, the drugs can be snorted or injected. Hallucinogenic drugs have been used for centuries, usually as for spiritual, traditional, and religious purposes. Indigenous cultures often use hallucinogenic plants as healing agents. Considering that they are some of the oldest drugs and were not originally used for recreation, are hallucinogens addictive? The short answer is, some of them are and some of them are not. LSD is not considered addictive because it doesn’t produce erratic drug seeking behavior or physical cravings. However, it is possible to develop a tolerance to the drug and other substances, which can be very dangerous considering the wide range of possibilities when using the drug. The most dangerous aspect of LSD is the lack of reasoning skills when its takers see intense images. Jumping off a building or cutting off your own arm because you thought it was a deadly snake are examples of things that can happen when a hallucination goes awry. On the other hand, PCP can be extremely addictive and habit forming. In addition…

The American perception of drugs is, like anything, formed by our culture and shaped by our bias. What we think of drugs are often very unnatural, highly processed, filthy substances that are produced by the sweat and blood of the third world, bringing in dirty money and complicating world politics. Third world cultures often take drugs that grow in the ground, usually for deeply spiritual and traditional reasons. Perhaps if we examine the way other cultures think about and take drugs, we can learn how to prevent and cure our drug problems here at home. If you or anyone you know has an addiction to drugs or alcohol, please call Right Path Drug Rehab so we can connect you to the ideal drug rehab center for the needs of the situation. San Pedro Cactus, Peru A cactus native to the Andes Mountains region of South America, the San Pedro is peeled and the skin is used to brew a tea that has psychedelic effects. The cactus, that has many hallucinogenic chemicals including mescaline, is used for religious and healing purposes. It is an integral part of life and culture in the mountains that has been practiced for over 3,000 years, and is taken very seriously. Drinking the cactus tea is also considered an antithesis to alcoholism. Using drugs for healing purposes is a common practice in the third world, whereas Western cultures use drugs for recreation and pleasure. Ayahuasca, The…

Going through drug addiction recovery is difficult for anyone. But, if you have admitted to yourself that you have a problem, and need assistance to rid yourself of it, then you have taken the initial crucial steps towards a life full of reward and happiness. Now’s the time to remain positive. It is the only way to live an enjoyable life, and to keep yourself out of the grip of addiction. Defeatism and negativity are sure paths back into relapse. If you or anyone you know is still battling substance abuse dependence, please call Right Path Drug Rehab so we can connect you to the ideal drug rehab center for the needs of the situation. Engage in physical activity. One of the most important parts of drug addiction recovery at an addiction treatment center is the emphasis of physical activity. Exercise is a fantastic way to release endorphins, make your body and mind feel good, as well as reward yourself with productive behavior. Taking a hike on a beautiful trail, doing yoga at a park, riding a bike, going surfing, practicing martial arts, and playing sports are all great ways of feeling good about yourself while getting healthy and experiencing how truly beautiful the world can be. Continue going to group meetings. What you need most after you leave after leaving a substance addiction recovery facility is to continue going to meetings AT LEAST once a week, if not more….

What we perceive to be the differences between cocaine and crack cocaine are often skewed and polarized. We think of cocaine as a luxury drug, a near harmless powder for the opulent sent from the heavens, while we think of crack as the drug of choice for the homeless or the poor. This is apocryphal thinking. Although crack is more addictive than cocaine, the disparities are widely over-bloated. Whichever version it is, if you are addicted to cocaine please call Right Path today so we can set you up with a consultation at the addiction recovery center that best suits your needs. Crack is essentially powdered cocaine base cooked with water and baking soda until it becomes the solid rocks we are familiar with thinking about. It is then crushed up and smoked. Powder cocaine, however, cannot be smoked. It is through this crucial distinction that illuminates how crack is even more harmful than powdered cocaine. Smoking the rocks is a more intense version of snorting the powder, which makes it more addictive. This does not mean that cocaine isn’t highly addictive. Like many high profile drugs, cocaine stimulates dopamine in the brain producing increased levels of euphoria and pleasure. The high from cocaine only lasts around 20 minutes when snorted and leads to unpleasant come-down. The immediate nature of the drug makes it immediately addictive. The high from smoking crack, however, only lasts five minutes and manufactures an even…

The spirit of punk rock has always been characterized by detest of authority coupled with an individuality that often leads to opinionated and often self-righteous behavior. Thinking you’re right is a huge aspect of drug addiction denial. In addition, resisting conformity promotes the punk drug addict’s hate for the 12-step program, which emphasizes the need of a higher power, as well as a loathing for the systematic recovery process in general. But, if you are of this opinion, it is unanimous in the recovery community that experienced, caring assistance is imperative to break an addiction. Please call us today to enroll in the ideal drug rehab center for you or your loved one’s situation. The ethos of living free and dying young characterized in the Circle Jerks’ classic song pervades the culture. The idea that the only life worth living is that of extreme pleasure and fulfillment is characteristic of what it means to be punk. Living by your own rules, doing whatever it is that you want to do, goes hand in hand with drug addiction and denial. If an individual gets into drugs through music or the culture that surrounds it, it is likely that they use drugs in the spirit of the ideology. They will tell themselves that this life is what they want until they hit rock bottom with overwhelming pain and hardship. The feeling of total control that goes along with living your life the…

Of all the figures implicated in Gary Webb’s infamous 1996 “Dark Alliance” article, Oscar Danilo Blandón remains one of the most enigmatic. Two decades after Webb’s article decried Blandón as a key component in the cocaine chain that linked the crack problem in the United States with Nicaragua’s Contra forces, not only has Blandón managed to avoid prison, but at one point, he even had a place on the DEA’s payroll. While there were never many answers associated with Blandón, plenty of questions linger. Out of Nicaragua… Blandón was born in Nicaragua in 1952. While in school, he earned a Bachelor of Arts and a Master’s Degree in Marketing. In 1979, when the Sandinista National Liberation Front (known as the Sandinistas) overthrew Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Debayle, Blandón fled Nicaragua and immigrated to the United States. Longing to return to his home nation, Blandón vowed to do everything in his power to provide support to the Nicaraguan Democratic Force (NDF), a Counterrevolutionary (Contra) force that waged war on the Sandinistas in Nicaragua. …and into Cocaine Desperate to provide monetary support to the Contra forces, Blandón turned to cocaine as a method of raising funds. His name began appearing in Drug Enforcement Agency documents as early as 1981, where he was identified as a drug trafficker. Blandón began dealing cocaine in South-Central Los Angeles in 1982, stating that he sold the drugs to raise funds to support the Contra forces in Nicaragua….

Drug addiction is a ruthless force that can affect anyone, including a plethora of beloved celebrities. While the specifics of every addiction are unique, predicated on the particular details of an individual’s situation, the stories of celebrity success stories can provide inspiration, while the tragedies can provide cautionary guidance. Some on this list have been successful in seeking treatment in an addiction recovery program, while others had their careers tragically cut short due to substance abuse. Here are 5 celebrities who faced addiction issues! Edie Falco Edie Falco is perhaps best known for her role as the matriarch of the Sopranos family on HBO’s famous crime drama. However, before being cast as Carmela on The Sopranos in 1999, Falco had struggled with serious addiction issues. She speaks frankly of the time she spent in a substance abuse treatment program, and credits her 25 years of sobriety to participation in 12-step programs. After The Sopranos had ended, Falco starred in Nurse Jackie, a dramedy series that gave Falco the opportunity to portray a character who was struggling with addiction issues. Nurse Jackie was well received by critics, and in 2010, Falco was awarded an Emmy for her portrayal of the troubled protagonist. Corey Haim Corey Haim gained notoriety when he starred in 1987’s The Lost Boys opposite Corey Feldman. Known as the Coreys, the two teenagers soon became Hollywood superstars. However, after being introduced to drugs on the set of the…