Substance Use 3 min read
Signs and Symptoms of Substance Use Disorder
Substance use disorder can affect control, health, relationships, work, finances, and safety. No single sign proves a diagnosis, but clusters of change…
Editorial library
Addiction Guides
Evidence-led guides about substances, behaviors, treatment, recovery and family support.
Substance Use 3 min read
Addiction vs Dependence vs Tolerance: What Is the Difference?
Tolerance, physical dependence, and addiction overlap but are not interchangeable. A person can be physically dependent on a prescribed medicine without compulsive…
Addiction 3 min read
What Is Addiction? Signs, Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment
Addiction is a treatable health condition characterized by impaired control, continued use despite harm, and changes in priorities or behavior. It is…
Opioids 3 min read
Heroin Addiction: Signs, Risks and Treatment
Heroin use can rapidly establish tolerance and physical dependence, but severity is defined by control and consequences rather than route or frequency…
Prescription Drugs 4 min read
Benzodiazepine Withdrawal: Symptoms and Dangers
Benzodiazepine withdrawal may include anxiety, insomnia, tremor, sensory sensitivity, nausea, perceptual disturbance, and—in severe cases—seizure or delirium. Symptoms can be difficult to…
Prescription Drugs 4 min read
Benzodiazepine Dependence: Signs and Safe Next Steps
Benzodiazepine dependence can develop during prescribed or non-medical use. Physical dependence means abrupt cessation may cause withdrawal; addiction additionally involves impaired control…
Opioids 3 min read
Loss of Opioid Tolerance After Detox or Abstinence
Opioid tolerance can fall quickly during detoxification, hospitalization, incarceration, residential treatment, or a period of non-use. Returning to a previously tolerated amount…
Opioids 3 min read
Medications for Opioid Use Disorder
Buprenorphine and methadone are evidence-based treatments that reduce illicit opioid use and mortality; extended-release naltrexone may suit selected patients after an opioid-free…
Opioids 3 min read
Naloxone and Opioid Overdose Response
Naloxone is an opioid antagonist that can temporarily reverse opioid-induced respiratory depression. It has no effect on a person who has not…
Opioids 3 min read
Opioid Detox: Why Detox Alone Is Not Enough
Opioid detox manages withdrawal, but it does not treat the full opioid use disorder and can reduce tolerance. Discharge without medication, naloxone,…
Opioids 3 min read
Opioid Withdrawal: Symptoms, Timeline and Risks
Opioid withdrawal often causes aches, sweating, yawning, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, anxiety, insomnia, and intense craving. It is usually not directly fatal in…
Prescription Drugs 3 min read
Prescription Opioid Addiction: Signs and Treatment
Prescription opioid addiction involves compulsive or uncontrolled use despite harm. It is distinct from expected physical dependence during correctly managed pain treatment,…