You’ve probably heard someone say that they have an addictive personality. If you were confused by what they meant, never fear because a new study had nailed down what exactly that means. The study was conducted in order to examine how best to prevent adolescents from experimenting with alcohol. Basically, the researchers were able to isolate four personality traits which play a major role in a person becoming addicted to drugs or alcohol. It’s not to say that only people with the following personality traits will become drug addicts, far from it in fact. However, those who identify with the traits were more likely to develop substance abuse issues. It’s important for people who have a problem with drugs or alcohol to get help from an addiction treatment facility as soon as possible.The first personality trait which was linked to substance abuse was people who feel helpless. This is a broad category because people can feel helpless for a variety of different reasons. It could be an issue with a family member or friend. It could stem from work or a relationship. Regardless of what causes these feelings of helplessness, people all seem to gravitate towards having a few drinks to calm down a little bit. Eventually those couple of drinks turn into a lot more and before you know it, you have a serious problem with alcohol. Helplessness and depression are ugly cousins and can both factor into a person’s drinking.Being impulsive is another personality trait which can lead to substance abuse issues. Impulsivity means that you act before you think. This is very common when it comes to food. Drinking is another aspect where being impulsive is detrimental. Someone may decide to start drinking on an impulse before thinking about the consequences. They may have work or school early the next morning but they act first rather than thinking. Being impulsive can also be a sign of attention disorders such as ADHD.Anxiety is another trait which can drive someone to drink. It’s completely natural to worry, everyone does it. However, when worrying grows to consume your every waking moment, people often turn to drinking in order to control their emotions. Or rather, achieve the allusion of control. Someone’s anxiety may grow less when they drink, but it often comes back even stronger when they sober up. This can lead to someone drinking more and more as a form of escape.Thrill-seeking is the fourth and final personality trait associated with substance abuse. It’s certainly fun to drink, ask any college student. However, those who drink are seeking to have new experiences and the use the alcohol as the fuel to do so. Drinking is initially enticing because it is illegal to do so until you are 21 years old. Young adults who drink before coming of age do so in part because it’s against the rules. They associate drinking as a thrilling activity even after turning 21. If you or someone you know struggles with an addiction to drugs or alcohol, contact the Alcoholism Treatment Helpline in Newark, NJ right away. ...read more

There aren’t too many drugs out that have had as much influence on popular culture as LSD. The main ingredient in LSD is lysergic acid diethylamide, a chemical derived from the ergot fungus found growing on grain and rye. Acid, as it’s called on the streets, is a psychedelic drug which seriously alters a user’s perception of reality. These experiences are known as “trips” and they often include both physical and auditory hallucinations. Each trip is different and depends completely on the location and mindset of the person involved. Most users describe seeing colors more vividly and inanimate objects having a wavy texture.LSD ingratiated itself in pop culture beginning in the early 1960’s thanks in part to bands such as The Beatles and prominent author Aldous Huxley, who became heavily involved in LSD after moving to Hollywood, California. The drug was mostly used in counter-culture movements for creative, spiritual, or recreational purposes. There are hundreds of myths and urban legends surrounding the drug, many of which evolved through smear campaigns of the past. On such myth, that LSD is retained in the spinal fluid of the user for the rest of their life, is simply not true.Acid is all fun and games until someone has a bad trip. One of the most interesting aspects of LSD is that the mindset of the user plays an integral role in how the drug will take effect. Those who use acid in a depressed or sad state will see their trip act as a reflection of their mood. Those who take the drug in an unfamiliar or strange setting are also more likely to experience a bad trip as your surroundings are an important part of how the mind is effected by the drug. Acid is also one of the longest lasting drugs as trips can reach up to 12 hours in length depending on the dosage. Many users describe having a poor sense of time and reality when on LSD. The dangers of LSD are not within the drug itself, as there have been no reported deaths from an LSD overdose. However, LSD does inhibit a person’s ability to think clearly and make rational decisions, so the risk of personal injury via accidents is quite high. That’s why many who choose to experiment with acid have a responsible person with them who is not on the drug just in case something should happen.LSD is one of the most powerful, yet misunderstood drugs. Anyone struggling with substance abuse to either drugs or alcohol should contact the Drug Detox Helpline in Newark, NJ as soon as possible. ...read more

It’s possible for the same drug to come in different forms, take cocaine for example.  Often regarded as a high class elitist drug because of its price, cocaine can also be cooked into a smokable form called crack. Crack is known as the drug of choice in low income areas because it is sold at very low prices and is very addictive. Crack came to prominence in inner-cities during the 1980’s. Crack is very simple to make and can make a little bit of cocaine go a long way. Since crack is smoked rather than snorted, the effects are far more pronounced. The high is also quicker, lasting for around 20 minutes depending on the dosage. Addicts describe enjoying the short burst of energy that the drug provides.Crack is one of the most addictive drugs there is. Like cocaine, crack impedes your brain’s ability to absorb dopamine, a chemical found naturally in the body. Since the high is so short, people will end up going on binges of continual crack use where they may not sleep for days. It’s very possible to develop an addiction to crack after only trying it one or two times. Like with most drugs, the more crack you use, the more addicted you will become. Prolonged crack use can cause serious health problems in nearly every area of your body, but particularly in the heart and lungs. Short term crack binges are just as dangerous and have a high potential for an overdose. Many people in the midst of crack binges are said to become increasingly paranoid and they may even suffer from hallucinations.Buying crack on the street is particularly dangerous as you usually have no idea how it was made. It’s pretty common for dealers to add substances to their product as to increase the volume to make more money. These substances can often times be very dangerous when added to crack. Also you never know the amount of cocaine that’s been used in the batch. If you buy crack with low amounts of cocaine, you will have to smoke more to get high. If the next batch has a lot of cocaine in it then you may unknowingly smoke too much and overdose.  An addiction to crack is a serious matter. Many addicts will go to great lengths in order to fund their habit. The rates of theft and prostitution are high among crack addicts. If you or someone you know is struggling with an addiction to crack, please contact theDrug Detox Helpline in Newark, NJimmediately. You may be saving a life. ...read more