Surely at some point you’ve spotted small bullet-like metallic canisters littered around the street. If you’re wondering what they are, you may be surprised to know they’re nitrous oxide, better known as laughing gas. Nitrous oxide is currently legal to possess in Ireland, but not legal to sell for human consumption. For some time now, […]
Tag: Addiction Advice
How Long Does Cocaine Stay in Your System?
How long does cocaine stay in your system? A single line of cocaine can stay in your system and show up on a drug test five days later. However, if you’re a long-term and heavy user, traces of the drug can be found many months or even years after complete cessation. Sometimes up to 90 […]
Sleeping Pill Addiction
Sleeping pills are so widely used these days that we may not think twice when we see someone taking them. There is a dizzying range of sleeping pills available, from herbal supplements to OTC medications to prescription pills – and not all of them are as harmless as one would think. Some sleeping pills can […]
The Cycle of Addiction
It’s Friday night and you’re bored. You’re brainstorming things to do and recall how much fun that party last week was, despite the wicked hangover afterwards. So, you decide to call your friends and invite them to the bar. Unfortunately, they’re busy and you’re disappointed. Due to lack of other options, you go on your […]
How Long Does Alcohol Stay in Your System?
How Long Does Alcohol Stay in Your System? Blood, Breath, Hair, Urine The process of alcohol metabolism is a complex one. There is no straightforward answer to how long alcohol stays in your system. As a guideline, you may have heard that a person processes about 1 unit of alcohol per hour. For a guesstimate, […]
Depression After Alcohol: Why You Feel Worse After You Stop Drinking
Can quitting alcohol cause depression? Depression and alcohol misuse are interconnected in many ways. For some people, depression leads to drinking. For others, it develops during periods of heavy alcohol use. And for many, it can appear once alcohol is removed. It often leads people to ask, do you get depressed when you stop drinking, […]
What are the Emotional Effects of Alcohol?
Many of us drink to feel happy or relaxed or to mask or avoid our feelings. Alcohol is a powerful drug that initially can seem like a one-stop solution to any situation. It can even act beneficially if used responsibly. However, when a person starts to abuse alcohol, the emotional effects it produces can turn […]
The difference between binge drinking and alcoholism
What Is Binge Drinking? Binge drinking is defined as consuming excessive amounts of alcohol within a short period or drinking to get drunk. This is defined as 6 units for women and 8 units for men. Of course, this can vary. Not everyone drinks the same way, and how much they can drink is determined […]
What Are the Benefits of Rehab?
Whether one has an alcohol, drug, or behavioural addiction, the benefits of rehab can help anyone into a successful and lasting recovery. Ireland offers a variety of treatment options for addiction, ranging from self-help programmes to luxury residential rehabs. Although rehab is not the only option for addiction treatment, depending on the person, it may […]
Am I Married to a Functioning Alcoholic?
A functioning alcoholic (sometimes called a functional alcoholic) is not always easy to spot. Unlike most alcoholics, functioning alcoholics do not exhibit obvious symptoms of alcoholism. They also manage to be generally competent in all or most aspects of their lives, therefore avoiding the stereotypical image of alcoholism. They are often middle-aged, successful, and have […]
Why can’t alcoholics stop drinking, even when they want to?
Alcoholism is a chronic illness that takes over the mind, and sometimes the body as well. It is extremely tough to control one’s behaviour with any addiction and alcoholics find it harder to stop than most. This helps explain why alcoholics can’t stop drinking, even when they understand the risks. Sometimes, an alcoholic has to […]
How Does Long-term Alcohol Misuse Affect the Brain?
For many people, alcohol is a part of their regular life, be it drinks with dinner or catching up with friends over a Friday night cocktail. In low to moderate amounts, alcohol has its benefits – it makes people more happy, more social, and more relaxed. It is also believed that responsible drinking carries certain […]