Once again in recent news we see further evidence of the escalating opioid addiction epidemic making its way across America. A March article in the New York Times depicts the almost unreal prevalence of heroin addiction in a small Vermont community known as Bennington. Bennington has a population of 17,000 and is described as a quaint,

Heroin is highly addictive and potentially fatal. This we know. Despite these facts being common, we are seeing a surprising number of people move on to heroin and quickly become hooked. Is it that each person considers him or herself exempt from addiction, or somehow different from others? The reasons for using illicit substances are

The American Psychiatric Association (APA) is the governing body that publishes the DSM which is commonly used in diagnosing various mental health problems. DSM stands for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. In this manual, there are various addiction-related disorders which are outlined with associated criteria which must be met in order for an