The Coleman Institute Blog
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May 20
May 4, 2020
Cravings and the Coronavirus
One of the trademarks of Alcohol and Opioid Use Disorders are cravings. The Merriam Webster dictionary defines cravings as: “an intense, urgent, or abnormal desire or longing.”
In people with substance use disorders, cravings are not “abnormal” but actually the result of the brain “remembering” past compulsive use that is associated with the release of neurochemicals which activate the pleasure parts of the brain. These neurochemicals can trigger intense cravings. (more…)
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Apr 20
April 23, 2020
Naltrexone Therapy During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Naltrexone is a non-addictive medication that can be used for Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) for both Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) and Opioid Use Disorder (OUD). The Coleman Institute for Addiction Medicine offers two specially formulated Naltrexone options for patients, depending on their unique circumstances and needs: implants or injections.
Naltrexone is an opioid antagonist — a non-opiate blocker of the opiate receptors in the brain — which means it is not addictive and it seems to not block the body’s natural endorphins. It has been shown to be effective in fighting both AUD and OUD. It is known to dramatically reduce cravings when taking it. (more…)
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Apr 20
April 15, 2020
Man Stops Using Fentanyl During 2020 Pandemic To Save His 80 Year Old Mother
Heroes come in many forms.
Earlier this week a young man traveled from Kentucky to the Coleman Institute for Addiction Medicine in Richmond, Virginia for an accelerated detox off heroin and fentanyl. (His urine drug screen revealed there was actually no heroin; it was all fentanyl).
Admittedly grateful for a severe needle phobia, James was snorting about .2 to .3 grams daily, and had been using regularly for about three years. Prior to that, he’d enjoyed six years of abstinence from all mind-altering substances. (more…)
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Apr 20
April 14, 2020
April is Alcohol Awareness Month
Alcohol Awareness Month was established in 1987 to help reduce the stigma associated with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) by encouraging communities to reach out to the American public each April with information about alcohol, alcohol addiction, and recovery. Alcohol addiction is a chronic, progressive disease, and can be fatal if untreated. Treatment and recovery from AUD is available and possible! (more…)
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Apr 20
April 13, 2020
Is Alcohol Essential During a Pandemic?
April is alcohol awareness month. This April is unlike any April we have ever experienced. Businesses are closed, people have been mandated to work from home, and kids are home from school. Have you noticed that in many places liquor stores are considered essential? Why is that? What, if anything, does that say? We all need food, water and yes, toilet paper…but alcohol? (more…)
