Substance Abuse and Addiction Features

What does it mean to “enable” someone’s addiction, and are you doing it? Learn the signs and how to stop it, for your loved one’s good.

New York City’s two sites have intervened in hundreds of overdoses, but significant challenges confront other locations hoping to provide the same services.

Harm reduction is a nonjudgmental approach to protecting people with addiction. These programs give people the tools and support they need to get better. And it can save their lives.

Marijuana Anonymous is a 12-step program that helps chronic users nip addiction in the bud.

How do you manage pain if you've had a problem with addiction? Learn your options and how to work with your doctor.

There are ways to find quality treatment centers for alcohol or drug addiction. Here’s how to get started.

Getting sober isn't one-size-fits-all. People who've made the decision to quit drinking share what worked for them.

Coping skills and rebuilding relationships after recovering from opioid addiction.

Drinking alcohol is becoming less of a social norm and more of a lifestyle choice. Learn how others chose to get sober, ways to handle tricky social situations, and find fulfilling new habits.

It can be scary to share your alcohol use disorder with family and friends. But it's an important step in your recovery. Here’s how to approach these conversations.

If you’ve battled a drug or alcohol addiction, you may be nervous about taking medications that treat pain, such as opioids. Learn more about the options you might have and how to weigh them.

Treatment for alcohol use disorder isn't just 12-step programs. Medication can help people who want to stop drinking or drink significantly less.

Yes, you can celebrate without a drink. How to mark an occasion without popping a cork.

Find out what an addictive personality is and whether you might have one.

How can you tell whether regular drinking is actually problem drinking? "High-functioning alcoholics" may not seem to need help at first.

Don't let challenges of daily life derail the hard work you did in rehab. Learn how to build a support network and make wise choices.

When you can’t kick drugs or alcohol, special hospitals -- known as rehabilitation facilities (rehab for short) -- may be your best bet.

If you have a parent with alcoholism, you may struggle with feelings of sadness, shame, and low self-esteem. Here’s how to get help.

New illicit drugs with psychedelic properties seem to pop up every month. Research into legitimate uses for psychedelic drugs may help explain why many people risk their lives to take black-market drugs.

Writer and performer Carrie Fisher talks about her experiences with bipolar disorder and addiction -- plus what it's like to reach a happier middle age.

How one young woman fought her way back from meth addiction to become a mom and help at-risk teens.

Tips on how to stay sober in social situations where other people are drinking.

WebMD sheds light on toxicology tests: What they include, why they take so long, and why they're never perfect.

Are you a compulsive shopper? Here's why you do it -- and how to stop.

While some celebrity rehabs are just super-fancy spas, others really focus on substance abuse.

Are you a tangled mess of BlackBerrys, emails, PDAs, iPhones, laptops, and cell phones? Here’s how to untangle your life and find healthy balance.

Experts explain the treatment of drug and alcohol problems at rehab clinics -- for celebrities and for regular folks.

Experts explain how teens and adults alike are vulnerable to prescription drug abuse for medications ranging from Oxycontin to Ritalin.

Experts explore the fine line between being a dedicated sports fan and addictive behavior.

Methamphetamine use has taken off in the U.S., but what makes it such a hot commodity?

How to recognize and get help to keep compulsive shopping under control before it causes problems in your family and finances.

Glamorization of gambling may create a new generation of addicts.

New prescriptions are making it easier to kick old drug addiction habits and stay clean.

Whether it’s alcohol, tobacco, or drugs, addiction’s grasp can be hard to shake -- but it’s possible, and it’s worth it.

Downtime is America's favorite pastime, but could you really be suffering from a soft addiction?

Addiction is used to describe everything from the Internet to shopping to sex. So how do you tell when something really becomes an addiction?

Mental health problems are frequently complicated by substance abuse, putting patients in need of special care.

The Internet brings people together from all over the world. But when users become obsessed, their lives can fall apart.

At what point does Internet surfing become so compulsive that psychologists would call it an addiction?

Greater access to gambling can increase addiction.

Alcohol-use disorders (AUDs) are probably the most common mental disorders in the United States: Nearly one person in seven suffers from an AUD at some time in his or her life.