One reason why women are so susceptible to chronic illness and death due to alcohol abuse is due to how their bodies metabolize it. Research provided by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) suggests it’s because women have less water in their bodies compared to men of similar weight, so alcohol concentrates...Read More

It’s easy to think we’ll simply bounce back after a lot of water and a good night’s sleep. But what’s the dividing line between having a little too much alcohol and actually binge drinking? The definition of binge drinking is consuming excessive quantities of alcohol in a short period of time—roughly two hours—at least one...Read More

One crucial component of recovering from addiction is to eliminate toxins from your body and enable its natural healing processes. It’s not always enough to simply stop abusing drugs or alcohol: the body has to be restored with proper hydration, nutrition, immunity, pH balance, regular exercise, and good sleep hygiene. Medical Detoxification Medical detoxification isn’t...Read More

As addiction science evolves, the medical community continues to find support for the claim that addiction is a chronic brain disease. In the past decade, numerous studies have reinforced direct causation of drugs and alcohol on the brain’s reward center, neural pathways, memory, cognitive function, and motivation. Further research by the American Society of Addiction...Read More

The statistics regarding America’s lack of nutrition are rather astounding. Consider the following: Dietary guidelines for 2015-2020 released by the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion indicate that 117 million Americans—approximately half of all adults in the nation—have at least one preventable chronic condition related to inadequate diet and lack of exercise. The average...Read More

In 2015, Harvard Medical School reported that “four times as many prescription painkillers are provided each year now compared with the 1990s.” In 2017, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) implemented a public health emergency, and developed a campaign to focus on specifically reducing opioid dependency. In its research, HHS cited the...Read More

While much of the country has been focused on putting a stop to the opioid crisis, many people with addiction problems have turned to methamphetamine. Cottonwood’s clinical director Kathleen Parrish recently spoke with News4 about the dangers of the meth and the long-term damage it has on users. See the full story on News4 at...Read More

For many people, addiction is a co-occurring disorder with mental health issues. These conditions range from anxiety and depression to childhood trauma and PTSD. Too often, the severity of the underlying issue prompts a greater likelihood that other disorders will present. For example, if someone was sexually abused, he or she may also have depression,...Read More

People struggling with drug or alcohol addiction not only have to face the consequences of their actions, but also the social stigma surrounding their disease. The myths associated with addiction contribute greatly to the reasons why people may not seek effective medical treatment. If you or someone you love suffer from addiction, learn why the...Read More

Alcohol and drug abuse can create a number of health problems, including severe nutritional deficiencies. Empty calories from alcohol fill the body up without providing the fuel it needs, and many illegal drugs act as appetite suppressants. In the early stages of recovery, paying close attention to your diet can help you heal some of...Read More