Ketamine is a synthetic anesthetic commonly used in veterinary practices. As a dissociative hallucinogenic tranquilizer, ketamine causes people to feel a total body euphoria and relaxation that lasts for about an hour. Other names for ketamine include K, Special K, Vitamin K, cat valium, or Kit Kat. Ketamine can come in powder, liquid, or pill form, and users either snort, inject, or swallow it. Because the drug has some therapeutic value, it’s classed as a schedule III drug, on the same tier as anabolic steroids and codeine. Schedule III drugs are highly likely to cause psychological dependence. If anyone is struggling with ketamine addiction, they should get help from an addiction recovery facility now. In the short term, ketamine affects learning, memory, and attention. The hallucinogenic drug causes dreamlike, delirious, or dissociative states, with some users reporting sensations of floating or being separated from their bodies. The tranquilizing effects cause amnesia, sedation, and confusion, and even problems talking or moving. Blood pressure rises and breath slows, even to the point of death, and unconsciousness can occur. If someone takes too much ketamine, they’re in danger of reaching the k-hole, an experience likened to a bad LSD trip. In the k-hole, a person can have what feels like a near-death experience. They’re detached from reality, and feel totally numb and blissful. However, in this extreme state, people can become seriously injured through accidents, and may even become incapable of moving. Stories…

The structure of the American family can be extremely complicated. There are traditional nuclear families, single-parent families, step-families, and multigenerational families. No matter what unique structure a family may possess, when one or two members suffer from drug addiction, it can cause a drastic shift on the well-being of the family, especially when there are children involved. The effects can be especially dramatic in families that include addicted parents. When parents use drugs, they might not live up to their obligations, potentially losing their jobs, coming home late, and even becoming violent. These consequences of addiction can be detrimental to both the physical and emotional well-being of their children. In extreme cases, children of addicts may find themselves homeless due to stress, neglect, imprisonment, or divorce. Even if the parent ceases to abuse drugs, the long-term effects may still weigh the child. Although nothing may appear to be amiss on the surface, children of drug addicts may need to enroll in an addiction recovery program, which if done early, can be effective in a short span of time. The Facts So Far The statistics concerning the children of addicts in the United States is saddening. More than 28 million Americans are children of alcoholics. Due to their parent’s addiction, such children are four times likely to become alcoholics themselves. In 2013 alone, more than 1.8 million new drug addicts were younger than the age of 18. A survey conducted on…

When you’ve overcome substance abuse, maintaining your recovery can still prove to be a challenge. Because life always has its challenges, you’ll want to be prepared to face any issue that comes your way by utilizing a solution that doesn’t involve returning to addiction. The best way to face these problems is to have cadre of stress solutions on hand before the trying situation arises. Here are several activities to take part in instead of resorting to substance abuse. Get some fresh air For some people, spending time in nature can be calming. Take some time away from the situation you find yourself entrenched in and go for a walk. This works especially well if you live in an area that lends itself to scenic walks, such as a nature reserve. Take time to breathe the fresh air and regain your center in the serenity of nature. Recall that today is the only day you can control Getting too worked up about things that are beyond your control is never a good look. Instead, try to recognize that despite any efforts you might provide, there are some things that are simply beyond your control — including yesterday and tomorrow. Getting upset about the past or future cannot help you; instead, concentrate on centering yourself. Crying is okay Sometimes, you may find that you have so much emotion inside that the only option seems to be crying. Go for it! Sometimes…

Perhaps the world’s most infamous drug kingpin, Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, has been extradited from Mexico and brought to the United States. While El Chapo has escaped from two different Mexican prisons in the past, authorities believe that the United States prison he is being held in will prove sufficient to keep him incarcerated. The prison, located in New York City, is sometimes referred to as “the Guantanamo Bay of New York.” Located south of Chinatown, the Metropolitan Correctional Center has held many notorious criminals over the years, including mafia dons, ponzi schemers, terrorists, and arms dealers. Described as a giant concrete fortress, authorities are confident that his incarceration at the prison will prevent him from conducting further business or escaping. The 59-year-old El Chapo was in his cell in a prison in Ciudad Juarez, a border city, when he was surprised by the guards who arrived and told him he was being extradited. El Chapo asked if he was being brought to another Mexican prison as he was handcuffed and removed from the cell, apparently revealing that he was unaware of the plan to extradite him to the United States. The move also left El Chapo’s legal team at a loss, leaving them to protest that the move was illegal and filing complaints considered to be symbolic with international human rights organizations. Despite the protests of his lawyers, however, El Chapo was put on a helicopter at the Juarez…