Tag: cocaine

Nivea Gets Real About Conquering Cocaine Addiction

R&B singer Nivea is back with new music and a new game plan, making her re-introduction to the masses on BET’s new docuseries Finding. In the episode, the Atlanta songstress shares the highs and lows of pursuing her career while raising four children, co-parenting with Lil Wayne and The Dream, and the sacrifices she has made in the name of family.

In an interview with the M+M+M+ Show, the “Okay” singer takes it a bit further, opening up about everything from her bedroom antics to her past hard drug usage, something she’s proudly put behind her.

“My experience with cocaine, that wasn’t something I felt public with where people want to party. It didn’t do none of that for me. It was more of a mental thing. I had a different reaction than most people. I wanted to be alone. It was a personal drug. I wanted to write, play Sudoku, it put me in my head.”  more

DRUG HELL I spent up to £400 a DAY on my cocaine habit – and was told I’d taken so much I wouldn’t walk again

Zoe Corcoran was so desperate to feed her habit, she stole thousands from her parents – and even believed the TV was talking to her

AGED 15, Zoe Corcoran sniffed her first line of cocaine.
It was the start of a terrifying addiction which saw her spending up to £400-a-day on the class A drug and hallucinating that people in the television were talking to her.

At one point she downed mouthful after mouthful of pills and hacked at her hand, but thankfully survived.

Now Zoe, clean and happy, is telling her shocking story:   more

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Addiction

Obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD, is an anxiety disorder in which an individual experiences recurring thoughts that cause irrational fears and anxiety. Individuals with OCD engage in repeated, compulsive rituals, such as counting items, hand washing and organizing. Executing these rituals provides temporary relief while they are being performed, but the anxiety returns soon after they stop. OCD is a highly destructive disorder that can overtake the life of an individual and keep him from enjoying many life’s most rewarding activities.

The Journal of Anxiety Disorders estimates that over 25 percent of those who seek treatment for OCD also meet the criteria for a substance use disorder. Individuals who experience OCD symptoms for the first time in childhood or adolescence are more likely to develop a drug or alcohol problem, often as a way to cope with overwhelming anxiety and fear. Treating an addictive disorder without addressing the emotional symptoms of OCD is unlikely to be effective.  more

The Connection Between Mental Illness and Substance Abuse

he National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) reports that there is a “definite connection between mental illness and the use of addictive substances” and that mental health disorder patients are responsible for the consumption of:

  • 38 percent of alcohol
  • 44 percent of cocaine
  • 40 percent of cigarettes

Self-Medication

By far the most common issue connecting mental illness and substance abuse is the intention of patients to medicate the mental health symptoms that they find disruptive or uncomfortable by using alcohol and drugs.  more