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A man sitting at a table holding a glass of alcohol, looking distressed, illustrating early signs of alcohol addiction and the progression toward dependence.
Addiction

How Long Does It Take to Become Addicted to Alcohol? Warning Signs You’re Crossing the Line

If you’ve ever wondered how long does it take to become addicted to alcohol or how long does it take to become an alcoholic, you’re not alone. Many people drink socially and worry about when “normal” drinking crosses the line into a serious problem. The truth is that alcohol addiction doesn’t follow a simple calendar—but there are clear risk patterns and warning signs you can watch for.

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December 19, 2025 No Comments
A glass of alcohol beside a dish of white powder on a wooden surface, symbolizing the risks of mixing ketamine and alcohol.
Addiction

Ketamine and Alcohol: Why Mixing Depressants Can Turn Dangerous Fast

Ketamine is showing up in more places than the club scene. It is still used as an anesthetic, is sometimes prescribed for pain, and in carefully controlled settings it can be part of treatment-resistant depression care. At the same time, alcohol remains one of the most widely used—and misused—substances in the world. Putting the two together may feel common or even casual, but it is anything but safe.

Both ketamine and alcohol act on the central nervous system (CNS). Together they can sharply change breathing, heart function, judgment, and memory in ways that are hard to predict and even harder to reverse once things go wrong. Many people who mix them do not realize how quickly a “good night out” or a “booster” for ketamine therapy can turn into a medical emergency.

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December 16, 2025 No Comments
Close-up image of cannabis jars, a rolled joint, and an ADHD diagnosis form on a desk, representing the connection between weed and ADHD symptoms.
Addiction

Weed and ADHD: Why Cannabis Often Makes Symptoms Worse

If you live with ADHD, you may have wondered whether smoking weed will calm your mind or help you focus. Many people even notice that “pot makes my ADHD worse” but aren’t sure why. This guide explains how weed and ADHD interact in the brain, how cannabis affects mental health and addiction risk, and what to do if your use is starting to cause problems.

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December 12, 2025 No Comments
A man sitting alone with alcohol and drug paraphernalia, reflecting the emotional struggle associated with schizophrenia and substance use.
Addiction

Schizophrenia and Substance Use: How Addiction and Mental Health Intersect

Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness, and substance use disorders are serious illnesses too. When they show up together, daily life can unravel quickly. Many families wonder whether drugs can “cause” schizophrenia, or if a loved one is using substances to cope with confusing thoughts, voices, or paranoia. The reality is that schizophrenia and substance use influence one another in complex ways. This guide explains what schizophrenia is, how drugs and alcohol affect the illness, what we know about schizophrenia from drug use, and how integrated treatment at Nova Recovery Center can help.

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December 11, 2025 No Comments
Young woman with two hands visible holding a cannabis joint and pressing her temple while experiencing anxiety at home.
Addiction

Pot, Panic, and Anxiety: How Weed Affects Mental Health

Many people reach for cannabis when they feel tense, wired, or overwhelmed. For some, it seems to take the edge off. For others, marijuana and anxiety quickly become tangled together. Instead of relaxing, they notice racing thoughts, a pounding heart, and a sense that something is terribly wrong.

At Nova Recovery Center, we hear from people who started using pot to sleep, eat, or cope with stress but now feel trapped in a cycle of weed and anxiety. Some describe weed and panic attacks that come out of nowhere; others talk about an intense fear of dying while high, convinced they are having a heart attack or losing their mind. This guide explains why that happens, what an anxiety attack on weed looks like, and how integrated addiction and mental health treatment can help you regain control.

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December 9, 2025 No Comments
Close-up image showing cannabis buds beside a glass of alcohol, illustrating the comparison of weed or alcohol and their impact on mental health and addiction.
Addiction

Is Weed or Alcohol Worse for Addiction and Mental Health?

People often ask whether weed or alcohol is worse. Some see cannabis as “natural” and harmless. Others point to how common drinking is and wonder which substance does more damage. When you look closely at addiction and mental health, the answer isn’t simple. Both weed and alcohol can harm the brain, fuel mental health struggles, and derail daily life—especially when they’re used to cope with stress, trauma, or existing psychiatric conditions.

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December 8, 2025 No Comments
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