Dope. Crystal. China Girl. Street names have been around for years, and many have heard them in passing or in the news. But what happens when your teen has some friends over and you hear strange and unknown terms?  What if they start talking…

You come home from work, and the scent of something vaguely medicinal fills the air -- a common smell when your son and his friends hang out in the basement. You find plastic cups in the trash, with purple droplets scattered at the bottom.…

We have heard the term for years: “the opioid crisis.” It has ripped through our Appalachian communities, taking away sons, daughters, aunts, fathers, and friends while leaving many loved ones behind with heartache. It’s hard for them…

Have you ever taken a medication – whether recreationally or prescribed – for a period of time and find yourself painfully uncomfortable when you stop? Maybe you noticed an increase in body sweat, a new level of anxiety you hadn’t…

It can seem like an easy feat – just stop taking opiates and everything will be fine, right? Those who have managed opiate withdrawal know that this type of advice is meaningless. Those who have tried to stop are met with pain in both…

Do you use heroin but hold down a full-time job? Do you still put food on the table and care for your family? But at the same time, have there been days where you were too sick or too preoccupied with heroin and weren’t as present as you…

You always wanted to be a mother, and with the birth of your son, your dream was realized. The plan did not quite go as you thought, though. You required a c-section to save your son. Both of you were healthy and mending well in the hospital.…