Loudoun County Mental Health Center Substance Abuse Program
102 Heritage Way NE
Suite 302
Leesburg, VA 20176
(703) 771-5100
Hotline: (703) 777-0320
Call
888-647-0579
to speak with an alcohol or drug abuse counselor.
Who Answers?
Treatment & Detox Guide
Understanding How the Effects of Drugs on the Brain Cause Addiction
Regardless of the type of drug involved, addictive drugs all exert certain effects that increase the likelihood of ongoing drug use. Also known as psychoactive agents, these drugs are able to cross the blood-brain barrier, which gives them easy access to the brain’s workings. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, drug addiction creates….
Bracelet monitors offenders' alcohol intake
Like a protective Big Brother, Northwest Kansas Community Corrections has an arsenal of gadgets it uses to monitor the behavior of the inmates it oversees. One of the most promising up-and-coming devices being used is the Scram alcohol monitoring bracelet. Worn on the ankle, the bracelet uses samples of insensible perspiration through the skin to….
After combat, citizen soldiers turning to alcohol
National Guard and Reserve combat troops in Iraq and Afghanistan are more likely to develop drinking problems than active-duty soldiers, a new military study suggests. The authors speculate that inadequate preparation for the stress of combat and reduced access to support services at home might be to blame. The study, appearing in today’s Journal of….
Heroin Hits the Suburbs Hard Amid Wave of Drug Abuse by Teens and 20-Somethings
When the vomiting, tremors, and chills she felt each morning became overwhelming, Jessica Polmann started selling her body to finance her heroin addiction and halt the debilitating physical symptoms of withdrawal. The petite, blond cheerleader, who made the honor roll before she started doing heroin at age 13, received $60 and some cigarettes each time….
A mindful distraction for pain and depression
CAN THE WAY you chew a raisin affect the way you experience pain? Trials at St James’s and AMNCH (Tallaght) Hospitals in Dublin are beginning to look at how “mindfulness meditation” can be used to help people cope with a diverse range of problems including chronic pain, depression, anxiety, cardiac difficulties and even psoriasis. “Mindfulness….