Working in her Bellaire office, Crossroads Counseling Services clinical supervisor Rebecca Kinkade tries to determine what can be done to address the heroin epidemic sweeping through the Upper Ohio Valley. The problem seems to be getting worse, as area hospitals continue seeing more patients ...

Profuse sweating, extreme chills, frequent vomiting, nausea, insomnia and muscle pain are just some of the challenges awaiting someone headed toward heroin or opioid withdrawal. “Imagine the worst flu you’ve ever had, and multiply that by 100. That is what it’s like to withdraw from ...

As the opioid epidemic continues to ravage the country, addiction counselors are addressing risk factors and calling for better treatment options. Joy Graham, a professional clinical counselor in Woodsfield, has 15 years of experience treating patients with addictions. Graham said the ...

Sean Beckett, a recovering addict, said the reality of opioid withdrawal keeps people from going cold turkey. It seems obvious, but it’s a reason that makes the most sense. “It’s like the worst flu you’ve ever had times 100,” he said. “Everything hurts, and fluids are coming out ...

Jim Lee — a retired 45-year employee of West Virginia’s 1st District Circuit Court — said the drug court program he helped to start more than a decade ago is proving successful, but more drug rehabilation centers are needed across the state to tackle the serious problem of drug addiction ...

For years after a person’s addiction to drugs or alcohol, the effects remain. However, the company that one keeps in the initial stages of recovery can make all the difference. Recovery from addiction, for some people, can depend largely on the company involved. Paul Hall, a recent graduate ...