



Summary
Reducing or quitting substances like alcohol, tobacco and drugs is possible and can greatly improve your long-term health.
It is well known that drinking too much alcohol, tobacco use and illegal drugs increase the risk of many chronic diseases.
Avoiding risky substances is important for long-term health. Setting goals for quitting or reducing substances like tobacco and alcohol is a great way to make positive changes to your lifestyle.
Quitting tobacco may seem daunting, but people who are ready can and do quit – there are more former smokers in the world now than current smokers.
There are also treatments that work for alcohol and medication overuse or misuse. Treatments can take time, many attempts and different approaches, so be patient with yourself and don’t give up.
Effective treatments include individual and group counseling plus medications.
Setting SMART goals around your substance use is a great way to make changes.
Specific: What are you going to do to decrease your substance use?
Measurable: How much will you reduce it by?
Attainable: Do you have what it takes to follow through?
Realistic: What can you actually do? Focus on improvement over perfection.
Time-connected: How frequent, and how long will you commit?
Addiction Services at NMMC
If your use of an addictive substance, especially illegal drugs, prescription medications or alcohol, start to negatively impact your life, it may be time to seek help.
Our team at North Mississippi Regional Pain Consultants is passionate about helping people with many forms of substance use disorder.
Led by board-certified addiction medicine physicians Dr. Drew Blackstock and Dr. Brent Boyett, our team works with each patient to develop an individualized treatment plan that leads to a durable recovery and more stable life. We use the most effective methods for treating opioid and other substance use disorders.
Small Steps, Better Health
Every two weeks we will introduce another Small Step for Better Health. Follow us on social media for more tips, and sign up for our email newsletter, True North.


Drew Blackstock, MD
Drew Blackstock, MD, treats all forms of substance abuse disorders, including alcohol, opioid, drugs and others. He specializes in medication-assisted addiction recovery and high-risk populations, including pregnant women. He has extensive clinical experience in community practice, emergency rooms, urgent care centers and inpatient settings. He is board certified in family medicine and addiction medicine.
He graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson, Tennessee. He completed a family medicine residency at the University of Tennessee in Memphis and is a graduate of the fellowship at the Center for Addiction Science at the University of Tennessee. He is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians, National Association for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors and the American Society of Addiction Medicine.

Subscribe to Our Newsletter
Like this content and want to get more? Sign up for True North, the health and wellness newsletter from North Mississippi Health Services!

Subscribe to Our Newsletter
Like this content and want to get more? Sign up for True North, the health and wellness newsletter from North Mississippi Health Services!

Nurse Link®
Call 1-800-882-6274 anytime to speak directly to a registered nurse and get immediate answers. Using computerized medical protocols, nurses direct callers to the most appropriate medical treatment. Our nurses are available 24 hours per day, seven days per week.