Could Drug Abuse be Influencing the War(s) in the Middle East?
Could Drug Abuse be Influencing the War(s) in the Middle East? The Middle East is dealing with an epidemic of methamphetamine use. Could this be a factor in the growing tension in the region and offer at least a partial explanation for the lack of willingness to attempt negotiated resolutions? Consider a few facts: Meth […]
Alcohol, Marijuana, and Motor Vehicle Accidents: A Lethal Combination for Young People
Alcohol, Marijuana, and Motor Vehicle Accidents: A Lethal Combination for Young People Alcohol and marijuana are among the drugs most commonly used by adolescents and young adults. Use is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality for young people, especially motor vehicle crash fatality, which is a leading cause of death among those 18 to 25 […]
What’s the Difference Between Addiction and Obsession?
What’s the Difference Between Addiction and Obsession? When the average person thinks about addiction, they may think about someone who is dependent on drugs, alcohol, tobacco, shopping or gambling. People who suffer from addiction many times also have other co-occurring disorders, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder. Addiction vs. Obsession There is a strong correlation between addiction […]
The Danger of Alcohol-Interactive Prescription Medications
The Danger of Alcohol-Interactive Prescription Medications Alcohol interacts negatively with numerous commonly prescribed medications. Yet, most drinkers do not understood about use of alcohol-interactive (AI) prescription medications. This is concerning since the majority of Americans consume alcoholic beverages, never knowing the potential danger they are in. A new study has found that almost 42 percent […]
Alcohol Risks Rise with Long Work Hours
Alcohol Risks Rise with Long Work Hours Individuals whose working hours exceed standard recommendations are more likely to increase their alcohol use to levels that pose a health risk. This is the conclusion from a newly published report of the systematic review and meta-analysis of published studies and unpublished data. Risky alcohol consumption is more […]
Understanding How the Brain Reacts to Addictive Substances: It’s a Dopamine Thing
Understanding How the Brain Reacts to Addictive Substances: It’s a Dopamine Thing Brigham Young University professor Scott Steffensen and his collaborators have published three scientific papers that detail the brain mechanisms involved with addictive substances. One study found that the process of a brain becoming addicted is an overcorrecting reaction to an abused substance. When […]
The Relationship Between Substance Abuse, Insomnia and Suicidal Thoughts
The Relationship Between Substance Abuse, Insomnia and Suicidal Thoughts Accruing evidence indicates that insomnia is prevalent and persistent in early recovery from substance use disorders and may predict relapse. As such, insomnia treatment after abstinence represents an important area for intervention and treatment. According to Dr. Nicholas Rosenlicht of University of San Francisco: “Treating sleep […]
The Amazing Benefit of Animals on Health
The Amazing Benefit of Animals on Health Pet therapy is a broad term that includes animal-assisted therapy and other animal-assisted activities. Animal-assisted therapy is a growing field that uses dogs or other animals to help people recover from or better cope with health problems, such as heart disease, cancer and mental health disorders. Animal-assisted activities, […]
How Alcohol Affects Blood Chemistry and Diabetes
How Alcohol Affects Blood Chemistry and Diabetes Alcohol affects the body in many ways resulting in changes that can negatively impact some chronic conditions more than others. Not only can an alcoholic drink be a bad idea to mix with certain medications, but it can also change the blood chemistry. This can be life threatening […]
Treating Depression with Ketamine
Treating Depression with Ketamine Small studies at prestigious medical centers like Yale, Mount Sinai and the National Institute of Mental Health suggest that a drug called ketamine can relieve depression in many people not helped by widely used conventional antidepressants like Prozac or Lexapro. At this time, there is little support for this treatment model, […]