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Category: Drugs

  • Are violent drunks giving the rest of us a bad name? Alcohol consumption and violence

    We all know that drinking alcohol changes the way people think and can make them act strangely right? We also know that alcohol is involved in more than 50% of violent crimes and about 75% of partner violence. The question is, why the connection? A recent paper I published suggests that drugs and alcohol can…

  • Saving lives made easy – Treating opiate overdose with intranasal naloxone

    Contributing co-author: Andrew Chen Imagine that you and your friend have been using heroin (or another opiate). A few hours go by and you notice your friend is progressively becoming more and more unresponsive. You check on him and find that his breathing is shallow, his skin is cold, and his pupils are constricted. You…

  • Influential factors in college drinking

    Co-authored by: Jamie Felzer What influences students’ college drinking decisions? Do friends peer pressure them? Do they do it because they are bored? Do they drink to relieve depression or anxiety? Researchers recently tried to answer these questions by surveying college students… 65% of the participants reported having at least one drink in the past…

  • Promising new medical treatment options for drug addiction!!!

    Researchers are attacking the issue of drug addiction from multiple angles, and the results seem to be more and more ways to help. Some promising new developments in pharmacological (as in medication) therapies include a new cocaine-vaccine, as well as expanded use of Buprenorphine, for the treatment of opiate (heroin, morphine) addiction. These medications are…

  • Addiction stories: How I recovered from my addiction to crystal meth

    By the time I was done with my addiction to crystal meth, I had racked up 4 arrests, 9 felonies, a $750,000 bail, a year in jail, and an eight year suspended sentence to go along with my 5 year probation period. Though I think education is important to keep getting the message out about…

  • More money more problems? Rich teens and drugs

    Teens raised in affluent homes display the highest rates of depression, anxiety, and drug abuse according to a recent article in Monitor on Psychology, the APA‘s monthly magazine. One of our recent posts dealt with some of the issues unique to teens and drugs. In addition to the issues we’d already mentioned, the article named…

  • Family Addiction – A Tough Nut to Crack

    Guest author – Lisa Fredriksen from breakingthecycles.com: I was 49 years old when one of my loved ones entered a residential alcohol treatment program and I found myself plunged into a whole other world – a world that included terms and concepts like codependency, adult children of alcoholics, 12-step programs, co-addictions, dual diagnosis and the…

  • Higher drug abuse among gay youth likely tied to rejection

    For a lesbian, gay, or bisexual youth, “coming out” is an extremely stressful, though important event that can result in improved self-esteem, social-support, and psychological adjustment. However, a recent study found that the reactions to such a disclosure have a lot to do with the risk of those youths abusing alcohol and drugs. Social rejection…

  • Alcohol, sleep, and school work: College drinking and GPA

    Co-authored by: Jamie Felzer We all know that college students often party and sleep more than they actually study.  But do heavy alcohol use and poor sleep patterns cause poor grades? A recently published study found that just altering bed times by 2 hours can throw off your sleepiness during the day.  Most students in…

  • College drinking and frats – A match made in alcohol heaven?

    contributing author: Gacia Tachejian If you asked college students in America what goes on at a Fraternity or Sorority party they would tell you that drinking alcohol is a major component. The movie Animal House made heavy college drinking a well known fact decades ago, and research backs it up. Studies have consistently shown that…