Addiction Treatment Blog by Addiction Experts » Research
E-Cigarettes: Are They Better For You Than the Real Deal?
While restrictions on smoking cigarettes become stricter and stricter, and taxes on them rise across the country, there is an heated debate over the safety and regulation of electronic cigarettes. Many view electronic cigarettes as a helpful cessation tool, or as a safer alternative to smoking the real thing. Although there haven’t been any large-scale conclusive studies, it would seem to make sense that there are less disastrous health effects associated with e-cigarettes than their … Read entire article »
Filed under: Addiction, Alcohol and Drugs, Latest News, Recovery, Research
Why Nice Guys Finish Last
Why is it that so many women are attracted to the assholes? The unfortunate truth is that we may actually be “programmed” to avoid dating nice guys if we had unfavorable childhood attachment patterns. If your primary caregiver was dismissive and invalidating towards you, your brain is trained to be attracted to partners who will also be dismissive and invalidating towards you. You will unintentionally pass up nice guys in favor of the bad guys, because … Read entire article »
Filed under: Love and Relationships, Research
More People Dying from Drugs, Despite Government Efforts
Public health officials have some disappointing numbers to report this week after data shows that drug-related deaths continue to rise in the United States. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has revealed that the number of deaths related to drugs has gone up 3% in 2010, and preliminary data shows that trend continuing to increase in 2011. Law enforcement and public health officials have worked to curb prescription drug abuse. Representatives from these agencies have expressed hope that educational and enforcement programs would work to save lives and cut back on fatal overdoses and other drug-related deaths. Apparently, the deadliness of drugs can be felt on a global scale. The CDC director alluded to the problem being all over the world. “While most things are getting better on … Read entire article »
Filed under: Alcohol and Drugs, Latest News, Research
Is the Full Moon to Blame for Mental Illness?
Legend has it that the full moon is to blame for bizarre human behavior. Have you ever felt the effect of a full moon? If so – or if you fear the moon can cause insanity – read further. Moon Facts (from National Geographic): The moon is Earth’s satellite (a satellite differs from a planet in that planets revolve around the sun, while a satellite revolves around another planet). The moon is about 4.6 billion years old, or … Read entire article »
Filed under: Conditions and Disorders, Latest News, Mental Illness, Research
Cocaine Addiction’s On/Off Switch
A new study shows that stimulation of the prefrontal cortex (an area of the brain involved in impulse control and decision making) of rats reduces cravings and compulsive cocaine-seeking behavior. Scientists at the Intramural Research Program of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) – part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) – performed this groundbreaking study. “This is the first study to show a cause-and-effect relationship … Read entire article »
Filed under: Addiction, Alcohol and Drugs, Latest News, Research, Substance Abuse, Treatment
A Diet Too Healthy For Your Own Good – Orthorexia
In a society that is obsessed with weight and the new health food craze, it’s a small wonder that so many people are eating much healthier. However, some people are plagued with an obsession to be the healthiest and the purest, and to let foods become their identity. They suffer from a condition called orthorexia nervosa, an eating condition where people become fixated on the obsession to eat healthily, to the point where it becomes … Read entire article »
Filed under: Addiction, Conditions and Disorders, Research, Treatment
Reefer Madness: the Growing Acceptance of Marijuana in the United States
On January 15th, 1936, the anti-marijuana motion picture Reefer Madness was released in theaters. The film, directed by Louis Gasnier and starring a cast of unknown actors, begins with two high school students who are cajoled into smoking a joint and highlights the chaos and insanity they experience as a result. After smoking weed, the two teens’ lives descend into evil and sin; the melodramatic events include a hit-and-run accident, manslaughter, suicide, and attempted rape … Read entire article »
Filed under: Alcohol and Drugs, Celebrity, Research
Stress-Related Relapse Halted, Brings Hope for Addicts
After more than a decade’s worth of research into stress and drug-seeking behavior in rats, researchers at Brown University and University of Pennsylvania have found a way to prevent relapse in their animal model by blocking certain receptors in the brain. This news in and of itself is a huge accomplishment for the scientific community; however, it is also an enormous step for the addiction community at large. This means that there is a potential medication … Read entire article »
Filed under: Addiction, Alcohol and Drugs, Research, Substance Abuse
Alzheimer’s Disease Becoming a Major Threat to Seniors
Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth-leading cause of death in the U.S. and, according to a new report, it is estimated that 5.2 million Americans currently suffer from the disease. Unfortunately there is no prevention, cure, or way of slowing it down. Alzheimer’s is a form of dementia, which refers to a variety of conditions that develop when neurons – nerve cells in the brain – die or begin to malfunction. The report’s authors explained: “The death or malfunction … Read entire article »
Filed under: Conditions and Disorders, Research
Quitting Chew Made Easy with Nicotine Substitutes
Nicotine lozenges and nicotine-free chew have proven effective in deterring smokeless tobacco users from continuing their habits, a new Mayo Clinic study suggests. Apparently, the 81 subjects recruited entered the study with no desire to give up their habit anytime soon. Half of the 81 were administered 4-mg nicotine lozenges and half received tobacco-free chew intended to help them cut back or quit. The participants were asked to gradually give up their smokeless tobacco use over … Read entire article »
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