Addiction
National Report Shows 1 in 4 Young Adults Are Binge Drinkers
A new report by the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has found that more than 1 in 4 teenagers and young adults (ages 18 to 34) engage in binge drinking. Even though the dangerous behavior of binge drinking has the potential to lead to immediate health and safety risks, binge drinking occurs almost 4 million times a day among U.S. adults.
Symptoms of ADHD May Prompt Higher Rates of Substance Abuse
For some people living with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), the challenges of trying to complete a task or focus on a project can be overwhelming. Many find that the stress can be lessened with certain substances, ranging from caffeine to tobacco; to prescription pain medications and sugar.
Studying Compulsivity in the Brain Can Lead to Better Treatments
No one likes to admit they are impulsive, but many people are and it can impact their ability to change their behavior. When that individual has certain challenges, such as ADHD or drug addiction, the degree to which impulsivity plays a part can affect treatment.
Father’s Prison Stay Associated with Child’s Drug Use
Young people who begin using marijuana in adolescence often stop using the drug by their early adulthood. However, early initiation can introduce an individual to other unhealthy behaviors, such as alcohol use and the use of other illegal drugs. It is important to understand the risk factors for a teen vulnerable to trying marijuana in order to produce effective education and prevention programs.
Automated Screening for At-Risk Drinking
When individuals visit their primary care physician, they are often asked to fill out a form detailing specific areas of their health. Questions include inquiries about exercise, history of cancer in their families and symptoms they are currently experiencing.
Understanding the Reasons People Abuse Drugs or Alcohol
Addiction alters a person’s brain functioning to the point where they experience strong or irresistible cravings for the substance or behavior. The addictive behaviors can quickly become escalated to the point where the person has no more control over the situation, and millions of lives are wrecked each year.
Early Alcohol and Tobacco Use May Delay Puberty in Girls
Both alcohol and tobacco use are known to produce several adverse effects, including psychological, physiological, emotional, and physical health hazards. These side effects have been extensively investigated among teenagers and adults, and are acutely apparent in older age, after long-term use, or following binge episodes. Yet alcohol and tobacco’s adverse reactions upon younger adolescents, especially on their physical development, are not fully known. Alcohol use has already been found to impede puberty growth rats, but the same evidence has not been established among humans, particularly young girls.
What Is Addiction?
Addiction, according to numerous sources, including the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is a primary, progressive, chronic, debilitating, and often fatal, disease. A person can become addicted to, or dependent upon, substances, including alcohol, illicit drugs, or prescription drugs used nonmedically, nicotine, caffeine, or food, or behaviors, including sex, gambling, work, shopping/spending, or relationships.
FDA Attempts to Restrict Cold- and Cough-Medications to Reduce Abuse among Adolescents
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Drug Safety and Risk Management Advisory Committee will meet on September 14, 2010 to discuss the increased prevalence of dextromethorphan abuse among the American public. After receiving a request from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the rising incidence of dextromethorphan abuse nationwide, especially among adolescents, has raised enough concern over the availability of cold- and cough-remedies containing this powerful drug that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is now considering restricting the public’s access to these medications.
Educating Children About Marketing Messages Can Help Prevent Substance Abuse
Media Detective is an activity-based program used to help prevent alcohol and tobacco use among children, helping them understand the intentions of marketers and advertising. A new study suggests that teaching children as young as eight or nine to be more skeptical of marketing tactics can help prevent substance abuse.
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The Addiction Primer: Everything You Need to Know to Get Help for a Loved One
A very inexpensive yet indispensable guide for anyone struggling with a loved one's addiction. Chapters on intervention, what to expect from rehab, and information on how addiction impacts the family.
