Articles on Substance Abuse Disorders
Positive
Proof: Marijuana Can Trigger Psychosis
British doctors at King’s College London have provided positive
proof via brain scans that marijuana triggers psychotic symptoms in
some people, a belief long suspected but finally proven in recent studies...
(Read More)
Childhood
behavioral problems and binge drinking
A comprehensive study involving more than 1600 participants has established
a significant link between behavioral problems in childhood and subsequent
adolescent binge drinking... (Read
more)
The link between
IQ, binge drinking, and hangovers
In What does IQ really mean? we looked at what an IQ test actually measures
and how accurately the resultant score reflects the ultimate life success
of the individual... (Read
more)
When Usage becomes
Abusage: Recreational Drugs
Substance-Related Disorders form the one group of psychiatric conditions
that cause the majority of self-harm, emotional turmoil, family hardship,
and financial woes: much more so than other psychiatric disorders...
(Read more)
Smoking
and Other Addictions Exposed
Most of us have met someone who smokes and despite considerable effort,
just cannot manage to shake the habit. Perhaps you are one of them.
Scientists have known for many years that some people are able to give
up nicotine and other potentially addictive substances with relative
ease... (Read
more)
When
Substance Abuse becomes Substance Dependence
Substance dependence is usually called addiction, and we customarily
use the term to describe people who seem enslaved to the substance concerned.
Yet there is much disagreement among experts as to just what constituents
substance dependence... (Read
more)
Is
It Really Substance Abuse?
In "When Usage becomes Abusage" we looked at the enormous
emotional and financial cost of substance abuse. But how do you know
when someone is really abusing rather than using a substance such as
tobacco, alcohol or other recreational drugs? How do you know when the
person you love is in trouble? (Read
more)
Diagnostic
Criteria for Substance Dependence
When we last visited the topic of Substance Abuse we looked at the diagnostic
criteria for substance abuse. Today we look at substance dependence,
which differs from abuse in that the component of addiction and addictive
behavior is also present... (Read
more)
Street
Drugs and Mental Health
Parents of teenagers often worry about their children becoming involved
with drugs, and rightly so. Statistics show that, by the age of 20,
the majority of young adults have either tried drugs on one or two occasions,
take them on a regular basis, abuse drugs or are addicted to them…
(Read more)
Stimulant Drugs: How Much Do
You Know?
Drugs have become everyday commodities that parents and teenagers must
learn to deal with in effective and responsible ways. As a parent, it
is natural to want to protect your child from the influence of drugs,
but we can't be there all the time to watch over our teenagers. And
while we can adopt the "just say no!" attitude, it helps if
we actually know what we are saying no to… (Read
more)
Amphetamines: What
Do They Do?
Originally used as a treatment for asthma and as a nasal decongestant,
amphetamines were first manufactured as early as 1887. Because they
suppress the appetite, amphetamines were often used to assist in weight
loss. Amphetamines are still prescribes for certain forms of narcolepsy
(a sleeping disorder where the person falls asleep unexpectedly) and
for ADHD, Ritalin being one of the more famous amphetamines used for
medical purposes today… (Read
more)
Diagnostic
Criteria for Amphetamine (or Related Substance) Intoxication
In previous articles, we discussed the origins, medicinal use and side
effects of the amphetamine family of drugs.
The criteria for amphetamine (including speed, Ecstasy, methamphetamine,
ice) intoxication as outlined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual
of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR) are as follows… (Read
more)
Cocaine: Effects
and Uses
In our continuing series on illegal drugs, today we look at cocaine
in all its available forms. Cocaine is derived from the leaves of the
coca plant which is indigenous to South America. A young Sigmund Freud
wrote of its properties and noted that it warded off hunger and sleep
and increased powers of concentration… (Read
more)
Cocaine:
Side Effects and Long-term Effects
This is our second article on cocaine and looks at the common short-term
side effects and long-term effects of regular usage. The effect of cocaine
on the body is determined by a number of factors including how much
is ingested, the purity of the supply, your weight and height, your
general health, your mood at the time of ingesting the drug, your past
experiences with cocaine and whether or not other drugs such as alcohol,
are taken simultaneously… (Read
more)
Cocaine:
Tolerance, Dependence and Withdrawal
Cocaine is often taken in conjunction with other drugs to offset the
negative side effects of the former. Hence tranquillizers, alcohol,
marijuana, and heroin are often used to bring the user "down"
and to help them sleep. This unfortunate situation means that the regular
cocaine user who is dependent on the drug now finds him or herself dependent
or a raft of other legal and illegal medications …(Read
more)