Genetic Cause of Fetal Alcohol-Related Developmental Disorders FoundAlcoholismBy Promises Behavioral HealthJune 11, 2009A new animal study found a specific genetic cause of fetal alcohol-related developmental disorders. When pregnant women consume alcohol, the genetic processes that control thyroid hormone levels in the fetal brain are interfered with. Fetal alcohol exposure can cause neurodevelopmental disorders such as emotional behavioral disorders and deficits in learning, memory, and speech. Past animal… Details
More Women Using Cocaine in the UKAddictionBy Promises Behavioral HealthJune 11, 2009The Telegraph UK reported that one in 15 women ages 10-25 in England admitted they have tried cocaine, raising concerns that young women will soon overtake men for cocaine use. Unfortunately, cocaine is being considered more glamorous and socially acceptable, with high-profile celebrities like Kate Moss and Amy Winehouse being associated with the drug. The… Details
Study Finds Better Ways to Treat SchizophreniaNews and ResearchBy Promises Behavioral HealthJune 9, 2009Instance of schizophrenia have puzzled researchers for years as the causes and promising treatments have changed with better and more in-depth research. The latest findings in this area have implicated machinery that maintains the flow of potassium in cells and revealed a potential molecular target for new treatments. Science Daily reported on an extensive series… Details
Alcoholism: Its Ties to Domestic Violence and the Disruption of FamiliesAlcoholismBy Promises Behavioral HealthJune 8, 2009Sue and Tom* were married less than a year before Tom’s alcoholism began to have a negative effect on their marriage. Tom was eight years older than Sue, a graduate student at a prestigious university; she was an at-home mom for their first child, but would shortly start graduate school herself. The drinking problem was… Details
Researchers Identify Way to Reduce Morphine Tolerance to Lower Risk of AddictionNews and ResearchBy Promises Behavioral HealthJune 7, 2009Becoming addicted to a drug as the result of extended medical care is a common problem in the health care industry. While doctors do take necessary steps to try and prevent addiction in their patients, it can still easily happen – especially with highly addictive drugs.
Researchers Identify Potential Alternative Drug TreatmentNews and ResearchBy Promises Behavioral HealthJune 6, 2009For those who have never used drugs or experienced a dependence upon them, it is hard to understand the draw. Yet, when someone is dependent upon drugs or alcohol, the pleasure center within the brain is hijacked, which disrupts the normal functioning of its reward circuitry.
Former Drug Addict Finds Solace in TriathlonsRecoveryBy Promises Behavioral HealthJune 5, 2009Eddie Freas, 33, has found a different way to fight his 20-year addiction to alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine—he started training for and entering triathlons. “I feel better when I’m working out,” Freas told CNN’s Madison Park. “It does wonders for the mind. The reason I started running—it was a switch that went off in my… Details
Smoking Declines While Drug and Alcohol Use Remain SteadyNews and ResearchBy Promises Behavioral HealthJune 4, 2009A new report on substance abuse and mental health shows that while more people are quitting smoking (or not starting in the first place), alcohol and illicit drug use still remain steady. The study also shows that drug use varies widely across the country; for example, the rate of illicit drug use among people ages… Details
New Clinical Director at Promises’ West Los Angeles Campus Creating Robust Clinical Team to Enhance Addiction Treatment ProgramElements NewsBy Promises Behavioral HealthJune 3, 2009Jason Levine, Ph.D. has developed a three-pronged approach to addiction treatment that includes a twelve-step foundation, relapse prevention, and group treatment for anxiety and depression. Los Angeles, CA (Vocus) June 2, 2009 — Nestled in a quiet West Los Angeles neighborhood, the original Promises facility has, for over twenty years, offered a safe and effective… Details
Allowing Children to Drink Can Lead to Binge DrinkingAdolescent IssuesBy Promises Behavioral HealthJune 2, 2009Legal drinking ages are as varied as the states and countries that impose them. In the United Kingdom, you can legally give alcohol to any child over 5 years old, but you cannot purchase alcohol until you are 16 (for beer, wine, or cider) or 18 (for hard liquor). In Spain, you must be 14… Details
