Drinking Alcohol Increases Meth Use, Study Finds AddictionBy Promises Behavioral HealthSeptember 8, 2014In the U.S., hundreds of thousands of people use the illegal stimulant drug methamphetamine every month. In addition, tens of millions of people consume alcohol. There is a considerable degree of overlap between the methamphetamine-using population and the alcohol-using population. In a study scheduled for publication in 2014 in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence,…
How to Cope When Your Loved One Refuses Help AddictionBy Promises Behavioral HealthSeptember 7, 2014Addiction is a harmful disease, and not just for the addict. Drug addicts and alcoholics impact everyone in their lives, but those they love are often hurt the most. If you have been living with an addict you might be at the end of your rope. You see the problem. You have been patient and…
Newly Discovered Brain Mechanism Helps Explain Addiction Addiction, FeaturedBy Promises Behavioral HealthAugust 31, 2014Over the years, researchers have identified many of the brain mechanisms that contribute to the onset and continuation of substance addiction. However, as investigations on this subject continue, more and more information comes to light and adds to basic understanding and the potential options for treatment. In a study published in June 2014 in the…
How Addiction Happens in the Brain AddictionBy Promises Behavioral HealthAugust 13, 2014Addiction specialists and researchers have long known that the process of substance addiction begins when the brain’s pleasure center repeatedly experiences an abnormal buildup of a chemical called dopamine. However, they have not understood why a chronic dopamine buildup produces such dramatic changes in brain function. In a study published in June 2014 in The…
Powdered Caffeine Can Be Lethal, FDA Warns AddictionBy Promises Behavioral HealthJuly 28, 2014Would you pound 25 cups of coffee back to back just to get amped up for the day, curb your appetite or power you through an all-nighter? Youths and adults are getting the equivalent buzz from pure powdered caffeine, and as little as one teaspoon can be fatal.
Why Is Heroin Addiction So Hard To Treat? Addiction, News and ResearchBy Promises Behavioral HealthJuly 18, 2014It has been proven time after time that alcoholism and drug addiction are amenable to treatment. Each year, millions of Americans celebrate another anniversary of sobriety, surrounded by grateful family members who remember the agony and misery of days gone by. But while the success stories are uplifting, the failures are disheartening; unfortunately, the latter…
Risk of Alcohol-Related Accidents Rises Substantially on Fourth of July Weekend AddictionBy Promises Behavioral HealthJuly 1, 2014Family picnics, neighborhood barbecues, rousing patriotic concerts, colorful parades and spectacular fireworks displays will bring joy and excitement to the lives of millions of Americans this July 4th weekend. Men, women and children of all ages will gather with loved ones to observe the 238th anniversary of our country’s birth, in appreciation of our freedoms…
New Breathalyzer Detects Marijuana Use AddictionBy Promises Behavioral HealthJune 30, 2014Breathalyzers are devices originally developed to detect the concentration of alcohol in a person’s bloodstream. Law enforcement agencies throughout the U.S. commonly use these devices as part of procedures designed to identify people driving while intoxicated. In a study published in December 2013 in the journal Clinical Chemistry and reported in May 2014 by study…
Smoking in the Military Deserves a Dishonorable Discharge AddictionBy Promises Behavioral HealthJune 15, 2014Every year, 480,000 Americans die from smoking-related diseases. This presents quite a challenge for the tobacco industry, which must constantly recruit new generations of smokers to replace those whose habits have been interrupted by death. Overseas marketing efforts have bolstered industry profit margins, making up for some of this attrition. And tens of millions of…
Hedonism Drives People to Combine Energy Drinks, Alcohol, Study Finds AddictionBy Promises Behavioral HealthJune 10, 2014Energy drinks are a relatively new type of mass-marketed beverage high in caffeine or other legally produced, plant-based stimulants. Current evidence shows that this type of beverage, popular among both teenagers and young adults, can have especially harmful effects when consumed in combination with alcohol. In a study published in May 2014 in the journal…
