Why Synthetic Marijuana Harms Brain More Than PotDrug AddictionBy Promises Behavioral HealthOctober 12, 2014Synthetic marijuana is a chemical-plant material mixture that contains synthetic cannabinoids, manmade compounds designed to reach the brain through the same pathway as the main cannabis/marijuana ingredient THC. One of the potential consequences of using synthetic cannabinoids is the onset of psychosis symptoms highly similar to those found in people with the severe mental illness…
Extreme Psychotic Reaction to Spice Reveals Risks of Synthetic MarijuanaDrug AddictionBy Promises Behavioral HealthJuly 21, 2014Psychosis is an extremely dysfunctional mental state most commonly associated with the presence of schizophrenia and certain other severe mental illnesses. Addiction specialists and researchers know that marijuana can produce a temporary psychosis-like state in active users and also potentially increases the odds that a person with latent psychotic tendencies will experience psychotic episodes. In…
Ecstasy, Molly Can Be Fatal in Warm EnvironmentsDrug AddictionBy Promises Behavioral HealthJuly 19, 2014Hyperthermia is the technical term for a loss of internal control over body temperature that can produce severe or even fatal changes in organ health. For a long time, doctors and researchers have known that use of large doses of the “club drug” MDMA (more commonly known as Ecstasy or Molly) is linked to increased…
First LSD Trial in 40 Years Shows PromiseDrug AddictionBy Promises Behavioral HealthMarch 19, 2014The findings require more research, but may prove to be important in the treatment of addiction and anxiety disorders, said Elements CEO Dr. David Sack. Might dropping acid drop your anxiety? Could you better cope with health threats by taking a guided LSD trip with your therapist? The unlikely answer is maybe.
Teens Make Rapid Shift Away From Bath SaltsAdolescent IssuesBy Promises Behavioral HealthJanuary 27, 2014“Bath salts” are a modern class of illicit/illegal drugs with a close chemical relationship to natural, mind-altering substances contained in a stimulant plant called khat; these drugs have entered circulation in the U.S. over the last several years. Bath salts are used by only a very small minority of American teenagers. According to results of…
Return to Dust: Bane of the ’70s, PCP Now a Supporting Player in the Saga of Aaron HernandezAddictionBy Promises Behavioral HealthDecember 7, 2013This post has been updated to reflect the latest developments in the criminal case against Aaron Hernandez. The powerful street drug PCP, largely unheard of since its violent heyday in the 1970s, may go higher profile as the saga of former New England Patriots star Aaron Hernandez continues to unfold. Hernandez, already charged with murder…
Use of Party Drug ‘Molly’ Increases With Summer HeatDrug AddictionBy Promises Behavioral HealthJuly 25, 2013Summertime and hard partying often go hand-in-hand. And across the country, Molly, a form of the drug ecstasy, is becoming popular among high school students and younger crowds. The warmer weather in particular seems to be a draw for Molly’s users who typically range in age from 16 to 21.
Youths Who Use Designer Drugs Can’t Stop After Just OneDrug AddictionBy Promises Behavioral HealthJuly 25, 2013Designer drugs are man-made or synthetic drugs. They are chemical compounds created in a laboratory and sold on the street to users looking for intense or specific kinds of “highs.” They are sold under a slew of names, making them hard for parents to keep track of. Anti-drug agencies report that teens and young people…
Man Dies After Paranoid Reaction to Magic CrystalsAddictionBy Promises Behavioral HealthJuly 12, 2013Daniel Parks’ wife had fallen asleep, shattered after a long day at the UK-based music festival Bestival. Daniel locked himself in the bathroom—his mind frazzled by his use of drugs over the weekend—and took a kitchen knife with him. He mutilated his lower arms, sending blood cascading down onto the floor of the small cubicle…
Teen Who ‘Thought He Could Fly’ After Taking Synthetic LSD Falls to His DeathDrug AddictionBy Promises Behavioral HealthJune 25, 2013Synthetic drugs may be the new trend in getting high that parents, law enforcement agents and lawmakers need to be worried about. From the synthetic marijuana products that came out several years ago packaged to look like incense or potpourri, to the newest drugs coming from China and Europe, these laboratory-manufactured substances pose a real…
