Percocet is a brand-name painkiller that works by depressing or dulling the central nervous system. When someone with severe or chronic pain takes Percocet, the drug blocks receptors in the nervous system, greatly reducing pain symptoms. Percocet may be a central nervous system depressant, but it is not a mood depressant. In fact, users who
You may have seen an alcoholic gait before. It’s an unsteady, staggering walk—but it doesn’t necessarily point to an alcoholic losing the ability to walk. The cause of the alcoholic gait is cerebellar ataxia, a type of brain damage affecting the part of the brain called the cerebellum. Acute effects of alcohol include impaired posture
Everyone can be moody sometimes, but how do you know if you have an actual mood disorder, such as bipolar disorder or cyclothymia? What are some of the telltale signs and symptoms? Can you take a quiz to see if you have the signs for one of these mood disorders? While diagnosing a mental illness
A combination of buprenorphine/naloxone is marketed under the brand names Suboxone and Zubsolv in order to assist with the drug addiction recovery process. Buprenorphine/naloxone consists of two main ingredients that cancel each other out: buprenorphine is a type of narcotic or opioid, and naloxone is a drug that blocks the effects of opioids. In fact,
Fibromyalgia is a long-term health condition that leads to chronic, widespread physical pain. Researchers have found that alcohol consumption can help reduce symptoms of the condition and bring significant pain relief. For this reason, people affected by fibromyalgia may be tempted to increase their alcohol intake in order to keep the disorder under control. However,
Central Nervous System Disorders: Fibromyalgia & Alcohol Abuse Read More »
If you’ve been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder and are about to begin treatment, you should know that anxiety medication and alcohol do not mix. Ignore this warning and you’ll be putting your health and possibly even your life at risk. Why Alcohol and Anxiety Medication Are So Dangerous in Combination Drugs called benzodiazepines are
Psychedelics are a type of hallucinogenic drug that alter thoughts, feelings and perception. Using substances like magic mushrooms, LSD or DMT, drug use causes users to experience visual and auditory sensations that appear to be real but are not. Users may feel disconnected from their bodies or surroundings. The experience of using psychedelic drugs can
An Overview of Psychedelics and How They Affect the Body Read More »
By Matthew Goldenberg, D.O. Board Certified Psychiatry and Addiction Psychiatry Associate Medical Director, Promises Professionals Treatment Program Many people in the U.S., Irish-American or otherwise, have only a vague notion of what the St. Patrick’s Day holiday represents, beyond the connection to alcohol. While the root of the holiday is paying homage to St. Patrick
By Jana Albright, MA, CATC-IV, Primary Therapist at Promises Malibu Many addiction treatment programs emphasize talk therapy as a method for helping clients through the treatment process. Does talk therapy work for everyone? It depends, because every person who enters a drug treatment program arrives with their own complex and unique personal history, issues and
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Adderall is a brand-name combination of dextroamphetamine and amphetamine, and it is prescribed to treat the symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, some people, particularly teens and young adults feeling pressured to perform to exceptional standards in high school or college, may abuse Adderall in order to concentrate for long periods of time. Taking
Allergy Symptoms and Allergic Reactions to Adderall Read More »