The number of senior citizens with drug addiction is on the rise in the United States, and prescription painkillers, such as hydrocodone and other opioids, play a major role in drug problems among the elderly. Opioid painkillers are the fourth most commonly abused substance among senior citizens in the U.S., following close behind alcohol, marijuana …
There were an estimated 1.5 million cocaine users in the U.S. in 2014, with rates of use holding steady since 2009. Learning what makes cocaine addictive is essential to understanding why so many Americans are drawn to the drug and tackling the underlying issue of cocaine addiction. Ultimately, cocaine is addictive for the same reasons …
The Chemical Composition Explained: What Makes Cocaine Addictive? Read More »
Serotonin antagonist and reuptake inhibitors may sound like a difficult mouthful of medical words but are more commonly known as antidepressants. Common brands of serotonin antagonist and reuptake inhibitors include trazodone. SARIs are used mainly to treat major depressive disorder in adults. They are sometimes offered for the treatment of insomnia for patients who dislike …
How Do Serotonin Antagonist and Reuptake Inhibitors Work? Read More »
Adults aged 50 and older are among the more than 3 million people in the United States who have opioid or opiate addictions. Overuse or misuse of prescription painkillers such as oxycodone and hydrocodone is so widespread that President Trump has declared the opioid epidemic a public “health emergency.” But opioids aren’t the only substances …
6 Substances Commonly Misused By Older Adults in America Read More »
The Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning on the “deadly risks” associated with the use of kratom, an herbal supplement touted as a treatment for anxiety and depression and more recently as an alternative to opioid pain pills. What’s more, individuals who have become addicted to opioids are now using kratom as a do-it-yourself …
FDA Warns Against Use of Kratom to Treat Opioid Addiction Read More »
In the fight against alcoholism, anti-alcohol drugs can be a powerful tool. Like Prozac was to depression 30 years ago, anti-alcohol drugs such as naltrexone, topiramate, disulfiram and acamprosate are changing the way mental health and medical professionals are treating alcohol addiction. As researchers dive deeper into understanding how these drugs work, evidence shows that …
Decades of public health campaigns designed to convince teens not to smoke appear to be working — at least in a sense. Young people are increasingly turning away from tobacco, a Penn State study has found, but more are lighting up with marijuana.
The fear of intimacy can ruin relationships. We all crave connection, but due to trauma suffered in childhood, or perhaps as the result of a relationship in adulthood that went terribly wrong, some people learn that it’s safer to keep others at an emotional arm’s length. But doing so is counterproductive and often leads to …
President Donald Trump recently held a news conference to declare the nation’s opioid epidemic to be a “Public Health Emergency.” He outlined a wide-ranging plan for addressing “solutions” to opioid addiction and stated emphatically that it is essential that addicted Americans are supported in obtaining opioid addiction treatment. “[We must] face the reality that millions …
President Declares Opioid Epidemic Public Health Emergency Read More »
Sexual abuse and harassment is one of the top stories today. It’s being fueled by accusations against men in the public eye ― such as Harvey Weinstein ― and by so many people, men and women, stepping out and saying, “Me too. I was harassed. I was victimized.” But in the sudden explosion of interest …