addiction – thirdAGE

Substance Abuse and COVID-19

A study funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that people with substance use disorders (SUDs) are more susceptible to COVID-19 and its complications. The research, published in Molecular Psychiatry, was co-authored by Nora D. Volkow, M.D., director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). The findings suggest that health care providers… Continue reading Substance Abuse and COVID-19

Seeking Alcohol Counseling During the Pandemic

Keeping away from one another is crucial for stopping the coronavirus. But that distancing also risks keeping people away from vital support. “It’s a real danger,” said Mike Marshall, executive director of Oregon Recovers, a coalition of addiction recovery groups. According to a news release from the American Heart Association (AHA), Marshall explained that people… Continue reading Seeking Alcohol Counseling During the Pandemic

Marijuana: A Warning From The U.S Surgeon General

Surgeon General Vice Adm. Jerome M. Adams has issued an advisory emphasizing the importance of protecting youth and pregnant women from the health risks of marijuana use. Marijuana, or cannabis, is the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States. Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a component of marijuana, binds to receptors in the brain, producing euphoria… Continue reading Marijuana: A Warning From The U.S Surgeon General

The Pros and Cons of Using Online Support Groups for Addiction, Grief, PTSD or Eating Disorders

As we enter 2019, the Internet has ushered in a new trend of online support groups. These online communities have been a game changer for some people who struggle with addictions such as alcohol, drugs, eating disorders, PTSD, anxiety, and grief. Can people reap the same benefits from online groups as they can in ‘real… Continue reading The Pros and Cons of Using Online Support Groups for Addiction, Grief, PTSD or Eating Disorders

Psychedelic Drugs Could Help to Fight Depression, Anxiety, Addiction + PTSD

Psychedelic drugs may have mind-altering powers in the physical sense, too. A study done at the University of California, Davis and published June 12th 2018 in the journal Cell Reports found psychedelics — specifically 2,5-Dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine (DOI), Dimethyltryptamine (DMT), and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) –can change brain cells in rats and flies, making neurons more likely… Continue reading Psychedelic Drugs Could Help to Fight Depression, Anxiety, Addiction + PTSD

How Nutrition Helps Recovery from Addiction

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, drug addiction is a chronic, relapsing brain disease. It is considered a brain disease because studies have shown that drugs and alcohol physically change the structure of the brain and how the brain works. Research has shown that a majority of addicts suffer from biochemical, nutritional, and… Continue reading How Nutrition Helps Recovery from Addiction

What to Ask Your Doctor before Taking Opioids

Editor’s note: The use and abuse of prescriptions has risen to alarming numbers, especially among senior citizens. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, in 2015 nearly one-third of Medicare beneficiaries received at least one prescription for commonly abused opioids such as Oxycontin. The results of overuse range from addiction to death.… Continue reading What to Ask Your Doctor before Taking Opioids

New Guidelines on Prescribing Opioids

Editor’s Note: The abuse of prescription opioids is one of the most crucial public-health issues today. According to the latest statistics from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as many as one in four non-cancer patients who are prescribed painkillers in a primary-care setting is addicted to drugs. Every day, more than… Continue reading New Guidelines on Prescribing Opioids

Teaching Clinicians Safe Opioid Prescribing

Educating clinicians on how to prescribe opioids safely can help decrease opioid misuse among chronic pain sufferers. That’s the finding of research done at Boston University Medical Center and published online in August 2015 in the journal Pain Medicine. The study confirms that education can empower clinicians to make more informed clinical decisions about initiating,… Continue reading Teaching Clinicians Safe Opioid Prescribing

Misuse of Painkillers Tied to Illegal Drug Use

People who use recreational drugs like cocaine, heroin and marijuana have a higher likelihood of misusing prescription pain relievers as well, according to new research from the University of Georgia School of Social Work. The investigators’ conclusions were buttressed by a study just released by the federal Centers for Disease Control, which found that heroin… Continue reading Misuse of Painkillers Tied to Illegal Drug Use

One in Four Patients Prescribed Opioids Progresses to Long-Term Use

Opioid painkiller addiction and accidental overdoses have become far too common across the United States. To try to identify who is most at risk, Mayo Clinic researchers studied how many patients prescribed an opioid painkiller for the first time progressed to long-term prescriptions. The answer: 1 in 4. People with histories of tobacco use and… Continue reading One in Four Patients Prescribed Opioids Progresses to Long-Term Use

Can Meditation Cure Cravings for Painkillers?

People who are addicted to prescription painkillers can reduce cravings by learning to enjoy other parts of their life, according to a new study. The research, published in the Journal of Behavioral Medicine, was conducted by Eric L. Garland, associate professor at the University of Utah College of Social Work. He and his colleagues looked… Continue reading Can Meditation Cure Cravings for Painkillers?

Doctors Prescribing Fewer Opioids for Pain

Concerns about prescription drug abuse and addiction may affect prescribing habits, according to a survey done at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health research suggests. and published in the December 8th 2014 issue of “JAMA Internal Medicine”. A release from Johns Hopkins notes that nine in 10 primary care physicians say that prescription drug… Continue reading Doctors Prescribing Fewer Opioids for Pain

When You Love An Addict

How many times have I heard variations of this in the last two weeks? “I can’t understand why Whitney Houston would overdose/abuse drugs/get so drunk, when she had been through treatment and achieved sobriety, a child who needed her, a great career, people who loved her, and such a strong faith.” In fact, I was sitting next to a Miami news anchor at dinner the other night who said the same thing.