Featured Articles

• Ecstasy Gets Into the Brain Very Easily
• Troubled Teens in the Wilderness Learn to Love Learning
• What is a Safe Level of Drinking?
• Drugs and Memory
• Methamphetamine Remains Number One Drug Problem
• Ecstasy: Too Often a Fatal Trip
• Downward Trend in Teen Marijuana Use Slows; Prescription Drug Abuse Remains High
• Neuroimaging Identifies Brain Regions Possibly Involved in Alcohol Craving
• Substance Abuse Among Troops, Veterans, and Their Families
• Suicide Tied to Alcohol Intake
• What Effects Do Anabolic Steroids Have On Behavior?
• Study Shows Most Treatment Effective Against Alcoholism
• Marijuana's Memory Effects Tied to Misfiring Brain Cells
• Dealing with Acute and Chronic Pain While on Methadone
• Substance Use Associated with Low Response to Depression Treatment Among Teens
• OxyContin...Potential Fast Track To Addiction

Alcohol and Drug Related Articles

Alcohol Abuse, Alcoholism and Treatment

Nearly 14 million people in the United States abuse alcohol or are alcoholic. Alcohol use and abuse is associated with serious medical issues, and accepting the need to get help for an alcohol problem may not be easy, but the sooner you get help, the better your chances are for a successful recovery.

Prescription Drug Abuse and Treatment

While most patients use prescription medications as directed, abuse of prescription drugs can cause serious medical risks, such as addiction. The risk of addiction rises when the prescriptions are used in a manner other than prescribed by a health care professional.

Methamphetamine Addiction and Treatment

Methamphetamine is a powerfully addictive stimulant that can be smoked, snorted, injected, or taken orally. Methamphetamine has quickly become one of the most widely abused substances in the United States and can have devastating physical consequences. Addictions to methamphetamine can be treated, however, and many people who are addicted can regain their lives and function productively in society.

Cocaine Addiction and Treatment

There is no safe way to use any form of cocaine. Any rout of administration of the drug can lead to a dangerous amount of absorption of the chemical into the blood, resulting in acute cardiovascular or cerebrovascular emergencies that can lead to immediate death.

Adolescent Substance Abuse

Being a teenager is often a confusing, challenging time, which can make teens vulnerable to falling into a destructive pattern of drug use. While most teens probably see their drug use as casual and as a way to have fun, there are negative effects that are a result of this use of alcohol or other drugs.

Medical Complications of Methamphetamine Abuse

Methamphetamine can cause cardiovascular problems.Rapid heart rate, irregular heartbeat, and irreversible, stroke-producing damage to small blood vessels in the brain. Hyperthermia and convulsions occur with methamphetamine overdoses, and if not treated immediately, can result in death.

Federal Bupe Law Cheered

A new federal law that removes the 30-patient limit on buprenorphine treatment for group medical practices is winning raves from people with addictions and their care providers.

Many Recover From Alcoholism

More than one-third of U.S. adults with alcoholism that began more than one year ago are still in recovery, according to an article in the current issue of addiction . These individuals show no symptoms of either alcohol dependence or alcohol abuse and either abstain or drink at levels below those known to increase relapse risk.

The Facts Behind Ecstacy

For some people, MDMA is addictive. A survey of young adult and adolescent users found that 43 percent of those who reported ecstasy use met the criteria for dependence, and 34 percent met the criteria for drug abuse. Almost 60 percent of people who use MDMA report withdrawal symptoms, including fatigue, loss of appetite, depressed feelings, and trouble concentrating.

The Facts Behind Cocaine

Cocaine is a central nervous system stimulant that conflicts with reabsorption of dopamine, a chemical associated with pleasure and movement. The buildup of dopamine causes stimulation of "receiving" neurons, which is associated with the euphoria reported by cocaine abusers.