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What if someone you care deeply about is headed in a rapid downward spiral and seems not to realize that there is a serious problem? You might be afraid…

I decided to talk about recovery for families in this secton, before the one on recovery for the addict, because the addict’s family can provide one of the most critical support…

Let’s contrast the family described above with one that is dealing with addiction. This family is also task oriented, but the primary task is different - it is no…

To understand the addict’s family, let’s first look at families in general and how they function. In its most basic form, a family is a task-oriented group, with the…

More money and effort needs to be directed to understanding the causes and treatment of mental disorders to ensure improvements in the health of the community and the one in five people…

A study in the Oct. 1 issue of the journal Sleep shows that adolescent insomnia symptoms are associated with depression, suicide ideation and attempts,…

‘Delivering race equality’ is a 5-year action plan for tackling race inequalities in mental healthcare in England and Wales, based on the main themes of improved services, better community engagement…

Men are a numerical minority group receiving a diagnosis of, and treatment for, depression. However, community surveys of men and of their mental health issues (e.g. suicide and alcoholism) have…

The smoking ban implemented in the UK this July (Campion et al, 2008) will greatly affect psychiatric in-patients, of whom as many as 74% are smokers (Meltzer et al, 1996). Plasma concentrations…

Depression is a common condition with point prevalence among women between 5% and 9%. The relationship between depression and chronic pain has been well studied. Up to 66% of…

A new study by researchers at the Bradley Hasbro Children’s Research Center has found that children as young as four can develop full-blown obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and…

Heart patients should be screened routinely for depression, a common complication that can make a second heart attack more likely, according to guidelines released by the American Heart Association on…

  *  Researchers have known that age of first drink (AFD) is associated with the later development of alcohol-use disorders (AUDs).
  *…

“Addiction is a family disease.” This observation is commonly made in addiction treatment circles, but what does it mean? Exactly how does addiction affect the family?

The statement does not mean that families…

There may be no cure for addiction, but there are ways of bringing it into remission. Let’s look at how people approach major changes, such as those involved in recovery. Prochaska and DeClemente studied…

You may have begun to use alcohol or drugs because of the temporary relief you got from emotional discomfort. But there comes a point when the drug takes over and through its…

I never cease to be amazed at how certain some people are that they are not addicted to a substance. But I also understand that this is a typical and important symptom of addiction. It is…

Most people who start drinking or using drugs do not intend to become alcoholics or drug addicts. How does it happen?

At least half of all the people who develop addiction carry…

In the early 1940s, a researcher working for the Sandoz pharmaceutical company stumbled upon the mind-altering qualities of LSD following an accidental ingestion. Sandoz has marketed a number of ergot derivatives, which…

The inhalants are a diverse group of substances that include volatile liquids and anesthetic gasses. Among them are gasoline and petroleum derivatives, toluene, acetone, methyl butyl ketone, nitrous oxide, ether, chloroform, trichloromethane, tricloroethane, and alcoholic solvents.

The hallucinogens consist of natural and synthetic substances that alter perception. Peyote, a natural substance derived from cactus plants, is used in religious rituals by Native Americans in the Southwest. Hallucinogenic properties are found in several…

The opiates are derived from a naturally occurring substance, morphine, which comes from a specific variety of the poppy plant. There are naturally occurring opiates such as morphine and heroin and synthetically produced ones such as…

Stimulant drugs, or “uppers,” include cocaine and the amphetamines. Substances such as ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, and phenylpropanoloamine are also classified as stimulants.

These drugs are available as over-the-counter decongestants, diet aids, and stimulants. Caffeine, found in coffee,…

The depressants include several classes of pharmaceutical drugs, mainly developed and marketed as sleep aids, tranquilizers, anesthetic agents, muscle relaxers, and anticonvulsants.

Inappropriate prescribing and illegal diversion are the two main sources of these drugs on…