ANABOLIC STEROIDS
You’ve probably heard about athletes getting caught using steroids and being banned from their game for a while. It’s against the rules because it gives them an unfair advantage over other players, but how? Is it really that big of a deal? You don’t hear about people overdosing on steroids, so how dangerous can they […]
MDMA AS TREATMENT FOR PTSD
The psychoactive drug MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine), also known as ecstasy, E, and Molly, is commonly used recreationally by people seeking the effects of both stimulants and psychedelics. It’s a synthetic drug that alters mood and perception, increasing energy and feelings of pleasure while distorting the senses. People who use it recreationally take it as a capsule […]
CLINICAL TRIALS
If you’ve ever seen a commercial for a prescription medication, you’ve probably heard something along the lines of, “In clinical studies, eight out of ten people saw an improvement in [whatever ailment].” Or you might have been killing time reading posters in your doctor’s office and seen a flier for a pharmaceutical company seeking people […]
EFFECTIVENESS OF CLINICAL TRIALS ON MICE
Throughout all of modern medicine, a great many of our breakthroughs discoveries have started with experiments or tests on mice. Research any subject vaguely related to medicine, and you’re like to see “studies on mice showed” or “in trials conducted on rats.” We’ve made great strides in addiction medicine by studying the effects of drugs […]
BARBITURATES
Barbiturates are a type of depressant that act on the central nervous system, meaning the brain and spinal cord. They can be used to treat anxiety, insomnia, and seizures, but they do have significant addiction potential and no known overdose cure. As a result, benzodiazepines have largely replaced barbiturates for medical uses, although barbiturates are […]
VACCINES FOR BATH SALTS
Recently, researchers have found a vaccine for one of the more dangerous and widely used drugs out there, bath salts. In this case, don’t think of vaccines that inoculate you from a disease, like those you would get for measles or tuberculosis. It’s really more of a recovery aid for people who have already abused […]
DRUG TESTING
Whether it’s a regular workplace occurrence or takes place after an arrest, there are several practical and ethical problems associated with drug testing. One of the most common tests is done on hair to detect the presence of cocaine. Unfortunately, the effectiveness of this is by no means perfect and has been debated hotly for […]
RESET – THE APP FOR SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT
Although the majority of the population of the United States lives in urban areas, rural Americans are more vulnerable to prescription painkiller abuse and overdose. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the rate of opioid-related overdose deaths in rural counties is 45 percent higher than in urban counties. There are several explanations […]
DSM-5
If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re really addicted to drugs or alcohol, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, or DSM-5, can not only answer that question but tell you whether it’s mild, moderate, or severe. It’s a handbook used by health care professionals in the United States and much of the […]
AMPHETAMINES AND THE ADOLESCENT BRAIN
Many children and teens with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder can benefit from taking prescription amphetamines, such as Adderall and Ritalin. These medications are safe enough when used properly and closely supervised by parents and physicians, but they are also easy to abuse. In particular, adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17, a period when […]
