Prescription drug abuse continues to be a problem not just in Florida, but around the country. Stark new statistics from the Center for Disease Control illustrate just how severe the prescription drug abuse epidemic has become. Total deaths from prescription drugs now exceed those caused by traffic accidents, killing at least 37,485 people around the country each year, according to the CDC. And according to data published in the British
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The number of problems related to substance abuse just got larger. A recent study found that drug and alcohol addictions have associated risks of triggering anxiety disorders. The research found that about 20 percent of addicts also suffer from anxieties. Anxiety symptoms can include: • Loss of concentration and memory • Sleeplessness or insomnia • Negative thoughts • Nervousness or panic stricken conditions It is also not uncommon for someone
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Heroin is an opiate drug, meaning it’s synthesized from morphine. Why is heroin so addictive?, many people ask. When heroin is injected, snorted or smoked, it enters the brain, converts to morphine and binds to the brain’s opioid receptors. These receptors play a role in our perception of pain and reward, among other things. A tolerance to heroin can quickly develop with regular use, which makes the user’s physiological and psychological
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Food addiction similar to drug addiction? Sound crazy? Interestingly enough, as more research emerges on the topic of food addiction, scientists are discovering that overeating may be caused by a change in brain chemistry, similar to the change induced by drug addiction. This information refutes a long-held belief that food addiction and overeating are simply caused by a lack of willpower and discipline. Dr. Dana Small of the John B.
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