Archive for March, 2010
Psychologial Effects of Alcohol Abuse, Dependence
Wednesday, March 31st, 2010April is alcohol awareness month and one important issue to consider is that alcohol dependence, or alcoholism, and alcohol abuse can be linked to depression and other mental disorders.
There are many studies that demonstrate this link, but one study reported by ScienceDaily suggested that “problems with alcohol abuse may lead to an increased risk of [...]
DRINKING ALCOHOL DOES NOT PROTECT AGAINST CANCER
Tuesday, March 30th, 2010Most people like a bit of alcohol, so it’s natural to tune in to reports about its benefits. There are widespread rumours that certain types of alcohol, like red wine, can help to protect against cancer. And when it comes to the negative side of drinking, most people think of hangovers or liver problems.
But in [...]
Medical Uses of Diazepam and Its Abuse by Addicts
Monday, March 29th, 2010Diazepam is a benzodiazepine derivative that is commonly used for its Central Nervous System depressant properties. Diazepam is prescribed to treat anxiety, insomnia, and withdrawal symptoms of alcohol and opiates. Apart from its medicinal use, diazepam is a highly addictive drug that triggers the activity of Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA). GABA is a neurotransmitter that calms [...]
Linwood Group Reveal Whether There is a Link Between Alcohol and Depression
Sunday, March 28th, 2010Statistics prove the link between alcohol and depression reveal the Linwood Group. In the past, many in the medical profession have tended to view alcohol and depression as separate issues. However increasingly, research is showing that they are indeed strongly related to one another. In fact, after surveying over 14,000 people with early onset symptoms [...]
Helping To Improve PMPs - Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs - Through A Federally-Supported PMP Center Of Excellence
Saturday, March 27th, 2010With overdoses and deaths involving the use of prescription drugs skyrocketing in the United States, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has selected the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University to host a new initiative to reduce diversion and abuse of these drugs: the PMP Center of Excellence.
Funded through a training and [...]
Alcoholism and Women - The Hidden Disease
Friday, March 26th, 2010On this Mother’s Day, ABC News 20/20 interviews The Orchid Recovery Center and looks at the darker side of an illness shrouded in shame and secrecy.
- On Friday April 30th, just in time for this Mother’s Day, the Orchid Recovery Center will be featured on ABC News 20/20 as part of a news story tackling [...]
Impaired judgment on alcohol bills
Thursday, March 25th, 2010True to its history of impaired judgment when it comes to handling alcohol, the Indiana General Assembly this year placed narrow business interests ahead of public welfare — and didn’t even do so evenhandedly.
Regrettably, Gov. Mitch Daniels signed into law bills to expand Sunday hours for bars, give microbreweries a special dispensation to sell carryouts [...]
Proteins may point to alcohol use test
Wednesday, March 24th, 2010Measuring a set of protein changes in the blood linked to alcohol use may potentially lead to a more accurate diagnostic test than those currently available, according to Penn State College of Medicine researchers.
“The challenge in alcohol abuse as opposed to substance abuse — things like cocaine or heroin or PCP — is that [...]
Recognizing and Treating Alcohol Problems
Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010While some 18 million Americans suffer from alcohol abuse or dependence, only one in eight receives treatment. Poor diagnosis may play a role in people being undertreated, but there are a growing number of tools to help people assess and understand whether they have alcohol problems.
One of the latest tools is a new government [...]
Risky Drinkers Less Likely to Take Good Care of Themselves & Seek Medical Care
Monday, March 22nd, 2010Kaiser Permanente Study Finds Heavier Drinkers Have Worse Health Care Habits
Women and men who engage in frequent heavy drinking report significantly worse health-related practices, according to a Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research study in the journal Addiction Research & Theory.
For the study, researchers surveyed 7,884 members of the Kaiser Permanente Northwest integrated health plan [...]
Do You Have an Alcohol Problem? If You Answer Yes to Just One of These Questions Then You Do
Sunday, March 21st, 2010Sorry to break the news but you may have a problem with alcohol. Even if you’re pretty sure you’re not an alcoholic you’d better think again about your drinking if you answer Yes to just one of the following questions.
1. Do you ever worry that you tend to drink too
much?
2. Have any of [...]
Combination Benefits Patients With Comorbid Depression, Alcoholism
Saturday, March 20th, 2010A tentative observation from the study is that there may be relatively little advantage in prescribing an antidepressant alone for depressed patients who are also alcohol dependent.
Treatment that combines sertraline and naltrexone appears to be superior to treatment with either drug alone, as well as to placebo, for individuals with depression and alcohol dependence.
Patients receiving [...]
Binge drinking concerns rise as students celebrate St. Patrick’s Day
Friday, March 19th, 2010The celebration is not yet over for St. Patrick’s Day. With more festivities to come over the upcoming weekend, concerns about binge drinking inevitably pop up.
According to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Programs, a program ran by the U.S. Department of Justice, approximately 90 percent of the alcohol consumed by people under the [...]
Treat Alcoholism and Depression Together
Thursday, March 18th, 2010A new study discovers a treatment regimen combining cognitive-behavioral therapy and medications for depression and alcohol addiction improves clinical outcomes.
Specifically, combining the antidepressant sertraline (Zoloft) with the alcohol dependence treatment naltrexone produced a 54 percent abstinence rate in patients with both major depression and alcohol dependence, whereas the rates were only 21 to 28 [...]
Study: 60% of U.S. Adults are Drinkers
Wednesday, March 17th, 2010Around six in 10 American adults drink alcohol and the same number are either overweight or obese, according federal health statistics.
The National Center for Health Statistics released a report Monday on health behaviors of American adults. Data was collected between 2005 and 2007.
Among the other key findings:
• While 61.2 percent of adults are current [...]
One out of seven hospital beds is filled by a drinker
Tuesday, March 16th, 2010ONE in every seven hospital beds in the Lothians is taken up by a patient who is ill through alcohol abuse, it has emerged.
The statistic is the latest stark illustration of the rising cost of alcohol abuse to the NHS.
Included in the tens of thousands of people occupying beds in the ERI every year because [...]
Reducing blood alcohol limit to 0.02 won’t stop car crashes, say experts
Monday, March 15th, 2010THE Queensland Government’s proposal to see the alcohol limit cut to 0.02 across Australia has been labelled as “nonsense” by alcohol and accident experts.
Motoring groups, police, accident research centres and hotelliers all rejected moves to slash the drink-driving limit outlined in a Queensland Government discussion paper released yesterday, arguing it would make little difference in [...]
Romancing Alcohol
Saturday, March 13th, 2010I was all ready to write about Step Three this week because it is one of my favorites and I felt so inspired after my Monday meeting having heard so many thought-provoking shares. But something more timely came to my attention and I really wanted to share it with all of you.
Do any of you [...]
Binge drinking mums
Friday, March 12th, 2010Almost a thousand Scots babies are suffering from potentially fatal brain and organ damage because mothers are drinking too much in the early stages of pregnancy, research has revealed.
Many more babies in Scotland may also face a lifetime suffering from malformations or learning difficulties.
Researchers say the effects of excessive drinking on unborn babies are largely [...]
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
Thursday, March 11th, 2010Alcohol has been around for centuries, it has been used for many purposes, but mainly for enjoyment. It has been said, that beer even preceded bread as a staple. Alcohol can be enjoyed, there are wines that are exquisite and highly priced, and spirits painstakingly made for pleasure.
But alcohol, has also ruined many people’s lives. [...]
