Tag Archives: addiction

Is It Really Substance Abuse?

Posted on by

In When Usage becomes Abusage (see below) we looked at the enormous emotional and financial cost of substance abuse. But how do you know when someone is really abusing rather than using a substance such as tobacco, alcohol or other recreational drugs? How do you know when the person you love is in trouble? Fortunately the American Psychiatric Association lists the criteria for substance abuse in an attempt to better distinguish those who are in control of the drugs in their life and those who have crossed the line. The guidelines are as follows: A. A maladaptive pattern of substance … Continue reading →

When Substance Abuse becomes Substance Dependence

Posted on by

Substance dependence is usually called addiction, and we customarily use the term to describe people who seem enslaved to the substance concerned. Yet there is much disagreement among experts as to just what constituents substance dependence. A person may be physiologically dependent when great and greater amounts of the drug are required to experience the same effect. This is referred to as tolerance. A person is addicted to a drug when the removal of the drug from the system results in physical symptoms (withdrawal). A common example of this occurs when you get to work and can’t function without your … Continue reading →

When Usage becomes Abusage: Recreational Drugs

Substance-Related Disorders form the one group of psychiatric conditions that cause the majority of self-harm, emotional turmoil, family hardship, and financial woes: much more so than other psychiatric disorders. The ongoing and outreaching effects on the individual and the greater community of substance abuse problems causes more stress and social breakdown than any of the higher profile mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. While the latter illnesses cause extreme distress to the sufferer as well as their immediate family and friends, the issue of substance abuse and the accompanying lifestyle is implicated in street crime, homelessness, family breakdown, … Continue reading →

Retail Therapy: Good or Bad?

Posted on by

Well, neither. Or both! Like any activity, a little can be uplifting for the spirits, like a good wine after a wonderful meal with friends. But we all know where too much alcohol can lead us. But shopping? Can that be bad for us? Read on! I know a few women who do not indulge in retail therapy, but it is definitely a major pastime of many women. But we’re not just talking shopping here, we are talking about using money to buy items to improve one’s mood. Retail therapy. How useful is it? Let’s look at two cases of … Continue reading →

Dear Heather … Exercise & Addiction

Dear Heather, My son has struggled with drug use over the last two years and while we have tried to get him into rehabilitation programs before and more to help him to quit, we’ve not been successful. Recently after running away and getting hooked again, he came home and said that he’s done with drugs for good. He’s been exercising regularly, running four and five miles a day. At first, I wasn’t sure if he really was doing it and I hate to admit it, but I’ve followed him and so has his father on many occasions and he’s doing … Continue reading →

Do You Need E-Mailers Anonymous?

Hi, my name is Traci and I am addicted to e-mail. In a previous post, I offered a few tips for managing your e-mail. While I try to follow my own suggestions, I learned a few more tips today that I wanted to share with you…and try myself. I have an e-mail program that shows the latest breaking news stories each time I log in to check my mail. Ironically, when I was checking my mail for the fifteenth time today, the headline was; “First AA, Then NA… Now Emailers Anonymous?” According to the Reuters News Network, an executive coach … Continue reading →

One Tip to Jolt Your Bad Spending Habit.

Depressed over Money? Don’t Spend to Compensate! For some people spending money isn’t about the money at all – it’s about boredom, or depression or addiction. Somehow we’ve gotten our spending and shopping under control, but when we see the debt, we get depressed and – you guess it – shop to make us feel better! It’s a vicious cycle. Maybe you’ve been there: You are feeling a bit blue so you head to the mall to get out of the house. You see a dress on sale that you just have to have for your birthday party only seven … Continue reading →

Nicotine May Help Depression

Let me just say this first: don’t start smoking just because you’re feeling blue. However, researchers at Duke University Medical Center have been studying the effects of nicotine on symptoms of depression. In a recent study, they took non-smoking volunteers with symptoms of depression and asked them to wear a patch. Some had a nicotine patch; others had a drug-free placebo. The participants were given questionnaires over the course of the study. Those who wore a nicotine patch for at least eight days reported a significant decline in depression symptoms. The folks at Duke University Medical Center want to make … Continue reading →

Snail Venom

A new study from the University of Utah may have found some big benefits in a little package. The venom from an ocean snail found in the Philippines may have medical benefits for people with depression, Parkinson’s disease, and certain addictions. Take smoking, for example. Smoking releases a chemical in the brain called dopamine; dopamine is used as a reward signal in your brain. If you wanted to quit smoking, this particular snail venom (or a synthetic version) helps fit into receptors in the brain that receive dopamine. You wouldn’t need the nicotine to release the dopamine if the receptors … Continue reading →

My Spouse is an Addict

Addiction is a dangerous thing for anyone, when your spouse is an addict it’s not just his or her health that is affected, but the health and well being of your entire family. I am not an expert of addiction, but there are plenty of resources out there for you to seek out help. When a person struggles with an addiction, more often than not they don’t even realize they have a problem. Their addiction can impair their judgment as well as create conflict, behavioral changes and other symptoms that may be observed. They say that those closest to the … Continue reading →