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Even before man had a name for the bodily chemical known as adrenaline, we have trusted it to help us take action in stressful situations. The “fight or flight” mechanism spurred by adrenaline and used by primitive man for survival is still part of modern life, helping people at sports, social situations or interviews. However, for some children and adults, too much adrenaline is produced and stored in the body, potentially causing health problems, premature aging and the life-disrupting conditions of hyperactivity and Attention Deficit Disorder.
As the baby boomer generation moves into older age, substance abuse among adults 50 and older has been on the rise, according to a new study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Based on data gathered in the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) from 2006 to 2008, an estimated 4.3 million American adults ages 50 and older (or 4.7 percent of this population) have abused an illicit substance in the past year. The most widely abused substance in this age group was marijuana/hashish at 44.9 percent of older adults who use illicit substances, followed by nonmedical use of prescription drugs at 33.4 percent. SAMHSA predicts that this rise in substance abuse among older adults will require the doubling of substance abuse treatment services for older adults by the year 2020 to accommodate this generation.
As evidenced by data gathered from state-licensed substance abuse treatment facilities across the country, five substances represent 96 percent of treatment admissions ages 12 and older. These substances were alcohol (41%), opiates (20%), marijuana (17%), cocaine (11%), and methamphetamine/amphetamines (6%). The survey report also presented significant changes in trends concerning ethnic groups, concurrent abuse of alcohol and drugs, and single substance abuse.
The consumption of alcohol can have an impact on an individual, although that impact can vary according to the individual and the amount of alcohol consumed. In a recent Science Daily release, research was highlighted that examines the relationship between alcohol consumption and the risk of prostate cancer.
The National Drug Threat Assessment 2010 report shows that illegal drugs are becoming more readily available in the United States, mainly due to the expanding of Mexican drug cartels, and that prescription drug abuse is worsening.
There are some that have argued that ADHD, or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, has been grossly over-diagnosed and excessively medicated to take the place of good old fashioned parenting. While it can be true that medication is the quick answer in too many situations, the reality is that ADHD is real and for some – a nightmare.
Eight to 12 percent of marijuana users are considered dependent and, just like alcohol, the severity of symptoms increases with heavier use. A new study has found that use and misuse of alcohol and marijuana are influenced by a common set of genes. Science Daily reports that results will be published in the March 2010 issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research and are currently available at Early View.
New research shows that instead of sobering people up, drinking coffee may make it harder for people to realize they’re drunk. In addition, the findings show that popular caffeinated "alcohol-energy" drinks don’t neutralize alcohol intoxication. The animal study was published in the journal Behavioral Neuroscience, which is published by the American Psychological Association.
In a new Portuguese and American study, when exposed to daily chronic stress, rats quickly started making poor decisions, relying on habit instead of actively thinking about whether to press a lever to get a food pellet. This finding could help us understand more about the relationship between stress and behavior patterns in humans, including why some people turn to alcohol and drugs when their stress levels rise.
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