Understanding Food Addiction
Food, like chemical substances, can be addicting. Many people use food as a comfort when feeling down, depressed, anxious, stressed or angry. Foods high in sugar, salt, starch and fat are the most addictive and can trigger the brain with “feel-good” chemicals, similarly to heroin or cocaine. When food addicts experience pleasure from feel-good chemicals, […]
Marijuana Abuse and Addiction
According to the National Institutes of Health, marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States. Marijuana is generally depicted as harmless in popular movies and television shows. Movies like “Harold and Kumar” and the Showtime series “Weeds” along with HBO’s series “Sex and the City” trivialize marijuana use. Marijuana is far […]
Crystal Meth: Meth addiction crosses all boundaries
Famous tennis star Andre Agassi made headlines recently when he confessed to using crystal methamphetamine during his record-breaking career. Normally, news stories regarding crystal methamphetamine highlight “meth lab” explosions and ensuing consequences. Manufacturing methamphetamine is very dangerous due to the volatility of the chemicals used and the toxicity of the by-products. Reading that an athletic […]
Prescription Painkiller Abuse: A growing epidemic
Pain is one of the most common reasons people seek medical treatment. Prescription painkiller abuse is a serious problem and a growing epidemic in the United States. Prescription painkiller addiction often begins benignly. For some people, use escalates slowly. They start with the amount of medication that is prescribed to them. After extended use, the […]