MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'alcohol addiction'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:03:58 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5139879&cid=t_151742_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F08%2F16%2Fis-addiction-simply-a-brain-disease-it-is-now%2F Among addiction experts and researchers, there’s been a long-running debate as to whether drug or alcohol addiction, and even “behavioral addictions” such as compulsive gambling, are actual diseases or not. It’s not just a matter of semantics — if researchers can trace addiction’s root causes to an actual medical malfunction in the brain, perhaps that disease could be directly treated. Who am I to disagree with a “four-year process with more than 80 experts actively working on it?” Their result? Addiction is a “chronic brain disorder and not simply a behavioral problem.” I suppose if we wanted, one could argue that all mental disorders can be viewed as “brain disorders” and not “simply behavioral problems.”... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5139879 Tue, 16 Aug 2011 16:39:38 +0100 5139879 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4829166&cid=t_151742_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FfqBcrr6erTs%2F Do you know Seth Jaffe? I didn’t, but now I kind of do, which makes me lucky. Seth is a sober coach for drug addicts who appears on the A&E docu-reality show Relapse. A few weeks ago, I wrote a Blisstree post called 6 Reasons to Watch A&E’s Relapse Even If You’ve Never Met a Junkie, and in it I said some positive things about Seth regarding his sober coaching techniques and the very affecting presence he projects on the show. Seth saw my post and liked it. He found my email and contacted me. I was both surprised and thrilled: I knew I had a million questions for him about drug addiction and being a sober coach that I’d want to get answered for Blisstree readers. Also, I respect Seth, and it’s always fun to interview someone you hold in high regard. Bei... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4829166 Fri, 06 May 2011 15:15:45 +0100 4829166 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4794993&cid=t_151742_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FfqBcrr6erTs%2F Do you know Seth Jaffe? I didn’t, but now I kind of do, which makes me lucky. Seth is a sober coach for drug addicts who appears on the A&E docu-reality show Relapse. A few weeks ago, I wrote a Blisstree post called 6 Reasons to Watch A&E’s Relapse Even If You’ve Never Met a Junkie, and in it I said some positive things about Seth regarding his sober coaching techniques and the very affecting presence he projects on the show. Seth saw my post and liked it. He found my email and contacted me. I was both surprised and thrilled: I knew I had a million questions for him about drug addiction and being a sober coach that I’d want to get answered for Blisstree readers. Also, I respect Seth, and it’s always fun to interview someone you hold in high regard. Bei... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4794993 Fri, 06 May 2011 15:15:45 +0100 4794993 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4789495&cid=t_151742_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FD6pzjwl-BEw%2F I don’t smoke pot. (It just makes me sleepy. Plus, I’m 35 weeks pregnant, so it’s probably not the best time to be taking up weed as a hobby.) But when it comes to marijuana, I’ve always adopted kind of a live-and-let-live mentality. Oh, I know full well that it’s illegal in all but 15 U.S. states, but like a lot of people I know (and Willie Nelson, who I don’t know), I don’t think pot should be illegal in any of them. I even know someone who knows someone who knows someone who’s related to someone who may be (or may not be ) a full-time, professional ganja dealer to rich people who like to have their drug of choice delivered to them directly and regularly in a civilized manner. And near where my husband and I own a weekend country home, ther... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4789495 Wed, 04 May 2011 21:00:40 +0100 4789495 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4753888&cid=t_151742_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FZreb6XEhRCA%2F I think the thing that scared me the most about Kelly on last night’s episode of Relapse on A&E was that she looked so normal. Okay, well, maybe not normal, exactly. (Poor thing wears waaay too much makeup, tacky jewelry, and maybe applies too much self-tanner. Oh, and the color of her dyed blonde hair could electrically power a small city.) But to me, overall Kelly looked like a fit and healthy young woman who gets enough sleep and cares about her appearance. Turns out, she’s a serious meth addict who has already lost custody of her young daughter and is facing a year in jail. Now, I know perfectly well that, in life, appearances can be deceiving, but I guess I never really thought that cliché applied to hardcore drug users; I always naively thought that addicts were easy... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4753888 Tue, 26 Apr 2011 20:00:04 +0100 4753888 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4190249&cid=t_151742_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2F4TlnoRh217s%2F Post from: BlissTree (Source: A Hearty Life) A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4190249 Sat, 20 Nov 2010 23:22:31 +0100 4190249 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4022878&cid=t_151742_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Ffeel%2Fturns-out-in-2010-white-women-are-a-bunch-of-drunks%2F Hungover? Check out this post by Emerald Catron on Lemondrop: Good news if you’re reading this in the dark through sunglasses, cradling your head and dry-swallowing aspirin: You are not alone. According to a new study, more people are drinking now than they used to. Don Draper might think he’s hardcore, but do you know who really knows how to knock ‘em back? Modern-day white ladies – the only demographic to show an increase in alcohol intake over the past 20 years, a fact we proved at the bar last night. The rest of the data from the study shows that although people are generally drinking the same amount, more people are hitting the sauce, with Caucasian women drinking the most of all. Bring it, Roger Sterling! It’s going to take more than a couple of martinis, a ... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4022878 Fri, 01 Oct 2010 15:45:43 +0100 4022878 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3868937&cid=t_151742_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2FqbTzwDVHOnc%2F This article is for informational purposes only and is not to be interpreted as medical advice. If seeking medical advice, consult a licensed physician. Don’t forget to follow PTB on Twitter! : Overcoming Addiction and Escapism 5 Reasons Your Life Will Improve Through Writing 10 All Natural Ways To Stop Feeling Depressed A Muscle Building Work Out You Can Do Without Weights (Source: PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement) PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3868937 Mon, 16 Aug 2010 05:38:04 +0100 3868937 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3723305&cid=t_151742_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Falcoholics-anonymous%2F2010.07.03 To further emphasize my admiration for superb sci/med/health writing, I wish to add another writer to my growing blog category of “Journalists, Awesome.” Via my drug abuse research colleague, DrugMonkey, my attention was drawn to a new Wired magazine article by Brendan I. Koerner entitled, Secret of AA: After 75 Years, We Don’t Know How It Works. I strongly recommend this long-form article for anyone in the field of substance abuse and dependence research, psychology and general clinical research, students of excellent science writing, alcoholics and their family members, and anyone who thinks that good science writing no longer exists. I don’t want to influence your views any further, other than to say that since I poured my first whiskey and water for my grandmoth... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3723305 Sat, 03 Jul 2010 18:00:01 +0100 3723305 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3672053&cid=t_151742_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Frecoveryissexy.com%2Falcohol-addiction%2F Where does one draw the line between being a social drinker and having an alcohol addiction? For many people, the lines aren’t always so clear, especially when everyone around them seems to be binge drinking, drinking on a daily basis or glamorizing alcohol use. Social drinking can easily progress into a psychological, or even physical, dependence over time, as it becomes habitually ingrained in our behavioral patterns. Suddenly, we drink to be more interesting, drink to make others more interesting, drink for courage in social settings, drink to give ourselves a boost of energy, or drink to cover up negative feelings like pain, depression or anxiety. Prior to an addiction to alcohol, there is generally a prolonged time period when the social drinker finds that he or she is drinking more... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3672053 Thu, 17 Jun 2010 15:50:00 +0100 3672053 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3529749&cid=t_151742_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fyou-know-youre-unwell-if-you-do-vodka-shots-%25e2%2580%2593-in-your-eyes%2F Apparently, complete idiots pour alcohol directly into their eyeballs because they think it will give them a bigger, faster buzz. (Well, your eyes are closer to your brain than your stomach!) Turns out, this moronic practice will probably just blind you, according to The Doctors on CBS. Think we’ll stick to the time-honored custom of drinking through the hole in our face that’s actually designed for it. Post from: BlissTree You Know You're Unwell If ... You Do Vodka Shots – IN YOUR EYES (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3529749 Mon, 03 May 2010 23:00:13 +0100 3529749 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3374094&cid=t_151742_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fyou-know-youre-unwell-if-4%2F …TLC picked you to appear on tonight’s premiere of its new docu-series “Addicted“. (10 p.m. ET) Post from: BlissTree (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3374094 Wed, 17 Mar 2010 13:38:35 +0100 3374094 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2513237&cid=t_151742_151_f&fid=35797&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnewrecovery.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F06%2Ftreatment-promo-research-results.html From the treatmentgap.org website:Most Americans know someone personally who is addicted to alcohol or drugs and they are worried about access people have to affordable treatment. And, most people support including treatment in national health care reform. These opinions are shared across the board—regardless of race, age, income and geographic location.Results of a new national poll conducted by Lake Research Partners for the Closing the Addiction Treatment Gap initiative confirm what we suspected: Most Americans know someone personally who is addicted to alcohol or drugs and they are worried about access people have to affordable treatment. And, most people support including treatment in national health care reform. These opinions are shared across the board—regardless of race, age, ... New Recovery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2513237 Wed, 24 Jun 2009 01:19:00 +0100 2513237 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2452706&cid=t_151742_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F06%2F04%2Fself-honesty-knowing-is-better-than-not-knowing%2F The truth hurts sometimes, but trying to keep an obvious truth hidden inside yourself can hurt even more. Making excuses doesn’t help, rationalizing doesn’t help, yelling doesn’t help. Bringing yourself to a painful but honest realization will actually do you more good. When some of my clients have been avoiding a problem and struggling with reality, I have often said something like this, “You can think that way about your problem if you like, pretend it isn’t there. Or you can face the truth and acknowledge its existence. Either way, the reality of your problem will still be there. You just have more power to make your situation better if you face it.” This has usually gotten a knowing look from the people I’ve worked with. By that point, they ha... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2452706 Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:52:44 +0100 2452706 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2398819&cid=t_151742_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F05%2F07%2F11-things-i-learned-in-high-school%2F Yikes. It’s time for my 20-year high-school reunion. I have the wrinkles and the gray hair to prove it. Although I look back and snicker at all the keg parties I threw at my house when my mom was away, and how I always seemed to pass out in someone’s closet, what I remember most were the wise words of a few teachers who took me under their wing and asked me to probe deeper … to think long and hard about who I wanted to be when I grew up. I’m still not totally sure, but here are some of the nuggets I most appreciate. 1. Act as if you belong. In 12-step support groups this means “fake it til you make it.” I just remember being incorrectly placed in an honors class. I sat there next to Tony M., a fellow average-intelligence classmate who I recently hooked... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2398819 Thu, 07 May 2009 11:55:59 +0100 2398819 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1833314&cid=t_151742_137_f&fid=35357&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAlzheimersNotes%2F%7E3%2FCmv5DKjeRbw%2F AlzheimersNotes.com At the Health and Wellness Channel, several bloggers are posting in recognition of National Alcohol & Drug Addiction Recovery Month.  Healthbolt hosted the event and Liz Lewis posted a round-up of the 12-steps that the bloggers mentioned on their blogs. Each blogger referred to a different step of the AA’s 12-step recovery program and tied it in with their blog.  Although I didn’t write about a specific step, I discussed the connection between Alzheimer’s and possible drug addiction. (c)2008 Mary Emma Allen Tags: addiction, Alzheimer's Notes, Alzheimers, drug and alcohol addiction, health, Health+Bolt, Mary Emma Allen, men's health, women's healthShare This (Source: Alzheimer's Notes) Alzheimer's Notes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1833314 Sat, 27 Sep 2008 05:00:09 +0100 1833314 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1802863&cid=t_151742_151_f&fid=35823&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FAddictionInbox%2F%7E3%2F395413624%2Fwhat-type-of-drinker-are-you.html U.K health officials classify problem drinkers.In an effort to combat problem drinking with “social marketing techniques,” the British Department of Health has released a study purporting to break down heavy drinkers into 9 distinct personality types, according to the U.K. Guardian.British Department of Health researchers performed the studies at the behest of the National Health Service, which says that alcohol-related illnesses cost England almost $5 billion each year. It was unclear what criteria were used to identify and define the nine types.BBC news quoted Health Minister Dawn Primarolo on the findings: "This will be a tough one to crack. Research found many positive associations with alcohol among the general public - even more so among those drinking at higher-risk levels. For ... Addiction Inbox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1802863 Wed, 17 Sep 2008 17:45:00 +0100 1802863 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1450347&cid=t_151742_151_f&fid=35823&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FAddictionInbox%2F%7E3%2F292410697%2Ftake-alcohol-test.html CAGE questionnaire still a useful toolDespite the time, labor, and expense that have gone into the search for a better way to diagnose alcoholism, researchers have yet to outdo what may be the simplest, most accurate test for alcoholism yet devised. A set of four simple, relatively non-controversial questions, first devised in 1970 by Dr. John A. Ewing, still serve as a useful predictive tool for alcoholism.Neurobiology has taught us that addictive drugs cause long-lasting neural changes in the brain. The problems start when sustained, heavy drinking forces the brain to accept the altered levels of neurotransmission as the normal state of affairs. As the brain struggles to adapt to the artificial surges, it becomes more sensitized to these substances. It may grow more receptors at one site... Addiction Inbox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1450347 Sat, 17 May 2008 17:57:00 +0100 1450347 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1303213&cid=t_151742_117_f&fid=34612&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedoctorweighsin.com%2Fjournal%2F2008%2F3%2F15%2Fcan-alcoholism-be-cured-without-aa.html By Dov Michaeli MD, Ph.D Alcoholism is a major public health problem. This we all know. But did you know that as alcoholism evolves, stress systems in the brain play an increasing role in motivating continued alcohol use and relapse. In other words, someone who is a moderate drinker will drink more if subjected to stress. And that, in turn would increase her sensitivity to stress, which would result in yet an additional increase in alcohol consumption, which in turn… you get the picture.The stress response Deficiency of a stress response is life threatening. For instance, in response to stress blood pressure goes up, heart rate increases and more blood is pumped into the brain and skeletal muscles. On the other hand, less blood is pumped into the GI tract or the kidneys. What’... The Doctor Weighs In blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1303213 Fri, 14 Mar 2008 20:06:51 +0100 1303213 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1112693&cid=t_151742_151_f&fid=35797&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnewrecovery.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F12%2Fif-liquor-doesnt-get-you-nicotine-will.html Last week's New Yorker had a bio of Malcolm Lowry, a lauded writer whose alcoholism claimed him at age 47; see my blog note, "Alcoholocaust," below. This week's mag covers iconic short story writer Raymond Carver (What We Talk About When We Talk About Love), also an alcoholic, but one who got sober in 1977, and stayed that way. But he kept smoking. He once said that he was only "a cigarette with a body attached to it." Lung cancer claimed him at age 50.The mag's Lowry story took the author down a notch or two by suggesting that his wife was actually responsible for much of the greatness in Under the Volcano. The mag continues on its debunking tear by demonstrating beyond reasonable doubt that the savage blue pencil of Carver's editor Gordon Lish was responsible for creating the terse, mini... New Recovery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1112693 Sat, 22 Dec 2007 04:15:00 +0100 1112693 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=988483&cid=t_151742_151_f&fid=35823&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FAddictionInbox%2F%7E3%2F176741889%2Fprofiles-in-addiction-science.html Henri Begleiter and the P3 waveAt the State University of New York’s Health Science Center in Brooklyn, the late Dr. Henri Begleiter, a professor of psychiatry, began investigating the brain wave activity of alcoholics in the early 1980s. According to Dr. Ting-Kai Li, director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA):“Starting with the ground-breaking finding, published in Science, that some neurophysiological anomalies in alcoholics were already present in their young offspring before any exposure to alcohol and drugs, he proposed a model that changed the thinking in the field: namely, rather than a consequence of alcoholism, this neural hyperexcitability was a predisposing factor leading to the development of alcoholism and related disorders. This innovative ... Addiction Inbox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=988483 Mon, 29 Oct 2007 16:27:00 +0100 988483 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=947412&cid=t_151742_151_f&fid=35823&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FAddictionInbox%2F%7E3%2F169127399%2Ftopamax-for-alcoholism-closer-look.html Epilepsy drug gains ground, draws fire as newest anti-craving pillA drug for seizure disorders and migraines continues to show promise as an anti-craving drug for alcoholism, the third leading cause of death in America, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) reported in its current issue.371 male and female alcoholics between the ages of 18 and 65 took part in the study. The subjects received either topiramate or a placebo. Over 14 weeks, patients taking topiramate showed a significantly higher rate of abstinence or non-heavy drinking lasting 28 days or more.Topamax is currently only approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use against seizures and migraine. The controversial practice of “off-label” prescribing—using a drug for indications that are not f... Addiction Inbox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=947412 Fri, 12 Oct 2007 21:48:00 +0100 947412 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=741498&cid=t_151742_151_f&fid=35805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftwelvestepfacilitation.com%2Fwhat-are-drug-users-looking-for%2F What are drug users looking for in treatment; abstinence or harm reduction? Within the UK and in many other countries two of the most significant issues with regard to the development of health and social care services for drug users has been the growth of the consumer perspective and the philosophy of harm reduction. In this paper we look at drug users’ aspirations from treatment and consider whether drug users are looking to treatment to reduce their risk behavior or to become abstinent from their drug use. The paper is based on interviews using a core schedule with 1007 drug users starting a new episode of drug treatment in Scotland. Participants were recruited from a total of 33 drug treatment agencies located in rural, urban and inner-city areas across Scotland. Our research has... Twelve Step Facilitation.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=741498 Wed, 18 Jul 2007 12:59:37 +0100 741498 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=730538&cid=t_151742_151_f&fid=35823&url=http%3A%2F%2Faddiction-dirkh.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F01%2Fsmokers-drink-more.html It’s no secret that smoking and drinking go together like salt and pepper. No comes further evidence that smoking helps drinkers hold more liquor. Put simply, “Cigarette smoking appears to promote the consumption of alcohol,” says Wei-Jeun Chen of the Texas A&M Health Science Center.Nicotine seems to slow the movement of alcohol through the intestines, leaving more alcohol molecules backed up and metabolised before reaching the bloodstream by means of intestinal absorption. In animal studies, in which rats were given stomache injections of alcohol and nicotine, clinicians found that “smoking” rats exhibited lower blood-alcohol levels than rats given the same amount of alcohol without the addiction of nicotine.Dr. David Ball of the Institute of Psychiatry in London, told BBC news:... Addiction Inbox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=730538 Sun, 21 Jan 2007 18:52:00 +0100 730538