Posted under Alcohol

Why Does Alcohol Cause Hangovers?

It might be the morning after a 21st birthday, New Year’s Day, or the evening after a best friend’s wedding, that too much alcohol consumption wreaks havoc on a body. Once a body’s blood alcohol level begins to drop considerably, hangover sets in. Headache, dizziness, nausea, dehydration, diarrhea, vomiting, irritability, and a host of other possible symptoms follow. Continue Reading

Posted under Teens

Thanksgiving Eve Night Biggest Night for Underage Drinking According to Poll

According to Mothers Against Drunk Drivers, or MADD, the night before Thanksgiving is a bigger night for minors drinking than prom night or even graduation. MADD cautions that parents need to realize that it is illegal to host events that allow minors to drink at their homes. Continue Reading

Posted under Alcohol

Teenagers Soaking Gummy Bears in Alcohol to Get Drunk

Just when you think teenagers can’t come up with any other creative ways to get drunk or high, along comes the gummy bear. According to a recent article on the Huffington Post, the American Academy of Pediatrics found that over four million young teenagers are drinking alcohol in any given month. Continue Reading

Posted under Celebrity Addiction

Oscar De La Hoya Goes to Alcohol Rehab

Earlier this year, former boxing champion Oscar De La Hoya hit rock bottom, joining a long line of celebrities and all-star athletes that have fallen prey to alcohol addiction. In recent television interviews, he said his addiction and subsequent depression led him to the brink of suicide.

Continue Reading

Posted under Alcoholism

The Secret Lives of Alcoholic Moms

She’s hardworking and successful. She’s attentive to her family’s needs. She volunteers in the community and the PTA. Despite all of her accomplishments, this “perfect” woman may be hiding a painful secret: She’s an alcoholic.

Continue Reading

Posted under Celebrity Addiction

“Glee” Actress Jane Lynch Says Alcoholism Began as Young Teen

Actress Jane Lynch recently surprised fans with a story from Oprah Magazine and in a forthcoming memoir revealing her struggle with alcoholism, a battle that began in her early teen years and spanned into her early 30s. Continue Reading

Posted under Teens

Social Networking Associated with Alcohol and Marijuana Use

Facebook has provided a new unknown for parents. Just as parents in the 1980s and 1990s may have felt uneasy about the introduction of rental movies and cable television into their worlds, parents now are aware that there might be risks associated with social networking. Continue Reading

Posted under Alcoholism

Study Discovers Genetic Factors Behind Alcoholism and Binge Eating

Ghrelin is a substance that activates the brain’s reward system and increases appetite; when we’re hungry, our ghrelin levels increase, activating the reward system and increases our motivation to seek food. New research from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, has found that ghrelin impacts our sugar consumption, which is in part due to genetic factors. Continue Reading

Posted under Drugs

Oral Health and Substance Abuse

Individuals struggling with substance abuse often experience a wide variety of negative consequences, such as impaired social relationships, instability at work or school, and multiple health problems.

Researchers at Boston University recently discovered a previously unknown health risk for those with substance dependence problems. The study, appearing online in the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, shows that a majority of those with substance abuse problems report having poor oral health. Opioid users had an especially high rate of oral health problems, showing a decline in oral health over the last year. Continue Reading

Posted under Addiction Treatment

Study Finds Link Between Spirituality and Increased Recovery Rates

Research has shown that 12-step programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) can be very helpful for people in recovery from alcohol or drug addiction. Many of these programs focus on the importance of spirituality, but some have contested the effectiveness of the spiritual aspect of these programs. A new study, however, has found that increased attendance to AA meetings is associated with an increased level of spirituality, especially among those who reported low spirituality at the beginning of the study.

Continue Reading