What Is Drug Addiction?
Drug dependence means that a person needs a drug to function normally. Abruptly stopping the drug leads to withdrawal symptoms. Drug addiction is the compulsive use of a substance, despite its negative or dangerous effects.
A person may have a physical dependence on a substance without having an addiction. For example, certain blood pressure medications do not cause addiction but they can cause physical dependence. Other drugs, such as cocaine, cause addiction without leading to...
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From Our Experts
Dr. Mark Kraus Discusses Treatment Options for Opioid Addiction and...
I recently had the opportunity to interview Mark L. Kraus, M.D., FASAM*, an addiction medicine specialist and a diplomat of the American... Read more »
Tramadol: Frequently Asked Questions
For some reason, Tramadol is an overlooked, misunderstood drug. Even some doctors are confused about some facts that seem to be little... Read more »
Impact Government Efforts to Reduce Prescription Drug Abuse May Have...
Yesterday I told you about the Obama Administration's new program aimed at reducing prescription drug abuse and the FDA's new opioid Risk... Read more »
Addiction: Are You at Risk?
A surprising number of people are addicted to something. That "something" provides pleasure, relief or reward. That "something" goes way... Read more »
White House and FDA Announce Plans to Reduce Prescription Drug Abuse
Last week the Office of National Drug Control Policy released the Obama Administration's comprehensive action plan to address the national... Read more »
From Our Sources
Painkillers Often How Drug Addicts First Get 'Hooked'
According to a new study, detox patients addicted to street drugs often get hooked on legitimately prescribed medications first. Researchers... Read more »
Nausea drug shows promise against opioid addiction
A drug currently used to treat nausea can prevent symptoms of withdrawal from illegal and prescription opioid drugs such as heroin, morphine and... Read more »
Eating pattern in the obese mimics drug addicts' patterns
When researchers gave "sinful" snacks to obese and non-obese women, they found that those of a healthy weight wanted less over time, while obese... Read more »
Drug-addiction med may treat Crohn's
A new study suggests that the drug-addiction medication naltrexone may treat Crohn's disease. Researchers say that 89 percent of the patients who... Read more »
The Role of Genetics and Pain in Drug Tolerance and Addiction
Source: eOrthopod
Doctors have concerns about the use of addictive drugs (opioids) such as morphine used for pain. Tolerance and physical dependence can occur when... Read more »
5 Signs of Prescription Drug Addiction
Use or abuse? Recent studies have found that prescription drugs are now the second most commonly abused type of drug in the United States. Experts say the overprescribing of narcotic painkillers, sedatives, and stimulants--along with the rise of...
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