Alcoholism Blog with Buddy T December 2003 Archive

Children who observe violence or are victims of it show more behavior problems than other children, according to a study of 175 children aged 9 to 12. The more direct ... Read More

Remaining in treatment for an extended time has beneficial outcomes for people in residential or outpatient drug treatment programs. Both overall and primary drug use declined after 18 months in ... Read More

Researchers who followed but did not treat 1,339 injection drug users for 12 years, showed that fewer than 20 percent were able to completely cease injection drug use. Participants who ... Read More

Researchers have shown for the first time that long-term use of cocaine induces significant changes in gene expression in the human brain. Identifying such molecular markers may help identify new ... Read More

Alcohol-related traffic death rates decreased in 32 states but increased in 17 during the last five years. A state-by-state report released by the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic ... Read More

New research finds that deficiencies in the hippocampus play a key role in alcoholism-related Korsakoff's syndrome, a memory disorder. The deficiencies are comparable to those found in the brains of ... Read More

Recently sober people are often confronted during the holiday season with drinking and using situations for the first time since they began their recoveries. There are dangers out there, but ... Read More

The holidays can be a time of great joy and celebration or a time of great pain, sorrow and depression for anyone. These can be particularly dangerous times for people ... Read More

Visitors to the About.com Alcoholism / Substance Abuse site share their personal stories of what they have done to stay sober in spite of all the pressures of the Holiday ... Read More

In spite of all the warnings, public awareness and educational programs, stiffer penalties for violations, and efforts by law enforcement agencies across the nation to be more visible and diligent ... Read More

Not drinking when everyone else is can be very difficult, but it can be done with careful planning and determination. Here are a few tips that you may not have ... Read More

Due to the dangers and liabilities involved, companies and individuals alike are coming to the realization that alcohol should not be the main attraction at holiday parties, and there are ... Read More

Whether you are dealing with stress, depression, grief or you are just allergic to your Christmas tree, your About.com Guides can help you have a safer, happier holiday. Dealing With Depression Staying ... Read More

The 2003 Monitoring the Future survey shows an 11 percent decline in drug use by 8th, 10th, and 12th grade students over the past two years. The finding translates into ... Read More

The proportion of American 10th- and 12th-grade students who reported using the drug ecstasy in the prior 12 months has fallen by more than half just since 2001, according to ... Read More

There are several measures employers can take in attempt to minimize any negative consequences of alcohol consumption, if they choose to make alcohol available at office parties. Here are some ... Read More

New study of neurotransmitters is the first to show that a compound that blocks NPY activity may be useful for alcohol treatment. Scientists believe a blocker has the potential to ... Read More

Dysfunction in brain regions that govern how humans relate to their environment and make adaptive decisions may in turn facilitate the development of alcoholism through maladaptive, disinhibited behavior. A new ... Read More

The anti-spasticity medication baclofen holds promise for helping cocaine abusers overcome their addiction, a study by a UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute researcher finds. Baclofen used in conjunction with substance abuse counseling ... Read More

Findings published in Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research indicate that people with anxiety disorders may deliberately drink alcohol in order to cope with social interaction, and avoid social situations where ... Read More

A study of three different components of anger – affective, cognitive and behavioral – has found that it is behavioral anger that contributes the most to alcohol-related aggression among both ... Read More

Alcohol increases a woman's risk of developing serious illnesses and an increased risk of breast cancer, heart disease, liver disease, ulcers, reproductive problems, osteoporosis, pancreatitis, memory loss, and other illnesses ... Read More

Until he is ready to reach out for help with his drinking problem, all the scolding, manipulating, and controlling efforts on your part are not going to do any good ... Read More

Scientists have identified a single brain protein that can account for most of the intoxicating effects of alcohol. The finding could lead to medication targeted at specific molecular stem. More: Alcohol ... Read More

An Australian study indicates similar simulated driving results in clients stabilized on pharmacotherapy for heroin dependence and non-drug taking drivers, questioning the need for driving restrictions. More: Buprenorphine Proves Promising | ... Read More

Seventeen students targeted in a drug sweep at a South Carolina high school, in which no drugs were found, have filed a lawsuit in federal court claiming their constitutional rights ... Read More

Family environmental influences can be important factors in the development of alcohol abuse disorders in offspring with increased genetic risk for alcoholism, according to an article in the December 2003 ... Read More

These are topics which frequently are of interest to newcomers to Al-Anon Family Groups, which is for the friends and families of alcoholics. The opinions expressed here are strictly those ... Read More

Drug abuse has a strong hereditary component. However, new research suggests genetics and shared environment have little impact when it comes to selecting a particular illegal drug. More: What Is Drug ... Read More

Nonmedical use of prescription opioids is increasing in the United States. In a new position statement, a task force of the College on Problems of Drug Dependence says programs to ... Read More

A survey of 434 managed care plans in 60 market areas found that patients receiving substance abuse and mental health services often had to make a higher copayment or pay ... Read More

Scientists from the Stanford University School of Medicine and the University of California, San Francisco, have found that drugs of abuse and stress may trigger similar changes in brain circuitry. More: ... Read More

Taking the Big Brother concept at step further, a new skin patch under development by SpectRx will monitor employee's blood alcohol levels and send a wireless alert to their employers ... Read More

A Louisiana high school sophomore who carried the over-the-counter pain reliever Advil in her purse to combat frequent headaches has been expelled from school under the state's zero tolerence policy ... Read More

A study by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and other institutions found a link between low to moderate alcohol consumption and a decrease in the ... Read More

You are not the cause of someone else's drinking problem, you cannot cure it and you can't control it, but you can contribute to it if you are playing a ... Read More

A case that was thought to become a landmark case regarding the rights of recovering alcoholics and addicts under the Americans With Disabilities Act fizzled out when the U.S. Supreme ... Read More

Nearly one in four human resources professionals surveyed reveal that their companies are less likely to hire a job candidate if the person is in recovery from drug or alcohol ... Read More

Alcoholism is a disease that can affect every member of the family, even if they do not realize they are being affected at the time. Have you been affected by ... Read More

Alcohol abuse has ended more marriages and broken up more families than we will ever know. If you have been considering seeking a divorce because of your spouse's drinking problem, ... Read More

What fate awaits those arrested for drunked driving during the holiday season? They may be surprised to find that penalties, even the first offense, have been increased drastically in the ... Read More

Growing up in home with an active alcoholic can affect how a child looks at life and almost everything in it even years after childhood. Al-Anon's 20 questions "Did you ... Read More

If your child is using alcohol and drugs, it's a good bet he (or she) is doing everything possible to keep that activity hidden. The last thing he wants is ... Read More

The global study of injecting drug use and HIV infection in 99 cities showed that distributing sterile needles and syringes helps prevent the spread of HIV infection. HIV prevalence decreased ... Read More

Deciding to approach the alcoholic with a confrontational intervention can produce some potentially very undesirable consequencies. Careful planning by an experienced professional is highly recommended. More: Another View of Intervention | ... Read More