All articles tagged with #substance use disorder
Judy Sandler, author of 'What Kind of Mother, A Reckoning,' describes the emotional toll of concealing her 29-year-old son James’s mental health struggles from friends. She argues that lying by omission perpetuates stigma and isolates families, advocating for honest disclosure to foster connection and reduce shame.
A new noninvasive procedure using focused ultrasound is showing promise in treating substance use disorders by targeting the brain's reward center. While early trials report significant reductions in cravings, safety concerns and the lack of standardized protocols remain major hurdles. The technology is attracting interest from tech companies, but experts warn that it is not a standalone cure and requires ongoing behavioral support.
A Johns Hopkins-led study analyzing nearly 700,000 U.S. medical records finds teens with cannabis use disorder have higher risks of schizophrenia, recurrent major depression, and anxiety than peers with other substances, while adults with cannabis use disorder show lower relative psychiatric risk. The researchers propose that cannabis may accelerate onset of mental illness in vulnerable youths or reveal preexisting predispositions, but the results do not prove causation. The findings highlight age-dependent effects and caution against teen use of cannabis, especially high-potency varieties.
A BMJ study analyzing VA records of over 600,000 adults with type 2 diabetes found that GLP-1 drugs (such as semaglutide and tirzepatide) were associated with fewer emergency visits, hospitalizations, and deaths related to substance use across alcohol, opioids, nicotine, and other drugs. Using emulated target trials, researchers suggest GLP-1s might help treat existing substance use disorders and potentially prevent new ones, possibly by dampening reward signaling in the brain. However, these are observational analyses, not randomized trials, and results may not apply to everyone; further trials are underway, with relapse and varied efficacy remaining challenges.
The decline in US overdose deaths since late 2023 may be partly due to increased adoption of crisis intervention training (CIT) among law enforcement, which helps officers recognize and empathetically respond to substance use crises, encouraging treatment rather than incarceration, thereby reducing overdose fatalities.
A study funded by NIH found that adults who quit smoking are more likely to recover from other substance use disorders, highlighting the importance of integrating smoking cessation into addiction treatment programs.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced a $100 million pilot program to eliminate Hepatitis C among populations with substance use disorder and mental illness, focusing on high-risk communities affected by homelessness, aiming to improve testing, treatment, and cure rates while reducing reinfection and healthcare costs.
GLP-1 receptor agonists, drugs primarily used for weight loss and diabetes, are showing potential in treating addiction by reducing cravings for substances like alcohol and drugs. Anecdotal evidence and preliminary research suggest these drugs may affect dopamine levels in the brain, which could explain their impact on addiction. However, experts caution that more rigorous clinical trials are needed to confirm their efficacy and safety for this off-label use.
GLP-1 receptor agonists, drugs primarily used for weight loss and diabetes, are showing potential in treating addiction by reducing cravings for substances like alcohol and drugs. Anecdotal evidence and preliminary research suggest these drugs may affect dopamine levels in the brain, which could explain their impact on addiction. However, experts caution that more rigorous clinical trials are needed to confirm their efficacy and safety for treating substance use disorders.
A study published in 'Drug and Alcohol Dependence' explored how aversive cues, like bitter tastes, affect addiction susceptibility in lab rats given cocaine. Researchers found three distinct responses: some rats avoided cocaine due to the aversive taste, others increased their intake despite it, and a surprising third group initially overindulged but then reduced consumption. These findings may help explain individual differences in addiction development and guide future research on the brain's response to drugs and aversive stimuli.
A study published in JAMA Psychiatry suggests that GLP-1 agonists, such as Ozempic and Wegovy, may help treat alcohol use disorder. The research, which analyzed data from over 227,000 individuals in Sweden, found that users of these drugs had a significantly lower risk of hospitalization due to alcohol-related issues compared to non-users. While the findings are promising, researchers emphasize the need for clinical trials to confirm these associations and assess the safety of using these medications for addiction treatment.
A town hall event in Oakland County addressed the fentanyl crisis, with law enforcement, education, prevention, and treatment experts discussing ways to combat the increase in overdose deaths linked to the drug. Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, has been involved in a significant number of overdose deaths in Michigan, prompting calls for more education and prevention resources for families, law enforcement, and schools. The event highlighted the need for greater mental health resources in schools and emphasized the importance of real people sharing their stories to raise awareness and connect individuals with treatment services.
Oregon parents are facing the difficult decision of sending their teens out of state for behavioral health care due to the state's failure to provide adequate mental health treatment. The Oregonian/OregonLive's teen recovery series sheds light on the challenges within Oregon's youth behavioral health system, highlighting the struggles of parents and the experiences of teens in accessing quality care.
Massachusetts General Brigham hospitals will no longer report suspected abuse or neglect to state child welfare services based solely on the presence of drugs in a baby’s toxicology report, aiming to reduce stigma of addiction among Black mothers and address inequities in substance use disorder care. The change in policy, based on sound science, will require written consent for toxicology testing of expectant mothers or infants and limit testing to cases where results will change medical management. The hospital system aims to provide safe and equitable care for all patients and remove racism in healthcare.
Variations in THC metabolism, particularly among females with slower THC metabolism, have been linked to a higher risk of developing Cannabis Use Disorder (CUD). Genetic differences in THC-metabolizing enzymes can lead to stronger and longer-lasting effects of cannabis, especially among females. The study underscores the importance of understanding individual physiological responses to cannabis and highlights the need for educational programs to inform teens and young adults about their unique risks regarding cannabis use.