Addiction & Substance Use

A growing body of scientific literature associates psychiatric symptoms with man-made toxic substances and environmental exposure. Practical implications for psychiatrists are discussed in this Special Report collection.

John Hinckley's release after a 35-year stint in a psychiatric facility, legalized heroin, older patients facing depression alone. These stories and more in this month's roundup.

Here: devastating short- and long-term behavioral and physiological effects of methamphetamine neurotoxicity and the implications for treatment.

The abuse of this dangerous designer drug that can be purchased online is rapidly on the rise in the US.

What do we know about the health and drug consumption habits of the Nazi leader of the German people from 1933 to 1945?

Here are a few things that make me glad I'm a psychiatrist.

Do you know the 7 criteria that can help identify those at risk for unhealthy online gaming?

Clinical traditions are important, but they can become ossified as the “right way to treat addiction.” So, we need to turn a sharp, skeptical eye on treatment models.

Editors' choices of noteworthy psychiatry stories from around the Web: genetics of schizophrenia, Alzheimer disease, the perils of mixing prescription and over-the-counter medications, new guidelines for treating pain with opioids, and other topics.

The involvement of a psychiatrist early in the care of patients addicted to opioids may prevent further abuse. Here's why.

A review of a compelling documentary on the spectacular rise and catastrophic fall of British singer Amy Winehouse, a star with an old voice in a young body.

What are some of the most commonly abused drugs among college students?

Many college students who engage in binge drinking, experiment with illicit drugs, and/or misuse pharmaceuticals will go through this rite of passage relatively unscathed. However, others will not.

For all its popular appeal, the science that has emerged on cannabis use does not look good--especially for the teenage brain.

Acute intoxication is the most likely culprit for an increased risk of violence or agitation, but personality, psychosis, and cognitive problems can all play a role. A skilled clinician can glean a great deal of information in a short period of time.

Addiction and mental health treatment has fallen increasingly into the justice system for underserved and indigent patients. How do we bring state-of-the art treatment to this population in desperate need?

Although college students are in many ways similar to any patient in their age group, their environment and stressors differ in significant ways. The authors identify issues to consider in assessing and managing suicidality in this population.

News and research highlights on ADHD, conduct disorder, substance use disorder, and behavioral addictions, including compulsive social networking.

A report on substance abuse and HIV research around the world.

A reminder that success in life requires paying attention to the basics, starting with showing up and hanging in there.

What are the pros and cons of marijuana use? Dr Andrew Saxon gives his viewpoint on why he is against medical marijuana but in favor of legalization of recreational use of marijuana.

Now placed “substance-related and addictive disorders” in DSM-5, gambling disorder has similiarities to other behavioral addictions, such as “food addiction” and “Internet gaming disorder.”

Whether marijuana use should be legalized is a subject worthy for debate. It is unfair, however, for patients who have real health problems to be misled into believing that there is a magical cure.

A story of what can happen (and has happened) when the expertise of a psychiatrist is not followed in complex cases that involve substance use and other disorders.

An interesting history, key myths, and the pros and cons of marijuana are explained in this book.

Patients with psychiatric disorders, particularly schizophrenia, anorexia nervosa, and substance use disorders, have reduced life expectancies compared with the general population. This and other facts emphasize the need for the latest clinical information, highlighted in this countdown.

This slideshow features information on a recent Special Report covering opioid use, gambling, street and club drugs, marijuana, video games, and more.

Many of us are seeing patients who have been prescribed potentially addicting medication by another physician, and our level of vigilance needs to be high.

As clinicians, we can only imagine what happens when patients terminate treatment. Thoughts from an addiction psychiatry fellow.

Studies examining the impact of ADHD drugs on dopamine transport have been inconclusive, and preclinical research suggests that emotional factors play a greater role than stimulant therapy in fostering addictive behaviors.