Addiction & Substance Use

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.

Mobile health interventions are helpful to patients receiving medications that reduce cravings, but what about adherence-focused monitoring?

Opioid-dependent patients presenting to an emergency department for other medical reasons are more likely to pursue addiction treatment if a specific therapy is initiated during their emergency care stay. What therapy are we talking about?

The articles in this Special Report provide a broad, cross-cutting perspective on the current state of addiction psychiatry, insofar as it may pertain to your own clinical practice.

While opioid dependence is among the most severe and lethal of addictions, it also has the most effective medication treatments. The authors provide 2 case vignettes and a step-by-step process for clinical decision making.

The loss of control over urges and behaviors may be the central component of gambling disorders, but there is so much more to consider. Individuals with these problems have exponentially higher rates of suicide attempts and completions.

A review of the pharmacological and symptomatic effects of various classes of designer drugs, including stimulants, hallucinogens, and sedatives.

Current trends are toward relaxing laws on cannabis, but no one knows the likely outcome. Will legalization mean an increase in consumption? Psychiatrists will be on the front lines if and when problems arise.

A discussion of treatment options to help foster the most effective psychosocial treatment for addiction.

Many people like to spend at least part of their free time playing video games. However, for some, what starts as innocent recreation becomes an addiction and, at times, tragedy ensues.

There are probably few health care professionals who are unaware of the concerns about the apparent overprescription of opioids. However, we have had only limited information on how good a job physicians may actually be doing in prescribing these medications.

The authors use a 3-step process to identify and evaluate published research with findings that are ready for-and that have a direct bearing on-clinical practice.

A 28-year-old married mother of 2 with a history of depression is brought to the emergency department after 6 months of near-daily methamphetamine use.

There is increasing evidence that individuals who try marijuana during their early teenage years are affected neurologically for a decade or more at least until one's 20s and perhaps even longer. More in this video.

In clinical terms, one of the most distinguishing diagnostic features of addictive disorders is that those affected continually and repeatedly revert to their addictive behaviors, despite the devastating negative and adverse consequences.

The authors of this book leave readers feeling empowered, knowing that they can be an important driver of change. It also reminds psychiatrists about some core components of the patient experience.