Monthly Archives: August 2008

Addictions to medicines and drugs are thought to develop over a relatively long period of time. The process involves both structural and functional changes in brain nerve cells that are still poorly understood. However, a single drug or alcohol dose is sufficient to generate an initial stage of addiction. Continue reading →

It’s the latest computer buzzword. But how can Web 2.0 be useful to service providers who work with people who are homeless?

Date Added: 08/28/08
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Increased connections among brain cells caused by excessive drug use may represent the body’s defense mechanism to combat addiction and related behaviors, scientists at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found. Continue reading →

As the days of summer wind down, kids coast to coast are heading back to school. For parents, teachers, and caregivers, the start of the school year is often exciting, but it can be difficult for kids of all ages. Peer pressure, bullying, and social anxieties can take their toll on kids in hallways and classrooms. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) can help.

Date Added: 08/27/08
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Vigabatrin, a medication proposed as a potential treatment for drug addiction, also leads to rapid weight loss and reduced food intake according to a new animal study from the same research group. Genetically bred ‘fat rats’ experience dramatic weight loss, reduced food intake after being given vigabatrin. Vigabatrin is currently undergoing US Food and Drug Administration-approved Phase II clinical trials against cocaine and methamphetamine addiction across the US. Continue reading →

I was in bed a little before 7 a.m. on Sunday, September 25, 1999, when I received the news that the wreckage of Big Island Air flight 58 had been found in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. All 10 people on board died when the plane crashed onto the slopes of Mauna Loa, the world’s largest active volcano.

While larger airlines were required to have plans in place under the Aviation Disaster Family Assistance Act of 1996, smaller operators like Big Island Air were not. It had no plan and neither, it turned out, did anyone else.

Date Added: 08/22/08
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SAMHSA’s Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) announces the availability of the Spanish-language version of Alcohol and Drug Treatment: How It Works, and How It Can Help You. This four-page brochure informs people involved in the criminal justice system about substance abuse treatment resources.

Date Added: 08/21/08
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Relapse to substance use after a period of abstinence is a common pattern among substance abusers. Many are admitted to substance abuse treatment multiple times before they achieve long-term abstinence. Individuals who are re-admitted to treatment (i.e., repeat admissions) often exhibit different substance use and socioeconomic characteristics than individuals admitted to treatment for the first time.

Date Added: 08/18/08
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