Author: Gary Jackson

Overdoses are unpredictable and can occur regardless of how long you’ve been taking opioids or how high your tolerance is. New research suggests that opioids also act on receptors inside of cells — specifically, receptors in the Golgi body, an important area of your cells. This means opioids might actually be changing your cells from […]

However, what makes them so addictive is the feelings of euphoria and pleasure that they produce. This is the result of changes in the levels of chemicals like dopamine and serotonin, which are responsible for reward and mood in the brain. Thatsudden weight loss can be one of the first physical signsfor friends and family […]

Orlistat is available in pill form as a prescription medicine (Xenical) and as a reduced-strength, nonprescription medicine (Alli). It works by preventing your body’s absorption of dietary fats, thus reducing the total amount of calories your body retains. Phentermine works by affecting the central nervous system, leading to appetite suppression and, consequently, weight loss. They may […]

“So the actual cause (of any health benefit) probably wasn’t the alcohol at all,” Dr. Oesterle says. If, for whatever reason, it prevents you from getting help and quitting alcohol, let it go. It’s an icky word, basically taboo, the kind of word we lower our voices to say. Health Products Both of these pups […]

People with AUD actually experience hangovers that are more severe and more mentally and physically taxing than those experienced by the general population, even taking into account the amount of alcohol consumed. Our state-specific resource guides offer a comprehensive overview of drug and alcohol addiction treatment options available in your area. Early-stage alcoholism is the […]

Visit the Alcohol Treatment Navigator web page (located on the NIAAA website) when you’re ready to search for a treatment provider. There are several forms of abuse, with varying degrees of drinking with each. As you recover from AUD, you may find it helpful to see a psychotherapist who uses cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques. […]

But it works only if the HIV-positive partner gets and keeps an undetectable viral load. Not everyone taking HIV medicine has an undetectable viral load. To stay undetectable, people with HIV must take HIV medicine as prescribed and visit their health care provider regularly to get a viral load test. In many jurisdictions, people who […]

There is no one-size-fits-all for treatment, and everyone’s recovery looks different. Opioids can also be used for end-of-life pain management or difficulty breathing, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). In the United States, more than 153 million opioid prescriptions are delivered each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Dr. […]

Other medications work by binding to the same receptors as opiates, but they do not occur naturally. While synthetic opioids are manufactured chemically, semi-synthetic opioids are a hybrid resulting from chemical modifications to natural opiates. Heroin is also considered a narcotic because it acts on the same receptors in the brain and causes the same effects as […]

Mutual-support groups provide peer support for stopping or reducing drinking. Group meetings are available in most communities at low or no cost, and at convenient times and locations—including an increasing presence online. This means they can be especially helpful to individuals at risk for relapse to drinking. Combined with medications and behavioral treatment provided by […]