Stimulants and Addiction Risk

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Stimulants are medications and illicit substances that increase activity in the central nervous system, producing effects such as increased alertness, energy, attention, and wakefulness. Prescription stimulants are commonly used to treat conditions such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy, while illicit stimulants, including cocaine and methamphetamine, have a high potential for misuse. Although prescription stimulants … Read more

FDA Drug Approval Explained

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) plays a critical role in ensuring that medications used to treat substance use disorders are safe, effective, and manufactured to high-quality standards before they become available to patients. Addiction medications, including those used to treat opioid, alcohol, and tobacco use disorders, undergo years of scientific research, laboratory testing, … Read more

Gerard Butler: Alcohol and Recovery

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Gerard Butler’s journey with alcohol, prescription pain medication, and recovery demonstrates how substance-related problems can develop at different stages of a person’s life. Long before he became internationally known for films such as 300, Butler said his drinking became excessive in his twenties. In a 2002 interview, he described realizing at age 28 that his … Read more

Ben Affleck’s Road to Recovery

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Ben Affleck’s experience with alcohol addiction and recovery demonstrates that substance use disorder can affect people regardless of fame, career success, or financial resources. The actor and filmmaker has publicly discussed his struggles with alcohol, periods of treatment, relapse, and his continuing efforts toward sobriety. His story provides an opportunity to understand addiction as a … Read more

Zac Efron: Addiction to Recovery

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Zac Efron became internationally famous at a young age, but behind his successful acting career, he has spoken publicly about struggling with alcohol and other drug use. In 2014, Efron described drinking “way too much” and discussed how the pressures surrounding fame, constant public attention, heavy workloads, and his social life contributed to unhealthy patterns. … Read more

Alcohol Relapse After Hepatitis

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Alcohol-associated hepatitis is a serious form of liver injury caused by prolonged, heavy alcohol exposure. Recovery from the acute illness can be an important turning point, but improvement in liver function does not automatically resolve alcohol use disorder (AUD). Returning to alcohol use remains a major concern because renewed drinking can contribute to additional liver … Read more

Pain Relief Without Opioid Risks

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Nonopioid pain protocols offer an important approach to managing acute and chronic pain while reducing unnecessary exposure to opioid medications. By combining options such as nonopioid medications, physical therapy, exercise, behavioral therapies, mindfulness, and other individualized treatments, healthcare providers can address pain while focusing on function and quality of life. Although opioids remain appropriate for … Read more

The Clancy Case and Mental Illness

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The Lindsay Clancy case has drawn national attention to severe postpartum mental illness following the tragic deaths of her three young children in Massachusetts in January 2023. The case has raised difficult questions about postpartum depression, postpartum psychosis, psychiatric treatment, medication management, family awareness, and the healthcare system’s ability to recognize a rapidly developing psychiatric … Read more

Short Videos Affect Teen Academics

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Short-form videos have become a routine part of teenage life, providing entertainment, social connection, creativity, and quick access to educational information. However, frequent or difficult-to-control scrolling may compete with the skills students need for academic success, including sustained attention, time management, adequate sleep, frustration tolerance, and effective coping with school-related stress. Rapidly changing content and … Read more

Politics and Addiction Science

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Politics plays an important role in how addiction science is funded, interpreted, and translated into real-world policies and healthcare services. Scientific research helps explain the biological, psychological, and social factors involved in substance use disorders, while policymakers make decisions about research funding, drug laws, treatment regulations, insurance coverage, prevention programs, harm reduction, and criminal justice … Read more