Police Invite Ecstasy Users to Turn Over Potentially Lethal Pills Without Consequence

I recently blogged about a Bad Ecstasy Alert in Canada. After five deaths in British Columbia have now been confirmed as being linked to killer ecstasy compound PMMA, police are inviting ecstasy users to turn over their pills for testing, without consequence, in the hope of preventing further deaths.

Claims Regarding the Benefits of Red Wine Called into Question

In the past, I've written about the myth that alcohol is good for you. The idea that a drug as toxic as alcohol could be beneficial just didn't ring true. But even I did not anticipate the extent to which the positive effects of red wine may, in fact, be false.

Is Breast Still Best if You Have Drugs in Your Breastmilk

As part of About.com's blog carnival on breastfeeding, I've written a series of new articles on breastfeeding, for Moms whose breastmilk could be affected by substances such as nicotine, alcohol, and painkillers.

Delusions More Than Just a Different Point of View

Delusions are a tricky subject for many people to get their heads around. How can a doctor figure out whether someone's beliefs are true or not, and what does it matter if they are incorrect anyway?

Young and Thin Most at Risk for Caffeine Overdose

Given how many of us consume caffeine on a daily basis, it's surprizing that so few people die of caffeine overdose. But some do.

Achieving WorkLife Balance When Workaholism is the Norm

Sometimes it seems that we are all expected to be workaholics these days. I just read an article yesterday, about how summer vacations are disappearing for young people who want to "reach ahead" and are attending summer school, not to make up for failed grades, but to take next year's classes ahead of time. And a few months ago, a client announced that "having a job is the new raise." So when does overwork cross from being a matter of survival in today's cut-throat job market, to being an addiction?

Is Your New Years Resolution Still Going Strong

It's three weeks into January -- by now, many of us who made New Year's Resolutions will have had at least one relapse

What is the Answer to the Drug Problem

After recently blogging about the risks of black tar heroin, I decided to look a little deeper into what is mixed with heroin these days. The result was a new article on what is in heroin. Once in a while, researching an article leads to a change in perspective, and this was one of those times.

Overeaters Choice Self Destruction or Harm Reduction

Overeaters, you know you eat too much. You may even think of yourself as addicted to food and therefore out of control of your eating. But this is not true.

Police Invite Ecstasy Users to Turn Over Potentially Lethal Pills Without Consequence

I recently blogged about a Bad Ecstasy Alert in Canada. After five deaths in British Columbia have now been confirmed as being linked to killer ecstasy compound PMMA, police are inviting ecstasy users to turn over their pills for testing, without consequence, in the hope of preventing further deaths.

Claims Regarding the Benefits of Red Wine Called into Question

In the past, I've written about the myth that alcohol is good for you. The idea that a drug as toxic as alcohol could be beneficial just didn't ring true. But even I did not anticipate the extent to which the positive effects of red wine may, in fact, be false.

Is Breast Still Best if You Have Drugs in Your Breastmilk

As part of About.com's blog carnival on breastfeeding, I've written a series of new articles on breastfeeding, for Moms whose breastmilk could be affected by substances such as nicotine, alcohol, and painkillers.

Delusions More Than Just a Different Point of View

Delusions are a tricky subject for many people to get their heads around. How can a doctor figure out whether someone's beliefs are true or not, and what does it matter if they are incorrect anyway?

Young and Thin Most at Risk for Caffeine Overdose

Given how many of us consume caffeine on a daily basis, it's surprizing that so few people die of caffeine overdose. But some do.

What is it Like to Have a Bad Trip

Many people who are starting to experiment with drugs have been warned off hallucinogens by being told they could have a "bad trip."

Achieving WorkLife Balance When Workaholism is the Norm

Sometimes it seems that we are all expected to be workaholics these days. I just read an article yesterday, about how summer vacations are disappearing for young people who want to "reach ahead" and are attending summer school, not to make up for failed grades, but to take next year's classes ahead of time. And a few months ago, a client announced that "having a job is the new raise." So when does overwork cross from being a matter of survival in today's cut-throat job market, to being an addiction?

Is Your New Years Resolution Still Going Strong

It's three weeks into January -- by now, many of us who made New Year's Resolutions will have had at least one relapse

What is the Answer to the Drug Problem

After recently blogging about the risks of black tar heroin, I decided to look a little deeper into what is mixed with heroin these days. The result was a new article on what is in heroin. Once in a while, researching an article leads to a change in perspective, and this was one of those times.

Overeaters Choice Self Destruction or Harm Reduction

Overeaters, you know you eat too much. You may even think of yourself as addicted to food and therefore out of control of your eating. But this is not true.

Drug Czar Confuses Hemp with Marijuana

A recent blog in the Huffington Post claimed that US Drug Czar, Gil Kerlikowske, confused the hemp plant with the marijuana plant in a bizarre defense of the move to disallow US farmers from producing industrial hemp.

Time to Face Your Facebook Addiction

If you're reading this, chances are you spend a fair bit of time online. Perhaps it is just for tracking down information, but maybe you run your social life online as well. If you're one of the increasing number of people getting addicted to facebook, read on...

Online Nuisance Cyberbullying Cyberharassment or Cyberstalking

In today's hyperconnected world, most of us have, at some time or another, received spam or online scams, unwanted or unpleasant email messages or texts, or seen something about ourselves online that makes us cringe.

Do You Have an Addictive Personality

Some years ago, the term "addictive personality" popped up in the literature. Then it went away again. The concept just didn`t ring true to professionals working with addicts.

DSMV ReOpened For Feedback

The controversial fifth edition of the gold-standard medical textbook used for the diagnosis of mental conditions, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or DSM-V, has been re-opened for feedback from the public until June 15th, 2012.

Marijuana For Stress Management How Ironic

One of several myths about marijuana is that it helps people cope with stress. Many clients entering treatment are terrified that they will never be able to cope with the stresses and strains of life without their daily toke, yet the irony of the situation is that often it is the drug itself that is impairing their ability to cope in the first place.

Caffeine The Drug That is Everywhere

Caffeine is so common today that we are barely even aware of it.

This is Your Brain on Caffeine

Image (c) Florin Garoi / SXC

Caffeine is often thought of as a good way to perk up your mental functioning. But do you really know what it does to your brain?

Hallucinations Not Necessarily a Mystical Experience

One of the reasons some people like to take hallucinogenic drugs, such as LSD or magic mushrooms, is to experience hallucinations -- often referred to as "visuals." For some, this is an amusing experience, sometimes likened to entering a world of cartoon characters, while for others, it is described as a mystical experience, in which visions lead to profound insight.

A Fresh Start in 2012

January marks the time of year when people most often resolve to change their ways for the better. It isn't just hard core addicts that want to change, but many of us who struggle with day to day habits that are hard to break, and have a negative impact on our lives. Here are my top five new year's resolutions. Good luck with yours!

Keeping Healthy While Keeping Fit

These days, it would be easy to be completely hooked on exercise without anyone around you thinking you could be unhealthy. Obesity seems to be the crime of century, and over-exercise seems to be a virtue. But like other addictions, exercise addiction can impact your life, your relationships, and your well-being.

A Victory Against Cyber Bullying

A new law in Erie County aims to target and prevent cyber bullying by making electronic harassment a misdemeanor, reported WIVB on Friday.

The Caffeine WithdrawalReversal Hypothesis

Many people don't think they could get through a busy day without caffeine. And studies of regular caffeine users show that the drug does improve performance. The problem is, it is unknown whether these benefits are real.

LSD Experiments on Alcoholism Reviewed

Several studies conducted in the 1960s showed improvement in alcoholics who were given the hallucinogen, LSD, as a type of therapy. Although the research was abandoned when the drug was made illegal, as U.S.News & World Report Healthday reports, there has been recent interest in the therapeutic potential of hallucinogenic drugs.

Energy Drinks Not Healthy

Energy drinks are often marketed to kids, and the overlap with sports drinks often confuses consumers into thinking they are healthy. In reality, they are anything but...

Heroin in the Movies

Usually, when drugs like heroin make an appearance in a movie, it is to add a touch of glamour or danger, or to let us know that this is a really bad guy. But some movies make a real effort to portray heroin addiction.

Staying on the Wagon

As January draws to a close, I'd like to revisit the subject of relapse. A month ago, many of us made New Year's Resolutions, that are now fading into a distant memory.

Losing Touch With Reality

Often when people use drugs, they want to change their perception of reality. They want the world to seem like a simpler, happier place, for reality to be less scary or intimidating, or to make life more interesting and fun.

When Mothers Day Hurts

Last year, I wrote about coping with an unhappy mother's day when your relationship with your mother is less than perfect. A comment from a reader yesterday reminded me that it is not only the children of abusive mothers who find this annual celebration painful, but also those mothers whose children have turned away from them.

Bad Heroin Alert

This warning has been around for a while, but only just came to my attention recently.

Controlled Heroin Use

When I read about heroin addiction, it sounds like the epitome of self-destruction.

Curbing Those Cravings

Cravings are what drives an addiction, and can be an uncomfortable part of life for those who use in a more controlled manner.

Bad Ecstasy Alert

The 24 Hours newspaper reported recently that a recent spate of deaths of young ecstasy users has been linked to a contaminant called PMMA -- and at least 16 more ecstasy-related deaths are currently under coronor's review to identify whether PMMA was present.

Reefer Madness

Reefer Madness is a joke to the pro-legalization marijuana movement -- an extreme approach to deterring weed smoking through fear, that now seems ridiculous. But was there a grain of truth to this cautionary tale?