Addiction is defined as repeatedly engaging in a particular behavior or using a substance to experience pleasure, regardless of the consequences. Some believe that addiction can be a result of environmental experiences and/or various psychological conditions. When most people think of addiction, they think of gambling, illicit drugs (e.g. cocaine), alcohol, and sex. One reason …
Many people enjoy drinking alcohol while socializing as a way to have fun and/or enhance a social experience. Although not everyone enjoys recreational drinking, many people enjoy having an occasional beer or glass of wine while out with friends. For individuals that are taking antidepressants, it is important to be aware of potential interactions that …
Sugar refers to short-chain carbohydrates that are sweet and used in food. Most people know sugar as a whitish crystal-like powder with a sweet taste that is often added to food. Each year, hundreds of millions of tons of table sugar are produced across the world. The sugar that you eat is scientifically referred to …
Aspartame is an artificial sweetener (non-saccharide) that is often used as a substitute for sugar in drinks such as diet sodas as well as foods like chewing gum. Aspartame was first created under the name NutraSweet in 1965 and is made up of three specific elements: phenylalanine, aspartic acid, and methanol. There is much controversy …
Heroin (diacetylmorphine) is commonly referred to as “H“, horse, brown, black, tar, and smack. It is an opioid analgesic that was originally created by C.R. Alder Wright in 1874 when he added two acetyl groups to morphine. Heroin by itself isn’t an active drug, however when it enters the human body, it gets converted into …
Methadone is a synthetic opioid drug that is used primarily in opioid replacement therapy. It is also commonly used as an analgesic drug due to its pain-relieving properties. For individuals with chronic pain, taking Methadone may provide effective pain relief. This is a drug that acts on the same opioid receptors in the brain as …
Adderall (mixed amphetamine salts) is a psychostimulant drug that is used primarily to treat ADHD (attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder) as well as narcolepsy. It is also used to treat conditions such as: chronic fatigue and in some cases is used as an antidepressant augmentation strategy. With this particular drug, there is high potential for dependency and …