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Predisposition Doesn’t Equal Addiction

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Siblings who are genetically at equal risk for addiction don’t always fall prey to substance abuse, but they share a similar lack of impulse control.

A new study shows that siblings share a vulnerability to addiction, even if one abuses drugs and the other doesn’t. Researchers looked at pairs of siblings and healthy unrelated people and compared their brain structures and their ability to control their impulses — something that is known to be compromised among drug users. The study

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DSM Plays a Starring Role in Murder Trial

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Whether Jodi Arias is convicted of murder could rely on a diagnosis of PTSD or borderline personality disorder.

The high-profile Jodi Arias trial has mental health and treatment professionals taking notice. As the proceedings wrap up, there has been much discussion about the DSM. Its formal name is the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. The latest version of this “mental health bible,” the DSM-IV-TR (fourth edition, text revision), is used by

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Rx-themed Products Are No Joke

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Do shot glasses, coasters and flasks that are marketed to young drinkers go too far?

Binge drinking. Alcohol poisoning. Prescription sharing. Painkiller addiction. These are all serious problems for teens and college students. Although it is unlikely that we are going to get kids to stop experimenting or partying altogether, we don’t need to encourage it. Urban Outfitters, known for supplying teens and college students with trendy and low-cost clothing,

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Medication Nation

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Does prescription medication use sacrifice your long-term health for temporary relief?

Turning to medication seems easier than exploring the issues behind a health problem. Making diet and lifestyle changes, lowering stress, cutting out bad habits and self-examining are far more difficult. Who wants to do all that work, when they can just take a pill? There aren’t catchy ads for behavioral therapy or classes that teach

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The Rise of Rx Medication Use

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By the late ‘90s opioid painkillers were being freely prescribed and addiction rates were on the rise.

When it comes to addiction, most of us don’t think we are at risk. However even if you’re fit and health conscious, you can fall prey to addiction. A single injury can start the addiction process without you even realizing it. Injuries can lead an otherwise healthy and active individual to take painkillers to avoid

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Numbing the Pain

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Young adults and teens are turning to prescription medications to avoid unwanted feelings and cope with everyday life.

It is a natural response to look for something to ease feelings of emotional pain, but many people fall prey to addiction, as they seek a way to dull unwanted feelings or emotions. Emotional pain can be related to memories of physical, sexual or emotional abuse by a loved one or family member. It can

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Marijuana Legalization Gains in Popularity

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Marijuana use is viewed as harmless by more than half the US population, but science still shows there are dangers.

More than half of Americans believe the use of marijuana should be made legal according to a recent survey conducted by the Pew Research Center. The new research shows that 52 percent of those surveyed agreed with legalization, while 45 percent were not in favor or making marijuana legal. A total of 1,501 adults were

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Celebrity-branded Marijuana?

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Pot may be the next frontier for celebrity cross-branding.

It’s clear that celebrity branding is big business, but with a member of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony partnering to create his own strain of medical marijuana, has the trend gone too far? Michigan Live recently reported that Stanley “Flesh-N-Bone” Howse has partnered with a medical marijuana facility in Otisville, Michigan, to create a new strain for patients

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Syrup’s Popularity Soars

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Despite the dangers cold-syrup concoctions are consumed by young people and sung about by several popular hip-hop artists.

The type of drugs a teen chooses to try may have a connection to the music he or she listens to. A substance’s mention in songs can pique curiosity, and that has been the case with “sizzurp.” The term has popped up in tracks by Three Six Mafia (“Sippin On Some Syrup”) and Lil Wayne

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Synthetic Marijuana: More Dangerous Than the Real Thing?

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They’re seen as safer, legal versions of pot, but lab-created drugs like K2 and spice could be even worse than the original.

It’s legal, so it must be harmless, right? That’s what teens who turn to synthetic marijuana for quick high seem to think. But synthetic marijuana, also known by the street names K2 or spice, could land users in the emergency room. Researchers examined three cases of teens admitted to the emergency room after suspected use

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