Researchers have identified 5 distinct subtypes of alcohol dependence, according to a new study by scientists at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). “Our findings should help dispel the popular notion of the ‘typical alcoholic,’” notes first author Howard B. Moss, M.D., NIAAA Associate…
Research coming out of the University of Granada shows that there is a genetic predisposition to become addicted to alcohol. According to the study, “although there are no specific reasons to become alcoholic, many social, family, environmental and genetic factors may contribute to its development.” According to Jose Rico Irles, head of the research group…
At Crossroad Back Cove, a halfway house for women recovering from alcohol and drug addiction in Portland, Maine, women in early recovery are learning a special set of skills. Developed by Lisa Najavits, PhD, Seeking Safety is an evidenced-based practice designed to help women with a substance abuse problem and postraumatic stress disorder [PTSD] acquire…
Caron Treatment Centers, a nonprofit alcohol and drug treatment center in Pennsylvania, commissioned a study by Nielsen BuzzMetrics to see what teens talk about online. The results of the study were released on June 19th. According to USA Today, a computer program was used to search blogs, message boards, public chat rooms and “other places…
Rear Admiral Kenneth P. Moritsugu, MD, MPH was on the steps of the Maine State House yesterday warning parents about underage drinking. The Acting U.S. Surgeon General, along with First Lady Karen Baldacci and other community leaders, talked about how research has shown that alcohol can cause damage to the still developing adolescent brain. Research…
New research shows that middle school children are getting alcohol from their parents. And we’re not talking about stealing booze out of the liquor cabinet when mom and dad aren’t looking. A new study, lead by principal investigator Kelli Komro, lead author Mary O Hearst and colleagues, found that more than one-third of the alcohol…
Anheuser-Busch introduced a new alcoholic energy drink in January that’s getting a lot of attention from alcohol abuse prevention groups and attorneys general around the country. “Spykes” is described on an Anheuser-Busch wholesaler’s website as “a great alternative to hard liquor shots. A Spykes pour takes beer up a notch by adding a caffeinated rush…
It is already known that, compared to men, female drinkers develop health problems faster and with less alcohol. The results of a recent study of male and female Russian alcoholics and non-alcoholics suggest that female alcoholics are at risk of developing cognitive problems more rapidly than men as well. The findings were published in the…
A person’s alcohol or drug addiction affects everyone close to that person. Friends and family members often don’t know how to deal with a loved one’s addiction or even understand it. But when friends and family members get together, understand and address the impact they experience in the situation, they increase their ability to gather…
According to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, 13% of budget expenditures in state government alone go to dealing with the consequences of untreated addiction. Yet, nationally, only about one-half of one percent of state spending is on treatment. Every little bit of money helps agencies like recovery centers for…
