Recently I wrote an article documenting the most addictive drugs based on a study conducted in 2007 by David Nutt. The study also included some newer findings from an undocumented Dutch study that some news websites had published. In both the study by David Nutt and the Dutch study, the most addictive drug in the …
The technical definition of a drug is “any chemical substance that affects the central nervous system.” Determining the most addictive drugs has been a challenge for researchers and results have been controversial throughout the years. Additionally agreeing on a proper definition for “addiction” and criteria by which it can be measured is somewhat difficult. The …
When thinking of the term “addiction” many people associate it with drugs. Thinking of an “addict” often brings forth images of someone in the streets looking for their next fix of heroin or cocaine. While addiction to illicit drugs is a common problem, the term “addiction” is not limited to only illicit street drugs. In …
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 …
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 …
Most people would agree that on occasion, consumption of alcohol in moderation is fine and may actually yield some health benefits. However, when consumption of alcohol becomes chronic and spirals out of control, it can really take a toll on both physical and mental health. Alcohol itself works by increasing the effects of GABA, an …
I tend to think that one of the best treatments for depression is epinephrine (adrenaline). This is based totally on my subjective experience. Although I know that high amounts of epinephrine are not necessarily healthy for the long term in regards to physical health, they can significantly increase arousal, improve mood, improve mental acuity, cognition, …