Cocaine is a drug that when ingested is associated with the release of dopamine and other “feel good” neurotransmitters in the brain. Cocaine acts as a triple reuptake inhibitor (TRI) by inhibiting the reuptake of serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine simultaneously. This results in a person getting a stimulant effect, feeling euphoric, and decreased appetite. It is considered …
Gabapentin (Neurontin) is an anticonvulsant medication in the GABA analog lass that was originally created to help manage epilepsy, but is also utilized to help individuals suffering from neuropathic pain. It has become a first-line treatment option for the relief of neuropathic pain from diabetic neuropathy, central neuropathic pain, as well as post-herpetic neuralgia. This …
Xanax (Alprazolam) is a medication that is prescribed to treat intense anxiety and panic disorders. It is currently among the most prescribed drugs in the United States, and has been for years. The reason that many people turn to Xanax and that doctors give out prescriptions for this medication is simple: because it works. There …
Abilify (Aripiprazole) is an atypical antipsychotic medication that is used to treat schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and in some cases is used as an “add on” treatment in severe depression. If you are on Abilify and are switching to another medication and/or planning on withdrawing from it, you should always work with a psychiatrist. Abilify is …
Many people are prescribed antipsychotic drugs even if they do not have conditions that necessarily warrant their use. The most commonly treated conditions with antipsychotic medications include: schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, schizoaffective disorder, and psychotic depression. If you have a condition like schizophrenia that results in auditory hallucinations, feelings of paranoia, and various types of delusions, …
Most people that are on antipsychotics tend to already have a susceptibility to psychosis. In cases of schizophrenia, individuals are put on this class of medications to address psychotic symptoms. These tend to work by decreasing activity of dopamine receptors to reduce the likelihood of a person experiencing auditory hallucinations, delusions, and paranoia. During the …
Nicotine is a highly potent stimulant drug that is commonly absorbed when people use various types of tobacco products. Popular tobacco products include both cigarettes and (smokeless) chewing tobacco. Nicotine itself is a nicotonic acetylcholine receptor agonist and acts as a stimulant in mammals at low doses. Most people hypothesize that the “stimulant” effect is …