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Related terms: Alcohol Use Disorder, AUD

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12-Step Meetings May Help Teens Beat Alcohol, Drug Abuse

Posted 16 Apr 2012 by Drugs.com

MONDAY, April 16 – Teens undergoing treatment for alcohol or drug abuse can benefit from the 12-step program used by groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA), researchers say. While these programs are widely available, little research has looked at how effective they are for teens. The new study included 127 teen substance abuse-treatment outpatients (95 males, 32 females, aged 14 to 19) who were assessed when they began treatment and three, six and 12 months later. The findings are published online and in the July print issue of the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research. "We found that about one-quarter to one-third of the youth attended AA/NA throughout the year-long study period following treatment, and that more meeting attendance was associated with significantly better substance use outcomes – particularly attending meetings at least ... Read more

Related support groups: Alcohol Dependence, Alcoholism, Substance Abuse, Acute Alcohol Intoxication

ER Docs Can Help Curb Patient Alcohol Abuse, Drunk Driving

Posted 5 Apr 2012 by Drugs.com

THURSDAY, April 5 – Problem drinkers are more likely to reduce their alcohol consumption after receiving counseling from an emergency room physician, according to a new study. ER doctors can also deter heavy drinkers from driving while under the influence, the study found. "The intervention, which lasts only seven minutes, was still affecting these patients' lives for the better 12 months later," said lead study author Dr. Gail D'Onofrio at the Yale University School of Medicine, in a journal news release. "This shows that sometimes what emergency physicians say has as great an impact on our patients as what we do." The researchers identified 740 patients considered hazardous and harmful drinkers – men who had more than 14 drinks a week (or more than four drinks at a time) and women who had more than seven drinks a week (or more than three at a time). Patients either received a brief ... Read more

Related support groups: Alcohol Dependence, Alcoholism, Acute Alcohol Intoxication

Drug, Alcohol Abuse Common Among U.S. Teens, Study Finds

Posted 2 Apr 2012 by Drugs.com

MONDAY, April 2 – Alcohol and drug use is common among American teens and more than 15 percent of them meet the criteria for substance abuse, a new study finds. "Once again, we are reminded that in most instances experimentation with alcohol and drugs begins during adolescence," said Bruce Goldman, director of Substance Abuse Services at The Zucker Hillside Hospital in Glen Oaks, N.Y. "Unfortunately, many youth are at risk of developing abuse and dependency problems due to factors including genetic predisposition, environmental availability, school difficulties, social/family problems and co-occurring psychiatric or behavioral disorders," added Goldman, who was not involved in the new study. In the study, Joel Swendsen, of the University of Bordeaux in France, and colleagues analyzed data from a U.S. survey of more than 10,000 teens between the ages of 13 and 18. They found that more ... Read more

Related support groups: Alcohol Dependence, Alcoholism, Substance Abuse, Acute Alcohol Intoxication

LSD Might Help Alcoholics Quit, Stay Abstinent: Study

Posted 9 Mar 2012 by Drugs.com

FRIDAY, March 9 – The hallucinogenic drug LSD may help treat alcoholism, new research suggests. A number of studies examining the use of LSD to treat a variety of disorders, including alcoholism, were conducted in the 1950s, '60s and '70s. In a new analysis, Norwegian researchers examined six studies of LSD and alcoholism that were conducted in the United States and Canada between 1966 and 1970. The analysis of data from the 536 patients in the studies showed that a single dose of LSD helped heavy alcoholics quit and reduced their risk of resuming drinking, according to the meta-analysis appearing online March 8 in the Journal of Psychopharmacology. Patients who received a full dose of the controversial drug did the best. On average, 59 percent of those patients showed a clear improvement, compared with 38 percent of patients in other groups, the Norwegian University of Science and ... Read more

Related support groups: Alcoholism

1 in 10 U.S. Kids Lives With Parent Who Has Abused Alcohol: Report

Posted 16 Feb 2012 by Drugs.com

THURSDAY, Feb. 16 – About 7.5 million American children under the age of 18 live with a parent who's struggled with alcohol abuse over the past year, a new government report finds. That's equal to 10.5 percent of children across the country, say researchers at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), which issued the report. "The enormity of this public health problem goes well beyond these tragic numbers as studies have shown that the children of parents with untreated alcohol disorders are at far greater risk for developing alcohol and other problems later in their lives," SAMHSA Administrator Pamela Hyde said in an agency news release. According to the report, 6.1 million of children living with an alcohol-abusing parent live in two-parent households, while the remaining 1.4 million reside in single-parent homes where that parent has struggled with ... Read more

Related support groups: Alcohol Dependence, Alcoholism, Acute Alcohol Intoxication

Stop-Smoking Drug May Also Curb Problem Drinking

Posted 15 Feb 2012 by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 15 – The quit-smoking drug Chantix may also help problem drinkers cut their alcohol consumption, a small new study suggests. Exactly how this drug curbs drinking is not fully understood, but its use may increase blood pressure, heart rate and feelings of sadness and nausea, thereby blunting the pleasurable effects of alcohol, the researchers said. "Chantix might reduce alcohol consumption by reducing overall enjoyment of the alcohol drinking experience," said study author Emma Childs, a research associate at the University of Chicago. "Chantix increased the unpleasant effects of alcohol, for example feeling drowsy and irritable, [and] participants also reported that they didn't like the alcohol effects as much," Childs said. Approved to help smokers quit in 2006, Chantix (varenicline) has its share of potential side effects. In July 2009, the U.S. Food and Drug ... Read more

Related support groups: Chantix, Alcohol Dependence, Alcoholism, Varenicline, Champix

Booze and Family History of Colon Cancer a Bad Mix: Study

Posted 3 Feb 2012 by Drugs.com

FRIDAY, Feb. 3 – People who consume a few alcoholic drinks a day and have a family history of colorectal cancer are at increased risk for developing colon cancer, new research suggests. For the study, researchers in Boston examined data from more than 87,000 women in the Nurses' Health Study and 47,000 men in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, and found that 1,801 cases of colon cancer were diagnosed among the participants from 1980 onward. People with a family history of colorectal cancer who drank an average of 30 or more grams of alcohol per day (about 2.5 typical drinks in the United States) were at increased risk for colon cancer, according to lead author Eunyoung Cho, of the Channing Laboratory, department of medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, and colleagues. Those at greatest risk also ate the most red meat, smoked more and consumed the ... Read more

Alcohol Targets Brain 'Reward Centers' in Heavy Drinkers

Posted 11 Jan 2012 by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 11 – A small study that offers new insight into how alcohol affects the brain could help lead to more effective treatments for people with drinking problems. Researchers used positron emission tomography (PET) imaging to observe the effects of alcohol in the brains of 13 heavy drinkers and a control group of 12 people who were not heavy drinkers. In all of the participants, drinking alcohol triggered the release of endorphins in areas of the brain [the nucleus accumbens and orbitofrontal cortex] that produce feelings of pleasure and reward. Endorphins are proteins that are produced naturally in the brain and have opiate-like effects. The more endorphins released in the nucleus accumbens, the greater the feelings of pleasure reported by people in both groups. Among heavy drinkers, the more endorphins released in the orbitofrontal cortex, the greater the feelings of ... Read more

Related support groups: Alcohol Dependence, Alcoholism, Acute Alcohol Intoxication

Alcoholics More Likely to Die of Cancer: Study

Posted 15 Nov 2011 by Drugs.com

TUESDAY, Nov. 15 – Alcoholics have a higher rate of death from cancer and other causes than other people, a new study finds. Italian researchers examined data on nearly 2,300 male and female alcoholics who were treated at the Alcohol Center of Florence between 1985 and 2001. They found a higher rate of death among alcoholics than among the general population for multiple types of cancers, particularly cancers of the pharynx, oral cavity, liver and larynx. Risk of death from cancer of the esophagus, rectum, pancreas and breast was also heightened among alcoholics. Alcoholics were also more likely to die of infections, diabetes, violent crimes and diseases of the immunological, nervous, cardiovascular, respiratory and digestive systems. The findings appear online and in the February 2012 print issue of the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research. "Our study has provided ... Read more

Related support groups: Alcohol Dependence, Alcoholism

Smart Kids More Likely to Try Illicit Drugs as Young Adults

Posted 15 Nov 2011 by Drugs.com

TUESDAY, Nov. 15 – Brainy children are at increased risk for illegal drug use when they're young adults, a new study says. Researchers analyzed data from nearly 8,000 people in the ongoing 1970 British Cohort Study of drug use, education and socioeconomic status. The participants' IQ scores were checked at ages 5 and 10 years, and their use of illegal drugs (marijuana, cocaine, uppers, downers, LSD and heroin) was self-reported at ages 16 and 30. At age 30, about 35 percent of men and nearly 16 percent of women had used marijuana in the previous year, and 8.6 percent of men and 3.6 percent of women had used cocaine during that time. In general, men were twice as likely as women to use drugs. The investigators found that 30-year-old men who had high IQ scores at age 5 were about 50 percent more likely than those who had low IQ scores to have used amphetamines, ecstasy and several ... Read more

Money Woes May Drive Some Seniors to Smoke, Drink More

Posted 9 Nov 2011 by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 9 – Some older adults may turn to alcohol or cigarettes as a way to cope with financial stress, particularly men and people with less education, a new study suggests. In the study, researchers surveyed 2,300 older Americans periodically between 1992 and 2006, and found that 16 percent reported growing financial strain over that time, 3 percent reported increases in heavy drinking (more than 30 drinks a month), and 1 percent said they'd started smoking more. The youngest of the study participants were age 65 when the study began. Older men who faced increasing financial stress were 30 percent more likely to become heavy drinkers than those who remained financially stable. This increased risk was similar for older adults with lower levels of education compared to those with more education. Older women and seniors with higher levels of education tended to reduce their ... Read more

Related support groups: Smoking, Alcohol Dependence, Alcoholism, Acute Alcohol Intoxication

More Than a Third of Teens Turning to Alcohol, Drugs: Study

Posted 7 Nov 2011 by Drugs.com

MONDAY, Nov. 7 - More than a third of American teenagers are turning to alcohol or drugs, with 32 percent saying they drink, 19 percent saying they use drugs and 15 percent saying they do both, a new study shows. An even closer look at the data found that Native American teens were the most likely ethnic group to use drugs or alcohol, with almost 48 percent admitting they have done so in the past. In addition, among the nearly 8 percent of teens whose use of alcohol or drugs was deemed addictive, 15 percent were Native Americans, the researchers found. "Adolescents continue to use drugs and alcohol in very high numbers at very young ages," said Bruce Goldman, director of substance abuse services at Zucker Hillside Hospital of the North Shore-LIJ Health System, in Glen Oaks, N.Y. "The substances they tend to abuse are marijuana, alcohol and, more recently, prescription narcotics as ... Read more

Related support groups: Alcoholism, Substance Abuse

As Few As 3 Drinks a Week May Up Breast Cancer Risk

Posted 1 Nov 2011 by Drugs.com

TUESDAY, Nov. 1 – Women who have as few as three alcoholic drinks a week may have a moderately increased risk of developing breast cancer, a new study finds. Researchers analyzed data from nearly 106,000 women taking part in the U.S. Nurses' Health Study to examine any links between alcohol consumption and breast cancer. The women were followed from 1980 through 2008 and asked about their alcohol consumption about every four years. "We did see a modest risk [of breast cancer] associated with lower levels of alcohol consumption," said lead study author Dr. Wendy Chen, an assistant professor of medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston. But Chen stressed that women who occasionally over-imbibe on vacation or at a holiday party shouldn't be alarmed; the research measured cumulative alcohol consumption over many years. During the study period, about ... Read more

Undergrads' Drinking Patterns May Predict Future Abuse

Posted 14 Oct 2011 by Drugs.com

FRIDAY, Oct. 14 – College students who are heavy drinkers may be more likely to continue their unhealthy drinking habits after graduation if they have high levels of impulsivity and aggression, according to a new study. The study included 265 female and 96 male undergraduates who completed an anonymous online survey that asked about their drinking patterns and personality traits. About 6 percent of the participants met criteria for alcohol dependence, and about 31 percent met criteria for alcohol abuse. After graduation, most college students "mature" out of heavy drinking, but some will continue to abuse alcohol and be at risk for alcohol-related problems, the researchers noted in the study, which appears online and in the January 2012 print issue of the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research. "Many, if not most, undergraduate college students reduce their level of ... Read more

Related support groups: Alcohol Dependence, Alcoholism, Acute Alcohol Intoxication

Children of Alcoholics Drink More When Stressed

Posted 6 Oct 2011 by Drugs.com

THURSDAY, Oct. 6 – People whose parents had a drinking problem are more likely to reach for the bottle when they're under stress, a new study says. Swedish researchers divided 58 healthy people into two groups based on whether they had a family history of alcohol abuse. Both groups were placed in a stressful situation (solving math problems under timed conditions in public) and then allowed to drink. People who had at least one parent with a drinking problem drank more than others after being put under stress, University of Gothenburg researchers found. The study was published in the October issue of the journal Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior. Previous research has shown that children of alcoholics have a 50 percent increased risk of developing a drinking problem. These new findings shed light on this association, the researchers said. "If alcohol relaxes you when you're ... Read more

Related support groups: Alcoholism

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Alcohol Withdrawal, Alcohol Dependence, Alcoholic Liver Damage, Alcoholic Cirrhosis, Acute Alcohol Intoxication, Hangover, Alcoholic Cardiomyopathy, Alcoholic Gastritis, Alcoholic Psychosis, Alcoholic Gastritis with Hemorrhage, Alcohol Hepatitis, Toxic Reactions Incl Drug and Substance Abuse