The past has a way of catching up. That certainly seems to be the case with Purdue Pharma. Accused of deceptive marketing practices, the pharma giant had to face the wrath of several state and local governments, which have sued it for fueling the opioid epidemic. A lawsuit filed by Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson in September 2017 implicated the drug major for convincing doctors and public that their signature medication OxyContin has low risks of addiction. Continue reading →

Despite the well documentation of the affinity between alcohol dependence and depression, scientists and clinicians alike have been baffled about the co-occurrence of these diseases.

Contemporary researches suggest a close relationship between drinking and depression. While drinking alcohol is a risk factor for depression due to its ability to make adverse changes in the brain, a range of depressive symptoms make a person seek refuge in alcohol. Continue reading →

The stigma associated with addiction and mental health disorders continue to be one of the most influential factors contributing to the high rates of untreated substance use disorders and mental illnesses affecting the lives of millions in the country. Stigma is also an outcome of cultural and faith-based factors that often leads to marginalization of people suppressing their voices and creating barriers to treatment.

People from the minority communities, refugees and immigrant populations fear backlash from the mainstream society and their own perceptions borne out of beliefs in their faith and culture impact their access to treatment services. Other factors like poverty, insurance coverage and language barriers add to their woes. Continue reading →

Certain medications remain the mainstay to treat some mental disorders. Whether it is for depression, anxiety, psychosis or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the use of antidepressants or anti-anxiety pills works in most cases. Besides medication, psychotherapies and brain stimulation approaches also play a major role in treating mental disorders. Continue reading →

Mental disorders and associated symptoms are often diagnosed in individuals who abuse drugs and vice versa. The coexistence of two different diseases is popularly known as co-occurring diseases or dual diagnosis. Various national surveys since the 1980s have reflected and documented the comorbidity of substance abuse and mental disorders across the United States.   Continue reading →

A night out with friends after a grueling week of back-to-back travel and intense work pressure seems like a brilliant idea. Unrestrained chatting, dancing on Jim Morrison songs and doing back-to-back vodka shots give a rare kind of a high, and an escape from the drudgery of life. However, the same high turns into a horrid experience the following morning when one gets a hangover. Continue reading →

Alcohol is an omnipresent beverage in the social circles of the United States – be it a wedding, a get-together over a weekend, cracking a huge business deal or feeling elated. Young or old, alcohol is consumed by one and all, irrespective of any barriers to age, gender, ethnicity, socio-economic status etc. Continue reading →

While some people might be popularly known as perfectionists or idealists due to their obsession with cleanliness and orderliness, their irresistible impulse to indulge in certain activities or behavioral patterns can be a warning sign of an underlying mental or personality problem. Often diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), the people as perfectionist, as mentioned above struggle with the intrusive thoughts. Continue reading →