Category: Drug Abuse

  • How do underage youth access vaping products?

    How do underage youth access vaping products?

    Despite legal actions to curb underage use of e-cigarettes, youth continue to access vapes through a myriad of methods. A recent qualitative study explores the topic of underage access with young adults who vape regularly.

  • But what about GIRLS with ADHD?

    But what about GIRLS with ADHD?

    Though ADHD is 2-3 times more prevalent in boys than girls, approximately 6% of girls are diagnosed with ADHD in childhood, which makes it one of the most prevalent psychiatric disorders in girls.

  • ADHD Medication and Risk for Later Alcohol and Drug Use

    Many parents have to make difficult choices about how to help their children with an ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) diagnosis. Two treatments have been proven in well-designed and carefully controlled research studies to be effective: behavioral management (also known as parent training) and medication (typically Ritatin or Adderall). Medication treatment has raised concerns about…

  • New paper by UCLA alums highlights emerging trend in cognitive neuroscience

    New paper by UCLA alums highlights emerging trend in cognitive neuroscience

    Psychologists aim to better understand the link between internal and external states, that is, between cognitions and behaviors. Behaviors are often clear enough to measure, but accurately capturing the essence of a cognition can be a much fuzzier task. For instance, suppose you were interested in the relationship between how much someone enjoys rewards (reward…

  • Engagement…in therapy!

    Most people think of the word engagement and automatically start imagining a tiny box, a diamond ring, and someone down on one knee. I think of engagement and start thinking about therapy. Strange, huh? Well, if you think of what the word actually means, it’s not too strange. The noun engagement is “the act of…

  • The Adderall Assistance: the study drug

    By: Diana Elihu http://www.streetbonersandtvcarnage.com/blog/adderall-doesnt-work/   At universities across America, students are becoming increasingly addicted to a popular prescription drugs, not because they’re trying to get high, but because they hope to get smarter. The prescription drugs Adderall and Ritalin, which are normally prescribed for children with ADHD (formerly known as ADD), are under heavy abuse by…

  • Is all risk taking bad?

    He that is over-cautious will accomplish little.Friedrich Von Schiller German poet, philosopher, historian, and playwright Individuals who psychologists describe as “risk takers” are generally identified as being at-risk for a number of dangerous or maladaptive behaviors, including high risk sex, gambling, substance use disorders. However, frequent or high risk takers may be a heterogeneous group,…

  • Decision Making: Biology, Free-Will and Accountability

    The concept of decision making, has been a central focus of intellectual pursuit since the dawn of man. Previously a philosophical and theological discussion, in recent years this task has been taken up by neuroscientists and biological psychologists. This blog entry will consist of two sections. The first is a brief overview of some of…

  • Children with ADHD have greater likelihood of trying substances and developing substance use disorders.

    Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most commonly diagnosed disorders in childhood. In fact, estimates of the rates of ADHD had found that between 5-10 percent of all children meet diagnostic criteria for the disorder. Children with and without ADHD, at a group level, show several differences, including poorer school performance, more…

  • Alcohol blackouts: What to remember to remember?

    Do you remember what you did last night? Have you ever not remembered what you did after drinking? Drinking alcohol over a long time period can affect the brain and cause lasting damage including, but not limited to, slips in memory. These memory slips can be due to lack of blood flow to brain areas…