Understanding Addictions

Introduction

Addiction may refer to substance dependence or to behavioral addiction. Historically, addiction has been defined with regard solely to psychoactive substances (for example alcohol, tobacco and other drugs) which cross the blood-brain barrier once ingested, temporarily altering the chemical milieu of the brain. Now, addiction also encompasses psychological dependency on such things as gambling, food, sex, pornography, computers, video games, internet, work, exercise, spiritual obsession, pain, cutting and shopping. This blog is devoted to the discussion of new developments and research within the field of addiction.

Medication Could Prevent Relapse in Alcoholics

McLean Hospital, an associated institution of Harvard University, has found evidence that the opioid blocker extended-release injectable naltrexone (XR-NTX) has the ability to reduce the response to cues that cause relapse in the alcoholic’s brain. Scott Lukas, PhD, director of the Neuroimaging Center at McLean, states that these findings will explain how the drug reducing cravings for alcohol and could predict who might respond better to this type of treatment.

Sex Addiction and The Medial Prefrontal Cortex

“The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is a brain region involved in decision-making and behavioral flexibility, and it has been identified as a potential mediator of behavioral inhibition.” This study suggests that people with lesions in the mPFC may be more apt to engage in risky sexual activities or to compulsively seek out sexual behavior.

Non-Habit Forming Painkiller May Soon Hit The Market

Researchers at Stony Brook University have developed a powerful new painkiller that is said to possess no apparent side effects or addictive qualities could be available for purchase within the next year or two. At present, this miracle drug is in Phase II clinical trials in England and Canada.

Many States are taking action against a powerful new designer drug that is rapidly gaining popularity and can be purchased legally. This synthetic drug is most commonly disguised by the name, bath salts. It is also known to many as Tranquility, Zoom, Bloom, Cloud Nine, Ocean Snow, Lunar Wave, Ivory Wave, Purple Wave, White Lightning, Blizzard, Scarface, Red Dove, Star Dust, Lovey Dovey, Snow Leopard, Aura, Hurricane Charlie and Vanilla Sky.

Still, the drug can also be purchased as products such as insect repellant or plant food with names like "Bonsai Grow". Despite serious negative effects, the drug continues to be sold legally for about $80.00USD over the internet, on the street, in convenience stores, smoke shops, gas stations, pawnshops, tattoo parlors, and truck stops etc. And, manufacturers label the product with not for human consumption to avoid prosecution.

These bath salts contain mephedrone and MDPV (methylenedioxypyrovalerone) and can be snorted, injected or ingested to create a euphoric high, similar to that of cocaine or methamphetamine.

“Mephedrone, also known as 4-methylmethcathinone (4-MMC), or 4-methylephedrone, is a synthetic stimulant and entactogen drug of the amphetamine and cathinone classes. Slang names include M4, meph, drone, and MCAT. Methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) is a psychoactive drug with stimulant properties which acts as a norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibitor (NDRI).”

“The drug is said to last about 3-4 hours, but remains in your system for up to 72 hours and is considered highly addictive. It has become a major cause for alarm with the DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) and federal authorities and it has been linked to several deaths in the United States.

“I've never seen a drug progress from never heard of, never abused, never seen in a period of three months, to becoming an epidemic,” says ER physician Dr. William Dempsey.

In 2010, the American Association of Poison Control Centers’ National Poison Data System (NPDS) reported 303 calls about MDPV (bath salt) products. But as of June 30, 2011 poison centers reported 3,740 calls, where 2,371 of those calls came in as of May 31, 2011.

This increasingly popular drug raises blood pressure and increases heart rate, which can lead to chest pains, heart attack or stroke. Psychologically, users can expect to experience increased alertness and awareness, increased wakefulness and arousal, anxiety, agitation, decreased appetite and need for sleep, delusions, paranoia, hallucinations, suicidal ideation, psychosis and an intense desire to re-dose.

According to recent reports…

Dickie Sanders, 21, shot himself in the head after using bath salts.
Elijah Taylor threw himself into traffic.
Johnny Salazar was high on bath salts when he burned his own son's hands when the child touched his bible.

A brief History:

MDPV was developed in the 1960s, and has been used for the treatment of chronic fatigue, but caused problems of abuse and dependence. The following depicts how quickly this drug has progressed.

1969: Boehringer Ingelheim files a patent application for MDPV.
2005: MDPV appears as a recreational drug; first mention on Drugs-Forum.
2007: First seizure of MDPV as a recreational drug, by customs officials in the German state of Saxony. The drug had been shipped from China.
2008: First seizure of MDPV in the United States.
2009: MDPV made illegal in Denmark.
2010: MDPV made a controlled drug in the UK, Sweden, Germany, Australia and Finland. First reports of the widespread retail marketing of 'bath salts' containing MDPV in the US. The US considers both Mephedrone (July, 2010) and MDPV (December, 2010) "a drug and chemical of concern".
2011: MDPV sale and possession are banned in the US states of Alabama, Florida, Idaho, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Pennsylvania (60 days after June 23, 2011), and Utah, with legislation being introduced in many other states.