AddictionJul 24, 2019
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Addiction
Updated Aug 25, 2026 2:00 PM PT
Addiction Psychologist News
Current reporting, research and professional developments across Addiction, curated for psychologists and behavioral-health professionals.
AddictionJul 23, 2019
People are more likely to try drugs for the first time during the summer
American teenagers and adults are more likely to try illegal or recreational drugs for the first time in the summer, a new study shows.
AddictionJun 11, 2019
Personality traits of drug users
The social environment is an influential factor with regards to drug addiction. However, some people living in the same environment become drug users, whilst others resist. Is this difference just random or are there key…
AddictionMay 30, 2019
'Ecstasy' shows promise for post-traumatic stress treatment
An international study has shown that MDMA, also known as ecstasy, may be a valuable tool for treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The study demonstrated substantial improvements in individuals who had not…
AddictionApr 30, 2019
Dopamine and Addiction: Separating Myths and Facts
You’ve probably heard of dopamine as a “pleasure chemical” that’s been associated with addiction. Think of the term ...
AddictionApr 4, 2019
Psychedelic drug MDMA may reawaken 'critical period' in brain to help treat PTSD
Neuroscientists have found that the psychedelic drug MDMA reopens a kind of window, called a 'critical period,' when the brain is sensitive to learning the reward value of social behaviors. The findings may explain why…
AddictionApr 3, 2019
Psychostimulants play a major role in fatal strokes among young adults
An estimated 76 million people use psychostimulants, which include illicit drugs such as methamphetamine, cocaine, and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, as well as prescription stimulants. A new study from Australia is…
AddictionMar 25, 2019
Scientists home in on microRNA processing for novel cancer therapies
More than a decade of research on the mda-7/IL-24 gene has shown that it helps to suppress a majority of cancer types, and now scientists are focusing on how the gene drives this process by influencing microRNAs. The…
AddictionFeb 14, 2019
UK sales of Xanax and other prescription psychiatric drugs increasing via the darknet
Sales of prescription psychiatric drugs such as Xanax and diazepam via darknet online drug markets have increased in the UK at an alarming rate, according to new research.
AddictionFeb 8, 2019
MDMA users more empathetic than other drug users, study suggests
Long-term MDMA users have higher levels of empathy than cannabis and other drugs users, new research suggests. The findings contradict previous suggestions that long-term MDMA use may cause heightened social distress.
AddictionFeb 5, 2019
Gasp! First audio map of oohs, aahs and uh-ohs spans 24 emotions
Those spontaneous sounds we make to express everything from elation (woohoo) to embarrassment (oops) say a lot more about what we're feeling than previously understood, according to an analysis of listener responses to…
AddictionJan 23, 2019
Opioid Crisis: America’s Deadliest Addiction?
We're fortunate that we live in a time where, if you are in pain, you can take a pill to get rid of it. But what if the pills ...
AddictionJan 23, 2019
Addiction treatment is a maze. A way out of it is coming
Imagine needing rehab for, let's say, a knee injury. Or maybe for a heart condition. You'd drive around looking for billboards ...
AddictionNov 30, 2018
Mischievous responders taint LGBQ health estimates in national survey
Many research studies have reported on the elevated health risk and deviance of youth who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or questioning (LGBQ) but a new study using national data suggests that many of those…
AddictionNov 29, 2018
More pregnant women are using meth and opioids, study finds
Amphetamine and opioid use in pregnancy increased substantially over the last decade in the United States, a new study finds. And a disproportionate rise occurred in rural counties.
AddictionNov 20, 2018
Ecstacy makes people cooperative, but not gullible
New research has found that MDMA, the main ingredient in ecstasy, causes people to cooperate better -- but only with trustworthy people. In the first study to look in detail at how MDMA impacts cooperative behavior the…
AddictionNov 16, 2018
Social isolation linked to higher risk of death
A large study links social isolation with a higher risk of death from all causes combined and heart disease for all races studied, and with increased cancer mortality in white men and women.
AddictionNov 8, 2018
Moving the motivation meter
Rats given the drug that reduced dopamine were much less likely to work for preferred morsels of food. But when these rats were then given one of the experimental drugs, they regained their motivation to work for the…
AddictionOct 26, 2018
What are the symptoms of addiction?
Addiction is a disease with a range of harmful conditions and behaviors. Recognizing these signs can help a person with addiction ...
AddictionOct 26, 2018
What are the complications of addiction?
Addiction is a complicated disease involving an inability to stop taking a substance or carrying out a particularly damaging behavior ...
AddictionOct 25, 2018
Mind’s quality control center found in long-ignored brain area
The cerebellum, once thought to be limited to controlling movement, is involved in every aspect of higher brain function, according to a new study.
AddictionOct 22, 2018
What Screen Addictions and Drug Addictions Have in Common
Imagine a website that reviewed narcotics. Imagine that people who were really into methamphetamine or heroin could go to one of ...
AddictionOct 22, 2018
NJ medical marijuana card for opioid use? NJ 'exploring' weed in fight vs. opioid crisis
TRENTON — Opioid addicts in New Jersey, no matter how they got hooked on the deadly drugs, including heroin and prescription ...
AddictionOct 12, 2018
Effects of a high-fat diet may be passed on for three generations
A high-fat diet in female mice affects their offspring's obesity, insulin resistance and addictive-like behaviors for three generations, according to a new study.
AddictionOct 11, 2018
Brain Change in Addiction as Learning, Not Disease
The brain disease model is the most prevalent model of addiction in the western world. Particularly in the United States, it ...
AddictionOct 8, 2018
Club drug GHB associated with brain and cognitive changes
Scientists have discovered that regular use of the party drug GHB, and especially unconsciousness following GHB use, is associated with brain changes including negative effects on long-term memory, working memory, IQ…
AddictionSep 20, 2018
Octopuses given mood drug 'ecstasy' reveal genetic link to evolution of social behaviors in humans
By studying the genome of a kind of octopus not known for its friendliness toward its peers, then testing its behavioral reaction to a popular mood-altering drug called MDMA or 'ecstasy,' scientists say they have found…
AddictionSep 12, 2018
Keep them guessing, keep them gaming
While conventional wisdom says that people don't like uncertain gains or rewards, a new study finds that uncertainty can play an important role in motivating repeat behaviors.
AddictionSep 9, 2018
'We have to reject the stigma': York County opioid addiction discussed at church service
"Mom, I'm a heroin addict." Graham Heindel uttered these words to his mother, Donna, in April 2017. His declaration triggered ...
AddictionAug 9, 2018
Can psychedelic drugs heal?
Many people think of psychedelics as relics from the hippie generation or something taken by ravers and music festival-goers, but they may one day be used to treat disorders ranging from social anxiety to depression…