Quitting Even Tougher When Smokers Battle Other Addictions

By HealthDay 

Four out of every 10 smokers is also burdened with alcohol or drug addictions, or mental health disorders, and getting them to quit cigarettes can be a big challenge.

But a new study finds that these patients are five times more likely to give up smoking if they receive smoking-cessation counseling from their primary care doctors.

Finding ways to help them kick the smoking habit

When Teens Abuse Prescriptions, Addiction Often Follows

By HealthDay 

More than one in five teens who have been prescribed a controlled medication such as Oxycontin for pain or Ritalin to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are misusing the drugs, a new study has found.

And these kids are more likely than others to abuse other substances and to start giving or selling drugs to their peers, the researchers said.

Still, it's important to

Love yourself to shake drugs or addictions

By McClatchy-Tribune News Service

Are you becoming a slave to pills, alcohol or pot?

What many people don't understand is that sensitive, kind and caring people are more likely to become hooked on painkillers, narcotics or any type of “feel good” substances.

“I've been a psychologist for 20 years,” says Mark, a friend of ours. “People who are aggressive and harsh don't seem to be as

After gastric bypass, some battle new addictions

By The Orlando Sentinel

ORLANDO, Fla. — Andrew Kahn thought after he got his weight under control, his problems would be over. Instead, he, like many gastric-bypass-surgery patients, traded his food addiction for an alcohol habit.

“Drinking for me became like eating used to be — instant satisfaction,” said the 60-year-old resident of southern Florida. “But I eventually realized food and alcohol

Cognitive Therapy Helps Depressed Drug Abusers

By HealthDay

A new study suggests that cognitive behavioral therapy -- a type of therapy oriented toward problem-solving -- may help the depressed in residential treatment programs for drug and alcohol abuse.

Many people with substance disorders and depression fail to receive treatment for both conditions. "The consequences of this unmet need are great," the study authors write. "The

Mental-health, drug experts see lessons for others in Sheen spectacle

By Douglas Brown
NY Times

Celebrity meltdowns run the gamut — from Mel Gibson's volcanic rants to Britney Spears' head-shaving — but they also tend to follow a familiar path.

After the spectacle, the celebrity heads to rehab and emerges months later, sometimes for a contrite television interview.

Charlie Sheen has forged his own path. The star of the hit CBS-TV comedy "Two and a Half Men"

Depression May Worsen Over Time in Addiction-Prone Women

By HealthDay 

Depression symptoms increase over time for women in their 30s and 40s who are prone to addiction problems and antisocial behavior, researchers report.

The new study looked at how personal history, family life and neighborhood instability affected alcoholism symptoms in 273 women over a 12-year period during their early years of marriage and motherhood. The participants lived in