Caffeine is the most widely used stimulant in the world, appearing in coffee beverages, sodas, chocolate and newer products, like gum and energy drinks. For millions of people, caffeine can quickly become an addiction and cause serious withdrawal symptoms if the person tries to curb the habit. Recent research, including a study from Johns Hopkins Medicine, is exploring caffeine addiction as a potentially serious disorder and may prompt new methods for recovery.

The Johns Hopkins Medicine study may have also helped caffeine addiction to join the ranks of dozens of other disorders included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition. The official collection of recognized mental disorders, the manual now includes caffeine related disorders including intoxication, caffeine-induced anxiety disorder and caffeine-related sleep disorders.

Results of the Johns Hopkins study on caffeine report that withdrawal symptoms are likely when people don’t partake of their typical caffeine amounts, ranging from headache, tiredness, inability to concentrate and flu-like complaints. Findings from the study are published in the October 2004 edition of Psychopharmacology and help point to a declaration of caffeine withdrawal as an official disorder.

Prior to the study, medical experts lacked a science-based platform for addressing caffeine addiction. Exploring nearly 60 caffeine studies and nine research surveys on withdrawal from caffeine, the effort may finally validate caffeine addiction as a diagnosable condition.

The outcomes could be significant, as information from the 2010 Coffee Statistics Report says on a global level at least 400 billion cups of java are consumed annually. Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system, which creates the feelings of alertness many users seek. However, caffeine can eventually over-work the adrenal glands, causing the user’s body to stop connecting to its own biological sources of energy, like adrenalin.

Overuse of caffeine, sometimes called caffeine toxicity, is linked to agitation, mood swings, insomnia and a sense of mental fogginess. Some people may experience heart rate changes, increased allergies or cravings for certain foods.

Five categories of withdrawal symptoms were identified, including extreme tiredness, mood problems, depression, nausea and muscle aches with stiffness. Half of the people included in the study reported headaches when reducing their caffeine consumption and 13 percent said they were impaired to the point of job and life-function problems.

For most participants in the study, withdrawal symptoms began within a range of 12 to 24 hours after quitting caffeine consumption, and lasted up to nine days. In one of the most notable findings of the study, people who were accustomed to doses as small as one cup of coffee per day, containing about 100 mg of caffeine, also reported withdrawal problems.

Furthermore, many caffeine users may continue consuming to avoid negative physical or psychological feelings, even at an unconscious level. It is believed that the morning “high” people get from caffeine could be linked to the withdrawal side effects that build up during a night of sleep.

Experts recommend a gradual decline in caffeine usage to help curb withdrawal symptoms. A few days may be long enough to recover from caffeine withdrawal, and the more knowledgeable the user is about what to expect when coming off of caffeine, the smoother the withdrawal process will be.

Parkinson disease is often treated with dopamine agonists such as apomorphine. Dopamine agonists may be the cause of other disorders reported to be prevalent among those with Parkinson disease. Individuals with Parkinson Disease have been reported to have a high rate of disordered gambling and other impulse control disorders.

A new study looks at the relationship between dopamine agonists and impulse control disorders (Weintraub et al., 2010). Besides disordered gambling, other impulse control disorders include compulsive shopping, binge-eating and hypersexuality. The study uses a large cross-sectional design to examine impulse control disorders among those with Parkinson disease.

The researchers recruited 3,090 participants from patients at 46 movement disorder centers in the U.S. and Canada. The participants were included in the study if they met certain criteria. Patients must be between 30 and 75 years; a history of taking medication for Parkinson Disease for at least one year and showing a response to treatment; had not stopped or started therapy in the last six months.

The participants were each assessed for several impulse control disorders using interviews and formal diagnostic tools, including the Massachusetts Gambling Screen, the Minnesota Impulse Disorders Interview, and the DSM-IV.

The researchers used odds rations to determine the impulse control disorder frequencies between Parkinson disease patients on dopamine agonist therapy and patients undergoing other types of treatment.

The results of the study showed that when compared to Parkinson disease patients not being treated with a dopamine agonist, those treated with a dopamine agonist were 2.7 times more likely to be diagnosed with an impulse control disorder, and 2.8 times more likely to be diagnosed with disordered gambling.

The results showed that overall, 17.1 percent of patients taking dopamine agonists were identified as having one or more impulse control disorders. This is in comparison with those on other types of treatment, at 6.9 percent having impulse control disorders. Binge eating disorder was highest among those not using a dopamine agonist at 5.6 percent.
Many of the patients showing an impulse control disorder were diagnosed with more than one. The average number of impulse control disorders among the patients treated with a dopamine agonist was 1.38.

The study’s results may be limited by the use of a cross-sectional design because side effects of treatments for Parkinson disease may change over time.

The findings of the study show the significant risk for impulse control disorder found among Parkinson disease patients who are treated with dopamine agonists. Healthcare providers have an opportunity when prescribing treatment to talk with the patient and the patient’s family about the significant risk for developing an impulse control disorder.

Most women just don’t get it: she keeps walking through the family room as she finishes up the work for the night and she studies him as she goes by. He’s sitting on the edge of his seat, elbows on his knees, controller in his hand with his thumbs flying from analog stick to buttons. His eyes are wild and every now and then he yells at the television or throws up his hands in exasperation.

A new study says there is a reason why women “just don’t get it.” While the above scenario is common, some men repeat an evening like this until they begin to experience a breakdown in other areas of life. Pathological video gaming can cause ruptures in social and family life and affect academic and professional performance.

Researchers have known for a long time that women are generally not affected by video games the same way men are. Women do not tend to organize gaming events for a girls’ night out, nor are they likely to fall asleep on the couch trying to get to the next level of a game.

While it is interesting to think about why women and men respond differently to video games, it is critical to understand why men are more susceptible to video game addictions that can crush them in other areas of life. Pathological video game use looks similar to other types of addictions: when men get addicted to video games, other areas of life suffer.

Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine studied the brain imagery of 22 adults. They examined 11 men and 11 women while they were participating in a simple computer game in which gaining territory was the objective.

The study was published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research. The results indicated that while both men and women showed activity in the parts of the brain that are associated with addiction and reward, the activity was much more pronounced in men.

In addition, the study’s results showed that as men gained more territory in the game, the activity in the brain increased. The same increase was not shown in females as they gained territory.

The men were also found to be more aggressive while playing the game, and quicker to gain territory. The researchers, led by Dr. Allen Reiss believe that these findings may indicate why men are initially more attracted to video games and are more easily addicted to playing them.

While a woman may still be stunned at the strange person who occupies the body of her husband when he plays video games, this research may help her understand why she’s not jumping in to play alongside him.
 

Video games started out as a popular entertainment option for the slightly computer savvy, as early as the 1970s. Today, they are even more popular than ever, even to the point of what some call harmful addictions for thousands of “gamers” – though varying definitions of game addiction exist.

The issue is drawing more attention, with rising numbers of teens and younger children becoming immersed in the sedentary habit of video gaming. Experts estimate close to 9 percent of youth aged 8 to 18 years are addicted to video games in the U.S. Furthermore, a 2007 poll directed by the Harris research company reports that nearly 25 percent of gamers think they may be addicted.

Psychologists and mental health experts continue to debate whether video gaming is a true addiction like compulsive gambling and other game-based habits. The answer to the addiction question may lie in the nature of gamers’ compulsive playing, strong urges for the games, and experiences of game withdrawal.

The subject of addictive gaming has been the source of reports published both by the American Psychiatric Association and LiveScience. According to the American Psychiatric Association, a 2007 vote did not list video gaming as an officially-diagnosed addiction in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, often referred to as the “bible” of addictions. Video game addiction may be up for consideration, however, in the 2012 edition.

By a less scientific explanation, video game addiction may be real if the addict uses games to a point where their life is disrupted. A gamer may be labeled pathological if games are played at levels reaching 24 hours each week; if the person has trouble concentrating in school; if grades suffer; or if relationships in the real world are damaged.

Perhaps the most addictive style of gaming is Multi-Player Online Role Playing Games, which allow a player to interact with players from across the globe. The games typically use high-end graphics, contributing to their ability to get players “hooked.”

If a gamer becomes too obsessed with the habit, reality can blur and meld into the fantasy world of video games. Strong relational ties can be generated toward players people have never met, and they may neglect work or sell possessions to acquire more games and game time. Some players may lose weight, ignore social relationships, and stay up all night to play. Even more dangerous is the risk that players will associate their game success with their identity and value as a person.

Withdrawal from addictive video gaming can resemble withdrawal from other compulsive behavior disorders. Psychiatrist Dr. Hilarie Cash founded a 45-day program to help game addicts recover. The program, based in Falls City, Washington, is one of the country’s first dedicated to gamers and offers inpatient therapy.

Debate continues as to whether video gaming is a true addiction, but many mental health experts agree people who fall into compulsive video gaming may also be more likely to turn to addictions like alcohol or drugs. For this reason, parents and therapists are urged to take video gaming habits seriously, especially among teens and young people.
 

Individuals who struggle with substance use may have several different factors working together to influence their choices regarding drug use. A combination of environmental and biological risks work together, but for each person who uses drugs, that combination looks different.

A recent study may provide insight into how addictions are formed, and as a result, may provide important information about how to treat addiction. The study, conducted at Brookhaven National Laboratories, gives clues about how the brain reacts to certain images in individuals with a substance addiction.

The study was led by Scott Moeller, who tested the image preferences of participants who were addicted to cocaine and compared them to reactions from participants in a control group. Moeller found that the participants who were addicted to cocaine had a strong preference for images that were drug-related.

The subjects participated in a series of tests, in which both groups were asked to select cards with digital images. The subjects were not informed that the digital images were classified as “cocaine-related,” “pleasant,” “unpleasant,” or “neutral.”

Those in the cocaine-addicted group strongly preferred cocaine-related images, while those in the control group not only selected the “pleasant” pictures; they showed a clear aversion to the cocaine-related images. Interestingly, the cocaine-addicted participants preferred the “pleasant” images even more than the “cocaine-related” images.

The researchers believed that the participants may not be fully aware of their preferences. They also concluded that such preferences may not be influenced by pleasure or rewards.

The new research is important because it is the first study that has not involved the administration of cocaine or drugs that mimic cocaine to test the drug’s effects on the brain. The research shows that preference may extend to abstract, non-pharmacological stimuli.

The study also highlights the need for simultaneous neuroimaging studies to examine the brain structures that are affected by the choices made among individuals addicted to cocaine.

Results from this study indicate that similar tactics could be used to test the effectiveness of addiction treatment and understand the underlying choice process that the brain employs when making decisions about using drugs and other substances.

The research was presented at the Society for Neuroscience’s annual meeting in Washington, D.C.
With the high level of relapse among individuals treated for cocaine addiction, neuroimaging may be very helpful in understanding how the brain responds to certain images before and after treatment, and again at a follow-up period.
 

Cocaine addiction may not be something anyone would set out to develop, but the reality is that too many people have developed this addiction and lives are lost as a result. Doctors and scientists continue to focus on research to better understand the addiction and potential treatments, but there is still much work to do.

A recent Science Daily release focused on a story that explored the pharmacological strategies for reducing the self-administration of cocaine. This study focused on animals to identify the potential in treatments for adults.

The primary excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain is the glutamate. This neurotransmitter has been identified more than once as the key to drug addiction. This element is also an important piece to learning and memory. Receptors involved in the glutamate have been identified as potential targets for drug addiction recovery methods.

In a study of rats by scientists at The Scripps Research Institute, it was determined that glutamate antagonists changed into opposite directions during the development of addiction. This pathway helped to better explain what happens during the transition from casual cocaine use to addiction.

If the right glutamate receptors can be targeted in treatment, recovery may hold more promise for cocaine addicts. Study authors do warn, however, that such treatments may only be effective in early stages of cocaine abuse.

It is also important to note that all types of cocaine use and abuse are not alike. When cocaine exposure is done to different extents by different users, different adaptations may occur in the brain systems. Further research must be conducted to identify one method in a number of potential addicts.
 

For those who find it increasingly difficult to stay awake – despite an appropriate amount of sleep – medication may be introduced for treatment and relief. While such an approach can help to improve the outlook for the individual, no medication is without risk and the individual should be fully informed before starting any type of regime.

One such medication is modafinil, which is the generic drug for the brand name Provigil. This medication is prescribed for individuals wishing to improve wakefulness when excessive sleepiness is present. It is a common medication given for individuals suffering from narcolepsy or other sleep disorders. Modafinil works well in such situations as it is a wakefulness-promoting agent.

It is not totally clear as to why modafinil helps individuals to be more awake, although it is assumed that the drug alters the natural chemicals in the brain known as the neurotransmitters. It has been shown to effectively stimulate alertness and can improve functioning of the frontal lobe of the brain. The medication’s ability to stimulate and improve functioning was different than standard stimulants.

This medication has been known to cause dependency and even addiction in certain users and therefore individuals must assess dependence risks versus benefits of the medication before taking it long term. Likewise, even if the medication will only be used in the short term, gaining more information is a good idea.

In some situations, modafinil has been used to treat ADHD and early studies showed significant promise. In one clinical trial, however, one child – out of 933 – developed a life threatening skin rash, known as Stevens Johnsons Syndrome. While it is argued that the rash was not a result of the medication, the FDA refused to approve the use of the medication in the treatment of ADHD.

Doctors are not held to the standards of the FDA, however, in their prescribing practices. While the FDA forbids manufacturers to advertise their product in the treatment of any condition that has not been approved, doctors can prescribe the medication if they believe it is the right fit in the situation. This “off label” prescribing provides more leverage for the doctor and greater options for the patient.

Interestingly, modafinil has also been prescribed for the treatment of cocaine addiction, although it has not been approved for such uses and studies are still relatively small on the impact the medication can have for those addicted to cocaine.

Modafinil does affect the brain’s reward center, which highlights its potential for dependency and abuse. One NIAAA study stressed that additional research should be conducted as it is still unclear as to the potency and risk involved in taking modafinil long term.
 

Maybe you think smoking a little weed now and then is harmless. Perhaps your children told you this or perhaps you smoked marijuana when you were growing up. What’s wrong with getting a little buzz to take the edge off? Marijuana isn’t addictive, is it?

Well, contrary to proponents of legalization of marijuana, the truth is that smoking marijuana can lead to an addiction to the substance in some individuals. But not everyone who tokes on a joint becomes addicted. Let’s look at the facts.

THC and Other Ingredients

The main component of marijuana is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol or THC. Marijuana is a mind-altering drug that also contains some 400 additional harmful chemicals, including known carcinogens. And much of the marijuana available on the street is laced with addictive drugs such as PCP. Unless you’ve got a prescription for medical marijuana, you never really know what you’re getting.

But the THC in marijuana today is much more potent than that available in the 1970s. Today’s pot delivers the desired effect in record time. Beyond elevating mood and relaxation, and depending on the level of THC in it, marijuana today may cause users to experience euphoria, hallucinations, and paranoia.

Marijuana is the Most Commonly Abused Drug

Marijuana is the most commonly abused illicit drug in the United States today. Despite calls for legalization, raw marijuana remains a Schedule I Controlled Substance. That makes it against the law to possess or use marijuana – although penalties and enforcement varies. Adolescents are generally introduced to marijuana by their friends in elementary or junior high school. Many graduate to smoking pot from using inhalants. Peer pressure plays a big part in adolescents’ use of marijuana.

But it feels good – and everyone’s doing it, say your teens. Don’t buy it.

Marijuana, Alcohol and Other Drugs

After being introduced to marijuana, many teens use it in combination with alcohol and other drugs. Any one of these can prove addicting, especially in individuals with a vulnerability to addiction (a genetic predisposition) but, taken together, the combination can increase the risk of addiction.

Marijuana’s Therapeutic Use

In a number of states, marijuana is available with a prescription for medical use only. There are stringent requirements for medical marijuana dispensaries, and much controversy surrounding the issue. Nevertheless, there are therapeutic benefits from smoking marijuana or taking prescription THC in pill or suppository form for people who have chronic diseases causing intense and unremitting pain such as cancer or for cessation of nausea in those undergoing chemotherapy. There are other conditions that are considered appropriate for marijuana prescription, and these are spelled out in state laws.

Long-Term Use Can Lead to Addiction

Drug craving and withdrawal symptoms can make it extremely difficult for a marijuana smoker to stop using the drug. Just saying you’ll stop smoking is one thing. Going through with it is another. Users report feeling irritable, anxious, unable to sleep, and increased feelings of aggression.

To avoid unpleasant withdrawal symptoms, users resume smoking marijuana. The longer a person uses marijuana, the more likely he or she is to use more of it and more often. This is classic addiction, according to many scientists and researchers.

Marijuana Abuse Can Be Treated

Most marijuana abusers or those who are addicted can benefit from professional counseling, including behavior modification therapy. This may occur in individual and/or group sessions. There is currently no medication approved for treating marijuana abuse.
 

As the potential damage caused by exposure to the sun has been researched, many people flocked to tanning beds, hoping to keep up their bronzed appearance without the risk of developing cancer. As the dangers of tanning beds are explored, however, natural skin tones may soon be the outward sign of healthy living.

A new study explores the connections between indoor tanning addiction, substance abuse and mood disorders (Mosher & Danoff-Burg, 2010). Despite the increasing costs and health concerns about tanning, the researchers saw that people were still choosing to go tanning. The study sought to understand the addictive potential of tanning, and determine whether tanning proves to be similar in its addiction process to addictive substances.

The researchers’ recruited 421 undergraduate students enrolled in psychology classes in a northeastern university in the United States. The students were asked to complete a self-report questionnaire that measured several different variables.

The students reported on their history of using indoor tanning, including questions that asked about their frequency of tanning in the last year. The researchers attempted to measure lifetime dependence on indoor tanning, using indoor-tanning-related screens based on the CAGE alcohol screen and DSM-IV diagnostic criteria.

The students were separated into three groups: not addicted to indoor tanning, displaying addictive tendencies to indoor tanning, or addicted to indoor tanning. The participants reported past-month substance use by answering questions about the number of days they had used each of 12 different substances in the last month.

Of the 229 students who had reported having ever tanned indoors, the mean number of tanning visits was 23 in the last year. 30.6 percent met the criteria for a tanning addiction based on CAGE, and 39.3 percent met the criteria for addiction using DSM-IV models. 21.8 percent met the criteria for both diagnosis tools.

Participants who showed an addiction to tanning also reported more frequent tanning use, more symptoms of anxiety, more days of alcohol use during the last month and more days of marijuana use in the last month. Depression symptoms did not vary across the groups.

The study’s results may be limited because the associations between types of addiction were not examined to determine causation or sequence. It is also difficult to determine whether the results found in an undergraduate psychology class are able to be generalized to the public.

The information gathered in this study is important for determining the risks involved with choosing to use indoor tanning. There may be a connection between those who struggle from other types of addiction and the development of a tanning addiction.
 

Many environmental factors help determine the risk level each individual has to become addicted to smoking. Smokers are often influenced by family members and friends who smoke, making smoking seem like a normal part of life.

However, research has shown that genetic factors are also important in determining a individual’s likelihood of developing different types of addiction, including addictions to drugs, alcohol and tobacco. A recent study led by Dr. Jacqueline M. Vink and Professor Dorret L. Boomsma has further investigated this connection between genes and addiction, specifically addiction to smoking.

The study, published in The American Journal of Human Genetics, made a significant breakthrough by identifying the specific groups of genes active in smoking behavior and addiction vulnerability. The effort was initiated by the Department of Biological Psychology at Vrje Universiteit in Amsterdam and was collaborated by several international research groups.

The researchers used a genome-wide association study to investigate the DNA of smokers and non-smokers for more than 500,000 genetic variants. The variants were tested to see whether certain variants occurred in smokers at a higher or lower level.

The researchers discovered that several groups of genes held variants of interest. In one group of genes, a common variant was found related to glutamate. Glutamate is a neurotransmitter that has a specific role in normal brain processes, but is also associated with addiction vulnerability.

A second group was identified that may also play a significant role with addiction. The NTRK2 gene is located in a chromosomal region that affects addiction vulnerability and the GRB14 gene which may restrict the genes that regulate nicotine receptors and may alter the reward response that a person has after smoking a cigarette.

Some of the genes identified in the study have been identified as playing a role in several types of psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, attention deficit hyperactive disorder, autism, and multiple types of addiction. Each of these psychiatric disorders has also been connected with smoking.

Dr. Vink cautions that an identified predisposition for smoking does not imply that a person’s offspring will develop an addiction to nicotine. Though they may have more difficulty with cessation, each smoker should understand that a genetic predisoposition is never an excuse to continue an unhealthy behavior.

As research continues to understand the genetic influence over different types of addiction, there may be connections found between many types of behaviors. It may soon be possible to target individuals tested for “addiction genes’ for additional education and prevention efforts.