There’s Nothing Chronic About This “Chronic Brain Disease.” The experts at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) are very clear: “Addiction is defined as a chronic, relapsing brain disease.” (Here’s the NIDA party line in a bit more detail.) As you can see, addiction is viewed as a chronic disease much like cardiovascular disease or diabetes. And they should know, right? After all the[…]
Tag Archives: chronic
14
Jan
Jan
Getting Dopamine From Your Best Connections Not Your Worst Vices Dopamine is trending as the most popular neurotransmitter. And why not? There are days I think it rules the world or at least the day-to-day activities of my friends and family. The craving you have when you smell the coffee brewing in the morning—thank dopamine. That elation you feel[…]
27
Dec
Dec
5 Approaches That Work in Relapse Prevention Relapse rates for addiction are notoriously high, falling between 40 and 60 percent according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The relapse rate is even higher among young adults, particularly those who began using drugs in early adolescence, have weak social support networks, abuse multiple drugs, or have co-occurring mental health disorders. These[…]