Alcohol has Different Effects for Women vs. Men, Young vs. Old, Article Says

An article at the Star.com website of the Toronto (Canada) Star newspaper discusses what researchers have discovered about differences in the effects of alcohol on females — especially adolescent females — from their male counterparts.  In both genders, one researcher says, “Quantity and frequency can be a killer for novice drinkers. Adding alcohol to the…

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New Guide Helps Identify at-risk Kids, 9-18.

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) has just released a guide for health care professionals to help identify children and teenagers age 9 to 18 who are at risk for alcohol-related problems, provide brief counseling, and refer them to treatment resources if that is indicated. While aimed at professionals, the guide contains…

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Drug Shows Promise for Help in Preventing Relapse

A new study — on mice, not people — shows promising results with the use of a drug called Mifepristone to reduce relapse stemming from high stress levels. The drug was initially commercialized by the name RU-486, a drug that is widely used for inducing terminations of pregnancy. “It seems to impede the activity of…

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“Addiction and Alcoholism: Beyond 12 Steps”

The MSN website carried an article by Maia Szalavitz recently that should be of great interest to those seeking an overview of addiction that looks deeper than “spiritual weakness.” It’s a bit long, but worth the effort. Here it is: Although addiction and alcoholism treatment research has advanced tremendously since Alcoholics Anonymous was founded in…

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