Painkiller addictions are becoming more and more of a problem in Britain, with the high profile case of Ant McPartlin bringing the issue to light recently. Patients are being prescribed perfectly legal drugs for injuries, but many are becoming dependent on them even after fully recovering. Rose (not her real name) was in a car […]
Tag: Addictions
Social media harnessed by scientists tackling addiction
Scientists have revealed they could use social media to monitor posts from drug addicts. Social media platforms are the latest scientific research method to discover more about physical addictions. Recent research conducted by Dartmouth, Stanford University and IBM research explores the effectiveness of sharing personal problems with addictions online. Sunny Jung Kim, lead author and […]
Energy drinks – The story behind my addiction
I remember the sip of my first energy drink – the cool liquid sugar slowly seeping down an 18-year old Sam’s thirsty throat bringing his entire body back to life. The sudden rush of energy through chemicals transforming a sleepy Sam to a wide-eyed super Sam. I was attending a 24-hour gaming charity event a […]
What is hoarding? The forgotten addiction
Addictions come in all shapes and sizes and can have various consequences attached. Though one addiction that many often forget about is hoarding. We’ve all been guilty of keeping things we probably should have thrown away or given to charity, but when does it start becoming a serious issue? An estimated 2-5% of the UK […]
Why are we addicted when cigarettes are so expensive?
Cigarette prices are set rise by two percent, making the average pack over £10, following the release of the Budget by the Chancellor. Duty costs are also set to effect hand rolling tobacco and white ciders. Despite the ever rising cost of tobacco and increased public health warnings, around one in five adults in the […]
Getting over an addiction: What treatments work?
Addiction is a treatable condition and it can be managed, if not cured successfully. However, due to the nature of addictions it can be a long and difficult journey for those affected, and can vary addiction to addiction. For instance, someone suffering with a substance addiction like alcohol or psychoactive drugs, may undertake a very physical […]
Addictions: Can you cope with a social media ban?
It was difficult to resist the temptation on the first day to not look on my phone as I, along with a lot of other people, look at my phone as soon as I wake up. Social media is such a big part of the lives of people in 2017, I wanted to see what […]
Rage against the fruit machines: The Government’s attempt to tackle fixed odds betting
Some call them “fruit machines” – to others they’re known as the “crack cocaine of gambling”, but whatever they’re called fixed odds betting machines take billions from gamblers every single year. The problem is so severe that the government has been forced to step in. Tracey Couch, the minister of the Department for Digital, Culture, […]
The science of addiction – why it’s all about the brain
Addiction can come in many forms, from substance abuse of things like alcohol, sugar and nicotine, to behavioural problems with gambling, shopping or working out. The important thing about all addictions however, is that they begin in the brain. While our bodies may become dependent on certain substances with physical addictions, behavioural addictions start in the same […]
£6.60 for a non-alcoholic pint or £3.40 for a pint of beer? One of the challenges facing alcoholics in Cheltenham
The professional who goes to the pub after work every day. The family that have a bottle of wine with their dinner each night. The student who drinks daily with their friends. Are those that are alcohol dependent merely functioning alcoholics? I have many friends who wouldn’t think twice about having alcohol every day, this […]