One in four people in the UK fear that a partner, relative or friend drinks too much, while one in six worry that a loved one is taking too many drugs. The findings, from a representative survey of 2,000 adults, appear to underline what some experts say is a growing epidemic of addiction to alcohol or drugs such as cocaine and cannabis.
One of the key elements of the new study was ensuring that treatments don't dampen the same neural responses that enable people to enjoy the positive feelings they receive from activities such as eating and exercising. Part of the reason it's so hard to treat drug addiction is because they essentially hijack brain circuits that are involved in processing natural rewards and essentially overstimulate those when these addictive drugs are ingested, said Scott Sternson, a study leader from UCSD's Department of Neurosciences.
Choosing a rehab centre involves evaluating the environment, team, and approach that best fits individual recovery needs. The right match is crucial for effective treatment.
The suit, brought by 55 attorneys general, will help compensate victims and fund addiction treatment programmes. The attorneys general of all 50 US states, Washington, DC, and four US territories have agreed to a $7.4bn settlement with drugmaker Purdue Pharma.
If you look past the press releases and corporate media headlines, you'll see that what's actually happening is people in active addiction are being shuffled from one block to another, arrested, jailed, and released.