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If you are relatively new to the art and science of substance misuse treatment, it is only a matter of time before you discover the relationship between physical and psychological addictions. When I first began working in the field of substance misuse, I was told that the distinction between the two lies in the withdrawal […]

SSRI stands for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Currently SSRIs are the most commonly prescribed anti-depressants. SSRIs first appeared in 1988 under the name of 'Prozac', although many more SSRIs are commonly prescribed in the United Kingdom. SSRIs are said to be 'third generation' anti-depressants. SSRIs cause far less negative side-effects when compared to older forms […]

The World Health Organisation has this month published its annual European Health Report (EHR). This report reveals Europe’s youth smoke and drink more than anywhere else in the world. The report also claims more than 60% of Europeans are overweight or clinically obese, meaning Europeans narrowly fell second behind America in the global obesity ranking. […]

A rather novel social experiment conducted in Madrid reveals just how vulnerable women are when under the influence of alcohol. In the video a women drinks what appears to be a bottle of Budweiser wrapped in a green plastic bag. Unbeknown to the men who approach her this bottle actually contains water. Whilst the woman […]

At Cassiobury Court’s state-of-the-art alcohol rehab centre the majority of our clients we treat opt to consume benzodiazepines during detox. Since the mid-1960s, the most common benzodiazepine used to reduce alcohol withdrawal symptoms is chlordiazepoxide, also known as Librium. When Librium is not recommended then diazepam (Valium) is typically taken instead. More rarely, shorter acting […]

New Guidelines issued by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) urges middle-aged men between the age of 40 to 64 to cut down on their alcohol consumption in order to avoid dementia in later life. Part of the Department of Health, NICE publishes clinical guidelines that NHS professionals must consider when advising […]

​The answer to this question is a resounding YES. This is because alcohol withdrawal may precipitate Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome (AWS). Untreated AWS may give rise to a condition known as delirium tremens (DT). Symptoms of DT include frightening hallucinations and an elevated heartbeat. In turn, this may lead to cardiac arrest, coma and death. Chronic […]

Twitter is an ideal way to keep up-to-date on industry news in the addiction/recovery field. Many of these ‘tweeters’ aggregate important industry news so you don’t have to check on updates yourself. However, Twitter is, unfortunately, full to the brim with inactive, spam or irrelevant tweeters. Here we’ve included many little-known Twitter accounts we feel […]

MPs are set to discuss cannabis laws after receiving over 200,000 signatures on the Government’s official e-petition website. This debate is now scheduled for 12th October. Labour’s Paul Flynn is to lead the debate at Westminster Hall. Flynn has supported pro-cannabis legalisation for more than 25 years. Flynn sponsored a report titled ‘How to Regulate […]

The human immune system consists of a complex network of tissues and cells. This system guards your body from pathogens such as bacteria and viruses. It is well established that binge drinking and chronic alcoholism weakens the immune system. And now that winter is approaching, the risk of getting ill is increased. This risk is […]

In our experience the long-term recovery success rates are substantially higher for those completing a full residential rehabilitation programme as opposed on an ‘outclient basis’. Here’s why: #1: Supervised Detox – A clinic setting provides far greater comfort and safety for those concerned about the detox process itself in regard to withdrawals and cravings etc. […]

​If you’ve worked in alcohol rehab therapy for any amount of time, it’s likely you’ve come across the arguments of ‘moderation management’, ‘harm reduction’ and ‘total abstinence’. Whilst many in the industry, most notably Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), subscribe to the view of total abstinence there are many people arguing in favour of ‘moderation’ strategies, particularly […]

​​​The ‘War on Drugs’ criminalises people suffering from drug addiction. In many countries throughout the world drug users are imprisoned and even executed. Governments prefer to imprison drug addicts rather than pay for their treatment. In this post we discuss the ‘War on Drugs’, its history, recent developments and the validity of this approach in […]

​THC stands for Tetrahydrocannabinol. THC is cannabis’s central psychoactive element. Employers in the United Kingdom have in recent years favoured carrying out random drug tests on their employees. Drug tests are particularly common in heavy industry, the Armed Forces and public organisation. An entire multi-billion pound drug testing industry has popped up in the last […]

​ An addiction to gambling brings with it an assortment of problems well beyond the issue of money. Gambling addiction destroys families, careers and of course finances. An addiction to gambling is as destructive as addiction to drugs and alcohol. Symptoms such as violent mood swings feature as much (or if not more) when the […]

The opiate family of drugs derive from the poppy plant. Example drugs belonging to the opiate family include: Heroin Morphine Methadone Oxycodone These drugs are often taken as a painkiller. Drugs such as heroin are commonly taken as ‘street drugs’ in order to get ‘high’. Opiates stimulate the brain’s reward centre. Over time users develop […]