The Downer Cycle
After decades of uppers use, we are heading in a “downer cycle” with significant abuse and ODs being reported especially for prescription drugs like Vicodin and OxyContin, but also heroin, methadone and and even the opioid treatment drug suboxone. We look at the trend and some of the implications.
Addiction and Aging Baby-Boomers
An addiction “boom” is happening to people in 50s and 60s – too young to be old, often caring for parents, or under-employed adult children often with their own families, and still working to try to make ends meet – is causing many baby-boomers to have more issues with addiction and substance abuse then perhaps earlier in their life.
Athlete’s long-term relation with pain meds & Stop switch
Professional athlete’s high use/abuse of pain medications often continues long after they retire. Also a new study of the brain’s “Stop” switch and damage to it caused by early drug use, especially nicotine, can lead to a greater susceptibility to addictions in general.
Downers and dopamine
Downers especially oxycontin and vicodin are becoming the new drugs of choice for young people, and increasingly, suburbanites. Viewed as less dangerous than heroin, though they are in fact becoming the new gateway TO heroin.
Opiods and the cycle of downers continued
Purer heroin causing significant increase in overdose deaths; doctor shopping and ways for Rx management; and the continuing issues of addictions by health care professionals
Downers and the cycle of drugs of choice
With several states are reporting a record number of deaths from opiod overdoses, and increased misuse of prescription drugs, we look at the cycle of drug-use, and what appears to be renewed period of interest in downers, both heroin and prescription drugs.