substance misuse

A drug is a chemical substance that acts on the brain and nervous system, changing a person’s mood, emotion or state of consciousness. Drugs are often classified by the effect they have.
Stimulants, such as cocaine, make people feel full of energy. Depressants (or sedatives), such as heroin, make people feel relaxed. Hallucinogens, such as LSD, make people see, feel or hear things that are not real. Drug or substance misuse is when a person regularly takes one or more drugs to change their mood, emotion or state of consciousness.

Our substance misuse Blogs

New meta-analysis finds methadone better than buprenorphine for treatment retention in opioid dependence

No Responses »
Profile photo of Ian Hamilton
Posted by
Opioid,Crisis,Text,On,Pill.,Unhealthy,Addiction,Metaphor.,Molecule,And

Ian Hamilton considers a new Lancet Psychiatry systematic review and meta-analysis that examines the effectiveness of buprenorphine versus methadone for the treatment of opioid dependence, drawing from observational and randomised controlled studies.

[read the full story...]

New US research suggests that primary care practices can help people who drink too much alcohol, so why aren’t we doing it?

1 Response »
Sally Adams
Posted by
jamie-street-kD2daMYsrXM-unsplash

Sally Adams on new research from the US (a cluster randomised implementation trial) that integrates alcohol-related prevention and treatment into primary care.

[read the full story...]

The burden of perinatal mental illness in migrant women: new evidence on prevalence and risk factors

No Responses »
Profile photo of Gilda Spaducci
Posted by
Flock,Of,Geese,Flying,In,V-formation

In her debut Mental Elf blog, Gilda Spaducci explores the global prevalence of perinatal mental disorders among migrant women; summarising a recent review which finds that “one in four experience perinatal depression, one in five perinatal anxiety, and one in eleven perinatal PTSD”.

[read the full story...]

Smoking and bipolar disorder: the physical and mental health impact of tobacco cessation

2 Responses »
Profile photo of Hannah Walsh
Posted by
a pile of orange cigarette butts in ash

Hannah Walsh explores the clinical and research implications of this French cohort study on bipolar disorder and smoking status, and how risks differ for current, former and never smokers.

[read the full story...]

Integrating smoking cessation treatment into routine care for people with mental illness: how will the NHS cope?

No Responses »
Profile photo of Amelia Talbot
Posted by
michelle-ding-7en5zROFJdI-unsplash

Amelia Talbot summarises a qualitative study on people’s views of integrating smoking cessation treatment into routine care for people with mental illness.

[read the full story...]

Minimum unit pricing policy for alcohol saved lives in Scotland according to new research

No Responses »
Profile photo of Ian Hamilton
Posted by
shutterstock_153758024

Ian Hamilton reviews a new controlled interrupted time series study published in The Lancet evaluating the impact of alcohol minimum unit pricing on deaths and hospitalisations in Scotland.

[read the full story...]

Psychedelics-assisted psychotherapy for alcohol use disorder: room for more evidence

No Responses »
Profile photo of Heidi Stevens
Posted by
zulian-firmansyah-sEUAJeFn5mE-unsplash

In her debut blog, Heidi Stevens reviews a recent US randomised controlled trial on psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for adults with alcohol use disorder, which leaves us with more questions than answers.

[read the full story...]

Intimate partner violence among non-binary people who use drugs and alcohol: what do we know?

No Responses »
Profile photo of Vishal Bhavsar
Posted by
a multi coloured rainbow with two white stickers in the centre that say 'they' and 'them'

Vishal Bhavsar explores the largest ever study on experiences and perpetration of intimate partner violence and abuse in non-heterosexual relationships, with data from the Global Drug Survey, COVID Special Edition.

[read the full story...]

Mental disorder and homicide: are rates and sentencing patterns changing?

1 Response »
Profile photo of Danny Whiting
Posted by
featured

Danny Whiting reports on a study of mental health problems and long-term national trends in rates and court outcome for people convicted of homicide.

[read the full story...]

Ask about alcohol use in adults affected by divorce, bereavement or illness

No Responses »
Sally Adams
Posted by
sergio-alves-santos-PeDrafNlY2Y-unsplash

Sally Adams considers a recent Finnish longitudinal study, which examines heavy alcohol consumption before and after negative life events in late mid-life.

[read the full story...]