For years, addiction was seen as a matter of personal failure—a bad habit or a lack of discipline. People believed those who struggled with substance abuse could stop if they simply wanted to. But ...

Extreme instances of stress can cause lasting changes to the brain itself. This could leave some people more vulnerable to addiction, a University of Mississippi study concludes. The study's insight ...

Within the brain, chemical neurotransmitters like dopamine and norepinephrine regulate mood, emotions and many physiological and behavioral processes. Their imbalance can contribute to anxiety, ...

This post is in response to Does Binge Drinking Make Someone an Alcoholic? By Lantie Elisabeth Jorandby M.D. Most people who drink alcohol do so socially and in moderation. But for some, alcohol ...

Addiction often isn’t about chasing pleasure—it’s about escaping pain. Researchers at Scripps Research have discovered that a tiny brain region called the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT) ...

The drive to drink for someone with alcohol addiction often transforms from a pursuit of pleasure to a desperate need to escape the profound discomfort of withdrawal. New research has now identified a ...

Remarkable scientific progress over the past five decades has helped us develop knowledge of how drugs of abuse induce pleasure, reinforce use, and lead to the compulsive self-administration we call ...

Mental health conditions, like anxiety and depression, currently affect about one in five people nationwide, making them one of the leading causes of disability. While diagnosis and treatment of ...

Researchers found that while basketball and swimming offer some cognitive benefits, footbike training uniquely boosts both focus and self-control, making it the top exercise for tackling internet ...

Quitting smartphone addiction is good for mental and physical health. But how do you do it? Here are some of the best science-based methods.We spend 4 hours and 37 minutes on our phones each day, ...

Like many who have endured childhood trauma, Shannon Hicks turned to drugs at an early age. Pregnant by 16 and a mother of two by 19, she was married and living in her first home — believing she was ...