Alcohol withdrawal is a syndrome that is the result of adaptive changes in the brain secondary to chronic alcohol use and is associated with changes in many neurotransmitter, neuropeptide, and hormonal systems. Long-term exposure to ethanol leads to an imbalance in different excitatory (especially glutamate, a major excitatory amino acid), and inhibitory neurotransmitter (especially GABA, a maj...

The work of Abraham Wikler (1973) over the past three decades has called attention to the importance of conditioned responses in the addictive process. Drugs act as powerful forces in shaping behavior, both by their direct pleasant effects (positive reinforcement) and by their effects in relieving withdrawal symptoms (negative reinforcement). Wikler theorized that the environmental cues which h...

It is commonly known that patients with dependence on alcohol and drugs like opiates are psychoactive substances likecannabis and benzodiazepines as sustitutes or additions to tthe primary substance of dependence. At the alcohol and deaddiction centre at Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Research Institute, where we have so far registered nearly 2300 cases of alcohol and drug dependence in th...

An infant with neonatal barbiturate withdrawal syndrome is reported. The clinical features, diagnosis and treatment of this condition are discussed. A retrospective review of fifty-three infants of barbiturate-treated epileptic mothers indicated a high incidence of "jitteriness" (17%) and feeding problems (36%) in the immediate neonatal period.

Similar to substance use disorder, patients with Internet addiction disorder (IAD) show excessive use, tolerance and withdrawal symptoms. We report a case of a patient with withdrawal psychosis who showed persecutory delusion and disorganized behaviors in addition to common withdrawal symptoms such as agitation and irritability. A 25-year-old male developed a full-blown psychotic episode within...

The authors review the literature examining the validity and significance of cannabis withdrawal syndrome. Findings from animal laboratory research are briefly reviewed, and human laboratory and clinical studies are surveyed in more detail. Converging evidence from basic laboratory and clinical studies indicates that a withdrawal syndrome reliably follows discontinuation of chronic heavy use of...

BACKGROUND Cigarette craving usually occurs in conjunction with unpleasant feelings, including stress, as part of a withdrawal syndrome. Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR), a behavioral technique used to reduce stress by concentrating on achieving muscle relaxation, may reduce levels of cigarette craving and other substance-related negative feelings and withdrawal symptoms. METHODS Demograph...

Introduction: The persistence of post-detoxification problems in drug addiction is one of the disadvantages of the ultra-rapid opioid detoxification (UROD) method. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been introduced in experimental addiction treatment for some years. Results of pilot studies suggest that it might be a promising method for addiction treatment. This study explores ...

Few studies have explored the correlation between severity of alcohol withdrawal and blood level at time admission. Specifying prognostic factors for life-threatening necessitating inpatient pharmacologic management over course days would be useful to identify at-risk patients Hence, we present case a 34-year-old Caucasian male with past medical history poly-substance abuse who has presented ou...

Drug addiction or substance-use disorder is a chronically relapsing disorder that progresses through binge/intoxication, withdrawal/negative affect and preoccupation/anticipation stages. These stages represent diverse neurobiological mechanisms that are differentially involved in the transition from recreational to compulsive drug use and from positive to negative reinforcement. The progression...