Addiction Research

Drug use exists on a continuum (Abaninsky, 2004) from non-problematic to highly problematic use. A substance use problem may be said to exist when the client experiences any kind of difficulty related to the ingestion of a mood-altering substance. Problematic...

What is a psychoactive drug? Psychoactive drugs are chemicals that may affect mood, behaviour, mental processes, and conscious experience. They do this primarily by acting on the central nervous system, thereby altering brain function. Most psychoactive drugs act by...

Most people use drugs, and most civilizations have developed rituals around drug use. Whether it is drinks after work, or the daily morning tea break, such drug use is an integral and valued part of social interaction. Viniculture is discussed in an Egyptian papyrus...

The term ‘drug’ is difficult to define objectively. This is because what constitutes a ‘drug’ is both a subjective and a socio-cultural construct. It can mean anything from tea to heroin. One definition is that a drug is: “Any substance that people consider to be a...