Psychology  

Shoplifting may be the result of a very real disorder, leaving a person unable to control their own behavior. The conditions that typically lead to shoplifting are Kleptomania and Addictive-Compulsive theft. Find out more here.

When most people hear "repeat shoplifter" they jump to the conclusion that the offender is a criminal who can’t get back on track. Unfortunately, shoplifting can be the result of a very real disorder, leaving one powerless over their own behavior. The conditions that typically lead to shoplifting are Kleptomania and Addictive-Compulsive theft. Below is some of the science behind this strange addiction.

Kleptomania

This is the failure to resist the impulse to steal, followed by a sense of relief afterwards. Kleptomaniacs are rarely aware of committing the act of theft and therefore have no sense of guilt.

Addictive-Compulsive Theft

Addictive-Compulsive Theft is the failure to resist the compulsive urge to steal. The act is followed by a feeling of relief and then guilt as they are more aware of committing the act than someone with kleptomania. Both conditions affect people who might otherwise considered normal.

Related articles

• Researchers Discover How the Immune System Kills Healthy Cells 
• Pass the Mustard - Lab Grown Meat Tasted In London 
• Is Modafinil The Limitless Brain-Enhancing Drug? 

The Cause

According to addiction research, people with low dopamine levels are more likely to become addicted to stealing, sex, and over-eating, in much the same way people become addicted to drugs and alcohol. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter found in the body that regulates emotional responses and controls the brains pleasure centers.

Criminal vs. Compulsive

Criminal theft is accompanied by other forms of criminal thinking, believing that it’s ok to violate others or property. They may brag about the theft and try to sensationalize it. Compulsive theft on the other hand will be accompanied by guilt or a loss of memory of the act.

Shoplifting Disorders and the Law

While theft is a crime, lawyers have had to become creative in their defense tactics while representing someone with a theft addiction. According to a Metro Vancouver Criminal Defence Lawyer, when this behavior is out of character for the person charged, it can better be defended. No crime should go unpunished, but a good criminal defense lawyer can show the court that people with these disorders need help, not punishment.

Treatment

Most shoplifting disorders are treated through therapy. There are usually other factors that play into the compulsion to steal, and are effectively treated in one-on-one therapy sessions. Support groups provide a safe place for healing with people that have similar conditions. Doctors may also prescribe antidepressants and serotonin reuptake inhibitors to help with mood and dopamine levels.

Due to the nature of these disorders, there are usually no warning signs until it’s too late. Shoplifting addiction rarely affects any other area of a person’s life, making it appear as though everything is fine. Many recovering addicts believe getting caught was the best thing to happen to them because it allowed them to get the help they needed.

By Brooke Chaplan

Embed

Author Bio - 33rd Square contributor Brooke Chaplan is recent graduate of New Mexico University where she studied journalism. She loves to hike, bike, run and explore around her home in Los Lunas, New Mexico. She also enjoys blogging about health, fitness, fashion and many other topics.

Medicine  

A better understanding of addiction using medical technology is bringing about a better tomorrow for many suffering through the debilitating condition.

Addiction continues to negatively affect society from both legal and illegal standpoints. Every drug, from alcohol to heroin, is a potential addiction for some users. The traditional addiction treatment route involves drug intervention, personalized therapy, and the application of proven treatment techniques. Nowadays, scientists are looking to technology as means of supporting the traditional treatment route and assist recovering addicts on the path to sobriety.

On-the-Go Support

It seems like everyone has a smartphone or tablet in their hands for basic everyday uses, so scientists are experimenting with addiction apps or applications. After installing the app on their device, recovering addicts can access an entire team of professionals. They can read a streaming discussion between patients and professionals in real time, for example. With the press of an icon, patients can chat with professionals or even other recovering friends. When a drug craving seems to be taking over a patient's mind, they can immediately find support through their app regardless of their current location.

Related articles Boston Dynamics' PETMAN Starting To Look Very Human  Coffee's Incredible Health Benefits  David Dalrymple On Project NEMALOAD

One-on-One With Computers

Computer-based addiction recovery involves educational modules that patients access after work or school. They should read through each module to learn more about themselves and the addiction. Because it's just the computer and patient, the person feels more comfortable about reading any topic regarding their circumstances. In fact, they can even read over the same module again and again to really solidify the information. When that next craving occurs, they can immediately reference a technology module and refrain from using drugs again. Current studies suggest that many patients are remaining sober with this technology addition to their treatment.

Remote Conditioning of the Mind

The human mind works on a primitive level at times by demanding a reward, such as a favorite drug of choice. However, this reward system can also be used for recovering purposes. Patients log on to an Internet-based treatment center and perform specific activities. These activities are usually education regarding sobriety, but they also incorporate relaxing diversions with immediate rewards. Some programs even offer monetary rewards of around $1. However, the real reward is distraction from cravings and a learning environment that only improves the patients' outlook on life.

Incorporating the Human Factor

Technology isn't meant to replace the human touch during addiction treatment. Professionals must still evaluate patients on a consistent basis, but the addicts feel like they have more support between appointments. They can even chat online with the professionals if necessary. As a result, the added support only boosts the patient's confidence in themselves as they take one day at a time. Professionals also use these in-person appointments to verify and alter technology applications. If one module doesn't seem to be working as effectively as once thought, it can be altered or removed entirely, to immediately improve a patient's treatment.

Tech-Enabled Interventions

Many have found that staging an intervention is one of the most important steps toward encouraging someone to seek treatment for substance addiction. What is an intervention? An intervention takes place as the result of a person's frustration and worry over a loved one's substance addiction or mental illness. In the past, typically only those in the same physical location as the addict could tell when an intervention was necessary. Now, however, the internet has enabled us to stay in contact with loved ones, no matter how far away they are. Friends and family are now more informed as to their loved ones’ activities and can tell when help is needed, even from across the globe.

Any addiction treatment must start with the admission that there is a problem in the first place. With a better understanding of addiction throughout the medical world, more people than ever are able to find the help that they require. Technology and old-fashioned professional counseling are smart pathways to a better tomorrow with no drugs clouding the way.

By Emma Sturgis

Embed

Author Bio - Emma is a freelance writer currently living in Boston, MA. She writes most often on education and technology. When not writing, she enjoys watching old movies and indoor rock climbing.

Addiction  

New, groundbreaking studies and information aid understanding how the brain responds to drug and alcohol abuse. This work may lead to effective treatment and response to alcohol addiction.

Up until recently, the general public considered addiction a product of some moral failing or lack of willpower. Such attitudes emphasized punishment instead of treatment and prevention. New, groundbreaking studies and information aid understanding how the brain responds to drug and alcohol abuse. This understanding aids effective treatment and response to alcohol addiction.

What is Addiction?

Related articles Coffee's Incredible Health Benefits  Is Modafinil The Limitless Brain-Enhancing Drug?  Synthetic Biology Explained and Explored in Regenesis

Rather than a simple lack of self-control, addiction is a disease that controls the brain and even human behavior. What’s more, addiction favors certain people with specific genetic and environmental circumstances. Individuals definitely feel the effects of alcohol abuse and addiction, but they aren’t the only ones. Families, communities, and even larger geographic areas all experience negative consequences of addiction.

Chronic and compulsive alcohol use regardless of harmful consequences categorizes the disease of addiction. Scientists consider addiction a brain disease because of how it permanently changes the actual structure of the brain.

How Does Addiction Develop?

Rather than a simple lack of self-control, addiction is a disease that controls the brain

People usually begin drinking alcohol to feel good, to feel accepted, and even due to curiosity. Over time, with prolonged alcohol abuse, once-pleasurable activities no longer create the same reaction. Alcohol becomes the one thing that can make addicts feel good, and eventually it becomes the only thing that makes them feel normal.

As a result of this process, alcoholics make obtaining alcohol their top priority. People show telltale signs of addiction when they need a higher or more frequent dose to produce the same effect as before. Studies using brain imaging show that addicted persons develop physical changes in areas for critical thinking, decision-making, and judgment. The ability to learn, remember, and control one’s own behavior also negatively respond to these physical changes.

What Long-Term Effects Exist?

Prolonged use of Alcohol may result in the following:

• Malnutrition
• High blood pressure
• Increased risk of heart disease and stroke
• Sexual dysfunction
• Liver failure
• Brain damage
• Ulcers
• Physical dependence
• Addiction

Alcohol abuse includes underage drinking, binge drinking, and heavy drinking. This abuse can result in a myriad of health, social, and legal problems--especially if one tries to operate a vehicle while intoxicated. A specialist from Sessions Law Firm reports that a DUI conviction can involve serious consequences, including fines and jail time. Heavy drinking can take place in private or in social settings, so make sure to assess your intake regardless of location. 

How Do I Avoid Alcohol Abuse and Addiction?

Protect yourself against alcoholism by avoiding heavy drinking and drinking increased amounts to produce the same effect. If you feel that you are experiencing a tolerance and dependency on alcohol, contact an addiction treatment center as soon as possible.

Regular use of alcohol may still yield dangerous effects if not handled responsibly. To avoid developing a dependence and keep yourself and others safe, drink in moderation and avoid high-risk situations involving alcohol.

By Emma Sturgis

Embed

Author Bio - Emma is a freelance writer currently living in Boston, MA. She writes most often on education and technology. When not writing, she enjoys watching old movies and indoor rock climbing.

Psychology  

Understanding the science behind the disease of addiction may help us to understand why it may be so difficult to quit.

If you have ever experienced addiction, or you know someone who is an addict, you know what a battle it can be to quit. Substance abuse draws a victim into a downward spiral until it feels like there is no way out. The body and mind crave a drug, until getting more consumes every minute. Kicking the habit is so difficult that drug rehab center is the best chance for freedom from addiction. When you look at a victim of addiction, you need to understand the science behind the illness and empathize with why it may be so difficult to quit.

Addiction is Caused by Changes to the Brain

When someone becomes addicted, whether it's painkillers, alcohol, cigarettes, or illicit drugs, chemical changes occur in the brain itself. The brain actually becomes tolerant to the addictive substances to the point that the body requires drugs in order to function and steer clear of withdrawal. As the neurons become manipulated in the brain, it can permanently alter the way the brain functions. This is the reason why an addict can't simply quit cold turkey. The brain is now programmed to need the source of addiction. Only through drug rehab and major support can addicts reprogram their brains to function properly. Otherwise, their lives could be at risk.

Related articles Researchers Find Body Temperature Changes In Full Body Illusion Experiment  Our Electrical Bodies  The Addiction Vaccine That Could Save ‘Quadrillions’ on Health Care Costs

What Happens During Detox?

Detox is the period when an addict is cut off from the source of the addiction. This is an extremely difficult time while the body begins to eliminate toxins that have been stored up in the system. The mental cravings for addictive substances are overwhelming, and the body will exhibit physical symptoms that are debilitating. Pain, fever, stomach problems, shaking, and chills are common.

During this withdrawal period, an addict will feel extremely ill because the body and mind are accustomed to the drug. In drug rehab facilities, staff members will assist the addict in overcoming this stressful period. Nutrition and support is provided, as well as medications that can ease the symptoms of withdrawal. Once the initial period of detox is over, therapy can begin during a long-term period of rehabilitation. During that time, an addict can reprogram the brain, and learn to live without the source of addiction. Drug rehab involves comprehensive care that addresses the physical, emotional, and spiritual in order to achieve sobriety.

Addiction is a hard habit to break, but it is possible. Through a strong support network of loved ones and a qualified medical facility, victims of addiction can find their way back to a sober lifestyle. Know how to help the addict in your life and educate yourself on the disease of addiction.

By Brooke Chaplan

Embed

Author Bio - 33rd Square contributor Brooke Chaplan is recent graduate of New Mexico University where she studied journalism. She loves to hike, bike, run and explore around her home in Los Lunas, New Mexico. She also enjoys blogging about health, fitness, fashion and many other topics.

 Addiction Vaccine  

Addiction is a growing epidemic worldwide, costing taxpayers billions of dollars. Chemist Kim Janda is studying a potential vaccine to treat addiction to heroin and other drugs.

You’d think it would be a big deal if a scientist created a vaccine that could do away with addiction. So what if I told you that we already had one?

Kim Janda has a vaccine for heroin addiction. And meth. And cocaine, too. He gets calls and emails all the time from people who suffer from addiction or who know someone with an addiction and want more information about getting involved with clinical trials.

The problem? There haven’t been any clinical trials. And there won’t be any for the foreseeable future, either.

Says Janda: “No pharmaceutical company is going to fund trials for heroin, no way…Forget about it.”

"No pharmaceutical company is going to fund trials for heroin, no way…Forget about it."

Though he’s worked on vaccines for a variety of addictions, he says the one for heroin shows the most promise. In 2013, he carried out pre-clinical trials on rats who had, ahem, developed an addiction to heroin. After they were given the vaccine, the rats exhibited a “dramatic” reversal: After receiving the vaccine, these “addiction immune” rats could be injected with 10 times the dose of heroin that a “normal” rat could handle—without any ill effects whatsoever.

So what does this mean for human beings? Nothing yet, and that’s a big problem.

How Big Is Our Heroin Problem?

In America, our failed drug policies have actually contributed to a dramatic rise in heroin addiction and overdose. Painkiller abuse is frequently cited as a potential “gateway” to heroin use, which makes the 259 million painkiller prescriptions filed each year even more dubious. In 2014, the CDC estimated that 46 Americans die from painkiller overdoses every day.

So why would a painkiller abuser “graduate” to heroin? It’s pretty simple: heroin is cheaper. And you don’t need a prescription to get it.

Existing Solutions

Janda’s vaccines are not the first attempt to curb addiction with pharmaceuticals, but they’re almost certainly the most promising. The FDA has already approved a variety of drugs to treat withdrawal symptoms—a baby step, to be sure—but the drugs themselves pose a danger of dependency and withdrawal. You might recognize some of the names, including naltrexone, acamprosate, and buprenorphine.

The short version is that they’re far from perfect.

Adding to Janda’s setbacks were lackluster results from a nicotine vaccine study in 2011 and a cocaine vaccine study in 2014—two failures that, unfortunately, seem to have convinced pharmaceutical companies that research of this kind is a dead-end.

The tricky part of a vaccine like this is the fact that drugs wreak havoc with the brain’s reward systems—neurological impulses that the human body relies on for survival. Any attempt at a vaccine must seek to curb this effect without interfering with these important natural processes. Existing pharmaceutical solutions address addiction by blocking the relevant receptors in the brain. Janda’s vaccine works instead by preventing the drug from reaching the brain in the first place.

Money as the Great Equalizer

Related articles Major Cause of Age-Related Memory Loss Identified  AIDS Vaccine Off To Promising Start  Is Modafinil The Limitless Brain-Enhancing Drug?

The next step for Janda and his team of researchers is to secure investigational new-drug status from the FDA, which would allow them to conduct human trials. They’ve already received funding from the National Institute of Drug Abuse to the tune of $27.1 million dollars—but that’s not enough to cover the cost of human trials.

Which brings us to a pretty embarrassing point: We live in one of the richest and most powerful nations on earth. Janda and his team have stumbled onto something here that could change life in America in untold ways, and still they struggle with pedestrian concerns like money. Think about it: Without addiction, we’d make fewer arrests, our jails would be emptier, our cops would be less distracted with hunting and imprisoning drug addicts, our courts would be greatly unburdened, and we could turn our attention toward treatment instead of the jail-first-and-ask-questions-later approach we have now. In short: we could stop treating addicts like criminals and treat them instead like human beings with a disease.

Can we even put a price tag on that?

I can hear you already: Addiction is a choice—not a disease! Sure; it may start as a choice, as many things do, but neither you, nor I, nor anybody else, has a comprehensive understanding of what happens in the brain between that first “taste” of heroin and full-blown addiction. And that makes the management of America’s various addictions a job for scientists—not for cops.

The good news is that, in the world of pharmaceutical and health technology, sometimes all it takes is for one company, or even one person, to say or do something that captures the attention of the world. In the fight against latent tuberculosis infection, that company is Qiagen. In efforts to supply the world with potable drinking water, that person is Bill Gates.

At the end of the day, acknowledging a degree of fluidity in the way we respond to national health crises could help us save an incredible amount of money. George Koob, who has been at Janda’s side throughout these vaccine trials probably said it best:

“I am not sure Americans realize that if they treated alcoholism and drug addiction they would save quadrillions of dollars in health care costs.” So if we can’t answer to our hearts, maybe we can at least answer to our wallets.

By Daniel Faris

Embed

Author Bio - Daniel Faris is a freelance journalist and a graduate of the Writers Institute at Susquehanna University. When he’s not blogging about politics on Only Slightly Biased, you can find his alter ego discussing progressive music at New Music Friday. He currently lives in Philadelphia.

 Psychology  

Science is increasingly showing that addiction, in its various forms, has a probable strong genetic underpinning. With each discovery, researchers get closer to finding a biological cause for addictive behavior.

Coffee, tanning, alcohol or even the internet – are you obsessed with any of them? As it turns out, genetics may be responsible for your propensity toward one vice or the other. Researchers at the Yale School of Public Health recently discovered that individuals presenting with variants of PTCHD2 – patched domain containing 2, a protein-coding gene – were approximately 66 percent less likely to exhibit signs of tanning addiction. Published in the online journal Experimental Dermatology, the findings put researchers a step closer to finding a biological cause for addictive behavior.

Tanning Tied to Genetic Variants

Related articles Coffee's Incredible Health Benefits  Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind Technology May Be Possible  Common Gene Between Cancer and Aging Identified

The study still needs to be replicated, but if the statistics aren’t lying the results hold promise for the future. Motivated by the growing health problems associated with frequent tanning, Yale researchers analyzed genetic data for 292 participants and reviewed more than 300,000 genetic variants before pinpointing PTCHD2 as a potential culprit. A senior research scientist, Brenda Cartmel, expressed excitement at the results’ potential to influence future interventions, which could reduce the prevalence of skin cancer.

Genes Linked to Substance Abuse 

Though tanning seems harmless, it mimics substance abuse in that individuals are not able to control their behaviors despite being warned of the consequences. Addiction to alcohol, caffeine, tobacco and illicit substances has been linked to gene variants. Researchers from the Institute of Psychiatry at London’s Kings College confirm links between addictive behaviors and certain gene variants, like CHRNA5 and ADH1B. Thus far, the following substances have been traced to a genetic component:

• Caffeine. In 2014, Harvard School of Public Health reported a link between the effects of caffeine and two genetic variants, POR and ABCG2. Published in Molecular Psychiatry, the findings provide insight into the genetic basis of caffeine addiction. 

• Alcohol. Genetic variants ADH and ALDH, believed to play a role in the metabolism of alcohol, were linked to alcohol abuse disorders, according to a 2008 study published in the British Journal of Pharmacology. 

• Cocaine. In addition to dopamine receptors, genetic variants like ΔFosB and CAMK4 have been linked to cocaine addiction, according to a 2005 study published in Science & Practice Perspectives.

• Tobacco. A study published in Human Molecular Genetics found that individuals with CHRNB3, a nicotinic receptor gene, were twice as likely to become addicted to tobacco once exposed. 

The University of Utah’s online Genetic Science Learning Center notes that multiple variants play a role in addiction, but the presence or absence of a gene variant doesn’t itself predict addictive behaviors. Rather, a combination of factors, from economic status to trauma, is involved.

Combating Addiction With Science

Until scientists uncover more information about genetic variants and their relationship to addiction, it’s unclear how gene mapping can be used to curb the prevalence of addiction. Proposed uses of genetic markers for addiction include prescreening tests to determine risk level or to adjust treatment plans based on personalized data. Given the treatment options for those with addiction – namely medication, counseling or inpatient care – using genetic data to enhance recovery outcomes may be the solution to a growing international addiction problem. However, convincing national health care systems and private practitioners to get on board with genetic medicine may be another challenge entirely.

By Kate Wilson

Embed

 Addiction  

A research team from the Friedman Brain Institute of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai has published evidence that shows that subtle changes of inhibitory signaling in the reward pathway can change how animals respond to drugs such as cocaine.

Researchers from the Friedman Brain Institute of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have published evidence that shows that subtle changes of inhibitory signaling in the reward pathway can change how animals respond to drugs like cocaine.

"Our results identified a pathway for regulating the excitability of the VTA DA neurons, highlighting SNX27 as a promising target for treating addiction."

This is the first study to demonstrate the critical links between the levels of the trafficking protein, the potassium channels’ effect on neuronal activity and a mouse’s response to cocaine.

Related articles Neural Wiring Illuminated By Specially Designed Virus  David Dalrymple Update On Project NEMALOAD  Discovery Could Lead To Treatment For Drug Addiction

The study results were published in the journal Neuron.

Cocaine was involved in 482,188 emergency department visits across the United States in 2008.  Apart from psychotherapy, there are no reliable medical treatments for cocaine addiction currently.

The authors investigated the role of sorting nexin 27 (SNX27), a PDZ-containing protein known to bind GIRK2c/GIRK3 channels, in regulating GIRK currents in dopamine (DA) neurons on the ventral tegmental area (VTA) in mice.

“Our results identified a pathway for regulating the excitability of the VTA DA neurons, highlighting SNX27 as a promising target for treating addiction,” said Paul A. Slesinger, PhD, Professor, Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

“Future research will focus on the role that potassium channels and trafficking proteins have in models of addiction,” said Dr. Slesinger.

Dr. Slesinger was the lead author of the study and joined by Michaelanne B. Munoz from the Graduate Program in Biology, University of California, San Diego and the Peptide Biology Laboratories, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California.


SOURCE  Mount Sinai Hospital

By 33rd Square

Embed