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

Substance use is higher and more excessive in transgender people: evidence, limitations and gaps

1 Response »
Profile photo of Ivan Ezquerra-Romano
Posted by
jorge-saavedra-jbxL_EXEZB8-unsplash

Ivan Ezquerra-Romano summarises a systematic review looking into the prevalence of substance use among transgender people compared to their cisgender counterparts.

Today we also announce the launch of a new survey that will help us understand alcohol use in UK transgender and non-binary people.

[read the full story...]

The North American Opioid Crisis: how it came about and how to manage it

No Responses »
Profile photo of Rob Poole
Posted by
Close,Up,Of,Young,Woman,Taking,Prescription,Pill.,Medicine,,Health

Rob Poole explores the recently published Stanford-Lancet Commission report on the North American Opioid Crisis, which aims to understand the opioid crisis, propose solutions to the crisis in the USA and Canada, and attempt to stop its spread internationally.

[read the full story...]

How to measure cannabis use: introducing the ‘International Cannabis Toolkit’ or iCannToolkit

No Responses »
Profile photo of Ian Hamilton
Posted by
Marijuana,And,Weight,Loss.,Two,Green,Leaf,Of,Marijuana,,Hemp

Ian Hamilton looks at the new International Cannabis Toolkit (iCannToolkit) and considers why it’s so important that we have an internationally agreed and standardised measure for cannabis use.

[read the full story...]

Can psychosocial interventions help reduce parental substance use?

No Responses »
Profile photo of Lilli Waples
Posted by
Little,Boy,Is,Playing,A,Toy,Car,And,Looking,Sadly

In her debut blog, Lilli Waples summarises a recent Cochrane Review on the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions to reduce parental substance use.

[read the full story...]

Opioid Agonist Treatment associated with 50% lower risk of mortality, but political epiphany still needed to reduce drug-related deaths

No Responses »
Profile photo of Ian Hamilton
Posted by
person being helped from pill bottle by healthcare provider - addiction recovery concept

Ian Hamilton appraises a systematic review and meta-analysis on the association of opioid agonist treatment with all-cause mortality and specific causes of death among people with opioid dependence.

[read the full story...]

Are homeless people more likely to die by suicide?

No Responses »
Profile photo of Ian Cummins
Posted by
Featured

Ian Cummins explores a study that analysed data from the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health, which finds that homeless people were more likely to die by suicide after discharge from hospital than non-homeless people.

[read the full story...]

Alcohol and bipolar: how does heavy alcohol use predict the course of bipolar disorder?

No Responses »
Profile photo of Danielle Windget
Posted by
>,
stephan-valentin-LbUzPqxPUAs-unsplash

Danielle Windget and Sammy Eden review a recent study on the patterns and clinical correlates of lifetime alcohol consumption in women and men with bipolar disorder.

[read the full story...]

MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for alcohol use disorder: is it feasible?

No Responses »
Profile photo of Anya Borissova
Posted by
Empty,Small,Shots,Glass,In,Front,Of,Multiple,Blurry,Different

Anya Borissova reviews a recent UK pilot study which suggests that MDMA-assisted psychotherapy is a feasible intervention to use in people with alcohol use disorder. Now we need randomised trials that can reliably measure safety and effectiveness.

[read the full story...]

Cost-effective strategies for mental health workplace intervention

4 Responses »
Profile photo of Christopher Sampson
Posted by
chris-montgomery-smgTvepind4-unsplash

Chris Sampson summarises a review on the cost-effectiveness of mental health workplace interventions, which presents up-to-date evidence on the different things that employers can do to help those in their workforce affected by mental health problems or substance misuse.

[read the full story...]