What Is the Law Regarding Alprazolam and Why?

Gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system (CNS) that regulates neuronal excitability. The benzodiazepine medication alprazolam, which is chemically similar to the neurotransmitter, binds to GABA receptor sites increasing their efficiency. The tranquilizing effects of alprazolam make the drug effective in treating anxiety disorders and panic attacks, but the drug […]

What Is MDPV (Methylenedioxypyrovalerone)?

MDPV (Methylenedioxypyrovalerone) is a psychoactive stimulant narcotic that acts as a norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibitor (NDRI). MDPV is the active ingredient in “bath salts,” a designer drug that is knowingly labeled as ‘not for human consumption’ so that the drug is legally available on the market. MDPV (Methylenedioxypyrovalerone) goes by many other names, like magic, maddie, […]

Is It Really Dangerous to Mix Uppers and Downers?

Uppers and downers are slang terms that refer to how a particular substance affects the central nervous system (CNS). The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) refers to uppers and downers as stimulants and depressants respectively, and DEA fact sheets list the most common, which include the following: Uppers include amphetamines, methamphetamine, cocaine, and khat. Pharmaceutical examples […]

Lyme Disease and Drug Abuse

According to the American Lyme Disease Foundation (ALDF), Lyme disease is caused by a bacterium passed along by diseased ticks. If bitten by an infected tick, a person becomes afflicted by the inflammatory disease, which enters the bloodstream and spreads to different tissues throughout the body. In the summer of 2013, the Centers for Disease Control and […]

The Dangers of Self-Medicating Chronic Headaches

Chronic headaches are debilitating, and without a satisfactory treatment option, some people may seek to manage the pain on their own. Stress and Tension Headaches The daily hassles of life cause headaches in some people. As a rule stress is the most common source of headaches according to the Mayo Clinic. People who react to stress […]