Resources

Related links for drug abuse, alcohol abuse, eating disorders, mental health disorders, sex and love addiction, and pathological gambling.

Drug Abuse and Addiction: Signs, Symptoms, and Causes

Commonly Abused Drugs, from the National Institute on Drug Abuse

Drug Addiction: Signs and Symptoms – General and specific signs and symptoms of drug addiction for seven classes of drugs. (Mayo Clinic)

Substance and Alcohol Abuse Symptoms Checklist – Detailed list of signs and symptoms of drug and alcohol abuse, including motivations behind substance abuse as well as physical and behavioral symptoms. The site also has a list for drug use signs and symptoms in teens. (National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence of the San Fernando Valley)

Physical and mental effects of drug and alcohol abuse

Crossing the Line to Addiction: How and When Does it Happen? – This site offers a clear description of how drugs cause actual changes in the brain. (PBS Online)

Animation Video of Cocaine’s Effect on the Brain – Easy-to-understand animation video demonstrating how cocaine affects the brain’s electrical impulses and increases the neurotransmitter dopamine, which causes changes in behavior. (PBS.org)

Pathology of Drug and Alcohol Abuse - Using medical terminology, provides details of how drug abuse affects different organs and bodily processes. (University of Utah)

NIDA InfoFAacts: Understanding Drug Abuse and addiction – Detailed but understandable description of how people become addicted to drugs and the causes of drug addiction. (NIDA)

Information for Families Dealing with a Friend or Loved One

Impact of Substance Abuse on Families - Part of a larger booklet available online from SAHMSA discussing the importance of involving the family in substance abuse treatment (National Library of Medicine)

General Information about Eating Disorders

Anorexia Nervosa – Covers the signs, causes, risk factors, diagnosis, and treatment of anorexia. Includes information on nutritional and dietary therapies. (University of Maryland Medical Center)

General Information about Eating Disorders – (From the National Institute of Mental Health)