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Both substance use and alcohol can cause both long-term and short-term memory loss, resulting in blackouts. The most commonly used group of prescription drugs which can produce amnesia are benzodiazepines, especially if combined with alcohol, however, in limited quantities, triazolam (Halcion) is not associated with amnesia or memory impairment.
[81] [82] Concerns regarding the long-term effects of benzodiazepines have been raised since 1980. [83] These concerns are still not fully answered. A review in 2006 of the literature on use of benzodiazepine and nonbenzodiazepine hypnotics concluded that more research is needed to evaluate the long-term effects of hypnotic drugs. [84]
Chronic intake of opioids such as heroin may cause long-term effects in the orbitofrontal area (OFC), which is essential for regulating reward-related behaviors, emotional responses, and anxiety. [75] Moreover, neuroimaging and neuropsychological studies demonstrate dysregulation of circuits associated with emotion, stress and high impulsivity ...
The withdrawal from various opioid medications, including morphine, causes similar effects, most of which is caused by stimulation and over-stimulation of the central nervous system. [ 9 ] [ 7 ] The effects of morphine withdrawal can range from gastrointestinal disturbances to symptoms like tremors (involuntary shaking, most commonly in hands ...
The term "cold turkey" is used to describe the sudden cessation of use of a substance and the ensuing physiologic manifestations. The symptoms from withdrawal may be even more dramatic when the drug has masked prolonged malnutrition , disease, chronic pain , infections (common in intravenous drug use), or sleep deprivation , conditions that ...
Like methadone, Suboxone blocks both the effects of heroin withdrawal and an addict’s craving and, if used properly, does it without causing intoxication. Unlike methadone, it can be prescribed by a certified family physician and taken at home, meaning a recovering addict can lead a normal life, without a daily early-morning commute to a clinic.
Some people build tolerance to opioids over time. This requires them to increase their drug dosage to maintain the benefit, and that in turn also increases the unwanted side effects. [78] Long-term opioid use can cause opioid-induced hyperalgesia, which is a condition in which the patient has increased sensitivity to pain. [101]
The general theory of a vaccine intended to "immunize" against drug addiction or other substance abuse is that it would condition the immune system to attack and consume or otherwise disable the molecules of such substances that cause a reaction in the brain, thus preventing the addict from being able to realize the effect of the drug.