Cory Monteith and faces of addiction

The recent death by overdose of Glee star Cory Monteith has served as a grim reminder that addiction is a fatal disease, even for the most talented and successful among us. Monteith's fresh face and squeaky-clean image is in stark contrast to the mental image many have for a heroin junky, or even for an addict.

Monteith on a promotional poster for Glee. Image via.

This has been a problem facing addicts seeking help for a long time, probably as long as addiction has been around. Addiction is a difficult disease for non-addicts to understand, without the added cognitive dissonance that comes with learning that your seemingly well-put-together friend has been hiding a major drug or alcohol problem.

Not every addict looks like this. Image via.

If a friend or loved one approaches you for help with a drug, alcohol, or other addiction problem, please remember to take them seriously, no matter how much they deviate from your preconceived picture of what an addict is supposed to look like. It could be a matter of life or death.

Traumatic Brain Injury and Substance Abuse in Adolescents

Rates of traumatic brain injury among adolescents is much higher than previously thought, a recent study found. One in five students in grades 7-12 have experienced head injuries that either left them unconscious for five minutes or caused them to be hospitalized overnight.

Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) had a higher rate among males than females, a higher rate among those with lower school grades, and a higher rate among those who self-reported using alcohol or marijuana in the previous 12 months.

Ow! (Image via.)

This study is particularly significant because, unlike previous studies, the researchers included self-reported TBIs. Many TBIs go unreported and untreated, therefore reliance upon hospital data alone will not accurately capture the rate of TBIs among adolescents.

Perhaps the most striking statistic of the study is that students who occasionally to frequently used alcohol within the last year were five times more likely to have suffered a TBI. Students who had reported using cannabis ten or more times in the last year were three times as likely to have suffered a TBI.

So, aside from the simple toxicity of alcohol and drugs, occasional to frequent substance abuse can also increase your risk of head trauma, with lasting effects on the brain.

References:

1. Gabriela Ilie et al. Prevalence and Correlates of Traumatic Brain Injuries Among Adolescents. JAMA, 2013; 309 (24): 2550 DOI: 10.1001/jama.2013.6750
2. St. Michael's Hospital (2013, June 25). One in five students in Grades 7-12 say they have had a traumatic brain injury in their lifetime.ScienceDaily. Retrieved July 1, 2013, from http://www.sciencedaily.com­/releases/2013/06/130625172356.htm

Atlantis should've stayed sunk.

It's no secret that the internet is both a wonderful source of information, and a gateway into the deepest pits of human depravity. The latter has recently been re-confirmed in the form of a massive ad campaign by online illegal drug retailer Atlantis. 

Competitor Silk Road has been around since 2011, but has always operated behind a veil of secrecy, only accessible by folks willing to tread the metaphorical dark alleys of the internet. Atlantis, on the other hand, is following the model of a cute Silicon Valley startup, launching  online ads, pitching journalists, and putting together a YouTube video. 

Oh, good, I can buy books here, too! (Image via)

Now, drugs sales are pretty much always going to happen, but this brazen advertising campaign is making many (including myself) incredibly uncomfortable. For this foray into the relative light of the normal internet to be worth the risk, then purchasing illegal drugs on the Atlantis marketplace must be so profitable to mitigate the inevitable legal fees and the tremendous effort of maintaining secrecy. 

I'd prefer the deep web to stay buried deep, but unfortunately it looks like Atlantis, at least, is making a push into the mainstream.