abuse
LabTV: Curious About Improving American Indian Health
Posted on by Dr. Francis Collins
November is National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month, and so I can’t think of a better time to introduce you to Deana Around Him, a social and behavioral health researcher active in efforts to improve the health of infants and children in native communities. Deana is a member of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, where she grew up with her mother and sisters after losing her father to a car accident when she was only 3 years old.
Deana’s father was a pharmacist, and, as a child, Deana thought that she would follow in his footsteps. But after participating in the National Youth Leadership Forum for Medicine one summer in high school, she set her sights instead on a career in medicine and made her way to Brown University, Providence, RI. Attending an Ivy League school was something she “never in her wildest dreams imagined” as a kid.
Risky Business: Prescription Drug Abuse Among Teens
Posted on by Dr. Francis Collins
First-term finals are nearly upon us and sadly a disturbing percentage of high school seniors are abusing stimulants Adderall (dextroamphetamine) and Ritalin (methylphenidate), which are prescribed for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). These drugs increase alertness, attention, and energy the same way cocaine does—by boosting the amount of the neurotransmitter dopamine.
Even though these drugs are legal, they’re quite dangerous if not used properly. Taking high doses can cause irregular heartbeat, heart failure, or seizures. High doses of these stimulants can lead to hostility or feelings of paranoia. So, rather than popping pills, it’s a lot safer—and smarter—to boost your grades the old-school way: by studying.
