Latest news with #Addiction
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Aware Recovery Care Appoints Roy Sasenaraine as Chief Executive Officer
Veteran Healthcare Operator to Lead Company Through Strategic Growth and Innovation in Addiction Treatment Roy Sasenaraine, CEO Wallingford, CT, May 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aware Recovery Care ('Aware'), a pioneer in in-home addiction treatment, today announced the appointment of Roy Sasenaraine, MBA, as Chief Executive Officer. Sasenaraine previously served as Chief Operating Officer and succeeds Dr. Brian Holzer, who is stepping down after three years of service. With more than 20 years of experience in healthcare operations management, Sasenaraine has led high-performing organizations across behavioral health, orthopedic care, and integrated health systems. Prior to joining Aware, he served as CEO of Valley Springs Behavioral Health Hospital, where he oversaw the construction of state-of-the-art facilities, drove high occupancy rates, and secured key state partnerships. He also held senior leadership roles as Chief Operating Officer of Mountainside Treatment Center and Vice President of Operations at both Spire Orthopedic Partners and Hartford HealthCare System. As CEO, Sasenaraine will continue to lead key initiatives to expand access to substance use disorder (SUD) care through Aware's nationally recognized In-Home Addiction Treatment (IHAT) model. He will also oversee the growth of the company's virtual services platform, Anew by Aware, and strengthen strategic partnerships that advance clinical outcomes and community impact. 'I'm honored to lead Aware Recovery Care at this pivotal time for behavioral health and addiction treatment,' said Sasenaraine. 'I believe deeply in our mission and the transformative care we provide. Together, we will continue to innovate, reach more families, and help more individuals find lasting recovery—right where they live.' The company also expressed appreciation for Dr. Holzer's contributions, recognizing his leadership in advancing Aware's care model and positioning the organization for future growth. About Aware Recovery CareAware Recovery Care helps people affected by addiction recover at home through its groundbreaking, evidence-based In-Home Addiction Treatment (IHAT) model. By transforming the home into a treatment center and delivering collaborative care with lived experience to those in need, Aware empowers individuals and their loved ones to thrive and make sustainable recovery possible. The program helps clients learn new skills and daily habits required to maintain abstinence while remaining in their community, thereby avoiding the often-difficult return home seen from traditional treatment options. Aware now operates in eleven states (CT, FL, GA, IN, KY, ME, MA, NH, OH, RI, VA) and is poised for further expansion in partnership with established national and regional payors, employers, and other stakeholders. Attachment Roy Sasenaraine, CEO CONTACT: Uneeta Palmer Aware Recovery Care 469-682-3484 upalmer@ in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
As Gen Z drinks less, studies show older women are drinking more
(NewsNation) — The age gap in alcohol consumption is widening. As younger generations prioritize health and wellness, research shows binge drinking is increasing among middle-aged women. Women who turned 35 between 2018 and 2019 were significantly more likely to binge drink compared to women the same age between 1993 and 1997, according to a 2023 study published in the journal 'Addiction.' Researchers aimed to determine whether age was associated with excessive drinking in women who became mothers for the first time. Are weight loss drugs safe? Learn some of the side effects 'In the United States, subgroups of women at highest risk of excessive drinking appear to be expanding, probably supported in part by a trend towards delayed parenting,' the study found. In other words, women are having children later in life, and the data supported a correlation between older women and increased drinking. 'I think a lot of women are so stressed out, they are self-medicating,' said Chalene Johnson, a women's health advocate and the host of 'The Chalene Show' podcast. A 2023 Gallup survey found young adults in the United States are consuming less alcohol. Sixty-two percent of adults under 35 said they drink, down from 72% two decades ago. CDC advises people 60 and over to avoid chikungunya vaccine: What to know Johnson, who spoke with NewsNation's 'Morning in America' on Monday, said she is mostly alcohol-free and encourages women to limit drinking in her 21-day 'Walk More, Drink Less' social media challenge. 'The biggest thing is realizing how much it's just been incorporated into our society, how much I personally didn't realize I was becoming dependent upon it, so it really helped me to examine my own relationship with alcohol,' Johnson said. 'I don't think people need to necessarily stop drinking, but I do think it's important we are aware of the health risks associated, and I was ignoring them.' Chronic excessive drinking can cause cancer and many other long-term health problems, like high blood pressure, heart disease, liver disease and more. 'Anytime I heard that there was a cancer risk associated with it or health risk associated with it, I was very dismissive. How could that be? Everybody drinks,' Johnson said. 'Realizing this does not align with my common sense, the consumption of alcohol and my objective to age powerfully.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Scoop
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Mechatok Releases New Single 'Virus Freestyle'
Mechatok - aka Timur Tokdemir - has subtly become a defining architect of today's underground experimental pop and rap. While touring globally, he's released a steady run of solo EPs and albums that have shaped a sound where emotional immediacy meets sleek, digital-age aesthetics, leaving a mark on a new generation of genre-defining artists like Drain Gang, Ecco2k, Yung Lean, Charli XCX, and Bala Club. 2025 is set to be the Munich-born artist's most ambitious year yet. He kicked things off with the euphoric single ' Addiction ', and now returns with ' Virus Freestyle ', a vibrant follow-up that channels his signature bouncy and experimental production into a track that spirals around an infectious vocal hook. It's the second offering in a new era of Mechatok's sonic world, which is starting to reveal itself, one that captures the mixed emotions of inner-city hedonism against the backdrop of internet-driven escapism and everyday routine. Talking about ' Virus Freestyle ', Mechatok says: ' I really just recorded this one as a single take on my favourite synth Virus TI Snow and listened to that loop for a couple of years. Actually finishing the track felt like collaging meaningful and totally random memories into some kind of neon melancholia flashback sequence.' Mechatok spent his teenage years in Munich studying classical guitar. During this time, he began exploring club culture on his trips to Berlin, which ultimately led him down a different path. Rather than pursuing a career in classical music, Tokdemir relocated to Berlin and released his first EP, See Thru which put him on the radar of the international electronic music scene. He began collaborating with Yung Lean and Palmistry and soon amassed a catalogue of euphoric, minimal pop nuggets. Not yet 21 at the time, Tokdemir toured the States, Asia, South America, and Europe and materialised his unique style on 2018's All My Time, released on Lorenzo Senni's Presto!? imprint to wide acclaim. In the years that followed, Mechatok continued to explore new angles on pop and electronica by putting out undeniably catchy collaborations with Bladee and Ecco2K, video-game soundtracks such as 2020's ' Defective Holiday ' and mixes that all make use of his unmistakable craftsmanship. At the end of 2021, he released a collaborative album with Bladee, followed by a remix album that featured Charli XCX, Evian Christ, and more. Having received praise from the likes of Pitchfork and Resident Advisor, fans can look forward to more experimental, boundary-pushing electro-pop from Mechatok throughout 2025.
The Sun
28-04-2025
- Health
- The Sun
Popular party drug is ‘heroin of a generation' – as doctors issue urgent warning over devastating side effects
KETAMINE has been dubbed the 'heroin of a generation' by one user as experts reveal how it ravages the body and mind. The potent painkiller and sedative has become a hugely popular street drug due to its hallucinogenic and relaxing effects. 1 But Exeter University researchers warn it causes 'high levels of physical health problems and psychological consequences'. Hollywood actor Matthew Perry, who played Chandler in the sitcom Friends, died in 2023 after an overdose. A new study estimates nearly half – 44 per cent – of British users suffering devastating side effects do not get professional help. The research, in the journal Addiction, followed 274 ketamine addicts in the UK, using an average of 2g per day. It found 60 per cent had bladder or nasal problems, while 56 per cent had experienced organ cramps. The drug is known to be particularly damaging to the inner lining of the bladder, and heavy users can end up incontinent or needing to have the organ removed and replaced with a bag. Six in 10 interviewees had mental health problems and reported psychological issues including cravings, low mood, anxiety and irritability. One anonymous ketamine user in the study said: 'I feel it is the heroin of a generation. 'More information will only become available once more people my age begin to suffer so greatly from misuse that it can't be hidden anymore.' Another added: 'People know the risks of heroin and cocaine but not how addictive ketamine can become.' Office for National Statistics figures show 2.9 per cent of 16 to 24-year-olds used ketamine last year. An estimated quarter of a million adults of all ages took it. About nine in 10 users snort the Class B drug, but it can also be injected. One of the study authors, PhD student Rebecca Harding, from University College London, said: 'Our study highlights the need for greater recognition of the significant physical and psychological risks associated with ketamine. 'We need improved treatment programs and raised awareness of ketamine use.' THE TOLL 'K' TAKES ON YOUR BODY KETAMINE can lead to death by putting pressure on the heart and respiratory system. But its other effects on the body, which are often irreversible, are horrifying, too. 'Ketamine bladder syndrome is one of the worst symptoms,' Dr Catherine Carney, an addiction specialist at Delamere, told Sun Health. This is where the breakdown of ketamine in the body causes inflammation in the bladder wall. It leaves people unable to hold urine and passing chunks of their bladder tissue. Some users face the prospect of having their bladders removed entirely. Dr Carney explains: 'The lining of the bladder can shrink over time and be extremely painful for those experiencing it. 'This can often lead to lower abdominal pain and pain when passing urine, as well as bleeding. 'It's usually what has forced people to get help because they can't tolerate it any more. 'We've had young men in agony, wetting the bed. 'Their whole life is focused on where there's a toilet because they can only hold urine for ten minutes. 'For a teenager or someone in their early 20s, that's absolutely life-changing. 'In some cases, the bladder damage progresses to the kidneys and people get kidney failure, too. 'This is developing in people who have been using for two years, so it is relatively quick.' Dr Carney adds that the urine samples of new guests checking into the clinic are often just a 'pot of blood'. This is followed by weeks of agony coming off the drug. An irony of ketamine use is people tend to take more and more to numb the pain of the side-effects it causes. Dr Carney says: 'There's nothing that we can give which is as strong as a medical anaesthetic (the ketamine). We can use codeine-based products or anti-inflammatories. 'Some antidepressants help at night, but the pain is hard to manage in the early days. 'Most people that come to us, the bladder will improve to the point that they don't need to have it removed. 'But once you've got a bladder that has shrunk to the size of 70ml, that's never getting better.'
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
What else does weight-loss drug Ozempic do? 5 unexpected health benefits
Injectable weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic have exploded in popularity over the past few years, yet scientists are still exploring how they affect our bodies. In 2024, around 5 per cent of Britons had used an injectable glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist, a medication known under brand names such as Wegovy, Ozempic and Mounjaro. The drugs work by mimicking the hormone GLP-1 to slow down digestion and lower appetite, which can lead to significant weight loss. But alongside the well-documented weight-loss effects, emerging scientific research has indicated that the medication may have other potential benefits, from reducing addictive behaviours to lowering the risk of Alzheimer's disease. Here's a breakdown of some of Ozempic's unexpected side effects: Research has found that weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic may help curb addictive behaviours, such as alcohol addiction. One 2025 study, published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry, found that semaglutide (the active ingredient in Ozempic) reduced cravings in people with alcohol use disorder. Semaglutide is a medication that mimics a natural hormone to help regulate blood sugar and reduce appetite. It's used to treat type 2 diabetes and support weight loss. The findings followed a 2024 study, published in the scientific journal Addiction, revealing that people taking Ozempic (or a similar medication) appeared to have a 40 per cent lower rate of opioid overdose. 'By modulating dopamine release, these medications appear to reduce cravings for alcohol, nicotine, ultra-processed foods, and even compulsive behaviours,' Dr Tamsin Lewis, founder of the London-based personalised healthcare service, Wellgevity, told the Standard. She said she had observed this anecdotally in patients and that animal studies backed it up. 'This may be one of the most powerful aspects of these medications for long-term behaviour change,' Dr Lewis added. Research has indicated that taking GLP-1 drugs can also lower the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and dementia. According to a 2024 study, semaglutide was associated with a 40 per cent to 70 per cent lower risk of an Alzheimer's diagnosis over three years compared with other diabetes treatments. 'This may be linked to reduced insulin resistance, which is increasingly being recognised as a driver of brain ageing,' said Dr Lewis. According to Dr Mohamed Najjar, medical director of Jorja Healthcare Group, which offers weight-management treatments and also adult ADHD diagnosis, taking Ozempic may be able to soften the traits of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). 'This connection is based on the drug's potential effects on brain function and neurotransmitter regulation, which could be beneficial in managing ADHD symptoms [such as impulsivity and difficulty with focus],' he told the Standard. However, Dr Najjar emphasised that there is limited research in this area and 'more studies are needed to establish the direct result of GLP-1 medication and ADHD'. Research has indicated that semaglutide may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks and strokes. 'It appears to reduce inflammation, lower blood pressure, and improve endothelial function — all of which support vascular health,' Dr Lewis told the Standard. GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic have been linked to a reduction in diagnoses of depression and anxiety. 'GLP-1s slow gastric emptying and reduce gut inflammation, but they also influence vagal signalling and brain function via the gut-brain axis,' said Dr Lewis. 'Some patients report greater calm, satiety and mental clarity on these medications — although side effects like nausea and constipation need careful management.'
