Psychoactive drugs and food intake

“Food is an essential medicine in restoring the balance of health. The sooner a newly-sober person feels great, I’ve found, the sooner they will begin to accept a life free of crippling attachments to substances — the life they are truly are meant to live.” Anonymus

The role of Nutrition in Addictions and Mental Health is the fundament of the Purple Aubergine Project.

Research showed that healthy eating habits help addicts recover from drug addiction and boost their mental health. Recently rehabilitation centres have taken the link between Nutrition, Recovery and Relapse seriously, while others are still struggling despiting the considerable amount of money they charge to their clients.

Research has shown that psychopharmacological drugs affect our feelings of hunger and satiety and, consequently, our mood and behaviour towards Food.

That is how it works.  

The Hypothalamus, a small brain region, controls our food intake. We have different neurotransmitters that play a significant role in feeding, and we find them all over the nervous system: 

• Norepinephrine, Neuropeptide Y, and Galanin. They are associated with an increase in food intake.
• Along with them, we have neurotransmitters that are associated with decreased food intake. These are Serotonin, Corticoprin release Hormone and Cholecystokinin.  

Legal and illegal drugs affect the functions of these neurotransmitters and consequently our mood, satiety and hunger feeling.

Different drugs and effects in our food intake

• Analgesics such as morphine and naloxone indicated for pain relief have a decisive action in decreasing food hunger. 
• Appetite Suppressant Drugs. These drugs were removed from the market as they were associated with heart problems. They reduce the hunger feeling and consequently help with weight loss
• Alcohol leads to a deficiency of Vitamin B1 (thiamine), which damages tissues. Also, alcohol is a depressant and will slow all your perceptions, including memories. Suddenly, the brain cannot detoxify alcohol. The organ that detoxifies alcohol in the liver. When he has an excess of alcohol, our brain communication is disrupted, and we do not remember anything. From here they said: “I drink to forget”. Alcohol seems to have different effects on different people. It has shown decreasing food intake to someone, while it shows an increased food intake in others.
• Stimulants such as cocaine or methamphetamine. Research has shown these classes of drugs have both effects. People can experience an increase in food intake or a decrease in food intake. Consequently, a person who uses these drugs in the long term can lose or gain weight. In particular, people who use illegal drugs stays several days without eating despiting the health issues related to starvation.
• Nicotine. People who smoke noticed, and research confirmed that nicotine reduces food intake. 
• SSRI (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors). That includes Sertraline and similar drugs are related to weight loss. 
• Caffeine. Accordingly, with the DM-5 and World Health Organization, Caffeine is a psychoactive substance; it is widespread and can negatively impact our lives and health. Caffeine is associated with food intake increase.

The role of psychoactive drugs, either legal or illegal, is crucial for our food intake and mental health. No one knows better than an addict what it means to put harmful substances in our bodies. 

In a short time, we will notice a craving for Food or satiety. Depression, anxiety, malnourishment or obesity are often associated with a wrong food intake. In the long term, organs damage, gut problems, brain problems, Immune system problems. The role of nutrition is to help our body restore and avoid harmful Food and introduce good nutrients.

That is why Food is crucial for mental health.

We are not looking for perfections, but we want to keep most of our diet healthy and still enjoy our fatty Food or Sweets and treats one day a week. Please note that there is no diet suitable for anyone, but everyone needs a different diet and different rules about eating. Therefore, good nutrients will restore our body. 

Summarise

We have different types of drugs that have a powerful effect on our food intake. They can lead to health issues and mental health. Only by reducing or avoiding these drugs can we have a correct food intake.