Abstinence News and Research

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Abstinence is a voluntary restraint from indulging a desire or appetite for certain bodily activities that are widely experienced as giving pleasure. Most frequently, the term refers to abstention from sexual intercourse, alcohol or food. The practice can arise from religious prohibitions or practical considerations.

Daily coffee intake linked to fewer atrial fibrillation relapses

The study reveals that moderate coffee consumption may lower atrial fibrillation recurrence risk post-cardioversion, highlighting coffee's potential benefits.

30 Jan 2026

GLP-1 weight-loss drugs show early promise for treating addiction

This systematic review evaluates preclinical and clinical evidence on glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists as potential treatments for substance use disorders. Findings show consistent reductions in drug- and alcohol-seeking behaviors in animal models, while human evidence remains limited, heterogeneous, and preliminary.

21 Jan 2026

Study examines the benefits of digital disconnection in daily life

What effect does it have on our well-being when we put our smartphones aside for a while or otherwise disconnect from digital media? Alicia Gilbert, a research associate at the Department of Communication at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU), together with two colleagues from Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), examined this question.

20 Jan 2026

Shifting blame: Public opinion on opioid crisis responsibility divides along political lines

Approximately 88% of adults view opioid overdose deaths as a very serious problem with high agreement across political groups, according to a national survey conducted by Weill Cornell Medicine researchers.

16 Jan 2026

Smoking cessation apps can boost quit rates, especially alongside medication

Smartphone apps show promise in smoking cessation, outperforming minimal support and enhancing traditional interventions, according to a recent meta-analysis.

16 Jan 2026

Brain immune cells drive persistent negative emotions after repeated binge drinking

New research has identified that neuroinflammation driven by microglia (immune cells in the brain) is a primary underlying driver of prolonged negative feelings caused by repeated, sustained binge drinking (binge exposure).

12 Jan 2026

Inside the battle for the future of addiction medicine

Elyse Stevens had a reputation for taking on complex medical cases. People who'd been battling addiction for decades. Chronic-pain patients on high doses of opioids. Sex workers and people living on the street.

7 Jan 2026

Altered stress signaling helps explain relapse in alcohol use disorder

A new study by Scripps Research reveals that alcohol dependence disrupts two signaling pathways in a stress-related part of the brain-and offers insights on developing drugs to treat this condition.

22 Dec 2025

Varenicline helps young people quit nicotine vaping regardless of cannabis use

Adolescent and young adult nicotine vaping has become an urgent public health concern, as 2024 marked the first year that nicotine vaping was the most initiated drug.

12 Dec 2025

WSU researchers discover how a neural circuit drives relapse after opioid use

Washington State University researchers have discovered how a neural circuit – or a connection between two brain regions – drives relapse after opioid use, a finding that could lead to more effective treatments for opioid use disorders.

9 Dec 2025

Researchers explore brain activity linking nicotine withdrawal and pain sensitivity

Abstinent smokers experience increased pain sensitivity during withdrawal, to the point that they often require more pain relief after surgery.

8 Dec 2025

Clearer guidance needed for low- and no-alcohol drinks in pregnancy

A UK study reveals pregnant women's use of alcohol-free drinks, highlighting safety concerns and the need for clearer guidance from healthcare professionals.

4 Dec 2025

'Dry January' can lead to meaningful physical and psychological improvements

With the new year on the horizon and resolutions brewing, more people are saying cheers to a booze-free January, a choice that might come with some real health benefits and, ultimately, help some people cut back for good.

3 Dec 2025

Chronic drinking weakens the blood-brain barrier through the gut

Chronic alcohol consumption disrupts the blood-brain barrier, but Faecalibacterium prausnitzii shows promise in repairing this damage and improving cognition.

27 Nov 2025

Even minimal cigarette use significantly increases heart disease and mortality risk

Smoking even 2-5 cigarettes a day can more than double your risk of any type of heart disease and raise your risk of death from any cause by 60% compared to people who never smoked, according to new research supported by the American Heart Association's Tobacco Center for Regulatory Science and published in PLOS Medicine.

19 Nov 2025

Understanding thrombocytopenia in patients with portal hypertension and chronic liver disease

Chronic liver disease (CLD) and its advanced stage, cirrhosis, represent a significant global health burden, with portal hypertension (PH) being a primary driver of disease progression and decompensation.

12 Nov 2025

One cup of coffee a day could keep atrial fibrillation from coming back

A multicenter randomized clinical trial found that moderate caffeinated coffee intake after cardioversion significantly lowered the recurrence of atrial fibrillation or flutter compared with abstinence. The findings challenge long-standing advice to avoid coffee in cardiac arrhythmia patients and support its safety at typical consumption levels.

10 Nov 2025

Drinking coffee can protect against atrial fibrillation

Drinking coffee can protect against atrial fibrillation (A-Fib), a common heart rhythm disorder that causes rapid, irregular heartbeat and can lead to stroke and heart failure.

10 Nov 2025

Evaluating bed-based care for substance use disorder in Canada

Is expanding hospital inpatient, or bed-based, care a way to help address the overdose crisis? An analysis article in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.240955 describes the RE-AIM framework (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance), which can help provinces determine whether bed-cased care is effective.

27 Oct 2025

Abstinence or limiting alcohol intake may lead to clinically meaningful blood pressure reductions

Light-to-moderate alcohol consumption is associated with increases in blood pressure (BP) and stopping drinking – even drinking less – may lead to clinically meaningful BP reductions, according to a study published today in JACC, the flagship journal of the American College of Cardiology.

22 Oct 2025