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Background: To date, there are no official diagnostic criteria for the frequently reported phenomenon of exercise addiction. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate how mental disorders, specifically depression and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), are related to exercise addiction (EA). Methods: A total of 173 participants aged between 18 and 70 years, who reported exercising more than 10 h a week and continued to exercise despite injury or illness, answered questionnaires including the Exercise Dependence Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory, and the Homburger ADHD scale for adults. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed adjusting for relevant confounders (age, gender) and stepwise regression was used to identify which of the two mental disorders is the more influential predictor of EA. Results: Pearson correlation analysis showed that depressive symptoms [r (171) = 0.422, p < 0.00] and ADHD symptoms [r (171) = 0.308, p < 0.001] were positively correlated with EA symptoms. The relation between depressive symptoms and EA remained after adjusting for confounders in the regression model (B = 20.531; t(170) = 5.950; 95% CI [13.719, 27.343]; p < 0.001). Similarly, the positive link between ADHD symptoms and EA persisted after controlling for confounders (B = 15.507; t(170) = 3.771; 95% CI [7.389, 23.625]; p < 0.001). Additionally, a stepwise regression model identified that depressive symptoms are a stronger predictor for EA than ADHD symptoms. Conclusion: Depressive symptoms seem to be a stronger predictor for EA compared to ADHD symptoms in frequent exercisers. Although individuals with ADHD May exercise extensively, they might be less at risk for EA than individuals with depression. These results contribute to the complex characterization of the psychiatric profile of individuals with exercise addiction, and underline the need for further research elucidating the interplay between mental disorders and EA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Legal regulations for dispensing in Swiss heroin‐assisted treatment were relaxed during the COVID‐19 pandemic, allowing prolonged take‐home of up to 7 days instead of two to reduce patient contact and the risk of infection. Our study aimed to measure the consequences of this new practice. Design, setting and participants: This was a retrospective cohort study set in Switzerland's largest outpatient centre for opioid agonist therapy. One hundred and thirty‐four (72.4%) of the 185 patients receiving oral diacetylmorphine (DAM) participated in the study. Measurements: Through the utilization of electronic medication prescription and dispensing software, as well as the electronic medical record, the following data were extracted to explore the potential consequences: dose of DAM, the number of antibiotic therapies, emergency hospitalizations and incarcerations. Age, gender, prescriptions for psychotrophic drugs and additional prescription for injectable DAM were tested to assess an increased risk of losing prolonged take‐home privileges. Data in the year since prolonged take‐home (period 2) were compared with data from the equivalent prior year (period 1). Findings DAM take‐home was not associated with a change in DAM dose (P = 0.548), the number of emergency hospitalizations (P = 0.186) or the number of incarcerations (P = 0.215); 79.1% of all patients were able to maintain their extended take‐home privileges. However, patients who had injectable DAM experienced significant reductions in their prolonged take‐home privileges. Conclusion: Allowing patients to take home oral diacetylmorphine for up to 7 days as treatment for opioid use disorder does not appear to pose any demonstrable health risk. It is generally manageable for the large majority of patients. However, careful consideration of prolonged take‐home for patients with additional injectable diacetylmorphine is recommended, as these patients are more likely to lose take‐home privileges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Miller's rule is an empirical relation between the nonlinear and linear optical coefficients that applies to a large class of materials but has only been rigorously derived for the classical Lorentz model with a weak anharmonic perturbation. In this work, we extend the proof and present a detailed derivation of Miller's rule for an equivalent quantum-mechanical anharmonic oscillator. For this purpose, the classical concept of velocity-dependent damping inherent to the Lorentz model is replaced by an adiabatic switch-on of the external electric field, which allows a unified treatment of the classical and quantum-mechanical systems using identical potentials and fields. Although the dynamics of the resulting charge oscillations, and hence the induced polarizations, deviate due to the finite zero-point motion in the quantum-mechanical framework, we find that Miller's rule is nevertheless identical in both cases up to terms of first order in the anharmonicity. With a view to practical applications, especially in the context of ab initio calculations for the optical response where adiabatically switched-on fields are widely assumed, we demonstrate that a correct treatment of finite broadening parameters is essential to avoid spurious errors that may falsely suggest a violation of Miller's rule, and we illustrate this point by means of a numerical example. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the current overdose crisis, which is a significant public health challenge in the field of mental health and substance use disorder care. The increase in mortality is primarily due to changing drug markets and patterns of substance use, as well as an ill-prepared system of care. Fentanyl has become the dominant drug of choice among many people who use drugs, and the rise in overdose deaths in North America has been dramatic. The article explores the concept of "safe supply," which involves providing high-potent psychotropic substances outside of a therapeutic context to reduce overdose risk. However, there is a lack of large-scale effectiveness studies on safe supply, and caution is expressed by experts regarding the potential risks and lack of evidence for its benefits. The article emphasizes the importance of integrating pharmacotherapy and psychosocial care, as well as learning from successful approaches in other countries such as Portugal and Switzerland. It also highlights the lessons that can be learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing the importance of evidence-based approaches in addressing public health crises. Overall, the article calls for a comprehensive and evidence-based strategy to address the overdose crisis, taking into account the complexities and diverse needs of individuals with substance use disorders. [Extracted from the article]