Professor Ian Hamilton: Stimulants - Why Some People Get Addicted, And Others Don’t | Aging Less #22

Diving into the topic of stimulants and addiction may seem complicated, and there a certainly many misconceptions involved. However, it is important to understand as accurately and as compassionately as possible. Host Sarah Stancombe was joined in this episode by expert Professor Ian Hamilton to do just that.

Professor Ian Hamilton is an honorary fellow and associate professor in addiction in the Department of Health Sciences at the University of York. He investigates the impact drug use has on individuals, and populations, and focuses on the social, health and political issues related to drug and alcohol use. He writes a regular column for The Independent and provides opinion pieces for the British Medical Journal as well as publishing academic papers. Prior to becoming an academic, Professor Ian Hamilton worked as a mental health nurse, working with people who had a severe mental health problem and used drugs or alcohol problematically. He also has experience of working with rough sleepers and people who are homeless. 

In this episode, Professor Ian Hamilton explains that research on how stimulants interact with the brain is still developing, and it is a very complicated area of science. Despite this, it is important to learn how stimulants may affect your body, and especially what happens when it is taken away and withdrawal occurs. Although some stimulants have a medical use and are prescribed, it is important to remember they are still stimulants and their prescribed nature does not necessarily make them any safer. 

Together, Sarah and Professor Ian Hamilton explore how taking regular breaks from stimulant use is the most important thing to assess your level of dependency and how it affects your body and mind.

Follow Professor Ian Hamilton’s work on the University of York website: https://www.york.ac.uk/healthsciences/our-staff/honoraryemeritus/ian-hamilton/

Connect with Professor Ian Hamilton via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-hamilton-731672a7/ 

Professor Ian Hamilton recommends the following resources regarding addiction and substance use: 

Australian Government Department of Health: https://www.health.gov.au/topics/drugs

Drug Wise: https://www.drugwise.org.uk/

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