Addiction & Mental Health Glossary

Adderall is a brand-name prescription stimulant containing a mixture of amphetamine salts, available in both immediate-release and extended-release formulations. It is a Schedule II controlled substance in Canada, a classification that reflects its high potential for abuse and dependence.

Antidepressants are medications that alter neurotransmitter activity in the brain to relieve symptoms of mood and anxiety-related psychiatric conditions. They are not addictive, they do not produce euphoria, activate the reward circuit, or create cravings, but they carry dependence potential – abrupt discontinuation after weeks of use can trigger a withdrawal-like syndrome.

Benzodiazepines are a class of sedative-hypnotic medications prescribed for anxiety disorders, insomnia, seizure control, muscle spasms, and alcohol withdrawal management. They work fast, they work reliably, and they create physical dependence within weeks of daily use, making them one of the most difficult prescription drug classes to discontinue safely.

Biphentin is a Canadian brand of controlled-release methylphenidate prescribed for attention and impulse-control deficits in children, adolescents, and adults. 40% of the dose releases immediately, and the remaining 60% releases gradually over 10 to 12 hours, delivering a fast-acting boost at the start of the day with sustained coverage through the afternoon.

Concerta is the brand name for extended-release methylphenidate, a stimulant used to treat attention and impulse-control deficits in children, adolescents, and adults. OROS (Osmotic Release Oral System) technology gradually releases methylphenidate over 10 to 12 hours, maintaining focus without the peaks and troughs of immediate-release formulations.

DayQuil is an over-the-counter daytime cold and flu medication that contains a pain reliever, a cough suppressant, and a nasal decongestantmbut no alcohol and no sedating antihistamine. It is marketed as the “non-drowsy” option, yet it still carries misuse potential tied to its cough-suppressant ingredient.

Gabapentin (Neurontin) is an anticonvulsant and analgesic originally developed for epilepsy and now prescribed widely for neuropathic pain, postherpetic neuralgia, restless legs syndrome, and off-label for anxiety and alcohol withdrawal. It modulates calcium channels and increases GABA turnover, though its exact action on the brain is not fully mapped.

Hydroxyzine is a first-generation antihistamine that doubles as an anxiolytic and a mild sedative. It is prescribed for anxiety, insomnia, pre-surgical calming, and allergic reactions. It reduces agitation without causing euphoria, reward circuit activation, or physical reliance, making it useful in addiction treatment.

Lisdexamfetamine dimesylate (sold as Vyvanse) is a prescription stimulant approved in Canada for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children, adolescents, and adults, as well as moderate-to-severe binge eating disorder in adults.

Lyrica is the brand name for pregabalin, an anticonvulsant prescribed for nerve pain, seizure disorders, and certain anxiety conditions. It reaches high peak blood levels quickly, produces euphoria at supratherapeutic doses, and is a Schedule V controlled substance in the United States, Canada has not scheduled it federally, though monitoring is increasing.

Mescaline is a naturally occurring psychedelic compound found in several species of cacti native to the Americas, where it has been used in Indigenous ceremonial practice for thousands of years. In Canada, mescaline is a Schedule III controlled substance; possession and distribution outside authorized religious or research contexts are illegal.

Methylphenidate is a central nervous system stimulant and the active ingredient in several widely prescribed medications for attention and impulse-control disorders. It is the most commonly prescribed stimulant in its therapeutic class worldwide and a Schedule III controlled substance in Canada.

NyQuil is an over-the-counter cold and flu medication whose liquid formulation contains a pain reliever, a cough suppressant, a sedating antihistamine, and 10% alcohol by volume as a combination that makes it relevant in addiction treatment.

Opioid medications are prescription painkillers that reduce nervous system pain by binding to brain and spinal cord mu-opioid receptors. The class includes short-acting and extended-release compounds with a wide potency range. As directed for acute or palliative pain, they meet a therapeutic need. They are among the most addictive drugs when overdosed.

Prednisone is a synthetic corticosteroid that suppresses inflammation and immune response. It is prescribed for a wide range of conditions – asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, inflammatory bowel disease, allergic reactions, and organ transplant rejection prevention. Prednisone mimics cortisol, binds to glucocorticoid receptors, and reduces immunological pathways.

Prednisone withdrawal is the set of symptoms that emerge when a person who has been taking prednisone for an extended period reduces the dose too quickly or stops abruptly. Prednisone does not produce euphoria or activate the reward circuit. When external corticosteroids are discontinued, the adrenal glands, repressed for weeks or months, cannot produce enough cortisol.

Ritalin is the brand name for immediate-release methylphenidate, one of the oldest and most widely prescribed stimulants for attention and impulse-control deficits. Approved in Canada since the 1960s, it is a Schedule III controlled substance, reflecting moderate abuse potential that still requires close monitoring.

SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) are a group of antidepressant drugs that raise serotonin concentrations in the brain by stopping the neurotransmitter from being recycled back into the nerve cell that released it. The class contains six widely prescribed medications, each with a different half-life and side-effect profile.

Stimulants are a class of psychoactive substances that accelerate central nervous system activity by increasing dopamine and norepinephrine signalling in the brain. The category spans prescription medications, illicit drugs, and everyday compounds. Potent stimulants cause alertness, mood elevation, energy, and hunger suppression, followed by a crash that encourages use.

Synthetic opioids are lab-manufactured compounds that bind to mu-opioid receptors in the brain, producing pain relief, euphoria, and respiratory depression, the same effects as plant-derived opioids like morphine and codeine, but at dramatically higher potency.

Venlafaxine (sold as Effexor and Effexor XR) is a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) prescribed for panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and major depressive disorder. It is effective, widely prescribed, and notorious for producing one of the most unpleasant discontinuation syndromes of any antidepressant.

Sertraline (sold under the brand name Zoloft) belongs to the SSRI class of antidepressants. It carries one of the broadest prescribing profiles in its class, covering mood, anxiety, and trauma-related psychiatric conditions.