Addicted

GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, originally developed for diabetes and later weight loss, are now being tested in clinical trials for a widening range of conditions, including heart failure, addiction and even aspects of aging. The story highlights how quickly these medications are moving beyond their original use, with researchers exploring new therapeutic applications and observers debating how far the trend may go.

Manchester United is trending in multiple countries, including Brazil, India, Italy, Japan and Germany. searches and posts point to the club's upcoming match against Bournemouth, with assistant Michael Carrick's team news attracting attention, alongside coverage of a former United and England player's revelation of a drug addiction. Fans are discussing team selection and the latest club news.

Golfer Phil Mickelson has entered rehab, saying he is being treated for what he described as family trauma and addiction. The announcement has drawn broad attention in the sports world, with fans and commentators reacting to the six-time major champion's decision to step away and address personal issues openly.

Journalist Marie Portolano has been cleared of defamation charges, according to Ouest-France, while Pierre Ménès is set to stand trial for sexual assault in the related case. Separately, Portolano is drawing attention for a France 2 programme with Jamy Gourmaud testing viewers' screen addiction.

A New York Times report examines people who began taking kratom, an herbal supplement promoted for pain relief, energy and other health benefits, and later developed dependence on it. The story highlights the gap between kratom's reputation as a natural remedy and its addictive potential, as users describe withdrawal symptoms and struggles to stop.

Til Schweiger has publicly discussed losing control of his life due to alcohol addiction, admitting to a period of excesses, in an interview widely reported by German media including Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger. In separate political news, CDU politician Carsten Linnemann has refused to rule out cuts to nursing care benefits, saying around ten percent savings must be found, prompting concern among care recipients.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. visited Michigan and Iowa to promote the Make America Healthy Again agenda, highlighting initiatives on nutrition, addiction recovery, and maternal health. The visits showcase the administration's health policy priorities as Kennedy continues rolling out MAHA programs across states, drawing attention to how federal health policy will be implemented locally.

Snapchat has reached a settlement in the United States, allowing the company to avoid the next court ruling in a wave of lawsuits brought by thousands of American families. The families accuse social media operators of designing their products so that children become addicted. By settling, Snapchat avoids potentially damaging judgments, while broader legal action against social networks over youth addiction continues.

Bollywood actor Shahid Kapoor is trending after an anecdote surfaced about his green-haired look in the 2016 film Udta Punjab. The Indian Express reports that his dramatic transformation, playing a drug-addicted rockstar, shocked his father-in-law, who 'froze' on seeing it. Readers in India, the UK, Canada and Australia are revisiting the role and his willingness to radically change his appearance.

A German-language blog has published a new post examining alcohol-free living, sobriety and addiction prevention, asking whether drinks labelled alcohol-free are truly what they claim. The piece tags topics including abstinence, health and mindful drinking, reflecting wider German-language debate about alcohol consumption and recovery.

Dutch MP Barbara Kathmann has tabled a proposal in the Dutch Parliament to ban harmful addictive design features across online services. The measure targets endless scrolling, autoplay and manipulative algorithms, and would cover social media, gaming, dating apps and streaming platforms. The proposal forms part of a wider debate in Europe on protecting users, especially young people, from manipulative online design.

Mid-State Technical College is hosting a guest speaker who will discuss mental health, addiction and resilience. The event is intended to raise awareness of these issues among students and the wider community in central Wisconsin, and the college is promoting it through local media.

A young hacker responsible for what is described as a historic cyber breach has given his first public interview, speaking ahead of reporting to prison. In his comments he describes himself as 'addicted to hacking'. The interview comes just before he begins serving his sentence, drawing attention to questions about cybercrime, youth and punishment.

French debate over tobacco is being reignited by Professor Bertrand Dautzenberg, a leading pulmonologist, who argues that smokers are victims of their addiction rather than people to blame. Speaking to Le Figaro Santé, he called for smokers to be treated with compassion rather than guilt as France continues to grapple with high smoking rates and the health consequences of cigarettes.

Hamilton County, Tennessee has launched a parenting program aimed at families dealing with substance abuse. The initiative, reported by the Chattanooga Times Free Press, is designed to support parents struggling with addiction and help keep families together. Details about the program's providers, funding, and services have not yet been widely reported.

Executives from behavioral health operators BayMark Health Services, Bradford Recovery and Deerfield are discussing merger and acquisition expectations for 2027. The conversation, reported by Behavioral Health Business, covers how consolidation may shape the behavioral health sector in the coming year, with leaders weighing deal activity, valuation trends and growth strategy across addiction treatment and recovery services.

Malayalam-language readers are engaging with a Manorama Online article arguing that smartphones now regulate nearly every part of daily life — food, sleep, speech habits and even intimate behaviour. The piece frames the phone as an invasive presence that monitors and shapes personal conduct, prompting conversation in Kerala about dependence on mobile devices and their social and psychological effects.

Writer Meghan O'Gieblyn has published a candid personal essay describing how she secretly relapsed into alcoholism after 11 years of sobriety, hiding it so completely that even her husband did not know. In the piece she reflects on having 'perfected deception' the second time around, contrasting it with her first period of addiction, which people around her knew about.

Trial lawyer Mark Lanier won a March verdict against Meta and Google in the first social media addiction case to go to trial, part of his broader litigation campaign against major tech companies. A new Wired profile says the verdict is only the beginning, as hundreds of similar suits over youth harm and platform design move through US courts, with Lanier positioning himself as the leading legal challenge to Big Tech.

A documentary series about Matthew Perry, the late Friends actor who died in October 2023, is being reviewed, under the title 'The One About Matthew Perry'. The review examines how the series handles his life, addiction struggles and legacy. Coverage of the actor has remained strong since his death, and any new documentary about him tends to attract discussion among fans of the sitcom.

Behavioral health providers have long been underserved by electronic health record systems, which were designed primarily for general medical care and poorly fit mental health and addiction treatment workflows. Industry commentary argues that AI tools could now help providers leapfrog these longstanding design limitations, improving documentation and care coordination. The discussion is gaining attention as AI adoption accelerates across healthcare, prompting questions about whether behavioral health will benefit or again lag behind.

Game UX expert Celia Hodent argues that concerns about video game addiction deserve serious attention, but warns against repeating history's moral panics that painted games as inherently harmful. Writing for GamesBeat, she calls for a balanced approach: acknowledging legitimate issues like manipulative monetization and excessive play while avoiding exaggerated claims that stall productive conversation about healthier game design.

Comedian Chris Rock has opened up about struggling with a porn addiction, saying the experience left him 'severely humbled'. He compared the arc of confronting and overcoming the habit to the storyline of a Marvel film, framing it as a dramatic personal transformation. The candid remarks have drawn attention for their frankness about an unusual subject for a stand-up star.