| Sunday, August 31, 2008 |
| The Effects of Marijuana in Teens |
An analysis of research studies with long-term, recreational users of marijuana has failed to reveal a substantial, systematic effect on the neuron cognitive functioning of users. Marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug.
Basically Marijuana is a green, brown, or gray mixture of dried, shredded leaves, stems, seeds, and flowers of the hemp plant. Marijuana is usually smoked as a cigarette or in a pipe or a bong. Marijuana is strongly absorbed by fatty tissues in various organs.
Marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug used by teens. The use of marijuana by teens can affect school, sports, and other activities; marijuana also affects memory, judgment, and perception. They may suffer sudden feelings of anxiety and have paranoid thoughts.
The use of marijuana can produce adverse physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral changes, and contrary to popular belief, it can be addictive. Marijuana smoke, like cigarette smoke, can harm the lungs. The use of marijuana can impair short-term memory verbal skills and judgment and distort perception. It also may weaken the immune system.
Teens who smoke marijuana on a regular basis start to lose interest in their appearance and how they are doing in school, at work, and at home. There are many reasons why some children and young teens start using marijuana. Most young people use marijuana because they have friends or brothers and sisters who use marijuana and pressure them to try it. Some young people use it because they see older people in the family using it.
Other users may think it's cool to use marijuana because they hear about it in music and see it used in TV and movies.
Short-term effects of marijuana:
- Problems with memory and learning
- Distorted perception (sights, sounds, time, touch)
- Trouble with thinking and problem-solving
- Loss of coordination
- Increased heart rate, anxiety, panics attacks.
If you use marijuana a lot, you could start to lose energy and lose interest in how you look. In addition, there is a strong link between drug use and unsafe sex and the spread of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Regular use of marijuana may play a role in some kinds of cancer and in problems with the respiratory, immune, and reproductive systems.
Long Term Effects:
Cancer - It's hard to know for sure whether regular marijuana use causes cancer. Marijuana smoke contains some of the same, and sometimes even more, of the cancer causing chemicals as tobacco smoke.
Lungs and airways - People who smoke marijuana often tend to develop the same kinds of breathing problems that cigarette smokers have. They suffer frequent coughing, phlegm production, and wheezing, and they tend to have more chest colds than non-users.
Immune system - Animal studies have found that Marijuana can damage the cells and tissues that help protect people from disease.
Reproductive system - Heavy use of marijuana can affect both male and female hormones. Young men could have delayed puberty because of Marijuana effects.
Marijuana has serious harmful effects on the skills needed for driving a car. Timing, coordination, alertness, and performance are all affected. For instance, the marijuana user may have trouble judging distances and may have delayed reactions to sights and sounds that drivers need to notice. There are data showing that marijuana has played a role in crashes.
There are currently no medications for treating marijuana dependence. Treatment programs focus on counseling and group support systems. There are also a number of programs designed especially to help teenagers who are abusers. Family doctors are also a good source for information and help in dealing with adolescent marijuana problems. Basically you need a expert.
The sites help you to understand effective communication, and then show you how to overcome your specific problems and in the best possible way. It specifically designed to support the parents of Troubled Teens. The purpose of communication is to get your message across to others clearly. Their services are devoted to the parent who is overwhelmed and in need of immediate assistance (coaching) in order to locate the perfect troubled teen school or program for their child. |
| posted by Healthy Life @ 8:51 PM |
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| Sunday, August 24, 2008 |
| Coping Emotionally With Overcoming Addiction |
Overcoming addiction
, particularly drug addiction (like the one mentioned in the recent HBO documentary Addiction), is perhaps one of the most difficult physical challenges we as humans can surmount. Our body's dependency on a substance can lead to physical side effects from withdrawal, as our organs become used to life without addiction.
The repercussions are multi-dimensional, and can be physical torture. Invariably it's will power and professional help that's needed to rectify the situation. But seldom when we think about overcoming addiction do we consider the mental and emotional impact of giving up. Arguably addiction is as much a physical dependency as a mental dependency, and it can be particularly hard to find the mettle to live in the face of addiction.
In order to have the first chance of success in overcoming an addiction (like in the documentary HBO Addiction), the addicted (the patient) must be personally willing to do so. The single most common reason for post-rehabilitation lapses is a lack of appreciation for the end goal. It is absolutely imperative that the patient understands the consequences, and actually wants to give up. Without that personal determination, the best medical and professional drug addiction treatment in the world wouldn't stand a chance.
With this hurdle out the way, its important to make sure the patient understands the process, and never loses sight of the aim. Demonize as far as possible, but understand that drug addiction is a lot more than lack of will. Regardless of the subject of a given drug addiction, the process is the same – gradual and awkward. It is therefore important for healthy recovery to present a balanced appreciation for the patient's circumstances. Keep them busy, and give them a shoulder to cry on when they need it. Tough love is good, but it’s also essential you provide support and guidance.
If you're addicted, or you think you might be addicted (to any substance including drug addiction), the first thing you should do is come to terms with the fact that you are indeed physically and mentally reliant on the subject. You need to stop, and put your life into perspective – understand the damage addiction can do, and understand your body's needs throughout your treatment program. Try to ignore what your body tells you in the early days. for Addiction can cause biological confusion, so don't worry about cravings.
In fact, many recovering addicts find they gain weight rapidly as they try to compensate for their lack of the subject with food and drink. If this applies to you, take comfort in the fact that your health will significantly improve without addiction over time, and remember that your weight gain should level out soon enough. Keep your eye on the ball, and make sure you cry when you feel like it, laugh when you feel like it, and talk when you feel like it. Indulge yourself socially and talk about your problems. Others might get sick of listening, but at the end of the day social, hence mental reassurance is pivotal to a successful drug recovery, even more so than the best of drug abuse recovery programs. |
| posted by Healthy Life @ 8:51 PM |
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| Sunday, August 17, 2008 |
| An Addiction Case Study: Treating Drug Addiction |
John, 28, was a drug addict, with a habit that was costing him more than just the thousands he'd spent. His liver was dying, his heart weakening, yet regardless of how hard he tried he just couldn't get out of his rut. And it wasn't just a physical thing – he was emotionally dependent on substances to make it through the day. With will power he had tried and failed.
John recognized he had a problem. John knew he had to get out there and do something about it before it killed him. Where John succeeded, many others have failed, and it is unfortunate that John should be considered an unusual case in this modern age.
John was one of the lucky ones to receive help. There are millions of addicts worldwide that don't get the adequate support and help they need to overcome their hbo addiction. We tend to associate addiction with smoking tobacco, and those who do smoke on a regular basis may even claim to be addicted themselves. Unfortunately, this gives a very poor and frankly incorrect impression of addiction. Addiction involves an actual physical dependency on a substance, as well as a mental reliance.
Smoking bears more of the characteristics of a habit, which, although firmly engrained, can be broken with little comparative effort. Of course many who try to give up do feel physical side effects, and that's all part of your body getting used to the breaking of what may be a lifetime habit. The problem with addiction is a physical dependency, which is significantly stronger than a mere craving. In order to function accordingly, the body requires the subject of the addiction, as it requires oxygen. Without this substance, the body will fight back, which ultimately easily overturns any personal desire to succeed.
Effective addiction treatment curbs the nature of addiction, whilst nurturing the patient's mentality to maintain will power. The combination of physical and mental stimulants help keep the body away from its overwhelming requirement. Addiction is a difficult process at the best of times, and can be particularly horrible and demoralizing when it comes to the fight. Support is not only helpful but a necessity as part of a treatment program. Addictions can be a lonely place, so being with the right people can mean the difference between complete success and utter failure.
Furthermore, medication and replacement substances can be used to help dampen the side effects and bodily urges. Thankfully, there is a wealth of empirical research on the subject of addiction from a variety of viewpoints, and the developments of more comprehensive drug abuse recovery programs are astonishing. Addiction is finally becoming recognized as a curable disease, and is being afforded the necessary resources to make a real difference to lives around the world. Addiction doesn't just affect the addicted, but also everyone involved in his or her life. By making support and medication available to those who have the will, there can be a realistic way out of addiction towards a new, reformed life. With increasing resources and treatment plans available, addiction need no longer plague its victims forever. |
| posted by Healthy Life @ 8:51 PM |
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| Sunday, August 10, 2008 |
| Alcoholism, Addictions and Friends of Bill: Post Holiday |
Regardless of whether one believes alcoholism and addictions are diseases or not (It is a shame we are still having this argument in the 21st century), they are real problems for millions of people and millions upon millions of families around the world all through the year. But holiday seasons and other times of personal tragedy and importance such as the death of a loved one, a divorce date, etc seem to spur the dependence as well as the craving for self medication and chemically induced euphoria.
Having battled alcoholism and addictions most of my adult life (since Viet Nam), the care of those who have bottomed out and reached out are near and dear to my heart. Bill W, the founder of AA (alcoholics anonymous), understood that. Both of us, like millions of others the world over, have started over more than once, and along the way we have learned the painful truth of the Biblical teaching that no man lives unto himself.
Friends of Bill W know that they cannot make it alone. Just like the group conscience keeps a church, a club, a school, indeed a society going, growing and maturing it keeps the Friends of Bill W on the path to a successful and rewarding life.
The good thing is that everyday we live to see a new sunrise, we have the opportunity to start a new life and to help another enjoy a fresh beginning. That does not mean that all our baggage miraculously disappears. It does mean God has granted us new grace and mercy with which to handle our demons.
It means that those who are walking the walk have a special responsibility to be there for those who still suffer...not that we don't. But, we who have been lucky enough and blessed enough to grasp the deliverance of a power greater than ourselves must take that healing way of life to suffering mankind. After all, we can only truly keep that which we freely give away.
And, especially during this time of year there appears to be plenty of opportunity to reach out to and help our fellowman. During the end of the calendar year holidays more and more people fall off the wagon and need help getting back up. After all, we understand better than most that any excuse will do and that it matters little (if at all) how many times one falls, but how many times one can get back on his feet.
So as we start a new year, any new year, we often find that the numbers in our recovery communities seem to have decreased. Actually what has happened is that the numbers needing our guidance have increased ... significantly. Perhaps the bodies showing up for mutual support have declined, but that simply means the need for outreach has increased.
While others are making new years resolutions to lose weight, get a better job, go back to school, stop smoking or whatever; we should be making resolutions to make greater efforts to be there for those who still suffer, to reach out to those in pain, to find that member of our body who disappeared a week or two ago and then to be about that business today not tomorrow. Someone you love does not have a tomorrow short of your intervention.
Perhaps just showing them the Life Story of Bill W will do the job. It will certainly reinforce your convictions and strengthen your commitment to make it to, make it through, and enjoy sobriety this time ... one day at a time.
You can watch the Life Story of Bill W or download it to your computer to show at your group meetings or to help with intervention at http://remotehelpdesk1.com |
| posted by Healthy Life @ 8:51 PM |
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| Sunday, August 3, 2008 |
| 6 Ways to Get Help with Drug Addiction Intervention Services |
The idea of “addiction intervention” is becoming a substantial way tackling the issues of drug addiction. To make it short, this procedure is used to conduct drug abuse treatments on the drug abused and to decrease the harmful effects of the substance to the body of the patient. Actually, the government of UK started this system in 2003.
It is essential to discuss a little about drug addiction before moving on to addiction interventions. It must be remembered that addiction to drugs and alcohol is an absolute pathological mode. The addiction results to lots of diseases which consist of the advancement of drug-seeking behaviors, the vulnerability to the gradual decline of the functions of the bodily systems, and the possibility of slowing down the natural human ability to answer back in any situation. Interestingly, in the fourth edition of Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders or DMS the levels of addiction are classified into three main categories. The divisions of addiction are anticipation or apprehension, intoxication or binge, and negative or withdrawal effect. These levels depend on how much drugs imposed on the human system. Because of the first cause a person indulges himself all the way to addiction. The second stage is the early phase of the addiction. The third stage indicates that the addiction is in the most risky stage and that it requires treatment. And also, the third case shows that the normal human life is very much restricted.
The substances which are the causes of the addiction, are normally classified into four different groups. They are stimulants, sedative-hypnotics, opiates, and the anabolic-androgenic steroids. Among the stimulants, the most notable drugs are amphetamine, caffeine, cocaine, and nicotine. Some notable sedatives are alcohol, barbiturates, benzodiazepins (such as alprazolam, temazepam, nimetazepam, and clonazepam etc. Among the opiates, the notable ones are morphine, codeine, heroin, hydromorphone, oxycodone, methadone, meperidine, and fentanyl. A huge number of drugs are now improperly used, which are not recommended by any medic.
The first thing that should be mentioned about the addictive intervention is the fact that this technique is not a process to be performed by alone. In maximum cases, the peers and the members of the family cannot persuade the drug addictive to let go of the habit of addiction. That is the reason why a professional person is designated to motivate him to let go of drug addiction. The professional usually aids the patient through many steps. Now, it is essential for the family members and the peers of the addictive person to escort him to the professional person. There are lots of centers present in each and every state and provinces today that provide addiction intervention services without any additional fees. You just have to to ring their telephone depending on your necessity. The professional person who is designated to perform the addiction intervention is called the counselor.
That addiction intervention processes are the collaborative effort of a lot of people. The sole purpose of an addiction intervention is to help the person with addiction problems to let go of the habit of addiction and to move towards treatment measures. Now, it should be noted that the addiction intervention is not the procedure to treat the person with addiction issues or to intoxicate the system of the person with addiction issues from the illegal substances he administered earlier. The intervention processes can only help him to lead a better life and to help him for further treatments. Now, there are lots of means of advising or intervening. There are times when the intervention is performed at home. In this case, the patient is admitted to a non-hospital facility, and his treatments are performed with the intervention processes. There are time when, In some cases, the intervention processes are continued in a treatment facility. According to statistics, addiction intervention is the most efficient way of drug recovery programs. The patients are seen to spend happy lives after completing the addiction intervention services for drug addiction recovery.
(1) The first thing to do is to call a certain center that offers the service of addiction intervention.
(2) In the second step the counselor will compare notes with the family members and the peers of the addictive person. In the course of time, he will enquire about the background of the addictive person and all the histories about his addictive traits. They will collect all other information, which are necessary for the intervention.
(3) Stage three is the most important one. In this case, the people who will be included in the whole duration of the addiction intervention along with the professional person are picked. The people should be carefully chosen. Ordinarily, the team involves the the loved ones of the person with an addiction problem.
(4) In stage four, the outline concerning the addiction intervention is drawn. The method is devised after going through the information which the intervention expert collected during the consultation time with the family members and the peers of the person with addiction problems. The selected group of people also has an important function in the intervention along with the intervention expert.
(5) In stage five, the devised method is carried out. The completion and the advising should be perfect and every single member of the handpicked group has to help in this plight. If needed, the intervention specialist will educate the group members about their task in the intervention.
(6) In six, the result is apparent and the patients will be released from their addictive state.
Finally, it should be mentioned that users of addictive drugs should get the care from the members of their family and the community to motivate him during the course of intervention. |
| posted by Healthy Life @ 8:51 PM |
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