Saturday, October 17, 2015

The Dangers Of Drinking In Excess

 

Although alcohol is a popular drink for many people, excessive drinking has many disadvantages for individuals, families and society. Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol leads to a variety of problems.

One of the saddest consequences of excessive drinking is that it kills about 88,000 people per year in the United States. In 2006 alone, there were over one million visits to the emergency rooms due to alcohol related accidents and health issues. Excessive alcohol consumption is a lifestyle behavior that contributes to more deaths than other lifestyle behaviors.

Excessive alcohol use leads to a veracity of illnesses and personal injuries. Health problems include liver damage. Common ailments are cirrhosis and hepatitis. Cirrhosis is one of the top 15 causes of death in the US. Excessive alcohol use can lead to a various cardiovascular diseases such as cardiomyopathy and arterial fibrillation. Excessive drinking can also worsen any pre-existing heart and liver conditions. Heavy drinkers also have an increased risk of cancers of the mouth, esophagus and colon.

Alcohol poisoning is another health risk. It causes respiratory problems, unconscious or coma. In extreme cases, death occurs from excessive levels of alcohol in the body. Long-term drinking can lead to neurological deficiencies and psychological conditions such as anxiety and depression. With some people, the emotional problems lead to suicide attempts.

When a person drinks too much, his judgment is impaired and this may lead to reckless behaviors or activities that cause injuries or even death. Many injuries involve falls. One of the worst behaviors with excessive drinking is driving a car while intoxicated. This action results in more traffic accidents that cause harm to the driver, passengers, pedestrians or other drivers. Accidents while on the water also occur more frequently when people are drinking. Many accidents with firearms also happen when people are drinking in excess.

Drinking too much also has a profound effect on the family. Family violence is more likely if a person has had too much to drink. In many cases, the children are more likely to be physically or emotionally abused although domestic partners are also abused. With some heavy drinkers, child neglect is the result.

Drinking in excess has an impact at many levels. Reducing alcohol consumption is the best way to reduce its toll on the family and society.

Friday, September 4, 2015

Common Types Of Mental Health Issues


There are many people who suffer from mental health issues. Some people have received a proper diagnosis, but unfortunately some people's conditions are undiagnosed. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with a mental health problem, it is important to get adequate information on the diagnoses, as well as your various treatment options and where you can go for support. Some of the most common mental health issues that people suffer from are anxiety and depression, and they are discussed in detail below.

Anxiety and Panic Attacks
Put simply, anxiety is a word that is used to describe those feelings of unease, fear or worry. When you experience anxiety, it is usually a combination of emotions and physical sensations. It is important to note that even though the symptoms of anxiety can be quite unpleasant; this condition is linked to the 'flight or fight' response, which is a normal biological reaction when one feels threatened.

We all experience anxiety from time to time, but if you notice that you feelings of anxiety are beyond what can be regarded as normal; for instance they are very strong or they last for a lengthy time, then you might be suffering from anxiety. Good examples of symptoms of anxiety include, worrying all the time about issues that are part of everyday life or about things that might not even happen and experiencing unpleasant psychological or physical symptoms of the condition on a regular basis, or even panic attacks.

Depression
We all go through moments of feeling sad and miserable about life. However, if you notice that such feelings are starting to interfere with your everyday life, it could be that you are suffering from depression in the medical sense. For instance, if the feelings are long lasting or you experience them over and over again. Mild depression does not usually interfere with your life. However, major depression can actually be life-threatening as one of its symptoms is feeling up suicidal. Other specific forms of depression include seasonal affective disorder, postnatal depression and bipolar disorder. Follow us for more information and resources on drug abuse and treatment.

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

How Long Does Cocaine Stay In Your System?


You may be wondering how long cocaine stays in your system especially if you are just about to take a drug test. Various factors affect the length of time, including the amount of the drug taken, your weight and height, the frequency that you are taking cocaine, and your body's overall rate of metabolism.

In general, cocaine stays in the body's system between 17 and 24 hours, and is usually undetectable in urine after 12 hours, although a large dose may still register up to 72 hours later. However, the main metabolite present in cocaine, benzoylecgonine, takes a lot longer to vanish from the system and because of this, most drug tests are actually looking for traces of Benzoylecgonine. It can take even longer for all traces of cocaine to be eliminated from your body if you combine the cocaine with alcohol. The alcohol and cocaine taken together combine to create a metabolite called cocaethylene, and this can typically take between 5 and 20 days for all traces to vanish, depending on the amount consumed and the regularity of the usage. Traces of cocaethylene will be eliminated more quickly if water is consumed regularly after consuming the alcohol and cocaine.

One problem that regular or heavy users can face is that a drug screening test can show positive even if they haven't taken cocaine in a long time. This is because the drug is stored in the liver and other fatty tissues and is continuously released in to the blood stream. False readings are also reported in drug tests for other reasons, especially among those taking certain medications, or those with a chronic liver or kidney disease. Different types of drug screening tests can also give different results; the 4 main types of drug screening test are the blood, hair, saliva and urine test. The most common method of testing is the urine test, because it is inexpensive and painless. If you have been subjected to a drug test and the results are positive despite the fact that you have never taken cocaine, you should of course request a second test.

Saturday, July 4, 2015

What’s The Best Medicine To Take For ADD Or ADHD?


Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a condition often found in young people but can continue on through the adult years. Extreme cases are often treated with appropriate medicine to lessen the symptoms such as inattention, impulsiveness and hyperactivity. Most doctors will prescribe a stimulant but there are cases wherein a non-stimulant or a high blood pressure medication will be better for the patient. Here are some of the best ADHD medicine options available:

Ritalin

Ritalin is a potent stimulant containing methylphenidate which is capable of effectively minimizing the main symptoms of ADHD relatively fast. Unlike other drugs, it does not cause the patient to have increased tics. On the other hand, it could deter brain development in children. It is also known to cause insomnia, headaches, depression, dizziness, loss of appetite, and nausea.

Adderall

Adderall contains dextroamphetamine and amphetamine. It is very similar to Ritalin in its level of effectiveness and potential side effects. In rare cases, the intake of this drug may trigger a heart attack. This may become a fatal incident especially if the patient has been drinking significant amounts of alcohol.

Dexedrine

Dexedrine's main ingredient is the stimulant dextroamphetamine.  It can control all of the major ADHD symptoms but may trigger the usual side effects associated with stimulants. One big drawback is that it can make the incidents of tics rise over time if the patient goes overboard with the dosage. Utmost care should be taken when administering this drug to prevent overdose.

Strattera

This one is a non-stimulant drug with atomoxetine as the active ingredient. The effect of stimulants tends to last for only a few hours whereas this drug can provide 24-hour relief. It is a good fit for people who are suffering from depression and anxiety but it is not as potent with regards to hyperactivity. Patients should watch out for side effects than may include nausea, vomiting, headache, stomach ache, fatigue and irritability.

The good news is that atomoxetine costs less than other treatments and doesn't induce drug dependence the way that stimulants tend to. Of course, this doesn't mean it should be handled recklessly as it may heighten feelings of despair.

Monday, June 8, 2015

Steps To Take After Finding Drugs In Your Child’s Room



Anyone can fall victim to drug abuse addiction and disorders. Most people struggling with substance abuse started off with a harmless experimentation and ended up getting hooked. It usually starts with alcohol and marijuana, after which the body starts getting used to the effects and the person feels the need to increase the dosage. As time goes by, drug abusers no longer get as high as they used to from these drugs and end up using stronger substances such as heroin, cocaine, mushrooms and prescription pills.

Teen Drugs Use

Parents are constantly worrying about their teenage kids. This is because the rates of substance abuse among persons in this age bracket is very high. If a parent suspects their child of substance abuse, the first step they usually take is to search their rooms. Most of these parents don't know what steps to take when they actually come across their kids' stash in their rooms. If you are one of these parents, then this is what you need to do.

Educate Yourself

Most parents are either too concerned or suspicious of their children abusing drugs, while others don't worry about it because they trust their children too much. What you need to be doing is taking a stance in the middle and convince yourself that it is possible that your child could be using drugs. You then need to educate yourself on what to keep an eye out for. The internet can be a great source of information as far as understanding the signs is concerned.

Think Before Acting

One of the mistakes most parents make after finding drugs in their children's bedrooms is acting too rash. If you let your emotions get the best of you, then you are likely to angrily confront your child, which is never a good idea. It is important that you give yourself enough time to cool off before approaching your teenage child on the matter.

Discuss Rather than Confront

The way you approach your child will determine how responsive they are. Rather than confronting them, try making it a discussion. This way, you will encourage participation which will help you understand the root of the problem. If you are not sure of how to approach your child, do some research on the internet and find out the right steps to take.

Lay Down the Rules and Encourage Openness

Once your child realizes that you've done your research and actually know what you are talking about, they are more likely to listen to what you say. Make it clear to them that substance abuse will not be tolerated in your home and then find a way to encourage open communication.

Saturday, May 9, 2015

What Can I Do If I Can't Control My Drinking



It seemingly happens in a very sly and, for a time, unnoticed way. There are some signs that appear, but we often tend to rationalize them and explain them to ourselves in a manner we can accept and live with at least for the moment. Yes, alcohol abuse is a cunning and devious situation to be dealing with, that is for sure. The mind continues to play with it and depending where we are on the spectrum, we go back and forth trying to convince ourselves that yes it is a problem, and no it isn't, it is just a phase we are going through. The truth is that if has gotten to this point, it truly is a problem and it must be faced.

When we reach the point in time that in is on our mind that we are indeed abusing alcohol, we must face and deal with that truth. For starters, we must get past the initial thoughts of comparing ourselves with others to judge whether or not we have advanced too far in a downward spiral. Comparisons can always be made that find someone else even more dependent than we are, but that is not the point. When we have reached that time that we are planning our daily activities around when and where we can have that drink to help us keep going, we are far gone! It is at this juncture we must be totally honest with ourselves and get the help that we need, whether this be getting to the rooms of AA and trying to deal with the issue with the help of the angels in those rooms, or getting ourselves to a rehabilitation facility where we can receive the instruction and care of those professionals trained in how to best get our recovery going. Whatever road we choose to travel, being totally honest with ourselves that we can't get this done by ourselves is a critical first step.

The good news is that there is help out there for those of us struggling and dealing with this problem, and we can get it and go on to a rewarding and fruitful existence. It all starts with being completely honest with ourselves.

Saturday, April 18, 2015

How Buprenorphine And Suboxone Can Be Both An Addiction Cure And A Deadly Recreational Drug


Opiates are chemical substances that attach to the brain's opioid receptors, when ingested, causing a rush (from increased dopamine production) and pain-numbing. Opiate addiction develops from prolonged intake of opiates, whether from prescription medication (morphine, oxycodone, buprenorphine compounds, and Xanax among other painkillers) or recreational drugs. Opiate addicts have distorted brain cells, abnormal cognitive processes, and abnormal body functions from the use of opiates. However, this addiction can be treated by a gradual withdrawal of opiates, and treatment of withdrawal symptoms.

Buprenorphine and Suboxone as opiate addiction treatment medication

Buprenorphine is a synthetic opiate that is highly recommended over other narcotics as a painkiller and treatment medication of other opiates addictions. Suboxone, a compound of buprenorphine and naloxone, is more potent than other opiates; it readily attaches to the brain's opioids receptors and displaces other opioids. However, buprenorphine compounds (Suboxone and Subutex) have less intense effects on the body and the brain, and they last longer than effects of other opiates on the brain and the body. Suboxone, also called Suoxone, is used an opiate addiction treatment as naloxone reduces the adverse effects of buprenorphine further and prevents the full attachment of buprenorphine molecules onto the brain's opioids receptors. Using Suboxone to treat other opiates addiction is safe as it curbs opiate withdrawals while reversing the opiate dependence.

Buprenorphine and Suboxone as deadly recreational drugs

As aforementioned, Suboxone has similar effects as other opiates, and its prolonged use can built tolerance, increase dependence and create addiction. Suboxone is available in filmstrip and tablet form. The tablets should be ingested orally to slow the drug release into the bloodstream. The approval of Suboxone as an opiate addiction treatment medication saw more people that needed it than the available supplies of the drug. Approved Suboxone administrators started selling the drug, and opiate addicts, who lacked their first-choice opiate, learnt that they could get similar effects from Suboxone. Suboxone abusers dissolve the drug and inject it into their bloodstreams, or they crash the tablets and inhale the powder, delivering massive quantities of the drug into the bloodstream and the brain. A Suboxone overdose, defined as the presence of toxic levels of Suboxone in the blood, can cause heart attack among other adverse effects that can lead to permanent brain and body damage or death.

Suboxone is a compound of naloxone and buprenorphine, and it is used for the safe treatment of opiate addiction and pain-numbing. Abuse of buprenorphine, by people who seek the rush and pain-numbing that opiates give, can result in an overdose. Follow us for more information and resources on drug abuse and treatment.

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

You Can Get Help For Steroids Abuse


Even though it is not like a traditional drug, you can still get help for steroids abuse. You can get treatment and get better. You don't have to live with the addiction.

If you are struggling with steroids use right now, the first thing you should do is talk to someone about this. It can be a family member or a close friend. Just make sure it is someone you feel comfortable around.

Tell them how you are feeling and what you want to change. Ask them to support you through the process so that you can have an easier time while you try to get better. Ask if they can help you locate a good treatment center.

If the person you talk to can't help you, tell someone else. You don't have to go through this alone. There are people who will walk with you on your journey.

Once you do get into a treatment center, it might take a long time to get back to where you were before you started abusing. Things won't change overnight and it will require a lot of work on your part. The good thing about a center is that they know this and will be there to help you through it.

Whether you are in the center for a few weeks or a few months depends on who you are as a person and how bad of an addiction you had. Just take your time and know that it might take longer for you than it did for someone else.

Take people up on their offers to support you. Let them know you appreciate what they are doing to help you along your journey. Do what you can to work with them and you will be on your way to a healthier life.

Friday, February 27, 2015

Getting Treated For Black Tar Abuse And Addiction

 

Heroin, otherwise known as black tar, is a very addicting substance that is actually a derivative of morphine. Morphine is a drug that is derived from opium poppy seeds, the same seeds that are used for the development of all opiates available today. These drugs are very addicting because of the way that they interact with your central nervous system. In this article, we will look at how you can get treated for this substance to effectively eliminate it from your life.

Why Black Tar Is Addicting

Black tar is extremely addicting because of how it interacts with your CNS. In the same way that drugs like codeine and Vicodin are able to change the mu receptors in your brain, heroin does the same. It makes them very different, needing more stimulation, and if you don't get it, you may find yourself craving this drug at all times. Because of the potency of heroin, many people become addicted for life, which can wreak havoc on their body and mind, causing them to age rapidly, and some to actually die. For this reason, it is so important that you find a treatment center that can help you with the withdrawal symptoms that will occur as you try to stop using this substance in your life.

Getting Treated For Heroin Addiction

Whether you call this smack, junk, or black tar, it is all the same, a drug that you need to stop using. It is extremely expensive, can compromise your livelihood, your job, and also any relationships that you have, which is why you need to check into a treatment center. You can find one in your city or town and simply ask for the help that you need. If they have availability, they will admit you, and after several weeks, you will be clean and heroin free.

Sunday, January 25, 2015

Ending Your Addiction To Sleeping Medications The Easy Way


Sleeping medications are prescribed to people all over the world, designed to help people relax enough so that they can fall asleep. Some of them are very powerful, including Ambien, Sonata and Lunesta that are able to sedate your central nervous system effectively so that you will fall unconscious. These are very effective drugs it used the right way, helping people to get to sleep that they need. If you have a busy lifestyle, and you can't unwind, you could be facing a very difficult time at work, or just functioning throughout the day, if you can't get proper sleep.

How Sleeping Medications Work

A sleeping medication is able to interact with your central nervous system in a way that allows you to fall asleep much more quickly. They are sedatives, able to cause your central nervous system to relax or becomes sedated based upon how the drug interacts with your CNS. However, when you take them on a regular basis, you may begin to depend on them regularly. If this occurs, you may not be able to stop taking them, and when you don't have them, you won't be able to sleep. That's why you need to find a way to stop taking them, and use something more natural, so that you will not be addicted to these drugs.

End Your Addiction To Sleeping Medications

Sleeping medications don't have to be taken if you can simply find a way to relax yourself enough before you go to sleep. The natural process of going to sleep will kick in if you are able to take something like valerian root, drink warm milk, or do some type of meditation before sleeping. If you need to go to a clinic to end your addiction, they may be able to provide you with alternatives that can help. In the end, you won't have to deal with the nausea, and potential vomiting, that comes with taking these sleeping medications which can be bad for your health.

Monday, January 5, 2015

Ending Your Addiction To Glue Sniffing The Easy Way

 

Would you like to end your addiction to inhalants? This is something that you might do with glue that you purchase at the store, aerosol cans like hairspray, or something similar. Many people develop an addiction to it because of the hallucinogenic properties that can occur when inhaling these substances.

The addiction is not so much a chemical change within the body that makes you addicted, but you become addicted to the experience itself. Here's an overview of the dangers of using huff or whippets, and what you can do to end your addiction very easily.

Dangers Of Using Huff

The primary dangers involved with glue sniffing is that it can actually cause your brain to be damaged as a result of not getting enough oxygen. It can also cause toxic problems such as diarrhea, vomiting, and over prolonged use, an inability to focus properly.

If you are not able to end this addiction quickly, you could end up with permanent damage to the way that you are able to think, and it may lead to coronary problems as well. So you have to find a way to get rid of this habit is in is possible.

Easy Way To End Your Addiction To Glue Sniffing

If you sniff glue on a regular basis, you may have to go to a treatment center to get the help that you need. It is possible that you may be addicted and you won't be able to stop. By going to a treatment center and admitting yourself, you can stay there for several weeks and get the help that you need to stop this addiction.

The sniffing is very dangerous, and can lead to the problems that were mentioned before. Contact one of these treatment centers today, check yourself in, and find a way to stop this addiction immediately.