Category: Health

Addictions are major psychological, physical and social problems that specialists in all fields of expertise try to manage and solve, helping the victims of alcohol abuse, drugs, smoking, gambling to get another chance and a better quality of life. A smoking addiction implies not only substance addiction but also a behavioral one. Programs have been created, specialists trained, results were obtained and many people are smoke-free and leaving a happy life.

Still, the risk of relapse is a heavy burden on the shoulders of the ones who tried to get out of the self-destructive path. While talking the circle of addiction, some observations have to stand out, as they are necessary in order to understand better the kind the exposure former smokers face every day.

Specialists from The Smoking Cessation Health Center offer two working concepts: the slip and the relapse

The Slip

A slip is when a smoker who has quit smokes one or two cigarettes”, WebMD specialists explain. This is not so terrible, health experts say, as the individual can pass this moment of weakness and continue his non-smoking program and life

Suggestions for avoiding the slip in the future

• Find nicotine replacements: patches, gum, medicines, electronic – cigarettes. They don’t act like infallible methods of quitting smoking, but they will be a friend in need along with the more complex program, treatment, coaching and other aids. As BLU for instance describes its products, they look and feel like real cigarettes but they are not tobacco cigarettes. So if you slipped just because you were in a social, emotional, physical context that triggered in your head the need to light a cigarette or just keep your fingers busy, this may be one solution among others.

• Talk to somebody about the slip. Others found themselves in the same situation. Exchanging experience, talking tips and tricks, having somebody there for you is a lot way better than dealing with this all alone.

• Don’t feel bad about yourself and don’t feel guilty. Also, don’t think that if you slipped once, you’ll do it over and over, so you’d better start smoking again. Keep being a person who is in course of feeling better. A slip is not the worse that could happen.

The Relapse

The same WebMD resources state that “A relapse is when a smoker who has quit returns to regular smoking”. This is however something one should be concerned with and prevent this from happening

Suggestions for avoiding to relapse in the future

• Consider carefully if you relapsed because of nicotine withdrawal or you just missed the entire behavioral complex that represents smoking. If it was the nicotine, add some side treatments with the help of your doctor. If it was the behavior, it’s impossible to avoid it forever, but learn what to expect and what you should do. There are coaching programs designed exactly for this type of problem.

• Don’t just try to quit smoking, but make some changes in your lifestyle as well. They are all connected: diet, sports, sleeping habits, working schedule, free time spending

• Plan ahead: one relapse might discourage you to continue with your goal, but knowing what you know, make predictions about your future and learn to recognize and ignore the triggers. It takes lots of effort but the results may be very satisfactory.

What many people do not realize when receiving prescription tranquilizing medicines such as Valium is that it can be just as addictive and potentially damaging as some illegal drugs. It is widely assumed that Valium can be a one stop fix for problems such as anxiety, seizures or insomnia, however even medically tested prescription medicines have their risks.

What is Valium?

Valium or diazepam is a commonly used medicine belonging to the family of psychoactive drugs Benzodiazepines, which ‘depress’ the central nervous system. This depression reduces brain activity and has proved to be helpful for a range of conditions from vertigo to epilepsy. In the short term Valium has repeatedly proven itself to be very effective in various anxiety related conditions, for some people being a vital part of the recovery process. However in the long term problems can arise.

Recreational users

Being a psychoactive drug, Valium has become popular for recreational use, though research suggests that it is rarely used independently. What are known as polydrug user may ingest Valium in addition to another, usually illegal substance to intensify or alter the effects. Alternatively Valium is used to relieve the comedown of a stimulant such as ecstasy and allow the user to get to sleep.

Long term problems

Like many other substances the problems begin to occur when a user builds up a tolerance and a reliance. Long term prescription and recreational users will find that more Valium is required to reach the desired effect. Unfortunately as tolerance builds up withdrawal symptoms occur sooner and become much more difficult to endure. Users become trapped in a vicious circle and find that coming off the drug is near impossible resulting in a life long addiction. The withdrawal symptoms are often similar to the original symptoms a patient will have taken Valium to relieve themselves of. Once a user has gained a dependence, detoxification becomes notoriously difficult and should be done with the help of professionals over a long period of time. Various adverse side effects have arisen in patients and addicts who have detoxified to quickly.

Recognizing addiction

To recognize a Valium addiction you have to be aware of the effects and side effects of this drug. As the main effect of Valium is sedation the most obvious effects will be disengagement. This could be through,

• Drowsiness
• Loss of sex-drive
• Loss of interest in social life
• Loss of interest in usual interests
• Inability to concentrate
• Loss of coordination

Whereas the withdrawal symptoms may be recognized through,

• Nausea
• Muscle spasms
• Insomnia
• Nausea
• Depression
• Panic attacks
• Anxiety
• Paranoia

Rehab

More and more time and money is going into rehabilitation for Valium addiction. It has become a terrible affliction for many people around the world and recovery relies heavily on the will power of the addict. Research has shown that the dosage must be decreased carefully and gradually to make the process easier and effective. Although it may be easier to seek medication for conditions like insomnia, anxiety or phobias, for many people medication like Valium merely hides the problem. For long term solutions to these kind of problems sufferers should consider therapy and counseling which may help resolve these problems.

This post was written by Stanley Martinson. Stanley is a health and fitness writer who has a deep interest in drug and alcohol rehabilitation. To learn more about drug rehabilitation please check out this site.

Introduction:

More and more researchers over time are studying the role of alcohol within American popular culture, especially when it comes to the effects it has upon its audience. The amount of movies, TV shows and commercials promoting and glorifying drinking is ever on the increase, and many studies are presenting a correlation between these positive portrayals of alcohol on our screens and a change in the drinking behavior of the audience. This is now leading to the claim that increasing images of alcohol that we are subject to, act as a prompt to therefore make you more inclined to drink yourself.

Popular Culture and Alcohol:

Most studies that are centered on the analysis of movies and TV shows, are predominantly interested in two main factors; The beliefs related to drinking of the population as a whole, and what impact these beliefs have upon the American population. One large U.S study linked the escalating statistics of binge drinking directly to the exposure of alcohol in Hollywood movies. The study also stated that young adults are even twice as likely to start drinking after watching movies with high exposure to alcohol, compared to those who do not watch as many movies with drinking involved.

Their findings concluded that the link was not just with watching the characters drink, but also the alcohol product placement. Alcohol in movies was also ranked as the third highest influence factor in teen drinking, above access to drink at home and having parents who drink. More worryingly, Sargent also found that young adults who watched movies which mostly feature alcohol were 63% more likely to go on to binge drinking.

Alcohol and the Underage Drinker:

It’s no surprise in the modern day to often come across teen movies where drinking, especially excess drinking, is considered the norm and even as a social ritual. The depictions of college parties and even high school parties include the glorification of underage drinking, often causing a misperception of the excess use of alcohol to the young teen audience. Arguing that it is the Hollywood blockbuster that is encouraging teenagers to turn to drink, as they aim to mirror the behavior they are witnessing on their screens.

However, it is often questioned whether popular perceptions actually match reality, as excess drinking is often depicted as humorous and a way of enhancing your lifestyle. Within the journal Shifting Perspectives on Drinking: Alcohol Portrayals in American Films Finn examines the “comic drunk” character as a well recognized stereotype within American popular culture by stating that ‘The tradition of comic drunkenness continues to the present in popular culture, retaining many of its traditional features, despite the best efforts of the alcoholism movement to convey the message that drunkenness is not funny’.

Many studies have often used the obvious example of the American Pie film series, where alcohol is drank 18 times throughout just one film and is depicted an additional 23 times. Television shows such as Gossip Girl, One Tree Hill, and Beverly Hills 90210 also often feature scenes of underage drinking. However, due to the fact that it is no shock anymore to witness these types of scenes, it could also be argued that young teens have actually become desensitized to the thought of underage drinking, seeing it as no issue of law.
It’s Not Only Movies and TV:

In a study published in international journal Addiction, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh considered the exposure that teenagers have to alcohol brands in popular music. They noted that the references to alcohol and drinking are mostly found within rap, R&B and hip-hop music, where singers and rappers glorify their extravagant lifestyle of drinking alongside wealth, violence and drugs.

After analyzing nearly 800 songs within the popular youth market from 2005 to 2007, they found that around 41.5% of mentions of alcohol are presented as positive, compared to only 17.1% of negative alcohol portrayals. They also found that around 25% of the songs which mention alcohol, also directly mention the brand name, therefore effectively using music as a means of advertising of alcohol and creating links between the music and the alcohol industry. They investigated these direct brand mentions and found the most common brands included Patron Tequila, Grey Goose Vodka and Hennessy Congac, consequently the same spirits that are frequently favored by teenagers.

Despite the fact that music guidelines ban marketing to audiences below legal drinking age, this particular genre of music is most popular with teenagers, arguably rendering these laws impractical, as artists are unable to avoid their mostly underage audience. Therefore also suggesting that the alcohol industry gains or profits from teenagers’ drinking.

This is a guest post provided by Stanley Martinson. A part time writer, stanley is currently focused on alcohol related issues, and how to solve them. For more information on the subject, look at this!

Drug addiction is something that regularly tears families apart and is something that can potentially disrupt any of our lives. Unfortunately however, there are certain people that are more likely to become or have to deal with drug addiction than others. For these people there is little they can do to avoid having to cope with drugs in someway. The following are some examples of things that may influence drug addiction.

The community

Regardless of the parents profession or background, growing up in a certain community or neighborhood will have a dramatic influence on the likelihood of someone getting involved with drugs. Often it is the less affluent urban areas, with high unemployment that you will find more drug dealers. Teenagers in particular, living in these areas are at a high risk of becoming involved with drugs. In certain impoverished areas the schools are much more likely to have students which are related to drug dealers and possibly even drug dealers themselves. Whilst young people in these areas still aren’t that likely to become addicts, the risk is much higher than it would be in a rural area.

Personality traits

Not everyone is the same and unfortunately some people are hardwired to be more susceptible to addiction. This kind of behavior isn’t always associated with drugs but if someone with an addictive personality begins to experiment with drugs the chances of becoming an addict are much higher. People who are susceptible to addiction seek instant gratification and often struggle to commit to long term objectives and goals instead acting more impulsively. Studies suggest that people with an addictive personality are also more likely to experiment with drugs when given the chance, demonstrating that these personality traits make becoming a drug addict a high risk.

People who have little self respect or self belief are also more likely to become drug addicts. A low self esteem impairs people from having ambitions and goals and often makes people more comfortable doing debilitating things. Those who give their lives little value are more likely to disregard the risks of drugs as the high they provide may be the only way of restoring confidence. Eventually of course, the effects of the drugs wear off and the addict will have to seek out more to feel better about him/herself.

Growing up with it

A child’s behavior and thought processes develop through the influence of their parents and family. Witnessing and growing up alongside people who take drugs make the child much more likely to become a drug addict. Particularly young children will assume that what their family is doing is acceptable and won’t have the ability to subjectively consider the dangers and risks of drugs.

Creativity

Vincent Van Gogh, The Beatles, Jim Morrison and Hunter S. Thompson are all directly associated with their vast creativity which was synonymous with substance abuse. It is fairly common for creative people, seeking new ideas and inspiration, to experiment with drugs. Certain substances like LSD allow the user to view their surroundings with an altered perspective whereas alcohols effect on the users inhibitions, arguably causes people to act instinctively and expressively. Whilst various substances have been essential for various peoples success they also have been responsible for many downfalls and demises. Certain people find that being intoxicated is crucial for their creative success and find themselves constantly getting high in order to produce material they are proud of, soon leading them to addiction they cannot escape.

This is a guest post provided by Stanley Martinson. A part time writer, stanley is currently focused on drug related issues, and how to solve them. For more information on the subject, look at this!

Recreational drug use is becoming more and more acceptable as the years go on. Socially, it seems widely acceptable to occasionally take cannabis or MDMA. However, despite the seemingly more relaxed attitude towards certain drugs most of them are still illegal and they are not without their dangers and risks. The biggest problem is when recreational use becomes habitual and users become addicted. The following are some of the dangers involved with drug addiction that you should be aware of.

The Law

It may seem like a fairly obvious point but the majority of drugs used recreationally are illegal! Many people frequently take drugs, on nights out round the town without consequence. As people are rarely noticed or arrested for using drugs on nights out some users feel a lot more comfortable and confident with taking them regularly. Of course the more you use them the higher the risk is of being caught, and the more you use the more you you need to get a high. A relaxed attitude towards drugs and possible addiction often leads people to have drugs on their person much more often. In certain states the laws are very strict on drugs and being caught with them will have consequences that are likely to affect later life or even put you in jail.

Your health

The frequent use of any drug is likely to have adverse effects on your health: snorting drugs often damages the septum, nasal passages and sinuses; Injecting drugs can lead to vein collapses, blood clots and blood diseases such as hepatitis (if needles are shared) and smoking damages the mouth, throat and lungs. Without getting into the potential damaging effects of individual drugs, the methods of consuming them are harmful enough. In addition to this the chemicals that many drugs are cut with are likely to poison an addict to some degree, usually damaging the liver and kidneys.

As well as the physical damage drugs do, there are also many psychological risks when recreational use becomes habitual. Getting hooked on drugs means that the brain doesn’t operate normally without them. Withdrawal symptoms often leave people feeling depressed, unmotivated and lethargic making the routines of day to day life hard to deal with.

Loved ones

Drug addiction is rarely something that just affects the addict. Family and friends having to deal with seeing someone they care about deteriorating is not easy and can lead to problems in their lives as well. The danger for the addict here relies on how much their loved ones can tolerate. The stress and worry a family experiences sometimes has to be dealt with by asking the addict whether he or she will choose drugs or the family. Losing contact with a family makes recovering from addiction much harder and makes the addict much more vulnerable. In not having anyone to turn to for help, this is when addicts are forced to live on the streets or share houses with other addicts which only makes coming off the drug even more difficult.

This article was submitted by contributing author Stanley Martinson. Stanley is a health writer and is currently focused on issues of drug abuse. For more information regarding this subject, read this!

A number of useful Savannah orthopedic services may be used to assist you in keeping your body in check as well as possible. This is made mostly through the support of a variety of different imaging techniques used to help diagnose any problems that you might have.

Orthopedic imaging is used to check and see how your body is functioning and if there are problems in some areas deep within your body. It can be used to determine what treatments you require in order to keep your body as healthy as possible.

MRI Support

An MRI can be performed on your body when looking for information on how it is responding. A magnetic resonance imaging test can be used to identify several problems in your body.

This is used by placing a part of the body in a magnetized field. This is used to analyze individual muscle fibers, blood vessels and other spaces. In fact, there are many reasons why this is often used:

• Cartilage or tendon issues can be identified and fixed through an imaging process.
• The discs and nerves around the spine can also be examined.
• It is also used to see if bones are properly aligned.
• An MRI will identify tumors that might have to be treated by another service provider.

When X-Rays are Used

Sometimes x-rays can be used for your general situation. Savannah orthopedic services often used x-rays to check on bone structures around the body. This is done with the following in mind:

• Sometimes an x-ray can identify a case where the bones are not aligned right.
• There are also times when an x-ray might be reveal that a bone is moving too close to certain tendons.
• You can even tell if bone loss is a problem that might end up causing your body to wear out.

CT Scans Also Work

A computed tomography scan or CT scan is another choice that you can use for getting you general scanning plans covered. An orthopedic service can use this by taking multiple x-rays of multiple angles around the body to create a thorough and more detailed approach to diagnosing your problem.

This type of scan is painless and may involve less radiation than a traditional x-ray. Protection is still required when going through this kind of machine though.

This is often used primarily in cases where you are already going through a particular exam. Sometimes it might be used when you are undergoing a treatment and a doctor has to see if your body is actually responding to that particular treatment. It is a key part of a treatment that may be used to determine if your body is healing as well as it should.

You have to see what you can get out of your Savannah orthopedic services when seeing how your body can be examined. A talented orthopedic service provider in the city has to offer the best imaging solutions so your problems can be diagnosed and then treated in an appropriate manner.

Herbal preparations are taken in many forms alcohol tinctures, fluid extracts, essential oils, syrups, vinegars, capsules, and pills Lay people are generally advised to obtain these preparations from reliable herbalists or reputable commercial outlets. If you prefer to make your own, herbalists recommend freshly made infusions (teas) or decoctions using the following recipes:

Standard Infusion

Place 1 ounce of dried herb or 3 ounces of fresh herb in a teapot or other nonmetalic container, and pour in 1 pint of boiling water. Let it steep for 10 minutes, strain out herbs, and drink while still fresh.

Decoction

Place 1 ounce of herb in a glass, enamel, or stain­less steel pan (not aluminum), add 3 cups of water and bring to a boil; lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until the liquid is reduced by one third. Strain and drink the recommended amount while the liquid is still hot .

Compresses

Soak gauze or fine cloth in an infusion or decoction and apply to skin. (Test first on a small area for irritation.)

Poultice

Boil or cook herb or other recommended substance , wrap in gauze, press out excess fluid, and apply while still hot.

Life can be interesting and full of surprises. You might have gone for a vacation and while at it, go through an accident that might damage maybe one or a number of your body members. Let us say you are engaging in activities like rock climbing, skiing, playing football or other games during your vacation break and end up in an accident that causes your tooth to chip, this calls for you to see a dentists. Some of the things that happen in our lives can be prevented but accidents, you can never tell the day, time, and place they will occur.

When you do not have a specific dentist to visit in order to get your chipped tooth fixed, getting an experienced dentist who will give you a perfect job might be difficult. This is because of the increased number of dentists operating different facilities and claiming to be the best caregivers in dental health. We always have the option of seeking referrals from our friends and relatives.

However, most of the times when you analyze the answer they gave you, you realize they referred you to a dentist they visited and found him fit simply because of his good looks or the excellent looks of the staff from the facility. This takes you back to the ways of getting a good dentist since you cannot visit a dentist said to be good at his job because his looks are great.

You can always do internet search to know the best dentist in Woodland Hills. Looking at reviews will help you select the best dental caregiver in Woodland Hills since your search results will include a number of different practitioners. Some patients usually review their dentists after visiting them. Depending with the quality of service they received, they will provide a negative or positive review in order to help other patients with dental problems to make a sound decision when looking for dentists or avoid making the mistake that made them have a different viewpoint of dentistry.

When you are looking to have a perfect smile, getting services from the experts in the field of dentistry is key. Quite a good number of people have been able to gain their self-esteem after having proper diagnostics done on the dental problem they have and receiving quality treatment. It is normal for you to worry about what other people think about you when they see your teeth. This is the reason why dentists are ready to offer you the care you need for you to have peace of mind. Whether you are an adult or a child, getting you problem fixed when you choose dentists in Woodland Hills will not be a problem. All you need to do is make the necessary arrangements to visit your dentist and avoid the worries of being overly charged for the care that will be provided to you if it is your first time to visit the dentist.