Friday, September 27, 2019

8 Signs to Know You Are Addicted

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Rose was a young intern at a financial agency. This was her first experience of working in corporate sector and she was pretty excited. She adjusted to the work culture soon and performed well to gain rewards and promotion. Long hours of work would often end with a glass of wine or two with her colleagues at a club or a café.
Soon, the occasional drinking sessions became regular as it made her feel happy and relaxed. Slowly, she got addicted. She needed alcohol to relieve her tense muscles and prepare her for the next day. As the work pressure increased, she started binge drinking. This resulted in night outs, hangovers, absence from work and the day came when she was fired. Her addiction cost her the job she loved and was so proud of.
Like Rose, many of us develop liking for something that causes more harm than benefit. One could be addicted to alcohol, drugs, sex, video games, gambling or even shopping. And when the matter goes out of hand, a person has to be encouraged to seek help from an addiction help center that treats the underlying problem in a holistic manner during recovery as well as through an aftercare program.
It is possible to control the situation and prevent it from worsening. All one needs is to watch out for the signs that signal an addiction and take action immediately. Some of the red flags could be:
  1. Continuing an addiction despite negative effects - When an addiction takes over, the affected person has the tendency to ignore the red flags and continue pursuing the substance or a habit regardless of the impact it might have on physical and psychological health, relationships or job.
  2. Quitting social events - Those addicted could become so obsessed with their addiction that over time, they may quit attending social gatherings they liked before as the events may not give them the opportunity or time to use their substance of abuse.
  3. Suffering from withdrawal symptoms - When a person tries to quit addiction, he/she may suffer from severe withdrawal symptoms. This is because the body gets so used to a substance that it gets distressed in its absence. The withdrawal symptoms could be physical as well as psychological, and in some case life-threatening too.
  4. Keeping addiction a secret - People tend to mask addiction by keeping it a secret. They fear being judged, so they try to hide their habit from friends and family.
  5. Increasing tolerance - When an addiction develops, over time, the body starts getting used to it and to produce the same high, it needs more amount of the substance, leading to tolerance. Addiction can take over mind and body completely.
  6. Not being able to stop - Addiction can be so overpowering that despite the best of intentions, a person is just not able to quit or taper off. One loses self-control and allows himself/herself to be swayed by it.
  7. Taking risks - An addicted brain has a tendency to take risks. Under the influence of a substance, one might lose his or her guard and indulge in risk-taking behavior. An addicted person might steal something, indulge in unsafe sexual practices, drive under the influence or pick up fights and get abusive.
  8. Making excuses - When a person develops an addiction, his/her life becomes a web of lies and excuses. When friends and loved ones express concern, he/she may resort to all the means to evade them and shut himself/herself in their own world.
Seek help before it's late
Fortunately, it is possible to deal with alcohol or drug addiction if one agrees that he or she has a problem and is willing to take help for the same. Delaying the matter will worsen health and diminish chances of full recovery.
If you know someone who is looking for evidence-based drug addiction treatment, contact the Arizona Drug Addiction Helpline. The experts available at the 24/7 drug addiction treatment helpline 866-576-4147 can help you with the information on relevant therapeutic programs for addiction recovery and connect you to the best rehab centers near you.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9928402

Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs Are Unable to Combat Overdose, Finds Study

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Prescription drug monitoring programs are now being used extensively in several American states, but there is a dearth of data on their effectiveness in curbing the number of opioid overdoses, as found out by a recent study. The rationale behind using these programs is to prevent the replication or overlapping of prescriptions for opioids - the practice commonly known as doctor shopping.
Chris Delcher, from the department of health outcomes in the University of Florida College of Medicine, said that it is important to understand if these programs are helping in any way by curbing the fatal and non-fatal overdoses. According to him, in an era where the changes are being made and implemented at the federal level to combat the opioid epidemic, it is natural to assess the utility of such programs.
Delcher and his team published their findings in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine in May 2018. The study was sponsored jointly by the Bureau of Justice Assistance and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and it was led by the scientists from the University of California, Davis and the Columbia University.
The team of researchers investigated as many as 2,600 scientific publications and found that only 10 linked prescription drug monitoring programs to overdoses. Even in these 10 studies, the team found an exceedingly low evidence of the effectiveness of the programs in reducing fatal overdoses, leading to inconclusive outcomes.
Inadvertent outcomes
The study authors came across some surprising findings. Three studies showed that after the implementation of the prescription drug monitoring programs, there was a rise in overdose-related deaths due to heroin. A 2013 study showed that in Philadelphia and San Francisco, there was a transition from prescription drugs to heroin because of the latter's easy accessibility and cheap cost.
Moreover, in 2011 in Florida, after the implementation of the program, the number of overdoses dropped due to oxycodone, but there was a concomitant rise in overdoses related to fentanyl, heroin and morphine. Delcher explained this by stating that crackdown on prescription opioids facilitates transition to other drugs.
The researchers found three parameters from the prescription drug monitoring programs that impacted the number of fatal overdoses. These were:
  1. Reviw of patient's medical history by the doctors before writing a prescription.
  2. Increase in frequent updation of patient's prescription data.
  3. Increased accessibility of patient data to the providers.
Delcher shared that investigating the efficay of the prescription drug monitoring tool is one of the ways to improve its efficiency and usability. He said that the tool could be made more refined and spontaneous so that it comes handy to the busy physicians, and they are better able to classify patients' risk of misuse, abuse or overdose. Delcher is presently striving to improve the patient-risk algorithms, overlying medication dashboards, and other data-influenced methods to enhance the database.
Opioid overdose deaths on the rise
Nearly 350,000 people succumbed to opioid overdose - both prescription and illicit - between 1999 and 2016. The overdose-related deaths manifested through three phases:
  • The first phase began in 1999 when the prescriptions for opioids increased (methadone, natural and semi-synthetic opioids).
  • The second phase commenced in 2010 when overdose deaths increased due to heroin.
  • The third phase began in 2013 when overdose related fatalities increased due to fentanyl. Many times, fentanyl is laced with heroin and cocaine, and sold in counterfeit pills.
Road to recovery
Addiction usually begins from a prescription and when the prescription runs dry, people fuel their addiction through illicit drugs. These drugs can have a catastrophic effect on every area of one's life. Thus, one should take drug abuse help from a good drug abuse clinic before it is too late.
If you know someone who is addicted to opioids or any other prescription drug, you can seek help from the California Prescription Abuse Helpline. Our representative can give you details about some of the finest California prescription abuse treatment centers, where recovery is facilitated in a safe and secure environment under the supervision of trained therapists. Call us at our 24/7 helpline 855-738-2770 for more information on some of the state-of-the-art rehab centers in California.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9952045

Avoid Opioid Problems

By            Expert Author Desiree Lotz     

With the recent over 9% increase in drug-related deaths, the opioid crisis has the attention of the masses. Itself killing nearly 50,000 Americans it is growing more difficult to ignore.
One element, however, remains little-known, and that there is a painkiller more powerful than any opioid: calcium GLUCONATE.
Calcium gluconate turns out to be one of the more powerful painkillers, and it's deficiency can be causing or exacerbating pain. Therefore, treating deficiency becomes key, and can be an answer to an otherwise dependent reliance upon potent, dangerous drugs.
Abnormal muscle function and deficiency...
Muscle function physically, is totally dependent upon nutrient levels chemically. Though nerves and bones depend upon certain minerals, the very function and action of muscles rely on it.
Contraction and relaxation are the main functions of muscle activity and allow a variety of movements. Calcium and its partner mineral, magnesium, are the key to these vital actions.
In deficiency, muscles are already at a disadvantage and can malfunction. This can be a predisposition to feeling pain. Tension, spasm, cramp or any other muscle disorder can result from lack of these life-giving minerals.
More potent than Opioids?
Injectable calcium has already proven to be a powerful painkiller in medicine. But its use isn't difficult to understand once you understand the body's need nutritionally.
Calcium and magnesium are partners. They work in tandem. The body requires both of them to be able to utilize either one.
But it doesn't end that simply. There must be a certain "acidic climate" for them to react and only one of the many forms of each is acceptable.
These crucial conditions already make getting sufficient supply a challenge. And in this day an age, the margin for error is enormous.
How taking extra calcium can make you DEFICIENT!
Considering the precision of the body's utilization of these minerals, it becomes easy to see that mistakenly taking an unusable form of calcium can cause other issues.
Painful conditions, such as arthritis, are caused by deposits of such minerals accumulating in surplus in the joints. These deposits tend to occur when absorption isn't possible.
Logically, getting a proper balance of calcium in its correct form is not only important, it is vital. Without it, pain and related conditions result.
What crisis beats out painkiller addiction any day of the week?
If you want to label a crisis, it is perhaps better to get down to basics.
With nutritional deficiency statistics at "out-of-control" levels and nearly a third of the planet suffering some sort of lack of nutrition, the opioid crisis seems rather minuscule. Further, painkiller addiction may be more reliant upon deficiencies than previously suspected.
With the slim tolerance of the correct forms and balance of calcium along with the conditions in which it is absorbed, it is easy to see how, even with a prudent nutritional plan, one can become deficient.
Can Getting Minerals In Sufficient Supply Offer Resolution to the Opioid Crisis?
While its debatable whether or not direct inroads can be made to an overall solution, it is easy to see that solving deficiencies can create a marked change in the existence of painful conditions. Pain, in many cases, is not necessary and can be the result of some predisposition brought on by deficiency.
Having the proper ratio, form and combination of calcium and magnesium is not just some recipe for pain relief, it is not a mere preventive measure, it is essential for proper function itself, both minerals being responsible for hundreds of body processes.
Instant CalMag-C is a supplement designed in the laboratory, reverse engineered from how the body utilizes essential calcium and magnesium. The result is a fast-absorbing, useable and effective combination that supports body functions too numerous to list.
A body which has its essential minerals and other nutrition tends to function at optimum and tends to be pain-free. Try Instant CalMag-C and find out what supplementing the two most vital minerals can do for you, and perhaps for a worldwide crisis too!
To find out more, go to https://calmag-c.com/opioids/ or to order some Instant CalMag-C (made with calcium gluconate specifically), go to https://www.calmagstore.com/


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/10086862

Street Drug Formaldehyde?

By                 Expert Author Joseph Parish

I was viewing an old horror movie tonight about your "Ole Garden variety of zombies", well maybe not common. It movie was entitled "Garden of the Dead". This 1972, horror flick is similar to Night of the Living Dead, but with a prison update. It is all about the Camp Hoover prison inmates working on a chain gang who go berserk after snorting formaldehyde and end up being killed by the guards at the prison during a riot and prison break. These dead Colorado prisoners are in turn buried in the prison garden, but unfortunately for the guards, the formaldehyde has managed to preserve the corpses and as a result, they rise up from their graves, and raid the garden shed, as they accumulate a few sharp tools and proceed to get their revenge. Of all the bad films made this one would be the equivalent of "Plan 9 from Outer Space" which was bad enough. Although it's less than an hour long that is time lost and you can never get it back. It was a total waste of my time to watch it. Not the best of plots, poor acting, substandard production values, poorly written script, however it did get me to thinking. Could a mortuary chemical such as this be used as a recreation drug?
Strangely using embalming fluid as a drug is not a recent activity. Embalming fluid consists of formaldehyde, methanol, and ethanol, hardly a combination that looks very attractive and all of which are potent intoxicants. I understand that this formaldehyde abuse was extremely popular in the prisons in the early 70's. You would be surprised at the number of addicts who are addicted to this mortuary chemical cocktail.
Addicts have been known to try crazy things. No longer are these chemicals restricted to the high school biology labs or the local funeral homes, but actually an experimental drug of today's youth. Just when you thought the youths of America had reached an all-time low with their spray paint sniffing something else comes along or think about the craze of getting high from the common kitchen spice - nutmeg. So now we hear about embalming fluid. With this in mind, I decided to conduct some additional research on the topic. I only had to type into the search engine, "recreational use of embalming fluid" and had more leads than I could research.
Not only was this practice taking place all around our country, but it has taken place since the 1960s. I wonder how my wild youthful life was unable to know about this.
The usual practice is to employ the embalming fluid as a solvent for the stronger PCP. It only takes a mere milligram of PCP to make a full-size gorilla go ape (pun intended), thus the PCP cannot be ingested directly, and must be diluted with the embalming fluid. The addict will then dip a cigarette into the solution and dried it out in the freezer. This results in something known as a "fry", "fry stick", or "death stick." Unfortunately, these are sold on the street corners anywhere in the US for approximately twenty dollars. Smoking these spliffs soaked in the formaldehyde solution may certainly cause hallucinations, but is the price of cancer worth it.
If you recall just how dangerous PCP is you will remember that it makes people do crazy and vile things. Think back to a few years ago when in Florida they had a man who was tasered seventeen times and shot repeatedly with thirty rubber bullets, and still kept coming. Yep, that my friends is PCP.
Scary, isn't it? According to the CDC, smoking formaldehyde is a bad move. The stuff is not only toxic, but certified as cancerous. Not exactly something you would want to put into a living body. I will leave it at that, but our younger generation certainly needs to be careful what drugs they put into their system and remember children, embalming fluid is for corpses, not blunts.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/10170175

2 Weeks Diet Plan

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Statistics show that approximately 45 million Americans go on a diet
each year. In fact, most of them make an average of four to six dieting
attempts annually. This implies that their first three dieting trials often
fail. Ideally, dieting can be a puzzling process. It can take a toll on your
self-esteem. This is why most people quickly get demotivated and end up
ditching dieting for good.
If you're currently battling with dieting and about
to throw in the towel, then maybe there are some things you're overlooking.
Here are the top four reasons why most dieting attempts fail time and again.
·Impracticable and Unreasonable
Calorie Intake
Calorie budget is paramount and should be the first consideration to
keep in mind. Calories are a measure of the amount of energy in the food you
eat. If you're putting yourself in starvation mode, then you're hurting your
dieting efforts. When you consume very little food, your body virtually shuts
down to save fuel. This places you in a fat loss plateau. Though it is prudent
to lower your overall calorie intake, consider doing so in a manner that
doesn't hurt your metabolism.
·Ignoring Filling Nutrients
Proteins and fiber are the recommended satiety-boosting nutrients
for dieters. Proteins break down at a slow pace thus giving the body a
long-lasting satiety. This helps to curb emotional eating and cravings.
Combining proteins with fiber from vegetables and fresh fruits can potentially
slow down digestion and cut down food cravings. Even though most crash diet
plans recommend vegetables, they discourage fruits. They also come with very
few proteins. If you want to hasten your dieting results, then make these two
essential satiety nutrients a focus in your diet plan.
·Unrealistic Meal Prep
A meal prep that takes an hour isn't realistic. If your meal
preparation takes an hour or more, then that might be one of the top reasons
your dieting efforts fail. A basic easy-to-implement meal prep is ideal. A plan
that takes hours can steal your free time. Find a meal prep that matches your
lifestyle then get accustomed to it.
·Long-Term Aspect
A great diet plan considers the long-term aspect. However, a diet
plan that spans for several months can quickly discourage you. It's great to
find a diet plan that comes with a specified deadline preferably two
weeks. It should not be too short
because dieting requires patience.
Even though dieting can be hard, carrying those extra pounds is even
harder. The recommended dieting time should be two weeks. A 2-Week Diet gives
you an outstanding foundation and motivation for a successful fat-burning
journey.
To harness the powerful psychology behind The 2 Week Diet, check it out here:


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9964583

How Long Does Marijuana Stay In Your Body?

By                     Expert Author Jennifer Cosculluela

Ever wondered how long marijuana stays in your blood? How long does marijuana stay in your system? It cannot be denied that the effects of weed produce a high that you can feel for a short time. This is what makes pot so attractive and relaxing. Most users love the benefits they get from weed. When you are high, this means that you tend to have an altered perception state, chattiness, giggling, feeling as if time has slowed down, a sense of relaxing and a real sense of well-being.
Of course, when it comes to wondering how long does marijuana stay in your system, the truth is that too much of a good thing has its price. In fact, what most people don't talk about are the other less-beneficial effects of weed. To them, the benefits they feel when they are high far outweigh the disadvantages of weed. Nonetheless, knowing about the other side of weed is highly advisable. Making informed choices is always beneficial.
Short Term Effects
Short term effects of weed also include paranoia, anxiety, feeling faint, feeling sick, confusion, dry eyes, dry mouth, rapidly beating heart, feeling restless, sleepy, problems with coordination, an increase in appetite and not being able to focus very well. For this reason, you might even be pulled over when you smoke and drive. You could be driving in a wobbly manner without even realizing it.
how long marijuana stays in your system will go a long way towards helping you anticipate the length of time it remains in your blood. Plus, if you have a drug test coming up, it is always a good idea to find out what test they are doing. Are they doing a blood test? A hair test? A urine test? Knowing what kind of test is coming up will enable you to know how many days before is safe to smoke weed.
Lesser Known Effects Of Pot
Pot can also cause psychosis, delusions and hallucinations in rare cases when your dose of weed is extremely high. Ingesting weed or smoking pot on a daily basis can also affect your body and mind. You might increase your risks of having impaired learning, impaired memory, impaired cognition, anxiety, depression, other mood disorders, lung infections, bronchitis, respiratory illness, stroke, heart disease and cardiovascular diseases.
When you smoke weed while you are breastfeeding or happen to be pregnant at the moment, there is an increase in the risks of your baby having brain development defects or birth defects.
But Really, How Long Does Marijuana Stay In Your System?
After your last use of weed, it can remain in your system for between a few days and many months. Depending on various factors and the drug testing method, weed will pass through your system at varied lengths of time. It will also depend on whether you actually ate the weed or smoked it. If you have a drug test coming up soon at the office it is a good idea to get as informed as you can about how long pot stays in your blood.
After all, depending on your job requirements, it is not a good idea to have marijuana detected in your body tissues even if it is legalized in your state. The reason is that your company or school may not tolerate the effects of pot on your learning and memory. For example, law school or law firms as well as persons that operate machinery should definitely not have marijuana running around in their system as they do their jobs.
There are short term effects of weed and these start tapering off after 1-3 hours. Other effects such as having a hard time sleeping or problems with your memory can last more than a day or two. Depending on your system, the effects will wear off after quite some time. These can last for months, weeks or days after your last use of weed. In fact, some of the effects never wear off and can even become permanent.
Have you been wondering about how long it takes to get rid of the weed in your system? More and more institutions are testing for weed as required for work or as routine, general testing, whether or not weed is legal in the state you live in. As a matter of fact, regular testing is more and more par for the course for most people who attend school, work at an office or even just driving strangely on a freeway. No matter what the reason is, it is always a good idea to know everything you can about how long it takes for pot to get eliminated from your system.
But really, how long does weed last? Well obviously, it is going to take longer for weed to leave your system if you are a heavy user. On the other hand, social smokers who barely use weed won't have to worry too much about weed leaving their system in a shorter amount of time. Keep in mind, however, that hair follicles do hold weed for up to ninety days after your last use so if a thorough test is performed on you, they may find it in your hair.
It is actually THC that tests detect, which is what they call broken down weed in your body. How long does THC stay in your urine? How long does THC stay in your blood? It really varies. When it comes to how long does weed stay in system, the fact is there are many things affecting the length of time that marijuana remains in your body. Some factors include body mass index, gender and age. In other words, different types of bodies process marijuana differently.
Also, the way you actually use weed affects how this is used. This includes how often you use weed and how much of it you use when you do. Obviously, more frequent usage of higher doses will increase the time it takes to get rid of the weed in your body. More potent weed has high THC doses compared to lower quality types. Good quality weed which has higher THC will remain in your system longer than bad quality weed. When you eat weed, this stays in your system longer than weed you smoke.
Have you been wondering how long does pot stay in your system? Also known as cannabis or marijuana, weed is usually detected in the fluids of the body for between one and thirty days after you use weed last. As with any drug, it can be detected in hair for many months. How long does weed last? The window for detecting weed will generally depend on how much you have ingested or smoked. It will also depend on how often you smoke. Generally, a larger, more frequent dose of week will be related with longer times of detection possible.
For everyday weed users, marijuana can be detected for a many months after you last use it. Some frequent users can sometimes be detected for up to ninety days. Regardless of how often you use weed, there are windows for detecting cannabis in hair, saliva, blood and urine.
How Long Does It Take To Break Down Weed In Your Body?
Weed has an active ingredients called delta-9 tetrahyrocannabinol, also known as THC. This is weed's active ingredient and is what most tests detect. THC goes into your system and your blood absorbs it. Some of the THC is stored in your fat tissues and organs. When THC goes to your kidney, your blood can re-absorb it.
It is in the liver where THC is broken down. There are a lot of different metabolites that THC breaks down into. What a drug tests does is that it looks for these metabolites which stays in your bloodstream even longer than THC.
Later, as days pass and you don't use any more weed, the metabolites including TCH are washed out of your body through your stool and urine.
How Long After You Last Used Marijuana Can Drug Tests Detect It?
When you go through a drug test, what the tests measure are not the plant itself but rather, the byproducts, which are called metabolite. After the effects of marijuana has worn off, the weed by products remain in your system for a very long time.
How To Get Marijuana Out Of Your System?
To be honest, there isn't a lot of tings you can do to get rid of the marijuana that has found its way into your tissues in your body. Just like pretty much everything else, it takes time for weed to be broken down and eliminated once it is in your body. Staying hydrated, which means drinking a lot of water, eating healthy food and exercising can help excrete marijuana more rapidly, but not very much.
There are many detox remedies for weed as well as kits you can avail of. Some of it involves tea and drinking a lot of water to get rid of weed in your urine. Using herbs like vitamin B12 and creatinine is supposed to mask the weed in your pee, but are not really one hundred percent reliable.
Hair--How Long Does Weed Stay In Your Hair?
Testing hair follicles to test whether or not you used weed can be done for up to ninety days after you last smoked, ate or inhaled weed. Believe it or not, marijuana gets to each hair follicle on your head through tiny blood vessels. Of course, very small amounts can remain in each hair. Hair grows about half an inch per month. Thus, a hair section measuring about one and a half inches that grows closest to your scalp will provide an indication of whether or not you used weed for the last 3 months or ninety days.
Saliva Testing--How Long Does Pot Remain In Your Saliva?
Weed can be found in saliva through testing. If you don't use weed very often, the saliva test will reveal cannabis between one and three days. On the other hand, if you are a heavy user, saliva tests will reveal weed in your blood for up to twenty-nine days. You can have weed in your saliva even if you are simply exposed to the smoke. It will obviously be detected when you smoke weed directly. The metabolites or by products of weed can be found in saliva when weed has been ingested or smoked. When getting tested in states in which weed is legal, saliva can be used for road side tests.
Blood Testing--How Long Does Marijuana Stay In Your Blood?
Lab testers use a blood test to see if you have used weed recently. Typically, weed is detectable in the blood for up to two days. If you are a heavy weed user, weed can be detected in your blood for up to twenty-five days. The more often you use weed, the longer it stays detectable in your blood.
Within seconds of when you inhale, weed can be detected in the blood. The cannabis is then distributed to the rest of your body systems. Some is broken down and reabsorbed in your bloodstream, where it can remain for days.
Urine
The most common method of testing for weed is through your urine. Marijuana can be detected in urine after last use depending on the amount you used. Heavy users multiple times a day can have weed detected in urine for up to thirty days.
Daily uses that use marijuana everyday but just once or twice a day can have weed detected in their system between ten to fifteen days. Four times a week moderate users can have weed in their system for up to one week or seven days. Social users up to three times each week can have week in their system up to three days.
Metabolites or by products of weed are soluble in body fat. This means that they bind themselves to your body's fat molecules. Because of this, it can take time for the weed to get out of your system.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/10171897

Friday, September 20, 2019

Tips on Living With Someone Addicted at Home

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After a long day of work or a stressful experience, returning to the family is a blissful moment. Living with loved ones can be a source of immense strength as members come together to share sorrows and successes. However, the experience turns bitter if any member is grappling with substance abuse. The usual course of living gets disrupted as addiction puts financial, mental and emotional burden on everyone. It destroys peace and changes the family dynamics.
Here are some tips to help a family live with a person addicted to drugs or alcohol, and maintain their sanity:
  • Getting educated - These days, there are plenty of resources available online through which one can gain a lot of information about substance abuse. Addiction is not a moral failing, rather a disease of the brain. Getting educated can help the family to arrange for appropriate intervention or resources to help the one suffering.

  • Connecting with support groups - Living with a person hooked to alcohol or drugs can be draining for rest of the family members. The situation can turn worse with physical and verbal abuse. It is important to encourage the suffering person connect with support groups and participate in their sessions regularly. These groups provide a platform to give vent to feelings, understand the problem in a better way and feel positive. Listening to other people's stories can be very encouraging. The support groups organize many family therapy sessions as well in order to strengthen the bond, think beyond blame games and silences, and work towards creating a better environment at home.

  • Eating together - In the fast-paced life, it is easier to grab a snack at work or eat while commuting back from work. But at least one mealtime should be there when all the members can sit together, pray and eat. The family time gives an opportunity to all to talk about their day, share problems and feel connected.

  • Taking care of self - Dealing with addiction at home can sometimes get overwhelming. While family members try to understand the problem as much as possible, it is equally important for them to look after their health. The loved ones should indulge in therapeutic activities like reading, painting, singing, attending concerts, gardening, playing with children, cooking or charity.

  • Doing regular exercise - Any form of physical exercise is known to alleviate stress levels. By participating in workout sessions or joining a dance class, one can stay invigorated. The person suffering from an addiction should be encouraged to take such sessions jointly to get the double effect - of relaxing the mind and staying happy with the family.

  • Looking after other things - Restricting the addicted person's access to finances, removing triggers that boost addiction, arranging for professional support, avoiding stress and taking life one day at a time are some of the other ways which can help a family to cope better with an addiction.
Professional support is necessary
Sometimes, despite our best intentions and efforts, we fail to function as one family. In those circumstances, it is best to institute professional intervention and seek experts' assistance. It is better to take action before the problem goes out of hand.
If you or your loved one is suffering from an addiction, contact the Colorado Detox Helpline to get connected to the best treatment centers in Colorado. These centers offer evidence-based treatment for holistic recovery, which usually begins with detoxification. Call our 24/7 helpline 866-730-5807 to get further information on state-of-the-art detox treatment centers in Colorado and other parts of the country.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9901997

So What's The Deal With Detoxing Side-Effects, Anyway?

By              Expert Author Ann Barter

We get asked about detoxification side-effects often. Whether you may be embarking on a Metabolic Cleanse or dissolving biofilms, you may experience some brief, but not-so-pleasant side effects. This isn't unusual, but can make our patients nervous if they don't know exactly what they may feel during the process.
Metabolic cleanses are designed to get your system running optimally again. They include active ingredients to help heal the liver and pancreas and to get bile and toxins moving in the right direction (well, technically, the bile starts doing its job correctly again, and the toxins are permanently evicted from your system).
Biofilms, in brief, are gelatinous, protective coverings that are developed by pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, yeasts and even fungus and parasites, in order for them to successfully thwart the effectiveness of medications and supplementation meant to destroy them. Fairly nifty example of evolution at work, although, not much fun for their human hosts! In patients where low-grade pathogenic infections are preventing wellness we seek to dissolve these coverings in order to better battle the pathogens themselves. It's nearly impossible for supplements, and even prescription antivirals and antibiotics, to be fully effective against these nasties until their protective coverings are dissolved. Enter stage right: Monolaurin (we recommend Lauricidin brand in our practice), which is a proteolytic enzyme that helps break down these films, and Serrapeptase, a derivative harvested from silkworms (we know, wild stuff, right?)! Needless to say, the pathogens that have found their way into human bodies really like their accommodations, they don't want to be evicted or killed off. They will put up a fight! They will eventually die off as the medications and supplements we take begin to work and as these pathogen die they release toxins which the body must filter.
These are not always easy processes for the people involved. Although, we know from years in practice and much scholarly evidence, they will feel exponentially better once the process is complete. It's just the getting through it part that can be a little uncomfortable, while wellness remains the ultimate goal.
Common side-effects from Metabolic cleanses and biofilm dissolution can include: fatigue, mild swelling, stomach upset (gas, bloating, diarrhea), aches and pains in the joints, rashes and sometimes hives, as well as brain fog and mild anxiety (generally brought on by the "not knowing" and the overall feeling of being unwell, if only temporary).
If you are experiencing any combination of these side-effects, please know they are completely normal and nothing to worry about. We know they can be uncomfortable but they are short lived. They are generally only noticeable for the first 24 to 72 hours and will subside thereafter. Our advice is as follows: Get plenty of rest. Sleep is essential whether our immune system is battling something or not. It is that much more important when we are not feeling our best. Our bodies regenerate and do their best immune work at rest. During detoxification make sure you are getting at least 8 hours of sleep per night. Drink lots of water. You want to keep well hydrated and your system flushed. This will help hasten the process and will help get you through it faster. If your symptoms begin to make you feel sick to your stomach, especially fatigued, or the brain fog becomes a hindrance, you can reach for activated charcoal (which you'll take about an hour or so after your detoxification supplements, as to give them the chance to work without being absorbed by the charcoal and removed from your system inadvertently). You can start with one capsule and increase to two if your symptoms don't lessen. Although, we find that one capsule is enough activated charcoal to bind with these toxins and biofilms in order to move them out of your system. Also, a teaspoon of Bentonite Clay mixed with a little water and consumed with your detoxification protocol works as well and in the same way as activated charcoal.
The benefits of detoxification far outweigh the discomforts they bring and again, are not permanent and do not generally last long. Some people will actually go through the process without a single physical sign that things are working as they should. If these tips don't help the way you feel during a detoxification always consult your practitioner to review the timing and dosage of your protocol.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9949753

Drug Abuse by Parents Is a Key Factor Behind Kids' Untimely Death, Says Report

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Drug abuse by parents is a major reason behind maltreatment of children, often leading to their death, a recent report by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services reveals. It says that a majority of children who had died of abuse and neglect in the state had a substance abusing parent to blame.
Such children who had suffered fatalities had either been smothered in their sleep, or were drowned when they were in the bathtub. Some of the children had succumbed to the trauma, while yet others died when they were left unattended in a hot car. It was also evident from the report that children who were driven around by inebriated parents had high risks of dying of negligence.
Overall, the report indicated that the numbers of child abuse and negligence fatalities had dropped by 22.5 percent in 2017. However, nearly half of the deaths happened as a result of parental drug or alcohol use. The findings were similar to the previous year (2016) report. Half of the 222 children who died were under the supervision of a parent or caregiver who was on drugs or alcohol.
Some key findings of the report are:
  • In the last five years or so, children aged 3 years or younger formed a major chunk (80 percent) of the abuse and neglect fatalities.
  • 52 percent of the fatalities were caused due to a substance abusing parent.
  • 23 percent of the child abuse victims had a parent or a caregiver with mental health condition.
  • Incidents of domestic violence were responsible for 17 percent of child fatalities.
  • More than 57 percent of children who had died from abuse or neglect in fiscal 2017 were too young for school and were not enrolled in day care. In 2016, the numbers were 40 percent.
  • History of domestic violence was noticed in 40 percent of child fatalities.
  • The 2017 report also stated that marijuana was the most commonly used substance connected to child abuse and deaths caused by negligence, followed by alcohol, cocaine and methamphetamine; and sometimes a combination of substances.
Drug use and impact on children
Unfortunately, many parents do not realize how their substance abuse impacts parenting. As they stone themselves with marijuana, they feel that they are just doing weed and their child is unlikely to be harmed. However, a stoned parent is unlikely to mete out the same levels of love and care that someone who is not addicted to any substance can provide.
Dimple Patel, associate director of public policy at TexProtects - an organization focused on child welfare policy - said every case is a "different and unique situation" and that sometimes parents can be functioning drug users who don't impact the safety and well-being of their kids. One of the reasons why parents are unable to access the right kind of treatment is due to fact that they cannot take time off from work or lack the support system that would ensure that their kids are being taken care of while they are treated.
Choosing a life devoid of drugs
One can easily choose a life devoid of drugs. However, before embarking on this journey, it is necessary to remove the traces of toxins from one's system. Detoxification is the first step to attain recovery. Therefore, it is important that the detox facility chosen is equipped with all the conveniences that make the path to sobriety easier and effective, thus paving the way for a successful recovery. Enrolling in a program at any of the accredited rapid detox centers can make the journey less cumbersome.
If you or someone you know is looking for detox centers in Texas, the Detox Facilities Texas can help. Call at our 24/7 helpline number 866-671-4308 to know about the evidence-based rapid detox centers in Texas.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9952042

Body Detox - What Is Detoxing and What To Expect


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Doing a body detox is a way to improve your health and wellness. Detoxing is a way to get rid of bad toxins in your body. This alone will raise your energy level by eliminating these toxins that make you feel sluggish and tired. Doing a detox will give you energy and at the same time help you lose weight.
There are two types of toxins: controllable and uncontrollable. The controllable ones come from what you take in via food, drinks, etc.. You can reduce your intake of these toxins by a body detox. Uncontrollable ones are from things such as the air you breath and what environment you subject your body to like bath water.
You will find all kinds of diets and articles all over the internet about detoxing. Some claiming to complete the process in 2 days and some claiming to within 10 days. However, they are all very similar. The length of time to detox depends on the level of toxins in your body and how strict you stay to the process.
The basis to detoxing your body is living and eating healthy also known as cleansing and refreshing. Refreshing refers to the process of restoring the electrolytes and other nutrients your body loses during the cleansing process. Eating healthy refers to eating organic, nutrient-dense, and minimally processed foods. You should eat less animal protein and eat more alkaline with fresh vegetables. Eliminate alcohol, sugar, processed foods, sodas, and trans fat. All of these items puts harmful waste in your body.
Sleep is another important process to detox. Sleep at least 7 to 8 hours a night. Sleeping is a way to allow your body to rest and heal. It allows your body to focus more on the detoxification process.
You should drink lots of water. This helps your kidneys flush toxins out of your body. At the same time it keeps you hydrated and it will also help suppress your appetite. Purified water is better than regular tap water.
Exercise is also another important part of. This helps with your circulation and breathing. It will also help your skin to sweat and stretch. Exercising will also help with weight loss.
Taking a detox bath can also help with the process. Put 2 cups of Epson salt and a half a cup of baking soda in your bath water. Some people add their favorite essential oils too.
Hope this helps and good luck with your detoxing process.
Find out more about detoxing The Ultimate Detoxing Guide

AMERICA'S OPIOID CRISIS HAS HELPED CREATE A 'NATIONWIDE EPIDEMIC' OF HEART INFECTIONS LINKED TO DRUG ABUSE

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esearch has revealed the number of heart infections linked to drug abuse has almost doubled in the past 14 years, as an opioid epidemic continues to plague the U.S.

Rates of patients struggling with drug abuse being hospitalized due to infective endocarditis—which affects the innermost layers of the heart chambers, including the valves—doubled between 2002 and 2016, rising from 8 percent to 16.3 percent.  read more>>> https://www.newsweek.com/opiod-crisis-heart-infections-study-research-1459695

An Overview of Substance Use

Monday, September 16, 2019

Heroin's Secret

By                   Expert Author Warren Rivera

The powerful pain-killer fentanyl has been making headlines lately in conjunction with the increasing number of heroin overdose deaths in our country. Drug dealers are "cutting" or adding fentanyl to heroin to make it more potent and it is leading to unintentional overdoses. Fentanyl is the most potent opioid available for use in medical treatment in the U.S. and abuse of this drug can be deadly. Fentanyl is 50-100 times more potent than morphine and up to 50 times more potent than heroin. The abuse of fentanyl has increased not only because of the crackdown on prescription pain-killers and the increase in heroin abuse, but also because more of it is being illegally produced and smuggled into the U.S.
Fentanyl is a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Schedule II controlled substance which means it has a high potential for abuse as well as an accepted medical use in the U.S. Fentanyl is principally used to treat severe pain in cancer patients and is produced in the form of a lozenge, pill, nasal spray or a transdermal patch. It is also administered intravenously as an anesthetic during heart surgery. (1)
While the FDA-approved fentanyl continues to be illegally diverted into the hands of addicts, other man-made versions of fentanyl are becoming more common and are causing havoc in the heroin community. Clandestinely produced fentanyl (vs the FDA-approved version) is also much more potent than traditional street heroin, and is also being used by drug traffickers. One of the more common versions of unregulated fentanyl that is added to heroin is known as acetyl fentanyl.
Acetyl fentanyl is an opioid analgesic (pain-killer) that is an analogue of fentanyl, meaning it is chemically or pharmacologically similar to fentanyl. Acetyl fentanyl can be as much as 80 times more potent than morphine and 5-15 times more potent than heroin. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and other law enforcement agencies are experiencing an increase in the number of seizures of street drugs containing acetyl fentanyl. Due to increasing deaths attributed to this designer drug, on July 17, 2015, DEA has temporarily placed acetyl fentanyl into Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. Substances in Schedule I have a high potential for abuse, no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States, and a lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision.
Over 12 different analogues of fentanyl have been produced and identified as being sold illegally in the U.S. (2) Unbeknownst to the users and addicts, drug dealers are cutting heroin with fentanyl analogues and selling it as heroin on the street. Although less potent than the FDA approved fentanyl, the fentanyl analogues are still powerful enough to induce overdose in unsuspected victims, even if a "typical" dose of heroin is taken.
Acetyl fentanyl has also been detected in tablets that have been sold on the street as oxycodone. (3). Acetyl fentanyl is sold illegally on the internet as a so-called research chemical which is labeled "not for human consumption". Regardless of how it is labeled, it is illegal to purchase acetyl fentanyl in the U.S. and doing so is a violation of the Controlled Substances Act. Those who purchase it on-line will be subject to federal prosecution.
There is no existing sanctioned or authorized use for acetyl fentanyl. It is commonly produced in clandestine laboratories in China and Mexico and is commonly referred to on the street as "China-White". This designer drug is highly likely to contain other unknown contaminants that can be fatal when consumed. Acetyl fentanyl is usually an off-white powder and may be slightly darker depending on the additives.
References:
(1.) deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_chem_info/fentanyl (adobe)
(2.) dea.gov/druginfo/concern_fentanyl.shtml
(3.) deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_chem_info/acetylfentanyl (adobe)
The abuse of fentanyl and its analogues is extremely dangerous. If you are interested in learning more about stopping the diversion of fentanyl, preventing heroin use, or would like to receive training from an experienced DEA Special Agent and drug diversion expert, please visit my website at [http://www.trainingidea.com]


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9367806

There Is a Solution to Addiction

By        Expert Author Oliver Brendan Greene

If you're reading this article, then there's a good chance you have tried a few (or many) approaches to quit your addiction. There are certainly enough methods out there. Many people try, and are successful for some time, but then fall back in to their old self-destructive habits. However, this does not need to be case.If you are reading this, then it is clear that you have a desire to make a positive change in your life. There could be a few reasons for this change in perspective.
Maybe you are sick and tired of your current circumstances in life. Perhaps you know there is more that you want to experience, but feel trapped in your current addiction. Or maybe you went through a major event that really woke you up.
Whatever your reason for being here, know that I have been in the same place you now find yourself in. I tried a range of different methods to quit my addiction and take back control of my life, and thankfully I overcame it.
The alternative approach to overcoming addiction, which is based on science, as well as the most effective behavioural techniques. You see, recent discoveries in science have revolutionised our understanding of addiction and the brain. This means we can now expose most of the old myths and misconceptions about the nature of addiction.
It is important to realize that when the first studies on drug addiction were done in the 1930's, it was thought that addicts were lacking willpower or had a moral flaw in their character (unfortunately this view is still found today, but things are changing).
From this perspective, it was somewhat logical that addiction was not treated as a health problem, or something to be dealt with by therapeutic means. Instead, it was condemned morally and punished according to the erroneous belief system.
However, evidence of how the brain develops a dependency, together with major breakthroughs about the nature of the brain have changed this theory, and as such, powerful methods of effectively overcoming addictions now exist.
Scientific research shows that addiction is a disease that has implications for the brain and human behaviour. There is also research in to the factors (environmental and biological) that shape the development and the progression of the disease in individuals. There are also genetic variations that contribute to the appearance of addictive behaviours.
It is the newly discovered knowledge that allows for effective prevention and treatment approaches. It is these discoveries that provide the framework for the approach that worked for me. This has proven to work for a very high number of people, and I truly believe it can work for you.
http://www.OliverGreene.com website, tells the stories of addictions. It conveys the ideas and measures that were needed to overcome addictions of various types. His mental attitude and zest for life will inspire anyone in their own fight against addictions


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9379094