Health Risks Associated With Substance Abuse

December 6, 2010 By Leave a Comment

There are various health risks that are associated with the substance abuse. The person who is involved in this addiction to various drugs and other unhealthy products may suffer from certain side effects. These effects can even be life threatening at times. Various systems of the body are affected by the use of these spurious substances.

One of the most common substance abuse is the use of tobacco. Tobacco is used either while smoking cigarettes or when the person is chewing tobacco. The nicotine that is present in the tobacco can cause the person who is using it to suffer from various health problems including lung cancer. Other than cancer, the respiratory system of the person can also be affected because of the fact that the nicotine causes damage to the lungs.

The use of excessive alcohol can lead to various problems in the liver. Though other systems in the body may also be affected because of excessive consumption of alcohol, one of the systems that is severely affected is the liver. There are many people who have been substance abusers and have suffered from liver problems like liver cirrhosis, where there is uncontrolled bleeding in the liver. Death of certain parts of the liver, cancer of the liver and other diseases of the liver are very common in people who are alcoholics.

Drug addiction is the other common problem that can lead to various health risks. Many people who are chronic drug addicts may even die because of a fatal overdose of the drug. All the drugs can lead to various systems of the body being affected. Since many of the drug abusers share the same needle to inject themselves, they are at a high risk of being affected by AIDS. This is one of the common problems seen in substance abusers.

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What is AA?

November 25, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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If you, or someone you know, has an alcohol addiction, you may want to consider joining AA. AA stands for Alcoholics Anonymous and is a group of men and women that get together for the sole purpose of getting and staying sober.

With its over 2 million members, AA works to get people to stop drinking by focusing on one day at a time. Alcoholics Anonymous has a 12 steps to recovery program and is also successful due to their group setting. Many people believe that by talking and sharing your experiences with a group, it helps to heal you faster because you realize that there are other people out there going through the same thing as you.

AA was started in 1935 by a stockbroker and a doctor, both of whom were alcoholics at the time. They founded AA in order to help themselves stay sober together, and ended up reaching out to help others that also suffered from alcoholism.

Anyone attending a meeting in AA can expect it to usually start out with a talk from the leader or other speakers for the day. Afterwords, you are then able to listen to others share their stories and invited to speak about your own. Everything about AA is voluntary. They will not try to get information from you and will not try to force you in to anything.

You are free to leave a meeting anytime you want and you are also free to bring a family member to any of the informative meetings that they hold.

This program has been successful for many people and may be the answer many more are looking for. By helping yourself or someone you love, you are taking the big leap in getting the treatment needed.

Try out a meeting if you aren’t sure. Make sure it’s something you can handle before you take the plunge to make yourself healthy again.

Filed Under: Addiction, Alcoholism

Battling Nicotine Addiction with an Electronic Cigarette

November 17, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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Smokers can really struggle when they’re trying to quit. It’s not an easy battle, and many people quit multiple times before they actually manage to stay away from cigarettes for good. Others give up and decide that they’re just going to smoke, regardless of the consequences. They may lack the willpower to quit, or they simply aren’t willing to go through the struggles to stay free of cigarettes. If you’re one of the people who really wants to quit but you aren’t sure what you can do – or you’ve tried a lot of things and always failed – there is another option.

One of the newest offerings is the electronic cigarette. It offers vaporized nicotine for the smoker to inhale, and releases only water vapor. While not as good as quitting entirely, it isn’t as damaging to the lungs as all of the chemicals that are normally inhaled when a person smokes. In addition, it can be used in places where people are not allowed to smoke standard cigarettes, because there is no actual smoke released. There’s no fire, only a battery-powered device to vaporize the nicotine that comes in a replaceable cartridge. As it grows in popularity, it has provided smokers with another option when they want to quit.

By using the electronic option for cigarettes, smokers become less dependent on the chemicals and their body begins to heal. The nicotine that’s being inhaled is still not something that should be done long-term, and quitting is still the best choice. For some people, though, this is a long road and whether they will arrive at their destination is uncertain. If they cannot or will not quit – or if they simply need another option to help them reach their goal of being smoke-free – the electronic cigarette can provide them with a healthier choice.

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What is a Functioning Alcoholic?

November 6, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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An alcoholic doesn’t always have to be a person that blacks out or even a wino begging for money on the street. A functioning alcoholic is a person that is medically considered an alcoholic yet is still able to function with their daily life.

These types of alcoholics tend to do everything normal just like people who aren’t addicted to alcohol. One of the reasons an alcoholic admits that he has a problem is mainly because of the embarrassing effects alcoholism has on him. However, a functioning alcoholic has a very difficult time admitting addiction because they don’t have bad things going on in their lives due to alcoholism. There aren’t that many events happening or things being effected in their lives because of their drinking problem.

While a functioning alcoholic may think they don’t have a problem because they’ve never blacked out, or even been in trouble with the law, they still do have a problem. A big one. There’s may be worse than others because they are in complete denial and it is often harder to get help for them.

These types of alcoholics have built up a tolerance for alcohol, which is why it becomes harder for then to get drunk. They then need to drink more and more alcohol in order to feel any kinds of effects from it.

A functioning alcoholic may know that they have a problem, but it will be hard for them to stop because their withdrawal symptoms can be severe. They may even experience symptoms a few hours after their last drink, which makes them want to drink more to curb the symptoms.

If you know someone that has an alcohol addiction, get help for them. Stage an intervention, or even talk to them privately and help them to realize that they have a problem that could potentially kill them.

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Filed Under: Addiction, Alcoholism

Signs of a Hangover

November 4, 2010 By Leave a Comment

If you are the type of person that likes to party a lot and have a good time, you may have a substance abuse problem. While you may not realize how much you are drinking at the time, you will definitely feel the effects of it the next day in the form of a hangover.

A hangover is full of physical as well as mental symptoms that can occur after you have had a heavy night of drinking. Hangovers symptoms vary, mainly depending on how much you had to drink the night before.

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism lists many hangover symptoms such as headache, sore muscles, extreme thirst, nausea, vomiting, unable to sleep, being sensitive to light and sound, depression, fatigue and even anxiety. Each person is different and experiences their own symptoms or combination of symptoms.

A hangover usually happens anywhere from four hours after the drinking stops, to the next day after a night of sleep occurs. Hangovers start when the blood alcohol content starts to lower. The worst of the symptoms happen when the blood alcohol content returns to zero.

The symptoms of a hangover will subside anywhere from eight to 24 hours after they started.

If you know someone that always complains about hangovers, then they may have a drinking problem. The best way to avoid a hangover is to never get one in the first place.

Many people tend to experience a horrible hangover which is enough to make them control themselves when drinking. Others however, don’t mind the symptoms so much and would rather party and abuse alcohol. Those people should seek help for their substance abuse problem and get to the bottom of the real issue.

There are meetings given by Alcoholics Anonymous where anyone can attend and get help for any problems they may have.

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Health Issues Arise as Baby Boomers Continue to Use Drugs

October 20, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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Pot smoking hippies from the 1960’s have grown into middle-aged Americans across our country, and unfortunately older people between 50 and 59 are continuing to use drugs in the 2000’s.

A survey conducted by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services determined that 8 percent of people between the ages of 50 and 59 used an illicit drug of some sort. The survey said most of them used marijuana, but many use prescription drugs, pain medications, ant-anxiety pills, and sleeping pills. Between 2002 and 2008, the percentage of potheads and pill users in their 50’s grew by over 50 percent.

Rightfully so, researchers are very worried that lifetime drug use by baby boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) is on the rise, and will complicate the lives and health of many aging Americans. Peter Delaney, Director of the Office of Applied Studies, mentioned that there are so many people in the 50 to 59 age bracket needing substance abuse help that the number of treatment facilities needs to double in the near future.

Delaney said the problem with older users is that drugs cause greater impairment, as people get older. As physiology slows down with age, it takes a lot longer to process drugs through the body. In other words, drugs like marijuana stay in the body’s system for longer periods of time. Also, a mix of marijuana and prescribed pills that lower blood pressure can produce lethal side effects. Unknowing drug users in their 50’s can easily land themselves and extended stay in the hospital for mixing marijuana and pain pills.

The substance abuse administration also queried over 20,000 adults over 50 and found that 5.2 percent of adults in the 50 to 59 age group used marijuana between 2006 and 2008. In addition, 2.9 percent of them took prescription drugs illegally. Lastly, 7.9 percent of these adults said they had taken some type of illicit drug as well.

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Filed Under: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug Addiction, Rehab, Substance Abuse Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

The Negative Effects of Methamphetamine

October 12, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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Methamphetamine is a man-made chemical with properties that are very similar to adrenaline. Methamphetamine (commonly referred to as meth) affects the nervous system with a highly addictive stimulant. The common street names for meth are crank, crystal, speed, ice, and glass. For over three decades, meth has been the mostly widely produced controlled substance in the U.S. Unfortunately, many young people in the U.S. are meth users, and the numbers continue to rise. Meth can be manufactured secretly in meth labs throughout the country. Many of these so-called meth labs are found in people’s homes. The fact that it can be made so easily means that it is also easily sold and distributed. Aside from heroin and cocaine, meth is the most dangerous and lethal drug available in our society.

Meth is a powerful stimulant, and it can keep awake for hours at a time. It also decreases the user’s appetite, and increases his/her activity. The effects of meth are much the same as methadrine (or speed), a popular drug of the 1960’s. Younger adults took speed so that they could stay up all night studying for exams in college. Users say that meth gives you a brief, intense sensation when snorted or injected.

When a user does meth, a neurotransmitter called dopamine is released to the pleasure areas of the brain, and he/she experiences an immediate adrenaline rush or feeling of euphoria, as users typically describe it. People who take the drug also say they feel a sense of well being. Just like any other drug, the user needs to take larger doses of it in order to obtain the same high as before. Increased doses and prolonged use of meth produces feelings of irritability, depression, anger, and paranoia. Users also experience delusional thinking and visual impairment. Some even have visual or auditory hallucinations.

Most meth users go without food or sleep for days, injecting meth into their systems every two or three hours in order to stay high. This type of binging occurs until the user runs out of meth, overdoes, or becomes too delirious to continue taking the drug.

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Warning Signs For Teenage Substance Abuse

October 7, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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Being a teenager in today’s society is a lot more stressful than days past. Expectations are very high for adolescents. They’re expected to have excellent grades and keep up with the other kids in sports, school clubs, and other social events. Sometimes the stress becomes unbearable, and teenagers turn to drugs to help deal with it. If you’re concerned that your teen might be using drugs, there are several warning signs to look for in your adolescent’s behavior that could be indicators.

The following are some of the warning signs or indications of substance abuse:

Evidence of drugs or paraphernalia. Teens often feel you’re invading their privacy when you search through their personal belongings, but it never hurts to look for blatant physical signs of drugs or paraphernalia around the house. For example, marijuana smoke has a very strong and distinct odor. It doesn’t smell anything like cigarette smoke at all. If your teen comes home wreaking of marijuana smoke, don’t be afraid to confront him/her with some questions about what they’ve been doing that evening.

Behavioral problems. If your teen suddenly seems disinterested in school and other activities like sports and social events, ask them about it. A major deterrent from drug use of any kind is simple, honest communication with your teen. We’re not recommending that you become nosey or intrusive, but it’s always a good idea to take a genuine interest in your teen’s welfare. Let him/her know that you care about their well-being. A simple question like, “How is school going,” is always a good opening to a good conversation with your son or daughter.

Emotional distance, depression, or fatigue. Young teenagers should be full of vitality and energy. They really shouldn’t act listless or apathetic in any way. After all, they’re young, and have a whole life ahead of them. If your teenage suddenly seems disinterested or depressed, ask them about it. Again, you don’t want to appear nosey, but a little bit of care and interest will go a long way. Sometimes teens just need a little push to get them going in the right direction.

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Filed Under: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug Addiction, Rehab, Substance Abuse Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Teenage Substance Abuse

October 4, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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Teenagers in today’s society are faced with challenges, stress, and confusion. As a result, many teens fall prey to substance abuse in hopes to deal with everyday problems and challenges, only to discover bigger problems by turning to drugs as solution. As a teen, it’s difficult to predict problems that can occur down the road. Younger people are more impetuous, and seek and immediate solution to problems. A small circle of friends at school may use drugs, and those kids say that there’s no harm involved. A vulnerable teenager sees his friends, taking drugs and decides to give it a try. After all, what is there to lose? Well, in the long run, there’s plenty to lose, but no one realizes the true facts of drug abuse until it’s much too late.

Today’s adolescents don’t perceive the problems associated with drug use. To them, it’s a harmless way to alleviate stress and escape from reality. At first, taking drugs is just another way to relax and have fun. They don’t realize the risks and consequences involved. Even though adolescent drug abuse doesn’t necessarily lead to problems later on, drug use at any stage in life has negative consequences. Although drug use at any early age doesn’t necessarily lead to addiction later on, it’s like a game of Russian roulette, no different than holding a gun to your head and pulling the trigger, hoping that the chamber is empty.

For most teens, drug use has consequences, including poor academic performance, deteriorating relationships with loved ones, and a general lack of interest in everything life has to offer. Substance abuse changes behavior in teens. A newly discovered obsession with drugs overshadows all other activities. A teen who was previously involved in sports and other productive activities suddenly becomes apathetic. The captain of the swim team stops showing up to practice due to his/her preoccupation with drugs. Everything valuable and important takes a second seat to drug users. Unfortunately, drugs will eventually take precedence over a teenager’s life.

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Preventing Drug Abuse in the U.S.

October 1, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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Drug abuse in the U.S. has reached epidemic proportions. It’s difficult to determine why, but people abuse substances like alcohol, tobacco, cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, an more. The drug problem in the U.S. is a difficult problem to solve, since the people who use drugs don’t want to admit it. Since it’s against the law, the keep it a secret, and as a result, there are more drug users/abusers in our country than anyone realizes. People use drugs for their own personal reasons, whether they just want to get high or maybe even relieve stress, that high (or temporary feeling of euphoria) comes at a cost to the drug user and to society as well.

The toll for drug abuse can range from extended stays in emergency rooms and hospitals or even jail time. It’s a well know fact that the majority of offenders who spend time in jail are alcohol/drug abusers. It’s a growing problem in the U.S., and drastic measures need to be taken in order to stop it. Finding the right treatment to help prevent drug abuse is challenging, however, medical professionals are gaining a better understanding of the problem through knowledge and research. Since drug abuse often starts at an early age, drug education among teens and younger people is a major key to prevention.

According to the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, the number of illicit drug users in the U.S. is around 13 million. Since the survey was performed several years ago, the number of drug users has grown significantly. The survey also said that 10% of all Americans either use or abuse alcohol, and 25% of them smoke cigarettes. Despite the health hazards and risks of tobacco, people still smoke cigarettes, saying that it gives them pleasure, increased performance, and less depression. People drink alcohol for many reasons. Although most people say they drink it for a “pick me up,” alcohol actually depresses the brain. It lessens your inhibition, slurs speech, and impairs judgment. For the most part, the disadvantages of alcohol, cigarettes, and other drugs outweigh the advantages.

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