Health

Battling Nicotine Addiction with an Electronic Cigarette

November 17, 2010 By admin 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.

Filed Under: Addiction, Health Tagged With: Battery (electricity), Cigarette, Electronic cigarette, Inhalation, Nicotine, Quit, Tobacco smoking, Water vapor

Similarities and Differences Between Methamphetamine and Cocaine

September 26, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

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Since they produce very similar the same effects, Cocaine and Methamphetamine (Meth) are often linked together. Both drugs also belong to the class of drugs called psycho stimulants. Despite the similarities and differences of both drugs, however, they’re both very addictive and extremely dangerous. Both have a strong potential for dependence and abuse as well.

Meth is a chemical, and is man made, while cocaine (or coke) comes from the leaves of a coca plant. You can smoke, inject, or snort either drug. The main difference between the two drugs however, is that meth comes in a pill form, and cocaine typically comes in a powder form, with the exception of crack cocaine. Neither drug has much (if any) practical or medical purpose, however, cocaine can be used as an anesthetic and appetite stimulant.

Meth has a much wider defined area of use than cocaine. Its highest use is in California, Hawaii, and most Western areas of the United States. More recently, meth usage has increased in the urban areas of Oregon, Arizona, Colorado, and Washington. Cocaine has no geographic pattern, but studies have shown that it’s used largely in major metropolitan areas due to the fact that cocaine is very expensive.

As far as effects are concerned, both cocaine and meth are often confused with one another because they both produce the same effects. With both drugs, users experience a quick rush followed by feelings of euphoria or happiness. A meth high can last anywhere between eight and twenty-four hours, depending on the amount of drug ingested into the body. The high from Cocaine lasts only a short time, from twenty to thirty minutes.

Methamphetamine’s high can last from eight to twenty four hours and fifty percent of the drug is removed from the body in twelve hours. Cocaine’s high on the other hand, lasts from twenty to thirty minutes and fifty percent of the drug is removed from the body in one hour. Physiologically, Both meth and cocaine can cause make you irritable can cause anxiety. Both drugs also increase the heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature.

Filed Under: Drug Addiction, Health Tagged With: California, Cocaine, Methamphetamine, United States

Myths About Teens and Prescription Drug Abuse

September 19, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

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When it comes to teens and prescription drugs, there are several myths surrounding the problem that simply aren’t true. One such myth is that teens buy illegal prescription drugs from drug dealers. Even though some teens know about people who sell drugs at school and on the street, many of them find drugs in their own homes. They steal the pills right from the medicine cabinet without being noticed. The common types of drugs that teens abuse are over-the-counter cough syrup, Ritalin (medication for ADHD), amphetamines, sedatives, and just about anything they can get their hands on.

According to the “Monitoring the Future” survey of 50,000 teens in the U.S., adolescents obtain prescription drugs from the following sources: home, friends, strangers, and illegal pharmacies on the Internet. The study also mentioned that one of the reasons that teen drug abuse is running rampant is that prescription drugs are so readily available.

Teens can get prescription drugs from a variety of sources at no charge. In order to keep prescription drugs away from your teens, hide them in a safe place, and properly dispose of any unused medications. Although many medications may seem harmless, they’re dangerous when misused. Teenagers also need to fully understand the potential dangers of taking prescription drugs for recreational purposes.

Young people also need to understand that taking prescription drugs is illegal. The fact that these drugs are prescriptions doesn’t mean that it’s okay to take them. Too often, teenagers hear from their friends that it’s safer to take prescription drugs as opposed to illegal ones. But it’s always better to be safe than sorry. Teenagers need to realize that doctors go through a very long process when they prescribe drugs. Doctors perform physical examinations, tests, more tests, and medical histories. After all that preparation, a prescription is made, and hopefully the drug produces the expected result. Teenagers thinking about taking prescription drugs need to realize that taking drugs to get high is foolish.

Filed Under: Health, Substance Abuse Tagged With: Medicine, Pharmaceutical drug, Prescription drug, Substance abuse

Teenage Alcoholism

September 13, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Researchers are discovering a wide range of short- and long-term health problems related to alcohol use among adults and teens. In the past, the U.S. government and British medical professionals have conducted several studies conducted on the health effects of both short-term and long-term use of alcohol among adults. For many years, people have known that alcoholism is a major cause of psoriasis of the liver.

More recently, doctors and clinicians are discovering that alcohol use causes liver damage, pancreatitis, cancer, and brain shrinkage. Alcohol use is also the second leading cause of dementia. It’s recently been discovered that individuals who use excessive amounts of alcohol age quicker. Medical professionals are worried about a steady rise in teen alcohol abuse and the negative effects of alcohol.

According to an article in the British Medical Journal (BMA), there is a rise in the proportion of 11 to 15 year olds who drink alcohol. The article also mentioned that teens are drinking more alcohol when they do drink. Adolescence is a time when young people’s bodies change. It’s a process where their hormones change, and their brain continues to develop. During this time, teenagers also find new friends and contacts. Their social lives become a priority. Teenagers often feel the need to fit in with the rest of crowd. As a result, it’s easy for teenagers to start drinking due to peer group pressure. They often make the wrong decision and turn to alcohol.

The U.S. government also released a publication titled Prevention Alert. The publication talked about teenage alcohol abuse and its negative side effects. The U.S government performed a study on the subject of teens and alcohol abuse. In a publication titled Prevention Alert, the government studies mentioned that memory problems were common amongst adolescents who drank excessively. Moreover, government researchers also claimed that teens that started drinking before age 15 were four times more likely to develop alcohol addiction at a later point in life. The study also attributed alcohol abuse to learning impairments that could affect academic achievement.

Filed Under: Alcoholism, Health Tagged With: Alcoholic beverage, Alcoholism, U.S government, United States

Teenage Substance Abuse Problems

September 11, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

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Being a teenager in today’s society is a challenge, to say the least. It’s a stressful time for young kids and their parents alike. No one really knows why, but substance abuse has become a part of teenager’s lives. Although most teenagers don’t necessarily become drug addicts in their later years, drug use is without a doubt risky business for teenagers. Young kids don’t realize it, but even the smallest amount of drug use (for example, alcohol and marijuana) has negative consequences. Unfortunately, school and family relationships are undoubtedly the most affected areas of drug abuse.

How Can You Tell When a Teen is Using Drugs?

Possibly the most telling sign of drug abuse is a teen’s preoccupation with drugs. Drug use overshadows all other activities and becomes a part of the teen’s daily life. Friendship groups and family relations change. Other warning signs may include the use of more dangerous drugs like cocaine, amphetamines, and heroin. Since kids do their best to hide their drug use, drug detection is a big challenge for parents.

There’s no single cause for drug addiction in teens. Instead there are several pathways to his/her drug problems. It develops over time, and doesn’t necessarily begin as full-blown problem with addiction.

Warning Signs

Some of the factors that may place teens at risk are:

Lack of supervision from parents
No communication between parents and kids about the dangers of drugs
No set rules or boundaries against drug use
Inconsistent and/or excessive discipline
Conflict in the family
A history of alcohol or dug abuse in the family
Favorable attitudes regarding drug or alcohol use from parents and peers

The following are individual risk factors

Impulsive behavior
Psychological stress
Emotional instability
A perception of low harmfulness from drug use
Extension drug use by peers

Early detection is the key to helping kids with drug problems, and the earlier a drug user seeks help for his/her problems, the better. Now more than ever, parents need to have open communication with their children about drugs.

Filed Under: Addiction, Health, Substance Abuse Tagged With: Cocaine, Health, Substance abuse

Tennessee Drug Treatment Facilities Offer Strength and Caring for Patients to Overcome Addiction

September 10, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

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Admitting that you have a drug problem is hard enough to do with yourself, let alone when you have to share the admission with friends and family. There are so many issues that are tied to drug abuse and depending on the length and depth of your struggle to stay sober, there are likely many relationships and opportunities that have suffered. Whether it’s missed appointments for your job or misunderstandings with family and friends, it’s likely that there are things that you regret because of your substance abuse. Some of these situations you want to remedy, and some you want to avoid reliving. If you are a resident of Tennessee who is coping with substance abuse, it’s time to stop the cycle and find help.

Taking Steps to Overcome Addiction

Coping with substance abuse is difficult and requires the help of trained professionals who understand the nature of addiction and the steps you need to take to begin your lifelong recovery. Understanding the origin of the disease and finding ways to substitute addictive behaviors associated with alcohol and drug abuse with healthy habits is part of the recovery process. Good staff members who are versed in addiction can help you trace back when you started turning to substances to cope and what led to your choices. The next part of the process is dealing with repercussions of your actions and finding ways to mend fences and repair your life as you re-enter society substance free.

Treatment with caring and trained professionals can lead to lifelong sobriety in patients, so finding a facility where you are comfortable is key. If you are ready to put an end to your addiction, contact one of the many Tennessee drug treatment facilities today and start a new, drug-free life.

Filed Under: Health, Rehab, Substance Abuse Tagged With: Addiction, Substance abuse, Substance dependence, Tennessee

Preventing Teen Substance Abuse

September 5, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

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When it comes to preventing drug abuse among teenagers, doctors, parents, and educators need to figure out a way to integrate honesty and communication with teens in order to help prevent this ongoing problem. But let’s start with some good news. New research indicates that professionals know a lot more today about substance abuse and drug addiction than they knew just a few years ago from today.

Current research indicates that alcohol causes damage to the developing brains of teenagers. Researchers have also discovered that teenagers who use alcohol damage their brains much more than adults who also drink alcohol. This new research refutes previous beliefs that people can drink heavily for several without causing serious neurological injury to their brains. Researchers have also found that the brain continues to develop until people reach their mid twenties, whereas many believed the brain stops developing by the time kids reach 15 or 16 years old. Recent research seems to suggest that young people who drink run the risk of damaging their brains at any early stage in life.

The use of alcohol and drugs changes the way young people think and behave. A pleasure-seeking area of the brain called the nucleus accumbens helps with decision making and thinking. This part of the brain doesn’t reach full maturity until a teen reaches his/her twenties. As result, young teenagers are much less likely to inhibit pleasure-seeking behavior, since this area of their brain isn’t fully mature.

The new findings from researchers also suggest that people who start drinking in their teens face the risk of becoming alcoholics later on in life. A national survey of over 40,000 adults (from Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine) said that 47 percent of adults who started drinking before age 14 became alcohol dependent at some point in their lives. Only 9 percent of the 40,000 became alcohol dependent when they waited until age 21 to start drinking. The results of the survey seem to prove that alcoholism develops at an early age.

Filed Under: Addiction, Health, Substance Abuse

Addiction: A Perplexing Problem for Psychiatrists

September 3, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

After decades of studying drug use, the phenomenon never ceases to puzzle psychiatrists. One psychiatrist reported that his patient said he continues to snort cocaine even though it doesn’t make him high anymore. People’s habits and addictions are hard to explain, and even more perplexing to diagnose and eventually cure. Cocaine addicts prefer a cocaine high more than anything else in the world, including eating, drinking, and sleeping. Apparently the patient mentioned earlier simply lost the euphoria that he experienced from cocaine, and eventually he lost he job. When his wife threatened to divorce him, he sought help from a professional.

It hasn’t been until recently that psychiatrists are beginning to understand the growing problem of substance abuse and addiction in our country. However, for years professional people have understood the attraction of recreational drugs like cocaine, alcohol, and opiates. These people know that their patients take drugs in order to activate the brain’s reward system and experience what many addicts call euphoria.

A medical definition of addiction may be difficult to nail down, but most people know what it means. Put simply, addiction is doing something you can’t stop. even though it interferes with your daily life.

Addictive Characteristics

The following are common characteristics people who are chemically dependent share:

1. A desire for increased amounts of the substance in order to achieve the same effect.
2. Using the substance for longer periods of time.
3. A prolonged desire for the substance (or failed attempts to cut down or stop using it).
4, Spending a lot of time trying to obtain the substance.
5. Giving up or cutting back on everyday activities (important social, work, or family activities).
6. Continued substance use/abuse even though it causes problems (social and legal).

Addictive Behaviors

For most addicts, addiction can involve any type of behavior, an addiction may involve a wide range of behaviors (e.g., gambling, spending money, eating, having sex). However, these behaviors interfere with an addict’s normal life or routine). In addition, addicts tend to get defensive when people criticize their behavior.

Filed Under: Addiction, Health, Substance Abuse Tagged With: Addiction, Health, Substance abuse

Manage Your Health and Auto Insurance Online

August 11, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

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When it comes to your insurance policies, you want to make sure you have the best coverage for your needs. Having adequate coverage can be the difference between losing your only mode of transportation due to an accident and getting a replacement vehicle. It can be the difference between paying off a car that no longer works because you totaled it and having to pay the remaining balance out of pocket. For health insurance, it can be the difference between getting an expensive test to confirm a diagnosis and not getting treatment. Why face a difficult time when you can get insurance policies to fit your needs?

The Internet is a great tool for managing your policies. You can look for auto insurance quotes to find out which company offers the lowest rates. In some cases, you can customize the search options to compare polices that offer the same amount of coverage, have the same deductible, and take into consideration your driving history. This way you’ll know if you’re comparing apples to apples or apples to oranges. You can do the same thing with your health insurance policy.

Many insurance providers now offer online portals where you can review your health and auto insurance policies. With a health insurance company, you can access a list of in-network providers and search by your zipcode to find a doctor, a hospital, or a specialist in your area. Some companies even allow you to check the status of a claim online.

Car insurance companies also let you do several things online, like updating your contact information and paying your bill online. Some allow you to review your policies online. This can be beneficial if you need to make adjustments to your policy to increase the amount of coverage for certain categories. With insurance providers using the Internet, managing your health and auto insurance needs can be a breeze.

Filed Under: General, Health Tagged With: Insurance, Insurance policy, Vehicle insurance

Budget for That Medical Test With a Prepaid Credit Card

August 9, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Medical tests are important. If your doctor thinks you should have a test, then it’s probably a good idea. It may be an attempt to diagnose you with something, but it could also be an attempt to rule out a particular problem. No matter which one of those things your doctor is trying to do, you don’t want to ignore an important medical test just because you don’t have a lot of money. If the test isn’t right away, you might be able to save up for it. If you need it more quickly, though, you could consider using a prepaid credit card and then paying it off over time.

The most important thing is that you get the test. Worrying about how you’ll pay for it shouldn’t be an issue, and will only cause you stress that’s not healthy. It’s better when you can just get the test and know that things will be all right financially, since that’s one less worry you’ll have to deal with. Then you can just focus on the test and getting the results, so you’ll know what the next step is. Often medical tests come back and show no serious problems, so try not to get too worried about it.

No matter what’s wrong, it’s better to know so you don’t go through life wondering. Most medical conditions are very treatable, too, so finding out what the problem is means that you can get treatment and feel better faster. It could even prevent a much more serious problem down the road, which is great news. It’s natural to be a little concerned when you’re sent for medical testing, but try to relax and put worries out of your mind. There’s no point in getting upset until you know for sure if there’s something to worry about.

Filed Under: Health Tagged With: Credit card, Money