Drug Abuse, Addiction, and the Brain

Many people do not understand why people become addicted to drugs or how drugs change the brain to foster compulsive drug abuse. They mistakenly view drug abuse and addiction as strictly a social problem and may characterise those who take drugs as morally weak. One very common belief is that drug abusers should be able to just stop taking drugs if they are only willing to change their behaviour.

What people often underestimate is the complexity of drug addiction -- that it is a disease that impacts the brain, and because of that, stopping drug abuse is not simply a matter of willpower. Through scientific advances we now know much more about how exactly drugs work in the brain, and we also know that drug addiction can be successfully treated to help people stop abusing drugs and resume productive lives.

What Is Drug Addiction?

Drug addiction is a chronic, often relapsing brain disease that causes compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences to the drug addict and those around them. Drug addiction is a brain disease because the abuse of drugs leads to changes in the structure and function of the brain. Although it is true that for most people the initial decision to take drugs is voluntary, over time the changes in the brain caused by repeated drug abuse can affect a person's self-control and ability to make sound decisions, and at the same time create an intense impulse to take drugs.

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It is because of these changes in the brain that it is so challenging for a person who is addicted to stop abusing drugs. Fortunately, there are treatments that help people to counteract addiction's powerful disruptive effects and regain control. Research shows that combining addiction treatment medications, if available, with behavioural therapy is the best way to ensure success for most patients. Treatment approaches that are tailored to each patients drug abuse patterns and any concurrent medical, psychiatric, and social problems can lead to sustained recovery and a life without drugs.

As with other chronic diseases, such as diabetes, asthma, or heart disease, drug addiction can be managed effectively.Yet, it is not uncommon for a person to relapse and begin abusing drugs again. Relapse does not signal failure; rather, it indicates that treatment should be reinstated or adjusted, or that alternate treatment is needed to help the person regain control and recover.

Health Advantages of Playing Sports

 

While the benefits of playing sports are highly promoted for children and teenagers, participating in sports can improve your health throughout your life. You can improve your general fitness through a variety of physical activities, but sports offer unique benefits, whether you're joining a team in elementary school or playing in an adult league.

Emotional and Mental Health

Improving at a sport requires memorization, repetition and learning, and honing these skill sets can carry over into other activities, including your job. Playing a sport also boosts self-esteem. Watching hard work rewarded with improved abilities and better results in competitions proves that you can set goals and achieve them. Additionally, regularly playing a sport cuts down on pressure and stress. Exercising is a natural way to release stress, and having teammates can provide a support system that also can alleviate tension.

Weight Control

Regular physical activity throughout your lifetime can help you control your weight. While you can achieve weight control with solo activities at a gym, playing a sport can motivate you to be more physically active and to push yourself to achieve. Having your team depend on you can encourage you to show up at practices and put in a greater effort preparing for competition than you might on your own.

How to Quit Smoking

Here's a simple step-by-step plan to help you stop smoking.

You decided to stop smoking? Great — it’s one of the best things you can do for your health.

But quitting isn’t easy. Nicotine — the addictive ingredient in tobacco — is as addictive as heroin or cocaine, according to the American Cancer Society, and the average person attempts to quit six times before succeeding.

Fortunately, there are steps you can take to set yourself up for success and kick the habit for good.

Set a date: Pick a day and time in the near future that you expect to be relatively stress-free so you can prepare to quit smoking.

Quitting when you have a big project due at work, or even when you have something happy on your calendar like a birthday party (if you tend to light up when you are drinking or socializing), can be more challenging.

Write down your reasons: Consider why you want to stop smoking and jot the reasons down. You can refer to them once you quit when you get a craving. A few universal good ones:

• My risk of cancer, heart attacks, chronic lung disease, stroke, cataracts, and other diseases will drop.
• My blood pressure will go down.
• I’ll look better. My skin will be more hydrated and less wrinkled, my teeth will look less yellow and my fingers won’t be stained with nicotine.
• I’ll save money.
• My hair, clothes, car, and home won’t reek of smoke.
• I’ll have more energy.
• I’ll set a better example for my kids, friends, and family.
• I’ll live longer.

Get your friends and family on board: The more support you have, the more likely you are to quit smoking.

Ask your loved ones to help keep you distracted by taking walks or playing games, and bear with you if you become cranky or irritable as you experience nicotine withdrawal.
Tell any smokers not to smoke around you, or better yet, ask your smoking buddies to quit with you.
Identify your triggers: You’ll be most tempted to smoke during the same times you do now. Knowing your habits and what situations may set off a craving will help you plan ahead for distractions.
For example, you may typically smoke while driving, drinking, or after dinner, or it may be that you reach for a cigarette when you’re feeling stressed, lonely, or depressed.

Create healthy distractions to head off potential smoking triggers. If you smoke while you drive, keep a pack of gum on hand, or if you smoke after dinner, plan to take a walk or chat on the phone with a friend.

Anticipate cravings: It’s expected that you’ll experience nicotine cravings as your body begins to go through withdrawal.

The good news is that cravings aren’t endless. They generally last for five minutes and no longer than 10.
When cravings strike, focus on something else: Drink a glass of water, review your list of reasons for quitting, take deep breaths, play with your cat or dog — do whatever it takes until the craving subsides.
Distract yourself: Keep celery stalks, carrot sticks, nuts, or gum handy to give your mouth something to do when cravings occur.
And finding some way to occupy your hands — knitting, woodworking, cooking, yoga, or yard work — will help keep your mind off smoking.
Expect to feel a little off: Nicotine withdrawal can make you feel anxious, cranky, sad, and even make it hard for you to fall asleep.
It helps to know that all these feelings are a normal and temporary part of the process.

Throw out all your cigarettes: Yes, even that emergency one you stashed away.

If you don’t have cigarettes on hand, it will make it that much easier to stay the course when a craving hits.
Reward yourself: With all the money you’ll save by not buying tobacco, you can buy new clothes, splurge on dinner, or start a new hobby. Some people keep their cigarette money in a jar, then reward themselves with a treat each week.
Talk to your doctor about cessation medications: If you’re not sure you can go cold turkey, don’t.
Speak with your doctor about over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications that can make quitting easier.

 

FOOD POISONING

Oh My God !!!

Food poisoning is an illness caused by eating contaminated food. It's not usually serious and most people get better within a few days without treatment.

In most cases of food poisoning, the food is contaminated by bacteria, such as salmonella or Escherichia coli (E. coli), or a virus, such as thenorovirus.

Signs and symptoms

The symptoms of food poisoning usually begin within one to two days of eating contaminated food, although they may start at any point between a few hours and several weeks later.

The main symptoms include:

• feeling sick (nausea)
• vomiting
• diarrhoea, which may contain blood or mucus
• stomach cramps and abdominal (tummy) pain
• a lack of energy and weakness
• loss of appetite
• a high temperature (fever)
• aching muscles
• chills

In most cases, these symptoms will pass in a few days and you will make a full recovery.

What to do

Most people with food poisoning recover at home and don't need any specific treatment, although there are some situations where you should see your GP for advice (see below).

Until you feel better, you should rest and drink fluids to prevent dehydration. Try to drink plenty of water, even if you can only sip it.

Eat when you feel up to it, but try small, light meals at first and stick to bland foods – such as toast, crackers, bananas and rice – until you begin to feel better.

Oral rehydration solutions (ORS), which are available from pharmacies, are recommended for more vulnerable people, such as the elderly and those with another health condition.

When to see your GP

You should contact your GP if:

• your symptoms are severe – for example, if you're unable to keep down any fluids because you are vomiting repeatedly
• your symptoms don't start to improve after a few days
• you have symptoms of severe dehydration, such as confusion, a rapid heartbeat, sunken eyes and passing little or no urine
• you're pregnant
• you're over 60
• your baby or young child has suspected food poisoning
• you have a long-term underlying condition, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), heart valve disease, diabetes or kidney disease
• you have a weak immune system – for example, because of medication, cancer treatment or HIV

In these situations, your GP may send off a stool sample for analysis and prescribe antibiotics, or they may refer you to hospital so you can be looked after more closely.

How is food contaminated?

Food can become contaminated at any stage during production, processing or cooking. For example, it can be contaminated by:

• not cooking food thoroughly (particularly meat)
• not correctly storing food that needs to be chilled at below 5C
• leaving cooked food for too long at warm temperatures
• not sufficiently reheating previously cooked food
• someone who is ill or who has dirty hands touching the food
• eating food that has passed its "use by" date
• the spread of bacteria between contaminated foods (cross-contamination)

Foods particularly susceptible to contamination if not handled, stored or cooked properly include:

• raw meat and poultry
• raw eggs
• raw shellfish
• unpasteurised milk

Listening Music Is The Key Of Good Health

It's the weekend and at some point you'll probably relax to your favourite music, watch a film with a catchy title track - or hit the dance floor.

There's no doubt that listening to your favourite music can instantly put you in a good mood. But scientists are now discovering that music can do more for you than just lift your spirits.

Research is showing it has a variety of health benefits.

Fresh research from Austria has found that listening to music can help patients with chronic back pain.

And a recent survey by Mind - the mental health charity - found that after counselling, patients found group therapy such as art and music therapy, the most useful.

1. CHRONIC BACK PAIN

How it helps: Music works on the autonomic nervous system - the part of the nervous system responsible for controlling our blood pressure, heartbeat and brain function - and also the limbic system - the part of the brain that controls feelings and emotions. According to one piece of research, both these systems react sensitively to music.

When slow rhythms are played, our blood pressure and heartbeat slow down which helps us breathe more slowly, thus reducing muscle tension in our neck, shoulders, stomach and back. And experts say that apart from physical tension, music also reduces psychological tension in our mind.

In other words when we feel pain, we become frightened, frustrated and angry which makes us tense up hundreds of muscles in our back. Listening to music on a regular basis helps our bodies relax physically and mentally, thus helping to relieve - and prevent - back pain.

The research: A new study from Austria's General Hospital of Salzburg due to be published in The Vienna Medical Weekly Journal could hold the key to back pain. In the study, 65 patients aged between 21 and 68 with chronic back pain after back surgery were divided into two groups.

One group received standard medical care and physiotherapy. The other group also listened to music and received visualisation classes for 25 minutes every day for three weeks. Results found that the group who listened to music and used imagery experienced better pain relief than the group who did not.

Clinical psychologist Franz Wendtner who led the study says: 'Music is an important part of our physical and emotional wellbeing - ever since we were babies in our mother's womb listening to her heartbeat and breathing rhythms.

'Listening to music for about 25 minutes everyday for at least ten days can help prevent back pain and also make you sleep better.'

Which type of music is best? Experts believe any type of classical music such as Mozart or Beethoven can help relieve muscle pain. Calm, slow music is also thought to help.

_________________________________________

2. IMPROVES YOUR WORKOUT

How it helps: Experts say listening to music during exercise can give you a better workout in several ways. Scientists claim it can increase your endurance, boost your mood and can distract you from any discomfort experienced during your workout.

The research: Dr Robert Herdegen of America's Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia, looked at the effects of 12 men riding a bicycle for ten minutes while listening to music on one day. He compared it to the same men riding bicycles without music for ten minutes the following day.

On the days that the men exercised listening to music, they travelled 11 per cent further - compared to the days they didn't listen to music. Researchers also found that the men's levels of exertion were at their lowest when listening to music.

Other studies show that listening to music releases endorphins - our natural 'feel good' hormones that lift our mood and give us motivation to carry on longer with exercise.

Which type of music is best? The best type of music for exercise is thought to be high energy, high tempo music such as hip hop or dance music.

__________________________________________

3. MEMORY LOSS

How it helps: For many people suffering from memory loss the spoken language has become meaningless. Music can help patients remember tunes or songs and get in touch with their history. This is because the part of the brain which processes music is located next to memory.

The research: Researchers from Norway's Sogn Og Fjordane College compared the effects of live, taped and no music on three different groups of people suffering from post traumatic amnesia - or memory loss.

The patients were exposed to all three conditions, twice over six consecutive days. Results showed that when patients listened to live or taped music, two thirds of them showed significantly reduced symptoms of anxiety and enhanced orientation, compared to the group that didn't listen to music.

Which type of music is best? Research shows that people with memory loss respond best to music of their choice.

“One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.” 
― Bob Marley

Technology :Good or Bad for Today’s Youth?

TECHNOLOGY ?????

GOOD OR BAD ?????

“Don’t text my heart,” these word of wisdom were spoken to me by the Christian writer Chad Estham, but what do these words mean? The youth today are becoming more and more attached to their technology. Relationships are being built online or through phones. Keyboards and keypads are becoming the keys to our heart. Technology provides a way of communication but is becoming the only way to communicate with today’s youth because it has made one on one interaction less frequent and has made a negative effect on the social abilities of the youth.
Technology is a great way to stay entertained but it is disconnecting people. Today’s Internet users have many ways to be occupied online. These days we have the ability to communicate on websites like facebook, ways to watch TV shows and clips mostly on YouTube, and play entertaining games like on addicting games, all while on the computer. And we wonder why we have no in person friendships and dysfunctional families. Non-internet users spend 12.6 more minutes on average doing social activities, such as parties, sporting events, and person-to-person conversations. Internet users spend 34.3 minutes less than non-internet users with family and friends. Those who don’t switch off the computer, switches off all personal relationships with family and friends.
Technology like iPods and cell phones make a personal bubble and make it portable. Cell phones create a distraction from real life experiences and because of their ability to be taken anywhere, I see teens texting anywhere they can. Teens text while talking to someone else, at the dinner table, in the car if driving or not,at he movies, and worst of all in church. This tiny piece of plastic is distracting teens from the most important message of all. The message of God. iPods also create the distraction but it also sends a signal “visible from a good distance away, white earphones signal one thing to most people: don’t bother trying to talk to me” (Song). This action irritates people. I have a friend and whenever we get in the car she sticks her headphones in and I endure the rest of the car ride in silence. I find it rude. These bubbles are growing around so many people and someone just needs to pop them.
As you can tell, I am very much against technology but there are ways that is helps. It helps many people stay in touch with friends that might have moved away, “the internet can make it easier to keep in touch with old friends. In my life, I will move on from all my friends and I will still want to stay in touch with them all, but it can be just as easy to look them up and ask if they would like to do something in person. Staying in touch can be done in person as much as over technology.
Some people have trouble making new friends and the internet provides ways to meet new people through chat rooms. I believe relationships built online can be a little eccentric but, “one study suggests that online relationships simply take longer to develop than those face-to-face and eventually can become as rich. Online relationships can be dangerous because you never know who’s on the other side of the chat.
You can become more open over the internet if you don’t have a chance to meet others in real life. Meeting people online can give you confidence in who you are, but I believe it also tears you down. Knowing that you din’t have real frinds and resorting to making them online can make you feel worthless. Online relationships will either build you up or break you down.
“Data showed that as people in this sample used the internet more, they reported keeping up with fewer friends,” so keep your friends. Don’t be sucked into the internet and leave others behind. Most importantly, don’t let keypads and keyboards be the key to your heart.

Introducing Myself

MYSELF AND I LOVE IT

 Hi, my name is Rasydan. I can’t believe I just introduced myself!

That’s, you can rule because we’re not standing face to face. If we were out my talking

to you. I have always been wary of approaching

people that I do not know, whether it is out on a street or in a classroom. I have always

wondered why I have a problem opening up, while others I know can talk to strangers

as if they are lifelong friends. Also, when dealing with new people, I find myself

conforming to their views, a practise that I do not like.

When I was little, I would rely on my sister to meet other kids so that we could

play together. At that

time I was not aware of the dilemma I was creating for myself by believing that others

were responsible for my social interactions. With respect to my sister I became a free rider, even though my actions did not affect society as a whole. I would stand back and

watch as my sister approached other kids, she became my gateway to new friends.

Once we started playing tag or catch I might begin to open up, but I was never as

outgoing as my sister. She wanted everyone to do as she said, while I was always a follower.

This childhood problem has followed me throughout my life and has affected my

anticipatory socialisation's.

Today I have trouble establishing new relationships with others because I expect others to open the way. But I can no longer rely on my sister to talk to my classmates or the people who live down the hall. And I can also not expect others to approach me to begin a conversation, for they may also be shy themselves. I am thereby forced to begin

the introduction act myself, a process that is so difficult for me to begin with. Presently I am a junior in college and, of course, I have friends. I’ve allowed myself to open up to certain people. However, similar to Will in the movie Good Will Hunting, I am very selective about who those people are. Will was an intelligent person who chose not to maximise his potential by working simple jobs, such as in construction. Will went to jail as a result of

a fight, but was released under the supervision of a Harvard professor. In probation,

Will worked with the professor to solve complex math problems, but was also required

to undergo therapy. During the therapy sessions, Will refused to allow the

therapists to see his real self by joking and remaining silent. Eventually, Will related to

one therapist and became comfortable enough to discuss his life. Like Will, I require

time to become comfortable enough to share my life with someone. While I am

first getting to know someone, I will occasionally censor myself to avoid saying

something that I will regret. By censoring I mean that I will debate with myself whether

to express a thought or simply let it remain as a thought. However, I find that I

even censor myself when talking to my best friends and to my family