Month: November 2018

Advice For Treating A Prescription Painkiller Addiction

Posted on by Rossel Dacio
painkiller addictionPhoto by Jeshoots on Pexels

Worryingly, addiction to prescription painkillers has become a national crisis in recent times because it can become incredibly easy for anyone to get addicted to them. They are highly effective in helping people with short-term pain management, but when patients misuse the drug, it can very quickly result in addiction which can ruin lives in multiple ways and even be fatal. If you or somebody that you care about is struggling with prescription painkiller addiction, then it can be hard to know what to do as completely cutting out the medication straight away is dangerous. Read on for advice on overcoming a prescription painkiller addiction.

Signs To Look Out For

You can tell if you or somebody that you know is addicted to painkillers if they are using the painkiller longer than it was prescribed or they are using higher dosages to get the same effect (tolerance increases with addiction). They may also move onto illegal drugs or attempt to get new prescriptions, and there may also be extreme changes in mental health and social behavior.

Getting Help

The first step to recovery is admitting that there is a problem and speaking to a health professional. If it is somebody that you know that is addicted it can be a delicate subject to approach but, ultimately, it is important that you take action. If they do not listen, you may want to consider an intervention as these can be highly effective at helping people to realize the extent of their addictions and the damage that it is doing.

Treatment

You should never attempt to treat prescription painkiller addiction without the help of a healthcare professional, so it is likely that you will be referred to a treatment facility. The detox process is a key stage as it can be dangerous to go “cold turkey” – Oxycodone withdrawal symptoms can be severe and trigger responses which could be damaging to your health. A medically monitored program can wean your body off of the drug safely, and the focus can then shift to using therapy to treat your addiction and provide coping strategies for staying off of the drug.

Support and Aftercare

Having a good support network is vital when attempting to come off of the drug and also once you have finished treatment. This will be those that are close to you who can provide emotional support, guidance and motivation to stay clean. You may also find it helpful to attend support groups where you can talk through your issues with those that have been through similar experiences. In many cases, a treatment facility will provide an aftercare system which will help you to stay on top of your addiction once treatment has ended.

It can be incredibly easy to get addicted to prescription painkillers and, sadly, it is an epidemic in this country at the moment. While this is a problem that needs addressing, it is possible to help those that are addicted but it is important that you seek professional help in order to do this as it can be dangerous to treat a prescription painkiller addiction without medical care.

How to Stop Worrying About Visiting Health Care Providers

Posted on by Rossel Dacio
visiting health care providersPhoto by Rawpixel on Pexels

People’s attitudes towards their health and health care providers vary enormously. Some folks are off to see the doctor as soon as they have a tickle in their throat, while others avoid medical attention no matter how bad they feel. There are a number of reasons why such a lot of people avoid seeing a health professional even when they have potentially serious conditions, but if you’re one of them, you should think about why you stay away from doctors and dentists, and whether it’s in your best interests to do so.

Wasting the doctor’s time

Because so many people visit doctors for conditions they could manage perfectly well at home, it’s not unusual to see reminders about how to care for minor ailments, and when you should and shouldn’t see the doctor. Unfortunately, some people see this as a sign that they shouldn’t bother their health professionals unless they’re in the direst of straits. Very often that means they become far more ill than they need have done if they’d gone for treatment earlier.

Visiting the doctor is a sign of weakness

Sick people may be seen as weaker by healthy people, especially if they have numerous medical problems. It’s probably due to instinctive reactions going back to our ancestral roots. Thousands of years ago, anyone sick or weak would have put the rest of the group at risk, meaning they would be shunned or cast out.

The progress of civilization has meant we look after our sick and vulnerable citizens now, and value them as much as the well. However, that instinctive impulse is still there in our brains, and consequently, some people view going for medical help as weak. The thinking is that if you don’t visit the doctor, you must have a strong constitution. Unfortunately, it’s not a theory that holds a lot of water, because if you go without medical attention when you need it, you could end up seriously ill.

Additionally, there are three significant fears that people hold about going to the doctor or dentist, including:

1. Fear of pain

Worrying about what might happen if you visit the doctor is a common feeling. If you have a fear of needles, you might want to avoid the possibility of having to have blood taken. Maybe you’re worried about how much the examination procedure might hurt, or whether the doctor will recommend a form of treatment that sounds painful.

Fear of pain is a particular problem when it comes to visiting the dentist, despite the fantastic advances in treatments that have been made over recent years. For instance, would you be scared to have a tooth out? Your dentist would do everything they could to save your tooth of course, but extraction isn’t the painful process you might imagine if you find out more about how the procedure is carried out now. It’s thought that younger generations won’t have quite the same fear of the dentist as older people, simply because their experiences are generally positive and painless.

2. Fear of embarrassment

Is your health issue the kind of thing you don’t want anyone to know about? If you feel embarrassed about your problem, that can be a powerful motivation for not getting yourself checked out. It could be the symptoms, the location, or the cause that makes you want to keep your problem to yourself, but you should take reassurance from the fact that doctors have seen everything and won’t be surprised, shocked, or judgmental about your issue. Their only concern is to find out what’s wrong and help you get better, so any worries you have about medical staff being anything but utterly professional can be put to rest.

3. Fear of the diagnosis

Being afraid of what the doctor might say about your condition to the extent you ignore your symptoms seems counter-intuitive at first, but for many people, the fear of a poor prognosis can be crippling. It’s as if the mind is somehow able to fool itself into thinking that if you ignore the problem, it will go away. In truth, if you were diagnosed with something serious, the odds of treatment being effective are far higher if you attend in the early stages than if you leave it too long.

For example, if you find a lump in your breast, that’s bound to be scary and make you wonder if it’s something serious. There’s a good chance it won’t be anything to worry about, but if it were a tumor, taking swift action would be the best way of preventing it spreading and making your prognosis even poorer.

Dr. Google

The advent of access to self-diagnostic tools and medical information online was a phenomenon that changed the way patients approach health care, and now one of the first actions most people take when they have symptoms that are worrying them is to do a search on Google and see if they can work out for themselves what’s wrong.

There’s certainly a great deal of valuable and accurate information available online, but there’s also a disturbing amount of misinformation and unsubstantiated facts. If you’re going to look up your symptoms, always use a reliable, reputable source for your searches, like WebMD, the Mayo Clinic, or Medline Plus. Remember, it’s easy to scare yourself and imagine you have some awful disease, but only a qualified clinician can accurately diagnose your illness.

Final Thoughts

Some folk have such a pessimistic outlook they believe that even if they went to the doctor, they wouldn’t get better. Others are such positive thinkers they believe that their constitution is strong enough to see them through, or they have complete faith in the power of the mind or their spiritual beliefs. There’s also the concern about being able to see a doctor you know and like, or face having to talk to someone you don’t know and explain everything to them. If you’ve identified with any of these reasons, or have another of your own, try to remember the bottom line. Your health is your most precious possession, and overcoming your reluctance to get yourself checked out could be the most sensible decision you ever make.

4 Life Changes You Can Make to Boost Your Mental Health

Posted on by Rossel Dacio
mental healthPhoto by Imani Clovis on Unsplash

Mental health is more than just a diagnosis; it’s also connected to your overall wellbeing which impacts the way you perform your everyday tasks, how you feel about yourself and how you cope with the difficulties life throws at you.

For those who struggle with their mental health on a daily basis, it would be wise to seek the help of a professional, who will aim to put your issues into perspective. However, there are a number of strategies you can put in place yourself. Following these useful tips should pay off in all aspects of your life and hopefully give you greater overall happiness.

A good night’s sleep

The amount of sleep you have can have a significant impact on your mental wellbeing. Sleep helps regulate the chemicals in your brain which manages your mood, emotions and how information is processed in the brain. The quickened heart rate which is a fundamental symptom of anxiety dramatically decreases when you fall into a deep sleep. It would be worthwhile to try and plan a sustainable sleep pattern to allow you to feel more settled both emotionally and mentally.

A balanced diet

According to studies, what we eat has a direct correlation to the thoughts we process, therefore, looking at what you choose to consume on a daily basis can reduce the effects of anxiety and depression. A well-balanced diet includes the likes of vegetables, fruits, nuts, beans, cereals, fish and unsaturated fats. Certain deficiencies such as iron and vitamins can also cause low mood. Kegenix kitchen have come up with a revolutionary breakthrough to help tackle mental health disorders. Their products contain advanced ketone technology, which has been proven to improve the symptoms of mental health.

Get some sunlight

Sunlight radiates Vitamin D which is extremely important for boosting mood and overall mental health. When sitting out in the sunshine, the brain releases endorphins to make us feel happier. When you have five minutes to spare, whether in your lunch break or after work, it would be worth taking a relaxed stroll in the sun to give you that extra boost of positivity. During the winter, some people can become severely depressed, tired and lacking energy due to the absence of vitamin D, which is a medical condition known as ‘Seasonal Affective Disorder’ (SAD). To combat the issue, special lamps can be purchased to replace the much-needed sunlight that humans have become so reliant on.

Avoid smoking and alcohol

If you suffer from an acute mental health disorder, it wouldn’t be advised that you drink or smoke regularly. When you’ve had a couple of drinks the night before, you may wake up feeling more depressed than usual, and if alcohol is consumed excessively, this can lead to further complications, such as a thiamine deficiency. Thiamine is the hormone that allows our brain to function at full capacity and without it, could lead to severe memory problems and confusion. Withdrawing yourself from cigarettes after a long period of time is likely to leave you feeling irritable and on edge, which intensifies the feelings of anxiety and depression.

Contemplating These Things Will Help You Break Away From Crack Cocaine

Posted on by Rossel Dacio
crack addictionPhoto by Carolina Heza on Unsplash

Understanding Is Necessary To Break Away From Crack Cocaine Use

There are many things that can lead a person to trying crack cocaine. For some, it is a way to deal with and mask a pain that runs deep. For others, it is a way to fit in with the people that surround them. Whatever the reason, the resulting life of addiction is the same destination for anyone who chooses to walk that path. It is not a one way journey however. There is the possibility for renewal and fresh starts. To do so, there are two avenues of issues that must be explored. The first avenue of exploration focuses on the underlying factors that lead a person to crack cocaine addiction and steps to reverse course back to a healthier lifestyle. The second avenue of exploration seeks to understand the answer to the question, “what is Crack cocaine affect on the body and brain?”

Identifying The Underlying Trauma

Seeking out the escape that crack cocaine offers is done for a reason. If that reason is not taken into account on the road to recovery, then, more likely than not, you will find yourself back where you started repeating the mistakes and negative choices. It is not a matter of simply saying to yourself that it is time to stop and doing so. That approach is very difficult to manage and is less likely to end with success. There must be a willingness to not only want to stop the use of crack cocaine, but also the desire to work through the issues that led to addiction in the first place.

Steps To Break Free Of The Use Of Crack Cocaine

Crack cocaine is a very addictive drug. Getting free of it and getting better control of your life is not easy. It can be done, however, by following a few steps. Because of the cravings that it causes, you will want to keep yourself busy. Boredom brings back memories of use which can lead you back to using. You will want to build a support system of positive people around yourself. These people can keep you strong during those times when your resolve is weakened. Discussing the issues in your life that led to using as well as you life after addiction took hold is also a major step towards healing and recovery. A qualified professional is best to help in that regards. It is important to know that stopping completely is the only way to get through. This means no usage of crack cocaine during the recovery process. For this reason and because it can sometimes be dangerous quitting cold turkey, it is best to check into a crack cocaine rehab center . These professional facilities are best equipped to help you transition from addiction to clean living.

The Affects Of Crack Cocaine

There are a number of both mental and physical affects come with the use of crack cocaine. These affects can be split into two groups: short term and long term. Among the short term mental affects are a loss of an intense feeling of euphoria, paranoia, anxiety, depression, hallucinations, and sometimes bizarre, violent behavior. Short term physical affects range from loss of appetite, elevated heart rate and blood pressure to increased breathing rate, nausea, abnormal sleeping, and potential death if too much is done at once. Long term mental issues include apathy, severe depression, mood swings, and psychosis. These mental affects go hand in hand with sexual issues, tooth decay, respiratory and heart issues, and weight loss. Most people in the midst of their addiction do not recognize these symptoms. Therefore, they are blind to the lifelong issues that they are creating for themselves. In any directed rehabilitation, it is important to relay these facts to both curb behavior and to be aware of issues that may require medical intervention.

Though it doesn’t hold the place it once did at the very top of the worst addictions, crack cocaine does still pose a very real threat to those who get lost in its use and the addiction that follows. It is a real and dangerous problem, but it can be overcome. Checking into a crack cocaine rehab center is a great way to start, but, like many other drugs, staying clean after crack addiction is a an ongoing process. The call to use never truly ever goes away. Each day it is necessary to wake up and decline the invitation of that call.

Advice For Getting Out Of Financial Difficulties

Posted on by Rossel Dacio

financial difficultiesPhoto by Artem Bali on Pexels

Money can be a major concern for a large percentage of people. While it is perfectly natural to have some concerns over money from time to time, if you find yourself unable to sleep or if you are in a financial hole which is impacting your way of life, then it is important to take steps to improve your financial situation. Doing so may seem impossible, but there are always steps that you can take so consider trying one, a few or even all of the following and it could help you to find stability and eliminate stress attached to money.

Get An Overview Of Your Finances & Draw Up A Budget

The very first thing to do when you find yourself in a difficult financial state is to get a clear overview of your finances. It will involve listing all of your regular expenses along with how much money you have coming in. Go through every expense listed and see if it is a purchase that you genuinely need. If not, cut it out from your budget. If it is a product or service that you need, then try to identify ways in which you could make savings (read on for tips on savings).

Once you have a clear overview of your financial situation, you can then draw up a monthly budget to help you manage your money more intelligently. The 50/30/20 budget can be helpful which involves spending 50% on essentials, 30% on non-essentials and 20% on savings/repayments, but you may want to adjust this slightly if you are currently struggling to make ends meet.

Bills & Food Shopping

There is always money to be saved by making changes to the bills that you pay each month. You may find that there is a service that is not a necessity, like a gym membership or streaming service, but you could also find that you could make significant savings each month by switching provider. There are a vast variety of helpful comparison websites which should help you to save money on gas, electricity, internet, phone coverage, and more.

Food is a crucial expense, but it is also an area that most people could spend much less on. Buying non-brand goods, buying in bulk and cutting out unnecessary items could have a massive impact on your financial situation, and you can still eat a delicious and healthy diet without spending much money. The internet is an excellent resource for finding cheap and healthy recipes, and it can be much more rewarding to make dishes from scratch.

Sell Items You Don’t Need

Most people have items around their home that they no longer use or need. Selling these online or at garage sales is a great way to get a cash injection, plus it can also be helpful for freeing up space in your home.

Get A Second Job

Of course, one of the best ways to improve your financial situation is to earn more money! If possible, look into getting a second job as this will have a significant impact on your financial state. It may not be ideal, particularly if you have a stressful and demanding full-time job, but it could just be for a short period of time to replenish your finances. What’s more, there are many flexible, non-demanding part-time jobs that can be easy to get with little previous experience.

Online Work

Online work is a fantastic way to supplement your income as it is highly flexible and you can work from home and at a time to suit you. There are many different ways to earn money online, and you could do it in the evenings when you return home from work and at the weekends, or anytime that you have off of work.

Ask For A Raise

If you have been in your current role for a while on the same wage, then you may want to consider asking for a raise. Many people shy away from this, but if you are a reliable employee that consistently performs to a high level, then you are a valuable asset to the company. Those that do not ask do not get so consider plucking up the courage and negotiating a higher wage with your employer. If they do not offer you a raise, you could look to move away from the company and find a higher paying job elsewhere.

Borrow From A Loved One

When you find yourself in a financial hole, then you may need to borrow money from a friend or family member. Although this is never an ideal solution and it can be embarrassing to ask, it is important that you are not too prideful as this can be a huge help and loved ones should be able to lean on each other through challenging times. Just make sure that it is an amount that you will be able to repay and that you draw up a realistic and honest payment plan.

Alternatively, you could look to take out a loan which is a good option if you suddenly find yourself in a difficult financial situation due to an unexpected expense, such as a house repair or if you need to buy a new car. If you currently do not have a good credit score, then you can still get a loan through a company like Bonsai Finance. These providers offer loans for those that have a bad credit score which can help you to get back on your feet while also allowing you the opportunity to rebuild your credit score, provided that you can keep up with the repayments.

To Conclude

Life can be incredibly stressful when you have money issues. No matter the reason for your financial troubles, there are always steps that you can take to improve your current situation and get back on your feet. The above are all effective ways to do this, and when you combine a few of these together, it could have a significant injection into your finances and help you to get out of trouble.