Overcoming Drug Addiction

Most people realize that if they have a drug addiction, they need to get help from a medical professional or rehab facility. This is a complicated process that will allow the drug addict to recover from a physical addiction, but how will this person be able to proceed in overcoming drug addiction psychologically? Drug abuse takes a huge toll on an individual's mental and spiritual state. Here are a few steps in overcoming the mental addiction.

A Change in Lifestyle. Usually when a person becomes addicted to drugs, they are following a pattern of behavior and living a certain lifestyle. If this individual wishes to no longer be addicted to drugs, they need to get involved in other things and stay busy. By not allowing time or room for drugs to consume one's life, it will be that much easier for them to overcome addiction.

Friends Matter. Start spending time with friends who don't use drugs. It is important to respect others' lifestyles, and by expanding your friend base to others who do not live the way you do, you will begin to see the world in a new light. Look at situations and opportunities as they do. Also, if the individual who abuses drugs begins to spend time around others who don't, they won't feel as though that is the 'thing to do.'

Get Out and About. When a person decides to go out, they should start doing the opposite of what they usually do. Say that this person usually spends Friday night at the bar. Instead, they should try something like going on a long walk with a close friend, or to a late-night cafe or coffee bar. Try volunteering on the weekends or spending time with friends and family who don't abuse substances.

Appearance Change. Many people do not realize that appearance is nearly everything. By dressing in a certain way, we are expressing our creative side – we are being who we want to be. In an abuser's situation, try taking a second look. Dress in a sharp and clean way. When others see a person dressed in this way, they begin thinking of them in that way, as a sharp, clean person.

Keep Reminding and Remembering. Many people start to change there lives, begin feeling good, and then drop back down into their old habits. This becomes an unhealthy cycle. Don't allow this to happen! An addict or abuser should constantly remind themselves of how terrible their lives were as a drug user. This will help them to see how changing all of the little things really makes a difference in the long run.

If the addict cannot take control of their life without guidance, they should not be ashamed. This is not an easy undertaking. Overcoming drug addiction is much more complex than most people realize. If you know someone who needs help, or if you need help, do not hesitate to get it. Become the person you want to be.

Liver Disease

Alcoholism is the most common cause of liver disease. To see why this is a problem, we must first look at the liver and why this organ is important. Being the second largest organ in your body, the liver preforms many tasks that effect an individual's entire being. Mainly, it processes what a person eats and drinks and turns this into energy and nutrients to fuel the rest of the body. It also filters harmful substances from the blood. When a person drinks alcohol, the alcohol travels through their bloodstream and is filtered by the liver. If a person drinks more alcohol than the liver can process, it can become seriously injured or damage. It is common knowledge that the liver can repair itself, but alcohol can severely damage or destroy these liver cells – sometimes beyond repair. When this happens, it is called liver disease. There are three main types of alcohol-induced liver disease. They include fatty liver disease, alcoholic hepatitis, and alcohol cirrhosis.

Fatty liver disease is the earliest stage of any alcohol-related liver disease. It is caused by the build up of extra fat in the liver cells. It is hard to tell when this happens because the symptoms are usually very mild and not recognized in a lot of patients. They may include weakness, fatigue, and weightloss. It can safely be assumed that almost all heavy drinkers have fatty liver disease. Luckily, because the liver is such a powerful organ, if these drinkers stop drinking, this stage of the disease will stop progressing, and the liver will repair itself to its normal state.

Alcohol hepatitis is caused in up to thirty-five percent of heavy drinkers. This disease causes damage to the liver, and it begins to swell. Alcohol hepatitis can be mild or severe. If it is mild, the damage done to the liver can still be reversed. If it is severe, it can happen suddenly and lead to immediate complications like liver failure. It can even lead to sudden, unexpected death. Symptoms of alcohol hepatitis may include loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, fever, and jaundice.

Ten to twenty percent of heavy drinkers develop alcoholic cirrhosis. This is the scarring of the liver which is caused by hard scar tissue replacing the soft, healthy tissue. Alcoholic cirrhosis is the most damaging type of alcohol-induced liver disease, and it exhibits symptoms similar to those of alcohol hepatitis. The damage done from alcoholic cirrhosis cannot be reversed and can end in liver failure. However, not drinking alcohol can prevent further damage to the liver.

People who already have a chronic liver disease, such as hepatitis C, are at a higher risk for developing and quickly progressing through alcoholic cirrhosis. Complications from alcohol-related liver diseases can be serious. They may include a build up of fluid in the abdomen, bleeding from the veins in the esophagus or stomach, an enlarged spleen, high blood pressure, brain disorders, coma, kidney failure, and liver cancer. Much of these complications from liver disease can be avoided or treated. Because alcoholism is a dangerous disease as well, alcohol rehab provides treatment for liver damage. The specific ways that liver damage is treated is through a healthy diet, abstinence from alcohol, and possible medications to help manage any complications that may have arisen. If you have a liver disease or are worried that you may be developing one, get help and get treatment. Chances are, you can save your liver and become completely healthy in the process!

Signs of Addiction

Millions of Americans struggle with addiction to drugs and alcohol every day. Addiction is a disease of the mind, and it is characterized by many different signs and patterns of behavior. Despite negative consequences and failed efforts to stop or reduce use, drug addicts will continue to use. If you are wondering whether or not you have an addiction, or if you are worried about someone close to you that may be struggling with a drug or alcohol problem, there are a wide range of signs to look for.

Drug Addiction & Alcohol Addiction Signs

Addiction can destroy lives and in many cases lead to death or imprisonment due to drug and alcohol abuse. What may start out as recreational and occasional use can easily lead to increased tolerance and physical dependence. One of the primary characteristics of addiction to look for is the failure to resist the impulse to use. Temptation plays a huge part in addiction, and addicts find it difficult and sometimes even impossible to resist their urges to drink or take drugs. This compulsive behavior is developed over time as the condition worsens, and addicts can soon find themselves being under the influence most of if not all the time due to their lack of impulse control.

When addicts begin to realize that they have a problem, they try to stop or reduce their use, often with failed efforts. Despite suffering from health issues, problems with work or school, or alienating themselves from friends and family because of their addiction, addicts will continue to use. They may have periods of abstinence, sometimes for months or even years, but the addiction can come back at any time. When they do start to use again, the addiction is usually stronger and they use more. With continued use of drugs and alcohol, people begin to build up a tolerance. It takes increasingly more to get the initial effect each time. This can led to spending large amounts of money on drugs and alcohol and eventually having serious financial problems.

Addicts have a preoccupation with using drugs or drinking alcohol. It consumes their thoughts, and if they do not have access to substances, they may begin to suffer from withdrawal. Withdrawal symptoms can range from mild to severe, and they can even be fatal in some cases. These involve anxiety, depression, tremors, headaches, nausea, vomiting and even seizures. If you experience any of these symptoms when you are not under the influence or coming down from drugs or alcohol, you most likely have an addiction.

Physical & Behavioral Signs of Addiction

When people take drugs and alcohol for extended periods of time, they may begin to exhibit physical and outward signs of their addiction. These involve an overall decline in physical appearance, such as weight gain or loss, looking disheveled, poor hygiene, always looking tired, paleness, and even losing teeth with some types of drug use. Behavioral signs include being secretive or sneaky, being inaccessible for long periods of time, sleeping more or less than usual, and hanging out with people that also drink or use. Many of these behaviors result in no longer participating in normal activities and dropping them to drink or use instead.

Rehab

For most addicts, they cannot stop without professional help. There are thousands of drug rehab and alcohol rehab centers across the country. If you or someone you know is addicted to drugs or alcohol, there is help available. Many health care plans are also starting to cover the costs of drug and alcohol treatment as well. Since addiction has been recognized as a disease, health care organizations and medical professionals are treating it like one. Before your life or the life of someone close to you spirals out of control, looking into the options for rehab may be the best answer.

Overcoming Drug Abuse

Drug abuse is a serious issue. Many people do not understand the difference between drug use and drug abuse. Drug abuse is when recreational or medicinal drug use gets out of hand. Medicinal drug use, such as prescription drugs, can be easily abused because of the powerful but short-lived effects that they produce. Recreational drugs, such as cocaine, heroin, or even marijuana, can become abused because of the setting they are used in. The most common form of abuse is caused by the tolerance that very powerful drugs produce. The most dangerous tolerances produced show up in drugs such as heroin and Oxycontin. 

Overcoming drug abuse is much easier and faster than overcoming drug addiction. If the abuser keeps procrastinating and waiting to take care of the problem of drug abuse, it is very probable that they will become addicted to the substance. They will become a drug addict. The way to avoid this? Make a change! Making a change will be hard work. It will take a lot of dedication, but this commitment will be completely worth it in the end. Substance abuse is a tricky disease to handle, and so there are many rehab centers located throughout the United States that are available to help you in any way possible.

When an individual begins to change the way he or she lives, they will have to consider many different aspects of their lives. They will have to assess the way the deal with stress, in order to avoid self-medicating with drugs or alcohol. They will also have to begin to choose who they allow into their lives and who they want to spend their time with. When a person stops using drugs or drinking, they will feel as though they have lost a lot of friends. They must begin to build up a new support network of sober friends to help them through this time of need. They also must assess how they feel about themselves as a person, and what they would do to better themselves. Many times, a person's occupation has a lot of influence (more than they may realize) on who they are as individuals. It may be time to make a change in that part of their lives as well.

When you are getting ready to change, remember and constantly remind yourself of the reasons that you want to change. Think about any of your previous attempts (if there are any) and figure out what worked and what didn't work for you. Learn from your mistakes. Set goals, but make sure that they are attainable and specific. Rid your home and workplace of all reminders and temptations of your addiction or substance abuse problem. Also, be sure to tell your friends and family about the change you are making. Their support will be surprisingly helpful and encouraging. Begin to be conscious of a healthy lifestyle, and you will achieve it! 

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

Fetal alcohol syndrome or FAS is caused by drinking during pregnancy. The child is then born with a range of disorders, referred to as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, or FASD. Fetal alcohol syndrome is the most severe effect of prenatal alcohol exposure. FAS is the number one most preventable cause of mental retardation and birth defects. It is a condition that causes many mental and physical disabilities which will be present throughout one's lifetime. The most telling physical disabilities include abnormal facial features, growth deficiencies, and central nervous system problems. There are also many other secondary conditions that develop, which include mental health problems, learning problems, legal issues, and drug and alcohol problems later in life.

This disorder is caused by the alcohol in the mother's blood crossing through the placenta and entering the fetus through the umbilical chord. It has not yet been determined what happens after this point and what the critical times of exposure are. It is known that consuming alcohol during the first trimester results in the facial defects, but the central nervous system and behavioral disabilities could be caused by alcohol use at any time during pregnancy. Many people believe that it is okay to drink in moderation throughout pregnancy or at after a certain point, but to be safe, a women who is expecting a child should not drink until after the baby is born.

Although there is no cure for fetal alcohol syndrome, it is a completely preventable disorder. FAS results from drinking during pregnancy, so as soon as a woman discovers she is pregnant or wants to become pregnant, she should stop drinking immediately. Of course, this may not be so easy if the woman has an alcohol addiction. If this is the case, there are plenty of addiction treatment and addiction recovery programs that will be able to help with that type of a situation. If the woman is a heavy drinker and does not want to have a child, she should take extra measures to make sure that she does not unknowingly become pregnant because she may not realize she's expecting for several weeks.

An alcoholic woman may need a lot of support when she becomes pregnant. Often, this pregnancy is the first realization that she has an alcohol disease and must seek treatment. There are many programs set up for just that. It is important for the woman to remember that it is not just her life anymore. Getting help will not only better the mother's life, but the child's also. The reason that fetal alcohol syndrome exists is because women are not educated about this problem or because they are unaware of their pregnancy. Be sure you and your loved ones are not one of these women.

If you have a problem with alcohol, do not hesitate to get help. Many women don't realize that they have a problem until they want children, get pregnant, and realize that not drinking is more of a problem than they though it would be. Instead of deciding that your addiction is your weakness, decide what you really want out of life and get help in achieving those goals.

Death By Abusing Laxatives: Georgia Willson-Pemberton

Laxative abuse happens when a person tries to rid their bodies of unwanted calories or lose weight through the repeated misuse of laxatives. Many abusers are mistaken in thinking that after binge eating (consuming a lot of food at one time) the laxatives will clear the food and calories through their system before they are absorbed into the body. However, this is a not the case. By the time laxatives act on the large intestine, almost all of the calories and food have been absorbed by the small intestine. All of the supposed weight loss, or what feels like weight loss is actually only water weight, minerals, electrolytes, and indigestible fibers and wastes from the colon. As soon as the abuser drinks any fluids the weight be be gained right back. Usually, the abuser will sense this weight gain and proceed to stop rehydrating, which eventually causes the organs to shut down (dehydration). No matter how the abuser goes about using, if they are using laxatives incorrectly, they will most likely suffer serious and dangerous health complications and life-threatening risks as a consequence.

In recent news, the death of Georgia Willson-Pemberton was ruled death by laxatives as of April 3^rd, 2013. At 26 years old, Willson-Pemberton was described as intelligent, beautiful, and the life of the party. She graduated from a European business school in 2008. After graduation, things went downhill. She then started her four year battle with anorexia. It was reported that Willson-Pemberton from West London bought thousands of laxative supplement pills over the internet and spent the four years of struggling with her eating disorder in and out of residential clinics both in America and England. On December 7^th of last year, Georgia Willson-Pemberton died due to laxative abuse.

This woman was 5'10”, addicted to Dulcolax, and weighed 104 pounds at her time of death. She was also very intelligent and would keep to herself about her private life, even from her therapists. She went to see a few different therapists, none of whom could identify any triggers of her addiction. She would hide her laxative abuse by taking sodium supplements when she went in for blood tests, the therapists speculated. Two days before her death, Willson-Pemberton overdosed on over 80 laxative pills, which caused irreparable internal damage. Her death was ruled a “multiple organ dysfunction caused by laxative abuse,” as a result from her anorexia nervosa.

Georgia Willson-Pemberton had a loving childhood which is reflected through her achievements. If she could have opened up and gotten help, she would probably still be alive today. Many people do not realize that underlying causes, such as anorexia, can cause very dangerous drug addictions and drug abuse. If you or a loved one are suffering from the abuse of laxatives or any other substance, do not hesitate to get help through rehab and drug addiction treatment. It is important that you treat yourself and your body with respect. Through rehab treatment, you will meet with medical professionals and a therapist who will help you through this time of need. Attending drug rehab will help you to know exactly what you're dealing with and exactly how to deal with it.