Facebook | SAY NO TO DRUGS Before it's too late

Image via Wikipedia Facebook | SAY NO TO DRUGS Before it's too late: "Many teens try alcohol, tobacco, or drugs, but using these substances is not safe or legal. Some teens try these substances only a few times and stop. Others can't control their cravings for them. This is substance abuse.

Teens may try a number of substances, including cigarettes, alcohol, household chemicals (inhalants), prescription and over-the-counter medicines, and illegal drugs. Marijuana is the illegal drug that teens use most often.

Why do teens abuse drugs and alcohol?

Teens use alcohol and other drugs for many reasons. They may do it because they want to fit in with friends or certain groups. They may also take a drug or drink alcohol because they like the way it makes them feel. Or they may believe that it makes them more grown up. Teens tend to try new things and take risks, and they may take drugs or drink alcohol because it seems exciting.

Teens with family members who have problems with alcohol or other drugs are more likely to have serious substance abuse problems. Also, teens who feel that they are not connected to or valued by their parents are at greater risk. Teens with poor self-esteem or emotional or mental health problems, such as depression, also are at increased risk.

What problems can teen substance abuse cause?

Substance abuse can lead to"

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http://www.facebook.com/groups.php?ref=sb#/group.php?gid=24341912811

Addicted to the Internet? Cure it… with Another Addiction!

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The internet’s great, isn’t it! I can’t believe humans survived 200,000 years without YouTube or lolcats. But the internet is addictive! A recent report estimated 10% of Americans were addicted to the internet, wasting precious hours goggling at Google and pretending not to look at porn.

But how to kick the net nerd habit? The only thing to do is replace it with another addiction. I’ve tried out a few alternatives for you.

Gambling: Why spent hours glued to internet poker when you can visit a casino and do the same, but with free cocktails? In the interests of doing my research properly, I headed to Las Vegas to indulge in a week of hedonistic one-arm-bandit compulsion.

Unfortunately I ran out of quarters within the hour and spent the next six days pretending to play the machines with bus tokens so I could get the free booze.

Religion: Religious addicts who spend all day going door-to-door to preach the Word of the Lord don’t have time to muck about on the net. So why not get hooked on holiness? Who knows what interesting people you’ll meet and cups of tea you’ll be offered by sympathetic old ladies.

Armed with a few stolen copies of Watchtower I roamed the streets looking pious and in need of tea. Result? If you are thinking of becoming a religious zealot a) make sure you can outrun large dogs and b) don’t expect many cups of tea.

Stupid Puzzles: You often see people on the train or driving to work with their head buried in a book of Soduku. They just can’t get enough of writing numbers in boxes! And it’s an addiction that may improve your brain, not mince it all up.

Sadly, not being able to add up severely impeded my enjoyment of this game and I’m still not quite sure what the rules are. Pac Man was a lot easier, wasn’t it?

Collecting Stuff: Stamps, tea pots, garden gnomes or cock-shaped vegetables - there’s so many things to collect! Some people have to live in their car because they’ve filled their house with so many glass clowns or Royal Wedding plate sets.

I decided to start a collection of panda finger puppets. Unfortunately there are only three panda finger puppet shops in Nova Scotia, so once I’d cleaned them out I was finished. I want eBay back.

Sex: This compulsion should be an attractive prospect for most net addicts, considering how much porn they’ve viewed over the years. However, reliving those steamy internet sex scenes is not easy.

If you don’t have a significant other (and let’s face it, most net addicts either haven’t or forgot about their spouse long ago) where are you going to find all those oiled-up musclemen and hot blonde babes? Not down the Legion on Saturday night, that’s for sure.

I think I’ll stick to my internet addiction for now. At least on the internet I don’t get my pockets emptied or attacked by dogs. And look out for 500 panda finger puppets for sale on eBay soon.

"Addicted to the Internet? Cure it... with Another Addiction! | Tiggyblog: A Cocktail of Fun and Useless Advice." 5 Sep. 2008 .

The New Science of Addiction: Genetics and the Brain

Image via Wikipedia The New Science of Addiction: Genetics and the Brain: "characterized by changes in the brain
which result in a compulsive desire to use a drug. A combination of many factors including genetics, environment and behavior influence a person's addiction risk, making it an incredibly complicated disease. The new science of addiction considers all of these factors - from biology to family - to unravel the complexities of the addicted brain."

Addiction

Addiction: "Addiction is defined as an overuse of any substance that changes the natural chemical balance of the brain. It is basicallygirl_face.jpg agreed upon that addiction encompasses both biological, psychological, and behavioral factors.

At 1800nodrugs.com we believe the best prevention and catalyst to recovery from addiction is education. We understand addiction and we can help you get the tools and information you need to help you or your loved one’s recovery from addition."

Marijuana Brain Scans Prove Damage

Image via Wikipedia Marijuana Brain Scans Prove Damage Anti-Marijuana Video PSA. The effects on the brain from substances like alcohol, cocaine, heroin, and marijuana are shown in brain scans. Studying the effects of drugs and alcohol on the brain has clearly been one of the most informative and fascinating parts of my work. I had a sense growing up that drugs and alcohol weren't helpful to my overall health. I might add, this notion was helped along by getting drunk on a six pack of Michelob and half a bottle of champagne when I was sixteen years old - I was sick for three days. After that, I've been lucky enough to stay away from drugs and alcohol. After doing this work there's no way you could get me to do marijuana, heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, LSD, PCP, inhalants or any more than a glass or two of wine or beer. These substances damage the patterns in your brain, and without your brain you are not you. There is really quite a bit of scientific literature on the physiological effects of drugs and alcohol on the brain. SPECT has demonstrated a number of abnormalities in substance abusers in brain areas known to be involved in behavior, such as the frontal and temporal lobes. There are some SPECT similarities and differences between the damage we see caused by the different substances of abuse. There tends to be several similarities seen among classes of abused drugs. The most common similarity among drug and alcohol abusers is that the brain has an overall toxic look to it. In general, the SPECT studies look less active, more shriveled, and overall less healthy. A "scalloping effect" is common amongst drug abusing brains. Normal brain patterns show smooth activity across the cortical surface. Scalloping is a wavy, rough sea-like look on the brain's surface. I also see this pattern in patients who have been exposed to toxic fumes or oxygen deprivation. My research assistant says that the drug brains she has seen look like someone poured acid on the brain. Not a pretty site. SPECT can be helpful in evaluating the effects of drugs and alcohol on the brain. On 3D surface images several substances of abuse appear to show consistent patterns. For example, cocaine and methamphetamine abuse appear as multiple small holes across the cortical surface; heroin abuse appears as marked decreased activity across the whole cortical surface; heavy marijuana abuse shows decreased activity in the temporal lobes bilaterally and heavy alcohol abuse shows marked decreased activity throughout the brain. These findings tend to improve with abstinence, although long term use has been associated with continued SPECT deficits seen years after abstinence. SPECT can be helpful in several ways in drug and alcohol abuse. First, 3D surface SPECT images of drug and alcohol abusers can be used in drug prevention education. Second, SPECT studies can help break though the denial that often accompanies substance abuse. When one is faced with their own abnormal cerebral perfusion it is hard to remain in denial. Third, SPECT may help evaluate if there is an underlying neuropsychiatric condition that needs treatment. Marijuana usage typically causes decreased activity in the posterior temporal lobes bilaterally. The damage can be mild or severe, depending on how long a person used, how much use occurred, what other substances were used (nicotine is a powerful vasoconstrictor) and how vulnerable a particular brain is. For more information see Dr. Amen's article High Resolution Brain SPECT Imaging in Marijuana Smokers with AD/HD, Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, Volume 30, No. 2 April-June 1998. Pgs 1-13. Producer: AEGIS; Production Company: AEGIS; Keywords: drug addiction, substances abuse, alcoholism; Creative Commons license: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs from www.archive.org.

Quit Smoking Nicotine Help

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Smoking is strange behaviour. Almost every smoker knows that it's bad for his health, but many smokers continue the habit for decades, each year experiencing a further decline in health and well-being. Looked at rationally, smoking is quite disgusting. It stains the teeth and the fingers, causes bad breath, and creates an unpleasant environment for non-smokers.

It must be pleasurable, though, otherwise nobody would put up with the negative side of smoking. Most smokers admit that they enjoy cigarettes, and those that have managed to quit often feel that they have lost an old friend.

Tobacco is an addictive substance so it's understandable that people find it hard to quit. Less understandable is what motivates people to take their first cigarette. What is behind that decision to start smoking?

Many people start smoking when they are teenagers. The desire to fit in and be one of the 'crowd' is particularly strong during adolescence. Of course, this desire is also present in adults and can be a motivating factor behind much human behaviour. Many teenagers begin smoking because they want to be cool. If their friends smoke there's a lot of subtle (and not-so-subtle) pressure to take up the habit.

Young people may also feel that smoking makes them 'grown up' or it may be a form of rebellion against their parents and teachers. Most young people are already aware of the dangers of smoking so lecturing them about how they are harming their health can be futile.

Appealing advertising is also a big motivator in the desire to take up smoking. Tobacco ads usually depict young healthy active people taking part in fun group activities. The message is clear -- Smoke X brand and you can have this much fun too.

Adults are just as susceptible to popular images surrounding smoking. They are usually self-aware enough to know that smoking will not be the deciding factor behind social acceptance, but there is still the powerful image of the smoker as the rebel -- cool and independent. This can be alluring for some young adults, especially those who see themselves as being on the fringe.

Perhaps certain individuals are more drawn to smoking than others. There is evidence that people with a long-term outlook on life are less likely to start smoking because they know that smoking will shorten their life span and cause future health problems. On the contrary, those with shorter outlooks are more likely to smoke.

Other people turn to smoking because they are looking for a way to relieve stress. Even though tobacco is ineffective for handling stress in the long run, it does provide short-term relief. Those who have stressful jobs or who are in difficult life situations may decide to take up smoking.

Most smokers will come to a point in life where they want to quit. They may face increasing health problems and finally come to the decision to give up the habit. Unfortunately, the addictive nature of tobacco makes this a difficult task.

from:

"Quit Smoking Nicotine - Quit Smoking Nicotine Homepage." 1 Sep. 2008 .

Quitting Smoking – The Nicotine Substitute Method

Image via Wikipedia "It's not the nicotine in cigarettes that's harmful. It's the smoke."

That was the tag line provided by a manufacturer of nicotine gum during the famous debut of their product's commercials a decade ago. While not an entirely accurate statement (will discuss that later) it did strike a nerve with millions of smokers and led them to a rush to purchase nicotine gum. Unlike many other products of the past which promised a lot and delivered little, nicotine transmission products such as gum, patches, sprays et al turned out to work quite well. This was a veritable godsend! For many years people struggled to discover reliable cures for the pain of nicotine and cigarette addiction but they all were of no avail. Yes, many people were able to quit smoking cold turkey or through other means but with the advent of nicotine transmission substitutes such as nicotine gum and nicotine patches the ability to kick the habit was made far easier than ever before. Because of this, sales of these products boomed to a degree far greater than anyone ever expected.

Whether one is taking nicotine gum, a lozenge or a patch all of these methods serve the same purpose: to deliver nicotine in much smaller doses than what is found in cigarettes and also with the added benefit of not having to inhale dangerous smoke into one's lungs. Of course, different people react differently to different methods and it may take a little trial and error before finding which particular product works for you. So, if one method doesn't work there is no reason to feel despondent. Simply try another method/product and see if better results will occur.

Of course, one must never lose sight of the fact that you should not be puffing away while also chewing your nicotine gum! When you are taking one of these cigarette substitutes it is critical to stop smoking when taking the product. There are many people who use these products as a means of cutting back on the number of cigarettes they smoke per day with the eventual goal of smoking none. While this may seem like a decent plan it is NOT the suggested method promoted by the actual product. The reason for this is that if one were to chew nicotine gum and smoke at the same time the sheer volume of nicotine one would ingest performing such "double duty" would be far too much and certainly not healthy.

It needs to be pointed out that nicotine is harmful and it is not just the smoke that can harm you. In fact, nicotine in high doses can be poisonous! Also, no matter what form you ingest nicotine it still remains a highly addictive substance so when you chew nicotine gum there comes the potential to being addicted to the gum as well. Now, this is not stated as a means of scaring people into avoiding nicotine gums, patches, etc but rather it is a method of presenting certain warnings regarding continued use of these products. They are designed to wean you off the drug not replace one transmission method with another.

Darren O Connell - How to stop smoking naturally without patches pills drugs http://www.quit-smoking-2day.com and how to stop smoking in less than 3 hours http://www.quitfast.quit-smoking-2day.com

"Quitting Smoking – The Nicotine Substitute Method by Darren O Connell." 1 Sep. 2008 .

Say Goodbye to Cigarettes: Kicking an Addiction

Smoking is a highly addictive habit, and trying to quit can be one of the hardest things a person has ever done. Smoking is destructive to your health, causing heart disease and lung cancer, among many other problems. The wisest choice is to never begin smoking in the first place, but once you've started it is hard to stop. Television blasts dozens of commercials for nicotine patches, chewing gums, and even oral medication. Yet any of these supplements will not work without some behavior modification. So when you are ready to quit, here are some ways to get started.

First, throw away the cigarettes. Don't try to convince yourself to "cut down" or "wean off" the habit. If you have cigarettes in your house, you will smoke them. Don't give yourself access to the temptation. If you always buy your cigarettes at a certain convenience store, don't go to that store anymore. Shop at a different supermarket or buy gas at different gas station. If you typically buy cigarettes when you buy gas, then try paying for your fuel at the pump so you won't even have to step foot through the door.

Second, identify your motivation for smoking. Do you smoke when you're bored? Is smoking a way to relax and unwind? Once you understand your motivations, you can begin to find substitutes to make quitting easier.

If you smoke when you're bored, then try other activities to keep your hands busy. Keep a pencil handy to doodle, or carry a stress ball to roll around in your hands. You could try painting or doing crossword puzzles. Try anything you enjoy to distract yourself from the desire to light up.

If you smoke to wake yourself up, find other stimulating activities. You can get the same "high" and adrenaline rush from a brisk walk or run. While caffeine isn't the best substance for your health, substituting a cup of coffee in place of a cigarette would be a beneficial trade off. Breaking the caffeine habit is a lot easier than kicking the cigarette addiction.

from:Amber Benge, published Aug 27, 2008, "Say Goodbye to Cigarettes: Kicking an Addiction - Associated Content." 1 Sep. 2008 .

How to Quit Smoking Without Gaining (Much) Weight - How to Quit Smoking - Health.com

Image via Wikipedia How to Quit Smoking Without Gaining (Much) Weight - How to Quit Smoking - Health.com: "How to Quit Smoking:How to Break Your Addiction Forever"

If you stop smoking

This what will happen to you if you stop smoking. Why don't you give it a try now then ? !!!

The Real Cost of Smoking

Need another reason to quit smoking? Smoking causes one out of five deaths in America. Once you understadn the real costs of smoking, you'll be ready to put down that cigarette!

The amphetamines

Image by boodoo via Flickr The amphetamines are potent psychomotor stimulants. Their use causes a release of the excitatory neurotransmitters dopamine and noradrenaline (norepinephrine) from storage vesicles in the CNS. Amphetamines may be sniffed, swallowed, snorted or injected. They induce exhilarating feelings of power, strength, energy, self-assertion, focus and enhanced motivation. The need to sleep or eat is diminished. The release of dopamine typically induces a sense of aroused euphoria which may last several hours: unlike cocaine, amphetamine is not readily broken down by the body. Feelings are intensified. The user may feel he can take on the world.

The euphoria doesn't last. There follows an intense mental depression and fatigue. Amphetamine depletes the neuronal stores of dopamine in the mesolimbic pleasure centres of the brain.

More than any other illegal drug, speed is associated with violence and anti-social behavior. Occasional light and infrequent use is probably relatively harmless; but heavy chronic use can lead to stereotypies of behavior, depressive disorders, "meth bugs" akin to cocaine-induced formication, strain on the cardiovascular system, increasing behavioral disintegration, and outright "amphetamine psychosis".

http://www.amphetamines.com/meth.html