Timeline For The Benefits Of Quitting Smoking Cigarettes

 

It is amazing how quickly the body begins to heal when you quit smoking. This is what happens if you quit cold-turkey:

1. Pulse, hand temperature and blood pressure go back to normal within 20 minutes.

2. It only takes eight hours for blood-nicotine levels to drop by almost 94 percent.

3. Within a half-day, the normal carbon monoxide and oxygen levels in your blood have been restored.

4. It takes only one day for quitting-related anxieties to reach their peak.

5. Related irritable behavior peaks after about two days. Meanwhile, taste and smell start to be restored.

6. After three days, most nicotine-linked chemicals have exited your body. Your breathing will improve as tubes inside your lungs relax.

7. At about the same time, cravings and withdrawal symptoms will reach their peak and begin to decline.

8. Within 10 days, most people find that their cravings reduce to once or twice daily.

9. Tooth and gum blood circulation returns to normal about 10 to 14 days after you quit smoking.

10. It takes around three weeks for nicotine-induced changes to the brain to partially reverse themselves.

11. After around three weeks, the sleeplessness and emotional effects of quitting should come to an end.

12. It takes around two to 12 weeks for your risk of a heart attack to begin dropping.

13. You will find it less difficult to walk after about three to 12 weeks. Coughing should also come to an end.

14. Although people often gain some weight when they stop smoking, resistance to insulin becomes normal after almost two months.

15. Within nine months, people feel more energetic and sinus congestion reduces substantially.

16. It takes around 12 months to reduce stroke and heart disease risks by approximately 50 percent.

17. Within about a decade, your lung cancer risk will have fallen by around 40 percent.

18. After thirteen years, you are no more likely to lose teeth than the average person.

19. Two decades after quitting, studies show that most health risks have returned to normal levels.

You will gain the most if you quit early, but it is never too late to benefit. Please visit our website regularly for more stop smoking tips.

Can Legalized Marijuana Reduce Prescription Painkiller Overdoses And Deaths?

The American Academy of Pain Medication reports that 1.5 billion people around the world suffer from chronic pain. For many of those people, opioids are their painkillers of choice. Opioid overdose killed more than 16,500 in the United States in 2010. While that number continues to rise, surprising news from researchers at the University of Pennsylvania indicates that prescription painkiller overdoses are actually declining in states with medical marijuana legislation on the books.

Prior to 1999, Oregon, Washington and California were the only three states with active medical cannabis laws. Between 1999 and 2010, ten more states legalized marijuana for medical use.

The study, funded by the Center for AIDS Research and the National Institutes of Health, concluded that the opioid overdose rate declined by 24.8 percent in the states that legalized medical marijuana between 1999 and 2010.

The biggest problems with taking Percocet, OxyContin, Vicodin, or other opiates are the high risk of overdose and becoming physically and mentally dependent on the drug. Now that medical cannabis use has been approved in certain states, residents in those states can opt for marijuana treatment instead of risking addiction and overdose on prescription painkillers.

Dr. Marcus Bachhuber is a VA Scholar at the Veteran Affairs Medical Center in Philadelphia and the lead study author for the research conducted at the University of Pennsylvania. Bachhuber treats patients suffering with chronic pain and reports some patients feel that marijuana worked better to relieve their pain than prescription painkillers did.

The study's findings seem to suggest that more patients in states where they have access to medical cannabis may be choosing that option. With fewer people using opiates to manage pain, there are fewer overdoses. Researchers also pointed out that state funded public education programs focusing on painkiller abuse may also contribute in part to the lower overdose rates reported in those states.

With more states considering the legalization of marijuana, more statistics will become available to help researchers determine if a decrease in opioid overdoses will be a benefit associated with the enactment of medical marijuana laws.

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The Most Addictive Prescription Drugs

 

Prescription drug addiction is a serious and life-threatening problem that affects many thousands of people and their families. As the pharmaceutical industry continues to develop new and stronger drugs, the risks of addiction are steadily mounting. Following here is important information about Prescription Drug Addiction that consumers need to be aware of.

Many types of people can fall victim to this kind of addiction. It is therefore important to understand that there are many different types of drugs to which a person can become addicted. The three main classes of drugs are stimulants, depressants and opiods.

Stimulants are drugs that activate our nervous system. They increase our brain activity and make us more alert and energetic. Depressants do just the opposite: they act as a tranquilizer on the central nervous system and relaxes the mind and body. Opioids are pain killing drugs which can cause a euphoric or dream-like effect on the user.

The path to abusing prescription drugs is often a complicated one. Most abusers in fact do not start out intending to abuse a certain drug. In the majority of cases, they are prescribed a drug by their physician to treat an existing underlying condition, and over time, the person may develop a dependency on that drug or they may have poor coping skills for dealing with various emotional and physical issues.

For instance, a person may be prescribed antidepressants to treat a generalized social anxiety disorder. If the person is suffering from feelings of loneliness and depression due to their disorder, they may become prone to abusing the drug if the anxiety is not emotionally dealt with. In other cases, a person may use stimulants to gain energy to handle a demanding project or job; however, if they fail to use proper work-life balance, this can result in addiction as they continue to rely on stimulants to push themselves further.

Part of the problem is also over-diagnosing of certain prescription drugs. One example is oxycodene, an opiod, which is estimated to be prescribed by physicians over six million times a year, mostly as a sedative.

As we can see, these types of addictions are both common and life-threatening. Any prescription drug use needs to be carefully monitored by a physician for the correct dosage. Those who fear that a family member has developed an addiction to a drug should seek immediate help.

Prozac Vs. Zoloft Explained

Prozac and Zoloft are antidepressants that are used to treat a number of psychological disorders. They contain selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRIs that act to rebalance the chemicals in the brain. Their effect on serotonin, a neurotransmitter that creates a feeling of happiness and well-being, is particularly profound. These two drugs are often compared because of their similarities but they have significant differences as well.

Similarities

Both are 2nd generation anti-depressants that are safer than those that came before them. They are unlikely to cause weight gain and do not have a sedating effect. These SSRIs are often prescribed for depression as they have been found to relieve symptoms in up to 70% of the cases. Their levels of effectiveness are fairly even with no study conclusively favoring one over the other for major depression. Doctors can prescribe either depending on the exact diagnosis. It is difficult to know which one is best for an individual so they generally recommend what they think is a better fit, start with a low dosage, and observe for side effects.

Applications

Prozac is used to treat bulimia nervosa, panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, and major depressive disorder in adults. It is also approved for treating children with depression ages 8 and up, as well as children with OCD ages 7 and up. Meanwhile, Zoloft is used for the treatment of social anxiety disorder, severe premenstrual syndrome, post traumatic stress disorder, panic attacks, obsessive compulsive disorder, and major depression in adults. It is also suitable for children with OCD with ages 6 and up. Note that these drugs take time to work. Expect to take them religiously for up to four weeks before feeling the changes.

Differences

Prozac and Zoloft are available in low doses that are suitable for daily intake. However, only Prozac can be prescribed for a strong weekly dose. Their other differences lie in their side effects. Using Zoloft increases the chances of experiencing diarrhea more so than Prozac does. This might become an issue for people who are prone to stomach distress like those with IBS. On the other hand, Prozac has a higher tendency to cause sleep disturbances and dry mouth.

What Is Ibogaine Treatment For Addiction?

Of the many treatment methods that are currently used to treat heroin addiction, none has substantial effect on a psychological level. They majorly serve to treat the addiction or help victims manage it, but never really treat the addiction with the intention of reducing or completely curing the disease. However, among the many unconventional and experimental treatments that have been tried, Ibogaine has indicated some promising results.

What is Ibogaine?

Ibogaine is a psychoactive substance derived from certain trees and shrubs found in native African rainforests. The natural psychedelic is cited to have been used by African pygmy tribes (and other tribes) for ritual and medicinal purposes.  

Ibogaine Treatment for Addiction

Several separate researches that have been carried on Ibogaine (since 1960s) have indicated that the substance can effectively treat various forms of addictions: heroin, cocaine, alcohol, methadone, methamphetamine, steroids, and other drugs. When used as type of interruption therapy, the psychedic induces dream-like visions to the patients (while they are awake) followed by feelings of instructive replays of the various pivotal life effects that may have contributed to their addictions. Some are also confronted by negative emotions and fear that in a way drive the addiction disease.  If used for addiction treatment, it's recommended that supplemental treatments such as intensive counseling, therapy, and aftercare are applied to achieve maximum results from the Ibogaine treatment.

Side Effects

Although Ibogaine has been implicated as treatment for various forms of addiction in unprecedented number of studies, it's been associated with a number of negative side effects, including loss of motor coordination (making it difficult for patients to walk or stand without assistance), vomiting, nausea, and dry mouth. Ibogaine can also agitate certain types of heart conditions and can cause fatal reactions with certain foods (such as foods that contain citrus and bergamot oil). What's more, the psychedelic can have detrimental effects when administered alongside other psychotropic medications and is therefore not recommended for dual-diagnosis (simultaneous treatment for addiction alongside mental or emotional disorders).

Bottom Line

For Ibogaine treatments to be universally accepted in the healthcare fraternity, there must be enough evidence that its benefits surpasses its potential to cause harm, which currently necessitates continued research and clinical experiments. Nonetheless, preliminary results regarding the development of the Ibogaine into clinical, therapeutic, and medicinal treatments are quite promising.

What Is Alcohol-Related Psychosis?

 

Most people are aware of a medical condition known as alcoholism, or an addiction to alcohol. However, there aren't as many people who are aware of just how severely addicts suffer. In addition to the drastic and complicated effects of alcohol withdrawal, addicts can experience equally painful symptoms while still consuming alcohol. One of the most debilitating and misunderstood alcohol related medical conditions is called Alcohol Psychosis.

What is Alcohol Psychosis?

Alcohol Psychosis is a medical condition that affects long-time alcoholics. Most of the symptoms are neurological in nature and can severely harm a person's quality of life. In fact, the symptoms are so severe, the condition is often confused with schizophrenia, making diagnosis difficult. People who suffer from Alcohol Psychosis will endure relentless hallucinations or persistent delusions. In addition, sufferers may also experience other equally severe symptoms in conjunction with the hallucinations, such as paranoia and aggression.

Who is Affected? 

It is rare for anyone suffering from alcoholism to experience Alcohol Psychosis. Only 3% of the alcoholic population will experience psychosis due to their alcoholism. However, the vast majority of those who endure Alcohol Psychosis are alcoholics who have abused alcohol for a prolonged amount of time.

How is Alcohol Psychosis Diagnosed?

Although Alcohol Psychosis often closely mimics schizophrenia, there are a few important factors that can help differentiate the two conditions. Typically, symptoms of Alcohol Psychosis begin to manifest at a much later date in the sufferer's life than symptoms of schizophrenia do. Alcohol Psychosis only occurs after years of chronic alcohol abuse. In addition to this, those who suffer from Alcohol Psychosis will find that their symptoms significantly decrease as their alcohol consumption does. Although some people may experience an increase in symptoms as they go through withdrawal, they will often find symptoms completely disappear once the alcohol has finally dissipated from their systems.

Alcoholism drastically and negatively affects addicts in hundreds of unfortunate ways. Alcohol Psychosis is arguably the most serious potential complication on the list. Just as with alcoholism itself, however, there is hope for alcohol induced psychosis in the form of abstinence and recovery.

IF YOU ARE STRUGGLING WITH ALCOHOL ABUSE, THERE IS TREATMENT AVAILABLE
Summit Estate Offers Inpatient and Outpatient Alcohol Rehab:

Get The Facts About Panic Attacks

The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that around 4 million Americans routinely experience panic attacks, and if you are one of them, you can testify as to how alarming and stressful one can be. A panic attack is a strong, often sudden feeling of extreme anxiety, unease or helplessness, often lasting for several minutes and sometimes accompanied by a shortness of breath, a racing heartbeat and a feeling of lightheadedness.

Although panic attacks can be triggered by a specific event or situation, they can often occur for no obvious reason, making them even harder to deal with and leading to fear that another panic attack will happen. There are other symptoms of panic attacks, and these can include a heavy feeling in the chest (or chest pains), trembling muscles, tingling in the hands or feet, a flushed face and sweaty palms, as well as the uncontrollable and terrifying feeling of panic. Many people describe the feeling as a total loss of control, sheer and utter panic or even the certainty that they are going to go crazy or die.

Because the fear of having another attack is part of the aftermath of a panic attack, many people understandably avoid potential situations in which they might feel anxious or lose control. Some people who have experienced panic attacks even reach the point where they rarely leave their home or other so-called safe zone, a condition called agoraphobia. Most agoraphobics do not enjoy their condition; the fear of having another attack, especially in public, forces them to adopt that extreme behavior.

It is possible to effectively treat anxiety disorders such as panic attacks, although many people are too ashamed to seek help or the condition remains undiagnosed and therefore untreated. In recent years, the shift has been away from old-fashioned techniques using analysis to treat panic disorders, and towards CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy). The therapy focuses on how to identify and eliminate the feelings and thoughts that cause the anxiety and the panic. An educational campaign is being carried out by the National Institute of Mental Health to convince people that panic attacks can be treated successfully.

What You Need To Know About Opana Drug Abuse

The increased abuse of Opana, a prescription painkiller, has alarmed authorities, and measures are being put in place to curb this vice. Opana drug abuse currently beats that of the most preferred OxyContin. Prescription drugs, mostly painkillers, have been abused for decades, especially by teens. The increase in their (prescription drugs) abuse results from their effects (the surge in the production of the so-called happy hormone, which gives people an intense ‘high’), and the fact they are more available and cheaper than the hard drugs that provide similar side effects.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT OPANA ABUSE

Opana drug abuse has peaked in the recent years as the preferred drug of choice, OxyContin, became successfully tamper-proofed. Most prescription drugs, Opana inclusive, are availed in varying forms including oral syrup/ liquid, powder, injectable liquids, dissolvable tablets and oral tablets. Oral tablets and syrup/ liquid must pass through the digestive system before they can be digested and released, gradually, into the blood system. This process takes hours and the experienced effects are delayed and mild. Cavity-dissolvable tablets/ powder, skin patches and injectable liquids, on the other hand, access the blood stream fast, inducing fast and intense side effects, including the sought ‘high’.

Prescription drug abusers often alter the original form of a drug to a form that can be administered into the blood stream fast. The manufacturers of OxyContin moved to reduce the ability of drug abusers to alter the original form of OxyContin, which reduced their ability to ingest the drug faster and experience fast, intense high. Opana drug abuse resulted from the fact that it is just as potent as OxyContin, and drug abusers can crush the tablets into powder that can be snorted or dissolved and injected into the bloodstream, releasing an instant and intense high. Unfortunately, ingesting a drug in any manner (form, frequency and mixture) other than prescribed poses serious health risks, and Opana drug abuse has been on the limelight for numerous overdoses.

Authorities have moved to reduce the form-alteration of Opana to reduce its abuse. However, old stock is still in supply, and Opana drug abusers will continue abusing this drug until it is no longer accessible. Authorities fear that curbing prescription drug abuse will be harder than simply banning the production of alterable forms of drugs, since drug abusers simply move to the next potent drug whose form can be altered for an instant administration and intense high. Follow us for more information and resources on drug abuse and treatment.

The Effects Of Methamphetamine Abuse

Methamphetamine is a powerful stimulant that, even in small doses, can increase physical activity and wakefulness, and decrease appetite. It can also cause a wide range of cardiovascular problems, such as irregular heartbeat, rapid heart rate, and increased blood pressure. Convulsions and hypothermia may also occur with methamphetamine abuse, and if not treated immediately, a user can die.

When taken methamphetamine and crystal meth create a false sense of energy and well--being; therefore, users tend to push their bodies further and faster than they are meant to go. Most of the pleasurable effects result from the release of high levels of dopamine, which is a neurotransmitter involved in motor function, the experience of pleasure, and motivation.

Meth users can experience a severe mental and physical breakdown when the effects of the drug wear off. Since continued use of the drug decreases appetite, users can go through extreme weight loss. They can also experience hyperactivity, nausea, disturbed sleep patterns, irritability, increased aggressiveness, and delusions of power. Other more serious effects may include paranoia and anxiety, hallucinations, confusion, and insomnia.

In the long term, methamphetamine abuse can cause irreversible harm, such as damaged blood vessels in the brain or an irregular heartbeat that can cause heart attack or death, or lung, kidney, and liver damage. Addicts may also suffer brain damage, including an inability to grasp abstract thoughts and memory loss. Addicts who recover are usually subject to extreme mood swings and memory gaps.

Short--Term Effects of Methamphetamine Abuse
• Dilation of pupils
• Loss of appetite
• Increased body temperature, blood pressure, and heart rate
• Nausea
• Irregular sleep patterns
• Panic and psychosis
• Irritability, hyperexcitability, and hallucinations
• Erratic, bizarre, and sometimes violent behavior
• Seizures, convulsions, and death from high doses

Long--Term Effects of Methamphetamine Abuse
• Permanent damage to blood vessels in the brain and heart
• Damage to the brain similar to stroke, epilepsy, or Alzheimer's disease
• Lung, kidney, and liver damage
• High blood pressure, leading to strokes, heart attacks, and death
• Destruction of tissues in the nose if the drug is sniffed
• Weight loss and malnutrition
• Respiratory problems if smoked
• Severe tooth decay
• Infection diseases if injected
• Apathy, disorientation, and confusion
• Psychosis
• Strong psychological dependence
• Depression

When people abuse methamphetamine, it usually takes over their lives in varying degrees. The three categories of meth abuse are: low--intensity methamphetamine abuse, binge methamphetamine abuse, and high--intensity methamphetamine abuse. Sometimes, it is difficult to face one's problems; however, the consequences of meth abuse are always worse than the problem one is trying to run away from. The answer is to get the facts and not turn to meth in the first place. Follow us for more information and resources on drug abuse and treatment.

Breaking An Addiction To Life Threatening Drugs

Trying to live a normal life while addicted to a drug or other substance that can threaten your life is extremely difficult. When addicted to a drug your brain is literally consumed with the thought about how to get the drug at all times. When you are high on drugs then it inhibits your ability to be able to function properly. So as you may have guessed by now, drugs literally hold back your ability to achieve in life, causing you to fail to reach any of your goals, and even putting you at jeopardy of losing your job, friends, and family.

Get help with your addiction so that you can focus on living a more improved life. How long have you been addicted to drugs? It does not matter if this addiction is new, or if you have been addicted for quite some time. It is a good idea to take the time to seek help from professionals who have helped a countless number of people in the past. Cocaine, blow, and other substances of this nature are the worst, since they give you a euphoric feeling that you want to feel at all times.

Instead of allowing your life to be consumed by cocaine, blow, and other substances it is a good idea to take the time to figure out what is important in life. There should be no reason as to why you would want to continue living life as a person who is consumed by a variety of substances. It is going to be tough to break free from being addicted to these serious drugs, but once you are able to find relieve you will see just how great it is to live life again, and how much more free time is on your hands.

Nembutal And Seconal Addictions - Treatment Options For You To Consider

Let's say that you would like to stop using barbiturates, particularly drugs like phenobarbital, nembutal, and seconal. These are often prescribed by people that are not working very well with benzodiazepines like Xanax, and need something a little different. You can become very addicted to these drugs, more so than benzodiazepines, and if you want to stop using them this year, these treatment options will help you with your addiction to barbiturates like amytal using the following suggestions.

What Barbiturates Do To You

These drugs were actually prescribed as a sedative hypnotic to help people that were not able to fall asleep. They are able to sedate your central nervous system, allowing you to deal with problems like anxiety and depression. They can help you sleep, and deal with your anxiety, but they also are very addicting. People may not be able to function without them because they need the sedating effects that only barbiturates can provide.

Stopping Your Addiction to Barbiturates

What you will need to do is find someone in your area that specializes in helping people with barbiturate addictions. It doesn't matter what type of medication that you are on because they all do essentially the same thing. You might want to switch over to something like benzodiazepines instead which are less addicting in general. Your doctor will be able to switch your prescription which will be able to help you, or you can go to a rehabilitation center to get personal one-on-one help so that you can stop using barbiturates right away.

If your goal is to be barbiturate free by the end of the year, you can probably do this on your own. If your doctor can prescribe a different medication that can sedate your central nervous system, or that can help you sleep, you might be able to stop using them without a rehab center, but the choice is always up to you.

Getting Counseling For An Opium Addiction

Anybody who is addicted to drugs like opium needs to get help.  No matter what treatment option a person chooses, counseling will be part of the recovery process.  There are many types of counseling available.  These include in-patient, out-patient, group and individual counseling.

Individual therapy may be received on an out-patient basis or during a stay at a rehab facility.  The latter is called in-patient treatment.  Typically counseling begins during or after detox.

Detox is the process of getting the drugs and/or alcohol out of the patient's system.  Most rehab centers treat the symptoms of opiates withdrawal with prescription medication.  This combined with counseling will reduce the risk of the addict turning to drugs in the future.

Leaving rehab does not mean that the addict is cured.  Staying clean is a lifelong struggle as addicts can relapse at any time.  It is for this reason that addicts sometimes continue counseling long after they have left rehab.

Group therapy is useful as addicts find comfort in knowing that there are others who share the same struggles as themselves.  Having the support of people who do not judge them also helps.  In fact support is what makes programs like Narcotics Anonymous successful.

For most addicts, a big roadblock they will face is getting funds for therapy.  If addicts are worrying about how they will pay for treatment, they should contact their health insurer.  Some insurance policies will cover treatment and/or counseling.

If the addict does not have health insurance, he or she may need to borrow money for treatment.  While this is not ideal, it may be the only road to recovery.  When push comes to shove, the addict's future is more important than a short term loan.  There are also low-cost and free options available to those who are willing to find them.

Cocaine: Psychiatric Disorders And How To Recover

Cocaine is a powerful stimulant that is highly addictive. It is derived from coca leaves. When taken, it causes various effects such as increased alertness, energy, short term euphoria and talkativeness. During a comedown, the drug is known to cause feelings of paranoia, anxiety and restlessness to a user. When the usage of the drug is excessive, the effects include; convulsions, tremors and increased blood pressure and heart rate which might cause cardiac arrest that may lead to death.

Psychiatric Disorders

The fore mentioned effects can result to cocaine- related psychiatric disorders which are 10 in number namely; cocaine intoxication, cocaine-induced sexual dysfunction, cocaine intoxication delirium, cocaine-induced sleep disorder, cocaine-induced psychotic disorder with delusions, cocaine-induced psychotic disorder with hallucinations, cocaine withdrawal, cocaine-induced anxiety disorder, cocaine-induced mood disorder and cocaine-related disorder not otherwise  specified.

All these disorders have unique symptoms and effect on mental health of a person. Therefore the recovery program for each of the disorder is distinctive. Below is a characteristic of each of the disorders;

Intoxication

Cocaine intoxication results when an individual has used the stimulant recently and has clear signs of unusual behavioral changes as mentioned above. When a person experiences extreme thought impairment, then this is cocaine intoxication delirium. As the name suggests, cocaine induced sexual dysfunction results to a person being distressed/disrupted when it comes to sex.

Withdrawal From Cocaine

As for cocaine withdrawal, this occurs after one stops the usage of this drug. The symptoms include; abnormal fatigue, depression, suicidal thoughts, insomnia among other effects.  For the sleep disorder, an individual will have disrupted sleeping patterns. When it comes to the induced psychotic disorder with hallucinations and with delusions, a person experiences that which is not reality.

Anxiety

The anxiety disorder causes one to be extremely anxious and cocaine induced mood condition causes change of mood every now and then. Lastly all cocaine-related psychiatric disorders not elsewhere classified fall under disorders not otherwise specified.

How To Recover

When it comes to recovery, the treatment modes will combine the use of sedative drugs, outpatient and inpatient psychiatric treatment, close observations by a doctor among other measures. There is usually a high chance of relapse with this drug. For this reason there is need for the addict to join a long term 12 step self help group as well as a therapist conducting periodic psychiatric evaluation on the patient.

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