Thursday, March 15, 2012

Psychological Effects of Acne

No single disease causes more psychological trauma, maladjustment between parents and children, insecurity, feelings of inferiority, and mental suffering than acne.

Quality of life is defined as the burden of disease in terms of impairment of the patient's day-to-day life as well as burden to society. Acne affects the four key dimensions of a patient's life, which are closely interelated: psychological, social, occupational, and physical.

Acne patients are often conscious of their condition -- they tend to be unhappy and frustrated about their appearance, and may consequently become depressed. Sometimes, they can become so distressed that even routine daily activities are affected. one patient was so conscious of a particularly big pimple on her nose that she locked herself up in her room, refused to go to school, and did not even want to see her family members, who lived in the same house! Acne sufferers often think that people judge them primarily on external appearance, and may be unwilling to go for job interviews, convinced that employers will have a poor first visual impression and think that they are unable to do the job effectively.

Acne patients feel that their relationships with friends, especially new acquaintances, are affected. They may be uncomfortable even interacting with family members, and tend to withdraw from people and social activities. They often hide themselves in their room and avoid going out when they have a breakout. Outings, if any, tend to be solitary; they usually avoid crowded places.

Preoccupation with self-image may also take its toll on patients' daily activities and pursuits. For teenagers, concentration is affected and they may neglect their schoolwork, resulting in falling grades. For adults, work performance may also be similarly affected.

Whether to treat acne at all and even how to treat acne are very personal decisions. Some people are devastated by one lesion, others can have many lesions and barely even notice. Larger acne lesions such as inflamed nodules and cysts may hurt and sometimes bleed and discharge pus; this may impose certain limitations on the patient's physical activities. Topical treatments are the mainstay of acne treatments. They are used alone or in combination with oral medications to treat and control acne breakouts.

Acne is divided into three basic categories from mild to severe depending on the number of pimples and the amount of scarring:
1. Mild - nonscarring, fewer than 10 lesions;
2. Moderate - may scar, more than 10 lesions; and
3. Severe - cystic, nodulocystic, scarring.

If you get only one new acne lesion of any type per month but each lesion leaves behind a scar, this would make 12 new scars each year. In this case, it would be wise to treat the acne in order to prevent as many new lesions as possible and to help the ones that do appear to clear as quickly as possible in order to minimize the chance of permanent scarring.

It is also important to remember to avoid picking at or squeezing lesions. Do not pick. Picking at acne lesions or scars leads to a longer duration of lesions and a higher chance of permanent scarring as well as increased pain at the site.

Despite not being life-threatening, acne has a significant psychosocial impact on sufferers. Even mild to moderate acne can cause severe psychological distress, and affect the body image. Psychological morbidity -- low self-esteem, social withdrawal, frustration, anxiety, anger, depression, and suicidal thoughts -- may develop as a result of acne or its residual scars.

Getting our skin to look good and keeping it that way have become a multibillion dollar per year industry, and it affects us to our deepest core. Virtually hundreds of thousands of acne products are available that claim to be the latest, newest, and best product to give you flawless skin that will change your life overnight -- for example, Resurgence. Acne products are often available in washes (Acne Body Wash), solutions, gels, lotions, creams, and ointment formulations. We are always looking for the newest, secret, magical ingredient that will clear any problems in our skin, real or imagined, from acne to wrinkles, and give us that 'glow' that signals health, beauty, youth and success! 

Alzheimer's Disease




Picture of the brain areas: It is the cortex that makes us human -- our ability to plan, calculate, imagine and create. When the cortex of the brain function normally, it creates a person, someone with a particular pattern of feelings, beliefs, reactions and thoughts, and these transcend the purely physical. A working cortex produces an individual pattern of emotion, aspiration and experience that defines the character and the personality. Unfortunately, it is the cortex, this brain-cell layer half an inch(1.25cm) thick on the surface of the brain, that is most affected by Alzheimer's disease.


Alzheimer's disease is a progressive, degenerative disease, or more accurately, a group of disorders that results in impaired memory, thinking and behaviour. It afflicts approximately 4 million Americans and as many as 15 million people worldwide. Research has also shown that Alzheimer's disease is more prevalent among women than among men, and this prevalence increases with age.

Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia, which is not a disease itself but rather a group of symptoms that involve a loss of intellectual function severe enough to interfere with daily activities. Formerly called senility, dementia was once thought to be a normal and almost inevitable accompaniment of aging. Today many doctors and researchers believe that dementia occurs in the elderly only when they are afflicted with specific diseases or disorders. Some of these disorders include nutritional deficiencies, drug reactions, depression, thyroid disorders, and alcoholism. The dementia caused by Alzheimer's disease cannot be reversed, and this ultimately results in a loss of the ability to care for oneself.

The average person with Alzheimer's lives about 8 years beyond the time of the initial diagnosis, with some people living 20 years or more. However long the survival time, symptoms continue to worsen over the years, and the patient becomes increasingly susceptible to infections and other illness, which are often the direct cause of death.

Unlike various kinds of normal age-related memory impairment, the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease worsen over the years. The person with Alzheimer's disease soon cannot manage their daily work and social life. In addition to forgetfulness, the patient have problems with reasoning and judgment, as well as mood and behavioural changes.

Just how quickly the disease progresses can vary considerably from one person to the next. In the early stages, the patient may have trouble finding the right word, take longer to react, experience short-term memory loss, and have difficulties making mathematical calculations. She may or may not be aware that she has a problem handling these and other routine tasks. As the disease progress, the patient will have increasing difficulties with understanding and self-expression, and will exhibit marked disorientation, behavioural changes, repetitive actions, and impaired judgment. The patient will often seem lethargic and cold emotionally, having little memory of the recent past and not recognizing familiar people while still retaining a clear memory of distant times. In the final stage of the disease, the patient with Alzheimer's requires 24-hour care. She is apathetic, unaware of her state of cleanliness or dress, unable to communicate, and incontinent. She has little memory, either short-term or long-term. Eventually, many patients will assume a fetal position and gradually shut down their entire mind and body.

Currently there are no treatments available to cure or reverse the dementia associated with Alzheimer's disease. However, some of the symptoms of Alzhemier's -- including depression, insomnia and behavioural disturbances, can be managed with medications. Eating a balanced diet, getting proper health care, and engaging in regular physical exercise and social activity can make the condition more bearable.

Caring for your beloved with Alzheimer's disease is not an easy task. The utmost concern of the caregiver is keeping their loved ones safe. For example, some people with Alzheimer's disease can become feeble to the point of being at serious risk for falls. Every person with Alzheimer's disease is different, and the stage of your loved one's illness also is an important factor. However, it is always wise to take the necessary precautions to prevent any accidents from happening.

The home is where most accidents would happen, especially in the kitchen and bathroom. Keep all potentially dangerous utensils and appliances out of reach or under lock and key. Most falls occur in the bathroom than any other room of the house, so make sure all rugs and mats have slip-resistant backings, and consider having handrails or medical alarm installed. Medical Alarm can detect any falls at home -- so you can have peace of mind when you are at work. Also be sure to keep all potentially dangerous medications out of reach and switch off the heater when not in use.

Wandering is also very common in Alzheimer's disease. Random wandering occurs when a person moves about and does not know where he or she is going. In a secure area, this is not a problem. However, when people wander out in the street or in a hospital ward, they may cause problems for themselves and others. Thus it is advisable to have the Alzheimer patient to carry identification whenever possible, or better still, encourage them to wear medical alert bracelet inscribed "Memory Loss" or "Alzheimer's". The foremost consideration for managing the problem is always the person's safety. For more information about medical alarm, please refer to BrickHouse Security. 

Living Well With Acne




Ideal skin has a smooth, even complexion with no obvious pores; it is also supple and winkle free. But this ideal skin exists only on the covers of magazines, where exceedingly think airbrushed models tease us into believing that such goals are truly attainable when in reality they are only fragments of our collective imagination and marketing agency talents.

We all strive for smooth and flawless skin -- the perfect skin. It defines beauty, exudes confidence, and implies success. However acne is an obstacle to beautiful skin. It distorts the otherwise smooth contour; leaves the skin red, bumpy, and uneven in tone; and leaves behind scars that can last a lifetime. It makes people feel embarrassed and self-conscious. It creates a barrier between the beauty within and the face that we put forward. Luckily there is good news -- if treated and appropriately, it can be controlled so that the negative impact is minimized or ideally erased.

Acne is a condition of the skin that is more than just about how we look. It can also be a sign of, or be made worse by, hormonal disturbances, stress, medications, and other factors. The scarring that can result from even mild acne can last a lifetime and serves as a painful reminder of the acne that was.

Acne occurs most commonly after puberty and affects adolescents and young adults. However, it can also occur during infancy, and even in adulthood. Although its appearance may vary at different ages, the basic lesions of comedones, inflamed papules, and pustules remain the same. It can be a debilitating, scarring, disfiguring condition that can affect anyone of any age, gender or ethnicity at any time. Many myths about acne also exist that make it difficult for some people to manage and understand their condition.

It is very important to understand that acne has several underlying causes and there are manyoptions available in the market. Whether you currently have acne, have phantom acne, or are living with the physical and emotional scars from acne, the solution to the problem of acne involves a dual approach. While learning to better manage your acne, your other job is to learn how to live your life well and in a meaningful way. Fill your life with positive thoughts. Give your life more emotional freedom and happiness; diminish your tendencies toward self-deprecation, anxiety and unnecessary sadness. Positive thoughts and feelings coupled with increased energy can enhance your ability to enjoy life, feel more positive emotions, think more clearly, focus better, laugh more, and live better.

Accept yourself. You can win the skin game. Winning does not mean attaining the perfect, flawless skin. Perfect skin does not exist in this world. Perfection does not exist in reality. Perfection is an illusion. Achieving and maintaining perfection is impossible and the emotional price is unaffordable. To be 'perfect people' are miserable and exhausting. They are resentful of others who define them by their perfection and demand that they always live the part. Most movie stars and supermodels eventually burn out, and many turn to alcohol and drugs to alleviate the stress and pain associated with maintaining their supposed perfection. They pay the emotional and physical toll of living in a society that refuses to allow them human flaws.

Real human beings, like you and me, have imperfect skin with blemishes, blood vessels, dark and light spots, rough texture, visible pores, oil spots, and unwanted hairs. You can view these imperfections not as an affliction but as a blessing in disguise. As a real living person, you are a wonderfully imperfect being. It is not necessary to live imprisoned by the false illusions portrayed in the media. You can simply strive for good skin, good heart, and good soul. Remember that acne treatment and healing is not an overnight process. Various acne treatments and acne solution are available, such as lasers, intense pulse lights, photodynamic therapy, and new medications. Skincare products or Acne product like cleansers, spot gels, clearing gels, alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), beta hydroxy acids (BHAs), botanicals, etc are easily available. With modern medicine, acne can be effectively treated. Don't worry, be happy. Spend your time wisely, stop dwelling on self-pity and dejection because of your acne problem. Take part in various activities, have an active and healthy lifestyle. 

Perfectionism




Perfectionism, in psychology, is a belief that perfection can and should be attained. In ethics and value theory, perfectionism is the persistence of will in obtaining the optimal quality of spiritual, mental, physical, and material being.

Perfectionism may manifest itself in excessive attention to minor details. It can be defined as a personality trait characterized by a compulsive effort to eliminate all flaws and blemishes from one's behaviour and the products of that behaviour. If perfectionism is chronic and excessive, then the individual is said to suffer from an obsessive compulsive personality disorder. In this personality disorder, there is neither blatant irrational ideas or magic rituals.

Signs and Symptoms associated with perfectionistic tendencies or an obsessive compulsive personality disorder include:

  • Emotional isolation
  • Inflexibility and rigidity
  • A tense, 'uptight' attitude toward life
  • Excessive attention to minor details
  • Miserliness
  • Abandonment of personal projects
  • A desire for complete personal effectiveness and competence
The face and the colour of our skin is what makes us different from one another. It is the appearance and the external look of you which determine the 'fate of you'. Many people judge people according to their appearance. Many men want to have a pretty women when it comes to looking for a partner in their lives. This is equally so for some women. Because so many people judge according to appearance, many men and women have always been 'troubled' by their appearance. They want to have a face that looks perfect. Many men and women want to have perfect skin, the skin that appear soft, fair and flawless, with no painful pimples and acne. Acne is a complex condition that involves many parts of the body even though it shows up as only eruptions on the face and else where on your skin. It is a signal that you have problems elsewhere deep within your body. Acne can be caused by a toxic colon, poor digestion of food, weak liver and other conditions that cause the blood to carry too much toxicity. There are so many types of facial products or skincare products in the market. Every products claimed to be the best, and there are all sort of price range. For example, Murad Acne Complex, developed by world renowned dermatologist, has success rate of over 90% from acne users -- in just 4 weeks, breakouts are reduced.

Many people has their confidence and self-esteem reduced all because of their looks. Because of sudden breakouts and pimples on their face, they cancel their appointments and choose to stay at home. Some even spent huge amount of money just to use any ways and means to get rid of those ugly blemishes and pimples on their face. Acne is the most common skin disorder. Over 10% of Americans age 25 - 44 have acne. Over 85% Americans age 12 - 25 will have acne at one time or the other. Developed by Dr Howard Murad, Murad Acne is priced at $29.95, including 2 free gifts and what's more, there is 60 day money back guarantee. This could be your solution to your acne problems, a doorway to your 'perfect' skin! 

Normal or Abnormal



Old people always like to perm their hair -- just like this picture above. My paternal grandmother. She always went to Blk 176 Boon Lay Drive, one of the hair salon there to perm her hair and wash her hair. My grandmother often came to our house. She always wanted to ask my father for money. Then at our home, she would always like to wash her feet in our bathroom. She always washed her hands and she always like to ask my sister to wash her hair and cut her finger nails.

These were what I saw. What I heard about her was that she was 'siao' (crazy, mental illness) and always asking people for money. Almost the whole of Boon Lay people knew her. At my neighbourhood, my block, 169 and 170, she was 'well-known'. People would avoid her (if I am not wrong), and 'scare' of her.

When I was young, many times my grandmother came knocking at our door, but my father said,"don't open the door". We would look at the small eye-piece at the door before we opened the door. My grandmother had a 'characteristic' knocking door sound. We would know its her by the knock of the door. I could not remember how many times, but there were times where we did not open the door(as instructed), and she kept knocking and after that, finally walked away...

Is she really 'crazy' and perhaps suffered from obsessive compulsive disorder, from what I saw? I would tell you more about her, from what I know, and you will see that everybody is born 'special' -- normal or abnormal, it is not for you to judge. Normal or abnormal, the person know himself/herself best. What is normal and what is abnormal? She could walk home herself, she knew how to walk to the hair salon, she knew how to go to the church and she knew how to come to our house. She even knew all her children and her husband.

She looked perfectly fine and she was perfectly energetic everytime I saw her. There was hardly any time or I never knew of anytime she was sick or hospitalized where we need to visit her in her home or hospital. However, during my junior college days, she was 'gone' forever. I heard she slept and never woke up anymore. No words left for anyone. It was a normal day she went to sleep and it was the husband who discovered her 'cold' body in the next morning. It was such a sudden news.

Our life is so fragile, anytime you will 'breath your last'. Life is a special gift from God, our creator. We must treasure our life, because to end our life and not treasure it is a sin. To go to hell is suffering, even more suffering than to live. In order to live our life wisely, we need to work and spend our money wisely. Having Health Insurance Plans can help to save on medical expenses. E Health Help has been guiding people through the healthcare maze since 1999. Search for affordable health insurance and you can apply online in minutes. Getting a health insurance quote from one of the healthcare industry's leading insurance providers only takes a minute at eHealthHelp.com!

Everyone is born different. Normal or abnormal? I had seen people around me, and personally me; there are 'weird' people around, but surely they served some purpose on earth.... just like my grandmother... 

Heart Problems




This is Jesus. His Heart is transpierced and provoked by numerous sins of this world. Yet his heart showed love till the very end, even to His enemies...

The heart is really a super organ, able to pump blood to all parts of the body, without the need of you to think about it. Everyday, every moment and every seconds, your heart is pumping blood to all the cells of your body, supplying oxygen and all nutritional needs to your cells.

It is such a miraculous organ which function effectively not only through proper nutrients, but also our emotional part as well. How many times do we feel our heart being pierced and poked with pain when someone betrayed us and hurt us? Our heart can help us to choose various paths of life when we get hurt in our life. We can choose to forgive or let go or choose another alternative path. All these, the way we lead our life depends on the capacity of our heart. What is the capacity of your heart, how big it is, in turns depend on the mind of the person.

God made us in the image like himself, making the first man Adam and woman, Eve. Because of the first sin which they had made, sins had been passed down to us. Soon, Jesus was born, given to this earth to die on the cross for the sins of this world. He loved the world so much. He knew everything about us and the sins of the world. His heart is filled with love and passion, so much so that he had no fear, he was full of bravery and courage. His death on the cross was his holy and sacred heart, filled with unlimited passion and love for mankind.




Problems of the heart will be solved through the truth of the heart. The truth of the heart is the heart that clicked...

The Pump Room was where I worked. I was a Trainee Perfusionist then at Mount Elizabeth Hospital. That was my first official full-time and permanent job after my graduation. I saw many Open-heart surgery like mitral valve surgery, CABG, aortic valve surgery and so on. Most were successful heart surgeries, but some were not so fortunate. I got to see the real heart anatomically and I also see the real heart of people as contrast to their faces. I got to see what was shown differently from TV Shows too. I got to see famous doctors, rich surgeons and many faces of the people in the operating theatres... Anyway, lots of things to shared but not possible to finish everything within one post. Just a word about surgical treatment of valvular disease. Maryland Heart Center contains information about mitral valve repair, including interesting topics like History of Mitral Valve Repair, Mitral Valve Repair Rates and Mitral Valve Disorders and even Patient Success Stories and many more! 

Male Erectile Disorder

Inability to achieve or maintain an erection sufficient for successful sexual intercourse was formerly called impotence. It is now known as male erectile disorder or erectile insufficiency. In lifelong erectile disorder, a man has never been able to sustain an erection long enough to accomplish a satisfactory duration of penetration. Lifelong insufficiency is a relatively rare disorder, but it has been estimated that half or more of the male population has had some experiences of erectile insufficiency on at least a temporary basis.

It is believed that erectile dysfunction is primarily a function of anxiety about sexual performance. It is also a common consequence of aging. Prolonged or permanent erectile disorder before the age of 60 is relatively rare. One study found that more than half of married men over 70 had some erectile difficulties.

Increased erectile dysfunction with age, and erectile disorder in general, are increasingly viewed as medical rather than pyschological problems. The most frequent cause of erectile disorder in older men is vascular disease, resulting in decreased blood flow to the penis or in diminished ability of the penis to hold blood to maintain an erection. Thus, hardening of the arteries, high blood pressure, and other diseases causing vascular problems are often causes of erectile disorder. Diseases that affect the nervous system, such as multiple sclerosis, can also cause erectile problems.



A variety of treatment have been employed in recent years to correct erectile dysfunction. These include drugs such as yohimbine, injections of smooth muscle relaxing drugs into the penile erection chambers and even a vacuum pump. In extreme cases, penile implants may be used. These devices can be inflated to provide erection on demand. They are made of silicone rubber or polyurethane rubber.

There has been immense public interest in the new drug Viagra which works by facilitating nitric oxide, the primary neurotransmitter involved in penile erection. Viagra is taken orally, at least one hour before sexual activity. Unlike some other biological treatments for erectile dysfunction, Viagra promotes erection only if sexual desire is present. In a study, over 70% of men receiving Viagra reported that their erections had improved. Viagra may be the most commercially successful drug ever marketed. Click here for more information on how you can Recover your virility and manhood with Viagra at canadadrugspills.com! 

Workaholism

Workaholism, a pathological psychological symptom that some psychologists view as a serious affliction -- and unfortunately, one that's socially sanctioned. By definition, workaholism is an obsessive need to work, or compulsiveness (obsession) about working, akin to obsessive compulsive disorder -- a broader obsession with orderliness, perfection, and control at the expense of flexibility, openness, and efficiency.

Workaholics are intelligent, ambitious, successful persons and they are prisoners of their own success. The workaholic believes that he is the only person capable of performing their work. The workaholic person is a perfectionist, who will not accept mistakes that are a part of being human, and feels the needs to get more tasks done before he can feel good about himself. It's very difficult for a workaholic to relax, often feeling that he must complete certain tasks.

The concept of workaholism does not apply to individuals who must work long hours as a necessity. A small farmer with livestock that must be tended to everyday may work 60-70 hours a week, but he or she is not suffering from workaholism. A single parent who works long hours and takes college classes in hope of becoming a better provider is not a victim of workaholism.

The persons who display workaholism tend to perform either challenging or creative work, not routine drudgery. These are people who tend to be workaholics:
i. have their own businesses or have management positions in a business
ii. have professions in such fields a medicine, law and teaching
iii. have careers in the fine arts, such as writing, composing, or performing.

Signs and Symptoms of workaholism

  • overly committed and driven to work -- working 50% or more over the standard 40 hour work week
  • no separation for you between work and home eg. talking about work constantly
  • work is on your mind every hour, every minute -- working even when ill
  • being bored and restless when on vacation -- Your happiness is found in your work.
  • obtaining almost all psychological and emotional gratification from work
  • feeling vaguely guilty when not working
  • the "I'm doing this for you" rationalization
  • the conviction that others are incompetent
  • the early-death syndrome

Many firms expect employees to exhibit more than just dedication to their jobs. Corporate culture rewards single-minded workers with fat paychecks, awards, and promotions -- and the status that accompanies success. Yet despite these social and business pressures, workaholism is slowly losing its cachet as a respectable vice. Instead, it is increasingly recognized as an insidious problem that can have life-threatening consequences.

The most common problem as a result of workaholism is straining of relationships and health problems. Being too obsessive in their work, the workaholics neglect their health -- such as their personal hygiene, infrequent meals, not enough water consumption, wrong sitting posture and so on. All these will lead to subsequent reduction in productivity of the workaholic. Common health problems they suffer is halitosis (bad breath), mouth ulcers, dehydration, gastric problems, headache and various stress related illnesses. For oral health, you might want to try Devrom Tablets or toothette oral swabs.

A German proverb says,"What is the use of running when we are not on the right road?" The "I have to hurry because I have so much to do" attitude toward life characteristic of work-addicted individuals is frequently counterproductive. A nervous froth is not the best way to get things done. Remember the fable of the tortoise and the hare -- the tortoise won the race because it paced itself and did not get too excited. Don't bite off more than you can chew.

Listen to your body. Your heart will tell you. You are what you eat and as you are what you eat, your health start from your mouth. Just as Peace Starts With A Smile, a set of clean teeth requires you to take good care of your teeth. Good health, good smile begins only when you feel good about yourself. Can you feel your own breath? JRSmedical.com is a licensed Pharmacy distributor which has over 15000 online medical supplies that provides good online shopping experience for their customers. As part of their excellent service specially catered for their customers, they provide fair prices and quick shipping -- FREE shipping on most orders over $100! As part of their comprehensive service totally committed to provide the best products at the best price and best information to you, they also have their own medical blog which bring special good news!

If you find that you are unable to cope on your own with the maladaptive trait of workaholism, always seek the help of professionals -- eg. psychiatrists and therapists. 

Addiction Facts




Drugs and Alcohol change the brain -- they change its structure and how it works. The addictive process undoes or weakens what the brain knew before, and then teaches it something else entirely...

The science of understanding addiction has been exploding in recent years through the use of various different technologies, including genetics, animal studies in humans and brain imaging. Addiction is frightening, chaotic, sometimes tragic and always destructive. Addiction is a complex disease that impacts 1 in 4 families. The younger a person starts drinking or using drugs, the more likely they are to go past occasional illicit experimentation into frequent abuse and then addiction.

Addiction has profound effects on the health and well-being of the individual addict, as well as those around them, and society at large. Like other chronic illnesses, addiction -- with the proper treatment, can be managed, so that an addict can live a life without drugs. The road to recovery, however, is often fraught with devastating consequences, some of which are short-lived and others, lifelong. Health, reputation, livelihood, and interpersonal relationships are just a few areas that can be severely affected by drug and alcohol abuse -- and that, in many cases, can be repaired in recovery.

According to a survey by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, half the public believes that addiction is a personal weakness. In the 2006 USA Today/HBO Family Drug Addiction Poll, while 76% of those polled identified addiction as a 'disease', they identified 'lack of willpower' as the main problem facing addicts. In fact, the new understanding of drug and alcohol addiction that top scientists like Volkow and Willenbring agree on suggest the opposite. A more accurate way to put it would be that any so-called lack of willpower in an addict has been caused by changes in the brain. Dependence on drugs or alcohol caused these very changes. The inability to make clear decisions is a by-product of the same disease from which the addict is trying to escape.

Addiction is a progressive, chronic, relapsing disorder of the brain. If you're an addict or your love one is addicted to alcohol or drug, quitting often seems like an impossible dream -- something you talk about and never do. Orchid Recovery Center for Women Drug Rehab and Alcohol Rehab Center is here to help. Brains harmed by addiction can be repaired via Drug Addiction Recovery. It may take more than one try; it most certainly won't be an easy road, but it can be done. Addiction can be successfully treated. It is not a moral failing but something much closer in its nature to diseases like asthma or diabetes. Visit Orchid Recovery Center for various Drug Treatment now! 

Effects of Alcholism



According to the NIAAA, about 14 million people in the United States abuse alcohol or are alcoholic. Statistics also showed that men are four times more likely than women to be heavy drinkers. Men are twice as likely to be alcohol abusing or alcohol dependant. Compulsive drinking causes major health problems and every year, more than 100,000 Americans die of alcohol-related causes. It is also estimated that $98 billion are spent annually in the health and welfare services, property damage and medical expenses, according to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence.
 

The most common effect of alcohol after use is commonly referred to as a hangover. Hangovers usually occur after large amounts of alcohol are consumed, and usually comes with these symptoms -- dizziness, headache, nausea, thirst, and fatigue. Drink driving and getting in an accident are all effects of alcoholism.

Alcoholism effects can be short term or long term. After a while, many problem drinkers find that they cannot do their work as well as they could before, or that they are absent more frequently to recover from their drinking. As a result, they may lose their jobs and drink even more to compensate. 
The long term effects of alcoholism includes Impaired mental functioning, Liver disorders, Gastrointestinal problems, Heart disease and stroke, Lung disorders, Cancer, Skin, muscle, and bone disorders, Pregnancy and infant development complications and increased risk for other addictions. In addition, pregnant women who consume alcohol during pregnancy may give birth to infants with fetal alcohol syndrome. Infants with fetal alcohol syndrome may be afflicted with physical and mental abnormalities.

Alcoholism is a disease which brings with it many harmful effects. They all lead to death. The trip down the road of alcoholism can be stopped, and it must be done soon. Alcoholism effects aren't always physical. Many alcoholics end up in prison because of crimes committed under the influence. Driving under the influence is a common crime committed by alcoholics. This crime can lead to many legal problems. Alcoholism also affect those who care about the alcoholic. Broken relationships are common among alcoholics. Look for a treatment professional if you are suffering from alcoholism. Advice and help for the problem drinker are equally important. You can stop all the harmful effects of alcoholism through addiction recovery at ChillPharm.com. Those drinkers who sincerely want to end their addiction or dependence can also do so with qualified drug rehab. Find various drug treatment such as Drug Detox Programs and many more at ChillPharm. 

What Alcoholism Can Do?



The central nervous system and the liver are the parts of the body most frequently damaged by alcohol. The nervous system can be affected by polyneuritis(inflammation of the nerves), and at a later stage dropfoot -- when the muscles of the front foot cannot support the toes which drop below the level of the heel, so that the sufferer looks as though he is waling on a feather mattress. The patient may also be striken by Wernicke's encephalopathy -- named after the German neurologist Karl Wernicke, in which he is confused, unsteady on his feet and has weakness in some eye muscles.

Alcoholism is a disease and its effects can end in death. Potential or actual alcoholism can affect four areas of people's lives: mental, physical, professional, and domestic and social. The effects of alcoholism were described in the previous post.

The most common mental ailments are anxiety, tension and depression. These may be caused by drinking itself, by financial worries, by feelings of guilt or insecurity or by a combination of all three. However, anxiety, tension and depression may themselves have been the cause of the alcoholism: it is often difficult to identify the root of the problem.

In 10% of sufferers, more serious complaints develop with the advance of alcoholism. The drinker may develop phobias, start hearing things and seeing things, and show signs of schizophrenia -- delusions and hallucinations -- marked disturbances of thinking and contact with reality. Some sufferers develop Korsakoff's syndrome, named after the 19th century Russian neurologist Sergei memory which he unwittingly tries to disguise by relating stories of non-existent experiences.

Alcoholic dementia may occur. This is an irreversible intellectual deterioration in which the drinker shows loss of memory, comprehension and judgment similar to senile dementia. If the drinker is deprived of alcohol, he suffers the withdrawal syndrome -- hallucinations, tremors, seizures, and worst of all, delirium tremens. The main features of this are restlessness, confusion, distortion of sense of time and place, and also frightening and vivid visual hallucinations.

The alcoholism of one member of a family can affect all others. The husbands or wives and the children of drinkers often suffer from anxiety and depression, and there may be physical effects too. Although most problem drinkers strive to be good marriage partners and parents, they may, in drunkenness, go from vocal abuse to actual physical violence against members of their families. That is why it is important for these people to seek drug and alcohol recovery as soon as possible. Some suffer from paranoid jealousy, in which the drinker is mistakenly convinced of his partner's infidelity and may become violent in attempting to justify his suspicious.

In addition to mental and physical injuries, the family may also be faced with financial hardship because the drinker has lost his job, or because he or she squanders money on alcohol. Sexual problems such as impotence and frigidity are also common.

The constant need for money to pay for their liquor drives many sufferers to crime, and the depressive effects of excessive drink lead others to take, or attempt to take, their own lives. These we can see how serious and deadly alcoholism can be. Recovery from alcoholism is a life-long process. If you are one of such drinker, go for alcohol detox now. Save yourself, save your family at drug rehab 

Depression Not The END

If I had never been depressed, how do I know the meaning of real happiness? If I do not know what is cold, how do I know what is hot? For knowing what is pain when you fall down, you want to learn. You want to learn why you fall down, so that you will not fall down again to suffer the pain twice. If you have not taste the bittergourd, do you know what is bitter? 

I have tasted all aspects of life. The sweet, the salty, the spices and the bitter of life. Life is never so meaning as now. My life seems to have just begin. I had just written a post, "The Genuine Smile" at Happiness Is Bliss, my blog about woman, woman's health, any matter pertaining to woman and all about happiness. I can confidently tell you what is The Genuine Smile today, if you read the post and you see my photograph, with the brown sentences below the picture. 

I was depressed at a time where I was not happy with my job and at the same time, I was very fed up with my family life. I hate those days. But I am not going to leave all this with me when I am gone. When I am alive, I am going to LIVE to TELL my story, my life story, a story of a mediocre life, nothing special, nothing glamourous, but a real life, real story, unlike the TV shows and Movie. 

I faced medical supplies and medical equipments everyday. I smelled 'hospital'. I 'live' in the refrigerator, the environment was extremely cold. However, I never complained about work. I worked to get my monthly pay. I worked to earn money -- Money for my future, money for my house with Richard, money for buying my favourite decorations and everything for my house. 

Richard and I got our first house, our home. I was happy with Richard. We were happy, but the problem came also when the house came. It was a long story, which I will write slowly at appropriate time and relevancy. I suffered depression. I cried, I was very stressed and I thought of what was the meaning of living. I told the doctor what I saw and he thought that I had schizophrenia. But I know truly well, what kind of condition and what kind of situation I was in. I can still remember what I saw. I can tell you, I did not hallucinate. It was really something which I saw. I do not need anyone to believe me, but I know what I was doing and I still know what I am doing. Believe or not whether I am normal, abnormal, sick or not sick, does not matter.

At the hospital I worked so hard, I put on latex gloves while at work and I worked seriously. Back home, my new home (Richard and my home), I could not stand messiness and dirt. I cooked, I cleaned and I washed, everything which the housewife would do. I also need to work. I thought I came home and I could have peace and comfort. A home to rest after a hard day of work. But I was wrong. It was nightmare, back in those days where Richard and I had our first house. Richard was not the culprit, the cause of the nightmare. It was his father. I could still remember the kind of things he did. I hate it. 

At work, I thought of my problems at home. At home, I had to face the problems. I, eventually could not take it and resign from my job, and my relationship with my father-in-law, Richard's father soured. Today, his father and his mother were divorced. I would not want his son to be like him one day. 

I was depressed when my husband left me for another woman. I was happy when I met new love. I was happy when my husband came back. I am happy now that I know what I want and what is my purpose of living. Life may be hard but I choose what I want, this path. And I know that all these things which happened, everything that I had gone through are not without purpose. I will live to tell you my 'depression' experience, my 'schizophrenia' experience as what the doctor had said, and what kind of mental illnesses I had witnessed in people around me.

Psychiatrists are never 100% correct. They are just people like us, but they studied and they are qualified psychiatrists. But how sure are you that the psychiatrist themselves are 'normal' people and they are not psychologically healthy people? Studies, theories and practical are always different. If the researchers and scientist are so smart, why they cannot win the viruses? If Psychologists and Psychiatrists can read the minds of every person and predict their steps and actions and 'cure' these people, there would not be so many mentally-ill patients in the hospital. But I will tell you my views of all these illnesses, based on my own experiences and what I see, hear and know.
 

Pregnancy Blues




During pregnancy, woman wants the husband to show more love and care for them. The woman needs all kind of support and help from the man he loves and trust.

The first time I discovered that 
I am pregnant was a memorable one, since that was my first time. I was filled with anxiety as well as excitement. Both Richard and me was happy. Pregnancy was hard and I had written at Happiness Is Bliss, signs of early pregnancy, which was so unbearable for me. It was no fun at all, but torture. Soon the baby was born and everything was fine. 

Most women suffered postnatal depression after their birth of their child. But I have no problem with my first child. I knew everything about breastfeeding, feeding the baby, changing diapers and so on. I spent time with the baby and the three of us(Richard, baby and me) were okay. I started working again when the baby was about mine months old. That was where problems started and day by day, little problems become a big problem. Work, family, children and housework was still manageable. His mother always told him not to 'pamper' the wife, and what a good teaching is that. Thanks to the advice she gave to the son! She did not know what is love and no wonder her marriage was a broken one. How I wish my husband can show me some love (but to his mother, that is called "Pampering" me!).

Things were fine until I discovered I am pregnant again some months later. As usual, I felt terrible and moody. With so much work, both home and workplace, and now during that time, I was pregnant, it was a hard time. I felt totally stressed out on top of the feeling nauseous and I could not do anything like my first pregnancy. I got angry with husband who are not caring and not understanding. Since I was not feeling well, nauseous all the time, he should help out. Helping out and doing extra work is showing your love and not 'Pampering' me! Despite telling him my feeling, nothing was changed. I was not able to do any housework. He had to do them after he finished work(forced to do it, since I was not able to do anything). Our family time were reduced, more unhappiness in the family. Soon, he had more overtime and more late hours... I got depressed as well. 

I feel that pregnant woman needs care and love very much. During pregnancy, the hormones in the body 'disrupt' their normal body function and not all woman can cope with such body changes. Things are especially harder if the pregnant woman needs to look after another small kid or even more when they are pregnant. When there are nobody to help them, they feel lost with no support. 

However, even though my second pregnancy was not a pleasurable one, it was a much easier labour. I was depressed during my second pregnancy. My husband was not supportive and understanding. To make matter worse, I discovered only after the birth of the baby that he was actually having an affair...... that explained.... 

Coping With Depression

Living life for more than 30 years, I have come across people who suffer depression, and I had also have my own experience of being depressed. Having been through depression and having seen how depression can change a person's life -- their own thinking and how they in turn affect the people around him/her, especially the family members, I had come to realise that depression is something which can be avoided and they are not contagious nor scary.

In fact, in this busy world, many people has experienced feelings of depression at one time or another. These feelings can be with us for as long as you want to 'indulge in your own world'. However, with the right kind of mentality and positive thinking, many depression can normally pass away in hours or days. However, not many people would want to get out of their world even when they were advised. Long term wise, depression if allow to persist, is harmful to the health of the person. If depression is prolonged and persist and the person has suicidal thoughts, then they should be referred to a mental health specialist or psychiatrist.

Depression is typically caused by a combination of biological, genetic, and psychological factors. Some common symptoms of depression are

  • Persistently sad or feeling sense of 'emptiness'
  • Feelings of hopelessness or pessimism
  • Feelings of guilt, worthlessness and helplessness
  • Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities that were once enjoyed


If you have always wish to play tennis and have admired people playing it, then you should learn it. You live to learn. If you see your friend can do it, so do you. 




This could be you. Anything is possible in this world only if you want to do it. 

Coping and overcoming depression is a choice and a decision to be made. Family should give lots of support to the depressed person and the first step to cope with depression is to change the lifestyle of the victim. To overcome depression, the person must think positively and eliminate as much negative thoughts as possible. Next, visit tennis store or any sports store. Buy a pair of k swiss tennis shoes or any other shoes that you love. Pamper yourself, knowing that your life is precious and you have worked hard all your life. You deserved to be rewarded with things you love. Having tennis shoes, you must also look at babolat rackets and you must buy yourself tennis racket that you like. With tennis balls, tennis rackets and tennis shoes purchased, you can always be ready to go to the tennis court to play your favourite game with your friends. 

Dress your best and you increased your self-esteem and you feel much more confident and better. Become socially active by planning your time for your hobbies as well as time for exercise and other social activities. Do something which you like and try to be good at it. You will feel a sense of accomplishments succeeding in the things that you love to do. Do not give yourself unachievable goals, but set realistic goals. Learn to rest and relax too, knowing that there must be a balance in everything in our life. Read good books, surround yourself with positive thinking individual and love what you are doing. When your time is well-spent and your mind is not filled with negative thoughts, you will realise that you are no longer depressed. 

Alcohol Abuse




Alcoholism is a chronic, progressive, and often fatal disease. Twice as many men are alcoholics. Studies have found that People who start drinking alcohol before the age of 14 are five times more likely to eventually become alcohol dependent than those who start drinking after age 21.


I had no experience of alcohol abuse myself, but I had seen people around me addicted to alcohol and they had destroyed their family in the process. I had seen my mother drinking excessively to drown her sorrows and how he 'lost' herself in the process of drinking.

One of the symptoms associated with alcohol abuse is blackouts, or periods of amnesia that can span several hours or even several days. Alcohol abuse is a chronic self-destructive pattern of heavy drinking that produces significant damage to one's health, career and family relations.
The chemistry of alcohol allows it to affect nearly every type of cell in the body, including those in the central nervous system. Alcohol dependence is the inability to free oneself at will from a pattern of heavy drinking and can be thought of as an addiction to a drug. Indeed, alcohol is a drug. It is a central-nervous-system depressant, and some of the dependent individual's craving is based on an acquired physiological need. After prolonged exposure to alcohol, the brain becomes dependent on it. The severity of this disease is influenced by factors such as genetics, psychology, culture, and response to physical pain.

Alcohol abuse is a tremendous social problem in the United States. It is estimated that somewhat over 10% of adults have at least one prolonged bout with alcohol abuse. The cost in auto accidents, damaged careers, and unhappy homes is beyond measure. 
If you find yourself abusing alcohol or are addicted to alcohol, ask yourself, if you are using alcohol to destroy yourself. If you become aware that you are using a bottle in much the way that a suicide victim uses a gun, then you have made an important step in the direction of recovery. If you feel helpless in the face of this kind of knowledge, you should seek outside assistance, the professional help like Stone Hawk Rehabilitation or the psychiatrists. Drinking alcohol does not solve your problems at all. TV programmes often 'taught' people about drowning your sorrows by drinking at the bar. This is not going to work.


Do not use alcohol to facilitate a creative process too. Most people need good, fresh ideas in their work. Engineers, teachers, people in the advertising business, writers, are all examples of people who are paid to be creative. Remember you do not need alcohol to gain inspiration.
Do not start the habit of drinking too. Habitual drinking lead to addiction and abuse. If you discover that your drinking is out of control, and you cannot stop when you want to, and that alcohol abuse and addiction are having a destructive effect on your life, The Stone Hawk program is designed to enable graduates the ability to move back into their life on their own. The programs for re-entry focus on teaching students to live ethical lives free of their addiction, standing on their own two feet. 

Reduce Anger



Anger that is stewed over turns inward to make you hate yourself or eventually, it explodes all over someone else. Anger that is expressed at the slightest pinprick of frustration will exhaust you and everyone around you. Making anger work for you requires learning not to care so much about things you cannot change and learning how to act on your anger and change what you can, rather than exploding or becoming hopeless and depressed. 

Learn to let go of your problems. It might help to write down the problems and then tear it up and throw it way. Sometimes something is 'not my problem', but it still hurts. Your feelings are understandable, but it is very hard to help others if you descend to their level of depression. They need someone on the outside to help them through. If you know that you have taken care of your responsibilities and done everything in your power to make things better, then you have to learn to let go. This does not mean that you will not feel pain. You still need the opportunity to talk to others about your work and to cry if you need to.


Anger stimulates the production of adrenalin, which prepares your body for fight or flight, making you physically prepared for action. This response creates stress. You should not sit on all that stress. You need to talk to someone or write it down. If you are still steaming, go to the gym and punch it out on a punch bag; or go for a run! Remember that when you go to the gym, put all your personal belongings in anyone of the Gym Lockers so that you can prevent any 'anger' outbursts again. Imagine this: "Why did you step on my bag? You have broken my sunglasses!" This is just one example of what happens to your belongings if they are unattended or when they are being 'mishandled' by other Gym users. To prevent any unhappiness and further anger from you, we always protect ourselves and our belongings -- lock your precious valuables and belongings in Metal Lockers or Steel Lockers. Whichever types ofLockers you use, as long as they can protect your personal belongings, you would have enjoyed some peace of mind. You would feel calmer.

It is futile to be angry with yourself. It helps to yell or to cry. You may feel better. If things seem to have spun totally out of control, you may need advice, perhaps from a trained counsellor, to help you prioritize and get things back on track. To reduce anger, you just need to act and change the situation.

The Nervous System




Complex processes that need precise movements such as sewing, are made possible by the sophistication of the nervous system.

The human body contains at least two major communication systems. Once is the nervous system, which transmits by rapid traveling chemical-electrical signals, and processes information in exquisitely elaborate networks of nerve cells called neurons. The other is the system of endocrine glands that communicates by blood-borne chemical messengers called hormones.


The nervous system is conceptually divided into two major parts, the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system. The central nervous system includes the brain and spinal cord enclosed in the bony protective sheaths of the skull and the spinal column. The peripheral nervous system extends throughout the body outside the brain and spinal cord. 

The central nervous system analyses and initiates responses. Sensory nerves around the boy gather information and carry response signals through nerve cells back to the CNS. Motor nerves take instructions from the brain and spinal cord out to muscles to initiate movement. Autonomic nerves control functions like sweating, heart rate and sexual arousal. 



The brain is the body's control centre and the largest organ of the central nervous system. It receives, sorts, interprets, and stores sensations and information from the nerves that extend from the CNS to every part of the body. 

The peripheral nervous system, comprised of all parts of the nervous system outside the brain and spinal cord, includes the enteric, somatic and autonomic nervous systems. The enteric nervous system controls visceral functions. The somatic nervous system consists of the motor and sensory nerves and their bodily counterparts. The autonomic nervous system is important in maintaining survival and is divided into two complementary and "antagonistic" branches. The sympathetic branch involves the "fight or flight" functions that prepare the organism for activity. The parasympathetic branch relaxes the body and conserves energy. 

Many problems associated with the nervous system can ease with the use of magnesium.Magnesium is known to have a powerful calming effect on the nervous system. For effective functioning of our body enzymes, they need the presence of magnesium. Magnesium deficiency is a cause of many problems and diseases in man. This includes osteoporosis; muscle dysfunction; depression; apathy; cardiac arrythmia; hypertension; atherosclerosis; and even stress and aging. For optimum functioning of our nervous system, we should eat more fruits, vegetables, healthy meat and take supplements such as magnesium gluconate or magnesium vitamin. Researchers suggest that for every 2.2 pounds (one kilogram) of body weight, we should ingest six mg of magnesium. For overall health, the nervous system, and to help reduce inflammation, consider adding a magnesium supplement to your diet. 

Obsessive-compulsive disorder



Obsessive-compulsive disorder(OCD)is a chronic or long-term illness. Although unrecognized by most people, OCD affects many people. Because the symptoms are so severe, OCD can be devastating. Anxiety is the most prominent symptom of OCD. Patients often cannot maintain emotional and social relations, have difficulty coping with daily life events, and have problems studying or working. Consequently, they face emotional and economic losses. 

Symptoms of OCD vary with each person and include the following:
 

Obsessive thoughts

  • Fear of dirt or germs or overconcern about body smells/secretions or the proper functioning of the body
  • Overconcern with order, neatness, and exactness
  • Fear of thinking bad thoughts or doing something embarrassing
  • Constantly thinking of certain sounds, words, or numbers or a preoccupation with counting or checking
  • Constant need for approval or the need to apologize
  • Fear that something terrible will happen or fear of harming yourself or someone else
  • Disturbing thoughts of violence. Sometimes the sufferer's violent thoughts will be directed toward themselves or loved ones.
Compulsive behaviors
  • Constant hand washing due to an extreme fear of contamination, showering, or brushing teeth or the overuse of items to hide body smells
  • Constantly cleaning, straightening, and ordering certain objects
  • Excessive repetition of a procedure or ritual -- Repeatedly checking zippers and buttons on clothing; Checking lights, appliances, or doors again and again to be sure they are turned off or closed; Repeating certain physical activities, such as sitting down and getting up from a chair; Religious rituals, such as constant silent praying
  • Hoarding, which is the constant saving of useless items. The homes of OCD sufferers who hoard maybe become piled with garbage, because some people cannot even stand to throw away empty boxes and containers.
  • Asking the same question or saying the same thing over and over -- A word or phrase, repeated mentally. This also applies to music. A sufferer may have a song repeated in their head for days or weeks.
  • Avoiding public places or taking extreme measures to prevent harm to yourself or others
  • Constant need for symmetry of objects.
Sometimes the disorder progresses because it is not diagnosed and therefore not treated. Sometimes the patient believes it will spontaneously go away, but it rarely does. Sometimes the patient, family, and friends deal with the symptoms in a way that is not helpful and in fact very often destructive. With proper treatment, however, the chances of recovery are good. Treatments found to be successful include behavioural and cognitive therapy and drug therapy. Following treatment, patients can function once again. They can recover their losses and join the mainstream. Those with OCD should never give up.