To understand marijuana’s effects is to first understand what types of chemicals are in the drug. The largest most mind altering drug within marijuana is THC. THC is a strong chemical that rapidly passes from the smoker’s lungs into their bloodstream, from which is then transferred to the brain and organs.

Scientists have dug even deeper to see how THC affects the brain and body. What they have discovered is that the brain has cannabinoid receptors which are triggered when THC enters the bloodstream. Some people have more cannabinoid receptors than others. What do these cannabinoid receptors do? Because a large majority of these receptors are located in the pleasure center of the brain as well as the part of the brain important for memory, thinking, concentrating, sensory and coordination, THC thus affects these parts of a person’s life. This means that an abusive smoker can begin losing their memory, have distorted perception or difficulty thinking. The biggest threat is on one’s memory as scientists have discovered it can impact how one can learn or what they can remember for weeks at a time.

THC is also addictive in itself, which means when the smoker stops using marijuana they will begin feeling withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms may include, but are not limited to anxiety, loss of appetite, insomnia and irritability.

Physiologically, marijuana also has adverse effects on the heart. One’s heart rate is increased shortly after smoking. This increase in heart rate can last for up to three hours. Because of this, users of marijuana increase their chances of a heart attack the first hour after smoking the drug.

Smoking marijuana also affects the lungs. The smoke from inhaling marijuana has fifty to seventy percent more carcinogens than tobacco smoke. This can lead to lung cancer, an increase in lung infections and other possible respiratory illnesses.

While marijuana is occasionally prescribed for medical reasons, doctors are cautious about handing out prescriptions due to the potential for its abuse. Marijuana is also considered a ‘gateway’ drug as many users begin to lose the high they gain from marijuana and begin seeking it in more powerful drugs that are even more damaging the body and addictive.

Abusing marijuana, as with any other drugs, effects not only the user but those who are close to the user. These individuals may include immediate family, friends or co-workers. If you or a loved one are suffering from marijuana abuse, it is often a wise decision to contact a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center. There, a program will be fit to your needs to better assist you with a overall healthy and positive recovery.

About the Author: Robert Shryoc is the Director of Development at the Stonegate Center, a Texas treatment center. The Texas drug rehab community serves people entangled in the physical, mental, social and spiritual bonds of chemical dependency. For more information about the residential treatment facility please visit http://www.stonegatecenter.com.

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The Purpose of Addiction

For some people, it is very hard to deal with emotions and feelings. This could be because at some point in their early life, lots of trauma happened and no one was around to help them talk about it and work through it. Many people turn to a substance or activity to numb out those feelings so that they do not have to deal with them. This can be a great temporary solution because at the time, it is protecting us.

However, if we engage in the activity instead of working with our feelings, we are going to run into trouble. The activity is going to take the place of feeling and before we know it, we are having a drink or a smoke whenever we feel happiness or sadness because it is easier than feeling those emotions. This is when it becomes an addiction.

Physical and Psychological

What we just described is the psychological aspect of some addictions. However, there are physical aspects as well.

If the addiction is to a chemical such as cocaine or nicotine, then the body develops a need for it and an expectation for the substance, sometimes causing uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms when we choose to stop. This is known as the physical aspect of addiction and needs to be worked with as such. There are some medications out there that help with different specific withdrawal symptoms, as well as clinics that are there for people to specifically get over this part of the withdrawal process.

Where Does Counseling Fit?

Counseling is there to help with the psychological aspect of the addiction. Even before the person gets off of the drug or stops engaging in the activity, they can still see a counselor to help with the process.

Counselors can help you to prepare to stop the addiction by helping you to see what purpose the habit is serving in your life. Once you see the purpose you might be able to work with your emotions in different ways than your previous method. Every addictions counselor will have a slightly different approach. You can meet with various counselors before choosing one that you feel the most comfortable with.

Often times there will be counselors that specialize in working with a certain type of addiction. It is important to find a counselor that you connect with who is willing to listen to you and not force you to do anything you do not want to. Once you are ready, you can combine your psychological healing with the physical component of letting go of the addiction.

It is important to know that your counselor will be able to see you through that process so that you can return to a healthy state while still having their support and have healthy counseling for addiction.

Visit us – http://www.addictioncanada.com/

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Oxycodone can cause many side effects: constipation, nausea, headache, dry mouth, excessive sweating and dry mouth. If a person were to have an oxycodone overdose, these severe symptoms happen seizures, coma, dizziness, and slowed breathing. Oxycodone Withdrawal symptoms like these can happen: anxiety, diarrhea, nausea, muscle cramping, and restlessness.

If a person takes more Oxycodone than their prescription said, it can become addictive. Oxycodone is related to heroin, and just like its relative, the drug causes a lot of people to become addicted. An Oxycodone addiction is not hard to notice. If the person is taking the drug isn’t using it for pain anymore, they are most likely addicted to the drug. The addicted person will end up going through withdrawal once they stop taking oxycodone. In order to stop the Oxycodone withdrawal, more Oxycodone must be taken.

Oxycodone falls under the brands of OxyContin, Tylox and Percoset. It is very addictive, and related to heroin. Even though it is not as strong as heroin, it still gets people addicted every year. The main reason people get addicted is when people a patient uses the drug to reduce pain. They take more in order to get the same pain relief or ease. Then when they stop taking the drug, the Oxycodone withdrawals start to kick in.

For more information, visit Oxycodone Withdrawals.

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The first thing I would ask is that you must visit your doctor. You cannot, under any circumstances, consider a home detox for drug use, if you are a heavy drug user without telling your doctor what you plan to do. There are so many things that can go wrong because of the nature of withdrawal symptoms, that you will need help every step of the way.

So, you should only really consider home detox if you have a drug addiction that does not have serious withdrawal symptoms. If you are in many any doubt, you should consult your doctor.

You can make a big difference to your healing if you follow the correct detox techniques. Detox is basically a body cleansing. You don’t have to be a drug or alcohol user to need detox. We are surrounded by toxins in the air we breathe, in our food, and everywhere around us. This toxin buildup happens over years of exposure. If your body can’t effectively get rid of the toxins they will just travel around and around your system creating havoc.

With mild drug detox, your aim is to cleanse your liver and kidneys, to clean out the toxins that are keeping you addicted.

To drug detox at home you need to get yourself comfortable for about a week. Make sure you have plenty of drinking water and light food. Also have a good supply of blankets and warm clothing. A supply of over-the-counter medication to counteract some of the withdrawal effects such as headaches, nausea, etc. Also, have something to entertain yourself during periods of calm. Essential telephone numbers for your doctor, a local hospital, friends and family, and you should always be within reach of your phone.

You also need to keep your distance from other drug users. It will be very much more difficult if you are associating with people who are still using.

More information about Drug Detox At Home. Also some good info about choosing a Drug Detox Center from the pen of Jack A. Burton.

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This treatment looks at handling the causes of the addiction, as well as the addicition itself. It is controversial inasmuch as it is based upon the writings and beliefs of Ron L. Hubbard. One time science fiction author and founder of the “religion” of scientology.

The basic premise is to try and look at an individual’s own position as a start to treating the actual addicition. This program does not make use of any drugs to combat withdrawal symptoms. Rather using education and rehabilitation. The program is widely used in schools as preventative education, along with the schools own program, if they have one.

Advocates of the program commonly claim a 70% success rate with it in combatting drug abuse. As opposed to the more usual figure of around 30% for most other treatments. Narconon claims that addicts can resume normal life as a healthy, productive member of society, when they work with the program and stick with it.

Narconon have their own facilities, where drug addicts can be treated “in-house”, or they can be treated as an out patient. Depending upon their level of drug abuse, and of course the wishes of the patient themselves, or more usually their partners/relatives.

The usual amount of time taken for the Narconon program to work effectively is between four to six months. During which time addicts are said to be “going back to school” to be re-educated on drugs, their use and abuse, the dangers of drugs and drug addiction, and of course eventual recovery. All done without the use of other pharmaceuticals to dull the pain of withdrawal.

Narconon has it’s adversaries, just as Scientology itself. These opponents say the information used is not scientifically sound, and results are manipulated to show the program in a good light. They also say that the program is in effect brainwashing. Which of course it is, as are most programs designed to wean the brain off the effects of various substances.

Another point brought up is that the educational materials used in the Narconon program are not geared to the capabilities of the students involved. That the same materials are used for elementary level to high school level, and use many scientific terms without sufficient, or even any, explanation. This can make understanding quite hard for the younger students.

This being the case, it is still a fact that drug abuse is a massive problem worldwide, and it’s causes and treatments are many. Narconon probably does have it’s place in the scheme of things, and there is no doubt that many addicts have benefited from the program. Whether those people would have benefited equally from any other program is of course a matter for conjecture.

Chris Haycock is a successful entrepreneur and information publisher. For some years as a young man he battled his own demons of alcohol and drug abuse. Having found a method that worked for him in beating his addictions he now devotes much time in trying to help others with their own problems. If you want to know more, go to http://www.stopyourdrugabuse.com

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Alcohol rehabilitation centres are doing a great service to mankind by bringing down the number of alcoholics around us. These centres work like health resorts providing a serene environment for the victims of alcohol. Calming down the nerves of an addict is not that easy. But the support and co operation provided by the expert staff of the rehabilitation centre can definitely bring back the addict to normalcy. Here the presence of the family as a pillar of strength for the addict cannot be forgotten.

The treatment process is no longer painful for the addict. Group interactions, leisure activities etc make it enjoyable. Initially problems can be there due to withdrawal symptoms. The body and mind of the addict may react adversely when the daily dose is cut off. But the experienced staff of the centres can handle this matter with out much difficulty.

Many stages are involved in alcohol rehabilitation. First of all, the body is made to cope up with the non-availability of intoxicants. Secondly, the body is made to get rid of all the harmful toxins. Confidence building techniques are also adopted in this stage. The third step consists of engaging in house hold chores to see whether the individual can withstand stress. Follow up process undertaken by the centre makes sure that the victim does not fall into the wrong hands, once let out of the rehabilitation centre.

sheebabenjamin09@gmail.com

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Definitions of addiction are subjective and infused with the moral principles of the society or culture, the stimulant caffeine in coffee and tea is a drug used world wide by millions of people, but because of its relatively soft stimulatory effects and because caffeine does not generally activate antisocial behavior in person who is using these, the drinking of tea and coffee, despite the fact that caffeine is physically addictive, is not generally considered drug abuse. In Indian sub-continent Opium has been used for centuries without fetching unduly corrosive to the social fabric.

By comparison, 72% of the population America has smoked cigarettes and 82% has tried alcoholic beverages. As well, Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug.

Users of drugs, experience a wide array of physical effects other than those expected. Some drugs like, Marijuana and alcohol interfere with motor control and are factors in many automobile accidents. Users of drugs, like marijuana and hallucinogenic drugs may experience flashbacks, unwanted recurrences of the drug’s effects weeks or months after use.

Sudden abstinence from certain drugs results in removal symptoms. For example, heroin and some other drug withdrawal can cause vomiting, muscle cramps, convulsions, and delirium. With the continued use of a physically addictive drug, tolerance develops; i.e., continuously increasing amount of the drug are needed to double the early effect. Sharing hypodermic syringe used to inject some drugs dramatically increases the risk of contracting AIDS caused by HIV.

In addition, increased sexual activity among drug users, both in prostitution and from the disinheriting result of some drugs, also puts them at a higher risk of AIDS and other STDs (sexual transmitted disease). Because the purity and amount of illegal drugs are uncontrolled, drug overdose is a constant risk. The money to buy drugs, and some drugs, especially alcohol, are associated with violent behavior in users. There are over 15,000 deaths directly attributable to drug use in the United States of America every year; the substances most regularly involved are cocaine, heroin, and often combined with alcohol or other drugs. Many drug users connect in criminal activity, such as prostitution, to raise the money to buy drugs, and some drugs, in case of Alcohol, are associated with violent behavior.

Drug abuse affects society in many ways with their way of life. In the place of work it is costly in terms of lost work time and inefficiency. Drug users are more likely than nonusers to have work-related accidents, endangering themselves and those around them. Over half of the highway deaths in the United States of America involve alcohol. Drug-related offense can disturb neighborhoods due to violence among drug dealers, threats to inhabitants, and the crimes of the addicts themselves. In some neighborhoods, younger kids are recruited as lookouts and helpers because of the lighter sentences given to young offenders, and guns have become commonplace among children and teenagers. The great majority of homeless people have either a drug or alcohol problem or a mental sickness—many have all three.

About the Author: Jerry Goldfarb is a specialist in providing Drug Addiction, Addiction Treatment

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Alcoholism is a silent killer; it’s not well known like many other diseases and it’s often left untreated until its victim dies from cirrhosis of the liver. There are millions of people across the world that suffer from alcohol abuse but feel helpless to fix the problem or aren’t able to even realize it has gotten out of control.

Willpower alone is not enough to beat alcoholism. Someone might have the desire to quit, but with withdrawal symptoms that include shaking, sweating and nausea, it can often be quite compelling just to have a drink instead.

Also, if you’re the child of an alcoholic or the disease runs in your family, it can be even harder for you. Alcoholism literally flows through your veins and you must try even harder to beat it.

So, if you or someone you know suffers from alcohol abuse, it’s time to intervene. You must first realize that there is no true cure for this disease. To truly heal and

recover completely, an alcoholic cannot drink again- ever. This is because alcohol abusers cannot handle “just” having a drink of wine or “just” having a margarita like other people can. Relapses are very common with alcoholics for this very reason. The temptation to have a drink is very strong and it takes and even stronger and immensely determined person to beat this disease.

Fortunately, there are many great organizations you can contact to get information on treatment and preventative measures to help save your life if you’re the alcohol abuser or pass it on to someone you know. You can find these organizations in your local phone book or on the internet. Don’t wait, take that step today and reclaim your life.

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First thing you’d need to do would be to get rid of all drugs and substances that make you chemical dependant from your household. Take out the trash too, because in desperate times, you would be surprised to see that you would be willing to dig in through the trash for a quick fix. Aside from that, look up the internet for withdrawal symptoms. If you want to kill your habits, you’d need to be prepared for all that would come your way and you should be able to fight each challenge without falling apart.

Set a week in which you’d like to start over and clear your schedule for that one week. Take off from work, send your kids to the sitters and have the house all to yourself. In this time period, write out your goals, make visualizations and believe in yourself. Then, focus on curing the symptoms you’d be feeling by preparing with over the counter medication like ibuprofen, aspirin, painkillers, sleeping pills and anti-nausea as well.

In addition, there is no harm in preparing hot baths for yourself with bath salts and going for frequent massages through this week. These little self pampering activities would not only soothe your body from all the symptoms, it would also take your mind off things and help you relax. To sum it up, you can hold yourself together, just stay focus and be dedicated.

For more information about side effects of prescription drugs including Prednisone side effects visit DrugSideEffectsInfo.com

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Alcohol detoxification

Many people that abuse alcohol do so on an irregular basis, and these people may not need detoxification. If a person can go a week in between binge drinking episodes, their body is probably not dependent on alcohol. But someone who drinks multiple drinks daily is very likely to have severe withdrawal symptoms, and should seek professional help.

When a person becomes dependent on alcohol, their brain shows an overall decrease in excitability. If that person would stop drinking, the brain receptors that were inhibited by alcohol are no longer affected, and the result is brain hyperexcitability, which is shown by tremors, seizures, anxiety, and irritability. Other symptoms of alcohol detox include hallucinations, shakes, and possible heart failure.

Medications for withdrawal symptoms

There are some medications that are commonly used to suppress alcohol withdrawal symptoms. These are benzodiazepines, such as Valium and Ativan, that are given to reduce unpleasant symptoms, and in some cases, save the life of the patient if delirium tremens occur. The thing physicians need to be careful about with benzodiazepines is that the alcoholic does not become addicted to the drugs.

There have been many hours and dollars put into developing new medications to help those struggling with alcoholism and alcohol detox. Baclofen has been shown to relieve severe withdrawal symptoms, and gabapentin and vigabatrin also have been used to improve withdrawal symptoms. While these drugs have been successfully used to treat other ailments, there is much research that will need to occur for these and any other medications before we know just how successful they will be to treat alcoholism.

Other treatments

Other medications can help a person stay sober, such as antabuse or naltrexone. Antabuse causes a strong, long lasting hangover immediately after consuming alcohol, which deters a person from drinking. Naltrexone is an antagonist for opioid receptors and it is used to decrease cravings for alcohol.

Continued treatment

Once a person has gotten through the alcohol detox safely and is sober, it is important for the person to go through treatment for alcohol abuse. This may involve daily therapy to give them ways to deal with stress and the temptation to use alcohol. It may mean learning life skills to find a good job and hobbies that keep them busy and away from alcohol. Many people have found help in Alcoholics Anonymous and their 12 step program which emphasizes the importance of taking care of yourself and finding your inner strength. Whatever method a person chooses, staying sober will take much encouragement and support.

Sources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcohol_detoxification

Bayard, Max Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome

Getting Treatment for Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms March 24, 2009

This article was written by Jared More for Poinciana at Palm Beach. Poinciana at Palm Beach is a high end Alcohol detox center in Florida if you would like more information give us a call at (561) 818-2922.

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