Drug addiction is one thing that should be gotten rid of as soon as possible. The thought of quitting a drug may seem to be intimidating and difficult but it is more or less possible. Of course, you need to prepare your body for changes, but you need to work on your psychological addiction as well. Addiction to drugs is nothing but psychological addiction. The drugs form a habit and are difficult to quit. You need to master your mind before making a move to quit it.

 If you are serious about quitting the drugs, you first need to make a plan that could be executed properly. Also, you have to foresee the results of withdrawing the drug from your routine. Make sure to know how the drug will affect your mental habits as well you physical habits. It generally becomes simpler to quit drugs if the therapy is supported by counseling and meditations. If the social circle around you is supporting enough, the task may look easier.

Psychological help is needed, no doubt about that, but you need to detoxify your body as well. Both the process should be simultaneous and should go hand in hand. The services for phone counseling have also become very popular where counselors are at your service 24×7. The benefit of consulting a counselor is that a counselor can help you avoid certain things; for good. Phone counseling is becoming more and more popular because you do not need to visit a counselor physically and can reach out for help anywhere, anytime. Some people avoid consulting a counselor because they think exterior help may not be of any use to them. For such people, the best support they can get is from family and friends. The procedure becomes easier if you already know a person around you who has quit smoking.

 There are a lot of social circles that are designed especially fro people adopting the same cause. One can be part of any such group to seek additional support and motivation. Remember, you can not do anything unless you are motivated. Some organizations tend to be very stringent and intense while some are very flexible. The main thing to keep in mind is that the procedure if being done to help you only. If you are not comfortable with the procedures going on around you, you may shift to some other organization too.

]]> http://buzzhealthy.com/psychological-addiction-drugs/feed/ 1 http://buzzhealthy.com/phenylalanine-side-effects-are-for-real/ http://buzzhealthy.com/phenylalanine-side-effects-are-for-real/#comments Wed, 01 Jun 2011 13:51:12 +0000 Genie http://buzzhealthy.com/?p=1879 The fact states that the human body is two-third water. Fluids are very essential for humans because of this reason only. Many people are aware of this fact but a few know that the remaining one-third comprises mainly of proteins. Proteins make 17% of human body and the protein is present not only in muscles but other areas as well. The skin, hair, nail et al. are made from proteins. The antibodies and enzymes present in the body are also protein. Hence, there is nothing wrong in saying that proteins are the building blocks of human body. Now, what are proteins made of? Proteins are made of amino acids.

More than twenty amino acids have been identified. Phenylalanine is also among those amino acids that can be considered to be the building blocks of proteins. Now, Phenylalanine is essential because they are not produced within the body. It is vital to intake Phenylalanine through the diet. There are some dietary proteins that include all the requisite amino acids. Sources of such proteins are meat, fish and milk. However, there is another class of proteins as well that contains some of the amino acids, but not all. Vegetables, nuts, beans, etc are sources of such proteins. In this category, the non-vegetarians have an upper hand because their protein intake is satisfactory but the vegetarians have to be careful to make sure that the protein is taken by the body.

Phenylalanine is vital to produce certain critical chemicals for proper functioning of the brain. The mental alertness is greatly improved and so does the sex life. Some Phenylalanine supplements are used as a source of natural anti depressant. However, Phenylalanine side effects are very harmful too. An over-stimulation of the brain is very likely and this problem may lead a person to become insomniac. The chemical produced with the help of Phenylalanine is a very good tranquilizer and sedative. Phenylalanine is a prime choice for athletes to relieve off their pains.

The dosage of Phenylalanine is also very critical and should be kept under control. It is foolishness to take Phenylalanine supplements indefinitely. A better option is to take supplements with multi- amino acid supplements to maintain a balance. Phenylalanine supplementation will only be successful if the dosage is kept under check. It is always recommended to consult a doctor before taking or starting a supplementation to avoid any future adverse effects.

Over the counter drugs are medicines which do not require a doctor’s prescription and are readily available in stores. They are called over the counter or OTC drugs because they are sold without any authorized permission from a medical practitioner. Their counter parts called prescription drugs cannot be sold without a doctor having prescribed them. Mostly OTCs include pain relievers and acidity relievers.

There are various side effects of over the counter drugs. Taking OTCs without consulting a doctor can lead to temporary and permanent damage to the body. Side effects of over the counter drugs include allergic reactions which may occur if you are allergic to any one of the constituents of the OTC medicine you consumed. Hence it is advisable to check for allergies and the constituents of OTCs before exposing your body to them. Following are four major OTCs and their side effects:

• Tylenol (Acetaminophen)

This OTC medicine is good for slight fever, sprains and pains. Its effect lasts for about four to six hours. One of the major side effects of over the counter drugs like Tylenol is that it damages the lever if you have more than eight tablets in two days and drink an alcoholic beverage more than seven times in a week.

Side effects of over the counter drugs are even more amplified in case of patients who are already suffering from liver trouble. Also, in case of people who drink too much alcohol the side effects of over the counter drugs like Tylenol are much more.

• Advil or Motrin (Ibuprofen)

Advil is mostly used for menstrual cramps, sprains, fever and joint pains. Its effect lasts for four to six hours. Side effects of over the counter drugs like Advil include bloating, stomach pain, gas formation, dizziness, heart burn and ulcers. Prolonged use can lead to liver failure and kidney damage. Also, one of the most fatal side effects of over the counter drugs with ibuprofen salt includes elevated heart rate eventually leading to a stroke or heart failure.

• Aspirin

This OTC is used to treat fever, pain and inflammation. Daily use in small dosage can prevent heart attack, brain stroke and blood clotting. Its side effects include dizziness, burning sensation in stomach and constipation.

• Aleve (Naproxen)

Aleve is also used for fever and inflammation. Side effects of over the counter drugs like naproxen include dizziness, stomach pain, heart burn and constipation.

Prescription drugs are medicines which cannot be administered or sold to a patient without being prescribed by a medical practitioner. They are specifically called prescription drugs to distinguish them from over the counter pills which do not require a prescription. Buying and selling of prescription drugs are very strictly monitored in countries like the United States and the United Kingdom. Only doctors holding a valid degree can prescribe these drugs. Nurses, medical attendants, psychologists, emergency medical technicians and midwives do not possess the authority to give prescription drugs.

The avid safety and precautions for administering prescription drugs stems from the fact that many patients become addicted to these and often keep taking them even after the doctor has asked them to stop. The United States has at least 20% people taking prescribed drugs without the need to do so. Addiction to such medicines may lead to overdose which can eventually prove to be fatal for the recipient. Hollywood actors Heath Ledger and Brittany Murphy are amongst the many victims who have fallen prey to overdose and death by abuse of prescription drugs. Mostly overdose of prescription drugs leads to a cardiac arrest and sudden death.

Many prescription drugs are initially administered by doctors for cold, cough and throat infection. Patients often avoid going to the doctor before using the medicines earlier prescribed again. Instead they decide to abuse their body with prescription drugs. Prescription drug abuse is rising amongst teenagers. Doctors often prescribe teenagers with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) medicines. ADHD medicines are such that they result in loss of body weight. Hence teenagers often fake ADHD to use this drug as a means of shedding weight. Using prescription drugs for anything other than the purpose for which they were recommended in the first place is not only harmful to your body but also a serious and gruesome crime. It is as illegal as using street drugs like heroine and cocaine. Such drugs are much easier to obtain than street drugs and serve pretty much the same purpose many a times (i.e. to become high). A relative or a friend may have a prescription for a sedative or painkiller sometimes.

Mostly the packaging of these medicines is done in such a way that it contains the specific constituents of the drug, the expiry date, the side effects and the allergies which may be caused due to the intake of these.

A drug test is the analysis of a biological specimen such as urine sample, hair, blood sample, sweat or saliva done in order to establish the presence or absence of a certain substance in your body. There are various drug testing facts which are not known to most people and they find themselves lost or out of place when they undergo a drug test. Drug testing facts such as the sample being used, the method of testing, the duration of the test, etc are useful and should be known to all individuals.

The samples being used for a drug test maybe taken from an individual blood, urine, sweat, saliva and hair as mentioned above. Testing of the hair is pretty expensive. It is not very invasive and may not show recent use of drugs. Drugs remain present in the hair for a longer time as the hair keeps growing. This is one of the most important drug testing facts to be considered while testing the hair sample of an individual. Blood tests are the most common form of drug tests. Testing the blood is very expensive but it is also the most accurate. Sweat and saliva analysis is also very accurate but not as popular. Urine testing is the most common method used to identify the presence of drugs in the body. Drug testing facts which are kept as priority when analyzing a sample to determine drug abuse can all be verified using a person’s urine as a sample. These drug testing facts include recent use of the drug and the specific nature of the drug being used.

While taking a urine sample, it is important for the person being tested to give the sample at the drug testing center itself. The individual is made to wear a hospital gown which keeps his/her back bear so as to avoid any risk of the person smuggling anything to tamper with the specimen. He or she maybe escorted to a dry room along with an escort to keep an eye on the individual. After collecting the sample, it is sent off to a drug testing lab where it is tested upon for various drugs or substances which maybe produced by the body in case of drug abuse.

One of the drug testing facts includes the presence of a cut off level. The drug test is said to give a negative result in case the presence of a substance is below the cut off level. Thus accuracy, time and sample are drug testing facts to be remembered while performing a drug test.

There are many drug abuse facts we hear about in the news or read about in magazines, papers and journals. Here is another such overview of drug abuse facts, both known and lesser known. Key drug abuse facts include repeated and excessive use of both legal and illegal substances in order to gain a feeling of high and pleasure. Also one of the major drug abuse facts is that people try to justify using drugs in order to relieve pain, anxiety and other problems.

Firstly drug abuse can refer to the use of illegal as well as legal drugs. One of the most obvious   drug abuse facts is that prescribed medicines can also be used to give a high. Illegal drugs refer to street drugs such as heroine, marijuana and cocaine. The use and trafficking of these drugs is both illegal and very dangerous. They are expensive and not as readily available as prescribed drugs. Prescribed drugs on the other hand are more easily available. They are legal and can be obtained by using a prescription issued by a doctor to a friend or relative. The use of prescribed medicines and other daily items (like airplane glue and whitener as inhalers) as drugs is one of the most well known drug abuse facts.

It is important to understand that there is no such thing as “trying out once” when it comes to drugs. If you decide to abuse your body once, you will probably do it again and again. Addiction is very easy when it comes to drugs. One of the essential drug abuse facts is that it takes very little time to bridge the gap between being just a drug abuser to being an addict whose life depends only and solely on drugs.

There are various health hazards concerned with taking drugs. Drug abuse leads to mental as well as physical health problems. Continuous use of drugs makes one dependent on them so much so that a person is willing to do just about anything in order to obtain them. It is one of the most widely known drug abuse facts that an addict tends to become a criminal in order to buy and sell drugs. There are various legal and monetary issues involved when it comes to drug abuse.

The only silver lining in this dark cloud of drug abuse is that there are various rehab centers which treat drug abuse and can prove to be extremely helpful if an individual is willing to get rid of this habit.

Who don’t love to be happy all the time, free from all the problems and worries? But, WAIT! Will anybody love to be happy by harming its body? The answer is obviously NO. Nobody will ever want to hurt him. But, this is what one will do if he tries to take cocaine indefinitely, ending up in cocaine addiction. Cocaine is a stimulant which imitates the action of chemicals that stimulate the reward center of brain. It works the same way as adrenaline hormone-increasing breathing rate, heart beat and blood pressure. It sends message of pleasure to the brain. If stimulation level goes too high, cocaine addiction can lead to hallucinations, paranoia, rage, eventually progressing into seizures and strokes.

There are various types of addiction with varying symptoms. The treatment for cocaine addiction depends on a very large extent on the symptoms. It is best to visit an addiction treatment center to come out of cocaine addiction. Each and every aspect for addiction recovery is considered here like the severity of the addiction, length of the symptoms, amount of damage done, etc. Equipped with best of the technology and staffed by caring physicians and nurses, addiction treatment center provides all that is needed for addiction recovery.

No specific medication is available till now to overcome cocaine addiction, though research is still on. A number of potent drugs are being experimented. Selegiline is the most potential experimental medicine under consideration but the method to administer it is yet to be explored. Disulfiram which is used to treat alcohol addiction is also found effective for cocaine addiction treatment in clinical trials. Antidepressants are also used to take care of mood swings during cocaine withdrawal. Treatments programs are also developed to deal with overdose to recover from cocaine addiction.

Apart from medication and treatment programs, one very effective method to cope up with cocaine addiction is addiction counseling. Well qualified physicians and counselors are available at addiction treatment center and rehabs. They help the person to overcome addiction by dealing with the root cause which lies in the mind. Counseling helps the addict to fight with the situations prevailing around him and get rid of addiction. Although a number of treatments are available, but the best way is to keep a check on you so as to prevent overdose of cocaine and cocaine addiction.

Health is wealth we all are aware of this years old saying. So, today the hunt for health supplements (vitamin, protein etc.) is really high. Vitamins are most commonly used among them. Traditionally we used tablets for vitamins but now days we have liquid vitamins available which are more effective than the tablets. Using liquid vitamins is a very effective way to supplement the deficiency of nutrient (vitamin) in our food.

Today diet of many people is supplemented by vitamins. Now days a new form of vitamins is available i.e. liquid vitamins. It can by this method we can reduce our consumption (amount of tablets that were consumed) by three times. There are several products available in market which includes antioxidants supplements, amino acids, several types of herbs, number of vitamins and minerals.

These vitamins are prepared from the extracts of plants, fruits and vegetable, so no artificial ingredients and fillers are added. So we get a complete supplement. According to our daily intake of fruits and vegetable we do not get requisite amount of nutrients. So we use liquid vitamins to replenish that lack of nutrients. It contain amount of antioxidants and amino acids. It aid in cell functioning and prevents free radicals while later acts as building block and help in constructing and repairing of tissues.

Human body easily absorbs liquid vitamins so do the digestive system of the body. Only 20% of vitamins are received when we consume tablets whereas liquid vitamins have a whopping absorption rate of 98%. It happens so because, tablet forms of vitamins are solid in nature so it is difficult to extract them. On the other hand liquid form gels up very well in body.

Liquid vitamin B helps to maintain our cell metabolism and our central nervous system by providing energy. Omega 3, omega 6 maintains the functioning of brain and heart. So it is required by our body.

Traditional form, vitamins in tablet form, of vitamins remains for a less period of time in comparison to liquid vitamins. Our body reacts less to the tablets of vitamins as it has to work towards the break down of vitamins on the other hand liquid vitamins are in the best possible form for digestive system to assimilate vitamins.

Liquid vitamins are good in taste. The prices are really affordable in comparison to tablets. Vitamins present with the traces of minerals (in tablets) are usually lost. Our body is not able to absorb them. Our body receives most out of liquid vitamins as the absorption rate is quit high.

Medicines can be clubbed into three broad categories namely, prescribed medicines, non-prescribed medicines and complementary medicines. Prescribed drugs are those which cannot be purchased without a doctor’s prescription. These include antibiotics, strong painkillers and contraceptive pills. Non-prescribed medication is also referred to as OTC or over the counter pills. These do not require a doctor’s prescription and can be bought from any pharmacy. OTCs mostly include light painkillers, cough/cold medicines, etc. Complementary medicines are also OTCs and can also be called alternate or traditional medicines. These comprise of vitamins, minerals, herbs, aromatherapy, aqua puncture, homeopathy and ayurveda.

Non-prescribed medicines even though available over the counter should be consumed with a lot of chariness. They may react to an individual’s allergies giving disastrous results. Sometimes, they may also react with other drugs being consumed by the user and form a fatal combination. Certain drugs are meant for adults or older children only and should not be administered to infants. Also, various OTCs are extremely dangerous for pregnant women and should not be consumed without consulting a pharmacist or a doctor.

Non-prescribed medicines can be broadly grouped into the following categories:

• Antacids

Theses decrease the amount of acid in the stomach thereby assuaging heartburn or indigestion caused by superfluous presence of the same. If consumed regularly they may cause diarrhea, constipation, high blood pressure or kidney problems.

• Laxatives

These are used to combat constipation. They may work in various ways. For example they may either speed up the passing of stool by irritating the walls of the intestine or they may increase the volume of stool or they may even soften the stool to make it pass easily. Regular use may interfere with the body’s natural ability to absorb certain vitamins and minerals or hamper sensation in the large intestine making the body largely dependent on the laxative.

• Antidiarrheals

As the name suggests, these fight diarrhea. They may do so in two ways; by thickening the stool or by slowing down the intestinal spasms. Children younger than twelve years of age if suffering from diarrhea should not be treated with OTCs as certain antidiarrheals are meant only for adults.

• Cold/Allergy Remedies

Meant to treat a cold or an allergy, these should be avoided for two reasons. One, the cold with self-heal within a week’s time and two, these may stimulate another allergic reaction.

• Pain Killers

These relieve pain, reduce fever, itching and some also decrease inflammation. Their side effects include stomach itching, ulcers, dizziness, ringing in the ears, visual disturbance and rapid breathing.

For those with prescriptions they may feel that the drug is not working & consider taking a higher dosage than recommended. It can be highly hazardous to do this without consulting a doctor. With prescribed medicine it is important also to never share medicine with other people. They may have an identical condition to you but their body or condition may say that they take a different medication & by taking yours they may be doing more damage to themselves.

Below are 10 tips to ensure you’re safe when carrying out your medicine.

1. Ask your doctor are there are any foods or drinks that should be avoided when on your medication, sometimes they can conflict or worsen your condition.

2. By all means visit another doc for a second outlook but always disclose any conditions or treatment you’ve taken from another doctor so that the second one does not prescribe conflicting drugs or supplementary of the same.

3. Continue the course of treatment even if you feel better, the drugs may have eradicated the noticeable symptoms but will still be working away behind the scenes to fully treat your problem.

4. Don’t be afraid to ask your doctor about the drug you’re prescribed; what does it do? What to expect from it? Also know how to identify it from other pills by their markings/shape/etc.

5. Familiarize yourself with the name of the medicines you have been prescribed by your Doc, and check the container when given the drugs if you go to a pharmacy, there’s always a chance for human error.

6. If you’re prescribed multiple drugs or pills make certain you check when it’s safe to take each one, some drugs may not respond well when taken together.

7. If you miss a time when you should have taken your dose do not double up at the next time to take your medicine, if it is vital not to miss the time then contact your doctor or pharmacist to find out what to do.

8. Use a pill case/organizer to help remind you of when to take various pills with their correct dosage too. Set alarms on your watch or computer to remind you or keep a diary.

9. When on prescription drugs try to stay away from alcohol all together, lots of prescribed drugs do not mix well with alcohol & can be deadly, consult with your doctor as to whether you can drink alcohol even as your course of medication is going on.

10. When you’ve finished your treatment don’t flush remaining drugs down the toilet, certain drugs would not be filtered out by water treatment processes. Go to your doctor or pharmacist for suggestion on responsibly disposing of surplus medication.