Answer Addiction

Category: Addiction News

  • The Heart of the Matter: Substance Use Disorder and Heart Health

    Any time you’re drinking too much — whether overall or in one sitting — it can have a big impact on your immediate and long-term health.

    When you think about a healthy heart, what comes to mind? We all know the importance of regular exercise and avoiding too many saturated fats when it comes to keeping our cardiovascular system operating at its best. But living a heart-healthy lifestyle goes well beyond just diet and exercise. Drinking and drug use, especially when it crosses the line into addiction, can have a massive impact on heart health.

    Since cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for adults in this country, it’s important to reflect on all the ways that behaviors can impact our cardiovascular health — including the choice to drink or use drugs.

    Alcohol can affect blood pressure: for better or worse.

    Everyone loves to hear how a glass of red wine — or dark chocolate for that matter — is good for heart health. While it’s true that some research has shown a connection between moderate consumption of red wine and health health, the American Heart Association emphasizes that correlation doesn’t equal causation. The benefit for heart health likely has more to do with people’s actions, like living a low-stress or active lifestyle, than their consumption of wine.

    What’s crystal clear, however, is that drinking heavily can raise your blood pressure. Having high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, increases your risk for heart attack and stroke. If you have high blood pressure and consume more than one standard drink a day, your doctor will likely talk to you about reducing your alcohol consumption as part of an overall heart-healthy lifestyle.

    Boosting your blood pressure isn’t the only way that alcohol use affects your heart health. Drinking heavily is one of the leading causes of cardiomyopathy, a disorder where the heart isn’t able to pump blood efficiently. People who develop cardiomyopathy due to alcohol use often experience heart failure, and many need a heart transplant in order to survive.

    Alcohol may make heart disease more common among young people

    In most cases, cardiovascular disease becomes more common as people age, and is relatively rare in young people. However, a new study finds that alcohol and recreational drug use can increase risk of premature cardiovascular disease. Researchers found that people who drink alcohol, use tobacco or use recreational drugs including cocaine, amphetamines and cannabis all had increased risk for heart disease.

    “All subgroups of recreational substances were independently associated with a higher likelihood of premature and extremely premature,” cardiovascular disease, the study authors wrote.

    The more substances you use, the higher risk you are at. The study found that people who use four or more substances regularly had a nearly 9-times increased risk for heart disease.

    Alcohol as part of a heart-healthy lifestyle

    Even if you’re concentrating on your heart health, it’s ok to have an occasional glass of wine. You can even substitute in a beer or cocktail, but it’s important to only drink in moderation. That means having no more than one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men. Remember, that means standard drinks — not a generous pour.

    If you have trouble sticking to that limit, it might be time to reevaluate your relationship with alcohol. Unhealthy patterns like binge drinking can exist alongside or without substance use disorder. Any time you’re drinking too much — whether overall or in one sitting — it can have a big impact on your immediate and long-term health. You might need professional guidance to change your interactions with alcohol and switch to a healthier drinking pattern.

    Taking care of your mental health, including addressing any underlying traumas or illnesses, can reduce stress. Keeping your stress to a minimum is important for controlling your blood pressure and cardiovascular health.

    Heart health is important, but it doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Taking care of your heart means taking care of your physical, mental and emotional health. Think about the steps you can take to be a healthier version of yourself.

    Learn more about Oceanside Malibu at http://oceansidemalibu.com/. Reach Oceanside Malibu by phone at (866) 738-6550. Find Oceanside Malibu on Facebook.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • It’s OK to Ignore a Text (Sometimes)

    It’s OK to Ignore a Text (Sometimes)

    Human communication never used to be immediate, unless we were standing face-to-face. Letters could take days to arrive, and even more time to be answered. Phone calls could be left ringing, or answered by an answerphone message. No-one got irate if their attempts to contact us took a little bit of time. Now, if we ignore a text for longer than a few minutes it feels like a deadly social crime.

    Text response times, ghosting, and being ‘left on read’ spawn memes all over the internet. We’re all agonising about why our messages aren’t being replied to immediately, while acknowledging we’re all overwhelmed with the volume of messages we receive every day.

    So, is it really ever OK just to ignore a text?

    Messaging is overwhelming us

    Before we answer that question, take a look at just how big the problem of messaging overwhelm is. In 2016 Mark Zuckerberg revealed that the daily message volume from Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp combined stood at three times the global volume of daily SMS messages, at 60 billion messages a day compared to 20 billion SMSs. And in 2012 we knew that adults 18-44 were individually sending and receiving between 50 and 120 texts a day.

    • Adults 18-24 sent and received over 128 texts every day.
    • Adults 25-34 sent and received over 75 texts a day.
    • Adults 35-44 sent and received about 52 texts a day.

    A decade later we have a glimpse into how those messages have proliferated. In the third quarter of 2021 in the UK alone the volume of SMS and MMS messages sent and received was around 10.6 billion messages.

    Take a look at your own phone for a minute and count up how many messages you sent and received across all messaging platforms yesterday. Had you any idea just how many it was?

    Do response times really = importance?

    A whole heap of (only partially) tongue-in-cheek analysis has been devoted online to what it really means when someone takes a takes a certain amount of time to text you back. 12+ hours apparently means “you’re definitely on the cusp of insignificance” whereas 5-60 seconds means “You are Christmas morning to this person!”.

    It’s OK to Ignore a Text (Sometimes)

    It’s worth noting though that even in the good news that you are “Christmas morning” to the speedy responder is buried the warning “Or they have no life at all”…

    So, does the length of response time really equate to where you are in the life importance hierarchy of the person receiving it? What if they’re in a meeting, on a call, in the gym? What if they’re having a really, really bad day (or equally a really, really good one, and are off out celebrating somewhere)? What if they’re sitting across a table from a friend who, maybe one day like you, needs their full attention right now?

    The agony of being ‘left on read’

    Of course, it’s not as simple as just agonising over the gap between sending a message and receiving the response. ‘Read’ receipts, introduced by Apple in 2011, signalling when a message is ‘read’, rather than just ‘delivered’ (along with the timestamp) introduced a whole new realm of messaging-related anxiety. (Along with those evil blue ticks on WhatsApp).  Both the Apple and WhatsApp read receipts can now be switched off (whew) but Facebook and Snapchat, don’t allow that. Snapchat even cruelly lets us know whether a screenshot of a snap or message has been taken.

    It’s OK to Ignore a Text (Sometimes)
    How does this make you feel? Would it be better if you couldn’t see that ‘read’ timestamp?

    Knowing when something we’ve sent has been received isn’t new of course. Postal organisations have let us use ‘signed for’ services for decades, so we could find out when a parcel or package was received. Courier and delivery companies now even record and send a photo of a parcel actually being handed over on the doorstep. But the ‘read’ receipts of the online world seem to induce a particular type of agony. We are unequivocal in our advice on this for your mental health – turn read receipts off.

    It’s OK to Ignore a Text (Sometimes)
    We’re going to say ‘bad’.

    Digital triage

    One of our favourite digital gurus Cal Newport, whom we interviewed on our ‘It’s Complicated’ podcast, describes what we all need to do with digital and messaging overwhelm as ‘digital triage’. And digital triage inevitably means that yes, sometimes we are just going to have to ignore a text message for a while, if something much more urgent is in our in-box.

    triage (noun)

    (in medical use) the assignment of degrees of urgency to wounds or illnesses to decide the order of treatment of a large number of patients or casualties.

    Most of us have absolutely no choice but to get much better at digital triage and to make it a central part of our day, when we’re flooded with requests for Zoom calls, Slack messages, emails, texts and DMs. Instead of attempting the impossible task of replying to everything immediately, we need to stop and think before answering and work out which ones are urgent and which merely important, while not worrying about offending those who we place further down the triage list.

    Balancing good manners and self care

    Maybe our worries about how our response (or delayed response) will be perceived are actually more about us than the sender?  A November 2021 study found receivers tend to overestimate how quickly senders expect responses to non-urgent work emails, for example. Perhaps the same is true for messaging, and we can let ourselves off the hook a little more than we think?

    “You have to be a civil and decent person, but you don’t have to give your time and attention to everyone who asks for it.”

    Daniel Post senning, the emily post institute

    It’s all about how we ignore a text of course. No-one wants to be rude. So, set clear expectations for response times, use automated tools to let people know you won’t be responding for a while and remind yourself that, if you’re doing digital triage properly, not every message needs or deserves a response.

    The sanity checklist

    So, yes, we really do think there are times when it’s absolutely OK to ignore a text. But, unless you want to find yourself without any friends and with a very annoyed family, design your environment and communicate your new habits clearly so you can do this with the minimum of offence given. Here’s our checklist;

    • Tell everyone your ‘no go’ texting times ( ie “never after midnight”)
    • Disable all ‘read’ receipts
    • Make use of ‘do not disturb’ mode
    • Enable ‘auto reply’ features
    • Give others permission to ignore a text from you

    That last one is the most important of all. You can’t expect to be able ignore a text from a friend because it doesn’t come at a good time for you, then get upset when they do the same. Explain that this is about taking stress off everyone and that you’re completely OK with longer response times (just make sure you mean it, when you say it).

    It’s OK to Ignore a Text (Sometimes)It’s OK to Ignore a Text (Sometimes)

    For more about texting, messaging and the impacts of being over-connected to the digital world – pick up a copy of our new book: My Brain Has Too Many Tabs Open. Available to order here.

    View the original article at itstimetologoff.com

  • Hard Conversations: Talking With a Loved One About Their Drinking

    Talking with a loved one about their drinking or drug use can seem impossible, but it can also help plant a seed of recovery.

    Watching a loved one struggle with drugs or alcohol can be incredibly painful. Oftentimes, as a family member, you will notice problematic behaviors before your loved one sees them or is willing to acknowledge them. That can put you in a powerful position to point out your concern and help your loved one get into substance abuse treatment before things reach a crisis point.

    In an ideal world, talking to a loved one about addiction can bring you closer and get them into treatment. But this can also be a fraught conversation ripe with pitfalls and opportunities for hurt feelings. To make the discussion go a bit more smoothly, it’s best to prepare ahead of time. Here’s how.

    1. Evaluate your own emotions and responses.

    Before you involve your loved one, start by taking an honest inventory of your own emotions and feelings. Oftentimes, we bring our own history into the current situation, which can cloud how we see things and confuse the conversation. Maybe you have your own personal experience with sobriety, or perhaps you grew up with a parent that was an alcoholic. Either of those scenarios can make you more sensitive to a loved one’s substance use and more likely to react, rather than have a thoughtful and logical discussion.

    Be sure that you’re expressing genuine concern for your loved one, and that you’re not merely being triggered by their behavior. If you have a trusted third-party — like a therapist or confidential friend — to talk through your concerns. Practice formatting your concerns in a way that centers your loved one, not yourself. Putting your own experiences aside might help your loved one take you more seriously.

    1. Organize your talking points.

    People in active addiction often don’t realize the ways that their behavior has escalated. Helping them see their actions can highlight that they really do need help. The key is doing this in an objective way. No one wants to feel scolded or judged; instead they want to feel seen.

    Think about what behaviors you are most concerned about. For example, you might say something like, “I noticed you’ve been drinking every day after work,” or “The kids mentioned that you slept through your alarm three times last week.” Show your loved one their behavior through your eyes, but don’t shove it in their face.

    1. Use “I” statements.

    It’s easy for difficult conversations to escalate, becoming more and more emotional. An emotional, reactive discussion rarely leads to a productive place. One way to deescalate the situation and remove some of the negative emotion is by using “I” statements.

    Here’s how it works: rather than coming at your loved one with everything they’ve done, you focus on the impact that has on you. For example, instead of saying “You’re drinking every night and ignoring your responsibilities,” say “I have to take care of the animals and dinner chores alone when you’re drinking after work.” I statements can incorporate emotions and feelings, too. You might say, “I get scared when you’re out late and I haven’t heard from you.”

    Using “I” statements removes some of the arguing and pushback. Your loved one might disagree about the details of their behavior, but they can’t argue with your experience.

    1. Keep expectations realistic.

    Everyone is familiar with the idea of a big, dramatic intervention that results in someone leaving immediately for treatment. In reality, your discussion is unlikely to look like that. Your loved one might not even agree that there is a problem. That’s ok — this can be the first step in an ongoing conversation. That’s why it’s important to have a positive conversation and leave the door open for your loved one to come back to you after they’ve thought about what you said.

    Of course, there are situations where waiting isn’t the right answer. If your loved one is endangering themselves or others, or having a negative impact on your emotional or mental wellbeing, it is entirely ok to set boundaries and stick with them. Only you can decide what boundaries are right for you at a given time.

    1. Be prepared to offer help.

    Even after a person realizes that they might need treatment, the logistics can be overwhelming. Be prepared before you even start the conversation by gathering some resources on recovery options, different programs, local meetings, and more. That way, you can capitalize on your loved one’s willingness to accept help as soon as they express it.

    Only the person who is struggling with drug or alcohol use can make the decision to get treatment. However, as a family member or close friend, you have an important role to play in encouraging them and planting the seed for recovery.

    Learn more about Oceanside Malibu at http://oceansidemalibu.com/. Reach Oceanside Malibu by phone at (866) 738-6550. Find Oceanside Malibu on Facebook.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Outpatient Detox: An Important Option

    Outpatient detox lets you access medical care while still sleeping in your own bed at night.

    Before you can start the work of recovery, you need to go through detox — the process of allowing all drugs or alcohol to leave your body. For many people, detox is the most intimidating part of the recovery process. It can be physically painful and even dangerous. That’s why many people opt for going to an inpatient detox. For others, however, the thought of leaving their home and family can cause even more distress. If you’re one of those people, outpatient detox can be a great option.

    During outpatient detox, like that offered at Vanity Wellness Center, you’ll meet with a medical team every day. They check up on you to make sure that you’re healthy, and also provide the accountability that can make all the difference during the tough moments of detox. Wondering if outpatient detox is right for you? Keep reading to find out.

    What is detox?

    If you’re using drugs or alcohol frequently, you might be tempted to just stop. Well-meaning friends and family members can give that advice as well. However, suddenly stopping drugs or alcohol can make you very sick and be dangerous.

    That’s because when you use, your body becomes physically dependent on your substance of choice. You need more and more of it just to feel normal. If you don’t use, you might experience symptoms of dope sickness, like nausea or sweating, or symptoms of alcohol withdrawal, including tremors and anxiety.

    The physical and mental effects of detox can be severe. Because of that, it’s important to have a medical team by your side. They know what typical detox looks like. They can help you understand what to expect and where you are in the process. And if you experience complications — like hallucination — they’re at the ready to get you the medical help you need.

    How does outpatient detox work?

    When you sign up for outpatient detox, you’ll talk with your providers about what to expect. Part of that discussion will include how long your detox process is likely to last. In most cases, withdrawal from alcohol and opioids lasts about three days, but some people experience symptoms for less time or for longer.

    When your detox begins, you’ll visit the treatment provider each morning. They’ll take your vital to make sure that you’re stable. They’ll discuss symptoms, talk to you about coping strategies, and possibly connect you with other people who are going through detox. After that visit, you’ll return home or to another safe space to continue detoxing. You’ll return to your provider again the next morning.

    Medical supervision of detox is incredibly important. So is the fellowship that you’ll feel knowing that someone else is on your team. Detox can be isolating — you’re beginning to cut yourself off from the people you used drugs with, and your sober friend or family don’t understand what you’re going through. In that vulnerable moment, the support provider by your outpatient detox center can make the difference between failure and success.

    Does outpatient detox work?

    Some people have more success detoxing when they’re completely removed from their day-to-day lives. For these people, an inpatient detox is a good option.

    However, inpatient detox isn’t for everyone. Many people feel more comfortable in their own homes, around the people they love. With the support of an outpatient detox program, you can clear your system of drugs or alcohol just as safely and effectively at home as you can in a residential program.

    When you use an outpatient detox program you have a team of professionals ready to help you meet the challenges that daily life presents. They’ll help you figure out how to talk to your boss about your illness, or cope with your children’s questions. All of that can make it easier to get through detox. Most importantly, the team will connect you with treatment immediately following detox so that you have a clear next step in your recovery process.

    Unfortunately, outpatient detox isn’t a quick fix or easy option. Simply put, there’s no quick and easy detox. But for many people, outpatient detox is the best of both worlds: it provides you peace of mind through medical supervision, and optimizes your comfort by having you stay in your own bed. If that’s appealing, outpatient detox can be the first step toward your new, sober life.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • The Physical Toll of Alcohol and Drugs

    You don’t have to be addicted to have an increased risk for disease associated with alcohol or drug use.

    Addiction can have a massive impact on your relationships, emotional health and mental well-being. That can make it easy to forget that using drugs or alcohol — even recreationally — can raise your risk for some physical illnesses, including cardiovascular disease and cancer. Considering the physical impacts of substance use can be scary, but there’s good news: getting sober or reevaluating your relationship with drugs or alcohol can help you reclaim control over your health.

    Here’s what you should consider about the physical impact of drugs and alcohol, and how they fit within the larger social, environmental and personal framework that impacts our health.

    What drug and alcohol do to the body

    The exact physical effects of addiction will depend on your drug of choice. Most people know that drinking alcohol excessively can take a toll on your liver, while using meth can deteriorate your oral hygiene and the appearance of your teeth. Living with active addiction can impact your sleep patterns and nutrition, leaving you looking haggard or generally unwell.

    There are also links between drug and alcohol use and serious illness. It’s important to recognize that you don’t have to be addicted to experience these effects. Even recreational use can raise your risk for disease. For example, people who have one drink per day are at increased risk for cancer compared with people who don’t drink. It’s estimated that about 20,000 people in the United States die each year from cancers that are alcohol related.

    Recreational alcohol use can also have an impact on your heart, which is especially concerning considering that cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for adults in the U.S. and Canada. This trend holds true among young people, who are generally at a lower risk for cardiovascular disease. According to a 2021 study, young people who use cocaine, marijuana, and alcohol increased their risk of premature heart disease by up to three times. People who use four or more different substances recreationally had a nine-times higher risk of heart disease than their peers who didn’t use drugs or alcohol recreationally.

    Physical illness, addiction and trauma

    Research shows a clear correlation between substance use and chronic illnesses like cancer and cardiovascular disease. But the story of causation is trickier to pinpoint. People who are at higher risk for substance use might also be at higher risk for certain diseases.

    Consider the research on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). These are potentially traumatic events in childhood, ranging from abuse to having a parent with mental illness to having an incarcerated parent. These events can create toxic stress, which changes how the brain and body function. Because of that, people who experience a significant amount of ACEs are more likely to experience mental illness, addiction, cardiovascular disease and cancer.

    People who drink heavily or use illicit drugs might wonder if those decisions impacted their cancer diagnosis or heart health. The truth is that a complex variety of biological processes, behavioral choices and environmental factors influence our health over the lifetime.

    Sobriety and physical wellness

    It’s never too late to take charge of your overall health. The first step is getting treatment for substance use disorder and evaluating the past traumas that might be impacting how you interact with drugs or alcohol. Counseling can help you understand the ways in which your past is still affecting your current behaviors and future health.

    When you stop using drugs and alcohol, you might notice some immediate changes to your physical health. You may begin sleeping better or notice a change to your weight. Your immune system, which can be depressed by alcohol, will likely rebound, offering you more protection against everything from a cold to COVID. In addition, paying more attention to your health can help you notice concerning symptoms and connect with care early on, preventing more serious outcomes.

    Over time, the health implications of drinking less and not using drugs add up. People who drink less alcohol and don’t use recreational drugs are less likely to develop heart disease or cancer than those who indulge heavily. It’s too late to change the past, but you can take control of your future health today by exploring sobriety.

    Sunshine Coast Health Centre is a non 12-step drug and alcohol rehabilitation center in British Columbia. Learn more here.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • 5 Ways to Support Your Loved One During Recovery

    Support from friends and family is crucial to the person’s success in recovery. It may be difficult to know exactly how to provide that support in a time of crisis.

    According to current statistics, an approximate 23 million people are in addiction recovery in the United States. Recovery, in any modality – inpatient, outpatient, 12-step, or otherwise – can be an emotionally, mentally, and physically challenging experience for the person seeking to break the grip of addiction, and for their friends and family. Recovery holds special challenges for the latter group, who have seen their loved ones struggle with addiction, and in some cases, may have endured negative experiences because of that addiction.

    However, support from those around the addicted individual is crucial to their success in recovery. It may be difficult to know exactly how to provide that support in a time of crisis. Following are 10 ways you can support a family member or friend as they take their first steps in recovery.

    1. Supporting isn’t enabling – know the difference.

    Cynical wisdom may suggest that any support for an addict is enabling their behavior. However, the two actions are not the same: support is offering help while maintaining healthy boundaries, while enabling is support at the expense of your own well-being. Support requires honesty, while enabling excuses and even participates in addictive behavior (“he/she can’t help it”). And support allows you to question addictive behavior while maintaining love and affection; enabling strangles healthy inquiry for fear of reprisal or recrimination.

    2. Educate yourself on recovery.

    Misinformation is a hot button topic of late, and the addiction and recovery worlds are no stranger to misguided, judgmental, and just plain wrong material in both print and online form as well. So it’s important that you know a few facts as your loved one undergoes recovery: addiction is not a sign of physical, mental, or moral weakness. It’s an imbalance in the chemical components of the brain which undoes impulse control and leaves the individual with a neural road map studded with triggers that, when tripped, set off addictive behavior, often without the individual’s conscious choice. It’s also important to understand that relapse is a common occurrence with individuals in recovery: there is no such thing as a “cure” for addiction. Understanding these core truths provides you with a foundation for a fuller and more accurate picture of the struggles your loved one is facing.

    3. Communicate clearly and without judgment.

    Remember that it’s okay to ask your loved one how they are feeling, and let them know that they can communicate with you as well. Assuring them that they can speak without fear of judgment allays a lot of concerns experienced by individuals in recovery. If they seem unsure of how to begin the conversation, give them a question that allows them to elaborate on their feelings, rather than a yes/no query (“Are you feeling all right?”). Though you may also experience anxiety about your loved one’s condition, try to avoid an interrogatory tone when asking about their well-being. Be honest: saying that you’re unsure or uncomfortable, but that you still want to ask about them, is the sort of honesty they crave. Choosing words that don’t carry a lot of negative freight helps, too: some people don’t mind the words “addict” or “rehab,” but your loved one may feel like those terms carry a stigma.

    4. Help them build good coping skills.

    External and internal stressors play havoc with everyone’s sense of well-being, but for individuals in the grip of addiction, or in the process of recovery, they can lead to a relapse. Your loved one will hopefully learn many ways to contend with stress while in recovery, but there’s simply no way to completely remove all stressors from life. Illness, personal loss, professional changes, and even differences in daily routines can all spark a stressful response. You can help by listening to your loved one when they feel stressed, and help them process and address their feelings. Discuss practical ways to solve those stressors, if possible, as well as coping mechanisms they’ve learned as part of their recovery.

    5. Know the signs of relapse.

    Relapse is a common occurrence during and after recovery. The National Institute for Drug Abuse notes that 40 to 60 percent of individuals with a substance addiction will relapse. To that end, it’s important for loved ones to first understand what a relapse is. From a clinical standpoint, relapse occurs when a clinical condition that had previously improved experiences a sudden decline. In terms of addiction, that typically means a return to substance use. Relapses are not only troubling in terms of the individual’s emotional and mental wellbeing, but they also pose physical danger: tolerance levels drop for many people who abstain from substance use over an extended period of time, and returning to drug use may lead to an overdose.

    Relapses don’t appear without provocation. The typical signs of relapse began with a change in the individual’s outlook: they may seem more negative about recovery, or downbeat about their existence. Old patterns of behavior may return: they may have mood swings, bursts of anger, or resistance to taking responsibility for their actions. From there, the individual withdraws from help, turning away from family, friends, and the support provided by recovery. Return to actual substance use is usually sparked by an emotional conflict of some kind; it could be a major issue, like family clashes or exposure to addictive substances, or it could be a less combustive concern, such as apathy, depression, or an encounter with a location where addictive behavior took place.

    If relapse occurs, it’s natural for both you and your loved one to feel a lot of emotions: anger, shame, grief, and even despondency. It’s important for you to follow some of the guidelines mentioned here: establish boundaries, listen to your loved one, offer support where you can without enabling, and most importantly, understand that relapse isn’t failure. Your loved one has experienced a setback, and needs to return to treating the disease.

    Tarzana Recovery Center is a luxury addiction treatment center in Tarzana, CA. For more info, visit their website or Facebook, or call 866-514-1748.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Differences Between Illicit and Pharmaceutical Fentanyl: What You Need to Know

    Understanding the difference between these two types of drugs is essential, as they have very different purposes and implications.

    Fentanyl is a powerful opioid that has been making headlines lately because of its role in increasing overdose deaths across North America. There are two main types of fentanyl: illicit fentanyl and pharmaceutical fentanyl. Understanding the difference between these two types of drugs is essential, as they have very different purposes and implications. In this blog post, we will discuss the differences between illicit and pharmaceutical fentanyl, the dangers of both types, and tips to stay safe.

    What is Fentanyl?

    Fentanyl is a potent synthetic opioid that was introduced into the medical field as an intravenous anesthetic under the trade name of Sublimaze in the 1960s. It is a powerful, short-acting painkiller that’s about 100 times more potent than morphine. It has high lipid solubility and quickly crosses the blood-brain barrier to produce relief from pain.

    Pharmaceutical grade fentanyl is currently available as:

    • Actiq®– oral transmucosal lozenges, commonly referred to as the fentanyl “lollipops.” 
    • Fentora®– effervescent buccal tablets 
    • Abstral®– sublingual tablet 
    • Subsys®– sublingual spray 
    • Lazanda®– nasal spray 
    • Duragesic®– transdermal patches, and injectable formulations.

    In 2015 there were six million prescriptions dispensed per year, with two thirds going to patients with cancer or other painful medical conditions. Still, during peak times for the opioid crisis (2016-2017), this changed drastically when widespread abuse led many doctors to stop prescribing them altogether because they could not distinguish between legitimate patient needs and addiction, which caused many patients to feel abandoned and desperate.

    Illicit Fentanyl

    According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), synthetic opioids — namely illicit fentanyl — remain the primary cause of fatal overdoses in the United States. 

    China is the main country of origin for illicit fentanyl, and its analogs are trafficked into the United States. In 2019, China fulfilled a pledge to U.S. authorities by placing all forms on a regulatory schedule designed primarily as drug substances or raw materials used in the manufacturing of fentanyl. While China’s shipment of these lethal materials directly into America has decreased, shipments coming in through Mexico have been increasing at record numbers. 

    The connection between China and Mexico has grown due to increased fentanyl precursor sales by Chinese traffickers. In March 2021, Matthew Donahue described this situation as “an unlimited supply” that would keep arriving at Mexican cartels’ doors without end — a description which perfectly fits the tasks currently facing law enforcement agencies throughout both countries today. 

    The waves of fentanyl coming into the United States from Mexico are not just reaching our shores, they’re crashing on top of us. In recent months, multiple busts with arrests and seizures link these pill mills in Juarez to make finished Chinese sourced precursors for trafficking across America’s US – Mexico border right here at home!

    Hidden Fentanyl Deaths: How Drug Makers Are Killing Americans 

    Fentanyl is currently found in most counterfeit oxycodone pills and other medications. It is difficult to distinguish between the actual medications from the illicit ones because, as they can easily pass for legal drugs due to its near-identical appearance with many different manufacturers’ logos on each pill or capsule. When this lethal drug is found in other substances, like benzodiazepines, cocaine, and methamphetamines, users with no tolerance to opioids are at much higher risks of dying. Some advocates consider hidden fentanyl deaths as murder by poisoning.

    The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) data, shows that fentanyl is now widely encountered in powder form and as prescription drugs such as oxycodone or Xanax. The danger of illicit fentanyl comes from its potency. A tiny granule of this lethal substance can cause override the body’s natural reflexes to breathe, leading to respiratory depression and death.

    Border Crisis Continue to Fuel Fentanyl Deaths

    The United States Drug Enforcement Administration has seen a record number of seizures along the southwest border, with agents remarking that one reason for this uptick in drug trafficking is due to increased migration from Central America. 

    During last year’s surge in illegal immigration, Border Patrol agents were relocated to process the migrants. This surge led to the closing of inspection checkpoints, allowing drug traffickers to go undetected. The unprecedented upsurge of fentanyl coming into the USA has had disastrous consequences on our citizens and generations to come. Unfortunately, this tragic situation continues to evolve.

    Fentanyl Overdose and Narcan 

    Narcan (naloxone) is a life-saving drug that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. The issue is that not everyone who needs Narcan knows how to use it or where to get it. Many people believe that Narcan is only for police or first responders, which is not the case. Narcan can be administered by anyone – a friend, family member, or stranger.

    It is vital to let the public know about Narcan’s ability to reverse an overdose, where to get this life-saving medication, and how to use it. We need to make sure that people have access to this life-saving drug in case of an overdose.

    If you are using illicit drugs, be especially careful and take steps to reduce your risk of exposure to fentanyl. These steps include not using drugs alone, carrying naloxone (Narcan), and being aware of the signs of an overdose. If you think someone may be overdosing on fentanyl, the symptoms may include having trouble breathing or swallowing; extreme sleepiness with no response when called upon. The most common overdose responses are:

    • Lips turning blue
    • Gurgling sounds 
    • Body stiffness or seizure-like activity
    • Foaming at the mouth
    • Confusion or bizarre behavior before becoming unresponsive

    Getting Treatment

    If you are struggling with fentanyl dependence, please seek help. Many resources are available, including medically assisted detox treatment centers, drug rehabs, and support groups. Don’t let fentanyl take your life – there is hope for recovery.

    It is essential to clearly understand the differences between a medical detox program and substance abuse rehabilitation. At the same time, both help those struggling with drug addiction, medical detoxification monitors and manages the physical symptoms of withdrawal, while rehabs mainly offer psychological and peer support.

    Fentanyl addiction is frightening and, more than ever, a dangerous activity. Withdrawal from fentanyl can be challenging and intense; although opioid withdrawal is generally not considered life-threatening on its own; however, some of the medical and psychological symptoms may lead to complications that can be deadly. It is always good to get assistance from medical and mental health professionals through detoxification who can utilize multiple strategies for managing withdrawal effects while keeping patients safe.

    Sources:

     

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Spending money late at night on things you don’t really need? Beware ‘vampire shopping’.

    Spending money late at night on things you don’t really need? Beware ‘vampire shopping’.

    This is post 4 of 4 in the series “My Brain Has Too Many Tabs Open”

    1. Are You Guilty of Sharenting? How to Stop
    2. Have you been ‘phubbing’ your loved ones? We can help.
    3. Technoference: What it is and How to Stop Doing it.
    4. Spending money late at night on things you don’t really need? Beware ‘vampire shopping’.

    As we come out of the Christmas season, and on through the January sales, many of us will be seeing an increase in the number of packages delivered to our door on a weekly (sometimes daily..) basis. This phenomenon of excessive spending is not a seasonal issue. If we’re honest, we all know that come February and March we will all still be scrolling through clothes, home improvement and pet care sites, buying things we don’t really need. Compared to just 10 years ago we are buying exponentially more, and now those purchases have been moved online, removing the friction of in-person shopping trips of yore. It’s not simply a lack of willpower either, we are being manipulated into late night sprees we can’t afford with the same techniques used to hook us into social media: we are vampire shopping.

    What is Vampire Shopping?

    Vampire shopping is the act of online shopping late at night, usually between 1 and 4am. It is characterised by shopping largely from your bed, making more purchases than you would at any other time. Often buying things you may realise the next day were not entirely essential. If that sounds familiar, you are not alone. Over 1/3 of shoppers now spend more money at night than during the day. Perhaps not surprisingly the over-represented groups in the vampire shopping category are gamers and sleep deprived parents. It has become more and more prevalent because of the ease of spending money online: just one click away if you use ApplePay, “It doesn’t feel like real money” as one self-confessed vampire shopper exclaimed.

    Why is it a problem?

    Vampire shopping is a problem because it is characterised by buying things we don’t actually need, and haven’t thought enough about, because we make the decision in the stupor of late night scrolling. Not only that, but we are much more likely to make bad financial decisions later in the evening. If you scroll at night instead of during the day research shows you’re likely to spend 20% more. In a country like the UK, where our hours of night are greatly increased in the winter months this can mean that shoppers spend nearly 2.5 hours shopping at night in winter compared to 1.5 hours in the summer.

    How to stop

    If, like thousands of shoppers around the world, this is no longer sustainable for you – have no fear. We have some advice which should stop your late night sprees in their steps:

    1. Remove all your card details from auto-fill online and from any eWallet you may have. This reintroduces the friction which would exist in real life and gives you a second to evaluate your purchase.
    2. Leave the items in your basket overnight: if you are shopping late at night it is highly unlikely that what you want will have sold out tomorrow so give yourself a night’s sleep before you make the purchase: you will be surprised how frequently you decide you really don’t need it come sun up.
    3. Check in with yourself: if you are feeling Hungry, Angry, Lonely or Tired it’s time to HALT your late-night scrolling, and try and get some sleep.

    If you want to learn more about ‘vampire shopping’ and the many other ways in which our digital habits are changing our lives, pick up Tanya Goodin’s new book: ‘My Brain Has Too Many Tabs Open’.

    View the original article at itstimetologoff.com

  • Finding Focus and Concentration in an Always-On World

    Finding Focus and Concentration in an Always-On World

    Finding time for tasks that involve focus and concentration is increasingly difficult in our smartphone-dominated world. With our over-connectedness to our digital devices, our FOMO, and the move to more emphasis on working from home, carving out distraction-free blocks of time while we focus on something important feels almost impossible.

    Create ‘blocks’ of time to focus

    And carving out those blocks is exactly what we need to do as the first step towards improving our focus and concentration. The Pomodoro Technique is one way of working which has five simple steps to help you focus on one task at a time and, because you set a strict time limit with a break, it enables you to do that efficiently and without feeling burnout and exhausted at the end.

    The Pomodoro Technique is a great place to start to improve focus and concentration

    5 Steps to the Pomodoro Technique

    1. Select your first task.
    2. Set a timer for 25 minutes.
    3. Work on the task for 25 minutes.
    4. When the timer rings, take a 5-10 minute break to stretch, walk around or get a bit of fresh air.
    5. If you have more tasks, repeat the steps but take a longer 20-30 minute break after completing four tasks.

    The technique is incredibly popular with devoted adherents swearing it’s the secret key to unlocking improved focus and concentration, boosted productivity and creativity. However, the key to making it work lies not just in creating the blocks of time themselves, but in making sure you can completely focus while working through each block.

    Distance Yourself from Notifications While Working

    If you try and implement the technique while still picking up and checking your smartphone, the dedicated focus time you have created for yourself is eroded. Separating yourself from your smartphone while you’re focusing is essential to reap the benefits.

    Studies have shown that the mere presence of our smartphone while we are trying to focus on something cognitively demanding, can reduce our IQ. In other words, just seeing our smartphone can make us more stupid. And that’s because, of course, the anticipation of the dopamine-creating notifications (from social media, messaging apps and other forms of communication) distracts us hopelessly. Even if we think we’re consciously ignoring our phone, our sub-conscious is thinking about the pay-off our brain will get when we pick it up.

    So, put your smartphone in another room (the same studies show that even if it’s hidden from our view, but in the same room, it can still impact our focus and concentration) and carve out some dedicated time to focus on what’s important. Try it for just one 25 minute block of time before you dismiss it as impossible, or impractical, and see how much you get done.

    For more about how you can improve work habits and your focus and productivity as well as tackling bad digital habits that are changing our lives – pick up a copy of our new book: My Brain Has Too Many Tabs Open. Available to order here.

    View the original article at itstimetologoff.com

  • Her Zaman Açık Bir Dünyada Odaklanma ve Konsantrasyon Bulma

    Her Zaman Açık Bir Dünyada Odaklanma ve Konsantrasyon Bulma

    Akıllı telefonun hakim olduğu dünyamızda odaklanma ve konsantrasyon içeren görevler için zaman bulmak giderek zorlaşmak. Dijital cihazlarımıza aşırı bağlılığımız , FOMO'muz ve evden çalışmaya daha fazla önem vermemiz, önemli bir şeye odaklanırken dikkat dağıtıcı olmayan zaman bloklarını oymamız neredeyse imkansız hissettiriyor.

    Odaklanmak için zamanın 'bloklarını' oluşturun

    Ve bu blokları oymak, odağımızı ve konsantrasyonumuzu geliştirmek için ilk adım olarak yapmamız gereken şeydir. Pomodoro Tekniği , aynı anda bir göreve odaklanmanıza yardımcı olacak beş basit adıma sahip bir çalışma yoludur ve bir mola ile katı bir zaman sınırı belirlediğiniz için, bunu verimli ve tükenmiş ve sonunda tükenmiş hissetmeden yapmanızı sağlar.

    Pomodoro Tekniği odaklanmayı ve konsantrasyonu artırmaya başlamak için harika bir yerdir

    Pomodoro Tekniğine 5 Adım

    1. İlk görevinizi seçin.
    2. Bir zamanlayıcıyı 25 dakikaya ayarlayın.
    3. Görev üzerinde 25 dakika çalışın.
    4. Zamanlayıcı çaldığında, esnemek, dolaşmak veya biraz temiz hava almak için 5-10 dakikalık bir mola verin.
    5. Daha fazla göreviniz varsa, adımları yineleyin, ancak dört görevi tamamladıktan sonra daha uzun bir 20-30 dakikalık bir mola verin.

    Teknik, gelişmiş odaklanma ve konsantrasyonun, artan üretkenliğin ve yaratıcılığın kilidini açmanın gizli anahtarı olduğuna yemin eden sadık taraftarlar arasında inanılmaz derecede popülerdir. Bununla birlikte, çalışmasını sağlamanın anahtarı sadece zaman bloklarını kendileri oluşturmakta değil, aynı zamanda her blokta çalışırken tamamen odaklanabileceğinizden emin olmakta yatabilirim.

    Çalışırken Bildirimlerle Aranıza Mesafe

    Akıllı telefonunuzu almaya ve kontrol etmeye devam ederken tekniği uygulamaya çalışırsanız, kendiniz için oluşturduğunuz özel odak süresi aşınmıştır. Odaklanırken kendinizi akıllı telefonunuzdan ayırmak, avantajlardan yararlanmak için gereklidir.

    Çalışmalar, bilişsel olarak zorlu bir şeye odaklanmaya çalışırken akıllı telefonumuzun varlığının IQ'muzu azaltabileceğini göstermiştir. Başka bir deyişle, akıllı telefonumuzu görmek bizi daha aptal yapabilir. Bunun nedeni, elbette dopamin yaratan bildirimlerin (sosyal medyadan, mesajlaşma uygulamalarından ve diğer iletişim biçimlerinden) beklentisinin umutsuzca dikkatimizi dağıtmasıdır. Bilinçli olarak telefonumuzu görmezden geldiğimizi düşünsek bile, bilinçaltımız aldığımızda beynimizin alacağı ödemeyi düşünüyor.

    Bu nedenle, akıllı telefonunuzu başka bir odaya koyun (aynı çalışmalar, görüşümüze göre gizlenmiş olsa bile, ancak aynı odada, odağımızı ve konsantrasyonumuzu hala etkileyebileceğini göstermektedir) ve neyin önemli olduğuna odaklanmak için biraz zaman ayırın. İmkansız veya pratik olmayan olarak reddetmeden önce sadece bir 25 dakikalık bir süre deneyin ve ne kadar iş yaptığınızı görün.

    Çalışma alışkanlıklarınızı, odaklanmanızı ve üretkenliğinizi nasıl geliştirebileceğiniz ve hayatımızı değiştiren kötü dijital alışkanlıklarla nasıl başa çıkabileceğiniz hakkında daha fazla şey için yeni kitabımızın bir kopyasını alın: Beynimde Çok Fazla Sekme Açık. Buradan sipariş edilebilir.

    Orijinal makaleyi itstimetologoff.com