Leslie Glass's Blog, page 364
May 28, 2018
The Benefits Of Exercise For Teen Mental Health
From the U.S. News:
ONE OF THE BEST THINGS that parents can do for their kids is help them build an exercise habit. That might mean dance, yoga, hiking or high school athletics. It should be something they really enjoy, so they’re inspired to keep doing it.
Why is exercise so essential for teens? Because physical activity has significant benefits for teen mental health, according to a large body of research. In fact, exercise can even be as effective as antidepressants. And, on the flip side, physical inactivity is associated with the development of psychological disorders.
Studies show that exercise has the following benefits for teen mental health:
Positively impacts levels of serotonin, a chemical that helps regulate mental health.
Releases endorphins, the body’s natural “happy chemicals.”
Lowers levels of the stress hormone cortisol .
Stimulates the neurotransmitter norepinephrine, which improves mood.
Increases self-esteem and body positivity.
Helps teens sleep better.
Evidence shows that teen athletics are particularly supportive, on a number of levels.
According to a Canadian study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health, students who play team sports in grades eight through 12 have less stress and depression as young adults. Teens who play sports also gain confidence, critical-thinking and judgment skills, as well as increased cognitive function.
However, just about any type of physical exercise is beneficial. In a small study of a dozen young adults at the University of Newcastle in Australia, participants with major depressive disorder exercised regularly; after 12 weeks of exercise, 10 of the participants were no longer categorized as depressed. Regular exercise has also been shown to decrease symptoms of anxiety.
And the effects are long-lasting: In one study, researchers found that people who got regular vigorous exercise were 25 percent less likely to develop depression or an anxiety disorder over the next five years.
According to James S. Gordon, author of “Unstuck: Your Guide to the Seven-Stage Journey Out of Depression,” “Physical exercise has direct effects on the biology and psychology of depression. … Exercising, we discover that feelings of helplessness and hopelessness begin to fade.”
Another important benefit for teens: Exercise prevents substance use disorder.
As well as keeping anxiety and depression at bay, physical activity helps fight addiction. Research on lab rats and mice shows that regular exercise reduces the inclination to use drugs and alcohol. In essence, physical activity provides a healthy alternative reward for the brain, catalyzing a powerful surge of dopamine. And finding healthy ways to increase dopamine is key to successful recovery, especially in the early stages.
Additionally, exercise combats addiction because it addresses two of the major motivators for substance and alcohol abuse: depression and anxiety. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, teens who have substance use disorder are roughly twice as likely to have mood and anxiety disorders compared with the general population, and those with mood and anxiety disorders are more likely to use drugs. State of mind is intimately linked with substance use.
However, there are risks associated with teen sports.
When teen athletes feel pressured to overachieve in sports, they sometimes turn to performance-enhancing drugs. In the federal government’s annual Monitoring the Future study, researchers examined the use of performance-enhancing substances among 67,000 high school students. Overall, close to 7 percent of students reported trying anabolic steroids at least once – an increase from 2012, when it was 5 percent.
In addition, doctors often prescribe medication for sports injuries, which can lead to addiction, causing serious health problems and even death. Therefore, coaches, doctors and parents need to monitor teen athletes closely, and be vigilant about avoiding addictive methods of pain relief for injured teens.
Researchers say that how often we exercise is more important for mental health than how vigorously we exercise.
“Data regarding the positive mood effects of exercise involvement, independent of fitness gains, suggest that the focus should be on frequency of exercise rather than duration or intensity,” say Lynette Craft and Frank Perna, authors of a review of research on the benefits of exercise for clinical depression. According to experts, teens who do some sort of physical activity three to five times a week, for at least 30 minutes, can reap mental health benefits.
Bottom line: Encouraging teens to get moving is worth the extra time, money or driving that teen exercise or athletics might require from parents. Ultimately, it will give them a strong foundation for physical and mental well-being for the rest of their lives.
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LSD Michael Pollans New Book Reviewed
JEANNETTE MONTGOMERY BARRON/RANDOM HOUSE
Michael Pollan’s new book, How to Change Your Mind, describes two factions within psychedelic research: those who seek to demonstrate the drugs’ spiritual side as a tool of self-improvement and those who investigate the drugs’ medical and psychiatric uses in a clinical setting
Harriet de Wit, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral neuroscience at the University of Chicago, belongs to the latter group. She has spent decades doing controlled experiments to learn how substances as varied as amphetamines, caffeine, alcohol, nicotine and MDMA affect mood and behavior, with an eye toward treatment for people with mental and emotional health problems.
Unlike Pollan and many of the drug researchers he profiled, de Wit has never taken psychedelic drugs herself. She called his book “terrific,” but she also has some cautionary thoughts.
ROBERT KOZLOFF/THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
Professor Harriet de Wit has spent decades researching the effects of substances as varied as amphetamines, caffeine, alcohol, nicotine and MDMA.
De Wit particularly appreciated Pollan’s focus on taking psychedelics under supervision and then relaying that experience in a clear-headed, journalistic manner. She doesn’t support making recreational psychedelics more widely available outside a clinical setting.
De Wit spoke with HuffPost about Pollan’s book and what the current interest in psychedelic drugs can tell us about their future ― as well as the ways in which these drugs can serve not just as tools to better the lives of the well but as life-saving treatments for people with major mental illness.
As a health reporter, I regularly talk with researchers and scientists. The idea that the researchers, who are meant to be objective about their work, themselves tried the psychedelics they were studying threw me.
It’s almost a religious experience that they have. Or maybe not religious, but important. That’s one of the features that characterize pharmacological effect. The drug induces a feeling of significance. Whatever experience they go through, it gets labeled as being significant. There is some substrate that instills importance.
“Important” is an interesting word choice. I prefer it to the religious-sounding terms researchers in Pollan’s book used to describe psychedelic experiences, like transcendent and spiritual.
A lot of the people who are into that area of research feel like they are reaching some reality that really exists. It exists at one level, but it’s not as though it’s giving people access to a truly existing other world. Rather, that it allows them to see their world in a much broader way.
That’s what this book is masterful at. Michael Pollan seems like a trustworthy, rational person. He takes you through that experience and it’s believable. It gives me an idea of what it would be like for me. I started reading it Sunday morning and finished it Sunday night. I felt like I’d been on an excursion with him.
There’s this cultish evangelism in some drug literature that I can’t cut through and it turns me off. Pollan felt more critical.
Right. And actually, on the scientific side, we sometimes go the other way and make it too clinical and not psychological enough. I think there’s a challenge for us to come up with words and methods and measures to get to the more psychological concepts that are so apparently meaningful to people.
Through our lifetime of experiences, we narrow our ways of perceiving the world. This drug kind of messes that up. It loosens up all the constraints that inhibit you.Harriet de Wit
I didn’t grasp why people cared so much if their transcendence was a placebo effect from psychedelic drugs vs. a “real” spiritual experience.
If you think about it in a religious context, then have you really seen God? Did you really access some other reality? It’s hard to find the words for these things.
In my heart, and I think in Michael Pollan’s as well, they are all experiences in your own brain, and they are fascinating experiences and they do remind you that there are other ways of seeing the world and that through our lifetime of experiences, we narrow our ways of perceiving the world.
This drug kind of messes that up. It loosens up all the constraints that inhibit you.
Do you see any parallels between the physical wellness culture that some wealthy, white people invest in, like yoga retreats and juice cleanses, and psychedelic use for “the betterment of well people”?
If you put it like that, there’s no question that only privileged people are going to have access to it in the kind of setting that we’re thinking of ― a protected and guided setting where you get insight.
Just the privileged people are going to be able to afford it, or know about it, or appreciate it. That’s a social comment on our whole system, presumably. Is that what you’re asking about?
I’m asking if controlled recreational use of psychedelics is a trend of the privileged.
I think so. That’s true of so many things in our culture. Only a few people are going to seek that out. They are going to be educated and well-off and have access.
Do we think that there would be any benefit in making this available to the less advantaged people? I have never thought of that. I don’t want to go there.
My curiosity is less about whether disadvantaged people should have access to recreational psychedelics and more about how inclusive the trend is. Who else gets access?
The one place where it’s kind of interesting is that [researchers] are using MDMA for PTSD. They are using it in people who have come back from wars. Those people are not necessarily privileged.
The way the psychiatrists talk about it is that those people have become very constrained in their thinking. They are fearful and their life has become very narrow. They interpret environmental events in a very narrow way, and the drug can help them. In the context of eight-hour therapy sessions, it can help them loosen constraints in thinking.
That’s one situation that cuts across privilege. But that’s talking about people who are unwell taking the drug to become well. It’s not so much the well people experiencing some new level of insight.
I found it fascinating that psychedelics could potentially be used to disrupt addiction, depression or other conditions characterized by rigid thinking.
When you wonder how could one drug treat all those very different disorders, what they have in common is a narrowing of thoughts. An obsession with alcohol, or a fear of crowds, or a negative view of the world ― what all those have in common is constrained thinking. If a drug, together with therapy, can loosen that, it’s a wonderful thing.
You mentioned PTSD. That’s another very rigid way of looking at the world.
It’s tempting to take that one step further into a political discussion of people who are very rigid in their politics or in their religion. In a way, they are constrained as well, and a drug like this could allow them to think a little bit more loosely. There are lots of ways that people get rigid in their thinking. Including any of us, presumably.
President Donald Trump came to mind.
For sure. But would he benefit from it? I don’t know. I think you have to have a certain level of insight, an openness, a certain willingness to consider other ways of being or be self-critical in a sense. I think you need a certain amount of openness to use the experience.
An obsession with alcohol, or a fear of crowds, or a negative view of the world ― what all those have in common is constrained thinking. If a drug, together with therapy, can loosen that, it’s a wonderful thing.Harriet de Wit
Pollan’s controlled psychedelic use seemed prompted by midlife existentialism. I hadn’t previously thought of a midlife crisis as a type of mental unwellness.
I’m not sure if I would say it’s an unwellness or just an existential thinking about your life. That could be within the norm of wellness. You’d think there was something wrong with somebody if they didn’t think about mortality or what are they doing with their life.
Am I making the best of my life? Have I made big mistakes? What have I got left? What am I still going to do? Those are all questions that people want to ask and, in this case, explore a little bit more.
Pollan profiled people dying of cancer who were able to reframe their fear of death by taking psychedelics. Culturally speaking, is end-of-life care the natural place for psychedelic use to be incorporated into mainstream medicine?
Anyone who takes this kind of drug knows you can’t be sure it’s going to be positive. Even fairly regular users have to gear up for it and brace themselves. It’s not exactly fun. It’s challenging and interesting. But not necessarily pleasant. To put yourself through that at the end of life, that takes a certain amount of courage.
Both you and I realize it’s an unknown. If we haven’t [taken psychedelics] because it’s unknown now, I can’t imagine doing it [while dying].
Did the book make you think any differently about your own work?
It’s a fascinating topic, both from a scientific point of view and a human point of view. We’ll continue to grapple with what it is these drugs do, how they do it and how they can find a place in society.
It does make me feel that there are big questions to address. But it’s hard for one researcher to get a handle on what the question is to ask and how to collect the data. I would like to do something important.
That’s one of the themes of the book! We all want to do something important and have important thoughts.
There you go.
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May 27, 2018
Are Sports Drinks Destroying Your Teeth
The Advantages of Sports Drinks
Replacing Fluids–The most common reason athletes and active adults drink sports energy drinks is because they have been exercising and sweating for a while. Through sweat, the body can lose a great deal of vitamins and fluids that are essential for proper functioning. By chugging a Gatorade of Powerade, you can replenish your body with many of these vitamins.
Change of Pace from Water –Sports drinks also provide a change of pace from water. Essentially, water is the best thing to drink when you have been working out, but not everyone likes water. Even if you do like water, it is still nice to drink something different every once in awhile. A sports drink is usually the next best thing.
Some are Sugar-Free –While most energy drinks on the market are full of sugar, you can still find sugar-free sports drinks, although the selection is as wide as it is for the regular formulas. If you are worried about consuming too much sugar but you do not want to drink water, a sugar-free sports drink can be a healthy alternative to re-hydrate your body.
Loaded with Carbohydrates –These drinks are ideal for getting carbohydrates into your body fast. According to Athleteinme.com, a website that explores several different aspects of the athletic life, it is important to keep the body’s carbohydrate content up when exercising or playing sports. Ingesting carbohydrates maximizes your performance more than water does. They keep the muscles in the body full of fuel so that they can operate properly.
Some Have High Levels of Protein –Many sports drinks also contain high amounts of protein. According to the Athleteinme.com website, athletes who consume drinks that contain carbohydrates combined with protein perform much better when exercising than athletes that drank fluids that only had carbohydrates.
Easy to Digest –Another advantage is that sports drinks are easier to digest than food. When there is a competition at stake or the body feels anxious, it is less efficient when trying to digest food. This means that protein bars or “meal replacement bars” will not be digested as quickly or easily as a sports drink. Drinking fluids that contain vitamins and minerals help the body feel full and digest the essential elements that it needs to perform.
Convenient and Easy to Take Along –Finally, sports drinks are easier to carry around with you. You can stop by the nearest gas station and grab a few out of the cooler or stock them up in your fridge. When you are ready to go, you can just grab one on the way to wherever you are going. They are easily transportable and you can even reuse the bottles if you want to.
The Disadvantages of Sports and Energy Drinks
TheAcidity in Sports Drinks Can Dissolve Teeth –According to Dr. Mercola, author of the bestselling book titled Take Control of Your Health, sports drinks have a tendency to dissolve the teeth. These products are often full of sugar and sodium that can cling to the teeth and eat away at the protective enamel. Since the person who is drinking the sports energy drink is usually low on fluids, he likely has very little saliva production in his mouth. Since saliva normally protects the teeth by washing away substances that can cling to them, the lack of saliva can be a problem. Dr. Mercola states that sports energy drinks are typically 30 times more harmful and erosive to the teeth than water.Water is Replaced with Sports Drinks –In addition to being harmful to the teeth, Dr. Mercola also says that less than 1% of situations in which people drink sports drinks are a beneficial use for these products. Most people who drink sports energy drinks would be better off drinking water instead. In terms of exercise and replenishing the body’s system, the use of sports drinks is only warranted after at least 45 minutes of strenuous cardiovascular or aerobic activity, such as running, jogging or playing a fast-paced sport.
Full of Sugar –Sports drinks are full of vitamins and minerals, but most are also full of sugar. Some of the more popular brands have as much as eight teaspoons of sugar per every eight ounces of fluid. In fact, this is almost as much sugar as many soda drinks contain.
Although this is almost necessary to make them taste good, it can still have a detrimental effect on your health. Too much sugar over a long period can lead to problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure and weight gain. When used in moderation, the sugar content is not a big issue, but most sports energy drink users will chug a bottle or two of their favorite flavor in a matter of minutes.
Most Contain Caffeine –Caffeine is included in most sports energy drinks. Some products even contain as much caffeine as a can of soda or a cup of coffee. Caffeine can be harmful to your nervous system if you use it for a long time. It can also lead to several other symptoms, such as sleeplessness, restlessness, dizziness and even hypertension. Pregnant women and women who are nursing should avoid sports drinks for this reason.
Unproven Claims –The energy drink companies can rarely, if ever, back up the claims that they make about their product. They promise to improve your speed, endurance, concentration, focus, and even performance, but they do not have any proof or scientific evidence to prove this to consumers. Sometimes, the claims are so grandiose that they are almost unbelievable which hurts the credibility of the entire sports drink industry.
Harmful if Mixed with Alcohol –A common trend in the bars and nightclubs is to mix a sports energy drink with alcohol. This can be dangerous because you are mixing a stimulant and a depressant. It is the same concept as taking certain medications with alcohol. Mixing a sports drink with beer or liquor can lead to heart failure if taken in large doses.
Used as a Replacement to a Healthy Lifestyle – Some people use sports drinks as a way to gain energy throughout their day instead of its intended use – replenishing vitamins and fluids. As a result, sports drinks become a substitute for a healthy lifestyle of getting plenty of rest, eating a well-balanced diet, exercising and minimizing stress. If you lead a healthy lifestyle, you typically do not need products to give you enough energy to make it through the day. Sports drinks give people an excuse to live a less than healthy lifestyle.
Can be Expensive –A typical sports drink can cost between $1.50-2.50 at your local convenience store or grocery store. After time, this can add up. If you drink two of these products each day, you could be spending more than $30 a week. Unfortunately, you could be spending all of your money on something that is harming your body when you think it is actually good for you.
When used in moderation, sports drinks do not tend to be a problem for people who have extremely active lifestyles. Athletes, like runners, tennis players and people who regularly participate in strenuous activities can replenish their vitamins and minerals safely by using a sports drink. If you are not very active and you are using these products for other reasons, they could be doing more harm than good to your health. Weigh the pros and cons before deciding if sports drinks are the best option for you.
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May 26, 2018
Recovery Protects Everyone’s Family Rights
According to my Mother, my brother Ricky needs extra love and care because of his addiction. My family rights are ignored. She always favors what’s right for Ricky. In recovery, I learn I have rights too.
Here’s a typical accommodation my mother makes for Ricky. Our family tradition is this: each person gets a fun dinner on their birthday at their favorite restaurant. Except me. “We can’t go to El Taco Loco,” my Mom said, “because they serve beer. Ricky can’t go to restaurants that serve alcohol. Besides,” she added, “Ricky has a meeting on Tuesday nights. We’ll have to celebrate your birthday on Wednesday instead.”
I sound petty, but this isn’t an isolated incident. It’s just the latest in a series of injustices. When we were kids, I had very strict rules. Ricky didn’t. If I disobeyed, I faced harsh consequences. Ricky had “different” punishments because “You just can’t yell at Ricky.” Or “Spanking doesn’t work on Ricky.”
In our teenage years, I fixed dinner, did laundry, washed dishes, and mowed the yard. Ricky had no chores because he wouldn’t do them anyway. I had to pay my way through college. Ricky got bailed out of jail, and my parents paid for his rehab. Twice. Today, Ricky still lives at home with a built-in maid and babysitter, our Mom. Because she does so much for Ricky, she doesn’t have any or energy left to spend time with me and my son.
Ricky Isn’t The Problem
Who do I blame for all of these injustices? For many years, I despised Ricky. I was jealous and angry. When I learned that alcoholism, also known as alcohol use disorder, affects the whole family, I saw more of the picture. My Dad’s drinking also contributed to our problems. For years, my Dad acted out under the influence. My Mom reacted. This became their dysfunctional dance. When Ricky and I came along, we learned their dance moves. These are the generational sins of alcoholism. Unfortunately, identifying the problem doesn’t undo the hurt.
Recovery teaches me that addiction is a disease. I grew less angry at Ricky, but I became furious with Mom. Over time (many, many months), I grew to accept my painful past. I am working on forgiving my Mom. I learned that what happened, happened to me. It doesn’t define me.
I Have Rights Too
One of the best things I’ve learned in recovery is I am equal to Ricky. My Mom has always favored Ricky. Instead of rewarding the successful child, she rushes to the one in need. This speaks of her illness, not of my character. Recovery has given me a new family of trustworthy people who love me unconditionally. This helped heal many of my emotional hurts.
Family Rights Let Everyone Recover
Family healing doesn’t happen overnight. Ricky and I have both been in recovery for a few years, but progress is in recovery is slow. Recovery isn’t a magic 8-ball that delivers the answers to all family conflicts. How do we move forward in a healthy way when we are still working hard to overcome our dysfunctional habits? I’m proposing we adopt The Family Recovery Bill Of Rights. Each person has the right to:
Respect and compassion
Be safe from yelling
Have personal boundaries
Speak and express feelings
Take care of yourself
Ask for what you want
Follow a recovery program
Be trusted when trust is earned
Equal treatment for all
Your own safe space
These guidelines protect everyone’s best interest. If, or more likely, when Ricky, my Mom, and I disagree, I take a minute to review my rights. This document reminds me that I don’t have to lose just so Ricky can gain. I can brainstorm for win/win solutions. I can set boundaries to protect myself. Finally, I don’t have to blindly trust those who have hurt me. No one can change the past, but I can protect myself now and in the future. It gives me independence in a chemically dependent family.
One of our most important posters, The Family Bill Of Rights, is on sale now in our shop. Downloadable and formatted to print in a range of sizes. Order today, empower today!
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At Least 52 People In Utah Were Poisoned By Fake Cannabis Oil
From Gizmodo:
A poisoning outbreak traced to synthetic cannabinoids sickened at least 52 people in Utah and sent 31 to the emergency room this past winter, reveals a new report released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But unlike other recent outbreaks, the victims weren’t trying to buy synthetic weed: They had bought what they thought was cannabis oil that only contained cannabidiol (CBD), the non-psychoactive ingredient of weed. And many had purchased these products from traditional smoke shops.
Around the beginning of last December, according to the CDC report, the Utah Poison Control Center came across five cases of people visiting the ER with symptoms of seizures, confusion, and hallucinations. Just before the symptoms began, the patients had all taken a product marketed to contain CBD. Products that contain only CBD are created to not have the psychoactive effects commonly associated with THC. Eventually, state and federal health and law enforcement officials formed a task force that found at least 52 similar cases had occurred within the state from October 2017 to the end of January 2018.
CBD is thought by some to help treat certain conditions, such as pain and depression (though evidence to support many of these claims is lacking). This April, a committee of outside experts assembled by the Food and Drug Administration unanimously voted to approve the first CBD-based drug to treat certain epileptic seizures. While CBD use can cause some unpleasant side effects, like nausea, it doesn’t cause the sort of symptoms doctors were seeing.
Eventually, lab testing of the products the patients had used found no traces of CBD, but they did find 4-cyano CUMYL-BUTINACA (4-CCB), a synthetic cannabinoid meant to mimic the effects of THC. Of the nine products that tested positive for 4-CCB, eight were branded “Yolo CBD oil.” But the products had no labels indicating who had manufactured them or even what ingredients they was supposed to contain. Four of the five patients whose blood was tested also had 4-CCB in their systems, as did an unopened CBD product purchased by the task force from the same store and brand a patient had bought.
“Synthetic cannabinoids, such as 4-CCB, act on the same receptors as THC, but the effects of synthetic cannabinoids can be unpredictable and severe or even life-threatening,” lead author Roberta Horth, an officer with the CDC’s Epidemic Intelligence Service, told Gizmodo via email. “Based on reported side effects of 4-CCB in case-patients, they appear to be more severe than THC. Fatalities following use of 4-CCB have been reported in Europe.”
In interviews with the victims, all of whom survived, 33 said they had used Yolo-brand oil. Thirty-four people also said they had bought their product from a smoke shop, while eight said they had gotten it from a friend. Thirty-five said they bought it for recreational use, while 15 said it was for medicinal use. And 38 people used the oil by vaping it, while another nine placed it under the tongue.
While the outbreak of CBD poisoning seems to have ended, the CDC officials warn there’s little preventing from it happening again, thanks to lax regulations in how the products are produced or tracked after they reach store shelves.
“Because CBD is illegal at the federal level there is no regulation of product quality at that level. Some states allow for the sale and possession of CBD; however, regulation differs in each jurisdiction,” Horth said. “Products being sold in Utah at the moment are not done so legally so there is no way to ensure that these products are safe.”
As a result, up to a third of CBD products might be incorrectly labeled, Horth added, referencing a 2017 study in JAMA.
Horth noted that Utah’s senate has passed a bill that would allow these products to be sold legally under a new framework. And last December, 4-CCB was also temporarily added to the list of controlled substances via emergency powers invoked by Hawaii law enforcement officials following several drug seizures by officials that same month.
At the moment, it’s thought the 4-CCB was intentionally used as a replacement for CBD in these products, and the investigation to track down where it came from is still ongoing, Horth said. But though some stores have voluntarily pulled their stock of Yolo-branded oils, the threat of more cases is real.
“It is possible that other products could contain 4-CCB or other dangerous synthetic cannabinoids,” she said.
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Mussels Off The Coast Of Seattle Test Positive For Opioids
From CBS News:
As more and more American communities grapple with opioid addiction, the human toll of the epidemic has grown in both scope and severity. And now, scientists at the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife have found evidence that drug’s impact has literally flowed downstream to affect marine life, as well.
Specifically, they used mussels as a barometer of pollution in the waters off Seattle, and discovered that oxycodone is now present enough in the marine environment there for shellfish to test positive.
Since mussels are “filter feeders,” they absorb contaminants from their environment into their tissues in a concentrated way. Scientists used cages to transplant clean mussels from an aquaculture source on Whidbey Island to 18 urbanized locations around Puget Sound. Several months later, they pulled those previously uncontaminated mussels back out of the urban waters and, together with the Puget Sound Institute, tested them again.
In three of the 18 locations, the mussels then tested positive for trace amounts of oxycodone. How, you ask?
When humans ingest opioids like oxycodone, they ultimately end up excreting traces of the drugs into the toilet. Those chemicals then end up in wastewater. And while many contaminants are filtered out of wastewater before it’s released into the oceans, wastewater management systems can’t entirely filter out drugs. Thus, opioids, antidepressants, the common chemotherapy drug Melphalan — the mussels tested positive for all of them.
“What we eat and what we excrete goes into the Puget Sound,” Jennifer Lanksbury, a biologist at the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, told CBS Seattle affiliate KIRO. “It’s telling me there’s a lot of people taking oxycodone in the Puget Sound area.”
While mussels likely don’t metabolize drugs like oxycodone, and thus wouldn’t necessarily be physically harmed by the presence of it in their tissues, studies show that fish are not so lucky. In fact, scientists at the University of Utah recently discovered that, if given the opportunity, zebrafish will willingly dose themselves with opioids. Scientists say salmon and other fish might have a similar response.
The Puget Sound Institute notes that the amounts of opioids detected were thousands of times smaller than a typical human dose. And none of the mussels tested are near any commercial shellfish beds.
Still, the discovery of opioid-positive shellfish in Puget Sound is a stark new milestone in the epidemic, showing that enough humans are hooked on these life-altering drugs for the trace chemicals they excrete to register in other species in our coastal waters.
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5 Warning Signs Your Teenager May Be Using Drugs
From Psychology Today:
Figuring out whether or not your teenager is using drugs can be a challenge. I sat down with Holly Holloway from MedMark Treatment Centers(link is external) to discuss what concerned parents can do. Holly works to help spread awareness and end the stigma of addiction. Here’s what she had to say:
Young adults deal with many physical and emotional changes throughout their teen years, making it difficult to pinpoint whether their symptoms are drug related, or simply puberty. With the rising awareness of mental health in teens, it’s also something to take into consideration when approaching the subject. However, there are specific signs to look out for and precautions to take if you are concerned for their wellbeing.
If your teen has recently begun acting differently to the point where it’s affecting previously stable relationships with family members, it could be a sign of substance misuse. Arguing with siblings and exhibitions of extreme moodiness and lashing out in anger can be related to being under the influence. Staying out past curfew and blatantly defying ground rules are classic teenage behaviors, but if your teen is using drugs, these behaviors may also coincide with staying out all night, driving recklessly, constantly asking for money and disappearing for long periods of time. There can also be more physical signs that include incessant sniffling, eye-redness, manic behavior, drastic appetite changes, very fast or slow speech, and poor coordination. Depending on the substance they are using, their behaviors will vary. It’s important to stay in tune with your child as they approach teen ages that are most prone to experimentation.
Emotional Changes
Teens are notorious for having mood swings and shifts in emotional stability. When coupled with drug use, the common peaks and valleys of adolescence can be magnified. A teen who is acting withdrawn and depressed may be dealing with mental health issues, and it’s important to also look for deceitfulness or secretive behavior as well. Those are both signs they may be involved in drug related activities. Sudden excitability or restless behavior can also be signs of being under the influence. Drugs can counteract normal hormonal development in teens especially. Hormonescan greatly affect a child’s behavior as well as their growth and development. While it’s hard to gauge the reasoning behind a teenager’s behavior sometimes, it’s still important to observe their moods and personality shifts if other signs of possible drug use are present.
Health and Hygiene
Young adults are in the process of figuring out how life works as their bodies are undergoing changes. While the process of rapid growth and changing hormones can take its toll on a teenager, there are specific signs that could be related to drug use. Other than obvious track marks on arms from injecting drugs, frequent contusions and abrasions could also indicate injuries sustained while intoxicated. Frequent lethargy, headaches and periods of very little sleep followed by several days of non-stop slumber are very common in young adults who are misusing drugs, including prescription medication. If your child has drastically changed how much they mind their appearance, their focus may be shifted towards other things. A messy exterior and lack of regard towards their personal hygiene could also be signs of degrading mental health coupled with drug use.
Changes at Home and School
If you’ve noticed a drastic decline in your teen’s grades and an increase in them skipping school, there could be drug use involved. If a teacher has reached out about behavior in the classroom or reports of possible intoxication during school hours, those are red flags not to be ignored. Be on the lookout for concealed drug paraphernalia around the house or car including cellophane wrappers, aluminum foil, rolling papers, small pipes, and small baggies or containers. Often times if teens aren’t able to obtain jobs, they will steal items from home to sell for money, including prescription medication. It’s important to check and make sure any alcohol cabinets and refrigerators are monitored as alcoholic beverages can also be used as currency for underage teens.
Other Risk Factors
Teenage behavior can be unpredictable and vague but there are external factors that can influence them negatively and drive them towards drug use. (See Teen Prescription Drug Use Skyrockets, Parents Clueless)
Family History: If there is a genetic trend of addiction on either side of a child’s family, they are more susceptible to following down that path. This can include issues with alcohol, nicotine addiction, prescription drugs, or illicit substances. Studies have shown that first-degree relatives of those with addiction issues are eight times more likely to develop addiction disease.
Surroundings: Areas that have a high rate of drug and alcohol use can be a harmful environment for growing young adults. Living in an atmosphere where drugs are used recreationally can normalize exposure to certain substances. In homes where parents and siblings frequently misuse drugs and alcohol, children are prone to a higher rate of experimentation that can lead to addiction.
Age: Teenagers are bound to experiment as their growing brains become curious about the world that surrounds them. However, the earlier a teen is exposed to drugs and alcohol, the higher the risk of addiction. Because the human brain does not finish primary development until one’s mid-twenties, the damage that drug use can cause can be irreversible.
Being a teenager has never been easy, but there are ways for parents to create healthy relationships with their children in order to help guide them towards good decision making. Being genuinely interested in your child’s life is a great way to be proactive and engaged. Asking simple questions about their school life, as well as their social life, is a great opportunity to gather information in order to know what they are up to from day to day.
While shifts in social circles, activities, and interests are to be expected, keeping up with them is a supportive and nonintrusive way to know what is going on. Keeping a teen’s home life and surroundings safe, clean, and comfortable is also a crucial factor in guiding them to stay on the right track. Most importantly, creating discussion about aspects of their teen life and relating to their problems is far more productive than interrogation and accusation. If your child feels that they can trust you and come to you with fears, thoughts, and troubles, it will create open communication. This will help them feel safe and more stable, thus less likely to turn to drugs to help them deal with their emotions.
The post 5 Warning Signs Your Teenager May Be Using Drugs appeared first on Reach Out Recovery.
May 25, 2018
Narcissist’s No-bake Cookies
I was never able to make my Mother-in-law Rita’s signature Coconut Haystacks work. I couldn’t make our relationship work either. Because I thought I was the problem, I tried harder, gave more, and said less. Finally, I realized she was a narcissist who was gaslighting me. Here’s how I’m getting over it.
What Is Gaslighting?
Gaslighting is difficult to explain and even more difficult to recognize. Basically, one person uses covert tactics to make another person question his or her sanity. Rita was in my life for 20 years, and every encounter with her had an “incident.” Each incident was just a little off, leaving me to wonder, “Did that really happen?” or “Am I being petty?” Gaslighters rarely engage in bold, red flag behaviors. They manipulate and intimidate in a way that keeps their victims silent and second guessing themselves.
Rita’s recipe for her haystacks is a perfect example of gaslighting. These chocolate cookies were my husband’s favorite. Since I love baking, I asked her for the recipe. Yet each time I made the cookies, they never turned out. They were too dry or too soft. They didn’t set or they cooked too fast. After each failure, I asked her what I did wrong. It was always something different. It was too humid outside, or too cold. I got the recipe again, and again. Still nothing worked for me. Sure, she claimed to have the same failures I did, but I never saw proof. For Rita, the recipe always worked. It was about much more than the recipe. Our whole relationship was based on her besting and hurting me, and my feeling it was my fault.
She Was The Cat And I Was The Mouse
In gaslighting, opposites attract. One person, who’s usually a narcissistic manipulator, uses various methods to control another person, who is usually timid, sensitive, and empathetic. Guess which one was me.
Codependent Overcomes
Rita died seven years ago, but I’m still traumatized. In order to recover, I had to throw away all the memories of Rita’s wrongs and hurts, as well as my own inability to stand up for myself. In recovery, I have been working on all the components that go along with being a Codependent. I now know I am not alone and now I also know I am not helpless. I can find other resources to answer my questions. And that’s that I did to create the perfect Haystack recipe. Thank You, Google.
Codependent’s New And Improved Haystacks
First, spray a cookie sheet with non-stick oil.
In a large bowl, combine:
3 cups of Quick Cook Oats
1 cup of Coconut
Mix and set aside.
In a sauce pan, combine:
1 stick of butter
1 ¾ cups of sugar
½ cup of bittersweet cocoa
½ cup of milk
Cook on medium-high heat, constantly stirring. When the sauce reaches a rolling boil, start a timer and continue cooking for 1 ½ minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in oats and coconut. Scoop onto cookie sheet and let cool.
Need help with a toxic relationship? Recovery Guidance lists family therapists near you.
The post Narcissist’s No-bake Cookies appeared first on Reach Out Recovery.
Adderall And Alcohol Unsafe Combination
A 2013 study found that 46.4 percent of students who used Adderall non-medically had simultaneously used alcohol within the past year.
Another study found that 19 percent of people surveyed, who were prescribed Adderall to treat ADHD, intentionally misused their medication while drinking alcohol.
Although many people do it, mixing alcohol and Adderall can be life-threatening, especially when people consume them at the same time.
Is it safe to drink while taking Adderall?
Drinking alcohol while taking Adderall can be dangerous, as both contain chemicals that affect the central nervous system differently.
Drinking alcohol while taking Adderall can be dangerous. Combining alcohol and Adderall is especially dangerous for people using Adderall for non-medical purposes.
A 2013 report found that 19 percent of the emergency room visits related to ADHD medications in the United States, involving people aged 18 to 25, also involved alcohol use.
Examples of misusing Adderall include:
using the medication in a way not prescribed, such as more frequently or in larger doses
taking the medication in a different form than prescribed, such as crushing the tablets or opening the pills and smoking, snorting, or injecting the contents
taking someone else’s Adderall or using it for non-medical purposes, such as for studying, partying, or getting high
Why is it dangerous?
Adderall and alcohol contain chemicals that affect the central nervous system differently.
Adderall contains chemical salts that increase the effect of the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine in areas of the brain that improve focus and alertness.
Alcohol decreases the effects of neurotransmitters in the brain, slowing down bodily processes and mental function.
There are a few reasons why mixing alcohol and stimulants, such as Adderall, is not safe.
Alcohol is a depressant in moderate to large quantities. But in small doses, such as a glass of wine or beer, it usually acts as a temporary stimulant. This means Adderall may intensify and lengthen the period of stimulation people experience after a few drinks.
It may also delay the sedating effects of larger doses of alcohol, which might cause people to drink more than they would do otherwise. Consuming large quantities of alcohol can overwhelm the liver, leading to an alcohol overdose.
In other words, Adderall masks the sedating effects of alcohol that usually help prevent people from overdosing on alcohol.
Alcohol and the stimulants in Adderall also require the same liver enzymes for digestion.
People who drink while on Adderall may also feel the effects of one of the two drugs more than usual, depending on which drug is processed quicker by the liver.
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May 24, 2018
The Invisible Competition: Athletes & Mental Health
From Psychology Today:
Celebrities have been opening up about their mental health struggles. Kristen Bell, Gabrielle Union, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Mariah Carey, and Prince Harry are among the stars who have been sharing their diverse stories, from struggles with anxiety to trauma. Athletes are among the celebrities who are using their platform to promote mental health awareness. Michael Phelps, DeMar DeRozan, and Kevin Love have all recently stepped forward, and are shattering the misconception that their battles to success were merely physical feats. Phelps clarifies that what we may have seen as rogue behavior resulting in arrests were actually evidence of his struggles with anxiety and depression. NBA All-Stars DeMar DeRozan of the Toronto Raptors and Kevin Love of the Cleveland Cavaliers have shared a similar message: that the biggest challenges they face take place beyond the court. The experiences of these high-achieving athletes prove that we need to improve the visibility of mental health struggles in the sports world.
We need to talk about stigma.
The lack of mental health awareness and education has allowed stigma to persist as a problem in our modern world. Distorted views about mental health can cause individuals who are struggling to feel confused, isolated, embarrassed, and ashamed. Further, these sentiments may be enhanced for athletes and can serve as obstacles in the journey towards getting help.
We need to talk about strength.
One stigmatized belief is that a mental health struggle is a sign of weakness. This conflicts with the idea of an athlete as an example of someone who is in optimal health. This distortion demonstrates the misunderstood concept of health, and the common habit of valuing physical health over mental health. Strength is more than the condition of the body, it includes the mind as well. The need to be in superb shape can cause athletes to develop substance and eating-related concerns. Beyond valid physical challenges, athletes often face pressures, standards, and expectations. Further, athletes are tasked with the need to balance their personal and professional lives. Therefore, just as anyone else, athletes are susceptible to a variety of mental health struggles that can surface from general life concerns.
We need to talk about prevalence.
One in four individuals live with a mental health concern. The high rate of mental health concerns is in part caused by the lack of awareness and accessibility to mental health services. Considering the shame, stigma, and unwillingness to speak up and seek assistance, it is also possible that the amount of individuals with mental health struggles is underreported. Either way, this startling statistic highlights the variety of mental health concerns that affect people across the globe, irrespective of demographics. Love and DeRozan talk about how mental health problems are commonplace and don’t discriminate from person to person. Phelps, DeRozan, and Love serve as examples that achievement, success, and wealth are not barriers to developing mental health concerns.
We need to talk about getting help.
Recognizing the prevalence of concerns, and the risks of unchecked mental health problems, seeking help is crucial. Love shares that one of the best choices he ever made was to seek help. Phelps says he has turned his struggles into a passion and considers his mission for mental health advocacy a higher calling than his Olympic achievements. Mental health professionals can provide help for mental, emotional, and social concerns just the same as a coach would provide support, assistance, and guidance. When caring for overall wellness, mental health is just as important to foster as physical strength.
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