Heroin and Pregnancy

Heroin is a highly addictive drug that can cause many health problems including death. Women who use heroin during pregnancy put their own health and their baby's health at risk. Pregnant women using heroin are at an increased risk for developing complications with their pregnancy, including the stillbirth (death) of their child.

Prenatal heroin exposure can result in poor fetal development of the child, birth defects, low birth weight, premature birth, and even stillbirth. Premature birth can cause many health issues for a newborn as the organs and body functions were not able to fully develop in the womb. Depending on the extent of the mother's heroin use, her baby can also be born addicted to heroin.

A baby born addicted to heroin will begin to exhibit withdrawal symptoms the first few days after birth. These may include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, irritability, excessive crying, trembling and seizures. The initial withdrawal symptoms may last for a week or more. Babies exposed to heroin in the womb may need extra swaddling or cuddling for many months after birth to ease their discomforts. They are also at an increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

A pregnant woman addicted to heroin should not attempt to quit using heroin on her own. The withdrawal symptoms can cause great distress to the fetus and can result in miscarriage or stillbirth. She should seek professional treatment at a drug rehabilitation center where her withdrawal symptoms and detoxification can be medically managed. Methadone is a drug often used to help heroin users to recover from heroin addiction. Methadone has been used in pregnant women who are addicted to heroin. Doctors can more safely treat the withdrawal symptoms of a baby born to a mother taking methadone than a mother on heroin, and mothers taking methadone have higher weight and healthier babies.

Heroin addiction increases the likelihood of malnutrition, sexually transmitted diseases, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C, and other diseases. Pregnant women using heroin are at an increased risk for preeclampsia and third trimester bleeding, among other pregnancy complications. Their child is at risk for fetal death, poor fetal development, birth defects, premature birth, low birth weight, heroin addiction and withdrawal, and lifelong disabilities.

A pregnant woman who is trying to quit her heroin addiction should seek treatment at a comprehensive drug rehabilitation center where prenatal care and methadone maintenance (if deemed necessary) can help her safely detox and improve the outcome for her and her baby.

Smoking Is Not Cool

I confess, I was a smoker for a good decade until I gave it up two years ago. All my friends were doing it and I thought it was the best way to fit in. I can not say I have fond memories of those years. The constant tickle in my throat making me cough was something I just tolerated. I quit cold turkey when I started having trouble taking a deep breath. If I would exert myself, even a little, I would get out of breath and it would take me longer than usual to catch it through all the wheezing. My health and my comfort were much more important to me than a cigarette. After a few months of not inhaling toxic smoke, my lungs thanked me and started working the way they were meant to work. I could breathe again. I could smell the roses again and food tasted great. Each time I felt the urge to have a cigarette I reminded myself of how it felt to wake up in the middle of the night coughing and gasping for air.

I remember when smoking was portrayed as the cool thing to do. The tough guys in my favorite movies always had that cigarette dangling from their lips. You would never see them coughing or running out of breath climbing a flight of stairs. The beautiful leading ladies of film would be puffing away on their cigarettes, showing off their pearly white teeth when they smiled instead of the yellow we all know comes from smoking. The days of glorifying this nasty habit are long past.

Think about how cool it looks when you see someone pressed against a wall, looking for cover under a tiny ledge in the pouring rain smoking a cigarette. I certainly never wanted to be that guy shivering with numb fingertips in freezing temperatures stealing a few drags outside their workplace just so they can get through the rest of the morning.

Most smokers I know say that having a cigarette relaxes them. The poisonous carbon monoxide contained within a cigarette binds to hemoglobin in red blood cells, preventing affected cells from carrying a full load of oxygen. That does not sound soothing to me. Smoking also increases the heart rate and raises your blood pressure. I must say that is the complete opposite of relaxation.

How To Fail While Trying To Quit Smoking

Considering it's an activity that can badly bruise the ego, failing to quit smoking remains a remarkably popular past-time. So for those smokers yet to try them out, here are three of the most popular methods...

1) Identify nicotine as the problem... After all, nicotine is the addictive ingredient found in cigarettes, right? So once you've weaned yourself off that, then you'll never want to smoke again! I mean, why dwell on complicated factors such as the power of habitual behaviour or the relevance of drug delivery mechanisms, when you can simply chew some gum or stick a patch onto your arm instead?

There are solid reasons why independent surveys have shown nicotine replacement therapies to succeed in as few as 3.7% of cases, and why even the manufacturers involved claim success rates significantly below 30% for their products.

The nicotine in a cigarette works by opening the brain's dopamine receptors and exposing the smoker to stimulation within milliseconds, and there's just no way this intense experience can ever be replicated by slowly ingesting the same drug over many minutes or even hours. You might as well drink a cup of (equally addictive) coffee instead!

2) If only I can last (2/3/4 weeks)... Solidly based on the nicotine addiction theory, this equally popular delusion presumes that cigarette cravings get weaker every day you abstain, until you reach a magic number of days when they vanish completely.

If you like failing then you're absolutely going to love this method, as it's a guaranteed road to nowhere! Because cravings are overwhelmingly psychological, so there's no way they're ever going to mysteriously vanish. To the contrary, unless you've taken positive steps to motivate yourself so you really want to quit, then those cravings are going to steadily recur, regardless of how long you manage to abstain. And that's why this method is so popular with those smokers who lack any real intention of quitting, enjoy martyrdom and maybe like to revel in the sympathetic attention of gullible friends and relatives as well!

3) This time, I'm going to try really hard to quit... Whilst weekend golfers try to reach the green, pros decide exactly where on the green they're going to allow the ball to drop! If you're really serious about anything in life, you don't try to do it - you decide exactly how you're going to go about it so you'll succeed. And if this golden rule has some exceptions, then quitting smoking certainly isn't one of them!

Five Criteria for Choosing a Drug Rehab

Recovering from drug addiction needs commitment and determination from the part of the individual. Choosing the right rehab center is another factor that will greatly help in the success of the treatment. A good rehab center provides a perfect environment where the individuals can relax and focus on leading a normal life, away from the claws of addiction. The place should have a clear and effective treatment program and able personnel who can keep inmates motivated.

Choosing a drug rehab could be a daunting task since there are many centers out there offering different programs. Here are 5 ways that will help you in choosing the one that would suit your needs.

1. Cost of the Rehabilitation Program

Many private rehab centers tend to be pricey and are made for the rich and famous. But if you search hard enough you could find a private rehab that suits your budget and offer a good program. High end rehab centers come with many comforts like swimming pool, gym and luxuriously furnished rooms etc...

Having a great health insurance which covers a substantial amount of the costs could help you in getting into private facilities. So the first thing to do is to approach your carrier. They will help you in finding out your treatment options and plans.

If you do not have insurance or your carrier does not cover rehab costs, there are many public and subsidized facilities that you may approach.

2. Location

A rehab center which is closer to home would be the best choice. The support of the family is very important in drug rehabilitation and having your house at a close distance would make a lot of difference. Family visits and family therapy sessions can be easily organized with a rehab center that is situated close.

3. Methods of Treatment

There are many treatment methods used by rehab centers in treating addiction. Choosing a rehab that uses methods that is not suitable to you could ruin the entire program.

Most of the facilities use the traditional 12-step program in treating addiction. This method is has its base in spirituality and religion. If you are not comfortable with this approach, try centers which use other treatment methods.

4. Therapy and Aftercare

The most important part in choosing a drug rehab is analyzing their treatment program. You can assess the program personally by going through their program outlines or request someone's help in doing so. Talking to individuals who have already gone through rehab and getting opinions from support groups also help.

The two main things apart from the general treatment methods are the individual counseling and aftercare therapy. The availability of a psychologist to conduct regular one-on-one sessions has proved to be beneficial in the recovery process. A rehab center with these two facilities could be a better choice.

5. Comforts

Drug rehab is a grueling and intense task. A rehab center where even the minimal comforts are lacking could make the journey tougher. This is a place an individual might be required to stay for long periods. So, wanting to get out of the rehab quickly could ruin all your efforts done in getting better.

If you're looking for a drug rehab with a high success rate, visit Drug Rehab in Chiang Mai.

The Best Diet For Addiction Recovery

Once someone is addicted to drugs or alcohol the road to recovery is sometimes long and difficult. But there are ways to speed up the process and make it easier to bear at the same time.
Diet and exercise play a big part in a full and quick recovery. The body which has been malnourished for some time, usually as a result of addiction, needs to be built back up in order for the person to successfully get off of drugs or alcohol.

Usually while a person is addicted to drugs and alcohol they do not notice things like diet and exercise. Their body becomes completely malnourished and cannot fight off basic sicknesses.
The Malnourished Body
A malnourished body has problems with things such as:
The Heart
The Circulatory system
The Liver
The Pancreas
The Kidneys

All of these systems can suffer various breakdowns as a result of the lacking nutrition in the body as well as the effects of the drugs and alcohol itself. If you look around and notice people who are taking drugs you can always tell by the way their body looks. They will usually have dark circles under their eyes, and be skinnier than normal. Their teeth, hair and nails can look unhealthy as well. This isn't always just a result of the drugs but also due to the lack of nutrition.

Because the body needs specific nutrients in order to survive, drug users have a much harder time when they decide to try to get off of the drugs. Since their body is already so depleted it will take extra work and time to rebuild it. You will also need even more help to detox from drugs and alcohol and. The diet that someone needs to eat while they are doing rehabilitation has to be sufficient enough to provide all of the essential nutrients as well as the additional vitamins that are needed to help the body deal with the stress that it will be going through during the process.

Fruits and vegetables offer vitamins such as C, E and many B vitamins. These can help the body relieve the stress it is undergoing. The food that you eat cannot do it alone though, vitamins and minerals are also an important part of the full recovery.

The Importance Of Vitamins
Extra vitamins such as B Complex, C and E will help the heart, liver and blood in your body. Many doctors recommend a diet excluding sugar and caffeine. Sugar and caffeine both inhibit the body from being able to heal itself. Sugar has been shown to act as a poison to the body, slowing down the metabolism, causing problems with the body's natural blood sugar as well as effecting things such as a person's hunger and sleep.

Not only does diet play a huge part in the process but exercise also should not be ignored. When the body exercises it builds up its own stamina. It also helps get blood flowing to all of the internal organs. When blood flows to the different organs it feeds them the vitamins and oxygen that are needed to repair and build. Exercise helps also to lower blood pressure and releases endorphins which help a person feel better and be happier.

These things are all definitely needed in regular life but especially needed while a person is trying to rehabilitate themselves from a life of drugs and alcohol.
Usually when a person enters a rehabilitation facility they are given the proper diet and exercise plan to help them successfully recover from the effects of the drugs and successfully quit using them. Once this happens the person has a greater chance of returning to a normal life and if they continue to maintain a healthy lifestyle with diet and exercise then they will also be more likely to continue to stay off of drugs.

For more information on this topic contact Narconon Arrowhead or call 800-468-6933. Recovery from addiction is possible and nutrition is one key aspect of this. Learn more today.

Dangerous Abuse Of Psychostimulants Among College Students

College students use psychostimulants to study harder, stay up later, and feel more alert. Yet the side effects of drugs like Ritalin and Adderall are extremely dangerous, often fatal. Despite the perils involved, these drugs are some of the most abused legal drugs on college campuses aside from alcohol.

A college student studying.

What Are Psychostimulants
Psychostimulants are drugs that increase energy and alertness. The word stems from "psycho" meaning "of the mind" and "stimulant" meaning that it stirs up the central nervous system. These drugs consist of amphetamines and methylphendiates (a substance similar to amphetamines). They are used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
It is estimated that seven to fifteen percent of college students abuse psychostimulants--meaning that they use it without a prescription--on a regular basis. The drugs are known to help students stay awake, remain alert in class, and get better grades. Others use them to get high, because the drugs produce a strong euphoria (pleasurable feeling). Users ingest, snort or even inject the drugs. Snorting and injecting are typically used to get high because it causes the substance to reach the bloodstream almost immediately.
Nearly one-half of students who are prescribed psychostimulant medication admit to sharing it with others. A large number of students feign ADHD in order to acquire regular prescriptions.

Dangerous Side Effects
The trouble with toying with these drugs is that they produce a number of powerful and dangerous side effects. Among them are:
• Decreased appetite
• Unhealthy weight loss
• Sleep disruption
• Seizures
• Tourette's Syndrome (involuntary twitching)
• Headaches
• Sudden acute pain
• Fever
• Blurred vision
• Hypersensitivity
• Anxiety
• Severe mood swings
• Suicidal thoughts
• Violent behavior
• Hallucinations
• Psychosis
• Overdose
• Death

Most kids don't know that abusing ADHD medication is a federal crime. So why don't people stop abusing psychostimulants even when they are aware of the dangers? The truth is, these drugs are extremely addictive. In fact, they are often referred to as "kiddie cocaine" because of the similarity. The college environment is full of these pills and students' attitude about them is very nonchalant; they're often passed around at study parties and shared in class. It is easy for students to fake ADHD symptoms because testing for the disease normally consists of nothing more than a one-page survey.

Creating A Dangerous Environment
 Not only are psychostimulants dangerous to those who abuse them, they have proven perilous to others in their vicinity. Drugs like Ritalin and Adderall can produce psychotic episodes that lead to suicide and violence. As these drugs are mind-altering and mood-altering, the user's behavior can be confusing and unpredictable to friends and family.
A substantial number of school-aged children are on regular doses of psychostimulants for ADHD. While the doctors who prescribe the drugs assure parents and children that they are safe, suicides and violent behavior continue to occur as a result of use. Addiction experts are aware of a link between such medication and a lifetime of addiction.

For more information on this topic or others contact Vista Bay drug rehab through our Facebook page.