Saturday, December 4, 2010

Long-Term Effects of Marijuana on the Brain - 8 Ways Weed Changes Your Brain

By Seb Grant




The effects of marijuana on the brain are varied. Marijuana doesn't make a habit of killing brain cells as effectively as alcohol, or harder drugs like cocaine or ecstasy. However, when smoked often and for long periods, marijuana can and will have a serious long-term effect on the brain and the way it functions.

In the past, marijuana has been known as a relatively harmless drug, with very few cases of extreme symptoms, such as psychosis. But with the potency of marijuana on the rise in recent times, this once harmless plant has progressed into a habit-forming drug, with many long-term effects on the brain now being reported.

These symptoms of marijuana on the brain can take longer to wear off than people often think. Although the drug's short-term effects last a relatively short period of time, the overall effect marijuana has on the mind can last months, years, or even a lifetime.

Short-Term Effects of Marijuana

We all know about the short-term effects of weed, it's the reason people smoke the drug in the first place. THC (the active agent that gets you high) preys on certain nerve cells in the brain that are responsible for things such as pleasure, focus, time perception, balance and short-term memory.

Smoking weed interferes with these, and will cause the user things like:

  • Dizziness

  • Impaired short-term memory

  • Increased metabolism (the munchies)

  • Impaired time perception

  • In large doses, hallucinations

These are the short-term effects, and the peak of this 'high' will wear off reasonably quickly. However, if a user was to smoke marijuana often enough, their body would retain many toxins and it's possible that user would never fully recover from the effects of marijuana between 'smoking sessions.'

If this is the case, the long-term effects of marijuana on the brain are more likely to occur, and it's possible that a user may never recover from some of the results marijuana has on the brain, even once they quit smoking weed altogether.

8 Long-Term Effects Of Marijuana On Your Brain:

  1. Impaired Short-Term Memory

  2. Impaired Long-Term Memory

  3. Decreased Speech Ability

  4. Increased Anxiety

  5. Depression Tendencies

  6. Psychosis Tendencies

  7. Loss of Co-ordination

  8. Loss of Balance

These are typical long-term effects of marijuana on the brain, symptoms that a heavy user of marijuana could go through. In the past, these symptoms were not typical of most people who quit weed and were only present in extreme cases.

However, these days with the potency of marijuana on the rise, weed has become a harder drug and this is something many people overlook. By smoking too much, they run the risk of developing serious long-term effects on their brain and future development.

What if you can't quit weed?

If you need to quit weed but have trouble doing it on your own, please make sure to check out this quit weed guide. This course uses useful methods such as a Natural Marijuana Detox and other modern strategies to help you change your perception of the drug and quit weed.




Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Seb_Grant


http://EzineArticles.com/?Long-Term-Effects-of-Marijuana-on-the-Brain---8-Ways-Weed-Changes-Your-Brain&id=5369203

Monday, November 29, 2010

The Way To Properly Quit Smoking

by Wyatt Edwards



Cigarettes enthusiasts are suffering huge reduction because of the increasing rates of the tobacco in the market. Many elements have the effect of the increase regarding rates of any nicotine products. Higher duty fee and also duties will be the major causes for your rise associated with costs of any nicotine products. Each and every smoker desires for that times whenever smoking have been tax free.

Right now there are lots of methods for getting a budget tobacco. Among the best ways is them on the internet. You will find a huge difference in the price of online acquiring and also buying from a shop. Regardless of associated with promoting tobacco websites decide to make great income. Protected purchases would be the main cause of popularity of these websites. If you're a smoke enthusiast of your distinct brand, and also were pressured to leave the manufacturer just due to the cost improve, after that no need to worry right now. Many websites are available which will help in fixing this issue associated with yours. You will acquire smoking with no problem. You'll have to visit a excellent as well as authentic web site.

There are numerous fake internet site furthermore upon available on web. It can be you ways a person sustain length from them. Every light up fan really wants to buy cheap. Thus what is the large offer simply carry on world wide web and obtain the particular smoke. Most of the sites even supply you deals that can be beneficial for you. You may also get low cost as much as half. Right now the smile just isn't far from face from the smokers. Make an effort to be in more information prior to going via sites. A few sites exist in order to trap a person to make funds. They sell an individual discount coupons which may be out dated. Thus be mindful before purchasing them. You can experience great deficits. Choose the businesses that you simply feel are trustworthy.

When selecting smoke online, try to buy carton at the same time. It helps an individual in many ways. You will have great stock at the same time a lot more you purchase, less you will have to pay for that. By looking at all the over factors you'll definitely sense content if you are a smoke enthusiast. However really don't obtain thrilled and also acquire any kind of completely wrong selection. When you can find benefits you can find drawbacks as well. Smokers must do a difficult job to locate a cheap promoting web site. Once the option is a lot more, competition is much more, because of that a number of artificial service providers earn great amount of money. It becomes hard to determine for your smoke enthusiast that which internet site he or she should prefer.

You might think that exactly how it is possible how the cigarette, which you get expensive on the shop, can be acquired at an affordable online. Reply to this question is which internet sites owners do not need to pay much quantity of taxation which the offline go shopping proprietors have to pay because of the regulations existing in their area. Which means this way you can get cheap smoking for you personally today!





The author about various matters. Similar to browsing on on the Internet. This time informed with regards to: cheap cigarettes . In addition paid out attention in additional diverse sites online cigarettes cheap





Article Source: ArticleSnatch Free Article Directory

Friday, October 1, 2010

How to Conduct Methamphetamine Test

By Nate Rodnay




Methamphetamine is a strong additive drug that targets the Central Nervous System (CNS). It is also known by its street names like Meth, Speed, chalk, and ice. Use of methamphetamine causes release of neurotransmitter dopamine, which gives a feeling of sudden rush or euphoria, increased alertness, and hyperactivity. The chronic use of methamphetamine results in irritability, insomnia, confusion, anxiety, delusions, and paranoia. Methamphetamine abuse can be detected by Urine, Hair, and Saliva drug testing methods. Urine drug testing is one of the most convenient, easy, reliable, and cost-effective methods to find Methamphetamine drug abuse in a person.

Specimen Collection and Storage

The urine specimen from the person should be collected in a clean, unbreakable container having no leaks. The specimen collection is an important process of Urine drug testing, as integrity of specimen is important for effective results. As there is risk of adulteration of samples, the collection of urine specimen should be done under supervision as it increases the integrity of samples. Urine samples can be collected from any time of the day. Care should be taken that no solid particles should be present in samples. If some solid particles are visible then the specimen should be centrifuged and filtered to obtain clear specimen. Specimen can be stored at a temperature of 2-8 degree celsius for 48 hrs before testing. If the specimen has to be stored for longer duration, it can be stored below -20 degree Celsius temperature.

Directions for Use

Immunoassay (IA) technique is used for initial screening to detect methamphetamine in urine samples. The urine sample that has to be tested should initially be brought to the room temperature before testing. Once the sample is brought to room temperature, the test strip provided with the testing kit should be inserted in the urine sample in the container. The test strip should be inserted with arrows directing towards urine sample. The strip should be kept inserted for 15-20 seconds. Care must be taken that test strip should be dipped till maximum line only. Then the strip should be placed on a flat non-absorbent surface. The test result will be displayed in just 5 minutes.

How to Read the Results

The results are displayed on the test strips in the form of red or pink bands. The results are interpreted as negative, if one red line appears in Control region [C], and another red or pink line appears in Test region [T]. This indicates that methamphetamine level is found below detectable level of 1000 ng/ml. The shade of red in test region [T] may vary and results should be considered as negative even if faint pink line appears. The results are interpreted as positive, if one red line appears in Control region [C] and no line appears in Test region [T]. This indicates that concentration level is found more than 1000 ng/ml. The results are considered as invalid if no line appears in control region [C]. The result is also considered invalid if no line appears in both Control region [C] and Test region [T].

If invalid result is recorded, the testing should be done with new strip. The positive results are preliminary analytical result and advanced techniques like Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry can be used for confirmatory purposes.

A positive result cannot show level of concentration of drug and route of administration. While negative result indicates that drug is present below cut-off concentration but not a completely drug free urine.

The above information helps to check methamphetamine drug presence using urine drug testing method.

DrugTestStrips.com is an online store offering drug test kit and Drug Screening Products in several formats including Blood, Urine and Oral drug test kit. DrugTestStrips.com offers FDA-approved urine drug testing kit as well as DOT-approved alcohol testing products. Some of the popular products are Marijuana drug testing, Breathalyzer and Ovulation test.




Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nate_Rodnay


http://EzineArticles.com/?How-to-Conduct-Methamphetamine-Test&id=3479907

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Teen Girls Now Abuse Drugs More Than Boys. How to Know if your "little Girl" Has a Drug Problem

Author: Christin Shire


It's official, teen girls now have more problems with drug and alcohol abuse than do teen boys; and they more than likely are using drugs or alcohol for completely different reasons. Additionally, because they don’t often show the same type of behavioral disturbances as do teen boy substance abusers, girls often continue to use for longer at unsafe levels before parents ever know the real extent o the problem.





Firstly, teen girls don’t use drugs and alcohol for the same reason that teen boys do (Why teen girls get addicted ). Teenage boys tend to use drugs and alcohol recreationally, and use for the excitement, fun and experimentation that drugs promise. Girls are far more likely to take drugs or alcohol as a way to combat low self esteem, to gain self confidence in a group, to attract the attention of older teen boys who also use, and to use drugs as a way to combat feelings of depression and anxiety.





Girls suffer more from drug abuse





Unfortunately, teen girls also seem to be uniquely affected by their drug use, and teen girls (already at a higher risk for depression that teen boys) if using and abusing drugs or alcohol are two and a half times more likely to experience clinical depression. They are also far more likely to experience an unwanted pregnancy, contract an STD and also to use drugs for properties such as weight loss.





The problem with pills





Teen girls are especially attracted to prescription pills, attracted by the ease of access, the perception of safety, and the perception of positive side effects (decreased anxiety and weight loss). With some prescription pain killers every bit as addictive as heroin, this is problematic.





Additionally, teen girls tend to abuse for longer on average before receiving intervention and professional help. Teen boys using drugs and alcohol are more likely to get in trouble at school, more likely to get into fights or problems with the law, or more likely to have a DUI; while teen girl users tend to avoid most of these problems. The problem is that without some of these obvious signs of use, parents and teachers remain unaware of the level of use, and are unable to intervene in a timely manner.





Parents need to be on the lookout for drug and alcohol use and abuse in teenage girls, and understand that some of the signs may not obviously point to drug use.





Increasing moodiness and depression is a normal sign of drug use and abuse that very rarely gets identified as such, with parents misattributing changes in behavior to the normal expressions of adolescence. While some moodiness can obviously be expected during the formative adolescent years, excessive signs of depression are not normal; and very likely indicate a greater problem.





If your teen no longer has any interest in family activities or wants to spend all of their time in their room, you should be concerned.





If your teen no longer cares as much about their appearance, you should be concerned.





If your teen suddenly drops all old friends for an assortment of new, and seemingly unsavory friends; you should be concerned.





If grades suddenly slip, you should be concerned.





Any or all of these behavioral signs may or may not indicate a problem with drugs or alcohol, but they are worrying behaviors and they do need to be investigated; and if your child is not experimenting or abusing drugs or alcohol, they may be enduring some form of clinical depression. A professional diagnosis can be very helpful for parents concerned about the health and safety of an at risk teen.





You can never protect your teen from all of the dangers out there, but you can do a lot simply by staying involved and active in their life, by leading with a good example on drugs and alcohol use, and by having clear and understood rules on the use of any form of drugs or alcohol.





Talk to your teen, stay involved, make time for mutually enjoyable activities; you'll be in a far better position to evaluate what changes in behavior may mean, and how far from normal these changes really are.




Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/teen-girls-now-abuse-drugs-more-than-boys-how-to-know-if-your-quotlittle-girlquot-has-a-drug-problem-226610.html



About the Author

Christian Shire is an addictions professional writing about all matters pertaining to treatment and recovery. If you need help making a decision about treatment visit Choosehelp to read more.



Read the daily addiction blog Troubleblog for stories of recovery and the latest news on treatment options.

Thursday, September 23, 2010

What is Rehab or Rehabilitation?

Author: Daniel Osteler


Rehabilitation or also called as rehab, is the treatment for a person who is suffering from an illness. You can find three basic types of rehabilitation, which are classified based on the type of illnesses.



  • Psychiatric rehab- Psychiatric rehab or psychosocial rehab is the process of restoring a person, who is diagnosed with a psychiatric disability or a mental disorder, for their wellbeing and functioning properly with the community.

  • Penology Rehab- Criminal rehabilitation is called as penology rehab. In this process of treatment, the basic assumption they follow is that not all criminals are permanently criminal, and it is quite possible to restore them to the social community as contributing and helpful citizens.

  • Neuropsychological rehab- Retraining of the neural pathways to improve process of thinking, which is weakened due to disease or traumatic injury.


In summation, we can derive that rehabilitation is a process of recovery of a person, who can function properly for regaining independence and quality for his/her self, after the illness occurs.


The success of the rehab process completely depends upon the will of the person to get well. The earlier the process is started, the greater the chances of reverting back to normal life.


We saw above the classification of the rehab processes based on the illness of an individual. Now, we will go through the different types of rehab treatments in a rehab process. They are as follows:



  • Outpatient rehab- Like the name suggests it is a treatment process for the individuals who do not live at the rehab center due to some reasons. Due to this, variation may occur in the intensity of the treatment during the day. However, the treatment programs are structured on the requirements of the individuals.

  • Inpatient rehab- This treatment is for the individuals who live in the rehab center. The main motive for doing so is to keep the patients away from the cause of the illness, such as drugs and alcohol, in drug addiction cases. The patients have to live in the center for the entire span of the rehab program.

  • Short-term rehab- This treatment consists of intensive programs which help the patient to stay away from drugs and alcohol. The duration of such a treatment might be 4 to 10 weeks. The individual undergoing the treatment is able to maintain his/her daily routine because of the 5 days a week structure of the treatment.

  • Long-term rehab- This treatment process is designed for individuals who need intense and uninterrupted care for a long period. The treatment consists of dealing with the emotional, social, spiritual, vocational and physiological needs. They also offer aftercare programs that aim at relapse prevention and support.

  • Residential rehab- The qualified teams at the rehab centers offer different treatments, which are undertaken in places, which are suitable for the patients to recover. The environment is made to resemble home, so that the patient is relaxed and is removed from his/her surroundings for a faster recovery.



Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/mental-health-articles/what-is-rehab-or-rehabilitation-2889371.html



About the Author

Daniel Osteler is a great author that provides information of Rehabilitation. Rehabilitation is a process to cure a person of addiction or other types of illnesses like mental disorder etc. They can get back to a safe and secure life with the help of rehabilitation. A lot of therapies, counseling, & medication go into this process to help the patient to control his or her problems and recover from it.

Sunday, September 19, 2010

What Methods Teen Treatment Centers Use to Fight Addiction

What Methods Teen Treatment Centers Use to Fight Addiction

By Matt Brindisi




The rising popularity in teen treatment centers is something that inspires mixed emotions. On one hand, we are happy that we have these places of rehabilitation to help teens get better but at the same time, we are exposed to a growing set of teenage problems that didn't exist before: chronic depression, alcohol addiction, and illicit drug abuse and prescription drug addiction.

Let us look at the three pronged approached adopted by teen treatment centers to counter this growing menace of substance abuse:

1. Counseling: Teens are at a vulnerable state of life where their decisions are usually impulsive and influenced; which is one of the reasons why they become victims of substance abuse. During the counseling phase, the counselor has a heart to heart chat with the patient and find out the root cause of his addiction. Short-term behavioral goals are charted out which can put a full-stop to drug abuse. These can be in the form of cognitive therapy, Narcotics Anonymous, Alcoholics Anonymous and other such programs. There is also another treatment program which is rapidly gaining ground, also known as 'Stimulus Control' that shows the teen how to practically stay away from 'stimulus' or 'triggers' in the form of situations and people that can lead to substance abuse and substitute it with conditions that foster participation in healthy activities.

2. Medication: Medication also assumes a lot of importance when used to treat various forms of addiction and boost the immune system. For instance, in case of nicotine cravings, an antidepressant like Buproprion is administered. If a teen is addicted to opiates like heroine, it is normal for him to have strong withdrawal systems post the detox procedure. In this case, Methadone, levo-alpha acetyl methadol or Buprenorphine hydrochloride are used as non-intoxicating opiates that can take care of these problems. Naltrexone is also used by doctors to counter the opiate effects and has been found to be especially useful in cases of opiate overdose.

3. Family Intervention: In a teen rehabilitation center, the family intervention aspect does matter a lot when it comes to effective treatment, as the people who are seeking treatment are not yet adults. The treatment aspects in this case include multidimensional family therapy (MDFT) and multifamily educational intervention (MFE).

Parents should cooperate fully with the treatment and should play a good role in motivating their children along with the efforts of the teen rehab. Apart from the above three points of treatment, there is a tilt towards motivational enhancement therapy that strengthens the mental resolve of the teen to stay away from these vices. The most effective time period for complete and comprehensive treatment is between three and five months in a long -term residential treatment program where not just substance abuse but every teen problem is addressed. When the matter is out of control for the parent, and the teen is too much into drugs, it is better to act promptly and take him to one of the best teen treatment centers for rehabilitation.

Find more information on Teen Addiction Treatment Methods. Helpful and informative information on Teen Rehab Programs is available.




Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Matt_Brindisi


http://EzineArticles.com/?What-Methods-Teen-Treatment-Centers-Use-to-Fight-Addiction&id=4583383

Monday, January 11, 2010

Top Five Questions to Ask If You Are Addicted to Marijuana

By Craig Gettys

Being addicted to marijuana is far from being harmless. Addiction to this so called recreational drug can cause all kinds of social, emotional, and physical problems that will haunt its users everyday of their lives! Modern-day weed is much more addictive and stronger than what it used to be in the past. Decades ago it was considered a recreational or mild drug. With such addictive properties this can no longer be considered a mild drug.



The potency of today's pot is so strong, people using this drug experience extreme cravings and gut wrenching withdrawal when the go without it. It is these two symptoms keep people using this drug for a much longer period of time because their addiction is so strong, even though they know they should do whatever it takes to end this addiction. If you feel like you are addicted to marijuana, then truthfully answer the next five questions.



How Addicted to Marijuana are You Quiz



Please answer "yes" or "no" to the following questions.



1. Are you able to use more weed than you were in the beginning? When using to you need more to the feel the same effects?



2. When you are unable to use or get marijuana do you start to feel nervous or anxious? Have you ever substituted another drug to replace marijuana because you couldn't get any?



3. Have you seen an increase in the amount of pot you smoke? (Ex: Instead of smoking a single joint, you find yourself smoking more than one joint or smoking for an extended period of time?)



4. Are you constantly thinking about getting high, smoking to get high, or trying to get the money to get high?



5. Has your smoking habit got in the way of your social life, affected your work, and had negative effects on your family? Have you quit or stopped doing things that you used to like or enjoyed to do just to smoke pot?



If you answered yes to any of these questions it is most likely that you are addicted to marijuana. What you do now is up to you! If you know you want to kick this addiction and be pot free, then you are going to have to figure out the best way for you to quit smoking weed. There are many different ways that you can work to quit your addiction to this drug. You can try hypnotism, counseling, cold turkey, or other alternative therapies, but depending on how long and how much weed you have been smoking is going to be a critical factor in how hard this process is going to be for you.



If you do decide to try and quit, having a strong support network of friends and family and a stop smoking plan are going to greatly increase your chances of quitting pot smoking dramatically. Remember that you are not only doing this for yourself because you want to get better but you are also doing this for your friends and family!

Craig is a recovered pot smoker and wants to help others who suffer from being addicted to marijuana.

Screw Rehab Or Therapy... Learn How To Stop Smoking Pot In 9 Min... http://www.KicktheAddiction.info

Article Source: Top Five Questions to Ask If You Are Addicted to Marijuana