drugs
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Unhealthful Habits Increase the Risk of Sexual Dysfunction
Posted by Galen Bosley on
Sexual dysfunction associated with poor health habits
Danish researchers found that certain lifestyle habits were associated with sexual inactivity and sexual dysfunction. Women experienced increased risk of sexual inactivity when they were overweight and smoked tobacco; sexual dysfunction when they used hashish. Risk for sexual dysfunction in men was associated with being underweight or obese, a large waist circumference, physical inactivity, high alcohol intake, tobacco smoking, and use of hard drugs (800% increase).
PositiveTip: Avoid high-risk lifestyle habits to enhance every aspect of life.
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Self-medicating for Anxiety Is A Fast Track To Alcohol/Drug Abuse
Posted by Galen Bosley on
Self-medicating for anxiety with alcohol and drugs can quickly lead to abuse.
Alcohol and drug abuse is often associated with anxiety disorders, but which came first? A study of 34,653 adults followed for 3 years may help answer this question. Participants having anxiety disorder at the beginning of the study and self-medicated with alcohol and/or drugs, were 2.5 times as likely to develop alcohol abuse, and had a five fold risk of drug abuse problems within three years. These substances tend to weaken the ability to deal with life issues by making sound, reasonable choices--thus compounding stressful life situations.
Girls, Drugs and Parental Influence
Posted by Gary Hopkins on
This series of posts is about drugs and young girls.
We aren’t suggesting that anyone should ignore the issues of boys and drugs -- boys certainly have potential to abuse drugs at an early age. But too often people think of drugs as a boys-only problem. And it is important to recognize that drug use is also an issue with unique consequences among young girls.
So, maybe you have asked yourself “What can parents do?”
A report from the Office of National Drug Control Policy lists several suggestions. Research shows that parents are the most important influence in their daughters’ decisions about drug use. So here are some recommendations for parents of young girls:
Girls, Drugs, and Consequences
Posted by Gary Hopkins on
Boys certainly have potential issues with drug use at an early age but for this blog belongs to a series of posts dedicated to describing drug use issues among young girls.
Girls, Drugs and Self-esteem
Posted by Gary Hopkins on
A previous blog looked at girls and drugs, and another blog examined how drugs impair judgment and can influence the sexual decisions of young girls. Both of these posts noted that many people tend to consider drug use among kids to be a boys' issue, but evidence shows that girls are even more at risk in some ways.
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Childhood Sleep Loss Suppresses Goal-driven Behaviors Later On
Posted by Fred Hardinge on
Not enough sleep in childhood may lead to alcohol and drug abuse in young adulthood.
A new prospective study suggests that overtired children are more likely to abuse alcohol and drugs when they become young adults by lowering their response inhibition.
Young adults who had trouble sleeping in childhood were twice as likely to have the same problem in adolescence. This persistent sleep deprivation directly predicts alcohol related problems later on in young adulthood.
Could it be that irregular schedules, combined with media such as television, video and computer games are robbing your children of the sleep they need and setting them up for substance abuse later in life?
How Can We Ensure that Our Kids Excel in the Face of Adversity?
Posted by Gary Hopkins on
Resilience, in the field of health as it relates to youth, is the ability to face adversity and survive in spite of that adversity. Even more, it is the capacity to excel when things aren’t going well. Sounds confusing? Let’s clarify.
Some kids grow up under such terrible circumstances that you might think they'd have no chance at a normal life, yet they ultimately do very well as they grow up. Many children of alcoholics go on to live free of alcohol addiction. Many kids subjected to terrible childhood abuse do not become abusers in adulthood. Many youngsters who grow up in gang-infested inner cities go on to live productive lives free of drugs and violence.
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Serious Adverse Effects of Antipsychotics on Children
Posted by Fred Hardinge on
Use of antipsychotics in children skyrocketing--with serious complications.
During the past ten years prescriptions of psychotropic medications for children have increased 600% or more--this in spite of sparse data to support this trend. More than 80% of these are given for non-psychotic diagnoses. A recent observational study of 272 young persons with a mean age of 14 found that a weight gain of 7% or more occurred in those on these medications compared to the controls.