Adrenaline Addiction

here are people who just will not let go and must be buzzing non stop. They will be on the phone all the time, make notes and calculations. Even if they seem to be relaxing, they are planning their next moves. Hyperactive people are constantly in action, but can eventually start getting burnt out and become bored. At that point, they will tend to seek those higher and higher thrills, in order to get the adrenaline going,
since smaller challenges will not be good enough to get it produced. It is only a matter of time before they are in danger of getting into troubled waters.

It is not all that hard to become an adrenaline junkie, and although on the face of it, to be hyperactive would seem to be beneficial in some line of business but as I said, it can bring about hurried decisions and mistakes. In the business such as forex, banking, betting, bookmaking, driving etc. making even one mistake, can be catastrophic.

The possibility of what adrenaline addiction can cause, must never be underestimated and must be borne in mind, especially by those who are in positions where there is no room for mistakes.

Forex Addiction

There are certain people born with a natural tendency for impulsiveness. Quite
a number of these tend to lean towards gambling, the driving reason often being adrenaline addiction.

When the central nervous system needs more stimulation, it seeks to find bigger thrills to feed on.

It is known that forex trading can provide huge thrills, and to approach this business allowing the adrenaline addiction to dictate, can turn out to be very costly.

When muddy data play a part in forming an opinion, and added to this, decisions are made spurred on by adrenaline addiction, it can be a formula for disaster.

Adrenaline addiction can make people sacrifice quality to get instant results. This can lead them to take steps which are not properly planned, and more often than not, result in failure. In forex trading one must beware of this problem.

Many executives and leading political figures are prone to this kind of addiction, which explains why at times, they tend to make certain hurried regrettable decisions. Adrenaline addicts are not frowned upon like some alcoholics, but are given full marks for being constantly on the go, and praised for their relentless efforts to try and achieve their goal.

Bookmakers and casinos are rescued time and time again, by shrewd punters, who when thinking clearly are hard to beat, but when under pressure, allow adrenaline addiction to take over, and start making erratic decisions which costs them dearly.

We have all seen some very high wired tennis stars, boxers, film stars, and footballers, who thrive when constantly in the limelight, only to dwindle to serious boredom when out of it, which in turn, leads to ther thrill seeking that can have serious overtones.

The bottom line is to stay in control and keep cool at all times. You have to slow down sometimes to win.

Warning for masturbation

• Do not think of masturbation as evil, wicked or damaging to your health. It is not. You will not go blind, grow hair on your palms, or be unable to have a healthy sex life
• Do not aim NEVER to masturbate again - aim to have it as part of your life, but a small part which, while it is comforting, does not interfere with relationships with others.
• Be aware that masturbation is indeed good for you as it rids the body of unwanted substances through ejaculation.

tips for quiting masturbation

• If you have the tendency to masturbate at night, in bed, do some sit ups or other exercise before you get into bed so you burn some of your extra energy
• Never give up hope you can and will overcome the addiction even if you need help
• It is all in your brain, you can always replace your thoughts with wholesome ones if you really want to. You have the power to stop it.
• If you have the tendency to maturbate looking at porn on computers, try moving your computer into a room where others can see you.
• Consider installing porn-blocking software on your computer. Of course you will know the password to bypass the blocking function, but just having it pop up will give you a chance to reconsider and move to another activity instead of masturbating.

Steps to quit masturbation

1. Decide whether your masturbation is a cause for concern. Masturbation has become an obsession when it interferes with your daily routine and your relationships. If you find yourself masturbating instead of spending time on more important things on a daily basis (and you are no longer a teenage boy or girl!), then it might be time to break the cycle of behavior you are in.
2. Isolate the cause. There is a reason or reasons you masturbate excessively, and you must find out why. If you concentrate on just stopping masturbation then you will just return to your addiction after a short period of success. So, why do you masturbate? It could be because you are bored, lonely, hurt, stressed, or it could be because of pains from the past. You're going to have to get yourself in a relaxed state conducive to productive thought to really find out why you turn to masturbation. What are you trying to escape? Avoid focusing on symptoms. Saying you masturbate because it feels good is not the real reason you masturbate excessively. Dig deep into your feelings. If you find this part difficult you may need therapy to help you discover feelings you are not seeing clearly right now.
3. Deal with your feelings. Dealing with feelings correctly is a skill and may be a skill you have forgotten or need to learn. Feelings are the result of thoughts. How we interpret the world and ourselves in our minds determines how we feel. We decide how we feel about things. If you masturbate because you feel bored then it is because you decided to feel bored. Nobody made you feel bored. You did.
4. Change the thought patterns that are leading to excessive masturbation. You can no longer see masturbation as a solution to your boredom or loneliness. The more you learn to enjoy your everyday life the less you will want to turn to masturbation.
5. Narrow down the times of the day that seem to be the biggest problem for you. Isolating the times of the day that you struggle the most can help you to focus your efforts better to overcome masturbation addiction. If you know you struggle most when you lay down at night then you can create a plan specific to that time of day, for example do not lay down. Maybe you need to exercise and burn some testosterone before going to bed. Exercise will also help you to be more tired and fall asleep faster. If you struggle at different times of the day or several times throughout the day then try to narrow down the times and the environment you're in when this becomes difficult.
6. Spend some time each day, perhaps in the morning, visualizing a new you. A more confident, sociable, outgoing you. It's important that you start reprogramming your brain on a daily basis. It may seem awkward at first but if you persist, you will become more comfortable with your new self-image.
7. Change your habits. You cannot overcome a masturbation addiction so long as you are spending a lot of time alone in your bedroom viewing pornography. Get out and meet people. Form healthy relationships and perhaps find another outlet for your sexual energy.
8. Have an emergency way out - When the wave of temptation comes you need to have a pre-planned emergency way out. Many people have found that snapping a rubber band on their wrist helps break the automatic thought chain that leads to masturbation. Of course you don't want to hurt yourself, just have something similar to get your mind off masturbating.

How to Stop a Masturbation Addiction

Masturbation is sometimes called "self love" or "solo-sex". It is a normal and healthy activity, and indeed is the way most adolescents discover what makes them feel good before they embark on an adult sexual relationship. In some cases however, it can become an obsession. And that is not healthy. Medically masturbation is not a physical disease. Problems arise when it starts interfering in our lives as a stress, guilt or a thorn in our relationships. Even if little masturbation does that then it is termed "harmful"

Painkillers Addiction

Prescription Painkiller Addiction

Dependency on prescription painkillers often starts with a common injury, surgery or condition:

• You experience frequent pain or discomfort.
• You were in a car accident.
• You slipped and fell.
• You lifted a heavy box at work.
• You pulled a muscle while playing golf or tennis.
• You strained yourself working out at the gym.
• You had back surgery.
• You have fibromyalgia or severe arthritis.
• You are recovering from an operation or cancer treatment

You started pain medication for discomfort

Your physician prescribed a painkiller to help you manage the pain. Weeks or months after the initial injury has healed, you still take opioid painkillers likeVicodin®, OxyContin®, or Percocet®. Perhaps in an even higher dosage than at first.

1. You realize now that you cannot do without the prescription painkiller.

   The drug meant to help you now hurts you. In addition to your pain from the initial injury or a fear of medical treatment, you now experience the painful discomfort of withdrawal. Your pain has not eased, but intensified. We see patients who had treated a level-2 or 3 pain, after one year using painkillers, jump to level 8 or 9.

2. Know that you are not the only one.

   Approximately 75% of our patients suffer from a dependency on painkillers like OxyContin®. We recognize that patients became physically dependent on prescription painkillers, or other opiates, through no fault of their own. We help you change the story. This chemical imbalance requires expert medical treatment in a safe, humane and effective environment.

   
   

   
   

Video games addiction

Studies show that the excitement of video games makes playing them addictive. Parents of preteens hardly find this surprising.

Ask any preteen how they love to spend their spare time, and chances are you'll get an earful about video games. But why do they love them so? Are they addictive? According to some studies it would appear that the excitement of video games causes the brain to release a chemical that is, in essence, addictive. For any parent who has seen the fervor by which some kids play video games, this news is no surprise.

What makes these games so addictive? Media literacy specialist, Dr. Charles Ungerleider explains that "they're very compelling with increasing complexity, so a child becomes more facile, yet wants to know more and apply new skills." While wanting to improve their game isn't a problem in itself, it becomes one if video games are "taking a youngster away too much from other activities," says Ungerleider. "Then the parent has to intervene and limit the amount of time the youngster spends with the video game."

Professor of Computer Science, Maria Klavee feels video games, if not too violent, can "offer some real opportunities for puzzle solving, strategic and critical thinking". But she adds that it's important that video and computer games are played in moderation. Klavee says parents should "provide a selection of activities, not just the ones that have the most action or are addictive. Choose some that involve problem solving or good story lines. Also aim for a balance in your child's life. Sports are important, reading's important. Just think of computer games as one more component in a child's exploration of what's out there in society."

As for addiction? Ungerleider believes that "a parent can prevent youngsters from becoming addicted to too much TV or too many video games by establishing a pattern of selective viewing or by using video game material early in a child's life so that by the time a youngster gets to be an adolescent and there's very little surveillance or control, it's less likely to occur."

Finally, Ungerleider remind parents that "if a youngster becomes addicted to video games it can be a problem and the parent does need to intervene and provide attractive alternatives.

Money for drugs

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia Overview

Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe, and disabling mental illness. It affects men and women with equal frequency

People suffering from schizophrenia may have the following symptoms:

• Delusions, false personal beliefs held with conviction in spite of reason or evidence to the contrary, not explained by that person's cultural context
  
  
• Hallucinations, perceptions (can be sound, sight, touch, smell, or taste) that occur in the absence of an actual external stimulus (Auditory hallucinations, those of voice or other sounds, are the most common type of hallucinations in schizophrenia.)
  
  
• Disorganized thoughts and behaviors
  
  
• Disorganized speech
  
  
• Catatonic behavior, in which the affected person's body may be rigid and the person may be unresponsive

Sugar Addiction

Some experts believe kicking sugar is harder than kicking cigarettes or even heroine.....

Sugar is every where. It is advertised on television, at parties, in drinks, and hidden in many foods. So, to get the sugar out of your diet, where do you start? The tips below will get you started.................

Know all the sneaky names for sugar.

Read food labels and get rid of condiments, sauces, and dressings with sugar in them. Learn to make condiments and dressings with out the sugar.

Eat fruit

Fruit is a great way to eat something sweet, and control calories. Just stay away from dried fruit or sweetened fruit.

Avoid artificial sweeteners

just a crutch. They keep you from learning to enjoy the natural sweetness of real food. There are also studies that show that they can make you crave sugar, not to mention the studies that show other dangerous health effects like cancer

Eliminate the white stuff.

White flour, white rice, and white potatoes. These have the same affect on blood sugar as sugar, and this will make sugar harder to kick. These foods keep you on the insulin- low blood sugar cycle.

Avoid juice

Even 100% juice is sugar water in disguise. Drink water, and if you must, only a splash of juice for flavor.

Try stevia.

Stevia is an herb that is very sweet and has a slight licorice flavor. While it is a stretch to make a whole dessert with stevia, it is great in coffee and on cereal. It may take some getting used to, but it is way better than loading your food with sugar or known toxic chemicals.Tip: Look for stevia in the dietary supplement section. It will not be with the sweeteners

Learn to use honey.

If you really need a sugar fix, eat some honey. Learn to cook with it. Learn how to drizzle it in thin steams. It is very high in sugar but, has other benefits that sugar does not and it is all natural.Tip:Buy honey local to your area. The local pollens the bees use to make the honey could help prevent some seasonal allergies.

Limit alcohol

.Alcohol is made from sugar. It acts like sugar in the body. Especially when you first are trying to kick sugar stay away from any alcoholic beverages.

Bring a low sugar dessert to share.

Temptations are everywhere. Show others how delicious a low sugar life style can be

Keep it out of the house.

Do not temp yourself with your child's pop tarts or your husband's ice cream. Tell your family what you are doing and then put your foot down. It is hard enough with out sweets calling your name all day long.

Eat sweet potatoes, red potatoes, and brown rice with meals.

These are the foods to replace the white foods with. Sweet potatoes make a yummy dessert with a little yogurt. Steam small red potatoes or some brown rice to eat with dinner. If time is an issue, cook these items ahead of time.

If you must eat sweets, eat them after meals

.After meals sugar has less of an effect on blood sugar. You will be less likely to crash and crave more late

Sugar is a hard habit to kick. Cravings will lessen with time. The longer sugar is out of your diet the easier it gets.

Internet Addiction Disorder

So far addictions have mainly focused on highs that are produced from the use of drugs or other external forces that affect the brain’s chemical responses. However it has recently been brought to the public’s attention that an individual can receive a similar kind of “high” from using the Internet. This malady has been termed Internet Addiction Disorder (IAD). The research for this disorder is fairly new and scarce, but the results leave something to mull over. It affects everyone involved with the “user,” and moreover there are a few psychologists who know how to treat it.


Internet Addiction Disorder

The growth of a hardly satisfied and very innovative population has created an environment where the saturated use of the computer, and its additional benefits is an orthodox. It no longer matters where one travels or how much room for luggage one has, a computer can be brought regardless of the inconveniences. This availability opens a door to the Internet that can be accessed from almost anywhere a person whishes to render its services. Just like any other hobby however some of its users start to spend an extended amount of time in it, which can lead to an addiction of the pastime. These people who cross the line are said to be suffering from a newfound diagnosis termed by researchers as Internet Addiction Disorder or (IAD) (Dr. Grohol, 2003, par. 1).
Since the craving people have to use the Internet unrestrained is a fairly new concept that has been brought to public attention just recently there has not been much research done in the field to date. And it is still a very debatable question whether it exists or not. Some say that the Internet is addictive to the point where it controls one’s life, others say that it is not the same as getting high or drunk to an extreme. Nevertheless the Internet is affecting the people who use it extensively whether it be called addictive or not.
According to Dr. John Grohol the original research cases were exploratory surveys which do not explain the relationship between the supposed behavior and its cause (2003, par. 2). In other words, the surveys can explain why a person feels and behaves in certain way, but they cannot conclude that the behavior has been caused by the prolonged usage of the internet (Dr. Grohol, 2003, par. 2). Grohol does, nevertheless, agree that people do have problems from spending too much time on the computer, and he relates to the idea that people engage in the activity because they do not want to deal with the problems in their lives (2003, par. 4). It is similar to the behavior that a person who watches a lot of TV reveals, or the person who reads an abundant amount of books, or that of the person who goes out for a few drinks regularly.
An alternative theory as to why people use the Internet to a great extent is a very plausible idea. Dr. Grohol has made a model (see insertion 1) where the individual is said to go through phases in their discovery of the Internet and its resources. The first stage occurs when the individual is new to the environment, a newcomer, or is an existing user that finds a new activity, it is referred to as the stage of enchantment or obsession (Dr. Grohol, 2003, par. 20). This is the phase that is highly “addictive” to the individual until of course they reaches stage two, disillusionment (Dr. Grohol, 2003, par. 20). In this stage the individual has to become uninterested in the activity they engage is so often, once that is accomplished the individual can safely reach the third stage, Balance (Dr. Grohol, 2003, par. 20). This balance symbolized a normalized usage of the internet, it is reached at a different period by everyone and the phases can still be recycled if the individual finds another interesting new activity (Dr. Grohol, 2003, par. 20).
The enterprises most people engage in while on the Internet deal with chat rooms, discussion forums, e-mailing, or on-line gambling. This action is therefore said to be nothing more than socialization (Dr. Grohol, 2003, par. 17). Even though this new kind of socialization is employed in a different kind of modality. David Greenfield, PhD, founder of the Center for Internet Studies disagreed by quoting that "It's (the Internet) a socially connecting device that's socially isolating at the same time (DeAngelis, 2000, par. 7)."
Researchers who concur that the Internet is addictive have already established that the disorder develops into a dependency for the person; they experience tolerance and withdrawal affects (Ferris, par. 1). Similar to what an addict of any other substance goes through, and becomes just as isolated as them. Rejecting the real world and adopting the Internet as a route of escape to a mood altering experience (DeAngelis, 2000, par. 8).
The rationale why people become addicted to the Internet is vast. Some theories to explain addiction disorders are rooted with behavioral explanations, psychodynamic and personality explanations, sociocultural explanations, and biomedical explanations (Ferris, par. 5). The behavioral view is that the individual functions under B.F. Skinner’s operant conditioning (Ferris, par. 8). In which the subject can either be rewarded positively, negatively, or be punished for their course of action. An example of it would be an individual who has always been too timid to met new people and make acquaintances. For this individual the Internet would represent the means to experience love, hate, satisfaction, and fulfillment without interacting face to face with another person (Ferris, par. 8). A rewarding experience that could become reinforcing in itself.
The psychodynamic and personality explanations to addiction deal with the individual and his/her experiences. Depending on the childhood events that affect the individuals as children and the personalities traits they developed, they become predisposed to develop an addictive behavior, or none whatsoever (Ferris, par. 6). It is not the subject or the activity that is important in this case, but the individual, and the foundation under which they become addictive. A foreign exchange student can be liable to go on the Internet looking for familiarity and in the process is susceptible to a desire to be mentally there all the time.
Sociocultural explanations illustrate addicts according to their race, sex, age, economic status, religion, and country (Ferris, par. 7). However there is not enough diversity among the current Internet users to affirm that that kind of a statement as valid. For example alcoholism has been said to be more common in Native Americans, Irish Americans, and Catholics (Ferris, par.7).
The biomedical explanations deal with hereditary and congenial factors, chemical imbalances in the brain and neurotransmitters (Ferris, par. 9). This suggestion resembles the use of prescribed drugs by patients who need the chemical balance in the brain, or those who get a high from running, or gambling. The Internet provides a temporary high.
The largest survey to date on the subject was conducted in 1998 with 18,000 participants by David Greenfield (DeAngelis, 2000, par. 8). He found that 5.7 percent of those who participated in the survey met his criteria for compulsive Internet usage (DeAngelis, 2000, par. 8). Greenfield believes that “the psychoactive nature of the Internet” is expressed by addicts who experiences time distortion, accelerated intimacy and decreased inhibition (DeAngelis, 2000, par. 9). He admits that “there is something strong and powerful” about Internet addiction, and that most affected areas seem to be marriages and relationships (DeAngelis, 2000, par. 11). This straining on marriages and relationships seems to be transpired from the compulsive use of pornography, cybersex and cyberaffairs. There was even a 62 percent acknowledgement of people who logged on to pornographic sites for an average of four hours a week to view the material (DeAngelis, 2000, par. 10). Out of the percentage that logs on to pornographic sites 37.5 percent users confessed that they masturbated while online (DeAngelis, 2000, par. 10).
In another research conducted by psychologist Kimberly S. Young, Ph. D., there were 496 heave Internet participants who were compared to the clinical criteria for Pathological gamblers (Young, 1996, par. 1). The reason this was done was because Pathological gambling is considered the closest type of addiction to internet addiction since it involves failed impulse control without involving an intoxicant (Young, 1996, par. 1). The participant had to meet four or more of the criteria (see insertion 2) to be classified as a “dependent” Internet user; if the participant did not meet the criteria over a 12-month period then they were considered “non-dependent” users (Young, 1996, par. 2). Of the ones who volunteered 239 females and 157 males were classified as dependent, and 54 females and 46 males where considered non-dependent (Young, 1996, par. 3). The dependency of the internet on an individual can harshly “disrupt one's academic, social, financial and occupational life” said Young, just like any other disorder; gambling, drug use, or eating disorders (1996, par. 4).
There have been publicly announced people who are said to suffer for IAD (Internet Addiction Disorder). One case was, reported in the New York Times, of a woman who had been divorced by her husband because of her excessive use of the Internet. Still the woman did not come to her senses and continued to use the internet so much that she forgot to buy food for her children, to take them to doctor appointments, and to buy enough oil to warm her home (Ferris, par. 10). There is also the story of a seventeen year old who suffered from Internet withdrawal symptoms; when taken to a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center his body convulsed about, and her started to throw chairs around (Ferris, par. 10).
Treatment for people who have been diagnosed with Internet Addiction is very hard to find. First, one has to deal with finding a psychologist or a physician who will see eye to eye and acknowledge that the disorder is real, and not attributes to another disorder (King, 1996, par. 29). Then, there’s the lack of the psychologists’ knowledge of how to diagnose a treatment, and conduct the follow-ups for the IAD patients (King, 1996, par. 29). Going cold turkey can of course work for some, but not for everyone because it requires a lot of positive support and anti-depressants. In that (cold turkey) category the people who work in a job where the computer is a requirement, and not a choice, would definitely fail the treatment miserably.
Analogous to the treatments of addictions or semi-addictions, methods to treat Internet addicts have been created. One such treatment resembles dieting (King, 1996, par. 30). A twelve-step group program can be develop from the model, Eating Disorder, so that participants can gradually deal with the reduction of the behavior (King, 1996, par. 30). An additional option would be to use the computer itself as a deterrent in IAD (King, 1996, par. 31). In this situation though the recovery would be computer assisted. The individual’s arrival is automatically recorder and so is their departure (King, 1996, par. 31). In between sessions a reminder flashes on the screen so that the user can stop momentarily and update his/her journal on the computer (King, 1996, par. 31). On the journal the users records how their time was spent while on-line (King, 1996, par. 31). This provides users with the opportunity to balance the lingering emotions; whether the activity offered a weighty satisfactory feeling or remorseful one at the end of a session.
Although there are numerous web sites, and books were one can receive treatment for IAD, Dr. Orzack believes that it should not be treated on-line, and that a “psychopharmacological” is best in some situations (King, 1996, par. 32). Right now Dr. Orzack treats patients with cognitive behavioral therapy at the psychiatric outpatient clinic of McLean Hospital in Boston, MA (King, 1996, par. 32). Albeit the McLean Hospital only treats individuals it is currently trying to set-up a group oriented treatment program (King, 1996, par. 33). The program has to be able to focus on every individuals needs of treatment since not everyone uses the Internet for the same purposes (King, 1996, par. 33).
The people who log on to utilize the chat rooms are evidently looking for social acceptance, while the ones who create a role playing persona are eager to be accepted as themselves (King, 1996, par. 33). Yet the primary step to take in the path to recovery is to accept and not refute, a defense mechanism mentioned by Freud Sigmund called “denial,” that one might be undergoing Internet Addiction. Once this obstacle is conquered the treatment can be performed healthier than it would have otherwise been with patients who rejected they suffered from any kind of disorder.
Hopefully the increase in number of individuals who suffer from the disorder can compel researchers to performs more surveys and study more cases. Right now, it has not even been listed in the DSM ( Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) as a diagnostic code for health practitioners or psychologists to be reimbursed (Brahn and Markovich, 2002, par. 16). Therefore they call it “impulse control disorder (Brahn and Markovich, 2002, par. 16).” "The reason why we call it an addiction and not a compulsion is we believe with addiction there is a euphoric component, euphoric recall, and with compulsion there is no euphoria," Parker said defending his view (Brahn and Markovich, 2002, par. 7). Jay Parker, along with fellow psychologist Hilarie Cash, run the Internet/Computer Addiction Services in Redmond, Wash. (Brahn and Markovich, 2002, par. 6).
King quoted on his web site that “A passion adds value to one's life, and an addiction takes away value (King, 1996, par. 8).” So it is best for one to be conscious of the amount of time spent on the Internet and the consequences that could spring from it. Addiction or not the quantity of time spent on the Internet does take away from one’s life and detaches those whom one loves most. Threading life carefully knowing that time is not a luxury is the best way to go.

Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma, if malignant, is an aggressive form of cancer caused by asbestos exposure. The asbestos that enters the body lodges itself within the lining the lungs, abdomen, heart, as well as other organs and eventually the problem takes an adverse shape and tumors form. The latency period of mesothelioma can be many years, so often diagnosing children with mesothelioma can be difficult because they have not lived that long. However there have been rare cases and studies that detected mesothelioma in children. Because the prognosis is poor, doctors need to carefully diagnose mesothelioma in their youngest patients. It is important to understand that mesothelioma is not inherited through genes, therefore just because your Mother or Father has it, does not mean it automatically is passed on. Mesothelioma is also not contagious. There have been cases where children have been diagnosed with mesothelioma but it is through contact with an asbestos exposure. Asbestos exposure can happen many different ways…..

In some cases parents who worked in manufacturing or construction companies have exposed children to asbestos through clothing. When at work the asbestos would get trapped in either the clothing or other accessories and when brought home the transmission occurred through the air. That asbestos contaminated air could then be breathed in by a child. Asbestos makes its way into tiny airways of the lungs and then cannot be breathed or coughed out.

In other cases homes built between the 1920s and 1980s may have attics that contain asbestos insulation known as vermiculite. Older roofs may contain asbestos that would then be breathed in. If there is ever a question whether or not your house contains asbestos it is always best to hire a licensed professional asbestos inspector.

There are ongoing studies and most doctors agree that more research must be done before a conclusion is met. Dr. Moran and some of his colleagues recently published a study in the journal, Histopathology, which they analyzed eight cases of children suffering from mesothelioma. All of the children had peritoneal mesothelioma cancer, which is cancer of the abdominal cavity lining. Adults, however, usually suffer from pleural mesothelioma cancer, which is in the lining of the lungs. The children diagnosed with mesothelioma often complained of pain from bloating, due to fluid build-up of their abdomen. This shows that it is possible for children to be diagnosed with mesothelioma, although most victims are adults due to the longevity it usually takes for the disease to manifest.

Mesothelioma symptoms are generally non specific and resemble common sicknesses such as viral pneumonia, heart disease, flu, and bronchitis. These symptoms include: shortness of breath (dyspnea) or difficulty breathing, coughing and/or coughing up of blood, chest or abdomen pain caused by excessive fluid, weight loss, husky voice, difficulty swallowing, fever, anemia, bowel obstruction, inability to sleep, and loss of appetite. Since these are general symptoms of common viral diseases, it is important to report any asbestos history you have to a doctor so the correct diagnosis can be made, especially in children as they may be harder to diagnosis

Laying Good Groundwork

No parent, child, or family is immune to the effects of drugs. Some of the best kids can end up in trouble, even when they have made an effort to avoid it and even when they have been given the proper guidance from their parents.

However, certain groups of kids may be more likely to use drugs than others. Kids who have friends who use drugs are likely to try drugs themselves. Those feeling socially isolated for whatever reason may turn to drugs.

So it's important to know your child's friends — and their parents. Be involved in your children's lives. If your child's school runs an anti-drug program, get involved. You might learn something! Pay attention to how your kids are feeling and let them know that you're available and willing to listen in a nonjudgmental way. Recognize when your kids are going through difficult times so that you can provide the support they need or seek additional care if it's needed.

A warm, open family environment — where kids are encouraged to talk about their feelings, where their achievements are praised, and where their self-esteem is bolstered — encourages kids to come forward with their questions and concerns. When censored in their own homes, kids go elsewhere to find support and answers to their most important questions.

Ages 13 to 17

Kids this age are likely to know other kids who use alcohol or drugs, and to have friends who drive. Many are still willing to express their thoughts or concerns with parents about it.

Use these conversations not only to understand your child's thoughts and feelings, but also to talk about the dangers of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Talk about the legal issues — jail time and fines — and the possibility that they or someone else might be killed or seriously injured.

Consider establishing a written or verbal contract on the rules about going out or using the car. You can promise to pick your kids up at any time (even 2:00 AM!) no questions asked if they call you when the person responsible for driving has been drinking or using drugs.

The contract also can detail other situations: For example, if you find out that someone drank or used drugs in your car while your son or daughter was behind the wheel, you may want to suspend driving privileges for 6 months. By discussing all of this with your kids from the start, you eliminate surprises and make your expectations clear

Ages 8 to 12

As your kids grow older, you can begin conversations with them by asking them what they think about drugs. By asking the questions in a nonjudgmental, open-ended way, you're more likely to get an honest response.

Kids this age usually are still willing to talk openly to their parents about touchy subjects. Establishing a dialogue now helps keep the door open as kids get older and are less inclined to share their thoughts and feelings.

Even if your question doesn't immediately result in a discussion, you'll get your kids thinking about the issue. If you show your kids that you're willing to discuss the topic and hear what they have to say, they might be more willing to come to you for help in the future.

News, such as steroid use in professional sports, can be springboards for casual conversations about current events. Use these discussions to give your kids information about the risks of drugs.

Talking to your child About DRUGS

Preschool to Age 7

Before you get nervous about talking to young kids, take heart. You've probably already laid the groundwork for a discussion. For instance, whenever you give a fever medication or an antibiotic to your child, you have the opportunity to discuss the benefits and the appropriate and responsible use of those drugs. This is also a time when your child is likely to be very attentive to your behavior and guidance.

Start taking advantage of "teachable moments" now. If you see a character on a billboard or on TV with a cigarette, talk about smoking, nicotine addiction, and what smoking does to a person's body. This can lead into a discussion about other drugs and how they can potentially cause harm.

Keep the tone of these discussions calm and use terms that your child can understand. Be specific about the effects of the drugs: how they make a person feel, the risk of overdose, and the other long-term damage they can cause. To give your kids these facts, you might have to do a little research.

Is Music Addictive?

There is the weaker notion of "psychological dependence", which implies that you will miss not having something, but not to the extent that you would deem yourself to be suffering. I think that might be a fair description of many people's relationship with music.

MUSIC detrimental effect on the body

Most drugs have some detrimental effect on the body if taken to excess, and it is a consequence of the false feelings created by drugs that they often are taken to excess. Music is not a substance, so it isn't going to cause the type of damage that drugs cause. But the excessive consumption of music can cause ill-health. The most common example is when too much exposure to overly loud music damages receptor hair cells in the ear, which causes deafness, particularly in those frequencies that occur strongly in the music

How Strong a Music is?

So if music is a drug, how strong is it? Is it dangerous? Should it be classified on some narcotics schedule as class A, B, C or D?

Speaking entirely from personal experience, I would say that the effect of the strongest music is somewhat greater than that of caffeine, but less than that of alcohol.

Music as Illusion?

If we want to be pedantic, we might say that music is more of an illusion than a drug, in that it acts on perceptual modules in the brain whose purpose is to perform genuine perception, but it provides data belonging to a subset of possible data which the relevant modules are not able to process correctly.

That said, music is the only significant illusion that is generated and consumed for pleasure in a major way. We could interpret entertainment such as motion pictures (i.e. film and television) as a similar form of illusory contrivance, however, in this case the contrivance is one that produces perceptual input that it is almost identical to what the real input would be if the fiction being portrayed was indeed factual. Whereas if we regard music as a type of speech, it is nota realistic imitation of any normal type of speech.

Music as Super-Stimulus

According to my super-stimulus theory of music, music consists of contrived "speech" which is a super-stimulus for the perception of musicality, where musicality is a particular perceived property of speech which provides information about the internal mental state of the speaker, which consequently influences the listener's emotional response to the speech of the speaker.

The nature of the contrivance is such that, if this theory is correct, we must judge the feelings created by music to indeed be false. For example, a musical instrument does not have any mental state at all, so any emotional reaction to a perception of that instrument's mental state must be entirely spurious. Even if a musical performer is singing, so that the music is closer to normal speech, the musicality of the singing reflects the abilities of the performer and the song-writer in contriving the musicality, and does not necessarily reflect the true inner mental state of the performer.

Is music is a drug?

Music acts on our emotions and feelings. Drugs act on our emotions and feelings. We generally recognise that the feelings created by drugs are not "real". Does the same apply to music? Is music a drug?

Gutka Addiction

Gutka is a preparation of betel nuts and tobacco designed to be chewed. It originated in the Indian Subcontinent, where gutka consumption is widespread today, and spread from there to areas with a large Indian population. Like other tobacco products, gutka is potentially addictive and cancerous, and in India, some moves have been made to attempt to restrict the availability of gutka to address health concerns.

In addition to betel nuts and tobacco, gutka also includes an extract of acacia called catechu, and slaked lime, which is designed to catalyze a chemicalreaction when gutku is chewed, releasing alkaloids in the blend to make it more powerful. Gutka is also usually blended with spices and seasonings, which can make it sour, hot, or sweet. Sometimes traditional Ayurvedic herbs are used to give gutka an illusion of respectability, and sweet flavorings are often designed to appeal specifically to children.

Classically, gutka comes in the form of a loose powder which is inserted into the mouth, chewed, and eventually spat out. Like other betel nut chews, gutka is highly staining, leaving a characteristic reddish to orange stain on the lips, tongue, and teeth, and it also stains the streets and sidewalks when people spit it out. Gutka is also extremely addictive, and thanks to the tobacco content, it can contribute to the development of oral and throat cancers.

One of the biggest groups of gutka users is children, especially in impoverished neighborhoods. Gutka is also used by people who are trying to quit smoking, or individuals who wish to avoid the social consequences of smoking. Many users are unaware of how addictive gutka can be, and they are greatly surprised when they attempt to give up the habit. Gutka is also a mild stimulant, making it appealing to students, shift workers, and other people who may have trouble staying awake sometimes.

Although gutka is largely unregulated in India, many officials became concerned about widespread use of the substance in the early 2000s, and for a brief period of time, there was actually a ban on gutka. Regulation of gutka will probably focus on making it harder for children to obtain, and encouraging labeling to indicate its carcinogenic and addictive properties. In some regions of India, education campaigns have been launched to teach children about the dangers of gutka, but such programs primarily reach children who are actively in school, excluding children who lack access to education.