Is Depression Truly Biochemical?

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There is much debate in both professional and social circles over whether depression is purely mental or biochemical. Every person gets sad at some point and depression can resemble a bout of simple sadness to the layperson. Therefore, it is easy to compare the two and reach the conclusion that depression is just being sad and perhaps the sufferer is making it worse without any physical mechanism playing into it. Then again, evidence is building to suggest that this is not the case. Evidence suggests there is a distinct difference between depression and sadness that goes beyond the symptoms.

What does “Biochemical” Mean?

What it means to say something is biochemical is that it is related to the chemistry within a living organism. As it pertains to depression, it is saying there is a chemical imbalance within the body, specifically the brain, that is causing the mood disorder. Researchers are even noticing, “reduced hippocampal gray matter” in (Read More....)

Recovering From A Serious Traumatic Brain Injury

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Traumatic brain injury, or TBI, occurs when a sudden impact causes damage to the tissues of the brain. It is cause by sudden, violent impact to the head or when the brain is pierced by a sharp object. Traumatic brain injuries frequently occur in combat zones, but they can also be caused by car crashes or other accidents.

Symptoms of Traumatic Brain Injury
TBI can cause mild, moderate or severe symptoms. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke include mild symptoms as headache, dizziness, confusion, vision problems, ringing in the ears, fatigue, memory problems, difficulties with concentration and sleep problems. These symptoms can occur even if the person does not lose consciousness. Moderate or severe TBI may also have these symptoms, along with speech problems, persistent headache, weakness in extremities, confusion, agitation, slurred speech, loss of coordination and dilation of one or both pupils. Anyone with symptoms of moderate or severe TBI should get medical attention immediately.

Medical Treatment
Moderate or severe TBI requires immediate medical treatment to limit damage to brain tissue. The physician will ensure that an adequate supply of oxygen can get to brain tissue. Blood flow to the brain must also be maintained to prevent further injury. (Read More....)

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Common in Returning Veterans

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PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder, is an emotional illness common in veterans who have served in war zones. In fact, at least

one third of returning soldiers from Iraq suffer from PTSD.  Soldiers that have seen combat, repeated tours, or who have suffered a serious or life-threatening injury, are often plagued with this difficult condition. A recent study out of the University of Rochester Medical Center also found that soldiers who sustained head injuries are much more likely to suffer from PTSD.　

PTSD is a byproduct of extreme trauma. This occurs when soldiers are exposed to the horrors of war. These traumatic events stay with our fighting men and women long after they return home, and they are continually plagued by traumatic memories that. This

can (Read More....)

Ways Cigarette Addiction Harms the Family

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Everyone knows the ramifications of cigarette smoking and how detrimental it is to your health. However, millions continue to do so without giving it a second thought. Let’s set aside what affects smoking has on the individual and take a look at what consequences it has on the family. After all, your smoking habit is their smoking habit.

1. Physical – Although cigarette smoke can dissipate in the air and isn’t nearly as concentrated, your family can still breath it in. If you fill the room with cigarette smoke by chain-smoking at your desk while playing a game, anyone in that room is now essentially a smoker. Would you want your five-year-old lighting up?

2. Financial – While cigarettes don’t cost as much as a hard-core drug such as cocaine or even marijuana, it can still make a dent in your family’s budget. If you were a pack-a-day smoker that spends $5 per day, $1825 goes up in smoke throughout the year. Wouldn’t that money be better spent on Christmas or birthday presents, bills, or perhaps a down payment on a new car?

3. Emotional – How often do the children go to school smelling like a bar because you didn’t roll the windows down in the car that morning. Burning tar sticks to anything and can make clothing smell beyond what the smoker can sense. (Read More....)

Ways Technology Addiction Can Be Harmful to Children

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In today’s world, technology addiction is becoming a very serious problem among our youth. Whether it is video game consoles, hand-held devices, smartphones, or computers technology can have a greater impact on our children than we realize. Out of the news we hear stories of children and teens being violent with parents because of a game or a console that was taken away from them. The same can be said about smartphones and how our children simply don’t know how to exist without one. Just how harmful can an addiction to technology become?

1. Withdrawn from Friends – Oddly enough, children who are addicted to their online friends can become withdrawn from ones in real life. His or her online persona can be as important to them as how they are viewed in real life. It is a way for the child to become more than what he or she imagines they are. It’s the same reason that many adults withdraw into an online world – they can be important there.

2. Physical Deterioration – The news is spotted by those teenagers and young adults who become so involved with gaming and technology that they literally play themselves to death. For children who are out of shape to begin with, ramping up their pulse rate with energy drinks and pop can be very bad for their heart. Spending non-stop hours online or (Read More....)

Addiction and Our Young People

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Throughout most of my life I have been surrounded by some type of addiction. It always takes on the same form with each and every person no matter what the object of addiction is. I know that each person who has had any contact with addiction most likely has tried to figure out where it comes from and why it happens. I am aware that it is considered a disease and that it may be hereditary. Although what I am not sure of is whether or not it is completely a physical disease. I believe at least half or more of the problem is with the heart.

If you are an addict or have ever been around one you know that they are generally very selfish people. Their number one concern is themselves. The world seems to revolve around them and their needs. The majority of addicts I have been around say the same thing over and over. “I am not hurting anyone but myself.” This is a fabrication of their selfish nature.

Unless they live on an island all alone they are always hurting someone else with their addiction. Many times they hurt people financially, they have families that do without because of their addictions. Many times the hurt is emotional, parents, spouses, children, siblings, or friends that hurt because they care or because of constant disruptions in the family. It always ends up that the responsible people; the selfless people (Read More....)

An Overview of Medicare and Medicaid

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There are two government programs that have been under fire from critics inside and outside of the government since their inception. These two government programs are Medicare and Medicaid, both of which provide healthcare services to the disadvantaged and poverty-stricken through the use of taxpayer funds. The programs were created and enacted by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965 as part of the Social Security Act, which was itself a component of Johnson’s “Great Society” program. According to popular belief the two programs are actually very different in various ways, but both Medicare and Medicaid are controlled and ran by the same government organization: the United States Department of Health and Human Services, under the branch called the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services.

In its most basic form, Medicare can be described as a government-run social insurance agency that helps more than 44 million people (as of 2008) and costs about $432 billion a year (as of 2007), according to the information kept by the United States government. The money that is spent by the United States government on Medicare makes up about 3.2% of the entire United States of America’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

On the other hand, Medicaid is more of a social welfare program for people in need. Medicaid (Read More....)

What to look for when finding an addiction program that will help you

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Balboa Horizons is for men and women who want strong Christian values incorporated into their recovery program.

Addiction programs treat all types of addictions. Just some of these are addictions to alcohol, drugs, gambling, sex and even shopping. Those who believe that they have an addiction serious enough to need treatment will want to find the most appropriate place for their unique circumstances. No matter what their addictions are, they will be able to choose an inpatient or outpatient, secular or Christian or a program with a particular philosophy to help them meet their goals.

Do You Need an Inpatient or an Outpatient Program?

An inpatient program is ideal for those who have been abusing a substance for several years or even decades. If this is the case, the detoxification process can cause these people to experience frightening withdrawal symptoms. When this occurs, they are highly tempted to drink or use the drugs again.

In an inpatient program, (Read More....)