Should You Have A Recovery Companion?

Drug addiction can be a very lonely experience despite what some people might think. It comes with emotional highs and lows, financial pressures to keep up with substance purchases, and lies being told to loved ones. People may turn their back on you when they realize that you have a serious addiction problem and don’t know how to get out of it. Behind closed doors, people with addictions don’t know who to turn to and they could wonder if they will have to hide their habits for the rest of their lives. If you’re someone who is suffering from an addiction, remember that you aren’t a bad person. Anyone is vulnerable to building addictions, especially if their family has a history of addictive personalities who regularly get caught into trouble. People with addictions still need help, just as much help, and ample love from others who genuinely care about their well-being. But how is that accomplished if the people around them don’t’ understand their experience?

In order to live a life not needing drugs or alcohol, a person with an addiction problem can take out a recovery companion to gain the emotional support, reliable advice, and companionship they crave for. Their parents won’t know how to deal with withdrawal effects to recognizing triggers of addiction, but their recovery companion will. Their friends may leave their door stop with disappoint and vow to cut ties, but a recovery companion vows to be there for the addict no matter what throughout the entire treatment process. In fact, a recovery companion’s job is to make sure that an addict stays away from people who influence them negatively, rebuild their sense of self confidence, and connect them to local support systems outside of themselves. They help the addict build the bridge to cross over from feeling isolated and defeated to strong and capable. Without that help, an addict could feel like they have no hope and their lifestyle could fall into an even deeper hole than before. Let’s discuss key benefits of getting connected to a recovery companion and whether or not it’s the perfect choice for you during treatment.

Drug addiction can be overcome with a recovery companion!

Support Group, Recovery Companion, Or Both? 

With the stress of having to deal with addiction, people may not know what actions to take first. If you are seeking treatment you need to weigh your options of whether a support group, recovery companion, or accessing both will help you the most. This comes down to your personality type, your lifestyle, and your time commitment to participating enough with resources. If some key things to remember when you are making a decision include:

  • How much time you have during the week. While it sounds great to have access to a support group and a recovery companion, you may need to choose the outlet that best suits your socialization style. If you only have a few hours to spare and can’t make meetings because of family responsibilities, a long commute, or a demanding job, having a recovery companion will be better since they can be reached nearly all the time by the phone. You don’t have to meet them at a pre scheduled time in some facility when you need to get into contact with them. If you of have a lot of free time and thrive in socializing with larger groups of people, a support group may be more beneficial since you’ll get to meet people from all walks of life. Together, you can benefit from diversity of thought, shared tips to battle withdrawal symptoms, and hopefully become a strong knit group of friends as you go through treatment.
  • How dependent you are on others. If you are someone who regularly calls your mom when any problem arises, you may benefit more from a recovery companion. While calling you mom is great and isn’t sometime be looked down on, she can’t be solve all your problems like anyone else in your life. With a recovery companion, you can reach out whenever you stumble across an issue with your treatment.
  • How many symptoms you have. This is a grey area since you should be in contact with a doctor if you have serious withdrawal symptoms. However, more often than not we don’t have the time to go to the hospital. More simple issues and questions can be probably solved with the help of a recovery companion since they were right in your shoes. If you don’t know what counselor is best in the area, don’t know why you are having a terrible headache, or don’t know what foods to eat to feel physically better, they may know the answer. Their job is to make you feel comfortable and supported no matter what happens. They need to gain new ways of thinking, a new perspective on handling problems, and form healthier habits that will last a lifetime.
  • How many temptations you have. Drug addiction is a long and bumpy road without knowing how to strategically deal with your triggers. This is exactly why having unwavering support is so important beyond the scope of treatment itself. Our friends and family will have their own problems to handle and can’t help you identify what people, smells, sights, or sounds are best to stay away from as you go through treatment. Your companion will help you write down a list of everything you feel is unhealthy from you and develop a custom plan to deal with them in the long run. These behavioral adaptations take some time to become habit, and that’s why support beyond treatment is so important.
  • How you like to talk to people. If you prefer face to face interaction, support from counseling and therapy for addiction are great so you gain more intimate conversations with people who truly understand what you are going through. You can find group therapy, individual therapy, and more to see which one works best for your recovery. In the larger discussions, you learn more about everyone’s experiences and can shoot of ideas easily to the leader. With a recovery companion, you likely will be texting or calling them more than seeing them face to face. But that is entirely up to you. Some younger adults like having a digital conversation more than a traditional one, especially if they’re extremely busy or feel shy at times around new people. For example, someone who is in college and is dealing with twenty credit hours of classes may benefit from a recovery companion more than a mother who’s staying at home to take care of her child. Both are equally capable to gain treatment successfully, but one may have different preferences over the other.

Recovery Companion For Success

If you want to be in connection with more than just one person while you go through recovery, joining a support group may be better for you. If you like building fewer but closer relationships, a recovery companion is a great step. You know better than anyone one else what you like so take that into account as you begin choosing between treatment support options. Never hesitate to reach out for help as you won’t know all the answers either. Approach problems with a clear head and try to remain as relaxed as possible if you are dealing with annoying withdrawal symptoms. Your support group will help you navigate the waves and come out successful if you stick it out!

Having a recovery companion increases your chances of treatment success.

Addiction in San Francisco

Combating addiction in San Francisco has been a hot topic as more people than ever are suffering from drug addiction and mental illness in the state of California. In order to deal with the issue and introduce the idea dual diagnosis to people who may not know about its benefits like the homeless, San Francisco is introducing new within the city’s most dense areas. They hope to combat addiction and substance abuse in the city by educating low income areas that tend to show higher rates of drug violence, abuse, and other related crimes. By providing free of charge medications, family counseling, and withdrawal effect management help, the city has big plans for the new few years and are eager to improve their condition. Let’s walk through how San Francisco is planning to introduce dual diagnosis and how it’s following the chain of other large metropolitan areas who are establishing similar programs.

Combat substance abuse and addiction in San Fransisco.

Introducing Dual Diagnosis Treatment 

To help people who have a hard time overcoming drug addiction and mental illness, dual diagnosis treatment addresses both issues at once so they can sustainably switch to a healthier lifestyle. Experts describe dual diagnosis as a term that describesa person who has a mood disorder such as depression or bipolar disorder and a problem with alcohol or drugs. As a result, the person who has a dual diagnosis will have to deal with two separate illnesses which need two separate treatment plans so they don’t relapse to their old habits. Any combination of mental illnesses like anxiety, depression, PTSD, and drug or alcohol addictions can qualify someone as a dual diagnosis patient. Since it’s hard to pinpoint where someone’s symptoms are coming from, normal drug rehab facilities may not be completely equipped to deal with their problems and provide no “quick fix”. Treatment could take a few months to even a year depending on the situation. The good news that integrated treatment is highly successful when medication and thorough counseling is provided to a patient.

Addiction in San Francisco has been getting worse in the past decade, which is why San Francisco’s mayor is introducing a first-of-its-kind plan to bring treatment for drug addiction directly to neighborhoods. The program aims to help drug addicts with buprenorphine, a medication regularly used to help patients quit their opiate addiction and stop cravings. Buprenorphine is usually taken as a film placed on the tongue or in pill form generally dispensed by doctors or other providers. Doses are provided in bunches so patients don’t need to keep returning throughout the month.  The program is a follow-up strategy to a 2016 pilot program where city workers stopped into homeless shelters to hand out buprenorphine to people in need. They reported that at least 60% people who got the medication stayed clean after use. The new program will commit $3 million and 10 new employees in the medication team to being offering people buprenorphine. Mayor Farrell said the huge amount of money needed for the program would be resourced from the city’s general fund, while at least a third of the funds will be carried about by Medi-Cal. Over the next two months, the program is expected to be rolled out and Farrell has high hopes that it will leave a major difference in the community.

Homelessness And Addiction

Although the new San Francisco program is expensive and will require a lot of labor, it has already treated nearly 100 people who are staying with treatments in the long run. and labor-intensive. Twenty-two percent of those people also kept taking the medications and reported having less withdrawal symptoms than before treatment started. By the next spring, the addiction in San Francisco should be improved with a goal of over 250 people in treatment. Since patients can have withdrawal effects nearly every 12 hours, having that medication on hand is crucial so they don’t fall back into drug addiction. San Francisco is among a handful of large U.S. cities making plans to open supervised drug consumption sites so users are given the help they need. Monitors will be equipped with tools and medication to quickly administer the drug naloxone, which helps combat overdose symptoms in case any emergencies arrive to the scene. Such programs like the one in San Francisco are now widespread in Canada but have been having trouble gaining as quick traction in the U.S. With enough political support and success stories from the community, there’s a hope for our country to get a grip on our opioid epidemic and treat more people directly on the home front.

Future Dual Diagnosis Treatment

The future of addiction in San Francisco is looking bright as the program will be continued into this year. With the high amount of success stories from past patients, more people who are low income and are dealing with drug addiction, drug related crimes, and withdrawal symptoms can get the help they need. It’s rare to be able to receive free healthcare in this country, so even being able to fund and manage a program like this successfully is a huge feat.

Any person struggling with a drug addiction and mental illness will not be able to afford his or her substance of choice over the long run. The time and money spent to support their habit can quickly spiral out of control, so it’s essential that they have close access to treatment tents to demolish the pull they have towards the substance of their choice. If you know someone in the San Francisco area who might benefit from the program, let them know about it so they can measure how far they are form a treatment center. Time is of the essence when it comes to dealing with drug addiction so should take action as soon as possible.

Painkiller abuse and marijuana abuse are contributing to crimes in San Fransisco.

Spotting A Bad Car Dealer

With many dealerships to choose from, it can be hard at first to decide where to spend your hard earned cash. Sometimes we spot a great looking used car that seems to be priced at the perfect rate. Some dealers are reliable and will give you a great deal without stress, while others will take as much money and sanity from you as they can. While people might not have the free time, patience, or ability to shop for a car and ask all the questions needed, it’s important to know how to spot the foul dealers from the pack.

Every untrustworthy dealer will do these things so it’s best to know the general patterns. Some may be using ridiculous pricing tactics, washing up the car’s poor history, or provide financing plans that actually cost three to five times more than the car’s value to eager customers. Let’s walk through some key red flags to watch out for so you don’t feel sorry for your life decisions later on.

Used car salesmen tricks are hard to spot sometimes.

Car Salesmen Tricks 

Often, a used-car dealer can be behaving shady because the act of selling used cars is a drawn out process from beginning to end. A customer will want to test out the car, hopefully bring it to a mechanic to inspect, check the warranty, get the car history, and so on. If you find yourself at a used car dealership, look out for the following signs to stay safe and make sure the car is good purchase.

If the used car dealership pushes a “buy now” mentality, stay away! Chances are that the used dealership prefers its target customers to be easy victims of bait-and-switch tactics, fake mark ups, or terrible financing plans that inflate the actual price of the car A lot of dealer ads can be a bit cheesy in general, but if it’s deals seem too good to be true or are pushing a quick buy, it’s often for good reason to swindle people who turn a blind eye.

If the dealership doesn’t offer a long term warranty or a free inspection with the car, go to another business. It’s best when the car dealership offers its own two month or three month warranty if possible to every car it sells to each customer. Make sure you ask the salesman the terms of their warranties and how long it lasts. If they only offer a thirty day warranty, ask to extend this timeframe and walk away if they don’t offer a protection plan at all. A wise business will make sure that their inventory is good quality and will feel comfortable allowing you to test out the vehicle of your choice. If the salesman starts to give you a fowl attitude or seems like the offer is the end all be all of the sale, start looking elsewhere.

Extra Bells And Whistles

In addition to checking up on the used car warranties and functionality, make sure that the car is able to be brought to its original franchise’s shop for fixes in the future. While many used car dealerships will include their own mechanic shop, it’s best to use an independent service to avoid product bias and paying more for problems you might not actually have. Customer reviews can usually shed light on what type of service the dealership offers. On the other hand, if buyers are regularly complaining about shady contracts, somehow damaged vehicles, or anything out of the ordinary, it’s best to avoid purchasing from the location in the first place. Pay attention to the sort of complaint each person leaves as well and whether or not it ties to the customer service or the inventory itself. If you happen to have a European car from manufacturers like Volkswagen or Mercedes-Benz, you’re better off going straight to the franchise to get a better level of service and customer perks overall. Make sure you have a franchise-owned shop in your area so your life is made a bit easier in the future.

Lastly, make sure that the used car dealership allows a recall on their cars so customers aren’t tied down to a certain vehicle even after purchase. The business should have features that allow each customer to feel safe with buying a car and taken care of after their purchase. If they feel like the car isn’t working well or is simply not up to their standards, then a good used car dealership will take it back without any harsh penalties. Make sure you do your homework on the dealership’s website for this information or strongly ask the salesmen themselves about their stance on this matter.

Future Car Buying Tips And Tricks

Even if you’ve had a poor experience with a certain dealership in the past, it doesn’t hurt to explore what other used car dealerships are out there that display a strong history in customer service. Another tactic is to protect yourself from buying a poorly used car in the future is to search the online news for the dealers you are looking it. Google news, your local newspaper, or even social media feeds are great to get enough market research done about any type of active business these days. If any stores seem to have great openings or are being investigated by the local government, you’ll know what options to take off your list.

Find the used car of your dreams.

Gender And Addiction

Everyone may face unique issues when it comes to their substance abuse disorder. Maybe you’re a stay at home mom who has a tendency to smoke to destress from the day, an accountant who uses drugs after work, or a college student who uses drugs to bond with her sorority sisters. No matter what place in your life you’re at, being a woman can make a huge difference in how drugs affect your brain, your blood flow, and your hormones.  While the NIH is working to extend their research on how gender differences correlate with increased use of certain drugs, current evidence show that there’s certain traits that women should be aware of before they partake in drug use. Let’s walk through the most key ways women experience and use drugs differently than the men in our lives.

Female substance abuse disorder is a common problem.

Female Substance Abuse Disorder

Your gender can significantly impact your drug experience, especially if you’re a female. Our bodies are beautiful, strong, and capable of doing amazing things. Yet, there are certain drawbacks from our biological makeup that can cause drugs to leave more lasting damage on our system than our male counterparts. Drugs tend to affect us differently in the following ways:

  • Women have it worse when they want to quit smoking than men. This is due to our body naturally processing the nicotine ingredient much faster than men in general. Quicker metabolisms also explains why nicotine replacement therapies, using a drug store patch and even nicotine gum works better in men who use it. Be cautious and research your options if you’re trying to quit your habit of smoking. Sometimes our relatives or friends who have quit “cold turkey’ found success, but that doesn’t mean that the method will work for you. All of our bodies are different due to our makeup and environmental factors in addition to our gender.
  • Women who have a substance abuse order damages their reproductive system. Certain drugs can increase the likelihood of infertility, having a child who is disabled or with other mental complications, and even early onset of menopause. Pregnant women are regularly using drugs like tobacco and have higher rates of alcoholism are the most vulnerable to these risks.
  • Women face larger social stigma with their substance abuse disorder than man. The sad reality is that women, especially if they’re in a relationship or are a mother, are judged much more harshly for illicit drug use than men. Fearing any judgment or loss of important relationships prevents many women who are addicted to drugs from seeking help. Some are worried that seeking help while being pregnant or after having a child could cause them legal problems that could tear their family apart.
  • Women tend to react more strongly to drugs that are becoming legalized. The legalization of marijuana has become a double edged sword as its medical effects are helping thousands yet encouraging addiction in thousands of more people. While I agree that legalizing marijuana will help our security and economy as a country, not enough people are being educated yet on how to use it responsibly. Unlike men, women tend to experience more panic attacks, depression, and develop an abuse disorder more quickly after using marijuana more frequently. Yet, the reported rates of seeking treatment for marijuana use disorder are low for both sexes.
  • Some research shows that women are more sensitive to pain than men and may have more incentive to use opioid prescriptions to cope. Women also may be more likely to take prescription opioids without a prescription and take a larger dose over time. Since the drug also helps with anxiety or high stress levels, it can become very difficult for woman to stop their addiction to opioids if they become too reliant on it in their everyday life. With the growing opioid epidemic it is crucial to know about what the symptoms of opioid addiction is if you happen to be prescribed the common drug by a doctor.
  • While men generally will have higher rates of alcohol use, younger girls from the ages of 12 to 20 have slightly higher rates of alcohol misuse than other female age groups. Women also have a reportedly higher risk than men from binge drinking that stems from mental health issues, alcohol-related car accidents, heart disease, a sudden stroke, and liver failure. In addition, there are also female related health risks like having unprotected sex, unwanted pregnancy or transmitted disease, and the increased possibility of becoming a victim of domestic violence and even sexual assault. If you find yourself at a social function or a party at college, practice safe judgement and only go with a group of people that you truly trust to have around you. If you feel any bad feelings from a certain person or the place the alcohol is being served at, remember to protect yourself first and foremost.

Combating Drug Abuse In Both Genders 

We may have discovered that being a female can cause a longer list of unwanted after effects from drug use, but don’t let those warning signs discourage you. If you are a woman who needs help with her drug addiction or know someone going through a similar experience, make sure you give them a helping hand by listening to their problems, offering an open mind, and referring them to a professional treatment center in the area. If you’re a male, you’re still not invincible from substance abuse disorder as the need for new experiences, the pressure from society to perform, and the stigma of showing weakness is constant. Bite the bullet of your ego and talk to someone you trust before it’s too late. Sometimes the hardest step to fixing our addiction is admitting there’s a problem. All of us have problems in our lives that come in different forms. Do your homework on what center in your area sounds right for you and you won’t be disappointed by the impact even one visit leaves.

Combat substance abuse disorder in both genders.

 

Today’s Drug Culture

The world we live in seems to be glorifying the use of drugs across several industries. Even though using drugs is highly risky, expensive, and leads to potential long term addiction, thousands of people are influenced by popular pop stars and rap legends that grace our music charts. In fact, the music industry’s approach to substance abuse is only leading more vulnerable people to become addicted. Radio played songs that discuss heavy Xanax abuse, drinking “purple”, popping pills, and smoking weed come at a price. Anyone has the right to listen to whatever music they want, but if they actually start acting on what the songs are encouraging, they could be influenced to partake in the same activities in the future. Let’s look at the role music figures play in our society’s rates of addiction and drug stigma overall.

Each music genre has its own drug culture.

Drug Stigma In Music 

Throughout the past 15 years, controlled and addictive substances mentioned in the lyrics of various pop, rock, and rap songs have dramatically increased in frequency. It would almost be difficult to find any rap song today in particular that doesn’t include some type of drug or alcoholic beverage mentioned. As drugs like marijuana skyrocketed in the early 1990s to social popularity and is now becoming more accepted, many don’t stop and think about the repercussions certain lyrics can have on our youth today. In addition to marijuana, a study conducted in 2013 found that drugs like “lean”, “sirrup”, “purple”, “drank” and “henny” are exponentially being mentioned more in songs since their pop culture appearance in the 1980s.

For some people, this growth may not be quite alarming, since rap tends to be correlated to individuals who live aggressive lifestyles. While the genre of rap doesn’t deserve to be stereotype many rappers have been charged guilty of drug abuse or possession such as Lil B, Lil Wayne, Lil Durk, and more recently younger newcomers like Fetty Wap and Chief Keef. All rappers are widely popular among teens and college students who regularly play their music and quote lyrics from their songs as a joke. I, for one, was a huge Fetty Wap fan during college because of the catchy beats and laid back melodies he produced. Although I was aware of his mentions of drugs, I made the mistake of not thinking about how constant exposure to that ideal could sway my own beliefs over time. What could start as a joke or a slang term can eventually lead to someone slowly accepting the use of a drug and eventually using it during their own time.

Music’s Substance Abuse 

While some of us have possibly tried drugs at some point in time, the majority of everyday people are not struggling with a potentially life threatening substance abuse problem. As for the rich and famous, drug related injuries, assault cases, and fatal overdoses are happening more times every year. Beloved names like Mac Miller, Avicii, and Lil Peep have all suffered the consequences of their substance abuse within the past year. What’s sad is that all of these people have shown the world that they have incredible talent, a joy for entertaining others, and communicating amazing stories with their music. Lil Peepin particular had a highly loyal fan base that consistently supported all of his projects. While they knew he routinely rapped about his drug use, it wasn’t long after releasing songs that mentioned hearing voices in his head to quit, finding bottles of Xanax by his bed, and taking the drug to fall back to sleep midday that he passed away.

However, the popularity and almost expectation for musicians to turn to drugs created an unhealthy outlet for them to let go of their biggest stress issues. Maybe one of them felt that drugs were the only method of receiving inspiration for creating their next big hit. Maybe they felt scared of the judgement that could come from other celebrities who heavily encourage drug use. Either way, it’s important to know that musicians create songs for many different reasons and their promotion of a certain ideal doesn’t necessarily make it cool. Please don’t try a drug that you don’t know anything about because it looked thrilling or “out of this world” in your favorite music video.

Learning About Types of Drugs

With all the outlets that are promoting drug use or misinforming the public these days, it’s crucial to know the true facts for yourself before you or anyone you know gets hurt. Drugs can cause a variety of different physical reactions, withdrawal effects, and risk for addiction. Luckily, we live in an age where we can access information on almost anything we want. The best way to learn about the similarities and differences between popular drugs like marijuana, Xanax, cocaine, or other substances is to use a drugs glossary. Instead of spending hours to look up facts about each drug individually, you might as well save your time with the glossary. It works as an efficient tool to pinpoint the drug you want to research on and find a summary about its effects on our body. A drugs glossary will include information on almost every drug known to health experts, so you are guaranteed to find what you are looking for.

Moving Forward 

Life is all about enjoying yourself, working hard to reach our goals, and making impactful connections with others. Don’t let the pull of substance abuse get in your way of that responsibility, even if you favorite musicians seem to rave about its effects. You’ll sleep more soundly at night knowing that you are not putting your life at risk for the sake of a two or three hour high. The choice is yours!

Drugs aren’t worth the withdrawal effects.

Pros and Cons of Medical Cannabis

We can all agree that medical cannabis is a highly controversial topic at this point in time. Even the most advanced doctors, medical cannabis scientists, rehab scientists, and political leaders had varying opinions on how it used be used with patients. Not everyone knows if the substance is safe to use, even if someone may be recommended cannabis-assisted detox to aid issues like drug addiction. And while medical cannabis is legal in nearly 29 states, the federal government still hasn’t given the substance a complete hall pass. This is due to the fact that the Obama era administration didn’t want to legalize medical cannabis nationwide and the current Trump administration claimed that they wanted to stay out of bounds of anyone who does use the substance. On the other hand, nearly 85% of the general public supports legalizing medical cannabis with millions of people using the drug every single day.

In order to break down the stereotypes about the drug, let’s go through the positive and negative aspects of medical cannabis. It’s worthwhile to know if the drug should be taken out of teenager or criminal hands and if it really is the “wonder drug” that society cracks it up to be.

Medical cannabis has many benefits.

Using Medically Assisted Treatment 

Medical cannabis has proven to help patients with treating their chronic pain, issues like narcotic or opioid addiction, and even more severe symptoms of diseases like cancer. If you’re eager to know why the drug is still so argued about these days, consider the following pros and cons:

  • Pro: Medical cannabis cause people to fall into a harsh addiction and take larger doses of the drug over time. Opioids are a much stronger drug that has to ability to take the lives of almost 200 people every day in the United States from overdose. While using marijuana, people report feeling at ease, less stressed, and lower levels of pain within as little as half an hour. As long as a patient takes their dosage responsibility, the drug doesn’t cause any uncomfortable withdrawal effects expect a slight increase in appetite or thirst.
  • Pro: Medical cannabis has been linked to a significant drop in opioid overdose rates according the recent rehab studies. During this year, only the states of Pennsylvania and New Jersey took the correlation to lesser deaths seriously as new territories to approve the drug. Public leaders in these states noted that it is proven as a dramatically effective way to treat patient’s chronic pain and opioid addiction compared to alternative medications.
  • Con: Our country still believes that rehab should include total sobriety from any type of foreign substances. If someone was struggling from opioid addiction and initiated a plan to get treatment, traditionally they are instructed to abstain from euphoric substances overall. In addition to our grounded ways, there’s not enough clear evidence that proves the benefits of medical marijuana. People may tell compelling accounts of their personal experiences and scientists may preach about its wondrous healing powers, but the government rules by a standard basis of research. Even the most positive reviews won’t overturn little scientific evidence to back them up.
  • Pro: Opioid addicts can rejoice to not having to deal with their painful heroin withdrawal symptoms with the help of consistent medical cannabis. When opioids enter a person’s body, they will experience a quick rush of pleasure in the first few minutes along with temporary euphoria and calmness. Instead of using the typical pill that could induce annoying headaches, nausea, loss of appetite, or severe stress, medical cannabis has been stated to help patients treat their cravings. In fact, people using medical cannabis for their opioid addiction admit that using the drug is a less of two evils and has greatly lowered their inflammation overall. With less fatiguing symptoms to deal with, patients have a better chance of regaining a strong state of mental health over time.
  • Con: Not everyone should hop on the train to start using medical cannabis if they are going through certain life events or are of a certain age. The FDA is not yet certain if being of elderly age or being sick from an unrelated illness could deteriorate their physical health while using the drug. If someone is already on a certain drug like an antibiotic or use a typical allergy medicine, they may see unwanted side effects from using medical cannabis at the same time. Additionally, if a woman is experiencing pregnancy she may not want to risk any effects on her child. It’s better to play it safe and stay sober of any substances in general if you are expecting a child within a few months.
  • Pro: Medical cannabis isn’t impossible to get a hold of legally. If you happen to do live in an area that allows legal dispensaries or distributor businesses for medical cannabis, you will have to show proof of medical recommendation by your doctor. They can only recommend that you use the drug, since providing an official prescription isn’t completely legal. At the doctor’s office, you will also have to explain your health situation and your experience with alternative medicines before they can give you the green light. You won’t get your hands on cannabis in any case just from saying you’re too stressed or dislike swallowing pills. As long as medical cannabis is still highly unregulated, everyone’s chance for getting a dose will vary.

Alternative Health Done Right 

If you are tired of dealing with painful and debilitating withdrawal effects from an illness or an opioid addiction, check your options for obtaining medical cannabis. The drug is still controversial by many, but the medical benefits it provides to calming down pain, managing anxiety, helping sleep patterns, and so on is worth the time to research if it’s right for you.

Don’t hesitate to ask your doctor about any questions you have about using the drug, especially if you’re at an older age, are pregnant, or will expect to be pregnant in the near future.

Avoid opioid withdrawal effects with medical cannabis.
The BRIDGE is meant to stop pain from opioid withdrawal symptoms.

 

Buying Commercial Real Estate

Unlike playing games with the stock market or gambling away thousands of dollars at the casino, real estate investments promises years of long term financial wealth. Yet, as impressive as it is to be an investor, many people aren’t aware of the various benefits that comes with finding growth in real estate.  The key trait of commercial real estate includes simplicity and stability for an investor that can help outweigh any short term problem that may come their way. Think of owning land as being in charge of a long term asset that is safe if managed right. You can unlock the key of passive income growth and benefiting your community if you consistently make strategic decisions.

Before jump into purchasing a piece of commercial land, understanding what your ultimate goal is for owning the land is crucial. Regardless of where you live, the process of acquiring a property is drawn out and can be tiring at many times. Some people want widely different things when it comes to property development. In fact, investors can have drastically different approaches to even buying the land and having the situation in their favor. Let’s go over the different ways investors typically acquire land so you can judge which method is the most appropriate for you.

Make the most of your commercial real estate investments.

Buying For Property Development

It’s critical to know what the key methods are for buying your dream commercial real estate investment now and in the future. Smart real estate investors will want to know all they can in these matters as a lot of their precious time, hard earned money, and hefty pieces of regulation are involved when buying any piece of land. Some strategies to consider when buying a property include:

  • Buying and selling: This is the method that you might be the most familiar with as it’s called “flipping” the property by investors. The process is simple as you purchase a property below the alleged market value, renovate what you need on the interior or exterior, and find a find a buyer who is willing to pay you for the property above said market value. Commercial real estate investors in this case are always hoping to have a quick sale and a fast return of profits on their work. However, the risk always lies in finding a buyer who is willing to work in your favor. Failed attempts at flipping properties often end up in vacancy and thousands of dollars lost to mortgages to finance it. Be sure about your pricing and don’t take any giant risks in overvaluing your property.
  • Buying and holding: In this approach, a commercial real estate investor will buy the land and hold onto it for a certain period of time. This may work in their favor if they believe that the piece of land will consistently appreciate in value. However, during this process the investor will still have to manage the property, pall all the taxes tied to it, and pay any other operational costs. Overall, the main goal of the investor is to purchase the land with the hope that they can pass it off to a developer in a few years when the area starts to improve.
  • Buying and going through the entitlement process.During this process, an investor will buy a property then complete the process of having it zoned for their goal use. Maybe a certain piece of land is meant for commercial sale, while another is for residential usage. It’s required to check what the zone restrictions are for the property before making any big decisions here. An investor will only be able to make a plot of land more valuable to potential developers if they can get it rezoned.
  • Buying, developing, then renting out. If a real estate investor wants to develop their land initially after purchase so they can increase its market value, they will typically hold off from finding any possible renters. For example, maybe you want to add a larger parking lot to a strip mall property or refinish the exterior of store fronts so it increases its wholesale value. Then, being more attracted to these renovations, a business owner may ask you to rent a portion of the propertyand in turn provide you an elevated level of profit you’re looking for.

Be Risk Averse With Property Development 

It takes real grit, dedication, and lots of resources to be a successful commercial real estate investor. It also takes the right information and decisions to prevent major mishaps from preventing full profit potential from a commercial real estate investment. Once you get into the process of looking at a potential property, you may discover that there are many government restrictions or renovation related challenges linked to developing it thoroughly. You could also run the risk of dealing with natural disasters or peaks like ground degradation or flooding. You may even realize that the tax rates are far too area because of the location compared to what the actual value of the property. On average, larger and more metropolitan cities bring sky high tax rates compared to more rural counties. Some states may also vary drastically with their home ownership association fees and property tax fees as well.

As a result, be as risk averse as you can and learn about all the traits that a good property investment includes. You may learn that your former beliefs about commercial real estate investing were either slightly flawed or totally inaccurate. You’ll sleep better at night after knowing the best strategies to buy your real estate investment depending on your time frame and financial situation, to develop it to increase its market value, and to market it well enough to attract an affluent and long term customer.

Understand the ins and outs of commercial real estate to be successful.

 

 

 

Rapid Opioid Detox

Our nation has been fighting a silent killer for the past few decades. It’s taking the lives of mothers, fathers, teachers, doctors, and even the person who may be living down the end of your street. This killer is the use of opioids that typically is being prescribed for treating a patient’s pain after surgery, after an injury, or for dealing with another pain management related reason.

Thanks to the pharmaceutical industry, opioids are easily accessible and have been pushed out as the go-to method for anyone who requests it under doctor permission. What’s scary is that these pharmaceutical companies failed to educate its end consumers on opioid withdrawal symptoms and the possible risks it brings to their lives overall. Doctors are often prescribing the alleged medications without thinking twice about their patient’s tendencies to develop addiction either. Anyone can easily become addicted to opioids since produces an immediate wave of relaxation and pleasure after every dosage. To understand how opioids have become such a problem in our communities, let’s look at how the drug became so widespread and how it may be even affecting someone you know.

The Growth Of Opioids

At this point in time, the opioid epidemic is taking the lives of roughly 115 Americans a day. That’s a huge number stemming from just overdose related accidents from the drug. Starting in the 1990s, prescription painkillers became highly distributed and have lead to increasing rates of hospitalizations, overdoses, and deaths each year. Back in that decade, multiple television outlets ran advertisements for medications so any patient could request painkiller prescriptions by its name. In turn, working in conjunction with their drug companies, doctors began prescribing painkillers in sky high numbers. In 2011, doctors reported to write a total of 238 million opioid prescriptions. Overall, experts estimate that the epidemic is currently affecting 2.1 million Americans who are diagnosed with an opioid addiction. That statistic only touches on the individuals who actually went to their healthcare providers and reported their use while seeking rehab treatment. Some of the most common forms of opioids arehydrocodone, oxycodone or Oxycontin, morphine, codeine, and fentanyl.

Within the past two years, deaths have also increased by forms of synthetic opioids as well.  In the year of 2016 alone, almost a third of all drug related deaths and half of all opioid deaths stemmed from a synthetic substance. These drugs are illegally manufactured and are being widely distributed in the pill from throughout urban areas of America. What’s worse, a lot of these pills contain traces of other addictive drugs like cocaine, marijuana, and heroin for added side effects to the user. Either way, it’s clear that this epidemic must be dealt with on the individual level with proper education and effective rehab treatment so more overdoses don’t happen.

Drug addiction signs include huge financial loss.
The BRIDGE is meant to stop pain from opioid withdrawal symptoms.

Accelerated Opiate Detox 

In order for someone to get off their dependence of opioids, consistence detox treatment is critical. However, what makes it hard for most people with addiction is that opioids bring severe and often painful withdrawal symptoms. Medications that are prescribed to these patients also bring their own share of side effects, which only creates a longer list of headaches to deal with. This makes it easy to understand why some addicts would rather continue their use of opioids and bear the consequences than go through weeks to months of relapse or painful withdrawal.

Luckily, as of this year, the rehab treatment industry has developed a noninvasive tool for patients to deal with their cravings without experience high pain levels. This tool is called BRIDGE, and is an attached device recently cleared by the FDA for opioid withdrawal pain management. Interest in the device has grown mainly in many western states like California and Alaska where the political climate tends to be more liberal. In eastern states, people have reported feeling more skeptical of its benefits without seeing published data. As far as manufacturing goes, the device is being developed and distributed from a center in central Indiana.It works by connecting to a patient’s earlobe and emitting a subtle nerve stimulator meant to help alleviate pain. For most, the device begins to feel noticeable after they get into habit of wearing it throughout the day. While it is not meant to completely cure addiction, it does help an individual cope through the worst of the detoxification process. The great thing about the BRIDGE is that most patients feel lower amounts of pain and mental health issues within 15 to 30 minutes of attaching the device. After the device is worn consistently over time, patients are then able to see an overall improvement in their physical and mental state compared to before.

Deal With Pain Management

Thanks to new inventions like the BRIDGE device, people who seek accelerated opioid detox have an option without spending fortunes on medications that may along bring more side effects. Depending on the length and severity of a person’s addiction to opioids, their body may have to make serious readjustments as they start using the device to function normally again.

The first step anyone should take is to visit a detox center in their local area so they can gain awareness of their situation. From there, they may be assigned a counselor or a specific detox plan that includes using the BRIDGE device from home. The device is currently only accessible from permission from a certified detox center, so it’s important to make a visit to the resource as soon as possible. While learning about using the device and what lifestyle or diet changes to make, a person should never lose hope for regaining a stronger, happier, and healthier body. Relapses can always happen but that shouldn’t be an excuse to completely drop the ball on recovery. We are all in this journey together!

You can fight opioid addiction with holistic therapy and making lifestyle changes.

The Worst Environmental Toxins

You want to keep your health strong at all times, so it’s critical to know what toxins can lurk in your home when you come back from the day. Some of these harmful chemicals can hide in our cooking appliances, storage items, and even our cleaning products so it’s in your best interest to stay away from them. Let’s walk through the top eight most harmful environmental toxins that may be closer to you thank you think. Cleaning up your space is essential to maintain your overall health and ensure no substances are tampering with it.

Environmental Toxins to Stay Away From

The following are toxins that sound alarm bells to keeping your home safe and sound. Even making small switches like using different materials for your home can make the biggest difference.

  1. BPA takes the cake as one of the most harmful ingredients out there. Even though it is used in several food products and foot containers it can cause unwanted acceleration in puberty, fertility issues in men and women, a greater chance of a miscarriage, and even increases the risk of developing obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Make sure you avoid buying food products in cans that can contain BPA and opt for buying groceries packaged in paper or foil instead.
  2. Dioxins are the second most harmful environmental toxin to take the list. Compounds like pesticides and PCBs belong to this group of chemicals and are directly correlated to causing hormonal issues, fertility problems, and an increase of cancer risk. Make sure you’re not using pesticides around your home and be wary of how much fatty meat you eat throughout the week. Dioxins tend to build up in the fatty tissues of animals like pigs, cows, and turkeys, and are commonly found in the food we put on our plates. Cutting out fatty meats will also help you opt for leaner meats and improve your waistline in the long term!
  3. Atrazine is the third toxin that is found in herbicides like Roundup which is applied to thousands of acres of corn, soybeans, and other veggies every year. Make sure you don’t ingest this toxin because it is known to cause infertility issues in both men and women who are exposed to it for a long time. The easiest way to avoid is it to go organic and eat less red meat. One study showed that eating organic food while avoiding eating animals that are fed tainted corn drastically decreased the risk of developing cancer.
  4. Phthalates sounds like a dangerous disease, but is actually a chemical that can cause just that.  The chemical is known to interfere with our body’s level of testosterone and estradiol, a hormone which is control of breast development. Women who developed breast cancer have been found by medical researchers to have higher levels of phthalates in their body than women who have no cancer. If you want to avoid it, make sure you aren’t buying products with artificial fragrances, vinyl curtains or flooring, and Tupperware made up of flexible plastics. Instead, use glass, ceramic, or stainless steel containers to make sure your body is safe over time.
  5. Make sure you stay away from perchlorate if you want your metabolism to function well. The chemical is meant to support the manufacturing process of rocket fuel but can be found in soil, our groundwater, and traces of it can be present in foods like eggs, dairy, and even vegetables. The water you drink can have the chemical at the highest level and can contaminate your air if you use a humidifier regularly. While it’s impossible to avoid in your food you can take iodine supplements to boost the function of your thyroid through seafood, seaweed, and other vegan dairy products as well.
  6. Flame retardants are also environmental toxins that can mess with your thyroid and even are believed to lower IQ levels in children, so make sure it’s out of your home. Furniture, carpets, and sometimes pillows can contain foam with this chemical. However, the lining of plastic on our television sets, iPhones, and even video game handles can have traces of it as well. The best way to protect yourself is to dust your surroundings, wipe down you appliances and electronics, and do your research next time you go shopping.
  7. Lead is known to be very harmful for our hormones and stress levels, so avoid paint that is mainly made of it. Paints can be tested for their amounts of leads from your local health department if you are worried or don’t know the paint that is used in your home. Additionally, water can contain traces of lead from old pipes that are made of up off brass or chrome. Make sure you get a water filter that removes this toxin and eat a diet that is organic and mainly comprised of non-dairy products.
  8. Arsenic is an environmental toxin that is known to kill in popular crime movies, but it can develop skin, lung, and bladder cancer in the rest of us if we’re exposed to enough amounts. It was historically used in common pesticides and is found in soil, but you can find high levels of the toxin in rice, apple or grape juice, and even chicken that are not free range. This is due to arsenic based chemicals being added to their feed for quicker muscle and fat growth. Luckily, a water filter will also help remove the arsenic traces in you water you use to drink and cook with. Limiting your rice consumption, eating organic chicken, and eating whole fruits instead of the juice it’s derived from will help you stay strong.

Home Bound Environment Toxins

You are in control of most of everything that can enter your home. By taking preventative measures to limit your intake of certain foods, cleaning products, and pesticides, you can ensure you can live with health and happiness!

Use cleaner materials in your home to remove air pollutants.

 

 

Being A Depressed Millennial

It’s hard to say it but so many millennials these days are going through depression, anxiety, or other mental issues. Whether our families are putting too much pressure on us to succeed, we’re stuck in an abusive relationship, or we’re hooked onto a substance to overcome our emotions, it’s all damaging our health and happiness. Research has shown that millennials are marked as the most anxious and depressed generation to date. While I was initially surprised to hear this statistic, after thinking about the expectations against us and the huge role technology plays in our everyday life it makes sense. Social media tends to show us only the highlights of other people’s lives, and we never see what goes on behind closed doors. We may be hooked on to our phone and our live Snapchat feed, causing us to have less sleep and worse moods in the long run.

If you know someone who is feeling off and are slipping into a state of depression, it’s important to know what to do to help them get back on their feet. If you are feeling strong and care about their well-being, it’s critical to get educated about the types of treatment plans that available, what activities help with depression, and how to talk to people in depression in general. Let’s dive into the key things to know about!

It’s difficult to experience depression as a millennial.

Recognizing Poor Mental Health

There’s a variety of signs that point to someone in your life suffering from depression or weak mental health. They may been showing signs of being sad or irritable most of day, are losing interest in activities that once had their passion, are eating or sleeping differently, or are not doing well in their classes or job. They also may have previous thoughts of suicide, are isolating themselves from people, or turning to substances like drugs or alcohol.

The best thing to do when someone is struggling with these issues is to be supportive and open minded to what they have to say. If you want to ask them questions about how they’re doing, catch them at a time when they aren’t busy and try your best to put yourself in their shoes. You might notice that they are annoyed or aren’t being very descriptive in their answers towards you, but remember that their tone of voice is just reflection of the frustration they’re experiencing constantly with themselves. They may completely avoid you or retreat to their home or room as well, but this very normal.

When you are listening to them, tell them that you understand are make it really clear to them that you want help them, not criticize them. Be compassionate and curious with their emotions without point fingers are why they aren’t getting help already. The worst thing to do to someone’s mental health when they are depressed is to get angry at them be depressed. They would not know why, and often can’t give you an answer to such a vague or pressured question.

Get Them Help

If the person is willing to get help for themselves, make sure you accentuate how positive their decision to move forward is. That is a huge step, as doing even the smallest of actions as a depression person is very difficult. Appreciate their time and make sure that they don’t need to rush talking to a counselor or changing their habits until they are ready. However, there is a fine line between feeling ready to jump into treatment and being lazy to make a difference. If you know the person well enough, you will tell when they are scared or just simply making up excuses. The best action from that point is to get in touch with local depression specialists who can form a plan with antidepressants, counseling, support groups, holistic medicine, or another alternative depending on the person’s situation.

Dealing with depression is definitely not a one size fits all type of fix. If you know a family member or friend who followed a certain treatment method before, make sure you aren’t trying to influence the same exact plan on the person you’re helping. This type of plan is common when parents or close friends knew someone with depression and is one that will backfire and slow down their potential progress.

Often, the best results are gained from using a combination of medication and therapy so any other issues or concerns besides the depression are addressed. For example, someone may have a support group meeting a couple of times a month, a check in with their counselor once a week, and a daily antidepressant to take. The exact plan that the person you’re helping will follow will be determined after all their factors are taken into account.

While this sounds like a lot, it is necessary for a successfully completed treatment for a patient who will get used to the schedule in due time.

Depression Is A Journey

Dealing with poor mental health and anxiety disorder in millennialscan be hard because we all take on so much each day. We are constantly trying to please everyone while adjusting to the pressures of school, work, and growing into being a successful adult. The best thing to do if you or someone you know is depressed is to talk about your experiences then see a medical expert. You will great knowing that your health is in good hands and not the unknown future.

It’s also never embarrassing to talk about depression, as we have all felt it at some point and most people will understand that you are not feeling your best. It actually is far better to admit you have a problem are willing to work through it. Taking action says a lot about a person!

Planning a drug intervention takes several steps.
Get over depression as a millennial.