Therapist Unlimited Blog

Those patients suffering from prostate cancer need to be careful since a recent study has shown that an intake of high levels of selenium could worsen their medical condition.
Selenium is a mineral found widely in rocks and dirt. Small amounts of selenium are essential for health: 40 to 70 micrograms is the recommended daily intake.
In recent years, supplemental selenium has been sold and promoted, as a means of preventing prostate cancer, largely based on observational studies that found higher risk of prostate cancer incidence and mortality in areas of the country that are naturally low in selenium.
Based on the research conducted by the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the University of California, San Francisco it was discovered that a higher risk of more-aggressive prostate cancer was seen in men with a certain genetic variant found in about 75 percent of the prostate cancer patients in the study.
The researchers said in those subjects, having a high level of selenium in the blood was associated with a two-fold greater risk of poorer outcomes than men with the lowest amounts of selenium were.
The researchers revealed by contrast, the 25 percent of men with a different variant of the same gene and who had high selenium levels were at 40 percent lower risk of aggressive disease.

Men suffering from prostate cancer need to be careful in using selenium since it could further worsen their medical condition.

The group added the variants are slightly different forms of a gene that instructs cells to make manganese superoxide dismutase (SOD2), an enzyme that protects the body against harmful oxygen compounds.
Philip Kantoff, MD, director of Dana-Farber’s Lank Center for Genitourinary Oncology and senior author of the study said the research findings suggest that if you already have prostate cancer, it may be a bad thing to take selenium.
Kantoff explained the unexpected results are the first to raise concern about this potentially harmful consequence of taking supplemental selenium.
Kantoff added the findings are interesting particularly in light of the recent negative results from the SELECT prevention study, which asked if selenium could protect against prostate cancer.
He said the new study also reveals the strong interaction between selenium and SOD2 to influence the biology of prostate cancer, a finding that these investigators had shown in a previous study.
Furthermore, the researchers said the current research demonstrated that variations in the make up of the SOD2 gene dramatically alter the effects of selenium on the risk of aggressive prostate cancer.

An intensified teen drug education is also an effective tool to prevent risky sex among teenagers around the world.

Hitting two birds in one stone.
This was uncovered by researchers who found out that an aggressive teen drug education is also an effective tool to beat our risky sex among the young generation.
According to a report published in the online health magazine site Journal of Adolescent Health, young adults who had been exposed to a popular drug abuse prevention program as adolescents were less likely to engage in risky sexual behaviour five to seven years later.
The researchers said the result of their study has proved that an intensified drug abuse prevention program can help reduce risky sexual practices among young adults.
The Rand Corporation who conducted the study explained teenagers who have undergone a drug prevention training are more likely avoid engaging in sex with multiple partners or perform sex or do unprotective sex.
The result of the study was based on the research conducted on 1,901 unmarried 21-year-olds who took part in a randomized controlled trial of Project ALERT, a drug use prevention program for middle school students developed by Rand Corporation.
The Rand Corporation revealed the study participants were exposed to Project ALERT while they attended middle school in South Dakota.
Among the participants, 631 attended schools that received 14 Project ALERT lessons during middle school, 499 attended schools that received 10 additional lessons during high school and 771 attended schools that did not offer the Project ALERT program.
It was discovered that Young adults exposed to Project ALERT were both less likely to have sex with multiple partners (44 percent versus 50 percent) and to have unprotected sex because of drug use (27 percent versus 32 percent) than their peers who had not been exposed to the program.
About 71 percent of study participants reported inconsistent use of condoms, regardless of whether they had been exposed to Project ALERT.
Furthermore, the researchers say that part of the differences between the two groups may be due to the lower use of drugs and alcohol among those exposed to Project ALERT since the behavior is linked to risky sexual practices. However, the differences in sexual behaviour between the two groups were not entirely explained by the lower substance use levels.
The result of this study should push the national government of any nation around the world to intensify further their anti-drug prevention campaign so also avoid risky sexual behaviours among the young generation.

According to a latest study those people who are regular users of shabu or Methamphetamine, a form of street drug are prone to memory loss.
Based on the study conducted by Julie Henry from the University of New South Wales, Australia, and Peter Rendell from Australian Catholic University on 20 adults, they discovered that majority of them are suffering from memory years for using shabu in an of average four years.
Rendell said previous research has found that that Methamphetamine may cause problems in social reasoning. As two of the most important aspects of social thinking are recognising emotion on people’s faces and understanding that, others think about things differently to you known as Theory of Mind.
He explained when compared with a group of people with no history of drug use, the group who had used shabu showed significant deficits on both the facial emotion recognition task and a Theory of Mind task, which involved naming the feelings expressed in photos of people’s eyes.
The researcher said the study has shown that constant shabu use has psychological consequences, and, potentially, consequences for these individuals’ social functioning.
He said the size of these social reasoning deficits was comparable to the memory problems that have also been found in users of shabu, consistent with other evidence showing that shabu is a dangerous drug, which can do lasting harm.
To avoid chances of suffering from memory loss, it would be best to avoid using shabu
To those who are already using it is time to stop this kind of act now.

The public should avoid using shabu since it could cause memory loss.

Those children who have higher intelligence quotient have almost 100 percent chance of becoming a drunkard in the next 20 years of his or her life.
This was the result of a study conducted by the University of Glasgow in Scotland on children age 10 years old wherein they found out that those who have a high score in mental test became addicted to liquor in their adult life.
Based on the study which was also posted in the American Journal of Public Health it was also uncovered that majority  of the intelligent children who end up facing drinking addiction in the future are women.
Dr. David Batty, a member of the research team of University of Glasglow revealed unfortunately in the study they conducted they did not categorically found out what causes why kids with high IQ became addicted to liquor in their adult life.
The result of this study is an eye opener to all that children who have great minds to be always careful or they end up having drinking problem in the future.
The parents for their part should closely monitor their kids who have high IQ so that they end up successful and not a drunkard as the study suggest.
Having a high IQ is a gift so it should be treasured and taken cared off properly so that during adult life your life will be successful and away from menace of alcohol.

A recent study has shown that children who have high IQ has strong tendency to become alcohol addict in adult life.

What is Marijuana and how is it used?

Marijuana is part of a group of drugs known as hallucinogenic drugs. That is, they can cause the drug abuser to hallucinate when they are using it. It has a dried herb like appearance, and is usually smoked, often mixed with other herbs or tobacco. Marijuana is produced from the leaves of the cannabis plant. Other names for Marijuana include ‘weed’, ‘dope’, ‘blow’, and ’smoke’. The effects of the drug Marijuana. People who abuse the drug Marijuana will often say that they feel ‘chilled out’ and that it relaxes them. They may become more talkative, although they will often not make any sense. Time will often slow down for the Marijuana drug abuser, and it is not unusual for them to experience intense hunger; this is known as the munchies. The drug Marijuana is often thought by people who are less informed to be relatively harmful, or something that the user will grow out of using. However, Marijuana does carry harmful side effects, so it is wise to test anyone that you think may be using and abusing this drug. Drug testing can be easily carried out by using a drug test kit. Using a drug test kit to test for Marijuana is important because of the harmful effects this drug can have on the user. These include the user developing a psychological dependency on the drug. They may also show signs of paranoia and anxiety when they are not taking the drug. There has been links of Marijuana with schizophrenia. Drug testing for this substance using a drug testing kit is also important because the most common way to smoke Marijuana is to mix it with tobacco which also carried health risks that can lead to cancer. Increased use of the drug Marijuana can lead to a slowing down of the brain functions and make it difficult for the user to learn. If you know of a teenager showing these signs, then it is important that you use a drug testing kit to determine the facts.

What are propoxyphene’s and how are they used?
Propoxyphene is a synthetic opiate and come into the group of drugs known as narcotic pain relievers. These are drugs that although can be used legally for the treatment of pain, they are also highly addictive.

The brand names for the most common propoxyphene drugs are darvon and darvocet. These drugs are available legally on prescription from medical practitioners and are used to treat patients who suffer from prolonged mild to moderate pain. They are often prescribed to people who suffer repeated migraine attacks. Because of their highly addictive nature, they are only available on prescription.

They are usually supplied in capsule form and are taken orally.

However, when they are being used in drug abuse cases, the capsules may be opened and the powder is often snorted (or tablets are crushed to a powder and snorted). The powder is sometimes mixed with water and injected into the drug abuser.

The effects of propoxyphene drugs.
The have a sedative effect and can be similar to the effects of methadone. The person taking the drug will not feel pain to any great degree due to the pain relieving properties of the drug. It can give the user feelings of relaxation and general well-being.

It is possible to carry out a drug test for propoxyphene drugs such as darvon and darvocet by using a drug testing kit.

Propoxyphene drugs such as darvon and darvocet can produce unpleasant and harmful side effects. These include slowing the heartbeat, causing breathing to become shallow and inducing feelings of nausea or actual vomiting. People have been reported to have choked on their vomit and died in some cases. These drugs can also cause hallucinations and blurred vision.

If you know of someone who is displaying these symptoms you should get them medical help immediately.

Propoxyphene drugs such as darvon and darvocet are particularly dangerous as they are prescription drugs, and therefore often thought of as safe. A person may legitimately have a prescription for these drugs without realizing how easily they may become addicted to them. The withdrawal symptoms are unpleasant, and patients should not suddenly stop taking the drug. Withdrawal should be undertaken with medical supervision.

Drug testing kits are useful for those taking long term pain relief, who may be concerned as to what their medication contains. Drug testing for propoxyphene drugs is both easy and reliable. Drug testing kits are available for purchase.

Powerful Steps Toward Defeating Drug Addiction
By Jacob Malewitz

Seeing the Problem:
The problem is there; donít look away. Drug addiction works on your body and mind, sure, but it also works on your entire life. That means drug addiction cannot be defeated when you put it down and stop wanting it; itís beaten when you start seeing the problem. Addicts across the world may disagree: addiction is fun; addiction helps the pain; addiction brings happiness. These are all problems. You need creative action to defeat it.

Acting:
You act out on thoughts when using drugs. Maybe youíre reacting to family drama, a pain from long ago. Maybe you see no other way of rewarding yourself. Action works as a counter to all this, because when you act problems are often solved. Taking action, in the beginning, will be a tough enterprise. The drug addiction speaks to you and asks for more. Your job is to beat it creatively. Now the most important step.

Learning Creative Lessons:
Creatively, using drugs is more than a happiness or sadness: itís a death sentence. Learning to handle drugs can be done creatively. You donít have to read everything in books; you can ask around. You might not want to ask your family. A family will sooner judge a drug addict for a mistake. However, the best families will see ways out of the darkness and towards the light.
You react when you use a drug. Can something be put in place of the drug?

Reacting to Pain, Reacting to Happiness:
The emotions are creative in and of themselves. For example, you smoke marijuana: your body reacts. You smoke crack: your body reacts again. Whatever your drug, what you are doing is reacting to it. You can react to a sad movie. You can react to the rain, or react to family drama. Understand the reaction and you understand the drug.

Other Things to Do:
And there are so many other things to do! You can be creative, the life blood of many people seeking a new outlet. Drug addiction is tough, as is dealing with the family drama it causes. You can start a new career or begin a hobby. It is, however, important to remember the thinking addict within you. He will want to go back. Look at it the right way. Itís a powerful drug, but itís you who makes the drug powerful. Drug addiction is in a creative sense just the beginning. Recovering ends up being the finale for the best of us.

What is PCP and how is it used?

PCP is the abbreviation for the drug known as phencyclidine. Another more common street name for this drug is ‘angel dust.’ PCP was developed during the 1950’s as an anesthetic that could be used in the treatment of mild to moderate pain and also to treat aching limbs. Production of PCP stopped during the 1960’s when patients were beginning to show significant unwelcome side effects from taking the drug. PCP began hitting the streets as a drug that was open to abuse around 1967. It is usually taken by smoking it, often mixing it with herbs such as mint or parsley. It is also sometimes smoked by mixing it with tobacco and marijuana. The effects of the drug PCP. The drug PCP has been known to reduce the feeling of pain. It can also cause feelings of being ‘out of it’ and confusion. Drug testing for PCP is easy and reliable. Urine drug testing kits are available that are easy to use. Drug testing for PCP is important because of the side effects of this drug. These include the person abusing PCP becoming confused and agitated, and often depressed as the drug depresses their brain. PCP increases the abusers heart rate and raises blood pressure. Chronic abuse of the drug PC has led to kidney damage, muscle damage and even brain damage. Another harmful effect of the drug PCP is that the person will feel no or reduced pain. This can often lead to abusers seriously injuring themselves. Some drug abusers have been reported as becoming agitated and violent and getting into fights. Because they do not feel pain, they will fight for longer which may result in serious injuries for themselves and others. Drug testing kits for PCP and other drugs are easily available and give reliable results.

What is Nicotine and how is it used?

Nicotine is the stimulant found in tobacco products, and can be smoked in cigarettes and pipes, or chewed. It is highly addictive and can cause long term damage to the user, sometimes resulting in death. Why people begin to abuse Nicotine. Many people will begin to abuse nicotine in their early teens, and most will not stop until they are much older, if they are able to stop at all. Unfortunately this drug is often seen as a social drug, and the effects of the drug abuse are not thought about. Young teens will often begin to smoke and abuse nicotine due to peer pressure. The effects of the drug Nicotine Nicotine in tobacco produces a stimulation effect when a person first begins smoking it. This continues until the drug user it addicted. When addicted, the drug user will have to take in more nicotine to fend off the feelings of irritability and anxiety that can occur when the drug is stopped. Rather than taking the drug nicotine for its stimulating effect, the user now has to take it to feel ‘normal’. Nicotine now goes from being a drug that stimulates, to one that relaxes the user. How the drug Nicotine harms the user. Nicotine harms the drug user in a variety of ways. It can increase blood pressure, and in some cases, the heart rate can be raised up to 40 per cent. There is also the risks that taking nicotine in tobacco brings with it. The tar that tobacco produces releases chemicals known to cause cancer into the bloodstream. These increase the risk of the user contracting lung cancer, which in many cases can lead to death. Smokers who obtain nicotine in this way also run the increased risk of suffering from emphysema and other bronchial conditions. Nicotine can also harm people who do not abuse the drug. Smoking in a public place can cause second hand smoke to enter the bloodstream of others. This has been found to have a detrimental effect, with some developing the same health conditions as smokers. Fortunately there is an easy to administer drug test that can detect if someone is abusing nicotine. The Nicotine Screen-Cassette is easy to use and if used as part of a program designed to help a user give up nicotine, this can be helpful and beneficial to the user, by ensuring that regular checks can monitor their progress. A simple drug kit to test for nicotine can also be helpful for people who may be worried that they are suffering the consequences of second hand smoke from nicotine abusers close to them.

What is Methamphetamine, and how is it used?

The drug Methamphetamine is a stimulant drug that acts on the nervous brain and the nervous system. They are part of a group of drugs that are known as amphetamines. However, the drug Methamphetamine is much more potent and the effects of the drug last much longer. It is usually smoked when in its crystalline form. This drug is also known as ‘Ice’ and ‘Glass’ on the street. The effects of the drug Methamphetamine Quite a small dosage will bring on feelings of exhilaration, and increase arousal in a person. Their activity levels will be much higher than usual and may say that they feel ‘alive’. The effects are usually long lasting. If someone close to you is displaying this type of behavior, then there is a simple drug test you can do. Drug tests usually come in a drug test kit that you can purchase online. Once you have the result you can move forward with the advice of medical staff. It is important that you confront someone using this drug as the results of using the drug Methamphetamine can be harmful. This person abusing this drug can suffer from feelings of paranoia, agitation and confusion. They may also become violent. Their heart rate will increase when they take the drug and so will their blood pressure. An overdose can lead to a stroke, coma or in some cases death. The drug Methamphetamine is extremely addictive when smoked or injected. Drug abusers often suffer from psychosis, a mental state that makes them lose touch with the reality of what is going on around them. Because it is so addictive it is wise to administer a drug test kit on a person showing any of these symptoms as soon as possible.