The Secret Diary of The Beautiful Mind

  Effects of hallucinogen withdrawal and overdose Effects of hallucinogen withdrawal: Long-term abuse of a hallucinogen may cause one to endure a series of unpleasant physical and psychological symptoms when not under the influence of the drug of choice. These symptoms are known as withdrawal and may include the following effects: Diminished speech Impaired reflexes Seizures Agitation Memory problems Muscle twitches Anxiety Confusion Depression Effects of hallucinogen overdose: If a hallucinogen is consumed to the extent that the body can’t safely metabolize it, then there is risk of experiencing an overdose. An overdose should be viewed as a potentially life-threatening problem, so one should seek emergency medical attention if any of the following effects become apparent: Loss of muscle control Tachycardia Coma Convulsions High blood pressure Muscle rigidity Rapid eye movement Seizure High pain tolerance

  Key findings associated with cannabis use, cannabis-induced, and cannabis-related disorders include the following: Mood :Acute use may be associated with feelings of euphoria, uncontrollable laughter, increased appetite, and difficulty concentrating. In chronic use or withdrawal, patients may report a depressed mood characterized by apathy, lack of motivation, irritability, loss of interest in typical activities, difficulty concentrating, and possibly isolation. Affect : Acutely, affect may span the spectrum from euphoric to anxious. In chronic use, affect may be constricted or flat. Thought process and content : As in any mental status examination, assessing the patient for the presence of suicidality or homicidality and taking appropriate action is critical. Patients may demonstrate flight of ideas, loose associations, and, in some cases, delusions and hallucinations. Cognition : In both acute and chronic use, difficulty concentrating and memory impairment are common. Physical...

  Cannabis and Mental Illness - Cannabis use is associated with psychotic symptoms, schizophrenia, anxiety, and depression.When compared with those who have never used cannabis, young adults who began using the drug at age 15 or younger are twice as likely to develop a psychotic disorder, and four times as likely to experience delusional symptoms. A dose‐response relationship was found; that is, the longer the duration since initial cannabis use, the higher the risk of psychosis‐related outcomes. Cannabis and Cognitive Effects - Cannabis‐dependent teens show short‐term memory deficits as well as delayed recall of visual and verbal information. Teens who continue to use cannabis heavily show poorer complex attention functioning as well as slower psychomotor speed, poorer sequencing ability, and difficulties in verbal story memory. Cannabis and the Respiratory and Cardiovascular Systems Because cannabis is frequently smoked, bronchial and lung diseases are not uncommon. There is a f...

  Osteoporosis is a disease which causes your bones to become porous, weak and fragile. The result: a higher risk of broken bones, known as fragility fractures. Osteoporosis is ‘invisible’ - there are no obvious signs or symptoms, until a bone breaks. In people with osteoporosis, this can happen after a minor fall from standing height, a bump, sudden movement, or from bending or lifting. Osteoporosis-related fractures are most likely to occur in the hip, spine, wrist or upper part of the arm, but other bones can break too. One broken bone leads to another, and that’s why it’s important to diagnose and treat the disease as soon as possible. Osteoporosis-related fractures affect one in three women and one in five men aged 50 years or older worldwide. A DISEASE WITH SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES Although osteoporosis itself is painless, the fragility fractures it causes can have serious, life-changing consequences. When osteoporosis affects the bones of the spine, it often leads to pain, heigh...

  Cocaine is also known as coke, C, flake, snow, crack, and blow. It is most commonly snorted, but can also be smoked (also known as “freebasing”) or dissolved in water and injected. It's popularity as a recreational substance is in part due to its perceived positive effects on mood, motivation, and energy—heightening concentration, increasing sociability, decreasing shyness, and more. Cocaine acts in the deep areas of the brain that reward us for “good behavior” – such as activities that lead to food, sex, and healthy pleasure. Stimulating this brain area with cocaine feels good and can create a powerful craving to use more and more cocaine. Repeated cocaine use leads to tolerance – higher and higher doses needed to attain the same effects, dependence, and addiction. There is no amount of cocaine usage that is considered safe. Cocaine has extremely negative effects on the heart, brain, and emotional wellbeing of users. Many people who use cocaine become physically and psychologica...

  How is alcohol use disorder treated? Treatment may include a combination of: Behavioral therapies: Counseling, or talk therapy, with a healthcare provider like a psychologist or mental health counselor can teach you ways to change your behavior. Motivational, cognitive-behavioral, contingency and 12-step facilitation are the most commonly used techniques. Medications: Medicines approved are naltrexone and acamprosate for the treatment of alcohol use disorder. Topiramate and gabapentin can also decrease cravings in some people. An older medication — disulfiram — is also used. These medications seem to help decrease the background obsessional thinking around alcohol. Support groups: Group meetings with other people who have alcohol use disorder can help you stay sober. Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings are usually free and are available in many places.

  Neurological Complications of Alcohol Use Neurological Complications of Alcohol Use - 1. Alcoholic Neuropathy      a. Acute Alcoholic Neuropathy      b. Alcohol-related - Compressive Neuropathy - Excessive alcohol consumption is traditionally associated with ‘Saturday night palsy’, caused by compression of the radial nerve against the humerus for several hours.      c. Chronic Alcholic Neuropathy - The onset of symptoms is insidious and symmetric, predominantly sensory, in the form of dysesthesia, burning sensation and burning pain on the soles of the feet that later develops into cramp in the calves and the hands. Motor symptoms usually manifest later, and are characterised by muscle weakness and atrophy, especially in the distal muscles of the upper or lower limbs. Vegetative vascular and skin defects (sweaty, atrophic, glossy, almost hairless skin) with associated dysautonomia are also typical. 2. Withdrawl symptoms and deliriu...

  5 subtypes of patients having alcohol addiction: Young Adult Subtype - 31.5%, largest group. Have lower comobidity and family history. Binge pattern of drinking observed, less help seeking behaviour. Functional Subtype - 19.5%. More likely to hold jobs and relationships. Depression, cigarette smoking common. Highest education, income amongst patients having alcohol concerns. Intermediate Familial Subtype - 18.8% - high rates of family history of substance use and also of psychological issues and other substance use. Hold on to jobs but less help seeking behaviour. Young Antisocial Subtype - 21%. Almost half of them have antisocial personality disorder, along with other psychological issues. High rates of other substance use disorder. Lowest levels of education, employment, and income, but highest help seeking behaviour. Chronic Severe Subtype - 9.2%. 70% have family history of substance use, high antisocial personality diagnosis and other psychological and substance use concerns....