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Preventing Addiction In Kids ? Focus On The Most Vulnerable Years

June 22, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Arcadia Child My photos that have a creative c...

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Do you want to prevent addiction? If yes, then you should be prepared to put in some hard work and go through the various studies related to addiction that have been conducted till date. As a parent of young individual, you will have to shoulder the responsibility of protecting your children from such bad habits. It is very important to acknowledge the difficulty of your task.

On one hand, you have all the friends and peers of your child who will be hell bent on luring your child into the addiction. From reasons ranging from the coolness factor to peer pressure, your child may be forced to give in to something that he or she does not want. Nine out of ten individuals become addict because their friends forced them into the habit. Then begins a vicious cycle that invariably ends in either rehabilitation or a destroyed life.

Relying on law enforcement authorities and the government to help you does not make sense. Considering the efficiency of drug cartels all over the world, one simply cannot expect the law enforcement authorities to take care of the problem on their own. In any case, they would be keen on punishing people to set a deterring example. That will not serve your purpose, right?

You must understand the psychological reasons behind addiction. If you shepherd your child through that vulnerable age and if you make sure that he or she stays within your control, you can be rest assured that your child will never become an addict throughout his or her life. Extra effort during the teenage years will help you secure better results for your efforts.

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Addiction, Family Support Tagged With: , ,

Is Your Child An Addict? Can Social Networking Websites Help You Find The Truth?

June 2, 2011 By Leave a Comment
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Image by SegTours of Gettysburg via Flickr

There was a time when parents could identify bad habits in the child by simply going through his or her personal belongings. However, times have changed and not many parents are comfortable with the idea of behaving in such a crude manner. Just take a look at some modern options available to parents to find whether his or her child is on the path of becoming an addict.

Set up your own social networking profile and make sure you are a friend or contact of your child in all such websites. This will help you keep track of the various conversations of your child with his or her online friends. All it takes is a single comment to find out whether your child is doing something that he or she should not be doing.

Teenagers have the tendency of boasting about their skills and prowess. An individual who may behave like a good boy or girl at home may not mind boasting about how he or she can drink anybody under the table. This information is enough for you to take remedial action accordingly.

Focus on the daily routine or schedule of your child. You should have a general idea of where your child goes and what he or she does. If you find a consistent grey area where you just cannot determine where your child is and what he or she is doing, it should be sufficient reason for concern. This is particularly important during the teenage years. As a child grows older, you can relax because he or she would have taken a firm decision by then.

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Addiction, Family Support Tagged With: , ,

Addiction, Genetics and the Unfortunate History

May 18, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Schematic diagram of a single-stranded RNA mol... 

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History defines the present. This is the assurance of all texts, the certainty of science. The actions of the past impact the future; and individuals are shaped by the choices of the one who came before them, with traits passed between generations and behaviors mimicked through the years.

Such mimicry applies even to addiction.

While substance dependance and abuse must be recognized (first and foremost) as an environmental disease — with personal choices noted as the main causes — both must also be classified as inheritable. Addiction often bounds between family members; and the reason is in the blood.

Genetics determine all factors of life: an individual is composed of lineage lines he can’t always trace, with different cultures and time-periods clustering inside him. Not all of those clusters are worthwhile, however. Some instead are dangerous.

It’s been discovered that certain genes directly influence individuals and their ability to resist addiction — whether through the control of metabolisms (which allow drugs, alcohol and more to be broken down and absorbed more quickly, ensuring that less is needed to receive the expected highs) or reacting with increased levels of dopamine when introduced to substances. Through the presence of these genes the chances of abuse increase over 50 percent, with the likelihood of overcoming that abuse plummeting to less than 20.

These numbers are troubling and demand further evaluation — as well as an understanding of genetics. Individuals must be aware of their histories, determining what forms of addiction have been passed through the years and recognizing the possibilities of developing dependence.

The decisions of the past dictate what occurs in the present.

 

Filed Under: Addiction Tagged With: , ,

The Soft Addiction Definition

May 15, 2011 By Leave a Comment

It’s a happy compulsion, a relief sought constantly. The hours are defined to patterns — with gestures repeated and words offered until a smile is formed. A ritual is created. It’s your answer to a long day, an outlet to battle stress and confusion. You’ve developed a way to numb your worries: it’s a careful combination of salty treats, wireless connections and streaming videos. You devote hours to the online world, snacking mindlessly and searching the Internet (with no cause beyond laughter). There is, you’re certain, no harm in this. It allows you to simply unwind.

It allows you also, however, to partake in a soft addiction.

The notion of the soft addiction is uncommon among the masses, even as it’s experienced by many. Simply defined: this is a behavior that offers no physical harm but is instead a mental burden, allowing individuals to avoid their concerns by spending excessive amounts of time performing specific activities (such as watching television, shopping or posting to forums).

These activities are not — in moderated forms — considered dangerous. When channeled into repetitions, however, they can be deemed addictions. And they must therefore be addressed.

The soft addiction is one many dismiss. Its points are valid, however — with individuals becoming consumed to hobbies that offer no stimulation and no tangible rewards. These behaviors suppress neurological success, often causing thoughts to become sluggish and energy to weaken (which can directly affect emotions). It’s imperative therefore that they be recognized.

Disease is a dangerous word — and one too few wish to offer to this type of compulsion. The soft addiction is a concern, however, and must be countered.

Filed Under: Addiction Tagged With: , ,
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