Published on: 27 April 2022
Last Updated on: 17 February 2025
Are you noticing any changes in the way you talk, move, or think?
Although you might think there is nothing to worry about, it might be a reason for any neurological issue.
In case we have any digestion or liver-related issues, we go to the gastroenterologist; in case the issue is related to bone, we opt for orthopedics.
But…
When it comes to visiting a neurologist, we become clueless, as we do not get to understand the neurological issues or the symptoms that are delivering any message of neurological conditions.
Here, in this article, we will talk about the major symptoms that are asking you to make an immediate appointment with an expert in Forensic Neuropsychology. Now, without wasting a single minute, let’s have a look at all those symptoms.
Sign 1: Problems With Memory
Yes, we all forget to lock the door or put off the light along with other things every now and then.
But…
In case you forget things more frequently, and that is hampering your daily life, then you should consult neurologist. Your forgetfulness can be a sign of any type of change in the brain, which might lead to dementia.
A neurologist will be able to find out the exact reason behind it and will be able to provide you with the proper medical attention.
Sign 2: Severe Or Frequent Headaches Or Migraine
Now, this is most probably the most common reason why people visit a neurologist. Migraines are severe headaches that often bring nausea and sensitivity to sounds, scents, and lights.
However, migraine can not be sure still. Forensic Neuropsychology experts help in determining the things that are triggering the migraine and then work on reducing the severity and frequency of it.
Sign 3: Brain Or Spinal Cord Injury
In case you meet any type of severe accident, it can injure your brain or spinal cord. As a result, you might suffer from a number of neurological symptoms. In case you have injured your brain, you might get the following symptoms.
Memory loss.
Headaches.
Loss of consciousness.
Dizziness.
Changes in behavior and thought process.
Seizures.
On the other hand, an injured spinal cord can result in numbness, weakness, or in the worst cases, paralysis. Here, only a neurologist will be able to determine the actual reason and the injury and will offer the necessary treatment for that.
Sign 4: Seizures
A seizure is the outcome of a disruption in the brain. A seizure can happen in a number of forms, like loss of consciousness, uncontrollable movements, or weird sensations. Often, seizures are also the result of some particular causes, and once the cause is addressed, seizures will also stop.
In some cases, some sort of medical condition might also result in seizures. In this scenario, medications and preventive procedures in order to reduce or prevent seizures. Here, a neurologist will do the required diagnostic tests to evaluate the exact reason behind the seizure and start the treatment.
Sign 5: Problems With Movement
Stiff, trembling, or slow movements, inability to move some particular parts of the body, clumsiness- all these can be the symptoms of neurological issues.
In case you are having problems with movement, it can be caused by Parkinson’s disease or any other movement disorders. On the basis of your diagnosis, different treatments are there. Only a neurologist will be able to determine what is the exact reason behind your health condition.
Go, Consult A Neurologist
Apart from all these symptoms, if you are also experiencing mental confusion and physical clumsiness, this also can be because your body is experiencing trouble communicating messages to the body parts.
In case you are having any of these problems, it is best to consult with a neurologist as soon as possible. You should always take precautions and proper care before it gets too late.
Arnab is a professional blogger, having an enormous interest in writing blogs and other jones of calligraphies. In terms of his professional commitments, He carries out sharing sentient blogs.
You might have heard the term “functioning alcoholic” and wondered what it even means. Then, you might be searching for the meaning of the term and what it means to be a functional alcoholic. Then, let’s throw some light on the meaning of functioning alcoholics for your better understanding.
We often relate alcoholism with people who are unable to function properly in their lives. This stereotype of alcoholic individuals seems to be not accurate. This is because several individuals who are alcoholics seem to function properly and deal with their daily tasks properly.
If this is the case, then why are these individuals living a regular life while being alcoholic? While other groups cannot function properly because they are constantly under influence.
Therefore, in this article, we not only discuss what is a functioning alcoholic but also how they differ from those with more visible signs of alcohol dependency.
Perception About Individuals Battling Addiction
Your concept or perception of an alcoholic will change when you learn how a functioning alcoholic person works. They are capable of living or maintaining a normal life while battling alcohol addiction.
At one glance, you might not even know this person might have an addiction. Because they can do all their daily duties smoothly. Therefore, why was this term created, which means someone who is functioning even when dealing with addiction?
This challenges the common stereotype of an alcoholic person who lives an undisciplined and disheveled life. The term “functioning alcoholic” could be used to describe a person’s condition, but it is not officially recognized.
In the field of psychiatry, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) doesn’t recognize this term officially. However, several professionals use this term to describe a specific alcoholic person’s condition.
So, understanding the phenomenon of the functioning alcoholic is important. Because it helps identify people who are going through this hardship. When you recognize a functional alcoholic, you can help them get the right treatment, which will get them better.
Functioning alcoholics often hide their struggles with addiction while maintaining a normal facade. So, it becomes harder for you to recognize them and get them correctly diagnosed. Therefore, you must read this article to know how to identify one. This is so you can help them get the right treatment for recovery.
What Is A Functioning Alcoholic?
A functioning alcoholic seems to live a normal life while dealing with alcohol addiction. These individuals, you will observe, can do all the regular tasks and maintain a lifestyle without alcohol overriding their lives.
Even if they are always under the influence, they can hold down a job and other obligations. Not only that, but they can also excel in some areas of their lives without alcohol overriding their entire life.
Therefore, it becomes hard for you to identify these individuals. Because they look perfectly normal from the outside while dealing with addiction.
These individuals know how to keep their professional and social lives separate from their addiction. You see, functional alcoholics are aware of their alcoholic addiction, which helps them hide it easily. They become skilled at hiding their shortcomings from the world.
However, this addiction of a functioning alcoholic does not affect anyone other than themselves. It does affect their own lives if kept unchecked in the long run. As they continue to hide their struggle with alcohol, it becomes much more troublesome as time goes on.
Functioning Alcoholics Live In The Grey Area Of Addiction
A functioning alcoholic lives in the grey area of addiction, where addiction coexists with competence. While they are functioning like a regular individual, they also hide their addiction from their friends, family, or colleagues.
So, they operate much more separately than an alcoholic consumed with addiction and a normal non-alcoholic.
So how will you recognize a functioning alcoholic when they are living just like any ordinary person? You see, functioning alcoholics often rationalize their drinking habits as rewards for their accomplishments.
So, if they can get their work done, they reward themselves. Again, if they do their duty towards their family, they will reward themselves with a drink.
Again, their coping mechanism for dealing with the stress of daily responsibilities is through alcohol. So, when they accomplish their responsibilities day-to-day, they reward themselves with alcohol.
But this facade of normalcy is fragile as they become more dependent on alcohol over time. As they start to deal with life problems with alcohol, this results in psychological issues.
Maintaining a long-term facade of alcohol addiction is not the only problem a functional alcoholic face but health problems, too.
High Functioning Alcoholism vs. Traditional Alcohol Use Disorder
Traditionally, you could identify an alcoholic person from their visible signs of dysfunction. These dysfunctional problems were frequent performance issues, relationship problems, and deteriorating health.
In contrast, high-functioning alcoholics may lead seemingly successful lives, masking their dependency behind a façade of competence. They may hold prestigious positions, maintain social connections, and even drink expensive wine without raising suspicion.
Despite their ability to keep up appearances, high-functioning alcoholics often deal with a significant internal struggle. They might spend considerable effort hiding the extent of their drinking from others and themselves.
This can involve elaborate routines to cover up the smell of alcohol and secret drinking sessions. Again, a functional alcoholic persistently worries about being discovered because of their addiction.
You will see that the stress of maintaining a double life can be extremely problematic in the long run. In the long-term, this coping mechanism with alcohol can only affect negatively both physically and mentally.
Along with the stress of hiding their addiction to alcohol and dealing with life’s problems, a functioning alcoholic is bound to break down at some point. This will lead to their worst fear of revealing their true nature.
It’s this dual existence that differentiates high-functioning alcoholism from other overt alcohol use disorders. Other alcohol disorders are more visible due to their impact on an individual’s life.
Recognizing The Signs of Alcohol Abuse
There are significant risks to being a functional alcoholic despite its outward appearance. Because their pattern of drinking can be more than seven drinks per week. This leads to health risks in the long term. Again, continuous dependence on alcohol to deal with life can have adverse effects on the person’s psychology.
From binge drinking episodes to the inability to stop drinking despite its negative consequences, these are some of the recognized risks of alcohol addiction. They may also experience withdrawal symptoms when trying to quit or cut back on alcohol consumption.
Recognizing signs of a high-functioning alcoholic can be challenging as they are good at hiding their addiction. Therefore, it’s essential to identify these individuals, get them diagnosed correctly, and treat them properly.
It’s important to note that these behaviors can be subtle and easily overlooked, especially when the individual is still managing to fulfill their personal and professional obligations. Over time, you will see that the consequences of high-functioning alcoholism become visible.
Be it strained relationships, personality changes, mental health issues, and physical health problems related to alcohol abuse. You will start to see its effects on a functional alcoholic.
Risk Factors and Consequences
Certain factors can increase the likelihood of high-functioning alcoholism, including genetic predisposition, environmental influences, and untreated mental health issues.
While they may avoid some of the immediate consequences associated with traditional alcoholism, such as job loss or legal troubles, high-functioning alcoholics are still at risk for severe health problems, including certain cancers and mental health issues.
These health problems can include liver disease, heart disease, and neurological impairments that may not become evident until later in life. The psychological consequences are equally concerning, potentially leading to depression, anxiety, and other psychiatric disorders that can deteriorate the quality of life.
Moreover, high-functioning alcoholics may face social consequences over time, such as eroded trust in relationships, marital strife, and a gradual withdrawal from social activities as they prioritize alcohol over personal connections.
Despite maintaining a veneer of normalcy, the cumulative effect of these risk factors and consequences can lead to a tipping point where the individual’s ability to function at a high level is compromised.
It is crucial to recognize these long-term risks and understand that the lack of immediate, visible consequences does not diminish the urgency for intervention and treatment.
Seeking Support And Treatment For The High Functioning Alcoholic
Addressing high-functioning alcoholism requires a comprehensive approach involving medical professionals, support groups, and rehab centers in Los Angeles specializing in addiction medicine.
Loved ones play a crucial role in encouraging their family members or close relatives to seek help, but it’s essential to approach the situation with empathy and understanding. Initiating this conversation can be delicate, as it often involves breaking through a wall of denial built up by the individual over time.
Friends and family need to be informed about the nature of high-functioning alcoholism, to offer non-judgmental support, and to avoid enabling behaviors that can perpetuate the addiction.
The process of seeking support often begins with an honest self-assessment or an intervention by concerned loved ones. This step is vital in helping the individual recognize the extent of their problem and its impact on their life and the lives of those around them.
Professional interventionists can be instrumental in this phase, providing the guidance needed to navigate what can be a highly charged situation. Once the individual acknowledges the need for help, the next step involves finding the right treatment program.
Treatment can range from outpatient therapy sessions to accommodate the individual’s work schedule. Or a more intensive inpatient program where you must take a temporary step back from daily responsibilities.
The treatment choice should be tailored to the individual’s specific circumstances, considering their level of addiction, personal responsibilities, and any co-occurring mental health conditions.
Throughout the recovery journey, ongoing support is essential for maintaining sobriety. Aftercare programs and sober living communities offer continued guidance and support, helping the individual to reintegrate into their daily life with new coping skills and a renewed focus on health and wellness.
Support And Treatment Facilities
Support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous provide a vital lifeline for individuals struggling with alcohol use disorders, offering a sense of community and understanding.
These groups facilitate peer-to-peer support and shared experiences, creating a space where individuals can speak openly about their struggles without fear of judgment.
Treatment facilities offer residential treatment or outpatient tailored programs designed to address the unique needs of high-functioning alcoholics, providing medical supervision during the withdrawal process and equipping them with coping strategies for maintaining sobriety.
These facilities often employ a multidisciplinary approach, combining medical treatment, psychological counseling, and behavioral therapy to address the complex nature of addiction. The programs may include individual therapy sessions, group therapy, educational workshops on addiction, and relapse prevention planning.
In addition to traditional treatment methods, some facilities offer holistic therapies such as meditation, yoga, and art therapy, recognizing the importance of treating the whole person.
The Importance Of Mental Health Resources
Recognizing that alcoholism is not solely a physical dependency but also a mental health problem is crucial. Access to more mental health resources, including therapy and counseling, can help individuals address underlying issues contributing to their alcohol use and develop healthier coping mechanisms.
These resources are vital in treating the emotional and psychological aspects of alcoholism, which often include stress, anxiety, depression, and other mental health disorders that may co-occur with substance abuse.
By providing a supportive environment for open discussion about mental health, individuals can gain insights into the emotional triggers that lead to drinking and learn new strategies for managing these triggers.
Therapy can also assist in repairing relationships damaged by alcohol abuse, rebuilding trust, and improving communication skills. In addition, counseling can offer guidance on how to establish a balanced life. You can set achievable goals and create a supportive network that fosters their long-term recovery.
Treatment programs need to integrate mental health services as a core component of addiction recovery, called dual diagnosis treatment. This integration ensures that individuals receive a holistic approach to their treatment, addressing all facets of their well-being.
As society continues to destigmatize mental health issues, the hope is that more people will feel empowered to seek the help they need without fear of judgment or stigma.
Ultimately, enhancing the availability and accessibility of mental health resources is a critical step in supporting the recovery journey of functioning alcoholics. Their lasting sobriety helps improve their mental health issues.
High Functioning Alcoholics: Is There Such A Thing?
High-functioning alcoholics can often seem to have it all together, balancing significant responsibilities while battling their addiction in silence.
Despite heavy drinking, they are typically individuals who seem to lead productive lives. They often excel in their careers, maintain social relationships, and uphold daily routines.
This can make it difficult is difficult for others and sometimes even for the individuals themselves to recognize the problem, as their success often masks the underlying issues.
We can help individuals struggling with high-functioning alcoholism by raising awareness and providing support. This will help them regain control of their lives and improve their overall life.
How to Help a Colleague (...Who is Also Recovering)
Helping someone in recovery from alcoholism is as simple as learning the signs and subtly helping.
But remember they are on a journey, not at the destination. Part of that journey includes being open about their lives but not praying too much. A casual “How are you doing today?” can go a long way.
Be Responsible Yourself First!
Help your co-workers make healthy choices by creating a clean, responsible environment.
Don’t go to work events where the primary focus is drinking, and don’t invite them to join if you do.
Be mindful of their limits; never encourage or force them to drink more than they feel comfortable with.
If they make the choice to leave an event because others are drinking too heavily, offer to accompany them.
Find Alternative Activities
Encourage them to engage in healthy activities, even if it is during office breaks. You can go for a walk with them at lunch or get involved together in a wellness group at work.
Not only do these kinds of activities help alleviate stress, but they also give your colleague something positive to focus their energy on.
Plus, showing that you’re willing to invest in their well-being as professionally appropriate helps build a stronger working relationship between the two of you and gives them an added source of support while they recover.
Do not Get Too Personal
But still, you need to draw the line and not become too personal with them. You should only keep any conversations limited to work-related topics unless they would like to share them with you.
Be mindful of their personal space as well because, in the end, it is their own recovery.
Supporting a colleague in recovering from alcoholism requires empathy, respect, and understanding.
By being a supportive colleague, you help to not only nurture their recovery but also help foster an inclusive and compassionate workplace. Remember, it’s the little things that mean a lot.
Conclusion
It’s crucial to understand that high-functioning alcoholism is a real and serious condition. When you acknowledge its existence, you take the first step towards addressing the unique challenges it presents.
With the right resources and support systems, you can improve functioning alcoholic individuals to live a life free from alcohol. You can find them the help they need to recover from alcohol dependency.
Therefore, you need to know about functional alcoholism and identify functional alcoholic individuals.
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If you've been paying attention to the news, you already know that the opioid crisis in the United States has reached critical mass. In some areas, opioid overdoses increased by 70 percent in just over a year's time.
The opioid epidemic now touches the lives of millions of everyday Americans. As a result, the chances that you know someone with opioid addiction have increased astronomically.
For anyone concerned that their loved one might have a problem, it's important to recognize the early warning signs of opiate use. That's what this article is for.
Below, you'll learn a few basic things to look for when trying to determine if a loved one has an opiate problem. With any luck, you won't need this information, but preparedness and awareness are always important.
Physical Signs of Opiate Use :
When dealing with opioid abuse, there are two major categories symptoms can fall into: physical and behavioral. Let's tackle the former first.
One major and obvious physical warning sign to look for is needle marks. Often, an addict will start to use drugs intravenously, which means they're injecting it. This will usually leave clear signs of use at the injection point, which is very often the major artery in the arm.
Beyond the clear physical appearance of abuse, addicts will often suffer from other physical ailments. One prominent side effect is "nodding," which means that the user falls asleep suddenly and at inappropriate times. If your loved one frequently drifts off mid-conversation, this can be a sign there is a more serious problem under the surface.
Other than the two unmistakable signs above, physical signs of opioid use are hard to spot. Other symptoms like constricted pupils and flushed skin can be attributed to many other things, so it's best not to worry about them alone. However, if they're paired with needle marks and nodding, there is cause for concern.
Behavioral Signs of Opiate Use :
The behavioral side effects of opioid abuse can be tough to spot because they closely resemble side effects caused by other common ailments like depression, stress, and anxiety. But since they're so often paired with physical signs, you'll most likely be able to tell the difference.
Withdrawing from social activities is a big early warning sign. If your loved one suddenly retreats from social groups or things they once enjoyed doing, it can be a sign of a much bigger problem. Isolation is one of the earliest and most clear indicators that something is up.
Mood swings and drastic behavior are also something to look for. If someone is acting highly out of character, breaking the law, and engaging in unusually high-risk behavior, something is probably wrong.
All in all, behavioral shifts can be hard to hone in on, but drastic changes are almost certainly a sign of something worse. Even if it isn't an opioid addiction, it's always worth checking in with a loved one if their behavior changes unexpectedly.
There are treatment centers like SMC Recovery that specialize in opiate addiction rehabilitation. Reaching out to a facility such as this can provide you with the resources and expertise you need to determine if your loved one requires medical follow-up.
What's Next?
Now that you're familiar with some basic signs of opiate use, you can stay vigilant when it comes to keeping loved ones safe.
Addiction is a notoriously difficult problem, but there's always hope. People recover every day. If you or a loved one has an opiate problem, don't give up.
With the help of professionals, friends, and family, no obstacle is too tall to scale. Stay strong, and with a little help, recovery is well within reach. Follow our blog for more health-related news and updates.
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Chiropractic care isn’t often something we think of as an emergency treatment. Usually, we conceptualize going to the chiropractor as a sort of routine treatment, something you do every month or every few months to when your back and neck are feeling stiff. You go get worked on to alleviate any symptoms you might have and reduce the future severity of any pain. However, emergency chiropractic care is a critical form of treatment and is not something that should go unmentioned.
Consider for a moment someone who has had an emergency. Perhaps it was a sports injury, a car crash, or some other kind of trauma that has affected their back, neck or spine. Oftentimes, you would go to an emergency room or primary care physician right away, have them look at whatever external damage there is, and ok you to return home. If your back continued to hurt for a few days or weeks after this, then you might go see a chiropractor to have it realigned. However, failing to see a chiropractor right away can bring consequences. Not only will this lengthen your recovery time, but it can also cause suffering with undeserving pain longer than perhaps necessary.
Emergency Chiropractic Care – It Can't-Wait:
When is it a chiropractic emergency?
As one emergency chiropractic specialist discusses, there are two large categories of accidents that create chiropractic emergencies – sudden, acute pain that arises out of seemingly nothing and traumatic events such as sports injuries, work injuries and work accidents.
Anytime you experience sudden, unexpected and unexplainable pain in your neck or back you should immediately think chiropractic care. This could very well be caused by a slipped or herniated disk, something that needs to be taken care of immediately. By seeing a chiropractic specialist they will be able to diagnose the problem and provide treatment. Leaving this kind of thing on its own for a few days or a few weeks can add to the pain and suffering. For instance, the severity of the condition itself can increase and you can develop other issues from the limited mobility. Of course, you are also likely to be in extreme pain, something that should justify a trip to the chiropractor on its own.
Sports injuries in particular, especially when they affect the cervical spine (neck area), can result in neurological problems, such as carpal tunnel if left untreated. Of course, the classic cases of sports injuries all result from the repeated hits and tackles of football, but most sports involve repetitive, ongoing stress to the same muscles, joints and bones day after day. A lot of the patients emergency care chiropractors will see are in fact the sort of weekend athletes that come in with these injuries. They have their day jobs but enjoy getting out and competing on the weekends, only to get injured and need emergency chiropractic care.
If either of these sorts of emergencies happens to you, then you should immediately think of seeing a chiropractor for treatment. Taking care of any musculoskeletal injuries is just as important as getting stitches and medicine.
What will an emergency chiropractor do?
A chiropractor treating someone in an emergency situation will often employ various additional techniques and many of the same methods and practices that they would if they were seeing you in their office during a regular visit. Of course, the timeline will be compressed as the chiropractor will be working to relieve your pain and address the problems as quickly as possible.
The emergency chiropractor will start by identifying the issue. They will ask you questions about the accident or injury you have suffered and will seek to better understand your medical history, especially as it relates to chiropractic care. They will test your flexibility, seeing how restricted your movement might be by pain and they will feel around your spine, neck and or back. Once your issue is identified, he or she will go about making whatever adjustments are necessary to alleviate the origin of your pain.
One chiropractor working in an emergency room described this process well. He spoke of a patient that came in after having attempted to lift a heavy airplane tire at his work. It caused his back to clinch up in pain, and he laid on the floor for four hours before he was willing to admit to anyone that hen needed help. The emergency room doctors gave him several different injections of powerful pain medications, but nothing could totally remove the pain in this man’s back. Finally, they called the chiropractor in to see what he could do for him.
The man’s back was spasming and the chiropractor explained this to him then went ahead and implemented manual therapy techniques to help relax the affected muscles. After this, the chiropractor put the patient on his side, stretched him out and performed some spinal adjustments. This resulted in a nice reduction in pain for the patient. In fact, the chiropractor relaying the story says the patient was so improved he was able to dress and walk out of the emergency room on his own, impressing the nurses and everyone else there.
It should be clear by now that chiropractic care is not just something for routine pain reduction. Adjustments to the back and neck should be seen as an absolute necessity after certain types of trauma and injury. Skipping out on chiropractic care after this should be viewed the same way as skipping out on getting stitches after a massive cut. Just as an infection can lead to much greater complications than the original injury, so too can skipping out on chiropractic care can lead to orthopedic or neurological issues later on.
If you have suffered from a work injury, a sports injury, or any kind of acute, sudden pain in your neck or back, it is critical that you see a chiropractor right away. While you might not find one in an emergency room, there are a number of chiropractors that offer emergency services to those that need it. Seeking out a trained, experienced specialist to help relieve any symptoms and injuries you may have will be critical to your recovery process and long-term health. You don’t have a moment to waste!
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