Not On the Straight and Narrow: 4 Telltale Signs of Drug Use in Teens

Published on: 28 February 2019 Last Updated on: 02 March 2020

Did you know that 6.1 percent of 8th graders, 9.6 percent of 10th graders, and 12.4 percent of 12th graders admit they have used an illicit drug recently?

With such shocking statistics, it’s clear to see there is a growing problem among young people. During the troublesome teen years, it’s common to experiment with new things. But this may lead your child down a dark path.

You may wonder how to tell if your child is using drugs. Fortunately, there are clear telltale signs of drug use in teens. Read on to find out if your loved one has fallen off the straight and narrow.

Telltale Signs of Drug Use in Teens:

During their teens, young people have to deal with many physical and emotional changes. This can make it difficult to pinpoint whether drug use is the problem or it’s simply a case of rebelliousness.

Looking for these next four signs will help you to know for sure.

1. Use Your Senses:

When your teen comes home, what can you smell on their breath, on their clothes or in their hair? Are their eyes red with constricted pupils? Signs of crack use also include blistered lips or burnt fingers.

Your teen may also rapidly lose weight, as they will be spending their allowance on their fix instead of food. If they are inhaling drugs they may also have respiratory problems, such as coughing or constant sniffing. If they are injecting they may have track marks on their arms.

2. Behavioral Changes:

Another way to tell if someone is on drugs is if you notice their behavior has changed dramatically.

Of course, arguing, anger, and moodiness may be part of the troublesome teen years. But if you also notice them defying your house rules, disappearing for long periods of time, and other reckless behavior it may be a sign of using.

After a night out with friends, is your teen clumsy, laughing hysterically, and obnoxious? Or do they look exhausted, jittery, or queasy? These behavioral signs are common with teens who take drugs.

3. Caught in the Act:

If you find drugs in their room or on their possession you’ve caught them in the act. Some other drug-related paraphernalia may include:

Tiny plastic bags with powder residue
Roll-ups
Tin boxes
Syringes
Burnt teaspoons or crack pipes

If you find any of these items, try not to overreact. Confront your teen, it may be an honest mistake after all.

4. Social Changes:

Your teen’s grades may be declining dramatically. Or they may keep on skipping school and other social activities that they previously enjoyed. Another sign of someone on drugs is if your teen ditches their friends to hang out with another unknown crowd.

You may also notice items or money missing from your home. This may mean your teen is stealing to fund their habit. Monitor any alcohol you have in the home as they may use it for payment.

Time to Take Action:

If you can see any or all these signs of someone on drugs, it’s time to take action. Encourage them to get support from professionals.

Lincoln Nova Vital Recovery has created a unique program that can help people to recover from addiction. Find out more here.

Some Things are Worth Fighting For:

Of course, these signs of drug use in teens may vary from person to person. But one thing is for sure: they are going to need you to fight alongside them on their road to recovery.

To keep your family close-knit and strong in times of distress, check out these fundamental pillars of a happy family.

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How Cold Weather Affects the Cancer Patients

As the weather once again turns colder, most of us are thinking of ways to keep ourselves warm. Whether it is warm clothes, fixing up the furnace in your home, or something entirely else, we all appreciate the warmth and the need to keep warm. Cancer patients are among the most sensitive people, which is why it is natural to wonder whether the cold affects them in any particular way. We reached out to cancer treatment researchers at Odonate Therapeutics to learn a bit more. Why cancer Patients Are Sensitive? In order to understand why people combating cancer may be more susceptible to external influences, cold temperatures included, it is helpful to remember what cancer treatment involves. The standard fare treatment for cancer is chemotherapy which is often complemented with radiation treatment. That means that their immune systems are quite strained as it is and should not be pushed further. Hypothermia Is a Real Risk Cancer treatment can have many side effects, which include anemia and dehydration, among other things. These two conditions in particular make the organism far less capable of combating the cold. In essence, that means that a cancer patient may be less capable of maintaining body heat. Fortunately, there is one simple way to ensure that cancer patients are safe from the negative effects of the colder weather – keeping them warm. This includes making sure they are properly dressed for the weather, as well as that their homes are nice and warm when they return from their treatment sessions. Frostbites Can Also Occur Whereas most people would be aware of the cold because their body will naturally tell them, some cancer patients may be denied that. Certain cancer medications may cause what is known as peripheral neuropathy. This neuropathy affects the digits and can spread to affect hands and feet. Without being able to tell how cold you are, you may not react in time and get yourself to warmth. After prolonged exposure to cold, the skin and the tissue underneath can become damaged, causing frostbite. Neuropathy Can Cause Falls Apart from damaging the cold receptors, neuropathies can also affect a person’s sense of balance. The unsteadiness can quite easily result in a fall if the person is not tended to carefully. Even though falls can affect anyone, and cause quite a lot of pain, they can be particularly nasty to some cancer patients. More specifically, leukemia patients who have low platelet levels in their blood. This component of blood helps the wounds heal by creating clots. Cancer patients whose platelet levels are low cannot heal wounds properly, making even smaller injuries potentially dangerous. Cold Weather Ushers the Flu Season Seasonal illnesses such as the flu and the common cold typically spike with the colder weather. Most people stay indoors, they interact with other people and can easily get ill. Cancer patients can be quite susceptible to those types of illnesses because their immune system is suppressed by the medication and can be completely destroyed by radiation therapy. Keeping cancer patients from contracting these common diseases can be a struggle, but it is vital. COVID 19 Complicates Things No roundup of issues that negatively affect people in 2020 would be complete without the ever-present COVID-19. This illness has affected millions of people across the world and taken quite a few lives. Due to the nature of the illness, it is most damaging to those who are already fighting another illness. Just like with the flu and the cold, COVID-19 can quickly infect a cancer patient and do a lot of damage. Cancer patients need to focus on the most important battle in their lives- defeating cancer. They need all the help and the support they can get from their loved ones. Keeping them safe from the cold weather and everything it brings is just another step in their fight for recovery. Read Also: How to sleep better when you have cancer

Everything Balding Men Need to Know About Scalp Micropigmentation

The Vancouver Paramedical Clinic ― scalp micropigmentation training is one of the leading training programs for one of the fastest growing careers in North America. With a client base numbering a least 50 million by conservative estimates, this should come as no surprise. Scalp micropigmentation (SMP) is a procedure that is quickly becoming one of the most preferred hair loss solutions for men. SMP also works for women who are suffering hair loss due to hormonal issues and those who are suffering from medical conditions. So, what exactly is scalp micropigmentation and what is in it for you? If you are one of the millions of balding men in North America, here’s everything you need to know about SMP. More than restore your youthful looks, you may even consider a career in this burgeoning industry that experts predict to continue to grow for the next 10 years. Scalp Micropigmentation: Scalp micropigmentation is a treatment that gives balding scalps the appearance of having tiny hair follicles. When done correctly, a bald spot will look more like it has been closely cropped or shaved. This non-invasive treatment is ideal for restoring receding hairlines, make hair look fuller for women with bald spots and even hide scars from hair transplant procedures. Those with thinning hair can also benefit from this treatment as skilled SMP technicians (also called artists) can give you the look of having a thicker head of hair. SMP can also help those who are suffering from alopecia, a medical condition characterized by hair loss and patients undergoing chemotherapy. There are several reasons why SMP better than other hair loss solutions. Scalp micropigmentation treatment can be completed within a matter of hours. Depending on how dark you want your SMP follicles to appear, you may need one or two more treatments to refine the initial treatment. Once you are done, you won’t need any medications, and your treated scalp will require little to no maintenance at all. Apart from restoring hairlines and hiding bald spots, scalp micropigmentation can also hide scarring on the scalp. A large number of those seeking SMP treatment usually do so to camouflage scalp damage due to strip and follicular unit transplant (FUT)/follicular unit excision (FUE) scarring that inevitably appears after hair transplant treatments. Skilled SMP technicians can also use various techniques to hide accident and alopecia scars, marks left by head acne and bumps from hair plugs. Scalp Micropigmentation vs. Hair Tattoo: While there are similarities between scalp micropigmentation and tattooing, these are two completely different disciplines. For one, SMP treatments require specialized equipment designed just for the procedure, which likewise require specialized training to use. Here are the major differences between SMP and tattooing: SMP clinics: Scalp micropigmentation treatments take place in a clinic as opposed to tattoo parlors. These treatment environments are sanitary and are compliant with workplace safety and biohazard requirements. SMP clinics ideally should also have surgical lighting as well as loupes that will enable the technicians to make more detailed needle strokes. SMP artists: Unlike tattoo artists, SMP technicians employ advanced techniques that are completely different to that used by a tattoo artist. SMP techs know exactly the type of settings and needles required for a specific scalp as well as the density and pigment of the ink to be deposited on the scalp. Medical grade pigments: Tattoo artists use ink. SMP treatments, on the other hand, use medical grade pigments that are specially made for the scalp. Such pigments are designed to remain unaffected by the natural oils on the scalp. The pigments are also hypoallergenic and resistant to fading. If you are considering an SMP treatment, it will be in your best interest to avoid tattoo parlors that are offering “hair tattooing.” Do yourself a favor by going directly to SMP technicians and save yourself the trouble of wearing a scalp with a botched hair tattoo. Scalp Micropigmentation Training: As popular as scalp micropigmentation has become in recent years, experts still predict the industry to grow even more within the next decade at least. This is because male pattern baldness continues to affect millions of males in North America alone, and there is no cure for this condition currently. Because it is a quick, convenient and safe alternative to surgery, scalp micropigmentation should continue to win proponents in the years to come. With the present cost of a regular SMP treatment, it may interest you to know that an SMP technician can earn on the upward of $300,000 annually at two clients a week. This should dispel any doubts from those who mistakenly think that the cost of SMP training is too high. What Is Involved in Scalp Micropigmentation Training? The training institution mentioned at the start of this article offers a five-day course with intensive hands-on training, along with comprehensive classroom lectures. The course covers color theory and skin pigment basics, hands-on equipment training on a live model, clinic set up and advice on the business and marketing aspect of SMP. Here’s what a five-day training course looks like: Day 1: Intro to SMP, pigments and color matching, pain control, skin structure, demo on the latest gear, basic procedure, needle positioning, and hands-on practice. Day 2: Dealing with pigment allergies, post-treatment care, and management, stroke correction, hiding scalp scars, consultation basics, forms and releases needed for your clinics, medical records, workplace safety and clinic sanitation, equipment sterilization, and hygiene. Day 3: Protective gear, preventing cross-contamination, pigment migration, more workplace safety tips, hands-on equipment training on a live model and making pigment corrections. Day 4: Pointillism techniques, hair replication strokes, equipment familiarization and maintenance, techniques, marketing and more hands-on treatment on a live model. Day 5: Hiding scars, scar pigment correction, blending, hair stroke techniques, needling, color mixing hair replication tricks and hands-on training. As more hairlines continue to recede in the coming years, the demand for more SMP technicians will increase even more. There is a current shortage of SMP artists, and this may be your chance to embark on a new and more financially rewarding career. If you think you have what it takes to become an SMP technician, enrolling in a comprehensive workshop offered by a reputable institution would be a good place to start. Read Also: 6 Proven Ways To Deal With Hair Loss For Women Possible Causes Of Hair Damage When Visiting A Salon Dealing With The Psychological Impact Of Alopecia

Psychedelic Therapy for Mental Health Conditions

Psychedelic therapy refers to using hallucinogenic plants and their compounds as a treatment for mental health problems. These include anxiety, eating disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and depression. The Treatment Compounds doctors use most frequently for this kind of treatment include lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), psilocybin or magic mushrooms, and mescaline or peyote. Proper research into psychedelic treatment for mental health issues is relatively new. However, studies suggest that psychedelics have the potential to help people suffering from mental health illnesses. The Problem Researchers have yet to get a clear grasp on exactly why or how these psychedelics work. Some say that they give the brain a reset through alterations of neurotransmitter levels to induce new life perspectives. It is arguably why most users claim the substance provides a new way of thinking and mystical experiences. Some investigations claim psychedelics make users more open to suggestions, making them open-minded to ideas discussed during therapy. The question that remains is how treatments like using magic mushrooms for microdosing can improve one’s mental health. The Studies Many researchers are looking into different psychedelic treatments for mental health problems. Here are significant studies on the two most common mental health problems today--anxiety and depression. Anxiety A review conducted in 2020 reported on 24 previous studies concerning treating anxiety symptoms using psychedelic drugs. It claimed that 65% of the studies revealed reduced anxiety levels with psychedelic drugs. However, these studies were minuscule and had some flaws in methodology. In 2021, a study asked 164 people with psychedelic experiences to elaborate on their mental health symptoms. These individuals reported decreased anxiety, stress, and depression levels after the psychedelic experience. Further analysis showed that the participants were more compassionate and less susceptible to ruminating. It was, however, difficult for the study to reveal any conclusive evidence linking mental health improvements to psychedelic drugs. That is mainly due to the self-reporting nature of the study. Instead, the study suggests a system that psychedelic drugs can improve mental health by appealing to more positive emotional responses. In this case, it resulted in feelings of greater compassion and a decrease in obsessions over negative thoughts. Depression In 2017, an investigation looked into individuals with depression who were resistant to treatment. Researchers provided twenty individuals mainly suffering from severe depression with two psilocybin doses seven days apart with six-month follow-ups. Their findings were a significant decrease in symptoms for the first month and five days after treatment. Nine participants were responsive to treatment, and four went into remission from their depression after five weeks. One important note is the likelihood of improving their depression symptoms hinged on the quality of their psychedelic experiences. Psychedelics can incite powerful and almost instant psychological changes in an individual. Some studies imply the persistence of these changes for the long term, which offers much hope for the mentally unstable. Unfortunately, psychedelic therapy is still in the experimental stage and is unlikely to be available at your doctor’s office. However, as the research on the subject increases, so does mainstream acceptance. Only time will tell if psychedelic drugs will be the future of mental health. Additionals: 5 Protein Enriched Food To Improve Mental HealthHow Does Children’s Health Impact Parental Lifestyle?Four Easy Ways To Take Back Control Of Your Health This SummerWhen Will Social Media Addiction Be Considered a Mental Health Condition?

Not On the Straight and Narrow: 4 Telltale Signs of Drug Use in Teens