Huge topic. I can write a book on this but best not yet! Two more years of med school yet and by then I’ll be even more versed in how to lower cholesterol naturally.

First: What is cholesterol?

According to Stedman’s Medical Dictionary, cholesterol is “the most abundant steroid in animal tissues, especially in bile and gall stones, and present in food, especially rich in animal fats, circulates in plasma complexed to proteins of various densities and plays an important role in the pathogenesis of atheroma formation in arteries.”

What is pathogenesis of atheroma? It is the beginning stage of atherosclerosis which is the building of lipid [cholesterol] plaques within the structure of arteries. These plaques narrow the vessel wall thereby limiting the flow of blood. Limiting the flow of blood causes turbulence which causes further deposition of plaque. The slowed speed of blood through the arteries helps lay down more plaque as well.

Ways to lower cholesterol naturally:

1. Exercise: damn. How many times do you have to hear it – everyone says it. Because it works better than any drug out there. Why does it work? Simple biochemistry and physiology. Exercise requires energy. Energy comes from sugars, fats and proteins. When the sugars and proteins are burned, fats must be converted into useable forms of energy. The liver steps up by making good cholesterol, HDL. HDL goes around and picks up bad cholesterol, LDL. It converts this into useable energy. So, by exercising, your energy requirements increase thereby lowering cholesterol naturally. Exercise 30 minutes a day as often as you can in a week. Try one day a week and build up. You’ll become addicted to it. Better that than statins.
2. Eat soluble fiber: Where can you find that? In beans and whole grains. Fruits and vegetables contain insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber actually binds to cholesterol removing it from your body. Insoluble fiber adds bulk to your stools making you more regular – which is extremely vital as well.
3. Limit animal fat foods: damn again. Even Stedman’s Medical Dictionary said cholesterol is the most abundant steroid in animal tissues. They didn’t say plant tissues. I’m not saying avoid it completely. Just keep an eye on it – don’t chomp down endless roast beef sandwhiches with mayo and four kinds of cheese.
4. Inositol: This is time-released niacin in the no-flush form. Niacin is a main player in cellular metabolism. If one is low in niacin, then the energy reactions do not go forward. If they do not go forward, lipids accumulate which is directly tied to high levels of choleterol. A study on time-released niacin shows its effectiveness. The study I found used pharmaceutical time-released niacin but I believe these two are very similar – with the natural form being superior. The bottom line of the study: “The results show that niacin ER [extended release] produces a beneficial effect on lipoprotein subclasses, specifically decreasing the more atherogenic small, dense LDL particles and enhancing the cardioprotective large HDL particles.” Remember what I said about bad LDL and good HDL? The inositol sounds pretty good now doesn’t it?
5. Red Yeast Rice: This is what the pharmaceutical companies make some statin drugs from – directly! So why not take it in its natural state? It works quite well. It works by limiting the cholesterol reaction from going forward. This means that cholesterol’s production is slowed down thereby lowering cholesterol naturally. I have found a great research article on PubMed for Red Yeast Rice. The research was done by the Center for Human Nutrition and is not biased by a natural supplement company. Here is another study about the cholesterol-lowering effects of a proprietary Chinese red-yeast-rice dietary supplement.
6. Policosanol: This is sugar wax. Sound safe? It is. It does not turn off the cholesterol forming reaction as strongly as statin drugs. Our bodies need some cholesterol formed. Without it, numerous hormones would not be made and we would be dead. Thus, it is better to moderately limit production rather than severely limit. Policosanol has also shown to increase the levels of HDL. Do statin drugs do this? No. There is a good study on Policosanol that I found on PubMed. You’ll notice it is not a study made by a natural supplement company or with biased interests. The title of the study is: Comparison of the efficacy and tolerability of policosanol with atorvastatin in elderly patients with type II hypercholesterolaemia.
7. Bio Lipotrol:
   Bio-Lipotrol has been shown to naturally lower cholesterol [http://www.healthegoods.com/product/bio-lipotrol-biogenesis-biolipotrol/natural-health-supplements]. Bio Lipotrol has Red Yeast Rice, Inositol, Policosanol and Guggal Gum extract. I have visited with physician after physician that have used Bio Lipotrol and the results are seen within a few weeks. Now this doesn’t mean you can sit on your couch eating hamburgers and pizza while popping Bio Lipotrol capsules. I have already stated that exercise is the best medicine – along with the limitation of animal fats and an increase in soluble fiber. I did not know about Bio Lipotrol until a classmate kept buying it. I found her in the hall one day and asked her what it is. She told me it is working very well on her grandmother’s high cholesterol levels. Then I became more interested. The benefits of being in med school – you find what works and what doesn’t.

What are the dangers of Statin drugs?

I don’t know all of the dangers but I know one that is not often addressed. Statin drugs give the false impression that the one taking them does not have to be proactive in lowering cholesterol. If a drug is lowering cholesterol without them doing anything, why not chomp on fatty foods? I’ll tell you why. Statin drugs limit the production of cholesterol. They do not limit the intake of cholesterol. You do.

Also – statin drugs seriously limit the production of Coenzyme Q10. This is a major energy source for the human heart and electron transport chain. So if you are on statin drugs, take CoQ10. I believe statin drugs also limit the conversion of active Vitamin D. This I need to check on but it makes sense if following the reactions down from HMG-CoA, which is the limiting step in cholesterol synthesis.

If you want to lower cholesterol naturally, these steps will no doubt help you. I recommend having a sit-down chat with your physician. Most docs will listen to you and be supportive and knowledgable about this arena. If not, find a licensed and qualified naturopathic physician who will listen to you.

This information is not telling you to stop taking your statin drugs. It is merely information. Do not stop your statin drugs without consulting with your physician. Only then, under their direction, stop the meds if you implement other means.

If you are not on statin drugs and you don’t have money to see a doctor, these steps may help you lower cholestrol naturally. But as I am not a doctor yet, I am not prescribing any of this information to you. It is up to you.

I hope you are still awake. That is a ton of information. I know I’m wiped. I’ve got to get away from this computer now.

Teen years are very risky in every individual’s life. People during this period are more vulnerable to attractions including unhealthy habits. Wrong steps at this point not only show negative impact on rest of the life but also may cost one’s life at times. Hence, it is very important to educate teens about the advantages of staying away from unhealthy habits such as substance abuse.

Below is the information on how crucial teenage is, why it is important to stay away from drugs and what are the benefits of staying away from drugs.

Teenage – a critical stage of life

Teenage is a transition period between childhood and early adulthood, where many changes takes place both physically and mentally in an individual. Teens generally consider their peer group to be more important and influential than their parents and guardians. Teens are prone to various risk factors which make them get addicted to drugs. Some of the risk factors include drug abusing peers, easy availability of illicit substances, thrill seeking behavior, etc. Teens need to understand that these risk factors influence them get into unhealthy habits that destroy their lives.

Importance of staying away from drugs

Drug abuse causes serious to severe problems both physically and mentally. Numerous studies and statistics are available regarding the harmful effects of substance abuse. Abstaining from these unhealthy habits not only increases the quality of life but also decreases the chances of medical complications and diseases. Apart from these, a person free from any kind of unhealthy habits will always gain respect from his family and the society.

Benefits of staying away from drugs

Rest of this article brings you benefits of staying away from substance abuse.

Healthy lifestyle: Avoidance of illicit drugs is one of the key factors for staying healthy. Drugs affect the central nervous system very strongly. Substance abuse may also lead to serious health complications, make the person weak and at times completely ruin the physical appearance of the person. Hence, staying away from drugs obviously improves health, and ensures overall well-being, thus facilitating a healthy lifestyle.

Good academics: Substance abuse results in poor academic performance. Drugs slow down the functioning of the brain, which results in poor concentration and less activeness. Drug abusing students struggle to perform academically and attend classes regularly. Whereas, a teen free from drugs and other unhealthy habits not only performs well in his academics but also succeeds in the later stages of life.

Low risk of crimes and accidents: Quitting unhealthy habits, especially alcohol and drug abuse, greatly lowers the risk of involvement in crime and accidents. Under the influence of drugs, a person loses his control on mind and is not aware of what is good and bad. If we observe the statistics of road accidents, majority of them have occurred due to drunken and/or drug abused drivers.

In some cases, if the addicts don’t have enough funds, they tend to do thefts, robberies and shop lifting activities to finance their drug abusing habits. This makes them land in several legal problems. Hence, to lead a hassle free life, one has to avoid drugs.

Bright future: Healthy life style, good academics, crime free profile – aren’t these enough to have a problem free life? Definitely, yes. Today, many schools, colleges and companies are conducting drug testing. It is very difficult for a person to pursue good education or get a worthy job if he fails to pass these drug tests. Hence, a drug free individual can have a positive outlook on future.

These are the key advantages of staying away from substance abuse during teen years. Teenage is exciting, but at the same time risky. The person who successfully spends his teenage by correcting his emotional imbalances will lead a happy life.

In 2001 the Great Mexican Drug War was not yet in full swing. That didn’t happen until 2006 when President Felipe Calderon decided to take on the independent “cowboy cartels” with the Mexican Army. In 2001 Elijah Wald published Narcocorrido, a Journey Into The Music of Drugs, Guns, and Guerrillas. He had traveled through Mexico, in a way now that would be impossible, or at the least very inadvisable. That is he hitchhiked or rode buses, and not always the first class ones, but the second and third class as well…the kind that allow musicians and entertainers to play for tips from the passengers. The History of Mexico is in the music. The corridistas (corrido musicians) have been singing and declaiming to the people for a long, long time. And before them there were the minstrels and their more well of cousins, the troubadours that performed for the rich and elite. In the Middle Ages and even in present day Mexico, literacy is not that high. The balladeers were and in many ways still are the chroniclers and the founts of information, as well as providers of entertainment and many times, social commentators as well. Of course this could be dangerous and many a minstrel ended up in the stocks during the colonial period, flogged, or if luck would have it, just run out of town. The Church was just as dangerous as the secular authorities… and sometimes the more fearsome.

Of course these minstrels, balladeers, that in time became corrido singers, didn’t flirt with crossing the line and igniting repressive reaction just for the fun of it, or for whatever social consciousness they might have had at the time. The people loved to hear the powerful and mighty brought down a little bit, and to hear some of what was really going on…something resembling the truth. It would be hard to call it an art form, but in the modern world we have tabloid journals, that swing between gushing adoration of celebrities, be it sports, entertainment, politicians, or someone (usually female for some reason) that is famous just for being famous, and trashing and sordid revelations about the very same high and mighty. Here in the US we have these tabloids and a 24 hour news cycle that is increasingly tabloid, and internet and tv, and mobile internet and thousands of different distractions. In Mexico, in certain areas, not so much. Here the corridistas maintain much of their traditional function…

The life of a corrido singer, can be risky. Since the publication of Narcocorrido, some corridistas have lost their lives. Especially the local and regional writers that will do a song for hire, and if some gangster doesn’t like the vato (guy) being lauded in the song, well there you have an enemy. Other popular singers or their family members have fallen victim to crime, although some of that comes from late nights in nightclubs, and also the general chaos and lawlessness that rules Mexico now.

The book is not just a study and history of a musical form, but also a journey into the heart of Mexico and the people that make the music…and of the fans that make it possible. Regions have vast and subtle differences. The Rio Grande Valley and the northeastern border region in many ways gave birth to the corrido form. It’s popular here, but in a nostalgic kind of way. Compared to the Nortenos out in the deserts and mountains to the south, the modern day Tejano accordion sound has a definite bubble-gum sweetness. Not the same. Also it is a region that could be compared to a great caldo (beef soup) of sound as Hispanic-American culture collides with, and, at the same time colludes and mingles with Anglo-America.

There’s west coast and Los Angeles… The rough edge Sinaloa sound… Mexico City, the country that is a country within the country of Mexico. Also the political ballads of the revolutionary groups in Chiapas and elsewhere. The historical corridos of the Mexican Revolution.

Large portions of the book are transcribed from interviews of the corrido writers and singers themselves, along with many of their lyrics, both in Spanish, and translated to English.

Fortunately for us Elijah Wald got in under the wire. The research that went into this book would be very difficult to do today

The drug war that the Narcocorridistas sing about can’t be prettied up. It’s grim stuff. But it’s happening and la gente (the people) want to hear about it. Like much folk music, blues, real country music, and rap, and others, the charge has been made at one time or the other, that the songs glorify delinquency and criminal behavior, and are anti-social etc. There has been radio censorship in some places and condemnation from so called respectable society and publications

Elijah Wald writes: The United States drug policy is so riddled with hypocrisy, so casually racist and oblivious to reality, that it is worthy of no respect. In a country that exalts wealth and celebrity while providing ever fewer chances for poor kids to get ahead, and that directs far more of it’s anti-drug funding to flashy military hardware than to treatment centers, it is delusional at best to blame pop music for the fact that many barrio youngsters want to become big-spending, gun-wielding narcos.

The rough edges, the uncompromising instrumentation and the in your face lyrics are at times harsh. But in this world north of the Rio Bravo (Rio Grande) where unreality rules, and the horrors of wars both internal and foreign are ignored or covered up, the world of the Narcocorrido may just be some of what we need. Well worth the read: “Narcocorrido, A Journey into The Music of Drugs, Guns, and Guerrillas” by Elijah Wald.

My best friend was always full of life. His favorite thing in the world was his motorcycle. He had a Harley Davidson in the US but he loved to rent dirt bikes and ride all over he Cambodian countryside. Its a beautiful untouched country. They love to see Americans.

On a ride in Cambodia, he got lost from his group and was far from the hotel when the sun went down. He only had to get back to the capital, Phnom Phenh and everything would be fine. Phnom Penh is small enough that once in the city limits, it would be easy to find his hotel.

As he traveled through a small hamlet, a flat-bed truck pulled in front of him. He had no choice but to hit it at approximately 45 miles per hour. His body slammed into the side The occupants ran to the body to comfort him. They loaded him in the back of the truck and took him to a hospital in Phnom Penh.

Medical care is nearly non-existent in Cambodia. He got a flight out the next day to Bangkok where the care is on par with the US. An examination showed he was badly bruised but in OK shape. They gave him some pain pills and he went home.

He wasn’t able to survive without pain pills. He told no one. He bought them on the black market and took aspirin by the handful. He rejected going to the local doctors, probably to hide his addiction to pain killers. This addiction destroyed his liver. He ended up in the emergency room near death as his liver was failing and could not properly cleanse his system.

Once the doctors discovered his predicament there was little they could do. His pain was so great, much of it caused by a failing liver, he had no choice. They have set him up at a pain control clinic where he now buys his drugs legally by prescription. But he can’t get off them.

Suboxone would be an excellent choice for someone like him. Unfortunately, as with most addicts, you have to want to get better. He would rather stay on the drugs.

In situations like this and heroin addiction, most doctors would prescribe methadone treatment. There are a bunch of rules and federal reporting that must be done to get someone on methadone. This is not the case with Suboxone as it is not listed as addictive.

SSRE antidepressants are a special type of medications for the treatment of anxiety and depression specifically for adults. SSRE or selective serotonin reuptake enhancer is an antidepressant that aids in the brain’s re-absorption of serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter produced by the brain which aids the brain cells to communicate with other brain cells. If there is so much serotonin concentrated in the synapses, it is the function of SSREs to reabsorb the serotonin that’s in excess. It is the imbalance of neurotransmitters that cause depression. Therefore, SSRE antidepressants alleviate the symptoms of depressing through restoring the neurotransmitter’s balance.

Aside from SSREs, there’s also another class of antidepressants called SSRI. This abbreviation represents selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor. This type of drug is the antithesis of SSRE. It helps increase the serotonin level of the brain once it gets too low. Up to now, there’s only been a single identified compound of SSRE, tianeptine. The SSRE depressants that have tianeptine in its ingredients include are Stablon, Tatinol, and Coaxil. The antidepressants are really new in comparison to other established antidepressants like SSRIs. SSRE antidepressants are not yet available for patients in the US and Canada, but so far studies show that this type of drug has shown a lot of promise when it comes to its effectiveness.

For one, studies of SSRE antidepressants conducted on mammals have shown that the drug takes effect faster than other more established drugs like Prozac and Paxil. Also, there are drugs that exhibit a lower incident of sex-related side effects. This type of side effect has been the common problem when it comes to the treatment of anxiety and depression. Studies are ongoing and more and more information have been discovered about this drug giving both patients and practitioner more information on how to treat depression more effectively.

South America is home to some of the world’s largest and lushest rainforests. Fully one fifth of the different species of flora and fauna on the planet can be found in these forests, and quite a number of them are indigenous to this region alone. Despite the sheer size of the rain forests, they are rapidly being diminished by deforestation in South America.

The reasons for the deforestation in South America generally run the usual gauntlet that has plagued other countries; first and foremost on the list are man’s need for more arable farm land, and the need for lumber. These two needs are difficult to avoid, as the world’s increasing population makes subsequent changes in the demand for food as well as lumber for construction.

The other two reasons for south american deforestation are the conversion of forest area into urbanized areas, and the location of valuable iron ore and petroleum deposits deep in the rain forests. These other two reasons have been the target of some public scrutiny, as they usually lead to the destruction of sections of rainforest without using the lumber for any useful purpose.

More often than not, the trees are either thrown away and left to rot, or the forest sections to be cleared are actually razed by fire. In either event, the forest is treated more as an obstruction to progress and civilization instead of the valuable commodity that it is. However, the four reasons given above are common factors of deforestation the world over. But in South America, there are other, stranger reasons for deforestation that seem to be specific to this continent alone.

In Brazil, the leading reasons for deforestation are cattle ranching and soybean farming. Brazil itself is home to large sections of the amazon rainforest, which itself actually stretches althroughout most of south america. Aside from the amazon, brazil holds one third of the world’s number of rain forests. Despite this large percentage, almost a quarter of the forests in Brazil have already been lost. The practice of cattle ranching and the destruction of forest for grazing land has long been a heavy contributor to deforestation in south america, and these numbers have increased steadily as European countries have turned to Brazil for 75% of their meat imports.

Soybean farming is a fairly recent development in Brazil, yet has already climbed up the ranks to be the second highest cause of deforestation in South America. The creation of new breeds of soy bean in Brazil has already allowed it to compete neck in neck with the United States as the world’s leading soy bean exporter, and the subsequent increase in demands for comercially arable land has led to the destruction of vast tracts of forest region.

Another reason for deforestation in south america that is different from the usual is the presence of gold and diamond mines in Venezuela. Venezuela’s rain forests originally were divided by the Orinoco river that runs through the country, with 20% of the forests growing north of the river and the remaining 80% growing south. The usual reasons of logging and the need for farming and urban land have already more or less decimated the upper 20% since most of the inhabitants of Venezuela live north of the Orinoco. However, the discovery of rich gold and diamond deposits in the rainforests south of the river have sparked numerous mines, which are currently the leading reason for deforestation in Venezuela.

Lastly, Colombia is another part of South America where deforestation is due to more than just the “usual” reasons. The infamy of the country’s drug lords is well justified, and numerous Colombian rain forests have been razed to make farm land for growing cocaine, marijuana, opium, and other recreational pharmaceuticals. Since these “farms” are usually hidden deep in the rain forests, when anti narcotics forces attack them to shut them down, the ensuing battles usually wind up devastating large tracts of the surrounding rain forests as well.

As you can see, the problem of deforestation in South America is not quite as simple as it is in other countries. With various factors thrown in aside from the common ones that affect other regions, any efforts made at saving the South American rain forests require dedication and support far above the norm.

A combination of factors, including the ease with which drugs can be procured, alienation and peer pressure, is driving American teens toward their abuse. As a result, adolescents in high school and college do drugs on the sly. In dorm and frat parties, it has become customary to pool all drugs – stolen from elder’s medicine cabinets, or procured from vendors or pill mills – before going on the adventure ride of a collective high. However, this fun and adventure comes at a cost. As most teens doing drugs are aware of the implications of the misdemeanor once caught, they do not report to the authorities in case a peer overdoses, resulting in tragic loss of young lives.

The problem of drug abuse has spread its deadly tentacles across schools, posing a significant threat to the future of children in terms of impact on their health, academics, career and personal life. In the wake of such a serious implication on the future of the society, many schools, despite the paucity of funds, have put together programs for spreading awareness and keeping drug abuse under check. While some approaches rely on prohibition and punishment, others stress on education and rehabilitation. The objective is to keep drugs off the campus and establish a solid foundation to empower individuals to resist such temptations.

As youngsters prefer engagement to long boring lectures, some of the means adopted by the schools are as follows:

Disseminating knowledge through antidrug assemblies: Antidrug assemblies are engaging means to showcase the grim consequences of drug-seeking habit. With addiction treatment doctors and recovering patients turning up as guest lecturers, students can have a realistic picture of how drugs take them away from their loved ones and cause impairment of cognitive skills, such as difficulty following instructions. Students get the opportunity to clarify their doubts during such sessions.

Educating children as early as possible: Considering the fact that most youths start doing drugs, smoking cigarettes or drinking alcohol in school days, or when they are on the cusp of adolescence, it is the best time to drive home the dangers of doing drugs and other addictive substances.

Conducting self-reliance programs: Children who are confident about themselves are less likely to take drugs. Therefore, some programs stress on building the child’s self-reliance in all sorts of social situations. This helps them even under adverse peer pressure to not succumb to the temptation of doing drugs and say no to such activities firmly. Such programs are effective even in the long run as they teach children some essential life skills necessary for abstaining from drugs, alcohol, etc.

Stocking antidotes: As it makes no sense to shy away from the truth that youngsters, especially those in college, will be doing drugs irrespective of the controls, authorities are advised to stock up their supply of opioid overdose antidote naloxone.

Engaging children from families grappling with addiction: Instead of isolating a child with a problematic family, including members addicted to drugs, it is essential to engage him or her in all school or college activities. Irrespective of whether the child reports late to school or has problems with homework, a concerned and supportive school environment will mitigate the chances of the child falling into the same addiction cycle. Children of drug addicted families could also participate as guest lecturers in antidrug assemblies.

Focusing on building teen assertiveness: With the help of a trained child counselor and other professional services, schools could focus on providing training to teens to develop their assertiveness and emotional control level. This is not only handy in career building, but could also help the teen realize his or her worth. Teens who feel sad and befuddled have greater risks of taking drugs to feel successful or empowered.

Get help for drug addiction

Children run the increased risk of falling into the trap of drug addiction due to their emotional vulnerability and undeveloped brain still in the process of developing the key cognitive skills. It becomes essential for parents and teachers to listen and talk to their fears and emotional upheavals, rather than ignoring them as their tantrums.

Researchers are working hard night and day to find new drugs that will inhibit the growth of cancerous cells. In the United States, that research seems to be stymied by some of the rules and regulations imposed by the FDA and the government in general. Live tests take so long to be implemented that breakthroughs are few and far between. That is not to say that good work is not being done; it is just that the clock for a lot of people who are diagnosed with cancer have a small threshold of time for them and it would be too late.

The ONO1910

One study that was published in the journal “Cancer Cell” relates that researchers tested the effects of a drug known only as ONO1910 on the growth of tumors. The results were indeed very promising and the researcher responsible for this discovery is E. Premkumar Reddy, PhD, of the Temple University School of Medicine. This is a great breakthrough for those who have cancer and the fact that it will work in conjunction with other known cancer drugs is a bonus. The drug blocks the invasion and then it blocks the new blood vessels from forming that would provide the sustenance needed for the cancer cells to grow.

The BPH-715

At the University of Illinois, a 24-member research team that had people from Taiwan, Europe, and Japan engineered an anti-cancer agent that is fully 200 times more active in the killing of tumor cells than other drugs of this ilk. Developers have been on the trail of inhibitor drugs for quite a few years. Until now, the program has met with only limited success. Biosphosphonates have been found to act on the enzymes. The enzymes that this drug inhibits are showing a remarkable result in the act of killing cancer cells. The drug biphosphonates and zoledronate has proven successful for women in the premenopausal stage.

A scientist at the Hiroshima University, Tadahiko Kubo then found that the drug known as BPH-715 actually killed cancer cells in mice. Another scientist from abroad at the Leiden University in the Netherlands named Socrates Papapoulous found that unlike other drugs, this one did not readily attach to the bone.

The Gleevec

Gleevec is a drug that gained approval in 2001. It is being used to treat chronic myeloid leukemia or CML as it is commonly referred to. It has shown great promise because those treated with this drug went into remission 84% of the time. This is great news for the millions of people with cancer. The drug Avastin has been approved for use in chemotherapy and since its inception, users have a survival rate of 54% for colorectal cancers.

The advances in drug therapy and the search for inhibitors will continue. The researchers are making leaps where yesterday they were only crawling along. Will cancer be cured in this lifetime no one truly knows? What we do know is that we will fight it tooth and nail all the way.

Many treatments are offered in drug rehab centers. Most of the treatments start with detoxification and progress from there. Some may be prescribed medication to help them as they work through other different forms of treatment. This can include counseling and behavioral therapy. What treatment is offered in drug rehab centers will depend on the training of the personnel, the facilities the center has, and the center itself. For drug-addicted patients, no one treatment is effective for all of them. The treatment that they receive is not based on the drug they are addicted to but based on the capacity and needs of the patient.

Detoxification

Generally, this is the first step, which involves cleansing their body of all toxins, especially the substance or substances they are addicted to. When in detoxification, there is a withdrawal phase from what they are addicted to and it is unpleasant. In some instances, it can be fatal. When the patient is undergoing detoxification, they are closely observed and may be prescribed certain medications to help them during the toughest parts. This process of detoxification can take as long as three weeks but may take longer. It depends on the individual.

Formal assessment

After detoxification, the drug rehab centers will do a formal assessment. The assessment includes recommendations about other treatment that will be needed. It is often a complex process. Substance abuse will often involve treating both psychological and physical illnesses and symptoms. In addition to being weaned off the substance that the patient was addicted to, if they use drugs to deal with the symptoms of a psychological disorder must also receive treatment for that disorder. This is necessary if they want to have a chance of not having a relapse into substance abuse.

Group therapy and individual counseling

Both of these can play a role in treating psychological illnesses. These illnesses may also be helped by legal prescription medications. One type of counseling that is usually offered in drug rehab centers is behavioral therapy. Those that are addicted may have developed a habit of taking these drugs in a certain setting or at a certain time of day. With behavioral therapy, the counselors attempt to help the patient realize that they can break these habits and function without the drug they are addicted to.

Along with the different treatment options these centers offer various treatment settings and lengths of time spent in the drug rehab centers. The drug rehab centers also need to have the capacity to treat withdrawal symptoms while the patients go through detoxification so they may provide hospital-level care. The treatment they receive can be done as an outpatient, inpatient, or on a residential level, long term of a year or more, or short term of six weeks or so.

The modern workplaces can surprisingly hold reasons and solutions to a lot of psychological and stress-related problems. More often than not, it is the misuse of drugs or alcohol which silently lead towards mishaps, absenteeism and fatal accidents among working professionals.

Over the years, employers in many organizations are increasingly aware of the need for a drug and alcohol management program for their employees. Though many companies and business enterprises have usually tried hiring counselors and therapists occasionally, they are now discovering the need for a continuous and effective awareness programs for their employees.

Most business organizations and workplaces tend to organize awareness programs for their employees. An education and awareness program can play a crucial role in reducing and preventing drug and alcohol related incidents at your workplace. Here’s what you can expect from these programs.

The programs include sessions by expert trainers who talk about drug testing and alcohol testing. Employers as well as employees are part of the special sessions that witness interaction, counseling and of course, education about drug and alcohol abuse.

The program aims to give information about health and safety implications of drug and alcohol use at the workplace and in the society. The trainers encourage discussions about employee participation. The sessions also involve removing misconceptions about the about the company’s drug and alcohol management policy and testing programs.

Trainers also bridge the gap between employers and employees when it comes to talking about accepting the testing programs. This is important because many employers find it awkward about speaking with their employees and vice verse about drug and alcohol abuse.

At times, it is necessary to involve the family of the employees too. Management experts constantly send updates to employers. Such feedback is necessary when employees need not just counseling but medical help and rehabilitation.

Awareness programs can also include sampling, testing and drug & alcohol management techniques to help employees deal with accepting and overcoming their problems.

Most modern workplaces are employee friendly but most employees hardly ever interact face to face because they are so glued on to their gadgets. It is important to prevent employees from self-medication using medical websites on the Internet. It is also important that they get the right kind of therapy, counseling and care from experts. For all this, employees must follow the right drug and alcohol testing techniques. The right changes at the right time can help them lead a happier and healthier life. After all, life is definitely beautiful enough to give it another chance!