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The Power of Positive Thinking for Recovery

Sunday, May 8th, 2011

From CreativeCommons.org: Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sancho_panza/

When illnesses and injuries occur, the healing process becomes essential. There are certain things that you can do in order to benefit the healing process, and this is going to lead to healing more quickly and more effectively as a result. For example, positive thinking can actually have a profoundly positive effect on your ability to overcome an injury or an illness.

The Power of Positive Thinking for Recovery

Positive thinking is powerful in all aspects of our lives, and this includes the healing process when you are sick or injured. If you keep a good attitude despite adversity during the healing process, then you can move the healing process along in the right direction. There are a lot of ways that you can improve your attitude about the healing process. Some people, for example, have had great luck using therapy animals such as dogs and cats to improve their outlook, which in turn has aided significantly in their rehabilitation. Other people have surrounded themselves with their favorite things or continued to engage in a favorite hobby in order to keep spirits up. It really does not take much to change your outlook and start thinking positively, but simply steps can really have a profound impact on your ability to overcome the illness or injury so that you can move on with your life.

Thinking positively, coupled with the right medicine or treatment, can help you to recover more quickly and more easily than if you were simply using medical treatments alone.

Tags: Health, Illness, trauma
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Care for Your Elderly Parents

Friday, January 21st, 2011

As you were growing up, you said “thank you mommy” and “thanks dad” quite a few times. When you did, it was probably because one of your parents had taken care of you or provided for you. Now that they are approaching the last years of their lives, you might need to provide for them. You’ll want to care for them personally for as long as you can, but there might come a day when you’ll have to consider a residential care facility. It’s up to you to find a facility that can provide for them just as carefully as you do. But how?

You could ask around or do an Internet search — but the best way to get a feel for the facility is to visit it in person. Are the caregivers professional? Do they seem friendly and caring? Is everything clean and cozy? Do the residents seem occupied and happy? Once you find the perfect facility and you know that your parents will be taken care of despite your busy schedule, it’s time to take a look at the cost. No price is too high for your loved ones, but reality might dictate that you find great care at a reasonable cost.

If your parents have health insurance, most of their expenses for living at a facility will be covered, as well as some of their medical costs. If they don’t have insurance yet, it can be as easy as visiting insurance websites and signing up for an online insurance quote that will help them — and you — decide which coverage is best for their needs.

The Internet can be a vast and confusing resource, so be patient with yourself while you search, research and sign up for insurance quotes. It may take some time, but the search will be worth it because you will be insuring that your parents stay safe and comfortable for the rest of their lives.

Tags: Health, Health care, Home care, Insurance, Nursing home, Old age, Parent, United States
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Rehab-International.org: Signs of Substance Abuse

Friday, November 12th, 2010

It is a complicated world, and too often are teenagers overwhelmed by the demands and obligations of it. There is too much to do. There is too much to accomplish. And the pressures of succeeding become heavy burdens – forcing even the most confident of adolescents to succumb. You worry then about your child, about the choices he or she will make. It is all too easy to submit to the temptations of drugs and alcohol. It is simpler still to turn that temptation into a secret. You must therefore be prepared.

Understanding the symptoms of substance abuse is vital for all parents. This disease can become life-alerting and even life-threatening. You must therefore recognize the signs and seek out treatment immediately (look to institutions like Rehab-International.org for professional aid. Do not believe you can fix this problem on your own).

The most common hints of an addiction are:

One: mood changes. While most teens are fickle, those suffering from abuse will become exaggerations of their worst moods. They’ll sway between frustration and apathy. Their responses will be inappropriate and they will offer manic behaviors.

Two: loss of interest. Your child’s abilities are changing. He or she is becoming aware of what can be achieved and new interests are sure to follow. Should you discover a complete lack of enthusiasm, however, abuse should be suspected.

Three: school worries. Truancy, a refusal to complete assignments and sleeping in class can all offer insight into an addiction (or at least an emotional problem).

Four: isolation. It is to be expected that your teen will stay behind closed doors. It is not to be expected, however, that every hour will be devoted to solitude. A sudden disconnect from family should be noted.

Substance abuse is an all too common concern. Parents must therefore understand the potential symptoms and help their child find the assistance he or she needs.

Tags: Adolescence, Health, Substance abuse, Truancy
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Caring for Disabled Children

Monday, November 8th, 2010

: Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Caring for disabled children may seem like a chore for those who are not parents themselves. However, if you have ever done this – looked after a disabled child – you will know that you do not really feel like it is a chore. Emotionally, nursing a disabled child is no different from taking care of a healthy child; it may just be a little more work.

There are good nursing homes that will take care of your disabled child for you. Do not think that sending your child to a nursing home somehow lowers your self image as a good mother. No, it does not; disabled children have special needs and for special facilities as well, which may be difficult to provide at home. So, if that is the case with your child, it may actually make more sense to send them to a good nursing home nearby, where experts can take care of them.

However, if you plan to keep your disabled child at home and look after them, also plan to spend a lot of time with them. If you are working somewhere, make sure your employer knows your condition well, and are willing to grant you enough leave, or let you take work home, so you can spend more time at home. One good idea is to organize a party – birthday, Thanksgiving, whatever – and let your supervisor or immediate employer meet your sweet, disabled child. The child becomes personalized in this way, and your employer will be more understanding of your situation.

Patience is a must when you are caring for disabled children at home. Certified nurses are trained to be patient, while the rest of us are trained to be just the opposite. But you should know that becoming impatient with your child’s disability can be very harmful. So, make it a habit to inculcate patience within yourself.

Tags: Child, Disability, Nursing, Nursing home
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The Irish Wheelchair Association: A Model Organization for People with Disabilities

Sunday, September 5th, 2010

: Image via Wikipedia

The Irish Wheelchair Association (IWA) was started in the year 1960. A group of wheelchair bound people felt that the time had come to do something for people with disabilities. This set off the thought on combining together to build a group or association for people with disabilities.

IWA now has permanent members and volunteers. Primarily focused on liberating the disabled, IWA gives freedom and independence to any person affected by disabilities. By taking people with disabilities into confidence, IWA makes them a member or volunteer of this organization.

Recently, IWA had celebrated its fiftieth anniversary by conducting a Disabled Drivers and Passengers Rally. Drivers with disabilities, across the length and breadth of Ireland participated in this. It was more like a national level event. This event was a one-of-kind opportunity for drivers with disabilities to participate with others of their kind. Although, intended to regale the spirits of people with disabilities, this competition did evoke a competitive spirit.
2005s Disability Act, created the need for organizations to focus on people with disabilities. IWA conducts disability awareness training to people without any disabilities. With this, people understand the difficulties faced by people with disabilities. Empathy is created through these sessions. Empathy also makes them understand the strong-willed nature of most disabled persons.

IWA also renders an assisted living program. Providing personal assistants to disabled people, it seeks to empower the disabled with customized personal assistance. Only after a mutual understanding with the disabled person, the personal assistance starts. General personal assistance tasks like cooking, helping out with toileting, and showering is given. Even if the disabled person wants to go out, the personal assistant comes along.
IWA has a slew of other programs for people with disabilities. It conducts summer camps for children with disabilities. Participants need to download the forms on the website, fill it up, and mail it to them. Or, calling them will get participants more information.

People with disabilities in Ireland can easily look to the IWA as a source of solace. Organizations like IWA have created the need for more of such disabilities organizations.

Tags: Disability, Disabled, Ireland, Wheelchair
Posted in Disabilities, Health, Recovering | No Comments »

The Disability Rights Movement

Friday, September 3rd, 2010

: Image via Wikipedia

In the 1960s the fight for the Disability Rights Movement began. The goal is to improve the disadvantages disabled people had with the quality of life and discrimination. The movement wants the disabled to have civil rights. There are just several issues associated with achieving this goal that need to be worked out. The issues include housing, equal employment opportunities, the accessibility in transportation, and education are things that need to be worked out in the community to help our fellow people. In 1963 President Kennedy signed a law requiring disabled children to be educated. This was the beginning of a new era for the rights of disabled people. Soon after in 1968 there was an act requiring federally financed buildings to be disabled people accessible. This was done by putting in wheel chair ramps and elevators in buildings. The 1970s brought on the accessibility to the elderly and handicapped in major transportation facilities. The transportation facilities put in braille for the blind and wheel chair ramps for the disabled and elderly as well as other improvements. The goals set out by the Disability Rights movement were slowly becoming accomplishments. Then the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 took on the major problem of discrimination against people with disabilities. The Act also didn’t allow federally funded programs to discriminate against disabled people. Public phones were made accessible to the hearing impaired due to the Telecommunications for the Disabled Act in 1982. A big step in having equal rights was in 1984 when the Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act came requiring disabled and elderly access to voting polls. The triumph occurred with the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990 which gave disabled citizens equal rights. The Act also prohibited discrimination. The Disability Rights Movement accomplished a lot and changed a lot of lives. The disabled people in certain areas of the world might still be fighting for their rights.

Tags: Civil and political rights, Disability, Rehabilitation Act of 1973
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Dangers of Prescription Drug Abuse

Friday, August 27th, 2010

Taking medication for the wrong reasons is drug abuse and poses serious hazards to one’s health. Regardless if the drug is a prescribed or obtained over-the-counter (OTC), the dangers of prescription drug abuse is just as severe as taking street drugs.The most commonly used and abused prescribed drugs are opioids, central nervous system depressants, and stimulants.

Opioids, such as Vicodin or Demerol, are used to relieve pain, coughs or diarrhea. These types of drugs attach to opioid receptors (the spinal cord and the brain), prohibiting the brain from receiving messages of pain. Effects of opioid abuse include changes in mood, vomiting, decreased cognitive and respiratory functions, coma and even death.

Central Nervous System (or CNS) depressants slow down brain activity and are typically used to treat sleep disorders, anxiety, panic attacks and tension. Examples of these CNS depressants include Valium and Xanax, and give users a calming and almost lethargic effect. Side effects of CNS depressant abuse include seizures or death.

Stimulants–such as Adderall and Ritalin–increase brain activity and are prescribed to treat Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy. Like CNS depressants, stimulants can cause drug abusers seizures. Stimulant abusers can also experience abnormally high body temperatures, feel aggressive or paranoid, or develop dangerous and inconsistent heart rate(s).

The dangers of prescription drug abuse is increased when medications are incorrectly mixed with other medication, or taken with substances such as over-the-counter drugs, cold medicine, antihistamines, painkillers, and alcohol. Additionally, there is serious risk when taking medication that belongs to another person. Taking a prescription drug in a way it was not supposed to be used has great risk as well. For example, snorting or injecting Ritalin can be incredibly damaging to one’s health.

Prescription drug abuse’s most common result is addiction. Prescription drug abuse signs include the need to have a specific drug, weight gain or loss, and changes in mood and interests. Drug addiction is usually addressed by behavioral or pharmacological treatment. Behavioral treatment teaches individuals how to function without drugs. The latter involves patients taking special medication to stave off drug cravings or withdrawal symptoms.

Tags: Central nervous system, Drug abuse, Health, Prescription drug
Posted in Drugs, General, Health, Recovering | No Comments »

Spina Bifida and Children

Tuesday, August 24th, 2010

: Image via Wikipedia

Spina Bifida is a birth defect that occurs in the neural tube of the spine. It is basically where the one area of neural tube of the spine doesn’t close during the formation of the fetus. When this occurs significant spinal cord nerve damage can result. The nerve damage will range from mild to severe depending on which location of the neural tube is left open and how large an area is unprotected. There are a number of prevention techniques the most effective is a high intake of folic acid during pregnancy.

Types and Diagnosis

Most cases of spinal bifida are diagnosed either at birth or before. The mildest version however is usually not diagnosed until well after birth or adulthood due to the lack of any symptoms. Three tests that can detect Spina bifida during the pregnancy are the ultrasound, an amniocentesis, and the alpha-fetoprotein test.

The severest type of Spina bifida is myelomeningocele. This is where a sac of fluid comes thru the neural tube opening. This sac contains parts of the spinal cord and related nerves. Meningocele is another type, but the sac of fluid that protrudes from the opening doesn’t contain any portion of the spinal cord. The mildest type is Spina bifida occulta, where there is no fluid sac at the neural tube opening just a small gap.

Spina Bifida and Resulting Disabilities

There are a number of disabilities that result from a diagnosis of Spina bifida. They include partial or full paralysis, gastrointestinal problems, learning disabilities, depression, meningitis, problems with eating and or breathing, inability to focus, and various skin allergies.

Treatment of Spina Bifida

Almost every case of Spina bifida is treated via surgery. Most surgeries will occur as soon as the child is born. Physical therapists will teach parents a variety of muscle exercise techniques and also will provide support to assist in the child’s walking.

Tags: Conditions and Diseases, Congenital disorder, Spina Bifida, Spinal cord
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Abuse and Dependence: Discovering the Difference

Tuesday, August 24th, 2010

: Image by AjDele Photography via Flickr

It begins with one sip but then devolves into another and another; and soon the number is lost, unable to be remembered and with none even trying to. The party has begun and all guests are interested in only one thing–having fun. So they drink and they cheer and they drench the night in wine. But, out of those individuals, only some will be able to ignore the taste when morning comes. Others, however, will be scrambling for yet another sip. And this difference is vital.

Alcoholism, despite the misconception, is not a simple disease. It doesn’t merely take one form. It instead offers several distinctions; and these must be understood to find a cure.

Alcohol Abuse: the most common path for the illness to follow is one of Abuse. Through this an individual will offer sporadic occurrences of drinking (with time eventually shifting those occurrences into far longer affairs). The individual is not yet addicted but is instead simply making a deliberate choice. Inevitably, his tolerance will increase and the consequences of alcohol will not sustain him as they once did. This will lead him to drink more and more to achieve the same effect. And the Abuse will then take another form: Dependence.

Alcohol Dependence: when the levels needed to find relief have been raised to dangerous heights, an individual is suffering from Dependence. During this stage, there will be fewer gaps between binges (with their length increased considerably). The body will crave liquor and will no longer be able to function without it. This will no longer be a casual taste but will instead be a biological need. It cannot be confused with Abuse, however, as the steps needed to defend against it are much more pressing and require medical attention.

Alcoholism is a disease, no matter how common some may believe it to be. And it must be understood before it can be conquered. Know the symptoms and know their effects.

Tags: Addiction, Alcoholism, Substance abuse
Posted in Addiction, Drugs, Health, Recovering | No Comments »

General Information About Social Security Disability Benefits

Friday, August 20th, 2010

: Image via Wikipedia

Disabled individuals are able to get benefits from the Social Security Administration. In order to even be considered for benefits you must have a severe medical condition that will either last longer than one year or result in death. Individuals will also have to meet certain work requirements.

Work Requirements

There are two tests that must be passed in order to qualify for benefits. The first is the recent work test, which will look at the age you are when you become disabled. The next test is the duration of work test, which will analyze the amount of time or how long you worked before becoming disabled.

Applying for Benefits

Since it can take up to 5 months for an application to be processed, it is recommended that individuals apply for benefits as soon as they become disabled. You must complete an application and a Disability Report. You will also need to provide your social security number, birth certificate, all information about doctors, nurses, and other medical personnel, information about your medication, laboratory and test results, your work history and our recent W-2 forms.

Approval Process

The Federal Social Security office will review your application. After its been determined that you’ve met the basic requirements, it will be sent to your state’s Disability Determination Services office. Five major steps will be considered to make the final disability determination. Whether or not you are working; if your medical condition is indeed severe; whether or not your medical condition is on the Social Security offices list of impairments; can you do the type of work that you did before; and whether or not you can actually perform any other type of work. A letter will be sent out informing you of the offices decision and providing you with the information to file an appeal if the decision is not in your favor.

Tags: Disability Determination Services, Social Security, Social Security Administration
Posted in Disability, General, Health, Recovering | No Comments »

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