Not a lot of attention is paid to prescription drug abuse. But nearly 20 percent of Americans have used prescription drugs for non-medical reasons. Three quarters of those may be abusing prescription drugs. Between 1992 and 2002, the number of prescriptions written increased by 61 percent. In that same period, the number of prescriptions written for opiates increased by almost 400 percent.
The Baltimore Sun reports:
“According to a report ... by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, hospitalizations for poisoning by prescription opioids, sedatives and tranquilizers jumped 65 percent from 1999 to 2006. One-third of new addicts report that their first drug experience was with prescription drugs.”
Remember the Reagan-era anti-drug ads, “Just Say NO”? Well, since then, street drugs have taken the backseat to a far greater threat – prescription drugs, especially pain killers. Contrary to the popular belief propagated by the drug industry, taking prescription drugs is a health RISK – not a healthy treatment to a health problem. This backwards ideology has created a nation of extremely sick people, and a whole new generation of drug addicts. In fact, prescription drugs are now the preferred “high” for many, especially teens, as they are typically used legally, which eliminates the stigma of being a “junkie.” And even if you don’t have your own prescription, drugs of all kinds can be found in the nearest medicine cabinet in most homes.
If you don’t believe drugs have become extremely easy to get a hold of, take a look at the latest drug use statistics from the Kaiser Health Foundation.
-The average American, aged 19 to 64, now takes close to 12 prescription drugs!
-The average senior typically fills over 30 prescriptions every year, and even children, between the ages of 0-18, are taking an average of close to 4 prescriptions annually!
This brings up yet another problem, which is the increased health risk of mixing multiple drugs. Both of these issues – prescription drug abuse, and drug overuse – have a major impact on the health, well being, and longevity of the American population, as well as our health care system.
The Baltimore Sun quotes R. Gil Kerlikowske, director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, as saying:
"With drug use accounting for tens of billions of dollars per year in health care costs, and drug overdoses ranking second only to motor vehicle crashes as the leading cause of accidental death, the nation needs to discard the idea that enforcement alone can eliminate our drug problem."
Reflect on this for just a moment…
Drug use accounts for tens of billions of dollars per year in health care costs… That’s tens of billions of dollars IN ADDITION TO the close to one TRILLION dollars those same drugs cost our health care system in the first place! This is about as close to insanity as you can get when thinking that “more and better drugs” are the answer to our nation’s failing health... Folks, it’s time to wake up from our collective slumber and cease to fall prey to this predatory type of “health care.”
Please, if you take only one fact away from this article, let it be the importance of thinking twice before taking a prescription drug. It is your body, not your doctor’s and not your pharmacist’s, so it is up to you to make the decision of what drugs to take, if any. Be SURE you are aware of the risks of any medication prescribed to you, and weigh them against any possible benefit. Then you can make a well-informed decision of whether it’s a risk you’re willing to take.
And as always, keep striving to Take Control of Your Health so that you require fewer doctor visits, and drugs, to stay in top condition.
Sources:
The Baltimore Sun April 21, 2010; Mercola.com
If you have any questions or comments, please contact Dr. Dan Thibodeau at 920-954-1002 or DrDan1221@yahoo.com
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Saturday, May 1, 2010
11 Simple Ways To Avoid Burnout
Schedule regular social activities - Remember when you used to spend time with people you didn’t work with? You watched movies, ate meals, played games, and went on trips. You were active and you had fun! Regain some of that emotional fulfillment by contacting some old friends and scheduling regular activities.
Follow a fitness plan - If you want to avoid burnout, resurrect that New Year’s Resolution and figure out what it takes to get you exercising on a regular basis. Apart from all the physical benefits of exercise, you’ll enjoy the mental satisfaction of knowing that you’re taking good care of yourself again.
Pursue a hobby - Pick a hobby that has little or nothing to do with what you spend most of your week doing and pursue it with passion! A hobby that uses an entirely different skill set can provide your heart and mind with a satisfying break from the weekly grind and set you on a good path for increased productivity.
Volunteer - Nothing brightens the soul or warms the senses like giving to another for no reason other than to give. If you’re feeling run down by life, seek out somebody less fortunate than yourself and work to help them.
Write a manifesto - Have you forgotten what you want out of life? It’s easy to lose track of time and even easier to forget about what makes us glad to be alive. What can you do to bring back that focus? Take a day or perhaps an entire weekend and write a manifesto, a declaration of purpose, for yourself.
Ask for help - Whether your struggle is with a particular part of a project or with something general, like time management, asking for help will get you to a solution faster than you could ever hope to alone. If you want to avoid burnout, you’ll need to swallow your pride on occasion and reach out for help.
Make others laugh - You’ll find it hard to be glum and entertain unhappy thoughts when the people around you are excited and happy to be near you.
Make an escape list - An “escape list” is a list of everything you’d need to do in order to escape a situation that’s driving you nuts. In a work context, your escape list might include things like turning in a final presentation or asking for a raise.
Embrace a morning ritual - Are you starting your day on the wrong foot by waking up late, rushing about, and skipping out the door at the last minute? Try slowing down your morning instead.
Stop making excuses - Once you’ve given up on blaming others you’ll start seeing more of the good in your life.
Be accountable - The trick is find somebody you can trust to give the down and dirty on what you’re trying to do and how you’re moving forward. For best results, have your accountability partner NOT be a relative or somebody you’re dating. They typically won’t have the capacity for objective review of your progress. People who love you will often make excuses for you, and you want to avoid excuses at all costs.
Sources: Lifehack, Mercola.com, May 01 2010
Contact me at 920-954-1002 or DrDan1221@yahoo.com if you have any questions.
Follow a fitness plan - If you want to avoid burnout, resurrect that New Year’s Resolution and figure out what it takes to get you exercising on a regular basis. Apart from all the physical benefits of exercise, you’ll enjoy the mental satisfaction of knowing that you’re taking good care of yourself again.
Pursue a hobby - Pick a hobby that has little or nothing to do with what you spend most of your week doing and pursue it with passion! A hobby that uses an entirely different skill set can provide your heart and mind with a satisfying break from the weekly grind and set you on a good path for increased productivity.
Volunteer - Nothing brightens the soul or warms the senses like giving to another for no reason other than to give. If you’re feeling run down by life, seek out somebody less fortunate than yourself and work to help them.
Write a manifesto - Have you forgotten what you want out of life? It’s easy to lose track of time and even easier to forget about what makes us glad to be alive. What can you do to bring back that focus? Take a day or perhaps an entire weekend and write a manifesto, a declaration of purpose, for yourself.
Ask for help - Whether your struggle is with a particular part of a project or with something general, like time management, asking for help will get you to a solution faster than you could ever hope to alone. If you want to avoid burnout, you’ll need to swallow your pride on occasion and reach out for help.
Make others laugh - You’ll find it hard to be glum and entertain unhappy thoughts when the people around you are excited and happy to be near you.
Make an escape list - An “escape list” is a list of everything you’d need to do in order to escape a situation that’s driving you nuts. In a work context, your escape list might include things like turning in a final presentation or asking for a raise.
Embrace a morning ritual - Are you starting your day on the wrong foot by waking up late, rushing about, and skipping out the door at the last minute? Try slowing down your morning instead.
Stop making excuses - Once you’ve given up on blaming others you’ll start seeing more of the good in your life.
Be accountable - The trick is find somebody you can trust to give the down and dirty on what you’re trying to do and how you’re moving forward. For best results, have your accountability partner NOT be a relative or somebody you’re dating. They typically won’t have the capacity for objective review of your progress. People who love you will often make excuses for you, and you want to avoid excuses at all costs.
Sources: Lifehack, Mercola.com, May 01 2010
Contact me at 920-954-1002 or DrDan1221@yahoo.com if you have any questions.
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