Es que en estos menesteres como en muchos otros así son las cosas, una vez que empiezas es difícil dejar de hacerlo, por eso estoy aquí, escribiendo, tal vez no sea lo que mejor haga, pero aquí estoy.

Hoy es un día bien frío, llovió por la mañana, ahora sigue nublado y con mucho aire, hoy me siento a tono con el día, pero no me siento mal, simplemente hoy soy una especie de nahual mimetizado con el clima, ya no me quejo del frío como la mayoría, en estos días de tranquilidad espiritual, dejo pasar las cosas fuera de mi control, sin que me frustre.

Jajajajaja hablo como si me hubiera tomado un valium o alguna cantidad industrial de Rivotril pero no, es mas ni las patas le he quemado a Judas esta vez, puro relax, casi casi hablando desde el Nirvana.

Este post es nada más para dar unas breves señales de vida, retomo una vez más el blog y nos seguimos leyendo en el próximo post.

I usually take my meds at 10pm. We had P’s brother over last night. He’s sleeping soundly in the other room,P is snoring his pretty head off next to me. We went to bed at 11pm, which for me is really good given that i can sometimes be awake until 2am. Come that exact time, i was awake and i was starving. Off i went into the kitchen and made some cereal. I got back into bed to eat it but i noticed i  was falling asleep eating the cereal!

I don’t normally like to eat past 9pm, as i don’t think it’s good for the digestive system. I also avoid all caffeine after 8pm. I can recommend hot milk after meds, as it seems to calm me down for the night. So i did the usual night-time protocol. I watched two episodes of SATC and drank my hot milk in bed. I dozed off….

It’s now 7.52am and i’m wide awake. For the life of me, i cant get a good night’s sleep. My doctor knows this too. I have some podcasts on my Macbook and iPhone that i tend to listen to. I’ll add the links to the podcasts at the end of this post. They used to help me go asleep, however it’s not the case anymore. Also, with the Effexor increase, i was really tired so i don’t get why i’m waking up all the time throughout the night.

Very annoying, can i please have my sleep pattern back?

Anyways, here’s the links to the podcasts, you must have iTunes installed. I think this woman has blogs as well and also does YouTube videos.

For night-time meditation, you can also search the iTunes store. Just type in meditation.

http://www.borderlinepersonality.ca/ajmaharibpdaudio.htm

Benzodiazepine abuse, such as Xanax, Valium, and Ativan, can cause addiction, even death, and withdrawals often need medical intervention.

Benzos, or benzodiazepines, are a class of psychoactive drugs with varying hypnotic, sedative, anti-anxiety, anticonvulsant, muscle relaxant and amnesic properties. Sold as Xanax (alprazolam),Librium (chlordiazepoxide), Valium (diazepam), and Ativan (lorazepam), these slow down the central nervous system.

Useful in treating anxiety, insomnia, seizures, and muscle spasms, they seem helpful enough.

There is a catch: The long-term use of benzodiazapines can cause physical dependence. In other words, drug addiction.

“We have dealt with many people who started using Xanax or Valium to help with insomnia or anxiety,” states Mary Rieser, Executive Director for The Atlanta Recovery Center Drug Rehab in Georgia. “Unfortunately, once they become drug addicted to these prescription drugs, they often need a medically supervised withdrawal from them.”

That’s right. Benzo withdrawal can cause death.

“Any withdrawal from any drug is extremely uncomfortable. Our withdrawal specialists work with our students in withdrawing from drugs comfortably,” continues Ms. Rieser. “However, benzo and extreme alcohol addiction need close medical supervision.”

For the full story http://news.wooeb.com/NewsStory.aspx?id=141985&ret

Teens: Easy to Abuse Prescription Drugs, Often With Deadly Results.

Prescription Drug Abuse

Prescription drugs are the most common abused drugs by teens, after marijuana, a study has recently shown.

This is not surprising, as prescription drugs are normally easily available, found in medicine cabinets at home. These prescription drugs, usually opiates such as OxyContin or Percocet, or benzodiazepines, such as Xanax or Valium, will produce a euphoric sensation if abused. They can also be deadly.

The Atlanta Recovery Center Drug Rehab in Georgia warns that teens abusing prescription drugs is more prevalent and more deadly than ever before.

“Studies have shown that teens in increasing numbers are reporting that they have abused prescription drugs found in parent’s medicine cabinets,” states Mary Rieser, Executive Director for The Atlanta Recovery Center Drug Rehab in Georgia. “Twenty percent of teens in America, or roughly 6 million teens, have abused prescription pain medication, and the same amount have abused prescription stimulants and tranquilizers.

For the full story http://news.wooeb.com/NewsStory.aspx?id=142463&ret

I’ve been on valium again, since 19/9/2009. I had taken these before and found them great at calming me down. But, like all benzos – they have the addiction factor to consider.

I was given 16 valium and i take two per day, 1 in the morning when i wake with my lexapro and one at 6pm when my mood starts to dip and i get anxious. Initally, i was on 5/6 a day in hospital.

Again, these aren’t a long term solution, they’re just something to get me past the anxiety of the BPD diagnosis and my admission to the hospital.

I’d prefer to try meditation to calm me down, i don’t think anyone should take Valium long term.

GIVE ME MORE!!!

I drank too much coffee and now I feel like the Incredible Hulk on speed. I’ve already had one near mental breakdown this morning, and I figure only a valium could help now. Gotta get on a plane to LA in a couple of hours, and I already have a problem with fidgeting. I’m going to lose my mind, help!

Ok, gotta get it together. Quick, put on some music! No, not that song… or that one either. Must type faster. Oh – stupid computer, you’re not typing fast enough! Damn! Oh, god, I feel good, oh shit, I almost crapped my pants. This is insane. Someone should make coffee illegal, or at least you need a license to drink it. My mouth is dry, and it tastes like coffee… mmm. My head is big like a balloon and I can hardly focus my eyes. My neck hurts, gotta stretch – aaah! I almost fainted! My heart is beating too fast, and my lungs feel like they’re going to cave in. Maybe I shouldn’t have taken that Vicodin last night. Jesus. When will it stop?

Basically, I don’t have anything to say, except that coffee is ruining my life, and I love it! Nothing like getting paid to have a panic attack. I also noticed that even though I have all this energy and am completely wired, I can’t seem to get anything done and I’m making a lot of mistakes. This is gonna be interesting…

Originally Written by: DeMarco, Carolyn, M.D.

Dr. Carolyn DeMarco is a consultant in holistic medicine from British Columbia who specializes in women’s health issues and alternative medicine. She is a well-known author and journalist, and her latest book, Doctor DeMarco Answers Your Questions and an innovative CD-ROM have recently been released.

I DEPRESSION AND ALTERNATIVES TO PROZAC

TYPES There are many different types of depression. Depression which is cyclical where there are manic and depressive episodes is called bipolar depression. In unipolar depression, the common type of depression, there is just depression without the manic state. It is just the down state, and it can be mild, moderate or severe. It is characterized by changes in appetite and weight, disturbed sleep, fatigue, loss of energy, difficulty concentrating, feelings of worthlessness and suicidal thoughts or attempts. Reactive depression may be brought on by an identifiable event like the death of a parent, or loss of a job, but this is not true depression. Dysthymia means “bad mood” and refers to mild to moderate depression. There is also seasonal affective disorder, which many people in Canada are subject to.

Many factors affect depression including diet, excess sugar, sugar substitutes, coffee, alcohol and junk food, which can all create mental state abnormalities.

Depression can be a very serious illness and drugs can be a godsend for people with severe depression, especially those who are suicidal and unable to function in any way. There is a place for psychiatric drugs. I would never deny that. However, they are very much subject to overuse. There is less necessity for tranquilizers because there are excellent effective natural remedies.

ST. JOHN’S WORT However, there is a great role, in depression, for St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum). I have endorsed one specific kind of St. John’s wort because I have had a very good experience with it, and that is Flora’s St. John’s wort which comes from Greece and it is completely wild. They pick it on the hills, put it in vats of extra-virgin olive oil, let it sit in the sun for 1,000 hours, then take that oil and put it into capsules. It is not a so-called standardized extract, but I have found that it always works well in doses of three or four capsules from two to four times a day, depending on the severity of the depression. All herbs are better taken without food, because they will have an increased effect. Don’t take it with food unless you are having a lot of nausea. Take it between meals if you can. So take one dose at bedtime, one first thing in the morning and then just place your other doses sometime during the day.

Michael Murray surveyed all the St. John’s wort in the U.S. and found out there was much more being sold than there was actually plant material available. So, there are a lot of very weak or ineffective St. John’s wort products. So we will have to investigate that. At the very least, if you don’t want to try the Flora, try a St. John’s wort that is standardized to contain .3% hypericin. There are many good ones out there. Natural Factors and many other companies make some good standardized extracts of St. John’s wort. So we still use that 0.3% hypericin as a marker for quality.

It grows everywhere in the countryside of Ontario and is also very common in B.C. It is actually considered a noxious weed because it grows so well. St. John’s wort has a balsam-like smell. It has yellow flowers and there are little dots on the leaves which contain hypericin, one of the active ingredients. Nobody knew exactly how St. John’s wort worked in the beginning; they thought the action was due to the hypericin. Now they have found that St. John’s wort affects almost every neurotransmitter in the brain. It affects serotonin, dopamine, GABA and norepine-phrine. Some of you may know about the drug Effexor (used for depression) which targets two receptors: norepinephrine and serotonin. The new trend in antidepressants is to target specific neuroreceptors in the brain. However, St. John’s wort actually acts on all the receptors. So it has a complex action, much more complex than they thought at the beginning. There are ten active ingredients of which hypericin is only one. And that is why I still feel there is a place for whole plant extracts. Otherwise the hypericin is a good marker of quality control. And usually St. John’s wort is standardized to contain .3% hypericin.

STUDIES St. John’s wort became accepted in the medical profession when a study was published in The British Medical Journal in August, 1996 which reviewed all the highest quality trials on St. John’s wort. The authors concluded that St. John’s wort was a very effective treatment for mild to moderate depression. They were careful to investigate all the trials and choose only the best-designed and highest quality. So they were very stringent. Of the 37 studies reviewed, only 23 were accepted. A total of 1,757 patients with mild to moderate depression were surveyed, and St. John’s wort was found to be significantly superior to a placebo or a dummy pill. It was also determined that St. John’s wort effects were equal to a series of standard antidepressant drugs such as imipramine and amitriptyline, but there were far less side effects. It really was very good news. The studies used products in which the hypericin was standardized to .3%. In three other studies, St. John’s wort was compared to standard antidepressants. Basically, they found that the reduction in depression was 63% for St. John’s wort and 58% for standard antidepressants.
The medical community is very cautious, and they suggest that longer-term studies of St. John’s wort are required. Recently, a widely published long-term study performed by the makers of Zoloft comparing St. John’s wort with standard antidepressants was inconclusive because the St. John’s wort used in the study was not properly standardized.

SAFETY You may have seen information in the news lately about the safety of St. John’s wort, because if you are an AIDS patient, St. John’s wort will actually increase the excretion of drugs through the liver, and you may have to change your dosage. So it is not considered appropriate to take with AIDS drugs. But basically, it has a very wide safety margin. In one study, they monitored over 3,000 patients (and by the way, most drug studies don’t monitor such a large number). Over 600 private general practitioners participated in this study, and they found that 80% of individuals with mild to moderate depression showed an improvement. Side effects were rare and mild. So the experience of general practitioners using St. John’s wort was that it was both safe and effective.

SIDE EFFECTS The documented side effects of St. John’s wort are very low, 2.43% overall. The main side effects are nausea, stomach upset, and occasional allergic reactions. The remaining side effects were almost negligible: .4% fatigue and a few incidents of anxiety. There has been some discussion about photosensitivity with St. John’s wort, but it is not a major problem. If you want to improve your tanning, it will help, but fair skinned, blue-eyed people should be somewhat cautious; they tend to occasionally experience an allergic reaction. If you know anything about drug profiles (e.g. Prozac), the side effects and contra-indications go on for about four to five pages, and this is true of almost every antidepressant. These are very powerful drugs. Prozac has a lot of side effects and one of them is complete sexual dysfunction. The average Prozac prescription is given after an interview of about three to five minutes, so a lot of Prozac is given out without an adequate history of the patient.

If you are taking Prozac for any of the milder problems such as mild to moderate depression, moderately severe PMS, menopause, or other ailments for which Prozac is now being prescribed, you shouldn’t go suddenly off your drugs. If you are on the SSRIs (Prozac, Paxil or Zoloft) or tricyclic antidepressants like Elavil (amitriptyline) or Tofranil (imipramine), you must gradually reduce them over four weeks until the St. John’s wort starts to kick in. Some antidepressants like Paxil have a serious rebound so that you will feel seriously worse when you go off them suddenly, and you can have a severe crash. Even missing a dose of Paxil can result in a severe emotional crash. Ideally, you should only go off your drugs under a doctor’s supervision. As you gradually decrease your anti-depressants, add one St. John’s wort the first week, two the second week, three the third, and then the fourth week you are off. The book by psychiatrist Hyla Cass called St. John’s Wort: A Common Sense Guide to Understanding and Using St. John’s Wort (Avery, 1998) provides a practical guide to using St. John’s wort including how to make the switch from drug treatments.

SEVERE DEPRESSION Study: Currently, the general consensus of the medical community is that you cannot use St. John’s wort for severe depression. However, in a study of severely depressed patients, high doses of St. John’s wort produced equivalent results to the standard antidepressants. This was a randomized controlled multi-center test, which means they had divided two groups into two parts: one group received a high dose (kind of a double dosage) of St. John’s wort, the other received a high dose antidepressant which was Elavil. This was only one study and it hasn’t been widely published, but it is very interesting because the results showed that both treatment regimens were equally effective, except that there were almost no side effects, of course, in the St. John’s wort group. There were more side effects with the exceptionally high doses, but compared to the antidepressant group in which 41% (four out of every ten patients) had dry mouth, stomach upset, sweating, constipation – only 23% of the St. John’s wort group had side effects and these were a lot milder.

SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER (SAD) You can also use St. John’s wort for seasonal affective disorder. Many people suffer from seasonal affective disorder in the winter when the light diminishes, and crave food, eat a lot, sleep a lot and become depressed. That is seasonal affective disorder in a nutshell. St. John’s wort works like a dream. Four capsules of St. John’s wort at night is very effective in preventing that decline in mood. There are studies showing that the results of St. John’s wort for seasonal affective disorder are comparable to Prozac. There is no problem with long-term usage. For SAD, of course, you don’t have to take it in the summer. It is very, very safe.

LABOUR AND CHILDBIRTH We also use a tincture of St. John’s wort during labour to lessen the pains of contraction, and for uterine contractions after labour, there is nothing like St. John’s wort tincture. Midwives have always used it. Historically, they didn’t use it for depression. Maybe they didn’t have the amount of depression we have now.

HERBAL TINTURES AND OILS You can also make your own St. John’s wort in an alcoholic tincture and it is very easy to make. You won’t know exactly how to adjust the dosage, but you can use it for mild depression. To extract the active ingredients you need alcohol. You just grind it up with vodka or brandy or some other alcohol, let it sit for about eight weeks and then strain and discard the herb. It is very simple. You are making a herbal tincture. St. John’s wort also makes a lovely oil. You put the flowers and the plants in olive oil, which will then turn red, and it is very good for joint aches and pains. In homeopathy, we use it for nerve injuries and head and spine trauma.

ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER St. John’s wort can also be very helpful for children with ADD and ADHD. It is very safe to use. It helps calm them down.

THYROID SUPPLEMENTS There are several natural products that can augment an antidepressant. The thyroid supplements T3 and T4 have been used for treatment-resistant depression.

TRYPTOPHAN Another thing that you can use is tryptophan, which is an amino acid, one of the building blocks of protein. I am a big fan of tryptophan. Tryptophan is very good for insomnia and you usually use 2000 mg. at night. It is a great sleep aid; it is totally natural and has no side effects. It is also good for the sleep disorders of chronic fatigue syndrome, grief and menopause. In Canada, it is only available by prescription because a batch of Japanese genetically-engineered tryptophan caused serious health problems and it was taken off the market in the US.

5-HTP (5-hydroxy-tryptophan) can be used instead of tryptophan. 5-HTP is available without a prescription in health food stores. But where you would use 1000 mg of tryptophan, you need only 100 mg of 5-HTP. and that is the ratio, ten to one.

COGNITIVE THERAPY This is an inexpensive therapy which has a very good track record. Studies have demonstrated that it not only relieves depression, but it has a much lower relapse rate than any drug, or even herb, because it deals with some of the root causes of depression. Over two dozen controlled studies have demonstrated that by the end of 12 to 20 weeks there is a 70% reduction in depression. So this is a really great therapy. It is hard to find a cognitive practitioner, but you can do it yourself. Some of the books that instruct you how to do it yourself are, Feeling Good Again, The New Mood Therapy, and Feeling Good Again Handbook by David Burns, psychiatrist. It is based on the premise that all thoughts are created by beliefs, attitudes and interpretations. Since your thought interpretations cause your emotional reaction, you can change your original thoughts. Depressed thoughts are dominated by pervasive negativity, thoughts like, “nothing ever goes right in my life; bad things always happen to me; life isn’t fair.” Other thought patterns that can lead to depression are: “I should be perfect; other people should be perfect; life should always be smooth,” things like that.

NEGATIVITY If you analyze the thoughts of a depressed person, it seems to be the interpretation that causes the problem. For instance, if a car runs over your foot, an appropriate response would be, “This is terrible, and I will be more careful in the future”. An inappropriate interpretation would be: “This type of thing always happens to me; nothing ever goes right.” In other words, generalizing from the specific to the general. When you look at your depressed thoughts, they are a repetitive cycle that go over and over in your head, and they can be summarized as Louise Hay says by three phrases: “My body doesn’t work; my life doesn’t work; my relationships don’t work.” I think that covers everything. “Something is not working and it never works for me.” You can’t be positive all the time; but you don’t want to dwell in this negativity and live there. When you catch yourself repeating the same negative thought to yourself over and over again in a repetitive manner, this causes depression. By the way, almost everybody’s tapes are similar, although you may think that you are the only one who has them. So these books teach you how to reprogram your thinking. They are based on excellent studies and they are teaching general practitioners how to do it. But you can do it yourself. That is the great thing. It is very cheap.

GINGKO BILOBA has a natural antidepressant effect, and is a great memory herb. It is very good for treatment-resistant depression. If you are not having good results with your antidepressant, you can add the gingko and it will augment the results. Over forty double-blind studies showed that it increases circulation to the brain. So it is very useful for stroke and for stabilization of Alzheimer’s disease. It doesn’t reverse Alzeimer’s, but it improves the circulation; it improves the memory. It is a fantastic herb and has a frequent antidepressant effect. You can increase the dose; even tripling or quadrupling the dosage has been done because there are no side effects. However, its full effect can take up to 12 weeks to develop. The gingko biloba leaf extract should be standardized to at least 24% gingko flavone glycosides. You have to look very carefully on the package and see if you can find this. Sisu, Genestra, Gaia, St. Francis Herb and Thorne are high quality brands. Genestra and Thorne are not always easy to find because they are professional brands (try Supplements Plus stores). Shawla Herbs are very good too. Gingko biloba is very well researched. In over 44 studies involving 9,772 patients, there were virtually no side effects. Twenty-one subjects had some stomach upset, seven had headache, and six had dizziness. You will never see a drug with a profile like that. Another study of elderly patients (aged 51 to 78) who had depression unresponsive to any drug found that when gingko biloba was added, they had a 50% decrease in their depression score, a dramatic response. The placebo group had a 10 % decrease.

AROMATHERAPY is wonderful for depression because it goes right to the limbic system. Lavender is a great antidepressant, but it has to be a high quality lavender. I do prefer the Young Living Oils because I know the quality has been certified. There are other high quality oils from France; they aren’t the only high quality oils, but you won’t pay anything less that $25 for a good bottle of lavender. It should be certified. Most of the lavender in the stores is low quality. If you paid $5 or $10 for a bottle of lavender you are getting something that is synthetic or has chemicals added to it, and it can actually burn your skin. You can apply good lavender to your skin; you can breathe it. We use a number of oils. Clary sage is another oil that has a hormonal balancing effect and it also is a natural euphoric. It is a very nice oil also. And there are blends in Young Living like Peace and Calming which are very good. They have a lovely combination called Joy which is very uplifting. Aromatherapy is actually very complex and there are a lot of studies which demonstrate its effectiveness.

II ANXIETY AND ALTERNATIVES TO VALIUM

KAVA KAVA Kava kava is a wonderful herb from the South Seas and is harvested when it grows to six to eight feet in height. It acts on various parts of the brain, and it may even have an anti-convulsive effect. It could be an anti-epileptic as well, though that hasn’t been proven. Again, these herbs don’t just act on one part of the brain; they have multiple actions. Kava kava has wonderful qualities. It induces tranquility, sociability and a deep restful sleep with no side effects. What could be more pleasant? This is the perfect baby boomer herb with all the great sociable effects, no side effects and no addiction. It is excellent. And although the studies haven’t been too extensive, it compares to Valium in its effect. The active ingredients are kava lactones. The label should specify that the kava lactones are between 30 and 70%.
One study, which compared kava kava to oxazepam (a cousin of Valium) found that they both reduced anxiety equivalently, but there were no side effects with the kava kava. And as you know, Valium (diazepam), oxazepam and that whole family of drugs are addictive, as well as having drowsiness as the main side effect. In another study a group of subjects taking kava kava was compared to a group who took a placebo (a dummy pill). After four weeks the kava kava had produced an improved sense of well being, a marked reduction in anxiety and no side effects. In one well-designed study, it is described as the perfect herb for menopause because it reduced menopausal symptoms like anxiety and depression, as well as reducing hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms.
Kava kava is an excellent herb, but it must be of good quality. Seventy percent kava lactones is ideal, but you will find that not many brands have that concentration. You take 100 mg. of the kava kava standardized to 70% kava lactones. Natural Factors and many other companies have standardized extracts, but some of them are only 30%. If the active ingredients are only 30%, then you would have to double the dosage. There are a number of excellent companies like Thorne and Seroyal, which have very high quality supplements. Gaia is very good. Genestra is excellent. But some companies’ products are totally useless. There is a lot of crappy kava kava which is not standardized and may only contain 10% kava lactones. You will not notice much effect with that, and people will think it is not effective.

VALERIAN You can try valerian. I don’t find valerian is strong enough for a lot of the anxiety that we are facing today, even in combination with other herbs.

MELATONIN There is no doubt that we are not getting enough rest and one of the things you can do to help your anxiety is to sleep in a room that is completely dark with no light coming in at all. That is very, very important for proper regeneration. So blacken out your windows and make sure there is no light coming in your room at night. That will increase your secretion of melatonin. By the way, melatonin is very helpful for sleep and for people who are working shift work. Melatonin is a very useful supplement in doses of one to three mg one hour before bedtime, and it is very, very safe.

Many tranquilizers are so addictive that you must decrease them very slowly over a one to two month period. You would never do it suddenly. If you don’t, you won’t go off the drugs successfully. And at the same time increase your herbs and increase your nutritional supplements.

III ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER AND ALTERNATIVES TO RITALIN

As you know, Ritalin is over-prescribed, and ADD is over diagnosed. The National Institutes of Health are actually conducting an investigation on the over-prescription of Ritalin. Sometimes it is prescribed to keep a child sedated and in line, and a very creative and bright child can be well sedated with Ritalin often without adequate testing. There was one area in B.C. where 10% of the children were being given Ritalin. That is a lot of kids, and there is no evidence that it actually improves long-term school performance.

If a teacher recommends it, and the parents don’t want to give it to the child, the child can be removed from school. Dr. Peter Breggin, a psychiatrist who wrote Talking Back to Ritalin states that the diagnostic criteria focus on behaviours which parents find frustrating and disruptive, and conflicts between children and adults are redefined as diseases or disorders within the children. He believes that Ritalin suppresses creative, spontaneous and autonomous activity in children making them more docile and obedient, and more willing to comply with boring tasks in the classroom.

There are children who have severe ADD who cannot survive in the school system, but so many more can easily be helped through natural alternatives. First of all the proper diagnosis must be secured. Secondly, natural alternatives must always be tried first and drugs only as a last resort, not the first approach to ADD.

ALLERGIES Frequently, diet is absolutely crucial. It is important to anyone with any kind of mental disorder. Children should go off all sugar immediately and should be examined for food allergies. Studies have found certain food allergies common to children with ADD. Sugar is number one. Common allergens are sugar, wheat, dairy, food additives, egg, corn and citrus. You can use the elimination diet to find out what your kids are allergic to. The first day, you must take them off all food except rice and chicken, then daily you add back foods one at a time and watch for the allergic reaction. Kids can also be allergic to dust, pollen, moulds, animal dander and chemicals.

Dr. Doris Rapp is a pediatrician who filmed children before and after ingesting sugar. Beforehand, children who had been behaving very well, after being given a dose of sugar, started attacking their mothers, actually hitting their mothers and their handwriting deteriorated completely. It is a very dramatic video. She wrote a book called, Is This Your Child? which describes common allergic reactions of children. They may have circles under their eyes, and I have seen young children about a year old with a severe reactions to certain foods just arch their head back and scream. These allergic reactions are sometimes almost immediate and sometimes delayed.

NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCIES Children also have multiple nutritional deficiencies. It is shocking what kids are eating. They are eating a lot of fried food and sugar and very little real nutrition. Sugar is constantly being pushed on these kids. Of course, now we have MacDonalds in the schools and it is a nightmare. And often the parents are reluctant to get them off the junk food because you have to go through at least a week or two of terrible trauma as you wean them off all the junk food and sugar. But it is more than worth it.

NUTRITIONAL TESTING There is a wonderful pharmacy in Ottawa called Nutri-Chem Pharmacy who do detailed nutritional testing with children. They work with Down’s Syndrome children, but they can test any child for nutritional deficiencies. Then they will formulate vitamins in a liquid specific to that child’s deficiency. They are very good, and can be reached at 1-888-384-7855 or www.nutrichem.com.

NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS Hyperactive children are commonly deficient in zinc, iron and B-vitamins. Studies show that zinc supplementation improves memory, thinking and I.Q. Super green drinks like Greens Plus, Barley Plus, blue green algae or spirulina provide trace minerals that are very important for children. I highly recommend them for ADD. All the green drinks are very useful.

Children also need omega-3 fatty acids, flaxseed oil or fish oil for learning. They cannot learn without it. Gingko biloba can be used with ADD and calcium and magnesium are very important for ADD children because magnesium has a calming effect. I am using St. John’s wort with ADD kids and it is also very helpful.
We can also use herbs like valerian, passionflower and lemon balm. These are calming herbs; they are very, very mild and can be also used for sleeping.

TOXIC METALS Accumulation of lead, cadmium and other heavy metals can also cause ADD in some children.

AROMATHERAPY is wonderful for ADD. Dr. Freedman has been studying children and found that breathing in lavender, orange or citrus oils can actually change the brainwaves and calm the children down. Nick Begich mentioned that you can teach children to change their brainwaves by using biofeedback. This is a relatively new technology for ADD. They look at their waves on the screen and they change them to a calmer brainwave. Brain Gym is another thing, an extract which unites the right and the left brain.

A wonderful doctor in Vancouver, Gabor Mate, MD, feels that ADD is a symptom of our speeded up age and overstimulation (e.g. television images which change every few seconds). He has written a book called Scattered Minds: A New Look at the Origins and Healing of Attention Deficit Disorder (for more info see www.scatteredminds.com). He feels that ADD may result from early childhood parental and environmental issues that “morph into a biochemical one”. There is an excellent book called Ritalin Free Kids by Judith and Robert Ullman who treated 400 ADHD kids with homeopathy. The other book that I really like is called Natural Treatments for ADD and Hyperactivity by naturopathic doctor, Skye Weintraub.

“People who advocate medication as the first way to make children behave, without exploring their life situation and real needs might as well treat unhappiness with cocaine!” (Psychiatrist Dr. Felix Yarochevsky & psychotherapist David Schatzky in Globe & Mail editorial). A lot of these children have very complex family situations and we should at least consider that there are other factors going on before we just sedate them as fast as possible.

Also refer to Michael Lyon’s book, Healing the Hyperactive Brain and his website www.pureliving.com. Dr. Lyon advocates the gingko product AD-FX and Memory-FX by Herb Tech. Also see his article on ADD on the Consumer Health website www.consumerhealth.org.

* * *

Dr. DeMarco’s new book Dr. DeMarco Answers Your Questions contains special sections outlining alternative treatments for schizophrenia, depression, anxiety and A.D.D. Her book is available at Consumer Health for $19.95 plus GST. Her CD-ROM contains the contents of both her books. Dr. DeMarco’s website is www.demarcomd.com

For the hundred of thousands of folks diagnosed with Anxiety or Panic disorders medicine is one of the most used forms of treatments prescribed by doctors and therapists alike.

For myself, I was on parexotine for some time before finding a natural system that worked for me, and helped me to conquer my panic attacks. Though I know first hand that medicating for panic and anxiety disorders can much help alleviate the symptoms and enable you to function relatively typically again, I feel they are only a crutch. As someone that has suffered for nine years, I know that after I selected to get off medicine due to the different awful side-effects that come together with them, the panic returned.

Buy Valium tablets online

Valium is in a group of drugs called benzodiazepines. It may also be used to treat agitation, shakiness, and hallucinations during alcohol withdrawal and to remove certain kinds of muscle pain. Valium Diazepam medication might be habit-forming and should be used only by the person it was prescribed for. Thus medication should never be shared with another person, especially someone who has a history of drug abuse or addiction.

If medicating is what you choose to do, and be sure to talk to your health practitioner or Therapist first, then I’d enjoy making certain that you are informed about the differing types of anti-anxiety medication, what their purpose is, and probable side-effects that come from them.

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)

It was first introduced in the 1980’s with Prozac. It’s target is to help maintain levels of Serotonin, a chemical released by the brain is to be kind of low in patients with depression, anxiety, panic attacks, and OCD.

Some of the commoner side-effects include : Sexual Dysfunction, sleeplessness, of SSRI’s include :

Paroxetine (Paxil)

Fluoxetine ( Prozac )

Sertraline ( Zoloft )

Beta Blockers are far the physical symptoms of anxiety and panic, Dysfunction, sleeplessness, and shaking.

These are thought to have less side-effects than other anti-anxiety medicine, however, some folks may experience light-headedness, dizzy spells, reduced heart rate, and insomnia.

Examples of )

Beta Blockers include:
Some choose are thought of these if a panic attack is occurring as they tend to relax muscles, and calm you down.

Side effects include: Sexual Dysfunction, clumsiness, dizziness, fatigue, decreased mental sharpness

Lorazepam (Ativan)

Alprazolam (Xanax)

Diazepam (Valium)

Clonazepam (Klonopin)

Chlordiazepoxide (Librium)

Oxazepam (Serax)

Tricyclic Antidepressants are used more for severe depression, however some studies have shown an effectiveness for General Anxiety Disorder (GAD).

Some common side-effects for this type of drug are: Dry mouth, insomnia, sedation, weight gain, dizziness, erectile failure and sexual dysfunction.

Nortriptyline (Aventyl)

Imipramine (Tofranil)

Doxepin (Sinequan)

Amitriptyline (Elavil)

Desipramine (Norpramin)

Clomipramine (Anafranil)

As you can see there are many types of drugs on the market for anti-anxiety. How each will affect an individual will vary from case to case. Again, however, it is my personal feeling that drugs are just a crutch. The most effective way to deal with panic and anxiety is to work with techniques and methods.

We are pleased to announce the opening of our new Pharmacy!

You are welcome to visit us and get a special discount when you mention this website.

www.thenewsayulitapharmacy.com

Open Daily from 9am to 9 pm

52-C Revolucion Ave, Sayulita

Phone: (329) 291-3947

Here are some pictures of our pharmacy:

Remind you not to forget to remember me.

Something seems wrong. I guess it could be a combination of many things, but to be quite frank, it’s never felt this wrong before.. My choices are catching up to me, and I’m scared.

I was thinking about random things inside my head the other day; A story came up that I haven’t thought about for quite some time, and I thought I’d give you a bit of an insight into my mind by telling you the story.

I must have been nine or ten. My mother and her boyfriend, Ares were still in a kick of drinking and smoking. My mom was sitting on our back porch, and a rat showed up. She screamed, and oh man, if you know my mother, you know she can scream like no other. But in the end, we figured out it was someone’s pet rat, so we put her in an empty fish tank with a screen covering it. I never slept at night; I have a sleep problem, and I was scared of Ares. I was up reading yet another lengthy book when the sound of scraping awoke my mind to reality. In the living room, I just stood in front of the cage, watching this rat move around. I lifted the screen and set it on the side. Something about her, I just kept staring at her while she fucked around in that tank. I didn’t expect anything crazy, but when she jumped up on the side of the tank, I felt my heart jump up my throat in fright. I eventually got her back in the cage, put the lid back on, and went to back to my room to read.

To be honest, this story doesn’t hold very much importance in my life. However, it reminded me of the fact I didn’t sleep much when I was child. It also reminded me of the reason I didn’t sleep. I haven’t had a big nightmare in some time.. I don’t know if I’m waiting to wake up in tears, or if I’m dreading it. The piece of myself that I thought was missing, the piece I found after my trip? I strongly believe that piece of myself was the piece that allowed me to be thoroughly happy, no matter what. In the past sixteen years, I’ve seen things that I never want to think about again, let alone see or experience. I’ve felt different lately, more elated. It doesn’t mean I don’t feel lonely anymore, it means I’m not thinking about ending it all; It means I’m not thinking about the past as much, it means I’m not trying to think about what I’ve done wrong in my life. Honestly, I just feel strange when I’m by myself, such as the moment now. I’ve just been listening to ‘Lapse – Envy on the Coast’ on repeat, and the television’s on; I’m not paying any attention to the tv, but it makes a slight background noise that makes me feel like I’m not alone. Being alone is an interesting thing. Most people can feel at ease, know that they can act like themselves entirely. I don’t feel happier alone, I don’t feel more depressed; I just feel unloved. When in reality, I know some people do love me.. Maybe this stems from the fact I’m still single. I kind of hate being on my own; I like it when I can be with someone, when ever I want. I’m stingy about love; I want people to love me, and only me. This is unrealistic of me to think or want, but when it comes down to it, that’s what I want. Can someone love me, and only me? That’s really all I need. I just feel the absolute need to be adored.

I recently met a couple of people who use meth. I’m only familiar with the man, who doesn’t ever feel the effects of the drug. He just smokes it for the idea of smoking something. It makes me want to jump on top of a building and scream and yell about how it’s completely irrational of him to smoke this shit that can harm his entire body and mind, when he’s not even getting high of it. Eh, I guess people make their own choices. I’ve never seen anymore smoke meth before, I’ve never held meth in my hands, I’ve never seen the glass pipe that’s used, I’ve never offered up my lighter for someone smoking it, and I’ve never smelt it in the air. The thing that is most wonderous to me is the fact that I wasn’t bothered by the fact my companion was smoking meth. I kept sucking down those cigarettes and talking about things that didn’t make sense, coming out of my mouth to a stranger. I never was scared; The gut feeling I get in bad situations never came up. It was like I was watching myself sit there, and I bent down, and patted myself on the back for not wanting to smoke any. Pride is always a good feeling, right?

I haven’t eaten in days, yet my stomach feels full and satisfied.I know I’ve lost weight, I even know how much weight I’m losing. Whenever I throw back a Valium and a small drink of a liquid, I feel the cold flowing into my middle. I can imagine the traveling on the pill, down to my stomach, where it can metabolize and make me feel better. I’ve been waiting for the wake up call that tells me to get my life straightened out. But when I think about it, I don’t know what to do to straighten out my life. I suppose I could stop smoking cigarettes like they’re going out of fashion; I suppose I could stop drinking like a fish when I’m surrounded by the people I adore the most; I suppose I could quit taking pharmaceutical medication that isn’t prescribed to me; I also suppose I could stop smoking pot. Honestly, I don’t see any of this happening like that, and then me, becoming some ideal citizen. Sometimes, I’d like to be that person walking down the street, with a family to return to, with a schedule to follow, with a goal for living.

“And no, I’m not afraid, at least not to die.
I’m afraid to live and not remember why.”

I don’t want some fake sympathy, I only want the real thoughts, the real stories, the real reactions. If you’re bored and you love me, maybe you can try to help save me from myself. Maybe you can tell me that my life isn’t ruining anyone else’s. Or maybe you could just tell me you love me, and mean it.

Eu ando um tanto assim sem andar
Um tanto assim sem sentir
Um tanto assim sem ouvir
Um tanto assim impaciente
Um tanto assim sem querer

Sem querer você
querendo outro você
longe de você
Um tanto assim.

Um tanto assim cansada
Um tando assim calada
Um tanto assim angustiada
por nada
por mim
Um tanto assim
levando

Around, 24 de novembro de 2007 no finado valeumvalium

as coisas não mudam tanto.

♫ : Bengala

Cuando Me Muera Y Me Tengan Que Enterrar, Quiero Que Sea Con Una De Tus Fotografías, Para Que No Me De Miedo Estar Abajo, Para Que No Se Me Olvide Como Es Tu Cara…

By David S. Kidder, Noah D. Oppenheim and Bruce K. Young, MD

Review by Scott Keith

Back in the day, if you loved medical trivia and wanted to research the causes of a fever or the health benefits of Vitamin C, you had to stroll to the nearest library or book store to satisfy your curiosity. All that changed with the Internet. A click of the mouse and you can research all things medical.

Thanks to the efforts of David S. Kidder, Noah D. Oppenheim and Bruce K.Young MD, you can find answers to many of your health questions the old-fashioned way, in an easy-to-carry-around book. The Intellectual Devotional: Health is the fourth installment in the New York Times best-selling series. This enjoyable 374-page book will let you explore seven fields of knowledge: Children and Adolescents, Diseases and Ailments, Lifestyle and Preventive Medicine, Drugs and Alternative Treatments, The Mind, Sexuality and Reproduction and Medical Milestones. What is remarkable about this lively, instructional book is that topics are designed to be read one day at a time. For instance, Monday, Day 1, you’re introduced to the Apgar Score. Tuesday, Day 2, is devoted to Immunity.

All age groups can benefit from this treasure trove of medical facts. The older crowd can explore Memory and learn that “The gray matter that makes up the brain’s wrinkly outer cerebral cortex is filled with memories, much as a computer disk is full of files, waiting to be activated and pulled back into the conscious thought process.” Later in the book, on the subject Nearsightedness, read that “Some accounts claim that the Roman emperor Nero (AD 37-68) would gaze through an emerald in order to see gladiator fights more clearly. Nero’s jewel is believed to be one of the earliest remedies for nearsightedness, a common vision condition in which one can see nearby objects clearly but things that are farther away appear blurry.”

The Intellectual Devotional: Health is useful on many levels. As a self-help guide, you’ll discover that “exercise can improve or even prevent medical conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, and some cancers.” If you have a desire to shed a few pounds, take note that “Research has shown that people who maintained a Mediterranean-style diet lost more weight over a 2-year period than people who followed either a high-protein or a low-fat diet.”

If trivia is your thing, learn about the first ambulance or study medical legends such as Hippocrates, Van Leeuwenhoek, William Harvey, Edward Jenner and Louis Pasteur. Discover the history behind medications such as Tetracycline, Valium, Nexium, and perhaps the granddaddy of modern pills, Viagra. And check out Additional Facts at the bottom of each page. This feature offers fun-to-read health tips, sprinkled with a bit more history.

Whether you’re a youngster, a baby boomer or a senior citizen, you’ll have a fun time reading The Intellectual Devotional: Health one day, one topic, at a time. If you prefer to read several topics at one sitting, be sure to schedule a large chunk of time because you’re not going to want to put this book down. 

(Rodale, Hardcover, $24.00)

Available at Amazon.com, all major book stores, Target, Costco and Walmart

www.theintellectualdevotional.com

If you like pop-rock songs about antidepressants, seeing the harsh realities of a broken family, and experiencing modern musical theatre in its prime, then Next to Normal is the musical for you.

The show centers around a family trying to make it through “just another day,” and touches on very sensitive issues such as depression, suicide, prescription drug abuse, and persistent boyfriends. In addition to having an amazingly written story, it also incorporates an intense indie-rock soundtrack.

Alice Ripley, who won the 2009 Best Actress Tony Award for her role in the show, shines as Diana Goodman, a bipolar depressed mother. The rest of the cast is not overshadowed, though. Each character is portrayed with such fierce intensity that they will most likely move you to tears. J. Robert Spencer, Aaron Tveit, Jennifer Damiano, Adam Chanler-Berat, and Louis Hobson each give their characters depth and feeling that is sometimes more believable than seems possible.

One thing that needs to be said, though, is that this is a very harsh musical. It does an excellent job at showing some of the darkest aspects of life, and is very emotionally draining. In many ways, it is even depressing. This, however, is something that makes the musical’s experience even more authentic.

If you’re still doubting whether or not to see the show, keep in mind that Next to Normal has a lottery for every performance, giving its winners great seats at minimal cost.

So, if you’re looking for an astounding musical packed with amazing performances, emotion, and some great songs, a trip to the Booth Theatre may be exactly what the psychopharmacologist prescribed.

I can’t help but feel like fucking hell. Something weird is in the air.. I don’t know what it is, or what’s going on; But I already don’t like it. I just want to sleep.. I want someone to cook me a grilled cheese, give me a couple Valium, roll me a joint, give me a comfy bed and blanket, and cuddle with me. I just feel like my body is starting to shut down. I’m easily irritated too.. But that shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who knows me.. I just feel like I’m losing my grip.. Please tell me you love and adore me.

I’m tired of feeling like no one really appreciates anything in the world anymore.. It’s sickening to me, hearing how many things people can do to hurt other people.. Honestly now, can’t we at least try to be happy with one another, damn.. Physically or mentally injuring someone was never was on my list of things to do.. I don’t understand how it gets on other people’s lists’..

I’ve listened to the same song, over and over again.. It’s probably played a good two hundred times in the past couple days.. In case that made you wonder what it is, it’s called, “My life in art – Mojave 3.” It’s an amazing song; it makes me feel vulnerable though.. Anything with guitar lines so mellow and lovely makes me feel slightly sleepy, and slightly depressed.. But it’s a good depression, I think.. The lyrics just remind me of a conversation between myself and an old friend. When I was listening to it while on the train earlier, I really wanted to be floating away when it was playing.. I wanted some huge ass balloons to come and take me away to the moon and stars, where I can finally be at peace.

It’s a weird instance, when I can’t get someone off my mind.. It’s like the idea of them just surrounds me and locks me into a small box with it, and I’m forced to face it full on and embrace it. Honestly, I love this person to death, I would do anything and everything for them – no matter what. If it made them happy, I would completely willingly do it. It’s a good feeling.. But it’s also one of the worst feelings to feel, ever. I don’t want to be in love with anyone. I don’t want to feel like I’m entitled to making them happy. Maybe if I could just convince myself to stop thinking about them.. Maybe if I never thought about any of this, maybe.. Maybe if I find someone else to pursue, maybe, just maybe, I’ll be okay for rest of the year. I just need to make it four more months before I can say I’ve put up with this bullshit for seventeen years.. I’m such a goddamn baby, but I’m so old at heart.

I feel a pain staking longing for the intense need to be adored by someone.. I just want anyone to love me to death, and help me get back on my feet.. I’ve run around in circles for so long, I’m too dizzy to even think straight. I want to fall asleep in someone’s arms. The whole idea behind having a relationship is pure gold.. Someone is there to kiss everything and make your day better, someone is there to hold you, someone is there, just there for you. I need some sort of fuckin’ support.

I’ve never asked for help so many times.

Kiyara Benoiti has joined us today folks! Please welcome her to Author Toolbox. She has some new titles out and one coming very soon, so if you like your erotic fiction with a twist, she’s the author for you. To get a taster of her work, Kiyara has a free read on her site. Whooo hoo!

Let’s dig in!

Emmy: Hello, Kiyara, and thank you for visiting Author Toolbox today. I’ll jump straight in and tell you I’ve read your free read, On the Wicked Moon. I found it had a haunting quality, and I felt the heroine’s loneliness. What inspired you to write that tale?

Kiyara: Actually it was a picture that was sent to me by a dear friend. I love things that deal with outer space, so when I saw it, a story was born! Since I was preparing to launch my new author site, I thought On the Wicked Moon would be a great tale to offer as a free book. If anyone wants a copy, just visit my site and click on the free ebook link you will find there. http://kbhotromances.wordpress.com

Emmy: How do you juggle family, everyday issues, and writing? I stick on a red nose, purple curly wig, and slather face paint on, but hey, that’s just my way of doing it.

Kiyara: Lots of wine, Valium, and a huge ball bat.

LOL, to be honest, I’m lucky enough to have a mom and a husband who help me whenever they possibly can, plus I do a lot of my writing during the day since all but one of my children are in school. The one who is still home is an odd child, lol. He’s quite content to entertain himself with toys, learning programs, or just playing outside.

Emmy: Ah, so you’re one of the lucky ones like me. I see you’re published with Breathless Press. Justyn Perry is a charming fellow, isn’t he? I love your book covers there. Which one is your favourite?

Kiyara: First I have to say that Justyn is a sweetheart. He always answers my emails quickly, is ever helpful, and is open to new ideas and ways to promote. As for which of my current covers are my favourite…gee, that is a tough one. I love the dreamy, haunting look in the eyes of the woman on the Blue Moon cover and the moon in the background and in the title font, so since I love outer space things, I guess I will have to go with that one. However, I do love the scorching-hot look of the woman on The Candy Bar Liaison!

Emmy: I like the font choice on The Candy Bar Liaison and the ‘look’ of the skin on the woman on Blue Moon. I really must update my Photoshop so I can play with making people look like that!

You have a title coming out with Loveyoudivine. Care to share a little about it?

Kiyara: The book is called Bloodlust. It’s erotic high fantasy as in warriors, magic, and fairies. In Bloodlust, the heroine is cursed—or blessed, depending on how you look at it—by a god because she’s this tiny woman who caters to a houseful of brothers and does it with an inner strength that impresses this god. She wields a broadsword that most big men would have trouble brandishing, but she does it in a unique manner. The downside is that she craves the thrill of a kill, so she has to be careful when she spars with others. To sate her bloodlust she takes it upon herself to kill dangerous or malevolent creatures, which are ogres in the story.

The hero is a dwarf, the Ambassador of the Dwarves to be exact. He is unique, too, because he’s large for his race—the size of a small human man. The two fall in love, and he shows the heroine that she does have worth and can use her curse as a means to help others.

This novella was a new venture for me. Alterotica takes in erotic content that’s not as openly explored in erotic romance as m/m, f/f, and het usually is, so in Bloodlust, I wrote my first fisting scene.

Emmy: Ooooh! What are you currently writing—and do you write one book at a time or have several on the go at once?

Kiyara: I write several manuscripts at once. Right now I’m working on a series and a trilogy for Breathless Press. The trilogy is about a woman who is reincarnated and her lover from ancient times finally catches up with her in this life. The books will cover her life starting when she’s 18, then book two deals with her in her late 20s, early 30s, and book three will be when she’s older and her son is grown. The erotic romance slant deals with the warrior who seeks to join with her again.

The series I am working on is based on Blue Moon, which is a launch book for it. Anvahn, the witch, is double crossed in a most unexpected way, so she embarks on a journey of revenge. Her old lover, a powerful warlock, is in for a rude awakening when she catches up with him!

I have a couple of other novellas I’m working on that I plan on submitting elsewhere to get my name out there a little more.

Emmy: Cool! I wish you lots of luck with them.

Let’s relax the questions a bit now. What would be your ideal menu at a dinner party—let’s say three courses—and where would you go to eat it? Any destination in the world. Oh, and what would you wear? (I’ve just handed you a credit card with unlimited funds so you can buy your clothes and shoes for the evening…what is your dream store/designer?)

Kiyara: I am not one for bizarre foods (sorry Andrew Zimmern!), but I wouldn’t mind something a little different, so maybe I would venture to Romania and try some of the local cuisine as I soak up all the history and paranormal information I could about the country.

I am not one for dressing up and feeling like I have been stuffed into a dress that is three sizes too small as I teeter around on 6-inch heels, but I’d love to buy some great fitting jeans, a casual yet chic pirate’s blouse, and a pair of boots that look like they were taken out of the movie Van Helsing. Oh, and a bullwhip might be nice—just in case the husband gets out of line.

Emmy: LOL! If you had a magic wand for twenty-four hours that could create wonders, what would you opt to change in the world?

Kiyara: I would make every jerk and nut in the world vanish to some horrible region to wait until the world ends, then the Big Guy Upstairs could deal with them. There is enough misery in this world without such people making it worse. I am a devout believer in treating others like you want to be treated.

Emmy: Triple question coming up! In your free time—providing you have any!—what do you like to do? If reading,

I'm sorry. I couldn't help myself. And no, I don't fancy the older guy there!

 what genre do you enjoy? If watching movies, what films do you like best? I love reading thrillers—anything with suspense and creepiness in it—and I love any movie involving Will Smith, Daniel Craig, and Jason Statham.

Kiyara: In the evenings, the husband and I watch a lot of television. I love shows like Warehouse 13, the new Stargate Universe series, any kind of horror or sci-fi movie too. I also read, but again, I love speculative fiction as well as sci-fi books. I have various hobbies I enjoy such as a bit of scrapbooking—which involves family and my writing—but I’m not a fashion buff and I don’t care much for froufrou, frilly things at all.

Emmy: Let’s be really nosey now… Clean shaven or stubble (your man’s face, not…not…*blush*!)?

Kiyara: LOL, clean shaven. My husband is one of those guys whose beard shows up thirty seconds after he shaves. I hate getting pricked by a scratchy beard!

Emmy: And on that note, I’d like to thank you once again for visiting and sharing a part of your life with us. I wish you much success in your writing career!

Kiyara: Thank you, Emmy. These questions were fun, and I hope your readers enjoyed reading my answers.

Google images used:

Jason Sexy Arse Statham

Van Helsing

Stargate Universe

Valium

Things they just don’t teach in public education….

1. The importance of small fluffy animals. Seriously, what makes them cute? Because they’re all white, fluffy and furry? Hate to break it down for ya, but hamsters and gerbils are rodentia. Smaller versions of the ones who grace the sewers of our metropolitan metropolis’. The 8th wonder of the world… Got them 2 little teeth that nibble on things, beady evil eyes always looking at you, plotting… And you people pay money for them, stick em in a see through ball, and name em Heidi! I’m just really thinking, that a big dang gray rat scares the crap oughta me just as much as a small fluffy white one. You’d be better of with a Boa Constrictor, at least they’ll hug you and stuff… Just sayin.

2. Speed limits… Pretty much I just don’t get them, is all. I realize that innmates do need to pay their debt to society by making those signs, and ok, they do need something productive to do other than shanking their rival gang members out in tha yard… But can they just go back to plotting inside assasination attempts, and leave the speed limit signs out of it? Speed limit signs are purely suggestions anyway… I just wanna shank ya.

3. Seriously, I’m really tired of hearing the terms white and blue collar crime. Just saying, really, that ones choice of collar color should be a god given right in this nation by now. And, if I wanted to commit a W/C crime, while wearing a B/C, does this mean I’m exempt from prosecution? I’m thinking maybe! Look, I don’t wanna hurt no folks up you see, I just want to take rich people’s money for myself, because well, I just want it causin’ I aint got none. And not even necessarily at gunpoint mind you, although that is a clever option. Possibly stick it in a hedge fund/illegal money market acc, or even just your standard off shore untraceable bank account. Maybe, just print out the dang dough myself which eliminates the need for the whole armed robbery plan “B”. I’ve just been thinking about the loopholes of illegal crime, and its solutions, and I’m quite convinced that I can’t be convicted of a white collar crime if I’m wearing a blue one…it just doesn’t match up, and hey, there is nothing wrong with sewing your Bubba name patch on a white shirt, and at Pep Boys, its red collar any how…

. Teenagers and LOL – why, oh why, must teens or kids, and ok, Bill Clinton speak in text language? I really don’t get this one. It’s as if every sentence in society has just become a confusing acronym. But even more disturbing is talking with such stupidity. I just wanna snatch the texting language pleasure from their vacant little eyes. Example: I go into McDonalds to order a # 6 the other day. “WTM, WICGFYT?” (Um, excuse me?) “IS, WTMWYWLYOFTB??” (Long pause, and a glance around, is anyone else hearing this?) “M! IYGOYSFT, CIAGTFTC!!!” (Spot a teen by the drink machine, chat her up and ask her if she can translate this acronymic mess…) Ma’mam, she said, this is what she’s telling you: “Welcome To McDonalds, What I Can Get For You Today?” Then she said, “I Said! Welcome To McDonalds, What You Would Like Your Order For To Be?!” And finally she said, “Ma’mam! Iffin You Gonna Order Some Food Today, Cuz I Aint Got Time For This Crap!” Hmmm, ok then. I thought for just a hot second and responed back, with…LUYLB, IWJROPT, FJTCAMACAK. IWSTHLF20Y, AIAHADCF15OE. RIUK! Which translates into ” Listen Up You Little Brat, I Was Just Released On Parole Today, For Jumping The Counter At McDonalds And Cuttin A Kid. I Was Sentenced To Hard Labor For 20 Years, And I Aint Had A Double Cheeseburger For 15 Of Em. Ring It Up Kid.” And so my translation friendly teen looked at her, and said uhhh, this lady wants a #6 with a coke, quickly. OMG! LOL! WTF! LMAO… gimme my shank.

5. Hmmm, healthcare, big brother, crime and political reform. But this is just my solution, and is merely an opinion from a girl with a knack for ideas. At birth, from the minute we grasp that initial puff of air into our healthy lungs, I think we should all be given valium. Babies would never cry, which in turn makes for less child abuse, ’cause mommy and daddy are happy. Every Monday, you get your new valium script from the pharm farm, fo free. Medicated adults make for less crime, ’cause mommy and daddy are happy. Nobody would steal, cause we’re too gleeful to give a crap that we’re broke and homeless. Automatic crime prevention, mommy and daddy are happy. Big brother can watch all they want, ’cause we wouldn’t care, we’re high from society. But its doubtful they’d see anything anyway, they’re on the hook like rest of us. Healthcare? Society is dazed and floatin’ on pills, who gives a cares about healthcare?? What did you say? The president is who? No matter, ’cause we’re flippin tow up, we don’t care, just keep giving us our pipe! Obama is what color?? Duuuuuude, I’ve never heard of black, right on…is he gonna take Monday Medication Mania day away? Then who gives a darn. We don’t care, we’re just high on government crack. Mommy and daddy are still happy! So you can see, that by giving everyone in this land of the free, daily doses of valium, we can eliminate child abuse, bloody healthcare reform, political beaurocratic bull, and crime, problem solved!

Pretty much just my thoughts for today, is all. I just want a # 6 with a coke, some valium and a shank. To go.

After the bombing, drug addiction strikes Gaza
Under siege and grappling with joblessness, factional violence and the aftermath of war, Gazans are turning to pills as they seek to escape reality. Donald Macintyre speaks to a mental health group struggling to help addicts

October 14  2009

Abu Ahmed lived through last winter’s Gaza war in a daze. Though the district where he lives was invaded by Israeli ground forces and came under heavy fire, including the use of white phosphorus shells, he felt little fear. For by then, the 45-year-old unemployed father of 10 was popping tablets of the painkiller Tramadol to feed an ever more dangerous habit.”Of course you care about the children but [with the drugs] you forget about yourself,” he explains. “You feel less frightened.”

Manufacturers warn the maximum daily dose of the synthetic opioid should be no more 300mg per day; Abu Ahmed was taking as much as 800mg – in the grip of an addiction which has rapidly spread throughout Gaza over the last two years. As the population struggles to cope with Israel closing their home to the outside world, the sometimes violent power struggles between Fatah and Hamas, and then the aftermath of Operation Cast Lead, the Tramadol pills – smuggled in through tunnels from Egypt – have provided a welcome escape from reality.

Mental health professionals say there has been a rise in the drug’s usage in Gaza since the war. The Hamas authorities have tried to crack down on it, but the drug’s severe withdrawal symptoms means it is a seriously hard habit to break. Hasan Shaban Zeyada, a senior psychologist at the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme (GCMHP) is convinced that many of the psychological problems underlying the addiction are “the consequence of living in this situation: the siege, internal division and the war”.

Abu Ahmed used to have a good job as a driver. But like an estimated 100,000 other Gazans he lost it when Israel imposed its blockade after Hamas seized control of the strip from Fatah in June 2007. “Before the war the situation was so hard. There was no work, plus I had to take care of 11 people, including my wife. All people could do was sit around in the street and drink tea or coffee.”

Depressed and suffering from headaches, he was offered a Tramadol pill by one of his friends. Several of them were using the drug for its supposed power to improve sexual performance, but for Abu Ahmed it was just a way of relieving the strain of life. “When I took it, I felt very relaxed,” he says.

But Abu Ahmed soon became hooked. Supplies of Tramadol had surged after Hamas militants blew a breach in the southern wall between Gaza and Egypt in January 2008. “You could get it at pharmacies and there were people selling it on the street,” he says. He quickly graduated from taking one pill a day, to three or four and then, though he could ill afford it, as many as eight.

A combination of a doubling in price to around £3.40 for a strip of 10 tablets and a Hamas edict (belated and far from effective) that pharmacies should not sell the drug without a prescription persuaded Abu Ahmed that he had to stop. “I tried to get away from it but I couldn’t. I had a headache, pain in every part of my body. I had to go the bathroom every 10 minutes. I was sweating. Then you take one pill and you feel better of course.”

It was about six weeks after that that Abu Ahmed– who has a history of drug abuse with hashish – turned, on the advice of a friend, to the GCMHP, the pioneering Palestinian organisation started in 1990 and still directed by the territory’s leading psychiatrist and civil society spokesman Dr Eyad Sarraj. With the help of counselling from the group’s trained therapists, as well as controlled and decreasing doses of alternative drugs like Avitan, he has stopped taking Tramadol. At the height of his addiction, Abu Ahmed was going without eating for up to three days and his weight dropped to 58 kilos (just over nine stone). Now it is back up to 85.

“They [the GCMHP] made me feel I was in safe hands,” explains a grateful Abu Ahmed, adding that the agency arranged for food aid for his family while he was recovering. “They showed respect. And they came to my house to tell my family how they should cope with me when I became nervous and angry.”

Yet for all its high professional standards, the organisation cannot help more than a minority of addicts. Although some unofficial estimates put the number of drug addicts as high as many thousands, the GCMHP’s Mr Zeyada, who trained in Tel Aviv University, will not, as a scientist, hazard a figure. But he says there is a shortage of mental health provision in Gaza and that “GCMHP cannot take responsibility for the whole community”.

Although there has been improvement in mental health awareness in the territory, many residents in socially conservative Gaza baulk at the idea of seeking treatment for psychological problems. “The level of stigma is so high,” he explains. Instead, many patients go to their GPs reporting physical problems like headaches, back or abdominal pain, and the doctors, “because of a lack of knowledge about psychological disorder,” simply prescribe analgesic drugs – of which Tramadol is a prime example – and “after a while the patients become addicts or abusers”.

Operation Cast Lead has been over for nine months, but the return to a state of siege, with unemployment at a record 45 per cent, has left a sense of “helplessness and powerlessness” among residents, compounded by the fact that there is no guarantee the war will not be repeated.

For women, the sense that they exist only to serve their children and husbands makes them especially vulnerable to depression – and use of medication like valium and xanax. For men, the feelings of powerlessness and loss of masculinity are all too often caused by an inability to protect their children in war or provide for them in relative peace. “For a father who cannot fulfil the basic needs of his children it is not easy, especially in a society like Palestinian society,” says Mr Zeyada.

Many young people, he adds, are also vulnerable. “They don’t have hope, they cannot do anything for the future. They are disappointed, depressed, helpless and powerless. They can’t find a job, they can’t plan for the future, or [afford to] get married.”

Until three weeks ago 21-year-old university student Mohammed, who had first taken the occasional Tramadol pill in 2006 after failing his high school exams, was on a daily dose of 1,000mg per day, increasingly alarming his family as he sat at his computer all night and slept all day. “You are in another world,” he says. “Even when people keep criticising you, you don’t feel angry.”

In his first month of rehab, Mohammed explains that his addiction reached crisis point when his father, who used to work in Israel and is a passionate believer in university education for his children, was tipped off about his habit. There followed a climactic row last month in which his father threw him out of the family house in northern Gaza, telling him: “If you want to go back to study, and be committed to Islam, then I will help you get out of this problem. If you don’t want to be helped, then I will take you to the [Hamas] police and that’s it.”

Mr Zeyada says another factor is the deep split between Fatah and Hamas, which there appears, once again, little hope of healing. Not only does it divide individual families, but for many Gazans it compromises their proud Palestinian national identity with a divisive factional one which makes them especially sensitive to criticism and hostility from political opponents. There are even cases from school playgrounds of conflict breaking out between children favouring (for non-political reasons) a particular colour T-shirt: yellow (Fatah) or green (Hamas).

Abu Ahmed agrees: “Even in one home you have Fatah and Hamas. That is a big problem.” But now that he feels much better, he looks back on the depression that he believes turned him to Tramadol. “Look,” he says. “Even if a person kills someone, he can still sleep at night. If he goes out and steals something, he will still sleep. But if you have children and you can’t find work to give them what they need, then you can’t sleep.”

Tramadol: ‘Full body blanket’

* Tramadol is a powerful painkiller with a narcotic effect. A single 200 mg dose can leave users sedated for much of the day so time passes quickly.

* One user described it as like being wrapped in a “full body blanket” where problems are not solved but the “volume is turned down a notch”.

* It has similar effects to opiate painkillers such as pethidine inducing sleepiness, a lack of inhibition and a sense of wellbeing.

* Because it is not an opiate, it is not controlled as closely and may be easier to obtain.

* Tolerance builds quickly and users need increasing doses to obtain the same effect. Heavy users report forgetting chunks of the day.

Source

They would be suffering from many of the things soldiers suffer from Post Traumatic Stress, Depression, and other mental illnesses as well as physical  injuries. The aftermath of war comes with a extremely long list of illnesses.

They have every reason in the world to turn to drugs.

The trauma they have suffered is horrendous.

This should come as,  no surprise to anyone.

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I was determined to stop taking Valium, at the very least till the end of the week. I gave in after 6 days. My boyfriend and I are going through a stressful period and we had an argument. I was so anxious I could do nothing else but pace around my house. I took 20 mg which didn’t do anything.

So tonight I’m back on the wagon. I was at this metaphysical book store I stop in sometimes and came across a book called Writing Down Your Soul by Janet Conner. I flipped through it and it got me motivated to start writing again. She apparently says this goes way beyond journaling, but maybe it’s just more than what she assumed journaling was meant to be. How does this relate to Valium? It doesn’t… directly. But I already feel calm knowing what I’ll be doing before I go to bed tonight. I feel calm knowing that I have a purpose, small though it may be. It’s not a task I have to be perfect at. It’s something just for me.