Mental Health SymptomsAlcoholism and AddictionsAlcohol/Substance AbuseDefined as: A destructive pattern of substance use leading to clinically significant (social, occupational, medical) impairment or distress, as manifested by 3 or more of the following in the same 12 month period: Symptoms: Need for significant increased amounts of the substance to achieve intoxification, or significant diminished effect with continued use of the same amount of the substance. The individual suffers withdrawal symptoms within several hours to a few days after a reduction in the amount of the substance taken over a prolonged period of time: sweating hand/body tremors nausea or vomiting agitation insomnia anxiety hallucinations or illusions seizures The individual takes the substance to relieve or avoid the withdrawal symptoms. The individual tries to cut down or quit taking the substance, but can't. A great deal of time is spent in activities necessary to obtain the substance and/or to recover from its effects. The substance is often taken in larger amounts or over a longer period of time than was intended. The individual continues to take the substance despite knowing that it's having a significant or worsening impact on their psychological/physical condition. (e.g., drinking, knowing that their ulcer condition is being worsened) Important social, occupational, or recreational activities are given up or reduced because of substance use. If you or someone you know meets these criteria, it is time to change your relationship with alcohol, because it is taking over your life. The difference between alcohol abuse (the above criterion) and a diagnosis of alcohol addiction is not very great, and the consequences for those of us who end up with that diagnosis are very great.
Would You Share What You Are Most Grateful For?
Very early in my personal growth experience, a wise person taught me to use the phrase "gratitude is the attitude" when I was resentful or afraid and that phrase has helped me feel better tens of thousands of times. |
Did You See That Recent Reference to the Self-Healing Brain?
Brain Fitness and Neuroplasticity Exercises
Stretch Your Axons and Flex Your Dendrites?
There are something like 450 different models of counseling and/or psychotherapy. Of that number, perhaps 10-15 models enjoy any professional support or research credibility.
However, every one of those models involves your brain.
Want to make your brain more effective?
Brainfit for Life, by Simon Evans, Ph.D. and Paul Burghardt, Ph.D.
Mind Sparke Brain Fitness Pro Impulse Control
For your New Years Day Resolutions! Warning-has a side effect of increased IQ.
How is Your Attention? Try Your Hand at the Stroop Test.
To test your attention using the stroop test, read the color the word is printed in rather than the text of the word. So the text could be the word red, but if the word red is printed in blue, then the correct response if blue.
Ultimate Brain Fitness Program
Neurogenesis and Neuroplasticity
Replacement Parts for Your Brain?
Neurogenesis is the term used to describe the recently discovered capacity of the human brain to grow new neurons.
That is right, our brain is not physically fixed, it is constantly changing, losing some neurons, growing some neurons, making or deleting connections, and we can encourage that growth by attending to the Pillars Of Brain Fitness.
Those pillars are;
Physical Exercise
Nutrition
Sleep
Stress Management
Novel Learning Experience
Ultimate Brain Fitness Program
Want the Book On Brainfitness?
Chocolate is a Wonderful Counseling Tool, Don't You Think?
Looking for Information On the Grieving Process?
Many of the visitors to this site are looking for information about grief and grieving, and many have utilized the information found in
Back to Life! A Personal Grief Guidebook to plot their progress through the grieving process. Jennie's work has been a gift to many.
Thankyou for coming to visit me, please leave me a note about topics you might like me to cover.
Mike