How To Quit Smoking Using Nicotine Patches

Quitting smoking can be tough even for the strong willed or those willing to undergo detoxification in a supervised environment. For such people, the good news is nicotine patches are effective, less disruptive, cheaper, and faster acting alternatives to costly inpatient rehab programs. One nicotine patch brand that you should definitely try is Nicabate® 24-hour patches. Here is a detailed look at nicotine patches:

An Overview of Nicabate

Nicabate is a nicotine patch that comes with Smart Control® Technology to ensure users receive a controlled and continuous nicotine fix throughout the day. According to the manufacturer, this is a fast-acting product designed to keep nicotine cravings in check for 24 hours. In addition, these patches are transparent and clear to ensure users do not broadcast their intentions to quit smoking to all and sundry. Finally, they come with a 10-week smoking step-down program that will help you eventually kick the smoking habit.

Usage

The rule of thumb is to apply one on your skin after waking up and remove before going to bed or the following day as you slap on a new one. The entire 10-week step-down program consists of three sections.Step 1 (21mg) runs for six weeks and is the ideal starting point for people who smoke 10 or more cigarettes per day. After this, Step 2 (14mg) runs for two weeks and is a good starting point for someone on 10 cigarettes or less per day. The final step, Step 3 (7mg), runs for 2-4 weeks and one should start it after completing Step2.

Benefits

Firstly, Nicabate patches deliver nicotine continuously for 24 hours to prevent early relapse. Moreover, they come in three different nicotine strengths to ensure users wean off their cravings gradually.

Nicabate PRE-QUIT

Nicabate Pre-Quit allows you to smoke 15 or more cigarettes per day for the first two weeks and then cut down on number of cigarettes smoked per day over the next 10 weeks. After this two-week period, this program follows a schedule similar to the 10-week one described earlier.

Nicabate patches are designed to deliver decreasing nicotine doses over 10 or 12-weeks of quitting smoking. In addition, they deliver nicotine to the body steadily throughout the day and night to ensure you do not struggle with nicotine cravings.

Common Types Of Mental Health Issues

There are many people who suffer from mental health issues. Some people have received a proper diagnosis, but unfortunately some people's conditions are undiagnosed. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with a mental health problem, it is important to get adequate information on the diagnoses, as well as your various treatment options and where you can go for support. Some of the most common mental health issues that people suffer from are anxiety and depression, and they are discussed in detail below.

Anxiety and Panic Attacks

Put simply, anxiety is a word that is used to describe those feelings of unease, fear or worry. When you experience anxiety, it is usually a combination of emotions and physical sensations. It is important to note that even though the symptoms of anxiety can be quite unpleasant; this condition is linked to the 'flight or fight' response, which is a normal biological reaction when one feels threatened.

We all experience anxiety from time to time, but if you notice that you feelings of anxiety are beyond what can be regarded as normal; for instance they are very strong or they last for a lengthy time, then you might be suffering from anxiety. Good examples of symptoms of anxiety include, worrying all the time about issues that are part of everyday life or about things that might not even happen and experiencing unpleasant psychological or physical symptoms of the condition on a regular basis, or even panic attacks.

Depression

We all go through moments of feeling sad and miserable about life. However, if you notice that such feelings are starting to interfere with your everyday life, it could be that you are suffering from depression in the medical sense. For instance, if the feelings are long lasting or you experience them over and over again. Mild depression does not usually interfere with your life. However, major depression can actually be life-threatening as one of its symptoms is feeling up suicidal. Other specific forms of depression include seasonal affective disorder, postnatal depression and bipolar disorder.

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Mental Illness And Loneliness

 

Mental illness and loneliness often go hand in hand. Humans have a need for closeness and interactions with others, and when those essential needs are not met, loneliness can occur.  When someone is lonely, her well-being can be affected, and some symptoms of mental illness could manifest or intensify. This can be the start of a viscous cycle, as depression, social anxiety, addictions and hoarding can be linked in some degree to loneliness.

Depression

 Depression and loneliness are often correlated.  Without friends or others to bond to, feelings of intense sadness can occur.  A recent study from the University of Chicago revealed that if someone has loneliness at the beginning of a five year period of time, that person is likely to have depression later in that five year period.  Loneliness was a predictor for the depression.

Social Anxiety

While physical isolation can cause loneliness (due to location for instance), loneliness can also be the result of being uncomfortable building relationships with people.  This feeling is known as social anxiety. Loneliness can also create the feeling that you are not worthy of being in a good relationship, or that you are unlikable.  These thoughts then cause fear and anxiety about being around people, and the loneliness intensifies.

Addiction

Studies have found that people who are lonely before taking a drug are more likely to become addicted than those who are not lonely.  In Chasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs, author Johann Hari revealed that addictions are not just the result of chemical bonds in the brain, but are also the lack of having real connections to other people. Human connection can be crucial in avoiding and treating addictions.

Hoarding

Hoarding is an obsessive-compulsive disorder, but it can also be a result of loneliness.  When a person doesn't have meaningful relationships to fill their lives with, he or she could turn to filling the void with possessions.  The greater the loneliness, the greater amount of items it will take to fill that void.

If you are struggling with one of these conditions, or know someone who is, please consider the role that loneliness could be playing in exacerbating the symptoms.  Resolving the loneliness could lead to better mental outlook and health.

What You Should Know About Addiction Recovery

Whether you're recovering from alcohol or drug abuse or know someone who is, it can be helpful to understand the process. Addiction Recovery takes months, if not years, for full recovery. Within that time, the individual may suffer from periodic relapses or difficult times, with mood swings, irritability, and depression.

While friends and family members may expect a fast and full recovery, this is often unrealistic. The addict must make amends for physical or emotional pain caused to others. But, first he or she needs to understand why the addiction exists and how to handle the recovery process. Only when a person is on the road to recovery, can he or she begin rebuilding relationships after recovering from addiction.

When the individual is ready to make amends, the process is likely to be a slow one. First, the addict will need to recognize the pain and suffering caused to others. Then, a means of reaching out, in an honest, sincere manner is required. Often, those who have bee hurt the most will want to avoid contact at all costs. An intermediary may be helpful in reaching out to those who have been hurt by the addict's behavior or actions.

The next step is to initiate communications with an apologetic gesture. Sending a heartfelt card or making a sincere phone call will go farther than sending a message through a third party. But this will only work if the individual is at leas willing to listen.

When beginning communications with someone the addict has hurt, it's important to be patient. Trust takes time to establish and the addict may have broken a person's trust in the past. Don't expect too much at one time. Those who have been hurt are more likely to come around if they are given the time they need to process their feelings, time to see that recovery has been successful, and an opportunity to explain their own feelings. It is helpful to give the individual all the time they need to explain their feelings and ask questions about recovery. This is the time to be open and honest about past behaviors, as well as hopes for the future. Rebuilding relationships after recovering from addiction is a slow process, just like recovery.

Identifying Nine Substance-Induced Disorders

Toxic effects produced by various substances can often mimic mental disorders, making it difficult to distinguish one from the other. Mental illness symptoms that manifest from alcohol or drugs are called substance-induced disorders. Symptoms rage from mild anxiety and depression to mania and other psychotic reactions.

Alcohol

Euphoria, mood instability, decreased impulse control and increased social confidence are characteristic of those who consume heavy amount of alcohol. Withdrawal symptoms can include increased blood pressure, rapid heart beat, agitation and anxiety, tremors, malaise and perceptual distortions.

Caffeine

In large quantities, caffeine can produce anxiety, although the amount needed to do so varies from person to person. Caffeine can also produce an increase in panic attacks.

Cocaine and Amphetamines

Euphoria, and a sense of internal well-being, and perceived increased powers of thought, strength and accomplishment after often experienced by users of cocaine and amphetamines. Dangerous behavior increases with the amount ingested. anxiety users often experience occasional paranoid delusions that sometimes go on for years.

Hallucinogens

Hallucinogens can produced a distorted sense of time, depersonalization, paranoia and delusional states in addition to hallucinations. That latter usually take the for of enhanced colors and shapes. Some people who take hallucinogens have prolonged psychotic reactions, worsening of mental disorders and flashbacks, which can consisted of flashes of light and prolonged peripheral after images.

Nicotine

Individuals who are addicted to nicotine are more apt to experienced depression than non-users. some people use nicotine to regulate mood, but there is no direct causal relationship between nicotine and depression. Those who quit smoking, however, often experienced cravings and depressive symptoms.

Opioids

Intoxication from opioids results in intense euphoria and well-being. Withdrawal can include severe body aches, gastrointestinal symptoms, dysphoria and agitations. anxiety, depression and seep disturbances can occur weeks after abstaining. Many people who are opiod dependent need replacement therapies such as methadone or suboxone to treat relapses.

Sedatives

Acute sedative intoxication has symptoms similar those those experienced with alcohol. Withdrawal symptoms are also similar, with the addition of hallucinations and grand mal seizures.

Diagnosing substance-induced disorders often requires repeated reevaluations. Some individuals may have a combination of one or more independent mental disorders and a substance-induced disorder.

Symptoms Of Alcohol Withdrawal

Anyone who has ever experienced a hangover has experienced a very mild case of alcohol withdrawal. But when a person regularly uses alcohol for extended periods of time, the body becomes more dependent on alcohol. When that happens, withdrawal symptoms can become much more difficult to manage.

Alcohol withdrawal symptoms can feel like they take over your life. Fatigue, headache, and irritability occur very commonly. Nausea and vomiting can be present as well, although it is a common misconception that you only throw up when your body is trying to get rid of excess alcohol. Mood swings and cloudy thinking make it difficult to get along with others, while anxiety, nervousness and depression can make it difficult to get along with yourself. Clamminess, tremors and nightmares can all be caused by alcohol withdrawal as well.

Any "hangover" after drinking is usually a mild case of alcohol withdrawal, but after extended periods of time these symptoms can evolve into more complicated related illnesses. Tremors may become persistent, along with elevated heart rates and blood pressure. These problems lead to more problems until seeking help for alcohol withdrawal becomes seeking help for long-term alcohol dependence.

As a person become more and more addicted to alcohol, "hangover" withdrawal symptoms no longer disappear after a few hours. When withdrawal symptoms are persistent enough to last more than 36 hours after the last drink, they begin to become more serious and effect the patient's daily life.

Untreated, alcohol withdrawal and the problems associated with alcohol abuse can lead to death. If a long term alcoholic develops health conditions related to alcohol and is hospitalized, the withdrawal in the hospital can be severe enough to put the patient into danger.

The symptoms of alcohol withdrawal are pretty commonly known; yet many people do not take these symptoms seriously. Brushing off these symptoms as harmless is a mistake if it leads to an increase in alcohol use. In as little as a few months, heavy regular drinking can lead to moderate to severe alcohol withdrawal. Talk to your doctor about any alcohol withdrawal symptoms that you are experiencing.

How Long Does Cocaine Withdrawal Last

If you are addicted to cocaine or know some who is, then perhaps knowing how long the withdrawal lasts is indeed an important priority. The withdrawal symptoms for cocaine can be very dire since the drug is very addictive and most people would normally fail to hold off the cravings once they have stopped using the drug.  Here is an overview  of how long withdrawal from cocaine lasts.
Before jumping to how long cocaine withdrawal lasts, it is important to first of all know exactly when it starts. Cocaine is a very powerful and addictive stimulant and the withdrawal symptoms will simply kick in a few hours after stopping. The immediate symptoms such as increased appetite, hallucinations and fatigue can go away after a few weeks, but when it comes to the cravings, the time needed to get over them can be relatively long.

How Long Will Withdrawal Symptoms Last?

The withdrawal symptoms of cocaine will last depending on the level of addiction and the type of treatment. Typically, to completely get rid of withdrawal symptoms, you may need a minimum of about six months. However, there are some people who may need even 2 years to get rid of the withdrawal symptoms.

What Determines How Long Cocaine Withdrawal Lasts?

There is no doubt there are some people who will get rid of cocaine withdrawal faster than others. There are some factors that actually come to play in this regard and more often than not, these factors will determine exactly how much time you need to get better. To start with, how long you have been on cocaine matters a lot. People who have been addicted for so many years will find it hard to deal with withdrawal than those who have been addicted for a relatively short time frame. Additionally, the amount of help, treatment and motivation you get will impact the end results.

Getting over cocaine and starting over is easier said than done. Nonetheless, with proper addiction treatment and support, you can break away from the chains of addiction. Follow us for more information and resources on drug abuse and treatment.