Music Therapy: Healing Your Body and Mind with Music

Do you know that music therapy is part of the treatment programs in some California rehabilitation centers? This is because music has been proven to heal the body, mind, and soul of individuals who are ill-conditioned, depressed, and addicted to drugs and alcohol. Find out how music heals.

Music is a universal language. It could transcend languages, time, and cultural differences. It can make you laugh, cry, renewed and smile. But more than affecting your mood and mental performance, studies reveal that music have therapeutic benefits. Called the music therapy, it could significantly lessen blood pressure, reduce pain and anxiety, enhance relaxation, communicate with brain-damaged patients and even set the pace for gait training.

Scientists believe that listening to music stimulates the release of natural chemicals in our brains called endorphins that causes the “high” feelings because they block pain signals from the nervous system. Also, endorphins are believed to boost the immune system, reduce stress and pain.

Music reduces stress because in addition to lowering heart rate, skin temperature and muscle activity, it facilitates the identification and feelings associated with stress and express these in positive ways.

For people with physical disabilities, music can be utilized as motivation for movements or structure exercises. Background music enhances physical exercise, develops and maintains joint and muscle function and increases muscle strength. Those with speech problems can use music or singing to improve breathing control, articulation, pronunciation and rate of speech.

Studies also reveal that listening to music for hours helps the patients heal faster. It distracts them from pain and worry, improves their appetite and sleep and helps them cope with their illnesses. This is believed to be beneficial for patients undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy who suffer from nausea and vomiting from medication. It may not be the cure, but the peace of mind and relaxation music brings to both the cancer patients and the families can already make a major difference.

Music can really do wonders for the mind, the soul and the body. This is the reason why California rehabilitation centers consider music therapy as a good way to help victims of substance abuse recover from their condition. For more information, visit http://www.paxhouse.org/CA_Drug_Treatment.html.

What Do You Know About Smoking?

It’s so funny to think that a person who smokes may be obsessed about cleanliness with their body, clothes, and house, and yet makes his lungs a disposal place for tobacco garbage, such as nicotine and tar when they puff smoke.

Smokers are aware of the hazardous effects of smoking because of warnings on packs of cigarettes, commercials on TV, advertisement in public transportation vehicles, elevators, and other closed areas. Despite all these health reminders, there are still a growing number of individuals who smoke every year. Are you one of them?

The following are some information a smoker needs to know from rehab centers in California.

1. The air sacs inside the lungs lose their elasticity, stay dilated, and expanded; they will not function during breathing. This disease is called emphysema and it is fatal because the body is deprived of oxygen.

2. The person will develop a tolerance to nicotine – a poisonous stimulant drug present in cigarettes. When this happen, the person will be hooked to it that he may start from few sticks; and as months and years go by, he will have one, two or even three packs of cigarettes a day.

3. Chemical substances present in cigarettes react with the body by decreasing the benefits of other drugs taken. If a person who smokes is given a prescribed drug, he will need a greater dose and a bigger frequency to have the same benefit of the drug compared to persons who doesn’t smoke.

4. Persons who inhaled the smoke exhaled by a smoker involuntarily smoke too, making them a passive smoker.

5. Frequent smokers can develop bad breath and also lead to darkening of teeth because of Tar present in cigarettes.

6. Smoking causes premature aging due to poor blood circulation around the body.

7. Pregnant women who smoke, makes their babies develop respiratory diseases dues to nicotine.

8. Bronchitis, an inflammation of the bronchi, causes a smoker to cough persistently and may have breathing difficulties.

You can avoid the dangerous effects of smoking by simply not smoking. When you do this, you will be able to breathe easier, the damaged lung tissues will begin to undergo repair, and the chances of having a lung cancer will decrease – if you quit as early as possible. In addition, you won’t have to stay in rehab centers in Californiato get treated. For more information, visit http://www.paxhouse.org/CA_Drug_Treatment.html.

How to Keep Your Drinking in Moderation

We all know that drinking too much is bad for the health and may even lead to more serious conditions such as alcohol abuse. However, you might argue that there are times when you need to do social drinking. This is also true.

Now, if you want to master the art of drinking in moderation, keep in mind these essential tips as suggested by a treatment center in California.

1. The most essential thing to know your limit. Understand that you need to have parameters whose bounds you have to respect and conform with. Should you doubt what your limits are, experiment in the comforts of your home and with the help of your spouse or your friends. But before doing these experiments make them understand that purpose for it and what you are trying to achieve.

2. Another way by which you could also control the amount of your drinking is by consuming food while you drink. Consume types of food that are high in protein like meat, cheese or peanuts, these will slow down your body’s alcohol absorption.

3. In drinking, remember to sip your drink and avoid gulping; savor the flavors and aromas. Corollary to this, you should be able to stay away from “chugging” contests or the other drinking games.

4. Feel free to decline any time you feel you don’t want to drink. Remember to only drink when you really want one. If someone forces you to do so, ask for a non-alcoholic beverage, if that doesn’t do the job simply “lose” the drink by leaving it somewhere.

5. When drinking, particularly with others, skip a drink every now and then. Try to squeeze in a non-alcoholic beverages in between this will help keep alcohol low the levels of alcohol in your blood.

6. Foster constant movement, don’t just sit around. If you are active the less you will tend to drink and you will be keener to perceive the effects of alcohol on you.

7. Be sure in drinking unfamiliar drinks that you are drinking with caution. Some of these drinks may be deceiving.

8. Finally, when you are under medication, it is incumbent upon you to inquire first with your physicians or pharmacists about the necessary precautions as regards alcohol.

Taking necessary precautions when dealing with alcohol and other harmful substances may save your life in the long run. For more information, consult with a treatment center in California or visit the website http://www.paxhouse.org/CA_Drug_Treatment.html.

The Side Effects of Anti-Depressant Drugs

Antidepressants are useful in treating depression. Thus, many physicians opt for this treatment instead of psychotherapy, which can be a more tedious treatment process. However, antidepressants are not what one may call a panacea or a magic potion for depression. These drugs may, and usually do, cause certain side effects, which are usually mild and temporary.

When taking in large doses, anti-depressant drugs can also be harmful in the body. Victims of overdose usually tend to be addicted to the drug and may not be able to do without it. A California rehabilitation center warns about the possible effects of anti-depressant drugs when abused and overused.

Side Effects

Some of the side effects of antidepressants are dry mouth, dizziness and drowsiness, constipation, blurred vision, and sexual and bladder problems. These side effects may be mild but having them can be irritating. Thus, it would be helpful to know some tips to dealing with these side effects or, at least, lessen their irritating character.

Dealing with Side Effects

Obviously, for those who experience dry mouth, it would be helpful to drink lots of water. Dizziness and drowsiness can be remedied by moving more carefully and slowly and avoiding doing heavy manual labor. It would also be helpful if one would take the medication when about to sleep.  Constipation can be addressed by eating food with more fiber. Those who experience blurred vision should not take glasses as this side effect will go away when the treatment is over. Lastly, the functioning of the bladder and the reproductive system should not be messed with.  Problems in these areas should be consulted with the doctor, especially if pain and discomfort is felt by the patient.

It has been found that the newer types of antidepressants are more effective. Yet, this new breed of drugs also comes with a new line of side effects. These include headache, nausea, nervousness, insomnia, and agitation. Nausea and headache are often temporary and pain killers need not be taken for relief. Trouble getting sleep usually occurs during the first few weeks and such an inconvenience can be remedies by altering the dosage of the medication – either by reducing or increasing them, depending on the doctor’s observations, although this side effect usually passes with time. Agitation, or when the patient feels jittery, should be made known to the doctor especially if it happens for the first time after the drug is taken and is more than transient.

Before the effects of these drugs become harmful, and even fatal, to the body, it’s best to take them with proper prescription from your doctor. Otherwise, you might end up in a California rehabilitation center. For more information, visit http://www.paxhouse.org/CA_Drug_Treatment.html.

Substance Abuse: The Truth about Alcohol

One of the substances that is being abused and over-consumed by individuals who have no self-control is alcoholic drinks. A California rehab explains that alcohol is dangerous to human health when taken too much and out of control.

Here are some facts about alcohol that you should know.

• The alcoholic contents of a beer, a glass of wine and a shot of whiskey are all the same.
• High school drinking for seniors in US has dropped 30% from the year 1982, similarly, college freshen drinking has been very low for the past 38 years.
• Surveys have shown that 83% of adolescent Americans actually don’t drink alcohol.
• But the average age at first drink has risen from 16.1 in the year 1984 to 16.2 by the year of 2002.
• Distilled spirits the likes of which are, brandy, tequila, rum, whiskey, gin and others, contain no fats, no cholesterol nor carbohydrates.
• The human body actually produces its own supply of alcohol 24 hours a day.
• The meaning of the word “toast” as a way of wishing good health started in ancient Rome when once a piece of toasted bread dropped into the wine.
• The Vikings actually used the skulls of their enemies as drinking cups.
• In Missouri, anyone under 21 years of age who takes out their house trash containing even one empty alcoholic beverage container is chargeable with illegal possession of alcohol.
• Those of the early Church were actually of the belief that alcohol is inherently good and is a gift from God and in fact to despise it is pure heresy.
• At thanksgiving there may not be any mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce or pumpkin pies to eat but surely there would be beer, gin, brandy or wine to drink.
• During the age of prohibition, advocates of temperance employed a scholar to rewrite the Bible by removing all references to alcohol.
• The alcohol Bourbon is named after the Bourbon County in Kentucky, where it was first made by a Baptist minister.
• Alcohol drinks of either low alcohol content (which are those containing below 15%) or high alcohol content (containing over 30%) tend to be absorbed into the body more slowly.

While alcohol does provide some benefits to the body, over-consuming it can harm your health and may even lead to serious problems. To prevent being checked in at a California rehab for substance abuse problem, make sure that you be responsible in drinking alcohol. For more information, visit http://www.paxhouse.org/CA_Drug_Treatment.html.

On Drugs, Abuse, and Cory Monteith’s Death

It’s been a few weeks but the world is still reeling from the death of Glee’s star Cory Monteith.

As was expected his death was a result of substance and alcohol abuse and the sad truth was that the result wasn’t a surprise for many, as Cory was very open about his life, about his use of drugs and his addiction to it. He was even open about his stint in rehab, but it seems that even though he was trying to put his life back in order, the pull of the drug was just too hard to resist that he stumbled and fell into the same old routine that finally led to his death.

Demi Lovato, another celebrity who’s had her share of problems with substance abuse said that “Cory didn’t choose to die…. It is the disease”, and perhaps she is right, truthfully, who wants to die, right? Especially when he has his life ahead of him, he had so much promise and there’s so much for him to look forward to, he may not have chosen to die but die he did.

Such a waste of a life, such a tragedy to see one die so young, just because he wasn’t able to control himself, just because maybe his last thoughts were one last hit, one last sip and he will  be okay and he will stop. You may see a lot of celebrities, even Cory check in to rehab, check in to California detox treatments, yet the death toll seems to be rising and they seem to be getting younger too.

Despite all the tragedy, one may also realize that a drug addict can indeed be rehabilitated, they can change and get over their addiction, but only with the help and loving support of the people around him and a real desire to stop.

Change may come when the person hit rock bottom and there’s nowhere else to turn and the realization comes. Getting checked into a California detox program through voluntarily check in, an intervention by a loved one or a court order can be the first step towards healing and the hope, that anyone who is suffering from this disease, this addiction that the help comes at the right time, before it’s too late, before the body becomes nothing but the mortal remains of a tattered soul who lost the battle.