Treatment of diverticulosis and self-awareness of drug addiction
Treatment of diverticulum disease
Many people with diverticulosis do not experience any symptoms. Or they may experience periodic pain, diarrhea, or constipation, but it cannot be determined whether this is due to diverticulosis. Dr. Quigley says, "In this case, a high-fiber diet should be followed, similar to what is done for gastrointestinal syndrome."
Some people might suggest that you eat flaxseed or other fiber-rich foods to increase the fiber content of your diet.
On the other hand, when your diverticulum becomes infected, you will need treatment. This usually involves several days of antibiotics, along with a low-fiber diet to allow your digestive system to rest. If the condition is severe, you may need to be hospitalized for safety.
Once the condition improves, a high-fiber diet should be resumed. One study showed that 10% of patients experienced a significant reduction in the frequency of diverticulitis flare-ups after adopting a high-fiber diet.
Dr. Quigley also advised avoiding foods such as sunflower seeds, popcorn, nuts, and any small, undigested food that may pass through the digestive tract and remain in the diverticulum, as these could lead to infection.
When diverticulitis occurs, you may be forced to undergo surgery, which usually involves removing the portion of the large intestine where the diverticulum has formed.
Surgical treatment is a last resort when the condition has progressed to the point of being out of control, such as when the abscess has spread uncontrollably, massive bleeding cannot be stopped, or there is bowel obstruction.
Whether surgery is necessary for recurrent diverticulitis depends on the specific circumstances. Surgery should be considered when attacks are severe and increasingly frequent. Electrosurgical procedures are more effective than emergency medical surgery, which is more challenging for doctors and requires a longer recovery time. While the possibility of developing the condition still exists, the risk has been significantly reduced if you have undergone surgery.
Drug addiction
regain control of one's desires
Imagine you attend a course on television program production, and someone trusts you enough to entrust you with the evening news program. People watching at home will see a distorted world, won't they?
Drugs work similarly. They act as a substitute in your brain, much like neurotransmitters are used by brain cells to transmit information. Drugs invade the brain's naturally occurring stimulants and sedatives. For example, drugs like cocaine can invade your "control room," activating your stimulant button whether you like it or not. Unfortunately, after the brief period of excitement, the substances in your brain's natural chemicals that actually work for you-they stop functioning. At this point, you can only feel emptiness and drowsiness.
Thus begins the vicious cycle of drug addiction: you crave more drugs to get excited, but once the effects wear off, you become depressed and feel even more miserable. Even if you know the harm this practice is causing, it's already too late to break free.
Fully understand drug addiction
Drug addiction is the result of a combination of physical, mental, and behavioral issues. You have developed a tolerance to drugs, and as the effects wear off, you are forced to use more drugs despite the various serious problems that have already occurred.
It's important to clarify that the term "drugs" here doesn't exclusively refer to "illegal drugs." While illegal drugs like heroin are indeed extremely potent and highly addictive, some legal drugs, such as nicotine, painkillers, sleeping pills, and even caffeine, can also be addictive.
Dr. John Matthew Larsen, director of the Minneapolis Rehabilitation Center, says, "When a person finds it difficult to control or limit their use of a certain drug-whether it's a cough suppressant or strong cocaine-and whether they feel they have difficulty or cannot give it up, they are already addicted to that drug. If you add in smokers and those who buy and take medication from pharmacies, you'll find the number of drug users is extremely considerable."
Researchers conducted a large-scale survey in five U.S. cities. The results showed that one in 14 people abuses or is addicted to drugs. Treating drug addicts costs nearly $7 billion annually, severely reducing national productivity and consuming vast resources. It is estimated that approximately 50 million Americans have used cocaine, and 6 million still use it. Moreover, 50,000 people try cocaine for the first time every day.
Dr. Adam Luwenberg is an internist at a private clinic in New York. He believes, "Drug addiction is definitely not a purely psychological problem, but rather the result of multiple factors, such as culture, genetics, and individual psychology. However, in itself, addiction is a medical problem."
The level of drug use required to become addicted remains a mystery. Dr. Joseph Beasley, director of a comprehensive healthcare center in New York and an expert in treating drug addiction, says, "Some people become addicted to heroin after one or two uses, while others can easily give it up. However, anyone who uses heroin repeatedly (and cocaine as well) will become addicted. Drugs are different from alcohol; once you use them to a certain extent, you become addicted and unable to break free. Some people have a defense mechanism against developing alcoholism-like 75% of Chinese people-but they have no defense against heroin or cocaine."
Drug addiction is not limited to illicit drugs. For example, benzodiazepines have been used since the 1960s to treat insomnia, anxiety, and nausea. However, studies show that about one-third of patients develop dependence after taking the drug for more than four weeks.
Don't do drugs.
Every American has access to drugs; we must face this reality.
The best way to prevent drug addiction is to avoid drug use altogether. To this end, addiction treatment experts offer the following advice:
Knowing your family history can be a good warning sign. Knowing you're more susceptible to drug addiction than others should give you pause. Max Schnard, MD, is a clinical associate professor of human behavior and psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine. He says, "If your parents, grandparents, or even siblings have a history of drug dependence or addiction, you should be extra careful because you may have a genetic predisposition to addiction."
Research indicates that some people have genetic disorders that hinder the release of neurotransmitters with calming effects, including dopamine and serotonin. Dr. Beasley stated, "These individuals include teenagers with symptoms of hyperactivity disorder or mental disorders, as well as those exhibiting erratic behavior, difficulty concentrating, anxiety, or difficulty sitting still or focusing on a task." Research data suggests that if these individuals use drugs, particularly stimulants, the risk of addiction is extremely high. This is especially true for those taking methylphenidate to treat hyperactivity disorder.
Self-Test: If you continue using drugs despite all advice, you should be aware of various addiction symptoms. Some simple methods used to test for alcoholism also apply to drug use. Dr. Schnard says to take a self-test to see if you meet any of the following four criteria:
Reduce medication use: Do you think you should do this?
Anger: Have you ever gotten angry because someone criticized your medication use?
Guilt: Do you feel guilty about using drugs?
Stimulants: Do you need to use these things every morning to get yourself energized? Coffee, stimulants, or other drugs of your choice.
"If you fall into any of the above categories, you should be careful; you may be in trouble," Dr. Schnard warned.
Saying "I will never again" or "Please say no" is too simplistic. Even knowing their actions are dangerous, people still take risks every day-like jaywalking. Remember, surrendering to drugs means completely abandoning self-control. Dr. Schnard says, "Drugs are more powerful than people. Drugs affect the chemistry of the brain. Knowing this, one should say: 'I will always maintain self-control; I will never use those things again.'"