...Xanax, also known as alprazolam, affects chemicals in the brain that may be unbalanced in people with anxiety (drugs.com, n.d.). This is a type of medicine called a benzodiazepine (Marshall, 2015). They are used as sedative and to relieve anxiety. It is the most frequently prescribed benzodiazepine in the U.S. It was prescribed 49 million times in 2011 (drugabuse.com, 2017). It only takes an hour for most of the drugs desired effects to occur, and the effects typically last for at least 6 hours (drugabuse.com, 2017). The medication usually comes in tablet form or an extended release capsule (drugabuse.com, 2017). http://www.drugrehabcenter.com/addiction/addictions-and-substances/xanax-addiction-and-treatment.html Neurotransmitters are chemicals...
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...Some side effects of Xanax are drowsiness, dizziness, and increased saliva production. The more serious side effects of Xanax is mental changes, slurred speech, hallucinations, memory problems, and loss of coordination. “Alprazolam is used by drug addicts and has become a popular party drug during the last decade.” (Vester) Signs and symptoms of Xanax abuse are more likely noticed when a person has reached high levels of consumption. A person who has become dependent on this drug- which means they have come to rely on this drug psychologically as well being physically addicted-will probably need rehabilitation before they are able to embark on a new, sober life. When a person is addicted, they have found an escape from certain life problems...
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...1920’s, alcohol was placed under prohibition and Americans were looking to every which way to circumvent this federal regulation. In the 1930’s, reefer madness swept the country and marijuana was criminalized. The 1960’s marked the era of a rising counter-culture fueled by the psychedelic drug LSD. Even the cocaine boom of the 1970’s and 1980’s define a period of American history marked by high crime rates and an evolving nightlife. Today’s society is no different. In many ways, people, particularly teenagers and young adults, are quite literally fueled by drugs. They will take methamphetamines to study, depressants to fall asleep, and psychoactive stimulants to take a break from the norm and disconnect from reality. The purpose of this paper is to explore three modern drugs in particular and what their psychoactive effects say about the culture and attitudes of today’s...
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...Heroin Abuse: Reaching to the Suburban Youth The best driving force to get informed and motivated about a certain topic is a personal experience and my motivation came when one of my best friends passed away from a heroin overdose. Almost exactly a year ago, this friend of mine passed away from a heroin overdose and none of his close friends or family even knew the problem had escalated so greatly. It had all started with a pill addiction to xanax that slowly grew more severe but with a few interventions and a couple of trips to rehab, most of us thought that he was doing well and had kicked the habit. Little did we know that he had kicked the xanax habit only to graduate to something as intense as heroin. The frightening thing about this drug is that my friend was a small, upper class, Jewish boy from the suburbs of St. Louis and would not typically be the image you think of when a person might think of a heroin addict. He was the furthest thing from an underprivileged, poor, inner city adult. But addict hew was, and it is still somewhat of a mystery to those who were closest to him as to how he was able to access his drugs. For every person that believes they know the true meaning of the word “addiction,” there is another person right beside them to argue a different point of view. In this day and age, one would think that doctors or scientists or psychologists would have narrowed it down to a universal description but this is not the case. There are many different...
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...jobs it could create, the tax profits it would bring to the government, or even the medical miracles surfacing around the nation. Marijuana is safe, safer in fact than most other prescribed medications to treat the same symptoms. This plant is growing vastly in the medical field and replacing many addictive narcotics prescribed by doctors. Medical marijuana is available in several different forms. It can be smoked, vaporized, ingested in a pill form or an edible version can be added to foods such as brownies, cookies and chocolate bars. While more than 17.6 million Americans are addicted to alcohol according to the NIAAA, only 9% of heavy pot users are at risk of becoming addicted. Unlike alcohol, you can’t overdose on cannabis and early research shows there are very few long-term effects of smoking pot. Studies show that for some users, perhaps as many as 10 per cent, cannabis leads to psychological dependence, but there is little evidence that it carries a risk of true addiction. Unlike for nicotine, alcohol and hard drugs, there is no definite withdrawal syndrome, the sign of true addiction, when use of marijuana has stopped. Also unlike cigarette smokers, most users do not take the drug on a daily basis, and usually abandon it in their twenties or thirties. Some would say that medical marijuana is not a safe and could even be considered a gateway drug to other abused substances. A recent study group has informed readers the youth of this generation now perceives marijuana use...
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...The Rise in Prescription Drug Abuse By: Laurie Mahaffey What is prescription drug abuse and who are the ones affected by it? Is it just young adults that are affected by prescription drug abuse or does this affect all generations? What are some of the prescription drugs that categorize this concern? What are the consequences of prescription drug abuse? What are some solutions to this problem? These questions concerning the rise in prescription drug abuse will be addressed in the following paragraphs. What is prescription drug abuse? According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, Prescription drug Abuse is defined as the “intentional use” of a medication without a prescription; in a way other than described; or for the experience or feeling it causes. This means that there are three circumstances that pertain to abuse of prescription drug abuse. First, let’s look at “intentional use” without a prescription. It is a federal offense to give or sell prescription medication to someone other than who it is prescribed to. Reading the side label tells you, that “FEDERAL LAW PROHIBITS THE TRANSFER OF THIS DRUG TO ANY PERSON OTHER THAN THE PATIENT FOR WHOM IT WAS PRESCRIBED.” One reason shown for taking someone else’s prescription was “if a Dr. prescribes, than naturally safe.” This reason is also true in why some people hand out their own medication. If it’s okay for them, it won’t hurt someone else. Second reason for what defines abuse, using in a way other than...
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...The Upjohn Company: The Upjohn - Pharmacia Merger 3 Business Analysis and Valuation Applications harmacia & Upjohn will be a powerful new competitor in the global pharmaceutical industry. For both Pharmacia and Upjohn, this merger is a bold strategic move to build a highly competitive company as the worldwide pharmaceutical industry continues to consolidate. The new company will be positioned to attain its goals of revenue growth above the industry average and operating margins exceeding 25% by 1998. Jan Ekberg, President and CEO of Pharmacia Proposed Chairman of Pharmacia & Upjohn This is a merger that truly constitutes far more than the sum of the parts. The new company will be able to take full advantage of uniquely complementary geographic reach, product portfolio, pipeline and R&D strengths. As a result of the merger, Pharmacia & Upjohn will have extensive financial and operating resources, market scope and earnings potential. Consequently, we fully expect the new company to achieve additional growth in expected 1996 EPS as well as acceleration of future earnings growth. Above all, Pharmacia & Upjohn is expected to generate significantly enhanced value for shareholders. John L. Zabriskie, Ph.D., Chairman and CEO of Upjohn Proposed President and CEO of Pharmacia & Upjohn On August 20, 1995, The Upjohn Company and Pharmacia AB, two pharmaceutical companies incorporated in the U.S. and Sweden, respectively, announced that they were forming a “merger of equals.” With combined...
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...Psychological Disorders & Treatment Paper Candace Ward PSY/203 Foundation of Psychology November 16, 2015 Kurtis Armstrong Psychological Disorders is a disorder of the mind involving thoughts, behaviors, and emotions that cause either self or others significant distress. Significant distress can mean the person is unable to function, meet personal needs on their own, or are a danger to themselves or others. There are many types of psychological disorders, this paper will focus on Dependent personality disorders, cyclothymic disorders and well as PTSD or Post Traumatic Stress Disorders. I will also include treatments and what each treatment option will entail. This paper will be concluded with my thoughts on how these disorders can affect our everyday lives and how important it is to be aware of these particular disorders. Dependent personality disorders or DPD is a psychological disorder that is characterized by a persuasive psychological dependence on other people. According to the Psych Central, Dependent personality disorders lead individuals to engage in dependent and submissive behaviors as well as sometimes being seen as “clingy” or “Clinging” to others. It also mentioned that people who suffer with dependent personality disorders tend to have self-doubt, they may belittle themselves a lot, and or repeatedly refer to themselves as “stupid.” Symptom may include having a difficult time making everyday decisions. For example, the individual may need extra help...
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...Harvard Business School 9-197-034 Rev. February 28, 1997 The Upjohn Company: The Upjohn - Pharmacia Merger Pharmacia & Upjohn will be a powerful new competitor in the global pharmaceutical industry. For both Pharmacia and Upjohn, this merger is a bold strategic move to build a highly competitive company as the worldwide pharmaceutical industry continues to consolidate. The new company will be positioned to attain its goals of revenue growth above the industry average and operating margins exceeding 25% by 1998. Jan Ekberg, President and CEO of Pharmacia Proposed Chairman of Pharmacia & Upjohn. This is a merger that truly constitutes far more than the sum of the parts. The new company will be able to take full advantage of uniquely complementary geographic reach, product portfolio, pipeline and R&D strengths. As a result of the merger, Pharmacia & Upjohn will have extensive financial and operating resources, market scope and earnings potential. Consequently, we fully expect the new company to achieve additional growth in expected 1996 EPS as well as acceleration of future earnings growth. Above all, Pharmacia & Upjohn is expected to generate significantly enhanced value for shareholders. John L. Zabriskie, Ph.D. Chairman and CEO of Upjohn Proposed President and CEO of Pharmacia & Upjohn On August 20, 1995, The Upjohn Company and Pharmacia AB, two pharmaceutical companies incorporated in the U.S. and Sweden, respectively, announced that they were forming...
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...Anxiety, Mood/Affective, Dissociative, and Somatoform Matrix By Mary R. Torczon PSY/410 Dr. Jones July 25th, 2011 Anxiety, Mood/Affective, Dissociative, and Somatoform Matrix A disorder is a disruptive condition or combinations of symptoms that an individual experiences that may debilitate to his or her daily lives. Some disorders are more complex than others such as hypochondriasis, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Anxiety, mood, dissociative, and somatoform disorders make the ability for normal daily functioning impossible. This paper will analyze the disorders of anxiety, mood/affective, dissociative, and somatoform disorders in reference to the biological, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral components of each disorder category. Anxiety Disorders Anxiety disorders, which are many of the most severe mental disorders, stem from phobias or fears. All people experience some form of generalized anxiety or worry from time to time. Categories of anxiety disorders are general anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and post-traumatic disorder (PTSD). Inappropriate anxiety causes the heart to race, breathing becomes rapid, and muscles tense for no reason (AllPsych, 2004). The symptoms, such as excessive worry and fear, become a disorder when they become part of normal daily life. Cognitively, individuals may fixate on perceived dangers and threats. They may over exaggerate the severity of undesirable situations, and...
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...INTRODUCTION Many studies have been suggested that marijuana is the root cause of many mental disorders. In spite of government warnings about health risks, many people see it as a harmless substance that helps you to relax and ‘chill’ – a drug that, unlike alcohol and cigarettes, might even be good for your physical and mental health. On the other hand, recent research has suggested that it can be a major cause of psychotic illnesses in those who are genetically vulnerable. This paper looks at the research on mood disorders and the use of cannabis for its treatment. It will brief on the types of mood disorders, their symptoms, and treatment and finally discuss both positive and negative effects of using marijuana as a ‘cure’ for mood disorders. WHAT ARE MOOD DISORDERS? Mood disorders, or affective disorders, are mental health problems such as all types of depression, bipolar disorder, and mania (Klasco, 2011). The disorders in this category include those where the primary symptom is a disturbance in mood; in other words, inappropriate, exaggerated, or limited range of feelings. There are chemicals in the brain, called endorphins, which are responsible for positive moods. Other chemicals in the brain, called neurotransmitters, regulate endorphins. Most likely, depression (and other mood disorders) is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain (The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center). Life events (such as unwanted changes in life) may also contribute to a...
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...Dissociative Identity Disorder Porsha Castillo Belhaven University ABSTRACT This paper will focus on the mental disorder Dissociative Identity Disorder. It will follow the case study of JANE. The paper will include the hisroty of the disorder as well as treatment, and current research of the disorder. Dissociative Identity Disorder Rebecca, a 14 year old girl, presented to a hospital by her mother with a complaint of ‘behaving like a male’ for past 2 weeks. She was identifying herself as Mr. S. and dressed herself like a male. She was not recognizing her neighbors, relatives, or teachers anymore and her belongings as well. She was not able to recount her personal information either. Her mother also reported a significant and contrasting change in her behavior, like she had become stubborn, confident, outgoing and demanding during this period in contrast to her normal behavior. She developed interest in drawing and painting, would demand different types of fast food items, dresses, and certain objects in the altered state. Her mother fearing worsening of her illness readily fulfilled these demands. Rebecca stopped going to school and would stay at home all day long. Upon exploration, it was found that about 2 years back, her father and older sister had left the house to live separately from Rebecca and her mother. There was a strained relationship among the parents on the issue of not having a son. Since separation, there was no communication with them. Rebecca was...
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...Can the Bacteria in Your Gut Explain Your Mood? The rich array of microbiota in our intestines can tell us more than you might think. By PETER ANDREY SMITHJUNE 23, 2015 Eighteen vials were rocking back and forth on a squeaky mechanical device the shape of a butcher scale, and Mark Lyte was beside himself with excitement. ‘‘We actually got some fresh yesterday — freshly frozen,’’ Lyte said to a lab technician. Each vial contained a tiny nugget of monkey feces that were collected at the Harlow primate lab near Madison, Wis., the day before and shipped to Lyte’s lab on the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center campus in Abilene, Tex. Lyte’s interest was not in the feces per se but in the hidden form of life they harbor. The digestive tube of a monkey, like that of all vertebrates, contains vast quantities of what biologists call gut microbiota. The genetic material of these trillions of microbes, as well as others living elsewhere in and on the body, is collectively known as the microbiome. Taken together, these bacteria can weigh as much as six pounds, and they make up a sort of organ whose functions have only begun to reveal themselves to science. Lyte has spent his career trying to prove that gut microbes communicate with the nervous system using some of the same neurochemicals that relay messages in the brain. Inside a closet-size room at his lab that afternoon, Lyte hunched over to inspect the vials, whose samples had been spun down in a centrifuge to a radiant...
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...Tanisha Vaughn College Composition John Aramini November 6, 2015 Topic Search Paper Addiction has been a serious problem for many years. There are ways to overcome addiction, but only if one is willing to take the time to go through the tough steps. There are also various types of treatment that help cleanse an addict. They can check themselves into a clinical home as a way to help. There have been many occasions in which a drug addict goes through a cleansing process in order to get better, and have in fact made no progress whatsoever. Residential treatment programs have been proven to be very effective in the healing process but the effects are dissolved because of bad timing. Meaning that the treatment occurs way too early in the process. Throughout the history of the United States of America there have been many serious problems that Americans have tried to overcome in the past. One of the most troublesome problems has been addiction. Addiction is a chronic brain disease that compels a person to continue using a substance they know is harmful to them. Overcoming addiction is a challenge that often requires group support in an environment such as rehab. Common drugs that are used and abused are meth, cocaine, GHB, and even legal drugs like Xanax or DXM (cough medicine). The dangers of drug use are real. In...
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...What Is Drug Addiction? Drug addiction is a chronic, often relapsing brain disease that causes compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences to the drug addict and those around them. Drug addiction is a brain disease because the abuse of drugs leads to changes in the structure and function of the brain. Although it is true that for most people the initial decision to take drugs is voluntary, over time the changes in the brain caused by repeated drug abuse can affect a person's self-control and ability to make sound decisions, and at the same time create an intense impulse to take drugs. Signs of Substance Use - Topic Overview Signs of Substance Use Guide * Topic Overview * Health Tools * Related Information * Credits The following are some obvious signs that a person may be smokingcigarettes, drinking alcohol, or using other substances. This is not a complete list of signs to look for. If you suspect a particular drug or drugs, get more information on signs of use for those substances. For more information, see Teen Alcohol and Drug Abuse. Cigarettes * A distinctive smell on the breath and clothing * Cigarettes and lighter in his or her possession * Cigarette butts outside a bedroom window or in other odd places around the home Alcohol * Alcoholic beverages missing from the home storage cabinet * Alcohol or mouthwash (used to cover up alcohol) breath orhangover symptoms (nausea, vomiting, or headache), if recently used ...
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