Saturday 4 August 2012

Going away...

Hey readers, I'm going to be away for about 3 weeks because I'm   going to EUROPE! That's right, you won't be reading about anything interesting for 3 weeks, but when I get back, I promise great articles!

It is a family trip, but I'm going to start taking a look at the University's and Colleges that Europe has to offer. I'm a big dancer, so I want to see if any of the schools offer good fine arts programs. Other than that, it's just a fun trip. 

Wish me luck,
Signing out,
Ben.

Friday 27 July 2012

"Are we medicating a disorder or treating boyhood as a disease?"


It's alarming how much the prescription rate of ADD/ADHD drugs has increased in the past 16 years. The number of children aged 4 to 17 years being prescribed ADHD medications in the USA has been steadily rising since 1996, researchers from the NIH (National Institutes of Health) and AHRQ (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality) have reported in the American Journal of Psychiatry.




ADHD is one of the most common disorders among children (mostly males under 17), but bells ring in my head saying that we might need to take a look at the description again. These are some of the facts that cause controversies: 

  • There are NO biological tests that can be done to diagnose ADHD
  • Distinction between ADHD symptoms and standard childhood traits can be quite subtle - such as forgetfulness, and fidgeting.
  • IMS statistics show spending on ADHD drugs surged 104% - from $122-million in 2005, to $249-million in 2009.

For many, being hyper or easily distracted is just a part of growing up. For those who retain this into adulthood or do not find ways of coping, the drugs may be a good choice. It is easily being shown that in today's culture, parents would rather have the quick-fix drug rather than going through a few months of therapy, who knows what they are doing to their child. 


It's up to you to decide whether or not we a) have a defect in the mind of our generation. or b) we are over medicating, feeding a multi-billion dollar industry and reaching for the pill instead of help.


Websites Cited: 

Medical News Today
The Globe and Mail

Monday 23 July 2012

Feeling Stressed? It could be damaging to your health.

A study done at UCLA identifies mechanism linking stress to physical illness and aging.

It is said that stress is related to 99% of all illnesses, so why not try to stay stress free? It is actually important to have good emotional health. 

In today's society, being able to sit back and relax is not always a possibility. But without time to think, we may start to live routine and mundane lives. Being creative develops the frontal cortex which is useful for many other things and relaxing can help one gather their thoughts and make more positive decisions. You may also choose to do both of these things at the same time.

Here are some tips to maintain good emotional health:

-Don't bottle your feelings, let someone know.
-Don't obsess about negative things, look at the bright side.
-Do relaxation practices like Yoga, Pilates or Meditation.
-Get outside, enjoy the earth you live on.