ADHD Article Help Guide

ADHD articles for the professional, the student, the parent, and the adult that you will definitely want your own copy! I came by the magazine through the college where I worked, and since then has read every magazine issue cover to cover.

 

One of the best things about the Internet and about serious, scholarly, and devoted professional help sites is being able to find the accurate, timely, and truly informative articles related to your search. The ADHD article is among such benefits. While we can find astoundingly apt materials in the bookstore on ADHD (Attention Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder), such as Kate Kelly and Peggy Ramundos lifesaving book, or those equally useful works by Thom Hartmann, Shari Holden, and others, the ADHD article is quicker, more easily accessible (online, I mean), and is just as valuable as written by an ADHD specialist, expert, and/or professional.

 

You can start with the ADHD site or ADHD ezine (online magazine), for example to find almost any ADHD article as it is relevant to you and yours:

 

• BTE, borntoexplore.org, offers information and a number of helpful, informative ADHD articles for scholarship and personal use.

• ADDitude magazine is online and by subscription, and has so many practical and realistic ADHD articles for the professional, the student, the parent, and the adult that you will definitely want your own copy! I came by the magazine through the college where I worked, and since then has read every magazine issue cover to cover. I then had to subscribe to resist the sinful temptation of keeping the copies I borrowed.

 

You will also want to check out the ADHD article databases:

 

• The absolute premier site for ADHD articles is ADD Consults (addconsults.com). It will take you a little time to figure out how the system is constructed, but once you decide on a subject area, or sub-topic, you will get ADHD articles on everything from ADD strategies to co-morbidity information to ADHD articles about children and adults with ADD. The articles are upscale and professional, clinical, and/or personal, and are a must read! The site is built by Terry Matlin, MSW, ASCW, and features the astoundingly superbly brilliant support of ADHD article writers who are big names in the field - Edward Hallowell, John J. Ratey, Sari Solden, Thom Hartmann, and Michelle Novotny, to name just a few!

 

The moment you find the source that is most user-friendly and helpful to you, go ahead and sign up for a free newsletter, one which offers an ADHD article or two weekly or monthly (whenever the newsletter is delivered to your inbox):

 

• Terry Matlin, ACSW, also offers a newsletter which features an ADHD article, book reviews, and blurbs on many ADHD aids/products for the ADHDer, as I call her or him (as I call myself).

• Breath and Shadow, a monthly (or thereabouts) newsletter put out by ROSC as the Journal of Literature and Disability Culture, is for writers and artists with any or all disabilities, and issues a monthly newsletter with a predetermined theme, but occasionally you might get an ADHD article.

 

You can find the most relevant, scholarly ADHD articles, or the most personal and still accurate ADHD article written by a non-credentialed individual who is or knows someone who has to put up with the frustrations and challenges as well as special and unique gifts of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, a.k.a ADD. Come on, any sites to share with me, anyone?

Addiction: When Gambling Becomes a Problem

This article deals with the problems associated with an gambling addiction. You can read here about the signs, causes and treatment of such problems.

 

While most people enjoy casino gambling, sports betting, lottery and bingo playing for the fun and excitement it provides, others may experience gambling as an addictive and distractive habit. Statistics show that while 85 percent of the adult population in the US enjoys some type of gambling every year, between 2 and 3 percent of will develop a gambling problem and 1 percent of them are diagnosed as pathological gamblers. 

 

Where can you draw the line between harmless gambling to problem gambling? How can you tell if you or your friend are compulsive gamblers? Here you can find answers to these questions and other questions regarding problem gambling and gambling addiction. 

 

What is the Meaning of Problem Gambling?

 

Problem gambling or compulsive gambling is defined as an uncontrollable urge to gamble despite the destructive effect of gambling on the gamblers life and despite feelings of guilt and remorse. Problem gambling tends to have a negative effect on the gamblers financial state, relationships and daily life. Severe cases of problem gambling can be defined as pathological gambling. 

 

Am I a Compulsive Gambler?

 

• Do you gamble until your last penny runs out?
• Do you gamble to win back your former losses or debts?
• Did you ever had to borrow money to continue gamble?
• Did your gambling habit ever made you lie to your friends or family?
• Did you ever skip work or other obligation to gamble?
• Do you tend to gamble to forget about your personal problems or to celebrate happy occasions?

Does gambling have a negative effect on your daily life or relationships?

 

If you have answered yes on at least one of the questions listed above, then you have a problem. 

 

Can Anyone Become a Compulsive Gambler?

 

Theoretically, yes. Any gambler can develop gambling problem regardless to the type of gambling he is occupied with, the amount of money and time he is spending on gambling. Researches show that slot machines that can be found in bars and convenient stores are the most addictive type of gambling activity, while lottery draws and bingo games are located on the other end of the scale. Gambling addiction is an emotional problem; its symptoms, causes and treatments are similar to any other form of addiction. 

 

How Can I treat Gambling Addiction?

 

1)    Group Therapy

 

Gamblers Anonymous offers a 12 step self-help program similar to the one offered to alcohol addicts in Alcoholics Anonymous. Group therapy also offers gambling addicts advice and support from professional counsellors and other gambling addicts in different phases of their recovery process. Gambler Anonymous centres are available in more than 1,200 locations state-wide.

 

2)    Individual Therapy

 

Cognitive or behaviour therapy can help gambling addicts to identify their unaware thinking and acting patterns, which led them to gamble compulsively, and to replace them with controllable and healthier ways of thinking.

 

3)    Psychiatric Medication

 

It has recently been proven that antidepressant medications from the family of SSRIs, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors can be affective in treatment of gambling addicts.

ADD And Coexisting Conditions - Why Is It So Complicated?

ADD is often accompanied by a coexisting condition. On the other hand, often ADD and these other conditions have similar symptoms and, therefore, are easily misdiagnosed. Of course, this creates a plethora of problems as these disorders, when separate, must be treated differently. A misdiagnosis will lead to ineffective treatment. As coexisting conditions, these are especially of concern, because they increase the severity of many of the symptoms of ADD, as well as the negative impact on those that suffer them.

 

One such condition is Oppositional Defiant Disorder or Conduct Disorder. Children with this disorder tend to be very aggressive and defiant. They usually lose their tempers very easily and challenge authority figures. This is the most easily diagnosable behaviours, as teachers and parents become aware of this conduct quickly and seek treatment almost immediately. This particular disorder is common in children that are the hyperactive/impulsive type of ADD and occurs in 35% of children with ADD. This coexisting condition makes it much more likely that these sufferers will get in legal trouble as they age due to their authoritative defiance. 

 

Many children that have ADD also suffer from mood disorders and/or depression. The complication associated with this coexisting condition is the increased likelihood of suicide common during teen years. 18% of ADD children also suffer from some type of mood disorder, and is it more likely to occur within the inattentive type of ADD. This is often not as easily diagnosed as compared to other conditions. Children with mood disorders as a coexisting condition must be treated with different medication than typical ADD treatment; therefore, such therapy may be more difficult.

 

Also a concern is anxiety disorders among ADD sufferers, which constitutes roughly 25% of those with ADD. Traits common of Anxiety Disorders are fear, panic, and worry, which may necessitate medication and/or counselling. As with mood disorders, combined treatment make therapy more complex and arduous.

 

Learning Disabilities are also conditions common with children that have ADD. While ADD, in itself, is not a learning disability, it can make it extremely difficult for children to perform well in school. If coupled with a learning disability, it makes it considerably more challenging for children to grasp academic concepts and utilize such knowledge.

 

For the most part, coexisting conditions make treatment more difficult and the side effects of both disorders more severe. The typical signs and symptoms of ADD are difficult enough to deal with, but with more intense severity, it often makes side effects deadly or incredibly negatively life altering.

Acute Infectious Anthrax

Anthrax is an acute infectious disease that exists in animals and can be transmitted to humans. Caused by Bacillus anthracis, Anthrax, primarily affects farm animals such as goats, hogs, sheep, horses. In the majority of these cases the disease is fatal. To simply how the disease works: Bacillus anthracis creates toxins that cause fluid to accumulate in the body's tissues and kill cells.

 

Found in the soil, Anthrax spores have been discovered to be able to survive for decades. It is most common for an animal to contract the disease while grazing in a field. Although you can become sick from eating the meat of an infected animal, it is most common that infected individuals have come in direct contact with an infected animal. This characteristic of Anthrax makes it almost completely restricted to certain occupations that handle animals first hand, such as veterinarians, and farmers.

 

In it's simple state, Anthrax is not generally fatal to humans. However, if not treated, the disease can work its way through the blood vessels causing poisoning of the blood and death. Another type of Anthrax is, Gastrointestinal anthrax, which is much more fatal. Typically Gastrointestinal anthrax will begin with symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and fever, and can then be followed by abdominal bleeding, tissue death, and septicaemia. 

 

Anthrax is a very well known, disease that ages back to ancient history. Most recently, in 2001, Anthrax was raised to a top concern when letters containing the Anthrax bacteria were mailed to several individuals, killing 5. These events were part of the growing terrorist problems in the United States, such as the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center.

Acromegaly: Overgrowth Condition in Humans

Summary

 

Acromegaly is a condition where the hands and legs of a normal person increases due to excess release of the hormones inside the body of the humans. This condition is referred to as Gigantism in young people and in older people is called as Acromegaly which brings about Gorilla like appearance the humans.

 

Introduction

 

Any Chemical released from the Pituitary gland induces physical activities or changes in the body. Pituitary gland is an endocrine gland present in the brain.

 

The release of chemical from the gland in a moderate quantity leads to correct growth of the human body. But if the release of the chemicals that induces the growth increases, then size of the bones increases and also results in the increase of the growth of soft tissues. This results to many abnormalities in the human body.

 

The hormone or chemical that induces growth is called as Growth Hormone or Somatotropin. Excess of release of this hormone from the pituitary gland will cause an alteration in the use of nutrients in the body. In children as the bones are still in the growing condition, these changes will cause more and more growth of the bones and this is called as Gigantism.

 

And in adults, after the bone formation has stopped, this change can cause an abnormality which is called as Acromegaly.

 

Description

 

Acromegaly is a rare condition caused in a very few people i.e. one person per 20,000 people can experience this abnormality. This is common in males and females. The identification is not easy for middle aged people till extreme conditions are observed. 

 

Cause of the Abnormality

 

Pituitary gland is present at the base of the brain which release a number of chemicals that are responsible for many functional activities of the systems and organs of the body. The hormones are released and travel throughout the body and are mainly involved in the growth and reproductive activities.

 

A Gland called Hypothalamus which is present on the base of the brain regulates the secretion of the pituitary. It induces or stops the release of hormones from the pituitary by releasing hormones and sending to the pituitary gland. Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone(GHRH) is released from the hypothalamus which induces and also stops pituitary gland to release hormones.

 

In the liver, growth hormone produces IGF-1 called "Insulin-like Growth Factor-1" which is responsible for the growth throughout the body. In the condition of Acromegaly, the pituitary refuses to stop the Growth hormone which leads to increase in the levels of IGF-1 and the body now loses the capacity to produce and utilise the nutrients.

 

Conditions

 

Individual’s hands and feet grows more than normal, and they become thicker.

The conditions on the face also change i.e. the nose, jaws become large and the teeth are spread more wider. Tongue also becomes larger. These changes on the face are called as "Coarsening". the voice of that person becomes Deep and develop Snoring.

 

Symptoms

 

• Profuse sweating
• Skin becomes Oily
• Body hair increases
• Blood Pressure increases
• Calcium increases in the urine
• Risk of Gallstones increases
• Swelling of thyroid glands
• Patients often suffer from headache

 

Important Cause

 

In about 90% of the patients, it is seen that a non-cancerous tumour occurs in the pituitary gland, it is called as Pituitary Adenoma. And it is a major factor that causes Acromegaly.

 

How Does Pituitary Adenoma Cause Acromegaly 

 

The tumour increases in size and presses the adjacent structures present in the brain which cause headache, and also effects the vision. This may damage the pituitary tissues and also brings changes in the production of the hormones and due to this, the Growth Hormones are released in excess. And so this results in Acromegaly.

 

Also due to this, the sexual drive in the males and females decreases and brings changes in menstrual cycle in the females.

 

The condition if not treated, can cause an early death of the person as this would effect lungs, heart, brain, and also cause Cancer in the large intestine.

Acid Reflux - Causes and Natural Remedies

If you suffer from acid reflux disease, there are ways in which you can reduce your suffering.

 

Natural stomach acid is in your stomach for a reason. The actual acid is not the cause of acid reflux disease. It is not a nasty poison that someone put there. The acid breaks down foods and sorts them out into the right department so to speak.  Proper digestion depends on the presence of adequate stomach acid while you are eating.  

 

When you eat, food moves from the mouth through the oesophagus and into the stomach to be digested. At the end of the oesophagus, there is a band of muscles that open and allow the food to go into the stomach. It then closes to prevent the food and acid from coming back up into the oesophagus. Many people experience acid reflux when foods or digestive juices escape the stomach and come back up through the oesophagus.  

 

To make sure your stomach has enough acid at mealtimes, make sure you chew your food thoroughly. Getting saliva mixed into the food as you chew will get the digestion process off to a good start.  

 

Snacking throughout the day causes the stomach to pump out acid gradually instead of saving it for mealtimes when it is needed the most. It is best to not eating closer than three hours apart. For example - if you eat breakfast at six a.m. and lunch at twelve p.m. then a snack at nine a.m. would be fine.  

 

Next, make sure you do not drink too much liquid while eating a meal. Too much liquid dilutes the necessary acid in the stomach. The best policy is to drink a glass of water 30 minutes to one hour before or after your meal, with only a few ounces consumed during the meal. After you have eaten, one hour or two feel free to guzzle down all the pure natural water you want.  

 

Another cause of acid reflux comes from eating large meals. This increases pressure on the stomach causing the stomach contents to be forced out and up into the oesophagus. You will need to give your body at least two hours to digest your food properly.  In addition, never ever lie down immediately after eating a large meal. 

 

To avoid overproduction of acid eat smaller portions of food at each meal. It would also help a lot to eliminate any fried food or food that contains refined sugar, or caffeine.  

 

Obesity can also increase abdominal pressure, and your risk of suffering from acid reflux as well. If you are overweight, cutting back on the amounts of food that you eat at each meal, and exercising daily should put you on the right path to helping you shed a few pounds.  

 

Acid reflux is caused in some people when the sphincter muscle at the end of the oesophagus becomes weak or does not close correctly. Prescription drugs, certain foods, alcohol, and smoking have been known to weaken the sphincter muscles.  

 

Try not to use antacids since they cut down the acids you will need when you eat.  Without enough acid, your stomach is unable to do its job of breaking down the food into the various nutrient components.  

 

Inadequate digestion of proteins can cause the liver to increase production of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, which is the bad cholesterol that does the most damage to your body.  

 

Instead of taking antacids, try the following natural approach. If you still have sour stomach in between meals try eating something that will settle it without triggering more acid production such as sauerkraut. Your stomach should relax after eating sauerkraut in five to ten minutes. 

 

The benefits of natural solutions are they normally cost a lot less, but even more important is the fact that natural solutions are a healthier alternative. They tend to reduce the possibility of becoming dependant on addictive chemical drugs.  

 

There are also three herbs that are well known for soothing stomach muscles, which are chamomile, gentian, and ginger. If your problem does not respond successfully to natural remedies within a few days, please see your health care provider.

Acid Reflux Disease

Commonly called 'heart burn', acid reflux disease is a condition in which the liquid content of the stomach regurgitates (backs up, or refluxes) into the oesophagus.

 

It's annoying and painful.

 

But you want to know the truth, the reflux of the stomach's liquid contents into the oesophagus occurs in most normal individuals. However, when heartburn becomes acid reflux disease or Gastro oesophageal reflux disease, commonly referred to as GERD, it is s real problem. That is because with GERD, the acid is stronger and stays in the oesophagus longer causing more discomfort.

 

Most often, you will experience this during the daytime when you are upright, sitting straight, or standing. Your body handles this reflux by the fluid flowing back down into your stomach. You swallow more during the daytime therefore draining the acid back to where it belongs. Your salivary glands produce saliva that also contains bicarbonate that acts to neutralize the acid your stomach has kicked up.

 

At night though, you may have a greater problem when acid reflux disease occurs that is because while sleeping, gravity does not work as well lying down, your constant swallowing stops, and the production of saliva is reduced.

 

Certain conditions make a person more prone to acid reflux disease, this GERD. For example, while you are pregnant, this can be a serious problem. Elevated hormone levels of pregnancy probably cause reflux by lowering the pressure in that part of your body known as the lower oesophageal sphincter. Also, the growing baby puts more pressure on the abdomen. Both of these effects of pregnancy tend to increase the risk of GERD.

 

If your acid reflux disease is a minor condition, then you should only experience minor symptoms. These would include primarily heartburn, regurgitation, and nausea. However, if the condition is complicated, then watch out for the following symptoms.

 

The liquid that comes back into the oesophagus damages the lining of the oesophagus. The body tries to protect itself from the acid reflux disease by 'inflaming' the oesophagus. Trying to speed the healing process through the inflammation, the wall of the oesophagus may form an ulcer. The ulcer is a break in the lining of the oesophagus wall. Then what happens is that there may be bleeding. If the bleeding is very severe, patients might need a blood transfusion or even surgical treatment.

 

If your heartburn is severe or acute, happening very frequently, you need to see a doctor.

 

What can you do for yourself to help the condition? Try sleeping a pillow a night that raises your chest up slightly so that gravity can bring the acid back down more easily. Since this condition usually occurs on a full stomach, eat earlier and eat less to keep the stomach from being too full. Ease off on the chocolate, peppermint, alcohol, and caffeinated drinks. Reduce fatty foods and of course, cut down or quit smoking. Other foods may aggravate the conditions. Avoid spicy or acid-containing foods, like citrus juices, carbonated beverages, and tomato juice.

Acid Reflux Disease in Infants

Some medical conditions have no respect for age; the young or the old, and Acid Reflux, also known in medical terms as Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) seems to be one of them.

 

The lower end of the oesophagus is protected by a valve called the Lower Oesophageal sphincter (LES). This valve opens to allow food from the oesophagus into the stomach and then closes up to protect the oesophagus from the acid content of the stomach. Several conditions can compromise this valve, allowing gastric content into the oesophagus. As in adults, infants also suffer from heartburn on occasions. This is mainly attributed to the fact that infants consume essentially liquid and soft foods, which tend to be rich in diary proteins. The most unfortunate part of infant acid reflux disease is that, unlike in adults, it is very difficult to determine if an infant has developed chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease. An infant is most unlikely to be able to complain of heartburn or any symptoms of the disease.

 

Acid reflux in infants is always as a result of a lot of factors, however, most of the causative factors tend to be aggravated by the fact that infants, spend a great deal of their days lying on their back or in a supine position and consume mostly liquid food. The tendency for liquid food to cause regurgitation, when combined with the pressure lying in a supine position exerts on the lower oesophageal sphincter (LES) constitutes a greater risk of reflux acid incidence in infants. The incidence, however, could also be attributed to some other factors like, the anatomy of the infant's stomach, improper or incomplete development of the lower oesophageal sphincter during foetal growth, poor diet, overweight, food allergies and a host of other factors.

 

Because infants, unlike adults, cannot complain of symptoms or explain how they feel, it is always very difficult to know when an infant is suffering from acid reflux. The best bet is to consult a paediatrician. Nevertheless, there are signs and clues that you may look out for in your infant that could suggest the presence of the disease. Some of these clues are:

 

• Sleeping problems
• Coughing
• Weight loss 
• Lack of appetite 
• Spitting up frequently 
• Apnoea
• Unusual irritability
• Chest pain
• Sore throat 
• Bad breath
• Crying

 

Acid reflux disease can also cause respiratory problems including pneumonia, strictures and ulcerations on the oesophageal wall, and malnourishment. Although, these signs don't always mean your infant is suffering from acid reflux disease, but they constitute a good enough reason to go see your paediatrician.

 

Of course, there are a few things you could do to help your child avoid acid reflux. Simple things like changing the child's food, keeping him/her upright for some time, especially after eating, keeping an eye on the child for any sign of chest pain or heartburn and a host of others. This extra attention could be all your child really needs.

Acid Reflux Disease, Causes and Effects

To counter the surge in the prevalence of acid reflux, lots of over the counter medications have been churned out of our pharmaceutical companies. A lot of theories abound, medically and naturally, about the root cause of this disease.

 

The first explanation for the cause of this condition is that because of the incompetence of the Lower Oesophageal Sphincter (LES) acidic contents of the stomach are allowed up into the oesophagus, which results in a burning sensation. The LES is a valve that is found at the lower end of the oesophagus and separates it from the stomach and its contents but when this valve becomes dysfunctional, it allows the acidic content of the stomach to be regurgitated into the oesophagus.

 

A separate school of thought believes that acidic reflux disease is caused by our eating habits. As it's often said, living in the civilized world entails eating more junk food and packaged and processed food than the stomach can digest. So, when we put so much into the stomach, most of the food ends up undigested. These undigested food materials turn into acidic waste in the stomach. This waste causes stomach spasms or twitching that causes an increase in stomach gas that pops open the LES valve between the oesophagus and stomach sending acidic contents up the oesophagus.

 

Yet, acidic reflux disease can be traced to aging in adults. It is believed in some quarters that as we age, the activity of the stomach reduces, so also its ability to produce hydrochloric acid. The reduction in the stomach activity and acid content of the stomach creates a breeding ground for infections which in themselves cause stomach pain and acid production leading to further symptoms of acid reflux.

 

Whatever the cause of acid reflux disease, what is constant about it, is the fact that it is a chronic disease. Most medicines, which inhibit production of acid in the stomach, only help to relieve the burning effect and other symptoms and not actually cure the condition. As a matter of fact, these drugs help in relieving the symptoms quite effectively, but the other side of the coin is that these drugs also cause several side effects in the body by cutting down the acid production in your stomach. Some of their side effects are that they reduce the ability of the stomach to digest food efficiently, they make you more vulnerable to diseases and microbes transmitted through food, increases the risk of food poisoning and a host of others.

 

While there are many medications and natural methods to rid yourself of that burning sensation that accompanies each acid reflux bout, the first line of action should be a thorough assessment of the your food and lifestyle. Some food materials are known to aggravate acid reflux, some of the foods include; citrus, caffeine, chocolate, fatty fried foods, garlic, and onions. Cutting down or avoiding these foods as much as possible is a good first attempt at preventing future acid reflux bouts.

 

Additional lifestyle assessment and modification that can help reduce acid reflux episodes include:

 

• Losing weight if you are overweight 
• Cutting down alcohol to the barest minimum 
• Eating just enough food to keep hunger away 
• Don't go to bed until at least three hours after eating 
• Raise your bed head six to eight inches

 

These very simple lifestyle improvements can keep you off those acid blockers and other acid reflux medications that cause almost the same amount of damage as the good they do to your body.