Life on Earth is risky. Hurricanes, tornadoes, fires, wars, quakes. At any time of any day, disaster can ambush you. But the aftermath can be even worse.
How you cope with its impact can destroy the rest of your life (assuming you survive), or save the rest of your life (by protecting and even enhancing your world view).
Many humans must suffer and witness a panopoly of horrors--- school shootings, combat, rape, torture, natural disasters. Not to mention car wrecks, home or work accidents or so many threats that ignite the brutal reactions of traumatic stress.
Everyone who has experienced such events has undergone a terrific shock.
You may think you are okay, and your own denial is working against you. How do you know your internal pressure is building? Your first symptoms can include--
- Non-physical fatigue
- Being easily startled
- Headaches
- Sweating
- Gastro-intestinal issues
- Insomnia
Emotions play an enormous part in life. Are you especially exposed? Are you repeatedly exposed to life or death situations?
Are you facing life daily as a doctor, nurse, EMT, rescue squad worker, police officer, fire fighter, soldier, medical personnel? Long-term emotional effects can be---
- Deep fear
- Sourceless anger
- Growing guilt
- Increasing anxiety
- Lower and lower awareness
- Feeling numb, detached from normal life
- Desperation, helplessness
We've all heard of PTSD--- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. You may suffer, after the event, flashbacks and terror, and nightmares.
Official statistics show a surprisingly large chance that you may be suffering PTSD even now...
About 70 % of U.S. adults have experienced a severe traumatic event at least once in their life and one out of five go on to develop symptoms of PTSD
Approximately 8% of all adults have suffered from PTSD at any one time
If you include children and teens, an estimated 5% of all Americans will develop PTSD during their lifetime or more than 13 million people
About one in 10 women will develop PTSD symptoms during their lifetime or double the rate for men because they are much more likely to be victims of domestic violence, rape or abuse.
Almost 17% of men and 13% of women have experienced more than three traumatic events during their life.
What Can You Do to Help Yourself?
It takes time to heal. Hang on and be patient. Change is natural.
Don't overeat or drink to excess, and make your health even worse.
Don't turn to drugs, which are like throwing gasoline on a bonfire.
Talk about it, and listen. Trust someone close to share some of the load.
Try to help others; you will be surprised how much this can help you in turn.
If necessary, seek professional help.
There are experts in traumatic stress, in the medical field. But do not allow this to turn you to meds as a sole response. A good psychologist trained in stress disorders can help bring you back from the brink.
Remember--- if you find yourself, or someone you love, experiencing continual and aggressive emotional outbursts, serious problems at home or work, and preoccupation with the traumatic event, be on guard!
Look for the danger signs of continued and extreme withdrawal, and other signs of intense anxiety or emotional difficulties.
And if you can't cope, by all means, seek professional assistance.
Be honest, and stay sane! You are not alone! Disasters can impact anyone, at any time!
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Who Needs Medical Tests? Do You?
Studies show, over and over again, that most people wait too late to be tested--- often not until deadly symptoms appear, of advanced disease.
Good health care is all about prevention. Medical tests and procedures play a big part in extending your life span.
Without blood tests, x-rays, and other tests to help identify medical problems, diseases progress, often unseen, undetected, until death may be unavoidable.
Be Proactive--- Cooperate
YOU can help doctors find diseases early, when the diseases may be much easier to treat, and less painful and expensive.
Most people may need to be screened for:
- Various types of cancer
- High blood pressure and cholesterol
- Diabetes
- Osteoporosis (weak bones)
- Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)
- Hearing and vision loss
Be Proactive--- Do The Research
Consider your own family health history. You have that
same DNA, those same genes, and perhaps that same
proclivity to the same diseases, as those who came before
you.
Research, and write out your family health history to share
with your family or health care worker. Save your family
health history so you can update it over time.
Be Proactive--- Ask Questions
- Why do I need this test?
- How is the test done?
- Will the test hurt?
- What kind of information will the test provide?
- Is this test the only way to find out that information?
- What are the benefits and risks of having this test?
- What do I need to do to prepare for the test?
- How long will it take to get the results, and how will I get them?
- What's the next step after the test?
Be Proactive--- Get Test Results
If your health care provider orders a test, get the results. Don't assume the results are fine if you do not get them when expected.
Call your health care provider and ask for your results. Ask what the results mean for your care, and use that information to talk with your provider and make decisions about your care.
Bottom line? We ALL need regular medical tests.
What you DON’T know CAN kill you!
Good health care is all about prevention. Medical tests and procedures play a big part in extending your life span.
Without blood tests, x-rays, and other tests to help identify medical problems, diseases progress, often unseen, undetected, until death may be unavoidable.
Be Proactive--- Cooperate
YOU can help doctors find diseases early, when the diseases may be much easier to treat, and less painful and expensive.
Most people may need to be screened for:
- Various types of cancer
- High blood pressure and cholesterol
- Diabetes
- Osteoporosis (weak bones)
- Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)
- Hearing and vision loss
Be Proactive--- Do The Research
Consider your own family health history. You have that
same DNA, those same genes, and perhaps that same
proclivity to the same diseases, as those who came before
you.
Research, and write out your family health history to share
with your family or health care worker. Save your family
health history so you can update it over time.
Be Proactive--- Ask Questions
- Why do I need this test?
- How is the test done?
- Will the test hurt?
- What kind of information will the test provide?
- Is this test the only way to find out that information?
- What are the benefits and risks of having this test?
- What do I need to do to prepare for the test?
- How long will it take to get the results, and how will I get them?
- What's the next step after the test?
Be Proactive--- Get Test Results
If your health care provider orders a test, get the results. Don't assume the results are fine if you do not get them when expected.
Call your health care provider and ask for your results. Ask what the results mean for your care, and use that information to talk with your provider and make decisions about your care.
Bottom line? We ALL need regular medical tests.
What you DON’T know CAN kill you!
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
The Downward Spiral - Aging and Medication
As we age, our metabolism slows. We all know that. But what we may not realize is the potentially disastrous impact of that slowing upon our intake of drugs.
As a consequence of that slowing rhythm, our bodies becomes less and less able to use, or remove, whatever we put into them. This is especially so for those who exercise less and less, typical for the elderly among us.
So, what does all this have to do with medications?
The impact of any med can be exaggerated with age. The elderly retain the meds longer, and the side effects of the meds may cause symptoms, which ironically and sadly, can cause still other meds to be prescribed, to treat those symptoms.
For example, say, a person is given a drug for pain. This drug also diminishes the discomfort response of their bladder, and colon, so they do not relieve themselves as regularly and they retain fluid, which may cause infections and other issues.
Here is the downward spiral's beginning. More drugs are prescribed to treat those issues. And so on and on and on. Each drug a reaction to the last.
Within time a person may be taking a dozen or more meds daily, sometimes prescribed by different doctors who may never look at the overall list of meds--- each physician often only concerned with the complaint being treated by that office.
Eventually the elderly patient is so full of drugs that a great tolerance is built up, and also, a vicious lassitude may set in.
People begin to sleep during the day, more and more. Then 'mood-enchancing' drugs are prescribed, to 'perk them up'.
And if that person becomes agitated, then "mood-compliant' drugs are given, to "calm them down." (Sometimes used wholly for the convenience of staff who bathe or feed clients!)
So, here is today's point--- everyone taking pharma should have one physician who looks at the big picture. many of the drugs may actually be working against each other, and sometimes are dangerous in combination.
Make sure you, or someone you love, doesn't fall into this trap, and spiral downwards.
Aging need not be a downward spiral of drugs, and many medications are of enormous benefit to patients with terrible health problems.
So--- if you, or anyone you care for, is on a number of medications, make certain that a single physician is looking at the big picture!
As a consequence of that slowing rhythm, our bodies becomes less and less able to use, or remove, whatever we put into them. This is especially so for those who exercise less and less, typical for the elderly among us.
So, what does all this have to do with medications?
The impact of any med can be exaggerated with age. The elderly retain the meds longer, and the side effects of the meds may cause symptoms, which ironically and sadly, can cause still other meds to be prescribed, to treat those symptoms.
For example, say, a person is given a drug for pain. This drug also diminishes the discomfort response of their bladder, and colon, so they do not relieve themselves as regularly and they retain fluid, which may cause infections and other issues.
Here is the downward spiral's beginning. More drugs are prescribed to treat those issues. And so on and on and on. Each drug a reaction to the last.
Within time a person may be taking a dozen or more meds daily, sometimes prescribed by different doctors who may never look at the overall list of meds--- each physician often only concerned with the complaint being treated by that office.
Eventually the elderly patient is so full of drugs that a great tolerance is built up, and also, a vicious lassitude may set in.
People begin to sleep during the day, more and more. Then 'mood-enchancing' drugs are prescribed, to 'perk them up'.
And if that person becomes agitated, then "mood-compliant' drugs are given, to "calm them down." (Sometimes used wholly for the convenience of staff who bathe or feed clients!)
So, here is today's point--- everyone taking pharma should have one physician who looks at the big picture. many of the drugs may actually be working against each other, and sometimes are dangerous in combination.
Make sure you, or someone you love, doesn't fall into this trap, and spiral downwards.
Aging need not be a downward spiral of drugs, and many medications are of enormous benefit to patients with terrible health problems.
So--- if you, or anyone you care for, is on a number of medications, make certain that a single physician is looking at the big picture!
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