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The Digitalisation of the NHS

October 30, 2018 by

online consultation

The NHS (National Health Service) is the public health service for those within the United Kingdom. While many believe that they are using it for free, it’s funded by the taxpayer. Still, in any given emergency, the sick and wounded are guaranteed medical attention, whether it’s through a refined bed management system or the bedside manner of a doctor or nurse. In the end, despite the few faults it has, the NHS is a point of pride in the UK.

In their quest to help and heal, the NHS has slowly been going digital in their operations to boost their efficiency. Consequently, let’s look at what changes they’re making.

Hospital Bed Management System

Anything that improves patient care is a big plus. Of course, it used to be that everything was documented on paper; patient data, diagnosis, bed availability, staff information, and any other administrative information. When it’s all getting scattered over receptionist desks, left behind in wards five floors away, or stored with a hundred other files in a filing cabinet, it can hinder productivity and efficiency.

Consequently, the NHS has now gone digital and implemented a bed management system. It partly uses automation to improve staff administration time and refine patient care. Moreover, it also provides real time data through the staff member’s screen, giving them updates on the patient’s wellbeing or even the availability of beds in their ward. Ultimately, boosting patient care in this way refines the service the NHS provides, and allows them to deal with patients in a timely manner.

GP and Patient Relations

Healthcare in the UK typically begins with the GP (General Practitioner), unless they’re bypassed for a trip to A&E (Accident and Emergency). Poorly people will sit in the waiting room as they wait to see their GP, a doctor who will refer them on to specialist treatment or prescribe them medication then and there. It’s straightforward, but often the process of getting seen is bogged down.

However, the NHS is now implementing different digital processes to make seeing a GP a far faster event. For example, they’re introducing online consultations, allowing patients to have lengthier discussions with their family doctor. Moreover, the NHS are linking up their IT systems at reception to streamline patient data into an organised algorithm. Managing appointments for administration staff has just become far easier and will likely reduce the waiting times patients must endure before they secure treatment.

Electronic Referral Service

Patients are being managed effectively via other digital means too. The NHS’ Electronic Referral Service was first put into action in 2015, helping patients have a degree of control over the appointments they sign up for. Of course, there’s a degree of comfort in partially customising the healthcare one receives, and it boosts understanding between the medical experts and the patient.

The e-referral service allows patients to check appointment details, and both change and cancel appointments. Sometimes, they can also choose between different hospitals and clinics for their treatment too, and it can all be done online from the comfort of their own home. They can also choose private medical care if they provide services to the NHS. In the end, this level of choice can make people feel more in control of the medical battles they’re fighting.




Things New Moms Should Be Prepared For

October 23, 2018 by

newborn

It might seem like 9 months is a long time and you will have to wait forever before the baby comes, but trust me you will get the new baby before you know it. Meanwhile, the best way to utilize those 9 months is to be prepared for the baby. Think ahead about what you need to be ready for. I am here to provide you with tips on what new moms should be prepared for.

6 Things New Moms Should Be Prepared for:

  1. Trust Your Instincts: You should realize that it is your baby and you carried him for 9 months and that you two are connected. Trusting your instinct. I mean do not to look up every single thing in google. Google might often confuse you when it comes to these things. If Google says you need to feed the baby every 3 hours and your baby starts crying after 2 hours then screw Google. If you think your baby is hungry, then feed him. No need to trust Google on everything.
  2. Learn the signals: It will take your baby at least a year to start speaking a bit, but what should you do before that? Learn some common cues that the baby does. The baby will not simply start crying all of a sudden, it will start to suck fingers, reach out with arms and legs etc. Look out for these cues and when you see them, start feeding him/her before the screaming or crying starts.
  3. Learn to use the time: As per research, a newborn baby sleeps almost about 16 to 17 hours a day. Use that time to get yourself some sleep. Most common problem with new moms is the lack of sleep. They always complain about not getting enough sleep. What you should do is sleep along with the baby and not clean room or do any other chores. Get your 8-9 hours’ sleep every day when the baby sleeps. It is not essential for the baby to sleep all night, he might wake up 4 hours before the sunrise, so the best way to deal with sleep is to sleep when the baby is asleep.
  4. Home for the baby: Most of the new moms do not have big enough homes to raise their babies. You will need to give him a separate room. As the baby starts to grow, more privacy will be required. The best thing to do here is to either extend your house and make it bigger or buy a new house. Now, you do not need to worry too much when it comes to buying a new house with not so good credit history or with a little money. You can easily get a bad credit mortgage loan if you want to. There are a lot of online mortgage lenders that can help new parents such as LendingTree, CitiMortgage, Navy Federal etc.
  5. Pediatrician: You need to start looking for a good family doctor for the baby. A good pediatrician is really essential for the time when the baby is growing. The best time to look for a good pediatrician is during the pregnancy. Take help from your partner and both go out and look for the best doctor out there during the pregnancy period.
  6. Divide The chores: Sit with your partner and talk about the chores before the baby comes. You will not be able to do all the household chores alone after the baby arrives. You will need help from your partner. Make a list of all the household works and decide who gets to do what.

Conclusion:

Raising a baby can be really tough at first, but planning ahead can make things a lot easier. Read more and more books during the pregnancy and ask for advice from other veteran mothers. Good luck!




Advantages of Being A Housewife

October 19, 2018 by

housewife

The family is the most basic unit and building block of our society. According to statistics in 2017, there are around 82.18 million families in the US. A typical American family usually consists of around 3 people unless you have an extended family member living under the same roof, then it may include grandparents, aunts, uncles, and other relatives.

A family whether bonded by consanguinity, affinity, or residence is usually composed of a father, mother, and child. Each of these family positions bears responsibility and importance. Today, we will talk about the importance of mothers, especially stay-at-home moms.

Around 79% of mothers have proper employment, or what we call working moms, while about 29 percent prefers to stay at home. These women choose probably the most important task a person can have, taking care of loved ones. Here are some advantages of being a housewife.

Happy Marriage

Being a stay-at-home mother can help develop and progress your marriage and overall relationship with your husband. Apart from the “power” you have unsolicitedly given him the moment you take his last name, your husband also has the right to be served by you. As a housewife, you take care of the kids, the house, and of course your husband. You attend to all his needs and that gives you a position to be valued.

If you just started to become a housewife, gradually you will notice how dependent your kids, and most especially your husband, will be to you. This puts you in the position of authority at home. In the morning, he will always ask you for his coffee made with love or to be served with dinner with a kiss on the head. You will understand these words when he asks you for something, not because it’s a favor, but because everything you do, he knows, feels extra special.

Better Home Economics

When both parents are working, it obviously results to more income for the household, but in return it also requires less family time and more expenses. Child care can be very expensive. Gas money, when both are using respective cars, can be huge. Work clothing is an additional expense. All these combined does not appear to be sound economics.

Being a housewife allows you to have minimal expenses for yourself and budget your husband’s money more precisely. Without traditional employment, you are relieved of the financial stresses of transportation and other related costs . It prevents any financial crises like debt because you can focus on safeguarding your family’s needs and money.

The Pleasure of Seeing The Kids Grow Up

If you are scared of the time when your kids will leave your house to be independent individuals, then you better opt to be a housewife. Being a stay-at-home mom will give you the opportunity to cherish every moment of your kid’s childhood, and never miss your kid’s milestones. You will be in every picture of your child’s precious memories. Memories that will one day become their foundation for individuality, characteristics, and values.

You will be given the chance and honor to mold the person they will become someday. It’s not like you can go back in time when you feel like you missed out on their important moments in life. No time machine can compare to the time and devotion a mother can offer to their kids.

More Freedom

When you are a housewife, you are free from any restrictions brought by a profession, career, or work position. Your house is your own corporation. You run it, improve it, and expand it if you must. As a stay-at-home mom you can have more time for your family, friends, and yourself. You can indulge on home skills you always wanted to learn.

Maybe you have been meaning to learn how to bake a cookie, create a Spanish paella, or make your very own food recipe. All this and more you can do when you choose to be a stay at home mom. You just need to know what to prioritize and learn proper time management.




How to Ensure Your Kids Arrive Home Safe

October 19, 2018 by

kids room

From the moment our children are born we are trying to keep them safe. We build a safe nursery, baby proof the entire home, background check the babysitters and more. Parents do the best they can, but eventually the time will come when they are out of our hands. They eventually have to go to school, spend time with friends, and then get a job. One thing you can continue to do as a parent however is helping to ensure that they come back home safely. Here are just a few ways you can do this.

Confirm Pickup Times

As your kids get older, they will start to have more activities outside the house – after school clubs, sports teams, music lessons, etc. Each one of these will likely require both a ride there and a ride back. However, we parents also have busy schedules, and sometimes the times can get a little mixed up.

That’s why it’s important to make sure you’ve confirmed what time your child needs to be picked up and at what location. You don’t want your kid waiting around in an empty parking lot because you thought you had another thirty minutes before you needed to go get them. In most of these situations there will be other adults around who won’t leave your kid there alone, but it’s still good practice to confirm pickup times when you drop them off.

Have Them Check in With You

Eventually your child will get to the age where you can leave them home by themselves. They no longer need to go to a babysitter after school, but can instead head straight home. If both parents are working, this means you won’t be there to see that your kid arrived home safely.

To fix this, make sure your child always checks in with you. They should give you a call as soon as they get home to let you know they arrived safely. Let them know that if they are unable to do this, their home alone privileges will have to be revoked. Here are some additional tips for letting your kid stay home alone.

Keep in Touch with Other Parents

For many activities your child will be with other kids their age. This means that their parents will also be picking up and dropping off their kids as well. It’s a good idea to become friendly with these parents and to keep in touch with them. If you do so, you can then set up a carpool, so that each parent doesn’t have to worry about driving their kid.

When you set up a carpool however, it’s a good idea to double check with the other parents so that everyone knows who is responsible for pickup that day. Make sure you are forming the carpool with parents that you trust, so that you can rest easy knowing they will get your child home safely.

Teach Your Kids Good Driving Habits

Once your kids get to a certain age they will start driving themselves around. You won’t have to worry about picking up them up at a certain time any more, but instead will have some new worries. Are they driving safe? Is their car reliable? Are they following the rules of the road?

While you can’t police every action your kids take while driving, you can at least instill some good habits. Talk to them about the importance of following the speed limit, buckling up, and keeping their phone away. If you catch them doing anything dangerous while they drive, don’t be afraid to take their keys away for a week. Instilling good driving habits will help to keep your kids safe while on the road and that they get home in one piece.

Tell Them When Not to Drive

Finally, sometimes the most important thing you can do is make sure your kids don’t get home. There are cases where it’s best that your kids just stay where they are and come home another time. For example, maybe the weather turned bad while they were out, and the roads are no longer safe to drive. Or maybe they had a few drinks at a party. While you may not be happy about this behavior, you would still rather them be safe then lie to you about it.

Encourage them to stay where they are or find another way home if necessary. Offer to come pick them up, or have them get a ride from a sober friend. You could even have them sign up for a rideshare app like Uber, if this is their only option. While there are some problems with apps like Uber (which you can read about from this Uber accident lawyer), it’s likely a better alternative than driving home under the influence.

Getting Your Kids Home Safe

There’s a lot that you can do to protect your kids at home, but not as much when they are out in the world. The best thing you can do is make sure they get back safe, and that they are practicing safe habits. Hopefully this article was able to give you some ideas and your kids will always find their way back home safe and sound.




How to Help Your Kids Overcome Dental Anxiety

October 14, 2018 by

dental pain

If dental anxiety is popular in adults, it’s even more common in children who don’t always know what’s happening or why they’re being poked and prodded. As a parent, you can help make dental visits more comfortable for your children by proactively addressing their fears and reservations.

Understanding Dental Anxiety

Dental anxiety is overwhelmingly frequent in children. According to one study, some level of dental anxiety was found to be present in 74.1 percent of children. Roughly 36 percent of children have moderate anxiety, 17 percent have a high level of anxiety, and more than 20 percent have severe anxiety. The study shows that the gender of the child has no significant bearing on the presence or severity of anxiety.

“Dental fear is a normal emotional reaction to one or more specific threatening stimuli within the dental situation, while [dental anxiety] denotes a state of apprehension that something dreadful will happen in relation to dental treatment, coupled with a sense of losing control,” a separate study on the topic explains. “Dental phobia represents a severe type of [dental anxiety] and is characterized by marked and persistent anxiety in relation either to clearly discernible situations/objects (e.g., drilling, injections) or to dental situations in general.”

4 Ways to Help Kids Deal With Dental Anxiety

As a parent, you want to address dental fear before it becomes dental anxiety, though this isn’t always possible. At the very least, you should do your best to prevent dental anxiety from progressing into full-blown dental phobia.

Here are some ways you can help your children fight against this:

  1. Practice Good Oral Care at Home

The best thing you can do for your child is to practice good oral hygiene with them at home. This is true for two reasons: (1) It reduces the likelihood that they’ll have dental issues – such as cavities, gum disease, or other problems that create the need for painful or invasive dental procedures. (2) The more a child grows accustomed to brushing teeth, flossing, and having their mouth/teeth poked and prodded, the less alarming it will be in a dental office.

  1. Choose the Right Dentist

The right dentist makes all the difference in the world. This is true for adults, but especially for children who need to feel safe.

“A great dental practice will want to do everything they can to make you feel comfortable during your dental visit,” Capstone Clintonville Dentist explains. “This includes being empathetic to your fears, using modern dental technologies to reduce drilling sounds, and providing you with safe anesthetic options to eliminate or significantly reduce pain.”

If you can choose the same dentist for yourself and your children, this is best. It further enhances the overall comfort level.

  1. Take Children Regularly

If you only take your child to the dentist once every couple of years, it’s going to be harder for them to get comfortable with the experience. If, however, they go every six months for a teeth cleaning, it becomes part of their regular, anticipated routine.

  1. Try Systematic Desensitization

A recent study of children ages five to 17 (with moderate dental anxiety) asked participants to look at photographs for a few minutes in the waiting room before being seen as patients. The photographs included positive images of dentistry and dental treatment procedures (as well as some neutral images that served as the control).

“The study concluded that viewing positive images of dentistry and dentists did result in short-term reductions in anticipatory anxiety in children, signifying that exposure is a successful intervention tool for children with dental anxiety,” counselor Emily Powell Bass writes. “If this visual exposure technique is used, it would be important to ensure that all materials are age appropriate.”

Whether formally or informally, the more you can desensitize children to the elements of dentistry that they fear, the less anxiety they should feel in the long run. The efficacy of this approach will depend on how much anxiety is already present and what the child’s past experiences have been.

Make Regular Dental Care a Priority

When it’s an emotional experience for everyone involved, it’s easy to stop taking your child to the dentist. You may figure it’s not worth it, so you fail to schedule their next teeth cleaning appointment. But before you know it, one missed visit will turn into two, which will turn into four, five, and six. And when it’s all said and done, you’re doing your child a disservice by ignoring the underlying issue and setting them up for bad oral hygiene in the future.

Your child isn’t alone in dealing with dental anxiety. You need to do something about it before it has adverse effects in other areas. Visit the right dentist – one who understands and acknowledges dental anxiety in children – and teach your child to face their fears.




Memory Loss Issues after Baby Birth

October 3, 2018 by

memory loss

Source

Childbirth is undoubtedly a life changing experience. It shifts your perspective on life and forces you to reset your priorities.  Having a tiny person who totally depends on you is a huge responsibility, and you might find yourself overwhelmed by the fear of failure. Not only that, the sudden drop of hormones accompanied by the social and psychological pressures tends to stress out mommies beyond their limits.Consequently, a common condition noted among mothers is the decline of cognitive functioning which is also known as “the mommy’s brain”.

With the new status of motherhood, you feel like a completely different person. There are instances where you enter into a room and completely forget why you were there although there are pills that help memory recall. Sometimes, you are at a loss of words while having a normal conversation. Indeed, such moments are depressing, but there is nothing to be ashamed of. You have recently entered into a new phase, and your mind needs to readjust. Studies reveal that two-thirds of women face some degree of memory loss or confusion during pregnancy period or after childbirth. This sharp memory lapse is mainly due to sleep deprivation, mundane multi-tasking and the burden of keeping everything normal at both work and home.

Research also tells us that a mothers’ brain shrinks during pregnancy and for up to two years postpartum. It might seem unreal, but that’s true. The gray matter, which is the outer layer of the brain, reduces in size after pregnancy. This portion of the brain executes the function of social cognition. By the reduction of this area, the brain erases less significant neural information and makes space for the new demands of social connection. The term coined for this trimming is “synaptic pruning”. It enables the mother to develop a deep connection with her baby and enhances the maternal bonding among them.

This explanation makes it quite clear that mommy’s brain is an unavoidable phenomenon. So, take some time to process the change within you, embrace it and hold your head up high. You are not doing a bad job; the memory loss at this point isjust natural. Thankfully, following some pretty simple ways will allow you to deal with this phase and be a pro at all that you do. Here is a brief list of steps that can help you overcome the forgetfulness and brain fog that tags along with motherhood:

Establish a routine for yourself and baby

Baby routine

Source

Generally, sleep deprivation hampers the ability to think, process and retain information. Dementia test reveal how irregular sleeping patterns and lack of sleep can cause a cognitive malfunction. While in the case of mothers, a properly established sleep cycle is essential to keep the baby healthy and your brain at peace.

If you want your baby to sleep through the night, it is really important to keep them awake for longer hours during the day. Set up a feeding schedule and make sure their tummies are full during that time. Also, make sure they stay up for a certain time before going to sleep. Many mothers may question this theory stating that this might obstruct the baby’s overall growth. It is a false statement. If a baby sleeps overnight and takes short nap times during the day, they are more probable to grow well as compared to the ones who frequently wake up during the night for feeding.Eventually, your baby gets used to the schedule and will maintain that for years to come.

While the baby sleeps, you can get done with the remaining chores and make up for the missed hours of sleep. It will certainly leave you fresh, calm and ready to deal with the challenges of the next day.

Stick to a healthy diet

Healthy diet

Source

There is an ongoing hormonal fluctuation in your body, and the recent transition into motherhood is already taking a toll on your mind. Given such conditions, the best way to get back to normal is through diet and exercise. Thus, enrich your diet with foods that are good for your brain. A few such nutrients include whole grains, fish, nuts, spinach, avocado, berries and red meat.Besides that, make sure you drink lots of water to retain adequate levels of hydration within your body. Dehydration, in general, leads to exhaustion and triggers short-term memory problems.

Regular exercise is a must

exercise

Source

A multitude of research and examinations reveal that exercise limits the memory loss and curbs away all cognitive problems. Brain tests for dementia, for instance, prove how people who indulge in regular exercise are more resistant to brain problems in contrast to the ones who follow a sedentary lifestyle for prolonged periods. Therefore, physical activity does wonders for your brain.

It is especially needed for mommies to work out regularly as along with their mind their bodies also need to heal. Ideally, you must focus on the exercises that will strengthen your pelvic and abdominal muscles as they become quite weak after carrying the baby within for nine months.

The bottom line is that regular exercise is beneficial for your brain as well as your body.

 Get organized

organisedThe most useful practice during this phase of mommy’s brain is to make a list of important things to-do and take notes. At the beginning of each week, jot down all the upcoming tasks, appointments and other events in a notebook or an electronic planner. Next, make a habit of carrying the planner around or keep it at an easily accessible place. You are certainly going to be distracted on a few days, so better not let the haze overwhelm you. Hence, a to-do list is the best solution as it makes you stay at the top of your game throughout the week.

There is no way you can fight back the biological factors that cause memory loss in the first place, but that doesn’t mean you have no power at all. If you are ready to restructure your lifestyle, give up a few unhygienic habits and adopt healthier ones, you are soon going to get past this phase.

A little effort on your part saves you from a lot of hassle later on and allows you to rejoice every moment with your precious little angel.

ABOUT Alycia Gordan

AlyciaAlycia Gordan is a freelance writer who loves to read and write articles on healthcare technology, fitness and lifestyle. She is a tech junkie and divides her time between travel and writing. You can find her on Twitter: @meetalycia




12 Ways to Keep Kids Occupied At Weddings

October 1, 2018 by

girl
Weddings are a special occasion. It is special for the bride and groom that have decided to spend the rest of their lives together, it is special for the families getting together after a long time and reconnecting with each other, and it can also be a special occasion for the cute little kids attending the ceremony if we put in a little effort to keep them occupied. It is too much to expect children to remain quiet during the wedding ceremony, as they would prefer to play games and eat candy instead. While planning for a wedding, we should not do so by keeping only the adult guests in mind. It is important to invest time and resources into ensuring that our little guests are equally comfortable! However, we have made your work a lot easier by putting together a list of things you can do at your wedding to keep the kids entertained, and not cranky. It doesn’t cost much to set up a play area for the kids, or arrange a few kid-friendly snacks! Given below is a list of 12 things you can do to keep the kids occupied at weddings.

1. A bouncing castle

Kids can get easily bored during a wedding ceremony, so having a bouncing castle set up on site is a great way to keep the little ones occupied! Have a few teenagers take turns to keep an eye on the kids, and be assured that they will have the time of their lives!

2. Crayons at their table!

This is an absolutely adorable idea that instantly brightens up the kids table! Have tiny cylindrical cups with crayons placed on the table for each child, along with a bunch of coloring books. These are bound to make the little ones happy and quiet during the ceremony!

3. Kid-friendly food

You can be assured that fancy finger food will not impress kids. They are also your guests, and it is important to include some kid-friendly items in the menu. Keep in mind that milk and cookies, hot dogs and candy are their favorite!

4. Appoint a babysitter

The best way for both adults and kids to have a good time at the wedding is if there is a trusted babysitter to take care of the children. Have the sitter seated at the kids table, or kid’s room where she can keep an eye on the kids. In this way, the parents can enjoy themselves without any worry!

5. Bubble Station

This is one idea that is bound to get the little ones super excited! How adorable does this bubble station look? This is perfect for an outdoor wedding or reception, so the kids can be occupied for hours!

6. A “Cookies & Milk” Bar

During the day, there might be a long gap between meals when the ceremony is going on. Kids start to get hungry quickly, and what will make them more excited than their favorite cookies and milk? I absolutely love this table of cookies; with so many varieties and the eye-catching labels! If you make your “Cookies & Milk” bar so impressive, then the adults might also start stealing from the cookie jar!

To complement the delicious cookies is this lovely milk station. Include different flavors like chocolate, strawberry and soy milk! The milk can be served in these adorable little milk bottles. A long queue of excited kids is bound to be formed at this counter!

7. Kids love to dance!

Have a time slot for only the kids to dance. They are bound to love it!

8. I-SPY!

Kids love games, and the best way to keep them occupied during the
long wedding ceremony is by engaging them in a game of i-spy. Equip each child with a disposable camera, and a list of all the things
that they need to take pictures of! The kids will be really excited, and bonus- you get great pictures from your wedding!

9. Popcorn Bar

For many years, popcorn has been an effective tool to keep us quiet during movies. During the solemn wedding ceremony, nothing can be more awkward that the sound of sulky whining kids who are bored. The best way to keep them entertained is having them equipped with a tub of popcorn with amazing toppings! How cute does this easy-to-set-up popcorn bar look?

10. Fun centerpieces

Nothing can get kids more excited than Lego! Have a bowl of Lego at each kids table and be assured that they will be occupied when the best man makes his toast! You can also grab their attention with this adorable lollipop centerpiece!

11. Games!

You can set up both indoor and outdoor games to keep the little ones engaged while the adults socialize. For an outdoor activity, you can arrange for a ring-toss game or a friendly game of tug-of-war for the kids. For an indoor set-up, you could set up tables with board games like this one!

12. Set up a kids-only zone

Setting up a kids-only zone is a wonderful idea because the kids have their own space to have fun. You could appoint a known babysitter to stay with the kids at all times. While the adults are dancing and enjoying themselves all night long, the kids can huddle up and watch a movie, or take nap.




Why Family Involvement is Important to Overcome Addiction

September 27, 2018 by

Drug addiction

Drug and alcohol abuse does not only affect the individual in question; the effects also extend to their family and friends. There is a breaking of relationships, and everyone involved is hurt in some way because of the loss of trust and increase of anger. When you have a loved one struggling with an addiction, whether it be from alcoholism to trying to overcome heroin addiction. you easily feel helpless about the whole situation, and you begin to blame yourself for the things that are happening.

The good news is that you are not alone in experiencing the pain and anger that comes due to addiction. It is often referred to as a ‘family disease’, because it affects everyone in the individual’s life. It is therefore wise to involve the person’s family and friends in the recovery process, as they can also act as a source of support for the person even after recovery. There are also various ways you can participate in the process to understand prevention of relapses, and seeking social support.

Since addiction recovery is a lifelong journey, you cannot also expect that your friend or loved one will come back from the drug rehab facility being all fine and never struggling again in their lives – this attitude is a recipe for disaster, and can easily result in relapses. Your support is therefore very important to them, and here are some steps you can follow to help.

Understanding that treatment is not a ‘fix all’ for everything

chronic disease

Because addiction is a chronic disease, you cannot fix it all in one session of treatment. Therefore, expecting that your loved one will return from treatment having ‘completely healed’ is a dangerous and unrealistic assumption to make, and could set your loved one up to suffer a relapse.

Regardless of the length of time your loved one has spent in treatment, and whether they have gone through inpatient or outpatient treatment, it still remains that the results of addiction will trouble them even after the treatment period is over.

In rehabilitation, it is also essential to understand that there will be challenges you and your loved one will face because of addiction. These include recovery from debt and other difficulties in your financial status, recurring issues with their health due to drug abuse, them trying to regain steady employment and source of income, and also rebuilding of trust and damaged relationships.

Remain supportive and involved in their lives

Support

When the person completes their rehab treatment program, it is very important to keep in mind that you may have to change your lifestyle, both for the family and friends of the person. This means that you do not take them out for alcoholic or drug outings, and your home remains a drug and alcohol free zone.

This is particularly important when your loved one is in the early stages of their recovery journey. When you intentionally create an environment of sobriety in the home, it will also decrease their chances of slipping back into drug and alcohol abuse.

It is a fact that the first days of recovery are lonely ones, because the person has lost many of their friends, needs to let go of the toxic friendships built on drug and alcohol abuse, and also needs to repair their own relationships with themselves and the people that matter to them. When they are given sufficient support as well as understanding, thanks to close friends and family, their success in sobriety is better guaranteed. They can also check addiction rehabs for treating alcohol addiction.

Make sure to find support for yourself

Support for yourself

The fact remains that taking care of an individual in addiction or a loved one that has left addiction is a tiring process. They are therefore not the only ones who need help – you require some help as well.

As you take care of their needs, do not forget about yourself. It is not going to be an easy process, but you need to find an outlet where you can express how you feel, avoid blaming yourself, and allow yourself to heal from the emotional wounds. In addition, you also learn that you are not responsible for the decisions of anyone, except your own – and that includes realizing you have no control over the choices your loved one makes. You also learn that you cannot force them to change, and they alone have the power over that decision.

In fact, this only serves to remind you that there is no shame in asking for help, so make sure you have some healthy activities to fall back on, and a proper and strong support system. For instance, you can try out support group meetings, where you can hear the stories of others who have been through the same thing, join a local gym, go for some one-on-one therapy sessions, journal your feelings, and make some time to take care of yourself.

All of these activities will give you a mental and emotional boost to cope with the stress you have endured so far.

It is important to understand and decrease stress in your own life

Decrease stress

According to statistics from the NIH (National Institute of Health), among the major reasons of people getting into alcohol and drug abuse, as well as relapses, is due to stress in their lives. This is the reason why getting to understand stress will let you know your loved one is also struggling with it during their recovery process.

It will also help in knowing specific stress triggers that increase the chances of your loved one slipping back into the world of drug abuse. They include health issues, their relationships with their friends and family, school or work situations, problems in their financial state, and exposure to triggers of their drug, alcohol or signs of Xanax abuse.

When you acknowledge these factors, you can assist them to cope in better ways, such as going for therapy sessions and exercise.

Final thoughts

When dealing with a loved one in the recovery process of drug rehab, it is important to understand them and yourself. The addiction might be affecting them, but their recovery depends on your actions.




10 Quotes That Show The Strength of Special Needs Parents

September 17, 2018 by

family
C.S Lewis famously said, “Experience: that most brutal of teachers. But you learn, my God do you learn.” This couldn’t be more accurate; being a special needs parent teaches us three important things, among others- to love unconditionally, to protect ferociously and to find strength during adversity. Being a special needs parent can be both challenging, and rewarding. It is hard to see your child go through so much with the endless doctor appointments and the difficulty in being independent. At the same time, it is beautiful to see your big boy take his first steps, or make a new friend. They have this remarkable ability to light up a room with their smile, and never hesitate in letting us know how much they love us. This is what helps special needs parents gather the strength to wake up every morning, put on a brave smile and take care of their special child. We have interviewed a number of special needs moms, who have been kind enough to anonymously share their thoughts on being a special needs parent- the good, bad and ugly. You might be a special needs parent, or you might know somebody who is. This article is dedicated to all the special needs parents out there. We hope it gives you strength, courage and determination to keep doing what you do best. You are indeed special.

1. “I eagerly wait for my son to do something new. Last week, he rode a bicycle on his own! It was such a special day for us. The best part is that he will always remain a child at heart, no matter how old he grows. Just like Peter Pan! ”

2. “I have learnt so much from my son. It is really hard for me to be a special needs mom; there is so much to learn and so much to do. Yet, every time I look at my little boy, I can see that he is holding on to the hope that his mother will guide him through all the obstacles. That’s what keeps me going.”

3. “Being a special needs mother has taught me how to be more compassionate towards others. When my son was born, so many friends and relatives came forward to help me out. When we are at the hospital, the staff is warm and always ready to help. I make it a point to help out new special needs moms and let them know that I am there for them.”

4. “People come up to me and ask, “What’s wrong with your child?”, and I say,” Nothing, she’s perfect.” I’m not offended. I know that she may look different, and may speak differently, but she’s trying to learn and do everything on her own, and I couldn’t be prouder.”

5. “It can get lonely. From the day my son was diagnosed, I’ve not had time for myself. I’ve lost touch with my friends, and it has been years since my husband and I have gone out on a date. I’m not complaining, but I feel a little better when I accept it.”

6. “My daughter is my biggest inspiration in life. Every time I feel like giving up, I recall how far my little girl has come. She’s gotten through all the numerous doctor appointments, the stares of rude people and has even started going to school! She gives me the strength to keep going.”

7. “It is wonderful to be the mother of such a special boy. I was so overwhelmed when he took the effort to make a beautiful card for my birthday. It’s the little things like this that I will cherish forever.”

8. “I had a choice, and I chose to adopt a special needs child. I don’t see why I shouldn’t have; I have the money and resources to look after him. More than that, I have a lot of love to give. When I saw him for the first time at an orphanage, his smile just lit up the entire room. That was when I knew that he was the one for me. “

9. “The world has started to be more tolerant, and people have started accepting that special needs children have a place in society. That makes me happy, because it means that my little girl can lead a normal life.”

10. “I never thought that I could do it. When I realized that my son is a special needs child, I broke down and cried my heart out. Life seemed to be so unfair, and I felt weak and vulnerable. But the next day, I woke up and vowed to myself that I would do anything in my power to protect my little boy for as long as I live. I haven’t turned back ever since.”




How to Heal a Broken Heart

August 28, 2018 by
Broken heart

If you ever had your heart broken by someone you love, you know that everything in life seems to lose its meaning after a breakup. The only thing you care about is if your ex will send you that text, reaching out with a rekindling message like “i miss you..” so you can get back together again.

If you find yourself in this situation or have a friend that’s currently facing a breakup, good news, i’m about to share some tips to improve the situation. And no, I’m not talking about Netflix & Ben n jerry’s marathon type of advise. Here is some two healthy actions you can take towards recovering from a breakup:

Number one: Reach out to an old friend for a coffee

People are great mood changes! You probably recognize the feeling when you and a friend have planned a get together, but your having a bad day so you’re not feeling like it anymore. But as the good friend you are you end up going anyways, and to your surprise, your mood changes because your friend takes you off your a mind, and afterwards you feel grateful that you got together.

Why an old friend, does not my best friend work?

The reason and old friend is good it’s because it keeps you from falling into your habitual behaviours you have with your closest friends. You want to put yourself in a new situation so you can feel present and alert. This will feel like a splash of cold water in the face, it will wake you up.

So take up your phone and send a message or call to a friend you haven’t been in touch with for a while that you know will cheer you up.

Number Two: Invest and improve yourself

After a breakup there can be a lot of emotional pain, you might feel that this is the time where you are supposed to crawl down in your bed and just watch movies until the pain vanishes.

Do this and you be wasting a great opportunity!

You see, in order to make improvement with our ourselves we have to change, it’s simply impossible to improve something in our lives while staying the same, change happens outside our comfort zones.

The problem here is that were not designed to wanna to push ourselves outside our comfort zones, we are designed to maintain survival, not peak performance.

Another word for comfort zone could be “survival zone”, it’s a place your body and mind feel safe. Your body and mind knows that if your actions stays within this zones you’re more likely to survive, so it’s does everything to keep your action inside these zones.

This is why people struggle with reaching new goals and make changes in their lives.

Breakup pain creates an opportunity for growth!

Let me explain.

When were experiencing pain our body and mind gets more open to change. The pain sends a message to our brain and body and its saying: “we can’t stay like this, we are under attack, something needs to change”.

So this is the time to cultivate pain and make sure it’s works for you and not against you..

Since you’re feeling low, it does not really matter what you do, in every direction you go there will be pain, so you might as well make sure you head in the best direction possible.

So start take actions that will make your life better than it was before the pain even started. Break up expert Patric Tarnhamn talks about this in his post about the no contact rule, that is designed to help you get your ex back.

List of ideas with healthy changes and new habits:

  • Start working out and create your dream body
  • Buy some self improvement books and start a daily reading habit
  • Create a mindfulness habit like yoga or meditation
  • Make new friends and connections by networking at social events
  • Try new hobbies with a friend or by yourself

The idea is to do new activities that also contributes to personal growth so that when done habitual for a longer timeframe, your will experience identity change as a result of personal growth.




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