Are you a Facebook addict?

There is no need to convince you that Facebook addiction is reality in today's world. So many people suffer from it and so many of them don't even realize they are addicted. Day after day people spend countless (and priceless) hours in internet social networks. If we think about this phenomenon reasonably, we will undoubtedly reveal the fact that this is costing more to individuals than it is giving to them.

When someone doesn't even recognize he's addicted, curing and liberation is almost impossible. This holds true for Facebook addiction too, despite the fact that it's a psychological and not a physical addiction. This article is intended for everyone who wishes to recognize whether or not they are addicted to Facebook (or any other social network). It will also be useful for those who want to analyze the compulsive behaviors of their friends and relatives.

So how exactly could we define "Facebook addiction"? As I already said, it is a psychological condition. Those who suffer from it frequently feel the urge to use Facebook, and this urge goes beyond the normal and natural necessity. While 30 mins or an hour a day are more than enough for most people to check their Facebook pages and accomplish a ton of stuff, those who are addicted exceed this time significantly. More often than not their time spent in Facebook has no other purpose than the stay itself. They feel a need to satisfy their emotional needs through the use of Facebook and this has become a daily compulsion.

From an outsider's perspective the behavior of a Facebook addict might seem completely irrational and odd. But a quick analysis of the traits of Facebook as a stimulation providing service reveals that addiction is a quite natural consequence. Facebook simulates a community, it lacks pain and risk of rejection (in contrast to real world) and it stimulates various human emotions. These are all traits that turn Facebook into an irresistible temptation.

I want to give you some of the best ways to recognize Facebook addiction. Still, let me warn you that they all require you to be honest with yourself. Really look at how you (or anyone else) spend your days and how you feel about Facebook.

Here are some of the basic signs of Facebook addiction:

1. You check your Facebook first thing in the morning and last thing before you go to sleep.
2. You spend more than 2 hours a day in Facebook.
3. You feel an urge to login whenever you feel bored.
4. You prefer more to communicate through Facebook with your friends than going out with them.
5. Spending 2 days without Facebook seems impossible to you.
6. Most of your friends on Facebook are people you don't even know.

Watch out for other signs in your daily behaviors that may not be included in this list.

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Diabetes & Women

There are a few signs connected with diabetes which you'll find are commonplace both in men and in women. With diabetes type 1 and type 2, these consist of extreme thirst, urinating very often, exhaustion and also continual cravings for food. There are symptoms which show up in diabetes type 2 when it advances, like eyesight troubles as well as continued infections in the bladder, skin as well as the gums.

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What Is Sleep Apnea? Causes, Risk Factors, and Effects

Sleep apnea is a fairly common sleep disorder that can affect both adults and children. It causes you to stop breathing or experience low breathing at certain points during sleep. Each period of not breathing is known as an apnea and can last anywhere from a few seconds to minutes. This can occur any number of times from 5 to 30 or more every hour. The condition can be diagnosed by spending a night in a sleep lab and suffers have problems with daytime fatigue, slowed reactions and vision problems. There are three different types of this condition which we will detail below.

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Smoking, Alcohol and Contraceptives may case Migraine Headaches

Over time, a few theories have been explored as being the cause of migraine headaches. However, people today can attest to the fact that specific things cause migraines in their case.

What Causes Migraine Headaches - The Theories Explored

Back in the 1940s, scientists believed that migraine-headaches were triggered by an initial spasm that partially closed the arteries leading to the cerebrum. This, they believed, caused a decrease in the blood flow to part of the brain, hence the sudden headache and severe pain.

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5 Yoga Poses for Depression and Anxiety

A person, suffering with depression, might feel hopeless, sad, anxious, and irritated on a regular basis. There are many forms of therapy for depression, and seeking professional counseling (psychotherapy) is a wise step forward. Support groups, social support, lifestyle changes, and many prescription medications are available to help people cope with depression. Sadly, there are cases when the side effects of prescriptions can be difficult to bear. Medication can be a viable solution or it can become a short-term answer for symptoms.

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How Yoga protects the Brain from Depression and Anxiety

It's well-known that yoga has numerous health benefits and is often recommended for physical ailments such as back pain, but it's interesting to delve into the use of the ancient technique to improve mental well-being and provide a healthy outlook on life.Recent research in the United States found that three sessions of gentle yoga a week can help combat depression as it boosts levels of a chemical in the brain which is essential for a relaxed mind. 

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Positive and Negative Effects of Music on Health

Have you ever noticed when singing a song that the words seem to just pop right out with very little effort to remember the lyrics? If so, you are not alone. Studies have been done trying to answer the question of how people remember songs; by lyrics, melody, or title. The answer has a similar result that learning styles do with determining the best way people learn.

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Follow these guidelines for Better Health

Get the Screenings You Need:

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Screenings are tests that look for diseases before you have symptoms. Blood pressure checks and mammograms are examples of screenings. You can get some screenings, such as blood pressure readings, in your doctor’ s office. Others, such as mammograms, need special equipment, so you may need to go to a different office. After a screening test, ask when you will see the results and who to talk to about them.

• Breast Cancer. Ask your health care team whether a mammogram is right for you based on your age, family history, overall health, and personal concerns.
  

• Cervical Cancer. Have a Pap smear every 1 to 3 years if you are 21 to 65 years old and have been sexually active. If you are older than 65 and recent Pap smears were normal, you do not need a Pap smear. If you have had a hysterectomy for a reason other than cancer, you do not need a Pap smear.
  

• Chlamydia and Other Sexually Transmitted Diseases. Sexually transmitted diseases can make it hard to get pregnant, may affect your baby, and can cause other health problems. Have a screening test for Chlamydia if you are 24 or younger and sexually active. If you are older than 24, talk to your health care team about being screened for Chlamydia. Ask your doctor or nurse whether you should be screened for other sexually transmitted diseases.

• Colorectal Cancer. Have a screening test for colorectal cancer starting at age 50. If you have a family history of colorectal cancer, you may need to be screened earlier. Several different tests can detect this cancer. Your health care team can help you decide which is best for you.
  

• Depression. Your emotional health is as important as your physical health. Talk to your health care team about being screened for depression, especially if during the last 2 weeks: You have felt down, sad, or hopeless. You have felt little interest or pleasure in doing things.
  

• Diabetes. Get screened for diabetes if your blood pressure is higher than 135/80 or if you take medication for high blood pressure. Diabetes (high blood sugar) can cause problems with your heart, brain, eyes, feet, kidneys, nerves, and other body parts.

• High Blood Pressure. Starting at age 18, have your blood pressure checked at least every 2 years. High blood pressure is 140/90 or higher. High blood pressure can cause stroke, heart attack, kidney and eye problems, and heart failure.

• High Cholesterol. Starting at age 20, have your cholesterol checked regularly if:
  

1. You use tobacco.
2. You are obese.
3. You have diabetes or high blood pressure.
4. You have a personal history of heart disease or blocked arteries.
5. A man in your family had a heart attack before age 50 or a woman, before age 60.
   

• HIV. Talk with your health care team about HIV screening if any of these apply to you:
  

1. You have had unprotected sex with multiple partners.
2. You have injected drugs.
3. You exchange sex for money or drugs or have sex partners who do.
4. You have or had a sex partner who is HIV-infected, bisexual, or injects drugs.
5. You are being treated for a sexually transmitted disease.
6. You had a blood transfusion between 1978 and 1985.
7. You have any other concerns.Osteoporosis (Bone Thinning). Have a screening test at age 65 to make sure your bones are strong. If you are younger than 65, talk to your health care team about whether you should be tested.
   

• Overweight and Obesity. The best way to learn if you are overweight or obese is to find your body mass index (BMI). You can find your BMI by entering your height and weight into a BMI calculator. A BMI between 18.5 and 25 indicates a normal weight. Persons with a BMI of 30 or higher may be obese. If you are obese, talk to your doctor or nurse about seeking intensive counseling and help with changing your behaviors to lose weight. Overweight and obesity can lead to diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Preventive Medicines:

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If you have any of these risk factors take these preventive medicines If You Need Them

• Aspirin. If you are 55 or older, ask your health care team if you should take aspirin to prevent strokes.
  

• Breast Cancer Drugs. If your mother, sister, or daughter has had breast cancer, talk to your doctor about whether you should take medicines to prevent breast cancer.
  

Estrogen for Menopause (Hormone Replacement Therapy). Do not use estrogen to prevent heart disease or other diseases. If you need relief from symptoms of menopause, talk with your health care team.

• Immunizations.

1. Get a flu shot every year.
2. If you are 65 or older, get a pneumonia shot.
3. Depending on health problems, you may need a pneumonia shot at a younger age or need shots to prevent diseases like whooping cough or shingles. Talk with your health care team about whether you need vaccinations. You can also find which ones you need by going to.
   

Take Steps to Good Health:

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Be physically active and make healthy food choices. Get to a healthy weight and stay there. Balance the calories you take in from food and drink with the calories you burn off by your activities.

• Be tobacco free.
  

• If you drink alcohol, have no more than one drink per day. A standard drink is one 12-ounce bottle of beer or wine cooler, one 5- ounce glass of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits.

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Live Long and Prosper---Doctor's lounge (3)

It was a late fall Monday, during my third year of medical school. I had just finished a horrifically boring month of Geriatric Psychiatry at the VA hospital, and now was doing a month of Adult Psychiatry at the local psychiatric hospital. It was a locked ward, and every day we had to be buzzed in to the unit, and be buzzed out at the end of the day.
There were three medical students working the ward. We each took turns taking new patients when they were admitted and working them up. It was my turn to work up a new patient that had been brought in Sunday night.
The senior resident handed me the patient’s folder. It was a thin folder, suggesting that this was her first stay at the hospital – generally a good sign. The resident quickly dashed that hope.
“Mrs. D was brought to the ER last night for severe depression. There was no suicide attempt; her family was worried because she was staying in bed and not willing to move for the past week. Since being brought to the ward last night, she hasn’t moved at all; she’s just lay in bed staring at the ceiling.” She smiled a crooked smile at me. “Good luck.”
I looked through her chart and ER notes. There was nothing particularly alarming or interesting. She had been on outpatient treatment for depression on and off for about five years. No suicide attempts. No significant medical or family history. She was divorced with two teen-aged children.
I walked to her room, the last door on the left, opened it up and looked in. The room was dark, and a large woman was lying unmoving on the bed, staring at the ceiling. Her breathing was slow and steady and she did not seem to be in any kind of distress. I knocked and entered the room.
“Hello, ma’am. I’m the medical student, Scott. How are you doing today?”
There was no response. Not even a twitch of muscle or a flicker of eyelids.
I pulled a chair next to the head of the bed and sat down. I tried again, “Are you in any discomfort? Is there anything I can do?”
There was no change. She continued lying in bed, staring at the ceiling.
I pulled out the history form, and asked the first question. “How long have you been feeling depressed?”
No answer. No movement. It was like trying to talk to a brick wall. It was time to try a different tack.
“Tell me about your children. How old are they?”
This time there was a brief twitch of the eyes, but no other movement.
“Are you and your children getting ready for Thanksgiving?”
There was another eye twitch, but nothing else. Clearly, she could hear and probably respond, but was choosing not to.
“You were brought to the ER last night,” I said, getting no response. “So you missed Star Trek, (Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment series and media franchise) then.” This was Star Trek the Next Generation’s last season, and it was shown on Sunday nights in St. Louis.
Her eyes opened, and she turned her head my way. “Why? Did I miss anything important?” she asked. I laughed, and we spent the next hour talking about Star Trek.
Once up and out of bed, she recovered quickly and was home by the end of the week. We established a good rapport, and had many long talks. I was glad to see her get to go home, but also sad, because she was one of the few bright spots in an otherwise dreary rotation.
There was an important lesson to be learned: Where standard dialogue had failed, where even family concerns were not enough, Star Trek had triumphed.

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