Good article on how addiction and the brain works. The process of addiction and how it alters the brain is a complex process. Drugs themselves inhibit the ability of neurotransmitters to work properly. It also negatively affects dopamine outputs. Through rehab and new coping strategies these things can be reversed but addiction in the brain is a powerful thing to overcome.
Addiction can alter brain chemistry. Please also review our Substance Abuse Practitioner program
The article, “Addicted Brain: Dopamine and Substance Abuse” by Eric Hamilton states,
“People suffering from addiction are not always eager to go to rehab centers to treat their addiction. They may feel insecure, scared of judgments or just not motivated enough. Naturally, it’s hard to admit that their problem is that serious.”
Learning disabilities are a big issue for families and schools. Many children suffer from some type of learning disability. In fact, one in every five children have some type of learning disability from Dyslexia to Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder or ADHD. (1)
Learning Disabilities affect thousands of children and adults
Learning disabilities vary. The most prominent learning disability is Dyslexia or other forms of it in reading, writing and math. 39 percent of the learning disability population have some sort of Dyslexia, Dysgraphia or Dyscalculia. The second leading group comprises around 15 percent with dyspraxis or motor control and Attention Deficit. Roughly the same amount suffer from speech impairments. Around 10 percent are Autistic and the final percentages deal with emotional and other deeper intellectual issues. (2)
In response, schools create a variety of individual education programs but only 1 in 16 public school students with special needs receive the attention they need. 2.3 million students or 5 percent of the public population partakes in some type of IEP, while over 900,000 are enrolled in other health impairments. Hence it is important to understand these learning issues and help the children receive the help and aid they need to succeed.
With many perceptions on learning disabilities still not accurate enough within the general public, issues can arise when children are not properly care for. Most students with learning disabilities are bullied and misunderstood. This results in poorer academic success. In 2011, over 30 percent were held back a grade, and around 50 percent faced expulsion. Due to the bullying and lack of understanding by both parents and teachers, these numbers remain high. (3)
Parents themselves find themselves conflicted. One third of parents do not feel they can handle a child with a learning disability. Another third, understands the disability but feel they cannot properly help the child. Another third feel they can help their child and remain optimistic. (4)
If not helped, these children are three times more likely to drop out of school and two times more likely to be jobless. (5)
Parents and teachers need to become more proactive and aware as well. Unfortunately 33 percent of teachers feel children with learning disabilities are just lazy. 43 percent of parents say they would not want others to even know of their child’s issue and 48 percent believe their child will outgrow the disability. (6)
These alarming trends lead to chaos in the child’s life. The child does not receive the specialized education and treatment he needs. The child needs help not only from parents and teachers but also experts in the learning disability to help guide the child. In order to combat this, society needs more awareness. Awareness needs to be raised about disabilities beyond even the more basic issues. Secondly, parents need to be more proactive in learning about the issue and addressing it with the appropriate parties. Third, schools need to ensure that teachers are better equipped to handle special needs and have some type of minimal training in identifying it. Finally, schools need to have the appropriate programs necessary to help these children with specialized programs. While there are some programs, there needs to be more to meet the ever growing needs of these children in the public school systems.
Students who do not receive help with learning disabilities quickly fall behind in school and eventually life
In identifying these issues, many teachers, as well as school counselors, look to specialize in special education. Some already have a primary background in these studies during their undergraduate and graduate studies and others may seek various certifications to enhance their knowledge in these backgrounds. Clinical counselors, as well as teachers and school counselors are looking at ways to be more educated in helping students deal with learning disabilities.
ADHD
One specialized area of concern deals with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder. This disorder as noted deals with around 15 percent of the student population. The student is unable to focus for long periods of time and may also exhibit problems sitting still. In some cases, it is only attention, but in other cases, both lack of concentration and inability to remain calm can be present in ADHD.
In regards to ADHD, inattention is one key symptom. In looking at these symptoms, the child may be disorganized, lack focus, make careless mistakes, forget tasks consistently, and can become easily distracted. (7)
ADHD also can affect hyperactivity. The child may have a hard time sitting in a seat for a long period of time. Furthermore the child will need to get up and feel the need to walk around. In other cases, the child may feel the need to climb around things he or she should not be around. Also excessive talking is a sign of this hyperactivity. (8)
Learning to help children cope with ADHD is essential for their success.
ADHD also affects impulse. Impulsivity includes impatience, not thinking things through before acting, The child may have a hard time waiting his turn to speak, interrupt others, answer a question before finishing the question, or start conversations at inappropriate times. (9)
While hyperactivity can diminish, inattentiveness can last into adulthood and cause a variety of adult issues. It is important to treat ADHD. Some coping strategies can be employed with a counseling professional and later implemented at home and in school. Sometimes coping strategies are enough, while in some other cases, medication is recommended to help curb the problem.
ADHD is a big issue and requires professionals in the school setting as well the clinical to diagnose it and help cope. While licensed professional counselors working with doctors are the primary treatment venue, non licensed personal can also become certified in ADHD Consulting and help parents and teachers cope with the issue. Many behavioral issues can be addressed.
ADHD Consulting Program
The American Institute of Health Care Professionals offers an online, independent study program for professionals seeking certification in ADHD Consulting. It is open to licensed professional counselors, as well non licensed counselors or even educators. The primary purpose of the certification is to help school counselors and other educators have a stronger understanding of ADHD and how to help students through behavioral coping strategies deal with ADHD. By working with parents and the child, better outcomes can be possibly found and if necessary, direction to licensed professional counselors or medical professionals who can prescribe the necessary medication.
Please review our ADHD Consultant Program and see if it matches your academic and professional goals. Counselors and educators are great candidates.
If you are a licensed professional counselor seeking a certification in ADHD Consulting, or a non licensed counselor or educator, you may wish to consider earning this certification and utilizing it in your professional career. The certification is good for four years and can be renewed. After completing the required courses for those with no ADHD educational background, one can then apply for certification within the organization.
Please consider and review the ADHD Consulting Program and see if it matches your academic and professional goals.
Losing a pet is traumatic but is there a line to be drawn before it becomes too abnormal? For instance, losing a dog or cat is questioned by some as not a true loss. Obviously this loss is subjective to the person who loss the animal but it is clear dogs, cats and even horses are companions. They are more like family to many and to some, all they have. Can it be taken farther to include mice, or fish? This is a difficult question when something crosses the line as a pathology and not recognizing the reality of grief in the person. The grief definitely needs respected but what are the lines that should be drawn in regards to abnormal reactions? Individuals can form unhealthy bonds, but those bonds still exist and need respected.
Is pet loss grief limited to only dogs, cats and horses or should more extreme forms of loss be accepted? Please also review our Pet Loss Grief Counseling Program
The article, “Why I’m Mourning The Death Of My Hedgehog As Much As Any Dog Or Cat” by Gark Mavigan looks at why grief can be over any type of loss and should be respected. He states.
“Vicky and I had cried enough tears to make a small island out of Northern California’s favorite whitewashed Mexican food chain. We’d only been married a few months, so this was our tragedy honeymoon, our first time facing loss head-on as a team.
“Do you think she’s in heaven? Or hedgie heaven?” I tried to eke a smile out of Vicky’s puffed-up face, though I was legitimately curious.”
Again, grieving over loss is a normal thing. One can grieve over the loss of any pet. The subjective connection is the key. Whether that connection is healthy or not is not the concern initially of the grief counselor, but helping the person adjust to the loss in a proportionate way. It is not so much that certain losses are greater or less, but first acknowledging one’s loss and helping one through it.
Nurses should always protect themselves against liability. With malpractice cases happening all the time, it is critical that nurses have liability insurance. In case of malpractice, the insurance can help find legal aide to help defend them against lawsuits.
Medical errors can happen and nurses need to be protected with liability insurance. Please also review our Legal Nurse Consulting Program
The article, “Why You Should Always Carry Nurse Liability Coverage” by Elizabeth Binsfield relates the critical importance of possessing such insurance. She states,
“Nursing is consistently voted the most trusted of all professions. One that involves providing medical and personal care for individuals at their most vulnerable. So, why should nurses consider carrying nursing liability insurance to protect themselves from litigation? Because we live in an increasingly litigious society. Nurses are human, and, unfortunately, they can make mistakes. ”
Grief is loss and all loss needs vindicated in one’s life. When grief is not acknowledged it can cause many problems in the grief process. Disenfranchised grief is when grief is not respected. Examples include pet loss. Many people are told when they lose a pet that it does not matter. This is the type of rejection that the grieving should not be subjected to. Other examples include stigmas that surround loss, such as the loss of a same sex partner, or the minimizing of an individuals connection to another person who may have passed away. In all these cases, the grief is not accepted socially or acknowledged as legitimate.
A grief that is not respected or acknowledged is a disenfranchised grief. Please also review our grief counseling certification program to see if it meets your needs
The article, “What Is Disenfranchised Grief?” by Linnea Crowther looks at the nature of disenfranchised grief. She states,
“It’s painful when others don’t understand your grieving or don’t believe that you’re really feeling the loss that you are. Disenfranchised grief is more common than you might realize, and it increases the trauma of a loss.”
Good article on discipleship and what it is not. So many times, we may feel or think we are following in the steps of Christ but good discipleship is guided by the Holy Spirit and imitates Christ in everything.
What is discipleship? Please also review our Christian Counseling certification and see if it matches your academic and professional goals
The article, “What discipleship isn’t” by Greg Garner looks at discipleship as not just a moment in life but a continued vocation.
He states,
Discipleship is a lifelong, till death do us part relationship between the Creator and His creation… between a Savior and those whom he has saved. Unfortunately, no Easy Button exists. Maturity in Christ is a slow, oftentimes painful process that requires the blazing hot fire of God’s refinery.
Substance Abuse is a national crisis. The use of drugs ranging from merely recreational to more mind altering is affecting all ages and destroying families and lives. In the recent year of 2017, 19.7 million Americans ranging from 12 years and older suffered from addiction. Regarding alcohol, of those addicted, 74 percent dealt with misuse, while 38 percent dealt with illicit drug use. In all, 740 billion was spent or lost on the issue. From workplace hours lost, healthcare expenses and criminal related costs, the amount of money, time and effort to curb this type of abuse is staggering. (1)
What causes substance abuse and addiction?
The national crisis continues in both 2018 and 2019 to show similar trends. Whether it is basic addiction with beer and liquor, or through the darker use of heroin, cocaine, or meth, addiction is tearing the fabric of the nation apart. So what is the source of this problem? What is the underlying issues that are tearing apart so many lives? It is important to understand addiction and what causes it to fight the root of this social epidemic.
Addiction
Addiction can be mental or physical. In essence, it is a dependence upon other substances or habits to escape a reality or replace something loss. The dependence can very in extremes. Obviously physical addictions can be the most dangerous. Physical addictions enslave the person to the necessity of a foreign substance to properly function. Mental addictions can also entrap someone into habits that can become very hard to escape. These habits can be substances or also things or functions such as gaming or gambling.
While smoking, drinking and illicit drugs are the most common form of addictions one first thinks of, one must also be aware that addiction can involve other habits, ranging from gaming and gambling to even sex. The addiction is the outlet or inappropriate escape from a reality. Addiction to a substance can itself can be genetic and nearly 40 to 60 percent of Americans can fall prey to this, but many forms of addiction are due to lack of contentment.
All human beings look to find happiness in this life. Some have an easier time and are blessed with family life, love, a home and hobbies, but many are constantly searching for happiness. Happiness is something that can never be complete in temporal reality. So individuals who seek to find happiness in material things only will be greatly disappointed when those things break or are stolen. Others who place their whole stock of happiness in others can also find despair and loss. People break relationships, or even worst, our most loved ones eventually die. So while love is far more noble than possessions, even the happiness afforded from love can be lost in this world.
The lack of a strong spiritual and moral compass is a big problem for despair and while spiritual people tend to cope better, it does not mean spiritual and religious people are immune to drug use and addictive behaviors. Spiritual people can lose faith and suffer break downs.
Ultimately, it is how one copes with loss and despair. How well can one cope will determine how healthy their reactions are to grief and loss. Support and other environmental issues are obviously important in determining how well individuals cope as well. While some individuals may be strong and able to handle adversity, many are not. Bad family life at a young age, trauma, mental issues, and other financial issues limit some to the ability to cope with adversity.
This opens many to the lure of addictions. The need to escape reality and cope through illicit means to smother the pain and the loss. It is because of this that many individuals find themselves in the vicious cycle of addiction. The new illusion of happiness leads them down dark paths that they are unaware of. Instead of killing the pain, the addictions only break the individual further down.
Individuals look for foreign substances to cope against real life issues
Substance abuse is a way individuals look to cope. This unfortunate fact leads to the national crisis now faced. Here are some sobering facts. 4 percent of the adolescent population faces some sort of addiction problem. That is 1 in every 25 teenagers. 3.4 million young adults, aged between 18 and 25 suffer from addiction. That is around 10 percent of the young adult population. 2,5 million are involved with illicit drug use. For ages 26 and older, there were over 13 million cases of substance abuse in 2017. 4.3 million involved illicit drug use. Ages of 65 and older reported around 1 million suffering from substance abuse. (2)
The largest drug abused obviously is alcohol. As a legal drug, anyone over 21 may purchase which leaves it open to almost everyone to encounter with minimal penalties. 14.5 million individuals in 2017 accounted for alcohol related addiction statistics. An estimated 88, 000 people died in 2017 due to alcohol related deaths and the health issues related to drinking are even higher. While drinking may seem to be a normal thing, it is also one of the leading causes of preventable deaths in the United States, ranking third. (3)
In regards to other uses of drugs, marijuana contributed to 4.1 million people. With many states looking to legalize marijuana, the illegal nature of it will no longer be an issue, but like any addiction, whether legal or illegal, it still can have its consequences. Marijuana is a gateway drug to many other dangerous drugs and opens the mind to exploring different forms of ways to cope with stress, trauma and depression. (3)
Experimentation with prescription drugs, in particular pain relievers is on the rise. 1.7 million people misused pain relievers in 2017, leading to multiple stricter laws in the use of them within the medical field. This attempt to curb misuse has led to less effective pain management strategies for individuals who really need the pain relief. The biggest issue is how to balance need against risk of addiction. In addition to prescription pills, 2017 saw 652,00 cases of Heroin use. The deadly reality of Heroin is that 25 percent of its users become physically addicted. Cocaine also saw 966,00 cases of addiction. (4)
Addiction can be found in a multitude of different drugs. Some more dangerous than others. Please also review our Substance Abuse Counseling Certification
These figures towards more dangerous and addicting drugs and the emergence of Meth show a big problem in America with regards to substance abuse. If one adds, smoking, vaping, and other addictions ranging from gambling and gaming to sex, one can see a true problem in emerging in how Americans cope with stress, trauma, depression and loss. Counseling is a big first step not only to help individuals cope with addiction and the cause of it, but also preventative counseling in forms of stress, anger, and grief counseling.
Substance Abuse Counseling Certification
The American Institute of Health Care Professionals offers a Substance Abuse Counseling Certification for qualified professionals who seek to help others deal with addiction and properly cope with real life issues. The program is online and independent study. The certification for Substance Abuse Counseling lasts four years and can be renewed.
Licensed counselors and those who have the necessary education and work in addiction facilities are eligible to become certified in Substance Abuse Counseling. If you are interested and would like to help curb this problem in America, then please consider the Substance Abuse Counseling Certification from AIHCP and see if it meets your academic and professional needs.
Grief is a natural reaction but over time it can become complicated. Grief that does not adjust to loss but becomes toxic requires assistance. Counseling can help but sometimes treatment is also needed. Licensed professional counselors can help with this but usually a simple certified grief counselor can help someone learn to cope with the grief in a healthy way.
When has your grief become complicated and no longer just a normal reaction to loss? Please also review our Grief Counseling Certification
The article, “Here’s When It’s Time to See Someone About Your Grief” by Patia Braithwaite states,
“As awful as it feels, grief is a natural human response to losing someone close to you. The intense emotions that come with grief can all be an appropriate part of eventually helping you heal as much as possible. But there are times when grief is even more overwhelming than usual—times when it hinders your life and happiness long-term”
Complicated grief can become a big issue if not treated. Please also review our Grief Counseling Certification and see if it meets your academic and professional goals.
Children who lose a parent need guidance, counseling and care. The loss of a parent is a permanent loss that has life long implications for a child and it is important a child receives emotional support. Children need to learn how to adjust to life but also still be secure.
Helping a child deal with the loss of a parent is a difficult thing. Please also review our Child and Adolescent Grief Counseling Program
The article, “How To Help Children Handle Grief After The Death Of A Parent” by Kelsey Borresen states,
For bereaved children dealing with the loss of an important figure like a parent, these intense feelings can be particularly hard to process. Kids need their surviving parent, caregivers or the other trusted adults in their lives to help them navigate the murky waters of grief.
Losing a parent at any age is a painful process. When losing a parent, the intensity of the loss can drain adult children. The loss can be overwhelming and is life altering. Special care is needed for the surviving adult children as they learn to cope with a world without their parents.
Who cares for the caregiver during the loss of a parent. Please also review our Pastoral Thanatology Program
The article, “How To Take Care Of Yourself When Your Parent Is Dying” by Nicole Pajer states,
“When a parent receives a terminal diagnosis, it can instantly sweep you into caretaking mode ― chauffeuring to doctor appointments, picking up medications, keeping a positive attitude, running errands and doing anything you can to keep your loved one comfortable. But it’s important not to forget yourself in the process.”
