Tag Archives: Health

Understanding the Deadly Dangers of Fentanyl Use

Posted on by

Fentanyl, a potent synthetic opioid, has emerged as a significant public health concern due to its alarming prevalence and deadly consequences. While originally developed for medical use as a pain reliever, illicit fentanyl use has skyrocketed in recent years, leading to a surge in overdose deaths and devastating consequences for individuals and communities alike. Understanding the dangers of fentanyl use is crucial in addressing this urgent public health crisis.

Potency

Fentanyl is estimated to be 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine and significantly more potent than heroin. Even a tiny amount of fentanyl can cause severe respiratory depression, leading to overdose and death. Due to its potency, fentanyl is often mixed with other drugs such as heroin, cocaine, or counterfeit prescription pills without the user’s knowledge, increasing the risk of accidental overdose.

Risk

The misuse of fentanyl and its analogs has led to a sharp increase in overdose deaths across the globe. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), synthetic opioids, primarily fentanyl, were involved in nearly 75% of all opioid-related overdose deaths in the United States in 2019. This alarming trend highlights the urgent need for comprehensive strategies to address the opioid epidemic and prevent further loss of life.

Hidden in Street Drugs

One of the most significant dangers of fentanyl use is its clandestine presence in street drugs. Illicitly manufactured fentanyl is often mixed with other substances, such as heroin or cocaine, to increase potency or extend the drug’s supply. However, without proper dosage control or awareness of fentanyl’s presence, individuals who use these drugs are at high risk of unintentional overdose and death.

Increased Risk of Addiction:

The addictive nature of opioids, including fentanyl, poses a significant risk to individuals who use these substances recreationally or as prescribed. Continued use of fentanyl can lead to physical dependence, tolerance, and addiction, making it increasingly difficult for individuals to stop using the drug without professional help. Moreover, the withdrawal symptoms associated with fentanyl cessation can be severe and contribute to relapse.

Addressing the dangers of fentanyl use requires a multifaceted approach that includes prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and enforcement efforts. Public health initiatives aimed at raising awareness about the risks of fentanyl use, providing naloxone training and distribution, and expanding access to evidence-based treatment options are essential components of an effective response.

Recognizing the dangers of fentanyl use and implementing comprehensive strategies to address the opioid epidemic are critical steps in saving lives and mitigating the impact of this deadly crisis.

Sources:

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Drug Overdose Deaths.” 2021.

2. National Institute on Drug Abuse. “Fentanyl DrugFacts.” 2020.

3. Drug Enforcement Administration. “Fentanyl.” 2022.

4. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. “Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States: Results from the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.” 2021.

CJ Crawford

DrugFree Greenville Public Education Committee

The Culprits in Mental Health

Posted on by

Relationships, school stress, and work worries are the usual suspects that mess with our minds, but hey, sometimes it’s the sneaky world around us that’s pulling the strings. Brace yourself because these four sneaky culprits might just be playing mental health hide-and-seek with you at this very moment! Here are 3 things that likely affect your mental health.

The first culprit is technology.  If you are occupying your time on the World Wide Web then guess what? It is affecting your mental health. You can soak up knowledge, stay connected to health providers, and catch up with loved ones. This brings a mix of perks and pitfalls.  Being overwhelmed with gloomy news and never-ending drama can turn anyone’s mood into a wilted flower, sparking worries about what’s around the corner. Did you know that nearly 60% of young adults (ages 18-25) are seriously fretting about the future of our planet? Social media can stir up FOMO (fear of missing out), the blues, and a dip in self-confidence. Plus, with work emails popping up after hours, thanks to remote work, it’s like the line between work and play got very blurry. 

The second culprit has to do with social drivers. Social drivers of health are like the backstage crew of your well-being, shaping your health behind the scenes. From where you hang your hat to the goodies in your fridge, these sneaky influencers like economic status, education, and even your neighborhood can have a far-reaching impact on your mental health. And let’s not forget the star of the show – the economy, stealing the spotlight in this health drama! Research shows a strong connection between worrying about money and mental distress, and salaries can’t seem to keep up with rising inflation and cost-of-living expenses. A 2023 Gallup poll found that 42% of Americans are worried that they don’t have enough money to pay their normal monthly bills. 

The last culprit is loneliness.  Recent survey findings reveal that over half of adults in the United States (58%) experience feelings of loneliness, especially among low-income individuals, young adults, parents, those from underrepresented racial groups, or individuals living with mental health conditions, who report even higher rates of loneliness. Loneliness is linked to an increased risk of anxiety and depression and has connections to psychosis and dementia. Research indicates that minimal social interaction can have a lifespan impact similar to smoking almost a pack of cigarettes daily or struggling with alcoholism, and is twice as detrimental as obesity.

WHAT CAN YOU DO IF THE WORLD IS WEIGHING ON YOU? Find your support system, set tech limits and boundaries, change what you can and don’t concern yourself with what you can’t, and find healthy coping skills.  If you have no idea how to do the above suggestions then find a local counselor that can help.  Seeking professional help for mental health shows strength and offers support to manage life’s stressors. Counselors or therapists can help identify issues and coping strategies.

Karla Meeks – Marketing Manager for the Mental Health Clinic of Greenville

Drug-Free Greenville Board Member

Drive Sober This Independence Day, and Every Day: Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving

Featured

Posted on by

This Independence Day, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service’s Watch UR BAC program, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) want to remind drivers that Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving.


No matter how people choose to celebrate Independence Day, do it safely and always have a sober ride. Anyone under the influence of alcohol that chooses to get behind the wheel of a vehicle not only puts everyone on the road in danger but also themselves. Fourth of July festivities often start early in the day and go into the evening or late at night, causing more cars to be on the roads at night. In 2019, 515 people died in motor vehicle traffic
crashes over the July Fourth holiday period. Thirty-eight percent (198) of those fatalities
occurred in alcohol-impaired driving crashes. Many of the drivers arrested for drunk driving on the Fourth of July have likely been drinking alcohol throughout the day at various planned
gatherings.


“We want our community to have a happy and safe Independence Day, one that they’ll remember for years to come, for all the right reasons,” said AgriLife Extension Family and Community Health Agent Mary Shockley, Hunt County. “We’ve partnered with NHTSA and TxDOT to help remind drivers that even one drink before driving is when impairment begins. Under no circumstance is it ever OK to drink and drive. This behavior is illegal, it’s deadly, and it’s selfish. Do everyone in your community a favor: If you’ll be drinking at a Fourth of July party, or for any occasion, plan ahead for a sober ride.”


From 2015 to 2019, there were 1,339 people killed in drunk-driving crashes over the Fourth of July holiday. Of those people who died in alcohol-impaired motor vehicle traffic crashes, almost 4 out of 5 (79 percent) of them occurred in nighttime crashes (between 6:00 p.m. and 5:59 a.m.). Watch UR BAC’s goal is for everyone to enjoy red, white, and blue in their flags, fireworks, and family gatherings — not in their rear-view mirror. The only way to prevent this is to never drink and drive.


Celebrate with a Plan
This Fourth of July, the Watch UR BAC program, NHTSA, and TxDOT urge drivers to designate a sober driver before heading out for the evening. If planning on drinking, plan how to safely travel without driving.


Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Family and Community Health Educator Mary Shockley, Hunt
County, reminds drivers to follow these tips for a safe night on the roads:
● Remember: It is never OK to drink and drive — even if after only one alcoholic
beverage. Designate a sober driver or plan to use public transportation or a ride service to
get home safely.
● Suspect a motorist on the road is driving drunk or intoxicated? Contact local law
enforcement immediately.
● Have a friend who is about to drink and drive? Take their keys away and make
arrangements to get them home safely.

Building a Healthy Relationship with Your Food

Featured

Posted on by

Food is omnipresent in our human lives and quite literally fuels our physical bodies every day. It is intertwined with our daily routines, family traditions, our culture, and shared experiences. For these reasons and more, being aware of your connection to food alongside maintaining a healthy relationship with your food is imperative to living a healthy life.

According to the National Eating Disorder Association, forming a healthy relationship with food takes conscious effort, but it is possible. This relationship includes relaxed eating, choosing preferences over positions, and practicing balance and flexibility in your eating. Let’s take a look at these principles a bit more closely.

RELAXED EATING: Relaxed eating is the ability to be at ease with the social, emotional and physical components of food and eating. Relaxed eating is attuned to the body’s hunger and intuitively provides for its needs. It is the ability to listen and satisfy your hunger allowing for pleasurable and whimsical eating with flexibility and the absence of remorse. It allows you to eat when you are hungry and stop when you are satisfied. It incorporates choices and beliefs about food through a filter of self-love and body wellness that is balanced, not extreme or all consuming.


PREFERENCE OVER POSITION: Eating should be a balanced activity that is neither the best nor the worst part of a day. You should enjoy the foods you consume but not worship them. Flexibility, exhibited through the willingness to forego a preference temporarily, is an essential aspect of a healthy relationship with food. Preferences need to remain just that, and not become an unflinching regimen.


BALANCE: Balanced eating means feeling comfortable consuming a wide variety of foods. In addition to variation in type of food, balance indicates an ability to eat both for pleasure and for hunger. Eating for hunger is great because it nourishes your body. Ignoring hunger cues is a dangerous habit that can lead to more disordered eating patterns and health consequences. Eating for pleasure allows us to associate positive feelings and experiences with food and its pleasurable! Finally, balance also means avoiding trendy diets. Diets usually employ some kind of restriction, be it through food quantity or type. It is neither healthy nor logical to deny yourself food groups or to limit your calories.


FLEXIBILITY: Flexibility is another key aspect of a healthy relationship with food. It refers to the absence of strict rules surrounding eating and food habits. Rather, there is more of an ability to “go with the flow” and accept deviations from preferred foods as a natural part of life, instead of viewing those deviations as a judgment of yourself or your worth. Additionally, flexibility relates to the amount of food you consume. Sometimes, we eat beyond our comfort zone. Maybe you’re not completely mindful or conscious while eating one day, and don’t feel your hunger cues until a bit later. This is not a cause for alarm. Doing this every so often will not alter your health. Trust your body; it is much smarter than you give it credit for. It knows where you need to be and can deal with a little bit of variation. The key is
remembering these principles–-having variation, preference, flexibility–and accepting the changes that come with life.


Reference: Kronberg, Sondra. The Comprehensive Learning/Teaching Handout Manual for Eating Disorders © 2001 Sondra Kronberg, MS, RD, CEDRD-S. Wellness Programs Publishing, 3rd Edition, 516-513-1284

Hygiene – A Healthy Life

Featured

Posted on by

The key to a healthy life is a fit body, accompanied by proper nutrition, exercise, rest and hygiene. Our mothers

were right! Eating food is not enough to be healthy. It also depends on good personal hygiene which is essential to promoting good health.

Simple personal habits like washing our hands and brushing and flossing our teeth will keep bacteria and virus causing illnesses away.  Germs are not only tiny but are everywhere and it is amazing how they travel from host to host. 

For a quick visual example of how fast germs can and do spread, gather about ten of your friends together then pour some glitter into your hand. Shake hands with someone close to you.  Then have them to shake hands with someone else and so on until everyone in the room has shaken hands with someone else.  Now look at your hands and you will see how the cycle works.  This is the same mode of transferring germs from one another as we travel throughout a day. 

Washing your hands and keeping them clean is one of the most important steps we can take to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others. There are a number of diseases that are spread by not properly washing your hands with soap and water.  According to the Centers for Disease Control the proper way to wash your hands is to wet your hands with clean running water and to apply soap.  Rub your hands together briskly to make a lather.  Continue to scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds making sure to scrub the backs of your hands, between your fingers and under your nails.

To ensure you scrub long enough hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice. Rinse your hands well under running water then dry them with a clean towel or allow them to air dry. Practicing good hygiene is not limited to just hand washing it also includes daily bathing, skin care, dental hygiene, and hair care. 

Practicing good daily hygiene helps you feel good about yourself which is important to good mental health.  People with poor hygiene habits are seen as unhealthy and often face discrimination.

Staying healthy and keeping good hygiene consists of about four steps.  Sleep is the first. A healthy night’s sleep always helps you to start your day off right.  A minimum of eight hours rest is recommended. Diet is second.  Make sure everything that you put in your mouth counts. Eat four servings’ fresh fruit, and five servings of vegetables. 

Most Americans consume more protein than needed, which leads to excessive calories and obesity.  The recommended daily amount of lean meat and proteins depends on your age, gender and your level of activity.  You can find the recommended amounts of food needed on the US Department of Agriculture’s website. www.ChooseMyPlate.gov.

Exercise is third.  The Mayo Clinic recommends we make it a goal to get at least 30 minutes of exercise each day to remain healthy.

Positive influence is fourth.   Avoid negative people and seek out people who are encouraging and living the way you want to live.  These are the steps to a Healthy Life!

Berniece Brown, Coordinator of Social Services for Carevide & Hunt County Interagency Network.