Latest news with #HealthDirect
Los Angeles Times
5 days ago
- Health
- Los Angeles Times
The depths of addiction: Empowering others to break through social stigmas and cycles of substance abuse
From vapes at gas stations to alcohol in nearly every social setting, addictive behaviors are more accessible than ever. While many recognize the term 'addiction', spotting the signs in a friend or loved one can be much more difficult. What is Addiction? According to Health Direct, addiction is when one has a strong urge to do or use something. Addiction is usually associated with the use of substances, but it can disguise itself in our daily life through more 'harmless' activities such as social media, exercise, and shopping. Though addictions such as excessive phone use are more socially acceptable, they can still be compared to more harmful addictions. What universally connects all addictions is a loss of control, withdrawal symptoms when quitting, and continued use despite awareness of their destructive consequences. Common Signs of Addiction Recognizing when others are struggling with addiction can be a challenge, especially because symptoms can vary. However, according to Valley Hope, these are some common warning signs: Physical signs: Bloodshot eyes, abnormally large or small pupil size, deterioration of physical appearance and grooming habits, weight changes, unusual odors, tremors, slurred speech, and impaired coordination. Behavioral signs: Decline in productivity, attitude, and focus, as well as increased absenteeism. Emotional signs: Lack of interest in broken relationships and the consequences of substance use disorder. Understanding these signs can help us address addiction before it becomes more difficult for individuals to overcome on their own. According to Partnership to End Addiction, substance use releases the same chemicals that produce pleasure when basic needs such as hunger and thirst are fulfilled. This dependency on substance-induced pleasure makes it much harder for individuals to gain control over their dependencies. That is why the support of family, friends, and peers is crucial in increasing the chances of overcoming addiction. How to Help Someone Struggling with Addiction If you suspect that someone is dealing with addiction, it is crucial to approach them with a sense of compassion rather than judgment. Here are some tips from Butler Hospital on helping someone who is struggling with substance use disorder: Educate yourself: Understanding addiction, its symptoms, and its impact can help you recognize the symptoms and sympathize with the challenges they are facing. Encourage treatment: Without guilt or shame, urge them to seek appropriate help as early as possible. An intervention specialist can help you navigate this process. Offering support: Remind them that they are loved and that you are willing to assist in their recovery and ensure its success. Stay involved in recovery: Assure them that you will be there every step of the way by attending meetings, offering encouragement, and connecting them with support groups. Prioritize yourself: It can be difficult to maintain your own life while helping someone suffering from addiction. Take care of yourself to ensure you can support them effectively. Exercise regularly, eat well, and prioritize your mental health. Break the Stigma Though addiction is so prevalent, with the United States having one of the highest rates of drug dependency, it is still widely misunderstood. The stigma around addiction can prevent those struggling from seeking help. By educating ourselves on the issue and offering support to those in need, we can foster an understanding environment where those who struggle can feel safe to reach out. If you or someone you know is struggling, you can get free, confidential support from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the National Helpline (1-800-662-HELP). Related
The Citizen
10-07-2025
- Health
- The Citizen
Naked man causes stir outside Diepsloot police station
A man believed to be mentally unwell was seen walking and screaming naked outside the police station entrance. A video of a naked man walking in front of the Diepsloot police station has gone viral, drawing shock and concern from the public. The incident, which happened on Monday, 1 July 2025, was confirmed by police on Wednesday. 'No injuries or damages' In the video, the unidentified man can be seen prancing round in circles naked outside the station's main entrance as officers. The man was shouting in TshiVenda, throwing his clothes around. Bystanders can be heard urging the man to get dressed, and some are laughing at his statements. Gauteng police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi told The Citizen that the man is a member of the public who 'reportedly had a mental breakdown.' 'His father was called in to collect him. No one was injured or any damages reported during that ordeal,' said Nevhuhulwi. ALSO READ: Saps spends more than R100 million on paid sick leave What causes a nervous breakdown? According to Health Direct, a nervous breakdown can be caused by a single event that causes someone extreme stress, but unmanaged mental health conditions often play a role. 'Underlying health conditions may include depression, anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Life stressors such as divorce or trauma may add to the situation and cause a breakdown,' it highlighted. Other factors that may affect mental health and cause a nervous breakdown are: lack of social support slow build-up of stress homelessness and unemployment work, relationships or financial problems lack of coping skills and resilience 'Worry, stress and anxiety can build up over a long period of time. They can reach a point where a person is no longer able to cope or perform their normal daily tasks,' Health direct said. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health issues, help is available. Reach out to a mental health professional, talk to someone you trust, or contact the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) at 0800 567 567 (24-hour helpline) or send a WhatsApp message to 076 882 2775 for free, confidential support. NOW READ: Corporate Mental Health Week: Is your boss a narcissist or a psychopath?
The Advertiser
02-07-2025
- Health
- The Advertiser
What a load of IBS: new research shows tummy troubles could be in the mind
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) affects around one in five people, according to the government's Health Direct website, but scientists now believe the mind has a lot to do with it. Shane Hodge, a former connoiseur of cheese and chocolate milkshakes, has been living with debilitating IBS symptoms for seven years since being hospitalised for food poisoning. He agrees with the new research from the University of Melbourne, and said stress, paranoia and anxiety make his IBS worse. "You're stressed and embarrassed about 'what if you poo your pants'? ... my life was a misery," the 66-year-old said. "Your head is linked to your tummy and backside, and causing great disruption in the force ...once you've had a few bad episodes of that fear, it really stuffs up your life." Read more from The Senior: IBS is a chronic and often debilitating condition, with symptoms including abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, diarrhoea and unpredictable bowel movements. Mr Hodge said he became "like a GPS" in knowing where all the closest public toilets were around town as panic would often consume him. He's now using a daily probiotic from Qiara which he said "calmed" his gut symptoms and anxiety, though he still needs to keep the cheese to an absolute minimum. A recent 6-month study from University of Melbourne found only 75 per cent of study participants were able to reduce or manage IBS symptoms through a low FODMAP diet (which restricts trigger foods like onions, garlic, apples, milk and wheat). But the study also found psychological traits like "gut-specific anxiety, personal control and perceptions of illness" might also play a role in symptoms, said Associate Professor Jessica Biesiekierski. She explained in IBS, communication between the gut and the brain can become "oversensitive to normal signals", which can cause symptoms of IBS. "Stress can make it worse. Understanding this helps guide treatments that can calm these signals and improve symptoms," Professor Biesiekierski said. The research team is now launching a world-first international clinical trial to see if a type of brain-training - exposure-based cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) - makes a difference. "CBT helps people with IBS retrain how their brain responds to gut symptoms and feared foods, reducing anxiety and avoidance through gradual exposure," said Professor Biesiekierski. "Unlike the low FODMAP diet, which works by avoiding trigger foods, CBT can help patients reduce fear and avoidance by gradually reintroducing those same foods." The trial will be a collaboration between the University of Melbourne, Monash University, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital and Karolinska Institute. Around 200 participants will take part in 12 weeks of treatment entirely online from their own homes. Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) affects around one in five people, according to the government's Health Direct website, but scientists now believe the mind has a lot to do with it. Shane Hodge, a former connoiseur of cheese and chocolate milkshakes, has been living with debilitating IBS symptoms for seven years since being hospitalised for food poisoning. He agrees with the new research from the University of Melbourne, and said stress, paranoia and anxiety make his IBS worse. "You're stressed and embarrassed about 'what if you poo your pants'? ... my life was a misery," the 66-year-old said. "Your head is linked to your tummy and backside, and causing great disruption in the force ...once you've had a few bad episodes of that fear, it really stuffs up your life." Read more from The Senior: IBS is a chronic and often debilitating condition, with symptoms including abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, diarrhoea and unpredictable bowel movements. Mr Hodge said he became "like a GPS" in knowing where all the closest public toilets were around town as panic would often consume him. He's now using a daily probiotic from Qiara which he said "calmed" his gut symptoms and anxiety, though he still needs to keep the cheese to an absolute minimum. A recent 6-month study from University of Melbourne found only 75 per cent of study participants were able to reduce or manage IBS symptoms through a low FODMAP diet (which restricts trigger foods like onions, garlic, apples, milk and wheat). But the study also found psychological traits like "gut-specific anxiety, personal control and perceptions of illness" might also play a role in symptoms, said Associate Professor Jessica Biesiekierski. She explained in IBS, communication between the gut and the brain can become "oversensitive to normal signals", which can cause symptoms of IBS. "Stress can make it worse. Understanding this helps guide treatments that can calm these signals and improve symptoms," Professor Biesiekierski said. The research team is now launching a world-first international clinical trial to see if a type of brain-training - exposure-based cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) - makes a difference. "CBT helps people with IBS retrain how their brain responds to gut symptoms and feared foods, reducing anxiety and avoidance through gradual exposure," said Professor Biesiekierski. "Unlike the low FODMAP diet, which works by avoiding trigger foods, CBT can help patients reduce fear and avoidance by gradually reintroducing those same foods." The trial will be a collaboration between the University of Melbourne, Monash University, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital and Karolinska Institute. Around 200 participants will take part in 12 weeks of treatment entirely online from their own homes. Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) affects around one in five people, according to the government's Health Direct website, but scientists now believe the mind has a lot to do with it. Shane Hodge, a former connoiseur of cheese and chocolate milkshakes, has been living with debilitating IBS symptoms for seven years since being hospitalised for food poisoning. He agrees with the new research from the University of Melbourne, and said stress, paranoia and anxiety make his IBS worse. "You're stressed and embarrassed about 'what if you poo your pants'? ... my life was a misery," the 66-year-old said. "Your head is linked to your tummy and backside, and causing great disruption in the force ...once you've had a few bad episodes of that fear, it really stuffs up your life." Read more from The Senior: IBS is a chronic and often debilitating condition, with symptoms including abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, diarrhoea and unpredictable bowel movements. Mr Hodge said he became "like a GPS" in knowing where all the closest public toilets were around town as panic would often consume him. He's now using a daily probiotic from Qiara which he said "calmed" his gut symptoms and anxiety, though he still needs to keep the cheese to an absolute minimum. A recent 6-month study from University of Melbourne found only 75 per cent of study participants were able to reduce or manage IBS symptoms through a low FODMAP diet (which restricts trigger foods like onions, garlic, apples, milk and wheat). But the study also found psychological traits like "gut-specific anxiety, personal control and perceptions of illness" might also play a role in symptoms, said Associate Professor Jessica Biesiekierski. She explained in IBS, communication between the gut and the brain can become "oversensitive to normal signals", which can cause symptoms of IBS. "Stress can make it worse. Understanding this helps guide treatments that can calm these signals and improve symptoms," Professor Biesiekierski said. The research team is now launching a world-first international clinical trial to see if a type of brain-training - exposure-based cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) - makes a difference. "CBT helps people with IBS retrain how their brain responds to gut symptoms and feared foods, reducing anxiety and avoidance through gradual exposure," said Professor Biesiekierski. "Unlike the low FODMAP diet, which works by avoiding trigger foods, CBT can help patients reduce fear and avoidance by gradually reintroducing those same foods." The trial will be a collaboration between the University of Melbourne, Monash University, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital and Karolinska Institute. Around 200 participants will take part in 12 weeks of treatment entirely online from their own homes. Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) affects around one in five people, according to the government's Health Direct website, but scientists now believe the mind has a lot to do with it. Shane Hodge, a former connoiseur of cheese and chocolate milkshakes, has been living with debilitating IBS symptoms for seven years since being hospitalised for food poisoning. He agrees with the new research from the University of Melbourne, and said stress, paranoia and anxiety make his IBS worse. "You're stressed and embarrassed about 'what if you poo your pants'? ... my life was a misery," the 66-year-old said. "Your head is linked to your tummy and backside, and causing great disruption in the force ...once you've had a few bad episodes of that fear, it really stuffs up your life." Read more from The Senior: IBS is a chronic and often debilitating condition, with symptoms including abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, diarrhoea and unpredictable bowel movements. Mr Hodge said he became "like a GPS" in knowing where all the closest public toilets were around town as panic would often consume him. He's now using a daily probiotic from Qiara which he said "calmed" his gut symptoms and anxiety, though he still needs to keep the cheese to an absolute minimum. A recent 6-month study from University of Melbourne found only 75 per cent of study participants were able to reduce or manage IBS symptoms through a low FODMAP diet (which restricts trigger foods like onions, garlic, apples, milk and wheat). But the study also found psychological traits like "gut-specific anxiety, personal control and perceptions of illness" might also play a role in symptoms, said Associate Professor Jessica Biesiekierski. She explained in IBS, communication between the gut and the brain can become "oversensitive to normal signals", which can cause symptoms of IBS. "Stress can make it worse. Understanding this helps guide treatments that can calm these signals and improve symptoms," Professor Biesiekierski said. The research team is now launching a world-first international clinical trial to see if a type of brain-training - exposure-based cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) - makes a difference. "CBT helps people with IBS retrain how their brain responds to gut symptoms and feared foods, reducing anxiety and avoidance through gradual exposure," said Professor Biesiekierski. "Unlike the low FODMAP diet, which works by avoiding trigger foods, CBT can help patients reduce fear and avoidance by gradually reintroducing those same foods." The trial will be a collaboration between the University of Melbourne, Monash University, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital and Karolinska Institute. Around 200 participants will take part in 12 weeks of treatment entirely online from their own homes. Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE.
7NEWS
26-05-2025
- Health
- 7NEWS
Bindi Irwin opens up about ‘healing' and her health struggles following emergency surgery in America
Bindi Irwin underwent emergency surgery for a ruptured appendix and endometriosis lesions earlier this month, sharing a number of photos from her hospital bed. But on Sunday, the wildlife queen, 26, looked to be back to her best, sharing a positive update on her health journey. Irwin was forced to miss the annual Steve Irwin Gala in Las Vegas this month when she was hospitalised with a ruptured appendix. After undergoing surgery, Irwin appears to have taken a flight to New York City, sharing a number of photos in Manhattan. 'Healing,' Irwin began her Instagram post. 'Thank you for your incredible words of kindness. The reason I share my health journey is because more girls and women desperately need answers to their undiagnosed pain.' Irwin went on to speak about the pain she endures as an endometriosis sufferer. 'I've battled endometriosis for more than 12 years. 'This disease is crippling and can make you feel incredibly isolated. 'We need to raise awareness and change the narrative for women's health. 'I see you, your pain is real, and you deserve answers and genuine healthcare.' Fans were delighted Irwin was on the mend. 'Thank you for always being so vulnerable, sharing and educating in everything you do,' one person wrote. 'So glad you're on your way to feeling better and healing. Love you, Bindi! Keeping you in my prayers endo sister,' another wrote. 'I just found out I have it. Had surgery in March. Explains a lot. The chronic pain is crazy. Thank you for sharing.' Irwin last shared an update from her hospital bed earlier this month. 'I had my appendix removed. I also had 14 new endometriosis lesions that had to be removed and they kindly stitched up my hernia as well,' the mother-of-one said in a video from her hospital bed. 'I'm sorry if I'm a little out of it in this video, but I just wanted you to know that I'm on the road to recovery one step at a time and I am so lucky to have so much love in my life from my beautiful family.' Irwin has had a well-documented struggle with endometriosis, which causes the cells that line the uterus to grow in other parts of the body, creating painful scar tissue, according to Health Direct. Irwin's mother, Terri, rushed to be by her side when she was hospitalised, while her brother Robert gave an update to People magazine after the emergency. 'She's going to be OK, but surgery — out of all the things we were ready for — that was not one of them,' Robert told the publication. 'She's just come out the other side of endometriosis and now the appendix goes. 'She's devastated that she and mum can't be here, but I know she'll make a speedy recovery.'
ABC News
17-05-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Smoke Alert for areas between WITCHCLIFFE and AUGUSTA and surrounding areas in the SHIRE OFAUGUSTA MARGARET RIVER
* Shut doors and windows and turn off air-conditioners. * If driving through the area, turn on headlights and drive slowly. If you cannot see clearly, pull over to the left, keep your headlights and hazard lights on, and wait until the smoke clears. * People with asthma and pre-existing respiratory or cardiovascular illnesses should follow their pre-prepared treatment plan. * If affected by smoke, contact your doctor or call Health Direct on 1800 022 222 [tel:1800022222]. * Watch for emergency services personnel and follow their directions.
