Tag Archives: challenge

Dangers of Fentanyl and Substance Use in the Digital Age

August 5, 2024 Mary Knutson

Children with computers, tablets, cell phones and head phones — We are the digital age.

Fentanyl and substance abuse impacts every community in some way. There are increased dangers for young people in the digital age.

Risks of Internet Use

Ease of access has made it possible for anyone young or old to purchase the drugs. It is easily accessible through online platforms because drug dealers bypass dark web restrictions and sell drugs online. The internet has transformed how substances are bought and sold because it can be anonymous and convenient for buyers and sellers.

Risks of Social Media

Social media platforms are gateways for young people to access illegal drugs like fentanyl. Drug traffickers advertise on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube. Typically, the advertising disappears in 24 hours via stories and posts, accompanied by code words and emojis. Prospective buyers contact the dealers through the post, and the conversations move to encrypted apps like Signal or Telegram. Payment is made via Venmo, Zelle, Cash App, and Remity.

Challenges for Parents or Guardians

Sadly, online drug dealing leads to substance use among youth, causing addiction and overdose. That is why the organization, SUPE, Substance Use Prevention Education, was founded to combat this dangerous trend. Fortunately, SUPE has reliable information and resources and even a video to help young people make informed choices and to help protect them from online drug dealers. It also has vital information for parents to protect their children from fentanyl.

Risks of Living in a Drug Culture

We live in a culture that glamorizes drug use. And young people are easily influenced. The consequences of fentanyl use among our youth are devastating. Its potency increases the risk of overdose, which can be fatal even with minimal exposure. Many young people experimenting with drugs may not be aware that fentanyl can be present in substances such as counterfeit pills. This lack of awareness and education about the dangers of fentanyl further compounds the problem, which is why SUPE provides free resources to empower families.

Moving from Addiction to Recovery

When young people become addicted to drugs, the people around them suffer, struggle to cope, and find support. If you are struggling and need help, there are practical resources and tips to help with addiction and coping that can be found on healthvista.net.

Educate yourself and learn about the signs and symptoms of drug use and addiction. This helps you understand what the person is going through.
Communicate as calmly as possible. Express concerns without confronting others. Avoid casting judgment, arguing, and pointing the finger. Listen actively and allow the person to talk while showing empathy and understanding.
Offer support, but also encourage professional help. Seek guidance from a healthcare professional, counselor, or addiction specialist. Let the person know you are there to help them on their recovery journey.
Find more treatment options through SAMHSA‘s treatment locator or Addicted.org‘s extensive directory listings of treatment centers. Other local resources may also be offered by local healthcare providers.

Both parents and young people who are going through have a lot of stress, anger, sadness, and resentment. Supporting someone with a substance use disorder is emotionally challenging, but your care and concern can make a significant difference.

Learn ways to cope and prepare for the challenges ahead.
Seek support for yourself; for example, attend support groups or speak with a counselor.
Take care of yourself and prioritize your mental and physical health.

Now you know more about the significant dangers in the digital age and can be more watchful. Easy access to fentanyl impacts communities in a big way. Prevention of fentanyl addiction and ready access to treatment (if needed) are vital for your family and community’s health!

Blog # 31 posted August 5, 2024 by Guest Contributor Marcel Gemme, the CEO/Founder of SUPE

Health, Recovery

Recover and Thrive after Major Life Challenges

February 12, 2021 Mary Knutson

Strive to recover after addiction or other life challenges

Those who commit to to it can recover from addiction or other life challenges. They have a priceless opportunity to thrive and create a better life. To optimize your life, you may need healthy lifestyle choices, a supportive social life, and the drive to take charge of your life.

Remember that in 2020, there were many more changes and challenges than usual for individuals, families, and communities. The year 2021 continues to be difficult for people with addiction or with mental illness, but recovery is possible. Be kind to yourself as you realize all you have been through and survived. Both good and bad life changes can sharply raise your level of stress.

Get enough exercise and rest

Whole-body wellness means balancing the right amount of activity and rest. We need both physical and mental strength to fight for recovery every day and to replace bad habits with good ones. Exercise has proven to be an effective recovery tool because “working out” affects the brain in a positive way.

If you want to add exercise to your life during recovery, think small at first. The goal is to identify and start an activity that is sustainable for the long haul, so you can stay self-motivated. Hitting the gym hard for 30 days until you burn out is not especially helpful. But, walking a little bit every day is an activity that can last a lifetime. Other low-impact exercises could include lightweight muscle workouts using small dumbbells, kettlebells, or resistance bands. If you don’t have weights, you could put water into milk jugs until they are the weight you want to use. Muscle exercises and the active movements are important to jumpstart metabolism and help to strengthen your core muscles.

Improve your nutrition

Besides adding physical activity, improving your diet also supports your overall well-being. Eating healthy foods and getting balanced nutrition are key. Destructive habits like substance abuse can take over your life if it seems like getting high or drunk becomes more important than eating. Recovery is an opportunity to start over and refuel the body with much-needed nutrients.

Switching quickly from an extremely poor diet to a healthy one can be difficult because your habits can be powerful. Consider small, impactful changes to your eating. Some healthy changes can include:

Eating regular meals on a schedule.
Cut down on caffeine, if possible. Drink plenty of water.
Eat foods that are lower in fat, higher in protein and fiber
Add vegetables to your plate. (Try covering half the plate in garden colors, then dividing the remaining half into a quarter of protein and a quarter of whole grains.)
Experiment with different flavors to add excitement to your meals. People often reach for junk food because it tastes good, but healthy food done right can taste even better.
Plan meals in advance and have a big cooking session. If you can spend a few hours in the kitchen on a Sunday, you can make your lunches and dinners for the entire week and avoid the temptation to grab a quick unhealthy bite during the week.

Find Positive and Supportive People

Healthy living includes spending positive social time with people and having fun. For instance, healthy cooking “parties” can be a way to meet new people or connect with old friends. The key to your social life— and the struggle — is to disconnect from negative influences that may trigger a relapse. To have a better “road to recovery”, you may need to find new friends. If you are an alcoholic, instead of going to bars, “hang out” at coffee shops or other places where they don’t serve alcohol.

Social support is crucial to recovery because you may not be able to manage triggers on your own. Supportive friends and family can help you stay on track and to keep busy enough so there is no room in your life for bad habits.

Take Control of Your Life

Taking your life “by the reins” is like steering yourself away from stress and addiction toward recovery. Problem-solving will be needed after you figure out what is bothering you the most. Perhaps your financial situation is the current source of your stress. Or, maybe you’re not totally satisfied at your job, but don’t feel financially comfortable enough to leave. Maybe you’ve recently lost your job and don’t know what your next move should be. Think about what you would most like to do in life, and then pursue it. This life change could be an opportunity to do something you love. You may want to start a “side hustle” or launch your own business.

If you are considering forming a business, a good way to protect your personal assets and qualify for more tax breaks is LLC filing. Like most states, MN allows a company to be structured online with affordable services. First, you would need to spend some time brainstorming to choose a unique business name, and then start making a business plan.

Learn How to Cope

It could be scary to jump into starting a new business, a new job, or new relationships after a major life challenge. Your confidence is usually low, and your future may look uncertain. But, when you choose something you really want to do, it will help motivate you toward a more successful and stable future. Make sure you talk about your plans with your family and friends, they can advise you and support you as problems come up.

In recovery, your emotions may change quickly, like an emotional “roller coaster”. It helps to have a coping plan to help you and your family deal with negative thoughts or behaviors.

Health Vista, Inc. has a Coping and Relaxation workbook you can download and print. You can also find many local and online addiction resources, and recovery resources to use.

Through healthy living, people in recovery can thrive. Rather than following a downward spiral, start making improvements in exercise, diet, positive social support. Follow your passion to help propel you to a better life as you recover from addiction or other life challenges. .

Finding success involves planning and a high level of self-knowledge, but it is easier than you might think. Get active and healthier. Laugh with good friends. Manage your life and learn to cope with the stress that comes with big and small life changes.

Blog # 24 Added 2-11-21 written by guest contributor Dylan Wallace. Edited by Mary Knutson, Health Vista, Inc.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

Learning

Reflections: Ways to Learn at an Older Age

May 24, 2020 Mary Knutson

Challenging myself to learn:

I always valued and enjoyed lifelong learning. But, now I am over 60. I wonder if I can learn at an older age? As I age, I feel more like slowing down than “ramping up”. I am not very confident about learning new skills. And, I am not sure I should take on any big new technology projects, even though it was my plan to do more with my website now that I am semi-retired.

Gaining Confidence:

I took a huge step when I decided not to renew my website maintenance contract (because of the expense). It was very scary to imagine doing it myself. I talked to my family and some friends about it, and they seemed to think I could do it. But, I knew I needed lots of support as I learn at this older age.

I chose to switch to GoDaddy webhosting because they take care of some of the maintenance tasks, and they have 24/7 customer service by phone. They seemed very patient and helpful during the transition when I called many times for many reasons. One of them said he could tell by my voice that I was a “mature” person and he was impressed that I was doing this. Even though it was like saying he thought I was old, It was nice to hear some positive words during stressful times when problems needed to be solved.

Learning at an older age:

I watched some tutorials and videos, but that didn’t seem to be enough for me. I looked for an online class to take, but didn’t find what I needed. Thankfully, I found a book I had called the WordPress: The Missing Manual (2014). I bought it many years ago but hadn’t read it yet. I know it is outdated, but it is a great overview so I can understand what WordPress is, how to manage it, and how to maintain it. And, it gives some step-by-step directions!

Understand Your Individual Ways of Learning:

There is a lot more to learning than you may have realized. People have different ways of learning. At any age, it helps if you make a plan to optimize your readiness to learn. You can read my Ready to Learn handout at https://healthvista.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/ReadyToLearnHandout.pdf

I won’t be adding new web pages anytime soon, but I am learning a lot. So far, I have gotten through most of the information about creating and editing blogs. I found out that I didn’t do them exactly correctly in the past. Next, I will start reading about web pages so I can organize things better and improve my health resources website at healthvista.net .

Practicing:

I am writing this post as a “practice session”. If I read about something without using the information, I usually don’t remember what I read. My plan is to practice as I go through the book, so I can learn better. There was another reason for creating this post, I wanted to practice finding and using some free stock pictures that are not copyrighted. I was glad to find more images for future projects on Freeimages.com, Pixabay, and Unsplash,

Growing toward success:

I know that I am gaining skills and confidence as I challenge myself. Even if I make mistakes along the way and it takes a lot of time, I will be learning and growing. Instead of learning less when I am older, maybe retirement is the best time to learn. Hopefullly, there will be more time to spend learning. And, as I learn at an older age, I have more wisdom to know what help I will need to reach my goals.

Here’s to this one small success! I am on my way to learning how to maintain my website. I was able to create a blog post correctly!

Blog post # 19 created 5-24-20 by Mary Knutson and edited 6-9-20

Photos by Piotr Lewandowski and Wynand Van Neikerk from FreeImages,com