Dr. Roxanne Dryden-Edwards is an adult, child, and adolescent psychiatrist. She is a former Chair of the Committee on Developmental Disabilities for the American Psychiatric Association, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, and Medical Director of the National Center for Children and Families in Bethesda, Maryland.
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.
Marijuana's (scientific name is Cannabis sativa) leaves, seeds, stems
and/or roots are consumed by marijuana users for the purpose of feeling
intoxicated.
THC, or tetrahydrocannibinol, is one of the hundreds of compounds within marijuana that has major
intoxicating effects.
Marijuana that is consumed for medical purposes, like for patients with
nausea or poor appetite associated with AIDS or cancer treatment, is legal in a
few states of the United States.
Possession of marijuana, regardless of its purpose, is illegal in most
jurisdictions.
Marijuana is the most commonly abused illegal substance worldwide.
While the number of people who use marijuana at any one time does not seem
to have recently increased, the number of people who have a marijuana-related
disorder has risen significantly. This is more or less true depending on age and
ethnic group.
Medical marijuana, also called marinol (Dronabinol), is a synthetic form of
marijuana.
There are many ways of referring to marijuana itself, as well as for how it
is smoked.
The history of marijuana goes back for thousands of years. It was only made
illegal in many countries during the 20th century.
The use of medical marijuana is currently legal in 15 U.S. states and the
District of Columbia. In those jurisdictions, people for whom medical marijuana
has been specifically recommended by a physician must carry a (medical)
marijuana card that indicates their use of the substance for a clear medical
purpose.
Attempts to completely legalize the use of marijuana, whether for medicinal
purposes or not, remain strongly contested in most jurisdictions.
There are a variety of marijuana types, also called strains.
Numerous research studies show that marijuana is indeed an addictive
substance. The symptoms of addiction to marijuana are similar to those of any
other addictive substance.
The symptoms of marijuana withdrawal are similar to those of other drugs
and include irritability, anger, depression, insomnia, drug craving, and
decreased appetite.
The negative physical, psychological, and social effects of marijuana are
numerous.
While most individuals with marijuana abuse or dependence are treated on an
outpatient basis, admission to both outpatient and inpatient treatment programs
for marijuana addiction has increased over the years.
Behavioral and family based treatments have been found to be effective for
marijuana abuse and addiction.
There is as yet no medication that has yet been shown to be a clearly
effective treatment of marijuana-use disorders.
Anxiety is a feeling of apprehension and fear characterized by physical symptoms. Anxiety disorders are serious medical illnesses that affect approximately 19 million American adults.
Stress occurs when forces from the outside world impinge on the individual. Stress is a normal part of life. However, over-stress, can be harmful. There is now speculation, as well as some evidence, that points to the abnormal stress responses as being involved in causing various diseases or conditions.
Heart attack happens when a blood clot completely obstructs a coronary
artery supplying blood to the heart muscle. A heart attack can cause chest pain, heart failure, and electrical
instability of the heart.
Depression is an illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts and affects the way a person eats and sleeps, the way one feels about oneself, and the way one thinks about things. The principal types of depression are major depression, dysthymia, and bipolar disease (also called manic-depressive disease).
Schizophrenia is a disabling brain disorder that may cause hallucinations and delusions and affect a person's ability to communicate and pay attention. Symptoms of psychosis appear in men in their late teens and early 20s and in women in their mid-20s to early 30s. With treatment involving the use of antipsychotic medications and psychosocial treatment, schizophrenia patients can lead rewarding and meaningful lives.
Suicide is the process of intentionally ending one's own life. Approximately 1 million people worldwide commit suicide each year, and 10 million to 20 million attempt suicide annually.
Drug addiction is a chronic disease that causes drug-seeking behavior and drug use despite negative consequences to the user and those around him. Though the initial decision to use drugs is voluntary, changes in the brain caused by repeated drug abuse can affect a person's self-control and ability to make the right decisions and increase the urge to take drugs. Drug abuse and addiction are preventable.
Smoking is an addiction. More than 430,000 deaths occur each year in the U.S. from smoking related illnesses. Secondhand smoke or "passive smoke" also harm family members, coworkers, and others around smokers. There are a number of techniques available to assist people who want to quit smoking.
Alcohol is the most frequently used drug by American teenagers. Teens that drink are more likely to drive under the influence, have unprotected sex, and use other drugs, like marijuana, cocaine, and heroin. Symptoms of alcohol abuse in teens include lying, breaking curfew, becoming verbally or physically abusive toward others, making excuses, smelling like alcohol, having mood swings, and stealing.
Psychotic disorders are a group of serious illnesses that affect the mind. Different types of psychotic disorders include schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, schizophreniform disorder, brief psychotic disorder, shared psychotic disorder, delusional disorder, substance-induced psychotic disorder, paraphrenia, and psychotic disorders due to medical conditions.
Drugs commonly abused by teens include tobacco products, marijuana, cold medications, inhalants, depressants, stimulants, narcotics, hallucinogens, PCP, ketamine, Ecstasy, and anabolic steroids. Some of the symptoms and warning signs of teen drug abuse include reddened whites of eyes, paranoia, sleepiness, excessive happiness, seizures, memory loss, increased appetite, discolored fingertips, lips or teeth, and irritability. Treatment of drug addiction may involve a combination of medication, individual, and familial interventions.
Depression in teenagers may be caused by many factors. Symptoms of teen depression include apathy, irresponsible behavior, sadness, sudden drop in grades, withdrawal from friends, and alcohol and drug use. Treatment of depression in adolescents may involve psychotherapy and medications.
Teenagers recognize that they are developmentally between child and adult. Teen health prevention includes maintaining a healthy diet, exercising regularly, preventing injuries and screening annually for potential health conditions that could adversely affect teenage health.
Generalized anxiety disorder (or GAD) is characterized
by excessive, exaggerated
anxiety and worry about everyday life events with no obvious reasons for
worry. People with
symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder tend to always expect disaster and
can't stop worrying about health, money, family, work, or school. In people
with GAD, the worry often is unrealistic or out of proportion for the
situation. Daily life becomes a constant state of worry, fear, and dread.
Eventually, the anxiety so dominates the person's thinking that it interferes
with daily functioning, including work, school, social activities, and
relationships.
What Are the Symptoms of GAD?
GAD affects the way a person thinks, but the anxiety can lead to physical
symptoms, as well. Symptoms of GAD can include:
Mental Health RSS
Healthy Living Tips
This site complies with the