Study Finds Fault With Pot
A new study has found that smoking cannabis over a long period of time can cause delusions, hallucinations, or psychosis.
The study shows that people who use pot at the age of 15 or younger were twice as likely to have psychosis than those who never smoked it.
The study involved 3,801 people. Of those 65 had “non affective psychosis like schizophrenia and 233 had one or more hallucination,
That sounds very scary to those who smoke pot, however I find this quote suspicious in meaning.
“People who were vulnerable to psychosis, in other words had isolated psychotic symptoms, “were more likely to commence cannabis use, which could then subsequently contribute to an increased risk of conversion to a non-affective psychotic disorder,” the research said.”
I could be wrong but that seems to say to me that there was something amiss with these folks to begin with and then they started smoking pot, which made their mental problem worse.
I also think they are talking about a very small number of people and did not account for other factors that could cause these psychosis.
I guess it’s like any other study where you can always find the outcome you’re looking for.
ER Doctors Surprised at New Studies Findings
This new study shows that people who are uninsured and end up at the ER are 80% more likely to die than those that have some kind of insurance plan, with the exception of Medicaid. Doctors are said to be shocked that the percentage was so high. They say when someone comes into the ER after a trauma they don’t ask about insurance and do everything they can to treat and save the person.
Experts are trying to come up with likely reasons why they got these type of results. Some of their guesses seem sound enough to be reasons. For instance, after the trauma victim is in the hospital they may not get as many tests or doctors visits as those who are insured. Another reason is that they may already have advanced disease that is untreated aside from the trauma that brought them into the ER.
I know that when I was dying and went to the ER I was treated very well and they saved my life. After four days in the hospital and I was out of the woods then they rushed me out, but they felt bad about it and gave me a lot of freebies med wise to take home. I was very grateful for all they did.
Agent Orange Once Again in The News
The list of diseases that people who were exposed to Agent Orange can now get, has grown to 15. The new diseases caused by this chemical are hairy cell leukemia, Parkinsons, and ischemic heart disease.
Agent Orange was the name of a combination of chemicals that were used during the Vietnam War to clear the jungles so the American soldiers could find their enemies more easily. When these soldiers started to come home they began to show symptoms of some serious illnesses. The government tried to deny it at first but there has been so much proof and such a high number of sick veterans they had to admit that Agent Orange was responsible.
First Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease
A University of Kansas study suggests that memory loss may not be one of the first symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. This is something I’ve been thinking about lately because I’ve noticed that as I am writing sometimes I look at what should be a very familiar word and all of a sudden after I’ve typed it, it looks strange and somehow wrong to me. I’ve been a little worried about it although I’m way too young for Alzheimer’s. I’m sure it’s something else but Kansas is pointing out that thinking and or learning problems could preceed memory loss by years.
Until they know for sure and develop some kind of treatment or cure, I’ll be paranoid every time this happens. I’ve taken care of Alzheimer’s patients and it’s not a nice place to be. One of my residents asked me if her husband would be visiting her that day, every afternoon I saw her. Her husband had died and I had to break the news to her of that every day and it was as if she was hearing it for the first time. Though it was the correct thing to do, it was cruel and after a while I just started lying to her and omitting the fact he had died.
Sids, The English Version
A recent study on Sids in England revealed that over half of the babies there who died from Sids were co-sleeping. That’s not all. It further suggests that the adult who was sleeping with the infant on the couch perhaps were also either drunk or under the influence of drugs. They have added this to the ever growing list of reasons why a baby would die from Sids.
All I know for sure is that my 2 year old nephew died from Sids sleeping alone in his crib. I believe my sister found him on his stomach, but he was a month short of his 2nd birthday and could and did turn over and reposition himself in his sleep. My sister did nothing wrong and did nothing to cause this.
Kids and Violence
A recent study says that about 60% of American kids have been the victims of some kind of abuse or violence. As a country we should be ashamed. This number includes neglect and all types of violence against kids under the age of 17 by parents, strangers, and other youths.
I think we need to concentrate on lowering this number before we try to make peace around the world. Obama just won the Nobel Prize for peace? Maybe he should start in his own backyard first. As a representative of our country, he should be too ashamed to accept such a prize.
Womens Health and Age 70
A new study has found that although most women can live to age 70, those that maintained a good weight from the ages of 18 to 50 were in good health at age 70. Those that were overweight between the ages of 18 and 50 tended to have suffered from a number of diseases by the time they reached 70. These diseases included diabetes and heart diseases.
Don’t call it quits if you have reached 50 and are heavy. You can still benefit from losing weight and exercising.
It’s just another reason to wish for 18 again isn’t it ladies? Or is it?
Predicting Domestic Abuse
A study was done and it’s been determined by doctors that they can predict from 10 to 30 months earlier whether a person will be the victim of domestic abuse by looking at a persons electronic medical records. Those that are found to have alcohol abuse, injuries, and posioning for women, and mental conditions for men, in their medical records are the ones who will likely experience domestic abuse.
While this might make some sense in some ways, I would like to point out that they are predicting what someone will do based on anothers medical records. I hardly see this as a reliable means of prediction myself but you be the judge.
New Study on Gestational Diabetes
This new study on gestational diabetes suggests that treating even the mildest of cases can have great benefits.
Gestational diabetes is when a woman develops diabetes just during her pregnancy, although many of these women will develop diabetes type 2 later in life.
Babies of diabetics tend to be larger than normal, sometimes so much so that they might require c-sections because the babies shoulders are just too big to go through the birth canal.
When gestational diabetes is treated with diet or insulin therapy it’s found that it cuts down on the womans high blood pressure, large babies, and preeclampsia. It’s worth discussing with your doctor if you are pregnant and have gestational diabetes.
Soldiers and Mental Health
A new study has shown a sharp increase in metal health disorders to over 37% of those returning home and seeking treatment. Among the mental disorders are alcoholism, depression, and post-traumatic stress syndrome. Some of these conditions not surfacing for a year or so after the soldier has returned home.
Experts are concerned that these numbers are going to match the post Vietnam era.
As much as the old administration would have us believe that soldiers are just inanimate chess pieces to be moved into action when needed, the rest of us are painfully reminded that a soldier is a person, a human being, and as such can only take so much. Most of us are not brought up and raised to be killing machines and to see people we know being shot and blown apart. This exposure to such danger and brutality takes a toll on the normal human mind. This increase in mental problems should have been anticipated and planned for, but instead our government when done with the soldier is simple done with the soldier and all the problems he brings back with him or her, are theirs to deal with on their own. How dare they? These soldiers need to be treated and helped so they can return to their families and society with as much normalcy as they can manage.