As parents who want nothing but the very best for their kids, watching a child suffer through alcohol or drug addiction might be one of your worst nightmares. We do our best to protect them from all the “bad things” that are waiting for them out there in the world, but sometimes it can seem almost impossible to keep up with just what lies on that list of bad things. Warning your son or daughter about the danger of booze and the reality of alcohol rehab might not convince them to avoid the hot new designer drug that just hit the streets.

Following the trends in teen drug use can be a difficult challenge, not only for parents, but for those who work in drug rehabs — the professionals tasked with helping our kids get clean. While it’s understandable that a brand new substance would catch the attention of teenagers looking to experiment, a sudden spike in the popularity of drugs that have been around for decades can be harder to fathom. While the pattern can be visible in rehab program patients, the underlying cause is sometimes very difficult to see.

There are organizations out there that are doing their best to track teen attitudes towards drugs and how they change, hopefully giving parents the insight that will help them keep their kids out of addiction treatment facilities. Monitoring the Future and Partnership for a Drug Free America have found that the perceptions of drugs vary widely among teenagers, and that there are noticeable variations between generations. These attitudes are one of the main influences on a drug’s popularity.

The “riskier” drugs seem to teenagers, whether the risk is real or perceived, the less likely teens are to use it. Risk includes physical, emotional, social, and aspiration. Kids don’t want to deal with legal trouble or drug-induced depression.

Conversely, if teens feel that using a certain drug is more acceptable, then the likelihood that they will experiment with it is higher. Availability plays a role as well, which explains why prescription drug and alcohol rehabs are in such high demand.

The pacemaker is one of the standard instruments used for treating heart patients. Likewise, monitoring the body’s signals can be done easily by implanting little devices inside the body. According to Jarno Riistama, a researcher from the Tampere University of Technology (TUT), such new measuring devices and applications hold great potential for the future tech-savvy generation.

The EKG or electrocardiogram which can be implanted into the body assists with monitoring your health. This is useful especially in emergencies as it gives paramedics and other medical officials an instant look at your EKG data.

This little instrument was developed by TUT in 2003 and thus has been utilized not just to monitor the health statistics of humans but also that of cattle. It is useful towards providing information regarding a bovine’s stress levels and also makes it easier to monitor how it responds to varied conditions.

Other participants in the research include the MTT Agrifood Research Finland and the University of Helsinki.

Riistama however states that while implantable devices such as the EKG exhibit positive results, it still needs more R&D. Meanwhile, he estimates that these devices will be out in the market in around ten year’s time. The decade long wait is attributed to a whole host of tests and approval procedures necessary to ensure that failure is impossible.

Apart from this implantable device, researchers at TUT have also developed one that monitors vital functions without having to be implanted, and instead works from the information it receives from the surface of the skin. This ultra-light device holds much potential not only for its size, but its production cost which is estimated at a mere few cents per piece.

Recent research for the UK suggests that club drugs like ecstasy pose great risks even for otherwise healthy teens.

One of the reasons that “club drugs” like ecstasy have become so popular with teens is because of the perception that they are not dangerous. Teens believe that club drugs do not carry the same risks as “hard drugs” such as cocaine or heroin and therefore are more comfortable experimenting with it. They simply do not believe that dropping some ecstasy before a dance party will cause them to have a drug addiction.

However, club drugs are some of the most addicting and dangerous drugs available for teens today. Many teens in drug and alcohol rehab are either dealing with addiction to club drugs or started using these illicit substances before moving on to other drugs. And a new study from the United Kingdom suggests that teens are placing themselves in great risk by continuing to take club drugs.

Researchers at the University of Hertfordshire studied deaths related to stimulants in Britain from 1997 to 2007. The results showed that people who died after taking ecstasy were generally younger and healthier than people who died after taking other stimulants such as speed and crystal meth. The findings suggest that all teens could benefit from a rehab program if they use club drugs and not just those who use regularly or have already seen serious effects to their health.

According to the study published in the journal Neuropsychobiology, ecstasy deaths were more common in “victims who were young, healthy, and less likely to be known as drug users” who were already or previously in drug treatment. The results suggest that young people “seem to suffer extreme consequences after excessive intake of ecstasy” — increasing the need for them to get addiction treatment if they use club drugs like ecstasy on a regular basis.

Lead researcher Fabrizio Schifano told Reuters Health that the reasons why ecstasy is unclear, although it appears to show an intrinsic toxicity that is higher than that of amphetamines.” One suggestion is that the brains of young people, which are still developing, might be more vulnerable to the effects of the drug. Other studies have recently shown that drug addiction can be stronger and the chances of relapse greater after drug rehab for this very reason.

The World Health Organization warned Europeans that they should stay indoors as small quantities of the ash from Iceland’s volcano fell in countries like Norway, Scotland and Iceland.

Daniel Epstein, WHO’s spokesperson said that the ash, which is microscopic, is dangerous, especially when it reaches Earth. When inhaled, particles of the ash could potentially cause respiratory issues, he said.

He also stated that those already suffering from respiratory problems such as asthma was at a higher level of risk, and recommended that those who did consider venturing outside should wear a mask.

Other medical experts however do not seem to think that the volcanic ash posed any serious threat to people and some even referred to WHO warnings as ‘hysterical’. They went on to say that the ash was not even as dangerous as pollution and cigarette smoke.

Volcanic ash is extremely fine and made of particles of volcanic rock that is fragmented. Ranging from a light gray to black in colour, this ash, when inhaled, can cause a certain amount of irritation in the lungs. However, experts say that the ash, falls from a greater distance in Europe, like for instance from the cloud lingering above - and thus say that health risks are minimal and pose no great danger.

Ken Donaldson, a professor of respiratory toxicology at the University of Edinburgh who has also carried out several studies into the impact of volcanic ash on humans confirmed that volcanic ash was not exactly harmful to humans. He said that the effect was negligible and those at risk were only people located close to the vicinity of the volcano.

An eating disorder such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia is one of the most difficult types of disorders to overcome. However, many people who struggle with eating disorders also struggle with chemical dependencies, making recovery twice as hard. Fortunately, there is still hope. If you or someone you love has coexisting disorders, consider entering an alcohol and drug rehab program with the resources and staff to treat eating disorders.

A comprehensive treatment program should be able to treat individuals with coexisting disorders such as a person suffering from bulimia and alcoholism.  Patients should receive an assessment by an experienced eating disorder counselor followed by a physical examination to diagnose any illnesses caused by the effects of the drug or alcohol addiction and the eating disorder.

Eating disorders and chemical dependencies are diseases and should be treated simultaneously for a greater chance of recovery and complete healing. Checking into an alcohol rehabilitation center, for example, without treating the eating disorder could cause the individual to start drinking again or continue neglecting their nutritional needs.

While every patient is different, a professional rehabilitation center can develop a treatment plan that is most helpful for the individual. For more information about chemical dependency and eating disorders, please contact leading rehabilitation center Cirque Lodge.