Anger Management in Children

Anger Management in Children

Anger, a normal emotion, can transform into something painful and ugly. First thoughts of anger issues may bring about images of a couple fighting, a parent abusing a child, a teenager lashing out at a teacher or a parent. Rarely will images of angry children come to mind. Unfortunately children, at very young ages, have to deal with feelings of anger and rage. This is a truth which is often difficult to understand or manage.

Children, young children especially, aren't normally aware of how they feel. When a child becomes upset or mad they simply show these emotions through their behavior. A good example of this might be the little boy in the supermarket who throws a tantrum because he's upset. Many parents have had to deal with similar situations. It is unfortunate that often times these occurrences are overlooked or dismissed because they are "just children". Anger management in children is as important, or perhaps even more important than anger management in adults.

A child requires instruction and guidance from their coming into the world to their entry into adulthood. The things they learn throughout their young lives are likely to form the person they become as an adult. For this reason anger management in children with difficulties controlling their temper is extremely important. Finding ways to teach anger management in children might present challenges.

There are programs designed specifically for children with anger management issues. Finding one that works for a particular child might require testing many methods. Not all children will respond to the same treatments for anger management in children. Because a child cannot always relate their feelings surrounding angry outburst, finding the right approach may take some time. Until the issue is resolved or at least controlled, it is imperative to continue the search.

Young children may respond well to worksheets, games and fun activities. All of these can be used effectively to teach anger management in children. Developing programs which incorporate each of these might be the best route to take. A child completing a worksheet, coloring sheet or participating in games and activities with underlying messages regarding anger management, may not even realize they are working on their problem. Making the activity fun doesn't mean that the anger issue has to be left out. Choosing fun activities which teach healthy interaction and decision making might be good for anger management in children. Teaching them to take turns and helping them to learn that they can't always be the best or the winner would definitely make a difference when confrontational situations arise. Little activities which instill values and positive thinking would be beneficial for anger management in children.

If a child is old enough to talk about their anger problem, encouraging them to share their feelings is important. Suggesting they talk to someone who they feel comfortable with and trust is a good idea regarding anger management in children. Asking them to write or draw about their emotions may be able to help disclose their underlying issues, whether fear, hurt or sadness. Teaching them to ask for help when they feel threatened or angry would certainly help the child with a problem. The important detail to realize when considering anger management in children are they are just "children". Their minds are not equipped to handle big people situations and so they will require a more careful approach.

Avoid Alcohol for a Better Body and Mind

What is alcohol?

Alcohol is nothing but a natural fruit juice. It is a health drink also. There are many types of alcohol. But the one which is useful to human being is ethyl alcohol. It is also known as grain alcohol since it is prepared from starch grains. Ethyl alcohol is the alcohol of wine beer, whisky and similar beverages. It is often simply referred as “alcohol”. Most of the alcohol is prepared when grains, fruits or vegetables are fermented.

What is fermentation?

The process of conversion of sugars into ethyl alcohol under the influence of yeast is known as fermentation. The raw materials of ethyl alcohol are cane juice, beets, dates, molasses, fruit juices which contains sugar, substances which contain starch such as potatoes, rice, barley and maize.

Why should you avoid commercial alcohol?

Denatured Alcohols

It is commercial ethyl alcohol to which small amounts of very poisonous substance have been added. So, commercial alcohol contains methyl alcohol which is poisonous. The manufacture and sale of ethyl alcohol is under strict government control. Heavy excise duty is levied on sale of alcoholic beverages. For industrial purpose ethyl alcohol is duty free in some of the countries.

Alcoholic Beverages

The largest use of ethyl alcohol is considered as a beverage. Wine contains about 12% ethyl alcohol. Beers contain about 4%. Whisky and Brandy contains about 40-50% ethyl alcohol. The alcoholic content of a beverage is indicated by a measure known as proof spirit.

How does it affect your health?

When you drink alcoholic beverages, the ethyl alcohol finds its way in your blood. When you consume 0.8% you will feel steady. If it is 2% you feel giddiness, 3% not able to walk, 4% you may fall down. When it reaches 5% it may leads to death

Why do people like to have it?

Due to some curiosity people like to drink it. They feel that it is good and reduces stress. Some times to people drink to relax themselves.

A Step By Step Method for Alcohol Detox

Alcohol detox may be defined as a phase of medically supervised and monitored withdrawal from alcohol at the same time the alcohol is detached from the body.

Alcohol detoxification depends on your age, medical status and alcohol intake history. In the case of a young man who drinks a lot and looks for 7 days treatment after his last consumed alcohol, he may not need detoxification ahead of starting medication for alcoholism. The most common drugs employed for this purpose are the benzodiazepines, which are followed by barbiturates.

What are benzodiazepines?

Benzodiazepines, diazepam, oxazepam or lorazepam are the most common drugs used to minimize symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. There are a number of treatment methods in which it is employed. The choice of benzodiazepine depends upon the situation.

Chlordiazepoxide is preferred in case of uncomplicated withdrawal of alcohol.
Diazepam or Lorazepam are available for persons who are not able to take medicines safely by mouth.
Oxazepam and Lorazepam is considered best for patients who have cirrhosis

What is the proper medication for alcohol detox and withdrawal?

Alcohol detox can cause suffering and pain and it can be life threatening. Detox from alcohol, otherwise known as withdrawal, may lead to various problems. The symptoms of acute alcohol detox and withdrawal start to emerge within 6 to 48 hours. Proper medication for alcohol detox and withdrawal is to lessen the discomfort of the patient and avoid the development of severe symptoms. Admission in hospital gives the safest situation for alcohol detox and withdrawal.

What is common procedure to detox?

Most doctors are contented to prescribe for alcohol detox. A common procedure for detox is as follows.

Your doctor may prescribe a high dosage medication for the first day so that you discontinue drinking alcohol.
Then the dosage will be reduced gradually over the next five to seven days. Usually this avoids or reduces the nasty withdrawal symptoms.
You should accept not to consume any alcohol in the course of alcohol detoxification. In order to make sure that you are not drinking alcohol, a breathalyzer may be used.
Usually your doctor or nurse will monitor you more often at the time of detox.

While under going detox, support from friends or family may be of great help. The work of receiving the prescription and providing the detox medicine is shared with a friend or family member.

The Risks of Teen Drinking and Drug Use

Underage Drinkers Get Their Alcohol From Adults, US Survey

A new nationwide survey on underage drinking in the US estimates that 40 per cent of underage drinkers get free alcohol from adults over the age of 21, including more than 5 per cent who receive it from parents and guardians.

The report, dated June 2008 and produced by the US Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), is available to download from the SAMHSA website.

Underage drinking is responsible for more than 5,000 deaths a year of Americans under the age of 21, said the SAMHSA.

There are about 11 million underage drinkers in the US, according to the study, which surveyed about 23,000 American teenagers and young adults from 2002 to 2006. The researchers defined underage current drinkers as persons aged from 12 to 20 who had consumed alcohol in the past 30 days.

The nationwide survey was the first to ask detailed questions about underage drinking behaviour and social situations in which young people drink alcohol.

It found that 40 per cent of underage drinkers were given alcohol by adults over the age of 21 in the previous month, and that 650,000, or 6.4 per cent, of underage drinkers were given the alcohol by their parents.

The study also found that:

* 53.9 per cent of all people aged 12 to 20 engaged in underage drinking in their lifetime, ranging from 11.0 per cent of 12 year olds to 85.5 per cent of 20 year olds.

* An average of 3.5 million people aged 12 to 20 each year (about 10 per cent of the US population) meet the diagnostic criteria for alcohol abuse or dependence.

* About 1 in 5 in this age group, or around 7 million, have engaged in binge drinking where they had five or more drinks on at least one occasion in the previous 30 days.

* Over 80 per cent of underage drinkers said they were with two or more other people when they last had an alcoholic drink, during which time they drank an average of 4.9 drinks, compared with 2.9 drinks when they on their own or 3.1 when with only one other person.

* Over half of underage drinkers were at someone else's home when they last had a drink of alcohol.

* Binge drinking occurs significantly more often among youngsters who live with a parent who engaged in binge drinking in the past year.

Acting Surgeon General Dr Steven K. Galson, a rear admiral in the US Public Health Service said:

"In far too many instances parents directly enable their children's underage drinking - in essence encouraging them to risk their health and wellbeing."

"Proper parental guidance alone may not be the complete solution to this devastating public health problem - but it is a critical part," he added.

SAMHSA Administrator Dr Terry Cline said:

"This report provides unprecedented insight into the social context of this public health problem and shows that it cuts across many different parts of our community."

"Its findings strongly indicate that parents and other adults can play an important role in helping influence -- for better or for worse -- young people's behavior with regard to underage drinking."

Research has shown that one of the reasons people who start drinking at an early age tend to become problem drinkers later in life is they use alcohol to relieve stress.

A survey of 27,000 people by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) in the US, and published in the January 2007 issue of Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, found that people who reported the most stressful incidents in their lives also drank the most, and those who started to drink alcohol in their teens, and reported at least six "stressors" (pressures that made them feel stressed rather than challenged) drank five times more alcohol than those who started drinking when they were 18 or older.

"Underage Alcohol Use: Findings from the 2002-2006 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health."
Michael R. Pemberton, James D. Colliver, Tania M. Robbins, Joseph C. Gfroerer.
US Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Office of Applied Studies.
DHHS Publication No. SMA 08-4333, Analytic Series A-30, June 2008.

Organic Food vs. Childhood Obesity

Eating organic is such a simple concept that it is deceiving. The idea is to eat fruits and vegetables that have been produced without the use of chemical fertilizers and toxic pesticides, meat that is from animals that have not been given antibiotics and growth hormones, and food that does not contain chemical flavor enhancers or preservatives. It sounds simple enough, and it is simple — it just isn't easy to accomplish.

We have an epidemic of childhood obesity in this country. The causes for this epidemic are many, but there are two main causes — lack of exercise, and eating the wrong food.

Food preferences are acquired. Little babies aren't born into this world loving chocolate and hating broccoli. They don't have an opinion, but they form opinions based upon their early experiences with food. If they are given chocolate, they will like chocolate. If they are given apples, they will like apples. So the first thing that we can do to stop this epidemic of childhood obesity is to help kids develop food preferences that are healthy and less fattening.

The second thing that we can do is to systematically begin eliminating the additives and preservatives in food that contribute to childhood obesity — and adult obesity as well. Flavor enhancers like MSG actually excite brain cells to the point that they self-destruct. The additive also increases the tendency for obesity. There's no doubt about it.

There are other food additives that are just as bad. The best policy is to eliminate all prepackaged foods from a child's diet. The weight loss will begin almost immediately when organic apples are substituted for potato chips.

The toxins that are in food that is produced by conventional means are also contributing to childhood obesity. Organic food can help to cure the childhood obesity epidemic!
Sober Teens Online!

Studies link marijuana, schizophrenia

Last year, Netherlands researchers reviewed five studies and concluded that the use of marijuana (cannabis) approximately doubles the risk of developing schizophrenia. Because the studies excluded anyone with a history of psychosis and controlled for the use of other drugs, they were "able to show the specific effects of cannabis."

Now a new study from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York has shed light on the reason for the link between marijuana and schizophrenia. With several groups of adolescents as their subjects, they used a special type of MRI called diffusion tensor imaging to compare the brains of those with and without schizophrenia, both users and non-users of marijuana. They found that heavy use of marijuana caused the type of abnormalities in certain areas of the brain as were found in the brains of the subjects with schizophrenia, and these abnormalities were the most pronounced in schizophrenic subjects who regularly smoked marijuana. The abnormalities occur in a brain pathway related to language and auditory functions which is still developing during adolescence.

Thus if a young person is genetically at risk for schizophrenia, the research suggests, the use of marijuana can cause the same kind of damage the schizophenia would cause, which could bring on the illness when it might otherwise have not have emerged, cause earlier onset, and/or worsen the condition.

Newsday quoted one of the study's authors, Dr. Manzar Ashtari, as saying, ""Don't put yourself at risk, especially if you have a family history of schizophrenia or severe mental illness -- especially when the brain is still growing."

College Culture: The Way to Addiction

Most college kids, being away from home are sucked up in the pressures of belonging, gaining friends, as well as being popular and invited to the frequent parties that come with college life. College is usually the time where the youth learn about drugs and at the same time experiment on drug use. Being in college also means drinking parties from left to right with no parents watching over or family members reminding the youth about what is right from wrong. This may result to drug abuse or being under the spell of alcoholism.

There are a lot of addicts who started their dependence on drugs and alcohol due to the following situations that are normal in colleges:

*Fraternity pressure – because of the student’s need for being accepted, they join a fraternity and then succumb to the pressures of the organization. It is a reality that a lot of negative and sometimes deadly activities are being performed by fraternity members. One such activity is hazing which would range from being spanked hundreds of times by a paddle to being forced to drink gallons and gallons of water that at one time or another lead to the death of one or a couple of members. Most fraternities also encourage members to drink and do drugs and this commonly result to substance abuse. This is also the main factor for reported fraternity deaths.

*Binge drinking – this activity will never be absent from parties, especially fraternity parties. Some students are being forced to drink in order to be part of the cool crowd; this activity more often than not cause the youth to be inflicted with alcoholism and there were even some reported deaths caused by binge drinking. Most alcoholics under going treatment admit that their drinking habit started with a single or a couple of bottles of alcohol in school parties and that took them to where they are now: a rehabilitation center for alcoholics.

Using alcohol and drugs is viewed as normal activities and at the same time harmless during college. The fact that it is taken for granted leads the students to being addicts and before they know it, their lives are ruined. After all, nobody ever dreamed of becoming an alcoholic or an addict.

Education on alcoholism and substance abuse prevention should be reiterated by college campuses. Programs to fight off college addiction should also be part of the college activities. Remember that the youth headed on the path to college addiction will never admit it and would not want to seek help so it is up to the college to ensure that every student is aware of the signs and symptoms of alcoholism and drug abuse. Preventive Measures on becoming addicts also need to be reminded to the students.

Drinking habits and drug intake habits may also be developed during college, leading to their use even after graduation especially because of the feeling of being freer now that they have graduated and will soon be working. A college addiction is never harmless. It should be stopped as early as possible.
C.King, M.Ed.