Facts on Stopping Addictive Behaviors

When most people think of addictive behaviors, they picture drug abuse or alcohol addiction, but for addictive personalities, almost anything can be habit forming. The psychology of addiction is complex and kind of twisted, but it is a reality for millions of people world wide. For these poor, unfortunate souls, every day is a struggle. People who suffer from addictive behavior get rid of one bad habit only to fall for another one.

Alcohol and drug rehab is often the start of changing a life paralyzed by addictive behaviors. The first thing, after all, is to break out of your current addiction. A treatment center is really the best way to start doing this. Through meditation, a healthy diet, daily exercise, and a variety of other tricks, most people can get past an initial drug habit and become clean and sober. With addictive behaviors, however, that is only the start of the problem.

The big problem is that it is quite easy to fall back into your addictive behaviors as soon as you are out of the treatment program. After all, anyone can stay drug free when they are being treated and supervised by doctors who help them to stay on a strict schedule. Having the strong will and the wherewithal to stay with it when you are on your own is another thing altogether.

The best thing to do is to find some higher power. There has to be something at the core that you can cling tightly too when you feel lost in temptation. For a lot of people, this higher power is God. If you feel like God is watching you all the time, it might be a lot easier to stay clean and sober. I know that it has made a big difference for me. Whether I am being watched by doctors in the clinic or God in heaven, I have little problem staying sober. It is only when I feel like I am alone that the psychology of addiction gets the best of me again.

Of course, having a support group of some sort is every bit as important as having religious faith, if not more. Whether you go to narcotics anonymous or simply have a family who is there to look after you, a supportive community will make a huge difference. After all, we all feel weak now and again. Those are the times when it is most important to be vigilant in your fight against addictive behaviors.

Medication for Attention Deficit Disorder

I have been in the social services field for thirty years. During that time I have seen many new labels for disorders as well as a wide array of new medications that are available to treat various mental health disorders. It seems that different disorders become popular at different times. When a new label for a group of behaviors is discussed you will see multiple people come back from psychological testing with that diagnosis. This is especially true for children.

When I first began my career in social services, children that had attention issues in the classroom were labeled hyper kinetic. Many tests were done on these children to determine if there were genetic or environmental causes for the lack of attention span. As time went on a different psychologist created the label of attention deficit disorder. Today there are hundreds of children that are given this label each year and the pharmaceutical companies are developing different attention deficit disorder medication. I ask the families that I work with to use caution when using these drugs to treat what may be a learned behavior in their child. Children that are afflicted with disorder need to have medication to cope. They are not able to attend to their surroundings without it. However attention deficit disorder medication has many side effects and so I ask parents to get two different testing sources prior to placing their child on attention deficit disorder medication.

I feel that often times the quick fix of giving a pill teaches a child that they do not have to take the responsibility to change their behavior. As I work with more and more people as the years pass I find that troubled adults with few skills for coping with any type of life issues, have been on some type of medication for the majority of their lives. Not all of them have been on attention deficit disorder medication, but this is by far the most prevalent. They learn early on in life that they can excuse their behavior by hiding behind a label. This is a disservice to the child and adult. They need to learn different ways to help them increase their attention span. The medication should be used to help the child begin the process of being able to sit still long enough to learn new and better coping skills. Medication alone is not the answer, there needs to be a lesson plan that builds skills along with the attention deficit disorder medication.

Some Disadvantages of Eating A Happy Meal Frequently

I don’t know what happened but it happened very early in my daughter’s life. She was barely speaking when we drove by a McDonald’s and she uttered the words French fries. Though I know she may have had a happy meal or two, I wasn’t sure why she was so familiar with the golden arches. Essentially, McDonald’s foods taste very good. This doesn’t mean that I want her to eat there all the time though. I had to find out why she was so familiar with that particular restaurant.

As it turned out, many people in my family were feeding her a happy meal every chance they got. She had grandparents who would take her overnight, and also a family friend who would baby sit on occasion. Because of the unique situation of our family, many people took it upon themselves to do exactly what they wanted. They never once asked me if it was okay for her to have a happy meal so often, and it was not something I thought I had to say.

I know a happy meal can be fun for a child, but that doesn’t mean it is good for them. When she recognized McDonald’s from the shape of the arches, I became very worried. Being overweight is something that runs in my family, and I hope to spare her from that if I can. I want her to know that a happy meal, on occasion, is not a big deal. However, I don’t want her to have one once or twice a week.

My daughter is now five years old, and I am still battling the effects of the happy meal. When we are at home, she often asks for an apple or a banana if she is hungry, but that is different when we are away from home. When we say we need to stop somewhere for dinner, she instantly asks for a happy meal. Though she often loves to go to Subway, and gets excited when we visit a sit down restaurant, the happy meal is still her first choice. I don’t want to make it too big of a deal, or she may eat them like crazy once she is able to buy her own meals. They may seem like fun, but in the end, I am afraid they can lead to a lifetime of bad habits. I guess I cannot control what she eats a she is away from home, but I can make sure that she eats well while she’s with me.

Gourmet Restaurants - Towards a Healthy Lifestyle

I have always loved gourmet food. My mother was a heck of a cook while I was growing up. She would cook every night, and almost always make something different. I don't know where she got so many different recipes from. All of them seemed perfected, and yet she very rarely repeated any of them. The only ones that she would cook more than once were the ones that we really liked. If people asked for them, she would cook them again. There is nothing quite like her cooking. The only thing that even comes close is going to a gourmet restaurant.

I live in Portland, which is an excellent city for gourmet restaurants. Portland has more restaurants per capita than almost any other city I know of. There is just too much food for any one person to ever try. Nonetheless, I give it a shot. I particularly like the gourmet Pizza restaurants. The East Coast is usually the place to get pizza. The West Coast is not known for its pizza places. Nevertheless, if you really look for them you can find some really good pizza places. I've had some thin crust, deep dish, and other kinds of pizzas here that are surprisingly good.

There are also some great gourmet vegetarian restaurants. Although I am not a vegetarian myself, I really respect gourmet restaurants that can cook vegetarian food. Meat automatically adds so much flavor to any dish that learning to cook without it is quite a challenge. The people who can do it really win my admiration. Sometimes, I'll go to a gourmet vegetarian restaurant even if I don't have any vegetarians with me. Some of the gourmet restaurants here are that good!

Of course, my very favorite gourmet restaurants are steakhouses. There's nothing quite like a gourmet steak. I'll have to admit that I'm not all that imaginative in my tastes. Filet mignon is my favorite – I suppose it is almost everyone's favorite. It is so tender, juicy, and rich. If I had the money, I would probably eat a fillet every night. After all, why not eat only the best if you can afford it? Still, every once in a while it is nice to get fish. There are some great gourmet fish restaurants here. The other day, I was eating downtown and had some tuna that was out of this world. It was seared on the sides, but raw in the middle – sort of a flame kissed sushi. It was to die for!

Buying Kitten Collars as a Gift to Your Cat

When you bring a new kitten home, there are many things that you have to have. Many people forget to buy kitten collars because they think they don’t need them. Truthfully, you should make sure you have a collar on your cat as soon as you get home. There are many reasons for this, and the biggest one being safety. You may think that your kitten will not venture outside of your home, but if there is any chance for them to do so, they will find a way. If they do not have a collar, no one can return them to you.

You will want to find kitten collars that have room to grow. However, you do not want any that are exceptionally large. It has to fit securely around their neck, but also must have room for them to grow. You should check your kitten collars quite often. Make sure that as your kitten grows, the color is loosened to accommodate that growth. If you do not loosen the collar, they will choke as they get larger. Kittens tend to grow rather quickly, so make sure you check them very often.

When you bring your kittens home, make sure you add identification tags to your kitten collars. In the event that your kitten gets out of your home, you want to have clear information about where they belong, and how to reach you. Your kittens are extremely curious, and if there is an opening left where they may venture outside they are likely to do so. When someone finds your kittens, you want to know that they can bring them home to you safely as soon as possible.

Also make sure your kitten collars will not slide off from their heads. While it is important to keep them loose enough so that your kittens do not choke, you have to make sure they cannot get out of them. If you have ever seen a cat or kitten try to get out of their collar the first time you put it on them, you know what I mean. Most young cats will get out of their kitten collars at least once or twice before they get used to them. That is why it is important you always check to make sure they are still wearing them, and that they are comfortable. You should also make sure the identification tags have not been removed.

The Joy That Kittens For Sale Can Give

I knew that my daughter would eventually want a pet, but when she finally did it caught me almost entirely by surprise. I wasn't ready for it. It was so stressful for me to raise a kid to the age of eight that, when she got to that age, I didn't want anymore young, dependent critters in the house, be they human or feline. I was a little bit worried about taking care of a pet. You see, I didn't want it to be my responsibility. As a matter of fact, when we discussed it, I told her that we could look at kittens for sale on the condition that she would take care of any pet that we got. She had agreed, but you know how little kids are. They don't always understand the commitment involved in a promise.

When when first went to look at those cats for sale, however, the joy she took in them convinced me that she wouldn't get tired of them early. She had been wanting to own from cat for sale for a long time, and I finally relented. After all, I really couldn't say no to that sweet smile. I guess in a lot of ways my daughter has me wrapped around her little finger, but she hasn't really figured it out yet. When she does, however, I will be in trouble.

She spent hours looking at the various rag doll kittens for sale. I mean it – hours. I couldn't get her out of the store, and even the clerk was getting impatient. Finally, she picked the perfect one. It was mottled, speckled, playful, and mischievous. It was a gorgeous little cat, and I definitely couldn't fault her taste. It seemed like she had picked the perfect kitten for sale.

The owner of the pet store tried to get her to pick out one of the other kittens for sale. When I asked him why, he told me that that one was a little bit of a handful. Supposedly, it was a lot harder to handle than the other ones. I wanted to take his advice, but I knew there was no arguing with my daughter. I figured that, if she made the wrong choice of those kittens for sale, it would be her problem anyway. As it turns out, the cat was perfect. My daughter was pretty good about it too. She did a great job taking care of her pet.

56 Year Old Psychologist Killed in Brutal Slaying

A 56 years old psychologist was hacked to death in her own office at East 79th Street, Manhattan. Kathryn Faughey was killed, allegedly by her own patient on Tuesday February 12. Another doctor was also injured with his attempt to save the shrink. He was seriously injured with cuts to his face and was taken to New York-Presbyterian Hospital Weill/Cornell.


The doorman said that the person he saw enter the premises on that specific time looks like a psycho and never went back the same way. Maybe he used the basement as an escape exit, say the doorman.


Faughey is a licensed psychologist who is known in practicing cognitive behavioral therapy, which focuses on changing thoughts that cause feelings or behaviors.

The Basics Of Hunting

Hunting is one of the best outdoor sports which is also very interesting. Have you been thinking of taking up the sport of hunting? Most hunters will agree it's a sport that will teach you something new with every outing, no matter how prepared or experienced you. It's a great hobby to get into because you don't need a lot of equipment, although there are some great gadgets to aid you in your hunt, no matter what type of game you enjoy tailing.

There are a number of types of hunts, just as there are numerous types of game to hunt. You can go for traditional game hunting such as quail, pheasant, duck or deer and you will be assured of having many enjoyable jaunts into the wilderness and marsh areas to hunt your game. Quail, turkey and duck are easily spooked and they have a keen sense of smell, so you need to stay upwind of them. As well, many hunters invest in a dog. A hunting dog can be invaluable, as they can flush game out of the bushes, alert you to signs of game you may not have seen and can be trained to retrieve smaller game animals such as quail and bring them back after a successful shot. Not to mention, most dogs are great company to take along on the hunt.

Deer hunting has its own nuances and their sense of smell is very keen. They can smell where you've walked, what you've touched and if your scent is blowing in the direction of the deer, whether whitetail deer, mule deer or other species, they will be on the run and you won't even have a small chance of bagging one.

Hunting is a relatively inexpensive and relaxing pastime that millions of people enjoy. Whether you enjoy tracking whitetail deer, sneaking up on quail, bagging a bobcat or the adrenaline rush of aiming and getting a grizzly bear, the sport of the hunt has a little something for everyone. Keep up with what season it is and take your favorite buddy, canine or otherwise, on a hunting trip and rediscover the thrill of tracking game through the great outdoors. This sport is also a great way to bond with your buddies. Try it out!

Pau Gasol Acquired by the Lakers in Exhange of Kwame Brown

Pau Gasol forward-center of the Memphis Grizzlies was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers today in exhange of center Kwame Brown, guard Javaris Crittenton and first-round picks in 2008 and 2010. This trade in makes the Los Angeles Lakers worthy to be in the Western Conference Finals this coming NBA Season.

The 7-0, 260-pound Pau Gasol from Spain won the NBA Rookie of the Year award in 2001-02 and made the All-Star team in 2006. At 27, Gasol is averaging 18.9 points and 8.8 rebounds this season for the last- place Grizzlies (13-33), who have not been in the playoffs since 2006.

This acquirement made the Grizzlies team comfortable financially by levying the $49 million, 3 year contract of Pau Gasol to the Los Angeles Lakers team admin.