Wednesday, January 27, 2016

METH - Methamphetamine Use

Meth is one of the most addictive substances in the United States. Many people have reported getting addicted to meth in as little as one use. Meth releases more than three times the amount of dopamine that cocaine does, highlighting how addictive it is.
The rush of dopamine from meth abuse is much higher than the natural amount of dopamine produced in the brain. This reinforces the behavior of abuse and likelihood of binging. After the reward system is rewired, the cravings for meth often take over a person’s life. Overcoming a meth addiction is difficult because the drug hijacks the brain reward system, impairing healthy decision-making.
A burning question I've had over the years.  

WHY would anyone begin using a drug like Meth? 

My first encounter with this question came when I was just 30 years old.  Upon visiting a long time friend whom I'd admired, loved and felt she was a perfect role-model mom I discovered what the effects of what this chemical cocktail can do.

When I was still living close to her I recognized how an attentive mother she was,  she kept a tidy home, great cook, good listener and close friend. Our family moved and as life gets busy with our own families it had been over 5 years since we'd had contact. 

I do remember how excited I was to pull into her driveway expecting to catch up on where we'd left off.   Ready to enjoy sharing the tales of growing our families and ideas.  What I found that day as she opened the door was an entirely different person.  A person that shared no resemblance to my dear friend.  Not only was I in shock, but my heart was broken.

My first question of course was, What happened to her?  That was quickly answered at another friend's house just a few blocks away.  They informed me that my friend had taken up with a few people that were meth users.

Over the years I've witnessed many that have changed significantly after using meth.  Old school friends, friends of friends, people in the communities and many stories from others witnessing this change in people.  It is almost like they seem to cross over into another place in their mannerisms, their personalities, ideals, and even with a noticeable decline in health.

It saddens me greatly to lose so many people to something as crazy as using a substance as unstable as this drug.  And this heavy heart only directs me back to my question that drives me here today.  WHY would someone, anyone, choose to use something as well known to the public to cause so many side effects? Why?

The following below is what I've come up with so far.  Anyone with additional helpful information or resources that can shed light on how best to help others, please feel free to leave your information in the comment section below.   Thank You! ~Vickie

Crystal meth addiction is difficult to kick because it stimulates the reward centers of the brain. Once away from the drug, patients can experience extreme depression. 

Causes and Risk Factors of Methamphetamine Use

Genetic: Since everyone is a product of their parents, those individuals who have parents with addiction struggles will be much more susceptible to addiction. This effect is particularly strong when the relative was addicted to a stimulant.

Physical: Dopamine, a chemical responsible for communication in the brain, has been linked to experiences of pleasure. Methamphetamine stimulates certain areas of the brain, causing a large amount of dopamine to be released, leading to the brain’s reward center communicating a sudden rush of pleasure. This experience of exhilaration can lead to an addiction.

Environmental: Sometimes people experience a number of negative life events in a relatively short period and are unable to cope with them. Feelings of being overwhelmed may lead to a sense of hopelessness and cause them to turn toward substances such as meth to make themselves feel better. Additionally, peer pressure is a huge factor on drug use. Those children who belong to a social group where drugs are seen as cool and accepted are more likely to use meth and become addicted.

Psychosocial: Some research has shown that there are certain personalities that are more likely to become dependent on meth, such as having an aggressive personality. Additionally, children who lack self-confidence and self-esteem are more likely to turn to drugs in order to fill some type of void.

Once methamphetamine is abused, it causes negative changes in personality, which can lead to even more destructive behavior.

For courses on meth, please call Kameron. 8015975264

Source:  https://www.facebook.com/appleenviro/posts/858344887612563?fref=nf 
Apple Environmental Meth Remover Solution for the Removal of Meth

People may try meth out of curiosity, in search of a high or even to lose weight. They may continue using it because of the energy and euphoria it produces, not recognizing its seriously addictive potential.

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Crystal meth, also known as crystal methamphetamine, and informally as ice, tina, crystal, redneck cocaine, crank or glass, is a colorless form of d-methamphetamine, a powerful synthetic stimulant which is highly addictive.

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Brain Damage Caused By Meth 
Looks a Lot Like Schizophrenia
By John Lavitt 11/20/14

Australian researchers found that meth caused the same structural damage seen in the brains of schizophrenics.
A new study published by Australian researchers from the University of Sydney reveals how the methamphetamine-induced sensitization of the brain looks a lot like schizophrenia.

By examining alterations to the prefrontal cortex, the researchers were surprised to find the neurological changes induced by methamphetamine use to be extraordinarily similar to the brains of schizophrenics. The structural damage and protein alterations seen in schizophrenia appeared in the brain after methamphetamine-induced sensitization.

Published in the Journal of Proteome Research, the ultimate focus of the study was more focused on the implications for the maintenance of psychotic disorders than on methamphetamine treatment. A proteome is the entire set of proteins expressed by a specific organism at a certain time. More specifically, it is the set of expressed proteins in a given type of cell or organism at a given time under defined conditions. By examining the proteome layout in the prefrontal cortex, damage done by genetic psychotic disorders or external abuse factors like drugs and injuries can be gauged.  

In the study, the Australian researchers worked with rats. They found that repeat administration of methamphetamine to the rats led to a progressive increase in locomotor activity in the form of a behavioral sensitization. Such a behavioral sensitization is similar to the underlying neurochemical changes driving traditional psychoses like schizophrenia. The behavioral changes are the direct result of alterations to the prefrontal cortex of the brain.

The original aim of the current study was to investigate changes to protein expression in the prefrontal cortex in male rats sensitized to methamphetamine. Twenty percent of the neural proteins affected by the methamphetamine have previously been implicated in the neurobiology of schizophrenia. 

From synaptic regulation to mitochondrial function, the changes in the brain caused by methamphetamines had only been seen before in the brains of schizophrenics. Future treatment of schizophrenia could be improved by avoiding the stimulation associated with methamphetamine use.



Meth and Parkinson's Disease

 “We found that meth/amphetamine users had a 76% increased risk of developing Parkinson’s disease in comparison to a matched population-proxy control group,” the researchers wrote in a paper published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence. ........

People hospitalised for abuse of methamphetamines like crystal meth or ice have a 76% higher risk of developing Parkinson’s disease compared to those with no drug addiction, a study has found.
Parkinson’s disease begins with degeneration of certain brain cells and causes trembling, stiff muscles and an inability to coordinate body movements normally.

Methamphetamines produce a feeling of intense euphoria by boosting levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain.

Because Parkinson’s disease symptoms appear when dopamine producing cells stop functioning normally, scientists had long suspected a link with meth use but had been unable to prove it because Parkinson’s typically develops in middle and old age. Methamphetamine addiction is a relatively recent phenomenon.


Blood is the best way to detect metamphetamine and if possible, muscle tissues show fairly the same amount of metamphetamine traces as blood. Over time, meth damages neuron cell endings. In living, one can usually expect the decaying teeth, respiratory problems, anorexia and paranoia.

Friday, January 22, 2016

Experiment - Deprived Of Modern Technology

 We must agree that technology continues to expand and much of it is making life easier for many.  Sometimes however technology seems to be released so fast it is hard for families to keep up with the latest and greatest.  Outside of the many downsides to some of this new found "freedom"  like the dangers of the EMF, the death towers and HAARP activities etc many of us are missing some deep-seated unexpected social problems. Our children are growing up in a world that is activated by a cell phone, internet, blue-ray movies, next to real life video games and may be losing some natural abilities they were born with. This study done by Yekaterina Murashova is an eye opener for me, and may well be for too. ~Vickie Barker

A thought-provoking experiment showed what happens when children don’t have the internet for a whole day

Child psychologist Yekaterina Murashova describes an unusual experiment in her book showing what happened when a group of teenagers were deprived of access to the internet and modern technology for a single day. We think it’s well worth checking out — you can consider the implications for yourself.

Children and teenagers aged between 12 and 18 years voluntarily spent eight hours alone without access to any means of communication (mobile phones; the internet, etc.). They were also forbidden to turn on the computer, any other electronic gadgets, the radio and the TV. But they were allowed to engage in a number of ’classic’ activities by themselves: writing, reading, playing musical instruments, painting, needlework, singing, walking, and so on.

The author of the experiment, a family psychologist, wanted to prove her working hypothesis that the today’s generation of young people are too often entertained by things not of their making, are incapable of finding ways to keep themselves busy, and are completely unfamiliar with the idea of the world of their imagination. According to the rules of the experiment, the children had to explain the next day how they had coped with being alone under such conditions. They were allowed to describe how they felt at the time of the experiment, and keep a record their actions and thoughts. In the case of excessive anxiety, discomfort or stress the project leaders would recommend stopping the experiment immediately, recording the time and the reason for its termination.

At first glance, the idea seems rather harmless. That’s why the psychologist who organised it mistakenly believed that the experiment would be absolutely safe. Nobody expected such shocking results. Only three of the 68 participants reached the end of the experiment — one girl and two boys. Three of the participants had suicidal thoughts. Five of them experienced intense panic attacks. Twenty-seven experienced symptoms such as nausea, sweating, dizziness, hot flushes and abdominal pain. Almost everyone who took part experienced feelings of fear and anxiety.

The novelty of the situation, and their interest and joy at being alone with themselves faded in almost all the participants by the beginning of the second or third hour. Only ten people who withdrew from the experiment started to experience anxiety only after three hours of solitude or more.

One of those who managed the project recalled: "One heroic girl who made it to the end brought me a diary in which she described in detail how she felt by the eighth hour of the experiment." After reading it, the psychologist began to experience some of the physical symptoms of anxiety which had been felt by many of the participants. For ethical reasons, these records of the participants experiences were not published.

What did the teens do during the experiment?
  • Cooked meals and ate;
  • Read or tried to read;
  • Did school work (the experiment was conducted during the school holidays, but many of the participants grabbed their exercise books out of desperation);
  • Looked out the window or strolled around the apartment;
  • Went outside to go to the store or cafe (it was forbidden to communicate with others according to the rules of the experiment, but they decided that sellers or cashier didn’t count);
  • Did puzzles or constructed Lego models;
  • Did art work or tried to draw;
  • Had a wash in the shower;
  • Cleaned up in the room or apartment;
  • Played with a dog or cat;
  • Worked out in the gym or did gymnastics;
  • Recorded their feelings or thoughts;
  • Wrote letters by hand;
  • Played the guitar, piano etc.
  • Three wrote poetry or prose;
  • One boy spent nearly 5 hours riding buses around the city;
  • One girl did embroidery;
  • One boy went to an amusement park;
  • One young boy travelled through the city from end to end (about 25 km in total);
  • One girl went to a museum; one boy went to the zoo;
  • One girl prayed.
Almost all the participants tried to sleep at some point, but none were able to due to the unusual thoughts going round and round in their heads.

After the termination of the experiment, 14 of the teenagers immediately logged in to social networks, 20 called their friends on their mobile phones, three participants called their parents, and five went to visit their friends in person. Others turned on the TV or plunged into playing computer games. In addition, almost all of them soon thrust their headphones into their ears.

All the symptoms of stress disappeared immediately after the termination of the experiment.
63 teenagers admitted that the experiment had been useful for them in terms of allowing them to learn more about themselves. Six repeated the experiment on their own and claimed that on the second, third or fifth time they managed to last the whole day without serious problems.

When describing what was happening to them during the experiment, 51 people used phrases like “dependence“, ”it turns out, I can not live without ...“, “dose”, ”withdrawals“, ”I need...", and so on. All of them, without any exceptions, said that they were extremely surprised by the thoughts that were crossing their minds during the experiment, but they were unable to examine them rationally because of the overall deterioration of their psychological state.

One of the two boys who successfully completed the experiment spent eight hours gluing together a model of a sailing ship, with a break for a meal and a walk with the dog. Another boy first spent the time organising his possessions. These two boys didn’t feel negative emotions at all during the experiment.

Source:  Bright Side
http://brightside.me/article/a-thought-provoking-experiment-showed-what-happens-when-children-dont-have-the-internet-for-a-whole-day-42855/

For more - Inspiration. Creativity.  Wonder. you may want to visit the Bright Side website.




Thursday, January 21, 2016

Protect Yourself

3 Simple Rules For Protecting Yourself From Energy Vampires



The human body generates an electromagnetic field. When that field is easily disrupted, it can manifest in many ways including being ‘sensitive’ to people and environments. You might recognize the feelings of being a sensitive soul. Being around a certain someone puts you in a bad mood. Having to go into a crowded party overwhelms you. When someone isn’t happy with you, you feel as if you’re being physically attacked.
Being energetically sensitive means that you’re picking up on and absorbing negative energy from those around you. You’re not just moody! Great news, right?
Having a strong and balanced energy system is the best way I’ve learned to stay protected from energy vampires. Do this daily and you’ll have a little routine that will help strengthen your system so you can be anywhere, at any time, and feel calm and confident.

Rule #1: Balance

Make sure your energy system is strong and balanced. There are many ways to do this but one of my favorites is the “thymus thump.” Thumping a gland in the center of your chest, called the thymus gland, gives you an immune system boost and is also effective for calming fear and balancing your entire system quickly. Simply use your fist and “thump” like Tarzan for about 30 seconds and some big deep breaths.

Rule #2: Ground

Ground your energy. The more grounded, or connected to the earth’s energies you are, the less shaken you’ll be by your environment. A great way to “ground” is by literally pulling your energy down through your feet.
Place your hands at the sides of your waist. With your thumb in the front and fingers toward the back, slide your hands slowly and firmly down your legs. When you get to your feet, squeeze at the sides of your feet. Doing this on grass, dirt, or sand makes it even more powerful.

Rule #3: Protect

By tracing your central meridian, an energy pathway running up the front of your body, also highly attuned to thoughts and emotions, you are able to strengthen it.
Place your hands at the bottom end of the central meridian, which is at your pubic bone. Inhale deeply as you simultaneously pull your hands straight up the center of your body, to your lower lip. Repeat three times. With the electromagnetic force of your hands, you are literally moving the energy in the meridian in the direction of its strength and in turn, the meridian is strengthening you. While doing this exercise, you can also add an affirmation such as “I am safe and protected”.
Breathe! Breathing allows energy movement in your body. If you hold your breath in crowds or around difficult people, you are actually preventing any negative energy from movinʼ right through you.
Cross your arms/legs when feeling energetically vulnerable. This actually protects your aura and creates an energetic shield. Negative energy being directed at you will tend to bounce off of you and return to the sender.
Pick your location wisely. Stand by a window or door in crowds and avoid sitting at the front of a class or room where people direct their energy toward you.
Black tourmaline, a crystal that can be purchased for just a couple of dollars, is an excellent negative energy absorber. Put it in your pocket, purse, or just keep it close by when feeling vulnerable.
Now you have lots of minute-or-less tools to keep you balanced, grounded, and protected. Just don’t forget, they only work if you use them.
Ahhh, doesn’t that feel better already?
...

This article was written by Amy B. Scher.  Amy is an expert in mind-body-spirit healing and is often lovingly referred to as an “accidental guru.” She is the bestselling author of   This Is How I Save My Life  (January 2013) and has been featured in publications such as CNN, Curve magazine, Divine Caroline, and was named one of Advocate’s “40 Under 40″ for 2013. Most importantly, she lives by the self-created motto: “When life kicks your ass, kick back.”

Source:  http://www.lovehaswon.org/love-blogs/2016/1/17/3-simple-rules-for-protecting-yourself-from-energy-vampires

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Monday, January 11, 2016

Evolve Out Loud

I am posting this because it resonates with my frequency.  I have a link at the bottom of this article to the full source and full story. Many are being called together by many different means, I am simply moving forward as I follow the Light.  Grateful you are here with me on this journey. ~Vickie Barker

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The Need For Authenticity

Since I awakened in 2011, I go through periods of time where I am working on things connected to my self (which is pretty much all the time). We all are. The only difference I’ve noticed is I’m consciously aware of the evolving themes flowing in and out of my life. I’ve noticed that the themes are collective. Everyone is being presented with opportunities to grow and expand, even if they aren’t aware of it. The theme that was really strong in November was authenticity. This theme has been around for awhile. But I’ve noticed that lately it’s been really prevalent and will continue to be so.
When I watched the “Enlightened Families” video, with every family member being authentic and true to themselves in a respectful way, I couldn’t help but get excited. I have family issues myself. No one in my family is authentic — we maintain so many lies and secrets. ......

......The more I take this journey of aligning with my authentic self, the more I can’t hold back — not mean or disrespectful things either, but pretty much the truth. For me to be authentic as possible, I need to speak the truth. By speaking truthfully and being authentic, I feel like I’ve been set free from issues that have followed me my whole life, issues which stemmed from my childhood. I feel like the “Enlightened Family” video showcases what it truly means to be authentic in a world that seriously lacks authenticity. If you really want to kick your evolution into high gear, start being authentic as much as possible. Your life will get better as your align with your authentic self....

What Does it Mean to be Authentic? 

My perception of authenticity is being true to ourselves. Keeping it real in every sense of what realness is. I’ve asked myself many times, what am I being authentic to? The simplest answer I can give is, to my soul. Which I guess really isn’t that simple. But to put in plainly, it means to be in line with the true essence of what makes me amazing, the qualities that showcase greatness. I don’t mean perfection; for as long as I am human, I am perfectly imperfect. I mean being true to ourselves by saying how we feel in the moment and staying true to our word (to the best of our ability, because life happens). It means not lying, manipulating, fuelling our addictions, or doing things we don’t want to do and complaining about it later obsessively… and on and on. So many people are afraid to be authentic out of fear of what people will think of them. Well, I’m here to tell you that it honestly doesn’t matter what people think of you and your fear of this is connected to how you feel about yourself. To let go of that fear is to empower yourself with the amazingness of all that is you. One way to do that is to self-connect and fall in love with who you are. It’s an evolutionary process. At the end of the enlightened family video was Kyle’s website, which was titled very synchronistically for me: Evolving Out Loud. As soon as I read it, I got goosebumps. I immediately went to his website and watched all the transformational videos on it. I learned that Kyle is a comedian and actor. I also learned that he is totally evolving out loud and it’s amazing to be able to watch his journey. He taught me that I should be doing the same, more so than I already am. Here’s a trailer for his Evolving Out Loud show. Watch it and if you feel inspired to, read on.
After I learned more about who he is and why he started to Evolve Out Loud, I came across his 100 day Self Connection Experiment. Self-Connection is the key to becoming truly authentic. One way to self-connect is to meditate. There are many great spiritual, evolutionary, life loving expansion teachers out there and so many of them have taught me amazing things that I use to teach others. Kyle is one of those teachers for me but he is giving me knowledge I already have. It’s been buried inside of me and I’ve forgotten it over the years. He is a beautiful reminder.
Over the course of our life, we’ll have many teachers that will remind us of our inner truths that we tend to forget. His self-work truly resonates with me and I hope it resonates with you as well. Especially if you have been ready for “the next step” in your evolutionary journey or if you’ve been feeling stuck and your life isn’t bringing you happiness. I’ve been ready for “my next step.” Below is a trailer for the 100 Day Self Connection Experiment. If you want a quick link to view the trailer and all the videos of his self-connection journey to date (he’s on day 78), click here. In the video Kyle talks about how he’s not looking for followers but rather, he’s looking for co-leaders. He speaks about how we all have the power to help ourselves and live the lives we want, and self-connection through meditation, authenticity, and non-resistance is the key. Check it out!
Kyle speaks to me because he portrays this journey in such a light, warm hearted way that it’s very easy to understand and connect to what he’s talking about. Plus he’s funny. I mean, he is a comedian. His work is comedy combined with transformation, and I’m all about that. 
I feel that we need to connect to ourselves and each other more so that we can make a true difference in this world. Our planet is in turmoil, that’s apparent, but what I’ve noticed is that many people are in turmoil and crisis internally. Perhaps if we ease the turmoil and chaos inside ourselves, maybe the chaos and turmoil in our world will subside as well. Please share your truths! Speak up! Say what’s in your heart! Do no harm but take no shit! We’re all in this together. Life can be a beautiful journey and I’m excited to take that journey with all of you and all those who are willing to be with me for the ride. Like Bill Hicks once said… “It’s all just a ride.”

Source: