Effects of Cocaine Addiction and ways to get help

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Cocaine addiction is a serious issue that affects millions of people worldwide. The drug, which is derived from the coca plant, is highly addictive and can cause significant damage to a person’s physical and mental health. In this article, we will explore the effects of cocaine addiction, its symptoms, and how to get help.

Effects of Cocaine Addiction

Cocaine addiction can have devastating effects on a person’s physical and mental health. It can cause a range of physical symptoms, including heart attacks, seizures, respiratory failure, and strokes. Long-term cocaine use can also damage the brain, leading to memory loss, cognitive impairment, and an increased risk of mental health disorders like depression and anxiety.

In addition to its physical effects, cocaine addiction can also have a significant impact on a person’s relationships, work, and finances. Many people with cocaine addiction struggle to maintain their personal and professional lives, which can lead to job loss, financial ruin, and damaged relationships with loved ones.

Symptoms of Cocaine Addiction

Cocaine addiction can be difficult to recognize, as many of its symptoms can be mistaken for other conditions or behaviors. However, there are several signs to look out for if you suspect someone may be struggling with cocaine addiction.

Some common symptoms of cocaine addiction include:

  • A strong urge to use cocaine, even if it causes problems in their life
  • Increased tolerance to the drug, leading to higher doses and more frequent use
  • Withdrawal symptoms when trying to quit, including fatigue, anxiety, depression, and irritability
  • Neglecting personal responsibilities, such as work or family obligations, in favor of using cocaine
  • Continuing to use cocaine despite negative consequences, such as legal trouble or relationship issues

Getting Help for Cocaine Addiction

If you or someone you know is struggling with cocaine addiction, it is important to seek help as soon as possible. There are many resources available for those looking to overcome addiction, including:

  • Detoxification programs: These programs help individuals safely and comfortably withdraw from cocaine and other drugs under medical supervision.
  • Inpatient treatment: Inpatient treatment programs provide a supportive and structured environment for individuals to work through their addiction and learn new coping skills.
  • Outpatient treatment: Outpatient treatment programs allow individuals to continue living at home while receiving counseling and other support services.
  • Support groups: Support groups like Narcotics Anonymous provide a safe space for individuals to share their experiences and connect with others who are going through similar struggles.

Cocaine addiction is a serious and potentially life-threatening condition that requires professional treatment. If you or someone you know is struggling with cocaine addiction, it is important to seek help as soon as possible. With the right support and resources, it is possible to overcome addiction and live a healthy, fulfilling life.

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT CAR DETAILING 2022

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Among other things, your smile is largely determined by the gleam of your teeth. While brushing your teeth daily helps maintain your gums and teeth healthy, it is prudent to visit your dentist on a regular basis for a more thorough checkup. He administers cautious care and averts any potential injury. As the doctor is concerned with your oral health, the detailer is concerned with the health of your car. Nonetheless, the vehicle’s condition has a direct impact on the smile of every automobile owner out there. The above gets us to the subject of automobile detailing, why it is critical, when it should be done, how frequently it should be done, why it should be done, and at what expense.

Car DETAILING VS. Car WASH

To begin, we must distinguish between two forms of vehicle hygiene. You can wash your car on a weekly basis, if not everyday, depending on how unclean it gets and how much time you have available. Washing a car can be accomplished in the privacy of one’s own backyard or, more frequently, at a neighborhood car wash. Due to the fact that a car wash performs all of the work automatically, it might be suitable for light dirt cleaning and superficial cosmetic appliances. It can be a pleasant routine that is neither time-consuming nor expensive. On the other hand, automobile detailing entails the use of a professional touch and a more comprehensive treatment of the vehicle through the use of appropriate products. It is more expensive than a standard car wash, but the benefits are incomparable. According to likecardetailing.com.au, a reputable car detailing company, the primary purpose of car detailing is to make your vehicle appear as if it was driven off the factory floor just moments before.

QUESTION: HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

The cost of detailing your car varies depending on a variety of factors. The detailer’s level of expertise, the business’s reputation, the car’s size, and the sort of detail, among other factors. Packages are available at various price points. A normal package may cost between $50 and $75 for an average-sized automobile and includes vacuuming, window polishing, tire and trim cleaning, waxing, and car washing. Larger vehicles are more expensive, with an average cost of $75-$150 for a van or SUV. Package costs should be higher to reflect the additional attention and detail supplied, but those improved discounts start as low as $175.

Purchasing a car has never been more economical. For an affordable price, owners are given with an optimized vehicle that is as close to new as feasible. Not only does the car’s cosmetic appeal improve, but its technical performance also improves significantly, quickly increasing its resale value. Drivers that are content with their vehicles detail them.

Additional Resources:

Building Confidence and Parenting Skills While Your Baby Is in the NICU

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For parents, having a kid in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) can be terrifying or stressful. While your newborn receives lifesaving support from NICU equipment and qualified personnel, you may struggle to assume your parental role or may feel fearful, helpless, or uncertain.

Understanding the NICU’s inner workings and connecting with available support can help you build confidence, identify ways to contribute, and develop into an advocate for yourself and your kid. Additional information is available via the resources listed below.

Parenting Tips for Developing Caregiving Skills with a NICU Baby

Understand your parental rights, including what you can want and anticipate throughout your baby’s time in the NICU; the NICU Baby’s Bill of Rights may be helpful.

Practice routine infant care, such as changing clothes and bathing; inform your neonatal nurse practitioner or other provider if and when you are ready to master these skills.

If time permits, take care of your baby’s laundry; some parents report that washing and returning their baby’s clothes to the NICU makes them feel more connected.

When feasible, be there throughout feeding and bathing times, and collaborate with your nurse to ensure your participation.

Contact the lactation consultant at your hospital, if one is available, to develop a plan for feeding your baby at home.

Choose the pediatrician who will assist you in caring for your baby following his or her stay in the NICU.

Notify your insurance provider of your intention to add your infant to your policy.

FOOD MANAGEMENT (NICU AND BREASTFEEDING, BOTTLE FEEDING AND FORMULA)

Breastfeeding | Office on Women’s Health: A one-stop shop for nursing information, including breastfeeding positions and pumping and storing milk.

Breastfeeding in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: Information from a Lactation Consultant | Hand to Hold: Practical advice for women breastfeeding premature babies, as well as suggestions for supportive loved ones.

Feeding Difficulties and Your Preemie | Hand to Hold: Information about feeding issues and feeding treatment that a premature baby may require throughout the first days and months of life.

Feeding Your Baby Following a NICU Stay | March of Dimes: Answers to frequently asked concerns about feeding preemies following a NICU stay, including how to determine when your baby is full and where to find help.

Feeding Your Baby in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit | March of Dimes: Description of infant feeding options in the NICU, including breastfeeding, bottle feeding, a feeding tube, or an intravenous line (IV).

Find a Lactation Consultant | International Lactation Consultant Association: Online directory of board-certified lactation consultants and their services, as well as information on prices and medical coverage.

How to Bottle Feed a Preemie |: Six recommendations from a registered nurse in a tertiary-level neonatal intensive care unit for bottle feeding a premature infant.

La Leche League Online Support Resources | LLLI: A collection of online breastfeeding resources for families worldwide, including virtual support groups which is very helpful during the pandemic, publications, and printable toolkits.

Nourishing Your Premature Baby in the NICU | Hand to Hold: A neonatal registered dietitian discusses the nutrition and growth processes that are particular to premature infants.

Practical Bottle Feeding Tips | American Academy of Pediatrics: Eight tips for bottle feeding a newborn safely and successfully.

 

Additional Resources:

Five changes to Social Security are set to take effect next week; are you prepared?

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Major Changes Coming to Social Security

Numerous changes are in store for Social Security users in 2022, which is only one week away.

Seventy million Americans are reliant on government assistance and are influenced by these changes.

One significant change is a rise in the COLA, but there will be others as well.

The first and most well-known change is an increase in COLA or cost of living adjustments. This occurs annually to assist persons on a fixed income in keeping up with inflation. COLA increased by 5.9 percent this year. Inflation increased by more than 6% in 2021, according to data. This increase will result in a 5.9 percent rise in recipients’ checks. Couples would receive an additional $154 per month, while individuals would receive an additional $92 per month.

Additionally, those receiving SSDI, or disability insurance, will enjoy a 5.9 percent raise. These will provide beneficiaries with an additional $76 each month. SSDI recipients have infirmities that prevent them from working or require them to work less, the objective is to compensate for the income that has been lost. To view the full extent of the medical conditions that qualify a person for Social Security Disability Benefits, visit here. 

In 2022, the wages ceiling will be increased. Anyone earning more beyond a certain amount often sees their benefits diminish, and the threshold will increase next year. In 2021, the Social Security Administration will withhold $1 for every $2 earned beyond $18,960. In 2022, the Social Security Administration will not begin withholding until you earn more than $19,560. These are the salaries available to persons who retire before reaching full retirement age.

Earnings will not be withheld from those reaching full retirement age in 2022 until they hit $51,960. Credit-earning threshold will increase to $1,510 in 2022, up from $1,470 in 2021. To retire, you must earn 40 credits. Finally, another significant change is that workers will be required to pay a higher share of Social Security taxes. In 2021, the tax threshold was $142,800. It will be $147,000 in 2022.

If you’re curious if you or a loved one qualifies for Social Security Disability Benefits, you can take this free evaluation form and get in contact with a disability attorney. As well as learning how to apply for benefits online or going in person to your local Social Security Office.

If you’re located in the Houston, Texas area and are interested in going to your local Social Security office, the following are offices located in Houston, Texas.

 

Social Security’s 5.9% Raise Isn’t All Good News

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Seniors on Social Security have been waiting months to learn what the cost-of-living increase, or COLA, for 2022 would be. Because that figure is based on third-quarter data from the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), a COLA couldn’t be calculated until September inflation data became available.

The Social Security Administration revealed this week that seniors will receive a 5.9% COLA in 2022. That’s a significant increase than the 1.3 percent they were given for 2021. Is that the case? For seniors, a large COLA may appear to be a fantastic thing. However, it is not the big windfall that Social Security claimants may believe it to be.

The purpose of COLAs is to help seniors maintain their buying power in the face of inflation. If seniors were to start out collecting a single benefit and keep getting that same benefit over the course of 20 or 30 years, they’d eventually be unable to keep up with their living costs.

Inflation has been rampant this summer, driving up the cost of food, gas, and just about everything else, which is why the COLA for 2022 is so huge. While a large raise may be beneficial to seniors, it is likely to be quickly absorbed by higher living expenditures. In fact, even with a high COLA, it’s unclear that seniors will be able to come out ahead in 2022, given the current state of consumer prices.

Seniors seek additional income

All of this adds up to one very significant lesson that future Social Security recipients should remember. It’s fine to rely on Social Security for a portion of your retirement income, but it’s not a good idea to retire only on Social Security.

For the ordinary worker, Social Security will replace roughly 40% of their pre-retirement earnings. However, most seniors require approximately double that amount of money to live comfortably.

Furthermore, rising healthcare costs have rendered Social Security ineffective in assisting elderly in meeting their financial obligations. As a result, today’s workers should take steps to prepare for retirement on their own and become less reliant on Social Security after their working years are over.

There are various alternatives available in this area, with IRAs and 401(k) plans being an excellent place to start. These retirement savings plans are widely available and don’t have income limits (with the exception of Roth IRAs), and they come with a slew of tax advantages that investors can take advantage of now and in the future.

Workers with high-deductible health insurance plans, on the other hand, can use health savings accounts, or HSAs. These accounts allow employees to make pre-tax contributions to cover immediate or long-term medical expenses. Unused funds can be invested and carried forward indefinitely, providing seniors with a dedicated cash source for medical expenses during retirement.

Most retirees overlook the $17,166 Social Security bonus

If you’re like most Americans, you’re behind on your retirement savings by a few years (or more). However, a few little-known “Social Security secrets” may be able to help you increase your retirement income. For instance, one simple method may get you an extra $17,166 every year! We believe that once you understand how to optimize your Social Security benefits, you will be able to retire with confidence and the peace of mind that we all seek.

Social Security’s 5.9% Raise Isn’t All Good News | The Motley Fool

Find social security offices near you

How Opioid Addiction is Destroying U.S. Veterans

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Today, the United States faces a nationwide epidemic that kills tens of thousands every year; opioid addiction. What makes opioid addiction so prevalent is that no demographic is immune to its development. However, veterans are experiencing the crippling effects of opioid addiction more than anyone else.

 

A 2011 study revealed that patients of the Veterans Health Administration are 2 times as likely to die from an accidental overdose than non-veterans. This stems back to the original purpose of prescribed opioids: to treat pain. The JAMA Internal Medicine reported in 2014 that just about half of returning veterans suffer from chronic pain, whereas a quarter represents the general population. As a result, opioids are being prescribed more than ever before. 15% of the U.S. military depends on opioids post-deployment, versus 4% of the general public.

 

Sabrina Franks is a recovery assistant at a Volunteers of America Adult Detox center in Salt Lake City, Utah. The residential program, which focuses on the homeless and low-income men and women, are now collaborating with Veteran Affairs to prioritize desperate veterans. The decision provided Franks a different perspective on the differences between servicemen and women seeking help and the program’s remaining clientele.

“I’ve noticed they are more closed off about what they’re going through,” Franks told Talbott Recovery in this exclusive interview. “Our clients come in, and they’re very open about their symptoms. Whereas, veterans come in and they just lie in bed. They’re clearly miserable, but they won’t come to staff or really engage with a lot of other clients.”

 

Franks partly attributes it to post-traumatic stress syndrome, which she said is common among the veterans at the center. “Also, there’s the idea that you have to be ‘army strong.’”

When it comes to the substances that drive veterans to their door, Franks said it depends on the client’s age. “With the older veterans, I’ve noticed it’s more alcohol. The younger veterans that have come in I’ve noticed it’s more opiates that are a problem.” For those in the latter group, she said many cite injury as the pathway to abuse. “I’ve heard that a few times from them and from other people–that injury is what led them to addiction.”

Sean M. experienced all of this first hand as an Airborne Ranger in Afghanistan.

“I did not realize the toll that multiple deployments took on my mental health,” he wrote in the story he posted on the Heroes in Recovery website. Rather than opioids, however, Sean turned to alcohol. “With every deployment, I came back and drank a little bit more.” This continued until he was admitted into the Army Substance Abuse Program (ASAP). “I was an ASAP rehab failure.”3

 

Forced out of the Army, PTSD and alcoholism took over. “My life fell apart…PTSD and alcohol dependence were killing me physically, mentally, socially and spiritually.” Several stints in rehab followed until finally, in 2012, something changed. “That was when I finally got it. I finally did it for myself.”

The strength to go through recovery after several relapses is a feat Franks said is something she’s seen in her own program’s veteran clients.

 

“I think they go through the same things with addiction that other people go through in terms of it taking them a few times to commit to going into treatment.” But, she said, “I do feel like when they do commit to recovery, they do tend to be stubborn about it.”

If you are looking for treatment for drug addiction, below are links to drug rehab centers in major cities across America:

 

Thankfully for people like Sean, Veteran Affairs is becoming more efficient in treatment as well as prevention regarding opioid addiction and their servicemen and women. VA centers are increasingly introducing non-drug involved therapies for handling chronic pain such as yoga, acupuncture, physical therapy and mindfulness. The Veteran Affairs created the Opioid Safety Initiative in 2013 to more efficiently track opioid use among veterans in their healthcare system. Lastly, the VA has reduced supply, decreasing the number of veterans receiving opioids by 20% and dosages for near 17,000 patients.

But the battle is not over. From 2010 to 2015, the U.S. saw a 55% increase in the number of veterans struggling with opioid addiction. However, Dr. Carolyn Clancy, the VA’s deputy under secretary for health and organizational excellence, is staying positive.

“I’m very pleased to say that we have made substantial progress across the system,” she said in an interview with Frontline. “We’re not done, but it is literally a priority that is part of the fabric across our system, and we monitor this on a regular basis.”

 

Obama Health Care Reform – What it Means to You!

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Over the past year the House and the Senate have been working on an effort to provide health insurance reform that lowers costs, guarantees choices, and enhances quality health care for all Americans. Building on that year-long effort, the President’s final legislation included the best ideas from both sides of the aisle offered in the course of the debate.

Health reform will make health care more affordable, make health insurers more accountable, expand health coverage to all Americans, and make the health system sustainable, stabilizing family budgets, the Federal budget, and the economy:

  • It makes insurance more affordable by providing the largest middle class tax cut for health care in history, reducing premium costs for tens of millions of families and small business owners who are priced out of coverage today.  This helps 32 million Americans afford health care who do not get it today – and makes coverage more affordable for many more.  Under the plan, 95% of Americans will be insured.
  • It sets up a new competitive health insurance market giving millions of Americans the same choices of insurance that members of Congress will have.
  • It brings greater accountability to health care by laying out commonsense rules of the road to keep premiums down and prevent insurance industry abuses and denial of care.
  • It will end discrimination against Americans with pre-existing conditions.
  • It puts our budget and economy on a more stable path by reducing the deficit by more than $100 billion over the next ten years – and more than $1 trillion over the second decade – by cutting government overspending and reining in waste, fraud and abuse.

Key Provisions in Health Reform:

Health reform built off of the legislation that passed the Senate and improves on it by bridging key differences between the House and the Senate and includes several key Republican provisions.

One key improvement, for example, is eliminating the Nebraska FMAP provision and providing significant additional Federal financing to all States for the expansion of Medicaid.  For America’s seniors, the reform completely closes the Medicare prescription drug “donut hole” coverage gap.  It strengthens the Senate bill’s provisions that make insurance affordable for individuals and families, including protections for out-of-pocket costs, while also strengthening the provisions to fight fraud, waste, and abuse in Medicare and Medicaid to save taxpayer dollars.  The threshold for the excise tax on the most expensive health plans will be raised from $23,000 for a family plan to $27,500 and will start in 2018 for all such plans.

Summaries of Key Elements of Health Reform:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/health-care-meeting/proposal

How many people receive Social Security Benefits?

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Currently, there are over 58 million individuals receiving Social Security benefits.  Social Security benefits include retirement benefits, survivor benefits, disabled workers, dependents of disabled workers as well as widower benefits.

As you can see from the data below, there are over 47 million individuals receiving “Old-Age and Survivors Insurance” benefits.  The money distributed to these individuals are funds collected in the form of employment taxes from working individuals.  Every pay period taxes are deducted from employees as part of the Social Security retirement benefits system created in 1939. When individuals reach retirement age, they can apply to receive retirement benefits based upon the amount of money they contributed to this trust fund.  Currently, the average payment received from this trust fund is just over $1,235 per month.

If you have more questions about Social Security benefits, you can review the www.ssa.gov web site, or contact your local Social Security office.  Click here to find the social security office nearest you.

Social Security benefits, September 2014
Type of beneficiary Beneficiaries Total monthly benefits (millions of dollars) Average monthly benefit (dollars)
Number (thousands) Percent
Total 58,767 100.0 70,033 1,191.70
Old-Age and Survivors Insurance 47,844 81.4 59,105 1,235.39
Retirement benefits 41,724 71.0 52,447 1,256.98
Retired workers 38,797 66.0 50,536 1,302.56
Spouses of retired workers 2,301 3.9 1,514 657.87
Children of retired workers 625 1.1 397 634.14
Survivor benefits 6,119 10.4 6,659 1,088.13
Children of deceased workers 1,867 3.2 1,521 814.81
Widowed mothers and fathers 144 0.2 133 922.38
Nondisabled widow(er)s 3,848 6.5 4,819 1,252.12
Disabled widow(er)s 258 0.4 184 712.93
Parents of deceased workers 1 (L) 1 1,101.34
Disability Insurance 10,923 18.6 10,927 1,000.36
Disabled workers 8,958 15.2 10,260 1,145.34
Spouses of disabled workers 151 0.3 47 309.10
Children of disabled workers 1,814 3.1 620 341.91
SOURCE: Social Security Administration, Master Beneficiary Record, 100 percent data.
NOTE: (L) = less than 0.05 percent.

Summer Is Coming To An End…

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Heating and air conditioning companies are typically busy in the Summer months installing and or repairing air conditioning systems.  To keep your home comfortable in the summer months it is always a good idea to have your air conditioning unit checked and to perform routine maintenance.

As Winter sets in its important to have your heating furnace or heat pump check to ensure it is functioning properly as well.  You don’t want to have Winter cold hit you and then realize your furnace isn’t working properly.  A local HVAC contractor can quickly check over your heating system to ensure it is working as it should and perform any furnace repairs that my be needed.

Spending a little time and money now could save you some very cold and miserable nights in the dead of Winter!

Here are a few things to consider when hiring a local HVAC contractor:

  • Ensure they are properly licensed in your state
  • Ensure they are insured properly according to state requirements
  • Check to see if they have received any complaints at the BBB or State Contractors Board
  • Look for reviews online to see what past clients have to say about them

Protect Your Rights with a Car Accident Attorney

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A car accident can have devastating consequences. In many instances, a person involved in a car accident ends up suffering from what prove to be significant injuries. A car attorney can best ensure that an injured person’s rights and interests fully are protected in the aftermath of an automobile accident.

Fighting an Insurance Company

Insurance companies are notorious for denying valid claims or proposing settlements that involve dollar amounts well below what which is justified in a particular case. An experienced Torrance car accident attorney knows what strategies to employ when facing down an insurance company.

Maximizing Necessary Compensation

The facts and circumstances of a particular case govern the types of compensation awarded to an injured person. The reality is that a skilled car accident attorney is equipped with the skills and experience needed to optimize compensation paid to an injured person.

Examples of the types of compensation an injured person may be entitled to in a particular case include:

  • medical bills
  • lost wages
  • pain and suffering
  • emotional distress

An injured person may be entitled not only to compensation for existing losses, but also those reasonably expected to be incurred in the future. A tenacious attorney understands how to make a case for current and future losses.

Filing and Pursuing a Personal Injury Lawsuit

Personal injury law in California is complex. Court procedures in civil lawsuits are complicated. An experienced car accident understands the ins and outs of applicable personal injury law. In addition, this type of attorney understands court procedures in persona injury cases.

For more information on how an attorney can help those injured in an accident visit www.nolo.com.

Retaining a Car Accident Lawyer

The first step in retaining the services of a car accident attorney is scheduling what is known as an initial consultation. At an initial consultation, a personal injury attorney makes a preliminary evaluation of a case.

As a general rule, an attorney does not charge a fee for representation in a car accident case unless a settlement or judgment is obtained in favor of a client. This type of arrangement is known as a contingency fee. The fee is a percentage of the amount of the settlement or judgment. The percentage is agreed to between the attorney and client before representation in a case commences.