The New Face of Heroin

The subject of TOA's radio show this past Monday was concerning "The New Face of Heroin". I will be reiterating some facts about this drug and offering some of my own thoughts as well. This new trend will probably pop up more than once, because not everyone can make the time to listen to the show. However, this information and these messages are important enough to where they ought to be retained one way or another. So here goes ...

1. Who is the face of heroin?

Unless you've done your research, when you think of a heroin user, you might produce a stereotypical image of some twenty-something guy covered in tattoos and a nose piercing in your mind. However, heroin users can just as easily be the perfectly polished kid in the button down shirt and jeans that are not torn in nine places.

Just because someone looks like they might be the type, that doesn't mean they are the type, and the same goes in reverse. The age old saying "Don't judge a book by its cover" certainly applies. Like every situation in life, looks don't define people.

The only set "face" heroin has, is that of danger and destruction, not of any one kind of person.

It is a horrid fact of the modern day that it is increasingly easy to get a hold of many drugs. This has opened doors to even children (especially around the age of 12) to become substance abusers in one form or another.

This is simply another reason why we cannot put a proper picture of a human face to typify all heroin users and have it be applicable in every situation.

2. What is heroin?

Heroin is specifically an opiate, which means that it is from the type of drug that is made from the flowers of poppy plants, or some sort of synthetic sub. Heroin comes from morphine, and morphine, when used rightly, is a painkiller, but this also means that when this substance and its likenesses are abused, it is highly addictive.

In the case of heroin, many people assume that injecting would be the most dangerous way to partake of its effect, but the truth is that in all forms (injecting, snorting, and smoking), heroin is just as potent.

3. Where do the effects of heroin target?

It actually does not take very long at all to enter the brain. This is one of the qualities that makes it especially addicting. And just as people can build up a tolerance for things like alcohol, the same thing happens with heroin. Unfortunately, this drives users to increase their dosage for the same "high" effect. Heroin also affects the user's breathing, building upon the risk of overdose and its fatality. Another issue is the additives that heroin contains cannot be dissolved in the bloodstream. This is able to cause blood clots which can become instantaneously fatal.

Because of the way heroin works on the body, it is also extremely easy to become susceptible to being physically dependent on the drug. Therefore, it is also harder to pull away from and break an addiction. The user will suffer through withdrawals, making it even more difficult to rid themselves of the habit. Those who frequently use heroin can run into the effects of withdrawal in a matter of a handful of hours.

Overall, heroin affects everything about you. Once you choose it, it will swiftly latch onto you to the point where you may feel you have no choice but to continue in the path you have laid out for yourself.

4. When should a user stop?

Well, I would say to anyone who asked, never start for any reason of any kind. However, if you have struggled with substance abuse of any kind, I say stop ASAP. The more you abuse substances, the deeper you are in the hole we call drug usage.

Even if you think, "Oh, well, there's no big deal in trying it once ... just to experiment." It does not benefit you at all. Just because something feels good, that does not mean it is good for you at all in any way.

Don't let yourself become the new face of heroin at any time. Not even for a second. I don't care who else is doing it, it is never a good idea. There comes a time in our lives when we need to stop thinking so much about what everybody else is doing and focus on what's best for us in our lives. I can guarantee you that heroin will never be a good choice for you. Once you begin to use any kind of drug, you are no longer in control.

Many times people turn to things like heroin to distract themselves from their problems, but this will not help. It will only create another, deadly issue to deal with sooner or later.

The good news is that you can regain control. You can say no. Now is the time!

You are never too far gone to receive help, and there are many sources that are available to assist you as well! It is never too late for anything, until we draw our last breath. So don't give up! You only truly fail when you stop trying.

5. Why is it so important to be aware?

Whether we want to realize it or not, this problem is all around us. I don't necessarily mean heroin, but all drugs in general. Being aware helps us to prepare. If you want to learn more about the way substance abuse can affect people, you can find sources for more information by simply going to our site ( www.teensofamerica.net ). The only way we can all change the world is by working together. Let's help each other, and help ourselves.

Thanks for reading, and don't forget to subscribe!

Watch Out for the New Drug

I’m sure many of us agree that we should all say no to drugs, right? They’re addictive, they do absolutely horrible things to your body, and they will kill you. That’s most certainly not worth the temporary high and euphoria they provide. It isn’t worth risking liver and kidney failure, or getting AIDS or hepatitis, right? Of course we would say no. It isn’t worth any of that! Throwing away our lives for only a few moments of pleasure. I’m not going to say that it isn’t fun or doesn’t give pleasure. It does. That’s why people do it. 

The other effects that drugs have are the real kickers though. Cocaine, marijuana, heroin, LSD, meth, and any other drug you want to add to this list are all things from which we need to stay away. Some of us have fallen into the trap already, but there is help, and you can get away from it. Your life isn’t hopeless! You can get back up, brush yourself off, and, with help, straighten out your life. 

This isn’t exactly what I want to “talk” to you about today, though. You see, there’s this new drug floating around, and many people are not aware of its existence. Well, they know it exists, but are totally unaware of the brain altering effects this drug produces -- the life altering effects this drug produces. Some are not affected at all, others are affected a little bit, and still others are pulled in by this drug, helpless to the stranglehold it has on their life. Like all drugs, this drug starts out with “just a little” or “I’ll quit after this” or “this won’t affect me at all.” The very same things we hear people say about the myriad of others drugs that we all know about. This drug has a tendency to sneak into people’s lives, and before they realize it, they are hooked. It behaves in much the same manner as all other illicit drugs do. It makes people feel good, allows them an escape from life, and escape from reality.

So, what does this drug do? It significantly alters brain structure. This drug transforms the brain to suit its own needs. It uses the neurons and a hormone called dopamine, to form a pleasure pathway, building new neuron pathways, increasing its hold on the actual physical structure of your brain. In case it didn’t really hit you…it PHYSICALLY changes the structure of your BRAIN to fits ITS desires.

This drug also begins to affect your behavior, even if you are not using it right at the moment. Isn’t that slightly scary, I mean, a drug actually changing the way you behave. It’s been shown that things that people used to find disturbing, gross, and perhaps even morally wrong, now interest that person on this drug. It literally changes your behavior, because it changes the way you think, because it physically alters your brain! This is pretty serious stuff you guys. People on this drug are also often forced to find more extreme and powerful forms of it. Having to ever increase the amount they take and the number of times they take it!

So what in the world is this new drug! A drug so powerful and yet people don’t seem to recognize it. Well, you might be shocked, but, it’s pornography. YEP, pornography. It behaves in exactly the same manner as drugs, with almost the same physical effects as others, but we all know that it has other horrible effects as well.

By creating fantasies and unrealistic expectations of what your personal life should be, pornography destroys relationships, kills real love, and leaves you lonely for companionship and devoid of any real pleasure. It begins to make think about only the sexual and provocative, and leaves unable to explore the real aspects of relationships and actual emotional feelings. It focuses you so much on your sex drive, that it alone become your main focus of life. This robs you of a future with someone that you may genuinely love. It robs you of that intimacy that you could enjoy with your one “true love” if you will. It takes away that purity and innocence and exposes you to absolutely debase things. Pornography has even been shown to increase violent tendencies in people, and it ruins marriages and homes! The world inside pornography is just one big mess of drugs, alcohol, abuse, and horrible, horrible stuff.

I’m just being real friends. There are things in this world that have to be addressed head on, with some tact of course. Sex isn’t something that we are just supposed to play around with and do whatever we want with, and not expect ill-effects to result. That’s an illusion and fantasy that the world of porn-producers want you to believe; it makes them a buck. They do not care about you at all. They care about themselves and making money. Steer clear of pornography, and if you are having trouble, there is help. I encourage everyone to visit www.fightthenewdrug.org . They have excellent resources and quite a few links to studies revealing all this information.

I want you to know they we are here for you, and our greatest desire is to help you. Even if we only help one person, it will be worth all the effort. Thanks for reading, and share with a friend today, you never know who you might help.

*Studies and information found in this blog were retrieved from www.fightthenewdrug.org .

Internet Dangers

Using the internet is like crossing the street- sometimes, you need it to get somewhere (or accomplish a goal); you can look both ways and still get hit. 

... Pardon me for the violent comparison.

Now, the fortunate thing is, cars do not normally drive through your house. Or, at least, I hope not!!)The issue is, the internet is more than likely frequently used in your home. (But, if you are the type to survive a day without googling something, I'm gonna have to go ahead and commend you.)

In a sense, the internet can be likened to a power tool. Highly useful, and potentially disastrous. You have to know how to handle what you're messing with, or you could get seriously hurt.

Granted, your computer will not come to life and eat your hand or anything, but it can do some serious damage to you as a person.

Let's consider this ...

1. Who is threatened?

Scarily enough, nearly every single person is. This isn't just a matter of a computer getting a virus, either. It's also a matter of a computer ruining your personal security and invading your mind. Pretty much, if you can work a computer to at least find the internet, you are in jeopardy.

Does that make you a little nervous? ... It probably should.

2. What kind of dangers are out there?

There is the technical side of things: viruses corrupting your system and hackers breaking into your files and things. Branching from that, these hackers and viruses (and more) can work to destroy you personally by stealing and using your information. Many hackers are capable of breaking into people's bank accounts and stealing money, opening credit cards in people's names, etc. Therefore, identity theft is a huge side effect from individual's conduct on the internet. We really need to be much more cautious about what we post online, because there are more dangers. Not all people simply violate from behind a screen.

On sites for gaming and social media, dating sites, and all that stuff that can be totally fun if you're into that sorta thing, people can lie. It's super easy to pretend to be someone you're not on the internet. You can find many a story on people meeting new "friends" over an internet site, going to meet them in person, and that meeting turns into a murder or a rape or an escape from the creeper they met. How freaky is that? And it's real! Everybody tends to think "Oh, that would never happen to me." And I sincerely hope that is correct. Even so, we should try to guard ourselves from the possibilities, because it could happen.

People are also not very wise about sharing where they currently are. If you are being stalked and you post a picture of yourself at such and such location, what makes you think that person will not try to find you? I mean, come on.

Or, if a thief is keeping tabs, sees that you're not home, and decides it would be a prime opportunity to go break into your home.

***Think before you post.***

Cyberbullying is another growing internet danger. People will post or comment horrible things to others, cutting them down, calling them names, sometimes anonymously. All bullying is cowardly, but this is especially so- taking out your insecurities on someone else from behind the screen. Because of the lifestyle of society nowadays (meaning the phone is basically always on and right there with you), there is no escape from this kind of harassment. You can't go home and leave it at school or work or wherever it may be. It follows you everywhere.

3. Where are the dangers lurking?

You can really never be too careful. I won't sit here and say that it isn't possible for you to have security on the internet, but technology, no matter how well-equipped, is not infallible.

4. When should you take precaution?

Be mindful always. Honestly, even being cautious won't necessarily guarantee you will never be "attacked" by these threats in some form or another.

For instance, I don't go looking for trouble and sketchy, nasty, promiscuous things on the internet, but I have come across that and seen things I wish I could erase from my mind.

Is that unfair to me that I had to see something I didn't want to because of someone else's messed up idea of entertainment? It absolutely is. This is why we ALL ought to think about what we put on the internet. You may not post dirty, scandalous things, but you can encourage others to keep it clean, and fun, and helpful!

Far be it from me to say that the internet is pure evil and to stay away from it completely.

It is simply a tool! Some people use it to build up, others to tear down.

Sometimes, we are our own worst enemy on the internet. We open ourselves up to the danger, whether it is something clearly sketchy like conversing with a total stranger over some chat or posting a racy photo or maybe it's a picture of you and your friends getting wasted. Remember how many people can find those photos ... Maybe you're trying to get a job somewhere, and they see that picture. Would you want to hire someone who gives off the impression that those photos would give? I'm gonna go with "No."

I say AGAIN:

***Think before you post.***

5. Why is this so essential?

Because it is a major part of our lives. The internet is part of how we communicate, express ourselves, learn, and share. You are on the internet right now. Maybe it was to check in on Facebook, or check your work email, or update your website, or watch funny YouTube videos. I don't know what it was that brought you here, but I do hope that you are being wise in your choices, because the internet affects us all.

The internet is a privilege, don't use it to abuse it.

Be aware, be careful, and above all, be safe.

Thank you for joining me again and don't forget to subscribe to our blog here! We are here to use the internet in a positive way and show you how to change and be a change in this world.

If you'd like to read some statistics and/or a story about a young woman whose choices on the internet almost cost her her life, click on this link: Teens of America Choices Magazine

'Til next time!

Self Harm

Why, hello there, beautiful reader!

 My name is Whitney, and I'll be your blogger today ... and any day someone chooses to come and venture upon my blog posts (and this is my very first, ever, by the way)! Before we get right down to business, I just want to thank you for taking the time to read up on the issues we discuss here. I hope to be both informative and as real as possible with you. Now, everyone is different, but in my posts I hope to cover the facts first, and THEN elaborate on my thoughts and suggestions on prevention and things of that nature.

  Alrighty! So here is the system that I may or may not keep up. We will be covering six different W's. We already tackled one in the opening, and that is Whitney! You know ... Me! The rest are as follows, Who, What, Where, When, and Why. In this installment, we will also discuss How. It doesn't start with a W, but it ends with one, so it counts, right?

  Now that you get the basic idea of what I want to accomplish in this post, I want to be more specific and delve right into our topic- self harm (more specifically, cutting).

1. Who does it?

  Cutting is the most popular form of self injury. This is a more common practice among teen girls, but guys do it as well, and they usually start out young. Without tackling the problem, this can continue into their adult years. The estimation is that 1 out of 200 girls between the ages 13-19 cut themselves on a regular basis. Cutters make up about 70% of teen girls who participate in self harm. Due to the secrecy involved, we don't know all the facts about just how many of us are doing this. But it's spreading, and it's a problem.

2. What is cutting?

  Cutting is exactly what it sounds like. It's scratching or cutting your body with something sharp and doing it hard enough to break your skin, resulting in bleeding.

3. Where is this done?

  The big thing with cutting is how very secret it all is. It's not performed in the open, and it isn't done in places that cannot be covered. The cuts are usually placed on the wrists, legs, or stomach area so the scars that will be left over time will be hidden. The easiest way to hide the marks is by wearing lots of layers and/or long sleeves to keep them out of sight.

4. When do teens cut?

  This answer also goes along with the last W we will cover, being "Why?" Cutting comes into times where you are feeling pressured and you are in pain. Emotional trauma and difficult situations in life will sometimes cause you to feel there is no hope. Things can become desperate, and so can you. No one is infallible to such things, and you can come to a point where you just don't know any other way to get relief.

5. Why do such a harmful thing to yourself?

  This provides distraction from your pain and your problems. But I have to say, this is creating yet another problem. Self harm also becomes an addiction, because, like drugs, it provides a temporary relief from reality. Don't punish yourself for what others are doing, like if you're being bullied, or you have a rough home life, or whatever the case may be. You CAN rise above this. Cutting may make you feel like you're in control, but things can go severely wrong. You could cut yourself too deep, you could get serious infections, all kinds of things. There are other ways to deal with things that are unbearable.

And lastly ...

6. How can you overcome this?

  Get help! Teens of America provides this kind of assistance.

  Talk to your parents or another authority figure that will help you through your problems.

  Distract yourself in OTHER ways by keeping busy, especially with things you enjoy, like possibly music... Play an instrument, listen to music, or draw, or read, or watch TV, whatever! Just DON'T put yourself into danger!

  I am sure you have been tempted to think at some point or another that no one cares. Well, that's not true. There are a lot of people reaching out to teens like you that only want to help. Don't believe me? Why do you think I'm here typing like a mad woman? And I'm only one part of a whole organization dedicated to you, and we want nothing more than to see you through your problems and get you the help you need.

  You need to find a good way to express your feelings. I, personally, take to writing. (Surprise, surprise, right?) Writing songs, writing poems, or just writing my thoughts down in some form. I even write stories. It's a good way for me to get things out in a more private way, and seeing things written out, also helps me to not only process them, but make more sense of them. You can find other ways to do this! Find a way that suits you to properly sort out your feelings withOUT hurting yourself. Self Harm just masks the pain ... It doesn't solve anything.

  If you struggle with self injury, know this:

  There are people that care, like me, and that your life is a wonderful gift. There is NO other you, and there never will be. Don't rob others of the blessing that is you by putting yourself in harm's way. You deserve to be happy and healthy. You are not alone.

  If you have a friend who struggles with self harm, share this message with them! Don't get upset with them, or turn them away, or lecture them, or even beg them to stop. Just be there for them, and help them out!

  Parents, you can apply the above paragraph as well. I know that if you're here because of your child or maybe someone else's child, you can't help but have an inner (possibly outer) freak-out over such a serious thing. That is o-kay. But I need you to stay focused on the task at hand. We can get you the help you need. All any of you, parents, friends, those struggling with cutting themselves, need to do, is ask. We're reaching out to you, just take our hand. You can get through this, I promise.

  Before I go, here are some final bits of info and more thoughts and suggestions for you.

  Cutting isn't the only form of Self-injury. Self harm can include picking scabs or interfering with a wound's healing process, burning yourself, punching/hitting yourself or other things, "head-banging", carving, branding, or marking your skin, bruising yourself, biting, infecting yourself, inserting things into body openings, bruising and breaking your own bones, and types of skin and hair pulling can also be categorized as self injury.

  Hurting yourself is not the right way to comfort yourself, to deal with anger towards yourself, to feel alive, to say what you can't, or try to get help. It's NEVER the solution. I cannot stress that enough.

  You need to talk to someone about this. I understand that sometimes you don't know how to say something, or you can't find the strength to say it. There are people like me who are empowering you right here and right now to speak up for yourself. You also need to figure out what is causing you to take such extreme actions. Last, but certainly not least, don't you ever give up on yourself. You are not a lost cause. If you're reading this, you are alive, and not everybody is that lucky. Sometimes you may feel like death would be the better option, but it's not. There are so many good things about life to experience, so many positive things to feel, so many beautiful things to see and to do and to say. The good outweighs the bad.

When you find yourself wanting to cut, here's what to do:

Call somebody and talk about something TOTALLY different to take your mind away from it.

Take a RAZOR-FREE shower.

Take a hike! ... No, really, take a walk or a run, whichever you prefer. Or some kind of exercise activity. Whatever kind you enjoy. I like taking calm walks to clear my head.

Play with a pet if you have one! Or, heck, go pet your neighbor's dog! Animals are a great way to make you smile.

Watch happy TV! Don't watch anything that will upset you or that consists of cutting or anything like it. Watch something that will make you laugh!

Drink some water. That is a good way to cool down (no ice water puns intended).

Make sure you have a hotline number on hand. I will list ours at the end of this post. Not to be bossy, but write. it. down. That way you will have someone to talk you through the urge and help you out to a higher degree.

Keep AWAY from anything that can be used to fuel your self harm. So if you cut, stay OUT of the kitchen, and remove any thing that can be used to cut.

Like I said earlier, find a good way to express your emotions. Write a poem, sing a song, talk to somebody, paint a picture, however you can say how you feel with or without words, that does NOT involve you getting hurt.

Distract yourself. Even if it's something small and silly, like playing with your hair or looking up pictures of your celebrity crush! Just do NOT turn to injuring yourself. Doing creative things is a great way to distract yourself. Even cleaning can be therapeutic!

Another thing to do is let it out. Grab a fuzzy blanket and bawl your eyes out if you need to!!! Throw a giant bowl of ice cream into the mix if you want!

Start a journal or a diary! This kind of thing always works for me. It's a really nice way to get out your feelings privately.

Go ahead and spill the beans! Get someone you trust (if you feel comfortable enough) and tell them what you're feeling.

  Keep in mind, you need to be ready and willing to take the risk of being open to others who want to help you! Go ahead and contact us at teensofamerica.net or find the Teens of America page on Facebook, you can also give us a call at 877-333-8200 (this is the number thou shalt pen)! I'll be there, ready and waiting with others as well.

  Don't just take my word for it that there are people who want to see you out of harm's way! Check it out for yourself! Thank you for being here and reading my first blog post. I hope this has proved to you that you are worth the time and the effort and that you deserve it.

  If you want to join Teens of America in our fight against bad choices, go sign our S.T.A.N.D. Pledge and find out how you can get involved, because the time to S.T.A.N.D. is now. For more about us, peruse our website and while you’re there, sign that pledge! I hope you come and join our team.

  Also, if, for some reason, you want to get to know me or our other S.T.A.N.D. Core members a little bit better, go to the S.T.A.N.D. Solution page. ( http://www.teensofamerica.net/stand-solution.html ) My name, picture, and a small bio is at the very bottom!

  Finally, you. Yes, you, staring at these letters that form words, and words that form sentences, and sentences that sort of make some sense out of my zany mind ... You are a lovely human being, and I want you to stay strong. I may not know you and/or your life story, but I know that you are here for a purpose, and that you're amazing. I'm sure of it. See you around!