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January 2015 Newsletter
What is addiction?
…”a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
From: Addiction: An information guide (© 2007, 2010 CAMH) http://camh.net/
Defining addiction
About_Addiction_Mental_Health/Drug_and_Addiction_Information/
Addiction_Information_Guide/addiction_what_is.html
People use alcohol and other drugs for many reasons.
Some use these substances to help them to relax, to feel
more lively, to feel less inhibited or to feel pleasure. Some
find the effects of substances make it seem easier to cope
with problems. Some use substances for religious reasons or to
fit in with the crowd. Others may
be curious about the effects of a
specific drug.
No one plans to become addicted.
People may think that they can
handle their substance use and
that they only use when they want
to. But when they want to change
the way they use, they may find
it’s not that simple.
Because substance use is common,
it’s important to be able to see
when a person’s use puts him or
her at risk of developing a problem.
Another word for addiction is “dependence.” There
are two kinds of substance dependence:
Psychological dependence occurs when a person feels he or she needs the drug to function or
feel comfortable (e.g., needing to drink alcohol to
feel relaxed in social situations, or needing to be
high to enjoy sex). Some people come to feel they
need a substance just to be able to cope with daily
life.
Physical dependence occurs when a person’s
body has adapted to the presence of a drug. Tolerance has developed, which means that the person
needs to use more of the drug to get the same effect. When drug use stops, symptoms of withdrawal occur.
People often think that psychological dependence
is not as serious as physical dependence. This is
not necessarily true. Cocaine, for example, does
not cause physical dependence—but it is considered one of the easiest drugs to get hooked on and
one of the hardest to give up.
Can You Relate: Often people make the decision to come to Choices for Change after
they have experienced some problems. Alcohol, drug use or gambling can lead to a range of
difficulties including the following:
 Difficulties in relationships with family
 Issues at work or school
 Driving accidents, work accidents
 Arguments
 Loss of friends
 Financial difficulties
 Depression and anxiety
Choices for Change services are free, practical, confidential and build on your
strengths. We welcome anyone who has concerns about their own or someone else’s alcohol,
drug use or gambling behaviour. Our staff are trained and experienced in working with individuals who have addictions and when desired, with their families.
Our services include:
Information
Support
One
to one counselling
counselling
Referral to treatment services best suited to your needs.
Family
Contact us at: 519-271-6730
1-877-218-0077
Helping You to Health Yourself
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Benefits of quitting
smoking
What are your reasons to quit smoking? Write them
down and share them with friends and family or post
them on the fridge
Quitting smoking is the single most important thing you
can do to improve your health and quality of life. Nonsmokers have a much lower risk of getting dozens of
smoking-related diseases like lung cancer, heart disease, and COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis).
Here are some other good things that happen to your
body once you stop smoking 1:
Within 8 hours
carbon monoxide level drops in your body oxygen
level in your blood increases to normal
Within 48 hours
your chances of having a heart attack start to go
down your sense of smell and taste begin to improve
Within 72 hours
your bronchial tubes relax and make breathing easier your lung capacity increases
Within 2 weeks to 3 months
your blood circulation improves your lung functioning increases up to 30 percent
Within 6 months
your coughing, stuffy nose, tiredness and shortness
of breath improve
Within 1 year
your risk of smoking-related heart attack is cut in
half
Within 10 years
your risk of dying from lung cancer is cut in half
Within 15 years
your risk of dying from a heart attack is the same
as a person who never smoked
There are many other good reasons to quit
smoking:
 Quitting smoking is the single best thing you can
do to improve your health and quality of life. Nonsmokers have a You'll set a good example for your
children
 Your smoking will no longer affect the health of
people around you
 You'll have more money to save or to spend on
other things - a pack of cigarettes a day adds up to
more than $3000 a year!
 You'll have more energy to do the things you love
 You'll pay lower life insurance premiums
 Cigarettes will no longer control your life
Breathe Easier!
The North Perth Family Health Team is
ready to help you take that first step to
quitting smoking for good.
Call our pharmacist
today and set up your
appointment.
Joanne Fox–
519-291-3125
ext. 6291
Recipe Corner – enjoy!
Light Chocolate Chip Cookies
About.com
Chocolate chip cookies will never be declared a health food, but
you can make them less unhealthy by tweaking the ingredients
a little. Here's a recipe for a lighter chocolate chip cookie that
still manages to satisfy a sweet tooth, but perhaps with a little
less guilt.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 22 minutes
Ingredients:
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
4 tbsp butter, melted
2 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup firmly-packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookies sheets with
parchment paper or a silicone mat.
In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and salt. In a large
bowl, whisk together the egg whites, butter, and vanilla; stir in
the brown sugar until smooth. Gradually add in the flour mixture and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips.
Drop dough by the tablespoon onto cookie sheets about 2
inches apart. Bake one cookie sheet at a time for 10-12 minutes.
Yields 24 cookies.
Per Cookie : Calories 92, Calories from Fat 30, Total
Fat 3.4g, (sat 2.6g), Cholesterol 6mg, Sodium 45mg,
Carbohydrate 14.5g, Fiber 0.7g, Protein 1.2g