I’ve always been interested in this. Coming to visit someone and seeing two or more thorny guards guarding a proudly standing monitor, he usually said, “Do you believe in this?” scientists around the world all as one exclaim “So it was true! Well done, he who has a cactus, and who does not, will soon die. ”

Myths and beliefs

Like any religious movement, “cactus lovers” must believe in something. And it is desirable that this be difficult to prove. Let’s start with ionization . As the wiki tells us

Ionization is the endothermic process of the formation of ions from neutral atoms or molecules.

I remind this just in case. Gas ions are called Aeroions .
Air ions, besides the fact that they are positive and negative, are divided into light, medium and heavy ions. In free form (at atmospheric pressure), an electron exists for no more than 10-8 seconds.

These heaviest aerions are those that, due to their charge, “stick” to small particles, dust, dirt, etc. And these very dust and dirt themselves become charged and stick everywhere, and especially to us. Of course, I simplified and reduced everything, but I hope I conveyed the meaning. On the Internet, sellers of all kinds of ionizers are closely related to this topic, so opinions differ in the algorithms for influencing the body. By the way, the Wikipedia article on depression mentions the study “Goel N, Terman M, Terman JS, Macchi MM, Stewart JW. A randomized controlled trial of the efficacy of bright light and negatively charged air ions in chronic depression. “There it is in the original (shortened of course). As a result of research, as far as I can understand my English, the condition of patients from phototherapy improved by 53.7% and from ionotherapy by 51.1%. Therefore, ventilate the premises and do not close the curtains – and you will not have any depressions. But I was distracted by something. Yes, and this is not our topic, we are talking about cacti. So, supporters of the theory of zago cacti tell us that the thorns of a cactus are located like in a Chizhevsky chandelier , thereby passively ionizing the air and adding life to us. Let’s see. Here is her simple drawing:

And what seems to be like a cactus. It was not so! There is a wonderful article (by the way, I borrowed a picture from there) on how to make this very chandelier with your own hands. And it clearly says:
To the “chandelier” connect “-” of a power source with a voltage of at least 25 kV. Only with such a voltage is sufficient “vitality” of air ions ensured, their ability to penetrate into the lungs of a person is preserved.

And the high voltage converter circuit . Now, if we solder such a circuit and connect a power source of at least 25 kV to the cactus, then we can safely put such a high-tech cactus near the monitor. This was perhaps the most believable myth, which under the pressure of evidence (hopefully) destroyed. The rest of the myths tell us that plants collect negative energy, they remember when a cat wrote in them and who exactly from a big family broke off a petal from a newly opened flower. Although it may not myths, who knows … That here by the way there is an active discussion of the usefulness of cacti. Particularly touching is an article copied from somewhere that cacti, in order for them to work, need to be put in a “pentagram”. Although, again, who knows, maybe in a few years scientists … 🙂

Somehow it’s all unconvincing

Then let’s google a little more. And we find an article by Artem Platonov about “a cactus in front of the monitor.” It turns out that not only I am concerned about this issue, but you probably already thought that I was the only one so paranoid. Let me quote something (we are talking about CRT monitors):

The radiation value of any monitor at any point of the body or screen does not exceed 10 μR / h (microroentgen per hour). The value of the natural radioactive background of the Earth is 10-15 μR / h, depending on the region. So, as you can see, the amount of radiation from the screen is no more than natural radioactivity. So, from this point of view, monitors are clean, like mountain air.
That is why staging a cactus in front of a monitor to protect it from X-rays is similar to staging a portrait of Karl Marx or 45-gauge ski orthopedic boots. This brings absolutely no benefit, except for aesthetic pleasure (if at all someone is able to admire ski boots).

The size of the boots, as I understand it, also does not affect the effect of them. Although, given the fact that the electron gun is increasingly seen in museums, nursing homes and offices with very greedy bosses, we have nothing to fear at all.

Where did this nonsense about cactus come from then?

In the same article, the author tells us this secret:
In the 1990s, Fido already had a conference devoted to the discussion of monitors. Once a heated discussion ensued there on the discussion of screen filters – which one is better. Of course, the disputants did not come to a common opinion and quarreled. And one of the participants, at that time the editor-in-chief of “Computerra”, in order to defuse the situation, sent a message: “Well, you still put a cactus in front of the monitor to reduce radiation :)”.
This message was accidentally read by some dimwitted correspondent of a provincial newspaper, and soon published a long article on the benefits of cacti for protecting health from harmful radiation from computers. In turn, several central tabloid newspapers reprinted this “revolutionary” material one after another. And away we go …

I hope it was like that, because I didn’t see the glorious times of fido 🙁

Why then smear the keyboard with greasy fingers?

Here’s why. I remembered my not very distant childhood, and specifically the lessons of computer science. Our computer scientist (if you are reading Habr, I hope you remember me with a kindly quiet word) often liked to bow out of the topic and tell us all sorts of interesting things. And then he told us once that laser printers and copiers emit ozone when printing , because after printing there is such a fresh smell as after a thunderstorm. Ozone is essentially a triatomic oxygen molecule, very aggressive and not very beneficial to health. Almost like caries. There are even special ozone filters for office equipment. And in the course of my googling research, I came across the news that a group of scientists had conducted research, as a result of which it turned out that plants (and cacti as well) have the property of converting this very ozone back into oxygen. Yes, I, too, do not excite the phrase “British scientists have found out,” because (as above) will give pruflink: that’s the most journal HortTechnology short content of the study. To read the full one, you need to buy a magazine, respectively. There are also the names of the people who researched it, and the places where they came from. So, if you have a laser at home, then you should just put some ficus or cactus next to it. And ventilate more often.

Quitting smoking is unlikely to help, but not to start smoking can and will stimulate. But this is not for those who smoke and do not see any need to quit. As the saying goes, smoke is healthy.

Common myths about smoking

– Smoking helps you lose weight . Complete nonsense. I’ve seen crowds of fat women who smoked for years, but didn’t get any thinner. This also applies to men. – Smoking helps to change the voice (in particular, make it more masculine, rude). I often heard this from young people with a high-pitched voice, uncharacteristic for men. Smoking does have this effect, but too slowly. You will have to wait until old age. It is not worth it. Personally, my voice has not changed in 4 years.

– Smoking stimulates mental activity . It really is. The action lasts from 5 to 20 minutes. But for example, Glycine tablets provide much safer brain support and longer lasting effects, are very cheap, and taste good. – Smoking increases the intoxicating effect of alcohol , but this will have to pay off with a more powerful hangover syndrome. – There is a widespread belief among young people that smoking allows you to increase your status in the eyes of more influential persons, which are available in all schools. So, in order to quit smoking you will need no less courage than in other ways to prove to other people that you are no worse than them. – “I’m not going to smoke, I’ll just try”

… This is what I told myself before I started my four-year fight with smoking.
– “You don’t smoke or drink and you will die healthy . ” Have you ever heard? My grandfather smoked all his life and recently died of lung cancer. I saw this. I’m not actually going to die, but in this context, I want to die healthy.

Experienced recommendations

The most difficult thing is not to quit. “It’s easy to quit smoking,” Mark Twain used to say, “I know, I’ve quit many times.” The first three months are the most difficult, but after this period the obsessive desire to smoke passes. Those who smoke know that the first desire in the morning is to smoke. Throwing is accompanied by an increase in appetite, the body begins to require a lot of water, the person becomes very irritable, unrestrained, may be accompanied by reddening of the eyes, darkening of saliva and urine (the body is cleansed). Insomnia and growing self-esteem. During the period of throwing, it is recommended to refrain from drinking alcohol, since at such moments the desire to smoke increases. Special tablets “Bullfighting” are very helpful, they are in all pharmacies, they cost a penny, they must be taken when you want to smoke. It tastes nasty. After them, it’s not like smoking, you don’t want anything at all. The main thing is not to forget to take with you, it is better to stock up on several packs, put in your pockets in everything you wear. Alternatively, avoid smokers, so as not to remind and seduce again. By the way, the water required by the body also helps a lot, take a glass on the chest as soon as there is a desire to smoke, in the sense of smoking. Caution! Victory over smoking is, of course, a success, but you should not relax. Be on the lookout. The more experience a smoker has, the longer this habit will remind of itself even after years. Just one smoked cigarette will restore the “memory” of your body, and you have to start all over again. The urge to smoke will be as strong as before. But unlike last time, self-confidence will live in you. Consequences When I quit smoking, the sensations were amazing, complete freedom, clean breathing, healthy and clean teeth (in five years I once visited the dentist, not a single hole, naturally, I clean my teeth every day in the morning and in the evening, when I smoked, I went to the dentist every six months and every time he drilled something for me), I really felt an improvement in well-being and health, shortness of breath disappeared, I rarely get sick (for comparison, I used to get very often sick and felt weak, depressed), my complexion became natural, acne disappeared, improved memory and speed of thinking, I already wrote about self-esteem, you feel like a man. I’m not even talking about such trifles as clothes and hands that do not stink of tobacco, about the fact that 3 hours a day is not lost from life (the usual norm for a smoker is a pack of cigarettes a day, each one takes a little less than 10 minutes to smoke, who smokes faster, flag in hand, I personally liked the process itself, and not just the effect or satisfaction of desire) and that your soul mate is much more pleasant to kiss with you, and I am already silent about the fact that your future children are more likely to be born healthy (if you don’t have children yet, by the way, as far as parents are concerned: if you smoke and teach your children that it’s bad, it’s useless, it’s all the same that a bald man needs a personal example to advertise a hair growth product. This, of course, does not guarantee, that the children will follow in your footsteps, so to speak, but the probability will be significantly reduced). Personally, the last point stimulated me 100%, especially after visiting the kuntz-chamber, where I saw a collection of jars with alcohol-laden freak children of smoking parents. It would be nice to know your personal experience. Here, by and large, only mine is presented.

I don’t think I’ll say anything new, but nevertheless, some information can be very useful. Especially for parents who are worried about the health of their child.

Surely no one will argue for sure that the computer affects vision quite negatively. In any case, when he is busy with work related to eye strain, the eyes quickly get tired, maybe even begin to water. The problem of people who work with computers can be compared to truckers who are on the road for a long time. Or also people who, in one way or another, should not tear themselves away from the book. The explanation is simple – the muscles that control the work of the eyes and focus them on a specific object are simply tired of overloading. Eyes can potentially get tired of any work that involves sight, but it is greatest where it is required to consider an object at close range.

The problem is further exacerbated if such activity is associated with the use of high-brightness devices, for example, the same computer monitor. Television has less effect on muscle fatigue, as the distance is usually quite acceptable. In children, and also to a lesser extent in adolescents, eyes especially often get tired, since they are not yet fully strengthened, they continue to grow. Therefore, parents should limit the time of playing CS and WoW :). As every parent can attest, these consequences are not necessarily limited to computer use. When children overdo it in any activity, they often become irritable, for example after completing lessons for a long time. If your child is more excited than usual, and there is no other obvious reason for this, then this may well be due to his long stay at the computer.

An overuse of the computer can also exacerbate pre-existing vision problems. Many children suffer from mild visual impairment, which can be regarded as minor problems. Over time, vision correction will be required here, but medical intervention may be avoided until adolescence or adulthood. But if children are too keen on the computer, spend all their free time playing games, then this minor problem can develop into something more that will require correction at an early age. Fortunately, most of these problems can be easily avoided with parental controls.

Here are some simple guidelines:

1. Limit the amount of time your child spends at the computer without interruption. It is recommended to take a short break every 15-20 minutes of working at the monitor. Better to limit the working time per day to 1-1.5 hours. The ideal discharge can be some kind of physical activity that does not require eye strain. Some experts offer eye exercises to help children avoid computer-related problems. It can be such simple exercises as, for example, tracking objects moving in the field of view, or concentration of sight on distant objects, a sharp change in distance from distant objects to near ones and vice versa. 2. It is also not bad to diversify the nature of the child’s activities at the computer. For example, games can be alternated with reading texts. Such alternation will require completely different behavior from young eyes with different behavior of objects on the screen and will prevent their rapid fatigue caused by prolonged concentration of vision on the same one. Another way to reduce the risk of visual impairment is to choose a good monitor, preferably with a high resolution. They are always more comfortable for our eyes than low-resolution monitors. 3. If, nevertheless, you and your children are going to sit at the computer for a long time, then you need to have a high-definition display. It is very important to take measures to reduce reflections from the monitor. Bright or uneven lighting in a room can cause unpleasant reflections on the screen. Possible solutions to this problem are to turn off the overhead lighting, draw up the curtains on windows that let in too much light, and rotate the monitor so that there are no bright light sources directly in front of it or behind it. If you are worried about reflections from the monitor or its own brightness, then you can install a special anti-glare screen in front of it. If, despite all these precautions, your child still complains of a headache, if his eyes become inflamed and itchy, or if he suddenly has difficulty reading or other school activities, if he becomes agitated or aggressive, then you it is necessary to show it to an ophthalmologist. Do not forget to mention that you have a computer at home and tell how much time your child spends at it. It is very important. The doctor can prescribe special exercises for the eyes or choose glasses for the child, designed specifically for working at the average distance, typical for a computer.

It is not surprising that the treatment of Internet addiction has become part of the income of psychologists and psychiatrists , as there are more and more people with an unhealthy craving for the World Wide Web. Both men and women, both young (to a greater extent) and adult citizens, suffer from Internet addiction, and their number is only growing every year. The inability to independently get rid of Internet addiction leads those who did not know about such negative consequences of the online life of users to medical institutions, where they are treated for mental disorders that have become a manifestation of Internet addiction, and not from Internet addiction, since the diagnosis of Internet addiction is world practice does not yet exist.

For the first time the term ” Internet addiction ” was used by the American psychiatrist Ivan Goldberg in 1994. Goldberg did not put into this concept a medical meaning, as if it were a question of addiction to drugs or alcohol, but such behavior, which is accompanied by a low level of self-control, stress and threatens to displace normal life. The term stuck, although it was originally introduced by a psychiatrist in the form of joke.

However, if the international community has not yet fully realized the scale of the disaster, in some countries Internet addiction is officially recognized as a disease and its treatment is sometimes very radical. For example, in China, where the first clinic for the treatment of Internet addiction appeared back in 2005, patients are prescribed electroshock – a device that applies a voltage of thirty volts to the body.

When contacting a clinic, Chinese specialists first diagnose whether a person has addiction. Further, drug treatment, acupuncture and physical activity are prescribed. In such clinics, a strict routine is established for patients: for 10-15 days (this is how long the treatment lasts on average), a person gets up at six in the morning, goes in for sports , sings songs of praise, drinks antidepressants and receives electric shocks. Also in China there are special barracks-type camps for adolescents under 18 years old. Their parents bring them there for up to six months. All this time, adolescents addicted to the Internet are on the territory of the centers, study construction training and, like adults, are treated with electric discharges.

Such a treatment for Internet addiction does not find understanding in the world, and even some local doctors are against the use of electric shock, especially when it comes to treating children: “ Such methods are too cruel and, on the contrary, cause deep psychological trauma to children , nevertheless, they are used everywhere. There are many internet addiction treatment clinics in China today. Most of them are practically not controlled by anyone and are not professional , ”says Tao Hongkai, a famous Chinese psychologist from Beijing .

In Finland, a dependence on the Internet are posniskhoditelney even provide a respite from military conscription: ” For teenagers, day and night playing online games, and have instead of real friends only page in facebook Service can be a great shock in the army “, – says one from the military leaders of Finland, Jirki Kivela .

The world’s first support center for Internet addicts was the center created by the most famous and respected researcher in this field – Kimberly Young, professor of psychology at the University of Pittsburgh ( Bratford ), the author of the book “Caught on the Net” translated into many languages. She created in 1995, the Center ( Center for the On-Line Addiction – Netaddiction.com) advises not only ordinary people but also to corporations, educational institutions and psychiatric hospitals.

In Russia, the treatment of Internet addiction is also carried out, but the list of clinics involved in the rehabilitation of such patients is limited to Moscow and St. Petersburg. The point is that only a few are treated. Because the majority of addicts either do not consider themselves as such, or try to fight their addiction on their own. This is what Konstantin Blokhin, a psychiatrist at the Mental Health clinic, says about this: “Even though I have not been working in the clinic for very long, I don’t remember a single appeal from people dependent on the Internet . The doctor also explains that with such a diagnosis, the same methods are used as in the treatment of drug addiction – psychotherapy, active physical exercise and reflexology.

“ Today, Russian centers use two methods of treating computer addiction: psychotherapy and psychopharmacotherapy . If the first involves treatment without medication, then the second is taking psychotropic drugs (antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs) and using droppers, ”says Dmitry Fedotov, psychiatrist at the SPO Center clinic.

If in your city there are no specialized medical institutions dealing with the treatment of Internet addiction (although in most cases a qualified psychologist will help) or you simply think that you can throw off the shackles of Internet slavery on your own, you need to know where to start. Advice on methods of getting rid of Internet addiction will be useful for preventing this unhealthy addiction.

At the first stage, the user gets acquainted with the Internet, learns about its capabilities and chooses a suitable virtual reality option for himself. Gradually, a person forms his own style on the network, which makes up for that lack of communication or information that he lacks in real life.

1. Further, there is a distance from real life, the user begins to spend more and more time in the reality that he chose at the previous stage. The time spent online is increasing … Also, at the second stage of the formation of Internet addiction, when a person stops using the Internet to achieve life goals, these goals are transferred to virtual reality. For example, some people use the knowledge gained on the Web in life, others share this knowledge right there on the Internet, using selfish goals (in a good way), want to become famous or earn money , while others raise their ratings on social networks (reputation on sites and forums, etc.) or simply express themselves . So addiction develops when communication itself becomes the only, well, or the preferred way to achieve the goal.
2. The third stage is stabilizing. The problem is obvious, the signs and symptoms of internet addiction are on the face, it smoothly turns into a chronic form. After a while, the passion for the chosen interaction becomes less pronounced, the activity in the network goes out. A person returns to reality, but he does it without any desire. Internet addiction persists, but in an inactive form, and intensifies with stress or with the emergence of new interesting topics.

Internet addiction symptoms

The main features that determine Internet addiction are the following:

• You feel great joy before each new session, and without Internet access you feel sad and despondent.
• You cannot be dragged away from the monitor by the ears, and under no pretext you cannot be lured out into the street.
• You do not go to visit, rarely meet with friends, i.e. you are slowly losing contact with people offline .
• You constantly update your social media page , often check your e- mail , your account on a dating site, etc.
• Discuss computer topics even with people who are barely versed in the field.
• You are losing track of time . Having looked like a case for a few minutes, you hang on the network for several hours and do not notice how quickly time flies by.
• While surfing the Internet, you forget about official duties, studies, household chores, meetings and agreements.
• You visit the sites not to find the information you need, but go to them aimlessly and mechanically.
• Spend a lot of money on the Internet, as well as ensuring constant updates of both various computer devices and software. You are also trying to hide it from loved ones.
• At the physiological level, you feel the consequences of prolonged sitting at the computer: eye pain, joint aches, sleep disturbances and eating disorders.
• Experiencing the influence of information from the network on your psychological well-being – negative news or messages trigger a storm of negative emotions in you, such as rage, sadness or anxiety.
• You notice how people close to you are increasingly beginning to express their outrage at the fact that you spend too much time on the Internet. And this is a clear sign of Internet addiction . It can be difficult to notice the excessive passion for the Internet itself.

Effective treatment of drug addiction is possible only with the timely diagnosis of the disease. The addict himself is only rarely able to admit the existence of problems, but even in this case, only 1 out of 10 will turn for help. Therefore, the responsibility for the life of drug addicts falls on the shoulders of close relatives.

Below we will consider both the general signs of drug use and the symptoms of exposure to specific drug groups. Using this information, you will be able to timely recognize an impending disaster and seek help from specialists.

The systematic use of drugs always leads to serious changes in the life of any person. Changes occur in all spheres of life, and as a rule, simultaneously and in a short period of time. Within six months, drug addicts lose their jobs, morale, health. Someone needs more time, someone less, but the result will always be the same. Of course, such changes are always noticed in the family, but love for our loved ones often prevents us from seeing the true reason for what is happening.

Let’s try to understand in detail how a person’s life changes after getting acquainted with drugs.

• Problems at school or at work. Children begin to skip school, interest in learning disappears, and academic performance falls. The situation is similar for adults, first skipping work and low productivity, and then firing. Drug addiction and any productive activity that requires mental or physical labor are incompatible;
• Appearance. Drug addiction makes a person unkempt, drug addicts stop taking care of themselves. With prolonged use of drugs, the skin color may change, the appearance is always tired;
• The daily routine is violated. A person confuses day and night, may not sleep for several days, and then pass sleepy for several days and fall asleep during the day;
• Increased aggression towards others, nervousness. Drug addiction is necessarily accompanied by unreasonable aggression. As a rule, most of all goes to relatives and friends;
• Mood swings. Depression can be replaced by high spirits for no apparent reason, and vice versa. Without a dose, addicts spend most of their time depressed;
• Financial difficulties. Adolescents have an increased need for money. Adults start borrowing, taking out loans and getting into debt. It comes to the point that some take things out of the house or commit more serious crimes.

The above signs are manifested in one way or another in the long term with the use of any type of drug. To understand what specific narcotic substance we are talking about, it is necessary to dwell on each of them in more detail.

Today in Russia more than 8,000,000 people use drugs, of which 700,000 are officially registered with a diagnosis of drug addiction. It should be borne in mind that the real numbers are much higher than the official data tell us. The statistics are truly terrifying. In addition, over the past 20 years there has been a serious “rejuvenation” among drug addicts. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), over the past two decades, the number of drug addicts between the ages of 14 and 18 has grown by more than 15 times. The majority of drug addicts fall within the age range from 20 to 35 years.

This effect of early addiction to drugs in recent years is due to the emergence of new synthetic drugs ( spice , salt). For a long time, these substances were sold legally, and their use was not punishable by law. Today the picture has changed a lot, smoking mixtures are included in the list of prohibited ones and are equated to hard drugs of the opium series, their distribution and use is severely punished at the legislative level. However, the number of people dependent on spice and salts continues to grow steadily, especially for young people. Synthetic drugs are sold cheaply and in large quantities, and can be purchased by any teenager who knows how to use a smartphone. Serious psychological dependence is formed after the first use, addiction at the physical level develops after several doses, followed by withdrawal syndrome or brittleness.

Causes of addiction

The reasons for the formation and development of drug addiction can be different. As a rule, they appear in a complex and it is difficult to single out any one. In each case, various factors can push a person to use drugs.

The causes of drug addiction can be roughly divided into three groups:

• Physiological;
• Social;
• Psychological.

One of the main physiological causes of drug addiction is heredity. More specifically, children of alcoholics and drug addicts are born with an imbalance of neurotransmitters in the brain that are responsible for the delivery of the hormones of happiness: serotonin, endorphins, and dopamine. In life, this manifests itself in the form of an unstable emotional state, a predisposition to stress, an increased level of anxiety and internal dissatisfaction.

In the first stage , drug use helps the person overcome the above symptoms. Instead of anxiety comes calmness, satisfaction, a sense of self-sufficiency. The insidiousness of drug addiction, as a disease, lies in the fact that drugs each time bring less pleasure, and a person wants more and more. So, in the doomed to failure pursuit of “high”, overdoses occur, so drug addicts switch to heavier drugs.

The psychological reasons for addiction include:

• Immaturity;
• Dissatisfaction with your own life;
• Low level of responsibility;
• Failure to enjoy healthy ways
• Inability to solve accumulated problems;
• Lack of hobbies and vital interests;
• Childhood injuries;
• Other internal conflicts.

The foundations of personality are laid at an early age. Therefore, a lot depends on the parents and the immediate environment of the child. Firmness of character, self-confidence, conscious choice in favor of a healthy lifestyle are the foundations of a full-fledged and self-sufficient personality. Such a person will be able to resist external influences, defending their own interests. After all, it is under the influence of bad company, out of a desire to be accepted and not stand out, that teenagers first try drugs.

The social situation in the country is also extremely important. For example, television today is full of hidden propaganda of immoral lifestyles. Various attributes 228, AUE, 4.20, which are directly related to drug use, are popular among schoolchildren and students .

Public opinion and social environment play an extremely important role. The Soviet Union, where there were no drugs at all, is a good example. A healthy lifestyle was popular in the USSR. If a guy didn’t go to the army, then they always looked at him askance. Today everything is completely different.

Author: Irina Nikolaevna Aleshina

PhD in Psychology

Associate Professor at the Department of Pedagogical and Developmental Psychology. Tambov State University

Drug addiction is a severe, progressive disease caused by the use of drugs. It is important to understand that everyone can be at the mercy of drugs, regardless of social status, age and gender.

Introduction

drug addiction has a detrimental effect on all areas of human life. Mental and physical health suffers, mental and social degradation progresses, the system of life values ​​is disrupted. That is why, drug addiction is much more dangerous than other diseases, and drug addiction treatment is possible only with an integrated and comprehensive approach.

Unfortunately, society is not sufficiently informed about the problem of drug addiction, which makes our citizens vulnerable to this disease. The insidiousness of this disease becomes obvious only after “acquaintance” with it personally, or on the example of someone from the family. Then we see with our own eyes how drugs can change the character and personality of a person, making him irresponsible and completely uncontrollable. But even realizing the seriousness and severity of the consequences, many continue to make the main mistake – to wait!

Usually it happens in the following way – the addict builds the illusion that he has everything under control, that he will get a job on Monday, leave for another city, that he uses today, but no longer tomorrow. Many people simply do not acknowledge the existence of the problem, even after losing their health, financial wealth and close friends. Relatives, in turn, can continue for a long time to follow the empty promises of a dependent (sick) person who simply does not control his life. Surprising as it may seem, a well-meaning family can help a drug addict destroy himself. There are many cases when parents give their children money for a substance, just not seeing any other way out.

Important! At the first sign of drug use, it is necessary to urgently consult a specialist. Our center’s anonymous hotline works around the clock. The call does not oblige you to anything, but it will help you better understand the current situation and find a way out of it.

The syndrome of movement disorders in children of the first year of life may be accompanied by MUSCLE DYSTONIA , in which muscle hypotension alternates with hypertension. At rest, these children show general muscular hypotonia during passive movements. When an attempt is made to actively perform any movement, with positive or negative emotional reactions, muscle tone sharply increases, pathological tonic reflexes become pronounced . These conditions are called ” dystonic attacks “. Most often, muscular dystonia is observed in children who have undergone hemolytic disease as a result of Rh – or ABO – incompatibility. The pronounced syndrome of muscular dystonia makes it practically impossible for a child to develop straightening reflexes of the trunk and balance reactions due to the constantly changing muscle tone. The syndrome of mild transient muscular dystonia does not significantly affect the age-related motor development of the child.

SYNDROME OF MUSCLE HYPERTENSION, HYPERTENSION IN A CHILD, IN CHILDREN, IN THE BREAST, IN NEWBORNS

The syndrome of muscular hypertension is characterized by an increase in resistance to passive movements, limitation of spontaneous and voluntary motor activity, an increase in tendon reflexes, an expansion of their zone, and clonuses of the feet. An increase in muscle tone can prevail in flexor or extensor muscle groups, in the adductor muscles of the thighs, which is expressed in a certain specificity of the clinical picture, however, it is only a relative criterion for topical diagnosis in young children. Due to the incompleteness of the processes of myelination, the symptoms of Babinsky , Oppenheim, Gordon cannot always be considered pathological. Normally, they are mild , unstable and weaken as the child develops, but with an increase in muscle tone they become bright and do not tend to fade.

The severity of the syndrome of muscular hypertension can vary from a slight increase in resistance to passive movements to complete stiffness (posture of decerebral rigidity), when any movement is practically impossible. In these cases, even muscle relaxants are unable to induce muscle relaxation, let alone passive movements. If the syndrome of muscular hypertension is not clearly expressed , does not combine with pathological tonic reflexes and other neurological disorders, its effect on the development of static and locomotor functions may manifest itself in their slight delay at various stages of the first year of life. Depending on in which muscle groups the tone is more increased, the differentiation and final consolidation of certain motor skills will be delayed. So, with an increase in muscle tone in the hands, a delay in the development of the direction of the hands to the object, the capture of the toy, and the manipulation of objects are noted. The development of the grasping ability of the hands is especially impaired. Along with the fact that the child begins to take the toy later, he retains an ulnar grip, or grip with the entire hand , for a long time . The grip with the fingers (forceps) is slow to form and sometimes requires additional stimulation. The development of the protective function of the hands may be delayed, then the balance reactions in the prone position, sitting, standing and walking are also delayed, respectively. With an increase in muscle tone in the legs, the formation of the support reaction of the legs and independent standing is delayed. Children are reluctant to get up on their feet, prefer to crawl, on the support they stand on their toes (on tiptoes) – this is very bad.

Movement disorders in newborns and infants are fundamentally different from those in older children and adults. Brain damage in the early stages of ontogenesis in most cases causes generalized changes, which makes topical diagnosis extremely difficult. More often we can only talk about the predominant defeat of those or other parts of the brain.

Pyramidal and extrapyramidal disorders in children

Differential diagnosis in young children between pyramidal and extrapyramidal disorders (symptoms) causes some difficulties. The main characteristics in the diagnosis of movement disorders in the first year of life are muscle tone and reflex activity. Symptoms of changes in muscle tone may differ at different ages in a child. This is especially true for the first and second age periods (up to 3 months), when the child has physiological hypertension.

Changes in muscle tone are manifested by muscle hypotension, dystonia, and hypertension.

SYNDROME OF MUSCLE HYPOTONIA, HYPOTONUS IN A CHILD, IN CHILDREN, IN THE BREAST, IN NEWBORNS

Muscular hypotension syndrome, causes, symptoms, signs of hypotonus

The syndrome of muscle hypotension is characterized by a decrease in resistance to passive movements and an increase in their volume. Spontaneous and voluntary motor activity is limited, tendon reflexes can be normal, increased, decreased or absent depending on the level of damage to the nervous system. Muscular hypotension is one of the most commonly found syndromes in newborns and infants . It can be expressed from birth, as is the case with congenital forms of neuromuscular diseases, asphyxia, intracranial and spinal birth trauma, damage to the peripheral nervous system, some hereditary metabolic disorders, in children with congenital or early acquired dementia, chromosomal syndromes. At the same time, hypotension may appear or become more pronounced at any age period if the clinical symptoms of the disease begin several months after birth or are progressive in nature. Hypotension, expressed from birth, can transform into normotonia , dystonia, hypertension, or remain the leading symptom throughout the first year of life. The severity of the clinical manifestations of muscle hypotension varies from a slight decrease in resistance to passive movements to complete atony and the absence of active movements.

Retardation and retardation of psychomotor development with muscle hypotension, hypotonia

If the syndrome of muscle hypotension is mild and does not combine with other neurological disorders, it either does not affect the age-related development of the child, or causes a delay in motor development, more often in the second half of life. The lag is uneven, more complex motor functions are delayed, requiring coordinated activity of many muscle groups for their implementation. So, a planted child sits for 9 months, but cannot sit on his own. These children begin to walk later and the supported walking period is delayed for a long time. Muscle hypotension can be limited to one limb (traumatic paresis of the legs, obstetric paresis of the hand). In these cases, the delay will be partial.

Delay in psycho- motor development in muscle hypotension in children

The pronounced muscle hypotension syndrome has a significant effect on the delay in motor development . Thus, motor skills in the congenital form of Werdnig – Hoffmann spinal amyotrophy in a child of 9 to 10 months may correspond to the age of 2 to 3 months. The delay in motor development, in turn, becomes the cause of the peculiarities of the formation of mental functions. For example, the lack of the possibility of voluntary gripping of an object leads to underdevelopment of visual-motor coordination and manipulative activity. Since muscle hypotonia is often combined with other neurological disorders (convulsions, hydrocephalus, cranial nerve paresis, congenital paralysis of the facial nerve ), the latter can modify the nature of developmental delay, determined by hypotension as such. The quality of the muscle hypotension syndrome itself and its effect on developmental delay will vary with the disease. With convulsions, congenital or early acquired dementia, not so much hypotension as delayed mental development is the reason for the lag in motor, motor development.