|
New Year Resolutions
Making major changes to your lifestyle is no easy undertaking. In
order for anyone to succeed they need to combine patience,
commitment, and the ability to ask for support. For some people a
portion of that support may come from their pharmacist. There are
several products currently available to help people break habits
that are harmful to their health. Pharmacological aids address our
habits by targeting their source, i.e. nicotine addiction with
smoking, depression with some cases of overeating. These drugs
though will only help someone who is already committed to making
difficult changes in their lifestyle. Check out some of my other
responses for hints on losing weight and starting an exercise
regimen, quitting smoking, and drinking less alcohol. The first step
to breaking a bad habit is learning to change your behavior. Only
after taking this first step should a woman consider
pharmacological aids.
Weight Loss
Over the past few decades, women in the U.S. have been
inundated with "miracle" weight loss drugs. Most of these drugs
have been accompanied by plenty of hype, and no shortage of
misinformation. Each different diet drug targets the alleged source
of weight gain. Many over the counter diet drugs work temporarily
by either dehydrating us and having most of our weight loss be
water loss, or by dissuading us from eating with stimulants.
The most recent and well-known diet drug is Fen-Phen. This drug
was at one time touted as the solution to obesity; instead it led to
severe pulmonary damage in a yet unknown number of women
who took it. The FDA recently approved a new diet drug called
Meridia. We are yet unsure of what side effects or potential health
hazards it carries, as it has not been given to millions of women for
extended periods of time. The FDA also recently warned women
against herbal forms of Fen Phen, citing that they are presenting
some of the same side effects as Fen Phen. In short, diet drugs
are not a great way to lose weight. Although it can be frustrating, a
combination of exercise and good nutrition is the best means to
losing weight. Any woman who isn't finding success through this
combination might consider asking her doctor for help, or seeing a
nutrionist.
Smoking
If quitting cold turkey or slowly decreasing the number of cigarettes
smoked a day just doesn't work there are a few other options
available. Using nicotine replacement therapy in combination with
a person's efforts to quit can help. There are several products
currently on the market. One is a patch that transfers small doses
of nicotine through the skin. (Nicotrol, Nicoderm, Habitrol, Prostep
are all nicotine patches) The strength of the patch is slowly tapered
off until it is no longer needed. It is quite simple to use and can help
make a person's withdrawal from nicotine both bearable and
possible. It is important to note though that smoking while wearing
the patch is dangerous and can possibly lead to a nicotine
overdose. Programs that are longer (8-12 weeks or more),
stepwise and with 24-hours patches are more effective.
The second option is nicotine gum, Nicorette. The gum is most
helpful in controlling a person's cravings for nicotine. It is often
used in combination with the patch, if a person is still having
problems. Like the patch, it works by providing a person with tiny
amounts of nicotine.
None of these works alone, however. Traditional behavior
modification techniques must be used as well to have a
reasonable hope of success. Spending time with friends and
family who smoke is the situation that leads to the most failures of
stop-smoking programs.
Decreasing Alcohol Intake
It is important for anyone with an addiction to alcohol to seek
support from their doctor, friends, family, or a local support group.
This is a lifelong effort that is difficult to maintain without any
support system in place. There is a drug available that can be
prescribed to a person who is struggling with alcoholism,
disulfiram. It works by causing nausea in those who take it and
also drink alcohol.
It is often given to people who suffer from chronic alcoholism,
rather than those who wish to simply decrease their intake of
alcohol. A medical evaluation is required before a person is given
this drug as taking disulfiram with even small doses of alcohol
causes serious reactions, including hypotension, and increased
heart rate. This drug can also have some serious side effects, and
is for this reason only used by people who face even greater risks
from their alcoholism.
Treating an Underlying Mental Condition
Most people's unhealthy habits are the result of learned behavior,
rather than an underlying mental disorder. But for those people
who present a mental condition as an unbreakable habit,
pharmacological treatments are available. Again, a person with a
condition such as depression or obsessive compulsive disorder
should seek a combination of treatments that includes in person
therapy. This is essential to both diagnosis and treatment. If a
woman is suffering from a mental illness, making a New Year's
resolution to stop expressing this condition will only lead to failure
and frustration. "Habits" such as binge eating, or obsessive
cleaning need to be addressed more fully, and with the support of
a professional. Drugs such as Prozac, Zoloft, or other
antidepressants can work well in combination with therapy, but
they also carry side effects and should not be taken as a quick fix
to a bad habit.
|
