Beautiful Scenes

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What comes across your mind when you think about the United States of America? The beautiful scenes definitely! From the Statue of Liberty, to the famous Wall Street, the Golden Gate Bridge, Grand Canyon, and of course Disney World, the world’s third biggest country truly boasts itself of so many amazing scenes and natural attractions. In the US, you can find unique and fabulous cities that will never cease to amaze you. To make your trip worthwhile, here are some cities you should dare not miss when you are in the United States.

New York. One of the most fascinating cities in the USA and a must-see tourist destination is New York. With its stunning architecture, incredible skyline, and multicultural personality, this city is truly a melting pot of cultures and personalities. And in Manhattan, you find the best hotels, the best restaurants, museums, and theaters, to pamper yourself to your heart’s content.

Boston. This city is famous for its vibrant neighborhoods. You find the historic North End, the very colorful Chinatown, and the chic Back Bay, all infamous for its distinct appeal and own personality. Strolling around Boston is just like going over the American history textbook. You can also see Bunker Hill, Old North Church, or the Boston Common, each representing a specific chapter in the American History.

Washington DC. After sightseeing the White house, you can try strolling around the White House Garden and enjoy the lush greens and scenery of the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden and the splendid Rose Garden. The good thing about sightseeing in Washington DC is that it does not cost that much. The museums and memorials are generally free.

Miami. Renowned for its ten-mile long white sandy beaches, Miami is the perfect place for chic restaurants, hot party scenes, and trendy hotels. Spending time around the neighborhood may make you feel as if you are not in the US at all because of its Latin American cultural inheritance. Furthermore, if you wish to visit Cuba but you just don’t have the luxury of time, a little drive to Little Havana in Miami is enough to catch a glimpse of the world-renowned Cuban cigars and coffee.

There are practically more than a dozen beautiful scenes in the United States of America for your travel pleasure. Make sure you get to experience how fun and exciting it is to get the chance of enjoying beautiful America.

Some Highly Addictive Prescription Drugs

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The notion that drugs prescribed by a physician are safer than street drugs is a dangerous proposition that could spell doom for many. Prescription drug abuse has proved to be the most deplorable habit causing significant physical and mental harm to the people in America.

The country is badly in the grip of prescription drugs, overdose of which is killing more people than gun violence and road mishaps. Of all the drugs, a handful of them are highly addictive and the slightest flirtation with any of those could lead to a complicated situation.

The commonly abused prescription drugs are divided into three categories — opioids, depressants and stimulants. It is important to exercise extreme caution when somebody is prescribed these medicines. People grow dependent on them and start abusing these drugs at a faster rate than others.

Here, we take a look at some of the highly addictive drugs:

Xanax: It is a benzodiazepine prescribed to treat panic disorder and severe anxiety. It works by depressing the hyperactive central nervous system of a person. Its sedating and relaxing effects are a huge draw for addicts. No wonder, it is the most abused drug in the market.

Oxycodone: It is an opioid and is commonly sold as OxyContin and Percocet. Since it induces a euphoric and sedative effect, oxycodone alters the way the brain and the nervous system respond to pain. It is a highly prescribed drug that is prescribed by physicians nearly 6 million times a year. The fact that it is a costly drug forces addicts to often resort to stealing and procuring it through illicit means.

Klonopin & Valium: These are the most abused drugs after Xanax because of their sedative properties. The high achieved from Klonopin and Valium is akin to that of alcohol, wherein a person is induced with feelings of drunkenness. He tends to become loquacious and relaxed at the same time. These traits of the drugs make them habit-forming and people grow dependent on them.

Demerol & Darvocet: Categorized among the most abused painkillers in the market, these drugs were, in fact, withdrawn from the U.S. market in 2010. The danger lurks in the quick tolerance people develop for these drugs. This makes people increase the dosage, which leads to serious complications and withdrawal symptoms.

Codeine (Purple Drank): Codeine is an opioid which is used in conjunction with other medicines to arrest cough and pain. It has a sedative effect when consumed in high quantities and can result in altered levels of consciousness. It forms the base for “purple drank,” a concoction of soda and candy that was popularized in the early 2000s through hip-hop music.

Amphetamines (Speed): These have earned the street name of “Speed” among abusers. Prescribed to patients of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy, amphetamines address the issues like focus and wakefulness in such patients. They are grossly misused drugs in the market, sold under the name of Adderall, by people who need to stay awake. The most ardent fans of Speed are students, truck drivers and shift workers who have to meet tight deadlines.

Ritalin: It is a stimulant which acts on the central nervous system and heightens attention level. It is also habit forming and is highly risky. These drugs are also frequently prescribed by doctors and they are easily available in the market. The easy availability has fueled the rampant abuse of Ritalin.

Can Anti Depressants Really Help You?

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There as been much discussion in relation to the many ad campaigns that are being shown for the various anti depressants. There are basically two different points of view when it comes to the use of anti depressants. There happens to be a good number of psychologists who don’t believe in the mass production and availability of anti depressants. Others support the use of anti depressants and believe they can have an important role to play in helping people who are battling depression and anxiety deal with their problems. Both views receive varying degrees of support amongst psychiatrists.

Those psychologists who don’t support the use of anti depressants are concerned that current advertising for the use of depression medication often implies that the problem originates due to a chemical imbalance within our brains. They also state that these anti depressant advertisers suggest that by using their products, this imbalance can be put right.

The truth of the matter is that a chemical imbalance within the brain is just one possible factor on why an individual could have a problem with depression. There could be many possible causes for the depression which these advertisers fail to mention within their advertisements.

So even though it’s not necessarily wrong to state that depression is caused by a chemical imbalance, it’s actually incorrect to imply that it’s the cause of every sufferer’s state of depression. There is some concern that these advertisers are simply looking to take advantage of people who are confused and are desperate for help. In actual fact, depression can be caused by any number of psychological problems, biological problems or even social problems within an individual’s life.

The situation with advertisers of anti depressants is very similar to those advertisers who sell weight loss products promising phenomenal results to those who have a real problem with obesity. They see the person’s ailment as an easy selling point and although there product may be helpful in certain circumstances, the truth is that it won’t help everyone.

Anyone who is struggling with depression should see their doctor. Your doctor can help identify what is causing your problem and also what type of depression you are suffering from. He/She can help put you on the medication that is going to be the most helpful to you.

Solving Behavior Problems By Finding Solutions From Your Child’s Future

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Present parenting can build patterns in children that will continue long past childhood. In fact, children are learning things about life and how to relate that will help them for the rest of their lives. Effective parenting requires a thoughtful strategic approach, but many parents don’t have a plan. They just react to life situations as they come up. This book is designed to help you form a plan for parenting at any age. Companion books are available for each developmental stage to further help you form your strategy. The alternative to having a long-term strategic plan is to engage in what we call Reactive Parenting.

Reactive Parenting often gets the job done, at least for a while, but it has a high price tag. Yelling at kids, for example, works to get kids in the car or get the dishes off the table, but in the end it doesn’t teach kids the long-term skills and character they need. In fact, when parents yell at kids three things happen. First, the child hears a message that I’m unloved, unworthy, and unacceptable. Second, the parent/child relationship develops distance. And third, the parent feels bad knowing that anger was an inappropriate parenting strategy and negative long-term effects are likely.

The alternative is a heart-based approach to parenting, looking deeper into a child’s heart and thinking strategically about the future. The heart contains beliefs, convictions, and forms the tendencies a child has when faced with the same situation over and over again. For example, when a child reacts to frustration with an angry outburst, that’s a heart issue. When a child steals some food and hides it in his room, that’s a heart issue. As daily situations provide opportunities for parenting, you can help your children develop the character they’ll need to be successful in life. The parent who thinks long-term approaches parenting problems with a different strategy and is much more effective. It’s a matter of perspective.

When you stop to think about it, the problems children face now are the same ones they’ll face when they get older. For example, a lot of adults whine, complain, have bad attitudes, and can’t follow a simple instruction without an argument. So why not develop adult solutions for children’s problems, break them down to their developmental level, and practice the right response?

For example, Bill is thirteen years old and whines and complains about all kinds of things in life. Mom often gets irritated with Bill and, in exasperation, sends him out of the room. After a while Mom realizes that Bill’s problem is that he communicates misery when he doesn’t get what he wants. Instead of just getting angry with Bill now, Mom sees Bill’s whining as a symptom of a child who focuses on a problem instead of a solution. “Bill, there are two kinds of people in the world, whiners and solvers. At the moment it looks like you’re choosing to be a whiner. You need to go sit in the hall until you can think of something you’re grateful for.” After just two weeks of this firm approach with Bill, Mom saw significant improvement in her son.

Many children grow up to be adults with Bill’s problem. They express their misery to others whenever they don’t get what they want. A heart-based approach to parenting recognizes that behavior comes from the heart and changes made now will produce lasting character later on.

One way to think long-term is to continually ask yourself the following question: How is my approach to a particular problem helping my child to develop the maturity needed for adulthood? Be careful of the quick fix in parenting. It might get fast results but what are you teaching your kids in the end?

Mary makes the mistake of thinking short-term and uses reverse psychology on her three-year-old. “Don’t eat your vegetables,” she says playfully while she turns her back and walks into the kitchen and her son quickly gobbles them up. She thinks she’s winning the game with her son to get him to eat right but in the end she’s encouraging disobedience. “Don’t clean up the cars while I’m gone,” she says and her son quickly plays the game. Mary is simply looking at the moment and believes she was successful because her son cleaned up the mess. Unfortunately, she’s encouraging her son to disobey her. Too many parents are like Mary, content with immediate solutions that have a high price tag for the future.

Roberto told us this story. “Sometimes I’d use sarcasm or tease my son when he made a mistake. I’d also yell at him and demonstrate my disgust at his immaturity. And it worked. My son would respond to my challenges and make changes, but I began to see some side effects to my off-handed remarks. I realized that my son wasn’t feeling like I loved him and distance was developing in our relationship. It became clear that I was focusing more on the situation than on building confidence and maturity. I needed to think more carefully about the way I was motivating my son to do the right thing. That realization changed the way I relate. I’m much more careful with my responses, measuring their long-term impact.”

Even something as simple as learning to follow instructions teaches maturity. God has hidden within obedience the secret ingredients for success in life. When kids obey, they learn how to set aside their agenda for someone else, how to complete a job without Mom or Dad reminding them, how to report back when they’re done, and how to be responsible when no one is watching.

Most importantly, while learning to follow instructions from Mom and Dad children develop the necessary character to obey God as they grow older.

Parenting is a lot of work, but the time you invest now has benefits that will last a lifetime. After all, some of the most important qualities of life are learned in childhood like humility, obedience, respect, a good attitude, responsibility, cooperation, and honor. The daily interaction you have with children today can impact them for the rest of their lives.

The book of Proverbs reminds us that our present work as parents has long-term ramifications. It says, “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” (Proverbs 22:6) Your kids are in training now for the future. You are the coach. As you think about the future of your child, the daily interactions of your family take on greater significance.