Q: Do you ever use any Human Energy Field Interventions to treat addictions?
A: Yes! Since March of 1994, the Illinois Institute for Addiction Recovery has had physician-approved policies supporting nurses who have been trained or certified to do various Human Energy Field Interventions to use these skills as an adjunctive therapy. We have nurses trained in both Therapeutic Touch and Healing Touch.
Human Energy Field Interventions are utilized for various purposes: to provide relaxation therapy; as a non-chemical means of relieving minor aches and pains (such as headaches); to provide a sense of spiritual connectedness/grounding; and as an aid to de-escalating the behaviorally acting-out client. We are proud to pioneer the utilization of this type of therapy in our area.
Q: My 22-year-old son has been arguing with me lately about using marijuana. He claims that it's a natural "herb" and causes no harm when used on an infrequent basis. What are some of the physical facts about marijuana and its effects on the body?
A: Some immediate physical effects of marijuana include a faster heartbeat, bloodshot eyes, and a dry mouth and throat. Studies of marijuana's mental effects show that the drug can impair short-term memory, alter one's sense of time and reduce the ability to do things which require concentration, swift reactions and coordination, such as driving a car or operating machinery.
A common bad reaction to marijuana is the "acute panic anxiety reaction." People describe this reaction as an extreme fear of "losing control," which causes panic. The symptoms usually disappear in a few hours. Long-term marijuana use can cause both physical and psychological dependence. Users may have a hard time limiting their use, they may need more of the drug to get the same effect and they may develop problems with their jobs and per-sonal relationships. The drug can become the most important aspect of their lives.
Some research studies suggest that the use of marijuana during pregnancy may result in premature babies and in low birth weights. Studies of men and women who use marijuana have shown that marijuana may influence levels of hormones relating to sexuality. Women may have irregular menstrual cycles, and both men and women may have a temporary loss of fertility. These findings suggest that marijuana may be especially harmful during adolescence, a period of rapid physical and sexual development.
Marijuana use increases the heart rate as much as 50 percent, depending on the amount of THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) in the cigarette. It can cause chest pain in people who have a poor blood supply to the heart -- and it produces these effects more rapidly than tobacco smoke does. Scientists believe that marijuana can be especially harmful to the lungs because users often inhale the unfiltered smoke deeply and hold it in their lungs as long as possible. Therefore, the smoke is in contact with lung tissues for long periods of time, which irritates the lungs and damages the way they work.
Marijuana smoke contains some of the same ingredients that can cause emphysema and cancer in tobacco smoke. In addition, many marijuana users also smoke cigarettes; the combined effects of smoking these two substances creates an increased health risk. Marijuana smoke has been found to contain more cancer-causing agents than are found in tobacco smoke. Examination of human lung tissue that had been exposed to marijuana smoke over a long period of time in a laboratory showed cellular changes called metaplasia that are considered precancerous. In laboratory tests, the tars from marijuana smoke have produced tumors when applied to animal skin. These studies suggest it is likely that marijuana may cause cancer if used for a number of years.
