The Life Works Community Blog

Research conducted in Spain has highlighted the possibility of virtual reality computer programs as a means to help educate individuals suffering from eating disorders.

The study was based around several different scenarios created electronically. The subject of body image disturbance is a significant indicator of possible eating disorders, with individuals suffering from, for instance, bulimia or binge eating viewing their bodies as smaller or larger than reality, respectively. The idea of employing technology in the form of computer programs was first analyzed in 2003, with the recent Canada based follow-up shedding new light on the possibilities of this type of support.

In one of the scenarios created for the purpose of the study, participants were tasked with adjusting the proportions of a computerized body until they felt it matched their own physical bodies. This allowed for clear and immediate indication of an individual being out of touch with their true physical size.

Medical experts have raised concern that individuals following a gluten-free diet may be using this method to disguise the fact they are suffering from an eating disorder.

According to the Daily Beast, some doctors are growing worried that many image-conscious members of the public are diagnosing themselves with a gluten allergy in order to give themselves a socially acceptable way to shed the pounds.

Individuals who smoke cannabis on a regular basis may find they experience lower energy levels compared to those who do not, researchers from the Brown University Center for Alcohol and Addiction have suggested.

Acknowledging that only nine per cent of people who use marijuana become dependent on the substance, scientists did note that the drug can still cause several problems for those people who smoke it fairly often.

Individuals who watch porn on a regular basis may be putting their relationship with their other halves under unnecessary strain, the findings from a recent survey of sex experts have suggested.

According to a study conducted by Cosmopolitan magazine, some couples are experiencing problems with their romance as a result of a growing desire among young men to watch adult films on the internet.

Some 86 per cent of therapists questioned by the publication said they believe porn is having a negative effect on relationships, due to the fact it is now so easily accessible.

A national study in the USA has found that one in four teens have misused or abused prescription medications at least once in their lifetime. This is an increase of 33% in the last five years alone.

The research, which was run with data from The Partnership Attitude Tracking Study or PATS shows that 13% of teens report taking Ritalin or Adderall without a prescription.

“This data makes it very clear: the problem is real, the threat immediate and the situation is not poised to get better,” said Steve Pasierb, president and CEO of The Partnership at Drugfree.org.

“Parents fear drugs like cocaine or heroin and want to protect their kids. But the truth is that when misused and abused, medicines — especially stimulants and opioids — can be every bit as dangerous and harmful as illicit street drugs.”

With the average Irish drinker consuming the equivalent of a bottle of whiskey per week in Ireland, doctors are looking for ways to lower the countries consumption rates. 

In 2012 A proposal was put forward to the Department of Health Steering Group  that would phase-out alcohol sponsorships for sporting and cultural events by 2016. The group Alcohol Action Ireland sees the practice of alcohol sponsorship as a form of early indoctrination. They described Irish drinking culture as a conveyor belt that creates a steady supply of heavy drinkers that will support the alcohol industry. The alcohol advertising is a sign of this trend they say.

A television presenter has opened up about the eating disorder she suffered with for several years while attempting to maintain some control in her life.

Michaela Strachan said the anorexia that saw her weight plummet to dangerous lows came about as a result of her "sheltered middle-class world" falling apart.

A report on substance abuse in Scotland has found that 331 children watched their parents die due to substance abuse in 2011. This is a dramatic increase from the 238 deaths the year before.

Some doctors are blaming this rise on the failing health of addicts who started heroin in the 1980s but others believe the Scottish practice of using methadone based treatments is backfiring.

 Dr Roy Robertson, a GP who chairs the national forum on drug-related deaths, said: “The deaths are partly the legacy of the large influx of drugs we saw in Scotland in the 1980s. Inevitably people are going to die younger as a result of this.”

More than 50% of the drug deaths involved people using the methadone. This may be because of a negative interaction between the methadone and other drugs or it could be down to the methadone itself.

Methadone is the most common drug cited in drug deaths. It was implicated in 234 cases in 2011 alone. By comparison, heroin itself was only involved in 169 deaths and Diazapam in 101. Cocaine and ecstasy were only involved in 33 deaths.

A fresh study has shed light on a very relevant and increasingly pervasive issue regarding eating disorders: Public perception.

This study, performed by researchers at the University of Hawaii, aimed to discern how people viewed different eating disorders. While all eating disorders can be massively damaging, not all are viewed equally by the general public. This can have a profound impact on the individual suffering from an eating disorder. People with eating disorders are often very aware of public support assisting their struggle or, conversely, ridicule or contempt making the challenge of overcoming their problem much harder.

Doctors at a Swedish eating disorder clinic are reporting that at least one modelling agency is trying to recruit female patients right on the clinics doorstep.

Some reports even claim a modelling scout approached a girl who was so weak she was being transported in a wheelchair.

The nature of eating disorders is usually extremely secretive, as many sufferers keep their conditions behind closed doors for as long as possible.

In many cases, individuals are too ashamed to come clean to their loved ones about their struggle with food, as they are embarrassed their illness will not be taken seriously.

A woman has turned her life around and conquered the eating disorder that plagued her life for almost 20 years by undergoing a revolutionary method of surgery that saw doctors "rewire" her brain.

For individuals who have been affected by drug abuse, it may feel as if their is no escape from their demons as they become isolated from the goings on in the outside world and have no one to talk to about their issues.

Although the outcome of an addiction can end happily - with the person putting their life back together and not using drugs - or sadly, the individual succumbing to their dependency and passing away or having severe health issues, the reasons why people turn to drugs are often extremely different.

Ex-footballer Paul Gascoigne has spoken candidly about his alcohol addiction in a new TV interview.

The former England player, who has battled his dependency for over two decades, told ITV's Daybreak breakfast show about his brush with death and his recent experience in a rehabilitation clinic in the US.

Sex addiction is an issue that - though widely regarded as a common problem - is rarely talked about by those who are living with the condition and particularly their loved ones.

Although medical professionals have long since established the disorder is one that is very real and can affect anyone, the majority of people continue to believe is simply an excuse for being unfaithful in a relationship or watching internet pornography.

Many people who fall victim to drug addiction at some point in their lives find they feel as if they have nobody to talk to about their issues.

The stigma attached to becoming dependent on illegal substances such as heroin and cocaine means many people who are affected by these very real issues are left isolated and fall deeper into their addiction because they feel there is no solution.

In many cases, individuals who are accustomed to hiding their drug addiction from friends and family members keep the habit a secret for several years until the physical effects of dependency become too obvious to hide.

Alcohol campaigners who are fighting for the government to take action over the ongoing issue of alcohol misuse in the UK have reacted angrily to the lack of spending on projects to highlight the risks of drinking too much in this week's Budget announcement.

Many charities and lobby groups reacted angrily to chancellor George Osborne's decision to introduce a one pence reduction to the price of an average pint of beer in a move that is intended to help the country's ailing pub industry.

The decision came as a surprise to individuals, as it reflected a complete reversal of past Budget commitments to annually increase beer duty by two percentage points above inflation until 2015.

Women who are expecting a child should be screened to ensure they are not suffering from an eating disorder that could put their wellbeing at risk, along with that of their unborn baby. This is according to a new article in The Telegraph.

This is the suggestion of several psychiatrists, who have claimed a high number of women worry about their weight during pregnancy - which could leave them at risk of developing anorexia nervosa or bulimia after their child is born.

A new harm reduction scheme may make Brighton the first city in the UK to provide a safe place for addicts to use illegal drugs.

The new drug rooms are part of a larger plan recommended by an independent commission put together to advise Brighton and Hove City Council. These rooms would be an integral part of what is known in the addiction industry as a harm reduction strategy. The goal of harm reduction is not necessarily to get people off of a drug but keep them from harming themselves or others.

Many people who are diagnosed with anorexia nervosa are led to believe that the mental illness has developed due to emotional problems that have manifested in an obsession with losing weight.

However, this outlook could all be about to change, potentially bringing about new and innovative methods of treatment, after scientists in Canada suggested the use of a brain implant to help those living with the condition.

Researchers have raised the question that deep stimulation in the brain could provide relief for individuals who are suffering from anorexia nervosa.