Q: When a person is addicted to drugs, it affects their brain and behavior in a multitude of negative ways. Before you can begin to help your child, it's important that you try to understand their problem so you can relate to them and understand what they need a little better.  Drugs increase the level of dopamine in the brain, which triggers feeling of pleasure. The brain wants to repeat these feelings of euphoria, which is how the drugs become addictive. Because of chemical changes to the brain, the person finds it very difficult to quit even when he is ready to do so. These changes to the brain also impair the person's perception of their own behavior and makes them think that they are in control of their problem. Over time, drug intake becomes as essential for the person as eating and drinking - their cravings start to dominate all other areas of their lives. Long-term use leads to issues like cognitive impairment, poor judgment and irrational thoughts. Don’t wait for the things to settle down on their own, if you suspect that your child has a drug problem, it's important to intervene as early as possible and get them the help they need.  Signs that your child may have a drug problem include: behavioral changes, sleep disturbances, secretive behavior, demand for privacy, dropping grades, hostility, angry outbursts, absence from home with places, new friends Try to talk to your child and get them to admit that they have a problem. Rather than being angry, let them know that you are there for them and just want to help them get through it. If you find that your child has a problem with drugs, be aware that you won't be able to solve the problem just by making your child go cold turkey. There are other issues that need to be addressed:  Your child needs to change the way he thinks about himself. His friends and company should be changed. The friends and group that he is keeping presently might be a major reason behind his addiction and hostility. Your child's stress management skills need improvement. You will need to find healthy ways for your child to handle their stress, rather than turning to drugs. Make sure your child's free time is spent in some useful activity. Give him a task or project to complete. Hopefully he will learn how to gain satisfaction from hard work and effort, instead of looking for instant gratification. Encourage your child to change their lifestyle and preferences. Help them to make new connections and abandon old ones that support addiction. Denial is the first and foremost thing that is encountered by families when they try to get their teenager through a drug abuse problem. In order to help your child to overcome denial and deal with their addiction you have to follow some simple steps:  Seek counseling for your child from a psychiatrist or through a counselor at a rehab center, as they can address the specific problems associated with seeking treatment. Help the child realize what his or her condition is before and after using drugs. This will help them to understand how necessary it is to seek treatment. Help the child to accept the challenge to change and encourage them to lead a normal and healthy life. Remind them of the dreams and goals that they had before the drug problem and push them to get back on this healthy track.
A: Be aware of the influence of drug addiction on the brain. Intervene as early as possible. Know what needs to change. Help your child to understand why treatment is important.

Article: Keep an eye on how much light the plant gets – if anything, too little light is better than too much. While you're gone, turn the air off, too. It'll be nicer for the plant if it's a little warmer. As the seasons change, you may want to move the plant. Take it away from any windows if you're unsure. It'll still get plenty of light in the center of a room. And as for what water to use, this plant is very sensitive to chemicals like fluoride and chlorine – only use tap water if it's been sitting out for 24 hours (so the chemicals can evaporate. Otherwise, bottled water is best. Once the plant has grown roots, the roots must be kept covered with water. Again, 1-3 inches is all it takes. If you're growing your plant in soil, water it just enough so the soil is moist but not soggy. Keep it this way every day. The plant can get dry-rot if the soil is too wet. You can also spray the leaves with water to keep it moist and humid. Again, use filtered or bottled water to avoid chemical damage. Encourage more roots by increasing the amount of water in which the plant is growing. More roots mean lusher top foliage; the higher the water is up the stalk, the higher up the roots will grow. If you're using soil, use organic fertilizer every month or so so the plant gets enough nutrients (again, go organic as synthetic can cause deterioration). If you're growing it hydroponically, use liquid fertilizer in the water. However, keep in mind that lucky bamboo does not need much fertilizer, so make sure that you dilute the fertilizer to one tenth of its strength. Add it at the same time as you add the rest of the water; it's best to add fertilizer when the water is clean.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Place the lucky bamboo in a warm spot where it will get indirect light. Change the water every week if you're growing it hydroponically. Water the plant carefully. Fertilizer your plant every month or so.

Q: Sometimes depression can be related to medical issues, including hyperthyroidism, Parkinson's disease, or Huntington's disease. It may also be a side effect of medication. If the depression isn’t caused by your medical condition, your condition may still affect your mood if you are feeling ill and thinking negatively. It is difficult to be positive when you are in pain or physically ill.  Meet with your doctor regularly if you have chronic medical issues. If you notice an increase in depression coincides with a new medication or other medical treatment, consult your doctor. Take all of your prescribed medication for medical concerns. It may take a while to find the right one for you. When you start feeling better, keep taking your medication as this may help maintain your health. With depression it may be difficult to keep up with daily tasks such as bathing, cleaning, and general self-maintenance (i.e. washing your face or brushing your teeth). Once you have successfully overcome the depression you can begin to get back your basic routine. Taking care of yourself can help you feel better about yourself overall and reduce the likelihood that the depression returns. For example, when you stay in your pajamas all day, it’s unlikely that you'll feel like leaving the house and doing something. However, if you take a long shower or bath, take care of your hair and makeup, pick out clothes you feel good in, you may feel much stronger and able to cope with the day. Make a list of things you can do for self-maintenance. This list might include: washing clothes, shopping for new clothes, washing your hair, getting a hair-cut or style. Exercise can help prevent and reduce symptoms of depression. As difficult as it is to put those sneakers on and tie the laces, after you have worked out you may feel ten times better both emotionally due to endorphins that are released in your brain.  Start off with a ten minute walk, and build up to 20. Doing that as often as possible may do wonders for you. If you have trouble getting up the motivation to exercise, try telling yourself, "I'll feel better when it’s done." Or commit to just doing five to ten minutes on an exercise bike or treadmill. Sometimes you just need to get over the initial challenge of getting up and moving, and after ten minutes you may feel like running for ten more. If you're after something more challenging, you will feel the endorphins bringing that "high" after a run, gym class, or other aerobic exercise.
A:
Treat medical problems. Focus on activities of daily living (ADLs). Exercise.