Harvard ED Center | Health & Medical Education Blog

Of all the doctors and medical professionals that someone might need to visit during their lifetime, it is the dentist who strikes fear into more people than anyone else. It can range from mild nervousness to outright panic and at its worst a phobia that prevents the sufferer from getting the dental care that they need.

Fear of going to the dentist is something which affects men, women, teenagers, and children so age is no indicator of whether someone will be affected or not. What will differ are both the intensity of the fear and the underlying reasons behind it. Here are some of the most common ones and one or two ways to overcome them if they occur.

Previous bad experience: A long-term fear of going to the dentist can often be triggered by a single event such as painful extraction or extreme discomfort whilst a dental procedure was being performed in the past. Often the level of pain was less than the person believes it to have been but when they think about the experience it triggers anxiety each time they revisit the dentist for fear of it occurring again.

How Drug Addiction can Ruin Your Life

By hedc

On September 14, 2017

In Addiction Recovery, Substance Abuse

Many people take harmful substances without giving any thought to the damage that will occur to their body or their life. It is only those who get to the stage of drug rehab that realise the truth. For those people have already experienced losing just about all the things that make life worthwhile, including loved ones and their sense of self worth.

While it is true that taking one harmful substance once won’t make you an addict, it can still cause severe health and even mental problems. Addiction often starts through peer pressure, especially if a young person is having trouble or perceived trouble at home. They take the substance once and when it makes them feel good, they want to repeat that feeling.

The Health Benefits of a Good Diet

By hedc

On August 15, 2017

Most people these days understand that what they eat is important to their health. But actually following through and eating plenty of fresh fruit, vegetables and low fat meat doesn’t always happen. The trouble is that it is easier to eat unhealthy junk food that can be delivered to the door, or at least doesn’t require cooking.

Part of the problem is that when you work hard all day, coming home to cook a meal is not something you want to do. However, with a little bit of effort you can be much healthier. Nutritious meals don’t have to take time and effort to prepare. Think of salads; a little bit of washing and cutting up and it’s on the plate ready to eat. And as long as you go easy on the coleslaw and potato salad, you’ll soon start losing weight without even trying.

A Drink is a Drug is a Whole Pan of Brownies

By hedc

On June 13, 2017

If I stop using drugs, can I still drink?

Although I identify as an alcoholic, for several years marijuana was my first drug of choice – until it stopped working for me. All of a sudden, smoking pot made me paranoid and miserable. This was when I learned to drink alcohol. And, alcohol was what brought me to my knees.

Throughout my years in recovery, I have watched people get sober and work to identify the driving factors behind their alcohol or drug addiction, only to see them relapse after a while. I went through this myself.

I got sober but suffered from deep depression and debilitating anxiety. I was honest with my Doctor about being an alcoholic in recovery. My Doctor put me on an antidepressant and a Benzedrine for anxiety. I was feeling better but began to misinterpret normal anxiety about a given situation in life and anxiety that was abnormal. I was used to numbing my feelings, used to not feeling much of anything.

5 Tips to Improve Your Self Esteem

By hedc

On May 24, 2017

In Self Esteem

Low self esteem is something that nearly every woman deals with at some time in her life and sometimes throughout the whole of her life. Not only does it cause you to believe lies about yourself, it often prevents you from even trying to improve your life because you don’t believe you deserve it, or are capable of doing it.

In some cases the problem stems from childhood, where unsupportive parents criticised every mistake you made and so you felt you were never good enough to reach their standards. Or it can start when you have a relationship break-up, or fail in an exam, or any other myriad of things that can go wrong in life. The main thing is not to let low self esteem stick around.

How to Avoid Pollen and Other Allergens

By hedc

On May 6, 2017

Any electrician will tell you that one way to avoid allergens is to install an air conditioner, which will filter out nearly all the allergens from outside, leaving your inside air fresh and pure. This is good news for people who are allergic and suffer from itchy, red eyes, stuffy or runny nose, sneezing or even asthmatic problems due to allergies.

External allergens include many things such as –

Who is a Good Candidate for Dental Implants?

By hedc

On May 5, 2017

In Dentistry

Dental implants have many advantages over other options to replace lost teeth. Once successfully in place the implant is almost impossible to identify as a fake tooth, there is no discomfort such as from a plate that rubs and it lasts for a very long time, so is durable and effective as a working tooth or teeth.Sadly, not everyone is suitable for this procedure. It is essential to consult with a dentist who is highly experienced in the procedure to find out if they think you would be a good candidate. Otherwise the procedure will cost a lot and not be successful, something that no one wants to have happen.

How to Avoid the Financial Ramifications of Ill Health

By hedc

On March 9, 2017

Getting sick is not only unpleasant physically, it can have a lot of unpleasant financial repercussions as well. If you are sick enough to be off work for several months, the loss of income may be almost impossible to recover from as you can lose your home, car and job if you can’t keep up the repayments or do the work required of you. To avoid this disastrous scenario, it is essential to have a financial advisor do some financial planning on your behalf, that includes risk and health insurance and helps you to plan for emergencies small and large.

Don’t wait until sickness happens to get assistance from a financial planner; it will be too late then. Planning your finances so they are in a healthy state takes time. Putting the plan into place is essential, but you still have to wait for growth to happen. Leaving it all until you are sick and out of money is not going to help you. What is needed is for consultation and a plan immediately, while you have an income and are not ill.

Helping Yourself With A Eating Disorder

By hedc

On August 1, 2016

Helping Yourself

Be Your Own Best Resource
Are you concerned about the ways you deal with food? Or how you think about your body? If so, there are numerous ways you can help yourself and begin the practice of healthful living from the “inside out.” Here are eight suggestions to get you started.

Daily Check-in: Am I Eating to Feed Emotional Hungers?
Sometimes we resort to dieting, bingeing, excessive exercising, or other unhealthy “body” behaviors as an attempt to deal with psychological or emotional issues. It is all too common for us, especially for women living in a beauty-crazed culture, to transfer everyday life anxieties about jobs, relationships, and unexpected changes onto the shape and size of our bodies. We are under the mistaken impression that our bodies, unlike larger life and relational issues, are under control.Have you ever found yourself eating unconsciously or starting a new diet when you are feeling under pressure, upset, lonely, sad, mad, nervous, or bored? Everyone eats for emotional reasons now and then; this is normal. But when binge eating, dieting, or over exercising becomes your main coping strategy, this is a warning signal that you might be headed into unhealthy territory.If your stomach is not hungry but your mouth wants food, try to pause and figure out what is really “eating you.” Are you angry with someone? An ice-cream cone might taste good and alter your mood in the short run, but it will not solve the real problem.Are you hungry for intellectual stimulation? A friend’s company? Solitude? Emotional release? Creative expression? The challenge is to stay connected to all of our various appetites-emotional, spiritual, creative, relational, and physical-as we learn to nourish our whole selves.

How Service Can Aid The Road To Recovery

By hedc

On June 10, 2016

Volunteering is a powerful way to aid you on the path to recovery from an addiction. Following a treatment program, it’s as natural to feel invigorated and ready to jump back in and reclaim your life and live a healthy lifestyle as it is to be confused about your next steps. Getting back into a normal routine can be equally as exhilarating as it is daunting. This is why it is important to have a purpose, and to contribute in some valuable way to society. One of the best ways to do this is through volunteer work. Volunteering can bring many different benefits, and you’ll find yourself growing and receiving much more.

Managing Expectations

By hedc

On April 16, 2016

Expectations can be a real stumbling block in early (and even later) sobriety – especially after a stint in a drug rehab.

Expectation is defined as a belief that something will happen. When someone is active in the disease of addiction, beliefs or expectations can be, and typically are, extremely out of line. This distorted thinking can lead to disappointment, anger, frustration, or worse.

It’s been said that expectations are premeditated resentments.

To look at this statement and come to terms with what this means and why it’s important is one key to finding serenity in recovery from addiction.

When there is an expectation about how someone will behave or react to a certain situation, the expectation typically comes from how you perceive that you would act in that situation. This form of thinking can be dangerous. When you look at a situation this way, you are taking into account your own intention, your own experience, and your own thought processes. The person with whom you are projecting the expectation on to may or may not have any of these things in common with you and therefore, may or may not react in a similar way as you.

When you have created a picture in your mind of how a person or situation will be, you have set yourself up for disappointment or resentment.

Students And Eating Disorders

By hedc

On April 1, 2016

Helping Your Student

Please note: For ease in reading, we have used “she” and “her” in the description below even though eating disorders exist in men, women, girls, and boys. This advice is suitable for a child of either gender.

Approaching a student with an eating disorder can be tricky. If you are a coach, your student might be dieting, binge eating, or purging to sustain your approval or to be part of her team’s effort to win. As a teacher or coach, you can help by trying to get your student to see that she needs help.

It is important to remember that her eating disorder is her desperate way of trying to cope with underlying problems, and even though you can see how unhealthy and unproductive it is, for her it may feel like a lifeline. That is why it is common for students with eating disorders to be upset or mad if you try to help them. They may fear that you are going to take away their only coping mechanisms. A student may deny the problem, be furious that you discovered her secret, and feel threatened by your caring. Athletes in particular may feel frightened that their participation in sports will be threatened by your concern. Give them time and breathing space once you have raised your concerns.

Prepare yourself for your talk. Gather general information before you talk to the student. Find out about the resources for help in your school and community without revealing the identity of the student.

Letting Go Of Resentment And Why It Matters

By hedc

On April 1, 2016

Resentment is the “number one” offender. It destroys more alcoholics than anything else. [Alcoholics Anonymous, pg 64]

Resentment is toxic to alcoholics and addicts. The longer a resentment festers, the more damage the resentment can do to our psyche, and harboring a resentment can lead to all kinds of absurd behaviors, including using so that we don’t have to feel the feelings of the resentment.

…this business of resentment is infinitely grave. We found that it is fatal. For when harboring such feelings we shut ourselves off from the sunlight of the Spirit. The insanity of alcohol returns and we drink again. And with us, to drink is to die. [Alcoholics Anonymous, pg 66]

Resentment is like a thief, taking your energy, emotions, thoughts, and any hope of joy or serenity. The person or institution that you resent is not hurt or bothered by your resentment. The only person hurting over this resentment is you.

I’ve heard it said that having a resentment toward someone is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. This is a pretty good analogy for me to use when I’m looking at a resentment. It’s pretty easy to see how the other person is not going to feel any ill-effect of my resentment (poison) toward them.

How Anyone Can Learn to Meditate

By hedc

On February 28, 2016

In your recovery journey, you’ll more than likely hear about meditation. If you are like a lot of others in early recovery, sitting still and clearing your mind seems like an uncomfortable idea and a nearly impossible task.

According to Merriam-Webster, Meditation is to engage in contemplation or reflection, or to engage in mental exercise (as concentration on one’s breathing or repetition of a mantra) for the purpose of reaching a heightened level of spiritual awareness.

Meditation, whether sitting alone in your bedroom or on a beach in Bali, has been proven to have many benefits, including lowering stress and blood pressure, to becoming more self-aware, and improving concentration and acceptance. In addition, meditation has proven to be an effective tool in drug rehab and maintaining sobriety.

There are some effective ways to begin to learn how to meditate without becoming overwhelmed with the idea of sitting quietly and trying to slow down all the thoughts and chatter in your head.

Meth Addiction

By hedc

On December 11, 2015

In Substance Abuse

Your son is acting strangely. He has periods of extreme activity and seems agitated or upset. He is losing weight and has no appetite. He has sores on his face and arms and continues to dig at them as though bugs are crawling on his skin and he cannot get them off. You’ve noticed the behavior increasing over time and you suspect substance abuse. You start finding evidence that your suspicions are true – empty soda cans with holes in the sides, crumpled pieces of aluminum foil, and his manner has changed. You find yourself facing a harsh, upsetting reality. Your son is using “meth,” and you’re not sure how to go about helping him or if you even can.

In order to help your loved one struggling with meth addiction, it is important to understand “meth” and why it is such a popular drug of choice.

The use of Methamphetamine, or meth, continues to gain popularity with young adults. The stress of a fast paced lifestyle and the urge to have more energy often contributes to the desire to try meth for the first time. Methamphetamine is an intense stimulant that can last anywhere from 8 to 10 hours when it is ingested. Meth provides a fast, strong euphoria followed by a long, less intense euphoric phase. Meth is so addicting that users can become addicted within a few uses. Meth is easy to obtain and, according to HealthResearchFunding.org, costs about $25 for one hit, which equates to about a quarter of a gram. HealthResearchFunding.org also states that the first high from Methamphetamine is so pleasurable and intense that users feel compelled to keep chasing that high, trying again and again to replicate it. For a meth user, the craving is constant.

Eating Disorders And Being Media Savvy

By hedc

On November 1, 2015

Ten Ways to Be Media Savvy
In today’s world, we constantly encounter the media-when we drive down the highway and see a billboard, when we see an advertisement on a bus, constant SEO driven marketing and web marketing when we read a magazines online or at home or in a waiting room or of course when we watch TV. Therefore, it is important to learn to be media savvy.

Being media savvy means knowing how to look critically at the images and messages in the media. It means understanding that media are created through conscious, specific decision-making processes that are primarily part of for-profit ventures. It also means being less vulnerable to manipulation by the media. Below are ten ways to be media savvy.

Control the addiction

By hedc

On August 24, 2015

In Substance Abuse

The horse was uneasy and had given his handler every sign that he was upset. The big gray gelding had tried to pull away, tried to bite, and finally, reared up on his hind legs and thrust his front legs forward, connecting his front hooves with his handler, one hoof landing square in the middle of his chest, the other on his shoulder. The handler cried out in pain as he tumbled to the ground, the horse stepping on his left arm as he landed. The handler let go of the lead rope as he grasped his arm and chest in agony. The big gray horse took off running, his black mane and tail flowing freely behind him. There was no catching him now. He had quickly found his stride and was eagerly distancing himself from the man that had caused his panic. He was free of the negativity shown by his handler and was heading straight to his place of comfort – his paddock on the other side of the ranch.

It has been said that animals are a good judge of character. Many people have stated that they do not trust someone their dog doesn’t like. In this particular instance, the horse was showing good instinct and protecting himself. Animals, especially horses, have an uncanny knack for sensing when something is off. If a person is angry or upset, the horse will pick up on that energy and respond accordingly. If a person is nervous, again, the horse will pick up on that energy and begin to act nervous. And in the case of the big gray gelding, he was responding to the tumultuous emotions raging through his handler, a horseman that is a professional farrier by trade, who was displaying erratic emotions brought on by an evening spent doing meth and drinking alcohol until the sun shown in the sky and it was time to start a new day trimming horses.

What Does an Orthodontist Do?

By hedc

On June 29, 2015

In Dentistry

Many people think that an orthodontist is just a dentist who puts braces on teeth, but they do much more than that. Orthodontics is a dental speciality that prevents, diagnoses and treats many problems with the face and mouth including malocclusions – bad bites – poorly aligned jaws and crooked teeth.

A dentist may be able to do some of that kind of work, especially if they’ve had a lot of experience and the problem is straightforward. However, the orthodontist has had three more years of training to get the expertise he has, so he is more likely to do a good job on the problem, especially if it is not as straightforward as it looks.

Recipes for Relapse – Avoiding the Relapse Trap

By hedc

On March 5, 2015

In Relapse

Understanding and living with substance abuse is challenging whether you’re the addict or the loved one trying to cope with it.

You cannot control everything. You have no influence over what other people say or do, and life will create circumstances that are uncomfortable. If you’re a recovering addict you know this, you’ve heard it a hundred times, and you’ve lived it. Yet there are things that make you want to use again. One of the most important aspects of recovery and staying sober is recognizing triggers – the things that make you want to justify using again.

There are many types of triggers, all of which can be a recipe for relapse. Recognizing these triggers and putting a stop to them can help you or a loved one avoid the trap of relapse and stay on the journey of recovery.

According to addictioncenter.com, triggers for relapse generally fall into three categories: emotional, environmental, or exposure. It is important to recognize these triggers and identify what makes you or your loved one justify wanting to use again.

Is it emotional? These types of triggers can be both positive and negative. Positive triggers can be the memories of celebrations in the past – good memories having fun with friends, falling in love, or achieving an important goal. Negative triggers can be memories of heartache, such as the loss of a loved one or a bad break-up. Memories that are so painful you wish to be numb or forget them entirely.

Side Effects of Botox

By hedc

On February 22, 2015

In Cosmetic Surgery

Many people have botox injections to smooth out or prevent wrinkles and experience no side effects whatsoever. However, there are some side effects to Botox injections that can happen for various reasons.

One of the more common side-effects is a drooping eyelid – called ptosis – when injections are placed close to the eye perimeter. While this can be treated with another medication it is better if it doesn’t happen at all.

Body Image and Eating Disorders

By hedc

On December 18, 2014

With all those women’s magazines and the television and digital marketing ads produced by digital agencies constantly talking about body image – and very often insisting that the ‘best’ body image is an extremely thin one, it is no wonder young women suffer from eating disorders. But it is not only the media that constantly talks about it; social media such as Facebook, which often means your friends and family are at fault too.

If someone gets a little overweight they are harassed and bullied or treated unkindly by their peers, siblings and sometimes their parents. This makes them feel that their self-worth is measured by their weight, which is in reality very far from the truth. But this is where it starts and before long all that person can think about is that they must lose weight, no matter how thin they have become already.

Liposuction and Your Body Mass Index

By hedc

On October 24, 2014

In Cosmetic Surgery

What does your Body Mass Index (BMI) have to do with liposuction? Often, the doctor you see prior to having liposuction done will want to measure your body mass index. This is a means of working out how much fat is in your body. It compares your height with your weight. While you may think that the more fat you have the more likely a candidate you are for liposuction, this is simply not true.

BMI and liposuction

Doctors usually consider anyone with a BMI of more than 34 to be obese and not suitable for liposuction. It would be better for them to choose another procedure such as gastric banding or stomach reduction surgery, but even before this is done, they would have to lose weight through dieting and exercise. This is because an obese person is at more risk of complications during and after major surgery.

Easy Ways to Reduce Your Blood Pressure

By hedc

On May 14, 2012

In this high paced world we live in, it is easy to get caught up in our work and have our stress levels rise without any relief. Stressful office environments such as stockbrokers, business advisers, web designers – and for that matter, many other business situations where workers are often racing the clock in order to fulfill a client’s needs – can lead to stress overloads and high blood pressure.

If you have high blood pressure you need to see a doctor. Having a quiet place outside to relax in will help to bring it down. Outdoor furniture placed under a shady tree is an ideal place to do this.

Blood pressure is one of those hidden things that either keeps us healthy – or not. When it is too high it can cause health problems such as stroke, that can have dire consequences. The trouble is that it can be too high without you ever knowing. By the time there are symptoms such as blurry eyesight, it can be at a dangerous level. In fact, many people die of a heart attack or stroke brought on by high blood pressure that they were not even aware of.

Understanding Eating Disorders

By hedc

On August 1, 2010

Facts and Findings

Facts

More than 5 million Americans experience eating disorders. (14)
Anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder are diseases that affect the mind and body simultaneously. (14)
Three percent of adolescent and adult women and 1% of men have anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, or binge-eating disorder. (14)
A young woman with anorexia is 12 times more likely to die than other women her age without anorexia. (19)
Fifteen percent of young women have substantially disordered eating attitudes and behaviors. (13)
Between 10% and 15% of those diagnosed with bulimia nervosa are men. (1)
Forty percent of fourth graders report that they diet either “very often” or “sometimes.” (8)
About half of those with anorexia or bulimia have a full recovery, 30% have a partial recovery, and 20% have no substantial improvement. (10)

Helping Your Friend With Eating Disorder

By hedc

On June 1, 2005

Helping Your Friend

Please note: For ease in reading, we have used “she” and “her” in the description below even though eating disorders exist in men, women, girls, and boys. This advice is suitable for a child of either gender.

Click here if your friend is already getting help.

If your friend doesn’t admit to having a problem and/or doesn’t want help, the best way to approach her is to help her see that she needs assistance. However, you’ll need to prepare yourself well since approaching a friend with an eating disorder can be tricky.

Remember that her eating disorder is a desperate way of trying to cope with underlying problems. Even though you can see her disorder as unhealthy and unproductive, your friend may view her eating habits as a lifeline. That is why it is common for someone with an eating disorder to get upset or mad if you try to help her. She may fear that you are going to take away her only coping mechanism. She may deny the problem, be furious that you discovered her secret, or feel threatened by your caring. When you raise your concerns, give your friend time and space to think and respond.

Before approaching your friend, find out about resources for help in your community so that you can offer her a strategy to connect with that help.

Helping Your Child With Eating Disorders

By hedc

On March 1, 2004