Mental health

Healthy living involves more than physical health, it also includes emotional or mental
health. The following are some ways people can support their mental health and well-being.

Tips:

 Get enough sleep daily; the CDC recommends the following by age group (naps inclusive);

12-18 hours from birth to 2 months, 14-15 hours from 3-11 months of age, 12-18 hours for

1-3 years of age, 11-13 hours for 3-5 years of age, 10-11 hours for 5-10 years of age, 8.5-9.5

hours for 10-17 years of age and those 18 and above need 7-9 hours of sleep. Elderly people

need about 7-9 hours but do not sleep as deeply and may awaken at night or wake early, so

naps (like kids need) allow them to accumulate the total of 7-9 hours of sleep.

 Take a walk and reflect on what you see and hear at least several times per week.

 Try something new and often (eat a new food, try a different route to work, go to a new

museum display).

 Do some mind exercises (read, do a puzzle occasionally during the week).

 Try to focus on a process intensely and complete a segment of it over 1 to several hours,

then take a break and do something relaxing (walk, exercise, short nap).

 Plan to spend some time talking with other people about different subjects.

 Try to make some leisure time to do some things that interest you every week (hobby,

sport).

 Learn ways to say "no" when something occurs that you do not want to do or be involved

with.

 Have fun (go on a trip with someone you love, go shopping, go fishing; do not let vacation

time slip away).

 Let yourself be pleased with your achievements, both big and small (develop contentment).

 Have a network of friends; those with strong social support systems lead healthier lives.

 Seek help and advice early if you feel depressed, have suicidal thoughts, or consider

harming yourself or others.

  People taking medicine for mental health problems should not stop taking these

medications, no matter how "well" they feel, until they have discussed their situation with

their prescribing doctor(s).

Avoidance behavior is another key to wellness. Below are described some of the major items
to avoid if a person is seeking a healthy lifestyle.

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Avoid tobacco use

Tobacco use is the most important preventable illness and cause of death in the U.S.,
according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Tobacco use was estimated to be the cause
of 443,000 deaths in 2010 in the U.S.

Tip:
  Stop smoking tobacco; start to stop today (it takes about 15 years of nonsmoking behavior

to achieve a "normal" risk level for heart disease for those that smoke).

 Stop using chewing tobacco to avoid oral cancers.

Adverse consequences of tobacco use:

 Tobacco use causes or contributes to a large number of cancers in the U.S. In men, 90%

of lung cancer deaths are attributable to smoking; 80% in women. Tobacco use causes

cancers of the lung, mouth, lip, tongue, esophagus, kidney, and bladder. It also further

increases the risk of bladder cancer in subjects occupationally exposed to certain organic

chemicals found in the textile, leather, rubber, dye, paint, and other organic chemical

industries, and further increases the risk of lung cancer among subjects exposed

to asbestos.

 Tobacco use causes atherosclerotic arterial disease (hardening and narrowing of the

arteries) that can lead to heart attacks, strokes, and lack of blood flow to the lower

extremities. Tobacco use causes an estimated 20%-30% of coronary heart disease in the U.S.

It also further increases the risk of heart attacks among subjects with elevated cholesterol,

uncontrolled hypertension, obesity, and a sedentary lifestyle.

 Tobacco use causes an estimated 20% of chronic lung diseases in the U.S., such as chronic

bronchitis and emphysema, and causes pneumonia in those with chronic lung disease. The

CDC, in 2011, estimated that 90% of deaths from chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD)

were due to smoking.

 Pregnant women who smoke are more likely to deliver babies with low birth weight.

 Secondhand smoke can cause middle-ear infections (otitis

media), coughing, wheezing, bronchitis, and pneumonia in babies, and aggravate asthma in

children. Secondhand smoke (sometimes referred to as passive smoking) can also cause

lung cancer.

Comments and recommendations (tips):

  Quitting smoking is difficult to accomplish; tobacco contains nicotine, which is addictive.

Some smokers can quit "cold turkey," but for most, quitting smoking requires a serious life-

long commitment and an average of six quitting attempts before success.

 Quitting smoking efforts may include behavior modification, counseling, use of nicotine

chewing gum (Nicorette Gum), nicotine skin patches (Transderm Nicotine), or oral

medications such as bupropion (Zyban).

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Avoid excessive alcohol consumption

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Adverse consequences of excessive alcohol consumption:

  Chronic, excess alcohol consumption is the major cause of liver cirrhosis in the U.S.

 Liver cirrhosis can cause internal hemorrhage, fluid accumulation in the abdomen, easy

bleeding and bruising, muscle wasting, mental confusion, infections, and in advanced

cases, coma, and kidney failure.

 Liver cirrhosis can lead to liver cancer.

 Alcohol accounts for 40%-50% of deaths from automobile accidents in the U.S.

 Alcohol use is a significant cause of injury and death from home accidents, drowning,

and burns.

Comments and recommendations (tips):

There are many treatments for alcoholism. But the crucial first step to recovery is for the
individual to admit there is a problem and make a commitment to address the alcoholism
issue. The 12-step-style self-help programs, pioneered by Alcoholics Anonymous, can be one
effective treatment. Psychologists and related professionals have developed programs to help
individuals better handle emotional stresses and avoid behaviors that can lead to excess
drinking. Support and understanding from family members are often critical for sustained
recovery. Medication can be useful for the prevention of relapses and for withdrawal
symptoms following acute or prolonged intoxication.

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Avoid high-risk sexual behaviors

High-risk sexual behavior can lead to the acquisition of sexually transmitted illnesses such
as gonorrhea, syphilis, herpes, or HIV infection. High-risk sexual behavior is also known to
spread human papillomavirus infection, which can lead to cervical cancer in women and
other anogenital cancers in both men and women. High-risk sexual behaviors include the
following:
  Multiple sex partners

 Sex partners with a history of the following:

o Intravenous drug use

o Venereal disease (sexually transmitted diseases or STDs)

Adverse consequences of high-risk sexual behavior:

 Transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases

(chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, genital herpes)

 Transmission of hepatitis B (50% of hepatitis B infections are due to sexual transmission)

and, in rare instances, hepatitis C

 Transmission of human papilloma virus (HPV), which can cause genital warts and anogenital

carcinomas, most commonly cancer of the uterine cervix

 Unplanned pregnancy

Recommendations (tips):

 Avoid unprotected sex (sex without barriers such as a condom) outside an established,

committed, monogamous relationship.

 If you plan to have sex and are unsure of your partner's health status, use a condom.

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 Avoid other high-risk behaviors
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 Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs

 Driving while sleep-deprived

 Reckless driving and speeding, "road rage"

 Driving while using cell phones, texting, or performing other tasks

 Motorcycle (and bicycle) riding without helmets

 Possession of firearms and guns without proper training and storage

 Smoking in bed

Adverse consequences of high-risk behaviors:

 Motor vehicle accidents account for 40%-50% of accidental deaths.

 Motorcycle accidents are a major cause of serious head injuries.

 Firearms and guns account for a significant proportion of deaths among adolescents due to

male suicide and homicide.

 Smoking in bed can lead to burn injury and death.

Recommendations (tips):

 When driving, use seat restraints on all passengers, both front and rear seats.

 Do not drink and drive.

 Do not drive if sleep deprived.

 Avoid unnecessary distractions and focus on the road and traffic while driving (avoid texting,

talking on cell phones, eating, applying makeup, or other distractions).

 Use helmets while riding bicycles and motorcycles. Helmet use reduces deaths from

motorcycle accidents by 30% and serious head injuries by 75%.

 Obtain proper training in the use and storage of guns and ammunition.

 Use smoke detectors; avoid smoking in bed.

 Adverse consequences of excess sun exposure:

 Melanoma and other skin cancers

Recommendation (tips):

 Avoid sunburns and sun exposure by using adequate skin protection; use brimmed hats,

protective clothing, and sunscreen.

Sunscreens have undergone changes, and the U.S. FDA (Food and Drug Administration)
published new requirements that sunscreens needed to meet starting in 2012. Currently, the
FDA suggests an effective sunscreen is rated as SPF 30 or higher and has both UVA and
UVB protection (protection against ultraviolet waves of types A and B). In most instances,
sunscreen needs to be applied every 2 hours and each time after a person has gone swimming.

Additional tips for healthy living

Although there are many other risky behaviors that may impede an otherwise healthy lifestyle
(for example, working with toxic or radioactive materials, drug addiction, travel to areas
with unusual endemic diseases), these are too numerous to cover in this general article.
However, the reader is advised to visit such topic sites on MedicineNet.com,
eMedicineHealth.com or WebMD.com because most of the specific articles will provide tips
to avoid health-related problems.

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Medically Reviewed on  11/7/2019

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colorectal cancer.

Dehydration

Dehydration is the excessive loss of body water. There are a number of causes of dehydration including heat
exposure, prolonged vigorous exercise, and some diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Symptoms of
dehydration include headache, lightheadedness, constipation, and bad breath. Treatment for dehydration is to
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Do You Need a Tetanus Shot?

A bacteria called Clostridium tetani causes tetanus (lockjaw). Tetanus causes symptoms and signs that include
severe muscle spasms and an inability to open the mouth. The tetanus vaccine is a toxoid that is 100%
effective against tetanus. The DTaP vaccine is part of a child's routine immunization schedule. Doctors
recommend the Tdap for children at their 11-year checkup. People should get a tetanus booster vaccination
every 10 years.

Muscle Spasms

Muscle spasms are involuntary muscle contractions that come on suddenly and are usually quite painful.
Dehydration, doing strenuous exercise in a hot environment, prolonged muscle use, and certain diseases of
the nervous system may cause muscle spasms. Symptoms and signs of a muscle spasm include an acute onset
of pain and a possible bulge seen or felt beneath the skin where the muscle is located. Gently stretching the
muscle usually resolves a muscle spasm.

Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's disease is a slowly progressive neurological disease characterized by a fixed inexpressive face, a
tremor at rest, slowing of voluntary movements, a gait with short accelerating steps, peculiar posture and
muscle weakness, caused by degeneration of an area of the brain called the basal ganglia, and by low
production of the neurotransmitter dopamine. Most patients are over 50, but at least 10 percent are under 40.


Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is the most common and serious complication of sexually transmitted
diseases (STDs), aside from AIDS, among women. The signs and symptoms of pelvic inflammatory disease
include: fever, vaginal discharge with a foul odor, abdominal pain, including pain during intercourse, and
irregular vaginal bleeding. Pelvic inflammatory disease can scar the Fallopian tubes, ovaries, and related
structures and lead to ectopic pregnancies, infertility, chronic pelvic pain, and other serious consequences.
Pelvic inflammatory disease treatment includes several types of antibiotics.

Sexual Problems in Men

Male sexual dysfunction can be caused by physical or psychological problems. Common sexual problems in
men include erectile dysfunction (impotence or ED), premature ejaculation, and loss of libido. Treatment for
sexual dysfunction in men may involve medication, hormone therapy, psychological therapy, and the use of
mechanical aids.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Women (STDs)

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are among the most common infectious diseases in the United States.
STDs can be spread through any type of sexual activity involving the sex organs, the anus or mouth, or through
contact with blood during sexual activity. Examples of STDs include, chancroid, chlamydia, gonorrhea,
granuloma inguinale, lymphogranuloma venereum, syphilis, genital herpes, genital warts, trichomoniasis,
pubic lice (crabs), and scabies. Treatment is generally with antibiotics; however, some STDs that go untreated
can lead to death.


STDs in Men

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are infections transmitted during sexual contact. They may be caused by
viruses, bacteria, or parasites. STDs in men cause no symptoms or symptoms like genital burning, itching,
sores, rashes, or discharge. Common infections that are sexually transmitted in men include gonorrhea,
chlamydia, syphilis, hepatitis C and B, genital warts, human papillomavirus (HPV), and genital herpes. Some
STDs in men are treatable while others are not. STDs are diagnosed with tests that identify proteins or genetic
material of the organisms causing the infection. The prognosis of an STD depends on whether the infection is
treatable or not. Use of latex condoms can help reduce the risk of contracting an STD but it does not eliminate
the risk entirely.

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