The anatomy of a vein

Veins have three layers (Cleveland Clinic, 2022):

Tunica Adventitia - The outer layer that gives structure and shape to your vein.
Tunica Media - The middle layer that contains smooth muscle cells that allow the vein to get wider or narrower which facilitates blood flow.
Tunica Intima - This layer is made up of a thin layer of endothelial cells that are smooth and slippery and this facilitates blood flow.

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The tunica intima is the thinnest layer, and it protects the blood from coming in contact with underlying tissues.

IV drugs can affect the tunica intima in a number of ways. Some IV drugs can directly damage the endothelial cells of the tunica intima, leading to inflammation and narrowing of the vein. Other IV drugs can increase the risk of blood clots, which can damage the tunica intima and lead to vein occlusion.(Tunica Intima - an Overview | ScienceDirect Topics, n.d.)

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Here are some specific examples of how IV drugs can affect the tunica intima:

Cocaine: Cocaine can cause vasoconstriction, which narrows the veins and can damage the tunica intima. Cocaine can also cause inflammation and injury to the endothelial cells of the tunica intima.
Heroin: Heroin can cause vasoconstriction and inflammation of the tunica intima. Heroin can also increase the risk of blood clots, which can damage the tunica intima and lead to vein occlusion.
Methamphetamine: Methamphetamine can cause vasoconstriction, inflammation, and injury to the endothelial cells of the tunica intima. Methamphetamine can also increase the risk of blood clots, which can damage the tunica intima and lead to vein occlusion.

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT): DVT is a blood clot that forms in a deep vein, usually in the leg. DVT can be life-threatening if the blood clot breaks off and travels to the lungs.
Pulmonary embolism (PE): A PE is a blood clot that travels to the lungs and blocks a blood vessel. PE can be fatal.
Venous insufficiency: Venous insufficiency is a condition in which the veins are unable to effectively return blood to the heart. This can lead to swelling, pain, and skin changes in the legs.

Any breach in the tunica intima can activate your clotting factors which contribute to the beginning of the above situation.

If you are using IV drugs, it is important to be aware of the potential risks to your vein health. If you have any concerns, please talk to your doctor.

Intravenous (IV) drug use can strip a vein by damaging the inner lining of the vein and causing it to collapse. This can happen in a number of ways:

Irritation: The chemicals in IV drugs can irritate the inner lining of the vein, causing it to become inflamed and swollen. This swelling can narrow or even block the vein.
Scarring: Over time, repeated injections can cause the inner lining of the vein to scar. This scarring can make the vein more prone to collapse.
Infection: IV drug users are at an increased risk of developing infections, including hepatitis B and C. These infections can damage the veins and make them more likely to collapse.

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There are a number of things you can do to reduce the risk of vein damage from IV drug use:

Use a clean needle and syringe for every injection.
Don't share needles or other injection equipment with anyone.
Rotate injection sites to prevent damage to the same vein.
Clean the injection site with soap and water before injecting.
Inject slowly and carefully.

If you miss a vein, don't try to inject again in the same spot.

Seek medical attention if you experience any problems with your veins, such as pain, swelling, or redness.

References

Cleveland Clinic. (2022, June 19). Veins: Anatomy and Function. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/23360-veins

Tunica Intima - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics. (n.d.). Www.sciencedirect.com. Retrieved October 11, 2023, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/tunica-intima#:~:text=An%20intact%20endothelial%20layer%20is%20critical%20for

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The Need for Take Home

Naloxone Programs

Naloxone is a medication that can rapidly reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. It is an opioid antagonist, which means that it binds to opioid receptors and blocks the effects of other opioids. This allows a person to breathe again and reverses the overdose.

Naloxone is not a controlled substance and has no potential for abuse. It can be administered by minimally trained laypeople, which makes it ideal for treating overdose in people who have been prescribed opioid pain medication and in people who use heroin and other opioids.

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Naloxone works by knocking opioids off of opioid receptors in the brain. This allows a person to breathe again and reverses the overdose. Naloxone only works if a person has opioids in their system; it has no effect if opioids are absent.
Naloxone may be injected in a muscle, vein, under the skin, or sprayed into the nose. Naloxone that is injected comes in a lower concentration (0.4mg/1ml) than naloxone that is sprayed up the nose (1mg/1ml). It is a temporary drug that wears off in 30-90 minutes.

Opioid overdoses are a major public health problem. Many people who die from opioid overdose fail to receive proper medical attention because their peers and witnesses delay or do not call 911 for fear of police involvement. Naloxone is a safe and effective medication that can reverse an opioid overdose. However, in most jurisdictions, naloxone is only available in hospital settings and carried by emergency medical personnel. As a result, it is often not available to people experiencing overdose until they have already suffered severe harm. Take-home naloxone programs have been established in approximately 200 communities throughout the United States to expand naloxone access to people who use drugs and their loved ones. These programs provide comprehensive training on overdose prevention, recognition, and response in addition to prescribing and dispensing naloxone. Fatal overdose is the leading cause of death for people in the U.S. under 50 years old. Providing overdose prevention, recognition, and response education to people who use drugs, their neighbors, friends, families, and the service providers who work with them is a harm reduction intervention that saves lives.

References

Opioid Overdose Basics - Harm Reduction Coalition. (2019). Harmreduction.org. https://harmreduction.org/issues/overdose-prevention/overview/overdose-basics/

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Opioid Overdose Basics

An overdose is when a toxic amount of a drug, or combination of drugs overwhelms the body. Opioid overdoses happen when there are so many opioids or a combination of opioids and other drugs in the body that the victim is not responsive to stimulation and/or breathing is inadequate.

Opioids fit into specific receptors that also affect the drive to breathe. If someone can not breathe or is not breathing enough, the oxygen levels in the blood decrease, and the lips and fingers turn blue- this is called cyanosis. This oxygen starvation eventually stops other vital organs like the heart, and then the brain. This leads to unconsciousness, coma, and then death.

Brain damage starts to occur after 3-5 minutes without oxygen, followed by death. Fortunately, this process is rarely instantaneous; people slowly stop breathing which usually happens minutes to hours after the drug is used. While people have been “found dead with a needle in their arm,” more often there is time to intervene between when an overdose starts and before a victim dies.

Heroin, prescription opioids, and other downers such as alcohol and benzodiazepines are a particularly dangerous combo since they all affect the body’s central nervous system, which slows breathing, blood pressure, and heart rate, and in turn, reduces body temperature.

In a stimulant overdose, drugs like speed, cocaine, and ecstasy raise the heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature, and speed up breathing. This can lead to a seizure, stroke, heart attack, or death.

How to help someone who is overdosing:

Call 911 immediately.
If the person is unconscious, roll them onto their side to prevent choking.
Check their breathing and pulse. If they are not breathing, give CPR.
If you have Narcan, administer it according to the package instructions.

Stay with the person until help arrives.

References

Opioid Overdose Basics - Harm Reduction Coalition. (2019). Harmreduction.org. https://harmreduction.org/issues/overdose-prevention/overview/overdose-basics/

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Saving Lives without Fear: 👀👀👀👀👀

Legal Protections for Narcan Administrators

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Laws that protect someone when they administer Narcan

Good Samaritan laws

Good Samaritan laws are in place in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. These laws protect people who call 911 or provide assistance to someone in an emergency from being arrested or sued. This includes people who administer Narcan to someone who is experiencing an opioid overdose.

Naloxone access laws are in place in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. These laws make it easier for people to obtain Narcan, including through pharmacies and community organizations. Some of these laws also specifically protect people who administer Narcan from civil and criminal liability.

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What to do if you see someone overdosing

If you see someone overdosing, the first thing you should do is call 911. If you have Narcan, you can also administer it to the person. Narcan is a safe and effective medication that can reverse an opioid overdose.

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To administer Narcan, follow these steps:

Remove the Narcan from the package and place it in your nose.
Push the plunger down to release the Narcan.
Repeat steps 1 and 2 if the person does not respond after 2-3 minutes.
Stay with the person until help arrives.

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Legal protections for people who administer Narcan

In most states, people who administer Narcan in good faith are protected from civil and criminal liability. This means that they cannot be sued or arrested for administering Narcan, even if the person overdosing dies.

However, it is important to note that these laws vary from state to state. It is always a good idea to check the laws in your state before administering Narcan.

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How to find out more about Narcan and Good Samaritan laws in your state

You can find more information about Narcan and Good Samaritan laws in your state by contacting your state health department or by visiting the website of the National Harm Reduction Coalition.

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Conclusion

Laws that protect people who administer Narcan are essential for saving lives. By making Naloxone more accessible and protecting people from legal liability, these laws encourage people to help others who are overdosing.

The Beauty of Darkness

The Other Side of Light

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Darkness is often seen as something negative, but it is actually essential for the existence of light. In fact, darkness is the glue that binds light together in the universe.

Without darkness, light would not be able to exist. This is because light is the absence of darkness. When there is no darkness, there is no light.

Darkness is also essential for the formation of stars and galaxies. When gravity pulls matter together, it creates a dense cloud of gas and dust. This cloud is so dense that light cannot escape from it. This is why we see dark clouds in space.

Over time, the gravity in these clouds causes them to collapse and form stars. Stars are incredibly hot and bright, but they would not be able to exist without the darkness that created them.

Darkness is also essential for life on Earth. Plants need darkness to sleep and to grow. Animals need darkness to rest and to hunt. And humans need darkness to sleep and to dream.

So, while darkness is often seen as something negative, it is actually essential for the existence of light, stars, galaxies, and life on Earth.

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Here are some specific examples of how darkness binds light together in the universe:

Black holes: Black holes are regions of space where gravity is so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape. Black holes are invisible, but we can see their effects on the light around them. For example, when a star passes near a black hole, its light is bent and distorted. This is called gravitational lensing.

Nebulae: Nebulae are clouds of gas and dust that are found throughout the universe. Nebulae are often dark, but they can also be very bright when they are illuminated by nearby stars. Nebulae are the birthplace of stars, and they play an important role in the formation of galaxies.

Dark matter: Dark matter is a mysterious substance that makes up about 85% of the matter in the universe. Dark matter is invisible, but we can see its effects on the gravity of visible matter. Dark matter is thought to play an important role in the formation and evolution of galaxies.

Darkness is a fundamental part of the universe, and it is essential for the existence of light and life.

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In addition to the above, darkness also has a significant impact on our perception of light. When we are in a dark room, even a small amount of light can seem very bright. This is because our eyes have adjusted to the darkness. In contrast, when we are in a brightly lit room, even a large amount of light may seem dim. This is because our eyes have adjusted to the brightness.

This contrast between light and dark is what allows us to see the world around us. Without darkness, we would not be able to perceive light, and the world would appear to be a flat, gray plane.

Darkness is also important for our mental and emotional well-being. When we are in darkness, our bodies produce melatonin, a hormone that helps us to sleep. Melatonin is also thought to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

In conclusion, darkness is an essential part of the universe and our lives. It is the glue that binds light together, and it plays an important role in the formation of stars, galaxies, and life on Earth. Darkness also has a significant impact on our perception of light and our mental and emotional well-being.

Self-Forgiveness

And The Love You Feel For Yourself Will Come Down Like Rain

Forgiveness is a powerful tool that can help us to heal from the emotional wounds of the past. It allows us to let go of anger and resentment, and to move forward in our lives with peace and joy.
But what about forgiving ourselves? It is often difficult to forgive ourselves as we may feel guilty, ashamed, or even unworthy of forgiveness.

The truth is at our core we need to forgive ourselves for our mistakes and shortcomings. Forgive yourself unconditionally.

Here are a few reasons why it is so important to forgive ourselves:

When we forgive ourselves, we can heal.
When we forgive ourselves, we let go of anger and resentment.
When we forgive ourselves, we learn and grow from our mistakes.
When we forgive ourselves, we develop self-compassion and understanding.
When we forgive ourselves, we move forward.

It is not always that easy though, is it?

When you first start the process you will have no idea where to start, and here are a few ways to "jump-start" the process:

Wake up every day and do something relevant, and this will vary depending on your situation. It can be as simple as taking a shower or any other ADL you may be neglecting.
Challenge your negative thoughts. This process works, but it takes time to foster and strengthen.
Keep moving- metaphorically and physically.
Allow yourself to grieve and cry.
Set a small goal and work towards it every day. It does not matter how small your steps are, but what matters is that you are taking them or at least attempting to take them.

With every ADL, with every small step that you take, you are delivering messages to your core that you are worthy of forgiveness.

If you are struggling to forgive yourself, here are a few tips:

Acknowledge your pain. It is important to acknowledge the pain that you have experienced, both physical and emotional. Allow yourself to feel your emotions, and don't try to suppress them.
Be patient with yourself. Forgiveness is a process, and it takes time. Don't expect to forgive yourself overnight. Just be patient with yourself and trust that you will heal in time.
Practice self-compassion. Talk to yourself the way you would talk to a friend who is hurting. Be kind and understanding towards yourself.
Seek support from others. It can be helpful to talk to a trusted friend, family member, or therapist about your struggles with forgiveness. They can offer you support and encouragement.

Remember, you are worthy of forgiveness. You are not alone. And there is hope for healing.

X marks the spot

X

I'm passionate about mental health awareness, and I'm excited to share some great resources with you. X is an amazing platform for mental health resources. Here are a few sites that have stood out to me. These sites are excellent resources to connect with, and they all have good stories to share. I want to thank each and every one of you for sharing your knowledge and struggles, and for making this world a more positive place.

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