Sexual Orientation
A person’s sexual orientation determines who they are sexually (and often romantically) attracted to. Sexual orientation doesn’t necessarily denote romantic attraction; they just happen to be the same for the majority of people. For example, someone can identify as homoromantic heterosexual, which means they only form romantic bonds with people of the same gender, but are sexually attracted to people of the opposite gender.
Today, there are many different sexual orientations, with more being conceived frequently to address different gaps in representation. Among the most common are heterosexuality (being attracted to a different gender), homosexuality (being attracted to the same gender), and bisexuality (being attracted to both the same gender and different genders than your own). Although being transgender is often included in the same conversation, it is not a sexual orientation; it is a gender identity, relating to who someone is rather than who they are attracted to.
Shame
Shame is a painful feeling that arises as a result of a negative evaluation of one’s self. It is normal to experience shame every once in a while, but chronic shame can cause psychological issues, low self-esteem, and negative self-talk. Shame is quite similar to guilt, which arises as a result of committing some wrongdoing and feeling regret for it. The difference between shame and guilt is that shame does not require any wrongdoing; one can feel shame from being made fun of for an interest of theirs or an aspect of their personality.
There are two types of shame: trait shame and state shame. Trait shame is an enduring feeling of negativity regarding a specific aspect of one’s self. The shame could stem from one’s physical appearance, a medical issue, insecurities about one’s voice, etc. On the other hand, state shame is temporary and based on a specific moment of embarrassment. As the name suggests, the shame is tied to the state the shameful party is in, and not a trait inherent to their personality.
Specific Learning Disorder
Specific learning disorder (SLD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that causes issues with math, reading, or writing. These issues do not stem from a lack of effort or talent, but instead from abnormalities in how the brain processes information. SLD is the most common neurodevelopmental disorder, with it being diagnosed in around 5% of children worldwide. SLD can be broken up into three disorders: dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia, relating to reading, writing, and math respectively. Of these disorders, the most commonly diagnosed is dyslexia, which accounts for around 80% of all learning disorder diagnoses in the U.S.
Like most neurodevelopmental disorders (and developmental disorders in general), a majority of diagnoses for SLD occur during childhood and adolescence. This is because neurodevelopmental disorders are most likely present since birth, but are only noticed when a child starts to learn through academic means. The assessment of a child’s performance in school is often where the first signs of a neurodevelopmental disorder like SLD appear, even though the disorder was technically always present in the child’s life.
Speedball
A speedball is a mixture of both heroin (a depressant opioid) and cocaine (a stimulant). This enhances the effects of both drugs while significantly increasing the risk of overdose. A speedball can be injected intravenously or snorted, but the risk of overdose remains high regardless of the method used. Users of speedball report longer-lasting and more intense highs than when either drug is taken alone. There is also a misconception that the side effects of both drugs cancel each other out, but this is not the case.
The reason why speedball is so dangerous is because of how stimulants and depressants interact in the body. Heroin, a depressant opioid, is infamous for slowing one’s breathing, which reduces the amount of oxygen that enters the body. Cocaine, on the other hand, is a stimulant which increases heart rate and causes rapid breathing, necessitating the circulation of more oxygen than required when sober. The combination of both drugs makes it exceptionally difficult for the body to process either, as each substance requires completely opposite actions from the lungs, heart, and brain. This results in frequent overdoses, mostly due to the overconsumption of heroin.
Stimulants
Stimulants are substances that increase activity in the central nervous system, causing feelings of high energy, confidence, and alertness while reducing appetite. There are many different kinds of stimulants with a wide range of potency and legality. For example, the most commonly used stimulant in the world is caffeine, which is legal and easily available due to its low potency. However, stimulants like cocaine or methamphetamine are predominantly misused for illicit purposes, reflecting their high potency and potential for addiction.
To dive further in depth on how stimulants work, they interact with neurotransmitters in the brain known as norepinephrine and dopamine. Norepinephrine helps control blood pressure and heart rate, while dopamine affects the brain’s reward system. Given how they impact brain activity, stimulants carry a very high potential for abuse. The dopamine released by stimulant use directly incentivises further abuse, and the overactivation of norepinephrine caused by repeated use could result in dizziness, abdominal cramps, and even heart failure. For this reason, it is extremely important to take only the dosage prescribed for prescription stimulants, and to practice care when dealing with the nonprescription variety.
Stress
Stress is the body’s natural reaction to changes in an environment or difficult experiences. When a person experiences a stressful situation, their body’s “fight-or-flight” system activates and increases the production of cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones increase brain activity, alertness, and productivity, but also cause excessive sweating and jitters. Everyone gets stressed sometimes, so having a moderate amount of stress is normal; it only becomes an issue when stress is chronic and stressful situations are constant. Chronic stress comes with all sorts of negative physical and mental health effects, including poor sleep, headaches, frequent nausea, chest pains, anxiety and depression.
Stress is often conceptualized as a pure negative given how uncomfortable it is to feel stressed out. However, there is such a thing as good stress, or rather, situations where stress can be a good thing. Good stress has the same physical effects as bad stress with an actual goal to channel the excess adrenaline and cortisol towards. This is the type of stress that allows people to work extra hard to meet a deadline or study for an exam.
Stroke
A stroke occurs when blood is prevented from reaching the brain, depriving it of oxygen and essential nutrients. There are two main types of strokes: ischemic and hemorrhagic. Ischemic strokes account for around 85% of all recorded strokes, and they happen when a blood clot blocks a blood vessel in the brain. This stops blood from passing through the vessel and deprives the brain of oxygen as a result. Hemorrhagic strokes occur when a blood vessel in the brain bursts. The resulting blood can put undue pressure on the areas surrounding the vessel, damaging the entire brain as a result.
Strokes are the second leading cause of death in the world, but even if they don’t kill, they can have lasting consequences. Only a couple of minutes without oxygen in the brain can lead to permanent brain damage or loss of feeling in the limbs. With how dangerous strokes can be, it is extremely important to seek medical attention if there is any indication that a loved one is experiencing one. Signs of a stroke include sudden lateral numbness in face, limbs, and body, partial or complete blindness, difficulty speaking, loss of coordination, and intense headaches with no known origin.
Substance
A substance is anything that can be consumed, injected, inhaled, or otherwise absorbed into the body that has psychoactive (affecting a person’s mood, behavior, or thought patterns) effects. Substances can be legal or illicit, natural or synthesized. Common substances include caffeine, tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, amphetamines, and opioids. Substances are not necessarily drugs even though the terms are often used synonymously, as there are other things that have psychoactive effects on the brain.
Substance Intoxication
Intoxication is a state of mental and physical impairment following the consumption of a psychoactive substance. The length of each intoxication period depends on a person’s age, medical history, substance tolerance, and amount taken. Substances that can cause intoxication include alcohol, marijuana, stimulants, opioids, and inhalants. Generally, substances taken in moderation will lead to a temporary period of intoxication that results in little to no negative side effects down the line.
In some cases, overconsumption of substances like alcohol can lead to moderate or severe intoxication. In the case of alcohol, severe intoxication lasts longer, is more intense, and results in more fatal accidents than mild or moderate intoxication. For substances like opioids, however, severe intoxication can result in an opioid overdose, a condition with a much higher mortality rate than alcohol poisoning. While all forms of intoxication have their risks, it is especially important to be cognizant of the dangers of opioid overdoses
Substance Use Disorder
Substance use disorder (SUD), formerly known as drug addiction, is characterized by the inability to self-regulate substance use. Substances that can be responsible for SUD include caffeine, alcohol, stimulants, and opioids. Of these substances, alcohol is the most common cause of SUD due to its legality, and opioids are the most fatal given the high mortality rate of opioid overdoses.
Many substances that can cause substance use disorder work by forcing the release of dopamine, the brain’s feel-good chemical. The feeling granted by releasing dopamine only lasts a short while, which incentivizes the frequent use of the feel-good substance. This results in a cycle of taking substances to chase the dopamine releases, and then taking more to avoid the discomfort of the comedown. People caught in this cycle will often begin deprioritizing their health, relationships, and finances to get more of the substance they’re addicted to.
Suicidal Ideation
Suicidal ideation, often referred to as suicidal thoughts, are recurrent thoughts of death or suicide. These thoughts can vary widely in intensity, fluctuate with time, and tend to worsen in stressful situations. People with depression and other depressive mental disorders are at a higher risk for suicidal ideation. It is also more common in people below the age of 18, with an estimated 18% of minors in the U.S. experiencing suicidal ideation at some point in their lives.
Even though suicidal ideation is not a definitive measure of someone’s likelihood to attempt suicide, it is important to take any thoughts of suicide seriously. It is impossible to determine if someone’s thoughts of suicide will result in an attempt, so it is best to err on the side of caution and seek professional help as early as possible. Treatment for suicidal ideation includes therapy and potentially medication, only if prescribed by your doctor as self-medication can make thoughts of suicide worse. If you (or a loved one) live in the U.S. and experience suicidal ideation, you can call 988 to get over the phone support from professionals through the national Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.