Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 12A PICKENS COUNTY PROGRESS THURSDAY. MARCH 25. 2021
Family Matters
Spa shootings bring attention
to addictive behaviors
By Mary Migliaro, M.Ed.
Educator and Parent
Mentor
The recent spa shootings
in metro Atlanta have
brought into focus some is
sues that may have been con
fusing for many. One of those
attributed to the suspect has
been a possible “sex addic
tion,” which the suspect told
investigators lead to his vio
lent actions.
When you hear the term
“addiction” what do you
think of? If the first thought
that comes to mind is alcohol
or drug addiction, you would
be like most people. There
are, however, other types of
addiction and a distinction
between them that should be
explored.
It may be difficult to un
derstand how someone might
become addicted to an activ
ity in the same way that peo
ple become addicted to
drugs. It is helpful to recog
nize that people do not actu
ally become "addicted" to
drugs or activities them
selves. Instead, people be
come "addicted" to the effect
of those drugs and activities
on the brain. This is because
certain activities have the
same chemical effect in the
brain as drags. Some addic
tions occur because drags are
added to the body and these
drags alter the brain's func
tioning. Certain activities
can achieve a similar effect
and can alter brain chemistry
in a manner that is similar to
alcohol or other drags.
Activities such as gam
bling, eating, and sex in
crease levels of dopamine in
the brain in the same way that
using cocaine or nicotine
does. Dopamine is a neuro
transmitter that causes pleas
urable feelings. Due to the
brain's reward system, people
are more likely to repeat be
haviors that result in the
pleasurable release of
Dopamine.
While all humans engage
in many activities such as
gambling, food, gaming, and
shopping, they do not rise to
the level of an addiction. It is
the compulsive nature of the
behavior that is often indica
tive of what is termed a be
havioral addiction, or process
addiction, in an individual.
The compulsion to contin
ually engage in an activity or
behavior despite the negative
impact on the person’s ability
to remain mentally or physi
cally healthy and functional
is what defines behavioral
addiction. The person may
find the behavior rewarding
psychologically or get a
“high” while engaged in the
activity but may later feel
guilt, which is what the spa
shooting suspect reportedly
told investigators.
Behaviorally addicted in
dividuals have certain symp
toms and will undergo the
same consequences brought
about by addiction to alcohol
and drags as well as other ob
sessive behaviors.
Though almost everyone
engages in all of the activities
listed above, it is not termed
an addiction until the follow
ing is true:
•The person struggles
with mental health or physi
cal health issues because of
the behavior or the inability
to stop.
•The person has difficul
ties in significant relation
ships at home and, in some
cases, at work because the
behavior is so disruptive.
•The person experiences
other negative consequences
that are directly caused by
continued, extreme, or
chronic engagement in the
behavior.
•The person is unable to
stop engaging in the behavior
despite these consequences.
For parents raising teens
or living with their young
adult children, recognizing
potential behavioral addic
tions can be tricky. So, what
can a parent look for to deter
mine if their child or young
adult may have crossed a line
into a behavioral addiction?
Common signs of mental
illness in adults and adoles
cents can include the follow
ing:
•Extreme mood changes,
including uncontrollable
“highs” or feelings of eupho
ria,
•Prolonged or strong feel
ings of irritability or anger,
•Avoiding friends and so
cial activities,
•Changes in sleeping
habits or feeling tired and
low energy,
•Changes in eating habits
such as increased hunger or
lack of appetite,
•Multiple physical ail
ments without obvious
causes (such as headaches,
stomach aches, etc.),
•Inability to carry out
daily activities or handle
daily problems and stress.
Seek resources from qual
ified professionals to help
your child. Most addictions
can be reduced or eliminated
through standard treatment
programs.
[Mary Migliaro, M.Ed. is an
educator and Parent Mentor.
She may be contacted at
maiymigliaro@aol.com.]
Legal ads
from across
Georgia
georgiapublicnotice.com
LOOK WHAT OUR BUSINESS
CHECKING CAN DO FOR YOU.
• No per check or per item fee. If your balance drops
below $1,000, service charge is $9.
• Unlimited check writing.
• No fee for returned deposit items.
• No charge for transfer between accounts.
• First order of business checks free. Next day printing of
business checks.
• Reorders of standard business checks can be printed
at bank.
• Business debit cards available same day of account
opening.
• No charge for change orders.
• No charge for cash deposits.
• No charge for origination of ACH transfers through
business online banking.
• Free on-line banking.
• Free bill pay services.
• No charge for monthly statements with check copies.
• No charge for counter checks/withdrawals from account.
• No charge for incoming wire transfers.
• Mobile deposit available.
• Merchant capture available.
fem
gmmmitif
MAIN OFFICE: 15 Sammy McGhee Blvd. • Jasper, GA 30143
COVE ROAD OFFICE: 65 Cove Road • Jasper, GA 30143
(706) 253-9600 • www.cbopc.com
Member
FDIC tij
Plants of the Southeast
“Pale trillium," Trillium discolor
Photo/Keith Bradley
There are about 50 different trillium species in North
America, and some additional ones occur in Asia. Above,
the Pale Trillium, which is found in this area.
By John Nelson
University of
South Carolina
I’ll have to admit that this
past winter has not been so
bad here in my part of central
South Carolina. It hasn’t got
ten real cold, and there has
been no snow or ice. I’m glad
to see the sun coming up ear
lier now, which always gives
us a clear sign that we’re
moving from winter into
spring. Here is a fine exam
ple of a native plant that is
making a spring appearance,
too.
Pale trillium, Trillium dis
color starts taking off in early
or mid-April, and what a
beauty it is. It is, of course,
one of our native trilliums, a
group of herbaceous plants
related to lilies.
There are about 50 differ
ent trillium species in North
America, and some addi
tional ones occur in Asia. All
have several features in com
mon, including an under
ground rhizome. The
flowering, above-ground
stem will bear a single
flower. “Three” seems to be
the magic word with these
plants, as its parts occur in
3’s. (Linnaeus named this
group “Trillium” in reference
to this.) Three leaves occur in
a ring just below the flower.
These leaves are techni
cally considered "bracts" by
botanists, but never mind all
that. Depending on the
species, the flower may be at
the end of a slender stalk, or
it may be sessile, and without
a stalk. The stalked flowers
may stick straight up, or var
iously lean to one side.
(One of our species, Tril
lium catesbyi, has a flower
that hangs down, like it’s hid
ing. It’s called “Bashful tril
lium”.) All trillium flowers
bear three sepals, three
petals, six stamens, and even
tually form a somewhat
fleshy pod containing a num
ber of seeds.
The seeds of trilliums are
interesting, in that they bear
unusual, oily structures,
called "elaiosomes", that are
attractive to insects, includ
ing ants. In fact, many
species of trilliums (includ
ing the Pale Trillium) are
known to have seeds that ants
like to carry around, eventu
ally chewing off the elaio
somes, and thus dispersing
the seeds.
The Pale Trillium occurs
in rich woods, often on soils
derived from limestone, or
similar substrates. In the
whole world, it can be found
only along the Savannah
River drainage from the
western end of North Car
olina downstream to about
Augusta, and on both sides of
the river. The leaves are
broadly egg-shaped and mot
tled, or spotted, with various
shades of green. The petals
are strap-shaped, and pale
yellow, sometimes creamy
yellow. If the air is warm
enough, the flowers may give
off a faint, sweet smell...
some people say the scent is
like cloves.
Different trillium species
occur practically throughout
the Southeast, except for
peninsular Florida. They
grow in a range of habitats,
and it is likely that there are
one or more species in your
area. Some trilliums are quite
rare, and increasingly more
and more populations are
threatened by urbanization
and habitat deterioration,
often after the effects of wild
hogs or invasive plants such
as English ivy and Japanese
honeysuckle.
An excellent source for
more information is Trilli-
ums, by Frederick and
Roberta Case, published in
1997 by the Timber Press.
©JoltnNelson2021
[John Nelson is the retired
curator of the A. C. Moore
Herbarium at the University
of South Carolina, in the De
partment of Biological Sci
ences, Columbia SC 29208.
As a public service, the
Herbarium offers free plant
identifications. For more in
formation, visit www.herbar-
ium.org or email
johnbnelson @sc. rr. com.]
METAL ROOFING
DAWSONVILLE
^xnx^ metal products
^ ^ Your Metal Roofing Specialist
BUY DIRECT in Dawsonville
Painted Galvalume Metal Roofing
18 Colors In Stock
Delivery & Contractor Referrals Available
82 Etowah River Road • Dawsonville
706-265-3099 • 800-519-4616