Drug Abuse in Teens: Shocking Facts You Didn't Know

It is estimated that 27.2% of high school students use illicit drugs on a regular basis. . . This is a very disturbing statistic considering the fact that the teenage years are formative in the development of a person’s career, personality and overall success. Adolescence is a very confusing time involving raging hormones, pressure to fit in at school and academic stress. Teenagers abuse and become addicted to drugs and alcohol for many reasons, and it is essential to understand them in order to treat patients successfully in a rehab. . .

. Addictions may start young. Many teenagers experiment with drugs and alcohol but don’t get addicted to them. While peer pressure may drive an adolescent to consume drugs or alcohol at parties or other events, other factors are responsible for the mental state of addiction. Trying drugs or alcohol at a party can, however, trigger the path towards addiction. . . For example, if a teenager has a genetic predisposition to alcoholism and is going through problems because of stress at school, she is likely to crave the relaxing effect of alcohol after she drinks for the first time. With repeated use of alcohol, she will need more of it to feel the same calming effect. This will eventually take her down the path of addiction until she is admitted into a rehabilitation center, and undergoes detox and other therapies. . . Many teenagers abuse prescription drugs. A popular example of this is stimulant drugs used to treat ADHD (attention deficit hyperactive disorder). These drugs are known to increase focus, thereby enhancing academic performance. This unfortunate phenomenon is aided by the accessibility of such drugs – it is very common for patients of ADHD to sell their prescription medications to other students in their schools. . . Many rehabilitation centers also report that teenage addicts are aided in their addiction because of the widespread availability of drugs in the form of school supplies – many students sniff glue or whitener. . . Teenagers are more susceptible to mental illness than any other age category. If a teenager already suffers from a condition like depression or anxiety, a tryst with drugs or alcohol at a party could cause to lead them down the path of addiction. Teenage brains are very different from adult brains from a biological perspective as well, which makes it more likely for them to abuse drugs or alcohol. . . There are many stressors related to school and peers, which make teenagers turn to drugs and thereby mentally escape from it all. For instance, bullying is very common among teenagers and causes tremendous stress. Disappointingly though, the main cause of a drug addiction in teenagers is ignorance. They believe that marijuana is not addictive, similarly, they do not know the effect of alcohol on the body. Teenagers have a lot to learn, and proper education is essential to reduce the rate of teenage drug and alcohol addiction.

Daily Quotes - Hike daily

If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.
- Lao Tzu
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There are dark shadows on the earth, but its lights are stronger in the contrast.
- Charles Dickens
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A smile is a curve that sets everything straight.
- Phyllis Diller
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When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are  challenged to change ourselves.
- Viktor E. Frankl
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Always be yourself, express yourself, have faith in yourself, do not go out and look for a successful personality and duplicate it.
- Bruce Lee
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That which does not kill us makes us stronger.
- Friedrich Nietzsche
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The first step toward change is awareness. The second step is acceptance.
- Nathaniel Branden
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A single twig breaks, but the bundle of twigs is strong.
- Tecumseh.
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Mistakes are always forgivable, if one has the courage to admit them.
- Bruce Lee
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Love is an irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired.
- Robert Frost
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Subtlety may deceive you; integrity never will.
- Oliver Cromwell
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Growth is the only evidence of life.
- John Henry Newman
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We are not makers of history. We are made by history.
- Martin Luther King Jr.
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Trust, but verify.
- Ronald Reagan
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Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.
- Will Rogers
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Shadows cannot see themselves in the mirror of the sun.
- Evita Peron
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I like nonsense; it wakes up the brain cells.
- Dr. Seuss
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I don't go around regretting things that don’t happen.
- Virgil Thomson
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Our patience will achieve more than our force.
- Edmund Bruke
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Genius is more often found in a cracked pot than in a whole one.
- E.B. White
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Only in love are unity and duality not in conflict.
- Rabindranath Tagore
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I wear my heart on my sleeve.
- Princess Diana
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Life laughs at you when you are unhappy. Life smiles at you when you are happy. But, life salutes you when you make others happy.
- Charlie Chaplin
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The sun is new each day.
- Heraclitus
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There was never a night or a problem that could defeat sunrise or hope.
- Bernard Williams
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The best way to pay for a lovely moment is to enjoy it.
- Richard Bach
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Smile in the mirror. Do that every morning and you’ll start to see a big difference in your life.
- Yoko Ono
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Beauty is a shot-lived tyranny.
- Socrates
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Believe that life is worth living and your belief will help create the fact.
- William James
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There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.
- Edith Wharton
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You must do the things you think you cannot do.
- Eleanor Roosevelt
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Life is about making your own happiness - and living by your own rules.
- Aimee Mullins
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Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else.
- Margaret Mead
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Do not take life too seriously. You will never get out of it alive.
- Elbert Hubbard
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Too much agreement kills a chat.
- Eldridge Cleaver
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The best way to predict the future is to create it.
- Peter Drucker

Best Quotes - daily quotes

You have dealt with so much, and done the best that you can, take a moment now to appreciate how strong your are.
- Karen Salmansohn
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There is no love that is not an echo.
- Theodor Adorno
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Great works are performed not by strength but by perseverance.
- Samuel Johnson
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Excellence is not a skill, it’s an attitude.
- Ralph Marston
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Let us always meet each other with a smile, for the smile is the beginning of love.
- Mother Teresa
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Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.
- Confucius
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The most important thing is to enjoy your life - to be happy - it’s all that matters.
- Audrey Hepburn
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One way to get the most out of life is to look upon it as an adventure.
- William Feather
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The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are.
- Joseph Campbell
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Character develops itself in the stream of life.
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
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Love and desire are the spirit’s wings to great deeds.
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
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Good judgement comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgement.
- Will Rogers
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Good judgement comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgement.
- Will Rogers
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Sweet mercy is nobility’s true badge.
- William Shakespeare
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Defeat should never be a source of discouragement but rather a fresh stimulus.
- Robert South
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True happiness is to enjoy the present, without anxious dependence upon the future.
- Lucius Annaeus Seneca
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It's kind of fun to do the impossible.
- Walt Disney
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I know where I’m going and I know the truth, and I don’t have to be what you want me to be. I’m free to be what I want.
- Muhammad Ali
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Be happy. It’s one way of being wise.
- Sidonie Gabrielle Colette
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Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.
- Mother Teresa
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Tomorrow is always fresh, with no mistakes in it yet.
- Anne Shirley
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Better an honest enemy than a false friend.
- German Proverb
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A good laugh and a long sleep are the two best cures for anything.
- Irish Proverb
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Action may not always bring happiness; but there is no happiness without action.
- Benjamin Disraeli
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To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.
- Oscar Wilde
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Whatever you are, be a good one.
- Abraham Lincoln
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Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.
- Arthur Ashe
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The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today.
- H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
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I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.
- Jimmy Dean
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We know what we are, but know not what we may be.
- William Shakespeare
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I’d rather attempt to do something great and fail than to attempt to do nothing and succeed.
- Robert H. Schuller
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Don't give up. Don’t lose hope. Don’t sell out.
- Christopher Reeve
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Go for it now. The future is promised to no one.
- Wayne Dyer
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Sell your cleverness and buy bewilderment.
- Rumi

Role of Civil Servants (IAS, IPS, IRS, IFS and IES)

Role of civil servants differs from service to service. IAS, IPS, IFS, IRS and IES are civil servant ranks under the Central Government of India. The exams to all these are conducted by UPSC board, and it’s a common exam except for IES. Normally, IAS, IPS and IFS are considered in that hierarchy row, as highest rankers often opt for IAS. Even some high rankers have opted for IPS and IFS.

Indian Administrative Service

IAS officers joining the Indian Administrative Service and work as key persons of central and state government bodies and PSUs. They may also be sent on foreign assignments and visits along with the IFS. They work for the rank from sub-divisional magistrates, to municipal commissioners, district collectors, various central and state secretaries as they are assigned. The highest post in the State is that of the Chief Secretary. At the top of the hierarchy list of IAS Officers is the Cabinet Secretary in the union government.

Indian Police Service

IPS officers joining the Indian Police Service, and leads the police bodies in states and union territories. They work across ranks from assistant commissioner of police, to superintendent, to various commissioner ranks, to various directors, inspector generals and director generals.

Difference between IAS and IPS:

>IAS deals mainly with policy making and its implementation on the civil lines, where as IPS is main force for implementation of a law ,i.e. in crude terms it enforces the law.
>IAS encourages to do a development oriented activity mainly, IPS regulates any non-development oriented activity.
>IAS has a generalist character, where as IPS has a specialist character.
>If you are in IAS, actually make the administration to run up, while IPS will keep a check on any deviation in the ideal line of administration.
>Finally to put in simple terms, IAS is a prevention service, where as IPS is nearer to a Post Mortem character.
>Many of us are familiar with a sentence prevention is better than cure. IAS tries to prevent the disorder in before by policy making, where as IPS cures or partly prevent the disorder when situation is in the pipeline to failure.

Indian Foreign Service

IFS officers are joining the Foreign Service of India. They form the senior management officers of India’s foreign service and manage foreign relations of India. The work as Ambassador, or High Commissioners, Foreign Secretary, or work in the PMO or Ministry of External Affairs.

Indian Revenue Service

Indian Revenue Services, is a common name given to candidates selected for Income Tax and Central Excise and Customs Departments. Both departments are the main Revenue collecting agencies of the Government of India. Income tax Department these days, has emerged as an important revenue source to the government and is in the public eyes for it affects the personal income of individuals and business entities including corporate bodies.

The officers start as Assistant Commissioners and rise to become Commissioners of Income Tax within 20 years of service, then Chief commissioners Of Income Tax within another 8 years. The highest position in the Income Tax department is Chairman of Central Board Of Direct Taxes (CBDT).

Indian Engineering Services

Indian Engineering Services belongs to the Technical Services department which comes under the technical and administrative functions of the Indian Government. The candidates are recruited on the basis of merit scored in the exam conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). The candidates who clear the IES entrance examination can find employment in the Indian Railway Engineering service (IERS), Military Engineering Service (MES), Central Engineering Service (CES) etc.

OnePlus 3 vs Xiaomi Mi 5

The Xiaomi Mi 5 is currently considered to be one of the best flagship phones available in the sub Rs 30,000 segment. But with the OnePlus 3 going official yesterday (launching today), things have changed somewhat. So we've decided to compare two of the best phones currently available in the market.

Key features

The Mi 5 has a beautiful curved back design, which adds to the overall appeal of the device, while the OnePlus 3 is utilizing an all-metal (aluminum) body. They're both premium looking devices, so you can't go wrong with either handset really.

Both handsets pack Full HD displays, but with varying display sizes. The OnePlus 3 comes with a 5.5-inch Optic AMOLED display, while the Mi 5 is settling for a 5.15-inch standard LCD panel. Needless to say, the OnePlus offering comes out on top in this area.

Camera

The OnePlus 3 and the Xiaomi Mi 5 both sport 16MP rear cameras, both with OIS or optical image stabilization on board. The Mi 5 has a 4MP wide-angle front camera, while the 8MP sensor on the OnePlus 3 should be pretty decent with selfies as well.

Performance

Both the Mi 5 and the OnePlus 3 are packing a Snapdragon 820 quad-core chipset under the hood, so we expect the performance to be somewhat on par with each other. However, benchmark scores and other performance metrics might differ slightly thanks to the UI optimization done by Xiaomi and OnePlus respectively.

Battery

This is another area where the two devices are on level pegging, as they're both sporting 3,000 mAh battery packs under the rear panel. Much like the processor, the battery backup and standby times are heavily reliant on the kind of OS customizations and modifications done by the manufacturers. But on paper, the OnePlus 3 and the Mi 5 are tied.

Other features

The Mi 5 has 32GB of storage and 3GB of RAM, whereas the OnePlus 3 comes with a massive 6GB RAM and 64GB of storage. Both devices lack expandable storage, so you're stuck with the internal storage on the Mi 5 and the OnePlus 3.

The Mi 5 and the OnePlus 3 come with fingerprint scanners and USB Type-C ports, which tells us that the two companies have covered their bases well in terms of new features.

Price and availability

The Mi 5 has been recently made available via Amazon India and Flipkart in addition to mi.com, while the OnePlus 3 is an exclusive via Amazon India.

The prices of the two smartphones are quite interesting, with the 3GB/32GB model of the Mi 5 priced at Rs 24,999, while for Rs 3,000 extra, you're getting the OnePlus 3 with 6GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage (plus a bigger AMOLED display). I would personally pick the OnePlus 3, but some might feel otherwise. What do you think?

IBM patents Google Glass-like night vision eyewear

US tech giant IBM has patented an eye wear like Google Glass that will have red-eyed night vision capabilities, a media report said.

Although not promising a true night vision, the device is described in the patent to improve sight under low light by tricking the brain to focus on high contrast imagery.
"IBM's Google Glass modifications include a sensor and 'a comparator device' designed to detect and contrast light intensity. When the light intensity drops below a set level, a pair of projectors -- one for each eye -- bathe the user's eyes in red light," a report in International Business Times (UK) said.
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The patent claims the effect is similar to that of dark rooms used in photography or the red-tinted glasses worn by some airline pilots.

Dark environment with a red tinge cause the rod cells, which are the photoreceptors in our eye, to send high contrast images to the brain.

When the user enters a low-light environment, the projector automatically projects a low-level red light in to each eye of the user.

Shining red light directly into the eyes creates the same response rods as casting red light onto an environment. Which means it tricks the rod cells into sending higher contrast images to the brain.

However, the company also issued a health warning.

The patent read: "The wearer of current glasses such as Google Glass is subject to the risk of a phenomena referred to as binocular rivalry and phoria -- a latent deviation or misalignment of the eyes that appears when both eyes are no longer looking at the same object."

Centre to bear full coaching costs for Dalits, OBCs with income under 6 lakh

The entire expenditure incurred by dalit and backward class students on coaching for competitive examinations will now be borne by the Union government, according to the revised Scheme of Free Coaching for SC and OBC Students which has done away with the cap of Rs 20,000.
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The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has revised the central sector scheme under which it will also empanel reputed coaching institutes to provide good quality coaching to Scheduled Caste (SC) and Other Backward Classes (OBC) candidates.
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"The central sector scheme of Free Coaching for SC and OBC students has been revised in order to provide good quality coaching to SC and OBC candidates to enable them appear in competitive examinations and succeed in obtaining appropriate job in public or private sector. "Earlier, the maximum ceiling of coaching fee paid to institution per candidate was Rs 20,000. Now we will fund the entire expenditure on coaching," said a senior official from the Ministry.
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Under the earlier procedure, Ministry would invite applications from institutions which offer coaching for competitive exams. The proposals were then considered by a committee, which would screen and shortlist them.
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"Under the revised provisions, Centre would ask states and UTs to furnish proposals of at least 5 and not more than 10 coaching institutes with proven track record of success. The proposals for empanelment of coaching institutions will be considered by a Selection Committee and recommended for selection based on their past record of performance.
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"Reputed institutions having branches in more than one district in a state will be given preference over stand alone institutions," the official said.
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Besides, the monthly stipend of such aspirants has been increased from Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,500 for local students and Rs 3,000 to Rs 5,000 for outstation candidates.
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Students with disabilities would be eligible also for a special allowance of Rs 2,000 per month towards reader allowance, escort allowance, helper allowance etc.
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The grant-in-aid along with stipend will be released directly to the coaching institutes.
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Students belonging to SCs and OBCs categories having a total family income from all sources of Rs 6 lakh or less per annum will be eligible for benefits under the scheme.
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The courses for which the coaching is imparted include Group A and B examinations conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), the Staff Selection Commission (SSC), various Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs), Officers Grade examinations conducted by Banks, Insurance Companies and Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs).
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It also includes premier entrance examinations in Engineering (IIT-JEE and AIEEE), medical (AIPMT), professional courses like Management (CAT) and Law (CLAT) along with eligibility tests like SAT, GRE, GMAT and TOEFL.
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The performance of the coaching institutes will bereviewed at the end of the 3rd year of empanelment based on the results of SC and OBC candidates provided coaching under the Scheme.

How to Improve your Reading Speed?

To become a better reader means getting faster and more efficient at reading, and understanding what you’re reading. Increasing reading speed is a process of controlling fine motor movement period. Have an idea that what you’re reading about, not just reading and forgetting or failing to grasp the contents.

Reading involves a pre-conscious level of awareness that naturally stimulates creativity, rapid information assimilation while opening the doors to non-judgmental learning. While reading, we are essentially shutting-off the conscious critical mind from the learning cycle. Even though the conscious mind is essential for stimulating your short and long-term memory, its due to the habitual preconceived ideas and notions about the information you are learning.

In the modern age of information, reading truly is a fundamental survival skill. Here are tips that anyone can use to improve their reading skills:

Only Move Eyes while Reading

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Using this method you can effectively accelerate your reading speed anywhere from 20% to 30%. Your vision will allow you to see more of the page in one glance without having to move your eyes across the page left to right. the most proficient speed readers actually only move their eyes down the center of a page to capture words and phrases that lie off-center.

Focus
Remember, you’re reading with a purpose, so focus on that purpose and the material. When you start getting bored or need a break, take one. Reading should be fun and enjoyable, don’t force it. After your break, return to where you were, and continue. Be choosy and select the chapters and articles that are important. This simple technique helps you focus and increase your concentration.

Skimming

Skimming is the process of speedy reading for general meaning. Let your eyes skip over sentences or phrases which contain detail. Concentrate on identifying the central or main points. This technique is used to pre-view a section of text prior to detailed reading and refresh your understanding of a section of text following detailed reading. Using this method, you can effectively accelerate your reading speed anywhere from 10% to 20%.

Reduce Amount of Skip-backs
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We naturally slowdown our speed of reading because of simple skip-backs, which involves re-reading words and sentences over and over again. Many of us take part in this time wasting habit, because as children we were told by our teachers that we must go back and re-read words that were mispronounced. Using this method you can effectively accelerate your reading speed anywhere from 25% to 50%.

Don’t Move Lips or Make Noises while Reading

Our eyes can recognize words and sentence structures far more quickly then we can articulate them aloud. Hence, if you are verbalizing the words you are reading inside your head or through the process of just moving your lips, then you are dramatically slowing down your speed of reading. Using this method you can effectively accelerate your reading speed.

Form Mental Visual Mind Maps while Reading

In order to improve your comprehension of the information you are reading, it is important to form ongoing visual mind map images of each sentence, paragraph, topic and chapter throughout the reading process.

You don’t have to be a great reader to get the point.

Some people read fast and remember everything. Others read slowly and take a couple of times to get all the information. It doesn’t matter, really, so long as when you read, you get the information you’re seeking. Don’t need to read everything doing this will double the amount of time you have available to read.

Know WHY you’re reading

Decide why you’re reading before you start and you’ll greatly improve your comprehension and your enjoyment.

Optimize your reading environment

You’ll read faster and comprehend more if you read in an environment that’s comfortable for you.

Practice, Practice and Practice Some More

Finally, you will not improve your reading speed by thinking about these techniques and strategies. The key is to practice, practice and practice each and everyday. Through consistent practice over time you will progressively accelerate your reading speed beyond its present capabilities and limitations. The more you read, the better reader you’ll become (and smarter, too)! So, feed your mind: read!