Category Archives: addiction

drug addiction treatment

Alternative medications for drug addiction

June 22, 2017
Alternative medications

Alternative medications for drug addiction is being embraced by many alongside the scientific medications

Alternative medications for drug addiction: Alcoholism

The economic benefits of alcohol for most nations are becoming a thorn in the flesh of like-minded people seeing the dangers associated with alcohol consumption. It is becoming difficult daily to totally convince the revenue collectors on the adverse effects of alcohol in human life. Currently, respective governments are using poor selective methods to attempt in controlling the consumption of this drug. Why am I saying this, the authorities are using taxes as a bite in controlling alcohol use. Heavy taxes are levied on this drug to discourage many from using it begging the question that “is it alright for those who can afford to pay for the heavy cost of alcohol to suffer the consequences of alcohol addiction”? Think about that, Addiction to alcohol or other drugs be it barbiturates or cocaine, is a physical and emotional dependence on that substance and the effects it produces. It involves total or partial loss of control and often causing devastating effects on all aspects of the individual’s life of the addict, including colleagues, family, health, and the society. Because of this, we want to look at how effecting alternative medications for drug addiction can be as we progress in this discussion.

It is because of this unwillingness of the authorities to put proper measures in containing alcohol abuse, that like-minded society is working round the clock to correct the damage caused by drug abuse. For example today we have many alternative therapists asserting that conventional medicine’s treatment program for addiction fails to support the body adequately as it withdraws from the once-steady presence of alcohol or other drugs. The following therapies attempt to offer that support. They are often used in combination with counseling and other support programs that address any underlying psychological causes of addiction.

Alternative medications for drug addiction: Nutritional therapy

Speaking to the experts at AWAREmed Health Center lead by doctor Dalal Akoury MD, there is no doubt that alcoholism and drug addiction causes malnutrition because when under the influence of drugs, the person loses the ability to reason well and often become weak even to eat let alone feeding healthily. An addict under the influence of the drug may sleep on an empty stomach and when this happens the toxic element in his system wreaks havoc rendering the person being malnourish. The effect of this can cause serious damage to the body and especially to the liver. Doctor Akoury agrees that nutritional therapy will help in ensuring that the addict gets proper nutrition to eliminate toxins associated with drug and alcohol abuse. The ultimate goal is to make dietary changes that will increase the proper nutrients within the addict’s body.

Noting that many addicts are often depleted of key and vital food nutrients, it is necessary that speedy effort is made to bridge the deficit and that is why supplements such as zinc and vitamin C are administered to help aid in this process, speeding up detoxification and get them balanced. Finally, in most cases, many alcoholics will be vitamin B deficient and this may require injections of this vitamin during the beginning stages of treatment. Low blood sugar and hypoglycemia will also be in shortage further requiring nutritional treatment to stabilize. In all these, you can always schedule an appointment with the experts at AWAREmed health for a more professional touch.

Alternative medications for drug addiction: Alcoholism

 

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addiction training solutions

Detecting alcoholism manifestations

June 22, 2017
Detecting alcoholism manifestations

Detecting alcoholism manifestations in one’s life is essential and will help solve many domestic problems

Detecting alcoholism manifestations: Self-Testing

Am I an alcoholic? This is a very good question tailored towards preventing, treating and detecting alcoholism manifestations in one’s life. It is by asking such question and getting the right responses that will help in finding a permanent solution to the scourge of alcoholism. Speaking to the experts from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the leadership of Doctor Dalal Akoury MD, it is evident that sometimes it can be hard to draw the line between safe alcohol use and alcohol abuse or dependence. Professionally doctor Akoury registers that there are several ways of detecting alcoholism presence in life. She suggests that you can carry out a self-testing method to ascertain whether you are alcoholic or not. Professionally, you may have a problem with alcohol if you answer “yes” to some of the following questions:

  • Do you need to drink a lot more for you to feel the effects of alcohol?
  • Do you suffer guilty about your drinking?
  • Do you become short-tempered or violent when you’re drinking?
  • Do you have problems at school or work because of drinking?
  • Do you think it might be better if you cut back on your drinking?

Depending on how you respond to the above, a yes answer could point to the direction of alcoholism. Besides the self-testing, the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence also offers more comprehensive self-tests which can help you assess whether you have a problem with alcohol. Away from the test doctor Akoury advice that you can also consult with your physician in very many ways for a professional diagnosis.

Detecting alcoholism manifestations: Professional diagnosis

Your doctor or healthcare provider can diagnose alcoholism by carrying out a physical exam and ask you questions about your drinking habits. Like for instance, your doctor may ask if you:

  • Drive when you’re drunk
  • Have experienced blackouts as a result of your drinking
  • Have missed work or have lost a job as a result of your drinking
  • Have tried to cut back on your drinking but could not
  • Need more alcohol to feel “drunk” when you drink

Typically, a diagnosis of alcoholism does not require any other type of diagnostic test. Chance are that your doctor may order for a blood test to check your liver function if you show signs or symptoms of liver disease. This is because alcohol abuse can cause serious and lasting damage to your liver. Remember that it is your liver which is responsible for removing toxins from your blood and so when you drink too much, your liver will have difficulties in filtering the alcohol and other toxins from your bloodstream which can lead to liver disease and other complications.

Detecting alcoholism manifestations: How is alcoholism treated?

Treatment for alcoholism varies, but each method is meant to help you stop drinking altogether (abstinence). Treatment may occur in stages and can include the following:

  • Counseling to solve emotional complications
  • Detoxification or withdrawal for the elimination of alcohol in the body
  • Medical treatment for alcoholism-related health complications
  • Medications to help control addiction
  • Rehabilitation to learn new coping skills and behaviors
  • Support groups, including 12-step programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)

Finally, you can prevent alcoholism by limiting your alcohol intake. This may not be easy (detecting alcoholism presence) but consulting with doctor Dalal Akoury will make it much easier for you. Your health is more important than anything else and therefore scheduling that appointment will be a good start towards your recovery process.

Detecting alcoholism manifestations: Self-Testing

 

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Uncontrollable drinking problems and denial

June 22, 2017
Uncontrollable drinking problems

Uncontrollable drinking problems and denial are the enemies of treatment

Uncontrollable drinking problems and denial: Alcohol dependence  

Are you on the verge of becoming an alcoholic? I may not have the facts about you, but one fact is common with people who are into alcohol and drugs. I am talking about denial which is one of the biggest obstacles to getting help for all the uncontrollable drinking problems (alcohol abuse and alcoholism). The desire to drink is so strong that the mind finds many ways to rationalize drinking, even when the consequences are obvious. By keeping you from looking honestly at your behavior and its negative effects, denial also exacerbates alcohol-related problems with work, finances, and relationships.

Uncontrollable drinking problems and denial: If you have a drinking problem, you may deny it by

  • Drastically underestimating how much you drink
  • Downplaying the negative consequences of your drinking
  • Complaining that family and friends are exaggerating the problem
  • Blaming your drinking or drinking-related problems on others

Take, for example, you may want to blame your ‘unfair boss’ for trouble at work or a ‘nagging wife’ for your marital issues, rather than look at how your drinking is contributing to the problem. And even though activities involving work, relationship, and financial stresses can happen to everyone, experts at AWAREmed health center reiterates that an overall pattern of deterioration and blaming others may be a sign of trouble. Therefore if you find yourself rationalizing your, drinking habits, lying about them, or refusing to discuss the subject, take a moment to consider why you’re so defensive. If you truly believe you don’t have a problem, there should be no reason for you to cover up your drinking or make excuses. And if you are persuaded that something is not right, immediate action needs to be taken. You may now want to consider scheduling an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury today for the commencement of your treatment and recovery process. In the meantime, the following are additional signs and symptoms of compulsive drinking problems to help you make informed decisions.

Uncontrollable drinking problems and denial: Other signs and symptoms of alcoholism

You’ve lost control over your drinking. You often drink more alcohol than you wanted to, for longer than you intended, or despite telling yourself you wouldn’t.

You want to quit drinking, but you can’t. You have a persistent desire to cut down or stop your alcohol use, but your efforts to quit have been unsuccessful.

You have given up other activities because of alcohol. You’re spending less time on activities that used to be important to you (hanging out with family and friends, going to the gym, pursuing your hobbies) because of your alcohol use.

Alcohol takes up a great deal of your energy and focus. You spend a lot of time drinking, thinking about it, or recovering from its effects. You have few if any interests or social involvements that don’t revolve around drinking.

You drink even though you know it’s causing problems. For example, you recognize that your alcohol use is damaging your marriage, making your depression worse, or causing health problems, but you continue to drink anyway.

Uncontrollable drinking problems and denial: Alcohol dependence 

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Behavioral Addiction and Brain Function

Dopamine effects and addiction

June 22, 2017
Dopamine effects

Dopamine effects and addiction are very active in the brain malfunctions

Dopamine effects and addiction: The brain

Dopamine is an inhibitory neurotransmitter, meaning that when it finds its way to its receptor sites, it blocks the tendency of that neuron to fire. We have noted that it’s associated with reward mechanisms in the brain. That aside, speaking to doctor Dalal Akoury MD, President, and founder of AWAREmed health center, new research on the brain is showing that addiction is a matter of memories, and recovery is a slow process in which the influence of those memories is diminished. That notwithstanding, further studies have also shown that addictive drugs stimulate a reward circuit in the brain. The circuit provides incentives for action by registering the value of important experiences. Rewarding experiences trigger the release of the brain chemical dopamine effects, telling the brain “do it again.” What makes permanent recovery difficult is the drug-induced change that creates lasting memories linking the drug to a pleasurable reward.

Dopamine effects and addiction: Brain circuits

Addiction involves many of the same brain circuits that govern learning and memory. Long-term memories are formed by the activity of brain substances called transcription factors. All perceived rewards, including drugs, increase the concentration of transcription factors. So repeatedly taking drugs can change the brain cells and make the memory of the pleasurable effects very strong. Even after transcription factor levels return to normal, addicts may remain hypersensitive to the drug and the cues that predict its presence. This can heighten the risk of relapse in addicts long after they stop taking the drug.

Knowing more about how addiction works in the brain has not yet given us any effective new treatments, but it has suggested new possibilities while providing a better understanding of how the available treatments work. The hardest job will be finding substances that lower the risk of addiction but do not interfere with responses to natural rewards. So far there is little evidence that any one type of therapy works better for addiction than another.

Dopamine effects and addiction: Brain Chemistry

It has been demonstrated times and again that drug addiction is a powerful force that can take control of the lives of users. In the past, addiction was thought to be a weakness of character or just misbehavior, but in recent decades research has increasingly found that addiction to drugs like cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine is a matter of brain chemistry.

Experts at the National Institute on Drug Abuse, says that the way a brain becomes addicted to a drug is related to how a drug increases levels of the naturally-occurring neurotransmitter dopamine, which modulates the brain’s ability to perceive reward reinforcement. The pleasure sensation that the brain gets when dopamine levels are elevated creates the motivation for us to proactively perform actions that are indispensable to our survival for example eating or procreation. Dopamine is what conditions us to do the things we need to do. Having understood the power of addiction and what it can do to your health, it would be unwise to let drugs bring you down because of ignorance. Doctor Dalal Akoury founded this facility to help you have your life back and live it to the fullest. Waste no time and schedule an appointment with today for the commencement of your recovery process.

Dopamine effects and addiction: The brain

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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drug abuse

Drug addiction instigation

June 22, 2017
Drug addiction instigation

Drug addiction instigation will always be there but how you address them will matter a lot in escalating or terminating the problem

Drug addiction instigation: Common Signs and Symptoms

In most cases, drug addiction instigation is irregular and gradual with the casual or social use of a drug. For some people, using the drug becomes a habit, and its use becomes more and more frequent. As time passes, you may need larger doses of the drug to get high. Soon you may need the drug just to feel good. As your drug use increases, you may find that it becomes increasingly difficult to go without the drug. Stopping may cause intense cravings and make you feel physically ill what we call withdrawal symptoms. And speaking to doctor Dalal Akoury MD, President, and founder of AWAREmed Health Center, the following are some of the drug addiction symptoms or behaviors:

  • Feeling that you have to use the drug regularly this can be daily or even several times a day
  • Failing in your attempts to stop using the drug
  • Making certain that you maintain a supply of the drug
  • Spending money on the drug, even though you can’t afford it
  • Doing things to obtain the drug that you normally wouldn’t do, such as stealing
  • Feeling that you need the drug to deal with your problems
  • Driving or doing other risky activities when you’re under the influence of the drug
  • Focusing more and more time and energy on getting and using the drug

Drug addiction instigation: Identifying drug addiction in teenagers

It can sometimes be difficult to distinguish normal teenage moodiness from signs of drug use. This kind of knowledge is very important for all parents and guardians as it will help them make timely informed decisions in caring for their children. And as experts from AWAREmed health center we want to share with you some possible indications that your teenager is may be using drugs:

Problems at school – Frequently missing classes or missing school, a sudden disinterest in school or school activities, or a drop in grades may be indicators of drug use.

Physical health issues – Lack of energy and motivation may indicate your child is using certain drugs.

Neglected appearance – Teenagers are generally concerned about how they look. A lack of interest in clothing, grooming or looks may be a warning sign of drug use.

Changes in behavior – Teenagers enjoy privacy, but exaggerated efforts to bar family members from entering their rooms or knowing where they go with their friends might indicate drug use. Also, drastic changes in behavior and in relationships with family and friends may be linked to drug use.

Spending money – Sudden requests for money without a reasonable explanation for its use may be a sign of drug use. You may also discover money stolen from previously safe places at home. Items may disappear from your home because they’re being sold to support a drug habit.

Finally, the above list may not be conclusive, however, if you happen to sport any of them, it could be a serious indicator of emerging substance abuse. Remember that early treatment would help you and your teens prevent serious health complications. And that is why doctor Akoury made a decision of creating a medical center whose main objective is to transform each individual’s life through increasing awareness about health and wellness and by empowering individuals to find their own inner healing power. You can reach her on telephone number 843 213 1480 for any concerns you may have in all matters relating to substance abuse.

Drug addiction instigation: Common Signs and Symptoms

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