Dealing with the minds perception about cocaine addiction

February 7, 2016

Dealing with the minds perception about cocaine addiction: Coping with craving of cocaine (part two)

In our part one of this series of articles about the cognitive behavioral approach of treating addiction, we had highlighted some of the areas to focus on as listed below and we were able to explore on the first one i.e. understanding craving. You can actually make reference on that as we progress but for the purpose of this article we want to continue from where we left and see how best we can describe craving which is one of the biggest elements when it comes to solving the problem of addiction. Our team of experts from the home of addiction solutions (AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center) under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury who is also the founder of the facility, we want to explore on the possibilities of dealing with the minds perception about cocaine addiction with a view of finding lasting solutions to the scourge of addiction.

Understanding craving
Describing craving
Identifying triggers
Avoiding cues
Coping with craving

Dealing with the minds perception about cocaine addiction: Describing craving

Having understood what cravings is our next point would be to get the essential sense of the patients’ experience of craving. This can be very broad and may include having the knowledge about the following information.

What is craving like for you? – Doctor Akoury says that cravings or urges as it is commonly known is experienced in many different of ways by different patients. Like for instance an individual could say, the experience is primarily somatic that is to say, a patient would just get a feeling in the stomach or the heart races or just start smelling the element being craved for. For others, craving is experienced more cognitively; like for example one would say that “I need it now” or “I can’t get it out of my head” or “It calls on me.” Or it may be experienced effectively; for example, “I get nervous” or “I’m bored.” Depending on your individual experience, it is important that when seeking for help, you let your therapist know your experience with craving, this way they will be able to get to the roots of the problem and offer solutions effectively.

Are you bothered by craving? – There is tremendous variability in the level and intensity of craving reported by patients. For some, achieving and maintaining control over craving will be a principal treatment goal and take several weeks to achieve. Other patients deny they experience any craving. Gentle exploration with patients who deny any craving especially those who continue to use cocaine often reveals that they misinterpret a variety of experiences or simply ignore craving when it occurs until they suddenly find themselves using. Other, abstinent patients, who deny they experience any craving often, when asked, admit to intense fears about relapsing.

How long does craving last for you? – In this journey doctor Akoury says that to make the point about the duration and nature of craving, it is often very important for professionals to point out to their patients that they have rarely let themselves experience an episode of craving without giving in to it.

How do you try to cope with it? – Getting a sense of the coping strategies used by patients will help the therapist identify their characteristic coping styles and select appropriate coping strategies.

Dealing with the minds perception about cocaine addiction: Identifying triggers

The next point to focus on would be the identification of the triggers to the substance of abuse. It is important that therapists should work very closely with their patients to develop a comprehensive list of their own triggers. Some patients become overwhelmed when asked to identify cues. From experience doctor Akoury says that when handling addicts, you will notice that someone may even associate breathing with cocaine use. Again, it may be most helpful therefore to concentrate on identifying the craving and cues that have been most problematic to the patient in recent weeks. This should commence immediately during the therapy session and this should include self-monitoring of craving so that patients can begin to identify new and more subtle cues as they arise.

Dealing with the minds perception about cocaine addiction: Avoiding cues

When considering the avoidance of cues it is always advisable that you keep in mind the general strategy of “recognize, avoid, and cope.” These strategies are particularly applicable to craving for all substances and not necessarily cocaine. Doctor Akoury says that real experts would first identify the patients’ most problematic cues then make an exploration of the degree to which some of those could be avoided. This will come with certain sacrifices including breaking ties or reducing contact with individuals who use or supply you with cocaine, getting rid of paraphernalia, staying out of bars or other places where cocaine is used, or no longer carrying money, as in the following example:

Finally in dealing with the minds perception about cocaine addiction one needs not to let any stone unturned. I am saying this because we are all aware that cocaine is an illegal substance but other substances like alcohol which are legal can form a perfect avenue for the consumption of cocaine without being noticed. Besides that the ability to pay for the substance is another point of consideration. When the financial strength allows users to access cocaine could easily form a solution in an alcoholic drink. Therefore experts from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center recommends that for any meaningful treatment to be realized, therapists and other professionals in the line of substance abuse must spend considerable time exploring the relationship between alcohol and cocaine with patients who use them together to such an extent that alcohol becomes a powerful cocaine cue. Specific strategies to reduce, or preferably, stop alcohol use should be explored. We appreciate that doing this may not be easy for many people and that is why doctor Akoury will be readily available on call for you to schedule for an appointment so that any pending or unclear issues relating to addiction can be attended to professionally.

Dealing with the minds perception about cocaine addiction: Coping with craving of cocaine (part two)

Post acute withdrawal complicates recovery process

November 24, 2015

Post acute withdrawal complicates recovery process: The variances with individuals

The knowledge and patterns of post acute withdrawal will go a long way in solving the problem and fear of enrolling for addiction treatment to avoid instances of intoxication.

Over the past few days we have been focusing on the significance of Post acute withdrawal symptoms (PAWS) in the life of many addicts which are not really the same in everyone. We can confidently say that the variation is very evident and that is why we want to focus our discussion on this article about understanding how post acute withdrawal complicates recovery and how best it can be managed. To do this effectively, we are going to relay on the experts experience of experts from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center. This is a health facility that was established by doctor Dalal Akoury who is a medical and also a veteran addiction expert for several decades now. Her passionate decision to formulate this facility was motivated by the desire of making a difference in people’s lives especially those who are struggling with any kind of addiction whether directly or indirectly. With her input we are going to have the clear understanding of the patterns of post acute withdrawal. This is therefore very important and I want to request you to stay with us on the link and together get the vital information we all need to be on the safer side of any complications that are associated with drug addiction. Now back to the understanding the patterns of post-acute withdrawal, the variation can be categorized in various ways including how severe they are, how often they occur and how long they last. In the same breath some people will often experience certain symptoms while some will also have other symptoms and yet again some people will have none at all says doctor Akoury.

From the expert’s point of view, it is important to note that over a period of time PAWS may get better, it may get worse it may stay the same, or it may come and go. Now take note of this:

That every time it gets better we call it regenerative
If it gets worse it is known as degenerative
If it stays the same we call it stable and
If it comes and goes we call it intermittent.

We all need to be informed of the functionalities of each of these stages. Information is power and the more you know about post-acute withdrawal symptoms the better since you will not make certain mistakes that are predominantly being made by many uninformed people across the globe. Now take a moment and listen to the following facts as we progress into the discussion.

Post acute withdrawal complicates recovery process: Regenerative

Addiction is not a respecter of anybody and we must do all it takes to bring it to manageable levels. Doctor Dalal Akoury says that at this stage the good news about it is that the regenerative PAWS gradually improves over time. She adds that the reason why sobriety is very important is because the longer period of time a person stays sober the less severe the symptoms become. It therefore means that it become much easier for people with regenerative PAWS to recover because the brain rapidly returns to normal and that explains why we must all take the front lane in eliminating misuse of alcohol and all other substances of abuse says doctor Dalal Akoury.

Post acute withdrawal complicates recovery process: Degenerative

Having understood how regenerative PAWS works, the degenerative PAWS is the direct opposite. In this case the symptoms get worse the longer a person is sober. This may happen even when a person is going through rehabilitation to AA/NA or even when following some type of recovery program. It is regrettable to note that in many cases the people with degenerative PAWS often become relapse prone. The most devastating part of this is that at this point sobriety becomes so painful to the victims that they feel they must take it up on themselves by self-medicating the pain with the wrong substances including alcohol or drugs. The consequences of this may include the collapse physically or emotionally, or commit suicide to end the pain.

Post acute withdrawal complicates recovery process: Stability

Doctor Dalal is registering that under normal circumstances a person with stable PAWS experiences the same level of symptoms for a long period of time into recovery. There may be days when the symptoms are a little better or a little worse, but essentially the symptoms remain unchanged. Most recovering people find this very frustrating because they believe that they should be feeling better the longer they are sober. With sufficient sober time many people learn to manage these symptoms.

Post-acute withdrawal complicates recovery process: Intermittent

Finally with intermittent PAWS the symptoms come and go. At the initial stages, people with intermittent symptoms will appear to experience a regenerative pattern. That is to say that their symptoms will get better rapidly. But then they begin to experience periodic PAWS episodes that can be quite severe. It is equally important to note that for some people the episodes get shorter, less severe, and farther apart until they stop altogether while in others they occur periodically throughout life.

According to the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center these patterns actually describes people who have not had treatment for PAWS and who do not know how to manage or prevent the symptoms. It is also necessary to mentioned that the traditional treatment does not address these symptoms because until recently they were unrecognized. If you know what to do and you are willing to do it, degenerative PAWS can be changed into stable, stable into regenerative, and regenerative into intermittent PAWS.

Doctor Akoury is making emphasis that the most common pattern of PAWS is regenerative and over time it becomes intermittent. From there it gradually gets better until the symptoms disappear and then it comes and goes. It therefore means that the first step is to bring PAWS symptoms into remission. This means bringing them under control so that you are not experiencing them at the present time and the ultimate goal is:

To reduce how often they occur
How long the episode lasts and
How bad the symptoms are.

In all these you must always remember that even when you are not experiencing them there is always the tendency for them to recur. It is therefore necessary to build a resistance against them and you can always consult with the experts from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of doctor Akoury for further professional guidance.

Post acute withdrawal complicates recovery process: The variances with individuals

Nutritional benefits enjoyed by recovering addicts

November 23, 2015

Nutritional benefits enjoyed by recovering addicts: Doing the right thing to escape addiction

What do you drink? and what flows in your glass? Whatever the answer remember that there are numerous nutritional benefits enjoyed by recovering addicts if you feed well.

Previously while we were exploring on the good nutrition and diet for recovering people with addiction we noted that there are applicable factors which when applied with the guidance of addiction experts, real time solutions can be realized. Those factors included exercise, relaxation, spirituality and adaptation of a balanced living. We were however able to discuss the exercise portion and now while focusing on the nutritional benefits enjoyed by recovering addicts, we are going to look at the remaining three, and with the help of professionals from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury who is also the MD founder and president of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center, we are going to give to details all that you need to know about these three factors and so stay tuned and invite a friend to the link so that we move together as a committed team in the elimination of drug addiction by all means.

Nutritional benefits enjoyed by recovering addicts: Relaxation

Relaxation is very crucial and actually there are several things you can do to readily reduce or escape the stress you feel. Doctor Akoury is registering that when you are unable to change a situation or to better cope with the stress of everyday living some of the applicable solutions are very simple and very common such that people often ignore the power behind them. Take for example simple things like laughing, playing, listening to music, storytelling, fantasizing, reading and massage are some methods of natural stress reduction yet we often ignore them. Besides that deep relaxation can be a way of relaxing the body and mind. The objective of this is to reduce stress and produce a sense of well-being. Deep relaxation rebalances the body and reduces the production of stress hormones. What happens when you relax is the opposite of the “fight or flight” reaction. When you relax, your muscles become heavy, your body temperature rises and your breathing and heart rate slow down. Remember that tension hinders muscle relaxation and that is why it is impossible to maintain tension while physically relaxing. A visit to the home of solutions (AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center) will equip you with all the needed techniques which will allow your body to relax effectively. You can therefore schedule for an appointment with doctor Akoury for further professional direction on the relaxation modalities. And even as you do that it is important to note that the distress resulting from thought process impairments, emotional process impairments, memory impairments, and stress sensitivity can be reduced or relieved through proper use of relaxation. There are a variety of relaxation exercises that you can use including:

You can get a book that will offer you a selection of exercises or you can purchase tape-recorded exercises.
You can close your eyes in a comfortable position and repeat a pleasant word over and over to yourself.
You can imagine yourself in a soothing environment such as by a quiet lake or in a green meadow.

Pick a method that is relaxing to you and use it often. The experience will be very productive since you will find it a helpful aid for reducing stress and creating peace of mind and serenity.

Nutritional benefits enjoyed by recovering addicts: Spirituality

Spirituality can be defined as “an active relationship with a power greater than yourself that gives your life meaning and purpose.” When you work a spiritual program, you consciously, actively attempt to become a part of something bigger, greater, and more powerful than yourself. The effectiveness of this is that believing in a Higher Power will take you out of the center of your universe and offers peace of mind and serenity by awareness that there is a power that is not restricted by your weaknesses and limitations. Through spiritual development you can develop new confidence in your own abilities and develop a new sense of hope. It is through a spiritual program that you can reach with hope and a positive attitude toward the future.

In working on your spirituality it is important for you to use the principles of the AA/NA program. AA/NA provides guidelines for “increasing your conscious contact with your higher power.” You do not have to have any one image of your higher power to increase your conscious contact. You do have to be open to the possibility of a Higher Power and be willing to experiment with communicating with that Power. It is important to structure your life in such a way as to spend time alone each day to interact with your Higher Power. It is important to examine your values and look within yourself to determine whether your life is in harmony with those values. And take note that spiritual discipline is a consciously chosen course of action. Discipline is uncomfortable for many recovering addicts. They have lived lives of immediate gratification, and discipline is the reverse of that. The purpose of spiritual discipline is freedom from the slavery of self-indulgence. Spiritual discipline includes prayer and meditation, spiritual fellowship, and regular inventory of your spiritual growth.

Nutritional benefits enjoyed by recovering addicts: Balanced living

Balanced living can be defined in several ways including:

Balanced living means that there is bio-psycho-social-spiritual harmony in your life.
It means that you are healthy physically and psychologically and that you have healthy relationships.
It means that you are spiritually whole.
It means that you are no longer focused on one aspect of your life.
It means you are living responsibly, giving yourself time for your job, your family, and your friends as well as time for your own growth and recovery.
It means allowing a Higher Power to work in your life. It means wholesome living.
It means having a balance between work and play, between fulfilling your responsibilities to other people and your need for self-fulfillment.
It means functioning as nearly as possible at your optimum stress level, maintaining enough stress to keep you functioning in a healthy way and not overloading yourself with stress so that it becomes counterproductive.

Finally a balanced living requires proper health care so that the body is functioning well. Nutrition, rest, and exercise all receive the proper focus in your life to provide energy, manage stress, allow freedom from illness and pain, combat fatigue, and rebuild a damaged body. Freedom from physical distress allows psychological growth. When you feel good it is easier to think about your attitudes and values and to work on eliminating denial, guilt, and anger. Balanced living requires doing things to develop self-confidence and self-esteem and learning to feel good about your-self. All these factors are geared towards ensuring total elimination of addiction by putting aside all triggers of addiction and you can get more information on this and other nutritional benefits enjoyed by recovering addicts by visiting AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center and all your concerns will be addressed professionally.

Nutritional benefits enjoyed by recovering addicts: Doing the right thing to escape addiction

Addressing mind perception about cocaine addiction

October 2, 2015

Addressing mind perception about cocaine addiction: Coping with craving of cocaine (part two)

Addressing mind perception about cocaine addiction is very crucial in solving the problem of cocaine addiction especially in the teens who would want to explore.

In our part one of this series of articles about the cognitive behavioral approach of treating addiction, we had highlighted some of the areas to focus on as listed below and we were able to explore on the first one i.e. understanding craving. You can actually make reference on that as we progress but for the purpose of this article we want to continue from where we left and see how best we can describe craving which is one of the biggest elements when it comes to solving the problem of addiction. Our team of experts from the home of addiction solutions (AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center) under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury who is also the founder of the facility, we want to explore on the possibilities of addressing mind perception about cocaine addiction with a view of finding lasting solutions to the scourge of addiction.

Understanding craving
Describing craving
Identifying triggers
Avoiding cues
Coping with craving

Addressing mind perception about cocaine addiction: Describing craving

Having understood what cravings is our next point would be to get the essential sense of the patients’ experience of craving. This can be very broad and may include having the knowledge about the following information.

What is craving like for you? – Doctor Akoury says that cravings or urges as it is commonly known is experienced in many different of ways by different patients. Like for instance an individual could say, the experience is primarily somatic that is to say, a patient would just get a feeling in the stomach or the heart races or just start smelling the element being craved for. For others, craving is experienced more cognitively; like for example one would say that “I need it now” or “I can’t get it out of my head” or “It calls on me.” Or it may be experienced effectively; for example, “I get nervous” or “I’m bored.” Depending on your individual experience, it is important that when seeking for help, you let your therapist know your experience with craving, this way they will be able to get to the roots of the problem and offer solutions effectively.

Are you bothered by craving? – There is tremendous variability in the level and intensity of craving reported by patients. For some, achieving and maintaining control over craving will be a principal treatment goal and take several weeks to achieve. Other patients deny they experience any craving. Gentle exploration with patients who deny any craving especially those who continue to use cocaine often reveals that they misinterpret a variety of experiences or simply ignore craving when it occurs until they suddenly find themselves using. Other, abstinent patients, who deny they experience any craving often, when asked, admit to intense fears about relapsing.

How long does craving last for you? – In this journey doctor Akoury says that to make the point about the duration and nature of craving, it is often very important for professionals to point out to their patients that they have rarely let themselves experience an episode of craving without giving in to it.

How do you try to cope with it? – Getting a sense of the coping strategies used by patients will help the therapist identify their characteristic coping styles and select appropriate coping strategies.

Addressing mind perception about cocaine addiction: Identifying triggers

The next point to focus on would be the identification of the triggers to the substance of abuse. It is important that therapists should work very closely with their patients to develop a comprehensive list of their own triggers. Some patients become overwhelmed when asked to identify cues. From experience doctor Akoury says that when handling addicts, you will notice that someone may even associate breathing with cocaine use. Again, it may be most helpful therefore to concentrate on identifying the craving and cues that have been most problematic to the patient in recent weeks. This should commence immediately during the therapy session and this should include self-monitoring of craving so that patients can begin to identify new and more subtle cues as they arise.

Addressing mind perception about cocaine addiction: Avoiding cues

When considering the avoidance of cues it is always advisable that you keep in mind the general strategy of “recognize, avoid, and cope.” These strategies are particularly applicable to craving for all substances and not necessarily cocaine. Doctor Akoury says that real experts would first identify the patients’ most problematic cues then make an exploration of the degree to which some of those could be avoided. This will come with certain sacrifices including breaking ties or reducing contact with individuals who use or supply you with cocaine, getting rid of paraphernalia, staying out of bars or other places where cocaine is used, or no longer carrying money, as in the following example:

Finally in dealing with the minds perception about cocaine addiction one needs not to let any stone unturned. I am saying this because we are all aware that cocaine is an illegal substance but other substances like alcohol which are legal can form a perfect avenue for the consumption of cocaine without being noticed. Besides that the ability to pay for the substance is another point of consideration. When the financial strength allows users to access cocaine could easily form a solution in an alcoholic drink. Therefore experts from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center recommends that for any meaningful treatment to be realized, therapists and other professionals in the line of substance abuse must spend considerable time exploring the relationship between alcohol and cocaine with patients who use them together to such an extent that alcohol becomes a powerful cocaine cue. Specific strategies to reduce, or preferably, stop alcohol use should be explored. We appreciate that doing this may not be easy for many people and that is why doctor Akoury will be readily available on call for you to schedule for an appointment so that any pending or unclear issues relating to addiction can be attended to professionally.

Addressing mind perception about cocaine addiction: Coping with craving of cocaine (part two)

Is it possible to be sober again

September 25, 2015

Is it possible to be sober again: If yes then how?

Is it possible to be sober again? this is the question that many ask and we want to reaffirm that with timely and proper treatment, sobriety is very possible.

If you have been struggling with drug addiction for a long time the word sobriety can be very elusive for your consumption. This is so because if you have made several attempts to quit and each time you try you fail again and again, it is only normal that as human you will be discouraged and ask, “Is it possible to be sober again?” many people have found themselves in such situations and gave up while other who got the guidance of addiction professionals we taken through various treatment programs and eventually recovered from their addiction habits. We therefore want to bring to you the message of hope that sobriety is not only possible to people but it is also very possible in your situation no matter the intensity of your addiction or the length of time you’ve been addicted to the substance you are struggling with. As professionals from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center, we have been on the front line delivering sobriety to millions of our clients and your case will not be an isolated one. Therefore if you are struggling with drug addiction, we want to encourage you that even though you mind is tuned on the negativity that sobriety seem like an impossible goal, it is honestly possible and recovery is always within reach no matter how hopeless your situation seems. With the right attitude giving up will not be an issue. So if this description suits your case we want to invite you to the home of addiction solutions (AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center) under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury (MD) who is a veteran addiction expert of more than two decades of exemplary service to the people across the globe. You can therefore schedule for an appointment with her today for the commencement of your addiction recovery today in the meantime, we want to give you some insight on what you can do in preparation of your journey to full recovery as follows:

Is it possible to be sober again: Make a decision to change

This is often the biggest and most challenging step since most addicts often live in denial. Taking that bold step to change may be an uphill task but even with that we want to encourage you that if this is your problem, then don’t think you are alone, many people have been there and it is actually normal to have the feelings of push and pull about giving up your drug of choice because of the attachment you have built over the years. We will always be there for you because we understand that change is never easy and committing to sobriety involves changing many things some of which may include:

The way you deal with your stressful moments
The people you associate with on a daily basis
The things you do during your free time
How you think about yourself

You may wonder if you’re really ready for all that change or if you have what it takes to quit. Doctor Akoury says that recovering from addiction is a long process, one that requires time, commitment, motivation and support. Besides that you need to be very honest with yourself when embarking on this journey of recovery. On our part we want to give you the following tips to help you in making that very important decision:

It is important that you keep track of your drug usage in terms of quantity and time of usage. Through this you will be able to have a clear sense of the role addiction is playing in your life.
Get to know all the pros and cons of quitting, as well as the costs and benefits of continuing your drug abuse.
Consider the things that are important to you, such as your spouse, children, career and health. How does your drug use affect those things?
Talk it over with someone you trust. Ask the person how he or she feels about your drug use.
Ask yourself if there’s anything preventing you from changing. What are some things that could help you make the change?

Is it possible to be sober again: Explore your treatment options

Doctor Akoury says that once you’ve made the decision to challenge your drug addiction, then it’s now time to explore your treatment choices. As you consider the options, keep the following in mind:

There’s no magic bullet or single treatment that works for everyone – When considering a program, remember that everyone’s needs are different. Drug addiction treatment should be customized to your unique problems and situation. It’s important that you find a program that feels right.

Treatment should address more than just your drug abuse – This is very important because addiction affects your whole life, including relationships, career, health, and psychological well-being. Treatment success depends on developing a new way of living and addressing the reasons why you turned to drugs in the first place. It may have been because of your inability to manage stress, in which case you’ll need to find healthy ways to handle stressful situations.

Commitment and follow through – Drug addiction treatment is not a quick and easy process. In general, the longer and more intense the drug use, the longer and more intense the treatment you’ll need. But regardless of the treatment program’s length in weeks or months, long-term follow-up care is crucial to recovery.

There are many places to turn for help – Not everybody requires medically supervised detox or an extended stint in rehab. The level of care you need depends on your age, drug use history, and other medical or psychiatric conditions. In addition to doctors and psychologists, many clergy members, social workers, and counselors offer addiction treatment services.

Finally having made this worthy decision, it is important that even as you seek help for drug addiction, it’s also important to get treatment for any other medical or psychological issues you may be experiencing. If you need professional assistance then calling the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center should be your starting point because we believe that your best chance of recovery is through integrated treatment for both the substance abuse problem and the mental health problem. This means that we will be able to professionally combined both your mental health and addiction treatment and address them simultaneously and by the time we will be done with you, your life will never be the same.

Is it possible to be sober again: If yes then how?

Tag Archives: Addiction and health