How drugs and alcohol affects immune system

September 19, 2015

How drugs and alcohol affects immune system: The dangers of having a weak immune system

How drugs and alcohol affects immune system is very diverse and and complicated but all the same we must do all it takes to eliminate all kinds of addiction to drugs.

Have you ever asked yourself of how drugs and alcohol affects immune system in people’s lives? Do you have any idea how this can be dangerous for your own life? These are some of the concerns we want to address in this discussion and because it involves the soldiers who protects you from attacks of diseases, be my guest as we unlock the potential truth about the benefits of keeping a strong immune system. Now to set the ball rolling, let us find out the professional definition of immune system. Doctor Dalal Akoury (MD) and founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center gives the definition of the immune system as a network of cells, tissues and organs working in solidarity to defend the body against disease, infection and viruses. It therefore means that the immune system is one of the strong pillars that work in defense of our health and the general wellbeing of our lives. Meaning that if this system is damaged or reduced or incapacitated and does not work as efficiently as it should, a person will become vulnerable to attacks by various sicknesses or illness from infections or viruses. Experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center while carrying out research has established that drugs and alcohol are some of the well-known inhibitors of the immune system. And the consequences of that can only mean that those who abuse substances of whatever kind will lose their foot soldiers that defend then to the various attacks and therefore when they are attacked and fall sick, they are likely to take longer period of time to heal from their infections in relation to other people with stronger immune system.

Doctor Akoury reiterates that the implications can be very disturbing when the immune system is deficient in anyone’s life. Under this circumstances if a person abuses drugs or alcohol, such persons shall be subjecting their health to increased risk of contracting certain diseases including pneumonia, respiratory infections, blood-borne viruses such as HIV or Hepatitis and sexually transmitted diseases. Besides that, if they have a predisposition to cancer, heart disease or kidney disease, these conditions are more likely to occur. The list of substances that are likely to be abused by people is endless and the following are just but a few for the purpose of this discussion:

Alcohol
Marijuana
Methamphetamine
MDMA and Club drugs
HIV/AIDA and Hepatitis

And as we have already mentioned the list is endless and for the purpose of this discussion we are going to focus on alcohol and marijuana and the remaining three we will handle in our next article, but before we get to that let us first familiarize ourselves with the effects of binging on drugs and other substances.

How drugs and alcohol affects immune system: Effect of binging on drugs

Exhaustion as a result of binging on drugs or alcohol can be a significant cause of illness. When a person binge drinks, they may cause their body to go into toxic shock from the large amount of alcohol in their bloodstream. Secondary infections or damage to the liver can have life-long consequences. Doctor Akoury says that binging on drugs like for instance methamphetamine, cocaine or heroin can cause people to become dehydrated and seriously ill. The impact of dehydration, mental and physical exhaustion, sleeplessness and lack of food can have a long term impact on a persons’ health more so if the individual is of weak immunity. And with such implications the immune system will be at a high risk of being overrun with infection and disease and anecdotal evidence suggests that many people will have flu-like symptoms after a binge.

How drugs and alcohol affects immune system: Alcohol

Alcohol is one of the most abused substances and it is well known to cause long-term and serious consequences for a person’s body and mind. There are many diseases that are known to be caused by alcohol consumption which are chronic and dangerous. Alcohol also impedes the ability of the immune system to fight infection and disease. Excessive alcohol consumption or long term alcohol abuse can lead to immune deficiency in two ways:

Nutritional deficiency and
Reducing white blood cells

Alcohol impairs the normal digestion of nutrients due to damage caused to the cells in the digestive tract and by interfering with the secretion of enzymes needed for digestion. Alcohol can also impede the ability of the liver to store important vitamins. It has also been shown that drinking too much can prevent the body from absorbing enough protein. Therefore when consumed in excess, alcohol can reduce the ability of white cells to kill germs. High doses of alcohol suppress the ability of the white blood cells to multiply and inhibit the action of killer white cells on cancer cells. This can lead to the development of life threatening conditions such as liver cancer or liver disease.

How drugs and alcohol affects immune system: Marijuana

Smoking marijuana, or any substance, can have a negative effect on the immune system. Various studies have established that smoking marijuana causes damage to very sensitive cells in the lungs and increases the risk of contracting diseases and bacterial infections. Marijuana is known to contain more carcinogenic chemicals than tobacco smoke and because of the way the drug is inhaled deeply and held for longer than cigarette smoke these chemicals can cause severe respiratory damage. Some research has suggested that the active chemical in marijuana, THC, impairs the immune system from fighting disease. However, this research is not conclusive and further testing is required. The inhaled smoke from marijuana is often combined with tobacco which is known to cause significant damage to lungs, including the leading cause of lung cancer and emphysema. Pulmonary infections, pneumonia, respiratory infections and cancer are all real risks associated with smoking marijuana. Chronic bronchitis, impairment of air passages, inflammation of lungs and development of abnormalities in the bronchial lining and lungs are also commonly associated issues.

Finally knowing how drugs and alcohol affects immune system is not just important but should be a must for all concern people. This will not only help as an individual to take precaution in your own situations, but also to be of help to other people who may be struggling with addiction. Therefore if you or any one you know is struggling with addiction you can help them by scheduling for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury today for a more professional touch that will resuscitate their immunity to normalcy.

How drugs and alcohol affects immune system: The dangers of having a weak immune system

The crimes of terrorism and legalizing drug use

August 20, 2015

The crimes of terrorism and legalizing drug use: The association between crime and drug addiction

The crimes of terrorism and legalizing drug use are two different things that must be dealt with soberly if we have to keep and maintain a healthy and peaceful society.

We are living at a time when very many things you would not imagine happening in life. The rate of crime is escalating and becoming very sophisticated every day. Many lives are lost in one single act of crime thanks to the availability of drugs in the market that has made criminals to get the psych for crime. Because of this the global safety is not guaranteed and that is why we want to focus our discussion on the crimes of terrorism and legalizing drug use in our states. Will this real help put to check this problem that is causing a lot of fear among people in the society? This is a subject that can be debated endlessly and therefore we want to engage the services of doctor Dalal Akoury (MD) who besides being a veteran addiction expert of several decades is also the founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center. This facility was formulated primarily to help people who are struggling with any form of addiction regain their lives and be productive in the society.

Doctor Akoury is registering that it is regrettable that dealing in illicit drugs is continually becoming a very big business not just in your country but across the globe. Today we have very many organized and dangerous drug cartels in most countries that are deeply rooted in this killer business and the most painful part of this is that they are using the proceeds accruing from their criminal activity to raise more havoc in the societies. These cartels are causing a lot of constrain in the delivery of security services in some states since a lot of efforts are put in ensuring that their activities do not cause harm to the innocent citizens. In the process of doing this other sectors may be compromised which means that the status quo is likely to continue for very long time if the drugs continues to be affordable and easily accessible in the market as it is now in most streets of our cities across the globe.

The crimes of terrorism and legalizing drug use: Should drug use be legalized?

As the debate rages on doctor Akoury states that one of the ideas put forward in this discussion is that of legalizing drugs. Those who are supporting this view argue that it would facilitate and help in the reduction of crime especially those that are associated with drug abuse. Their point is that when dealing in drug is legal then chances are that addicts would not have to resort to criminal behavior to fund their habit. The costs of drugs could be put to check by setting rates which addicts could afford without having to steal in order to get the supply. Besides that they also elude that these drugs could also be taxed and the revenue realized from these could be used to fund drug rehabilitation treatment. Alongside with that this school of thought is also seeing the possibility of realizing reduction in the attraction to drugs. To them many people will often be curious at things that are prohibited and restricted and so by allowing its use this will be eliminated hence the reduction of substance abuse.

Nonetheless the opposing views is very categorical that the effects of drug abuse is so devastating that letting people lose to it will kill the moral fabric of the society and most importantly, we are going to register very disturbing figures in terms of death, sicknesses and crime due to more addictions. Besides that the reason of revenue is inconsequential as this would place an extra burden on taxpayers, the authorities and the State as a whole in the logistics of caring and administration of treatment to the increased number of people being addicted to the drugs.

If you are still with us in this discussion I want to believe that we are heading somewhere. Now that we are progressing well doctor Akoury possess this concern, “what do you do with those people who are addicted to committing an offences day in day out?” remember that these people may or may not be addicted to drugs but one common denominator the have is that they have an addiction, which in this case is addiction to crime. These are very tricky occurrences and we will be lying to ourselves if we say that we understand because for sure there is no easy answer to this debate will still continue. However it is important to pick certain points in this all issue and appreciate that the questions raised are very pertinent and cannot just be ignored. That is why professionally it is said that prevention is better than cure therefore you do not willfully create a problem because you have the mechanisms of solving it says doctor Dalal Akoury.

The crimes of terrorism and legalizing drug use: Addiction and crime prevention measures

It has been suggested that unless we can change human nature itself then crime will always be with us. Crime is normally first propagated in the mind before it’s execution and so the wellness of the mind is a perfect remedy for everyone. Doctor Akoury is of the strong opinion that while we appreciate that drug addiction is well connected with crime, the two can be separated and each can be dealt with individually and in isolation. It will be an uphill task for the authority to ensure that drug barons are arrested because many of them are always walking free while their little clients are the ones being arrested and when they are arrested, the have the resources to buy their way out into the street again. This element of corruption must stop for our society to be safe.

Finally and on the professionals point of view, the option of treatment is the best and for this to yield any meaningful fruits, it is highly recommended that we all engage the services of real professionals in addiction to help in addressing this problem. Therefore to start you off this long journey of addiction recovery and reduction of crime levels from our societies, it will be very important for you if you are struggling with any form of addiction to schedule for an appointment with the home of experts (AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center) under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury today for the commencement of your recovery process immediately.

The crimes of terrorism and legalizing drug use: The association between crime and drug addiction

Is malnutrition related to substance abuse

August 10, 2015

Is malnutrition related to substance abuse: The significance of alcohol addiction in malnutrition?

Is malnutrition related to substance abuse? this question came at the right time since currently addiction of all substances is on the rise and this is killing the good healthy habits including healthy feeding habits.

Food is very essential for anyone’s life and well-being. From the food stuff we eat we are able to get the constant supply of the energy we need to keep a float and to be productive in our daily undertakings. Even though when food is not taken the right way could also cause certain complications, it is very good and rich in nutrients which are the driving forces in the proper functionalities of our bodies. In one of the forums where doctor Dalal Akoury a veteran expert in addiction was addressing professionals in different health sectors, she posed a question that is malnutrition related to substance abuse? That question is going to form the focus of our discussion with a view of finding out the significance of alcohol addiction in malnutrition. Ideally alcohol addiction and malnutrition are two different elements that must not be allowed to have any relationship let alone one being a victim of either or both. Therefore doctor Akoury is kicking off the discussion with finding out the nutritional status of what we feed on as follows.

Is malnutrition related to substance abuse: Nutritional status?

According to the experts from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center a facility which was established by doctor Akoury the general observation suggests that many alcoholics in many cases do not actually feed on a well-balanced diet. And besides, excessive alcohol consumption may interfere with these alcoholics’ ability to absorb and use the nutrients they do consume. Accordingly, many alcoholics suffer from various degrees of both primary and secondary malnutrition, where primary malnutrition occurs when alcohol replaces other nutrients in the diet resulting in an overall reduction of nutrient intake. Secondary malnutrition occurs when the drinker consumes adequate nutrients but alcohol interferes with the absorption of those nutrients from the intestine so they are not available to the body.

The most severe malnutrition, which is accompanied by a significant reduction in muscle mass, generally is found in those alcoholics who are hospitalized for medical complications of alcoholism (e.g., alcohol–related liver disease or other organ damage). According to the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center if these patients continue with their drinking habits, the consequence would be that they will lose additional weight; conversely, if they abstain from drinking, they will gain weight. This pattern applies to patients with and without liver disease.

Is malnutrition related to substance abuse: Alcohol’s effects on digestion and absorption of essential nutrients?

Alcohol consumption, particularly at heavy drinking levels, not only influences the drinker’s diet but also affects the metabolism of those nutrients that are consumed. Thus, even if the user takes in sufficient proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals, deficiencies may still develop if those nutrients are not adequately absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract into the blood, are not broken down properly or are not used effectively by the body’s cells. Two classes of nutrients for which such problems occur are proteins and vitamins.

Is malnutrition related to substance abuse: Amino acids and proteins?

Proteins are essential components of all cells. They help maintain the cell’s structure, transport certain substances in and out of cells, and act as enzymes that mediate almost all biochemical reactions occurring in the cells. Proteins are composed of approximately 20 different building blocks called amino acids. Many of these amino acids can be produced by the body itself from various precursors or are recycled when proteins that are damaged or are no longer needed are broken down or degraded. Other amino acids however, must be acquired through diet. Alcohol can interfere with the uptake of these essential amino acids.

Patients with chronic liver failure also exhibit a number of defects in protein metabolism. These include decreased production of proteins in the liver that are secreted into the blood decreased urea synthesis, and decreased metabolism of a group of amino acids called aromatic amino acids. These defects have important clinical consequences:

Is malnutrition related to substance abuse: Vitamins?

Vitamins are molecules that are present in small amounts in various foods and are essential for normal metabolism; insufficient vitamin levels in the body can lead to serious diseases. Alcoholics, even without liver disease, tend to have clinical and/or laboratory signs of deficiencies in certain vitamins, particularly vitamins B₁ (thiamine), B₂ (riboflavin), B₆ (pyridoxine), and C (ascorbic acid), as well as folic acid. The severity of these deficiencies correlates with the amount of alcohol consumed and with the corresponding decrease in vitamin intake.

Is malnutrition related to substance abuse: A person’s nutrition affects liver function?

Malnutrition, regardless of its causes, can lead to liver damage and impaired liver function. For example, children in underdeveloped countries whose diets do not contain enough protein can develop a disease called kwashiorkor. One symptom of this disorder is the accumulation of fat in the liver, a condition known as fatty liver. Studies performed during and after World War II indicated that severe malnutrition also could lead to liver injury in adults. However, in these cases other factors, including exposure to certain toxins or parasites that are prevalent in war–ravaged or underdeveloped countries, may have exacerbated the relationship between liver injury and poor nutrition.

Doctor Akoury registers that because malnutrition also is common in alcoholics, clinicians initially thought that malnutrition, rather than alcohol itself, was responsible for alcohol–induced liver injury. Over the past decades, however, a more balanced view has evolved. Studies in humans, primates, and rodents have established that alcohol can cause liver damage even in well–nourished people.

In conclusion, doctor Akoury reports that it is becoming clear that nutritional effects and the toxic effects of alcohol often are intertwined at the biochemical level. Like for instance, alcohol induces the MEOS to break down alcohol. Similarly, alcohol promotes the breakdown of nutrients such as vitamin A, of which alcoholics may already consume too little with their diet. Therefore for us to be safe from all these malnutrition, our starting point should be the elimination of drug addiction from our societies and life system and that is where doctor Dalal Akoury a well-respected addiction expert of several decades come in. if this describes your situation, then it is important that you call doctor Akoury today to schedule or an appointment with her for the commencement of your addiction recovery treatment program today.

Is malnutrition related to substance abuse: The significance of alcohol addiction in malnutrition?

Dealing with multiple cases of drug addiction

August 6, 2015

Dealing with multiple cases of drug addiction: The toxic effects of multiple addictions

Dealing with multiple cases of drug addiction will not only help you health wise but also keep you in good books with the law enforcement agencies.

Multiple drug addiction will always occur when the elements of addiction is more than one at any given time. In other words any two, three or more psychoactive substances at a time causes what is referred to us multiple of addiction. Even though there is no particular pattern by which multiple addiction may occur, from experience there can be various combinations of drugs from different classes that when put together will cause multiple of drug addiction. Like for instance the most frequent drugs combinations includes: heroin and cocaine; cocaine and alcohol; heroin and MMDA (ecstasy); heroin and THC (marijuana); alcohol, amphetamines, MMDA and THC; benzodiazepines usually take part in every combination. Now with all these combinations you can only ask yourself that do we have solutions to multiple cases of addictions. We will find solution from our topic of discussion today which is “dealing with multiple cases of drug addiction”.

We spoke to the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center an addiction health facility founded by doctor Dalal Akoury (MD) to make a difference in the lives of people who are struggling with substance abuse. From her over two decades of practicing experience doctor Akoury says that drugs taken in combination often potentiate the narcotic effects of each other. Their addictiveness, narcotic properties and toxic effects on the body arise. In situations like this, withdrawal symptoms become more severe and prolonged. The pathological attraction to drugs (craving) reaches the point of paranoia. The processes of physical and mental degradation are accelerated by several times. It is important to note that with multiple drug addiction, detrimental health consequences will become irreversible after 3-4 years of drug abuse. It therefore means that if you are going through this complication, then it is time for you to seek for help immediately from the house of the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center today.

Dealing with multiple cases of drug addiction: Combination of alcohol and cocaine

The most common and highly dangerous version of multiple drug addiction currently is a combination of alcohol and cocaine. The combination of Cocaine and alcohol in body creates a highly toxic chemical called Coca-ethylene the only known example of creating a third drug following the ingestion of two others. Coca-ethylene’s powerful euphoric effects help to explain the increasing attraction of combining alcohol and cocaine. The combined use of alcohol and cocaine can produce a sense of increased and prolonged euphoria, compared with the use of either substance isolated. However, Coca-ethylene has not only a pronounced euphoric effect but also possesses the life-threatening properties. It is not only toxic for liver, but it is also blamed for heart attacks and in a surge of social problems. Many who consider themselves social users for whom a line or two of cocaine coupled with a few drinks in a bar is a weekly or monthly event – don’t consider the health implications of drug addiction.

Its side-effects threaten to become tragically familiar as they take their toll on users. In UK for example a study was conducted and the result of the study established that there was some 20% increase in the number of young people (from 16 to 24-year old) taking the drugs every year. The number of people under 25 who have sought help for cocaine addiction has doubled in just four years. Figures from the study revealed that the number of people going to hospital after overdosing on cocaine has doubled over the past five years. Alcohol plays a significant part in many of these admissions.

Cocaine-related deaths are also increasing in the US. The US National Household Drug Survey estimates that around five million people use alcohol and cocaine each month. The ability of cocaine users to consume vast amounts of alcohol is being blamed for an increase in sexually risky behavior among the young and rising levels of violence. According to some studies conducted in Manchester (UK) suggest that around half of all young people arrested for violent behavior were on drugs, and of these the majority were on cocaine. Many of them were drunk prior to their arrest. There is no question that the use of both alcohol and cocaine is a growing concern. Surveys show people who drink regularly in bars and clubs are more likely to be using alcohol and drugs. This presents challenges to health professionals about how to raise awareness of the health risks.

Dealing with multiple cases of drug addiction: Speedball combination of heroin and cocaine

Another wide spread drug combination is the so called Speedball, when heroin and cocaine ate taken together intravenously in the same syringe or by insulation. Originally the term Speedball was applied only to combination of heroin and cocaine. Nowadays it also can be applied to mixture of any opioids with amphetamines and bezodiazepines. The idea of Speedball is the use of stimulant (Cocaine) and depressant (Heroin) at a time. Combination of “upper” and “downer” is meant to reach the more intense rush of euphoria and the same time to alleviate the negative side-effects of both drugs such as an excessive anxiety and depression. Avoidance the sedative effect of heroin is the most frequent cause of appeal to Speedball. Two substances with opposite effects cause a state of mediator chaos in user’s brain. Incoherence, confusion, drowsiness, blurred vision, motor skills dysfunction, uncontrolled behavior, paranoid delusions, hallucinations, excessive arousal are the typical symptoms of speedball intoxication.

There are two main groups of complications from using the Speedball. The first one comes from cardiovascular toxic effects of Cocaine: irregular heartbeat, blood hypertension, vascular constriction which often result in heart attack/ heart arrest, brain hemorrhage or ischemic stroke. The second one comes from pharmacodynamics of the drugs. The effects of cocaine wear off far faster than those of heroin. Uncovered, isolated effects of heroin may result in severe respiratory depression which is a life threatening condition.

This cocktail of drugs creates a strong physical dependence with all classical symptoms of heroin deprivation (nervousness, sickness, sever muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhea, sweating and etc.) strengthened by symptoms of cocaine withdrawal (insomnia, paranoia, anxiety, restlessness and etc.), lasting even in the case of medical assistance no less than two weeks. Finally by now you must be well conversant with the dangers of drug addiction and you can just imagine that not just one but two or more of the drugs are wreaking havoc in your life in the name of multiple drug addiction. That is why this article was pointing out some of the collaborations drug users can make to even add more problems to their health. Even though multiple cases of drug addiction are increasing daily, this problem can be treated effectively. Therefore if you are struggling with addiction of any kind, be it multiple or otherwise, you can call doctor Dalal Akoury today and book an appointment with her and you will never regret having done so.

Dealing with multiple cases of drug addiction: The toxic effects of multiple addictions

The effects of drugs on clinical depression

July 29, 2015

The effects of drugs on clinical depression: Depression and addiction

The effects of drugs on clinical depression is almost getting out of hand in the current life set up.

The complications of drug addiction and misuse of alcohol will continue to be with us thanks to the life demands in the twenty first century. Everybody is having their own share of life demands and expectations which in many times we often fail to meet. Those failures always form the biggest reasons why people feel depressed and stressed. When these two (depression and stress) are present in ones’ life there will be high chances that some of those people may resort to using drugs to minimize their depressed and stressed situation. And with that in mind, we want to discuss through this article the effects of drugs on clinical depression and stress. Our objective is to inform you of their interrelationship and the best possible means of eliminating them from your life. Meanwhile in one of our discussion forums a question was asked to the experts’ at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury that “does depression cause addiction by triggering a need for intoxication? Or does substance abuse cause depression by changing the way the brain functions?” In response to that, doctor Akoury said that it is important to note that depression and substance abuse intertwine on several levels including the following:

Under normal circumstances depression can trigger drug or alcohol use as a form of self-medication.
Drugs or alcohol can also precipitate depression by altering the brain chemistry.
The effects of intoxication or withdrawal can resemble the signs of a depressive disorder.
The neurological factors that cause depression may predispose the individual to alcohol or drug addiction.

One very challenging thing about depression and drugs is that a lot has been and is still being done to conclusively establish the difference between the two but as things stand now, even to the most experienced clinicians, it can be difficult to tell the difference between clinical depression and the effects of drugs or alcohol. Many of the most widely abused substances are central nervous system depressants, including:

Alcohol: Includes beer and wine as well as hard liquor and spirits
Benzodiazepines: Includes sedative/muscle relaxants like Valium (diazepam), Ativan (lorazepam) and Xanax (alprazolam)
Cannabis: Includes smokable and edible forms of marijuana
Opiates: Includes illicit and prescription drugs derived from opium, such as heroin, morphine, codeine, hydrocodone and oxycodone
Barbiturates: Includes powerful sedatives like Seconal (secobarbital) and Nembutal (pentobarbital)

From the expert’s point of view, doctor Akoury says that substance induced mood disorders occur when the psychological effects of drug intoxication or withdrawal cause abnormal emotional states. Withdrawing from cocaine, meth or other stimulants can cause changes in brain chemistry that lead to severe depression. Depression may also be a side effect of withdrawal from heroin or other opium-based drugs.

The effects of drugs on clinical depression: Symptoms of substance-induced depression

Symptoms of substance-induced depression include: fatigue, poor appetite, lack of concentration, tearfulness, suicidal ideation and they resemble the symptoms of major depressive disorder. And besides that, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the symptoms of substance-induced depression usually does not take long and normally resolve within a few days after the drug is cleared from the patient’s system. However when depression is not diagnosed in good time, getting clean or sober can actually make the symptoms worse. Further to that it is important to appreciate that when alcohol or drugs have been used as a form of self-medication, the depressive symptoms may come to the forefront once the individual has been through detox. Nonetheless in the event that depression is treated in a mental health setting without addressing the problem of substance abuse, the patient may never be motivated to stop abusing drugs or alcohol, and depressive symptoms may never really be resolved.

The effects of drugs on clinical depression: Treatment of depression

First of all it is important to appreciate that depression is a chronic condition that in many instances may never be completely cured. However, its symptoms can be managed effectively through a combination of psychotherapy, behavioral modification training and participation in support groups. Doctor Akoury adds that in the event that talk therapy alone can’t resolve the symptoms of depression, then the application of antidepressant medication can be a valuable addition to the treatment plan. Besides that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has also been proven to be a highly effective method for changing the negative thought patterns associated with depression.

Feelings of hopelessness, low self-worth, and despair are treated as learned thought patterns that can be replaced with positive, self-affirming beliefs. According to JAMA Psychiatry, CBT is an effective therapy for depressed individuals within all age groups, and positive results continue over time. The therapeutic strategies learned in CBT can be applied to co-occurring disorders like anxiety, personality disorders or substance use disorders.

Alongside that doctor Akoury alludes that with consistent, medically supervised use, antidepressant medications can improve symptoms in a matter of weeks. Antidepressants in the SSRI category (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors that is considered to be in the first line pharmaceutical treatment for depression, these medications include popular drugs like Prozac (fluoxetine), paroxetine (Paxil) and citalopram (Celexa). When SSRIs are not effective, older antidepressants in the tricyclic or MAOI (monoamine oxidase inhibitors) may be prescribed instead. And according to the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, depressive symptoms improve with treatment in up to 80 percent of cases. Unfortunately, nearly two-thirds of depressed individuals either do not seek or do not receive treatment for this serious, disabling disorder. Out of those individuals who struggle with both depression and substance abuse, only a small percentage receives research-based, dual diagnosis treatment for both conditions. It therefore means that we still have a lot to do in order to bring these chronic conditions to manageable levels. Finally if you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction, depression or even stress, your help is now within reach just by making a phone call on Tel: 843 213 1480 to schedule for your appointment with the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center today and all your concerns will be professionally addressed.

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