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Solving addiction worries to know the action point

February 26, 2016

Solving addiction worries by asking to know action point: The most points of concern for many

Solving addiction worries

Solving addiction worries must be prioritize as failing to do so is causing family disintegration at an alarming rate.

Some of the problems we go through are only affecting us because we often don’t ask about them. Do you know that solving addiction worries is possible just by being aggressive by asking questions and getting answers to them? The holy book records that “my people don’t find because they don’t ask” are you struggling with this addiction problem and you are just quite there? We want to help you find answers to your problems. Talking to us at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center should be your starting point. This facility take pride in solving problems and your problem is only a problem because you have not shared it. Would you want to get solutions today? Doctor Dalal Akoury MD, President and founder of this facility want to help you and as you continue reading through this content, you will notice that it is about asking and getting answers. Keep reading and make a healthy decision today to live a more robust and healthy life with the experts.

Solving addiction worries by asking to know action point: Is there a difference between physical dependence and addiction?

The answer to this is absolutely yes. It is important to note that besides the chronic and harmful consequences that come with addiction, it is also characterized by the weakness or failure to stop using that particular drug; neglecting or failure to meet work, social, or family obligations; and, occasionally depending on the drug, tolerance and withdrawal. When tolerance sets in, the consequence is that the of physical dependence meaning that the body adapts to the drug, thereby demanding for more of it to achieve a certain effect (tolerance) and eliciting drug-specific physical or mental symptoms especially where there is a sudden stoppage (withdrawal) of the supply/use of the drug in question.

Physical dependence can happen with the chronic use of many drugs—including many prescription drugs, even if taken as instructed. Thus, physical dependence in and of itself does not constitute addiction, but it often accompanies addiction. This distinction can be difficult to discern, particularly with prescribed pain medications, for which the need for increasing dosages can represent tolerance or a worsening underlying problem, as opposed to the beginning of abuse or addiction.

How do other mental disorders coexisting with drug addiction affect drug addiction treatment?

In response to this concern, it is important first to note that drug addiction is not behavior but a disease of the brain commonly coming with other mental disorders. Available statistics indicate that up to 6 in every 10 people struggling with an illicit substance use disorder equally suffer from another mental illness; the same is true with users of licit drugs like tobacco and alcohol. Many of the people struggling with addiction are also suffering from mental disorders what is medically known as co-occurrence condition 9suffering from tow conditions at the same time). Successful treatment for such patients sometimes become very difficult more so if individual conditions are addressed differently. Because of the intertwined condition, both conditions must be assessed and treatment done simultaneously. Experts are in agreement that treating both illnesses simultaneously in an integrated fashion which is generally the best treatment approach for these patients.

Is the use of medications like methadone and buprenorphine simply replacing one addiction with another?

This is a good question but the answer to that is No. these (Buprenorphine and methadone) are prescription drugs only administered under medical experts authorization, they are taken under strict adherence of medical doctors and are safe and effective for treating opioid addiction when used as directed. They are administered orally or sublingually (i.e., under the tongue) in specified doses, and their effects differ from those of heroin and other abused opioids. Like for instance, heroin is administered through injection, snorting or smoked thereby causing an immediate “rush of intense euphoria. The rush is then short lived and in just a little while it wears off and ends in a “crash.” At the point individual will experience an intense craving to use the drug again to stop the crash and reinstate the euphoria. If this is not managed well the cycle of euphoria, crash, and craving may continue repeated several times in a day. This is often the most painful part or stage of addiction which must be addressed in the best and most professional manner.

Solving addiction worries by asking to know action point: Can exercise play a role in the treatment process?

Many people become less active as they approach their sunset days but this is one of the biggest mistakes we often make. And so in response to the question the answer is “Yes.” Exercise should be done regularly and it is increasingly proving to be one of the most attractive components in many treatment programs more so when combined with cognitive-behavioral therapy. Exercise may exert beneficial effects by addressing psychosocial and physiological needs that nicotine replacement alone does not, by reducing negative feelings and stress, and by helping prevent weight gain following cessation.

How does drug addiction treatment help reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C (HCV)?

Looking at the mode of administration of most of these drugs, they are mostly administered through injection. And one of the characteristic of drugs is that it causes users to lose focus. It is at this point when the damage is done. When users are drunk the will most likely share the needles they use further putting them at more risk of contracting HIN/AIDS and other STDI. Besides that drug-abusing individuals are likely to engage in risky sexual behavior further subjecting them to the risk of contracting these diseases. Finally by now you must have appreciated why solving addiction worries is very important if we have to live a more healthy life. It is our desire to see you enjoy your life for a very long time. Therefore if you or any one you know is struggling with any kind of addiction, you have an opportunity to redeem yourself by scheduling for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury for professional treatment.

http://regenerativepotential.com/integrativeaddictionconference/

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Mental health healing

Brain detox for successful addiction recovery

November 27, 2015

Brain detox for successful addiction recovery: The genesis of addiction treatment

brain detox

The reason why brain detoxification is essential for mental health is because the brain is the coordinator successful of all bodily functions. It is therefore important that drug abuse be treated across all age groups.

In life if you want to be successful in anything you do, you must be in good health for it to come to pass. When the brain is ailing the whole body will be ailing too and that is why when dealing with the complications of alcohol and drug addiction, the health of the brain is very essential. That is why we want to focus our discussion on the possibilities of brain detox for successful addiction recovery. Experts from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury says that detoxing from drugs or alcohol can be a grueling experience but all the same it must be done because it is actually the genesis of addiction treatment whose primary goal is breaking the cycle of addiction and saving the value of life. And because we are talking about life we must emphasize that the successful detox will mark the beginning of the recovery process and mental health plays a significant role in determining the outcome says doctor Dalal Akoury MD, President and founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center.

Brain detox for successful addiction recovery: The dynamics that fuel complications related to addiction

Still on the role of mental health in successful detox, it is important to note that this will always come with certain challenges because addiction itself is not only a problem but also a serious mental health disease. It is important to note that the very dynamics that fuel the disease of obsession, compulsion, stress, depression and poor judgment just to list a few examples are laid bare during the detox process, this should therefore challenge the patient to withstand the discomforts of withdrawal as and when they come. That actually means that one of the key elements of success in early recovery is the individual attitude. Doctor Dalal Akoury in her over two decades in administering addiction treatment to people across the globe registers that having the wrong attitude can be a primary determinant in the outcome of a course of treatment. Patients are therefore encouraged to remain focus and to fight any signs of denial by all means so that together this problem can be defeated in tis entirely.

One very fundamental fact that we must stay focused on is that withdrawal is a process that can actually kill when not properly managed. This is a condition in which addicts can suffer severe damages and actually when in its most severe form, alcohol or any substance withdrawal can cause complications including but not limited to fever, extreme nausea, delirium, tremors and seizures. Long-term use of anesthetics, especially Benzodiazepines, requires medical intervention in order to successfully eliminate dependency which can effectively be done at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center up on scheduling for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury anytime any day of your choice. It is however important to note that the after-effects of withdrawal can last up to six months. Similarly, withdrawal from heroin or other opiates can cause extreme discomfort, and in the case of Methadone, can cause death. Meanwhile, detox from stimulants such as cocaine and methamphetamine poses fewer medical risks but can cause severe psychological discomfort.

The mental health component that treatment professionals hope for is the willingness to be compliant to cooperate in the brain detox process and hopefully have a goal in mind of long-term recovery. If this component is operative, then treatment can address both addiction and the underlying mental health issues. These underlying issues lie at the heart of addiction problem and are the key to solving it on a continuance basis. When these are identified and successfully addressed, the addict is less likely to feel that he or she must self-medicate in order to feel relief from an intolerable condition and that explains why brain detoxification is very essential in the whole process.

Brain detox for successful addiction recovery: Understanding drugs as one of the dark side of addiction treatment

Several drugs are administered in the treatment of addiction but this too can sometimes pose certain challenges. Like for instance just as an indicator of the scope of the current opioid addiction crisis, we can consider the following:

A single drug, intended to treat addiction, accounted for over one and a half billion dollars in sales annually. Originally billed as a safe alternative to methadone, buprenorphine primarily sold as Suboxone has a mixed history of success and unintended consequences in the world of addiction treatment.

Like methadone, Buprenorphine is an opioid. Opioids are substances that are classified as drug that includes any chemical that resembles morphine or other opiates in its pharmacological effects. The implication of that is that it produces a high besides causing dependency. This also appears to obey the law of diminishing returns in that using more of it does not produce a stronger high and the plateau effect is what makes Suboxone an attractive substitute for addicts seeking to manage their addiction. The inherent dangers of overdose, side effects from adulterants, and exposure to a criminal element when acquiring illegal drugs are all mitigated by taking a prescribed substance designed specifically to offer “harm reduction.” Alternatively, Suboxone is used to shift addicts’ primary addictions, after which a monitored tapering is employed with the ultimate goal of abstinence-based recovery.

Doctor Akoury is registering that although Suboxone, both as a maintenance drug and as an intermediary to abstinence, has had many successes it has its own dark side. The drug is often diverted from legitimate channels, and the profit motive has created a growing niche market. Clinics of dubious respectability dole out the drug with minimum restrictions, and people who don’t require or even like the drug personally buy it at the clinics and sell at a premium. There is enough of a euphoric high that there is a demand for Suboxone as a recreational drug, and now the safety of its use is being called into question. Those are just but a few dark sides of the drugs we often use and therefore we must all be on the look out to ensure that when looking at the role of mental health in successful detox, we do not slip into the dark side of the drugs we use. We all ore one another the duty of care by ensuring that drugs are only used for their intended purpose. You may want to get more clarifications from the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center, by scheduling for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury today.

Brain detox for successful addiction recovery: The genesis of addiction treatment

 

 

 

 

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Heroin Use on the Rise despite Its High Cost of Treatment

February 28, 2015

 Heroin on the Rise despite its High Cost of Treatment

Contrary to the common rule of demand and supply that the use of a product will be high when its price is at the lowest, heroin use has been on the rise in spite of the rise in its cost as well as the cost of treating those who are addicted to the drug.

To begin with, heroin is a highly addictive drug which is also illegal. Heroine is one of the drugs that are not very easy to stop using, thanks to its highly addictive nature and to its adverse withdrawal symptoms. Millions of those using heroine are too scared of its withdrawal effects to even attempt quitting it.  Heroin is made from the resin of poppy plants. Milky, sap-like opium is first removed from the pod of the poppy flower. This opium is refined to make morphine after further refined into different forms of heroin.

Being that the drug is mostly injected; those using this drug do not face its withdrawal side effects but also has high risks of acquiring other diseases that can be transmitted through sharing needles like HIV/AIDS.

How much do Heroin addicts spend on it heroin?

Heroine is one of the rare commodities whose increase in price do not interfere with its consumption. This drug is just as expensive as cocaine as or even slightly more than cocaine in other places but still people use it more in some places than even cocaine. Therefore, there must be some other reasons why people are turning to the use of heroine as opposed to other drugs. The factors that drive people to use of cocaine may not be new and we will explore them in this article. However, there is more than one way to look at the cost of heroine. Some people opine that the cost of heroine just like other goods and services depends on demand and supply and this may be true so it is better to stay away from using this drug even when it is being sold at a throw away price since you may not afford it later when you are now dependent on it. It is quite funny that when it comes to addictive drugs you will be able to access them for free from addicts who are ready to share them with you but when you have become dependent you shall have to find your own ways of getting your daily heroin.

Heroin

There are some hidden costs of using heroin that most people do not even think of. Most people will only be wary of the price of acquiring their daily heroin dosages for their recreational use but they give a blind eye to the real cost that arises when you need to be cured from the side effects of this drug.  A 2000 survey by the U.S. Government found that the cost of heroin addiction to our country may be anywhere from $15 billion to $20 billion dollars per year. Most of this tremendous figure is due to the price tag on treating medical conditions associated with IV heroin use – specifically, HIV/AIDS and hepatitis. The use of heroin has another hidden cost– the societal ills cost. This is the cost that you and I pay when these addicts turn to crime just in a bid to find   money to buy their much needed heroine doses daily.

The cost of getting your daily dosage of heroin to fulfill your craving cannot be compared to the cost of treating all the ills that come with using the drug. The sad truth however is, most people who are using heroin cannot afford to cater for the cost to treat the side effects that come with it. The cost of treating a heroin addict is too expensive to be compared to the mere cost of obtaining a daily dosage no matter how long you are top use the drug before you seek medical attention.

Some of the side effects of heroin

Heroine is often used mainly because of the euphoria that sets in immediately it is used but afterwards a feeling of drowsiness sets in. Just like other drugs of abuse, heroin has myriads of side effects. These may include;

  • Shortness of breath
  • Dry mouth
  • Constricted (small) pupils
  • Sudden changes in behavior or actions
  • Disorientation
  • Cycles of hyper alertness followed by suddenly nodding off
  • Droopy appearance, as if extremities are heavy

Another serious problem with heroine is because of the way it is taken. Mostly heroin is injected. Unfortunately these needles are often shared increasing the spread of such diseases as HIV/AIDS and hepatitis among other diseases. Dependence on heroin is also dangerous.

Heroin overdose is dangerous

heroinOne of the serious problems that will arise in case of heroin overdose is death. Does that sound scary? Even as scary as it sounds many people still indulge in using heroin for mere recreational purposes. However there are measures that are put in place to treat heroin overdose.  Methadone (Dolophine, Methadose) and buprenorphine among other drugs are today used for treatment of heroin overdose. These drugs block the opioid receptors in the brain hence stops the effects of the heroin. However the use of these drugs is highly regulated in different states and hence may not be very accessible to a street user of heroin.

Finally, you need more information to stay away from dependence on heroin and other drugs as these have crippled societies and that is why here at AWAREmed we are dedicated to finding the best solutions to addiction and dependence on substances. Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) is always in the mood of helping any patient to be addiction free. Do not hesitate to call on her for help in managing any sort of chronic pain or any type of addiction as well as other diseases.

 Heroin on the Rise despite its High Cost of Treatment

 

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Buprenorphine and opioids

October 2, 2014

Buprenorphine as Opioid Receptor Antagonist

buprenorphineBuprenorphine is a semi-synthetic opioid derived from thebaine. It is a pain killer and has gained a great deal of notoriety for its ability to interrupt severe opiate addiction, including heroin and methadone addictions. It got approved in 2002 by the FDA for use as an opiate addiction treatment. Dependence on pain drugs is common but very dangerous and that is why buprenorphine is of importance in fighting opioid independence.

Today, buprenorphine is being used in office based treatment of opioid dependent patients. Buprenorphine is a partial mu-opioid receptor agonist. Several clinical studies indicate buprenorphine is effective in managing opioid addiction and dependence. In all of the clinical tests Buprenorphine was found to be more effective than placebo for managing opioid addiction. However, it may not be superior to methadone incase high doses are needed. It is comparable to lower doses of methadone, however. When using buprenorphine, there are critical phases that must be followed. These phases include; include induction, stabilization, and maintenance. Experts advise that Buprenorphine therapy should be initiated at the onset of withdrawal symptoms and adjusted to address withdrawal symptoms and cravings. Advantages of buprenorphine include low abuse potential and high availability for office use. Disadvantages include high cost and possible lack of effectiveness in patients who require high methadone doses. Most family physicians are required to complete eight hours of training before they can prescribe buprenorphine for opioid addiction. Let’s get all the detailed facts here.

It is estimated that 898,000 adults in the United States are opioid dependent. Treating opioid dependence as a chronic disorder improves outcomes and opioid maintenance is the most effective way to decrease illicit use in patients who are addicted to opioids. Without opioid maintenance, it will be easy for any user of opiates for pain to be an addict of the same therefore various strategies must be put in place to exercise opioid maintenance for the safety of the patients. Over the past years Methadone has been the treatment of choice in the United States; however, methadone maintenance programs typically have stringent entrance criteria, long waiting lists, and primarily are located in urban areas. It has been verified that only 14 percent of patients who are addicted to opioids are treated in traditional methadone clinics. Research from the 1970s demonstrated that the analgesic buprenorphine (Subutex), a partial mu-opioid receptor agonist, may effectively treat patients with heroin addiction.

In the Drug Addiction Treatment Act of 2000 physicians are authorized to provide office-based treatment for opioid addiction. Through this act physicians are allowed to prescribe Schedule III, IV, or V “narcotic” medications that are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for patients with narcotic-use disorders. In 2002, buprenorphine and combination buprenorphine/naloxone (Suboxone) was approved by the FDA to manage opioid dependence .It is therefore a legally usable drug that is available in health centers and clinics.

How to use

As stated earlier the Management of opioid addiction with buprenorphine can be divided into three phases: induction, stabilization, and maintenance. The induction phase includes the initial transition from illicit opioid use to buprenorphine and typically lasts three to seven days. Patient education is important during this phase and should emphasize the risk of precipitating withdrawal if buprenorphine is initiated too soon after opioid use. Generally, buprenorphine should be initiated 12 to 24 hours after short-acting opioid use and 24 to 48 hours after long-acting opioid use. It is preferable for most patients to use combination of buprenorphine/naloxone tablets.  It is however advised that pregnant women who are to use buprenorphine and some patients using long-acting opioids such as methadone should use the buprenorphine-only formulation. For those who are on long- acting opioid use, the methadone dose should be less than 30 mg and the patient should switch to the combination tablet after several days.

When the patient has shown opioid withdrawal symptoms, the initial doses should be administered under physician observation (4/1 mg buprenorphine/naloxone or 2 mg buprenorphine if the patient is dependent on a long-acting opioid). It is important for the physician to monitor the patient for precipitated withdrawal and excessive side effects like sedation). If the patient continues to exhibit signs of opioid withdrawal after two hours, another 4/1 mg dose of buprenorphine/naloxone should be administered. Patients who are dependent on long-acting opioids should receive 2 mg buprenorphine every one to two hours. The maximum recommended first-day dosage of buprenorphine is 8 to 12 mg. If the patient continues to show signs of withdrawal, the physician may administer adjunctive nonopioid and symptomatic treatments to help the situation.

Difference between methadone and morphine

There are some differences between methadone and morphine. Some of the differences lie in their costs and uses. Here are some of the differences.

Methadone is much cheaper as compared to morphine. For this reason many physicians favor methadone. Methadone also lasts longer than morphine- it lasts ten times longer than morphine. Methadone also lasts longer than morphine in the body. It takes 24 hours while morphine takes only 2-3 hours only in the body. However methadone should not be used for slight pain despite its availability and cheaper cost.

Another difference is that methadone is excreted through urine while morphine is excreted through the liver and bile ducts before its exit in the urine.

 

BuprenorphineThese drugs are also used in different situations. Methadone is mostly used after unsuccessful use of morphine or when the patient has a history of drug abuse. If tis patient is morphine it may lead to relapse hence methadone is considered safer than morphine. Morphine is addictive while methadone is not addictive.

Here at AWAREmed we are dedicated to finding the best solutions to chronic illnesses and that is why Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) is always in the forefront advocating for integrative medicine since it is only through integrative medicine that a person can be healed wholly. Do not hesitate to call on her for help in managing any sort of chronic pain as well as other diseases.

 

Buprenorphine as Opioid Receptor Antagonist

 

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Natural addiction Recovery in Myrtle Beach

December 4, 2013

Natural addiction Recovery

Natural addiction Recovery

Innovative Natural addiction Recovery and Detoxifying Option in Myrtle Beach The need for Natural addiction treatment and detox is in greater demand in Myrtle Beach because the addiction epidemic is on the rise. There has actually been a rise in abuse of prescribed drugs such as hydrocodone and Oxycodone products such as Vicodin and OxyContin. These drugs are typically at first prescribed by a doctor for pain, yet could induce dependency and addiction. To make matters worse about prescribed pills, addicted patients will go from doctor to doctor trying to obtain more prescribed drugs. It’s not merely patients who are experiencing prescription medicine abuse. Even Doctors and Healthcare professionals are suffering from the dis-ease of addiction.  Because of ease of access to prescription drugs, medical professionals, nurses and various other healthcare workers are falling into the addiction trap of prescription drugs. The price we as a nation pay for addiction is scary. Unfortunately few of our dear healthcare professionals have actually promoted the illegal sale and circulation of these drugs. Drug rehabilitation systems substituting narcotic for more addictive drugs like Methadone and Suboxone therapy is likewise causing a  bigger trouble. A drug like Methadone, which is used to assist addicts to detox from hard opioids like heroin, is now one of the most destructive drugs. Because Methadone is much cheaper than Oxycodone it becomes a great affordable substitution.   Furthermore, Methadone is extremely addicting with a detoxification that is pointed out to be more challenging than most other narcotics. The newest drug substitution to Methadone is Suboxone, which is a drug that is more addictive than methadone and presents an extremely tough withdrawal challenge. The drug addiction cycle is a continuous vicious cycle of narcotic substitution. We need to break this cycle of replacing one addictive drug with another more addictive drug. We believe that the most effective Addiction Recovery is not to switch out one medicine with another more habit-forming medicine, but instead to use a Natural addiction treatment to rid the victim from drug addiction.  Natural addiction treatment should leave pills and quick fixes and replace it with total body restoration and NeuroEndocrine Restoration. This is why AWAREmed carries out a revolutionary nutritionally assisted detox program that is based on Natural Addiction Recovery and restorative for neurotransmitters imbalances.  This a Natural Addiction Recovery  is a process that brings the mind back into balance and allows it to be operational as it did prior to the physical reliance on prescribed medicines. This Natural addiction treatment is done without the use of prescription drugs. Our AWAREmed cleansing program is quite reliable. In addition, our Natural Addiction Recovery program focuses on coaching addicted individuals from executives to employees, parents to teens, and mothers to children. The Natural Addiction Recovery program is geared to restore the spirit mind and body using a state of the art Intravenous Amino acid program to restore NeuroEndocrine Balance (NER)

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