Addressing the problem of alcoholic relapse

June 15, 2015

Addressing the problem of alcoholic relapse: Risks factors for relapse

Addressing the problem of alcoholic relapse is very important in solving the problem of addiction. Many alcoholics who are on treatment often feel discouraged when they relapse, but this should not be the case as relapse in part of the healing process. all you need to do is to pick up the peaces and move on.

Alcoholism is a common problem globally and people of all walks of life are affected in equal measure. Alcoholism like any other drug has no respect to anyone irrespective of your social status, educational background, race, religion or any other you may think of. When treating this problem of addiction, there is bound to be relapse at some point of time either during or even after years of total recovery and abstinence. The efforts made to get alcohol out of your life could be through into the gutters if this problem of relapse is not properly addressed. That is why experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center have made it a priority in this article to formulate the modalities of addressing the problem of alcoholic relapse so that this problem of alcoholism can be dealt with permanently.

In all addictions relapse is very common and can happen to a patient several time during treatment or even after. Doctor Akoury is making it clear that the fact that relapses is almost inevitable, this should not cause any problem or even discouragement. Instead it should be seen as part of the treatment process and not really a failure on the part of the patient. As a matter of fact it this ever happens to you, you are only going to add on to the statistics. In other words, you are not going to be the first person to have been through this neither are you going to be the last. Therefore it will interest you to know that more that 80% and probably more have been affected with this problem of relapse, so never get scared it you relapse instead you should pick up the pieces and get back your focus to the objective of defeating the problem of whatever addiction you are struggling with. However in this journey of addiction recovery, knowledge in very important. Having your facts right will always help you deal with the problem as and when it comes. Therefore the following are some of the factors that will place one at a high risk of relapsing: Frustration and anger, social pressure and internal temptation. With this you will be able to take the appropriate action and in good time.

Addressing the problem of alcoholic relapse: Risk Factors

It is amazing that even with obvious health risk of alcohol people are still very much into drinking. It has become a global problem with the west taking the lead in alcohol abuse. America for example is struggling with this problem of alcohol abuse with most under age getting into drinking habit. Most American adults drink at levels that put them at risk for alcohol dependence and alcohol-related problems. Let us therefore look at some of the risk factors for alcohol dependence and they may include:

Addressing the problem of alcoholic relapse: Age

Drinking in Adolescence – we all know that alcohol consumption is very unhealthy in all dimensions, the risks of alcohol use gets more complicated depending on when one begins taking alcohol and the duration of usage. For instance anyone who begins drinking in adolescence is at risk for developing alcoholism. The earlier a person begins drinking, the greater the risk and so young people at highest risk for early drinking are those with a history of abuse, family violence, depression, and stressful life events. People with a family history of alcoholism are also more likely to begin drinking before the age of 20 and to become alcoholic. Such adolescent drinkers are also more apt to underestimate the effects of drinking and to make judgment errors, such as going on binges or driving after drinking, than young drinkers without a family history of alcoholism.

Drinking in the Elderly Population – Although alcoholism usually develops in early adulthood the elderly are not safe either. They are also affected though in a different way for example those who maintain the same drinking patterns as they age can easily develop alcohol dependency without realizing it. It will take a fewer drinks to become intoxicated, and older organs can be damaged by smaller amounts of alcohol than those of younger people. Besides all these, many medications prescribed for older people interact adversely with alcohol.

Addressing the problem of alcoholic relapse: Gender

There is no doubt that majority of alcohol users are men though the women population drinking is also rising by the day. Studies suggest that women are more vulnerable than men to many of the long-term consequences of alcoholism. For example, women are more likely than men to develop alcoholic hepatitis and to die from cirrhosis, and again they are more vulnerable to the brain cell damage caused by alcohol.

Addressing the problem of alcoholic relapse: Psychiatric and Behavioral Disorders

Psychiatric Disorders – Severely depressed or anxious people are at high risk for alcoholism, smoking, and other forms of addiction. Likewise, a large proportion of alcohol-dependent people suffer from an accompanying psychiatric or substance abuse disorder. Either anxiety or depression may increase the risk for self-medication with alcohol. Depression is the most common psychiatric problem in people with alcoholism or substance abuse. Alcohol abuse is very common in patients with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

Long-term alcoholism itself may cause chemical changes that produce anxiety and depression. It is not always clear, then, whether people with emotional disorders are self-medicating with alcohol, or whether alcohol itself is producing mood swings.

Finally, I believe you’re up to date with the social aspects of alcohol use. In our introduction we illustrated how relapse is a common happening in addiction treatment and probably this is your area of concern. If that describes your situation then you are the person am looking for because am offering an opportunity to get over it in the most professional way. It is important to appreciate that you cannot go through it your own, you will need the opinion of experts in this line and Dr. Dalal Akoury who is also the founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center is the person you need right now. She made a decision to create a medical center whose main objective is to transform each individual’s life through increasing awareness about health and wellness and by empowering individuals to find their own inner healing power. Dr. Akoury’s practice focuses on personalized medicine through healthy lifestyle choices that deal with primary prevention and underlying causes instead of patching up symptoms. I beseech you to take the first step of scheduling for an appointment with this great professional for the commencement of your treatment today.

Addressing the problem of alcoholic relapse: Risks factors for relapse

Common signs and symptoms of alcohol abuse

May 29, 2015

Common signs and symptoms of alcohol abuse: The Identification mechanism of alcohol addiction

Common signs and symptoms of alcohol abuse are very necessary in the recovery process

It may not be very practical for anyone to candidly talk about alcohol abuse if the individual is not privy to the information about certain common signs and symptoms of alcohol abuse. It therefore means that you cannot purport to be dealing with the problem of alcohol abuse if you are not in the know of the signs and symptoms of the substance. This is what doctor Dalal Akoury is going to help us understand for a couple of minutes in this article and you don’t want to miss on the expertise of this great and experienced addiction professional of over two decades of offering lasting treatment solutions to her clients. You too can be part of her great team of fully recovered alcoholic and join in the long list of positive testimonies by scheduling for an appointment with her today for the commencement of your recovery journey. In the meantime let us get back to the subject of discussion. The following will be some of the indicators that you may be jumping into alcohol addiction at a very high speed:

If you have been repeatedly neglecting your responsibilities at home, work, or school because of your drinking. Like for instance, performing poorly at work, flunking classes, neglecting your kids, or skipping out on commitments because of your drinking hung over.
Using alcohol in situations where it’s both physically, socially, morally and psychologically dangerous like for example, drinking and driving, operating machinery while intoxicated, or mixing alcohol with prescription medication against doctor’s orders.
When you are ever experiencing repeated legal problems with the law enforcement agencies on account of your drinking. For example, being arrested for driving under the influence or for drunk and disorderly conduct.
Continuing to drink even though your alcohol use is causing problems in your relationships. Getting drunk with your buddies, for example, even though you know your wife will be very upset, or fighting with your family because they dislike how you act when you drink.
Drinking as a way to relax or de-stress. Many drinking problems start when people use alcohol to self-soothe and relieve stress. Getting drunk after every stressful day, for example, or reaching for a bottle every time you have an argument with your spouse or boss.

Common signs and symptoms of alcohol abuse: The path from alcohol abuse to alcoholism

Not all alcohol abusers become full-blown alcoholics, but it is a big risk factor. Sometimes alcoholism develops suddenly in response to a stressful change, such as a breakup, retirement, or another loss. Other times, it gradually creeps up on you as your tolerance to alcohol increases. If you’re a binge drinker or you drink every day, the risks of developing alcoholism are greater.

Common signs and symptoms of alcohol abuse: Signs and symptoms of alcoholism (alcohol dependence)

Alcoholism is the most severe form of problem drinking. Alcoholism involves all the symptoms of alcohol abuse, but it also involves another element: physical dependence on alcohol. If you rely on alcohol to function or feel physically compelled to drink, you’re an alcoholic.

Tolerance

Under normal circumstances, this is often the major warning sign of alcoholism. If your answer to these questions is yes, then tolerance is clearly observable. Do you have to drink a lot more than you used to in order to get buzzed or to feel relaxed? Can you drink more than other people without getting drunk? These are signs of tolerance, which can be an early warning sign of alcoholism. Tolerance means that, over time, you need more and more alcohol to feel the same effects.

Withdrawal

After tolerance withdrawal comes in second as one of the major warning sign of alcoholism and a gain if your answer to these questions is yes then it is easy to conclude that alcoholism is knocking on your door. Do you need a drink to steady the shakes in the morning? Drinking to relieve or avoid withdrawal symptoms is a sign of alcoholism and a huge red flag. When you drink heavily, your body gets used to the alcohol and experiences withdrawal symptoms if it’s taken away. These include:

Anxiety or jumpiness
Shakiness or trembling
Sweating
Depression
Headache
Insomnia
Irritability
Nausea and vomiting
Loss of appetite
Fatigue

Doctor Akoury notes it is important to take into account that in severe cases, withdrawal from alcohol can also involve hallucinations, confusion, seizures, fever, and agitation. It is therefore very important that as soon as these symptoms are identified, timely action must be taken because they can be dangerous; therefore schedule for an appointment with doctor Akoury and let treatment begins without any further delays.

Other signs and symptoms of alcoholism (alcohol dependence)

You’ve lost control over your drinking. You often drink more alcohol than you wanted to, for longer than you intended, or despite telling yourself you wouldn’t.
You want to quit drinking, but something is just pulling you back making you to embrace the fact that you can’t. You have a persistent desire to cut down or stop your alcohol use, but your efforts to quit have been unsuccessful.
You have given up other activities because of alcohol. You’re spending less time on activities that used to be important to you (hanging out with family and friends, going to the gym, pursuing your hobbies) because of your alcohol use.
Alcohol takes up a great deal of your energy and focus. You spend a lot of time drinking, thinking about it, or recovering from its effects. You have few if any interests or social involvements that don’t revolve around drinking.
You drink even though you know it’s causing problems. For example, you recognize that your alcohol use is damaging your marriage, making your depression worse, or causing health problems, but you continue to drink anyway.

Common signs and symptoms of alcohol abuse: Drinking problems and denial

Finally doctor Akoury says that denial is one of the biggest obstacles to getting help for alcohol abuse and alcoholism. The desire to drink is so strong that the mind finds many ways to justifying drinking, even when the consequences are obvious. Therefore if you find yourself justifying your drinking habits by lying about them or refusing to discuss the subject, take a moment to consider why you’re so defensive. If you truly believe you don’t have a problem, there should be no reason for you to cover up your drinking or make excuses.

Common signs and symptoms of alcohol abuse: The Identification mechanism of alcohol addiction

Topamax and Alcoholism Treatment

May 22, 2015

Role of Topamax in Alcoholism Treatment

Topamax Alcoholism is serious problem that many people are still battling with today. After consuming alcohol for a long time, the brain chemistry becomes altered and there the brain becomes dependent on alcohol to function properly. Any person who is trapped in alcoholism may find it very hard to creep out of it, courtesy of cravings. for a person to be treated effectively of alcoholism he needs to have these cravings brought down without which all the possible positive outcomes during the treatment will all be in vain as very few people will be able to resist the craving for alcohol. Today almost a third of Americans who drink wine, spirits, beer and other alcoholic beverages are considered problem drinkers, meaning that they are at risk of becoming alcohol dependent, according to a 2005 study in the American Family Physician journal. Alcoholism is the final stage of alcohol addiction and it affects about 12 percent of the population. However alcoholism is not a problem of the Americans alone, it is a problem of the world, even in Middle East which was once considered an alcohol free territory has alcohol addicts.

Some of symptoms of alcoholism include;

Intense craving for alcohol
Inability to stop taking alcohol
Binge drinking
Other symptoms include; Nausea, sweating, shakiness, restlessness, or anxiety after drinking has stopped

The need for alcoholism treatment has led to rise of certain drugs that have been in use for some time. Alcohol dependence is a serious problem and FDA approved certain drugs like disulfiram (Antabuse and generic), naltrexone (ReVia, Vivitrol, and generic), and acamprosate (Campral). However these drugs haven’t been very successful in treating alcoholism as most of them had to be effective only when the patient has abstained from alcohol. This is surely a problem for alcohol cravings can never allow an addict to abstain before the problem is addressed. Therefore the need for a drug that could work even when the patient is still drinking rose. Topamax is the drug that was found to be effective in treatment of alcoholism as it could work without the need of the addict stopping the use of alcohol; Topamax was found to be very successful in treating volunteers who were still drinking heavily, according to a new analysis by the American Society of Health-Systems Pharmacists. However effective it is, topiramate is not approved by the FDA to treat alcohol dependence.

The drug is approved for treatment of certain types of seizures and as remedy for some conditions like migraine headaches. topiramate is also used as an off-label to combat alcoholism because it does not only not only quell other effects of alcohol but also appears to correct the brain chemistry imbalance caused by chronic drinking which includes a decrease in rewarding effects in the brain from continued alcohol consumption.

Speaking about the effectiveness of topiramate in treatment of alcoholism, Henry R. Kranzler, M.D., associate scientific director of the Alcohol Research Center at the University of Connecticut had this to say, “The advantages of topiramate are that it works well and can be used in people who are actively drinking,” however Kranzler emphasized the negative effects of using the drug to treat alcoholism, “But it causes troublesome side effects, especially memory and thinking problems and sedation. To minimize them, the dosage must be increased slowly over as long as eight weeks, which requires multiple doctor visits and means patients, may not achieve results as quickly as they would with another medication.” therefore it must be administered by a qualified doctor who’ll know the right dosage.

How effective is topiramate in treatment of alcoholism?

There have been some researchers that have been done to show the effectiveness of topiramate in treating alcoholism. In two double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trials, topiramate was found effective as it did not only decrease drinking but also increased abstinence in alcohol-dependent adults. The craving for alcohol was also decreased in one of the two studies and it also improved the quality of life of the addicts. Other problems that are always associated with excessive drinking like blood pressure issues, liver enzyme and increasing cholesterol levels were also remedied. However these two studies were only conducted for 12 to 14 weeks, therefore the long-term effectiveness of the drug could not be determined. Another reason that made these results doubtable was the fact that Topamax manufacturers partly or fully funded these trials.

Topamax In another study that was not blinded, Spanish researchers randomly assigned alcohol-dependent patients to treatment with either topiramate or naltrexone for six months. The patients knew that they were taking the medication and which drug they took. In this study topiramate was found to be very effective in reducing the cravings for alcohol. In another observational study in Spain it was found that topiramate was effective in treating alcoholics who had failed to respond to other standard treatments for alcoholism. It helped reduce craving and drinking in these patients.

The results of these researches are very positive on the use of topiramate in treatment of alcoholism however there is still need to come up with other long term research to help determine whether the use of topiramate for treatment of alcoholism can be beneficial, also the need for accurate dosing should be looked into to minimize chances of the patients suffering gross side effects.

Alcoholism is a menace that should be fought by all means that is why we at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center are committed to availing help to addicts and offering them a place to call home. It does not matter what kind of addiction you are wrestling with right now, just call on Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) today and begin your journey to victory against addiction.

Role of Topamax in Alcoholism Treatment

Alcohol Abuse and Colorectal Cancer

January 21, 2015

Research Shows Alcohol Abuse Can Cause Colorectal Cancer

colorectal cancer In the past few articles we looked into the effects of alcohol abuse in relation to initiating some cancers. Alcohol abuse has been linked to different cancers and this may be because of alcohol’s general effects on the body which includes the following;

Alcohol generates reactive oxygen species. These are chemically reactive molecules that contain oxygen which can damage DNA, proteins, and lipids through the process known as oxidation.

Alcohol also breaks down ethanol present in alcoholic drinks to acetaldehyde, which is a toxic chemical and a probable human carcinogen. This substance is toxic enough to damage both DNA and the genetic materials that make up the genes and this may cause mutation which causes cancer.

Alcohol also impairs the body’s own ability to metabolize and absorb a variety of nutrients that may be associated with a reduction in cancer risk, including vitamin A; nutrients in the vitamin B complex, such as folate; vitamin C; vitamin D; vitamin E; and carotenoids. Absence of these nutrients escalates the risk of cancer. It is also believed to increase the levels of estrogen hormone which is also associated with increased cancer risks.

Alcoholic drinks are also made up of very harmful contents which are mostly introduced during production. These may include nitrosamines, asbestos fibers, phenols, and hydrocarbons which may increase cancer risks.

Colorectal cancer

As the name suggests, colorectal cancer refers to cancers that affect the colon and the rectum. Colon cancer is cancer of the colon, which is at the lower part of the digestive system. On the other hand, rectal cancer is cancer of the rectum which is part of the last inches of the colon. Together these two cancers can be referred to as colorectal cancers. In the colon cancer may begin as small lumps that are non-cancerous clumps of cells known as adenomatous polyps, however these polyps will grow into cancerous cells. At the beginning these polyps will not show any symptom associated with cancer and this may even pose a greater health challenge, therefore it is important to have yourself screened regularly for colorectal cancer. There are several cancers of the colon and rectum but adenocarcinomas are the dominant cancer type constituting up to 95 percent of colorectal cancer but there are other rare types of tumors that are also equally dangerous.

Signs and symptoms of colon cancer

Just like any other disease there are indicators that you may be suffering from colorectal cancers. These signs and symptoms may include;

Persistent abdominal discomfort, such as cramps, gas or pain
A feeling that your bowel doesn’t empty completely
Weakness or fatigue
Unexplained weight loss
Constipation
Diarrhea
A change in consistency of passing stool
Rectal bleeding or blood in your stool

These symptoms though unpleasant may help you to know your status in relation to colorectal cancers and help you seek treatment in good time. However these symptoms may not show at early stages making it hard for colorectal cancer to be detected early. It is therefore advisable to go for screening to help with early treatment. If you notice any symptoms of colon cancer, such as blood in your stool or a persistent change in bowel habits the best you can do is to seek medical help.

Alcohol linked to colorectal cancer

Excessive alcohol consumption has been regarded as a risk factor for developing colorectal adenomas. In a study aimed to investigate the influence of excessive alcohol consumption on the occurrence of colorectal cancer among patients with at least one colonic adenoma done by M Bardou, S Montembault, V Giraud, A Balian, E Borotto, C Houdayer, F Capron, J-C Chaput and S Naveau it was found that In patients with at least one colorectal adenoma, excessive alcohol consumption increases the likelihood of developing high risk adenomas or colorectal cancer. In this study the participants were divided into three groups. All had at least one colorectal adenoma. The first group consisted of 401 heavy drinkers; the second group consisted of 152 patients suffering from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) while the third group consisted of 108 patients with a family history (FH) of colorectal adenoma or cancer. For this study exclusive criteria were anemia, haematochezia, personal history of colorectal adenoma or cancer, and for groups heavy drinking and IBS a family history of colorectal adenoma and/or cancer.

This is not the first study to show this relation between alcohol abuse and colorectal cancer. This relation between alcohol consumption and risk of developing colorectal adenomas has been demonstrated previously by several authors. In a research it was found that the risk of polyps was increased three times for drinkers who did not smoke and 12 times for both drinkers and smokers compared with the risk of total abstainers. Naveau et al found that alcoholism and cirrhosis were two independent risk factors for colorectal adenomatous polyps after successive adjustments for sex, age, smoking, and serum cholesterol levels.

Alcohol addiction is a vice that should be fought by all means that is why we at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center are committed to availing help to addicts and offering them a place to call home. We offer NER Treatment and Amino acid therapy that are the most effective approaches to addiction treatment and recovery. You call on Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) today and begin your journey to victory against addiction.

Alcohol Abuse and Colorectal Cancer

Alcohol Abuse Escalates Liver Cancer Risk

January 19, 2015

Alcohol Abuse and Liver Cancer

Liver cancer is a problem that has affected many people and lots is being done to help alleviate its effects on the world’s population. According to the American cancer society about 24,550 people (17,030 men and 7,520 women) will die of liver cancer. The number of people dying of liver cancer has increased greatly over the past decades. However, this disease has been found to affect men more than it affects women. On average a man’s lifetime risk of getting liver or intrahepatic bile duct cancer is about 1 in 81, while an average woman’s risk is about 1 in 196. On average people who are diagnosed with liver cancer are aged 63 with most of them being 45 years of age or older, the statistics state that more than 95 percent of those affected are aged 45 and above. About 3% are between 35 and 44 years of age and about 2% are younger than 35.

Liver cancer can affects anybody anywhere but researchers have found that it is more common in countries in sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia than in the US. In fact in most of the countries in these regions it has become the most common type of cancer. In the entire world it is reported that more than 700,000 people are diagnosed with liver cancer each year throughout the world. Liver cancer is also a leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, accounting for more than 600,000 deaths each year.

Basing on the statistics above, it is therefore safe to say that liver cancer is a cause for alarm, with the risk of liver cancer growing everyday bearing on the toxins that are present in our environments, it is important to eliminate all the possible risk factors to liver cancer. Alcohol drinking has been linked to liver cancer. It is therefore reasonable to reduce the rate of alcohol you take or better quit it completely, of course you will need professional help to quit it but all the effort will be worth it.

Despite these statistics that have shown that liver cancer is a serious disease that ought to be fought at all costs, there has been controversy on the subject of liver cancer being linked to alcohol use. Past researchers established that drinking alcohol moderately has very many health benefits. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) defines moderate drinking as consumption of 14 drinks per week for men and 7 drinks per week for women. Exceeding these limits increases your risk to other diseases, liver cancer included.

There has been controversy on this topic and this may be because of the fact that alcohol itself doesn’t cause liver cancer but when consumed beyond healthy limits and hence abused for many years it will cause liver cirrhosis. Liver cirrhosis is a major cause of liver cancer and so if alcohol abuse causes liver cirrhosis then it will cause cancer in the long run.

Liver Cirrhosis to Liver cancer

Usually, a person who is addicted to alcohol will drink up to a point that he gets to suffer liver cirrhosis after stopping drinking he will develop liver cancer. Researchers opine that it is somewhat unusual for an actively drinking alcoholic to develop liver cancer. What happens is that when the drinking is stopped, the liver cells try to heal by regenerating. It is during this active regeneration that a cancer-producing genetic change (gene mutation) can occur, which explains the occurrence of liver cancer after the drinking has been stopped.

Alcohol abuse has far more ways to contribute to cancer however its links to liver cancer can majorly be apportioned to development from liver cirrhosis. The fact that alcohol is converted into a toxic chemical called acetaldehyde in our bodies may be considered though it hasn’t been linked specifically to liver cancer. Acetaldehyde can cause cancer by damaging DNA and stopping our cells from repairing this damage. The International Agency for Research on Cancer have classified acetaldehyde formed as a result of drinking alcohol as being a cause of cancer, along with alcohol itself. It also causes liver cells to grow faster than normal. These regenerating cells are more likely to pick up changes in their genes that could lead to cancer.

Alcohol is made up of other carcinogens and these carcinogens interacts with the liver, the liver being a vital filter organ through which every pint of alcohol consumed passes through. When these toxins overburden the liver, it becomes easier for infections that may later escalate into liver cancer to be initiated.

Drug addiction is a vice that should be fought by all means that is why we at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center are committed to availing help to addicts and offering them a place to call home. We offer NER Treatment and Amino acid therapy that are the most effective approaches to addiction treatment and recovery. You call on Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) today and begin your journey to victory against addiction.

Alcohol Abuse and Liver Cancer

Tag Archives: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism