Category Archives: Addiction Courses

Depression and Addiction

January 20, 2015

Dopamine Depletion Causes Depression and Addiction

Depression and addictionThe brain is a complex yet very crucial part of the human body. There are chemicals that are produced by the brain and they work as messengers otherwise known as neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters enable you to have a normal day without mood swings and even control how you relate to everything in your surroundings. The functions of these neurotransmitters can be altered when the levels of these neurotransmitters is changed. Of all the brain chemicals, dopamine is a common one. It is known by many people even out of the medical circles because of ‘its good feelings’ some people associate it with.

Dopamine in itself has many functions. It’s involved in many different important pathways. However, most people can only identify dopamine with such aspects as motivation, addiction, attention, or lust, their knowledge of dopamine is limited to the mesolimbic pathway. It is a pathway which starts with cells in the ventral tegmental area, buried deep in the middle of the brain, which send their projections out to places like the nucleus accumbens and the cortex.

When a person engages in sex, use of drugs or partying the brain will respond by increasing the levels of dopamine released in the nucleus accumbens .However during addiction the dopamine signaling in this area is changed. For any drug to have any pleasurable feeling to the user then the level of dopamine must be increased and this is what causes euphoric feelings that drug users will do anything to achieve.

What causes depletion of dopamine?

It has been a proven fact that stress causes depletion of dopamine. Acute stress affects nerve activities and depletes dopamine. However, major causes of dopamine depletion are through the use of alcohol and other drugs of abuse. when used for few times or for shorter period of time the drugs such as meth, cocaine and even alcohol will induce an increase in the levels of dopamine that is produced by the brain however after repeated long-term use, the brain begins to shutdown dopamine receptors, so when a person is not on a drug, there is very little dopamine left in brain and he will get depressed. This is caused by a chemical imbalance in her brain. With absence of dopamine in areas like the temporal lobe the emotional stability of a person is affected but when it missing in places like the striatum it will cause impaired mental function; a person’s ability to feel or think become affected.

It is because of these feelings that make people addicted to their drugs of use. When you have conditioned your brain to produce high levels of dopamine only when you are using drugs then it will be hard for you to quit using the drugs as every time you try to quit all the withdrawal symptoms, some of which may be too severe sets in and that ties a person to drug use. Causing addiction and dependence thereafter.

Depletion of dopamine can also be caused by poor nutrition. According to the Franklin Institute reports, poor nutrition can cause the levels of dopamine to decrease. The reports explain that alcohol, caffeine and sugar may reduce dopamine levels in the brain. The Franklin Institute recommends consumption of plenty of fruits and vegetables, because they provide antioxidants, which help protect dopamine-using brain cells from free damage. In addition to good nutrition, watching your weight is also a good idea of keeping your dopamine levels in healthy levels as obesity also causes depletion of dopamine.

Low levels of dopamine causes depression

Imbalances in the neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine cause depression. As mentioned earlier, this imbalance may be caused by use of drugs of pleasure or by other diseases. Apart from these two causes, a person may also have a family history of depression and so predisposed to depression a case which makes it rather complicated for the brain to produce the neurotransmitters in required amounts. The brain has a great role to play in inhibiting depression; it has to produce the millions of chemicals it produces in the right amounts everyday failure to which you will be depressed. It’s that complicated.

In the long-term, all drugs and alcohol are brain depressants. In moderate amounts, alcohol does not lead to depression, but abusing drugs or alcohol will definitely lead to depression. This is because they deplete your brain of serotonin and dopamine. Researchers warn that it may take quite a long time for depleted dopamine to be restored and so it is important to avoid abusing drugs.

Depression and AddictionAlcohol abuse almost doubles the risk of depression. In one study that looked at 2,945 alcoholics. Fifteen percent were depressed before they began abusing alcohol, and that number jumped to 26 percent after they started abusing alcohol. Once they stopped drinking for an extended period, 15 percent remained depressed. This study showed that alcohol almost doubles the risk of depression.

Marijuana has also been linked to depression. It is reported that marijuana users are four times more likely to develop depression. In one study which monitored a large group of people for 16 years, it was discovered that people who smoked marijuana were four times more likely to develop depression. Another study followed later with 1601 students and confirmed the findings.

Finally, Drug abuse, addiction and independence are problems that people grapple with every day. These problems need to be treated effectively through integrative medicine. Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) is an expert at this. Call her on (843) 213-1480 for help.

Dopamine Depletion Causes Depression and Addiction

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Can Dopamine Depletion Cause Cocaine Addiction

January 20, 2015

Research Shows Dopamine Depletion Causes Cocaine Addiction

Dopamine depletionThe importance of dopamine in our bodies can never be underestimated. This is one of the most crucial neurotransmitters in the body. Dopamine has very many functions in the body but to many people it is famous for its good feeling effects that it is always identified with but this should not be the case as it has functions beyond the mesolimbic pathway. In the brain dopamine plays such roles as: It plays a big role in starting movement, and the destruction of dopamine neurons in an area of the brain called the substantia nigra is what produces the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Dopamine also plays an important role as a hormone acting to inhibit prolactin to stop the release of breast milk. Back in the mesolimbic pathway, dopamine can play a role in psychosis, and many antipsychotics for treatment of schizophrenia target dopamine. Dopamine is involved in the frontal cortex in executive functions like attention. In the rest of the body, dopamine is involved in nausea, in kidney function, and in heart function.

For emphasis, dopamine isn’t only associated with good feelings but in itself has many functions. This neurotransmitter is involved in many different important pathways. However, most people can only identify dopamine with such aspects as motivation, addiction, attention, or lust, their knowledge of dopamine is limited to the mesolimbic pathway. It is a pathway which starts with cells in the ventral tegmental area, buried deep in the middle of the brain, which send their projections out to places like the nucleus accumbens and the cortex.

Whenever a person engages in any pleasurable activity like sex, use of drugs or partying the brain will respond by increasing the levels of dopamine released in the nucleus accumbens .However during addiction the dopamine signaling in this area is changed. For any drug to have any pleasurable feeling to the user then the level of dopamine must be increased and this is what causes euphoric feelings that drug users will do anything to achieve.

Cocaine abuse and dopamine surges

Cocaine is one of the drugs of pleasure that are largely used even today despite its unpleasant effects on the user. Cocaine abuse is known to trigger large surges of dopamine extracellular in limbic areas, specifically, nucleus accumbens. Researchers have shown that human imaging studies correlate descriptors of reward, for instance, the “high” and euphoria with cocaine induced increases in dopamine nucleus accumbens. There is also the issue of saliency of the reward, which seems to be driven by the novelty or unexpectedness of the activity. It is the euphoric properties of cocaine that lead to the development of chronic abuse, and appear to involve the acute activation of central dopamine neuronal systems. This is based upon known effects of cocaine on dopamine neurons, and the role played by dopamine in reward states and self-stimulation behavior. When a person uses cocaine for a long time his neurotransmitter and neuroendocrine alterations will eventually occur. Dopamine depletion is hypothesized to result from overstimulation of these neurons and excessive synaptic metabolism of the neurotransmitter. It is this depletion of dopamine that may underlie dysphoric aspects of cocaine abstinence, and cocaine cravings.

Some scientists have opined neurochemical disruptions caused by cocaine are consistent with the concept of physical rather than psychological addiction. Possible pharmacological interventions in cocaine addiction are outlined and the psychological approach to these patients is discussed. With many research findings on cocaine relations with dopamine, it is clear that cocaine addiction stems from the depletion of synaptic dopamine in the mesolimbic dopamine reward system, leading to a dysphoric withdrawal state that drives cocaine seeking to restore dopamine to normal, drug-naïve level.

Owing to its euphoric feelings, people who use cocaine find it hard to quit. When your brain has been conditioned to produce high levels of dopamine only when you are using cocaine then it will be hard for you to quit using this drug as every time you try to quit all the withdrawal symptoms, some of which may be too severe sets in and that ties a person to cocaine abuse thereby causing addiction and dependence thereafter. These cravings contribute not only to addiction but to relapse after a hard-won sobriety. A person addicted to cocaine may be in danger of relapse when he interacts with the people he used to take it with. These triggers do something to his brain that awakens his cravings for cocaine.

Dopamine depletionUsing dopamine antagonists to treat cocaine addiction

Today there is evidence that cocaine exerts its rewarding effects through the acute activation of dopamine pathways in the brain. Chronic cocaine administration is hypothesized to lead to dopamine depletion, which results in cocaine craving and cocaine abstinence states. This is a condition that has chained many to cocaine use but there is hope as treatment of cocaine addiction with bromocriptine which is a dopamine antagonist has been found to be effective in quelling all the cravings associated with cocaine addiction.

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.

Dopamine Depletion Causes Cocaine Addiction

 

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Alcohol Abuse Escalates Liver Cancer Risk

January 19, 2015

Alcohol Abuse and Liver Cancer

Liver cancerLiver 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.

Liver CancerAlcohol 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

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Restoring Dopamine and Serotonin Levels after Opioid Abuse

January 19, 2015

How to Naturally Increase Dopamine and Serotonin Depleted By Opioid Abuse

SerotoninOpiates are fancied for their euphoric feelings; they affect the normal production of brain chemicals. At the beginning they may induce a sudden hike in the production of feel good brain chemicals, however when you have used the drugs for some time they will lead to depletion in the levels of the brain chemicals such as serotonin and dopamine. In the brain the production of neurotransmitter happens naturally without intervention of any other drug. These basic neurotransmitters include; dopamine, serotonin, GABA, acetylcholine. The body also produces other chemicals known as endorphins which work as the body’s own opiates functioning to fight pain naturally.

These neurotransmitters have specific functions that they accomplish in the body. Each function is important and works in conjunction with the functions of the other neurotransmitters to make life what it ought to be. These functions are; Serotonin regulates sleep and appetite, Acetylcholine for processing information and memory, GABA acts as your calming neurotransmitter while dopamine is the feel good chemical, plays an important role in mood, energy, attitude, motivation.

When you use these drugs of pleasure thy hike the levels of dopamine in the brain beyond the accepted levels. This will force the brain to find a means by which to suppress the production of the neurotransmitter that has been hiked by drug use. naturally, the production of dopamine will be reduced by the brain after sensing that the hike in the levels of dopamine is caused by factors out of the body, therefore when a person who has been using drugs stops using them, the levels of dopamine and serotonin will be too low below the normal levels and this beckons such feelings of depression, anxiety, nervousness and lack of interest in everything.

Some natural ways to increase dopamine after opiates use

Healthy Eating– good nutrition goes a long way in increasing the levels of serotonin and dopamine. you can eat the following foods to help you in this noble cause; foods rich in carbohydrates, vegetables, whole grains, whole grain pasta, rice, broccoli, spinach, lettuce among other healthy foods. Eating fat processed foods will do the opposite. You may also eat sweet foods like chocolate, only a couple squares of good quality chocolate with a high percentage of Cocoa in it can raise these chemicals. Serotonin is naturally occurring in foods like pineapples, bananas, nuts and plums. You can also get an adequate supply of B vitamins, folic acid and vitamin C because these vitamins play a role in transmitting brain chemicals. Spicy foods like chili peppers and jalapenos. The heat triggers the release of endorphins, so the spicier the better. You may get help from a nutritionist who may give you a list of foods that may be of benefit.

Meditation- through meditation the fatigue in the nervous system is mitigated and so their performance is enhanced. Doing meditation right helps in production of serotonin and endorphins at required levels. At AWAREmed Dr. Dalal Akoury will help you achieve this.

Herbal supplements – Some herbs like St John’s Wort, 5-HTP and L Tyrosine can all increase serotonin and dopamine in the brain, thus easing withdrawal symptoms and shortening withdrawal duration after use of opiates.

Exercise – The benefits of exercise has been echoed by many doctors. It has been applauded as one of the best natural ways to produce serotonin, dopamine and endorphins. However, vigorous exercise is recommended over light exercise that most people seem to enjoy. This is because the stronger the physical demand you place on your body, the greater the release of endorphins. You should try weight training and high and low intensity exercises. Hit the gym and reap big.

Music – Music is good for emotional relief and energy. A person who is suffering from opiate withdrawal symptoms is more sensitive to touch and sound. Listening to good music can help his body to get the brain chemicals work again and boost his moods. Even with different tastes music therapy offers a natural relief from opiate withdrawal.

Sex – sex is helps in boosting the endorphins. A long session can dramatically increase endorphins. When you’re in withdrawal sex can be a very nice escape.

Acupuncture – acupuncture increases circulation and stimulates the release of endorphins. If you haven’t looked into acupuncture while in withdrawal you might want to try it out, it can be very helpful during healing.

Massage – During a massage the release of endorphins get stimulated. Massaging your own scalp and shower massager’s can provide an affordable alternative to expensive treatments. Massage therapy has been used for centuries to help heal certain diseases and its application here may really help you.

SerotoninLaughter – Laughter is a good way to release endorphins naturally. By Watching a good comedy movie or have a laugh with friends you will stimulate the release endorphins which are helpful in the long run.

Sunlight – bright light increases the production of Serotonin in the body. Basking in the sunlight can absolutely improve your mood and also soothe muscle aches. In case there is no sunshine you may use tanning beds which may also help greatly.

There might be other ways of improving the production of these crucial neurotransmitters in the body. But these natural ways above are simple and inexpensive and so can apply to anyone. The bottom line is that by boosting the production of these neurotransmitters you will make it easier for yourself to recover from opiate addiction. However, these problems need to be treated effectively through integrative medicine. Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) is an expert at this. Call her on (843) 213-1480 for help.

How to Naturally Increase Dopamine and Serotonin Depleted By Opioid Abuse

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Alcohol and Breast Cancer

January 18, 2015

Alcohol Abuse Increase the Risk of Breast cancer

Breast CancerThe risks of alcohol abuse are well known by even elementary school kids. However the link between breast cancer and alcohol abuse is something ma y people have never known. This is not so appropriate given that most recent research findings have shown the clear link between these two conditions. Studies have proved the links between alcohol use and breast cancer. Research findings points out that one in five (21.6%) of all alcohol-related deaths are due to cancer globally. Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of death in women coming second after lung cancer.

According to Drinkaware’s Chief Medical Advisor, Professor Paul Wallace, people should know that alcohol abuse can increase women’s risk of getting breast cancer.

“My impression is that my patients don’t know about the link between alcohol and breast cancer any more than they do about the association between alcohol and fertility. We can do more to increase awareness.” he says

The professor continued to give the following details on the link between alcohol abuse and breast cancer. True to his words there seems to be a lot of evidence that alcohol abuse increases the risk of breast cancer. However, he made it clear that drinking alcohol does not guarantee that you will get breast cancer but it increases your risk of getting the disease. How much you drink over your lifetime is what increases the risk.

He opines that although alcohol does increase the risk, taken with all the other factors, its contribution to overall causation of breast cancer is estimated to be about 4%. The advice is that if you do regularly drink it should be within the government’s lower risk guidelines.

However the evidences availed by Dr. Wallace aren’t the only ones available to back up this link between alcohol abuse and breast cancer. There are older evidences which show that alcohol increases the risk of developing breast cancer. Professor Wallace confirms that they have known for years that your risk of developing breast cancer increases when you overindulge in alcohol consumption. Overall, women have a 9.5% chance of getting breast cancer before they are 75.In one of these studies it was found that drinking every day even a small amount raises that risk to 10.6%. (4) Professor Wallace says, though, that the overall risk (anything that affects your chance of getting a disease) is based on how much you drink on average each day over a lifetime.

According to Professor Wallace, this link is real based on past research findings which have been reinforced by a recent research that was even done on a larger scope to establish the link between alcohol abuse and breast cancer. This study however is still going on. This study is done on 1.3 million women across the United Kingdom. This study has indicated that the overall risk of a woman to develop breast cancer increases by 7.1 percent for each 10 grams of alcohol drank

Despite the evidences that have been availed, the exact ways alcohol increases the risk of developing breast cancer are still not fully understood but researchers have made known some of the highly potential mechanisms through which alcohol consumption links to breast cancer. one of the mechanism that is suspected to be the major contributor here is the fact that ethanol is broken down into a toxic substance known as acetaldehyde, which can cause genetic mutations, a permanent change in the DNA sequence that makes up genes. This can trigger a response from the body leading to the development of cancerous cells.

Several studies have also reported that alcohol can potentially increase the production of the female hormone estrogen in pre-menopausal and post-menopausal women. One characteristic of a cancer cell is that it multiplies out of control and in certain types of breast cancer; high circulating levels of estrogen can make this more likely to happen. Alcohol also weakens the immune system leading to nutritional deficiencies, including folic acid, vitamins A, B6, D and E and zinc, all of which may make it more difficult for the body to fight cancerous cells making a person more vulnerable to breast cancer.

The risk of developing breast cancer as always known is much higher in women than in men; this can be attributed to the higher levels of hormone estrogen in women which has been known to increase risks of developing breast cancer. Professor Wallace therefore advices women to stop indulging in excessive drinking and to drink below statutory drinking regulation limits as that is the only way they can reduce this risk of breast cancer apart from dropping alcohol use entirely.

Breast Cancer“Drink within the government’s lower risk guidelines. When taken overall, looking at all the things alcohol does, the risk at these levels is minimal. Life isn’t about zero risk. Even if you lived in a bubble and didn’t ever go outside, you would still be likely to get osteoporosis because you didn’t exercise!” He adds.

Even men are at risk

The risk of breast cancer is not only to worry women but men as well. Though breast cancer is synonymous to women, men also are at a high risk of getting this disease especially later as they age since that is the time when their levels of hormone estrogen increases. It is therefore advisable for men to reduce the amounts of drinks they take and reduce this risk.

Finally, Alcohol abuse, addiction and cancer are problems that people cope with every day. These problems need to be treated effectively through integrative medicine. Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) is an expert at this. Call her on (843) 213-1480 for help.

Alcohol Abuse and Breast cancer

 

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