Alcohol Use on the Rise in the United Arabs Emirates

December 15, 2014

Alcohol Use on the Rise in the United Arabs Emirates

The use of alcohol has been on the rise in the United Arabs Emirates. The United Arabs Emirates being a country dominated by Islamic religion which prohibits alcohol consumption this is being quite ironical. The laws that regulate the use of alcohol in the united Arabs emirates are very strict and people have lost their lives as a result of using alcohol and other drugs due to these strict laws. The residents of the united Arabs emirates lose their lives through drugs in two ways. Firstly whenever a person is found drunk in public places he faces very hefty fines and even jail terms with very unfair punishments. Capital punishment which is viewed by many nations as quite unfair to drug offenders is quite tolerated in the Arab states. Capital punishment that involves execution of people found to be using drugs is common and many addicts have had their heads separated from the rest of their bodies by a single strike with a sword. This is mostly done in public places to scare those who might think of engaging in alcohol and other drugs use either as traders or users. The other way through which addicts lose their lives is; they do not have places that they can seek help to quit using alcohol and drugs that they are using. In the United Arabs emirates there are not enough rehabilitations centers, in fact it is only in the recent past that the country put up a national rehabilitation center at Abu Dhabi.

Alcohol Addiction

In spite of the strict rules that regulate the use of alcohol in the United Arabs Emirates the number of residents battling alcohol abuse is on the rise. In fact it is said that in the United Arabs Emirates boozy brunches and binge drinking have become the order of the day. The problems associated with binge drinking has been crippling the economy of UAE given that alcoholism as affected the professional class just as much as the local Emiratis are affected and this has also rendered civil servants and other professionals incapable of serving the citizens of UAE effectively. To save the population and help solve problems associated with alcohol addiction the concerned authorities have been occupied trying to avail rehab services to those affected by this epidemic especially the expatriate. The authorities seem more committed to fighting this social ill as they are now offering this needed help to all affected individuals irrespective of their nationality as opposed to helping only Emiratis only as was done in the past.

Disease Burden on Individuals and Society

The ground-breaking treatment plans follow a National Rehabilitation Centre (NRC) report this year titled Disease Burden on Individuals and Society. It says 5.3 per cent of the total deaths in the UAE are due to alcohol use or illicit drugs, coupled with an expected “considerable proportion of hidden users”.

Another research report done by a research firm known as Euromonitor in 2010 showed that alcohol consumption in the UAE has increased by an alarming 30 per cent in the past five years. At the same time, instances of alcohol abuse have also sky rocketed. The frequency of Alcoholic Anonymous Arabia (AA Arabia) meetings which address the issue has registered a staggering 700 per cent increase, from three per week back in the early ’90s to 25 per week today.

Neuro Endocrine Restoration could help UAE Alcohol Addicts

Neuro Endocrine Restoration (NER) is critical in treatment of addicts. It is one of the best ways of fighting addiction. What happens when a person is addicted to a substance is that the substance of abuse that he uses damages the brain by changing its biochemistry creating an imbalance in the brain and the entire endocrine system. This means that any effective treatment must restore the state of the neurotransmitters as was before addiction. The neuro endocrine restoration is the best at doing this since it cost effective, natural and takes a shorter time.

College drinking In our bodies there are neurotransmitters that help us feel good and at harmony with our surrounding. There are also other neurotransmitters that are responsible for low feelings. The brain needs all these neurotransmitters to work normally. In a normal person’s case the balance between these two neurotransmitters is achieved naturally but in case of an addict this balance ceases to exist as long term use of drugs and alcohol affects the neurotransmitters. The use of NER in addiction treatment aims at helping the patient to evade the use of the drugs since without restoring the neurotransmitters, anytime an addict will attempt to stop using the drug of abuse his brain will trigger reactions of danger leading to release of adrenaline and endorphins, in such instance the addict will be forced to use the drug to restore calm and this explains why most addicts fail when they try to stop using drugs without restoring the damaged neurotransmitters.

Intravenous amino acids and the NER are natural approaches to treating addicts that have so far bore juicy fruits. They are affordable, effective and are free from withdrawal symptoms that many people suffer after going through addiction treatment with pharmaceutical medicines. We at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center are committed to availing help to addicts and offering them a place to call home. We advocate for natural healing to all kinds of addiction. In case you are struggling with addiction just call on Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for help.

Alcohol Use on the Rise in the United Arabs Emirates

Addiction and Cancer Development

December 14, 2014

Addiction and Cancer Development

Cancer is a disease that has caused pain to many families and the whole world today is living in fear of this disease. The disease is not easy cured though not incurable. However the cost of curing this disease has made it a death sentence to many people especially in the 3^rd world countries where it has continued to rob people of their loved ones due to high bills that can never be afforded. The disease is synonymous to pain and this has made it the most dreaded disease. The fact that it can’t be easily treated therefore leaves us with one better option which is to avoid it all costs. Prevention is the best option when dealing with cancer. When it comes to avoiding cancer then whatever goes through your mouth becomes a concern, you need to eat healthy food and desist from anything that may beckon tumor growth and this include avoiding use of drugs that may eventually cause cancer. Addiction has very many health risks cancer development included. It is a known fact that smoking causes cancer and anybody addicted to tobacco has higher chances of developing cancer. However there are other drugs that when a person is addicted to then he comes closer to cancer.

Addiction and Cancer Development

Cigarette addiction and cancer

Apart from nicotine which is a highly addictive substance, cigarettes contains a cocktail of about 5000 chemicals that are not very safe for health. Taking it once may not be so dangerous but with the high nicotine content you are bound to get addicted exposing yourself to harmful chemicals. Other chemicals, including nitrosamines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, are formed when the tobacco leaves are processed or burnt. This is all before the tobacco industry adds the hundreds of other chemicals to cigarettes. This is why there is no safe way to use tobacco.

When you smoke the chemicals in cigarettes get into your body causing myriad of problems including cancer. The main way that smoking causes cancer is by damaging the DNA and altering the functioning of key genes that protect our bodies against cancer. Many of the chemicals found in cigarettes have been shown to cause DNA damage. These chemicals includes; benzene, polonium-210, benzo, pyrene and nitrosamines. Cigarettes also contain chromium which makes poisons like benzo and pyrene which stick even stronger to the DNA causing more harm. And chemicals like arsenic and nickel interfere with pathways for repairing damaged DNA. This makes it even more likely that damaged cells will eventually turn cancerous. Therefore to evade cancer you should try to avoid cigarettes addiction.

Cancer development takes time

Smoking cigarettes causes cancer but that does not mean that when you smoke it once you will be cancerous, at the same time it does not mean that if you have been smoking cigarettes for a year and you are still cancer free then you can’t ever get cancer through smoking. Cancer is a multi-step disease-it grows over a long time; it may even take a decade for smoking to cause cancer. This is because naturally our bodies are designed to deal with a bit of damage but it’s hard for the body to cope with the number of harmful chemicals in tobacco smoke. Over time DNA damage builds up and makes it more and more likely that our cells will become cancerous. It is therefore necessary for a beginner to stop smiling before he becomes addicted as that will increase his chances of getting cancer.

Addiction

Alcohol addiction and cancer

Alcohol consumption is common among people of different ages despite the many risks that it poses to a person’s health. Alcohol addiction has been linked to cancer though researchers are yet to understand how it directly beckons cancer. Here are some of the ways alcohol addiction is thought to cause cancer. Firstly, when alcohol is taken it is converted into a very harmful chemical known as acetaldehyde. This chemical can cause cancer by damaging DNA and stopping our cells from repairing this damage. The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified acetaldehyde formed as a result of drinking alcohol as being a cause of cancer. Acetaldehyde 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 also affects the delicate balance between estrogen and testosterone hormones. When the levels of estrogen hormone become then the risk of breast cancer is increased. Alcohol can cause cancers through many ways and therefore it is necessary to avoid alcohol addiction as that may favor cancer development.

Alcoholism 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.

Addiction and Cancer Development

Capital Punishment for Drug Offenders in Saudi Arabia

December 12, 2014

Capital Punishment for Drug Offenders in Saudi Arabia

Capital punishment is regulated by the international law. According to Article 6(2) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights states that the penalty of death may only be applied to the ‘most serious crimes’. However it seems that there is a loophole in the application of capital punishment as some states have classified some crimes that should not punished by death as most serious crimes. Over the past twenty-five years UN human rights bodies have interpreted Article 6(2) in a manner that limits the number and type of offences for which execution is allowable under international human rights law. This is an attempt by the UN to reduce punishment by death. Capital punishment should be rarely used. However there are some countries that have classified drug offenses as ‘most serious crimes’ and this has created a hell on earth for drug addicts. The UN however does not support the view by retentionist governments that drug offenses are part of the ‘most serious crimes’. The UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, both of which have stated that drug offences do not constitute ‘most serious crimes’ and that executions for such offences are therefore in violation of international human rights law.

High commitment states

In recent years there has also been increasing support for the belief that capital punishment in any form violates the prohibition of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, as enshrined in numerous UN and regional human rights treaties. However some countries that are high commitment states have viewed this policy as a foreign construct and views capital punishment as both accepted cultural and religious norm.

Capital Punishment

The most notorious high commitment states include Saudi Arabia, China and Malaysia among others. In a 2007 report on a research done by International Harm Reduction Association (IHRA) on the death penalty for drug offences, it is evident that, despite the global trend towards abolition of capital punishment, the number of states expanding their domestic death penalty legislation to include narcotics offences had actually increased over the past two decades.

China has been long known as a high commitment state but just like it Saudi Arabia has also been execute drug offenders in high numbers on a yearly basis. Saudi Arabia has since enforced a mandatory death sentence for anyone caught supplying or receiving drugs from abroad. Drug delinquents make up a substantial portion of those condemned to die and those who are actually executed. Rather than being an exceptional occurrence, executions for drug crimes seem a standardized part of the criminal justice process.

Dangerous spot for addicts

Capital punishment for drugs was first introduced in 1987 In Saudi Arabia and since then the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has become a dangerous spot for drug addicts. Unfortunately, the government does not publish its official clarification of sharia law or an informative text, therefore judicial discretion is substantially broad. The death sentence may be enforced for many different reasons such as trafficking in drugs and narcotics, receiving drugs and narcotics from a trafficker, bringing in, growing or receiving drugs and narcotics in cases other than licensed under the law, being an accomplice in any of these acts and circulating drugs and narcotics for the second time by selling, transporting or distributing under the condition that an established previous ruling has been pronounced indicting him for circulation for the first time.

Despite the strict rules that govern the use of drugs in Saudi Arabia alcohol use in predominantly Muslim regions of the world has increased by 25 percent between 2005 and 2010. There are many psychosocial factors that lead to the problem of alcohol use and abuse in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. However it is not easy to offer an exact estimate of the rate of alcohol use in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia because of the absence of consistent statistical reports.

Capital Punishment

The first execution for drugs in Saudi Arabia was recorded by Amnesty International on July 29th 1987 and the nine following executions before the end of 1987. Since then, Saudi Arabia has established into one of the world’s most hostile executors for drug crimes. It has been reported that about 60 percent of all prisoners in Saudi Arabia are there for drug use or drug trafficking. There are no bars or liquor stores in the entire country of Saudi Arabia. And this means that getting alcohol in Saudi Arabia is a problem. To anybody traveling to the kingdom of Saudi Arabia it is prohibited to carry alcohol or other narcotics with you. And anybody found in possession of any drug as you are getting into Saudi Arabia faces the full wrath of the law.

Alcoholism 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.

Capital Punishment for Drug Offenders in Saudi Arabia

Workaholism-An Addiction Or A Quality To Be Appreciated?

December 4, 2014

Is Workaholism An Addiction Or A Quality To Be Appreciated?

workaholism No company would be willing to employ a lazy bone, someone who will not take his work seriously, takes the least time at work and yields too little, very social but not very committed to the staff goals and objectives. Such a person has no place in the employment world. Every company would be willing to employ people who are committed to the company goals and can go an extra mile like working overtime when need be for the benefit of the company, somebody whose work helps the company to achieve great milestones and increases the output of the company. However we need to know where the boundary lies as there are people who will spend all their time in the workplace ignoring the other facets of life, they are engraved in the jobs they do so much that they become synonymous to their offices, they spend most of their lifetime working and they seem not know when to stop working and attend to their other facets of life- the workaholics.

What is Workaholism?

This refers to compulsiveness about working; a person who is subject to workaholism is referred to a workaholic. He cares more for work than any other thing to him he will work even if what he is doing is unnecessary, life without work means no sense to him. Workaholism is something that has not been addressed well and so many people who are suffering from this situation may be blinded by mere congratulations that they receive by bosses who might be aware these people’s relationship with work is abnormal. In fact the workaholics are exploited at the expense of their own social lives, they suffer broken families and some do not even marry as they are always at work and do not even attend social events where they could meet their potential spouses. Workaholics can only be good employees but are very poor in parenting and so are mostly involved in family feuds. Workaholism involves excessive time spent working, preoccupation with work to the exclusion of other life facets, loss of control over the parameters of one’s work and disenchantment with work, and negative social, emotional, and health consequences. The etiology of workaholism is not clear but may pertain to persons with compulsive personality traits, who are driven to work harder than that demanded from work contexts, and who have learned to place work as a main means of gratification compared to other lifestyle alternatives. As they spend most of their time occupied with work seeking gratification through work they may become affected health wise and so there is need for workaholics to professional help.

Is it an Addiction or a Quality to be appreciated?

Work addiction unlike other addictive life practices like sex, drug use and even gambling is little understood. There is scarcity of literature on the issue of work addiction and therefore a gap for those seeking to know more about workaholism. The subject of workaholism or addiction to work has been debated and still is being debated as to whether it is a quality to be appreciated or a serious problem that needs professional help. While many employers have viewed workaholics as a productive people workaholism has been linked to some issues both socially and as a family. In one study it was found that workaholics burden their children with roles as they are mostly away working and cannot accomplish most of their responsibilities, their children therefore begin their parental roles much younger and when they are still incapable to handle such stuff. Some of the problems that are associated with work addiction include the following.

Frustration and agitation

Just like any other person chained to other addictive behaviors a person who is addicted to work will suffer when they are forced to stop working even for just a day. They will be agitated and frustrated as work has become their only source of measuring success. It is therefore clear that workaholism is just another addiction that should be addressed just as much as drug addiction and other addictive behaviors like gambling. The fact that there is no law that workaholics break by overworking has only made matters worse for families of these people.

Low energy levels

Workaholics suffer low energy levels as they always have work that never stops spilling over to other aspects of their lives, workaholics can stop doing other healthy practices like exercise and good nutrition just to continue working and can lead to other health issues like obesity and even increased risk to other diseases some symptoms that have been seen in workaholic include; sleep disorders, weight gain , role conflicts with fellow workers , taking sick-leave , high blood pressure, anxiety and depression and physical pain that may be caused by strain in the body muscles. These people lack control of their work and are overcommitted therefore leading to emotional exhaustion.

Workaholism

Conflict both at work and home

Workaholics are not very social people. They do not value relationships and hence spend most of their time away from their families therefore they create a gap that they ought to fill as parents- spending time with those who depend on them. This often results in conflict that may even cause a breakup between a man and his wife. Needless to mention children of workaholics grow up craving for parental love as most of the time their workaholic parent will be away from them. At work their over commitment nature will always create a gap between him and other employees as he is always in a hurry trying to accomplish a lot therefore will not have time for lunch break charts and grapevine engagements that work well in creating a bonded work family.

Finally, the topic of work addiction has attracted lots of debate but still there is little literature on this issue but from the negative aspects associated with it, it is clear that it is not really profitable to a worker. Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center is committed to availing help to addicts by availing some of the most integrative approaches to healing an addict chained to any behavior. Call on Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for help.

Is Workaholism An Addiction Or A Quality To Be Appreciated?

Drug Abuse in South Africa at Alarming Levels

December 3, 2014

The Magnitude of Drug Abuse in South Africa

South Africa is experiencing a rise in drugs abuse. In recent years the trend in alcohol abuse as well as other drugs has been alarming. Alcohol is still the primary drug of abuse and use is rising every day. In 2011 the world health organization (WHO) reported that South Africa has the highest per capita consumption rates in the world of alcohol in the world and it is quite insane that the rate is continuing to rise. In South Africa the citizens consume in excess of 5 billion litres of alcohol annually but this figure is likely to be higher still if sorghum beer is included, and equates to 9 – 10 litres of pure alcohol per person. Despite alcohol being the primary drug of abuse there are other drugs that are used by the South Africans as well. These drugs include Methaqualone (Quaaludes), cocaine, marijuana popularly known as dagga in South Africa, and heroin are all drugs that are becoming increasingly popular in the cities of South Africa.

There have been drastic political changes in South Africa that have been accompanied by social transitioning, rapid modernization, high unemployment rates, and a decline in social, cultural, and family values. As a result, drug use has flourished and new environments, such as night clubs, that promote drug use have been created. These environments appear especially promising for adolescents and young adults looking for an escape. It is in these places that drugs look cool and casual sex is acceptable. Unfortunately, these places are a haven for heavy drug abuse and diseases; such as, HIV and AIDS. Needless to mention, South Africa has become a major country involved in international drug trafficking networks over the past decade. Experts have agreed that it is becoming harder and harder to deal with the explosion of the drug trade and it links are becoming increasingly complex to tame.

South Africa

Here are statistics of the most abused drugs in South Africa over the past years. These statistics are from the World Health Organization (WHO). However there might be some changes on the statistics as the use of drugs of abuse in South Africa is increasing at such a rapid rate.

South Africa drugs of abuse stats according to WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that drug consumption in South Africa is twice the world norm. It is saddening to note that 15% of South Africa’s population has a drug problem. The cost associated with drug abuse is crippling the South Africa’s economy. This is evident as the country spends R20-billion a year and could pose a bigger threat to the country’s future than the Aids pandemic. According to SAPS figures, 60 percent of crimes nationally were related to substance abuse, this shows the cost of drugs of abuse in relation to the social ills they cause. Just as it happens everywhere, addicts will go through all odds to afford the drugs they have become dependent on and crime is the immediate step the youths take to buy their daily dosage of these drugs. In the Western Cape, the figure was closer to 80 percent that shows that Western Cape is the most affected area. The perpetrators of these crimes are either under the influence of substances, or trying to secure money for their next fix. The use of drugs has also increased prostitution as most of the prostitutes have to sleep with 10-15 men daily to find enough money to buy their drugs of abuse.

SANAB disbanded

The use of drugs and related crimes have increased greatly, by 30% to be exact after the government disbanded SA Narcotics Bureau (SANAB) which was a dedicated drug-fighting unit within the SAPS that had achieved some notable successes. The SANAB was disbanded in 2004 and no other body has sprung to fill the vacuum.

Recently the United Nations World Drug Report had named South Africa as one of the drug capitals of the world. The abuse of alcohol and usage of dagga has led to the country to being one of the top ten narcotics and alcohol abusers in the world. The CDA also reports that one Rand in four in circulation in South Africa is linked to the substance abuse problem. CDA is a drug control organization. The increase in drugs use is also evident in the increase of number of drug arrests from a mere 300 in 2006 to a staggering 1500 in 2012 in Cape Town.

Teenagers are not left out

The CDA reports that alcohol use is common in school kids and most kids who are involved in alcohol abuse are involved in violent crimes 3 times more than kids that are not involved in drug abuse.

South Africa

It also points at the increase in drug use among teens. As from 1992 – 95 the use of drugs among teenagers increased by 600%. But the figure is still increasing as evident in 2007 when it stood 1100%. Most kids begin using drugs of abuse at the age of twelve, the CDA report of 2009 revealed that schools have become a target for drug dealers.

A part from alcohol drugs that are widely abused in SA include;

Methamphetamine (Tik)

Crack
Heroine
Cocaine
Mandrax
Dagga
Ecstasy

Finally, We at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center are committed to availing help to addicts by availing some of the most integrative approaches to healing an addict. We advocate for natural healing to all kinds of addiction. Call on Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for help.

The Magnitude of Drug Abuse in South Africa

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