Category Archives: Alcohol recovery

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Alcohol dependence signs and symptoms

December 26, 2016
Alcohol dependence signs

Alcohol dependence signs and symptoms are real and the many seasonal mistakes people make during holiday when merrymaking is not helping

Alcohol dependence signs and symptoms: Compulsive behaviors

Substance abuse experts make a distinction between alcohol abuse and alcoholism which is also known as alcohol dependence in the sense that, unlike alcoholics, alcohol abusers have some ability to set limits on their drinking. But even with that, their alcohol use is still self-destructive and dangerous to themselves and others in many ways including:

  • Repeatedly neglecting your responsibilities at home, work, or school because of your drinking. For example, performing poorly at work, flunking classes, neglecting your kids, or skipping out on commitments because you’re hung over.
  • Using alcohol in situations where it’s physically dangerous, such as drinking and driving, operating machinery while intoxicated, or mixing alcohol with prescription medication against doctor’s orders.
  • Experiencing repeated legal problems on account of your drinking. For example, getting 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.

Alcohol dependence signs and symptoms: The path from alcohol abuse to alcoholism

According to the experts from AWAREmed health center under the leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury MD, it is important noting that even though alcohol affects everybody, it is not that all alcohol abusers become full-blown alcoholics, 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.

Signs and symptoms of alcoholism

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

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

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. This include:

  • Anxiety
  • Trembling
  • Sweating
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Insomnia
  • Depression
  • Irritability
  • Fatigue
  • Loss of appetite
  • Headache

Finally, in severe cases, withdrawal from alcohol can also involve hallucinations, confusion, seizures, fever, and agitation. These symptoms can be dangerous, and that is why consulting with AWAREmed Health center from time to time is the best option for your guaranteed health and comfort.

Alcohol dependence signs and symptoms: Compulsive behaviors

http://www.awaremednetwork.com/

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Drunk young man resting head on bar counter

Compulsive behavior resulting from alcohol dependence

December 26, 2016
Compulsive behavior

Compulsive behavior resulting from alcohol dependence are a time bomb waiting to explode if not addressed in good time

Compulsive behavior resulting from alcohol dependence: Alcoholism

Alcoholism is an addiction to the consumption of alcoholic beverages or the mental illness and compulsive behavior resulting from alcohol dependency. It intrudes into a person’s life with very negligible or no notice at all because normally consumers of this substance majorly take it for pleasure and then in its own will graduates to other unintended levels. Professionally doctor Dalal Akoury MD, President, and founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center reiterates that it’s not always easy to see when your drinking has crossed the line from moderate or social use to problem drinking. But you can be rest assured that if you consume alcohol to cope with difficulties or to avoid feeling bad, you’re in potentially dangerous territory. Alcoholism and alcohol abuse can sneak up on you, so it’s important to be aware of the warning signs and take steps to cut back if you recognize them. Understanding the problem is the first step to overcoming it and this is going to be our focus point in this article.

Compulsive behavior resulting from alcohol dependence: Understanding alcoholism and alcohol abuse

Alcoholism and alcohol abuse are due to many interconnected factors, including genetics, how you were raised, your social environment, and your emotional health. Some racial groups, such as American Indians and Native Alaskans, are more at risk than others of developing alcohol addiction. People who have a family history of alcoholism or who associate closely with heavy drinkers are more likely to develop drinking problems. Those who suffer from mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, or bipolar disorder are also at risk because they are likely to use alcohol to self-medicate. With this understanding, the next question we need to ask is, how do you get to know if you have a drinking problem? Doctor Akoury is very emphatic that most of the drinking problem indicators come from the consumers themselves and the following are some of the observations you are like to come across under these circumstances:

  • Feel guilty or ashamed about your drinking.
  • Lie to others or hide your drinking habits.
  • Have friends or family members who are worried about your drinking.
  • Need to drink in order to relax or feel better.
  • “Blackout” or forget what you did while you were drinking.
  • Regularly drink more than you intended to.

Since drinking is so common in many cultures and the effects vary so widely from person to person, it’s not always easy to figure out where the line is between social drinking and problem drinking. The bottom line is how alcohol affects you. Meaning that if your drinking is causing problems in your life, you have a drinking problem which needs to be addressed professionally and that is where doctor Akoury and her team comes in. which the problem of alcoholism on your shoulder, you will be in danger of very many associated health complications. Scheduling an appointment with doctor Akoury now is the best you can do to have all these addressed timely and professionally.

Compulsive behavior resulting from alcohol dependence: Alcoholism

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Acetaldehyde poison and Alcohol consumption

December 22, 2016
Acetaldehyde poison

Acetaldehyde poison and Alcohol consumption if not addressed in good time can be catastrophic

Acetaldehyde poison and Alcohol consumption: Cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1)

In light social drinkers nearly all the alcohol consumed is taken care of by alcohol dehydrogenase. However, the enzyme Cytochrome P450 2E1 (abbreviated CYP2E1) becomes quite active in metabolizing alcohol in chronic heavy drinkers. CYP2E1 does its work in the liver. The hydrogen released by this reaction is bound to oxygen and to NADPH to form water and NADP+. This reaction takes energy rather than producing it. CYP2E1 does its work in the microsomes of the cell. This is sometimes referred to as MEOS (Microsomal Ethanol Oxidizing System). CYP2E1 is a member of the Cytochrome P450 enzyme family. The next enzyme is the catalase.

Acetaldehyde poison and Alcohol consumption: Catalase

Catalase is found in tiny organs inside of cells called peroxisomes. Catalase is found all over the human body. When catalase turns alcohol into acetaldehyde the hydrogen which is released is bound to hydrogen peroxide molecules which then become water. Although catalase is active everywhere in the body, catalase is of particular interest to researchers because it metabolizes alcohol in the brain. The acetaldehyde released into the brain by the metabolism of alcohol by catalase has the potential to combine with neurotransmitters to form new compounds known as THIQs (tetrahydroisoquinolines, also sometimes called TIQs). Some researchers believe that THIQs are the cause of alcohol addiction and that the presence of THIQs distinguishes addicted drinkers from social drinkers. Other researches strongly dispute the validity of the THIQ hypothesis of alcohol addiction. The actual role of THIQs remains controversial and calls for further research.

Acetaldehyde poison and Alcohol consumption: How acetaldehyde dehydrogenase works

Acetaldehyde dehydrogenase does its work in the mitochondria of cells and removes a hydrogen atom from acetaldehyde to produce an acetic acid radical. This hydrogen atom combines with NAD+ to form NADH.

There are several varieties of aldehyde dehydrogenase found in the human body. The one which normally breaks down acetaldehyde is called ALDH2. There is another variety aldehyde dehydrogenase found in the human body which is called ALDH2*2. ALDH2*2 is only about 8% as efficient as ALDH2 in metabolizing acetaldehyde. Some East Asian people have ALDH2*2 instead of ALDH2 in their bodies. These individuals find the effect of alcohol to be very unpleasant as we discuss below. Doctor Dalal Akoury MD, President and founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center reiterates that the aldehyde dehydrogenase enzymes are found in many tissues of the body, but are at the highest concentration in the liver

The problem with too much NADH

Finally, it is important to appreciate that alcohol metabolism produces excess amounts of NADH (Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide plus Hydrogen). This excess of NADH can lead to acidosis from lactic acid build-up and hypoglycemia from lack of glucose synthesis. It can also lead to weight gain, fatty liver, and heart attack. It is because of these health risks that made doctor Akoury to formulate this health facility to offer meaningful and professional treatment that yield absolute result. This is not a simple problem and therefore, if you are struggling with alcoholism, help is just a phone call away. As soon as you make that call, an appointment will be schedule and your life will be transformed positively and for real productivity.

Acetaldehyde poison and Alcohol consumption: Cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1)

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Alcoholism

Acetaldehyde roles and Alcoholism

December 22, 2016
Acetaldehyde roles

Acetaldehyde roles and Alcoholism works by categorizing alcoholism treatment solutions primarily to defeat addiction

Acetaldehyde roles and Alcoholism: Hydrogen atoms

Did you know that for every alcoholic beverage you take about 2 to 8 percent is lost through urine, sweat, or the breath? This means that the other 92 to 98 percent is metabolized by your body. All ethyl alcohol which is broken down in the human body is first converted to acetaldehyde, and then this acetaldehyde is converted into acetic acid radicals known as acetyl radicals. Acetaldehyde is a poison which is closely related to formaldehyde. Acetic acid is the essential component of vinegar. The acetic acid radical is the combining form of acetic acid. This acetic acid radical combines with Coenzyme A to form acetyl-CoA. The acetyl-CoA rhen enters the Krebs cycle, which is the basic powerhouse of the human body. Inside the Krebs cycle this acetyl radical is eventually broken down into carbon dioxide and water.

According to the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury MD, there are three different enzymes which the body uses to convert alcohol to acetaldehyde. All these enzymes work by stripping two hydrogen atoms off from the alcohol molecule which then converts the alcohol molecule into a molecule of acetaldehyde. We are going to be discussing the first one as indicated below and progressively conclude with the remaining two in our next article. And even as we do that, we appreciate that this article may be technical for many people and that is why if you have any concern about alcohol consumption, you can always schedule an appointment with doctor Akoury for a more professional breakdown of facts. The three enzymes which can convert alcohol to acetaldehyde are:

  • Alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH)
  • Cytochrome P450 (CYP2E1)
  • Catalase

Each of these enzymes is found in different parts of the body and each of them handles the hydrogen atoms which are stripped off from the alcohol molecule in a different way.

Acetaldehyde roles and Alcoholism: Alcohol dehydrogenase

The name “alcohol dehydrogenase” sounds like quite a mouthful, but it is quite self-explanatory if we break it down into its component parts. “de-” is a prefix which means “to remove”. We find it in such words as “dethrone” which means “to remove from the throne”. “-ase” is a suffix which means “enzyme”. Any time you see a chemical term which ends in the suffix “-ase” you know that you are dealing with an enzyme. “hydrogen” means “hydrogen” of course. So “de-hydrogen-ase” means “an enzyme which removes hydrogen atoms”, and “alcohol dehydrogenase” means “an enzyme which removes hydrogen atoms from the alcohol molecule”. The name alcohol dehydrogenase is sometimes abbreviated to ADH.

Alcohol dehydrogenase is the workhorse of the alcohol enzymes it breaks down the majority of the alcohol that enters the human body. Alcohol dehydrogenase is actually the name for a family of enzymes which break down alcohol–each of which has a slightly different molecular structure. Researchers have identified as many as 10 varieties of the alcohol dehydrogenase molecule. All of them bring about the same chemical reaction–the difference is that some varieties of alcohol dehydrogenase work more efficiently than others.

The alcohol dehydrogenase molecules do their work primarily in the stomach and the liver, although traces of them are found in other tissues as well. The hydrogen which is released when alcohol dehydrogenase turns alcohol into acetaldehyde is bound to a compound called NAD+ (Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide) to form NADH (this is short for Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide plus Hydrogen). Alcohol dehydrogenase does its work in the cellular fluid (cytosol) of the cell. If you dint know, now you know and for more clarification, call doctor Akoury now.

Acetaldehyde roles and Alcoholism: Hydrogen atoms

http://www.awaremednetwork.com/

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substance-use

Bipolar disorder and substance abuse

December 22, 2016
Bipolar disorder

Bipolar disorder and substance abuse without establishing the brains specific roles in fighting addiction, it may not be easy to overcome this problem

Bipolar disorder and substance abuse: Addiction an Energy disease

Bipolar disorder, commonly known as manic depression, is a serious mental disorder characterized by sudden and intense shifts in mood, behavior and energy levels. Like substance abuse, bipolar disorder poses a risk to the individual’s physical and emotional well-being. Those afflicted with bipolar disorder have a higher rate of relationship problems, economic instability, accidental injuries and suicide than the general population. They are also significantly more likely to develop an addiction to drugs or alcohol. In a study conducted recently:

  • About 56 percent of individuals with bipolar who participated in a national study had experienced drug or alcohol addiction during their lifetime.
  • Approximately 46 percent of that group had abused alcohol or were addicted to alcohol.
  • About 41 percent had abused drugs or were addicted to drugs.
  • Alcohol is the most commonly abused substance among bipolar individuals.

If you are struggling with bipolar disorder alongside drug or alcohol problem, it is possible that you have a dual diagnosis of bipolar disorder and substance abuse. Having a dual diagnosis, or a co-occurring disorder, can make recovery more challenging. Bipolar patients may experience periods of intense depression alternating with episodes of heightened activity and an exaggerated sense of self-importance. This emotional instability can interfere with your recovery program, making it difficult to comply with the guidelines of your treatment plan. And to address that, doctor Dalal Akoury MD, President and founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center, created this establishment with a sole objective of transforming each individual’s life through increasing awareness about health and wellness and by empowering individuals to find their own inner healing power. Besides that, doctor Akoury’s practice also focuses on personalized medicine through healthy lifestyle choices that deal with primary prevention and underlying causes instead of patching up symptoms. This makes her the ideal professional for ally your treatment needs and you can call her on telephone number 843 213 1480 to schedule an appointment now.

The relationship between addiction and bipolar

There is no easy explanation for the high rate of substance abuse and chemical dependence among bipolar individuals. One reason for this phenomenon is that a large percentage of individuals attempt to self-medicate with drugs and alcohol in an effort to numb the painful symptoms of their bipolar disorder. Symptoms of bipolar disorder such as anxiety, pain, depression and sleeplessness are so alarming, that many individuals will turn to drugs and alcohol as a means for offsetting the discomfort, if only for a little while.

Age and gender may play a part in the relationship between addictions and bipolar. According to the journal Bipolar Disorder, substance abuse is more common in young males than in other population groups.

Clinical researchers believe that brain chemistry may influence both bipolar disorder and substance abuse. People with bipolar disorder often have abnormal levels of serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine. These chemicals affect vital functions like appetite, metabolism, sleep and your body’s response to stress. They also affect mood and emotions. Heavy use of drugs or alcohol can interfere with the way your brain processes these chemicals, causing emotional instability, erratic energy levels and depression. People with bipolar disorder may turn to drugs or alcohol out of an unconscious need to stabilize their moods. Unfortunately, substance abuse has the opposite effect, making the symptoms of bipolar disorder worse.

Addiction an Energy disease

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