Drunk young man resting head on bar counter

Detecting intoxication in life

July 14, 2017

Detecting intoxication in life is important in arriving at the best treatment solution

Detecting intoxication in life: Self-Testing

Am I an alcoholic? This is a very good question tailored towards preventing, treating and detecting intoxication presence in one’s life. It is by asking such question and getting the right responses that will help in finding a permanent solution to the scourge of alcoholism. Speaking to the experts from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury MD, it is evident that sometimes it can be hard to draw the line between safe alcohol use and alcohol abuse or dependence. Professionally doctor Akoury registers that there are several ways of detecting alcoholism presence in life. She suggests that you can carry out a self-testing method to ascertain whether you are alcoholic or not. Professionally, you may have a problem with alcohol if you answer “yes” to some of the following questions:

Do you need to drink a lot more for you to feel the effects of alcohol?
Do you suffer guilty about your drinking?
Do you become short-tempered or violent when you’re drinking?
Do you have problems at school or work because of drinking?
Do you think it might be better if you cut back on your drinking?

Depending on how you respond to the above, a yes answer could point to the direction of alcoholism. Besides the self-testing, the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence also offers more comprehensive self-tests which can help you assess whether you have a problem with alcohol. Away from the test doctor Akoury advice that you can also consult with your physician in very many ways for a professional diagnosis.

Detecting intoxication in life: Professional diagnosis

Your doctor or healthcare provider can diagnose alcoholism by carrying out a physical exam and ask you questions about your drinking habits. Like for instance, your doctor may ask if you:

Drive when you’re drunk
Have experienced blackouts as a result of your drinking
Have missed work or have lost a job as a result of your drinking
Have tried to cut back on your drinking but could not
Need more alcohol to feel “drunk” when you drink

Typically, a diagnosis of alcoholism does not require any other type of diagnostic test. Chance are that your doctor may order for a blood test to check your liver function if you show signs or symptoms of liver disease. This is because alcohol abuse can cause serious and lasting damage to your liver. Remember that it is your liver which is responsible for removing toxins from your blood and so when you drink too much, your liver will have difficulties in filtering the alcohol and other toxins from your bloodstream which can lead to liver disease and other complications.

Detecting intoxication in life: How is alcoholism treated?

Treatment for alcoholism varies, but each method is meant to help you stop drinking altogether (abstinence). Treatment may occur in stages and can include the following:

Counseling to solve emotional complications
Detoxification or withdrawal for the elimination of alcohol in the body
Medical treatment for alcoholism related health complications
Medications to help control addiction
Rehabilitation to learn new coping skills and behaviors
Support groups, including 12-step programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)

Finally, you can prevent alcoholism by limiting your alcohol intake. This may not be easy (detecting alcoholism presence) but consulting with doctor Dalal Akoury will make it much easier for you. Your health is more important than anything else and therefore scheduling that appointment will be a good start towards your recovery process.

Detecting intoxication in life: Self-Testing

Drug addiction stoppage campaign

July 14, 2017

Drug addiction stoppage campaign intensity

Drug addiction stoppage campaign: Necessary treatment

The drug addiction prevention campaign in most societies has often failed to yield the much-desired result in most cases. For several decades now this has been done across all the different media with each campaign taking a different dimension every day from legislation, religious involvement, and self-discipline. All these are professionally done in a bid to bring to order the act of irresponsibility that has been witnessed in the circles of drug consuming societies. I know of certain societies where alcohol abuse has completely killed the economic well-being of the people. Men no longer work to provide for their families and women and children are over burden with the double role of keeping the family a float. All these are happening because of misuse of drugs and alcohol.

Before I get deep into the discussion about locating the best addiction crisis recovery treatment, I want to ask, must we wait for the situation to reach a crisis level? And what are you doing in your big or small way to help bring this problem of addiction to a manageable level? I spoke to doctor Dalal Akoury the MD who is also the founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center about this great concern, and she is going to be very instrumental in shading more light for our understanding of some of the things we need to know.

Doctor Akoury says that when prevention has failed treatment should be sought for immediately. In some cases the situation could be urgent and recurring a crisis way of response, and should this be the case, then it is important to note that the best crises recovery centers should be the ones that can treat your behavioral disorder as well as your addiction. At this facility (AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center) we have highly trained personnel to take you through all the healing processes that will give you much healthier and free from any effects of addiction no matter the stage and all other complications that come with it. Therefore if you or someone you love has a behavioral disorder and is also suffering from an addiction to drugs or alcohol, help is readily available up on schedule for an appointment with doctor Akoury today. Nonetheless, it is important to remember that there are many crisis addiction treatment facilities around you and throughout the country and beyond and the choice you make should be above board so that the desired result is delivered timely and to the satisfaction of your needs.

Drug addiction stoppage campaign: Behavioral disorders

The phrase behavioral disorders a collection of several meanings ranging from mental health issues including anxiety disorders, dissociative disorders, and personality disorders. In many cases, these disorders may start during childhood, and they may last through teenage years and into adulthood. Experts say that living with a behavioral disorder can make one’s regular life very difficult and unbearable. Therefore, many people who are struggling with behavioral disorders may be tempted to turn to doing the wrong things to cope like taking drugs and alcohol. According to numbers compiled by the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors, people who suffer from behavioral disorders, as well as addiction, face life expectancies that are approximately 35 years lower than average. With the right help, however, there is hope. It is possible to get help for these issues from a crisis rehab facility. In order to increase your chances of a successful recovery, you should try to select the very best inpatient recovery center. The right center will be able to meet all of your needs, as they treat both your addiction and behavioral disorder.

Drug addiction stoppage campaign: Necessary treatment

Drug dependence signs and Symptoms

July 14, 2017

Drug dependence signs and Symptoms should help you make the right decision

Drug dependence signs and Symptoms: The beginning of addiction

The particular signs and symptoms of drug use and dependence vary depending on the type of drug. You can tell if a family member or a friend is struggling with the common drug dependence signs quite easily based on the physical and behavioral signs and symptoms associated with the drug. We spoke to doctor Dalal Akoury MD, President, and founder of AWAREmed health center over this and it was very evident that the link is in the type of drug in question, like for instance:

Drug dependence signs and Symptoms: Marijuana and hashish

It’s possible to develop a psychological addiction to cannabis compounds including tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) found in marijuana and hashish. People who have a marijuana addiction generally use the drug on a daily basis. They don’t actually have a chemical dependence on the drug but rather feel the need to regularly use the drug. According to the expert opinion, doctor Akoury reiterates that this is a disaster in waiting and if nothing is done in good time, the patient could pay the ultimate price. But before we get there, it can be very sad if we allow things to get there. The starting point in this case would be overcoming any resistance of seeking for treatment like denial and fear of withdrawal symptoms.

Once this is dealt with, only then can we approach treatment meaningfully. And before we get there, it may interest you to note that, professionalism is very key in addressing matters relating to substance abuse. And for your situation, we are privileged to have with us doctor Dalal Akoury who is a veteran addiction professional, besides being an expert in the area of Healthy Aging, Regenerative, and Functional Medicine. She (Dr. Akoury) also specializes in advanced bio-identical hormone replacement and nutritional therapies. And currently she is a member of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine and the fellowship program in Anti-Aging, Regenerative, Functional and Metabolic Medicine. With over two decades of experience, your condition will be addressed professionally to the advantage of all your loved ones. As you consider making that very important phone call for an appointment, the following are some of the signs of use and dependence of drugs:

A heightened sense of visual, auditory and taste perception
Poor memory
Increased blood pressure and heart rate
Red eyes
Decreased coordination
Difficulty concentrating
Increased appetite
Slowed reaction time
Paranoid thinking

Drug dependence signs and Symptoms: Barbiturates and benzodiazepines

Barbiturates and benzodiazepines are prescription central nervous system depressants. Phenobarbital, amobarbital (Amytal) and secobarbital (Seconal) are examples of barbiturates. Benzodiazepines include tranquilizers, such as diazepam (Valium), alprazolam (Xanax), lorazepam (Ativan), clonazepam (Klonopin) and chlordiazepoxide (Librium). If you’re prescribed these drugs, take them exactly as ordered. If you feel your need for these medications is increasing, talk to your doctor about it including the signs of use and dependence listed below:

Drowsiness
Slurred speech
Lack of coordination
Memory problems
Confusion
Slowed breathing and decreased blood pressure
Dizziness
Depression

Drug dependence signs and Symptoms: The beginning of addiction

Significant health problems and marijuana

July 14, 2017

Significant health problems and marijuana’s impact is a wrong combination

Significant health problems and marijuana: The dried shredded flowers

The significant health problems caused by marijuana is a long one and certainly it did not start yesterday and it’s not going to end anytime soon if the trend of its usage continues. Experts across the globe are concerned with the way addictive substances are treated or are embraces in some parts of the world. Like for instance marijuana is one of the major cash crops in Afghanistan and is legally allowed for trade. While we are struggling to have its usage reduced, the other side of the coin is promoting it for economic benefits even with the knowledge that marijuana addiction and consequences attached to it are real. These among other things are what we want to discuss in this article primarily to give you the insight of the dangers of marijuana addiction.

To help us understand more about this substance, we are going to be talking to doctor Dalal Akoury the MD and founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center. To start us off doctor Akoury defines marijuana as a green or gray mixture of dried, shredded flowers and leaves of the hemp plant Cannabis sativa. There are over 200 slang terms for marijuana including “pot,” “herb,” “weed,” “boom,” “Mary Jane,” “gangster,” and “chronic.” The mode of administration into the body is usually through smoking in the same way as a cigarette (called a joint or a nail) or in a pipe or bong.

Significant health problems caused by marijuana: The genetic factors in marijuana use

Scientists across the globe have found that whether an individual has positive or negative sensations after smoking, marijuana can be influenced by heredity. This drug is commonly administering into the body through smoking with the effect being felt just within minutes. The effects experienced often depend upon the experience and expectations of the individual user as well as the activity of the drug itself. Doctor Akoury says that low doses tend to induce a sense of well-being and a dreamy state of relaxation, which may be accompanied by a more vivid sense of sight, smell, taste, and hearing as well as by subtle alterations in thought formation and expression.

It is important to note that stronger doses of marijuana may intensify reactions, and because of this the individual may experience shifting sensory imagery, rapidly fluctuating emotions, a flight of fragmentary thoughts with disturbed associations, an altered sense of self-identity, impaired memory, and a dulling of attention despite an illusion of heightened insight.

Finally, recent research findings also indicate that long-term use of marijuana produces changes in the brain similar to those seen after long-term use of other major drugs of abuse. This are not just simple threats for life but enormous in nature and needs the intervention of real experts to have them eliminated from our systems. A call to the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury is what you need to do now and schedule an appointment for the commencement of your recovery treatment today.

Significant health problems and marijuana: The dried shredded flowers

Corresponding addiction solution

July 14, 2017

Corresponding addiction solution necessary for the perfection in defeating the side effects of treatment

Corresponding addiction solution: Drug abuse and mental health

Having looked at some of the corresponding addiction treatment for the benefit of your health, we want to explore more in this line to equip you with relevant health information as follows:

Get therapy – Your chances of staying sober improve if you are participating in a social support group like Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous or if you are getting therapy.

Follow doctor’s orders – Once you are sober and you feel better, you might think you no longer need medication or treatment. But arbitrarily stopping medication or treatment is a common reason for relapse in people with co-occurring disorders. Always talk with your doctor before making any changes to your medication or treatment routine.

Corresponding addiction solution: Make healthy lifestyle changes

Practice relaxation techniques – When practiced regularly, relaxation techniques such as mindfulness meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, and deep breathing can reduce symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression, and increase feelings of relaxation and emotional well-being.

Healthy eating habits – Start the day right with breakfast, and continue with frequent small meals throughout the day. Going too long without eating leads to low blood sugar, which can make you feel more stressed or anxious.

Exercise regularly – Exercise is a natural way to bust stress, relieve anxiety, and improve your mood and outlook. To achieve the maximum benefit, aim for at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise on most days.

Get enough sleep – People often ignore sleeping because of the pressures of work and economic hardship however lack of sleep can exacerbate stress, anxiety, and depression it is therefore prudent that you sleep for 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep a night.

Helping a loved one with a substance abuse and mental health problem

Doing this is difficult because resistance to treatment is common and the road to recovery can be long. You can only do what you can. You cannot force someone to remain sober, nor can you make someone take their medication or keep appointments. You can live positively by encouraging your loved one to get help in many ways like:

Seek support – Dealing with a loved one’s dual diagnosis of mental illness and substance abuse can be painful and isolating. Make sure you’re getting the emotional support you need to cope.

Set boundaries – Be realistic about the amount of care you’re able to provide without feeling overwhelmed and resentful. Set limits on disruptive behaviors, and stick to them. Letting the co-occurring disorders take over your life isn’t healthy for you or your loved one.

Educate yourself – Learn all you can about your loved one’s mental health problem, as well as substance abuse treatment and recovery. The more you understand what your loved one is going through, the better able you’ll be to support recovery.

Be patient – This is very important because recovering from a dual diagnosis doesn’t happen overnight. It is an ongoing process that can take long may be months or years, and relapse is common. Ongoing support for both you and your loved one is crucial as you work toward recovery. All these are just some guidelines to help you offer better support to your loved ones. And even as follow these guidelines it is still very important that you seek the services of the experts in this discipline. You can reach doctor Akoury on phone today to schedule an appointment and she will be of great help.

Category Archives: Integrative Addiction Treatment for Physicians